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Gathered Up:  Mary Jane's Idea Book - Wedding Section  |
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McKenzie Mist
Farmgirl in Training
41 Posts
Bev
Walterville
Oregon
USA
41 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 31 2007 : 3:54:09 PM
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| Our daughter is in the beginning stages of planning a wedding for next summer (2008). Can anyone tell us about the grand piano which appears in the wedding section of MJ's Idea Book? Is it family-owned or can you rent a grand piano for an afternoon/evening? Logisitics of moving that thing??? I look forward to hearing your stories! Thank you. |
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McKenzie Mist
Farmgirl in Training
41 Posts
Bev
Walterville
Oregon
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2007 : 8:30:32 PM
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 Just re-read my earlier post and want to clarify that I'm not inquiring to rent THAT particular piano! LOL Just wondering if anyone has ever rented a grand piano for a wedding. I'm planning on doing some phone calling to see what I can find available in this area, if anything. Thanks! |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2007 : 8:34:58 PM
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I bet there is someplace. I don't have any experience in theat area. The place she is having her reception, do they have a grand piano? Maybe she can look for a place that has one or maybe a school or local teacher? Good Luck!
Blessed Be!
farmgirl@heart
"Go confidently in the directions of your dreams; live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." - Henry David Thoreau
http://chevy49girl.livejournal.com/
http://midwestmusings-kim.blogspot.com/
http://chevy49girl.deviantart.com/ |
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Forrester Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
703 Posts
Ann
Belmont
MI
USA
703 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 04:38:58 AM
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Bev,
I was just flipping thru Mary Jane's book yesterday and was wondering about the piano too. Just how they got it out there!!! I won't be planning any weddings for my own girls for years, but I'm blessed to help quite a few brides every year with their weddings. My favorite are the outside ones. Risky due to weather changes - but beautiful.
Have fun planning,
Ann
http://annforrester.tohe.com |
Edited by - Forrester Farm on Apr 01 2007 04:42:32 AM |
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JudyBlueEyes
True Blue Farmgirl
657 Posts
Judith
Spokane
Washington
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 07:55:58 AM
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Bev, some years ago, my brother had a back yard wedding, which I coordinated for him and the bride, who was also my friend. We rented a piano, but it wasn't a grand piano...the rental company delivered it and I believe (it's been about 20 years...) they made sure it was in tune before they left. IF I recall correctly, it was about $100 to rent the standard piano...just be sure that if you do go down this path that whoever delivers it will make sure it is in tune when it is placed where it is to be. You might also want to have your pianist out there so they can be sure it is in good tune. Have fun! Judy
The Rooster crows, but the Hen lays the egg. ~ Texas Proverb |
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Meg
Moderator/Farmgirl True
974 Posts
Meg
Idaho
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 08:57:02 AM
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Bev~ The grand piano...We knew we wanted the ceremony to be very simple. Just the beauty of the fields. And my bridesmaids.  So we decided to not do any flowers, just chairs and all of us standing at the top of the hill. (I could talk about this for hours, it was my perfect day).  I wanted to walk down the aisle to piano music...a childhood farmgirl dream. And I was going to set up a CD player and call it good...My hubby wanted something more special for me. Then we found a fabulous piano player...Then we needed a piano. It was one of our bigger expenses ($600) but we found a ma and pa company that the owner actually has family right down the road from the farm. They did deliver and tune it, but we were nervous about having it exposed to the weather, so really it was delivered just prior to the ceremony and loaded up just after we walked back down the aisle a married couple. We joke it was our little extravagance. But walking through the wheat fields that I grew up harvesting and playing in, in my white dress to the sound of piano music and my hubby at the end of aisle... perfect for me.
So, enough reminiscing, but it is doable. But a little on the spendy side and took a little convincing. And the tuning thing is important. But the company we went with wouldn't have it any other way. They did all the moving. It was their baby.
