The REAL Wedding Details

My younger sister got married on Saturday!  It was a happy wedding and I can't wait to show you the pictures...but first...I thought it would be really interesting to record what happens behind the scene for any party or wedding I plan. Usually, only the pretty pictures are shown and although I am sure hard work is recognized, no one really thinks about what went into something to pull it off.  

I'm not gonna lie...this wedding was a tough one but I wasn't honestly too stressed until Friday afternoon.  I had picked up the flowers with my family at Pike Place and we did a bit of fun sight seeing while we were at it.  But by 3 pm, my schedule wasn't quite in order and I realized that we still had to put  all the flowers and arrangements together, I had to make another run to goodwill to find some white sheets (that I use as tablecloths) and I didn't have the pears or pumpkins.  And the bachelorette party was at 6:15. 

BUT, there were so many good helping hands involved that made it eventually work out.  My MIL just happened to be visiting from Georgia so I officially got her back for the time I devoted to HER kid's weddings (seen here and here).  Kinda satisfying.  And I'm just kinda truly grateful. Plus my SIL and cousin took on just as much as myself.  

The great thing about my party planning is that I am seriously detailed and I don't think anything would work out if I wasn't.  I made a google document outlining all the info I knew: what supplies I had and what was still needing to be bought, and who was doing what when.  Just for kicks...I wanted to show it to you! I had sent it a few days ago for my SIL and my Sister to edit..and at 11pm I went to see if any responses had been given and we were ALL on editing at the same time which basically made it part conversation.  It was crazy helpful.  We even color coded our parts as it went along.

Abby’s Wedding

Black: Original Question I asked
Red: Carrie
Green: Abby
Purple: Helen

Food/who is making:

• Turkey - Miah’s making, put on silver tray
• Stuffing - Abby is making it put in white casserole dishes of Mom’s
• Sweet Potato Souffle - Helen Yes, I’ve got 3 white dishes for these. I’ll make them early Saturday morning before taking Abby to get her hair done. Just need the recipe and will be set!  How many things of sweet potato souflee are we making? Does anyone know?  I’m making three of them, is this enough??  Yes- Let me go grab the recipe now... see below at bottom  Thank you!
• Salad- Carrie, put in 2 ivory salad bowls, need salad tongs! I have metal tongs, although are you looking for wooden ones specifically? I just need any pretty ones  I think metal tongs will be fine.
• Rolls - Abby is making the rolls, put in baskets/Carrie’s wooden bowl
• Cake - Mom
• Caramel Apples: Helen (includes tags), laid on silver trays Who has the silver trays? My mom has the trays (2 or 3 of them). will I have them beforehand, or should I just prep them for transport in another dish? (give them to you that Friday night)
• Pies- Carrie buying at Costco, placed on baskets/cake stands
• Cider- perhaps Costco?, in punch bowl and Water in glass pitchers

Decorations/Table Settings:

• Pear centerpiece on plates with tag Still need to get the hemp-type string for these. I think that putting the labels on the pears before we get there might not work-they might fall off? Good point! I’ll still have the tags though, and will have the string tied to them so all you’ll need to do is put them on the pears PEARfect;)
• Pumpkin flower arrangements (5 medium-large with flowers)
• Random vases with flowers/leaves
• Table clothes- 5 large white (queen sheets -still need 3), 1 card size, do we have? 1 beige-Carrie -- so how are we getting the rest?  I can look again at the thrift store tomorrow...
• Navy Napkins
• Navy table runner
• Serving flatware for buffet table dishes who is bringing?  need spoons for stuffing, sweet potato souffle, we have salad tongs, turkey fork, pie spatula (I have 1- do we need another?), ladle for punch bowl
• Extra navy and orange fabric for potential back drop
• I have the chalkboard thing almost done. Are we still doing this for the guestbook thing? Yes
• Random baskets
• Silver platters for food
• 3-tier trays, Carrie
• China
• Flatware- rented (Miah/Linda/Mark pick-up Fri)
• Goblets - rented (Miah/Linda/Mark pick-up Fri)
• Tables- rented (Miah/Linda/Mark pick-up Fri)
• Chairs- rented (Miah/Linda/mark pick-up Fri)

