Hello All!
http://vimeo.com/41787234 <---highlight video
It's been quite a whirwind of a ride for us, but we are finally married!! The day was perfect in all its imperfections and for almost a year of planning (with a great coordinator), all I can say is DAMN!
Things that helped me-
1.) Research: I picked something I liked, then moved on
It becomes needlessly expensive if you don't. We paid for everything ourselves, and even though I had a vision, I had to keep our budget in mind
Etsy was totally my friend! So was Koyal Wholesale and RestaurantWebstore.com
2.) Florals/Favors: All of my flowers were silk (latex) from Hobby Lobby during their 50% off weeks. Saved me a ton, and they photographed well, IMO.I made all flower arrangements. The favors (I don't think you can see them on the video), but they were white Lindt truffles. I went to Sam's, got 2 big boxes and put one on each plate setting. People loved them, and they matched the theme.
3.) Budget Constraints: To me, the most important thing was going to be video/dj- it was my splurge and I couldn't have been happier- I had to be willing to compromise, it's how I got proposed to in the first place! I had an Excel sheet with a payment plan and tried to get as much paid off in as little time as possible.
4.)Time Frame: I actually stuck to the knot's checklist. Worked well enough for me.
5.) Greeting our Guests: We skipped the line so that we can do our photos, but greeted each table individually. It took nearly an hour, but for us, it was definitely the way to go. During that hour, we had a cocktail hour for our guests: Mariachis, appetizers and signature drinks. We also had our venue for 7 hours (this included ceremony and cocktail hour), so the extra time played a factor in our decision.
6.) The bar- We have heavy drinkers on both sides of our family, so we started buying what we like by the 1.75 gallon very shortly after the proposal. We bought around one or two a month and by the end of the year we were FULLY STOCKED AND THENSOME! Our venue allowed outside alcohol, though.
7.) Food: Our venue came with the food, and they offered to serve all guests on the day of! It was a really sweet gesture that the venue threw in.
8.) Music: Our DJ was phenomenal. An excellent MC and spoke both English/Spanish and we spent a lot of time together customizing our music and finding special songs and mixes. A very important song was by James Taylor, 'You've got a Friend', which I danced with my Dad. 'Para Siempre' by Vicente Fernandez was mine and my husband's first dance, played by the Mariachis as their final song before leaving. The song I walked down the aisle with was the most difficult to find but wouldn't have changed it for the world "Frederyk Chopin, Nocturne # 20". It had all the drama I was looking for, with all the class I wanted
9.) Family Drama: My parents are bitterly divorced but were VERY surprisingly cordial with each other and their families.
10.) I managed to stick with my one drink per hour. This was critical,as my husband learned the hard way
I was in 5" killer heels all night with no problem. Although- I am comfortable in high heels on the regular.
11.) Kids: They behaved. They are so unpredictable, but between my coordinator and their loving parents, they stayed off the dance floor during key moments-
I loved that they were there and spent much time dancing with them. I must say, little girls give the best compliments, too!! My 3 year old cousin was CONVINCED I was a princess.
12.) Organization: I have mentioned this before, but I bought 3 big plastic tubs from the Home Depot. One carried everything I needed to get ready (MARRIAGE LICENSE, veil, garter, shoes, etc.) Another carried all things bar (signature drinks, wine, liquor, cups, mixers). The last box carried everything reception (sign in books, departure items, card box, escort card board, etc.). This saved my life and made things SO easy when my mind went scatterbrained at the last minute.
13.) Relaxation: I took a shot of my favorite tequila before walking down the aisle. Then brushed my teeth
Oddly enough, so did he! Unplanned awesomeness...or alcoholics?? Lol jk.
14.) Weather: It totally rained all over the place, but I live in Houston, so I vaguely expected that. The day was still MORE than perfect and by the time I departed, the rain had stopped.
15.) Bridal Party - We had a large uneven bridal party that included who we wanted. One sister in law, 2 sisters, 1 cousin, and 3 of my very friends standing up with me. No drama and each got a handmade card, a letter from the heart, and a gift card to different places based on what they like.
That's all I can really think of for now. We had our honeymoon the next day and hubby was hungover
I am pleased to say that as much fun as it was, I am happy that it is over with. I know this is really long, but I thought it might help a nervous bride out there! Any questions, feel free to ask. Happy planning, ladies!!