Savory Cupcakes
Caterers have taken our fascination with all things round to a new level by offering
up savory cupcakes during the cocktail hour or as a light entrée. How does a tomato
basil parmesan cupcake topped with freshly grated cheese sound?

Edible Vessels
Serve an appetizer on an edible spoon made of pastry, or a small bite of marinara
sauce with Italian sausage inside a mini bread bowl. Being able to literally eat
everything on your plate can be a great way to add some creativity to a more casual
reception.

International Street Foods
Small Mexican street tacos with fish or shrimp or Chinese dim sum are different
and delicious alternatives to standard finger sandwiches. Or go all out and bring an
actual food truck to your party. There are several great ones in the DFW area that
can be hired by the hour and are surprisingly affordable.

Tiki Bar Cocktails
Tiki. The name alone is fun, and the Tiki Bars of the 60’s are enjoying renewed
popularity. Serve tropical drinks with colorful straws and fruit garnishes, and
incorporate vintage Tiki art into your signage and décor. Keep it Tiki rather than
Hula by using natural materials and colors.

Individual Wedding Cakes
Take a page from some royal wedding rumors for this hot trend. Rather than a
single wedding cake, have an individual wedding cake in a different flavor at each
of your reception tables. It’s all about the presentation, and guests will love getting
to cut their own dessert (rather than having something pre-sliced on a plate).

Tapas Galore
Tapas are a great way to offer your guests a variety of flavors while still keeping the
menu tied together — since it’s all Spanish food. Try paella cups, lime fish, and
shrimp ceviche, or even jumbo garlic shrimp skewers. It’s perfect for a relaxed
reception, where guests can easily mingle without having to sit at the same table all
night

Finish with Favors to Go
For a simple, edible DIY favor, try canning something for your guests. Can or
preserve just about anything — from pickles to jam — and top it all off with a pretty
ribbon or scrap of patterned fabric and custom label that reflect the theme of your
event.
Incorporate one or more of these ideas into the menu for your next party and you’re
sure to leave your guests with some delicious memories!

 

The Holidays bring lots of special occasions and special people into our homes and businesses! When you need extra tables and seating call for our Holiday Special: Eight white folding chairs and one 60” Round or 8” Banquet Table for $24. Order must be placed before 12/10/12. Mention this article when you call. Offer can be multiplied.

How can you decorate those tables quickly and inexpensively? Set a pillar candle inside a cylinder vase and pour fresh cranberries around the candle, or substitute a potted plant for the candle. A vase filled with pine-cones can be enchanting, particularly when sprinkled with iridescent buffalo glitter available at your local craft store. If you’d rather not buy and store your own vases, rent our 7” x 7” Glass Vase for $5.

Another great idea is edible centerpieces. Group Christmas Tree Cupcakes placed on paper doilies in the center of your table. The “trees” topping these individual cakes are actually inverted frosted ice cream cones. The frosting on these was piped with a star shaped icing tip, however the same effect can be achieved by swirling it on with a small icing spatula or blunt knife.

You Need Room to Say “I do”

Does your setup have enough space for all your guests? If not, you’ll have to start trimming the list. Don’t mistake overcrowded for cozy. If you plan to use a combination of indoor and outdoor space, know that if the weather takes a turn for the worst, everyone will need to fit indoors. Will there be enough space in, say, the living room, to set up white folding chairs with a wide enough aisle? The general rule is six to ten square-feet of floor space per guest for row-seating.

You Can’t Do It All Yourself

Since you’re so accustomed to your home, hiring a wedding coordinator will give you a fresh perspective on the property and what you can and cannot do. You will also need people to cover all the basics: setting up, cooking, serving, parking cars, and cleaning up. Hiring a cleaning crew may be the best decision you’ll make. In the days leading up to the wedding, the last thing you (or your parents) want to have to do is a massive house-scrubbing.

You’ll Need to Tend to Your Lawn

Your yard will be on display, so give the space a manicured look. Whether that means dragging out the lawnmower or hiring a landscaper, you’ll want your lawn to be in peak form. If you’re planning on a spring wedding, start preparing in the fall. Talk to your professional landscaper about reseeding, replanting, and sodding.

You’ll Need to Plant Early

Most perennials need a winter to take hold, and it takes some time for annuals to fill out. Make sure to find out the appropriate planting times for the flowers you’d like, so they’ll be in full bloom on your wedding day. For a spring wedding, cool-season flowers like tulips, daffodils, and lilies of the valley will be in bloom (which need to be planted the autumn before). For summer, try annuals like geraniums, Gerbera daisies, and African daisies, which should be planted after the threat of frost; you’ll probably want to plant perennials for fall, like Japanese anemones, chrysanthemums, and blue salvia — these should also be planted the fall before.

Your Wedding Officiant May Not Comply

Make sure your wedding officiant will give you his or her blessing at your chosen location (some aren’t able to perform the ceremony outside their place of worship because it’s not recognized by the church). You’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to find a licensed officiant who will do the honors.

