2015 brides!

Milly33

Just incase with the paper straws homestore and more have them 1.99 for 30 they have blue green and orange.. Called into Hickeys in cork too today and they have loverly bits like signs and baskets and wedding bits. Just back from a day trying to find dress material and its like nope everything I like is not there so fustrating

teggers5

5 more sleeps til my BIG day!!!!

Faith

For those of you who didn't/aren't having everything on one site, how did you sort out travel? Did you pay for cars and drivers for your bridal party, or did they drive themselves? My mum is insisting it's totally inappropriate for them to drive themselves, but we're getting quotes of E300 for one car for a couple of hours!!

Milly33

have ye tried asking good friends maybe or even the partners of the best men..I know for a wedding himself was best man well I offered to drive for it and had no problem with it as it kept me busy... That or do ask people going I know one of our friends have offered already to see if we needed drivers for the day

Faith

That's the next avenue I'm going to explore, Milly. What happens with pictures then though? Does the driver just have to wait around? We're taking most of our pictures of the grounds of the hotel, but it's probably too spread out for easy walking and having cars would be preferable for those of us in heels!

westernlass

Are you need an airport? If you hire fancy cars it's about 60e a day instead

Milly33

Yep the driver just goes with you.. To be honest if there is a partner of one of the groomsmen or the bridesmaids id say they would be happy out to do it. Youll know straight away after asking them if they would be up for it

CorkClaire82

We just had my brother in law drive his black A4 for us. The bridesmaid drove herself and her 3 kids, the best man drove himself and his girlfriend. Maybe I'm a bad bride but this just suited everyone. We stopped for about 15-20 minutes at one place for photos just us and my bro-in-law waited, then we took the rest (another 20 minutes in total) at the venue so there was no need for him to hang around, he got to relax (as much as you can with 3 kids ) from then on. We aren't car people so no way we were spending that money.

stickybookmark

I just had my lil bro (he doesn't have kids) driving my wedding car which was my own blue A4. I got it valeted, buffed, polished all that for the big day (nearly spent as much on getting it ready as I did on myself haha) and my BIL decorated it with ribbons and the 'just married' bunting across the boot etc. (any florist will do the ribbons for you and you attach them yourself I paid 8 euro per car got them for the wedding car, my parent's car & OH's parent's car). God I must be a bad bride as well I didn't even consider anyone driving the bridal party! Everyone drove themselves to/from the church (I mean with their husbands/wives & families). For the wedding car my lil bro drove and it was me & my Dad in it on way to the church and me & hubby in it on way back. Do ye have a nice camera? One very good move I made was I gave said lil bro a camera (SLR) to take photos for me for the day and because he was the wedding car driver he was there at all the right moments like me & Dad leaving the hotel, me & OH leaving the church etc. He also took loads of the ceremony for me. It was so great to have those photos instantly to put on social media and share with people as the official photos prob won't arrive for weeks! It was great to look at them while on honeymoon as well.

Pistachios & cream

Faith wrote: »

What happens with pictures then though? Does the driver just have to wait around? We're taking most of our pictures of the grounds of the hotel, but it's probably too spread out for easy walking and having cars would be preferable for those of us in heels!

How many photos with your bridal party are you going to take? Most people only take a few - 20 mins if you want some fun ones. If you get these done first then they can head off while you get pics with your husband.

Write down the photos you would like and give them to your photographer and see how long he thinks it will take for them. That way the driver will know how long they have to wait.

My Brother is driving the bridesmaids, We are using his car and he will bring them to the church and from there to the venue. I plan on geting photos of me with my bridesmaids before the church and my Fiance will do the same. After the church we will take a couple of photos in the churchyard as well as family photos and from there Myself and my husband will head off for some photos of the two of us before going to the venue. Now this is all wedding permitting but if it rains we will do something similar but inside in the church and the venue.

I bought these bows for the cars, very handy just pull the string and they become a bow! http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005KIG1J6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

kildareash

We don't really have any money in the budget for cars either. OH has asked a friend who has a really nice car if he will drive me to the church. OH was talking about driving himself out to the church and groomsman cld drive his car back to reception.

But I went a little mad, and booked a special car for him and as I only live 2 minutes from the church it is no hassle for them to pick me up. I splurged as I didn't get him anything when we got engaged but there was a series of events around that time that meant we didn't even get to celebrate it properly.
I negotiatied a cheaper rate that what they were asking because it's off-season, but I think OH will be totally blown away by it.

