Ceremony Decor Ideas (and location!)

[E B]

Since I'm still in the beginning stages (only a little over a year out), I'm still entertaining ideas as to what to do in every wedding "category", and my newest focus is ceremony decor. Since I never shared my ceremony site, I figured a good time to do it was now!

View 1, looking in:

View 2, looking out (that reflecting pool spills into the lake I lived my entire childhood next to!):

Since FH and I *love* the site as it is, we don't want to do much. I was thinking white petals down the aisle (since big blue petals are hard to come by) and then, I found this on theknot.com:

I love the idea of lanterns instead of kissing balls down the aisle. I still love the look of kissing balls, but I hear they're time consuming and this might be, I don't know, a bit of a change.

Do you think the look fits with the site? Might you have any other ideas for me? I value the creativity of my fellow PSers.

 

[sumbride]

Oh, it''s gorgeous!!! I love the idea of the petals but I don''t think you''ll really need the lanterns. I like them, but it looks a bit like overkill on such a gorgeous site. Maybe if you used fewer, but still, don''t think you need them.

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 1:23:20 PM
Author: sumbride
Oh, it''s gorgeous!!! I love the idea of the petals but I don''t think you''ll really need the lanterns. I like them, but it looks a bit like overkill on such a gorgeous site. Maybe if you used fewer, but still, don''t think you need them.

Thank you, sumbride! If we did go with the lanterns, there''d be fewer...maybe only 5 per aisle. Oh, and they''d be pale blue (I forgot to mention!). Do you think changing the lanterns to blue would tone down the look a bit?

 

[robbie3982]

I think I agree with Sum. I don''t really like the lanterns either. I do like the flower petal idea though

 

[sumbride]

blue, eh? Well, I''m a sucker for anything blue. seriously, our wedding colors? Blue, Blue, and champagne. and ivory. and white. but mostly blue.

I think if you had fewer and they were blue, it would sort of blend in better, but I still don''t think they''re absolutely necessary. Especially if you do tons of white petals. Just went to a wedding that had the little kissing balls and the aisles were lined with petals insted of blanketed and that was pretty, but I like the blanketing and I think that''s a strong enough statement on its own.

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 1:45:00 PM
Author: sumbride
blue, eh? Well, I''m a sucker for anything blue. seriously, our wedding colors? Blue, Blue, and champagne. and ivory. and white. but mostly blue.

I think if you had fewer and they were blue, it would sort of blend in better, but I still don''t think they''re absolutely necessary. Especially if you do tons of white petals. Just went to a wedding that had the little kissing balls and the aisles were lined with petals insted of blanketed and that was pretty, but I like the blanketing and I think that''s a strong enough statement on its own.

I''m such sucker for blue too! Our wedding colors: different cool shades of blue (ex. pale blue, navy) and ivory. I just found the most gorgeous bouquet I''ve ever seen, and it has tons of different blue shades...it''s perfect. It actually made me contact a florist, which is huge. Regarding the petals, I don''t think we''d have that many. I was also thinking about petals on the aisle the other day, and what happens when the bride walks on them. Does her train kind of "collect" them, or push them around? I have no idea, but I''d hope my dress wouldn''t leave a big bare spot on the aisle where I''ve been!

 

[sumbride]

On concrete, it sweeps them up under it. Don''t know what would happen on grass. I remember thinking it was interesting that all the petals the flower girl dropped were gone after the bride passed.

got a pic of that blue bouquet?

 

[E B]

I sho' do!

It looks purpley, but I'm going to ask that they keep it on the blue side. I love the variation and don't really mind most of the purple, to be honest.

 

[sumbride]

WOW! WOWOWOWOWOWOWWOW!!! LOVE IT!!! No wonder you called the florist!!!


Alas, I doubt those flowers would be remotely in season in October for me... When is your wedding?

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 1:57:49 PM
Author: sumbride
WOW! WOWOWOWOWOWOWWOW!!! LOVE IT!!! No wonder you called the florist!!!



