** Kat & Pauls Wishes Wedding 3.8.11 WG/AG/DP @ UK Lochside **

[KitKat5]

mmmm yummy. I just read your menu and became really hungry. Which is why it's the first thing I commented on. As far as the nightmares I've been having them to. I've been in my wedding dress and like trapped at work. Weird stuff. I hope you hear back from Warren soon. I can imagine how your feeling. Patience is a virtue I certainly don't posses.

Yeah its definetly one I dont posses! I emailed Warren but I'm kind of annoyed I didn't get anything back...not even just a courtesy email! Maybe I'm wanting too much?! I dont know. Hopefully I'll hear something soon though! I've only had the one wedding nightmare and hopefully I wont have any more! They arent particulary enjoyable!! I cannot wait to try all the food! It all sounds so delicious...especially the desserts!

 

[KitKat5]

So from reading many, many PJs on here I've noticed that lots of brides are having a Welcome Party. This was never something that actually crossed my mind Although I did plan on having a kind of 'Thank you for coming all this way just to see us get married' party after the wedding. Has anyone else done a party like this???

Although we are staying on Disney property for some of our honeymoon, the majority of our time will be spent at a villa my parents have rented. Because of this, and because of when everyone flies out we thought we'd have a pool party/bbq a week or so after the wedding. We thought we'd get some decorations, food and beer and just kind of catch up. What do people think? Is it a good idea or just plain weird?!

So far only our families have booked their flights and they are all flying on different days. My parents, sister, BIL and the kids are flying out with DF and I on March 1st, FMIL and FBIL's are flying out on March 3rd and my Uncle and his GF are flying out on March 6th. Our photographer along with my MOH and DFs BM are looking at flying out on March 2nd, depending on if they go for 1 or 2 weeks this could be later. There are other people coming who have yet to book and I'm unsure when they will be flying although they know they need to be there by March 4th for the wedding rehearsal. So with people flying out on all different days it just doesn't seem worth our while (or practical) to have a welcome party (as much as I'd love too after reading about everyone elses!! )

Seeing as the group is small (22 of us, 4 of them children under 5) I don't want to have a welcome party if everyone isn't there. It's my uncle and his GF that are flying out last. They don't get in until the evening of the 6th and we were just planning on a quiet family meal that night. The 7th we all check into BCV and DF and I won't be seeing eachother from 2:30pm that day (DFs idea to take that to the extreme - I just didn't want to see him the evening before/morning of the wedding!) and then the 8th is the wedding so we run out of time for a welcome party!

Welcome parties arent really a British thing either (mind you neither is the cocktail hour but we're still doing that!! Minus the huge amount of food though...just drinks for us thanks!! )...I guess it's a bigger thing to do when you have a destination wedding??? I guess I'm just kind of worried...what if our guests are EXPECTING us to throw a welcome party?! I don't want them to start off their holiday disappointed?!

 

[BecBennett]

We're combining our welcome party with our rehearsal dinner, and when I say rehearsal dinner I mean nibbles and drinks

We do rehearsal dinners here, but not welcome parties or cocktail hours, it's weird finding out all these little differences between here and the other side of the World. You see US weddings on TV all the time, but you never pick up that they're any different from what we do.

I think our weddings sound a lot more like yours

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I think that the pool party/BBQ sounds a brilliant idea!!!
We are having our Welcome Dinner at the Turf Club Grill at Saratoga Springs Resort. We are calling it 'optional' and have made it clear that we will be eating there on the Monday evening, and we would be delighted if our guests would like to join us, but it would be self-funded. Most of our guests have decided to add the DDP to our first five days at BLT/AKV, so it will be a table credit for them and all have said they will be joining us.
We would have loved to have paid for all our guests to attend the Welcome Dinner, but it was just a stretch too far budget-wise. All our guests are attending and nobody has raised any objection to having to pay themselves.
We chose Turf Club Grill because it has a menu suitable for all ages and tastes and is rarely crowded or noisy. It is also within strolling distance of DTD if anybody wants to continue the evening in the bars and shops there.

 

[KitKat5]

We're combining our welcome party with our rehearsal dinner, and when I say rehearsal dinner I mean nibbles and drinks

We do rehearsal dinners here, but not welcome parties or cocktail hours, it's weird finding out all these little differences between here and the other side of the World. You see US weddings on TV all the time, but you never pick up that they're any different from what we do.

I think our weddings sound a lot more like yours

Thats a good idea We aren't having a rehearsal dinner either for a number of reasons but mainly due to the different dates everyone is flying in! We also don't normally have rehearsal dinners in the UK either...at least I've never been to one for the 4 weddings I've been in!

I'd never heard of cocktail hours until I watched a programme called Four Weddings! I was amazed of the amount of food some people have at their cocktail hours only to go on and serve even more just a little while later! We are only having a fruit punch and champagne punch at our cocktail hour. If we served food everyone would eat then and not eat any of the buffet!

I think that the pool party/BBQ sounds a brilliant idea!!!
We are having our Welcome Dinner at the Turf Club Grill at Saratoga Springs Resort. We are calling it 'optional' and have made it clear that we will be eating there on the Monday evening, and we would be delighted if our guests would like to join us, but it would be self-funded. Most of our guests have decided to add the DDP to our first five days at BLT/AKV, so it will be a table credit for them and all have said they will be joining us.
We would have loved to have paid for all our guests to attend the Welcome Dinner, but it was just a stretch too far budget-wise. All our guests are attending and nobody has raised any objection to having to pay themselves.
We chose Turf Club Grill because it has a menu suitable for all ages and tastes and is rarely crowded or noisy. It is also within strolling distance of DTD if anybody wants to continue the evening in the bars and shops there.

I'm glad you think its a good idea!! I did wonder that maybe it was a bit odd!! It's going to be optional but I think most people will come (free food and beer for them after all!! )

I really like what you're doing though! Even with just 22 of us DF and I couldn't afford to pay for a welcome dinner. I don't think we'll have time to do anything though The best day to do a meal would of been Saturday 5th March but that's now the day of my bridal tea party and DF's stag so he'll be out super late! I guess I just can't do everything!!

 

[KitKat5]

I fell in love with our guestbook the minute I saw it so thought I'd post some quick pictures to show you just why I love it so much!! I got it from www.guestbookstore.com (I found it on the boards...thanks so much to the bride who posted the website as I'd never of found it myself!! )

Our wedding is small (22 of us in total including the 4 kids) so I knew a normal guest book would be too big and I didn't want something with loads of empty pages left in it! With the books on guestbook store you can have as many or as little pages as you like (well, a minimum of 20 and you can buy extra pages in groups of 20 - I think it was 20 anyway!?) We also knew we wanted something a bit special...Flying to Florida from the UK isn't cheap. Our guests are spending £1000+ just to come and see us get married (ok ok, they are getting a fabulous holiday out of it aswell! But it's not necessarily where they would of gone on holiday given the choice!) so because of this our guestbook had to be a little bit special as all the people coming are so special to us for spending so much to see us start our happily ever after!

The cover of the book is a bit plain at the moment but we are going to jazz it up with a picture from the wedding and some sparkles (there are loads of different covers to choose from though so you don't have to have plain!)

We'll have a guest book table but the plan is for my MOH and DF's BM to give the pages out to guests during the cocktail hour so they can fill it in. Every guest has a double sided page.

Here's side 1...

and side 2...

We also decided to add a page each for DF and I. It's also double sided.

Here's side 1...

and here's side 2...

I just love this sooo much!! And I think it'll be so great to look back on this and read what our guests really enjoyed about the day and what they wished for us!

On a different note...we found our first item for our welcome bags!! I've mentioned it before but we got engaged during wishes and when out doing our food shop not too long ago I found some new chocolate by Cadbury...called Wishes!! It's a delicious chocolate star! Yum! So we got one for each person!

