January 2011 brides thread

4nnabella

OK, so, me and fran-o are pretty much the only people on here getting married in January next year it would seem (and by wonderful coincidence on the same day!). And as much as I love lurking on the other 'month' threads, I feel left out cos I haven't got one of my own! So I'm starting one! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

11 weeks tomorrow for me (us :rotfl:) !! As some people may have noticed from my earlier post, I got a call today from my dress shop, to let me know that my gorgeous Maggie Sottero dress has arrived (6 weeks early as I wasn't expecting it to come in until December!). Due to them having a small window in which to send dresses back in case of problems, I am having to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow and drive 50 miles down to Northamptonshire to have my first fitting, not that I'm complaining, mind you! Am going to put my shoes and necklace by the door before I go to bed tonight so I don't forget to take them with me!

Other things we have now done:
all invites have been distributed, our rsvps are starting to come back in

venue all booked

caterers - had menu tasting session last month and finalised meal choices. still need to confirm choices for canapes for drinks reception but will do that in two weeks when we go to our venue for an open evening as caterers will be there.

band booked, deposit paid. they are doing acoustic music during the ceremoy and drinks reception and then live sets for the evening entertainment. we have confirmed our first dance song, which they are going to learn (Iris - GooGoo Dolls)

readings chosen for ceremony, just need to ask two people to read them!

cake sorted, and have sent the woman who's making it a sample of our ribbon so she can try and match the icing colour to the same purple

flowers - had an inital meeting with a florist. need to send her a sample of the ribbon too so she knows what the colour theme is.

candelabras for table centrepieces booked

table crystals bought, still trying to decide whether to have mirror plates or not...

favours - am making up little goody bags for people, so still need to get some little miniatures of things for the boys and the bags to put them in. I also am going to put name cards on them so they can double up as the place settings so need to get some card to make those, and more of our purple ribbon to tie them to the bags with.

ummmmmm, what else....

bridesmaid dresses have been bought, altered and are now tucked away in my wardrobe. both the girls have gorgeous purple dresses from John Lewis, and we've bought lilac fur shrugs (and a matching ivory one for me) and they'll have lilac shoes (but not matching as they both like different things)

my OH has recently bought his suit, just need to find him a shirt, tie and possibly waistcoat to wear, plus new shoes. My mum found these socks so has bought a pair for my OH, my Dad, OH's Dad, and best man, oh and my brother I think. We'll also get a couple of pairs for the two ushers.

Sorry for the uber-long post! Am making up for lost time, what with not having a January 2011 thread! :rotfl::rotfl: (I think it may just turn into my wedding diary, feel free to read or not!)

4nnabella

so, you may have seen the pics from my dress fitting this morning on my other thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2825518 It was absolutely brilliant! The dress is perfect (well, nothing a good steam won't fix anyway) and fits like a glove. Can't wait until I get to put it on again now. That'll probably be at the beginning of December when I have my hair trial.

Have got my make-up trial in two weeks time as well!

This week also marks the start of my renewed focus on my weight loss/beauty regime! I have vowed to myself to do the whole cleanse/tone/moisturise thing twice a day (currently only once, I never bother taking my makeup off when I go to bed which, considering I wear black kohl eyeliner everyday, means I wake up to serious panda eyes... my OH must seriously wonder what on earth he's marrying sometimes...) and also to do my Davina dvd at least three times a week. I'd love to lose a stone by January so need to start now!!

fran-o

Yay thanks for starting the thread 4nnabella!
I am way behind on everything but getting there!! I swing between wedding joy & wedding stress but loving it all really!

Venue booked, registrar booked.
Disco booked.
Cake to be made by my Mum this month! She is investigating stands...
Bridesmaid dresses bought (also purple!)
Table centres - sorted with florist
Bouquets - to be done by a friend, who I need to chat with soon!
Photography - arranged with a friend who takes lots of weddings as a second job/ hobby
Invitations sent
Dress on order (due in this week or next) & shoes bought
Groom's suit on order (due in this week)
Honeymoon booked
One and a half stone lost

Next few jobs to do -
Tasting at venue next week
Dress fitting & choose accessories
Confirm chair covers
Few more lbs to shift (or at least not put back on!!)

My hen do is this weekend and is a big secret...! I will be told on the morning apparently!! :beer:

4nnabella

Yay you found the thread fran-o!!

You sound perfectly well-organised

I had a minor panic today, only literally a five second one, but the girl I'm having my make up done by sent me a text message today asking if I wanted to arrange a trial. I replied saying that I thought we had already organised it for the 13th November, as that what was I had in my diary, so had a very teeny tiny panic that I would have to rearrange that. I know it's only the trial but I've already had to reschedule my hair trial twice due to the hairdresser having to change his plans and I'm running out of weekends!

