Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Original post by pa56
My friend is getting married later this year and asked me for things that aren't necessary. Here's my personal list and my reasons, please add your own so I can print and send to her. I know everyone has different things, so please put your reasons on there too! Thanks!!
- Engagement Pics: I know a lot of brides get them and are very happy with them, but I personally saw no need for them. I figured after the wedding, we'd put wedding pics up in our apartment anyway. And since they were included in the package, I just traded them for 2 professional albums, which I gave to each set of parents.
- Limos: We had pics taken before the ceremony at the ceremony sight, so there was no need to 'arrive in style' since no one would see us arriving.
- Upgrades no one would notice: I used simple silverware and linens. I figured with the lights dimmed at night, no one would notice fancy tablecloths versus regular ones.
- DIY placecards/programs/guestbook: People look at the programs during the ceremony and then toss them. Why spend $$$ on something so temporary so I made them myself. I made one and then went to Kinkos to have them duplicate 150. Total cost was less than $50 for materials + Kinkos for 150 programs. As for the guestbook, I made it on picaboo.com for $32 and brought it with me to the rehearsal dinner so at least the 'important' people got to sign it.
- Wedding shoes: My dress is very long and there's no way anyone would see my shoes unless I lifted up my dress. So I didn't buy shoes, and instead wore my very comfy high heels that I wear to work everyday.
CloudNine
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
a few of you said valet parking...i didnt know this was something you had to pay extra for. all the halls i went to see it was included. we arent paying extra for valet at our hall. wow some halls are crazy and charge for everything huh
08JulyBride
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Posted by debzy
I completely disagree with your take on e-pics. My FH and I took our e-pics and they came out awful. Not only that, but our photographer rushed us through, spent no time posing us to make the pics look good, and had terrible scenery. We were PETRIFIED for our wedding, so we wound up switching to a different photographer. We did our e-pics again and LOVED them and our photographer. I STRONGLY suggest taking e-pics. Even if you don't buy them and put them all over your house, it gives you a 'practice' session to make sure you and your photographer are a good match.
P.S. We got a pic we loved from our e-pic session to put up at the wedding.
I agree 100%
geegee827
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Posted by MrsCastanedain09
Posted by jme78
The only things that you really NEED are your FH and an officiant.
Other than that, its all up to personal taste.
Well said! I'll just add 2 witnesses, that's all you need.
Yup - that's all you really need.
Everything else, whether it's cry packs (which I never heard of until this site), bathroom baskets (again, I saw them at weddings, but thought the RH provided them), slipper baskets (never have seen these at a wedding), personalized napkins, matchbooks, aisle runners, etc., are all very nice touches.
However, when you get right down to it, NONE of it is necessary. We all want our weddings to be perfect. What's important to me may not be important to you. I am sure AFTER our weddings there will be so many things that we think, 'oh that was a waste' or 'I should have done X'
Second-guessing is the nature of the beast. BUT at the end of the day, at the wedding, we will all be married to the person we chose to go through life with and we will hopefully be surrounded by people who love us and support us.
That's what's the MOST IMPORTANT!
BCM2009
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
i don't think you need to book a hotel room for your wedding night.... it's nice to do but we were trying to save some money and decided to forget the hotel room and just go home. Now we can sleep as late as we want the next day :)
AngnShaun
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
I agree with what most people have said... but it's really a bride to bride preference... I am doing a bathroom basket because i personally have found them to come in handy at several weddings ive been to...
Personally:
-No eparty. -less than a dollar for my favors. -not doing a big bachelor/bachelorette party (my fi is in a wedding on Aug 1, and they are having the bachelor party the weekend before - going to San Diego to the track, and then stopping in Vegas on the way home - that is a ridiculous amount of money.... then they expect more money the next weekend!)
ace730
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Posted by jenturch
Posted by ace730
I really think people need to watch how they word things. Saying that the little extras that a lot of girls on here do is 90's is just rude. On the otherhand, It is also rude to imply that those girls who don't do all the little extras won't have the wow factor. Honestly, to each their own. If you have the money and want the little touches, go for it. If you don't, then no big deal.
Just watch how you word things ladies because you might be offending another bride who is really excited about her vision for her wedding day.
Offering your opinion in a tactful manner is one thing, being rude is another.
How is stating your opinion being rude? People shouldn't take things personally.
There is quite a difference between tactfully stating your opinion and being rude.
Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
I'm not doing a bridal party, big floral centerpieces (will do candles if I can), expensive invitations (plan on using Costco), and we didn't have an engagement party.
Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Oh and favors.. That's another one. We plan on doing the charitable donation instead.
runnerbride1023
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
You only need:
A place to get married Decorations Officiant Music Cake
its each brides decision how she decides to create her dream day. You can get married at City Hall, or you can get married at a castle. You can decorate with candles and simple flowers or you can have the room drapped in expensive fabric and fly in flowers from across the world... ( I think you get the point)
I think your friend needs to decide how she pictures her day and do whatever she feels is right. No matter how you decide to fill in the categories your wedding is going to be amazing, b/c its yours!
