Inspiration board - Pink and Brown

Yes, I so love pink...

For the past years, this color combination has become one of the more famous ones. Actually, brown plus another color (turquoise, orange, etc.). But for me this pretty much stands out because, aside from pink being a favorite color, it also reminds me of the two other things that I love: chocolate and strawberry. Yum!

Anyways, this combination is still loved by many brides-to-be. Hope you enjoy this inspiration board!

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1st row, from left: Cherry Blossoms "Make It Yours" Personalized Favor Box Kit from HotRef.com; Pink and Brown Cupcake Tower from SweetThings-Toronto.blogspot.com; Bridesmaids in brown with pink bouquets from ProjectWedding.com.

2nd row, from left: Style 07549 from Tuxedos.com; Style CL 10 wedding gown from Le-Spose-Di-Gio.it; Style JH5705 from JLMCouture.com.

3rd row, from left: Wedding Dessert Table from AmyAtlas.com; Pink Velvet Bouquet from HouseMartin.typepad.com; Blossom Pale Pink Designer Shoes from PerfectDetails.com.

4th row, from left: Wedding Program from ghlDesign.com; Style 28202 Flower Girl Dress from ForeverBridals.com; Pink and Brown Table Setting from LaraSwansonPhoto.com.

Wedding decor: Paper lanterns

Paper lanterns can be used as great decorations for either outdoor or indoor weddings. In halls or tents, they give a fancy look for your ceilings. For outdoor weddings, they are cute details hung on trees and also sometimes serve as hanging luminaries.

Today, you don't necessarily have to have an Oriental wedding theme to incorporate paper lanterns in your wedding decor. You can have a beach or vintage or garden theme and still use these pretty lanterns as accents. They're readily available, too: you can purchase them at sites like Luna Bazaar or Etsy, if you wish to shop online. In the Philippines, you can go to places like UNTC or Divisoria to buy them or to purchase supplies and make the lanterns your wedding DIY projects. Or you can ask your event stylist to include paper lanterns for your wedding decor.

Here are a few wedding venue photos that feature paper lanterns as decor:

1st row, from left: Reception decor from BlossomsTX.com; Hometown Hospitality from MurphyWeddings.wordpress.com.

2nd row, from left: Emilia + Jay wedding by Marie Labbancz from ArtOfLove.com; Dinner at Dusk: Paper Lanterns from MarthaStewartWeddings.com; Lime Green Paper Lanterns from GoodThingsWeddingFavors.com. 

3rd row, from left: Tent ceiling by Winslow Martin via ElementsOfStyleBlog.com; Party Decoration by LunaBazaar.com; Asian Globes with Decor from Aardvark-Ent.com. 

4th row: Tent Lighting in East Hampton by Luminousld.com; Rose Petal Wedding Runner from TheFlirtyGuide.blogspot.com.

Inspiration board - Yellow and Gray

I guess I got affected by the weather, (no) thanks to Typhoon Conson, which hit the Philippines' northern provinces and affecting Metro Manila as well.

Because the sky was dreary since yesterday, I chose gray as a color to toy around for this inspiration board. For the accent, I chose yellow primarily because I want to see something cheery amid the gloomy weather. Yeah, this board was inspired by my feelings of sadness because of the weather and the search for a glimmer of hope for sunshine.

Apparently, after making this, I found this to be one of my favorites. The color combination was great. Check it out:

1st row, left to right: Style 454 wedding garter by TheGarterGirl.com; Silver Monogrammed Favor Box Kit by MyWeddingFavors.com; Modern Houston Wedding tablescape by Paper Dolls Photography via StyleMePretty.com.

2nd row, from left: Jean De Sey Silver Suit from JeanDeSey.fr; Frase wedding gown by Pronovias.com; Ribbon Boutonniere by MarthaStewartWeddings.com; Dessy Collection Style 2810 by Dessy.com.

3rd row, from left: Style 47819 flower girl dress by Watters.com; Vintage White and Yellow Bouquet by KarenTran.com.

4th row: Flower Child wedding invitation by InvitationsByDawn.com; Wedding cake by Cameron Ingalls via GreenWeddingShoes.com; Shoe detail from StephanieWilliamsPhotography.com; Wedding rings on citrus candy from LoveStillStands.tumblr.com.

Celebrity wedding: Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green

Shia LaBeouf's [former] leading lady in the Transformers movie franchise and the ex-90210 cast member tied the knot last June 24 in a very intimate beach wedding ceremony in Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii officiated by a local Hawaiian priest. The wedding's only witness was Brian's son, Kassius, from a previous relationship.

Megan wore a silk georgette strapless corset gown with a 16-foot train created by Armani Prive.

No frills, no embellishments. Simple, classic, yet perfect for a beach wedding. The veil looked a bit hard to manage, though, what with the wind blowing it everywhere. Nevertheless, the bride looked so pretty on that day.

Brian and his son came in matching Armani white shirt and pants.

Must admit, I'm not a big fan of both actors, but hey, I like the fact that they chose to hold an intimate union compared to other celebrities who'd go for more flashy weddings. A simple wedding like this feels more solemn and it captures the essence of what marriage is and should be.

Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Brian Austin Green. I do hope their union will last.

Photos and information taken from DailyMail.co.uk.

Wedding flowers: Peonies

Roses, tulips, and calla lilies are pretty common wedding flowers. For those who want something different, make peony one of your choices.

A flower that usually grows during spring/summer, peonies are characterized by their full, rounded blooms. They also go well with any other flower and make the bouquet look round and lush. I think peonies are kinda rare here in the Philippines, but if I had a choice, I'd want them in my bouquet along with roses.

Peonies symbolize romance, prosperity, and good marriage, making them a good flower choice for your wedding bouquet. They could also mean bashfulness and compassion.

For brides looking into a spring/summer wedding, here are wedding bouquet inspirations that feature peonies:

1st column, from top: Pink and white peonies from BridgeWaterGardens.com; Blue hydrangea and peonies from Reception-Wedding.com; Pink and White Rose and Peony Bridal Bouquet from ArenaFlowers.com; Metalina and amnesia roses with ivory peonies, black dill and crystal blush calla lilies from FlowerMagician.blogspot.com.


2nd column, from top: Round bouquet of pink peonies, peach calla lilies, orange roses, white roses and berries from Flower-Arrangement-Advisor.com; White Icelandic poppies, tree peonies and narcissus from RealSimple.com; Red peonies and deep pink cymbidium orchids from BlueSkyWeddings.com; Orchids and peonies from YourWeddingDayOnline.co.uk.

Wedding gowns: Oscar de la Renta's Spring 2011 Collection

Oscar de la Renta, one of the foremost names in fashion, presents its 2011 spring wedding gown collection that features beautiful dresses that suit every type of bride. Here, I'll showcase some of the gowns that captured my attention:

If you're all for the classic and elegant look, the strapless lace gown on the left or the silk gazar and guipure one shoulder gown is perfect for you. Both have silhouettes that emphasize your sexy figure.

For those who opt for a short wedding dress, you can choose from either the pink strapless dress with guipure overlay or the silk one shoulder dress. Match them with dangling earrings and a birdcage veil and you're all set.

I actually love these two gowns that makes the bride look like a Spanish Senorita. The one on the right, the silk gazar gown with floral appliques, looks sexy even with the long sleeves while the silk blouse and green taffeta skirt terno gives the wedding gown a modern twist with a splash of color.

Speaking of color, brides who want a different hue on their gowns can pick the strapless gown with pink taffeta draped bow on the left or  the navy strapless gown with metallic ribbon details. These gowns are truly made for the brides with attitude.

The collection also has something for the simple yet modern bride. Featuring unique necklines, soft tulle, ruffles, and even ostrich feathers, these contemporary designs are surely made to reflect your personality and will make you stand out, just as you should on your big day.

There are still more designs that will suit your taste. See the full collection on their official website and find the wedding gown that's perfect for you.