April 2016 Brides

Hi Ladies (and Grooms, if youre on here)

Were getting married on 16th April too. Time seems to be flying by which is exciting and also a little scary. How is your planning coming along?

Weve sorted Church, Venue, transport, dress, invitations (to be ordered), cake, food tasting in Nov, photographer. Ive got a grwoing list of things to do.. book the florist, make up and Hair...

So much to do.... what to do next?!

Lookign forward to hearing all about your plans.

Becky xx

Argh...I'm still behind but at least we're official now! After a wobble over budget and seriously contemplating a small destination wedding we've resettled on our original plan, venue deposit down(venue includes catering), registrar booked, notice giving next week, invites are chosen and my lovely man has been designing the how the wording will go in them, all on top of the dress being ordered and photographer booked sister in law has offered to do the flowers and we have about 20 glass jars now! Next big things on the list are honeymoon (yay!!!), dj, do and hair and make up lady.

Less than 8 months, where is time going...

P.S. Anyone have dj or dress alteration recommendations in London that don't cost the earth by any chance?

BexLiverpool - welcome! I've put you on the date list now, sorry about the delay. Lots of you on the 16th; going to be a big day!

Sounds like you're getting stuck into the planning. How long have you been engaged?

HCBao - congratulations on getting things decided - hopefully no more wobbles and it will be plain sailing from now! Great news about your SIL doing the flowers as well

Unfortunately I can't help on the DJ or dress alterations. Can you talk to your venue and dress shop to see what they recommend? Any friends/relatives nearby recently married who can give you any details?

Pooba - Here are my shoes https://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/pink-sparkle-platform-court-shoes_336885570 (Hope the link works). I originally thought they would be too sparkly an pink but as my dress is a pale blush colour they work really nicely.

I bought my veil (2 tiered cathedral length) when I bought my dress and absolutely love it. I keep wanting to take it out of the bag and wear it! Off to the National Wedding Show at Earls court in a couple of weeks time so hoping to look for some other accessories there. Not sure whether to go for a Tiara or just a headband. I would also really like some earings but I don't have my ears pierced. I am hoping to find some classy clip ons but not sure this will be possible.

I agree with you re the dress. Mine is definitely not one I thought I would choose and I even said no when the girl in the shop suggested it. So glad I did try it on though!

How is the rest of your planning going?

BexLiverpool - you sound like you are well on the way to getting things done! we did our menu tastin last weekend and had great fun doing it. We went with my parents and FMIL and we all had post it notes and marked each dish out of 10 to find which ones we all most liked.

Can't believe we are closing in on the 7 month mark...

Hi *Nik*

Wow, those shoes look amazing. I wish I could wear heels like that, but I even struggle in kitten heels after a little while. I do have some heels (~6cm) for the day - couldn't not! - but I get the feeling I'm going to be in quite a bit of pain by the end of the night!

Ha ha, I'm sure you won't get any strange looks at all if you wear your veil every day I'd got myself convinced that I didn't want a veil at all, but now I'm in two minds...

My planning is taking a little bit of a back seat at the moment. Quite busy at work (she says, while sat on Hitched ) and have a two week holiday coming up at the end of the month. We then have an open day mid-October at our venue, so we'll have a much better idea of what's included in our package and decorations. After that I'll get back onto the planning wagon.

I do need to start thinking about invitations though. Hoping to get them sent out with the Christmas cards at the beginning of December and I have it in my head that's ages away - not if I have to order them in and organise everything for them

Hope you all had a good weekend. 7 months, 7 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes for me to go!

Thanks. I can't wait to wear them. I wear 6" heels most days to work so I am used to spending long epriods of time in them but I do have a desk job so I need to get into paractice of standing in them for hours! I plan to bring my flip flops (which I love as they are the comfiest flats I own) with me to the reception and will probably put them on after dinner.

I had always planned on wearing a viel but I thought I would go for a more fingertip length but when I tried one on it didnt didnt quite look right with the back of the dress. Have you tried on any viels with your dress?

