5 weeks till my DIY wedding, what have I forgotten, please fire questions at me to help me get organised!

[overmydeadbody]

The main things are done: registrar booked, promises written, rings ready, so everything else is a bonus, but I just feel all over the place and cannot seem to get an organised head on making sure we have thought of everything!

What do I need to do, check, book, organise now to make sure the day runs smoothly? It is a small DIY wedding, and I am happy to make things if need be!

Help please!

We had a DIY wedding. Although it was in a church.

This is what we did/had:

Booked the wedding with the church/priest (so, the same as you booking the registrar)

The legal bit at the registrars office (can't really remember but I think we needed birth certificates?)

Organist (church wedding, see)

Suit and shoes for him, dress and shoes and hair thing for me (I didn't wear a veil! I had long curly red hair right down to my arse! no way was that going to be tamed). His suit was m&S, my dress was from pronuptia, off the peg but had to be altered to fit (was way too big). It was an ex demo model, but cleaning etc was included in the cost (£300). It was perfect - very plain white satin, not a hint of Xmas cake about it. Not a hint of lace or anything frilly.

Flowers - local florist delivered the basic package to the church

Bridesmaids dresses - we bought them with the grown up bridesmaid (my sister) and DH's sister (mother of his 4 year old niece, who was the flower girl) from somewhere like Laura Ashley or monsoon.

Venue for reception - local labour club - we decorated it with balloons bunting etc the night before.

Music - friend's hi Fi. I did the tapes.

Food - local vegan caterers, they did the wedding cake too. And the drinks.

Invitations - WH Smiths

Photographer - local person, basic package (no video)

Whole thing came in well under £1.5k - possibly under £1k actually.

We had 45 guests. It was fab.

Sounds fantastic Herc, and a similar feel to ours actually!

You talk about DS possibly getting bored... Is there going to be anyone else there of his age? Any chance his best friend could come / sleep over in his room so he's got company?

if you're just renting the space, do you need to do all the preparing, decorating, tidying, cleaning? All of that might need a fair bit of equipment, materials, etc.

Have you got the cleaning up sorted?

We don't need to do a deep clean, but we will need to clear up and take down all the decoratins, pack up everything we have brought with us etc.

The venue will sleep all of our guests, so we have asked any guests staying that they do so on the presumption that they will help out on Sunday with clearing everythign up, and once it is all cleared up there will b a nice breakfast for everyone!

We're hoping everyone will all pull together, but we will allocate certain relaiable people responsibility for overseeing certain parts of the clear up. We both have big families who will muck in and get it done, it happens at all big family gatherings so this should be no different really.

No chance of DS bringing a friend really, it's miles away from where we live and would be really hard to get a child there and back without his parents, and we can't invite any more people as the venue has a maximum capacity which we are up to.

Have you worked backwards in time from ceremony start to make sure what time everything is needed on the morning happens? For example

Wedding 2pm
Leave for venue 1:30
Last photos at house 1pm
Flowers arrive & lunch 1230
Photographer 11am
Bridesmaids /bride mother 11am
Nails hair makeup (2hrs) 1030

Could you arrange for flowers to be taken to local residential home for elderly or somewhere other folk could enjoy them?

Someone to take the guest book round and get it mentioned in someone's speech. I forgot so hardly anyone signed ours.
If your having an evening buffet or canapés get someone to do a plate for you otherwise you might not get any.
Don't forget to enjoy your day and spend time together.

A list of the key photos you want your photographer to take.
A manicure (your hands will be on show A LOT!)
I had a bag with lipstick and tissues that I kept nearby.
Tights or stockings?
Gifts or tokens for both mothers?
Seating plan?
Knife for cutting the cake (my venue didn't have one).
Activity packs to entertain any kids during the meal.
We gave my DD(6) an old digital camera on the wedding day, she had a great time taking hundreds of snaps and some of them are more candid and funny than the professional ones.
If you're having your hair done in the morning, remember to wear something that won't need taking off over your head.
Find out when your caterer needs final numbers.
Who's going to return all the hired equipment? When does it have to be taken back by?

Thank you pips and thehouseatpoohcorner, good things to remember.

I have written all of these down as a checklist to go through.

I wore this the following day with jeans. I don't know if you can make out prints but it's diamond rings. A few guests commented on it "ah is that your Mrs blouse" :)

All sounds great!

Remember to relax and enjoy, I spent to much time trying to talk to people than dancing and enjoying myself.