Saturday 31 March 2012

Same Old Saturday

I know it might seem to some that I'm not very excited about mine and Adam's wedding but I assure you I am. I am very excited about it. I am just not 'normal girl' excited about it. But I do like to talk about it at every given oppotunity that I can. I mean I started randomly talking to this woman who worked in Boyes today about tiaras, little did I know that she already knows about my wedding since she's a member from Bradford, but how was I supposed to know that?! She just got to find out some more information anyway.


Oo people!!!! 6 WEEKS TODAY!! You can tell that it's getting close because I've stopped counting down the months and started counting down on my fingers! Well I have got a lot sorted today and in the past few days it's just still this stupid food matter. I mean, we have to get prepared 225 sandwiches.... and we want to home cook/bake a lot of things so we're needing to put a list together of how much we need of each specific thing and then ask people at church if they can roll their sleeves up, get their aprons on, get the family involved and start baking. Annoyingly enough though, baking and cooking and making can only be done earliest a couple of days before the wedding, which is in 6 weeks... did I say?


We need 5 groups of people, some people can be in more than one group and no group is cooler than the other. We need groups that will:

Cook the food before the wedding
Set up the chapel with us
Prepare the food on the morning of the wedding
Serve the food at the Reception
Clean up the mess than nearly 150 people make.

Any volunteers??


On other news, today I bought lots of things for the Reception.

Got to love internet shopping. I stayed on budget for pretty much everything besides the stuff I can't add up properly so that's why it wasn't right in the first place. But I bought:

Wedding Guest Book
Battery Powered LED's
Crystals for Tables
Table Runners & Chair Bows
Bubbles
Doilies
Car Ribbon
Table Banqueting Roll

So that's it. All sorted for the reception (except for the flowers). You'll have some nice, beautiful tables to sit at, but with no food. It's all good. You can just talk and we'll order pizza!


Just kidding.

I'll get it sorted. Honest. Just not this week because the chapel isn't open tomorrow because of General Conference, so looks like it'll be next Sunday, AHH! Easter Sunday!

Friday 30 March 2012

Posh Picnic

I think it's time I started talking about the food with other people besides my mum.

It's probably been put off for a while because I didn't want to think about the size of the task at hand, but I suppose I'd better get it sorted or else nobody is eating anything at the wedding. Not that I'll notice or anything.


We're having a posh picnic; meaning we're having a picnic but inside and at a dinner table. People who know me know I'm not one for going posh. When you think of a wedding table and food you most probably think of the best crystal glasses, perfectly hired china and the food available... not to mention the fact that you have two glasses to drink from and lots of cutlery. I think usually there are at least two forks, two knives and two spoons. At our wedding there will be one of each for each person. You'll toast with whatever you have filled up in your glass and I'll even be happy if you toast with an empty glass!

This posh picnic won't include the usual table cloths and such but it'll be all the table rolls and organza material I ordered for table runners. But, what it will include is:
Quiche portions

Triangle cut sandwiches

Sausage rolls

Victoria sponge

Jam tarts
 So you're average every day picnic really. I am really hoping the weather will hold out for us, but don't worry my friend and florist, Sarah, have quite a few tricks up our sleeves for bringing the outdoors in!

Well, mum did always used to call me the coal-miner's daughter.

We added up roughly that we will need about 275 sandwiches so... times that by 4 (because thats the sandwiches cut into triangles) and that is oh, only 1100 triangles.... not that many then. We're thinking of seperately savoury and sweet just so it's easier to access when people are going in and out. It is going to be so much fun! All bright and breezy. I just hope that the picture I have in my head comes out okay in reality, I mean I do usually have a good eye for this type of thing but who knows... Sometimes I wonder whether I actually have a brain at all.

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Reception Resources

The internet is amazing. I am sure you will all agree.

I type into a search engine what I am looking for and it comes up. Just like that. I really do think that google has all the answers. So to tick a 'thing' off my list I have to itemise all the supplies we'll need for the wedding reception to make sure we don't go over budget. At first it took me ages to get my brain around it and it doesn't help that I have a headache at the moment. I had to go on Skype the other day and share my screen with my sister just so I could work everything out. My brain just needed another brain to bounce off, to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything.


