Dissecting 15 Wedding Trends of 2014

Hype Events

April has arrived! In season weddings have officially begun! And, well, so have the "new trends" that will be plastering the pages of Bride Magazine for the rest of the year. Coming off the heels of fun Santa filled Christmas themed weddings, unavoidably cheesy Valentine's Day weddings, and the best reason to get drunk at St. Patrick's Day weddings, spring and summer wedding trends have hit the books - and have thrown up all over Pinterest.

I never really understood how "wedding trends" really worked. A large number of people spend 18 months planning a wedding. So, in reality you will have your wedding planned before the "newest trend" comes around. This has me personally peeved because the theme I chose back in December of 2013 of a "woodsy/woodland" theme is now being touted as a hot 2014 theme - which will probably make my October 2015 wedding look like something everyone has seen before. Oh well, I love it and will do it anyway!

Anyway, without further ado, here is my take on 2014 wedding trends.

1.) Crop Top Wedding Dresses: Huh? I had no idea we were in a flashback to a 90's episode of Blossom where it was cute to wear a crop top with suspenders and stove pipe Pluggs. Unless you are a stick like Keira Knightly and have no boobs, you will just look like your top is too short or you forgot the middle part of your dress.

2.) Pastels: You know those nasty Easter colored mints that used to be served at weddings along side a big tub of peanuts? Yes, those. The colors of those chalky squares are now "hot" wedding colors for bridesmaids dresses. This is a fact: your pale, short, slightly out of shape bridesmaids will look like washed out extras from Twilight in a pastel dress. Pastels on adult women can read so childlike and Eastery - couple that with a cutsie style and all they will need are Halloween fairy wings made out of glittery panty hose to complete the look.

3.) Woodland/Fairy/Lord of the Rings Themes: Maybe the baby pastels with wings will work if you are doing this up and coming theme. Facing backlash from the "rustic burlap bride" craze, these same brides who want a perfect blend of casual and elegant without drifting into rodeo hoedown territory are going this route (me included). However, for whatever reason there are dozens of Pinterest pins that feature weddings that look like Aragorn is marrying Arwyn in the Shire complete with elves, gnomes, and toadstools with barefoot bridesmaids waving streamer wands. IT IS A WEDDING, NOT A COSTUME PARTY, DAMMIT!

Green Wedding Shoes

4.) HUGE Ridiculous Bouquets & Flower Arrangements: On average a bride will spend $1,800 on flowers. JUST FLOWERS! But now it seems as if that price could skyrocket with the humungous flower trend of 2014. Brides want massive arrangements to take over their tables - so much so they forget guests cannot see over all that crap while they eat. Plus, they want to carry a massive, cascading spread as well or are opting for paper/fake blooms that look like they came straight out of Alice in Wonderland. At this point, why not just go to Lowe's and buy a 2 gallon potted mum to carry or a giant stuffed animal from a carnival?

5.) Unplugged or Super-Plugged Ceremonies: Oh, but wait, let me take a selfie! God. I agree with a large number of brides who are asking/demanding that guests put their two-foot long Galaxy away for 20 minutes while you say your nuptials. Nothing is more ridiculous than when you get your professional photos back that you payed a good chunk of change on only to see everyone with a stupid phone in their hand as you walk down the aisle. Then there are those other brides. The ones who create a Facebook page, Twitter, personalized hashtag, Instagram, website, etc. just for their wedding and encourage people to snap away and otherwise be totally self absorbed in their phones all night.

6.) Bright and Weirdly Paired Color Combinations: Sometimes I have to ask myself if a bride stopped at a taco truck at the state fair and suddenly had an epiphany that she needs ALL THOSE COLORS at her wedding. I am talking about John Deere green, royal blue, fire engine red, and sunflower yellow - all at the same time. Okay, we get it, it is the 4th of July. But, your colors should not remind us of a package of Franks or a baseball game. Unless you have a lot of white/ivory in your wedding you run the risk of it looking like a box of Legos with all those primary colors. I myself love, LOVE color but keeping it in moderation/adjusting the hue of the colors will work best for a wedding.   

Zazzle

7.) Small & Simple Invitations: This is actually a good thing. I think not only brides but people in general realized that an elaborate, expensive, multi-folding masterpiece of stationary is a total waste of money given that the second after they are opened, they end up in the garbage. Not to mention you wasted a whole tree on printing out tiny maps that are too small to read, a picture of the couple that everyone has seen already on Facebook, and an RSVP that the guest will ultimately not put their name on so you have no idea who returned it to you. Less is more, when and where is sufficient, and anything supplementary you can put on your wedding website. Ditch the RSVP cards all together and save on postage - guests can call or e-mail you instead.

8.) "Naked Cakes" and Odd Fillings: As far as my mother, grandmother, and future in-laws are concerned there are two kinds of wedding cake flavors: vanilla and chocolate. While it is nothing new that brides also like to pick from red velvet, almond, and lemon, icingless cakes and questionable fillings are rearing their ugly heads. "I am having a coconut cake with sangria flavored jelly filling and key lime icing"...What? The more specific you get with your cake the less likely people are going to eat it. Keep this in mind when you are plunking down $4.00 a slice and if you care or not if it ends up in the trash after one bite. Also, people LOVE BUTTER CREAM ICING - do not rob your guests on the real reason they came to the wedding (okay, maybe not, but people do love cake AND icing).

