Checking things off the list

Kristen625

I just want to toot my horn a bit here... My FMIL and I went and had a wonderful appointment with the florist, and not only was a deposit put down, but I feel very good about the florist we chose.  He is super nice and definitely knows his stuff and he totally helped me with my bouquet since I really had pretty much no idea what I wanted.  He is super reasonable about anything that would need to get changed/canceled/altered/added.  So I'm excited for that, and then I get to go dress shopping for the first time next week!  My mom is coming into town earlier then expected (I think she heard my panic about not being able to dress shop until Oct/Nov) and will be here this week!!! So Tuesday is the day we (me, my mom, and my FMIL) go shopping!  I just pray for a good shopping day, and not a "nothing looks good including shoes" shopping day.  Anyways, anyone else want to toot their own horn about things that they have done?  I would love to hear the positivity ladies!!

missangelinamiley

What have I got done that's sure and positive?  Well, I chose who I want to marry! (:

Gosh everything else is still up in the air.  I wrote this in a different post how I'm agitated I haven't been able to lock down my venues.  I'm seriously hoping this weekend I can start to make some concrete steps towards...everything.

Once I lock down that venue I'll feel much better really choosing everything else.

Congrats to you though!  Gettin it done.

Kristen625

@Missangelinamiley, you'll get things done soon.  We were lucky with our place that we nailed down.  My FMIL had been scouting a bit for us, and found a place, we looked it up online, liked their prices, then made an appointment.  Once there and we looked at everything he looked at me and said "well are you good?" and I told him "I'm good." and we signed the contract and put a down payment then and there.  We were there for a total of 20 minutes before signing papers.  We never even looked at any other places.  Once you find the right place, you'll know.  It won't be a question and once its done, it feels so good to get something like that out of the way. 

The other details I have been stressing a bit over.  I was surprised at how easy the flowers were once we found the right person.  I'm still stressing over a photographer and DJ since I haven't even begun to look and the prices are freaking me out.  I got a flyer in the mail for a photographer this week and their prices START at $999.  So I'm hoping to find someone who will do it for half that.  Maybe someone who is a freelancer or something.  I don't know.  Anyways, I hope you find the location this weekend.  You'll feel so much better once you do!

ohxhi

I totally agree - find a venue you love and the rest will definitely fall into place.

lissydo

YAY!! good for you!!

Tho127

I got engaged in April and started my planning (casually) then. I wanted to make sure I secured each of the vendors that I wanted since I know May is the most popular wedding month here in TN. I have done things a little at a time along the way which also helps he budget. I have my venue, cake, caterer, florist, photog, dress, and selected bridesmaid dresses. I'm so excited I can't wait for May but I'm sure it will get here soon enough! You will get it all done in your time. It will all come together. Good luck and enjoy it! Have fun with your mom and FMIL,

vmj23

Getting married May 23...got a venue, dress, DJ and almost a photographer ( just need to meet up to sign contracts!).   I also am working on the invitations, I am consdering making my own, so I got the supplies to make a sample to see how it comes out.

missangelinamiley

Hello everyone! I'm happy to report my FI are moving along now!

We have:

-locked down our ceremony and reception venue (like @jenni1221 still need those contracts)

-picked our caterer

-spoke to a florist

-researched photographers (this one is tougher than I thought)

-selected our officiant

-arranged for our save the date photos

and I already bought my dress!

I feel really good about the progress, I'm hoping all is going well for everyone and thanks @Kristen625 and to everyone for the encouraging words and support we have here on the May 2014 board (:

kellibastien

Yay! Congrats ladies!
We got engaged in February, and started planning almost immediately. We booked our chapel and reception venue. We then booked our DJ (a really good friend who's giving us a great deal) and photographer (another good friend, who's giving us a deal about HALF of what others are charging around here). Also booked our cake baker!
I've found and purchased my dress, found and picked out all our tuxes for the guys, and just last week found the bridesmaids dresses! They are gorgeous and the girls love them!
We also have our save the dates ready to send out in the next week or two, and even have our invites picked out.
Right now I'm working on the DIY centerpieces... And other little decorations for around the hall as well as the favors.
And the most exciting part... we found and booked our transportation for the day! A horse drawn carriage that will fit the whole bridal party. We are keeping it a surprise to them

Kristen625

missangelinamiley, it is not easy!!!  And a lot of their websites suck!  I did go talk briefly with a bakery, and I like their prices, so I'll probably go with them unless their cupcakes taste like dirt.  We still need an officiant, DJ, and photographer.  And after looking at some of these prices for a photographer, holy cow, I'm in the wrong business!!  Anyways, again, well done everyone and just think, the sooner we get things planned the sooner we can all relax before the big day!

sarahmarie409

Hey ladies! havn't posted on this board in a while but I gut engaged 1/24/13 and we are getting married 5/16/14..thought I had SO much time that I didn't even start thinking about planning for atleast a couple months and then everyone told me how things book up like over a year in advance! so naturally I panicked haha but now I feel like we are in a good place...just banged everything out over the summer:

locked in ceremony and venue site, put a deposit down on florist, photographer & videographer, bought my dress, bridesmaids aren't matching so about half of them bought their dresses, FI picked out tuxes he likes, found a baker and a DJ we like but still need to put deposits down and sign the contract, and I have NO clue about invitations or officiate? those will be my next missions lol

happy planning everyone!  

pumpkinsandturkeys

I love seeing everything that everyone has done -- it's so exciting!!!

