HELP! - Surprise Christmas Wedding

peabiscuit · #1 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 02:40 PM

I don't know if this is even the right forum or not...but here goes:

Christmas Day:
The families (10 people) think that they're coming to our house for Christmas, maybe with the possibility of an engagement after 8 years, when...SURPRISE! We're getting married...RIGHT NOW! (We think the moms are gonna KILL us! Happily, of course.) The point is though, to have everyone together for a really personal, family celebration at home.

Considering the cost of weddings today, we're getting off easy this way. We can afford to splurge on this amount of people, but being frugal hasn't gone completely out the window.

As an example: we bought cashmere scarves as "favors" for $20 during off-season sales..SWEET!

Sorry to get you guys thinking of Christmas so soon, but I'd appreciate any ideas for the Holidays or weddings in general, crafts, decorating, ANYTHING! You're all such a great source for things like this, I figured I'd put out a call for help!

Thanks...

thisgirl · #2 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 04:22 PM

I am so happy for you, what a GREAT idea. You are doing it your way and the family will be there to witness the whole thing

After the fact the mothers might just realize how nice this is,
but until that happens do it your way. Will this be at the house or are you taking everyone to a church or somewhere? Give us details, we only have alittle over six months to help you plan this party

Good luck to you

and your intended

peabiscuit · #3 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 05:41 PM

Thanks for the encouragement, thisgirl, I've worked too many overly lavish weddings to feel comfortable having one myself. But, it's hard going against that grain. Plus, I don't want my family to feel obligated to come up with that kind of money. We'd feel better saving & spending on our own.

Basically, this is the plan:
Everyone comes over to the house for Christmas (Maybe AM Church, brunch, presents, etc). This is why I'm making 12 Christmas stockings: disposable cameras, tissues, & any wedding hoopla I can think of.

We'll rent video cameras to catch everyone's reactions.

We haven't decided exactly how to break the news. Ideas?

Out comes (get this..) the Rabbi! (Who else would be available to do a wedding on Christmas?)

Then...dinner in the guest room (Converted with basic rental equipment into a dining room). There's a culinary school nearby so I can hire someone to finish all of my prep and someone to serve. (Hopefully) Plan B: Close friends.

Then...horse-drawn carriage rides in the park. I can't believe we pulled that one off! On Christmas, no less!

Normally, I spend a little on decorations during after-Christmas sales. But, I didn't have this plan in mind last season and now I'm kicking myself! Not to mention that there's zilch out there right now regarding Christmas!

That's all we've got. Just the basics. It's the rest of the stuff that's getting harrowing.

Scooby · #4 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 06:31 AM

Congratulations!!!!! I had a december wedding, lol, it wasn't a surprise but..........

For my bouquet I used white roses, tiny poinsettas, a small amount of ivy and string pearls. It was beautiful. I did it with silk flowers. I had a maid of honor and I made her a corsage with the same things that were in my bouquet. I made the boutineers with a white rose bud and a tiny poinsetta. They were really cute.

Our cake had white roses and poinsettas on it.

For favors I bought red and green plastic spoons and white tulle. I put 1 hershey Kiss and 1 hershey Hug in each spoon and wrapped it with the tulle, used red ribbon on the green spoons and green ribbon on the red spoons. Also hot glued a tiny poinsetta in the center of the bow. Typed tiny hang tags and attached them, the tags read

A spoonful of Hugs & Kisses
From the Mr. & Mrs.
Our Names & wedding date

We had an outdoor wedding and were married between 2 Palm Trees. We had a couple of wedding bells, the paper honeycome kind, centered between the 2 trees. Wrapped around the trees we had a large white bow with a poinsetta in the center.

Just a few things we did, and since I did everything except the cake, it was very inexpensive.

Mom2twoboyz · #5 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 06:39 AM

That sounds beautiful Scooby!!! Congratulations Peabiscuit!!! How exciting! What a surprise to go to a party only to realize you're at a WEDDING. A friend and I actually discussed doing this a few years back (not with each other LOL). I think it's a wonderful idea. You have lucky friends

peabiscuit · #6 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 10:22 AM

Those ideas are great Scooby. I had forgotten all about ivy! We're even going to surprise the attendants, so that craft would be a great way to "pin" the job on them!

I am doing the cake by myself, so right now I'm up to my ears in sugarpaste poinsettias! LOL

peabiscuit · #7 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 10:27 AM

Thanx, Mom2. I feel bad about keeping all this from them, though. I think I'm gonna pop! I guess this is why so many people are normally involved in the planning!

Scooby · #8 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 12:15 PM

Oh hon, your wedding is going to be so beautiful & memorable!!!!!! I loved every part of getting ready for mine and I know you will to. I was not brave enough to make the cake tho! Kind of icing challenged

I love the idea of surprising the attendants!

Mom2twoboyz ~~ Thank you, for a frugal wedding thought it was beautiful.

Shawn · #9 (**permalink**) 05-10-2002, 04:17 AM

It seems like you have it all under control. Your day will be wonderful!

Other then what you have planned already, what info do you need our help with? I can do some searching for you to see what I can come up with.

peabiscuit · #10 (**permalink**) 05-10-2002, 06:35 AM

Thanks Shawn,

I do have a lot of the major ideas and arrangements for the wedding set already. Now, I'm just looking for some ideas and details to make the day - and the Christmas - unique. I'm pretty much open to any ideas.

Primarily, though, I'm looking for decorating and Christmas decoration ideas that I can do or make. I'm going to need TONS of ornaments and decorations - I've got a lot of space to take care of and I want to have as many trees as I can afford throughout the house. The ornaments that I've used in the past have all been homemade and temporary - origami one year, cookies, cranberries and popcorn the next - so I need to get cracking on ornaments!

Additionally, I need ideas for decorating two areas:
1. the actual place where the ceremony will be
2. an area to take pictures

Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks for the encouragement, Scooby!