Miss Jackrabbit, Brighton, UKAge and Occupation: 26, Office ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SongwriterEngagement Date: October 5, 2012Wedding Date: September 2013Venue: Fabrica Gallery, BrightonAbout Me: I honestly thought I'd go all Monica Geller when I started planning our wedding, but in truth, things couldn't have gone much differently. I am working my way through this venture, figuring things out as I go, and adopting a 'Que Sera, Sera,' approach to making decisions. When I'm not organising the biggest day of my life, I can usually be found drinking a glass of wine, crafting up one thing or another, or stopping my cat from head-butting me in the face.
I follow a UK group on Facebook called 10 ways to have more money as a student, without working. It’s brilliant—every day pictures are posted with deals, codes, and other awesome finds. I’ve got a few things because of that site. Free food with vouchers, 1p chocolates, and even a one terabyte external hard drive!
A couple of months ago they made me aware of an offer that was on at a supermarket. Twenty-five percent off when you buy two cases of French wine. And one (gorgeous) wine I had my eye on was already over 50% off. Add to that a voucher for £12 off a £60 spend, and my brother’s 10% discount and well…£12 bottle of wine for just under £4.
Our venue was going to charge us £10 a bottle of wine, or £6 corkage—so at £4 a bottle it’s pretty much the same price to bring in our own. But I’d much rather have a bottle of Chablis than a bog-standard Chardonnay, so we’ve done good.
And if we were buying white, we may as well buy some red, too. Amazingly, this offer extended to all cases of wine the week after, so we had our pick of the reds! I hit up the Tesco Wines website and the first thing I did was look for discounts. What was the point in buying a £5 bottle of wine if I could get a £5 bottle of wine that used to be £10 or more?
I wasn’t to be caught by the cheeky discounts, though. You know the ones—where they stick up a £5 bottle of wine for £10 for like, a week, just so they can say it’s half price when it goes back down? You’re not fooling me this time! Only the good stuff for this party!
Miss Panda, Boston, MAAge and Occupation: 26, Graduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Graduate StudentEngagement Date: June 27, 2011Wedding Date: June 2013About Me: I love window shopping, cute animals, crafting, baking, and most forms of procrastination. I tend to be overly meticulous with choices to a point of complete and total indecision. Mr. PBear and I met and live in the amazing city of Boston. We are big nerds who love trying new foods, playing video games, and cuddling with our adorable hamster. After 5 years together, we are planning an intimate, DIY-heavy, vintage garden themed, nonreligious wedding in the city where we fell in love.
Hive! We did it! The Pandas are now married and it was a beautiful, beautiful day. It was a gorgeous June afternoon and it went by with a blink of an eye.
Guest picture
Was it perfect? Well, no…but it was pretty darn close. I am still glowing from all of the love and excitement. It was an amazing experience and I just love seeing all of the guest pictures rolling in.
I know I’ve been evading discussion about my dress, so I feel like I should make a note of it here. I guess from the very beginning, I had a gut feeling that I would end up wearing this—it’s Wtoo Olivia! After looking at these pictures, I can’t believe I ever doubted my choice! It was absolutely perfect!
Miss Waterfall, MontrealAge and Occupation: 27, Litigation AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Political Attaché for a Member of ParliamentEngagement Date: September 17, 2011Wedding Date: June 2013Venue: Le WindsorAbout Me: I am a loud, crazy Cuban girl who comes from a small but incredibly overbearing and tight-knit family; I'm a girly girl and a Scorpio who loves roller coasters, drinks too much coffee, and sings along to everything. By day, I’m a bad-ass litigation attorney, and by night, an overly excited bride-to-be and (wannabe) DIY goddess. I’m marrying the sweetest, most romantic and patient French-Canadian boy who balances me out perfectly, makes me laugh every single day, and loves my eight-year-old golden retriever like his very own. We watch way too much TV and get super competitive over board games and trivia. We can’t wait to say “I do” in Montreal`s oldest chapel, just a few months shy of our 10-year anniversary.
