[Labhaoise]

Okay so my sister-in-law-to-be has asked me to help her with planning things, and I am trying so hard to not call her every 5mins and ask her about something The wedding is in November this year, so we don't really have that much time and would really appreciate any advice or suggestions or hints. I really want my brother and his fiancee to have the best day ever.

So, I have a couple of questions;
1. Did you walk down the aisle to the traditional bridal march or something else? If it was something else, can you remember what it was?
2. Is it necessary to send out wedding announcements as well as invites? Or are they the same thing?
3. Is there anything that you wish you had done for your wedding that you didn't?
4. Have you seen anything that particularly stood out to you at someone elses wedding (or at your own) that was different but still nice?
5. Is there anything that's not really necessary, but that people still do?

I think that's all for now... I'll probably have more questions over time

Thanks for your help!

[angelic_ky]

9 months is an ok time frame for planning a wedding (despite being engage for 18 months i actually didn't do any plans til 9 mths before the date)

the song is really upto the couple... we use "from this moment" by Shania Twain... usually the celebrant or religious personage wants a couple of songs (for the signing etc)

i only did invites but i did verbal tell ppl months before hand when the wedding would be (basically the announcement is so ppl don't make other plans on that day)

just note that she will have to log a notice of marriage 1month and 1 day before the wedding (usually the celebrant or religious personage does that)... Penrith Panthers do a bridal expo in June/july but she would probably have most things done by then... right now she needs to worry about choosing where she wants the wedding and ceremony and book them before they are booked out for her date... if i can find it i will send you the wedding planner i made using excel (i think it's on my PC but that is broken atm... i might have it on my website or on my usb tho)

[angelic_ky]

i found it... i can send it to you by email if you want it

[Labhaoise]

that would be great Kylie!Do you want me to pm you my email, or its on my fb profile.

Thanks so much, I was hoping you would reply since I know you live around the same area I do.. thanks again. Oh where did you have your reception? the bride had an idea, but they've changed management and she doesnt like the look of it now.

[angelic_ky]

was married at nurragingy and had the reception at blacktown workers

Harts often have wedding dresses for a reasonable price and there was (not sure if it's still there) a little bridal shop near Penrith TAFE

i sent the email

[QueenAngie]

Aren't weddings exciting!

We're all very happy for you!

What about a bridal shower?

[AussieD]

Cabramatta and Parramatta are other good places for wedding dresses and bridesmaids etc. And Parrmatta Rd Leichhart has a number of places that make dresses and have samples.I've today posted a blog with a couple of suggestions on it re guest list, cake and bridesmaids. http://marriage.families.com/blog/pl...s-to-consider. Will post some more shortly.

[angelic_ky]

i got my dress from diamond collection in wetherill park (Toohey Road) there's a few bride and formal shops there plus the bridal factory is about 5 mins up from there

there was a couple shops in blacktown (not sure if they are still there with all the changes they made to Westpoint)

Myer does male formal hirer and you can buy flower girl dresses and boy's suits (have to buy the piece separate tho)

[mommy2067]

How exciting...lots of work but for the most part fun work!! We had a butterfly theme for our wedding..."spring, new beginnings"...my bridesmaids walked down the aisle to "Butterfly" (by Lenny Kravitz) which was performed by our musician/friend..he sang and played guitar (for all our songs) before, during and as we left the church...I walked down the aisle to "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" (Rod Stewart)..during the signing of the register etc he sang "Longer Than" (Dan Fogelberg) and then we left the church to "How Sweet it Is (to be loved by You)" (James Taylor)...

We had a late evening wedding so we didn't do a sit down dinner we had a buffet of appetizers/desserts etc...We served complimentary wine/pop throughout the night and charged a nominal fee for beer and coolers...(didn't have mixed drinks)...

Our centre pieces were fish bowls with coloured stones in them and we got these battery operated tealights that we secured in the bottom and then filled with water..floated a flower on top..and scattered fake blossoms around the outside that were our colour scheme...very pretty and simple...

Several of our friends had kids so I had a little table set up for them to do X-words, word searches, colouring sheets etc...all butterfly or wedding themed...they each got a special goodie bag too at the end of the night...

We had individual disposable cameras on all the tables...which were great but some ppl didn't use their flash so some pics didn't turn out when the lights in the hall got turned down..(we actually used the hall attached to the church)

Our take away/ thank you gift for our guests were a bookmark with a poem on it and chocolate joined hearts...both of which I had made but then my girls and I got together and wrapped the chocolates and cut out the laminated bookmarks...

We had a friend of my sister do pics and I should've given her more direction about what pics I wanted...but just wasn't thinking at the time...also would've made sure everybody knew they could come with us to where we were doing pics b/c some extended family didn't realize and weren't there...

WOW..didn't think I was going to write as much as I did....

[Labhaoise]

Thankyou sooo much everyone for your suggestions!!! I work in Parramatta, so I see all the bridal shops and now I have an excuse to have a lookie

Heather, your wedding sounds beautiful! Heidi (sil-2-be) mentioned something about a cake she saw that had butterflies on it that she liked, so there may be butterflies included. I actually found a photo checklist online-- some of the shots suggested on it are kinda crazy IMO but I guess that might be different for the couple.

Thanks again for all your help, I really appreciate it!