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Red invitations with gold calligraphy, via The Knot.

Red, floor-length dress, $280, Lazaro. For your bridesmaids… or the daring bride! (via Brides.com)

Crystal vases topped with red, silk lampshades, and filled with water, glass marbles, water-activated LED lights, and a single ruby gerbera daisy (via The Knot).

Earrings, $45, Kenneth Jay Lane, 877-953-5264. (via Brides.com)

Bouquet of gloriosa lilies, red hypericum berries, red ranunculuses, and Safari Sunset (via The Knot).

Dress, $286, Ivy & Aster. (via Brides.com)

Red Sling-back shoes via The Knot.

Satin Sash with Beaded Embellishment by David’s Bridal

While you may choose the hue of your roses based on personal color preference, it is interesting to note that there are traditional meanings associated with various colored roses. For example, red roses symbolize love, passion, and beauty. White roses symbolize purity, innocence, and youthfulness. Pink symbolizes sweetness, grace, and faithfulness, while yellow symbolizes joy and friendship. Orange roses symbolize desire. Lavender says “I’m enchanted by you” and blue stands for mystery. Click here for more on the Meaning of Roses.

The Knot provides an overview on the three main types of roses used for wedding flowers:

• Hybrid Tea Roses: With its classic shape, the hybrid tea rose is, in fact, valued for its uniformity, durability (it will last the whole day without wilting!), and availability. The most popular kinds include the deep red roses known as Black Magic, the creamy white ones known as Vendela, and the gold-tone roses known as Leonidas.

• Spray Roses: These smaller roses include five to 10 small heads per stem and therefore fill out bouquets more than a single stem — making them a great value. They are available in single hues or bicolor, like the hybrid. Because of the variance in size, they are ideal for giving texture and visual interest to an arrangement.

• Garden Roses: These roses are far larger and more lush than the other varieties. They are often very open, and they’re more natural and free-form — like something you’d find in your own garden (hence the name). Because of the fragility, they are rarer, precious, and costly.

Understated Elegance: Here are some photos of bridal bouquets from the knot, made of roses all in the same color.

Mixed Magic: Mixing roses of various shades, sizes, and/or varieties makes a stunning bouquet. Pictures from The Knot:

Unexpected Hues: You can make a statement with roses in nontraditional colors, such as lilac and blue.

The simplicity of black and white is best suited to a classy, elegant affair. If you are planning a fun, laid-back, anything-goes type of party, you’ll probably want something brighter. But if you consider yourself a stylish, polished, worldly type of guy or gal, black and white will suit you perfectly! Here are some gorgeous photos from the Wedding Style Guide Issue 8 to inspire you!

Add a little crimson passion to the loosen up the stark black&white formality:

Gray is taking over for brown, stealing center stage as the new neutral of choice. Lest you think of gray as drab and dreary, wedding stylists assure us us that it is THE hip, sophisticated foil for brighter colors. It’s versatile, yet classic. Showcase you trendsetting tendencies by incorporating silver in shimmering fabrics, sparkling jewelry, and luminous makeup.

Which leads us to the next hot wedding color trend: fresh, bright, tropical colors, such as turquoise, tangerine, royal purple, or yellow. Pink is always popular, but this season’s hue is bold, hot pink. Designer Reem Acra, in a recent interview (via about weddings), explains that her inspiration for the 2009 bridal collection was “Color, a lot of color. A lot of blues, greens, and lavender.”

Pair grey or silver with a bright, contrasting color to make the most of this current color trend.

• For a subdued, classic look: Use the bright colors in your accessories and other details. For example, a simple gray bridesmaid dress is the perfect backdrop for a bright sash or tropical bouquet. Gray tableclothes will set off eye-catching centerpieces and a colorful wedding cake.
• For an exuberant, modern look: Let loose and have fun! Use just one bright color, with one of two contrasting hues that are more subdued. For example, turquoise bridesmaid’s gowns would look lovely with a silver sash and white bouquets. Or, if you choose magenta, imagine bold pink tablecloths with soft pink roses in silver urns.

Turquoise, yellow, and gray wedding inspiration board and invitation from wedding inspiration blog. (Click here for photo credits)

Pink and Gray wedding inspiration board from perfect bound. Bridesmaid photo from  Priscilla of Boston via itsajaimething.com.

Green and Grey wedding inspiration board from snippet and ink. Wedding cake from sweet retreat.

Lemon and Gray inspiration board from my beach wedding in mauritius. Bouquet from branching out events.

Orange and Grey inspiration board from with–this–ring. Dress from David’s Bridal.

Wedding planner and designer Terrica Skaggs, in Ten Secrets to Planning a Successful Wedding Your Friends Will Envy, quotes the saying “If you stand for nothing you’ll fall for anything.” The same thing is true when it comes to wedding themes. If you don’t have one, you’ll end up with numerous unrelated elements just thrown together.  Having a theme pulls the whole event together, from food to music to favors, and makes your planning process that much simpler.

If you find yourself thinking, “But I don’t want a theme! I just want a simple wedding where my friends and family will have a great time!” there is good news.  A wedding theme doesn’t need to be elaborate or extravagant, such as “Mardi Gras Masquerade” or “Mediterranean Dream.”  You just need to pick something that’s meaningful to you, or something that suits your style, and be consistent. Even your colors can be a theme!

Here are some tips on choosing a wedding theme:

1. Think about who you and your fiance are, and what you stand for. What are your hobbies? What are you passionate about? What appeals to you? If you’re all about laid-back fun, than “backyard barbecue” can be your theme (even if you’re not having your wedding in a backyard!). If you both love opera, then make that your theme. If you love nature and preserving the environment, go for a “natural” theme. You can also use cultural or ethnic themes. And hey, if the color yellow makes you happy, then use that as your central theme!

2.  If you do pick a color as theme, be consistent. If you choose pink and green, decide what shades you like, and stick to it. Try to use a maximum of three complimentary colors, and keep them in season. “Having specific wedding colors can help give a visual unity, and help your wedding seem more elegant, and even more expensive than it really is,” according to About Weddings.

3. A theme can be ANYTHING.. a season (autumn), an era (Victorian), a country (Italian), a sport (baseball), a flower (sunflowers), a design (polka dots)… Try picking one word (or phrase) as your theme, something that expresses the mood or style of your wedding: Romantic, whimsical, Gothic, modern, Art Deco, moonlight, floral… you get the point!

4. Perk up your venue with little touches that reflect your theme. Implement things like flowers, greenery, candles, sashes, seashells, and lanterns into your decor.  In this way you can transform even the plainest venue into something that looks like a million dollars, as well as save yourself some money, and give your theme authenticity.  Hang sparkling snowflakes from the ceiling for a winter wedding, use watering cans to hold your centerpieces for a “garden” wedding, or sea shells for an ocean themed wedding.

5. Play music that echos your theme. Whether you have a DJ or a 5-piece band, make sure they are willing to work with your theme. You don’t want a harpist at a Wild West wedding, or 80′s music at your Roaring 20′s celebration.

6. Choose a theme that will go over well with your guests, advises My Wedding Blog. Make sure that your theme is not in poor taste. You most definitely do not want to insult or disgust your guests.

7. If you want to go all out, get help! If you have a specific theme in mind, but you don’t know how to pull it off, hire a coordinator to handle it for you. As professionals, they know exactly how to make your themed wedding a success.

8. Take the theme home! Not everyone chooses to give out wedding favors, but if you do, they should definitely reflect your theme! Visit AmericanBridal for all your themed wedding favor needs!

Polka dot cake from maisie fantaisie.

Rustic homespun details

Outdoor weddings — on a farm, in a vineyard, or even in the backyard — are huge right now, and t’s really no wonder: An outdoor setting makes for a fun, laid-back vibe and the decor options are limitless. So what kinds of details are in store? Vintage vases filled with fresh-from-the-garden flowers, mismatched china in bright colors, and homemade wooden signs to direct guests. Even catering is in on the action with in-season ingredients paired with local wine.

• See photos from at-home real weddings
• Get hundreds of reception ideas

Jewel tones

Say good-bye to pale pastels and bright poppies. Rich gem colors like navy, plum, and amber are going to be hot. And instead of chocolate brown, look to a soft creme brulee hue, bronzes, coppers, and black. Yes, that’s right — black is back too. Yay!

• See hot color combos
• Search reception details by color

Patterns that pop

Gingham, checkered, polka-dotted, paisley, toile, damask — you name it, colorful patterns are in and in a big way. Add patterned overlays to your tables to instantly perk up the room… find an off-the-rack patterned dress for your bridesmaids… have your invitations and envelopes lined with colorful designs. The best part about this trend is that it lets you throw around a lot of different hues and still keep a cohesive look and feel.

• Get more decor ideas from our wedding style blog!

