GS Wedding Survey

mahismart · Oct 16th, 2009, 12:22 AM

If one has ever planned a wedding, people always want to know all about it, from the rings, to the reception, to the flowers and that all-important dress, plus how much you're intending to spend and who's paying for what.

We have all heard individual wedding planning stories, now it is time to put some experiences together.

Here are a few questions that I have always wanted to know more about. The valuable information you provide will help other to-be-brides, so don't hold back! I am really after your most honest feelings and opinions. Let's see how the guppy brides respond.

* By the time you were married, how long had you been planning your wedding for?

* Did you set a wedding budget? Did you stick to it or went overboard?

* What’s been your FAVOURITE part of planning your wedding?

* Was there anything that you LOVED but later came to know that the In-Laws had a hard time digesting?

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?

* Did you ever feel lonely/left out while the event was being planned?

* How many guests were invited to your wedding?

* Where was your wedding?

And if this goes well I have another bunch of queries ready for part 2.

Pareezay · Oct 16th, 2009, 09:34 AM

* By the time you were married, how long had you been planning your wedding for?

5 months.

* Did you set a wedding budget? Did you stick to it or went overboard?

No budget. But everything worked out great, alhumdulillah.

* What’s been your FAVOURITE part of planning your wedding?

None. Honestly, it was my first time and SO overwhelming. But on the big day, it didn't really matter because all my cousins and friends and husband and brothers in law were around me helping out with everything, and I realized how truly blessed I am to have them in my life. It was all worth it at the end especially when I signed my life away to the love of my life.

* Was there anything that you LOVED but later came to know that the In-Laws had a hard time digesting?

Don't think so, and don't really care. It was my day and I wanted to enjoy it and have great memories regardless of whether it appealed to anyone else or not. Hey, you've had your day, move along and let me have mine... is the motto!

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?

Dealing with the bridesmaids. Ladies, pick them VERY wisely and only after you're SURE that they are capable of helping you and being there for you. I had 4, and handling them while planning a wedding was the most stressful thing. Meanwhile, a couple of my other good friends were so wonderful that I was like, hmmm, why aren't YOU guys my bridesmaids. So I changed them (I don't know if that even happens?!!) and let's just say looking at them walking down the aisle at my wedding didn't make my ex bridesmaids very happy. Well then don't go MIA on me for 5 months and show up 3 days before my wedding to ask me what kind of dress and makeup you should wear

Now that I have learnt my lesson, Im only planning to have 3 for this one. Have already gotten 2 amazingly wonderful bridesmaids and have to ask the third one.

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?

Nothing that day drove me to tears except signing the papers and crying out of relief that it was all over and I could now ENJOY my wedding with my new husband as his Mrs.!

* Did you ever feel lonely/left out while the event was being planned?

Only about the bridesmaids part- I wish they had been involved and considerate because they were the ones I wanted to lean on at times.

* How many guests were invited to your wedding?

It started off with 100 people on the guest list but then of course it progressed to 150 and then 240... and at the wedding, there were a total of 276 people who showed up. Yeah, I don't really wanna go into who brought their neighors and who picked up random people on their way.

Now it's time for rukhsati planning- Im such a happy bride this time around and having the best time planning and getting things together.. mainly because alhumdulillah, it's pretty much everything that I wanted and had my heart set on! Anddd, I have the best people around to plan it with- can't wait =)

llxxll · Oct 16th, 2009, 09:51 AM

* By the time you were married, how long had you been planning your wedding for?

it happened so fast, my nikkah was nine days after my husband's family asked for my hand in marriage because we were visiting Karachi from USA for only 15 days...and I didnt plan anything because I'm from Lahore and KHI was strange city for me...in laws and hubby took care of everything

* Did you set a wedding budget? Did you stick to it or went overboard?

no budget but it was very small low key nikkah ceremony only..though now I have been planning (gathering information on photographers, MUAs, venues etc) for my mehndi rukhsati and valeema for about 2 months now

* What’s been your FAVOURITE part of planning your wedding?

i didnt do any planning for the nikkah and that was fine with me ...I didnt care all i wanted was to sign the papers and be his
but now that m his the fav part of planning my mehndi rukhsati and valeema...i've had a blast planning the rukhsati gharaara (gharara is my mother's wedding gharaara) but it needs kaam on it and a new and updated shirt and dupatta and I've had a even better time designing my valeema lehnga and rukhsati set

* Was there anything that you LOVED but later came to know that the In-Laws had a hard time digesting?

absolutely nothing
but now for the bury we had a few issues they wanted to make stuff but I want them to wait until i get there so everything happens according to my taste...they had a bit of a tough time initially but they have comne to accept it now

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?

nothing ...didnt plan my nikkah at all
as for rukhsati valeema and mehndi just didnt like the minor conflict i had for the stuff for valeema and bury to be done according to my tastes

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?

i hated the shoes they got for my nikkah....they were so pendu...but they got it cuz the heel was short and they thought as a dulhan it would be more comfortable for me...(very thoughtful) but i ended up not wearing the shoes they brought and wearing my own instead
I also liked my gharaara but it isnt something I would have picked out if the choice was left entirely upto me

* Did you ever feel lonely/left out while the event was being planned?

yea for the gharaara and shoes..wish they had involved me...gharaara phir bhi acha tha bohot acha nahin tha par shoes toh bilkul intolerable thay

* How many guests were invited to your wedding?

150....there will be alot more for mehndi rukhsati and valeema

sumorani · Oct 16th, 2009, 05:52 PM

cute thread mahi!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pareezay

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?

Dealing with the bridesmaids. Ladies, pick them VERY wisely and only after you're SURE that they are capable of helping you and being there for you. I had 4, and handling them while planning a wedding was the most stressful thing. Meanwhile, a couple of my other good friends were so wonderful that I was like, hmmm, why aren't YOU guys my bridesmaids. So I changed them (I don't know if that even happens?!!) and let's just say looking at them walking down the aisle at my wedding didn't make my ex bridesmaids very happy. Well then don't go MIA on me for 5 months and show up 3 days before my wedding to ask me what kind of dress and makeup you should wear

Now that I have learnt my lesson, Im only planning to have 3 for this one. Have already gotten 2 amazingly wonderful bridesmaids and have to ask the third one.

well OBVIOUSLY that wont be happening for the rukhsati. haha

heanw · Oct 16th, 2009, 06:04 PM

Wow great thread I hope more guppies wants to share!

sumorani · Oct 16th, 2009, 06:08 PM

* By the time you were married, how long had you been planning your wedding for?

I was crazy about engagement rings for a long time, so that part actually began about 7 yrs ago! haha. But besides the ring, I would say 7 months, because the wedding was in pakistan but I started looking at other things online like wedding cards, wedding dresses, etc. to understand the kind of styles/colors I like. Then the actual hardcore planning started 2 months prior to the wedding.

* Did you set a wedding budget? Did you stick to it or went overboard?

I didn't really set a budget for anything except my dress which was like Rs.75,000 haha until I realized I that I wouldnt be able to get the dress I wanted for that much. So I kept increasing my budget to try to see if there were other things I liked. In the end, I just couldnt stop thinking about my dress and just went for it.

* What’s been your FAVOURITE part of planning your wedding?
Planning and picking on the type of ring/stone I wanted and getting it made without anyones input. I guess the best part was that this was the one thing I was really excited about and I had complete control over the ring without anyones input.

* Was there anything that you LOVED but later came to know that the In-Laws had a hard time digesting?
The location of my wedding. I wanted it in karachi, my fil wanted it in ny. It was in khi.

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?
Anytime I had to compromise with anyone was the least favorite part.

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?
Get me gold jewelry that I would never wear cuz it was all gold and not something that I would wear. Didn't drive me to tears, but drove me to wonder why the hell would you get me plain gold jewelry when I specifically said DO NOT GET PLAIN GOLD JEWELRY and I gave them lots of pics of the styles I liked, all with stones. Why would you ask me to send you pictures of the kind of jewelry I like and be persistent about it if you're not even gonna care?

* Did you ever feel lonely/left out while the event was being planned?
No, never felt lonely. But always felt weird cuz I was the center of attention.

* How many guests were invited to your wedding?
Too many, about 600 showed up. People came with uninvited guests. Which was possibly the most annoying part. This one aunty I absolutely despise, showed up their with her whole entourage of inlaws!!! Stupid aunty that is not even related to me, didnt even bother to ask anyone, just came with her 3 children and inlaws!

somegroovychick · Oct 16th, 2009, 06:10 PM

* By the time you were married, how long had you been planning your wedding for?
1.5 years

* Did you set a wedding budget? Did you stick to it or went overboard?
Yup! I stuck to it like glue!

* What’s been your FAVOURITE part of planning your wedding?
Creating my design board & choosing/vetting/hiring vendors. I also loved the venue searching, the cake tasting, and the decorating.

