"Theme" Dilemma

Re: "Theme" Dilemma

• MobKaz member

  

  August 2013

  Can you speak to the venue management to see if they could assist you in upgrading their typical offerings?  I can understand their policy regarding bringing in outside consumables; that is actually SOP for most venues.  If you are simply looking for a few flavored syrups, whipped cream, honey, lemon, and perhaps a few flavored liqueurs, I can't imagine why they would be opposed to that.  I would certainly start there.  If the coffee bar means that much to you, I would use my money for that more than general decor.

  
  

  You can still interject that love of coffee through your escort cards and table numbers.  I have seen some centerpieces that sit among coffee beans that look very pretty.  

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• alithebride member

  

  August 2013

  Why not do lavender and rose centerpieces?
  Have you explained your love of tea and coffee to the person at the venue? They order their yea and coffee from somewhere perhaps they can upgrade.

   

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• SP29 member

  

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  That is super lame the venue won't accommodate you "upping" the tea/coffee bar- like really? It's not the tea and coffee they are making money off of, and they'd be saving money with you providing your own... 

  
  

  I have a centerpiece idea for you- our venue consultant told us about a couple who met working in a coffee shop so their them was coffee. For centerpieces they had large vases filled with coffee beans and vanilla candles- and that is how the room smelled, like coffee and vanilla- yum!

  
  

  Perhaps you could do something similar? I don't know what coffee beans and lavender candles would smell like, but you could try it at home first.

  
  

  I also like the idea of lavender and roses in your centerpieces- you can also get lavender coloured roses (and likely find lavender coloured carnations if you want something more budget friendly). 

  
  

  If you are having table names, you could name each one a type of tea or coffee, such as earl gray, etc, if you're into that. 

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• Jen4948 member

  

  August 2013

  To be honest, if these things are that important to you, I'm surprised you didn't find this out before you booked the hall that won't let you do it.  If there's time and it's feasible financially, I'd find another venue that will.
  
  If not, then I like the PPs' suggestion of centerpieces and possibly candles.
  

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• Viczaesar member

  

  August 2013

  Just be careful - lavender is a pretty common allergen.  So are roses, for that matter.
  

  
  
  
  

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• Grabows14 member

  

  August 2013

  I would incorporate the tea and coffee in your place cards, table numbers, centerpeices and wedding favor (maybe enough tea/coffee to make one pot).

  

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• JoanE2012 member

  

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  DaniBelle15 said:

  Hello all! I'm hoping some brides with good ideas can help me with a little snafu I've encountered in decorating my reception. When my fiance and I set about planning our upcoming wedding we initially decided we wanted to do a tea and coffee theme, at that is something we are known for. I was going to do loose leaf tea and gourmet coffee favors, which I'm still planning on doing. I had planned on doing a coffee and tea bar at the reception, but our hall informed us that they do not allow outside consumables, and they only offer the typical spread (regular, decaf coffee, hot or iced black tea). I was pretty much crushed when we learned this because that one idea was my foundation for future planning. Now I have no idea how to go about appropriately decorating my venue to incorporate our theme.

  
  

  A few little notes: our colors are silver and lilac. I want to make this reception look as elegant as possible, but need all the decorations to come to a total no higher than $1000. We are expecting roughly 110-125 guests, with table numbers ranging anywhere from 13 to 20, not including our sweetheart table. I don't want our reception to look anything like a child's tea party, especially since we aren't having any children attend!

  
  

  We also aren't allowed to have anything "sprinkled" in the hall. Originally I had planned to do some favors using a lavender tea I love, and was going to have lavender and rose petals tossed about on the tables for decoration, but that's not allowed. Nothing like confetti, glitter, anything like that is prohibited.

  
  

  I'm somewhat frantic, as I have been watching My Fair Wedding and don't want my venue to be decorated in a way that some of the brides on there originally planned their's to look. I want it to come out like a grown-up, elegant and understood concept and execution. Aside from the favors, I literally have nothing else that is even remotely close to what our theme is. If one were to look at our wedding plans it would seem as though our wedding is theme-less, and that makes me sad. Any advice?

  
  

  Thanks!

  I would try and have fewer tables.  20 tables (or even near it) is alot for 110-125 guests.  Plus, the more tables you have, the more centerpieces you'll need.  You'll better work with your $1000 budget with fewer tables.

  
  

  I would check with the venue and see if you can upgrade the coffee and tea selection.  Otherwise, just incorporate it into the favors and escort tables and call it a day.  Don't get too hooked on a huge theme for your wedding.  I like it better anyway when the theme is wedding and love.

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• allispain member

  

  August 2013

  Go for simple and subtle - like you said, you don't want this scream "children's party." Table numbers, centerpieces, and favors are really all you need. PPs have already given some good suggestions.

  
  

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• RebeccaB88 member

  

  August 2013

  If you really wanted to use the rose petals and lavendar buds, you could mix them in glass bowls, or layer them in tall glass vases.
  
  Would the venue let you hire a professional coffee/tea service for the event? Or, would they special order the things you want to have through their regular service if you paid extra for it?  Would not hurt to ask.
  
  If the theme is that important to you, I think you'd need to find another venue. Otherwise, bring the theme in through favors and call it a day.
  

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• heidirs731 member

  

  August 2013

  I think tea cups and maybe coffee bags as table centers would be cute. I LOVE your favors!

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• ADH0906 member

  

  August 2013

  I've seen some really lovely centerpieces from candles nestled into coffee beans (as @SP29 suggested)...or if you really want to use the lavender and roses theme, you can do a large cylinder vase with a smaller-diameter cylinder vase within.  Between the two, you can put the lavender buds and/or rose petals, and still use the inner vase for water for the flower arrangements if you like.

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• mrsb53 member

  

  September 2013

  Instead of scattering, like other posters have suggested, put the petals in a glass vase or container. Same with coffee and tea. It can't be scattered, but it can still be on display. Maybe place the glass containers on small mirrors.

  

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• DaniBelle15 member

  

  September 2013

  Thanks for all the advice! We've made some alterations to our decoration ideas and have come up with some things that we hope will work!

  
  

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• ShellLillian member

  

  September 2013

  Could you have really elegant tea bags and chocolate covered coffee beans as favors?
  
  I think everything else can be done more subtley and that way it will still be super classy and shouldn't break any venue rules.
  
  
  

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