Reusing for Wedding Centerpieces etc...

There usually comes a point in a project for me where I wonder if it will all come together as a cohesive whole. We're there… but as we stack "wedding" stuff on the six foot folding table, somehow it looks good together. It's also a good time for me to remind myself what is the most important: people and relationships. What I do creatively should foster that and help build an atmosphere of love for the wedding, combining the sacred and celebratory.

Wednesdays, or at least parts of Wednesdays have been dubbed "Wedding Wednesdays" for the past two months. Now that it's getting closer more of my days are focusing on Wedding preparations. Here's some photos. They look better in person, but it gives the idea and I'm planning to take pictures after we get everything set up at the venue.

For some of the bigger food tables we incorporated two birdcages. The one directly below was borrowed from a friend. Branches were cut from our oak tree and the paper hearts made earlier echo the paper chain with music and maps. The lower birdcage I bought a number of years ago and it tends to travel around my house making itself at home. In both cages we put battery operated candles. Suitcases are stacked and open ones used for holding cards, napkins etc. We'll also put groupings of wine bottles with peacock feathers in them and votive candles on the food tables (not shown).

The suitcase was given as the package for a wedding gift from our friends and neighbors.
The cards were cut out of leftover wedding invitations.

Most recently, the centerpieces were a focus. Merri read an idea that she incorporated. Because each centerpiece is a bit different and involves various parts, she set up a sample of how she wanted it to look and took a picture of each centerpiece from different angles. The groom loves photography and the bride old books, so the old cameras and books from our shelf are a relevant and easy choice. We printed the images of the photos of centerpieces in black and white on copy paper and taped them to the appropriate box so the people setting it up will know what's in each one. Then she put them each in a box and labeled it "Table #1" etc. Here are a few examples: