Wed Recap: Surprises for the groom and the guests

I really wanted our wedding to be full of surprises for our guests and especially my groom - as much as he would let me surprise him.  :)  I wanted the guests to feel like they were at a sentimental and emotional wedding but also a really fun and entertaining one unlike your typical 'processed' weddings where it's the same expected thing after the same expected thing.

Some of the ways I tried to infuse this uniqueness and creative surprises were with little extra elements that didn't cost much at all and yet added something fun or different to the event.  So here they are:

I'm going to start off with the video today because believe me, you just have to see this first little surprise for my groom *LIVE* :)  Then after you can read about each thing and see the pics :)

1)  Of course, you all know about the one main thing I did at our ceremony that truly set our processional apart from anything else the guests had seen.  I incorporated a spoof of the E! THS as a video to precede my walk down the aisle.  I loved playing it at the ceremony instead of the reception as most montages are now played because it kept the guests all looking in the same place and gave them something to laugh at during what is typically a traditional and sometimes mundane part of the wedding celebration. 

2)  There was a great surprise for Mr Fix It during the processional as well.  I have eluded to the $14 sign I had created in our wedding colors from VistaPrint.com in the past.  Well, I saw a version of this idea on a blog while browsing for parasols for my bridesmaids and just had to do it!  We had our eldest ring bearer carry this fabulous little sign down the aisle.

By Robert Mullins

By Jeff Ezell

By Kristin Jepson

Unfortunately, the two ring bearers in front of him didn't walk quite as fast so he ended up getting real close to them to where it took a minute for Mr Fix It to truly be able to see what the sign said.  But once he and all the other guests got a glimpse of it, they had some great laughs as seen in these photos:

By Robert Mullins

Check out Mr Fix It's face when he sees the sign his nephew is carrying:

Photo courtesy Janet Campbell

I love all the guests laughing in this one :)

By Tanya Beever

By Robert Mullins

3)  For our recessional, I loved the photos I have seen of guests tossing flower petals at the bride and groom.  The shots are just gorgeous.  But I really wanted *ALL* of our guests to get in on the action and so when I saw this idea of 'ribbon wands' on another web site, I just had to incorporate it.  It was sort of inexpensive to make the wands.  I think it was $70 for about 100 of them.  I made one for every other guest and we placed them on the chairs at the ceremony.  Here you can see the guests holding them and playing with them pre-ceremony.

By Robert Mullins

By Robert Mullins

This little one was so in love with them that she collected a bunch during the cocktail hour and made them into pom poms :)  (By Kathleen Wolsfeld)

I was kind of bummed about how this was executed.  I wish I would have made enough for every single guest to have one.  And I should have actually attached a little tag on them letting them know when and how they should wave them because most of the guests either didn't wave them very high or out the aisle at us or they only waived them for a brief moment.  Therefore, we didn't get the great shot I was anticipating of us kissing at the end of the aisle with all these little ribbons flying over the guests heads :(  This was a fail type of idea...but had I done it better (listed it in the program or used tags), I think the guests would have gotten into it more.  Instead, here are the shots we got of a few of them waving around (as you can see, the video footage looked way better than these photos):

By Robert Mullins

By Roseanne Rivoli

 

By Robert Mullins

At least somebody had fun with them :)  Mr Fix It's little niece

By Robert Mullins

4)  And my favorite surprise for Mr Fix It and the guests at the reception was definitely the chocolate fountain.  When we first contacted our caterer, he let us know that they included a chocolate fountain with dippers like strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, pretzels, etc during your reception after dinner.  Well of course, I was not happy with just your typical chocolate fountain.  So I found a site online called http://fondue4you.com/   This place lets you buy different colored chocolate for your fountains.  And they had a wonderful Tiffany Blue color to match our wedding colors!

I mentioned to our caterer that I found the site and asked him to check and see if the cost of their chocolate was comparable to what he normally paid.  He said he would handle it no problem and didn't end up charging us anything extra.  Steve from La Finestra catering was very accommodating throughout the process and we loved working with him.  And look at all he put out (there's actually a lot more on the other side of the fountain)

Though when Mr Fix It heard me confirm the 'blue chocolate' order, he flipped out!  He was pissed that I had yet another 'stupid little detail' that was probably extra money and thought I was going way over on the wedding details.  Plus he kept insisting that colored chocolate was going to taste *horrible*!  Well, come wedding day when that chocolate fountain was all set up, he was eating his words...and the chocolate!  It was the most yummy-licious freaking chocolate I have ever tried before!  I didn't notice it was set up until the very end of the night and as soon as I made my way over there I was all over that thing...as were all the guests.  They raved about it!  I highly encourage you to order this stuff...soooo good!

Photos by Robert Mullins

We made sure all the guests knew about it by including it on the little place card notes we tucked into each guests' napkins.  We also had our DJ announce it after our first dance to let everyone know to go check it out.  It was set up right on the other side of the fire place in the alcove just off the dance floor so lots of people made there way over there.

All in all, these little extra details which didn't really cost much extra truly gave our guests some memorable things to be entertained by that they didn't see at just every other wedding.  Oh, and of course there were the other things like the magician, photobooth, and flip flops that they loved as well.  Lots of fun surprises.

Wed Video Recap: Make 'em laugh!

Preface:  The end of the video in this post contains a few brief moments of the very beginning of our ceremony...be sure to watch it through to the end.  It is one of my favorite moments of our ceremony because it just shows our personality and how we interact with our pastor so perfectly.

As you saw in the posts last week, moments before I was to walk down the aisle, I had a little somethin' somethin' for entertaining our guests at the ceremony.  They had just arrived, maybe they walked around the zoo or picked up a drink at the bar.  They said some hellos to friends and family.  And now they had been seated.  They watched the wedding party make their entrances and arrive at the altar.  So all that was left, what normally comes next, is the bride's big entrance, right?  Nope...not at the Beever wedding.  I wanted to start off our night purely entertaining the guests and letting them know what this whole event was really all about....laughing and having FUN!  And so I had the video.  You can click that link to refresh your memory and view it again...it was my piece de resistance of the night.  It was my baby that I had worked on for over six months leading up to the wedding.  And it was the big ta-da right before I entered to meet my almost husband.

So how did it go?  Well, here's some pics and video of the guests watching our E! True Hollywood spoof detailing the events of our life and our journey to each other as man and wife.

Disclaimer: This video was created using raw footage courtesy of Video Keepsakes of Beverly Hills.

It was created by me strictly for recap purposes and therefore will not necessarily be great quality.

There will be things you probably shouldn't hear and shaky footage in certain places.

Thank you for your understanding.

We had two 50" flat screen Panasonic high def tv's in our ceremony area.  One was off to the left off the guests (that's the one these guests are turning to watch) and the other was up to the right of the altar (so the bridal party and people up front could watch easily, too). 

Look at what a great time they're all having.  Their laughter helped keep me sort of calmer as you saw in last week's recap video :)

These are my future in-laws watching it.  My sister-in-law Jackie (on the right) got a sneak peek of the video a few weeks before the wedding when it was almost finished.

Friends from both me and Mr Fix It's lives are sitting together watching.

Here you can see the tv that was off to the left behind the guests.

Some old friends in the back have a great view of both tv sets.

And as you saw at the end of the video today, I wanted our ceremony to be anything but formal and stuffy.  I loved how our pastor made great jokes and comments about us personally and how we (I) just reacted to them instead of feeling like I had to sit there until it was my turn to talk.  :)

TODAY'S WEDDING TIP:  If you are going to have a montage or video played at any point in your wedding event, be sure to do a test of the actual equipment before the event.  I mailed the DVD to the video equipment rental company a few weeks before our wedding to have him play it in his DVD and test it...I don't know if you know, but homemade DVD's are not compatible with every type of DVD player.

*  All photos by Robert Mullins Photography

Wed Video Recap: Processional - do whatever the heck you want!!!

So today's recap is all about our processional.  Ya know?  That part where your wedding party gets to the altar and then you make that famous walk down the aisle to your honey?  Well, I had a clear cut vision of how I wanted our processional to play out.  I wanted it to be a perfect blend of tradition (a nod to the classical music normally played at this part of the ceremony), but also reflect a modern twist and an upbeat fun tone that would be a great kick off to the evening and event.

If you remember, my processional included the video montage/spoof that would play at our ceremony just after the wedding party arrived at the altar and just before I walked down the aisle.  If you don't remember, here's the blog post showing the video :) 

No one thought the video would work or be a good idea.  It would be too long.  It would be boring.  It would make it hard for the bridal party to stand through for 20 minutes.  It didn't make sense that it would end and the song playing at the end would be the one I would be walking down the aisle to.  They just didn't get it like I saw it in my head. 

The song may have been faster than what most brides walk to, and it may not have been sung or played by live musicians as many brides do, but it was the perfect thing for me.  So here is my recap of our processional:

The song the parents and bridesmaids walked down the aisle to was Phil Collins' "Groovy Kind of Love" but performed in a classical version by the Royal Philharmonic Symphony.  I got the idea from the episode of Friends where Monica and Chandler married.

The guys made their way up to the altar and looking back at the video I realize that they entered from the wrong spot and also came in after the song started playing.  They were supposed to come in BEFORE the song played because I had timed it perfectly for the parents and bridesmaids only.  These mistakes were all a result of the 'rehearsal that wasn't.'  :)

Mom & Pops Beever

My mom and brother-in-law

After watching the raw footage of the ceremony, some of the bridesmaids sprinted down the aisle as you'll see and some walked slower...in the end, the song actually finished perfectly with all the ringbearers and flower girl making it to the end just as it was ending.  :)

My nephew (one of our 4 ring bearers) walked with his mom (my sister, the MOH) because he just wasn't doin' it alone. 

The eldest made it down fine (you'll see him in a future recap).  And these two youngin's (our nephews) helped each other:

The girls were smart.  I had told the wedding party to sit on the steps during the video so they wouldn't be standing for so long and I made sure our audio/video rental guy set up one of the tv's so the wedding party could see it from the altar.  The girls sat, the boys didn't for whatever reason.

I was tucked away in my bridal cottage just outside of the bridge that you walk across to the ceremony area.  I pulled a chair up right next to the door with it propped open and peeked out so that I could watch/listen to the guests as they watched the video.  It was so great...and I am so glad that I didn't have to be totally alone somewhere out of range of this because I would have been an even *worse* nervous wreck!  :)

I told you yesterday about the moments leading up to the ceremony...well, when the video was almost done and the song began that was for my walk, my dad and coordinator came over to have me get ready.  I told them that it still needed to get halfway through the song before it was my turn to get up and walk down the aisle.  So I wanted to sit as long as possible since I knew I'd be standing in that monstrous dress for a while and I was already feeling suffocated, strangled and like I was going to pass out!

Just as it got to the moment before the break in the song for my entrance, I stood up and began to walk to the bridge with my dad...and then we were off! 

Disclaimer:  This video was created using raw footage courtesy of Video Keepsakes of Beverly Hills. 

It was created by me strictly for recap purposes and therefore will not necessarily be great quality. 

There will be things you probably shouldn't hear and shaky footage in certain places. 

Thank you for your understanding.

I love the conversation in the beginning of the video between Mr Fix It and our pastor, Lyle as they make their way to the altar. Even then they were in doubt of the video being played.

As my coordinator, Amanda fluffed out my train at the very last moment, I remember her saying:

"Ok, Stacey - Flowers low, smile BIG and walk SLOW! This is your moment, soak it all in!"

I just said 'Yep' right then, but when I replay that line in my head, it totally makes me cry now!  How I wish I would have remembered everything she said and put it into action...but I totally didn't!

As a matter of fact, at the time, I totally didn't even hear the song as I was walking down the aisle.  I listened to it right up until the moment when I knew I needed to take my first step and then it was all about seeing my guests, hanging on to Dad's arm and looking up the aisle at Mr. Beever as I made the turn to walk towards him.  I remember right as I got to that turn that I paused very briefly...my other coordinator tried to quickly fluff my train again and I remember one thing, clear as day in my mind:  In that brief moment, I took the biggest, deepest breath of my life and had a huge smile on my face.  I was fighting back the tears and totally contained them because as soon as I started walking, I just tried to keep my eyes on my groom.  And then we got to the end of the aisle...
 
TODAY'S WEDDING TIP:  After the ceremony, my officiant told me he had 'a lot of doubt' about the video when I was describing it to him.  But he said that it was totally perfect and worked so great for how I wanted it to be introduced.  I definitely listen to people when they raise valid points about issues or concerns with plans I want to enact...but in the end, if you have a vision and you know it will work out, then don't let anyone deter you from the plan!  My processional was anything but traditional and I loved it!!!  And so did the guests as you'll see soon in the next video recap :)

Unless otherwise indicated, all photos by Robert Mullins Photography