enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

WedwedLittleeandp

That's little P and little E.

Both are going to make an appearance at the wedding reception. On the big screen. As a slideshow. We're coming up with all sorts of things to happen at the reception to up the interesting factor. Receptions usually involve drinks, dinner and dancing. All fun but if you aren't a big dancer (my fabulous girlfriends) or don't know a lot of people (our parents) can get a little long and boring. Yep. I said it.

We're having a slide show (about 4 minutes long) of photos of us growing up and then together. Whenever I see wedding slide shows, I get teary. We are also going to play a little "get to know the bride & groom" game that I have seen done at many of my cousins' weddings. I will explain it in more detail as the time gets closer.

I am also planning on having a little "reception program" on the tables with the menus. So many tiny details go completely un-explained at receptions. Things like "who's giving the toasts and how they know the couple?" Things like "Why is this the song that the bride & groom choose to dance to?" "Why are the bride and her dad dancing to this song?" I know that the DJ can say all this stuff but often the DJ gets ignored or his words get lost. I want everything out there in case people are interested.

Working hard to make the whole party feel just like us.

Posted in

21 responses to “wedding wednesday : [trying to] keep the reception interesting.”

  1. maira Avatar
    maira

    Hey Elyse! We, too, did a slideshow of pictures of us when littler and together. We also included photos of the wedding party as many were childhood/high school/college friends…and we wanted them to be just as much as part of our story. Just a thought

    Like

  2. cathy Avatar
    cathy

    God bless you for not doing too long of a show…I went to a wedding a few weeks ago that showed a photo montage that was (no lie) thirty minutes long. Sorry but..no thanks. I had to go to the bathroom the whole time but didn’t want to be the only one to get up!

    Like

  3. Melissa Mann Avatar

    love those pictures!!!

    Like

  4. Elise Blaha Avatar

    lol…way too long!! the guests ALREADY had to sit through the ceremony.

    Like

  5. Elise Blaha Avatar

    🙂 yep…they’ll be in it too.

    Like

  6. Chelsea Avatar

    I love the idea about the programs. I’m one of those people who always wonders about the story behind songs chosen!

    Like

  7. leah eggers Avatar

    oh man those overalls are killer. the reception programs are a great idea!

    Like

  8. robyn Avatar

    what a great idea to have reception programs! i wish i’d have thought of that – so many things that could have been included on those that i’m sure people wondered about!

    Like

  9. Marcie L Avatar
    Marcie L

    Reading about all your wedding plans always makes me wish I could do mine over, lol! Love the idea of the programs with the answers to so many questions that you’re right, people really do want to know! Cheers!

    Like

  10. Sada Avatar
    Sada

    too cute! i LOVE your blog, by the way. i look at least once every day now! does that make me cool or just sadly bored at work? 🙂

    Like

  11. Avital Avatar

    OMG, your expression in this photo is priceless, as if you’re saying “You will see. One day I am going to conquer the world”. 🙂

    Like

  12. liza Avatar

    Love the idea of explaining the wedding details. You put so much thought into everything and the guests never realize it most of the time.
    My best friend was married in an old theater. I put a slideshow together for her with photos of her & her husband growing up, dating, and of the pre wedding festivities. It was on the longer side, but it played before the ceremony, as the guests were arriving & waiting for everything to begin. My favorite photos from the wedding are of the groom sitting in an empty theater, crying while watching it, since he hadn’t seen the finished product prior to that day.
    I’m lovin all your wedding details, keep sharing!

    Like

  13. tessa Avatar
    tessa

    Hey, I was looking around Etsy the other day and saw this dress and totally fell in love with it..then the colors totally made me think of you/your wedding and thought you might want to see it- http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33133009

    Like

  14. indigorchid Avatar

    Aw, the kiddie-pictures are adorable! I also love the reception-program idea. I’m a sucker for anything that is readable (ehm.. milk-cartons. Brochures. Printed words. Anywhere. Anytime.), and it’s such a great idea for sharing those details with your guests. Yey!

    Like

  15. Amy Lapi Avatar

    i love your ideas! sounds like your wedding will be so you 🙂
    p.s… can’t help but name this quote after your last sentence: “i love you, honey, but if you call our wedding a party one more time, you may not be invited.”

    Like

  16. Elise Blaha Avatar

    looooove that dress. thanks for sharing.

    Like

  17. sandra Avatar

    those photos are just adorable!
    those little details will make your wedding that much more special.

    Like

  18. tessa Avatar
    tessa

    Of course I don’t notice until now that it’s sold out. Haha. Oh well, it’s still super pretty :]

    Like

  19. Elise Blaha Avatar

    i just watched that episode. my fave.

    Like

  20. Rachel Dallaire Avatar

    I love the reception program idea!!! My (now) SIL created our slideshow for us-our moms picked the photos. It turned out beautiful. I watch the DVD of it every now and then.

    Like

  21. Rachel Avatar

    So cute. I loved planning the details of my wedding.

    Like

Leave a comment