AisleDashhttp://www.aisledash.comAisleDashhttp://www.aisledash.com/media/feedlogo.gifAisleDashhttp://www.aisledash.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Make your own floating candleshttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/18/make-your-own-floating-candles/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/18/make-your-own-floating-candles/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/18/make-your-own-floating-candles/#commentsFiled under: , ,

unicorn cookie-cutterYou read our post about the floating candle centerpieces, and you really want to make them for your reception. Thing is, you want something unusual, let's say, oh ... unicorn candles! Yes, unicorn candles to go with your fairy-tale theme. Sadly, you just can't find them anywhere.

There might be a solution. Instead of hunting in candle stores, try cooking supply stores. If you can find a cookie-cutter in the shape you're after, you're all set, because you can actually make candles from cookie cutters. You'll need the cutter, of course, some modelling clay, wicks and wax. If you're adding scent or color, you'll need those, too.

For complete how-to details, head over to All Free Crafts and follow the instructions. As long as you're appropriately careful when working with hot wax, you can easily create one-of-a-kind candles for those centerpieces!

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]]>candle-moldcookie-cuttercookie-cutter-candlesDIYDIY-weddingfloating-candlesIlona PeltzFri, 18 Jul 2008 15:00:00 ESTFloating candle centerpiecehttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/18/floating-candle-centerpiece/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/18/floating-candle-centerpiece/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/18/floating-candle-centerpiece/#commentsFiled under: ,

floating candlesFloating candles are an ideal way to create a peaceful, romantic atmosphere at your reception. They are one of the simplest centerpieces to make, too. Simply choose an attractive receptacle -- a wide, shallow clear glass bowl works very well. Fill it with an inch or three of water, place the candles on the surface, and light them. Done!

There are many easy ways to add a little flare to this basic idea. You might choose to put some pretty river pebbles or glass beads on the bottom of the bowl, or float flower petals or metallic (inflammable) confetti on the surface of the water. Perhaps you could even add a few drops of food coloring to the water to create a glowing basin of color.

Choose candles that match your color and/or theme. Wax floats, so any candle that is wider at the top than the bottom will work.

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]]>centerpiececentrepiecefloating-candleswater-centerpieceIlona PeltzFri, 18 Jul 2008 11:58:00 ESTWeddingWise: DIY fruit centerpieceshttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/16/weddingwise-diy-fruit-centerpieces/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/16/weddingwise-diy-fruit-centerpieces/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/16/weddingwise-diy-fruit-centerpieces/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Using fruit as your centerpiece is an easy way to add a dose of rustic chic to your table settings - in addition, arranging fruit in square glass vases will dress up even the most inexpensive flowers.

We recommend using fruit that will hold up well over time - citrus is a good bet (in fact you should check out this citrus-themed wedding at The Knot, it's just beautiful!) - but really, use your imagination and don't skimp on quantity. More is better!

Do it Yourself Weddings has some clever ideas for you - we like using limes because they're green and will camouflage the stems very nicely.

Tie it all with some raffia or pretty ribbon and - voila! You've got centerpieces!

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]]>centerpiecescitrusflowerstable-settingswedding-wiseweddingwiseRoxanna SarmientoWed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:00 ESTIced branches for a winter weddinghttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/15/iced-branches-for-a-winter-wedding/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/15/iced-branches-for-a-winter-wedding/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/15/iced-branches-for-a-winter-wedding/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

iced branchesImagine yourself walking down this aisle for your winter wedding. Wouldn't you feel like you were taking a romantic walk through an ice-coated forest? The pale branches glitter with what looks like ice crystals, or even glass, but is in fact plastic -- it will last longer than ice, and cost a whole lot less than crystal!

Given that each branch is coated in the plastic ice crystals, you might fear this would be a very time-consuming and fiddly craft. In fact, assuming you don't paint the branches, each one probably takes no more than 10 minutes to assemble, and is done when the glue dries in an hour! If you wanted to paint the branches to match your color scheme, this would become a two-stage craft: first the painting and then drying, and then, likely the next day, the glue and crystals.

