****2017 Brides****Currently 166 Brides and 1 Groom****

I was given a timeline of the day basically

After I received it (in the post no less!) my Mum then told be that as an extra treat, we were staying in a hotel the night before and the night of the Hen

sounds like everything is going well for you! All sounds very exciting

If you aren't keen on Vistaprint, check out Solopress. I always use them for my printing

X

Hey guys!

To the new additions, I'm really sorry I will work on getting you added to the list over the next few days. I've been swamped at work and not very well.

My hen do is in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to get nervous! All I know is my friend is picking me up on the Friday afternoon, and I need to pack some casual clothes for Saturday.

I had my hair and makeup trial and first dress fitting yesterday. My florist gave me a sample bouquet to take with me as well. It looks amazing all put together, so that's a relief!

Bless them, my MOH and my makeup artist have arranged a few surprises for the day before the wedding. They're picking me up in the morning, we're going some places (I think one place might be a spa, but that's all I know!) then we're going to the venue for dinner, check into the hotel, and have a girly evening.

Logistics are beginning to worry me. I have a lot of friends who don't drive and who aren't necessarily organised enough to arrange their own transport until last minute. Then, I also need to get someone to look after my cats on the morning of the wedding, pick up bouquets/buttonholes and bring them to the venue, and get the cake and bring/set that up.

Have I made a massive mistake and overlooked cake napkins ?? I'll have to ask my venue about that. Although I did find some superhero ones which I might try and track down.

We used Vistaprint for our evening invites and I'm happy, but I'm also at a point of "oh Lord not more invites" which might be somewhat colouring my view. I bought a pack from the bargain bin in Hobbycraft today after OH told me he'd thought of a few more people to invite. I also picked up three packs of paper bunting stuff, so decoration has started.

I need to check what the venue does about putting decorations up. The Terms and Conditions are really clear that for the breakfast everything for each table needs to be in individual boxes with clear instructions. But what if I just give them a bunch of packs of bunting and say "knock yourself out".

I was worried about logistics of people getting to our venue but throughout the whole planning process OH is behind me reminding me that essentially we've invited a group of adults to a party and it's not our problem. I don't believe him, I'm really worried about everyone thinking my wedding is rubbish that it's making me a bit mad.

Sounds like we are all at the same stage.... PANIC!! I too have been having loads of 'OMG' moments- some rational some not!!

I thought it was stressful deciding on venue, suppliers and dress and all the major stuff.... those decisions were easy compared to now ?

Our venue has 18 rooms for overnight guests- we didn't think for one minute we would fill them all.... day invites went out a week ago, evening ones in the last few days and we have 2 rooms left ? Only had a few day RSVP's and a couple of evening ones so far and I just know someone I really want so stay over is going to leave it too late to book and is then going to be offended- it's tough luck as we have a strict 'first come first served' policy but it is upping my stress levels!

I too haven't thought about cake napkins, which led me to cake boxes... does anyone even do the whole 'sending cake' thing any more or am I just old?!!

I also keep wondering if I have enough 'personal' touches, decorations etc and thinking of other things I could do- my DIY list has got longer not shorter since the invites were finished ?

Does anyone else also have a sense of irrational worry that people don't really want to come and that the whole thing might be a bit of a chore for everyone that has been invited?!! Arrrrghhhhh!!!

My hen's just been confirmed. My MOH is the MOH in another wedding a month after mine and she's been super stressed. I'm trying not to get stressed about it but she's dithered around so much it's becoming the most stressful bit of the wedding for me haha! Least it's booked now. And it's super cheap so it should be ok. I don't know what we're doing officially but I think it's dinner then karaoke. Which should be fun. I'm booking a hotel as well so I can do a relaxing spa and afternoon tea day with my best friend and anyone else who wants to come along. Now it's booked I'm actually starting to look forward to it!

I didn't get cake napkins. What are cake napkins? Won't the venue give you stuff to serve it with?

We didn't get multiple quotes for anything except the venue - and that was just because there were two places we liked. I think the one we picked was the more expensive but we had to book the whole venue (bedrooms included). The benefit of having spent 10 years in hotels is that I already had an idea of how much things would cost so our budget spreadsheet hasn't gone up much at all. I also already knew the suppliers I wanted so we just went ahead and booked everything! I feel like I'm twiddling my thumbs a bit now but rather that than panicking haha!

This ^^ although I'm not glad other people are feeling the same, I am relieved I'm not the only one...I was in tears the other night (suspect time of the month may also be to blame!) that no one will want to come to our wedding, but will feel like they have to and will be bored. Our wedding isnt even until November - I do not want to be feeling like this all year!! I need to get a grip lol ?

Yes, I have that feeling too! I'm almost apologising when handing invites out, especially to those where the venue isn't on the doorstep! ? I don't know why I feel that way as I LOVE other people's weddings & never get bored of them.

Cake napkins for us are required because we're basically getting married in a marquee where bare chairs & tables are provided & that is it! The caterers will add everything on to us, but for a cost! So for a tenner I bought some myself, rather than paying them £30 for the privilege. Sorry to panic you all! ?

