My homemade cake stands

day trip

We've been to the seaside today! in the bloody rain as per usual. Horrendous journey down but all was fine when we finally got there. Went to the reception venue to pay the deposit and sign the confirmation and we took some pics of the function room coz kel had read somewhere its a good idea for planning decorations. While we where there we chilled out in the lounge with cappucino and chocolate cake and I stretched out on the comfy chesterfield with my new charity shop bargain novel! Afterwards we went to the ceremony location to pay some more money and the woman who drives the national trust minibus reversed into our parked car and smashed the lights! What a day! Before heading home we parked up so I could take some photos of my bridge. Menai has now been officially renamed Munch Bridge by kel coz i love looking at it so much! I'm going to post my photos in my 'made by munch' blog rather than here though.

Bulkeley Hotel

We have finally found a reception venue. So excited its bloody gorgeous we have a great buffet all within budget I'm amazed its done.

I've been buying vintage tea cups and saucers as and when i see them in charity shops, car boots and antique shops and now i'm ready to make 1 element of the table centres - tea cup candles. I thought the idea was mine and inspired by the whole alice/tea party theme and vintage floral patterns in the fabrics i want and also by an episode of Kirstie's homemade home but it seems i must have already seen it somewhere coz there's a few mentions of them out there on the world wide web. Here for example
this one pictured is one you can buy ready made (and therefore no fun at all lol!) for a staggering £22!!! click pic for link.

i have 8 teacups and saucers all similar to this and mismatched and none cost me more than £2 and some cost 50p! the ingredients to make the candle work out about £1 a cup. Hardly worth the retail value of £22! Cant wait to get started - i've sourced an online company for the candle making supplies but i want to ring around a few local places tomorrow to see if they have anything. I'd rather support local businesses if i can plus then i can avoid the delivery charge lol!

Our Island

Last week we went for a day trip to the island and paid a few deposits that sort of thing. The most exciting thing was we took Dad and Lew with us so they got to see where we are getting married and where we are staying. We also met a new friend seoned who runs activities in the village hall she was fab, everyone we meet in Brin is so fantastic it makes the desire to live there overwhelming, anyway she was more than willing to let us hire the village hall at a bargain price which was great but then we would have to consider catering, music etc. Del had a great idea of hiring it on the sat night for the BBQ. We went to Trefan Y Gors for lunch and all really liked the place it is free on the night and we really want it there but the menu sucks arrghh why is it all so bloody hard? Anyway we will have to sort it all out soon its driving me crazy!

Yikes

Dels Mum got her dress today its stunning, perfect for the style of the wedding and looks absolutley gorgeous. OMG in a couple of weeks it will be less than a year away and we dont even have a reception yikes.

If we werent making people go all the way to wales i woudnt even bother with a reception

So much stress going trying to organise reception, may not go for the sea zoo now but impossible to find somewhere. I wish it wasnt so impossible to get what we want for our budget. Regardless of all these places we are looking at. We only want a marquee in a field with a bbq why is that so hard to bloody organise!

reception idea

Since neither of us is convinced with the sea zoo idea i've been looking at other options. I've discounted hiring a village hall as we would have to provide all drinks and that would be way too costly. My fav idea of the day is Tafarn Y Gors, a pub/restaurant in Gaerwen that frequently uses the restaurant as a function room and is next to a caravan site. They dont have email so i've rung and asked them to send a price list for a buffet for 80 people. The caravan site would be a great place for guests that cant be fitted in at cerrig y barcud and i've spoken to a coach company about ferrying us and the 30 odd staying at cerrig to and from gaerwen and it would cost about £150. If only we knew Dave Coaches!

Back on track

We are totally getting back on track with diet and smoking, and are getting really excited about the wedding again munch is making loads of fabric and paper flowers courtesy of Martha and I'm looking at budgets outfits and reviewing the guest list , will write more when i have time...
The wedding is getting more and more traditional by the day which is what we didn't want but somehow its difficult to escape.
I've just thought though about an American gangster theme like Bugsey Malone then i can where a fedora!!!

Down on the farm

This may be an option it has a liscensed restaurant and and a patio outside etc...Its a Working Farm and Chocolate shop in Brynsiencyn which is right near Cerrig It could be good for something.

Missing You

I hate not having access to the net at home it drives me mad...I can only log on for a short while when I'm at my dads so its not enough time to do anything.
I suppose everything is taking a back seat cos of Christmas anyway so its OK. At the moment I'm looking at who comes to Cerrig with us and who sleeps where and the places nearby for everyone else. Also people keep being added dropped and re added to the guest list.
We also need to compose an email to Dylan about the Sea Zoo and its facilities.

