I never ever wear heels if I can avoid them. I bought low heeled nondescript ( my dress was sparkly, the shoes did not need any bling) pumps at Aerosole. They were comfortable through a full 8 hours of ceremony, photos, cocktsils dinner and dancing.
Did not do a mother son dance. My son was worried enough about his dance with the bride - they took some lessons, and it was lovely. He didn’t want the spotlight on him dancing any more than that, so about midway through the evening we danced to a slow song without it being only us out ere. I was fine with that. I feel as though people get pretty bored watching those kinds of dances. The bride and groom danced together at the very beginning of the dinner service while people were eating salads. The bride and her father danced together at the end of the dinner service to start the serious dancing.
Providing bus service from the hotels to the reception (winery about 15 miles away, with no hotels nearby) and back to the hotels was wonderful. We didn’t want anyone driving if they had been drinking. We gladly paid for that.
I love the idea of shuttles back to the hotels! Did everyone stay until the end, or were there multiple return runs?
Thanks for that recap - wonderful! And we may take your cue and certainly dance together but not solo (son and I) I personally would feel really corny dancing just us (in front of everyone) and I think he would too. To each his own! 
The hotel we have a block for will also shuttle guests to and from the venue till 2am (we BETTER be done by then!) - that was a real selling point for booking that hotel - and it is less than 2 miles from the venue.
I really need to find some shoes! I’d start a thread but I’m scared to see what people suggest!! Style wise and cost wise - I’m a simple Jane - no high heels for me either!
I think @eastcoascrazy was very sensible for wearing sensible shoes. I think Aerosoles are great. So comfy!
@abasket That’s great that the hotel provides the shuttle. Very convenient.
Gave son tons of pictures for the rehearsal dinner slide show - bittersweet time going through all those pics - thanks for mentioning
Amazing moment - was on Boardwalk getting salt water taffy gift box samples for the welcome bags ( love the items you put in them ) and son called saying
"Some bad news "
Omg, my mind went blank and my heart sank- two months from wedding and you hear those words “some bad news”
Lol turns out he was hit on head while golfing today has to get two stitches on back of head. Minor injury.
@eastcoascrazy - Thanks for all those pointers!!! Sounds like such a fun time , and went off perfectly.
Comfy shoes - a goal
@SouthJerseyChessMom Happy to hear that the wedding is still on and hope the divot in the back of your son’s head heals quickly. 
^ @doschicos lol divot in son’s head !!! Funny
Regarding the shuttle busses, we contacted family and friends months ago to see if there would be interest in a bus, and found enough interest to hire two busses. The intention was to have one bus leave the reception at 9:30 or 10, and the second bus to leave at the end of the reception. But as it happened, nobody got on the early bus, so both busses stayed to the end of the reception. The people who left early were people who had driven themselves to the reception: those who were not staying in a hotel, older people or people with small children.
The bus option was included in the invitations, and was printed again on the back of the wedding program, along with directions. It was also printed on a little welcome note that went into each of the welcome bags at the hotel.
Eastcoascrazy, it sounds like you had a great time! So happy for all of you!
I wish we enjoyed our relatives more. Unfortunately, a pretty large percentage of our relatives have the ability to create drama and manufacture personal slights.
Yesterday was FDIL’s wedding shower. Her family/sisters did most of the planning - we brought a large salad and helped with the set up. They did a BEAUTIFUL job in a pretty, but relaxing atmosphere! So fun! Bride to be looked radiant, S showed up at the end.
We had a tradition at our house when the kids were little. They were always so patient when it would be a sibling’s b-day and sibling was opening their gifts (I have 3 children) that I started the tradition of having one small gift for the un-birthday sibs to open on that day. So, yesterday, S came to the shower near-ish the end of her opening the gifts - I had one gift I brought specifically for him to open. In the card I wrote how he was being such a wonderful guy letting his future bride have her special moments and supporting them all and other “mush” about how proud I am of him, happy for them and how I can see that he is even stronger and more awesome with her at his side…and that in keeping with the tradition, this present was for him to open. His gift - a bocce ball set - actually one of the things they had on their registry (they both love games and outdoor stuff so they added bocce, croquet, etc. to their registry). It was a fun way to honor him as well on this day.
Was fun as MOTG to see him so excited looking over the gifts - the one thing he was most excited about? A pizza stone! Loved that moment.
So, the kick off of sorts was the bridal shower - under 50 days now!!!
I enjoyed reading your recap eastcoastcrazy - it all sounds lovely.
What a great shower, @basket! Thanks for the update.
We had 1 shuttle bus at d2’s wedding that did 2 runs coming and going. The return trips were at 9:30 and 11. For d3’s wedding, we may need 2 buses. Thanks for the great idea about scoping out in advance those who may want an earlier/later trip, @eastcoascrazy .
My suggestion: a nice big tip in cash for the bus driver(s).Our guy was extremely helpful and even went above and beyond to drop off those folks who wanted to hit up a bar after 5 hours of celebrating instead of just going back to their hotels. (I was never that young myself.)
I love hearing these updates! I have a question (and I hope I didn’t miss a discussion somewhere in previous posts) did anyone go to a Sample wedding dress sale? My daughter wants me to go to one this Saturday and I’m a bit worried. She is thinking I can maybe grab a dress or two and just hold them until she gets there. She has a work meeting at the same time 15 minutes away, but she thinks she can somehow run over and try them on. I’m imagining fighting over dresses and guarding what I find!
^^^Sounds like something for a good wedding dress tv show!!! Let us know if you go!
One thing I have just realized as MOB, the multiple showers you are invited to, and of course you bring a gift, and this is on top of funding the whole wedding…
Sons bridal shower this weekend and they had son and fiance sit together and open gifts! It’s a great idea, son was probably only one who didn’t know what coming because he didn’t know about registry !
Also, we played a bingo game which engaged 30 women there as they opened gifts had to mark off on bingo card- everyone involved - winners for prizes -
Fun
^^We had that game too - I didn’t play as I had looked at their registry a few times and know what has been purchased!
We also played a “he said, she said” game - a game where you had to pick if the statement was more applicable to the bride or the groom. Like “who’s the better cook” “who hogs the bed” “who is more patient”. Was fun to hear her share their answers and how they came up with THEIR answers : “well, he makes dinner more often because I work late, but I am more willing to try new creative things so we decided I (she) was the better cook”. Cute.
I also learned that they say have discussed “3 kids” as being what they would want but that they are would like to wait awhile - which I fully support! Enjoy married life!
My daughter doesn’t think she wants a shower. She and her fiance have lived together for a few years and share a tiny apartment with no room for more stuff and of the things they have most of it is not more than a few years old. It had never occurred to me before NOT to have a wedding shower, but I see her point. What do people in small apartments do?