Your wedding should start with a theme, like a beach theme, winter themed wedding, a Renaissance period wedding, gothic romance, fairy tale, whatever feels right, and build on it with your own unique ideas. Perhaps you will want to build your theme on a season like Spring, symbolizing new beginnings or Fall,  to symbolize the "Autumn"  romance of an older couple.  Maybe you want to live the Hollywood dream and be a "star" in your own wedding. For the second time around, pretty much anything goes!  It truly is "your day ~ your way".

Victorian:  Think ruffles, bows and lace. A long lace veil worn with an antique wedding dress, a lace parasol and a  tussy mussy to carry your flowers in. An elegant, old-fashioned affair with formal, engraved invitations. Tailcoats for the men ~ top hat optional. Favors could be lacey fans or the very English tradition of crackers. Party Crackers are an old English party favor idea and tradition. They are festively wrapped cardboard cylinders that can be filled with all manner of treasures and trinkets and tied off at the ends. Typically, but not always, a cracker "snap" is inserted which, when pulled from both ends, pops loudly. Thus, "crackers." Dinner could be a formal "tea". Serve fancy tea sandwiches, caviar, petit fours, ices and of course, coffee and tea. As for centerpieces, I found a darling handmade teacup floral centerpiece at a local craft shop for $13. If you are crafty, you could make these for about half if you shop estate sales for the old teacups, saucers and teaspoons and a craft store sale for the flowers and accents. Looks expensive and will definitely wow your guests!

                                                                                                                                                   Hollywood Glam:  If there is any day to feel like a star, it's your wedding day! Glam it up with a sexy satin charmeuse, red carpet gown with a feather fascinator for your hair. Long, silky gloves, a sequin evening bag and a single calla lily. He wears a classic suit and tie. Rent a limousine to whisk you and your bridal party around in style. To really carry out this theme, see if you can rent a local movie theater to hold the reception in. Classic red, black and silver balloon arches or bouquets greet the guests through the door, walking in on a red carpet, of course with black velvet stanchions leading the way to the intimate, round tables. Grand piano playing swing music in the background. Movie theme photo coasters as favors complete the theme.  You can purchase your hollywood glam wedding cake top right here at Second I Do's!

Renaissance: French for "rebirth." An age of moving on from the past and looking to the future with a new clarity. What fun you can have withthis theme! Find an old Gothic style church and decorate for your ceremony with black wrought iron candlesticks, floral arrangements of orange blossoms and lilies, the sound of a magical harp playing in the background. Imagine a horse drawn carriage whisking you and your family off to your reception, decorated with hanging banners where you are greeted with jugglers, a madrigal group strolling through the crowd, tables filled with roasted meats, cheese, vegetable filled pastries ~ a feast fit for a king! Near the end of the Renaissance period, the Bride's Pie gained popularity. The pie was filled with sweet breads, a mince pie or may have been a simple mutton pie. A main 'ingredient' was a glass ring. It was said that the lady who found the ring would be the next to be married. Come up with your own version of the Bride's Pie ~ you can display several of them on a separate table to add an authentic renaissance touch.  A wondrous night to always remember, for you and your guests. We recommend these great renaissance style flutes  for your participation in ye merry making: