Flip Flop You Don't Stop

I think one element that all brides (and women in general) can agree is a good addition to your wedding is a flip flop basket.

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A basket stuffed with different size flip flops so women can change out of their uncomfy fancy shoes and dance the night away.

If you're looking for some flip flops to stuff your basket with head to Old Navy this weekend where you can buy a pair for $1!

It's a Piece of Steak!

Part of my desire for our other wedding (you know, the one we chose not to have but I keep planning in my head anyways?) was the option for having a fantastic meal.

Before I get into what the meal would entail let me explain the situation. My parents have owned a restaurant for the past 24 years. What started out as a local diner with homemade food has transformed into a Food Network featured restaurant that serves delicious, fresh seafood every weekend.

Our family is very lucky to have access to fresh seafood like we do, every weekend in the summer my dad grills out clams, mussels, soft shell crabs, shrimp & fish. We gorge ourselves on fresh seafood that is prepared simply and tastes wonderful.

When I dreamt about my outdoor beach wedding I knew that we would have a clam bake/grill feast hybrid.

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Even when we decided to have the wedding in our hometown I still couldn't get the idea of grilling the food out of my head.

With access to tons of fresh food we've decided to grill out shrimp, chicken and steak along with a brightly colored vegetable medley. Initially I wanted to serve the meat on long skewers a la a Brazilian steakhouse.

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After months of sitting on this idea we decided that the Brazilian steakhouse idea would require too many servers and could get dangerous with servers trying to stick skewers in between our guests (and skewered MOB doesn't sound too good).

Now our guests will be served a plate with a three short skewers, one shrimp, one chicken and one steak; the plate will also have a cold asparagus vinaigrette and a grilled veggie medley (like that in the first picture). The nice thing about three shorter skewers is that if our guests don't like one type of meat they can pass it to their neighbor.

Like my mad power point skills?

Later this month we're having our first tasting (and by tasting I mean my dad will grill this yummy meal), I'm so excited to be able to serve our guests delicious food that is cooked well, tastes good and isn't all "junked up" with too much sauce and garnish.

The only problem?

We don't have a caterer yet. Yep, we tend to do things ass backwards around these parts. (Don't worry, we're looking!)

Did you pick out your menu before you found your caterer?

The Thing About the Venue

I understand most brides wouldn't touch our reception venue with a ten foot pole. Not only do we have to paint, sand and varnish the floors & rewire the building but it doesn't come with a caterer, chairs, tables, plates or anything else that is essential to feeding 200 people.

But I like to make things hard on myself (and my parents & Jus).

One thing about our reception venue that does bother me is the size, it's 21 feet wide by 160 feet long which is an odd shape for socializing.

Luckily it's the perfect shape for one of my favorite wedding trends, long tables.

I love the elegant, intimate dinner party setting that long tables offer. I love the seamless flow of centerpieces, place settings and chairs.

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My step grandma insists that long tables are "unfriendly" because round tables facilitate conversation better. But realistically, round tables only seat 8 people and you don't necessarily scream across the table to talk to the two people on the far side which means you're talking to 5 people. At a long table you'll talk to the people on either side of you, the person across from you and the two people next to that person which is also 5 people. (Like my justification?)

As of now we will be having 4 tables with approximately 50 people at each table, the tables will be divided in the center around a dance floor where Jus & I will sit at a sweetheart table which will be later removed to make some room for some moving & shaking.

I'm really excited to be able to fill the space with long tables. I can't wait to have candles and flowers line the tables.

Were there any problems with your venue that worked out better than you hoped?

Point A to Point B

One of the reasons we were so excited to have our ceremony at The Chouse was it's proximity to our reception venue.

Our reception venue is literally two blocks from our ceremony venue, so in an effort to carry on the party and be green we're having a walking parade ala a New Orleans' Second Line.

Second lines started in the 19th century when African American jazz bands started participating in funeral processions, the bands would proceed down the street followed by the family and close friends (known as the first line) who were followed by others known as the second line. Currently the band still leads the way followed by the bride and groom (first line) and the wedding guests (second line).

I'm not gonna lie, Jus & I are kind of excited to surprise the heck out of all of our guests. I'm pretty sure* that none of our guests have participated in a second line and I have a feeling this is really going to get the party started.

I'm so excited! Just look at how much fun we'll have.

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So let's add parasol to the list of necessary wedding items and get ready to dance our way down the street.

*I'm probably really about 99% sure considering our wedding guests are almost all East Coasters & Midwesterners