Alas, I doubt those flowers would be remotely in season in October for me... When is your wedding?

September 29th!

I''m pretty sure most if not all are in season.

 

[sumbride]

really??? OK, I''m so clipping that for my file! Awesome find!

 

[SoonIHope]

I want to note my presence on the blue bandwagon too!

Love your location EBree! And I think the blue lanterns would be gorgeous with the white petals - just not tooo many of them.

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post a pic of the blue bouquet you found!!! There seem to be so few of them!!


ETA: God, I'm slow posting my replies! That bouquet is gorgeous!!!

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:01:54 PM
Author: albicocca
I want to note my presence on the blue bandwagon too!

Love your location EBree! And I think the blue lanterns would be gorgeous with the white petals - just not tooo many of them.

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post a pic of the blue bouquet you found!!! There seem to be so few of them!!

ETA: God, I''m slow posting my replies! That bouquet is gorgeous!!!

Thank you, albi! Yay for blue brides! We need to stick together and share blue ideas, because I''ve had a bit of a hard time finding wedding "things" that aren''t red or pink. Finding that bouquet took a looong time! I was so excited when I found it, because it blew everything I''ve seen so far away.

 

[mercoledi]

Is it going to an eveing or daytime ceremony? If it''s during the day, the lanterns might be a bit much, but you could to hanging flowers maybe? And give them to the bridal party as gifts afterward? If it''s at night/dusk I think a smaller lantern on a less obtrusive stand would be pretty.

And the flowers you picked are lovely, I like all the texture.

 

[sumbride]

Let''s start a "Blue Weddings" thread! Not a "Blue Brides" thread because that sounds too depressing.

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:09:57 PM
Author: mercoledi
Is it going to an eveing or daytime ceremony? If it's during the day, the lanterns might be a bit much, but you could to hanging flowers maybe? And give them to the bridal party as gifts afterward? If it's at night/dusk I think a smaller lantern on a less obtrusive stand would be pretty.


And the flowers you picked are lovely, I like all the texture.

Thank you!

It's going to be an evening ceremony (right before sunset, I believe). In the picture, it looks like the shepherd hooks are tall with three seperate hooks, but we wouldn't be using those...we'd be using the single hooks (and smaller lanterns). I'm just wondering if we'll have enough aisle room. My actual location is in the movie "Dr. T and the Women" and in the movie, it's decorated with tulle and columns, the works. We're planning on keeping it simple, but I don't want it to look like we just didn't try.


Let's start a "Blue Weddings" thread! Not a "Blue Brides" thread because that sounds too depressing.

Ok!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:19:50 PM
Author: EBree

My actual location is in the movie ''Dr. T and the Women'' and in the movie, it''s decorated with tulle and columns, the works. We''re planning on keeping it simple, but I don''t want it to look like we just didn''t try.

Thought that looked familiar! And no, don''t overdo! It''s so pretty naturally that you don''t want to overdo.

 

[mercoledi]

I, personally, would go for it then. I think the picture from the knot is too much, with the petals and the huge stands and the big lanterns and the ferns and the bower covered in 3K worth of roses. I think the lanterns and petal aisle with something simple on the columns would be far more elegant. The perspective on that picture is all kerflewy, it's not going to be all heaped together like that in real life.

One note about blue petals- they might not show up very well at nightfall while white or cream or yellow ones will reflect the waning daylight and the lantern light.

Either way the site is magnificent.

 

[SoonIHope]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:19:33 PM
Author: sumbride
Let''s start a ''Blue Weddings'' thread! Not a ''Blue Brides'' thread because that sounds too depressing.

Hahaha! Good point!

And I am sooooo there!

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:28:20 PM
Author: mercoledi

Either way the site is magnificent.

Thank you so much! We''re still trying to decide if we should marry facing the columns or down by the reflecting pool. In the picture frame by the reflecting pool stands a statue of a naked woman and her rear is facing out! It''s funny, but it''s "A Woman''s Garden"...what can you do?

