Brides who turn to butterflies as a wedding theme (or just a delightful accent) have all kinds of visions when it comes to their special day.
Still,there's a common thread. Most are charmed by this small creature's fairy wings ... not to mention its timeless ties to life transformations and happy marriages.
Butterfly Themes in a Nutshell
Butterfly brides are a creative lot, drawing from all kinds of inspirations.
Fans of pure
white, for example, might combine white nylon butterflies with porcelain placecards and calla lily bouquets.
Garden lovers might blend more colorful winged creatures with table lanterns, herbs in terra-cotta pots, and romantic votives that hang from bare-branch centerpieces.
A springtime bride might pair butterflies with blossoming branches and pastel petit fours, while a bride who's planning a summertime wedding with a funky, modern vibe might weave them in with colorful ribbons and eye-popping Gerber daisies.
High-Flying Attire
Popular accents for a butterfly bride include pretty silver and rhinestone jewelry sets, crystal butterfly hairpins and hair combs. Another popular touch is to pin a Swarovski crystal butterfly brooch to a sash at the waist, or at the base of the neckline in a V-neck or halter top bodice.
A single fabric butterfly is a lovely way to set apart a groom's boutonnière. As for bridesmaids, try gifting them with crystal butterfly brooches of their own, pinned to lusciously long satin sashes with the ends trailing down near the hem of their gowns. No sashes? Ornament their hand-tied blooms with sparkling crystal bouquet jewels.
A Fabulous Flower Girl
Have fun with your flower girl! All by herself, she can carry out some of your wedding's most ooh-and-ahh-worthy moments. Choices that range from adventurous to subtle: dress her in a pair of gauzy wings, or give her a pretty white butterfly net tricked out with flowers and ribbons to walk down the aisle with. Or, have a pair of flower girls carry adorable pink and
green pomanders bedecked with butterflies.
Want to stick with the classic? Simply pin a butterfly brooch to a white satin petal basket that's filled with silk butterfly petals instead of the usual rose petals.
Favorite Favors
The most beloved favors for butterfly weddings often reflect a garden theme. Plantable favors, often embedded with no-fuss wildflower seeds that come up a treat, top the list. Romantic crystal butterfly votives are another favorite, especially for brides with a fairytale bent. An elaborate frosted butterfly cookie in a cello bag, placed on each guest's plate with a smattering of rose petals, looks and tastes divine.
Divinely-Designed Tables
The butterfly's ephemeral charms are a gorgeous thing to pair with long, fluttery ribbons and sun-kissed garden flowers. Want this lucky little creature to help guide guests to their seats? Pin a nylon butterfly to every escort card for a table full of wings. Or even more dramatically, hang long satin ribbons in your colors from a clothesline, and pin die-cut butterfly cards down the ribbons.
A butterfly-trimmed birdcage makes a classic, feminine container for cards, while pale pink parasols and colorful ribbon wands fill out the scene. For a little animatronic drama, try adding an electric-powered butterfly to photo or guestbook tables.
Butterfly brides with a garden theme find these tiny creatures look smashing with traditional cottage flowers such as ivory hydrangeas and fluffy peonies, anchored with gorgeous green or hot-pink amaranthus. Surround your main florals with small table lanterns, and terra-cotta pots filled with lavender, thyme and other aromatic herbs. You can even wire delicate fabric butterflies to your wine glass stems. And instead of emphasizing your focal points with scattered rose petals, use silk butterfly petals.
Small potted trees and bare branch arrangements make great scaffolding for butterflies, too. Try hanging romantic votive mini-lanterns from the branches of a centerpiece, punctuated by few sweet butterflies. Or instead of votives, combine your winged things with cherry blossoms. Butterfly cards and cherry blossoms make for a gorgeous wishing tree, too.
Even something as small as table napkins can create lasting memories. Emphasize your garden style by tucking herbs or lavender into linen folds. Or use a beaded butterfly napkin ring to dress up rolled napkins. Still not enough drama? Look into Magic Flyers: mechanized wind-up butterflies that flutter out from a folded napkin when your guests prepare to tuck in.
Butterfly Releases: Yay or Nay?
It may be controversial, but for some brides, a butterfly release is a non-negotiable part of their wedding. While some people say the practice is a bad idea, the reality is probably more nuanced. Still, whenever dealing with live creatures, it's crucial to choose an educated, reputable supplier who knows butterflies inside and out. Do your homework, get recommendations from people who have actually done it, and avoid suppliers who over-romanticize the process, or instruct you to hand out butterflies in little glassine envelopes, which can easily harm their wings.
While some people feel butterfly releases are insensitive, others point out that butterflies are an important renewable resource in some countries, which give local farmers an alternative to cutting down rain forests. Ultimately, the choice is up to you.
