When painting a room, you may feel a little lost – there is a big difference in choosing a color you “just like” and a color that actually suits the room. Begin by deciding what kind of feeling you wish to encourage in a particular room – sensations of tranquility, vigor, heightened energy, chattiness, solitude, etc. Map it out! I’ll choose three rooms to use as an example:

Kitchen: (I want to feel/make others feel) warm, vital, cheered, and welcome.

Bedroom: (I/my partner want to feel) inspired, tranquil, creative, and at peace

Living Room: (I want to feel/make others feel) active, talkative, energized, and “comfy”

Choose your own rooms/moods accordingly, and then get ready to talk about color! Here is a quick guide – see where your list falls on this chart, and keep in mind that the shade of a color alone can make a dramatic difference. For example, a dark purple might promote a regal, creative, or perhaps quirky feel, suited to your dining room or art studio, whereas lavender might create the perfect sense of peace for your bathroom.

Black Great for accenting/bringing other colors together. Evokes dominance, strength, independence, simplicity, and elegance

White Opens up any space and gives an airy sort of tranquility/sense of freedom. Works well with colored accents. By itself, white suggests purity, light, happiness, and serenity

Red Energizes the body and mind, stimulates blood flow and conversation. If you’re looking to add excitement, dialogue, and passion to a room, red is the way to roll

Green Pleasing and easy on the eyes, green evokes feelings of ultimate serenity, peace, tranquility, relaxation, and growth. Darker shades can add a touch of elegance as well

Blue Cool and laid back, blues promote relaxation, comfort, and happiness. To create a serene and lovely atmosphere, explore the many shades of blue

Orange Is warm, energizing, and appetizing. A combination of two warm colors, orange promotes friendliness, fellowship, and invitation.

Yellow Cheery, intellectual, and optimistic, yellow adds light to any room and stimulates the brain. Generating a wealth of positive emotion, yellow will bring a smile to any guest’s face

Purple Majestic, artistic, imaginative, insightful, and inspiring, purple is a unique choice that also works great as an accent. In the right tone, purple can be very soothing as well.

Remember that this chart is a generalized guide – what is important is how you feel surrounded by a particular color. So go visit a friend’s home, home design stores, or just take a walk in nature and take notice of how you respond to various colors. Bring out the good dinnerware, invite some friends over for a meal, and ask them how they currently feel when they are in the particular room in question. Or if it would be more comfortable, just take a poll within your family.

Also, consider coordinating with some of the gifts you may have received at your wedding reception! Assess what you’ve got as far as accent pieces go, and consider which colors would be a good compliment. Let your home help you cultivate the love, trust, and warm feelings that a newly married couple should enjoy. You’ll be surprised at how much you are affected by the colors in your home. Happy painting!

Ann Martin is a freelance writer and artist who writes for a variety of wedding, entertaining, and dinnerware sites, and in her research, enjoys discovering new pieces for her own home! After a recent purchase of Noritake Colorwave Graphite, she happily found that Noritake Colorwave blue was on a friend’s bridal registry – what a perfect gift of “something blue!”

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To ensure that your special day unfolds without a hitch, you can never be too prepared. What happens if the sun destroys your hair or you lose a contact lens? What if your sauce-covered Noritake spoon falls on your wedding dress at the reception? Creating a little SOS pack of “just in case” goodies is a great way to make sure you can handle any unexpected blip or emergency with grace and ease. To begin, select a medium sized purse, tote, or other sizable bag to leave with your maid of honor. The style of bag is up to you – something with pockets, zippers, or another form of dividers is great. Choose something that makes you feel comfortable and renders you capable of grabbing whatever you need without a lot of digging. In this bag you will want to keep the following SOS materials, which I’ve put into categories for you – think of what you might need for any manner of mishaps, from head to toe. This list will get you started, and then add your own…

Hair/Head: Extra bobby pins, hairspray, a curling iron, hair brush, teasing or regular comb, extra makeup, sun tan lotion, hair dryer, umbrella or sun shield if needed
Eyes: Contact lens solution, sunglasses, extra pair of contacts, tissues, waterproof mascara
Nose: Powder, nasal spray if summer wedding/allergies
Mouth: Lip balm, water bottle, throat lozenges, mints, light snacks
Hands: lotion, nail file, clear nail polish, extra colored nail polish if needed
Feet/legs: flip flops or tennis shoes, extra stockings, band-aids
Misc.: double sided tape, feminine products, deodorant, pens, lint brush, any medications, small sewing and first aid kits

Again, leave this bag with your maid of honor. You don’t need to lug it around all day, which will strain your shoulders and remind you of the potential for things to go wrong. But having it close by, you’ll never need to worry about being unprepared for anything! So if the rain attacks your makeup, the dinnerware falls in your lap, or any other manner of small disasters strike, rest assured that you will be well equipped to tackle these troubles without batting a perfectly curled eyelash.

