Andorra Wedding #2 - Skiing Theme (Snow) Wedding

Once in Andorra people fall in love. It is in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains (Thank You Dan!); due to the elevations and clean air, many tourists who originally went for duty free shopping find great enjoyment in the natural environment of Andorra. Andorra is known for the best family skiing in Europe, even though Andorra is one of the hardest countries to get to because the country itself has no airport. To get to Andorra, one must fly into either Spain or France and than drive the rest of the way (Andorra).

(Pas De La Casa; Photo by: Richard Nebesky For: LonelyPlanet)

Flowers:

The best flowers to match the white, pure, sparkling theme of this wedding would be white roses coupled with sparkling diamond accents. The colour and the glistening will match the snow and white is always considered pure.

(White Roses)

The Dress:

The dress, like the flowers, needs to be white and sparkling. A dress like that is not hard to find, a lot of bride's choose to go with beading accents or a shimmering aspect to a dress. RainingBlossoms has a beautiful selection and this Lace Sweetheart Strapless Neckline Ball Gown Dress with Beading Accents would look perfect for a winter wedding in Andorra. And as a final touch to the dress, a garter with snowflakes on them would complete the bride's look.

The Shoes:

Any show would be fine for this dress, because of its length the shoe won't be noticed by that many people. But like the snow, in the right moment, under the right light, they should sparkle. A nice white shoe or sandal with anything that twinkles and catches the eye would be beautiful. 

(Izzie)

Make up, hair, nails and accessories:

With a strapless dress, a necklace is always nice to have so that it doesn't leave the upper chest area completely bare. In this case a beautiful diamond snowflake necklace would be a great choice. And to match it but not take always from its beautiful, natural or clear make up with a little shimmer to it would also be perfect. With the strapless gown, a down hair do would be best for it, long flowing curls.

(Diamond Snowflake Pendant)

The Groom:

For the groom there are a few options that would work well here also. The groom can choose to go with a traditional black suit, white shirt and black tie; a black jacket, black shirt and white tie, or a white suit, black shirt and white tie or Ivory is always an option and a great substitution for white. The ivory is a little warmer than the white but one may look better than the other depending on which options the groom chooses. Great cuff-links for this wedding would be anything shinny, Advantagebridal has a pair of Silver Plated Engraveable Oval Cuff Links that would be a great addition to the suit and a great present for the groomsmen. 

(Ivory and white ties)

The Invitations:

Save the Date Cards are always the first things that need to be sent. They don't need to be sent to every guest, but for a wedding outside of the country, or a long enough distance away, Save the Date Cards are always a great little heads up for guests. And they give the guests their first glimpse at what the theme for the wedding is. If a guest gets a Save the Date Card with snowflakes on it, hopefully they would assume its a winter wedding and to dress warmly and bring warm clothes. Save the Date Cards can help a couple when trying to get invitations, sometimes the cards are part of a set where the invitations, labels, stickers, and RSVP cards, but sometimes they're not and mixing set has to be done, as long as they are all relatively the same theme and/or colour it works. 

(Winter Finery)

Photographer and Videographer:

If Andorra is not the home country of the bride or groom or anyone they know, finding a photographer and videographer will be a tricky task. Asking a local company really isn't the best way to go because a couple that isn't local has no idea who to get and who has a track record of taking great pictures. Asking a person to travel around the world just to shoot pictures and/or video would cost a small fortune. The best thing to do is to ask friends and family if they have any experience with taking pictures (beyond the point and shoot that everyone can master), it would be a lot cheaper if an already invited guest could take pictures for the big day. But just because they are there anyways, offering to pay them a small fee, or asking them do to it as a wedding present could go along way to getting someone to agree to do it. However if that is not an option or the bride and groom would rather try and find a professional there is always listings on the internet. The best way to find a photographer on the internet is to see a portfolio of the photographers work.

Ceremony:

The traditional way to have a Roman Catholic ceremony is in a church, some priests will not do ceremonies outside of the church, but there are some that will, and their are ways around it. A possibility, if it means that much to the couple, they can get married in the church and than have the reception outside. However the majority of the things that happen in the church can happen outside. Readings can be read based on what the couple wants, music can be played depending on the the venue and where the couple chose to get married. Most ceremonies, religious or not, offer vows saying and the exchange of rings so the couple can incorporated any part they want into their own wedding. But, with the cold of winter it may not be an option to get married outside, depending on the time of year. February will be warmer than December so playing it by day and having a back up plan is always best. If the couple does decided to get married outside, they may want to make it a short wedding so no one gets frost bite, hypothermia or catches any colds, also the bride would want to find a jacket that matches her dress. But there are ways to incorporated the out doors without actually being outside. The couple could get married in front of a great view to the mountains whether it be in front of a huge window, or glass doors. Also, where they get married would decided if they have a flower girl and ring bearer. If they choose to do it inside it would be nice to have the two, and there are beautiful flower girl baskets and ring bearer pillows that would match the theme. Also, instead of the flower girl throwing petals, or holding flowers, she could be throwing snowflakes for the bride to walk on.

 Programs are always a nice addition to any ceremony especially if its not always close relatives that know everyone, and it also helps the guest keep track of what's going on if the couple chooses to do certain ceremonies or have certain poems/readings said.  

(Cartier D'Amour Platinum Diamond Wedding Band)

The beautiful platinum and diamond Cartier ring is perfect to for this wedding because its sparkles and the whole ring will shimmer in the light. Cartier rings are all uni-sex so they can be made for the bride and the groom and they will match perfectly. 

The Reception:

Having a reception outside in the winter is never a good idea. But if it is a nice day, a great addition to the ceremony would be a little balcony close to the reception were guests can go and look out at the beautiful scenery, take pictures and just get a breather. Depending on the number of people and the size of the room it could get quite warm at the reception and the breath taking view would be a great treat. 

(Wedding Tree)

This guest book is beautiful. What the guest do, is they stamp the tree, or background, anywhere they like, and than sign their name on it. Its an amazing keepsake and its so different from a traditional book for the guests to sign. It would also match the money box well, the money box can be made in any colour to match the colours in the picture and the silver snowflakes match the theme perfectly as well and would match the frame if the couple chooses to frame their guest tree in silver. The table cards and place cards would also match the silver and blue well. And to complete the look, and add a little twinkle and sparkle, snowflake place card holders would look wonder when they catch in the light of any venue. 

Food:

Due to the fact that Andorra is situated between France and Spain, Andorran cuisine is mainly Catalan and it also combines with French and Italian cuisine but in a small proportion. Pasta, meat, fish and vegetables are the main ingredients for every meal. In the northern region of Andorra the French and Italian cuisine is prevailing and its main characteristics are the daily use of pasta, cheese, bread and fish; while in the southern region Catalan cuisine influences were adapted. Local dishes include: trinxat made of bacon, cabbage and potatoes; cunillo which is rabbit stewed in tomato sauce; xai which is actually roasted lamb; coques are flavored flat cakes and truites de carreroles which is actually an omelet made with mushrooms. Andorran local dishes also include sausages, cheese and a large variety of pork and ham dishes and a vast variety of vegetables (Andorran Cuisine). These dishes can be expected, however most venues should have alternative meals in place should the couple wish to offer more familiar options.

A great option for the dessert would be an angel food cake, so light have a heavy meal with whip cream and a drizzle of whatever flavour the couple chooses (cherry, strawberry, blueberry, etc.) even adding ice cream would pull the theme in nicely. Another great idea would be a Snowball Cake, it is basically an angel food cake with whip cream and coconut. 

Most weddings have a late lunch around eleven or midnight, usually it's just basic things like sandwiches, salads, little finger food type snacks. There is also usually a dessert table and what better way to end the evening than with desserts that compliment the theme. Snowflake chocolate cupcakes, snowflake cookies, coconut snowballs, ginger bread cookies in the shape of snowflakes, and Chocolate Crinkles that look like they've been rolled in snow are all great little finger food type desserts for the guests and they are all delicious. 

(Snowflake Cupcakes)

The Cake:

Naturally, for a winter wedding, the cake would have to be white, and with the added snowflakes on the cake and going up the side, the cake below would be gorgeous by itself but the added light to the snowflakes makes it an even more magnificent cake. Great flavours for this cake would be a lemon grass cake, it gives a little taste of lemon without taking over the whole cake, and a mascarpone frosting, mascarpone is much creamier than cream cheese and would be fluffier which would be a great pairing with the snow theme.

(Winter Wedding Cake)

The snowflake on top of the cake isn't as personal as a wedding cake topper usually is. If the couple wants something more specific to them, they could easily substitute it for a figure of a bride and groom, or something with their names on it that makes it more special for them. Also adding a little colour into the cake, either by adding blue ribbons around each layer or different colour snowflakes, would make a colourful cake topper seem more at home with the whole cake. And it would make matching the cake serving set easier also. 

