The next step

So, the venue is confirmed. We're getting married on 22nd December 2013. We've booked the registrar and  confirmed the date to give notice.

There are a million and one things going on in my head and as I start getting more ideas, the trusty scrapbook I've created is getting busier. There are crossings out, scribbled drawings and torn out pages sticking out of it  but somehow this little book is keeping me sane and on course in this scatty 'newly engaged bride-to-be' era.

The first thing I did was start an internet search for 'Christmas wedding ideas' and then saved any photos that I liked into a folder on my computer. As I gathered ideas that I liked, I would print them off, cut them out and then stick them in my relevant sections within the scrap book. This allows me to annotate things that I like and why and then eventually price things up when I've decided if I want it or not.

I didn't actually choose to do anything in a particular order. My style is more 'Oooooh I need a bouquet, lets look at them' then whilst looking at the bouquets I'll think 'Oooooh centre pieces' and I'll start looking at them. This is where my scrap book comes in handy to help guide me back in the right direction.
My fiancé and I chose a red and gold colour scheme for the wedding so I began looking at what decorations I would like at the wedding.

I found my bouquets on eBay which I instantly fell in love with www.suesflowersofyork.co.uk
They are burgundy wine and ivory foam roses which are all hand made and hand tied. They are finished with delicate pearls and diamanté embellishments with satin ribbons. I am having 2 bridesmaids who will be wearing claret red floor length gowns to match.

Another tip for Xmas brides is to buy discounted Christmas decorations from shops and garden centres after Xmas if possible. I did this after Christmas and managed to pick up some good quality items to help decorate the venue.
These reindeer are a particular favourite of mine. I bought 3 packs of them for 75p each!

Originally they were this vibrant pink colour so I decided to get some Oasis spray paint and colour them burgundy, however, this created patches of darker colour where the paint ran down and it didn't look right.

 So I got some Barry M red glitter nail varnish and painted them up. Now they look grand and are going to be placed at the venue somewhere.

Now they look pretty darn sparkly :)

These were my other bargain purchases. £1 each for a pack of bells and 75p a piece of tinsel. I know I'm going for red and gold as a theme but the silver tinsel can be used somewhere I'm sure!

Where to start???

The first thing I did when I started planning my wedding was to rush out and impulse buy a lovely 'wedding planner'. This book cost about a tenner and is beautiful. It's got pull out parts, a calendar, guest list, pages to stick things down on and I couldn't ask for more from a wedding planner.
But it just wasn't me. I looked at the perfect pages and organised structure and did not know where to start. The book was becoming daunting and did not inspire me at all. I needed something I could scribble on, to stick pieces of scrap paper in without worrying about presentation, to make frantic notes and to be able to just generally feel proud of.

So my first word of advice to you budding brides out there is 'don't complicate things'. Go with what makes you feel comfortable. In my case, it was getting an old A4 lined notebook that I found from my uni days under my bed and begin by sectioning it off into segments.
There's a section for the venue, decorations, dresses, hair and photography etc. But before I started anything I just went to a brand new page and started brain storming ideas. What I liked, what I didn't like. What was a must, what was a definite no. And gradually the ideas started flowing.

My fiancé and I are both BIG Christmas fans and therefore, there was really only ever one choice for the theme of our wedding. CHRISTMAS!

We talked about what we want and it's a big festive party. We're not having a massive wedding but have opted for a hotel wedding in East Sussex. The added bonus of having it at Xmas and in a hotel is that they will have Xmas decorations up already so this saves on some of your decoration budget and you can stay at the hotel for the night's before and after the wedding.

We are on a budget so that was a big part of our wedding venue choice. To start my initial wedding planning, I started researching on the internet at venues in East Sussex. I fell upon our hotel during such a search. It was hosting a 2013 wedding package offer. We went to see it and fell in love with it's modern renovations and relaxed atmosphere and booked it straight away. Considering the average wedding ceremony, reception, catering, entertainment and drinks costs £7000, we have managed to save £3200 on the package option.

Remember 3 things girls;
1. the internet is your friend - a lot of cost cutting ideas can be gained from just having a scout around.
2. go with your gut instinct - take on board what other people tell you but at the end of the day, this is your big day and you should be thinking of what is best for you and your intended rather than what will make other people happy.
3. don't be afraid to look at something cheaper for your wedding reception as sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised.