May 2012 Brides (and Grooms) + Diary of a 2012 Bride

clairus

Clever clogs, What a lovely website, makes me want to get started on ours.
How are you all 'publicising' your sites? We aren't doing Save The Dates so the first time we will properly commuicate with all our guests is when we send the invites out.

MsShopper wrote: »

We're marrying in a Catholic church outside of our parish (it's my dad's parish church) so I think there's all sorts of logistical nonsense to overcome.

Same for us MsShopper, we are getting married at my primary school Catholic church, about 70 miles away from where we currently live, but where my parents live, 10 miles from where his parents live, and in the area-ish where 80% of our guests live. The priest told us we need to get a Blue form from our local Town Hall (?) when we register the wedding as we are getting married out of the area, I am hoping they will know more about this magical blue form... Then there is the need for a Registrar to make the marriage legal, but apparently they will sort that for us. Fingers crossed that it is easier than it sounds.

So has anyone got any exciting weekend plans, wedding related or otherwise? OH is working this weekend so I am visiting my sister (one of my bridesmaids) and taking my wedding box, bouquet box and box of stupid paper cranes (which I am keen to launch out of the window on the motorway!) so she can have a rummage/help out.

bride2be2012

well my flower girl dresses arrived today, and am very pleased with them! I'll probably have to get my sister's one changed from a zip up to lace up back, she wears a back brace and the dress only just zips up over the brace at the moment, and we're guessing she will have grown a bit by the time May comes around! OH's niece loves the dress as well, she didn't want to take it off this morning when she tried it on!

I'm now going to enjoy the peace and sunny weather with a cheeky cider out in the back garden, now all my visitors have gone home! Hope everyone else is having a good weekend! xx

ruthybabs

Hi all, hope you're enjoying the weekend. The rain has finally stopped up here so been able to get this rabble out from under my feet and tackled the garden today. Looks loads better, but won't last very long!

Have had a couple of friends and their children staying over the last few days which has been chaotic! Lovely to see them, but was madness with my tribe and the others who are all toddlers. And then MIL popped in with my nephews as they were getting on her nerves, so we had 6 under 5s, 2 others and 2 stroppy teenagers all stuck in the house because it was pouring down, while all we wanted to do was throw them in the garden, have a glass of wine and a really good catch up (I moved away and haven't seen them face to face since before Easter.)

Probably a good job h2B is away as the noise and debris would have probably finished him off (he's a tidy freak!)! They all left today so been able to get the house straight again and enjoy the peace! My brother and his girlfriend are coming on Monday though with 6 of their children so back to disaster zone once more! They're only staying one night fortunately!

Anyway, back to weddings!

bride2be- So glad your flowergirl dresses are what you want, it's exciting having these things in the flesh now isn't it! They looked lovely on the pictures. Good that they came in time while your visitors were there too so she could try them

clairus-hope you got some more cranes made, I think you're a saint or mad for even attempting it! Nice to have a bit of time with your sister though. I hope you get the mystical paperwork sorted soon. Pocket fold invitations look so classy, they'll be lovely whatever you decide on.

cleverclogs-your website is fab! I'm glad your venue is working out after all that stress. Exciting that you're waiting for dresses too-hope they're lovely.

poppleminster - hope everything is ready for the baby then you can enjoy him/her and forget about the wedding for a little while. All the whinging toddlers fighting over the same toy/cup/seat for the last few days has just about cured me of any broody thoughts, but I'm sure they'll resurface before long!

msshopper - I know what you mean about waiting for payday, they seem to be getting further apart! Good news about the new printer though, sure there's lots you can test on it that will save you some money so you only have to pay for the formal invitations if you can do order of service etc on that and you are so good with all that graphic stuff too.

Is that everybody? Sorry if I've missed anyone. I keep popping on to read what's happening, but haven't had time to reply, so a few days to comment on. I love reading everyone's news though.

