Re: September 2012
Wow - you're photographer is QUICK! I won't be getting mine for another 3-4 weeks....

  Re: September 2012
Sneak peek!!! ...

Sneak peek!!!

  Re: September 2012
Walkinthepark - I hope your wedding day is going great!!! Ant wait to hear all about it. ...

Walkinthepark - I hope your wedding day is going great!!! Ant wait to hear all about it.

  Re: September 2012
Woohoo! Officially MARRIED! My day went perfectly and exactly how I imagined it would. The sun was shining, and my husband had tears in his...

Woohoo! Officially MARRIED! My day went perfectly and exactly how I imagined it would. The sun was shining, and my husband had tears in his eyes when he first saw me! It was truly a magical day

I'll post pictures as soon as I get some! Our photographer went through over 10 memory cards! So pumped to see them

Meechie - so glad to hear all went smoothly with you!! We are married!

  Re: September 2012
Meechie - I think it's just you and I this weekend! They're calling for sunny and warm weather down in Windsor; I hope Ottawa will...

  Re: September 2012
Congrats to all those who've already got marries this month!! I hope everyone had amazing days! I've been SO busy that my updates have been...

Congrats to all those who've already got marries this month!! I hope everyone had amazing days!

I've been SO busy that my updates have been lacking - sorry! To keep it short, everything has been running smoothly thus far, and our 143 jars of red pepper jelly are all made (favors)!

Meechie - 6 days!!! I bet you're as excited as I am

  Re: September 2012
Hi ladies! I've also been reading along - it seems to take a while to get around to posting these days as I always seem...

Hi ladies!

I've also been reading along - it seems to take a while to get around to posting these days as I always seem to write a lot.

Things have been going good with the wedding planning. A few minor issues have been dealt with and resolved. And a HUGE, major issue was "fixed" today!

Long story, short - one of the groomsmen called up FH last weekend (Friday) and explained that he has to drop out of the wedding party due to financial reasons. (moved to Alberta, new job, bills, etc). I was quite peeved as this groomsmen moved a month and half ago... And just told FH last week. After thinking it over, he called FH back today an said he figures some stuff out and that he will be there. Phew! Major crisis, averted.

We have been getting a steady stream of response cards in, and I still love it! Our mailbox will probably be very empty after the wedding we sent out 100 invites, and thus far have received 2 no's and 30 yes'. I know it's horrible to say, but we are counting on more no's, but at the rate the replies are coming in, I think we may be having a 200 person wedding.

FH's aunt and mom threw me a second bridal shower a few weekends ago. I anticipated it was going to be a little awkward, as I haven't met many of FMIL's friends, but it was worse than I imagined! She invited people to the shower who weren't invited to the wedding! Now, I'm all about non-traditional things when it comes to our wedding, but that is not one of them. I ended up talking to FMIL this past weekend and told her that I am inviting those people, or sensing their gifts back. And one person drove 2 hrs to the shower... All in all, it was good, and we got some more great items. And now get to invite more people to our wedding.

I also went for my first dress fitting! I was a little nervous as I have gained 10 pounds since buying my dress, and was hoping everything would still fit. Turns out, they have to take the waist in 5/8 of an inch on each side!! Woohoo! The bust also need taken in, but I assumed that. It was a huge relief to see it fitt, and great news to have it taken in! I go for my second fitting at the end of august.

I am heading for my bachelorette party this weekend with my MoH and another friend. We are heading to Orlando fr 4 nights. I am excited to get away for a few days with some friends! It is much needed right now. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the insanely hot weather Florida is suppose to have! On the plus side, we found a hotel that offers free hot breakfast, and a free "light meal" with free alcoholic beverages!

FH is working on our music list this week. I am hoping to have it almost finalized by the end of the month so we can pass it along to our DJ.

And we STILL need to figure out our honeymoon and ceremony wording.

Browontown - yes! I have been getting very anxious lately! So much to do, so little time!!

TnT - for timeline, I google it. I found some good (and all very different) examples, and chose the one that best fit us. Our looks a bit like this (trying to do it from memory):

5:00 - cocktails & appetizers start
6:00 - introductions of bridal party/bride&groom
6:15 - first dance, ?bridal party dance
6:30 - dinner, dessert
8:00 - cake cutting, speeches, mother/son dance, granddaughter/grandfather dance
10:00 - bouquet/ garter toss (I know it's kind of lame, but I like it. Haha)
11:30 - midnight snack (poutine bar)
00:45 - last dance

Some of the other ones I've seen have done the first dance after dinner... All personal preference.

  Re: September 2012
Meechie - your hair looked awesome! It's tempting me to cut my hair short. Afm: We are slowly getting reply cards back! It's exciting to...

  Re: Ideas for gifts (Groomsmen and Bridemaids)
We went with watches for the groomsmen - we had been debating getting watches as nicer ones can run quite high. One day walking through...

  Re: September 2012
Woodsygal - sorry to hear your trial didn't go so great i completely know how you feel! And it does really put you behind... Good...

Woodsygal - sorry to hear your trial didn't go so great i completely know how you feel! And it does really put you behind... Good thinking on judging the prom hairstyles - hopefully you'll be able to find someone who can create exactly what you're looking for. (as a side note, the hair person I booked and had my trial with that I didn't like did my sisters hair for prom and hers turned out beautiful) Argh to hair trials!

As for the registry cards,... I personally did not put them in my invitations, but I did include my wedding website so that people could check it out, and my registry information was on the site. The wedding websites are pretty quick and easy to create - maybe you could do that instead and add a small insert about your website?

We did, however, receive an invitation to a wedding last week that included gift registry cards...

Your choice, really. I would suggest using a wedding website to announce it.

If you want to see how I did it, check mine out:

www.ourhistoryinthemaking2012.weddingbells.ca

Meechie - I love the birdcage card holder. I wanted to use one as well but was having a hard time finding a pink or brown one without repainting it, so I'm creating my own cardbox. And I think FH has a future in card making! Lol

  Re: September 2012
JulesD44 - Thanks for the tip about BBW! I went there and got some pretty great deals on handsoaps for the bathrooms at the wedding,...

JulesD44 - Thanks for the tip about BBW! I went there and got some pretty great deals on handsoaps for the bathrooms at the wedding, as well as a few extra items for me! I went on the weekend and was able to use a $10 off coupon, as well as the 10% off! A heads up - there is a coupon floating around for 20% off starting June 24th (I'm sure you probably have it already As for the painting - at least you have people coming to do it for you! We have re-painted every wall, baseboard, piece of trim and ceilings on our whole main floor, and it was not fun at all. I love your dress! It definitely suits you!

WoodsyGal4 - Yes - I think another trial will be needed. Once my mom sends me the pics from my shower, I'll post and let you ladies have a peek at what I thought I wanted to do with my hair. Back to the drawing board.... As for veils: I'm still up in the air on what I want. I'm in the process of making a DIY birdcage veil - once I get that done I want to go and try it on with my dress. I definitely didn't like the look of a long veil on me.

auntieli - I love your e-pics! They turned out so good! We did e-pics back in the fall and, to-date, they are still my favourite pics of FH and I. As for our first dance song, we are using "History in the making" by Darius Rucker. The song came out when we first started dating and kind of became a song we both really liked. To make it even better, one of the groomsmen will be playing it on guitar for us at our wedding! I'm so excited for that! As for the rest of songs - that is still on the to-do list.

Meechie - That is so awesome of your co-workers to throw a surprise shower for you! And, to top it off, the firefighters! It sounds like it was such a fun day! And CONGRATS on selling the house!!! I bet you and FH are super excited about your new home! It's so great it sold quick! That is not something you want to be stressing over right before the wedding! I printed off monthly calendars last month and I cringe everytime I look at it. Even more frightening is that the days seem to be going by quicker and quicker... As for FH adding 12 extra guests at this point, I'd be a little upset too! You should have had him make up those extra invites - maybe he wouldn't really want to invite those extra guests? lol.

TnT - Good job getting the invites out! Doesn't it feel GREAT to have those done and out?! Such a huge item off the list! And,I love the homemade jam idea! I was thinking of doing jam as well, but we decided to go with a charity donation instead.

honeypie - Can you explain what exactly a "community shower" entails?! I feel silly asking, but I am living in a small town now, and always see annoucements in the paper about them and I have never seen them living in Windsor.

daydreamer- Bahamas sounds amazing! What resort will you be staying at? I'd love to see it! We are still trying to figure out where we want to go for the honeymoon - since FH lost his job in Feb and we are only living on my salary, I think Fiji is out of the question...and that was really the only place I had my heart set on. But Bahamas, Hawaii, Aruba and Turks and Caicos are still on the list.

browntown - Good job on the invites too! I know what it's like to have the dining room table back, finally And, as for not having room for all the shower items, you're not the only one! We have packed up 4 boxes of "old" items that we are giving to my younger brother who is getting his own place, but still do not have room for all the new toys we got. I do have to say though that it is so nice to have upgraded some small appliances and to have new bath towels! They always feel better when they're plush! I can't imagine where things from my second shower will go..

AFM:

I have mostly been relaxing these past few days. I spent the good portion of last week re-organizing the house to accommodate all the new items from the bridal shower, and doing the invites and thank you cards that I really didnt have the motivation to do much wedding related stuff this weekend.

As for the bridesmaid issue: I tried messaging her (as phone is just not working with our schedules) and it's been 5 days and still no response. Talking with my MOH, I have come to learn that, despite her complaining about cost, and money for my wedding, she has booked herself a flight to go to visit another friend for 2 weeks before our wedding. I will be sending out an email to all the ladies this week to just go over some stuff for the wedding - and go from there. Ah.

FH and I really need to start figuring out where we want to go for our honeymoon! I started looking at some prices today and different options and I am so torn on where to go, especially since my number one choice, Fiji, is out of the question. I did find some pretty good groupon deals for AI in the caribben so I think I will check out some of the resorts.

Other than that, just keeping cool inside as this darn weather is pretty gross! I love summer, but 42 degrees with humidity is just plain gross.

  Re: September 2012
Sent my invites out today!!! SOO relieved to have that off the checklist! Now, to wait for the reply cards to start coming in ...

Sent my invites out today!!! SOO relieved to have that off the checklist! Now, to wait for the reply cards to start coming in

  Re: Invitation Consultation - What to ask/look for?
When I wa deciding on invitation people, price was a huge factor for me. I had priced out how much it would have cost me...

When I wa deciding on invitation people, price was a huge factor for me. I had priced out how much it would have cost me to order the invitions I wanted and create them myself. It allowed me to have a good idea about how much they would cost. I attended 3 bridal shows and looked at endless samples of their products. In the end, I did go with the person who had the best pricing - even lower than what I had figured out doing them DIY.

In all, I paid just under $300 for 100 invites (4 inserts in half, 5 inserts in the other half), envelopes & reply envelopes all pre-addressed with a logo sticker and all return addresses printed on, 25 menus, 25 table numbers, 100 thank you cards & pre-labelled envelopes, and 100 placing tent cards. I worked with the invitation person for 4 months perfecting my invites down to every last detail, free of additional charges. They also met with me in my town (an hour away) 3 times and met up with me 3 other times half-way in between.

The company I went through was, simply put, amazing, super affordable and patient!

Hope the tips help

Ps - the company is located in the GTA.

  Re: September 2012
Browntown - 2 months is probably plenty (8 weeks). If people haven't already planned to come, a couple extra weeks isn't going to change their...

Browntown - 2 months is probably plenty (8 weeks). If people haven't already planned to come, a couple extra weeks isn't going to change their minds The "norm" is usually sending them out 3 months before the date - but I don't think a few weeks are going to really matter too much.

Woodsygal4 - I had my bridal trials this past weekend for my shower and they did the "look" I had envisioned, but I am not so sure I liked it. I, too, have been growing my hair for a while now (almost 2 years) and while it's long, and look very full when I added the extensions for volume, I don't think the hairstyle was really, me. I got my mom to take pictures of every angle of my hair and makeup so I'll be able to take a better look - but now I'm so undecided on what to do with my hair for the wedding. I'll almost leaning towards having it all up as opposed to half up/half down. When I get some pics I'll post.


Afm: wow! Today has been quite the busy day! I completed all of my thank you cards from my shower on Sunday, and brought them to the post office today! I almost put then aside today, but pushed myself to finish them. It's such a great feeling to have those done! And I'm glad my next shower isn't until next month - gives a little breathing time. I have officially unpacked all of the shower items (and rearranges my kitchen twice today to make it all fit). I didn't really realize how much we really got until I tried to find a spot for it all. The only thing left to open is our dyson vacuum. That is staying in the box until all of the drywalling is done. I don't want it to get all dusty!

I picked up my invitations today and they look fabulous. All of the envelopes are labelled with the return address and the guests name. Such a big task already done for me! The reply envelopes are also labelled! Woohoo . I assembled 1 invite and brought it along to the post office to get weighed. It is 50 grams - which is a hefty 1.05 stamp on each; however, it was sometimes weighing in at 51 grams which would increase the cost to 1.29. The lady at the post office said I should be fine with the 1.05 stamps but I'm worried that someone will say they're over and send all my invites back. Anyone else having this sort of issue? Nothing can ever be simple!

And now onto my newest issue: my one bridesmaid. I've been friends with her for about 18 years now and asked her to be in my wedding party before she moved to the far west coast (BC). I was so excited, and it seemed she was as well, but lately she's been really complaining about everything related to cost. She doesn't want shoes over $35, doesn't want to mail me shoes (the girls are all getting dyeable shoes); etc. This past weekend she called up my MOH and asks her what she's up to for the weekend. When she told her it was my bridal shower, my bridesmaid said "oh... Really? That's this weekend" I guess I'm just a little bummed out that she doesnt seem to be really interested in anything related to the wedding, or wanting to help. Thanks for letting me rant

Onto assembling more invites!

  Re: September 2012
honeypie - Didn't see you posted the same thing here too! I replied in the 3-6 month category! Long story short - yes I saw...

  Re: September 2012 Brides
honeypie - I saw actual samples. We went to a Freeman's formal location in Missisauga and they were able to show us all the colours...

  Re: September 2012
Browntown - loved the house video!! We have been renovating our house for the past year (main floor almost complete!) so I bet it feel...

Browntown - loved the house video!! We have been renovating our house for the past year (main floor almost complete!) so I bet it feel awesome to have it done! Also - thanks for that tip about those clear pieces that go on the heels for walking on grass! They work fantastic! I definitely recommend them

  Re: September 2012
I'm not exactly in the "under 3 months" category, but seeing as I will be next week, I'm going to post here anyway Browntown &...

I'm not exactly in the "under 3 months" category, but seeing as I will be next week, I'm going to post here anyway

Browntown & TnT - I feel the same too! Wow - 3ish months to go! And still SO much to do!

AFM:
1) We picked out our rings! We went to an independant jeweler the FH had helped do some renos for a while back, and got a great deal! I totally forgot to take a picture of it, and am so disappointed I didnt! To describe, it's a half-diamonded eternity ring - only diamonds on the top - plain, simple - but looks stunning with my princess cut solitare! And FH ordered his - a two-toned white gold ring. I am excited for them to come in!

2) We will get our invites on Tuesday next week. It is later than I wanted, however, we will still be able to get them out by the 3-month mark. I'm not overly worried as I did send out STD's in November last year.

3) I am having my first bridal shower this weekend! This one is being put on by my MOH and Mom - I'm so excited! I've sneaked a peek at our gift registries - you know, to make sure I still had items on there - and noticed a few of the items we were really hoping for have been purchased for us! We are definitely lucky to have some great friends/family! The only downfall I've had is finding a dress... I tried on the perfect dress at cleo, and it fit perfect on the top half, and then wouldnt go down past my hips. I have a back up dress, but was really hoping to purchase a new one for the shower.

4) On the weight subject - I'm down 7.8 lbs in the past 2.5 weeks. Its great to see some finally coming off. I just wish I put in the effort months ago. I am hoping for 20 lbs off before the wedding.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Yikes! Apparently not reading this thread for a couple days will really put you behind! twosams - Welcome! I love all of the invites posted...

Yikes! Apparently not reading this thread for a couple days will really put you behind!

twosams - Welcome!

I love all of the invites posted so far ladies! I am kind of regretting not doing the invitations myself, as that is something I REALLY wanted to do, however, I do not think I would have had the time.

Meechie - your e-pics are great! And, that last one you posted was hilarious!

As for the tux conversation earlier: I went with FH to the suit place and I let him pick out the suit (pants and jacket) and I chose the colours for the vest and ties. It worked out perfectly as he got to choose the suit he wanted... and I got my hot pink ties After everything was picked out, FH sent off an email to all the guys with the style number and colours to get fitted for. It would have been way too much of a hassle to try to get all the guys together as they all live in different cities.

We have been debating on favours for quite some time now, and have finally decided to do a donation in lieu of the favours. We each chose a charity and we are donating to both of them. Our invitation person made us up custom tent cards to reflect it, and they match perfectly with the rest of our stationary!

TnT - glad you were able to find some lanterns!! I`d love to see them if you`re able to post a pic!

Everyone else - I am reading along, and love the ideas and hearing how much progress everyone is making! Can you believe that there are only 7 more days of May!! Some of us will be in the "under 3 months" very very soon!

AFM:

1. Wow - time seems to be moving faster and faster everytime i look at a calendar! When we first got engaged, I was worried that 1.5yrs was going to take forever to pass and now I just wish time would s-l-o-w down even the slightest bit! I am starting to get a bit overwhelmed with everything. Out of the 12 weekends in the summer, we`re already booked for 9 of them between my 2 showers, bachelorette, stag&doe, 2 weddings, and a few other events. I think we should petition for a couple more summer months, eh ladies??

2. Our invites will be done the first week in June! I think it will start to feel more real as we start getting some reply cards back!

3. My first shower is coming up soon on June 10! I've sneaked a peek at our gift registry to see if we had any discontinued items (happens very often!) and noticed that some of the larger items we really wanted have been purchased! It will be so nice to have a pot set as opposed to the mis-matched collection we are currently using!

4. All of the bridesmaid dresses have come in! And 2/4 have found dyeable shoes so far. My FSIL is working on making some matching bracelets for the earrings I bought for the bridesmaids. The dress is a 1 shoulder strap, so no necklace is needed.

5. My younger cousin is drawing us up a guest book tree! I had found a couple designs online and sent them over to her. She has done a rough sketch so far for us, and I am definitely excited to see the final project! Once I get it, I'll post a pic.

6. We are going to shop for our wedding bands tomorrow!! That will be another huge item off our list if we can choose them!

Have a great weekend everyone!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
I am also at the 4 month mark today!! Time seems to be going a lot quicker now a days!! Daydreamer - you must be...

I am also at the 4 month mark today!! Time seems to be going a lot quicker now a days!!

Daydreamer - you must be so excited about your dress!! Post pictures

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Brown - you didn't kill it I've been just so busy with work, and trying to get a few wedding things done! There is definitely...

Brown - you didn't kill it I've been just so busy with work, and trying to get a few wedding things done! There is definitely not enough time during the day!!

Invitations are all finalized and we will be getting them by June 1st!!! Super excited for them. I think when I have the invitations in my hand, it will all feel even more real!

I have my first shower next month, and am super excited for it!

Meechie - the advice rocks are super adorable!! And I love the one from your mom. Haha!

Happy mothers day to the moms out there! I will be working, unfortunately, and even though I get off at 3:30pm, my mom will be 4 hours away, so I won't be spending the day with her. It'll be our first apart, ever.

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Jules - mine are also mostly for the photo-ops, and secondly as gifts for my ladies. It's not a practical item by any means, but...

Jules - mine are also mostly for the photo-ops, and secondly as gifts for my ladies. It's not a practical item by any means, but will definitely serve it's purpose for the photos. And really, give it a try! It's a lot easier to bend the letters than you may think And sorry to hear about your family friend. *hugs*

Woodsy - Glad to hear that you're less panicky!

Daydreamer - I love David's bridal! Glad your ladies were able to try on dresses! Always helps make them feel good too! :)If you do end up going with that invite company, my 15% coupon is reserved for you (found it again today). Is FH interested in helping with the invite?

  Re: September 2012 Brides
So I got into the wedding mood tonight, and finally finished all 7 of my hangers! Flowergirl (2 of these) Bridesmaid (3 of these) Maid...

So I got into the wedding mood tonight, and finally finished all 7 of my hangers!

Flowergirl (2 of these)


Bridesmaid (3 of these)


Maid of Honour


and Bride!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
aunteli - Good job on finishing your registries! We also completed ours last week. It was quite difficult to figure out what kind of things...

aunteli - Good job on finishing your registries! We also completed ours last week. It was quite difficult to figure out what kind of things to put on, and what items we would want. I am being thrown 2 showers - one by my MOH and Mother, and the other my FH's Aunt. These next 4 months are definitely going to be busy for all of us!

I also picked up white hangers from IKEA last week. I had wooden hangers from the dollar store originally, and didn't like how the paint turned out. When I saw the ones at ikea, I knew they'd be prefect! I am in the process of finishing those as well.

Meechie - glad to hear that FI has stuck up for you two! And glad to hear that things are slowly getting back on track for you guys!

DayDreamer - Did you ever contact "It All Started With" for invitations? They would probably be able to get you them within a month or so if you asked. I ended up finding another coupon I had (and put it away somewhere) but I can dig it up again if you're thinking of using them
I had the same issue with the bridesmaid dresses as well at a few stores. (And actually when my MOH was going to get married a few years ago, the saleslady actually said the exact same thing to us - have the smallest girl try it on!) We got our dresses from Davids Bridal - they had a good variation of sizes, but not in every colour. I never actually got to see the dress I chose in the colour I wanted until my sister's dress came in! Turned out perfect though!
Thanks for the reminder about the taxes!! I also have to finish my taxes today! I would have completely forgot about them...

This past week has not been a good one for me - health wise. I went to get some blood work done on Thursday as I was feeling pretty weak, and by 10am Friday morning I was told that I needed to get to Emergency ASAP. Turns out I needed to get 3 units of blood transfused, and an semi-emergency procedure Saturday morning. Needless to say, it sucked the joy out of my weekend off. And now I am laying in bed while my FMIL is outside doing gardening for us! In all, I feel 110% better, so it was worth the visit to ER, but still ruined the weekend.

Hopefully this week will be better for wedding planning for me!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Meechie - So sorry to hear about your ceremony troubles! I would also be extremely upset over the situation, and even more so by FI's...

Meechie - So sorry to hear about your ceremony troubles! I would also be extremely upset over the situation, and even more so by FI's comment. Ouch. That is definitely not what you want to hear after planning your "perfect day" for months and months... Sending BIG hugs and lots of thoughts your way

WoodsyGal4 - welcome

JulesD44 - Love the invites! They are super cute!

Daydreamer - We are still contemplating the honeymoon! We have both decided that we would like to go away right after the wedding. However, we have not yet decided where we want to go. We've talked about Ireland, Hawaii, or doing a 4 night cruise and a 6 night all inclusive tropical vacation. I think our plan is to go to a travel agent, have them price out our options based on the above, and see what fits best into our schedule and price range. I only am able to get 2 weeks off, so that may become an issue if we can't leave right away.

TnT - FMIL offered to host the rehearsal dinner for us, however, does not want to pay for a restaurant. She has offered to buy food (pizza, pasta, salad, etc) for everyone. I am slightly disappointed as I was hoping for something a little more formal since our wedding party are mostly from out of town. We have to set up our hall the night before (kind of sucks) so we will just be eating at the hall while setting up. I can't really tell FMIL that I am not too keen on her idea, as she offered to pay for the food, but can't help but want to plan and fund something else myself...I mean, can you really send a rehearsal dinner invite for that?

As for us:

We completed our gift registry this weekend! We decided to add a couple larger ticket items to the registry. We figure that at the very least, if no one buys those items we will get a discount on the item if we buy ourselves!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Here are the photos of my dress! It is too big in the bust (something I rarely have a problem with) but fits good everywhere...

Here are the photos of my dress! It is too big in the bust (something I rarely have a problem with) but fits good everywhere else!

The front...


The detailing on the bottom...


The back...



And, after trying on veils with my dress, I'm thinking if I end up going with a veil, I'll probably be going with a very small birdcage. I found the veils took away from the dress, and all the sparkle on it (lots of swarovski crystal detailing)

  Re: September 2012 Brides
@Meechie - Oh my... I cannot imagine the stress you're going through about this! I am freaking out with 5 months to go (and seeing...

@Meechie - Oh my... I cannot imagine the stress you're going through about this! I am freaking out with 5 months to go (and seeing as we are date twins), my heart sank when I read your story I am sure everything will work out perfectly with the new venue you and FH choose! My thoughts are with you!

@browntown - YES! Definitely having some sticker shock. I've been keeping a pretty detail spreadsheet since we started dishing out deposits and such, and the amoung owing box keeps creeping higher and higher! Thankfully there are only a few categories left to finish, and they seem to be smaller items.

@LDBride - Welcome!

@JulesD44 - I've also been trying to lose weight before the big day. Back in February last year, when we got engaged, I vowed to lose 40 pounds. Well, I gained 10 and have since lost that 10. My dress fits, and feels good - but I can't help but wish I had worked a little harder to get where I wanted to be for the wedding. 5 months to go - I'm now aiming for 15 pounds off. Congrats on your weight loss!

TnT - congrats on your weight loss too!

In my news:
Tried on my dress on Saturday and still was absolutely in love with it! It fit, and looked good on and actually needs to be taken in a bit in the top! As soon as I load the pics on my computer I'll post one for you ladies!!

Happy planning!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Hi All! I've also been reading along - mostly because I don't seem to have enough hours in the day to do everything, let alone...

  Re: September 2012 Brides
I have really been second guessing my decor! I picked everything out about 6 months ago, and since then I've been thinking of changing some...

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Started being crafty today! I am in the process of making hangers for the entire wedding party. My task involves making the words bride, maid...

Started being crafty today!

I am in the process of making hangers for the entire wedding party. My task involves making the words bride, maid of honour, bridesmaid x3 and flowergirl x2. So far, I have got the bride word down.

Like Meechie said, it is super easy, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. I just bent the 16 gauge wire (from Michaels) with my hands, and it bent easily. I did have some difficulty making the hearts, and could not get the last one to look quite as good I wanted it to. IMO, still looks great!

I am in the process of painting my hangers white right now, so all I have to share is the wire word:



Also, I have started working on my homemade card box. I wanted to make it to look similar to a wedding cake design. I bought fabric from fabricland today - 2 metres brown, and 1 metre pink. Previously I had purchased a x-large fabric box from winners (clearance for $9) and two smaller boxes from dollarama.

I was planning on using a glue gun to get the fabric in place - however I ended up just using an office stapler! So far I just have the 3 boxes and lids covered with the fabric. I have wooden letters I purchased from michaels (A & G) and am in the process of painting them silver. They will be glued to the bottom brown box. I also will be adding mesh rhinestone ribbon along the top of each box (to hide the staples). Here is my progress so far:



Can't wait to have some finished products to post in here! Thanke Meechie for the inspiration!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Meechie - I love your centrepieces! They look perfect the way they are! So a little bit of drama surfaced last night. FH's mother has...

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Since I have a little spare time before my shift is over, and I'm all caught up - I figured I'd post in here TnT...

Since I have a little spare time before my shift is over, and I'm all caught up - I figured I'd post in here

TnT - glad you found us all over here! If you go on vistaprint you can actually order their free wedding sample package - they will send you some sample invites. The only issue I found with vistaprint was that the wedding invites were slightly larger than "normal" invites, and it would cost more for them to be mailed. Our ceremony is at 1:30pm, Cocktails at 5:00pm, Introductions/ First Dance at 6:00pm, and Dinner at 6:30pm. We have quite a large wedding party, plus families so we're going to need a couple hours for photos - and our ceremony, pictures and reception are all in different spots. I am leaning towards having cocktails at 4:30, and dinner at 6:00, but we shall see.

DayDreamer - glad you found us as well! And, I think my mom is more excited to see my dress than I am too! She is planning on coming up in a few weeks to see my dress and to start looking for her dress. I am still in search of the perfect shoes, and have a feeling no matter what I won't be satisfied. I also just realized that I have to walk on grass for the ceremony. I'm now worried my heels will get stuck in the grass and I'll fall flat on my face. I guess that's the extent of my "nightmares" for now.

Meechie - I love your new blog! I definitely checked it out today. I bought some wire from Michael's on the weekend and am going to attempt the hanger myself. The wire does seem pretty pliable. I'll post pics once I get it figured out. Also, your crafty-ness has got me in the mood to try some DIY projects. I am in the process of making a cake-looking card box. If it turns out, I'll post pics too! ps - heard from someone at work that Jamaica is super cheap in September if you book last minute. FYI!

aunteli - Italy sounds like an amzing spot for a honeymoon! We are debating between 2 weeks in Ireland, or 2 weeks in Hawaii/somewhere tropical right now. I am hoping to get it all figured out by June.

walkinthepark - A honeymoon first seems like a great idea. It will hopefully take away some of the pre-wedding stress!

This coming week:
1) Booking off rooms at hotels! I've been putting this off for a few months now, but since guests are starting to ask, I should get on this!
2) Start my DIY card box and bride hanger.
3) Keep researching honeymoon options (and hope that I get the 2 weeks off work!)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend, and not working like me!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Got the call this week: MY DRESS IS IN!!! I haven't been able to go see it yet, but I am dying to see it!...

  Re: September 2012 Brides
I wrote the date yesterday and realized, holy crap - 6 months until our wedding! It kind of sent this odd, chill senstation through me....

I wrote the date yesterday and realized, holy crap - 6 months until our wedding! It kind of sent this odd, chill senstation through me. I've been very diligient with my planning, and have officially checked off all of the major things on my list (except honeymoon and rings) so I know I'll be ok - just was a little scary!

Meechie - I am definitely going to attempt those hangers! I've seen them on etsy, but couldnt really justify spending $25 on each hanger... especially when there are 4 bridesmaids and 2 flower girls, plus myself. I am also excited they come in other coloured wire too - I would love to have a dark brown wooden hanger with hot pink wire. Here's to hoping they have hot pink! (Or silver would work too...)

honeypie - so sorry to hear about your niece! I will keep your family and her in my thoughts.

I called the bridal store the other day to see if they had a status on my dress (ordered September 15th last year - oddly, exactly 1 year from our wedding!) and they said it should be in any time soon! I am SO excited to see it again, and even more excited that it will be the proper size! I haven't looked at any dresses since ordering as I was afraid I'd find another dress I liked better.

No nightmares yet - I'm sure they will start anytime now!

This is my off weekend, and I am so excited to get out and enjoy this nice weather! FH and I took down the remaining outdoor Christmas decorations this week and cleaned up the yard a little bit. Also, with the nice weather, we are trying to get out and take our little pup for a walk everyday, which in turn will hopefully get us into wedding shape! (We couldnt take him during the winter as his little paws would freeze and he would squeal...7.1 lbs yorkie poo)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Me too! Can't believe March 15th will be the 6 month mark! Meechie - did you buy, or make your hanger?? If you made it:...

Me too! Can't believe March 15th will be the 6 month mark!

Meechie - did you buy, or make your hanger?? If you made it: what type of metal did you use for the bridal hanger?! FH is super handy and I told him a few weeks ago that I'd like him to try and make some hangers for myself and my ladies but we were trying to figure out what kind of wiring to use.

Booked our ceremony rehearsal at the venue today! One more thing off the list

  Re: GTA - Cost Effective Invites
Here are some samples of our invitation (for in-town and out-of-town guests - the accommodation card is only added for our out of town guests),...

Here are some samples of our invitation (for in-town and out-of-town guests - the accommodation card is only added for our out of town guests), our thank you card, the menu and the table numbers (both going to be put into a 4x6 picture frame from ikea.

  Re: GTA - Cost Effective Invites
Another idea for an affordable invitation person in the GTA is "It All Started With..." They are a pretty newer company and are very reasonably...

Another idea for an affordable invitation person in the GTA is "It All Started With..." They are a pretty newer company and are very reasonably priced! They will custom make your invites to match your personality and will definitelyI work with you on price. I, too, wanted to do them myself, but with work, it's just not possible.

85 invites (pocketfold) + envelope, with 4 inserts (accommodations, directions (they custom make a map in your wedding colours), reception, and RSVP + envelope), 85 thank you cards + envelope, 20 table numbers, 20 menus, 170 tented place cards for UNDER $300! Plus, they will print off labels for all of my invites, address them, and pre-print our address on the RSVP label.

Super impressed with the company! I would 100% recommend them.

It All Started With... (contact info)
www.itallstartedwith.ca
www.itallstartedwith09.blogspot.ca

Also, if you do choose to go with them, I have a 15% off coupon I could mail you

  Re: September 2012 Brides
walkinthepark - It is not our wedding venue- although it is such a beautiful property! We recently moved to a smaller town and wanted to...

walkinthepark - It is not our wedding venue- although it is such a beautiful property! We recently moved to a smaller town and wanted to do photos here since this is where we are starting our lives together. Our wedding venue is in Windsor, Ont.

It is a 5 star inn & spa that I worked at when we first moved to the area. I saw some people coming to take photos and got the idea to use the property. The best part was that I didn`t have to pay them a fee to use the grounds for photos since I was working there at the time!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Meechie - I am being tested for celiac disease (gluten-free) as well as lactose intolerance and hoping they will get that sorted out sooner rather...

Meechie - I am being tested for celiac disease (gluten-free) as well as lactose intolerance and hoping they will get that sorted out sooner rather than later! I am a nurse so I get the luxury of wearing loose fitting scrub pants so that definitely helps! haha.

walkinthepark - Great engagement photos! Such a unique venue for them, and I absolutely love the pucks with the date on them! So original!

Working this weekend too! However, this is my long week and I only have to work 2 12hr shifts next week, so I am excited to do more wedding stuff then!

In the works for next weeK:
- In the process of finalizing our guest list, and making a bridal shower list for my MOH and mother.
- Decide on shoes for the ladies
- Have FH call his guys re: tuxedos

Ps - Since everyone is sharing photos, and I don`t believe I`ve shown off any of our engagement photos (from October) check them out! Our engagement photos http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.746156490478.2203070.122701972&type=3&l=a71b41bfcc

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Meechie - LOVE the pics!! I honestly don't know how you're going to only choose 12 - they are rock! FH definitely will not get...

Meechie - LOVE the pics!! I honestly don't know how you're going to only choose 12 - they are rock! FH definitely will not get "cold feet" after those

I have also been thinking of a boudoir session - however, it is conditional upon some weight loss. Due to some digestive/stomach issues, I've gained weight, and although I'm sure FH would still think I looked beautiful, I am not that comfortable with my body anymore. I still have 4-5 months to make this happen!

FH and I bought all of our wedding party gifts yesterday! It is definitely an accomplishing feeling to have those out of the way. Pandora is having a promotion right now where if you purchase $150 in jewelery, you get a silver barrel-clasp bracelet for free. It just so happens that 2 of my girls have the bracelets already while the other 2 do not. We purchased 9 beads, a leather bracelet (for my MOH) and got 2 free bracelets!!

And to top it off, as we were walking to the store, we walked by a jewelery store that had a clearance on their skagen watches! 50% off! So we picked out 4 watches for the guys, and one for FH (that I picked up today!) Such a good feeling to get those out of the way!

If anyone else is thinking Pandora bracelets for gifts - their promotion is running March 8-11. Purchase $150 in jewelery and receive a silver barrel clasp bracelet free! (They say one per customer - I brought FH with me and we got 2!)

Other than that, I'm trying to figure out shoes for my bridesmaids! So many shades of pink! I am thinking we might end up going with a dyeable shoe as two want lower heels, and two want higher heels. Anyone using dyeable shoes?

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Hello All! FH and I celebrated our 1 year "anniversary" of being engaged last weekend, and it really hit me how close we are to...

Hello All!

FH and I celebrated our 1 year "anniversary" of being engaged last weekend, and it really hit me how close we are to our big days! Last year, I complained that time wasn't going to go quick enough, and now I'm hoping I have enough time left to do everything that I need!

January was definitely a GREAT wedding month! We got quite a bit done!

1) Bridesmaids started ordering their dresses!

2) Tuxedo's chosen! We went to Freeman/Tip Top Tailor and were very impressed with their knowledge and helpfulness! We ended up going with a black tuxedo with black pinstripes, black vest, hot pink tie and hot pink pocket square. Although our colours are brown and pink, the brown suit just didn't work with FH's skin tone, so we just went with the black.

3) Paid our half for the chair rental for our ceremony! Another bride is getting married at the same venue later on that day and we were able to "share" the chair rental - definitely a huge savings! Over $200.

