...reception-part one: the space...

I've been meaning to disclose all of our whimsical plans for the most anti-cookie-cutter wedding reception ever, but our ideas are so gradiose that it's quite an undertaking.  So I figure we'll just take a little chunk at time.  I blogged about what brought us to this point here and here if you'd like to catch up. 

The basics are this...DG and I are not status quo kind of people.  We like to be different.  Often times for nothing other than the sake of being different.  Hence the reason my engagment ring boasts this gorgeous green sapphire rather than a diamond.  I wanted something all my own.  So, as it applies to our wedding reception, we want the whole event to engage our guests in such a way that they feel compelled to stay for a few hours.  We want to keep people guessing, so we've pretty much thrown the rule book out the window.  Anything that might possibly be perceived as stuffy or boring is gone.  We're doing things our way, and our way includes a lot of very unconventional ideas.

Our original ideas were built around yard games.  We wanted to be outside and have some activity to keep everyone entertained, but like I've said before, the venue situation just didn't work out that way.  So we're bringing the outside inside.  DG works for an arena here in Nashville which will allow us the use of the facility for free.  (Yes, please.)  It's pretty much a blank canvas, so we can do what we want.  I took some pictures when I was there the other night.  Like I said...it's large.

 

The whole space will be closed off in curtain just like the far end you see in the picture.  To the left, is the stage.  In the center, the dance floor, framed by the guest tables.  On one end, a coffee bar, lounge area, and table games.  On the other, we're rolling out the green indoor/outdoor carpet and setting up our yard games.  Corn hole anyone?

It's hard to visualize, I know...but it's going to be amazing.  Lighting is going to be EVERYTHING in this situation.  Luckily, the arena owns a lot of what we'll need already, and since they're generously not charging us rent (believe me, DG has paid his dues), we'll have a little extra budgeted to rent the extra lighting we'll need. DG's working on a final drawing of the space, so I'll have that to show you soon!

More to come.