Pride and Prejudice: A Country Wedding

"Mr. Darcy's letter to Lady Catherine was in a different style; 

and still different from either was what Mr. Bennet sent to Mr. Collins . . .

'Dear Sir,

I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Console Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. 

He has more to give. 

Yours sincerely, etc.'"

~Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Chapter 60

A few weeks ago I was playing a trivia game with some women from my bookgroup.  One of the questions was, "How much money does the average wedding cost?"  Well, I knew what my barest-of-bones wedding cost, so I tripled that price tag in my head and came up with my answer: 

328 dollars.

Boy, was I off.  Apparently the average wedding costs $28,000 dollars to put on.  Ouch.

I've watched enough TLC shows and read enough bride magazines to know that there are people in this world who spend that and more on their wedding.  For example, Kate Middleton and Prince William's wedding cost around $34 million.  But that is only a drop in the bucket when compared to Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding that came in at $48 million (or $110 million when adjusted for inflation).  Jiminy Cricket, folks!  No wonder they were storybook weddings.  ANYONE could have a storybook wedding with that kind of pocketbook.

But I'm the kind of gal that likes a budget challenge---the kind where you have a $12 budget to pull off something magical.  I guess that is why I fell in love with the sweet little country-themed wedding reception that I attended this week.

The bride was a friend of our family and she married a "country boy", so they went "a courtin'" with the decor.  They booked a reception room next to a golf course to take advantage of the green surroundings and open vistas.

An adorable potted signpost pointed the way to the reception's events.

They decked the indoor tables with fresh sunflowers, monogrammed wood, and mason jars wrapped in burlap and lace that were filled with old-fashioned candy sticks.

The chairs around the tables looked adorable in these burlap bows.

Even the cake had rustic touches of burlap and sunflowers.

Outside guests were invited to enjoy the s'more station.  LOVE this idea!  The bride and groom provided little s'more kits and skewers and miniature fire pits made of wooden boxes, gravel, and sterno set on outdoor tables for marshmallow roasting.

Inside the reception, guests were served gourmet cookies and cups full of strawberries and cream.  

 
 Some of my favorite touches were the burlap banners that decked each of the treats.  Adorable.

The bridesmaids looked sweet as could be with their blue dresses, brown boots, and sunflower bouquets.

And even though there isn't a smidge of "country" in me, I couldn't help but melt when I saw the vignette over the fireplace at the reception.

This reception reminded me of two things: 1) How grateful I am that I gave birth to boys (a move that I hope will spare me the stress of planning and finance wedding receptions); 2) A charming reception doesn't have to cost $28,000.  It just takes a little creativity and the perfect couple to make a storybook wedding come true . . .

 

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No Minimalist Here
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Pride and Prejudice: Purchasing Wedding Clothes

"Oh! my dear brother," replied Mrs. Bennet, "that is exactly what I could most wish for. And now do, when you get to town, find them out, wherever they may be; and if they are not married already, make them marry. And as for wedding clothes, do not let them wait for that, but tell Lydia she shall have as much money as she chooses to buy them, after they are married. And, above all, keep Mr. Bennet from fighting. Tell him what a dreadful state I am in, that I am frighted out of my wits—and have such tremblings, such flutterings, all over me—such spasms in my side and pains in my head, and such beatings at heart, that I can get no rest by night nor by day. And tell my dear Lydia not to give any directions about her clothes till she has seen me, for she does not know which are the best warehouses . . ."  

~ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Chapter 47 

Maybe it is because I attended my niece's wedding last week, or maybe it is because spring is in the air, or maybe it is because I have watched WAY too many episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress," but it resulted in a revelation this week:  I am getting married again.  

Well, not really.

I am staying married to my darling man of 17 years and I'm keeping the ring, but I want a do-over of just about everything else---including the dress.  My poor husband, sisters, mother, and dentist have all heard the sad tale of how I looked about as stylish as a pair of tube socks on my wedding day in my satin sack.  

So instead of perpetuating the wedding-dress-gone-wrong-story for another 17 years, I've decided to write a new story---a story about a happily-married mother of five who decides to throw a small, elegant party for friends and family the way she should have done all those years ago.  There will be good food, twinkle lights, a string quartet, and a real photographer.  Oh, and she will be wearing the PERFECT dress.

But what should it look like?  I don't want a train or a veil since I will most likely be needing to chase my children and/or break up their wrestling matches during the event.  Besides, I've already worn those once and this isn't really a wedding.

But I DO want my dress to be reminiscent of these . . .

How could you go wrong with the elegance of Grace Kelly's gown or the flattering lines of Audrey Hepburn's tea length ensemble?  (You know what?  Forget the dresses.  I just want their waistlines.)

So with these inspirations in mind, here are some dresses that I've stumbled across and I'd love to have your input.  Which one would you vote for?

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Who knows?  Maybe someday I'll actually be able to post a picture of me in one of these gowns---looking happy, looking redeemed, and looking nothing like the Amish Bridal Runway Model of 1996.

Sharing at . . .

Cedar Hill Ranch
Between Naps on the Porch 
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Homestories A to Z
Jennifer Rizzo
StoneGable 
No Minimalist Here
Common Ground
From My Front Porch to Yours   
French Country Cottage 
At the Picket Fence
Stuff and Nonsense   
Savvy Southern Style 
It's Overflowing