My news - well the dresses have arrived for the adults today, cue super excitement at the door! My DDs were literally jumping up and down! But they were really, really poor, we were so disappointed! I know they were cheap dresses, but honestly they look it! There is smocking at the back and plastic sliders on the straps to adjust them but they look so nasty. We tried them on with heels etc but it didn't improve things, so they're going back and we'll have to start looking again. At least with choosing black though, there's bound to be plenty to choose from before Xmas. And the majority of my clothes come from Tesco or Matalan or somewhere, so I know you can get good quality things on a lower budget, you just have to look a bit harder! Hope when DDs dresses come they won't be as disappointing.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend xxx

Cleverclogs

I hope the paper cranes are nearly done by now Clairus! I've been sewing flags for our bunting by hand and it is taking forever so I know how you feel...I'm starting to wish I'd been less MSE and just bought it! I'm waiting for the OH to update his info on the website and then I just planned on texting/emailing/verbally announcing the website address to our friends. We aren't doing Save the Dates either so I might just put the link on Facebook!

I'm so glad your flowergirl dresses arrived and look great Bride2be. I picked up the dress I ordered for my flowergirl from Tesco at the weekend and I am pleasantly surprised by the quality. Looking at it, I think it's going to be too big but if you are looking for dresses on a budget ruthybabs, I can thoroughly recommend Tesco! The bridesmaid dresses I ordered from eBay arrived and they were beautiful but unfortunately they were massively big so I've had to re-eBay them. I'm hoping I can get my money back (and it'd be great if I made a profit!). I've bought another couple of bridesmaid dresses from eBay so fingers crossed these ones fit! My OH is starting to get irritated by the amount of formalwear clogging up the spare room...

Have had a busy weekend with MIL2B & FIL2B to stay. Things have been rather tense lately with my MIL2B. I invited her dress shopping with me (as my mother isn't interested & I thought it would be nice to involve her), but she wasn't exactly happy to be there. Even H2B noticed her bad mood which is saying a lot as he's normally oblivious! Not sure if we have some underlying issues there as she did seem to get quite irritated every time we mentioned the wedding - but I think she just doesn't want her son to get married! We'll see how that develops...Anyway I did order my dress at the weekend (despite MIL2B lack of enthusiasm!). Second try and I still loved it - so it has to be the one. Wedding car is now booked. And we've had a quote from a company for uplighting, starlight backdrop and chair covers. It seems to be rather expensive so looks like I'll have to shop around a bit. And on top of that I have to shop around as my car insurance is up at the end of the month and I'm praying my money pit of a car passes its MOT this week...it feels never-ending!!!

ruthybabs

Hello lovely May brides and grooms. All gone quiet here.

Cleverclogs-glad your dress is ordered, how exciting! Do you have a preview? Sure we'll coo even if MIL isn't over excited! I loved one of the flowergirl dresses in Tesco, but it doesn't seem to go big enough for my DD. Have to keep looking I think, but still time and there is one in Next i have my eye on. Hope the car gets through and doesn't cost more money.

Survived the visit from my brother and 6 of his kids although got a bit hectic come feeding time with 10 kids! Have enjoyed a nice calm day with just my tribe today after a very busy week. Been dropped in the sh*t by HMRC who have made a mistake and cancelled my tax credits leaving me thoroughly skint! Was planning to order my dress but have had to use that money for living expenses instead while it's sorted out. Should work out within a couple of weeks, but it's so frustrating and H2B isn't here to whinge to. Haven't told him as he's a worrier so no point upsetting him while he's away but going a bit mad at the moment! Have to move house in 6 weeks and the new house won't be ready so going to have to stay with MIL for a week or 2 and need to sort out new school for DD3 which is obviously hard work in the summer holidays! Anyway sorry for moaning! H2B is coming home in 2 weeks hooray!!!!!