Milly33

I got a number for a valet man at home for anyone around Cork City. Seems very good he will come out and clean the car lets say at your home or work or wherever you like. Just incase it might interest someone he does all wax, compound the lot .. One of the lads got him in work and he was tops

Faith

Okay, I knew it wasn't typical to get cars for the whole bridal party! We're just a little stuck for cars because most of our bridal party no longer live in Ireland (us included) so none of us own cars any more! But anyway, it doesn't matter because my mum has insisted on paying for a car for the bridesmaids and it's easier to just let her have her way than argue over such a small detail. The groomsmen will either drive themselves or my brother, who is a groomsman, can drive them all and they can work out travel arrangements with their partners themselves.

Dolbert

That sounds fine. All we had was our wedding car and a family friend with a big car drove the bridesmaids.

Milly33

So trying the Dove cream tan at the moment, must say I like it but what is with the stickyiness. I put it on and left if dry as long as my patience would hold and when it did tis kinda sticky or something... Was laughing thinking this is how it works dirt just sticks to you... Liking it so far except for this feeling but thinking sure if I put it on for a few days and then stopped it have a nice hue.

stickybookmark

i cannot recommend spray tan enough - get it in a reputable place though. i got married Sat got the spray tan done on Thurs eve so i had fri and sat morning showers on it and it was perfect. nothing worse than a white dress and a white arm next to it. it really looked fab in the photos, looked very natural and gave me so much confidence. i got mine done in the tanning place across from kcs in douglas Milly my sister uses them all the time. they specialise in tanning. very little staining on the dress either. i think it's the 2 showers is crucial

fits

I dunno. I have seen so many photos now of orange brides beside white grooms, I am dubious about it. I think photographers can find it very difficult to deal with difference in skin tones.

Milly33

Thanks Sticky... I just want to take the white whiteness off really so id say the creams as such would do, tis just they are all so different. But if I am not happy I shall go to KCs for a spud pie then head to the tanning place haha..

I swear we are shocked at the moment watching the variation of colour going down to the marquee recently. Live just up the road and I swear it is like a colour parade. We have orange legs with white to beige faces, orange to just dirty looking faces.. Madness what women are doing

stickybookmark

Not at all. Just get it done professionally - in a reputable place. I was asked did I want light, medium or dark tan and I said medium. I'll give u a quick look at mine there. I was very happy with it. This is one indoors and only one I have taken outside with the groom in it to compare.

If you look in the crowd actually you can see that like most weddings, most girls there have tan on. Do you really want to be the palest girl at your own wedding!? AND you're the only one wearing white which pales people. Nothing drains people like the colour white. The groom doesn't have that issue so it's not comparing apples with apples.

You gotta work on getting a good spray tan though. Exfoliate the hide off yourself in the run up to the wedding. I bought a body brush in Boots which was brilliant. Never used one before but used it on my arms every shower in the 6 weeks before the wedding, made a huge difference both to getting rid of that chicken skin look on arms and also meaning the tan sat well. And obviously lots of body moisturiser after each shower then.

rainbow kirby

Change that natural skin tone to an almost translucent paleness, hair to blonde or red and add some freckles. Very hard to find a tan that won't look orange on that sort of colouring. You have the sort of overall colouring that takes a tan well.

Milly33

Yeah pictures love it..

Really it would not bother me in the slightest if I was the whitest person there or something like. Im normally the palest in the group anywho would never use tan products. I just want like a hint but if it doesn't work it doesn't work...

Love the body brushes too picked my ones for body and face in pennys. I do normally exfoliate body wise thought this was a norm for all so im culio with that, but must say the face brush one I love. Made such a difference to pore size. It was like €1.50 or something in Pennys and I just use it in the shower maybe 2 a week and you do notice a difference.

Still looking for the palmers shimmer that was great to just add a bit of sparkle but cant find it recently..

Oh wow you look so pretty Love the dress, really stunning... So lucky suits you perfectly!! I hope ye had the best day ever

stickybookmark

Yeah fair enough rainbowkirby everyone knows their own colouring best. I wouldn't worry about looking too brown for the groom though fits unless you have a particularly pale groom? The only bit of the groom that's on show is head and hands and they are the most weatherbeaten part of anyone's body so will naturally be a darker shade. That's all they have to display head and hands not like us having to display our big payshtey white irish arms!

fits

Yeah but I have seen loads of photos where the brides face and neck just looks completely wrong beside groom mostly due to tan. Its just not a look I like. I am not going to link to any as don't like singling people out but once you start looking for it, you can never unsee it. Your tan is lovely though and very naturally done.

