I'm a Bride of 2006!

I am a Bride of 2006. And I loved every moment of it.

We got engaged on Dec 26, 2004. My cousins, who were both planning 2005 weddings, were regular lurkers on LIW, and passed their obsession on to me. I ran with it, and probably had them outposted by March 2005. : )

Although no one outside of this LIW family will ever understand the addiction, it is quite possibly the most positive addiction one can have. I originally joined to see who the popular vendors were, and to be very honest, who had the ugliest wedding dress. I never ever expected to meet and plan my wedding with the most classy, professional thoughtful group of women any lady would be lucky to come across. I witnessed each of you come to each other’s aid, and watched on line chats bloom into long lasting friendships.

I was lucky enough to share the entire experience with not only all of you, but with the closest friend I’ll ever have to a sister – Michele - aka Conigs25. (It was a blessing tonight to share Christmas dinner with her family and mine once again).

As Frank Sinatra sang, “I Did It My Way”. And whether that meant having a pretty traditional, cookie-cutter style wedding, or insisting on votive place cards, or asking 24 of your closest friends to be in the wedding party, I did do it my way, and have no regrets

Top 5 Tips:
1. Seeing DH prior to the ceremony – the best moment of my life, shared with the closest people in our lives.
2. Hosting a day-after brunch – perfect venue to recap the night’s events, and even better HM send off.
3. Taking metal notes throughout the day so they wouldn’t be forgotten – It was such an emotional and surreal experience, that I was almost distracted once the reception began. The moments I stopped to process, are the moments that are still with me.
4. A great Photographer and Videographer – well worth every cent (thank you Duet).
5. Trust your gut. Always.

AN AWESOME READ - MY REVIEW : )

I just read this and am in tears. I need to post but I can't bring myself to write anything right now.

I haven't posted much here lately, but having this board to call home has always brought me comfort. I am saddened to think that in a few days it will be locked.

I haven't been on in a long time...so I was sad when I saw that the '06 bored would be locked...felt like yesterday that I stumbled across this site.

I was so lucky to have found this site...I met such wonderful people on here and got such GREAT ideas and information that made planning my wedding that much easier - or harder as it gave me TOO many ideas that I wanted to incorporate throughout my wedding...

Few words to furture brides...I know people tell you all the time but really remember its YOUR day...do what you want to do and do it while enjoying yourself. Your wedding day goes by faster than you can imagine...Before you know it you are celebrating your 1 year anniversary.

Good luck and have fun…

December Bride of 2006!

Hey all :) I'm Taryn..Josh & I just celebrated our 1year anniversary on Dec. 1st.. It is amazing how time flies! I still remember signing up on this amazing website DH and I got engaged November of 2005...when we started searching, narrowing down & 'googleing' wedding venues, we just so happen to stumble upon the ever so AWESOME LIWeddings :) I actually just thought it was a vendor page at first...and then I began to realize all the amazing stuff it had to offer :) DH actually set up our wedding website

...and then i discovered the chat boards :) BHB was definetly a life-saver(or should I say 'wedding-saver' lol)...from my first post everyone was so welcoming and helpful & it gave me so many ideas and so much insight on ways to make my wedding special & memorable. Whether it was laughter, venting, tears, or just being in need of an opinion - my LIW girls were there! I actually didn't jump on the official '06 brides' thread for a while...mainly because i didn't really know it existed due to my addiction to the brides helping brides..which kind of makes me sad...but i did eventually find it and was of course welcomed with just as much love! I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that if it were not for LIW my wedding would not have been as breathtaking as it was, and I wouldn't have stayed at focused and calm as I did. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but this website not only offered so many unique ideas, but was also an outlet of support from beautiful women who were all in the same boat! I still tell every girl i know that get's engaged to get their little booty's on here!

some advice:

**Research research research! you CAN have the wedding of your dreams! Stay calm, take your time and do NOT get discouraged...if anyone had a budget, it was my hubby & i...and I don't know how we did it, but we were able to have our wedding at our dream place, with INCREDIBLE vendors. I CAN say, that we did our research, stayed calm, and took our time...we ENJOYED being engaged, and we didn't rush into ANYTHING...decisions, vendors, nothing. There's no reason to rush like maniacs and then end up regretting or stressing over a decision.

