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Devoted August 2022

Starting over

Bride2Be, on January 23, 2021 at 9:18 AM Posted in Planning 0 19

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My FH and I are scratching our old wedding plans and restarting. We haven’t paid any money yet and still in the planning stages. Originally we were doing a semi- destination wedding on Mackinac Island, Michigan but I’m having second thoughts about the venue’s reception tent. Idk if I’m overreacting but I just hate the dingy tent now. I love the beautiful inn and lawn but that TENT is so ugly to me and with what the florist told me was possible, I’m just not a fan anymore. I did hours of research on how to make a plain white tent beautiful with greenery and apparently it’s not a possibility there. My FH says no one will care about the tent but I just hate it now. It’s not working with the vision I want.

Anyways, I feel like we are at a stalemate because we live in DFW area in Texas along with most of my family, and his family lives in Michigan, some in KY, some here in TX and a brother out in AZ. He either wants to do a big wedding out in Michigan or go to the courthouse here in TX but I do NOT just want to go to the courthouse. I offered up the idea to do a beautiful immediate family only ceremony here locally because that’s where our dads live (our immediate family basically only 10 people and us) and then do 2 receptions later on here in TX and one in Michigan for both sides. But he either wants to have a full wedding and invite everyone or just go to the courthouse. No in between.
Our new originally (covid postponed) wedding was Aug 2022 (OG was Nov 2020) but it’s just SO FAR AWAY. I just don’t wanna wait that long because I want our life to get started but we would need that long to save up to pay for the Mackinac Island wedding. He said we could pick a different venue in Michigan if I really don’t want that one. I’m now reconsidering spending that much on a wedding and doing it so far away from where we live but he said his family can’t afford to travel all the way down here and it’s not like my family is rich or anything so I just don’t know what to do. He FINALLY got excited for the wedding when we planned for it to be up in Michigan and seems like that’s the ONLY place he wants to have it or it’s no deal. I just feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place because I’ve always wanted a big wedding but with how much it all costs and not getting any help I’m stressing out. I just don’t even know what to do anymore.

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19 Comments

Latest activity by Bride2Be, on January 23, 2021 at 12:20 PM

Legend July 2022
Lisa · on January 23, 2021 at 9:29 AM
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There are some beautiful wedding venues in Michigan! If you choose to have the wedding in Michigan, are you set on having it on Mackinac Island? Or open to other places? The island is probably a lot more expensive than other places in Michigan, so if the cost is your biggest concern, you could save money by finding a different venue that's not on the island. If you really like your venue on the island, are they able to remove the tent for your reception?
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VIP August 2020
Katie · on January 23, 2021 at 9:35 AM
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Hi Bride2Be!!! Do you have photos of the tent? If the tent issue can be eliminated, would that help with your excitement? 🌸🌼🌿
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 9:59 AM
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Hi Katie! The tent is not removable and has tile flooring so it doesn’t come down or anything. I’ll attach a picture of it with some greenery. It comes with the white chairs and table linens. Everything is just so WHITE and I know I could change it up with different colored table clothes and stuff but it just seems so outdated to me. Our original venue was an elaborate fancy barn and this is just so subpar compared to that. I feel like I have champagne taste on a beer budget hahaha
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 10:00 AM
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also here is a picture of more of what my vision was and it’s just not the same. It’s like what you order online vs what you actually get and have to return is the best way for me to describe how I feel about it. Lol
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Super January 2021
Sharonda · on January 23, 2021 at 10:23 AM
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I’m not a tent person at all, but I was struck by the tent when I saw the pictures and thought it was beautiful. It’s not your average, tailgating tent. I think you could pull off your look by adding more and different greenery to the ceiling and on the tables and adding pops of your wedding colors throughout. Also, the ladies who wear heels to your wedding will appreciate the tile floor over grass. But it’s your truly decision — just know that everyone will not see this tent the same way you do right now. I think with thoughtful decor, this space can be transformed and even better than your inspiration picture. I would recommend speaking to the venue to look at more pictures of the space when it’s decorated differently before you write it off completely. Good luck! 😊
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 10:39 AM
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I appreciate your kind words! I guess everyone really does see it differently. I spoke with the florist and she said in that particular tent they can’t hang the greenery all the way to the ceiling. Really just what was in the picture. Or around the edges. I’m just more of a visual person and it’s hard for me to picture it unless I’ve seen someone else do it. Every picture I’ve seen of the tent otherwise has been just so plain and people just hang the cheap looking paper lanterns from the 80s and it just looks so out dated to me. Even the little lamps that are hanging in there already look so dated to me. It’s just hard to imagine throwing so much money into trying to decorate a dud rather than just finding something that already looks beautiful ya know?
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Master April 2021
Mrs. Spring · on January 23, 2021 at 10:42 AM
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I love Michigan, so beautiful. Hmmm, my FH and I opted for the simple way, no real wedding bc we're just impatient to be married and we didn't want to save for a wedding when we still have student loan debt, etc.
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Super January 2021
Sharonda · on January 23, 2021 at 10:51 AM
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I understand. I’m a visual person too, so I completely get it. I’d also ask about potential drapery — something light and airy. If that’s possible, I would beef up the greenery on the tables and through other decor (garlands, wreaths, etc). Either way, I don’t know how much guests will pay attention to the ceiling if the other decor is the bomb.
My reception space was a weird shaped room with turquoise booths (and my wedding colors were navy, burgundy and gold), but we really focused on the decor to take away the focus on the booths. I asked my guests after the wedding if they remembered the color of the booths, and they didn’t. Lol!!
If have creative friends and family, ask them for their opinions in helping you visualize the space. My sister is super creative and helped me come up with ideas that worked like magic! I would have never imagined the things she pulled out of her hat!!
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VIP August 2020
Katie · on January 23, 2021 at 10:51 AM
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Bride2Be, for what it is worth, the tent looks gorgeous to me!! I agree with everything Sharonda said, your inspiration pic is very doable in the current space. The walls of the tent appear removable too. The gold chargers will definitely break up the white to mimic your vision.
As a fellow bride who also thought the tent we had was really ugly, my florist made it look like a different space when she finished. I ended up loving it ❤️

