How Much Pre-Engagement Wedding Planning?

[anchor31]

Thanks caligal! I can''t believe I''m getting so excited about my wedding dress and accessories befoure I''m even engaged...

Amber - I see you''ve already started some real planning! I really hope your SO is going to propose soon...

 

[AmberWaves]

It almost makes me want to go to Vegas for a quick trip!

I love the winter, but in CA Winters are just windy and cold mornings and nights (and by cold I mean in the 50''s) so different from Chicago!!

Thanks, Angel, for the help. I sent MsFlutter a PM and I''m hoping for some info soon. I just wish every Vegas hotel had a wedding page, with the complete totals.. Now, a question for all: Since there aren''t going to be many people, should I bother with a pricey reception, or just have a family style dinner (since it''s probably going to be all family with very few close friends who are like family? I want to wear a dress, and get a cake, but not a big old reception.. Hey guys, if you see my earlier posts- have I changed my mind or what???

What do you think??

 

[anchor31]

I don''t think you should bother with a pricey reception if there isn''t going to be a lot of people. I''m not sure how you can pull off a not pricey reception in a casino though!

 

[AmberWaves]

Date: 11/15/2005 12:58:05 PM
Author: anchor31
I don''t think you should bother with a pricey reception if there isn''t going to be a lot of people. I''m not sure how you can pull off a not pricey reception in a casino though!

Tell me about it! Now I''m wondering if I should honeymoon there, or if we should honeymoon elsewhere. I really want to do Hawaii, and when we want to marry is in the off season! Does that mean it''s rainy?

 

[caligal]

Amber- YAY Hawaii! Have you been to any of the islands yet? We were in Oahu last summer (thank goodness I had some job related stuff to do so all I had to pay for were 2 nights of hotel and car!) and just fell in love with it. Now my fellas getting all excited about a Maui trip this Spring. Yes, if you are thinking November it is off-season which means a bit more rain. But- correct me if I''m wrong anyone- Hawaii rain is a bit different. It will sprinkle and mist a bit every day- not too many downpours. Check out www.hawaii.com for awesome deals! We also stayed cheap- $65 a night from the website www.afforableparadise.com- I highly recommend it. Locals rent out their studios, condos, houses for better prices AND you get more local culture and interaction that way, and my favorite part- PRIVACY!

Oh and regarding reception, I''d say cater it based on your friends and family. If there are few you can easily order a few trays of your favorite food and do it family style or appetizers.

 

[AmberWaves]

Cali- Thanks SO much! I''ve never been to Hawaii, but my BF is absolutely in love with it! Thanks for the tips, too, it seems like the perfect place to honeymoon. And since I''ll save money in Vegas (I swear, I will) I''d rather spend the cash on our honeymoon. Oh, honeymoon, just the word makes me happy!! Is that the best place to go? Oahu? You''ll have to let me know about Maui when you come back (hope we''re both still on here, but with rings on!!)

 

[anchor31]

My SO and I want to go to Italy for our honeymoon. Yep, we''ve agreed on a honeymoon destination already. Go figure...

 

[caligal]

Anchor- I really want Italy too, he is more interested in Hawaii! I think by the actual time we get to honeymoon, he''ll have Hawaii more out of the system after we''ve done Oahu (check!) and Maui this spring.

Amber- Oahu is a great one to begin with as it has Pearl Harbor and Waikiki- lots of fun touristy things. But each island is gorgeous and unique! We are picking Maui for this spring as it has a ton of waterfalls and beauty. I''m dying for the Big Island action with that volcano! Also check out www.gohawaii.com as it has tons of info on all the islands and your options. I really learned a lot about Hawaii through our students here since we have a large group come in from the islands each year- pretty cool!

 

[sunkist]

Wow, Albicocca! That red cheongsam is beautiful! My boyfriend is Chinese too and he keeps telling me that his parents are going to want to have a big dinner banquet for our wedding. So maybe I get to wear one of those too! That''s so exciting. Where did you find this one? It is lovely !

 

[SoonIHope]

Hi Sunkist!

That one is from Shanghai Tang. Their stuff is gorgeous but SO expensive.

Are you excited about having a big banquet? I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it...seems like such a huge production! And I reeeeeeally don't want to do the wedding games.

Do you think you'll change outfits a lot? I figure if I splurge and get the Shanghai Tang cheongsam, I really can't justify changing outfits if I spend that much on just one. But I'd rather just wear the one, so hopefully they'll be okay with that.

Also, do you know if his family wants to do a tea ceremony or any other traditional things like that? I'm really curious to see how ours turns out, so I love to hear what other people are thinking for theirs!

 

[sunkist]

Hmmm, Albicocca, I''m not sure what you mean about changing outfits. Are there some traditions here I don''t know about? I dont'' know if we''ll do a tea ceremony. I wouldn''t mind doing it since it is honoring one of their traditions! The only thing is it would have to be herbal tea cause I can''t drink green tea! haha, I wonder what they''d think of that! The only reason I know something about this is because my BF''s cousin got married last year so they had a tea ceremony and she wore a red cheongsam. Also doesn''t everyone present you with a gift? That would be cool

 

[SoonIHope]

Changing outfits is a sign of prosperity/good omen for the marriage. I believe the traditional number of outfits is AT LEAST three, usually one being a western wedding dress, one being a red cheongsam, and one being an evening gown type thing. (Someone correct me if that''s wrong?)

As for the tea ceremony, I think that family members traditionally give gold jewelry to the bride, it also symbolizes...something? Hehe I need to find out a lot more myself before I can go around spreading knowledge though.

 

[sunkist]

hmmm, well I do already have an evening gown that I''ve never worn. Maybe I''ll finally have a place to wear it! But still that''s not for another year...

 

[sunkist]

Here''s a picture of the evening dress I have, if you''d like to see it. I kind of just ended up with this dress, as we bought it for my sister but it just didn''t fit right. But it fits me! Now i''m just trying to get my BF to take me somewhere where I can wear it

 

[SoonIHope]

Oooh, that''s beautiful! I love the viny pattern!

 

[firebirdgold]

WOW! That is one gorgeous dress! I like the faux split thingy, very sexy. Does he know you have it? I''d think he''d want to make up an event just to see you in it!

I am so glad I am not the only LIW who has, *cough*, done a little pre-engagement prep work. I have folders and folders of wedding-related bookmarks hidden away. It''s only reasonable, after all. I may have to wait an un-determined amount of time for the ring and the official question, but I''m not waiting for the wedding (in just under a year). Now to just make sure he asks before the wedding date. heh heh.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Hehe, I''m not even officially off the LIW list yet, and I have the wedding at the Bellagio booked and my Mom is taking care of having a bit of a small reception at a family friend''s house in Vegas. I have my dress and headpiece, and I''m going to look for shoes today. BF is working away diligently on the e-ring, and I''m having to get a little cranky with him because he hasn''t heard back on the status of the ring all week, and I need to buy wedding rings to match ASAP, and I have NO CLUE what my e-ring looks like! Argh! I swear, because of that I''m getting the SP Asscher eternity band just to spite him.

As far as other LIWs, I''d say it''s definitely worth it to do as much planning as possible, because you could end up like me and have 8 weeks to plan a wedding, and spend half that time not even officially engaged yet.

 

[sunkist]

Date: 1/21/2006 4:01:28 AM
Author: firebirdgold
WOW! That is one gorgeous dress! I like the faux split thingy, very sexy. Does he know you have it? I''d think he''d want to make up an event just to see you in it!

Firebird - he knows I have it, but I don''t think he knows what it looks like. Maybe I should remind him

.....