What I would and wouldn't do again...

[shan0487]

Thank you for the advice.  So you got free shipping in addition to free stuff when you called?  Was your whole order free then?

 

Originally Posted by MJKH 

After spending time cleaning out wedding items in my basement last night, I'd like to offer up one more piece of advice to brides...

 

VISTAPRINT...I'm so happy with all of the items we utilized over the course of the last year.  Their customer service was excellent...if something wasn't printed to my satisfaction (blemishes on the paper, etc.) they reprinted the items and sent them express post every time so that I had replacements a week later.

 

Here's the problem...it's really easy to get "caught up" in their promotions and order way too much too soon.  I ended up throwing into recycling last night a whole bunch of personalized cards, etc. that we didn't use...for lots of reasons...my vision and plans changed over the course of the year, new ideas for items popped up on BDW threads, one of our flower girls (and her family) did not end up coming to Mexico (and it would have been too awkward to have given her the personalized bag, notebook, etc. after the fact).  Rest assured if you sign up to receive their e-mails/specials, you will get sent out a number of them each week.  Really take your time and plan out what you will need and how you will utilize your printed items.  When I was waiting for an e-mail from Vistaprint that offered free 7 day shipping, I ended up picking up the phone and asking one of their representatives if she had a current offer in the system that would meet my needs, and she made it happen!  Don't wait around for an e-mail...call them and tell them what you're looking for and they try their best to make it happen.  

 

So, don't leave anything to the last minute, but if I had to do it all over again, I would design my little heart out and save the items in my porfolio.  Then as my plan really came together 2 or 3 months before the wedding and the guest count was solid, I would start to order.  Just something to think about...
 

 

 

[MJKH]

Hahaha...no!  I don't think anything on Vistaprint is truly "free"...you're either paying for the item (or some percentage of it!) and getting free shipping, or paying for the shipping in some roundabout way.  But I'm in Canada, so maybe the deals in the US are better.  I was wanting the 7 day shipping because it was the last few things we needed right before we left for the wedding and I needed them to arrive ASAP.  
 

Originally Posted by shan0487 

Thank you for the advice.  So you got free shipping in addition to free stuff when you called?  Was your whole order free then?

 

 

 

[shan0487]

Ok, that makes sense! I was like " I need to get on the phone ASAP!!" haha!

[MJKH]

No...just take your time ; )

 

I'm housecleaning this morning and my mind is wandering aimlessly.  I just thought of something else I would "do again".  If you and your FI have never had a photoshoot done together, I would recommend you do this before working with your "big gun" (i.e., your wedding day photographer).  We had some very reasonably priced engagement photos done in the fall (it was a groupon) and that helped us figure out how to pose together...what angles we preferred...what poses we hated (for me it was definitely the ones where he was standing behind me with his arms wrapped under my bustline)...and just got us comfortable moving in front of a camera.  For some reason, it took some time for my FI to figure out that when the photog said "ok, now lean in and kiss her", he needed to slow down and hold the kiss for longer than a millisecond!      
 

Originally Posted by shan0487 

Ok, that makes sense! I was like " I need to get on the phone ASAP!!" haha!

 

[Smoylan]

Good idea. We wont have a photo shoot ahead of time, but I will tell him these tips!! He is super awkward around someone else taking our picture!

 

Originally Posted by MJKH 

No...just take your time ; )

 

I'm housecleaning this morning and my mind is wandering aimlessly.  I just thought of something else I would "do again".  If you and your FI have never had a photoshoot done together, I would recommend you do this before working with your "big gun" (i.e., your wedding day photographer).  We had some very reasonably priced engagement photos done in the fall (it was a groupon) and that helped us figure out how to pose together...what angles we preferred...what poses we hated (for me it was definitely the ones where he was standing behind me with his arms wrapped under my bustline)...and just got us comfortable moving in front of a camera.  For some reason, it took some time for my FI to figure out that when the photog said "ok, now lean in and kiss her", he needed to slow down and hold the kiss for longer than a millisecond!      
 

 

 

[LalaJ]

Thank you all for the pointers, I'm taking notes.

[abs824]

Good to know all this

[Brenners]

One last addition to my list:

 

AHR:  I would do this again, however, I have learned that this has nothing to do with the bride and groom and EVERYTHING to do with your family.  Instead of trying to have a say in anything, I would just save myself the headache and just let my family control the whole thing, show up, greet and thank guests for coming and go home.  The disagreements, differing opinions about the purpose of a reception (my family thinks it is simply to receive as many gifts and as much money as possible) and just the utter frustration of dealing with my family just wasn't worth it.  My husband and I had our AHR yesterday and went out with friends for dinner last night.  My husband turned to me and said the best words I have heard in a long time, "Now we are done getting married."  Amen!

[jello]

Oh my god, thank you THANK YOU for posting this.  I just got off the phone after an hour and a half of fighting with my mother about the AHR, and this is exactly the wisdom I need right now.  Even if she's planning a horribly expensive and tacky event that makes me wince just to think about, I'm going to be zen, show up, greet guests, and go home.

 

Ommmm. 

 

Originally Posted by Brenners 

One last addition to my list:

 

AHR:  I would do this again, however, I have learned that this has nothing to do with the bride and groom and EVERYTHING to do with your family.  Instead of trying to have a say in anything, I would just save myself the headache and just let my family control the whole thing, show up, greet and thank guests for coming and go home.  The disagreements, differing opinions about the purpose of a reception (my family thinks it is simply to receive as many gifts and as much money as possible) and just the utter frustration of dealing with my family just wasn't worth it.  My husband and I had our AHR yesterday and went out with friends for dinner last night.  My husband turned to me and said the best words I have heard in a long time, "Now we are done getting married."  Amen!

[Brenners]

I really wish someone would have told me this so I hope it saves you some pain and frustration!  Good luck!

Originally Posted by jello 

Oh my god, thank you THANK YOU for posting this.  I just got off the phone after an hour and a half of fighting with my mother about the AHR, and this is exactly the wisdom I need right now.  Even if she's planning a horribly expensive and tacky event that makes me wince just to think about, I'm going to be zen, show up, greet guests, and go home.

 

Ommmm.