Green-ish Centerpieces!

OK, so one of my favorite ideas for weddings is sending centerpieces home with people, and one of the biggest complaints that I hear from those trying to reduce waste (and, honestly, I tend to concur) is the amount of money people spend on flowers for centerpieces that just go to waste. I think you can not only save a lot of money but be a little bit more environmentally friendly by doing some other centerpiece options that would be more likely to be re-used by you OR your guests!

This is an example of my new obsession:

And this is what those nifty little things look like outside the vase:

AOII had our International Convention in Tucson at the J. W. Marriott Starr Pass in June and these were on the table for our Expanding Horizions dinner. I've just been dying over these-- there were blue and red and pink and green and OH the colors! But where to find these magical things? For a while, I thought they were maybe like the little beads you put in your plants to keep them hydrated and a colored LED in the center.

Oh, no, it's much cooler than that!

Water gems in EVERY color!! You can get them pre-hydrated or, much less expensively, un-hydrated. If you're traveling for a wedding, the un-hydrated would clearly be an optimal choice-- they're small enough you could fit an entire wedding's worth of water gems in your makeup bag!

(FloraLyte)

Pop 'em in water, watch 'em fill up, and then set in a vase with a FloraLyte ($2/ea) and you've got yourself a centerpiece that costs less than $7/each! BRILLIANT! Best part? You could stick your bouquet in one and keep it hydrated, and the gems (purportedly) last so you can send an awesome centerpiece home with your favorite guests that they can whip out for parties. Plus, the kids will love playing with the gems! (No lie, I sat there and played with them for like half an hour during awards)

Soundtrack

(via)

We all know that music/dancing is in the top three awesome things about weddings (the other two being food, and people we like gettin' hitched), so if you don't have a DJ what should you do? Make your own playlist!! We all have that friend who really wishes they were a professional DJ and with the iPod docks getting cheaper, smaller, and louder by the day you can take your speakers with you to the venue and get a feel for how loud they are. If not, talk to a friend in a band (yeah, you know you have one) and see if they can hook up the speakers to your dock which is something even I can do. (For the record, there are five year olds who can work sound systems better than I can!)

There were some obvious choices (for us, Blues Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Etta James) but then I sat down and started looking at the guest list-- were there songs that I associated with folks that would be good for the event? Were there more musically in touch people than myself who might have a better suggestion than BSB's "Everybody"?

Utilize your guest list, make everyone feel like they're part of the planning process, and take some of the stress off your shoulders all at once!

Reception Connection

We got really lucky with our reception location-- The Solarium at Scottish Rite does special pricing for residents of the 30030 zip code within a certain set of parameters. Since we got married in the winter time, we felt comfortable waiting for the six week deadline so we could snag this amazing venue! Look at community related venues to see if they have similar deals; you could end up changing the venue at the last minute, but that isn't a given and with communication so readily available it's much easier to alert guests to a change in plans!

If you're looking for a deal on a smaller reception venue, say you have a more intimate group of people, you can always look at Wahoo's setup-- they're open for private parties and you can even find a deal in the Savvy Shopper (a local coupon publication we get stuck in our mailbox once a month) for anywhere from $50 off to 10% off your whole bill. The ambiance there is delightful and the food... well, if I talk about the food I'm just going to get hungry all over again!

If you look at restaurants in the area, you're likely to find they do have private party rooms that are available for a minimal price compared to renting an entire venue and paying for a caterer, plus you don't have to worry about setup and breakdown! Also, if you choose a restaurant with a Groupon, etc. deal they may let you take that amount off your tab if they're feeling generous!

Arrangements

So you want some pretty flowers? Just ask Scoutmob! Looking at a grand gesture for a kid-friendly or Hollywood themed reception? Groupon's got you covered! This is one of the reasons I think one year to plan a wedding is just about perfect-- another post for another day, though!

On to business, though-- exactly why are these deals worth the money? Surely it's just a drop in the bucket of a wedding budget? That Scoutmob deal only offers a $35 max discount!

Think about it-- if you're ordering several small bouquets from Foxgloves and Ivy, you're likely to end up getting one for free with $35 off! Going with the Groupon deal will save you as much as you would have spent, AND if you wanted something extravagant but couldn't justify a nearly $500 expenditure, this gives you the opportunity to throw something extra in there that will really wow your guests!

FunFlicks on Groupon

There are hundreds of deals each day, and it takes a little bit of time to look through them all but you can really make this work for you. If you're heavily strapped, then go for the Scoutmob deals since all it requires is a subscription, and if you have an Android, Blackberry Torch, or iPhone you can get the application which will automatically save all the deals even if you don't remember to pick it up through e-mail or text!