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Cutting the wedding cake is a symbol of unity and “oneness” between the bride and groom. Why not let the choosing of your cake serve as an act of unity as well? As you plan your music, flowers, choose the dinnerware, dress, and centerpieces, here are some helpful tips on choosing a cake that will bring your special day to a sweet ending.

Budget
Decide how much you want to spend on your cake, and stick to it. Agreeing on a budget before you begin is important, so you don’t tempt yourself with confections and features that are outside of your price range. You’ll want to order the cake about 6 months before the wedding, and going in with an idea of what you can spend is a great way to start, and will ultimately narrow down your options and provide a framework for your search.

Number of Guests
The guest list will influence the type/size/cost of your cake. For example, a small wedding does not required a three tiered cake, which is better suited to about 150 guests. If you have a large guest list, keep in mind that square cakes will feed more than round, and that it has become popular to include a supplementary dessert such as wedding cupcakes. You don’t want to have to reduce your guest list because you are stressed about cake! Take the time to shop around and talk to many different bakers until you find the right person that will accommodate your price and guest list.

Design and Color
Make sure you’ve chosen your wedding colors and theme before you even think about the cake! This will make your cake search invariably simpler. Once you’ve selected your baker (or even if you are still in the process), grab everything you’ve got! Bring along photos of your flowers, dress colors, or anything related to theme. If your Noritake colorwave has the perfect shade of blue you are looking for, bring along a picture! The more the baker can visually experience, the better – as opposed to just describing. Your idea of “coral” might be different than his or hers. Bring visuals. Work together to create a look that is special and particular to your wedding – there are endless options – contemporary cakes, unique shapes, bold colors, flowers, fruit, etc. Do your research before you meet with the baker and get an idea of the things you really like – or really don’t!

Flavor, Filling, and Frosting
Sample away! Find a baker who will let you taste various fillings, frostings, and the cake itself. There are lists upon lists of options, and the main thing to consider is finding a combination of flavor, texture, and practicality that wins your sweet tooth and is accessible to the majority of your guests. Don’t rush yourself -allot enough time to make your tasting and deciding an enjoyable experience so you aren’t pressured to say “yes” right away. Also, keep in mind the location of your wedding – do you need to stay away from a particular kind of frosting that melts easily, as your wedding is outdoors?

Accessories
Again, there are countless options when it comes to flowers, cake toppers, and other accessories for your personalized confection. Before making any decisions – learn all your options. Look at pictures, talk to friends, and generally educate yourself so that you are able to make a well informed decision, instead of settling on what is popular. It can seem overwhelming to have so many options, but enjoy it! Use the experience to explore all the little details together. Picking out the cake is an activity that should be enjoyable, exciting, and delicious!

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Is the stress of planning your wedding coming between you and your spouse to be? Stop it before it starts with these five steps to living daily in compassion.

Listening
Everyone wants to be understood and know their feelings are important to the person they care about. As your future life partner, this validation and respect is especially important. Even if you don’t totally agree with or initially share your partner’s viewpoint on a particular topic, do ask questions, share opinions with grace, and listen with a truly open mind. This is perhaps the most important part of communication – what happens when your own mouth is shut.

Patience
It is essential to exercise patience with your loved one. Before exploding when a difference of opinion or miscommunication occurs, take a second to pause and breathe. Is it the end of the world if he doesn’t take out the garbage or polish the dinnerware when you asked so nicely for the tenth time, or is there a better way to communicate your feelings? You don’t want to be treated recklessly, so treat your partner with the same care. By sharing some bit of their self with you, your partner is entrusting you with their feelings. This is both a privilege and responsibility – don’t abuse it.