(Cake Topper)

Guest Favours:

After a long day of skiing, snowboarding, or just being out in the cold, what better way than to grab a hot chocolate. Hot chocolate for a winter wedding is a perfect guest favour, it comes in a personalized envelope with the bride and groom's name on it and their wedding date, and with snowflakes on it, it fits this wedding. A great accompaniment to the hot chocolate would be a home made treat. Home made guest favours are easy and can often be cheaper if however is making it knows what they are doing. A great favour for this wedding would naturally be Snowballs. By simply taking one package of cream cheese, a can of crushed pineapple and combining it together you get the base of a snowball, after it sits in the fridge and cools for 30 minutes the mixture will form balls easily and then can be rolled into coconut flakes or shredded coconut. Like in the picture below, the Snowballs can be given in a glass dish, or by simply adding wax paper to a favour box, they can be given like that also. 

(Snowballs)

For some couples, buying the wedding party's outfits is what they decided to give as gifts. Sometimes the couple chooses to buy the jewlery (like necklaces for the bride's maids, and mothers; cuff links for the groom's men and the fathers) or they decided to get them a gift to say thank you. Mother of the bride/groom dresses can often be expensive and sometimes just splitting the cost is a great enough gift, same with bridal party dresses. But even if the couple chooses to buy the dresses/tux or the accessories, a little something is always nice. For this wedding cute snowshoes with the couples name and date of their wedding would be a nice little thank you gift for the parents and wedding party to keep and display.

Centerpieces:

Centerpieces are often the easiest part of the wedding because the couple can do it themselves and usually at a lower cost. Snow would naturally melt in doors, but ice will stay solid longer so why not use ice cubes as part of the centerpiece. In a glass bowl, adding sparkles or glitter to the bottom and than filling it with water about three quarters of the way up would give a sparkling almost snow-globe look to the centerpiece would would be beautiful by itself with a floating candle. But to add a little something else, finding ice cube trays in all different shapes and sizes isn't hard and it isn't expensive. The couple could make ''Rose Ice'', this is often used in drink, rose petals crushed or sometimes whole frozen in an ice cube, the same can also be done for a floating candle. In a muffin tray, adding water all the way to the top and placing a floating candle in each section than freezing would cause the candle to get stuck in the ice. Adding one ''Candle Cube'' and a few ''Rose Cubes'' to the centerpiece will look good all night. Even after the ice melts, the rose petals will still be in the water and the candle will still float. (For this wedding the rose petals would be white naturally and the candles would either be white also or blues to match the other wedding items.)

(Colourful example of what the centerpiece could look like)

For more light and more sparkle, adding snowflake shape tea-light candle holders around the table would be a great idea the light for the candles would reflect off the water in the centerpiece, and by adding glitter covered snowflakes, the light will glisten off of them during the night. 

Thank You Cards:

Thank You Cards don't always have to match the theme of the wedding, some couples choose to send a card with a picture of themselves, or from their wedding day. It all depends on the couple, some chose to send a picture in the card. Either way a couple can never go wrong with a beautiful card, so if it matches the theme or colour scheme doesn't really matter in the end. 

(Winter Wonderland)

Things to do:

Andorra is known for skiing and shopping but there is also many sights to see. Casa de la Vall was constructed in 1580 as a home for a wealthy family, it has served as Andorra's parliament building since 1702. Esglesia de Santa Coloma is mentioned in documents from the 9th century, the pre-Romanesque form of the Church of Santa Coloma is Andorra's oldest. Placa del Poble, "People's Square," just south of Placa de Rebes occupies the roof of a modern government office building; it gives splendid views of the valley and mountains, it is a popular local gathering place, especially in the evening. Barri Antic is a small intrusively and artificially bisected place by Avinguda Princep Benlloch, which was the heart of Andorra la Vella when the principality's capital was little more than a village. Museu Nacional de l'Automobil is a National Car museu and will leave the classier revheads in vintage car heaven (Andorra Sights).

(Arinsal Village Photo by: Alfredo Maiquez For: LonelyPlanet)

The next country alphabetically is the Republic of Angola, in Africa!

Andorra Wedding #1 - Country Themed (Yellow) Wedding

Andorra is known for having the most unusually form of government in the world. It is the only country that has two heads of states; even stranger still neither head of states is a citizen or residents of Andorra. In fact, one co-head of state is the person elected as the President of France, while the other is a Bishop of the Catholic Church appointed by the Pope. Andorra has never been at war with another country so for over 1,000 years the country has know peace. Also, the country has no national bank and until recently there were no taxes of any kind, because there is no national bank, the country also has no national debt. Food and goods for the citizens of Andorra come from other countries, except for one cash crop, tobacco. The large volume of tourists going to Andorra, go to enjoy the duty free shopping and the tax-free cigarettes (Andorra). But there is so much more to Andorra then meets the eye.

