Fruit and Weddings

Yesterday I met with a bride and we were discussing centerpiece ideas and she mentioned how she wants to use green apple and/or cherries in them...and it made me think of writing a post about how to incorporate fruit into your wedding day! Being that CGW is located in Hood River, which is well know for is amazing orchards filled with tasty fruit, we try to incorporate local farmer's products into our weddings. Using fruits in your wedding is a great way to add color and texture to your wedding. Fruit is also very cost effective!! Fruit typically last longer than flowers, therefore if you are to make the arrangements yourself, you will be able to prepare them a few days in advance!

Escort Cards/Table Setting Cards
A common use of different fruits from Hood River that CGW has done in the past is use either pears or apples as an escort card holder. Being that there are so many different types of pears and apples, the couple has a wide variety of shades and colors to choose from! Line the fruit along a table and either rest the escort card on the fruit or use a decorative floral pin to place the card on the fruit itself (this is a great idea, especially on those windy days!!). To add more color and decoration, scatter rose petals or other flowers around the escort card table!

 

Here we used crystal end floral pins to pin the escort cards to the pears.

Here, the escort cards are inside the labeled envelope and placed against the pears. Photo by Vlado Sklenar.

Another great idea is to punch a hole in the corner of the card and tie the card with a colorful ribbon to a pin and stick the card into the fruit, like shown above with apples. Photo by Vlado Sklenar

I love this idea of making the leaves out of paper and pinning the to the apples with the guest's  names and which table they will be sitting at. SO CUTE!

 

Very simple and VERY cute ideas with lemons!

Place the piece of fruit on the table setting with the guests name.

I love how the name is wrapped around the pear and stuck with a pin! Very cute!!

Here the name of the guest is hand written on the lemon!

Centerpiece

Adding fruit to centerpieces has become a huge trend within the wedding industry. It adds fun colors you may not find in flowers you like, adds texture and dimension to your centerpieces.

 

If you and your fiance are planning on getting married at a vineyard, incorporate grapes into a wine themed wedding. The photo above used apples in the base of the centerpiece and added grapes to the top of the arrangement. Left photo by Columbia Gorge Images

Here the pears rest at the bottom of the centerpiece with bright pink flowers to top!

This large vase is filled with pears with a matching rustic colored ribbon tied around the vase with the table number on the ribbon. Very simple and easy to do yourself!

 

Instead of having the fruit at the bottom of the vase, here the apples are placed above with other flowers.

  

Cake Decoration

Another great way to incorporate fruit into your wedding is to add around your cake. You can use small or large fruit at add to your cake as decoration.

You can see the small amounts of grapes to add a hint of green to the cake.

 

Burgundy and olive colored pears are placed around the cake. Cake by La Joconde Cakes

Layer the fruit in between the tiers of cake.

  

Favors

As a way to thank your guests for coming and being a part of your special day, offer them fresh fruits!

Cherries are placed in small take home boxes as favors for guests!

 

 

Here the bride and groom gave caramel apples at their Fall wedding!

 

Who doesn't LOVE caramel apples!?!

Individual wrapped pears...You can wrap a wide variety of fruit besides pears..

Have fun and be creative with the natural fruits you  have. Support local farmers and add a touch of what makes Hood River so amazing!

Alternatives to the Wedding Cake

One of my favorite parts of a wedding has got to be the wedding cake, being that I am a huge cake fan! Although, there are couples who are not crazy about cake and would rather provide another option to serve for a dessert that they are going to enjoy! By serving something besides a traditional cake, the couple can add a personal and unique twist to their wedding. I thought I would do some research on alternative dessert options, as well as let myself become even more hungry! :)

Candy Buffet
I have been to quite a few weddings where a candy buffet is set up with the purpose of guest favors. Although, a candy buffet is a great way for everyone to satisfy their sweet tooth at the end of the night! For the family, it is very economical as well! You can also have a large variety of candies, ensuring that everyone's tastes are covered whether they are chocolate lovers or fruity lovers.

I love the letter shaped bowls!

  

You can choose candies that match the colors and theme of your wedding!



Cheesecake

For those who are wanting a more rich dessert to serve, cheesecake is a great option! It still goes with a "cake" idea, just slightly different from a fluffy and spongy cake. There are a wide variety of flavors and colors to choose from!

  

 

Bakers have the capability of making them look like a traditional cake as well!

 

Also, there's the option of using bite size cheesecakes!

 

Brownies

Nothing is truly better than a rich, dense, and gooey brownie!!! They are definitely one of my favorites. This summer I was the planner at a small wedding where the couple served brownies and ice cream as their dessert and I thought it was so cute!

  

Cinnamon Rolls

Anyone who has visited the Hood River area or has lived in Hood River, OR can testify that Bette's Place has got the BEST cinnamon rolls. They are giant, warm and gooey!!! So remember, those who are getting married in the Hood River area,  be sure to contact Bette's! Cinnamon rolls are another great alternative to the wedding cake!

  

Cookies

Every family seems to have a favorite cookie recipe, which is a great way to add a personal touch to your dessert. Ask for you aunt's, grandma's, cousin's, best friend's and sister's best cookie recipes and create a cookie buffet for your guests to enjoy!



I love how the cookies are layered on wrapped boxes so it looks like a cake! :)

 

Culture Influences

Another great way to think of dessert options is for the bride and groom to look into their culture background and research which desserts are traditional to their heritage.

For example, cannolis are very popular in Italy!

 



Those from Mexico may choose Tres Leches...

 

Creme brulee is a very popular dessert in the United States, but has it roots in France!



I could go on and on about all the dessert options there are for a bride and groom to choose from, but just remember to be creative, be true to what you and your partner enjoy to eat and savor every bite on the big day!! 

Neutrals for your Bridesmaids!

If you are having a hard time deciding which colors to use for your bridesmaids dresses, remember that neutral colors go with and can be popped with a variety of other bright and saturated colors. Here I have listed a few neutral colors that will be popular for 2011 and can easily be worn by anyone! The other great thing about using neutrals as your bridesmaids dress colors is that your bridesmaids will be able to wear the dress for other events, whereas it is a little more difficult to find an event to wear a turquoise or bright pink dress too.

One of my favorite neutrals to pair with bright colors, such as yellows, pinks and reds is charcoal!

    

The color Navy is another popular choice for 2011! I love to see this neutral with bright lime greens, yellows and oranges.

    

Black bridesmaids dresses also make a huge statement with bold reds and bright sunset colors!

   

Beiges and taupes are other great options, although can be a little more difficult than others because the colors can wash out certain skin tones...I think that these colors are one of my favorites! I love to see them with light pinks, light greens and creams, so elegant and classy looking!!

  

I like how the dresses in the image above include texture and a deep v neck line!

These dresses are soo adorable with the different styles, but still within the same color palette!

Using brown as a neutral can go with either warm or cool colors and still look fabulous!

  

Remember, when searching for bridesmaids dresses, look for different textures, neck lines, lengths, cuts and colors that fit within the same color palette!