Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about why...

Hi my name is Jennifer, 34ys old, married (2 1/2 yrs) and four kids. So I am not planning on getting married again. But I love the planning and helping with ideas. My mom has done my  weddings twice, and for her co-workers and friendsand their friends. She make most of the decorations for fairly cheap (not talking about tacky, cheap looking). Also have great food ideas on a buget. So I thought if you wanted some extra input, I love love to give it.


My wedding colors where purples and greens...

My name is Rosa.  I am 21.  Wes (he's 28) and I have been together just over a year- but boy has it been a long year.  I have a daughter who is just over a year.  No, he's not the biological father, but he's been with me since she was a month old and she calls him daddy.  Right now any thought of a wedding is on hold :( .  Honestly  I don't even have a ring on my finger, but we've picked wedding colors (black, white, and red - his favorite colors and they're easy to work with), decided where we want the reception, picked our wedding party, and decided we want to write our own vowes (which is going to kill me to do, he was a writer for a while). Hopefully certain situations will clear up sooner or later and this wedding can actually get started... until then i'll just enjoy living with him. 

Quoting RosaMae:

My name is Rosa.  I am 21.  Wes (he's 28) and I have been together just over a year- but boy has it been a long year.  I have a daughter who is just over a year.  No, he's not the biological father, but he's been with me since she was a month old and she calls him daddy.  Right now any thought of a wedding is on hold :( .  Honestly  I don't even have a ring on my finger, but we've picked wedding colors (black, white, and red - his favorite colors and they're easy to work with), decided where we want the reception, picked our wedding party, and decided we want to write our own vowes (which is going to kill me to do, he was a writer for a while). Hopefully certain situations will clear up sooner or later and this wedding can actually get started... until then i'll just enjoy living with him. 

I like that you want to write your own vow's. I wrote my whole wedding word for word. It was awsome. My colors were purples and green's.

My name is Patricia I am 21 and my husband Eric is 25.  We got married in October 2006 but did not have a formal wedding.  We are planning on having our ceremony in July of this year and I honestly do not know where to start.  I have the dress picked out along with the dress for my maid of honor (I am not having bridesmaids), the colors, location are all picked.  I am at a total loss on decorating and food, his tuxedo or whatever!  It gets so stressful to try and plan everything that I just keep putting it all on hold, but I know I need to start working on it being that July is just right around the corner!!!

I'm 27, previously married. My fiance and I have a his/mine/ours thing going on. We're totally untraditional, as we're done having kids.

We were originally going to get married in 2006, but due to issues with his divorce, and monetary reasons, we had to push it out to summer of 07. ANd now, yet again, a pregnancy (who is now a new baby) and money have bumped us back! Ugh

We are having about 100+ guests, at least half of whom are children. We are getting married August 9, 2008, probably in a late afternoon ceremony foloowed by reception. I would prefer a fall/winter wedding, but if we want to go on a honeymoon, we have to do it when other people can have the kids stay with them (ie when school isn't in session).

We are doing what we like to call 'country elegance', with a palette of oranges, browns, reds, and creams. My fiance is VERY involved in planning.

Ummm .... I've been collecting pictures forever it seems, and gathering ideas. Sometimes I feel lost when I look at my big portfolio of our planning compilation, and think "Wow, won't this be nice when its over" .. but I do love to plan!

Quoting pcronberg:

My name is Patricia I am 21 and my husband Eric is 25.  We got married in October 2006 but did not have a formal wedding.  We are planning on having our ceremony in July of this year and I honestly do not know where to start.  I have the dress picked out along with the dress for my maid of honor (I am not having bridesmaids), the colors, location are all picked.  I am at a total loss on decorating and food, his tuxedo or whatever!  It gets so stressful to try and plan everything that I just keep putting it all on hold, but I know I need to start working on it being that July is just right around the corner!!!

July when? I got married July 31st 2004 man it was a hot day. we had to go rent fans right before the wedding started.
Do you plan on having your wedding catered, doing it yourself buffet style or no food at all? We catered our wedding, when I say we I mean my mom, my aunt and all my out of state family members. We set up buffet style, made swedish meat ball and pasta we had a chicken alfrado, chicken wings. ceaser salad. I would have to think hard about the rest. It was fairly cheap, easier then some foods to make and serve and pretty good if I may give my mom her prop's.

Are you having a dj? If you can get a friend to do it, it will save you ton's of $ or maybe your local karaoke persom her in Seatle they are paid about 150.00 a ight to host at a  bar, should not be much more if any at all the dj a wedding. Pick out your song and your dances. Girl you don't have much time left. What about decoratons My mom made ours. she went to walmart and bought candle globs, they look like little fish bowls and bout napkins with purple and green flowers on them and glues them in a decopdge (sp?) why and bought small terracota pots glued pearl like beads and a piece of ribbon underneith the lip of the pot, be bought some silk flower cirlce things (like you would place a candle in the middle of) turned the pot up side down, put the cirlce of flowers over it and put the globe on top if that and put a votis candle inside it. Can take a picture if anyone wants to see it. I am done typing for now.

