Wedding Planning - Creative Ways To Ask Your Bridesmaids!

So you are on the exciting path to planning your wedding day, you have a sparkling diamond on your finger and the man of your dreams by your side. Now for something that is equally as important ... choosing your bridesmaids. For some it is an easy choice, a sister or cousin that you are close to or have grown up with and promised the honour to from an early age, for others it will be a group of friends that you can count on, your besties that will be by your side no matter what! Whoever you choose to walk down the aisle before you, to carry your wedding bouquet, bustle your bridal gown and check your teeth, there are so many ways that you can ask them.

Here are a few of the latest trends for 'proposing to your bridesmaids'... what a lovely way to introduce them to the most important event planning adventure that you will ever face together!

The trend seems to be the quirkier the better... You could DIY a cute gift box or scrapbook full of memories that you have shared together, photographs and personal items that will remind you of all the good times. A gift of wine or bubbly would be appreciated by any girl and personalised wine bottle labels are another popular idea, you could get miniature ones made up for a smaller bottle to be placed inside your gift box, perhaps with a champagne flute and a few other goodies as a thank you.

Personalised dress hangers are a great idea too, I saw some ideas on etsy.com where the wooden hangers had the names printed or wood-burnt onto the top, there are also some funky ideas where the hangers have the wire part curled into the word bridesmaid or an individual name, you could give each of the girls a little gift card that says, "we've got the hanger now to find the dress" or something similar. You could even arrange a personalised bridesmaid stubby holder and wrap this around the central part of the hanger for a double gift idea!

Some other unique ideas include a fun egg that you crack open to reveal a message, or you could make your own fortune cookies and hand them out at dinner, you can really personalise the message for each flower girl, bridesmaid and maid of honour!

Maybe you will take your girls out or have them over for a casual barbeque with a few cold beverages to celebrate, why not arrange for personalised bridesmaid stubby holders, something that your bridesmaids can keep! Here are a few suggestions of some fun sayings that you can include on the coolers for a bit of fun:

Top 10 Sayings For Your Bridesmaid Stubby Holders...

1. I need someone to wear an ugly dress so I look prettier in mine!
2. Did anyone ever tell you how hot you would look in peach satin ruffles!
3. I can't say I do without you - be my bridesmaid?
4. Eat, Drink and Help me plan my wedding!?
5. Keep Calm and Be My Bridesmaid
6. I got my man... but I still need my girls
7. Be my - chiffon wearing, tiara adjusting, teeth checking, flower holding, dress bustling bitch - for just one day!
8. I moustache (picture of moustache) you a question... will you be my bridesmaid?
9. I promise there will be no ugly colours, puffy sleeves or bows on the butt - will you be my bridesmaid?
10. It's my turn to pop the question... will you be my bridesmaid.

Check out these designs put together using a couple of ideas from our hens night stubby holder templates ...

HENS-009-be-my-bridesmaid:

HENS-001-be-my-bridesmaid:

Happy Planning!

Colour Trends, Ideas for your Wedding: Mustard, Black and White

There is certainly something very sophisticated about the way black and white look together and then throw in some subtle colour or even something bold like this mustard yellow to make the perfect wedding colour combination.

Wedding traditions do not have to be set aside when you choose your colours, you can still have the classic 3 tier wedding cake and the table setting that you have always dreamed of, you simply get to add your own personal touch at the same time. I love the black and white pattern in the image above that has been replicated onto the cake, the wedding table decorations and thank you gift box on each place setting. Go wild with your wedding flowers and include shades of mustard yellow in your bouquets. Spend some time visiting boutique shops in your area to gather ideas and ways to bring your chosen colour into your wedding. From your wedding invitation ideas to your table decorations and place cards stay true to your colour decisions and you will have a perfectly themed wedding day. Here are a couple of design ideas to help you on your way: Design Reference Number: QRD12751-Mustard-Black-White

Design Reference Number: QRD-WED-WORDS-026-Mustard

Happy Planning!

Budget Ideas and Colour Trends for your Wedding 2013/2014!

Colour Trends, Ideas for your Wedding: Mustard, Deep Red & Grey

This ultra-modern wedding colour combination can be adapted to suit your vision and reflect your personalities! There is something very chique about having a base of silver or grey with a vibrant contrast of the red and mustard yellow for your wedding colour scheme.

