So, you’ve ignored all of Country Music’s advice and went ahead and roped yourself a cowboy? Now you want to tell the world of your love with a western themed wedding. I am sure that you have already thought of the big things, like the horse drawn buggy, fancied up cowboy boots for the wedding party and full circle skirts but what about the little touches of decoration that will make your wedding classy and quaint? This article offers a list of five unique ways to tie the knot- Western Style.
1.) Instead of traditional wedding flowers use wild flowers. Wild Roses for example are beautiful, while having that western feel that you are looking for. You can even mix in a few blooming cactuses in your arrangements, especially centerpieces for instant color and an elegant ranch-like touch. Add some leather fringe, in the same hue as your wedding colors, around the bouquets that the bridesmaids carry.
2.) Create faux leather to use as tablecloths at the reception. One painting technique that I have found to work well is to buy enough cheap fabric (drop clothes are usually perfect for tablecloths, require no stitching of ends as other cut fabrics would and can be bought relatively cheap compared to purchasing other material by the yard) to cover all the tables that you want. Now, choose what color you want your ‘leather’ to be and get three different shades of that color (dark, medium and light). Paint your base coat in the dark color and allow it to dry completely before continuing. Next mix your medium color and light color in separate buckets with little glaze (you can get a clear glaze or one that’s tinted in a light brown to add an antique rustic touch). The general consensus is to mix two parts paint to one part glaze. You should apply these to mixtures randomly over your basecoat, then use a wadded up plastic bag or crumpled sheets of plastic wrap to blot up the wet paint, blending it in to create the texture that you are looking for. Once you achieve the look you want, let it dry completely before clear coating it well.
It is a good idea to experiment with this technique on some scrap fabric and become comfortable with doing it before moving on to your wedding pieces.
3.) Instead of the standard streamers or garlands, hang up ropes in varying thicknesses. You can keep them natural for a rustic feel, spray paint them the colors of your wedding or for an added touch of elegance coat them in a gold and/or silver paint. You can entwine some of the wild flowers you are using for touches of color. Good luck western charms, from horseshoes to leather bits to tassel whips, can also be added for whimsy. They can also be spray painted in gold, silver or black depending on the mood you wish to create. This project can be done as simple or as bold as you want, depending upon your particular style.
4.) Decorate personalized wine glasses. You can go as extravagant as you wish here, buying complete matching sets for your table settings or mix and match with finds from thrift stores and garage sales for a cheaper alternative (which actually reminds one of a typical old west bunkhouse). Buy some glass paint, which you can pick up at any craft store, and all that’s left is to choose your design. You could paint on a horseshoe with the details of the bride, groom and date inside of it, a lasso rope; just about anything your imagination can come up with.
5.) Finish off your table settings with a one of a kind place card holder and goodie bags. You can buy miniature leather whips and wrap the person’s name around them to lie on each plate or create horseshoe name card holders using card stock and any printing project software that is available on most computers. If you do not have a computer, get a pair scissors and some magic markers for a person touch. Instead of the standard mints that are usually placed in a little bag beside each plate, include things a cowboy or cowgirl should be without after a meal. Toothpicks (mint flavored for a classy taste), miniature bottles of whiskey that have your own label on the back with bride and groom’s name and wedding date (only for the adults of course, you can substitute a small chocolate bar for those that are underage) custom match books and anything else they may need for the long trail ahead after going home or retiring to their hotel rooms. These items can be placed in the standard little bags or you can embellish these also with a little leather trim around the edges.
Having any kind of a themed wedding can be challenging. The first thing to decide is how over the top you want the ambience to be. Any of the suggestions I have listed here can be added singly for just a touch of cowboy atmosphere or they can all be incorporated and still, in my opinion, come together to create a very classy and very quaint western wedding.
