40-Plus Brides

What kind of wedding are you having?

We are renewing our vows on the beach here in SC, with a dinner afterwards at a restaurant overlooking the ocean.  We'll be inviting about 60 people, most of whom are traveling to the beach for the festivities.  Our colors are light chartruese and light aqua blue.  We're using green orchids and green hydrangea (not together) and here is our cake. 



Just because we're older doesn't mean we aren't going to have beautiful weddings!  I would love to hear what everyone else is doing for their weddings.

Re: What kind of wedding are you having?

  • Retro for me. 1950s-ish. But not every detail--I'm calling it retro-inspired.

    I hope to be able to rent out the diner in my neighborhood for this. But I haven't asked them yet. I'm waiting until I have a better sense of the time frame. We are in the midst of doing immigration with USCIS to enable Brit FI to live and work here. Until we have jumped a few more bureaucratic hurdles, we really can't make plans. But then, when his feet hit the US, we have to marry in 90 days. So it's challenging.
    Retro/Vintage Inspirations

    imageimageimage

  • vexievexie member
    First Comment
    edited April 2011
    Hi all :)

    It's both of our second go at this... I'm divorced (made a super bad choice with #1) and my fiance is a widower with two small children.  We're focusing our day to be a simple, intimate day that hopefully reflects the love we have for each other.  Ceremony and reception are being held at a gorgeous old church that's been converted into a fine dining restaurant.   The place is all dark wood, stained glass, red... so pretty we don't have to do any decorating whatsoever! whoo hoo! No tulle, no twinkle lights, no bubbles, no uplighting, no multi-tiered centrepieces hehe.... we were told that all we needed to bring was the cake, the card box, guest book and table chart.  How awesome is that!  We're having 75 of our closest friends and family there... ceremony, cocktail hour then dinner created by their great chef (all the money is going towards the food!).   No dance... will be an early night. But I can't wait... I think it's going to be the most fun day/evening of my life :)

    We're having lots of little kids in the wedding (4 flowergirls aged 3-5, 2 jr bridesmaids aged 9 & 11 and a jr usher aged 9,  1 maid of honour who will wear black, little girls in white and pink and I will be carrying a bouquet made up of red roses, pink peonies and pink gerbera daisies.  The groom and best man will wear the same pink gerbera daisy (that's our theme).  The daisies will also be on our cupcakes :)

    Oh.. and yes, I'm wearing a 'real' wedding dress... just not quite as elaborate as some of the first timers are doing these days :)
    84image 73image 11image Wedding date: June 11, 2011 :)
  • @ memSomerville- sounds like an awesome time!
    @vexie- sounds beautiful!
  • Oh Vexie, sounds exactly like what I want - I wish we had a reception site like that!!!   

    I really like the black dresses with the pink daisies - are you using the light ones or the deep ones???  
  • We are getting married on the beach in Mexico!  As of right now it will be about 20 people joining us.

    After our early afternoon ceremony on the beach, we will go to one of our favorite bar/restaurants for the party.

    Then a month later we'll have an "AHR" (at home reception) in FI's hometown in Wisconsin. 
  • Eloping on the beach - just me, him & officiant.  Having an open house a few weeks after we return for about 75. Wooohooo, come on 4 months! lol
    Created by Wedding Favors
  • Hello you all,

    This is my third time and his second time. I am divorced from the first marriage and widow from the second. Together we have 5 kids, three sons for me and two daughters for him. I also have a grandson that will walk me in the aisle.
    This will be my very first real wedding: when I got married the first time, I was very, very young (17 y.o.) and everything was organized and planned by my parents (dad was a diplomat then), so it was pretty much "their" party where I didn't know most of the guests.!
    My second was a quick run to the city hall in Italy, and a great honeymoon in Aruba with vows exchange on the beach. No party, no guests.
    After 15 years, there you go again, but this time is our party the way we want it (mostly me), along with our family (mostly his), in his home state.
    We will be getting married in a non denominational church (Christian ceremony is very important for us both), with reception in a winery for 60-65 ppl. As a matter of fact, his family that doesn't have a whole reunion in 16 years, is taking our wedding as a big family reunion, so we will have other two social functions linked to the wedding (instead RD it will be Welcome party + Farwell Brunch). His local family plus the out of state family, and my out of the country family will attend it. I will be wearing a pearl dress not that bridal, no veil, very good for dancing, and wearable afterwards. 
    I'll be carrying along with my bouquet the most precious locker with the pics of my son that died last year, because I want all my family there, even though they are in heaven!
    And I trust god this will be a day to keep in our lives forever more!!Smile
     

  • 2dBride2dBride member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited April 2011
    Our wedding was my second, but my wife's first.  Because we're a same-sex couple, it had to be in Massachusetts at the time.  (This was before other states had same-sex marriage.)  We had an intimate Jewish ceremony (only a dozen guests) in a synagogue, then took everyone to a luncheon in the private dining room of a nearby Legal Sea Foods.  Three days later, we had an evening at-home reception in DC for 60 people, with heavy hors d'oeuvres, music, dancing, and a DIY fauxtobooth.



