need ideas for centerpieces - and food

[zillygal]

I have been lurking on this site for the past month or so. My son and future DIL decided then that they would get married on April 19th about a month or so ago. They really wanted it to be in April to celebrate the month instead of mourning it (her father passed away in 06 of that month).

Her mom has since remarried and is focused only on herself. so that has left all the planning to me. I know that she (DIL) should want to plan it but it seems like it is over her head - and without her mom's help she has made her own bouquet and it has kind of stopped there. Leaving me to do the table decor, the food etc. It was suppose to be a small affair, but the guest list has gotten out of control due to my ex adding all kinds of people to his list, her mom adding all sorts of relatives. And me who is planning - the only level head.

If you are still with me here is what I need help with. The table decor.

what I have: umpteen Fuze bottles (they look like old fashioned milk jars, and look great w/ ribbon around the bottom, a use for these would be as a vase)

went w/ the plastic table coverings, since I am paying for the table coverings I couldn't justify doing the cloth ones, especially w/ the guest list out of control and the tables almost tripled. (I don't mean this to sound mean, I am enjoying this since I have 3 boys)

I found green silk like table runners at Dollar tree, so I picked up 20 of them. they should cover the tables to the end each.

I have 20 of the fish bowl type bowls (got these for 50cents a piece at Party City, woo hoo)

Around 30 votive cups.

And a few wine bottles and excess vases.

Colors: dark green, lavender, and browns

I need to do 20 tables. banquet size rectangles

Also wedding is same venue as reception, guests will be sitting at the seats they will be eating in.

Me & my mom have been out and about trying to get ideas. Should we go with silk? Should we go with real flowers and put them in the fish bowls w/ the votives going down on each side? I know I could go and get bunches of real and split them up the morning of but I am also doing the food (don' ask that one... )

I had a small wedding first time, and eloped second time. so I dont' have any experience to draw off of.

Another thing - I thought of doing the runner, w/ flowers/votives. In each persons place setting, I have bubbles (2 bucks for 24 from Target), the cream colored boxes w/ kisses (boxes at Party city for 2 bucks for 10 woo hoo) and am going to do some sort of program to go where a placemat would go.

Would I be better off doing something else down the middle and getting placemats? (paper ones/ with the scallops?)

If you are still with me.... LOL... any .. ANY... suggestions would be welcome. with 3 weeks to go and no idea I really need to get on the ball!

Thanks for any ideas!

[Danielle9608]

How crafty are you? Is making paper flowers an option?

Here are some links:
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=f307a39e80588110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCR D&lnc=0d1a8612fbcee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=taxonomylist
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/crafts/paperflowers.html
http://www.marthastewartcrafts.com/?v=msc_proj_fancypaperflowers

[Danielle9608]

Or you could alway put glass rocks like these (http://www.save-on-crafts.com/glassvasegems1.html) in the fish bowl and float some candles on top, very elegant and cost effective.

[Brian's Bride]

I think you should use your fishbowls as centerpieces. Line the bottom with the gem rocks and float a big silk or fresh flower head, such as a gerbera daisy or opened rose. And line the dark green table runners with the votive candles. Simple and elegant. You could also wrap your cream boxes with burgundy ribbon to give it a little extra oomph of color. You could also wrap the bubble containers with tulle (use cream tulle with burgundy ribbon) to also add to the color scheme. I've also seen them with the little rose hot glued to the top. You could bring in color that way, too.

You could also use the extra wine/Fuze bottles and fill them with flowers for the guest book table, or use them to decorate the gift and buffet tables.

I don't think the white placemats are necessary, though.

Good luck and take some pics of the finished tables! Sounds like you got some really great deals!!!

[EarlyBird]

I love long tables with petals and votives lit. It makes it easy for people to talk and not having much in their way. My suggestion is maybe try to get some more votives (different sizes or styles) and use the votives you have, the fish bowls and the new kind of votives as centerpieces. Also, remember to SELL this stuff after!
If you would like to add maybe one of the containers on each end with a could flowers in it (is there an aunt or anyone you can get to do this?? perhaps you could buy them the day before and ask someoone to just pop three of four flowers in each) I think that carnations would look very pretty in here cuz they are large and they are very cost effective.

Am i misunderstanding that they are long tables? B/c once i read it you said that its 20 tables that are rectangle. I was thinking it was a LONG table.

[soon to be Mrs. Wilson]

http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/goodthings/gt04aprmsl_placemat01_l.jpg
This is a cute idea if you want to have placemats. Not sure if you have enough table runners to do this though.

This is also a cute idea. Not sure how cost effective it would be.
http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/pub/weddings/2006Q1/msw_spring06_wrapping_l.jpg
I found all this on Martha Stewart.com. I like the idea of using the fish bowls as centerpieces and putting rocks or pebbles in the bottom and float a flower on top. Hope this helps some!

[zillygal]

Thanks to everyone! I think I had a mini meltdown the other night which forced my rambling post. LOL

I don't think I am crafty enough to do the paper flowers. My ideas and thought plan are good .. the results not so.

Tomorrow I am going to go to a florist and pick up a few flowers to see how they look in the fish bowls, I have some of the pebbles here that I had used in my house so I am going to see how that looks.

And I think I will use the Fuze bottles on the other tables with the bulk flowers in them. (Has anyone else seen how these look? So cheap, and if you know enough people easy and free to get for vases, especially those of you doing outdoor weddings, or country type weddings)

How long did it take everyone to do the boxes? Should I plan an hour or more? And how many kisses should I put in there? I have Hugs, purple kisses, silver kisses and gold ones. I don't have to use them all, just curious.

My time is also limited somewhat because we have my 2 year old grandson 3 nights a week while his mom goes to school. my son works nights so he can't help out. I don't think I could sit at the table with him watching me put candy in there and not let him get hyped up from trying to steal them. LOL

Also.... since we are doing the food, any suggestions?

Here is what we have now:

ham tray (my one son is slicing the ham for me after we buy it, and we are arranging on a tray)
chicken salad mini sandwiches
might do these wraps from Sams club (wheat w/ sundried tomatoes)
potato salad
pasta salad - that italian dressing w/ veggies thrown in
chips - regular and tortilla
dips - regular and salsa - could do some others but not sure if really needed?
veggie traysince there are going to be an abundance of little kids there - should I also have maybe cheese nips? - or what else would be good for them? I could also do that cream cheese w/ chocolate chips and have teddy grahams around them.

I have to say I have found more real ideas on this board than any other I have skimmed. (other than that one hilarious thread I found somehow on wording for invitations, on another board, I think it was over 18 pages of posts)

Thanks for all your ideas and help!
leah

[Brian's Bride]

Kid-friendly food...

PB&J sandwiches :) Cut into mini-triangles, of course!
mini corn-dogs
hot dogs/chicken nuggets/french fries - maybe keep warm in a chafing dish?

I think all kids love teddy grahams and Goldfish crackers!

I haven't started my favor boxes (I'm doing the same with Hershey hugs & kisses) so I can't tell you how long it'll take. Probably more than an hour, though. I made these cute favor tags that read "Hugs & Kisses from the Mr. & Mrs." that'll go on the top of each box with the bow. If you want the template, please PM me.