Wedding Recap and Withdrawal

It all went better than expected, and I feel like crying.

Our wedding was 6 days ago and it was honestly better than I had expected. Starting with my shower the week before, to the rehearsal dinner, I loved every moment. There were a few bumps in the road, like my sister not trying my dress tight enough (should have gotten my seamstress SIL to do it, but you know, tradition, ugh) so you can see it in loosening up in pictures, but people complimented my dress all night. My hair and make up were flawless. I also took too long screwing around before our first look and didn't get all the pictures I wanted. Totally my fault, I was chatting and drinking champagne not realizing my husband was stranding there in the sweltering heat. That was the other thing - the heat was almost unbearable, luckily we got married inside.
Our Ceremony was shockingly short, about 12 minutes but people kept complimenting me on on how nice the vows and readings were, so I was pleased.
I had a mini meltdown when people were being seated as I had forgotten one couple, but luckily there were a couple no shows and we had a spot for them right at the front. The food was sooo good, the cake amazing, the candy bar and photo booth were both a hit, and my flowers and CP's were unreal and so much better than I had imagined. On of my favorite parts were the speeches, our kissing game (singing a love song) the shoe game and my MC; everyone said it was the funniest and enjoyable dinner reception they had been to! The decorations which I DIY'ed or designed myself were better than expected, the uplighting and everything I had put together blew people away.
The dance went well even though a lot of people left after the meal, and my complaint about the DJ is that he took too many crappy requests from quests and played genre's I specifically said not to play (country..). I wished I had danced more but I was running around talking to everyone the whole time. Our midnight snack of Pizza was the talk of the wedding the day after.
So now I am seriously sad, do not want to go back to work, and with no lists or stress, my anxiety is now just a general cloud of uneasiness. Honeymoon plans are next, but it's still a little up in the air since my husband can't get the dates off that he wanted.

Anyways, that was my wedding. :)

Edit: I wanted to mention something that surprised me - people stole the centrepeices, the table numbers, and the table number holders as well as the escort cards holders (they cost me A LOT and planned on reselling). Has this happened to anyone else? I Was shocked to see that entire tables were swiped clean of decorations.

Re: It all went better than expected, and I feel like crying.

  • rlavachrlavach member
    1000 Comments Second Anniversary 5 Love Its
    edited August 2012
    I don't know what's going on with my post, so I apologize if it ends up being a double.

    First, congrats on your wedding! I totally understand feeling kind of confused after. Like you don’t know what to do with yourself anymore after all that planning. Many, including myself, felt the same way. Whatever little things went wrong, just forget them. Overall it seems like you had a fabulous wedding. 

    Regarding the centerpieces, it’s really common in my area for people to take them. My florist & DOC warned me also. I had spent a good deal of $ and also planned on reselling them. So we came up with a compromise. The center vase with the large floral arrangement was $1 from the $1 store. I won’t die if I lose those. So at the end of the night, the DOC gathered them all & put them on a table near the exit. So if someone wanted one, they could take that. It kind of helped them to understand that the rest was off limits. The very expensive, borrowed pieces were on our sweetheart table where I really didn’t think anyone would take from. I got everything I wanted back.  

    So for future brides out there, be prepared for this to happen. Have a plan so that people can take something, but not take the things that you want. Well, unless that’ s not common in your area, then nevermind!
  • I posted about this yesterday. Why do people think it is okay to take the decorations? So many people rent decorations that have to be returned. I would not walk into a McDonalds and take the salt and pepper shakers so why would it be okay to go to a wedding reception and steal the decorations?   We are rethinking the decorations for my daughters reception. We have antique candy dishes for each table. Depression glass vases etc.  Someone we know had several of the table cloths removed from the tables. I don't understand taking things that are not yours.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_it-all-went-better-than-expected-and-i-feel-like-crying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:12Discussion:6740c7eb-f547-4c6d-befb-02b1db6c89adPost:0510d567-262a-4fc7-910f-afddc6617532">Re: It all went better than expected, and I feel like crying.</a>:
    [QUOTE]I posted about this yesterday. Why do people think it is okay to take the decorations? So many people rent decorations that have to be returned. I would not walk into a McDonalds and take the salt and pepper shakers so why would it be okay to go to a wedding reception and steal the decorations?   We are rethinking the decorations for my daughters reception. <strong>We have antique candy dishes for each table. Depression glass vases etc.</strong>  Someone we know had several of the table cloths removed from the tables. I don't understand taking things that are not yours.
    Posted by theelusive1[/QUOTE]