Yes our invitiations are starting to take shape. I have made the basic template for them and just have to print off and stick in the wording and make the info cards to go with them. We are planning on sending out the invites shortly after christmas as we sent out STD earlier in the year.

What ideas do you have for your invites?

I have been busy making things over the apst few days and as well as finishing the invites I have started making indiviudal confetti cones. I am amazed at how long it takes to make everything for 120 guests!

Thanks. I can't wait to wear them. I wear 6" heels most days to work so I am used to spending long epriods of time in them but I do have a desk job so I need to get into paractice of standing in them for hours! I plan to bring my flip flops (which I love as they are the comfiest flats I own) with me to the reception and will probably put them on after dinner.

I had always planned on wearing a viel but I thought I would go for a more fingertip length but when I tried one on it didnt didnt quite look right with the back of the dress. Have you tried on any viels with your dress?

Yes our invitiations are starting to take shape. I have made the basic template for them and just have to print off and stick in the wording and make the info cards to go with them. We are planning on sending out the invites shortly after christmas as we sent out STD earlier in the year.

What ideas do you have for your invites?

I have been busy making things over the apst few days and as well as finishing the invites I have started making indiviudal confetti cones. I am amazed at how long it takes to make everything for 120 guests!

Haven't posted on here for while so thought I's come and say hello

Planning coming along - things starting to fall into place! Most of the big stuff is booked and have meeting with florist and potential decorator next week. We've given notice as well which was exciting! Got the all clear despite H2B getting my birthday and job wrong hahahaha - he was so focused on remembering the year I was born, he said the wrong day! Will never let that one go ha ha. I said it's proof he just bought me off the internet (which could be technically true as we met on an online dating site ha ha).

Very close to deciding on bridesmaid dresses - this one is good for two BM's, third BM trying it on tomorrow so fingers crossed! http://www.coast-stores.com/p/lori-ella-maxi-dress/1479895

We're also very excited as honeymoon has just been booked! We were debating a lot over st Lucia or Antigua, and we actually went for something totally different and booked the honeymoon of a lifetime (for us) through Audley Travel! We found that while both islands looked beautiful, we just couldn't get excited about it. So, our honeymoon now starts with a week of wildlife spotting, hiking, zip lining in a Costa Rican rainforest before going to Arenal Volcano and exploring there for a few days, finishing off Costa Rica in a luxury eco lodge in another rainforest, then flying to Cartagena on the Colombian Caribbean coast for a few nights in a top notch hotel and some nightlife. We then finish off our honeymoon with three nights on a remote Colombian Caribbean island which only has one hotel and isn't well known (recommended by my Colombian aunt) for some total relaxation. Now we're excited!!!

Thoroughly recommend audley travel - I've travelled with them before and they not only focus on the whole experience of your trip, you're also taken care of from start to finish and really take the stress out of travelling to multiple destinations :-)

Hi! Haven't been on for a while and happy to see an April thread!! We are the 30th April too!!
We have done -
STD
Venue
Registrar
Photographer
Dress
Band
DJ
Decorations
Casino
Candy cart
Invites just arrived from the printer!!

Feel behind!! ?

*Nik* - wow, 6" heels?! I have baby heels I wear, but I'm also at a desk so don't need to worry too much about walking far. I'm hoping to wear my shoes all day. How are you going to get around getting the bottom of your dress dirty once you put flats on? Or are you not bothered? Or have you got a tea length? I'm thinking of selling the dress once the day is done, so can't afford to get it too messy or ripped.

I haven't actually tried any veils on; think I might just avoid it altogether. It's easier if I don't have one and it's one less expense!

I have very few ideas for the invitations at the moment. Spent a few minutes on Vistaprint the other night and found some easy, standard ones so I might just go for them. They need to be thin enough to fit in a Christmas card envelope - which reminds me, I need to have a look at the cards I bought in the sales in January and check the envelope size! Another thing to add to list.

I have utmost respect for people who DIY things. I'm hoping to avoid as much of that as possible - we're busy most evenings and weekends and while I have some imagination, I have zero creativity. Anything I make myself will look ridiculous!

KJHC - hello! Wow, you have been busy in the last few weeks!

