Planning a Destination Wedding...

When my fiance and I started planning our destination wedding in 2011, the amount of support and 'Oh yes we will be there' responses was somewhat overwhelming. 

Had we have known that 90% of those people would end up pulling out after our plans were contracted, I think our wedding would have been a completely different affair - it's safe to say that we possibly would have just eloped - and told people if they wanted to be there that we'd give them the information.

We know it is damned expensive to take a trip overseas. We know all too well.  We did not expect any of our friends or family to go into great debt to come to our wedding - which is why we gave pretty much two years notice with our save the dates, had a very detailed wedding website with options for all budgets and we both vowed that whoever came across to Canada to celebrate our special day, would be well taken care of. 

It is extremely discouraging that as our date gets closer - as contracts are paid for etc, that more and more people who were solidified in the beginning, are now not attending. When you have things like a minimum spend of $4000 on food and beverage at your reception venue, and it only looks like you're going to have a very small number of attendees - it can be somewhat frustrating, to the point of why are we even bothering?

We're bothering because we want to get married in this place. We both love it. We are super excited that we even have the numbers coming along that we do - it's just, had we have known so many people were going to pull out - we would have made other arrangements I think.

New Year. 2013. What's in store?

Haven't blogged since Mid December. Doesn't mean that I've been sitting around doing nothing. Quite the opposite! Christmas and New Year was a flutter activity, and I'm now back at work.

Very excited to take on a new role in 2013 (because I haven't got enough on my plate, I thought I'd challenge myself further!!).

I'm very excited to write that I have been appointed features editor for the amazing Moviehole.Net - one of Australia's longest running, and most popular, movie and entertainment websites. This role is going to be exciting, and challenging. I've already been assigned an article that I've been working hard on. A topic that is very well known by me personally, so it is going to be possibly the toughest assignment of my life (being that I will be the most critical). That being said, I am thrilled to be working for someone that I am so thankful I can call a friend. CM. He is one who truly strives to take any situation to the next level. He is someone that I draw a lot of inspiration from, and I am excited to see what this role has in store for me.

In other news, we spent a week at Tamborine Mountain, camping with some of our friends and getting out of our heads to ring in the new year. I took a lot of photos, including our friends saddling up and going on a horse ride. I am yet to have a chance to even look at them on my computer, but I will put some of those up soon.

My sister and her fiance are here until the end of the month. We have their engagement party this weekend! I am thrilled to be asked to be her maid of honour.

'Limited Edition' Wristbands for SA-YES are still coming... although they seem to be somewhat held up by a customs issue. Dealing with that. Hoping to have information for everyone shortly about that.

The wedding planning is still coming along. Official invites will be put into photoshop and printed within the month. Must start bringing things forward that I have had on the backburner for some time.

I hope to attend many more Buddhist classes throughout the year.

And finally, really hoping that 20th Century Fox greenlight X-Files 3 sometime soon.

Dreams do come true

Months ago I put out a tweet with a bit of a dream.

Today, I saw my dream as a reality.

I cried.

Okay. So. Yeah.

Our contract arrived this morning for our ceremony venue. Cue me hyperventilating. A little.

Do you know what has made me reach for a paper bag this morning? One teeny tiny word on the contract.

Bride. 

I've also had a bunch of people email me or text me saying 'Where is our Save The Date?' - Honestly guys, yes we realise that we need to give you a little bit of notice... but at the same time, please just chill out a little bit, and let me get them made and sent out.

We are not paying people to make our invitations. Putting them together while trying to work full time and plan all the other details is rather time consuming. I appreciate your patience, and your enthusiasm, but please just let me get them together. You will have them. Hopefully by the end of October at the latest.

Why are they taking so long? There are a lot of elements to the invite that need to be put together.

I also realise that this is may come across as a little bit Bridezilla. I promise it is not. It is just the reality of the event setting in - and so many questions being posed by so many people who may not even be necessarily involved with our day.

I consider myself a very lucky girl.

The ceremony venue we want for the wedding is available, and looks like it will be ours.

For the right price of course, but that's just money. It's the reason we work. Right?

I am so excited.

Also, this time next month, my mum and sister will have visited a very special vintage store in London and will have their hands on my dream dress.

I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Slapped in the face by reality today.

Got a few facebook messages from my friends on the opposite side of the world, saying that they are starting to receive their Save The Date cards.

Watching the days tick by. 9 whole months have passed since C and I started on this planning adventure.

Realising that while we have made a lot of decisions, we haven't actually set anything in stone. We have a maybe for the venue, we have a maybe for our celebrant, we have a maybe for our reception. The only actual thing that is set in stone is my dress - and I know this because the appointment has been set to go and collect it. At least this is something. And I am SO excited about this something.

