Wedding Planning This Week, did we think of everything?

pinkshorts27

So we are in super planning mode while home, just because we aren't home often. I want to double-check that we aren't missing anything. Wedding is end of December of this year. Our wedding is in exactly 9 months!!!!!!!

Venue

Reserved! They also will be decorated for us, take care of food (they have amazing cooks!), and we have wiggle room for our guest list (and no b-list of course!)

Food and Drinks

Current debate: plated vs. buffet, options will be salmon, steak, and some sort of vegan pasta dish.  The venue has wonderful buffets that never run out of food and a wonderful chef. Super excited for the food! They will also provide lunch for the people who come early to get ready. Do we need a kids option?

Currently selecting our two beer choices and our three wine choices.  We will also have coffee/tea service, water, and punch. Do you think we need soda as an option? We are also thinking of having a signature drink (cranberry vodka). 

Cake

Priced bakeries, now going tasting (tomorrow, FI is stoked about that)

Decorations and Flowers:

We priced florists (and eliminated options based on the rude reception we received by a few, a rant for a different thread).  We are also responsible for the alter/arch area and need to figure that out.

Room Blocks

-Room blocks are set and signing paperwork tomorrow (we aren't responsible for anything that isn't reserved).  The hotel we are blocking at is giving us a great discount, so rooms are only 130 a night (typically 180-200), and the hotel is new so the rooms are still really really nice (think all have a couch area, fridge, microwave, wifi, giant bathrooms, etc.) We were psyched that they offered such a deal and will definitely advertise it to guests. Do you think we should block a secondary hotel at a little cheaper price point? Also would it be weird to spend our wedding night at that hotel? Their suites are to die for and we aren't leaving for our honeymoon until Monday, wedding is saturday). 

Debating whether to offer a shuttle to/from the venue from the hotel. It is pretty cheap (300 bucks) and they are really flexible. We probably will but don't have to reserve for a bit.

Clothing

BM's will get their own dresses, navy blue

GM's still need to be asked... come on FI get on that, but they will be renting tuxes. (we will make up whatever the difference is between cost and their individually asked budget)

We will shop for my dress when I'm home next. 

Favors

We will have our favorite candies (local oregon salt-water taffy = his favorite, and milk chocolate caramel Ghirardellis from San Francisco = my favorite) and the place card holders will be favors too: (clicky) If people don't take them home we won't be too heartbroken. We will use them as ornaments at home. If people do, great!

Ceremony

We have our officiant (my uncle the pastor) and are halfway through pre-marital counseling. We are writing the ceremony with him. We are going to ask some readers soon.

Other stuff left to-do, some of it can wait for a while:

-DJs

-Photographers

-Invites/Programs (though we won't order for a while)

-rehearsal dinner

-morning brunch (day after)

-welcome bags/kids activities

-our day-of plans (limo or no?)

-Makeup/hair, will look for people a little closer to the date, it is still waaay far away.

-Gifts for bridal party, parents, readers

-finish registering

JoanE2012

I'd find and book a photographer soon!  At least by me, good ones book up quickly!  

Same goes for hair and makeup....I was calling around 8 months before our (off season) wedding and so many were already booked.  Then on top of it, many of the stylists/MUAs want a deposit to book you on the calendar.  I didn't want to leave a deposit unless I had a trial (good thing because I HATED my first MUA and had to find a new one!), so I wouldn't put that off either.

Oh, and we spent our wedding night at the hotel where our room block was.  It was perfect.  We continued the party at the bar in the hotel afterwards, and then we hosted a come-as-you-please breakfast buffet in the restaurant the following morning.  I loved seeing people the following day.

pinkshorts27

JoanE2012 said:

I'd find and book a photographer soon!  At least by me, good ones book up quickly!  

Same goes for hair and makeup....I was calling around 8 months before our (off season) wedding and so many were already booked.  Then on top of it, many of the stylists/MUAs want a deposit to book you on the calendar.  I didn't want to leave a deposit unless I had a trial (good thing because I HATED my first MUA and had to find a new one!), so I wouldn't put that off either.

Oh, and we spent our wedding night at the hotel where our room block was.  It was perfect.  We continued the party at the bar in the hotel afterwards, and then we hosted a come-as-you-please breakfast buffet in the restaurant the following morning.  I loved seeing people the following day.

We are interviewing some photographers, so hopefully we find one we like! The good thing is that with December 27th as our date, not much is actually booked. I am slightly worried about the makeup/hair, but have no clue how to even start looking for someone. I guess I should get on that. 

MobKaz

@blueeyes90 said........."Room Blocks

-Room blocks are set and signing paperwork tomorrow (we aren't responsible for anything that isn't reserved).  The hotel we are blocking at is giving us a great discount, so rooms are only 130 a night (typically 180-200), and the hotel is new so the rooms are still really really nice (think all have a couch area, fridge, microwave, wifi, giant bathrooms, etc.) We were psyched that they offered such a deal and will definitely advertise it to guests. Do you think we should block a secondary hotel at a little cheaper price point? Also would it be weird to spend our wedding night at that hotel? Their suites are to die for and we aren't leaving for our honeymoon until Monday, wedding is saturday). 

Debating whether to offer a shuttle to/from the venue from the hotel. It is pretty cheap (300 bucks) and they are really flexible. We probably will but don't have to reserve for a bit."

When we blocked hotel rooms, the hotel offered perks depending on how many rooms were actually booked.  One of the perks was a free shuttle for the guests.  Did you inquire about anything along those lines?  If your morning brunch is to be held at the hotel, that could also be another potential perk.  We were offered a small, private conference room just off the breakfast area so our guests could enjoy the brunch together without disturbing other patrons of the hotel.

My daughter and her husband stayed at the hotel that night.  It was (you guessed it) a perk from the room bookings.  And, as JoanE2012 said, they loved visiting with all the OOT guests and friends one last time.

pinkshorts27

mobkaz said:

@blueeyes90 said........."Room Blocks

-Room blocks are set and signing paperwork tomorrow (we aren't responsible for anything that isn't reserved).  The hotel we are blocking at is giving us a great discount, so rooms are only 130 a night (typically 180-200), and the hotel is new so the rooms are still really really nice (think all have a couch area, fridge, microwave, wifi, giant bathrooms, etc.) We were psyched that they offered such a deal and will definitely advertise it to guests. Do you think we should block a secondary hotel at a little cheaper price point? Also would it be weird to spend our wedding night at that hotel? Their suites are to die for and we aren't leaving for our honeymoon until Monday, wedding is saturday). 

Debating whether to offer a shuttle to/from the venue from the hotel. It is pretty cheap (300 bucks) and they are really flexible. We probably will but don't have to reserve for a bit."

When we blocked hotel rooms, the hotel offered perks depending on how many rooms were actually booked.  One of the perks was a free shuttle for the guests.  Did you inquire about anything along those lines?  If your morning brunch is to be held at the hotel, that could also be another potential perk.  We were offered a small, private conference room just off the breakfast area so our guests could enjoy the brunch together without disturbing other patrons of the hotel.

My daughter and her husband stayed at the hotel that night.  It was (you guessed it) a perk from the room bookings.  And, as JoanE2012 said, they loved visiting with all the OOT guests and friends one last time.

They will actually give us the board room for free if we book their for a brunch the next day. I'll ask about more perks tomorrow.

tigersgirlgv

I would vote for offering soda in addition to the options you listed, but I think everything else looks good!

pinkshorts27

tigersgirlgv said:

I would vote for offering soda in addition to the options you listed, but I think everything else looks good!

Great, thanks. I have to talk to my financer (my parents) to see what I can do about that. The punch we buy by the gallon, the sodas are more expensive so maybe I'll just cover the cost (2 dollars per drink)