 

[FutureMrs.B]

Oh How cute is your guestbook. I love it! I especially like the idea of the page for each of you. I hope you don't mind I'm going to check out that website. The chocolates for the welcome bags are a really cute touch! Besides you can't go wrong with chocolates IMHO. But than again I'm a chocoholic.

 

[KitKat5]

Oh How cute is your guestbook. I love it! I especially like the idea of the page for each of you. I hope you don't mind I'm going to check out that website. The chocolates for the welcome bags are a really cute touch! Besides you can't go wrong with chocolates IMHO. But than again I'm a chocoholic.

Thank you!! I was super happy when I saw the chocolate! It just kind of fits! Plus if they don't want to eat it I will!! You so should check out the website for the guestbook! It's sooo great! There were other pages you could get aswell but we didn't want too much! I'm so glad I stumbled upon it on here!!

 

[BecBennett]

Cadbury chocolate is the best chocolate in the world

 

[KitKat5]

Cadbury chocolate is the best chocolate in the world

I totally agree! When I was at camp America my parents had to ship Cadburys to me...I missed it soooo much!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

He He - I love Cadbury chocolate too, but I think Galaxy comes pretty close to the top of the list!!!

 

[KitKat5]

He He - I love Cadbury chocolate too, but I think Galaxy comes pretty close to the top of the list!!!

ooooo I so agree! I actually have a bar of galaxy truffle in the cupboard...it's been there about 3 weeks...I'm saving it for when I finally get my floral BEO!! Fingers corssed it comes today. I really need a chocolate fix!!

 

[KitKat5]

We got our wedding rings in April when we were in Florida for a holiday. DF got my e-ring from Kays in 2006 (he had it a whole year before he proposed!! )

So during our first week we headed to the Florida Mall on a search for the perfect wedding rings! We headed straight for Kays as this is where the ering came from. I showed the guy my e-ring and we told him our budget and what I wanted and he kept showing me everything I didn't want! The rings he was really pushing, apart from being way over budget were the ones with the dip in the middle? I really don't like them! I'm not sure why, I just don't. I've always known exactly what I wanted...a channel set ring with square diamonds (for some reason I really don't like round?! ) I have to say, other than the fact he didn't seem to listen, he was really helpful. He even went to another store to get a ring with square diamonds and that would fit me just so I could see what it would all look like together...but still with the dip in the middle. Not good! DF couldn't seem to find anything he really liked either. So off we went in search of the perfect ring elsewhere!

My dad always buys mums jewellery at Zales so we headed over...5 minutes in the store and I'd picked my ring! yay! I only had to try on one ring, it was perfect and I love it! DF had to try on several rings before he found what he wanted! Bless him! He originally wanted titanium, or maybe stainless steel. He ended up with white gold and it cost more than we had budgeted! But my ring was slightly cheaper so it all equaled out!

Here's a picture (sorry it's not great but you get the idea!!)

I love my ring and try it on all the time! In 4 1/2 months I'll be able to put it on and not have to take it off again!! Yay! And I am very happy about that!!

 

[KitKat5]

OK, just realised that's a really lousy picture! I'll try and get a better one over the next few days!!

 

[KitKat5]

So it's finally here!! My Floral BEO! Exactly 3 weeks after telling me he'd send it in a few days, Warren finally actually sent it!

We are both really happy with the price...in total we are about $4000 under budget so really happy with that!

I'm going to try and figure out how I can attach the file on here (can I do that?!) If not I'll have to type it out! But I'm afraid you'll all have to wait until tomorrow as typically, the day it arrives is the day I've actually got plans and I'm off out to dinner with DF and his family soon! So I'll post it tomorrow! I just wanted to share my super good happy news!! yay!

 

[KitKat5]

Ok, so I'm home from dinner and instead of watching ER like I normally do (I'm totally addicted!! A friend lent it to me in May when I was off work with a bad back and I just can't get enough of it!! I'm on series 11 now, I'll be soooo sad when I finish it! ) Anyway, totally off topic! So what I was getting at is that I'm home and thought I'd post my floral BEO!

