Mini-update on the planning thing

I feel so much better after our meeting at our venue on Sunday! And I wasn't feeling particularly bad before, as you know. But they are just so helpful and organised there. This nice lady called Handri had all our info in a file, and a whole stack of questions for us to fill in. Well, she asked, we answered, she filled in. :-)

She asked lots of things, from stuff I'd thought of, like seating chart plans and table runners (waaaay ahead of you there, Handri!) to stuff I hadn't considered, like whether any disabled guests needed lifts down to the chapel (how sweet of them) and if we wanted sandwiches delivered to my getting-ready room on the morning (it's free, so damn straight!).

We also chatted about the timetable - having never done this before I had no clue how long it takes to do things like the cake cutting, or how long ceremonies usually are, on average, how much time to allocate for the speeches, even WHERE the speeches are supposed to go - between starters and mains? Before starters? Nooo idea - and she happily shifted things up when we told her we needed to be outside to get photos at sunset, and not eating! Sunset photos at our venue result in THIS:

Photo by Tanja Vogt (OUR photographer!)
And from Andrea Carlyle's blog (the second shooter at this wedding)

Yes, so that's why I am In Love with sunset photos, and want to marry them and have their children. Only I've already promised to marry Mr Ruby Slippers, and he's so cute. Decisions...

Anyway, the only annoying thing is that there is now a function on at the venue the night before our wedding, so we can't go in and set up like we'd hoped. Bugger. I really needed that time, because now this basically means that everyone else is going to set up while I'm getting my hair done on The Morning Of, and when I arrive they'll probably have messed it up somehow and I'll have to fix it and screw up my hair. Which doesn't hold a style at the best of times. Aaargh. Also, we'd hoped to do a vague run-through/rehearsal thing that night, and now we can't do that either. We'll have to arrange one at our house before the time.

Stupid people getting married on a Thursday.

But aside from that, I'm very pleased with how things are going. Everything's right on track! Yay! Because I'm getting married NEXT MONTH!

Two months to go, baby!

I think we've hit the home stretch! Today is exactly two months until the Big Day, until we exchange vows, promise to love each other forever and become man and wife. Oh yes, and two months till I get to wear the most beautiful white dress ever, a sparkly tiara, a long flowing veil, and have people tell me all day how beautiful I look! But I'm more excited about the first one. Of course.

I've been thinking over the last few weeks about how much I've accomplished so far. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm nervous, if I'm excited, if I'm ready, and you know what? I'm not nervous, I am excited, and actually, yes, I am pretty much ready. So the reason I'm not freaking out (people have asked me that too) is that if it turned out the wedding was next week we'd be pretty much okay. A wedding, with all the essentials, would totally happen. Yes, there are lots of little things that aren't done, but they could easily be pulled together in a few days or left out entirely, and no one would be any the wiser.

This is what I've got:

1)The Venue (the most important part, right?) - The last payment is due in two weeks, we've set aside the money for it already, and they're very helpful, organised and on track. We have a meeting there later today, actually, to work out more details.

2)The Food - All included in the venue cost, as is the bar.

3) The Dress - Is hanging at this very moment, behind a door at my parents' house, covered in a white sheet. The only downside here is that it still needs to be shortened. I have an appointment on the 2nd of October to do that, but if the wedding was bumped up to next week and they couldn't do it, I'd probably just have to go buy tall shoes :-)

4) Shoes - Ruby Slippers, check.

5)Photographer - Half paid, booked, money set aside for the balance. Now if only she would call me back about that e-shoot.

6)DJ - Deposit paid, booked, met with, etc. We just need to give him a final list of important songs and do-not-plays.

7) Officiant - We've booked and been for pre-marriage lesson thingys.

8)Flowers - Are being organised by the florist sister of a friend of mine. I've met with her and she seems on track. I'm fairly laid-back about the flowers, really - as long as I get the deep, dark red calla lilies for my bouquet the other red flowers can be anything from lilies, tulips or peonies. Ditto I want the bridesmaids to have white lilies, but white tulips or peonies will do if they can't find the right stuff. So it should all be good. She's got lots of leeway.

9)Bridesmaid Dresses - Should be almost complete. Three weeks ago the dresses were mostly put together at their first fitting, so they should be done shortly. She's also doing the matching groomsmen ties and my veil.

10) Hair & Makeup - both booked and organised.

11) Jewellery - Despite my jewellery dilemma, I do HAVE all of it - necklace, earrings, tiara.

12) Table Runners - not even necessary in the essentials list, but they're done and waiting.

13) Lots of other little things like candles, most of the pew cones, table listings, etc, are also done!

14) The Honeymoon - not really part of the wedding, but it's booked and paid for!

15) The Rings - in my drawer.


WHAT I DON'T HAVE (aka the moment of truth):

1) A Cake - This is the biggest item we don't have. Truth is, I'm sick of how much cakes seem to cost. I can't imagine that taking two sponge cakes that in a bakery or home industry shop cost R40 and R30 respectively, and placing one on top of the other, would cause the cost to escalate to R850. Seriously, what are they using to hold the top one on? Gold dust? But we have an appointment next Saturday at a place that's supposed to be more reasonable. I'll keep you posted.

2) Vows. If the wedding was NOW, we could just have the officiant read the generic "for better, for worse" vows, and it would all go on as planned, but we really want to do our own personal vows with something that means something to us. We're also thinking of doing a Chocolate & Wine ritual instead of the unity candle. More on that later if we decide to do it! We also need to choose readings.

3) Favours - Those pesky Oscar chocolates are almost complete, but they still have to be glued together (I did the two sides separately) and allegedly painted gold. This sounds like a mission!

4)Tons of stationery to be printed: The table listings for the hanging placecards (once we know who's coming and decide where to seat them), the placecards for each individual at their place-setting, the pictures of the classic actors for the table names and for the hanging placecards, the menus, the programs (which have to be designed), etc.

5) I don't have a garter or nice underwear. I bought a bra but it's as uncomfortable as all hell, so I might just go bra-less. If the dress is snug enough.

6) I don't know what the groomsmen are wearing. I hope they have black suits. I've done the ties, that's it. Mr RS must organise that.

7) I really want to get white parasols for the girls and myself (such a pretty photo op!) but it's not essential.

8)Ditto sparklers for the first dance, and also so you can do fun stuff like this:

9) Thank you gifts. I'm still working on that!

You see, this is why I'm not flipping out! It's all just little things, none of which really matters in the grand scheme of things. If the menus never get printed, if the parasols never happen, if there are no favours - it doesn't MATTER. There will be a wedding, people we love will be there, and we will become man and wife, and I will cry. And now I'm excited.

I actually do wish it was next week.