My Wedding Blog

[lauren-kate]

Thought I'd start a blog here so I can keep up with what I'm doing, and get bits of advice

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I got engaged on the 2nd January 2010, and we're aiming to get married in 2012. I've been looking at lots of wedding sites and a couple of magazines. I'm lacking in 'wedding experience' as the only wedding I've ever been to in my life was that of my parents when I was only 7 months old - which obviously doesn't give me much to go on. I'm relying on my creativity, and my obsession with making lists and powerpoint displays for absolutely everything!

We're budgetting around £6000, but there can be some flexibility with that. From looking at most venues, I'm guessing that around half of that will go on the venue + food + drinks.

My favourite venue at the moment is this one; https://www.forever-green.info/ but we're yet to visit, so keeping an open mind. I love the pictures with all of the trees lit up! It's ideal as we want to be able to have the civil ceremony and the reception at the same place. I also love that it's hidden away in the woods, but not impossible for guests to find.

Hope you don't mind me rambling on, I can type forever once I get going..

 

[mrsraggle]

Congrats on your engagement!

We spent about £7k in total. We had 25 guests for a registry office wedding + three course meal at a lovely local converted mill/hotel. Then we had two week honeymoon in Egypt! We spent £1k on outfits alone!

 

[lauren-kate]

Thanks mrsraggle!

We were trying to sort out a guest list last night so we had an idea on numbers for venues. OH's family is a lot bigger than mine - he has 2 brothers and 2 sisters, plus his mum is one of 5 also - plenty of aunts and uncles and cousins! We've got it down to 42 for the civil ceremony, and 90-100 for the reception (that's the cut-down version!).

Also did a rough price-up of everything last night, and still think we can come in around our budget (fingers crossed!). We have a couple of family members who will help on things like the wedding cake, wedding cars, and music for the evening so that's a big help.

I found a good deal with a photographer, but not sure if the price is too good to be true. I've seen a couple of people on one of the wedding forums have booked them for March-May so I think I'll wait until then to contact them for their recommendation (or not, as the case may be). It's https://www.photography08.com/ if anyone is interested.

 

[Sovereign]

Congratulations babe!!! I didn't know you had got engaged!!! x

 

[lauren-kate]

Congratulations babe!!! I didn't know you had got engaged!!! x

Thanks! Yes got engaged the night before my birthday You don't have long to go, I bet you're getting really excited now? xx

 

[Sovereign]

Aww how lovely!!! Were you surprised or did you know it was coming? Yeah I am really excited, just got a few final bits to do now. Just hoping it will all come together alright x

 

[lauren-kate]

Aww how lovely!!! Were you surprised or did you know it was coming? Yeah I am really excited, just got a few final bits to do now. Just hoping it will all come together alright x

I'm sure it will be lovely!

It was a bit of a surprise really, but I did have a bit of an idea.. He only told me that we were going out for a meal (for my birthday) on the day, so I wasn't even expecting that tbh. I just thought my friend was coming up to have drinks at our house, but she was the designated babysitter. The only thing that tipped me off to the engagement was.. I hugged him whilst he was texting my friend and he has one of those phones that keep every message and display them all when you open just one.. so the one on the top said something like "a bit nervous but excited, not sure if I'll be able to say it!" - but even then, I kept thinking it must be about something else! He'd had the ring since October though, and I had no idea about any of that.

 

[Sovereign]

Aww how lovely!!! Were you surprised or did you know it was coming? Yeah I am really excited, just got a few final bits to do now. Just hoping it will all come together alright x

I'm sure it will be lovely!

It was a bit of a surprise really, but I did have a bit of an idea.. He only told me that we were going out for a meal (for my birthday) on the day, so I wasn't even expecting that tbh. I just thought my friend was coming up to have drinks at our house, but she was the designated babysitter. The only thing that tipped me off to the engagement was.. I hugged him whilst he was texting my friend and he has one of those phones that keep every message and display them all when you open just one.. so the one on the top said something like "a bit nervous but excited, not sure if I'll be able to say it!" - but even then, I kept thinking it must be about something else! He'd had the ring since October though, and I had no idea about any of that.

Aww that's lovely. My OH had my ring for a few months before he asked me too lol x

 

[lauren-kate]

I've been working on different designs for the stationary the last couple of days... I know it's early as we don't have a venue or date for certain yet, so I've had to put 'made-up' ones in for now. I just think I'll feel a bit better about it if I've sorted a few bits out by the time it gets to booking everything. Plus we want to use similar colours in the stationary as in the wedding.

OH has been asking when we can go to look at venues! He suggested calling them now and going in the next couple of months. He also keeps saying that he really wished we could get married sooner because he's really excited!

 

[subaru555]

Awww.

Don't worry about doing things early, we finished our table plan the other night and we have eight months to go. Pls confetti are doing 10% off just now so I might have to get stuff early!

 

[lauren-kate]

Haha my OH gets discount at confetti apparently.

 

[lauren-kate]

Haven't updated in AGES - haven't really looked at anything wedding-related recently as I've been studying hard!

We're going to a wedding fayre this weekend - just a smallish one here; https://www.forever-green.info/whats_on.html
Most looking forward to the goodie bags!

 

[Sovereign]

Ooh I love wedding fayres! x

 

[lauren-kate]

Well we went yesterday and it was pretty good - Ryan obviously thought otherwise as he fell asleep..

We liked the venue and have provisionally booked it, so that even if we look at other places, we still have that one. Talked to the registrar there and she was so lovely. The date we chose is 17th August 2012.... so that's when we could be getting married It'll be 4 years since we got together that weekend too.

There was a wedding fashion show there, and OH kept asking which dresses I liked, but I'm doing my best to keep quiet about it haha. I've found a couple I like but I seem to be seriously fussy about dresses. I've sent a couple of pictures to my best friend (MOH) and she likes one in particular.. but I really really want to go and try some on.