At Home Reception

A few weeks ago, when spring was just coming out and everyone was venturing outside, we invited some friends over for dinner! Given that we lucked out on the front porch department, we sat outside and had a wonderful relaxing night.

I sat there thinking about other parties we've had and how much fun it is to bring everyone in and enjoy each other's company! I know families who have done receptions at their homes, and while it's a bit stressful to pull the house together, you could spend all the venue rental money on food and drinks, the bride and groom can throw on a casual dress and suit, and if you have the back yard for it you could even just do a short ceremony and turn everyone loose!

Just think about it, you could do what we did this evening and make a ravioli bar (all you need is a little camp stove to keep the water boiling!), you could do a mac and cheese bar, you can use paper and plastic goods that will go straight in to your recycling bin, and you can throw some croquet sets, bean bag games, and horse shoes out and everyone can grab a beer and relax!

Mama mia!

Nely Photography

Ever heard of a mother/daughter dance? I hadn't really thought about it until now; I started this post last night and the only thing that saved was the title, so with ABBA in my head I naturally thought of dancing! Looking around, I found this adorable picture from a Hawaiian wedding done by Nely Photography-- who wouldn't love a a beautiful moment like this? You could go with the soft and sweet song like many father/daughter dances, but if you're anything like my mother and I you'll pick something like Bonnie Raitt that's got a little sass to it!

Something for Everyone!

I've been thinking about this particular subject for a while now-- ever since the press started pondering the menu at Chelsea Clinton's wedding. Many outlets slammed the family's assumed choice of a vegan, gluten-free wedding, and shamed them for pressing their own dietary needs on the guests, and though I generally would agree with that, I'm quite certain that the Clinton/Mezvinsky event had enough funding to get some tip top options. But what about you? What if you can't afford to dish out $100/head? 

I believe that you should put out something for everyone at your reception-- yes, the wedding day is "all about you" but your guests are there to help you celebrate and have surely been a part of your life and therefore a part of everything leading up to this day. Notice that I didn't say audience, I said guests... When you have an intimate dinner party, it's easier to know off the top of your head if you should adjust the menu for allergies or dietary lifestyles, but a party of more than 10? That gets tricky.

This is where a buffet comes in handy-- sure, it's not as formal as a sit down dinner, but that doesn't mean it can't be just as classy and high-brow. These days, companies like Avalon Catering offer some amazing choices for a cocktail reception (fancy speak for buffet), including Georgia peaches wrapped in serrano ham, cheese and preserves, tortellini, pork shoulder, and oh so many more. If you're doing stations (another form of buffet), they offer h'ors dourves like gazpacho, lighter fare like bean salad, sage tarts, pasta salads, and main courses like Georgia trout and beef brisket! 

The point is that no matter your dietary needs and the needs of your guests, looking in to the cocktail and station alternatives may be the best way to suit everyone's needs and provide delicious food at the same time!

The buffet at my friend Jill-Marie's wedding-- Chopped BBQ Pork, Crab Souffle, Fresh Crudite, Stone Ground Grits, Cheddar Cheese Ring

Wedding Day Munchies

My husband and I went to an art opening last night that featured a couple of new businesses of the food type-- my favorite were the treats set out by Bear Maker Bakery! They had cherry lime-ade cookies, amaretto bites, bourbon pecan shortbread, and Nutella cupcakes. YUM! My wedding had cupcakes because my husband bakes and we didn't have several thousand to throw at a cake; the cupcakes were a hit and we got to choose loads of different flavors! BMB got me thinking last night about a wedding dessert bar. What couldn't you do with a dessert bar?

Amy Atlas Events of New York designs some AMAZING dessert tables, and I think they're just perfect for a unique wedding or event.

Imagine an amazing spring time or carnival-themed event, or even having little bags on the corner for a build your own favor table!

 1

A romantic winter wedding would look stunning with these yummy chocolates and lolipop trees adorning your dessert table. Even a spring wedding or Valentine's would benefit from the dreamy feel.

 2

Halloween weddings are growing in popularity, and why not? Look at all the fun you can have with the dessert table; I can only imagine the fun plans for the reception and guests!

3

I know we all love the tradition of the cake cutting, and there's nothing to say that you can't have a cake at the center of your dessert table design, but think about these options when considering your budget. A delicious cake from the Publix bakery with fondant and decoration will run you around $40, and the treats you put all over the table for your guests to much on can cost under $200 depending on your head count, so why bother spending $400+ for a wedding cake that perhaps not everyone can enjoy? 

Get creative, go a little crazy, take some queues from the brilliant Amy Atlas and add that something special to your event!