    We had that also! Those items have monetary value and sentimental value. I had several people keeping an eye on things, so fortunately we didn't lose anything. I really think having a DOC is what helped the most.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_it-all-went-better-than-expected-and-i-feel-like-crying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:12Discussion:6740c7eb-f547-4c6d-befb-02b1db6c89adPost:0510d567-262a-4fc7-910f-afddc6617532">Re: It all went better than expected, and I feel like crying.</a>:
    [QUOTE]I posted about this yesterday. Why do people think it is okay to take the decorations? So many people rent decorations that have to be returned. I would not walk into a McDonalds and take the salt and pepper shakers so why would it be okay to go to a wedding reception and steal the decorations?   We are rethinking the decorations for my daughters reception. We have antique candy dishes for each table. Depression glass vases etc.  Someone we know had several of the table cloths removed from the tables. I don't understand taking things that are not yours.
    Posted by theelusive1[/QUOTE]

    I feel like everyone is out there looking for a freebie of some sort, or since they are taking time out of their schedules and giving a gift they are "owed" more than a meal and favors. Luckily I owned all of mine, I bought the CP vases and made most things but I had really thought I would get some money back by posting the items as an entire unit online for sale; so much for that. I'm surprised no one was trying to find a ladder to take the shabby-chic chandeliers I had hung. I think  maybe only one person took one of our table sqaures, made by my dad, but not the table cloths, WTF that would have me scratching my head.
  • I agree with the PP that said people wanting freebies.   It will confuse me to no end as to why you would go to a wedding to steal stuff and consider it a crime if someone came to your house to steal stuff. So many people I know rent their decorations and some always end up missing.   If I own it or not you do not steal stuff from a wedding/reception.  I can't imagine renting stuff then having to replace it too.
  • See that makes me nervous about people stealing decorations because I wanted to incorporate a bunch of pictures of my fiance and I in nice frames and I want to take them home after the wedding is over. 
  • We encouraged guests to take our centerpieces home.  I've also been to weddings where they play games to see who gets to take it home (birthday closest to the wedding day, etc).  Maybe it's just a regional NE thing??  I can see why you'd be upset though, if things had sentimental value.  Anyways, congratulations on your wedding!
    Photobucket Anniversary
  • I had planned on people taking our centerpieces home, because that's what people usually do at the weddings i've been to. So I made our centerpieces useful and potted little herbs for each table a some cute pictures of my husband and I in nice frames (which I had found on clearance, so no biggie). I was actually surprised at how few people took the centerpieces, and i had to make sure people took some of the herbs at the lunch the next day! :) I guess it is a regional/cultural thing- most of my family is from Michigan, if that makes any difference. I hadn't thought about it as being strange before! :)
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_it-all-went-better-than-expected-and-i-feel-like-crying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:12Discussion:6740c7eb-f547-4c6d-befb-02b1db6c89adPost:aa2cdc61-1cf0-4440-aadf-43a8e2505b6f">Re: It all went better than expected, and I feel like crying.</a>:
    [QUOTE]I had planned on people taking our centerpieces home, because that's what people usually do at the weddings i've been to. Posted by kayleaandwes[/QUOTE]

    Me too! Perhaps that's the mentality your guests came to your wedding with. Congratulations and all the best in your marriage.
  • Yes there are a lot of people who assume everything in the venue is a free for all once it's time to leave. 

    Table numbers in frames, I didn't mind as the frames were only a dollar. 

    Candles. yes I was missing a few candles.

    Centerpieces.  I was okay with, the vases were less than $3 and I sure as hell didn't want any more flowers.  Somebody wanted to take a lantern, I stopped it there.

    Placecards!  It was a kid thing.  Don't know what they planned on doing with cards with everybody's names on them.

    I had left over bottled sodas.  People were loading up on those to take home.  I was hoping to take one home as I was out of soda, didn't get one.