Check out the image above, I love how they have been less formal about their bridesmaid dresses, a great idea for a budget wedding is to get the girls to buy their own bridesmaid dress and this way it could be a dress that they will wear again and will save any worries about shapes and styles to suit different girls! A great little gift for bridesmaids is a clutch bag to match your wedding colours -- these girls are holding a yellow bag with Chevron pattern for a funky, modern look - you can find so many ideas like this on Etsy.com and I have even come across some personalised bags too!

Another fantastic money saving tip for your wedding is gifts for your guest and wedding favours that are homemade, if you are trying to avoid the extravagance and expense of a wedding cake then why not take lead from the image above that shows cute homemade cookies in the shape of a 3-tier cake, decorated with red hearts and tied with a ribbon! These are both 'the wedding cake' and the wedding favour!

Coolaz wedding stubby holders can also make a great non-expensive gift, we can personalise each of the coolers with an individual guest name so that place names are not required and your guests receive a personal thank you gift from you on the day!

Here's a couple of ideas to help you with your wedding planning and choosing your colour combinations;

Design Reference Number: QRD15571-Chevron

Design Reference Number: QRD12904-Mustard-Red

Design Reference Number: WED-WORDS-015-Mustard-Red

Design Reference Number: WED-001-MUSTARD-RED

Happy Planning!

Unique Wedding Program and Itinerary Ideas for Your Guests!

Create the perfect order of service or wedding program style Coolaz coolers for your big day! There are so many formalities that you are 'supposed to' include in your wedding that the list goes on and on! These days the need for sticking with tradition on your wedding day is becoming less and less, more couples are leaning towards an informal wedding style, often with a celebrant rather than in a church, in a single venue incorporating a natural atmosphere, relaxed wedding vows and with the scope to be able to add personal touches.

Many brides are choosing a DIY wedding, creating the perfect setting from a blank canvas and making a day that fuses together everything real about the couple's relationship and simply celebrating the start of their lives together. If you are having a fairly informal wedding then try printing your program of events for the day onto your coolers! Send your wedding checklist of must-have important information across to our design team and we will create the perfect wedding day timetable layout for you.

What a fantastic way to keep your guests informed about what will be happening throughout the day, you can personalise the design with your names, the event date and all of those special touches that are important to you. Be sure to send across your design brief too, let us know the theme of the day and what your wedding colour scheme is so that we can create the perfect match. If you have already organised your wedding invitations we would be happy to match the style and colours so that the theme is continued throughout your wedding and balances seamlessly with your decorations and stationery. Formal wedding programs would normally include a small section about yourselves, how you met, how you got engaged and to set the tone for the whole day. Why not summarise this all into one photograph, it can be a silly shot, something fun or formal but should be an image that tells its own story about who you are and shows off your personalities! As the saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words"... so choose wisely, this wedding stubby holder will make a great keepsake for you and your guests to enjoy for years to come!

You can personalise each individual design too, like in the one below, simply email us your list of guest names and we will replace the word 'guest' so that each stubby holder has, for example, Gemma's Itinerary or Rob's Itinerary ... at the top. This truly then is a unique wedding favour, customised not only for your wedding but also as a bonbonniere gift individually named for each of your guests! This design is a great way to show off your fun side, and with wedding photo booths and photo props becoming increasingly popular what better way to show your guests the way forward...

Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular too, escape the formality and restrictions of a big wedding and invite your closest family and friends to run away with you to your dream wedding location! Most overseas weddings can be arranged through a wedding planner or by the resort itself, even though the stress of organising can be reduced by having a destination wedding there will still be some elements of organising to be done, you will need to make sure that all of your guests know what to expect and where to be at what time! There are some awesome ways that you can include this into your wedding cooler design, check out these examples below of wedding itineraries that stretch across a few days. Whether you choose Florida, Bali or another resort we can adapt these designs to suit your destination wedding theme and location... Design Reference Number: DP-WED-DEST-008

Design Reference Number: DP-WED-DEST008[US133]

Happy Planning!

Wedding Trends – Frosty Winter Colours

Wedding Colour Combinations - Winter White, Silver & Blue

Plan your wedding in the winter months and give your special day a magical theme like no other...

