Decor Inspiration! Wedding Parasols

Summer weddings are nearly upon us and with couples planning outdoor ceremonies in the sticky and humid Tennessee heat, a shady solution is in order for your wedding guests.  Pretty and practical, wedding parasols are versatile in more ways than one.  Read on as I count the ways you can incorporate wedding parasols into your wedding decor.

Shade from the Sun (and random raindrops!).  This one seems the most obvious but if you have left me to bake under the sun at your Tennessee nuptials in July, I am not a happy wedding camper.  Stage a basket (Can you steal Mom's wicker hamper?  Perfect!) and fill it with pretty paper parasols for guests to grab as they find their seat at your wedding ceremony.  Better yet coordinate the color to fit your wedding theme or location and guests will be sitting pretty.  

Swap your bouquets.  Talk about a money saver here!  Rather than carry a floral bouquet, consider parasols.  I found custom, hand painted parasols at Esty.com for $40 at most. Bridesmaids could go with an even less expensive option as part of a bulk purchase.  Hidden behind the drama of open parasols, the bride can walk down the aisle in grand style, only to be revealed with full pomp and circumstance at the last minute.  This bridal party did just that, hiding the bride until the very end with coordinating parasols.  Love it!

Picture Perfect Photo Props.  Say that three times fast...  Maybe this is silly but I am sort of in love with shots of happy couples stealing a secret kiss behind a parasol or umbrella.  I would look to your photography for ideas here but check out these shots of past real weddings.  An open parasol adds drama to your bridal party pictures with a shot of unexpected color.

Decorative Impact.  Like paper lanterns, parasols can work the WOW factor of your reception decor from every angle.  Consider lining a walkway with luminary inspired parasols or hang them from the ceiling as a focal point over your head table or dance floor.  Smaller, mini-parasols can provide structure for table centerpieces.  These work particularly well with Asian themed weddings but be mindful to use parasols in moderation.  With any wedding inspiration piece, less is more.

AND... Parasols are budget friendly to brides looking to cut costs with their wedding decor.  Paper parasols are available in every color of the rainbow with varying shapes and sizes.  Bulk pricing will generally run you $5-$10 each (plus shipping) but a savvy bride make sure her parasols do double duty.  Tie a simple single page wedding program to the handle or upgrade to a nylon parasol for guests to keep as a favor.  Asianideas.com and LunaBazar.com are two great sites to get started but visit the classifieds at Weddingbee.com for super savvy brides that have parasols for resale after their own wedding.

Are you love with wedding parasols or have great ways your incorporated them into your own wedding decor?  Leave a comment below!