Mad MOH Week 6

By on July 6, 2011 in Daily Scoop, Diary of a Mad M.O.H

100 YEARS YOUNG…

There I was, standing in a barn.  It wasn’t a smelly barn, though I could still catch a hint of fresh hay smell on the breeze.  It wasn’t a messy barn, either.  In fact, there was a gorgeous staircase and some neat chandeliers that added to the beauty of the 100 year-old girl. I did a slow turn and the voices of my bride, her mother, and the owner of the grounds faded out as I started to consider the possibilities.

This place had character!  I could do a lot with this barn.  Some lights, some flowers, and some country chic charm and we would be all set.

I was inspired.

The loft area of the barn during a reception. Photos courtesy of The Red House. http://the-red-house.org/index.php?page=barn

Hmmm…now to pepper my poor bride with questions again.

Me: “Round tables or rectangles?”

Bride: “Umm…”  Looks around and sighs. “I dunno, what do you think?”

Me:  “Round will be great, but what kind of tables are provided?”

Owner: “Rectangle.”

Me & Bride: “Rectangle it is.”

Me: “Lighting?”

Bride: “Twinkle lights, no overhead besides chandelier.”

A definitive answer…I was impressed.

Of course, as we toured the lovely Victorian mansion on the grounds and checked out all of the great features, more questions sprang to my mind.  There are a few things that make or break a reception site.  These are the questions that you need to ask before you make that deposit and commitment.

The Red House manor view from the barn. Photos courtesy of the The Red House http://bit.ly/nu01m4

1.)  Restrooms?  Are there enough? Are they well maintained? Will they meet your guests’ needs?

2.)  Deposit?  How much, and what is the overall cost?  What does that fee include?  Any services?  Any decor?  Cutlery?       Waitstaff?

3.)  Timing?  How early can you get in to decorate?  Can you get in the night before?  When do you have to be out and cleaned up?

4.)  Parking and seating?  Enough room and convenient for all?  Is it handicapped accessible?

5.) Kitchen?  Are there coolers and stoves if you need them?

It turned out that the price was definitely right for the charm and accessibility of the place, and there was plenty of parking.  There were a few restrooms, so that worked well, and they provided tables, chairs, and many of the twinkle lights at no additional charge.  Then they hit me with the stunner…

We have to decorate the day of the wedding.  At 7am we would have possession of the keys, and we had to have the whole place completely ready for the reception before we started getting ready ourselves.  Because I offered to oversee the decorating, I stuck myself in an awkward spot.  As the MOH, I’m supposed to be with my bride and help her get ready for her big day.  How am I going to find the time to do both?  Not only that, but we also have to have the entire place cleaned up the night of the wedding. Umm…the best man better be planning on helping me with that one.

So…let’s recap.

1.) My bride made a great choice with her reception site, and I was wrong in my initial impressions.

2.) I may need a stunt double to pull this off.

 

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Delphine’s Bouquet Inspiration

By on June 30, 2011 in Blue, Daily Scoop, Inspiration Boards, Pink

Today we have an extra special post for you.  We love offering our brides floral inspiration, but we seldom see what our brides create.   Not today!!  We first met Delphine in March of 2010 and this is what she wrote:

“I’m having trouble figuring out flowers for the wedding. My colors are fuchsia, turquoise and either silver (my dress is a silver tone) or black and purple. For the reception I’m going with turquoise overlays and sashes with blue lighting and a fuchsia flower centerpiece (no idea what one).

With that being said, any help at all would be greatly appreciated. I’m running out of time.
Thanks,
Delphine”

Here is the bright and bold board our lovely LeAnne designed for our bride who was running out of time!!

 

And here is what Delphine created………

Thanks so much Delphine for taking the time to share your memories and show us the finished bouquet that you created.

Items used to create this bouquet.   Click on the Pictures below to see the product.

Ranunculus

Orchids

Sheer Ribbon

If you would like us to design an inspiration board or feature your bridal bouquet you created using Afloral.com’s products, please email me at Mindy[at]afloral.com.  I look forward to seeing them soon!!

