We Would Like to Invite You to

Grace's Bridal Shower!

Or, rather, my own Bridal Shower. I haven't a clue as to what has been planned and I'd much prefer it to stay that way. I know when and where it is and was kindly asked who I would want to be there but any more than that and I'm as much baffled as you are.

I got my invitation today. It was very pretty and well thought out. I love how it ties in with the theme of the wedding but has it's own flair. The colours go too. I know both Emily and Bethany have put a lot of thought, time and effort into the invitations; and constantly bugging me to give them people's email addresses! So, if you have been pestered for an email address by me or my sister's go check your inbox... you may have an invite from them! I hope you can make it to the Bridal Shower, I am told there are going to be green slime slides and a ball pool!

Details left out

On another 'invitational' note. I bought the invites today. I had a slight overpanic the other day because I pulled out of my wedding bag/envelope/box the envelope colours we had originally decided on, red matt colour, and I really liked it at first so I don't know what made me want to change my mind when I pulled out the emerald green invitations but there you go. So, today, when I came to buying the invites I swopped and changed and swopped and changed between the two colours before coming to the realisation that shopping for invites is like shopping for clothes; you try one on, go to a million different shops before going back to the first one you tried on... so I picked the redish coloured one.

But as I went to buy the envelopes I found a problem, even though the website supplies 9 x 4 in. invite wallets, they don't provide the envelopes; go figure? So I had to go trapsing around the interwebs trying to find the perfect envelope for my invites. You'd never believe how many types there are.

Yet, I still couldn't find the size that I wanted. They were either too big or too small or too wide, or too boring. I found the perfect one. I loved it. It was slightly expensive (70 envelopes costing £35ish) but they were lovely, ivory on the outside, greenish moss colour on the inside to go with the theme of the wedding, but for some reason when I went to go buy them the only method of 'Delivery' I could find was pick up from the manufacturer; this wouldn't have been so bad if it'd hadn't have been in Buckinghamshire...

But, all was not lost because I decided to venture from my original plan of pearlesque/metallic envelopes and go for something much more 'BAM IN THE POST YOU'RE INVITED TO A WEDDING'... You know what I mean? I think I found it, or at least I hope I did since I just ordered them, and again 70 envelopes, but this time they were only £15ish, I know, bargain!!

Sorry for the blurry- ness they were pretty small on the screen - I only chose one of these designs!

Next stop, BRIDESMAID DRESSES!

The 3rd Relay Run

Relay races are fun, because you can have a little rest before you get on with the next bit and you can quite clearly see how far you have left to go until you finish the race.


I couldn't post yesterday for two reasons:

First reason was that I was at church in the morning and then I went to my house to finish cleaning. I know the Lord says rest on a Sunday but I literally had no choice. My fault entirely; I'm just useless at organising things until last minute. So, by the time I got to my mums I was so unbelievably tired... all my body could do was stare at my computer screen whilst we watched 'Men In Black'

Where's Wally? Sorry, I mean Emily.

 Second reason was that my laptop had been packed into a bag with my charger and placed somewhere... I don't know where. Now that wasn't my fault, that was Bethany's fault. She put it somewhere and didn't tell me where, and when I finally did know where it was, I just thought, 'bleh'.

My laptop was behind the rolled up mattress, which was behind the bear; which was behind the sleeping bag; which was on top of a rucksack; which was behind the bike; which was caught on the box so, no.

Well now, this is it. This is the third leg of the race; the countdown; the whatever-you-want-to-call-it. I have moved back into my mums and it is all down hill or rather onwards and upwards from here. This is where we go into over drive because I finally have money from my wage that I don't have to spend on rent, and council tax, and gas & electric, and tv's etc...

The first leg was when Adam asked me to marry him up until Christmas; the second was the period of time between Christmas and now; the third is now up until I finish work and the fourth is the mini period of time between finishing work and actually being married to the lovely Adam. Not all these periods of time are the same length. The run up to Christmas was nearly 3 months; the jog from Christmas to moving back here was only a month and a half; this sprint will be nearly 3 months again and the last leg will be a nice quick speedy lunge of 2 weeks until the wedding. We're not doing too bad.

