The centerpiece that could have been

Continuing from the post about the martini glass centerpiece that was ripped from hands, B and I were joking about getting oversized glasses for the centerpieces. And then one day while walking through the Christmas Tree Shop in Somerville, we happened upon this beautious modern day gem:

We thought (jokingly) about having them on the tables as centerpieces or better yet, as the actual wine glasses. Imagine us, the lovely couple, gulping out of these suckers after each toast. It would be a great time for all I am sure.

The centerpiece that could have been

Everyone admires and comments on centerpieces at a wedding. One time at a wedding of a childhood friend, I won the centerpiece (I never win anything). The prize was an oversized martini glass with glass beads and a beta fish. The kid next to me was taking the fish home so B and I fished the fish (intended to say that) out of the glass and he went to a very nice home I am sure. We then carried the martini glass out to the garden (it was very heavy with all the water and glass beads) and poured out the water without losing any glass beads.

Upon returning to the reception room, we placed what remained of the centerpiece on the table and continued dancing. During the last dance, Mrs. D (the bride's mom) walked by the table and took the now almost empty martini glass and put it on her table. B and I were stunned and couldn't do anything. Not only was it Mrs. D who I had known forever but it was also the bride's mom. So that became the centerpiece gift that never was. I imagined sitting at home on my couch, drinking out of the oversized glass as my then roommate came home and hopefully looked at me amused. I still think about what my life would be now had I gotten to take the martini glass home.

Or I could go in a completely different direction...

I saw this and quickly decided against it, but if you wanted but color and function from a bouquet, then this may be for you. Click here for link to a different take on the bridal bouquet.

It would be awesome during a long ceremony if you found yourself hungry.

Orange Blossoms?

So my lovely sister posted a comment about using Orange Blossoms in the bouquet as this is traditional and she used them. I had never heard and had not come across any mention of it in all of my Internet reading. So of course I have to find out what this is all about. According to factmonster.com (a link Ann sent me):

"Orange Blossoms Worn at Weddings
The Saracen brides used to wear orange blossoms as an emblem of fecundity; and occasionally the same emblem may have been worn by European brides ever since the time of the Crusades; but the general adoption of wreaths of orange blossoms for brides is comparatively a modern practice, due especially to the recent taste for flower-language. The subject of bridal decorations being made a study, and the orange flower being found suitable, from the use made of it by the ancient Saracens, it was introduced by modistes as a fit ornament for brides. The notion once planted, soon became a custom, now very generally adopted by those who study the conventions of society, and follow the accepted fashions."



My original plan was a dark red bouquet but orange blossoms are white. And I told Ann this. In much to my surprise, she answers and has included an image from the Internet that looks like this.




This is not orange blossom but stephanotis (close enough) and this bride does not look happy.

Side note: I would like to note that yesterday I read the fecundity three times (once in this definition and twice in a book) and fecund once. I still do not know what it means.

April Showers bring May Flowers

While this may be true, it doesn't help me pick flowers for a November wedding. In order to find a florist, I wanted to send them examples of what I wanted in a centerpiece and bouquet. All the advice on flowers say to select flowers in season to save on costs. So I had to figure out what flowers were in season during the fall. So I go to the trusty Internet and read up on flowers that are available during November.

Unfortunately, I am not a flowers person. I don't know what the names mean so I have to google everything: Amaranthus, Amaryllis, Callistephus, Celosia, Crocosmia, Dahlia, Echinops, Gladiolus, Gomphrena, Sunflower, Hypericum, Kniphofia, Physostegia, Saponaria, Scabiosa, Sedum, Solidago, Zinnia. This becomes too tiresome.

I also read that roses and Gerbera daisies are available all the time. So I just Google images of wedding pictures with those two in them because I know I like them. I compile a bunch of ideas like these:















For centerpieces, I liked these:




However, we won't finalize the flowers until next September. So don't hold your breath.