Here goes...

Bridal bouquet $300
Single crystals x7 $7
Mickey crystal x7 $21

MOH bouquet $125
Mickey crystal for handle x1 $3

FG loose petals in basket $12.50

DF, BM & FOB bouts $45
Bouts for brothers x3 $31.50

Corsage for mums/sister x3 $90

Small bouquet for DF dads chair $70

Floral garland for WG entrance $500

Chiffon panel curtains and ribbon tie for WG $150

Floral clusters for aisle chairs x6 $390
Ribbon to tie clusters to chair x6 $60

White folding chairs x20 $110 (plus $200 delivery charge)

White petal cones with cornflower blue text and green ribbon x20 $95
Ribbon to hang petal cones on back of chairs $55
Petals for cones $60

Pre Reception

Shot glass votive candles x5 $12.50
Scattered petals $75

Floral clusters from ceremony chairs to be put on cake table for decorations so no chagre for cake table decs!

Cornflower blue crinkle taffeta napkins x20 $55
White chiavari chairs x20 $285 (plus $200 delivery charge)
Green/blue sashes on chairs (alternating) x20 $90
22" cylinder (rental) filled first few inches wh natural sand and1 large shell x2 $30
Flowers for cylinders x2 $500
Large marquee vase filled with ayers of natural, white and light blue sand and topped with 1 large shell 8 $200
5" square glass cube with layer of shell at bottom of each x4 $60
Floral for glass cubes x4 $500
Shot glass votives 15 $37.50
Scattered shells on table $25

Dessert Party

6" cylinder x4 $20
9" cylinder x4 $20
Coloured gel, silver and black mickey confetti and suspended LED lights 8 $120

Total (inc tax) $5276.08

Everything is great...except they seem to have lost 2 guests from when we leave the ceremony to when the reception starts?! Go figure! I thought maybe it was because one of them is in a highchair but that doesn't explain where the other one has gone?! So I've got to contact Warren to add them both in. I'm not doing it yet though as at the end of this month we'll be finding out if 2 of our guests can come or not (I think I mentioned this earlier in the PJ...3 of them work together, 2 have got the time already, unsure if the 3rd can. If he can't it means his GF won't be coming either) So If worse comes to worse and they cant come we'll have to remove them I figured there's no point messing around with everything until we know what their plans are! Fingers corssed and send lots of pixie dust their way!!

 

[BecBennett]

Wow, that's great! You look like you're getting a heap of floral for that price!

 

[KitKat5]

Wow, that's great! You look like you're getting a heap of floral for that price!

We are getting everything we want for £2000 under budget! Super happy about that!

 

[KitKat5]

Now I've got my floral budget I'm not really sure what to do with myself!! The last few weeks have revolved around me getting that budget and now it's here and there are minimal changes, what do I do now?!

I still need to finish the favours and place cards so that's my new thing to fixate on!! Maybe I need to write a to do list!

We've got small white buckets that we will be filling with sand and a Mickey ornament for the men and a Minnie ornament for the women (we won't be buying them until we fly over in March though)

I can't decide if I should have seperate place cards/holders or just attach cards to the buckets and save myself a bit of money/space on the table?! When we got the buckets they came with plain white round tags to print people names on. I didn't like them originally, but now I'm thinking they might be ok?! If I dont use them I was thinking of having a shell place card holder and either having the card attached with guests names on it or have the name written on the shell?! Is this just a waste of money? Having the name engraved on the shell kind of makes it like a 2nd favour, and I don't really need a 2nd favour! The 1st one is good enough on it's own! I'm swaying more to just using the tag on the buckets and attacing them with a blue and/or green ribbon. Less for us to take back to Florida in March and it will save us some money too! I asked DF what he thought but he has no opinion so it's down to me!!

 

[FutureMrs.B]

Yey! Congrats on finally getting your floral BEO. As for the favors I like the idea of having the names engraved on the shells. I think that would look really cute. But I understand needing and wanting to save money. Either way I'm sure your guests are going to appreciate your favors.