 

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MAD MOH WEEK 5

By on June 28, 2011 in Daily Scoop, Diary of a Mad M.O.H


BOAT HOUSES AND MANORS AND BARNS…OH MY!

Even though my bride was wishy-washy on many subjects, there were two things that she had made firm decisions on.  Her dress and her venue.  Both were chosen with surprising speed, considering her track record with all the other wedding options.

When we had the “venue” conversation, she was pretty firm.  She was inviting everyone to the reception, but not the actual ceremony.  The ceremony itself was to be a private affair, and only a handful of immediate family were to be present.  This was a different sort of situation than I was used to.  I have a huge family, so weddings in our circle are usually large, hectic, noisy events with wiggly children and multiple bridal party members in matching outfits.  This new concept was alien to me.  Was she sure?  Would people be offended?  It was like having to check the cut list after tryouts.  Who made the ceremony team, and who had to ride the reception bench?  Thoughts were buzzing around in my head, but then I did some research and found out that this option is actually becoming quite popular.

A magical path...photo courtesy of Rev. Bonnie White

Many couples are choosing to create a more intimate setting while sharing their vows by limiting the number of guests.  Having only a few people in attendance allows the couple to truly focus on each other and the beauty of the moment without the distractions that a crowd may provide.  It also allows the couple to exchange vows in a place that may be special to them, but not roomy enough for a whole audience.

That was the case for my bride and groom.  From the moment my bride drove me to the ceremony site within a peaceful gated community and we stopped at the entrance to a woodland path, I was captivated and enchanted.  The boathouse was nestled right on the edge of the water, surrounded by gorgeous greenery, and featured a stunning view of the hills beyond.  Between the romance of the woods and the quiet stillness of the afternoon air, this place had a dreamy, magical quality to it that is just perfect for my couple.  It’s not perfect, however, for any more than a handful of people.  The stillness and quiet would be lost in the general noise of an audience, and the magic would be gone.

The Boathouse. Photos courtesy of Rev. Bonnie White http://www.bonnspirit.com/Medium.html

After seeing the ceremony site, I was excited to see where my bride was planning the reception.  She had made an appointment to visit the venue with her mother, and I was excited to come along.  We drove through some beautiful countryside and pulled up in front of a huge Victorian style manor….and a huge ol’ barn.  The reception was actually going to be in the barn, not the manor.

 

Hmmmm…..

 

Once again, I was questioning my bride.  A victorian manor, I can picture, but a barn?  Really?  How the heck am I supposed to make a barn look romantic, magical, and charming?

I may have been pushed beyond my MOH abilities this time…

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Mad MOH Week 4

By on June 25, 2011 in Daily Scoop, Diary of a Mad M.O.H

JUMP RIGHT IN….

 

I had a lot to learn about my bride.  What were her colors?  Where was she getting married?  What the heck was that wedding date, again?

These are important questions.  The individual duties of a MOH can vary according to what the bride wants, but the basic responsibilities are still there.  Help the bride.  Go with her to fittings.  Provide advice and support.  Plan, organize, and financially support the bridal shower and bachelorette party.  Finally, go with your bride to every doggone bridal show that she wants to go to.

My bride had her first bridal show already scheduled by the time she bamboozled  me with biscuits.  I grabbed my business card holder (a MUST at bridal shows), my pen,  and a notebook to jot down any note-worthy trends that caught my eye, and we were on our way to the Fenton Grill for a small, local bridal show.  Generally, the best bridal shows are the ones held in large venues so that you can see the maximum number of vendors at one time.  There will be bakers, florists, photographers, venue sites, reception halls and hotels, favor makers, jewelers, and even travel agencies all clamoring for the bride’s attention.  Some even have fashion shows to display the latest in bridal fashions, or have their employees dressed in gorgeous gowns walking around the bridal show.  There is something for everyone, and eye candy all around!

Hello Vendors! Sponsored by Media One Bridal, the bridal show was held at the lovely Fenton Grill.

As we navigated through the maze of vendors, I learned a very important fact about my bride that day.  She is NOT an organizer.  She is NOT a planner.