**ENJOY IT ALL!! I know saying 'dont sweat the small stuff' sounds cliche and easier said than done, but it is 100% true. You have the choice of ur engagement being one of the most enjoyable times of your life, OR being the most stressful. Prepare yourself that yes, things will go wrong and may not pan out as planned, BUT things happen for a reason - and your wedding will be beautiful! Not to mention your marrying the man of your dreams :) I can honestly say that I enjoyed every moment of our wedding planning...if something went wrong or had the potential of getting stressful - i took a deep breath, gave my hubby a hug, and shook it off. Too many brides ruin their planning by letting every little thing rob their joy....DON'T LET IT! This time is so precious and it passes so quickly! I'm glad I can look back & reflect on a special time that I would do all over again if i had the chance

**Memorize the quote 'I'll keep that in mind' lol. You will get everyone's opinion under the sun....answer with grace - without agreeing or disagreeing :) you'll end up with less drama, less stress, and less people being disappointed lol. Remember - this wedding is for you & your husband...follow your heart in all your decision making and try not to take people's negative opinions to heart. At the end of it all, you'll be so happy when u have no regrets & everything had your own special touch!

**Bridesmaids may annoy you, but remind yourself that you chose them to stand in your honor for a reason! Just because they may dissappoint u in some way, doesn't mean they dont love u just the same...they're simply in a different place than u are, and someday when they're planning their own wedding they'll understand

**On your wedding day, remember to take a moment(even if it's just a moment ) to look around you, and take it all in :) You have found something that some people spend their whole life searching for, and you are surrounded with people who love you most! It is such a surreal blessing & this day is for YOU!

and last but not least, from one who's a PRIME example, remind yourself YOU CANT CONTROL THE WEATHER!! Regardless of rain or shine, your day will be amazing - so dont let it stress u out In all honesty, it rained and poured and it wasn't a thought in my head on our amazing day...I had the time of my life, our wedding was beautiful, and people still talk about it even now!

Here is a link for our review..I hope it helps!

Our December Wedding Review!

and of course...the mother of all helpful threads thread...so u dont have to go crazy searching!

MOAHTT!!!!!

Much love to all of you '06ers and to all the future brides out there! May your weddings be all u dream them to be!



~*Taryn*~

What can I say that I didn't already in my Wedding Review ?? Not much. I will repeat a few things that I think are important.

First and foremost, the day is about the marriage, not the reception. The reception is only a party. Focus on the ceremony. Spend time with your officiant and your soon-to-be spouse putting together something that is truly memorable. Whether a traditional religious ceremony, or a civil ceremony, make each word count. Look into your SO's eyes when you say your vows. Take the time to feel that ring sliding onto your finger. Select readings (if you have them) that have meaning. When the haze comes off your eyes and the whirlwind that is the day is over the memory of those moments will be something you cherish.

Second, IMHO, the little details made my wedding special and even if nobody noticed them, I felt good having them there. Soooo, if you want it and can afford it (and by afford I mean you have the money, don't need to borrow or use a credit card to have it) - go for it, but don't make yourself crazy. People never notice what is 'missing' only what is there.

Third, cultivate the friendships you have started here on LIW. These amazing women will get you through some good times and some bad times in the future.

Our wedding portrait:



Rocking with the '06ers:





Our Thank-you pic:

I am a bride of ’06 and I’m damn proud of it!

I am writing this to discuss how to plan your marriage. Am I an expert?!?! HELL NO!!! I just think many lose sight of the real goal while wedding planning (including myself).

I met my DH in college and it took us 7 years just to get to our first date. I was engaged in September 2004 and came right to this site. I’m not from Long Island and I never thought I could afford a Long Island wedding. It took me a long time to finally get to the chat rooms. I do regret that. I wish I could’ve met and talked with many of you long before I did.

If you remember one thing about your planning: Plan for your marriage, not just your wedding. Your wedding is one day. Many of us lose sight of the fact that we are marrying the love of our lives. If we didn’t have a good foundation we never would’ve survived the hurdles that came our way in our first year of marriage. (Read on for more of that.)

Take a reality check: If you have a problem before marriage, it doesn’t magically disappear when the ring gets slipped on your finger. If you don’t communicate, then you better rethink what you’re doing. Talk about everything!!!!! Finances, kids, what you plan on doing in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years. Are you going to have joint bank accounts? Do you want kids? What would you do if you couldn’t have kids? What would you do if you lost your job? Do you want to live in your current town? What are your dreams? What have you done in the past month to show your FH that you love him?

Priorities change. Most of us had ‘horrible’ times with wedding planning. To me, the world stopped when I found out that there were no wedding stamps with the new postage before I sent out my invitations. How can I send invitations with flag stamps?!?!?! Then my world stopped when members of the wedding party started dropping out. How dare they have their own lives?!?!?! Then my world stopped when some of the bridesmaid dresses did not make it in time for the wedding. Can I tell you something? I just went through old posts to remind me what happened that angered me during the planning process. I totally forgot these ‘horrible’ things happened.

You want to know when my world truly stopped? One month after we got married my husband was hospitalized unexpectedly. Days later, he was wheeled into surgery. As he was being prepped for surgery my phone rang. It was my doctor. They found a tumor in my head. I felt like I was suffocating. We should’ve been enjoying newlywed life. Instead, we should’ve had our own parking spots at the hospital. If we hadn’t had a strong foundation, we never would’ve made it through. You must be prepared for being a wife! Being a bride is all ‘la de da’. Being a wife is real.

Many of the same things I wanted to write are mentioned above by other ’06 brides. Details are great, but don’t get obsessed about them. Matching BM shoes: Does it really matter? Make something yourself for the wedding. Even if you aren’t crafty and think you have no time, make something yourself. Check out the DIY board for ideas. I did my own ring bearer pillows, unity candles and card box. I am so glad I did!!!!!!!!! It was my own touch!! I really think my review says a lot:


My review

Just so you know how much priorities change: We still haven't made our appt to get our albums or video done. It'll happen at some point.

I wish you the best of luck in your wedding planning!! My post is not meant to scare you. I just think many of us get caught up on being a bride and don’t think about being a wife. Good luck with your planning!! And remember to have fun! I will be checking out your photos and reviews!!!!!!

Here's some of my pics:








Our thank you pic:

I can't add much more than what the other ladies have already stated.

I'm just proud to have been apart of this board and your lives and I wish you all the happiness, health and luck in the world.

And I'm going to forget my fear of being recognized on here -- much love to you all:

I have learned so many lessons since I have become a part of this website and this board in particular. Most of them have nothing to do with weddings. My wedding was planned in my head for years before I even met DH. I pretty much needed the guy to make it all happen.

As an 06er, I learned:
Above all else, family comes first.

As many of you know, my family had its share of grief and heartache in the year before and months past our wedding. During the beginning of DH's and my courtship, my father fell ill and had been in the hospital to stay there for 9 months in a semi-conscious vegetative state. A few months into his hospitalization, my mother had been diagnosed with heart disease and required triple bypass heart surgery or she would surely suffer a heart attack. I had 2 parents in the hospital at the same time for one month. After Mom's recovery, Dad took a turn for the worse and we were sadly faced with signing a DNR document to spare him from further suffering. Ed was in the process of buying the ring, but we did not know if my father would live to know or feel that his baby was going to get married. We told him bedside in ICU. By the grace of G-d, Dad lived another three months and I firmly believe he waited for us to make the plans we needed to make so I could have my special day. Just 7 weeks before the wedding as the responses were falling in, my mother fell and broke two vertebrae in her back while on vacation out of town. She had surgery and had to be medi-vaced back to NY for 4 weeks of rehabilitation so she could be at my wedding. It was touch and go. She almost didnt make it because she had falln twice in rehab.

The experiences above guided me throughout my planning process and allowed me to plan our day in my Dad's spirit knowing that he WOULD be there to celebrate with us. He was there. I am forever indebted to the 06 brides for their support during one of the most difficult time in my life. You showed me that it is possible to have a balance and with the happy comes the sad. I can distinctly remember getting hugs during father daughter dances at every wedding I went to after my own. The support you gave to me was insurmountable. Thank you.

