Food and drinks play a significant role in ensuring that your guests leave your wedding with a memorable experience. They will also account for one of the most considerable portions of your budget. According to a wedding planner, the rule of thumb is the venue, food, bar, and staffing costs are about 50 percent of your overall budget when planning a wedding in Canada.
Whether you prefer a sit-down dinner, cocktail hour with passed appetizers, or a hot buffet, finding the perfect caterer is the first step. It’s essential to prioritize the process of selecting a wedding caterer, as your choice of caterer can set the tone for your event.
Hiring a wedding caterer might seem challenging, especially in a city like Toronto, where you can access many catering services. Fortunately, we can simplify the process by breaking down all the essential aspects you must consider when hiring a wedding caterer in Toronto, like McEwan Catering, for a successful event.
Nature’s own neutral—green, is a beautiful color that soothes and refreshes. Although it is not one of the immediate choices for many couples when they plan their wedding palette, it is a color that can create any effect you desire. Ranging from soft and romantic, to bold and overpowering, green is a color that lends itself to any design in your mind.
Not sure it will work? Just take a look at Mother Nature! There is no color that you can’t find in nature. Doesn’t green add the beautiful background that accentuates all these colors, whatever they are?
Apart from the aesthetics, there is another reason we love green as the main wedding color. It is for what this versatile hue is linked to. Green is the color of life, freshness, growth, harmony and peace. All these virtues are relevant for a happily married life, making it all the more meaningful to include this color in your wedding. It is also the color that is easiest on the eye, and when chosen well, it can make your wedding a stunning masterpiece.
Here are thirteen ideas that you should definitely consider for inspiring your green-color wedding palette.
1.Invitations
Begin your wedding planning by choosing a refreshing green invitation card for your big day. Featured here is a Now and Forever wedding invitation from the Best for Bride wedding invitation collection. The pretty combination of silver with green shimmer, makes it an elegant and attractive card. The bright green bow adds a pop of color to the muted background in the remainder of the card, and inside is a monochromatic green card with black lettering. It is a simple, but stylish choice that will offer your guests a hint of the color that will be in focus on your wedding day.
2.Wedding Cake
Image Credits: Tony Alter, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Isn’t this green cake simply embellished with a scattering of white floral details, delightful? Not only does it look delicious, it forms a pretty picture without too much clutter. The beauty of green is that it allows you to create a simple, but attractive design with a minimum amount of extra elements on it. Soft and unobtrusive, a cake such as this, will be a delightful addition to your reception. As for the flavors, pistachio is the first and most interesting choice that will be perfect for your wedding cake.
3.More green desserts
You do not always have to color your dessert totally green, to have it blend into your wedding palette. You can accomplish the same with the accessories and other essentials that come with the cake. Take this dessert idea for example. Here are some simple, but adorable cupcakes with a smooth layer of frosting. These have been packed into olive green cupcake cases, that form a beautiful combination with the crumb color and the white frosting. Unlike other heavy and luxurious desserts, these cupcakes look appetizing and are easy to enjoy. So, if you are looking for simple dishes to pep up your wedding dessert buffet, that are both budget-friendly and attractive, here is the right idea.
4.Mostly green bouquet While an entirely green bouquet can be fashioned out of leaves and green colors like the cymbidium orchid and chrysanthemum, we prefer the highlighting of green with the right amount of mixing with a lighter color. In this beautiful bouquet, the richness of green is enhanced by the presence of peach and soft pink, with a scattering of white daisies. The green colors in the bouquet are all in a single shade, and this accentuates the effect of the color. The few red berries in the design make it further attractive, as red is a color that compliments green beautifully.
5.Silk green tie
Image Credit: Emilie Rhaupp, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0,
Why not consider choosing a lime green silk tie with tiny polka dots or a similar design for your groom? While a darker shade of green would add a more refined and formal look, a light green tie would easily make it casual and fun. So, consider this accessory for the bridegroom, and there couldn’t be a better way of adding green to his outfit. Now, if you want to add more green to your groom’s look, without making it too overwhelming, you can ask him to wear green socks and it will be that little detail that nobody is going to really notice. And, what about the bride? We’ll look at it next.
6.Dramatic green wedding shoes
A green wedding gown may be stretching it too far. However, you can still have a stylish dose of green in your wedding by choosing a beautiful pair of green wedding shoes. And, we simply love the drama of a colored wedding shoe that pops in and out of sight, during all the dancing at the reception. Here is a pair of brilliant green wedding shoes that a bride custom purchased off Etsy, to go with her emerald engagement ring. At this Las Vegas theme wedding, the accessories were all green, and we think that this shoe is just right for it.
7.Dark green bridesmaids dresses
Green and white make a splendid combination, and this is what you can accomplish by choosing green bridesmaids dresses. You have plenty of shades to choose from, ranging from soft lime green to deep, velvety green and the jewel toned emerald green. For an iridescent effect, green with blue tones are perfect. Not only do they look festive, they are also really dressy.
This bridesmaid dress is the 6731 from the After Six dress collection. The pleated pattern and lightly shirred skirt are beautifully complemented by the overlay bodice. It is trendy, and the loose drape makes it suitable for both young girls and older bridesmaids.
8.Light green bridesmaid dresses
When your palette focuses on lighter or muted shades of green, bridesmaid dresses in mint green or lime green may be good choices. The Alfred Angelo 7378S is an exquisite dress with a strapless bodice and cocktail length skirt. The chiffon bodice drapes over a beautiful lace layer that adds an exquisite touch to the gown. This causes the bodice and the skirt to have entirely different textures, and the effect is simply stunning. Perfect for a casual outdoor wedding, a beach wedding or even a semi-formal wedding, this is a dress your bridesmaids are bound to love.
9.Green beverages and drinks
Chilled water with slices of cucumber floating in it, make the perfect spa refreshment. This is just perfect for a summer wedding, and you will be surprised at the number of guests who will queue up to enjoy this seemingly uncomplicated drink. Gimlets like cucumber gin, fresh lime, mint-flavored drinks and mojitos are also great choices for a wedding in a green color palette. You will be astonished at the wonderful effect a handful of leaves can add to your bar, so don’t hesitate to add them into your decor. Garnishes like olives and green chillies are also suitable for adding a pop of green to your beverage display.
10.Bright table décor
Rather than use a green table runner and place green décor items in clear jars, this couple chose to enhance the effect of green with white flowers in green mason jars and tea light candles in green glass holders. The effect is unusually interesting. The scattering of green confetti on the tables adds an extra charm. What we love most about this setting is that the elements used are budget-friendly and simple, but the impact is strong.
11.Simple green and white china for the food service
For the food service, white china with green rims will be the perfect choice. Since the serving dishes are white, the food will not lack its appetizing colors. All the same, you can easily bring in the green color subtly and make sure it is noticeable, with a choice like this.
12.Green colored food
Not everyone may be super-excited about a menu with plenty of green. After all green vegetables are notorious as health food that is usually unappetizing. When planning your wedding menu, the trick is to not focus on the green. Instead, use it as an accent color in the garnish. Make the food appetizing with other colors like orange, purple and yellow, instead of white. This will make the plate pop with a variety of colors, and instantly look more appealing. The presentation of the dish can also be adapted to make it look attractive. The other option is to balance out the green in the dish with green colored china.
13.Green wedding favors
Gifting wedding favors is customary. So, how do you make it match the color theme of your party? With green as your color, you will have no dearth of options. From potted plants to candle holders, there are ample options for you to consider. These miniature garden shovels with green handles, are from our wedding favors collection and are a great wedding favor for outdoor garden weddings. Whether you use it as a decorative accessory, or gift it with a seed packet to your guests, it makes a unique and practical wedding favor.
Hope the ideas here have inspired you to think creatively and plan your green wedding. To help you a little more, we will also take a look at the various colors that form a befitting combination with green. Whether they are used in equal doses or in varying proportions, these are the colors that will give you a striking impact when combined with green.
Combinations that work with green
Green is a color with a personality by itself. Nevertheless, the beauty of green can be further enhanced by adding colors that complement it. One combination that we are all familiar with is green and red. But this reminds us of a Christmas scene, and so it may not be a great idea to use. There are many other colors that yield beautiful combinations with green. These are colors that are either neutrals or those that come on the opposite side of the color spectrum as green. They include the following.
Dark green and light pink or peach
Image Credits:Shimelle Laine, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Green and white
Image Credits: Emilie Rhaupp, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Green and brown
Lime green and orange
Image Credits: EvelynGiggles, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Green and yellow
A point to remember when mixing colors is that you should balance out the colors in equal combinations of light and dark. You should also be liberal with the addition of details in neutrals, when the green you choose is of a bold shade.While green can be tried and tested with various other colors, the ones mentioned here are classic combinations that simply cannot go wrong. It is a good idea to create an inspiration board and compile pictures of the various combinations that you find interesting,and build your palette from there.
For more wedding planning inspiration, and ideas to plan your wedding, keep visiting us here. Choose Best for Bride as your wedding destination, and you will have to look no further to satisfy every one of your bridal needs. From fantastic wedding dresses in every price range, to bridesmaid dresses, photography, officiants, emergency kits and wedding favors, we have every aspect of your wedding covered. Come visit us today.
The food that is served at your wedding has an important role in determining the overall wedding experience. Most of the guests, if not all, will look forward to the food that is provided on your wedding day. So, you do not want them to be unhappy with the meal offered while everything else was done to perfection.
Most wedding vendors offer a wedding tasting session before you book your order. With this option, you can actually see, taste, and experience the food that will be served on your wedding day. We suggest that you take your caterer up on this offer of wedding food tasting and make sure everything is just right, so there are no regrets later.
As with anything wedding-related – from the bridal shower gifts to choosing the perfect ring, there is a catering tasting etiquette that you should adhere to. We will be looking at the do’s and don’ts of wedding food tasting etiquette. But before we move to this list, let us first try to understand what you can expect at your tasting session.
Isn’t it odd how bridal showers have such a bad reputation? Despite all the effort and hard work that goes into planning one, not everyone is too keen on attending bridal showers. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for these events to end up as the sad prelude to a fantastic wedding. It is no wonder that the memories of the bridal shower are quickly washed away, especially when the wedding has a better chance of being a bit hit.
So, if you are in charge of planning a bridal shower for your bestie, we know you are up for quite a challenge. You will have to think extra-hard to give the girls at the party a fun-filled and exciting time. Since we understand your difficulty, we are here to help you overcome this challenge with a few brilliant ideas. We’ve crawled around the internet and collected what we think were the most impressive ideas. These should be enough to inspire you to plan your own. So, come along and find out what we’ve picked for you today!
#1 Have plenty of bite-sized treats
Rather than planning an elaborate buffet or plated meal with lots of details and exquisite dishes, the idea is to keep it simple and stunning. Women love visual details, so you have to choose dishes that are as appetizing to look at, as they are tasty. And the smaller they are, the better they will go down. There is something so sinfully attractive about bite-sized food on neat cocktail sticks that is immensely tempting. The other good thing is that not only are they easy to whip up, they are also incredibly tasty. When you serve a platter of tiny delicious treats that are too small to resist, nobody will refuse trying it and you can be sure that they’ll enjoy the experience. Serve up a variety of items, so there is something that everyone fancies. This way, you’ll have an interesting array of delicacies, and it will be both practical and well-appreciated.
Here we have a link with recipes for not one or two, but twenty-two bite-size appetizers that are sure to be crowd pullers. Check it out and make your pick from the lot.
#2 Choose a sweet but simple theme
Too many details can spoil the overall impact, and you may find yourself unable to bring every aspect together to create a cohesive effect. It is much better to stick to a simple theme, with just a few colors and details to focus on. Whether you aim for classic elegance or casual chic, keep it uncluttered. Make sure that you pick all the colored elements in a specific hue, so they all come together beautifully. Don’t use more than two bold colors, and add in plenty of neutrals like white, brown and gray to balance it out. Another point to remember is to stick with an idea, rather than with a design or motif, as it is easier to execute. For example, you can choose pink and flowers as the main subjects and build your theme around these two factors. It will also be easier to find matching elements that will do the job well. Some pretty impressive themes can be seen at the following links:
Another theme that works out well is a beach-themed bridal shower. If the bride is an outdoorsy person who missed the chance to have an outdoor wedding, compensate by throwing her a fantastic beach bridal shower. For tips and tricks on nailing it, check out this article on the Celebrations blog.
#3 Give the dashing bride special attention
The best way to make a bridal shower special, is to make the bride feel truly special. So, apart from planning a big celebration for her, make sure you also do something special to make her feel very important.
Just like there are special bride and groom chairs for the wedding, designate a special spot for the bride at the party, and decorate it to look very special. You could even set up a special area that is highlighted with signature décor to make it obvious. Give the bride a “bride-to-be” sash, that she will wear throughout the day! She may be shy, but trust us, she is going to love it. You could even give her a tiara or something special (but not looking tacky), for that little extra that sets her apart from the guests. Make sure to have her wear this and the sash with great pomp and show, and it will immediately set her spirits soaring and she will look forward to all that is in store for her.
#4 Have a couture cake
You do not need a huge towering cake for the bridal shower, a small stylish one will do. If you are doing it yourself, keep it simple, but attractive with neat and crisp details that add a stylish touch to it. If you aren’t certain about doing the details in fondant, go with fail-safe choices like ribbons, cake toppers and other accessories that can easily dress up a simple cake. If you are ordering it, make sure it ties to the theme but doesn’t look too cluttered with too many details. Gourmet cakes are all the rage now, with pretty little details and designs being more in the limelight than the flavors. So, splurge on that. When placing the cake on the table, highlight it well, by arranging it between well-balanced, neat arrangements on either side. This article on the Knot shows us how a beautiful bridal shower cake should be. Take a look, we are sure you’ll have a tough time deciding which is the best!
