Mixing themes?

erika610

Hey knotties! I'm having a January '14 wedding, and my primary theme is snowflakes and crystals. My colors are white red, and gold. I am, however a Disney junkie and my FH and I share a love of Harry Potter and LOTR. I'm going to have the decor be manzanita trees and crystal iced branches, with candles, so there's winter. I have a nod to our geekiness in using "Concerning Hobbits" for my girls' processional and an instrumental of "Tale As Old As Time" for my walk down the aisle song. But I feel like our wedding needs a little more us in it. I was thinking about using Disney couples instead of table numbers, but I don't think that would really go at all. We have the opportunity for a signature cocktail and we were thinking about trying to create butterbeer but I can't find a good recipe. Any ideas for putting a little subtle geek into a very elegant wedding?

melb2013

I think what you've done is enough.  I don't like "themed" weddings- the theme of a weddings is marriage.  I think what you've done is enough of a theme without screaming THEME.

Jen4948

Don't bother.  You've already "nodded to your geekiness."  Your guests are coming to celebrate your marriage-not your "geekiness."

Simply Fated

I would skip the table names.

But mugglenet has an easy Butterbeer recipe...
http://www.mugglenet.com/misc/rosmertas/butterbeer.shtml

heidirs731

You could have little figurines scattered about, like Gandalf under the crystal tree.

I haven't found a butterbeer recipe that was good. Most of them are pretty stomach turning (I'd stay away from anything combining cream soda and butter), though I haven't tried any alcoholic ones. But I would make sure you try it and love it before you serve it.

Here's a simple one a just found, but I haven't tried it myself. http://www.twoveggies.com/highly-alcoholic-butterbeer/

I do think since you have a number of themes, Disney, Lotr, HP, that things can get a little confusing or overwhelming if you incorporate them too much. I like the subtle things you are doing with the music and drinks. You could also do themed center pieces for the tables or instead of names of Disney couples you could name the table after places (Cinderella's Castle, The shire, Hogwarts, etc). I think that would work well if you have clusters of themed tables (upper right is HP, left is Lotr, rest is Disney).

Also, there's a lot of wedding theme haters on TheKnot, so be prepared for negative comments.

southernbelle0915

You'll have plenty of "us" in your wedding - you two are getting married and the focus will be on the two of you all night. Themes can distract from the couple. You've nodded to the disney thing and the geeky thing. I think you're good.

Also, please stick with table numbers. I went to a wedding where the theme was travel and the tables were places the couple had traveled together. It look me 20 minutes to find my seat.

erika610

Thanks, ladies. I really wanted to keep it from being overwhelming or confusing. I like the idea of names instead of numbers for the tables because I don't want anyone feeling slighted ("Why am I at 12 when she's at 5?"), but I see where you're coming from. Do you have any ideas on a signature cocktail we could offer instead of the elusive butterbeer? 

melb2013

NOBODY feels slighted about the numbers- that's ridiculous.  Our tables were numbered in order from one end of an arch of tables to the other- we were in the center at table 8.  

Numbers make sense because people can find their table quickly.  Nobody cares that you wanted to have cutesy table names, but they do want to be able to find their seats quickly.  

I went to a wedding where the tables were names of cities.  There were only 8 tables at the wedding and we ended up having to go to all 8 tables to find ours.

heidirs731

Oh, my goodness. I did a google search for HP, LotR, and Disney inspired cocktails, and I found a bunch! I sent you a PM with the links because there was too much to post here. Maybe you can pick out a few favorites and we can help narrow them down.

heidirs731

You could always have sign at the door which displays the tables and their themes. That would make it easy for people to find their table.

I also don't mind if I have to look every table to find my seat. I usually look at them all anyway because I like seeing the different themes.

jlhart76

A friend has found a butter beer recipe online that tastes almost as good as the real thing at Universal Studios. It's non alcoholic but I'm sure you could add booze to it no problem. I'd have to ask for the recipe tho.

jlhart76

A friend has found a butter beer recipe online that tastes almost as good as the real thing at Universal Studios. It's non alcoholic but I'm sure you could add booze to it no problem. I'd have to ask for the recipe tho.

kkcaper14

Sorry to hi-jack this thread but I'm having a large wedding (probably 20-25 tables).  Originally I was planing on just having table #s but came up with a bunch of cute ideas for non-numbered tables.  My concern is what PP have mentioned...having trouble finding tables!  I've had similar issues even finding numbered tables before.  What about putting table names in alphabetical order?  Any other ideas?  Thanks

southernbelle0915

kkcaper14 said:

Sorry to hi-jack this thread but I'm having a large wedding (probably 20-25 tables).  Originally I was planing on just having table #s but came up with a bunch of cute ideas for non-numbered tables.  My concern is what PP have mentioned...having trouble finding tables!  I've had similar issues even finding numbered tables before.  What about putting table names in alphabetical order?  Any other ideas?  Thanks

Can you number your tables AND have a theme? In other words, Use numbers to make locating the table easy for guests but use your centerpieces, place settings, or another element to portray the theme you want. 

For example, if the B&G at the wedding I went to had printed table numbers AND the flag of the country they visited on both the escort card and the table label, I would have found my seat no problem and they still would have incorporated their theme. 

Xstatic3333

kkcaper14 said:

Sorry to hi-jack this thread but I'm having a large wedding (probably 20-25 tables).  Originally I was planing on just having table #s but came up with a bunch of cute ideas for non-numbered tables.  My concern is what PP have mentioned...having trouble finding tables!  I've had similar issues even finding numbered tables before.  What about putting table names in alphabetical order?  Any other ideas?  Thanks

Ditto PP about using table numbers and your theme. No reason you can't have both! Maybe you could also post a "map" near the escort cards to make finding the tables easier.

grumbledore

melb2013 said:

I think what you've done is enough.  I don't like "themed" weddings- the theme of a weddings is marriage.  I think what you've done is enough of a theme without screaming THEME.

^^This.  I don't even get the whole "the first thing you should do when planning a wedding is pick a theme" thing.  

PeachesNCream22

I love your theme ideas! I'm a fan of mixing and matching too, since it seems like all of your ideas have fantasy elements so they'll go together well. Maybe try some of the more subtle ideas on this Harry Potter wedding list. The tree branch arrangements sound like they'll go with all of your ideas and be elegant too. 

AddieCake

Sounds like overkill to me. 

davisse3

You could use Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings fonts on printed items like programs and escort cards. Stick with one to avoid making it too busy, though. Or, if its a really decorative font (like most of the Lord of the Rings fonts), use it for titles and use a plain looking font for everything else. 

Are you having a grooms cake? You could do a themed cake there. 

If you can't find a butterbeer recipe you like, what about Fire Whiskey or different drink from HP or LotR?