Wedding ideas- want a casual picnic style theme? Low cost?

Hi there!


I am planning our wedding starting in a month or so... still looking for ideas!


We have decided to get married in a local park, its gorgeous and needs no decorations... has a gazebo we will use decorated in rice paper lanterns. Ceremony @ 7pm (in September).


Reception to be held at a community centre about 4 blocks away from the park- recep. cant be in park because there is a strict no alcohol policy there.


I want to have like a BBQ or picnic style reception. We are getting our tables, chairs and hall rental for free (fiance works for the city we live in).


We will be using a 4gb ipod loaded with party songs for the reception, a friend is playing guitar as we walk down the aisle. No rice to throw, only birdseed (at the park). Local flowers for bouquets. Stainless steel small buckets filled with wildflowers.


I need ideas for natural earth friendly wedding favours to give out- for 100-120 ppl. Also need food ideas, and other general nature theme, low cost ideas. Thanx!

Wedding ideas- want a casual picnic style theme? Low cost?
Melanie, best wishes on your upcoming wedding! It sounds like a plan, girl. You got things going along smoothly and you have given everything a lot of thought. Outdoor weddings are my favorite besides Christmas ones. My daughter had an outdoor wedding last May, and we had a picnic theme reception. We used green gingham tables clothes, we did the exact flowers you were talking about. Got our buckets from Walmart, but I think a tall mason jar would be pretty too, and you would save some bucks there.





We served fried chicken, barbeque pork and beef and had different type buns, cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, and dirty rice. We had bottled drink iced down in large large containers(that way we didn't have to worry about ice and cups). Oh, I forgot we made mac and cheese as a surprise for my daughter. We had ice cream cake for dessert. Sams and Walmart have the cole slaw and potato salad in their delis or in other large containers if you want to skip making it, and it's just about as cheap to buy it. Baked beans the same way, or by the gallon cans at Sams of Bushs' but please add a little brown sugar and bbq sauce to spice them up a little.





My daughter and son-in-law had a single quitar player too. I was worried at first, but it was so beautiful, just like I know yours will be. We gave out little jars(jelly jars) full of bbq sauce, and cut a peice of gingham material, then tie a straw ribbon around the jar. Everyone had a fit over them. I think flower seeds would be a nice favor too, and less expensive then buy that many jelly jars. You print out a pretty little saying and tie them with ribbons in your wedding colors.





It's going to a wonderful day for you. I wish you and your love a lot of happy happy years!
Reply:Melanie, do you have a Cracker Barrell near by. They have the cutest lights. They are tiny mason jars. They are adorable and would fit right into your plans! Have a very blessed and happy life. Report It

Reply:My friends had a very similar wedding and they had BBQ chicken, tortellini salad, sausage and peppers, roasted potatoes and the such for food. You will need to check around with caterers for food prices and such, but it made for a nice meal that everyone loved.





As for favors, check out the links I am providing below....





http://www.easternleaf.com/product_p/800... - bamboo favors - think link only shows one, but they have them presented differently throughout the site.....





http://greenworldproject.net/ - tree seedling favors





http://www.wedding-veil.com/seed-packet-... - one of my favorites...the seeds are in the plantable pack. Your guests would plant the pack and the seeds would grow.....





Good luck!
Reply:What about seed packs or love bean plants? They have them at customweddingsolutions.com (they did a few months ago when I got married).
Reply:That's a really nice idea. Making it a buffet style reception.
Reply:Your wedding sounds great, I wish I could come! ;) I would do simple hearty food like roasted chicken, meat and vegetables; maybe a salad bar.
Reply:A simple low cost idea that my sister used for wedding favors in her wedding was to have a small live plant for each guest. They were put on each table and acted both as decoration and favor. Her wedding colors were pink and black, so she had pink geraniums in small black containers.





The picnic theme sounds fun! To keep costs down, instead of hiring a caterer, the event could be a potluck with each guest bringing an item or a few volunteering to be the "chef"/barbequer for the day.
Reply:http://www.plumparty.com/partysupplies/g...


http://www.plumparty.com/partysupplies/m...


http://www.plumparty.com/index.shtml








browse around theres ALOT of categories


cute wedding theme





also check out www.theknot.com
Reply:I love the idea of giving flower or herb seeds as favours. As for the food, I would just run with the picnic/BBQ idea and serve fun stuff like burgers, chicken, kabobs, salads, etc. It sounds like so much fun, I love the idea!