I would have given back everything to have had him there to walk me down the aisle, yet at the same time, I am grateful to have had my mother and siblings there.

My brother stood in for Dad at all of the right times:


I made so many good friends in the year before my wedding and was fortunate that some were able to join me on my special day:

One even got lucky!


I was an early 06er and most of the relationships I have developed with the 06ers did not come to fruition until after my own wedding. I wish I had been just as close to everyone at the time of my function to have been able to include them in my celebration as they included me in theirs:









We entered our friendships as brides with the common bond of wanting to have the perfect day. Before, during and after our wedding year, there were multitudes of GTGs where we could just be 06ers without the veils and slipper baskets:



Now that we are past being brides, many of us are Moms, becoming moms or are trying to be Moms. Its like an evolution of sorts. It is hard to believe I know some of you for almost 3 years and I cannot imagine my life without you. There have been threads that make me cry, threads that make me angry, and threads that make my sides split.

To think that I may not be able to continue in this forum saddens me deeply. Sorry Ron and Liz, but LIF doesn't do for me there what the LIW 06 board does for me here. It is a different feeling and a different world. Where else but with my 06ers specifically can I have times like this:


( I am the proud owner of the only existing LIW thong)


DH could never really understand how I became entranced by this website and pretty much disapproved from the get go

But even DH benefitted from our friendships:



In the end, the best piece of advice I can offer to any bride, is rather simple. Remember why you are getting married. It isn't about the flowers or the cake or if your friggin invitations match your bridesmaid dresses - if you think people notice, they dont. I really never understood why people care about invitations and BM dresses. I think it is the most ridiculous and a$$inine thing about wedding planning EVER - THERE I SAID IT!!! NA NA NA NA NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH NA!!!!!

What they do notice is you and your DH - nothing else matters.











Goodbye 06ers. It was an honor and pleasure:


My review if you would like to see:


REVIEW

My name is Stacey I am a bride of 2006!The best year of my life!!! I married Keith my boyfriend of 7 years on December 8th 2006. I had a winter Christmas theme wedding. It was everything I ever dreamed of and more. I cant believe it was a year ago. It seems like yesterday.
I came across Liweddings way too late in my planning however it managed to help me so much. I mean I never would have even thought of the idea of votive placecards before coming here!! I dont want to write much but I do want to say thank you to all the great girls that offered their help and advice when I needed it. This website seems like a family!!! Thank you a million times!!!
ADVICE
Just take a moment to look around. I told my bridesmaids to remind me to stop and absorb the wedding because I kknew I would forget. It goes so fast it feels like a dream!! Congratulations and Best wishes to all future brides!!

I am a Bride of 2006.

I became engaged on October 8, 2005 and found LIW to be a remarkable source of information as I started the planning process. I found most of my vendors here, based on the recommendations of other Brides. Through all the craziness and stress and uncertainty of planning, I found solace in my fellow '06 Brides.

The planning was the longest part of the whole process and the reward was so worth it. My wedding day was a perfect dream! The best advice I received was to stop every once in a while, look around, and take everything in because it really does go by too fast. I loved every part of our day.

I also found some very enduring friendships! I am so blessed to be a Bride of '06. Through the good and the bad (99% good!), you ladies were here with an endless supply of support, advice, and most of all laughter.

Thank you each and every one of you for the memories. I had the priviledge of being part of a very special group of Brides...and I wouldn't want it any other way. I wish each of you a lifetime of love and happiness.

Rock on my lovely '06'ers!

I joined LIW in late 2005. I never in a million years thought I would ever join a 'chat board'. But there was something about this site that I couldn't resist. This website is about so much more than planning a wedding. Because after you get married you realize (and some do before) that it is not about the matching napkins and matchbooks. It's not whether or not you think having a chocolate fountain is 'tacky' or your mom or MIL wears black to your wedding. It's about the love you share with your DH. It's about the memories the 2 of you shared prior to your marriage and the memories you will create. I often forget details about my wedding. But the one thing I never forget is the smile my husband had on his face or the tears in his eyes when we said our vows. That meant more to me than anything.

I said what I needed to say about my wedding in my review.