9:) Blinged out Necklaces, Bracelets, and Belts: Us brides love our bling. We just do! But the new 2014 trend is for a bride to be in a simple, notice I said simple dress and have a huge, sparkling statement necklace and bracelet. This can go so bad so fast. I can see it now - a bride will pair one of this hideously and cheaply made rhinestone bibs with an already blinged out ball gown. She will look like a TLC Gypsy bride or a belly dancer - especially if she wears one of those aforementioned crop-top dresses. MODERATION LADIES, MODERATION!

Bridal Guide

10.) Edible Wedding Favors: HALLELUJAH! Brides finally got the hint that no one wants another silly shot glass with their wedding date etched on it! This holds true for personalized drink cozies, mini picture frames, single card holders, or other chotski that will end up at Goodwill or in the garbage. The only favor anyone will appreciate is one they can eat - 'nuff said. Cookies, chocolate, honey, BBQ sauce, salsa, etc. will be taken, used, consumed, enjoyed and probably remembered. They will not remember the cheapy pen that never worked from the second they picked it up from the guest book table.

11.) Elaborate Photo Booths: Photo booths became a trend several years ago and despite the fact that a lot of brides seem to think they are overdone, guests LOVE THEM! A photo booth is great for many reasons. People do not attend weddings often, so they likely have never seen one at a wedding before. People love to take photos, and they get to take a strip with them as a favor. You as a bride also get a copy to keep for yourself because every bride wants a picture of great-aunt Ethel in a disco afro (don't we all?). People get bored at weddings and not everyone dances, so this gives them something to do. And now, booths are getting more elaborate than ever with trunks of props, body length shots, they are BIG enough to get 15 people in one image, you can make movies in some of the new models, etc. Budget permitting, I am having one at my wedding - I know you will be jealous.

12.) Having Swanky Servers for BBQ: Now this is something I do not understand at all. Not only do brides want ushers (like your immature male cousins and geeky brother) to be in tuxedos like her fiance and groomsmen, but they are also expected to wear white gloves to shuffle people to their seats. Same for buffet meals featuring gussied up servers. I am sorry, but I thought buffet meant you got off your rear and got your food yourself? Oh no. Such savagery. Now, brides want to make their cheap BBQ more elegant by having white-glove wearing servers at each aluminum pan to gracefully slop pulled pork onto a plastic plate. Now that screams elegance. If you think having a self-serve buffet is too "steerage class of the Titanic" JUST HAVE A FLIPPING PLATED MEAL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

New York Mag

13.) Brides on a Budget: I guess it took a more than a few episodes of Four Weddings to get brides to realize that the $10K wedding always wins when put up against the $80K wedding. Brides are finally understanding that they do not need to drain their parents bank account (or their own for that matter) to have a nice wedding! More brides are taking up DIY projects, chopping the guest list, eliminating appetizers, hosting cash bars, and hoarding half off coupons for Hobby Lobby and Micheal's, anything to save a buck! I am a vintage dealer - I take no shame in digging a salvageable chair out of your trashcan. So, I am not ashamed to brag I am getting my flowers from an online wholesaler, my dress was pre-owned, and I am not spending any more than $14.00 a plate for food per guest. It seems that many 2014 brides feel the same as I do. Besides, when you boast to people about your wedding costing more than a house you automatically come across as a massive snob and people will say your wedding sucks if it does not meet the expectations of a Kardashian. 

14.) Old Hollywood Themes: This seems to contradict the idea that brides are trying to save money...Another trend still going strong from last year is the "Old Hollywood", "Roaring Twenties", or "Great Gatsby" theme. Everything is gold, everything is crystallized, candles are everywhere, people have ostrich feathers in their hair, birdcage veils, rhinestones, glitter, and pearls. I am all about a girl embracing her theme, but all this decor going on is going to make your wedding look like a caravan belonging to a traveling fortune teller. Furthermore, all this elaborate decor, an "era specific dress", historic get-away car, an olde-tyme pianist named Sam playing "As Time Goes By", and other period touches are not cheap to buy or rent. And again, it is SO EASY to drift so far into masquerade party territory that it no longer resembles a wedding. Also, I would like to take a poll in regards to how many 20-something brides have actually read the Great Gatsby...

15.) All Nighter or All Weekend Long Weddings: Now this is just plain ridiculous and unnecessary. Some couples are using their wedding as a means to start a party on Friday night, and make it last until Sunday morning. In short, it gives guests the green light to start drinking heavily at the rehearsal dinner, drink all through the wedding, then party until dawn on Sunday. Not only will this probably create some embarrassing moments at your wedding courtesy of your Uncle Bob and half the groomsmen, but if they get really out of hand you might need to call security, a cab or other "collection service", or even the police or hospital if guests get too out of hand. Don't make the elders attending your wedding feel like they suddenly entered a frat party or a rave or abruptly have to leave because your bridesmaids start booty-popping on a table. Be respectful of your guests and keep it classy. If people are still in party mode, arrange an after party somewhere else and they can hire their own cab to take them back to their respective hotels.

