I was recently in a candy store that had an old collection of PEZ dispensers on display and saw a PEZ version of a bride and groom, which I thought would make an excellent wedding cake topper for the couple with a sweet tooth.

Here is an example of a bride and groom PEZ couple.

Good luck getting this one on your cake, the original sells for about $3500 now according to an article at money.cnn.com.

You can get re-issues of this PEZ design – check ebay or pezcollectors.com – as of writing this article they both had a set available for around $20.00.

In fact an entire sweet theme, would be kind of – well, sweet.

Set up a candy station

You can select candies that match your wedding colors and let guests fill up their own goodie bags as tasty wedding favors!

Visit ohnuts.com for great tips for how to set up your own candy station.

ohnuts.com

Personalized Sweets

An Australian company will make you personalized candy (the candy below says Ben ‘hearts’ Renee).

sticky.com.au

Or use candy as the centerpieces for your tables instead of flowers

www.wanderfuls.com

Check out this candy wedding cake

The perfect foundation for a sweet wedding cake topper, from the very talented people at Cakelava. Check out their blog for a taste of all the great cakes they make!

Favor everyone with a kiss

Another wedding favor idea – a large Hershey’s Kiss at each place setting. At under 30 dollars for eighteen kisses, this is a very affordable wedding favor.

candywarehouse.com

Another option from Hershey’s…

wrappedhersheys.com

Gifts for the wedding party

Dylan’s Candy Bar has yummy jewelry at their online store. Here are just two examples to whet your appetite.

dylanscandybar.com

dylanscandybar.com

How to Choose a Wedding Theme

The theme you choose for your wedding will no doubt influence the rest of your wedding day options. Weddings themes can be as simple as a unique colour combination or as complex as a historic theme which includes guests and attendants dressing up in costumes and make-up.

A theme gives you the chance to make your wedding a night to remember for all of your guests, as well as create something unique to you and your partner as a couple.

What Are Some Wedding Theme Options?
First there are some questions you should ask yourself that will help you come to a final decision.

Will the wedding be formal or casual?
This sets the tone for the attire that will be worn by the guests and the bridal party, as well as possible catering and decoration options.

Outdoor or Indoor
When you choose to have a wedding outdoors, there are many things you need to plan for. Things such as location, shelter in case of bad weather and finding out about permits are all plans that would need to be arranged far before the wedding date.

Indoor weddings also have unique planning considerations. Time and noise restrictions and in-house catering rules all have to be thought about.

Colour Combinations
Choosing colors that carry on throughout the wedding is a simple way to create a ‘flow’ for your ceremony and reception. Coordinating decorations, floral arrangements, invitations, and the bridal party’s attire with complimenting colors, is a great and easy way to harmonize your wedding.

Seasonal Weddings
Choosing what season you get married also presents you with wedding theme possibilities.

Winter
Snowflake Theme
Christmas Theme
Valentine’s Day Theme
Blue, Silver, Black or White Colors

Spring
Themes centered on different flowers (Calla Lilies, Daffodils, Daisies)
Backyard Wedding
Garden Wedding
Pastel colors coordinated with Ivory

Summer
Ocean Theme
Seashell Theme
Hawaiian Theme
Beach Wedding
Royal Blue, Royal Purple or Coral Colors

Fall
Country Theme
Halloween Theme
Autumn Leaves Theme
Orange, Red, Brown or Burgundy Colors

Historic Themes
Taking your guests back in time is also a great way to make your wedding fun and unique.
Victorian Theme
Renaissance Theme
Medieval Theme
Retro/Rock ‘n’ Roll Theme
Vintage/1920’s Theme

Finding Inspiration for Your Theme
Sometimes deciding on a theme for your wedding can become especially difficult. Maybe the colors you like don’t go over so well with your fiancé’s taste or you just don’t know where to start. The best way to come to an agreement is to choose items that will personalize your wedding and reflect your tastes as a couple.

First, look at what you have in common. Maybe you both like a certain activity or hobby. Activities you enjoy doing together are great start-off points. For example, if you both like skiing, maybe you can hold your reception at a chalet or lodge. Choose to have the wedding in December or January and use cool colors like blue and silver. From there you can base your wedding day around a theme of ‘Winter Wonderland’.

Once you have a place to start from, choosing the theme for your big day won’t seem as daunting.

Short on cash or big on the idea of a casual, family friendly outdoor wedding?

The Perfect Picnic Wedding

Perfect if you are getting married in a park, backyard, or a tiny old church set in a big grassy field…

You could have a very small private ceremony in the church and then celebrate with a larger party of guests waiting to receive you outside. For a list of small churches in the US please visit roadsideamerica.com (image above is from this site).

Picnic Wedding Essentials

One of the most important items you will need – picnic blankets! Stick with tradition and pick red and white checkers, or find fabric that matches your wedding colors and make your own (you may find it less expensive to buy a large bolt of fabric and make your own anyways). You can buy the handmade one below at etsy.com for around $20 (and she offers a discount if you purchase more than one). These blankets could double as a wedding favor for each family that attends as well (you might have to come up with a contest to figure out who gets to take the blanket home for mixed picnic groups).

Deluxe Picnic

I wasn’t able to find a caterer in the US that provides this service, but in the UK you can pick up a biodegradable picnic basket filled with treats from the Arch House Deli in Bristol for less than $20 per person (converted from British pounds). Perhaps you could find a local catering company that would provide the picnic blankets and a picnic basket packed with goodies for each group of guests (let me know if you find any companies that do that!).

Picnic Event Tips

Don’t forget to be considerate of older guests and offer cushions as well as normal seating if necessary.

Provide picnic themed activities to keep the kids busy.

This cute picnic basket from bestpricetoys.com will be fun for younger children.

Plan for the weather

Bring large sun umbrellas, gazebos, and a play tent like the one below from Ikea to offer children some shade (or a quiet place to nap). You might want to bring something to weigh down the blankets if there is a chance that it will be windy. Make sure sunscreen and plenty of water is available for the guests.

All flowers have meanings ascribed to them, and tulips mean both ‘love’ and ‘passion’, so they are perfect wedding flowers. While tulips are available year round -to many people, tulips also mean that it’s springtime because that’s when they see tulips pop up in their own gardens.

Tulips come in a wide variety of colors, so your options for wedding colors are huge. Select a color that will match your wedding color, or one that will complement it.

White Can Be Just Right

Or, transform tulips to elegant romance by sticking with pure white. You can save money by ordering your wedding flowers directly from a wholesaler, like the flowerexchange.com. This is a great idea if you have a family member or friend who is skilled at floral arrangements. Not that lucky? You can still order in lots of flowers and stick to very simple arrangements. A large quantity of white tulips will fill the room and compensate for less fancy decor. In fact, it will look like you did it on purpose!

This rectangle vase from Ikea is only $1.99. Buy 100 of them and place them in groups on each table, and every where else you can think of (line the hallways, put them on the bathroom counters, place them between the food, by the guest book, etc).

Bright Wedding Idea: Colors Colors Colors!

The good news here is that if you are going with colorful tulips as a theme for your wedding, you can find Easter decorations for sale and save some money! This will work particularly well if you can shop a year in advance and pick up all of the sale items after Easter-time.

Tulip Cocktail Napkins

These napkins are from Crate & Barrel and are so elegant yet fun, that they could inspire the look of your whole wedding (colors, style). It will be our little secret.

High Contrast

This wild and crazy arrangement from The Flower Pot would be perfect for a down to earth yet fun bride. The arrangement is colorful and the colors will contrast wonderfully against a white wedding dress. I love how the tulip leaves become part of the arrangement.