A few more ideas...

An advice tree is always a way to engage your guests. They can leave you words of wisdom or wishes.

If you go with the pinwheel theme, you could use these adorable favor boxes for your guests, topped with a pinwheel!

Clear bulbs are a really inexpensive and beautiful way to decorate. Suspend with thick ribbon and fill with flowers, candy, ribbons, etc.

If you decide to do the mustache idea, you can get chocolate mustache molds and make lollipops. These are classic:

A black and white cupcake: White paper, white cake with an Oreo on the bottom! I can't wait to make these for a party!

Consider making some sort of "Thank You" sign for a a few pictures, then you can print them up for your thank you cards!

More charming black and white cakes!

This next idea is brilliant! First, you have your candy display table. Beautifully decorated.

Then, your guests find their "take home" box, displayed or set up however you wish and fill their boxes with candy for the ride home. LOVE this idea!

Have you thought about doing everything in black silhouettes? You can decorate your cake this way, frame silhouettes of a wedding cake, cupcake, rings, flowers, shoes, happy couple, temple, and etc.

Happy planning!

Black and White Ideas

Hi Jess,
Here are some ideas that I've gathered from my files (these are not my photos, though)--just some ideas to consider. From what I've seen of LDS weddings, temple and civil, they're always the "alike" and that gets old. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean. These ideas are not mainstream LDS (whew!) and they're whimsical and fun and most of these ideas are what current wedding coordinators are focusing on in terms of theme or design. So sit back and enjoy...

Theme 1: Carnival (you'll have to imagine these with a black and white theme)

The invitations are very exciting and circus-like in text choice and design:

The bouquet is made of paper flowers (stellar idea!!!)
You can raffle off the bouquet to the single ladies instead of a bouquet toss, using tickets.
You can also use the raffle tickets for small items for guests and/or children (centerpieces, lollipops, etc)

Use pinafores for labels, cone wrappers (EASY TO MAKE!) and serve popcorn. Another fun idea for a carnival theme is cotton candy.

Paper flag garland (you'll see more of it in this post) is not only easy and inexpensive to create (DIY!!!), but it makes a really fun statement. Not to mention, you can choose several different black and white patterned paper and create stunning decor.

Idea #2 (my favorite for the black and white theme) is Feathers

Feathers are HUGE in the wedding industry right now. Absolutely HUGE!
You can use birdcages, spray painted black (I'm an enthusiastic supporter of spray paint!), and "trap" your floral arrangements inside for creative and different centerpieces and decorations. Bird cages (without birds....NO BIRDS!!!) look stunning hanging from trees and tents as well!

One of my favorite ideas is to use the whimsical origami crane for decoration. They're easy to fold, once you get the hang of it, and they're an inexpensive DIY project. String them together, vertically, for hanging garland. When paired with the empty birdcages, it makes a really strong impact.

Origami cranes strung together...
Pair with a chandelier for lasting impact!

Just another example of how "feathers" might be incorporated into the theme:

Decorating the Bride!

I'm just assuming at this point that you've chosen a white dress. Now it's time to play up all that whiteness with your black accent color.

This first suggestion is BOLD and brilliant (and you could definitely carry this off, Jess!):

Use a black sash with a giant white flower to embellish a white dress.

Consider replacing the traditional white veil with a birdcage veil. Very chic. Very whimsical!

LOVE THIS:

This could be variations on the "Feathers" theme or just a really cool and different accent for your hair:

Having a little splash of black on your jewelry will also incorporate your colors (and it's a great piece you could wear anytime after the wedding too!). Or you could use the following ideas for your mother and mother-in-law or your sisters and sisters-in-law. You could do necklaces instead of corsages!

If you're going to have anyone serving your guests (dinner, cake or whatever), you might want to consider a polka-dot apron.

The Girls


You said you wanted FUN when it came to your wedding and what could be more fun that polka-dots??? Nothing, right?!

Pair this adorable shrug over...

....this AMAZING polka-dot dress for something that is whimsical (and modest!).

Solid black bridesmaid's dresses can be dressed up with a whit sash and white flowers (this would look great if your dress had the black sash and flowers)!

I love how this bride chose funky wrist corsages (black sash & flower) in lieu of bridesmaid's bouquets! Genius!

The GUYS

Mustaches are VERY BIG right now and they can be used as a whimsical accessory for the guys and the girls....and the guests! Let me explain a few different ways these mustaches can be used.
*First of all, they can be used in conjunction with either of the themes listed above!
*They can be used in floral centerpieces.
*They can be used by the groomsmen as a comical and whimsical accessory as they walk down the aisle.
*They can be used as functional decoration. Leave several on each of your tables for your guests to play with. If you leave a camera on each table, you're guaranteed to get some shots of your guests having fun with their mustaches!
*They can be used with a photo booth. Photo booths are makeshift and a fun alternative to a guest book or just a fun "activity" for your guests to participate in. You have one photographer stationed at the "photo booth" with a little backdrop. Guests can use mustaches, chalk boards w/messages, paper with sharpies, and leave the bride and groom picture messages, advice or just fun and silly pictures of their guests. I HIGHLY recommend doing this! Afterward, you can have all the pictures printed into a book and this whimsical and comical experience becomes an instant heirloom!

