Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Add Culture, Stir in Flavor with Truly Engaging

You all are in for a treat this 'Wedding Wednesday'! My friend Heidi is here to share some ideas on how to spice up your wedding invitations!

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Hello everyone! Heidi here from Truly Engaging—the wedding blog of MagnetStreet Weddings. Thanks for inviting me Mary, I am thrilled to be here! Since it’s Wedding Wednesday, I thought it would be fun to explore one of the hottest wedding trends- incorporating culture into the wedding. Showcasing your ethnicity is honoring and really has the potential to create an awesome experience for your guests. And, since your look will be more focused, there is the potential for savings because you’re avoiding extras.

First, decide on the most important cultural aspects you want to share- whether you’re blending cultures or celebrating one. Then, start creating a mood board to narrow the look and feel you’re going for- from colors and design, to music, food and decor. Don’t worry, it will come together—eventually. The internet provides an endless source of inspiration and sites like Pinterest allow you to easily “pin” images and create style books. You can always go old-school to create your board with your fave magazines and a pair of scissors. I use both. Creating an inspiration board is a great visual help in defining your look.


Case in point. This board Celtic Wedding Inspiration illustrates a few ideas for a couple that want to bring a modern twist to their rich Irish culture—a more organic feel yet still carrying a traditional Celtic Knot pattern. I also imagine this couple having folk music played at cocktail hour, personalizing their RSVP Cards asking guests to respond with their favorite pub songs and designating each reception table with an Irish blessing or humorous rhyme.

Flavoring with language. In honor of Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, here is Mexican Tiles, the Half-fold wedding invitation that I personalized to reflect the old-world and rustic colors of Mexico. I also used ‘Google Translate’ to get the Spanish translation. Using a roomier invite type like the Half-fold, is a great option for including lots of info—like both translations. The backside has the reception information printed in Spanish and English too. Use your wedding stationery i.e. Programs, RSVPS and Enclosure Cards to share the language, explain traditions and highlight your culture.

Muy bien! I love the idea of infusing culture and heritage into the wedding. It’s special, significant and an absolute treat for your guests. You can start with your save the dates, but it’s the wedding invitation that guests will look to for style and mood. Celebrate your ethnicity by sprinkling in those beloved elements from your culture. Your guests will never forget it.

Adios. Happy Cinco de Mayo and thanks again for having me! Is it too early for chips and salsa?

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Thank you so much Heidi! I love the idea of incorporatingculture into your wedding and these are some great invitation ideas. I know I'll definately be celebrating Cinco de Mayo tomorrow with some chips and salsa and maybe even a cerveza or magarita, or two ;) Make sure you check back again on Friday when Carol from The Design Pages stops by to share some great ideas on achieving a high-end look on a low budget. I just love having all my friends come over to play! :)


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