Oh, and the date. We have set the date.

How expensive are wedding accessories?! My dress is cheap by comparison. I cannot believe it. $300 for a bouquet, $250 for a headband, $250 for a necklace? Just WHAT!? The moment you attach wedding the cost of everything goes up by an exuberant amount.

Shoes. I thought I found what shoes I want. I need to get my dress home so I can go shopping for those fun things like shoes and accessories. I will find what I like, and then go on the hunt for something that is at least half the price.

Except for maybe the bouquet - that brooch bouquet is just stunning.

After going through dozens of wedding celebrants - we thought we had picked our man. We sent the request off, and low and behold, he wasn't available.

Which sucks, because this was something that C and I finally agreed on.

Lucky for us, our company that we have decided to use has provided an amazing alternative - and upon watching his videos, think that he may even be a better match for us.

Yay.

Isn't it funny how things work out?

Have also made contact with our ceremony location and it seems to be available. For a price, of course. But hey, if you want to make those dreams happen - you have to pay the price.

I have even managed to convince C about the reception venue! How that happened I have no idea. But it happened.

I am happy with how the planning is going so far.

Save the dates are slowly going out. I decided to make these myself... and because they are so detailed... they take time to put together. These are the choices we make to save money. However I love how they have turned out. We are in the process of hand delivering them to people close to us, and mailing the rest. Exciting times ahead!

I am the master of my hot glue gun....

Have learned that my gorgeous wedding dress is from circa 1960. Very excited to have it in my hands soon! The appointment has been set!!!

Also all of my bridal party will be here in December. This is amazing. Bring on shopping expeditions and long lunches!

I am so excited about my new camera.

The photo that it's taken for our 'Save the Date' is just fantastic.

Obviously the date is not shown here because I'm not ready to announce it to the world just yet, but I LOVE the photo. Taken down at the BGS Boat Shed on the Brisbane River, the focus on the 'date' with us slightly blurred. Just love it. I'm so happy with how the vision became reality.

The moment you attach 'Wedding' to anything, expect to pay more.

This is something that many of my friends who have been married have expressed to me.

I didn't realise just how much more though.

I have found a venue in Whistler that to me, is nothing short of perfection. It's gorgeous, it's intimate, it's warm, it's the right colour scheme. All important things to a Bride planning their special day. However, it comes at a cost. $1600 just to rent the space. Oh - and if you don't have a wedding planner in place, don't even bother applying.

That's a bit rich isn't it? Especially since all I need to "plan" is around 20 candles, a music track for walking down the aisle, a celebrant (which we have already picked), some chairs, and a signing table.

How did I go from wanting a really small intimate wedding in an outdoor location, taking advantage of Whistler's amazing scenery, to wanting pretty much what is commonly refered to as the 'high end' scale of Wedding Ceremony? It is after all, something that is going to be over in about 15 minutes.

I think I need to get my priorities in order. I also think I need to start seeking out alternative locations, but that are in a similar style/space.

Let the fun begin.

In a very quick and informal post - I got an email on my 30th birthday on my way to the convention about my Wedding Dress.

It looks like dreams do come true.

[ Life ] Busy, but loving it!

Approaching June 2012. The month I've been counting down to.

There is so much coming up.

Work is approaching end of financial year (so it's going to be crazy busy, which is a good thing!) - The 'Born This Way' Ball is happening on June 13th (cannot wait to see Lady Gaga again!) - My 30th Birthday Party 'Back to the 90s' is happening on June 23rd - and then last but not least, on June 30th I will attend OzComicCon in Melbourne, and finally get to meet 'Walter Skinner' himself, Mr Mitch Pileggi.

'American Flag' Costume is what I'm wearing to The BTW Ball!

My gorgeous dress for the MP Dinner (OzComCon)

Throughout July, I will be concentrating on work with PAYG summaries and rate changes coming out of my butt. But at least it all gets done, and then the year can progress (with Wedding Planning!!!). I'm hoping to hear back from the Whistler council hopefully by the end of the week. Then after 6 long months I will finally have set the date for our special day. I envision everything in my head, but since I'm not physically on the ground in Whistler until the beginning of January 2014, I'm going to have to employ a wedding planning service I think. People who know me, will know that this is going to be very hard for me to hand the reigns over to someone else... but it's what has to be done.

Also still waiting patiently to see if my dream dress  is going to be a reality. : )

[ Wedding ] Whoops!

I vowed I wouldn't do this. But my gorgeous bridesmaid Naomi gave me a magazine with a great planner/checklist in it.

Never say never.