https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:44:17 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401453 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:37:43 +0000 Thistle 1401453@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Congratulations!</p> <p>DH and I anted. Small wedding, but his mom had other plans. So we eloped! We got married in Hawaii (Maui) at sunset. The whole thing was amazing. A Wedding planner in Hawaii coordinated the whole thing. We just showed up.</p> <p>We had a Hawaiian minister perform the ceremony in both Hawaiian and English. We had a photographer and videographer there so we could capture it and bring it home. The whole thing cost us less than what others have spent just for a photographer, and we had rights to all the prints. </p> <p>This worked for us as DH didn't want a big wedding, and I was starting my master's degree while still working full time within 6 months of him proposing. So it was an easy out with family.</p> <p>I had my dress made by a seamstress and DH rented a tux, so no help there.<br /> And I am sooooo with you. I don't understand why people spend so much on a wedding. I people who have spent more on their wedding that they did the dOwn payment on a house. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401446 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:01:33 +0000 Laurinda 1401446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Congratulations and have fun planning the big day! </p> <p>We married in an informal summer ceremony in our back yard. I wore a sleeveless midi-length printed dress from Coldwater Creek... and I still love &amp;&nbsp;wear it for our&nbsp;anniversary dinner out.&nbsp;We had simple rings, inexpensive champagne, and a spread of a half dozen&nbsp;tortes instead of wedding cake. Our flowers were colorful mixed bouquets from the farmer's market in thrifted and borrowed vases for a total of $125 (and we sent most of the vases home with our guests).&nbsp;We invited all our neighbors to the reception after the wedding, sort of like an old-fashioned village wedding, plus that way we figured they would be less likely to give us grief&nbsp;about any noise ;-). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401444 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 15:39:44 +0000 jackiec 1401444@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am SO happy for you, Kari. I love your wedding ideas and agree that you should follow your heart. You will look brilliant in a green or teal or cobalt dress. I love #6 of the photos you subsequently posted. Good luck with the planning - it sounds like a lot of fun </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401426 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 14:34:38 +0000 marianna 1401426@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yay Kari! We had a small, untraditional wedding. We had 45 people and it was basically a dinner party. Ceremony in the foyer of a restaurant, followed by dinner in the dining room. Long, leisurely, multi course meal. Pianist for music. No dance floor (as I'm not a dancer...) </p> <p>My best advice is do what feels right for YOUR personality, and not what others think you should do. We also didn't spend a fortune on our wedding, but my one regret is hiring an inexpensive photographer -- if you're going to spend a little extra on one category, hire a good photographer. Our photos are mediocre, which is unfortunate.</p> <p>And have fun planning. No need to stress over little things, as in the end somehow everything always works out. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401350 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 07:45:44 +0000 Elle 1401350@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Congratulations!&nbsp; My best wishes to both of you.&nbsp; Your ideas sound wonderful.&nbsp; No reason why you should wear white if it doesn't make you happy.&nbsp; I personally like picture 8 but all the dresses are beautiful.</p> <p>My one piece of advice is to set your budget first.&nbsp; Even small weddings can be expensive. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401326 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 06:09:00 +0000 Beth Ann 1401326@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sounds like you're well on your way to a wedding that's just right for the two of you!&nbsp; I think you're making decisions that authentic to you, and yet allow you to be gracious and thoughtful hosts at the same time.</p> <p>It seems like there are many couples choosing to eschew the big, fancy wedding.&nbsp; I'm all for it!&nbsp; One of the last weddings I went to was a large affair -- the groom was the son of a Pastor at a large church.&nbsp; There were at least 200 people at the ceremony.&nbsp; We all had a photo taken, and then went onto the church lawn for punch and homemade chocolate cookies made plate by plate by the "church ladies."&nbsp; The wedding party and closest family and friends had a sit down dinner at a restaurant later.&nbsp; </p> <p>I appreciated this format, because I wanted to share in the day, but I would not have been close enough for a smaller, elaborate wedding.&nbsp; The bride and groom encouraged thrifed and hand-crafted gifts, along with "regifting."&nbsp; I gave them a vintage book and a new one -- both carefully chosen, with a personal note.&nbsp; How nice to enjoy a wedding, and not have to pinch pennies to get a gift that fit the expense of the reception!</p> <p>I can certainly see you in beautiful jewel tones.&nbsp; For some reason, I'd want a dress that moved -- that swished and rustled and was "alive" on the dance floor. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401314 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 05:52:18 +0000 columbine(erin) 1401314@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can't read all the comments, I have spotty internet, but wanted to say, one memorable wedding I've been to recently, had pies instead of cake. Many of them were lovingly made by&nbsp;friends and family and some from a bakery, I think. It was a special touch.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401285 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 04:36:12 +0000 Suz 1401285@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am with those who say to make it authentic to you, and fun, and don't feel bound by convention (unless you like that).&nbsp;</p> <p>My wedding was really small -- about 25 people, mostly family and very close friends -- and we held it at our own house. We were married by a judge, who was a former student of my husband's. We cooked almost all the food ourselves (because we love to cook -- not that it wasn't stressful, but hey!)&nbsp;We did order a poached&nbsp;salmon catered and we also had oysters and champagne. We set up tables in the backyard.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was an afternoon wedding, in summer. I wore an inexpensive dress from Banana Republic. It was white with a grey geometric pattern. It felt right for a very hot humid day. It wasn't a precious or special dress but it was a dress I would not have bought or worn for another occasion and I felt good in it.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have no regrets at all about this style of wedding. It was a happy, happy day.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401238 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 01:51:41 +0000 christieanne 1401238@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Congratulations on entering this new phase in your relationship!&nbsp;<br />I love the idea of your wedding plans (My DH and I eloped to Vegas with ceremony at the Drive Thru chapel so I am ALL about individual choice in ceremonies) and keeping it small and intimate and very personal.&nbsp;<br />I think the venue and food/drink might be biggest expense so look for something reasonable for a venue (park?) and start from there.&nbsp;<br />As for dress - your love of color is apparent and I say go with whatever makes you happy.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401221 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 00:11:14 +0000 Aziraphale 1401221@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>First of all -- wow, congratulations! And I wish you a long happy life together. xo</p> <p>Intimate weddings are lovely. Actually all kinds of weddings can be wonderful -- I've been to successful ones of all kinds, from the huge Greek wedding type to the intimate 40-guest garden party&nbsp;kind.&nbsp;</p> <p>When you ask if we have any ideas, what are looking for? Suggestions on types of venue? Size of guest list? Wedding dresses? Or just advice in general? I guess I could briefly describe ours, and you can take from it what advice you need.</p> <p>We had what I consider to be a large-ish small wedding (sounds like an oxymoron, but it's like calling a beagle a large-ish small dog) with what was supposed to be 100 people but ended up being around 110. There were really only two things that were important to us for the wedding: <b>(a) that it be meaningful for us, and (b) that it be genuinely enjoyable for everyone else</b>. All we needed to accomplish the first bit was to invite mostly people to whom we genuinely felt &nbsp;connected, and the goal for the second bit was&nbsp;to throw a really good party&nbsp;(I've been to a lot of terrible weddings that dragged on and on&nbsp;-- we wanted ours to be truly fun). I think I said at the time that 'I want to hear lots of laughing'.</p> <p>We included four main groups of guests:<br />1. our family members<br />2. our friends<br />3. his parents' friends --&nbsp;the ones he has a relationship with<br />4. my parents' friends --&nbsp;the ones I have a relationship with</p> <p>The last two groups may sound weird, but we both have small families, and our parents have good friends that have been&nbsp;part of our lives since we were little. You know, the kind of friends you call aunty or uncle, even though they're not actually relatives. :-)</p> <p>The venue is important for the kind of celebration you want. If you want a genteel, elegant, subdued affair, you're going to need a different kind of venue than if you want everyone to dance and get sweaty. We chose a heritage home that had been re-purposed for weddings. It had a lovely garden and&nbsp;a small but excellent dance floor and bar downstairs. It worked brilliantly. The wedding itself occurred upstairs, we had photos outside while the guests could socialize, and food was served party-style by waiters who walked around. There was a buffet table as well, which included&nbsp;a caterer carving the roast beef,&nbsp;and tables where people could sit down to eat, but no sit-down formal dinner. We felt that would hamper the party atmosphere. Later on&nbsp;the DJ set up downstairs. We specifically asked for a selection of music that included 'golden oldies' (Elvis, the Beatles, etc) as well as more contemporary stuff, because I've noticed that people are way more likely to get up and dance if you include music you can actually dance to. It also caused the older generation to get up and dance right along with the younger.</p> <p>One thing to note: I've noticed that if you want people to mingle and dance, it's best to choose a venue that's on the smaller side -- just big enough for the number of people you have. Nothing discourages dancing more than a vast dance floor and a high ceiling, unless you've got a rock concert going on with a thousand bodies to fill it.