Did you mention chosen colors or a theme? Nature inspired actually covers a lot of ground. Budget will play a huge role... sometimes, do-it-yourself weddings end up nickel and diming you to death... if you do it right, though, you can save a small fortune! My advice would be start making lists. Get all your important ducks in a row first. When, where, how many guests, colors, theme... You'll need to book a minister, invitations, music/entertainment, food, cake, bar/drinks, photography... you'll need alternate arrangements in case of rain or bad weather... you'll need to think about parking for guests, powder rooms (bathroom facilities) for guests... And remember, you're the bride... so you won't have time to do anything on the day of the wedding, except get ready... you'll need lots of help. And you'll need good rest the night before. You'll need seating for the guests during the wedding... then there's the reception... tables and seating. Are you doing buffet? Or large sit down catering? Dance floor? The wedding will be outdoors by the lake, and will the reception be indoors, or outdoors? Timing... you want everything timed so it all goes well, and there are no large gaps where guests don't quite know what to do. Just a few questions to ask yourself, and keep in mind... weddings are often hectic, and the better you can plan ahead, the better prepared you'll be in case something comes up you weren't expecting. You'll sort of want the theme to carry through... from the bouquets and boutonnieres, to the table decorations and any hall decorations... bridal table, cake table, gift table, card box, etc... a word of caution - gift table and card box should be near the bridal table or where there will always be someone to keep an eye on it - as far from an exit as possible. You mentioned dish strainers above... and I just recalled seeing small pasta sieves at a large store in really nifty colors... those could be lined with moss and planted with succulents or annuals... then the guests could take them home. The ideas are so endless that when I did my own wedding, I hardly knew where to begin! I began using Google, and using key words that helped me locate pictures of what I sort of hand in mind... I ended up at a second hand store buying about 50 coffee cup saucers, spray painted them white, sprinkled on glitter while still wet, and I found a sale at Hobby Lobby on tall white scented candles at 50 cents each. I hot-glued a ring of matching flowers to each saucer, and it turned out fabulous. It was a November wedding with white and burgundy as colors, all silk flowers for ease of prepping ahead, mostly roses. Everyone has contributed such nice ideas... and if you spend a few days going through wedding how-to books, magazines, the internet and its many wedding sites and blogs, craft magazines... you'll have so many ideas, I know you'll find the right one for your wedding. I think key for you will be keeping lists... keeping a budget... and checking things off your list as they are accomplished. In fact, I know some of the wedding sites have lists you can print to help you out a bit. Candy bars are really popular right now, but if it will a summer wedding, that might not work out. Photo booths are also popular... where you hire a photographer, and they set up a booth like you see at malls, and you get to take 4 snap shots, then they go right into a wedding album, and the guests can write a personal message. My son and daugther-in-law just did that and it was so much fun! Centerpieces... depending on when the wedding is, there should be plenty of flowers available in a rainbow of colors... once you've chosen your main colors, you shouldn't have any problems matching up potted centerpieces in any container type you like... baskets, shells, boxes, colored plastic flower pots, clay pots, anything can be a container as long as it holds some soil. And don't forget keeping a list for gifts, and sending thank you cards... it's the personal touches that mean the most. :-) I wish you the best! Here is a link that might be useful: One Link of Many...

Ok, thanks oilpainter. I see what you're saying. I hadn't really considered that I could separate out the colors like that, that's a great idea. Basically, it seems like you're saying that everything will look more balanced if I use some of each plant in each container? And I get what you're saying too about more plants being able to go in the container. I have lots and lots of them, which is good since they aren't all that big, with it still being early in the year. I'm also trying to remember that it's more important what they look like for the wedding, so I can crowd them a bit more than I normally would; I can always pull some of them back out afterward if I think they are going to get too full as the plants grow. I think maybe the issue I'm having is that the zinnia and sunflowers are more in the 'autumnal' color category, whereas the alyssum, pansies and snaps are more 'jewel tone' to me. I hadn't really even thought about doing some smaller containers, but that might be a perfect solution. I know she was going to do cut flowers for the tables, but there's a lot of spaces/areas to cover, and I have a LOT of flowers, so maybe I will talk to her and see what she thinks of doing the taller zinnia/sunflowers in big containers, and smaller ones elsewhere with pansies/snaps. And I could always run up to the garden center and grab a few things to tuck in here and there, for contrast, like you mentioned. Thanks very much for your input, oilpainter; you've given me some great composition ideas. Now, if the rain would quit and the sun would come out, I would feel a lot better about everything blooming in time!

I have cousins in Manitoba, and this is close to what is normal in their little town. They have the wedding (usually in the morning) at the church, with cake and coffee and punch in the church basement right afterwards. Anybody is welcome to come, it is announced in the church bulletin and I believe in the local paper. The family would host a bbq type late lunch/dinner for the wedding party, people visiting for the wedding, close friends. But is is largely an informal affair, an event intended for family. Sometimes the bride and groom don't even come, as they are busy packing for the honeymoon and having pictures done. The (opened) presents are arranged on a table somewhere in the house for people to view, and will stay there for a week and ANYBODY can come and take a look! The family (usually parents of the bride) are expected to be ready to entertain with tea and cookies for visits during that time. Then later in the evening at a local hall they have a dance with drinks (cash bar), sometimes food comes out later in the evening but it is mostly finger type food, prepared by friends and family kind of pot luck style. You can "pay" to dance with the bride or groom, and the more inventive you can get with an apron or can or something for the money, the better. Note, this is a fun thing, not a money grab LOL. Any wedding presents usually come from friends or family and would have been sent to the house in the weeks before and after the wedding. Almost always household goods like china, crystalware, towels and sheets, and so on. Scissors, I like the way you have it worded in your post! If you think it is too formal for what they have planned, maybe use the word "Joyfully" or something instead of cordially? Dances - note, this is a small Polish/Ukranian community. Not sure if that makes a difference.

kkny- I do think your point regarding how long SM have been in the picture is valid. My mother remarried when I was 35 and frankly he is my mother's husband not my stepfather. I had a father who died- he respects that but he is my mother's husband and I show him the same respect I show her. A girlfriend,boyfriend is another story still. My SSs have been living with me half their life since they were 4 and 5. I don't expect to be treated like their mom at their wedding but I do expect to be treated like their father's wife and a member of the family. In my immediate family to do anything less would be considered a lack of social grace and disrespectful. I will gladly stand with their father whereever they choose to seat us but I will not be hidden in the back alone just to make BM feel better unless of course I am standing back there with her husband (I would agree to that compromise). It will be a very difficult event as my work involves hosting parties and speaking with people all day and BM is very shy and uncomfortable in social situations. So there I will be in another difficult situation where at my children's wedding I will go all out making people feel comfortable, arranging plans, etc and in SSs wedding I will have to sit on my hands and bit my tongue watching BM struggle. IF I'm too nice I'm trying to take over, if I do nothing I don't want to help. Until you are a SM- you can't even imagine how difficult it is- I sure didn't think it would be this hard.