Post # 1
Member
222 posts
Helper bee
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!
Post # 3
Member
4385 posts
Honey bee
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?
Post # 4
Member
4566 posts
Honey bee
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!
Post # 5
Member
4385 posts
Honey bee
oh and i totally forgot to say congrats!!! so exciting 🙂
Post # 6
Member
1045 posts
Bumble bee
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!
Post # 7
Member
28 posts
Newbee
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.)?
Post # 8
Member
204 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: July 2010 - Catholic Ceremony, Cultural Hall Reception
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 😛
Post # 9
Member
7081 posts
Busy Beekeeper
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!
Post # 10
Member
433 posts
Helper bee
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! 🙂
Post # 11
Member
222 posts
Helper bee
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 Fiance 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!
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