Some clarifications

As I wrote down my list I thought I'd come back later and clarify a few things...

We decided on a christmas wedding because far distant families can come at non-summer prices, because lots of decorations come free, and we even get added seasonal perks like a free dj with the venue.

Bridesmaids will all be in different style dresses in different shades of blue and green. All will be similar length and same fabrics.

I'm hoping to eventually upload a series on youTube about how I made things - especially the bridesmaid dresses and my wedding dress.

I've already chosen fabrics, my dress will have a lot of eco-friendly fabric but some fabrics I was stuck with more traditional choices due to function and colours. A more focused post (with pictures!) later.

We're going to be making various jams, chutneys, preserves, relishes and sauces for our favours and packaging them in recycled glass jars. We're saving up jars already and will be making them all next year. We're also planning to decorate incorporating name cards so that gets a ✓ too!

The List

I think we might see this list again and again, but updated!

*♥* THE LIST *♥*

Set date ✓ 21 Dec 2012

Set rough budget ✓ *cough* about the average price of a wedding in the UK :(

Pick church ✓ Odiham Church

Pick Venue ✓ Farnham Castle

Book church ✓

Book venue ✓

Choose bridesmaids ✓ Ruth (sister), Ellen & Alex (Uni friends)

Choose best man ✓ Mark (school friend)

Choose flowergirl(s) ✓ Stella (Uni friend) helping Jessica (school friends' daughter)

Choose ringbearer ✓ Aaron (brother)

Choose ushers ✓ Paddy & Mike (school friends)

Choose sword party ✓ Not yet revealed. NB. Sword party for military wedding - see this video for an example

Choose colours ✓ Blue and Green. Thats a silver blue and a sage green. Both quite muted!

Decide on flowers ✓ Anemones, Sea Holly, Eucalyptus

Find a UK-grown florist ✓ But not yet decided prices!

Decide dress design ✓

Go dress shopping ✓

Modify dress design ✓

Decide bridesmaid styles ✓

Get about 1000 fabric swatches ✓

Decide on all dress fabrics ✓

Make toiles - 2/6

Order fabrics

Make dresses 0/6 (separate lists)

Make guest list(s) ✓

Decide save-the-date design ✓

Decide invitation design ✓

Make save-the-dates

Make invitations

Decide on wedding favours ✓

Decide on bridal party gifts

Decide church service designs

Make church services

Decide table names and name card designs

Make table names and name cards

Decide seating plan

Make seating plan

Choose a band

Choose a DJ ✓ included in venue

Choose menu

Choose a photographer

Choose table decorations ✓ included in venue (christmas decorations)

Choose church decorations ✓ included in church (christmas decorations)

Make wedding website on gettingmarried.co.uk ✓

The Homemade Wedding

Welcome to 'The Homemade Wedding' - We're engaged!! Back in May this year (2011) my boyfriend popped the question. I'm a crafter through and through and immediately set the ball rolling to create The Homemade Wedding of our (my) dreams!

I've set up this blog to be separate from my other sites so that I can show photos of progress without my fiancé seeing THE DRESS. THE DRESS being one of the key parts of the homemade wedding.

Homemade wish list for the homemade wedding:

• a wedding dress
• bridesmaids/flower girl dresses
• save-the-date and invitations
• favours
• bridal party thank you gifts
• church service cards, name cards, table names, table plan

We're also wishing for:

• UK grown flowers
• as little waste, and as much re-use as possible
• eco-options where viable

I've already started on this journey, I'm hoping I can get some sanity by blogging my way through, maybe make some friends, and hopefully inspire and/or help people looking to do something similar in the future.