Hello all! Well this is getting a bit ridiculous- over a year later, and I can't manage to finish a few recaps of my wedding day. It's not that I'm lazy, it's just that married life is a bit busy, and I also have a very hard time with uploading large pictures to blogger. Here is a link to my Flickr if anyone is interested in courthouse wedding photos.
So, according to my google analytics, I have around 250 visitors per week! I know most of you must be here for courthouse tips, judging by the number of e-mails I get (but no comments:( ), so I'd like to give a quick description of our reception.
I walked in at around 6:00 when people were just arriving, and I was blown over. This place is the most beautiful reception hall I have ever seen when it is set up. The tables were set up correctly into 5 long banquet style, and 12 rounds of 10. The centerpieces of ostrich feathers and gold birch branches and place cards for the long tables were in the correct spots. The bar was set up with my high top cocktail tables and long black linens with the wedding crosswords on top. The make shift photobooth was all ready with the props. The DJ was there. The cakes were on the cake table looking delicious. It is SO HARD to completely envision everything you have planned, and the reality was better than anything I ever hoped for!
After ooing and awwing over everything, I went over to the photobooth with some of the bridesmaids and took some silly pictures. We had the photobooth in the nook off the to the right where the elevator doors are. The bar was behind the columns in the hallway area, almost in front of the door to the nook on the right. Then I got one of my signature drinks (mojito), and proceeded to chill at my cocktail hour and talk to everyone who came out for me. This experience was almost surreal -people I have known from every stage of my life were all there for me and having drinks with me. I got to talk to many people that I wouldn't get to later in the night. DON'T MISS YOUR COCKTAIL HOUR!
My husband and I are living in Buffalo, NY, so we had Anchor Bar chicken wings at our cocktail hour, which they will ship. My caterer was amazing, and charged us a small fee to set these up and heat them. The cocktail food table was set up in the hallway behind the columns on the right in the middle. Guests went crazy over these chicken wings, it was one of the best decisions we made. Guests also loved the wedding crossword I made and had printed, and many of them were filling them out. It was such a great ice breaker and conversation starter, I urge people to do something like this.
Almost before I knew it, it was time to get introduced. The DJ was set up on the left hand side of the room, dead center. We came out for the introductions from the grand staircase on the other side. About acoustics, I couldn't hear anything the DJ said on the mic from back in the staircase area. There are certain places where the acoustics suck, and that cannot be denied. However, people in the main hall could hear mostly fine.
The whole bridal party were introduced, and then my husband and I. We walked straight to our cake table, and cut the cake to "Sexyback." After a little cake smooshing (by me only), it was time for dinner.
I know many people have questions about catering. We had a buffet, and it was perfect. Stations are also a popular option, which I also looked into, but we didn't go for. Ultimately, stations are usually way more expensive, and also have a bit of a more casual vibe. I decided that I would rather have everyone eat at once and get it over with, and then we can move onto the dancing! Stations work best for weddings with constant mingling and no sitting, and if you want everyone to sit and pay attention, there is not much point to having them. I am also against sit down meals for almost any wedding, and especially the courthouse, and I will explain why. The courthouse has no kitchen, so your caterer will either make the food ahead of time, or will bring a make-shift kitchen. Sit-down wedding meals at even a catering hall with a kitchen are usually not that good. They are rushing the food to get so many out at once, and some people may want less or more, and it ultimately leads to wasted food. Also there is the general confusion over who ordered what.
Our buffet was hot, replenished often, and delicious! Everyone took as much or as little as they wanted. We had a carving station, which is the right way to do beef at a wedding, and I got many compliments on the food. In the very back of the courthouse, the columns were draped off by our caterer, with the kitchen behind. The buffet table was set up directly in front, and tables were called up.
After eating very quickly, my husband and I made table rounds for about 45 minutes. This brought us to about 9:00 and time for the first dance. Being on the dance floor by ourselves with a slow song playing, the music was echoing. It wasn't awful, but the echo was there. Not all songs will do it. Our first dance was "I'll Look After You" by The Fray, and it is a song that lends itself well to echoing. The dance with my father to Frank Sinatra had much less acoustic issues. The fast dance songs when there were many bodies on the floor to absorb the sound had even less issues. And we had tons of people on the floor- after the parent dances, everyone got down! We had dance circles, line dances, slow dances- a little something for everyone, and it was amazing! Our DJ was pretty good, there were a few instances where I didn't like the song he was playing, but it mostly worked out. At around 10:30 most of our guests disappeared for 15 minutes to watch the fireworks on Lake Erie (it was 4th of July)!
We had a completely stocked bar with 10 varieties of beer, 6 kinds of wines, champagne, and any kind of liquor and mixers you could ask for. If you need to be cheap, DON'T DO IT ON THE BOOZE! People will talk about that for years. On the flip side, we still get compliments on our bar. There were alot of people at the bar at any given moment. I might change the bar's placement more towards the center to put people where the dancing was and encourage more people to mingle. You will have to judge what is best based on how many guests you have and what kinds of tables. The photobooth was popular as well, and the props we had such as wigs, leis, and Hawaiian skirts made it out onto the dance floor!
My mom had a candy bar with all green candy set up as a surprise to me during this time! It was on the cocktail table in the right hallway. We also had the favors set up in the entrance to the courthouse, to the left of the security desk. We had packs of sparklers with our monogram on them, and boxes of our cake. I also later mailed prints of the photobooth pictures in our thank you cards.
All too soon, the night was over. We had an after party set up at a bar downtown, so alot of us went over there. The security guards were great to us all night. Here is a little tip- they will know what time is in your contract to shut down, and start herding people out. The beginning time is much more flexible. Your caterer will have access to the hall all day, so what is the big deal in starting a bit earlier? My contract said 6:30, but my invitation said 6:15, and some people came at 6:00. They will not turn people away..I think you can stretch this at least a half hour. At $525/ hour, every little bit helps.