That dress is stunning, I hope your third BM liked it as well. Will be good to get something else crossed off the list.

Well done on booking the honeymoon! My best riend is actually holidaying in Cartagena at the moment and says it's amazing We had had an idea about honeymoon but it looks like that isn't going to happen so we're back to square one. I'm getting more and more tempted to have a minimoon straight after and then organise a holiday for later in the year - once we know how much money is left in the kitty!

HEAL2016 - hello to you too! Welcome to the thread. I forgot to check if you were on the list before I started responding, so I'll add you after I've posted if necessary

You've done an awful lot of organising so I wouldn't worry about feeling left behind. Have you given notice? We have two days left before our month is up and I'm very excited. It's the last of the legalities so once that's done, we can actually get married for real. Yay!

Right, onto things I've done! Sorry about the double-response (I've just posted some of this in the 2016 thread) but the main part is that I'm waiting for the open day at our venue before I can plan/organise most things like florist, DJ, MUA, etc. This is on the 10th October, however I'm actually on holiday from the end of this week until a few days before the meeting so getting very excited about the next fortnight.

I've also just dropped an email to a VOG I've found online... hoping and praying they drop their price so I can book them. Think I've convinced myself that I really want to have the day filmed, so we'll see what they come back with.

How many of you guys have VOGs?

So sorry about the essay!

Hi everyone

it's been ages since I've been on here, been having various traumas that made the wedding seem a million miles away but we're kind of getting back on track.

We had our menu tasting at the end of July which apart from h2b been picky about the dessert (downside to him been a chef!) went really well.

unfortunately the makeup trial we had on Saturday didn't go so well ? so not sure what I'm going to do about that. Also our cake company gave back word on Monday night as she's decided to fold her business. But fingers crossed we've sorted someone else.

Hope everyone's planning is going well

Hi Nikkijj86,

Hope you're okay - traumas don't sound good, but as long as things are settling down now...

Glad your menu tasting went well, what choices did you go for?

What happened with the make up trial? Are you sticking with the MUA or considering going elsewhere?

Sad times about your cake company as well, but at least you still have a bit of time to re-organise

Thanks Pooba, as for traumas who'd have families, chief bridesmaids or a future step daughter!!!

Really don't know what to do about MUA, chief bridesmaid liked hers but no one else did & her timing is more than a little worrying. She is cheap but that's pointless if I'm not happy. Worse thing is I'm qualified in make up so kinda know what needs to be done and the fact I had to finish MOB & MOG's make up didn't go down well. so I need to either find someone else which will add a fair amount to an already stretched budget, get everyone to do their own or hope she improves massively with another trial.

Good news is we've managed to find another cake company and she's worked out a little cheaper than the original lady so I'm definitely feeling a little more hopeful.

Hi Pooba - I was considering a VOG, but our budget is already starting to feel out of control! We're going to get one of the groomsmen to record key moments :-)

Big day yesterday - had appointment with wedding decorator at our venue to go through all the options (lighting etc) and to decide on the chair cover sash colour - we've gone for a Tiffany blue - the closest we could find to duck egg blue! Then had a meeting with the florist - our package includes table centrepieces and ceremony table /top table flowers. We're going for flowers in fishbowls as centrepieces, they looked great! Not a fan of the big tall ones for some reason. And - we're going for blues/peaches/creams as the main colours. My bouquet will be made up of blues/peaches/creams and succulents and the BM's posies will be ivories.

All starting to feel a bit real now and it was amazing seeing our venue again!

And, we've decided to keep the BM dresses! They all love them and only one of them will need any significant alteration (zip won't go up at the side). They also all want shrugs/boleros as they're all self-conscious about their arms - Any recommendations? I'm thinking a light blue to go with their dresses, or a silver to go with their shoes.

KJHC love the sound of your colour scheme, it sounds gorgeous. Like you we also considered a VOG but the budget won't stretch. My brother does a lot of video work so I was going to ask him except I'm not 100% sure he'll be at the wedding. Is the rest of your planning going well?

