Archive for the ‘Decor Ideas’ Category

Unique Ideas for Assigned Seating

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Looking for another way to make your reception a little more fun, personal, and unique? How about getting a little creative with your assigned seating! Many people overlook the way they designate seats for guests, as it is often so much work just to assign the seats in the first place, but with just a little more you can make it so fun and cute that your guests will always remember your reception because however you decide to design your assigned seating, it will always feel personal and creative!

 

In their West Garden Room reception this past weekend, Amber and Kyle put a single, different flower on every table and then gave each guest their name cards attached to a vase with a flower in it. The guests then matched the flower in their vase with the flowers on the tables. This not only doubled as a wedding favor for guests, but it also decorated the room and gave each table a unique arrangement!

100_4987

100_4989

Ditching the traditional seating cards and table, this couple made their own fountain in our West Courtyard and filled the bottom with polished rocks, each with the name and table assignment of each guest.

100_4288

100_4290

This couple chose to name each table in their Queen’s Tavern reception by a common northern Michigan tree, including a picture and a description of each tree on the tables, and assigned guests’ seating cards by the different trees.

100_4249

Another great, personal idea for assigned seating is to mark tables with your own pictures, either from trips, parties, or just a variety of pictures of you and your groom, then assigning seating cards by the different pictures. We’ve seen this many times at the Castle, but it is still always unique and fun!

For their winter wedding in the Knight’s Castle, this couple took pictures of them holding giant numbers and used those as table numbers.

100_0638

100_0668

In their Queen’s Tent reception, this couple named each table by a location they had been to together, then had fake plane tickets printed for each guest with the destination being their table’s location.

031

039

040

It May Not Be Traditional, But It’s Still Delicious!

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

As the idea of a traditional wedding and reception becomes more and more a part of the past and new, creative modern ideas become more common in today’s weddings, many couples are also deciding to ditch the idea of a traditional tiered wedding cake and go for something more personal, fun, and different. Having wedding cupcakes instead of a cake has become very common in weddings today, especially here at Castle Farms, but it hasn’t stopped there. We continue to see new, interesting ideas to replace the traditional wedding cake dessert, including dessert bars and individual cakes, and we’d like to share some with you!

Here are some of the reception cupcakes we’ve seen at the Castle, where the bride and groom decided to have a variety of flavors and decorations on their multiple cupcakes instead of having one wedding cake. Whether these cupcakes are placed at individual tables or on one table, they are sure to give the guests a pleasant and delicious surprise!

100_37701

dsc_02701

If you still want to be able to have the cake-cutting ceremony at your reception, you can follow what these couples did: they chose to have an abundance of different flavored cupcakes for their guests but also had a small, traditional-looking wedding cake make just for them so they could still do the cake-cutting ceremony and have their own cake to take home at the end of the night.

100_40431

1721

 

Instead of having just one wedding cake, even if it is a tiered cake with different flavors, many brides and grooms have chosen to have multiple, smaller cakes so that they can include as many different flavors as there are cakes, giving their guests an abundance of options for desserts and making take-home and storage of the left-over cake at the end of the night much easier.

0431

0081

cake21

 

 

 

 

Check Mate!

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Here at the Castle we have chess sets everywhere. Scattered all over the Castle there are regular sized chess sets, Life size chess sets, display cabnets filled with our favorite themed chess sets, and a few checkers boards for beginners.

It was very convenient that one of our grooms from this weekend LOVES chess and they cover the grounds of the castle! Michael and Amanda had a small wedding in the Queens Courtyard with a reception to follow in the Queens Tavern and chess pieces were EVERYWHERE!

100_47573

We had chess pieces lining the aisle and scattered around the courtyard

100_47462

Once at the reception the chess theme didnt end! The pieces were a perfect accent to the gorgeous room. In Michael and Amanda’s chess game of love they both won by finding eachother.

100_47562

The Knight chess piece was almost as big as the flower girl!

865400027_schleicher3582

Sonja and Ben didnt incorporate the chess into their entire wedding, but they made sure to get a photo as the King and Queen of the chess board

31848_402775801011_569596011_4851795_6929236_n2

These ladies couldnt wait to take photos with the life size chess pieces, all playing the roll of the Queens pawns :)

Wedding Favors: A Way to Share Your Wedding with Guests

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Wedding favors may seem like one of the least significant details of your wedding reception, but the truth is they are one of the only material things that show guests how appreciated their attendance is to you on your wedding day. The great thing about wedding favors is that they can be as budget-friendly as you need them to be, and the options as to what they can be are endless! Guests enjoy even the simplest of gifts to take home as a reminder of the fun they had on your special day, so be creative! Don’t be afraid to show your personality or be completely original, these little gifts are meant to share with everyone who attended your wedding party a part of you, your new spouse, and your special day.

100_42203

Flip flops make great favors at a summer wedding, as guests can continue to use them long after the reception is over, and all the ladies will surely appreciate a break from the heels after the dancing has begun.