 

[sumbride]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:31:43 PM
Author: EBree

Thank you so much! We''re still trying to decide if we should marry facing the columns or down by the reflecting pool. In the picture frame by the reflecting pool stands a statue of a naked woman and her rear is facing out! It''s funny, but it''s ''A Woman''s Garden''...what can you do?

Heh... love the sculpture but do you really want guests to be looking at SOMEONE ELSE''S bottom during your ceremony? too distracting! Do it facing the columns.

At my cousin''s wedding, the church had amazing windows overlooking the Austin hill country... gorgeous. About a week before the wedding, they installed a gigantic jesus on crucifix in the middle of those amazing windows. And it was gold! What did I stare at the whole time? Not the bride and groom but the gold jesus that looked like he was flying. blech.

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 2:40:34 PM
Author: sumbride

Heh... love the sculpture but do you really want guests to be looking at SOMEONE ELSE''S bottom during your ceremony? too distracting! Do it facing the columns.


At my cousin''s wedding, the church had amazing windows overlooking the Austin hill country... gorgeous. About a week before the wedding, they installed a gigantic jesus on crucifix in the middle of those amazing windows. And it was gold! What did I stare at the whole time? Not the bride and groom but the gold jesus that looked like he was flying. blech.

LOL, true, but facing the columns we have another problem: running water (the fountain). It might make it hard to hear the officiant and FH and I, but we could get mics. Hmm. The woman''s "behind" isn''t really that bad...it isn''t really detailed, so unless you''re close to it, it doesn''t look like much.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[dani13]

EBree-

Your location is just stunning!!!! You are getting married the day after me!!! Can''t wait to see all of your ideas- everything looks beautiful already! I am still deciding on my colors though!

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2006 3:21:40 PM
Author: Dani
EBree-


Your location is just stunning!!!! You are getting married the day after me!!! Can''t wait to see all of your ideas- everything looks beautiful already! I am still deciding on my colors though!

Thank you Dani! Almost date twins, huh?

As for colors, I think September is a great month because you could do just about any combination. In Texas, it''ll still be summery so we thought blue would be a nice choice. Plus, it''s FHs and my favorite color, and the September birthstone is sapphire!

 

[lovelylulu]

Ebree -- that is a stellar location! From the pictures, it seems like the statute isn''t that large and off-center. I feel like you could hold the ceremony facing the pool.

I think that fewer lanterns might be a great look -- the knot bride just has a bit of overkill going on.

what state is the wedding going to be in?

 

[fatafelice]

I adore your location!!! It is breathtaking!

 

[E B]

Thank you so much, Lulu and Fatafelice! The wedding is in Dallas, Texas (just a block away from my mom's house!) and when I go home this December, I might ask them if the lanterns would work (depending on the size of the aisle). I think we're leaning toward facing the pool, but I think the norm for my site is to face the columns. We've got a while to decide, thank goodness.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 8/25/2006 3:30:51 PM
Author: EBree


Thank you Dani! Almost date twins, huh?

As for colors, I think September is a great month because you could do just about any combination. In Texas, it''ll still be summery so we thought blue would be a nice choice. Plus, it''s FHs and my favorite color, and the September birthstone is sapphire!

That''s why I wanted to get married in September! I have sapphires in my e-ring and thought it would be cool to have it be the "birthstone of our marriage" but my niece has a rodeo queen competition next September so we had to move it to October. alas.

 

[lovelylulu]

i know that those lanterns aren''t paper or blue, but they are on a much smaller scale. i like the look!

 

[SoonIHope]

Date: 8/25/2006 4:32:27 PM
Author: lovelylulu

i know that those lanterns aren''t paper or blue, but they are on a much smaller scale. i like the look!

Hahahaha, I totally thought you were talking about the GIGANTIC CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS and was sure you were joking!!

But the candle-type lanterns are very pretty (& relevant!) Love that idea!