For more samples of plastic crystal crafts, and full instructions on this craft, check out Save-On Crafts.

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]]>church-decorationcraft-crystalcraftsDIYice-branchesice-crystalwinter-weddingIlona PeltzTue, 15 Jul 2008 11:01:00 ESTDecorating with light: Centerpieces that glowhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/15/decorating-with-light-centerpieces-that-glow/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/15/decorating-with-light-centerpieces-that-glow/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/15/decorating-with-light-centerpieces-that-glow/#commentsFiled under: , ,

glowing martini glass centerpieces

Light creates mood. Brilliant daylight bouncing off crystal wine glasses raises the spirits. Candles create a romantic mood. Too little light is somber. The lighting you choose at your ceremony and your reception will do a lot to create the mood you want for your event, whether that be playful, reverent, romantic, or something else entirely.

Save-On Crafts has an interesting page of ideas. Whether you want the tall and feathery centerpieces shown above, or the more subtle immersible LED ice cube, or the funky glow necklaces, there's an arrangement that uses it. You can make them as shown, or use the ideas as a springboard for your own creativity. (And of course, SaveOn Crafts can provide all of the necessary bits and pieces to enable you to make them yourself!)

For more information and a wide range of other delightful centerpiece ideas, check out SaveOn Crafts.

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]]>centerpieceDIYDIY-weddingLEDLED-centerpiecesIlona PeltzTue, 15 Jul 2008 09:00:00 ESTReception centerpiece takes the (cup)cake!http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/13/reception-centerpiece-takes-the-cup-cake/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/13/reception-centerpiece-takes-the-cup-cake/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/13/reception-centerpiece-takes-the-cup-cake/#commentsFiled under: , ,

large cupcake stand

We've talked about the wedding cupcake as an option to the traditional wedding cake before. We've even shown you some nice cupcake cups to hold them beautifully. But what do you do with 300 cupcakes when you can't find a cupcake stand that will hold more than sixty?

Well, you can buy or rent five cupcake stands, obviously. This will certainly help prevent congestion around the cake table. You could instead simply have the cupcakes distributed to the tables direct from the kitchen. Or you could take the route chosen by one enterprising bride, and create a cupcake tree of more than life-size dimensions!

This amazing tree is well over six feet (2 m) tall. The tiers are made from fiberboard, the dividers between from Styrofoam cake forms. A curtain rod runs up the middle to hold it all together, and the entire tree is set upon a Christmas tree stand. For more details and pictures, check out the post on Craftster.

via: DIYLife

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]]>cupcake-displaycupcake-treecupcake-wedding-cakecupcakesDIY-weddingIlona PeltzSun, 13 Jul 2008 11:00:00 ESTWeddingWise: Band vs DJhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/13/weddingwise-band-vs-dj/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/13/weddingwise-band-vs-dj/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/13/weddingwise-band-vs-dj/#commentsFiled under: ,

Of course you want to have music at your reception. Who doesn't? The biggest question is whether you want to have a live band, or a DJ. Which will it be?

A live band is great. It can provide a sophisticated, upscale feel at your reception. Who doesn't love a live band? But be careful. Ask yourself the following:
  • Do they play the type of music you and your guests will like?
  • Do they have a large enough repertoire to satisfy you and your guests?
  • Is your reception venue big enough to accommodate a band?
  • Will a band fit your budget?
A DJ can provide great entertainment, too. And with the right DJ, you'll have a wider range of music than with a band. Can a band go from country to funk to soul, if that's what you want? A DJ can. But before you decide, think about these things:
  • Do you want a DJ who just plays music and that's it, or do you want a "personality" to entertain the guests?
  • Will a DJ play the music you want, or just what he likes?
  • Will a DJ fit your budget?
  • If you tell her NOT to play the chicken dance, will she listen?
There is no wrong choice when it comes to a band vs. a DJ. It just comes down to what works for you.

