Repost with my long list of things I need help with!

Frogger5

Hi everyone - just wanted to repost this to see if anyone can help me! (I added this to the Thursday thread, but I think it might have sort of gotten lost.)

1) What to give our ring bearer and flower girl for gifts. They are both about 6 years old (just finished kindergarden) and I'd like to find something that they can appreciate now and when they're older. I'm looking for something other than the traditional glass or silver thing that's engraved.

2) Getting ready: I think I will have the stylist (hair and makeup) I hired come to FI and my house, and everyone (all the women at least!) can come here to get ready. This will be me, two bridesmaids, the flower girl and her mother, and my mom, so 6 people. For the guys, there will be the two groomsmen, FI, and the ring bearer (plus his mom and dad), so 6 people again. I don't know where to put the guys though! We weren't planning on getting a hotel for the wedding night, but maybe we will just to solve this problem. And then, we have two groups of 6 people that need transportation to the venue - does that mean two limos? I don't really like the idea of a limo, but would it be weird to split up the people into four town cars? And wouldn't that probably end up being more expensive, anyway? My goodness, am I over thinking this? Any transportation compnay recommendations?

3) How to pick who our witnesses will be? We are each having two people stand up for us, so it doesn't work to have Maid of Honor and Best Man since we don't have them. Maybe our mothers, but then the father of the groom would be the only one left out.

4) How are/did you attack the seating plan? We're having about 150 and I want to do assigned seating. I just don't know if we should be trying to put everyone who already knows each other together or try to mix everyone up and put them next to people that we think they'll enjoy.

5) Ceremony music - how the heck am I supposed to pick songs? We're having a pianist. It's not religious at all. FI and I don't really have any special songs. I don't want it to be super generic, but I guess this is the thing I care least about, and FI hasn't expressed any interest, either. Any good websites or something? (I know how to Google, but sometimes that is just so overwhelming!!)

TIA!

mgoss228

1) What to give our ring bearer and flower girl for gifts. They are both about 6 years old (just finished kindergarden) and I'd like to find something that they can appreciate now and when they're older. I'm looking for something other than the traditional glass or silver thing that's engraved.
We didn't have any children attendants, so I can't be much help.  You could look at the Shop that TK has for ideas, that's how I figured out the parents' gifts.

2) Getting ready: I think I will have the stylist (hair and makeup) I hired come to FI and my house, and everyone (all the women at least!) can come here to get ready. This will be me, two bridesmaids, the flower girl and her mother, and my mom, so 6 people. For the guys, there will be the two groomsmen, FI, and the ring bearer (plus his mom and dad), so 6 people again. I don't know where to put the guys though! We weren't planning on getting a hotel for the wedding night, but maybe we will just to solve this problem.
Could your FI stay/get ready at a GM's home?  You might be able to avoid having to get a hotel room.  Also a lot of venues have a Groom's Suite and Bridal Suite, he might be able to get ready there.

And then, we have two groups of 6 people that need transportation to the venue - does that mean two limos? I don't really like the idea of a limo, but would it be weird to split up the people into four town cars? And wouldn't that probably end up being more expensive, anyway? My goodness, am I over thinking this? Any transportation compnay recommendations?
I don't have any transportation recs (we only had a 45 person shuttle for our wedding and it was for the guests to get to-and-from the Hotel/Venue).  I would go with whatever option is cheaper (limos vs. towncars).

3) How to pick who our witnesses will be? We are each having two people stand up for us, so it doesn't work to have Maid of Honor and Best Man since we don't have them. Maybe our mothers, but then the father of the groom would be the only one left out.
I think it's fine to have the mothers be the witnesses, or any siblings would work too.  The FOG probably won't mind if he's "left out."  Are you signing the papers during the ceremony?  If not, there isn't any real reason for anyone to have hurt feelings about signing or not signing the marriage license.

4) How are/did you attack the seating plan? We're having about 150 and I want to do assigned seating. I just don't know if we should be trying to put everyone who already knows each other together or try to mix everyone up and put them next to people that we think they'll enjoy.
I would seat people with others they know, most people won't become friends over your wedding day.  But it's okay to mix up some groups, because it's unlikely that family/friend groups will all RSVP "Yes" in nice, even table numbers. 
Once you start getting RSVPs, is a good time to start "drafting" your seating chart.  I probably made dozens of drafts while waiting for all the RSVPs, and TK's Seating Chart tool really helped me.

5) Ceremony music - how the heck am I supposed to pick songs? We're having a pianist. It's not religious at all. FI and I don't really have any special songs. I don't want it to be super generic, but I guess this is the thing I care least about, and FI hasn't expressed any interest, either. Any good websites or something? (I know how to Google, but sometimes that is just so overwhelming!!)
I would talk to your pianist about song recommendations.  A lot of girls on TK have song recs on their Wedding Bios, I would start browsing those for ideas.

HTH!

Frogger5

Thanks mgoss - the GMs both live on the East Side, so that won't really work, although they maybe could use the house his family is renting for the week. We are going to sign the license during the ceremony, but you're right, the FOG probably wouldn't really feel left out! I'm just nervous in general! I will call the pianist - I guess I didn't want to since we haven't met - we've heard his music and talked/made arrangements with the band leader only. I'll have to do it, though!

sparent2010

For witnesses I thought it was supposed to be you MOH and BM