Sunday, February 14, 1999
Have yourself a weird wedding
By CINDY PALMIERI HOBSON
Scripps Howard News Service
Couples these days are dedicated to making their weddings unique. If personalized vows or unique party favors are not enough to make you feel your wedding has that extra special something, put a twist on the wedding tradition altogether.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for fun and creative celebrations:
NUPTIALS NEAR AND FAR
When the bride and groom are from different parts of the country, deciding where to have the wedding isn’t easy. One solution is to plan a progressive wedding. You travel to attend celebrations hosted in your honor by family and friends in different cities. (Not bad, eh?) This is also a nice option when divorced parents who don’t want to attend the same event are involved.
First, decide where the actual ceremony will take place. Usually it’s planned in the town where you currently live -- where it may be easiest to find an officiant and obtain a marriage license. Or, it might be in the bride’s (or groom’s) hometown. A celebration with family and friends in the area will follow.
Next, decide where the various other parties and gatherings will take place. The first stop is usually the bride’s hometown (if the original wedding wasn’t there), and then the groom’s. You may also decide to visit your college town or anywhere else where many people you’re close to are clustered. (A travel agent can help map out your trip -- he or she may have suggestions to help you save money.) At each stop, someone (usually a family member, but it could be an extremely close friend or two) is designated to take charge of making party arrangements.
Confirm the dates, and let everyone involved know when you’ll be arriving and how long you’ll be staying (send invitations asking for the honor of guests’ presence to "celebrate the recent marriage of John and Mary Smith"). It’s a good idea to arrive a few days before each party if possible to help with final preparations. Don’t forget your final destination: The honeymoon!
Other pointers:
-- A wedding consultant can help coordinate the celebrations. The consultant will be able to provide reliable professional referrals in different parts of the country, saving you a great deal of time -- and hefty phone bills.
-- Bring pictures and a video from the actual ceremony to share with guests along the way.
-- Start a wedding scrapbook and add photos and other memorabilia from each destination.
-- Afterward, send a special thank-you note and gift to each party host.
A SURPRISE (AND WEDDING) PARTY
Nothing is more exciting than a surprise party, right? And the ultimate unexpected gathering is definitely a surprise wedding. This works well if you’re marrying for the second time, you really love surprises or you don’t want to deal with the hype and stress that comes with engagement and wedding planning.
Guests think they’re attending a surprise birthday bash (or other celebration) for the groom (or bride, but it works better when it’s the groom, as you’ll soon see!). When he arrives, he lets them know that he has a surprise of his own. Guests are then invited to take a seat in an adjacent room, the band strikes up a wedding march and the bride appears.
Variations:
-- If you eloped, surprise friends and family upon your return with the announcement of your recent nuptials, followed by a wedding reception (read: great party!). Show a video of the ceremony and give wedding photos in small silver frames as favors. Create an atmosphere that reflects where the ceremony took place -- if you tied the knot in Hawaii, decorate the room with tropical orchids and serve mai tais and chocolate-and-macadamia-nut cake.
-- Invite guests to a mystery celebration. As guests arrive, they receive a puzzle piece. One side indicates their table, the other has part of a picture on it. Once seated, tablemates assemble their puzzle pieces to reveal the words "Welcome to Our Wedding!"
THE MIDNIGHT WEDDING
This is perfect for couples are natural night owls. (Let’s hope most of the guests are, too!) The ceremony is scheduled for midnight or thereabouts (yes, you can start the festivities at 10 or 11 p.m. if you like), followed by a buffet and dancing. If you’re not up for an all-nighter, just serve champagne, cake and dancing, and send everyone home at 2 or 3 a.m.
A celebration that lasts into the wee hours is best held in a hotel ballroom -- this gives guests who don’t have the stamina to go all night the option of going upstairs to their hotel rooms while the party rocks on. For a less formal approach, think about an all-night restaurant or diner. Following the ceremony, guests are served dinner -- and lots of champagne. As the night goes on, a coffee bar can provide extra energy! Around 6 a.m., a breakfast buffet serves up omelet and bagels for the brave few still standing (or guests fresh from naps upstairs!).
Some pointers:
-- Plan to have two groups of musicians, one for the party and a more mellow sound (a harpist, violinist, or low-key jazz combo) during breakfast.
-- Be sure photographers and caterers know how long the party will last.
-- Give guests morning papers as they leave.