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I would like to have a pattern for the padded wedding photo album with some written instructions
Cover a hula hoop in white satin ribbon. Then attach the lights all around the hoop. The hoop could be hung from wire, attached to whatever is available in the ceiling, like rafters. You lower it to the height you need. It's light weight and is big enough to give you lots of strands and/or strings of light. A halo effect. It'll be beautiful.
Really ? I guess it's all up to the type of function they want to have. The wedding & rehearsal dinner was a few hours from where we lived. I asked my future DIL to find a place & set it up. Turned out to be a 4 couse very formal dinner. The wedding was ver formal also. Just turns out the reheasal dinner was not cheap. Guess I should have been more involved. Had no clue.
If you are going to hang this dress up, and use it again soon, spot cleaning will do.
If you are "keeping" this dress, it has to be cleaned of any organic debris-it will discolor or rot. Take it to a dry cleaner, and get his advice. I would not do a preservation, (actually, why not take lots of pictures, and donate it)but it must be clean to save even for a few years. Sadly, I learned this with a lace tablecloth. It may look clean, don't trust, clean it!
The only problem with using bleach is that it can "as I call it" eat the fabric and in fact make it more yellow or even brown. I right now have my mother's wedding dress that is over 40 years old and my wedding dress that is about 14 almost 15 years old that I am trying to find someone to clean both. My mother's is really yellow but it wasn't a really white gown to start with, more of an off white colo, and the outer layer is all lace but I am afraid that whatever the lace is ruined and no hope of it being cleaned. My dress on the other hand needs a drink stain removed and the mother ball smell banished and then stored properly so no real big deal with it. I am hoping I can find someone that can clean the lace part of my mother's dress and then I can have the rest replaced without losing the main factor of the dress, the lace... makes me wish I was more of an expert on fabric and how to clean it. As a nurse that had to wear white at work and have to deal with well water I have always found that dishwasher powder or liquid and hot water keeps whites white and won't leave the gross brown color of bleach. And my other go to for smells is vinegar. It works wonders I tell you.
How many nuts needed for a punch and nuts reception for 100 people
I'm making lavender bouquets for bridesmaids. I live 4 hrs away from wedding. How do I transport fresh lavender so the flower doesn't droop in transit.
The lavender will be harvested 3 days before the wedding
you should give how much the plate is my daughters in 2 weeks 180 per head you should pay that 2016 wedding
For my son & future daughter-in-laws wedding, I'm making a ring bearer pillow from her mothers dress & mine. I'm sewing tubes approximately 1 1/2" wide from both dresses then weaving them together for the pillow top.
Beautiful ! :)
Instead of going through the expense and sorting through ideas to cover them up, why not focus on drawing people's eyes toward other, prettier things? Flowers, streamers, tables / decor?
That said, you could measure the heighth and length then visit a fabric shop to see if they have anything which fits in your budget and matches your colour scheme? Borrow a staple gun ....
They will be used in the wedding down the aisle. I want 10 5 ft tall. And yes I can have them removed right after the ceremony. Wedding is August 19th
I agree with Louise B. The fish is a living creature. Are you just going to toss it after the wedding? Not nice.
I think that is an awesome idea and so unique...
The fish will likely survive, but most of the guests will not want to take home a goldfish and care for it. This is not a good idea to use live animals for entertainment and decorations. It is likely a death sentence for these animals - either they will die right away (and who wants a bowl with a dead fish and a candle in it as a centerpiece) or they will end up dead because no one wants to care for these fish. There are many lovely things in the world to use for decorations that won't involve dead fish.
Find another centerpiece. There is the problem of carrying infection such as salmonella. There is the threat to the fish by way of the what candle is made of, the heat. It isn't fair to the fish for what you think is novel.
It might overheat the water and stress the fish.
I've been to a wedding where they did this. It works if you put the fish in pretty close to the time of the reception. BUT several fish died and I don't really believe is using live creatures for entertainment and then death. The bride had all the guests take the fish bowl w/fish if they wanted. IT does work...
