At out details meeting, we also worked out the schedule of events following the ceremony -- Jared had some great ideas, the layout of the mansion and conservatory, and the food choices. That was the fun part! The cake was a little tricky because we do not get to try each flavor and filling and they had a zillion choices and designs. We ended up with raspberry marble cake with different fillings for each tier -- to our guests guessing! The cake design I liked couldn't be done without an upgrade, so I am now emailing the catering manager back and forth to find one we like that comes with the package. At this point I am not trying to add more numbers to our budget! This week I need to send the schedule to all our vendors and make sure they understand the timing.

It was amazing being back at Glen Foerd in the summer -- Jared had only been in a snowstorm in January 2010. I have never seen their flowers along the aisle in bloom or seen the gorgeous rose garden in the front. I hope all the flowers and trees stay green until September! The backdrop of the water is just breath-taking with the sun shining. Hopefully our day will be just the same!

Enjoy your weekend in the sun! How did you decide the timing of your wedding? What cake flavors are you having?

So, today was the day I planned to write about our venue/catering company details meeting. However, I cannot get motivated! I just found out that there is another wedding the same day as ours! It is in the morning, but because of this double planning, we are not allowed on site as early as we wanted. Our wedding is at 4:30 PM and we need to wait until 3 PM to arrive. Booo! I hoped to take our separate bridal party/family pictures from 2:30 - 3 PM and 3 - 3:30 PM so it sorta puts a damper on the full thirty minutes for each of us. Now, looks like we will need to cram the pictures in a 15 minute set each. Not the end of the world, just disappointing. Additionally, we found out the Glen Foerd does not allow real candles anymore. The votives on our guests' tables will now be fake battery operated and the ones I planned to purchase for cheap at the local arts and crafts store, will now need to be those flameless candles. I am a huge, huge, huge candle person so this was also pretty crappy surprising news to me. Jared, the typical positive no-worrying groom, says everything will be fine. Well... I will be back with all the other "juicy" details in a later post!


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How early did you start the picture-taking adventures? Is 15 minutes enough time for each of the sides? Why are wedding planning logistics so tedious?!

To get me through work stress, wedding overload, and a rainy Friday, today's post is an another honeymoon check-in. This week, Jared booked several excursions for Hawaii, which put us both in good moods! Does a $300 Jeep Wrangler count as an "excursion?" It better, because it is now listed as "his" pick in our budget.   My, or actually, our picks: Zip-lining through the rainforest and a luau on the beach. Our friends and Jared's sister have vacationed in Hawaii, recommending these adventures, so we went for it. We are doing the luau on day two so we have a complete 24 hours to unwind after our West Coast road trip. Zip-lining is actually a whole afternoon adventure as they give you lunch (chicken wraps) and a chance to visit a special waterfall/hot spring. Both sound pretty exciting. I also would love a couples massage and a chance to swim with dolphins -- Jared didn't find anywhere where you could swim with them yet, but fingers crossed.

Inspirational photos:


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Pictures from our best man, Mitch, and his wife, Megan's trip to the Grand Canyon:

Their '08 honeymoon:

Maui


Black Sand Beach -- Thanks for letting me post, Megs!

So, brides, what else are you  doing on your big vacation besides lounging? Have any Hawaii tips for us?

Happy Friday! Enjoy tomorrows' weather!

And, I am  back! I tried to accomplish a lot in May, see if you agree:

1) Invitation and program confirmation and of course, organize and mail invites -- I got my invitations back last weekend and am prepping them for mailing!
2) Details meeting with the venue/catering company (summer) – Also met with venue last weekend, post coming soon!
3) Up do hair style (need to pull more photos from mags) and trial (same day as venue details meeting hopefully) – Pictures pulled and hair/makeuptrial is set for July!
4) Band set list confirmation (soon!! The lead singer in our band,Gypsy Wisdom, wants to schedule a lunch date. XOXO Courtney!) -- Scheduled for next weekend.
5) Shoes for the bridal party (waiting until the dress officially comes in next month). – Found an amazing pair of shoes for the girls. I decided to treat myself to a pair for the bachelorette party! I never buy pretty heels!
6) Select cake (needed for the venue details meeting) – DONE!
7) Book hotel rooms. -- Confirmed!
8) Shop for grandmother dresses (still need 1 more dress!) – Took a personal day Friday to help Jared’s Nana find her dress!
9) Buy lots and lots of stamps! (oh, and thank you cards!) – Stamps and thank you cards are purchased!
10) Write vows. – Started one day on the subway.

Additions:

11)Finish honeymoon shopping in my MOH’s closest! (Bought a few dresses, a cover-up, cute PJs, and shorts so far!)
12) Finalize rehearsal dinner menu.
13) Plan honeymoon excursions! (Jared, this is yours, darling!)
14) Pick up wedding bands – the same day I go to the hair salon hopefully!!

Shew! Let me know if I am moving along at a good pace for being 3 months out! How do you keep track of all your "to-dos?"

I had my shower this past weekend!! Shew, so over-whelming and it was only a small gathering!! My mother rented a tent for my grandmother's backyard which fit perfectly! Underneath were tables decorated with coral tablecloths, hand-made flower arrangements, and purple votives! She had a table set up for gifts and one for drinks (my fave sangria included!) with various potted plants, photographs, and balloons scattered around. My gram's patio held the food (meatball & tea sandwiches, fruit/pasta/cucumber salad, deviled eggs plus home-made purple and peach cupcakes and Rice Krispy treats) on two tables. It was the perfect garden party set-up!

I arrived early to greet people as they came -- but due to some streets being blocked off for a festival -- it seemed everyone arrived at the same time! My MOH, Stef, surprised me with a scrapbook filled with pages set aside for all the wedding festivities! She asked the guests to bring photos or memories of me for the "shower" pages. It was so well-made and such a sweet idea! After several introductions and layout instructions, I grabbed a glass of sangria and started mingling! The first hour flew -- especially with the festival traffic holding people up -- so we served the lunch about an hour or so later!

Stef and I after the hoop-la

Then began the fun (or nerve-wrecking at first!) gift-opening part of the shower. I know that people get bored easily during this so I tried to be fast, yet gracious! Hopefully I did a good job -- I kept checking in with people! We received so many amazing gifts, almost all off of our registry and a few surprises! People were very generous and Jared and I both appreciate everything! Now, we actually need the gifts (left some at my Gram's house and friends took some to hold for me since our car was already full) and places to put the gifts in our apartment!


