Wedding Day (Part 1) The day in the eyes of a bride

The alarm went off at stupid o'clock on Monday 23rd December 2013!!
(A month ago)
"I am getting married today, woop woop" - well I think that's what I said, after I finished dancing to the alarm in my bed.

I didn't have the best night sleep mind, as us girls stayed in the hotel the night before the wedding (Sunday night), I think I drank my body weight in champagne - not good thing to do the night before your wedding I should add. But it was all fun :) and I had a great night.

night before 

Anyway I was in a room with my mum, and my sisters Katie and Emma, Well my mum was snoring like a good one, and Emma - well she seems to get possessed in her sleep, she talks, she sits up and then slams her body forward so her head is on her knees - which I'd like to say she can't actually do when she's awake. Mad crazy girl. So there were noises keeping me up alllll night. I don't think Katie got any sleep either, as when I do sleep I snore! I snore as though I am taking the whole room in with me Lol.

too early for poor Emms

So not so fresh eyed in the morning.
Had to get up early to go have breakfast as our hair dresser was coming at 8 in the morning, to make a start on our hair.

Excited selfie :D

While waiting for people to get up and dressed I opened my present from Dae :) Which was very thoughtful. He got me

my something old - my charm bracelet he bought me for my 25th birthday

my something new - 2 new charms, a snowflake and '2013'

my something borrowed - his timberland tag off his new boots, which I put on my boot

and something blue - the little gems on the snowflake charm were blue! Love it

He also bought me a snowflake necklace, with the letter 'K' on a charm. (Not sure if the K was for Kara or Kelly, but it was lovely. Love my gifts!!)

I bought him an engraved bottle of Gentleman Jack - a Jack Daniel's whiskey. He's a big whisky fan - Such an old man. lol

I also got presents from my mum, from all the family i'm guessing??
But in my box of goodies, I got
Champagne
2 christmas robins
my garter
a Belleek horse shoe
My decorations all the way from Orlando, Florida, (this one is Mickey and Minnie in wedding attire sat in a large diamond ring) oh and a 'just married' tree decoration too.
Happy Wedding Day to me :D

So half past 7 we went down for breakfast, with mum mother in law to be, and Megan (Dae's sister and bridesmaid), then Dae's aunt and cousins from America, Debbie, Danielle and Emily.
Everyone I think had a cooked breakfast, apart from me. It was way to early to eat, so a slice of toast and a glass of orange juice was just enough. Maybe I should have more, but I don't eat breakfast usually and if I do its after 9.

So when we finished breakfast the hair dresser came, so up we went to start this getting ready malarky :)
I was getting my hair done last, so I went for a nice hot soak.
I was quite excited, but the day so far just seemed surreal, it was an odd feeling. As though it was happening, just wasn't sure it was happening for me.
I wasn't nervous in the slightest and think I might have been way too calm.
My hairdresser said I was the most relaxed and chilled out bride she had ever seen. I just wasn't sure what I was meant to be worried about, or fretting over. Everything was done, and if it wasn't, it didn't matter.

Katie getting her hair done

Megan has had her hair done

Emms getting her hair done

Me having rollers put in

Sue (mum) getting her hair done

We ate chocolates, and had pringles. None of us actually wanted the bucks fizz or champagne that we brought. Probably because we had drunk too much the night before. OOOps
It was a very chilled relaxing morning, that actually seemed to go on forever, and at about lunch time I was ready for my bed. Hahaha.

While us girls were getting ready at the hotel.
The blokes -
Dae, - my fella
Jack (Best man and my little brother)
Dave - my dad
Ben and Gary - My older brothers
Terry and Terry Jnr - Dae's american uncle and cousin
and Mike - daes other cousin
Went to a clay pigeon shoot. Organised by my dad. To calm the boys down and make them not think about the speeches.
They went to a place in Cowick, East Cowick I think for a lesson on shooting and then they went clay pigeon shooting, had bacon sandwiches and hot drinks.
Easy for some!!
But I think they all had a good time and enjoyed themselves.
Before having to get ready to meet us at the hotel for the wedding at 2 p.m.

Ok I think it is time to get ready, we needed to do our make up, and get dressed. The bridesmaids and Jack got dressed in plenty of time (Why didn't I think to do this)

A spray of 1D perfume from my little sister

pretty bridesmaids with their flowers

           

Our bridal party <3

Everyone was ready, except me!!

But I was waiting for the registrar to come and see me about my things, as I wasn't going downstairs in my dress, but they never actually came up, so my mum went on a mission to sort things out.

While I was getting into my dress, they eventually came up, but everyone had to leave the room while I spoke to them. Holding my ever so heavy dress up as we hadn't had time to put it on properly.
Infat I couldn't put it on at all at first. I thought oh my god no! I haven't lost enough weight to wear it. As when I went for my second fitting I was a little too large to zip it up. So went on a diet, but hadn't bothered trying it on until the morning of the wedding. I just lived in hope.
But struggling to get it on, but I just hadn't undone the zip, or the tie, or anything else for that matter, and I needed my hairdresser to help me into the dress, as my mum had gone downstairs and I don't think my bridesmaids wanted to see my half naked. lol I don't blame them.
Once I had it on and zipped up. I was very very happy.
But then realised I couldn't put my boots on. This is where my little sister came in handy. She and her friend phoebe put my boots on for me, while Paula and Katie tied up by dress.
I had done nothing for hours and hours, and then the last 10 - 15 mins was the most hectic ever!
Infact in the space of the last half hour, I was getting my hair finished, had to get in my dress, put boots on, the photographer came, my dad came up, the registrar needed a word. It was all very rushed and crazy after doing nothing for 6 hours.

everyone waiting while I spoke to the registrars

finishing touches

we're done. We are ready to roll

Here comes the bride...

This is it, what we have been planning for a year

Ready to go in

ARGH I am so excited by this point...

We are all about to go in. Me and my dad first, bridesmaids following.
"Lets do this shizz...:

On the Day Stationery

Ok this might be my last post, before I write about the actual wedding day itself.

Day stationery, What I had...

Table Plan,
Guest Book,
Place Cards,
Table names, - not made from card or paper though
And I think that's it.
But you can have
Order of services / order of days
card boxes - which I don't make, but I bought a special post box for my day.
Favour boxes

For the day stationery design, it was pretty straight forward, just bringing the elements from my invite design into the day.


So my table plan... Oh which we put on a very nice easel, which we bought over in Ireland in August. We had been looking for a normal wooden one and never saw one, and then we found a lovely metal ornate easel and had to have it. even if the table plan completely covered it. It will make a lovely place for a large wedding photo to sit one day

I had bought this frame from the range, before I even knew how many tables I needed.
But as it turned out there were 6 tables and then the top table and we figured the top table didn't need to be on the frame, as we know where we are sat.

So I printed out the inserts to put in the frame, to match my wedding stationery. It seemed a little bland all white. So added the bows and snowflakes on the inserts, and still it wasn't quite right.
So with some velvety red ribbon that I had, I stuck it around the frame and stuck on some large snowflakes, and it was perfect. Just right.
Wedding items need a lot of trial and error before it works, just take your time and your persistence will pay off.

Oh nearly forgot, my tables were named after reindeer, which is why the table place cards were actual reindeer ornaments too. It all makes sense really. :)

What next...

Place Cards...

place card, name setting

The card once you open the envelope

inside the card

We knew what we wanted to do for the place cards. We wanted mini christmas cards.

So the envelope and tag was their place name, but once opened it was a little thank you and christmas card, with a little reminder of what you asked for, menu wise when I gave out invites back in August. As I knew most people would forget. 

No trial and error with this one :)

Guest Book...

Right I don't actually have a photo of my guest book, but it looked a lot like my thank you cards.

sneak peek of the post box too, to collect the cards

The only problem I had with the guest book, is no one knew it was there to write in it :(

Unless I handed it round to people, they didn't seem to notice it. Which I sort of expected.

So what I would suggest to brides who want something a little different, and don't fancy handing a book round all night is get a finger print tree. If I had thought about it sooner, I think that is what I should have done.

finger print tree

This is a finger print tree from another stationer, a friend of mine, Danielle at faithful designs

She draws the tree, and gives you the ink pad colours you want, and guests print their finger prints on the tree as leaves and signs it. It just makes it a little more exciting for guests.

