This I Promise You

It's common to have songs sung during the ceremony. This would be a nice one to have sung by someone live.

Dessert Buffet Cupcakes

I am not a fan of traditional cupcakes. However they are very practical when it comes to wedding buffets as they are in the perfect portion size form. So, I had a think about what kind of cakes I used to like as a child, and two of my absolute favourite ones were Snoddas and Silviakaka. They are traditionally baked in a low rectangular pan, but would work equally good in a cupcake format.

Here are two other people who have taken the step and transformed the cakes into cupcakes. Linda baked the Snoddas-cupcakes (left) and Sara made the Silviakaka-cupcakes (right):

How cute do they look in those baking cases? I'm still not sure that we will have a dessert buffet, but if we do. These are definitely an option. Possibly in these gorgeous baking cases!

Ideas for vegetarian buffet

I found this question and answer on Cheap Wedding Success. It's important for me as a pescetarian (i.e a vegetarian who eats fish and seafood) that we have a wedding buffet that I can truly enjoy. I don't mind if there are a few plates of grilled/other style of meat to cater for my fiancé and the guests, but I want to be able to eat most of the food we end up serving. I thought this was a great answer and I wanted to remember it for future reference. After all this blog is my electronic wedding scrapbook where I keep all the things that inspires me. As for the suggestions below I love all the Mediterranean themed ones, but think she should have mentioned vegetarian Dolmades.

Vegetarian Buffet Question:

My fiancé wants us to make a cold vegetarian buffet (with no fish) for our 100 guests in a marquee, but I don't know what to put on it! All I can think of is quiche and that could get a bit boring after a while (and for the month after when I make my family eat the leftovers!).

Help!

Jo xxx


Answer:

Hi Jo

There are loads of great foods that you can use on a cold buffet that suit vegetarians. First off, you could include plenty of different styles of salads. With the salads consider different textures, flavours and colours as these will all make the buffet table look interesting and varied. I used a bean salad, pasta salad, rice salad and a green salad and these worked well for me when mixed with my other items.

Other than salads and quiche, you could include the following:

- Indian snacks such as bhajis and samosas
- Thai vegetable parcels and spring rolls
- Filo parcels with feta and spinach or goats cheese and brocolli
- Vegetarian pizza or brushetta
- Vegetarian tarts such as goats cheese and carmelised onion or roast pepper and onion
- Sandwiches – egg, cheese, humous
- Tortilla wraps
- Bagels with various fillings
- Feta, olives and tomatoes
- Blinis with cream cheese and olive tapenade
- Vegetable kebabs on skewers
- Mozzerella and cherry tomatoes on cocktail sticks
- Crudities with dips including humous, pesto, tzatsiki (you could also offer pitas)
- Selection of cheeses
- Crisps and other small snacks

Then fill up your guests with pasta, cous cous, potatoes or bread.

By the way, by suggesting the above, I’m not recommending you serve all of them! Pick what you fancy or create a theme (i.e. Mediterranean or Moroccan).

Enjoy!

Lush waistcoat!

How gorgeous is this waistcoat? Amazingly gorgeous that's how! I love the cut, the fabric and especially the stand-up collar. So stylish and quirky, just like me fiance. And the stripy green necktie makes the look complete. I know I have said a brown suit would be ideal, but this is making me change my mind. Obviously he'd look good in both colours, but I just love this style.

It's from By Eneroth and comes in at £180.

What do you say hun?

Who doesn't want to be a princess??

I can't remember wanting to be a princess growing up, like little girls so often do. But I certainly wouldn't mind feeling like a princess for my wedding day. When I found out that Alfred Angelo has realised a Disney collection of wedding dresses I just had to take a closer look. All I can say is Oh My Gosh! The dresses seem to be taken straight from my dreams. They really are that gorgeous. My favourites are 'Snow White' (top) and 'Cinderella' (bottom). I really want to go and try these beauties on. The best part is that they are not even that expensive. The collection is priced at an affordable £370-£800 (at least in the states). Have a look at thesefairytale dresses! I would love to wear them on my wedding day.

Update: British websites seem to have bumped up the prices slightly, with the Snow White gown coming in at £999.

Gorgeous in Dark Brown

Thinking about David on our big day. I think that he would look smashing with a brown suit and his brown hair and eyes. I'd probably go for a darker brown (out of these two, the one to the right), as I think it looks more stylish.

(Photos from: http://tinyurl.com/6b6bx3n and http://tinyurl.com/6huye6z)

Different style of dress

There is something absolutely angelic about this dress. It's by Bari Jay and completely different from anything I have looked at before. It's beautiful, but I don't know if it would be for me?

Dream Wedding

It's fun to dream and I don't think you ever do it so much as when you are planning a wedding. At the moment, when I imagine the perfect wedding, it would be something like this:

A dress and hair-do like this:

(found at: http://tinyurl.com/6j7vghs)

Wedding Ceremony here:

(from: http://weddingblogs.biz/outdoor-weddings)

Wedding Reception here:

(from: http://tinyurl.com/6hynegf)

Wedding buffet might look like this:

(found at: http://tinyurl.com/6br47do)

Thoughts about money

I went for a job interview the other day. Unfortunately I didn't end up getting the job, but while I was in limbo about the outcome I managed to re-think most things about our wedding. I'm known for being good with money and very rarely spend over my budget. So when I all of a sudden saw the possibility of earning an extreme amount of money I couldn't help to think of what I would do with them. A fancier venue. More people invited. More expensive dress. Transport to the venue. Fancier food. Longer honeymoon.

It didn't last very long as I was told quite quickly that I hadn't been selected for the position. I got far more upset about this than I thought I would. Not because it was an awesome job (just awesomely paid), but for a few hours I hadn't had to worry about money. It's extremely hard, not to say impossible, to plan for a wedding when you have no idea how your economy will look in the future. We are planning an imminent move from London to Sweden and with that we will both become unemployed. We need to sort out somewhere to live and everything else that comes along with starting a new life. How can I possibly know what we might earn or not earn?

All of these thoughts are constantly spinning in my head. It scares the living crap out of me, but at the same time I'm not hesitating to follow my gut feeling. You might try new things or stay in an old rut. Either way things can fall apart and go straight to hell. But it's the possibility of success and happiness that drives me to do the things I do. If you don't try, how will you ever know? I will not live my life in fear. And I know that after a period of sleepless nights and constant worry, I will come out stronger, better and happier. And that's what its all about.

There will be a wedding. There is no question about that. What budget we will have or when and where it will take place will eventually come together.

I have faith in the future.

Amazing Cakes

Look at these amazing baking trays from Bluebox. I love them. If you were to make your own desserts for the wedding, these would be perfect.

Pretty bridesmaids dress

I haven't been writing all that much in this blog the last few days. I'm still job hunting and lately its taking up a lot of time.

I just thought I'd show this bridesmaid dress that I found and like. It's from Little Coral and only cost £64. I love that it's green and strapless. I also love that it's tea length, which I think will end up being the final length for the bridesmaids dresses I choose. I know its quite common to have full length dresses for the maids, but I think the bride alone should have that privilege.

Reception Venue Suggestion 5 - Update

Sunds Herrgård has gotten back to me with answers to the questions I asked them. So here are the additional information about this venue.

• You can have the wedding ceremony at the estate or in their garden. The price for them arranging the chairs for the guests and a red carpet leading up the aisles is £200-£300 depending on the number of guests.
• You will have access to your own suite with bathroom all day, but there is no overnight stays available.
• The bar is open to 1 am, you need to leave the venue at 1.30 am - no later. If you want to stay for additional time there is a fee of £300 extra/hour.
• If you are fewer than 40 people there is an additional 'small wedding' fee of £500.
• During holidays like Midsummers Eve and New Years Eve there is an extra fee for the personal of between £400-£800.
• You can but a 'drinks package' which include: 1 glass of Champagne, 1 glass of wine with your started, 2 glasses of wine with your main, 4 dl Avec and coffee with your dessert. This package costs £30/person.
• There is a choice of 5 different 3-course-dinner menus and 4 different buffet menus. raging in price between: £40 and £53/person. The cheapest option for a party of 35 people would therefor cost £1400 (no drinks and no wedding cake). A pre-wedding consultation and food trying session is included in the food prices.

We would have to look at the menus together and decide if we think its ok or not for the prices. Personally I think it's ridiculous to charge £300 to put some chairs out on the lawn, but maybe that's just me? A Big minus is that there is not a 3-course-dinner that I can eat as they all have meat in them. And I can't say I'm overly excited by the buffet suggestions. They have a lot of meat in them as well and even though I could eat parts of them (vegetables and fish) I just don't know if it's worth all that money for a menu I'm not 100% pleased with? Also I think we could make a better buffet with more things to our taste for a lot less cash.

Once again the question is: Do we want to cook our own food or not?