Quick opener?!

My bridesmaids each made part of their gifts, which was very cool --- one was the scrapbook, then we were also given wine bottles with special instructions for when to drink each, a hand-made afghan blanket, and 13 aprons with different designs for every  month (the bonus apron is wine bottles!). I thought that was incredibly sweet and surreal that all the girls took extra time to make something for us! During the gift-opening session, one bridesmaid also took notes on some of the things I said (a funny little shower game) --- those quotes are below:

“Aww you got the good wrapping paper.”

“We only have two pots right now.”

“Jared will be excited.”

“These are my cool placemats.”

“I feel like I’m going too fast.”

“That’s crazy ribbon…you got jipped man.”

“Is this alright…am I at an okay speed for everyone?”

“Oh it’s Jared’s step stool.”

“I feel bad am I saying thank you enough.”

“You a made a card…you love me! I’m in shock I have to say…it’s so cute!”

“You’re ridiculous…you already got me a gift.”

“I chop onions and keep them in a container.”

“You’re so sneaky I thought it was a Kindle.”

“Is it bad everything is wine related?”

“A pizza cutter…we use a knife right now…we left ours in Philly.”

HAHA. I remember only saying half of those things! Thank you everyone for attending and for the the amazing gifts! I tried to make it a nice shower for the guests as well.

Is/was your shower a surprise? Where do all the gifts GO?!

Oh boy! We are now entering double digits in our wedding day countdown! Having such a long engagement never made the wedding seem really close to happening, but that is all about to change! EEEK!

This weekend also marks the start of all the "craziness" with a small bridal shower in my grandmother's backyard. I am more nervous than excited right now, so I don't want to talk about it too much -- but will definately discuss  next week! Below is the amazing invitation my Matron of Honor created at Wedding Paper Divas for the special day:



How fast will the next 100 days go? Where are you in your countdown? Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy more of this beautiful weather if you can!

Ah, bridesmaid dresses! They are either great or grrrreat. Luckily most weddings I have been in were pretty great, but there are some horrendous ones out there that is for sure! I knew right away I wanted something short so the girls "can wear it again." Yes, I know, I know, do they usually ever? But I know for a fact, even if they don't, I will be wearing one of their dresses to the  next wedding I am invited to as a guest. I fell in love with this cute J. Crew number a few months into our engagement:



Not only was it super fun, but it was the perfect color! Unfortunately I was getting married a little too late for this dress. The shop was already selling them online only at a clearance price. I wasn't ready to make my girls hunker down and spend money that soon into our engagement, plus there were no returns (those words make me a nervous Nelly). I printed the picture and kept it in my binder's "Inspiration" section until I was really ready to pick a dress. Since I had such a clear vision of what I pictured the girls in, it was hard finding something similar. Online is tricky because some of the swatch colors look different in person, so I took one of my bridesmaids to a dress shop over Thanksgiving weekend. We both fell in love with a Bill Levkoff dress that had tiny flowers all over it, but the only problem was the price (it was $200) and the shortness (above the knee). Sigh, a little too high and a little too short. I went to another bridal shop on a day off in January with my grandmothers (they got sneak peeks of my dress!) and mother, trying on about a dozen dresses! It was confusing at times with so many opinions, but I kept coming back to the Bill L dresses, specifically this design in the terracotta color:



The price was $182, but I was definitely ready to make a decision.  Before I  had each girl call in with their measurements, I ran a search on the designer's site for all the shops they sell to in my hometown, my current town, and NYC. I made a few calls to price check and wa-la, I found the same dress for $149 (shipping included!) at a NYC bridal shop! Those girls better love me!

Like most bridal orders, the dresses took about 3 months to come in and were not exactly like the swatch, but pretty darn close! I am certainly smitten and have tried on my best friend's dress twice now (once was because, well, I had to and also to send them text pics and another to see if the shoes I picked matched -- they did!). Two of my ladies have tried on their dresses already and two will be this weekend! The first two fit pretty much perfectly, so fingers crossed! It is always nerve-wrecking just giving your measurements to a store. I can't wait to see how well these dresses look with the flowers on our big day!

Where did you find your bridesmaid dresses? What was the price range you were trying to stay in?

I always knew I wanted something different for my hair, something antique-y and ultra romantic. From my first bridal appointment, when my mom put a headband in my hair, I knew I would be wearing something similar. At all of my following appointments, I searched for the "right" one that matched my dress, the venue, and the vision of the day. Either they were too tight, too metal-y (gives my headaches!), or too expensive, yes, I felt picky. I will be taking my veil off during the reception, so I wanted a piece that would be comfortable all day and stand alone beautifully.

By following several wedding blogs, I stumbled upon a high-priced bridal accessory company that had exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately, their prices were nowhere near my budget, so I just perused pictures of brides, researched other companies, and went to a few shops hoping to find a similar hair accessory. After a few days, I realized that maybe I was going to have to bite the bullet and buy from this company, so I ran one last search and stumbled upon Etsy. This site was new to me so I decided to run a full-on wedding search for everything left to purchase on my to-do list.

Quickly I realized another accessory company was selling pieces at amazing prices on Etsy!! Not only were these items handmade, they were gorgeous! Amie Noel Designs from Shell Beach, CA makes her own bridal hair combs,  sashes, veils, headbands, flower and feather fascinators, and bracelets.


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I won't say which one I purchased, but she helped me pick out the perfect color to match  my diamond white dress and mailed it in record time for my next fitting. It was unbelievable seeing a reflection of myself wearing my wedding dress, my veil, my shoes, my earrings, and my head band! Now, I just need the right hair style... What accessories have you chosen? How many is the right amount?

if you are still in need of some accessories, check out Amie's site! 'Til next time... have a safe Memorial Day weekend! I am so ready for sun, fun, and no work!
 

The great part about being engaged: planning a dream wedding with your soul mate.

The bad part about being engaged: learning who really cares about you.

 

So. The registry. Not an unusual aspect of wedding planning, but one that we found slightly daunting at times. I researched a few of the major players in the registry game (Crate & Barrel, Macy's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Kohl's) and read all their incentive programs for the bride and groom. Several give you discounts after the wedding, but unlike usual "Thrifty Cent," I decided the store's product and value were my top decision-makers. While I love Crate & Barrel, I have no idea what our next place (aka the house) is going to look like, so decorating for it would be impossible. Kohl's is nice, but I knew going there with Jared would be slightly unproductive (he loves their clothes more than their home section). I almost picked Macy's, but in the end went with Target for everyday items and Bed Bath & Beyond for their enormous kitchen gadget section.