This following week some great things will happen, I will be purchasing:

My wedding licence
The Bridesmaids dresses
THE INVITATIONS

And that's about it, I would have bought more but stupid wage won't allow. But hey, Adam is getting his wedding licence this month too so, if all else fails and everyone has to stand at the reception and eat cake with squash... we'll still be married.

Wedding Package

I finally got my wedding package from my lovely friend Amy!

If you are trying to plan a wedding on a budget ask your friends if they have anything from their weddings that you could possibly borrow/buy. I am quite lucky that Amy offered because I probably in fact most definitely wouldn't have asked if I could borrow anything.

Amy told me she had a few bird cages that I could use and a wedding sign that I could use possibly if I wanted to. I was practically jumping in my seat when she told me; I'd been looking at these beautiful bird cages online a couple of days before and the prices were just stupidly ridiculous so I knew I couldn't afford them and had actually decided to take them out of the theme for the wedding, but how could I possibly refuse some when I really loved the ones I'd seen online. I had changed the idea for the reception but I knew I'd fit the bird cages in somewhere and when I saw them today I'm so glad that I did!

TWINKLE TWINKLE

I checked online today to see when my package would arrive and it told me the package had tried to be delivered yesterday and they'd left a slip, but mum and I looked everywhere for it; there definitely wasn't a package slip. I was really worried that they wouldn't redeliver and we didn't have a phone number to call so I checked the web again and it said the package had left the depot in Leeds.

So, frantically, I crossed my fingers and hoped it would come today. But, we needed to go to ASDA and I was really worried that we'd be out when they came to drop it off and I needed to go for the 'weekly shop' because I needed food for work so I tried to rush people (Mum & Beth) around ASDA so we could get home. The package came 5 mins after we sat down for lunch and it was HUGE! Well, not huge but it was rather big. I finished my lunch really slowly because I wanted to savour the moment of opening the rather large box sat in my mums kitchen.

It actually said 'This Way Up' facing the way I took the picture aswell

Inside, were the cutest bird cages I've seen and they're actually nicer than the ones I saw online; the wedding sign which I will definitely be using; the twinkle twinkle (LED) lights and some material.

I didn't realise there would be 4!

I <3 this - it is so classic

It was my birthday the Monday just gone and I didn't really do anything for it so getting this package was like a mini birthday package! It was great. Next I have the invitations to arrive... all 75 of them... and the BRIDESMAID DRESSES - which we will be holding our breath for to make sure they come on time; so far we have an estimated arrival of April. Let's hope.

Pretty Pretty Cage!

Now, I'm going out to celebrate my birthday with my wonderful fiancee, my sister (bridesmaid 1.1 - it's her birthday on Tuesday), my other sister, (bridesmaid 1.2), my older brother and his girlfriend/partner Christina! We are going to go kick some butt at bowling!

Flowers? Spots? Icing? Ribbon? Help?

Most of the usual rules when buying, designing and booking a wedding cake do not apply to my wedding as we have a very resourceful and wonderful friend from church who is going to do the cake for us. At first I wasn't too sure of what I wanted except that it should be a classic looking cake and that it would be sponge. I very much dislike fruit cake... It's just not my thing. I only eat Christmas cake because the marzipan makes it taste SO MUCH NICER.

When I first asked my friend at church if she would do my cake for me she instantly said yes but then after that asked:

How many people the cake would be for?
How many tiers would I want?
What type of cake would I like? (SPONGE and fruit)
Did I have any ideas?

I had quite a few ideas, I liked flowers and ribbon. I'd seen a cake very similar to what I wanted, on a website and immediately pinterest'ed it for later. I kept going back to it and looking at it and thinking "aww that's pretty" then I went on theknot.com website. It is amazing and broadened my horizons for cakes. I still want a traditional cake but I can't believe how many other types of cakes there are!


Adam would obviously go for this colour, but even though I've chosen black & white as a mini-theme I don't love the theme that much...

I want to go for colours that compliment the theme but I definitely want a white cake. White with a hint of moss/light yellow or claret which fit perfectly with added a few flowers here and there.

