Dance Lessons: On the Search

So, we've started searching for a dance studio to begin our lessons in January!! I was thinking we'd begin with basic ballroom and movement in a class setting, and then, once we've finalized our first dance tune with the band, we'd move to private lessons, where an instructor could fine tune our steps and choreograph a specific piece for us. This way, we'll have our general dance steps covered as well as a customized dance for our first presentation.

This sounds like a good plan, and I know we could use the practice!

Here are a few dance studios in the area that I think would be most helpful to us. Please let me know if you, or anyone you know, has other ideas or suggestions!

The Wedding Dance Specialists, Arlington, Virginia

The Dance Factory, Arlington, Virginia

Dance Studio Lioudmila, Alexandria, Virginia

Reception Decor Thoughts and Logistics

My vision is starting to come together, so I thought I'd jot down my new loves and thoughts. There are a LOT of unknowns, but we're getting there.






Tables and Chairs

• 7 10-person tables for the Carriage House--3 on each side, 1 in front of the side exit door
  
• 1 smaller round table for the cake, to be displayed in the middle of the room
• Four taller bistro tables for perimeter of "dance hall" portion of Carriage House. I was thinking folks could set a drink down, if they wanted. Two could go on one side, two on the other. These will require decoration and linens.
  
• Another idea: If not bistro tables, then rocking chairs around the perimeter would be a blast. Cracker Barrel has some AWESOME chairs.
  
• 1 guest book table--for the "dance hall" portion of the house. The typewriter, photos, etc. will go here. We may not need to rent one necessarily, especially if we could use one of the existing wood side tables already in the House. Need to scope this out, next time we're there.
• Chairs? In love with parchment colored chairs, run down, paint chipped. I have no idea where to find these. This is probably unrealistic, so I'd consider brown/wooden slated chairs. Need to check out Pretty Settings website.
  

Cleaning Out the Carriage House (need to confirm this with Katherine)

• Remove all green shades in both dining and dance rooms. Or, if not possible, ensure that all of them are pulled up.
• Remove central rug in the dining area. It's a floor rug--pale blue and ratty. It's gotta go!
  
• Remove photos and paintings hanging on left wall of the dance hall.
• Remove brochure stand and table (if possible) in dance hall.
• Remove all boxes and brown folding table standing behind wooden bar in dance hall
• Remove TV in far right corner of dance hall.
• Things that can stay: mirror on right wall, some paintings (will need to review this again), bar on right-hand side.
• Not to worry about: green trim around perimeter of both rooms, green trim around base of four posts in dining area, green carpet in dining area where tables will go, green carpet in front entrance of dance hall.

Table Decor, Accessories

• Glass jam jar in the center of all tables. Perhaps two? Twine bow around each.
• Jars filled with white hydrangea, white peonies, light green mum/daisy heads, white alstromeria, green berries, green herb plant.
• Like the idea of napkins loosely gathered with a fresh flower or dead, fallen leaf.
• Tea candle votives with brown fall leaves cemented inside, against the glass, for each table--see Martha Stewart picture.
  
• Love the idea of little pies/tarts in small pie boxes as favors for guests, wrapped in box or brown paper bag material, tied with twine or matching ribbon.
  
• Love the idea of having a rusty, antique address number to designate the number of the table--bronze, black, still undecided.
• Love the idea of having a miniature menu on each plate.
  
• Unknowns: type of plates, glasses, silverware, color of linens and tablecloths.

Dining Area Decor

• Dead tree branches, forked, secured to each of the four beams. Covered in warm lights. Still working out those details
• Four rustic lanterns hanging from each hook of the four beams.
• Rustic, wooden sign saying "Wedding Supper" to secure over the gold plated "Meeting Room" sign on the door between dining area and dance hall.
• Unknowns: what else should go in here?

Dance Hall Decor

• Twine, clothesline fastened over the guest book table, complete with clothespins holding Polaroid pictures of Chris and me. Vintage Polaroid camera available for guests to take pictures, too, and clothespin to the twine.
• Guest book table placement? Unknown.
• Guest book table will hold typerwriter, paper, for guests to sign.
• Musicians will stand/be on the inside of the white carriage rail
• Flower chains for carriage rail?
• Flower chains and lights between hanging ceiling lanterns? Need to think on this more.
  
• Hanging ceiling lanterns lit up? Can we do this?
• Ask Katherine about keeping front entrance doors open for cool breeze?

Cake, Cake Table

• Cake look and feel unknown. Want a three-tier cake, though. With some kind of ribbon wrapped around the base of each tier. I love that look. And prefer round to square. Beyond that, I have no idea at this point. I want it to coordinate with the greens and whites though.
• I love the idea of the cake plate being supported by old antique door knobs. I have a Martha Stewart Picture
• The cake table should have candle votives.
  

Miscellaneous

• Small lanterns and electric tea candles for each guest, to hold as a send-off outdoors, after the reception. This would make for such a lovely photo after the reception, especially since we can't use sparklers.
• Paper bag luminaries with electric tea lights to light the path from Carriage House to cocktail area. It will be dark after the cocktail area at 7 p.m. I'd like a path to illuminate between the two.
• Personalized Chris & Ally cigars for guests after dinner.
  

Never Too Early to Think About Gift Registering!

We are slowly moving into the gift registry stage, and our ideas are few at this point. But our eyes grow big whenever we go to these stores listed below, so there's a start!

Let us know if you have any suggestions as to where to register for household fixtures, furniture, bedding, appliances, and anything else in that general area of setting up house. Here's where we may begin our gift selections:

• World Market
• Williams-Sonoma
• Crate and Barrel
• Restoration Hardware
• Target
• Pottery Barn
• Anthropologie