Of course this is your wedding and whatever you decide we are here to support you!! 🌿💐🍃
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 10:58 AM
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Great ideas thank you so much! We won’t be able to do the drapery but I think they could hang one garland flower wreath in the middle of the tent. It’s just so hard when I haven’t seen it in person so I’m trying to plan a trip up there to go and look at it. My FH and I both wouldn’t be able to go because of money but his aunt lives up there and she might be able to go with me.
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 11:00 AM
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I appreciate that Katie! Do you have pictures of your reception tent you could post? I’d love to see some inspiration!
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VIP August 2020
Katie · on January 23, 2021 at 11:04 AM
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Just saw the note about the ceiling and greenery issue. One idea is to do floral chandeliers. Here is a picture from mine just to reference. A greenery chandelier around the ceiling lighting could disguise it well.
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Super January 2021
Sharonda · on January 23, 2021 at 11:11 AM
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Yes!! Go and check it out before you write it off. You might be pleasantly surprised. And definitely take someone with you — they can help you see things you can’t see. And unless your FH is adamant about being involved in decor, it’s okay if he misses this trip and trusts your judgment. He won’t be any different than my husband was —
pleasantly surprised )like the guests were) at how the space was transformed for the wedding. Lol!! You got this!!
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 11:21 AM
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Yeah he’s all for it and is basically letting me decorate the way I want. I mean he’ll tell me if he doesn’t like something I show him but it’s pretty much me deciding thankfully haha
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 11:23 AM
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Yes I love that idea!! Here’s a picture the florist sent me that she could do in the center of the tent. I reached out to the venue manager to see if I could hang more than one so fingers crossed! I really do think it will help a lot! I like yours better tho more floral less wreath like 😍
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VIP August 2020
Katie · on January 23, 2021 at 11:37 AM
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Absolutely!! So we married in a tent for the ceremony and a separate tent for the reception. I really disliked the ceremony tent and had other concerns for the reception tent (huge cement blocks that hunkered down the tent that looked like a construction site - I felt sick). I too, disliked the flooring of my own. Here are before and after my WONDERFUL florist did her magic 💐
Here is ceremony after:

Here is reception tent before:

Looks like a different tent!! My florist hid the cement blocks with white drapery and greenery down the bright yellow industrial rope to completely hide it. Hope this gives you inspiration ❤️
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 11:51 AM
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HOLY CRAP!!! What a difference!! Wow one of your pictures is actually saved on my phone as an inspiration pic already haha thanks for sharing these!! Your spaces look amazing and you look beautiful in your dress 😍 I actually like the tile flooring you have hahaha I guess that goes to show everyone has different tastes. I won’t give up on the space! But I will still look at different options in Michigan for something cheaper if possible but I won’t kick this one out just yet! Thanks so much for your help!
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VIP August 2020
Katie · on January 23, 2021 at 12:10 PM
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LOL!!! This is the first time I actually put them side by side and damn, the before pics are rough!! Lol!! Super touching you saved a pic as inspiration ❤️ Means A LOT to me!!! By the way, love your floral wreath- it’s gorgeous!!
Keep us posted as I would love to see whatever you end up deciding on!! ❤️❤️❤️
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Devoted August 2022
Bride2Be · on January 23, 2021 at 12:20 PM
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Will do!! 💕💕
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