What other planning have you done?

[SoonIHope]

OOOOOOOOOOOH Blenheim, that first Lazaro was my dream dress forever!!!!! BUT I saw it priced at $3750 (ewww), never managed to find it in person, and then fell in love with something else anyway. Hehe. But if you try it on pleeeeeease take pictures for me!!!! I also want to warn you...I spent a long time looking for something similar to that, and NO ONE makes a similar dress! All the Maggie's etc that Laurel posted are about as close as you get, but none have the sleek look of the Lazaro that I love. They all seem to be a bit more "wedding-y" in my opinion, which isn't necessarily a bad thing! But, that said...don't be discouraged! I really had my heart set on that for a long time, even knowing I wouldn't pay that much for it, desperately hoping it would miraculously appear on ebay for $300, but I ended up compleeeeeeetely falling in love with my dress (which is very different) and I couldn't be happier! But it still makes me happy to see that someone else loves that dress, as it will always hold a lot of sentimental value to me!

ETA: and sorry for the hijack!

 

[ljmorgan]

laurel_aurelia -- I live in Richmond too! I''m moving to Maryland in a few weeks, but will still likely get married here in Virginia. What is Maymont like? My boyfriend and I have been trying to get there the past few weekends, but events or the weather have kept it from happening. I have heard it is so beautiful!

You said the Jefferson is not cheap -- did you get a price, do you know how much it is? Also, you said you''re a photographer -- do you do that for a living? I will be looking to do engagement photos (I had been thinking Maymont!) in the next few months It is neat to find such a local pricescoper!

 

[Blenheim]

Hey albicocca! I thought I remembered seeing pictures of it in the Bride forum. It sounds like it''s way out of my price range then. But I can still look at pictures and dream, right?

Thanks so much laurel_aurelia! I love some of those gowns.

I really like some of the places you gave for the ceremony and reception, and Richmond might actually be a good city to get married in, come to think of it.

Broad situation: My parents, my dad''s side of the family, and his parents live in NoVa. My mom''s side of the family lives in the Northern Neck. His non-immediate family live all over the country -- NJ, Florida, Texas. I was born in Richmond and lived there when I was little, and it''s not that far away from NoVa. Plus I saw the last "wedding issue" of the Washingtonian Magazine, and I''m getting the impression that it might be easier to find less expensive places out of the DC area.

My boyfriend and I are moving in June, though, so getting married in Virginia would require long-distance planning. It would make it easier on most of the family though. I''m waiting until we''re actually engaged to start really talking to him about which state he''d prefer.

 

[snuga]

I don''t have anything really planned. I have ideas of what I want. I know that I will be getting married fall/winter of 2007. That''s over a year away. I don''t even know in what country I will have my ceremony.

The only thing that I know for sure is that I want to marry my boyfriend...
and have a great dress....
and spectacular flowers...
fabulous centerpieces...
romantic music...
okay, so maybe I''ve planned a little bit.

 

[sumbride]

I''m relieved to know I''m not the only one discussing it actively with my boyfriend. He''s really into the wedding planning. He had a list of groomsmen picked out within the first year of dating... I''m having a hard time matching his numbers because my girls don''t really want to be bridesmaids. I think that''s because they''re almost all over 30 and kind of done with that.

My family is in Texas and California, his is in Maryland, California, and France. Our friends are all over the country too. So a lot of people are going to have to travel, but since it''s "all about us", it would be better if we didn''t have to... I''m crafty and definitely want to do a lot of DIY stuff, plus I''m sort of in love with the idea of making my favorite cookies for the favors since I actually gave him some cookies on our first date... lured him in, if you will. It''s fitting, and everyone that knows us loves my cookies. It would be a real dissapointment to not be able to do that, but if it''s on the other side of the country, there''s no way we could do that. Our main reason for wanting to have it in California is his cousin who can''t travel easily, but with the money we would save, we could charter him a plane or buy him a 1st class ticket here. This is how I''ll make my case, I suppose.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 4/19/2006 2:12:25 PM
Author: sumbride

I''m relieved to know I''m not the only one discussing it actively with my boyfriend. He''s really into the wedding planning. He had a list of groomsmen picked out within the first year of dating... I''m having a hard time matching his numbers because my girls don''t really want to be bridesmaids. I think that''s because they''re almost all over 30 and kind of done with that.

Just a thought... my friend and I were talking the other day about how it can actually work well for the groom to have more attendants than the bride, because it never looks bad to have 2 guys escorting 1 girl down the aisle... actually kind of cute! Something to consider...

