Post # 1
Member
2295 posts
Buzzing bee
I can’t wait to post a full recap once we get our professional pictures!
Got back from our wonderful honeymoon late Sunday night and both had yesterday off work, so we knocked out the thank you notes and they’re in the mail today – highly recommend that! It’s nice to have them done. A few gifts are still trickling in but it’s very easy to do a one-off thank you note, it’s the big pile that is daunting.
I have so many tips and thoughts, it almost seems overhwelming to try and share with brides that are in the planning stages. I guess I will sum it up as – yes, all the planning and work is worth it. You CAN have a calm, fun day, but you need to work your butt off ahead of time. Our wedding day was awesome, exactly what I planned and wanted. But the week before was exhausting. That’s normal. Allow yourself as much time to rest as possible, get as many things done and organized as possible, and then just go with it the weekend of.
Oh, and games (giant jenga and the Wii) were a HUGE hit at our all-adult wedding. They weren’t tacky or strange at all… you have to know your crowd (in pretty much everything).
Other thing I would say is don’t skimp on the guest list – invite EXACTLY who you want there. The people are what make it at the end of the day, although I still think all the other stuff (decor, food, cake, paper, etc) was worth the work.
So here are some non-pro teaser pictures… mostly decor. You can see the venue pictures without nice decor below. These were taken when most house lights were still up and before our purple uplighting was turned on (it was one big room that we divided off using pipe and drape – so we had amber in the ceremony and purple in the reception).
Post # 3
Member
2295 posts
Buzzing bee
One more post – here are the photos the venue had on their website. We brought in pipe and drape, uplighting, and chairs, and it TOTALLY transformed the space. We didn’t have to pay to use this banquet room (just the cost of catering, which was very reasonable) – and it fit both our ceremony and reception.
You have to have VISION to see some ugly spaces as what they can become!! Saves you a ton of money vs. renting the stuff that already looks great.
Post # 4
Member
960 posts
Busy bee
@NAvery: Holy crap you really transformed that!! Congratulations on your wedding and the amazing job with decor!!! 🙂 Hope the honeymoon was a nice break from all the work you probably had to do!!
Post # 5
Member
1578 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: June 2013 - Country Club
Wow, you guys made that place look AMAZING! I love all of your signs. Where did you have them made? Also, loving that forhead kiss picture. 🙂
Post # 6
Member
989 posts
Busy bee
It’s so amazing what draping can do. Looks beautiful!!
Post # 7
Member
2295 posts
Buzzing bee
@missmorganista: Thanks! I designed them and had them printed as posters through VistaPrint, then I used spray adhesive and pasted them onto foam core board. It was very easy and the cheapest way I found to get signs created and able to stand up.
Post # 8
Member
269 posts
Helper bee
Gorgeous! Love your games – what a cool idea! 🙂 And hey, isn’t it funny how the prof pics have such different lighting to snapshots? I noticed that in my own pics as well, but in both sets of yours your reception looks fantastic and a lot of fun!
Post # 9
Member
248 posts
Helper bee
@NAvery: Holy crap! You are a talented woman! Way to go! Someone should hand you an award!
You looked beautiful by the way!
Post # 10
Member
2685 posts
Sugar bee
WOW I cannot believe those pics are all of the same venue! Good work! Your pics are lovely!
Post # 11
Member
11233 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
WOW, that looks AMAZING! I scrolled down and started looking at the second set of pictures and was like, “What does that have to do with…?” and then I read that those are the venue photos! I think they need to offer you a job.
Post # 12
Member
10714 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
Very pretty and FUN, I like the giant Jenga! I think the venue was really pretty before and after.
Post # 13
Hostess
23597 posts
Honey Beekeeper
Beautiful wedding. Congratulations!
Post # 14
Member
2457 posts
Buzzing bee
My brain can’t even understand that that’s the same place. AMAZING!
Post # 15
Member
5271 posts
Bee Keeper
Congratulations and great job on showing how a little bit of imagination can really transform a room!!
Post # 16
Member
1161 posts
Bumble bee
Awesome transformation! Congrats!
Member