Now about these wedding plans...

[kddani]

I will have more to say on this tomorrow after some rest, just got back from the wedding today.

Have it somewhere where you won't be rushed! Start early and make sure you leave plenty of time. My little got married today in a very popular place in Pittsburgh that's very hard to get... you kind of have to get in and get out fast as they have several weddings in a day. We had to change and get in the limo lightening quick... and it was stressful.

The bride and her mother discovered that Xanax works well for anxiety

[honeychile]

Originally posted by Peaches-n-Cream
Someone offered to make a veil for me as a wedding gift so that's one thing less for me to worry about.

I know that carnation started this thread to help her daughter, but the suggestions and advice are really helping me right now so thank you.

*scared*

I had someone offer to make my wedding cake, and another do my flowers as a gift. Neither turned out the way I wanted them to look - and I couldn't say much, since these were dear friends and I didn't want to hurt them. I was bound and determined not to be a "bridezilla", and kept focused on "this is one day, not the entire marriage".

If someone offers to make something for your wedding, PLEASE make it crystal clear exactly what you want, and somehow, work in the right of changes!!

To this day, we tease about what all went wrong (including the groom!), "but it was a beautiful day!"

[PlymouthDZ]

First, CONGRATS to your daughter!!

Seondly... from a girl who is planning her wedding (along with a few others..) PLEASE.. for the love of everything good in the world.. remember that it is HER wedding... NOT your's. (Can SOMEONE please call my mother and reminder her of that? She doesn't get it..) Listen to her.. BE FLEXIBLE.

Third - Set a budget, but allow that buget to be slightly fluid. If the Dress of her DREAMS is $1000.. cut back somewhere else.. or let her get it. (Again, someone want to call MY mother? )

Theknot.com is amazing. So is UltimateWedding.com they both have great resources! (I use both!)

Make a list... either by paper.. or on a program such as MS Excel (excel will help keeping costs and such in tact.)

Finally.. ENJOY THIS TIME! I know you're FULL of emotions.. so is your daughter.. but please remember that this is a JOYOUS occasion!

[carnation]

ROTFL! My husband's best friend and his fiancee hired a seamstress and a guitarist for their wedding; they didn't know anything about either one. The fiancee gave her the patterns and material to make slinky red dresses for her bridesmaids.

Half an hour before the wedding, the seamstress gave Karen the dresses--with Santa Claus fur sewn onto the necks and cuffs! She said she couldn't resist doing it.

The guitarist told them not to worry about what he'd play when she went down the aisle, that they'd love it. He plunked out "Here Comes the Bride" with one finger as she proceeded down the aisle.

This is why we're checking out the vendors we don't know!

[ms_gwyn]

I just have really one or two suggestions that have been hit upon...

The Budget: once your daughter gets that set.....have a general idea of what you want to spend on which item...what will be the most expensive, besides the food, b/c we all know that is the most expensive....but other things.....will it be the cake, the dress, the flowers....etc.

I concur on the bridesmaid's dresses.....order every thing all at once....i've been a bridesmaid several times, I was also lucky enough to design my own dress, we either had to use the same material or the same color, of course the brides' had the final approval to make sure we weren't completely off and complimented each other

Also remember that this is one day of celebration....a wedding does not make a marriage.

Some ides to use for Christmas theme:
1) White lights everywhere
2) Have some holly leaves in the boutique
3) Candy cane candles as centerpieces
4) snowflake centerpieces
5) green, gold and red colors (my colors, sans the red)
6) A reception site that has a fireplace so that you could place a yule/wedding log into the fire place, hang stockings with the wedding couples name on them
7) pre-reception, have cookies, milk and eggnog for the guests
8) preplanned photo shots...have them take a few shots in B&W film.
9) have the bridal party have a "day at the spa" early on the day of the wedding or the day before.
10) Make-up and hair test a month before the wedding to make sure everything is the way your daughter wants it.
11) Break in those shoes....weeks before the wedding to make sure she can stay in them for long periods of time.
12) As the mom you know when to support your child and when to back off, be extra aware of this during the planning of this special occasion.
13) AVOID AS MUCH FAMILY DRAMA AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pinkyphimu]

Originally posted by ms_gwyn
Some ides to use for Christmas theme:
1) White lights everywhere
3) Candy cane candles as centerpieces
7) pre-reception, have cookies, milk and eggnog for the guests
8) preplanned photo shots...have them take a few shots in B&W film.
13) AVOID AS MUCH FAMILY DRAMA AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i love these ideas! the cookies, milk and eggnog would be perfect!!!

one of my friends did the black and white photos for her wedding and they were GORGEOUS!!!!!

[phisigduchesscv]

If she has the date set and is planning to invite guests from out of town then start giving them all a heads up so they can plan their vacations to come.