4) Met with an independent florist and got a quote half the price of what a flower shop gave us!

Up next

1) Meeting with our invitation person Thursday this week to finalize the design and place my deposit! So excited to see a hard copy of the invites! We, too, have a heat embossed design on our invites, and I cannot wait to see the final product!

2) Book off blocks of hotel rooms for our guests. It's definitely been hard trying to do everything from 4 hours away!

3) Figure out accessories and shoes for my girls!

4) Figure out wedding bands - we both want custom made bands, so we really need to figure it out soon!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
@browntown - I feel ya on the renovation thing! We bought our place April 2011 and we have been renovating ever since! The main floor...

  Re: September 2012 Brides
Wow - I take a break from the weekend, and come back to a whole bunch of new threads! @browntown - sorry to hear about...

Wow - I take a break from the weekend, and come back to a whole bunch of new threads!

@browntown - sorry to hear about your pet! It is always so hard. I've had 3 dogs pass away so far in my life and it never ever gets easier. FH and I bought a Yorkipoo puppy last year, and we don't even want to think about the day he passes - he definitely is a child to us. Keep that chin up

@meechie - CUTE clips! I never even thought about clips for wedding shoes. I haven't found mine yet, but it's definitely a great suggestion As for the tuxes: I got information from all of the different ones at wedding shows from the past 2 weeks so I am planning on compiling everything into an easy-to-choose type of game for FH.

@daydreamer - I've been working on my invitations with the designer since the beginning of November! Mind you, I am being extreamly picky and am not going to settle for anything less than what I want Our Menu has been confirmed for quite some time now, and our ceremony time finally got confirmed this weekend! Now to send all the info off and see some FINAL proofs!
As for tuxes - I am not sure how quickly they fill up, but better to get them sooner than later.

@Mitchi - definitely had tears when I finally said yes to the dress! My mom and sister also teared up, so I knew it was definitely the one!

For anyone wanting to look up my dress: Isadora Marie by Maggie Sottero. The crystal detailing sold me on it - and the fact that it looked gorgeous on!

http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=J1419

This weekend I went to another wedding show in Windsor. I have to say I was a bit dissapointed by the lack of florists in attendance. There were maybe only 1-2 out of the 200+ vendors. Too many photographers were there, IMO, and everything else we pretty much had booked. At least I got free copies of the newest Weddingbells magainze and Today's Bride! Always a good perk!

Limo was booked this morning! So glad to have that out of the way. FH wanted a limo bus, I wanted to spend as little as possible. We ended up going with the Limo bus. I was starting to worry a little about booking the limo as 2 of the 6-8 places in windsor had already booked their vehicles for September 15. Alas, we got one

My bridesmaids should be ordering their dresses by the end of the month. I chose a short, one-strap dress from Davids Bridal. They will be ordered it in the colour "Truffle"

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Sati...es#BVRRWidgetID

Wedding website has been up and running for a couple months now - still have to update the accommodations page as we are still waiting for hotels to get back to us. Hopefully that will be soon! For anyone wanting to check it out:
www.ourhistoryinthemaking2012.weddingbells.ca

So off the list is Limo.
Still to do this month - Florist & Tuxes, and finalize our invites.
And, if I am ambitious (or have the time) - Favours, Accessories, and SHOES!

  Re: September 2012 Brides
I really feel like a slacker! I haven't been on these forums since the 12+ months category :S I started a new job just before...

  Re: Tell Me About Your Wedding Invitations
For those in the GTA area - check out "It All Started With..." Invitations. I found them at a Budget-Friendly Bridal Show in Caledon (the...

Re: Local Vendors & Resources - Important Please Read.
A few awesome vendors that I am SOO thankful to have met: In Windsor, ON: Tracey Ellen Photography, www.traceyellen.com. She is an amazing photographer!! We...

  Re: September 2012 Brides!
@Meechie - seems like a great day to choose We are getting married at the Canadian Club Distillery in Windsor, right along the riverfront. Such...

@Meechie - seems like a great day to choose We are getting married at the Canadian Club Distillery in Windsor, right along the riverfront. Such a gorgeous venue! Have you thought of venues yet? Congrats on your engagement too! We've been engaged 9 months this month... and it's flown by!

  Re: September 2012 Brides!
Congrats Ladies! I am also a September 2012 bride. Our date is the 15th, and, since we've been engaged for over 7 months, I do...

Congrats Ladies!
I am also a September 2012 bride. Our date is the 15th, and, since we've been engaged for over 7 months, I do have most of our stuff complete!
- Ceremony location booked
- Reception location booked
- Photographer booked
- Officiant booked
- DJ booked
- Live ceremony music booked
- Save the dates - ordered and sent!
- My wedding gown bought (on the 1 year before our wedding mark)
- Bridesmaids dresses picked
- Menu chosen
- Engagement photos done
- Wedding website up-and-running!

I'm sure there is more, but that is a good chunk of it so far! And, there is still so much more to do!! Good luck everyone!

  Re: Save the dates...
We have ordered STD magenets off vistaprint.ca, and paid $27 for 100 of them! We used the business card template (instead of the save the...

  WINDSOR, ON -- Spring Wedding Show, May 1st 2011
Hello fellow brides! Just thought I'd pass along the message that there is a FREE Wedding Show taking place in Windsor, ON on May 1st,...