Another tip- my biggest gripe of the night is that the lights were not dimmed enough for dancing. The electrician is in your contract, and should be on call for you. The ball got dropped on this, and the place remained in full light most of the night. Now it is gorgeous in there, so not a big deal, but I spent about $250 on led candles, and they did not really get seen. Make sure someone takes charge on this.
The bathrooms- not great, but not too horrible. Stick a bathroom basket in there and call it a day.
The courthouse is amazing, so take advantage! You do not need many decorations because people will be too busy staring. You can also get away with being a bit goofy (wedding crosswords, photobooth, Hawaiian skirt props) because of the elegance of the courthouse.
I'm still willing to answer questions (daas325@gmail.com), and I have a budget post in editing, because I know a huge questions is: "how much!" Well, I am going to answer that for you soon!
Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
4th of July: Rehearsal Day
Friday morning was a little dreary and rainy, but it cleared up to be a sunny day later in the afternoon. My mom, my sister, and bridesmaids S and J had manicure and pedicure appointments, and the boys were taking the many boxes of wedding stuff down to drop off at the courthouse.
I got a call about halfway into my pedicure from the boy saying that the Courthouse doors were not open. I had an issue the last time I went down to the Courthouse which led to me almost not getting in when I had an appointment to do so, and this really angered me. I had asked for and been granted privileges to drop some stuff off earlier in the day than they usually allow for weddings because it was a holiday(day before the 4th of July was the government holiday this year), and no one would be at work except the guards. There is a serious communication break down between Wanda, the coordinator, and the guards who open the doors at the Courthouse. I really hope it has been resolved since then. I called and left a rather hysterical message for Wanda, but the boy called back and said they got in after pounding on the doors for awhile. This was one of my very very few bride freak outs, so I didn't feel too bad about it.
Other than that, the salon was soooo relaxing! I was immediately handed a mimosa right when i walked in (which I later needed)! I had had my hair cut and highlighted, plus a facial the previous weekend at my salon in Buffalo, so I was already feeling seriously pampered. My sister booked the appt, so I don't remember the name of the place, but I would highly recommend it. I'll be sure to ask her and post it here.
After the salon, we came back to the house, and the fun was starting! Bridesmaids C and K had arrived by plane, and various of our other out-of-town friends had picked them up and were hanging out at my house talking to my dad. It was almost surreal to have them all here and to know that this wedding was really going to happen!!!
I took a shower and started getting ready for the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. It was kind of crazy with all the girls in the house getting ready, but my sister did my make up and Bridesmaid C did a beautiful job on my hair. One of the boy's groomsmen was driving in from New York and was extremely late getting to our house, which got me a little rattled, but we eventually packed it all in and were on our way to the church.
We made it to the church only 5 minutes late. I was feeling a little flustered with people calling me for directions 2 minutes before they were supposed to be there, showing up late, or not changed into church clothes yet. I also forgot the wedding party presents at home and sent back the other car to go get them. In retrospect, I should have brought the pew decorations and put them on during the rehearsal, because it became an issue the next morning when I realized there was no one to do it! No matter how much you plan, there will be small things you forget about. Hopefully, it won't actually matter to you on your wedding day.
This is inside the beautiful St. Michael Church in Independence. The rehearsal was quick, with us practicing where we would walk and stand, and a quick overview of the vows we would say. We opted for the traditional words of a Catholic ceremony, which we would repeat after the priest. Even though I no longer consider myself a Catholic, the weight of tradition behind these simple words is very moving and perfect. I have a complicated relationship with religion, but I respect the power of the vows and the ceremony in its own right.
After the rehearsal we made our way downtown to Ponte Vecchio, where we had the rehearsal dinner on the outdoor patio. The night was clear, and while it wasn't very warm, it was comfortable. The patio is a little bit of an awkward set-up, but we had around 60 people come to our rehearsal dinner, and it didn't seem too cramped. It's long and narrow, so people need to sit in tables of 4. The food had to be set up as a buffet inside to accommodate all the tables for a party this large, but it worked out great. The food was amazing! We had appetizers, including crab cakes, and the buffet included chicken, salmon, green beans, pasta, and more food that I can't remember. I was too keyed up to eat much. We also had an open bar for two hours before dinner, and one hour after.
The view from Ponte Vecchio is amazing - it looks out onto the whole city, where we were able to see a few fireworks shows. After dinner, I gave a short speech thanking everyone for coming, and we passed out our gifts to the wedding party. The girls got their jewelry for the wedding, earrings and a bracelet, and I had given them all engraved flasks during our trip to Vegas. We gave the boys flasks, their wedding ties, and cigars, so a few of them lit them up outside after dinner. We stuck around for awhile all talking and socializing. Our groups of friends all know each other from college, so there was alot of catching up to do.
On the patio, my five best friends from college and I.
At our table on the patio, my brother, his girlfriend, and my sister.
After dinner, chatting outside the restaurant.
We stayed at Ponte Vecchio until around 10, before the younger people decided to take the party over to The Chophouse on W St. Clair Avenue. We invited all of the out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner, which was why we had around 60 people there. Only a few people couldn't make the drive down to Cleveland in time for the dinner, and they met us at the Chophouse. There was a group of about 40 of our childhood and college friends there talking, drinking, and having a great time. It felt so amazing to have us all in one spot again. I think this may be my favorite thing about weddings - the chance to have all of your groups of friends meet and hang out, and reminisce. I would strongly recommend to build in time for socializing and actually talking to all these people that came so far to see you. It cost a little more to invite all of these people to the rehearsal dinner, but it was more than worth it.
At around 11:30 or 12:00, the girls and I decided it was time to get home and rest up for the next day. The bridesmaids were sleeping at my parents' house with me that night. The guys were going to stay out and have a little bit of a bachelor party for the boy, since he never got to have one with all of the guys being so far away (little did I realize how bad of an idea this would turn out to be...oops). I kissed the boy goodbye for the last time as an unmarried couple, and went home to try and get some sleep!
