What have I forgotten?

[MrsWembley]

I'm in the middle of sorting it, MiL (to be) is round for lunch on Sunday and the last time she and I were talking about it, I felt so unprepared!

But she does have that effect on me...

So I want to be prepared. I have a notebook ready and waiting for the list of things I've already thought about and have already done, but I just know that she'll ask about something that I'll have missed. So, have I missed something.

Venue - done, given them timings, etc.
Food - sorted, venue providing specific menu
Cake - friend doing top layer, rest needs ordering from Patisserie Valerie (assuming they don't go bust!)
Dress - on order
Bridesmaids - got, need to sort out dresses
Photographer - being done by a friend - need to discuss actual shots wanted;
Hair - being done by a friend - need to discuss style and price for bridesmaids
Flowers - she said she'd do the tables, but I need to find a florist for the bouquet/buttonholes
Music - I'm putting a playlist together so we can save on a DJ (I hope, this may change...)
Cars - haven't thought about this, but DP mentioned it the other day. I was just going to sort out a taxi Have I mentioned I'm trying to cut costs?

Oh god, this looks far too short a list!

Getting DP's grandmother's ring. Don't know what he's going to do...

Getting shoes from here - www.irregularchoice.com

Aw really DP? A video is such a nice thing to have. I'd keep pushing for that one personally.

I love Irregular Choice shoes - great decision!
I booked a taxi for transport of us to the reception (in nice position of being able to walk with all my girls to the church) - I went to a local taxi rank that happened to consist of London cabs... that were all white! The driver I spoke to said it would cost £40 and he had ribbons he could supply. For our guests we got a Routemaster.
Favours - I didn't personalise ours, just got Hotel Chocolat mini boxes that doubled as petit fours on the night.
You aren't in church but will you want some kind of Order of Service?
Seating plan.
Late night munchy food?
Photo booth or a photo area with Polaroid type camera goes down really well - and everyone can stick their pics in your messages book.
Yes agree go to Mac or similar high-end supplier for a makeover, get some good products. You can DIY; YouTube has loads of good tutorials.
Welcome drinks, if having a paid bar later on.
Entertainment at the table (Sticker books etc), for any children you might have coming.

Have a great wedding!

Hmm, entertainment for the children, I’ve been umming and ahing about this as the venue is kind of the entertainment, and they have a mini lecture theatre with a big screen that they’ll allow us to use as a sort of cinema in the evening (we have a lot of children attending so this was quite important). Do you think a colouring/puzzle pack at the table will be a good idea?

Do you think a colouring/puzzle pack at the table will be a good idea?

Yes

And I've been having this argument discussion with DP about an order of service. He doesn't know why we need one. I'm not sure either, truth be told, but I'm fairly certain that we do!

Ooh, ok. Entertainment packs it is then!

Colouring books and pens great idea - can you have paper tablecloths on the kid's tables? We didn't have favours just bowls of party poppers on each table

Is the venue just for the reception ...if so you will need to book somewhere for your wedding ceremony (unless you are having the ceremony and reception in the same place)

I would put some disposable cameras on each table at the wedding so the guests can snap away so photos...so you have your beautiful official wedding photos...and then your extra photos taken by your guests 😀

What are you doing after? Are you going on honeymoon?

Make sure you have people nailed down to do whatever jobs you need afterwards, particularly if you're going straight on honeymoon. Who will return the suits to the hire place, who will take gifts home from the venue for you? Who will collect your dress and other bits from your hotel and take them home? That sort of stuff.

We got married on a budget. We did a lot ourselves (catering etc) and called in a lot of favours. Our biggest saving was artificial flowers rather than real ones, I think I paid £150 for bridal bouquet, 3x bridesmaids posies and buttonholes.

You only need an order of service if it's a church wedding. I had and have been to lots of civil services and never seen an order of service. I think they are mainly for hymn words.

Disposable cameras, yes, good idea

The venue is for both so no transport issues and we're staying overnight there too, so not straight on honeymoon. Don't know when that will happen, though his DM has offered to take the kids for a couple of nights that week so we can have something.

And thanks, toomuchfaster, I wasn't sure. Been to loads of civil ceremonies myself but all the weddings I've been to are sort of merging together (Sorry, friends!)

Kids will be at the same tables as their parents, so not really an option for paper.

Unless they want to sit together? Oh god...

We had a destination wedding so had a set of postcards from area as table “ numbers”.
I bought pens from Amazon with our wedding date and a “than you for coming”.
We got guests to write on the postcards and they could keep the pens.

Table layout, favours and guestbook all in one!

Children used all our disposable cameras so the pictures were rubbish and expensive to get developed. Most people will be taking pictures on their phone, set up something they can send some of their pictures to so you can get some information pictures.

That's a very good point. I could add something to the invitations and thank-you cards about sending photos.

Sorry if it's been mentioned.....
Guest book

Don't be sorry, but yes it has

Would it be very cheeky to ask friends and my bridesmaids' husbands for lifts?

This happened to us one time and I thought it was lovely, made absolute sense money-wise (they were going there anyway!) and made them feel included and important. However, when DP suggested it the other day, my immediate response was, 'no, that's really cheeky!'

Non-alcoholic drinks options. I don't like arriving at a reception and the tray of welcome drinks are all ifizzy alcohol.

Thank you cards, and stamps, to keep for afterwards.

Oh yes, lots of non-alcoholic options will be available The majority of guests will be with their children (30+ invited with their grown-ups) so I imagine no-one's going to get hammered too early...

Something old something new something borrowed something blue. And that lucky 6 pence for your shoe.

Small gifts for wedding party.

First dance rehearsed

Children seated boredom breakers

I've booked a balloon modeller/circus skills entertainer for my wedding. I'm hoping he'll be low key enough not to bother others, but a good distraction for the kids after the meal. Happy kids equal happy parents!!