Planning my own wedding on a tight budget.

Original Wedding Cake Idea

2007-12-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

I love cake and I love new ideas that I've never seen before. I was watching the food network yesterday and I saw Krispy Kreme will custom design a wedding cake for you out of doughnuts!
What could be better. It's an idea I'm going to consider, because it is substantially cheaper than a normal wedding cake and it's not something that you see at every other wedding reception. Or may that could be John's Groom's Cake. I can't wait to make those cake tasting appointments. I'm going to make those when the weather gets warm enough to heat the pool water. Because I will need to be exercising those extra calories away!

Nobody Wants A Burnt Out Bride

2007-12-25T20:19:00.000-05:00

Planning a wedding no matter what the budget can be very stressful. Stress takes a toll on your body. Personally I want my body to be good shape for my wedding day. So I make sure to take care of it. Sometimes this means a little indulgence. For a special Christmas treat my fiance' and I had massages today at a local beach resort. This was not in our budget, however we had a gift certificate that we had been saving for a special occasion, and it covered the whole cost.
I want to try and stay fresh and glowing the whole planning process, if possible. Later on in the year I have some great at home, cheap, spa treatments.

Start Setting the Tone With Music

2007-12-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

Today is the one year anniversary of when John proposed to me. I have been planning every minute of the music for the wedding for the past 364 days. I love music, I love to sing. I wanted the music at our wedding to express how we felt, show our personalities, and of courses set a romantic, enjoyable mood. I want people to walk out of our ceremony feeling like they were witness to and a part of a beautiful celebration of love.
I am so blessed to have many people in my life who are musically gifted. I've ask some of them to sing either at the ceremony or the reception. Many of them are in town for Christmas. Therefore I'm taking this opportunity to get the ball rolling. I love music, but my talent for pulling live musical performances together, is zero. So I did the only thing I could. I got copies of all the songs for the appropriate people on CDs. Then when I go to church tonight I'll give them the CD and ask them to let me know what I can do. That way they have plenty of time.
I take it very seriously that people are willing to be a part of our wedding, despite the fact it is so close to Christmas. Therefore I want to be as helpful and respectful of their time as possible.

The Dress

2007-12-23T15:13:00.000-05:00

I found my wedding gown! I know that everyone says this, but I think I will actually look and feel like a princess in my wedding gown. I thought I knew everything about wedding gowns when I started, but I was wrong.
I started my search on the Internet, which helped me eliminated 75 percent of the dresses. Then I had to get the gaggle of girls together and go to a bridal warehouse. Though my research over the years watching friends and relatives get married, I noticed this is the best place to get started. They give you all the undergarments, they have plenty of styles, and sizes to choose from, and they have bridesmaids dresses. Everyone can try on a whole bunch of things and see what you look best in. I've always been very outgoing and loud so....... This trip also helped me get out all my wise cracks and dancing around in the slip and corset. Which makes your figure look awesome, so I highly suggest it under your wedding gown.
Everyone always said the same thing about my wedding gown that they said about my fiance'. Say it together ladies "You'll know him/it when you see him/it!" I hate saying this but they were right. John and I were friends for months. Two days after we started dating I said "I don't see any reason why this would ever go wrong, I think eventually we'll get married!" I walked in to the bridal boutique and saw my dress and said I want to try this one on. I never tried another one on. Ordered it before I left the store.

Don't loose sight of you and me.

2007-12-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

Planning a wedding is crazy business. That's why John and I take time every weekend to be together. Usually just watching t.v. or cuddling and napping. I think it's very important to never loose sight of the reason why we're getting married. I also never miss an opportunity to tell my fiance' I love him. I know he knows, but it's still nice to hear.
One thing I like to do on these lazy days together is get the lap top and download love songs. Then we listen to them during commercial breaks and such and if we like it I add it to one of the wedding song list I have store in my lap top. My lap top is wedding planning best friend.

Where is the reception going to be?

2007-12-21T09:44:00.000-05:00

I have changed my mind so many times. First I wanted to do the wedding and the reception at a hotel. So there was no traveling after the ceremony. But I quickly learned how expense that is. Then I was going to do the ceremony at church an the reception at the Italian Club. Which was reasonably priced compared to the hotel, but still to much if I wanted to invite everybody. So finally I came up with the "Master All Day Wedding Celebration Plan". Sounds expensive, but it's not. We are actually having two receptions! Right after our ceremony in the sanctuary of the church, we're having a cake and punch reception in a tent in the front lawn of the church. Then we're going to go to.......We'll I have 2 or 3 ideas John and I haven't decided yet.

Now I Need A Calendar

2007-12-20T19:27:00.000-05:00

I chose a blank appointment book that only shows eight days at a time. That way I could fill everything in and take it one week at a time. It also gives me plenty of room to make notes each day. I did learn the hard way it's best to use pencil(this is my second appointment book). That story is to long to tell.
I penciled in the whole year. Then added in appointments I already knew.

Taking An Outside Look In

2007-12-19T21:28:00.000-05:00

I think some times I think to much. I get started talking about something, and I want to be understood so badly that I over explain. I give to much information. For example yesterday's blog I just wanted to explain why my guest list was so large. It's because I have a large church family who mean a great deal to me. Instead I......well you know. Therefore I am going to try and work on this, because I think planning a wedding has increased this characteristic.

Starting the Guest List

2007-12-18T20:08:00.000-05:00

When I started our guest list I wanted to make sure I didn't forget anyone, so after I miss placed the first paper list, I started an Excel spread sheet. Then I sat down with my fiance' and we entered in as many people as possible. Knowing this was coming I had saved all the envelopes that were sent to us over the holiday season and they really came in handy. Next I called or emailed other guest to request addresses. Some people like my grandmother were very helpful. I just asked her for a list of all the relatives that live near her, the same for my aunt in another state. Then came the big part of the list, but the easiest to find the addresses! My Church Family. I was born into my church. In the church library there are pictures of me 12 months old and another little girl who was the same age as me. In the pictures one of the Senior Adults is reading the Christmas story to us. I'm still friends with that little girl! Her mom is throwing me a bridal shower. I call her grandaddy, grandaddy. I've been very ill this past year and everyone in my church has prayed for me constantly. They love me and they love my fiance'. The point I'm trying to make, through all my rambling is, I love my church family and I'm thankful everyday my parents gave me that gift.

Dry your tears mom.

Back to the guest list. After a lot frustration I realized the guest list need to be alphabetized, duh. That made it easier if I thought of someone to add, I could check and see if they were already there so I wouldn't have any repeats.

I have the list of invited guest. I just wish there was a way to find out how many people were actually going to attend sooner than 6 weeks in advance. I think I'm going to send the invitations out sooner because our date is so close to Christmas.

Something to consider.....

Setting the Wedding Date

2007-12-17T12:04:00.000-05:00

The first thing we had to decide was the wedding date. We wanted to have a winter wedding, because we live in Florida. Any other time of year the weather is to hot and humid. I don't need to worry about my make-up melting off my face, frizzy hair, or sweaty arm pits. If we lived in a different climate I would have reconsidered that choice.
The problem with a winter wedding is holidays. I've made sure to plan everything way in advance to make it as smooth as possible. Twelve months is not a very long time, it creaps up very quickly. I'm confidant if I reasearch and price compare early, I'll be able to book everything early. Therefore my Wedding day will be a happy stress free day. I also want to make sure that the wedding is about my fiance' and I joining our lives in holy matrimony, not about throwing a huge expense party.
It's a celebration of love!