September 2012 Brides and Grooms

White_Sapphire

Welcome to the thread Debbie! Of course you're allowed here

Re photographers, contacting the local college is a good idea if there is no way that you can find the budget to get a professional, but do your research and treat anyone you choose the same way you would if you were dealing with a pro - portfolios, meet face to face etc. Your daughter and son in law to be might be lucky and find a very talented photographer, but a lot of it is down to experience - knowing where to be and when, and knowing how to get a feel for the day through the photos - it's no easy task even if they take 1,000 photos during the day! My H2B and I haven't decided how to deal with the photographer situation yet, but if there is any way to afford a good pro by cutting back on other things then we will do so.

natc, your venue sounds ace! The price is very good considering what's included, although it is still a lot of money to spend in normal terms!! And don't talk to me about going over budget - I'm avoiding the spreadsheet as every time I look at it I want to cry lol!

Debbiecatal

Thanks for the welcome!

We live in Hereford and David's family are from Cardiff so we are hoping to have the village hall in Dingestow just outside Monmouth - it is so pretty! See monmouthshire-halls.org.uk (sorry, new user so can't post links) to see how lovely it is!

We are going to look round it next Saturday. They are having a really private civil ceremony in the morning and then a humanist ceremony at 2pm in the afternoon. The ceremony, reception and evening buffet will all be in the same place so this wll save a lot of money.

Catherine is very arty crafty so is making the invitations, orders of service etc herself and we are going to make bunting by buying cheap sari silk, cutting it into strips and tying it onto cord in big bows. Her colours are champagne, teal and gold and we have already bought 10 teal crystal tea light bowls to be the centrepiece of the table decorations. We got them on ebay on a best offer for £30 the lot! Catherine has already bought her shoes and her veil on ebay because the price was too good to miss - so we have top and bottom sorted - just the rest to sort out. Think we will probably go down the China route for the dresses, and hire the men's suits etc.

We have friends or family who can do: cars, catering, flowers, cake, and live band, and will make the rest ourselves. Our budget is £5500 and hopefully won't go over by much. We are saving via premium bonds as the interest rates are so rubbish at the moment and this way we might win the cost of the wedding!

I am an IT trainer so I have done a massive spreadsheet with all the estimates in each area and as we spend money we enter it in and the spreadsheet sorts out whether we are on budget or not in each area so this should keep us on track.

It seems so far away in some ways, and in others, it seems like it will come really quickly so we need to get moving!

vh122

HI EVERYONE!!!!!

I am not a sept 2012 bride!!!!! woooohhhhooo!! I started reading all your comments and had to scroll back up to see if i saw correctly.. sept 2012!! All you guys are soooooooooo organised!!! Cant believe you have so many things booked/sorted!!
I have done nothing!! Aint even set a date!! i think i should be worried!!

nuttymummy

hi debbie, yeah i wanted bunting for mine, but ive decided to make pom poms instead ive just ordered 180 sheets of the stuff to make them LOL
i like the thought of making your own things for wedding, kind of puts an even more personal stamp on the day

and i know what you mean about it seeming to be ages off, but when you are so busy planning etc, it just flies by!! i know it does when i make cakes....one cake leads to another and before you know it 3 months has gone by without you noticing! LOL

your exactly right Fiona about the photographer they need to know exactly where to be, and get those most important shots. good advice there xx

welcome vh122!! do you have an idea of a date you want to get married? i was told to book as much as you can early as places can get booked up way ahead without you noticing. good luck xx

vh122

thanks nuttymummy!!

Yea i know.. ive been ringing around venues to see whats avail rather than me getting my heart set on a date... dont even know if im going to have the civil ceremony with my indian wedding or seperate.
so confused.. i think thats why nothings progressed!

nuttymummy

I was very confused at first....and was still not long back, but once you stick to a venue, stick to your orginal plan youll feel so much better and things just become easier.
I was worried about the plans during the day with what we would eat etc but ive stuck to the original plan and i feel so much better.

The girls here really help out too xx

vh122

aww i know.. ive been reading all the girls seem so helpful its so nice.. and we all so excited! lol its great!

welll.. heres how it is.. if i do my civil ceremony with my indian wedding... then i got to find a venue that holds a license...

n if i do it seperately then i can find a venue that dont hold a license..

confusing... if a civil ceremony then i have to do a wedding reception which i have no clue about what the costings can be!

Debbiecatal

OK guys, does anyone know the answer to this question?

Catherine and David have decided to have a cash bar at their evening buffet - there is already a bar in the venue, we will just have to get a licence and a pub in to run it. I am pretty sure the venue will have a preferred supplier, but we have no idea how this works - do we pay a fee to the supplier or does he just come in and make a profit from the bar sales? If we pay a fee what would be a sensible fee - I don't mind paying one but I don't want to be ripped off!

Thanks for any help you can give

Debbie

nuttymummy

lol id love to help but i havent got a clue! LOL

joanneinwonderland

Hi Debbie!

All welcome here! Nice to hear of another humanist ceremony. Neither of us are particularly religious and I've heard they are more personal than a registrar. There is a website in Scotland all about it I presume there is similar in England where you can read up on their belief's etc.

As for the bar I think possibly ask the venue if they have a preferred supplier...I think they would have a few to be honest and you can call round and see. If they don't I would contact the local pub to see if they would do an external bar as for whether they charge I have no idea but you would just need to ask.

Interested to hear about getting a dress made in China I have thought about it but would worry a wee bit I think? Still not sure I can cope spending as much on a dress as the shops here cost!

Our photographer is our splash out treat! Fell in love with him and although he's at the top of our budget he's within it and we keep copyright! If you want to snoop his name is Scott Hogg website www.scotthogg.com Oh I love him!

Have done no wedding stuff this week. Oh bar my mum giving me a lovely sparkly pen today for our guest book Oh and putting money into the wedding account!

xx