Last Call

After pulling together all of my resources (including facebook messaging a friend to ask for someone else's email address since fiance doesn't know how to contact this person) I was able to get back the final RSVP's.  I can't believe how many people did NOT send in their RSVP's - instead I received responses in person, over the phone, via text message, on Facebook, even carrier pigeon (not really, but one of my fiance's friends threw it out there as an option).

Anyway, all of that aside, we are having a grand total of 95 guests (not including ourselves) at the wedding (we invited a total of 149,so that means 37% declined).  Our minimum (a.k.a. the number of guests we're paying for no matter what is 110), bringing us 13 shy if you include us.  So we met with our venue and they were EXTREMELY generous and added on a bunch of extras to make up for the difference.  This is what they had told us they would do in the case that we came out below the 110 minimum, but we had no idea how generous they'd be.

I'd share, but I don't want to give anything away in case any guests are reading.  I'll be sure to fill you in post-wedding.

Plenty of Packages

        My fiance stopped by his parents house to grab some of our mail the other day and we had 3 packages for us!  The sashes, the bridesmaids gifts, and the menus and programs had all arrived.  Everything looks AWESOME.  I LOVE the sashes - they are PERFECT.  The bridesmaids gifts are just what I wanted.  And the menus and programs look WONDERFUL (just like everything else that I order from Vistaprint).

     The only downside to the sashes is that they have the creases from how they were folded, so I'm going to have to unpack the iron and get to work pretty soon.  I'm hoping that I can iron them out now and put them over some hangers in one of the spare closets until the wedding.  I'll let you know how that adventure goes!

Welcome Bag Books DIY

I just finished making my Welcome Bag Books!  The total cost of this project was $3 for 60 books ($2.50 for a pack of cardstock and $0.50 for the ribbon).  If you're interested, here's how I did it.

1.  Decide what information you're going to put in your book.  I included the a welcome note, contact info, wedding day timeline, directions and a map, local eats and shopping, local events, and info for our Wedding Party app.

2.  Type everything up and format it.  I used the standard 8.5" x 11" computer paper and cut it in half for the pages, so each "page" I created in Word looked like this.  Each page in Word was equal to two book pages.

3.  Decide what order your pages will be in and print the pages double sided accordingly.  I figured it out by printing out one 'draft' version of everything and moving it around in a good order and then numbered the pages.  Pages 1/2 would be printed double-sided, pages 3/4 would be printed double sided,etc.

4.  Print your pages and then cut each sheet in half.  You can use a paper cutter if you have access to one.  I just pulled out the sharpest pair of scissors I had and sat in front of the TV for a few hours. 

Note:  I printed my very first and very last page on cardstock.

5.  Take a half sheet of paper and create a guide for the hole punch.   I put exactly 2.1 cm between each hole punch and did 4 hole punches.  It worked perfectly.  

6.  Put each book's pages in order. 

7.  Using the guide, hole punch each book.

8.  Next, I stapled my book together, just to ensure that it stayed together. (One staple between Hole 1 and Hole 2 and another staple between Hole 3 and Hole 4 - see the numbering below).

9.  Finally, thread the ribbon through.  Starting from the back of the book and leaving about an inch of ribbon as a "tail", go up through Hole 1, down through Hole 2, up through Hole 3, and down through Hole 4.  Leave a "tail" of 1 inch of ribbon on that end too.

10.  Flip your book over to the back.  Take both tails (one coming out of Hole 1 and the other coming out of Hole 4 and glue them over the piece of ribbon already running through the back of the book.  It will look like this when done.

There's an App for That

A couple of months ago I discovered the Wedding Party app.  It's a completely free app that creates a timeline of your wedding events.

How does it work?

1.  You go on-line and set-up your weddings profile

2.  Guests download the free app

3.  They enter your wedding party name that you've created (we just used fiance's last name)

4.  They can start taking pictures and leaving comments which are uploaded to wedding profile/timeline

How do you tell guests about your Wedding Party app?
1.  E-mail them invites from the website 

2.  Add a link/info on your website

3.  Add info about it to your invitation insert

4.  Put info in Out of Town Guest bags

5.  Use their free printables to place on tables at wedding 

6.  Word of mouth

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I am getting married at Franklin Plaza in Troy, NY this September.  I am trying to figure out hair and make-up for myself and my bridesmaids.  My bridesmaids will be paying for their own hair and make-up.  I asked if they wanted to get one or both done and they all agreed that they wanted to get everything done together on-site and make it a girls morning.  

So, we have two options:

#1 One of my bridesmaids cousin and step-mother are hair stylists and offered to do our hair on-site for $35-$45 per person. 

#2 Find a salon to have come to our hotel.  
- Timeless Up- dos:  Charges $65 per bridesmaid and $90 for the bride. This is $30 more per bridesmaid and $45 more (twice the price for me).  
- Shapes and Colors quoted $75 per person (cheaper for me than the first salon, but more expensive for the bridesmaids).

At first, I thought it would take longer to have my bridemaids step-mother and cousin to do everyones hair with just two of them, but then I found out that it takes about the same amount of time to have it done by people coming in from a salon.

Pricewise, the choice is an obvious one.  However, I have one concern with option #1.  As far as make-up and hair goes am do I need a professional for the day of - someone with experience specifically in bridal hair/make-up?

Anyone with any experience at all I would greatly appreciate your help.  Also if you are specifically from the Troy/Albany area do you have any salon recommendations?  I know of Rumors, Make Me Fabulous, etc., but I don't think I can justify spending that much money on hair and make-up for one day.

Venue Comparison Chart

Below is a link to the chart that I created to compare my venues.  It is two pages long and I left enough space to compare up to 6 venues.  Feel free to download it (it is on Scribt.com).
Venue Comparison Chart

Bridal Extravaganza/Wedding Bands

We went to the Bridal Extravaganza today at the mall and looked briefly at wedding bands.  For the first time since we had been engaged, it actually hit me - we are getting married.  Looking at the bands and talking about the ceremony made everything seem real.  I was instantly overwhelmed with nervousness and excitement!

When was that moment for you?

P.S. In regards to the bands, Dave is considering a simple solid gold band and I am looking white-gold contour band.

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