My dad does a lot of woodworking and I love Christmas. What I want to do for my favors (whenever I get married, even if not at Christmas) is to have my dad cut out wood hearts and then one side I'll put on the the first part of 1 Chorinthians 13 Love is patient...On the other side I'll put the date of the wedding.

If I do have a Christmas wedding then for seating cards I thought about buying ornaments and writing the persons name on it in gold and have a little tag attached with the table number on it. So that way they end up with two favors from me

[Jill1228]

That is one of the reasons I planned the wedding in Las Vegas...didn't need no family drama, I have enough!

Originally posted by PlymouthDZ
Seondly... from a girl who is planning her wedding (along with a few others..) PLEASE.. for the love of everything good in the world.. remember that it is HER wedding... NOT your's. (Can SOMEONE please call my mother and reminder her of that? She doesn't get it..) Listen to her.. BE FLEXIBLE.

[trojangal]

[i]Also, something WILL go wrong on the wedding day. With that many factors, something is bound to happen. [/B]

She is so right! I still laugh when I think of what happened on our wedding day! After we did pictures and Mother's friends had helped load floral decorations from the church into the van my mom had rented, Mr. Trojangal and I got ready to ride over to the reception hall. We stepped out of the church and looked around for our car, which we had forgotten completely about! His groomsmen drove him in and I rode in with my parents and bridesmaids! We laughed about it as we climbed into the van, and had Mother moving floral arrangments around so we could sit down! Other funny thing was that my niece got lost on the way to the reception hall, which was 1/2 mile from the church--she had turned left instead of right coming out of the church parking lot. I would have to say, though, the most priceless moment was when his brother completely lost his mind ( and place in speaking) and just started again randomly while giving the best man's toast. it was awful, and to this day, we still laugh when we watch it.

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by AOIIalum
Tell the photographer (and videographer, if applicable) if there are any specific pictures or poses the couple wants.

Agreed. Even if you think it's something obvious that the photographer should just automatically know to do. We didn't specifically ask for table shots - so our photographer didn't do any. There are people who we KNOW were at our wedding, who don't appear in any of the pictures.

Do your photos before the ceremony (or as many as possible, if the bride and groom don't want to see each other before the ceremony). You don't want to miss the cocktail hour.

[Jill1228]

What she said!
Like:
Forgetting the rings in the safe--of the previous hotel we were staying! We used my engagement ring for the ring part of the ceremony

My bouquet falling apart in the pix before the wedding. We winged it and I rose hell with the florist the next day. Hell I coulda done better getting the flowers at Costco and doing them myself (This florist was highly recommended)

Forgetting the guestbook

A friend of mine made us a gorgeous broom to jump. I forgot the broom in the trunk of my car (which was in valet parking)

We did some of the photos before the wedding I mean this is a great background for wedding photos

(The Bellagio Hotel and Casino)

Originally posted by honeychile
To this day, we tease about what all went wrong (including the groom!), "but it was a beautiful day!"

[BetteDavisEyes]

I too will be getting married this December & my theme is Christmas so one thing I will do is incorporate a holiday theme into my centerpieces. Instead of standard flowers for all the tables, I'm using things like cranberries, pine clippings, pine cones, in addition to flowers. Every table will have a different setting. Silver accents will be added to the decorations to give them a shimmer effect as if it was covered in a light misting of snow.

As for mother of the bride wear, my girls we be wearing cranberry colored dresses so the mothers will be wearing a complementary champagne color. Corsages in the same flowers as the brides bouquet really highlights it.

Remember it is her day. If she wants to wear the dress that you think is tacky, just nod your head & let her wear it. Regardless of what your taste is, she may not agree w/you & have something different in mind altogether.
Be supportive. My family criticizes almost everything I do for the wedding. It adds unwanted stress to a person that already has enough to deal with.

Finally, keep careful track of what you have & what you spend. It will help keep you from last minute panic.

I hope this helps!

[carnation]

I'm so excited about the great advice we're getting here! I'm forwarding every bit to her.

To those whose moms are taking over--I feel for you! Had my mother been living in Georgia when I got married, she would have tried to take over. This is why we got married here! I'm letting ASLFRose do her own thing because I remember dealing with Mother's snarky comments from afar.

I love the peppermint suggestions! Maybe she'll want to incorporate peppermints in several ways--peppermint carnations in bouquets maybe?

These wedding websites are great!

[ms_gwyn]

Hey Ladies

I just found this wonderful little wedding magazine about craftin little things to the entire experience special, I see a lot of things that could be useful and thought I'd shared it with you all, just in case

A Somerset Wedding


The publishing website is: www.stapington.com

[carnation]

Do people give out favors a lot these days? And what exactly is a cookie table?