Candles are just paraffin so my guess is yes. However, I would test it with a glass or bowl of water and a fish with a candle on top, just to be sure. This will create a more stress free wedding. If you end up doing this, take a shot and share?
USE Lanterns....go to places like Michaels..Joanne fabrics for ideas and inexpensive items..sign up for their mailing list get the coupons!! Lanterns..candles..Smaller flowers..all could make great centerpieces.. Inexpensive Glass vases with small type flowers and greenery or real Flowers...carnations..etc many flowers are pretty inexpensive at the florist. hope this helps..Go online..look up inexpensive ideas for wedding..... I went to Thriftbooks.com got 3 books for only 13 dollars .they wer not new but in good condition for my daughter as she has a September wedding coming up.
For our reception, we made it a potluck; we asked each family coming to bring a cooked dish, tray of appetizers/finger foods, salad, or snacks. We supplied the beverages and my mother made a gift of making and decorating the cake (those Wilton classes paid off!). Instead of a DJ we just had some young friends/teenagers make up some playlists (dancing, eating background, etc.) and just had them stay in control. They were happy to have something to do. For decorations, we just bought a few larger decos and went minimal on everything else. If you have one available, check Dollar Tree with an open eye and Pinterest for inspiration. You're on your own for the hall but don't forget VFW, Lions and Shriners locations; they often rent very inexpensively. If the weather is warm enough, but not too hot, what about outdoors in someone's back yard or a park.
My first engagement ring was set with emeralds in the shape of a flower, that I wore with a wide gold band. Sadly, it was stolen when our house was burglarized. Now, instead of getting an expensive ring to replace it, I've had fun getting big zirconium rings to wear instead, and if they get lost or stolen, who cares? After I saw the latest verson of "The Great Gatsby" with Leonardo DiCaprio, I had to have a copy of Daisy's engagement ring, which I found on-line. Someday, maybe for my 50th anniversary, I'll get a more expensive ring, but for now, I'm having fun with my fake ones. (I'm hoping for a Texas Topaz.)
I would like to have nice good food for the wedding reception not too heavy but meat salad BBQ fried jerk chicken green grabbing the rice potato salad and some drinks light punch pop and some wine
Don't spend a big pile of money on the ceremony. Save it for your marriage. Money troubles are a huge reason why couples divorce. Don't start out in the hole.
One of the first things to consider is how much money do you have to spend. My advice is not to go into debt because you may also be concerned with setting up a household. All those things are expensive and money is one of the top stressors in a family. Get advice from someone you respect and discuss costs with your fiancé also.
Why not rent a community center where senior citizens meet daily - I am sure after hours [1pm] the seniors are gone and you can have the place to yourselves. The center we have where we lived costs $75 for 4 hours and has a kitchen included with the room for eating tables & chairs to be sat out for your guests.
Why not find an outdoor venue, a garden or park with plentiful flowers?
OMG this photo brought 'goose bumps & tears' to me just looking at how beautiful the dress and your daughter are... the father looks right proud too. I pray that all goes well for the newly weds...I know you and hubby are so proud!
Great post. Your daughter is lucky to have you.
When my niece married, they put bows on the side of the chairs that lined the aisle to the front. My sister rented two large brass stands with ferns to place on each side of where the couple would stand. Those also had bows placed on them.She put a table with a cloth covering in their colors at the front behind the pastor with the candelabra and three candles that they were to light.
These lillie's stamens can stain dresses badly and also many people are allergic to their fragrance. Do be careful
Get a new dress for your wife that complies with the color scheme or what the happy couple wants. It's their day. If they say they want it let it go. Which is more important, being at your son's wedding or your wife wearing the dress she wants?
Thank you for the link
A good option if you are a decent crafts person is to DIY, if you can sew make your own clothing its cheaper and more heartfelt that way. As well as you have the unique opportunity to customize everything.