Keep in mind this is all in good fun and congratulations to all the 2014 brides! What is your take on some of this years "hot trends"?

Bride on a Budget - Small Town Florists Are The Way To Go

Lazy Daisy

When my mother and I attended the Beautiful Beginnings Bridal Show a few weekends ago it got me thinking about flowers and flower arraignments. I did another post about the gorgeous flowers local florists offered and I was surprised at how AFFORDABLE flowers can be when you purchase them from a small town florist. This is not to say flowers are cheap - because they are not. However, after attending a smaller bridal show in Muncie that featured florists from around my hometown and a large bridal show in Indianapolis, the prices between using a "mom and pop" shop and a major florist are HUGE. Realistically, the larger florists are going to be double what a small shop will charge you. Furthermore, I think you get a much better level of customer service with a smaller shop anyway.

Hand Tied Memories

There were two florists I spoke to at the Muncie bridal show. One was Lazy Daisy and the other was Hand Tied Memories. Lazy Daisy was amazing because they let you RENT their fabulous vases for FREE, and they seemed to be very easy going and accommodating. They had their bouquets wrapped in vintage handkerchiefs and were placed in Mason jars which is what attracted me to them in the first place.

Hand Tied Memories was also wonderful! Marta King and her shop had been recommended to me previously because she uses unconventional flowers to make her arrangements. This was a HUGE plus in my book! Furthermore, Marta told me that she strives to make the most of a brides budget. This was taken from her website: "We can price each item individually or as a package. After determining the flowers needed, I will figure out what to order to build your wedding. All flowers ordered for your wedding will be used for your wedding. Our brides often comment on the extras, or a surprise arrangement, because when we get done with every item that has been ordered, if there are flowers left over, we will create an additional floral surprise. We are not just selling flowers to someone for a wedding, we are creating a beautiful wedding with flowers." Most florists will NOT do this and will use extra/left over flowers to sell as bouquets in their shops for other events or needs. I was very pleased to learn Marta will do this for the brides!

Photo I took of a Lazy Daisy Bouquet

Another GREAT thing about small flower shops is they will tell you costs in a very straightforward manner. When I spoke to a big name florist at the Indy bridal show, both attendants would not even give me price points for the bouquets they had on display...they were polite but simply handed me a brochure and cards and was told to call and make an appointment. Another vendor who had a florist as part of their design group simply stated their flowers START at $2000 and go up from there - so in other words don't even bother calling them unless you plan on spending that and more. This was a bit discouraging because as a bride planning out a budget it would have been nice to know the prices of samples so I could have gotten a better idea of what certain things would cost....

No worries! The florists at Beautiful Beginnings were SUPER helpful and said they I could get a realistic price list on their websites. Both Lazy Daisy and Hand Tied Memories have average costs on their FAQ pages.

Hand Tied Memories

Both florists were comparable in pricing and both had very easy to understand pricing menus. Their pricing of course is probably for averages of all the brides they have provided a service, and I feel like they are accurate and realistic. Keep in mind some flowers like peony and calla lilies cost more than hydrangeas or roses.

For what I would need from:

Hand Tied Memories

Hand Tied Memories: A bridal bouquet, flowers for 3 bridesmaids, boutonnieres for 6 groomsmen, 2 mother's corsages, a boutonniere for my father in law, centerpieces for 16 tables (not sure of this number yet), and an altar arraignment would cost between $1855.00 on the high end to $711 on the low end.

Lazy Daisy - Pinterest

Lazy Daisy: A bridal bouquet, flowers for 3 bridesmaids, boutonnieres for 6 groomsmen, 2 mother's corsages, a boutonniere for my father in law, centerpieces for 16 tables (not sure of this number yet), and an altar arraignment would cost between $2330.00 on the high end to $725 on the low end.

As you can see, you can get into the high dollar with really expensive arraignments, or you can obviously cut costs dramatically by having something more modest. $700 for ALL that seemed very reasonable and is quite a savings from $2000. Keep in mind that some florists will charge extra for any vases or vessels for the flowers unless you buy your own (I will be purchasing my own). There are also delivery fees, deposits, set up/take down, tax, after wedding preservation and so on for flowers as well. Also plan on having an additional budget for "extras". For example, since our venue is a park, we will need to use real flower petals for the aisle. We also might need something for a flower girl, additional corsages for grandmothers, flowers for the cake/treats table, aisle pillar arraignments, and so on. Since we are planning the details of our wedding so far in advance we have not discussed specifics with a florist yet. But, to be safe I would say add an additional $300 to your floral budget just in case of extras that might crop up.

