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One area where we are lucky enough to save money? Ceremony decor. Our ceremony will take place on a lawn that overlooks the beach and turquoise sea.
photo by moi
We don’t need to mess with nature too much to have a gorgeous ceremony. However, I can’t help wanting to design the space just a little bit. I’d like to add enhancements, if you will.
Enhancement Part Un:
I love the look of flower pomanders hanging from shepherd’s hooks. I can picture them swaying gently in the breeze, being a delight to the eye. 
I figure we’ll only need about four on each side, since our aisle won’t exactly be the length of Bryant Park runway. I found pink (fake) pomanders at Jo-Ann’s the other day for $10 each (40% off), so I bought two of them and plan on snapping up six more. I worry about them looking fake, but honestly, I don’t think ANYONE will know. Bonus – they can be plopped on tall drinking glasses on the bar, tables, etc. for more “free” decorations.
source
A similar fake pomander – looks real to me!
Enhancement Part Deux:
The “altar” is a bit bare. A popular option is to place floral arrangements at the corners and center of the arch, but we are both tall and I have day-mares of our pictures coming back and us looking like we have flowers sprouting out of the tops of our heads. I know it sounds silly, but the thought is still there.
I really love the look of simple, yet beautiful, garlands hanging behind the altar. I bought a branch of little white flowers the other day and I am going to make a few strands to see how they look. This would be a cheap and easy (my kind of DIY) way to spruce it up. Should I worry about the breeze and tangling, though?
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These chuppah floral curtains are gorgeous, but I am thinking of something a little simpler… little flowers spaced with fishing line.
Enhancement Part Trois:
The aisle. Given the exorbitant rate of flowers from our resort’s “preferred” vendor, I highly doubt we will end up with the thick blanket of flower petals that I am envisioning. My mom and I talked about staging a middle-of-the-night renegade operation on some bougainvillea bushes that grow like weeds along the highways, but… maybe this is not the best idea?
Mr. Quiche mentioned that he wanted an aisle runner, but I am unsure of aisle runners on grass. I feel like it would be a stumble waiting to happen.
Have you ever walked down an aisle runner on grass? How did you dress up your aisle?
What about lining the sides of the aisle with petals, like this?
LOL! Middle of the night renegade mission to steal bougenvilla from the highway!
I have a bougenvilla that grows like a weed outside my door, I can start collecting flowers and send them to you!
I love the idea of hanging flowers off the arch. I’d make sure there is a tiny bit of weight at the bottom so they are less likely to blow into each other. Aren’t aisles with the blanket of petals so dreamy? I wish our budget would allow for one…
I was actually looking at flowers today to line my aisle- I plan on going the freeze dried route since they last a lot longer than fresh petals and dont look as fake as silk flowers
I’m curious about the aisle runner on grass too, my mom brought this up the other day to save my dress from getting too dirty before the ceremony.
I’ve been wondering about the aisle runner on grass also. I thought about buying a cheap white rug runner with a fairly solid backing from Ikea to place under the “pretty runner” on the grass so I wouldn’t sink into it….but I wonder if that would just make it more “trip worthy”?
Miss Quiche, I luuuurve the pomander look too. However, we’re getting married on a large patio (ie cement on the ground) and shepherd’s hooks are not possible 
Instead I am making one big tissue paper pomander and hanging it from the middle of our arch. I’m curious about you mentioning them as bar decor….can you share a pic? I’ve been wondering what to do with mine after the ceremony because I honestly can bear to think I’ve been folder and storing all these little tissue poms for twenty minutes of use!
@West Coast Bride: We’ll be hanging our pomanders on the mantles post the ceremony. I don’t know if you have mantles though. Also, we’ll be hanging the pomanders on the sides of the chairs in the aisle since we don’t know which ceremony space we’re going for. Like this : http://engageology.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/i-am-loving-aisle-pomanders/
I’ve also been wondering about aisle runner + grass….
@ West Coast Bride
You can totally have shepherd’s hooks! They make hooks that don’t go into the ground, but instead have little stands. Here’s one: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/ironstand.html
Not a bad price, either, although I think that site has some for about $6.99. Check ‘em out!
I love option three! Island elegance. 
I’ve nary and aisle runner tip, as we’re not allowed to have one — and we’ll be inside a church. Maybe you can do a trial with fabric on grass? A little practice wedding procession? 
I really liked the post about the aisle runner tiles (http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/10/10/aise-tiles/), but those might be hard to transport. We are also having an outdoor ceremony (in a really hot climate), and my florist suggested shells and silk petals down either side of the aisle, past the first row, and flaring out beyond where we will be standing, creating a “Y”. It will look nice and I won’t have to worry about wilted flowers.
Oooh, I love #3. I have a similar picture of the petal “blanket” aisle runner saved. And I’m in love with pomanders too.
I was all set to do an aisle runner on grass (purchased the aisle runner and all)
But then my FI’s aunt who was a wedding planner for over 20 years highly recommended I not do that for 3 reasons:
She said the ground is often uneven, and the aisle runner will hide the bumps and people will trip.
She says it’s especially challenging to try to make sure the runner stays smooth so the fabric will bunch up and I might trip on the fabric.
And then I will also be wearing a poofy gown with heels which adds another challenge for navigating the bumpy ground and bunch fabric.
If anyone has any ideas of how to do an aisle runner on grass safely, I’d love some ideas too!!
Why not use paving stones (maybe with your monogram or wedding date?) in place of an aisle runner? It would keep your heels from sinking into the grass, I’d think!
I love the idea of the swaying pomanders. What a beautiful ceremony location!
I definitely like the last picture but the pomanders are pretty too.
i couldn’t have added any more projects on my plate so i don’t regret it, but my aisle really coulda used some attention! it was real low on my list of priorities and i hadn’t seen many aisle set up i loved that would fit our setting…
i did love avo’s button-trimmed aisle runner though!
@West Coast Bride: Looks like a lot of people offered great suggestions here - I was going to tell you the same thing. They make shepherds hooks on stands, or you can get the stake kind and plop them into a flower pot w/ soil, add some moss or whatever on top & voila! As for the bar decor - just take the pomander and plop it onto a tall drinking glass or vase for a “free” floral arrangement!
@driftslikesmoke: I love the idea of paving stone or tiles, like ready2bmrsd suggested…but they will be WAY to heavy to transport to Jamaica! If I were getting married locally, I would definitely do that!
@Mrs. Green Tea: Oh, you said it GT. I loved me those buttons!
I wish I could send u a pic, but I have one of a beautiful alter like yours with material draped over it. It is simply wrapped around he top very loosly and then hangs on the sides and is tied in the middle of the sides, kind of like curtains. And you can so line the aisle with candles, just buy a huge piller for every other chair. ;o)
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Mrs. Quiche, Chicago/Montego Bay Age and Occupation: 28, Interior Designer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 42, Telecom Guru Engagement Date: July 2, 2008 Wedding Date: May, 2009 Venue: Coyaba Resort, Montego Bay About Me: I love Chicago and can’t imagine living anywhere else (Well, except Paris. Or anywhere in France, for that matter!). I’m a full-time worker, part-time student, soon-to-be-step-mom, indie music lovin’, architecture and design fanatic, macaroni and cheese addict, vegetarian, Francophile, Ohio State football obsessed, wedding planning girl. Mr. Quiche and I are “Partners-in-Crime” and cannot wait to celebrate our marriage surrounded by our family and closest friends. I plan on DIYing my little heart out (or as much as a suitcase to Jamaica will hold).
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