 

[sumbride]

Date: 4/19/2006 2:54:29 PM
Author: ephemery1

Date: 4/19/2006 2:12:25 PM

Author: sumbride


I''m relieved to know I''m not the only one discussing it actively with my boyfriend. He''s really into the wedding planning. He had a list of groomsmen picked out within the first year of dating... I''m having a hard time matching his numbers because my girls don''t really want to be bridesmaids. I think that''s because they''re almost all over 30 and kind of done with that.

Just a thought... my friend and I were talking the other day about how it can actually work well for the groom to have more attendants than the bride, because it never looks bad to have 2 guys escorting 1 girl down the aisle... actually kind of cute! Something to consider...

Totally LOVE that idea!!! that could really work! Thanks!

 

[laurel_aurelia]

rthj

 

[Sunmoon]

Hmmm, let''s see:

Dress-Check,order in February from Pearls Place,desperately waiting for it
Location-check, deposit sent in March
Photographer-check, deposit sent in March
Videographer-check,same as above
Invitations-check, finalized this past Saturday
Bridesmaid dresses-Waiting for girls measurements(sp?) to order them

My fiance bought the diamond already and I''m meeting with the jeweler on Friday to decide on the setting. So although he calls me and introduce me as his fiancee, I haven''t been "officially" asked yet. It bothers me for a minute and then I realize I''m being silly , but at the same time I want to at least wear my ring for at least 3 months before my wedding!

 

[Blenheim]

I don''t blame you for wanting it soon, Sunmoon. It sounds like you have everything under control on your end though!

I just got off the phone with my boyfriend, and he said that the next time he sees me we can go shopping and look at "sparklies and white dresses" if I want to and am up for it (physically, with back surgery). Yay! Although it''s probably bad luck to dress shop with your boyfriend before the proposal, I would think. Maybe we''ll stick to sparklies.

 

[ephemery1]

Blen that is SUCH fun Thursday afternoon news!! And there''s nothing like the promise of sparkly-shopping to speed up any recovery process.

Maybe keep the "together" part of the dress-shopping online only... my BF usually likes checking out anything new I have bookmarked in my "dresses" folder, but I told him he''s not allowed to participate for the actual trying-on part!

 

[lulutheleo]

I ''inherited'' some wedding magazines from my best friend who got married last year, and I keep them in my apartment. I like to look through them and mark them with those little flags from Post-It (it''s the nerdiness in me!) Mainly I keep them around because it freaks my roommate''s boyfriend out.

The only thing I have planned is where I want to go on the honeymoon. We talked about a cruise, but now have a cruise vacation planned with friends, so I want to go snowboarding here: www.tremblant.ca.

I can''t bring myself to plan anything else -- I want to do that together with my man.

 

[ljmorgan]

laurel_aurelia:

Thanks so much for all of the great information. I have heard that Maymont is so beautiful. Yes I''m in a sorority, Sigma Kappa at Longwood University. I graduate in August, thank goodness.

I actually got engaged last night (will have to make a "show me the ring!" thread!) so we''ll definitely be looking for a photographer. Shoot me an email sometime at [email protected] so people don''t get mad that we''re thread jacking! I''d love to see some of your photographs!

 

[Rhapsody]

Well we dont plan on having a wedding so there is little planning. All we plan on doing is exchanging vows alone, with a photographer

We''ve been going back and forth about doing it someplace beachy and exotic or a winter, snow covered mountain scene at home.

A bit bored today, I went to look at the Maggie Sottero website and I am in LUST with a dress! Don''t know it well enough to know if it''s love yet. Ack! For my non-wedding this would be quite some dress.

 

[lulutheleo]

Yowzah! Not only is that quite the dress, but quite the veil!

I love Maggie Sottero.

 

[Mannequin]

BF and I have done some preliminary discussions on wedding stuff. He''s getting really close to proposing, so we are trying to think about planning early. Date-wise, I teach so summer seems a logical choice for when to hold a wedding, but beyond that, I have no idea what time of year we will end up with. I''d love to do something where we can honeymoon afterwards right away, which means before a school break or summer time. We have a rudimentary bridal party determined, and I have talked with him and our families about reception ideas and guest lists. BF also knows that whent he time comes, I would prefer to spend a significant (yet reasonable) portion of the budget on the photography. I love to be in control of things, and I know that I am going to be running around like crazy that day trying to help manage everything, even though people will be telling me to relax and enjoy! I want someone to be capturing the entire wedding for me in film so I can remember the things that I may not have seen in the whirlwind of the moment.

