Hoarding Glassware and Taking Names

Given the limited amenities at the farm, renting dishes seemed like a bad idea.  Ben, our caterer, and owner of a local supper club, is lending us inexpensive utensils (we hate disposable silverware), and we plan to use disposable (and compostable!) plates made from bagasse, the fibrous residue remaining after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract.  They look like chinet, but are "greener".

Glassware sent us round in circles.  Glass glasses would be a nightmare.  Thirty five cents a glass to rent, and they have to be returned clean -- and not broken.  On the flip side, the disposable/compostable variety, made from corn plastic, don't offer the nice clinking sound when people toast, and boy -- people could go through a LOT of disposable cups.

The solution?  We've taken up scouting the local thriftstores a little more regularly and our buying what we need for the wedding at a fraction of the rental cost.  After the wedding, we'll donate most of it back.  We've been stocking up on caraffes and widemouth mason jars for centerpieces, wine glasses for the wine drinkers, and punch cups (and other assorted fancy looking and small glassware) for our champagne cider toast (since they are more common and cheaper at thrift stores than are champagne glasses and still give a rewarding clink).

We're also collecting pint size jars -- hopefully enough for one for each place setting -- to be marked with sharpie and used for water, beer, whatever.  And we'll have some corn cups for those who misplace their jar or insist on a clean glass from drink to drink. 

There is no great way to show off your hoarded used glassware that your piling in the basement, but that's what I want to do!  So, above please find a photo of 100 punch cups on display in our unfinished yet wood paneled basement.