April and May Brides - what''s left to do?

[stephbolt]

Hi my fellow Spring brides! Our big days are right around the corner! What do you all have left on your lists? Some days I feel woefully behind schedule and some days I am cool as a cucumber.

Here''s my list:
Follow up with guests who haven''t RSVPed
Make seating chart and escort cards
Make pew decor for ceremony
Make table numbers, and other random signage
Make programs
Decorate cupcake stands
plant trays of wheatgrass for escort card setup
Make labels for candy buffet bags
Decide prelude music
make reception must play/don''t play lists
Mother/groom dance song
Gifts for groomsmen
Make edits to ceremony and go over with officiant
pick up wedding dress
get marriage license
OOT bags

Thank goodness for a 3 day weekend this weekend and a promise from my mom and sister to pitch in on some projects!

 

[Rock_of_Love]

Okay...phew! Starting to feel the pressure / excitement with 39 days to go!

Waiting on RSVPs - since it is a destination wedding, I pretty much already have the numbers as far as who is coming, but there still may be some randoms!
Music - play list mainly - since it is Mexico, not sure what they will have, so I''ve been a downloading / playlist organizing fool!!!
Groom''s outfit - bought suit today - yay!!! HUGE accomplishment - p/u at tailor''s on Tues. Still need tie and see if I want to do a vest or not.
Waiting for my dress to arrive (mid-Apr) and need to do alterations
Need dress for rehearsal dinner - the one I ordered online was HORRID!
Organize and Figure out display for pictures - loved ones who have passed, our families, and us (childhood and current)
Order and Organize Favors - picked ''em out, just gotta pull the trigger!
Participate with officiant in personalizing ceremony
Figure out how to get Sierra Nevada beer to Mexico!
Finalized Bridesmaid gifts
Get welcome bag list together (I will assemble these from items I purchase in Mexico first day)
Pay the last deposits - UGH!
Pack - get trip plans in order - and Pack!!!!

Phew...this actuall helped!

 

[ArtistJess]

ROL- You must be getting married the weekend before us. We''ve got 43 days left!

You guys are so much more organized than we are. We still have to get the tuxes

 

[beltane]

Well... I have to lose about 57 pounds.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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LOL!!! As if THAT''s going to happen!

OK... so seriously... we have to:
--take the wedding cake topper to the bakery
--approve the wines that will be served
--arrange for folks to take some things home afterwards (because we are going straight to the airport) like our cake topper, guest book, gifts and cards, etc.
--make and decorate the gourmet cookies that will be given away
--confirm with the florist a week before that the flowers will be what I want (I have this nightmare that they don''t get it right and my bouquet shows up with baby''s breath, lilies and ivy and is cascading... all things I DON''T want!) so I will feel better if I talk with them one last time about my flowers
--prepare a couple of little "signs" for instruction... like how to autograph our guest frame... I don''t want one person signing on behalf of a couple or family... I want everyone to sign it THEMSELVES. Instead of a guestbook we are having the matte around our map of Ireland signed, and we want to be able to enjoy everyone''s individual signature.

...I think that''s it... I hope.

 

[Prana]

56 days for us!!! EEEEEK!!!! Our wedding is May 29

I feel like everything is just creeping up on me now. I feel like I have nothing done!

-get our marriage license, figure out name change paperwork
-finalize things with our caterer, possible add more appetizers
-choose our music playlist
-still waiting for all of our RSVP''s to come back
-still need to get FI wedding band sized
-have to buy some candle holders for the fireplaces at our venue
-once we have the RSVP''s, put together our placecard holders and seating charts
-talk to our photographers about final stuff
-finalize/synchronize times for hair/makeup
-final dress fitting and pick dress up
-Put together the table numbers
-groomsmen gifts
-one more groomsmen suit needs to get altered
-alteration of BM dresses (for those that need alterations)
-groom shoes
-groom and groomsmen ties and handkerchiefs
-many other things that I just can''t think of at the moment...


-I know there''s a bunch more that I have to do!!!! I just can''t think at the moment.

 

[blueroses]

28 days.
And I feel like you are ALL WAAY ahead of us.
*breathing*

This is a lot of DIY but not in a crafty way--in a boots on the ground way. We're getting married at the church where we both work and the reception is there too, so...we get a ton of leeway in terms of the space which is good and bad!

-final rsvp list, after the 10th
-escort cards
-table list (planning tables, not specific seats)
-meeting with band to go over song lists
-ipod play lists for band's breaks and cocktail hour, dinner
-decorate cupcake stand
-put together manzanita centerpieces (can't do till week of when we're in space: we get the WHOLE week, though)
-string hanging crystals for centerpieces
-rig up LED lights for paper lanterns (Wire-total project wedding trick)
-ORDER paper lanterns (doing today)
-ORDER BM gifts (necklaces from Etsy)
-ORDER converse for boys/groomsmen/groom
-ORDER FI's shirt
-Two more fittings for me
-Meet with DOC
-Talk to Friend of Friend who's ordering reception flowers wholesale (we're arranging)
-ORDER vases (dollar tree)
-buy more glass beads for base of flower centerpieces (dollar tree)
-assemble centerpieces
-Meet with facilities people at Hall (who are also my coworkers)
-Make table # frames (they'll be names, not numbers)
-buy more votives if we need them
-write a ton of thank you notes ALREADY
-rig up ridiculous fishing wire net for paper lanterns on ceiling of Hall (Week of)
-set up kids' room for babysitters (week of)
-Lay out program
-Reserve our hotel rooms
-confirm menu with caterer (and #s)
-Confirm rentals of glassware, belly bars, plates, chafing dishes, heat lamp (we have cutlery)
-finalize purchase of wine and beer (This is Dad's territory)
-Ice/Massive tubs of ice for above
-work on welcome bags for hotels
-waiting on ##s for hair/makeup girl to see how many we'll have on the day
-finalize music and readings choices for ceremony
-choose chalice bearers for ceremony
-shot list for photog
-getting marriage license monday
-choose engraving for rings (they're done, going to jeweler monday as well)
-meeting with flower guild person from church
-meeting with church wedding coordinator (she's kind of high strung. Oy.) on the 12th
-put together parent/grandparent wedding photos for display
-dig through my parents' messy photo boxes for digital frame slideshow (FI's parents put his together on a card already)
-ORDER fairy lights and paperlantern lights for one blank wall
-PRAY for more no RSVPs
-Make Table runners. I can't freaking sew. Seriously. I'm getting together with two friends who can and we're lining up three sewing machines.
-first DANCE! (We have 3 contenders)
-Mom/son, Father/daughter dance


Ok, I KNOW there's more, but just typing this out has helped me. I have four weeks. TONS of people have been like, how can I help, and there's so much of this that can't be done until the week of that it's hard to know what to delegate. We're going to have people come over to help string up crystals on fishing wire and rig up the LED lights, besides that and sewing the runners, if you see any tasks I can delegate, bring it on. I am not so good at the delegation. I know meeting with the DOC will help too--she'll be able to spot things I can pass along to others too.

I don't know what we were thinking getting married 4 weeks after Easter when we work for a CHURCH. We're insane.

I keep editing this. I'm freaking out a bit now. How have you all managed to stay so on top of this? Oh, perhaps because you didn't have insane parents wanting you to postpone your wedding and derailing all planning for two solid months at the beginning of this year? That might be part of it...

 

[blueroses]

....didn't even mention favors and honeymoon.

While it helps me to get it typed up, I'm feeling woefully unprepared.


....and guest book. Or frame. Or notes to go in an album. See? We haven't even decided that. It's been a very stressful many months. I'm going to go drink coffee now.

 

[beltane]

Date: 4/3/2010 3:53:58 PM
Author: ....and guest book. Or frame.

Oh man... we decided on a "guest frame"... and when we went to pick out the matte and frame I had to go and pick THE most expensive frame to fall in love with! *eyeball roll* It was over $500 but it is SO beautiful! Cheese-n-rice I thought doing a frame would be fairly reasonable, um... NO.

 

[stephbolt]

Date: 4/3/2010 3:43:59 PM
Author: blueroses
28 days.

And I feel like you are ALL WAAY ahead of us.

*breathing*


This is a lot of DIY but not in a crafty way--in a boots on the ground way. We''re getting married at the church where we both work and the reception is there too, so...we get a ton of leeway in terms of the space which is good and bad!


-final rsvp list, after the 10th

-escort cards

-table list (planning tables, not specific seats)

-meeting with band to go over song lists

-ipod play lists for band''s breaks and cocktail hour, dinner

-decorate cupcake stand

-put together manzanita centerpieces (can''t do till week of when we''re in space: we get the WHOLE week, though)

-string hanging crystals for centerpieces

-rig up LED lights for paper lanterns (Wire-total project wedding trick)

-ORDER paper lanterns (doing today)

-ORDER BM gifts (necklaces from Etsy)

-ORDER converse for boys/groomsmen/groom

-ORDER FI''s shirt

-Two more fittings for me

-Meet with DOC

-Talk to Friend of Friend who''s ordering reception flowers wholesale (we''re arranging)

-ORDER vases (dollar tree)

-buy more glass beads for base of flower centerpieces (dollar tree)

-assemble centerpieces

-Meet with facilities people at Hall (who are also my coworkers)

-Make table # frames (they''ll be names, not numbers)

-buy more votives if we need them

-write a ton of thank you notes ALREADY

-rig up ridiculous fishing wire net for paper lanterns on ceiling of Hall (Week of)

-set up kids'' room for babysitters (week of)

-Lay out program

-Reserve our hotel rooms

-confirm menu with caterer (and #s)

-Confirm rentals of glassware, belly bars, plates, chafing dishes, heat lamp (we have cutlery)

-finalize purchase of wine and beer (This is Dad''s territory)

-Ice/Massive tubs of ice for above

-work on welcome bags for hotels

-waiting on ##s for hair/makeup girl to see how many we''ll have on the day

-finalize music and readings choices for ceremony

-choose chalice bearers for ceremony

-shot list for photog

-getting marriage license monday

-choose engraving for rings (they''re done, going to jeweler monday as well)

-meeting with flower guild person from church

-meeting with church wedding coordinator (she''s kind of high strung. Oy.) on the 12th

-put together parent/grandparent wedding photos for display

-dig through my parents'' messy photo boxes for digital frame slideshow (FI''s parents put his together on a card already)

-ORDER fairy lights and paperlantern lights for one blank wall

-PRAY for more no RSVPs

-Make Table runners. I can''t freaking sew. Seriously. I''m getting together with two friends who can and we''re lining up three sewing machines.

-first DANCE! (We have 3 contenders)

-Mom/son, Father/daughter dance



Ok, I KNOW there''s more, but just typing this out has helped me. I have four weeks. TONS of people have been like, how can I help, and there''s so much of this that can''t be done until the week of that it''s hard to know what to delegate. We''re going to have people come over to help string up crystals on fishing wire and rig up the LED lights, besides that and sewing the runners, if you see any tasks I can delegate, bring it on. I am not so good at the delegation. I know meeting with the DOC will help too--she''ll be able to spot things I can pass along to others too.


I don''t know what we were thinking getting married 4 weeks after Easter when we work for a CHURCH. We''re insane.

I keep editing this. I''m freaking out a bit now. How have you all managed to stay so on top of this? Oh, perhaps because you didn''t have insane parents wanting you to postpone your wedding and derailing all planning for two solid months at the beginning of this year? That might be part of it...

Blueroses, I totally have that feeling of not knowing what to delegate. My mom, FMIL, and several friends have all been asking what they can help with, and I feel like I don''t know how to delegate any of my projects, either because it would take more time to explain how to do it, or because I have all the supplies and they are all several hours away, or it needs to be done but it doesn''t need to be done right now.

Deep breaths. We WILL get everything done!

 

[CNYHopeful]

I can''t believe the day is almost here! Best wishes to all April and May BIW''s! We''re 47 days away and I know it will be here in no time (May 22). We''re very excited and the last two months have been especially amazing. It really started to hit home around the first bridal shower with my family and FI has been such a great help.


Wedding To Do''s:
marriage liscense
name change/change of address forms
resize fiancee''s ring
FI''s tux fitting
cd favors
finish champagne glass favor tags/ribbons
mirrors, beads, and satin flowers for centerpieces
Maps for out of town guests
Finalize guest list (3 missing responses)
limo
schedule mani/pedi
bridesmaids & groomsmen gifts
Meet 1 more time with priest
Prayer Intercessions
programs
copy music sheets for programs
meet with ceremony musicians for run through
purchase unity candle
finalize menu
pay the vendors remaining balances

FI and I don''t live together, so the biggest task is going to be sorting through all of my stuff and packing what I want to move over to his house and then donating the rest. Wow, there''s a lot to do but we''ll make it

 

[CNYHopeful]

Oh yea, and I forgot to mention the escort cards and seating chart (fortunately, my FMIL is printing all the escort cards and handling his family''s seating arrangements for us).

 

[jcarlylew]

may 15th.. ahh crap.

for APRIL
- go over RSVP''s and follow up with those who did not respond by the 15th
- mail out time updates (our ceremony moved up an hour) by this friday... OY!
- buy bridesmaids gifts this friday
- order flower girl dress this friday
- figure out my hair piece - veil or no veil
- buy shoes
- finalize our ceremony with the officiant on the 11th
- finalize our music selection for ceremony and reception (no DJ), and see if someone is willing to be an MC
- get my dress altered
- order cake (doing so on this wednesday)
- order booze. lots of it.
- venue follow up to go over layout

for May
- figure out any RSVP''s that are missing
- really figure out what i want to do with my hair (

) on the april 30th (i do have a hair appointment)
- get the BM''s dresses in and altered if needed. hopefully not. most likely yes.
- make the boxes for the favors
- have bridal shower/bach party.
- try not to have BM''s kill their boyfriends/husbands for E having a stripper at his bach party. (this will be the biggest headache ever)

Week of wedding
- buy flowers and make bouquets
- finish making favors
- get nails & eye brows did.
- final fitting for men''s suits