It's Giveaway Time!

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Confession time...the happy couple stole an idea for their wedding reception from another happy couple's wedding reception. There, it's done. Out in the open.

Ok...well now I feel really bad.

Alright, technically it was the bride and me, not the groom who stole the idea. Truthfully, the groom wasn't even in the same state when we perpetrated the crime.

That's better. I guess.

Here's what happened. The bride, myself and the father of the bride traveled out of town to the wedding of the daughter of two of our closest friends. We had a wonderful time (except the three and a half hours I spent crying in the backseat after the bride hurt my feeling...earlier that morning the comment had been made, "I bet Mrs. Dana never asked Melanie to put green glitter candles on her tables."...just hateful I tell you).

Anyway, the bride, the groom, the wedding, everything was just beautiful. And then, as we headed to our table, we saw them. They were sitting neatly tucked within our napkin, just waiting for us. They were classic. They were retro. They were just about perfect.

They were monogrammed matchbooks.

They were missing piece to the table setting we had been searching for all those long autumn weeks. And then suddenly, as quick as walking into a room, the puzzle was complete. We should have monogrammed matchbooks at the happy couple's reception too!

When we returned, the bride showed the groom the matchbooks we brought home and he thought it was a wonderful idea (I guess that makes him an accomplice after all, ha!) so we set out to order them. The happy couple decided to change it up a bit and split the order. Half matchsticks (in the slide out box) and the other half matchbooks. We decided we would get 150 of each for (you guessed it) a total of 300.

The happy couple ordered 150 matchboxes that evening and the next day I was going to order the matchbooks. The price the happy couple quoted me was decent so I thought the matchbooks might be even a little cheaper. But when I got to the checkout it was way over what the happy couple had paid for the matchboxes! But being in the midst of monogrammed matchbook mania, I hesitated but a moment and then clicked the Place Order button. And then promptly forgot about them.

10 days later as the happy couple and I were standing in the garage, looking at who-knows-what now, Ted stopped by for his daily visit. Ted is our UPS guy. We've become very close. Last week, he and his wife asked me to be in the delivery room with them when their first baby is born.

Ted had stopped by to deliver the matches. In a really, really, really big box. Really big.

Now the happy couple's order was perfect. 150 matchboxes. My order? Notsomuch. And here's where the giveaway comes in...you get to guess just how many matchbooks I actually ordered.

Here's how you play:

Leave (just one!) comment with your guess of (A, B, C or D) and when times up, I'll put all the correct guesses in a bowl and pick a winner!

Whatcha playing for?

(1) One $25 VISA gift card

so here we go.......how many matchbooks did I really order?

A. 350

B. 550

C. 850

D. 1150

Comments will be closed Saturday, January 15, 2012
at 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Ain't It Pretty?

Yes I thought these would look lovely around the handmade napkins the bride is making. Kinda going along with the natural, Tuscan theme the happy couple has decided on.

No?

Not even with prettier beads? Maybe glittery ones?

*sigh*

Well, it was worth a shot...one of these days the bride is going to say slip up and say "yes"...

That means the correct answer is A! And our winner is Michelle F.! Congrats!

It's Giveaway Time! And It's A Short One!

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We took a small break from wedding planning to attend to some other family activities here of late and the break has been a good one and a needed one.

But that doesn't mean I haven't had any bad ideas.

Lately, we've been working on tableware and there are alot of choices to make. Real china, plastic plates, linen napkins, paper napkins, tablecloths, runners, water goblets, serving plates, salt & pepper shakers...

And silverware. Don't get me started on silverware.

So the bride and I have scouring over pictures and websites, searching for the perfect "look" for the reception tables. And along the way, I've had a few of my own ideas...including one below...

Here's how you play:

Read the three statements below and choose the one you think I actually "discussed" with the bride. One of the statements is absolutely true. I really thought it was a good idea. And then it was thrown out like a stack of used cocktail napkins.

