September 08 Brides

[basil]

What progress have you made recently? What are you working on now? What''s next on your to-do list?

I''m working on my save-the-dates...we took some photos for a Robbie-style photo magnet a few weeks back. Thought it would tie in since we''ve having a retro-style photobooth at the reception. We''re going to mount it on a card with photo corners. I''m just waiting for my mom to mail me the paper samples so I can pick the color.

I contacted someone about invitations - by working on the save-the-dates I realized how much I stink at graphic design and things of that nature. She is very reasonably priced ($6 per invite for full custom design, printing, and assembly of pocketfold invitations with 3 enclosures including a map), so I''m hopeful that her samples will be nice and we can set up a time to meet.

We''re going to check out another rehearsal dinner place over Christmas, hopefully. This one is a Chinese restaurant, which I think my fiance''s parents would like. I''ve heard mixed reviews about the food quality though.

Our tasting is scheduled for early February. I think this part will be really fun!

 

[partyjewels]

My wedding planning has been put on hold due to the fact that I lost my job on Tuesday.

Before that though, I guess I wasn''t doing too much other than browsing right now anyways for the things we still need. I feel like I''m so far behind and nothings going to get done! I don''t have a photographer, no cake, no invites, no dress, etc etc... We do have the church and the reception set for our date (09-13-0, but nothing really further, we know what we''re getting for the food at the reception but haven''t put anything in as absolute yet.

My FI is very much thinking that none of these things take very much time to do and we have plenty of time before the wedding to get them done. He won''t look at wedding bands at all for several more months, same with invitations! It''s driving me bonkers! I''ve tried explaining to him that it all takes time, especially for someone as indecisive for me (I second guess everything! The only easy thing has been the reception so far), but he just isn''t getting it.

 

[basil]

So sorry about losing your job, PJ!

My fiance is the same way. He picked out a band, but forgot what size he was when he got sized. He doesn''t even want to talk about the honeymoon til January. And he doesn''t understand why we have to try out places for the RD now (Uh, cause we''ll only be back there a handful of times before the wedding?)

 

[ladyciel]

Hmmm, well, we only just recently booked our ceremony site, reception site, and photographer, so now it''s a mad scramble to find the other big players - DJ, florist, officiant, cake... I ordered my dress back in Oct and it should be here by the end of Jan. I''ve been browsing invitations, and I think I''m finally zeroing in on how to get what we''d like and still stay in budget. I''m thinking save the dates will be postcards from vistaprint or somewhere similar, and I have a call out to parents to get us all the addresses we need for our guest list. I made us a website, and it''s up and running, but we still need to fill out all the information that will actually make it useful for our guests. I need to finish that before I send out STDs with the web address on them. We know what we want for BM dresses (cobalt or midnight blue tea length), and my girls have their eyes peeled to see if we can find them off the rack. If not, we''ll take the plunge and order them the standard way when time demands it.

Of the big list of vendors still to hire, I think we''re aiming to get DJ out of the way first, then cake and then florist. We already know of a baker whose cakes we LOVE, so I''m hoping that might just be a one stop shopping experience. As for DJ, I''ve been getting feedback from our venues, photographer, and the girls on the knot. There have been a couple they''ve all agreed on, so I''ll probably set up meetings with them before the week is out. I haven''t even started looking at florists yet..

 

[partyjewels]

Thanks Basil. Everything''s a mess right now! But I should add that I guess technically we have a DJ, and I do have save the dates that are almost done and ready to be sent out. I know I''m sending them kind of early, but we have several relatives scattered around: Alaska, Ohio, Florida, Connecticut, Up North, California, etc.. and since our date is right around the time school is starting also, I want people to know about it far in advance! Besides that, it''s also kind of an announcement for those who may have not heard for some reason. FI and I have gotten a handful of invitations from people where we went wait... I didn''t even know they were dating anyone!

 

[CrownJewel]

PartyJewels, sorry to hear about your job! Are you on your way to something bigger and better?!

So far we only have
1. the ceremony and reception site (same place...French restaurant).
2. photographers - FI's brother and sister-in-law are professional photographers so they are photographing our wedding. Both of them have winning entries in the current issue of B&W magazine. His photograph of her is actually on the cover! I just went to Barnes and Noble to buy a copy the other night; it's so exciting. I would like to see if they have a friend that they can bring along, because I want them to also have time to eat and dance. The really tough part is, FI wants his brother to be his Best Man. I feel like that is too much for his brother to do.
3. I sent out "Will you be my bridesmaid?" cards to my sister and 3 friends. They all said yes.

I am still deciding on a dress. Hopefully that will be ordered by the end of this weekend. FI wants to know if he has to send out, "Will you be my groomsman?" cards like my bridesmaid cards. I laughed and said, "sure! That would be so cute!"

We still have so much to do!

 

[sunnygirl]

Hi September girls!


This is what we have done for our 9-6-08 wedding:

1) Booked ceremony and reception site
2) Booked photog
3) Booked DJ
4) Preliminary invite list (~160)
5) Met with 2 florists - waiting for a quote from the 2nd
6) Met with a caterer who we liked but haven''t finalized this
7) Booked Day of Coordinator

I''m going on my first dress shopping trip tomorrow! I''m also planning on making and sending out my "Will you be my bridemaid?" cards in the next few days. This is my first DIY type of thing and of course I spent a ton of money on supplies but I think they will be fun to make and will look cute. Plus, I know my girls will appreciate them, especially knowing i am not the artsy type.

We really need to start looking around for the hotels to suggest for our guests and see if any will do room blocks but I already know that most hotels in Santa Barbara dont...grrrr. We are planning to wait until after the busy holiday season to send our Save The Dates and will make a website with the suggested hotels by that time.

That''s pretty much it for now! I am feeling a little overwhelmed because we are both so busy but I think we will be okay...

 

[sunnygirl]

PartyJewels - I''m so sorry to hear about your job! Hopefully you will find a new, better one soon.

 

[MustangFan]

hi basil

I''m ordering my dress monday because I finally found shoes. I got the capparo shoes called russel from pipelime.

Got my reception, church, save the dates out, photographer booked, dj booked, invites came in the mail a month ago, starting on making favors. I''m taking a break after I buy the dress, because the holidays and my dog surgery is happening all at once!

 

[tberube]

I'm a Sept. 08 Bride! 9-6-08!

Wow - I haven't thought of my save the dates yet...I have to do that soon. I'm doing all my invites myself since I'm a designer in the invitation industry (thank GOD for that!)

I wanted to do some things early...so far I have:

secured the ceremony/reception venue
secured the photographer (I have a friend who is a wedding photog - lucky for me)
hired JP
ordered dress (!)
bought necklace to wear with my gown (layaway - $$)
put together a preliminary guest list (need that finished for the STD's, huh?)
purchased my wedding band
had initial appointment with florist
hired a DJ/fired a DJ/talked to new DJ/considered Ipod music

Next up I'm going to work on Save the dates (when are you sending yours??), finalize my decisions on the DJ, finalize and put deposit on the florist (in the beginning of Jan. I think), look around for shoes to wear with my gown and decide on a hairpiece (I think it will be barrettes...)