Tips for planning a spring wedding, including ceremony and reception decorations, themes, colors, flowers and food.

In the same way that springtime promotes the initial feelings of love, it also promotes love’s most exalted ceremony: a wedding. As the birds begin to return from their winter hide-a-ways and the flowers underfoot begin to bloom, many couples commit themselves to leading life as one component of a pair rather than by themselves.

The complications of fall weddings, namely the difficulty in matching traditionally fall colors (like burgundy, green, and navy) with the stark white of the bride’s gown, simply disappear. In fact, the colors usually associated with the season of spring- mostly pastels- are congruent with all the customary colors of wedding attire. Therefore, the easiest and most straightforward way to plan your spring wedding may very well be to center the theme on a medley of colors.

For example, you may decide to use white, pink, and lavender, all of which are entirely appropriate for both the occasion and the season. Using this as your starting point, you can then determine the most suitable flower arrangements (pink roses and baby’s breath, for example), food (delectably pink raspberries over chicken with rose wine is one of many dishes you could choose), and location- all based on the three colors you have chosen!

Remember to consult your groom or bride in selecting these colors, therefore, because the implications of this single choice are tremendous, continuing down to the shoelaces of the flower girl.

To keep things in perspective, however, not everything has to “match.” If you can’t stomach the idea of color-coordinating everything in your wedding, consider a theme that has little to do with colors. For example, you could take advantage of the good, spring weather with a garden-themed wedding. The location itself (presumably a family friend’s scenic garden, or a rented area of similar atmosphere) can generate ideas for all the little details. Use freshly cut spring flowers to compliment the setting, or throw flower petals and birdseed as you and your new life partner leave the ceremony. You can use pastel colors for your wedding party (this would certainly be in order), but you don’t have to narrow the colors down to any two or three specific shades; let the wearer of the outfit select the colors themselves to produce a wide range of hues that echoes the garden itself. Finally, consider handing out seed packets to guests as they leave for the wedding favor.

Finally, you can select a theme based on the actual timing of your wedding. If you are getting married near Easter, for example, you can combine your wedding ceremony with the accents, colors, and overall mood already thriving for this sunny, Sunday holiday. Some flowers, like lilies and hyacinths, are closely associated with Easter and would therefore seem quite appropriate situated around the wedding location (or even in the bride’s hands). After the ceremony concludes, as adults are imbibing wine at your reception, consider planting Easter eggs on the premises for the children in attendance.

It’s also worth noting that, given the Christian nature of the holiday, churches will already be decorated. If you decide to have your wedding in a church rather than outside (spring weather is, after all, renowned for its rain showers), you could save money by just going with whatever decorations the church already has on display.

The opportunities for spring weddings do have certain perimeters, but within these restrictions, you’ll find plenty of room to make your wedding both unified and unique.