Our Wedding: the Reception Details

Over the long winter (on snow days and after work mostly) I started to plan the details of the wedding.  We had a great location that meant I did not have to do too much decor decorating, but I wanted the centerpieces, favors, and other touches to show that this was our special day.  

I don't like tall centerpieces because they make conversations difficult, so I designed flowers and candles floating in low glass bowls of water.  At the bottom of the water I had ivory marbles, and around the table I made little marbles with messages of love and marriage.  The guests were encouraged to take them home (to make into magnets, or decorate how they wanted).  

Unfortunately I did not get a good shot of the centerpieces, but they were quite nice.  I also liked the floating candles and flowers because it is a traditional decoration in India (my birth place).  

The favors were candles ordered from my local candles shop, then wrapped in ribbon and tied with a little note.  

I tucked these into the napkins folded like a pocket.  

I could not afford, and did not have time for traditional place cards, so instead I went for one large board with all the names of guests and their tables.  Jeff and I made it, then had it printed in Philidelphia and mailed home (we actually had to get a second one sent because the first got bent in the shipping.  The company was very good about sending us a new one).  We then put the poster, which was on a large foam board, into an antique frame a friend gave me.  I loved the old frame, it made my wedding.  

This photo does not do the frame justice.

The guest book was again a place were I went a little nontraditional.  I am not really a fan of the guest book with some names on the first couple pages and then blank pages after.  So Jeff and I bought a book of photos from the Hudson Valley (were we live). 

I bought a bunch of silver and gold pens and encouraged my guests to write in it.  I got some very nice pages.

I read wedding blogs for so long that I had a million ideas for everything.  What do you think about what we did? What would / did you do for your wedding?