Leave (just one!) comment with your guess (A, B or C) and when times up, I'll put all the correct guesses in a bowl and pick a winner!

Whatcha playing for? How about a gift card to a place where the tables always look great?

(1) One $25 Gift Card to Maggiano's

so here we go.......which one of the following do you think I recently suggested to the bride?

I thought it would be a great idea to have...

A. Grapevine napkin rings with plastic beads woven into the vines, just to pretty them up

B. On each table, have a stack of red plastic cups with a black magic marker nearby, in order to write the guests names on them

C. Sprinkle glitter. Everywhere. Gives each table that romantic "sprinkled with pixie dust" effect

Comments will be closed tonight, Saturday September 10, 2011
at 11:00 p.m. Eastern

His Office Held Hostage - Is That A Wedding Gown On My File Cabinet?

Our house may soon be asked to appear on "Hoarders" I have never seen so many piles of stuff in my life.

Boxes and boxes of flowers, candles (but alas, no gold, green glittery ones), candle holders, tulle, lanterns, wreaths, glue guns, lights, trees, napkins, fake china, my 7th grade science teacher Mr. Dewberry, cups, votives, fabric swatches, olive oil dispensers...the list could go on for days.

And where are all these precious treasures being stored? Why, in the only room in the house that doesn't have squatters someone living in it...the father of the bride's teeny-tiny sanctuary from the world...his office.

Overnight, his office has been transformed into a bargain bin craft store.

Lots of foot traffic in his office lately. Lots of browsing going on. Lots of time spent deciding the perfect spot for each new box that arrives from Ted. Who's Ted? Ted is the UPS guy that we used to see once every 8 months.

Our families are now spending Thanksgiving together this year.

I guess it could be worse. I know that soon, all the boxes will be empty and their treasures will be tucked away for safe keeping (or sold on craigslist). And the father of the bride will have his office back.

I just hope I can send Mr. Dewberry back C.O.D.

We're Havin' A Heat Wave! A Tropical Heat Wave...Not Really...Just A Giveaway!

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I'm having a giveaway today just to have one! No bad ideas to guess, all you have to do is just leave a comment! And the topic? What else...weddings!

Leave a comment about weddings. It can be a favorite memory of your wedding or even someone else's. Maybe it's something from a royal wedding or a sibling's ceremony. Your neighbor's granddaughter's wedding or the recent Kardashian circus wedding.

One of my favorite things about a wedding was something special Mark and I did at the end of our ceremony. Before we walked down the aisle, we each gave a long stemmed rose to our mothers. Mark gave one to my mother and I gave one to his. Just a way of saying we were truly family now.

Another special moment happened at our friends Kara and George's wedding. The entire wedding party was in place and before the bride came down the aisle, the bride's brother, who was performing the ceremony, instructed the groom about his new role as her husband. When he finished, he told the groom to turn and "behold your bride". And there she was, waiting to walk down the aisle to him. Wow.

Or seeing the groom's first initial beaded onto the train of the bride's gown. That was pretty neat. Ok, so I wasn't there in person for that wedding.

It was Fergie and Prince Andrew's wedding.

And we all know how that turned out.

But still, I really liked the monogram.

So what's been a favorite part of a wedding for you?

Someone's special vows? The cake being smushed into the groom's face? Cute flower girls and ring bearers? Just name it!

And here's the prize!

(1) one $25 VISA gift card

Just leave a comment (just one!) and when time is up, I'll pick a winner out of the hat. It's just that easy!

Comments will be closed on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Ahoy Mateys

from dictionary.com...

mutiny [myoot-n-ee]
noun, plural -nies, verb, -nied, -ny·ing.

noun

1. revolt or rebellion against constituted authority, especially by sailors against  their officers.

2. rebellion against any authority.

verb (used without object)

3. to commit the offense of mutiny; revolt against authority.