Image: tanjazz (CC)

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]]>Becky ScottSun, 13 Jul 2008 08:01:00 ESTShow your love: Gel vaseshttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/12/show-your-love-gel-vases/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/12/show-your-love-gel-vases/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/12/show-your-love-gel-vases/#commentsFiled under: ,

heart-shaped gel vasesA quick and easy way to add color to your venue, these gel hearts can be attached to glass, plastic or metal. They don't adhere so well to paint, so you probably can't use them on the walls -- not if you don't want your heart and flowers suddenly plunging to the floor! However, on a mirror, or a glass door, the window behind the head table?

Because they're gel, they're re-usable, too. If you don't want two dozen of these for yourself, perhaps you can give them to your bridesmaids and flower girl, or offer them to any guests who have been particularly helpful.

You can find more information on the Love Vase Gel Gem at Wrapables.com.

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]]>Ilona PeltzSat, 12 Jul 2008 14:00:00 ESTBeautiful handblown glasswarehttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/09/beautiful-handblown-glassware/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/09/beautiful-handblown-glassware/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/09/beautiful-handblown-glassware/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When you pick out your wedding china, are you looking for something classic? Something elegant and fancy, or something funky and different? If you tend toward the funky, you'll love Orion Glassware Collection's handblown Mexican glassware.
Whether you're looking for glasses for your wedding registry, or to use for your rehearsal, reception, or bridal showers, you should definitely have a look at these glasses. They are made from recycled soda bottles, so they're eco-friendly as well as beautiful.

Each glass is handblown, so no two are exactly alike, and they come in several colors, so you can select the color that best matches your wedding or home decor. Flip through the gallery below for some examples of these artistic pieces. To order, visit this page.

Gallery: Handblown Mexican Glassware

Cobalt GlasswareMargarita or Martini GlassesMore Margarita StyleVarious SizesRed Rims

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]]>cobaltcreamcreamnavygolddishesglassesglasswaregoldgreenhand-blownhandblownmexicannavyreceptionsrecycled-glasswedding-giftsMeg MassieWed, 09 Jul 2008 12:00:00 ESTSignature wedding cocktails by SKYY vodkahttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/09/signature-wedding-cocktails-by-skyy-vodka/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/09/signature-wedding-cocktails-by-skyy-vodka/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/09/signature-wedding-cocktails-by-skyy-vodka/#commentsFiled under: ,

When selecting all the personal touches for your wedding and reception, don't forget the signature cocktails. You can pick your favorite drink to serve, create something of your own, or give your cocktails personalized names with memories from your relationship.

As a sweet favor, you can even send your guests home with the drink recipes on special coasters.

SKYY Vodka has created five great wedding recipes with great wedding names, like SKYY Wedding Bliss:
2 oz SKYY Vodka
¾ oz Cinzano vermouth
Lavender simple syrup
Vanilla bean
Chop a half vanilla bean in small pieces width-wise and place in a cocktail shaker. Add lavender syrup and muddle the vanilla bean, crushing the vanilla bean. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice, add SKYY Vodka and Cinzano. Shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with fresh flower and vanilla bean.

View the gallery for more signature cocktails and recipes.

Gallery: SKYY Vodka Signature Wedding Cocktails

SKYY Blushing BrideSKYY Wedding BlissSKYY Father of the BrideSKYY Made With HonorSKYY Proposal

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]]>alcoholcocktailspersonalized-cocktailsreceptionreceptionssignature-cocktailssignature-drinksskyy-vodkaMeg MassieWed, 09 Jul 2008 09:00:00 ESTThe right label can personalize anythinghttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/06/the-right-label-can-personalize-anything/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/06/the-right-label-can-personalize-anything/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/06/the-right-label-can-personalize-anything/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Probably the very simplest way to personalize many aspects of your wedding is with labels. Think about the number of applications for a monogrammed label, or a label expressing your thanks: favor boxes, your very own music mix, place cards, thank-you notes, the order of service, on the invitations, as seals on the envelopes, coasters, wine bottles ... The list could go on and on.

