Oh, it could have, but just a teeny-tiny bit, and just in the small details! I was a very laid back bride and pretty much said “OK!” to everything my mom graciously helped me organize. I’m not complaining at all, but if I could do it over again, now that I’m not so starry-eyed, here are some things I’d do differently!

shoes from dress361

1. Loosen up the Pictures! I have a lot of wedding pictures, but they are all pretty formal and pretty standard. I still love looking at them but I’d have added two things:

1. A photo booth, where guests can put on a kooky hat or a feather boa and get a little crazy for the camera!
2. Some version of Trash the Dress. I don’t think I actually want to have trashed it (it went on to have a good life with other brides after I wore it) but I do think it would have been cool to go off somewhere, like the beach or a Malibu hiking trail and had some fun!

2. More color in the Ensemble! I loved my dress, which was a creamy off-white, with a train, embellished with lace and a satin sash with long tails in the back. I wore my mother’s gorgeous lace veil which reached the floor, along with roses in my hair. It was very nearly perfect, except for…

1. I’m thinking that maybe I would have liked a colored sash, maybe something peachy or gold, to match my flowers.
2. While we’re at it, I’d have picked shoes (dyables, or something sparkly?) to match the sash! The shoes I wore were so NOT special!

3. Hair up, hair down? I wore my hair half and half, with some loose tendrils in the front. My photographer had said, “Don’t do the loose tendrils! They will block your face and ruin some of your photos!” I didn’t listen, since I had my heart set on a gorgeous, romantic hairstyle I saw in some bridal magazine. But he was right! They looked pretty from the front, but not so great from any other angle. So listen to my photographer, and keep your wisps tucked away where they belong!

4. Total Invitation Renovation: Not having a fortune to spend, my invitations were very plain, very simple, and very boring. Black on cream. If I had a do-over I would not want to spend more money on fancy cardstock and expensive graphics. But maybe I would have written out my invitations by hand (I am artistic and I could have done some pretty calligraphy) and given the template to the printer to print up. Maybe loosened up the traditional wording a little bit. Maybe added some “swirly goodness” a la I Dream of Letters (I am a little bit obsessed with her stuff!)

An actual Bridal Party: I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone, so I let all moms, sisters, and flower girls (rather mom of flower girls) pick their own dresses. This mean my mom wore a stunning, floor length gold gown, my mother-in-law a pretty peacock-blue dress, my sister was in pink, one sister-in-law wore something soft and multi-colored, and my other sister-in-law came in leopard print!! So maybe, now that I think about it, it would have been a good idea to give a little guidance. Like maybe just pick a color and stick with it! And have the guys wear matching ties too, while we’re at it!

So that’s pretty much it. All small details in the grand scheme of things, but fun to consider nonetheless. And maybe it will give other brides out there the opportunity to rethink anything they might not have thought about at first!

feature photo credit: Mark Lenoce Photography

So how cute would it be if you had this awesome Phone Booth prop for your guests to pose with… in… in front of… etc…? I don’t know how much this costs to actually buy, but with some imagination I bet you could replicate it with some cardboard boxes and red paint.

I also love this glamorous Crescent-Moon and Star Photo Booth from Martha Stewart! I think it would be great, not only for the bride and groom, but for your guests to get their pose on, too! You can make it out of foam board cut into a crescent shape, sprayed with glue, blanketed with glitter, and hung with fishing wire.

Another pretty option is this pop-up alter, which you can use for your vows, if you like, and then transfer to your photo booth location! Martha Stewart recommends creating this type of fluttering canopy out of these honeycomb leaf garlands. If you want to DIY, click: Get the How-To.

 

Pretty much anything can be used as a photo booth prop. If your wedding is outdoors, you could put the “Photo booth here” sign pointing to the vehicle of your choice, such as classic car, a rented Rolls, or a vintage pickup truck. And going back to the foam board, you could make your own life-sized car, complete with cut-out windows, for guests to have fun with! (Photo by Steve C. via photo.net.

photo here via Your Best Wedding

Enter the photo booth!! It’s a little station you set up to entice your guests to pose for their very own photo session! You can put your photographer in charge, ask a friend to man the booth, or just hand out disposable cameras and ask everyone to be sure to stop by the booth and snap a few shots.  You can get as fun and creative as you like with backdrops, props, and costumes, and leave the smiling and posing to your friends!

More ideas and inspiration for your Photo Booth:

To ensure that they would have unique keepsake photographs of their guests, the couple set up an outdoor portrait studio made up of lengths of bright floral fabric draped over a clothesline. The photographer chose the background best suited to each subject’s outfit, mixing unlike but complementary patterns to create a jubilant, richly textured collection of pictures. (Martha Stewart Weddings)

Create your own photo booth with an oversize canvas backdrop. You can dowload the design below and take it to a copy center (like FedEx) that can print the large file. Then hang it up at your reception and have your photographer or friends capture candid moments that you can add to your guest book.  Get the Photo Booth Backdrop Clip Art

You can rent an actual photobooth and have invite your guests to use it. The added privacy may help encouraged spontaneity!

If renting one is beyond your budget, try this makeshift DIY photo booth tutorial from the things we think but do not say via Manolo. You’ll get awesome shots like these (via cosentino):

Take your photo booth to the next level with an interactive family photo wall (via Manolo) featuring snapshots of family members and family members’ weddings. Guests can pose in empty frames, becoming “part of the family history.”

More creative backdrops… a wood pile sculpture (photo credit here via Green Wedding Shoes):

… and some more fun fabric backdrops from Green Wedding Shoes:

The poses are only as fun as your guests choose make them… here are a few people having a grand old time! Photographer Dennis Drenner set up this mini photo studio against the wall of the beautiful old Tuscan villa where the guests were staying. Sometimes Dennis took the photos, sometimes the wedding guests took the photos themselves using a cable release.

A couch, some hats, and sunglasses make for great pictures too! (Poof Photobooth on flickr)

Sometimes, you don’t need much of a background or props to get people to act goofy… (MugShots photo booth from wdphoto)

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.