(Flag of Andorra)

Flowers:

The national flower of Andorra is the Grandalla Narcissus. The grandalla flowers in May and June and has a sweet smell to it. The six petals represent the six parishes of the Principality and at the hearts of the six petals a two coloured crown can be seen, reminiscent of the two co prices (Andorra's National Flower).

The Dress:

Andorra's population is 90% Roman Catholic, so there is no need to worry about offending the majority of the people by showing off the shoulders, wearing a strapless dress, or not wearing something to cover the hair. Taking into account the Roman Catholic religion, traditional dresses are white and long, not showing off much leg, generally Andorra is not know as being a very hot place the temperature never goes higher than 30 degrees Celsius ( 86 degrees Farenheit), so a long dress would be a perfect fit. 

(Soft Chiffon A-line Gown with Ruffled Skirt at: David's Bridal)

The Shoes:

For a summer wedding, a sandal is always the best way to go. But that doesn't always mean flip-flops. Some sandals come with a heel and open toe and a stylish band, this would be perfect for this wedding dress. The length would not be as long with the heel so the band may be visible as the bride walks. 

(Margie)

Make up, hair, nails and accessories: 

The straps with this dress and the length all call for an up do of some kind. But because of the open and exposed shoulders, it could also work well with the hair being down. So, why not have a little bit of both. Make up in the summer especially is best to keep neutrals or light browns, or clean and shimmery that would stand out in the sun. Considering the nice weather in Andorra and the beautiful landscape it isn't hard to assume most summer weddings would be held out doors.

(Eva Longoria - Curly updo for medium hair)

The Groom:

In this wedding, the theme colour is yellow to match the center of the flowers and the yellow in the flag. For that reason, the groom (and his men, father of the bride/groom) should be wearing a yellow tie (and vest). Tuxedos can come either in a set or can be individually assembled. Either way Nordstroms has a number of options to choose from. And it can easily match ties and vests for any suit. The perfect boutonniere would be a grandalla that matches the bride's bouquet. Some themed can't always be matched, especially with cufflinks sometimes the best way to go is just getting personalized cufflinks for the groom and his men.

The Invitations:

The first thing to get ordered and sent out are the Save the Date Cards. Naturally not every guest will be local to Andorra or to the specific place the couple is getting married, a couple can never go wrong with Save the Date Cards. Little Lamb Design, has some sets of invitations that can only be bought individually but searching the site is easy to find all the matching things needed. This set also includes, stickers for the envelopes, direction cards and RSVP cards.

(Gold Fleuron Corners)

Photographer and Videographer:

If Andorra is not the home country of the bride or groom or anyone they know, finding a photographer and videographer will be a tricky task. Asking a local company really isn't the best way to go because a couple that isn't local has no idea who to get and who has a track record of taking great pictures. Asking a person to travel around the world just to shoot pictures and/or video would cost a small fortune. The best thing to do is to ask friends and family if they have any experience with taking pictures (beyond the point and shoot that everyone can master), it would be a lot cheaper if an already invited guest could take pictures for the big day. But just because they are there anyways, offering to pay them a small fee, or asking them do to it as a wedding present could go along way to getting someone to agree to do it. However if that is not an option or the bride and groom would rather try and find a professional there is always listings on the internet. The best way to find a photographer on the internet is to see a portfolio of the photographers work.

Ceremony:

The traditional way to have a Roman Catholic ceremony is in a church, some priests will not do ceremonies outside of the church, but there are some that will, and their are ways around it. A possibility, if it means that much to the couple, they can get married in the church and than have the reception outside. However the majority of the things that happen in the church can happen outside. Readings can be read based on what the couple wants, music can be played depending on the the venue and where the couple chose to get married. Most ceremonies, religious or not, offer vows saying and the exchange of rings so the couple can incorporated any part they want into their own wedding. Also, for long ceremonies, programs help and it informs everyone what they should expect and who is who. 

(Left: Men's Enclosed Yellow Diamond Ring; Right: Fancy Yellow and White Diamond Ring)

Reception:

Having a reception outside is a lot easier if its out in the garden somewhere close enough to the building (hotel or whatever building the couple has chosen). Getting electricity would be much easier that way, having more lighting would be easier, and music would be easier to set up that way too.

