Stolen Ideas: Brett & Erin 2

I love this idea:

Framed pictures of the couple's parents and grandparents on their wedding days were placed by the cake. Each had a small label with the names of the couples and their wedding dates. So awesome!

Stolen Ideas: Brett and Erin

So we are in the middle of a large block of friends getting married. I am happy about this because, well, first of all I like my friends and I'm glad they found some great people and, in a more selfish way, it helps me pick out things for mine!

Brett & Erin were just married this past weekend and here is the sign outside their church:


This is such a simple thing, but it was so cute.

More stolen ideas coming soon...

Bridesmaid Dress

I love this one by Watters & Watters.

I'm surprised I'm drawn to a dress with a pattern, but I love the style and think it would be flattering and, dare I say it, reusable.

I also love this one which is a similar style, but sans the pattern.

I'm really hoping I can find something that's attractive and flattering without being too expensive.

Photobooth Rental

Possibly the coolest idea yet for a wedding reception: rent a photobooth (yes, like the ones in malls and carnivals) for your guest to mug in.



Not only does it give guests a fun diversion while waiting for the wedding party to arrive, but would be a fabulous guest book! Imagine all these strips of pictures in a book together. Or, better yet, framed with a few shots of our reception site, bridal party, or invitations...

Here are links for companies in Upstate NY and the Washington DC area. The photo is courtesy Saratoga Photobooth Company.

Group Shots

So I've recently come across several wedding photos that show everyone in attendance. Some are arranged shots in the church, others are informal ones that encompass everyone at the reception, still others - and these are my favorites - show the crew slowly wandering into the reception hall or waiting for the bride and groom. I really like that these pictures capture everyone who was there on this special day, I'm just not sure how I will actually get this done at my own shin dig.

One Place We Will Not Be Hosting Our Reception

Once a Washington, D.C. trolley car depot, the Historic Car Barn building is now home to the Georgetown MBA program.

With commanding views of the Potomac River and Washington, D.C., it is a thoroughly modern complex of classrooms, study areas, student service offices, and the MBA Career Management Center.

It is also no longer available for private events which is too bad because its pretty neat looking and would certainly make for a memorable reception.

Couture Cupcakes

One thing I really don't get about weddings is how expensive the cakes are. Sure, I love some of the creations I've seen and I do realize that some designs can take forever to put together, I just don't understand paying thousands of dollars when the cake is not - or at least should be not be - the centerpiece of the day. If my guests eat sheet cake but get to dance into the night I think my money will have been well spent.

Here's one alternative I think is nifty; cupcake bouquets!


From Couture Cupcakes in DC

Invitations

So I'm having a very hard time finding a wedding invitation that doesn't make me ill. They're all either very dull or over the top girlie. Hearts, doves and flowers? All on one invitation? Really?

There are a few very fun ones out there that are very unusual, like this one from Corndog Industries:

But while I do like the idea of sending tickets or behind the all access passes as invitations, I think wedding invitations should be a bit more classic.

I do like My Gatsby especially because you can customize everything about the invitations. I'm thinking yellow invitations with red writing and a red envelope. Although that might be a little too much color coordination...

For the Bridesmaids

Among the small number of things I know about the wedding thus far involve the length of the bridesmaids dresses and the probable color.

I love the Sophia dress from J.Crew:

I actually own it in dark green and pretty much wear it to every party I can. If the come out with a bronze one we're in.


While we're on J.Crew, here is the first bridal gown I can actually picture myself in:

It's actually the same dress as above in a gown instead of knee length but I think it's just gorgeous. Not sure it's bridal enough but everything else I've seen just doesn't look like me.

Themed Garters

So I've found WVU and UT garters from both schools, but I'm not really a fan because they're kinda big and I'd rather just have a simple garter in the school's colors. Also, if I get one in blue and gold with both charms it could cover me for APO and WVU (not to mention something blue).

I found these online for UT. The 2nd one (the toss garter) is more in the style I want:


These are from Kristi's Charmed Life eBay store.

Guest Book Ideas

So the last two weddings I was a part of I made the guest book. Both were essentially scrapbooks; we provided the guests with squares of paper (made out of leftover invitations and programs) as well as pens and stickers. Some guests just signed but most left advice or well wishes. After the ceremonies, I created a scrapbook / guestbook out of all of these great thoughts left by the guests. I love how both books look but I think I might want something different for me (plus I'm not sure I will ever get one done for myself).

Ideas:

Polaroid Guest Book - Guests shoot quick pictures of themselves them sign them (or paste in an album and sign around them).

Coffee Table Guest Book - We purchase a book of DC (or NY, or Tx) and guests sign around the pictures.

Poster (or Map) Guest Book - Either we get a map of the location or a poster of it, or we get something completely different (ie a movie poster) and guests sign this. A Casablanca poster served as Neil's birthday card two years ago and we still have it up in the living room.

Pottery Guest "Book" - We get a piece of unglazed pottery (probably a pasta bowl or platter) and have the guests sign it. After the wedding we can take it to one of the many stores that let you glaze your own pottery and add our wedding colors before putting it in the kiln.

Photo Booth Guest Book - Similar to the Polaroid idea, but you can rent a literal photo booth (like you see at carnivals or malls). Guests leave a signed strip of pictures which we could put in a album.