Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Needed: wedding recap

Clearly I am not a very dedicated blogger. The wedding was wonderful and I'll make sure to post about it before our one year anniversary (maybe).

Monday, March 30, 2009

Work is sooooo slow today...

So - I clearly need to post an updated to do list. I'm starting to burn out on all things wedding. I'm getting anxious for July to come already so we can have this party. I've never put so much thought and time into one event before. Work has also been dragging lately so I would like a vacation.



Location - venue is booked but the final payment needs to be made - $550. I will make this payment when we go see the venue in person over Memorial Day weekend. Yes, we booked the venue without ever being there in person. My mom did go and check it out for me (THANK YOU MOM). Our original venue closed for the 2009 season in December due to state budget cuts - it was a state park. Unfortunately this was 9 months before the wedding and the loss of this venue completely threw our budget off since it was an INCREDIBLE deal - $175 for 24 hours of a private park, building, kitchen, parking, tables and chairs. So, we were stranded and I kept getting really snarky replies to my inquiries regarding availablility since everything had already booked and everyone felt the need to explain to me that you are supposed to book earlier than 9 months in advance. Many of the venues were also hideously expensive (at least to me). I am not going to spend $3000 on a room for 5 hours - no way, no how (especially when you then have to have them cater for even more $$$).


So we booked a petting zoo. Well, not the whole zoo but a remodled "event space" on the same grounds as the zoo. Less than $1000 and we get the building, a private outdoor area, kitchen, sink, refrigerator, sound system, parking, bathrooms, the right to self-cater and 24 hours.



Ceremony Accessories - DONE - I have all the ingredients for the programs and am part-way through creating/assembling them. I purchased tags for the fans (from etsy) and my friend is going to stamp our initials on them.



Officiant Fee - DONE - As we have already been legally married, this is now unneeded.



Food - $700 - no further developments in this area.



Drinks - $310 - no further developments in this area although I did spend a ridiculous amount of time today looking at boylan soda and Izze on line.



Cakes - same old, same old



Veil - DONE - Aunt N. repaired it and it is ready to go.



Bridal Accessories - $50 - nothing

My dress - Aunt N has worked out the beading design and will be sending me fabric swatches shortly. ~$300

Kids' dresses - M's mother is still on the case and has decided to pay for it as well - Hooray!

Groom's clothes - $100 - I gave him a May 1 deadline for this, lets see if it works.

Flowers - $100

Reception decor: Done: Cake stands, tablecloths, jars Undone: card container, tubs for drinks, drink dispensers, tea lights, signs for tables, fabric banners (being created for me by my friend).

My ring - $650 (I'm pretty sure he knows it is supposed to be here BEFORE the wedding, but who knows).

His ring - Done

Attendant gifts - $50

Event insurance - $100 (will hopefully be completed in April since I have to renew my car insurance then).

Plates, cups, utensils, napkins - Done

Polaroid - still need approx. 5 packs of film - wish me luck.

ALSO:

Print and send invitations - deadline - May 20, 2009

Write the ceremony / vows

Create marriage certificate

Find someone to "officiate"

Finalize menu / beverage choices

Monday, March 16, 2009

Progress

I must say that I have made a fair amount of progress on actually acquiring items for the wedding in July. Its amazing what a little bit of actual money will help you acomplish - thank you tax refund.


$200 - vintage tablecloths - primarily off of e-bay with a couple from etsy. I have 16 - 10 for guest tables and 6 for cake/gift/drink/game tables. I think I might get 1-2 more because a couple I got I'm not loving so much. As we can all tell I went way off the deep end with the tablecloths, but I really like them.




$100 - cake stands. I was going to go vintage but I don't go to garage sales very often (M won't go at all) and the ones I was finding online were terribly expensive for the ones I liked. So, I got 5 Martha Stewart cake stands, 2 in red, 2 in aqua and one in white. I really like them although I don't know what I'll do with them after the wedding.






$100 - plates, cups, utensils - this seems expensive but they are all compostable and eco-friendly - from Branch Living.


$32 - napkins - this seems ridiculous but I wanted a specific version from Plum Party Supply -






$200 - M's ring, sized and everything.

$200 - Legal details (M and I got officially married on Feb. 13 for various practical reasons. The $200 represents the cost of the marriage license, my dress for that day along with lunch and cake for us and our friends/witnesses.) No one knows about the official marriage except for us/our witnesses and my office mates. We don't want to ruin the fun of the actual wedding for everyone in case the fact that the legal details have already been settled would effect their experience. This also solves the problem of the officiant who was going to charge $175 when the wedding was in its original location. We'll never know how much it would have been once we moved the location an hour away.

Anyhow, now we are focusing on a more quaker-style ceremony - similar to the one used by the bride in A Backyard Wedding. We just need to choose who will "officiate" the ceremony since clearly that person will need to know we are already married.

