Diary of a Wedding Planning Machine: End in Sight

This will be a much more positive post in this series.

I thought I'd let you all know how the wedding plans are coming along....because I'm starting to get sick of being asked. I know people are asking with the best intentions and because they care; it just starts to get a bit repetitive after a while.
Wedding planning is not a sprint....it's a marathon. You have to take it slowly, bit by bit, otherwise you'll get exhausted and won't finish the race. I was a sprinter at school and a poor long distance runner so maybe that's why wedding planning and I are NOT good friends.

Dress
I've paid it off and it's still sitting in the shop. I bought it off the rack and it has stains on it so the shop is cleaning it for me for free. I'm about to make an appointment with a lady Duncan knows who is a dressmaker so she can do the fitting. She is much cheaper than bridal shops.

Jewellery
My cousin, Gab, is making it for me. She used to own a bead shop with my auntie and I worked for them while I was at uni. I emailed her a picture of what I wanted and she's now emailed me photos of the finished creation. It's fabulous, I love it. Now we just have to meet up so she can do the fitting.

Shoes
That was a painstaking mission. I looked EVERYWHERE for shoes but couldn't find anything. I wanted flat shoes because I have a problem with my right foot and can't balance in heels. After months of looking, I finally decided to get custom-made ones. Much more expensive but I'll get lots of wear out of them afterwards.

Veil
I'm borrowing my bridemaid, Rhianon's. She just has to get it back from someone else who borrowed it off her.

Hair accessories
Again, couldn't find what I wanted in the shops (I must just be very unfashionable). Bek put me onto ebay but I ended up finding some on another site which I have ordered.

Hair
I have booked a mobile hairdresser who came highly recommended from friends who used her for their weddings. I've picked a hairstyle I like from a magazine. Now I just need to book a hair trial.

Makeup
My bridesmaid, Christina, is doing my makeup, her own and the rest of the bridal party. She did Emma's makeup for her wedding plus she does modelling and has done a makeup course so I'll know she'll be great. We'll be getting ready at her house which is just several minutes drive from the church.

Cars
We've hired some cars and asked friends to be chauffeurs for us.

Bridesmaids
The dresses should arrive from over east in a matter of days. The 'maids all came for dinner at my house last week (special thanks to Rianna who drove all the way from Albany) and we made some plans. They've picked jewellery and hairstyles and will go shopping for their own shoes. They sent me out of the room after dinner so they could continue plotting for my kitchen tea and hens night.

Groom and Groomsmen
They've hired their suits.

Church
We're getting married at Scarborough Church of Christ and one of the guys there is doing sound for us.

Reception Venue and Catering
These were some of the first things to be sorted.

Cake
A lady who knows Craig is making our wedding cake. She made his and Sarah's as well. We have met with her and given her a picture of a cake we liked and also got to taste some of her cake as well. Very nice!

Table Decorations
My mum is taking care of that. I just gave her an idea of what I wanted and I think she's very much enjoyed having it as her little project. We'll be setting up the function room the day before the wedding.

Flowers
A friend, Philippa, from church who is a floral designer is doing them for us. She's also doing the afternoon tea for us after the ceremony. We've paid for everything so that's all good.

Photographer
What started off as a fruitless search, ended with us finally getting a photographer. She photographed my former workmate's wedding back in 2006. We have met with her and showed her some examples of photos we like, completed her checklist of what we want photos of and have paid a deposit. We have some possible locations in mind but much will depend on the day.

Videographer
A friend of Duncan's.

Bonbonieres
Have an idea of what we want but haven't done them yet.

Invitations
I don't want to talk about them. After all the drama they caused, they're out and we're now starting to get RSVPs.

Orders of service
Haven't done them yet. Need to meet with David (pastor) to sort it all out.

Ushers
My brother, Tim, and Duncan's cousin, Liz.

Bible reading
Haven't picked someone yet although we have a few people in mind. My mum asked me if she could read the Bible and we weren't sure how to respond as she's not Christian and probably won't believe anything she reads. Goodness knows, why she wants to read the Bible then but I think she just really wants to be involved in the ceremony. Duncan and I were talking about it and we agreed although we'd prefer a Christian to read, we realise that God may indeed be working on her heart and we don't want to get in his way. She said she won't be offended if we said no but I have something else I'd like her to do. I want her to come down the aisle and have and her and Dad both give me away. I think she'll like that.

Prayer during the ceremony
Duncan's dad is going to pray for us at the ceremony.

Ceremony Music
We picked three Christian songs we liked. Our friend Rohan is our 'musical director' (he's done countless weddings) and he's busy recruiting our friends to play in the 'band'.

DJ
This almost ended up as a disaster when our original DJ pulled out on us two weeks ago (he said he never agreed to be our DJ?!?). Rather than panic, I had this strange feeling that God was in complete control and just a few days later we had another DJ - Chris, a guy we know from Christian circles. He's not a professional DJ but has done it for weddings before and we know he'll do a good job. We've picked out all the music ourselves including the processional, signing the register, recessional, entry at the reception, dinner, first dance and dancing songs

MC
Our friend, James. I'm expecting a few anti-Eagles jokes. Maybe I shouldn't say that - he's read this blog before.

Application for marriage form thingy
It has been submitted so we'll be legally married. Yay!

Honeymoon
I have no idea where I'm going. Duncan's organised it all.

Beauty treatments
Have to book all that. I really don't need it anyway ;)


I've probably forgotten to mention something but, anyway, we're getting there. Slowly but surely.