I've also lost a stone and a half so far and am wanting to lose a few more. I'd like to get into a good place before Christmas so I can relax a bit around food! We're going to OH's parent's for Christmas day, and his mum always makes masses of food, even when it's just a Sunday lunch, so goodness knows how much food she lays on at Christmas! Then we're going to my parents on Boxing Day, where there will be more food! So the plan is to really focus over the next 8 weeks and try to lose the best part of a stone, although that might be a bit ambitious, but I'll give it a go .

fran-o

Feeling a bit gutted....
My wedding dress was made to fit correct length (measured with wedding shoes on in July) so that it would not have to be altered - it has a scallop style bottom so it works out cheaper to make it to fit than to adjust.
The dress shop just called and the dress has arrived too short... I am going to have a new one in standard length to arrive end of the month and the seamstress at the shop will make adjustments.
A bit gutted that I had made the effort to get shoes and measure up for nothing. But more sad that its another month til I get to try on my dress now! booo

4nnabella

Oh no fran-o, that's terrible! I hope they're not charging you for the alterations you'll need to have done when your dress is ready! Such a shame you went to all the trouble of ordering it supposedly to the right length and it's come in too short but at least they're sorting it and it will be the end of the month before you know it!

fran-o

Hen do was last weekend - it was fantastic! At home during the day with jewellery making in the morning, pampering in the afternoon, and then out in nearby Wimbledon in the evening! The girls had gone to so much trouble and thought of everything, it was so lovely! Sunday was a complete write-off though... so hungover!!

Went for menu tasting at our venue last night which was great, all the food was lovely and we have decided on a duck main course.

Today OH and I went to pick up his suit - he looks fab in it, a total relief as he is very tall (6ft8) so buying clothes can be tricky. The suit place has thrown in two 'cadburys purple' ties for OH & best man too. Its a really funny old fashioned place - like 'Suits you Sir' off the Fast Show, but thankfully with a few more modern choices!

Still lots to do but getting there little by little, 9 weeks to go!

4nnabella

Yay glad you had a good hen night fran-o! Jewellery making sounds fab!

I had my make-up trial today, and I'm so pleased with it, she's done a fantastic job. Gorgeous MAC make-up, which I wish I could afford to buy for everyday use! It seems to have lasted well today, will go check it out again in the next x-factor break!

Next on the list is a visit to a seamstress on Tuesday afternoon to have something added to my dress so I can bustle the train up in the evening, and also some extra beading added on the back. Then on Tuesday evening we're going to an open evening at our venue. We'll see our caterers and photographer and also get to do a bit more wine tasting

4nnabella

Yay have sorted my table plan! We're still actually waiting for about five rsvps back (the deadline was only today, so have got OH to send out a few gentle reminders as it's mainly his friends just to get every reply back...) but have done table plan on the assumption that they're coming and then can take them out if they rsvp no.

Some of OH's friends are messing him about though which is a bit disappointing. We went to a wedding the other week of some friend's of his, and the groom's brother said that they had booked the hotel for our wedding, and they had already RSVP'd to say they were coming a few weeks ago. Then when we got to work this morning, OH sent me a message to say he'd had a text from this friend who said they were now not able to come to the wedding as they were going on holiday! Now, I'm all for a bit of winter sun, but when you've already accepted a wedding invitation, *and* booked your hotel, surely you wouldn't then go and book a holiday a week later for the same weekend?? Or is that just me...?

fran-o

gosh you are organised - we are still waiting on quite a few replies - the deadline we gave people was this saturday (20th) so will be chasing before the end of the week! Hopefully there wont be too many headaches on the table plan, only a few family feuds...!
Shame you are having RSVP issues, there will always be fools who miss out! One we are waiting on looks to be abroad by his facebook page, shame he didn't rsvp before he went...
Job for this week is chasing RSVPs, deciding ceremony details and at the weekend shopping for wedding undies!

4nnabella

Yeah, family feuds are always fun to have to work around!!

I feel like I'm going to be spending a lot of time on the M1 over the next couple of weeks... Have got dress fitting and open evening at venue tomorrow, then going down again for planning meeting at the venue on the 30th, then have got visit with florist and hair trial on the 4th December. At 50 miles each way it's not a massive difference but I could do without having to fill up my little car with petrol every five mins right now!

Other jobs for this week - send off cheques to pay balance for cake and fire performers as then that's them sorted.