Some thoughts from my experience.

First, decide what's important. Do this long before you start making bookings. For me, it was important that my guests had a good party. It was also important that I had good photos. Throughout your planning, prioritise and spend money on what's important to you and downgrade or remove the unimportant things from your day.

1. Scrap favours. There are countless ideas on the web for making or buying cheap favours. Who needs 'em? Lets face it, they are useless bits of tat that either get left behind and thrown out or sit in someone's junk drawer for years before... being thrown out.

2. Scrap the cake. Really, unless you can do it on the cheap, who needs a wedding cake? Cutting it takes all of 60 seconds, there's a photo opportunity, and no-one remembers what it tastes like.

3. Scrap cars. Have the ceremony and reception in one place. (Obviously you need to be having a civil ceremony for this).

4. Scrap flowers. Yes have a bouquet, but think of alternative decor for the tables and ask yourself if flowers are really necessary for the ceremony room (you are in there for all of 20 mins). Use something else, like candles.

5. Do your own hair and makeup. Look natural, feel natural, feel comfortable and confident.

6. Have a disco instead of a band. Why pay for a band to sing various songs that are not their own? No-one will appreciate it, it will be double the cost of a disco, and you'll still need a disco in between sets.

7. Limit numbers. Bridesmaids, guests, courses, drinks. The more you have, the more it costs, simple.

8. Shop on the high street. For bridesmaids' dresses, shoes, accessories. Check out the sales for bargains.

9. Be sensible about your wedding dress then sell it. Remember, it's a dress you will wear for one day. You will be the only one there wearing a dress like that. You don't need to go overboard. Keep it understated and stylish - it doesn't have to cost the earth.

10. Make it personal. Use your imagination. Do something that costs next to nothing that will make your wedding stand out and be memorable from the other weddings your guests will attend that year. As, believe me, people won't remember what colour your bridesmaids were wearing, what kind of cake you had, what favours you gave out, or whether you had flowers on the tables or not.

Labels: wedding

There was no way I was going to spend £400 on a cake. So, I looked at different ideas to reduce the cost, while keeping it personal and special. Making a cake from scratch was going to be too impractical as I was planning the wedding long distance, so I came up with an ingenious cheat that I am very proud of. This is my secret top tip for having a lovely wedding cake at a real bargain price.

You will need:

• a cupcake stand I bought a 7 tier Perspex one from Exhibitz, but only used 5 tiers (£49 inc delivery, or cheaper if you win an auction)
  
• 8 packs of Asda Smart Price fairy cakes 12 per pack gives 96 cupcakes @ £0.48 per pack, this includes extras in case of mistakes (£3.84)
  
• 2 packs icing sugar (approx £1.50)
  
• sugar flowers in your wedding colours 90 small for the cupcakes, approx 4 large for the top (approx £35). Cake Craft Shop have a great selection for all budgets. Browse around for more colours and toppers as desired. Simple is more effective in my opinion.
  
• medium iced celebration cake (Asda, M&S, Waitrose, Tesco) approx £10
  
• water (free)
  
• 2-3 metres of ribbon (approx £1.50)

total cost: approximately £100 ! ! !

How to make

1. Assemble the stand
2. Make firm icing according to instructions, adding water drop by drop
3. Rope in Husband to Be and Father of the Bride to ice cakes, gently pushing the icing neatly to the sides of each cake wrapping using the back of a wet teaspoon dipped in water. With three of us it took about 3 hours.

4. Stick a sugar flower on top of each cake

5. Assemble larger sugar flowers on the top cake
6. Tie ribbon around top cake so that it drapes all the tiers
7. Take cakes to venue in tin
8. Get nice staff to arrange the cakes on the stand


9. Cut
10. Eat!
Only the cupcakes need to be served on the day. The top cake can be saved if you buy fruit.

No-body clocked that I could have made this myself, it looked professional, did the job, those who knew my secret were very impressed and I was very proud of my efforts. If anyone tries this, I hope you have the same success. Good luck!

Labels: cooking, crafts, wedding

Well, we are nearing the end of our first month of wedded bliss as Mr and Mrs Grace.

Our wedding day at the magnificent Langley Castle was a truly wonderful and memorable experience. Everything went to plan and a good time was had by all.

Time flew by so incredibly quickly, I am so glad we have a beautiful set of photos from Alan Mason to help us reflect and re-live. He captured every moment, all the magic and all our happiness. Thank you.

Labels: wedding

It was my hen do at the weekend. I was dreading it a bit but it was GREAT! Some of us travelled from London, others Newcastle, others Scunthorpe and arrived in York on Saturday morning. We checked in at the glamourous Youth Hostel (highly recommended), then made our way into town for some lunch.

We did archery and 4x4 driving at the North of England Activity Centre, which was a great laugh, then, after a lovely bridal shower gift-giving session we dolled ourselves up for a raucous evening on the town. We ate a luscious meal at Silvanos. It exceeded all expectations and was really geared up for hen-dos. Their keyboard player could play every single random song we requested and had us dancing and singing and doing the conga round the restaurant! A hardcore few of us partied away until the early hours in a very sweaty and very cheesy Reflex 80s bar.

My lovely sister even prepared me a book with profiles of all the chicks to remember it by. Thanks girls!!

Labels: seeing_doing, wedding

where it's warm and dry...

Labels: seeing_doing, wedding

Dom is away with his mates on his stag weekend - camping. Poor sods, the weather has rudely turned from warm spring to frost and snow. They are well equipped for the cold, but it won't be a pleasant night. Still, I'm sure it will make for a good excuse for the boys to stay out and party longer.

