Love, love, love this reception set-up.
Elizabeth Messina via The Sweetest Occasion
Not only does this reception have a great atmosphere thanks to those lovely hanging candles, but the room is filled with chiavari chairs. Anyone else out there love these chairs as much as I do?
Traditionally, the tables at wedding receptions have been numbered. But an emerging trend is to name the tables after something significant. It gives the couples a chance to really let their personalities shine, or even highlight significant events in their relationship.
To get you started, here are some great ideas that couples have used (and continue to use) in naming their tables. Obviously the possibilities are endless!
- Favorite TV shows
- Places that the couple has traveled
- Favorite restaurants
- Favorite local hot spots the couple likes to visit
- Sports teams (if they are huge sports fans)
- Activities/Hobbies
- The word “love” written in different languages
- Numbers in a different language
- Different flowers
- Favorite cars
- Colors
You can surely Google table name ideas and find a huge list of options.
Thanks to Laura Hooper on her Weddingbee Pro post for the suggestions!
While, the FI and I are not having children at our wedding (this includes not having a flower girl or ring bearer), I love the idea of making sure the kids have something to do. Weddings are not exactly the most kid-friendly places, but if kids are a huge part of your life and family, I can understand wanting them to feel included.
A new trend in weddings is having a kids section or kids table with activities for the kids to work on. There are plenty of examples all over the web, but this one featured by Heather at We Met in a Bar is a great example of how to keep the kiddos occupied.
All images courtesy of Studio 7 Photography via We Met in a Bar
She included things like an activity book, slinkies, colored pencils and pinwheels, but the options don’t stop there. Here are some other fun activities/ideas to consider:
1. Cover their tables in butcher paper so they can color on the table.
2. Coloring books (to be used with colored pencils – must not ruin your dress!)
3. Fun stickers
4. Pipe cleaners
5. Puzzles
6. Party hats
The list could go on an on. Did you find a way to keep the kids occupied? Or did you not have kids at your wedding?
I hope my paper lanterns glow this much (see bottom image).
As much as I love a cute escort card table, I also love the idea of a seating chart for your wedding guests, like this one featured recently on 100 Layer Cake.
There have been a lot of creative ideas featured recently on a lot of wedding blogs out there, with different variations. This particular one would probably work best with a smaller guest list, so not everyone was crowding around it. BUT, I guess at that point it doesn’t matter, seeing as you would have guests crowding around a table to find their name on a card.
Anyhoo, I think this is a fun and alternative way to show your guests where they will be seated, and this way you don’t have to print out a ton of little table-tended cards!
How will you be seating your guests? Or can your guests choose their table?
April Foster recently featured this post from the Image is Found. The bride and groom held a “Worst Dance” contest at their reception and gave $100 to the worst dancer.
All images courtesy of The Image is Found
Is that not a wonderful way to get your crowd up and on the dance floor? I’m a huge dancer, and fully expect everyone to be dancing their boot-ays off at my wedding. So, you better bet that if the crowd isn’t moving, that we’ll introduce something like this.
And, no this post is not about our bridesmaids and groomsmen. It is about the ladies (and guys) at our wedding (all of them!).
I met with a bride a few days ago (more on that another time) who really wanted to make sure the ladies restroom was made special with flower arrangements, candles, special lotions and amenities. Her reasoning? She does that at home. Her guest bathrooms are filled with goodies and treats to make her guests feel like they are home away from home, or that they are taken care of. It’s just a minor detail, but especially for women, it can go a long way.
I know some venues offer the basics of something like this (like my venue), but I really love the idea of making sure your guests feel appreciated in every single aspect of your wedding. Obviously, not all of your guests will pay attention to these details, but you get at least a handful of guests that say something like “Didn’t you just love that they had great smelling lotion in the restroom?” Or some of the men saying “Didn’t you think the humidor of cigars was a great touch?” Not saying that we are going to run with those ideas, but it is just a small little element, that won’t really add to your budget, but will really add a special touch.
Needless to say, the FI and I may brainstorm on some ideas to incorporate this idea. Have you thought about doing something similar at your wedding?
UPDATE:
I spent the afternoon gazing at the new Fall issue of InStyle Weddings, and lo and behold, there is a little blurb in there about making the ladies feel special and leaving some “quick fixes and beauty essentials” in the ladies room. If you haven’t already picked it up (which, I’m assuming if you’re a bride, you will at some point), check out page 230.
