I'd be delighted to share my ideas for a tropical themed wedding. It would be nice to know many others are benefiting from my ideas. I know it would have made it easier for me had I found this type of info last year!! We got married in Jamaica, and then had our reception when we returned home, so I wanted a reception with a "tropical" theme. Here are the ideas I came up with for my reception:
First , I had a guest with us in Jamaica who had a digital camera. Many photos were taken and displayed on a laptop computer in the entrance of the hall at the reception. Also, we displayed the video from the wedding on a T.V. in a different area of the hall. Collages of our trip and wedding ceremony were also posted on walls.
I lit a couple of pineapple scented candles in the entrance by the guest book.
I rented 3 nine-foot artificial palm trees at a local party store and displayed them at each end of the head table, as well as one directly behind the middle of the head table.
I bought green fishing nets and draped them at the front of the head table. I also found small colorful artificial glass-like fish and suspended them in the net.
For the centerpieces, I rented 9” diameter glass bowls. I put one in the center of each table, filled them ¾ full with water, and added blue food coloring to it. I put 3 colorful fish candles in each bowl. Around the bowls, I scattered tropical confetti (there were suns, starfish, palm trees, fish, octopus, etc..).
From the ceilings of the hall, I hung miniature white lights. Each strand of lights started from the center and made its way away from it. There were 6 strands. (I wrapped the strands in tulle for a more elegant effect). At the center where all 6 strands met, I hung a large, bright sun. There are many tropical cardboard decorations at party stores. I had cardboard pineapples scattered here and there.
Another neat ideas is to play Bob Marley music during cocktail hour.
Also, our reception was a little “different”. We sold tickets instead of preparing invitations...kind of like a Jack & Jill, plus I felt this was NOT intended to be a “formal” reception...so we had a little fun with the planning.
We therefore had door prizes such as baskets filled with Jamaican flavored rum, fish napkins and colorful pitcher and glasses; and we also raffled off other bottles of liquor.
Our favors consisted of 5 tealight candles wrapped in white tulle which was tied with rafia and a little label (with a palm tree on it) Each tealight had a label around its aluminum base with the words “LOVE”, “JOY”, “HAPPINESS”,, “MARRIAGE” (in different colors).
I am having a late afternoon candlelight military wedding in April 2002. Because my fiance and I are such romantics, we want everybody to feel the love we have for one another. My church has a very good speaker system throughout it, and we will both wear cordless microphones. When it is time, my fiance will say "Baby will you marry me?" and I will say, "Yes baby, I will marry you." His back will be to the door the entire time. His best man will then signal him when the doors have opened, and I have entered. At that point my fiance will say "Meet me at the altar" and I will be standing at the door and I will say, "Here I come baby" before making my way up the aisle.
Because there are always male ushers escorting the female guest to their seats, I am doing something different. I am asking some some of my female friends and family to be ushers; to escort the males to their seats.
I will be having some older guests from out of town. To save them from the bother of driving on my wedding day, I have made arrangements to use both of my church's vans to take them to the church, to the reception and back to the hotel.
It pays to know people...so the more people you know who can assist in some way with your wedding, the cheaper it will be for you. I have family doing the catering, family doing the music, family doing everything!
North Carolina
Wedding on April 2002
If you don't know how to include all your female friends and relatives in your wedding, this is the way to do it. Have all the women you want included to sit on the ends of the pews, and when you go to enter, they all stand up in the aisle, holding a flower. As you walk down the aisle, they each hand you their flower, making up your bouquet. When you reach the end of the aisle, have your mother and the mother of the groom come forward and tie a big tulle bow around the flowers.
Suggestions for fall weddings: For centerpieces: Small carved out pumpkins with flower arrangements placed inside. Instead of throwing regular birdseed, let your guests throw pumpkin seeds instead!
Centerpieces - We had beautiful French-country style flower topiaries. Not huge, but about 18" tall including the base. They were exquisite, and we received many compliments on them.
Florist - Look for a new flower business. We hired someone we saw at a bridal fair who was new in the business, and worked from home, but her samples were gorgeous! Because she was new, her costs were EXTREMELY low, and the flowers were amazing! Still get referrals, but if they are good, don't hesitate to work with someone new who doesn't have all the overhead of a store (adding to your costs!).
Reception Decor - We hired a silk flower company to accentuate the reception location. The room already had a garden theme, with painted garden murals on the wall, and lattice-work on the ceiling. The silk flower company came in and I asked them to draw attention to the center of the room, where the dance floor was (the guests tables surrounded the dance floor.) They put four 6' (six-foot tall) Grecian pillars at the four edges of the dance floor, and twined them with ivy and tulle. At the top of the pillars were cascading flowers, and hanging between the pillars were greens and berries. They also hung tulle with twinkle lights (inside the tulle) between the four pillars. Ferns were added in the corners of the room with twinkle lights. The room looked absolutely magical!!
Cake - Our cake had frosted fruit and leaves instead of traditional flowers surrounding the base and layers. It was beautiful and got lots of compliments!
DJ - Instead of having the guests clink glasses to get us to kiss, any time someone stood up to sing a few lyrics from a love song, we had to kiss. The guests really got into it, and whole tables of guests would sing together. Lots of fun!
Favors - We bought the little bubble containers in the shapes of wedding cakes. But to make them more personal, we tied little ribbons around the tops and had small pieces of paper attached to the ribbons with quotes about marriage that I got from a little book at Barnes and Noble. It made a cheap little favor a topic of conversation as people shared their quotes. And it was extremely inexpensive! Also, I bought a deck of Monet Garden Cards, and placed one card at each place. This kept with the garden theme.
Guest Book - Instead of the traditional boring guest book, I bought a blank pages book that had a cover to go with the feeling of the wedding. As people arrived, I had a friend at the sign-in table, where she asked them to sign in the book, and then she directed them to their table. After everyone was seated, the book was passed around the room for people to write personal notes to us. It will be a nice keepsake.
Hope these ideas spark some ideas for your wedding!
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Wedding on November 5, 2000
I am planning to ask each of my guests to send a favorite family recipe with the reply card when they respond to our wedding invitation With the recipes I am going to make a recipe book, with a handwritten thank you note inside for each guest.
For our first dance as bride and groom we will be doing a slide presentation of pictures from each of our childhoods, as well as including wedding pictures of both of our parents. My fiancée's both parents have passed away and I thought this would be a wonderful way to remember them.
Between both of us we have a total of 6 children. Rather than doing the 'traditional' unity candle, we will be having our children light candles on each side, then me and my fiancée with light the center candle together.
When my soon to be step daughter was married a year ago, she asked me to help her out with the wedding plans. We found a unfinished oval platter and had each guest sign their name on it. After the wedding we had it glazed and fired - It looks wonderful, and the best thing is that is set out to enjoy everyday!
Hope you like these ideas!
I have been extremely blessed through out the planning of my August wedding. Just to share a few ideas:
For the invitations, I used the paper that some may use for wedding bulletins (programs). It was quite beautiful with blush roses as the light background. I downloaded a rather professional free front from the Internet on my computer and then went to the local college and uploaded for a laser printed copy. I went to Kinkos and the guy there was a busy bride's dream: Quick, efficient, perfect printing. On the inside of the "invitation bulletin", I included the reception info with my home number so guests could RSVP by phone, and there's no need for additional postage.
For the three flower girl baskets, I went to a second hand store and purchased each for under a dollar. I went into the formal fashions section for a dress with satin and sheer fabric which I could cut to cover the baskets. I got the ballroom dress for about $2.00. I cut that baby to shreds to create the most adorable baskets this side of the Mississippi!
For my flowers, I went to the local Hobby Lobby store. I purchased 5 bushes of silk white roses for 50% off. That adds up to about 175 flowers for ONLY $50! This was an absolute dream because my wedding theme is based around a White Rose Garden. Every single flower in my wedding is a white rose - real and faux.
For the ring bearer pillow, my Mom bought a embroidered pillow from one of the local dollar stores. I bought a remnant of elegant white fabric and I am going to cover the pillow then put a white corded rope to outline it. To top it off, I'm going to put tassels on each of the four corners to produce a rather regal look.
My advice to any bride is to by all means buy everything on sale. DON'T go with the first thing smoking. I understand the excitement, but don't allow the bridal industry to take advantage of your lifelong dream. By all means Save, and Save Big!
My name is Tamara (Ohio) and my fiance and I are planning a June wedding in Gatlinburg, TN. Close family will be attending (approximately 30 people) and we wanted them to have something to take home. In searching the internet and many stores, I found the price of everything was so high. Especially personalized items. As we are on a tight budget, I thought I would try to paint my own candles and glassware for the wedding guests. Needless to say, I'm no artist and my first attempt was a complete nightmare. So here's what I did.
We purchased: 10 candle globes (one for each family), 28 wine glasses/seven 4-packs (one for each person attending), 10 beer mugs...for the guys...and an enamel paint kit at Wal-Mart in the craft section (Delta brand for painting glass). About $60 in total.
On our computer we found a Font (letter style) and size that we thought would look good painted on our glassware.
We typed up all the first names of our guests on the computer and ran them off in the font & size we wanted to use on the drinking glasses.
We also typed up, for each family coming, their last names in the same font and but a larger size for the globe candles.
With scissors, we cut out everyone's name. (Not detailed)
With tape, we taped the names on the inside of the glasses and candles placing it where we wanted it painted on the glass.
With the surface condition (that came with the Delta paint kit) we brushed the surface to be painted and let the glassware dry.
With the paint (that came with the Delta paint kit) and a small tipped brush, we painted the names on the glasses tracing the design through each families glasses and candle was done in a different color of paint (glasses match the candles) ...except...we did ours and the bridal parties in gold paint.
Once dry, you coat the painted section with a sealer and you are done.
The package of Delta paint says that the paint has to dry for 10 days...but then you can microwave, dish wash, etc. the glassware.
For about $60 we did some really neat keepsakes for everyone to take home and they look like they were professionally done.
Ohio
Wedding on June 2001
My fiance's groomsmen live out of town (NY). We wanted to be creative in inviting them to be in our wedding. Instead of a phone call, we made each intended groomsmen a video of my fiance dressed as a hillbilly from the South. He is from New York and pretended to be a "red neck". He wore a coonskin hat, bubba teeth, and sat in front of the GA State Flag. You don't have to do a video as outrageous as ours but you can do a video for bridal party members who you do not have an opportunity to invite in person. Imagine their surprise when they view the video! We labeled the outside of the video tape with an email address and phone number so they knew to contact us right away. Everyone is talking about the video and how funny it was.
Atlanta, GA
Wedding on May 2002
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