Haven't been able to do much for the wedding this week as have had a houseful all week, but been trying to sort out some music. Not the definitive list, but with DD2 we have so far come up with
walking down the aisle a grower! Appropriate to us as we have spent so much time in different countries and the 17 years we spent apart in the middle.
signing the register dd2 interviewed Elbow once and I just love this track
walking out not sure about this one yet but want something really upbeat-any suggestions?

Really want God only knows by the beach boys but can't have it because not secular! Maybe it could be a 1st dance thing-whole new minefield to cross there with H2B who isn't a dancer!

Have also been talked into a sweetie buffet and found a beautiful crystal bowl with a lid today in a charity shop so that's on it's way.
Hoping the sun will be out tomorrow so can go to the beach and get some pebbles for placenames.

How's everyone else getting on?

ruthybabs

Just a quick post to let you know I've ordered our rings today!!! Very excited! Don't know if you remember, but we're having the rings made from a wedding ring that belonged to his godmother ( who was likw his grandma and brought him up.) Really nice to have something that means so much and I think the most expensive part of the day so far, but the only part that we get to keep.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend x

Cleverclogs

Hi everyone, how is the planning coming along? Great to hear you've ordered your rings ruthybabs and I love your music suggestions. I might steal the Elbow track!!!

Anyway, it didn't have MIL2B approval but this is The Dress!



Having just about recovered from our weekend with the in-laws, things are rumbling on this end. I'm now on bridesmaid dresses round 3, as previous ones didn't fit or I didn't like them once they were on (although I have managed to sell round 1 dresses for a £47 profit on eBay! Round 2 dresses will be going on shortly!) so I'm about to give up and ask them to wear any old thing at this rate! I've set up an online account with Thomas Cook for our honeymoon gift donations, and I need to add the link to our wedding website.

My glassware collection for the sweetie buffet is slowly growing, I've ordered the sweetie bags and also some ceramic dishes in the shape of letters spelling LOVE. I'm also exploring cake pop recipes and might give these a trial run at the weekend as an alternative to cupcakes...

We think we've got venue decoration sorted and I'm now trying to find a florist. OH paid the photographer yesterday and I think it just hit him how much it's costing us to get married. I however, have come in under budget on all the things I've been responsible for. He is the one going over budget - so a bit of a wake up call was probably necessary!

MsShopper

Cleverclogs, your dress is *gorgeous*!!!! You are going to look divine! (Ignore your MIL2B!)

I'm a bit jealous of yours and ruthybabs' sweetie buffet plans. I've seen some lovely ones by MSE posters, and I know I'd enjoy finding lovely glasses bowls and jars - not to mention sourcing yummy retro sweets! But my OH doesn't want one, and I'm also a bit wary of the younger guests going on mad sugar highs! But hmmmmm I might have to think some more about it before we completely rule it out!

My only major development is that I'm making headway with the adult BM dresses, which are by Alfred Sung and kind of '60s/Mad Men in style. I love 'em, and am lucky in that I can order/get delivered in the States and have a friend bring them back for me when he visits at Christmas (so they work out around half the UK price).

On Saturday I took three of the four girls to bridal shops to try some on, though annoyingly two of them like the exact same dress! (I'd prefer them in different styles in the same fabric/colour.) So I'm trying to arrange appointments at other dress shops this week to try on other styles.

Then this weekend it's the MOH's turn. I have to order them all by early next week so they'll be delivered in time.

Here's what's been picked so far (but in midnight blue):


And hopefully this one too (my fave):


Sorry for the massive pics. Hope everyone else's plans are coming along nicely!

Dolly<3

I'm not a 2012 bride so probably the odd one out on this thread, but was just having a browse through and Ms Shopper I love those bridesmaid dresses!!

Cheeky question but where are they from and what prices are they? I love that they all have a similar look but are slightly different and am sure will look beautiful in your colour scheme

MsShopper

Thanks Dolly! They're Alfred Sung dresses (you can view the full range here - and look for UK stockists here).

The UK prices I've seen are around £160-£180. I'm buying them from a US store for around $125 each - £75 - plus free shipping. (Jammy, I know!)