I Must Be Bonkers

[ckrickett]

My wedding is a good 7 months away (October 25th 2014) and I know I have a lot of time, but I am taking on a BIG undertaking.

We are doing most EVERYTHING ourselves.
-Venue for ceremony and Reception is Our Home and my SO Family Estate
-75% of all the decorations, tableware, serve ware will be hand decorated by myself
-Wedding Save T Dates. and Invitations are made by us (we have a laser cutter, and die cutter machine, we are getting a lot of use out of it)
-ALL The catering, MINUS the wedding cake will be made by us (going for a multi course indian/asian fusion menu)
*This included several special desserts, and 10 specialty sodas we will be creating for the event
-Fiancee is Making both our rings

Might not seem like a lot but we have a lot on our plate, and we have to decorate a beautiful old Florida estate on an acre to look like a Moroccan Oasis (is that the right wording...Oasis?)

Any DIYer have any tips for time management, or tips or anything to help a gal out! Would be greatly appreciated

 

[antiquesparkler]

You aren’t bonkers at all and your wedding sounds like it will be amazing. Especially the food. Can I come? JK

We are in sort of a similar situation but with far less guests (I am guessing). Our wedding is taking place at our Aunt and Uncle’s lake resort on September 6th for about 30 guests. All the set-up, decorating, organizing, flowers, food (except the reception dinner) is all up to us. It is really overwhelming. Ask SO, I have had a few bridal breakdowns…

My advice would be to make a list of everything you need to do for the wedding down to every detail (I think my list has 120+ items) and it looks totally overwhelming but I took all the things I can work on now and coded them one color. Everything I need to wait until 2-3 months before the wedding and coded them another color and so on down to things that will need to wait until the day of.

So for us, we are doing a lot of the paper items ourselves. We are making part of our invitations, menus, programs, bar menu, favor tags…etc. so we are trying to get most of that stuff done now so we can check that stuff off the list. It’s way ahead of schedule and when friends ask what I am up to on the wedding front and I tell them I am working on menus, they think I am nuts but in order to stay organized and have time for everything I want to do, I have to work on SOMETHING now. It feels so awesome to check off items on the huge list.

Also, I went and bought two big plastic bins and every time something wedding related comes in the mail or if we go out and purchase items for the wedding, it goes in one of the bins. I have watched lots of my friends have to go on a wild goose chase a few days before their wedding and search for everything they had stashed around their house. It just seems so much easier to have everything in one place.

We are feeding our guests 3 meals that we are responsible for making so I made a spreadsheet and started looking up recipes and quantities and made an outline of a grocery list. Then as I think of things I need to add, I have a place to put it. It’s helped a lot. I’ve actually discovered there are some items that can be made the week before and frozen such as the cinnamon rolls I am making for the brunch. Also, when I am out shopping its helped to make a mental note of the prices of different things I need and where I can find them in large quantities for the least money.

Lastly, if anyone offers you to help or asks what they can do to help—let them help! A few of my friends that are coming have offered to help set up and prep food and I am taking each one of them up on their offer. I am usually a DIY gal who wants to do everything MYSELF but in looking at all the items that need to be done the week before the wedding, I am sure going to need help.

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now but I will come back as I think of things.
You can totally pull it off and it will be great!

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

WOW! That sounds AAAAAMAZING! it's definitely a lot. I did my own save the dates, wedding invitations, and flowers, and I totally think that's enough. I have no advice and think antiquesparkler hit it on the nose. Organization will be key, and if you have people around to help, utilize every ounce of their help you can!

Keep us updated on how things are going if you have time. Just wanted to say how amazed I am that you're undertaking this, but I think the payoff is gonna be huge and you'll have an awesome awesome wedding!!!

 

[ckrickett]

You aren’t bonkers at all and your wedding sounds like it will be amazing. Especially the food. Can I come? JK

We are in sort of a similar situation but with far less guests (I am guessing). Our wedding is taking place at our Aunt and Uncle’s lake resort on September 6th for about 30 guests. All the set-up, decorating, organizing, flowers, food (except the reception dinner) is all up to us. It is really overwhelming. Ask SO, I have had a few bridal breakdowns…

My advice would be to make a list of everything you need to do for the wedding down to every detail (I think my list has 120+ items) and it looks totally overwhelming but I took all the things I can work on now and coded them one color. Everything I need to wait until 2-3 months before the wedding and coded them another color and so on down to things that will need to wait until the day of.

So for us, we are doing a lot of the paper items ourselves. We are making part of our invitations, menus, programs, bar menu, favor tags…etc. so we are trying to get most of that stuff done now so we can check that stuff off the list. It’s way ahead of schedule and when friends ask what I am up to on the wedding front and I tell them I am working on menus, they think I am nuts but in order to stay organized and have time for everything I want to do, I have to work on SOMETHING now. It feels so awesome to check off items on the huge list.

Also, I went and bought two big plastic bins and every time something wedding related comes in the mail or if we go out and purchase items for the wedding, it goes in one of the bins. I have watched lots of my friends have to go on a wild goose chase a few days before their wedding and search for everything they had stashed around their house. It just seems so much easier to have everything in one place.

We are feeding our guests 3 meals that we are responsible for making so I made a spreadsheet and started looking up recipes and quantities and made an outline of a grocery list. Then as I think of things I need to add, I have a place to put it. It’s helped a lot. I’ve actually discovered there are some items that can be made the week before and frozen such as the cinnamon rolls I am making for the brunch. Also, when I am out shopping its helped to make a mental note of the prices of different things I need and where I can find them in large quantities for the least money.

