Month: April 2021

Alternate Venues for Fun Weddings

Your wedding can take place literally in any locale you want it to, which sounds amazing…but it can also make choosing a venue that fits the occasion something of a challenge! If you can’t afford to rent an actual castle to bring your fairytale to life in and the idea of a church ceremony sounds a little too traditional for your sensibilities, why not get a little creative with your venue and think outside the chapel? Our favorite alternative venues are listed below, places that may surprise you at first, but with a bit of imagination, these spots can make wonderfully memorable spaces to celebrate your most important occasion! 

  1. Brew Pubs

A quaint corner pub nestled in the heart of a central downtown corridor makes a perfectly charming background for an intimate, personal wedding. In addition to providing warm corners for your guests to huddle in, you have a ready bar and potentially even catering services that suit the theme right on the premises, offering sampler flights of local concoctions and bringing community businesses a bit of needed exposure. It’s a special choice for couples with a fondness for craft ale and the cozy comfort of beloved neighborhood bars. 

  1. Museums and Galleries

For a striking setting that’s sure to elevate the vibe of your wedding, research the availability of museums and galleries in your area; many offer their spaces as event halls and wedding spots. Think modern art for a vibrant, contemporary backdrop, or something more classical to surround yourselves with age-old romance. And for an extra stroke of whimsy, check into a science museum or an interactive exhibit that will lend a sense of kinetic fun to the evening!

  1. Libraries

An obvious choice for book lovers, a marriage among the stacks can turn an ordinary library setting into something unexpectedly magical. If the library in your town happens to occupy a building of the historical sort, you can add to the atmosphere with dramatic lighting and choose a picturesque stairway or glowing wooden archway for the ceremony. And don’t forget to schedule your photos among the volumes…a few shots of you and your beloved reading sonnets to one another would make classic and elegant images for your album.

  1. The Woods

Nature is always welcome at a wedding, provided the weather cooperates. If you’re an outdoorsy couple, you can choose a nearby forest cove to add a little festive lighting to; if you’re a bit more reserved, you can opt for a woodsy garden setting exploding with blooms to provide natural flower arrangements. Both of these options provide plenty of opportunity for enchantment when it comes to both the ceremony and the reception. An added bonus: a sunset ceremony leading into a reception beneath the stars will add a touch of cosmic spectacle to the occasion.

  1. Theater

Since weddings are something of a production to begin with, why not opt for a literal theater as your venue? If you’re a film-loving couple, explore a movie locale during off-hours and throw a Golden Age of Cinema-themed wedding that makes use of the screen as a cinematic backdrop. And if you’re lovers of live theater, seek out a community theater that will provide all the staging and seating for a wedding production that suits your tastes to a T – complete with a chamber orchestra to provide sonic inspiration in a space tailor-made for just this sort of wonder!   

You get the idea now…a wedding can take place practically anywhere you decide it should (as long as it’s available). The more creative your choice, the more personal your event will feel. Just remember: no matter where you decide to have your wedding, as long as it reflects your personal interests and your sense of fun and romance, you’re bound to have the evening of your dreams!

by Allegro Entertainment

Wedding Colors for 2021

Color coordinates the visual elements of your wedding like nothing else can. It sets the tone, creates the mood, and establishes the overriding vibe for the space, from the entrance to altar, leading right through the reception hall – and even to the cake décor! You may have a favorite color scheme in mind that captures the perfect romantic atmosphere for your special day. But do they match up with what the trends are? And if you haven’t chosen a color set, are you ready to explore the most up-to-date possibilities for the 2021 wedding season? Well, we are…take a look at the five most striking color sets for weddings this year and see if they strike your fancy! 

  1. Naturals

Tans, chocolates, rusts, and other subdued tones of nature are a timeless palette that impart a sense of class and subtlety to your wedding. Natural tones work well with a variety of textures, whether you’re going with a modern-cut silk wedding dress or a vintage design trimmed in lace – and they’re perfect for neck ties and bridesmaids dresses to tie your wedding party into the affair. For an added touch of flair, think beyond the expected tones into washed-out blues, greens and lilacs. These tones fade to effective naturals without losing their personality. 

  1. Brights

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ll find sunny, vivid colors splashed throughout your wedding décor an equally viable option. Tropical tones like Caribbean blue and mango orange used in moderation add energy to your wedding space and indicate that you’ve come to celebrate in a bold way. Expand the color set to include leaf green or orchid purple for your place settings to lend an eclectic touch that carries the sense of fun into your reception hall.