I got a call about halfway into my pedicure from the boy saying that the Courthouse doors were not open. I had an issue the last time I went down to the Courthouse which led to me almost not getting in when I had an appointment to do so, and this really angered me. I had asked for and been granted privileges to drop some stuff off earlier in the day than they usually allow for weddings because it was a holiday(day before the 4th of July was the government holiday this year), and no one would be at work except the guards. There is a serious communication break down between Wanda, the coordinator, and the guards who open the doors at the Courthouse. I really hope it has been resolved since then. I called and left a rather hysterical message for Wanda, but the boy called back and said they got in after pounding on the doors for awhile. This was one of my very very few bride freak outs, so I didn't feel too bad about it.
Other than that, the salon was soooo relaxing! I was immediately handed a mimosa right when i walked in (which I later needed)! I had had my hair cut and highlighted, plus a facial the previous weekend at my salon in Buffalo, so I was already feeling seriously pampered. My sister booked the appt, so I don't remember the name of the place, but I would highly recommend it. I'll be sure to ask her and post it here.
After the salon, we came back to the house, and the fun was starting! Bridesmaids C and K had arrived by plane, and various of our other out-of-town friends had picked them up and were hanging out at my house talking to my dad. It was almost surreal to have them all here and to know that this wedding was really going to happen!!!
I took a shower and started getting ready for the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. It was kind of crazy with all the girls in the house getting ready, but my sister did my make up and Bridesmaid C did a beautiful job on my hair. One of the boy's groomsmen was driving in from New York and was extremely late getting to our house, which got me a little rattled, but we eventually packed it all in and were on our way to the church.
We made it to the church only 5 minutes late. I was feeling a little flustered with people calling me for directions 2 minutes before they were supposed to be there, showing up late, or not changed into church clothes yet. I also forgot the wedding party presents at home and sent back the other car to go get them. In retrospect, I should have brought the pew decorations and put them on during the rehearsal, because it became an issue the next morning when I realized there was no one to do it! No matter how much you plan, there will be small things you forget about. Hopefully, it won't actually matter to you on your wedding day.
My gorgeous jewel- toned dress was made from silk chiffon by BCBG. I got it on e-bay for $60!!! I am holding my bow bouquet from the shower, and that's my sister standing right behind me, keeping me calm!
This is inside the beautiful St. Michael Church in Independence. The rehearsal was quick, with us practicing where we would walk and stand, and a quick overview of the vows we would say. We opted for the traditional words of a Catholic ceremony, which we would repeat after the priest. Even though I no longer consider myself a Catholic, the weight of tradition behind these simple words is very moving and perfect. I have a complicated relationship with religion, but I respect the power of the vows and the ceremony in its own right.
After the rehearsal we made our way downtown to Ponte Vecchio, where we had the rehearsal dinner on the outdoor patio. The night was clear, and while it wasn't very warm, it was comfortable. The patio is a little bit of an awkward set-up, but we had around 60 people come to our rehearsal dinner, and it didn't seem too cramped. It's long and narrow, so people need to sit in tables of 4. The food had to be set up as a buffet inside to accommodate all the tables for a party this large, but it worked out great. The food was amazing! We had appetizers, including crab cakes, and the buffet included chicken, salmon, green beans, pasta, and more food that I can't remember. I was too keyed up to eat much. We also had an open bar for two hours before dinner, and one hour after.
The view from Ponte Vecchio is amazing - it looks out onto the whole city, where we were able to see a few fireworks shows. After dinner, I gave a short speech thanking everyone for coming, and we passed out our gifts to the wedding party. The girls got their jewelry for the wedding, earrings and a bracelet, and I had given them all engraved flasks during our trip to Vegas. We gave the boys flasks, their wedding ties, and cigars, so a few of them lit them up outside after dinner. We stuck around for awhile all talking and socializing. Our groups of friends all know each other from college, so there was alot of catching up to do.
On the patio, my five best friends from college and I.
At our table on the patio, my brother, his girlfriend, and my sister.
After dinner, chatting outside the restaurant.
We stayed at Ponte Vecchio until around 10, before the younger people decided to take the party over to The Chophouse on W St. Clair Avenue. We invited all of the out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner, which was why we had around 60 people there. Only a few people couldn't make the drive down to Cleveland in time for the dinner, and they met us at the Chophouse. There was a group of about 40 of our childhood and college friends there talking, drinking, and having a great time. It felt so amazing to have us all in one spot again. I think this may be my favorite thing about weddings - the chance to have all of your groups of friends meet and hang out, and reminisce. I would strongly recommend to build in time for socializing and actually talking to all these people that came so far to see you. It cost a little more to invite all of these people to the rehearsal dinner, but it was more than worth it.At around 11:30 or 12:00, the girls and I decided it was time to get home and rest up for the next day. The bridesmaids were sleeping at my parents' house with me that night. The guys were going to stay out and have a little bit of a bachelor party for the boy, since he never got to have one with all of the guys being so far away (little did I realize how bad of an idea this would turn out to be...oops). I kissed the boy goodbye for the last time as an unmarried couple, and went home to try and get some sleep!
The last single girl kiss!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
4th of July: Last minute craziness
Ok, I know all brides say that they are not going to let it happen to them - procrastination on the little things that will then take you all night before the wedding to finish. I did ALOT of work on this wedding beforehand, but I did leave a few details until Thursday night. Honestly, I just forgot about the fact that I needed two place cards for anyone sitting at one of the long banquet tables. They each had 16 seats, so I didn't want anyone scrambling for a seat. I had to print out a sheet of place cards for these tables, and have the boy cut them all out. This also meant finalizing the seating chart once and for all. The seating chart! I'm sure any bride has heard the angst from former brides over the seating chart. I did not believe that it could be that bad. It. was. worst thing I have ever had to do.