If your location is near a body of water...place sand where you may place a jar of pretty shells & round sea glass from TJ Maxx or craft shop. Use sea glass matching wedding if available, if not, use clear & a nautical blue. You can also purchase or use your & your friends vases or Mason jars filled almost to top of jar. Place a pretty shell or star fish on top...if you have access to many shells, use less sand & more shells, keeping a medium size shell in the center & scatter smaller/pretty broken shell pieces around the shell in center. I hosted a wedding, propped up wooden "boat paddles" here & there. Gathered beach grass or any khaki colored grass (or drying weed grass in large clear bowls or vases & if you spread sand down a long table...about 3 feet from end, place a good amount of sand(can't see table cloth) down the entire table, scattering small sea grass...sea glass & any broken shell pieces & if you have nice large shells place one near the end of each end of long table. In the center of table, place an openended or round clear circular piece with column candle. Find small wooden woven baskets, 3 "s to 2' long & tall latched with tops in the center of tables, or just place one large, chest...or a covered cooler in an area away from the tables, the propped up paddles & even use colored or clear saved old or new (cheap at craft shop) filled with sand & shell on top, or layers..grouped in large areas. Groups of 3, 5, 7, etc in strategic spots to spread the theme. Crab pots & fisherman buoys a good choice & you can accent tables with bits of "fishing nettings" found in craft shops. You can also create "swags" of fish netting placing shells or buoys... Many places have many buoys painted...paint color of wedding or use a distressed look.Good luck & remember no one but you will notice anything not planned.
Threw 50th anniversary pig picking. Purchased a roll of red & white check thick paper cloth, cutting each to table & taped edges & corners to fit neatly. You can get buy using 3 red & white cloths then purchase red & white solid paper clothes(make certain to tape all sides & corners. Take a hike into to the woods. Cut the ends of pine branches. Size depends on size of table. Creates a circular "spray". Place small to medium pinecones on top of the pine spray. Smells nicely as well. To step it up, use Elmer's glue on inside & out on pinecones & sprinkle red, or silver glitter. Silver will match you eating utensils if you don't use plastic. If you do use plastic, place red forks on white tables & white on the red. Cover the "serving" table with the red & white tablecloth to keep the theme & make food presentation a step up. Red plastic plates with red Solo cups will match theme perfectly. Back to pine needles, cut the branch as short as possible keeping the circular spray, but just strip needles to fill in gaps. Per table spray depends on table size. Use a large one on round tables or two on long tables. If alcohol is served(beer, b/c cheaper). Use an oblong galvanized or plastic tub filled with ice, placing beer in ice with just tops showing. Cool affect. Anything from nature will work. Smooth stones scattered around the pines or "other display tables". Depending on budget you can purchase bags of "sea glass from TJ Maxx or craft store, scattering down long tables or near the ends of pine needles here & there. Remember, when decorating always use odd numbers...3 pine comes or 5,7 if a larger table...Good luck...Only persons noticing a "problem" will be YOU, guests don't know what to expect & think it part of the plan.
Oh, I have a wedding dress got from online, I customized it, so it is super fit with me, I think you can have a try,some website really sell nice quality wedding dress, I will recommend you the web that I bought from last year. I remember it's www.Landybridal.co
With any online site, you purchase something from a site with some degree of trust. If you would check some of the wedding dress sites, you will see there are quite a few that are also regular stores like David's Bridal and Anthropologie. So if you stick to sites that also have a store, these are most probably fine.
Regarding the landy bridal site-at the top of the first page on the right, you will find "reviews". There are many reviews by purchasers that are definitely positive.
What a great wedding! Funny that you still feel funny about wearing green for a wedding gown. When I hear someone got married, that is the first thing I ask, 'what color was her gown?'. I love it when brides go untraditional. The cake toppers were fabulous.
Well, I think you had a great wedding. MY wedding is in July and I am going to be so happy with my dollar tree wedding. Check out pinterest for that lavender table setting. Awesome for about $100.