Think fairytale weddings dressed in silver and light blue with sparkling crystals and romantic candles, all dropped onto a stunning winter white canvas. Perhaps you will decide to get married on the snow or with the snowy mountains as a backdrop for your wedding photographs.

Make the most of the decorations that can be found in the shops this time of year for 'Christmas in July', pick up some snowflake tree hangers and silver baubels, all items that can double up as decorations for Christmas and your winter wedding. Why not feature a tree for your guests to place their wedding gift cards onto or leave their wedding presents for the bride and groom underneath!

Choose silvery shades and silky materials for your bridesmaid dresses, with white fur shrugs to keep them warm, make sure that you get your groomsman's ties to match, why not even team up your wedding stubby holders to fit in with this wedding theme too - they will look great in the hands of your bridal party for some fun and informal wedding shots!

Check out these designs for some wedding stubby holder inspiration:


Design Reference Number: DP-WED-001-SILVERBLUE

Design Reference Number: DP-WED-002-SILVERBLUE

Design Reference Number: DP-WED-003-SILVERBLUE

Design Reference Number: DP-WED-004-SILVERBLUE

Design Reference Number: DP-WED-005-SILVERBLUE

Happy Planning!

Trends, Patterns and Colour Ideas For Your Wedding 2013-2014!

The wedding trends this year and into 2014 show that the modern day bride is looking for the ultimate in customised experience to complete her big day! After looking into the process that goes into your wedding planning, where wedding ideas come from and who's setting the trends this year - We have put together this feature as a collaboration of ideas that are currently exciting the bridal industry in Australia and across the globe! Plus we have created some fantastic new designs to match What's Hot and What's Not for the forhcoming wedding season in 2014!

There are so many elements to consider when putting together your bridal wedding plan, from the very start each bride-to-be is likely to have some set ideas in mind for their wedding theme, from their save the dates & wedding invitations through to the style of wedding dress and even the cake - but there are so many ideas floating around, how does a bride choose. Well, firstly we would suggest that each element should reflect the bride and groom's personalities, maybe you are an adventurous couple, the ourdoorsy type - you could consider natural shades in colour and organic features. Combine this with an edge of elegance and you have yourself a very relaxed atmosphere that would be perfect for any wedding.

Stay Relaxed...

One recent wedding trend is seeing relaxed lounge furniture, low couches and arm chairs with organic coffee tables made from recycled materials, old barrels and tree stumps.

Camping, or otherwise known in the wedding world as 'glamping' is becoming more popular than ever and in Australia, let's face it, the big outdoors is certainly vast and the possibilities almost endless! From tepee style large wedding marquees to house your entire wedding reception to smaller individual tents tailored your glamping to be exactly what you wish for. Many couples are choosing to have extra, smaller tents for secluded areas, like a chill out tent or a games tent for the kids, a great way to relax or contain those little ones! Staying overnight can be great fun too, songs around the camp fire and then the fun of the morning after and an extended party!! What a great wedding experience!

Keep Everybody Smiling...

In keeping with a good-natured feel to your wedding day there are some other fun elements that you can add into the mix. Photo booths are becoming increasingly popular and the props you choose can also be translated into design ideas that you can use throughout your wedding stationery, table decorations and to make the basis for your wedding theme.

Props that represent the bride and groom's personalities are great plus you can add some real colour and interesting poses to your wedding photographs! Make sure you have tonnes of moustaches, luscious lips and top hats to finish off your theatrics!

Setting the Mood...

For a more formal setting add some mood lighting - candles and chandeliers are huge this wedding season and can add a flash of posh to your wedding reception. Whether you are outside and hanging glass candle jars and chandeliers from the trees or indoors with high ceilings that need that extra special lighting, you can be sure that these will brighten up your day.

Trends are also seeing symbols featuring chandelier silhouettes on wedding invitations and throughout wedding stationery! Check out some of our design ideas at the bottom of this feature.

A Splash of Colour and Keeping in Pattern...

When it comes to your wedding invitations we have got it sorted, fashion this year is asking for bright almost fluoro hints of colour, brides are loving the use of neutral shades and then a colour that simply pops from the page with unusual and modern design patterns having a massive influence on the way that brides are shopping this year... Introducing The CHEVRON zig-zagging its way to a wedding table near you! This spikey design looks fabulous on napkins, table runners, in bridesmaid accessories and of course on your wedding invitations and bridal party stubby holders!

Other popular wedding patterns include hexagonal honeycomb styles and Arabic influenced, tapestry designs. Word on the street is that wedding planners are looking for inspiring wedding ideas for stationery with 3D invites being top of the list. What better way to surprise your guests than with their very own wedding stubby holder invite that springs out of the envelope and literally wraps into a cylinder around a can or bottle - you cant get much more 3D than that! Plus we have some fantastic neutral designs and then bright colours of interior foam to add that touch of colour that you've been looking for!

Design inspiration...

Here are some ideas that will hopefully jump off the page and inspire you based on this year's wedding design symbols, patterns and colour ideas...

Reference: DP15571-yellow-chevron

Reference: WED-THEME-021[chandelier-red-heart]

Reference: WED-THEME-021[chandelier]

Reference: WED-THEME-022[colour-pop-pink] Happy Planning!

Seasonal Wedding Themes - Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring Wedding Ideas!

A couple's preference for setting their wedding date might be dependent on a favourite time of year or season. Perhaps you are dreaming of a white winter wedding in the snow, or a bright and sunny ceremony on the sand.

Once you have decided on the when, it makes perfect sense to design your wedding theme to suit your personalities and the time of year! Here are a few tips for your favourite wedding season;

Summer Wedding Ideas...

Summer is the most popular season for a wedding, when the sun is shining and the weather is beautiful! Make sure that you book your venue well in advance to avoid any 'Bride Wars' style shenanigans!
For a relaxed and casual style beach wedding, choose a long flowing sun dress, kick off your heels and go naturally barefoot to your ceremony. Make sure that your invite states that 'thongs' and sandals are welcome and that you have plenty of water bottles in an ice filled bucket on hand at your hot beach location.

Hot, Hot Hot...

Provide some sun shades for your guests - grab individual umbrellas or parasols, these are available in a wide range of colours so you should be able to find something to match in with your colour scheme.
Make sure that you wear a foundation with SPF and keep your wedding make-up light and natural for that 'beachy' look. Don't forget to wear SPF lip balm under your lip-gloss too or the Cancer Council offer their own range of lipsticks and glosses that carry a SPF 30.

Provide personalised sunscreen for your guests, buy your own bottles of a brand that you trust and then have labels or bottle wraps made up with your names and the date, all in line with your colour and theme.
Try to stay out of the sun before your wedding, that way you will avoid embarrassing red skin or strap marks on your big day. If you are after a bronzed look, consider getting a spray tan a couple of days before your wedding - make sure that you have a trial a few months earlier so that you know you are going to like the way that it looks.

Light & Bright...

When choosing your flowers make sure you consider types that can withstand the heat, like orchids or Calla Lilies or perhaps you could go for a seashell bouquet.
When choosing your summer wedding menu, consider the summer produce available, fresh fruit platters are a great idea and provide plenty of colour. When making your wedding cake choice, think light, rich chocolate cakes have become very popular in recent years, but lighter flavours will be best for summer.

Autumn Wedding Ideas

The warm colours of autumn can provide a spectacular backdrop for your wedding, with the leaves on the trees bursting with color and the orange and red hues from an Autumn sunset will make for some stunning photographs.

Be sure to look up the time for sunset and plan your wedding carefully around that so that you make the most of the day!

Woodland Rustic Country Wedding...

Theme or Venue

Choose a theme that matches the time of year, go for a woodland rustic country style with teal, duck egg blue and natural browns and coppers.
Decide on a venue where you can capture the essence of the season and its natural beauty, some great ideas for an autumn wedding are a vineyard, farm or botanical garden.

Autumnal Colours...

... ddd them to your wedding theme!

The weather will be turning cooler so choose a fur wrap, stole or shawl to cover your shoulders so that you don't get cold, or you can go for longer sleeves on your dress.
Choose your bridesmaid dresses by selecting from colors that you naturally see occurring in the fall season - go for burgundy, apricot, mustard yellow, dark greens and warm browns, they will really help to reflect the beauty of Autumn.