I have registered "us" on the Knot already, and I browse a lot of wedding websites regularly. I have a desktop folder on my laptop with a bunch of photos, dresses and flowers mostly, and I have a free Michigan Bridal Planner (that came in the mail while he was here the one day - THAT was fun to explain!). I flip through the magazines at the grocery store once in a while, but have not officially purchased any of them yet.

(Somewhat hijacked, apologies)

I love the invites and photos already posted here in this thread. Some of my fave reference photos so far:

Dresses:

I like this girl''s dress and flower combo. The dress is by Jim Hjelm and Francesca Pitera is the subdesigner.

Maggie Sotero has lovely gowns. I like the lines and the inset on Ava (probably sans cap sleeves for me, though),

but I love her Pamela gown. This is likely the look I''ll be going for when it comes time to go shopping.

Flowers:

I love the pinks and oranges in these bouquets.

I also adore Charlotte Geary''s bouquet, and I love this shot of her. She is a remarkable photographer I came across on Livejournal, and if money were no option, I''d have her taking my photos when it comes time to be married. Unfortunately I probably won''t be able to fly her to Michigan to do my photography. Charlotte Geary Photography

Charlotte also used the colors in her bouquet to create her programs, and I like these a lot. They seem like they would be fairly easy to do myself, which is a plus for an as-yet-to-be-determined, but likely tighter budget.

Phew, enough for now, I think!

 

[anchor31]

Date: 4/20/2006 4:25:57 PM
Author: lulutheleo
I ''inherited'' some wedding magazines from my best friend who got married last year, and I keep them in my apartment. I like to look through them and mark them with those little flags from Post-It (it''s the nerdiness in me!) Mainly I keep them around because it freaks my roommate''s boyfriend out.

The only thing I have planned is where I want to go on the honeymoon. We talked about a cruise, but now have a cruise vacation planned with friends, so I want to go snowboarding here: www.tremblant.ca.

I can''t bring myself to plan anything else -- I want to do that together with my man.

Ooooh Mont Tremblant?! That''s really close to where I live!!! You''ll love it, it''s gorgeous!!! Where are you?

Rapsody, that dress is to die for!

I love Maggie Sottero!!

 

[Mannequin]

Your Maggie dress photo did not show up for me earlier, but it is appearing now. Gorgeous find, Rhapsody.

I like the idea of having a hint of color either in the actual dress or in the accents like a sash or beading.

 

[Rhapsody]

Date: 4/20/2006 8:47:45 PM
Author: equestrienne
Your Maggie dress photo did not show up for me earlier, but it is appearing now. Gorgeous find, Rhapsody.

I like the idea of having a hint of color either in the actual dress or in the accents like a sash or beading.

I am so smitten with it! I broke down and told my boyfriend I found a dress I liked and he said I should go try it on this weekend and get a price quote

He just paid out 1400 in taxes so the last thing I figured he'd say was "you should buy it if you like it".

I have been FIXATED on having a red dress. I've mentioned it before but my inspiration is from Age of Innocence, the Countess is walking across the snow and it describes her as looking like a flame walking across the ice. My original plan had been to have a two-piece dress made to try and increase the chance of wearing either part again, with a corset style top and a multi-layer skirt with a handkerchief hem. But of course theres that little voice in my head that says "I want to look like a *bride* with the pretty white dress". Most dresses I've seen with red accents didn't do anything for me, but I am just taken with this. this might be the dress!!

 

[rainbowtrout]

I helped a freind plan her wedding last year (she ended up putting it off while she gets some personal life stuff in order, so it will be in about a year). It helped me decide what I *don''t* want--and how not to criticize...

She decided on ankle length long sleeved black dresses for the girls, tuxes with crimson waistcoats for the guys, one red rose per bridesmaid, her in a crimson wedding dress and red and black ribbons down the aisle. She also wanted a black eagle and a red rose on top of the cake, and her FI wanted us all to wear a ceremonial dagger (no, they have no good ethnic reason). Black tableclothes with roses, and christmas type white lights on the cake stand.

They wanted to do all this in JUNE. The BMs revolted bc the church didn''t have AC...ahhh! I am hoping they will do it next December as is currently planned.


Anyway, my only fixed idea for a wedding (before getting engaged and now) is that I really want to at least try to make my own cake since I love baking and it will give me a reason to buy all the cake decorating stuff (which I will then use for people''s birthdays), and I want the food to be tasty. Also, the cake has got to be chocolate, or yellow with chocolate icing.

I''ve been vageuly settled on the color combo of black, white, and some nice shade of purple with a complementing green accent depending on the season (like lavender bouquets with a sage green ribbon for fall or spring)

 

[rainbowtrout]

Date: 4/20/2006 4:56:56 PM
Author: Rhapsody
Well we dont plan on having a wedding so there is little planning. All we plan on doing is exchanging vows alone, with a photographer

We've been going back and forth about doing it someplace beachy and exotic or a winter, snow covered mountain scene at home.


A bit bored today, I went to look at the Maggie Sottero website and I am in LUST with a dress! Don't know it well enough to know if it's love yet. Ack! For my non-wedding this would be quite some dress.

I love that dress! *drool* It's very "the courtesan gets married," very edgy but so beautiful. I don't know if I could have the gumption to pull it off and not have it "wear me" but if you can go for it!

ETA: As much as I didn't like all the black/red combos in my friend's plans, I will say that she looked beautiful in the red wedding dress--very French aristocracy!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 4/21/2006 12:30:11 AM
Author: Rhapsody
I have been FIXATED on having a red dress. I''ve mentioned it before but my inspiration is from Age of Innocence, the Countess is walking across the snow and it describes her as looking like a flame walking across the ice. My original plan had been to have a two-piece dress made to try and increase the chance of wearing either part again, with a corset style top and a multi-layer skirt with a handkerchief hem. But of course theres that little voice in my head that says ''I want to look like a *bride* with the pretty white dress''. Most dresses I''ve seen with red accents didn''t do anything for me, but I am just taken with this. this might be the dress!!

I know you want to look like a bride, but this red dress does have a bridal element to it, but is all red. I saw it on the Today show the other day and thought WOW. It''s also a Maggie. The style is Capri.

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 4/21/2006 12:30:11 AM
Author: Rhapsody

Date: 4/20/2006 8:47:45 PM
Author: equestrienne
Your Maggie dress photo did not show up for me earlier, but it is appearing now. Gorgeous find, Rhapsody.

I like the idea of having a hint of color either in the actual dress or in the accents like a sash or beading.

I am so smitten with it! I broke down and told my boyfriend I found a dress I liked and he said I should go try it on this weekend and get a price quote

He just paid out 1400 in taxes so the last thing I figured he''d say was ''you should buy it if you like it''.

I have been FIXATED on having a red dress. I''ve mentioned it before but my inspiration is from Age of Innocence, the Countess is walking across the snow and it describes her as looking like a flame walking across the ice. My original plan had been to have a two-piece dress made to try and increase the chance of wearing either part again, with a corset style top and a multi-layer skirt with a handkerchief hem. But of course theres that little voice in my head that says ''I want to look like a *bride* with the pretty white dress''. Most dresses I''ve seen with red accents didn''t do anything for me, but I am just taken with this. this might be the dress!!

Procrastination of the stuff I need today leads to online dress browsing.

Looked for some other dresses like that Maggie.

Venus Bridal has some very elegant red accented dresses. Links to a few below:
http://www.venusbridal.com/cgi-bin/description.asp?dress=4382ft.jpg
http://www.venusbridal.com/cgi-bin/description.asp?dress=4384ft.jpg

Too bad this one has no red on it...
http://weddingdressesforsaleonline.com/p_dev_6830.html

Linked from the site just above:
http://207.198.118.236/p_private_42211.html

 

[Rhapsody]

RT, I *love* your assessment of the style! I have a litte goth streak in me and red and black sounds like something I would try. I don''t know how you''d keep it from being too somber though. I was thinking more along the lines of white and red with metallic accents for ours. I want things rich without getting too dark.

Sumbride, I LOVE that dress too. It looks fantastic on a model, not so sure I could pull it off

At 5''2 that dress might own me. I plan to try it on none the less when I do go shopping. It just looks so regal.

Equestrienne, I''m loving the red embroidery! I''m not sure I''m a floral pattern person, but the second dress has a beautiful pattern. And I''m always happy to find dresses that aren''t strapless, I''m a bit... top heavy and strapless dresses make me nervous. No matter how secure I know they are I''m always petrified to bend over or move at all really. That black and white dress is STUNNING! I love the mermaid silhouette. Its so 1920s deco!

 

[sumbride]

Yeah, at 5''2" it is probably too much dress, but oh it''s just so... wow...

as for strapless, if you get one with a corset, it will go a long way toward making you feel more comfortable. Plus, once it''s fitted to your body, it really will stay up. perfect alterations are crucial though.

I love the idea of a wedding dress that has a splash of color. I''m thinking I want some blue on mine.