I was reading in my little wedding book called 'Brides Bible' that Monica (Adam's Brother's Partner - basically sister-in-law) got me for my birthday and it said:

Budget Savvy
If you've found the perfect design for a cake, but having it made for 120+ guests is going to hav some unsavoury ramifications on your budget, ask your cake-maker to downsize the size of the cake and to supply a 'kitchen cake'. This comes as a standard sheet cake, with the same coloured icing - your guests will never know the difference!

Unless, of course, you put this information on your blog so that all your wedding guests know you have to go cheapskate for the cake, but let's face it... Nobody realllly cares what the cake tastes like because it's all about the cutting of the cake and how beautiful it is before it is demolished...

Food Glorious Food

So, for this wedding we need to feed 150 people. Only a few then, should be a doddle.

We have gone for a buffet because it is easier to feed people that way and we don't have to worry as much about people being allergic to things (obviously when preparing food we shall keep a careful caution). We can't decide on what type of food we want and toyed with a few various ideas; themed by country i.e. Italian food, chinese, indian, etc. but for some reason that doesn't feel right; themed by colour of the wedding (very quick passing thought which we all laughed at), in the end we decided to just stick with whatever came to mind when we were writing the list.

Don't think ours will look so exotic

I luckily have a member in my ward that owns a bakery so all bread will be made fresh on the morning of the wedding, I might ask if we can throw in a few other things for slightly cheap. We have lots of vegetarian foods and other random foods, 'finger food' I call it, e.g. sausage rolls, cocktail sticks, pork pies etc, it'll be like a Spring afternoon tea party; minus the tea since we don't drink it, unless we had herbal tea?

This is pink - minus the pink and I like it

I was actually thinking today that I'd really like some fruit salad at the wedding, but then I had these really horrid images of me going round telling everyone what types of fruit we wanted and sternly saying very specifically that the apples weren't to go into the bowl of fruit salad until just before we went into the Reception because otherwise the sugar in them would turn them brown before we even had chance to eat them (as they do), and then I quickly changed my mind and said "actually wait no, I want the apples to be served whilst we are doing speeches", then my mind switched to the Reception speeches and in this play back in my head my face turns in slow motion towards the bowl of fruit salad and the apples are brown and sugary and just look plain awful.

A cut out melon - shaped like a basket - oooo

We also worked out that we need at least 60 bottles of shloer for the toast and at least 10 more just for the top table through out the ceremony, can you imagine going into ASDA, Tesco or some other supermarket and saying "'scuse me I would like to buy 60 bottles of shloer please, thanks." but you'd have to say it in the straightest face possible so then they couldn't decipher whether you were actually joking around with them or not? It's going to be very funny.

There aren't even 30 bottles here

We also haven't decided the feng shui of the room at the Reception either. We are very lucky to be holding the Reception in the same building as the Ceremony (i.e. Bradford Latter Day Saint church) and because of this we have pretty much free reign on how and where we position tables, but bearing in mind we have 140 people to sit on round tables and 10 to seat on the top table and another table the length of the top table for food, it could become a tight squeeze. We will manage though I am sure, and the food will be delicious.

Nom nom.

I can't promise anything though, but what I can promise is that I will be cooking and helping prepare a lot of it. It'll be my way of taking my brain off the fact that the day after, I will be married. AHHH!!!

106.5 DAYS TO GO

Tomorrow... The Cake

The Groom

The groom is Adam Peter Bell.

7 May 2011 - Day after I met him first time

He has known my sister, Emily for nearly 3 years. I have known him for nearly 9 months. She has been hiding him from me for all that time, don't worry I told her off for it.

The first thing we chatted about was how he could remember scriptures off the top of his head, apparently this was a good USP for Adam and it got me hooked. Another USP especially as a member of the church were his tattoos that he had done before he was a member, we sat talking about them for a while.

During our first date - Friday 13th May 2011

When he laughs he doesn't just smile or only slightly laugh, he laughs with everything he has - that makes it infectious and I laugh.

When we were driving back from the first dance that I ever met him at I was scrolling down Emily's friends on Facebook on my phone and trying desperately to find which 'Adam' he was as I didn't even know his last name.

When Adam tries too hard he isn't funny, he's just daft. When he is relaxed he is hilarious.

Need I say anything for this one?

Adam would give anyone everything he has... and then some more.

He is my best friend and he listens, even if I think he isn't. Personally I think it's a really good talent any guy should have. He can be playing FIFA or watching TV and I'll be talking pretty much at him because he won't be saying anything back and I will be thinking that he isn't listening but really he is.

He has the confidence I don't have and I have the drive that he doesn't have.

When we get married if Adam cooked all the time the main staple of our diet would be spaghetti bolognese.

Yes I know this is bacon...

We say we have 'a song' but when we finally pick one, we hear another one a few days later and like that one instead.

I'm patient and Adam is not at all really. He gets wound up like a clock but all I need to do is put some music on start dancing around with my panda hat over my face and he starts laughing.

Pandas!!

We both dislike the same foods... in fact we hate the same foods, olives & tomatoes (cooked differently though, he doesn't like them hot I dislike them cold).


I almost didn't meet him, but Emily begged me to go to the Leeds Dance that we met at.

I can't imagine my life without him now.

Major Minor Themes

I have already discussed the major theme of the wedding, this is what I would call the serious theme the one where everyone goes 'awww'; the one that people see as "traditional", with the flowers, sparkles and glam through out.

I know what you're going to say, 'how can you have two different themes going through a wedding? Surely they would clash?' But you see my friend this is why the extra theme is a minor theme. I say minor because it will only be the little added touches here and there that give the wedding a special 'Adam and Grace' look. More of an Adam look really, but if you think about it the major theme is something that I've really created from scratch and even though Adam has had a voice in it all, he hasn't really voiced it that much... Only because he has pretty much agreed with everything, which is nice but it doesn't make it personal to both of us. It just makes it personal to me.

So that is why, against all other advice I have introduced a minor theme just for the one I love, because let's face it, this wedding according to me is just as much about Adam as it is about me. Haha. I keep talking about this Adam bloke and I've just realised that some of you may not even know who he is. I presume you know what he looks like from my photos but you have no idea who he is... I'll introduce you to him tomorrow.

Back to the mini theme, yes, against all advice (believe me I've had a lot about this) the minor theme is black and white. Or rather, Adam's beloved Newcastle United. I am introducing his loved team for a few reasons, the first mainly being because when I jokingly mentioned something to him about the wedding to do with black and white he laughed, but then I thought 'why - ever - not? hmm... why - ever - not?' It'd give me a laugh and it'll be something of a personal touch of Adam. I don't think he'd even expect it either.

He is going to be wearing Newcastle United cuff links at the wedding, they're not black and white but silver and I rather like them. I think they are very sophist'. Other Newcastle United (black and white) related things at the wedding will include:

Black and White Guest Book

Bowl of Humbugs on each table (couldn't get magpies sorry)

Black and White Table Numbers

Now this last one is the one I jokingly mentioned to Adam which made me think 'why - ever - not' and my personal favourite, because I still think he doesn't believe I am going to do it.

BLACK AND WHITE TIPS!!! Spots are for a reason

The reason for spots shall be made known at a MUCH MUCH later date. If you know the reason for spots, please keep it unknown on here. Thanks! I know, I'm bonkers. But the more I think about it the more I think that this day isn't just any day, it's THE day. I want it to be special. It's going to be stressy, nerve wracking and crazy but most of all I want it to be fun. I think this will make it fun, I love it.

Sweets, my sweet?

A while ago I started looking at favours for the wedding. I didn't really like the idea of sugar coated almonds, mainly because if people have allergies to nuts then they'd miss out and that's no fun is it? Oh and also because sugar coated almonds are the norm and sorry to say people, but to me, quite frankly a bit boring.

So, instead of just suger coated almonds we decided to have favour bags. I'll briefly mention what will be in them because I have mentioned it before in my blog full with pictures so I don't want to go through all that again. If you haven't read it then it'll be a surprise, if you have read it but just can't remember then it'll be just as much of a surprise to you aswell then.