Thank you LIW for friendships, laughs and tears. I am proud to be an 06 bride.

Here are some photos in addition to the ones in my review/album. Good luck and best wishes to all!

I'm Katie and a very proud '06er! I got engaged November 12, 2005 and joined LIW immediately thereafter (it may have even been before that since I felt it coming!) When I joined I saw all these girls posting with thousands of postings and was quite intimidated that they all seemed to be friends. But I did my best to jump in and before I knew it, I was addicted, and to be quite frank, still am. I love sticking around to help the new brides, even though I'm now an old married lady. I wish I had been engaged earlier so I could have been on the boards even sooner!

I married Chris, the love of my life, on November 18, 2006 and it was a day that will forever be etched in my mind and heart. They say nothing is perfect in the world, but to us, that day was. We had amazing vendors, and the most beautiful and generous family and friends.

My words of wisdom:
*Go with the flow. It WILL all get done. It's easy to get caught up in all of the details, but do your best to focus on one thing at a time. Start with the things that can be the most daunting for you first, and then enjoy the fun, little things later. Ask for help, or skip it alltogether.

*Sweat the small stuff. No, not that your BM wants to wear closed-toed silver shoes instead of open and strappy like you asked. Or that your FMIL stinks and just doesn't get it. Or that your pew bows are a slightly different shade of ivory than your aisle runner. Make the day personal and a true reflection of you and DH! People WILL notice the little things and will talk about it for years to come (or at least a year so far in my case!) We made each aspect of our ceremony and reception very personal - not only did it bring DH and I closer during the craziness of planning, but our guests were truly touched by the things we did to make our wedding different and unique (check out review for details). DIY if you can't find what you want - this is what I did and now enjoy doing for other brides.

*Don't forget about yourself. I got myself so wrapped up in the details and worrying about everyone/everything else, I found myself scrambling at the last minute to do the things that I needed for myself. Shopped for my dress late, shoes and undergarments even later, and booked makeup and hair even later than that. It all worked out in the end, but I wish I didn't put that stress on myself and wish I had that joy of shopping, etc. that brides are supposed to have. Remember that this day is about you and DH, so focus on you both first.

*Soak in the entire day. I had this idea of a wedding in my head from the time I was five - there was NO way I was going to let it pass without treasuring every moment. I remember the church doors opening, the trumpets playing my song, individual faces of my friends and family as I walked down the aisle, and finally the instant I saw my DH crying at the altar. It still gives me chills. Calm yourself down before you walk down the aisle so you have the same great memories I do.

*Eat, drink, and be merry. I didn't get to eat enough of my CH food, but DH and I made a point to eat our dinner together, amidst 200 of the most important people to us. It was magical to sit in the front of the room and again, soak it all in. Dance til your feet ache, thank people, and step back every so often and take a mental picture of how you feel that exact moment.

*Make it a weekend if you can. I always thought I wanted a Saturday evening wedding, but when we realized that half to three-quarters of our guests would be OOTers, it was more important to us to maximize our time with them than have the evening wedding. We had an early RD on Friday so that we could greet all our guests at our hotel bar. We had an amazing after party (more than half our guests came) that allowed us to talk and spend time with everyone in a more relaxed way than at the reception.

*Be patient with everyone involved in your planning - no one cares as much about your wedding as you do - and as much as this sometimes *****, it's reality.

*Go with your gut on vendors, inviting people to be in your BP, etc. You will almost always be right. Negotiate, and remember that it never hurts to ask for something that you want.

*Love your DH - he will be the one standing at your side when all the hooplah is over. The wedding is a single day, the marriage is for a lifetime. Don't forget that!

To all the future brides, and especially to all my beautiful 06ers, may you have a lifetime of love, happiness, and a million magical memories.

MY REVIEW

I tried to upload pics but I am in Italy at the moment and it's not working! Check out my review!


































Love and best wishes to all - see you on LIF!

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Posted by ewickens

Gotta keep this at the top of page 1!

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DEFINITELY!!!

I love hearing all of our stories. I'm going to miss this board!

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Posted by ewickens

Gotta keep this at the top of page 1!

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Bumping it for page 1