Hey all,

I feel kind of dumb even asking this (I'm 40 and have been a bridesmaid in probably 8 weddings - at least). However, this Saturday I am the only one standing up for my dear friend; I am the "matron" (hate that word!) of honor. The best man will be the groom's brother who is coming from across the country (we haven't met).

My friend lost her mom to cancer about 10 years ago, and she doesn't have a sister. So I have been trying hard to step up and the best source of support I can be throughout her wedding planning process. Her wedding will be very nice, but quite small (at her dad's house). My DH and I are hosting an after-wedding party at our house following her wedding and reception (there will be about 65 people). We have cleaned the heck out of the house, have spruced up, have planted and mulched, and are as ready as we can be. DH's band is going to play, and it's going to be a very fun time.

Just today it occurred that I have never been in charge of decorating the car - I doubt his brother will be prepared, since he is flying in Thu. What supplies do I need? I want to keep it simple, but still make it memorable and hopefully funny.

Also, if you have any other ideas of things you did to make a wedding special for a best friend, please share. I still feel like I want to do something else special for the party itself... any ideas would be welcome -- cute, funny, touching, sentimental, etc. I still have 3 days to get things perfect!

Thanks so much!!!!

Need a sign " Just married watch _______________Grow"Insert name of town. Tie some old shoes to the back bumper. With washable paint , paint their names with a couple of hearts in back window. But leave room so they can see out to drive.

As a wedding photographer I see tons of cars decorated.

First thing I can tell you is not to do anything that will get them dirty/messy or really be inconvenient. (Not that I think you would ... but just as a reminder.) At one wedding, the groomsmen shrink wrapped the entire car with packing plastic (like the kind movers use to wrap around furniture). The bride and groom had to spend 45 minutes cutting it off their car at 1 in the morning before they could go on to their hotel. Not a good idea.

I would keep it simple and fun.
- White shoe polish in one of those bottles with the foam applicator (do NOT get this on the finish or the body). Use it to draw hearts on the windshield and write "just married" on the back window.
- White streamers - esp if they have a luggage rack, tie long streamers of white crepe paper from the luggage rack so they trail out behind.
- Balloons - not many, but tie a couple to the antenna
- You can also stuff the body of the car with balloons (pref. white ones) - this is less annoying than most things, cause balloons can be popped pretty quickly with the car keys

That's about the most I'd do ... if it were me. Enough to be fun, not so much that it's annoying.

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All good ideas - thanks to both of you. I will definitely be buying white shoe polish and crepe paper at Walmart tomorrow.

Photo - I'll ask you this, since you go to lots of weddings. My friend bought a couple of small canvases which she spray painted silver and stenciled gold lettering - one says "Welcome" - but in her fiance's native language. The other says "Plant a Seed" - the ceremony has a theme of growth, and we are all to plant a seed in a tiny pot after the ceremony at a special potting table. The signs are simple and beautiful.

I copied her and bought four of these canvases, so they will be a surprise for them when they see them. I spray painted them silver tonight, but I'm waiting for inspiration before I paint on them. We have a blank wall in our foyer where I think I will hang at least two of them - I have two black shelves to hang beside, which I will put votive candles on. I was thinking of just being basic - Their names on the one and the wedding date on the other. But as for the other two, I'm not sure. Maybe quotes about love - one could be placed in the food/drink room near the bar. The other could be on the front porch - which is where they will have their first dance.

Photo - if you have any other cool ideas at all to share, I would so appreciate it. I feel I'm lacking a special thing or two...so I'm needing help with ideas.

Thanks again for giving me the basics on the car!

I

I'm headed to WalMart in about 3 hours... if anyone has other good wedding ideas before then, please share.

THANK YOU!

Oooh .. I like the ideas about the canvas squares.

Do you know what their first dance song will be? Maybe stencil one with a lyric from that song? Just a sentence or a word or two?

Another thing you could do is leave one blank and provide black (or colored) sharpie markers and let all the guests sign the blank one - to give them a really unique "guest book" that they could put somewhere in their house?

It sounds like you're really putting a lot of thought and time into this and your friend is lucky to have you!

.

Thanks again! Photo - I did the three canvas with their new last name - stenciled. Turned out really great! I have one extra canvas and I took your idea to do a line from their first dance song (Lucky Man by Verve). It's perfect! Thanks so much for the ideas!

Note: do NOT use silly string spray. They used this on our car at our wedding, and it took 2 automatic car washes, and then us hand scrubbing after, to get it off. Not what you want to be doing on your honeymoon.

aphil - don't worry - no silly string! i have heard horror stories before!!

Update - well, I got the white shoe polish, crepe paper, and balloons. We ended up forgetting to do the car!!!!!! Argh!

I am definitely prepared for my next wedding though!!!