Useful Reception Websites:

http://www.wholesalelinensuppliers.co.uk/  (really good for bulk organza material and it's in the UK, so no extra shipping costs!)

http://www.lkweddingaccessories.co.uk/ (really cheap and good for things that you'd usually forget for a wedding, i.e. car ribbon, UK based and free for orders over £75, just a shame they don't really have lots of useful things to make my order over £75 but you never know)

http://www.ohsocherished.co.uk/ (If nothing else, their wedding guest books are beautiful and fairly cheap for how pretty they look)

http://www.partyrama.co.uk/ (Can't really forget this website since it's been my saving grace for a while now, there's so much on this website!)
--------

We'll start at the bottom of the table and work our way up. Because we're having rectangle tables that's really easy to cater for. 
Partyrama are doing 100m! of table roll for £16.75, this is definitely enough to cover all the dining tables, food tables and cake table.

Then to finish the tables off we want table runners. It is going to be cheapest to buy a roll for this because we only need roughly 60m which is only 3 organza rolls of 25m. We can get a light yellow from ebay for £17.95.

We are getting the cutlery, glasses & plates, bowls free from church storage.

We want organza bows for each of the chairs at the wedding, it'll roughly be about 2.5m of organza material (length wise) for each chair. So, 150 x 2.5 = oh only 375m....


Now, Wholesale Linen will do 140 olive (nearest green I liked) chair sashes for £119.00
Or, I get 10 rolls of organza from ebay for £4.40 each (£44.00) and make the sashes myself... I know which one I'd rather choose!

The doilies we are using for that picnic, home summery effect will be a whole £3.99. 

LED's will possibly cost the most because we are getting them for so many tables, I've budgeted about £50.00 for these but the great thing about LED's is that you can sell them on again, in fact most of the things I buy I can sell on again to someone else.

The bubbles for the bags will be £25.99

Printing costs for Thank You cards, Sweets Tokens & Jigsaw notes will be about £70.00 (stupid ink).

The favour bags will either be bought for £45.00 or we will make them (depending on our gluing and folding skills), £25.00 this includes the card we need to make the bags and the string we need to make it into a 'bag'.

Diamantes for the middle of the table are again coming from Partyrama... glass cystals for the tables, just because they look pretty. Don't worry I've tried them out and they'll go really well with the LED's. £12.99


Luckily we are borrowing the bunting so that is free too!

The flowers I am buying next month so they're not coming out of this months budget. Luckily.

Other things we need to buy this month:

Car ribbon which is actually surprisingly cheap if you just go into a shop in town and don't look online. Any website that has the word 'Wedding in it will double the price of anything you find in the shop. We need 4 cars to have ribbon and 5 meters for each car. So I make that to be about £8.00

I have found the perfect guest book from oh so cherished and I'm sure Adam will love it. That'll be £16.99 after P&P. It's all the little things that really add up. But they're still essential to the overal atmosphere of the wedding... well not really 'essential' but we can just about afford them so why not.

All underlined comes to a grand *drum roll* total of: £291.65

We've to pay the photographer this month too (£200): £491.65
And the Sweets lady (£90.00)                                    £580.65

Totally doable....

Now you can see how my brain works. Exciting isn't it?

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Token of Our Love

I don't know if anyone saw my list of thing's to do for the Wedding but if you didn't then have a catch up.


One of the things on my list was/is:

"Design and write sweet tokens for the sweets table". 

