Help, I live abroad! - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

clairerubunda · #1 08-16-2006, 05:27 PM

Hi!
At last someone who must know the answers to all my wedding questions! The pressure is on...lol
Ok, I live in England and am moving to Dublin Ohio in September to be with my Fiance. We are getting married on December 1st, and have most of the details organised, my questions are really all related to the logistics of the day....especially as we do things a little differently in England.

To fill you in; I will be staying in a hotel with my Maid of Honour (sister) the night before the wedding, the wedding rehersal and rehersal dinner are the evening before (5pm and 7pm) the wedding is at 3pm on the 1st, with the coctail hour at 6pm, and then dinner and speeches etc after.

I really would like an idea of a time line on how an "average" american wedding would go.............the differences are confusing me, as I am told that I need to get to the Church at 12 noon to do pre-wedding (but without the groom) photos, and that I get dressed at the church, not before, and its all so differrent to every wedding I have been to! I cant plan unless I know how its supossed to go!

thanks tons, Claire

Sharon Naylor · #2 08-18-2006, 02:28 PM

Hello Claire:

You don't have to get ready at the church -- some brides do as a matter of convenience, but many get ready at home in a more familiar atmosphere, with their bridal party getting dressed and ready there too, and the photographer comes to your location to take photos before you head out to your reception. So don't worry about meeting any standard of an 'average American wedding,' as there is none! You can schedule your locations and timing for the wedding any way you'd like. It's completely up to you. The timing of your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner sound fine, as well as the timeline you showed for your wedding day.

What I see in your lineup is a block of time between the ceremony and reception, which gives you a wonderful amount of photo-taking time and downtime before the celebration. Just be sure you have a plan for your wedding guests so that they know where to go in the meantime, perhaps a cocktail party at the hotel, or a pre-cocktail party at the reception site.

A wedding coordinator can help you create a detailed itinerary for your wedding day -- for you, for your family and also for your wedding vendors. You can hire a wedding coordinator for 'day of' services only, and that would take care of your timing questions, planning something for your guests to do, etc. Check out www.bridalassn.com to find a coordinator at the wedding location, explain your circumstances, and again don't worry about designing your wedding day to fit any American-style -- weddings are completely personalized, so it's whatever works best for you.

Perhaps others on this forum can share their experiences or planning ideas when you're coming in from out of town and staying at a hotel...I know that many brides have booked time at the hotel spa or salon (or arranged with the hotel to shuttle the bridal party to a nearby salon -- the ride being free), and take photos on the hotel grounds, by the pool, in gardens, or at a nearby site of beauty, not necessarily the church. I'm sure lots of great ideas are on the way shortly!!

Sharon

DragonYoga · #3 08-18-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharon Naylor

Perhaps others on this forum can share their experiences or planning ideas when you're coming in from out of town and staying at a hotel...I know that many brides have booked time at the hotel spa or salon (or arranged with the hotel to shuttle the bridal party to a nearby salon -- the ride being free), and take photos on the hotel grounds, by the pool, in gardens, or at a nearby site of beauty, not necessarily the church. I'm sure lots of great ideas are on the way shortly!!

Now THAT is a great idea! My little twist would be to also add a bunch of disposable cameras for each other, do a little "sleep over" style photographs (who hasn't snapped a few sneak peeks of their girlfriends in various states of undress?) and also to snap fun pictures of eachother as keepsakes for the day of.

sparklesweetie · #4 08-19-2006, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonYoga

Now THAT is a great idea! My little twist would be to also add a bunch of disposable cameras for each other, do a little "sleep over" style photographs (who hasn't snapped a few sneak peeks of their girlfriends in various states of undress?) and also to snap fun pictures of eachother as keepsakes for the day of.

Lol, yes, I have some good ones of my BF. But very good idea.