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July 2016 Weddings
wesnick
member
July 3 Brunch Wedding - details so far...
Not sure if people are lurking or not here yet, but I'll get things started! We're doing a Sunday morning brunch wedding on July 3 in San Francisco. He's a teacher so it needs to be summer, and since our families are so spread out across the country we hope that having days off on either side of the wedding will help with travel. San Francisco will be much more pleasant than the East Coast for a July wedding, plus I grew up there. We hope that we won't interfere with people's other plans, but we completely understand if folks can't make it. We prefer a smaller wedding anyhow.
We decided on brunch because we're both morning people who enjoy getting out and about early and then spending quiet evenings at home :-) We'll probably do mimosas, bloody Marys, and coffee "spikes" plus beer and wine. Currently considering a crepe OR omelet bar, bagel and schmear station with lox plus all the other trimmings (we're both Jewish so it's like comfort food to us), mini passed pancake stacks on toothpicks, french toast points and mini shot glasses of syrup for dipping, big fruit display or some sort, and maybe some sort of other protein/meat selection (we're not kosher so it's cool!). We'll have a combination of high-top and low-top tables, plus maybe some cushy couches and chairs, for a very casual feel - almost like a cocktail party. We're thinking about setting out some boardgames and customized crosswords for guests too. Hoping for a small dance floor so we can do some dancing but so it won't look super empty if not a ton of people want to shake their groove thangs so early in the AM. Music will be a small live band that can do jazzy, folky, morning-appropriate music and then we'll supplement with an iPod for whatever they can't do and to give them breaks/let them eat.
Something a little offbeat that we're thinking about is having a small coffee/pastry station set up for guests BEFORE the ceremony so they can grab a little to-go cup of something right away since it'll be early. I'm hoping we can do a 10:30 or 11:00 ceremony (will only last 30 min max), so some noshes will be helpful if guests didn't eat beforehand either.
Hoping other people will show up here when they start planning and share some of their plans - can't wait to "meet" you!
We decided on brunch because we're both morning people who enjoy getting out and about early and then spending quiet evenings at home :-) We'll probably do mimosas, bloody Marys, and coffee "spikes" plus beer and wine. Currently considering a crepe OR omelet bar, bagel and schmear station with lox plus all the other trimmings (we're both Jewish so it's like comfort food to us), mini passed pancake stacks on toothpicks, french toast points and mini shot glasses of syrup for dipping, big fruit display or some sort, and maybe some sort of other protein/meat selection (we're not kosher so it's cool!). We'll have a combination of high-top and low-top tables, plus maybe some cushy couches and chairs, for a very casual feel - almost like a cocktail party. We're thinking about setting out some boardgames and customized crosswords for guests too. Hoping for a small dance floor so we can do some dancing but so it won't look super empty if not a ton of people want to shake their groove thangs so early in the AM. Music will be a small live band that can do jazzy, folky, morning-appropriate music and then we'll supplement with an iPod for whatever they can't do and to give them breaks/let them eat.
Something a little offbeat that we're thinking about is having a small coffee/pastry station set up for guests BEFORE the ceremony so they can grab a little to-go cup of something right away since it'll be early. I'm hoping we can do a 10:30 or 11:00 ceremony (will only last 30 min max), so some noshes will be helpful if guests didn't eat beforehand either.
Hoping other people will show up here when they start planning and share some of their plans - can't wait to "meet" you!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: July 3 Brunch Wedding - details so far...
I see that you're doing your wedding on a different city than where you live. I live on the East Coast and we're getting married in SF, so same boat! Any tips for booking vendors from afar? I might suck it up and hire a planner to reduce stress, but I'm not sure...
Can you share more about your wedding? I'd love to hear about it! And Mad props for being so on top of your biz
As for the tent, I think FI and I are going to add more decorations than what is shown in that picture. I really want a fabric liner and maybe a chandelier or two hanging from the ceiling. I actually brought that up to FI last night, and to my utter shock he agreed that it needed to look nicer too! I was shocked because he is a fairly frugal guy most of the time and thinks decorations like large floral centerpieces are unnecessary, but I was so happy that he was on board for updating the tent a little.
What are you and your husband planning to do for your vow renewal?
