We did this for our own wedding too. We purchased different kinds of orchids from a Trader Joe's store (they could not convince me to use my own orchids hehehe). Besides, I own mostly cymbidiums and no on in their right mind will use a full size mature cymbidium for centerpieces for wedding guest tables. They will occupy the entire table :) We also bought some woven baskets from an arts & crafts store and used them to house the orchids in the center of the tables. The baskets are just a bit bigger than the orchid pots so we had room to put in some extra decorations like ribbons and other cut branches from other plants in our gardens. But even bare, the orchids in a crafted basket looks great. Since we bought different kinds of orchids, each table was unique. And the guests decided to refer to their tables by the orchid names instead of the table numbers. "We are at the purple dendrobium table over there." It also made it easier for them to find their tables after they move about. But it must have been a psychedelic experience for those who had one too many drinks. And since they were not my orchids, we decided to raffle off the centerpieces to the guests at the end of the evening. Even after several years, some of our friends would tell us that the orchids they brought home from the wedding are still doing well. And since we bought them in bloom for the wedding, they bloom around our wedding anniversary too. And I think that is neat. They see the orchids bloom and they are reminded of our wedding :)

I tend to agree with the teacher about the PreK circle time (although, I admit, I'm not quite sure how the circle time is being used at your school). The goal here is to have him learn to fit in to the usual school routines, not to single him out and 'demote' him. If he goes there and has a ball--then it's becoming a reward--not good. If he feels put down by having to visit the PreK, then he's not going to feel very good about himself and that could cause even more problems in the long run. And if he goes to the PreK circle, is he going to be missing out on classroom work? He does sound bright and motivated, keep him as busy as possible. I know how easy it is to get involved in your own work around the house, but be sure to be aware of his behavior and compliment him on quietly completing a 'sit-down' task whenever possible. I have nothing against any system that works--including rewards, but there is sometimes a fine line between a reward and blackmail, so depending upon the child, it's sometimes best to use the treat/gift idea sparingly. Let it be known that good behavior is expected--but this time you're rewarding the fact that he's been trying SO hard. Did that make any sense? It's great that you're working with a teacher who is so dedicated and receptive--keep up the great rapport with her. Do let me know how things work out. Good luck.

Rissotos made with veggies using water or vegetable broth are good. They can be made for a crowd, are filling and rich tasting. Zuchini or eggplant cut in planks then grilled. Marinate with olive oil, herbs, and lemon juice. Serve as is, or wrap around other items to make a cold "roll". For example, wrap around a grain timbale (pressed into a mold then turned out - use rice, bulgur, barley, etc.) then skewered together with a rosemary stem. Or fold around a rice/other filling and tie with blanched chives into packets. You could omit the marinating and serve them warm as well. Veggie paella is also very colorful, and filling especially if you sprinkle almonds, peanuts or cashews on it before serving. Baked polenta cut in diamonds and topped with grilled veggies. Very pretty yet easy to serve on a buffet. Spinach pie made with phyllo pastry, spinach, dill, garlic, and lemon. You can add the eggs and cheese, but if you are ovo lacto, you can use silken tofu instead. This could be done on a cookie sheet platter and cut into squares or diamonds, or you can make individual pies using muffin tins and strips of phyllo. Stuffed grape leaves or cabbage rolls using meatless rice or other grains (barley cooked in veggie broth is really good). I could give more ideas if I knew more. Is it just vegetarian, or ovo lacto?

Congratulations! I'm not sure what you mean by "unique verbiage." If what you mean is something clever and creative, you may want to consider that it might be counterproductive. After all, the real purpose of any invitation is to convey information that the guests really need about the event. In your case, you need to be especially clear, because you are having the reception a month after the wedding, and you don't want anyone to be confused. It's hard enough to word such an invitation for clarity without compounding it with attempts at clever or original language. You want your guests to be charmed, not annoyed by having to read the thing three times and then make a phone call to find out to what they are being invited. It's like a personal letter vs. a pre-printed greeting card, no matter how nice. They are going to be charmed by the fact that it is YOUR marriage, not by "unique verbiage." Miss Manners warns that people really get themselves into trouble trying to be too original or personal with invitation wording, and that it's best to let your happiness shine through the traditional forms. (In one response, she refers to her "fervent rejection of the 'originally' worded pseudo-formal announcement. It is vulgar, in its assumption that this wedding is somehow more joyous than others, and it is open to severe misunderstanding." Another time, I remember her writing something about an invitation that said something like, "Please join us as we celebrate our love." She said that it sounds like at best the couple are bragging that somehow their love is more important or unusual than anyone else's, and at worst that perhaps there is something wrong there, if they feel a need to make such a point of it. I think that may be a bit harsh, but at the same time I see her point about using traditional, or at least very simple, wording. I found a few samples on this site: http://www.invitationconsultants.com/sww-private_ceremony.asp. As you can guess, I prefer the ones that aren't poems. I like "verse 3" the best. You will need to put in the date of your reception, though. I would put the date, time, and location of your reception on separate lines, so they will pop out and no one will get confused by the first date (of the actual wedding). You may even want to avoid the word "reception," if you think that will confuse people. For the welcome baskets, of course it really doesn't matter. Personally, I don't usually like little poems and such -- they usually seem cutesy to me, and again, I wouldn't want to let an effort to make a cute poem get in the way of giving the guests the real information they need. Around here, friends often make up welcome bags with snacks for out of town guests, and the hosts include a letter welcoming everyone, thanking them for coming, and including all the information they will need for the trip: times and locations of all events, directions if needed, cell phone numbers of helpful people, etc. If it is only a few people (or really I guess the relevant number is baskets, not individuals), I think it would be really nice to put the info on a separate page and hand write a short, personal note for each basket. Wouldn't you feel special if you found that waiting for you? This is all just my opinion, of course. There is nothing "wrong" with cleverness or originality. But I think often people worry needlessly that if they stick to simplicity, clarity, and convention, their invitations, etc., will seem impersonal and "blah." They really don't -- YOUR NAMES on that invitation make it absolutely unique and wonderful to your guests. Nothing else you could write will accomplish that as much.