Here Comes the Blog

Archive for the ‘Receptions’ Category

If you are having a spring or summer wedding, chances are that you’ve already found the perfect venue for your ceremony and reception….a lakeside gazebo, a garden arbor covered in purple Wisteria or sweetly scented Jasmine, the city’s botanical garden, etc.  However, you may not have chosen all your accessories or decided how to set the stage for your guests to be wowed at the reception.  One of the great things about an outdoor garden reception is that you can use the natural surroundings to set the tone, backdrop and color scheme for your tablescape.  While perusing the Weddingstar accessory catalog, I found this great photo of a table set for a garden party.  I love the combination of natural green and outdoor elements.

Here’s how you can create this beautiful garden party tablescape:

A lovely wooden teak table covered with a natural tablecloth provide the base for the tablescape.  Use simple pots filled with local grass varieties such as purple fountain and pampas grasses along with wildflowers such as daisies, snapdragons, cosmos, or guillardia to create stunning natural centerpieces.  By using a love bird theme, you can pull in elements such as mini love nest birdhouses and love bird salt and pepper shakers.  Simple white ceramic plates provide the place setting base, but elegant crystal stem toasting flutes provide a bit of sparkle against the otherwise natural base.  A top each place setting is a organic green woven box that was filled with candies and then tied with a palm reed.   Natural polished stone place card holders are cleverly slotted so that they hold a place card perfectly at each place setting.  Finally, oil stainless steel torches can provide some light once evening begins to settle in. 

What a beautiful way to celebrate your garden nuptials with a small group of family and friends!

I was so impressed with this elegant black and white reception table setting that I saw in the Weddingstar catalog…I immediately thought that I needed to share it with our Here Comes The Blog readers. No color scheme is more elegant than classic black and white and you can see that upscale, elegant look in the photo below. 

How is the look achieved?
A simple round table is draped in white satin fabric that is overlaid with an elegant black/silver table runner.  Silver charger plates, silverware, and champagne flutes featuring a silver stem and engagement ring design, and black napkins with silver-plated diamond napkin rings provide the essentials for each of the dinner guests.  A beautiful white floral bouquet constructed from white dahlias, white lilies and greenery provides a central focal point that sits directly below the black bead covered chandelier.   The floral centerpiece is further accented with black love votive candles, white tall pillar candles in glass vases and a trio of glass diamond-shaped tealight candle holders.  Guests can easily find their tables because a tall silver wire number holder along with the number card is also placed on each reception table.  White tea/coffee cups and white heart-shaped salt/pepper shakers are also place on each table.  Finally, the wedding favors are placed at each place setting. Favors include mini tux and wedding dress favor bags filled with candy and personalized black and white favor tags.  The effect of all these components is simply stunning!

Create a truly exotic and stunning setting at your wedding by combining both Eastern and Western elements in a lush, rich color scheme.   When it comes to the color scheme, Indian weddings traditionally incorporate bright pinks, reds and purples (white is considered the color of mourning so it is not part of the Indian wedding tradition).   Indian wedding dresses normally feature elaborate beadwork and intricate embroidery and the bride wears an extensive collection of accessories such as necklaces, rings and hair ornaments.  This same color scheme and ornamentation can be carried through to the reception tables where bold colors, many flowers, and sparkling accessories can be incorporated. 

In the photograph (from the 2009 Weddingstar Catalog), you can see one of my favorite decorated Indian wedding reception table displays.   Purple silk table cloths with sparkling gold table runners are covered with beautiful place settings that incorporate gold charger plates, gold silverware, and red napkins with beaded napkin rings.  A large colorful flower centerpiece anchors the table and a bit of sparkle is added with gold and white love votive candles, an exotic golden beaded lac box place card holder, and beautiful red place cards.  Finally, a lucky wooden elephant favor is presented to guests as a little thank you gift that they can take home. Simply stunning!

For even more great Indian wedding favor ideas and accessories, visit Wedding Favors Unlimited!

Another great alternative to the traditional guest book is a photo mat where your guests leave their well wishes (be sure to check out my post about wishing trees for more ideas).  Engravable metal signature mat kits like the one shown in the photo from the Weddingstar catalog are available with the couples’ names and the wedding date inscribed.   The great thing about metal mats is that the signatures won’t fade over time like they sometimes can with the cardboard mats (if the mat and ink used weren’t archive safe).  This particular mat is available in 3 sizes and arrives with an easy-to-use engraving scribe.  Guests simply sign the mat and then the happy couple can proudly display it in their home along with your wedding photograph.  This is one keepsake that you’ll cherish forever….the well wishes of friends and family surrounding a beautiful photo of you on your wedding day!

See how great a metal photo mat can be when it is used as a wedding “guest book” on this Youtube video.   The mat can then be framed along with a photo of the bride and groom.  Display it in the home by either hanging it on the wall or on a lovely easel.

Having a green wedding or want to break from the traditional guest book? Consider a wishing tree…one of the hottest alternatives to guest books. Wishing trees a great way to add a unique touch to your wedding. The basic principle is for guests to leave their well-wishes for the couple on small hang tags that they fill out and then hang on the “tree”. The hang tags can be square or shaped (e.g. leaf-shaped for fall weddings). Normally the tree itself consists of some branches that are adorned with flowers, crystal garlands or whatever embellishments you want to use to tie in with your theme. If you are fortunate enough to get married in the Spring, you could simply buy magnolia branches with beautiful pink or white saucer cup flowers or branches covered in cherry blossoms. Other times of the year, simply use glass vases filled with colored marbles to hold branches in place (paint them any color you would like) and then attach silk or real flowers that coordinate with your color scheme.

This Wishing Tree photo (from the Wedding Star catalog) shows willow branches that are adorned with orchid flowers. The couple bought square floral place card tags and added simple pink ribbons and a crystal heart dazzler to add some sparkle. They placed the hang tags along with a pen on a lovely tray and then set up a tent card asking their guests to “Please Leave Your Wishes on the Tree”….the tent card also thanked the guests for sharing in their special day. Placing a gorgeous decorated wishing tree near the entrance of the reception will get oohs and aahs from your guests. After the wedding, you can create a lovely scrapbook using the cards that guests left on the tree.

TIP – Be sure to do all of the wishing tag assembly prior to the big day. It can take a bit of time to punch gift tags, add ribbon, and add other embellishments. Also at the reception, be sure to have a good place to set-up the wishing tree because once it is set-up and the guests start hanging on their wish tags, the tree can not be moved easily.