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June 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
clarissa, have you checked out butterfly-wish.com? they provide great live butterflies for release. I used them at our daughters wedding as a centerpiece and it was beautiful. at the end we released them and it was so much fun!
June 12th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
What about getting butterfly patches at the craft section and sewing them on yourself if you are using cloth napkins.
June 9th, 2008 at 7:56 am
www.magicflyer.com is the only place I have found for the napkin butterflies but they’re expensive.
If anyone has any other ideas?
Sarah
June 9th, 2008 at 2:18 am
looking for flying butterflies to come out of napkins at reception
any help truly appreciated.
thanx
kimmy
May 27th, 2008 at 3:07 am
hi,im planning 2 hv my wedding in december & my theam is buterfly. my colours are gonna be bottle green with matt gold. please give some ideas with designing my cake, wedding cards and table decorations.
thanx!!!
April 1st, 2008 at 11:21 am
We have kind of decided the date. I have an idea of having a butterfly themed wedding with blue & silver with a touch of glod could you help out in designing theme any help would be appereciated.
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Does anybody know any ideas on butterfly center pice?
March 19th, 2008 at 7:47 am
where cn i get the paper butterflys that fly out the servats on the tables for my wedding
February 28th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Hey, I found some really pretty butterlies made of feathers and covered in glitter at JoAnn Fabrics yesterday! Some had clips on them and some had long wires you could use to attach them to things!
February 18th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
hi, I wanted to know where can I find that light blue butterfly on top of the bouquet and at the corner of that white cake. I will really appreciate . Thanks
February 3rd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Am getting married in August and have a blue butterfly theme. Stuck on flower ideas, have hayfever so may have to have silk flowers but can’t decide what flowers to have?
January 2nd, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Im am having a butterfly theme for my wedding. My colors are watermelon pink and rose petal pink. I need centerpiece ideas…. Please Help Me….
Thanks
August 16th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
www.flyingbutterfly.com/FB/default.htm
here is a site I found that has them. They are expensive, but the shipping is cheaper. If you are having only a few guests, it might be cheaper to get them here because of shipping.
August 16th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
www.magicflyer.com
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
I found some of the wind-up butterflies at www.flutteringdetails.com. Hope that helps!!
June 5th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
i saw these wind up butterflies several years ago at a hallmark store. you might find out if they still have them available. they were sent in cards.
April 27th, 2007 at 8:39 am
On a wedding channel a few months ago i saw wind up butterflys that were put in the napkins. as the guests opened them they flutterd out. Whare can I get some ?
April 11th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Im looking for fuschia pink butterflies to decorate my cards with. Any idea where i can find them? Many thanx
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:21 am
Can anyont tell me where to get silver butterflies for my bouquets?
March 29th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Danielle, Nora you can get them at magicflyer.com
I hope that helps
Have a wonderful wedding
March 29th, 2007 at 1:30 am
I would like to know where to get the wind up butterflies also. My wedding is on June 9th, and I have been looking for butterfly decorations EVERYWHERE. I am really starting to get stressed out, so any help would be great.
Thanks.
March 28th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
i too am looking for the wind up butterfly bookmarks… i know that hallmark carries them , but i would like to directly order from the manufacturer.. please if you can help… i havent been able to locate them anywhere… on the net..
March 25th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
rhiannon, can you tell me where to find your silver butterflies for my bouquets? I am doing pink and butterflies also.
March 19th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I’m also looking for the wind-up butterflies. Known as book butterflies. I only found one site with them and they are expensive.
March 19th, 2007 at 11:37 am
hi Sharan,
I’m looking for the butterflies that are wound up too, can u pls let me know when you find out where..
Thanks!!
March 13th, 2007 at 5:22 am
hey, im an aussie girl who is having a buterfly themed wedding and im having hot pink oreiental lillies as my flowers, with silver butterflies, throughout the bouquets, with the flower arrangements on tables, etc, just to break up the brightness of the pink, hope that could help a little
February 19th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Was wondering if anyone knew where I could buy butterfly decorations, the ones what a wound up on a rubber band and when opened the fly up.
Eg. You hind them in the napkin and when napkin is opened the little butter fly will fly into the air
January 31st, 2007 at 5:38 am
i want to incorporate red roses with butterflies wedding theme? any ideas?
January 29th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Also, found some pink butterfly wedding accessories here:
pink butterflies
January 21st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Gerbers would be gorgeous! You could have a “pastel pink on hot pink” theme with butterflies and gerbers. Or try soft pink roses (classic) or pink hydrangeas (more casual but very romantic). If you wanted something chic and mod you could swag feather boas (pink or white) around head chairs, guest book tables, so on, and attach silk butterflies to the swags.
January 12th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Pink butterflys would look great with Gerbra Daisys
January 9th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
im have a pink butterflies theme and want any pink ideas..