All of this wedding stuff is simultaneously scary and exciting - I mean, when its yours you're obviously excited, I know I definitely am, but you're also slightly nervous. My main concern is making sure that everyone else enjoys themselves as much as we do, so I keep thinking I should be doing more planning and then putting it off, we need to make sure we can afford it so budgets are imperative and of course you want everything just 'perfect'. And with everyone else getting engaged we've had a couple of moments where we've thought 'please don't take our date', or 'please don't want our venue'. Which might seem petty but obviously if you have the same friends you need different dates and with regards venue you want yours to feel different so that you don't feel like you're competing. When I was looking at venues I stumbled across my friends venue from a couple of years ago and had already added it to 'the list' before I realised that I'd already been to a wedding there as a guest!
Then there's the fact that as a 'grown up' I've only ever attended one wedding so far (and I say so far because there's going to be a number of them in the next few years). Previously I'd only ever been to one as a child tagging a along with my mum and dad. The one I have been to was so well planned, so beautiful and so heartfelt that all along the planning process I've kept thinking, 'I need mine to be like this', or 'they did this and I want ours to feel like that'. But, what I'm starting to learn is that none of what anyone else has done, or will do, matters. It's your wedding and you have to do it your way, so all I'm thinking about now is asking myself 'is this us?', 'is this what we want?'. If the answer to those questions is yes, then we go with it. I also know that we have a budget, we're paying for most of it ourselves and so I can't just go out and splash the cash on everything I want, I have to shop around, and look for options and alternatives.
So, in order to keep our big day under budget and in keeping with our style I'm doing a few DIY bits - invitations, favours, table plan, table numbers etc. But, while I don't want to give too much away about our day - I want everyone to see it for the first time on the day - below are some things I've come across that I love.
I used these cards to ask my younger Bridemaids the big question, they both loved them and I've been reliably informed that they are in pride of place on their fridge at home. I think they're really cute and make a really nice memento.
Card by Bedcrumb, Not on the High Street
Speaking of Bridesmaids, these little necklaces would make beautiful gifts for on the day. They do special Bridesmaids or Flowergirls ones or you could even customise one with your chosen charms and match your colour scheme with the card.
Charm necklace from Lily Charmed
I love love love these modern takes on cake toppers. we're having a cupcake tower so I don't know if we'll be able to use something like this, but as I'm not a fan of the traditional bride and groom cake toppers I just love the idea of these.
Cake topper by Miss Cake on Not on the High Street
I love the thought of wedding favours, but I really think you've got to consider your theme and your budget when it comes to these. I always remember helping my older cousins to tie those sugared almonds in organza with curly ribbon when I was about 7. Now you can really have anything you want, here's a selection of my favourites.
I love macarons, and if I could afford to have these as favours I most definitley would, La Dinette at Not on the High Street
These chocolates are so pretty, clearly I like a food related favour! From Cocoapod Chocolates at Not on the High Street
These are so cute, for a more relaxed, afternoon tea type wedding breakfast from Hope and Willow at Not on the High Street
Thorntons do an affordable range, including a chocolate gift tag that can be personalised and double up as a place card. Or you could keep it simple and give everybody one simple item like a lollipop, and maybe tie a pretty tag to it with a thank you message. Or why not just buy some pretty packaging - boxes, bags etc and fill with whatever you want. I've toyed with the idea of a sweet table - buy pretty party bags and supply a load of sweets in pretty jars on a table and voila, fuss free favours. Finally, you could just give out lottery tickets (£1 each, bargain!). There's so many to choose from.
The one thing I don't want to spend lots on is flowers, for some people they are a major part of their wedding decoration but for us we're not really that bothered and would rather spend the money elsewhere so I've been looking for alternatives to decorate our venue. Luckily the venue is so pretty it doesn't need too much. We get use of the antique silver candelabras for free so I like the idea of lots of candles, but I've amped up the decoration with a scattering of pretty themed table confetti. These ideas have also been considered:
For the right theme I love unusual ways of displaying just a few pretty blooms, these milk bottles are too cute.
Not on the High Street (again!)
I love these for scented tea lights for a really romantic feel.
Not on the High Street
For a pretty pastel wedding these would be lovely for displaying candles on tables, shelves, windowsills, wherever!
Not on the High Street
There are literally thousands of ideas for decor, and I'm sure I'll come across lots more ideas when I start looking at the finer details - table numbers, table plans, guest book,place cards and so on. So I will keep updating you with whatever new findings I have and inspiration. Has anybody else found a treasure trove when it somes to ideas, as I have with Not on the High Street?
