This is schokolade's Blue Wedding!

When do you usually have your bridal shower?? One of my bridesmaids lives in a different province and would be able to come visit at the end of June. She wants to throw us a bridal shower then since she wouldn't be here again until the wedding, but we're both wondering if it's too early since my wedding is not until October 12th... Is it? When are you having your showers??

I swear that this project is a lot harder than I expected! So, after sitting in a corner of my room for a few weeks, my boxes finally moved from their spot. I wanted to buy plain white boxes with lids that I could wrap with decorative paper or fabric, but problem #1 happened, I couldn't find the right size anywhere for a long time, so I finally bought these nicely wrapped boxes for about $11. Then came problem #2, I couldn't find paper or fabric of the right colour! So, after a couple of week, I finally bought some paint from Michael's last week. Then came problem #3, I can't paint the box because the paper wrapping the boxes is protected with plastic/film so I tried to rip it off, but it's impossible. So, I finally glued brown paper over them and then paint it. They're now a lot thicker than they originally were.

But all in all, I'm satisfied!! I decided to put the initial of our nicknames because it's what people know us as. All that's left to do is making a bow and put it on top of the box! I made 2 slits on 2 boxes just in case one gets full cuz it's not on top of box like how it's usually done. I am planning on showing just 1 slit (like 001) and if it gets full, then turn that one around and turn the blue box around (like 003). Or maybe I should just let the 2 slits show in front and dont bother turning the boxes (like 005). I dunno yet...

Btw, the blue turns out a lot lighter on the picture because of lighting, it's actually similar to the colour on the top box. I turned off the flash cuz it doesn't look as nice.

I found these paper parasol on www.asianimportstore.com for $6.50 each free shipping! I'm going to order these 5 colours as soon as they are in stock! Since bridal party would be wearing ivory, blue and brown, I thought these would add colours and look so cool for the girls to pose with during picture time between ceremony and reception.

I was thinking of getting some paper hand fans of the same colours as well, but all I could find are white ones or more expensive silk ones. So, maybe not...

So, I have been worried about matching the guys to the girls who are wearing chocolate dress with tiffany blue sash. I dunno if they should wear black & tiffany blue or brown & tiffany blue or even black & brown. I really did NOT want the black tux with brown vest and tie, but I couldn't find the right shade of blue for the vest anywhere!

BUT then, I came across freeman formalwear! I flipped through the catalogue, and as soon as I saw these two pics, I knew these are the ones I want! The groom would wear ivory with chocolate shirt and vest and tie, while the groomsmen would wear chocolate tux, vest and tie with white shirt like the picture.

BUT it didn't stop there! I flipped through some more and found out that they have TIFFANY BLUE vest and tie and pocket square!!! I have to go to the store to make sure it's the right shade to match the girls' sash. I would still like for the guys to wear ivory and chocolate tux, but I MIGHT change the vest and tie to tiffany blue instead. What do u girls think?

Come to think of it, I'll have to get FI to try on the ivory tux cuz if he looks too washed out wearing light colour, then I'd have him wear brown with ivory vest and tie (he's letting me dress him and the guys up cuz he kinda likes the chocolate tux idea!).

http://www.freemanformal.com

I've just come to realization today that I visit this website for ideas so often cuz I found a lot of people posted really nice stuff and asking the same questions I want answers for, and I'd just take their answers. I only asked for opinions and ideas from my sis and you girls, my fellow brides to be, and I'd ocassionally ask maybe 3 close friends...

I didn't think much of it, but today I realized that I don't want to include anyone in my wedding planning other than those few. I can't be that snobby that I think they're not worthy enough to be involved, can I? I dunno, maybe I just want to do it alone (with fiance too of course) knowing that in putting in more effort, it'd be more special to us... or maybe it's because I just want it to be as surprising an event as possible, so that people get to see the final result without knowing how indecisive and confused I was.

So, is it just me or there are some of you who likes to keep your wedding planning hush hush from your friends and depend more on the people on this website??

That being said, I want to thank all you girls who posted all your ideas! I know that I've been selfish cuz all I do is ask questions and steal ideas, so hopefully I'd be able to contribute and share my ideas soon!

