Tag: unique wedding reception ideas
photo courtesy of flickr.com
Recently, a girlfriend at work (hollerrrrr Jessi!) attended a wedding, and after being impressed by the unique bouquet toss, she came in to dish the deets for The Best Wedding Blogger Ever – thank ya muchly, my dear!
At the reception she attended, instead of the bride throwing a traditional “tossing bouquet,” she threw a bouquet that split into several mini bouquets. Thus, providing more than one lady-in-waiting the coveted prize of “you’re next!” Obviously, la-Louvre-ing the idea, I immediately went into search mode to see what I could find.
While this kind of breakaway bouquet (also known as a fortune bouquet) hasn’t quite made a famed name for itself in the wedding world, it’s definitely a trend growing in popularity. Many brides who choose to take this option on keep the base idea the same: one bouquet splitting into several parts, but they also tag it with their own individual style as well.
Some brides will invite all their female guests - not just the single ones – out onto the dance floor and will either A) ask them all to make a wish or B) simply say that it’s a bouquet for luck, love or (fill in the blank) that everyone can enjoy.
I have also seen where other brides separate their entire bouquet into individual flowers and attach charms, fortunes, good luck ribbons, etc. to the stems; so, that each girl vying for a piece of that bridal gold will gladly do so.
It’s for sure an uber cute idea, and as someone who has made countless “walk ‘o’ shames” to catch the single lady bouquet, it most def makes it easier on any lady who begrudges the whole process!
So, put on your thinking caps, start tossing and spread even more joy!
photo courtesy of kai-photo.com
January 24, 2011
‘Cause after the show it’s the (after party)! And after the party it’s the (hotel lobby)!
What? Don’t even act like you weren’t all about R. Kelly’s “Remix to Ignition” (hot ‘n’ fresh out the kitchen!) back in ’03 too! Just admit it… it was your ring tone, wasn’t it? I knew it.
Aannnnyyyyhoot, it would appear that the talented (be it somewhat troubled) R&B singer was right on track when it came to forecasting wedding trends – even if he was amiss to any others, hehe! Because these days, most matrimonial milestones are all about the After Party – duh!
Trending toward the wedding world for several years, the formality of wedding after parties is more than likely the genetic offspring of their previous, less formal counterparts. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, please let me reassure you… you do. In fact, you’ve probably been a part of one yourself!
Because be it the low hum from one or the loud roar of several, there always seems to be a stable group of guests that long to keep the party going well after the curtain closes on the reception. This is most often times represented by the incessant, borderline frenzied streak of “Hey! Where are you going!!?!” questioning.
Recently, the Mister and I attended a wedding in Chicago – shout out to Alex & Tay, whoop whoop!…
Don't even act like Tay's not the cutest thing you've ever seen, love her! (photo courtesy of Taylor Groesbeck)
- and I have to take my hat off to them both. (Tip to Tay. Tip to Alex.) The day was absolutely GORGEOUS and to date, contained the best wedding speeches and toasts I’ve ever heard – excluding my own of course, but that could be me just being partial :) But alas, I should’ve known their day would be epic when I received their invitation in the mail, containing detailed instructions for the following 3 wedding ingredients:
- The Ceremony
- The Reception, and (drum roll, please)…
- The After Party!
That’s right, my little chick-a-dees: a formal invite to a party after the party! La-LOUVRE it! The Groesbecks did such an amazing job about making their wedding day an event for everyone. They took their time to plan and truly considered their family, friends and loved ones on the day of their day of “I do’s;” which after being fortunate enough to experience firsthand, I can honestly say I felt honored to be included… and mostly because they made it their honor include everyone.
Taylor and Alex really relished in the excitement of having all their friends and family in one place celebrating; so, it was obvious they wanted to make the most of it. Because when you think about it, how often do we get bogged down by conflicting schedules, growing (or declining) careers, doctor’s appointments, ballet recitals, play rehearsals, sport’s team practices or “I gotta go here’s” and “Can’t make it there’s??” My guess is pretty often, which makes it even harder to gather and rally the troops whenever the mood strikes us and even better when we can.
Then, it dawned on me (ding!); of all the weddings I’ve been to – and there’s been a few ;) - this was the first one I’d ever attended where the invite included a formal declaration of where everyone could go when the DJ’s done spinning and the caterer’s done serving!
Which is fitting, considering the majority of receptions I’ve rocked, there’s always a good amount (if not the whole kit ‘n’ kaboodle) of guests who aren’t quite ready to pack up and head home at 11. In fact, I can think of several off top where the night ended with a frantic shuffle in the parking lot of people getting in and jumping out of cars, trying hard to conjure makeshift plans through broken texts and interrupted phone calls, all to (fingers crossed) end up in the same spot. I’m sure some of you reading this right now have been a part of such shuffles yourselves.
