Mardi Gras is one of the most unique celebrations that there is, so if getting married during the Mardi Gras season, it’s a great, fun and colourful theme to incorporate in your wedding day.
Mardi Gras is extremely popular and celebrated across America from 6th Jan through to Fat Tuesday, which of course changes every year. People love to use this theme for birthdays, dinner parties, and now, increasingly Mardi Gras weddings too.
Putting on a classy wedding day with the Mardi Gras theme can be tough though. Mardi Gras parties can be full of cheap feathers and glitter - in fact for Carnival it’s usually all about hundreds of cheap feathers, glitter, and zillions of beads. You might (probably infact!) find that really scary for your special day! Add them in gentle proportions though - touches, not swarms, and you can still keep your big day classy.
Mardi Gras is exactly the time to embrace Pantones Colour of the Year 2018 - Ultra Violet. Historically, ultra violet has been associated with the spiritual and mystical (think amethyst crystals).
Pantone says the deep purple shade was chosen to evoke a ‘counterculture flair, a grab for originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking,’ which again, sounds like Mardi Gras! ”It’s a strong shade that combines strong purples and passionate reds, which gives the colour a ‘mystical quality'. "I see this as very much an optimistic color, an empowering color,” said Laurie Pressman, Vice President of Pantone. ”From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director
Themed weddings are a great way to inject personality into your wedding day, and for February I truly believe Mardi Gras is a brilliant idea, but even more so than other themes it's vital not to get carried away, turning your wedding day into the carnival parade. You could go find a purple wedding dress - but please don't! Find yourself your dream White or Ivory bridal gown that you would for a non themed wedding day, and stick to Mardi Gras for the decorations, menu, bridesmaids and/or flower girls to successfully blend the Mardi Gras theme with the elegance of a more traditional wedding.
As the bride you could simply add the Purple, Gold or Green into your Bridal Sash, Bouquet, Headpiece, Shoes or Wrist Corsage. For the male members of the wedding party, of course those colors can be incorporated in the cravats, cumber-bands and lapel pins.
Below are some suggestions of where you can inject the Mardi Gras theme. Please don't use them all though. Just select some of them. It's intended as a list of lot's of possibilities, not a shopping list to give your wedding planner. Select a few and you will have a fun filled, bright February wedding, on theme but not over the top. Be sure to do some of the cocktails though.
This post includes affiliate links - suggestions of items I've hunted out on the Internet for you. If you see anything you like, click the links and decide to buy the suggestion, then the retailer will give me a little commission (maybe even enough to buy a latte) to thank me.
Little Girls love dressing up, so the flower girls you can have a little fun with. They'll love you for giving them a Tutu dress to dance around in, and will even be very accepting of oodles of glitter, sequins, and puffy tulle - which perhaps the bridesmaids would not!.
The Flower Girls Dresses below are all available on Etsy, Amazon or other International Online Stores. Click each to go straight to their listings.
For a few years now brides have been opting for the bridal flower crown over traditional veils. I’m not going to recommend for the Bride of a Mardi Gras wedding, but do think you can consider for the Bridesmaids and Flower Girls.
On Etsy, Amazon or Ebay you will find one at every price point depending on quality, fabric and complexity – there’s plenty to choose from. Here are a few I’ve found in the punchy Mardi Gras colors but still subtle, delicate, and affordable price points.
Click on each image below to be taken direct to their online retailers:
There’s no denying that any deep jewel-toned dress looks stunning at a Winter or Spring wedding. Bridesmaids infinity dresses are super versatile dresses that you can wrap in several (appox 15) different ways. A great option as your Bridesmaids can keep to wear a different way on several later occasions and events.
The Ultra Violet Purple looks stunning on most people, but for contrast you could dress your bridesmaids in a different colour of Mardi Gras each in keeping with the Mardi Gras theme.
If you've chosen Flower Girls dresses in Sequins and Tulle, then of course beautiful gold sequin or beaded dresses would also be perfect for the Bridesmaids of a Mardi Gras Weddings. The Bridesmaids might not want their dresses with quite as much puffy tulle in the skirts - stick with full length beaded or sequin gowns for the bridesmaids.
Click on each dresses image below to be taken direct to the online stores:
Don't close down the page yet. When I say Mardi Gras accessories, I'm still thinking pretty. Do I suggest you wear the mini top hats with chunks of ostrich feathers fanning out the top and smothered in Craft store glitter? Of course not. Sure they may work for the carnival parade, but this is still your wedding day.
There are still feather accessories that feature the correct colors but with more "sweetness" than the traditional masks and headdresses worn at the carnival. Hair Clips, Fascinators, Bridal Sashes and Shoe Clips are all pretty bridal accessories that can be found in the Mardi Gras colors. Below are some of the best you'll find that won't make your Bridesmaids and Flower Girls feel like showgirls.
Click on each accessories image below to be taken direct to the online retailers:
View: Purple Mardi Gras Bridesmaids Fascinator (International). Also available in other colors (or request custom colors for your Bridesmaids).
View: Circular Soutache Earrings (International). Could they be any more perfect for Mardi Gras!
View: Dichroic Drop Earrings (USA). Perfect little gift for your Bridesmaids, that they will love to wear again anyday after your Wedding.
View: Purple Green Yellow Peacock Shoe Clips (International). Whispy Feather and Beaded Shoes Clips to accessorise the Bridal or Bridesmaids Shoes for Mardi Gras.
View: Soutache Earrings (International). Beautiful green and purple soutache earrings with chrysocolla and rhinestone.
A couple of final (but very important - THE BAR!) ideas for you.
If you're throwing a party for Mardi Gras then it's a given that the bar needs be full of Cocktails fitting to the bars of Bourbon Street, but not served in massive plastic tumblers. I'm no foodie or Cocktail expert (you wouldn't want to serve your guests drinks I'd thought up!), so I won't try giving you some of my recipes, but don't forget to have these covered.
So Mardi Gras is about Tossing Beads remember, but the "beads" your toss on your wedding day can be in / on your Bridal Bouquet. This one found on Etsy (click image to view) is made with Jewel Brooches, plus the flowers, and then dripping with beads a little nicer than the faux pearls strings you buy from the fancy dress or dollar stores.
If you're having a Wedding during Mardi Gras, then surely you need to represent it on the cake. I wouldn't want to totally ruin my cake with Jester Hats and Multi Colour Paper Venetian Masks mind, but a Gold Crown on the top would sit well. Click Image above (or here) to find this cheap but effective Cake Topper for Mardi Gras cakes.
Street Lights from Bourbon Street. If you can't get a venue in the French Quarter for your Mardi Gras wedding, (venues might be a little expensive down there at this time of year), then bring Bourbon Street to you. These Bourbon Street Light Place Card Holders are a really sweet nod to the historic place, famous for Mardi Gras and full of old-world charm.
Below is a Gallery of pretty Make Up you could use for adding Mardi Gras colors to yours, your Bridesmaids, and Mother of the Bride of your Bridal party:
View: Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Palette (International). Emerald Green eyeshadow palette, expertly curated by Huda herself, offering beauty lovers a stunning complete day-to-night green eye color. Great for Winter wedding, Mardi Gras wedding Bridesmaids.
View: Bourjois Gold It Eyeshadow Palette (USA). Ideal gold eyeshadow palette to prime, shadow, define and highlight.
View: Mac Glitter (USA). A glitter designed to be used directly on your skin or combined with products to create high-level glitter and sparkle effects on face, skin and hair.
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