(Royal Wedding Guest Book by: AlbumOptions)

Guest books are great keepsakes, and what makes the one above so great is that the same design can make a scrapbook (which would make a great guest book, adding pictures of the couple on the pages and guests can sign around them) and it can be made as a photo album also. The colours in the album match the wedding theme and is easy to match for the money box and place cards.

Food:

Due to the fact that Andorra is situated between France and Spain, Andorran cuisine is mainly Catalan and it also combines with French and Italian cuisine but in a small proportion. Pasta, meat, fish and vegetables are the main ingredients for every meal. In the northern region of Andorra the French and Italian cuisine is prevailing and its main characteristics are the daily use of pasta, cheese, bread and fish; while in the southern region Catalan cuisine influences were adapted. Local dishes include: trinxat made of bacon, cabbage and potatoes; cunillo which is rabbit stewed in tomato sauce; xai which is actually roasted lamb; coques are flavored flat cakes and truites de carreroles which is actually an omelet made with mushrooms. Andorran local dishes also include sausages, cheese and a large variety of pork and ham dishes and a vast variety of vegetables (Andorran Cuisine). These dishes can be expected, however most venues should have alternative meals in place should the couple wish to offer more familiar options.

The Cake:

Sometimes the hardest part of a cake is getting the colours right. The best way to make sure a wedding cake comes out the right shade to match the wedding colours is by leaving an example (an extra invitation, a picture of the guest books, etc). 

(Cake in Bloom)

The grandalla is a hard flower theme to match but taking the theme abstractly helps and is a better way to match cake serving sets or just getting regular items like the champagne flutes and making them specially engraved or adding ribbons of the wedding colours, and getting a normal couple for the cake topper. As for the garter, any yellow and white garter will do, to make it more special it could have a flower on it or a saying but no one really sees the garter anyways, and most brides choose the garter to be there ''something blue''.

Guest Favours:

(Wedding Clan: DIY How to make homemade limoncello wedding Favors)

Always a great idea is homemade wedding favours. Above is an example for limoncello, but it can easily be adapted to lemonade or anything that matches the wedding colours. The bottles can be found at any dollar store, Target, craft store or a general store like WalMart etc. And decorative string or ribbon can be used to hold a tag or labels would work well also.   

Gifts for the wedding part can follow the same theme as the guest favours, littlethingsfavors offers a Lemon Drop Mix Gift set, lemon drop candies would be great for someone that doesn't drink or the ring bearer and flower girl.

Centerpieces:

For this wedding, a flower centerpiece or a floating candle centerpiece would work well. Either way a great way to tie the colour yellow in would be with lemons. Slicing lemons and having them in the water of the flowers, or having lemons in the vase or bowl with the candles would be beautiful. The example below is with oranges but the concept is the same. (To make sure they don't float up, they have to be very tight in the container or glued together and down.)

(Centerpiece)

Thank You Cards:

Lil Duck Duck has a beautiful Thank You card that would fit well with the yellow theme that has slightly taken over this wedding. It is a beautiful card, with a picture of the couple and a Thank You note as a border frame. 

(Script-Frame Thank You Card)

Places to See:

Andorra is known for skiing and shopping but there is also many sights to see. Casa de la Vall was constructed in 1580 as a home for a wealthy family, it has served as Andorra's parliament building since 1702. Esglesia de Santa Coloma is mentioned in documents from the 9th century, the pre-Romanesque form of the Church of Santa Coloma is Andorra's oldest. Placa del Poble, "People's Square," just south of Placa de Rebes occupies the roof of a modern government office building; it gives splendid views of the valley and mountains, it is a popular local gathering place, especially in the evening. Barri Antic is a small intrusively and artificially bisected place by Avinguda Princep Benlloch, which was the heart of Andorra la Vella when the principality's capital was little more than a village. Museu Nacional de l'Automobil is a National Car museu and will leave the classier revheads in vintage car heaven (Andorra Sights).

(Incles Valley; Picture by: Alfredo Maiquez For: LonelyPlanet)

Andorra

The Principality of Andorra (or The Principality of the Valleys of Andorra) is one of the smallest countries in the world. It is landlocked with no coastal area, it is located in the eastern Pyrenees Mountains and bordered by Spain and France. There are also no significant rivers flowing through the country. Many citizens of the world do not even know that Andorra exists. At the same time, there are many people who travel that love Andorra and its people. Andorra is known for many things, including skiing on the Alps and being naturally beautiful and having beautiful conditions for skiing in the winter, hiking and camping in the spring and summer.  For Andorra, I will do two weddings, one themed around the country and set in the summer (or spring) time, and the other centering around the skiing that is one of the best in Europe (Andorra).

