SHENANDOAH
WINDS
Some people are multi-talented. Take my friend Teresa, for instance. She plays piano, clarinet, bagpipes,
and probably more instruments that I don't know about. She and another gal have formed Shenandoah Winds, a delightful
duo of flute and clarinet performing a variety of popular and classical music. Perfect for a garden wedding.
They can be reached at shenandoahwinds@gmail.com.
NO INVITATION NEEDED!
At a winter cottage wedding, the newlyweds invited Baile to join them for a photo in the snow. No problem.
Baile loves attention. And who is Baile? Why, he's our beloved, orange, slightly obese, polydactyl cat.
He doesn't mean to steal the spotlight, but he did walk the aisle and lie on the bride's train during one garden ceremony.
You can't imagine the relief I felt when the bride smiled with delight! Whew. It's not like I can control
him. I try without success to keep him behind closed doors during garden weddings. He's an escape artist.
If you're having a wedding here, you will most likely see him wandering the grounds. He may even show up in
some of your photos, invited or not.
CHOICES
When we started Glen Garden Weddings, we had practical couples in mind who wanted a beautiful garden
wedding with a minimum amount of stress and expense. For colder months, we now offer intimate weddings in
the cottage for the bride and groom and a few guests. During the month of December, we allow up
to 20 guests. A small reception with cake and coffee is an option. Couples may choose
to do what we did when we were married: We met our small group of guests at a restaurant before the
ceremony. Afterward, we traveled with our guests to our ceremony, followed by a simple cake reception. Of
course, some couples prefer to share the moment with only each other's company. Also, an excellent choice!
PROCREATING ISN'T PARENTING
At a recent wedding, I found myself repeatedly
telling (I ask children if they are hungry; I don't ask them to behave) a group of children
to stop running willy-nilly throughout the reception area. The parent of one child approached me, informed me that
running is what children do, and if his child wanted to run, he could. Oh, my! He also informed me that he
has four children. (Procreating isn't parenting!!) I informed him that children are welcome here as long as they
are supervised at all times, and if his child wanted to run, he was welcome to do so out in the pasture under the supervision
of his father. If you bring your child to a wedding here, please consider it an opportunity to parent that child. Talk
to him beforehand about the event and include consideration for the property and other guests. Ask if he would
like to bring an activity to amuse himself (such as a hand-held game -- no crayons or markers, please). Let him run
and play earlier in the day before he arrives here. And when all else fails, be prepared to supervise him while he runs
around the pasture. If you're not up to the task, hire a sitter.
180 DEGREES
No, that's not the forecast for a July day! Everyone who knows me knows that
I'm a take-charge, hands-on person. A lot of women share this trait. I'm also always looking for creative but inexpensive
ways to achieve a goal. Take, for instance, the food for your reception. I've told many of you that it's
not that hard. That you can easily prepare the food yourself, or order it already prepared; that friends and family
can pitch in and help with displays, maintenance and cleanup of the meal. However, after almost three years of
watching how a lot of couples, their parents, their aunts, and their friends have managed this task, I admit to a 180-degree
change in opinion. It's a lot of work, and almost no one does it correctly, not even most caterers. When
planning your reception, we recommend: (1) Keep it simple. Keep food selections to a minimum to reduce set-up
and clean-up (and expense!). Unless your focus is a salad station, you don't need four different
salads. (2) Be sure someone is in charge of maintaining food displays and cleaning up spills in the cottage (you
want things to look nice!). (3) Be sure that the person in charge knows that the buffet and banquet tables (which hold
food displays) should be cleared of everything except tablecloths and decor before it's time to cut the cake. Not only
will the room look much nicer without half-eaten food on the tables, but you can then use the tables for displaying toasting
glasses and cake plates for guests. (4) Be sure someone maintains the guests' tables, keeping them clear of empty
drink cans & bottles, trash, and dirty dishes. If you're hiring a caterer, address the above issues to clarify expectations.
If family or friends are handling foods, you should probably hire someone (a waitress, perhaps) to fill in the gaps.
THE RED, WHITE, & BLUE
During a July 4 wedding, the bride had
us decorate the chairs with our navy, ivory, and burgundy sashes. She invited guests to wear their patriotism.
Most dressed in red-white-and-blue. Some wore patriotic hats; others wore festive pins. The bride added red-white-and-blue table
decorations. Everywhere you looked were reminders of our country's birthday. The bride's dress was even white
with a burgundy sash. In case you think it sounds tacky, it wasn't. It was really beautiful, and the guests seemed
to enjoy getting into the spirit of the day. (Now if I could just find a bride who shares my fondness for
Hallowe'en!)
HIRING
A DJ?
I recently received an email asking if we had a problem with same-sex
ceremonies. I replied that we have a problem with unsupervised children, and we have a problem with inconsiderate
adults. But we do not have a problem with a person's gender. Speaking of problems, we NEVER have a problem
with DJs Randy Metz and David Canty. Both are super nice guys, super considerate, and a lot of fun. I've seen
Randy out on the floor dancing along with the guests. And David has activities to get your guests involved and keep
things rolling. Guests love it when he organizes the "soul train." What a great way to get grandma
and single guests up and dancing! You can reach Randy at: 540-850-6476. David Canty (with Memorable Moments) can
be reached at: 540-548-3486.
CLOTHES MAKE THE GROOMSMAN?
It's absolutely amazing to see
the transformation in the male members of the bridal party during a ceremony. During rehearsal, they joke with
their buddies to the point that it's sometimes hard to get their attention. But when the ceremony begins,
all dressed in suits or tuxes, they walk ceremoniously from the covered deck to their positions under the pergola.
And then instead of just standing there and looking pretty, we put them to work: As each bridesmaid approaches the steps
leading down to the ceremony deck, a groomsman steps forward to assist. The groom does the same for his bride.
Those guys take their roles seriously. Looks like clothes really do make the groomsman!
CARD CAGE
Glen Garden couples
are welcome to use the "card cage" we keep on a table in the cottage, so there's no reason to buy one when you're never
going to use it again. The cage gives guests a place to drop their cards so that they're not lying around getting misplaced. Guests
simply slide their cards into the cage. When you're ready to leave, you unlatch the top and pull all the cards out to
take with you!
MUSIC
If you're using our sound system with outdoor speakers, you can bring CDs (holds 5) or hook up to your Ipod or computer.
When you're planning your music, don't forget the prelude music. This selection of songs plays while your guests
are arriving, and it should put your guests in the mood for a wedding! If you choose to do so, you may use the prelude
CD that we have here. It includes five classical songs that are traditionally heard at weddings. We
generally start the prelude music 30 minutes prior to the wedding and let it repeat. If you are hiring a DJ, don't
forget to discuss the type of prelude music that you want played.
GUESTS & CHILDREN (AGAIN!)