Like this? Although it looks kinda scary...
This to some of you might seem a little odd since a while back I told you I was having organza bags inside the favour bags for people to fill up at the sweets table but as money is and as money does, we don't have enough to pay for 150 organza bags; and I'm talking about 69p each, doing the math it's just not plausible when we have so many other things to buy. So, I came up with the idea of sweet tokens for a few reasons really:

  • They're super cute.
  • Cost effective.
  • Bags for sweets are being provided.
  • Tokens ensure everyone who wants to can have some sweets, as it will be one token per person inc. little people (should their parents permit) and those who don't want sweets can give their token to someone else to get some more sweets! The sweets lady (Kerry) assures me there will be enough sweets for 150 people in 18 jars. 
These ones are pretty sweet but I wouldn't hand make them
I am just trying to think more about it now because it'll be a really cute (but very easily lost) keepsake from the wedding. I am trying to decide whether we should make them circle or rectangle, either like the shape of a chocolate coin or like an old cinema ticket or train ticket. You get your token out of your bag and go to the sweets table; the tokens could then be given to the helper who is helping out with the sweets; the person can fill their bag of sweets and then the token could get hole punched with like a love heart hole-puncher! I love it. The brain is flowing with ideas.

Wow! How cute are they!?
I haven't got a clue of what I am going to write on the tokens yet but it'll probably be some sort of little poem, made up by moi and the entitlement the token brings, for example, "This token will get you 1 visit to the sweets table". I don't know. My brain is just playing around with ideas, but it's just something that can be crossed off the list then really. I like crossing things off my list. Since I last wrote it I've already managed to get two things done. GO ME!

I like the 'hole-punch' effect but I wouldn't use hands

Monday 26 March 2012

Calling in for a Catch-up

Wow, sorry I haven't posted since last Thursday!!

A few things have happened since then.

I was worrying for ages about how we were going to tackle the problem of the bunting for the wedding because, 1. I don't have enough hands, 2. Ready made it was very expensive and 3. We need enough to cover the whole of the chapel. But, Ruth Choi was my saving grace! She mentioned that they still had the bunting from her daughter's wedding last August and offered to let me borrow it, so how could I possibly turn it down?! I must have thanked her a million times. As Adam said, "stress levels have gone down about 25%" which brings them from 1,000,000% stressed to.... 750,000% stressed. We're getting there, all for one day.


I like how Adam and I haven't really budged on what we want for the wedding. Some people's expressions or remarks at what we are doing for the wedding haven't been best pleasing but I really don't mind. I'm glad that both Adam and I are very happy with what we are doing for the Reception and how homely it will all feel. This is a day to celebrate with the people we care about most not a day of "Keeping up with the Jones'" and I like that because then it makes it more personal. It'll still have the awww factor though, don't you worry!

This months wage is going on:

Reception Things
Photographer
Sweets table

Next months wage is going on:

Food
Cake
Photographer
Shoes
Roughly each month works out at about the same. Then, I'm done. Just rings and honeymoon to pay for.


Also, today I very easily booked the free hire glasses for the wedding from Waitrose in Otley. I had previously signed up with them so I could order over the phone and I just need to pick them up, just like that on the 11th of May. We've gone for the morning because I presume the afternoon will be quite busy, and they didn't even give me a time of when I needed to take them back but I'm going to ask them when I go up to collect.

At least that's one thing ticked off the list!

Thursday 22 March 2012

My Northern Bridal Shower

Sadly, my future in law family couldn't come to my bridal shower in Bradford due to the amount of time it would take to travel and work commitments so they asked if they could organise something for when I came up. To which I said yes but not a spa.

I left the planning of the day in the trusty hands of my future mother in law, Jen and my fiancees brothers fiancee (haha work that one out), Monica.

We had my bridal shower today which was more of a tour of Newcastle and Gateshead quayside. It was a wonderful sunny day and I have done at least four things I have never done before:

Got a manicure

Gone to the Baltic Contemporary Museum

Gone to the Laing Museum

Walked over the Millenium Bridge

Oh, and, we went inside the Sage on the quayside.

Can I just say that right now, I love Newcastle and cannot wait to move up here.

I will explain more tomorrow what we did today but I just wanted to let you all know that I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth!


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Tuesday 20 March 2012

Checking the List

I keep thinking that because we've got the big bulky things done and out of the way we've pretty much finished the planning but this is a bad way to think because when it boils down to it, as my fiancee now knows, we have a lot more to do with regards to small stuff than you first realise.