Lastly, if anyone offers you to help or asks what they can do to help—let them help! A few of my friends that are coming have offered to help set up and prep food and I am taking each one of them up on their offer. I am usually a DIY gal who wants to do everything MYSELF but in looking at all the items that need to be done the week before the wedding, I am sure going to need help.

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now but I will come back as I think of things.
You can totally pull it off and it will be great!

That definitely some helpful tips! Right now we are unsure of the number of guests, so are unsure of our overall budget, once we get that squared away I think creating lists will be in order (and I do love creating lists)

 

[ckrickett]

Now we are taking about digging our own kebab pit, which I LOVE but the work involved makes my head spin.

 

[minidancer]

Ckrickett, I love the idea of a kebab pit, but also make sure you know when to say no or enough.

I think antiquesparkler is dead on about being very organized. Create a timeline with everything you need to do, down to the little details. Give each item an allotted time, then leave a little extra time for everything. That way you can go through the next seven months sanely without major freak-outs.

Wishing you luck. My stomach grumbled a little at the thought of all that delicious food....

 

[ckrickett]

I'm like getting super organized!
% Months away and still so much to do! We will hopefully be finalizing the menu at the end of this month, and then once we have a good amount of RSVPs we can move forward!

 

[ckrickett]

My progress!

I bought a really nifty tapestry to use as a photo booth prop (I was going to paint a photo booth prop, which would have taken me like 2 weeks, $60 bucks and no hassle! POOF done!

We have a tentative "schedule" with a sort of meal plan! moroccan and indian street foods for the cocktail hour then the "feasty foods (which is what we are calling it)

The CAKE is the big thing. The top of the cake is being flown down from a Bakery in NY, and the bottom 2 layers is being made from a bakery down here. Such a hassle, but I am told it is worth it!

Got my "dress" not a dress, but outfit picked out" need to order it and pay for it and get it made. Its getting made in new work, so no fittings. Praying to GOD no mistakes!!!!! ;/

Have to Hand decorate 200 glasses, and figure out seating arrangements still, do a test kitchen for the dinner and some desserts, get my freaking guest to RSVP (how frakking HARD is that ) and work on the decor!


still PROGRESS!

 

[minidancer]

Hope the RSVPs are flying in now. What are you doing to all the glasses?

 

[ckrickett]

Hope the RSVPs are flying in now. What are you doing to all the glasses?

I've gotten 6 RSVPS, UGH!!!

The glasses are the stem wear. We do a lot of entertaining, and my future MIL throws benefit dinners and huge parties several times a year, so we have on hand several hundred plates to use. They are plain white, and clear glass and I wanted something decorative, so we are hand decorating all the stemware and drink wear, as well as decorative candle holders and vases for glasses. Also we are painting and decorating all the teapots and mugs as well. In total it is around 200 glasses and 150 pieces of decor. I paint and bake then paint and bake each one to cure the design. Its a hassle, but also fun!

 

[ckrickett]

Here is a picture of one of the vases. This was one of the first ones I painted so the design is pretty rough, but it is what I am going for for all the glassware.

 

[VRBeauty]

It sounds like you're lining up a terrific wedding! Just a few thoughts...

Delegate.

Recruit friends to help you - for example, ask some friends over for an evening of pizza and vase decorating.

Is there anything on your DIY list that you haven't done before? Do a test run and/or work out the details now, so you don't discover schedule-busting problems later on.

Remember that at the end of the day, the important thing is the fact that you and your sweetie will be getting married.

 

[ckrickett]

It sounds like you're lining up a terrific wedding! Just a few thoughts...

Delegate.

Recruit friends to help you - for example, ask some friends over for an evening of pizza and vase decorating.

Is there anything on your DIY list that you haven't done before? Do a test run and/or work out the details now, so you don't discover schedule-busting problems later on.

Remember that at the end of the day, the important thing is the fact that you and your sweetie will be getting married.

This may sound HORRIBLE but I do not trust my friends. Minus my sort of sister in law upstate, they all wouldn't have the time or patience to do it how I'd like.

I am not saying they are incapable, but since work from home when it comes to decor and designing the glasses its much easier for me to do myself. They all have careers and families, and I'm a silly work from home artist. I can spend the time on each piece without worrying if I have guilted them into helping me with time they'd rather spend elsewhere. Sometimes They've offered their help and then flaked later/ I'd rather not have to depend on them and get upset when they can't come due to family obligations, since I know their families come first. Which is not something I would hold over them. Easier to budget my own time rather then other peoples.

 

[VRBeauty]

I understand. Perfectly. Fortunately it seems that you're well-organized, and you gave yourself a lot of lead time!

 

[ckrickett]

Yeah, FINALLY figured out the menu. Mostly Indian-asian-american fusion. But we are discussing burying and cooking a whole pig in the ground. That will be hard so we are unsure right now if we can pull it off!

 

[patricias]

Get someone to roast the pig. You can get married or host a barbeque, but not both on the same day.

 

[ckrickett]

Get someone to roast the pig. You can get married or host a barbeque, but not both on the same day.

My fiancees godfather and godmother will most likely be roasting the pig. I couldn't imagine being able to do it on the same day. They will have to dig it out of the ground.

 

[ckrickett]

1 month and 2 days until the reception!!!!

 

[HopeDream]

How are you holding up? You must be getting excited!

 

[ckrickett]

5 days, AAAAAGH!

 

[HopeDream]

You Can do it!
I'm sure you will have a glorious wedding Ckrickett!

Just keep going

 

[ckrickett]

You Can do it!
I'm sure you will have a glorious wedding Ckrickett!

Just keep going

Thanks, almost there!!!!!!!