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We spent a few hours on random Sundays registering -- separate days because I knew this could take awhile. And, it did! We were in Target longer than expected though because we decided to do some shopping after registering (they give you a special bride booklet filled with coupons, so had to uses that day!). Jared took care of zapping the items and I helped decide what we should register for at Target or save for BBB. We registered for some fun items at Target, including Wii remotes (new, black ones!), grill utensils, and filing storage bins (okay, that's not that fun, but they are super cute). Jared almost registered for a tent, I shot that down. We both wanted to register for a wine fridge and a fire pit, but decided since we are still living in an apartment, we would save any gift cards we received for next year.

A few weeks later we were at it again -- this time at BBB. The gadget section took a good thirty minutes, bedding almost an hour (we were not sold on any sets so sort of settled), and we never did find square plates (Jared's little request), but we did it! Squeezed between all these long-term decisions, were easy, happy decision moments, like zapping a big crock part with a timer, staring at my stemless wine glasses (my big request), and realizing we will have more than two pots to cook with soon! All in all, it was not that stressful, just a weird process to pick out items for people to buy you, items you have never used before (a mandolin slicer!), and items for your future! Last week our first gift even came in the mail! Yah, we now have remotes for our friends!



Some of my shopping tips:
1) Ask your married friends what to avoid and what are must-have purchases (we are getting extra sheets and a trash can with a recyclables section thanks to Erin & Shawn!).

2) Register for things you want (don't feel pressured to register for china).

3) Pick various priced items for all budgets.

4) If you didn't see exactly what you want at the store, check their web site (our plates are online only).

5) Check out Partyspace's Registry 10 for unconventional, yet unique items (local stores, companies, and day trips!).

Where are you registered? How did the registering process go? TGIF!

During the days (or non-sleeping nights) of wedding planning stress, Jared and I take a minute to picture our honeymoon. The last couple weeks this tiny technique has been working for me, as I see white sand, blue waters, and umbrella drinks somewhere in my future!!

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Before I dish on our plans, here are my tips for planning your big honeymoon:

• Let your guy do most of the grunt work (aka research, research, and more research) but decide together if you want a purely relaxing trip or a sight-seeing vaca.

• Anywhere sunny works.

• Don't sweat the small details, just read a few reviews on your top choices.

• Stay away for as long as you can (you guys deserve it!)

• Money matters, but this will be one of your biggest trips EVER so don't let it hold you back from your dream spot!

• Find your passport a few months before the wedding!

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Most of my friends booked their honeymoon through a travel agent, which we would have done, if it weren't for Jared's parents graciously offering us a week of their time share. Travel agents sound like a great way to explore all the various options though and relieves the two of you on most of the logistics. Since we had the time share, Jared did all of the booking himself after I gave him a snapshot (or rough plan) of our two weeks in heaven. So, here goes (don't be too jealous!):

• Fly to L.A. to visit my college roommate and her boyfriend -- hi Sara and Ryan, thanks again for taking us in! Jared has never been there and I am already in love with CA so it will be a great two days.

• Fly to Las VEGAS! So. Yes. We are gamblers! Ha, which will be both good and bad for these two days. Neither of us has ever been, so we are extremely looking forward to seeing the strip and winning big bucks.

• Rent a car and drive to the Grand Canyon. Again, new adventure for the both of us and one everyone has been telling us to experience the last few years.

• Drive to Phoenix and (wait for it.....)

• Fly to HAWAII! Ah, relax in a complete state of bliss.

I hope it doesn't go by too fast, especially since we have been looking forward to it for so long. Where are you honeymooning? How did you decide where to visit?


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One of my newer readers, Tessa, recently posted a comment about my thoughts on a long engagement and when to start planning. Instead of writing a long response back to her, I decided to describe our personal experiences with our 22-month engagement. Tessa (and other readers!), I hope this helps!

Admittedly, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with our engagement. On one hand, the extra months have allowed us to carefully consider what’s most important to us for the wedding, afforded us the luxury of planning when we want to (rather than feeling pressured to) and taking our sweet ole time on certain hard decisions, given us the opportunity to make deposits a year or so in advance of the wedding and then have a chance to save up for the final payments, shop around for deals, and take our pick from the massive pool of available vendors. Looking at all those positives, gives me a smile. Jared's nickname for me is  "Thrifty Cent" so I have enjoyed the vendor research aspect of the wedding, always trying to find who/what/when works for our wedding with the best available price (it doesn't always mean the BEST BEST prices, but it is better than having to pick/settle for a florist/band/photog only because they were the only one available on your day.)


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So, Tessa, yes start EARLY! Pick your date, venue, and all the other vendors that are most important to you ASAP! Do not wait until the one year mark. At our one year, we had many of the major decisions already made (also because we knew we were moving), but I felt like I could relax for a few months after that day passed. Now, I am back in "crunch" planning and only really by choice because we still have 4 more months. However, I would LOVE to enjoy the summer, so I am crossing things off left and right this month to get even more ahead of the list.

But, then....on the other hand, a big con of our 22-month engagement is that it’s given me plenty of time to second guess our wedding-related decisions. For a few weeks , I was not sure if I picked the right dress. For a few months (well okay many many months!), I was not sure about our bridal party or what dress I should pick for them (because I had already pictured it in my mind for a year, so I NEEDED to find something super duper close to that! I now cannot stand Google Images! Peach = peach, not red or pink!) Since I also have time, I read more wedding blogs and mags than other one-year engagement brides, meaning the longer I am engaged, the more items have been added to our budget. I also check out other Glen Foerd wedding photos and want what they had at their weddings! I have more time to think about EXACTLY how I want the wedding to look/feel/be, so I TRY to make those dreams comes true.  Ah, it can become overwhelming when you (and family members) have extra time to over analyze the ceremony and receptions details, but this was our decision. We wanted the special date of 9.10.11 and for that reason, I cannot look back. I am only looking forward and hoping for an amazing wedding.


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Good luck Tessa and all the other brides with longer engagements. It can be a rocky ride, but enjoy it because the months and years do fly by! If you are in the same situation, what are your pros and cons? TGIF friends!