You could probably accomplish this on your home computer with the right software, or you could go through one of the many online printers. Check through the gallery of choices from one such source we found, and check out the website. Google for more. Maybe you've already found other websites you'd like to share with us!

Something as basic as a simple motif repeated on placecards and favor boxes can give a sense of a well-designed wedding, without costing the earth.

Gallery: Label Options

CoastersFavor boxesCD labelsThank-you notesPlace cards

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]]>beer-labelDIY-labellabelsplace-cardsthank-you-notewedding-labelswine-labelIlona PeltzSun, 06 Jul 2008 14:00:00 ESTChoosing your colors with a Palette Generatorhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/06/choosing-your-colors-with-a-palette-generator/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/06/choosing-your-colors-with-a-palette-generator/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/06/choosing-your-colors-with-a-palette-generator/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One of the first decisions you'll be making after you've chosen the venue is to choose the colors of your wedding. Two or three colors are usual -- any more than that and you risk losing the sense of "theme" at all. Some people can manage more than three colors, but you'd have to have a far better than average sense of color and design to pull it off without it just looking chaotic.

But how do you choose? There are several ways you can do it, but if you're having trouble making up your mind, here's one we found. First, find a picture that you really warm to -- not because of the people in it, or the memories, but because you just like the look of it. It could be an advertisement for toothpaste, just so long as there's something about it that draws you.

Then you scan that picture into your computer and upload it to Big Huge Labs' Palette Generator. This handy tool will evaluate the colors in the picture, then produce for you a palette of colors, some of which you may not have realized were even in there! Check out the colors, then choose the two or three you like best.

It's a fun and pressure-free way to find a bunch of colors that work well together. To get a sense of what this site will do for you, click through the gallery below, then go try out the generator yourselves!

[via: Your Wedding Company]

Gallery: Palette Generator

Kitten!Mist at dawnOld Quebec City gateSumac in the fallYellow!

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]]>colorcolor-themepalettewedding-colorsIlona PeltzSun, 06 Jul 2008 11:00:00 ESTWeddingWise: Renaissance foodhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/05/wedding-wise-renaissance-food/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/05/wedding-wise-renaissance-food/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/05/wedding-wise-renaissance-food/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you are planning an authentic Renaissance wedding, you'll want to think about the food you'll serve at the reception.

Foods at a Renaissance wedding feast would have included goose, venison, quail, fish, mutton, roasted boar, tarts and custards, cheeses, nuts, and fruits (those found wild like pears, quinces, and strawberries). Drinks included ale, mead, water, beer, and wine.

If you want to stay close to your theme, think about serving some of these items. Of course, if you really want to be genuine, your guests will have to eat with their fingers, and you'll want to provide finger bowls so they can clean their hands before and after eating. You might want to warn your guests if you're going to be that authentic, though.

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]]>foodreceptionrenaissanceweddingwiseBecky ScottSat, 05 Jul 2008 09:01:00 ESTVenues: Ivy Hotel, San Diegohttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/04/venues-ivy-hotel-san-diego/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/04/venues-ivy-hotel-san-diego/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/04/venues-ivy-hotel-san-diego/#commentsFiled under: , ,

San Diego is not only a perfect wedding city, it's great for your honeymoon, too. With great weather, gorgeous sandy beaches, and lots of great places to visit, you can't go wrong. If you're into trendy places and want a sophisticated, elegant venue, take a look at the Ivy Hotel.

Featured in Condé Nast Traveler's 2008 "Hot List," the Ivy has what you need to plan your wedding. Their rooftop area has city and ocean views. You can use their wedding planner to help get things in order for your big day. And when you book a room for your wedding night, they'll provide you a butler.

The trendy night club, Envy, can host your bachelorette party. If you really want to go crazy, though, the Star Suite has king-sized bunk beds, a group-sized shower, and a performance pole. You know, for all of the crazy pole dancing you'll be doing. And if you seriously want to dance, well, they even offer pole dancing lessons.

If you view the last days before your wedding as a time to let loose, then some of that crazy stuff may be right for you. But if you prefer to keep it more mellow, you can still take advantage of their ballrooms or use the rooftop for its amazing views.

Take a look at the gallery for a few pictures and ideas.

Gallery: Ivy Hotel San Diego

Bride on rooftopRooftop ReceptionBallroomRooftop ceremonyExterior of hotel

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]]>san diegosan-diegoSanDiegovenuevenuesBecky ScottFri, 04 Jul 2008 08:00:00 ESTCastle favors for a fairytale or historical-theme weddinghttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/03/castle-favors-for-a-fairytale-or-historical-theme-wedding/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/03/castle-favors-for-a-fairytale-or-historical-theme-wedding/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/03/castle-favors-for-a-fairytale-or-historical-theme-wedding/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sweet favors for your Renaissance wedding, these little silver castles come tucked into sheer silver organza bags, and accented with a silver heart. If you like, you may also choose to decorate each bag with a personalized ribbon and/or thank-you tags or stickers. Not only are they a gift in keeping with the theme, they'll add to the table's decor.

Small enough to fit easily into a pocket or purse, your guests will be able to take the mood of the event home with them. Once they get it home, they'll experience the next big advantage of a consumable favor: after they enjoy its light for an evening meal, they'll have one less momento to dust!

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]]>candlefairy-tale-weddingorganzarenaissance-weddingrenaissance-wedding-favorIlona PeltzThu, 03 Jul 2008 09:00:00 ESTFind your reception colors with a spin of the wheelhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/02/find-your-reception-colors-with-a-spin-of-the-wheel/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/02/find-your-reception-colors-with-a-spin-of-the-wheel/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/02/find-your-reception-colors-with-a-spin-of-the-wheel/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sometimes it's hard to remember whether contrasting colors are okay or which colors are complimentary. And which colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel? What colors are on the color wheel, anyway? If you need a little help, take a look at the Color Studio at Brides.com.

A spin of the color wheel will yield you a sample color combo. Spin again and again to find different ideas. You can restrict the color choices to a particular palette if, say, you know you want blues. It's like a video game - keep spinning until you see something you like!

It's a great way to play with several different color combinations. But it is definitely random. You can't tell it to choose two colors to complement the red you found, unless you want to keep spinning the wheel until it comes up. So while it does have a few minor imperfections, it's still a great place to start, especially if you're not even sure what colors you want for your reception.

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]]>brides.comcolorsreceptionBecky ScottWed, 02 Jul 2008 16:01:00 ESTFrame your favors in a castlehttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/02/frame-your-favors-in-a-castle/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/02/frame-your-favors-in-a-castle/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/02/frame-your-favors-in-a-castle/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

These romantic placecard holders will make welcome favors when your guests take them home and house a new picture inside them. Maybe they'll even slip in a picture of your wedding!

What better way to invite your guests to take their seats? The castle frames the placecard, and in the lower corner, a knight rides off into the sunset with his beautiful bride. This sweet little frame would be useful for either a fairy-tale or Cinderella-themed wedding, or for a wedding themed to a time in history -- the middle ages, the Renaissance.

For information on purchasing this castle placecard holder, check out Favor Warehouse.com.

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]]>castlefairy-tale-weddingplacecard-holderrenaissance-weddingIlona PeltzWed, 02 Jul 2008 10:00:00 ESTToasting flutes for your Renaissance wedding!http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/toasting-flutes-for-your-renaissance-wedding/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/toasting-flutes-for-your-renaissance-wedding/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/toasting-flutes-for-your-renaissance-wedding/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The theme at AisleDash this week is hosting a wedding with a Renaissance flare -- the cultural movement that swept through Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. Although that's quite the timespan to draw from, it's also an incredible period of history to be inspired by, from the dress to the food to the shoes to the decorations.