Congratulations to your daughter! Weddings are such fun! Ps. If you are thinking of doing flowers, if you have a Costco in your area. They do very nice very affordable flowers and all those books that show you how to make your own corsages and such that say it's easy, it really is easy!
MaryJane's daughter,
Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org |
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McKenzie Mist
Farmgirl in Training
41 Posts
Bev
Walterville
Oregon
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2007 : 1:03:10 PM
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Thank you all for your responses, and Meg for sharing your story. Anytime you want to share more, we would love to hear your wedding stories!
Not being a musician myself, I hadn't even thought about tuning - LOL My girls all laughed at me when I announced what I thought was a novel idea --- the piano will need to be tuned before the ceremony! I guess they were way ahead of mom on that one. Thank you for enlightening me, however!
Kim, the wedding will be on the family farm in a hayfield along the McKenzie River so no, there won't be a piano available at the wedding site. I'll have to do some calling around and see what I can find out that may be available for rent in this area. Like Meg, we are very concerned with the piano being exposed to the elements in an outdoor setting, i.e. dust, dampness as evening sets in, and sunlight, so we were hoping that we could find a situation where they would deliver it shortly before the wedding and haul it off immediately following the ceremony.
My younger daughters have their piano lessons today so we'll ask their teacher if she is aware of any such service in our area. She taught our bride-to-be piano for over 10 years so we would love for her to play at Jennifer's wedding if we can bring it together. If it's meant to be, it will somehow happen!
Meg, thank you for the tip on the flowers from Costco. Yes, we have a Costco only about 30 minutes away and Jennifer already knows that she wants to carry roses so we'll look into that and confirm that roses are something that's always available that time of year. She is planning on growing zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, snapdragons, gladiolas to use to decorate the reception tables. Like you, she wants nature to be her decorations and this setting provides a beautiful river, big green maple trees, and lots of grass.
By the way, I gave her her own copy of Mary Jane's Ideabook for an engagement gift - she was thrilled! Such a fun book that will serve her well in future as well as a help while planning their wedding.
Thank you all again - I'd love to hear more farm wedding ideas if anyone has some to share!
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Meg
Moderator/Farmgirl True
974 Posts
Meg
Idaho
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2007 : 09:46:00 AM
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Bev~ your daughter's wedding sounds gorgeous already! Good luck with the piano, it would be wonderful since you are a piano playing family. If you think of any other questions, holler my way because there isn't anything more fun than talking weddings. Well, maybe babies (our little Stella Jane is almost 5 months), but not yet for you!
Okay, (you should never have said you'd like to hear more ), but I do have one more little thing...for your daughter, especially if her wedding aisle is outdoors. My aunt's advice...don't rush down your aisle, you only get to walk it once and make sure to take in each step as it's own moment because it is glorious. All your loved ones surrounding you, the love of your life waiting at the end of the aisle, feeling like a princess...and so on.
Because we didn't want the trucks in the pictures and there were no trees to hide them behind, we parked them at the very bottom of the hill (this was all decided the day before at the rehearsal) with me and my bridesmaids in one truck and my hubby and his groomsmen in the other (we didn't want to see eachother until I walked down that aisle). But I got to watch my hubby-to-be walk up that hill all by himself to wait for me. That image is forever sketched in my mind. And I am pretty sure I made myself one of the longest aisles possible, walking all the way up that hill. But it really was something to soak it all in...It is the best advice I received. So, here I am rambling again as I pass it along. Best wishes!!
MaryJane's daughter,
Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org |
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McKenzie Mist
Farmgirl in Training
41 Posts
Bev
Walterville
Oregon
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2007 : 9:26:07 PM
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Meg~
I love the image of a bride walking up a hill to her groom in waiting - that must have been beautiful! What kind of trucks did you all arrive on? Pickups or flatbeds? I was chuckling to myself just the other day that our bride could arrive on a big old John Deere but it might be a little tricky climbing down without getting her dress all tangled up!LOL
On a more serious note, I made some calls today and have found two individuals in the Eugene area that own grand pianos that they will rent out for wedding ceremonies. We will need to make arrangements to go and check the pianos out but it sounds like it might be doable.