I could not write my 4 month post yesterday due to a terrible stomach virus, but I am back! The countdown is seriously on now! Here is an update from my 5 month post:

1) Shoes --  My shoes came back dyed and looked amazing! I tried them on at my last regular dress fitting (before the final, final last minute, check-in fitting) and they looked great with my diamond white dress! Everyone in the shop was loving the color trend as well.
2) Next dress fitting -- As mentioned, went this past weekend and no more alterations are needed! The seamstress is just adding color coded ribbons to my bustle for my mom's eyes
3) Invitation and program confirmation and of course, organize and mail invites (mid June) -- I received the final invitation proofs today so will be confirming by tomorrow! I am also finalizing the programs with Jared.
4) Details meeting with the venue/catering company (summer) -- Scheduled!
5) TUXES (ah! I heard its quite stressful, which is why I am constantly sending the Fiance tips and links to prepare for his day!) -- Jared and his best friends went Easter weekend and my brothers/the dads came after my dress fitting. Very successful and painless (luckily!)
6) Up do hair style (need to pull more photos from mags) and trial (same day as venue details meeting hopefully) -- Will set up my hair trial date this week!
7) Band set list confirmation (soon!! The lead singer in our band, Gypsy Wisdom, wants to schedule a lunch date. XOXO Courtney!) -- Scheduled for late June!
8) Photography details meeting (summer) -- Photog can only meet week nights in DE and since we are nowhere near him, we are going to work via email on the timeline, must-have photos, and sample Glen Foerd photos.
11) Rings!! (May) -- If you have been keeping score, DONE!
12) Continue buying petals at the craft stores for the aisle. -- Luckily, I found out sooner than later that my venue only allows real petals so I quickly returned the fake flowers I had already purchased. I had to update my florist with another addition -- hopefully the last!
13) Shoes for the bridal party (waiting until the dress officially comes in next month). -- Looking online for shoes as we speak!
14) Select cake (needed for the venue details meeting)
15) Book hotel rooms. -- Yes, yes, soon, very soon!
16) Shop for grandmother dresses (still need 2 more dresses!) -- 2 out of 3 purchased and am shopping with Jared's grandmother in June! (If it seems like a busy month, IT IS!!!)
17) Buy head piece and jewelry (going to look again at May fitting). -- YAH!!! Another thing crossed off!! I actually shopped online for the headpiece and found a beautiful one (will post about the designer soon). I found a gorgeous pair of earrings at the bridal shop. My grandmother is "giving" them to me on my 30th birthday!
18) Shower invites mailed and confirm details with bridesmaids (end of April). -- DONE and DONE! Another upcoming post!

Additions:
19) Buy lots and lots of stamps! (oh, and thank you cards for the shower!)
20) Write vows.


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Well, the monthly mark post is complete -- until next month! By then I will  have partied with friends and fam at my shower and also cursing us for registering for so many new things in an apartment (just kidding!) Enjoy this gorgeous weather! If I am missing any key details in my "to-do's" be sure and let me know! I love crossing things off!

My dad shot our engagement pictures at Valley Forge Park near King of Prussia, PA on our one year countdown weekend (9/11/10).My mom came with and acted as our photo assistant, holding up a big piece of cardboard to block the sun since Jared squints and shuts his eyes in so many pictures!

The night before, we slept at my brother's house in Perkionmenville (he purchased our old childhood home late last year --- for that story, read this post) so in the morning, we took a few pictures in the woods to get the day started. The next spot was the community park where Jared and I had our first kiss in high school 12 years ago! We took pictures in the parking lot where we had been sitting in our cars and also on the baseball field! Our next stop was the "official" photo spot -- Valley Forge since I am obsessed with deer (sooo cute) and thought the amazing sights throughout the park would make great back-drops. Hills, trees, grass, water, historic mansions and statues, a cathedral, it has everything!

I figured we would only be there for an hour or so, but we kept finding better and better locations and ending up staying at the park for almost two hours. Ending at the cathedral was meanginful (and romantic) to me since I had wanted to get married there when I was a little kid. There was even a wedding so we stalked the limo to get a glimpse of all the dresses!

Even though we spent most of the afternoon taking photos, the time we spent together flew.It was a gorgeous day -- I hope our wedding day is exactly the same: sunny and perfect! My Dad narrowed the 200 or so pictures down to make a slideshow video featuring two Alicia Keys songs. He created dazzling backdrops and special effects on many of the pictures using Photo Shop and is creating a similiar video at our wedding, except including photos of Jared's childhood, my childhood, friends and pictures of us. I am going to get a sneak peak of his progress this weekendt!

Again, thank you so very much, Dad, for taking our engagement photos (with your lovely assistant), enhancing them, and developing such amazing pieces of art! Love the photos, the video, and of course, you and Mom.

TGIF bridal friends -- have you taken your engagement photos yet? When is the "best" time to take them? What will you do with the pictures?

While in our hometown over Easter weekend, Jared and I did some important wedding planning together: we picked out and purchased our wedding bands! I knew all along that it would be an interesting experience since he has never worn jewelry (not even a watch!) and it certainly was a fun hour. When we first entered, I was sticker-shocked at the prices! I had estimated our bands to be the same price in our wedding budget, but clearly diamonds are not a wallet's best friend. After I got over a $500-700 increase in wedding expenses, I began to  have fun looking at all the possible matches to my ring and seeing Jared try on different colors/designs of bands. I never knew they had so many choices for guys -- everything from white gold to Tungsten to fancy designs to simple bands.

Even though the ring that matched my engagement ring was the most expensive, I chose it because it was the most breath-taking. I couldn't stop staring at the two rings together and then didn't want to take it off when by itself! It is a stunning ring to wear alone when doing chores or on our honeymoon. After I picked my band, Jared asked my opinion on his top two rings, but I was sort of wishy-washy about my favorite, not wanting to sway him. Eventually, he did pick the ring I liked the best so it was a win/win.


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We left the store happy and excited -- this was one of those, "okay, yes we are really maybe, just maybe, going to get married soon!" Both rings are already in and we'll pick them up next month! Ah,  how I wish I could wear mine now!

How quickly did your guy become used to wearing a wedding band? If still engaged, did he have fun picking his out?

The night my mom and I placed my dress order, we went back to her apartment and uploaded the pictures she took of me. The dress looked huge and unflattering, so I immediately began having buyers remorse! What did I do? Was this really my dress? Should I have kept searching?