    The caterer boxed up any cake left overs.  I had to battle to take one home.  My own cake!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_it-all-went-better-than-expected-and-i-feel-like-crying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:12Discussion:6740c7eb-f547-4c6d-befb-02b1db6c89adPost:c82c5a36-2bf4-43c5-8625-3e7b50772261">Re: It all went better than expected, and I feel like crying.</a>:
    [QUOTE]<strong>We encouraged guests to take our centerpieces home.  I've also been to weddings where they play games to see who gets to take it home (birthday closest to the wedding day, etc).</strong>  Maybe it's just a regional NE thing??  I can see why you'd be upset though, if things had sentimental value.  Anyways, congratulations on your wedding!
    Posted by kks4471[/QUOTE]

    We changed this up by seeing who the first 12 people who RSVPd to the wedding were.  Then we left little cards at their tables with their names on them, thanking them for being a part of the day and for being so enthusiastic about coming to our wedding that they were among the very first to respond.  Those were the people who were invited to take home a centerpiece.  Those who got them were thrilled (particularly a friend of mine, who was already thrilled that she was given a +1, which I was already planning to give her but she didn't expect) and those who didn't RSVP and I had to call said "Huh?  I suppose I should really send back RSVPs, huh?"  Made people happy AND taught people about the value of RSVPing!

    However, I don't think that it should be a "given" that people take centerpeices.  I wouldn't, because you never know what belongs to the bride/groom, what was rented and expected back, or what belongs to the venue.  Plus, I don't think that just ANYONE should take stuff - I think the parents and grands should get first pick of goodies.  Unfortunately this happens, but it doesn't make it right.
  • I debated with giving the centerpieces away as i wanted to resell the vases but was renting tall from the florist and short i bought. So ended up saying they could give away the centerpieces, but what i didnt anticipate all the other thiings they would walk out with. We ended up having only 14 circle tables instead of the 20/18 we planned for then put bridal party at a different configuration. So i gave the florist almost 20 or so mixture of 5 inch cubes and 6 inch. So she used all the extra around the areas and cocktail. Which looked nice but i didnt know people would swipe all the extra and all the colored vases in cocktail hour 11+. I should of thought to tell the coordinator at the sight that i didnt want people taking the vases from the cocktail area. I didnt care if they took the flowers just wanted the vases back. I figured giving away the centerpieces would allievate this. Also had a ton of silver painted shells i had 3 layers in a large box i think i got 1 layer back.
    Live an you learn. Im in the process of washing my linens man did people make a mess.
    Although people are raving about the awesome time they had. 
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • This is all making me rethink the decorations.  Most are crystal or antique and we own them.  We had already planned on putting the depression glass candy dishes on the head table. We have collected these items with our daughter over her life and she always said this was her wedding stuff. We never thought it would not be the decorations/serving items. Maybe I will put a price tag on each item and anyone that wants them can pay at the door, okay I was joking but get real people don't steal stuff.  I have heard of a wedding goose but a wedding frisking?   
  • This must be regional.  I have never heard of anyone stealing the centerpiece or other table items.
  • O gosh I didn't even really think about that.. I hope none of the centerpieces get taken, the flowers will be in teal mason jars that I absolutely plan on reselling after. Ahh! It's making me think I shouldn't use those and just dye clear mason jars..
    Planning/Project Fit

    Photobucket
    "Sounds of laughter shades of earth are ringing through my open ears inciting and inviting me"
  • Everyone kept telling me things will disappear...like our napkin rings, napkins, centerpieces, etc.

    Nothing, that I am aware of, was taken. We may be a napkin or two short, but I highly doubt anyone took them. I think they may have been tossed or swooped up with linens we rented. I haven't counted napkin rings, because those aren't a big deal. None of our centerpieces disappeared (granted they were big potted manzanita branches lol). Thank goodness because we just had another reception out here in Massachusetts last weekend and used them again! (Wedding was in Indiana.) At the end of the 2nd reception, my flower girl did ask if she could have one to hang jewelry on...of course I gave it to her! I also had one lady offer to buy four of the centerpieces LOL I'm going to take her up on it, too. That will leave me with 10 (5 of which are still in Indiana), so once I get those, I plan to try to resell the rest.

    Anyway, I guess I don't find it that odd that things were taken, but as a guest, I would NEVER do that without being told I could, or asking (which I would not do unless I was REALLY close with the person, and offered to pay for it!)

    Anyway, congrats on being married!!! Sounds like it went well!
    imageAnniversary
  • I don't know why people would take table numbers.  But maybe they thought the place-card holders were favors (plenty of people do this), and as for the centerpieces, at every wedding I've been to, it was expected that the guests would take them home.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • okay well now I am rethinking everything.   my daughter said put a price tag on everything.  so they would oh crap when they got it home.

  • I think we are going to put it out that everything is rented.  If your interested in buying etc we can tell you who to talk to.  Like just in conversation with some aunts who talk. Just say everything is going great when they ask,  and say we were able to RENT everything.  
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