Tybee Island Wedding.Com

As a wedding planner, I know it sounds dumb to say that I have a hard time with centerpieces. I know they are necessary, I know they look nice and add to/complete the feel of the party — but I see so much stress taken when creating them and getting them, so much worry in creating the right ones and so much time taken setting them up. Let’s face it, unless they’re so elaborate and miraculous you can’t believe, most people don’t even remember what your centerpiece was. Sorry.

HOWEVER! You can still create your awesome centerpiece and not spend a ton of money. HOW? I have so many ways! First of all, look at websites like eBay. People spend a lot of money on wedding items, and don’t use them, or use them gently. So when the bills start rolling in, they think “what am I going to do with these 15 vases?” Sell them on eBay! It’s an amazing resource.

**Since I first wrote this article back in 2007, I have found 3 new wedding websites that is specifically geared for ‘used’ bridal items ~ www.bravobride.com, www.recycledbride.com and www.myweddingisover.com . I won’t say I sparked but the idea for a new trend, but… These websites are full of wedding items that others bought and are leftovers or gently used. You can even find bridesmaids dresses, jewelry, centerpieces… and it’s full of real-life practical ideas and pictures from real, non-Martha photographed weddings.

(There’s also a great website http://www.exboyfriendjewelry.com/ that you can buy and sell your old jewelry on ~ it’s awesome).

Seriously, I call it ‘wedding brain’ ~ it’s amazing how white fairy lights at $15 for a 5′ strand seem so reasonable while shopping for your wedding, but in reality you can buy the same thing after Christmas for $.50 a box at TargetMart. It might not ‘feel’ the same to only spend a few dollars on something that doesn’t say ‘wedding’ on it, but in the long run, you can use your money elsewhere. And remember these sites for when your wedding hormones have simmered down ~ you might want to recoup a few bucks.

I also always tell people to have the necessarily unnecessary pieces be functional, too ~ take a look at the picture above. The bright napkins add a wonderful splash of color, the starfish were great ‘favors’ and the candles added light. Simple, pretty, colorful and functional. I also suggest for programs on the beach to make them fans ~ put the ‘fun’ into ‘functional’!

Another great resource is thrift stores. Whenever I am at a thrift store, I always look at the vases and glasses and silk flowers. You’d be really amazed and surprised at what you find. Yesterday, I popped into Good Will and I found no less than 12 of the same urn-shaped vases. That would have cost some lucky soul about 13 guilt-free dollars to have some lovely vases for their reception.

Consignment stores- these are also an amazing resource for bridal gowns, purses, shoes, jewelry, hairpieces; bridesmaids dresses, etc.

Craigslist.org – I find wedding stuff on Craigslist all the time. Don’t know what Craigslist is? It’s an online free community resource for people to post… everything. We have one in Savannah and it incorporates the whole area. I log on regularly just to see what’s out there (and to post things myself) – you’d be amazed.

Hand-me-downs – is your favorite sister/cousin/friend getting married and you love her centerpieces? Ask her to keep them or go in halvsies! You can save a lot of money. If she’s getting unique vases, you can just switch out the flowers for your own day – trust me, no one will know. What else are they going to do with 15 vases and 125 votive candles?

So, I’m not saying don’t make your wedding your own and use someone else’s ideas or to be cheap. But I am saying be open, be willing, and be creative. You might even just find someone else had your idea, and is auctioning it off on eBay.

Good luck!!

A few other ideas:

* The ‘in’ thing to do right now is to use beans for your centerpiece filler – esp. in clear glass. You get black or white beans and use them to put your candles or flowers in. In place of marbles or other things.

* Tall plastic vases with ostrich or peacock feathers. Simple, and lovely.

* Rent wine coolers and use them for your individual table centerpieces. Each table will have its own bottle of white (and don’t forget red) and it’s functional, too.

* Use local flora and fauna. We live at the beach, so we often go around a day or two before weddings and get palm fronds. We use these for all sorts of things – to lay on tables, using the individual fronds as filler in vases. You don’t have to buy it to make it spectacular.

* A lot of brides use items that have one function and use it for another ~ I did a wedding 2 weeks ago where the bride used rolls of planting wire for her table runners ~ it was elegant and functional. Each guest got a packet of flower seeds to take home.

* Get your vases out, put some seashells, beans, beads, jewels on the bottom, and then put you and your bridesmaids flowers in the vases. Voila! Pretty!

* Fruit. Very popular. Cut up some lemons, limes, oranges and put them in the bottom of the vase for a pretty, smart looking centerpiece.

* Use family heirlooms ~ at this same wedding, they did a mixed flower theme. They went to the store the night before and picked up all the spring flowers they could find and mixed them in old family crystal vases, teapots, and bowls. It looked wonderfully collage-y, and each centerpiece meant something. And Grandma’s favorite china got used.

5/10/08 ~ update ~ Yesterday I did a reception for 75, and they did an outdoor picnic theme. They used Great Grandma’s blue Mason canning jars for the flowers ~ now how awesome is that??

