Wedding Forum - Starting early... Booked and Planning...

Venue looks fab, how exciting you are on your way!

Thank you ladies!! I'm really happy with it. I always knew this was the one I would go with, it's not perfect, it's not what I dreamed of, but there was too many signs to ignore it and the price is perfect. Next step see if we can book the date with the registrar this early and then save save save before I spend spend spend lol

Venue looks really lovely! Is this venue A, B or C? x

I love smaller venues, feels a lot more intimate :) x

Some things I have thought of recently, it's far to early to put any of these in to action yet but want to write them down so I don't forget.

First dance: Going to ask my sister to sing and record a slower (more first dance type) version on Clean Bandit- rather be I love this song, it never fails to make me want to dance at the same time it always brings a tear to my eye as the word explain exactly how I feel about h2b (he loves the song too). Then going to have Chris (one of my dj friends) to mix this version so that after about 60 secs the original version drops in. H2b doesn't like the idea of people looking at him and I know when it comes to it the 1st dace will be a worry for him (he very rarely dances with me any way) so by doing this with the song (and making sure my bm's know that when the original drops they are to get everyone on the dance floor) he will only have a small amount of time to be "embarrassed", plus it will be a great way to kick off the party.

Sparkler favors: We're going to have sparklers as part of the favors, I love the photo's they produce, but I want people to save these to light at midnight when (fingers crossed) we will have a surprise firework display!! This is the poem I have come up with to put with the sparklers so that guests know not to use them until midnight (it does need work but its a base)
We'd like to thank you all, our family and friends,
For joining us as a New year starts, and an old one ends.
As Big Ben chimes and a New year begins,
Please help us celebrate and sing it in.
Grab some bubbles and sparkles and meet us out side,
To welcome 2018 with the Groom and his Bride.

Cake knife: My h2b is a bricky so when someone suggested (as a joke) that we should cut the cake with a trowel we both knew that for us that is the perfect idea. I would like to make the trowel we use a keepsake (and not let h2b use it for work after!!!) so I thought I would have it engraved and leave it on display with the cake for guests to read through the day and then keep it somewhere after. I would like to include 3 dates special to us, the day we met, the day our daughter was born, and our wedding date, on the engraving giving them a building twist. For example I'm thinking 1.4.11 We started laying the foundations and 31.12.17 We cement our future, but I can't think of one for the birth of our little girl as for us this was the biggest day of our lives and I want that to be apparent in just a few words.

Anyhoo there is very little point to this post, it is more to help me remember a little closer to the time, the little ideas that I think are great and would like to use, fingers crossed I won't forget

Thank you Danielle, I'm glad someone else thinks some of my idea's are good. I like your idea of working our little girl into the engraving as an extension, it doesn't shut the door on just one child but gives the impression that she was very much planned and loved.
So I have been working on my invite idea's and have ordered all the necessary bits to make them. Take two is in my DIY album, I have some diamante snowflakes on there way to put into the center of the ribbon and individual diamante's on the way to put in the middle of each footer to give them a bit of sparkle. All opinions/advice appreciated.
After the invites are done the next DIY challenge will be a cake stand.
After browsing online for cake inspiration I stumbled on some amazing cake stands that honestly made me think "wow" (all can be seen in my DIY album). After doing some background research I realised these stands can be mad rather than bought.... so I'm going to give it a go... will either be a really cheap eye catching way to display my cake, or a really expensive mistake... we shall see!!

Thank you Danielle, I think the cake stand is do-able with the help of some friends!!
So (almost) everything has arrived for the invite making process to begin (just waiting on some crystal snow flakes), so I've been taking another look at the lay out and design of the invite inserts. I have put up the 3 designs I have come up with in my DIY album, I do have a favorite but I would really appreciate others opinions, do you prefer left right or middle?

I'm still of two mind's whether to have these bits professionally printed although it wouldn't be overly expensive it would be difficult as there are a couple parts of the inserts which I will want the recipients names printed.

I will put up final photo's of my invites once I am 100% happy and have the prototype ready ;)

I think left too :) liked right, and kept looking at the middle one but think I was ultimately leaning towards left x

Wow. Your very organised :)

Thought I'd give a quick up date, although not much has happened on my side.
We've recently cut down some big trees so I have had these cut into big chunks so that my sister and I can both use these at our respective weddings as part of our decoration and I think I may be having a change of heart on center pieces, I have come up with a more minimalist idea as I was afraid that my ideas will just be too big blingy and in your face but this all depends on how cheaply I can get cloche jars for.
The big news is today my sister has asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding next year!! This was something completely unexpected (we have only recently become close) and I am extremely honoured to be asked!! I do feel this means I will have to return the favour tho which means my planned bridal party will now be a little bigger lol. So for the moment I am searching for stuff for her wedding rather than my own which is actually quite nice. We went dress shopping today she has found a dress that she loves but I think she will have a little bit more of a look around before making a final decision. This was my first experience of dress shopping and to be honest I am not looking forward to my turn I think I may find myself getting very frustrated.
I think that's about all to report atm to be honest I'm more excited for my sisters wedding than my own right now but that's probably because she's only got 12 months to go where as I have another 30 :(

Haven't updated in a while so here goes.
Photographer now all booked, got a great deal he will be with us from the getting ready all the way through to the midnight fireworks with a photobooth during the reception, 100 free prints and all photos (including photobooth photos) on USB and an engagement shoot for £729.
Also booked a lady who is going to dress the venue, her package includes 65 chair covers and sashes, 8 table set ups including cloths runners center pieces and scatters, a ferris wheel sweetie stand with sweets for 100 people, a wishing well card box, table plan and wishing tree and 65 love heart favours all for £370 (inc £50 refundable damages deposits).
So far we have "spent" £2645 which gives us £3355 to get everything else, which includes My dress and accessories, bridal party clothing and accessories, hair and make-up, groomsmen suits and accessories, flowers, cake, rings, STD's, any extra decorations, fireworks, music and transportation (for h2b) and hopefully have a little left in the pot to put towards our familymoon. Might be tight but fingers crossed we'll be ok!!