In today’s hive:
- Sara wants to know if anyone has done a dessert/cocktails only reception. She’s thinking of having a 6:30-7:00 wedding and is wondering if that’s an appropriate decision.
- Shaz wants to know if anyone knows how to achieve a silver or gold gilt edge on invitations, or where you purchase that kind of cardstock for printing.
- ciaobella wants to know what’s considered standard for tipping the photographer, DJ, or maitre’d?
- puredrivel wants to know if hotel welcome baskets are still hip and what she should include.
- Di wants to know if anyone has tried ebay invitations. Does this price look too good to be true?
- fishgal is looking for a good dj in the southern California area for around $1000 or less. She’s hoping to find a Christian one and is one month from her wedding.
- MMM is looking to order sparklers for her send off. Does anyone know the best length to buy and a good vendor?
- Miss. Kakerwhart is looking for suggestions on what type of paper to use in her invitations. She’s seen people use luxe, stardream, etc. Also can you recommend a paper cutter?
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21 Responses to “Beehive”
Sara - I think it would be fine as long as you said “Dessert reception immediately following” or something to that effect. Unless you did it later, people might come thinking that since it’s around dinner time they will be feed, and thereford you need to explicitly tell them to eat beforhand.
Purdrivel - they’re a nice gesture, but you don’t have to unless you really want to. I think they’re one of those things that unless you do them really nicely, they’re not worth doing. If you’re set on doing them but want to save a little on the cost then maybe do something homemade, like a plate of cookies. I think I would like that more than random stuff like chips and candy.
Di - I would suggest sending the seller a message asking if when you win you can see a sample and if you don’t like it get your money back. No legit business would sell you something without showing you a sample first. I’d also suggest a contract.
I have a GREAT DJ for fishgal. They do tons of parties, weddings, banquets, etc…please contact me at jennlee930@gmail.com and i can give you all his information!
Thanks!
I have a GREAT DJ for fishgal. They do tons of parties, weddings, banquets, etc…and they are within your budget! please contact me at jennlee930@gmail.com and i can give you all his information!
Thanks!
I’m looking to order sparklers for my send off. Does anyone know the best length to buy and a good vendor?
Looking for suggestions on what types of paper to use in my invitations. I’ve seen some People use LUXE, stardream, etc. What do you all recommend? Also can you recommend a paper cutter?
Miss. Kakerwhart–Fiskars makes a nice rotary cutter that isn’t terribly expensive. If you have a Creative Memories consultant in your circle of friends, try their [relatively] new 12″ paper cutter, too. In general, that type of sliding blade or a rotary cutter is more accurate than a guillotine cutter.
Of course, I just took everything to Kinko’s to cut, so what do I know?
Sara–I think a dessert or cocktail reception is fine, just not at that time. You don’t want your guests grumbling about not being served dinner, and they will if you hold your party at dinnertime. For it to be a dessert reception, your guests would need to eat first, which would be when, 5pm? And a cocktail reception at that time would be fine, as people do have them, except when held at that time they’re usually short gatherings before people go off somewhere else, like late dinners or other parties or clubs. If you wanted to have a dessert or cocktail party that lasted several hours into the evening, I’d suggest getting married at 8pm at the earliest.
I’m not quite as dragonian as Pencils on the start time, but I agree that 6:30 is too early for a wedding with a dessert reception following. Even if guests tried to eat at 5pm, could they really get to your wedding on time and appropriately dressed?
Try to compromise a bit more, with a 7 or 7:30 start time. Guests slightly inconvenienced by early dinner, you slightly inconvenienced by later start time.
And be sure to warn everyone with “dessert reception” prominently on the invite so they know they are supposed to eat first.
Sara–I (respectfully!) disagree with Pencils and Ms Albatross. We’re starting the wedding at 6:30 and having a dessert reception, and we noted as such on the invitation “Reception, dessert, and dancing to immediately follow”. Remember, these people are adults; they know how to feed themselves 
If they want to have an early dinner, they’re surely smart enough to figure it out. Also remember that you’re under no obligation to feed your wedding guests (though of course it’s a nice gesture!) so you can do what you want (within reason of course). 
