abasket, we’ll be thinking of you!!! All the best!
I feel like I have a lot to learn. This is our first wedding to host. We have the Church booked and are looking at two venues this coming week. I know she is very interested in one and they have a soft hold on it now. And the best part, we are dress shopping this Saturday!! Wedding is in May of next year. I just want the venue nailed down so we can take a breath and enjoy the other aspects. Anyone have an online planner they like? I looked at The Knot but I didn’t like their guest list.
I think getting the reception venue booked is a big relief. We looked last May for a June 2016 wedding and there was only one Saturday evening in June left at her preferred location.
For the 2017 folks, consider what goes on in your wedding city at the time you are planning the ceremony and block hotel rooms early with that in mind. D says there are several times during the year in Nashville when you know hotel prices go sky high - CMA Fest, Country Music Marathon, Vanderbilt events (reunion, commencement, move-in). Locals know that hotel rooms will double, but out of town parents don’t always know that. A dear colleague’s D married on Marathon weekend almost 10 years ago and she commiserated with me on this issue when my D was trying to find a date. They could only find hotel rooms out on the fringes for the large number of out of town guests who were invited and didn’t know of the problem they would face until after several non-refundable deposits had already been made. They just had to make the best of it.
I’m sure there are other locations that have similar timing issues. Book rooms early:)
Good advice 2V.
Coincidentally, I just booked our second block of hotel rooms for our daughters wedding. She’s getting married in November and it’s not real popular time for weddings or where she’s getting married, but our guests will save substantially by using one of the two hotels I got. Both are within a couple of blocks of the reception venue. Something else to keep in mind is that there is often a maximum number of rooms that can be blocked off, and that some local guests may also want to stay over-night. One of the hotels is less expensive than the other and I think both are affordable. I got a better rate than what I could get via AAA or any of the hotel “special” non-refundable rates.
I’m wondering how many people are doing a day after brunch? The last three weddings we’ve been to did that. Two were at the hotel where they had blocked rooms. One was a simple open house at the brides parents house, but I’m thinking by that point, “simple” is a relative term.
@abasket exciting days ahead - how is weather forecast for your big event
Not looking to jinx, but sunny and mid 80’s for both Friday (rehearsal) and Saturday (wedding)!
We have a block of rooms for S’s August wedding. Sunday morning wedding with brunch reception immediately following. We expect that most guests will leave after the reception and not stay overnight so no morning-after brunch for us. Saturday night rehearsal dinner will include my brother, sister, their spouses, and the cousins who can attend, as they are all from out of state.
On the topic of the “day after” brunch…We hosted a brunch/open house for our out of town relatives and friends the day after. I admit that I didn’t make folks aware of it until fairly last minute and that was intentional. I wanted the folks flying in to be able to choose their return flight based on the best fare, or whatever time worked best for them. I did not want them to feel obligated to pay a higher fare, or get home later than they wanted to, just to attend our brunch. (The sangria I made was good, but not that good!)
On the flip side, if you really want everyone to attend your “day after” event, invite them early enough so that they can schedule their travel around it.
Another tip - if you host an event at your house, send something in writing with not only a start time, but also an ending time. We didn’t do that, and some relatives who were staying over Sunday night stayed until 10 pm. I thought I was going to die from exhaustion. (Granted, these particular relatives would have stayed until 10 pm even if there was a stated ending time of 4 pm, but it may be worth a try with your own relatives.)
It’s me! Now the mother of a daughter in law!!! 
What a feeling to have the event be no longer planning but memories! And fantastic ones!
Because I"m anxious to share I’ll share some details…
The last few days were BUSY. Pretty much running, doing and planning last minute arrangements - till the last minute!
Rehearsal dinner which we hosted presented our biggest snafu. I had great communication with the catering specialist planning the event. Always prompt and clear. I had arranged for some family and friends to be at the venue to accept the food since I would still be at the church rehearsing. The delivery guy got lost and was a little late - no big deal. But, as it turned out - the delivery person had NO bbq sauce (critical to this meal) and NO buns - people, the point was to make a sandwich! After a series of calls by my niece (thank God she took control) they were to be on their way (2 different delivery people - one with sauce, one with buns) to bring them out to the venue. No idea what truly happened - but I made several calls to the restaurant ("we don’t know where the delivery people are, they aren’t answering their phones!) the missing items took 1 hour and 45 mins to arrive after the food. Argh! Luckily it was a BEAUTIFUL night, we were overlooking a river and had a large outdoor patio for everyone to lounge at. No one seemed upset - but me! This turned out to be the only snafu of the entire event. And , happy ending - they credited me back 30% of the costs. I thought that was fair.
