July 2013 Weddings

Final July '12 Bride Ambush!!!

A group of us has stayed in contact after all of the wedding planning came to an end! We're enjoying marriage and we have had our first knottie baby (with a few more on the way!)  We decided it was time to come ambush the board to wish you well & to see if you had any final questions!!!

We came up to a consensus: Remember to breathe and eat!!  Even if you eat something small! You do not want to pass out! One of the girls did this and she didn't feel well the rest of the day!

 If something goes wrong? Who cares? Those are just the little minor details! No one is going to notice if the cake is the wrong color or wrong design you had envisioned or if the sand for the unity ceremony is missing! No one else will know those things had happened, except for you and maybe a select few.  Be nice to the people around you! We understand you're nervous, but don't take it out on other people!  Its okay to want things to go right, but they won't...Sorry!  Pictures will take a little longer than expected, people will show up late or not show at all!  

Remember to take a few moments throughout the day to just take in the moments (just sit back and watch your BM's get ready! Watch the things going on around you)! Especially do this after you're finally married and at the reception! I promise you, you will not regret just taking a few minutes alone with your DH and taking in watching your guests faces and actions! It was totally worth it!  I have the best memories from just standing off to the side with my DH and seeing everyone having a blast! Seeing a few kissy intimate moments!  

Try to be as organized as possible. Yes, things will run a little behind, but make sure to have a time line for the 'important' people that day! It will help things run a little smoother!

We wish you all the best on your upcoming big days!!! Its going to be an amazing day no matter what!! You are marrying your best friend, love of your life, etc.!! Just remember that is all that matters in the end!!

Let the questions begin!!!?!!????

Re: Final July '12 Bride Ambush!!!

  • This gave me this chills!! I'm finally realizing how close we are and how real this is!!! I'm trying to hard not to stress about the little things, and so far it's working. I still have a ton to do before next friday, but they are things I am not too concerned about if they don't get done, since nobody will miss them!!
  • Woooo! Thanks for the tips and thoughts :)

    I don't think I have any major questions, just getting super excited. Congratulations on the family additions, ladies!
  • dem068dem068 member
    5 Love Its First Comment First Anniversary
    Happy 1 yr anniversary June '12 ladies :)
  • Thanks for posting this!  You have a lot of great ideas and things to keep in mind!

    I can't think of any questions either.  I'm just nervous that it's going to go smoothly :)

  • drg424drg424 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper

    I know, I want to ask but am stumped, too!

    Okay, well one thing I am struggling with is determing a day-of timeline. The ladies here have been great about posting theirs, but I'm not sure how to even begin to time mine out, other than knowing I have to be there at 11 and ceremony starts at 7.

    So maybe my question is, how did you determine yours and how accurate did it end up being?

  • drg424drg424 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper

    Oh, one more: I lurk the recap board for this one - is there anything you regret, wish you had done or could have skipped altogether?

  • I will have to say the only thing I wish we would have done, was had more time for photos inbetween the ceremony & cocktail hour. We spent more time on family photos than I thought we would, so we didn't get many photos of just DH and I or with our WP. So make sure you plan accordingly.  My photographer wasn't awesome at getting back with me and I felt like a burden when I called the office...

    Ceremony was at 4:30, cocktail hour started immediately after (we had everything in the same building), dinner to start at 6ish. 

    OH! Also, I'm so glad that we did NOT announce the WP. We let them go enjoy the last half of the cocktail hour and then just sit for dinner. I changed my mind last minute to just have them sit down to eat and relax! The DJ just announce us, we cut the cake, made a little speech thanking everyone, dinner was amazing & we had more time for dancing the night away! It was one of the last minute decisions made!  

    Photobooth was a great decision! All the other little details that I wanted to do, like the scavenger hunt, a little activity table for kids wouldn't have been worth the time or money.

  • AS far as the time line goes, if you click on my planning bio with for sale link, I think I have mine posted or the one I used from another knottie. It will give you a general idea...Just customize it to you.  I have it literally down to every 15 minutes to an hour...it was a life saver! I printed it for everyone, and took out the things that weren't necessary for them to know (i.e. the boys didn't need to get up as early as I did, so I made a separate time line for them)
  • Hi Ladies and Congrats on your upcoming weddings!  It is hard to believe that in just a few weeks I will be married for a full year.

    As far as timeline goes I would talk to your hairstylist and MOA.  My stylist was the one who pretty much put together my timeline based on how many BM I had ect and it worked out great.

    I agree with Andrea.  Pictures take longer then you think they will.  Make sure you tell everyone that you want to have photos with in advance.. for example you want a picture of you and Aunt Mary.. let Aunt Mary to stick around after the ceremony or whatever.  But then this way you dont have to send the BM to go look for her and she is there waiting.
  • For the timeline, my DJ and catering manager worked together to come up with one.  They gave me their typical timelines, then I added any slight changes.  That was for the actual ceremony/reception though.  If you're struggling with before everything happens, ask your photographer when they want you ready by and ask you hair/makeup person how long that will take.  Then you will be better able to figure out when things need to happen. 
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  • Hi Ladies!!

    Congratulations on your upcoming weddings!  It's such an exciting time in life!

    I second what everyone else said.

    As for a timeline, my family and friends made fun of me so much for my time line but it totally worked!  We were late so I wish I'd built in more time for things and thought of things that would come up.  Like Colleen said, talk to your hairstylist and MOA and see how long they need for each girl.  It took about 30-45 min a person for hair so depending on how many people you have that need their hair done and how many stylists you have available, plan accordingly.  I have no advice on make up as my MOH did mine.