MMM–I can tell you that it’s absolutely NOT worth it to pay extra for ‘wedding’ sparklers. I did my research last summer, and the long-burning sparklers only bured *20 seconds* longer than the regular ones! Also, for what it’s worth, sparklers *can* be lit with cardboard (matchbook) matches! So regular sparklers should be fine; they’ll burn for about a minute and a half.
ciaobella–I believe the consensus is that if the vendor owns the company, no tip is required. But if they’re an employee of a company, a tip is necessary. I’m sorry I don’t have information on the percentage to tip; all our vendors are company owners!
Sara - I agree with the previous poster that a dessert reception is fine but not at that time. I actually attended one this past weekend and it was not all that well received by the guests. The invitation did specify that it was a dessert reception but since the wedding started at 6 most people would have had to had dinner at 4:00 or 4:30 in order to get to the wedding on time. Some did that and then others only stayed at the reception for a short time and then left for dinner. The reception included a dance so it was supposed to last till 11:00 or so with no real food. I would also agree that the wedding should start later if you only want to serve desserts. I know it is a difficult and expensive decision. Good luck with your planning.
Miss. Kakerwhart: i used stardream envelopes and i had a hard time with the printing. i use an inkjet computer and it smeared! luckily, it was only the envelopes, so i hand-wrote each one using a sharpie and used a printer for the return adresses.
As long as you mention that it’s a dessert reception, I think you’ll be fine! I’ve been to a couple and I think they turn out wonderfully! That’s actually what I’m considering. It was just a much more relaxed and fun atmosphere and people seemed to enjoy it!
I’ve been to a dessert reception and it was wonderful! They had tables of fancy little sweets, two cakes, and candy. I think as long as you make sure there is a wide variety, and things people wouldn’t normally eat (like petit fours) you’ll be fine.
Oh! And make sure you write it down on the reception card so people know in advance to eat something
I think dessert receptions are fine but agree that it needs to start later. 7:00 might be o.k. but not earlier then that b/c then people really wouldn’t have much time to actually have dinner. I wouldn’t want to fill up on a bunch of dessert before I had dinner and/or wouldn’t want to leave a wedding early b/c I was starvign for a full meal.
I’m not sure where to ask this but…
Is anyone going to the Kleinfeld sample sale today? Has anyone been before? Is it like that episode of Friends? Do I need a whistle? JK but I would like any tips…Thanks.
Sara: I had a dessert reception (wedding began at 7) and I loved it! We got lots of compliements about it being such a creative idea and so different from other receptions. The only people I had to convince were my parents, and once we told them more about it, they were totally on board. The best advice I would give is to include a couple non-desserty specific items. In addition to our normal desserts, we had a massive (4 foot table) fruit display, and I think people really liked having some natural sugars in addition to the chocolates, petit fours, and our cake.
Sara: I had an hors d-oeuvres reception for my 4:00 pm reception. We passed heavy hors d’ouevres, in addition to a fruit and cheese station and the wedding cake. It went over fabulously since our wedding and reception fell between normal lunch and dinner meal times.
Sara: I’m a dessert junkie!! We went to a dessert wedding that started @ 7:00pm and it was the best wedding i had ever went to. It was amazing and so good. But i would let people know that its dessert only and provide some non-dessert options.. like fruit and dessert chesses!! good luck!
I have a question: is it ok for bridesmaids to wear champagne when I’m wearing a white dress? I wanted my maids to wear chocolate, but the dress that looks best on my MOH doesn’t come in chocolate. It does, though, come in champagne. My mom thinks that with a wide chocolate sash and chocolate ribbons on their bouquets that champagne dresses will look elegant, but I’m scared it will make the maids look too ‘bridal.’ Any thoughts?
Here is the dress:
http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php?productid=7673&cat=443&page=3
KnitsandSews: did you ever see that episode of sex in the city when Charlotte gets married for the first time. Her dress was white and the bms were wearing a champagne colored dress. I think it looked really nice.
Beehive
Feature Launched: Aug 31, 2006
About: A forum for readers to post questions and get feedback from the hive, aka the weddingbee community.
Shaz–get a silver or gold stamp pad and just run it along the edge of the card. You’ll want to look for pigment ink rather than dye ink (it’ll probably be prominent on the packaging), and give it more time than you think it’ll need to dry. The width of the effect depends on how hard you press the stamp pad on, and at what angle.