Ask Auntie Dana

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noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Test. Christmas casino party at our event site, East of Eden in Monterey: 12-5-2009

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:05:00 +0000

Test.

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noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:41:00 +0000

Test

Centerpieces

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:18:00 +0000

Dear Auntie Dana,
We want to do our own flowers. We are going to the Farmer's Market to buy bulk flowers, then we'll make cute bouquets in these vases that we got at Michael's. Will that work?

Dear Flower Child,
Be sure that you have the temperament to fuss with flowers the day before your wedding. OK...decided that you don't? Use lovely potted plants with the colors of your wedding. Decided that you do?...here are some tips from Auntie Dana who has cleaned up more than her share of tipped over flower vases! Keep them low, with a wide based vase. A small bottomed (like Auntie Dana wishes she was) vase with a big bunch of flowers is verrry tippy.

Auntie Dana says: no bud vases or top heavy arrangements; especially outside.

Pies or cake

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Dear Auntie Dana,
I don't like cake. Would it be weird to have something like a pie bar or ice cream or something?

Dear Pie Lover,
You can have whatever you want! Lately Auntie Dana has seen a lot of pie and ice cream bars...or a DIY small cake and a table with vanilla ice cream, berries, chocolate, nuts, cherries and whipped cream. And, no, Auntie Dana did not squirt the whipped cream right into her mouth even though she wanted to. Another fave is the bucket o' chocolate with many lovely things to drape in warm, silky chocolate...oh! YES!

Auntie Dana says: Wedding cakes are lovely. Even if you don't have one, do a fun photo op with your pie cutting or strawberry dipping or whipped cream squirting.

My fiancé wants a full bar till the event closes, but I am worried that guests will get too drunk. HE says that it will be too boring if we don't....

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:17:00 +0000

Wellll… even Auntie Dana has been known to overindulge! And when there is hard liquor for six or seven hours….it can bring with it drama and a different intensity…Here’s what works really well as a middle ground….have a signature drink during the hors d’oeuvre hour…with 100 guests you might want what I call “bucket o’ margaritas’! 4 handles of tequila and 8 handles of mix…salt and lime and—hey—everyone gets a couple of fun cocktails and when it’s gone…well, there’s wine at dinner and beer wine and champagne for the rest of the night…(Mojitos are reeeally good, too!)

Auntie Dana says no to the full bar and YES to the signature drink idea!

We don't know what to do about favors. We are considering little potted plants or truffle boxes. (We will assemble the boxes and put ribbon on them).

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:06:00 +0000

I would nix anything perishable like potted flowers—it’s hard to transport them—dirt spills in the car…assembling 125 little boxes is only a great idea if you love love love little projects like that. Favors that aren’t eaten immediately often are taken home and given to the kids….. so, do a favor if you have something that really excites you…and it’s ok if your favor is just a great party with free booze and food and dancing for the day!

Auntie Dana says have fun with favors IF it pleases you and let it go if it makes you feel stressed.

I can't find a tablecloth that matches my bridesmaid dresses. Does it matter?

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:55:00 +0000

OK…here’s your quiz…how much time will the bridesmaids be spending posing right next to the tables? Not much?! OK, so just work with a color scheme that has highlights of the colors that please you—maybe the dresses pick up a color in the napkin that picks up a color in the flowers….just a little thread of color that runs through the day.

Auntie Dana says have a range of shades.

Assigned tables or Free Seating?

noreply@blogger.com (happybride) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:59:00 +0000

Dear Auntie Dana-
I hope that you can help solve this argument- My mom really thinks that we should do assigned seating for our guests but I feel like it goes against the relaxed vibe that we are trying to create for our wedding. . . can't we just let our guests decide where they want to sit?

Remember when you tried to find the perfect spot to sit in the middle school cafeteria...the angst?! Assigned seating takes care of that...the 'popular guests' don't all gather at one table..pulling up extra chairs from the surrounding tables...Auntie Dana isn't left sitting all alone; you have been kind enough to seat her with the wild baby boomers and she is happy with that!

Auntie Dana strongly recommends assigned seating.

I have heard that it takes so much time to take pictures after the ceremony...

noreply@blogger.com (happybride) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:42:00 +0000

I have heard that it takes so much time to take pictures after the ceremony that my fiance and I are contemplating just taking most of the pictures earlier in the day, but I have mixed feelings about this. In your experience is this a good idea?

Well my dear,

I'll give you the pro and the con....
In order to take pictures before the ceremony, you will have to be ready and on task much earlier. If you are this type of person....then go for it!
If you want to leisurely enjoy the magic of getting ready and hangin' with your girls--then wait. It is very powerful to see the look on tour groom's face as he sees you in your wedding finery for the first time as you walk down the aisle.
Take time with your photographer and let him/her know how much time you want to spend on pictures after the v\ceremony...and stick to it.

Auntie Dana recommends pictures after the ceremony.

Isn't using an IPOD a great way to save money?

noreply@blogger.com (happybride) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:38:00 +0000

Dear Auntie Dana-
My fiance and I are on a limited budget and are thinking of just filling up our IPOD with our favorite tunes instead of hiring a DJ to save money. . .what are your thoughts on this?

Hello my dear,
Well....an ipod is great for listening to good music. If dancing is not a hugely important component of your reception then, by all means, use you ipod.
If dancing is important...use a dj....they know how to make it happen.

Auntie Dana says: ipod for listening--dj for dancing!

Green Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (Auntie Dana) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:09:00 +0000

Hello all,
This is Auntie Dana--and my first posting! I want to give you my philosophy on this blog. We are brainstorming. All ideas are ok--we are learning from each other and, in order to do so, we need to feel safe putting out any and all random ideas and thoughts. We can love each others' ideas...or not.....kindness reigns on this blog!

I've been thinking about green weddings....

-the greenest wedding would be to have ten of your closest friends and relatives, a ceremony and a simple dinner...boy, wouldn't THAT be great for my business!
Knowing this, and knowing that most of us want a few more friends and relatives....a fun party and some dancing.....you can stay green by keeping it simple. Simple is not a lessening of quality.

Organic place cards on handmade hemp paper may seem green.....but a lovely seating chart in a frame that can be reused...and doesn't demand a million pieces of paper...is greener!

Bubbles are nice, but hey...how many of us have brought those tiny plastic bottles home to our kids...only to have them languish in the car console!...maybe we can all blow ...kisses!

Quality, simply prepared local food is greener that organics shipped in--of course, we are lucky in this area to have most produce within 50 miles, year round!

A program for the ceremony is nice....but we pick up almost every single one and put it in the recycling after the wedding....think about whether or not you need one.

Favors...If you have something that really calls out to you--that you want to give your guests...by all means do it. We love the cd compilations that our clients make. You don't have to. There are no favor police!

Just some thoughts--