My daughters wrote a humorous poem for their brother and new sis-in-law. It was adorable. They read it at the rehearsal.
KUDOS and THANKS to those of you who who suggested I tackle the 48 tablecloths with wrinkles with spritzing and a 15 minute spin in the dryer with a couple of tennis balls. This took LONG but was successful. I laid them as they finished on top of my dining room table - one on top of the other. And then to transport we took several and loosely folded them in quarters and used my husband’s large trunk to transport to the venue - they looked GREAT. Thank you!!!
Congrats, @abasket! Glad it went well. If the only issue was delayed buns and bbq sauce, sounds like all was grand!
Part two. 
The weather was perfect for everything. The ceremony was amazing. At this church the bridesmaids walk in and then the back door closes so that the bride can have a grand entry. When those doors opened and my son saw his bride, he CRUMBLED. Omg, what a moment it was. He just cried like a baby! (with smiles in between) - there was not a dry eye in the house. You can imagine my tears at that since I was close enough to touch him!
Beautiful ceremony! Pictures at a local park afterwards quickly. Then off to our local train station where we set up an amazing atmosphere. The second floor of this station is no longer used for train travel but the place is very retro 1950’s. Line of phone booths. Huge long rounded ticket area - which became the bar. A very large dance floor that was fully enjoyed - everyone danced! An alcove that once held a private phone booth became our homemade lighted photo backdrop with props - a big hit (if you want to know how to do this - a total cost of not much more than $50 - let me know!!!)
Dancing. My son and his new wife chose a sweet upbeat song to dance to themselves. LOVED it. I can be very sappy but cannot stand sappy music - him as well!!! And, I wanted to be surprised by the song he chose for our dance. He chose one of my all time favorite songs - a song that we all used to dance to when the kids were little and we all loved it - Two Princes by The Spin Doctors! SO. MUCH. FUN. We had a ball and everyone was cheering us on.
The venue was so unique that everyone seemed to love it. The decor was beautiful. She had navy tables, gold chairs (no coverings) - I forget the name of them and the flowers - which believe it or not were ordered at our local Kroger - the florist is a former florist at a big floral store here that closed and chose to work at Kroger part time when she retired - a mix of peonies, hydrangeas, ranunculus, roses, etc. - just stunning. My house smells like a peony farm!!!
It was more than I hoped for. LOTS of physical work though and didn’t get everything out till this morning. My basement is atrocious! No matter, I will get to it! They leave on a well earned honeymoon tomorrow!
Can’t wait to now read here and be an “experienced” bystander!!!
Chivari chairs - like these but with a cushion and look more gold in person.
@abasket, Congratulations! That sounds like my kind of wedding. I know who I will be coming to for advice!
So happy to read your report!!!
Congrats, abasket. Sounds lovely and thanks for the report.
S is having those EXACT same chairs at his reception, with cream colored cushions. They look beautiful with white tablecloths.
7 weeks to go. D1 and I attended a shower yesterday in bride’s hometown and then made a quick stop to look once again at the reception venue. Outside wedding (ggrrrrr) and indoor reception. It was 89 yesterday. S says wedding is getting shorter as they plan it, down to 30 minutes in the sun. August in Michigan can be very, very hot and humid.
@abasket what a wonderful, unique wedding. Ironic, that food for rehearsal was your snafu, you always start the most interesting food threads on cc!
But, if that was your only snafu, lucky you!
Sounds like you are already cherishing the memories.
I cried when I read about your son and others crying ( I will be that mother of the groom in three weeks)
So how does everyone deal with their makeup for those post wedding pics- made sash to bathroom for touch ups?
Love your enjoyment Dancing with your son- I anticipate crying then, too
Best of luck to those of you with weddings coming up!
At the rehearsal dinner we had a “pie bar” - I collected family cake/pie stands and 8 featured a different pie type (can you tell I LOVE pie?!) with the pies each labeled with cute signs and a metal container filled with ice and premium whipped cream. When the food was so delayed I was tempted to say, “it’s a party - dessert first!!”
I wear very little make up - only had on a little waterproofed mascara and tinted lip gloss. The girls all seemed fine and I didn’t see that anyone needed a make up “refresh”.