Planning a book themed wedding...UPDATE with PICTURES 45 & 46

[Eeyores Butterfly]

This is a spin off of the wedding dress thread. It seemed like a lot of people had some fun with that, and we've reached the next stage of the planning process in our wedding.

We are doing a literary themed wedding, so far all of our vendors have been very enthusiastic. What we need are various ideas for incorporating books/literature. Here are the details we have so far. The ceremony is at a Catholic Church and the reception is at a nice hotel.

-We talked with the florist today. My bouquet will either be anchored in a book or Bible, or will have miniature books on ribbons trailing from it.

-Centerpieces will feature books from our collection. We are thinking of doing tables by authors. The florist had the idea of making floral "book marks" in our colors to make everything tie together.

-My mom had the idea of an entrance arch made out of two book cases with an arch on top. We thought of making one of the book cases the "memorial table" so to speak.

-Art prints of book covers could grace the reception, or prints from an artist named Randal Spangler who has many paintings featuring books and libraries. The books in the painting correlate to the theme (so a fantasy painting has Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter, etc.)

-We are thinking of doing a hot chocolate bar and having a fake fire place with a couple chairs around it like you would curl up in to read.

-Favors would be bookmarks with a list of "suggested reading" on the back. Either books featured as centerpieces or other guests' favorite books.

-The cake would like a stack of books. An idea I had would be for the top tier to be an open book and then have a bride and groom lying on their stomachs "reading" the book.

We're having a lot of fun with this and would love to hear any ideas you have!

 

[clh2]

Can't help out with any ideas - although I love yours!

Especially the cake idea that you have!!!

 

[gina2000]

Design a signature drink with a literary name

Create a menu at the entrance or at each table with literary twists to the descriptions

hot dogs in blankets = Babe invites you to preview her latest culinary delight

or

"Porky Pig's Purses"

Baked/any kind potato = Ulysses' delight

Sauteed/stuffed/whatever Mushrooms = Alice's Magical Mysteries

Twelfth Night Cake

You could really have a ball with this!!!

 

[diznygirl]

I wouldn't use books from your collection for the centerpieces unless you never want to see them again. Guests assume they will be allowed to take home the centerpieces.

Good luck!

 

[EeyoreEma]

No ideas, but what a wonderful wedding you have planned so far - it sounds amazing! I am a total bookaholic, so it sounds perfect to me! What fun!

 

[klacey1]

Ooo, as someone who works in the publishing industry, I absolutely love this idea!! Don't really have any suggestions, but you MUST go with the bookcase arch idea. It's genius and sounds so elegant and classy.
I also really like the book centerpieces-- since you plan on grouping them by author, instead of numbering the tables, name them by the author. Escort cards can read something like "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith. Table Hemingway." It would be really fun for people to find their tables and discover the different authors you and your DH to be enjoy.

 

[emer95]

So... what does one have to do to get an invitation to such an awesome wedding?

I would LOVE to come! This sounds like the most unique, fun themed weddign I've ever heard of! The only other idea that came to mind is somehow incorporating bookends into your decor... not quite sure how though...

 

[a1tinkfans]

No ideas here but wanted to say your wedding is so personal, I LOVE the ideas you have and want to wish you both a Magical beginning to your "story"....

 

[autumnpalm]

I'm sorry to be another poster who has nothing to contribute but I also wanted to chime in and say that your wedding sounds like a lot of fun! You have some wonderful ideas already and I LOVE the idea of a hot chocolate bar- mmmm!

 

[ilovejack02]

So... what does one have to do to get an invitation to such an awesome wedding?

When is it? I will start planning now lol, I give great gifts I promise !! haha!

 

[*JoGo*]

instead of a guest book, you could get some kind of journal/blank book for guests to write a personal message in.... you could even title it "Happily Ever After" and display it on your bookcase at home.

what are your colors?

 

[Handbag Lady]

-The cake would like a stack of books. An idea I had would be for the top tier to be an open book and then have a bride and groom lying on their stomachs "reading" the book.

Explain to the baker that you want some lines there, but not to fill out the rest of the page with lines. Your story is not yet written as you are just beginning your lives together.

I LOVE your wedding ideas! I was going to suggest having each table be a book. The centerpiece IS the book and the table assignments could be a bookmark (and your guests' favor) with their name on the bookmark along with the name of the "book" they are assigned to. You can even have your engagement photo printed on the bookmark.

But, I also love your idea of having each table be an author. You can have their quotes all over the tablecloth if you wanted to be really fancy.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

instead of a guest book, you could get some kind of journal/blank book for guests to write a personal message in.... you could even title it "Happily Ever After" and display it on your bookcase at home.

what are your colors?

Our colors are pool (light blue) and regency (a deep, bright purple) from the David's Bridal catalogue. We are going to do some kind of old fashioned book for a guest book. The ring bearer will have a box that is designed to look like a book with the rings inside of the box (our florist already has these).

I'm not overly worried about the centerpieces walking off, I know the hotel has centerpieces you can use free of charge, so obviously people aren't walking off with those. Our friends and family will know that these are our books and we will have a wedding planning team, so we should be able to let people know.

Some of my books I have "props" for. I have the Harry Potter boxed set that looks like a Hogwarts trunk, so we were thinking of just putting the trunk with the books inside on the table. I have chess piece book ends that match the Breaking Dawn cover, and I know that my maid of honor has some Lord of the Rings memoribilia. Every table would be a little different, with some common elements like floral or maybe some confetting snowflakes to tie it together.

I also have other book ends that we might use, tables with fewer books migt have one or two books in a book end.

This is a sample of Randal Spangler's art. We found out he has bookmarks and postcards as well as prints:

I was thinking for one of the shelves, since all of our pets have literary names, putting up pictures of the pets with their corresponding book (so Eragon would be next to Eragon, Jasper next to Twilight, Eowyn next to Lord of the Rings, etc.)

Some of the authors we are considering:

Stephenie Meyer (Twilight/Host)
J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter)
Brian Jacques (Redwall series/ Castaways of the Flying Dutchman)
Jodi Piccoult (My Sister's Keeper, etc.)
David Webber (Armageddon Reef, etc.)
Dickens (Christmas Carol, Great Expectations)
Mark Twain (Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn)
Christopher Paolini (Eragon)
Author Unknown (Night Before Christmas)
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice, etc.)
Rick Riordan (Lightning Thief/Red Pyramid)
Lois Lowry (The Giver, etc.)
Madeleine L'Engle (Wrinklie in Time, etc.)
Michael Phillips (Rift in Time/ Legend of the Celtic Stone)
Brothers Grimm (various Fairytales)
C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia/ Screwtape Letters/ Mere Christianity)
J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings)

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Very creative idea! It will definitely be a unique wedding and one all your guests will remember! .

However, with my friends, I wouldn't be able to tempt them like that. Half way through the reception I would be wondering why it was so quiet and I would see all my guests with their noses buried in the centerpiece books

Here is a unique wedding cake and invite that came up on google:

 

[Brancaneve]

Very creative idea! It will definitely be a unique wedding and one all your guests will remember! .

However, with my friends, I wouldn't be able to tempt them like that. Half way through the reception I would be wondering why it was so quiet and I would see all my guests with their noses buried in the centerpiece books

Here is a unique wedding cake and invite that came up on google:

I absolutely LOVE the retro library book invite!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

We have a lovely old bookstore in our area, the architecture is wonderful. Any chance of something like that in your area so that you could get your wedding pictures done there. Or a historical library?

If you were planning on putting cameras on your tables, you could use the phrase:

"A picture is worth a thousand words" on the cameras with instructions to take pictures to write your storybook beginning. Okay, corny but it is late!

 

[PollyannaMom]

What a neat idea! - I especially love the tables by author, instead of number, and the book cake.

And how about a a book-shaped box for people to put your cards in?


P.S. - I'm about to Google Randal Spangler's artwork - the sample you posted was adorable, and I definitely need to see more!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

LOVE this. Love the whole concept -- sounds absolutely fantastic. You know you'll have to come back with photos afterward, right? When is the big event?

And congratulations!

 

[golfgal]

I wouldn't worry so much about guests walking off with your personal books but I would worry about them getting damaged or lost. People spill, food gets dropped and the chaos at the end of the reception to get everything cleaned up means some of your books will get damaged. Are you willing to take that chance? I think it is a cool idea and very much in keeping with the theme but I would rather not take the chance of my beloved books being ruined.

Perhaps you can find some books at a flea market to use instead??

 

[Jennasis]

No WAY should you use your own books for the centerpieces. I guarantee that some will be taken by guests. I like the idea, but I'd head to a used book store and buy some cheapees to use.

My sister just got married two weeks ago. She used fishbowls (with llive fish) in it. they had plans for the fish and the bowls for after the wedding, but several bowls disappeared during the night (I even saw someone dumping the water and the poor goldfish over a railing, and I said that my sister, the bride, had plans for them and was told "Ooops" and the lady walked away with the bowl anyway).

These were friends and family.

Don't nuse your own books. I am sure the hotel's "free" centerpieces disappear all the time.