crowded house

Is anybody else facing the dilemma of having a REALLY crowded house on their wedding day and the night before? I am going to be getting ready at my parents' house, which is most convenient for me and for all of my family. The problem is every member of my (immediate, yet large) family is going to be there and I think it's going to be very overwhelming for me. On top of this, my sister wants to bring her in-laws to stay with us as well. I don't know how I am going to handle the chaos. Don't get me wrong - I love every member of my family dearly, but between the showers and the hair and the makeup, I don't know how any of us will get through the morning. I'm thinking of going to a hotel myself, just to minimize the stress. But then again, I WANT to be with my family. I'm not really sure what to do or if I'm just being selfish and unreasonable...

I have not heard from you in a long time and now I understand why. Congratulations on your BIG DAY!!

Best of luck and try to relax now.

crowded house

I have the same problem. My family is pretty big and my parents house is not that big. I have relatives from out of the country coming in for the wedding. My dad's side will stay with his sisters (I hope!) but my mom's family has to stay with us. So there will be me, my parents, 2 of my 3 sisters, 2 aunts, an uncle and a cousin. And my parents have only 1 full bath! Start showering early!! Good thing our ceremony doesn't begin until 5:00pm. Oh, and I think my fiance's mom might be staying with us as well! It'll be hard but I definitely like having lots of family around! Hopefully it won't be too stressful..i'll have more stress than I need that day already! :)

Her first advice - check with the banquet office of the place you're at re: how gratuities are handled.

Some places may not share the gratuity/service charge w/the staff. At the Milleridge, the 17% it used to cover the entire wait staff...right down the bartender (no tip jars are on the bar although it is common for guests to leave a tip here an there - I do that when I go to weddings too). For the MD, it is customary to give $1-3 per person as a tip (depending upon the quality of their work). Bridal attendant - no standard - just what I feel comfortable with.

crowded house

UGH!! My bridal party alone is 13. So my house will be filled with 13 bridesmaids all trying to get ready, parents, 3 flowergirls, a dog and cat and whatever relatives wander in and out. Thank God my mom suggested that family members stay at a hotel because I couldnt even imagine any more people. What about having an OFF LIMITS room. Where say only you, mom and MOH are allowed. That way you can have some peace and quiet while getting ready and not have all of these people crowing you??? Good Luck!!!

It's such a balancing act, trying to save money while putting on a fabulous party and not stressing out completely. The last thing we should be stressing over is how much to tip people whose services we haven't seen/used yet. What's wrong with sending the tips a few days after your affair, when you can judge how much you think each vendor deserved? That's how companies give out bonuses, you don't get a bonus the first day of work, you get it after you've been there a while and they can evaluate you performance. Why should this be any different?

crowded house

But that comment about time times of his posts and just sticking to photography really came off bad - probably worse than you intended. Time schedules can be irratic - who are we to have an opinion about his work flow?

Since he is a professional in this area & it is new to me, I personally appreciate his comments and have found them to be very helpful.

crowded house

Well, I suppose you all have helped me put this into perspective. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I don't think I could start the day off without my family there. I guess it helps to know I'm not the only one, though. Thanks to all for your input!

Not only that but I left three telephone messages, waited there 1 hour and left a note on the door. It is 1:15 the next day and he still has not called me back.

Can you even find another DJ when there is 12 days left until your wedding day?