Forgiveness
This is difficult and very essential. After a problem has been hashed out, take the appropriate time to grieve, share frustration, and dialogue, but then forgive and move on. The best relationships have no room for “score keeping.” Instead of holding a grudge or storing wrongs away to bring out when it is most useful to you, choose instead to forgive your partner fully – this strengthens the bond of trust and also takes a burden off your own shoulders. Accept that your partner, like you, is human. And humans do in fact make mistakes.

Empathy
Literally translates itself as “in feeling” – being able to totally share in another person’s pain and set of emotions. It requires a certain dismissal of personal ego and the ability to change perspective – looking at a situation from your partner’s world for a moment. To be able to do this also requires an innate understanding of our own feelings and emotions, and being able to identify them. So don’t ignore your own feelings/emotions! By understanding yourself, you will eventually grow to a place of being able to understand, and truly empathize with your partner more fully.

Acceptance
Your partner is not you. You are not your partner. And this is ok. By accepting that you are two different people who grow differently, you open yourself up to a world of possibility. Accept that he likes watching the game and you love the arts and collecting square dinnerware. Accept that he grows differently and at a different rate than you – its’ all ok. While there are certain destructive behaviors that are never acceptable, by respecting and accepting a person for everything they are, you can begin to develop a deep and lasting love.

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The big day has arrived at last, and everything is going as planned, right? Probably not. The band is late, the cake is melting, and your sister’s twins keep ripping orchids off the centerpieces outside. So you have two choices: turn into Bridezilla and scare the team into submission, or probably the better choice – to rise above and keep the ball rolling. Chances are, if the bride remains calm, the rest of the troops will too. Here are eight ways to stay sane and encourage everyone around you to follow in suite.

1. Stay present – Make an effort to stay completely in the moment at hand. Don’t worry about what will happen an hour from now and everything will seem much more manageable. Anyone can conquer one task at a time, especially with the help of good friends!
2. Smell the roses – Or the lavender. Aromatherapy can be a great tool for de-frazzling even the most overwrought bride. Choose a scent that is designed to induce calm, such as vanilla, ginger, chamomile, sandalwood, or lavender. Keep a little tube of your favorite scent on you, and roll a bit on your wrists throughout the day.
3. Thank your helpers – As much as the day is about you and your hubby-to-be, graciousness breeds good will (and happy helpers). So be sure to give an extra “thanks” to the friend who picked up the monogrammed flatware that your mother thought was indispensible, and the cousin who has been keeping her away from you all day.
4. Smile. It matters – Did you know that smiling releases endorphins and serotonin, and lowers blood pressure? Not only that, but it’s contagious. Stress negatively affects the body and mind, but smiling has the opposite effect. Why not do yourself a favor and share it with everyone around you?
5. Don’t rush – Leave yourself an overabundance of time to do everything. Too much time is better than not enough. From hair appointments and transportation to getting dressed, allow enough time to breathe and enjoy it.
6. Every emotion is valid – The worst thing you can do is judge your feelings – “Why do I feel scared, does this mean I’m not ready to get married yet?” “Why do I want to cry again? This isn’t normal!” Observe the feeling as it comes, and own it. You’ll notice that when you accept a negative emotion for exactly what it is, it will likely fade into the background.
7. When disaster strikes, just breathe – And ask yourself, is this really a disaster? If the twins throw the Oneida flatware into the neighbor’s yard at the reception, will it really take away from the point of the day – this beautiful marriage with the one you love?
8. Savor the experience – Use all five senses as memory capturers for this incredible day. Focus on the things that are important – the rest is just frosting!

Bonus tips – the day before the wedding

Make sure you and your hubby-to-be find time to talk about things that have nothing to do with the wedding. Go on a date and remember how much you love each other. While it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of the monumental day to come, remember the most important part of all this madness: sharing your lives in a more complete way.

Use the buddy-system! With the vast emotional landscape surrounding this next phase of your life, it’s a good idea to keep a trusted friend in tow to be around for the roller coaster – someone you can trust to handle your feelings with as much care as she would her own.

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By Kathy Hester

Eating seasonally and locally is a hot trend as well as environmentally friendly. There’s no reason you can’t have your wedding reception reflect your values. Many small family farms have a space set aside where you could even hold your wedding service. If you look hard enough, you can probably find one that also has a bed and breakfast. That way you could rent their space and you wouldn’t even have to supply dinnerware.