My dress will be lavender or green like yours was. It will not be a wedding dress but something comfortable. I am going to city hall for the wedding and having our reception at a party room in my building. The food will be made by family and I bought heart shaped charms that I am putting on silver chains as three gifts. my two step daughter's and my only daughter will get them.
We are paying $100 for the room and we get it from 6 am to after 1 am. Can't beat that. Three friends are decorating it with dollar tree finds. candles, wine glasses and fake flowers. All of non needed items will be returned the following day.
We were going away for our honey moon but I said frugal would not be frugal if we did that. We are decorating his house and spending a few days there. The wedding will cost us less than $500 total and will be great. I am now going to do your idea for the wedding photos. I am going to walmart to see if they still take them. Everyone there has awesome cell phones so I already planned to ask them for pictures.
I always wear lots of gold chains for a pirate outfit. You should also think about a hat or a bandanna around your head. Google for images to get an idea how to tie it.
You could use a blouse with loose sleeves. "Blousy" and satiny material. A vest, burgundy tapestry would be good. Tight jeans. Black boots. And a child's toy eyepatch.
For more ideas, do a google image search of "homemade pirate costume for women."
Unfortunately, most flowers bloom in early to late spring. Unless you live in a high altitude like I do, then it's later. The prettiest flowers that grow here in profusion are golden banner, and they just went to seed.
I feel black locust blossoms are excellent for a wedding, however it would be too late in the year. Depending on your zone, sunflowers may be still blooming that late. Do you have wild sunflowers in Missouri?
Here is a link of some flowers you can look for: www.gardening-for-wildlife.com/
Here's one specifically for Missouri: mdc.mo.gov/
Caution: Avoid any daisy-like flowers unless you can positively identify them as non-toxic. They could be in the Chrysanthemum family. My cat was exposed to a Chrysanthemum, did not even eat any and was still sick for a week.
One thought, several years ago I made small topiaries for my sons wedding. I started far enough in advance to get them trained around heart shaped wire, but what I found to use was a flat of ivy startings at the nursery, that they sold for starting ground-cover. Take a look at flats of things like this and maybe you can find something to use. The green looked great and I tied some colored super-narrow ribbon on for color.
I am responding very late, but it came up in my search looking for gift ideas. Maybe it will help others. I have one to add to the list. My husband gave me a My Dreamlines sketch of my dress. It was so amazing and I can't even explain my reaction, but I was really blown away. Absolutely breathtaking gift. <3
Money always work ;>) as does bird seed, flower seeds, or anything else birds won't choke over and is environmentally friendly... congratulations!
I agree with Dinah, it's hard to give advice with so little information.
However, it seems like these days literally "anything goes" at weddings and receptions, so I guess I'd say, it largely depends on your budget, and if you are doing it yourself, the amount of work you are willing for.
If I just had to feed them all dinner I'd do something tasty and inexpensive, like baked chicken, salad, rice, and of course cake. Then I'd use all that money I just saved on a lavish spread for guests to buy some item of good quality furniture for the newlyweds.
Without more information in your request, it is difficult to provide an answer. More information such as number of guests (children?), season and time of the wedding, inside or outside, type of food service-banquet, buffet, servers, etc., restaurant, home, etc. will help to provide an answer.
What is the question?
If the bride is in a panic about the amount of guests, it could be a financial issue (admitting that, is embarassing). Having a second venue with the grooms family will cost more money. Decide who is paying for each venue. The groom' side should definitely pay for a second venue.
When I got married in 1964, we decided if we were ever going to get married to do it withing two weeks. Se set a date when we both had a Friday off, which gave us a three day week end, and basically eloped. He wore a basic suit and I had made a white jacquard two piece street length dress. About a month later his parents had a reception for us in their town, which was about two hundred miles from my family, with no nearby motels. This reception for us was his family and friends. Then a couple weeks later there was one for us in my hometown.
I a buying a few of these cakes. They are $25 a piece and I am having a frugal wedding. I already have two people willing to buy one each. I am only having about 25 people there.