1531

Homemade favors are both personal and inexpensive, and guests are almost always sure to appreciate them. Heather and Matt provided their guests with homemade jam, which was sure to last a long time and taste wonderful!

0152

Candy bars are becoming more and more popular, especially as a wedding favor, because they allow guests to choose the candies they love the most out of the selection of your favorites!

100_456213

Making personalized labels for gifts such as wine is also a great favor, because you can share your favorite types and give a keepsake for guests to remember your wedding day. Plus, with wine, guests can decide to enjoy it at the reception or save it for later!

100_41632

Attaching your favors to cute quotes or idioms gives every guest a happy feeling going into your wedding reception, and with this cookie cutter and recipe idea, guests will forever have a reminder from your day that they can use whenever they want.

100_41612

Another great thing about favors is that they can always be attached to seating card assignements for the reception, which ensures that each guest gets their favor and cuts down on your decorating and set up time.

 

 Some other contemporary favor ideas include tree saplings or seed packets, local treats or candies, or even christmas ornaments if you’re having a winter wedding. Again, your wedding favors are completely up to you and can be as personal and creative as you want, so have fun with them and share your excitement with your guests!

 

Scrapbooks GALORE

Friday, July 30th, 2010

 Scrapbooks have become a staple memory to every childhood. Not only will you always have the memories of constructing this work of art with family and friends or buying the newest accessories, but you will have something for the rest of your life to look at.

Scrapbooks act as a creative reference to any big moment in your life, so why not have one at your wedding; I think that qualifies as a BIG mement!

Tara & Mark will have quite the memory from their wedding at Castle Farms

100_45262

The asked people to please share a short message that they can take with them as they embarke on this new journey of marriage, and will always have this book to hold close to their hearts.

100_45212

The table had all different premade sheets to choose from, stickers, and colored markers. Along with signing they got their picture taken to put in as well!

100_45252

Here’s one of the sheets decorated with wedding cake and ready for a photo of the guests.

100_45272

This page complete with sweet words of wisdom and signature from guests waiting for a photo

0192

Lynn & Scott didnt make a scrapbook at their wedding, but they included their childhood book and other photos to make their wedding more personal.

Great ideas that we have seen at the Castle to help personalize your wedding!

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

The Brides at Castle Farms find all different ways to personalize their wedding. Including your names initials, and wedding date on items for your ceremony and reception are a great way to create a custom one of a kind wedding day that is filled with meaningful touches for the bride, groom, and guests!

100_42642

Jennifer and Mikes wedding in the East Garden Room was filled with creative touches. When guests first entered they were greeted with a beautiful antique sign with their name and date of their specail day.

100_43142

Along with the personalized welcome sign Jennifer and Mike thanked guests as they were leaving with another antique sign and jazzed it up with a floral arrangement

100_42651

My personal favorite part was on their seating card table they had beaufiful flowers, glowing candles, AND PERSONALIZED M&MS. Not only were they labeled and dated, but they were in initial dishes!

100_35582

At Sonja and Benjamin wedding in the Kings Great Hall they wanted to make sure they everyone knew that they were now Mr & Mrs with this simiple but elegant sign and floral arrangement.

100_43202

Last month in the Queens Tavern Eric and Courtney created a personalized dance floor for their guests to dance the night away on!

0982

The West Courtyard was glowing for Ammie and Paul’s wedding in the West Garden Room. They displayed their initials in a creative way by using candles to show the outline of the letters

 

With a little brainstorming and help from our blog photos you can come up with creative ideas that wow your guests!

 

Nature-Inspired Décor

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Every day, every one of us is surrounded by nature. It is something that we all know, and it often brings back happy memories from childhood experiences, whether it be a memory from a beach vacation or one from spending a weekend camping or at a family cabin. Being that nature is so close and so relatable to all of us, it makes for the perfect wedding décor! You can often go right in your backyard to get many decorations - you can go to the woods to get branches and pinecones, or head to the beach to get rocks, sand, and shells, all of which make wonderful and fun decorations! As one of the most inexpensive and accessible décor options things from nature can be, we see it a lot here at Castle Farms, and we’d like to share some of the ideas we’ve seen with you!

