Wedding Blog
Our original plan to have vases with our escort cards has been shot down, and for good reason. If we passed out the escort cards like this during the cocktail hour, how would guests hold those, their drink AND get some hors d’oeurves? Quite a handful.
My dilemma now is, what in the world do we do with the 200 vases that we’ve purchased? We had originally planned on having the vases filled with baby’s breath, but now we’re rethinking that whole idea. What we’ve come up with is this:
Since the tables will be relatively clutter free because we aren’t having a seated dinner, what if we put round candles inside the vases and placed one at each setting? This would add some ambiance to the room, decor to the tables and each person would still have something to take home. But, then, how will the guests know that the vases are theirs to take? Should we still put name cards on them so they will know that the vases are theirs? We will still have the escort cards set up at the entrance.
So, now I ask for your help. What do you think would be a good idea to do with the 3″ cubed vases/votive holders that we’ve purchased?
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One thing that tends to happen at the end of the evening is that you are left with all these flowers that ultimately die at the venue over the course of the next day or are thrown out by the catering staff that night….
So what if you had your DOC cut a few small blooms and place them in each vase? Line them up at the end of the evening on a table near the exit with a sign that you want to thank your guests for coming and that you’d love for them to take one. (Not sure if these were individually boxed or not… but if they were then it is worth it to keep the vase in the box and just have one side open for flowers… for easy transporting…. and then you could have space to place a custom label??)
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And just one more thing…. if you still like the idea of flower escort cards, then you can always have them on a table for guests to pick up on the way into the dinner room… I typically do not have guests get their escort cards until after the cocktail hour anyhow (in transition to the dinner area)…. just a thought
I still like the idea of the flower escort card, and I agree with Danielle….. they can pick them up on their way into the dining room without having to hold onto them throughout the cocktail hour. We’re intentionally placing our escort cards outside the doors to our ballroom so people will wait to pick theirs up until the cocktail hour is about over.
As a wedding guest, I always wait until it’s about time to be seated to pick up my escort card. No sense in getting it any earlier if my same seat is going to be waiting for me either way 
I agree with the others that people won’t pick up their escort cards until they’re headed into the dining room, but I wanted to say that if you do go with the idea of putting candles in the vases, I saw a very cool idea in a wedding magazine that I’ve been dying to try: Using food coloring, dye water to match your wedding colors, then put it in the vases and add floating candles. The clear vases you’ve purchased are perfect for that!
even though you’re doing escort cards, I think it would still be pretty if you did the baby’s breath thing anyway, but made it part of the place setting.
If there are place settings, put each vase in the center of each guest’s plate (or if there are no plates, put them right in front of each chair). In the vases put something like baby’s breath or one small flower in each (like a bud vase). That positioning might give them a better idea that these are favors.
if you decide to do the candle (or baby’s breath, or anything where the vases are at each individual setting), you can use the escort cards to point out just the table each guest is seated at, and then have their specific place notified by putting their names on the vases. this way, they take it one step at a time and the escort card is less confusing. plus, their names are on the vases, so they’ll know they can take them home!
I like the idea of putting them in their place setting. If you arent having a seated dinner than you wont have plates set. A little vase with baby’s breath and maybe a little tag with their name and/or a little peom about them being a favor would look lovely and help dress up the table a little.
My sister did wildflowers in individual vases at each table setting. On the menu she noted that each person was to take the vase and flowers at the end of the night as a souvenir.
We spent many many many hours fighting and arranging wildflowers at each place setting. We look back on this and laugh our heads off now!
Just have the dj announce at the end of the night that you and hubs would like to thank everyone for coming, and invite them to take home a vase. I’ve been to weddings where it was a scramble for people to get as many of the vases as possible, and I’ve been to weddings where the vases had to be returned to someone like the florist, so it’s always nice to explicitly know whether or not the vases are for grabs. At the weddings where I’m not sure, I leave them, because I don’t want to imagine the bride having to reimburse the florist for missing vases. So if you want them to be taken, have the dj announce it, have your wedding party spread the word, and make it very clear. You should have no problem getting rid of them then!
As a bride getting married in just two weeks, it terrifies me that I have no idea what an escort card is! Maybe it’s an east coast thing??? We aren’t having a seated dinner, so it sounds like we wouldn’t have this anyway.
About your very cute idea - I think it will work out fine the way you imagined it. People will kind of keep track of it, even if they aren’t holding it the whole time. I think it’s a creative idea, and you shouldn’t abandon it! I do agree that having them at the end is totally ok too, and you could just have an annoucement to pick them up. Ah wedding logistics. So fun.
I like the idea of placing the votives at each place setting. If you would like to decorate it, you could do something like this:
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/03/02/lovin-the-diy/
You could add a tag or something that says “thank you for coming to our wedding” or your names and date.
I agree with kandaceandjason and have someone spread the word. HTH!
I’m an admitted minimalist, so I vote for a simple votive candle.
Can you add a few “these vases are yours to take with you” announcements at each table, and also have the DJ make a similar announcement?
The first thing that popped into my head was tealights. If you do votives then you need to put something in the bottom to avoid having 200 vases with a glob of wax sealed to them at the end of the night. I’ve heard that a little water works for that, or you could do rocks or sand.
Now, to me those are just screaming peanuts and mints (or better yet, pastel m&ms), but, I’m on a serious cut back (*diet*) right now, and am obviously only seeing food things right now…..
You could have them as placecards instead, and then have a big board at the entrance which lists all the tables and guests. - You could get it done with calligraphy or just type it out nicely.
Definately leave the escort cards at the entrance.
One idea you may want to do is group the candles as your centerpiece. At one wedding I went to they did this with flowers. Then the DJ announced that everyone should reach in front of them and take the part of the centerpiece in front of them. We were amazed that we could just grab a vase with flowers.
Is it too late to grow grass inside the cubes and then have their names sticking out like a sign? that way, they are sure to take it home with them
Could you put colored sea glass, rocks, or pebbles in the bottom, fill them with water, and add a floating candle? That will give it a little more personality than just a candle.
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Mrs. Hydrangea, Dallas
Age and Occupation: 26, Administrative Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Network Analyst
Engagement Date: June 2007
Wedding Date: September 2008
Blogging Since: January 14, 2008
Venue: Catholic Church and Reception at The W Hotel
About Me: Mr. H and I come from very different cultures and backgrounds so I'm excited to plan our wedding with a balance of both traditions. My mom has always been a DIY queen, and I'm just now starting to get into it with a new house and a wedding to plan!
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