Then I started Googling the style number to see better pictures and show my dad for his opinion (he seemed to like the dress). I even found a video of another bride trying it on, which reassured me that my dress was unique/glamorous/the dress. After trying on dozens of dresses and looking through hundreds of pictures online and in magazines, it is a weird feeling to cross it off your to-do list. Everyone builds up this dress, so it is safe to say that doubting it for a tiny minute is normal.... right?! 


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When my dress came in several months later, I was 100% excited to see it again. It "fit like a glove" as the ole saying goes! There were minor alterations needed, so I went back a few weeks ago for a second fitting. My veil was in so the whole experience was amazing. My mom found a tiny part near my bust that needed tweaking, so I will be trying it on again next weekend! Hopefully this time, I can find jewelry and a head piece and see the entire ensemble all together.

So, did you second guess your dress? If you did, I hope you soon realized that this will not be the last amazing dress you buy. I see many more in your future -- as a wife!

P.S. Are you watching the Royal Wedding tomorrow?! My mom and dad are getting up at the crack of dawn to see it! They cannot wait to see HER DRESS! I can wait until I wake up, but will definitely be following their wedding day tomorrow! Congrats William and Kate!


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On our way to Philadelphia from our  hometown last Spring, I made the Fiance quickly stop in at a bridal fair with me. I coaxed him by repeatedly reminding him that not only would we be passing the hotel on our trip, there would be free food/drinks (well, soda, but it's free, right?). It turned out to be pretty productive: we met a few vendors, picked up some brochures, and tasted the hotel's food. One of the vendors that really stood out in my mind was a florist I met, Brittany, the owner of Petals Lane. Her tall centerpieces immediately caught my eye because I had imagined the same look for our wedding reception. I kept her card for a few months, researched other florist's designs and prices, and finally drove out past Manayunk one weeknight to meet Brittany.

I knew I wanted the flowers to match my colors, but I was hoping most of the other decisions would be left in the florist's hands, as I am not especially knowledgeable about flowers! Armed with a few magazine pictures and the vision in my mind, I entered her beautiful house. When I filled out the Q&A form, I begun to wonder if I should have waited to make this appointment. At the time, I wasn't sure how many bridesmaids and groomsmen we were having or many details about the layout of our venue, so there were many empty lines. She asked several questions about my likes/dislikes of floral arrangements --- luckily I knew those --- and showed me different shades of peach/purple from her flower cards. After saying "yes" and "no" about a dozen times, Brittany was able to take my answers and make suggestions for our bouquets and boutonnieres.  I left that appointment knowing more about flowers --- my brother (a natural, genius gardener) would be so proud --- and hopeful of another wedding day decision.



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White Calla Lilies with plum centers, purple stock, peach roses all sounded fabulous for our big day, but as I scanned the invoice she sent over a few days later, the numbers on the right kept climbing! Flowers are expensive, man! I wish I could take some of the arrangements home with me to enjoy the next week,however, since we will away on our honeymoon, my mom plans to reap in those benefits! After thinking about my budget some more, I made a few cuts to the ceremony flowers and decided on fake petals for the aisle to save a few bucks. My mom was not a big fan of those decisions for a few months, but we are paying that bill, after all. This was my first non-concrete signed contract and deposit, and even though I LOVE LOVE LOVE Brittany's suggestions and her amazing portfolio, it is still weird knowing I won't see MY final product until the wedding day! After making many payments like this since then, I am completely over it. Did you get a similar, strange reaction though? My wedding imagination sees gorgeous flowers now!

Go plant a flower or tree this weekend --- Happy Earth Day!


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Probably since I was in the womb, music has been important to me. My parents (especially my dad) are always finding the newest singer, dusting off their record collection, or purchasing tickets to local shows or concerts (they have tried to see Lady GaGa about three times now, to no avail).


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So when Jared and I went to our first non DJ-ed wedding and heard a truly great cover band at a friend's wedding in September of 2008, we were blown away! Even though we were still a year away from our engagement, it was an unforgettable experience. We went to see that band a month after our engagement (with the friends who had introduced us to them) and were like giggly little school girls when the lead singer congratulated us on stage. Even before we had made any other decisions, right then, we knew that this was what we would be hearing on our wedding day. We signed a contract through Anderson Entertainment Inc. with the band, Joe Bachman & the Crew, a few months later. It was, by far, the most expensive wedding purchase we would be making, but that was okay, because it was also the most important. 

During many weddings over the last few years, most have had that inevitable point in the reception, where I shrug my shoulders and head off into the direction of the ladies room, not to the dance floor. Maybe I am picky, maybe I am silly, maybe its just me! But, I need a good song. Actually, make that plural -- a wedding deserves for every song to be good! And our songs will be, I am confident in that.

Since we signed the contract, they have actually become two separate bands and so Gypsy Wisdom is officially playing our event. The last few months we have been keeping a list of songs they play that we love, songs they can DJ during breaks, and our special moment music.


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Make sure you decide band or DJ soon into your engagement because it's better to have options and time to make the right decision for you!

If you have already booked a band or DJ, how did you come to the decision? What are your "must play" songs?

I waited a good two months before going dress shopping again. This time, I went closer to my hometown -- to a much smaller shop where the dresses weren't in bags, making it easier to look through the racks. I tried on about 6 dresses, but only one was a possible keeper. I was feeling bummed since I had wanted to try on a few more since not too many were striking my fancy. My mom pointed back to a dress she had liked right when we started looking that morning. I was more willing to give it a second chance now that I knew the consultant's picks were not especially working. I surprised myself by really liking my mom's dress. It was not what I thought it would be or feel like... it was so much more beautiful! But I was torn between it and the other possible keeper (the dress I am wearing in my first dress post). What to do, what to do? I tried both on back to back. I tried different veils with each dress. I took pictures. Hmmmm....

I was going over my future sister in law's house after the appointment so my mom suggested I call her to come over and see both dresses. She has twin babies so I wasn't sure if she would be able to! She knew something was wrong when I called -- and suggested I come over her house, help feed the girls and we'd all go back together. We did just that, but then the shop was in a frenzy with other brides when we returned but I waited patiently. Finally, it was my turn again.  Ali found a fancy frock that was not on the rack when I was there an hour before,so I was excited to try on a dress she pulled. It was GORGEOUS. There was some bling at the top and it had an amazing train BUT it felt like it weighed 50 pounds alone! Everyone agreed that it would be too heavy and hot next summer. So, I put back on the dress I had originally liked . She said it was "nice" (later told me that it was too plain!). Okay, I trotted back to the fitting room to put on my mom's dress. And.. she loved it! Said it was amazing, beautiful, and that Jared would love it (well, okay, he would love them all!). The store owner put another veil on me, handed me fake flowers, and also asked me to step down and step back. Incredible! I was a BRIDE! I started crying which caused my mom and Ali to tear up too! I knew then that it was the dress I would be saying yes to on our wedding day. Did I really have to take it off?! It is so addicting seeing yourself in those mirrors! My mom held up my nieces and they giggled. It was beyond emotional having my sweet babies, my mom and my fiance's sister see me in my wedding dress for the first time. Of course, I took pictures of the dress but I can not put them on here (sorry, sorry!).