I have a brand new one never used sitting on my counter. I will be reading the book making a practice pot and bringing it to my reception with a few big things of coffee. I am having a frugal wedding so that will fit right in. It's a nice one from walmart
I live in a building with a party room with tables, chairs and a kitchen for cooking. I am renting it for $100 and decorating it with dollar tree stuff. check out the awesome ideas on pinterest. Search dollar tree wedding.
Place in Hampton I can have wedding in one side and reception on the other side.
You can find a cheap wedding venue in your area on www.gatheringguide.com/
I googled it and found it's done more than we thought!
www.google.com/
I can just imagine how beautiful that must have been, I love alternative things like that.
This is what I did for my sister's re-vow in 2002. The round tables had four chairs so every one had a nice view of the ceremony. I got plain dollar tree bowls, filled each with blue, pink, yellow, or lavender colored water (her theme was four spring colors). On top of that, we poured some vegetable oil just enough to fill the entire top...very important.
Then, we floated a single tea light candle and lit it just before the guests arrived. We made sure they were the 10 hour tea light, as they dissolve and don't melt. You could even do clear water and put in different colored rocks from the dollar tree, too.
For table scatter, we found some spring wall paper samples that were round, and I painstakingly cut them out and put opposite colors on the table clothes. Very cool and about 1.00 per table. I hope that helps. PBP
I was in a wedding in 1970, and again in 1972, and I was expected to buy my own dress. I did make them myself, so the only expense was the fabric, etc.
This past year, I was in a wedding where the bride was 67 and the groom was 70, and she told me to wear whatever I liked. She was wearing black with turquoise, knee-high cowboy boots, so I wore a black skirt and top, black slouch boots, and a long aqua sweater.
Sounds like a good idea if you know the couples' taste well enough. Most couples do bridal registries and have very definite ideas about what they'd like to receive. They may prefer to choose their own decorations.
A postscript to my original posting. This is the list that I made a few years ago. We celebrated our 54th year on June 2 2014, and I lost this loving soul mate 6 days later. We had a wonderful 54 years, and he is waiting for me to join him in Heaven, and is now free from pain.
Harlean from Arkansas
Years ago I posed this question to the bridal consultant for a very well-known upscale major department store chain I worked at. She said, "The bride should wear whatever the groom wants her to wear, no matter what number nuptials it is." Nice advice. Best wishes to both of you!
I just remembered the name of the gorgeous dresses from the 70's. Gunny Sacks.
I agree. Remember the granny dresses we used to wear? I wish you well!
You could wear a 70's style ivory or beige vintage lace dress.
In our grandparents day, there were no wedding planners, etc. You, family, and friends did everything. Cleaning before and after, Flowers, dresses, suits, preacher, music, food, drink, everything, even Chivary was quite common in the Appalachian Mountains. It described the activity as part of a post wedding ceremony where the bride and groom were teased and pranks were played on their wedding night.
Live on the internet... check Pinterest, there are literally hundreds of simple and inexpensive ideas. Nobody is going to care if you don't spend thousands of dollars you don't have. Go on Freecycle.org and make an account, ask people for what you need, or check your local craigslist under Free. You would be surprised what people get rid of... after their weddings. Good luck!
I made all my boutonniere's and corsages with silk flowers and floral tape. I made my cake topper with a flat rounded Styrofoam piece, two Styrofoam bells, two white doves- I hot glued lace to all the Styrofoam, and hot glued birds and silk flowers on. Do you have relatives or friends who could deejay or make a cake or do photography? Perhaps one of them has a decorative flair and could help you with decorating plans.
Tissue paper flowers are super easy to make and inexpensive. Make big ones and hang them from the ceiling.
There are tons of resources online for diy weddings and jazzing things up a bit without spending money. Look at pinterest and some wedding blogs for inspiration. Google something like "diy backyard wedding" Printables are a great way to do this for table numbers, favor tags, gift tags, cupcake rings flags and even invitations. In lieu of a wedding cake try wedding cupcakes with a printable cupcake holder and cupcake flag.
