Flowers and more!

There are so many options for flowers for fall!  Many DIY projects as well....

Planting own flowers:
             If you are planting your own flowers ALWAYS have a backup.  Overplant..plant early and then plant in sessions of a week and two weeks later in case of early blooms.  Yet still have another backup just in case.  Backups can include: farmers market flowers, flowers from a greenhouse, grocery store, or wild flowers that can be put together last minute.

Fall flower types:


1) Chrysanthemums (mums): Come in orange, yellow, white, red, pink-purple and can be dressed up with pumpkins!  If planting these for a wedding it is best to plant a year ahead of time and use the next years batch!  Mums are hardy plants and come back in the spring and/or fall.    

2) Sunflowers: Annuals.  There are many different varieties of sunflowers some include:

 

Aster flowers: Perennials...come in pink, white, purple, blue.  Grow in full sun and well drained soil. 

 

Russian Sage: airy blue purple flowers and silvery foliage.  Grows in full sun and well-drained soil



To dress up the flowers, use ribbon, buttons, shoe lace bow, or any other ideas that you can find from your local craft store! Also if you go to your craft store at the end of fall season you can get great deals on pumpkin holders and other fall ideas that you can use for your wedding next fall. 


Make sure you use long stemmed flowers.  Cut them and take off any thorns.  Place them in water to get a long drink of water.

Homemade Name Holders!

If you want an easy homemade name tag for your guests, then grab some fallen branches, a jigsaw, and some nice paper! 

I found some fallen tree banches about 5 inches round (however you can use any size you like!), and let the wood dry for several weeks beforehand. 

Then I used a jigsaw to cut the pieces about 2 inches thick.  Following that I just cut a slit in each and made my name cards on the computer!  Worked out really nice and was a great fall idea! 

If you're not too handy and would rather buy some- go to etsy.com where they have many different choices!

Here are some other ideas....



Homemade using pinecones...

Another homemade item that is very cute:

Store bought...

If you grow pumpkins, you can also use them in a smaller wedding!

You can use ribbons, pins, or even cut a slit in the stem to put your name cards!

You can also use your wood for table numbers!

Unique Bridesmaid, Groomsman, and family gifts!

There are many options of gifts for your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other family participants in your fall wedding!  You can always do something specific for each person or if your party all enjoys one activity or sport- then its easy!  However, sometimes it's hard to get something unique. 


This is when I started looking at etsy.com.  They literally have thousands of ideas.


I found wine glasses and beer mugs that I absolutely fell in love with! I originally bought beautiful necklaces from etsy, but I saw these glasses and had to get them!  I customized my glasses for my bridal and groomsman party, mother of the bride and groom and father of the bride and groom.  You can pick your own colors or theme as well!  Here are some of them:

There are many more ideas and styles of glasses as well!  We put cigars in the groomsmans beer mugs and placed them in orange gift bags. 

There's even gifts for the flower girl and ring bearer!
To see these items please visit: http://www.etsy.com/shop/waterfalldesigns

Another idea for a more personalized gift for mother of the bride and groom and father of the bride and groom are handmade handkerchiefs.  My family does not use handkerchiefs; however, they are a cute idea for a great message.

You can choose your message, font, colors, and symbol.  There are also discounts of getting more than one!  I put them in the parents wine/beer glass, but you can buy a handkerchief box as well!

You can also get personalized bags for your bridesmaids to put their wedding gear in!  Flip flops for your bridesmaids can be purchased and personalized as well- they can slip them on when their feet get tired dancing! 

Here is the link for the bags: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MyLovingTree?ref=seller_info there are other sellers obviously on etsy.com as well!  Everything even the color and items can be personalized!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/89013196/bridesmaids-flip-flops-with-flowers

You can also get cheap flip flops at old navy ($1)at the end of the season and save them for your girls! I chose to order 3 inch brown heels for my girls so their dresses wouldn't get caught!

Some other ideas include getaway toiletry bags: (works nicely if its a destination wedding!)

Here is the shops link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FelixStreetStudio?ref=seller_info

There are tons of ideas on the internet- if you want something unique try etsy.com for personalized gifts! 

Another cute idea if your crew is outdoorsy- is personalized water bottles! (http://www.beau-coup.com/wedding/personalized-bridal-party-water-bottle.htm)

Of course another idea is taking your girls to the spa for treatments or massages! 

If you want to bring a tear to your mother's eye you can always order the mother daughter figurines:

To Photo Booth or Not?

Photo Booths are an upcoming trend in weddings.  If you've never been in a photo booth you should try one out!  The photo booth rental companies in my area tend to have events and have their booths at different places (restaurants, bars, wedding shows, ect...).  If you are seriously wonder to have a booth or not- definitely go check one out! 

Positives:
1) Different packages with different prices and inclusions
2) Packages with a guestbook (pictures are placed in a book and guests sign next to them!)
3) Guests get pictures (usually unlimited) and the bride and groom get a cd of all the photos after the event
4) Props are fun to use!  You can have them in your package or easily buy them for cheap from stores or online (oriental trading- buy a couple extra if you get blow up props some were leaking air!)
5) It would be a gift for all guests
6) Its super fun and the pictures are funny!
7) You don't have to chase people for pictures- they go in and take them themselves!
8) With our photo booth service we were able to put our name on the bottom with the date and a picture- it can all be customized as well!
9) If you want a real deal- you usually can get a photo booth along with DJ service and sometimes photographer and videographer

Negatives:
1) Price- it usually runs $800 and up depending on how many hours and what is included.  I was able to shop around online and get a couple hundred knocked off the price. Also if you attend bridal shows they tend to have discounts with them. 
2) All the photo booth places I contacted charge you for the dinner hour stating that people will use it during the dinner hour- I think a couple people at the end used the photo booth but that was it.  I wanted the booth to be set up before everyone arrived (which they didn't charge for) and had it during cocktail hour and the next couple hours.  The photo booth only went till 9pm but that was plenty of time for my 125 guests to enjoy it several times! 




My advice is that a photobooth is awesome and great fun for you and your guests if you can squeeze it in your budget!  If you are unsure, go try a photobooth out with friends and see how much fun you have!

http://www.rockinphotobooth.com/

Fall Favor Ideas: mini-pumpkins!

If you're looking for a creative way to say thank you for coming to my wedding, then mini pumpkins is it!  It is inexpensive (if you have room in your yard) and adds to the fall decor.  You can easily buy a couple packs of miniture pumpkins (or gourds) and plant them in your front yard.  Follow instructions on the packet.  Plant two-three seeds in a small mound of dirt and leave plenty of room for vines to grow!  I planted mine end of June for beginning of October, but its based on your climate for your area. 

If the pumpkins are ripe and ready to pick early- then by all means pick them early! To save your pumpkins for weeks and even months, the best thing to do is place them in the sun on a hard surface (not anything moist) and let them dry for a week or two.  This will harden the pumpkins.  Next, you will need to put them in a cool dry place on a wooden surface.  We put ours in the basement on planks of wood.  Do not put them on concrete!  They stayed for over a month and even after the wedding we still had pumpkins until well over Thanksgiving!

There are many ways to dress up the pumpkins to say thank you.  We printed out (or you can buy) leaves and cut them out.  We stamped burnt orange thank yous on each one and tied them on with brown ribbon (our colors were orange and brown).  This can take time, but it saves money and if you have family and friends to help it goes quickly and adds a great touch on the tables. 

Other things to consider:

-If you have a smaller wedding you can also use mini pumpkins for nametags for your guests by sticking in a pin or tying a bow on the pumpkin with the guests name and table number.

- You can use gourds or other color pumpkins for your head table or for every table!