Doing a vow renewal. Eloped for our wedding and 5 years later will be getting both
Venue
I was originally thinking rustic elegant or industrial chic, and visiting venues that fit in that category. This one kind of falls in the middle. The problem my pinterest vision was white / ivory linens, greenery, either wooden folding chairs (like you see outside for garden ceremonies, but in a wood tone or white color) or chiavari chairs. Basically white, wood, greenery, and lots of lighting (candles, etc).
While their rules are more relaxed when it comes to putting up decor, they have said no to hanging fabric from the wooden beams on the ceremony side, in front of the fireplace. I can drape the windows, but not the beams. I really think fabric would add the softness it needs and am somewhat disappointed.
Other disappointment is the chairs. I cannot rent or use chiavari chairs because they are too expensive for my limited budget, and the wooden folding ones don’t have non-scratch pads on the bottom (the one other thing they are very picky about is protecting their ballroom floor). So it appears I am stuck using the black chairs everyone else has used on the ceremony side. So, mixing wood and black metal, just as with the beams and black lighting fixtures. I absolutely hate the chairs they have on the reception side of the room – they clash totally with the carpet (different patterns, ugly florals) but am not a fan of chair covers either. The only example of chair covers I like is the one pictured below, which was at Meadowbrook. Not sure where they were procured from though. My other option is to use the black chairs on the reception side of the room as well, which I am not entirely opposed to. (There are enough chairs to be set up for both sides at once).
I am having a hard time deciding what the feel, theme ie should be. I know what my original vision was but not sure how to work around it. We will likely be serving a buffet style dinner with our dessert cake. It looks like I will have to mix black and wood together. I know I want to use a lot of greenery (especially ferns). Planning to use the black kerosene lanterns they provide on the tables as centerpieces along with greenery, etc. Candles of graduated heights, monogram, and ferns on the fireplace. I like candlelight, especially crackled glass. So, ferns, lanterns, and I also want to use rhinestones as accessory bits here and there … But is that too much of a glam feel? I’m not really a glam person but our rings are white gold with diamonds on mine. Planning to wear a fern rhinestone haircomb and rhinestones on my shoes.
What would my theme be? Romantic? Vintage? Elegant? Rustic? Glam?
Still coming up with a color scheme. They offer lots of colors for napkins, and tablecloths either in white black or sandalwood (like darker champagne?) I am not sure I want to use white as it is a August event and it is a vow renewal, not a wedding. (We eloped five years ago, and the vows got messed up by the officiant. While still married nonetheless we decided we’d like to celebrate our marriage with both families, and say our vows the way we originally had wanted). I wish ivory was an option, but it is not. So it seems I am stuck with white or sandalwood (champagne variations?) Right now I am thinking purple, champagne, and open to a couple other colors.
Also, it doesn’t seem to have much variety for pictures. We can go out on the golf course with our photographer and hopefully find a few nice shots. But I reallly love pictures and not sure what it has in the way for a first look, etc.
For anyone willing to watch it, there is a link to a 3d video tour.
https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/meadowbrook-country-club-racine/7fee5d29106db15d.html
Sorry for the long post. Any advice much appreciated!
Example Table Setting
