Unique Elements

Posted on: Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Yum, just got home from some floral meetings with a couple and the bride’s parents, and mom had a lovely xmasy container with homemade fudge in it for me.  Needless to say, 1/2 of it was gone on the drive between appts.  Thank you Gayle.

But onto my next topic ……..

I had a few weddings this year that wanted to do something different for the guests as an ‘ending’ element, or to go item.

The late night snacks by the hotel/caterer – sliders/fries, ice cream sundae station, mini dessert stations, speciality coffee station, were still popular, as they have been for the past few years, plus  the candy stations, some where they had no more than 6 containers already filled/bags/scoops etc, and I would put them out at the time we designated, or the brides who paid for the Candy lady to come and do the beautiful/elegant candy stations that matched their color theme or favorite candys and had more options/decor layout etc.

Still had the boxes of godiva chocs or some food item that was easy/color co-ordinated etc, some spending $5-6 per box and some making them themselves.  And of course the wine stoppers/glass identity items. Flipflops that come out at dancing time (to be honest most women seem to prefer bare feet), color themed to the wedding or just random colors and sizes for all guests.

When you are spending $300-400 per person I don’t  feel you should feel you must give them something to take, but if you feel you must, then I always suggest you make it personal, a recipe you are known for, a thank you note or seeds to plant with a cute poem attached, an item others can use that is relative due to a hobby everyone knows you do, or your job/your business.  I just had a wedding where the couple  were from Mexico City and all the guests flew in (quite an affluent group) and their favor was a mini bottle of the best tequila and a shot glass-normally this may seem  a bit tacky, but this group appreciated it.   Just remember, sometimes 1 or 2 (if a couple) of something isn’t enough for them to do a lot with, ie napkin rings etc.

But for those where the options above were a bit old, or there was a personal reason, we did In N Out burgers at the end or during the dancing time.  Now for most locations your guests  can’t see the truck from where they are dancing, so you either end the party and lead them to the loading dock or outside the gates and then they stand by the street or wander back eating, so not a great end result in my mind, you pay for the truck that is the bulk and they can’t do the hot french fries normally, so I have had my assistant go to the nearest say In N Out burger place, get the order you have pre-ordered and paid for, they normally start cooking when she arrives, then we time it that when she is back with them, the hotel has french fries ready and the staff then walks around during the dancing time passing the fries and burgers.  A great memory especially for out of towners, for those that have had a bit to drink a great alcohol soaker, and for others that don’t want any something they remember and tell others about.

One bride had a group that wasn’t going to be a big dancing group, so she had a magnet station with a back drop that from the moment it opened through the 1/2 of overtime we paid them, had a line.  The magnets were couples, groups, anyone that wanted them done.  She also had  a crepe station, lovely man who came with an assistant, they had 2 burners going non stop, one did savory dinner style crepes, the other desserty ones.  Yum. 

My fave photo booth is the Epod, it talks back, normally takes the people inside a while to realise it but then they start cracking up.  Towards the end of the night if the group is right, it can get a bit raunchy, love it.  This is such a nice looking booth and tucks into any corner.  so many of the other booths are very rickety looking boxes and the guys setting them up and running them are just doing a job, they can’t wait to end and don’t put a lot of effort into guest service.  With Epod you have the owners there and they are wonderful.

Quite a few weddings with the Pashminas this year, not a bad idea.  Even though we have notified the guests the ceremony and normally cocktails are outside, we still have ladies that are wearing that new dress no matter what, so during the course of the event end up wearing their dates jacket.  You can buy them all the same color as your wedding, or have a variety of colors.  Keep the ladies warm and  we all like a pashmina for many events/reasons throughout the year.

Napkins rings  – these are big due to the wedding books with the beautiful place setting photo shoots that are being showcased.  I love them, they do look fabulous.  It’s just one of those ‘gifts’ that one or two of them isn’t normally enough to do something with them at home when you are normally going to use them, at a dinner party.  But I do see the smart ladies gathering a group of them due to people leaving them behind or ladies who at that moment have completely forgotton about them, so some do manage to collect enough to do a table of 4 or 6 at their home!!! LOL

The world is your oyster when it comes to favors/gifts/items.  Just google and you will be suprised what may come up.  It’s really about spending small or big amounts on something the guest will find useful or chuck away or just leave (which normally if mom realises at the end people didn’t take them she starts running around collecting whatever it is, not wanting it to go to waste, I always wonder in that situation is it worse for you to realise your guests didn’t appreciate/want what you spent good money on??), and how you feel about their reaction to it and what you spent, or would you have been better using that money to rent cool furniture they could sit on during the dancing, or more money for the bar.  You know your priorities and what is worth it to you either in item or $$ spent.  Always something to have to think about eh.

Till next time

Lisa

www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

714 305 7112