AUGUST 7th, 2010

Final Date. =)

Fun Things To Do....

Dave and I are still thinking up some fun activities for the reception.

Right now, we love the idea of Mad Libs, Word Finds and Crossword Puzzles all about us! I figure we can get large postcards printed online with these on them for not a whole lot. Supply some pencils and instant fun!

(Our parents are going to roll their eyes on this one but...) We also love the idea of customized temporary tattoos! They're not terribly expensive. We can get one design for us and then a bunch of other designs that aren't custom and have a Tattoo Booth!

Please let us know if you have any other group activity ideas. I don't think we will be having any of the traditional dance stuff that most weddings have (partly because we don't really like being the center of attention on the dance floor). The first dance and leg garter thing don't appeal to us (and I think I'd feel weird not having the opportunity to have a father/daughter dance - RIP Dad.) I do want to have a bouquet toss (I don't think my nieces would let anyone leave the wedding if they didn't get a chance to catch it!), so if you have any other ideas, let us know.

For music I'm leaning towards an acoustic guitar during the ceremony with the same guitarist playing for the first hour or so of the reception time (with possible vocals) and then ipod-ing it for the rest with our music selection.

Times they are a changin....

I checked the Loudon Raceway schedule. NASCAR is actually the weekend of my birthday (the 26th) but there are races the weekend of June 5th. There are, however, races every weekend at Loudon! I also checked NH's Calendar of Events and with that in mind I plan on trying for August 7th now. The town hall isn't open today, so I can't call and see if that date is available until tomorrow. I am not terribly worried about it. (If it is not available I will just pick Saturdays going backwards into July, 31st, 24th, 17th.)

So where it stands now, I am going to call tomorrow and try to get Aug 7th.... Stay Tuned.

Goodbye Flags....

I really do love these feather flags...



I can't really accept that they cost $250 to RENT 6 of them. That's just craziness. So I have seen these balloons at various weddings online. (I know, balloons are so prom, relax - they're not regular balloons!) These balloons are 36" round and I would only get white ones.




I originally had thought about putting the flags and punched tin candle holders down the aisle, but now I am considering using these balloons with the punched tin candle holders. I'm not married to that idea. I think a simple aisle lined with candles is fine too. (Let me know if you have any ideas.) The balloons I think would look cool tied to the railings on the porch or weighed and lined up along the trees in the back of the field (depending on how much space we plan to use out there, to tie it in as one large space). These ideas are all with helium, but it's possible to just inflate them and hang them upside down too. Anyway, they're about $15 for 6 (plus the helium tank) much more reasonable. =)

I want to add this as comfort that I won't get out of control with balloons... THIS will NOT be our wedding! haha....

Change the Date!?!?

It turns out that June 5th there is a NASCAR race in Loudon, NH. Dave's Dad checked with some of the B&Bs that I had posted on the wedding website for availability and found out about it (Thanks Jack!). I called my Mom this morning and had her change it to June 12th, then my sister/MOH reminded me about Laconia's Motorcycle Rally Week! Bah! I honestly was all for eloping at that point but Dave convinced me that it's just a hiccup in time. So I will check NH's calendar of events for the middle and end of July and the beginning of August and see if we can't find a date in there that the venue is available too. At least the only thing we "lost" was the cost of the Save The Date cards and fortunately we hadn't mailed them yet. =)

Tableware. Part Two.

I love love LOVE the BAMBU bamboo disposable tableware that i blogged about before, but it's not cheap. After having looked at some other stuff online, I still am desiring the 7 in. plates, but perhaps can get some other items to supplement the look and still be eco-friendly and be way more wallet friendly!
Here are a few other things I've found today.



Cold Cups.

SOLO Bare Cold Cups.


Corn Cups.




SOLO Bare Hot Cups.




Vegetable Starch Utensils.




Dinner Napkins and Drink Napkins.
I don't have any photos for... but am thinking several possibilities. I'd really like to get some lavender colored ones, with perhaps a wicker or linen printed texture on them to get some color in this! Also, I am considering, where it will be just a punch and cake reception, that I could get away with just cocktail napkins (then get a few different designs that coordinate) instead of both dinner and cocktail.



We're inviting 80 guests (80% of those guests are from outside of NH) and expecting 65-70 to come - so I'm not certain how many of each items would be needed to guestimate budgeting.

Got any ideas?? Let us know!

Alexandria Town Grange.

Photos of the Venue!
(Thanks Mom and Alex for taking these.)



View of Front from Old Photo I found Online.
(I'm thinking about incorporating this image in the invitations somewhere.)







View from behind.






View of the Gazebo, Side Yard (Green Field in Summer!) and Trees behind.
(Location of Service if good weather.)







View of Stage inside Grange.
(Location of Service if bad weather.)







Misc. Photos inside Grange.

Blessing Stones??

