This is swtcarrieanne286's Green Wedding!

Just curious to know what some of you have chosen for your Father/Daughter dance and mother/Son dance?
Are you doing anything untraditional?
How many brides are doing a dance with their "real" father and step father?

My parents divorced when I was 9 months old. My Mother remarried when I was 5 to a wonderful wonderful wonderful man, my Step-Father. And it was never a question for me to have him walk me down the isle and give me away.
However, I am feeling a little twinge of guilt. I have a rocky relationship with my "real" father and I know I am inviting him and allllll of that side of my family. I've decided that my real father will not walk me down the isle and give me away as he does not deserve to. But, I would like to do a dance with him.

So...
I have chosen the following:

Cinderella - Steven Curtis Chapman : Dance with my Step-Father
Lullabye (Goodnight Angel) - Billy Joel : Dance with my Real-Father.

Tim is dancing with his mother to
Simple Man - Lynard Skynard.
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Cinderella Lyrics

"She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,
Without a care in the world.
And I'm sittin' here wearin' the weight of the world on my shoulders.
It's been a long day and there's still work to do,
She's pulling at me saying "Dad I need you!
There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says "Dad, the prom is just one week away,
And I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone.

Well, she came home today
With a ring on her hand
Just glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned
She says "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
but I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy please"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
(even one song)
Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone" - Steven Curis Chapman
____________________________________________

Lullabye Lyrics

"Goodnight, my angel
Time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Wherever you may go
No matter where you are
I never will be far away

Goodnight, my angel
Now it's time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me
When we went sailing on an emerald bay
And like a boat out on the ocean
I'm rocking you to sleep
The water's dark
And deep inside this ancient heart
You'll always be a part of me

Goodnight, my angel
Now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this lullabye
Then in your heart
There will always be a part of me

Someday we'll all be gone
But lullabyes go on and on...
They never die
That's how you
And I
Will be" - Billy Joel

What are your guests lists looking like?
How many guests are you anticipating?
I'm running into the guilt factor of "well I did go to their wedding.."
Or "I did go to their baby shower..." and I am feeling obligated to invite them.
Old close friends that I really don't keep in close contact with.
One of them is a twin...her twin in which I keep in close contact with. Can I not invite one twin because we are not that close? I went to her wedding? I just hung out with her at her twins wedding...OMG I'm going crazy. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made an executive decision. We have homework this week.
*Practicing for September..when I head back to school with my 3rd graders ;)*
Tim will probably make his Mom do his list. And then he will add a bazillion friends and we will argue. LOL
But we decided to each work on our rough drafts of guest lists this week and then compare this coming weekend.
My family is huge.
I have 62 family members alone.
Then I added in close friends, roommates, bridal party, and co-workers plus spouses.
My guest list alone has come to 118 people. I take that back, I just remembered my Mom's best friend...who has done ALOT for me through out the years. I'm at 120.

I have been oogling over this dress since the day after I was engaged and spotted it in a bridal magazine. Its from Forever Yours Bridal. And I just love it. Its simple, elegant, princess-y. I added another I found...I can't remember from where. But, I thought the sweetheart neckline was a little too plunging and I don't want to offend the in laws or elders..I have huge boobs...lol. The last thing I need is my Mother eyeing me all night and motioning for me to tuck them in!

How long did it take you to decide on a dress?
Did you pick one that you weren't thrilled to be trying on?

Samples of the work of our photographer..
Some of the shots I want..

We were talking last night and we both love the location of the Chapel. Syracuse University Campus is just beautiful..
I am posting pictures of it.
Its his Alum, mine soon to be. His mother works there. I say we'd be foolish not to be married there.

So now our next task is finding out if its available on our date or near our date.

QUESTION!!!
IS ANYONE GETTING MARRIED ON CAMPUS AT CHAPEL? IF SO, WHEN IS YOUR WEDDING AND IS IT DURING SEMESTER?

So I would like to light a candle in memory of my Grandmother at my ceremony.
In fact, I'm crying right now typing this. My Grandmother and I were very very close. My biological father walked out on my Mother when I was just 9 months old. So, she got two jobs and worked around the clock to support us. Needless to say, I spent lots of time with Grandma. She became sick with lung cancer in 2001 and eventually it spread to her brain and she died just a month shy of my high school graduation.
My mom just told me a few months ago when we (aunts, mom and cousins) were talking about Gramma...the night before she died she had asked when I was going to be done with school..she wanted me to come take care of her before I went off to college. I know she will be watching from Heaven but...there is a major major hole in my heart that she won;'t physically be there. Okay, enough..cause my make up is running in my eyes and it burns.

When do you light the candle?
I personally would like to light it. And I would like to play "Ave Maria" while I am lighting it. It was my Grandmother's favorite song.
Would this be worked into the ceremony?

Anyone know ANYTHING about this..
I've heard of couples taking what they've budgeted towards favors and donating it to a charity.
I heard if you donate to American Cancer Society they send you guest number amount of scrolls saying they've donated and I guess they can print in one of your colors of ink.
I'd like more info on this if anyone knows anything.
I'd really like to see our money go somewhere we are both passionate about.
I can't begin to tell you how many favors I've thrown away...or left on the table (mostly candy).

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/COM/content/div_NE/COM_1_1x_American_Cancer_Society_Wedding_Scrolls_Offer_a_Meaningful_Alternative_to_Wedding_Favors.asp
I found the website...
Has anyone known anyone whose done it or you are doing it?

