In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize love, beauty, good fortune, peace, and happiness -- kind of sounds like the perfect wedding theme, doesn’t it? Here are six ways to incorporate these rosy blooms into your ceremony and reception.
Paper Flowers
Cherry blossoms are considered especially valuable since they only bloom for a limited period during the year, so your best bet will be to incorporate silk versions. Buy imitation blossoms from a craft store and include a few petals in your invite envelopes. Or, if you’re feeling especially crafty, decoupage pink tissue paper flowers onto the actual invites or save-the-dates.
Giving Tree
Forgo the standard guest book and create a wishing cherry tree. Stick branches of silk cherry blossoms in a pretty vase at your reception. String loops of green ribbon onto slips of pink paper and let guests write and hang their hopes and best wishes for the couple on the guest book “tree.”
Aisle Style
Whether you walk down an aisle strewn with pink blossoms or say “I do” under an arch of cherry branches, there are countless ways to ensure your ceremony is bursting with these symbolic flowers. For dual-purpose decor, hang tulle bags of petals on chairs for guests to toss as you and your new spouse leave the ceremony.
Beautiful Backdrops
Set up a cherry blossom-themed Japanese silk screen near the entrance of your reception for guests to use as a photo booth backdrop. Or, take a cue from the famous cherry trees in Washington, DC, by setting up your own mini “forest” for guests to pose in front of -- of course, you don’t need to actually have the approximately 3,750 trees you’ll see in our nation’s capital!
Best-Dressed
Cherry blossom-patterned brocade dresses will tie your bridesmaids’ looks into your theme. For something simpler, have them wear solid pink dresses with patterned sashes. Get the flower girl in on the action by having her wear a wreath of cherry blossoms in her hair and scatter even more blooms as she walks down the aisle.
Scents-ible Favors
Cherry blossoms are a wedding theme that smells as lovely as it looks. Give guests favors of blossom-scented soaps, candles, or reed diffusers and you can guarantee they’ll think of your wedding every time they catch a whiff.