Second attempt at this blog: (Refreshed by accident during writing. Duh. 
)
Firstly, thanks for all your good wishes! It's been really nice to hear. We'll be looking forward to sorting out an SG meet to celebrate with you all.
We've been pretty busy so far:
Saturday we went to look at rings. Neither of us are really gold wearers and platinum and titanium is out of our budget (despite titanium having the word 'tit' in it.). I'd seen a designer online who was based in Bristol and who offered any style ring in any metal, including silver. We both like silver and its connotations so we decided to go and look. Turns out one of my colleagues is housemates with the manager and he was in there chatting to her when we went in, which worked in our favour as she's going to give us 30% discount because we're friends of his. Score.
Then on Sunday we looked at suits for me. We went into Debenhams just to have a look and get an idea, but the guy was really nice and helpful - he reminded me a bit of a butler. If I ever win the lottery and want a butler, I'll offer him the job! The hire was pretty reasonable too - 80 for the day so I might end up hiring at least some of the outfit, although we saw a place in Camden Market Stables that did amazing shirts and I'd commented at the time that I'd like to get married in one of those.
If anyone knows the place I mean, please get in touch as I can't find it online and have forgotten the name of the business and that would mean a trip back to Camden which would make for an expensive shirt.
We also looked at a venue for the meal and drinks after the ceremony. Pinklet found it online and it's about a 1 minute walk from the registry office. The guy in there was super nice and had piercings, which for some reason put us both at ease. After explaining that the main floor would be 500 to hire exclusively, with a 1000 returnable deposit and a minimum spend of 3000, during which we both went 'mmm...' and 'aaah....' at the approriate times, whilst going 'SHIT!' internally, he then told us about the basement. It accomodates 40, (the same number as the registry office) and was 100 to hire, with 150 returnable deposit and 500 min spend, which would be less than the cost of the meal! We went and looked at it and it's perfect. It's essentially an old wine cellar, with red painted ceilings and black furniture.
It's in the middle of renovation, which is why it's so cheap but has a bar and lounge area as well as main dining room and really the only thing I would object to in its current state would be the strip lighting, which is only there while they rennovate and should be gone by the time we have our reception. Awesome.
We also found a nice hotel about 1 minute's walk in the other direction from the registry office that will do double rooms for 59 (or 79 with breakfast,) if we book early, i.e. fairly soon, so that's worked out. We were going to look into renting apartments, but the hotel was really nice inside and I don't think 59 is a lot for a room so close to the town centre.
Also a friend of mine who I used to work with got in touch recently. He does wedding photography on the side and he needed some icons doing for a google maps mashup on a wedding portal site he's working on. He'd come to me as I'd designed his original logo and offered to pay me 50 for 13 icons. Obviously I told him we'd be looking for a photographer and asked about his services. He usually charges 350 for friends, but that includes a full day, from getting ready to reception. You get all the negatives or digital files in full resolution, plus prints of all photos, a slideshow DVD and a private gallery on his website as well as a load of business cards with the url to the gallery on them and some other stuff. We decided we didn't need quite such a comprehensive package and got him down to 150, which is an amazing price for wedding photography. I'm going to do the icons for free otherwise I'd feel like I was taking the piss out of the guy. If anyone is thinking of following suit, please check out SR Photo.
So, we have to decide on the meal - it's usually about 30 per head for 3 courses, which would mean 1200. We're thinking of doing 2 courses and having the cake as dessert which would not only make it cheaper but also mean that people would still have room for the cake instead of being too full and it going to waste. If we can get the price down to around 20 per head, it will be about 800, plus the cost of the cake but a friend of ours goes out with a baker, so we're going to have a talk to him.
Tomorrow we go to the registry office to put in our intent to marry, which costs us 30 each and apparently they ask us loads of questions like what side of the bed we sleep on etc, like in Green Card, except I'm better looking than Gerard Depardiu, (Well I think so,) and Pinks is waaaaay better looking than Andie MacDowell, who I think looks like a cross between a horse and a shoe. Should be fun.
)Firstly, thanks for all your good wishes! It's been really nice to hear. We'll be looking forward to sorting out an SG meet to celebrate with you all.
We've been pretty busy so far:
Saturday we went to look at rings. Neither of us are really gold wearers and platinum and titanium is out of our budget (despite titanium having the word 'tit' in it.). I'd seen a designer online who was based in Bristol and who offered any style ring in any metal, including silver. We both like silver and its connotations so we decided to go and look. Turns out one of my colleagues is housemates with the manager and he was in there chatting to her when we went in, which worked in our favour as she's going to give us 30% discount because we're friends of his. Score.
Then on Sunday we looked at suits for me. We went into Debenhams just to have a look and get an idea, but the guy was really nice and helpful - he reminded me a bit of a butler. If I ever win the lottery and want a butler, I'll offer him the job! The hire was pretty reasonable too - 80 for the day so I might end up hiring at least some of the outfit, although we saw a place in Camden Market Stables that did amazing shirts and I'd commented at the time that I'd like to get married in one of those.
If anyone knows the place I mean, please get in touch as I can't find it online and have forgotten the name of the business and that would mean a trip back to Camden which would make for an expensive shirt.
We also looked at a venue for the meal and drinks after the ceremony. Pinklet found it online and it's about a 1 minute walk from the registry office. The guy in there was super nice and had piercings, which for some reason put us both at ease. After explaining that the main floor would be 500 to hire exclusively, with a 1000 returnable deposit and a minimum spend of 3000, during which we both went 'mmm...' and 'aaah....' at the approriate times, whilst going 'SHIT!' internally, he then told us about the basement. It accomodates 40, (the same number as the registry office) and was 100 to hire, with 150 returnable deposit and 500 min spend, which would be less than the cost of the meal! We went and looked at it and it's perfect. It's essentially an old wine cellar, with red painted ceilings and black furniture.
It's in the middle of renovation, which is why it's so cheap but has a bar and lounge area as well as main dining room and really the only thing I would object to in its current state would be the strip lighting, which is only there while they rennovate and should be gone by the time we have our reception. Awesome.
We also found a nice hotel about 1 minute's walk in the other direction from the registry office that will do double rooms for 59 (or 79 with breakfast,) if we book early, i.e. fairly soon, so that's worked out. We were going to look into renting apartments, but the hotel was really nice inside and I don't think 59 is a lot for a room so close to the town centre.
Also a friend of mine who I used to work with got in touch recently. He does wedding photography on the side and he needed some icons doing for a google maps mashup on a wedding portal site he's working on. He'd come to me as I'd designed his original logo and offered to pay me 50 for 13 icons. Obviously I told him we'd be looking for a photographer and asked about his services. He usually charges 350 for friends, but that includes a full day, from getting ready to reception. You get all the negatives or digital files in full resolution, plus prints of all photos, a slideshow DVD and a private gallery on his website as well as a load of business cards with the url to the gallery on them and some other stuff. We decided we didn't need quite such a comprehensive package and got him down to 150, which is an amazing price for wedding photography. I'm going to do the icons for free otherwise I'd feel like I was taking the piss out of the guy. If anyone is thinking of following suit, please check out SR Photo.
So, we have to decide on the meal - it's usually about 30 per head for 3 courses, which would mean 1200. We're thinking of doing 2 courses and having the cake as dessert which would not only make it cheaper but also mean that people would still have room for the cake instead of being too full and it going to waste. If we can get the price down to around 20 per head, it will be about 800, plus the cost of the cake but a friend of ours goes out with a baker, so we're going to have a talk to him.
Tomorrow we go to the registry office to put in our intent to marry, which costs us 30 each and apparently they ask us loads of questions like what side of the bed we sleep on etc, like in Green Card, except I'm better looking than Gerard Depardiu, (Well I think so,) and Pinks is waaaaay better looking than Andie MacDowell, who I think looks like a cross between a horse and a shoe. Should be fun.
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
Sounds like you've got it all covered too - extravagant weddings never sit right with me
looks like a cross between a horse and a shoe
Yeah, I'd second that.