Venue Twins

My new hobby as I count RSVPs and contemplate seating charts and rental items: stalking my venue's Facebook photo albums. Here are some photos from receptions at my venue.  Some of them have been sources of inspiration have made me even more confused.

1.  White tablecloths or colored tablecloths?

There's also the option of a white tablecloth with a colored overlay...

Source

Or pintuck linens...

Source

2.  Chair covers or no chair covers?  In other words, which is uglier, the venue's chairs, or the venues chairs covered with what is basically a big pillowcase?

If I won the lottery right now, I'd rent Chiavari chairs for the wedding.  Look at these photos.  The fancy chairs do make a difference.  I'd also rent a man in a chef's hat.

3.  Where to locate the buffet, cake table, etc.

I like this setup, with the cake being spotlighted against the green wall (we'll be projecting a monogram, too) and the food on a serpentine table (which is really just two curved tables).

Another option for food setup... obviously (unfortunately?) there will be no palm trees at my wedding.

Honeymoon Plans?

Our honeymoon is very much dictated by our budget.  Our criteria for the honeymoon location were that it should have a beach and be somewhere we'd never traveled.

States I've visited are highlighted in green.  That's a lot of America left to discover.  I've also been to the airport in Puerto Rico :)

In college, I did a January Term course in Ireland.  We spent one week in Galway and one in Dublin.  I'd love to go back there someday, but international travel would be WAY over budget for us right now.

Mr. Spin and I traveled to St. Lucia last year for a friend's destination wedding at the Sandals Regency La Toc, which is in Castries.  It was an amazing trip, but since we've done the all-inclusive-tropical-resort thing (which I recommend 100%) we wanted to do something completely different!

So where are we going on our honeymoon? 

Memorial Day - Red, White and Blue Cookout-Inspired picks

Striped bunting from Etsy seller Betty and Barclay

Geranium boutonniere from Once Wed

Strawberry-trimmed buttercream cake from the Knot

Red wagon geranium arrangement from Real Simple

Peanut butter cup s'mores from Delia Creates

I hope that all of you have a relaxing Memorial Day, whether you're spending time with family, or, like me and many other teachers, doing all of the grading you put off until today :)

Sunday Simplicity #20 - It's My Birthday!

Once Wed

Today I'm going to see 1964.

Signature Cocktails?

We haven't decided yet whether to have an open bar or signature cocktails, wine and beer.  Or perhaps signature cocktails for the cocktail hour and open bar for the reception?  We'll be crunching our budget numbers once we order our cake and find a videographer.  If we do a signature cocktail, here are two ideas I think would suit us perfectly.

Mixed Berry Mojito (from My Life as a Mrs.):

Ingredients:

Mixed Berry Puree

1 cup blueberries, whole, 1 cup strawberries, caps removed and rough chopped

Mixed Berry Mojito

4 oz club soda, 2 ½ oz light rum, 1 ½ fresh lime juice, 1 oz simple syrup, 2 TBS mixed berry puree, 6-8 mint leaves, ½ strawberry, cap removed and sliced thin for garnish (optional), 5-6 blueberries, whole for garnish (optional), 1 small mint sprig, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Mixed Berry Puree

1.  Combine berries and blend until smooth (food processor, blender, hand blender, etc.; really what ever is easiest to clean)
2.  Pour puree into a fine strainer over a container and press puree through the strainer with a spatula to remove seeds and skins from puree. Store puree in the refrigerator.

Mixed Berry Mojito

1.  In a tall glass, combine mint leaves, lime juice and simple syrup and gently muddle together (only bruise the leaves, not shred).
2.  Add ice (about 1 cup) and pour in rum and club soda.
3.  Spoon berry puree into drink and stir to incorporate all ingredients and lift mint leaves up from the bottom of the glass.
4.  Top with sliced strawberries, blueberries and mint sprig.

Here's a link to a similar recipe for a blue cocktail, and a link to a "Wild Berry Mojito" that includes blackberries and raspberries.

Spiked Arnold Palmer (from The Bridal Bar):

Ingredients (Serves 8):

1 cup packed mint leaves, chopped, 2/3-cup sugar, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup freshly brewed tea, chilled, 1 1/2 cups vodka, Crushed ice for serving, Fresh mint springs, optional for garnish

Directions:

1.  Combine chopped mint and sugar in a large bowl or pitcher.
2.  Stir in lemon juice, iced tea, and vodka.
3.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
4.  Fill six 6-8 ounce glasses with crushed ice. Pour mixture over.
5.  Garnish with mint and lemon springs.

Here's another spiked Arnold Palmer recipe that uses Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka.

Sunday Simplicity #19

Style Me Pretty

Surprise work shower!

This Monday, one of my co-workers informed me that we were having an English department meeting after school.  My reaction was something like "Ugggghhhh."  It's a stressful time of year.  When I got to the classroom where our meetings are always held, I was one of the first ones to arrive.  Our department chair asked me and the 3 other teachers who'd apparently arrived early to "help her carry some boxes."  The boxes were, apparently, in the Family and Consumer Sciences (back in the day, we called it Home Ec) room.

Here's what was actually in the home ec room:

That's right, it was a surprise bridal shower!  There are FOUR English teachers with upcoming weddings, so our faculty threw us a combined party.  Look at all of this yummy food:

There were ham biscuits, Mexican dip, chips, cheese and crackers, nuts, and of course party mints.

Cheers!

Sunday Simplicity #18

Style Me Pretty