AN OLD-FASHIONED KIND OF LOVE - reception details

First off, thank goodness my parents went to the reception venue before the party started.  Without my father and his trusty camera, I wouldn't have these lovely details of the reception.  I must give extra props to my dad for some of the crazy shots - like the ceiling shot of one of the tables. Go, Daddy!



Without further ado, my reception details:



 To go with our vintage colour scheme and luxe feeling, our linens were gold pin-tucked satin with cream overlays.  The chairs had cream covers with champagne-coloured chair ties.

The head table had scattered cream rose petals down the length of it, votive candles, and vases for the bridesmaids' bouquets.

 

My grandparent's wedding picture (part of the guestbook table collection of photos), and that crazy arial shot my father took:





The ceiling was swagged with cream chiffon and draped with sparkling fairy lights.



I loved the fairy lights - and I loved dancing beneath them.  It was so romantic - and just what I wanted!

Our tables alternated between tall and short arrangements. I knew hit the vintage look (and that all my flower research had paid off), when I recently saw almost identical arrangements at the wedding of Sterling's daughter on last season's Mad Men! (The only difference is that Margaret's arrangements had ivy - our ivy was placed along the walls of the marquis tent)

{ Margaret's wedding on Mad Men: image source }

Each tall vase had branches and small crystals twisted up inside of it, and every arrangement, whether tall or short, had twigs coming out and my hand-sewn birds perched upon those twigs.  At the parents table, I made a bride and groom set of birds - the groom bird was wearing a little black tuxedo, and the white bride bird had a little veil and sequins sewn on her!

I used to sell these in my Etsy shop, and may begin again if there is interest (they're also cute as cake toppers)



 I loved how my DIY table numbers looked on each table:

I hand-calligraphed all of the place cards:

 

And added some extra touches to Mr. Shortcake's and I's place cards:

 (edited for the web: these cards had our real names)

 Our reception was so beautiful - and the decorations came together just how I imagined them.  My handmade touches, combined with my  research of 1950/1960s floral arrangements and colour schemes paid off, and it looked like a dream come true! :)