Ball gowns are back

The full A-line silhouette will make a huge resurgence down ceremony aisles this year. And you don’t have to have a ballroom wedding to pull it off either — the key is in the fabric. Find one with layers of airy tulle or even cotton for an outdoor spring or summer wedding; get a silk satin ball gown for a more formal wedding; or go for ultra-soft suede for a wintertime wedding.

• See hundreds of ball gowns
• Search 1,000+ dresses

Two-tiered wedding cakes

While cupcakes and dessert bars have been popular for the past few years, wedding cakes are making a comeback — but not in tall towers anymore. Now just two tiers is enough to make a statement! Order several small cakes and put them on each table as a centerpiece, or set up a table of tiny wedding cakes mixed with desserts, cookies, pies, and more. And vintage cake toppers are in too. Find one online at a site like Etsy.com, commission one from a local artist, or borrow your parents’ or grandparents’ to make your cake extra-memorable. And of course, you can always make your own!

• Search 1,500+ wedding cakes
• See 60+ dessert display photos

New centerpiece vessels

The classic floral vase has given way to mix-and-matched clusters of vintage pitchers, vases, jars, and galvanized buckets. Other ideas: apothecary jars with colorful rocks, sand, or even candy; uniquely shaped glass vases featuring fresh fruits like raspberries and blueberries; and mason jars loaded with fresh flowers like daisies and dahlias. To throw extra color or texture into the mix, line your flower-filled vases with patterned paper or even fabric. For a wintertime fete, get knit and sweater-like coverings to line your vases and complement a cozy decor.

• Get 800+ centerpiece ideas
• See our guide to wedding flowers

Chandeliers and creative lighting

Lighting designers are turning out impressive designs, projecting chandeliers, large trees, flowers, and even city skylines right onto the walls. When it comes to your space, hang chandeliers in different sizes, add colorful lamps and shades to the tables, line the room with strands of twinkling lights, and don’t skimp on the candles.

• Get lighting ideas from real weddings

The updated photo booth

Renting a photo booth has been growing in popularity over the past few years. The updated version? Entire photo sets with fabric backdrops and props. Set up a photo area at the reception that’s big enough for a group shot. Drape the background with fabric and add couches, chairs, and plenty of props (think easy-to-throw-on hats and scarves). You may be able to have your photographer or an assistant man the station, or ask a trusty friend to be on hand with a digital camera.

• See photo and video basics

US honeymoons

This year, newlyweds will prove that you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to find an amazing honeymoon spot. Many will be looking to book a honeymoon right here in the US. And there’s no shortage of domestic honeymoon-worthy options — from a romantic winery in Sonoma County, California, to a hot hotel in Miami, Florida, to a cozy lodge with a stunning view in Juneau, Alaska.

• See our top US honeymoon picks

Themed rehearsal dinners

Couples are getting more creative with their rehearsal dinners and making them extra-meaningful. Invite your guests to the local pizza and beer joint down the street where you shared your first date and rent out the back room. If he proposed over champagne and strawberries, serve them for dessert. Going to Mexico for your honeymoon? Have fajitas for dinner.

• Get rehearsal dinner basics

Tousled up-dos

Hairstyles will get a lift this year in the form of sweeping undone updos. Get a modern twist on a beehive hairstyle with a tousled look and added barrettes, or ask your hairstylist to give you a slightly undone, pulled-back chignon.

• See 150+ hairstyle photos

Navy is the new “something blue”

Light blue is cute, but the new sophisticated version of “something blue” is navy. Wear a pair of navy shoes for the reception, don a navy necklace or earrings, or wrap your bouquet in navy lace.

• See our navy accessories slideshow

Going-away dresses

The grand exit at the end of the night is coming back in style; more and more couples are skipping the post-wedding brunch and leaving straight for the honeymoon. An exit like this calls for a going-away outfit, like a blue dress and flats or another white dress with a higher hemline.

• See dramatic exit photos from real weddings

Bright eyes

Makeup artists say that more and more brides are asking to emphasize the eyes, keeping the look natural, dewy, and glowing. Try sheer pale eye shadows in peaches and gold, adding a few lash extensions to the middle of your lash line and using a little eyeliner in violet or dark gray.

• Get our top makeup tips

At-home workouts

Beyond the gym, brides are enhancing their workouts at home with yoga moves and virtual personal trainers, like Wii Fit and The 30-Day Shred by Jillian Michaels.

At the turn of the century, Thanksgiving week was one of society’s grandest periods of social functions, according to Creative Bride, and getting married just before or just after Thanksgiving was highly fashionable.

