Picture of Entire Wedding Party

Actual Centerpieces, Broom, Salt Ceremony and Flowers....

Remember from a previous post, we decided not to do the unity, but rather a salt ceremony. Here is the picture from our "salt ceremony". We used some VERY inexpensive glasses/vases from Hobby Lobby (they were less than $4 a piece) and colored sand ($1.99 each at Hobby Lobby).
We also performed a old african ritual of jumping the broom. Our broom was BEAUTIFUL!
Here is a picture of the ACTUAL centerpiece that was used at the head and reserved tables, along with the attendants' flowers they carried:

NOTE: All of the TALL vases and hanging votives were purchased from Wholesale Flowers. They were WONDERFUL!
Here are the arrangements that were used at the food tables: Here are the centerpieces we used on the remaining guest tables. :
I have NO idea where my Godmother purchased these frosted vases from, but I thought that it was a simple and elegant centerpiece that tied in the colors and feel of the wedding (Southern elegance and charm)

Here are pictures of our cakes. Maria @ The Cake Diva in Jackson, Mississippi, did an OUTSTANDING job on these cakes! They tasted MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH better than they looked (as if that was possible!).

Late....REALLY late with posts...Friday

So, here we go....

Note: ALL photo credits go to Jason Cohen Photography. Jason and his assistant were the ABSOLUTE best! I loved the results, they weren't "in the way" (you barely knew they were there), they took GREAT SHOTS and everyone in the wedding party loved them!

The wedding rehearsal dinner was held at the Mississippi Forestry and Agricultural Museum. The food was a combination of Louisiana and Mississippi cuisines. We had stuffed peppers, catfish, bread pudding with REAL rum sauce (haaaaaaaaaaaaw!), salad, jambalaya, etc. I was PRAYING that I could get in my dress the next day! LOL!

Ed and I decided to go with practical wedding party gifts. I found these really great Lancome bags on Ebay and had them embroidered with each hostess and attendant's initials. My wedding assistant found the embroidery person for me and was even able to get stuffing fabric in the wedding colors for the bags (you ROCK, Lori!).


The ushers and groomsmen all received stainless steel flasks and we found orange gift bags for them. The male musicians received Thomas Pink ties, orange with VERY small fuschia dots in them and the ladies received coral/orange linen shawls from Nordstrom. They are all choir members with me at our church here in Maryland. They brought the house down....no, seriously...they did!

We all talked, ate, laughed, prayed and dispersed. I have NO idea where the men went. Me and some of my girls went to a party....that was short lived as we ALL started dying down within 15 minutes of getting there.... called it a night. A LONG day was ahead of us.....

Married!

Sorry for the almost-two month delay, but I am married now (YAY)!

So, where do I start....

My godmother and her crew did a FABULOUS job on my florals (ceremony and reception) and our praline favors. The music was BEAUTIFUL (all of it)! The photographer was THE BEST! The videographers were awesome! The food for the rehearsal dinner and reception.......let's just say that there were a few good fat and happy people roaming around Jackson, Mississippi! I LOVED my dress and everything about that day, though a lot of it is a haze. I cried like a 2-year old when the doors of the church opened and saw Ed (yeah, couldn't even make it IN the church without crying!!).

Now, the um...........ugly side. Yeah, so about 80 people who RSPV'd for the reception didn't show up for the reception (and we upped our catering numbers due to the large amount of RSVPs received). The lady who we hired to do our clean up/take down tried to financially CLEAN UP with us (HUH?! Lady, please!). She quoted my Mom this OUTRAGEOUS quote and thought that we were going to pay what she quoted? Yeah, next.... Our initial DJ BAILED on us one week before our wedding, stating that he was asked to go on tour that weekend. Um, what does that have to do with us and me booking you ONE YEAR ago?! He gets NO recommendations from me!

All in all, the weekend was GREAT! With the exception of the few "uglies" listed above, the weekend went smoothly and it was probably one of the best weddings I've attended (LOL)!!! I'll post pics later....

RSVPs Gone WILD!!!

So, what is up with people RSVP'ing for more than their invitation was addressed to? I received TOO many RSVP cards with numbers MUCH higher than their invitation was addressed to. Our families are TOO large and just cannot accommodate the extra people. We had to make phone calls, send emails, etc., to correct this situation. Some people never returned calls and/or emails. Hate it for them at the reception. SOME PEOPLE didn't send JACK back. I REALLY hate it for them at the reception (in other words, NO ENTRANCE for them!).

One dude even told another person, "Yeah, I may or may not bring my girlfriend". Um, sweetie, your invitation was addressed to YOU with no AND GUEST or AND FAMILY extension on it. HOW do you think it's okay to bring your girlfriend?!

It's going to be REAL FUNNY at the reception entrance because there will be a LIST of those who RSVP'd with their correct numbers left with the hostesses (who don't play, by the way). Those who RSVP'd WITH THEIR CORRECT NUMBERS will be allowed to enter. "Anything extra is just uncivilized".

We really hate to do this, but people MUST learn that wedding receptions are just that.....an invitation only (unless otherwise stated) event. Not a free-for-all party!

Two Weeks and Counting

The SERIOUS countdown is on. TWO WEEKS.

No Tiaras!!

Okay, I am too old to be wearing a tiara for my wedding. It's a wedding, not a pageant, for Pete's sake!

So, I am going though a few options. I want this effect with my veil, because the veil is very classic/simple.
I found these two options. I am still looking around, but what do you all think?