Do you want a dreamy and romantic wedding? Do you want your wedding theme to be lifted off the pages of William Shakespeare’s magical play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Wouldn’t it be great to have this mystical play become a part of your “big performance?” Well, it can! From setting, color scheme, invitations, décor, favors, entertainment, food, beverage, and cake — here are some ideas to help you get started on your dream wedding. You, too, can have a wedding similar to Shakespeare’s passionate characters, Theseus and Hippolyta!
Do you want your wedding to take place in a similar setting as the play? Well, picture a dense forest, with a clearing, and a trickling creek, or stream. How romantic and what a perfect setting for your themed wedding! However, I hate to bring you back down from your clouds, but you must remember – – we are not at camp! Even though a location is perfect for your theme, you still need all the logistics, to make your guests comfortable. For example, bathrooms! Don’t want your event to be outdoors? An indoor venue will work as well! Just add potted plants, trees, a trickling fountain, and gobo lighting, to create a “woodsy” atmosphere.
What colors should you use for your color scheme? Pick three earthy jewel tones such as: cream, gold, silver, lavender, yellow, dark purple, dark blue, royal blue, light blue, brown, sage green, moss green, forest green, and burgundy. Remember – – when you are choosing your colors, pick lighter colors during spring/summer and darker colors for the fall/winter season!
What to pick for your wedding stationary? Pick woodsy, nature, or fairy tale inspired invitations. “Be in Love Designs” has an excellent custom fairy invite. Also, “Wedding Paper Divas” has an excellent selection of woodsy stationary. My favorite, for this theme, is their “Storybook Vine.” Want to add some “love-in-idleness,” to your stationary? Add pearlescent, silver, or gold glitter, to your invites!
Need some décor ideas? First, let’s pick a color scheme, for this demonstration! Since the location has a lot of muted earthy tones, let’s add some color and glimmer, to create a dreamy fairytale atmosphere! I recommend dark purple, moss green, and gold. Set up a variety of tables, in a forest clearing or room. Dress the tables with moss crushed shimmer table linen and blackberry crushed shimmer napkins. Then, add gold chargers to every place setting. Pick a gold chair, with moss green cushions, wrap the chair with a dark purple crushed shimmer runner, then tie the runner with raffia, and then , for a final touch, add dried wild flowers or herbs to the knot. Add several gold glass votive candle holders, with moss green or dark purple candles to the table. For a final touch, fold the linen napkins in a pocket or lily napkin fold. Place the folded napkin, with menu, on top of the charger. Then, add a sprig of wild flowers or herbs on top of the menu and napkin. Are you having assigned sitting? Instead of numbering each table, name the tables after a character or quote from the play.
Need centerpiece ideas? First, some flower suggestions: roses, berries, mums, and any bell shaped flower. Or, you might want to introduce herbs such as: rosemary, thyme, lavender, chive, marjoram, sage, and parsley. Need centerpiece ideas? Well, here are three options! First centerpiece, pick three medium terra cotta pots, spray paint the pots gold, and cover pots with moss. Choose a variety of dark purple, green flowers, and vine greenery. Add the three completed pots to each table. Second centerpiece, I suggest tall clear glass vases. In the glass containers, add flowers and berries and float them in some water. Put large branches, in the vases. Have vines and flowers crawling up the branches. Introduce color flowers and moss to the opening of the vase. Add crystals and glass candle holders, with colored candles, to the end of the branches. For the final centerpiece idea, pick terra cotta bowls. Spray paint the bowl gold and add moss. Fill the bowl with water; add lily pads, and floating candles. Want to add some whimsy to your centerpieces? Add small butterflies or fairies to your design!
Want wedding favor ideas for this theme? Do you want your guests doting over their partners? How about the love potion or “love-in-idleness,” that made the characters in the play fall in love? Find small glass bottles, at any craft store. Print out some personal labels reading, “Love Juice,” your names, and wedding date.” Fill the bottles with scented oil, for example lavender oil. For a final touch, tie a sprig of wild flowers around the top of the bottle, with raffia.
Who to hire for entertainment? Hire musicians that can play instruments of the Elizabethan era. For example: the lute, harp, flute, fife, cittern, orpharion, bandora, bagpipes, organ, harpsichord, shawms, recorders, cornetti, trombone, and krumhorns. Want a unique way to introduce the wedding party? Have trumpeters announce you! And don’t forget to have your entertainment play “The Wedding March!” This song was originally composed for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in 1842!
What type of menu do you offer your guests? How about a feast fit for a duke?! During this era, lamb, beef, turkey, and fish were on the menu. Pair these entrees with potatoes and carrots. Other than wedding cake, what other dessert options can you offer? Set up a dessert table with nice selection of pastries, tarts, custard, crystallized fruit, and marzipan. What beverages do you offer? Wine and ale of course!
We couldn’t forget the most important element – – the cake! I would pick a gold fondant or butter cream wedding cake. Add delicate moss green and dark purple gum paste flowers and vines . For a final touch, add a single butterfly or small fairy . To stay true to the era, don’t add a fruit filling to your cake. I would offer a simple cake, for example almond or carrot cake.
If Felix Mendelssohn’s, “The Wedding March,” was good enough for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, then the play and song are the perfect pair for your wedding theme! From setting, color scheme, invitations, décor, favors, entertainment, food, beverage, and cake, these ideas could create your dream wedding! Then, when the final curtain falls, it will be time for you to live happy ever after!
Sources:
Dreamy Decorations for A Midsummer Night’s Dream Wedding Party, www.bellenza.com
Midsummer Night’s Dream Favor Ideas,” www.favorideas.com
Rose Smith, “Fairy Theme Wedding: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Wedding, www.wedthemes.com
“Music in the Elizabethan Era,” en.wikipedia.org
“Elizabethan Food,” www.elizabethi.org
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
