For someone who has been involved in minimal weddings in her life (minimal being zero) I do not really know where to start planning for the big day at all. I don't know how to plan a budget, how to find the best venues or how to do anything really. This is all completely new to me. But when one of my lovely managers came up to me in the canteen during a break at work with a large woven shopping bag with a quick "here you go!" I was shocked and utterly amazed by her graciousness opening the bag to see a large amount of wedding magazines. Wedding magazines is where you start. They have all the information for every kind of wedding you dream of, big formal hotel affairs to religious ceremonies to beach weddings. One of the magazines even had a guide to start planning your wedding, which was exactly what I needed.
I took some snaps of the pages which I found were really useful for Dean and I;
The first page was "What to do when" this page included how to set a budget, what the budget includes, what to do first, where to start looking for venues, when to start looking, etc. It had everything. It also had a checklist for the run up to the big day. What to do a year before, 6 months before, 3 months before, 4 weeks before, two weeks then the run up. One of the first things it said to do was to set a date. Pick a date. Any date. Then gives you tips around that date, not to fall on a bank holiday or public holiday (venue prices etc will be greater and guests may have other plans).
The "what to ask page" is going to live in my wedding planner because it is wonderful. People always say when you go to venues, photographers, caterers etc to have a list of questions you want to ask so you don't forget and this list makes sure you have all the questions you need to ask. Oh and it also has handy tick boxes so you can mark off any questions you have asked which is fab because you don't want to be asking the same questions over and over.
Then we come to etiquette. Being involved in 0 wedding plans in my life and attended three weddings ever (one being when I was no more than 5 years old) the order of service, invatations, speeches, well, just confuses me. Does everyone give a speech? Who gives them? I know the best man does but who else? Does anyone else? Having this section has really cleared up who does what in the wedding party and who is responsible for what. Invations is key too. As we are paying for our own wedding we will be the hosts, which is simple enough. This section is so handy to have to look back on and for the wedding party (groom, best man, grooms men, maid of honour and bridemaids) to all have a nose so they know their duties.
The "where to wed" page wasn't such a big deal for Dean and I because we have already decided on a outdoor french wedding blessing in a Chateau in the North of France. But it is definately worth a nose if you are unsure of what services are out there for you and what would suit you.
Then the last page was my favourite. The "where to go" honeymoon page. It gave a list of all the months in the year and where is best to go during them months but not just for a simple relaxing holiday it gave a choice of three different type of holidays. Sun, Ski and Safari which I thought was fabulous. Then it also gave a tip underneath each month of which countries to avoid due to weather. These things really do count because if you have had a place in your mind for forever where you want to visit and you think "well we could do that for our honeymoon" then you book it and go then when you get there you realise you're out of season and it's going to rain the whole time your there, you won't be best pleased. So this page really is worth keeping and having.
But there is no point in planning unless you have a planner to pop every note or idea down into. One of my lovely friends Grace (who also blogs at http://graceebailey.blogspot.de) bought Dean and I this lovely little A5 planner from John Lewis as an engagement present.
It is small enough to carry around in your handbag and includes all the things you need to do and plan. There are sections for the proposal, guest list, venues, menus, check lists and even little places at the back of each section to slip cut outs into so they are all there together in your book.
But before anything can be really set in stone for this amazingly romantic and beautiful day we need to save as much money as possible for it. So when we had a family day out to town a week or so ago, I wondered into Clintons Cards to have a nose at their wedding section and I saw as I came in through the enterence they had a wide range of these money banks that can save up to £1000 in £2 coins on sale. They were £4.99 down from £9.99 (excuding father day and wedding ones) so I knew I had to get one but as wedding ones weren't included I saw this little cutie;
(We also have a savings account too by the way we aren't soley relying on this pot of dreams haha)
I just want to quickly mention the lovely engagement presents our friends have given us. We weren't expecting a single thing and we have been given these lovely gifts. (Incudling the beautiful planner off Grace)
First this beautiful memorie box off my lovely friend Laura. It is super cute and she filled it with love hearts which made it extra lovely.
And last but in no means least, my wonderful friends Bryony (maid of honour) and Tara (bridesmaid) got Dean and I the most lovely personalised gifts which were a beautiful personalised memories box, but the first one they got sent was slightly damaged so they got sent put a replacement but they didn't have to send the damaged one back. Which means now we have three memory boxes which is fabulous because I can now make a before wedding, during wedding and marriage keepsakes which is the ultimate keepsake dream.
They also got us a Wedding Fund money box, which means now we have £2000s worth of saving to do in two beautiful lovely money boxes. Which I am so so sooooo excited for.
This post was so so so exciting to write and I cannot wait to fill you all in more about our plans to become Mr and Mrs Davis. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing.
Vix
Ox
So many memory boxes because you're making so many brilliant memories with your little family! YAY! Love this xxxx
ReplyDeleteSosososo excited to start filling them. Im gonna have to get pictures printed asap! Xxxx
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