10 Unique Wedding Invitations

When you’re planning an intimate wedding close to home, you may start to feel a little lost among all the generic options presented by vendors. How can you ensure that your wedding feels personal to you as a couple and expresses your special love story? The difference is in the little things— including the wedding invitation. Check out these 10 ideas for unique wedding invitations.

A Pop-Up Invitation for Your Wedding 
Who doesn’t love a pop-up book? Pop-ups aren’t just for kids’ books— they can be beautifully crafted art pieces. Hire a local designer to make a pop-up version of your wedding invitation. It will cost more than a standard 2D invitation, but the extra delight that your guests will feel when they open it just might be worth the price.

A Ticket to Your Wedding Venue 
How many movies, concerts, or shows have you attended as a couple? Your wedding invitation could take the form of tickets. A vintage playbill theater ticket, an old-fashioned train ticket with flowing script, or a modern-style concert ticket are all fun sources of inspiration, especially when paired with wording like “Admit Two” or “For One Night Only.”

A Balloon with the Wedding Details 
One couple attached a deflated balloon to their invitations. When inflated, the balloon revealed the date and time of the wedding, along with other details. It set the tone for unbridled fun that the pair wanted to have on their special day.

A Passport-Style Wedding Invitation
Do you love to travel with your spouse-to-be? Why not use a travel-themed wedding invitation that acts as the guest’s “passport” to the wedding? You could also print faux boarding passes as a nod to your love of travel, even if your wedding takes place close to home.

One-of-a-Kind Art for Your Wedding Invitation 
Suppose you really have to keep a tight rein on the invitation budget. Can you still have something unique? Ask an artistic friend to design a unique style of typography or some interesting art to feature on the invitation.

A Handkerchief Map to the Wedding Venue 
One couple printed a map to their wedding venue on a custom handkerchief and wrapped it in a brown paper sleeve with additional wedding details. The handkerchief serves as a reminder, a useful tool, and an artistic keepsake.

A Wedding Invitation of Engraved Wood 
One couple had their wedding invitations engraved onto slim pieces of thin wood, about the size of a bookmark, but thicker. The effect was beautiful! To save money, have the invitations block-printed instead of engraved.

Origami as an Invitation 
Do you enjoy Oriental art or Asian culture? Order invitations that are beautiful examples of the paper-folding art. Each new piece that is unfolded reveals a fresh detail about the wedding.

A Wanted Poster Wedding Invitation
Maybe you share a love of the Old West and its rough-and-tumble charm. Create wedding invitations that mimic old-time wanted posters. Incorporate rustic decor and western elements into the wedding itself to unify the theme.

Invitation to a Ball
If you’re having your wedding at a beautiful estate, you could always go the “fairytale romance” route. Choose a design reminiscent of the Cinderella story or a masquerade ball.

Any of these unique invitations will blend beautifully with a corresponding theme, no matter what type of venue you choose. However, most of them work best when your wedding is set at a beautiful location like Nanina’s in the Park. Remember to use an invitation that both of you love, one that sets the tone for your special day. 

How To Balance Dramatic And Elegant Wedding Colors

Some women have their wedding colors selected from the time they are very young, but those favorites may change with age or come and go with the current wedding trends. Choosing a color palette that carries the right balance of drama and elegance can be more difficult than you think. Explore these guidelines for select colors that complement each other, rather than clashing. 

Keep It Simple 

If you’re a lover of color, you may find it hard to narrow down your wedding colors. Ideally, you should have three to four colors in your wedding palette. Any more than that, and your decor will begin to look too busy, and you may accidentally include hues that clash. 

Play with Wedding Color Swatches and Samples 

Visit a paint store or a shop that sells cloth to obtain some free color cards or cloth swatches. Take them home and play around with the colors, mixing and matching the ones you like into different combinations. You can have a bold color and two paler hues, or two vivid colors and a lighter one, but try to include at least one calmer hue for elegance and balance. 

Ask Your Fiancé to Help 

If you’re stuck, ask your spouse-to-be to choose one color that he or she really loves from the selection of paint samples or cloth swatches that you’ve collected. Start with that shade, and add complementary hues to create your wedding colors. 