Wedding dress shopping! Shew! It is done, a wrap, BUT I still watch "Say Yes to the Dress." when it is on! Do you?! How many visits did it take you to find the one?! If you are still searching, happy shopping! Keep smiling! And, of course, TGIF!

Oh boy, can you believe it?! Already been a month since my 6 month mark post! This past Sunday we hit the 5 month mark! Ah, seriously, time, please chill for a minute! Here is an  update from my last check-in:

1) Shoe decision (I have two in my closet!) Picked one and sent it off to be dyed! Returned the other.
2) Next dress fitting (April 1) Went well, the top was still slightly too big so going back in May!
3) Invitation and program confirmation (still need entrance songs for ceremony) and of course, organize and mail invites (late June/early July) My harpist helped me pick all entrance songs!
4) Details meeting with the venue/catering company (summer)
5) TUXES (ah! I heard its quite stressful, which is why I am constantly sending the Fiance tips and links to prepare for his day!)
6) Finalize registry (we need plates!) DONE and DONE.
7) Shower and rehearsal dinner outfit (shopping trip!!) While helping the mom and grandmoms pick out their dresses, I scored a little spring dress for either one of these days!
8) Up do hair style (need to pull more photos from mags) and trial (same day as venue details meeting hopefully)
9) Band set list confirmation (soon!! The lead singer in our band, Gypsy Wisdom, wants to schedule a lunch date. XOXO Courtney!)
10) Photography details meeting (summer)
11) Rings!! (May)

Additions:
12) Continue buying petals at the craft stores for the aisle.
13) Shoes for the bridal party (waiting until the dress officially comes in next month).
14) Select cake (needed for the venue details meeting)
15) Book hotel rooms.
16) Shop for grandmother dresses (still need 2 more dresses!)
17) Buy head piece and jewelry (going to look again at May fitting).
18) Shower invites mailed and confirm details with bridesmaids (end of April).

I am sure I am missing some key "to-do's" but luckily I am an early planner! Let me know any other important details I should be thinking about at this point in our countdown! Happy planning!

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Wow.  Wedding dress shopping. Did you ever think you would be like those TLC Brides? I almost could not believe it was really happening to me as it is a surreal experience! And, then after you finally say yes and put a deposit down on a dress, it becomes even more overwhelming and real.

I started shopping last July with my mom -- we went to a place near my apartment where I knew two of my friends had purchased their dresses. The first dress I tried on was one that I pulled and fell in love with it instantly! It was dainty and sweet and the price was a knockout (half of my dress budget!) but of course I wanted to keep trying more on.

There's a calming wave of beauty, love, and a heaven-like sense of peace that I felt every time I put another puffy dress over my head and looked into the mirror. My mom cried a few times but I didn't --- I was trying to stay focused for the both of us! The sales consultant put me in about 8 other dresses for my first appointment. There were some amazing gowns and I wrote down 4 style numbers but nothing gave me the feeling to "say yes" quite yet. I even got all decked out in a veil and a head piece which put my mom completely over the edge! We ended the appointment without making a decision but an hour and a half of thinking about my dress, trying on dresses, and hearing my mom discuss the pros of white versus ivory, was the perfect amount of time for this bride.

How was your first appointment? Thrilling? Nerve-wrecking? Did you, too, almost buy your first dress?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE flipping through bridal mags, blogs, and galleries looking for amazing photos to inspire me for our wedding! I "found" my wedding colors by pulling two separate color scheme pages out of a  mag and when I scooped them up to file into my bridal binder, they caught my eye as a great combo together. So, I went for it: peach and purple --- and couldn't be happier. It has become a dark purple and deep peach/coral color, complimenting our summer and almost-fall wedding date.

Share your wedding colors in the comments section!

Here is my mini inspiration board, so many jaw-dropping, stunning images:

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A big thank you to everyone that entered our bridesmaid contest!! My favorite "ask" was submitted by Jillian:

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to take pictures! I also really enjoy scrapbooking and making slideshows with the thousands of pictures that I have. Since I was living away from my nearest and dearest friends at the time of my engagement, I knew that I wanted to mail them something special and let them know how much they are all a HUGE part of my life. I made them each individual slideshows set to music showing pictures of us throughout our friendship. At the end, there was a picture of a bride and bridesmaid with arrows pointing to the bride saying "me" and arrows to the bridesmaid saying "you?". The first slide read, "Dear NAME, you've been with me through so many important times in my life, and some not so important ones too..." After all of the pictures, the last slide read, "Will you join me as my bridesmaid as I say, 'I do'?" I mailed them each their slideshows with a post-it that said, "PLAY ME!" I'm pretty sure they all LOVED it!

I, too, am big into photos and am planning a friends/fam slideshow for our wedding! They are such a great way to perserve memories. I am also sure your BMs each loved their special show.

Congrats Jillian!!! $100 is coming your way.

A few months after we became engaged, I started my photographer search. Your wedding pictures are an ever-lasting, tangible memory of the big day, so you cannot afford to go wrong in this department. First, think about weddings you were in or a guest at over the last few years. Was the photographer a stalkerazzi? Or did he make you feel comfortable? Were his posed shots somewhat "real" or too forced? One of my girlfriends had an easy-going photographer that made the entire wedding party picture process seem easy and effortless. I started there.... a referral is great because you have real experience to go off on and may already have formed a connection.  I met with my friend's photographer and was quickly blown away by his work and his personality. The prices were decent and they had all the right products I was looking for in a wedding photography company. I did not jump the gun though; I met with a few other photographers I found in a local search to make sure I had done enough research. Some were sketchy in person, some had prices that were out-of-this-world expensive! I wanted great pictures, but in this digital world, you must be competitive.