If you don’t have anything like that around, try talking to the farmer that you have your CSA share with or that you buy from at the farmers market every weekend. They will be happy to supply you with fresh food for you or your caterers. It would just be a bonus if you have your reception on a local farm as well.

Think about what’s in season around the time of your reception and plan your menu accordingly. If your reception will be at the peak of tomato season make sure to incorporate them, but if it’s not tomato season change the tomato bruschetta to mushrooms braised in port wine.

If you aren’t sure what’s in season you can google your area or ask a friend that has a vegetable garden. Right now my garden is full of Swiss chard, kale, summer squash, and cabbage.

The greens could brighten up a white bean soup with fresh rosemary and thyme. They could also be a great layer in a mushroom lasagna with tomato sauce that was canned last year. You could also serve kale chips as a cocktail snack. Just dehydrate them in the oven and they became a healthy, crispy treat.

Cabbage may seem too boring for your reception at first. But stir-fry it with some minced onion, garlic, and carrots in a sesame soy glaze – you’ll change your mind. On top of that, wrap them in dumpling wrappers, steam and serve on square dinnerware with a sriracha soy dip and your guests will be asking for more.

If you are planning months early, have a few backup dishes in case something happens and the strawberry crop is ruined. With a little flexibility and help from your favorite farmers, your reception will stand out in everyone’s mind for years to come.

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Chances are good that someone attending your wedding will be a vegetarian. They may only be at the reception, but they may be staying at your house and eating off of your dinnerware for the duration. The thing about getting married is that you are are becoming a part of a family that may be very different than the one you grew up with. Here are a few tips to make sure it goes smoothly.

Make sure to talk to your caterer about having at least one vegetarian entrée. It doesn’t have to be all bean sprouts and ugly looking food. It can still fit in with your wedding theme. It can be as simple as a cheese ravioli or a tofu veggie lasagna, if you have a vegan in your group. It will still look great served on your Noritake colorwave.

A vegetarian eats no meat or fish. This includes all fowl. It’s a myth that vegetarians eat chicken, so make sure not to make the mistake of serving it to a vegetarian. You may find a vegan in your group too. A vegan leaves out everything a vegetarian does plus all dairy, honey, and anything else that would come from any living thing. Believe it or not, some red food coloring comes from an insect and that would not be vegan.

If you make a few requests of your caterer, you can be sure that all the meatless courses are truly vegetarian. Make sure there is no chicken or fish broth in a vegetable soup or side dish. Its amazing how often this happens without anyone knowing it. Lard is used less in cooking these days, but you’ll still need to double check that your caterer is not using it. It can show up in crusts for quiches or pies, as well as in beans. Also, gelatin is not vegetarian, but can be substituted with agar agar which is.

Once you’ve got the facts, it’s much easier to ask the questions your guests are depending on you asking. Who knows, you might even like the veggie dishes so much that you find them a part of your normal dinner rotation.

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Having your wedding in spring means that you have amazing flowers and herbs available to you. If you use flowers in season, you’ll be surprised at how much money you’ll save. You might be able to get them from a local farm too.

Another plant option that is often overlooked for weddings is herbs. There are tons of herbs, even some with pretty flowers, and most of them have amazing scents to add to your special day.

Use herbs as your wedding theme, some herbs, like flowers, have certain meanings from olden times. Stick some marjoram in your bouquet to signify joy, happiness and marital bliss. Or try rosemary for remembrance, even ivy for fidelity.

Start off your herbal wedding with herbal seed cards as invitations. This way your guest can plant it after they mark the date. Your wedding will be on their mind as they watch their own herb garden grow.

Potted herbs double as a novel centerpiece and a take home wedding favor. Try miniature globe basil or even clay pots with lavender in bloom. Decide what fits your budget, but you may want to pot up a perennial like rosemary, thyme, or lavender with a handwritten card of how to plant it in your guest’s garden. Another idea is to plant them in Noritake tea cups and place them on their saucer. Try planting some mint or lemon balm in the teacup. Then your guests can make their own herbal tea for years to come.