Today, a holiday wedding has its challenges and bonuses. For example, Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel time of the year, so travel plans would have to be finalized well in advance. However, family members may already be planning to come together for the holiday, which would make things a lot easier . Attending a wedding at the same time would be a plus.

Thanksgiving is poignant and full of spirit. It’s more than just a time of turkey and football. It’s a time of reflection and sharing, and the brides of more than a hundred years ago may have been on to something. A Thanksgiving week wedding would be full of tradition and family bonding and love worn on heart sleeves. Giving thanks for life’s blessings by choosing that time to become united, would no doubt feel especially empowering.

Incorporating the beauty of autumn and Thanksgiving into your wedding is easy as… pumpkin pie, of course. Use colors like red, gold, rust, burgundy, brown, tan, dark orange, and yellow. AC suggests using fall flowers like mums, yarrow, daises, and roses, along with colored leaves, to create decorations and bouquets. Add pheasant feathers, tallow berries, and dried wheat to your autumn bridal bouquet for a more complete look.

Decorations for a Thanksgiving wedding include:

• Groups of gourds and pumpkins placed around the room
• Wheat sheaves
• Pumpkins: not only orange! You can find some in natural white or blue
• Cornucopias filled with seasonal produce and plants
• Sculpture pilgrim shoes (complete with buckle) set amidst carefully arranged autumn leaves and flowers
• Simple flower arrangements, like daisies or cream roses, in fall-colored vases make nice centerpieces. Instead of greenery, use pheasant feathers and wheat stalks as backdrop for the flowers.
• Create a white candle arrangement mixed with cinnamon sticks and tied with fall colored ribbons.

For dinner, you can serve a hearty seasonal meal, which probably should not include turkey. Some serving suggestions, from AC and wedding photo USA:

• Soup served in a hallowed out pumpkin is unique and festive
• Roasted quail for the meat eaters
• mushroom ragout for vegetarians
• marinated pork roast with mashed potatoes
• honey glazed butternut squash, baby carrots, green beans
• Warm apple cider or mulled wine are excellent drinks.
• Dessert can be pumpkin pie or baked apple dessert.

The Cornucopia of Harvest Wedding Inspiration from Manolo for the Brides:

Candied apples mak a fun wedding favor that’s pretty AND delicious!

A glorious crimson and gold table combination by NJDesign:

Isn’t this home-style Thanksgiving table awesome?! I love how the brick wall and floor, drapes, and sofa all match the season’s colors!

For a more modern look:

I still get messages from The Knot, despite the fact that my wedding is over and they are trying to nudge me into The Nest.

Here’s today’s depressing insight into the Wedding Industrial Complex:

“Congratulations! Now that you’ve tied the knot, we want to hear all about it. Your style, your colors, the size of your bridal party — fill us in! Take a few moments and share the details of your special day with us!”

Don’t get me wrong. The Knot is a useful resource in several different ways, but this preoccupation with the style and colors of a wedding detracts from what a wedding is really about. I wish they had asked: Now that you’ve tied the knot, we want to hear all about it. How you fostered community and connection, how you chose to express your commitment, and how much fun you had with your nearest and dearest — fill us in!

I know it’s hard when you’re immersed in the wedding planning process, but it is so important to stay grounded in what a wedding is really about. If we lose sight of that, we’re at risk for turning into robotic brides like the one featured in the sticker above on a package to my friend (Editor’s Note: You can purchase your own facetious bridal stickers at the Dollar Store.) I still get messages from The Knot, despite the fact that my wedding is over and they are trying to nudge me into The Nest.

Here’s today’s depressing insight into the Wedding Industrial Complex:

“Congratulations! Now that you’ve tied the knot, we want to hear all about it. Your style, your colors, the size of your bridal party — fill us in! Take a few moments and share the details of your special day with us!”

Don’t get me wrong. The Knot is a useful resource in several different ways, but this preoccupation with the style and colors of a wedding detracts from what a wedding is really about. I wish they had asked: Now that you’ve tied the knot, we want to hear all about it. How you fostered community and connection, how you chose to express your commitment, and how much fun you had with your nearest and dearest — fill us in!

I know it’s hard when you’re immersed in the wedding planning process, but it is so important to stay grounded in what a wedding is really about. If we lose sight of that, we’re at risk for turning into robotic brides like the one featured in the sticker above on a package to my friend (Editor’s Note: You can purchase your own facetious bridal stickers at the Dollar Store.)

