Revised Ceremony Programs

So I've rearranged the program to be more book style rather than the elongated sheet from yesterday.

I'm trying to decide between three names centered or aligned to the initials.

I'm also trying to decide whether or not to keep the inner pages together or to cut them apart.

If they're stuck together I have to tie them on with ribbon or something.

If they're apart, I'll punch the corners.

Seating Arrangements: Take 1

So Eddie's started organizing the guests into tables.  He's started on his family/friends list first.  After organizing most of them, he's informed me that he has some tables with 9 filled spots and 1 opened... Uhhh... who is that lone random person going to be?!??  When I asked him how he'd like it if he were at a wedding and the one random person at a table of 9 other people somehow related, and he said he'd understand it coming from where we are...and that if I want the headache of fixing it all it's all mine.  Gee thanks!  Grflghbrgh

So, I'm going to tackle that headache...and then I have to redo the programs because Eddie's "constructive" (insert sarcastic tone) criticism was the program I showed him was weird.  Weird.  I'll show him weird!...  Grrr.  Sorry, feeling slightly (a little more than slightly) aggravated.

Ceremony Program

So, in an attempt to put together something that others can help me with before final crunch time, I've started designing the program for the church ceremony.  There are thousands and thousands of designs out there: multi-paged, multi-folded, funny shaped, be-ribboned creations.

Upside down creation

I want to keep our design fairly simple - one page (if double sided).  I'm debating the use of ribbon (because that means someone is going to have to tie these ribbons!) vs. a square with our initials gluing the two layers down. Another ribbon option sans the tying of a thousand little bows would be like the second picture, where it's pulled through to have two loose, but not necessarily tied into a bow. In such an instance the loose ends would be much shorter, probably where my finger is pinching the ribbon.

Bow option

Loose ends option

I'm partial to two layers as I've always liked the vellum paper (as anyone who has seen past invitations I've made can tell you) - hence the need for the ribbon or paper anchor.  One design I've come up with has the wording printed on the vellum, over a white cardstock with our initials printed in the center.  I've also bought a corner punch with various designs to cut out of the corners of the white page. 

Initials under the vellum

Corner that I like the most

Corner option 2

Corner option #3, although not done correctly...wasn't centered when I punched it...

I'm also playing around with a no vellum option.  It would have our initials at the top, then the wording underneath with the corners cutoff to avoid being too plain.  The colors of the no vellum option would be mostly purple, as the cardstock would be on a purple base.  The hint of teal would be in the initials at the top of the page. 

Before I can complete the programs, I would also have to figure out the songs and such for the ceremony, and I would have to know the schedule of events ... unity candle, bouquet for Mary, etc...

Bouquet for Mary

I have to remember to go to the florist to add a bouquet for Mary to the flowers we're ordering.  Either that, or I'm going to use my toss bouquet...and then toss my actual bouquet...which would be fine with me because I'm probably not going to dry and keep my bouquet forever and ever (more clutter).

Feathered Frenzies

So I wanted to finish the bracelet and the headband today.

Unfortunately, the feathers are proving a little more fractious than I anticipated... I can't seem to get them to stay flat, or rather they're too flat -to the point if dicing straight out when I need then to curve around the bracelet into a nice, tame cuff of eyes.

I also need to scrounge up the black it dark brown head band that would camouflage into my girls' hair better than the reddish tortoise shell one that I currently an using for my prototype. 

I also have decided feathers never again as all the little hairs and now all over, despite a good sweeping.

To add more to my plate...

So I've been playing around with the idea of these tissue paper pom poms to hang from either the trees or the strings used for lights above the grassy area (where the tables would be).  I'm not sure if they would still look okay even without the lanterns with them...

The poms are pretty easy to make; I watched a video with Eddie's cousin the other evening.  All I need is different colored tissue paper (anywhere from 8-14 sheets depending on how puffy I want them) and a pipecleaner to bind it together. 

I thought that the poms would be a nice addition of color and flowery shapes to the garden (which I fear pales in comparison to the gardens at the Huntington Library that we saw on Saturday).  I think I'd go with purple, teal (if we can find it) and white pom poms - each pom one color, not multicolored poms.  I'm pretty sure I can go to Kohls and get a few packs of the colorful tissue paper to try it out.  I just need some pipe cleaners from Michael's or Joann's.

Bracelet idea

Something I found and want to try to recreate. 

Got a bracelet at Kohls (thanks Dad for those $10 coupons) for $0.04. 
Got the feathers from my 400 pack.

The problem I'm having is that peacock feathers aren't as small as these other feathers...so only two or three fit, but even then it's overlapping or haning off the sides.  I'm not sure how it will look or if the feathers will fall nicely...  I'm going to try to get it done this weekend.

PS Just read somewhere that brides are moving away from the matchy-matchy jewelry/accessories for their bridesmaids.  Look at us on the cutting edge of all things wedding... ;)