Spring Wedding Flowers

Spring is a time of bright new beginnings. Perhaps that's why so many people choose to get married in the springtime months. As you begin your life anew as part of a married couple, new flowers are beginning their lives as hopeful sprouts reaching for the sunlight. Flowers are especially abundant in the spring months, and you'll have no shortage of appealing choices for your wedding.

Budget Estimates

How much you'll pay for your flowers will depend on your wedding budget. As a general rule, your floral budget should be around 7 or 8 percent of your total wedding budget. It's not uncommon for flowers to cost in the thousands when they're a part of a lavish, extravagant wedding. If your wedding budget is moderate, then you can expect to pay around $1000 for your flowers. If you're a penny pincher or are keeping the proceedings small and simple, expect to pay around $150 or so for a quality bridal bouquet.

There are many great flowers you can choose for your spring wedding. Here are some top picks, categorized by month:

March -- The traditional flower for a March wedding is the daffodil. This bright yellow flower brings a sunny flair to any celebration. Other good choices for your March wedding are Bird of Paradise, Calla Lilies, and Tulip.

April -- The daisy is the traditional flower for the month of April. If daisies are a little small for your taste, then how about lavender, rose, carnation or freesia? These are all great choices for an April wedding.

May -- For the month of May, why not go with the traditional lily-of-the-valley? Other great choices for May wedding floral arrangements include rose, gardenia, orchid, and love in the mist.

Wildflower Bouquets

To incorporate spring's delicate beauty into your wedding celebration, why not try wearing spring wildflowers in your hair? For a spring wedding, your colors draw from the beauty of the natural world. Soft pastels in shades of pink, peach, purple, and even soft blue are great spring choices. Green is also very popular for spring weddings and reflects the abundance of nature.

No matter what colors you end up going with, you're sure to have a gorgeous spring wedding if you decorate with lots of beautiful spring-blooming flowers!
by: dotcomwomen

1300 Calorie Plan for Using 20 Pounds in 6 Weeks

With the following diet plan, you can expect to lose approximately 20 pounds in six weeks by consuming approximately 1300 calories per day. The amount of weight that you will lose depends on your actual calorie intake, activity level and individual body metabolism. Average weight loss should be between two to four pounds per week.

Guidelines for Success

1. For any diet plan to be successful, you need a sufficient amount of exercise. Cardiovascular activity burns fat and calories, while strength training creates lean muscle and raises the metabolism. Try to get thirty minutes of cardio three to five times per week. Supplement your cardio program with three strength training sessions per week for best results.

2. Choose your beverages wisely. Water and green tea are best when it comes to staying hydrated and losing weight. If you're a coffee lover, stick to one cup in the mornings taken black or with calorie-free sweetener. Diet soda is OK every now and then, but shouldn't be consumed daily as it can bloat and dehydrate the body.

3. Avoid foods that are overly processed. Whole foods are always best when dieting to lose weight. If you can, go organic for even more health benefits. Aim for a balance of lean protein, whole grain, lowfat dairy, healthy fat and most importantly, lots of fruits and vegetables.

4. Allow yourself an indulgence once a week or so. This doesn't mean you should go overboard or sabotage your diet. Choose your treat wisely and eat it slowly and with full awareness. Examples might be a few squares of chocolate or one serving of chips, cookies or ice cream. Refer to the food label for exact serving sizes, which are smaller than many people think they are.

5. Make sure you're eating on a regular schedule. Rather than three large meals, try six small ones. Eating healthy foods at regular intervals will keep your metabolism at optimal functioning and help you feel less hungry and more satisfied.

by:dotcomwomen.com

Planning a Spring Wedding

Spring is often thought of as the most romantic time of the year. It's also a very popular time to get married. After you've set a date for your wedding, the next step is to secure your location. While indoor locations like churches are still the most popular and traditional choice for most weddings, some people choose to get married outdoors. Whether or not an outdoor location will work for you will depend on your local climate and personal preferences. If you're expecting a warm spring, locations like a large backyard or beautiful park are ideal.

Decorations

Decorating for your spring wedding should incorporate lots of spring flowers. Roses, lilies, tulips, carnations and daisies are all examples of spring flowers that are perfect for a wedding. In addition to the bridal bouquet, the flowers can serve as beautiful table centerpieces. Accent the blossoms with lots of healthy green foliage for a beautiful contrast. Coordinate your floral arrangements with your wedding colors. For spring weddings, pastel shades are quite popular. Think light shades of pink, yellow, or lavender accented with rich green. As a basic rule, steer clear of anything too dark or heavy.

Attire

For a spring wedding, apparel can be light and breezy. A traditional wedding gown with a short sleeve is ideal for a warm spring ceremony. For the bridesmaids' dresses, go for choices that feature light, floaty fabrics in light shades that coordinate with your wedding colors. The groom may want to wear a suit in a less traditional color like beige or brown. Navy blue is a good choice for the groom who wants to retain a sense of tradition yet doesn't want to wear black.

Menu

The menu for your spring wedding should feature flavors and foods that represent the season. Glazed ham adorned with pineapple and maraschino cherries makes a great main dish. Side dishes can include spring vegetables like fresh green beans and baby carrots. And don't forget spring fruits! Berries, watermelon and peaches are perfect incorporated into light dessert items like cobbler or shortcake. For your wedding cake, select your favorite flavor and decorate your cake with either edible spring flowers or pretty pastel frosting. One offbeat cake option is a carrot cake adorned with baby carrots crafted from orange and green frosting.

Wedding Favors

Another thing you'll need to consider is your wedding favors. Traditionally, rice for throwing at the bride and groom was given to guests. However, it was shown that rice is dangerous to birds, so this practice is rarely done anymore. Try handing out bundles of birdseed or miniature bottles of bubbles for guests to blow as an alternative to rice. Other fun favors for your spring wedding include packets of flower seeds, disposable cameras, votive candles or attractively wrapped candies.


by:dotcomwomen.com

Flower Arrangement Themes

Most flower arranging competitions are divided into Classes that usually separate one type of flower or vegetable from another.

Classes are usually divided into Single Entry meaning just one or two flowers in a vase or Arrangements which are groups of artistically placed blooms and foliage in a container.

Arrangements usually have a Theme which means "an implied or suggested idea".

For example: The theme is "April in Paris".

You are free to interpret it however you like but if you need a little help there are lots ways to find ideas:

Look up the meaning of each word in the dictionary.

Is there a song, book or movie that uses the theme word or words in its title?

Even the date a song, book or movie was written might help you choose a style or the accessories for your arrangement.

You might even associate a particular colour or flower with the theme from something you remember.

It could remind you of a place, a time in history, an animal, an piece of art, patterns, a season, a holiday or almost anything else.

'Surf the net' for ideas and inspiration or look through some magazines until you have an idea of what you want to create.

Don't forget to review the Show Rules and Regulations before you finalize you're idea.

If you have any questions, contact the show's organizers or judges to clarify anything you are unsure about.

by Louise Larabie
(Gardening and Flower Arranging Expert at Dot Com Women)