While you’re planning your wedding, you will be thinking of centerpieces and colors, flowers and hairstyles, food and locations, when you get a few minutes, think of other things for you and your out-of-town guests to do. Rehearsal dinners, dolphin cruises, ghost tours… these are some typical Tybee things to do, but here’s a fun list of other things to do for your special, once in a lifetime day ~

Savannah Fun Tours ~ think about what you’d like to do in Savannah or Tybee (or call them and let them help you think) and let Cayce and the Gang put together a unique, one-of-a-kind night for you. Scavenger hunts, bachelor/bachelorette tours (they have a party bus WITH a bar!), family ghost tours… you name it!

Personalized beer or soda bottles ~ have your engagement photos handy? A favorite picture of the two of you? Have them put on a beer, water or soda bottle! Jones Sodas will put your picture and wedding information on their awesome sodas and send them in time for your wedding. You can brew and bottle your own beer and put your pictures on them. Serve them as drinks or give them as ‘thank yous’.

Caricatures of you and your guests ~ Or have a wedding artist come to your wedding and make art of you and your guests.

Shag lessons ~if you’re not from the South, ’shagging’ might have a whole different meaning to you. But down here on the beach it’s a type of dance. It’s kind of a ’swing meets the South’ type dance… “The Soul has a beat – put it on the floor.” Shag Lessons are available for Beginners & Advanced.  Don’t be bored or sit on the sidelines, there is something for everyone; basics, turns, spins, and lots of steps.  Shag Instructor, Pat Folds, is an accomplished National Shag Competitor and can be contacted at 912-272-1762.

OK, so you’re coming to Tybee from ‘away’ and you’re trying to pack all your essentials. You have to think about sun, beach, wedding, wedding ‘emergencies’, maybe even packing for that additional honeymoon… what do you bring? Do you raid the travel size section in Target (but not get the high end items you usually use)? Do you put all your special creams in small containers? Do you hit every mall and spend hundreds of dollars just to get their small travel sized items? Let Mojuba Wedding with their awesome Bridal Survival kits take the worry out this planning. They thought of everything you probably wouldn’t ~ from Advil for headaches and Pepcid for butterflies, to straws and clear gloss, mini scissors to tissues for tears of joy … there’s nothing in this kit you wouldn’t use. It comes in a really, really cute handy bag, AND it’s so affordable. There’s also a Mojuba for the Groom to be! 

In some African cultures, Mojuba refers to a bag of magical items  that bring joy and happiness, and a prayer of praise and tribute. 

Yes, it’s true. As supportive as family and friends can be while planning your wedding, they can also drive you CRAZY. Maybe there’s the sister who’s a little jealous because you’re getting the attention, a BFF/Maid of Honor who is sad she’s ‘losing’ her best friend, the Mom who wants your wedding to be perfect because hers wasn’t, the future mother-in-law who is fretting about losing her baby son… the list can go on and on, and that’s the one thing I get queried about constantly ~ “My family is driving me crazy. What do I do?”

Well, here’s some suggestions. And it’s going to mean giving up some of your control, but some of the happiest brides I’ve seen (and that’s been almost 1000!!) are the ones who have given up little parts of their special day to make someone else happy. They get to show up at their wedding and go “Look! It’s a party and it’s for ME (and the groom, of course)”. And the best part is that while you’re ‘giving up’, these people are feeling special, AND they’re doing something to make YOU happy, and they’re doing it with love ♥. 

I kind of equate it to the emergency/CPR training I’ve had ~ if someone passes out, you’re not supposed to just yell at the crowd that’s gathered around, “Someone call 9-1-1!”~ you’re supposed to grab one person, look them in the eye and say “YOU! ~ call 9-1-1!!”. 

So, here’s some of my “My family’s driving me crazy” 9-1-1: 

Before the wedding: 

♥ Give the people driving you the most crazy with suggestions or just simply willingness to help something specific to do. Grab them and say “YOU! are completely in charge of my bridal shower” or “YOU! are in charge of my flowers”. You can give them big jobs and little jobs, but be specific. And once you give it over, you can’t interfere. Don’t overwhelm any one person with too many tasks. You’ll find a lot of people want to help, and that they will if you give them something to feel special. 
To-be-Mom-in-Law pouting because her baby’s getting married and she’s feeling left out? Ask her to host your bridal shower. Or ask her to help the groom and groomsmen get their outfits for the big day. Ask your best friend to give you a blow out bachelorette party. Ask your sister to help you pick out the bridesmaids dresses in your colors. Ask your Mom to be in charge of the flowers. Now, again, you’re going to be giving up some control, but the best part is that while the flowers might not be exactly what YOU would have picked, it’s something Mom picked FOR you from her heart. And you might get something a little more extravagant than if you were just giving Mom the bill.  

♥ Bridesmaids dresses or groomsmen outfits ~ Now, while you most likely want to be a part of this, I’ve also had brides give this over to someone they trust (sister, BFF, mother-in-law-to-be) by being only specific enough to say “It’s David’s Bridal ‘pool’”. The bridesmaids go shopping, get the dresses they like, and the bride has the knowledge that they’ve gotten something they may actually wear again, and she will not be responsible for another hideous bridesmaid dress. I’ve also had brides say “A summer dress in any shade of blue”, and gave the bridesmaids matching jewelry as their gifts … these have turned out very cute, too. Groomsmen are a little trickier ~ you can’t trust every ‘guy’ to turn up in the correct ‘white shirt/khaki pants’ combo … it’s nice to have someone go shopping with them. 

♥ Give someone the task of helping with the little tchotckes that go on tables ~ you might not be a wedding belle, but maybe your best friend/sister/cousin/mom-in-law is. EVERYONE has a hard time with favors ~ if you put someone in charge of your “coral and ecru themed beach wedding” favors, they might come up with something surprisingly unique and fun for you and your guests. While you’re overwhelmed with hundreds of little details, they get to focus on and research for one item, and they’re going to make sure it’s the best. 

Day of: 
♥ I had a bride not too long ago show up at the reception hall with a gaggle of female family and friends all wanting to help. She pulled out two big boxes of centerpiece items she’d collected, pointed to the 10 tables and gave each person a table and a sign saying “This table lovingly decorated for Justin and Sally by ______”, went and got ready, and let everyone create their own tables for the bride and groom. Not only did it get a lot accomplished, but everyone felt special and like they had contributed, and they all wanted to make theirs the best. And the bride NEVER walked into the room and looked at the centerpieces and thought “The blue candles are supposed to be next to the white ones, not the coral ones” or fretted over how it was ’supposed’ to look. She was just happy with everyone’s unique interpretation, and they were happy being creative for her. 

♥ I also often see a lot of friends and family show up to help on the special day … and the bride taking over and not allotting jobs, so there’s a bunch of people standing around not knowing what to do. IT’S OK TO ASK FOR HELP AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO. Create a list of specific jobs, so when someone asks, you can look at the list and say “Yes, will you please …”. 
While you’ve been thinking about your wedding 24/7 for the past 6 months or more, they’ve been … well, not. And Cousin Rebecca who showed up because Aunt Rachel made her isn’t going to know what to do when you just say “Help”. Tell her “Please put the tablecloths on the tables”, or “The little pink buckets need to be lined up on the tables with everyone’s name tag set in the sand”. Work with people’s known strengths. If Aunt Bessie is creative, have her make the bows or decorate the gift table. If Cousin Monica is artistic, have her make signs for the wedding and reception. You’ll get so much more done if *you’re* organized first, and can organize and distribute tasks during the last minute push. Again, they have one or two tasks, while you have many more, and they’re going to make sure theirs are done to perfection. 

So, in summary, it’s OK to ask for help, and to be specific. Start practicing letting go NOW ~ “What can I do to help?” is much better responded to with “You can put the candles in the holders” than “Oh, I got it” or “Help with the decorating”. Remember, when calling out for 9-1-1, look them in the eye. 

Here are some ‘job’ ideas to give to people:
♥ Flowers
♥ Bridal shower
♥ Bachelorette party
♥ Centerpieces 
♥ Groom/groomsmen shopping
♥ Bridesmaid dresses (in your colors, of course)
♥ Favors 
♥ Decorating

BUDGET. There’s that word again…

Wedding ’stuff’ really only gets used once… and then what do you do with it? Those cool centerpieces, the little box or bird cage that holds  your many gift cards, the wedding bell decorations or the seashells if you’re doing something beachy. You can give them away afterwards, or toss them or try to get your wedding planner to buy them (thanks, but no thanks)… or you can get them inexpensively in the first place. For example: I have these beautiful fishbowls (they’re large, so they don’t look hokey) that already have sand and seashells in them. You add some candles in your colors and viola! you have an inexpensive, beachy, readymade centerpiece. eBay, of course, is always a GREAT option, because there is always someone who bought 40 of those eiffel tower vases (new) with pink ostrich feathers or 200 white lantern balls and want to recoup some money. I also found this website ~ it’s like a ‘classifieds’ or ‘flea market’ for just bride ’stuff’ :  http://www.vintageglamblog.com/classifieds/

Here’s another fabulous website for brides ~ after those pre-wedding hormones have subsided and you realize you have 400 white candles and 50 white lantern balls leftover, and that you didn’t wear your tiara AND your veil ~ what do you do with them? You sell them on BravoBride.com ! Excellent resource for everything from jewelry and wedding gowns to bridesmaid dresses and centerpieces.  

Tybee Island Wedding Japanese Sobas

I (Tybee Island Wedding) also have other items that I rent out inexpensively ~ like material Japanese umbrellas (white), , urn-shaped vases, tons of seashells, dozens of clear glass votive holders… all good stuff to consider.