Last minute additions and cancellations did not help at all. I spent at least an hour Thursday night tweaking my seating chart, and putting everyone in the most perfect spot. I also had to print out the table names, and I printed up several room layouts to tape to the boxes of decorations and other wedding stuff that would be taken to the hall and set up by the caterer and my cousin. I wrote out meticulous instructions and taped them to each and every box that was being taken down and dropped off at the courthouse by the boys in the morning. I was up until 2 am.
Here's what quick advice I can offer. Start you seating chart early. I has started it at least a month before , but had to spend up to the Thursday before the wedding fixing it. I used Martha's website, and her free seating software was amazing for my purposes. I initially divided everyone up on my guest list on excel. I would cut and paste people that I thought should sit near each other, and then refined it on the Martha chart. Write out lots of instructions. When I walked into the room on Saturday, I didn't find anything that was out of place. Everything had been perfectly set up, and that made the late night worth it. This is a great chance to show off some of the things I ordered for the wedding from vistaprint, and my other paper projects.
My photocards
My reminder for people to go to the photobooth
Our drink menu- just a sample of the huge variety we had
I printed this on the other side of our photocards- I don't think anyone actually did it though :(
A picture of one of the table names I printed. They were all different types of wines- reds for one side of the room, whites for the other. I printed this on blank brochure paper I ordered for free form Vistaprint.
The sparklers- one of the many favors I offered. Last minute we bought a huge pack of these for $10 from Sam's Club. The cards on these were free business cards from Vistaprint. I didn't want to do traditional favors, but these were in a basket by the door, as well as cake slices. I am also sending prints in thank you cards from my mock photobooth.
Last minute additions and cancellations did not help at all. I spent at least an hour Thursday night tweaking my seating chart, and putting everyone in the most perfect spot. I also had to print out the table names, and I printed up several room layouts to tape to the boxes of decorations and other wedding stuff that would be taken to the hall and set up by the caterer and my cousin. I wrote out meticulous instructions and taped them to each and every box that was being taken down and dropped off at the courthouse by the boys in the morning. I was up until 2 am.
Here's what quick advice I can offer. Start you seating chart early. I has started it at least a month before , but had to spend up to the Thursday before the wedding fixing it. I used Martha's website, and her free seating software was amazing for my purposes. I initially divided everyone up on my guest list on excel. I would cut and paste people that I thought should sit near each other, and then refined it on the Martha chart. Write out lots of instructions. When I walked into the room on Saturday, I didn't find anything that was out of place. Everything had been perfectly set up, and that made the late night worth it. This is a great chance to show off some of the things I ordered for the wedding from vistaprint, and my other paper projects.
My photocards
My reminder for people to go to the photobooth
Our drink menu- just a sample of the huge variety we had
I printed this on the other side of our photocards- I don't think anyone actually did it though :(
A picture of one of the table names I printed. They were all different types of wines- reds for one side of the room, whites for the other. I printed this on blank brochure paper I ordered for free form Vistaprint.
The sparklers- one of the many favors I offered. Last minute we bought a huge pack of these for $10 from Sam's Club. The cards on these were free business cards from Vistaprint. I didn't want to do traditional favors, but these were in a basket by the door, as well as cake slices. I am also sending prints in thank you cards from my mock photobooth.
Friday, November 20, 2009
4th of July: Doing my own flowers!
Early Thursday morning, my mom and I were awakened by the delivery of a new kitchen table. They were also cutting it really close! We were able to move their old table into the garage, which turned out perfectly, because an hour later I received my shipment of flowers! My original order had been to Fifty Flowers for 100 white ranunculus, but they canceled it a few days before the wedding due to shortages. I was very disappointed, but unwilling to substitute with a more expensive flower. I quickly placed my order with Flowers and Freshness. I ordered 100 roses, and 50 stems of hypericum berries.
They were great, and I highly recommend them. I was able to order 25 each of 4 different rose types, which were jade(green), limo(green), twin(green), and cream. With shipping, the total was $160. I also purchased a bunch of green hydrangeas for my bouquet, and a huge bunch of orange roses at a local Sam's Club for about $30. Including supplies I bought at the dollar store(floral tape, wire, ribbon), I spent about $200.
I wish I had more pictures of the bouquet making, but we were all busy. My mom and I filled big buckets with water and flower food, and stuck all the flowers in them in the garage. This past summer in the northeast/Midwest area was quite rainy and cool, and the few days leading up to my wedding was no exception, so the flowers did great sitting in the garage. My grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and sister came over, and we got started. I have never made a bouquet or have any experience with flower arranging, and neither did any of my helpers. I just want to clarify that. I don't think my bouquets were an amazing work of art, but I thought they were lovely and worked for our purposes.
Our basic strategy was to wrap 3 roses together (1 of each of the greens)with one stem of hypericum berries, and then wrap 4 of these together into a bouquet for the bridesmaids. I also added a few peacock feathers to kind of fan out from the edge. We wrapped these all with lots of floral tape, and double secured the edges with some hot glue. We left long stems that we could then stick back in the buckets. They would be finished on Saturday morning!
For my own bouquet, I used the whole bunch of green hydrangeas, and the cream roses. This bouquet was extremely difficult to make, because the hydrangea stems are very thick, and the cream rose heads kept getting popped off. I put in the ostrich feathers to see how it would look, but later pulled them out.
We then worked on the boutonnieres. For the two fathers, we used a rose, a stem of hypericum berries, and a peacock feather. The groomsmen got a large stem of hypericum berries, and a peacock feather. I didn't make the groom's yet, as I would use a stem from my own bouquet on Saturday morning. We also left these stems very long, so they could sit in the water until they were ready to be finished. My mom also made small bouquets for her and my mother-in-law using the orange roses.
I enjoyed this work and very much appreciated my group of impromptu helpers. It was actually quite enjoyable to spend this time with my family in the calm before the storm. However, it did take the five of us around five hours to make eight bouquets, and seven boutonnieres. So make sure you allot a good amount of time. I did not find this to be difficult at all though. There are many great videos on Youtube that will show you the basic art of using floral tape. It is weird to work with at first, but just pull and stretch it, and it will stick to itself.