Man I talk to much....lol

I know my colors are baby pink and white...we are doing a buffet style for the foods...what foods I have no idea yet.  As far as decorations we decided to due it in out backyard (I know it sounds kind of hill billy, but our backyard is BEAUTIFUL with flower and a fountain green grass) and just rent some chairs for people to sit in and maybe add a couple of other decorations.  I have not even counted exactly how many guests I will have there anywhere from 50 to 100 including the kids.  The reception will be at our house also.  It just all seems like so much because we just had our daughter in February and the ceremony is supposed to be July 7th.  Maybe if anybody has some ideas on some flower varieties that match light pink but are not roses and also some food ideas that are not too expensive but a good variety.  I am so lost!

Quoting pcronberg:

I know my colors are baby pink and white...we are doing a buffet style for the foods...what foods I have no idea yet.  As far as decorations we decided to due it in out backyard (I know it sounds kind of hill billy, but our backyard is BEAUTIFUL with flower and a fountain green grass) and just rent some chairs for people to sit in and maybe add a couple of other decorations.  I have not even counted exactly how many guests I will have there anywhere from 50 to 100 including the kids.  The reception will be at our house also.  It just all seems like so much because we just had our daughter in February and the ceremony is supposed to be July 7th.  Maybe if anybody has some ideas on some flower varieties that match light pink but are not roses and also some food ideas that are not too expensive but a good variety.  I am so lost!

Don’t worry, but do get on the ball. My Mom is a florist I will talk to her about what flower options that may be available. Do you plan on having family and friends help you out with preparing the food? Chicken is always a good way to go. Or it is, out side you could always do a good old fashioned BBQ. Give me a couple of day’s and I’ am sure we can up with something you will like. You can check out the floral dept at your local grocery store, they do weddings, I think it can be cheaper to.  Are you looking for lunch a dinner type of meal?

 

Need to go to the dollar store or somewhere you can pick up a bunch of coloring books and crayons for the kid’s, the wedding bubbles are a good way to entertain  the children guest. You might also want to try to find a couple of teenagers to help watch some of the kids.

 

As far as your decorations are you going to get married under an arch? I think for a outdoor wedding unless it is going to be fancy I would go with a simply table center piece.  Ok I have to go to bed. Give us more ideas on what you’re wanting 2-3 things at a time. Have you printed out a wedding check list yet? If not let me know and I will post a good one. Good night, Jen

 

By the way a yard wedding does not sound Hill Billy.

I am going to get married under an arch...I have been told you can rent them...As far as the food goes, we have decided against a BBQ just because it would be really messy and well I will be in white and light pink!  What is a wedding checklist and do I really need one?  It will be a bunch of family and friends with a bunch of kids as I previously mentioned and I think the teens thing wouldn't be such a bad idea...I did not even think about it.  I appreciate your help.

Hey there! First, yes you can rent the arch. Make sure to find pictures of arches decorated the way you like them so that you don't end up with something really cheesy.

Next, instead of a barbecue, why not do a pasta bar? Have a buffet style area, with several different kinds of pasta, mix ins (meats, fish, veggies) and sauces (alfredo, marinara, traditional). That way, people can get what they want! Serve up some make-your-own sandwiches and salads as well.

I have posted a sample wedding checklist -- you can add or delete things as you need them. They help you keep on task, and also help you to not forget things you may have overlooked (like the what-if scenarios!)

About the flowers -- go to a nursery or floral website (,http://www.wedideas.com/Sets.htm ) and start to browse through the pics.  Some suggestions would be:

 Eros Asiatic Lily

 Blushing Pink Roses

 Pink Flourishes Asiatic Lilies

 Samur Asiatic Lilies

 White Lace Asiatic Lilies

 White Butterflies Asiatic Lilies

and as a filler, Stephanotis


For the kids, there are several fun things you can do. As its summer, they will be ready for some summer fun. Why not provide water toys, (make sure to pre-warn parents and have towels on hand), a haystack toy search, paint your own sunglasses, frisbee toss, a popcorn cart, and definitely have a coloring area.  Also, you will want a teen for every 7 kids (the ratio is less if there are babies) that are invited. They can also help you come up with entertainment ideas.

As for centerpieces ... take some classic black and white photos of you and your fiance, and your children. Make each table a theme for something you like to do in the summer, and group the photos collage style on each table. You can even make mini scrapbooks! Then, using the theme as inspiration create a message holder (like a few sparklers grouped together) that can hold up the table name (such as Fireworks).  Use traditional seating cards, or use photos hanging from trees to tell your guests where they're to sit.

If you need additional ideas, we're here to help!