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Pirate Wedding: Treasures in a Hidden Cove
"Har you maties! We're having a pirate wedding and we've found two volunteers to walk the plank together! So, are you ready to set sail to our hidden cove full of joyful trinkets and treasures?"
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 How many of us played at being pirates as children? Let's incorporate the fun and excitement of a childhood fantasy into this fabulous wedding theme idea.
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Wedding Invitations:
It's not so easy finding an invitation suitable for a pirate wedding that you can order online. Most of you will have to settle for invitations that feature a beach theme or perhaps a sailboat on the sea type of design. If you are interested in creating your own, then check out this article on how to make your own pirate wedding invitations.
Navigating the Sea of Decor:
Nautical and pirate wedding decorations should be fairly easy to locate. If you're having any trouble finding what you need or if you would just like some additional ideas, then a good place to check out is BuyCostumes.com. They carry a decent selection of pirate costumes (which could be used by the wedding party or guests), accessories, party supplies, and favors.
Another great place to get more decorating suggestions for this particular pirate wedding theme is to have a look at the Shindigz Theme Parties section, particularly under: the Luau Party, the Nautical Party, and the Under The Sea theme.
- Buy or make old captain's ship wheels and lean them against the walls. You could make this by blowing up a photocopy of a ship's wheel, then tracing the design on cardboard that's been covered in a wood-grain paper (such as contact paper, shelf paper, or wallpaper). Cut out carefully between the spokes.
- Fill a large old wooden chest half way with crumpled newspapers. Lay a flat board on top of the papers. Fill the top half of the chest up with fake gems, plastic "gold" coins, cheap jewelry, fake pearl necklaces, and "gold/silver" trimmed items (goblets, trinkets, etc.) You can also spray paint "bumpy" rocks with gold paint and place in the chest as "gold" nuggets. Put the "pirate's chest" near the entrance to the reception hall or by the gift table.
- If your wedding is outdoors, line a large wooden chest with several pieces of thick plastic or place foam coolers inside. Fill with ice and use it to hold drinks such as sodas, fruit juices, etc.
- Hang old-world nautical maps on the walls, as well as special "treasure" maps that you've created. You can purchase old world antique map posters here.
- Using iron on transfers, photocopy nautical maps and flags on to the transfer paper. Iron the pictures on to beige colored tablecloths or runners to decorate the tabletops.
- Hang a distressed wooden sign over the bar that says Captain Hook's Private Stash or come up with something similar.
- Decorate the room with black, red and gold balloons with matching streamers.
- Don't forget to place a few "Polly the Parrot" stuffed animals or balloons here and there.
- Some centerpiece ideas that fit the pirate wedding theme are:
- A sailboat or schooner model would make an ideal centerpiece.
- Give your party that tropical touch by using small fake palm trees as your centerpieces. Spread sand on the table under the palm trees and place an X cut from cardboard under the tree.
- Purchase small wooden chests and fill with gold chocolate coins, fake pearls, gold nuggets (small rocks spray painted in gold), and fake jewels. Spread some sand around the chest and add some small seashells for an added touch.
- Fill red, black and gold balloons with helium and attach streamers of matching thin ribbon. Secure one color of each balloon at varying lengths to a large stone that's been painted in gold spray paint. Place in the center of the table.
- Decorate the DJ's area as a beachcomber's hut or a pirate's treasure cave entrance.
- Place tall fake palm trees around the room to enhance the pirate's beach cove ambience.
- Hang fish netting around tables and on walls.
Let's Plunder The Booty Mates:
After you've sailed the high seas and discovered your pirate wedding treasure trove, be sure to distribute the loot with all of the crew at the reception.
- Purchase nautical votive candles, and/or tea lights and holders to suit a pirate wedding idea (example: skull and cross bone design, pirate flag, schooner ship, etc.)
- Chocolate coins in gold foil paper. Place them in small, velvet-sewn bags.
- Hand out pirate hats that have personalized with your names and wedding date.
- Make or buy pirate bandanas as favors.
- The "wenches" may enjoy receiving some pirate style earrings or fake pearl necklaces.