We got engaged in early August, and it has been a bit of a whirlwind since then, but everything is falling into place so far...

- Ceremony and reception venue booked and deposits paid
- Nailed down our ideal timeline of events for the day
- Chose a photographer (a very good friend of mine!) and we're finalizing the booking tonight and picking a date for our engagement shoot for this month (she'll also be printing our STDs)
- Bought my dress this past week
- Met with our first-choice florist yesterday and we loooove her (fingers crossed that the quotes come in within budget!)
- Booked our honeymoon to Barbados!
- Confirmed inn reservations for me for the night before the wedding, and for the wedding night
- Chose our officiant and we're halfway through the required pre-wedding sessions
- Received our first invite sample in the mail this week and we love it! Beginning the customization process soon
- Just confirmed hair and makeup for me and MOH and paid deposit

Our wedding is super small (about 35 people), so I think that definitely helps with keeping potential headaches at bay. Next up, finding a dress for my MOH, and finding a local patisserie to make a croquembouche instead of a wedding cake!

Good luck, girls!

shadowkat31

Congrats ladies!

You've all gotten a lot done and with 7 months to go!

 We got engaged in July and we're almost done with all of the planning. We're paying for a very small wedding (no bridal party, immediately family only).

So far we booked and put deposits down for the ceremony site, officiant, makeup artist,photographer, & florist. I found my dress but haven't purchased yet. Still need to make reservations for our hotel room, a find a restaurant for our lunch reception, and order wedding dessert.

pumpkinsandturkeys

Update: I feel like I accomplished so much today! (Even though it wasn't that much haha) We haven't gotten engagement photos done yet and they were included as part of our photo package and one of the photos will also be used for our STDs, so tonight, we picked a shooting location and scheduled the shoot for next Sunday I also found my wedding shoes! I thought I would never find anything that really see to me that wasn't ridiculously priced, but I lucked out at Coach, of all places! I had to order my size, but they should ship soon Finally, I ordered 'getting ready' robes for me and my sister/MOH, which is going to be part of my gift to her. Yay!

SoontobeMrsNytes

Wow! I was feeling pretty good until I saw how well you ladies are doing! LOL!

We have our venue, officiant, my dress, and photographer. We have a meeting with a DJ tomorrow. I have not even begun to look for a florist, and am feeling a little overwhelmed on that one...

@pumpkinsandturkeys; you found wedding shoes at Coach?? I am seriously impressed! I am a self admitted Coach addict. Can I ask you to post a link to where you found the shoes?

pumpkinsandturkeys

@SoontobeMrsNytes I'm a Coach addict, too! Check out the Heels section of their website, under Shoes... You'd be surprised what you can find! I went with the Monroe, because I have a hip injury and I don't know if it will be better by the wedding, so I wanted a lower heel: http://www.coach.com/online/handbags/Product-monroe_heel-10551-10051-Q3178-en?cs=pla&catId=5000000000000030002&navCatId=7100000000000000616

ArtTeacher23

@pumpkinsandturkeys You'd be surprised where you can find good wedding shoes.....DSW and Famous Footwear had a nice selection online, but I found my wedding shoes at DSW.  In the clearance section.  With an additional discount taken at register.  Came out to $20!!  I really wanted blue shoes, cuz honestly I'm never gonna wear white shoes again lol, plus they work as part of my "something blue" and I found the perfect shade and heel height (I'm not a fan of tall heels!) at DSW randomly one day.

pumpkinsandturkeys

@ArtTeacher23 I don't think we have Famous Footwear here in Canada (I'd have to hop over the border, which isn't a big deal), but I know that DSW will ship here and there's one close to the border if I cross over one day. I feel like I browsed everywhere and just wasn't finding anything that spoke to me, as silly as it sounds haha. I didn't want anything too fancy, but I still wanted it to feel special and unlike any other shoe I've seen before, and definitely neither a flat or too high of a heel. It was harder than I thought it was going to be! (But only because I made it that way! Haha)

Kristen625

I've had my shoes for a while.  I've had them before my dress!! I'm wearing custom made converse.  They are pure white and have purple laces, and the date embroidered on the side in purple.  I'm thinking I'm going to change out the laces for ribbon (I already have the ribbon, just got to get some glue so the ends don't unravel).  And then I purchased little gemstones to bling out the shoes a bit, though I don't know where I'm going to put them just yet....

But wow ladies! We are all doing awesome at getting stuff done!  I have a feeling time will fly for us all!

ArtTeacher23

@Kristen625 - Where/how did you get your converse embroidered? FI will be wearing them and I thought it would be nice as a surprise to him to get our date embroidered on them but have no idea how to get that done....

Kristen625

@artteacher23 I ordered them from converse.com.  You have to custom make them.  They are $70.00 a pair.  With the custom making you can play with the color of each canvas panel, the stich color, lace color, the inside, all of it.  The last step is what they call "customization" and that is where you can put something on the back heel stripe, or on the side.  It looks like its just stamped there in the photo, but it is actually embroidered on there.  You have more spaces if you do it on the side as opposed to the heel stripe.  It isn't a lot of room, so choose carefully.  It also won't allow any characters.  Numbers, letters, and spaces only.  But check it out, it walks you through it really nicely, and have fun with it!!

ArtTeacher23

Thanks @Kristen625, I will check that out now!

Kristen625

@artteacher23 Glad I could help.  And then let us know how it goes!