Last week I was starting to sense something around the house...a presence, a vibe, a feeling...

Turns out, I had a wedding planning mutiny a-brewin'.

Now at first, I though it was all in my head (which is not an uncommon occurrence among my people, oh the tales I could tell) but I was pretty sure I was right about this one.

All because I began to notice subtle changes around the house. Like...

*The conversations about the wedding that stopped when I walked into the room. (ok, so I knew they were talking about the wedding because I was listening in the hallway)

*The sideways glances at one another when I mentioned picking out flowers for the bouquets.

*The rolling of eyes each time I reminded the happy couple of how pretty those gold, green glittery candles would look on their reception tables.

And then finally the other day, the last piece of evidence that a mutiny was on the horizon reared it's ugly head...

my wedding planner went missing.

Oh yeah. They were coming for me. So I did the only thing I knew to do. 

I tattled. 

I told the bride's dad what I suspected and with a couple of fists of fury he crushed the rising revolt (ok, not really fists of fury...he sat everyone down in the family room and we talked about it). But that was the end of it,  no more wedding planning mutiny. 

And they promised to stop calling me "Capt'n Bligh".

It's Chocolate. It's Marshmallows. It's Graham Crackers. What's Not Too Love?

I like salad bars. And coffee bars. And juice bars. And candy bars. And...well, you get the picture.

And the other day a good friend mentioned having a pizza bar at the reception and she got me thinking, "why stop at a pizza bar? why not have an "all bar" reception? what better way to feed a couple hundred of your closest friends?"

And not only that, but just think of some of the extra benefits to an "all bar" reception...

*We wouldn't need to set up any tables, just set some bars stools out and have at it.

*Put up a few sneeze guards and we could open up to the public and charge by the plate (the coffee bar alone could pay for the honeymoon)

*Make styrofoam to-go plates and hair nets available to all the guests

*Decorating the bars could be a snap. Stainless steel goes with everything

*I could sneak have some Italian Green Beans on the salad bar 

I tried to convince the happy couple that this would be the way to go for their reception. And I almost had them on board. That is until I mentioned the Smores lounge. Yes, a Smores lounge.

Hey if it's good enough for Reese Witherspoon it's good enough for the happy couple. I first heard about the Smores lounge while perusing the waiting room bible (People magazine) at my doctor's office. Mrs. whatever-her-last-name-is-now had one at her recent wedding reception in Los Angeles. And I thought it would be a really cool thing to do.

Alas, the happy couple thought otherwise.

While technically not a "bar" the Smores lounge would have benches or lawn chairs (take your pick) around a fire in a self contained pit with chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows available. Plus sticks for roasting your marshmallows! You can't forget sticks!

When describing the Smores lounge to the happy couple the bride's only comment was, "Open flames, gooey marshmallows and my wedding gown all in the same room? I don't think that's a good idea, mom."

I tried...maybe I can convince the groom to have a juice bar at the rehearsal dinner.

So our correct choices are A and B! And our winner is Angel R.!

It's An Easy Giveaway!

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Oops! I missed the Friday giveaway! But I had a really good reason...it was the maid of honor's birthday yesterday and we celebrated by going to dinner and then for ice cream...

Ok, so I not only had one bad idea this week, I had two. Yes, two (it was a banner week). And it's your turn to guess which two they are...

We've been talking some about the reception this past week and all the details that need to be figured out. And I'm all about easy. Whatever's the easy way, I'm your gal. So which TWO of the following statements were my ideas for an "easy reception"...and what are you playing for?

How about...

(1) one $30 gift card to Subway

can't get much easier for dinner that that!

Here's how you play:

Read the three statements below and choose the TWO you think I actually "discussed" with the bride. TWO of the statements are absolutely true. I really thought they were a good idea. And then they were turned down quicker than Speedy Gonzales grabbing a piece of cheese.

