Wedding stuff - opinions please?

Well, my should-have-been wedding day just passed over the weekend and i worked all day instead, lol ick!

anyway i need some opinions here and knew that you ladies would give me honest advice, have also posted this on NZWP to get a good range of ideas.

Here's the deal, we postponed our wedding date, our venue transferred our venue fee. We have now probably decided that instead of using our venue for the recption as well we might just use their gardens, which are included in the deposit price, we are thinking of having a morning wedding and having the reception lunch at a local restaurant, then people who wish to come can come and those who don't don't have to, it would be pay your own way and that way they pretty much have their own choice of meals etc. Of course we would still put a bit of a tab on the bar, but not too much given it's the middle of the day.

We decided this because we have realised that thanks to our situation over the 3 month period of xmas, which will continue until mike finishes study in 3 yrs time, he has study break over xmas which means we go down to just my wages which keep us afloat but don't actually do anything for saving in any way, so won't actually mean we have any money for the wedding at the time we have it unless we have saved it up until his study stops.

My question would be this...

What's the point of having it in February... when realistically it will all have to paid for by November.

Me and mike are toying with the idea of bringing it forward to November, which is when my MOH will be back from London, getting it over and done with so to speak.. in a nice way, we've been together so long and we just want our wedding, doesn't have to be a big crazy expensive thing. we have the dress etc, rings, shoes, just need the BM dress, and the little girls dresses, and the guys are hiring the tuxes anyway.

Is it worth trying? Or do i leave it at the feb date and just make sure i have everything paid for.. with the chance that if anything comes up last minute before the wedding we'll be in serious trouble with no back-up money around.   I don't want to muck people around, the only major booking thus far is the original venue, and the celebrant.

If i'm going to do this i need to figure it out quickly.
I spose the best place to start would be the restaurant where i want to have it to discuss what we want to do. Then the Celebrant and the original venue.

Anyway.. advice please, for those that have had small get-togethers.

Also any money saving ideas would be awesome.

If it was me I'd see if I could bring it forward to Nov - I mean it's worth sussing out if you can anyway, you might not be able to (bookings and stuff) so that could make the decision for you!

But I think the fact that you've got to have it paid for by then anyway you may as well get married then right? In reading your post, it sounds as though that might be your preference.

Hmm money saving ideas... um you've got the thing with guests paying for their own lunch which is one of the biggest costs. BM dresses - if you know someone who can sew, get them to do it.. or buy off the rack.   Flower girl dresses... when we got married in April 06, Farmers had some cool little "party" dresses that were very flower girl ish. You could check that out.

Also make your own invites - we made these awesome ones, just printed out the info on white card and cut that out and stuck it on blue card (a third of A4)... at the top we stuck on flax (cut from bags from the $2 shop) and a couple of small pieces of paua (got more than enough off trademe for $10 or something).

Also if you need things like a cake, if someone asks you what you want for a pressie why not get them to give you that? Or other things that you need for the wedding..

Oo, exciting, I love weddings!

Well that's what i was thinking and also since we are just using their gardens, and would be about 10.30 it also means they could still book another wedding ceremony/reception for later on in the day if they wanted.

I thinkt he lunch idea would mean more chance of us being able to book out the paticular restaurant as well, and we'd still do the bar tab but everyone would pay their own meals in lieu of pressies.

Dress is already bought, MIL has already started making the BM dress (i only have 1 now),

There are alot of things that are pretty much already all in place. Just needing confirming etc

Have my dress and whole outfit, am Making my own cake, Brother is doing photos, mikes aunty is a make-up artist, and we know people with wedding cars etc.. and flowers i know i can pick up what i want pretty cheaply at that time of year.

Just read your post - sounds like you are totally sorted anyway really - so bring it forward! lol

janine it sounds like you have pretty much everything organised so i'd go for it.......nov 22nd is a great day to get married

Bring it forward!

yeah we got maried in November (18th) and it is a great time of year - move it forward

Bring it forward

If you haven't got a cake yet, a friend of mine brought hers off trademe (!!!) and it was cheap ($250) looked fantastic, and tasted divine! Much cheaper than any other wedding cake places!

Oh, take it take it!! I was actually going to say that November 16 is a wonderful day to get married (it happens to be my wedding anniversary).

Found this rhyme for you:
Marry when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, joy for maiden and for man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed must labor for their daily bread.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last