Frus - that is a seriously gorgeous dress! How about finding a dressmaker and having it made up for you? My niece found out that it worked out cheaper to do that than buying a dress ready made and having it altered.

The first time around I searched forever and finally wore Victorian ivory coloured full length lace and a huge hat - which didn't do very well in the pictures because you couldn't see my face.

The second time around I couldn't find anything which looked like it should be worn by me and with just a few days to go, with sub-zero temperatures and deep snow laying, I was panicking! What happened next was strange - we went to the next town and parked on a carpark which was on a steep hill and went food shopping. When we got back to the car the brakes were frozen on so we went in to the nearest shop to ask to use their phone to call the AA and there was this gorgeous black velvet dress. It even looked good with the wellies I was wearing! There was only one left and it was in my size AND it was in their sales so I bought my beautiful black velvet wedding dress for just £25 (reduced from £299). :dizzy:

:lol: Now that's what I call fate!

If I can't find THE DRESS or the one in Debby's is rubbish I'm going to wear my orange ball gown :dizzy: Maybe... I'd clash with the bridesmaids!

My sis designed her own dress and had it made specially for her by a local independent dressmaker and it was half the price she'd have paid in the shops...'only' £800!!

Good luck - I'm sure you'll look smashing!

Janey :hug:

I'm on the don't forget the cake website as I type :T They had a muppet one!!!! You have to get that one frus!

Oh WOW! Miss piggy and kermie! That is seriously COOL!

I'm going to put gingerbread men round our cake... maybe! :lol:

Aw, gingerbread bride and groom at least, please :)

Oh yes, and gingerbread men holding hands round the sides of a square cake! :D I have it all planned! They'll have red smarties as buttons, to match the bridesmaids! :rofl: I'm even going to hang gingerbread men from the trees in the conservatory! :rofl:

Just remember that its YOUR special day and you need to celebrate it in the way you want, no matter what other people say (including your or his Mum). Especially don't let the photographer take over. Over the last few years it seems to me that its the photographers which run and ruin weddings. Photos/videos are nice but its your memories which are important and you don't want the lasting memory to be of having to do a load of unrealistic poses for the photographer. Try to plan for a day that you will cherish forever and if that includes gingerbread men on the cake and a tangerine pole dancing dress then go for it.;)

About the only advice I would ever give would be that you should think about your comfort. You will spend a lot of time on your feet so don't go in for any uncomfortable shoes or dodgy undies that cut in (or spontaneously come undone - like my first wedding).:dizzy:

How did you know it was a pole dancing dress????

I'm still undecided on whether we actually hire a photographer or not. My dad is pretty nifty with the camera, I have a friend who is an "artistic" photographer and I'd really like him to take some nice pictures of the day. I think I might be happy with that. We can always go and get a studio portrait done of us if we want to later on!

My mum's just worried that people will think we're being stingey with the food, but I'm sure it will be lovely, it looks a mega-posh buffet type thing that they do. Dad is worried about the cost, and DF's mum hasn't said a word! I still don't know how many people they'd like to invite! :rolleyes:

But yes it will be a crackers day and I don't care how "traditional" it is or what ettiquette says we should do... Bugger it all, it's just a party to celebrate our lurve! :rofl:

Exactly right!

Don't bother with the photographer - get some arty studio pictures done after. I went to four weddings and two christenings last year and I was ready to throttle the photographer by the last one.

I had a hilarious time planning our wedding food. I got a caterer on a personal recommendation, and she charged, for an afternoon tea buffet, $2.80 a head, just over a pound. Well father in law to be went mad and said it was too cheap. So I rang the caterer and she said she'd increase the price to $3.50 and father in law could eat finger sandwiches until Christmas.

There was so much food, we ate about a third, some went to our local City Mission for the homeless, some went to people's houses, there was loads. Silly father in law to be!!!

Just make sure its your day, and be relaxed as possible, its your one day to be a princess.

:rofl: That's priceless! I wish our food was as cheap! It'll be nice, we get to go and have a free trial too! I'm not going to stress about getting everything matching and all the table decorations just so and all that blah!

Although maybe I should think about some kind of table decoration... :dunno: Either roses or balloons, whichever's cheaper. Balloons might be nice!

My first wedding was hysterical. We booked a pub near where I lived. I didn't realise that it was the nearest pub to Millwall football ground and they were playing at home that Saturday. The Landlord said his wife would do the food and then rang me a couple of weeks before the big day to say his wife had 'done a runner' and could we do our own food. It turned in to one of those American style parties where everyone brings a dish of something with them - quite nice really.

The second time around we (me, DH and our two friends who had been pressganged in to being our witnesses) went and had a curry.

If you're going to have kids to your wedding then DON'T have balloons. Kids seem to either be scared witless of them or love popping them (especially 7 year old little boys).

I like the idea of bring your own dish, that's be nice. I bet we'd get charged corkage or whatever it is on food though! :lol: The corkage and so-called service charges are ridiculous on wine & champers! about £7.50-£10 a HEAD if you bring your own champers or wine and £25 a bottle of spirits, NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF THE BOTTLE THEY USE! :faint: