PA R T Y ! PA R T Y !
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SAYING “I DO” WILL MAKE YOU THE HAPPIEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN. SHARE THE JOY (AND KEEP THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING!) BY TREATING GUESTS TO AN OVER-THE-TOP CELEBRATION PACKED WITH SWEET SURPRISES AND DELIGHTFUL DETAILS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MEREDITH JENKS T E X T B Y J U L I E VA D N A L
HIT A HIGH NOTE Why are these flower girls so excited? Because a shower of confetti makes any gathering a million—no, a kazillion— times more fun for guests of any age. Rent a confetti cannon, fill it with colorful cuts (we chose pink and white tissue strips and fuchsia and gold Mylar pieces), then place it next to the dance floor so it bursts while the music plays, inviting revelers to get down. Once the ’fetti appears, so will the smiles. T HE D E TAI LS : “Super Shotmax” rental confetti canon, $150 per day, jmfx.net.
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DELIGHT ON SIGHT Even your besties who had an inkling you might be calling upon them as attendants won’t see this coming. Hand each of them a box stamped with your proposal (available as clip art at martha stewartweddings.com/ bridesmaid-box-clip -art) and filled with a helium balloon in a shape that’s sure to make their spirits soar. TH E D E TA I LS: Heart
balloon in Wild Berry, 25¢, shopsweetlulu.com. Box and lid, from 60¢ each for 50, usbox.com. Custom stamp, price upon request, stampWorx2000 .biz. Alfred Sung dress, D626, $202, dessy.com.
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DRINK PINK Orblike punch bowls dotting tables aren’t just inviting centerpieces; they’re cost-effective and efficient, and the display acts as a serve-yourself cocktail station that eliminates bar bottlenecks. Contributing editor Peter Callahan, of Peter Callahan Catering in New York City, developed the rum and pink-grapefruit tipple that’s kept cool with an oversize (thus slow-melting) ice cube. For the punch recipe, go to marthastewart weddings.com/pink -grapefruit-punch-recipe.
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LET THEM E AT ( M O R E ) CAKE Ice cream sundaes shouldn’t get to have all the make-yourown fun. Use stands to display unfrosted cake squares and supply all the fixings, including fruit, marshmallows, frostings, and assorted candy, to create a cake bar where attendees can style their stack (or tower). THE D E TAILS: “Pinch” gold bowls, $5 each, cb2.com.
T H R OW ’ E M A CURVE! Imagine your guests’ faces when what they thought was one rose bouquet breaks into five mid-flight. (Yes, that means five friends will be next to tie the knot!) Ask your florist to band all the mini clutches together with a wide satin ribbon secured with a pin. Pull the pin pretoss, and turn around in time to witness everyone’s surprise. T H E D E TAI LS : Jesus Peiro gown, $7,968, bridalsbylori.com.
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G E T H A P PY Keep the fun going by serving a late-night treat that riffs on an endorphin-boosting throwback: the Happy Meal. Ours comes with a slider, fries, and soda to refuel guests. As for the prize? It’s not a toy but an invite to the night’s after-party, which is stamped on the bag. Download the stamp clip art at martha stewartweddings.com/ after-party-snack-clip-art. TH E D E TA I LS: Lunch bag, $11.25 for 25, jampaper .com. Custom stamp, price upon request, stamp worx2000.biz. Cup, $3.50 for 10, and straw, $4 for 20, shopsweetlulu.com. Box (for slider), $18 for 50, bioandchic.com. “French Fry” bag, $7.25 for 1,000, baumannpaper.com.
ART DIRECTED BY GENEVI EVE PANUSKA
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File this under the trifecta of “easy, impactful, and inexpensive.” For a fun farewell photo op, cover a hallway ceiling with helium balloons tied with long strands of ribbon and Mylar. (Fill latex balloons with one pump of HiFloat liquid before inflating to help them last longer.) Add extras to the ceiling, since giddy guests are liable to grab one as they float on to the after-party. T HE D E TAI LS : Lela Rose
dress, $278, dessy.com.
Styled by Colleen Banks and Katie Covington. Hair and makeup by Leah Bennett of Next Artists using Tom Ford cosmetics. See The Guide for more story details WINTER 2015 M A RT H AST E WA RT W E D D I N G S .CO M
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