Before you start your search, ask yourself these key questions (and if your wedding date is a popular one, like ours, start EARLY!):

1) What style of photography do you want for your wedding? Purely documentary? Artistic? Not every photographer shoots in every style, so give yourself enough time to see his sample work, both online and offline, if possible.

2) How do the wedding samples make you feel? Make sure you feel emotion from his work.... the romance and love should show through to you. Key details are also very important. Some brides like fancy shots, like black and white pictures with a splash of color. Does he take shots you are interested in having on your day? Are the samples clear and distinct? You should be able to see details of the bride's dress!

3) Are the darker pictures too dark? Men wear black at weddings, but can you still see specifics on the groom? If photos are too dark, however, the photo may be underexposed. The majority of the shots should  not look too dark.

4) Are the colors clear? Wedding pictures should also "pop out" rather than be a lifeless shot. Black should be black, white should be WHITE!

5) How does the bridal party look in the pictures? Stiff and awkward? Or glamorous, yet in a giddy-happy way? Photography is not easy, especially at a wedding, but a great photographer captures the right people in the right moments! I love seeing unique shots and hidden moments of someone's wedding day! You get a sense that it was taken organically, naturally on a happy day!

6) Prices, prices, prices! Look at your budget and decide what you can afford. One photographer or two? Are you also having a videographer? Take these things into consideration. I would have LOVED two photographers, one captures the actual wedding, another captures the background moments. But, I realllllly wanted a videographer, so I comprised with the fiance. Take a look at photographer's packages and compromise with them too! Meet them in person to make sure their personality meshes with yours! It is an all-day relationship, after all.

7) The final product.... besides the proofs and the photographer's time, what else do you walk away with after your wedding? Parent albums? 8" x 10" copies? Coffee book albums? Take a poll and see what you and your fiance are looking for, but also your parents. They may want to hang something up in their house, instead of having an album.

Be honest and a good photographer will be honest with you. Give yourself plenty of time, because these pictures last forever! What other tips did you come across when researching photographers? If married, recommend your photography company to our engaged gals!

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Awh. Bridesmaids. Love being one. Loved asking mine. I saw on several wedding blogging sites that brides asked their girls through puzzles so I totally ran with that idea and made it my own. I bought heart-shaped small puzzles at A.C. Moore and a bunch of letters and bridal stickers. I spelled out the words, "will you be my bridesmaid?" on each hear and included various wedding sayings/pictures, our engagement date, wedding date, and the venue's name. Each puzzle took about an hour to make, I was very serious about them!! I am not an arts and crafts kinda gal but tried to be for this project. After I broke apart the pieces, I put them in an envelope with the saying, "There are many pieces to a wedding. This one includes you on each." I will never forget the moment I asked each girl, they are pieces of my heart as well.

Stef, Matron of Honor
 My fiance and I weren't sure until a week before if we were having one best man and one MOH or 3 best men and 3 MOHs, so Stef also didn't know until that night if she would be the only one or not! Jared has practically grown up with all three of his high school friends and I have been MOH three times, so it was a tricky decision! In the end, though, he has known Mitch the longest and Stef has been my rock  when my world has gone completely crazy and my first hug when the stars align.
Soooo, Stef and I met at Houlihan's for happy hour for the specific purpose of the puzzle.  She thought the puzzle was a circle so it took her a minute or two to figure it out! Immediately she was excited, jumped off her seat to give me a big hug and told me how cute of a wedding planner I already am. Very special night out, a lot of life and wedding planning talks (she was engaged at the time, too!! Also why the puzzle says "maid."). Jared was nervous when he didn't hear from me for 3 hours though!



Christine, BM.
I went over her house one morning while Jared was giving baseball lessons. I showed her the venue pictures and then gave her the envelope. Her 15 month old daughter was playing on the couch with us as Christine put it together.



Krista, BM.
We met at a coffee shop for breakfast and after we finished eating, I handed her the envelope. She thought the puzzles were a great idea.



Ali, BM
My future sis-in-law is in the picture below with her twin baby girls (now almost ONE years old!). While she was pumping (sorry Ali LOL, it makes the story) in one of the bedrooms at a family BBQ, I snuck in so I could give her the puzzle alone. We couldn't hug then but she was very thrilled that I had asked her. She later texted me how she was honored to be a part of my special day. We went to see "Sex and the City Part 2" the next night and then saw a Phillies game the following night. I told her in the parking lot how it is like we really are sisters! Soon after, she helped me find lots of great pictures of her brother for our slide show.

Ah, so ten days ago, we hit the 6 month mark. It is both dreaded and anticipated. I wasn't going to make a big deal about it, but I have thought about writing this post for the last several days, so here it is...
 
I am amazed at how fast time flies. It has already been 5 months at the new job, meaning in 5 more months, I'll be turning (gulp) 30 and becoming a wife in 30 days. Am I ready? Is the planning almost ready? So hard to tell; I check things off on my never-ending checklist, count the items remaining, and gulp again! We'll had a long engagement, a both good and bad way to go, so I think I am up-to-date on most big decisions and plans. But there's no teacher, no wedding professional, no bridal over-seer to tell me to speed it up or slow it down. It's just me, checking out other wedding blogs and trying to stay ahead of the game. Since it will be 22 months from our engagement day to our wedding day, I am trying very hard to not get caught up in the month-before-stresses. 
 
So, what's left? Plans still currently floating in my head:
1) Shoe decision (I have two in my closest!)
2) Next dress fitting (April 1)
3) Invitation and program confirmation (still need entrance songs for ceremony) and of course, organize and mail invites (late June/early July)
4) Details meeting with the venue/catering company (summer)
5) TUXES (ah! I heard its quite stressful, which is why I am constantly sending the Fiance tips and links to prepare for his day!)
6) Finalize registry (we need plates!)
7) Shower and rehearsal dinner outfit (shopping trip!!)
8) Up do hair style (need to pull more photos from mags) and trial (same day as venue details meeting hopefully)
9) Band set list confirmation (soon!! The lead singer in our band, Gypsy Wisdom, wants to schedule a lunch date. XOXO Courtney!)
10) Photography details meeting (summer)
11) Rings!! (May)
 
I am sure there are more, but these are the big guys. How far along are you??? What are stressful decisions I should do now to save myself future headaches?!

I found our venue through an online search at... where else... Partyspace.com. The pictures were beautiful, our date was available, the price was high but negotiable... now we just had to make sure it was just as amazing in person.