Leave (just one!) comment with your guess of which TWO bad ideas I had (A, B or C) and when times up, I'll put all the correct guesses in a bowl and pick a winner!

so here we go.......which TWO of the following ideas do you think I suggested to the bride last week?

I thought it would be a great idea to...

A. Who needs a sit-down dinner at the reception? How about all bars, all the time...coffee bar, candy bar, pizza bar, cake pop bar, salad bar, juice bar...the possibilities are endless. 

B.  Instead of the wedding cake, have a smores lounge...in one corner of the reception hall: campfire, lawn chairs, marshmallows, chocolate bars (oooh another bar!) graham crackers...the works.

C.  Instead of the wedding cake, I make cupcakes. For 250 people. The night before the wedding.

Comments will be closed on Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Bouquets & Rice: Week 5 - You Light Up My Life

Some odds and ends from this week...

I dreamed about gold, glittery green candles the other night...maybe it's a sign. *sigh* oh, precious...
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We've recently purchased some flame-less, scent-less votive candles and every time, without fail, that I pick one up...I smell it.
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Unity candles have been a popular wedding staple for years. And I can't remember any wedding in the last 15 or so years that we've attended, that at some moment during the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom would pause, and as a meaningful song played, light a unity candle.Yep, don't think I've been to a wedding where that didn't happen. Until now...

That streak comes to an end in January.

Nope, the happy couple are not having a unity candle. Or unity sand for that matter. Or even any unity-building games, like the trust fall (picture it, the maid of honor falling backwards from the stage into the arms of the groomsmen) or the shoe game (groom's side of the church versus the bride's side...everyone takes off their shoes, puts them in two big piles and the first side that gets everyone's shoes on wins).

We could even play the human scavenger hunt game...

Oh well, it's been a good run.
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The bride and I had a slight disagreement this week over renting candelabras to use in the church during the ceremony.

I want them and she doesn't.

And I can't seem to give her a reason to rent them other than,

"Oh, but they are soooo pretty!"
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Last week we bought two vanilla-scented pillar candles that are each bigger than a full roll of paper towels.

And I keep forgetting to smell them.

Once Upon A Time...

We were talking about the reception recently and we hit a small bump in the road...

The wedding is being held in the middle of January.

And the happy couple wants the reception in a tent.

Since we live in Florida we won't have snow to deal with, but it will be cold. Or 70 degrees. Or raining. Or foggy. That's pretty much winter here, you never know whatcha gonna get.

So we've been looking online at tents to rent. And surprisingly the selection is pretty varied. But I'm beginning to feel a little like Goldilocks...

this tent is too big...

this tent is too drab...

this tent is too small...

and this tent is...well, hmmm...

Maybe I'll just grab a bowl of porridge and call it a night.

Our Winner!

According to Marie Claire magazine two of the top 11 craziest wedding trends for 2011 are...

*Requiring bridesmaids to have plastic surgery
*Life size bride wedding cakes

So that means our fake wedding trend is A, receptions being catered by fast food restaurants! And our winner is Lori B.! And our prize this week is (1) one $25 gift card to Wendy's!

So be very careful...you could end up at a wedding where all the bridesmaids can't blink because of the botox and your piece of wedding cake may look like the bride's elbow. Bridezillas for sure :)

"Name That Bad Idea" Giveaway - All That Sparkles & Shines

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Okie dokie, it's Friday again and this week our "Name That Bad Idea" giveaway has a little sparkle to it...a little glitz, a little glamour...and of course, totally tasteful (Ha! *cough, *cough oops, sorry...just spit out my coffee)

We've spend a lot of time in stores looking for items to decorate the church and reception hall. And while this isn't unusual, something strange has begun happening to me.

I've become unexpectedly drawn to shiny, glittery, sparkly objects.

Usually my taste runs to the low key (ok, boring) and the bride definitely has subtle taste but this wedding planning stuff has done something to my DNA. Last weekend, we were walking down an aisle in a craft store when suddenly I stopped in my tracks, lifted my nose into the air, took a sniff and said "I smell a Bedazzler two aisles over".

