The Monogram Theme Wedding

Monograms are a huge trend in weddings, to the point where they feature strongly in some, and in others, provide the actual theme. And what's not to like about monograms? They're elegant, understated, versatile, and a dramatic visual reminder of your new life together.

Ideas for including monograms

You'll find them popping up in more and more places throughout the reception, and sometimes even prior to it. Here are some ways that brides include monograms:

- embossed, stamped or printed bridal stationary

- custom postage stamps (see www.funstamps.com)

- stationary seals or stickers

- painted aisle runners

- printed bridal bouquet ribbons

- bridal underwear or garter

- bridal handkerchief

- accent to bridal train, veil or gown

- ring bearer's pillow

- stamped or printed out-of-town bags

- bridesmaids' totes

- guestbook

- engraved guestbook pen

- tablecloths

- chair covers

- place cards and menus

- cocktail napkins

- coasters

- centerpieces

- engraved cake server set

- cake embellishment

- wood, wire, metal, chocolate or acrylic monogram cake topper

- monogram wreaths of silk or real flowers

- fabric wall or door banners

- champagne flutes

- bottled water labels

- "tears of joy" packs

- monogrammed wedding favors: cookies, ornaments, shot glasses, votive candles, chocolates, petit fours, notepads, favor boxes

- dance floor "gobo" projections

How do I get a monogram?

You make it! Many brides find they can "roll their own" using a readily-available software program such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. If you're a graphic designer or have access to high-end tools, you'd probably prefer Adobe Illustrator, but Word or PowerPoint are also fine. If you've played around but don't like the results, call on an arty friend.

To design your monogram in Microsoft Word:

Choose Insert -> Textbox. Type and format the letter the way you like it. Do this three times. Now click on all textboxes and choose Format->Textbox. Choose Color: No Fill (so you can overlap letters) and Line: No Line. Select all letters, right click, and choose Group to lock in the arrangement. You can now copy your image into Microsoft Paint and save in several formats, such as JPEG.

To design your monogram in PowerPoint:

You'll want to use "Word Art" to create your letters. Click on the blue tilted "A" on the bottom toolbar for each letter. Format them to your liking. When you're done designing, select all the letters, right-click, and choose Grouping->Group. Now you can click on your image and right-click for Save as Image. PowerPoint lets you save directly in formats like JPEG, PNG and TIFF.

Some more design tips:

The bride's initial goes first in a monogram. When the bride takes the groom's last name, the order is: bride's first initial, shared last initial (usually larger), groom's first initial.

If the bride keeps her own last name, one option is four-initial monogram (bride's first, bride's last, groom's last, groom's first). Or just join the couple's first names with an ampersand (Jenny & Mike).

Some etiquette tips:

It's somewhat frowned upon to use your couples monogram before you're actually married. So, your reception's clearly a green light, but you might want to skip using it on your invites. The ceremony itself is sort of a Ms. Manners gray area. Some brides uphold the spirit (if not the letter) of the "law" by including the monogram in a not-so-public ceremonial spot, such as a garter, or inside the dress.

Of course, these being modern times, some brides just include the monogram wherever and whenever they want.

Great places to get the fancy fonts brides crave, for free:

www.dafont.com/en/

www.chank.com/freefonts.php

www.abstractfonts.com/fonts/< /p>

instant.coffeecup.com/content/fonts/

www.1001freefonts.com

DIY monogrammed aisle runner

It's not hard to create your own monogrammed aisle runner, and it makes a big splash. If you have a sewing machine, you can buy and hem the fabric for next to nothing. Now you just need some fabric paint in black or your wedding colors, a pencil, an exacto knife and some cardstock. You also need to decide where you want to place the monogram. Some aisle runners feature a monogram at the bottom, where the procession begins; the top, where the couple stands; and in the middle.

Print out your monogram and blow it up to your desired size on a copying machine. (If your aisle fabric is on the sheer side, you can now trace your monogram directly onto the fabric with pencil. Fill in with fabric paint, and you're done.) Otherwise, tape the enlarged monogram onto the cardstock and cut out the shape with an exacto knife. Trace inside your new template lightly with pencil. Fill in with fabric paint. Follow the same procedure to make your own monogrammed table runners or even chair covers.

The dance floor monogram

A dramatic and memorable way to include your monogram is to project it onto the dance floor during the reception. As fun as this is, though, it's not cheap and sometimes not easy. To project a monogram, you need to buy a custom metal plate, called a "gobo." Custom gobo manufacturers are easily found online. The gobo itself usually costs over $100, but once made, you then need specific lights equipped with a pattern holder to use the gobo. It's possible that your venue, or your DJ, will be able to provide these lights or help you locate a place from which to rent them.

A final tip

Now that you have some ideas for incorporating monograms in your wedding, remember the essence of elegance is restraint. It's easy to overdo monograms, so mix them up contrasting touches, such as soft and romantic floral arrangements, to warm up the monogram's cool and classic feel.

About the Author Blake Kritzberg is editor at "FavorIdeas.com." Stop by for a huge selection of wedding favors, Bridezilla's weekly adventures, and free resources for brides: save-the-date eCards, screensaver, wallpaper and web site templates. http://www.favorideas.com

spring cleaning service Glenview ..

In The News:

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

The Monogram Theme Wedding

Marriage & Wedding