If you've decided upon a Renaissance wedding, you're sure to have a beautiful day and every detail can come back to your theme. One such detail are your toasting flutes -- those fun glasses you get to sip bubbly from as husband and wife for the first time. And, if you feel nostalgic in the years to come, you can pull them out on each anniversary and sip champagne from them.

This lovely set of toasting flutes at Daisy-Days.com has a Renaissance feel with ornate silver accents. They'd be the perfect addition to a Renaissance wedding.

(You can purchase these flutes at Daisy-Days.com for $44.95 each.)

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]]>champagnechampagne-flutesrenaissancerenaissance-weddingrenaissance-weddingstoastingtoasting-flutesJennifer CanzoneriTue, 01 Jul 2008 17:00:00 ESTA honey of a wine: Medieval meadhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/a-honey-of-a-wine-medieval-mead/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/a-honey-of-a-wine-medieval-mead/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/a-honey-of-a-wine-medieval-mead/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There was no such thing as a mega-brewery in the Renaissance. No popping down to the local liquor store to pick up a gross of identical bottles. There were breweries, certainly, and depending on where you lived, wine-making or beer-brewing was done on a fairly large scale (though not to the scale of, say, Labatt's).

But for the most part, people and publicans (pub-owners) brewed their own, using what was to hand. There would be dandelion wine, elderberry wine, beer and ale made from local grains, and, a widespread favorite mead -- a delectable brew, smooth and golden, made from honey.

Happily, mead still exists! For the greatest convenience, you can purchase mead, brewed and bottled by professionals. If you'd like to try your hand at making it, there are recipes all over the place. You can make the traditional sweet mead, you could brew up a dry (less sweet) batch, and, to keep those who don't imbibe part of the fun, there is even a non-alcoholic mead just waiting to be brewed.

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]]>alesbeerbrew-your-ownbrewerieshistorical-winemeadmeaderenaissance-weddingwineIlona PeltzTue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:00 ESTMy small wedding: The low cost and lovely post-wedding receptionhttp://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/my-small-wedding-the-low-cost-and-lovely-post-wedding-reception/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/my-small-wedding-the-low-cost-and-lovely-post-wedding-reception/http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/01/my-small-wedding-the-low-cost-and-lovely-post-wedding-reception/#commentsFiled under:

My wedding was on the extreme side of small. And the extreme side of short-term. In fact, we put the whole thing together in about two weeks. As such, it was kind of like eloping. My husband's family could not fly in from the U.K. on such short notice, and there were no invitations, so the vast majority of our friends were not there either (just the best man). To include all of them in our celebration, we opted for a post-wedding reception nine months later (after a trip to the U.K. to visit relatives there). Although we had help with expenses, we still wanted to keep it budget-wise. Here's how you can organize a simple and lovely post-wedding reception without breaking the piggy bank.

Keep it casual: We decided to keep the celebration casual. Since we had been married for the better part of a year already, we didn't think a black-tie gala was needed and we skipped traditional first dances, bouquet tosses, etc. and went with a simple toast and cake cutting.


Choose a friendly location: Our reception was in a family friend's home, built by movie director Cecil B. DeMille, in the foothills under Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. The home was so beautiful that we didn't need elaborate decorations. Other good options are community or activity centers or your church's activity room. Add a few basic decorations and you can really set the scene for your reception.


Keep the menu simple: We had finger foods catered and a cake to cut and share with friends. A simple menu keeps both cost and planning to a minimum.


DIY: I made invitations on a computer at work. This wasn't commonplace 15 years ago, but it's much easier now with templates and basic publishing software. You can even print them on your printer (back in the day, mine were black and white). We also had photo albums of our wedding ceremony on hand so guests could relive the day with us.


Re-use fashion: I took the opportunity to wear my wedding dress again. After all, my friends hadn't seen it yet and it was simple enough to suit the occasion. For the post-wedding reception, it's really not necessary to have cutting edge, runway fashion. Friends are there to see you, not a dress.

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]]>post-wedding-receptionreceptionCaroline HumphreysTue, 01 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST