I'm new here - natsalot

kelz15912  @natsalot Hi hun welcome to the site.

Don't worry your not alone i am doing all the planning on my own. When is your wedding and what kind of budget are you working with?

Do you have an idea of a colour you want?

I would say a massive majority of the girls on here use google and ebay to find the best thigns for value for money,

What kind of things are you stuck on hun?

xxxx

tinks1985  @natsalot hi and welcome to the site

don't worry chick, you're not alone, i'm having the same problem with my bridesmaids (my 3 sisters and my best mate who i really thought would love helping me plan!) and even h2b seems to want me to make all the decisions lol.

As Kelz said, most of us just use google or ebay to find the best deals. My advice would be to just shop around for everything and don't be afraid to haggle. I got nearly 3 grand off my venue because i told them i was considering looking somewhere else which was cheaper. So it pays to shop around and really make sure people are giving you the most for your money and the best deals possible.

If you get really stuck on anything though just put up a discussion about it and we'll do what we can to try and help you out. The site s very addictive (worse than facebook!) so there's usually someone around to give advice xxx

natsalot  @kelz15912 Thanks, it's nice to know there are other brides out there with time to give advice and support.

So far, I have my venue, sent out invites and bought my dress. So I think I'm doing ok but people keep reminding me we only have 6 months to go and there is so much left to do

My wedding is in February 2012 in South Africa (my H2B is South African) which is making my planning harder as I can't visit any of my suppliers. I've seen the venue and the owners are really cool about using skype to keep in touch but things like my hair and make up will be tough. I'm even wondering if I should do my make up myself rather than pay an unknown person and potentially waste my money...

I saw this wedding which was multi coloured and though it looked really fun:
http://jenosullivan.com/2010/05/becca-and-kyle/

However finding one dress in four different colours has been a nightmare. The only dresses I can find are Dessy and they're out of my price range (see attached). I'm looking at ordering them from China but the colours have to be spot on otherwise they'll look awful, so I don't know whether to bit the bullet and order the Dessy dresses online for $150 and risk the import tax.

Thats my dilemma so far, I'm looking for a photographer and a DJ at the moment and trying to get an idea of costs, then I'll have a better idea of how much I can spend on bridesmaid dresses and whether to go for Dessy or China copies.

xx

tinks1985  @natsalot is there anyone over in South Africa who could maybe do some research for you on hairdressers and make up artists so that you know it's someone who comes recommended?

I think depending on where you order the dresses from you'll probably find that it might well pay off to order the dresses from China. I know some of the girls on here have ordered dresses from various different sites and been really pleased with their end results. Those are gorgeous dresses and those colours are lovely too. Are they the colours you're having?

quoth_the_raven  @natsalot Hey hey! Awesome choice on the colours! We're going multi-coloured too, although in my case I went for same-colour-different-styles for the bm dresses, rather than same-style-different-colour; it was tactical, as they're all radically different shapes and sizes, and I didn't want one feeling like a supermodel while another stood morosely next to her feeling like a whale in a sack. But also, of course, it meant I got to totally delegate the stress onto my bridesmaids, since it was therefore their job to find their own dresses. The multi-colour aspect is going to come from the flowers (orange, cerise, lime green, yellow and purple) and the groom and Significant Men, who will be wearing the same style of waistcoat, but one each in orange, cerise, lime green, purple and red (pics in my photoblog if you want a nosey; the album is called something like 'Things we vaguely want, some of which we have').

When I was still considering the same-style-different-colours bridesmaids' dress thing, though, my ultimate plan was going to be to find five dresses I liked in white, and then dye them, if it helps - potentially cheap and cheerful, and you only need to make sure the fabric is dye-able. Failing that, try high street shops - they often sell lines in several colours, although you have to be a bit lucky at getting the ones you want.

Concerning the planning stress, though, don't worry. Major things to sort out are venue and dress, and the invites were the only thing I found genuinely stressful, so you're right - you have actually got the big stuff out of the way. In some areas of Britain transport can go surprisingly fast, so that might be the next thing to look into, followed by photographer and florist, but again, as long as you keep steadily planning the next thing, six months is more than enough time. But I'm not surprised you're not enjoying it all that much - to be honest, even with help I'm not enjoying the planning, because ultimately it's just organising a giant event for loads of people, and unless you're one of those terrifying women who own filofaxes and three-year diaries they actually fill in, then no, it's not going to be all that fun. It's a mammoth task that other people will moan at you for until you're desperate to spit in their eyes and elope.

I would recommend getting h2b on board sooner rather than later, though, if you're feeling alone in it - I know a lot of people seem to think their partner saying to them 'Well, as long as I get to marry you I'll be happy, so just pick what you want' is terribly romantic and totally acceptable, but it's really not. As I say, it's a mammoth task you're undertaking, and as your almost-husband he bloody well should be supporting you and helping you with anything that's stressing you out, regardless of what it is. If he doesn't want to make any decisions that's fine, but in that case he should become your Deputy-General in all things. You give him a list, a task, a smack upside the head, whatever, and he does it straight away. That's how it needs to work. So yeah - if he's being a bit lax in the planning, get it sorted ASAP. You don't want to hit the three week mark and snap, leaving the detectives to walk in on you standing over his bunting-throttled corpse and sobbing as you wave the cake-toppers about, crying 'He shouldn't have said that about the groom's face!'

kelz15912  @natsalot Your doing well hun. I would say go to one of those classes that teaches how to do the makeup yourself, think they are around £30.

Can't really help with the supplies as not sure what they are like. does your h2b family have any suggestions?

The dresses are fab, i really love the colour. xxx Have you tried debenams that where i got my dresses from!

The planning can be very stressful, but unfortunately for me i am one of those women that @quoth_the_raven mentioned. I plan to make plans. It takes a long time to be this way, but for others can me super annoying as i like to get eerything early.

You have the big stuff out the way and aslo agree with @quoth_the_raven on the next steps and the h2b help.

If you feel it is getting to you as @tinks1985 said post a discussion, Even if its not for advice and just to rant the girls will be there for you.

xxxx

natsalot  @tinks1985 Hiya, yes these are our colours. I want to order lanterns in these colours but in varying shades to brighten up the ceiling.

I have a supplier list from the venue so I'll start there and see how I get on x