I am not completely without vanity I have been making the most of the nice weather so I have a small bit of a glow (i.e more freckles) at least.

CorkClaire82

I used an Ambre Solaire gradual tan type thing, I was thinking of going for a spray tan but I never wear tan, I'm always the palest in group photos at weddings (I'm relatively sallow but my friends tan a lot for weddings) and I was getting married mid April so there would've been no chance for a natural tan so I figured I wouldn't bother with faking it. Didn't bother me one bit. Also, my husband is not a fan (not that I let him tell me what to do!!) so he would've been a bit "who's this tanned one coming up the aisle?? Oh cripes, it's Claire" I do think though that tan is beautiful and it can make people slimmer looking as well, any time I've gone to the bother of it I'm loving myself

Pistachios & cream

I like a tanned look but i'm not a fan of looking tango'd.

It really is down to application, doing it myself i will only use instant tan as i can see that going on and make sure it applies properly. Anytime i use overnight tan i always find it looks blotchy around the ankles etc and the smell of it is rank!

For spray tan i always go light to medium and i apply a couple of days in advance so the smell is gone. I do like them as i have very bad skin on my arms and they make them look better so definitely doing one for the wedding.
Saying that i do tan naturally as well and i have dark hair so the tan suits my skintone. If it doesn't suit your skintone you should stay well away!

Milly33

Im with you Claire, just don't do it really. Even the patience side of it to dry. I tried to stay still and air dry in the bathroom and found myself bored in a few minutes and that was after cleaning the place... haha the smell is horrbible too why does actually smell in the tans as they all kinda smell the same.

This one now himself said (dove) didn't smell but still the sticky thing is annoying.. He told me I smelt different that was it haha..

kildareash

I've only ever put on during the day once and I couldn't believe how sticky it was. I was sitting in work just wanting to shower it off. Normally I put it on at night, give it a few mins to start to dry and then get into pj's and hop into bed and it's always turned out ok.

Sticky your tan looked so natural. One of the best I've ever seen.

I rarely do fake tan, I've only started using the dove now to try it out for the wedding so i'm a bit apprehensive about getting a spray tan done. Also as I'm getting married in the winter I think I wld look ridiculous if I was bronzed, but white is such a hard colour to wear that I feel I need something.

Went through my flowers with my friend whose doing them for me. I can't decide what to have in my own bouquet. The flower I like isn't in season. She took a pic of the bridesmaid dresses and she's going to have a think about it and get back to me.

Milly33

What kind of flowers were you looking got Kilaresh.

Yeah the stickiness thing is defo a put off but I must say it is the nicest one I have tried so far. And it doesn't seem to come off either. I am going to put another coat on and see but for me the one coat of it was ok just to add a little glow...

kitten_k

Just seen this on facebook:

kildareash

I love peonies but they're not in season in the winter. My bmaids are a big block of colour so just going with white bouquets for them and I wanted something that would compliment their dresses but I don't think it's going to be possible as the colour of their dresses is not typical bridesmaid.
I'm not that fussy but don't want to look back on pics and not be happy with that tiny element. Ok, I am a little bit fussy then.

Milly33

Not at all, your better off being too picky than not at all. At least you know what you want. Would you think of maybe getting some fake peonies and then a really strong smelling or very striking real flower to make up for it.. You get some lovely fake ones, was it meadows and byrnes I think tis them anywho in Mahon Point they have some really beautiful fake ones..

Peonies are so pretty there is a lady my mum called too who grows them, I mean fields of them I remember calling to her with mum and it was just heaven...

What colour are the dresses then for the bridesmaids... White would look great next to block colours but you might be able to add something in...

Milly33

Thought of you kildareash at the weekend, I should have taken a picture my mum has what I can only say looks like a double if not triple peoni growing..It is huge and the smell weak..

Another weekend spent with no dress material oh the joys, think now tis just plain ivory... Have another makeup trial tomorrow airbrush makeup so fingers crossed this will be the one. I feel bad though if I have to cancel the other lady though trying to think of what I will say.. I know honesty is best..

