Wedding Central- 25 Days and Counting!

It has been dubbed "Wedding Central" in my house the past few days. It all started on the 12th of May (aka- 1 month out!) The head count was due to our location so they could begin planning for food and drink expenses (I'm not sure how that works since they did not require a food count...hmmm...) Because of this deadline we spent the few days prior to the 12th tracking down the people that had not RSVP'd. Once the 12th rolled around, we were left with only 3 couples that we could not get in touch with, but we pretty much know they cannot come. So what comes after a finalized guest list you might ask... SEATING ARRANGEMENT!

First: The Layout. The location has three adjoining rooms. To accommodate all of the people that we have we must use all three. For 6 days now, we have been desperately trying to figure out how to get as many people as possible into the main room.

Problem #1: What are the dimensions? You would assume that a location that is acclaimed as The Knot's top wedding locations would have exact dimensions of their main dining room. In this case, that assumption would be false. We received THREE sets of dimensions from them. After going there today and measuring it ourselves, which one was correct? NONE!

Problem #2: We wanted to put the dance floor in the main room. In discussions about layout with the event coordinator we were told that with a dance floor and a head table seating 14 we would only be able to fit 8 ten top tables in the main room. That is only 80 of our guests. They said they could squeeze in 10 tables. That is 100 guests. Leaving 70 of friends out of the main room and therefore out of a good view. (At least based on our memory of the layout of the location). This leads to Problem #3.

Problem #3: Who to give a lesser view? I didn't like any of the options we discussed. I had invited these people to the wedding to enjoy it, not be stuck in some back room corner. Even if some of them were coworkers of my parents, I still didn't like any of the options.

SOLUTION!- Finally, after agonizing over this layout for days, Austin and I drove to the location to measure it ourselves. After measuring it, looking at the layout of the rooms, and talking to the event coordinator; we found a solution! We are putting the dance floor in the middle room where it can still be seen by all in the main room. This allows us to fit 13 tables into the main room. WIN! Plus, the rooms are much more open than we thought, so there is actually only going to be about half a table without a view of the head table. This is the kids table... kids that don't really care about the head table, but they are right next to the dance floor. WIN #2!

In addition to the actual layout of the tables, we were working on the seating arrangement itself. This has been a lot of "who sits next to whom" and "wouldn't this person go better there"... but FINALLY, it is done. Everybody has a place and everybody in their place!

Project #2 (in the midst of the seating arrangement headache) was bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. I already had one portion of my bridesmaid's gifts. The other portion consisted of a lot of searching online and not finding what I wanted for a price I liked. Therefore I decided to go to Michaels and make it myself. Great idea... right? Right, except that after I bought what I needed at Michaels. I found the main piece of this project at Wal-Mart for three dollars cheaper per person. Win/Fail. So I bought that, but now I have to find time to go back to Michaels and return what I had originally purchased...FUN...not. Austin finally decided what he wanted for his groomsmen and ordered it. Then I was jealous... I like his better. :P

Project #3- Table decorations. There were many things that had to be accomplished to officially check this project off the list.

1. Cut 36 8ft. pieces of yellow ribbon to criss-cross the table

2. Cut 160 5ft. pieces of pink ribbon to go around the chairs with the yellow chair sashes.

3. Cut 35 8 ft. pieces of white shimmer tulle for chair sashes for the head table, parents table, and grandparents table.

4. Cut 35 5ft. pieces of yellow ribbon to go around the chairs with the white shimmer tulle chair sashes.

5. Cut the 168 pink fake roses and 84 yellow fake roses off of their bouquet bases (with wire cutters)

6. Arrange 18 bouquets of the fake roses for centerpieces.

7. Pull of the leaves and baby's breath from 205 roses to go on the back of each chair.

8. Fill 18 vases with 40 frosted rocks each and put the bouquets in the center.

9. Fill 7 more vases with rocks for the bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces for the head table.

10. Create two bouquets for either side of engagement picture

11. Cut 27 5ft. pieces of white shimmer tulle, twist and tie in a circle to go around the vases and candles in the center of the table.

12. Wrap pink ribbon around the tulle circles.

13. Print Table # cards and attach to circles of tulle.

14. Box it all up to be ready to transport to location

15. Breathe a sigh of relief that it is finished!

Project #4: Programs

1. Figure out design and wording for programs

2. Make it fit onto the cardstock we ordered and had pre-scored for easy folding.

3. Print 200 programs front and back (Austin's job)

4. Fold 200 programs.

5. Seal closed with a "N" monogram sticker

6. In calligraphy write "Austin and Kelsey" on each program

7. Box 'em up!

Project #5: Place Cards

1. Print place cards- this requires typing each person's name individually. There are four place cards on a page. Once again, this is Austin's job.

2. Punch out ALL the place cards... which took forever!

3. Sort the place cards into three stacks- one for those that want lasagna, one for chicken alfredo, and one for steak.

4. Stamp the place cards. This step requires a little bit of explanation- In order for the servers to easily know which dish each guest has ordered, the location asked that we indicate on the place cards in some sort of code. They suggested colored dots. My mom and I didn't like this, so we thought of a better idea. In gold ink, we were going to stamp one of three different sayings on the place cards. For lasagna, we were going to stamp "Mr. and Mrs.", for chicken alfredo "Happily Ever After", and for steak a picture of two rings. Perfect! I went and bought the stamps and the ink a few weeks ago. The night we were working on this, I had the cards all sorted and ready to stamp. I unwrapped the ink pad for the VERY FIRST TIME and found it was completely DRY! I was not happy. I know that this is not the end of the world, and I have plenty of time to go to the store and get more ink... the issue was that I was ready to stamp RIGHT THEN! So I was frustrated.

5. Go buy new ink. I actually opened it in the store to ensure that I wasn't going to get it home and find this one dry as well.

6. Stamp the Place Cards.

7. Sort into table placements.

8. Paper clip and label each table with a post-it note for easy identification later.

Other small projects include:

Decorating the mail box for the cards

Deciding on beverages to offer

Grow out my nails (I use Nailtiques to help prevent flaking or breaking)

Get a nice tan

Write thank you cards from Bridal shower before the next bridal shower this Sunday.

That has been my life over the past six days. Mixed in there was a little bit of golfing and some reading! As insane as all of that sounds writing down, I actually am really enjoying it. Austin and I joked about opening up a wedding planning business. He could do all of the logistics and phone calls and I'll do all the decorating and crafty stuff. I thought it was a great idea! This kind of thing is right up my alley. Now I really need to go to bed as we have an early tee time for golf tomorrow. Goodnight from Wedding Central!