When and Where to Use Real and Fake Flowers in Your Wedding

Lazy Daisy - Pinterest

Brides on a budget are often confronted with this very dilemma: When and where is it appropriate to use fake or real flowers? Most brides looking to save money immediately think of using silks from the craft store for everything from bouquets to centerpieces. But, even when Hobby Lobby has their flowers half-off, their nicer roses are still $4-5 a piece and their premium "bunches" can still be $7-$10 each - even on sale.

Despite the fact that you would likely be separating the bunches to make 2-3 arrangements, it is easy to underestimate how many you will really need to make what you want. Also do not forget that you will have to buy a TON of florist tape and additional stems to make sure every piece is of equal length. I make wreaths as a hobby so I know how costly and time consuming it can be to make one. Realistically, I think making a centerpiece would cost just about the same as making a nice door wreath. I would guess on average each centerpiece would cost $30-60 to make. The last time I made wreaths, I made 5 for around $300 as an example.

Save on Crafts

DO NOT forget the extras you will need as well. You will need vases. If they are clear you will probably want vase filler because the stems of fake flowers almost never match and they look really fake even if the flowers look quite real. You will also probably need something weighted like stones for use in vases that are light weight (like galvanized aluminum) because fake flowers can be very top-heavy and will easily tip over. You could also get really fancy and put candles and things in with the flowers - which is an added expense to keep in mind. 

Also remember anything else you will be using along WITH your vases and flowers such as chargers, a table number, votive candles, bottles, pictures, and so on. Also keep a mental note or do a mock up at home at how much space all of this will really take up. It would be a shame to go all out and make a wide-topped arrangement only to find later you have no room or place for the table number or the table becomes too crowded with "stuff" in the middle.  
 

Hobby Lobby Tutorial

You might also need ribbon and pins to wrap the stems to keep them in a true "bunch". If you are using silk flowers for bridal and bridesmaids bouquets they will also need to be wrapped or painstakingly arranged into a nosegay to prevent them from falling apart. I found the Spring Sophistication pamphlet at my local Hobby Lobby (if you click on the link it has a very helpful image tutorial) that showed how to make a proper bridal bouquet - it is much more difficult and time consuming than you might think. 

Another thing that is a "peeve" of mine about fake flowers is that the heads can just fall off the stem. I also really get upset if I get a pre-made "bunch" and it has those weird Styrofoam balls that end up falling everywhere and making a mess. The last thing you want is for you to head down the aisle and a fake rose falls from your bouquet. From afar no one will be able to likely notice if your flowers are real or fake, but to have a silk flower head fall off mid aisle is pretty much a dead giveaway.

Adventures in Dressmaking

Do not forget you will also need boutonnieres for the groomsmen, fathers, and grandfathers of the bride and groom, corsages for the mothers and grandmothers, and something for a flower girl in addition to the bridal and attendants bouquets. You might also need flowers for your bridesmaids hair! And you cannot just stop at centerpieces for dining tables. You will need arraignments for a gift table, cake table, snack/treats table, pew/aisle, aisle end, altar or head pillars, arches, etc. Basically, if you just go to Pinterest and look at some really extravagant weddings, you can see just how out of hand the flower part of a wedding can become.

Ali Express (Alibaba)

Always remember, your time is in fact worth something as well. You might think you are saving money by making many trips to the craft stores and holing up in your house for several back to back weekends making flower arraignments, but your time is worth something. Furthermore, say you do go ahead and make 25 centerpieces, 10 bouquets, 5 corsages, and 10 boutonnieres, where are you going to store all this? Keep in mind you cannot lay faux flower arraignments down on their sides or stack on top of each other because they will smash down and look horrible (fake hydrangeas smash very easily). You get into the same dilemma if you order really cheap fake flowers from shops online like Alibaba because they will come smashed and crumpled and look really fake and cheap.

Hand Tied Memories

 Ultimately, cost is going to be the primary determining factor in deciding whether to use real or fake flowers. I was dead set on using fake flowers for every aspect of my wedding to save money. But, when it did occur to me that if I had 20 tables that needed decorating, I would not have any place to store the arraignments once they were made. Furthermore, if each centerpiece cost $50 to make, that would be over $1000 for fake table decorations. After I discovered how reasonable some of the local florists could do arrangements ($35-$50) it suddenly did not seem as worth it to me to go to the trouble of buying and storing all these supplies.

After thinking about it for a while and comparing prices of real versus fake flowers and arraignments, this is what I concluded:

Hand Tied Memories

Bouquets: REAL!

After comparing prices between buying materials myself, the time it would take me to make them, and storage I decided I want real flowers for my bouquet and my attendants. Having only 3 bridesmaids will keep this cost very reasonable. I am also still debating making a brooch bouquet for myself to walk down the aisle with. These are extremely heavy however - and you will still need something to throw if you are going to do a bouquet toss. Brooch bouquets are amazing to use for photos and to display in your home after your wedding. But, I still would plan on having an additional bouquet since brooch bouquets can be so heavy, cumbersome, and fragile in some instances.

Red Heart Creations - Etsy

Boutonnieres: FAKE!