Sage green groom

I really like this sage green colour. Green is one of David's favourite colours and mine too, and I can see him wear something similar to this on our wedding day. Oh, just the thought makes me a bit giddy....

Photo from: http://www.sasiwedding.co.uk

Reception Venue Suggestion 5

Sunds Herrgård

I've fallen completely in love with this place. Have e-mailed them for prices. I hope, it's not to expensive, because it's so lovely. And it's in Uddevalla!

Reception Venue Suggestion 4

Åttersruds Bygdegård

Fits 150 people. There is glass, plates, cutlery etc. Dishwasher, two cookers, fridge/freezer, pans, 2 microwaves. There is a bar desk available to hire. Price: Full day £150. For setting of tables and cleaning the day before/after you pay an additional £30. Located in Vänersborg.

Pros

• By far the cheapest option we have looked at so far.
• Also by far the nicest clubhouse style venue I have found. It was renovated in 2008.
• Love the green colours on the walls which would work well with our colour theme.
• Black nice looking chairs that will fit with any table setting.
• Several toilets available for guests, including a handicap one.
• Nice clean kitchen for final preparation of food.
• Stage for possible live band/singer/DJ/whatnot.
• Split level room, with separate dining and dance floor area.
• Big space, many possibilities!
• Will be able to decorate this place very easily and nicely since the decor is so neutral.
• Possibilities to rent computer projector (HDMI) for additional £20.

Cons

• Not the most flattering outside.
• 45 minute drive from Uddevalla.

Reception Venue Suggestion 3

Hotell Hehrne/Villa Hehrne

There are three different ways of having your wedding reception at this place:

1. You can rent 'festsalen'. Festsalen fits up to 150 people and is featured on the bottom right photo above. It's located in the building on the bottom left. Price on request. You can bring your on food and drink. Although the hotel can help with catering if you wish.
2. Secondly, you can rent a separate building called Villa Hehrne (top two photos). Two floors, with a number of rooms. Will fit 60 people. You rent the villa from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. Tables, chairs, dishwasher, freezer/fridge, toiletpaper etc. is included in the rent. Once again, you can bring your on food and drink. Although the hotel can help with catering if you wish. Price: £500 without cleaning, £750 with cleaning included.
3. You can also have your reception in the hotel restaurant. You would have a set menu including a welcome drink on the porch, 3 course meal with wine (1 glass with starter, 1.5 with main and 1 glass dessert wine), coffee and wedding cake. The food would cost £75/person with an additional £250 for hiring the venue. You need to have at least 55 paying guests to have the restaurant to yourselves, otherwise other hotel customers will be granted entry. Additional snacks can be served for if you pay extra.

Pros

• Many venue alternatives, you can chose what suits your wedding the best.
• It's in/close by a hotel where the foreign guests could stay.
• Reasonable prices for venue hiring.
• Beautiful buildings in beautiful park setting.
• Located in Trollhättan, 30 minute drive from Uddevalla
• You can bring your own food/drink
• Or you can order catering from the hotel or additional outside catering

Cons

• Can't think of any atm.

Reception Venue Suggestion 2

Varmbadhuset in Gothenburg

You can rent this venue with a package or just on it's own depending on the time of year. Between 1 October - 30 April the venue is available to rent 'on its own' all days of the week, with us doing everything.. Between 1 Maj - 30 September we can rent it 'on its own', but only Sunday - Thursday and the midsummer weekend. Its available to rent on fridays during this period of time only if you hire at least two of the venues staff. It's available to rent with a whole package all year around.

You have access to the venue from 10.00 am - 6.00 am the following day. Maximum of 100 guests.

This is included in the rent:

Table, chairs, linen cloths, linen napkins, three armed candle sticks with white candles, plates, glasses, cutlery, coffee maker including coffee powder, thermoses, heating cupboard, heating plates, microwave, ice machine, bar, sound and light equipment including 25 CD changer, party tent on the bridge with four bar tables, heater. Cleaning is included in the rent, you only need to rinse the plates and pick up any trash of the bridge.

Price: £2000 for only hiring the venue, £90/person with package including 3 course dinner, coffee/tea, night snacks and waiters till 1 am.

Pros

• High ceiling
• Nice location
• Can get married on the bridge
• Cool venue
• You can bring your own food and drinks!

Cons

• Very pricey! It doesn't feel like you get as much for your money as you did in option one?
• Have heard you can't see the sea from inside the venue - bit pointless?

Reception Venue Suggestion 1

Villa Vanahem

You rent the venue from friday 12.00 to Sunday 12.00. You bring your own drinks and they assist with catering. A Host and a Hostess is included in the package. Dining room is 75 sqm, with a table in E formation. Additional relax room with sofas and chairs. Lounge room with bar. All the rooms are 250 sqm. Big garden of 3700 sqm with sea view. They can assist with makeup and hair.

You will also have access to: gazebo in the garden used for the wedding ceremony, big porch of 80 sqm, barbecue section with gas and coal equipment, PA-sound system, Projector attached to the ceiling, ice machine, plates and cutlery for 80 guests, linen tablecloths and linen napkins, coffee maker, dish washer, pantry/cold room, cleaners after the reception.

Price: £2000

Pros

• Beautifully situated
• Modern and fresh style
• Black chairs at the tables (you'll be surprised how many chairs in venues are bright blue, or even white outdoor style furniture in plastic)
• Linen clothes, napkins included, plates and cutlery included.
• Barbecue available for that roast David wanted
• Several rooms and outdoor space for the guests to spread out
• Have their own space for the wedding ceremony
• Cleaning included

Cons

• Really expensive. Price does not include food or drink.
• Could be limited when it comes to food as they help you with catering, thus you can't do it yourself.
• Guests would have to travel to their hotel/home. I.e we would have to arrange transportation.

Dessert Buffet

When it comes to the food at our wedding, we have always been keen on the idea of a buffet. It forced people to mingle and you will be likely to cater for most peoples tastes. I have always enjoyed a good buffet and it seems very us. Until yesterday I had only pictured the main meal served this way. David however, put forward the idea of having a wedding dessert buffet, to follow the main meal one. The more I think about this idea the more it intrigues me. I have always said I don't want a traditional wedding cake as I'm not very keen on the taste and they cost a small fortune. So this might be an exciting option.

If we end up doing the food ourselves we need to be very clever with the desserts. The ones we pick have to be able to be made in advance. Preferable frozen if possible. Or refrigerated the day before. We also need to think about when the dessert table is going to be dressed and by who. We can't have all the dessert standing around during the entire main course. But none of the guests should have to get up and leave the celebrations to sort out the desserts. And I'm not about to get up in my big white dress and set up cakes and desserts that might spoil it. My thought is that we would have to look into hiring waiters/waitresses/food attendants. Maybe from the local restaurant college? Just to make sure the food is brought out/put away on time. Additionally they could make sure peoples glasses aren't empty.

If we do decide on this option we definitely have to look into a venue which allows you to do your own decorating as well as bringing your own food and drinks. It would most certainly rule out the venue I wrote about yesterday. It's quite common in Sweden for people to get married in less posh venues and take care of most things regarding the wedding themselves. It certainly would keep the costs down, or at least redistribute them from the venue hiring to the food and decorations.

It's a lot to think about. Instinctively I like the idea of buffets, both for our main and for the dessert. I just don't want to end up super stressed the day before our wedding because we haven't made all the dishes yet. I'm pretty sure my family wouldn't mind helping with the food, but there is still the element of stress, which we wouldn't get with catering. Hmm... a lot to think about.

Our Reception Venue??

This our first serious suggestion for our reception venue. It's a beautiful restaurant in my home town, right by the sea front. Options for indoor or outdoor seating. It's in close proximity to a few hostels/hotels where our foreign guests could stay. I think they have a set 3-course-dinner though, which is not what we originally wanted, but we might just have to check this place out anyway.

Photo taken from: http://www.vastsverige.com/sv/uddevalla/products/45615/Gustafsbergs-Badrestaurang/

Dusky Pink, Mocha and Green

Current favourite colours for our wedding theme: dusky pink, green and mocha. So lovely.

Who is the Wedding for??

I have only been engaged for little over two months and I am enjoying and looking forward to the planning of our forthcoming wedding. But I can already get annoyed, frustrated and frankly sick to my stomach when reading forum discussions on the subject.

You simply must have this! You better not have that, so tacky! How can you live with yourself if you don't give the guests xxxxx!

People go crazy. Stark raving mad. It's very easy to become blinded by all the discussions. To have your own values shifted by the hoard of opinionated people coming at you from all sides; fellow brides, parents, family, guests. It might sound crude, but they shouldn't matter. It is not their day and they should be honoured to be a part of what ever me and my future husband decide to do for our wedding. If I wanted to wear a bikini and get married in a pool, then that should be fine. If I wanted to skip the wedding cake, then fine. If I choose to have a very low key affair, with just a couple of people, fine. It should all be fine. But instead every decision is discussed, scrutinised and argued about.

