This Might Be Necessary

Love this idea: do not disturb signs for the guests!
From Elizabeth Anne Designs and pictures by Luke Walker Photography and Alisha Clark.

What a Great Idea

I think at some point every bride comes up across this question: how do we honor our family and friends who passed away before our wedding day?


Here is an idea featured on Style Me Pretty: the couple honored her late father during the reception by serving his favorite cigars and including a simple sign and photo.

(Photo by Twin Lens. Link via Melissa's Smitten.)

Jackpot!

Yes; a way to include martinis in our wedding day (and still remember it)!

Okay, so I know the idea of serving a small course in a martini glass is nothing new, but for a gal know for her signature drink (dirty martini) this would be soooo cute! Extra points if the course can involve olives...

I Found It!

Ladies and gentleman, I have found my ideal wedding cake:

Imagine that shape, in carrot cake. Mmmmmmmmm!

Thanks to Cake Wrecks for posting this, created as a baker's final project for her Wilton class: Themie from Deviant Art.

Themed Drink

I think I really want a themed drink. Something that could be served with or without alcohol and which would not cause everyone to get too crazy too early.

Extra plus if it matches the wedding colors.

...Cherry Lemonade?!

If We Were Doing Favors

Here's an interesting idea for a fall wedding that I had not heard before: candy apples as favors.
In our case - to go with the color scheme - yellow delicious with red candy coating. Yum!

Wedding Signs

As we're being married in Upstate New York in a smaller church and having a somewhat outdoor reception, I'm trying to walk the line between cute and waaaaaay to much outdoorsy stuff. Still, there is something about painted wooden 'Wedding' signs that I just love.

This one is from Butterflies and Daisies. I don't even know that we would need one since we're being wed inside a church and likely transporting the bulk of guests from the hotel, but I just love how the look.

Ideally, I think ours would be a bit more weathered looking, perhaps even for the rehearsal dinner or to point guests to different parts of the reception.

Wedding Pie

In my family, we never really had birthday cakes, we had homemade birthday pie. So at least part of me would really like to forgo the traditional tiered cake in favor of some wedding pie; I've even seen some tiered pie plate stands.

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...

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.

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...

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.

Wedding Toppers

Possible Cake Topper:


Slightly Sweeter One:


Both from My Dream Wedding.

Pretty...

One Reception Option:


So remove the calla lilies and add centerpieces made of these:

Color Schemes

So as I tried to reflect in my blog, the color scheme for the day will be (I think, who knows?!) bronze, red, and yellow.
I know it sounds strange, but I have a specific flower scheme in mind (red and yellow) and I think bronze is about the only thing I can put the bridesmaids in with ending up with a Christmasy wedding or a hideous mess. We're aiming for a fall ceremony, so I think this will work.

Play with colors here colourlovers.com