I have some friends who were together for years without marrying–her decision–but they eventually married when they wanted to have children. It was for her mother’s sake. She found it very difficult to deal with their unmarried status, and adding children born out of wedlock to the mix would have been too much for her.
I should add that she was a lovely, kind woman who loved my friend’s SO, and did not voice her feelings. But they knew.
DD has a reasonably priced photographer and he is available on their date - told her to have him save her date and schedule a meeting before giving deposit. Save the date! Also ask him for names of any reasonably priced videographers that he can recommend (important for elderly relatives not able to come).
Going through various details. She is almost at fiance’s location, and will help him get his save the dates out and more wedding items. Yah!
Men’s suits probably being ordered this weekend. Traveler collection from Joseph A Banks. Getting all ordered through one sales guy and getting a price break (they work on commission).
Her dress and veil arrived this week from Italy - exactly what she expected and fits like a glove! Yah! Can recommend them: this is web site with her dress. Was shipped DHL and amelia sposa followed through with email asking if she received, and she was able to say yes and fit was great!
http://ameliasposa.it/catalog/item-94/
I can get to her city in 3 weeks and will do whatever I need to do to help her, then go on to see DD2. It is coming together!
FSIL’s debit card through USAA got compromised. He saw a $5 charge he didn’t make. I told them he needs a back up credit card - so they are working on that. Always seems two steps forward and one back.
Great news that the dress came and it fit perfectly! It is a gorgeous dress - I’ll bet she looks beautiful in it!
That is a stunning dress, @SOSConcern. So glad you are happy with fit, etc.
My relative is having free photographer–a drug Rep who calls on her dad, who is an MD. They parents will be paying for her hotel room, still or should be pretty reasonable and she took lovely engagement photos which are on their wedding website.
Yes, so elegant. 
Holy mollie, your kid bought that dress online? She is much braver than I am. Congrats, it is an amazing dress. So elegant.
Way back on this thread, I maybe talked about our ‘process’ with the wedding dress. DD is strong willed. She found the designer via pinterest, and when she was at our house, I made an appt at David’s Bridal just to have her get a feel for having various wedding dresses on and veil look/fit etc. The David’s rep was excellent; several of the dresses looked wonderful on DD (she is 5’9" and slim). Rep knew DD had this designer dress stuck in her head (she walked down an aisle in the store fully decked out), and when we showed the designer info on a tablet, rep stated yes this is a legit designer. Rep gave us DD’s measurements and blessing. Designer had two options - if you order a dress a standard size, you can return; if you have it made custom - not returnable. I told DD go with custom because of timing - you cannot get something different with the time before the wedding (or not get it easily). And alterations cost.
H and I decided we are going to give the couple money as a wedding gift, and give it to them now. They are feeling the financial strain a bit and it will be very welcome.
They are having a live jazz band! And it is reasonable as we know the lead tenor sax (her life long neighbor boy). This ‘gig’ will help them with future bookings.
By the time I get together with DD, more things will be settled and tying up more loose ends.
@SOSConcern, that’s a beautiful dress. Your daughter will look stunning.
A question for this group about invitations: what kind of info should be included in print invitations nowadays, and what can be reserved for the wedding website? I’m helping my d finish her invitations and we hope to click “send” by tomorrow afternoon. Is it all right just to name the church/venue on the front of the invitation, or should the street address also go on the front of the invitation? Other options: the back of the invitation or the wedding website, if folks are okay with looking something up online.
Should the wedding website be printed on the front of the invitation, or can we on depend folks to turn the invitation over and see it there? I do want people to check it out because it talks about the bus transportation we’ve booked to and from the designated hotels, directions to the venue for people who drive, etc.
And do most of you do the second internal envelope these days, with just the names of the invited guests without the address?