    Also, we love TMI so ask anything you think would be off limits!  Promise, we won't mind!
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  • Oh and I missed regrets!   I really regret not doing a photobooth and where I had my reception.  The venue wasn't what I thought it was going to be and I wish I'd waited a week and gone with a diferent one that was slightly more expensive.  Too late for this advice for you girls but don't let your budget get in the way of what you want.  Cut something else out to make it happen.  I also regret not having more time for pictures and not being more organized with them.  We missed a lot because of it.

    Those missed things were:  I did not get to eat my wedding cake other than the piece DH shoved in my face (and I do mean shoved).  The wait staff took our pieces away while we were taking more pictures.  I wish I'd have made a scene.  I didn't get pictures with my dad's parents.  Got them with the others but not just them.  I also didn't get pictures individually with my girls unless they asked me to while getting ready or at the reception.  And I didn't get pictures of the backs of our dresses which were all corsets.
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  • drg424drg424 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper

    Thanks for these! Especially the regrets - it sounds like making specific time for pictures and perhaps being a bit more organized (**coughs** micromanaging) around this particular detail i worth the time and effort. I would definitely be sad to get them back and realize I didn't have any with particular people or of particular things.

    At first I thought our photobooth was an uneccesary splurge but it sounds like it was well worth it or well missed. Good!

  • Thanks and happy anniversary ladies!!
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

  • Hi girls! I am another July '12 lady here! I can't believe it's almost my 1st anniversary with the hubby. I don't have much to add to what the other girls already said. Just enjoy your day and make sure to soak it all in (I'm sure you've heard this a million times).

    Also, this isn't a regret since I did do it, but I can say I am SO happy I had a videographer. If you didn't arrange one already, maybe see if it's not too late if there is a friend who could record some of the day for you I think one July '12 girl even just set up a tri-pod with a camera so she'd at least have a recording of the ceremony for her and her hubby to watch. Chances are, you won't remember the ceremony super well (b/c of all the nerves), so having that on video will be really special to have. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've watched the highlights reel of my wedding more than 20 times haha.

    Congrats ladies! You are so close!
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  • I appreciate your advice. I think my biggest struggle is cutting back on things and thinking people will notice. Or forgetting something. Or everything feeling super rushed. I will take the advice to heart and work hard on organizing things. Thanks ladies
  • @pam8787 things will feel rushed.  I know its not what you want to hear but its the truth.  The day flies by and you feel like you need to fit in so much so it happens.  To help with this just be relaxed and let things happen. 

    One piece of advice I have is if you are able to do a receiving line after the ceremony DO IT.  This takes the place of walking to each and every table to say hello and thank you and it goes so much faster!
  • I was just wondering at what point did it really set in that you're getting married. I'm 2 weeks away and with all the planning I haven't really embraced being a bride. I'm actually kinda scared I won't realized all that's going on until after the wedding! Lol if that even makes sense....
    image
  • Thank you guys so much for the advice, especially the regrets! I realize I definitely need to add some more details to my lists. Happy first anniversary! :)
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  • I think it really set in for me the week of the wedding.  Trust me that week just take some time to take everything in or it will all fly by and be over be you know it!
  • I was just wondering at what point did it really set in that you're getting married. I'm 2 weeks away and with all the planning I haven't really embraced being a bride. I'm actually kinda scared I won't realized all that's going on until after the wedding! Lol if that even makes sense....
    It hasn't set in for me yet either!  But I've heard that it's pretty common for it to not set in until you're walking down the aisle!
  • drg424drg424 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper

    It's finally set in for me - beginning last night as I did all the last minute things while texting back and forth with friends who were packing to fly today!

    Everything is finally feeling "real." The rehersal is tomorrow, people are traveling, I am completely checked out at work - yep, it's here!

  • Congrats, ladies!!

    I was also married in July 2012 (anniversary is Sunday!! Can't believe it!)

    Looks like everyone has basically covered all of the questions, but thought I'd throw in my 2 cents anyway :) As for a timeline, I did have a wedding planner, and she handled all of that. Honestly, we didn't deviate much from the timeline, and I'm glad I had her to enforce it, or I would have lost track of time! The DJ basically took over during the reception, since it mostly all coordinated to music.

    I really have no regrets...I would have loved a videographer, but I just had a friend use my dad's video camera, so we do have some video. It's not professional, but I am glad I didn't splurge way over our budget to get one, so I don't "regret" it, it would have just been nice.

    I don't know that it truly set in I was getting married until we were married! I kept having this fear that something would prevent it and we wouldn't get our big day. Of course, we did, and everything went perfectly! After DH and I went back to the hotel after our reception, I just broke down crying for a few minutes. It was happiness and sadness all combined. Sad that it was all over, yet happy we were married and it went so well!

    Good luck ladies! I did follow the advice to step back and take it all in, and am glad I did! I still remember those specific moments very well.

    imageAnniversary
  • Love reading all of the advice! Happy Anniversaries to all of you July 2012 brides!
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  • Thanks guys! And happy anniversary to the July '12 brides! Two days ago I tried on my dress for the last time before the big day and its kind of hit me like bus. I texted my BM's "omgosh I'm getting MARRIED!? Did you guys know this!?!?!" I was FREAKING OUT. When my mom and I were driving home we saw the place across the street raises alpacas and I joked could you imagine me riding one of those in my dress, train and veil blowing in the wind?" Then mom said if I go missing before the ceromony she's telling everyone to lock up the alpacas. Corny but its our joke. Anyways I came to the realization that in the midst of my anxiety the only thing I want is FI to hold me and he is the one that will be waiting for me at the end of that aisle. <3 good luck ladies! Can't wait to see pics and read your stories!
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  • MrsH86MrsH86 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    happy anniversary ladies!! Is there anything that you wish you would have said or done differently during your ceremony? Is there anything you would want to add to your reception looking back? What was your favorite wedding photo from your special day?
    ~Happy Wife.... Happy Life~
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