Posted: 15 April 2005 at 12:08am | IP Logged

Congratulations!  I think you will really like this site.  I have found it to be very helpful.  If you need any decorations or anything check out the Pay it Forward section (very cool idea.)  You might be able to find someone willing to give up their old decorations that they no longer need.

My friend was engaged for only 4 months before she got married.  Everything got done.  Yes, you're getting a late start, and you'll have to work on it in most of your free time if you're trying to plan it yourself (instead of hiring a wedding planner), but it can be done!  Just get going and don't stop!

My wedding's only a month later than yours and I haven't gotten around to the officiant yet either (sigh)--but the only one I know that I could ask is in Medford, and I'm getting married in Washington, so I'm not going to ask him to drive that far.  One of my bridesmaids has an uncle who is a pastor and can perform marriages so we will probably start there and keep looking.  So much to do in so little time...

You may not have time to order your dress, but after you ask shops how long it takes to order it in your size, you'll have a better idea.  If they can't get it for you in time, try buying a dress off the rack (sometimes these are discontinued styles.  That's how I got mine, a $650 dress for $350.)  Or check at consignment shops... I have seen some pretty ones for $50 and some $650 or more at consignment shops.

Don't forget to allow enough time after you buy the dress to have your alterations done.  The bridal shop originally told me they needed 6 weeks, then when I called to set up an appointment they told me they needed 2 months, and when I told them I needed it in 5 weeks they managed to decide they could do that for me.

Good luck with everything.  I think this site will be a good resource for you.  Keep asking questions.  Someone here is bound to know something that will help you!

Posted: 15 April 2005 at 1:13am | IP Logged

You know, I think most of my time has been spent researching and figuring out what I want that is within my price range.  I spent maybe 3 days driving around to look at different parks, but knew exactly which one I wanted once I got there.  Spent a couple days trying on dresses, but knew which one I really liked... I just held out for a little longer trying to find a similar one for less.

Anyway, I think if you've already got some stuff reserved and you have figured out what you want, you've made really good progress.  Do you work full time?  If you do, it might still be kind of stressful to try to get all the details together, but you can do it.

You might look at bridesmaids gowns if you want a simple dress, or if it's really that simple, maybe you could have someone talented make it for you.  They just have to be reliable.

I am taking a floral class right now to learn to do my own flowers.  I am happy to see someone else wants to do the same thing.  I can't imagine spending oodles of money on flowers.  My arrangements look good so far, and we're not having a formal wedding anyway, so who cares if a few people notice the flowers weren't professionally done?  I have heard that it's very stressful to try to do the flowers yourself... just thought I would pass along a warning.  Personally, I think it will be a lot of fun, and a nice thing to do with both moms and the bridesmaids.  Plus, I'm not going to go crazy with flowers anyway so I just have an arrangement for each table plus hand tied bouquets for the girls and corsages and boutonnieres.  I know I can do it, especially with help! :)

One of my bridesmaids just graduated from Western Culinary Institute and we have asked her to make our wedding cake.  She was so excited!  We have already gotten together to make 3 recipes and have cake tasting.  It was fun.  I didn't ask her to do the food but it's going to be a buffet reception anyway so my family can handle the preparations for that.

It's good that you're really diving into it 4 months ahead of time.  I think you will be fine.  As I have said before, all you really need is you, your man, some rings, and an officiant.  You probably have most of those taken care of already so take care of the remaining ones first thing... everything else is just details, and while we all want the details to come together perfectly, they honestly don't matter to the MARRIAGE.  So don't stress.  Prioritize things that need to be done early or need a lot of time (i.e. time to get the dress in your size to the store). 

I'm in a similar situation.  We'll be engaged 8 months before we get married, but I just got a summer job out of state and won't be back here until a week before the wedding.  So I'm trying to prioritize and get everything taken care of before I leave in 6 weeks! 

Posted: 15 April 2005 at 9:13am | IP Logged

Hi Faetal~ I'm getting married August 13th, 2005 and I know how you are feeling about the time issue. If you can get the big stuff out of the way like your dress, invatations, food, music, location, photographer and bridesmaid dresses. Everything else will fall into place. I have eveything like that done so far. I just need to get ordering on the bridesmaid dresses. My sister was engaged for 2 months, when she was married in December and eveything was perfect~ It looked like she had been planning a wedding for a year. Good Luck with everything