In order to get married in Andorra, at least one of the spouses must be an Andorran national or resident (Can I Marry in Andorra). If it is truly important to the couple to get officially married in Andorra, than they can look into what they need to do to become a resident. (Some countries require people to live in the country 15-30 days to be considered a resident, others may require other things or longer stays.)

Algeria Wedding - Desert Wedding

Algeria is a Muslim dominated country with almost 99% of the population being Muslim, because of this its traditions will mirror those of Afghanistan an Albania. For the purpose of this wedding, I will put religion aside and focus more on the wedding itself and a ceremony that can be adapted to any religion. The easiest way to do this is to have an outdoor wedding, that way the couple can make the arrangements needed for their religions or specific ceremony.

(Sand Dunes of Algeria)

Flowers:

It is widely accepted that the national flower of Algeria is the sunflower. And naturally that would be the best choice for an Algerian wedding, because of the deep rich colour of the sand, orange would be a great colour for the flowers out in the dessert. However, sunflowers come in different colours so whichever colour the couple would like to choose could be easily changed into this wedding.

(DIY Sunflower Bouquet: Posted by Amber1279 to: Weddingbee Bios)

The Dress:
The traditional wedding dress in Algeria would match that of any Muslim country, (like Afghanistan and Albania). However, a more traditional ''Western'' wedding dress could be a Muslim bride's second dress or a Catholic (or other religion) bride's dress. Again a dress with sleeves or a jacket and a veil would be advised in countries that aren't always open to women showing off their shoulders, arms or neckline.

(Augusta by Rosa Clara)

The Shoes:
The heat and the dessert would naturally make the shoe choice a flip-flop or sandal of some kind. With a long dress, the shoes won't be seen, but for the bride, a shoe high enough to keep the dress just to say off the ground would be best especially if the ceremony is done in the sandy dessert. A sandal, whether it is a flip-flop or not, with a heel (like this) would be a good shoe for the desert.

Makeup, hair, nails, and accessories:
With the flowers for this wedding being mostly orange, a light brown would be a nice colour, or any light natural colours would work fine for a lip colour and blush. For the daring bride, a light orange eye shadow may be nice, or hints of it and a white coating may work well also. For the nails and toenails, anything that appeals to the bride may be incorporated into the theme, a great way to do this would be to add a sunflower design to one or all nails or something of that nature. The same thing applies to a hair style adding sunflowers where ever possible can make any hairstyle match the wedding themed colours.

(Daisy Flower Hair wreath by: Thehoneycomb)

The Groom:

The groom's tuxedo can be white or black. However, the tie, vest, and other accessories would have to match the colour of the theme (in this case the sunflowers). Men's Warehouse sells tuxedos and there is even a "Build a Tux" option on their website so that colour matching is made much easier. The vest and tie in the example below are called Venice Sunbeam (8858VNSBM) with the Euro tie. It is matched with the Black by Vera Wang collection. A handkerchief in the pocket would be fine if it matches the colour of the tie, but it may take away from the boutonniere depending on the size of both, a great boutonniere for this wedding would be of course a sunflower. And finally, sunflower cufflinks to complete the groom's outfit. 

The Invitations:

When getting married, it is important to think of the guests and where they are traveling from. Anyone coming from out of country or town even should get a Save the Date card especially if the couple really wants that/those guests at their wedding. A Save the Date card gives guests time to make arrangements in order to be part of the couple's big day. The sunflower theme is a great example of a theme that can be mixed and matched. It's not always easy to find matching sets of invitation, thank you cards, save the date cards, reply cards etc, so why not mix and match as long as they all have the theme relative theme. Also when shopping for mixed sets, looking at different sites and stores is key, the invitations for this wedding are from Zazzle, while the seals are from MagnetStreet and the reply cards are from WeddingInvitations123. Often times if there is a large number of out of town guests the couple chooses to add a directions card to tell the guests how to get from place to place (from airport to hotel to ceremony to reception....). These can be easy to make, typing out directions and printing it on white or colour card (in this case yellow or orange) and than simply adding embellishments (stickers or a stamp etc).

