There is something to be said for using colors that break from the norm. Like using a red wedding theme. Everyone can have that same old white, or black and white, or ivory.. not that those aren't beautiful, but come on, t.i.r.e.d. Let's face it, we're in a new millennium about to hit the first decade. The last millennium, well they changed the world of women's fashion forever.

In the first part of the 1900s women were wearing restrictive clothing that covered the ankles, squished your girly parts into oblivion and in general were thick, uncomfortable, heavy and oppressing (yes I know those are some of the same terms). In the second decade of the 1900s hemlines rose a little bit, skirts began to come in a little more and the pencil skirt was making it's debut! The 1920s was the drop waist dress, and then women went from wearing 3/4 length dresses to skirts above the knee. The equivalent of going from a whole piece swimsuit with cover to a thong string bikini. The 2000s are going to break some traditions too and it's starting with wearing red wedding gowns. This is a relatively new trend that is just in the beginning stages of a real fashion momentum. And it's about time.

Red is sexy. Red is vibrant. Red is passion, love and romance. It's hot and sophisticated. It's everything you want in a bridal gown and theme. If you want to see some great red wedding gowns, you can visit House of BridesSave an Additional 5% off Already Discounted Hot Red Wedding Dresses. Enter Coupon Code: LOVE14 – Expires 3/1/09, they have an entire section on red dresses and wow are they sublime.

A red wedding theme can incorporate all of those things. Romance, passion, sophistication, sexiness etc. is all part of the package when choosing the different shades of red. And there are hundreds of different shades. You can use different colors for vintage themes, country themes, modern, contemporary, patriotic or just a color theme like burgundy and navy or purple, red and black.

Red goes with so much and looks so great with everything. It's both masculine and feminine. That means the bride can wear red and the groom can wear a red cummerbund or ascot, in order to fit the theme. Dresses can be accented in red or full on, in your face, look-out-here-we-come red.

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There is a smorgasbord of red out there, so don't be afraid to experiment with your theme. Here are some ideas to get you inspired:

1. Bride wearing a red wedding dress? Put the bridesmaids in ivory and the groom in black. Add some chic black accessories and an ivory veil with red ribbon trim! Mix up the bouquets with white roses and black Callas, mm mm mm lovely. A little black goes a long way in making the wedding more modern.

2. Red bridesmaid dresses? Make the bride stand out in an off white dress with a red sash a la Vera Wang. Add a little navy and put the groom in a suit, and you've got a lovely undertone of a nautical theme, but not in-your-face style, just more subtle.

3. Modern looks require clean lines and sophisticated cuts. Go for bateau or halter necklines and sheath dresses. Think Audrey Hepburn meets Angelina Jolie. Clean lines puts that handsome groom in a suit, rather than a tux. For flowers, the Dahlia screams modern in my opinion, it's also a lovely shade of red that makes your go "ahhh". I like going "ahhh".

4. Vintage themes deserve some brighter colors. For a 50s theme try rockabilly dresse with white polka dots for the bridesmaids. If you've got a hankerin' (excuse the hillybilly, I have a little Atlanta in my bloodline), for some gorgeous vintage gowns you can try Unique-Vintage.com, I'm in love with their dresses. They have some really awesome looks over there. H.A.W.T! (in capital letters)

5. Make it a fun and funky red wedding theme with some cheesy hearts and roses. If you're that fun couple that loves to do the unexpected, really cheese it up with candy hearts, red and white roses and some fun short red bridesmaid dresses.

As always find some great things for your wedding on Amazon.

Picking out your flowers and wondering what is available? There are hundreds of choices, but just choosing flowers isn't enough. A red wedding flower can go anywhere and be bundled in many different ways. Another thing to think about is what flowers compliment the main flowers for the red wedding bouquets and what works with your red wedding dresses and red bridesmaid dresses.

On the red weddings homepage you can find a list of red flowers for weddings (and other ceremonies). There are such a plentiful amount of blossoms that it may be difficult to pick just a few! Roses even have different shades of red, if you can believe that.
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There is no right or wrong flower, the only things that should matter is taste and cost. I found it really difficult to pick the flowers because they were so beautiful, but the Calla Lily spoke to me so that's what I chose. Sometimes it's all about what jumps out and says "pick me! pick me!". I can show you hundreds of pictures, but the bottom line is you'll probably need to visit a florist and smell, feel and smell some more, in order to make your selection. Which brings up another point: how to find cheaper flowers.

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When you begin shopping for your red wedding flowers, there are many options to get a good deal. Don't be afraid to ask for a deal, and offer one yourself in exchange. If you have an especially large wedding (many guests), you can offer to put the name of the florist prominently on the wedding program (or invitations), in exchange for a large discount. It really isn't worth it to advertise a company for a small discount and I'll tell you why. You can buy your flowers wholesale at the flower markets and hire a couple of people to put the bouquets and vases together. You would be amazed at the amount you can save doing just that. For inspiration, you can visit websites for ideas on their floral arrangements and bouquet images. I've put together some ideas from Flickr and there are loads of books and videos on how to put them together.

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Some of the red wedding flowers you'll want to look at are:
All season flowers: Chrysanthemum, Carnations, Gladiolus, Orchids, Calla, Roses (these are generally in bloom because of florist farmers, remember that the harder flowers to grow are the more expensive. The rare the bloom the higher the tally.

Winter: Amaryllis, Anemones, Ranunculus, Poinsettia
Springtime: Anemones, Ranunculus, tulips, sweetpeas
Summer: Dahlias, Gerbera, Trumpet Lilies, Asiatic Lilies, Tiger Lilies
Autumn: Dahlias, Zinnias, Gerberas, Marigolds

Amaryllis -These beautiful flowers are also called Belladonna Lilies and bloom in colder weather. They have some lovely colors, including red. A rather large flower, the Amaryllis can be up to 10 cm in diameter. Unless you want a huge bouquet, you'll want to keep the number to a minimum. Go wild with the centerpieces though!
Anenomes - Choose this flower for its beauty and the cute nickname (buttercups), but not for its meaning. The symbol of the Anemones is "forsaken" or "dying hope" (according to wikipedia), but then again Wiki says it can also mean "anticipation". Not sure how those work in conjunction, but these flowers are so pretty in red, they're a little hard to resist.

Ranunculus - Another "buttercup" relative, the ranunculus is a sweet little bud that most people associate with a bright yellow. Some of the flowers that are included in this genus are the spearworts, water crowfoots and of course, buttercups.

Poinsettia - In the states this gorgeous flower is associated with Christmas, which is kind of strange since it blooms in the tropical weather. It's actually quite a lovely flower in beautiful reds with lovely blossoms. I think it's perfect for any time of year, personally.

Tulips - These are some of the lovliest flowers and so sweet. They smell divine and really brighten any room. A very uplifting flower in my opinion.

Sweetpea - A very pretty and delicate flower, the sweetpea is actually very small and viny. Making it a lovely choice for a draping bouquet or table decoration.

Dahlia - This is such a cool and funky flower it's perfect for any wedding that is off beat or formal. The blossoms are so incredibly gorgeous and I love it as the perfect red wedding flower.

Gerbera - These flowers have a lot of differetn variations from daisies to sunflowers. It makes imagining the red blossom very easy when you can picture those types of petals.

Chrysanthemum - A lovely bushy blossom has some variations of red that will knock your socks off. It's really an amazing looking flower and fits in well with other flowers.

Asiatic Lily - Very gorgeous but have no smell. That actually can be a bonus for a wedding since many people have allergies to the fragrances.

Zinnias - Not the most common flower, it's nonetheless not so expensive, mainly because it's grown throughout Mexico and the southern US. They're quite a pretty red flower for weddings.

Marigolds - Love the smell or hate it? It's really a personal choice on the marigold. They have such a strong scent. I, personally, love the smell. Other than the smell they're a small and bushy petaled flower that look really sensational. An added bonus is they have a natural blend of colors.

Gladiolus - I can't explain why, but these flowers always make me think of the 1920s and 30s. Very beautiful and a quirky little plant at the same time, gladiolas (as some of us call them), have a really interesting growth pattern which makes them ideal for table decorations and hanging bouquets.

Carnations - I love these flowers, one of the really cool things that I've seen done with them is covering circles or square in the flower and making a sort of wrapping paper of flowers. It's a really cool and unique idea for bouquets and centerpieces.

Roses - Very traditional and some amazingly lovely shades of red are available. Probably the cheapest flower that also is elegant and fragrant.

For bouquets or table centerpieces you can consider adding cranberries, holly, baby's breath, beads, as well.

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How-to-do Wedding: Real Weddings

red Gerbera wedding bouquet

red carnation rose courtesy of Sharon Event

red calla bouquet

Red Wedding Flower: Ranunculus

Poinsettia red wedding flower

Gladiolus red wedding flower

red wedding bouquet Dahlia

Red Zinnia Bouquet Red

Red Wedding Bouquet Chrysanthemum