AngnShaun
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
One of my friends lost both of her parents, and her husbands father to cancer... so they did a donation to the American Cancer Socitey, and placed scrolls on each table with a poem and the information about the donation... Very classy and something that meant a great deal to both of them!
mrsdraskin2009
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Posted by jenturch
Posted by marinai7
Hate to disagree with some of you, but . . . I kind of agree on some of the things that a lot of people have said. What some people are saying about don't do this because nobody will notice, etc, I don't really think it's about what others will use or want. All the extra's that we are doing are things to make our wedding unique and even if a lot of people won't save them, it's still nice at the moment. I just want a total WOW factor when my guests come in and see all the little details that make my wedding different from the other 20, 30 others that they have been to. So I say do whatever makes you happy and what you can afford. Don't do anything that you don't want to spend money on and if there is something you have always wanted and can afford, go for it. In the end, the day is about you and FH exchanging your vows and adding the little touches to your wedding that make it special for you. JMO.
ITA I thought I was a minority on here. We want our wedding to have the wow factor. People do notice those special little touches. I don't want to skimp on anything when it comes to our wedding. JMHO
Thats fine to dow ahtever you want, but I think the POINT of this thread was to compile things that can be left out without affecting ones wedding in any way!
Iluvpoodles
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Thats fine to dow ahtever you want, but I think the POINT of this thread was to compile things that can be left out without affecting ones wedding in any way!
Exactly. To each their own. But some people make it like you have to have this or that and if you don't..omg. I'm sure if we went to other areas of the country they wouldn't hear about stuff like this. I don't know, but maybe bc I haven't attended that many weddings recently but the one I did 3 months ago I couldn't tell you what the table numbers looked like, if there was valet parking, matchbooks or any of that stuff. All weddings I have been to are nice and I don't go home chatting about whose wedding had more of a wow factor.
xxpazzaxx
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
I don't think anyone but other brides and brides to be will pay close attention to these little details but I still love them anyway. It will make me feel like my day is more special because of it! To each their own
marinai7
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
To each their own is right.
LIbride080808
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Looking back:
Don't need:
Make up done by someone else. I thought that it would make a big difference but in reality I really wish I had just done my own make up with what I know works for me, stays on and is easy to touch up since I've been using the same products forever.
Crystal flutes and crazy serving knife and cutting knife. I actually completely forgot about them day of and left them at home. the caterer had spares and I never even missed mine.
NEED:
Shoes - when/if you lift your dress up you want your legs to look sexy. I have a few pics where my dress is lifted from the photographers and I always say to myself 'DAMN they look good' :)
DIY programs and menus - mine were in total like $100 and I constructed them two days before with my bridesmaids. They were BEAUTIFUL and CLASSY. I ordered the materials from paperandmore.com - THEY WERE GREAT!!! I asked them to rush it in the notes and they shipped my order the NEXT MORNING! They emailed me and gave such personal service! Couldn't have asked for better.
Digital Cameras - I ordered from fotocera.com and it was great to have hundreds of QUALITY pictures and video to complement the photographer's . The photographer didn't get everyone and they didn't get the silly pics that a lot of people take, the ones that make you look back and go 'yeah, my friends and family had a REALLY awesome time :)'
Personal favors - I don't think favors should be cheesy or impersonal. They shouldn't reflect the wedding, they should reflect you and your husband/wife. My husband and I love tea and we had our wedding in the middle of august. So while everyone was waiting for the ceremony to begin and during the cocktail hour they could sip on some refreshing iced tea. Then the two flavors were given in tins to each person at their seat. They were done by teaforallreasons.com. Again their personal service and attention to detail MADE it.
I think that covers it all for me. I am very happy with how it all worked out. :)
dolphinlover83
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Posted by gina409
geez..we did alot on this list..but w wanted to to so i say to each his own...u may not like bathroom baskets,but the girl who just got her period might
ITA...my sister's wedding was 3 weeks ago in Disney and since the bathroom was a public bathroom, we didn't bother making bathroom baskets. Luckily, I had had 'supplies,' because during the reception, two girls came to me asking for some because their little 'friend' had just arrived. Trust me, for them, it would have helped! But there are those who believe that they should have come prepared as well...I guess it's your choice!
little34
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Re: Compiling a list of things you DON'T need... please contribute
Limos
Cry Packs
Bathroom Baskets
Slipper Baskets
Programs
Upgrades like chocolate fountain, etc
String players for ceremony
Typical wedding shoes...get shoes you can wear again
KatieG2010
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Posted by Iluvpoodles
Programs - Only been to 1 wedding that had them and didn't take one. The other people who did, ended up throwing them out/leaving them on the pews. IMO I feel like it's a wedding, not a play.
Lol...
lisagail55
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Don't need... EXPENSIVE INVITES!!! Pretty, yes. $10 each- NO thanks!
futuremrsjc2010
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