I am very worried that we will end up having the wedding other people wants us to have. It makes me not want to involve other people in the planning, even though I would love nothing more than for my family to be a part of it. Already its started. About who must be invited. About what is right to do with regards to food and alcohol. It's all well meant. But I can feel their opinions swaying me away from my own (yet fully formed) opinions.

So when do you involve them? Ever?

Short Wedding Dresses - Hot or Not?

I can't decide if I really like or really hate the idea of a short wedding dress. The short dress is far more practical. You can move around with ease, you don't have to worry about stepping on your trail and you don't have to have someone correct the way the dress falls. It's even possible to wear it after the wedding. Dye it another colour even.

But, I don't think its as glamourous as a long wedding dress. It doesn't scream bride in the same way and if we're honest, how many times in your life can you get away with wearing a long dress? With a trail?

A short dress is probably easier to find for a cheaper price as there is less fabric involved. And if you pair it with a veil and a killer pair of shoes, it might look nice enough for a bride? The jury is out on this one... for now.

Update: David thinks short wedding dress on me is a no-no, so I will stick with the traditional length. At least one of us know for sure!

Inspiration Boards

This the my first ever inspirational board for our wedding. I made it using Mosaic Maker. It has a lot of greens, pinks and some browns. The colours we are contemplating for our scheme. I love the thought of an outdoor wedding. That would be my ultimate dream venue. Love the spring theme with fruit and flowers. Love, love, love.

The China Option

I'm member of an online Swedish wedding forum, and on this forum there are hundreds of brides who are ordering their wedding dress from china. Made to your measurements and very cheap, usually between £50-£200. Here's my problems with this option:

1. The working conditions for the workers are probably horrible.
2. Something so cheap can't possibly be of very good quality.
3. There has been horror stories of things not being delivered on time.
4. I have also heard stories were the final dresses look nothing like the ones on the pre-order pictures.

For someone like me, who is an organisation and planning freak, this option feels very unsafe. If it does work out, it's amazing. Just look at the pictures above. You could get beautiful dresses for very little money. But it still feels very unsafe. Too unsafe? I think so.

Photos from: http://www.dhgate.com and http://www.littlecoral.com/

My 1st day of Wedding dress shopping

Last Thursday was an amazing day. It was the first time I got to try on wedding dresses and for the first time it all felt real. My mum, sister and my friend had come over from Sweden and came with me to the bridal shops.

Our first stop was Browns Bride on 12 Hinde Street, London. Exquisite store, with amazing bridal wear. We were greeted by the lovely lady who was going to serve me. Unfortunately I can remember her name, but she was the perfect attendant. Made us feel very comfortable and not a hint of pushiness. We were taken to one of several private changing rooms, where I had my own massive mirror and my family could sit comfortably in a designer sofa sipping complementary pink champagne. I was given a glass of champagne as well, but I was scared to death about spilling any of it on any of the dresses, so I didn't end up having more than a mouthful. I tried on somewhere between 5 and 10 dresses. The attendant was happy bringing me any dress I wanted as well as a selection of veils. I tried on an amazing dress by Carolina Herrera for staggering £8000+. It was absolutely gorgeous and probably my second or third favourite. My family however, thought it ate me up, drawing all eyes to the dress and not to me. In the end I absolutely feel in love with a dress by Delphine Manivet for £4300. Well over my budget, but maybe it's possible to find something similar but cheaper? Or even ask someone to make me a copy? I also loved a veil by Tony Federicci for £960 that my attendant match to the dress. I left the store feeling giggly and very bridal.

The next stop was HoF's Bridal Room. Completely different experience. It's one big room with all the dressing rooms next to each other, so there is zero privacy. Two big mirrors, although the lighting above one of them was broken, so all the four brides that were there flocked to the same mirror. The dresses were of a lot poorer quality, but what can you expect for prices ten times less?? They were also a bit worn out and some had makeup stains and were discoloured from hanging in the light for such a long time. I tried on five or six dresses here. Found it hard to find dresses I really liked. In the end I had three dresses I liked by Tom Flowers, Augusta jones and Rosetta Nicoloni, the last one being my favourite. Prices between £1299 and £1849.

Shopping for a wedding dress is a tricky thing. There needs to be a balance between what makes you feel beautiful and exclusive and what price you are willing to pay. I think £1200 for a wedding dress is still pretty steep. My dream budget would be under £500.

After a quick search online, I've found several of HoF's Bridal Room dresses on second hand sale. That is definitely an option. But it's early days. We'll just have to wait and see.