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Easy holiday wedding or party themes

At this time of year, most people will be celebrating with loved ones and friends. It’s also a bumper time of year for proposals, so there are more than a few readers who will be planning for a Christmas wedding in 2016. This is why today’s column focuses on celebrations!

Here are four themes for adding extra special meaning to your Christmas wedding or holiday party:

• Nostalgia Lane

Nothing gets guests socialising better than bonding over old photos. Group your beautifully framed old photos along with postcards or letters sent to you by loved ones over the years, treasured ornaments and mingle in some family heirlooms for a one-of-a-kind tablescape. This theme lends itself well to black and white décor, or you can even mimic the vintage colour of old photos by using sepia, brown and ivory tones for your table setting.

• Contemporary Christmas

Need a more chic and minimalistic approach? Try this theme with a cool, colour palette of your choice of mint green, apple green, ice blue or white and mix in metallics such as rose gold, silver or gold. Think of angular or mirrored vases, aluminum or tin letters spelling out words such as “Joy” or “Merry”, a glass ornament wreath for your centrepiece, crisp table runners and tall glass cylinders filled with twigs, pillar candles or hard candies.

• Rustic Christmas

This theme is for brides/hostesses who love a more earthy, casual and even homey feel to their décor. Think about colours like brown, rust, cranberry red, ivory, forest green and dark blue. Create the rustic mood by using décor elements and accessories in your reception/party area that fit this theme, such as wooden animals, pinecones, berries, twigs, sprigs of evergreen, fruit, burlap, raffia, branches, grapevine wreaths, chicken wire and bird houses. You can use chalkboard place settings and stash your favours or appetizers in baskets, tin buckets or display them on log slices. To add a more Trini touch, try a tablescape of sorrel, cinnamon sticks and gold-sprayed coconuts atop a banana leaf table runner.

• Glam and Sparkle

This sophisticated theme can be portrayed with the use of metallics in the décor and invitations. Imagine a tablescape that includes garlands of crystals, glass beads or pearls strung onto candelabras or hung onto white-washed branches; or a table strewn with clear glass ornaments that have been filled with iridescent glitter or dusted with gold foil. White and ivory feathers, sequins and mirrors can also be incorporated into this theme. Colours that suit this theme well are gold, silver, pewter, bronze, ivory, white, pale pink, purple, ice blue and black.

I’d like to wish all my readers every blessing for the season and I hope you’ll enjoy your entertaining this year.