Wedding Guests May Try to Stay At Your House

Try to dissuade them from this idea. Unless you’re marrying at a 25-room estate, the only people who should be staying at the wedding site are the homeowners and their immediate family (the bride or the groom, other siblings). You don’t want to be fighting your cousin for shower time the morning of your wedding. What you should do is recommend a hotel that’s as close to your property as possible.

You’ll Need to Rent Everything

Your must-have items are tables, chairs, dinnerware, napkins, table linens, place settings, barware, portable bathrooms, and a tent. Rent enough chairs so everyone can be seated for the ceremony. If you need more room for the reception, remove most of the chairs after the meal, keeping just enough around so half the party can sit during the festivities.

You’ll Probably Need a Generator Too

Most homes can’t accommodate the amount of power necessary to light a tent or provide power to a catering kitchen. You don’t want to risk a power outage, or even worse, blowing out the whole neighborhood! Check with your caterer to see if you need to rent extra coolers, grills, or roasters. Don’t wait on this; you’ll want to start researching and reserving equipment six months before your wedding.

Wedding Vendors Need to Check Out Your Home

In order to determine what extras they’ll need to bring, vendors should stop by for a visit. Have your caterer survey your kitchen to make sure it is well-equipped and large enough to prepare the menu. Otherwise he may need to bring in a completely functional traveling kitchen.

The Ground May Not Be level

Chairs, tables, the dance floor — you don’t want any of these items to be on uneven ground. Professional tent companies can ascertain whether or not they need to put down a foundation or if they’ll be able to lay a dance floor directly on the ground. Your other vendors (caterers, florist, band) need to determine what is necessary to keep floral arrangements and the cake table from tipping over.

You May Need a Permit to Party

From the city permits to fire department inspections, make sure everything is in order. Bring in an electrician to inspect your area, find out if local noise ordinances require a permit or place restrictions on noise, and determine if you need to file for a permit to park cars along your street. The last thing you want is cops crashing your party.

Port-A-Potties Have Gone Luxe

You’ll want to account for three bathroom trips per guest. Most septic tanks can’t handle that many flushes, so portable bathrooms are a must. A general rule of thumb is to have one bathroom for every 35 guests. Keep in mind that your guests will need a place to wash their hands and do a mirror check, so keep the area well lit. Upscale portable bathrooms are now available that have lighting, sinks, heated water, and even air-conditioning. Don’t forget to make them even more home-like by including an amenity basket filled with hair spray, tampons, Band-Aids, and breath mints in the ladies’ room.

You Can Save on Decorations

What makes your home unique — an elegant dining room, a massive oak tree in your backyard, a gorgeous lawn, or a spectacular view? Play up that feature to create a homey feel. It adds to the trend of making it look like you’ve emptied Grandma’s china cabinet of all its unique and beautiful pieces. Use different centerpieces and mix-and-match vases. Bring in fresh, home-grown-type flowers or play with outdoor lighting possibilities. Garden lamps, paper lanterns, and tiny white lights strung on branches will create a stunning atmosphere.

Have a Plan B That’s as Good as Plan A

Unexpected weather can bring about unique challenges. Always plan for the worst by making sure guests will be covered in the event of a sudden downpour. If there’s no way to pitch a tent at the ceremony area, arrange to have the ceremony at a house of worship in case of rain — make sure to have an insert in each invitation that gives the alternate address and a number to call to find out if the ceremony has moved. If a tent is your Plan B, make sure it has sides to keep out a driving rainstorm. Stifling heat can pose just as many problems as rain, so make sure ceremony chairs aren’t in direct sunlight and that there are plenty of shaded areas, cool drinks, and even hand fans available. If it’s a warm day, extra electric fans and portable air conditioners can be brought in; on wintry days, propane heaters can warm up the place.

You May Have to Include Your Neighbors

Let them know of your wedding plans well in advance. They may be planning to host a party the same night. Also, make sure they know the ceremony time so nobody’s mowing their lawn during your vows, and ask if they’d offer their driveways for extra parking space. But you can’t rely on neighbors’ generosity completely. Make sure there’s enough street space for parking, or arrange for guests to park at a nearby lot like at a school or church, and provide round-trip shuttle service. If you want valet parking, hire a reputable company. You don’t need a Father of the Bride scenario on your hands.

Insurance May Cover Home Repair

From guests dancing on your lawn to vendors traipsing in and out, your home may take a bit of a beating. Find out what your homeowner’s insurance covers. You may want to consider getting a supplemental policy. Check with your domestic insurance company to see if your policy covers third-party liability, and with your vendors to make sure they have their own insurance policies, as well.

It’s All Worth It

We want you to be prepared, not scared. Having a wedding at home — even at your new home as newlyweds — is an amazing idea, and an event your family will always remember. The best thing about having your wedding at home is how personal it can be. Nothing compares to getting ready in your childhood room and coming down the staircase in your gown. Find the right people to help, and you’ll walk down your homespun aisle stress-free.

$35.00

Fitted ivory draping $30

2 available

2 available