I would like to incorporate ladybugs into my wedding very subtly... any ideas??

A tiny little embroidered lady bug on the train of your veil or dress would be cute. It does not have to be in red and black, it could be in the color of your dress, and if your dress is white, it could be in white. Same thing if you have a petticoat. Now on the garter, make it as loud and lavish as you wish, do ladybugs to your hearts content, just be sure that the dress or petticoat does not get hung up on it, and cause your dress to hitch up over that leg.

Put one little bug on the flowers at the reception tables, or a little one on the cake.

Wrap your favors in purchased or homemade bug wrapping paper, or buy a gift bag, and find some ladybug stickers[or draw them yourself]. Or, just stick a bug on a label or little gift card, maybe explaining the meaning of the ladybug. [stickers at craft stores, scrapbooking stores. As many stickers as Michaels has, surely they have a ladybug. And surely somebody has little bugs in 3d that look like the real thing.

If you look around a bit, you might find bug stuff, with collecting being the in thing to do, you might happen on something.Who knows, a ladybug shaped keepsake box, or a candle. Check out the dollar stores for stuff, too. They have cheap little china statues, you might find a flower with a ladybug on it.

You could even put a little bug on your invites or reception card, talk to your printer. And check out the craft stores, they might have a stamp you could use.

And check out costume jewelry and bead stores, you never know.

PS, the bead store in my town has ladybug beads. If they have them, other stores will too, they all order their stuff from the same places.

If you have programs, there, too. And if you wish to make a game out of find the ladybugs, cute. And if you want to put something about GrandDad and ladybugs on the programs, that too.

And put one on your bouquet, where it will will be held close to your heart. and carry a white hanky, with a white embroidered ladybug. My cousin had a hanky from her Grandmother woven into her bouquet.

You have gotten alot of good ideas so far! I like the idea of having one or two on the flowers in the bouquets and centerpieces. You could have some small, framed notes saying something like "Susan remembers fondly watching the ladybugs in the spring with her beloved grandfather, Mr. John Smith. The flower arrangements in her wedding would be incomplete without one or two of these adorable creatures!"

Also, If you are going to make rice or bird seed bags, you could put a ladybug bead on the ribbon you tie around it! Oriental trading does have some ladybug beads : http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRe...

Did you know that finding a lady bug is considered good luck? I am not sure if you would like to do this for your reception, but if you have anything informal going on (a shower, perhaps?) , why not tape one or two ladybugs under the chairs, and then have when everyone is sitting down, have peveryone check. The people with the ladybugs get a little gift or something.

Well, it is a shame that people don't understand how expensive things can get. Most importantly, I think it would be unpleasant for your fiance to have so few people (I assume that few of his family members will be able to attend all the way from Australia) if your family could attend in droves. No matter how mature he is, there can be a feeling of an unbalanced power dynamic when one person is not supported by family and friends at the wedding. So I think it is a good idea for you to limit your guest list for this reason, even without considering cost, I think you have two options here for not offending people. Either keep it VERY small or invite more people. What I'm saying is that it if you know your extended family well, then people are going to expect to be invited if they see that people other than your core family members and friends will be there. You need to realize this is normal. If you invite your parents, siblings, your three best friends, and your mentor, OK. People will be able to (or should) live with that. But if you invite more people than that, the uninvited will start realizing that they don't make it quite far enough up your ranking system to have been invited and THAT is where feelings will be hurt. So don't start making exceptions and allowing more and more people in. So do stick to your guns and keep it very small. Also, I think you're right to say that you should be spending time with his family when they are visiting. It would probably be a great idea to spend time with them and have them meet your parents/siblings than to be worrying about a huge wedding. For everyone else, promise a party later. For anyone who asks,keep repeating with a friendly smile on your face that sorry, you've had to keep things small. Good luck.

You can have a rhinestone lady bug in your bouquet (bouquet jewelry is really in right now).

You could have red with black polka dots as your wedding colors (very trendy so if you're more traditional you might not want to do that). I can just see the cake... don't shape it like a lady bug but do the red with black dots... stunning.

you can also do lady-bug colored cupcakes and box them for favors or just for serving.

You can also purchase live ladybugs if you can think of some way to incorporate those without harming them... plus releasing them into someone's garden would be awesome (could you do a ladybug release instead of rice?...don't know how that would work since you can't force them to fly)

When you make your placecards, you could put a ladybug sticker on there to denote which meal your guest has chosen (like if they want the chicken option). And then you could just pick a different type of sticker (like a flower or something) to represent the 2nd meal offering. It will be cute, subtle, and it will help the servers figure out who's meal is who's.

See if you can find little ladybugs (stickers or craft item) and have them on the centerpiece flowers, like they flew in for your happy occasion.

You can always use a ladybug to fasten your favors closed depending on what you are giving. For example, jordan almonds in tulle netting fastened with your ladybug.

I think favors are good, you can probably find candy at oriental trading.. also you can maybe have a tiny tiny one in the boquet... also, maybe have some painted on your toenails? You could have the cake with white fondant.. and instaid of pearls.. you can have little ladybugs on it.

What about having them on the placecards at each table?

If you had a tiny stone one you could wear it in your hair.

That is all I can think of right now..

Maybe in the miniature bride's wardrobe too...

How about you put a few in your boquet of flowers or you could put them in the flower arrangements on the tables at the reception, or the little flower girls could wear one in their hair, or throw little paper lady bugs instead of flowers, something cute like that!..hope this helps!( All fake ladybugs of course lol)

you could either add a lady bug button to your favor (bubbles or chocolates or something) or you could actually go to an organic greenery place and buy lady bugs and have them released after your reception! If all else fails, I would get a cute lady bug and put it in your bouquet! I carried a picture of my grandmother in my bouquet. A lot of brides that I have done flowers for have asked for symbolic buttons or charms to be put in/on their bouquet!

incorporate some fake ones in the centerpieces at each table

maybe small tiny fake ones glued onto leaves or something

sound cute and sweet and a nice tribute to your

grandpa