As soon as my parents and I stepped into the entrance way at  Glen Foerd in Northeast Philadelphia, I saw my wedding. Everything was magical. Every room in the historic mansion was exquisite. Built in 1850, it has small nooks, large dining rooms, a study, a sunroom, an art gallery, a dramatic grand stairway, a wine cellar and it just oozes with romance. In 2005, an all-windows conservatory was built on the one side and its inside three tiers -- one for our band, one for dancing, and another for dinner, are stone. The best part? We will get our ceremony on the water after all. The mansion sits right on the Delaware River with gorgeous gardens overlooking the ceremony path.

Jared and I will each have a "suite" or a decorated bedroom upstairs, our ceremony will be outside, cocktail hour will be inside the first floor of the mansion, on the porch, and throughout the first floor of the mansion, and the reception will be in the conservatory. Some brides have dinner in the dining rooms but we would have had to separate into two rooms, plus we love the stone and wrought-iron feel of the conservatory. It is the perfect blend of compromise for Jared and me: he loves modern, I love antique. Glen Foerd has both; a win/win!

Hello Partyspace Users,
I am so honored to have been included in all of your outstanding Engagement Stories. Each and every one of these stories blew me away and had me reaching for tissue and after tissue. Thank you for letting me in and best of luck to all of you as you plan an outstanding wedding to match your outstanding proposal.
 
I am very pleased to announce that the winners of the contest are…
Most Romantic proposal was Marla!
Most Wild and Crazy was Rebecca B!
 
Again, thank you for sharing your stories with me and I hope you will continue to follow me on my journey as we all get ready to walk down the aisle.
Have a great weekend ladies (and gents!).

Let's face it. This is tough. First off, nothing is perfect. But finding a  venue that is perfect for you is pretty time consuming and stressful! If it wasn't for you, then please tell me your secrets! Partyspace, however, certainly made it LESS STRESSFUL by doing a lot of the leg work for me, which I completely appreciate, but it was still hard.  For us it was drawn out and complicated because we wanted to have a destination-ish feel to our wedding. We wanted ceremony, reception and hotel on site so that was a lot of requirements to start out with. Our first tour was 2 weeks after our engagement at the Lake House Inn in Perkasie (2 pics are below). I fell in LOVE LOVE LOVE at first sight: right on the water, a draped ceiling in the reception that is tent-esque yet all glass windows (great backup rain location), 10 rooms onsite in a gorgeous house (so so so modern, pool table room for guys, bridal suite with porch and view for girls, and a fire pit for the after party!!                

The catering costs and rental fees were outside our budget though, so we contemplated our decision for a long time. I took my mom to show her why I could not stop talking about this amazing place. I ran the numbers. I cut down my budget. I cried and could not see anything but the Lake House Inn for our wedding for a month! But I knew it was not realistic, even if we could have our friends and fam stay over and have the perfect back drop. So I started the hunt for the second best wedding spot that had everything Lake House Inn had and more.... and it took awhile, because well, nothing beats a perfect first venue visit...and dream...but Jared or sometimes my mom checked out these spots hoping to find our next great spot:
 
--Glasbern Inn, Allentown, PA: short aisle, hotel prices were $200 a night, dancing in a board-room type space.
--ACE Conference Center, Lafayette Hill, PA: (Jared's 2nd favorite spot) lodge-like reception hall, ceremony on golf course near small waterfall.
--DuPont Mansion, Wilmington, DE: loved it. Ceremony spot was in a garden with a tented reception but they required a lot of minimums (numbers, prices) and extra fees for the tent.
--Normandy Farms, Lansdale, PA: (my mom's 2nd favorite spot) nice hotel rooms, quaint garden ceremony, celeb chef, but the reception room and chairs weren't what I was dreaming of. Great prices though.
--Aldie Mansion, Doylestown, PA: Jared's sister recommended after attending a wedding here. Awesome location, awesome mansion, awesome outdoor ceremony spots, fancy ballroom with many windows. However, I needed to bring in my own alcohol, which definitely saves money, but I knew I wanted to make life as easy as possible for me! (same catering company as Lake House Inn, by the way).
--Knowleton Mansion, Philadelphia, PA: modern wood reception ballroom, wine cellar, but the ceremony site was next to the street (covered with some trees) but I could still hear cars.
--Trout Lake Resorts, Pocono's, PA: a camp ground with Jared's last name. I loved the lake view, however, the tent for the reception was near a big building which blocked the view of the water and the cabins were straight from those Jason movies.
--Stroudsmoor Inn, Pocono's, PA: awesome little village. They had several ceremony sites, even ones on the lake but our party wasn't big enough. There were also about 5 ballrooms to choose from, but the more elegant ones required 200+ guests. Menu prices were great, but didn't get the feeling it was the venue though. Sad drive home because after taking several virtual online tours, I thought it may have been the one driving up there.
--Grand Hotel, Cape May, NJ: ceremony on their sundeck overlooking the beach was beautiful but the two ballrooms haven't been renovated since the 80's. Prices for overnight rooms were pretty steep at $200.
--Seaview Resort, Galloway, NJ: So, for another two weeks, I thought "okay maybe this is it!" Great Gatsby feel, old fashioned but beautiful mansion-style hotel. Garden ceremony site, two ballrooms -- one a large dining room with a ton of windows, another a traditional ballroom. Afterwards, I wasn't sure. It is one thing to love it on the internet but that feeling can definitely change after the tour.

So! Shew, tired just reliving all those trips and tours. After almost four months of being asked "where are you getting married?," doing about 50 online venue searches a week, emailing 25 event coordinators, and putting a lot of miles on our car....we finally found the venue (I will save THAT description for my next post)!! I actually toured our venue for the first time with my parents one day I had off and Jared had to work. It was absolute love at first site! Immediately, I scheduled a second appointment for Jared, who was also pretty impressed. We tried the food one year ago this week (just found the paperwork to pick the menu for our invites!), signed the contract and put down a deposit. After going through such an extreme venue search, we both were beyond excited, relieved, and genuinely thrilled! I hope this is the hardest part of the planning or we may need to hire a wedding planner! Or elope!
 
Let me know about your venue searches. How long did it take you to find your venue??

When thinking about your personal wedding date, here are some key tips:

1) Think about which general season you both prefer but don't forget about holidays and weather issues

2) Remember off-season, Friday and Sunday weddings are always cheaper

3) Factor in friend and family travel issues, pregnancies, other weddings etc. etc.

4) Be original! Be silly! Be romantic!