&nbsp;</p> <p>Does that help at all? As for your non-white dress idea, I say thumbs up! A wedding is a chance you wear a gorgeous dress -- a costume, really -- that you normally wouldn't get to wear in real life. It certainly doesn't need to be white!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401201 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 23:12:08 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1401201@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great ideas, Kari. I'm with you all the way. Our wedding was small--only our parents attended, plus the judge and her husband (who were friends of mine). I wore a royal blue wool crepe long-sleeved knee-length dress--very much a church kind of dress, even though we did not marry in a church!--and my husband wore a nice charcoal wool suit. (We married in December, in Indiana.) We had a reception lunch afterward, with just our parents and us. Thirteen years later we renewed our vows in Seattle and had all my husband's siblings there, at a local restaurant. <br />I actually like dress 1, which I think would be stunning on you. I like that it isn't formal looking, yet it's very pretty and quite special looking, you could wear it again, and it wouldn't look out of place if B. doesn't want to wear a suit. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401177 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 22:36:46 +0000 cheryle (Dianthus) 1401177@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Congratulations again Kari.<br />I would suggest that you observe the traditions that resonate with the two of you and ignore those that don't. &nbsp;It is you and Bs wedding and it should be exactly as you want it to be.</p> <p>As to the dress, I think you would look smashing coming down the aisle in an emerald green dress (or teal)&nbsp;with perhaps a small matching confection in your gorgeous red hair. &nbsp;</p> <p>Tony and I are getting married in September so I have been going through much of the same thought process. &nbsp;We don't want a lot of hoopla and I don't feel the need to be the center of attention. &nbsp;I also don't want to wear a traditional wedding dress but may wear white since it looks good on me. &nbsp;</p> <p>We have booked the Winnipeg Art Gallery and are going to have a short ceremony followed by dinner and dancing for 50-60 people all in one location so our guests don't need to travel or fill in a lot of time. &nbsp;I want our friends to enjoy the wedding as much as we do.</p> <p>We are tentatively planning to walk down the aisle together and it may be to Queen's Best Friend. &nbsp;We have also discussed not having a head table because again, it isn't all about us but to celebrate with our friends and family.</p> <p>I do hope you will share the details with YLF. &nbsp;I would love to hear about the planning. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401174 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 22:32:57 +0000 rabbit 1401174@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I had a teeny low budget wedding and loved it. &nbsp; We married outdoors on a mountain&nbsp;in a park in Portland, since we only had immediately family as guests and a few friends (maybe 20 people max?), &nbsp;we just stood by a tree we liked and had the ceremony. &nbsp; A friend was a Universal Life minister (online thing) and so we created our own vows. &nbsp; &nbsp;Then we decamped to our backyard and had lunch with catering from our favorite lunch spot and a cake a friend had made. &nbsp; There was dancing with a boombox on a covered porch lit with fairy lights at night. &nbsp; My dress was from a vintage clothing store, as was his red velvet vest. &nbsp; The ring was engraved, plain silver - about 30$ each. &nbsp; I think our total cost including clothing, food&nbsp;and ring was under 300$, &nbsp;friends sprung for the keg, and family for champagne and a few&nbsp;flowers for my bouquet (to round out blooms from the garden). &nbsp; &nbsp;I have to say our family members were very very grateful that we didn't expect them to shell out for a big wedding. &nbsp;It also was quite low stress for us to plan.</p> <p>One of my favorite somewhat&nbsp;larger&nbsp;weddings to attend took place at a rented girl-scout camp on a coastal island, guests had to take a row boat there and we slept in tent/cabins. Food was all potluck. &nbsp;The ceremony was barefoot on the beach in non-precious but festive summer frocks (these ended up crumpled in the sand as people shucked to bathing suits and dived in after the vows). &nbsp;There were campfires and guitars later.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401150 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 21:50:08 +0000 Classically Casual 1401150@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, this is so much fun! The two of you can create whatever type of ceremony will bring you joy. </p> <p>AS A GUEST, my favorite weddings to attend have been outdoors. Several in the lovely backyards of friends/ family. One beautiful wedding was at sunset in the sage grass of high Colorado. ( Just folding chairs). Other ideas: I know of a wedding on the beach on Guemes Island, followed by a pot luck barbeque/feast. Guests decorated the driftwood. Another small wedding on Orcas Island, their Golden Retriever was the ring bearer. ( I imagine Lucy will insist on a role.). Weddings at wineries are lovely, but pricey. I think it's possible to rent the Visitor Center at the Arb. The two of you can wear whatever formality of clothing you choose.</p> <p>I had a very small wedding, and we have never regreted it. Just immediate family, and a few close friends.</p> <p>I hope you'll share some of the details as the planning comes together. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401104 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:44:45 +0000 Kristin L 1401104@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love your "rough draft"! It's your and your DF's big day, so do it how you want. I love pic 8, but that could be because it looks similar feel that&nbsp;my wedding had. My dress was a tea length lace ivory gown that had some poof to it, but not too much. I wore my pixie cut with a thin faux pearl headband, simple gold and pearl drop earrings and my glasses. If I can give you one bit of advice, figure out how to go to the bathroom by yourself. I found this link and it worked very well.<br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://offbeatbride.com/2013/08/how-to-pee">http://offbeatbride.com/2013/08/how-to-pee</a></p> <p>I also read A Practical Wedding and I was able to take some good ideas from it.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401102 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:38:34 +0000 MsMary 1401102@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think you are very wise, Kari!&nbsp; I've had two biggish weddings and in the alternate universe in which I were to do it again (which I am most definitely not!), I would go to the courthouse and then out to dinner and call it a day.</p> <p>I will say, though, that the one great thing about a large wedding is the opportunity to have all your nearest and dearest together in one place.&nbsp; But there are ways to do that without breaking the bank.&nbsp; I think your "rough draft" plan sounds great. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401098 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:32:54 +0000 Astrid 1401098@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just wanted to add, I really like the idea of a dress you can wear again. If I ever get married, nobody is going to succeed in getting me into a traditional white wedding dress. I like the idea of something simple made to fit by a seamstress, out of great quality fabric. Maybe with a long skirt that can be shortened to to the knee afterwards. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401094 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:29:54 +0000 Echo 1401094@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I LOVE your ideas, Kari. Potluck receptions are still popular here, and I've been to many weddings held in parks or back yards or restaurants. They have all been memorable and beautiful. It does not take a lot of money to have a meaningful ceremony and provide for guests.</p> <p>And I love the idea of a non-white dress, too! I almost wish I had had the courage to wear a non-white option myself, as wearing white is about as "not me" as I could get! There are so many gorgeous options for nice dresses that aren't white, too. I do like the idea of a longer dress, but even that isn't necessary. It's all about what feels right to you and B.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401093 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:26:39 +0000 Louise 1401093@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm horrified by the amount some people spend on weddings. A colleagues daughter is getting married in Mexico next year and the collegue has just given her daughter £15,000 towards the wedding plus £2,000 for a dress. And that's just her contribution!!!</p> <p>My best friend had a wedding very similar to your co worker and it was a wonderful day, she wore a burgundy floor length strapless dress which was more prom dress than wedding dress.<br /> When the ex and I were together I dreamed of getting married in a replica Saxon ring fort (my brother is a re enactor and his group have access to one) with a hog roast. And I would wear a party dress and my blue sparkly wellies (it's the uk after all!) guests could be as casual or dressed up as they wanted and bring a deck hair to sit on.<br /> As cater said it's your wedding and it should reflect you x </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401089 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:21:00 +0000 Kari 1401089@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you! Great feedback, and Astrid, I love A Practical Wedding and also Offbeat Bride. Lots of good ideas. Both also have books that I mean to read. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401086 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:15:59 +0000 carter 1401086@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My second wedding was my idea of "perfect". We had it in a private room at a quaint little restaurant we love. It was just family, plus the judge and her husband. The judge was my childhood bff, so although I hadn't seen her much in the intervening years, it was quite special to have her do the ceremony. I wore a gorgeous pink dress, and my husband wore a suit. Both the ceremony and the dinner happened in the same small room. Most years, we go back to the same place for our anniversary.</p> <p>My first wedding was more the "what everyone expected". So not me at all. I remember none of it. I didn't even know many people who were there. Made no sense to me (but neither did that marriage;-)).</p> <p>It's your wedding. It should reflect you. Do anything that feels right, and it'll be perfect. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401081 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:11:39 +0000 Elly 1401081@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari, that sounds beautiful.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />I love the idea of wearing a semi-formal dress that could be worn again. I'm partial to the champagne sequin number --- do keep your height in mind when considering beaded or lace semi-formals as they are hard to alter and usually come hemmed unless bought from a bridal shop.