Went for a walk around Cork also at the weekend and finally dresses seem to be in.. Carrigdonn is anyone is looking has a great sale on at the moment

ANON0108

Hi ladies, I have been reading this thread for a while now but have never posted. I'm getting married in just under 6 weeks time and all is going well so far apart from the dress.

Can anyone tell me what the normal time to go for a first fitting is? I'm the first of my group of friends to get married and have no sisters so I feel totally clueless on all this. I got my dress back in May last year and rang earlier this year to see what the story was. I was told to ring back in May, rang back in May and was told to ring in early June as fittings would usually be 8 weeks before the wedding. I didn't want to look like a complete bridezilla so I waited until last week to call again. I was then told my dress would be in in 10 days and to ring back again then. To be honest I started panicking and I think she could tell. She told me at the moment they are dealing with July weddings but as my wedding is 1st August it technically is a July wedding as I will be collecting the dress etc in July.
Due to work the only days I can go for fittings are Saturdays and I really wanted to go in this weekend. My hen is the following weekend and then I will be down to 3 weeks and I just feel this is so close to the wedding and will be so rushed which is ridiculous seems I ordered my dress so far in advance!
I'm trying not to get stressed over the wedding but this is really starting to bother me, especially as they seem to be telling me something different every time I call. I'm terrified something is going to go wrong with this dress!
Would welcome some opinions/experiences on this?? x

rainbow kirby

Start putting the heat on them, it sounds like they are leaving it way too close for comfort and long-fingering you a bit.

Pistachios & cream

Is your dress being made by this shop or are they doing the alterations? having ordered last may i would expect the shop to have received the dress by now. I contacted my dress shop 7 weeks before my wedding as i still hadn't heard from them and i wanted to know the timeline.

Im getting married the week before you and im going for my first fitting this saturday. However i have already picked up my dress from the shop i bought it from.

Have you tried on your dress yet? If i hadn't tried on my dress by now i would be very nervous. I'd definitely contact the shop again and explain your timeline and that you want to see the dress asap.

Milly33

Hi ANON0108 sounds like they are being quite mean to be honest. I haven't ordered from a Shop but I would be quite annoyed with them if it was me. You have paid for the dress so you should be able to go in and try it on whenever (within reason) you like..

I would do like Rainbow says and start putting pressure on them. Even call into the store and ask to see the dress tell them that it is making you feel stressed, nothing wrong with this. As bridal boutique or shop they should be aware of this

ANON0108

Thanks all for the quick replies, I'm glad i'm not overreacting about this. Ahayes - the dress was ordered by the shop and they will do the alterations but no, they are not making it. From what they told me last week it hasn't arrived in the shop yet but they assured me it would be in this week. I tried it on when I picked it but only a sample which was about 2 sizes too big so have not tried it on in my size.
I really do want to put pressure on them but am also nervous that this will annoy them and they won't do a good job on alterations. I've paid a €300 deposit and the dress is €1,100.
Do you think if the dress comes in this week I could go and collect it Saturday and get the alterations done elsewhere?
Ahyes - just out of interest what did your shop advise you the timeline was?
Thanks to you all again, I am trying to keep calm but if something is wrong with the dress I have so little time to sort an alternative.

Pistachios & cream

ANON0108 wrote: »

Ahyes - just out of interest what did your shop advise you the timeline was?
Thanks to you all again, I am trying to keep calm but if something is wrong with the dress I have so little time to sort an alternative.

I ordered last november and i was told i would have it end of april or more likely some time in may. I didn't hear from them in May so the 1st week in june i contacted them and they contacted the designer. They said it would be a week but it was actually delivered the next day.

Regarding getting alterations done elsewhere this could be a risk. I'd be more concerned that the dress is not in yet rather than who is doing the alterations. Do you know of somewhere that could do the alterations? Whereabouts are you based? Do the shop have a good reputation?

ANON0108

You are probably right about the alterations. I really don't know how the dress can't be in when I ordered it well over a year ahead of my wedding.

I'm based in Kildare and the shop is based in Dublin City Centre. I was couldn't find much online about the shop but was told by a number of people that it was reputable and they had good experiences there.
I really love my dress and will be so heartbroken if I have to look for something else

Pistachios & cream

the main thing for you is to get the dress and try it on. That's your priority. Lighta fire under the shop and tell them you want them to chase up your dress.