(Sunflower Wedding)

Photographer and Videographer:

If Algeria is not the home country of the bride or groom or anyone they know, finding a photographer and videographer will be a tricky task. Asking a local company really isn't the best way to go because a couple that isn't local has no idea who to get and who has a track record of taking great pictures. Asking a person to travel around the world just to shoot pictures and/or video would cost a small fortune. The best thing to do is to ask friends and family if they have any experience with taking pictures (beyond the point and shoot that everyone can master), it would be a lot cheaper if an already invited guest could take pictures for the big day. But just because they are there anyways, offering to pay them a small fee, or asking them to do it as a wedding present could go a long way to getting someone to agree to do it. However, if that is not an option or the bride and groom would rather try and find a professional there is always listings on the internet. The best way to find a photographer on the internet is to see a portfolio of the photographer's work. 

Also, a great addition to any wedding is disposable cameras. This is a great way to get the crowd involved and to see different angles and sides of the wedding.

Ceremony:

A wedding ceremony changes based on the couple, because of the past two countries before this in this country religion will not be incorporated into the wedding for Algeria. But, any religion can be celebrated for this wedding by making the required changes and arrangements. Any ceremony would be a perfect substitute here, no matter what the bride and groom choose. Some great options are a candle ceremony, a sand ceremony or just exchanging vows; anything that symbolizes unity would count as a ceremony. 

A great ceremony could involve readings of romantic poems instead of religious ones, the couple can choice poems that they wrote themselves or that they find suits them. They can also choose to incorporate vows, exchanging of rings, or anything else they that is traditional for them. 

Programs are also a great idea for untraditional ceremonies. They make nice keepsake from weddings, and in this case, a program could hold the poems read and the vows said instead of details on the steps taken in the ceremony. It would also help keep confusion to a minimum should the bride and groom decide to do something untraditional.

(Sterling Silver Sunflower Wedding Rings by: DownToTheWireDesigns)

Reception:

Out door receptions are hard do to under any circumstances, because of the lack of electricity, the uncertainty of the weather, and the lack of natural light once the sun goes down. Having the reception in the dessert would not be very easy to do or pull off, not only because of the challenges but because of the heat as well. Just like most foreign countries, it is hard to find reception halls in Algeria on the internet. However, it is always better for a couple to go and see reception halls for themselves before picking, especially when there are no recommendations.

(Burlap Sunflower Guest Book by: AStylishDesign)

Sometimes the best decor doesn't always match the theme. The above guest book has nothing to do with sunflowers except for the pen, but because of the brown ribbon tied to it, the book matches. It is perfectly okay to do this, even if the wedding colours don't use brown (however choosing to use brown in other places would be best to make it look less out of place). The same rule applies for the ''wishing well'', ''money box'', or whatever other word associated with where the guest leave their cards. By simply adding a fake (or real) sunflower and some ribbon, anything that will hold cards can be used for the purpose. 

(Left: Rustic Sunflower Birdcage by: YesMoreFunk; Right: Sunflower Themed Birdcage by: ThoseDays)

Table numbers for a sit down meal is always a great thing to have for a wedding. Table number and place cards help minimize the confusion and help avoid having two people sitting close to each other that maybe shouldn't be. 

(Left: Sunflower Place Card; Right: Sunflower Brown Table Numbers, both by: Zazzle)

Every couple and country has different traditions, some throw the bouquet and garter, some have a cake dance, some have a couple's first dance, some have a father daughter dance... Whatever is traditional for the couple is what they should stick with. Love is a universal thing, and if the couple chooses to dance to an Algerian love song, the guests shouldn't mind. Even if no one understands the words, the bride and groom should at least know what they are. Everyone can see love, in the couples eyes, in the way they look at each other, hold each other.... that doesn't need a language to be expressed. 

Food:

Algerian cuisine differs slightly from region to region. Algerian cuisine has strong Berber but also Ottoman Turkish influence due to the Ottoman occupation. Algeria is mainly Islamic people and because of this pork is not usually served at weddings because it is forbidden in accordance with Sharia. The khabz, traditional Amazigh flatbread, is the base of Algerian cuisine and is eaten at all meals. An Algerian dish is izane, a spicy lamb sausage, that originate from the Atlas mountains. Other common dishes include berber couscous, chakchouka, Karantita, marqa bel a'assel that is a speciality from Tlemcen and the Chaoui dish chakchoukha. There are many different types of Algerian salads, influences by the French and Turkish, and can include some very individual ingredients such as beetroot or in some salads anchovies. There are also dishes of Spanish origin in Algeria, like the Gaspacho Oranais, an Algerian version of a Manchego dish. Algeria is on the Mediterranean sea and it enjoys the fish, fruits and vegetables that the sea has to offer (Algerian Cuisine). 

