The First (& hopefully last) Wedding Drama

Almost at the 2 week mark! It has been a time of ups and downs, that’s for sure.

2 days ago, the music agent I booked through called for what seemed to be a catch-up. Then the bad news was out – my singer/guitarist was not going to make it. He was going to the US!

Deep breaths, deep breaths. Last resort – there is always the trusty iPod.

As usual, things have a tendency to sort themselves out.

2 days later, deposit paid for a different musician, and hopefully a full refund is on its way. Things like this certainly raise the stress levels, but I feel like I’ve been coping fairly well.

Its official though….I’m ready for the day to come

More good news – upgraded to a balcony on our honeymoon cruise!

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The Wedding Venue Update

Not too much to report since my bridezilla moment (it is still early days yet).  But I realised that I hadn’t posted the outcome/my decision regarding the “early opening fee”.

I did my best to ‘negotiate’, but I am not too sure how you negotiate with wedding vendors?!  In my case it went something along the lines of:

- We would like to open the venue earlier for our ceremony (realising that it is fair enough to expect an extra cost).
>> Opening the venue 1.5hrs earlier = an extra $1000
- I would be happy to reduce the extra time by half an hour, and also to close the venue an hour earlier (usually access until 1am)
>> It is $1000 for every hour that we are open earlier or later than 5:30 and 1:00 am.  So really, you are getting $500 off.
- Oh, well thank you.  Please find the signed contracts attached.

So me 0, venue 1.

 

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Bridezilla, Already?!

There hadn’t been much to report on the wedding front recently, until yesterday, that is.

So we have had our wedding venue verbally ‘locked in’ for a couple of months now, and even the date was set… which is not until September 2012 mind you 

Anyway, I received an email from the new event’s manager, the lady I had previously dealt with is on maternity leave.  Anyway(!) apparently another couple is interested in our venue for the same night, and so > Do we still want to hold our event on that day?  Um, that would be a resounding YES, thank you 

And so things were moving forward just a little bit more quickly > how many guests, what dinner service, etc, etc.  Then … here is a contract to be signed, terms and conditions, and 50% deposit required in about a month.

Insert some deep breaths here

Now here is my almost bridezilla moment:  The contract states 5:30 guest access, after I had discussed with the previous events manager about moving access forward, as we will be holding the ceremony at the venue.  So I enquire about moving access forward to 4pm (with no food/beverage service required, just earlier set up).  The cost for that hour and a half extra you ask?  = $1000.

Yep, um no.  I expected some cost associated with earlier set-up, but even for the addition of 1.5hrs to staff; $1000?

So, I am in negotiations.  As I said, I don’t mind covering the costs required, but to reduce these somewhat, these are the options I have come up with:
-  We have the venue until 1am, can we bring it forward to 12am, and therefore bring the access forward to 4/4:30pm
- Reduce the time of the earlier access, only 1hour earlier?
- I want to have sufficient time for wedding photography, so the venue will be closed to guests for 1hour following the ceremony. This will give staff time to complete set up in the dining area (the ceremony is on the balcony, weather permitting).

I think this all sounds reasonable, but I do have the feeling that the event’s manager is fed up with me already.

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