Buying real boutonnieres is a total waste of money in my opinion. Not only do the guys not care at all what is pinned on their lapel, but no one will pay any attention to them - unless of course you get crafty and make some really cool ones! There are gobs of tutorials available on Google or you can get them cheap from Etsy sellers if you are not very crafty. I also have seen first hand the issues with wilting that comes with boutonnieres. 

If it it hot and humid out, daisies and asters will wilt in 45 minutes and look like a blob. After about 3 hours of body heat, roses and tulips can start to open up and lose petals. I attended one wedding where the bride had about 10 boutonnieres made from small Gerbera daisies - they did not even make it to after ceremony photos without falling apart. Luckily, the fake Gerbera daisies on the market today are incredibly realistic and can be substituted and no one would be any the wiser!

Wedding Decors

Chair, Arch, & Aisle Decorations: FAKE!

It really does not make much sense to fork over a gob of cash for real flowers to use for the arch and aisle if they will only be visible for the duration of your ceremony. Furthermore, guests will likely never get close enough to the arch to tell the difference nor remember if the aisle flowers were real or fake after the fact. If you are having your ceremony and reception at the same place, you can have an usher bring the arrangements into your reception area after the ceremony for additional decorations as well. 

I have also seen some photos where brides put single flowers in the centers of chair bows or a sprig of lavender. If you are like me and will be making your own chair bows, you really need to go with fake flowers. You can save a lot of money by purchasing some "bunches" of fake flowers and getting 10-20 sprigs from one bunch. 

A Bride Beautiful

Flower Girl Petals: REAL!

For the sake of nature and cleanup - please do NOT use fake flower petals for your flower girl to throw. If you are getting married outside or at a park, fake flower petals are usually banned anyway because they blow away eventually and become trash since they do not bio-degrade. Yes, they make paper/tissue petals that are *supposed* to decompose but they really do not and you cannot use them in parks. Silk or paper petals might work better if you are getting married in a church since they can be swept up for disposal, but check with the rector to make sure before you buy one or the other.

Depending on where you get your flowers, rose petals can either be somewhat pricey - or really cheap. If your local grocery store has a floral department, sometimes they will just give you left over petals for free if you call them ahead of time. If you use a florist for your center pieces, often they will give you all the extra petals removed from your arrangements. Also, you do NOT have to use rose petals...  If you are getting married in the fall you can have your flower girls throw autumn leaves from your yard, or they can toss fern fronds, daisy petals, shamrocks, etc.

Oh Joy

Hair Up-Do Flowers: FAKE! 

If you want your bridesmaids to have flowers in their hair, fake flowers are much easier to work with. Silk flowers will not wilt or lose moisture. If it is humid out, real flowers will eventually wilt and begin to fall apart. This is not so much an issue if you just want something like Baby's Breath, but lilies, daisies, and other delicate flowers might be an issue. You also do not have any issues with accidental stem breakage when using fake flowers. I have only been to one wedding where the bride had real flowers in her hair. They looked gorgeous, but the stamens of the lilies got yellow stuff all over the shoulder of her dress and she could not wait until the ceremony was over to get them out of her hair because they itched so bad.

Weddinggomania

Centerpieces: BOTH!

Brides have become extremely creative with centerpieces in recent years. Some are opting not to even use flowers at all - floating candles, twigs, feathers, pine cones, stones, etc. There are SO many options now, brides should not feel compelled to use ONLY real flowers for centerpieces. What I think I will do is use a combination of fake roses (with burlap and glitter), real accent flowers, real greenery, and preserved sticks for my center pieces. My arrangements will not be tall, so that helps keep things simple. I will also probably use single stem flowers in bottles around the cake table and at the head table. Going all out with massive centerpieces made from real flowers can set you back $100 a piece. By using cheap fillers like twigs or Baby's Breath mixed in with a few real flowers can make them very budget friendly.

Brocade Designs

Corsages: REAL!

Not all brides do this, but I think it is extremely important to make sure you have lovely corsages for the mothers and grandmothers in attendance at your wedding. Do not skimp and just do a single rosette either - they should look much more substantial than boutonnieres. Trust me, your mother-in-law will remember her corsage, especially if it is quite nice! If you make your own boutonnieres, you will have quite a savings there to splurge a bit more on corsages if need be.

Back Yard Weddings - Unexpected Issues

Young House Love

When I got engaged in December of 2013, I was taken completely by surprise. I did not expect it, anticipate it, or anything. My fiance did not even hint that this was going to happen either! He was able to cleverly hide his excitement because he proposed about two weeks before Christmas. Sneaky, sneaky...Anyway, I quickly went into a panic about a venue once the initial excitement subsided. 

My fiance and I have been together for a long time, so it is not like I have not looked up wedding stuff before. His parents knew of the proposal before my mom because my fiance had showed them the ring he bought me. As soon as we came out and made the "announcement" they wanted to know the date. Yes, right then and there (I mean after 6 1/2 years we should know right?). 

I wanted to get married 10 months later. I made this statement as very matter of fact that I wanted to get married on October 11, 2014. My fiance said that would be "fine" and basically left the planning in my hands. My mother, my fiance's friends & family, and everyone who would be coming seemed to be on board with this. So, into full-on bridezilla mode I went. 