In the favour bags we will have a thank you note from Adam and I, a photo of  us with the date of our wedding on it, some bubbles (I know corny right? But, I like bubbles... I don't like sugar coated almonds), a jigsaw piece which is like a mini guest book, you have to return this piece to us there will be a box, and an organza bag that says on it, "Please Fill me up at the sweets table". You can then choose to take this bag to the Sweets Table where there will be an array of sweets in jars and bottles and tins and whatever else we can find to put sweets in or you can leave it at your table and one of the lovely ushers will come round and give you a list of the sweets at the table so they can go get them for you, if you are less abled. That way you can let us know if you are allergic to anything and we can make sure it doesn't go in your bag! I don't know about you but I think that's much more fun that just sugar coated almonds....

The other thing about the sweets table is that it shall be presented with a slight twist. At first I wanted to have sweets associated with hearts on the table which kind of makes sense but I could only really think of a few:

Gummy hearts
I Love You hearts (ones with the messages on them)
Chocolate Hearts
Almond Hearts (here come those almonds again....)

But Chief Bridesmaid number 1.2 (Bethany) said "Wouldn't it be a great idea if the sweets table had all the
top tables favourite sweets on it, that could be the theme?" I agreed. It'd obviously spoil the surprise if I told you what they were but I assure you pictures shall be taken... of everything. So you'll see them from the day.

Oh just one more thing for today. It's my birthday! Woohoo!! I am 23. I never thought that I'd be 23, I never thought this time last year that I'd be married this year but ah well, that's why life is so wonderful. You never know what is going to happen.

Tomorrow, I'll let you in on the mini-theme for the wedding... Come back and find out what it is!

Programming the Program(me)s

I can never tell the difference between which program(me) to use so I just write which ever one comes to mind first.

Since we've finished designing the invitations I think we'd better get started on at least designing the program(me)s. I haven't been to many Latter Day Saint weddings, in fact if I remember correctly I have only ever been to two. One when I was defintely below 10 years of age and the other was August last year (Rosie & John Jenkinson - their wedding was beautiful) and so because of this minor/major detail Adam and I really don't know how the service is supposed to work. The only things we do know is that we should have two talks; two hymns; a scripture reading; possibly a poetry reading; opening and closing prayer and of course the actual vows!

We've both picked someone we know well to do a talk for us and my friend Aaron may be doing a musical piece; this all depends on time though and what the weather is like, for example, if it's raining outside then we'll do the musical piece because we won't have to rush outside for photos but if it isn't raining we will probably spend quite a bit of time outside.

The ceremony is supposed to start at 11am, but I think I might just turn up, y'know fashionably late. It just depends on how excited I am to be married (in answer to that statement I'd say "UHM EXTREMELY EXCITED"). I think we open with a hymn and I think we've chosen 'How Firm a Foundation' or 'The Spirit of God', but I think we're going with the latter, then there is the opening prayer; a talk; a scripture; a talk then the poem (possibly a musical item) then the vows. I think that's why I chose the dress that I have because it's not very creasable... and I'll be sat down a lot, and don't worry as soon as Adam and I get back from the honeymoon I'll post photos of the wedding and the honeymoon.

The theme for the wedding is 'Wishes Come True' so like a fairytale with a twist because it's a spring fairytale so we'll be using lots of crystals and shiny sparkly things but also incorporate the actual spring wish. A dandelion (not the yellow apparently makes you wet the bed kind) but the white fluffy kind which you blow away and make a wish on in the wind. It will be on everything. The invites, programmes, placecards and possibly the tables.

Still doesn't feel real sometimes. I spoke to the florist about flowers today and I spoke to my friend who is doing the cake tomorrow. She looked at the two - tiered cake in the picture and said, 'yep, I can do that'. I actually want three tiers but I am sure she will be perfectly brilliant.

I told my fiancee and sister yesterday that once we get into February it'll be double digit figures until Adam and I get married. Right now it's 110... I know I'm sad but I'm sure you'd count too.

Wedding 'W'ramble

This is just a random ramble about stuff going on to do with the wedding.

Weirdly enough, I have just checked my planning schedule for things that need to be done Feb wage and March month and the only things that need to be sorted really are the wedding rings, cake and flowers... Not bad. Slowly getting there. The wedding photography will be an ongoing thing through out the next 3 months but at least now it is sorted.

January/Feb stuff has been sorted and will be done middle of February. I need extra hands in Bradford for a mini period of time for help with the making of invitations and other things like favour bags etc but keep a check on your Facebook for that invite!