For a wedding in Algeria the best way to have a meal is by buffet. This way adventurous guests can try out the local cuisine and other guests can still stick with chicken or beef. There is no way to please everyone, however when it comes to foreign cuisine a safe bet is to always have something most people are used to seeing. 

As dessert, the couple can choose to serve only cake, or have a dessert table. On this table could include local sweets, candies, chocolates, and cupcakes. A great cupcake has to be the sunflower cupcakes. They are easy to make and not hard to assemble. Baking any kind of cupcake, even the box mixes, in a green cupcake tin and than adding dried pineapple ''leaves'' around a black center (made either by mini chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles, or dried raisins).

   

(Image and Idea by Spoonful.com)

The Cake:

The cake should be a very easy part of the wedding. If the bride and groom have a picture of what they want their cake to be like, any baker/cake designer should be able to mimic it. Any cake can be made to match the theme of any wedding by simply adding flowers or ribbon or both. 

(Wedding cake with Sunflowers)

The cake topper doesn't always have to match the theme or the cake for that matter. In the picture above the cake topper is the couple's initials but for the couple that wants a traditional couple topper there is some out there with a sunflower theme. The same idea applies to the champagne flutes and the cake server. There are a lot of different options out there, not all of them include the sunflower theme. A great alternative would be just brown and yellow beads on the handle of the cake server and the stems of the flutes, or simply brown ribbons. 

Guest Favours: 

Guest Favours for weddings have become as unique as weddings themselves. A lot of themes can be matched to favours now of days and it's not hard to find something for everyone of the guests at any wedding. In this case, for sunflowers, there are sunflower soaps, sunflower seed packages, sunflower stickers for the bottom of chocolates and sunflower themed boxes so that any thing can really be given as a gift for a sunflower wedding.

Thank You gifts for parents and the wedding party are a lot harder to find to match the theme, however it's not always impossible. In this case for the members of the wedding party's gift could be a clock in the shape of a sunflower. While the parent's gifts and be a hand painted bowl with a saying and the design of sunflowers on it. 

Centerpieces:

Centerpieces can often times be the cheapest, and easiest part of a wedding. For sunflowers, simply placing a vase of some sort with a bouquet would be a great centerpiece and wouldn't be nearly as expensive as say a bouquet of roses for each table or something or similar cost. Also a great way to go is for the couple to make their own centerpieces. Fake flowers work great and last long, and there is a lot of ideas on the internet for beautiful, simple, cheap and easy centerpieces that look good.

(Silk Sunflower Centerpiece by: Bridal Craft)

Thank You Cards:

Thank You cards are always a great thing for a couple to send, especially if they add their own personal touch to it. Whether it is adding a specific comment about the wedding gift the guest gave or by simply sending a photo of the couple, Thank You cards are always greatly appreciated. 

(Classic Daisy by MagnetStreet)

Sometimes it is not possible to match everything to a certain theme. In this case, the Thank You cards are called Classic Daisy, however the daisy looks very similar to a sunflower and because it is a Thank You card, it is usually not even noticed that it did not match the wedding invitations or the theme itself. 

Places to See:

There are many sites to see in Algeria that include 18 museums including Musée National du Moudjahid (a national historical museum), Museum (a Museum dedicated to the ruins of many tombstones and other funerary sculptures) Cirta Museum (a colonial-period museum) Theatre and Museum (a preserved theater dating back to 1902, accompanied by statues and columns in a Jardin Archéologique (an archaeological garden). Bardo Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography (built at the end of the 18th century as a residence of a Tunisian prince exiled in Algeria, today it is home to a collection of urban artefacts including fossils, copper tea pots, wooden furniture and impressive rock carvings and paintings) Palais des Raïs (the Palais is in fact a row of several large waterfront houses, joined up to form a single compound and now home to the Centre des Arts et de la Culture) and National Museum of Antiquities (the richness of Algeria`s heritage is brought home in the understated but well chosen collection on display in the museum). These all are wonderful places too see and only a few on the Lonelyplanet's list of museums to see in Algeria. The Lonelyplanet also has a list of 11 religious, and/or spiritual sights to see in Algeria that include Notre Dame D'Afrique, Grand Mosque, and Basilica St Augustine. The Lonelyplanet also offers a list of Archaeological Sites, Architectural Sites, Market Places, Bridges, Historical Sites, Monuments, Buildings, and Galleries. 

(Cityscape by: Peter Ptschelinzew for: Lonely Planet)

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