#5 Or replace the single cake with an elaborate arrangement of fancy cupcakes
We found this brilliant idea on Real Simple and instantly fell in love with it. If there is something more impressive than a beautiful cake, it is a batch of many small, but beautiful cakes. Good-looking and delicious cupcakes are not only a delight to look at, they are also practical to serve at a bridal shower. Think of it this way—if you have a gourmet cake, you’ll be stuck with cutting and serving it for quite a while. On the other hand, with a tier of delicious cupcakes, the guests can help themselves to the one they fancy. You can also experiment with a variety of flavors instead of sticking with just one. This way, all the guests are likely to find one that they love without much trouble.
#6 Serve a signature drink that matches the party theme
This is your chance to come up with an interesting beverage that will tie beautifully with the theme of the wedding. Since the crowd will be relatively small, it will not be too difficult to have signature cocktails served. You could even display them so they form a beautiful arrangement that will be noticed by the guests. Pay attention to the smaller details, like choosing a beautiful garnish and dressing up the rim with colored sugar crystals, for that luxurious finish. You can make it interesting by matching the color and flavor to the weather, the color and also keeping the bride’s favorite tastes in mind. Also, set up the beverage station separately from the rest of the food arrangement. Consider using custom name tags and interesting décor arrangements that match the theme. If you are unsure about whether it will go down well with all the guests, you can also set up two cocktail drinks of different tastes, so that there is at least one that everyone is bound to choose. From refreshing Grapefruit and mint mojitos to pretty pink lemonades, you will find a range of brilliant bridal shower cocktail recipes on the Martha Stewart website, here.
#7 Have a dress code
Image Credits: outreachr.com, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Most women love being part of a theme. So, make sure the guests at the bridal shower also have a chance to participate in a theme by providing them a dress code. Keep it simple, so that nobody has trouble finding an outfit that will be suitable. Either go with a color, or give a specific design type like polka dots or stripes somewhere in their outfit, so they have some flexibility in choosing how to incorporate this into their dressing style. The other benefit of having a specific dress theme is that it will unify the party and everyone will naturally be curious to find out how the others have chosen their looks, to fit the suggested theme. It will be an ice-breaker, and can help ensure that your party pictures look very interesting because of this unifying factor. Simple dress color codes that are bound to make it easy for everyone are black, white or silver. It doesn’t even have to be in the dress, you can ask them to incorporate the color or design factor anyway. This may be with an accessory like a clutch or a belt, or else with the dress design or embellishment itself. Or you could ask all the guests to present themselves in a chosen style, like Wild West or vintage 90’s style. This article on the Bridal Guide gives you a quick look at the some color options that look great. Our personal favorite was the red and pink ombre code that was ravishing!
#8 Make it magical with things that shimmer, float and hang from above
Anything that doesn’t isn’t fitted to the ground has a magical charm to it. So, make the most of this idea, by including décor items that hang freely or are suspended in the air. You can consider lanterns, hanging flower balls and even floating balloons in a chosen color to create this magic. Don’t shy away from the idea even if you are conducting an outdoor event. Place the seating under a tree, and have hanging items like lanterns and candle holders suspended from the branches. If this is not practical, consider using table centerpieces with floating helium balloons that rise above the eye-level for an equally attractive effect. Do glitter in the right doses, and use crystals and stones to add a touch of sparkle, and we are sure the bride will love the element of fantasy associated with the entire setting. Mix this up with displays that are placed low, and the impact will be doubled. So, plan to have your decorations kept both high and low, at various levels, for a stunning effect.
#9 Make the setting fragrant
Do you often associate certain events or places with lovely smells that you can still remember, when you just think of them? Crucial to setting the ambiance, make sure that your venue not only looks great, but smells awesome too. Choose a signature scent that is bound to be pleasant, and make sure that the guests get a fair whiff of this scent from the minute they are at the party. Guests often pick on a scent sub-consciously and this plays a great role in making the memories of the day interesting. So, give them an olfactory sensation by choosing a scent like vanilla, cinnamon, rose or sandalwood and adding this odor in lavish doses to the venue. You can do this using scented candles, air fresheners and pot pourri. Perfumed spray can be used on the table linen and napkins. Also, choose flowers that complement the main scent and have the bridal party wear a scent that blends well with the overall fragrance. More tips on adding a fragrance to your venue can be found at this page on Easy Weddings.
So, now you are all equipped to plan a bridal shower with a difference. To pick your attire for this big event that you will be hosting for your dear friend or relative, make sure to browse through our online evening dress catalog at Best for Bride.
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