There are plenty of places in dublin where you you can get alterations done if you feel the shop won't make a good job of it. However without a dress you are stuck in Nowherland.

You are not being a brideszilla by chasing the shop your dress should have arrived in plenty of time.

stickybookmark

ANON0108 wrote: »

Due to work the only days I can go for fittings are Saturdays and I really wanted to go in this weekend. My hen is the following weekend and then I will be down to 3 weeks

Keep trying on the phone but i strongly suggest that as you're free this weekend you go in there this Saturday. There's nothing like the face-to-face. Put the pressure on them and tell them you want answers. This is your wedding dress like !!!!! It's certainly worth a trip to Dublin from Kildare

ANON0108

Hi Sticky, thanks for advice you are right. I will be going up on Saturday regardless. You have all at least reassured me that this is a big deal - every time I speak to the shop they tell me "this is totally normal".
So I rang this morning and the manager (who sold us the dress) was not there. I spoke to another lady and got the whole spiel of how how it is normal and I shouldn't be worrying. I told her this is making me sick I am getting so worried and told her my timelines etc. She then made a comment along the lines of "the more you have paid the quicker you get your dress". I asked her is this what the hold up had been, that it was about money? She said no, no but we always tell brides when they are buying the dress that they are best paying it off as they go. My mam is kindly buying my dress and gave the deposit they asked for last May when we purchased. My mam asked what the process was and the manager told us they would be in touch. I went up again in the October to try on the dress for my best friend and my grandmother, nothing was said this day about paying more on the dress, again she said she would be in touch. I have been on the phone to them about 4 times the past few weeks and never once did they tell me I needed to pay more off it. My mam has the money sitting in an account of course she would have paid more off it if she knew.
I was basically just fobbed off again and told to ring tomorrow when the manager is there. My mam is going to ring and see if she can pay more off it over the phone and she will ring the manager tomorrow and she is a lot more assertive then me. As you say Sticky it's my wedding dress so I will be going up on Saturday to talk to them.

fits

At this stage don't even think of paying any more off that dress until you see it. You paid what they asked. Don't let them fob you off like that.

Pistachios & cream

fits wrote: »

At this stage don't even think of paying any more off that dress until you see it. You paid what they asked. Don't let them fob you off like that.

I agree i wouldn't pay another penny until i see the dress. You ordered the dress in plenty of time so i can't understand the delay.

ANON0108

Thanks ladies, I'll take your advice. Feel sick to my stomach about the whole situation

Milly33

Jes I am so sorry just reading this now. That is horrible the shop should be ashamed of themselves for saying that to you, and for dealing with it like that. If it wasn't so close I would be marching in there demanding my deposit back and leaving them at it and making sure to report them for how they are dealing.

Really shocking that a shop would act like this and say something like that you... I would defiantly not be paying them anymore money until you see and are happy with the dress..

stargazer 68

Have to agree - do not let your mum pay anymore. The more you have paid the quicker you get your dress is utter nonsense! I would rock up there sat morning - with someone with you for support - and complain very loudly - giving all the facts! They are bound to have girls there for fittings!

ANON0108

Thanks ladies, ye have made me feel a lot better as the shop were making me feel like I was being ridiculous and overreacting. As I said I am the first of my friends to go through this so I had no idea if this was "normal" as they keep telling me. I will definitely be going up on Saturday with my mam and fingers crossed it will work out.

The whole thing is disappointing because I have really enjoyed planning the wedding and now this has stressed me out. I suppose we all have things that go wrong though!

Thanks again to you all x

Milly33

ye can do it, and don't let them get you any more upset that you are. You have rights and they are completely taking the piss and being very unprofessionally...best of luck with it

Neyite

That pricing system seems bizarre. I paid half of the price on ordering it, half was payable once I went to pick it up. My sister in a different shop has the same payment arrangement.

It's protection on both sides - The half payment as deposit protects the shop from women who might order several dresses in different shops and leave them high and dry with unwanted stock at huge financial loss. You as the customer get to confirm that what you get is actually exactly the same quality and design as what was ordered and look for any flaws before paying the remainder.

Sounds dodgy OP. Did you get a copy of your order form from them? Usually it has the terms and conditions on the bottom of the page.

If its any help to you, if you want to post the make and model here, we might be able to pull together a shortlist of other stockists of your dress as a back-up plan?