Sorry for being AWOL, got back from 2 week holiday at the weekend and slowly been catching up since!

Nikkijj86 - blimey, have you made a decision re. MUA? Sounds like a worry you could do without on the actual day!

Well done on finding a new cake company

KJHC - I know what you mean about budget. I'm just agreeing to things left, right and centre and steadily ridding myself of my savings. Keep telling myself it will be worth it!

Congratulations on having such a productive day (blooming ages ago!)

We had a meeting at our venue just after we got back from holiday and it was a shock to the system. I had been thinking I was on top of most things, but now realise we have a sh!t tonne of decisions to make.

One good thing is that it seems to have stirred my OH into action and we now have meetings booked with our cake makers next week (deciding final design and hopefully some flavours!), our caterers on the 2nd November (brilliant news is that for next year, they have upgraded the package we're on and the 3-course sit down dinner we want is included at no extra cost! Yay!) and just waiting to hear back about proposed meeting date with the company who deal with flowers, centrepieces and decorations. We have a ceremony appointment with Dorset council on the 7th November to discuss vows, music, etc. with the registrar. We've also started looking at invitations and thinking about the plans for the night before and the night of the wedding. OH has previously been disinterested in finer details but is now bringing things up in conversations without prompting which makes me feel warm and fuzzy!

Finally, we have our engagement shoot this weekend which I'm more than a little nervous about. Thankfully it's on some heathland very close to our house so I'm going to be familiar with surroundings and the setting is looking good - lots of heathers and autumnal colours which should give some nice backgrounds

Hope you're all okay and having good weeks!

Pooba - Hope you had a lovely holiday, where abouts did you go?
Don't worry, I thought I was ahead of the game too - so took my foot off the pedal- and now I am behind! My main problems is that I cannot make decisions - I am scared I will make the wrong choice!

My main issue at the moment is honeymoons. Where are you all going? I was thinking mexico but am unsure now as the prices have hiked up £400 in the last few weeks!

Have you all started to look at invitations yet? Again, i can't seem to make a decision on these - there is too much choice!

xx

HM2016 - thanks! We were in Aviemore. Had brilliant weather, managed to walk all around the Cairngorms, visited Skye and John o'Groats... packed a lot in!

We seem to be getting better at making decisions - or at least avoiding looking at too many choices, which subsequently makes it easier to pick a, b, c and then sorted!

Honeymoon is a bit of a sticky topic right now in that our original plan isn't going to happen. I told OH the other day that it's traditionally his job to organise, so it's up to him! He wasn't best amused. I've heard that going to travel agents are a good idea for honeymoons - they're able to get better deals and sort out free upgrades, etc. Could also be good inspiration to try somewhere different?

We started looking at invitations at the weekend and I'm going to push to order them tonight. We've looked at vistaprint and the ones here on Hitched, but then we only want a reasonably basic blue-ish design so not too bothered. Price and ability to amend for evening guests are the two main things we're fussed about!

Can't believe we're around the 6 month mark! We only got engaged in May so haven't had to wait for too long, but time is going so quickly...

Hm2016 it looks like my in laws are paying for us a week in Crete for us after the wedding so we're thinking of doing a American road trip on our first anniversary instead as our proper honeymoon.

Pooba glad you had a good holiday, still not sure what to do about the MUA, if I didn't know her at all I would have just got rid but instead I've booked her for another trial. I'm thinking if she's late or we don't like it again that I find someone else. On the plus side we have a cake tasting next Monday & I've just booked a lady to do our macaroon place settings.

Hope everything is going well for everyone

Wow, Nikkijj86, that's so nice of your in-laws! Have you ever been to Crete before?

Another trial with your MUA is probably a good idea. Have you told her what you weren't so happy with in the previous trial to see if she improves?

Hope you have fun at your cake tasting! Do you have any flavours in mind?

Pooba - I'm very lucky, my in laws are lovely, I haven't been to Crete before but it's somewhere I've wanted to go.

Ive told the MUA that there were issues & outlined what they were so hopefully they can be resolved. Although I am looking around just in case. What worries me is my bridesmaid who had the biggest issue can't make the next trial.