SUPERBLOG

Well last week was fab! Munch surprised me with an overnight stay at The Beach Hut a lovely little B and B in Holyhead it was wonderful and so lovely of her to surprise me (I actually cried) but it was probably from shock more than anything haha. It was a lovely little place and we went to an Italian restaurant and had chicken and brie salad which was divine. This meant that we didn’t have to travel from home on the Friday, it was great we were up and out for half 8. We had a fab day looking at all the possible venues holiday cottages and hotels and we liked them all. The decision is now I think but like everything else this is subject to change that we are going to stay in holiday cottages and have a small party on the sat night instead of giving the reception from there, and hire a venue for the reception separately.
We definitely want to stay with our friends and family at cerrig y barcud having met the owner Ann Marie who is easily the nicest person I’ve ever met and seen the beautiful cottages it was a no brainer, we had to stay there. This means that we need to stay in the area of Llanfair pg really so this rules out Oak Lodge where I really wanted to go originally which is a shame as they were going to do us a bbq which is what munch wanted. This leaves us with Gwesty Carrig Mon which I have to say we both loved but not to sure on prices etc.
However the delightful Ann Marie had a suggestion…Around the corner from her place is Anglesey Sea Zoo owned by her friend Dylan, her idea was if we were looking for something unique why not go and ask him if he would do a wedding reception at the zoo. This as you can imagine is right up our alley and off we went. The Sea Zoo was closed but we found Dylan who took us to the room the reception would be in, they had never done a wedding before and he seemed really keen, they have a liquor license and a music license and the room holds 80 people. Perfect he would even leave the sea zoo open for guests to wander around. Sounds fantastic right! We loved him and decided we wanted it there immediately. Now I’m not so sure I cant see a wedding reception being held in that room, I cant see where there would be a dance floor, I’m concerned we would run out of alcohol and there is nowhere to get any, there is a shop next to the restaurant what happens to all that stuff…I have loads of questions but I cant think of them now, I love the idea and its right near Cerrig but I just cant picture it.

CALL OFF THE SEARCH

This is it I can totally feel it in my waters, I can even picture us here, I feel sick its so perfect...
Cerrig y Barcud


Munch has pointed out that perfect would have to be somewhere that also allowed campers and tents which is very true...I really just think now that oak lodge would be so much easier...I hope we have a decision on friday! Then again if we do what else is there to think about...

More good sites

Munch has found a great website in the search for our reception accomodation.
This place could be an option too, Trewan Sands

Oh my god I want to have it here in fact i want to live here i love it so gorgeous

Erm munch you really need to look at this

hotel

what about a hotel? Gwesty Carreg Mon Hotel in ll pg

Riding and accom

there is a fab riding school right by Plas newydd with stunning views of caenarvon called Tal y Foel and the accom there looks lovely.
It is in the village of Dwyran. other accom that i've found nearby is Y Potel Inc which also has a massive garden so could be a possible. Brynsiencyn is the other village where there is some accom. we really need to check this area out when we go on the 21st. Pen Braint at Penlon, Newborough looks like a good prospect too.

i'm also thinking about large guest houses with big gardens and a large dining room might be a good idea. found Rhianfa but its in bull bay which might be a tad far. Parc yr Odyn in Pentraeth seems big and not too far.

wohoo found a multi purpose site in pentraeth Clai Mawr has a b&B with 2 rooms, statics and pitches for tourers.

Todays Musings

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense or is not grammatically correct just needing to scribble down what I've thought of today.
I have sat and done a breakdown of prices only estimations of what things will cost
Plas £1235, Photographer £1000, Car Free, Cake £100, Stationery £100, Clothes £600, Shoes £200, Hair Free, BBQ £100, Beers and Food £500, Rings £200, Flowers £50, Stereo and Karaoke £250. Obviously we are doing most of the work ourselves so this can all change depending on what we have to buy to make stuff.
Things we don't know about costing wise are the registrar, the reception venue, accommodation, and the legal costs of naming ceremony. So in the next couple of weeks we will need to do a reccy and arrange to go to coed cottages , Llandonna, and oak lodge, Also it must be a weekday so we can go to llangefni registry office to check out the procedure. Munch to arrange day off asap so we can call to make appointments.
Also I'm starting to think maybe oak lodge will be cheaper or as cheap considering the hassle, I worked the reception out to about £1000 but that was just a guess we will know more when we visit. So if you look at all the money we would need to spend on buying a BBQ, food, music, drink etc it might be worthwhile having BBQ there, no work for us before or after. I just don't know now. It would mean we would'nt get to make all the delicious food on the mood board.
Also must remember to get Plas stuff out for photographers visit Sunday pm.

Just saving this website on here might come in handy http://www.ezeemarquees.co.uk/

Invited to a bit of a do

Got the whole weekend off Hurrah! I am looking forward to Sunday. We are going to Wrenbury Hall which is owned by an acquaintance of ours, Des. He was at the wedding fayre and really wants us to get married at his venue. It is absolutely gorgeous and would be perfect for a lot of couples but the whole wedding breakfast formality is just not for us. Anyway on Sunday they are having a bit of an open day with some civil partnerships taking place etc so you can see what goes on. It will be so much fun to keep us in the wedding spirit.

Location, location, location

OH MY look at all that gorgeous food...
Well today we have been working on the wedding all day, we have looked at dresses, shoes, cakes, BBQ food, accommodation, reception, photographers, you name it ideas have been batted around, completely changed and totally re thought.
We have decided that Kacey should wear a little white dress as you can see below.
We have worked out with lovely Barbara that we can pay Plas Newyyd monthly which should really help us out.
Also I know what we said about not compromising on having Damion as a photographer but I really think we need to. We simply cannot justify 2 grand when there is a local photographer that I think is really good for half for the price, I'm leaving it with munch to decide.
We are looking at hiring a country home for the reception where alot of people can sleep and we can have the BBQ in the grounds, its very close to Plas Newydd so that's a bonus. Also there is a campsite with cottages to rent that I love but its an hour away. I think we need to go and view these locations as soon as possible. In case they get booked up.
So yes alot has gone on today, I also think I want to do a black and white mood board as I've seen some shoes I really want!