WEDDING RECAP // RECEPTION DETAILS, FERN ROOM, STEFANO

Planning a wedding is weird.

You put together all these tiny components but don't really know what the whole thing will look like together. I pictured things in the space as I made them, but there is no substitution for seeing it in real life. It was SO surreal to walk into the reception and see the escort card table set up, exactly as it was on my dining room table, except it was IN COMO, at my WEDDING- it was really happening. 

I said it once but I'll say it again- I knew Lo, Jess and Syndal would do a good job and that I wouldn't have to worry or even think about the reception on my wedding day and I can honestly say I didn't at all. I walked in and it was as if I'd been there myself.. It was perfect. They even wrangled some components I hadn't even thought of- like the "Love Story" sign on the stand (below). They put up with bossy Italian grandmothers (sorry. haha), survived each other and the day and I hope had a fantastic time.   

My parents' cake topper :)

Because our reception was at the Como Zoo, and because of the room we picked, we were able to add on a room called the fern room to our package. When M and I first arrived at the reception we snuck off to the fern room for some photos. There were cocktail tables in there as well and it was fun to see guests cycling through and enjoying the space.

I love these photos. The soft yellow light is actually the greenhouse light (not the sunset!) but I LOVE the way it simulated a sunset. Between that and the crystal clear reflection in the pond, and these are some keepers. 

Another perk of getting married at the zoo is the option to rent an animal.
M had originally had his heart set on a penguin. We learned shortly before the wedding that Cupid, the penguin, was going to be molting during our wedding and apparently this is a very traumatic experience for penguins and they get angry and embarrassed.

SO we moved on to our backup: Stefano the sloth.
We scheduled him to come out at 8:30, which was actually a terrible idea because dinner went a bit long and we would've started our first dances at 8:30 except when the DJ announces there's a live sloth that you can get within a foot of, where do you think everybody went? To meet Stefano. It was all good, we got to start our first dances a smidge later (and surprisingly enough some people even came and watched, despite Stefano!) and I think everybody got a kick out of the furry weirdo.

So there you have it- our wedding.
I have one last post, a "what I'd do differently" if you will. There aren't many things on the list, and they're actually not even a big deal, but they're worth noting. None of them impacted our day, but if I can help another bride be a smidge more prepared, I want to.

Hope you enjoyed all the photos! I'll be sitting here in a corner trying to figure out which ones to print. MEEP!