The big spends for Jan wage and February month are:

Bridesmaid dresses
Reception Tables (depending on whether I like rectangular tables or not)
Invitations
Wedding Licences

Sounds good to me. Check check check check. Or rather cheque cheque cheque cheque. *sigh*

For those marriage hopefuls who are on a budget and are paying for the wedding themselves the best and first thing you should do is sit down and decide on an actual monetary and realistic budget. Don't say you're going to make it a £10,000 budget if really you can only afford half that. Write down the list of things you need to buy and when you need to buy them and roughly how much they are going to be (Tip: Websites are really good for this type of thing because they really do give you a ball point general figure of what you should be going for per guest on invites/food etc.).

Writing down when you're going to buy things gives you a focus for the month and a tick list to make sure you can afford something. Getting freebies from other people also helps too because that way it keeps your costs down and ASK people if they know of places that sell/hire things for cheap. I found out the other day that Otley Waitrose does free glass hire with a cheap deposit (only if you break something). So we'll be taking advantage of that!

Also, it isn't cheeky asking friends to lend a hand with the wedding preparations (decorating a room/invites etc.) because they will more than likely give you a helping hand anyway. If you can't think of any way they can help right now, don't worry something will come to you and they'll be there to step in. Only problem with me is I am a bit of a control freak. Why get someone else to do it if you ''think'' you can do better? Sometimes I use this as an excuse but mostly I think I like control because the only person I can let down if I mess it up is myself!

I told you this was a proper wedding ramble. Its only because I don't have anything proper to focus on until I get paid!

P.S. It's my Birthday on Monday.

111 days until the Wedding!

The Bigger Picture

Or pictures. Can I just let you know... We have a possible photographer! We are pencilled into their diary (is pencilled even a word?). Now I shall share with you the details because some of you may need to know in the future how much your photography is going to cost. Originally we decided we didn't want an official photographer or rather I said someone on my side of the family could do the photography but when asked they were a little unsure of having such a big responsibility in case they did something wrong. Then the FMIL said it'd be best to not ask someone who was actually coming to the wedding because it'd be nicer for them to just focus on enjoying the big day with Adam and I. The more I thought about it the more I realised she was definitely right.

I went scouring the web of the wide world and found a couple places that I liked, a few I loved and one that was just not my taste at all.

Adam trusts my decision on this one so I hope that he really likes the type of photography I have gone for. I wanted something that looked natural as well as the official and usual wedding group photos I wanted someone who would creep into the back of the room and sneak a peek at the bridesmaids; someone who wasn't afraid to kneel down on the floor for the right picture of the detail of my dress; someone who took the shots that would usually be missed by an official photographer. I found the perfect person, but more on that later.

The one problem we have initially had with trying to find ourselves a photographer is that because the original budget didn't have one in it we weren't sure of the barriers on which we were going to spend on said photographer. I knew obviously straight away that anything over £1000 was ridiculously out of the question and yes believe me some photographers do go that high and higher. Someone quoted me £800 and even though I loved the wedding shots they did they just weren't in the style that I wanted. So I dismissed that one.


When looking at photographers I found their prices ranged roughly between £350 and £1,500. All photographers also had different packages of what they would supply on the day. None of them had a custom package which may have been quite nice to have had a bit of a shuffle around with. They all included ceremony pictures, but we're not having any photography taken in the chapel due to it being so sacred. A lot of them supplied CD's and a lot of them didn't supply photo albums with in the price (some of them it was an added extra cost of £250!).

Because I had scoured the web of the wide world for wedding photographers the good old stalkers and cookie browser history pinchers had caught up with me on my Facebook. The right hand side of my screen was inundated with advertisements for different photographers so I tried them all, click click click.

First one: PHOTOGRAPHY FROM £375

(Not bad, let's have a look. Oh, the £375 is for portraits. The wedding photography is actually £750 and that's just the first package, which isn't even that good... Rubbish)

Stupid Facebook and misleading advertisements.