I'm having the same worry that people don't want to come. Again, I love weddings and the only wedding that stands out to me not enjoying I was so poorly I didn't want to be out of bed let alone socialising. I'd have enjoyed that one too if I'd been well.

I do this with other parties too though. If I make dinner for friends I stress so much about cooking the right thing and everyone having enough food.

'Enough food' is a constant worry. I get grumpy when I'm hungry and I'm always planning my next meal.

It sounds like all your planning is going well! I've just realised it's 56 days until we get married?! I am in major panic mode, and honestly, I don't really know why!! Everything is going as planned and scheduled, so there's really no reason to! I just need to try and calm down, I think?!

It's my hen do next weekend, I have no other information other than where it is! Very exciting!

Omg that's so soon!!

How exciting

I bet your hen do will be fab xx

Hi ladies, two weeks tomorrow for us ?

This week has been pretty productive - we've sent our requests to the DJ, ordered confetti and cones and, most excitingly, my florist made me a trial bouquet and I got to see what it'll look like with my dress and all the accessories (shoes, belt and faux fur wrap for photos outside! Tomorrow we need to pay the balance on the florist and the DJ.

Still to do:

Buy gifts for the wedding party and OH

Book the restaurant for the family meal the night before

Confirm what time the various suppliers are arriving at the venue

Source a cake knife from somewhere

Buy a card box

Shot list for the photographer

Make place cards for the top table

Oh and write my speech!

Ahhhh 2 weeks!!!

Wow!

Sounds like you're basically there though

We've had a productive day - been decorating the card box and making the favour boxes today and I had my makeup trial!

Really pleased, although MUA told me to throw away my micellar water as it's trashing my skin

x

Oh no Stephisaur...don't say that about micellar water please... I've been using it and thought it was helping my skin!! What did your MUA suggest as an alternative?

I do have really dry skin anyway, so she says it's just drying it out even more and giving my skin "texture" - she's not wrong tbf.

She suggested an oil based cleanser. She promises this won't make me break out, the skin needs oils and things like makeup wipes and micellar water strip them from the skin.

I'm going to get the No 7 oil cleanser, but in the meantime I tried Olive Oil last night (google told me it was an ok stand in) and omg it was lovely on my skin. It feels so soft lol

X

Oh no!

Have a little look at Dobell, we looked at them when we were looking at suits for OH and they have great reviews:

http://www.dobell.co.uk/mens/formalwear/waistcoats/#primary_colour=56&gan_data=true

Hope your BM will be good - there's not really much you can do at this point eep

Weekends are definitely going too quickly!!

X

22nd May 2017 at 2pm in Hampshire. Exactly 4 years since our first meeting (2pm 22nd May 2013). So excited!

Stephisaur - someone a long time ago recommended bio oil for my face in the evening and aloe Vera juice every day, which cleared and softened my skin amazingly! I'm actually going to do this for a month before the wedding, just because I know it works!

I also had a picture of our cake toppers today! I love them! They are so good I had to share?

I love those toppers!!

I've been using the No 7 oil because my MUA told me to pick one brand for all my skincare and I already use a lot of No 7. The difference after just a couple of days is remarkable

Those cake toppers are adorable! Our invitations arrived today but i'm trying not to peek til oh gets home. Had some exciting news . . . . entered a competition on a wedding website and won a holiday toThailand! we have to pay for flights and we can;t go in august so it is booked for May as a get away for the two of us before things go crazy.

Wow thats fab

lucky you x

Congratulations, what an amazing thing to win!

We're going ring shopping tomorrow! And we booked our honeymoon to Feutuventura this week too.

Evening, girls!

Everyone should have been added to the list now ?

Just over 2 months to go for me, This time next weekend, I'll be on my hen do. All I know is I'm being picked up Friday afternoon.

My friends have booked their hotel room, so I'm a little more relaxed about things now, but I still need to work out who is going to pick up the cake and bouquets on the day. OH and I still need to write our vows as well, and put our wedding music onto CD. OH has to buy his ring and the lads need to get their suits altered - I'm badgering them to get that sorted next weekend while I'm away.

We still have work to do on the containers for the centrepieces, and I still have to make 100 origami cranes and get them threaded for hanging on the manzanita trees for the ceremony room. Other than that, the only things left to make are the Companion Cube card box, table plan, and table name cards. I need to get a box/basket for all of the glow things we've bought for the reception as well.

Oh, and I need to sort out the last few places that we've got to offer to people on the reserve list. Argh so much to do!

Everyone seems very organised, we have just booked in our last meeting with the venue to confirm all the details in a months time which now seems pretty close and scary!

I have my hen party 2 weeks today which has all been arranged by my bridesmaids and I know nothing about it, but I'm looking forward to it.

I love reading what everyone else has left to do as it reminds me of things I need to do and things I have forgotten!

I think I'll be having a full wedding weekend to try and get some things done!

98 days for us now- that is going to fly past and I still have a list as long as my arm to do! We went away for a few days last week - was lovely to have a break from all things wedding but I did start to stress about all the things I could/should have been doing instead of drinking beer and eating fatty food...not least of which dieting!!

