Exchanging vows between innings

April 29, 10:19 PMBaltimore Wedding Planning ExaminerHeather Travaglini

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It's spring which means baseball!!! and a wonderful time of year for a wedding. I've been an Orioles fan since I was a child and have many friends that are die hard baseball fans. However, I must say I've been disappointed so far that none of them have had their dream baseball-themed wedding. I like themes, especially when they exemplify your personality and interests, so for this handful of female friends that love baseball I'm still holding out hope on one of them.

Location
Here in the Baltimore area, there are two very authentic options for throwing a baseball-inspired wedding - Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. Get married at home plate and then party the night away on the club level or in one of the many restaurants. Both locations offer a variety of catered wedding packages and may even include a visit from the team mascot if you ask nicely (or pay accordingly).

Invitations
Not many invitation companies make baseball-specific wedding invitations; most that I've found have been more geared to a birthday-type party. So if you want the Orioles logo embossed on your invites, I recommend finding a custom invitation company and see what they can make for a baseball-inspired vision. If custom, handmade isn't in your budget, find invitations in your favorite team colors to go with your theme. If you plan on sending save the dates, look into baseball ticket invites, which look like a ticket to an event but are customized with your specific information.

Decorations
Decorations could go in many directions depending on how kitschy you want to get. To one extreme, everything can be baseball, having team helmets as centerpieces or having bridesmaids carry pendants or baseball gloves instead of bouquets. On the other end, decorations could be simple and subtle, with flower centerpieces and linens in the colors of your team. Somewhere in between those, you can mix things up. Try filling a vase with baseballs and topping with flowers that match your theme. Create table number cards that look like the backs of baseball jerseys with your favorite players' names or even your family names.

During your outdoor baseball diamond ceremony, give guests baseball designed folding fans to hold and cool themselves off. Then when they come inside, have place cards that look like baseball trading cards with a picture of the bride and groom on the front and the guests' names and table number on the back in place of the stats. Or instead of place cards, make a seating chart that looks like a scoreboard with all the guests' names and table numbers set up like a starting line up. Make sure your guests sign your guest book before heading into the reception, but instead of a guest book, have a few baseballs or a baseball bat for signing. Prefer something to hang on the wall after the wedding, then get engagement pictures taken in baseball jerseys and have a magazine cover image created featuring you and your fiance.

Serve up a baseball (or diamond) shaped cake to your guests after you've made your grand entrance to Cotton Eyed Joe or some other ballpark favorite. Top your cake with a custom cake topper featuring a bride and groom in jerseys or playing pitcher and catcher.

Favors
Let your guests leave with a favor that will remind them of their day at the park. Give boxes of cracker jacks with baseball shaped gift tags thanking your guests for coming. If you have a small wedding, provide actual baseball caps for each guest or mini personalizes baseball bats for them to take home. Also you can get specialty candies made to look like baseballs, bats, and gloves.

Bridal Party
Don't leave your baseball theme out of the fun with your bridal party. Have you groomsmen wear ties that feature your team logo or mascot and dress your bridesmaids in your team colors. For gifts, give everyone baseball jerseys for their favorite teams or buy the boys baseball cuff links.
 

Whatever you choose, just get ready to play ball and have a ball on your big day!

I want to know: What was your wedding theme?