Indigo is a deep and rich shade of blue that can work with so many wedding themes. From nautical beach weddings to a formal affair; indigo can be tailored to your nuptials by pairing it with different colors and textures. The color is named after the indigo dye and you can use textiles and fabrics as the inspiration for your decor.

A textured indigo tablecloth is a great way to incorporate a nautical theme but with a modern update. Blue bottles can be found at thrift stores and antique markets and are an alternative vase option for floral arrangements. Use indigo in your invitations for a dark and interesting look.

Warm bath + cupcakes – guilt. Now that’s an equation anyone can love!

Although these cupcakes look good enough to devour, they are  DIY Cupcake Bath Bombs that will add fizz, fragrance and moisturizer to your bath water. We think they make perfect wedding shower favors – especially for a spa-themed bridal shower, so we are going to teach you how to make them.

Ingredients for DIY Cupcake Bath Bombs (Adapted from Little Birdie Secrets Bath Bomb Fizzy Recipe. )

Makes 11-12 cupcakes.

For the cupcake you will need:

• 1 cup. baking soda
• 1 cup Citric Acid
• 1 Tbsp. oil (We  used Sweet Almond Oil, but you can also use grapeseed oil or olive oil)
• 5 drops fragrance/essential oil (we used lavender essential oil)
• 3-5 drops coloring or Pigment powder (You can use food coloring, but we used soap colorant or Pigment powder)
• Witch hazel (poured into a spray bottle)
• Colored sugar or sprinkles
• Paper cupcake liners
• cupcake pan

A low-key couple, Malena and Scott’s idea of a “perfect wedding” didn’t look like the so-called norm; it wasn’t Pinterest-perfect and it didn’t involve a ton of details. Their version of “perfect” was small and simple (and stress-free!) with an outdoor ceremony at the Welwyn Preserve – one of their favorite spots – officiated by the groom’s sister, just nine guests, and a catered dinner at the groom’s parents’ home. In the end, it was everything they could have hoped for and more; and most importantly, it was perfectly them.

Special thanks to Jesse Pafundi of Golden Hour Studios for sharing all the gorgeous photos with us!

Malena, 32 & Scott, 33

Glen Cove, NY

Wedding Date: May 4, 2013

Number of Guests: 9

Wedding Cost: $2,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Welwyn Preserve. (While we love having adventures far from home, we’re incredibly lucky to have the most beautiful nature preserve less than a mile from our house.   With its wooded paths, old rock walls, abandoned greenhouse, and secluded beach, Welwyn Preserve is easily one of our favorite places in the world.  We always knew we didn’t want a big traditional wedding so once we’d decided on a small ceremony with close family, the venue was a no brainer.)

Wedding Reception Location: The Groom’s parents’ home. (We had originally thought about celebrating with dinner at a local restaurant, but decided it would be cozier to be together in a comfortable place.  We had dinner catered from one of our favorite local restaurants,  and our family was kind enough to set everything up beautifully while we were out galavanting with our awesome photographer.)

After you’ve gone through the process of choosing your own wedding dress; the next dress to think about are those of your bridesmaids. At first it appears to be a simple task in comparison to the wedding dress search, but finding a dress to suit all of your girls is not that easy. Plus, for the bride who is all about individual touches, cookie-cutter bridesmaid dresses just will not do. Enter the separates with skirts of different lengths, camisoles, blouses and cardigans. You can mix and match these pieces on an epic shopping trip to ensure that your bridesmaids have a unique and contemporary look.

We love printed bridesmaid dresses but an all-over printed dress on several girls can be distracting; but restricted to a skirt it can work well.

If you’re dreaming of an Italian affair for your nuptials, then it’s time to get inspired by the Mediterranean with a color palette of lemon, olive green and dusty pink. This look is all about rustic and natural touches with romantic details such as olive branches and delicate roses in abundance.

Think of how blissful it would be to celebrate in a Tuscan courtyard with your nearest and dearest. Of course, not everyone can fly off to Tuscany to get married, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring Italian charm straight to your doorstep!