I have also gone on a polaroid spree. I now own three cameras in addition to the one I had already borrowed and I'm stocking up on the ridiculously expensive film (along with EVERYONE ELSE). I have some e-bay frustration.

Progress is being made on my dress. The primary fitting will take place over memorial day weekend - when everyone can get together.

I think my next post will be an updated to do list. This event is now less than four months away. eeek.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Budget - but updates will have to wait.

OK - in my blog stalking I ran accross a post at Veiled Vows regarding her proposed budget for an at home wedding. I am also trying very hard to have a budget wedding. It won't be at home because no close family members have a large enough property to house our exorbinant guest list of approximately 60 - 70 folks.

So, mostly for my own sanity and partially for anyone else interested - here is my budget breakdown using VV's categories --

$950 - Ceremony Location Fee (includes tables, chairs, sound system, kitchen facility and indoor / outdoor locations) HUGE drama in this area - hopefully to be humorously explained later. For now, this location is booked and final.

$175 - Officiant Fee - we do not know anyone who would have the credentials to officiate the ceremony and a licensed officiant is required in the state in which we are getting married.

$120 - Ceremony Accessories - we have already purchased fans for the guests (since it will be outside in the summer heat) and I'll likely purchase some supplies for programs ????

$0 - Reception Venue - same as ceremony location fee.

$700 - Food ???? We aren't having any catering staff and we are preparing the food ourselves. The menue will be picnic / bbq fare and Mr. M has a large and helpful family.

$310 - Beverages and Bartender - We won't have a serving staff but we will need to get a liquor license which will be $10. We are limiting our alcohol to beer and sangria. Our other beverages will be water & soda & iced tea. I am probably under-budgeting in this area.

$100 - Cakes - Again, Mr. M's family is making the cakes - multiple normal cakes (i.e. Darling Dexter)

$300 - Dress - Aunt N is making my dress -- Hooray for Mr. M's talented family.

$35 - Veil - 1st item I purchased from an antique / chocolate store. Doesn't really go with the theme (now that I have a theme) but I still like it.

$50 - Bride's accessories

$0 - Hair and Makeup - I have super short hair and I can do the makeup - it probably won't be spectacular but it'll do.

$0 - pre-wedding pampering - unless someone else pays for this and creates time in the universe, this is not going to happen.

$75 - Bridesmaid dresses - being made by Mr. M's talented mother and modeled on Darling Dexter's BM dresses.

$100 - Groom's clothing - Mr. M says he can do it for less and we're talking nice casual clothes, but he needs new nice casual clothes. Mr. M works from home & takes care of the kids - he needs new clothes.

$0 - Groom's accessories - I'll be lucky if I can get him into new clothes.

$0 - bouquets & boutonnieres - I'm getting a bunch of flowers (probably daisies) and making the centerpieces and bouquets for myself and my girls.

$400 - Reception Decorations / Centerpieces - I am including the flowers, mason jars, vintage tablecloths, candles, drink containers, tubs for the bottled water & beer & cake stands - perhaps I am under budgeting - I'm hoping to run into some good estate sales this spring because, although I love etsy, it is not the cheapest place for finding vintage goods in bulk - especially not if the goods are heavy.

$0 - ceremony site decorations - same place as the reception and the owners are letting us borrow an arbor.

$0 - ceremony musicians (i-pod all the way)

$0 - cocktail hour musicians

$0 - Reception Band / DJ

$0 - Photographer's fee - Mr. M's folks are paying for the photographer as a wedding gift but his mom got a great deal b/c the secretary where she works is also a part - time photographer and she got the whole wedding day for $700.

$0 - Videographer's fee - I'll probably just hand our camcorder to one of my brothers, or one of the girls.

$0 - Additional prints / videos - Unknown

$75 - Invitations & STDs - got the invites on sale at Michaels and will print them ourselves. Got the STDs from Vistaprint.

$30 - Other Stationary - Thank you cards I expect.

$650 - Her ring (both engagement and band) - I love Kate Szabone on etsy.

$100 - His ring - he insists on the most simple Tungsten Carbide band.

$0 - limo (yeah right)

$0 - Guest shuttle

$0 - Bride / Groom hotel room

$50 - attendant gifts - My girls are our only attendants and I think I will get them each something neat from etsy. If we have any extra we'll try to figure out something for all our helpers.

$0 - favors - I included this in ceremony accessories.

$0 - Parent gifts - Hope we can but I don't expect it.

$100 - Event Insurance (who knew???)

$50 - Marriage License fee

$150 - Polaroid film and guest book (this may have to go b/c the budget is getting out of control)

$50 - plates / cups / utensils

TOTAL -- $4570