…that is the question…which Mr. Waterfall and I have debated way too much over the course of our engagement. Guys, this is much worse than the Great Chiavari Battle!
Remember my wedding vision that I’ve had since I was a little girl? Yeah, that one. It didn’t include satin or taffeta; it included tulle, layers upon layers of tulle. And while most of my wedding vision has evolved beyond my five-year-old self, that particular element has remained constant. Sure, I can appreciate the beauty of lace, chiffon, and organza, but I dream of tulle!
One small problem: Mr. W’s vision did NOT include tulle, at all. As in, he hates tulle as much as he hates Chiavaris! Maybe more!
I realize that I’m the bride and the dress should really be about me and what I want and what makes me feel beautiful…at least that’s what every bridal consultant would have me believe…but Mr. Waterfall’s opinion matters to me! I’ve dreamed of his reaction when he first sees me coming down the aisle, and ideally it would look like this:
Mrs. Palm Tree, Pittsburgh, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Lease AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Associate Systems AnalystEngagement Date: December 22, 2011Wedding Date: May 2013Venue: The Fez in Aliquippa, PAAbout Me: I’m Miss Palm Tree - an opinionated, loyal and outgoing bride-to-be. I currently work as a Lease Analyst by day and a catering assistant by night. Mr. Palm Tree is a Computer Engineer with a love for all things cats. Mr. Palm Tree and I are absolute soul mates. Having grown up across the street from each other (I have the scars to prove it), we have been a part of each other’s lives for almost as long as we can remember. We are far from perfect: we fight, we get annoyed with each other and we certainly take advantage of knowing one another so well when pushed to the edge, but ultimately, what truly defines us as a couple is our love.
I interrupt the scheduled honeymoon recaps to bring you news of a long-awaited chop.
That’s right, folks, my locks were hacked off the Tuesday after we returned because I just could NOT take it any longer. (Haha, no pun intended and when I caught it, I laughed.)
As a reminder (you know, in case you weren’t tracking my hair length on your own…), here’s how freaking long and annoying my hair was before the scissors got involved:
Miss Road Trip, TallahasseeAge and Occupation: 36, Writer, Artist & BookkeeperFiance's Age and Occupation: 47, AccountantEngagement Date: September 30, 2011Wedding Date: November, 2013Venue: Honey Lake PlantationAbout Me: Born in Louisiana (I share my birthday with the state, which I think is pretty cool), I'm a Florida transplant who has (mostly) stopped trying to escape the state and surrendered to its particular charms. I believe in the power of creativity, cocktails, (parenthetical asides), and laughter (usually at my own expense). Riding shotgun, Mr. Road Trip is a Nebraska native who still hasn't gotten used to the Florida version of "winter" but loves woodworking as much as I love paper and paints. We're a couple of sci-fi and gaming geeks who always break for wine tastings. Our wine-a-plenty morning wedding will be small with lots of DIY touches. And lots of bacon.
The vocabulary lesson is over—now it’s time to figure out how to get the best possible results from whichever printer you choose for your wedding stationery. Maybe you’re going with a local commercial shop, the nearest FedEx/Kinko’s, or maybe you’re getting ready to upload your files to one of the many online print-on-demand services out there. Regardless of who you choose to print your stuff, there’s one rule that is universal:
Garbage In = Garbage Out
If you give your printer 72 dpi clip art you yanked off the web (or paid the minimum on a stock image site for the smallest file size), it’s going to look like pixelated crap when it comes off that press, and there’s nothing anyone can do to fix it. If you don’t allow for a bleed in your design, you’re going to either end up with a white border around your image or some of the printed area cut off—and that might include the words if you’re not careful! And if you give them files of the wrong color mode, the colors you so carefully picked on your computer monitor are very likely to look very, very different.
To avoid those unfortunate situations (and a whole host of others like them), here’s some tips on setting up your files correctly for commercial printing.
Just to give you an idea of how close you can cut it—any more than one insert, though, and you’d need to make your invitation smaller.
Miss Camera, Charlotte, NC/Charleston, SCAge and Occupation: 27 & Emergency Room Physician Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31 & Newspaper Editor/Designer
Engagement Date: October 7, 2012Wedding Date: September 2013Venue: The Island House, Charleston, SCAbout Me: I'm a north-to-south transplant, currently living in Charlotte, North Carolina, but still representing all things Pittsburgh, PA. One month after I moved to NC, I went on a date with a guy I met on Match.com, and now we're getting married! I work in a busy Emergency Room as a Physician Assistant and while the hours are sometimes difficult, I can't see myself doing anything else. I live with my fiance in uptown Charlotte. We have an opinionated 5 year old tabby cat named Milo and a sweet, but rambunctious 8 month old mutt named Charlie (short for Charlotte - she's a girl!). I've embraced Southern culture, and our wedding is no exception---what better location than Charleston, SC? I watch too much TV and know every word to every episode of Friends (I've watched The One With Monica and Chandler's Wedding at least a hundred times...hope I have enough money for Wedding Scenario A!). I love baking cupcakes, cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penn State Nittany Lions and am openly addicted to celebrity gossip and pop culture.
Sorry for the lag in posting, but I’m having some family health issues. Anyway, back on track—our wedding is turning into the most expensive backyard cookout of all time. It’s under a tent, next to a river…but there will be no vans in site, sorry Matt Foley…
Image via GifSoup.com
Early on we decided we did not want the hotel ballroom wedding with crystal chandeliers and uplighting in our designated wedding colors. We knew we wanted it to be more about having a good time and a fun experience, which in our circle of friends means two things: drinking and cornhole.
Growing up and going to college in Pennsylvania, we didn’t play much of this wonderful game. When I moved to North Carolina, it was everywhere I turned:
Miss Bicycle, Tallahassee, FL/Savannah, GAAge and Occupation: 30, Staff Director for Florida LegislatureFiance's Age and Occupation: 46, Government AffairsEngagement Date: August 16, 2012Wedding Date: October 2013Venue: Trinity United Methodist Church/GaribaldiAbout Me: I'm a Northerner by birth and a Southerner at heart, rooting for the New York Yankees all summer and the New Orleans Saints in the fall. Mr. Bicycle is a born-and-raised Floridian who lives for Gator football. We are political junkies and triathletes who love to travel and enjoy good food and wine. We have 16 years between us, and I am excited about becoming a step-mom to two great children. Our fleur de lis-filled wedding will be held one magical October evening in Savannah, Georgia, and we cannot wait!
Like many brides, I want to be somewhat “traditional” on my wedding day, but at the same time I want our day to reflect us. I think we are planning a good mix of what traditions to use and to what lose.
Traditions to Use
First Dance: I will go into more detail later, but we are already so excited for our first dance as husband and wife. No, we won’t be one of those cool couples who surprises everyone with an awesome dance, although I love how that is becoming popular. We are just very excited about the song we selected and we can’t wait to share it with our friends and family.
Love this! Photo by Kimberley Bednarski Anderson / Image via KB Image Photo
Somethings: We all know the expression: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” And sometimes “a sixpence in her shoe” is included, although I don’t think I will go that far. I like this one a lot—it is a neat way to tie us brides together. You can easily incorporate these details into your ensemble, and it is sweet to remember the special meaning of each piece. I already know my earrings (and possibly shoes) will be my something blue. I think I am borrowing Bridesmaid Runner’s veil, so that will be my something borrowed. My dress will be new. Until a few nights ago, the only missing piece was something old—but then Mr. B gave me this:
Miss Scooter, IndianapolisAge and Occupation: 27, IT Project ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Operations ManagerEngagement Date: July 27, 2012Wedding Date: September 2013Venue: Indianapolis ArtsgardenAbout Me: I am a fun-loving list-obsessed gal who enjoys watching the Food Network on Saturday mornings and then butchering the recipes in real life. I have fun blogging, chatting with my friends, and trying new crafts. My fiancé enjoys gentlemanly pursuits (a fancy way of saying whiskey and golf) but also likes his quiet personal time. We met at Purdue University and are planning a fun-filled wedding with many personal touches. We are so excited to share this journey with you.
