The cost of a wedding...

The real cost of a wedding is something many people skim over and don't really know. People randomly pluck out a number '15' or '21' when really this number is often so far off the truth. Once you start adding the costs up, $80 for food times 100 people, reception hire, venue hire, photographer, dress, suit, flowers, cake, - all these simple things in a wedding add up quick, not to mention all the little things like spray tans, gifts, invites etc. 

The Knot recently did some research that shows the average cost of a wedding is $27,000 - this number is staggering when I have set myself a strict budget of $15,000. I am lucky though, the cost of destination weddings are lower then the costs here in Australia. 

At the moment I am working on my budget for the wedding (and my guest list) it's hard work trying to sort out what to expect and what to spend on each thing.

Dress shopping...

On the weekend I went to my friends house in Melbourne. She has just moved and I love that I can visit her now with all the great shopping! So to get me in the swing of things I made an appointment at a place called Fairytales Boutique. This store is located in Moonee Ponds and has plus size gowns, great for any brides looking to try on dresses in real sizes.

I had tried a few dresses on about 12 months ago, maybe even longer then that. I went with the same two friends that I tried dresses on with last time. They loved the dress I tried on and thought it was perfect. It was a discontinued gown and they only had one left and it was in my size. It was a nice dress but back then I wasn't ready to commit to something. I had all these plans to lose weight and really no dress I have fallen head over heels in love with. They are all nice dresses but nothing takes my breath away - but I think thats just how I am.

This is the dress they loved me in...

I really loved the fact the dress has sleeves on it. I have large breast and need to wear a bra with what ever I pick. I can't wear a strapless gown. It crosses over and has a pattern around the waist then falls in an A-line with soft fabric and a small train.

And this is the dress I dried on last week...

The dress I tried on this week was again an A-line gown but this one was strapless with a sweetheart neckline. You can add the sleeves on so thats what I would do, a little cap sleeve in the same fabric. I liked the way the fabric folded and how it moved when I walked. I also had a play with some ribbon and embellishment belts. They added that touch of detail I like and making it one of a kind. The dress is very simplistic and I am after a timeless look. It also had lace-up back to help pull everything in giving me a waist!

I wasn't ready to commit to a dress as yet but will be picking my dress early 2013. Wedding dresses take a long time to order in as they are made to order, so really I need it sorted 9 months out. I'm hoping by early next year I will have lost a bit more weight and then something like a lace up back gives me the freedom to go down a few sizes.



Anyone after plus size gowns or average sizes give these guys a call -

FAIRYTALES BOUTIQUE - MOONEE PONDS

343 - 345 Ascot Vale Rd, Moonee Ponds 3039

Phone: (03) 9326 0055

A villa or resort...

We have been weight up two options for our wedding venue. A private villa or a resort wedding. This was really hard because we had a few requirements and things we really wanted.

So the things we wanted are:

• A beautiful view for the ceremony
• Fireworks & sky lanterns at the reception
• A baby elephant &/ or baby tiger
• Privacy away from the public
• All in one venue for ceremony & reception

So what did I do - thats right we had to put together a pro's and con's list for the venues.

RESORT

• All the guests can stay at the one venue
• Can have a baby elephant & sky lanterns (at some resorts)
• Venue rooms already available with everything
• Not a unique look, get stuck with less freedom of choice on style
• Less privacy due to the public resort with guests

VILLA

• Freedom for guests to pick accommodation that meets any budget
• Can't have a baby elephant or sky lanterns
• Need to hire in all the tables, chairs & equipment for the wedding
• Lots of privacy for us with great view
• Doubles as accommodation & no cut off time

This is Sala Phuket Resort

Or the Private Villa option

When I looked at the two venues, the resort was stunning but going to cost my gusts an arm and a leg.
I really don't want people to complain about being forced into a resort so the villa offered accommodation for our immediate family and everyone else can pick something that fit into their personal budget. The villa is sounding like a slightly cheaper option as our family will contribute to the accommodation cost and this option gives us privacy from the public and a great view.

The resort has perks too. We really wanted a baby elephant for the wedding. You can only have this with a resort. They are equipped for handling weddings, they do it all the time. They can run it quickly and efficiently. So I am sure you can understand why this was so hard to pick!!


