Not enough planning?

[4luvofthemouse]

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[Tinkerbell]

Planning is always good!!

But no matter how much planning you do, before you have your actual planning session with your coordinator, you will probably change your mind. At least on few details.
The wish book gives you a general idea on what's available. Once you get to your planning session and talk about all the little details that you have no idea existed... well at least I didn't....you will end up, re-planning everything.
For example, before I went to my planning session I was under the impression that the table settings were included. What they do include is basic set up. (Think all white cotton).They will show you an array of table cloth, plates set up, napkin fabrics and colors, charger plates, chair covers, sashes for the chair covers, etc...enough to make your head spin.
And don't worry about reaching your minimum....it will happen in the blink of an eye.
So my advice would be:
Have a general idea of how you want your wedding to be. Your colors, your theme, the feel of your wedding and the flowers you like, and go on from there.

Beleive me, even thou you try to think about and control everything, they'll be some surprises!!!

I am getting married the 29th of April....yep in 15 days...and I still do not have my budget sheet from my wedding coordinator!!!!

Like my fiancee loves to say " Honey don't sweat the small stuff"


Have a great wedding planning!!!

From a fellow Canadian


Tinkerbell

 

[SRUAlmn]

First, breathe! I felt the same way. You are 8 months out right now and there really isn't a whole lot you can do yet. Did they send out your save the dates yet? I felt the same way last fall when I was 8 months out. I wanted to do so much, but you really can't. We had our PS in January and I've been busy since then.

My advice is to spend this time doing your research. Disney does take care of everything, but if you want to keep track of pricing, they won't advertise this to you at your PS. They basically give you options and you say yes or no. Unless you ask (or already know) no prices are really discussed (except whether or not you're meeting your minimum.) The research I did on here helped SO MUCH because we went in with an idea of what we wanted and we knew pricing. When we got our BEO it was exactly what we expected and it was quite a relief.

Have you seen this thread? http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1400194 It's REALLY comprehensive as far as budgeting is concerned.

 

[jmmastra]

Same for me. At 8 months I felt a lot of anxiety because I could not start all my planning. I was not going to do nearly as much as I have but as the date got closer I kept thinking of more things I wanted to do...and all the great brides on this board inspired me. So relax, you have plenty of time, your planning sessions will help a lot

 

[aprincess72]

I speak for myself here but I suspect there are some other obsessive planners out there on the boards as well. I've seen their excel spreadsheet confessions I have just enjoyed planning and I'm having an intimate. My DF thinks I will go into planning withdrawl after the wedding. But, I've done everything in less than 4 months. Sooo... you have plenty of time!

Someone on the boards posted a pic of what they took to their ps and I thought it was a really great idea. They had a photo album with magazine cut outs of all sorts of wedding ideas. I would also suggest getting a notebook or some type of planner that you can jot your ideas in as you go.
I carry around an idea book all the time because as soon as it enters my mind it tends to fall right out!

Have a great time!!!

 

[SRUAlmn]

I speak for myself here but I suspect there are some other obsessive planners out there on the boards as well. I've seen their excel spreadsheet confessions I have just enjoyed planning and I'm having an intimate. My DF thinks I will go into planning withdrawl after the wedding. But, I've done everything in less than 4 months. Sooo... you have plenty of time!

Someone on the boards posted a pic of what they took to their ps and I thought it was a really great idea. They had a photo album with magazine cut outs of all sorts of wedding ideas. I would also suggest getting a notebook or some type of planner that you can jot your ideas in as you go.
I carry around an idea book all the time because as soon as it enters my mind it tends to fall right out!

Have a great time!!!

Ok, I admit it! I have an excel spreadsheet of my wedding budget!


I also agree about taking a binder of pictures & ideas. Our coordinator said we were SO organized and I didn't feel like I was at all, but she (and our floral manager) both said that having the pictures makes a BIG difference. Plus, if you have something you like, but it's not something they ever do, it won't be one of the options they present to you. However, if you show them a picture that you found somewhere else, they may be able to re-create it! I also took color copies of pictures of my dress and the girls' dresses for each of them to keep and refer to. Once we chose the guys' stuff, I sent them pictures of that too.

 

[mermaidbride1108]

Ok so here's my philosophy(cant spell it right) -

I am such a planner person, I like to think about every last detail and I'm also an anxious person when it comes to big events(the day of my proms were disasters for me cause I worry so much, but once I got there, everything was fine). Knowing the type of person I am, I have started the 'little things'.

I have a binder that's categorized with pics of bridal mags and pics from here that I liked, I have articles saved that I thought we be useful later on (how -to on wedding programs) and a list of ideas & wedding projects and a shopping list (basically we plan to make door hangers for the bridal party, welcome bags, our invites, bubbles, and so on...)

Now here's the thing, we still don't have a specific date or our deposit paid - basically we know we want Sept. 2008, and we can't book until one year out, but I'm looking for a new job, been on several interviews so when I get my next job, I'm going to call and see if they can pencil me in, but for now, we are playing the waiting game.

So in the meantime, we have our shopping list and DF and I go out and buy a little bit whenever we see a huge sale or clearance items... for example we found disposable wedding cameras at Target yesterday and bought them all for $1 each. We checked the expiration first ca-ching! Sept. 2009. Now we have to keep them in a dry, cool place and they are wrapped in plastic. Whenever I see a find on ebay or Michael's I buy, found a starfish garter belt & guest book for .98 cents on ebay, I'll never find that again. When we see a sale, or see something we love, we buy it because I know the person I am, I'll focus on finding that one thing I found a year ago and won't be able to find it. So we are doing this to save money, to not freak out and have to buy eveything at once, and this way we can start our projects and not have to rush to do things.

Now the other half of this is we haven't printed or made anything that would require a date, we know what we want for an invite and when we find the make your own kit on sale we will purchase it, but not make them just yet. I won't go shopping for a dress yet or for bridesmaids dresses because I might change my mind later, so anything that requires having a wedding color, we won't buy either. No ribbons for anything until i buy bridesmaid's dresses.

So basically we have a lot planned, but not done yet. I did this because I know the person I am and it gives me something to do while we wait to book. Also I am hoping this will make things a little less stressful when it's time for the planning session, which has become my goal with wedding planning - have the least stress as possible!

Sorry for the book long answer, hope that helps!

 

[4luvofthemouse]

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[lurkyloo]

I think the one important thing you should do before your planning session is read this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1403097

It spells out absolutely EVERYTHING you are going to need to make a decision on at your session. You are probably not thinking about most of the stuff on Druida's list right now, and that's OK. But by August you will be, and you can go into the PS prepared!

 

[DisneyFairy19]

Just try to breathe and take it easy b/c planning can get stressful.. Do one thing at a time!!! GL