For a truly breathtaking wedding celebration, why not adopt a crisp black and white theme? Classic, chic and timeless, this look will never go out of fashion. What's more, it's a very simple way to create stunning looks- even on a budget!

The Dress

The dress is an integral part of the wedding day so it is a fantastic way to get the theme running. You can be as subtle or as bold as you like: try a simple black trim or go all out and wear an entirely black dress. Try Vera Wang's dramatic "Delilah" dress. Made from flowing pleats of organza with a large black waistband tied around the middle, it's certainly not for the fainthearted. For those who fancy a little more subtlety, it can be purchased in ivory with a black waistband to add a touch of monochrome style. Prices start from $3100.

Accessorize with inky black shoes, which conveniently can be found just about anywhere for any cost, and jewelery made from jet or black pearl. Try pinning small black and white flower-shaped hair pins into your hair.

Don't forget the dresses for your bridesmaids too. The beauty of dressing them in black is that their dresses will escape the problem of never being worn again. Lacey peach meringue numbers are unlikely to find a place in the usual evening wear collection, but black dresses can be worn time and time again. They can also be picked up at almost any high street store for a bargain price.

The Flowers

We want to steer away from the Addams Family look, so be sparing with black flowers. Try bouquets of white roses or lilies held together with black ribbon, or with a few black feathers worked into the bouquet. This creates a stunning contrast without the Halloween effect.

For centerpieces, fill a large goldfish bowl with water and place black and white floating candles on top. Around the outside, circle the white flowers with touches of black detailing for a striking reception look.

The Cake

Carrie's Cakes sell a range of monochrome cakes starting from $485. My favorite is the gloriously extravagant "Damask" cake- a white iced cake with luxurious black damask pattern all over. The finishing touches are black trim around the base of each of the five tiers, and sparkling motifs. It costs $925, which serves a whopping 325 people! You can choose from a giant range of flavors including chocolate, cream cheese and champagne!

Favors

Don't forget to theme the favors for your guests! Little glass jars filled with stripy humbug mints would look wonderful tied up with a black or white ribbon. Sweet Palace sell them by the half pound for $3.98. An adorable gift to give to all who attend your wedding, and you can be sure they will all have minty breath too!

For the finishing touches, use black napkins against white crockery and black ribbons to tie the cutlery together. Use silver pen on black card to make your own place names and table numbers. When it comes to photography, there is of course only one way to go: black and white.

These contrasting shades look fantastic together and they are a perfect choice whatever the season. The ideal choice for those couples looking for a versatile color scheme.