My daughter, Stephanie called Friday in a panic which changed the entire weekend for me. She runs her own business, Kreative Events... wedding invitations, favors, 'day of' co-ordination, photography, and so much more is basically what her company is all about. Any way... one wedding this weekend was desperately in need of another worker... not to mention that she could also use help making 35 caramel apples. The only project I absolutely HAD to do that Friday was to sew samples of a fabric tote for another wedding she was doing. Of course I said I would help. Starting with dipping apples at Stephanie's on Friday night.
Dipping caramel apples is much more difficult than you would imagine. The apples need to be cold and dry, the caramel hot. Quick dip... then set on a cold surface so it doesn't pool much. We encountered so many problems... the sticks pulling out too easily, caramel sliding off the apple, pool of caramel too large around the bottom, bubbles forming, waxed paper sticking. UGH! We persevered and ended up with an acceptable looking display. Stephanie is now ready to tackle the 120 apples for next week's wedding.
Saturday I had to be in Delaware at 11:30am to catch a ride to my wedding assignment... helping Heidi (Stephanie's sister-in-law) with a 'day of' co-ordination in... SURPRISE... Baltimore! It never dawned on me to ask WHERE the wedding was. I guess it wasn't really important after all, I was going to help out no matter where it was.
Next time you attend a wedding, look around. You just have no idea what happened in that room before you arrived to make your celebration a FABULOUS event. Let me run it down for you...
We arrived at The Belvedere (a beautiful old hotel turned condo) around 1pm. Unloading the van and hauling everything up to the 12th floor ballroom was first on the list. Heidi hastily ran down the list of things I was responsible for... then took off for the ceremony. Thank heavens I'm an adult and don't need much direction. I unpacked everything and ran around the gigantic ballroom setting up the tables with centerpieces, menus, table numbers, CDs, candles, and such. Checking the table diagram making sure the correct number of places were set at the tables. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if there were 10 people expected at the table and only 8 places set?
Filling the center vases with water was the hardest part believe it or not. I only had one pitcher and 24 vases to fill... with the only water faucet way far away in a place called never land. I kicked off my shoes and began the trek back and forth. On the third trip I spied a large bucket, looked around to see if any one was around to ask... nope... so I grabbed it. Ahhh... ingenuity wins again... Now I can fill 4 vases at a time... once I figure out how to haul the heavy bucket around the ballroom.
The cake arrived... it was pretty, but plain. "Here's the photo... who has the flowers"? the delivery man asked. Uh-oh... Heidi is bringing the flowers back with her from the church. I had no clue that finishing the cake was part of the job. SURPRISE... again.
Place cards laid out in alphabetical order on the main entrance table, flowers added to the tables, number of seats checked again, move the extra chairs to the back room, hide our empty boxes, decorate the table for the presents and cards, pick up litter from the carpet, ask George to wash the sticky dance floor, figure out how to turn on the lights at the other end of the ball room, wash spilled cosmos off 2 chairs, replace a cracked centerpiece bowl, and then the band shows up. An eight piece band... not the DJ the floor is set up for. SURPRISE... again. Presto change-o... room for 8. Light the candles... and stand back as the Bride and Groom gush over the beauty of the room.
Once the Bridal Party arrives and is introduced I feel my job here is done. My feet ache, my knees forgot how to bend and my lower back is crying for a heating pad... and my stomach is growling. Food... ah... sweet food! A wonderful buffet is set up in the end room for the band and other workers. Yum! I sit down to relax... that's when Heidi tells me we still have work to do. We need to keep an eye on things... make sure the Bride and Groom don't get hung up talking too long with someone they can't seem to break away from... check with the band to schedule all the speeches and toasts... not to mention the Bride's parents anniversary dance. Keep an eye on the box with the checks, make sure people know to sign the photo board, get paper towels for the men's room, give directions to get home, sew the Bride's dress when it falls apart... and on and on and on it goes.
When the party is over we charge back in to action cleaning and packing up... AND dropping off the gifts and envelopes to the Bridal Suite... in another hotel. Finally got back to Delaware at 1:00am. Tired, sore, and happy. All in all it was a huge bit of fun. Here are the photos:
Filling the center vases with water was the hardest part believe it or not. I only had one pitcher and 24 vases to fill... with the only water faucet way far away in a place called never land. I kicked off my shoes and began the trek back and forth. On the third trip I spied a large bucket, looked around to see if any one was around to ask... nope... so I grabbed it. Ahhh... ingenuity wins again... Now I can fill 4 vases at a time... once I figure out how to haul the heavy bucket around the ballroom.
The cake arrived... it was pretty, but plain. "Here's the photo... who has the flowers"? the delivery man asked. Uh-oh... Heidi is bringing the flowers back with her from the church. I had no clue that finishing the cake was part of the job. SURPRISE... again.
Place cards laid out in alphabetical order on the main entrance table, flowers added to the tables, number of seats checked again, move the extra chairs to the back room, hide our empty boxes, decorate the table for the presents and cards, pick up litter from the carpet, ask George to wash the sticky dance floor, figure out how to turn on the lights at the other end of the ball room, wash spilled cosmos off 2 chairs, replace a cracked centerpiece bowl, and then the band shows up. An eight piece band... not the DJ the floor is set up for. SURPRISE... again. Presto change-o... room for 8. Light the candles... and stand back as the Bride and Groom gush over the beauty of the room.
Once the Bridal Party arrives and is introduced I feel my job here is done. My feet ache, my knees forgot how to bend and my lower back is crying for a heating pad... and my stomach is growling. Food... ah... sweet food! A wonderful buffet is set up in the end room for the band and other workers. Yum! I sit down to relax... that's when Heidi tells me we still have work to do. We need to keep an eye on things... make sure the Bride and Groom don't get hung up talking too long with someone they can't seem to break away from... check with the band to schedule all the speeches and toasts... not to mention the Bride's parents anniversary dance. Keep an eye on the box with the checks, make sure people know to sign the photo board, get paper towels for the men's room, give directions to get home, sew the Bride's dress when it falls apart... and on and on and on it goes.
When the party is over we charge back in to action cleaning and packing up... AND dropping off the gifts and envelopes to the Bridal Suite... in another hotel. Finally got back to Delaware at 1:00am. Tired, sore, and happy. All in all it was a huge bit of fun. Here are the photos:
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| Place cards |
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| Decorated Cake |
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| Table #9 |
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| Beautiful Ballroom |
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