Thank you so much for your help - I really appreciate it. By the way, congratulations on the arrival of Stella Jane! I had noticed in the apron issue that you were expecting but hadn't been on this board for a long time and somehow missed the announcement. Also somehow missed your brother's marriage; recall reading when his Kate announced their engagement but then lost track until reading the apron issue and seeing a young lady by the name of Kate referred to as daughter-in-law. Lots of excitement in your family the past few years! How fun!
Thank you again,
Bev in Oregon |
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Meg
Moderator/Farmgirl True
974 Posts
Meg
Idaho
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2007 : 09:25:27 AM
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A bride arriving via John Deere would be so cute! We would have loved to do that but we ended up renting big SUVs (mine white and his black) for logistical reasons (so many people flying in and driving everyone around all weekend) it just made more sense. But not very farmish, that's why we didn't want them in pictures. And what wonderful news that you have two options for pianos!! Thanks for the congrats, Kate also ended up with a very very long aisle, walking from the lodge they rented through a hay field to a little aspen grove. I got to be a bridesmaid, was pregnant and in heels and I still encouraged it!
Happy planning!
MaryJane's daughter,
Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org |
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elah
True Blue Farmgirl
349 Posts
Emily
SW
Michigan
USA
349 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2007 : 06:55:49 AM
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| Bev- My cousin works for John Deere so when she got married two years ago her farmgirl wedding included her and her dad arriving to the wedding on a JD tractor. Then after the wedding her husband drove her on it to the barn for the reception. Her dress was not a big puffy one so that helped and there was lots people to help her keep her dress clean when she got on and off. I do remember her talking about practicing in a long dress with the wedding slip on underneath. |
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McKenzie Mist
Farmgirl in Training
41 Posts
Bev
Walterville
Oregon
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2007 : 07:53:24 AM
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Elah-
I love it! It's those little personal touches that make each wedding unique. Any more farm wedding stories out there? |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2007 : 5:14:13 PM
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This is a very timely subject. My fiancé and I are going to get married in October. So far we are planning a small to medium sized ceremony at a mountain lodge in Wyoming. We are hoping that our date coincides with the fall turning of the colors.
The lodge we are hoping to rent lover looks a mountain lake and is very rustic. We both like Asian styles of decorating so our centerpieces and decorations are going to be simplistic and clean cut.
For my bouquet I want to do Fire and Ice roses. I am thinking my dress is going to be while with apple red accents. My bridesmaids are going to be dressed in black as will the groomsmen.
Beyond that I am not quite sure. I am looking at a lot of different invitation styles that have fall motifs.
Alee |
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Aunt George
True Blue Farmgirl
1476 Posts
Georgann
Midlothian
VA
1476 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2007 : 03:36:30 AM
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Your wedding conversation is so delightful!! Thank you all for sharing it has realllllly brightened my day. I have two young daughters and would love for them to be married like this too. My husband and I had a simple ceremony in his grandmother's backyard in NC. The Tiger Lilys were in bloom. The bluebirds were singing, I had a short aisle (had just had knee surgery...LOL) and it was beautiful!! Thanks again for sharing!!
http://auntgeorgeshouse.blogspot.com/index.html
Thanks for checking out my apron and sewing musings! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2007 : 9:45:02 PM
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Georgann-
That sounds like a beautiful ceremony!
I love weddings. One of my good friends just had one in February. She had a full blown Church ceremony with a choir and modestly long train. It was a great ceremony. Her groom is a bit of a crack up and when the preacher said "You may kiss the bride” instead of leaning in for the kiss he turned to his best man- Who promptly whipped out a breath spray and gave him a couple squirts and then he turned back to his bride. It got a good chuckle out of the crowd. The only upset to the ceremony was one of the bridesmaids fainting during the ceremony!
Ciao
Alee
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Gathered Up: Mary Jane's Idea Book - Wedding Section |
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Mary Jane's Idea Book - Wedding Section