Saturday morning, before hair and make-up, I sat out on my deck with a few of my bridesmaids to cut the stems, and wrap them in ribbon. I used a gauzy gold for the girls and boys, and a satin cream for mine and the boy's. After wrapping them I stuck green push pins up into the stems to hold the ribbon. I showed the girls, and they were able to finish the bouquets easily. For the boy, I pulled out a spring of hydrangea from my bouquet, paired it with a berry sprig, and wrapped it in cream ribbon. The boutonnieres need more glue gun glue to get the ribbon to stick. There was also a slight crisis when I realized I didn't have any pins, which I solved by snipping the longer bouquet pics off halfway.
The sun was shining with promise for the beautiful day ahead, and I have never been more at peace and clear- minded than I was on that morning. It took about an hour to finish the bouquets and boutonnieres. Most people have commented on how easy- going I was on my wedding day, so I know that this is not for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second, and would not have done it any other way. I got all these bouquets and boutonnieres for $200, and we also used the leftover flowers for my cake and to decorate the house. My photographer took a few pictures of them on the deck when she got to the house.
Here's a teaser picture of them in action on the big day!
They were great, and I highly recommend them. I was able to order 25 each of 4 different rose types, which were jade(green), limo(green), twin(green), and cream. With shipping, the total was $160. I also purchased a bunch of green hydrangeas for my bouquet, and a huge bunch of orange roses at a local Sam's Club for about $30. Including supplies I bought at the dollar store(floral tape, wire, ribbon), I spent about $200.
I wish I had more pictures of the bouquet making, but we were all busy. My mom and I filled big buckets with water and flower food, and stuck all the flowers in them in the garage. This past summer in the northeast/Midwest area was quite rainy and cool, and the few days leading up to my wedding was no exception, so the flowers did great sitting in the garage. My grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and sister came over, and we got started. I have never made a bouquet or have any experience with flower arranging, and neither did any of my helpers. I just want to clarify that. I don't think my bouquets were an amazing work of art, but I thought they were lovely and worked for our purposes.
Our basic strategy was to wrap 3 roses together (1 of each of the greens)with one stem of hypericum berries, and then wrap 4 of these together into a bouquet for the bridesmaids. I also added a few peacock feathers to kind of fan out from the edge. We wrapped these all with lots of floral tape, and double secured the edges with some hot glue. We left long stems that we could then stick back in the buckets. They would be finished on Saturday morning!
For my own bouquet, I used the whole bunch of green hydrangeas, and the cream roses. This bouquet was extremely difficult to make, because the hydrangea stems are very thick, and the cream rose heads kept getting popped off. I put in the ostrich feathers to see how it would look, but later pulled them out.
We then worked on the boutonnieres. For the two fathers, we used a rose, a stem of hypericum berries, and a peacock feather. The groomsmen got a large stem of hypericum berries, and a peacock feather. I didn't make the groom's yet, as I would use a stem from my own bouquet on Saturday morning. We also left these stems very long, so they could sit in the water until they were ready to be finished. My mom also made small bouquets for her and my mother-in-law using the orange roses.
I enjoyed this work and very much appreciated my group of impromptu helpers. It was actually quite enjoyable to spend this time with my family in the calm before the storm. However, it did take the five of us around five hours to make eight bouquets, and seven boutonnieres. So make sure you allot a good amount of time. I did not find this to be difficult at all though. There are many great videos on Youtube that will show you the basic art of using floral tape. It is weird to work with at first, but just pull and stretch it, and it will stick to itself.
Saturday morning, before hair and make-up, I sat out on my deck with a few of my bridesmaids to cut the stems, and wrap them in ribbon. I used a gauzy gold for the girls and boys, and a satin cream for mine and the boy's. After wrapping them I stuck green push pins up into the stems to hold the ribbon. I showed the girls, and they were able to finish the bouquets easily. For the boy, I pulled out a spring of hydrangea from my bouquet, paired it with a berry sprig, and wrapped it in cream ribbon. The boutonnieres need more glue gun glue to get the ribbon to stick. There was also a slight crisis when I realized I didn't have any pins, which I solved by snipping the longer bouquet pics off halfway.
The sun was shining with promise for the beautiful day ahead, and I have never been more at peace and clear- minded than I was on that morning. It took about an hour to finish the bouquets and boutonnieres. Most people have commented on how easy- going I was on my wedding day, so I know that this is not for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second, and would not have done it any other way. I got all these bouquets and boutonnieres for $200, and we also used the leftover flowers for my cake and to decorate the house. My photographer took a few pictures of them on the deck when she got to the house.
Here's a teaser picture of them in action on the big day!
Friday, April 17, 2009
The DRESS!!!
After a loooooong and frustrating search, I found THE DRESS! I was very picky, and had quite a low budget at the beginning. ($400). But I just wouldn't pull the trigger on a dress in this price range. I had been looking at Pronovias, and there are some great deals on these dresses on e-bay. But I couldn't find any of my favorite from this post - the Pronovias Recova, or the Paula Varsalona gown. Also, I never even got to try on a dress that I had been salivating over on the Internet - Alvina Valenta 9658.
After I got out bid on a different Alvina dress, I contacted a wholesale bridal shop in Strongsville, OH, called Anything Bridal. They could have ordered my beloved Recova for only around $1200. The catch was that I was so late in ordering it would come in a few weeks before the wedding. What if something went wrong, or I needed extensive alterations. I was also second guessing myself. Plus, $1200? And I wasn't sure if I could resell this dress.
I went all out on the Internet looking for the 9658. I stalked this dress. I found a girl on the knot who wore this dress, found her e-mail, and asked her if she would sell it (no response). I know I must have sounded like a crazy person. I checked Preownedweddingdresses and OnceWed religiously. These are very good resources for a budget bride. I could tell you every popular dress and how much they go for at this point. The reason I was having so many problems was that this dress was from 2006, and that it cost $3000 brand new. I found one girl online selling her used one for $2800. I just couldn't buy it. It was too much for a used dress.
I checked every single city's Craigslist. Also a good idea - I found good deals on alot of other dresses. But not mine! After this long and frustrating search, I got an e-mail from someone telling me they had a sample of this dress, perfect condition, price of $2,000. I was almost in tears, I was so happy. I whipped out my credit card on the spot! It's way over my budget, and needs alterations, but I just wanted this dress so bad! I am planning on taking perfect care of it, and re-selling it after the wedding.
Without further ado, I give you my dress:
After I got out bid on a different Alvina dress, I contacted a wholesale bridal shop in Strongsville, OH, called Anything Bridal. They could have ordered my beloved Recova for only around $1200. The catch was that I was so late in ordering it would come in a few weeks before the wedding. What if something went wrong, or I needed extensive alterations. I was also second guessing myself. Plus, $1200? And I wasn't sure if I could resell this dress.
I went all out on the Internet looking for the 9658. I stalked this dress. I found a girl on the knot who wore this dress, found her e-mail, and asked her if she would sell it (no response). I know I must have sounded like a crazy person. I checked Preownedweddingdresses and OnceWed religiously. These are very good resources for a budget bride. I could tell you every popular dress and how much they go for at this point. The reason I was having so many problems was that this dress was from 2006, and that it cost $3000 brand new. I found one girl online selling her used one for $2800. I just couldn't buy it. It was too much for a used dress.
I checked every single city's Craigslist. Also a good idea - I found good deals on alot of other dresses. But not mine! After this long and frustrating search, I got an e-mail from someone telling me they had a sample of this dress, perfect condition, price of $2,000. I was almost in tears, I was so happy. I whipped out my credit card on the spot! It's way over my budget, and needs alterations, but I just wanted this dress so bad! I am planning on taking perfect care of it, and re-selling it after the wedding.
Without further ado, I give you my dress:
Have you gone over your budget for The One?
A Peacock Wedding!
Here is my inspiration board, so you can finally see what I decided on for decor:
Countdown...
Its been awhile readers... the past few months have been pretty stresfull and frustrating. Its down to the end now...
2 and half months before the wedding, and here is my to- do list:
1. Finish my registry (my shower is in 3 weeks...yikes!).
2. Finish purchasing the bridesmaids dresses off e-bay.
3. Buy my shoes (I'm lusting after J Crew green silk shoes).
4. Buy my birdcage veil.
5. Purchase peacock feathers to go in the invitations.
6. Get the invitations printed, address the envelopes, and mail them.
7. Finish buying the ostrich feathers for the centerpieces after getting my refund from the e-bay seller that ripped me off (let me know if you want to know who this seller was).
8. Figure out fans/ bouquets for the girls.
9. Finish buying the LED tea lights from the Christmas Tree Store.
10. Make sure the girl from the knot is still going to sell me her gold chargers.
11. Send pictures of hair and make- up to my cousin Mary who is doing said hair and make-up for me on the big day
12. Book the limo (must STOP procrastinating, I got an awesome rate 2 months ago and NEVER booked...)
13. Decide on cake - and subsequently buy cake stands
14. Figure out when I can go into the Courthouse with the caterer and DJ to finalize layout and logistics
15. Send wedding band ideas to our jeweller
16. Decide on honeymoon
17. Gifts for parents, bridal party, etc
18. Buy a tripod and out together faux photo booth
19. Decide on buying a camera or getting last minute videographer off Craigslist
20. Finish collecting wooden wine boxes and have my dad put together a card box
21. Order linens online (that's right, I'm buying them, its cheaper)
22. Buy some clothes to wear on my bachelorette part in VEGAS!!! woohooo
23. Finish collecting corks, and prepare them for place cards
24. Make a hair appt for highlights and brows, a dr appt...
25. TRY NOT TO LOSE MY MIND!
What have I actually gotten done since December...well I'll try to write a few posts, but I bought a dress, am having it altered, booked a DJ, asked bridesmaids, planned a trip to Vegas, had invites designed.... so I've been busy! I'm BACK
2 and half months before the wedding, and here is my to- do list:
1. Finish my registry (my shower is in 3 weeks...yikes!).
2. Finish purchasing the bridesmaids dresses off e-bay.
3. Buy my shoes (I'm lusting after J Crew green silk shoes).
4. Buy my birdcage veil.
5. Purchase peacock feathers to go in the invitations.
6. Get the invitations printed, address the envelopes, and mail them.
7. Finish buying the ostrich feathers for the centerpieces after getting my refund from the e-bay seller that ripped me off (let me know if you want to know who this seller was).
8. Figure out fans/ bouquets for the girls.
9. Finish buying the LED tea lights from the Christmas Tree Store.
10. Make sure the girl from the knot is still going to sell me her gold chargers.
11. Send pictures of hair and make- up to my cousin Mary who is doing said hair and make-up for me on the big day
12. Book the limo (must STOP procrastinating, I got an awesome rate 2 months ago and NEVER booked...)
13. Decide on cake - and subsequently buy cake stands
14. Figure out when I can go into the Courthouse with the caterer and DJ to finalize layout and logistics
15. Send wedding band ideas to our jeweller
16. Decide on honeymoon
17. Gifts for parents, bridal party, etc
18. Buy a tripod and out together faux photo booth
19. Decide on buying a camera or getting last minute videographer off Craigslist
20. Finish collecting wooden wine boxes and have my dad put together a card box
21. Order linens online (that's right, I'm buying them, its cheaper)
22. Buy some clothes to wear on my bachelorette part in VEGAS!!! woohooo
23. Finish collecting corks, and prepare them for place cards
24. Make a hair appt for highlights and brows, a dr appt...
25. TRY NOT TO LOSE MY MIND!
What have I actually gotten done since December...well I'll try to write a few posts, but I bought a dress, am having it altered, booked a DJ, asked bridesmaids, planned a trip to Vegas, had invites designed.... so I've been busy! I'm BACK
Thursday, November 13, 2008
I'm in love!