Which can only mean one thing...shiny, glittery, sparkly bad ideas.

So that means you get the chance to choose which shiny, glittery, sparkly bad idea I shared with the bride is actually true. And what is the giveaway this week? Well, how about you pick something shiny, glittery and sparkly for yourself? The prize is:

(1) One $25 VISA gift card

Here's how you play:

Read the three statements below and choose the one you think I actually "discussed" with the bride. One of the statements is absolutely true. I really thought it was a good idea. And then it was toss out like a mirrored disco ball at a square dance. 

Leave (just one!) comment with your guess (A, B or C) and when times up, I'll put all the correct guesses in a bowl and pick a winner!

so here we go.......which one of the following do you think I suggested to the bride last week?

I thought it would be a great idea to...

A. Put shiny satin bows in the bridesmaids hair...orange shiny satin bows

B. Purchase long, green tapered candles that have been rolled in gold glitter (the kind we used for school projects) for all the reception tables

C. Have the bride wear a sparkly top with "Future Mrs. B." embroidered across the back at the rehearsal dinner.

Comments will be closed on Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern

We Have A Winner!

The happy couple has decided on the color scheme of their wedding. And they are a beautiful combination of colors that will compliment the day perfectly. 

But that didn't stop me from suggesting the following...

"Since the wedding has an Italian theme, why not decorate using the colors on the Italian flag? Plus (brace yourself, here comes another great idea) since the wedding is so close to Christmas, we could probably get a lot of items on sale for the wedding in those colors, cause you know, they're Christmas colors too. (not done yet, here comes another one) Oh my gosh! What do you think about using actual flags to decorate for the reception? We could even put little flags on the tables! Whaddya think?"

As I began to hear the sound of crickets chirping, I realized that the bride wasn't quite catching my vision. 

And she was also giving me the stink-eye. (That precious look that only a daughter can give a mother when she thinks her mother has just uttered what might be the most ridiculous idea she's ever heard).

So my idea about incorporating the Italian flag colors into the wedding was "non va bene" (not good) but turns out,  it's "molto buona" (very good) for someone!

And that means the correct answer was A! And our winner is Jenette!

btw...I'm really loving the Lady & the Tramp idea...hmmm, might just have to bring that up during Sunday dinner tomorrow....

And The Winner Is...

So the other day Mark found some items for sale online.
Wedding items. (drool, drool)
Burlap wedding items (drool, dro...wait, what?)

Yes, Mark was looking at wedding items online (why he was looking at wedding stuff on a Saturday morning I don't know) but nevertheless he was and he found some special wedding items that were priced right. He then sorted them by price, printed, color coded and collated them, and then proudly presented them to me and the bride.

"40 burlap table runners" read one ad that caught my eye. And of course I thought these would be perfect for the reception tables. It's a Tuscan theme, natural colors, a kinda garden motif. But the bride thought otherwise. I believe her exact words were:

"Feed sacks really wasn't the look I was shooting for at our reception."

Oh well. Maybe I should have suggested the butter sculpture of the dog instead.

And so that means the answer is B! And our winner is Sherry!

Coming up: The Wedding Gown - Take Two

Name That Bad Idea & You Could Win A Prize!

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Over the last couple of weeks since our daughter has become engaged, there have been a quite a few discussions around the kitchen table that begin like this..."What do you think about doing this for ___________ " 

It's like Mad-Libs, just fill in the blank (the wedding, reception, honeymoon, rest home for your mother) 

And for the most part, those moments have gone pretty smoothly. The bride and groom have been patient even when I've suggested something completely weird. I just like to throw ideas out there when they come to me. I get an idea and then suddenly there is this sense of urgency that I gotta tell somebody or the idea is gonna vanish (this happens more often than I'd like to admit, get an idea and *poof* it's gone).

