a_and_m_wedding's Friends

jewelry help
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some help with jewelry. I haven't been able to find anything I like! I'm maybe a little bit picky. I want something kinda simple, inexpensive, and diamond-looking(CZ or crystal is fine) what are your favorite shops online for this kind of stuff? for reference I'll link my dress. Thanks in advance!!!!

http://www.maggiesottero.com.ua/exec/addproduct/354/341

Tipping business owners
My wedding is in less than 72 hours! YAY!

I'm checking the last few things off my to-do list, and I have a question: How well-known is the "you don't have to tip if the vendor owns the business" rule? All of our wedding vendors are self-employed save the caterer, and I'm wondering if they'll still be expecting tips. I was planning to tip anyone who goes above and beyond/does a great job, but should I tip everyone?

Silver Votives
Does anyone know of a place to get (inexpensive) silver votives?? I'm in the US, if that helps. I've checked Michael's, Hobby Lobby, a bazillion other craft stores, and a Wiccan store, and they just don't seem to exist (and the Wiccan store part is a biggie, b/c silver is the color of the Goddess)! All of these places have silver tapers (that doesn't look right, the spelling...), but I already have votive holders I love and don't want to change them. I've found the candles online, but the cheapest I've found them is $2/candle, with about $6 worth of shipping, which is way more than I'd like to pay for just 4 candles! My wedding's October 25, so I've still got some time, but it's driving me crazy that these candles don't exist in that color as a votive!

Current Mood: anxious

Bridesmaids' Gifts

Hello all. I am giving my bridesmaids jewelry to wear with their bridesmaid dresses, but I'm trying to think of some other little cute things to give them as well. What are you giving your bridesmaids? I'd love to see pictures if you have them.

Thanks! :)

Bridesmaids dresses
What type of bridesmaids dresses would be good for VERY curve bridesmaids?

Texas brides!

Could any of you recommend to me any good hotel or B&B in San Antonio? My FH and I plan to spend a couple of days there right after the wedding; sort of a "mini-moon", since our plans for the "real honeymoon" would be a ski trip...which, of course, means we'd have to wait for winter to come.

I'd like to find something that may have couple-oriented amenities or something, and of course, to be reasonably priced :) Doesn't have to be anything fancy, as long as it's nice :)

Thanks!

OMG, I'm getting married in 46 days!!!

The craziest thing just happened...

This really isn't a planning-related post, but something just happened that totally excited me!

I was watching Wedding Central, recorded last night, on Vegas weddings. And my wedding coordinator from Wynn was interviewed (briefly)! I just thought that was so cool. :)

Wedding Plans (so far)
( so much behind the cut )
Questions...
For the RSVPs...is November 1st reasonable when the wedding is on the 24th??

The soon-in-laws think that Tyler, the groom, should wear white shirt/vest/tie with a black tuxedo with a white calla lilly and the groomsmen wear white shirt with black vest & tie with a black tuxedo with a red rose. I think that is weird? I'm not liking it. Our colors are black / white & red. Should the groomsmen wear red vest/ties? Suggestions please!!!

We are doing a Sand Unity Ceremony... and I have been looking around for a vase and saw a few I like but none came with a top? I'm worried if there's no top "cover" then I'm eventually bound to knock it over someday since I'm clumsy. Any idea where I can find a nice vase with a top...I prefer a tall cylinder.

Maggie Sottero Victoriana
If you are wearing this dress, or have tried on this dress in white, can you please post pictures? I'd also like to see Ivory Pictures to compare the two. I tried it on in Ivory, but I'd really like to see the white!

Thanks,

card stock

Hello everyone! My fiance and are are 53 days out from our October 11 wedding. We're getting ready to start making our own menu cards, programs and the like. However, I've realized I have no idea where to buy cardstock! Does anyone have any good online retailers for cardstock? I want it decently thick and in many different colors.
Thanks in advance!
Adrienne

Question for the diamond white brides:

Obviously most things (examples: dress shirts for the guys, flower girl dress, other misc. "white" colored items) don't come in diamond white, so are you using white or ivory to match with your dress?

Out-of-place friend?
I have a friend of about 10 years that would have been a bridemaid, but there was kind of an issue that happened between us like 2 years ago.

( Information about the falling out that is not completely necessary but useful for perspective )

anyway, we had another little spat in may over some stuff that happened on my birtday, and she spilled that she was upset that we used to be best friends, but she wasnt in my wedding. I would like her to be involved somehow but I'm having trouble because...
A. The bridal party is all set, so that's out of the question
B. I already have things like a guestbook attendant and the like
C. She's kind of air-headed/flighty/everywhere-at-once, so she really wouldn't be fitting to be a day-of-coordinator.
the only thing I can think of is usher...but I cant help but feel like that would be demeaning to her, considering how close we used to be.

any ideas?

Current Mood: contemplative

attendants drama
I have two friends who I really want to be my attendants. I thought I'd have a man of honor and a maid of honor. There's just one problem, my maid of honor really hates my man of honor. I can't imagine not having either of them standing beside me. What do I do?!

