Orgirl1969
10-21-2006, 09:08 AM
Haven't been on much lately, work has been crazy and I've been going home a bunch to get wedding stuff done. I was home last week and Mom and I went to check out the cathedral where the ceremony is. It is more beautiful than I remembered, but here is the problem: The cathedral is actually a Masonic temple built in 1923 and we are having our ceremony in the auditorium. It has a bunch of stained glass and is very ornately decorated (beaux-arts/art deco era) so I feel I need very little in the way of ceremony decor (i.e. no pew bows, no aisle runner and just 3 or 4 large arrangements). It has seating for 144 on the floor and a large balcony to hold more if needed. All the seats are theatre-style with velvet cushions. The "stage" has a dark bluish-purple velvet curtain and three steps up to the stage itself.
The issue is that there is about 20 feet of "dead" space between the first row of seats and the stage steps. My plan was to have the minister up on the stage itself, with Bill and I on the second step and the wedding party standing just below the first step, spread out accordingly. I thought about having four pillars, two about 3' high and 2 about 5' high with our arrangements on them and white chiffon swags connecting the pillars all up behind us to frame the ceremony. Mom suggested twinkle lights (not crazy about that) and all candles have to have plastic underneath them at this venue (another YUCK), but I really need to lighten up the space as well. I'm having one h*ll of a time finding pictures of ideas to decorate the ceremony, if anyone has some suggestions, I'm open to anything!
Also, my mom thinks there is too much space between us and the guests and thinks we need to have chairs placed in the dead space for the family. I HATE that idea because the only extra chairs available are of the folding variety (YUCK). My other, and equally unappealing, option is to move the wedding party closer to the guests. I'm afraid that people won't be able to see us. The acoustics in the cathedral are really outstanding, so hearing us isn't a problem, but I don't know what to do!!!!!
Anyone??????
The issue is that there is about 20 feet of "dead" space between the first row of seats and the stage steps. My plan was to have the minister up on the stage itself, with Bill and I on the second step and the wedding party standing just below the first step, spread out accordingly. I thought about having four pillars, two about 3' high and 2 about 5' high with our arrangements on them and white chiffon swags connecting the pillars all up behind us to frame the ceremony. Mom suggested twinkle lights (not crazy about that) and all candles have to have plastic underneath them at this venue (another YUCK), but I really need to lighten up the space as well. I'm having one h*ll of a time finding pictures of ideas to decorate the ceremony, if anyone has some suggestions, I'm open to anything!
Also, my mom thinks there is too much space between us and the guests and thinks we need to have chairs placed in the dead space for the family. I HATE that idea because the only extra chairs available are of the folding variety (YUCK). My other, and equally unappealing, option is to move the wedding party closer to the guests. I'm afraid that people won't be able to see us. The acoustics in the cathedral are really outstanding, so hearing us isn't a problem, but I don't know what to do!!!!!
Anyone??????