And since we're planning a wedding, guess who gets to hear those ideas? Yep, the bride (and sometimes the groom if she's not in the room at the moment, poor fella)

Now I understand that she has specific ideas about what she wants the wedding and reception to look like, the atmosphere, the lighting and all those special touches. And for heaven's sake, I know we all have different tastes.

I just didn't know how bad my taste was until now.

So in honor of bad ideas everywhere, we're going to play a game. And somebody gets to win a prize!

So let's get ready to play...drum roll please..."Name The Bad Idea!"

Here's how you play:

Read the three statements below and choose the one you think I actually "discussed" with the Bride. One of the statements is absolutely true. I really thought it was a good idea. And then it was shot down like a turkey the week before Thanksgiving. 

Leave (just one!) comment with your guess (A, B or C) and when times up, I'll put all the correct guesses in a bowl and pick a winner!

And what's the prize?

(1) One $15 dollar gift card to Starbucks

so here we go.......which one of the following do you think I suggested to the Bride last week?

I thought it would be a great idea to...

A. Crochet gloves for all the bridesmaids to wear during the ceremony 

B. Purchase burlap runners for the reception tables, sight unseen online

C. Figure out a way to get a butter sculpture made of our dog Lucy for the reception

Comments will be closed on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern

The Vegetable Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken

My daughter has been engaged for about 6 1/2 minutes and we've already had our first fight disagreement.

Over green beans.

For the record, let's just go ahead and get who wants green beans and who doesn't want green beans out there in the open.

I'm pro-bean. She's anti-bean. (and if you ask me, it's just plain un-American to be anti-bean.)

Now we're not talking your run-of-the-mill green beans. We're talking about Italian Green Beans. Those big, flat, green beauties that we consume by the gallon around here at Sunday Dinner (we live in the South, and in order to do so, it's required that we eat a huge, fat-filled, butter-coated, artery-hardening meal after church every Sunday, hence Sunday Dinner). Needless to say, I'm a big fan of Italian Green Beans. Easy to make. Easy to eat. Just. About. Perfect.

And to hear my daughter say that she absolutely does not want Italian Green Beans served at her wedding is heart-breaking. Just heart-breaking.

It all started innocently enough. We were sitting around the kitchen table the other day and the discussion turned to the menu at the reception. Now granted we won't be nailing down a menu for a few months, but hey, we need to get a general idea about what we're serving. And since we're having an Italian-themed wedding I assumed that Italian Green Beans would be included.

Umm, not so fast.

The words "...and what about Italian Green Beans" were still hanging in the air, like a cartoon word bubble when I was quickly informed that there would be no Italian Green Beans served at the reception. I looked to the groom for some kind of back-up, a little support, a slight nod of the head, as if to say, "Don't worry future mother-in-law, I'll make sure Italian Green Beans are on the menu!".

Nope. Didn't happen. He was no help. (and now that I've had some time to ponder it, I'm beginning to think he may be anti-bean too...un-American I tell you!)

At this point, the hairs on the back of my neck were starting to rise up and my face began to get flush. No Italian Green Beans at the reception? How could they do this to me? What would everyone think? I could hear the whispers at the reception months from now...

 "Why aren't they serving  Italian Green Beans? I thought this was supposed to be an Italian wedding? I can't eat my chicken parmesan without Italian Green Beans! Where are the BEANS???"

The room began to swirl and get dark. When I came too, I was on the floor, with my loved ones standing over me, a look of great concern sweeping over their faces, including the bride and groom.

"Mom, are you ok?" Kaitlin asked as she knelt down and cradled my head. "Yes" I whispered in a weak, small voice, "yes, yes I will be...as long as we have Italian Green Beans at the reception."

Nope. Didn't work. She didn't take the bait.

So we will be having a bean-less menu at the reception. And I think I can live with that. Of course there's always the chance that a can or two might show up. She'll be too busy to check my purse.