Keep the herb theme for your reception menu, too. Have rosemary or thyme simple syrup to make some extra special cocktails. Muddle basil in fresh strawberry mojitos. Have edible flowers on hand to garnish drinks. Make sure you are buying them from a grower that did not use pesticides.

Serve a soup garnished with chive flowers. Tie sprigs of fresh herbs into your napkin holders, preferably something fragrant like lemon balm or lavender. Add some fresh herb into your wedding cake and/or garnish with candied edible flowers.

Go to a farm or farmers market and see different herbs. You’ll be drawn to the perfect ones for your wedding.

(Images 1,2,3 – My Wonderful Gift Ideas, Weddingbycolor, The New York Times)

If you need to stretch your wedding budget, try having a cocktail wedding reception instead of a full dinner. You can still have some food for your guests, but you can cut your cost drastically from the price of a sit down dinner.

You’ll want to put emphasis on a signature cocktail of your choice. Have it pre-made in glass pitchers. If possible have the drink match your wedding color scheme by choosing a fruit juice or liquor that matches as a main ingredient. Of course, you can skip that and just pick your favorite drink, after all it is your wedding. It should also save you money since you will not need to purchase an entire full bar.

Try the new Absolute Berri Acai mixed with pomegranate liquor and a squeeze of lemon or lime. It’s a festive pink color and looks elegant garnished with a few fresh blueberries. Or try mixing sparkling wine with elderflower liquor and garnish with some food grade edible flower petals. Also, have a case or two of wine. You can usually get a better per bottle price and you can always use the leftovers for future dinner parties.

Have little bites on tables all around the reception area to make them easy for your guests to find. I like to place them on dinnerware that becomes part of the decoration. My current favorite to use is sengWare square dinnerware. You can fancy up hummus by spreading it on a mini pita and top with some fresh parsley and a sliver of roasted pepper. Crostini are a great way to dress up plain ingredients too. My favorite crostini is topped with a smear of goat cheese, a dap of honey and topped with some lavender.

If you have a garden, make sure to use your fresh mint, thyme and other herbs. You can use them in appetizers or in simple syrups for your signature drink. In fact, you can even get some pre-made food from Costco or Sam’s Club and serve them on plates garnished with fresh herbs and edible flowers. It really dresses them up.

Remember that your reception can be fun and elegant without breaking the bank. After all, your guests are there to share in your special day and will love whatever you decide to serve.

(*Images 1, 2, 3 – Image via Google, Cocktails & Details, Dinnerware Center,)

With all the expenses that come with a wedding, you can cut some corners without anyone being the wiser. Your rehearsal dinner is one of those. After all, it will be your close friends and family, so instead of making it a dress up affair, try a warm causal dinner instead.

You can have this at your flat or a relatives house. You may find that people offer to have it in their home once you mention your idea. If you have it at someone else’s house, make sure to have your arrangements made so it will not put a huge burden on your host. Plan ahead for any deliveries that need to be made directly to the location. Offer to provide a tablecloth, napkins, and even offer to bring colorful dishes like noritake colorwave.

Depending on your schedule and how many people you are planning on serving, you may be able to do most of the cooking yourself. I’m sure your bridesmaids and family will offer to give you a hand as well.

Think of what you can make in advance and keep warm in rice cookers, slow cookers, or chafing dishes. Using those, you can create a buffet and minimize the amount of back and forth to the kitchen. You may be able to get a few teenage relatives to help keep the buffet full. This is particularly nice to do for a large crowd, where a plated dinner would require extra help.

Make a few simple appetizers that your guests can snack on with a cocktail before it’s time for dinner. It will give you a little extra time if you are behind, or even better, some time to relax with your guests.

Dinner can be as simple or complicated as you want. Make your menu up well ahead of time so there’s no surprises. Dessert can be something as simple as fresh fruit with a vanilla bean cream topping. You can also make a salad into a main course just by adding some chicken, beef, or tofu on top. This is perfect for a really hot day.

Decorate the space ahead of time with some fresh flowers, candles, and a center piece for the dinner table. You can even buy or rent chair covers to change mis-matched chairs into matched ones. Have some soft music in the background and you just might forget you aren’t out at a restaurant.

The most important thing is that you get to visit with your friends and family over a tasty meal.

(Image 1, 2, & 3 – Ben Chrisman’s Photography, Glass Magnolia, Brides.com)