Shirley's party advice part 6 - don't be afraid to interrupt us!

[Tinkerisdead]

Okay, this is shirley's party advice part 6. Shirley ducked out a while ago and you'll notice us chatting about all kinds of stuff whilst we wait for party planners to barge in.

So, don't lurk, jump in and chat. We'll give you any advice on parties from costumes to cakes....

Ooh ooh ooh, do a Cheese Wheel wedding cake! Get 3 or 4 whole wheels of your favourite cheeses, stack and decorate with flowers and grapes and serve with crackers/bread.

Wallaby, people will want to bring presents, so if you really don't want them to, and depending how much cheese you can face, you could send invitations and ask them to bring their favourite cheese. Then you lay out a huge collective cheeseboard with blank labels for everyone to label their cheese and say why they chose it - then you and DP keep all the labels as an alternative guest book?

Do you want to supply all of the food wannabe?

I heard of the most romantic wedding breakfast idea once where everyone was asked to bring a dish instead of a gift and also given a special sheet to write the recipe on. The sheets were then all compiled into a book for the Bride and Groom to keep as a memory of their reception and the best buffet recipe book they could ever get too :)

Obviously, you'd need to do a bit of organising so you didn't end up with 46 bowls of pasta salad but I thought it was a lovely idea.

Wallaby I might be way off, but I have an image of a country pub with loads of wildflowers in jam jars as decorations - what time of year?

Love the sound of a cheese wheel!

Our friends aren't really the 'bring a plate' sort of people - we would definitely get lots of pasta despite my efforts!

Stealth - that sounds lovely but the pub will more likely be in London. Would love some flowers to make it a bit more weddingy. We're thinking sometime between November and February probably.

Googling "cheese wedding cake" brings up loads of images

Loads of places do them pre-made. They're not cheap but then neither are normal wedding cakes.

If your friends aren't foodies you could still do 'bring a cheese' - you would get everything from poncey fromagerie cheese to laughing cow .

And probably some dairilea triangles!

I had one if those wedding cakes!!!!!

I had a real one, fruit cake and choc orange sponge and a lemon sponge but then at night time i had a cake of cheeeeeesee. Everyone loved it.

The best wedding i ever went to was a country do in a marquee but the desserts were traditional family puddings that the bride and grooms family made so "grannys trifle" "mums tiramisu" and they had written the recipes out for us to read. It was lovely having a glimpse into their favourite family fare.

What else are you both into, Wallaby? Flowers could be expensive in winter, but we have found some gorgeous upcycled book flowers in the past (in fact, we had a whole fantasy book themed party planned to the extent that I think we scared someone off), and there are always my favourite paper lantern suppliers (who I have never actually used but I drool over all their FB posts )

DSis had a Cheese Wheel cake and a real cake too :)

I just had a cake-y cake. I made it myself then lost my nerve when it came to icing it and paid a professional £250 just to ice it!

Is this what you mean by book flowers stealth? m.sealynews.com/mobile/news/article_03719090-73a0-11e1-b29d-0019bb2963f4.html

As for what we're into: we don't have any hobbies really except for seeing friends, eating, drinking, current affairs... We like films and music. God we sound dull! We both really like design and things to look good - pride in our home etc - so although we have a teeny budget I'd like our party to look good! I like the thought of loads of candles or lights, if we can decorate somewhere. What are these lanterns?

Yes, like those (the book flowers). I think they would look amazing in garlands.

I will link to the paper lantern people.

hanging lantern company

Just to add in that i've done my own flowers loads of times and for my dd's christening i did 12 table arrangements and an alter spray myself for 150.00 so dont rule out flowers at all if you want them. No-one thought my flowers werent florist made. I bought enamel buckets/planter, oasis and ribbon from an online florist suppliers, then i went to the florist and was honest that i wanted to do it myself. Pick a main colour, buy the "nicer" flowers in that then you pack round it with filler flowers. I can post a pic on my profile tomorrow if you want to see?

Those lanterns look really striking. Whats your function riom like cos they may not be as good in a ye olde worlde oak pannelled room?

Love the lanterns!

No venue yet so would have to see if they fit. (we really haven't made any plans yet!)

Thanks for the tip about flowers. I think I could do something like that myself

With those lanterns, and/or jam jar lanterns (I will find you some examples), you need LED tealights. If you order them in advance, there are sellers on ebay for bulk ones from China at a fraction of the price you pay in the UK. I got them for a party when we made shadow lanterns and they were great.

Bother. Can't find them now.

aha!

Thanks!

And yes to the photo please Doctors!

Anyone advice on wording for the invite please? Was talking to sister about this and just didn't 'get' that there wouldn't be a sit down meal and it would only be an evening thing with minimal entertainment!

Wannabe I tried to add a pic to profile off iPad but it keeps going wrong. I think I've managed to get one table arrangement on there.

For the wording I think if you say "party" rather than a reception then it's obvious there's no sit down meal.

Mr & mrs wannabe request the pleasure of your company at a party to celebrate their marriage.

Bother. Dropped off my active threads. I was thinking along the same lines "a party to celebrate...." makes it clear that it's not a wedding breakfast or anything close. You could go into more detail on how back to explain no presents, just BYO cheese

How is the venue search going?

Could you make a playlist? Also, within the invitation (I am presuming you will require an RSVP)? You could ask them for two/three song choices: a romantic song, a song they choose just for you, a favourite song, a party song, a 'guaranteed to dance' song - depending on the type of evening you are hoping for.