Wedding Forum - Our Big Fat DIY Wedding - Starting Early!...

Though I originally started a wedding diary last year at some point, now I'm a power user I'm starting again (not that there was much on the first one lol)

So me and my fiance have been together for nearly three years. We call each other fiance and refer to ourselves as engaged but I'm fairly certain once we've moved and in a better position fiancially and actually saving for the wedding he'll propose properly and get me an actual engagement ring lol But we know we want to spend the rest of our lives together

We've decided to make as much of it ourselves as possible, and while the decision was at first just a way to save money, even if we won the lottery I'd still like to make mojority of it by hand :) It'll give everything more of a personal feel and we can add touches throughout that mean something to us.

The colour scheme will be pastel rainbow with a Fairytale & Fairground theme
I run a business page on facebook and cannot wait for nearer my big day when I can showcase all these makes over there and offer similar items to future brides.

Ok so I found a list of basic 'stuff' and thought I'd add this to my planning xx
- Venue - We've had a look online at a few places but haven't visited anywhere yet as it'll still be a few years before we even know a date and venues and their prices change yearly. Ideally we'd love a venue with a country feel to it, possibly a barn. Exclusive use would be lovely but not a necessity. We'd love a few things included like chair covers and a sit down meal but would like to be able to hire food stations in for the evening.

-Music - My stepdad is in a band so if he's still in one we'll prob get them to play and ask him to sort out some music in between their sets. Myself and my mum will prob perform a few songs too.

-Wedding Cake - H2B is a fully qualified chef and cake decorator and has his heart set on making it himself. We love the spiral cake stands and would love one of those as we'd love several cake flavours and he can let his creativity go wild with the decorations.

-Groom Suit - He already has an expensive suit he said he can use (I'm almost 100% certain that it's the suit from his first wedding so we'll be have a conversation about a new one at some point - I'd also he rather get a grey one as it'll got better in the pastel scheme)

- Ushers, Best Man and FOG, FOB Suits - can't sort these until his is sorted really as they'll need to match, plus we haven't decided on bridal party members, but would ideally love the adult male members in jacket, shirt and trousers (possibly ties, possibly not) and the paigeboy in waistcoat, shirt and trousers. I'd leave it up to the dad's if they want to match the wedding party or not.

- Bridesmaid Dresses - I've found the dresses I want and my mummy is making all the dresses so it's just a matter of getting the right fabric in the right colours. I love the multi-way dresses and think they'd be perfect as my girls can then all wear a length and style that they're comfortable with.

-Photographer - Have had a look at a few, can't book anything for definate yet anyway but looking for a two person team with the option to add a videographer too, that will capture the emotions and details of the day in an unobtrusive way. We'd probably make our own wedding album after the day so would simply want albums for our parents and all the images on usb/disc.

-Flowers - Making a mixed-media bouquet for me (mainly brooches but with some foam flowers, some fabric and maybe some fresh) and making button bouquets for the bridesmaids. Need to decide on button holes. Other than that we just want a few floral displays for the guestbook and memory tables.

-Stationary - Designing and making our own save the date magnets, chequebook invites, evening invites, menues (if needed), place settings, table plan, table numbers, order of the days and any extras too!

- Transport - Can't really sort it until we've found a venue and ideally we can stay the the venue the night before or nearby so won't really need additional transport. However I would love to hire an aston martin or something similar for H2B to drive after the reception to take us to our overnight venue as I know he'd love that!

-Registrar - Have had a look at a few but also aware that certain venues require you to get your registar at a certain place.
-Notice - Ceremony Fees - Certificates......need to look into these! x

-Honeymoon - Would love to find somewhere with white beaches, gorgeous blue water and would prefer to rent out a 'house' rather than stay in a hotel. However we've also recently looked at Japan and think we've our heart set on there - I'd love to experience being a Geisha and my fiance loves the Japanese car scene too!

- Dress - Mummy is making my dream dress :) victorian feel to it, including bustle, with a rainbow pastel petticoat!!!

-Bridesmaid Gifts - Making ''will you be my?'' packages for before all the planning etc, ''planning scrapbooks'' for them to keep, making their jewellery (and mine) for the day, and have to decide on a gift to make for them for after

-Best man and ushers Gifts - need to decide on

-Parents of the bride Gifts - have a few DIY ideas already

- Wedding Rings - haven't had a proper look yet but I love the idea of booking a workshop and making our own rings! (I also think he wants to buy me a new 'official' engagement ring once his divorce is finalised and then we can get the real planning started)

-Favours - Thinking of different ideas. We'd love charity pin badges as we've lost a few family members and it'd mean alot to us. I also like the idea of chocolate bark or hot choc cone depending on people's preferance (we'd ask on the invites)

-Hair and Make up - I've found a few quotes including trials and bridemaids. My sister and oldest friend (both MOH) would also need trails as they both have sensitive skin

-Venue Decoration - SO MANY IDEAS!!!! lol

-Additional venue ideas - Guest baskets in the rooms, toiletry baskets in the toilets, sand ceremony

-Wedding Insurance.....someone wanna explain the importance of this to me please xxx

We're also having a sweet buffet, two alternative guestbooks, memory table and photo 'booth' all of which we're making ourselves. And we'd really love to hire some food stations for fairground food (hotdogs, doughnuts, candyfloss) and maybe a hog roast (H2B loves them!)

I think that's about it. :) Hopefully I'll add sme inspiration photos soon

thanks GF :) I've always loved old fashioned dresses (though not the high necklines lol) and know without a doubt my mum can make it so am very excited about it too ^_^ and I just love the idea of being in an ivory dress but peeking out underneath is a rainbow petticoat!