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Posts tagged bridesmaids dresses
My duties as a bridesmaid
Hi All!
As I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts I am bridesmaid for my best friend aka septemberbride on mrs2be. I thought it would be a nice idea to write on my experiences of being a bridesmaid.
It all started with a phone call from her telling me her good news on her engagement. It was actually a couple of weeks before we announced our engagement so we have gone through this together. She asked me to be bridesmaid. I was delighted. As she lives in Cork and I live in Carlow a lot of talking had to be done on the phone, text and e-mail!
My first official bridesmaid duty was going to help her choose her dress. So I travelled down to Cork to her for the weekend. She had appointments in two bridal shops in Cork on Saturday. We went with her cousin (her other bridesmaid) and her mum. Off we went to the first appointment in Ivory Rose. We were all given tags to put on the dresses that we all thought she should try on. She tried on some fabulous dresses. There was one dress there that we all preferred so she tried that on again before we left. Then it was on to the second appointment in Rice ‘n’ Roses. Again we were given rings to put on the hangers so we went around the shop choosing dresses and the assistant brought them up to the fitting room. She tried on a few fabulous dresses. At one point she came out of the changing room with the assistant and I was thinking that is it. We all felt the same way – I even had tears in my eyes seeing her in it so I can only imagine what she felt like. The dress is top secret but I can tell you she will be a stunning bride!
The second official duty was choosing the bridesmaid dresses. Again I went to Cork for the weekend. We had an appointment in just one shop – The Walk in Wardrobe. It is a shop dedicated to bridesmaid dresses and we had the place to ourselves. The other bridesmaid and I had a changing room each so we tried on various styles and colours to see what suited us. We all preferred one particular dress so we tried that on again at the end of the appointment. Then the shop assistant said we could think about it so we went for a fabulous lunch across the road before we went back and the dresses were ordered.
The hen night was left a bit on the long finger as both of us were busy with one thing and another. She sent an e-mail around to see who could make it and I took over after that. I am aware that money is a bit tight for everyone at the moment so I had an idea to host it at my house. My poor h2b got kicked out for the weekend! After many e-mails it was organised. I had to get the house clean and ready – needed to kit out one of the bedrooms as it’s a new house we didn’t have all the rooms done, and did up the sitting room too. I did a big shopping trip to get loads of food and drink. Everyone arrived at the house on Friday evening. I had a bit of a technical problem with the oven – couldn’t actually figure out how to turn it on – but one of the girls helped – you need to set the timer to work the oven!! But we eventually got the pizzas, garlic bread and spring rolls cooked and we ate loads of crisps to keep us going in the meantime. We just had a girlie night in on Friday night – ate the food and drank some cocktails and I had got some sparkling wine too – and loads of chat. I had organised spa treatments on Saturday morning in the Killerig Resort which included tea and scones, and lunch. So off we went and got our breakfast and had lovely treatments and all met for a nice lunch afterwards. Saturday evening one of the girls that couldn’t make it Friday arrived and we all got ready to head out. We went to a lovely restaurant in Carlow called Lautrecs. Then we went out for a few drinks. All in all it was a great weekend.
The following weekend I had to go back to Cork to get the bridesmaid dress fitted. It fitted thankfully, it has to be taken in at the top and taken up so need to be careful for the next week that will still fit into it!!
We had another night out for her last week but I will tell you about that on my next blog and all about the wedding (this Saturday!!!).
Until the next time…
Bridal Boutique White Orchid joins mrs2be
We’ve recently added White Orchid Bridal Boutique to the Wedding Dresses section of our Supplier Directory.
Based in Dublin, White Orchid offers a wide range of wedding dresses. Designer bridal labels include: Tara Keely, Blush, WODA by Jesus Peiro, Mikaella, Art Couture, Bellice and Linea Raffaelli.
They also stock an extensive collection of bridesmaids’s dresses, bridal veils, fascinators and wedding accessories.
Click here to view White Orchid Bridal Boutique on our mrs2be Supplier Directory.
New Supplier Added: Sweet Vale Bridal
We’ve recently added Sweet Vale Bridal to the Bridal Party Attire section of our Supplier Directory.
Click here to view Sweet Vale Bridal
Got the bridesmaids dresses, table plan, wedding rings and FITT Bootcamp
Greetings fellow missies! Hope all your wedding preparations are coming along well, its now 11 weeks to my big day and I am starting to get very excited. We finally got our pre-nuptial enquiry completed with the Priest, that was straight-forward enough. Just a note to be aware of – you need to get a NEW baptismal cert before meeting the Priest – the one issued after your baptism is no-good, it has to be a recent issue. Lesson learned for me. And I am almost at the end of the paperwork, Halleluiah!