We're getting married in the Presidio. It's part of the National Park Service now, but the complex was built in 1776 when SF belonged to the Spanish, then became Mexican territory, and eventually a US military outpost during the Civil War. It's related to Mission Dolores from its Spanish days, and our cat is named Dolores so that's cute. FI is a history teacher and insisted that we do some sort of hisotric site, museum, etc. LucasFilms is located in the Presidio, as is the Walt Disney Family Museum.
View from lawn -
Lawn view with historic buildings (back to Bay/GG Bridge) -
View from inside -
Wide inside shot w/ view -
This is Fort Point (under the GG Bridge!), where my FI wants to do wedding pics if it's not too windy -
I'm likely going to do minimal decorations so the view can dominate. We're thinking navy blue with bright green accents so it complements the GG Bridge color if it's clear but still "pops" if we get a foggy morning. FI likes this look -
Now that we have an idea of what we want and we've reserved our venue, it's time to start making things happen!
Hello fellow early planners!
Your weddings sound so lovely and it's been fun reading about your plans! @wesnick, it looks like we are date twins. Your wedding sounded especially classy and I love how you have planned out so many little details. @AuroraRose41, I absolutely love your centerpiece idea!
My Fiancé and I are signing our venue paperwork this weekend. We've been engaged since September and have moved the date of our wedding back twice already. I like to get things done early and it just seems like time slips by so quickly! We're planning a rustic elegant wedding at an historic house and farm just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. The outside area is a beautiful old house with a landscaped yard for the ceremony and cocktail hour. There's a barn attached to the property that is a finished hall which we will use for the reception. My FI's twin sister was married there a few years ago so the place has special meaning to the family.
The ceremony will be outside, either in front of a big tree or in front of the historic house. For the cocktail hour, we are planning simple appetizers and a mimosa/lemonade bar and plan to set up lawn games for guests to play.
This is the idea I have in my mind for the cocktail hour.
This is the inside of the barn. We're planning to do similar draping, but those will definitely not be my tables.
I'd like to make this venue feel elegant but laid back so guests can feel special but also be free to have fun. There are so many little details to look into, but it's been fun planning so far!
@wesnick Thank you! I like Michigan too but the weather is much nicer where you are!
For tables, I'm thinking something earthy and simple but still very sophisticated. I am a creative person and love to DIY so I plan to collect or make vintage looking pieces over the summer to use for candles and flowers. I love the idea of each table being a little bit different. Here are some of my initial table inspirations.
This is the historic houses and the landscaping that's also on the property so I think I have room to class the rustic barn up quite a bit as long as I make sure not to go too far overboard. That way I can avoid things looking forced.
For colors, I am really drawn to shades of blush/peach and aqua/sage with copper and gold accents.
@jenni5672 That sounds so special and personal to the two of you. I love it!
You and everyone in this thread are so far ahead of me, I feel like I'm slacking off! We're going to decide on catering, bakery, and the rest of our vendors next. I can't wait until spring so I can visit the venue when everything is green. Then I can start planning all the fun decorations and other details.
@QOTC2016 Thank you! The look of your wedding is very classy! I love the bridge and the chandelier. It's a little more like what I had in mind for mine originally (an estate garden wedding), but there weren't any convenient places like that around here. I've fallen in love with my more rustic location now, but a place like yours is fantastic!
@missglitter89 I hope those two swans decide to hang around for some pictures! That sounds like it would be a great shot!
@jenidubbs thank you! I probably wouldn't have picked mine originally because I wouldn't have known it existed--a family friend just happened to be working there when we were venue hunting originally. Lol.
We have booked the cake, DJ, officiant, chosen the adult formalwear, collected bottles and vases for diy centerpieces, planned out the layout of the reception hall, designed the save the dates, gotten quotes for rentals, hairdressers, and caters (to be booked soon). I'm sure there are more items I am forgetting.
UPDATE: Photographer, venue & food, DJ, make-up/hairstylist, and officiant all booked. I am still deciding whether I want a videographer or what I should do about that...I know I would love the footage and looking back at the memories, but then there's the price! This week, I am flying home for 4 days (21 hour journey-phew!) and will hopefully find a wedding dress, a reception dress, bridesmaid dresses, book the cake and have a confirmed idea for the flowers. Next time I will be home is three weeks prior to the wedding.