Second one: ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS HAS LIKED THIS PAGE

(Well this one might be good. Load load load... stupid laptop being slow, load load load. These are okay. These are good. £450 Hmm let's email for a quote. Received a reply next day, "COME SEE US CHECK PRICES GIVE US CALL"... What are you like a scam or something? Can't you speak proper english? Yay? Next.)

Third one: WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY RUTH MITCHELL

(This might look okay. Clickety click click. Hmmm, HAHA. Awww. Hmmmm. £575. Not bad, let's contact. They're in Thirsk, do weddings in Durham, I can say I am moving to Newcastle... Kind of near Durham.)

Ruth Mitchell rang me today. Her price for us was £595. It includes "Coverage from getting ready to sitting down for meal, with posed cutting of the cake, and 150 copyright images." I know 150 doesn't seem like a lot but it would definitely fill a wedding album. I will need to have a few more calls with Ruth just to see what it is we can do with the images but so far so good. She is friendly polite and understood that photography cannot be taken in the chapel and some of her work really captures the life and love that is shared and shown at a wedding.

 It is the start of the rest of your life together and you want to make it shine!


Ruth Mitchell Wedding Photography - Click here for her Facebook Page

Ruth Mitchell - WeddingsAlive (Her website)

Let me know what you think.

Just a little add note: When booking a photographer make sure to ask whether they include travel costs in their package prices or whether it is added on top!

Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend

And a dog is a man's best friend... I think women get the better end of this deal.

I am not thinking of diamonds really. I am more thinking of jewellery in general (trying saying that very fast). I've already gone through the check list of things that need to get done with January's wage and we even managed to slip something else in there that didn't need to be dealt with until a month or so i.e. the men's suits, so that's something crossed off the list. What I am going to focus on in this post is the stuff we usually forget about until last minute; or the last week anyway. Things like:

Signs so people know where to go
Guest book
The Bride and Groom on the cake
Cake Stand
Jewellery for the Bridesmaids and Moi
Decorations in the Chapel that aren't flowers
What types of pictures we want the wedding photographer to do

That is all I can really think of for now, but as I said some things are generally forgotten until last minute so there could be a pile of stuff that isn't written above or somewhere in my blog that I am forgetting about, so if you notice something you had at your wedding or you saw at a friend's wedding that I haven't mentioned please let me know.

I am hoping that a sign my lovely friend Amy is sending me will be perfect for the wedding to let people know where to go but we're also going to need signs to show people where to put coats or to leave presents or ways to walk to the photography area etc etc. I'm thinking chalkboards.

The guest book hasn't really been decided yet because we are kinda having two. We're having the general one that anyone who comes to the ceremony can sign and we are also having the jigsaw puzzle pieces that arrived a month or so ago to my house that the people who come to the Reception will be able to sign too. The jigsaw pieces will be more for close friends and relatives, they'll be framed and will go up in our house some where! I can't wait. But we don't know what guest book we want.

The cake stand I am hopefully borrowing from a friend but they haven't gotten back to me about it yet so I hope I can still borrow it. If not, then my mum is trying to commandere the one that she had for HER wedding a million years ago (okay so it was 25 years ago) which is all the way over in Cardiff and we can get my dad to pick it up and bring it with him! So we shall see on that one.

The jewellery so far that I have for everyone is pearls... But should I use pearls? Would pearls look nice? I want a pearl beads and clear beads on two necklaces for each of the bridesmaids and then pearl and clear beads for their bracelets too. Now, I don't know whether this is something that could be made or whether it would just be easier and less stressful to just buy the jewellery but we shall have to look into that sooner or later. That's what I have so far on the jewellery. Pearls and clear beads....

Decorations for the chapel... I am thinking bows around the sides of the pews? Or possibly beads on a string with a few flowers at the bottom; as you can see this is really not something I have looked in to at all. I am thinking organza bows would look very good or who knows.

I was having a conversation with someone recently about their family member's wedding and they told me that the pictures looked awful and that the photographer really hadn't taken into consideration what group photos should be done. This friend of mine told me they could understand if they weren't in all the main photos due to not being an immediate family member but then continued to tell me that they weren't in any official photograph's at all... bit strange really.

I should also add bridesmaid hair & make up to my list and Reception music also. The speeches are kind of taken care of. So there, a small consideration for everything usually forgotten.