  1. Grays

Artful and classic, grays are always an elegant choice for a wedding palette. But until you truly examine the color, you won’t realize how many different grays there are to choose from. Cool grays tend toward the blue end of the spectrum, while warm grays carry a shadow of red, sepia or gold. It’s a subtle difference that can pull together a look that speaks of your favorite bygone era – think stylish 1940s looks or a vintage sepia-toned photograph brought to life in modern shapes and settings. Your guests will be starry-eyed at the nostalgic feel grays can bring to your wedding.

  1. Neutrals

There’s never a time when creams, taupes and tans are wrong for a wedding palette. These colors shimmer with graceful undertones and make for a perfect companion to classic black tuxedo choices, and even table settings and cake décor. To dial up the style a bit, choose a soft color like sage green or dusty pumpkin to accent boutonnieres and bouquets without overpowering the neutral base tones and you have a recipe for stunning wedding color everyone will appreciate.

  1. Rose

Rose is an entire palette unto itself and can be paired with so many other colors to create an array of beautiful color sets. Go with rose coral for a bright, inviting shade that will compliment purples, oranges and greens, bright red rose for a full-on black-tie affair, or opt for a dusty rose to keep with a more classic shade that always plays nicely with greens, golds and chocolates. And, of course, if your flowers will be roses, you’ll have no trouble aligning the colors across all elements for an instant match.

Of course, color is such a personal choice that you should always go with your own taste, and any color palette you choose can be made to work with a bit of creativity in your color placement. And if there are too many options that you love for you to decide easily on a set that makes your heart sing, you can always consult a wedding professional for guidance. They’ll be happy to help you figure out exactly what color will bring the love to your auspicious occasion!

by Allegro Entertainment

Fun Wedding Invitation Ideas

Wedding invitations are the only part of your special day that will enter the homes of
your guests. They’re also one of the most personal elements of the entire event, one
that presents a couple’s personalities, interests, and artful aesthetic, which can set the
tone for the entire wedding. Knowing how much impact an invitation will have, you can
create an invitation that speaks very distinctly about you – anything goes! So how do
you start when searching for the perfect format for creating fun and highly personalized
wedding invitations? We’ve come up with a quick list of possibilities that should set you
on the right path. From photos to lettering, we’ve got your fun wedding invitation ideas
covered!

  1. Dramatic Portraits
    Photos of sweeping natural vistas, illuminated nighttime cityscapes, lush,
    wooded coves and sun-soaked meadows all make for beautiful portrait
    backgrounds, perfect for create a cozy photographic invitation. Not only do you
    capture a pre-wedding moment for your own preservation, but by printing the
    information on the back of the photo, your invitation becomes a lovely frameable
    keepsake for your guests as well. Make it even more personal by enlisting a
    photographer friend or family member to handle the shoot and help choose just
    the right location.
  2. Sweet Illustrations
    There are as many ways to present a happy couple in illustrated form as there
    are illustrators to create them. You can become Disney figures, storybook
    illustrations, boardwalk caricature or anime characters – whatever suits your
    sensibilities! If your social circle happens to include anyone who’s artfully
    inclined, you could recruit them for the cause. And if you don’t happen to know
    any illustrators, you can find many for hire on websites like Fiverr, Etsy or
    Instagram eager to whip up a charming sketch for the occasion. It’s a great
    opportunity to present a whimsical wedding theme into the invitations to start the
    event off in a colorful way.
  3. Beautiful Hand-lettering
    Calligraphy is a timeless touch that lends elegance to any invitation, especially
    when used on hand-addressed envelopes. With lettering artists abounding
    online these days, you’re sure to find one who can provide just the right script to
    suit your occasion. If your budget won’t allow for a personal calligrapher, there’s
    a world of free calligraphic and script-style fonts on the web that make fantastic
    stand-ins for hand-lettering. Some sites even allow you to enter your sample
    texts so you can see what the final product will look like.
  4. Quirky Presentation

If you’re a foodie or a wine lover, why not present the information on your
invitation as a menu or a wine list? Or if your pets are a part of the big day, what
if you let them do the inviting? There are limitless ways to work personal details
about your life into your wedding invitations to add a bit of fun quirk to the
design. You can research more coordinated options at print shops or seek out
designers or artists who’ll create bespoke formats that represent bride and
groom as uniquely individual. With an invitation so fun and personalized, your
friends and family will recognize and appreciate the announcement as soon as it
arrives!

  1. Comical Text
    Let your sense of humor shine through in the way you call out your special
    occasion! Compose a few hilarious lines that explain where, when and what’s
    happening on your special day; remind your invitees to RSVP with a wisecrack
    about late-comers and no-shows. And include details like cash bar (if there is
    one), gift registries, special instructions like dinner choices, etc., all presented
    with a touch of wit that puts your guests at ease and announces the tone of the
    evening. The fun will begin for your guests long before the wedding!

