Additional meals/parties

grastgirl

Just registered for project wedding. Looking at their checklist thing, I should be having an engagement party, rehearsal dinner, and post-wedding brunch, not that I am.

Granted it's an American based website, but doesn't this seem totally excessive considering weddings are expensive as it is?

Must admit the checklist is good for covering pretty much everything, but there's a lot of things I'm crossing off because we're just not having them (videographer, rehearsal dinner etc). Does look like they expect you to start planning early, this months list is huge!

purplesmiler82

I'm signed up to a different site and their list is similar, like you I am not planning on having a lot of them but it is helpful to see what I should be doing and the email reminders keep me on track.

I was very suprised at the early planning.... so far ive booked the registrar and venue but now decided that I can afford to take a break from it all for a while!!

Horace

Wedding planning is a complicated and lengthy process - don't want to frighten you but it can take 6-9 weeks of solid planning including finding and visiting the venue - it can take longer if you are doing it all yourself. (it can take less if the wedding is really small and you have a small venue etc).

These days some people tend not to have engagement parties, if you are getting married in a church then it is advisable to have a rehearsal (some vicars insist on it) but you don't have to have a full blown meal afterwards.

Americans spend a lot more on weddings than we do in the UK and so they ensure that they have the most expensive time ever when it is sometimes better to be less ostentatious.

grastgirl

Glad I'm not the only one thingking it's a few too many meals.

I've already booked venue, caterers, registrar, photographer and have my dress, I'm in the process of sorting cake, and evening food, so I think I'm mostly on track, although I am glad I've been off work for most of it.

Biggest headaches at the moment are flowers and DJ.

mellymeep

Yeah I follow a lot of the American wedding blogs just for the occasional bit of inspiration, but I've stopped reading them so much now because they were starting to make me feel inferior, I can't afford to spend over 20k on my wedding, can barely afford 10% of that to be honest, but I know I'm still going to be having a brilliant time

And I thought it was going to be a complicated process planning as well, but we had a large chunk of the checklist done in about a month! Only big things we're needing to do now is find the suit, but thats because my OH has a natural aversion to shopping!

raspabarbas

We are thinking of having a dinner the night before (after the church rehearsal) mainly because it will be a chance for my family and my fiance's to meet each other before the day! His family are flying in from abroad so our parents haven't met yet, so I thought it would be a nice ice breaker, plus it means no-one has to do the cooking for 20 people...

Horace

For DJs try entertainment agencies - or ask your venue if they use any particular person or if they could recommend someone.

Flowers - if you want fresh visit a few florists, tell them your colour scheme and what type of dress you are having A line etc. You might think that this is odd but bouquets are made to suit the style of dress to a certain extent...get quotations too.

grastgirl

mellymeep wrote: »

Only big things we're needing to do now is find the suit, but thats because my OH has a natural aversion to shopping!

Sounds familiar, although my OH is having problems finding a ring as well, he doesn't wear jewellery, in fact he rarely wears a nice watch.

floss2

We're having a family meal the night before, in our fave local restaurant as we're getting married in our home town

laura.1984

I am having rehearsal dinner, and post-wedding brunch because my h2b is half american and has lived there for most of his life. I have only been to one wedding in the UK where they had a post wedding brunch this was because we all stayed over at the hotel (St Andrews Old Course). It was very cute as we all went out after and flew kites lol

frannyann

My daughter, Mum and I are staying in the hotel the night before for a girlie evening! We will meet most guests in the morning for breakfast, but its not 'formal' just how it works out!