I found these browsing for table arrangements. I loved them. I'm going to take a shot and do my own pillow. I think they are beautiful.

We both are Catholic. He was raised more Catholic than I. I am only baptized. No communion or confirmation. I know it would mean alot to his mother to be married at the Cathedral downtown in Syracuse. But, Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University is so beautiful and much much cheaper for us.
My FMIL works for the University. And Tim is an alumni. To reserve the chapel for a wedding is only

For the Chapel..
Its a $150 REFUNDABLE deposit.
And then a fee of $150 for Chapel Rental w/the use of the resident Chaplain presiding.
Or $250 if we wanted to use our own guest officient presiding.
And $200 for use of the Chapel organist. (not planning on using one..)

For the Church..
For weddings in 2009: $700 with a $300 Deposit which secures the day and time of the wedding. The fee covers the Church, Celebrant (if you use Cathedral personnel), Music Organist, Rehearsal and Ceremony Coordinators, Maintenance and Security.


Not to mention all the classes and meetings I would have to go through to be married there..

Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub is where we went out on our first night out together. We have celebrated a few St. Patricks Days there together. We love this bar and restaurant. Whenever we go out, its where we go. They have great Irish bands. Its old. Its historic, in Syracuse's Tipperary Hill area. Its where the Irish dwell ;)
And I am marrying a complete Irish arse. Haha. He loves it!

So upstairs they have a banquet room. There was never a question as to where we would have a reception. It HAD to be here.
Its beautiful and it means something to us.

Our menu is posted on here. We are opting for the gala buffet. With an open bar.

This is my thing..
Beautiful beautiful cakes for sure. I'm not hating on the bakery masterpieces.
But I'm not spending a small forture for a cake.
We've opted for a two tier cake that will be ornately displayed on some sort of cake stand (I'm still searching). We will be serving sheet cake from the back.

I know from all of the weddings I have attended and been in, cake is left on the tables. Some people do not like cake. My buffet will be serving a dessert as well. So I do not feel bad for serving sheet cake. Hoity toity noses in the air, go else where..lol.

So my two tier is dark chocolate cake with fudge buttercream and raspberry filling.

My cake is pretty much like this. Except its just purple callas on top with a H monogram. Same shape, same decor (simple) and same ribbon.

I like flowers but like I said before..they are expensive.
So I'm opting for a romantic feel with candles.
Under the gallery of pictures I've posted.. I found a centerpiece with a tall hurricane with a gold candle on top of a mirror with small votives and tea lights scattered around with crystals. Most likely this is what I will be choosing because of my budget.

However, I am a wheeler and dealer by nature (thanks Dad!) and I'll see what I can do about maybe doing a handfull of tables with a flower center piece like the 7th photo in the gallery. Maybe do these centerpieces for the grandparents, parents, close family tables?

Anyone mix up their center pieces or just stick to one?

I love flowers because they are delicate and beautiful.
I hate flowers for that same reason. They run up the bill so much.
So, I'm trying to think of ways to spruce things up without breaking the bank on something that dies!!

However, my bouquet...I plan out shelling out some dough. Like I said, I love flowers.
I've picked purple hydrangeas, purple callas, gardenias, and stephanotis.

I'd like to hang balls of hydrangeas with gardenia from the first 4 pews on each side. With a satin sage green ribbon.

Throwing around a few ideas. Obviously at this point, the only thing set in stone is where our ceremony will be, where our reception will be and where we are honeymooning. I guess thats all that matters...LOL.

Here's some of the invitations I've picked out.

I found these on weddingpaperdivas.com
They had alot of cute things. I haven't really looked elsewhere to compare prices. I know its something I should start doing, or else my parents and his parents are going to start to get pissy with me. Haha!
But for 150 of these invitations with 150 matching response and reception cards it would come to 539.50. Envelopes included.
Yes? No? Total rip off?

I'm having 'maids issues. My very best friend lives in Washington DC. I know she's more than willing to come back and forth for events. Its just going to stink cause I would love for her to be here and run errands with me. This is just not Tim's thing. He'd like to chose the food and drink and entertainment and the rest is up to me.

Three other girls I really want to be in my wedding...are scattered across the country. One is in Atlanta, another Wichita, and then San Diego..soon to be New Orleans.

And then there is my best friend Lacey. Who lives about 3 miles from my house. I don't think it would be fair to stick her with all the responsibilities of helping me, on top of planning a shower and a bachelorette party. All of which I'm sure not all the maids would be in attendance for.

I'm torn. I do not want to hurt feelings. My one gf that I grew up with and am very close with lives in Wichita and I am actually her MOH in a destination wedding. She has decided to cruise in Oct. 2009 where we are going to do our honeymoon.

Then I have some good friends here I could ask. But my best friends aren't here. I'm torn and I need help, asap! Its not like I can ask my gf's for advice here!!!


I've chosen a long option and a short option. Gold shoes from Target are $22. They have a low pump with a peep toe, very cute and cheap!!

So, I'm assuming the first place to start is by choosing colors. This was a no brainer for me. Dark purple, sage green and gold accents.
I'm jumping into the unknown from here...
I'm just going to go through and post up all my ideas I've gathered.
I don't know how to do one of those cool inspiration boards, so I'll just post..lol.