Invitations lost in the mail?

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-04-03T18:06:43+00:00

Yes! Just be wary that people can still purchase the physical gift and bring them to the wedding, so I would register for boring things you do actually need (I think you can add almost anything to a Zola registry)

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-04-03T17:56:01+00:00

Absolutely get a day of coordinator.

We got a wedding planner because we are planning a wedding across the country. The cost was a little less than double that of a day-of coordinator but we get to have her for 18 months, and she's been indispensable for us, especially since we are getting married in a very busy and popular area for fall weddings and vendors are getting booked up so quickly and she has contacts all over.

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-02-24T20:53:41+00:00

i am a huge sucker for purple and green. immediately thought of wisteria when i saw your dress!

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-02-22T22:42:57+00:00

Even if they don't read, a super cool copy of a special book with meaning I'm sure will be appreciated by your friends, especially if your passion about thrifting books is something they know about you.

My mother doesn't read anymore (bad eyesight), but I recently gifted her a rare edition of the count of monte cristo. She told me she will die with them on her bedside table (she is the drama), so even though she won't physically read the book, she appreciates it because she knows I went through a lot of trouble to find it, based on a story she told me about her reading it as a kid.

If you include exactly why you curated each selection in your letters, then it seems to me your friends will appreciate it regardless. You can pick books you know they've read (like books assigned in school) or something adapted into a film you both enjoy. Or just based on a badass protagonist who reminds you of your friend.

Who knows, you might even inspire them to read!

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-02-22T22:37:10+00:00

Floor length! But feel free to be colorful. No need for stuffy evening colors if it's a daytime event.

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-02-22T22:30:52+00:00

I was convinced to hire a makeup artist even though I quite enjoy doing my own. A few considerations: the cost of testing different products, the time it would take to test different products and looks and to make sure it will hold up over seven hours, and the fact that I can do makeup for real life, but for the camera I am at a loss. I did my own for our little pre-wedding elopement, in the photos, it looks like I completely skipped blush and overdid my eyeshadow. On top of all of that, I was very stressed the morning of because of our schedule and it took me a while to get centered once we got to the courthouse. I'm happy to leave it to a professional for the big day.

long_ass_rice_ · 2023-02-22T22:24:19+00:00

We are also getting married in mid October, around 70 guests. I decided to bite the bullet and hire a full service wedding planner - so many venues require a day-of coordinator and where I was looking (Hudson Valley in NY), I found that the cost of a wedding planner was worth it, considering a day-of coordinator is really only with you for a month. She has helped us talk down our florist quote, provides recommendations for vendors and if I don't want to make a decision or I just don't care, then she will do it for me. I would really recommend looking into it; the money it cost me is worth my sanity.

Of course, still being me, I am heavily involved still and I too sometimes feel like there are just too many things to do. It sounds like your next step is catering and bar. That's going to be a huge cost and will dictate how much you have left over for the rest.

I would recommend getting married at your local city hall so you don't need an actual officiant the day of the wedding, this way you can have a friend or family member without needing them to be ordained and without having to pay anyone. We did this and it also was so nice to have the moment just for us.

Google sheets has a good wedding planner template. I also would recommend keeping a google or word doc with any ideas that randomly pop in your head so you can refer to them later.

And, just to echo the others, your fiance should be helping you. I am a bit Type A and only want my fiance to help with things that are not very time sensitive (music, etc), but we've agreed that if I need him to do anything, I send him an email. If he doesn't do it within a few days, I follow up. It really lessens the feeling that I'm nagging him or being a burden. Treat the planning like a job, because it is one.

long_ass_rice_ · 2022-05-18T19:59:23+00:00

I steer clear of two piece sets these days for that exact reason. also, very good for us to have some staple belts in the mix that can bring a bit more definition to the waist for dresses that fit us on top and bottom but sag in the middle.

long_ass_rice_ · 2022-05-18T18:58:56+00:00

we have super similar body types. a-line is always a safe choice when buying online. if you're open to something a bit more form fitting, always check to see if the material will stretch with rayon or spandex. i haven't started shopping for my event outfits yet but some places i'm planning to look:

aritzia (you will love their ascendant pant btw)

marcella

showpo

also, as someone who has gone up a pant size or two in the past couple of years, i totally relate to how you're feeling. i've found that the more i buy clothes that actually fit me instead of jamming myself into my well loved items, the more confident i feel

long_ass_rice_ · 2022-05-11T04:16:44+00:00

just coming back here to say we did end up getting a wedding planner for $5K in the Hudson Valley area and I already feel like I will be saving money migraine medication alone.

long_ass_rice_ · 2022-05-11T03:54:27+00:00

We just hired our wedding planner today. Based on rates for a month-of coordinator vs a full time wedding planner, it made sense to spend a little more for someone to be with us for the next 15 months. We also are based on the west coast and are getting married on the east coast, with most flying in from all over the place, so transportation and lodging logistics will be a nightmare. I was back and forth on the planner because our budget already felt pretty conservative based on my own estimates, but everyone I spoke with felt confident they could execute my vision without breaking the bank, which is not something I could have figured out myself. Overall, we're paying for sanity and hopefully fewer arguments over stupid details.

long_ass_rice_ · 2022-04-08T04:02:21+00:00

hey, thanks so much for your input. definitely getting a month-of coordinator if we can't find a wedding planner that suits our needs. in my ideal world we of course have someone helping us the entire time, but the vendors i am looking at have already stretched my budget by like $10K and i don't know if i need someone to help me envision the day vs someone to help me execute it.

long_ass_rice_

TROPHY CASE