Woodlands Theme Wedding: A Beautiful And Inexpensive Wedding Theme

Picture this if you will...you, floating down a moss-covered path in an ethereal cloud of white toward your handsome groom...birds flying overhead the only sound as the hush of the forest envelops you and a canopy of trees surrounds you. Your bridesmaids, clad in chiffon gowns in every hue of green found in the forest, your groomsmen in tree-bark grey, stand at the ready as the two of you profess your unending love while enveloped in the beauty of nature. And here comes the best part...you and your new husband, actually NOT going over budget and having money to spend on an amazing honeymoon, because you used so many found items from nature for your decor! NOW you've got a great picture!

Woodlands and forest-themed weddings have become very popular and that may be due to a number of factors: (1) couples are making their weddings more and more a reflection of themselves as a couple, (2) it's a continuation of the "green" wedding we've seen in recent years and (3) forest-themed weddings can save money since you don't have to load up on decor...hey, it's hard to improve on the beauty of nature, right?

First things first, your gown, of course! What sort of gown would one wear in the woodlands? Think fairy-like, light and airy, made from a floaty material like chiffon or organza, with fluttery sleeve details instead of fullness in the skirt, perhaps cut close to the body with a flowing train. Think Maid Marion! No elaborate veil, but a simple wreath or a mantilla style veil if you feel you must! You could even add a hooded cloak instead of a veil in velvet for winter or a light silk or satin, if it's spring time or early fall. Fairy wings...optional! It IS your wedding, after all!

Your bridesmaids could wear varying forest hues such as moss or hunter green, beige, even grey. Remember, you are going for the colors of the forest, so muted tones are best. The men's attire could be charcoal or light grey like tree bark, mossy brown, or beige, kept somewhat casual to suit your gown. No one needs to wear a donkey head or hooves, even if your decor is a little like "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Once everyone gets done looking at you and your wedding party in all your gorgeousness, their eyes will be wandering to your decor. Don't overdo it! One of the reasons why you had your wedding in the woods is because of the natural beauty, right? So take advantage of what nature has to offer by using found items in the forest. This doesn't mean you go in the woods with a chain saw and fell a tree to cut into logs for seating for all your guests as I've actually seen in some woodland weddings. Fallen tree limbs, beautiful leaves and ferns, moss, and rocks can make stunning decor if used correctly. A simple cylinder vase filled with some branchy tree limbs and a layer of rocks or pebbles at the bottom would look stunning. If you wanted to add a little something, you could glue bits of moss, silk butterflies,tiny fairies or dragonflies to the branches, or drape them with small battery powered fairy lights. Think of things that are associated with the woods...fireflies, birds, butterflies, elves, etc. All can be incorporated into your decor. Even retro items like gnomes, mushrooms (remember, the red & white ones?) can make adorable decor if not overused

A word of warning to you, though, be careful what you are handling in the woods as far as plants and other living things. There are many beautiful plants which are not meant to be handled, namely poison ivy and poison oak, as well as a beautiful vine by the name of Virginia Creeper that can leave you scratching and rashy for months...not an attractive wedding accessory!

Found objects such as pine cones could be used as place cards or stacked in cylinder vases, acorns would be beautiful surrounding votive candles, and sweet gum balls could be sliced in half and used in boutonnieres or to create napkin rings. Pine cones can actually be cut apart on the horizontal and made into individual flowers and hand wired into bouquets and corsages. Pieces of fern make beautiful fillers in bouquets and table arrangements, as do pretty vines and twigs. And all for free!

Do remember, though, you're in the forest, so consider carefully the use of real candles which may be dangerous, particularly when not enclosed in votives or cylinders. LED lights are available, although more expensive than real candles which could be used instead which flicker just like real candles and are much safer.You want your wedding to be remembered, but not for the forest fire it started!

Maybe you and your fiance chose to have a woodlands theme wedding, because you both love hiking or you're naturalists or botanists...whatever your reasons, you still have to feed your guests. However, just because you could live for two weeks off of wild mushrooms and sprouts doesn't mean your guests have to eat that! You can still incorporate the theme into your wedding menu with some creative thinking, though. Mushrooms could definitely be on the menu, perhaps stuffed with spinach or wrapped in bacon. Turkey legs would be a fun food as would salads garnished with edible flowers. A thick soup with peas, celery, leeks, and onions would be an excellent starter accompanied by a selection of breads such as rye or honey wheat. The real show stopper would have to be the cake, though. There are so many amazing things being done with cakes as far as textures that a creative baker could recreate the look of tree bark or add unique touches such as small mushrooms or leaves and rocks from gum paste or fondant. Create your own cake stand from a tree slice and a six to eight inch piece of tree branch to add to the display.

Nothing says you have to give your guests favors, in fact, if you're concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, it would be fine if your didn't. However, if you just hate the idea of your guests walking away empty-handed, how about giving them something that can give back to the environment like seed packets or a small tree they can take home. The Arbor Day Foundation sells tree sprouts that your guests can take home and plant which include planting instructions and customized gift tags. That way you can be kind to the environment and make a donation to a worthy charity.

You can also create beautiful little bird's nests that can double as table decor and favors by using Spanish moss and a little bit of thinned down white glue. Take a handful of moss and put a little bit of white glue in it. This is a messy process! Push your fist into the middle of the moss ball and start shaping it into a nest. When you have it looking the way you want it, place it on a piece of wax paper and let it dry. Add a couple of small flower or butterfly embellishments, put in some robin's egg blue Jordan's almonds, and you're done!

If you love the rustic look in weddings or just want to DIY as many things as possible for your big day, here are some more great articles for your reading pleasure:

Mason Jars For Wedding Decorations...Rustic, Beautiful & Cheap!

Make Your Own Hair Fascinator With Bird Cage Veil For Your Wedding

Decorating With Doilies For Your Vintage Wedding

Carnival Theme Weddings: Fun With Rustic & Vintage Style

Burlap and Bling: How To Use Burlap In Your Wedding Decor And Still Make It Beautiful