Think we're pretty set on flavours, we're thinking vanilla, toffee, carrot and lemon so hopefully the tasting does well.

Hi to all you april brides ?

We booked ours only two months for 30.04.16. So not long to plan!

We'll have been together 14years when we tie the knot- so a long time coming ?

I've just started making invites, and slowly ticking things off the lists.

Hope all your ladies plans are coming together x

Ktb30 - Congratulations and well done on securing your venue for that date! We wanted this date originally but unfortunately someone had beat us to it, so we went for the Friday instead!

At the weekend we booked our honeymoon (2 weeks in Mexico) and also ordered our wedding rings - bit of an expensive time for us so will have to hibernate for the rest of the month! lol

Really need to sort my wedding invitations soon as we are hoping to send them out in January (and i know Christmas is going to be a busy one!)

We also reach our 6 months mark on Thursday - exciting!!

xx

Ktb30 - congratulations and welcome! I've added you to the list on the front page.

Wow, 14 years by the time you marry. You're certainly right, long time coming! I thought I was doing well - OH and I will have been together 9 years.

Good on you for making the invites. I'm really not very creative, so anything I can palm off to others is happening. We're ordering our invites online; been working on them for the past few weeks on and off but need to get a wiggle on. We want to send them out with the Christmas cards at the beginning of December!

Have you got everything else sorted - dress, suits, food, cake, photographer, etc,? Whereabouts are you getting married?

HM2016 - well done on booking honeymoon and ordering your rings! We got our rings a few weeks ago - it was very strange trying it on, knowing that next time I wear it I'll be married!

It's terrifying how quickly time is passing. We're below 6 months now and it's getting scary. I'm using Christmas as the benchmark, but I know that will come and go...

We've been pretty productive recently, invites-aside. Cake meeting went well last week, design is pretty much sorted and we're having madeira sponge, chocolate orange and lemon as the flavours - I came away from the shop feeling very excited and craving cake. Engagement shoot at the weekend also seemed to go well - holding back official judgement until we get the photos back, but it certainly helped to make me feel more at ease and our TOG was so friendly. Again, weird to think that the next time we see him will be the wedding day! Had a meeting last night with the florist and decorations team, which was enlightening. Waiting for the official quote to come through (bit scared about that!) but if it all goes well we'll have a very pretty venue, nice bouquets and a few extras which will make the whole day very special! Finally, we've pretty much made up our minds about the food and will have a meeting with the caterers next week to confirm. I'm going to start another thread in a minute asking for advice about the main, but otherwise pretty sure about what we want!

Hope everything is going well with you all - 6 months to go!

Hi- thanks for adding me ?

Going to sort suits tomorrow- have put a deposit on them, iv'e an idea what i'm after, we just need to go and let h2b to try and decide 100%!

I feel like i'm a bit behind tbh- iv'e got the stylist for venue sorted, hair, nails and make- up is booked. We got my partners ring a few weeks ago.

I'm dieting so iv'e not got my dress yet- iv'e lost 4stone since xmas and would like another 2 and half stone off before the wedding- so i'm trying to wait as long as i can, but it will be my first job after xmas ? same with the my ring, i dont want to have to have it re-sized.

I'm having my daughter and 2 nieces as my bridesmaids, and my older sister- iv'e got the 3 little ones dresses but not my sisters yet.

Cakes sorted- photographer sorted x

We live in Sheffield, and are getting married at a barn ?

Oh and is it just me- but i keep saying I instead of we- iv'e picked this, i'm doing this- think i keep forgetting its OUR wedding! Lol

HM2016- sorry i didn't see your reply!

Lucky you 2 weeks in Mexico! Sounds like heaven

We're going to costa-del-sol a month after the wedding- we're going to a splash world for the kids! Lol, the things you have to do!

We're also hibernating - for the next 6 months really, after xmas iv'e got both kids birthdays in February too! I dont do thinks by halves!

Its lovely reading everyone's plans- and im stealing a few ideas too ?