I have to:

Design, organise and write an order of the day for the Ceremony for guest
Organise and write an order of the 11th and 12th for the Wedding party (where people need to be)
Make a long long trail of bunting for the Reception
Order free glasses from Otley Waitrose
Itemise and bill everything for the Reception to make we don't go over budget
Pay the photographer
Pay the sweets table lady
Organise and write down a list of people we need for setting up the wedding, preparing food, handing out food and cleaning up after the wedding
Buy and pick up 5 bridesmaids pairs of shoes and shrugs for the day
Organise and write a list of food for the day that will feed the five thousand
Go shopping with my florist again to get flowers for the Reception
Buy food and drink for the day
Contact someone regarding borrowing cutlery and plates for the wedding - if they dont have enough then we're pretty much screwed.
Making 140 favour bags
Design and write thank you cards for all favour bags
Buy bubbles for the favour bags
Design and write sweet tokens for the sweets table
Make sure we have a cake stand and cake knive for the day
Get Aaron and Haley to practice musical item & isle music
Organise transport for Reception-y things from house to chapel
Buy table rolls and table organza's for Reception
Organise seating plan and write out as necessary
Actually set up the reception and chapel room

All in 7 weeks....

Adam is organising the Honeymoon and the list for the photographer so we can make sure we don't forget anyone. That's why I haven't listed them above, but they are in there. 

Not much then. I think that's everything. If someone else can think of something I've forgotten please add it to the list. Because. The. Brain. Is. Fried.

Monday 19 March 2012

Fancy Flowers for a Fanciful Affair

 We went flower shopping today! It was so fun and definitely got me in the mood for the wedding. In the beginning I didn't really have a clue of what I was looking for because I was hoping there would a cascade bouquet around so I could just say to Sarah "Ohh I like that style but not those colours" but there weren't any flower arrangements for brides, anywhere!


And you need to have been there to have seen the scale of flower picking I had to do. There were just SO MANY FLOWERS! Big, small, white, blue, purple, orange. I don't know why but for some reason this observational fact surprised me even though I was in flower shop and knew I was going to a flower shop, apparently they sell lots of flowers in a flower shop. Just so you know. Note it down too. So, I must have looked like a fish out of water with all these other people around looking very professional and there's just me trapsing up and down isles like a crazy person trying to decipher which flowers would be best for my bouquet and which ones would make it look ridiculous. That is until Sarah told me picking flowers is like picking a wedding dress, you have to try on ones you like; say what you like about them and what you don't; then pick something with the previous dress' likable features.


But before I get to my bouquet, we went on a mission for bridesmaids bouquets first. The store we went to, Country House, had some already made up bouquets and I instantly liked one of them because it goes with the style of my dress. I started rumaging through the shelves making sure there were 5 of these lovely bouquets but as we went to look for signature flowers to put in the bouquets I noticed another set of flowers, that go with my dress even more than the other flowers we first picked up so we got those. And I know you've no idea of what I am talking about unless you've seen my dress, which most of you haven't. But, seriously, these mini bridesmaid bouquets could have been made for me. So, we were pretty much instantly sorted in that department.


So, yes. Back to my bouquet. Sarah had asked me to go around picking up all the flowers I liked and choose others that would go with them and soon enough we saw a bouquet starting to form. It was like magic. Sarah said she could see in her mind exactly what I want for my bouquet and told me I was going for all of the romantic-y type flowers that show big gestures of love, or something. But I am that type of person anyway so it really fits. I'd tell you what flowers I got but then that'd be spoiling everything so you're just going to have to wait I'm afraid.


We got button holes, bridesmaid flowers x 5 and my bouquet of flowers, ribbons, pins, tape and some pull bows (a-maze-ing things) all for £112 something which is amazing. We have stayed well within budget for those flowers and I cannot wait until Sarah and I go back for some more! I really would have liked to have come out with the whole shop though. My wedding flowers are incredible.

Sarah - my friend & florist
On another note, Adam got his cute brain in a tizzy because of the stupid registry office up north, which shows how much he cares about this wedding because he just doesn't want anything to go wrong, and of course I don't too. But remember... my levels of stress are used to being higher at the minute whereas Adam's has only just begun... So, now... It's Official!!! Adam and I are going to be getting married on the 12th May 2012. Our bans have been put in and all we need to do now is wait 16 days to go back and get the sheet of paper that says nobody disagrees with our marriage and we are good to go!

53 days and counting.

Sunday 18 March 2012

Bride 101

It's not always easy you know. Being a bride.

You have to co-ordinate people and be very organised. Both of which I am very rubbish at. You try to delegate but don't forget who you've given jobs to because otherwise you could be giving two people one job - which actually sometimes isn't a bad thing. For example, we asked two people to get back to us re: tables for the Reception and only one person has still got back to us, but we're getting there.


A wedding organiser is the best way to go with anything. Any ideas; any passing comments; any ideas of creativity note them down because something you think about and really like the idea of could be forgotten the moment you wake up the next day - some would say that's because it probably wasn't a good idea in the first place but try saying that to my sister. Bethany and I sat down to sort out favours but she swears that apparently I keep forgetting something.


So besides being co-ordinated and organised (I know, I know, you can stop laughing at me now) you also need to value your fiancee's opinion and your opinion more than other people's. It's your wedding not anyone elses, if they want to say what you should or shouldn't have then tell them (kindly) to get married themselves or get married again. It is you and your fiancee's big day and I know from the outside it looks a lot like it's my big day and Adam is just a tag-along but he sorted out the Ceremony and should be working on a photography list for our Photographer - Ruth Mitchell.

www.weddingsalive.co.uk
Right, we have, being co-ordinated, organised, opinionated, next is something that stands in line with being opinionated but it is, being decisive and speaking up about your own ideas. I'll share this example with you because it's a perfect one. People who know me know that I very much dislike upsetting others and like to just go ahead and agree with anything and everything, if someone has taken the time to do something for you then who are you to moan (something our mother taught us) so when an old family friend, and also our wedding cake maker came up to me today and showed me the designs for our wedding cake at first I really liked the idea's that she'd come up with. I'd sent her an email with four cakes on it and wanted to combine 3 of them with the overall idea being focused on one specific cake. But, as I kept saying yes and kept agreeing with the ideas she'd brought to me I kept having a small niggling feeling "this isn't the right cake, this isn't what you wanted" and I kept staring at the photo of the cake that I'd sent her that I really liked. So, in the end, and I felt awful trust me, I told her what I really really did want and she was fine with it.


So, brides must be, co-ordinated, organised, opinionated, decisive but most of all they must 'try' to be patient and fun, take things with a pinch of salt. Not everything is going to work out straight away unless you're like a god or something. You will experince pickups and hiccups but it's how you deal with them that makes all the difference.

Saturday 17 March 2012

Care Kit for the Day

So, imagine this:

The big day arrives and you're stood waiting to go down the isle, everything is set. Your bridesmaids are there; your father is waiting nervously on your arm and you are stood there trying to remember some calming, soothing techniques before you pass out when all of a sudden... one of your flowers tries to wriggle free from your bouquet or, a curl that your hair stylist thought was sprayed on so tight it wasn't going to move, decides to uncurl from your head or, one of your hair clips falls out or, low and behold I hope this never happens to me, but, your dress gets accidentally stood on and part of it gets crumpled/torn.

If the thought of all that hasn't stressed you out enough what about...

Your tights get a ladder in them!

What are you going to do?


Well, in this situation your handy and most wonderful bridesmaids will have already prepared a care kit for you so in the event any of the above issues arise you don't need to panic and they will sort everything for you.

Right, got it. But, one question, what exactly goes in the care kit bag?

Pretty much anything, everything you can carry.

