Wedding Transport

I don't know about other brides to be, but organising wedding transport was something that I left my other half to arrange. To be honest I know nothing about cars, and it was really one less thing I had to deal with...or so I thought!

Transport can be as simple as decorating cars that your friends and family are willing to offer, or as unique as a horse and cart. For me, I really didn't care as long as I could get in and out of it with ease, and it wasn't causing any one too much hassle. We had a number of offers of people who were willing to drive us in either their cars or cars that we were to hire - but the more I thought about this idea the more I didn't like it. Yes, hiring two cars is a hell of a lot cheaper than a stretch limo, but I wasn't into the fact that 2 of our guests were stuck doing the dirty work. I am also a "worrier". I don't like that fact that we are departing on our honeymoon the day after the wedding, and these guys are stuck returning hire cars, trying not to get into an accident or denting the paintwork. So after multiple discussions and I must say an argument of two with the other half, we decided that the hire car option was just not going to work.

So a few tips when looking into wedding transport:

• The type of transport must be easy for you to get in and out of in your dress/shoes.
• If you are using a professional, ensure they are registered with the Department of Transport (they will have some sort of certificate).
• Book well ahead.
• Ensure your driver has directions to the venue/s.
• Do they throw in extras like car ribbon and champagne????

With these tips in mind, my partner and I decided to get a whole bunch of quotes for stretch limousines. We decided that we weren't going to do the traditional "wedding procession" i.e my Dad and I travelling separately from my bridesmaids and mum. Instead we are all going to travel together in the one car. This keeps the costs down, and means we all get to hang out with each other on the way to the wedding!

In the end we booked a 7 seat stretch limo-I also got them to throw in car ribbon and any other flowers or decorations we wanted, plus complementary champagne!

Invitations have been sent!

Just a very brief blog for all of those interested. Invitations have now been put in the mail!!! If you're expecting an invite, keep an eye on the post!! ;) On another brief note the boys suits have also been chosen, they both look amazing. The suits are black, and the vests are defiantly not the colour I had in mind, but look fantastic...you'll have to wait until the wedding to see the colour! Something I have learned through this whole wedding planning process - Most of the time the stuff you end up with, is not what you had in mind at all! X

Love...

I just wanted to share with you all my bargain of the week! Last week I found out that our wedding venue unfortunately had only 1 option for decorations on the bridal table - candelabras (which I really dislike - no offence!)!!!! This got me thinking...what else could I use to decorate each end of the bridal table???

A few thoughts were thrown around like glass vases filled with various things, pillar candles, more flowers etc. To be honest I didn't really have anything in particular in mind, so I kinda stopped thinking about it...slack I know.

Now back to the point. My partner and I had to go to Kmart for a completely different reason and I managed to "stroll" down one of the manchester isles, and hidden at the bottom of the shelf were these awesome, I guess you would call them sculptures.......anyways, check them out for yourself. They were only $15 each! So I grabbed 2....PERFECT!

We now enter....double digits!

For those who are interested, today is a very important day. The countdown is now into double digits. 99 days until the big day!!! It looks like it will be all downhill from here. I am taking the boys suit shopping on Saturday which will definitely be interesting ;) This week I have focused on trying to sort out what we are doing about wedding transportation (which has now been sorted) and I will fill you in on all the details in a future blog. Friday night my Bridesmaids and Mum are coming round to prepare the invitations for posting early next week. Lots of stuff keeping me busy at the moment! X

You Paid What??!?

Being an avid Bridal Magazine reader, I decided to grab a Cosmo Bride Magazine for a bit of a change of scene...lets just say this magazine is definitely not for me, the budget conscious bride.

Where to begin...wait...how about the Sydney couple who spent $150,000 on their wedding! Yes...you read it right....that's $150,000 on a wedding, and I am not kidding. Let's put it into perspective here - the Brides "sheer silk -organza bodice, with beaded, french-lace overlay and scrunched, dupion-silk, full skirt gown" cost approximately $20,000. Clearly it cost so much that she couldn't remember the actual cost of the gown!! The cost of the above mentioned gown is double the cost of our whole entire wedding-seriously what is that all about?!??

After being completely outraged at the idea of spending this much on a wedding, I decided to do a quick count of the "Real Weddings" published in the magazine. Of the 16 "Real Weddings" featured in the magazine, 3 of the couples spent less than $20,000. As far as I am concerned, the weddings published in this magazine are not "Real", they may be real people, but I think they have forgotten what the real meaning of marriage is all about. It's not a race down the aisle to see how much said people above can spend on materialistic items, that will no doubt be worn/seen once. It's about you and your soul mate, finally coming together as one, in the company of your closest family and friends. You certainly don't need to spend $150,000 to achieve that! Of course, this is merely my own opinion.

I guess on a final note : Marriage doesn't have to cost a cent (and if you can do it for that - good on you!), but being married will definitely make you feel rich!

Flowers and Fiddily Things!!!