On Saturday, I met my mom and sister at Catan's. They were having a sample sale that day, and were super busy. I didn't find anything remotely appealing about the samples, so I went to have my normal appointment. Unfortunately, they were too busy to take my appointment. My mom asked them about my favorite designer, Alvina Valenta. All of the sudden we were whisked to a secret part of the shop to try on the couture dresses! Let me tell you, it was like a whole other world in there. It was quiet and softly lit. The dresses were all perfectly hung in rows. Out in the main part of the salon, dresses were thrown everywhere, the lights were harsh, and girls were tripping over each other to grab the dresses.
I got my own huge room, and a super sweet and charming Russian girl to pull the dresses for me. I told her one style I was interested in, and she pulled 6 dresses that I am now absolutely in love with. Problem is that they are all waaayyy out of my price range. Here's all the goodness:
rder=0> Pronovias- love this dress- everything from the straps with the little flowers to the dramatic fit and flair. Close up, the top layer is actually two layers of patterned tulle fabric- so luchious!
Alvina Valenta- the designer I first fell in love with. This dress is so elegant and beautifully made. It is the most expensive at $4200! I saw an old style on ebay for only $300 this week. I ultimately didn't buy it, because I want to stay away from a strapless gown.
Paula Varsalona- I LOVE THIS DRESS. I love everything about it, from the fitted sillouhette, the rouching, and the gorgeous lace straps. The only thing I woul change is to a darker ivory or gold. Swoon... I think this one was around $3000.
Jim Hjelm- the Russian girl in the background helping me said this one was "Sexy Sexy!" She is right. It is a gorgeous dress, and would really show off your assets. I jsut don't think it is me for the wedding. Haha
James Clifford- My mom and sister like this one- it is very romantic and ethereal. I jsut don't think it is dramtic enough for me. I really like the more fitted dresses.
Matthew Christopher- I tried this one on at my mom's urging. It really is a beautiful gown. Those little bows on it are all individually made and sewn onto the dress to create the scatter affect. I like how the vertical lines make me look long and lean. Ultimately, the silouhette is the A-line strapless that I wanted to stay away from.
So what do you think? What is your favorite?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wedding Industrial Complex
Ok, because of the current state of the economy in the US, I thought this would be a good time to bring this up. I am a budget bride. Before I started all of this, I had no idea what weddings cost. Depending on who you talk to, the average cost of a wedding in the US is between $14 and $43 thousand. Now some people say that the higher numbers come from polling by wedding magazines and wedding websites, which are sure to skew the numbers a little. Brides with lower budgets are probably not participating or responding to these sorts of surveys.
It pains me to spend that amount of money on a wedding. Not when there are so many people in our world who don't know where their next meal is coming from. Some days I feel like not having a wedding at all, and other days I get caught up into the hype the WIC feeds us all. It's a difficult struggle for me. I want to make my family happy, but I want to put a cap on the spending as well. We were lucky to be given a fairly large budget from both sets of parents. However, I feel that it is not necessary to spend all of this- we have a house and other responsibilities.
I know I got a little bridezilla- ish when searching for the perfect venue. It just so happens that the place I fell in love with costs over $3,000 in rental fees. It is really hard for me to justify this cost- which is why I've been so back and forth on the whole eloping/ destination wedding thing. However, I feel like its all or nothing. I either want to elope, or have the beautiful wedding of my dreams. There is no option that lets me have a big party in my parents' backyard. I kind of wish I would feel very decisively one way or another. My ambivalence is making it difficult to start planning.
But in the end, I want my family there. I want my 92 year old great- grandmother to watch us say our vows. I want my parents (yes, both of them) to walk me down the aisle as a sign of love, not to give me away. I want my cousins to tear up the dance floor.
Next up- how I try to have the wedding that I want without all the bills....
It pains me to spend that amount of money on a wedding. Not when there are so many people in our world who don't know where their next meal is coming from. Some days I feel like not having a wedding at all, and other days I get caught up into the hype the WIC feeds us all. It's a difficult struggle for me. I want to make my family happy, but I want to put a cap on the spending as well. We were lucky to be given a fairly large budget from both sets of parents. However, I feel that it is not necessary to spend all of this- we have a house and other responsibilities.
I know I got a little bridezilla- ish when searching for the perfect venue. It just so happens that the place I fell in love with costs over $3,000 in rental fees. It is really hard for me to justify this cost- which is why I've been so back and forth on the whole eloping/ destination wedding thing. However, I feel like its all or nothing. I either want to elope, or have the beautiful wedding of my dreams. There is no option that lets me have a big party in my parents' backyard. I kind of wish I would feel very decisively one way or another. My ambivalence is making it difficult to start planning.
But in the end, I want my family there. I want my 92 year old great- grandmother to watch us say our vows. I want my parents (yes, both of them) to walk me down the aisle as a sign of love, not to give me away. I want my cousins to tear up the dance floor.
Next up- how I try to have the wedding that I want without all the bills....
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Save the Date!
I am in the process of making our STD's (haha) for the wedding. I really wanted to go with magnets, so my guests can stick them on their fridge. That way my wedding will stay on everyone's mind! While doing some research, I came across this site. They have hundreds of templates for Save- the- Dates, and you can even customize some of them with your own photos. I loved this photo booth one:
A little pricey for me at 100 for $150. I briefly considered buying magnet paper and printing my own, but then I found VistaPrint. I signed up a few months ago, and I am literally bombarded with free offers. A little annoying, but well worth it for the great deals! Currently, 25 small magnets or 10 larger magnets are FREE! I've decided to go with the smaller size (3.5" x 2.0"). It's about the size of a business card, but I think can still be well done. You can download a template and design your own for a $4 upload fee. (I used Illustrator, with a free 30 day trial.)
As a caveat, I am not a graphic designer, and have never used Illustrator before. However, I am fairly computer savvy, and spent a few hours figuring out how to use the tools and came up with this:
Those pictures in there are just placeholders- I want to rip- off the photo booth one, where we hold a sign that says "Please Save" in the first one, and "the Date" in the second one. I might put a background of fireworks behind the picture or somewhere on the magnet. What do you think?
If you don't feel like messing around with Illustrator, there are hundreds of templates on Vista. I saw that Miss Champagne from WeddingBee used a template of gold damask, two elements I wanted to incorporate in our wedding. If you search through Vista's templates, keep in mind that you can change the colors of their designs, and also change all of the text, font, and placement. I rotated all of my text and pictures 90 degrees so that it would print out longways instead of like a business card.
Again, not planning on using this picture, although I do love how my dress complements the colors! I am wearing this dress again this weekend for a rehearsal dinner, so I may ask my sister to take a bunch of shots of us to get one that might be usable. We are going to eventually take engagement pictures, but I am not sure if they will be done before I want to send these out. Which design do you like better?
Breakdown:
100 small magnets from VistaPrint........ $30 with shipping
100 postcards to mount magnets from VistaPrint..... FREE promotion
100 plain envelopes..... $10
100 stamps...... $42
TOTAL COST FOR STDs........ $82 or $.82 each!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Cleveland Lakeside Courthouse!!!
I finally made the final choice on my venue! I just was so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the courthouse that I knew it had to be my venue. If you are thinking about using the courthouse for your wedding, there are a few things you should know.
1. The "coordinator" there is extremely difficult to work with. She sometimes took over 2 weeks to return my calls. Also, she wouldn't send me the contract until one year out from the wedding. On July 5, I started calling her to get the contract. Three weeks later, she finally answered my call. Let me just say I was extremely freaked out during those three weeks that I had lost the venue. If you want her private number, leave me a comment with your email.
2. It costs $525 an hour. If you want the attached parking garage it is another $550. However, you get from 5 PM Friday until 8PM Monday to set up, tear down, etc. They only charge you for your actual ceremony/ reception times. I'm planning on going with the parking, although I'm not sure if it would be absolutely necessary for everyone. It tends to be pretty empty in that area on the weekends.
3. You also have to get liability insurance for $1 MM. Now, most people can do it through their homeowners insurance, but it will cost between $200-400. This is a cost I didn't know about- if it wasn't already enough there!
4. There is no kitchen area, not even a sink. Most caterers will charge you alot more to cater a wedding here, because they need to bring immense quantities of glasses, silverware, and cooking set- ups. No glasses can be washed or reused.
Congrats! And if any readers are having their wedding there, I'd be happy to talk about caterers, rentals, decor ideas, etc. I haven't booked a caterer yet!!
1. The "coordinator" there is extremely difficult to work with. She sometimes took over 2 weeks to return my calls. Also, she wouldn't send me the contract until one year out from the wedding. On July 5, I started calling her to get the contract. Three weeks later, she finally answered my call. Let me just say I was extremely freaked out during those three weeks that I had lost the venue. If you want her private number, leave me a comment with your email.
2. It costs $525 an hour. If you want the attached parking garage it is another $550. However, you get from 5 PM Friday until 8PM Monday to set up, tear down, etc. They only charge you for your actual ceremony/ reception times. I'm planning on going with the parking, although I'm not sure if it would be absolutely necessary for everyone. It tends to be pretty empty in that area on the weekends.
3. You also have to get liability insurance for $1 MM. Now, most people can do it through their homeowners insurance, but it will cost between $200-400. This is a cost I didn't know about- if it wasn't already enough there!
4. There is no kitchen area, not even a sink. Most caterers will charge you alot more to cater a wedding here, because they need to bring immense quantities of glasses, silverware, and cooking set- ups. No glasses can be washed or reused.
Congrats! And if any readers are having their wedding there, I'd be happy to talk about caterers, rentals, decor ideas, etc. I haven't booked a caterer yet!!
A 4th of July Wedding
While searching for a theme for a 4th of July wedding, I came across a few rather obvious ones. American flags, red, white, and blue, eagles, or stars and stripes. I wasn't feeling any of these ideas though. My original ideas for a wedding had been to use a black and white damask, and a pop of a bright color like fuscia or red. After deciding on my venue, I wanted to incorporate gold into my color scheme.
Enter my new brilliant idea.... fireworks! It still represents the 4th of July, but is not as cheesy as having American flags everywhere. There are lots of great ideas that would incorporate a fireworks theme. I can give sparklers to the guests as favors, or have a sparkler send off.
Enter my new brilliant idea.... fireworks! It still represents the 4th of July, but is not as cheesy as having American flags everywhere. There are lots of great ideas that would incorporate a fireworks theme. I can give sparklers to the guests as favors, or have a sparkler send off.
So fun! For centerpieces, I don't really want flowers(or the florist bill that comes with), so I've been looking into other options. I wanted to make an impact with tons of candles, but unfortunately my venue won't allow them. I like the look of the curly willow branches I've seen brides using. I would like to spray paint mine gold, and put them into a large vase with Floralytes to provide a soft glow.
If I wanted to use candles, I'd have to use the flameless LED ones. They have floralytes that change colors- would this be a cool way to show off the colorfulness of fireworks, or just be cheesy? I also like the centerpieces that use ostrich feathers. Now, I'm not sure on this saving money, because ostrich feathers are surprisingly expensive. But they are beautiful, and you can get the feathers dyed any color you want. I could also use the colored floralytes for these too.
I love how both these ideas kind of evoke the feel of fireworks- high and lighted against the dark, both fanning out into beautiful patterns. Maybe I could do a mixture of both, one type on the long tables, the other type on the rounds? Could I also use damask with these ideas, or does it not go together?
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