Your wedding in fall ...

There are also some stunning flowers that you can match into your theme, it would be better to consider flowers that are in season as these are likely to be less expensive - such as holly, amaryllis, daphne, iris, winter jasmine and cotoneaster. You can also include dark green leaves, or red berries to finish off your bouquets.

Design a leaf logo or pattern that you can include in your invitations, place name cards, wedding favors and bomboniere gift ideas - this is a really nice way to add a touch of the season's theme into your stationery and decorations.

Winter Wedding - Frosty Ideas

While winterweddings are less popular there are many advantages to being a winter bride, the main factors being the cost and that it will be easy to book your venue with less competition for dates, but also the unique style that you can explore for your frosty theme.

Indoor locations tend to be the best for a winter wedding just in case the weather is not great. Traditional churches, grand hotels, reception rooms or inviting bed and breakfasts with open fires are all perfect for a warm and cosy wedding.

Fantastically Frosty...

The colder weather may mean you can choose heavier fabrics for your dress with a fake fur wrap, stole or shawl to cover your shoulders so that you don't get cold, or go for a long sleeve gown which are becoming increasingly popular.

Some wintery colours to consider for your theme, your dress and make-up are purples, shimmering silver, icy blue, or pale grey.

Mmmmm Winter ...

You can choose some great food for a wintery wedding - comfort foods, food that warms the heart, soul, and the stomach ... you can serve some warmer foods to take out that winter chill.
Look for recipes that use ingredients such as cranberries, pecans, cheese, winter squash, cinnamon, pears, and other seasonal fruits and vegetables. Hot dips, stuffed mushrooms, olives, and hearty soups are also great idea for winter appetizers
!
Design your wedding cake to match your winter theme, use white chocolate or frosty icing to really add the final touches to your winter wonderland wedding.

Spring Wedding Ideas

Spring is the traditional season for a wedding - the weather is warmer but not too hot for a wedding and it is a beautiful time of the year to say your vows.
You can choose an outdoor location at this time of year such as a vineyard or botanical garden with the blossom on the trees and their flowers in bloom, but also somewhere that you can spend the evening or reception indoors just in case the weather is still slightly unpredictable.

Springtime in bloom ...

White wedding dresses are always popular and it should be warm enough for a strapless, or short skirted number. You could go for something a bit bolder in colour or with floral embroidery on the bodice or train, a splash of colour in a sash and light floaty fabrics like chiffon will reflect the spring light perfectly.
Spring is also the season when the most beautiful flowers are in bloom, you can have the pick of the bunch with some fantastic colours to choose from, consider stunning yellow daffodils, brightly coloured tulips are in abundance and paler posies such as sweet pea and lily of the valley.

Fresh look...

Be sure to go for a spring feel in your hair too, you can add a little flower to your up-style, maybe a frangipani, or some pink diamantes for some extra sparkle.
The sun can still be very strong in spring time so be sure to use a foundation with an SPF and add pastel colours for a fresh look.
Once you have said "I Do" and walk back down the aisle make sure that your guests have some seasonal rose petal confetti to throw, that will make for a wonderful photography opportunity.

Elements of the season...

Food at your spring wedding can be fresh and light, choose dishes with herbs and leaves for a garden feel. Fish, chicken or lamb for your main with seasonal vegetables, for your dessert maybe go for a light cheesecake or fruit tart.
Match elements of the season in your wedding cake too, you could try white chocolate, raspberry, lemon, orange and carrot, they are all great wedding cake flavours plus you can decorate with seasonal colours to match your theme.

Wedding favors for all seasons...

Whichever season you choose you can be sure that there are some fantastic ideas and themes out there to match, just make sure that you do a little research to see what the trends are and what is in season at your favourite time of year.
Don't forget whichever time of year or season you choose to get married you will be sure to find a design for your Coolaz Wedding Stubby Holders that will match perfectly!
They can be stylishly designed to suit your wedding colours or theme and of our coolers are printed in full colour with a photo-quality finish. You can choose from one of our templates or design your own. For fantastic bonbonniere or wedding favor gift ideas you can personalise your coolers and even add individual guest names to double as a place card!
Happy Wedding Planning!