Include a Neutral  

Let’s imagine that you’ve selected two complementary colors, sunshine yellow and cornflower blue. You need another color, a neutral, to balance those bright choices and lend elegance to the ensemble. White or gold will accomplish that nicely. Dramatic hues like eggplant and navy need the gentle elegance of gold; aqua and cherry red look better with the addition of khaki as a balancing color. Vivid boysenberry and blush get that touch of holiday elegance when you introduce frosty silver to the mix. 

Bring In the Bold Color 

Maybe you’re discovering that your chosen colors are all on the pale, elegant side. You’ll need to add a punch of extra color by including a vibrant hue. With cream and gold, add emerald or burgundy. With yellow and beige, add cinnamon. For pale green and white, add velvety black. Chartreuse and powder blue receive an extra jolt of energy when you add cornflower blue, while peach and sage look richer with merlot red.

Test the Colors at the Wedding Venue 

At some point during your color selection process, take some swatches and samples of your colors to the venue. You need to make sure that the colors you’ve selected actually look good in the space. If you’re having an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception, or vice versa, test the colors in both areas. You may want to check the swatches under different kinds of lighting as well. Fortunately, most classic wedding venues, like Nanina’s in the Park, decorate with beautiful neutrals that form the ideal background for a variety of wedding color schemes. 

If you’re having trouble picking a palette that really works for your wedding, ask some artistic or design-savvy friends to help you out. With a little patience and experimentation, you’ll solve the wedding palette problem and come up with colors that wow your guests and make your day even more special.

The Best Wedding Venue In New Jersey

Welcome to Nanina’s In the Park, a New Jersey Landmark nestled in the cherry blossoms. We invite you to a beautiful picturesque setting within a historical park which creates a picture perfect ambiance for both intimate weddings to large corporate events. Voted as a “Top 10” wedding venue by www.bestofnj.com and a multiple award winner from The Knot, NJ Bride, Manhattan Bride and MyWeddings.com, Nanina’s in the Park has been hosting weddings for over 65 years and along with a new multi-million dollar renovation provide an experience that is second to none.

The lavishly manicured grounds and traditional architecture provide the perfect scenery for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour. Our famous cherry gardens and Tuscan style villa will create the perfect backdrop which you must see-to-believe, and together with our exceptional cuisine and service will make your event unforgettable.

It is this combination of location, service and ambiance that set us apart. Feel free to schedule a tour to see what makes Nanina’s In the Park the best place to host your wedding or private event.

Visit our website at, https://www.naninasinthepark.com/

Best Floor Plan Layouts For A Smaller Indoor Wedding

It’s time to decide how you will accommodate your guests for the reception dinner at your upcoming wedding! Since you have elected to have a smaller indoor wedding, you won’t have to worry about the weather, and you can enjoy a cozy, comfortable celebration with your guests. Here are a few ideas to help you start selecting the best floor plan layouts for your smaller indoor wedding. 

Venue Visit 

First, visit the space with your wedding coordinator or planner. You may have been to the venue before, but this time you’re looking more carefully at the available space and design of the room. If you can’t make an extra trip to the venue due to time constraints or for some other reason, your contact at the venue can provide a sample floor plan that the venue has prepared for other guests with similar weddings. 

Round Tables 

One popular layout consists of the dance floor in the center of the room, with the bride and groom’s table at the head of the room. As you face the couple’s table, the cake table is the right and the table for cards is to the left. Round tables seating six guests flank the dance floor on either side. Across the dance floor, opposite to the head table, are the tables with food and beverages. 

Parallel Plan 

Another possible layout could feature longer, rectangular tables that run parallel to the dance floor and seat larger numbers of guests, as many as eight or ten at a table. You could keep the couple’s table at the head of the room with the buffet table across from it. 

Mix-and-Match 

Some people like to intersperse circular tables with rectangular ones for more visual variety. The circular tables could seat 6-8 guests, while the rectangular ones seat ten guests. This offers you a little more flexibility as you are planning your seating chart. Think of each table as its own miniature dinner party, and place guests with others of similar ages or tastes. 

Strategic Spacing 

Want to make the reception feel even more cozy and intimate? Choose smaller round tables with just four or five guests at each. The buffet can go at the head of the room, while the head table is placed on one side. The cake table could be in a corner of the room, still in view but tucked out of the way. This way, the bride and groom have the opportunity to greet guests as they make their way across the space to cut the cake later in the evening. 