A mini first aid kit (why not)
Sewing kit
Hair grips
3 pairs of tights (who knows)
Hairspray
Deodorant & Perfume
Mints?
SAFETY-PINS!!!
Make-up bag (for all those touch ups between photographs) BRIDE MUST NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE THINGS IN THE MAKE UP BAG
Water
Spare jewellery (incase you accidentally lose an earring - you never know)

It is the maid of honour's job or just the bridesmaids' job in general to look after this bag and to keep it with them at all times (except for when you are going down the isle). At the moment we are in the process of deciding a designated room for my things to go in so that when I need to, I can have 5 minutes in there sorting myself out - with my entourage of course.


The bag can be as little or as big as you want, but the bigger the better. If you can think of anything else PLEASE let me know.

Friday 16 March 2012

Adam's Footmen & Reception Speeches

 I've introduced you to the girls before my wonderful bridesmaids. If you need a bit of a recap just click the 'The Girls' tab at the top of this post, just below the 'Grace Smith & Adam Bell - May 2012 Mrs B to B' and you'll see it along there. Anyway, so you've been introduced to them BUT I haven't introduced you to Adam's footmen. His ushers. The guys you'll meet at the door with Adam when he is absolutely bricking it on the day we get married. These will be the good guys that'll show you around if you get lost and will help you with food and directions etc.

Adam's Best Man & Brother - James (with my gorgeous nephew to be - Leo)


Aaron Vigour - One of Adam's closest friends... who has a cat called either Sunny or Sonny


Michael Smith - My brother


Aaron Newland-Bentley - see below for explanation


Dan Cain - hilarious guy again one of Adam's good friends. (Doesn't have any good pics on his FB to steal)


 Reception Speeches!!

At first it was just going to be Adam's brother, James, and my dad, doing a speech but then when I thought more about it I realised it'd be really lovely for my sisters to say a speech especially because Emily has known Adam for a few years now and obviously I guess she's known me a couple or so, maybe 21years...

Then, I couldn't imagine leaving my best friend, Aaron, out of the equation because I've known him for too  long to not ask him to do a speech during the Reception. He said he can't talk at the Reception because he knows he'll cry but I've asked him and pushed him enough and I know he'll do it for me - that is if he gets himself sorted for suit!

So, now, it's Adam's brother, James, my dad; my sisters; my best friend and Adam doing a speech... so be ready to listen to lots of funny jokes. All from Aaron of course! Haha

Thursday 15 March 2012

Thoughts

With only 57 days left until the big day how am I feeling about getting married?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

How can that be translated into plain english?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


What still needs to get done?

Choosing a cake
Choosing the flowers
Buying all the Reception props - material, table cloths, organza runners, plates, napkins, glass hire, cutlery, glass white crystals, LED's, Flowers
Extra mini stuff - guest book, end of pew decorations (nothing fancy I assure you), organzaz sweets bags, thank you cards, order of service cards,
Rest of photographer fees
Sweets table fees
FOOD & DRINK

Not much then?

No, no, not really.

And what is the budget for all of the above?

Roughly, £1,200 to £1,500 we can do it. Just about.

Have the bridesmaid dresses come yet?

Well, they're not due until the 21st April but fingers crossed they come before hand

What if it rains on the day?

I've booked sunshine.


Yes, but what if it does rain?

It won't.

How would you say the whole wedding planning experience has been so far?

Stressful. But fun and eye-opening.

How many people are giving speeches at the wedding reception?

Too many. Haha. The bestman, my dad, my groom, my best friend that I've known since I was 7 and my two younger sisters are saying a couple of words. But I'll explain about all that tomorrow.
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Yes, my brain talks too itself quite often but nothing ever nasty. Sometimes I wind myself up about stuff to do with the wedding because I don't know if it will all get planned in time and some times I am so calm it's strange to think of me ever getting married at all... not to mention the fact that it is in 57 days.... Wait...


...That's less than two months?!



WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Sneaky Peek - Invitations!

I was going to post pictures of the invitations yesterday but totally forgot and then it got too late but here they are now:

Front of the envelope


Back of the envelope

INVITE!

What you see on the right!

