Centerpieces!

In keeping with our "Southern Soiree" theme, we've decided to use a mixture of milkglass vases, mason jars, and mint julep cups for the flower centerpieces at the reception. All three have so much southern charm and will be the perfect eclectic centerpiece! We will be using all white flowers to to tie them all together.

I've been in love with milkglass for as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to collect it and decided this would be a good way to start! My Mema (grandmother) found two bud vases at a flea market nearby, and that made me think that I should look at The Salvation Army for some more. I sure did get lucky! I found six beautiful milkglass bud vases and nine funky glass vases for $24! I would love to find some larger milkglass vases but I will definitely be going back to the flea market and The Salvation Army to keep looking!

I haven't started collecting mason jars or the mint julep cups yet, but I'm hoping it will be as easy as finding the milkglass! I'm sure I can scrounge up a few mason jars from my mom and Mema (I'm pretty sure they are in every southern household) but I have no idea where to get mint julep cups! I sure would love to have real sterling silver ones with our new monogram but seeing as how they are hundreds of dollars apiece, I'll stick to the cheap ones for now! Time to do some research!

I also found another really good idea online about the bridesmaids bouquets. I hated for the bouquets to just be tossed to the side during the reception, and tried to figure out a way for them to be showcased. I found out that many brides have vases with water set up at the reception waiting for the bouquets when the bridesmaids arrive at the reception. How smart! We will be doing this at nine different tables (having a million bridesmaids is paying off! ha!) and I'm so excited they bouquets won't be wasted! Here are some examples:

More to come on what those bouquets will look like! :)

Reception Venue

I fell in love with The Duncan Estate the first time I saw it and knew it was the perfect place for our reception. It is an absolutely breathtaking old white Antebellum style home that is exactly what I envisioned for my southern dream wedding. I do love ballroom weddings, but I have always wanted my reception at someplace kind of different and unique. Most of the festivities will take place in the backyard under a permanent tent and on the lawn, and the food and cake will be inside (away from the South Carolina heat!) I'm really looking forward to figuring out all of the decor and personalizing everything for our special day!

We have been looking at the Estate for a while now and I am so excited that it is officially ours for June 5, 2010! It makes me feel so much better now that we have it booked. We're still working on the ceremony location and hope to have that figured out in the next couple of weeks!