On your wedding day you accessorize with touches of your personal style. So, why not define your style through your bridal bouquet?

If you’re allergic to flowers or if you want to think outside of the box we have 10 great ideas that can be hand-crafted by you! Of course, if you are not into crafting the bridal bouquet yourself most all of these alternatives can be found online to purchase.

Origami Bouquets

Felt & Antique Buttons

Door Knobs

Christmas Ornaments

Butterflies

Brooches

Fabric

Wire

Succulents {ask your florist if they make these!}

Feathers

These are only a few ideas of thinking outside the box for your bridal bouquet. You can also do fans, lanterns, pinwheels, umbrellas, candy, toys, pine cones, paper flowers or just about anything you love!

Happy Crafting!

Photos courtesy of manolobrides.com, ofweddingwebsite.blogspot.com, {next 2} weddinghigh.blogspot.com, weddingzilla.blogspot.com, stylehive.com, pulmonate.blogspot.com, bridalgownblog.blogspot.com, projectwedding.com, thebudgetsavvybride.com.

If you’ve been thinking about doing a bridal session before your wedding day here’s a reason to do it! This styled bridal shoot was put together by the uber talent Sarah Vaughan Photography. We have all seen styled shoots before, however, Sarah took a very different approach to her styled shoot and I’m glad she did!

Sarah said, “The reason I did this was to show the value of having a bridal session. We had lots of time to shoot, with no pressure of a tight timeline and we were also able to pick the BEST time of day to get beautiful light for the photographs.”

Bridal sessions are commonly known as a Southern tradition where the bride does a portrait session in her full wedding day attire – hair, makeup, jewelry, veil, bouquet, and of course, the dress.  Most of the time a large portrait from the session is displayed at the reception (I’ve always seen them near the wedding cake).  In many cases the large photo is given as a gift to the Mother-of-the-Bride after the wedding, with smaller photos being given to the Father-of-the-Bride and the Groom, as well.

One BIG reason I believe every bride should do a bridal session is the opportunity for a trial run of the wedding day look.  It will give you enough time to make adjustments on your dress (maybe it was too big), or the shoes (maybe they gave you blisters), or the eye makeup was too intense, or hair kept falling in your eyes and annoying you, or the flowers didn’t hold up the way you thought they would. Its worth it in the end and your wedding day will fly by with all the extra time!

You can check out more of Sarah’s work by visiting her website and blog! You can also check out Amanda of Add Love, who created the gorgeous bouquet and hair piece.

If you’re searching for the perfect engagement ring or wedding band that’s truly one-of-a-kind, check out Gemvara—a really cool and user-friendly website that allows shoppers to design their own rings, bands, earrings, or necklaces. Which means you can fully customize everything about your ring—the setting, the stones, and even the metal.

If you want an engagement ring with a black diamond instead of a emerald center stone? No problem. Like the setting of one wedding band but want it in white gold instead of platinum? Easy as point and click. Every detail is totally up to you or your groom-to-be! You can even start designing a ring on the website, save it, come back and make as many changes as you want, and then place your order when you’re ready. My favorite feature is the facebook and twitter share buttons, its the perfect way to show your groom-to-be what you like.

Every piece is made to order and your ring will be delivered in 2 to 3 weeks. Visit Gemvara for more great ideas or to start designing your wedding rings!

Happy Designing!

Photo courtesy of Gemvara.

Looking back on 2011 has been a lot of fun. Lucy Dylan Weddings is just shy of our 2nd Anniversary and I couldn’t be more excited. I want to ring in the new year by celebrating all the ideas, couples, and food that made this year one to remember.

Thank you to all the readers, bloggers, photographers, and amazing wedding vendors that have contributed to the content and readership of our tiny blog. I can’t wait to share all of the amazing trends and real weddings (and engagements) we have in the works for 2012.

Today, its all about celebrating the details! Whether your wedding is small or large having small personal touches goes a long way. Here are some of your favorites from the past year (in no particular order, of course )

There is only one way you should serve your wedding guests at your summer outdoor wedding and that’s with a Lemonade Bar! This trend is one of my all-time faves.

Not only did our Crazy About Shot Glass Desserts make the best details list, but it also made your favorite recipes list! Stay tuned this week for that delicious post

Fruit Bars, a Healthy Alternative, was a personal favorite of mine and I’m so glad you LOVED this idea! Thinking outside of the box for your wedding is always the perfect way to make it memorable.

We always love dishing out advise and we’re so glad you love receiving it! DIY: Wedding Make-Up gave you the details you needed to know on how to be a more glamorous you on your wedding day.

From wine bottles to photo guest books, you loved the ideas in our post about Wedding Guest Book Ideas!

What’s not to love about our post Crazy About Wedding Altars?

Recycled Bottle Centerpieces are the perfect DIY project and a great way to make a one-of-a-kind centerpiece.

You LOVED our advise on 6 Reasons To Do A First Look!

You need to make sure your wedding guests know where to go and what they are drinking and eating. What better way to let them know than with chalkboard signs!

We loved showing you some fantastic ideas on affordable table runners!

We showed you How to Make Paper & Fabric Flowers!

As we watched a Royal couple get married (and we’re not talking about Kim K.) we showed you some Must Steal Ideas from the Royal Wedding!

You LOVED the idea of Cake Table Alternatives. You no longer have to have a candy bars or just cake pops at your wedding.

And finally… you loved our Crazy About Brooches post. I loved this post too

Happy Planning!