I needed to find a venue yesterday, not today. I sent out a flood of e-mails literally the day after we got engaged asking about availability only to be shut down at every turn. Everything was booked - everything. And not just October either - everything to the end of the year was taken (barns and rustic outdoor venues). I had a meltdown. We were able to develop a theme, find a caterer, and the person who would be doing my dress - but no venue.

Regal Tent Productions

We then began milling over the possibility of having it down at my fiance's grandmothers home. My future father and sister in law made this suggestion early on but we did not really think about it until we discovered that we would not have a venue come October 2014. Another problem we were running into was that it was very hard to see the "vision" at some of these venues with 5 inches of snow on the ground.

Another issue that was brought into question was how to handle the elders who were mobility impaired. Basically, if we did not have the wedding - ceremony and reception - at grandma's, they would not be able to come at all. My fiances' grandmothers both need to have nurses and attendants 24/7 and one of my grandmothers is almost totally immobile. So we thought, this will be perfect! The venue would be free and the grandmothers would not be inconvenienced....In about three weeks time this all went down the drain. 

We did not realize how many obstacles we would run into with having a wedding at "home".

Destination Weddings

Tents:

We did find a local renter who could rent us a 40X80 tent for $1000. We actually called three rental places and only one was renting tents that had roll up sides. We thought that price was quite reasonable and there was plenty of room at grandma's for this. We also calculated the size of her back yard and figured we could get 40 cars to park in the grass and maybe 20 more along the road. Perfect! 

We planned on having an outside ceremony and an indoor/outdoor reception by using the tent. BUT we had to prepare for the worst case scenario that it could be cold and be pouring down rain. If this were to happen, everyone would need to be inside the tent and have it enclosed.

Apples & Onions

Lighting:

However, one day it suddenly hit me - lighting. Oh my gosh lighting. Now, my fiance and future father in law are the handiest people I know. They can electrify and plumb anything anywhere. However, I realized that if we have an October wedding, it will get dark at about 6:00. 

This meant that we would not only need lights in the parking area, but lights in the tent. The rental company did not rent lights - and I had only bought enough Christmas lights after the holiday season to use in the trees for the outdoor ceremony. The lights pictured above are called commercial grade cafe lights. They are used for outdoor weddings and inside barns because they are weatherproof. 

You CANNOT plug these in end-to-end. So you must have outlet access where ever you plan on using them. To get enough lights for the fence around the parking area, the tent, and promenade to the tent it would cost $1000-$1200. 

The tent we would be renting did not have the clear plastic windows, so if it were cold or rainy and needed to be enclosed, the inside would have to be illuminated. Plus, my father in law would have to put in an electrical box running from the house to the creek on grandma's property to plug things in. 

In addition: Most places where you rent tents will SPECIFICALLY tell you that you cannot use real candles inside their tents! This is quite common. So, if you thought of illuminating your tables with a zillion candles, you might be out of luck if you are renting a tent. 

Internachi

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms were the next hurdle. Grandma's house has three bathrooms - however one would be for exclusive use of myself, the bridesmaids, and the groom and groomsmen since it is located inside a bedroom. The second bathroom is only a half bath, and the third is handicapped accessible but it is in the middle of the house. While this would be great for the elders - having 130 people using basically one bathroom is not feasible on a septic tank. 

It would also cause an unacceptable line to the bathroom after dinner, and it would clog up the hallway leading to the kitchen that would be in full use by the caterer. We called Hoosier Portables about renting a Luxury Bathroom because port-o-pots would not work (not handicapped accessible and no running water). This would set us back an additional $1500 FOR ONE DAY.

The Pfister

Dance Floor:

The dance floor was another problem. The place that rented the tent would rent us a dance floor for an additional $100 I think. It was not very big - I am thinking it was 10X10 or 20X20. We busted out some graph paper and started drawing things in to figure out where we could place the dance floor and it became apparent that it would be a really tight fit. 

We had difficulties figuring out how to plan for a center aisle in case we had to hold the ceremony indoors due to rain. A promenade to the tent was another issue. If it happened to be really muddy or rainy, we did not want people slipping and sinking into the mud walking from their cars to the tent. However, we did plan to make a "boardwalk" out of pallet wood. 

Decoration0

Tables & Chairs:

We would also have to rent tables and chairs. Our local True Value Hardware was the cheapest renter we found. Chairs were $1 each for a Friday night drop off and Sunday morning pick up. Tables were I think $5 each, and their delivery fee was $35 since the store is so close to grandma's house. When it was all said and done it would be about $500 JUST TO RENT TABLES AND CHAIRS. 

Not only was this becoming a bit ridiculous with the budget, but then - they could not guarantee delivery until after 5:00 pm on Friday. This would not give us enough time to place the chairs outside for the ceremony and cover with tarps to be ready for Saturday, and it also meant we would have to do all the chair and table decorations on Saturday morning.  

DO NOT forget you will be having a rehearsal and dinner on the Friday night before your wedding! I totally forgot about this and the fact that my fiance and 6 groomsmen would be busy on Friday afternoon getting their final fittings at Men's Warehouse in Indianapolis and they would not be available to help. 

DO NOT underestimate the amount of time it will take you the morning of your wedding to set up the tables and tablescape! Remember that linens cannot be left out overnight because they will get dewy. Linens will also have to be pressed. If you are lighting the undersides of your tables, you will have to manage electrical and put on table skirts which can be tricky. If you can (if you are decorating yourself) do a dry run at home on a card table to time just how long it will take you to set up.

Catering Kitchen

Catering:

My fiances' grandmothers home was built to entertain. This was a major plus for us. We could rope off the back of the house and have the caterer make a seamless transition from her kitchen to the garage where buffet tables would be set up. 

The only problem with this is that it severely limited the use of one of the bathrooms. We did contemplate using her back patio as an area for the buffet. But, the tents the caterers use only cover the tables - they are NOT big enough to cover a large area. So, in other words we would have to rent a secondary tent for the food area if it were on the patio. This is why we settled on the garage.

However, there is a considerable distance between the garage/patio to where the tent would be placed. If it were raining, we would be forced to set up additional tables inside the main tent for chafing dishes which would take up a considerable amount of space.

Second Chances by Susan

Gift Tables & Extras:

Another thing that would take up a huge amount of space inside the tent would be tables for gifts and cards, the cake, snacks, A BAR, drink station, guest book, and TRASH. If the weather were inclement, everything would need to be in the main tent. We could have set up gifts and the cake inside the main house - but of course if it were raining and muddy we would not want guests tacking mud all over grandma's house. She would have a fit if that happened.

We figured we could do a guest book at the door, use one corner for buffet and snacks, one corner for bar and drinks, one corner for cake and gifts and cards, and one corner for a DJ or music station. 

Then I thought - oh my - one end of the tent would need to be used for a head table and two flanking tables for the groomsmen/bridesmaids and their spouses, and the parents. That only leaves two free corners inside the tent since a dance floor will be in the middle. This would be OK if we put gifts and cards in one corner, and we could put all buffet, drinks, snacks, and bar in another corner, but then that left ZERO room for a DJ. So, we would have to rent yet another tent to house either the food or the gifts and cake because there would not be enough room.

Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses

The Budget:

We had it in our minds that we would be saving gobs of cash by having the wedding at grandma's house as well. I mean think about it - free land, free main house, free creek side ceremony! But things added up SO QUICKLY that it became a ridiculous idea to even try and have it in her backyard. Then when I thought about it some more, I thought "I bet most brides would run into the same problems we did when planning a backyard wedding".  

Here is a breakdown for comparison:

One Tent - $1000
Additional Tent(s) - $500
Bathroom - $1500
Lighting - $1200
Dance Floor - $100
Tables & Chairs - $500
Total: - $4800

This does not even begin to include a caterer, DJ, decorations, cake, snacks, drinks, bar, dress, and all the other expenses that come with a wedding! For $4800, most people can find an amazing venue that already has bathrooms, chairs, and tables included in the price for much less than $4800. 

It was when I brought this to my fiance's attention that we knew we could not use grandma's house for the wedding and we would not be getting married this year. Luckily, we did not tell anyone about our plan on having a wedding in 2014 so no plane tickets or reservations were made. By bumping the date to October 2015, this gives us plenty of time to find a venue that is in our budget and relax!

And don't worry! We did not forget about the grandmothers! Understanding that they would not be able to travel to wherever we decided to have the wedding, we did decide to hold a "grandmother ceremony" at her house. We will get a small cake and a photographer and I can wear my dress for them to see in the fall of 2014. Having a 10 person ceremony at grandma's house is totally acceptable and do-able, a 150 person party is not.

Beautiful Beginnings Bridal Show 2014

On Sunday, my mother and I attended the Beautiful Beginnings Bridal Show in Muncie, Indiana. This year, the event took place at the Horizon Convention Center, which is downtown. I had not looked at this facility when I was searching for venues, but this is a VERY nice venue. Although it is not what we were looking for, they DO have a ceremony site outside and a gorgeous interior! We spoke with Melissa at length about the venue and I would highly recommend it! If you want to check this venue out, ask for Melissa because she was super informative! Anyway, I love flower arrangements and the above image I personally took. These flowers were arraigned by Lazy Daisy and I was really impressed with what they offer.

Lazy Daisy had vintage handkerchiefs wrapped around the bouquets and others had lace. They also said they would rent out glass vases for free! The overall feel was very rustic and outdoorsy. I loved their flowers!

This STUNNING lace cake was on display from Under the Sun Bakery located in Frankton, Indiana. I fell in love with the lace and the sprig of green on the top. Mona, one of the owners, quoted this cake at about $100 which I thought was reasonable.

This was another cake on display, which the owner quoted at around $300. I am loving the natural wood cake stand and charger idea. I think I am going to see if my lawn care extraordinaire, Randy, can make me a bunch for the wedding! Their cake was good, however we decided yesterday that we will be using Amy and Kelcy at Slice of Heaven Cakery in Lapel, Indiana.

This picture was taken inside one of the reception rooms of the Horizon Center. My mom and I had a fit over the Christmas lights underneath the tablecloths. Now, no matter what venue we choose, I must do this!

The Horizon Center also had two of these really cool lighted fountains with flowers around them. It was very impressive looking and fun! I think you could also move these around to where ever you wanted.

This was yet another cake by Under the Sun Bakery. Notice the impressions in the icing and all the flowers on top are real. So adorable!

The Verdict:

I would say this bridal show was more successful than the one we went to in Indianapolis. Not only were there far less people in attendance than the one in Indy (the Muncie one had a $6 a person entry fee but the Indy one I reviewed in a previous blog post was free), but there were only about 35 vendors, which made it manageable. It was much easier to talk to individual booth attendants about what they offered and to discuss options and prices. 

AND - I think we found our photographer!

Dale Pickett Photography

Dale Pickett and Sally Wolf had been recommended to me by two different people previously. However, after viewing Dale's webpage, I thought for sure he would be at the top tier of photographers in terms of cost. Their photographs are STUNNING! However, after speaking to Sally at the bridal show she was able to tell me just how flexible they are and how affordable they can be! Most photographers have you pick "packages" where they give you a number of hours and then you must buy prints from them. In other words, you do not have the exclusive printing rights to the photos - which also means you cannot put them on Facebook, e-mail them to friends and family, print your own, have collages made, or anything like that without their permission. Usually this permission will cost you an extra $1000 on top of them simply providing the photo sessions. 

Dale and Sally DO give you the disc of all your photos and you can print at your leisure or they can do prints or books for you. I really needed the option of printing my own pictures or making my own books on Shutterfly because Groupon has a deal about once a month on books or prints where you can get a bunch of nice items for really cheap. This was very important to me because I did meet two wonderful photographers at the Indy bridal show - but their packages were $4,000-$5,000 and then you had to get all your prints, books, and canvasses through them. This is simply not something we could ever afford. Dale and Sally also will do shorter photo sessions to save on the cost. Because honestly, I do not think our wedding will last for 12 hours so why need a photographer for that long?

MCL Cafeteria Catering

Biggest Surprise of the Day:

Did you know MCL Cafeteria does wedding catering? No? Neither did I. They have a TON of stuff on their menu and are really CHEAP! And no, it is not all fried chicken and roast beef. We received a great booklet with pricing from the manager at the Muncie, Indiana MCL. She was WONDERFUL in explaining how they do delivery and you can have a plated meal or a buffet. They even have china and linen options! The way they do their pricing is you pick ONE entree, two sides, a roll of choice, and then you can add salads, desserts, drinks, etc. 

Example: Family style lunch and dinner - where you pick it up and set it up yourself. You pick packages that serve 10, 15, or 25. So, for 150 people that would be 6 packages of 25 - so you could get 3 of one entree and 3 of another if you wanted. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is $219.98 per package for 25 guests. So, if you got Teriyaki Chicken for everyone it would be $1319.88 - THIS INCLUDES TWO SIDES AND A ROLL. 

Do you have any idea how cheap this is?! It is less than $9 a person! I am almost positive we will be going with a BBQ smoked meats meal for our wedding, but the prices at MCL cannot be beat! For the sides you can order Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (let's face it, no matter how casual or fancy your wedding is going to be, you NEED mashed potatoes because everyone will eat them) and Steamed Broccoli. Or you could do Broccoli Cheese Bake and Cole Slaw. They have 10 - yes TEN side options available. They have 12 entree options as well. You can pick from 5 different rolls...including cinnamon rolls! The only things that this option does not include are salads and drinks. But honestly, drinks are almost always cheaper if you buy them yourself at the grocery.

The difference between this meal deal and the "Full Service" meal plan is that with "Full Service" you get table linens and they deliver to your venue. I think the pricing for the meal deals above is more for like if you are going to pick up the trays of food and set it up yourself with Sterno and all that. The manager however said she can work with anyone regarding any aspect so it was not that big of a deal. However, the pricing for Full Service is still EXTREMELY reasonable at $16.95 to $22.95 a person for buffet or $30.95 for a served meal. For the $22.95 a person buffet, you get THREE entree options! For the $16.95 a person plan you get a salad, ONE entree like stuffed chicken or lasagna (there were 10 options), TWO sides like potatoes or carrots or baked beans (there were 15 options), and a roll (3 options to choose from). With this option you ALSO get DRINKS - water, tea, and coffee. For 150 people this would cost $2542.50. Still, very reasonable for a wedding! Even if you did the top tier of the buffet at $22.95 a person it would be $3442.50. The average cost of the main food for a wedding (not including appetizers, snacks, or extras) is about $4,400.00 according to a recent survey. With MCL being almost $1000 cheaper than that for a 3 entree options you really cannot go wrong!

Overall I would say the Muncie Bridal show was very successful, and luckily I will be able to attend again next year since our big ceremony will not happen until October of 2015.