These are just a few possibilities for creating fun invitations for your wedding…and
that’s not to mention the save the date cards! No matter what fun personalized path you
take, as long as your invitations have your own personal touch presented in a thoughtful
way that makes you happy, they’re sure to be a hit. Be sure you save a copy or two
—including envelopes — as keepsakes for your wedding album. You’ll have even more
treasured memories to relieve every time you open the cover and revisit your very
personalized wedding!

by Allegro Entertainment

Songs For Your First Dance

The traditional first dance of a bride and groom is a guaranteed focal point of your wedding reception. All eyes turn to the happy couple for their inaugural spin around the dance floor, and the music chosen symbolizes their bond and the promise of the next chapter of their fairy tale. There’s a whole trove of legendary first dance songs, romantic tunes that set the tone for such a meaningful and emotional moment, each with personal meaning for the couple who chooses them. With so much promise held by this peak moment of your celebration, we’ve gathered a list of potential tunes to suit the occasion perfectly.  

  1. Time and Tide – Basia

A breezy mid-tempo groove from the 80s, this jazzy tune lends a happy, hopeful energy to your romantic spin along the dancefloor. And the lyric “nothing and no one can stop us now, for better or worse…” reflect the strength of your union in no uncertain terms. 

  1. At Last —Etta James

This timeless showstopper resonates with love and gratitude from the first striking note. A classic slow-burner that fills the room with Etta’s pitch-perfect delivery of an arrangement that’s never gone out of style, you’ll feel the power of your total commitment to your truest love as you take your first musical steps as a married couple.

  1. Honeybee – The Head and The Heart

An unexpected song about belief and how love can change your heart, this minimalist pop ballad gives a modern twist to your first dance, and the lyrics state without any doubt that “we made a garden of the love we found” no matter what it took to get there. A stirring tune to set you spinning into your happy ever after!

  1. Like A Star — Corrine Bailey Rae

The overwhelming romance of finding your once-in-a-lifetime love comes through in Corrine’s hushed tones and plaintive, shimmering guitar and electric piano, creating a jazzy vibe that brings equal parts mood and sunshine to your first dance. It’s a captivating blend that presents love as a complex magic, a fantastic start to the celebration yet to come. 

  1. Fidelity—Regina Spektor

This quirky tune expresses the wonderment of discovering the perfect someone and how things could have easily gone another direction but didn’t, and how that reality inspires “music…and it breaks my heart”, but in the best possible way. You’ll be dancing your way into forever to the happy sounds of plucky violins, bouncy piano chords and the happy promise of being inspired by such a powerful phenomenon as true love.

  1. Like Real People Do—Hozier

This almost-choral folk song speaks of acceptance and holding onto the moment with its chorus of “we should just kiss like real people do” will give you the feeling of being the only two people in the whole world despite being watched by a roomful of friends and family members celebrating your most auspicious occasion. And isn’t that what true love is all about? 

  1. I Choose You – Sara Bareilles

Sara gives us a song custom-crafted for first dances. From the proclamation of its title to its “tell the world that we finally got it all right” chorus to its gentle pop-samba guitar-and-handclap delivery, you’ll be swaying joyfully in the glow of true love, and your guests will be bopping along in their seats as they watch your happiness unfold.

  1. Blessed – Thomas Rhett

This country/R&B throwback tune lends a waltzy bounce to your first dance, the descriptions of deep dedication and the idea that being “lucky just ain’t enough” when describing a love so powerful. It’s a honey-sweet introduction to your reception and a glowing invitation for your guests to celebrate your union with some happy dancing of their own.

  1. Overjoyed—Stevie Wonder

There may be no more perfect lyrical summation of commitment than this R&B classic from a musical genius like none other. “Over time, I’ve been building my castle of love, just for two…” It reads like a romantic ode from another era, but it plays like a swelling ballad of ultimate commitment to love that allows for a gentle slow dance beginning and a triumphant call to total jubilation by the end.

  1. Endless Love – Lionel Richie and Diana Ross

“My love…you’re every breath that I take…” This classic emotional duet will bring happy tears to everyone in the hall as it begins tenuously and tremulously like every true love does and slowly builds to that wondrous pinnacle of commitment. As a song for your first dance as man and wife, you can’t do any better.

What are your favorite choices for first dance songs? We’d love to hear what’s on your list. Connect with us on social media, on Instagram @allegrostl and Facebook as Allegro Entertainment and tells what tunes you’ve got cued up for your first wedding dance!

by Allegro Entertainment