Remember Lisa’s great idea to give sarongs to her guests as wedding favors? They were incredibly popular, and guests danced the night away in them. Lisa told me to expect a call from one of her bridesmaids, and sure enough, Allana called soon after.
She was in a flurry of preparations for her upcoming fall wedding, and she was worried. The outdoor venue Allana had chosen offered a beautiful view, and it became truly magnificent as the sun was setting. That was the time Allana had set for the ceremony. Now that the invitations were sent and the spot reserved for that time, she was concerned that guests who dressed for a warm fall day would be very chilly once the sun began to set. Instead of enjoying the view and the unique ceremony, they would be standing there shivering.
Allana had arrived at Lisa’s wedding stewing over this problem. She tried to take her mind off it and be really present as one of Lisa’s bridesmaids, but the thought kept creeping back. Would her guests leave in the middle of the ceremony? Would she forever hear about how 90-year-old Uncle Wifred who was complaining during the entire ceremony about how cold it was?
It wasn’t until Lisa gave out sarongs as wedding favors that it struck Allana: Here was her answer! Sarongs! She’d have a basket of them at the entryway. If guests were getting chilly, they could drape a sarong over themselves. Would it work? Would they do it?
Allana chose her sarongs carefully, with a mix of solid colors and prints, bright colors and muted tones. She hoped there’d be something for everybody. I waited to hear back from her, curious about how it had worked.
Sure enough, Allana called me, ecstatic about the outcome. The afternoon had indeed turned chilly as the sun began to set, and there was a bottleneck around the sarong baskets as guests chose their color. Women helped each other find a sarong that went well with their dress. “Here’s a dusky purple one for you, honey. It goes perfectly with what you’re wearing.â€
Men who had worn sports jackets didn’t really need one, but when they noticed other men in shirtsleeves picking a sarong, they dove in, too. A festive atmosphere prevailed. The idea was a great success.