Stuff is happening!

bethlovesjim

AGH! This summer is amazing....ly exhausting!  I took the LSAT (still waiting on my score, grrrrrr)  I just started this new job @ Pulte in the Centex building downtown, Its going well so far. And my summer classes are on overdrive. 

As for the wedding planning, Jim and I FINALLY mailed out our engagement announcements. I hope everyone likes them! It felt really neat to put "LOVE" stamps on 100+ envelopes, and send the FI off to the post office to mail them. HAHA, its so real!
On July 31st My BM's and I are going to the Dallas Bridal show. At that time I will collect vendor info, and I think I will go from there.
Jim just told me how much $$$ we will have by Aug for the honeymoon... !!!!!!  I am so excited to actually book it and pay for it, and start the countdown
So from Aug to the day of the wedding we will be in save save save $$$ mode for the wedding.

So, to my Knotties:  Have you been to a bridal show? was it helpful? or overwhelming?  Tell me your story, what you got out of it, and what I should expect?

Also, when you booked your venue, did you know the exact cost at that time? did you pay it all upfront? or did you have to write a check on the day of the wedding?

Thanks girls!  Since February, everyone has been so AWESOME and helpful!


-Beth

lindzi375

Congrats! This is so very exciting! for you!!

I'm still in the very beginning stages of planning but I was wondering where the Bridal Show is on the 31st?

danielle16_17

if you go to the bridal show print out labels with your and your fi name and address and phone and email- only put labels on the vendor tabels that your interested in- you might also want to make a new email- just for the mail that you will get from the bridal shows- its a good way to get some discounts on vendors so have fun. Also you should book your venue as soon as possiable because some venues book up a year a head of time esp during peek wedding season in june. Most of them you just put down a deposit and a couple weeks before the wedding you put all the money up

bethlovesjim

The Bridal show is at Dallas Market Hall.

GREAT idea about the labels. I would have never thought of that.

MarieSD

I went to a bridal show at the start of my planning but found it overwhelming. Since my wedding is on a smaller budget, I basically found out that I couldn't afford most vendors that were at the show.

Now, six months later, I've booked all my vendors - none of which I met at the show. I did give out my email (I set up a separate email account for wedding related things, which I recommend) and I got a ton of emails for the first few months afterward. I looked at the websites of everyone who emailed me, and that was useful research to start with. Honestly, I find the recommendations here much more helpful, but the bridal show was fun to go to. And if my budget had been bigger, I might've been able to use some of that info I learned at the show - mostly for the reception venues that were recommended.

Whenever I booked a vendor, I paid some kind of deposit they told me to pay. Sometimes it was half of the total cost, sometimes more like a quarter of the total cost. The balance will be due at some point just prior to the wedding date. For my reception venue, it's due a month before the wedding day; for my photographer, two weeks before, and for my catering it's 3 days before (at which time I give a final headcount). The deposit amount, balance owed, and balance due date is written in my contract with every vendor. The trick will be keeping all the dates straight

For all the vendors except the ones that are priced per person, I knew the final amount when I booked them. For example, the only vendors that I don't know exactly what my final cost will be the cake person and the caterer, since it depends on how many guests RSVP yes.

On the day of, I'll hopefully just be handing out tips, not actual checks for the balance. I have a planner/DOC, so she'll actually be the one handing out the cash tips for me.

Hopefully that helps.

juliebug1997

You won't know the final amount for things that depend on the number of people you invite until a few days before the wedding.  Anything that is fixed (photographer, DJ, etc) you'll know then.

seujoanne

The best part of bridal shows is free cake. 

The first one I went to (Dallas) was overwhelming.  The second I went to (Plano) seemed like a waste since it was mostly the same vendors on a much smaller scale, but I had a girlfriend who wanted to go. 

llc2011

I went to one bridal show, but all of my vendors were booked from suggestions on this board or my planner.  The ladies on here are awesome when it comes to vendor suggestions!!

When it comes to paying in full, all of my vendors require a deposit to book the date, but the remainder is not due until the month of the wedding.  I keep track of the dates on an excel spreadsheet that also lists the deposits paid and the remaining balances.

Hope this helps, happy planning!

NMac2010

I went to the Dallas Bridal show, and found it not helpful in the least. It was overcrowded, and I couldn't get out of there quick enough.

bsn1752

I am going to the Ft Worth Bridal Show for the experience.

As for the venue - I have a ballpark based on the amount of people we're expecting.  We have to give a final head count 30 days before the date and pay the remaining balance.

bobbileighb

I have only been to bridal shows in NE but I found the same experience as previous posts it can be overwhelming and crowded, only found one vendor from the show and I had already known about them but they were running such a great deal that I booked them on the spot to save money.

I also agree with pp about bringing premade labels to register for contests from various booths but be selective because they will call, send regular mail and email.  I also created a specific wedding related email so that when wedding is over I can just junk it and not have wedding stuff clutter my regular inbox.

I would start looking for at least your venue as soon as possible as those do book up rather quickly.  You should have a set amount for all vendors except cake, caterer and alcohol, but you should still get a ballpark.  I had them figure out the cost if everyone that was invited came and if only half did so I would have an idea.

Hope this helps.

NMac2010

Oh, I just realized I only answered the first 1/2 of your question

We knew how much it was going to be when we booked our venue. We sat down and went over dollar for dollar how much everything was and what exactly we were paying for. We paid a portion of it upfront, that day, and then the remainder was due 60 days prior to the wedding.

MarieSD

bobbileighb made a good point. I asked for it in my catering contract what the price would be if everyone we invite comes - and then another estimate for if only have our invited guests come. Some caterers raise the price per person if there are less people to cater for, and we have a ton of OOT guests so we don't know realistically how many people we'll have.

bethlovesjim

These are all great tips. thanks for the info!
I'm so nervous about picking out a venue.  I know they book up fast, but I have a hard time committing.  I think I'm going to feel the same way about the dress too.  EEEK!  I hope going to the bridal show will help me out.