Planning a Fairy Themed Wedding

After the initial excitement of my engagement sunk in, I sat down with some friends to brainstorm ideas for my wedding theme. I wanted to do something suited to my personality and at least somewhat unique, while avoiding having the wedding turn into a costume party. It was to be strictly subtle and tasteful. My friend Mary was adamant that I choose her English tea party idea, but that seemed a bit boring to me. We went through the options: famous couples through history, romantic films, the seashore, 1940s glamour, swanky Swing, and Salsa extravaganza. Then it hit me-a fairy wedding! Nothing could be better balance my nature-girl side with my need to be a princess.

There are different ways to do a Fairy wedding, and the most important thing is to choose your limit. How far are you going to go with your theme? For me, I wanted to keep it subtle, while being sure the guests got a definite ethereal fairy-like feel from the evening.

Choosing your venue:
A fairy wedding should take place outdoors, amid beautiful tall trees and flowers. Perhaps there is a castle or gothic building in the background. We chose the Aldie Mansion, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

It's all about the decorations:
Fairies are delicate, magical, and earthy. Color palates should be close to nature, with feminine tones. I chose sage and spring greens with lavender, deep purple, and oatmeal accents. Loads of flowers, hanging vines, and little white lights create a beautiful backdrop for an outdoor ceremony just before sunset. (I purchased boxes and boxes of lights at Sears right after Christmas for next to nothing.)

Bridesmaids and flower girls:
These are your fairies, ladies, so the more you have of them, the better. I didn't go so far over the top as to have anyone wear gossamer wings (though I was heartily tempted.) The maids wore floor length silk gowns with spaghetti straps and asymmetrical hemlines to the floor. They were breathtaking. Their hair was down and wavy, and their heads adorned with beautiful garlands.