The more I think about the Unity Candle the more I think it could be something a bit different... I ran across this website; let me know what you think.


http://www.abeautifulwedding.us/vows_blessingstones.htm

Saving the Date...

I found a couple of ideas online that I liked for STD postcards and Dave tweaked them to our liking. This is the one (front and back) that I ordered and below are the two that I borrowed ideas from. We changed some things like removing the border, changing the birds and the wording on the back.



OURS








Inspiration.

More Dress Ideas....

I've been browsing around etsy.com and found a couple dresses I like.

This one (about $100) would be for me...







This one (about $60) in a purplish color for Alex...







...and I saw this dress on jcrew.com and think it's a good representation of what I had in mind for Sissy (the color and shape), although I think the pricetag ($225) is a bit out of range.

Activities...

Because this will be a dry celebration... I'd like to have activities available around the venue for entertainment value.
A couple things I have seen so far...



I Knew You When...

Making little pins with the guests names on them that they can then stick into a posterboard with years on it.









Another idea I have found is a photobooth. I'm not entirely sure how the logistics would work out yet, but I like all the creative possibilities. Let me know if you have any ideas.









...and then I also like the idea of a creative guest book. Here's one with little notes to get you started.

Decorations Galore!

Some more things I have seen for decorations that I adore.

These grapevine balls are fantastic and reminded me of something else... I could take twine and wrap it around inflated balloons with glue and when it dries, pop the balloons and hang the twine balls in the venue. I think it'd be pretty rad. I don't think we will need much for lighting accents (such as white christmas lights or paper lanterns) because it will be daytime. I do think the twine orbs would be cool looking though. The folks are going to take some photos of the venue so I can have a better idea of what I am working with.








We also really like the idea of getting old family photographs from our parents and hanging them on twine around the venue with clothespins. (We'd likely make copies of the originals to hang.) Perhaps near a "photobooth" area that we hope to have.

Wedding Service.

We're going to write our own vows... and likely have two readings. One of the readings is a poem by ee cummings (posted below) and the other hasn't been decided yet, although I would like something from the Bible. If you have any thoughts, that would be helpful. I'd like to do a unity candle lighting. I'd like to have a single string instrument (acoustic guitar, cello, violin...) play before and/or during the service.



i carry your heart with me
ee cummings

i carry your heart with me
(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it
(anywhere i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear no fate
(for you are my fate,my sweet)
i want no world
(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart
(i carry it in my heart)

Tableware.

I adore these BAMBU bamboo disposible plates and flatware. They're not anymore expensive than anything else, either. I'd like to get these and then either clear plastic cups or lavender party cups (I'm totally uncertain about the cups, ideas would be great!). And then maybe some personalized napkins or some fun napkins with a nature theme. Whatever I do, I need to figure a way to get some lavender onto the table because the runner and centerpieces are beige or plain and the plates will be too.

Entrance & Table Center Pieces.

I like the monogram entrance idea... I think if we made a big "S" from some salvaged wood and made it look weathered and hung it with a big ribbon on the door into the grange that would be really awesome.








On the tables I'd like a narrow burlap runner (if the tables are wood, which I think they are) (or maybe a brown paper runner, as seen in the last photo) with candles in mason jars and the same punched tin cans from the wedding aisle. Also some jars or plain glass vases with cotton branches and other twigs. (Maybe flowers if that is in the budget, but I don't think they will be.) We would screen print an image of our names on the burlap that is made from blocks and we would make it look worn, old and/or shabby chic!

Wedding Aisle

I like these white feather flags (but they're $250 for 6 to rent, so I may end up passing on them). I also like tin coffee/soup cans punched with trees. I think it would look great to have the feather flags and cans along the aisle. I've also seen some rattan squares used as an aisle... I'm not too sure and think the expense would likely end up too great. I've also seen burlap runners and even though I look forward to using elements of burlap in my wedding, I don't think I'd like it as a runner.

Flowers!

I love, love, LOVE this dried cotton branch bouquet! Not only will it go along fabulously with the theme but it can be prepared in advance and will last forever! I think it will be much more practical than live flowers, and I would imagine it would be more economical. I hope to get enough branches to also add flowers to table centerpieces or as other decorations about the grange.

Making my own wedding dress....

I plan on sewing my own dress. My sewing skills aren't great, but I think it will be a lot of fun to attempt to do. If it doesn't work out, I'll just buy one!

The dress will have a similar shape to these. I'd like to sew 4 wooden buttons, about the diameter of a 50-cent piece, down the right side. One panel on the front will button to the other and the top button will stay unbuttoned with a flap that hangs over. The dress will be an off-white or biege linen or cotton material and the inside of the dress will be a lavender color, similar material, that flaps over. I've considered making the dress in eyelet material, too. I'll be barefoot for the wedding service but plan on wearing nude flats for the rest of the day.

Wedding Colors

Primary colors will be lavender and chocolate brown, with a hint of chartreuse to add a bit of punch!