Along the same lines, a post I saw on Manolo Brides called “Letting Go of Perfect.” Twistie’s words of wisdom are: Forget Perfect! “Shoot for elegant or fun or meaningful. Not only are all three of those things possible, they’re the sort of words people are going to use anyway.  Besides, you’re the only one who will ever notice whether or not the martinis perfectly match the bridesmaid’s dresses.”

She contrasts two different brides from an episode of Whose Wedding Is It, Anyway? The first bride (groom didn’t have much to say about the planning) wanted the perfect wedding.  She was obsessed with purple and everything had to be the exact, perfect shade of purple. On her wedding day she was a nervous wreck who burst into tears about everything, and then worried that the tears would ruin her make up. The second couple were delighted by everything their planner did and at their wedding lived totally in the moment. “They were relaxed, gracious, and having a hell of a good time.”

You can read the whole entry at Manolo. I suggest you do. Because, really, which bride do YOU want to be??

Gorgeous bridesmaid photo compliments of The Knot, of course! You gotta love those wedding photos even if you don’t have money like that to spend!

Trend: Dynamic Colors

Think sophisticated brights. Sticking with just two hues (or two plus an accent color) will keep your space unified. Rather than splashing color all over your reception space, use one dynamic color for a strong statement — think all-pink centerpieces or bold orange table linens. This holds especially true for your centerpieces: Instead of multicolored centerpieces, alternate single-color floral arrangements for a pulled-together look.

Trend: Upscale Picnic Food

Summer is the season for barbecuing, so consider serving a grilled entree for instant seasonal style.  Stay on the lighter side with chicken or fish. Bringing in fruity flavors will add even more seasonal flair — think chili-lime rubbed chicken breasts or grilled tilapia topped with mango salsa.  Upscale picnic-style fare is both a low-maintenance and high-style way to go. One example menu we love: coconut-fried chicken served with dipping sauces, red bliss potato salad, and mandarin orange and mesclun salad with raspberry vinaigrette.

Trend: New Themes

Think of your favorite summer hangouts when planning your theme. Rather than just any beach, bring in elements specific to the beach you remember as a kid. If it was a cabin in the woods, go for a wilderness theme. Another idea is to honor your honeymoon destination. If you’re having a garden wedding but honeymooning in Hawaii, add orchids to your bouquets or fill the bottoms of your centerpiece vases with black lava rocks.

Trend: Unexpected Invitations

Use colors in a new and unexpected way on your invites by reversing the typical invitation color scheme. For example, rather than using fuchsia lettering on a cream-colored invite, opt for cream print on fuchsia paper. Or mix it up — do the cream-colored invite with fuchsia writing, and then a bright pink reply card with a cream-colored font. Consider the material of your invite as well.

One hot-off-the-press idea: Get fabric-printed invites, programs, and escort cards for a laid-back look perfect for summer.

Trend: Wine Smoothies

Wine smoothies are cold, frosty, and pack less of an alcoholic punch than margaritas. Perfect for your cocktail hour and as a signature drink for the evening, ask your caterer about serving one of these concoctions. A wine smoothie consists of a fruity wine, like rose, blended with ice and fruits of your choice. Garnished with a couple of berries or fruit slices, it makes for a refreshing and unexpected signature sip.

Trend: Natural Centerpieces

Cut citrus fruit is a tried-and-true favorite for summertime centerpieces, but other options out there are more unexpected and just as visually appealing. Have your florist use hollowed-out watermelons as a centerpiece container for a casual look that’s fun and seasonal. Another option is to go natural and green with your containers. Incorporate wooden vases or pedestals with grass or moss to give centerpieces a textured, natural feel.

Trend: Beyond Wedding Cake

White wedding cakes are popular for every season, and of course, chocolate always reigns for groom’s cakes. But with cake bakers nowadays offering so many delectable flavors and fillings, why not try a seasonal selection?  Think fresh strawberries and whipped cream filling for a strawberry shortcake-style wedding cake, or a citrus-infused filling like Key lime, lemon, or orange vanilla buttercream that honors a summertime fruit.

A big-hit idea we love: Hire an ice cream truck to arrive at the end of the night offering summertime favorites — the perfect nostalgic, late-night snack for your guests.

Trend: Eco-Friendly Favors

Why not give back to the planet while you give to your guests? Eco-friendly favors are bigger than ever, particularly if you’re taking advantage of natural beauty and marrying outdoors. One idea: Give guests locally grown herbs planted in recyclable glass jars or tin cans. Dressed up with ribbon or paper in your wedding colors, they’re gorgeous and good for the earth. Beyond plants, you might also consider donating to a local charity for a wedding favor idea that never goes out of season.