2011

If you read the blog regularly you might know that I recently spent the weekend in Paris with my little sister Izzy.  We had a lovely time and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere in Paris at Christmas – from the twinkly lights strung from every tree and across ever street, to the incredible shop window displays.  Paris at Christmas is truly magical and well worth a visit to anyone interested – perfect for a honeymoon if you’re not wanting to laze on a beach getting a tan.

So having selected those bits that stuck in my mind from our weekend in Paris, I have scoured the internet to find ideas and inspiration on how you could bring a little bit of Paris at Christmas to your winter wedding.  If you’d like to see more pics from our weekend in Paris you can find them here.

Twinkly lights

I absolutely loved the twinkling lights everywhere and think that lighting is so vital in how you create a cosy atmosphere.  I came across this idea of putting fairylights into bottles and I think it’s so fun and really captures the essence of the Paris Christmas lights.  There are tutorials on how to drill a hole in old wine bottles…but I’m sure you could just use battery powered ones if you wanted (remember to get rechargeable batteries).

The below left picture combines not only the twinkling lights (both electric and tealights) but also the twigs and branches which we saw used a lot in Paris window displays…

White and green flowers

There were lots of spring flowers already appearing in the markets, flower shops and in window displays – in particular I liked the white Narcissi.  In one shop they were selling bunches on white Narcissi in a clear glass vase (my photo is further down the page), and I thought even just like that they would make pretty table decorations.

I particularly loved this idea with the pine cones and white Tulips…

And these ones look so sweet in their clear glass bottles tied with twine – pretty, rustic and very simple to create…

How about giving your guests Narcissi or Paperwhite bulbs in muslin bags as wedding favours (how to make them here)…

Shimmering golds and silvers

Many window displays of Macarons featured pyramids and towers of them, burnished in gold and silver shimmering powders.  I wanted to find inspiration that captured those soft gold colours as I think they would be lovely at a winter wedding.  I loved this table with its dusty gold tablecloth, golden candlesticks and the warm light given off by all those candles.

Or why not go for a delicately coloured wedding dress like this soft, silvery-grey strapless dress?  If I was getting married again I would definitely be considering a wedding dress that had a barely-there colour to it (these were some of my favourites).

If someone had suggested a gold wedding cake to me, I wouldn’t have thought I’d have like it.  This one is just beautiful though, and really captures the essence of the Macarons we saw in Paris.

Pastel hues

As well as gold and silver dusted Macarons, there were also all kinds of colours – I wanted to bring a splash of colour to my Paris inspired winter wedding ideas, so what could be more fun that these pastel fabric pom poms?  There’s a DIY tutorial on how to make them, small ones could be pretty wrist corsages for your bridesmaids, or you could hang them above your dinner tables.

Christmas red and snow white

There were also some beautiful decorations incorporating traditional Christmas colours – red, white and green.  I loved the bright red flowers in one display contrasting with slender branches of fir, and it immediately made me think of this photoshoot below that I’d saved.

So here’s what I spotted in Paris that inspired me…

…lots and lots of twinkly lights, strung from trees, hanging from shopping arcades, decorating shop windows…wintry flower arrangements intermingling flowers with seasonal greenery…paper white Narcissi…dainty twigs, some natural, others shimmering and glittering…

…towers and pyramids of Macarons in barely-there pastel hues, dusted with gold and silver powders…Macarons in every colour and flavour you can imagine, from brightly coloured to soft shades…

Images: (1) via Pinterest; (2) Wit and Whistle; (3) Natasja Kremers via Ruffled; (4) Country Living via Pinterest; (5) via Pinterest; (6) via Pinterest; (7) Frolic; (8) Bellissima Photography via The Sweetest Occasion; (9) Caspix Photography via Ruffled; (10) Heather Waraksa via Style Me Pretty; (11) Once Wed; (12) Once Wed; all other taken by Izzy Burton.

 

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