Lost and Confused

MsTraficante

Im fairly young and my Husband to be really is leaving the entire planning process up to me. His mother works full time and my mother isnt exactly the most respectable person.. I need help and ideas on where to start. I know the knot gives basics but Im no longer living in florida but want to get married in the state where I grew up. Anyone willing to help a 20 year old bride to be whos fiance is leaving for basic in just a few months..

The hunny and I both decided that we want a beach wedding in either south or central florida. My family lives on the treasure coast and I dont want to be too far from their homes because Im not one for drinking and driving. We have not settled on a date but I was thinking either early spring before it gets too hot or december once it starts to cool down again. My guest list seems to keep growing but i dont want any more then 150 people. my budget is still kinda up in the air as well because Im not sure who is helping or if it is just my hunny and I paying. It its just us, it will be low, I have student loans to pay back and soldiers dont get the best of pay. Im fairly creative and crafty but time in my life is very slim. I work 2 jobs to pay back my loans as well as paying to live in his parents house. Any ideas on beachy thing I can MAKE for this wedding? and Where are some good venues?

calindi

Check out your local board for more ideas specific to the location you're describing.  Check out the DIY board for ideas on how to make different items yourself.  Check out the Budget Wedding board to get price saving ideas.

Lock down the guest list and budget now.  If you don't have the money in hand, you can't plan with it.  So plan for the wedding you both can afford and if you get extra money from family, then great!  If not, you won't go into debt for what is essentially a glorified party.  Hire a coordinator in the area to help you figure out details, or enlist the help of a family member of friend who lives in the area where you plan to get married.

firsttimersluck

Welcome to the boards!

Your two best friends will probably be your local board and the DIY board (both can be found to the left) Those will be really helpful with finding reasonably priced things in the areas you are looking.

It can be overwhelming at first! I started the planning while FI was deployed and I was 21 (22 now :P ) but it gets better the more research you do. Promise!

iluvmytxrgr

If you want to get married on the beach, you don't really have to worry about decorations and flowers much.  Skip the whole arch behing the pastor thing because those always look like butt.  Plus, a windy day will ruin it.  Trust me.  I grew up on a beach in GA.  I've seen 2 or 3 beach weddings a weekend for the last 33 years. 
The best decorations I have ever seen for a beach wedding were very simple.  One bride had the white chairs set out in a circle with an aisle down the center.  Around the outside of the circle, they took bamboo poles about 4 ft tall and about the diameter of your tumb and tied thin pennants in different shades of blue.  Those were set down into aluminum pails that were filled with orange and yellow flowers.  All of that was surrounding the circle of chairs.  The bride and groom were married in the middle of the circle. 
Instead of bubbles or rice when they left, the guests waved the blue pennants.  It was all very simple and very easy to do your self.  They moved the pails with the flowers off the beach and used them on the tables at the reception, another money saver. 
I have tons of these ideas.  If you need more, let me know.