Circle Time 

If you’re having the wedding reception in a wide, open space without architectural features like a pre-defined dance floor, try placing the bride and groom’s large round table in the center. Surround it with the other tables, with the buffet to the side and the dance floor and DJ at one end of the space. 

Benefits of a Smaller Indoor Wedding Venue 

Some smaller indoor wedding venues may only be able to accommodate a couple of different types of floor plans because of limited space or certain design features within the ballroom. This can actually be a blessing in disguise since it cuts down on the number of options you have to consider. With so many decisions to make during the wedding planning phase, you’ll probably appreciate having a smaller set of options from which to choose.  

How To Ensure You Don’t Miss Anyone Important At Your Intimate Wedding

You’re having a small, intimate wedding— but maybe you’re still concerned about the number of guests. How will you ever have time to talk to them all? What if you skip over someone without intending to? Find out how to ensure you don’t miss anyone important at your intimate wedding. 

A Receiving Line 

One way to make sure that you speak to everyone is to have a receiving line. After the ceremony, you and your new spouse stand at the exit of the ceremony space and greet each person as they are leaving. If you speak to each person for only 10 seconds, you’ll get through six people in about a minute. If you have 100 guests, that’s over 15 minutes. Keep time constraints in mind if you select this method of greeting your guests. 

If you’re having your intimate wedding outdoors, there’s a chance that people might find another way out or slip past you, making it difficult to tell if you really greeted everyone. If you choose to have a receiving line, ask your wedding coordinator to arrange the layout so that people are channeled towards you as they leave the ceremony area. 

A Cocktail Hour 

Take your photos in advance so you don’t have to snap too many shots right after the ceremony. This way, you can go directly to a cocktail hour with your guests. Enjoy drinks and mingle with everyone at your intimate wedding. Bridal organizers suggest that you and your spouse stay together; that way, you can speak to more people at once. 

A Tour of the Tables 

At the reception, you’ll want to have some time to eat and drink at your own table; but after you have eaten something yourself, you and your new spouse can wander through the reception space, stopping by tables to visit for a few minutes. This can be a time-saving method, since you don’t have to find and greet each person separately. Don’t forget to take photos with out-of-town guests or VIP guests while you’re doing your table tour!

A Partner Swap on the Dance Floor 

Dancing with your new spouse is probably at the top of your to-do list for the evening, but make a little time for other dance partners as well! It’s a great way to have fun and connect with relatives, friends, and out-of-town guests. Don’t forget to dance with the smaller guests at the party, too. Little ones love being swept into the fun to dance with the bride or groom. 

At your wedding, every guest is important, from the oldest great-grandparent to the smallest member of the family. Just remember that you don’t have to have a long conversation with everyone! It’s primarily about saying hello and acknowledging the people who set aside time to celebrate your big life event. With a little strategy and a lot of smiles, you can ensure that everyone feels valued and welcome at your intimate wedding.  

7 Tips For A Traditional Wedding That Feels Elegant, Not Dated

Tradition doesn’t have to mean sameness. You can have a traditional wedding that feels elegant without being old-fashioned— a wedding that speaks to your personality as a couple. It can retain the traditional vows, feature a medium-sized bridal party, and take place at a traditional venue, while still showing off the classy individuality that represents the two of you. Get some tips for planning a traditional wedding that feels elegant, not dated. 

Tip #1. Embrace Minimalism 

An elegant wedding doesn’t have to be extravagant. Sometimes, simplicity is actually the key to elegance. As you select the decor, centerpieces, and other options for your wedding, choose modern options that emphasize quality over quantity. Your guests will notice and appreciate your good taste. 

Tip #2. Wear Any Dress You Like 

Gone are the days when brides had to wear long white dresses. Today, you can wear any fancy dress you like, white or not. Many women still opt for white, silver, or ivory, but add colorful elements like patterns, sashes, ribbons, and dyed lace. Other brides play with length and style to add a modern twist to their traditional wedding.  Any dress that makes you feel beautiful and elegant is the right choice for your wedding. 

