Red is a popular color for weddings.  Symbolizing love and luck, it’s easy to see why a lot of brides opt for red in their special day.  Whether it’s the color of their dress, or in the details, this striking hue can be used in any season but is particularly lovely in fall and winter.

Amsale red taffeta gown from Bluefly. Romantic Rosette wedding invitations in Crimson.

Three tiered wedding cake from the Knot, burgundy calla lilies bouquet from Brides, and Christian Louboutin pumps from Neiman Marcus.

Leiber small curved minaudiere from Neiman Marcus, Magohany dinnerware from Crate & Barrel, and Red Bolero chandelier from Horchow.

Deciding whether or not to have a destination wedding? Well, after seeing a number of brides getting married on drop dead gorgeous clips in Europe, I can see why you might. There are a few things to consider, however. Here are a list of pros and cons to help you decide whether a destination wedding is a go or not.

Pros:

1) Your friends, family and you and your significant other will be able to share an experience of a lifetime!

2) You might save money by having a shorter guest list and less people who will actually come.

3) You will already be at your honeymoon site! No need for paying the extra costs of travel. You’re already there!

Cons:

1) Having a destination wedding may upset some of your friends and family because they might be unable to go, or if they can afford to, will still have to spend extra money on plane fare and hotel.

2) You won’t have as much control over planning and won’t be able to meet often with vendors prior to your wedding day.

3) You’ll have to pack and bring all of your wedding things like your gown and his tux so make sure you find out about your airline’s baggage requirements before you leave and about the marriage requirements before you get there.

Send out wedding invitations with a destination wedding theme like this Palm Trees Wedding Invitation.

Light up your wedding day with seasonal luminaries! Getting married in fall? Then you’ll fall in love with the season’s best and most unique ways to light the way.

These autumnal luminaries from Martha Stewart are so festive. They would work perfectly as a centerpiece or to light the way from ceremony to reception. Use battery operated candles to prevent any unwanted accidents.

Check out this one from the ever reliable Etsy. Made with handmade paper, this Autumn Leaf luminary from PaperPlanet make beautiful take home favors for guests.

These white pumpkin candles from Pottery Barn (also comes in orange) add fall decor and lighting to your wedding. Use them to decorate the sign-in table or the cocktail area to bring a beautiful glow to an evening affair.

Invite guests to a fall wedding with this nature inspired wedding invitations from Wedding Paper Divas.

Well I’m back and I have to say it was a wonderful honeymoon! Lots of beautiful things to see and experience and so worth all of the headache it took to get there. I did learn a few valuable lessons along the way. One thing I wish I did was pack lightly. Since we were in Europe and traveled to several cities in a short amount of time, I had to lug my suitcase with me, plus a backpack everywhere! Did I really need to pack 4 dresses and 4 pairs of shoes? 

One thing that I’m glad I did was pack one light jacket and one heavy jacket and an umbrella. Though we checked the weather a few days before we left, even the weather report couldn’t predict the sudden cold shift that affected a lot of Europe. While we were expecting sunny skies with 60-70 degrees weather, we got rain and temperatures up to 51 degrees. Without my one warm sweater and an umbrella, I would have been so cold. 

Another thing that I would advise is to put together a little toiletry see through kit and keep it in one place. I had my toothbrush in one bag and my soap in another and it drove me crazy! Keep everything together and remember to pack things like toilet paper and seat covers just in case.  

And if you get motion sickness and are crazy enough to ride boats, plane and trains like me, either pack motion sickness medicine or one of those special wristbands. Try sea band or the psi band which prevents sickness and nausea by pushing down on an acupressure point on your wrists.

I had a memorable trip and I’m sure you will too! Just remember it’s easy to get lost in the romance of your honeymoon but coming prepared will make everything all the more better. 

Many brides today struggle whether or not to where a veil on their wedding day.  Then, after the decision to do so if finalized the next question is what type of veil is the best for your dress.  As you can see from the chart below there a variety of lengths and styles to choose from, sometimes making the process a little harder than expected.

