I am reliably informed by Miss 22 that the wedding is “only” 40 weeks away … the #weddingcountdown is on!
Although Miss 22 and her fiance got engaged in October, it wasn’t until about February that they had a chance to catch their breath and start some serious wedding planning.
Knowing it takes time to save up for a wedding, they decided to have their Big Day in May next year: when the weather is usually sunny and mild, and the leaves on the mountains are starting to change colour … perfect for wedding photos 😉 .
It also happens that the date they’ve chosen is just days before our own 30th wedding anniversary!
Tradition doesn’t really come into it these days, but as the parents of the bride we told the young couple what we were prepared to contribute to the wedding – with the understanding that they foot the bill for the rest. As budget and venue tend to be decided by the number of guests, Miss 22 and her fiance then came up with a guest list to get an idea of exactly what sort of damage they were in for!
Equipped with this vital knowledge, the four of us took a trip to a wedding expo at Mt Tamborine on the Gold Coast Hinterland. While this is a popular region for weddings, it is extra special to Miss 22 and her man, as it is where he popped the question.
While we were in the area, we decided to check out one of the venues nearby – and it was a case of love at first sight. There was a vineyard, a chapel, beautiful gardens, and a lake WITH DUCKS (I think it was the ducks that sold it!).
We tasted wines, browsed through the menus and various packages on offer, and within a couple of weeks the kids went back and paid a deposit.
One of the other exhibitors at the Expo also caught their eye – a photo booth – so they’ve booked that as well.
Since then, Miss 22 and her man have been busy scouring Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree etc for wedding decorations and props, and have already purchased gold charger plates to go under each place setting, and fancy velvet chairs for them to sit on.
Choosing a Wedding Dress
Miss 22 and I had a lot of fun visiting the various bridal stores to look at wedding dresses. It was a very special time for me, as I never had that opportunity with my own mother. Needless to say, my beautiful daughter looked stunning in absolutely everything – but unlike when we went shopping for her formal dress (she ended up buying the first one she tried on), nothing was “quite right”.
It seems to be fashionable at the moment for brides to wear revealing gowns. Many of the dresses we saw were either strapless, incredibly low cut, backless, or had sheer panels in the bodice or skirt but without any lining underneath – and Miss 22 didn’t feel comfortable in any of them.
She was starting to feel a bit of pressure, as most stores say that it takes 6 months for a dress to be made and ordered in!
Happily, we found a wonderful place on the other side of town – Exquisite Gowns by Yvonne – where no dress is over $990 (inc GST), and she was spoiled for choice. Unlike the other stores, dresses are available immediately. The downside is that you can’t order the gown you like in a different size or colour – what you see is what you get.
Miss 22’s dress does need a couple of minor alterations but at such a good price we are happy to organise these.
Originally she was planning to wear my sister’s veil – which both my sisters and I wore at our own weddings – but it isn’t quite the right colour or style for her dress (can’t say anymore without giving the game away!).
My How Wedding Planning Has Changed!
Most of the arrangements are done online. My how weddings have changed! I remember the husbear and I having to phone around for prices and other options, and asking for information to be sent out to us in the mail, before making an appointment to visit each and every supplier.
The photographer, DJ, makeup artist, hairdresser and flowers have all been booked. The attendants have been chosen, and Miss 22 has prepared a bridesmaid’s proposal box which she will shortly be presenting to her two friends. I’d never even heard of a bridesmaid’s proposal box!
She is also busy creating special “Save the Date” cards to send to guests.
It sounds like they’ve organised a lot, but there’s still the wedding cake, shoes, invitations, dresses for the bridesmaids, suits for the men, rings, wedding car/s, and of course the honeymoon to think about … although some of these are more of the groom’s responsibility 😉 .
And then there’s the very important matter of what the MOTHER OF THE BRIDE should wear … LOL! I don’t have any preconceived ideas which is probably for the best, we’ll just have to go shopping and see what’s out there. We’ve already had a look online and what many stores deem suitable for a mother of the bride is just laughable. Let’s face it, we’re not at an age where we want to bare lots of flesh, and most of us carry a bit more weight than we did when we were bright young things. So I welcome any recommendations on where to shop for my outfit.
As you can see, the wedding prep is well underway – do let me know if you think we’re forgetting anything important!