Weddings

The Wedding Student: Ironing Out Details

Maria gives advice on the little things many couples forget.

Forget the limo—there are hotter ways to go from ceremony to reception.

As you all know, Haylee and Adien decided to have a casual beach wedding right outside her parents’ beach house. We—their fabulous wedding-planning team—are in the final prep stages. One thing that couples often don’t realize: Because the wedding is outside on the beach and on family property, it’s important to look into insurance for the big day. If someone trips and breaks a leg, insurance will help Haylee and Adien avoid going from honeymoon to lawsuit.

For the wedding reception, the couple decided to save money by making simple yet elegant centerpieces using multiple-height candles and soft flowers for a relaxed Hawaiian/Asian theme. But because of Adien’s strong Irish history, they want to add some Irish touches. We suggested they do this in the rings (Claddagh—traditional Irish wedding rings), in the groomsmen’s gifts (Irish pub signs), and in the party favors (personal bottles of Baileys Irish Cream!). A tip: When planning your favors, make sure they’re appropriate for both your wedding theme and your attendees’ ages. Because Haylee and Aiden specified an adults-only reception on their invitations, they can safely give out an alcoholic gift.

And another detail that couples sometimes forget: Make sure you have a safe and awesome way to get from the wedding to the reception. Many couples don’t think past the traditional limo. But there are so many outside-the-box options—horse and carriage, vintage car, canoe, surfboard . . . even camel or elephant.  Haylee and Adien have decided to use Adien’s best friends’ two-seat convertible, but you can definitely come up with many more ideas unique to you and your significant other! With these final details worked out, get ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

 

Maria Abrams, a student in George Mason University’s Wedding Planning and Management class, writes every Thursday about her final class project—planning a wedding from start to finish, using real vendors and a $15,000 budget. Click here for her past entries.

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