Food on a Stick

What easier way to serve your wedding guests than food on a stick? Whether it's chicken skewers, vegetable kabobs, lollipops, or mini desserts on a stick, convenience and no-mess foods are key. Guests are all dressed up and probably don't want foods that cause a lot of mess or are hard to eat. Foods on a stick are also a cute way to decorate the tables and make your wedding reception more unique and personal to you.

Foods on a stick also add a lot of color to the table by using garnishes and vegetables. Using your creativity, you can turn any of you and your groom's favorite foods into foods on a stick!

For ideas an inspiration, check out Bakerella.

Choosing Seasonal Flowers for Your Wedding

Want the best bouquet ever but not sure which flowers are in season? Here is a guide to the best flowers and the seasons in which they are available.

Available all year
· Roses
· Anthuriums
· Orchids
· Tropical Flowers (destination wedding)
· Lilies
· Gerberas (Gerber daisies)

Winter Weddings
Some brides think there is nothing available for winter, and that is definitely not true! Amaryllises are beautiful and make a striking centerpiece.  Centerpieces with Nandina berries and holly can be exquisite and also very affordable. Don't overlook the obvious in red or white roses.

Spring Weddings
There are so many colors for spring. You can pick an array of colors from tulips, hyacinths, peonies (my favorite) or forsythia. Your wish is spring’s command, and all will smell lovely.

Summer Weddings
Vibrant colors exist in summer. Roses are very summery, but don't stop there. Make a more unique rose bouquet by pairing them with green chrysanthemums. Also beautiful at this time of year are  delphinium, gladioli, and sunflowers.

Autumn
Incorporate red, gold, and orange into your fall wedding. Apart from warm hued flowers, some interesting fruit comes into season such as crab apples. One might be hesitant, but it can make for a very attractive bouquet.

 Don't worry about which flowers will be available to your wedding. Every season has an array of choices and Samuel Franklin  will be happy to show you all of your options.

Wrap It Up Cupcake Style

Cupcakes are the new trend in bridal cakes. These easy to grab, beautifully frosted, mini-dessert treats are sweeping away brides across the country. Cupcake stores have opened up rapidly throughout the past few years and more and more brides are turning to cupcakes for their wedding cake. Most brides set up their cupcakes in the shape of a wedding cake to bring about the traditional look, and some eve put a traditional layer on top for the ceremonial cake cutting.

Cupcake wrappers are just as important as the cupcake itself.  The wrapper is half the cupcake and can be designed to truly reflect the personality of you and your groom. Cupcake Couture, based in Seattle, Washington, designs floral, swirls, and textile-inspired cupcake wrappers both in standard and mini sizes.  You can also customize your wrappers with your own design or logo. For more information visit

 

Wedding Gown Fabrics

No matter your wedding season or personal style, there is a fabric for you. The top five most popular wedding gown fabrics are:

· Silk
· Taffeta
· Satin
· Chiffon
· Lace

Silk is an elegant, light fabric that is great for year-round. The lightness is great for warmer weather, but it also has a rich look to it which is great for colder weather as well.

Silk can be a bit pricey, so if you are not willing to make the splurge, taffeta is a good alternative. Try an iridescent taffeta that will give your gown that light papery look, while also having a pretty sheen.

Satin is a heavier fabric better suited for the winter. Something about wearing an eighty pound dress all day just seems more manageable in the colder weather. It is, however, a regal fabric that is gorgeous in a full ball gown style, so do some weight lifting, and you will be ready!

If lighter fabrics are more your thing, try a chiffon. This is a flowing fabric that is very whimsical, and it is great for destination weddings on the beach. You will look like a goddess on your big day, and your groom will be stunned!

Lace is a romantic fabric and we should be seeing even more of it after the Duchess of Cambridge's lace trimmed gown. Styles range from top-to-bottom lace A-line gowns to form fitting mermaids with just a little lace applique, so you can always find the right amount of lace for your taste. For a more vintage look, choose ivory lace.

Headpiece Heaven

Headpieces are a fun way to make your wedding day style your own. Some styles are new while others are a twist on classic favorites. Flowers are an affordable and versatile way to add something to your look.  For a destination wedding, tropical flowers are a great way to go. You can pick whatever is growing around the island! This is also great for the more bohemian bride to give your flowing curls a romantic addition. Consider wearing your hair loose and wavy with this style.
If you want to channel Kate Middleton but don't want a tiara that sits high up on your head, a headband that complements your gown is a great choice. Headbands come in all different stones including pearls, diamonds, crystals, and basic silks. This is a style that you could choose whether you are wearing your hair in a sleek up-do or down and loose.

If a headband isn't your style, consider Kate's other favorite head accessory, a fascinator. For the bride looking for something more eclectic, you can choose a colored feather such as black, peacock, or any of your wedding colors. For the glamour bride, there are lots of options that have crystals and rhinestones. The more traditional bride can choose an ivory or white feather with a simple French twist. This trend is not going anywhere girls!

A retro style that has made a comeback is the birdcage veil. This is also a style that can incorporate all of the trends above. You can attach them to either flowers, feathers, or hats. This is something that can stand as your "something borrowed" or "something old." Many times a mother, grandmother, or aunt wore this style when they got married, so this is something fun that you can share.If your heart is still set on wearing a traditional veil for the ceremony, one of these styles could be a fun and stylish change for your reception.

Vineyard Wedding at Castleton Farms Inspiration Video

Tammy Akard, of Sweet TEA Productions, captured the spirit of a Castleton Farms inspirational shoot, which features the music of piano and harp provided by Special Notes.

At the end of a wonderful wedding day, what grander exit could a bride make than riding away in a vintage Bentley or Rolls Royce from a Regal Carriage Company.

Participating Vendors

The Bridal Suite

Adrienne Atchley & Company

A Perfect Day! Wedding Consulting

The Perfect Ending

Abner's Attic
Special Notes
All Occasions Party Rentals
Bryan Allen Photography
Dixie Pixel
Waldorf Photographic Art
Samuel Franklin
Sweet T.E.A. Productions
Castleton Farms

Montage Salon

Bangsand Blush

White Lace & Promises

A Royal Carriage Company

Designs in Paper

Castleton Farms' Manor House

Castleton Farms' manor house is not open to wedding guests, so most individuals are not aware of how elegantly it is decorated.   With four luxurious bedrooms, several sitting rooms and even a swimming pool, it is the perfect place for a bride to spend her last few hours of single life with her girlfriends.  Once made up by Bangs and Blush, it is also a great place for pre-ceremony photos, as demonstrated below by Bryan Allen Photography, Dixie Pixel and Waldorf Photographic Art.

Glamorous Cake With Ruffles and Roses

Cheryl McMillan, of The Perfect Ending, rose to the challenge (pun unintended) of creating a stately and elegant cake.  The seven tiered cake was enveloped in fondant ruffles, adding a contemporary touch of glamour. 
  

Elegant Plated Meal by Abner's Attic

The combination of Castleton Farms and the Wedgewood place settings called for white gloved service.  Rex Bradford Jones, of Abner's Attic, created an elegant menu of:

Strawberry Heart Salad w/ Mixed Spring Greens, Feta Cheese, Candied Glazed Pecans with a Delicate Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Filet Oscar w/ a Red Wine Reduction; Lemon Buttered Asparagus; Herb Roasted Heart Potatoes

Crème Brulèe Hearts Accompanied with Fresh Fruits, Berries, Crème Fraiche