I’m crazy about a lot of things, but today I’m crazy about non-floral centerpieces! If your allergic to flowers, on a budget, wanting to style your wedding without a ton of flowers, or wanting to make your centerpieces meaningful to you then non-floral centerpieces are the way to go!

We all know flowers show off elegance and sophistication, but you can still get that look with non-floral centerpieces. Check out this candle centerpiece I found on Platinum Touch Events, you still have the elegance and sophistication and the best part is you can do this centerpiece on a budget!

I love this simple book centerpiece I found on Off Beat Bride. You have the perfect combination of vintage and simplicity. Why do I love this idea so much? It’s a big time saver and your budget will love you. All you need is ribbon, books, a candle, and a few pieces of candy.

Another great centerpiece I found on Off Beat Bride will have all you crafty people (me included) running to Micheal’s to buy yarn. These yarn centerpieces are one of the easiest DIY projects and will be the perfect alternative to flowers.

Leave it to Martha Stewart to make you swoon over a centerpiece!

I love, love, love these vase centerpieces designed by our very own Dylan List member, Cloud 9 Weddings & Papers. The couple wanted something meaningful in each vase and the creativity flowed into something very one-of-a-kind!

You can check out more of the vases HERE.

For all those candy lovers… We have the perfect centerpiece for you! I adore this antique inspired centerpiece from Life of a Vintage Lover and your guests will adore it too!

Combining cranberries, rosemary, cotton balls, and candles this fall inspired centerpiece via weddingbee.com will knock your socks off! How can you not LOVE this centerpiece? Its perfect.

These are only a few non-floral centerpiece ideas and you can check out a few more HERE and HERE!

Happy Planning!

For the first time ever I will not be stepping into a mall this Holiday season. I feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders since deciding to do all of my shopping online this year.

Of course, it got me thinking of all those engaged couples out there who will be roaming stores like Crate & Barrel with their gun in-hand making wedding registries. I’ve blogged a few times about wedding registries and gifts for the bridal party. Well, now it’s time to start putting those gifts into an inspiration board!

I make inspiration boards for just about anything to make sure I don’t stray away from the end vision. This is why I haven’t  made the jump onto pinterest.com, I know its silly, but honestly, I would spend ALL day on there and not get anything done!

Since my favorite color is green I’m inspired by green kitchens. Obviously you can do small splashes of different shades of green for your kitchen but, in the end, its all about bringing the outdoors in!

Want to know where to find all this loot?

Top row: {First 2} Green Bride Guide Green Wedding Gift Shop & Registry, {mixing bowls} Williams-Sonoma Wedding & Gift Registry

Second row: Crate & Barrel

Third row: {first 2} CHEFS Gft Registry! {French Press} Wedding Gifts at Cooking.com

Fourth row: {Roasting pan} Wedding Gifts at Cooking.com, {rectangular baker & Kitchen Aid mixer} Williams-Sonoma Wedding & Gift Registry.

Now that we are all in full Holiday mode there’s no better time to start talking about Holiday cards! As most all of you know I’m in love with Minted. The Freshest Designs on Paper. This year they have some exciting new products to offer and of course they have some fabulous new designs!

For those of you who own your own business make sure you check out the Business Holiday Cards. You can find the perfect style and design to match your company!

You can also Shop Minted’s couples holiday cards. They have some great new designs and this is the perfect way to celebrate your engagement or wedding.

If you had a big year Minted has also updated a new format/layout for their Storyboard suites. You will now be able to tell the story of your year with a unique handmade look. And don’t forget to check out the Exclusive Minibook and Yearline Holiday Photo Cards at Minted.com.

Minted has also launched personalized journals. They are the perfect gift for that someone special in your life. They also have a few planning journals for couples who are engaged and planning your big day!

Happy {early} Holidays !

All photos courtesy of Minted. The Freshest Designs on Paper.

I came across this video from Dylan List member Brent Foster Photography and had to share.

This piece focuses on Erica and Mike’s love for one another, their personalities, their thoughts about each other, and their upcoming wedding.

Its very sweet and a great way to be inspired by love this weekend.

TGIF!

Erica and Mike | Engagement Cinematography | Wedding Cinematography from Brent Foster on Vimeo.

Today we’re all about Halloween desserts and having them displayed on a beautifully designed dessert table.

So, tell me which spooky dessert will you be making this weekend?

I also had to share Martha Stewart‘s recipe for Bat and Cobweb cookies because they look so yummy!

Bat & Cobweb Cookies (recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart)

Makes 30

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, then measured), plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses
• Royal icing (you might remember the recipe from THIS POST)

Photos courtesy of Bliss Wedding Market, {next 3} Country Living, Martha Stewart, Amy Nixon Events, and Make Merry Events.

We are officially less than one week away from Halloween. As many of us are gearing up for our parties, tick-or-treating, and of course our costumes we can’t forget that Halloween means fall is officially here!

In the next few weeks we have a ton of fall inspiration we’ll be sharing with you, but today its all about Halloween and the perfect favors for your upcoming party and wedding! You can shop for Halloween party favors at Beau-coup.com and we have a few ideas that will be a hit at your party.

Of course I’ll be the first to tell you to send your guests away with food or sweets! Beau-coup has some great candy and snack options for favors and trust me your guests will love them!

These next three are perfect for fall or Halloween themed weddings. Maple syrup, Hot Chocolate, and Apple Cider will have your guests sneaking more than one favor out the door!

If you want to give you guests something they are use long after the wedding you can go with lip balm, Halloween or fall themed playing cards, and note pads with a personalized pen!

These are just a few ideas that Beau-coup has for Halloween and fall inspired weddings/parties. You can check out more by CLICKING HERE!