Let the Wedding Planning Commence!

My fiance and I got engaged over Christmas, on my birthday actually. We went up to London for a day trip, my brother had paid for us to go on the London Eye for my birthday, it was a beautifully clear day, cold but really sunny and clear blue sky. We were walking along Westminster Bridge, then we stopped to look out over the river, and that's when he asked me :)

There is so much to organise, although we are not actually getting married until 2014 to give us time to save up (My fiance is starting a PGCE in September), but I figured if we got started now then we can try to spread the cost a bit better, we have a budget of £8000 to £10 000 which I know is not an awful lot but I hope the time factor can help us save money wherever possible. Any advice or hints and tips would be much appreciated!

So far I have an idea of my dress, I would like something fitted around the bust and waist, and then quite a big puffed out bottom. I have also seen this gorgeous dress in a wedding magazine which has lace straps but looks more like a tiny shrug across the shoulders which would be perfect. Hopefully at Easter I can start trying on dresses to get a better idea of exactly what I want. Diet and exercise all the way!

The fiance and I have also breifly discussed wedding venues. We originally wanted Nonsuch Mansion in Cheam, which is where we currently live and where I grew up, but apparently it is about £12 000 just to hire a room, so that is well out of budget! We have more recently spotted Gate Street Barn in Guildford, we have both fallen in love with the idea of having the reception in a barnhouse with all those wooden beams...

The 2013 price for a weekday wedding is £3000, which is not too unrealistic, certainly beats the £12 000 for Nonsuch Mansion thats for sure!

So that's the story so far. I really want to decide on a theme/ colour scheme fairly soon so I can start sorting out things like invitations, bridesmaids dress ideas etc. It will be a May/June wedding so any ideas along the spring theme would be greatly appreciated :)