@frazzled1 DD and FSIL ordered printed invitation in a single envelope - 3 3/4" X 6" card by Vista Print. They have an insert stock card ‘To RSVP’ which gives their website, also has links for registry, accommodations, and the RSVP link, along with email for any questions. Of course FSIL’s parents and we may get some phone calls IDK. People have been asking about the hotel after receiving ‘save the date’ info, so I was able to share that ahead of time. Everyone was relaxed once they knew we have ample hotel rooms and what the cost was. Arrangements are really going to be pretty easy for out of town people, due to airport shuttle and close proximity for hotel and cathedral. Some are also driving in.
In small print on the invitation, the church name and address are in pretty small print (two lines) and Reception to follow at… also two lines, small print. For low cost, it actually looks nice. They used varying type styles and sizes, along with graphic artist input (friend).
I would recommend having it all on the invitation.There is info on 14 lines, with 3 lines of ‘to’ ‘on’ and ‘at the’. The largest print is the bride and groom’s names, with the capital letter being almost 1 cm.
Hope this info helps. The couple thought a lot about the invitations and saving money on them and postage. I think the invitation looks nice.
Yes, thanks, @SOSConcern - that’s very helpful. D’s invitation is pretty and not as expensive as many, but still more than I thought she’d want to spend.
@SOSConcern Beautiful dress!!!
Oh my goodness, SOSconcern, what an absolutely gorgeous dress! It will look great on your daughter, with her height and figure. A great “fit”! Many blessings to y’all!
Put the church address on the invite. Several people went to the campus chapel for the wedding (same name since ias the big parish that sponsors it) instead of the parish church. They were alumni and we never even thought about that possibility.
Please also keep in mind if you may be inviting some folks who are technophobic and / or may not ever see the website. Having the addresses clearly stated as well as the times of events will help folks keep these things clear.
My daughter was in a wedding last Dec. so the invitation arrived here while she was away at school. I have to say I had a lot of trouble figuring out the website. You had to click on the ‘menu’ to get to any information other than the hotel, like the registry and pictures of them.
I much prefer the address of the church and reception on the invitation because I’m still more likely to toss the invitation into my purse so at least I’d have the address if I need to mapquest it.
Agree totally with @twoinanddone - I had DD run me through their "To RSVP"info (their card insert had the website, a PIN, etc). When she first facebooked me, she didn’t use the term PIN but that is what the site used. So I made sure with her that their instructions could be very clear to follow - and they are. It also helped that their hotel (a remodeled landmark) popped up in my facebook, and I could ‘share’ and say “This is their hotel”.
It also doesn’t hurt to check if a GPS with the church address or the reception address directs correctly - my brother totally trusted the GPS and his carload drove around the misdirected area and missed the ceremony four our niece/nephew (typical guy not verifying with hotel; wedding was close to hotel the opposite direction). My mom, sister, and others were in his car.
And if you choose RSVP through website…make sure it’s working properly.
We did the RSVP online for several family wedding events for our family…but oops…the cousins (our kids who had received invitations) were NOT able to RSVP online. We contacted the groom…and it turns out…a bunch of people had the same issue.
So…check…and recheck.
Just an anecdote to underscore this issue: I’m not tech averse. Yesterday, I double checked the address on a web lunch innvitation, googled directions and used my Onstar to get there. And I arrived right at noon. Yay. Only to learn the meet time was 1pm. I had totally missed that.
^^better than arriving at 2!
Weddings are usually a mixed aged crowd, and some of us just aren’t that tech savvy. My phone doesn’t work that well. My mother’s doesn’t work at all (a user issues, plus just a crappy phone). My daughter could have used the online pages, but didn’t really understand how a wedding registry worked or why the couple had two store to choose from. It wasn’t a big wedding and I think they were keeping a headcount just by people telling them they were coming or calling to ask a question. Another wedding she was in was just an open house, especially for their church friends. It was fine, but they had enough food left over to feed another wedding. And maybe another.
I do think it is necessary for both traditional (all info on the invitation) and modern (all info on the website). Belts and suspenders. Many people slip an additional information sheet into the formal invitation and include the hotel info or at least a card with the website info on it.