Shopping advice
I've just been looking at shipping times for bridesmaids dresses, and nearly had a heart-attack when I realised I've left it a little bit late to start ordering them... slightly unpleasant... Anyway I was intending to order from House of Brides (i'm in the UK and taking advantage of the fact that identical dresses are so much cheaper even if the exchange rate was 1:1!) and noticed the shipping times. I've found another site - BestBridalPrices.com and they have much shorter wait times for the same dresses (AA - 6133 and 6455). I was wondering whether anyone has used the site, whether they were any good and whether the rush orders are as good as they say (3-6 weeks)?

Oh yeah, for reference my wedding date is 25th October this year.

Thank you!

question regarding quotes
How long does it usually take to get a quote for wedding flowers? I went and spoke to a few florists almost 3 weeks ago, and have not received a phone call back from any of them...is this normal?
I guess I'm a little worried, because I originally gave them both my cell phone #, but then my cellphone broke and I called them both to give them my home number to call, but have not received any response. I guess I'm just worried that maybe they lost my note about the cell # not working anymore, but would BOTH of them have lost it?
I know my wedding isn't until next June, but I would like to start paying on them now, and have an idea on how much I will be spending on flowers...Should I call the florists, or does it usually take longer to get a quote on wedding flowers?

x-posted to weddingflowers and 2009_weddings

Current Mood: worried

point and shoot cameras
If you are going to use point and shoot cameras at every table when should you purchase them?

Indicating food choices at a sit down dinner
I'm doing a sit down dinner with my wedding because we found it to be cheaper than a buffet, but I"m having trouble figuring out how to indicate who gets what entree at the reception. We're probably going to offer one meat dish and one veggie dish. My idea I had was to have colored placecards to indicate which meal a person ordered. However, since an RSVP generally looks like this:

Please respond on or before February 14th

M ____________________________________

_____ of _____ will attend

Dinner selections:
_____ (meat) _____ (veggie)

I won't know exactly who ordered what meal. Should I put all names on each placecard and they can sort out from there which placecard goes with who? I don't want to do assigned seating either, so I'm not making up a seating chart - the placecards are just showing who ordered which meal. For an example of what I mean click the cut.

( Read more... )

Would this work? Does anyone have any better ideas? Thanks. I hope someone out there has some genius idea that just didn't occur to me :)

Our dealings with S. the dreaded wedding venue coordinator

There have been many stressful conflicts with this woman who works for our wedding venue. We'll call her S. From day one I have been very meticulous and organized about our planning. I have a large and lovely three ring binder nicely organized to hold all of our business cards, contracts, copies of receipts, and notes regarding every single piece of planning. Never am I one to have the wool pulled over my eyes about all this wedding nonsense, and we certainly will not be taken advantage of, in any aspect of the planning.

( Onto the venting. My apologies ahead of time. )

honeymoon registry wording?
Hi everyone! I just have a quick question. For those of you who have both ahoneymoon registry and a traditional registry and have a wedding website, would you mind sharing with me the wording you are using for your gifts page? I've seen things like "your presence at our wedding is gift enough but if you insist, we have a few ideas. We are registered at ..." Is there anything else that you all have used which is positive and polite and highlights both registries? Thanks!

Current Mood: good

Bridal Party Kids
Ok, I need some thoughts on this. I would like to ask my FH's niece and nephew to be flower girl and ring bearer. However, they are both pretty young. His nephew will be a few months short of 3 years old at the time of our wedding and his niece will be just turning 2. Do you think this is too young? Would they be able to handle this? I just keep thinking how CUTE they will be (his nephew is already practicing his dance moves for the reception)! Thoughts please!

97 days left
I'm thinking....97 days left and I don't feel like I'm getting a lot done as I should be!! I'm about to go insane if I don't get on the roll soon.

( invitations, wording, etc )

found on craftzine...
i saw this today on craftzine and had to share...a bouquet made from vintage straw ribbon and a flower loom:

link

Bridal Shower
While I, myself, am planning my own wedding for 11/15/2008, I am also the MOH in my friend's wedding on 10/04/2008.

Her shower is quickly approaching. We have reserved a room at Bahama Breeze for 09/07/2008. Since the menu and decor are pretty much set, I need to focus on games and prizes. I'm going to do a quiz, but I'd like some suggestions as to what questions to ask. I'm also going to do bridal bingo. Do you have any non-embarassing suggestions?

And for prizes...I want to go all out. What are some of the best prize ideas you've seen or experienced?

If you have any additional tips about hosting a shower at a restaurant, I'd love to hear them. I've never done this type of shower before.
( Here's the menu )

Vintage Feeling Wedding Dress
I was browsing department store sites for wedding dresses, since I've looked at all the regular bridal sites 10 times, and came across this at Saks5thAve. If I was going for a vintage feel, it would be mine.

Money Money Money MONEY!
So has anyone spent WAY more than they planned on? From the rings to the reception to everything else, I've spent way more than I thought I would. I know it's terrible, but strangely I don't care. Some how I feel justified spending so much of my money this way. I feel like my wedding is an expense that I'm willing to pay. Can anyone else relate?

EDIT- I'm not trying to go overboard. It's just everyting is costing more than I thought it would. But as I mentioned earlier, I only care a little. I guess in my head I am using the "you only get married once" excuse. I've tried to cut corners, but it only helps a little. I suppose every little bit helps though! :)