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />The SO and I are not formally engaged, but have spoken about our ideas on weddings. My parents had a very simple affair, but for a huge group. The SO's first wedding was at the courthouse, so that is out. We'd like to do something simple and easy on family land.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />One thing I learned from a previous engagement was how incredibly expensive even simple weddings can be.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401079 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:09:35 +0000 Lucy 1401079@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think a wedding should be a celebration of you and your love, so why not do it your way? I adore the idea of something that is authentic rather than generic.<br /> Also I think something less bridal magazine 2014 will date less over time. I got married in the early 90s and a lot of other brides at that time were still going the big princess Diana frock with lace and frills. I had a slim fitting cream sheath with some handmade silk flowers in the bodice. It was really an evening dress not a bridal dress. And I still love it in photos.<br /> I like all of the dresses you have posted, especially #2. #1 would be my least fav- a little office Christmas party though it is p quit elegant. The others are more celebratory. It would be interesting to see you in a non white dress but with more "bridally" accessories, so white, cream or silver, just as a nod to tradition. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401069 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 18:59:15 +0000 Astrid 1401069@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't have any suggestions, but just wanted to say that I generally find these huge weddings you know from TV kind of absurd. Here in Germany not many people spend so much money on a wedding and if they do it's often rather tasteless IMO. </p> <p>I remembered looking at a wedding blog I really liked with a friend some time back and I found it again with a small search:<a href="http://apracticalwedding.com/" rel="nofollow"> <a href="http://apracticalwedding.com/" rel="nofollow">http://apracticalwedding.com/</a></a> Might be worth a look!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401065 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 18:50:43 +0000 Kari 1401065@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>A few visual ideas:</p> <p><a href="http://offbeatbride.com/2013/04/georgia-backyard-wedding" rel="nofollow">http://offbeatbride.com/2013/0.....rd-wedding</a></p> <p><a href="http://offbeatbride.com/2010/08/melbourne-river-wedding" rel="nofollow">http://offbeatbride.com/2010/0.....er-wedding</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/semi-ot-weddingdress-thoughts#post-1401052 Sat, 22 Nov 2014 18:23:12 +0000 Kari 1401052@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>As I mentioned in a recent off topic thread my long term love B. And I recently got engaged. <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/engaged-in-mouse-ears" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....mouse-ears</a></p> <p>We have had a lot of questions from people about when and how we will wed. "We don't know yet!" Is our stock and honest answer. </p> <p>I do know I don't want to spend even close to what the average weddung budget is in the US. We are still deciding on budgetary issues but I don't think either of us wants to spend more on a special event for one day than we would on a nice vacation (about 1/10 or less of what the average wedding cost is.) I also know I don't want a huge wedding. </p> <p>Two real life weddings that inspire me to think intimate, small scale:<br /> 1. Wedding that we attended at an island retreat in British Columbia last spring. Off season but nice weather; intimate (under 20 guests), comfortable (the "rehearsal dinner" was a barbecue hosted by groom's family, reception was a potluck); authentic (bride wore emerald satin gown and gorgeous lace knitted circle shawl both made by her mom with rainbow knee socks and emerald Cons.) It felt like a retreat weekend.<br /> 2. Coworker that wed last year at city hall. She had a very fun, sweet judge that loves weddings and is passing on contact info to me. Wore a red cocktail dress. I believe immediate family only were at ceremony, then under 20 guests at reception dinner at nice restaurant. It took place between Christmas and New Years. </p> <p>The idea of an intimate, more casual affair seems more authentic to B. And I. (My parents had a casual, smaller - under 50 guest - wedding as well.). I don't think our guest list will be quite as small as that, but I think we could stay under 100 total, maybe even under 75 or 50. </p> <p>If you told me to outline my plan today, I'd say the "rough draft" would be a brunch or dessert reception in early Fall with open beer and wine, tables for guests to mingle at, board games or lawn games (if we chose a summer wedding with an outdoors venue), cake and pie and some light refreshments. Maybe a karaoke machine (some of our friends have one.)</p> <p>I am also very drawn to the idea of a non white maxi or midi dress. White isn't my best color. It doesn't bring out the colors of my hair, eyes or skin the way jewel tones do-cobalt, emerald, peacock. I'd love a special semi formal dress I could wear again. And a gown seems like it would be out of place for a more casual shindig. I don't think B. has ever worn a tux or full suit, and it would be weird for him to do so. </p> <p>(I also don't plan to grow out my hair much, if at all-but I would probably have hair and/or makeup done by my usual excellent stylist.)</p> <p>Any ideas, especially for those of you who had smaller, more casual weddings yourselves? </p>