Hi ktb30, hope the suits shopping goes well tomorrow. Are you hiring or buying? I think my OH is going to wait until January and get something in the sales. He'll need to combine the buying with 4 other men, but hopefully it will all work out and they'll get a bargain.

Looking at your list, I think you've certainly got the main things sorted so I wouldn't worry. Have you given notice?

Wow, well done you on losing 4 stone! How are you doing it? Gym? Diet? I need to get back to the gym (have slacked recently!) and sort out my addiction to chocolate. And crisps. And bread. And everything else that tastes so good but has too many calories!

My OH has a very funny (read: not funny at all) thing where we're talking about all of the stuff WE'VE decided and he acts all shocked when I'm talking, saying he's never heard that and when did we decide this? Ha ha ha. Not. It's actually surprising how he's getting into it more and more as time decreases - long may it continue!

Ktb30 welcome to the planning & congratulations. Sounds like things are starting to come together quite well for you.

its getting exciting to think in six months time we'll all be married! (Or pretty close) hope everyone's planning is going well? Things sound as if they're coming together quite nicely.

we had a meeting with the hotel yesterday to fill in the wedding planner with timings and suppliers etc so that made it feel suddenly very real. We also decided to upgrade our room on the night of the wedding to the honeymoon suite so that's a nice extra we didn't think we'd be able to stretch to. We've finally confirmed cake details & flavours after meeting with our lovely new cake lady last Monday, so we've gone for lemon, toffee, carrot & chocolate Guinness.

I've also booked another trial with another make up artist on the 16th November because I'm still not convinced the one I've booked is going to work. We've also sorted favours & gifts in the last week & my in laws have booked our honeymoon to Crete for the 7th may! So it's been a pretty productive. Couple of weeks

HM2016 congratulations on booking the honeymoon, Mexico sounds gorgeous. I feel your pain in been hermit like we're trying to pay off as much as we can before Christmas so it's beans on toast & no social life for the next couple of months!!

We've opted for hiring suits- as my other half has asked my son - who'll be 9 at the time to be his best man- very cute, but also to be diplomatic as well! So we were struggling to get matching suits for children and adults to buy- so was easier to hire!

We've booked our cake and she's a friend of a friend and been lovely and said we don't have to decide what flavours till beginning of April- I'm doing a sweet table too- but not so much sweets- don't laugh, but I'm going to go to Asda/Morrisons on the Thursday and buy the nice brownies and cookies- I'm going to get some large nice jars with a kraft tag round with 'home made brownies' etc on them- also a fudge one- and maltesers but will take them out of the papers so they"re all the same colours (omg i sound like i have ocd!)

Anyway if our budget can stretch iv'e asked our cake lady to make cupcakes for the table too- as we're not having a pudding x

Your cake sounds fab with the flavours ?

I'm doing slimming world but on my own- i haven't joined, i work evenings and have a two year old so struggle to get to a meeting- but i'l keep plodding on my own! I'm off work this week and really struggling in an evening sat watching tv, i want coffee and a biscuit- or better still a bottle of wine ?

My partners the same- i do tell him things but it falls in deaf ears!

Nikkijj86- do you mind me being nosey and asking what you're doing for favours- and what sort have gifts have you got?

My gift list is growing by the day- and i wanted to buy something relevant to that person, so il take any ideas i can get.

Iv'e booked a hotel just up the road from the venue- and have got a good rate for a large family room, but im hoping to upgrade nearer the time to the suite if we can x

Hi All, I'm an April 2016 bride to be as well, get married on the 21st. So this is a great thread! Congratulations to you all, sounds like everyone is very organised!

I'm Having a major freak out about wedding make up today! Had a trial done in June which I wasn't 100% sure on, it was airbrushed which was great coverage but showed up lines I didn't even know I had & the girl made me feel uncomfortable. Booked it for day of the wedding just in case but really struggling with what to do as I'm not a big make up person but can go quite red in the face at times (esp when attention is on me ?). My problem is where I'm getting married is over 3.5 hours away & I don't drive so can't get there as oft as I like. Going in November but meeting florist & a photographer so won't have much time left that trip. Geez apologies, a longer post than I meant it to be ? xx