BUT...

We booked a venue! So after lots of back and forward between the idea of a private villa or a resort wedding we made a decision and put a deposit down. It's a Private Villa called Baan Santisuk.

Been a Bad Blogger...

I have been such a bad blogger lately!!! I really need to update you guys on all the wedding planning that has been going on.

Things in my life have been crazy. Holidays, hospitals, loads of work, a bad life/ work balance. And for some unknown reason I decided to really get into my wedding planning now. {Call me crazy}

I will come back and up-date more but I think I have a date, venue and wedding planner sorted! See you soon...

A Week in Hospital...

So Evan has epilepsy, as I am sure you have realised by now! He has been having lots of seizures and they are increasing every year. So far this year to date he has had 50, a number not to joke about. It averages out to around 5 a month. To make Evan's more dangerous he also has clusters of seizures, this is 2 or more seizures with small amounts of time between them. It gives the body no time to repair and re-set, so it increases sudden epilepsy death syndrome (SUDEP) 

It's believed that around 500 deaths each year are caused by SUDEP in the UK alone, so it's no joking matter and with Evan's high risk we needed to try and get this epilepsy under control. So we have been refereed to Dr Ernest Somerville who is head of the epilepsy centre at Prince of Wales Hospital.

As soon as they had seen Evan they knew he had a bad case and that all the allergic reactions to medications hasn't been helping, resulting in poor treatment of his condition. They wanted to send us to hospital for a week for a VEEG. A video EEG that tracks the brain 24 hours a day and would capture any seizures he had. Evan was very nervous about this and really didn't want to go...

As a result of the stress and worry he had 4 seizures the day we had to go for the VEEG. He was hospitalised and then later transported by ambulance from our local area to the hospital in Sydney. Poor thing was really sick and unfortunately they didn't catch any seizures with the EEG. We spent the week in hospital with no action, but we did get a new medication to stop any clusters in the future and also we are starting to increase the current medication levels. {In the bast he has lost his vision from this so it will be very slowly over months and months}

It feels good to be getting results & help from skilled specialists, but I think I was hoping they could see the seizure and magically fix him! I guess only time will tell how he goes.

Set the date {3rd time lucky}...

So we set the {real} date! No bull shit this time... lol - things are actually booked!

11th December, 2013

I was so against a 2013 wedding due to the whole 'thirteen' lucky thing, but with a cool date like 11-12-13 why wouldn't we! It's a Wednesday too and Wednesday was always a really lucky/ favourite day for me. I'm excited to have plans in motion. We are putting a deposit down soon, just need to pick the place.

The real count down is on now...

Visiting our niece...

So we finally got to make the trip to visit baby Mika. She is very cute and is so blonde, she reminds me so much of photo's of my brother when he was a baby. They live in a town called Uralla and oh my god, it is so cold!!!

Both of us got the flu and still have it, so we didn't get much cuddle time. I can't wait for them to visit at Christmas so we can see her giggle and play! It makes me upset that they live so far away.

Today we became auntie & uncle...

Today my little brother became a father and we became an auntie and an uncle! It's very exciting but at the same time I wish we could visit them earlier. They live 10 hours from us and with my new crazy work schedule I just can't get time off until the 21st of July.

So I am proud to announce the birth of....

Mika Kay Williamson

~

29th June, 2012

Arrived at 3:33 pm at 50.8 cm long & 6.8 lb

New Career...

So I started my new job yesterday!! I am now officially a Flight Centre International Travel Consultant. I am working in Canberra & Sydney for the first 2 months then our brand new store will open in our area and I will be home again.

They are all so friendly so far and I am really excited about my career in sales & travel. A brand new chapter of my working life. It will be an amazing asset while trying to plan the wedding because I will hopefully be able to get some great deals on our trip for our guests and us!!

I am still running my business but just taking it down a notch to fit in my new career. The company is just wonderful and they offer their staff so much! I hope it goes really well.

Planning a Destination Wedding...

When your planning a destination wedding, you probably do so with the understanding that not everyone will be able to make it. This is just how it is & there are many reasons that come up. Large distances to travel, money issues, work or family commitments can all affect peoples decision to come.

