Help please...Amy, are you out there?
Amy, I know you must be SO busy right now, but I was wondering if you had any advice to give to someone who is following closely in your footsteps. The reality just hit me that my wedding is under 8 weeks away. The invites are in the mail, and the response cards are coming back. I feel like I have a million things to do, but am not sure exactly when I need to them, in what order I should do them, and in some cases what I need to do.
We haven't finished our do not play list. I need to fill out the photography worksheet. We still have to pick readers for the ceremony and who's going to pass out programs and who's going to bring up the gifts. How are you all letting people know about the rehearsal? Are you all sending invitations out for the rehearsal dinner? When should I contact the vendors to finalize details? I'm not freaking out yet, but give me time. Does anyone have any good check lists? Why didn't I hire a wedding coordinator?! Any advice would be appreciated.
posted by Anonymous @ 11:49 AM
7 Comments:
Sorry for the late response...yes things have been crazy. Okay here is how I did things.
3 Weeks left - DJ, Cake, Ceremony musicians, Did the favors, and thank you bags for hotel guests
2 Weeks - Flowers, following up for any no responses and giving final count today and final seating chart being done tonight(10 days before, eeke).
These past 3 weeks I have been in regular contact with the Venue coordinator who will now handle the flowers and Cake for me as they are part of my package.
Truthfully I just tried to stick to the checklist on the knot. And anything I could do in advance I did (i.e. amenity baskets for bathrooms have been done for 4 weeks now). Although my wedding is huge(295), I feel that i did things the simplest way possible. I did a few DIY projects, but nothing that would overwhelm me. Do what you can, outsource the rest, and if you need ANY help after Sept. 16th when we come back from the honeymoon you just let me know! Breathe deep, make lists of what you have left to do before the wedding, and when the absolute latest is that you need to have it done. I have a journal I bought (it is of course purple) that I write all my wedding information, as well as a spreadsheet for my guest list (which I used as a mail merge to print my envelopes out) and am now using to track my food counts. If you haven't gotten the attendents gifts, I would start to get a couple a week so you don't have to drop a couple hundred in the same week (like I did!!) We also didn't send invites for the rehearsal dinner, everyone is local and we are having just the bridal party and SO's. I hope I answered any questions you had. When I was about 6-8 weeks out i started freaking, but now that I am 10 days away, i am freakishly calm. Just really excited to have the ceremony and PARTY!!!
Kelli/Amy,
I'm so excited for both of you! I can't wait to hear more! I'm losing my mind and we haven't even picked a date, I don't know if I'll make it to 2007. LOL. I love reading all your updates, and tips!
Tammy,
My only advice is set the date as soon as possible for as soon as possible. I heard some one say 7 months is about right, and I agree. We're at 9.5 and it's too long. I love October and couldn't imagine getting married any other time of the year, but the wait right now is the worst part. There was this huge lull for like 3 months which just threw me off.
Amy,
You're awesome. THANK YOU! I'm glad to know that someone else "freaked out" at the same time I am. I hope I get to the "freakishly calm" part.
Ours was planned for almost 9 months to the day from Engagement to Wedding. I just knew I couldn't do a long engagement...the anticipation would have killed me!! I got everything I wanted and got it all done in 9 months, while constructing the addition on my house, playing softball 2 nights a week and working 2 jobs...thank god I had my work time to plan my wedding...LOL, Good luck and DO NOT hesitate to call on us for more advice, we are happy to give it!
Our engagement will have been a year and a week, and I've appreciated it. We got engaged in November, went away for a week and celebrated, and then when I came back, I knocked out a location and a date right away. Then came the holidays, and although I was doing some researching during this time, and found my photographer (my next most important thing after the groom and the reception site), I didn't really accomplish or book anything else until after the New Year's. The whole Thanksgiving-NYE period was a wedding wash, basically. During that period I did also ask my attendants. That was it. In January I started again and didn't feel rushed about anything, and I've completely enjoyed the whole planning process.
My girlfriend, on the other hand, just planned her wedding in October after being engaged in April. She has hated the planning stuff and wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. So far, it's working for her. She's only threatened to elope a few times, and only been serious once or twice :)
And Amy- I wish I had your motivation! :)
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