Tropical Decor

I haven't gone MIA. I've just been recovering. Decorating can really take it out of you! On Friday, I worked from 1:30 until 7pm setting up a Tropical wedding reception. Actually, the couple had been married in January in Turks & Caicos, but they were having the big celebration for family and friends who were unable to join them down south. We transformed the recently built, very elegant hall into a tropical paradise. There were three grass huts, complete with tiki-roofs, set up on tables to serve as food display stations. There were palm trees, and flowering trees, parrots, and a giant alligator. There were flamingos and monkeys, and lots of greenery - palm fronds, and ferns, and splashes of colourful flowers. The flower arrangements on each table had purple dendrobium orchids in a small vase, surrounded by seashells scattered on the table. There were scattered votive candles to provide some ambiance, and on the cocktail tables clustered by the dance floor were flower arrangements in pineapples. The whole effect was of a fiesta in the tropics.

After stowing our bins, bags, and boxes, we headed out to get some dinner, and to rest up for a while. I came home and got to hang out with Hubby, Corwin, and Clara. I had a bath, grabbed a bite to eat, and just relaxed. I took some Advil, because my sore throat was feeling pretty achy (nothing contagious, just from post-nasal drip. Disgusting, I know, but everyone's allergies have been aggravated this year). I even had a bit of a nap from about 10 until 11:15. And I found it hard to get up - very unusual for me. I got dressed and went downstairs to read and to try to wake up. I ended up dozing on the couch, so I left a few minutes early and brought my book to read while I waited. Because once the party is done, the take-down begins. I worked from 12:30 until 4:00 am. Got home at 4:15 or so, and was in bed by 4:30. Still very dark. SO why on earth were the birds all chirping and chattering? Aren't they supposed to wait until it's light? Obscene! But it was nice to fall asleep feeling like I was in an aviary.

Not so nice to be woken at 7:45 by Corwin climbing into bed, talking a million miles a minute. I tried to ignore it, until he started trying to sway the whole bed, pretending it was a ship. At which point I growled "enough!" Hubby wisely took Corwin downstairs. I got up around 8:30, and headed straight for the coffee. I took my time puttering around and getting showered, etc, and then headed to IKEA. On a Saturday. My worst nightmare! But the Bosslady had asked if I would, and I said yes. Had to get pillar candles for that day's event. Completed the task, and was ready to work by 12:30.

Saturday's event was a 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration, complete with a vow renewal ceremony. The cool thing? It was the parents of the groom from the previous night's event. They had planned the back-to-back celebrations so that out of town friends and family could make one trip to celebrate with them. The set up was low-key, but there was still a lot of running back and forth to carry hurricane glass filled with ice-like crystals and pillar candles (18 of them), and two big urns and pillars and flower arrangements. And then the waiting. The ceremony was scheduled for 3. The "bride" was late! They arrived around 3:30. And we waited. And waited. Man, it was hot. I ran out of water. And my throat was sore. Finally, the mass ended, and we had to undecorate, pack up, and take the arrangements to the reception site. The hotel had a gorgeous room for the function, and we got the arrangements and the votives set up quickly. The linens were a shimmery taupe, and the flowers were in tropical hues - roses, freesia, Bells of Ireland, and lots of variegated pittosporum and leather fern. I also got to read the menu, which made me hungry! We got home around 6 pm. A lovely sight - Hubby had dinner just about ready, so I got to enjoy dinner with the kids and the husband.

Later that evening, I blended up some pina coladas with dark rum, and Hubby and I sat out on the deck for a while, enjoying the warm evening breeze. Sweet.