I've been making the most of my free time alone: roaming the shops, gardening, making progress with the wedding crafts and tomorrow I have my friend Charlotte and her cute little daughter Emily coming for lunch.

Sometimes it's nice to have time on my own, getting things done. Other-halves are undoubtedly a distraction. Our houses are tidier without them and our time is our own to achieve what we want, but at the same time the world feels empty. Having another half might be a distraction, but it is a most welcome one.

Labels: seeing_doing, wedding

Peonies for definite in the bridal bouquets... voluptuous and fluffy

Labels: wedding

The whole theme of our wedding has sort of evolved by accident, following the pink ribbon on the invitations.

Yesterday I finished the table identifiers, which are names instead of numbers, based on the places we have been together. We added some photos to personalise them. Here's a selection.

Labels: crafts, wedding

The first day of the rest of my life draws ever closer. Soon I will be a married woman, a Mrs, a wife. Wow.

There are some days when I feel like there are not enough hours in the day and then moments when I feel like the day will never come.

Amongst all the sugar flowers, hair accessories, and table decorations, it's easy to forget the purpose of the day - two people making promises to each other witnessed by all their family and friends, an exchange of words, a legal contract, a life-long commitment. As the day comes closer, this is on my mind, and this is what I am most excited about.

Labels: wedding

Dom bought my engagement ring from the jewellery quarter in Birmingham. No particular reason - I found a website, saw a ring I liked and he tracked it down. It was when we went to a high street jewellers to buy our wedding rings that we realised just what a great place the jewellery quarter is - the high street rings are three times the price!

We figured that £30 worth of diesel and a few hours' drive was nothing compared with the savings we'd make on the jewellery. So today, off we went.

I have to reccommend J.E. Marlow and Sons for great service, and beautiful quality jewellery. The assitant was so experienced she could size up my finger at a glance and we bought the first ring I tried on. Dom's was re-sized while we popped over the road for a sandwich.

Labels: buying, wedding

Our day of nuptial bliss is fast approaching and there are a bazillion tasks that need doing. My 28MB Excel planner has been superseded by a countdown calendar and not a day goes by where there isn't something that needs doing.

This week I have been mixing and matching ribbon samples, deliberating ties or cravats and mulling over preserved rose petals.

Last week we ordered the mens' suits, my shoes arrived, I booked the florist and made arrangements to meet with her, the piper and the photographer to discuss our requirements.

My mum is adjusting the bridesmaids' dresses and panicking about her outfit. My sister is organising the hen do, and Dom is... pretty chilled out!

Everything is falling into place. It won't be long until the big day. I can't wait!

Labels: wedding

Nine out of sixty. Need to trim and treat frayed ends. Need more ribbon.

Labels: crafts, wedding

Dom and I ate at a Loch Fyne seafood restaurant on Friday night which was nice. On Saturday I got to work making the first batch of wedding invitations. This is the part of the wedding preparations that I have most looked forward to. When other little girls were dreaming about their wedding dresses, I was thinking about the handmade stationery!

I made slow progress on Saturday when a quick trip to Bluewater for supplies took 3 hours, but I made up for it on Sunday. Even though I took lots of breaks (to watch poor Lewis Hamilton come off the tracks on the Chinese Grand Prix, to bake banana muffins and to go for my first run since the Great North) I got all the inserts printed, piled and ready for combining together. Tonight I will bind the outer cards with ribbons. I am so proud of them.

Labels: crafts, seeing_doing, wedding

My mum came to visit at the weekend and we went looking at wedding dresses. The good news is I have made my decision. The dress is chosen.

I am also nearly finished making our honeymoon bookings. We are not having a typical honeymoon - there will be a fair amount of travelling, but that's the kind of holiday we both enjoy.

We're going to Italy. Our trip begins with three nights in luxury in romantic Venice. I have always wanted to go and I think I am looking forward to this part the most. Then we will take the train to Florence where we will spend 2 nights before picking up a hire car and driving to our private villa in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. We will spend a relaxing 7 nights lazing by the pool, drinking wine and taking day trips to surrounding towns and villages. We then continue south to Rome, where we drop off the hire car and spend 3 nights seeing all the sights. From here we'll either pick up another hire car or use public transport to get to Sorrento where we will be based for the final 5 nights of our trip. From here we aim to take a day trip to Pompeii and do the Amalfi coast drive.

I cannot wait! I think I'm looking forward to this more than the wedding!

Labels: wedding

It occurred to me that I haven't really written about our forthcoming wedding yet. No particular reason. I don't feel there is much to talk about, at least I didn't, but last week I went wedding dress shopping for the first time and WOW - I think that really brought it home - I'm getting married!!!

I feel I am on top of the organisation - the venue has been booked for over a year, the photographer is booked, the bridesmaids dresses are bought, the guest list is almost finalised, even the honeymoon is almost in the bag. I have decided on a loose theme to tie together the table decor, the cake, the flowers and the stationery - I am currently making some prototype invitations, once I decide on the design the first batch will go out early November.

After one day in only three shops I think I have found THE dress. My mum is coming down in a couple of weeks to give her all important opinion. Unfortunately, these bridal shops don't let you take photographs, (which is ridiculous), so it is very difficult to juggle the memories of the different dresses in your head and it is even harder to convey to your mum what you look like in a dress with only a picture from the internet.

I need to make a decision this month because it takes 5 months for the dresses to be ordered in! Then 6-8 weeks for any alterations.

So, what's left? The disco, the mens suits, menu tasting, the rings ...

The next few months are probably going to pass very quickly!

Labels: wedding