Finalizing our budget had to be the hardest thing for us to do for a multitude of reasons. One of the main reasons being neither Mr. Scooter nor I have had to really consider one another when making financial decisions. When Mr. Scooter wanted to spend a ridiculous amount of his hard earned money on ONE golf club…I had no say in it. Although I had my personal opinions, I kept them to myself since I didn’t want him to comment on my frequent runs to get outfits. Shortly after Before even getting engaged, I started researching activities to do once you are engaged. My search engine was filled with “you’re engaged, now what” or “top 10 things to do after your engagement.” I wasn’t surprised that every one said SET A BUDGET! So now, we had to decide how our money would be used…interesting.
OK, that is simple enough…right? Well, for me it wasn’t. If you are a newly engaged person (or soon to be) don’t feel bad if you don’t have a starting point to creating a budget, the Scooters were in the same boat. So I want to walk you through how we created our budget.
Research percentage breakdown of weddings. We researched the typical standard percentage breakdown of the average wedding. This allowed us to understand the baseline of what has been spent. Since we are both analytical people, we want to easily be able to know if we are getting a “bargain” by going with one option or another. We used free resources from websites like The Knot and Cost of Wedding.
Add to the list provided by the online resources. So now that we had an idea of large “buckets” that comprise a wedding, we sat down to see if there were any obvious sections we thought we should add. After all, it is going to be our wedding and we wanted to have a comprehensive list of what we want. We actually didn’t add anything to the list. Instead, we made notes of what should be included in a section. (For example, we will put the photo booth in with the entertainment/music.)
Prioritize the list and adjust percentage accordingly. After the list is compiled, we then prioritized the list. This actually helped in creating our theme. Since flowers were not that important, we were both OK with slashing the flowers budget because we would only need them for the ceremony. This gave us the latitude to tell people “We are going to have a flowerless reception.” Conversely, we found that cocktail and dinner (read: bar package) was really important. We also knew that would come with a hefty price tag, so we decided to increase our reception/ceremony percentage. We also kept items like miscellaneous and “just in case” because things come up and we don’t want those thing to break our budget drastically.
Determine if you will have any help paying. In order to get an accurate picture of what you are working with, you have to know if any family members are going to help with it. The Scooters went into the planning process with the intention of paying for it by ourselves. **news alert** I am somewhat of a control freak, so I didn’t want to accept money and then have to deal with people’s opinions. Funny thing happened after we started planning our big day—both of our families agreed to put money toward our event. Papa Scooter’s contribution really caught us off guard. It was given as a “here is a lump sum, do with it what you want, just remember a wedding is one day and a marriage is a lifetime.” That was sound advice and I have taken it to heart. Like Papa Scooter, Mr. Scooter’s parents graciously agreed to give us money to use as we wanted.
Pick a figure that you can live with. We reviewed our long-term financial goals to pick the big number. As cliché as this sounds, we had to determine if we were willing to spend our proverbial “last dime” on this wedding. It was an easy decision for us that we wanted a quality experience for our wedding guests, but it was/is more important that our marriage be set up for success, which meant that we needed to reserve money after paying wedding expenses to go toward paying off debt.
Populate your spreadsheet. Adjust your percentage breakdown (step one) based on your prioritized list (step two) to fall within your final amount (step five).
Review the final budget to see if you can live with it.
I created a few picture to give you an idea of what we did. This is not our final budget number (I am going to save that for the recaps), but the percentage breakdowns are our forecasts.
Hair on the wedding day
