Purple and Pearls

….ahem…

Apparently today!

Check me out!!

Sounds like a fab idea huh!?

Yeah I thought so, in fact I wish these were around when I had just started out.  Entering into the world of weddings is scary, so many options, so many opinions, so much to think about! The Wedding Genie, Julie knows exactly how confusing and overwhelming it can be for a new bride so has set up the Bridal Planning Workshops.  I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Julie and I can honestly say she is so enthusiastic about weddings and helping brides that I just know these workshops will be invaluable.

I’ve asked Julie to tell us a little more about the brand new Bridal Planning Workshops and here is what she had to say, also read below to see how you can win a pair of tickets to one of these fabulous workshops!

Well I am super excited my Bridal Planning Workshops are here and ready to go!  I cant wait to start and help newly engaged brides to be to plan and create a fantastic wedding day which is true to them and on budget!

I was being asked so many questions about wedding planning, things like how do we set our budget?  What do we book first? What should we do tackle first? That I thought why not create a special course where you can come and spend a fun and practical morning or afternoon with me learning how to plan your perfect day.
Weddings are a huge investment (the average being £20,000!).  For an investment that size my course is an affordable, fun easy way, to gain expert help and guidance.

You’ll learn to create the wedding of your dreams, which is personal to you and your budget.  If you are a follower of The Wedding Genie you know it’s not the amount of money you spend it’s how you spend it!  It’s creating a wedding that has your stamp all over it without stress or anxiety.

I definitely believe that you can save at least three times the money you paid to come on our course. Once you know the inside tips and tricks to saving your budget will stretch further than you thought.

Here is a list of what’s included:

• Choosing your Venue – so important to your dream day.
• Theme and Styling – lots of brides are really daunted by this. We make it simple.
• Money saving tips! – Insider tricks to help get what you really want.
• Choosing and Managing Suppliers – wow the paper work! Lets make it simple.
• Negotiating to make savings and add more value to your package or service.
• Wedding Etiquette – Many people have parents who are divorced and don’t know how to handle this.
• Top tips for a stress free wedding day – Brief your bridal team to help your day run like a dream.
• Q&A session. Ask me anything you like and chat to other brides just like you.

On top of all that I guarantee it will be fun, not a stuffy boring seminar but an inspirational few hours spent talking about what you love the most – Your Wedding Plans!

Take Home a Wedding Genie Goody Bag which includes:

• A CD that with everything we talk about. It’s a mini wedding planning software package.
• An Interactive Budget Planning Spreadsheet.
• The Wedding Genie, insider tried and tested supplier list.
• Top Ten Wedding Planning Tips.
• Inspirational Web Sites for great ideas.
• Handbag planner to use to check you are on track with your all important tasks.

The first course is on the 24th October from 10am till 2pm at The Ramada Hotel Birmingham North.   Afternoon tea and refreshments are provided as part of the price too, so bring your Mum, bridesmaid’s or best friend.   Hey your groom might even want to come! More men are helping out with the planning these days.

The cost is £75 or £120 for two. To book a place click here. If this date does not suit you then email or call me and I will update you with other dates in the pipeline.

♥ Competition! ♥

The Wedding Genie is always looking at ways to help, what better way than to give away a pair of tickets to our first workshop? Click on this link and send me your details and mention that you are interested in the workshop. If you are the lucky winner I will be sending you an exclusive invitation for you and your bridesmaid, Mum or best friend.

I look forward to hearing from you and if you want to ask me anything about the course just get in touch.

How cool are these shoes?!  You have to see the rest of this gorgeous wedding from Ruffled

Wedding has exploded… ribbon, glue, paper, bags, shape cutters, jewellery, shoes, presents, stationery, pens, gems, flat packed boxes and chalkboard hearts…. everywhere!

There are wedding related items scattered in every room in our house, so last night I took charge.  I finished off my top secret project for my bridesmaids (shhh!) and they are now safely hidden away from prying eyes!

I then ran around the house collecting everything related to the wedding and separated them into a few categories and divvied them out into their new boxes.  My thoughts being that it would be easier to put my hand on something now they have been organised.

• Venue Decorations – including favour boxes, the candy table “sweets” sign, photo frames, wine charms, floralytes for the table decorations and chalkboard hearts.
• Gifts – Childrens activity bags and presents.
• Decorations and Tools – Stickies, gems, ribbon, shape cutters, tape and glue
• Invitations – made up wedding invitations and anything else I need to finish them off.
• Stationery – Paper, card and the yet to be cut out Chrysler Buildings and evening invitations

Doing this I have found I have actually misplaced a few items, nothing major more annoying as I can’t really think where they would be.