Managed to finally find a ring for himself while we were away tho, so at least I can tick that off!

Got back to the news that while we were away a random stranger had phoned to say he had found one of our evening invites lying in the road- bless him for opening the soggy mess that was once so pretty and taking the time to phone and let us know. We have collected it and have worked out through very smudged ink whose it was.... what saddens me is not the fact that it has been lost- it was handed out on a pretty drunken night out- but the fact that the guests herself hasn't bothered to get in touch to let me know it's been lost! I think it's safe to assume she won't be coming☹️

6 konths to go for us now. We've got a lot done but still loads that needs sorting. We've got our menu tasting at our venue this week which will then mean we can get the invitations done as the guests are getting a choice of what they eat. Still have bridesmaids dresses to sort which is my biggest headache atm. Then it's rings, favours, booking a bagpiper, vows/ceremony, table plan.... and the list goes on!

Our banns start being read today, eek!!

We picked our rings yesterday and we were really lucky the shop were having a discount on wedding rings so we saved ourselves a bit of cash. I love my ring but we're going to leave them at the shop as long as possible. They're also going to polish up my engagement ring for me so I'll have to hand that over for a week before the wedding too.

I need to sit down tonight and make a list of what is left and rope my friends into some craft help!

Bought some gold converse this weekend to wear under my dress once the heels get too much, & had a good sort out of everything we've bought so far, into ceremony venue, reception venue, & my stuff to take to get ready. Oh & asked my friend if he'll drive me to the ceremony, so that's the big thing ticked off the list that I still had to do - hurrah!

2BMrsC - Sounds like a much enjoyed break! Back on the wagon now though

Glad you got the ring sorted, but sorry to hear about the invitation

ConcreteCowBride - Menu tasting was one of my favourite things! Have fun! We've also given our guests a choice which has proved popular with everyone!

MrsJ_ToBe - Yay!!

Chapples - sounds like you're really on a roll now

Slink - sounds like a good plan otherwise you will keep trying them on!!

Lots of things going on for everyone. We've been busy working our way through the list recently;

I think I've got my shoes - saw a pair of Rainbow Couture that I loved the look of, they're being discontinued and were half price on the John Lewis website so I snapped up the last pair in my size. I think the only reason I'm being slightly reluctant is I actually want to wear blue shoes so I'm going to buy the rainbow club dye pack for them and see what happens :-) I also want to check how they'll be with the dress, but they've told me to not expect the dress until June/July. I'm considering popping back to the shop (its local) to have a quick try on lol.

We finalised the invites through Vistaprint and they got delivered last week. Just updating people's addresses ready to send them all out this weekend.

Narrowed down our choice for musicians - found a string trio for the ceremony/drinks reception, and a potential band for the evening. Just discussing prices/timings with them at the moment.

Paid the deposit to the florist.

OH has booked her hen weekend (well the flights and hotel anyway -she's a bit of a control freak lol) - she's now handed over the reins to her friends. My bestie is working on mine so hopefully will be in a position to book that soon.

Got a date booked with my bridesmaids next month to do day 2 of their dress hunting.

Been looking at quotes for videographers - my photographer has sent us an extensive list of contacts he uses, as he would prefer us to book one of these if possible. Huge price range but some we are comfortable with. That seems to be a familiar theme of people's regrets who don't book them, so I'd really like to secure one if we can...

Seeing (and more importantly tasting) cake from 2 different suppliers this week - one of whom was meant to send me a detailed quote/pictures (she actually promised me a Pinterest board) 2 weeks ago, which I chased last week and was promised it the following day. Still waiting. Grrr - thats so annoying!!

Our venue have a showcase event taking place on Weds night which I'm going along to with my FSIL armed with questions from various suppliers who will be there - such as finding out what the production company actually provides and why you need one (I'm not sure if I'm being stupid or not - I just don't understand ?), seeing the cake lady mentioned above who has yet to send me info, and refreshing my memory about the venue's rooms to start allocating them.

I keep thinking I need to start looking at hair/make up artists - a few friends keep bugging me about booking these in, and are now making me worried that I haven't done it yet (the wedding's not til November). in fact I had a dream that I hadnt booked one for the day, didnt do my own make up and so spent the day being bare faced and everyone laughed at me ? - think its safe to say its playing on my mind lol.

Experienced a week of wedding related stress last week courtesy of my family as we have started to allocate bedrooms at the venue so I offered these to family first at a heavily subsidised rate and got moaned at, and some pretty sarcastic/insensitive comments as a result. Wasn't happy. However I did tell them all that they had upset me and could they maybe think before they speak next time - so we'll see how that goes ?

Sorry about such a long post - but I have found that to be pretty cathartic just to list it all ?

x

OMG - forgot to add we also booked our honeymoon! fly out 2 days after the wedding to the Maldives for 10 nights....cannot wait! x

Ooo I do love a long post CantwaittobeMrsDavies17!! It sounds like you're getting there though - I'm bogged down with invitations at the moment. I need to get the out of the way so I can move on to the next thing. ARGH only 4 months to go!! I'm really starting to stress now.