I think the disposable cameras on the table trend in and out. I remember them at weddings way back in the day.
Our last wedding was in fall 2021. Bride only had one dress which had a train but the train buttoned up. Small wedding cake and desserts provided by the on-site caterer. Have not heard of the champagne thing.
One of my brides who got married in a rustic locale wore white keds that are designed for weddings. The other bought a pair of shoes from the naturalizer outlet.
What Iāve seen are instant photos from disposable cameras that are then put into a guest album with room for wishes for the couple versus a regular guest book.
Really nice to create a google album that guests can contribute their candid shots. Make sure everyone knows the address.
4 Likes
DD2 had a second dress (a short dress) that she changed into during the dancing portion of the reception. She was pretty quick changing and I didnāt even know it was part of her plans.
3 Likes
The only thing we had was a small wedding cake. It was just so the bride and groom would have a cake to cut. Desserts were a venetian table with at least six different kinds of desserts on it. No wedding cake. It was great.
None of the other things on the list!
3 Likes
No āgoing sustainableā? Iām sure some of your daughterās wedding was what is considered sustainable - no plastic single use cameras, for example! 
We donāt use things like disposable cameras at allā¦so itās not like we were going āsustainableā on purpose.
We did have all cloth linens and glass dinnerware and glassesā¦.no paper plates, etc. I guess that is sustainableā¦right?
1 Like
Absolutely! The less stuff to the landfill after the wedding, the better.
Our kids did not like the idea of having wedding favors. I suggested chocolates but they could have melted in July heat! So we skipped that traditional thing altogether.
Dās wedding last fall-during the reception had some kind of program on the phone that you took pictures on your phone in a set time frame and it went to the organizer (BIL) then he distributed them later. That was really fun- all sorts of fun/ spontaneous photos.
Also had a small candy from Dās hometown on the table and the guests ate them upon seating- I guess it was an appetizer before the appetizer.
1 Like
For sonās recent wedding, we rode a school bus to the nature preserve. But that was due to severely limited parking there. (Has only 6 weddings per year, catered/coordinated by a local restaurant). It was more fun than I thought it would be, and no worries about drinking/driving. The wedding party went over early and left cars there overnight, rode home with us.
3 Likes
My S/DiL bought used books from a local charity bookstore, I wrapped them in plain paper, and they made āthank you for being hereā bookmarks. Guests could choose a book, blind, as their favor but the funny part was watching people discuss and swap for one they liked better. I think there were about 75 people total.
Each place setting had a sheet of trivia about the wedding, guests, etc. and a tear-off bottom for people to write a note to be opened on the 1st anniversary (those all went in a designated box).
7 Likes
Champagne towers take me way back to my college friendās wedding 40 years ago. About 175 guests, a lovely round table stacked with champagne glasses for all (filled from the top in a way that created a fountain-like effect) and āsomehowā before the time they designated for the wedding toast, some of the groomās friends were already toasted. You know where this is goingā¦One man reaches into the middle, grabs a filled glass and it is a Jenga game with liquid. The toast did not happen. Maybe thereās a different way to do this nowā¦
One of the weddings had a small chocolate fountain, some smore fixings, cookies. However they had it out and people ate from it as snacks before buffet. The buffet meal was rather lean (salad, and pasta bar with sauce and meat sauce options). But you donāt attend the wedding for the food, and it was a meal and was fine. The bride used her budget in other areas. Her parents even didnāt know what the meal was until we were there.
Well, Iām sitting here in the hotel where the wedding will occur on Saturday, and I have no idea what the reception will have or look like other than I know they did a cake tasting and it will be a multi-tier multi-flavor concoction. Other than that, Iāll be as surprised as the guests. Iām just the mother of the groom, no input on wedding planning. Iāll report back after the event.
18 Likes
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, @ChoatieMom!
4 Likes
Iām sure everything will be lovely. Canāt wait to hear about the details.
1 Like
I visited my son last weekend. His fiancĆ©e was away for her bachelorette weekend. As mother of the groom I know very little about the wedding. He showed me the venues, hotel, etcā¦
Their invitation states no devices at the ceremony. He wanted to make sure I knew that that meant no iWatch.
3 Likes
Oh, hell no. Iād want credit for all the dancing Iāll be doing! 
7 Likes
You would have gotten a lot of credit at sonās wedding. So much dancing, lots of people out on the floor (including my 96 year old dad)! It may have helped that temps in the tent dropped as it got later/rainy - dancing kept us warm. Kudos to the DJ that played good tunes for all.
3 Likes
Luckily devices are allowed at the reception so I am looking for a fancy watchband for my IWatch.
4 Likes
My daughterās MIL-to be owns an event space in a very rural setting so they are planning to use that. I keep telling my daughter than none of her friends or our family, except her sister and me, will probably go to this place. We donāt really have a lot of relatives but the few we do have live no where near this place. She lived there for about 3 months before covid hit and she and her BF left. He has some relatives in the area but not a ton and no school friends.
It is āshabby chicā and I think a little over the top with the cutesy signs and photo op places. The good news is it wonāt cost much and I wonāt have to do anything, but I think in the long run sheāll be disappointed in the turn out.
1 Like