I think it is very doable.
1.) Ask family/friends to bring a food dish instead of a gift. This would required some planning on your part to tally prior all items so that you would not have 15 desserts and few vegetables.
2.)Or to make it easier on yourself make it a theme reception for instance if you want it to be Italian then make a spaghetti meal you provide the spaghetti and let the guests bring the sides
3.) Chairs/tables ....see if you can borrow from your church
4.) Offer a donation to your church youth group to assist in set up/clean up/ serving...do not cater.
5.) Live music: Hire a group of music majors from your local community college
6.) Table clothes- white sheets from your local thrifty shop
7.) Decorations-Dollar store
A bed and breakfast sounds great. A lot of them have lovely gardens, that I'm sure would let you use as part of your stay. There are many clergymen or judges that would marry you for a reasonable fee. Whether it is friends or the owners of b &b who stand up for you it is what is meaningful to you that is important. Just buy some flowers that you love, to carry and plan a special dinner. Don't forget your camera. Sounds like a smart idea to me, a former wedding hostess.
If money is the problem - why elope? Many times an elopement costs more than people think.
First - any place you choose may have to be in the state where you obtain your license so be careful with your plans.
Do you plan to have a couple "stand up" for you or do you plan to use whoever is around as witnesses?
A minister may not always be available and most ministers will not marry couples without consultations before the event. Unless, of course, you plan on using a "wedding chapel" that is set up for everything?
Maybe you could give it some more thought and ask a family member or friend to help you with just a few people invited (in someone's home). Of course, this is assuming you are not eloping because of problems with families.
Either way - I hope you have a nice wedding.
First off, congratulations!
That said, don't forget that most city and state parks allow for smaller weddings and don't charge. If you are close to the coast, beach weddings or even in one of their parks can be lovely. Have it a potluck so the costs are low, and everyone focuses on the couple and the good times, not the money.
I hope that helped.
Hi, perhaps bruschette, mushrooms, olives, salami, quiches, beautiful cheeses with artisan breads, crisps, tomatoes, melon wrapped with prosciutto, etc. I hope this helps.
In this era you dont have to worry about finding anything, you can easily do this by just carrying out a simple search online and you will end up with loads of useful results. Yeah, you heard it right; the best way would be to shop online for silk or artificial wedding flowers. When my brother got married, he bought these flowers from www.alltimeflowers.com/
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We did this last fall for about 150 people. We served fried chicken, bought from a local grocery store deli (150 pieces of chicken was about $125). We also bought potato wedges from the same store for 25 cents each. We bought 2 per person ($75) and had LOTS left over. We also had ham slices - I don't remember what they are called but the are like small loaves about 6 inches long which gave us about 25 1/4 inch slices from each ham. They were on sale for $7.50 each and had the store slice them for us. We bought 6 hams for about $50, and warmed them in a large roaster with some brown sugar.
We also bought the large cans of green beans at Walmart and cooked them in a large roaster with a pound of bacon. We made up some large veggie trays with ranch dressing and some cheese and crackers. We also bought some loaves of French bread at a local bakery and had them sliced.
We spent a total of about $500. The best thing we did was have a co-worker who volunteered to watch the food during the wedding and had a couple of family members who stopped at the stores between the wedding and the reception to pick up the chicken and potatoes. It seems like a big job, but we found it was kind of fun and a lot cheaper than local caterers that wanted from $12 - $15 per person ($2,000 or so!)
I agree, ask for help. Make it so that their offerings are their present to you. Plan the menu and have them delegate who is to bring what. Offer no sloppy dishes esp' with a red sauce but other than that, finger food is always welcome. I did the food (as well as everything else) at my sisters revow in 02' and brought the whole wedding in for 300.00. As for the cake and such, you might offer something for the diabetics in the guest list. A simple cheese and cracker platter, veggie or fruit tray. I wish you luck.
Potluck is what we're planning for my daughter's wedding. We asked a close friend to be in charge of the details so that's one less worry for us.
