Wedding Wednesday --- Planning Part 1

So I prematurely posted last week and didn't realize it right away because I am a nerd who totally wrote that post like a week and a half before I posted it. So.. sorry to just end it with a photo (plus I had meant to post more.. but I forgot.. whoops)..

Anyway, today's topic... Planning (Wedding/Reception Site, Bridesmaids, DJ, Photographer)

Planning was probably my least favorite. And I will be honest --- My mom did a lot. A super lot. My hubby and I did the initial leg work and then we kinda petered out. I never was a girl who was sooo excited about planning my wedding day. I had certain ideas and after that I was very willing to let my mom take over. She was awesome.

(this photo is of the pavilion we we would get married.. i

n keep in mind these were all taken in April 06 so it's not pretty

outside yet ha)

We knew immediately where we wanted to have our wedding/reception. The summer before we got engaged we had been to an outdoor wedding at this place which was beautiful. Plus, the hall was AMAZING and huge and it looked out over a golf course and the garden area where we would get married. Honestly, like 3 weeks after we were engaged we already were trying to get a weekend for the next summer. We had wanted to get married in July, close to the date we met, but the nearest Saturday wedding day they had both the outside and the hall available was August 18th, 2007. And our wedding day was settled.

(few of the pavilion from the hall)

a picture of part of the reception hall ( it was HUGE!)
though we did have over 300 guests.. eep

the cute little corner that would hold my cake and cookie table :)

a view of the dance floor where we would be boogieing..

I also found the style and color of my bridesmaid dresses super early. I was also trying on bridesmaid dresses at this point to be in another wedding. So I had all of the David's Bridal packets with me. But I really had no intention of ordering anything through them just wanted ideas. I want short, sleeveless and non tacky. I would say I was successful. They are still dresses I look at and wish I had one! I could totally see myself wearing it to a summer wedding and I know a couple of my bridesmaids DID re-wear them.








one of my beautiful bridesmaids trying on the dress

As I mentioned in the last post, we went on spring break RIGHT after we got engaged. I brought notebooks and planning stuff for our car ride. (My mom bought me a super cute folder to store all my papers in.) We had our bridal party figured out by the time we got to Tennessee. We each had 6 people, which is a lot but to include his sisters and my brother we adjusted. I had 3 of my good friends since I was like 3 in it, as well as his cousin who I became super close to and his 2 sisters. I honestly wish I could have included my dear college friends because they were so dear to me as well, but I couldn't very well have had ANYMORE in my already excessive bridal party. I also had 3 ring bearers mainly because they were all three very important to me. (My godson and the two brothers I nannied for.)

Our DJ was super easy for us as well. His cousin got married in 2005 and had a really great DJ. We already knew we wanted him and thankfully he was available. He came across the state and didn't charge a traveling fee at all. I loved him at his cousin's wedding but honestly he pissed me off at mine and I will talk about THAT in a later post.

Our photographer was also a quick pick as she was a client of my husband's and a family friend. Now here is where I say, don't have family friends who aren't REAL photographers but used to be do your weddings. Because if you are like me, you will end up hating all of your forced photos and wish you would have spent more money on a photographer. Here is where you should care about your photographer and not be like me who decided I really didn't care. One big wedding regret. I hate seeing beautiful lovely candid shots of people and my terribly forced photos.. Boo. Also, if I could have someone who would have said FIX YOUR MAKEUP a few times to me, that would have been nice too. Yucky, sweaty photos.

Anywhoo...


That is all for today's wedding post.... Part 2 of the Planning coming next Wednesday.. I will cover (Wedding Dress shopping, flowers, cake, and Officiant! To catch my other Wedding Wednesday post click here.