Everything out in order
Everything put in the wallet in order

Glitsy bits!
Some people have still yet to receive their invitations because of numbers and what not so if you see this invitation before you receive it in the post or whatever then HEY! GO away! Wait until you get in the post... greedy.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

D's for the D

Dates for the Diary (You shall get a sneak peek of the invitations tomorrow, I've just been SO bombarded today)

March

17th - Chief Bridesmaid Bethany B-day
19th - Flowers & Adam @ Registry Office
22nd - Volunteer placement in school interview
25th - Clocks go forward by an hour

April

12th - 1 MONTH TO GO (Christina's Birthday - Brothers girlfriend)
13th - Maghan's Wedding (11 MONTHS TOGETHER)
27th - Finish work at Bridge-It Housing :(
28th - Meet with Photographer

 We are getting there honestly!

Sorry mum and I have been so busy today out and about enjoying the nice weather we seem to be having at the moment so I pray that it is like this in May because then I'll be happy! It can rain a little in between for all the cute little flowers to grow but not before then or after.

Shall give you a little look at the invitations tomorrow!


Monday 12 March 2012

Petals Vs Paper

No, it's not another version of rock, paper, scissors but it is an idea I had brought to me yesterday by my friend the florist, Sarah.

By this time next week Mum and I will have been with Sarah to Country House to by all the Wedding Party flowers (petals not paper). We are buying:

Bride's bouquet
Bridesmaid's bouquet's
Buttonholes x 9

We definintely decided on silk flowers for all of those, I just don't know which flowers they will be yet. I do know that the cost will roughly be £100... with that in mind I've been having second thoughts about having flowers on every table at the wedding reception because each 'bouquet' of flowers will cost roughly £15-£20 each, and we are having 20 tables, when you do the math it doesn't look pretty for my budget. So, we have two options, we either:

Do Petals on 10 tables


Or

We do paper on all tables


Now, I'm not against paper and thinking about it I'm sure it'd go really well with the 'picnic' feel to the reception, it's just not something I've ever thought of before or actually looked into at all. So, I'm torn at the minute between doing petals or paper. Would paper ruin the whole Spring feel to the wedding or would having less petals lose the whole Spring reincarnation feel? I'm not sure of what I want. I think the paper looks extremely clever but it looks like a heck of a lot of work, and with ONLY 2 MONTHS TO GO!! TODAY! I don't know if we'd have enough time.


I have until the end of March to decide anyway. Paper will be cheaper (I think). AHH decisions, decisions


Tomorrow... Dates for the Diary/ Sneak Peek at the Invitations!

Sunday 11 March 2012

Bridal Shower Presents

I got lots of things yesterday. Some really lovely things, some really interesting things and some really useful things.

I got lots of things to pamper our new house with.


A new house you say?

Why, yes I do say.

Adam already had a 3 bedroomed house waiting for him in the wings once him and his dad had renovated it, before he had even met me. So now it seems kinda fitting that we obviously live there when we get married. We are cutting it a bit close to the wedding to get it finished but it is already starting to look like a home and I can't wait to show you all.

I think some people at my shower hope I can bake (which I can thankfully) because I got a beautiful set of baking trays and bun cases, all silicone, which is something I haven't tried using before so that'll be interesting. I got a few utensils and the like; spoons (wooden and metal), a melon scooper! and a swivelling potato peeler. We also got something that can only be described as a minature shopping basket which had the whole room guessing, when in actual fact...


... it is a dunking biscuit holder. You hang this 'minature basket' over the side of your cup and put your biscuits in there that you want to dunk, saves you having to try and carry biscuits and hot chocolate in two hands juggling them up the stairs!

I also got a board with the days of the week on it; it looks more glamourous than it sounds honest. I can't decide whether it's going to be a notes board; a menu board or a joint board for Adam and I, it looks too pretty to be for us both.


I got other things aswell. I am not going to try and list them because if I forget one I will feel well bad about missing someone out. Everything I got was awesome though.

Today was mini Mother's Day because this weekend is the last weekend before Easter I think where we are all in the same house so Mum got her Mother's Day early which was really sweet. We are hopefully going out for dinner sometime this week to have a treat but this will depend on funds (stupid funds).

Tomorrow.... Paper or Petals?