My key was to avoid this is by giving plenty of notice for everyone to plan & save. I hope to have my save-the-date cards out 12 months ahead of time to get an idea of who really will make the trip. Then people can plan a vacation around the wedding date.

As I am becoming a travel agent I will be organising packages so those who want can get the best deal, but others can book their own trip if they wish. I like the idea of an upfront cost for my guests to see so they understand what to expect. I will set up a wedding website so guests can get all the information before the official invite.

We plan to show out gratitude to our guest for coming by hosting a bucks/ hen's night. We will pay for dinner, drinks & entertainment. I would like to have a 'Welcome Bag' for each guests room that includes a few things like beverages, personal hygiene products and a few other things still to be decided. Depending on numbers & costs we may also offer to pay for a few more activities. I would like to do something a little extra to help out our maid of honour & best man by paying for their accommodation and outfits.

We will organise about a 5 day itinerary with group activities, so one day elephant rides, fishing trips, beauty spa day, etc. This way people can choose to join in or do their own thing. We want to spent lots of time with our friends & family coming to Thailand. so the activities are a great way to do it. I don't want our guests to feel like they can only see us on the big day.

I'm not sure yet but we may host a house party or dinner for our family or friends who couldn't make the trip, but I have been considering organising a Skye Party for our grand parents so they can witness the wedding live by setting up a laptop with a web cam. I would organise a mini wedding cake so they can enjoy it as much as we are. They wont be able to make the trip because of medical conditions, but I can still try to include them.

I still have a good 9 months to have our plans in place, but I want all my suppliers sorted out in the next 6 months. Then I can worry closer to the date about things like my dress, colours etc. It's time to get the ball rolling!

Purple Day...

It's only 1 week until Purple Day! What is purple day I hear you say, well on the 26th of March we wear purple to support epilepsy and help find a cure. You can support and buy things like wrist bands, pen's, pin's etc.

So please show your support and wear purple!!

Set the {real} date...

So we set the {real} date! We have agreed this is the day now...

22nd January, 2014

We are 99% sure we will marry in Thailand but still wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to save and plan. We didn't want to rush a 2012 wedding and 2013 we felt was a bit 'unlucky' so we picked 2014 as it will be 10 years since we got together.

So now I can start planning and moving forward. I will be book a few things in soon... let the count down begin!

Photographer...

I have picked our photographer!! Her name is Gina. She is living in Thailand but is from New Zealand. So far she has been so helpful. I am so happy with her prices and she can even organise a videographer for us, so we are happy.

Check out her facebook page - Gina Smith Photography

And her website - www.ginasmithphotography.com

She has a wonderful blog I have been following for sometime now. Once we lock in the venue she is the first person I will be calling to secure her. I can't wait... below are a few of her photo's - fun and clean.

Ten Reasons to Have a Small Wedding...

1. You get to celebrate one of the biggest days of your life surrounded by only the people you love. This is one of the best things about having a small wedding.

2. You can feel more relaxed on your wedding day. Because you’ll be surrounded by close friends and family, you’ll feel more at home with your guests. Your wedding will feel more like a celebration with close-knit friends and family, than a production.

3. You can save money. You can save thousands of dollars by having an intimate wedding, which means you won’t have to go over your wedding budget.

4. You can splurge. Some couples choose a small guest list not necessarily because their budgets are small, but because they can pull out all the stops and have a truly lavish wedding. You get more ‘wow’ for less cash with a small wedding. When you’ve got fewer guests, you can splurge on the things that really matter to you. For some that might be expensive meals, for others it might be a five-piece jazz band or a designer wedding gown.

5. You have more options when choosing a venue. Since you won’t need a large space to accommodate your guests, many small wedding venues will be open to you. A smaller guest list means more creative venue options like B&B's, resorts, museums, art galleries and restaurants.

6. You have more freedom to customize your wedding to your own tastes. A small wedding gives you the opportunity to get your creative juices flowing and make your unique wedding a reflection of the two of you.

7. You get to spend time with your guests. How many weddings have made you feel like a stranger fulfilling a social obligation? Small weddings aren’t like that. When the guest list is small, the bride and groom can spend time with each of their guests, making them feel welcome.

