We had planned and timed a perfect set up for a venue which only gives us three hours set up time including raising a dance floor on immaculately pampered grass: the ceremony area with our amazing vintage ladders as back drop, the welcome beverage table, the two bars, buffet and cake displays, a more involved reception table layout, a lounge area with barrels and sofas, the photo booth and Chinese reception room, Barrista set up... no problem, only - the DIY linens were forgotten in LA. No linens, no table set up. The plan was sitting there....
A groomsman jumped in his car to pick them up in heavy Saturday afternoon traffic. Beau was pulling his hair when I assured him with all my planner power that I'll handle it, we'll be fine. (... if I needed to activate the gardener to help set up in ten minutes so be it....)
We were just creatively placing a truck load of amazing decor, like huge hand made coffee bag linens and vintage crates (Deb&Beau had found in a thrift store), filled with sun flowers, and frosted mason jars with fleur de lys paintings, when 150 guests came one hour too early - in busses. Shifting gears: help the florist and the bar tenders to hide their boxes or tools, have guests ushered to the welcome drinks, (luckily on the other side of the house away from the reception area) while getting the vintage beverage jars for them filled in a whiff...
The eco friendly aspects of our lush French country wedding with Beau's French family crest stamped on handmade napkins were plenty: most decor including lavender planted in recycled wood boxes, lavender filled terracotta planters, all linens and hand frosted mason jars were made for re-use. The mason jars were actually collected, de-labeled and washed by all of us, not just bought new, which defeats the purpose. The cups for the virgin and spiked Southern tea were biodegradable.
Getting a creative crowd, partying with spiked tea to sit down and an excited bridal party to assemble for the processional takes time, the linens arrived when the ceremony started. Thank you party happy crowd!
When guests came around to the reception area we were set ...
After delicious hors d'oeuvres from Auntie M's in Echo park...
... DJ's Dennis and Joshua announced the sit down.
Baguettes in buckets were fun, fortune cookies in purple to go boxes and Chinese tea coins favors graced the tables.
We had three different linens: light yellow gingham, narrow striped and wide striped dusty blue/beige, and the beige napkins stamped with Beau's purple crest, which also was on the flower boxes. Lavender and Mimosa colors - we are right back in the South of France.
Not
only center pieces were for grabs, the cool crested napkins became the
most welcome souvenirs, as in: have a whole set for your next fete at
home.
This is what I saw. The kitchen staff was embarrassed and tried to make up for it, which resulted in a complete mess - of design and structure.
Finally M's captain rushed down to Calabasas and bought a small cake. Luckily I had a bunch of rustic cookies on cake stands prepared, which helped make the cake table somewhat fun.
The wedding process and production was creative with Deb and Beau being amazingly crafty, and the wedding day became it's mirror: spontaneous creativity kept the beauty afloat.
Beau's and
Deb's lineages were beautifully integrated: as foodies they both love
French culture, so they decided on the French country theme with a
Chinese reception room with red lanterns, ceremonial robes and of course
a dragon... even the photo booth had wild and wacko Chinese props, which guests enjoyed A LOT.
It was wild - and one of the most heartfelt weddings I had the pleasure to assist.
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