When I got married I really wanted a long veil, but was afraid it would get in the way during the reception.  So, rather than forgo the entire veil, I opted for a two layered veil where the bottom layer, which was chapel length, could be removed after the ceremony.  This left the top layer, a fingertip veil, for the party.  After being stepped on several times after the ceremony, I was glad I went in this direction!

If you are still trying to decide what veil would go best with your dress, check out some of the beautiful ideas below:

From left to right: Bird Cage Veils; Davids Bridal; Davids Bridal;

Brides.com; Davids Bridal; Ebay

A long train on your wedding dress can really make a dramatic affect when you walk down the aisle.  However, the train can also get in the way at your reception as you run the risk of guests stepping all over your gown.  To fix this issue, brides often choose to “bustle” their dress to beautifully take that train out of the way.

If you are looking for some beautiful bustle ideas, below are some images that we found at Brides.com:

From left to right: Avine Pucchi by St. Pucchi; Winnie Couture Bridal; James Clifford Collection:

Jim Hjelm Bridal; Winnie Couture Bridal ; Winnie Couture Bridal

Celebrities don stunning jewelry, fancy hairstyles and drop dead gorgeous gowns on the red carpet as if they were getting married. Why not steal their hairdos to look fabulous on your big day?

Up-dos: Eva Mendes’ messy up-do adds effortless, carefree style and romance to your wedding day (About.com). Kelly Ripa’s do is flawlessly styled and perfect for a formal evening (InStyle). Anne Hathaway’s braided updo is a style trend that will transform your locks into hair heaven (InStyle).

Lovely Locks: Let your hair down with these beautiful hair trends! Selma Blair’s sleek style is great for gals with short hair (People). Blake Lively’s long, wavy hair with intertwining braids looks beautiful and is perfect for a beach wedding (InStyle). Romance is alive in Fergie’s loose and gorgeous curls (People).

Outfitting your wedding with gorgeous centerpieces can bite a huge chunk out of your budget, but it doesn’t have to.  DIY centerpieces are not nearly as hard as they might sound, and you can usually produce something beautiful on a small budget.

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to do centerpieces is to purchase curly willow or even long, tall branches.  If you live in a wooded area, you can gather your OWN branches, leaves, pine cones, etc.  Once you have enough, take some silver or white spray paint and cover all of the branches and leaves, then arrange them in vases.  Too add some extra glamour, glue or hang small crystals from the branches, and arrange tea light candles around the base of the arrangement.

As another option, you can forgo the spray painting and just use bare branches, but drop a few flowers in for some color, as shown in the photo below. Gorgeous!

As if dessert tables weren’t already scrumptious enough, New York-based event planner Amy Atlas has turned the act of arranging sweets into a true art form. One of our own stylish Wedding Paper Divas staffers found her website while searching for design inspiration, and all of us in the office have been oohing and aahing over her work ever since!

If you aren’t lucky enough to live in the New York area, check out Amy’s website to glean some inspiration from her spectacular photos. The next time you have a bridal shower, birthday party or other big event to plan, stick with one primary color scheme and arrange your desserts in varying layers to approximate Amy’s super chic look.

Black and white are a classic pair that can easily transform any wedding into a modern affair. Add them to your wedding decor for a simple and easy way to bring glamor back to your special day!

Camilla canisters from Pottery Barn are showing up in Halloween fashion but they also make your candy bar modern and sweet.  Pottery Barn Black Candelabra and stylish Flip Video Camera meld fun and function to make this black and white event complete.

This Two-Tone dress from White House Black Market and this handsome MW tux from Brides will keep your wedding in style.  And I love this black tie bouquet from Martha Stewart!

Invite them to this contemporary gathering with Dotted Floral Wedding Invitations. This Black and white round cake (photo from Brides) is a work of art, almost too pretty to eat!