It’s also helped me see what I need to buy and what I need to finish off, wedding invitations being numero uno, top priority at the moment!

Have you seen these?

A fabulously cute cupcake favour idea from My Cakies

I’m a list girl. I like to make lists, they make me happy.

It helps me to verbalise or write down what I need to do and when I need to do it by.  Planning this wedding has sent me into list overdrive!  I have spreadsheets full of costings, things to do, guests, and schedules.  Our honeymoon alone has 7 dedicated files.

My monthly countdown posts on this blog have helped me out so much.  Every month I will make a list of things I need to complete, it helps me remember everything I need to get done and I don’t end up overwhelming myself with giant “to-do” lists.

But now the wedding is getting closer I decided I needed to step it up a gear.  This is where my wedding planning timeline comes into play

Separated by different headings I have listed everything I need to do before the wedding.  The dates along the top tell me when I should be doing them by.

It includes payments, appointments and when I intend to send out our day and evening invitations.  It also includes the dates of our hen and stag parties along with any other events we may have on that will take up our time including weddings, festivals and weekend breaks.  I can see where things over lap and predict where I’m going to be busiest so I can adjust my timings.  For example I have a lot to finish towards the end of September and the beginning of October and July and August are relatively clear so I have scheduled in those months to finish cutting out our Chrysler Building order of services.

I know that I won’t stick to the timeline 100% but at least it’s a way for me to have everything I need to do down in one place.

As you may have already guessed I’m more of a cupcake kinda girl but every now and again a traditional wedding cake catches my eye.

Like this one.

Found here

A few people have already asked.  ”Feeling nervous yet?”  I always answer “No”

Why should I feel nervous?  I know what I’m doing, I’m not taking a test or being interviewed for a job.  I’m not about to step on a stomach turning roller coaster or waiting to have an injection (one thing that is guaranteed to make me nervous!)  So why do I know I will be nervous?

Why do brides and grooms feel nervous on the morning of the wedding?  I fully understand the enormity of the vows I will be saying and that I’ll be promising to spend the rest of my life devoted to one person.  Sure that’s a huge deal but I know what I’m doing, else I wouldn’t have said yes to the proposal.

So is it the thought of walking down the aisle and speaking in front of 80 people?  Surely not?  They are 80 of our closest family and friends and anyone I didn’t feel 100% comfortable in front of wouldn’t have been invited.

So is it more excitement than nerves?  Emotional nerves?  I know on the morning of the wedding I’m going to find it very difficult to control my emotions.  I tear up at the drop of a hat in normal every day life situations (The John Lewis advert starts my eyes watering every time I see it) so goodness know what I’ll be like on the day.

I’m not saying that it’s silly to feel nervous, I really am curious to know why so maybe on the morning of the wedding I can keep myself calm.

Source

So married peeps (or anyone with an opinion) why is the morning of the wedding so nerve-wracking?  How did you feel just before you got married?

Check out this graffiti art proposal – really cool!

Graffiti Proposal from PR!MO on Vimeo.

Found via Green Wedding Shoes

Last week Has and I received an invitation to a wedding that is taking place just 2 weeks before ours.  The invitation was address to us using our married name.

It was very weird to see my new name written out and to think of other people referring to me as Laura S.  The initial “Oh my gosh that’s odd, that’s not my name yet!” soon turned into giddy excitement that it soon would be.

I always knew I wanted to take my future husband’s surname, for me taking Has’ last name was never in question.  I’m quite traditional in that sense, I like the idea that we will be sharing  a name and someday making our own little family.  I couldn’t imagine not having the same surname as my children.

I will be sad to lose my maiden name after 26 years and I should imagine my new name will take a lot of getting used to,  I’ll probably be ignoring people for the first few months if they refer to me as Mrs S.

On the other hand I completely understand why some women choose to stay with their maiden names or hyphenate the two.  I know that taking your new husband’s family name doesn’t mean you love him any more than those who don’t, but for me I will feel more connected to him.  I’m really quite excited about adopting a new name.

So, what happens if your future husband has an odd, surname or one that doesn’t go with your first name*.  For example a colleague at work took a call from a Mrs Eileen Dover. (I leaned over) What if Has’ last name was Norder would I have been so eager to become Mrs Laura Norder. (Law and Order)

How about hyphenating your name?  Take a look at this video I found….

Did you/will you be taking your future husband’s name?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

*Please note this is only meant to be silly – I’d take Has’ surname whatever, even if it meant my new name would be Laura Poohead… i think  Also if your name is indeed Eileen Dover or Laura Norder, I apologise I don’t mean to poke fun!