Tip #3. Choose a Fresh Color Scheme 

Your wedding colors can be elegant without being boring. Try plum, sage, and nude with white; or opt for rose gold, rich wine red, taupe, and champagne hues. White and black, along with violet and winter white, is a truly sophisticated choice, while the combination of peach, silver, coral, and strawberry works well for a fall or winter wedding. Experiment with raspberry, blush, blue, and classic gray. Keep exploring the color options until you find one that speaks to you; just be sure it includes at least one rich, vivid color that you can play up when you need to modernize an element of the wedding. 

Tip #4. Include New Music 

When you select the pieces for your band or DJ to play at the reception, make sure that you mix the oldies with some fresh, fun music. Your music choices for the ceremony could also be new songs from this year or the year before, rather than the expected selections such as Pachelbel’s Canon in D or the traditional wedding march. You don’t necessarily have to choose hip-hop, air pop, or electro rock, but you can find fresh pieces that fit the atmosphere you want to create. Keeping the music current is one way to make sure that your traditional wedding feels elegant, not dated. 

Tip #5. Use Modern Lighting Techniques 

Most wedding venues, even smaller traditional ones, have a number of different lighting options. Experiment with lighting patterns, intensities, and colors until you find one that strikes the right blend of modernity and elegance. 

Tip #6. Slip in Some Classic Embellishments

You can use traditional accessories like crystals, lace, glassware, and pearls, but incorporate them in an unusual way. Keep your embellishments sparse and streamlined rather than fussy, and you’ll find that these old-fashioned decor items can become just as of-the-moment as the rustic farmhouse-style pieces that modern decorators love. 

Tip #7. Ask for Advice and Clarify Your Vision 

Rely on the advice of friends who share your style aesthetic, and get some advice from your wedding coordinator as well. With their help, and with your own sense of style as a guide, you’ll be able to design a traditional wedding that feels elegant, not dated.  

Handfasting: A Unique Way To Tie The Knot

Are you looking for a special way to mark your union with the one you love? Add a twist to the classic wedding ceremony with the rich, ancient tradition of handfasting. Here’s what you need to know about this time-honored Celtic ritual.  

Ancient Celtic Roots 

Handfasting is an Irish or Celtic tradition that dates as far back as 7000 B.C. In the olden days, a Druid priest would conduct the simple ritual, twining a rope or cloth around the hands of the couple. For a year, that couple would be considered engaged, and they would have the freedom to consummate their relationship. After the year, they could either marry officially or have their bond dissolved.  

The material that is wrapped around the couples’ hands and tied into a knot is called the “chord.” In ancient times, couples used thin strips of dyed cloth or rope. If they were skilled or wealthy, their handfasting materials would be finer, perhaps embroidered with decorations or emblems. Today’s chords can be anything you like, from ropes and ribbons to vines and flowers.  

Words of Ancient Wisdom 

During the handfasting portion of the ceremony, the officiant or celebrant will briefly explain the tradition of handfasting and then ask the two participants to join hands. You can hold hands side by side or cross hands, right hand to right hand and left to left. As each section of cord or each separate ribbon is looped around your hands, a new vow is read aloud. Explore some online sources to find beautiful hand-fasting vows.   

Sometimes the handfasting vows are used instead of traditional vows, or you can do both. The bindings are removed before the exchange of rings, so make sure that they are not too tight or too complicated.  

From Many to One 

Whether you’re blending your families or renewing your vows, let the kids get involved! Your children can help you pick out the handfasting chords and braid them. You could even pick a different color to represent each child, creating a thickly braided chord that represents all of them. Keep the chord and cherish the memories! 

Even if you don’t have children, you can involve other important members of your family in the handfasting ceremony. Give ribbons to special people in your lives, so they can step forward during the ceremony and contribute their ribbon to the hand-fasting chord.  

Charming Memories 

Sometimes, couples add special charms to their hand-fasting chord. Look for charms that represent special times together or important moments in your relationship. They could be items that represent your personalities or activities that you enjoy doing together, or they could symbolize your wishes for the future of your relationship.  

There are many different ways to incorporate handfasting into your wedding, so feel free to get creative and adapt the tradition to your preferences. The addition of this meaningful Celtic ritual can add a unique depth and beauty to your special day! 

Visit our website at, https://www.naninasinthepark.com