Miss Cherry Pie, Seattle/Polebridge, Montana
Age and Occupation: 25, Marketing Communications Specialist
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Nurse Practitioner
Engagement Date: August 26, 2006
Wedding Date: September 2008
Blogging Since: April 1, 2008
Venue: A tiny town just outside of Glacier National Park
About Me: I think of life as a journey and I love the places it's taking me! I went to school to study Magazine Journalism, ended up with a second major in Japanese language, and now work at a company that makes software for libraries. I love writing, computers, photography, and the great outdoors. I spend most of my time playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band or geeking out online with Mr. Cherry Pie. I'm happiest when I'm on the road, especially traveling abroad, or just nesting quietly at home with my sweetie, who is a fabulous cook and bakes a delicious rendition of a certain cherry-filled dessert!
Not Just For Herding Anymore
May 6th, 2008 @ 4:21 pm by Miss Cherry Pie
I looooove Shepherd’s hooks. Though I have to admit they were one of the (many) things I’d never heard of before I started reading Weddingbee, I’ve been quite taken with the way they look.
Shepherd’s hooks are a fabulous way to decorate your aisle or altar for an outdoor wedding, especially if you are using non-traditional seating like benches or hay bales, both of which we are considering for our wedding.
The home and garden store near my work started stocking beautiful dark-brown (gunmetal? pewter?) colored hooks for only $3.95 apiece, which my research online told me was a very competitive price. I decided to get 20 hooks, which is probably more than I need, but I was able to talk them into a 15% bulk discount on my purchase. Plus, buying the hooks in person meant avoiding heavy-duty shipping charges on several pounds of metal!
Here they are, chillin’ in my garage:
They still have the price stickers on them, which I’ll have to take off with some Goo Gone. Between these and the Coke bottles I have so much work to do with that stuff that I seriously hope it isn’t toxic.
As you can see, they’re not the most hardcore kind of shepherd’s hook with the “stabilizing arm” at the bottom (generally used for the super-tall hooks), but they are a solid and sturdy metal that should be perfect for hanging pomanders, cones, buckets, and more!
I love the way the shepherd’s hooks are used in the photos above (click for big), particularly with the cones in the last photo on the right. We’re going to be doing something a little different to make use of our mason jars and cans. I’m making wire hangers for the mason jars, which will hold flowers that will line the aisles during the ceremony. We’ll then re-use the flowers at the reception and swap votive candles into the jars in the evening. I might also make some lanterns out of cans with hole-punched designs to alternate with the clear jars. We’ll then scatter the candle-holding hooks around the reception tent and/or dance floor for a romantic summer ambiance.
I’d normally veto an idea that requires running around to move things from one location to another, but because the ceremony and reception will be so close AND because we have a wedding coordinator to take care of such things for us, I’m really eager to get maximum use out of all our accessories and decorations!
Are any of you using shepherd’s hooks in your wedding?
( Image Sources in composite: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 )
5 Responses to “Not Just For Herding Anymore”
I am using two shepherd’s hooks for the end of the aisle. We’re going simple on ceremony decorations, since people won’t be there long and it is outside.
We got our two hooks from Save-on-Crafts. They have a base, which we needed because our patio is concrete!
We’re using shepherd’s hooks all throughout our ceremony in front of a barn and to light the way to our tent. For the lighting, we’re using dozens of my family’s antique lanterns set on the hooks, which I hope will set a really romantic tone!
We weren’t planning on it, but now I’m not so sure… so very lovely!
While on the hunt for cheap-o wine glasses at Ikea for another project, we did find some fun glass containers - the kind that have the hinged top with the hook closure in various sizes for fairly cheap:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40065867
Not sure if you have found enough ball jars or not. I put some fresh flowers into the sample jar I brought home and am now reconsidering my centerpieces. I guess it’s just an indecisive day for me!
I am! I have been searching for these, however, I was not entirely sure what they were called so I was having a difficult time locating what I wanted but this is it! Is your local hardware store a national chain? Can I ask where you bought them?
@notquiteyet: The place where I got them is Capers home and garden in Seattle. They’re not a national chain, unfortunately, but I will ask them about their distributor and see if I can find information for you.
It’s definitely best to buy local even if you can find low prices online– shipping on items like these can be quite high (they’re metal after all). BUT that being said, if you google “shepherd’s hooks,” “shepherd hook,” or “garden hook,” you should be able to find a bunch of online retailers!