* Was there anything that you LOVED but later came to know that the In-Laws had a hard time digesting?
My dress! My MIL wanted me to wear a white gown. If I'd had multiple ceremonies, I probably would have, but with just the one reception, there was no way I was giving up the chance to wear a lehenga and dress up like a Pakistani bride.

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?
Picking my dress!

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?
Hrm.... no, I don't think so.

* Did you ever feel lonely/left out while the event was being planned?
Never! I was doing everything myself so I had no time to feel lonely.

* How many guests were invited to your wedding?
100, and 96 attended.

mahismart · Oct 16th, 2009, 09:18 PM

Interesting!

Niksik · Oct 16th, 2009, 09:37 PM

* By the time you were married, how long had you been planning your wedding for?
4-5 months

* Did you set a wedding budget? Did you stick to it or went overboard?
Stuck to budget. Didn't have much to work with anyway

* What’s been your FAVOURITE part of planning your wedding?
Nothing much...just the finally getting married part of it!

* Was there anything that you LOVED but later came to know that the In-Laws had a hard time digesting?
Nope.

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?
Having hardly any $$ to spend.

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?
Nope.

* Did you ever feel lonely/left out while the event was being planned?
No. I had to do everything.

* How many guests were invited to your wedding?
80.

llxxll · Oct 17th, 2009, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumorani

* Was there anything that the In-Laws happily did but it secretly drove you to tears?
Get me gold jewelry that I would never wear cuz it was all gold and not something that I would wear. Didn't drive me to tears, but drove me to wonder why the hell would you get me plain gold jewelry when I specifically said DO NOT GET PLAIN GOLD JEWELRY and I gave them lots of pics of the styles I liked, all with stones. Why would you ask me to send you pictures of the kind of jewelry I like and be persistent about it if you're not even gonna care?

same here..pata nahin kyun m not too fond of yellow gold and it just wont go with my dress (in their defence they still dont know that it wont go with the dress) but they got yellow gold set for valeema...when I had specifically told me husband k mujhe yellow gold pasand nahin chandi ka banvalo beshaqq just as long as it isnt yellow m happy ...but oh well unki khwaahish thi they have got made one chaandi set, one moti ka set, and 2 gold sets.... toooo tooo tooo much IMO...they could have done one chandi ka set with tikka and jhuumar and nath and I would be happy with that...I dont need four sets....I KNOW I KNOW they only did it cuz they love me and want to do things for me...par it makes me a little upset cuz it's a waste of my husband's money....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niksik

* What was your LEAST favourite part of planning your wedding?
Having hardly any $$ to spend.

LOLLL m facing the same situation right now for mehndi and rukhsati and also for valeema dress...hubby ka budget 30 k -40 k rupees hai for the valeema dress ...even though he keeps telling me koi budget nahin...I know that is the budget...cuz main jaanti hun woh kya afford karte hain kya nahin....but what I have in mind is going to cost a bit more than that so I will be paying the difference for that too (without telling him of course) but still that's an extra burden on me and m already on a bit of a tight budget .... insha'allah allah se ummeed hai k sab ho jaayega ache se...without me feeling like meri koi khwaahish beech mein reh gayi

shoby ki sana · Oct 18th, 2009, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llxxll

LOLLL m facing the same situation right now for mehndi and rukhsati and also for valeema dress...hubby ka budget 30 k -40 k rupees hai for the valeema dress ...even though he keeps telling me koi budget nahin...I know that is the budget...cuz main jaanti hun woh kya afford karte hain kya nahin....but what I have in mind is going to cost a bit more than that so I will be paying the difference for that too (without telling him of course) but still that's an extra burden on me and m already on a bit of a tight budget .... insha'allah allah se ummeed hai k sab ho jaayega ache se...without me feeling like meri koi khwaahish beech mein reh gayi

IA sab ache se ho jayega! hugs

mahismart · Oct 18th, 2009, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llxxll

.hubby ka budget 30 k -40 k rupees hai for the valeema dress ...even though he keeps telling me koi budget nahin...I know that is the budget...cuz main jaanti hun woh kya afford karte hain kya nahin....but what I have in mind is going to cost a bit more than that so I will be paying the difference for that too (without telling him of course) but still that's an extra burden on me and m already on a bit of a tight budget .... insha'allah allah se ummeed hai k sab ho jaayega ache se...without me feeling like meri koi khwaahish beech mein reh gayi

Rs. 30,000 - Rs. 40,000 ka bhi buhut accha dress aa jaye ga. You just have to look in the right place. Insh'Allah, everything will turn out right.