Pinecones
Sheila and Marshall decorated their seating card table in the Knight’s Castle with this assortment of pinecones
pinecones2
This couple also chose to add some décor to their seating card table in the King’s Great Hall with pinecones in a variety of sizes
knights twigs
Jessica and Clay used twigs for their Knight’s Castle reception centerpieces to hang their guests’ favors from
tent twigs
To tie together their reception colors, Angelina and David chose silver-painted twigs to top every other table in the Queen’s Tent
wiggins pine branches
For their winter wedding, this couple chose to keep Christmas in mind with these pine branch candle beds
beach grass
For their September wedding, this couple chose to keep summer in mind and headed to the beach to decorate their East Garden Room reception, using beach grass and sand to highlight the candle centerpieces
To bring together their Hawaiian themed reception in the Queen’s Tent, this couple hit the beach and gathered rocks, shells, and sand to create these decorations for the seating card table and table centerpieces
To bring together their Hawaiian themed reception in the Queen’s Tent, this couple hit the beach and gathered rocks, shells, and sand to create these decorations for the seating card table and table centerpieces

 

 

 

Symbol of Eternal Love

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

The ring is one of the oldest and universal symbols of marriage. The purpose of the rings are to convey eternal love, happiness and commitment that cannot be broken. The ring itself is a complete circle with no break and no end or begginning representing never-ending love. The ring is placed on the fourth finger of the left hand which according to common belief is where the vein leading directly to the heart is. Naturally this is where your loved one would place their token of endearment.

hitching-post-photography-give-credit-002

Photo by: Hitching Post Photography

Traditionally as a symbol of strength the wedding rings are made from metal, but there are so many beautiful styles it can be dificult to find the perfect ring for you. Something to remember is not to rush things even if you like the first ring you see! Make sure to try on a few designs, and styles and really love everything about these precious bands, because just like you man, these rings will be with you Forever!

182

Something that this couple kept in mind is to find rings that compliment eachother

 

flowers

A creative way to showcase the rings and the brides beautiful bouquet

Photos by: Karen Walker

Eye-Catching Decorations That Will Make Your Mouth Water, too!

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Looking for some fun, easy, and inexpensive wedding decorations? Try using fruit! From apples to limes, fruit is always easy to get, and adds a hint of excitement and creativity to any reception decoration. Whether left whole or sliced, fruit can be used for centerpieces, card holders, or even candles. And being available in almost any color, it can look classy and elegant or modern and cool! Here are some fun ways we’ve seen fruit used here at Castle Farms!

formolo apples
Katie and Dan decorated their Knight’s Castle reception with Marvin’s Gardens’ green apples as their centerpieces and candle holders
fernly limes
Maggie and Jeremy chose limes as their decorations, filling their flower pot centerpieces with whole ones and cutting some in half to use as flower stands
Alissa and Mike matched their wedding colors perfectly with these green apples, which they used to fill their flower vases and to attach thank you notes to for their guests
Alissa and Mike matched their wedding colors perfectly with these green apples, which they used to fill their flower vases and to attach thank you notes to for their guests
vanderhyde apples
This couple tied their autumn theme together by accenting their head table with apple-filled vases
fruit flowers
As a topper on a table, Kenna and Travis combined multiple fruits to create this colorful bouquet
barbour limes
Sarah and Chad accented their flowers with a bit more color by adding lime slices to their vase centerpieces
bittner limes
Like Sarah and Chad, Deanna and Dean sliced up some limes for their flower centerpieces, adding a touch more color and fun to their reception hall
Amy and Ryan used green apples to attach their seating card tags to for guests and, putting whole ones into glass cubes, added some color to their reception tables
Amy and Ryan used green apples to attach their seating card tags to for guests and, putting whole ones into glass cubes, added some color to their reception tables

 

Remembering Loved Ones: Memorial Ideas

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

 

We are beginning to see more and more memorials included in weddings here at the Castle, as many couples want to take time to display and remember their lost loved ones, and share those memories with their guests. Some couples may request extra tables to display photos of family members who have passed away, while others may request certain songs to be played in remembrance of those family members. Recently, many of our wedding parties have gone a little further to make the memorial a bigger part of their event. At Brooke and Doug’s wedding in the East Garden Room, the bride and groom had a ceramic mold of their passed-on dog Chase’s pawprint set up on the memorial table, along with photos of him and other passed-on family members, and had the DJ play a special song in memory of Chase. At Laura and Shaun’s wedding this past weekend in the Knight’s Castle, not only did the bride and groom set up multiple, framed photos of all family members who had passed on a memorial table, but the bride placed little ladybugs around the entire reception room, as her mother who had passed away used to call her “ladybug”. At Katherine and Jason’s wedding in the Knight’s Castle this past summer, the couple dedicated the entire Knight’s fountain to their lost loved ones.

Laura and Shaun kept their loved ones in memory with this memorial table, showing pictures of family members who could not be there in person
Laura and Shaun kept their loved ones in memory with this memorial table, showing pictures of family members who could not be there in person
Here is one of the many ladybugs Laura placed around her reception hall in rememberance of her mother
Here is one of the many ladybugs Laura placed around her reception hall in rememberance of her mother
Found by the guest book are more of Laura's ladybugs
Found by the guest book are more of Laura’s ladybugs
With the sign and flowers, Katherine and Jason dedicated our fountain to their passed loved ones
With the sign and flowers, Katherine and Jason dedicated our fountain to their passed loved ones

 

These are just a few ideas to make a memorial extra-special, and to remember and share passed loved ones with guests and keep them a part of your special day.

Michigan Wedding Blog