So, we booked our DJ a couple of weeks ago, but now I'm rethinking about the whole thing. $1700 for a DJ, is that even normal?? My fiance and I both like him a lot, but now I think it's too much for a DJ. I was prepared to spend a lot on a photographer and the least on DJ. When I said the least, I was only thinking 500-700 top.

Now, my package comes with the DJ service and 4 decor lights (which I'd have in tiff blue!), and I'm paying $500 extra for a package that consists of 4 more decor lights and 2 moving lights. Should I even bother?? At first I thought, who wouldn't love dancing under pretty moving lights?! but now that I think about it, I've only been to a couple of weddings that use moving lights. Is it a waste of money? or is it a must have?

I need your honest opinion, ladies! Tell me if you like it or if it's too much and hideous. I make it white on black cuz on my actual invites, it'd be silver text on chocolate (with blue border). I showed my fiance, and he wasn't too excited cuz he likes things simple (me too actually, but then the inside is simple and elegant, so I thought I'd do something different for the front flap), but then he doesn't really care about anything related to art, so if I like it, then go ahead...

I need to send it to the invitation company for my invitation draft along with the map n such (I am so proud of my map!!) within a couple of days, so please let me know which one I should send to them! Or if I should ditch them n create a new one.

Imagine it on the front flap with the exact colours and paper of the 1st pic (silver text on pearl brown with blue border on silver pearl invites).

**UPDATE** Thanks so much for the prompt response! You girls have been my source of ideas, and I totally trust your opinion!

That being said, flap2 it is! It is originally what I made, then I kinda created flap1 and 3 last minute in like 5 minutes.

So, we went food tasting last night, and it was AMAZING!!! It wasn't just ok, it was beyond delicious! I had high expectation of this place cuz photographers and DJ's that we've talked to have told us that this place has awesome food, so when we went yesterday, I thought I'd be disappointed like I always was when I had too high of an expectation. But let me tell you that it was beyond my expectation! So, I'm very pleased and excited abt it!

We'd be getting married in front of that gazebo if weather is permitting. There was a lot of bugs outside yesterday, so I didn't go to the garden area where we'd have our pics taken.

I think I'm gonna use white tablecloths n chocolate overlay and white chair covers. Or should I use white tablecloths n chocolate chair covers??? But I think it'd be classy and cool to have white napkins n plates on dark chocolate overlay, no?

Ok, I'm soo impressed by all u girls who did ur own stuff for ur wedding! Soo many ideas I wanna steal from! :-p

Sooo, I've decided to make my own card box after seeing pic of this card box (not sure if I found it on this website)! Finally after weeks of looking for the right boxes, I found them for $10.75 for 4 boxes (I'm planning on making tiered card box). Now, my problem is that I have NO clue what kinda paper I should use to cover the boxes cuz I want them covered in the colours of my wedding. I was thinking that the paper would be nicer material so it doesn't look cheap and cheesy.

I've seen that sooo many of you have tons of wicked DIY projects, so I'm hoping u could tell me! Otherwise, I'd so use wrapping paper! LOL or wait, is that what people use?? :-p

Oh, plz tell me where I could find the paper and if u did ur own card box, let me know so I could take a peek or if u know of any links for this kinda project, do let me know! THX!

My to do list for this week is checking out wedding bands. So, here I am past 3AM browsing the net for different ring styles. I can't help but wonder how much u girls spent (would be spending) on ur engagement ring and wedding band. Is there any rules on the cost of engagement ring vs wedding band?? And what styles do u like?

Another thing, do u prefer bigger diamond or diamond half the size with better cut, clarity and color for same price?? Just something that I've been wondering abt...

Plz let me know ur opinions!

For u ladies who plan on having junior bridesmaids on ur bridal party, are u going to have jr groomsmen (I dun even know if there's such thing) too to even the number on both sides? Have u heard of anyone doing it? Is it weird to do so? My nieces are 11 n 8.5 and there'd be a flower girl and a ring bearer. Now, would it be too much to have jr groomsmen aged 9.5 n 7? Is that too many kids on the bridal party considering I'd only have a MOH and a bridesmaid??