  • beckys67beckys67 member
    First Comment
    edited April 2011
    Second time around for me and 3rd for him. The first time I went to the jop. So I really wanted a wedding this time. We are having a country wedding. The wedding is outside under a beautiful big tree and the reception inside a converted barn. My oldest son will be walking me down the aisle and my youngest is the rb. My cousin's little girl is fg. Hoping a family member will be there to play the guitar during the ceremony. He is trying to rearrange college exams. The barn will be decorated with white lights, pink tulle, paper lanterns, and sage green table cloths.  Having a buffet style dinner and ofcourse a dj for dancing. Can't wait! Only 2 weeks away. By the way I love the 40's Board. Good luck to all of youSmile
  • sounds beautiful!
  • vexievexie member
    First Comment
    Oh wow... all of your weddings sound so gorgeous!!  Isn't fun the second time around.... not as many expectations and pressures as the first time :)  Even when Mom makes her 'suggestions' I can just smile, nod and still go do what we want. 

    As for the daisies, we're going with the bright, dark pink ones :)  I was going to have the guys wear a red sweetheart rose for their boutiniere but my fiance decided he wanted the pink daisy too lol.  I love it!
    84image 73image 11image Wedding date: June 11, 2011 :)
  • edited April 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_40-plus-brides_kind-of-wedding-having?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:69dea60c-2319-4015-8380-4a5cc0f18476Discussion:5184aae1-a80d-4aff-aa7d-f3cca41d55e1Post:b05409d0-8283-4900-85e0-4e08c47921cd">Re: What kind of wedding are you having?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Oh wow... all of your weddings sound so gorgeous!!  Isn't fun the second time around.... not as many expectations and pressures as the first time :)  Posted by vexie[/QUOTE]

    Yes, the 2nd time around is much more relaxed.  Our ceremony wasn't an issue nor the open house but the FOOD was.  People kept telling me I HAD to serve dinner because the "open house" is @ dinner time.  Hello????  Umm, it's an open house with no RSVP.  A sit down dinner, really?  Too bad. lol!  I stated on the open house annoucement that it's an app's menu - so the have the option to eat before they come.   I don't know who eats at 7pm either - then again, maybe I'm the odd one out.  At my house, dinner is on the table between 530 & 6.

    And if anyone has attended an open house - did you stay the entire time and expect dinner? 
    Created by Wedding Favors
  • Oh, it's never hard to get me to post pictures of our gowns!  The thing I really loved about them is that although they were entirely different styles, the embroidery was similar enough to make them look like they were meant to go together.  You can click on any of the photos to see a larger version.

    Mine:



    NotFroofy's



    Both of them during our first dance:




    Both of them, bustled:



  • I have to admit I'm having the BWW (big white wedding). It's the first for both of us. At first I was a little hesitant to be in 40 and celebrating, but our friends can't wait and neither can we! Different from if I was 25, our wedding is more about close friends and family.
    image
  • As for the daisies, we're going with the bright, dark pink ones :)  I was going to have the guys wear a red sweetheart rose for their boutiniere but my fiance decided he wanted the pink daisy too lol.  I love it!

    Vexie - I think I may have totally changed my thoughts and ideas on colors because of you!!!   I found the cutest dresses that can be switched up and now I'm thinking black knee length dresses and hot pink trim with those gerbera daisies!!   Brilliant !!!  

