Question on flowers since this group usually has the answers! Friend is planning on ordering flowers from Costco for an engagement party. Party is on July 6th. Costco says they don’t deliver on July 4th or 5th or weekends. So, we’d have to get the flowers delivered on July 3rd. How do you keep the arrangements fresh? We will likely get the room sometime in the morning - the party starts at 6.30 in the evening. How far in advance could we put out the arrangements on the tables?
@arisamp I’d get the flowers from somewhere else. That is too long to hold arrangements, IMHO. Either that or find out if they can go and pick them up themselves on the 6th instead of having delivery. (Recruit friends and family to help.) Or switch to plants instead of arrangements.
Thanks all, for the seating comments. Yes, she plans a table of two for them. Glad to hear others placed the wedding party other ways.
There will be one table with the 2 brothers, one spouse, mother and stepfather, some cousins. Another with FSIL’s dad and stepmom, sister and her husband, and us. So far, something like that.
Agree about another place to get the flowers. If you don’t know how to hold them fresh or how to get them to peak bloom on the day, too much risk. Of all the things you can’t control for, this is a tough one to have to worry about, in the last 48 or 72 hours.
Right now, I have a gorgeous fake arrangement at home, as realistic as can be. Godson’s bride used artiicial. Done well- and depending on the arrangement styles at a wedding- this could work. D1’s intended table arrangements are tall, so not at eye level. These are not the garish arrangements of days past.
But for now, she wants real.
Looking for suggestions of where to buy purple fake rose petals.
Wedding is just a few weeks away, and D has run out of brains to make decisions. I am picking up a few tasks, including buying purple fake rose petals.
A lot of reviews mention stinky fish smell, or trouble separating the petals that are compacted for shipping.
I don’t have time or energy to deal with smelly petals. Surely someone here has had success with fake rose petsls?
We had D’s shower today. Only one she is having due to tight schedules for D and FSIL, plus MOG tends to make celebrations all about her and they asked me to combine both families. Invited 55, 37 came (included OOS relatives so no hurt feelings.)
I rented the fireplace room at a local restaurant which looks out on large lake. Appetizers, nice buffet, desserts of chocolate dipped strawberries and mini-cheesecakes. Plus the mimosa bar.
Very nice, very elegant, D and fSIL loved it. MOG split the bill (happy for that because it was a mini-reception).
And another item completed!
Sounds like a lovely, well-planned event, @dentmom4!
You can look at Michael’s or JoAnn’s for purple rose pedals.
Or a million places online:
@mcat2 so…how did your wedding go??
My SIl was telling me about a trend that guests ae seated with people they don’t know to encourage mingling. She has been to 3 weddings like this.
My d shower is in two weeks. about 55 people. I have never done this before so it should be interesting. Bridesmaids are a bit annoyed with me that they have not been consulted about all the planning. They chose to not be financially involved and I could not give them carte blanche with my credit card so I am doing the planning. I have had a meeting with them. MOH has kept them updated but I guess I was supposed to ask with each decision. I nicely informed them that I have a life. They are young and don’t really understand. One of the bridesmaids has more experience with this and gets it. You cant make everyone happy. Some are unhappy that they didn’t go with her for her dress. (She did not expect to pick the first place she went.) some are unhappy that they weren’t consulted on the bridesmaid dress. there are simply too many of them to coordinate .
I also paid for the shower and bridesmaids just showed up. They were very gracious. They came early to help with flowers and they split the costs for party favorites with D2.
D1 found 2 dresses she liked and ordered one of each for the bridesmaids to try. They all agreed on one and that was that.
D1 only invited her sister and me to go dress shopping.
I went with DD on her preliminary dress looking. She doesn’t live nearby so, she actually went shopping locally to where she lived afterward. I visited, and joined DD and one bridesmaid friend (who lived nearby also) for the “let’s pick a dress” day. The others lived far away and that was that.
For bridesmaid dresses…the women were given a brand and color…and were allowed to choose the dress of their choice. DD asked to see pics before they purchased. Each bridesmaid chose a different dress, same color same fabric. It looked nice.
We didn’t have a shower at all because everyone was so spread out around the country, including both friends and relatives. The bridesmaids and a few friends spent three days at a lake house which we arranged. They were very gracious and appreciative.
“My SIl was telling me about a trend that guests are seated with people they don’t know to encourage mingling.”
My son in law’s culture does not do seating charts (or RSVPs!!!). He and my D told him mom that they would be doing a seating chart and the guests were expected to RSVP (and not to bring uninvited guests - another thing his culture does). She was cool with it, but we definitely put people together who knew each other.
D’s maid of honor was knee-deep in her nurse practitioner clinicals, so we talked about what she envisioned for a shower. She sent invites and brought simple decorations. I hosted and ordered/paid for food. The bridesmaids went to a lake house that D rented (driving distance - three of them stayed at my house the night before to split up the trip from their homes), and they split the cost of food/drink.
Bridesmaid dresses were from a vendor that is no longer in business, but D chose a fabric, color and length - bridesmaids chose the style that looked best on them (they were all different). They were inexpensive and lovely.
I was thrilled to be with D & a bridesmaid when she found “the” dress … she had shopped with a couple of her bridesmaids previously & didn’t settle on anything.
Having just attended a wedding where we knew very few people, we were grateful to be seated with another couple we knew well. I guess it depends on whether you are an introvert or extrovert as to how you view the “encourage mingling” seating chart.
I think it’s great when bridesmaids can wear coordinating but different dresses. They look so much better - and likely feel much more comfortable and confident - when wearing a dress that suits their figure/style.
DD and I went with her 3 attendants to a larger bridal shop thinking it was a just look and she found her dress (pulled by one of the girls and totally different from what she had thought she wanted. Got the girl’s dresses at a small shop nearby. In order to get them in the same color, they picked the designer and then got different styles. If you’re only really going to wear it once, you might as well wear the style you like.
I did most everything for the shower as I had an idea in mind and knew I’d be just nodding and agreeing with the reception plans. The girls helped out and it was perfect. They did all the organizing for the bachelorette at a vineyard and were probably happy not to have the expense of the shower as well.
Can’t believe it’s 2 1/2 weeks away! Hoping for beautiful weather so the ceremony can be outside.
I’m ba-a-a-ck! S2 has shared with us that the ring is purchased and he will be proposing within the next few weeks! I’ve asked for a heads up because H and I are trying to plan a vacation this summer and I’d like to be in town when this happens. He envisions both families getting together soon after they are officially engaged, so we will wait on making our plans. Can’t wait to make use of all the great information and experience shared on this thread as the MOG…again!
D1 also wants same color/diff styles for bridesmaids. My concern is whether their diff styles will distract from the bride’s appearance.
But, small issue and not my problem.
@lookingforward, I doubt that would distract from your D - the bride is the center of attention no matter what. My DIL had her bridesmaids ( veritable army of them - like 8) wear any floral dress they wanted, long or short. To be honest I thought the pictures would be a disaster but somehow it all worked.
@lookingforward the different style dresses did not distract from the bride…at all. None were overly lavish…those weren’t even choices.
Let’s put It this way…no one confused the bridesmaids for bride.
@lookingforward my D gave her bridesmaid three dress choices. They are same color and same fabric but just different styles. I think that is becoming common. My D used an online company Birdy Grey. The dresses are reasonable priced and look very nice. One of the styles is the same dress that my D wore to another wedding. For that wedding my D got the dress from BHLDN and it was triple the price. I can’t tell the difference.
@runnersmom -congratulations