The ideas for black and white ties are endless! My favorite is to choose several different ties for the groom and his groomsmen. No two alike. Then pair the ties with a white shirt and suspenders. It puts a different spin on the traditional tux and trust me, the guys are much more comfortable!

The Flowers

Your bouquet can be accented with black ribbons, feathers, beads and a variety of fabrics!!!

A *FRESH* and everlasting alternative to the live bouquets is to use a creative paper bouquet. You can use different patterns of paper to create something unique!

An alternative to flowers is the pinwheel. Pinwheels are EASY to make, 100% fun, whimsical and more importantly, different that what you'll see at most weddings.

The pinwheel boutonniere! Love it!!!!

The Aisle

This couple used homemade kites and flowers as decoration and the result is awesome!!!

A variety of shapes, sizes and colors of paper lanterns (an ELEGANT and EASY way to decorate) makes this aisle look STUNNING!!!

Try something different. Another alternative to flowers...

Details

Table Settings & Decor

This is a brilliant idea and goes along P.E.R.F.E.C.T.L.Y with your black and white colors: A crossword puzzle! Place these at your guests tables to help engage their attention and interest. They're great conversation starters too!

You're getting married in October, so why not incorporate the traditional pumpkins in a non-traditional way: with paint and some vinyl lettering. You could also do vinyl silhouettes.

Turn a traditional wedding accessory on it's head. Literally.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!!! Group funky wine goblets for a whimsical and genius way to incorporate candles and flowers. Your guests will love it!

Candelabras make stunning centerpieces and opportunities for decor. Just spray paint them black!!! bold patterned runners on plain white table clothes make a strong statement and they're EASY TO MAKE. DIY!

One thing that I've seen TOO MUCH of at LDS weddings and receptions is the tired-old mirrored centerpieces. This one, however, incorporates height and fullness in the floral arrangement and that is offset by the height and simplicity of the candles. If you're going to use mirrors, do it the right way and not the cheap way. :)

Suspending decor from the ceiling or from trees is an inexpensive and bold way to decorate.

Big pom-poms and lanterns have a BIG impact on without breaking the bank.

Combining shapes and widths of ribbon and streamers can be charming:

Getting scrappy and or graphic (letters and numbers) is another way to decorate:

I love the idea of using a hutch/cabinet...

Cupcakes are HUGE right now. HUGE in the wedding industry. If you choose to do cupcakes, consider these easy to make cupcake sleeves in your signature black and white:

Another idea is to use plain old circles in a fresh and creative way. This would be SO EASY to make, not to mention inexpensive, and the impact is WOWZA!

Use balloons in a similar way. You could use iridescent white and black/silver balloons. Throw in a few clear balloons for an unexpected break in pattern. Notice the pinwheels on the cake below. Is that not CHARMING????!!!!

Steal a page from Carisa's playbook and incorporate a candy table. Your guests and the children would LOVE it! And you could use some of the earlier elements in this post to decorate the table (birdcages, candelabras, mustache-floral arrangements. The candy can be M&Ms, licorice, jordan almonds, salt water taffy, lollipops, and etc.

Incorporate stripes into your decor. Here again are the paper flags and a whimsical candy table display:

Instead of candy, you could have a custom cookie and/or pastry table:

Instead of the traditional cake table, you can incorporate a whole lot of sugar goodies onto one table in a stunning display. These displays are becoming more and more popular in the wedding industry!

Cake!

Let them eat cake! Lots of cakes. Different heights, flavors and decoration. This is something that Natalie did at her wedding and it was really fun!

Pair cupcakes with a smaller wedding cake for a nice combination that accommodates the traditional cake cutting for the bride and groom and whimsical cupcakes for your guests.

I LOVE the idea of four different wedding cakes. Same size and shape. Different decoration (and probably different flavors).

This is a really classy and easy idea for a smaller cake (you could do it on a larger cake too). Wrap each fondant-frosted layer with a simple black sash. Adorn one layer with a simple ribbon, jewel or flower.

This would be the PERFECT bride and groom cake if you go with the multiple cakes idea or the one cake with cupcakes for the guests:

Chalkboards!!!!
The ultimate in black and white decor, chalkboards lend themselves to HUNDREDS of uses at a wedding, from the whimsical, to the informative. You can frame chalkboards in funky and/or antique frames for a more formal look.

The chalkboard photo booth idea:

And last but not least, ladders are simple graphic structures that have a big impact. Paint them black or white. Suspend lanterns, twinkle lights, origami cranes, chalkboards or pictures (with or without frames) from the rungs of each ladder.

I hope these ideas help! These are the BEST OF THE BEST that I have seen!