8. You can make your guests feel at home. Because you will be able to spend at least some time with your guests, they will feel more at home at your wedding. Also, when the guest list is small, guests will have a better opportunity to mingle with most of the others. Chances are that many of your guests will know one another.

9. You can customise to best fit in with your guests needs. So this can be as simple as picking a time of year that will work for them, choosing music that you know the guest will like or a particular beverage that they love.

10. You can have a wedding that people will remember. Because your wedding won't be typical – the kind your guests have been to over and over again – your wedding is more likely to be remembered.

For more advice on small weddings go to - http://www.intimateweddings.com/

The Other Engagement Party...

On the weekend we got to celebrate my little brothers engagement with a party!!! So here it is, the photo's from the night for your enjoyment. It was a breeze styling it all but a few things got forgotten so next event I will need a check list so we don't forget things.

Table decorations

The guests arriving

Ice cream cone cakes!

Buffet time

A little mood lighting

Everyone eating together

The cake {I made}

My brother and his fiancée

My family saying a few words

The purple layered cake

My cousin & I

Cousin love

The baby bump at 15 weeks

Tiff & Olly

Hand Surgery...

Yesterday Ev had his hand surgery. Basically after an appointment with the hand surgeon to see if he needed surgery it was inevitable as he had completely fractured the scaphoid in two! So they will be putting a 28mm nail into the bone to hold it together.

The surgery went well and poor Ev wanted to go home that day but unfortunately once the nerve block in his arm had worn off he was in a world of pain. No way would he have been ok to come home that night as it's a 3 hours drive and needed morphine injections.

Today he was much better {and less grumpy} so we made the trip home. He will be in a cast until we go back to the hand clinic and then a splint for 8 more weeks.

Poor thing, after surgery

Sydney Hospital - the oldest hospital in Australia

Asking a man...

We are both going to ask our maid of honour and best man if they will do us the honour of being in our wedding party. At the moment we think we will only have the one each, but may change to have two. We will just see. So to ask these special people we are going to put together a little grooms pack & Bridesmaid bag! We decided to have our siblings to sign the paper work as we are both very close with the other. I think it's a cute bonding thing that shows just how close we all are.

We are going to start with the best man as he is my brother & he will be here in early January so we wanted to ask him then. I have found this cute card to print up and I will put it in a box with a flask, engraved best man. just something simple, little to invite him.

He is getting married soon too (now) and I wondered if he will ask Evan back?? He probably hasn't thought that far ahead to be honest, and really I am sure it wont bother Evan at all if he isn't. They may pick friends as they are a bit younger then we are. I use to always say I would pick two friends and then later we grew apart and now I couldn't imagine having them in all my wedding photo's as they are not apart of our lives now. You can get good friends, but family is forever. We are much happier with the idea of our siblings as they have been an important part of our lives.



For my maid of honour, she lives here so i have a bit more time to plan something. I want to do a little gift back and something asking - will you be my maid of honour?

I have seen some cute bags that I say on them Maid of Honour. I would love to get a T that says the same so we can wear them later on. I would also like to throw in a few cute other bits, but I will think more about that one later. I'm having Evan's sister and she already knows anyway! ha ha But I don't think she will expect this and it will make it a bit more special for her. It's her first time being a bridesmaid.

Welcome 2012 ...

It's here!!! Welcome 2012, the year of big plans, happy times and travel! I have a few goals and resolutions so here they are to keep me focussed:

- Get serious with our wedding planning
Pick a date, sort a venue, book a photographer, get organised basically.

- Send out Save the Dates
I have to have that ready to post for the end of the year.

- Focus on me!
Time to kick my bum & get fit, healthy & happy!

- Travel More

I want to see more of the world so this year I plan to make a few trips.

- Manage Our Money

I hope to sort out our funds, pay any debts & save more!

- Find my New Career

I'm still working on what this means exactly but I want to do something that challenges me

- Organise & De-clutter

Our house is in some serious need of a face lift. Make our home more user friendly!

- Take more Photo's

I am doing Project 365 & want to have more personal pic's

- Cook More

We eat out a lot of the time, so I want to cook more at home, get adventurous in the kitchen!

I'm sure I have more resolutions but this is it for now... fingers crossed for a bumper year!