- Present your "crew" with novelty telescopes or kaleidoscopes so they can locate their own "treasure trove".
- A pirate is never without his rum. Place small single serving rum bottles at each table setting (the type that you see at the check out counters at liquor stores).
- With the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies being so popular, there are dozens of places that sell party supplies and favors that would be suitable to use for a pirate wedding. One favor idea I saw was pirate flag pens and pencils, which you could either purchase, or make yourself using small flags and black floral tape.
- Novelty stores often sell interesting necklaces. See if you can pick up a black bead necklace with a skull and crossbones medallion to use as favors.
- Pick up some "Pirates of the Caribbean" incense packs.
- Here's a totally novel, unique, yet very useful guest favor for your pirate wedding theme: pirate adhesive bandages for those "sword and knife wounds".
- For men's favors, hand out shot glasses.
- Print out your own pirate labels and stick them on small, plain bubble bottles.
- Make your own pirate candy bar wrappers to use on chocolate bars.
From The Ship's Galley:
Pirate's weren't famous for their table manners, so a buffet style dinner would be more suitable with this pirate wedding theme over a sit-down dinner. Think finger foods, lots of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and easy to serve desserts.

Pirate Facts and Trivia - Great Fun For Your Guests:
So, did pirates really have a code of honor ("more a set of guidelines") as indicated by Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean?
It may surprise you to know, but yes, pirates did indeed live life aboard the ship according to a strict set of codes. The pirate vessel was run democratically in that the Captain was elected by the crew members through a vote... which could change quickly during the voyage if the crew wasn't happy. If that was the case, the Captain could be marooned on an island, thrown overboard, or if he were lucky, left at a sea port. The crew would then elect a new Captain based on skill, daring, and the ability to win prize and booty.
In fact, these crew members would even sign a contract themselves agreeing to abide by the rules set out by the captain of the ship - and to the punishments handed out if they disobeyed. The rules could cover anything from how treasure would be divided up to general standards of behavior on board the vessel.
Do you remember Jack being stranded upon a deserted island? That really was the punishment for any pirate crew member who considered deserting the ship. He would be marooned on a small island with one flask of water, a bottle of rum, one gun, and one bullet.
 Sensational Seaside Weddings: Your Complete Guide To Planning A Beach Theme Wedding
Get your guests parlaying with this unique idea. Savvy?
Research famous pirates and jot down their names and 8 to 10 facts about each. You will need at least enough different pirate names/facts so each guest at a table has a different pirate. So if you have 8 guests seated at a dinner table, you will need 8 pirates. (You can then use the same names for each of the other tables).
For a brief history on many famous pirates, visit: http://www.piratesinfo.com/biography/biography.php
Begin by typing out the pirate's name at the top. Use a cursive font to make it look more authentic. Then list the facts down the page. Print out copies on beige parchment paper or on white paper that's been soaked in tea (to give an old, stained look). Rag the edges of the paper and burn the corners slightly so that it looks like an old document. Roll up the paper and tie with thin rope or place in a bottle.
Place one pirate fact sheet at each table setting. Your guests will enjoy opening their "treasured document" and reading the facts on their sheet to the other guests while they wait for dinner to be served. These can also be used as your wedding favors.
Did You Know? More Facts...
Were there female pirates? Indeed! Some of the more famous names are: Anne Bonny (one of the best known of the female pirates), Mary Read (she became a pirate after being captured by Calico Jack Rackham and his pirate mistress, Anne Bonny), Grace O'Malley (she was the Irish daughter of a pirate who grew up to be a pirate herself), and Ching Shih (who terrorized the China sea and commanded 1800 ships and about 80,000 pirates!) To learn more about women pirates, visit: http://www.katyberry.com/Dorianne/pirates.html
Here is a wonderful article about a couple that really did have a pirate's wedding and contains some great ideas along pictures on what they did: Love on the High Seas
Did you know that you can have your pirate wedding aboard a "pirate ship" complete with a pirate crew? Visit http://www.fantaseaweddings.com/pirate_wedding.htm for more information.
Pirate Wedding: Treasures In A Hidden Cove. © 2007, Rose Smith
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