So yesterday was a pretty busy day. I started the day with a trip to visit the florist who will be doing the wedding flowers. It seems after the appointment I still really have no idea which way to go. I have two designs that I really like, it's just a matter of choosing one. Both of them contain cream and baby pink roses, which is what I wanted from the start. The designs are slight different as are the flowers that go with the roses. I will keep you posted on which design I choose! Following the appointment with the florist we headed to "The Glen". We had a meeting with the Wedding Coordinator to go through things like our colour choices for chair covers and sashes ect, menus, and table decorations. It seems like everything is finally falling into place..not long to go now!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, the rain in QLD at the moment is insane. After hearing the news last night- it looks like the rain is here to stay! The long range forecast has said this weather ain't clearing up till Winter! I guess at this point alarm bells started ringing in my head!! But then I got to thinking......yes....it does rain on your wedding days sometimes.

I guess the most important thing to keep in mind- no matter what Mother Nature throws at you is why you are there. You are marrying the man of your dreams (hopefully!), you are surrounded by your family and friends and of course don't forget the amazing dress you have on.

I spent a few minutes doing a bit of research on being prepared for a rainy wedding!

• Umbrellas- not only do they stop you from getting wet, they will also make for some stunning photographs! If it looks like rain a few days out, try colour coordinating them to the theme of your wedding.


• Appropriate Footwear - If your wedding is outdoors, or you intend on venturing out during the rain- heels and wet grass/mud do not work. Invest in a spare pare of covered in flats (it doesn't matter what they look like, no one will see them under your dress!) This will ensure your heels don't get ruined. It doesn't hurt for you and your bridesmaids to pack a spare pair just in case your wedding shoes get ruined - remember you will have to wear them for the rest of the day/night. Alternatively you could try;


• Gumboots - What a great way to get some cute photos- also practical!


• Never underestimate the power of a Shower Cap - Yes, it may look ridiculous, but a shower cap will stop your hair from getting wrecked. Try to ensure it isn't too tight.


• Water Spots - Try not to stress if you get water drops on your dress - they shouldn't show up in your photographs.


• Outdoor Ceremonies - If any part of your wedding including the photos are to be outside, ensure you are just as happy with the wet weather alternatives supplied by your venue. It could also be a good idea to invest in some umbrellas for your guests if your budget permits.

Last but not least, please ensure you bring your sense of humour. This is a must have rain, hail or shine! Nothing should 'dampen' your spirits. Remember-your wedding day will be what you make it regardless of the weather! X

Fake Bake....Part 2

For those of you who are interested, I think I have finally come to a decision in regards to the fake tan. After a LOT of backwards and forwards and many a discussions with the people close to me, I have decided against getting the fake tan. Why might you ask? In the end....it is not who I am. I don't want to look at my wedding photos in 30 years time and say what the hell was I thinking??? My partner loves me for who I am, and on the day, that is who I am going to be!!!!

Little Beauty!

This isn't exactly wedding related, by the MOR Cosmetics range has some awesome looking products that I can't wait to try. These would make the perfect gifts for Maids of Honour and Bridesmaids! Your can purchase directly from the website, or find a stockist in your area. Enjoy! X

Queensland Wedding and Bride

Just a quick post to share something very cool with you. Anyone who has even glanced sideways at a Bridal Magazine will know that they are not very wallet friendly! In my travels recently I came across a fantastic magazine that is extreamly well priced. The Queensland Wedding and Bride Magazine is 800 + pages packed full of great editorials, helpful articles, tips and pictures. The best part is that for all of this inspiration, you only pay $6.95. What a bargain! They also publish issues for Sydney and Melbourne. Happy reading! X

Brunette's have more fun??

So the time has come for me to finally do something with my hair. Before I got engaged, I had cut all of my hair off, I was so tired of maintaining it and wanted something simple and easy. For the past 14 months I have been trying to grow my hair like crazy, and being budget conscious, I cannot even remember the last time I got my hair professionally cut. In fact I was so desperate I got my lovely Mummy to chop the dead ends off!! I don't know about the rest of you, but I have had some bad experiences with hairdressers in the past. When you tell them to take a small amount off the bottom, commonly known as a trim, you come out with half your hair missing?!? In my haste to avoid this happening, I have avoided the hairdresser altogether!

Normally in winter, I seem to have the tradition of going a darker colour too, and having a lack of funds to treat myself at the hairdresser, I turned to good ol' packet hair colours (which have most definitely done the job for the past 6 months!)

It is now imperative for me to get my ass to the hairdresser, but I have come up against yet another dilemma- do I stick with the dark hair, or do I go lighter?? Foils mean a lot of maintenance, but do I just want one boring colour? So many questions need answering and it sucks when you seem to be happy with both the options. I am now turning to my blog followers and Facebook friends to help me make the choice!! Happy to accept any advice at this point....

Fake Bake....

OK, so here's this thing. I need a little help. For a long time now, I have been very anti fake tan. I have always been very critical of those over orange girls who use far too much fake tan. Being extremely pale to the point that I reflect sunlight, I have steered clear of fake tans, but with the wedding coming up, I have been trying a few spray on tans. I must admit, I do like the tans a lot, but have received some positive, and some...errrr...not so positive feedback. It is making the choice quite difficult to make as I am torn both ways.

Being pale and wearing an ivory coloured dress I feel that I will be far too washed out with my normally pale skin. But with that said, I don't want to look like an oompa loompa in my wedding photos. The latest tan I have tried has been "light" and it definately looks much better than the "medium" one I got back in November.

So...I am seeking comments from anyone that is interest. Do I go with the fake tan or not?? I really need some advice here because I don't think I can make it on my own. The photo above is with fake tan, the photo to the left is without the tan. Let me hear it....!!!