You need to create a menu of things that you want (meats, salads, desserts, etc.) and have your relatives to "cater" for you! It is essentially a potluck. It worked for me! My great aunts fed 75 - 100 people at my reception with food left over!
Do it the old fashioned way, serve cake, coffee, tea, and punch. Ask aunts to cut the cake, pour the drinks, etc. Ask cousins to serve the drink refills. Reward these assistants with a fancy apron for them to wear while doing their jobs. Or else serve it buffet style.
That is a great idea and it does work! When I worked for a caterer one of the first weddings I served at did this. Everyone raved about it. The Bridal party had a miniature "wedding cake" on it that they cut to get things started. Servers assisted at some of the tables, others took it upon themselves to help themselves.
I think thats a great idea and if you order them from a school maybe you can save even more money.
Hi
The idea of decoration of wedding reception is exact like other unique styles of home designing and decoration. Decoration is not about to spend some time to rearrange furniture or other home items especially at the time of wedding, but it is the exercise to make your home compatible with your taste, trends and needs. I just can say thanks for giving such a best on wedding ceremony. No doubt it is the most important ceremony of any individual and I think when ever will someone look at your post Reception Ideas for an "At Home , he/she will sure pay thanks to you. Again thanks contributors.
Those are good ideas but I caution making a sloppy dish. When I catered my sisters revow, I served a pasta salad, finger sandwiches, veggies, a fruit platter with crackers and parfaits for desert since the cake was to be served later. If anyone spilled anything, it would not stain. This was a formal wedding and everyone was in their nicest clothes. It's just a thought but everything else sounds great. Since you have some time, you might want to get some library books, research on line and really plan it for maximum "WOW" and minimal "WORK".
A lot will depend on the type of wedding you are having, decorations, etc. Some people do sloppy joes, potato salad, pasta salad, relish tray, etc. plus the cake, coffee, tea, and punch. Some people do buns with a variety of deli sliced meats and cheese, then the salads, cake, etc. There isn't really any reason to serve hot dishes. A lot will depend on the presentation, meaning the serving dishes, and utensils. Sloppy joes could be prepared in a slow cooker and served directly from that. Other wise if you don't have matching serving bowls, platters and utensils see if somebody that is a good friend or family member has them. Also what you serve will depend on the type of friends and family you have.
Very nice! When I got married in the 90's I took a flower arranging course. I bought dried flowers at a huge discount and I made all the arrangements for the table. It was a lot of work but it saved a lot of money. Congratulations!
This was exactly what hubby and I wanted 20 years ago. We were married at the Wedding Chapel in Hamilton, ON and had two of our best friends with their spouses share the special day with us. After the ceremony, the six of us went to Shakespeare's Steak House for a fine dinner. No muss, no fuss but everything done with a touch of class.
I say do the runner up the aisle and then do another runner (or 2) across the area where her, her Groom, and Bridal party will be standing.
Once standing at the alter, they'll (probably) be blocking the majorty of the alter carpets' view from guests & the photgrapher anyway. Same goes for any decorations hanging from the pews (blocking "side-carpeting" on the aisle.)
Unless the carpet is truly *hideous*, I doubt anyone will be looking at it ~ they'll be watching 2 people pledging their love.
Besides, when looking back at pictures, who really notices something as *insignifcant* as *carpeting*? (Speaking of pictures, just have her tell the photographer how she feels about the carpeting & ask them to shoot with as little of it in the frame as possible.)
The only other option is to pay to have the whole church re-carpeted. ;-)
This brings back a lot of memories - My wedding never happened as my fiance was killed in the line of duty, but we had planned much of the wedding. The two of us decided who we would invite and we made his parents stick to that list. They wanted to do the invitations as his father owned a print shop, and could do them at wholesale.
The rehearsal meal was set to be potluck. Everyone would bring a dish according to their last names. Alcohol was not going to be allowed. Soft drinks were fine - we were going to have tea, coffee, and sodas - cola, root beer & 7Up only.
Reception would be split 50/50. James & I were going to pick up the tab for the cake. We wanted a specific design and again had someone that would do it wholesale for us.
Traditions are just someone's thoughts for their event that other people like and start using as well. We were going to break that mold and include both families.
We also limited our guest list to 20 people on both sides so this also would help with the costs.
Depending on where the dinner will be held, table centerpieces could be simple glass pillar style vases, fill half way with sand, add some shells and coral around the edges and a votive candle (the battery ones work very well). place these on top of a square of fabric in either the wedding colors or a color to co-ordinate with the venue (I love blue and white for nautical themes), sprinkle a little sand on top and add a few shells or starfish. Very inexpensive, easy to put together and looks elegant.
If you use wide pillar vases, fill them with bleached oyster shells (get them from a local restaurant), some water and a floating candle. If it's a more fun/casual atmosphere, exchange the glass pillars for toy sandbuckets and shovels, tilted on their sides with a little bit of sand they look festive and fun. It's also a great give-away for any children that might be there, and makes them feel special too.
Hope this is helpful, I co-ordinate and decorate for a lot of parties and nautical/beach themes are always one of the most popular. Here's an idea from pinterest as well, I love the wine cork sailboat.
You can't go wrong with mason jars! Depending on what type of "mood" they're going for, try putting in some flowers or other types of filler to coordinate with their colors/theme.
As a professional photographer, I can tell you that shooting weddings is one of the most difficult assignments we do. There is a lot of pressure to get things right because you don't get a second chance.
When we shoot a wedding, there are two photographers working - one getting the bride and groom photos and one getting those wonderful candid shots of the friends and family and flower girls, the cake and the decorations and the rings and and all the little details and all those other special moments that end up on Pinterest.
These days, brides want their photographer to cover the entire day, documenting her getting her hair and nails and makeup done, getting photos of just the bride and groom, then photos of the (sometimes) massive wedding party, then the formal portraits, then the service, then the reception and the first dance, etc etc. It's not unusual for a wedding gig to start at 10am and wrap at 9pm. That's a very long day and then we still have to review and sort all the photos, so you don't have to go through the 3,000+ images yourself.
I'm not complaining... this is the profession I've chosen and weddings can be great fun with lots of opportunities to be creative and capture a very special day. But there is a reason professionals charge what we do.
One way to save money would be to ask a friend or hire your student photographer to do the early day photos - the getting ready, the going to lunch, etc. Those are fun things you want to remember, but don't necessarily require the services of a professional. And you could also consider having a student or friend capture the reception photos, keeping in mind the reception area and dance floor are very low light situations, so you want to be sure your friend or student knows how to deal with that.
Your wedding is a very special day and you've put a lot of planning and money into it. It goes by so quickly and really, a lot of it is a blur at the time, so you want your photos to be GREAT, not just acceptable or worse. You will be reliving that experience through your photos, so keep that in mind.
Whatever decision you make, I do hope you have a wonderful day and take away lots of precious memories.
Don't hire a student that you don't know well enough to know their work. The Photos are too imortant a record of your most special day. Keep the photos to a minimum, but hire the best you can afford. If you are on a budget, and everyone is, keep your number of guests to a minimum and have the best day you can have! Quality is very important.... you only have this day once!
I've been a minister for many years and have officiated at a lot of weddings and vow renewals. You can just wear a nice dress if you want to or if you prefer, wear a wedding dress again. Just remember, that your guests will remember your celebration more than what you wear. I've officiated at weddings where the bride wore a tshirt that said "bride" and the groom wore one that said "groom". I've also officiated where the bride wore a wedding gown and the groom wore camouflage.
So what you where can be your own personal choice.
On your invitations, say hubby will be 50 years old on our 10th wedding anniversary which is (date). On this day, at (time and place ) we will be renewing our vows, please join us as we once again make sacred promises to each other.
Please join us afterward for food and drink too.
Happy birthday to your hubby and Happy anniversary to the both of you.