I told you about my bridesmaid dress shopping in my last update, and I am glad to say we have the dresses picked. The dresses are from Coast, it is a really lovely dress. I tried shopping around on the internet for a more economical version but couldn’t find anything as nice as this so I succumbed. Check it out – http://www.coast-stores.com/SYMPHONY-MAXI-DRESS/Maxi-Dresses/coast/fcp-product/2224682912. The girls are delighted – hopefully it is a dress that will be worn again to another big event (but obviously not as big or exciting as my big day ha ha!!)
We are ordering our rings this weekend too. My engagement ring is a marquee shape so I want my wedding ring to sit properly into the engagement ring. I have seen some lovely samples, it will be almost like a wishbone wedding ring. They are not as expensive as I imagined, probably hitting around €600 for a nice white gold ring with a an added bit of bling (a must!) 
The men’s rings are reasonable starting upward of €300 for a plain white gold ring. I know people who have gone up the North to purchase their rings and saved a small bit, but I am happy enough with these prices and it will be with a reputable supplier. I am not looking forward to leaving my engagement ring in in order to have the wedding ring made – I will be without it for 3-4 weeks, I imagine my hand will feel very naked! (sniff sniff!) 
Mr. M and the lads have booked their stag weekend – lucky suckers are heading off to Malaga for 2 days sun, sand and sangria! (and that is all I have to say about that). I have just decided I am definitely going to need to buy a new dress to wear on my hen night – more dosh gone from the bank account – ouch!
In other news I am starting exercise Bootcamp this week in Blanchardstown – 3 days a week for 6 weeks. If a bit of “Drill Sergeant” won’t whip me into shape then nothing will! Check out www.fittpt.com. I will let you know how I get on (after the pain has subsided of course!)
The next exciting item on my agenda is I’ve booked flights to go to Sorrento for a few days a month before our wedding takes place. This will be a perfect time to confirm our menu and wine choices, decide on the layout of our tables in the venue, meet the photographer to discuss what photos we want on the day and also double check the DJ’s playlist. And hopefully catch a ray or two of sun while we are there too
I am actually looking forward to doing the table plan (remember Monica in Friends with all her blue and red pins!). For any of you IT savvy ladies – there is a nifty bit of software called Perfect Table Plan. I use this in work for working out table plans for big gala dinners so I am taking advantage and using it for the wedding table plan too. You can put in little rules to say “Auntie Mags should never sit beside Uncle Tommy” and visa versa! It works wonders and saves lots of time. It costs only €20.00 and if you are an organising nerd like me it also provides hours of fun!! Download from http://www.perfecttableplan.com/
Well that’s it from me for today – plan on and stay stress free missies
Rockin’ the pre-marriage course, more paperwork and bridesmaids’ dresses
Hello fellow missies. Hope all of your plans are coming along nicely since my last posting. I am on a serious countdown now – only 15 weeks and I will be officially married (too late to turn back!)
We completed our pre-marriage course last week – the PREP course with All Hallows in Drumcondra. It was a full day Saturday from 09.30 – 5.00 but to be honest it was not half as bad as I was expecting. I have heard a few stories of group role play etc, but thankfully all discussions were amongst ourselves as a couple – no divulging our “dark and twisties” to the whole room (Grey’s Anatomy fans will get me on this one).
The course was given by a married couple, with a Priest coming in for the last hour to run through the requirements for the Church etc.
They covered weddings in Ireland and abroad too so that provided a bit more relief that we are ticking all of the right boxes on the legal side. The Priest was very down to earth and had a good understanding of his audience (mainly rare mass-goers). He didn’t try to pretend he understood the ins and outs of relationships so I appreciated that considering his celibacy and all!
By 4 o’clock our eyeballs were glued to the door (a flashback to school days) – we had our fill of questionnaires on how we resolve arguments, budgeting, children etc. The course might open eyes for a couple who have just met, but for those of us co-habiting a few years there were no major revelations (thankfully). The best part was some funny video clips showing American couples with dodgy mullets arguing!
At least that is one more item checked off the to-do list.
We are meeting our local priest this week too for our pre-nuptial enquiry. How do I convince him he has seen us sitting in the front pew every day for the last 5 years!? I will be glad when I get to the end of the paperwork.
On a more exciting note, my Bridesmaids have started to organise my hen night. Because we are going away for our wedding I think it is only fair we stay home for the hen – so Dublin city watch out, Slightly Bonkers is about! They are planning on starting early afternoon – all I have heard mention of is cocktails, they are sparing me the gory details for now. As long as there is no spandex or leotards involved everything will be fine….
As well as that this week is crunch time for the Bridesmaid dresses – myself and the ladies are planning a blitz of town this weekend. With our Church and reception venue beside the sea I am hoping to go for blues or greens – fingers crossed for a successful day shopping.
Plan on and stay stress free missies….