    http://www.lizfields.com/Product/Bridesmaid-Dresses/Short-Strapless-Style-351/

    and my maids 2 are totally in shape, one super thin, and one good with strapless - but if not - they have matching jackets!!!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_40-plus-brides_kind-of-wedding-having?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:69dea60c-2319-4015-8380-4a5cc0f18476Discussion:5184aae1-a80d-4aff-aa7d-f3cca41d55e1Post:3b32d4a3-2a45-4943-9bd3-c70b8df9ef8a">Re: What kind of wedding are you having?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I have to admit I'm having the BWW (big white wedding). It's the first for both of us. At first I was a little hesitant to be in 40 and celebrating, but our friends can't wait and neither can we! Different from if I was 25, our wedding is more about close friends and family.
    Posted by Giaspo[/QUOTE]I was 56 and on my second wedding.  My wife was 41 and had never been married before.  And we still did the white wedding thing.  There aren't wedding police out there ready to haul you in if you are over 25 and want the BWW.
  • When we first began planning (first wedding for us both, we were just late to the game because we're nerds *smile*), I had a Jane Austen theme in mind.  We found a very nice venue, planned to decorate it like an English garden and have 100 guests.  I had even found a Empire(ish) style dress (came out amazing after alterations).

    But then our workplace (local school district) canned a bunch of jobs.  So, we downscaled and decided to rework our priorities.  We cut our guest list to 25 and decided to splurge on an amazing reception dinner.  Thankfully, we hadn't put down any deposits yet, so we went with a casino chapel (Mandalay Bay in Vegas) package for our ceremony and dinner at a restaurant that was a close walk from the chapel.

    In the end, it turned out to be the best way for us to celebrate!

  • Lisa50Lisa50 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited May 2011
    We are having an outdoor ceremony on the terrace at an historic inn.  Here's our canopy inspiration:



    We're inviting about 75 people, with an expectation (based upon chatter after STDs were sent) that 60 dear family and friends will show.  Dinner and dancing will be in the atrium (photographed from the door which which leads to/from the terrace):



    It is a non-denominational Christian ceremony, to be officiated by my cousin.  She has been a minister for about 3 years.  Prelude and ceremony music are heavy, heavy on the classical -- except for Purple Haze, which kicks off the prelude -- all played by a string quartet.

    My son (18) will be my best man.  He and another cousin's wife will play a duet as our musical interlude during the ceremony.  ** proud mom alert **

    This is my dress (off the rack from Nordstrom):



    These are my shoes (custom made from Shoes of Prey in Australia):



    ETA: This will be my second marriage and FI's third.  It's the last one for both of us.  Amen!
  • edited April 2011
    Everyone's plans sound great.  Pics of thos that are married are so pretty.

    We are getting married at a hotel here in Denver.  The ceremony is in the atrium on the second floor and the reception is in the ballroom on the 12th floor with floor to ceiling windows to see the mountains for miles. 

    We are thinking about 110 people will be there from our guest list.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    130image Invited to dance the night away!
    92image Want to show their best moves!
    38image Have two left feet and won't be dancing!
    0image Are too embarrased to say they don't dance!

  • This was my husband's first, my second.  I wanted an intimate DW, but his parents wanted to give us a wedding since it would be their only opportunity to host anything like this for their child getting married.  So we did the whole hotel wedding, with cocktails, open bar, the works.  It was a blast!  I tried to keep it elegant and understated.  Our venue was the hotel we went to for drinks after dinner on our first date.  I wore a white dress which I also chose because it was elegant and simple.  I wish this board had been here when I was planning! 

  • We are having a fall wedding.  10-1-11  We are getting married in a covered bridge in VT.  Reception will be at a local Moose Club.  It will be very "fall" feeling.  I can't wait.  I am doing the big white dress again and long veil. 

    You can check out my wedding page for more info
  • This is a second wedding for both of us. Originally we had planned on Christmas Eve 2011 for about 25 family members in our home with an elegant dinner to follow. However, the families became very overwhelming and it was turning into more about managing personalities than a day of love & joy. We got some great advice from some friends that recently had a second wedding. They suggested either eloping or keeping it VERY small 2-6 guests max! The second we heard that we knew it was right for us. We are now getting married on September 23rd, 2011 at the historic courthouse in Prescott, AZ. There will be four close friends in attendance. Afterwards we are walking over to a beautiful restaurant in an lovely Victorian house for a special dinner.www.theroserestaurant.com  It is going to be a special evening with friends we adore and low stress. The families are still trying to invite themselves but we are standing firm. A few weeks after the wedding we will have a reception for friends & family. Streamlining everything was the only way we both could keep our sanity.
  • we are having a small wedding in Mexico  10-20ppl max
  • My second wedding and his first. We are renting a beach house in California for a week ,and were having a destination wedding on the beach. Approximately 30 people will be traveling from Michigan. Most who have never been to California Catered BBQ with cupcakes and an icecream bar! The theme is beachy, fun, relaxed!!!  Soo Excited!

  • I LOVE this cake!
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards