Paris Theme

Naturally, Paris has a special place in my heart because it has a special place in our story, so a wedding with some Paris touches seems very appropriate. I would love to visit Paris again, and a destination wedding would be unbelievable, but it is more realistic for me to figure out how to bring Paris across the sea. Here are some of my favorite ideas of how to incorporate a Parisian look into your wedding ceremony and following reception.

Rings on Macarons: 

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How cute is this? Macarons are tiny, colorful and delicious. What's not to like? Macarons were the first gift my fiance gave me, so they are sweet in multiple ways. The only problem: getting this picture in before devouring the tiny cookies. If you're feeling brave, here is a step-by-step guide to making macarons if you'd like to give it a shot yourself.

Macaron Pyramids:

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Let's be honest. I would rather have my own macaron shop than a walk-in closet (though, it would be even cooler to have a macaron shop in a walk-in closet, no?). These macaron pyramids would be cute edible centerpieces for the tables or they could be a feature on a dessert table with other small sweets.

Paris Landmarks:

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Can't afford a destination wedding? Bring Paris to your location with a walk through Paris-themed tables. If you're clever, you can arrange landmarks in an East to West formation if you are ambitious and strange like me. If you've been to Paris, feel free to add places significant to your trip, though they may not necessarily be main attractions. You can use figurines as favors, guiding guests to their seats. Another idea I like is printing napkins with a landmark stamp: classy meets rustic DIY.

Color schemes: 

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One of the best parts of my trip was going to Versailles less than twenty miles from Paris and walking through royal palace halls. When I remember it, I remember the colors: rich gold, rose pink, stone white, sky blue and leaf green. The wallpaper of Marie Antoinette's bedroom was feminine and light pastel, a perfect scheme for flowers, bridesmaid dresses and tablescapes. Soft blooms in a textured golden vase, decorative china and shining, simple cutlery bring a romantic French feel to the meal. I also really like the idea of adding a Parisian touch to the invitations and/or save the dates, as above.

Have any clever ideas on adding elements of your favorite city to a wedding? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Reception Table Numbering

Some of the fun (and stress) of wedding planning is the reception. As for myself, I would love to keep things as simple and inexpensive as possible. Here are some of my favorite ideas of table numbering, which you can easily do yourself.

Classic Handmade:

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Handmade table marking is a great DIY idea. You can use your own creativity and match the style of your wedding yourself, without searching through multiple companies' offers. Design your own boarders (circles, squares, diamonds, lines) and notations (initials, flowers, hearts, petals, vines) in colors matching your theme. If you still want to make them but don't feel confident in your free-form artistic ability, purchase a stamp/stencils from your local craft store.

Bottle of Wine:

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This method feels very European and would be great for a French or Italian inspired wedding. Collect empty bottles from your own use or friends. Clean out your bottles thoroughly and print or style your own labels. You could even make a realistic label with the husband's last name as the wine company, your marriage date as the vintage, etc. To make a game of it, include paper and pen at each table. Guests can write advice, roll up the papers and stick them in the wine bottles, to be read by you and your husband at each wedding anniversary (table one is read at the first year anniversary, table two at the second year anniversary, cont.).

Characters from Literature:

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English was my favorite subject in school, so this idea is clever and romantic. Name your tables after your favorite couples in literature. Some ideas: Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth (Pride and Prejudice), Jane and Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre), Romeo and Juliet, Charles and Caroline (Laura Ingalls Wilder books), Ron and Hermione (Harry Potter books) Noah and Allie (The Notebook). You could also do couples from history: Adam and Eve, Anthony and Cleopatra, Francis Scott Key and Zelda Fitzgerald, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Johnny and June Cash, Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, even Henry VIII and all his wives. ;) Add some of your own favorite books to complete the literary theme.

Travel Landmarks:

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The traveler in me really likes this idea. You can choose the Seven Wonders of the world or landmarks of cities you and your spouse-to-be have visited. Another idea I like is choosing one city and doing several notable landmarks from that city. For example, a Pairs theme (appropriate for this blog) could include the Eiffel Tower, the Arc d'Triomphe, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, the Louvre... You can create this theme with blown up pictures of the city's mark, an artsy card as shown above or even include figurines of the landmarks as table markers or attach labels to them to guide people to their seats.

Have any other fun and easy ideas? Mention them in the comments section below!