Carriage House Decor: Where We Are, Where We're Going

So, in the last few weeks we've done a crapload of figuring out in the realm of design for the Carriage House. And by crapload, I mean CRAP-load.

Here's where we are, and here's where we're going. I've made a list of both, and it's both a relief to cross items off our planning list, but stressful to see just how much more we have to do.

Here's where we are:

• Color Scheme: Ivory, Expresso, Lilac/Purple
• Favor Boxes: We're using natural, brown 4-inch bakery boxes for the little pies. The boxes are wrapped in ivory lace, secured with twine, and then decorated with fresh hypericum berries--peach, green.
• Reception flowers: Quart mason jars (9 total, one for each table) filled with limonium, purple calla lillies, Queen Anne's lace, mums, daisies, hypericum berries. Jars will be accented wth twine.
• Napkins: Expresso (to match expresso chairs and expresso accents on table cards, see below). Napkins will be secured with twine, and accented with a fresh stem of aster and limonium.
• Lace votives on tables: 2-3 on each table. Ivory lace. Small glass votives. Still need to find a way to secure
  
• Table cards: Same design as stationary, designed by Bella Figura, with expresso colored calligraphy numbers in center.
• Escort Cards: Bunches of lavendar sprigs, secured with ivory paper with guest's name on either written or typed.
• Lighted tree branches: 8 natural branches decorated with white lights secured by natural-colored twine/wire on each of the four posts (in front and behind) in the Carriage House. Lights secured by expresso colored gaffer tape along floor, and olive colored gaffer tape on the base of the posts (to blend).
• Cake table: Secured with ivory pleated topper, placed to the left in the dining room for display. Table adorned with springs of lavendar, or perhaps leftover fabric boutinneires with sprigs of fresh flowers and herbs.
• Tables: Nine tables in dining room, each seating 8-10, depending on the numbers of guests we have. Three tables will line the right, them center, and the left. Expresso chairs with ivory cushions. Ivory table cloths. Ivory pleated toppers.
• Typewriter + guest book ivory paper.

What we still need to figure out:

• Light strands/placement in dance hall: What kind of lights? How are they strung?
• Placement of two lighted tree branches in dance hall.
• Furniture plan: Need plan to remove all furniture and paintings from dance hall, and where to place wooden dresser, escort card table, guest book table, bistro tables. Rent extra tables?
• Bartender table: Placement? How many do we need? One for Carriage House. Two for outside--mansion and gardens. Do we reserve via Ramona?
• Decor on guest table: Votives? Milk jars with flowers?
• Arrangement of escort lavendar sprigs: Are they hanging from something? Or just flat?
• Paper-wrapped electric candles for dance hall: How many, what kinds of paper? Placement?
• Wedding signs for gardens: Carriage House. Elsewhere? One will definitely say "Wedding." Another "Reception." Perhaps "Supper" or "Dance Hall" to secure on the white railing when you walk in? Exploring having the signs made by designer Willie Stull.
  
• Favors table: Placement? Perhaps on way out of Carriage House? How will the favors be organized? Signs indicating what kinds of pies are available? Perhaps using the table card design provided by Bella Figura (we are ordering 5 extra)?
• Favor boxes: Do we need labels to indicate what kind of pies?
• Letters to each guest/family/couple: Still not completely decided on this. It's a LOT of work!!! If so, will require stationry and expresso envelopes. If we don't do letters, then there's no need to indicate where each person sits, which saves us a LOT of work!!!
• Expresso paper leaves for wine glasses to indicate where each guest sits? Not sure. Still need to think on this.