However guest books are still a great idea, to keep messages together :)

Oh what I also made, was personalised wrappers for love hearts and chocolates then put them in little jars on the table, so people could eat them during speeches, or in my sisters case as soon as you sat down :)

I may have missed something here, but I hope not.
If you have any questions about anything, just give me a bell.
My facebook page is www.facebook.com/karasdesigns if you fancy having a look through my work.

Centrepieces and decoration

As soon as we set the date I knew what I wanted for my centrepieces. I ummed and ahhhed a bit, but stuck with what I originally wanted. Which were these....

A round floral centrepiece with a big fat candle :)

As our wedding was a Christmas one, Our colours were Ivory and red.

Also, as I am from Yorkshire - white rose (but softened it using an ivory rose)

and the fella is from Lancashire - Red rose, (warmed it up with a deep red rose)

we wanted to incorporate these roses into our wedding, so it was perfect to choose a christmas wedding, everything just fit together so well.

My Grandma actually made all the table flower decorations! She did an amazing job, don't you think. But she does do flower arrangements for her local church for weddings etc... Handy lady to know ;)

The top table and signing table arrangement

 So what was I umming and ahhing about? Well I saw some beautiful candelabras with flowers draped in and around them, which I thought looked stunning, but didn't feel they would work so well, I wanted people to be able to see over the table, to chat to everyone around their table, not just the people next to them because they couldn't see over the candle sticks.

Perfect I think

I am not a flower kind of girl, and wasn't overly fussed about flowers, but I knew I wanted them as my arrangements, as they add so much colour and they do look beautiful, if you choose right.
I am not a huge fan or balloons or fish bowls, so these were a no, no. But I know a lot of brides do like them. I just don't. So went traditional and had flowers :)

These centrepieces also held my table names...
The little reindeer's you see, in frosted glass...
I tied a red bow round their necks and then glued a holly leaf on the neck, so it looked like it was tied on. Then on the holly leaf, my sister wrote the name of a reindeer.
This was done VERY last minute on the day before the wedding.
I stupidly forgot to make my own table names whilst I was back in Wigan, and I didn't have anything with me to make something. So my mums genius idea, was this one! I think they turned out well too.

These centerpieces didn't go to waste either. My mother in law got one, Dae's Aunt got one, some other friends and family got one, so they could put them on their tables for christmas :) Belting idea.
And we took the long one home for our christmas

In our dining room fire place. 

 Chair Covers!!

I had previously booked a lady in Grimsby, as she was recommended by her Niece, I think she was. However, they contacted me in October to say they couldn't fulfil my needs for the wedding. I am just glad they let me know in enough time.
So I went on a hunt to find someone who could help me out with chair covers. I emailed about 10 companies, but one stood out, as I saw what I wanted on her page.
I was originally going to have an ivory chair with red organza sash, just a standard chair covering.
But I am so glad I found Flawless Chair Covers!! They had something different, something that would finish my room off perfectly.
Here are my chair covers done by Flawless Chair Covers

Absolutely beautiful. In the end I chose white covers with a deep red taffeta sash with snowy pine cones. A lot of companies said I couldn't have anything on the back of the chairs as the sash wouldn't hold them. But Flawless Chair Covers did wonders and I had the best chairs I could have ever dreamed of. Fit in with my theme amazingly.

The room was then finished off with some candle sticks which we bought from the range, and we added a ring of flowers - which my mum had in her 'christmas cupboard'
Then we made a santa's list. To drape down the candle sticks.
Each candle stick had a golden ribbon santa's list, which my sister kindly wrote down all the names of the guests on, so they could be on santa's list.

Another little touch, that didn't cost the earth, but looked pretty. It is the little things that make the wedding special.

What I will say though is this.
Decorate your venue, to compliment the venue.
My venue was an old 16th century hotel, so it was old and rustic, and not modern in the slightest.
The curtains in the room were golden and reds, so if I chose a purple, silver and white colour theme, it wouldn't have looked as pretty as it did. Also Christmas time is a great time to get married, as venues have decorations up, so less decoration for you to do, to make it right.
Fit the decor around the venue and around the season you are in and the outcome will be right.

Photographer

At the very beginning of my wedding phase, I didn't want to spend a lot, I wanted a nice wedding, with people who I want there. I didn't want extravagance. I didn't even want a photographer :s

Well that was a silly thought. Once you start planning a wedding, you realise you do want things, and you do need things.
And one thing you really do need is a good photographer!!

I didn't want one, as I just thought, it will be fine, everyone will have camera's I will just get photo's from everyone. Or I was going to get some cameras that you can hire out, and then get the photos from them just.

But the thought occurred to me...

I have been part of a wedding group on facebook, for a little while now, and I had a photographer friend on there. The group has been chatting away on facebook for three years I think now. So I casually emailed her, to see if she had my date free and if she would possibly want to do my wedding photography!
She had my date free, and she would love to do my photography - RESULT!!

It wasn't until after the wedding day that I was so glad I had booked a professional photographer.
The day went by so fast, that I felt I missed everything!!
But my photographer captured everything, everything and more.
She captured our emotions as I walked down the aisle with my dad, she captured the fun of the wedding during the ceremony, the meal and also Disco.
And she captured my surprise face, as I saw my surprise reindeer for the first time.

She captured all the moments I thought I would forget, or even didn't remember I had.

A photographer is a vital part of your day! I speak from experience, so please don't scrimp on one, or get your friend of a friend who has a posh camera to do your wedding day.
You have 1 wedding day (or maybe more) This is the one and only time to capture this day, you need a professional, or you will regret it.

I would highly recommend Paula, from Ollievision Photography.
She is based in Leeds.
http://www.ollievision.co.uk/
Ollievision Facebook Page

started blubbering after seeing my mum in tears, I was fine before that :)

A loving noggin' rub from the hubby to be 

A little tearful. 

Surprise Reindeer

Capturing the bubble blowing. Which I never got to work, I think I had a dud bottle.

Hair!!

Right, hair was no biggy for me.
I have short hair, I wanted short hair. So not much I can do with it.
A lot of people like to grow their hair for their wedding's but no, not me. I look a scruff with long hair.
Ha I might look like a scruff with short hair too, but hey I like it :)

My hair is rather lopsided, an A symmetrical hair style...
What can you do with this??
Simples a clip.

We went on a mooch to Accesorize and bought a clip for me, and a clip each for my bridesmaids.
I originally wanted my bridesmaids to have loose curls, half up, half down.
But I don't think Katie was impressed with that, so when we had our hair trial, I let her decide what she wanted and I decided what I wanted, and then Emma - I am not sure we gave her a choice hahaha.
But as the 2 older bridesmaids had the same length hair I thought it would be nice for them to have the same style. Which worked well in the end.

My clip that I got from accesorize we felt was a little too small, so I went on a hunt on ebay for some clips/slides. The first one I bought was massive, but the second one, and the one I wore, was a bargain and it was lovely at only £3. I don't mind sharing my bargain secrets, as I do love a bargain and I am sure you lot do too.

I wasn't an overly fussed bride I don't think, and whatever the bridesmaids liked or wanted, I was ok with it. I didn't make them wear anything they didn't want to, and I let them choose everything, as long as they all liked it, as they would have the same :)

Hair stylist was my mum's friend Paula Mooney, and I think she did a fab job.

My bridesmaids with their hair done, and best man

Lovely side bun, with curls, and clip

Loose curls, and a plait held with a clip, or pearls and gems

My clip, side on view

Getting ready.

She also did my mum's hair and made her look lovely!!

They all had curls

Also I didn't get a make up artist. My older bridesmaids always put their make up on nicely, so I knew they would be ok if I didn't get one. And I never wear make up, so didn't want to look as though I did.

But me and my mum (who also doesn't wear make up) went into boots, and did that skin test things on the no.7 counter and got foundation to match our skin tones.

I was the palest one of all, hahaha but I knew this would be the case.

But we don't wear foundation, so asked the lady which was the best one to use, without feeling as though we had it on, and she gave us some form of liquid foundation.

Sorted!

Oh and then we got a free gift, which included mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow and lip gloss! sorted, thats our wedding make up :) (for me and my mum)

My sister and sister-in-law to be, have ooodles of make up, which I wouldn't have a clue where to start.

I would recommend no.7 stuff to anyone, I love it now. However don't wear it too often.