Intimate Boston wedding?
more by BostonBrideToBe
No older images
A couple of blessings...
more in Beehive
What's the most important element of your wedding?
Selfish Brides?
more in Boards
is it "bridey"?  What do you think?

Advice for a long engagement?

posted 2 years ago in Beehive
  •  
    1.
    Member Icon
    Member
    230 posts
    Helper bee
    BostonBrideToBe    September 5, 2010   Boston, MA

    Hello hive!

    My wonderful boyfriend fiance proposed last night, so I am officially now engaged!  We have discussed our future wedding at length over our relationship, so I know that we both would like a long engagement (for a myriad of reasons) and to get married in the spring of 2011 (about 18 months away).  My only problem with our agenda is that I LOVE to plan, but it feels like there's nothing I can do at this far distance from our wedding.  Added to this is our desire for an intimate wedding of about 20 - 30 people, which means that a lot of the logistics will be easier to work out closer to the date.  If we were planning a larger shindig, 18 months would be ideal... but for 25 guests, this is not really necessary.  So what on Earth can a bride-to-be do for a tiny wedding, 18 months ahead of time?

    Any advice for what can keep me busy for a while?  Thanks in advance!

     
    2.
    Member
    4,510 posts
    Honey bee
    OttawaBride2011    May 21, 2011   Ottawa, Ontario

    i am getting married in may 2011 as well. we're having about 60 guests and doing a restaurant reception. so far we have booked the room in the restaurant, booked a photographer, and i've bought my dress.

    do you know what kind of reception venue you want? if you're looking into restaurants, it could pay to book early. i was able to get 2009 pricing!!! that's true for my photographer as well :)

    there is some stuff you can do 18 months out, even for a small wedding! have you considered color schemes?

     
    3.
    Member Icon
    Member
    6,442 posts
    Bee Keeper
    KMSull    August 7, 2010   Lexington, KY (via Atlanta, GA)

    Congrats! That's really exciting. I'm having a super short engagement (5 months) so I'm afraid I'm not any help! Good luck though!

     
    4.
    Member
    4,510 posts
    Honey bee
    OttawaBride2011    May 21, 2011   Ottawa, Ontario

    oh and i totally forgot to say congrats!!! so exciting :)

     
    5.
    Member
    1,176 posts
    Bumble bee
    jhphi    January 1, 2008  

    You can do tons of stuff this far out-- venue research, photog research, invitation research... research it up!  We had a 16 month engagement, and it was so nice to have time to relax, and not be rushed with decisions.  Just take a couple of months to enjoy being newly engaged-- browse around some wedding blogs, and start thinking about what style you want for the party!

     
    6.
    Member
    28 posts
    Newbee
    FirstLady2B    August 6, 2011   Indiana

    I can definitely feel you on the LONG engagement issue..I got engaged November of 2008..and we probably wont be married till around July 2010..so it will be almost a two year long engagement! I think the thing that has keep my busy is school..but I can't stop thinking about wedding plans! Is there any DIY projects that you plan on working on?? I know I have honestly just been looking at a whole lot of pictures and getting tons of ideas so that I can figure out exactly what I want when ACTUAL wedding planning comes around! (We haven't started planning because of financial issues..but we are trusting GOD!) Have you made a list of all your ideas (colors..venue..dress..etc.)?

     

     
    7.
    Bee Icon
    Bee
    1,183 posts
    Bumble bee
    pudding      

    I got engaged in August 2008, and am getting married in July 2010, so our engagement is a lot longer than yours!  Enjoy this time - spend time looking for wedding inspiration online, and go dress shopping with anyone who's willing to go with you!  The months will fly by, trust me, and before you know it, you will be stressed because you are so far behind :P

     
    8.
    Hostess
    8,491 posts
    Bumble
    Beekeeper
    Mrs. DG    July 18, 2009   Seattle/Tahoe

    Congratulations!  We too had a long engagement, so I know how you feel.  I spent a long time trying to gather inspiration for what we want the look and feel of our wedding to be.  It was important because I didn't want to book a venue or photographer or anything else until I nailed down the vibe.

    By doing all the upfront inspiration work (which costs nothing and really only required a computer and imagination), I think we saved a lot of cash... because our venue already reflected the vibe, it didn't need over the top decoration.  We didn't get things and then change our mind, and we found a photographer who excelled in our type of venue.

    Best of luck and have fun planning!

     
    9.
    Member Icon
    427 posts
    Helper bee
    mmm31911    May 14, 2011  

    CONGRATS! We got engaged in August and are getting married in March 2011, so I feel your pain! The best advice I can give is to ease your desire to plan by researching. I change my mind a ton so it helps to have all of this time to find out EXACTLY what you want. I have already changed my mind and found things I've liked better just by researching! I stay occupied with looking at all of my dress options, taking weekend trips with my mom to try on the various ones I pick out as well as touring many venues around our area! It is hard to think how far away everything is, but it will be here before you know it & you have all the time in the world to prepare! I would just research and not set anything in stone until you know for a fact it is what you want and that you have looked into all possibilities. That way, on your big day, you won't be able to think of a single thing you would want different because you had so much time to do it already! Good luck girl & congrats again! :)

     
    10.
    Member Icon
    Member
    230 posts
    Helper bee
    BostonBrideToBe    September 5, 2010   Boston, MA

    Thanks to everyone for all the great advice and for the congrats!  It's kind of surreal still!

    @OttowaBride -- I'm so impressed that you have so much done!  That's amazing!  I worry that with a tiny guest list like mine, 18 months is still too early even though we want a restaurant reception, but you've intrigued me to start looking.  I think I may be pleasantly surprised if I get started now.

    @Mrs. DG -- I love the idea that if we research enough in advance, the venue's vibe could do a lot of the work for us, that's brilliant!

    All of your points definitely make me feel better to be reminded of what I can work on.  I think I might need to run out for a magazine or two (and to burn off some excited energy. I'm driving my FI nuts!).  I'm going to be a very DIY bride (both for financial and personal taste reasons), so there must be projects that I can start working on graphics-wise at least.  It'll be so much fun to have all this time to work on all the details!

    Thanks again everyone!

     

    Reply

    You must log in to post.





    Visit our sister sites eHarmony
    Online Dating
    eHarmony Advice
    Dating Advice
    Project Wedding
    Wedding Songs
    JustMommies
    Pregnancy Calendar
    Copyright 2004-2012, Weddingbee.com
     

    Find your vendors on Weddingbee

    Real reviews from brides in your area!

    Favors by Weddingbee

    • Favors by season

    Shop Now ยป

    Find Registry Find Registry Find Registry

    More
    User Posts Today
    ellisrobertson 23
    MsPanda 14
    aduarte3201 14
    pengoala 11
    ShellVee 10
    ladyartichoke 10
    ndreighton 10
    londonchick 9
    likelimeade 8
    londonpeach84 8

    Beehive

    User Posts Today
    ellisrobertson 9
    KimKimmieKim 7
    londonchick 4
    pengoala 3
    londonpeach84 3
    dlujan 3
    BearcatBetch 3
    julies1949 2
    zippylef 2
    Leahhh 2
    More