Time/Events:
Friday:
9:00-10:00AM: Carrie, Annette, Katherine, Helen meet at Pike’s Place to pick up flowers
11:00AM:     Katherine and Helen to pick up Bachelorette dessert
12:00PM:     Carpinito Brothers in Kent- pick up pumpkins, pears
1:00/3:30PM    Miah to meet Linda and Mark at the house and will head down to pick-up
rental. I just called the party place to confirm that everything is available for pick up on Friday afternoon.
1:00-4:45PM:    Katherine and Helen make caramel apples, (Helen): finish pear centerpiece

labeling; Carrie pumpkins/flower bouquets etc.

5:30-6:15PM     Abby, Katherine, Helen head to Southcenter for manicure etc
6:15PM-    Abby’s bachelorette party at Spaghetti Factory

(Miah and Aaron might be doing a turkey cooking trial run?) (Helen): I don’t believe trial run is taking place any longer.

Saturday:
8:00-9:00AM:   Miah arrives with some boys and starts turkey  (Helen): I’m packing the following

with Miah and/or Chris to take down: runner, napkins, vases, extra navy and orange fabric, rope, caramel apples, tags for pear centerpieces, sweet potato souffles (if they’re finished by the time either leave), tongs (if needed - see above) … am I missing anything?? I think you are good to go!

8:00-10:00AM: Abby’s hair appointment. Will do makeup there as well.
10:00AM:        Carrie arrives and is bringing: flower arrangements + bouquets (Abby’s,

Katherine, small one for Brianna, corsages for Mom’s), pumpkins, baskets, the tablecloths that I have, wood bowl, tier trays, pies, vases, salads in bowls (I’m getting the cranberries, walnuts that I am candy-ing, mixed green, Gorgonzola and I’ll add some pears.  Just need to find a vinegrate sp?), cider if I can get at Costco, salad dressing glass pouring jars, pie cutter

                       Chris arrives with chairs/tables/flatware/goblets
                       Linda, Mark, and rest of fam arrives

All set up begins- need man hands;)

when and who with is the china and other vases arriving? Abby will send with Miah, if possible, the china and other decorations when he heads down. I’ll give the stuff to Helen or Miah the night before.

11:30-12:00PM:What time is the bride, Helen, Katherine arriving? Groom? Mom?

(Helen): Bride, Katherine and Helen ETA 11:30am (no later than 12:00pm).

Here’s a try at a transportation roster (arrival times will vary)

Jeremiah: Jacob, Matt, Annie, Emma

Helen: Abby, Katherine

Carrie: Aaron, Kai and Brianna and Annette

Linda: Malcolm, Mike, Will

Mark: Bobby

1:00PM:     Wedding Ceremony begins
1:20PM:    Ceremony ends and  food needs to begin to be set-up (all hands on deck).  

Family Pictures/Bride Groom pictures should be coordinated.

1:45PM    Eating
3:00PM    Toast? Katherine/Best Man/Parents?
3:15PM    Cake Cutting?
3:15-4:PM    Dance? Matt and Annie are singing a very beautiful song for Chris and me to

dance to. (entitled “All about us” by He is we)  I dont really know about the bride and the father dance, or groom and mother dance. Though it might be nice. Chris might want that... I dont know. I have no songs for those dances though.

4:00PM    Bride & Groom send off!!
4:00-5:00PM    Take down/cleanup (all hands on deck)
5:00PM    Everyone leaves park

PHEW!  It basically happened this way, minus a full on 1 minute sobbing nervous breakdown I had at 12:30pm in the middle of a field since I was not dressed and had no make-up on for the wedding that was beginning at 1pm... but otherwise, everyone helped and it turned out great. Once it started I was able to just be the photographer and I was grateful for that.

To PROVE how frazzled and tired I really was...here is a picture of me and my hair to show it! (uhmm...a bit humid perhaps?)

Wedding pictures to come soon...