 

Me: “Are you having a wedding cake, or are you going non-traditional?”

Bride:  “Um…I dunno.”

Me:  “Ok, do you like cake?”

Bride:  “Yes…but we like funfetti cupcakes better – you know, the ones with the little colored sprinkles inside?”

Me:  “Now we’re getting somewhere”.

A couple booths later…

Me:  “What kind of flowers do you want?”

Bride: “Um…I hadn’t really thought about it.”

Me:  ”What kind of jewelry were you thinking of?”

Bride: “Well, I really hadn’t gotten that far yet.”

Me:  “Do you have a DJ?”

Bride: (starting to look a little pale and panicky) “Not yet..”

 

I could feel a sigh bubbling up from deep within me, and I struggled to contain my anxiety.  No DJ?  No cake plans?  No flower ideas?  We were within 9 months of the big day, and none of these decisions had been made yet.  Being someone who is fond of itemized, categorized lists, schedules, and due dates, I was having a mini panic moment.  But…I’m the MOH, remember?  First rule…take the stress off the bride.  I took a deep breath, collected my cards, and offered advice and suggestions.  By the time we walked out of that loud, colorful display of endless bridal choices, my ears were ringing and my head was spinning, but my bride looked excited and happy.  Mission accomplished, however….

This was gonna be more of a project than I thought.  What did I do with that bottle of antacids…?

 

 

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Diary of a Mad M.O.H. #3

By on June 15, 2011 in Daily Scoop, Diary of a Mad M.O.H

UM…SO WE WERE THINKING….

When my husband and I were invited to dinner at our friends’ new apartment, we were really looking forward to it.  We hadn’t seen them much since their move, and we had yet to see their new place.  Plus, who doesn’t want a free dinner that they don’t have to cook themselves?  Chicken and biscuits was on the menu, and a plan was brewing that I was yet unaware of.

Ladies and gentlemen, be very, very careful when choosing your bridal party.  These are the people who will support you, offer their time and energy, and generally help you make it through one of the biggest days of your life.  Choosing your fiance’s cousin because the two of you have a blast when you go out, or your bestest school buddy simply because you talk every day may not be your best option.  Apparently my friend learned this lesson the hard way, and found herself less than a year away from her wedding without a Maid of Honor.  Yikes!  The two lovebirds wracked their brains….who in the world would take this position?  Which female friend would be a ready replacement?  Did they even have any more female friends?  Then…epiphany!  The light bulb lit up.  Kaila! Kaila can do this, and she works with brides all the time and was just married herself.  We’ll ask her!

The coordinating, chicken and biscuits making, scheming couple....

I had no idea this whole process had taken place, and after they plied me with wonderful wine and delicious chicken and biscuits, I was ambushed and she said, (super-quickly and all in one long breath), “Soo……um…we were thinking.  Apparently my Maid of Honor doesn’t want to be my MOH anymore, and we were wondering who else could do it, and who would be better than Kaila because you know, like, you have been there from the beginning and saw us get engaged and go through our growing pains, and now we would love it if you would be my Maid of Honor.”

WHEW!!

Yes, that was all said in one breath and I was just as shell shocked as you are right now.  Maid of Honor?  And who better?  Are you kidding me?  NOW there’s no one better than me for the role?  All these thoughts zipped through my brain as my mouth smiled and said, “I’d love to!”.  I really was happy to step in, but felt a bit out of the loop.  Planning had been going on for months, and I had no idea what was going on.  Anyone who knows me realizes that this offends my organizational sensibilities, but I was prepared to jump right in and make myself useful.

Not all MOHs are this accommodating and helpful, so remember to take your time when choosing your bridal party.  I have heard many brides talk about how they wish they had chosen differently for one reason or another, but mainly because they chose someone who wasn’t around, wasn’t able, or who just was plain unhelpful.  Don’t make that same mistake, and please don’t be that bride who has to backpedal and offer the 2nd string MOH who was riding the bench the 1st string spot.

 

Batters Up!  I take the plate for my swing at the MOH position next week…..

 

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