So, why not take the circus act out of the equation and give your guests a place to point their honing beacons? Seems simple enough to me! Not to mention, after parties are especially great if you have a lot of out of town guests attending who rarely have the opportunity to get together and little to no knowledge of the area.
After parties by no means are essential, but they sure can be fun! Because let’s face it, the terminology “let’s dance the last dance” doesn’t always apply to everyone, and sometimes, it’s really nice to have an encore :)
Here’s to Alex and Taylor! Thanks for being awesome people and such a fabulous inspiration station to Marilyn’s Keepsakes!
November 19, 2010
photo courtesy of sundaepaper.com
Nowadays, everyone is on a budget; so, when it comes to your wedding, it’s important to get the most bang for your buck. One way you can do this is by having centerpieces that double as favors!
One of my favorite dueling decorations is potted or replant able centerpieces that your guests can take home and enjoy long after the disco lights dim and the dances are done. By using dual purposed décor, you’ll not only create a standout look for your reception, but a standout memory for all your guests.
Everything from fragrant herbs and superb spices to vibrant blossoms and tall grasses can all be arranged to your liking and sent home with your guests for theirs. It’s a win / win for everyone!
And depending on your budget, you can easily make homemade plant boxes for super cheap, simply by using wood, nails and a stain of your choice… or leave the wood as is for an even cheaper, more rustic solution! As always, it’s really up to you. Get as over the top or under the radar as you want… just be sure to have fun and stay happy :)
Here are some of my faves:
photos courtesy of theknot.com and marthastewartweddings.com
July 16, 2010
photo courtesy of beautifulblooms.com
YOWZAS! Talk about making a statement from floor to ceiling… floating or hanging wedding décor is one way to get more bang for your buck! Because they offer a means to create more levels of dimension throughout your entire reception hall, you’ll easily streeeetch your real estate dollar to its fullest potential by filling in areas that otherwise would be lost… And who doesn’t love that??
After perusing through several images on BeautifulBlooms.com, I couldn’t help but be inspired by these float-tastic furnishings and immediately set off on a journey to discover more. (Of course by “journey,” I mean manic mouse clicking and by “discover,” I mean whatever Google Images wanted to show me… but alas, I digress.) I went absolutely Lady GaGa for the one of a kind, optical illusions they create and fell even deeper in love when I realized their practicality.
Not only do these suspended superstars create an allstar look, but they also offer brides and grooms a way to decorate their tables without blocking the view of their guests. Because big, bold centerpieces can create such big, bold WOW factors, so many brides are drawn to them… but they don’t always create the most rational way for your guests – seated in between and across from them – to communicate to others or worse yet… see you! Blasphemy!
Hence, only furthering the appeal of hovering centerpieces! By cutting out the middle “man” altogether and suspending the décor, you can be as big and bold as you want without blocking the view of your guests! It’s a win / win for everyone!
Just be sure to go over things with your venue. Since some of these will more than likely need more planning to accomplish, you should definitely work with your reception hall vendor and / or coordinator to make sure they go off without a hitch!
And if you’ve found yourself already booked to venue that doesn’t allow or have a means to hang things, there are still several options for you to create this look. One, consider using super tall, thin vases and placing floral or “pom pom” styled arrangements on the tops only. This will ensure you’ll get the height you want with minimal to no distractions of your guests… Or I like the idea of using large, elevated glass cylinders. You can fill them to the top with water, creating the illusion of “clear” space, and crowning them with your favorite flower buds, floating candles or fiber optics.
March 17, 2010
(In a haughty French waiter tone) “Dinner is served.”
And to our delight (fingers crossed) it will be followed almost immediately with alcoholic beverages and giant dance circles! While a marriage may be based on the love of two people, their wedding day is often based on everyone else’s love to celebrate it… so, when a wedding reception goes from late afternoon to an even LATER evening, guests are often times in need of some refueling.
Enter: the Midnight Snack.
Bringing out treats for your guests after a long night of dinner, drinks and dancing will be just what the doctor ordered and could totally restock the sizzle in all of them.
Delightful Midnight Dishes: Pizza, White Castle Burgers (more affectionately known as “Sliders”), Cheese ‘ n’ Cracker Trays, Fourth Meal (aka Taco Bell), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts or Cold Cut Sandwiches.
***Extra*** if doing a buffet style meal, check with your caterers to see the possibility of reheating leftovers. It’s a general rule of thumb for caterers to make 10% more food than they expect will be eaten… making the possibilities of leftovers great!
February 5, 2010
