Yeah, ok, so the new beginning began over a month ago. Sue me. I've been busy. As usual. You'll live.
Anyway, I have changed the title and blog description. I've decided to keep this one going even though I have the original blog. Why? Because I figure that I can rant and speculate and all do all sorts of things about relationships in general on this one and leave the other free for life stuff that happens apart from it all.
I will post about the wedding and honeymoon as soon as the semester ends and I have a moment to breathe. I just wanted you all to know that, yes, we are alive and that, yes, I will eventually update with pictures and all. Hugs.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Countdown
I can't believe it's been a month plus since I wrote last. Well, guess that's what happens when you're insanely busy and passing a nasty cold back and forth. Hopefully Michael and I have gotten it out of our systems before the wedding.
Anyway, we had a fairly steady stream of replies come back through the end of last month. Then they trickled off. Right now we are still needing to track down 8 which isn't bad. But, overall. . .blech. Over half the invited guest list is poof. That is for various and asundry reasons. (sigh) Money is a factor for a good portion of those closest to us (like my family -- only Cynthia will be there to represent). For others it is health or work. And a few others have had recent family deaths (really am sorry Kathleen).
We sure picked one heck of a time to get married with the economy in flames and everything else. But is there ever a good time for major events? Not in our lives. lol Fortunately, WW is really flexible about the numbers. So, while I'm sure it will disappoint them not to have twice the number of people coming, it will be ok. They are great. I so recommend them.
Still, we are not upset about it all. We understand. And we still love everyone. It will now just be a more intimate affair than before. Which, in a way, is a good thing. It would be nice to have everyone in one place all at once so they could finally meet but, ah well, maybe someday.
I am looking forward to that week though. Feel antsy. lol Just like me huh?
Oh, and we did have a few other hitches. We bought our rings back at the end of August. Well, they took forever to come. And then only one of them came in! Good thing it was Michael and not me there. They managed to get the other one in fairly quickly. I mean, I know we had time and all, but neither of us was comfortable waiting until last minute.
Anyway, we had a fairly steady stream of replies come back through the end of last month. Then they trickled off. Right now we are still needing to track down 8 which isn't bad. But, overall. . .blech. Over half the invited guest list is poof. That is for various and asundry reasons. (sigh) Money is a factor for a good portion of those closest to us (like my family -- only Cynthia will be there to represent). For others it is health or work. And a few others have had recent family deaths (really am sorry Kathleen).
We sure picked one heck of a time to get married with the economy in flames and everything else. But is there ever a good time for major events? Not in our lives. lol Fortunately, WW is really flexible about the numbers. So, while I'm sure it will disappoint them not to have twice the number of people coming, it will be ok. They are great. I so recommend them.
Still, we are not upset about it all. We understand. And we still love everyone. It will now just be a more intimate affair than before. Which, in a way, is a good thing. It would be nice to have everyone in one place all at once so they could finally meet but, ah well, maybe someday.
I am looking forward to that week though. Feel antsy. lol Just like me huh?
Oh, and we did have a few other hitches. We bought our rings back at the end of August. Well, they took forever to come. And then only one of them came in! Good thing it was Michael and not me there. They managed to get the other one in fairly quickly. I mean, I know we had time and all, but neither of us was comfortable waiting until last minute.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
And They're Off!
So, one more major thing off the list. . .I mailed out the invitations yesterday. They took longer to assemble than I had thought so Monday got nixed. It's ok though as I'm still on schedule and that gives everyone a month to respond. It's all good.
We met with Dixie (Wintergreen Woods) on Monday to go over the details for the wedding day. It was fun. Some things we were like, ummm, dunno. lol Mostly that was the centerpiece for the food and the one for the altar. lol We're just going with the stuff they have there for that. We have decorations for the tables so that's not a problem.
We have the menu picked out and a time line for most of the pre-wedding and ceremony things. The reception details (dances, etc) we'll handle with Walter (DJ) who will coordinate with Dixie. We still need to pick out some of our music but the background for when people are being seated is fairly simple: Vivaldi, Chopin and Mozart. So, all we need are the processional and walking out tunes. Michael and I need to think out the ceremony details and then go over them with Bill (his minister). Then all of that will be done.
So, we're in the minute details phase. Michael was a little shocked about how many there are. lol But he's great about helping when I ask so it's all good. As he points out, it's his wedding too. Ladies, don't you wish more men felt that way?
We met with Dixie (Wintergreen Woods) on Monday to go over the details for the wedding day. It was fun. Some things we were like, ummm, dunno. lol Mostly that was the centerpiece for the food and the one for the altar. lol We're just going with the stuff they have there for that. We have decorations for the tables so that's not a problem.
We have the menu picked out and a time line for most of the pre-wedding and ceremony things. The reception details (dances, etc) we'll handle with Walter (DJ) who will coordinate with Dixie. We still need to pick out some of our music but the background for when people are being seated is fairly simple: Vivaldi, Chopin and Mozart. So, all we need are the processional and walking out tunes. Michael and I need to think out the ceremony details and then go over them with Bill (his minister). Then all of that will be done.
So, we're in the minute details phase. Michael was a little shocked about how many there are. lol But he's great about helping when I ask so it's all good. As he points out, it's his wedding too. Ladies, don't you wish more men felt that way?
Friday, September 5, 2008
We Have Wings!
Well, the first one at least. Michael has done a really good job of making one. We bought extra material just in case but won't need it. We finally found fabric that would suit the element that each of my attendants will have. I'm pretty sure that I mentioned before that I wanted them to be elemental fairies. The wings shouldn't get in the way of anything or be annoying for them to wear. They also won't look cheap.
I'm relieved. It was one of the few things that I had solid in my mind about wanting from day 1. Poor Michael, I've been driving him nuts with it. He had the idea last week to make the wings iridescent stretched over the shape of the wire but his sample just didn't look right to me. The wire looked too big. This new way doesn't use as much wire so that the wings flow better. The little wire there is shapes the outer edge and gives them just enough spring to help the flow. Yay!
Our AC has broken down so I am spending the day at home waiting on repairmen. That means the invitations will go out on Monday. So, I'm taking me time getting them together. I'm up to date (and even ahead) with the class stuff so I can do those and some dissertation stuff this weekend. Things are at least getting done.
I'm relieved. It was one of the few things that I had solid in my mind about wanting from day 1. Poor Michael, I've been driving him nuts with it. He had the idea last week to make the wings iridescent stretched over the shape of the wire but his sample just didn't look right to me. The wire looked too big. This new way doesn't use as much wire so that the wings flow better. The little wire there is shapes the outer edge and gives them just enough spring to help the flow. Yay!
Our AC has broken down so I am spending the day at home waiting on repairmen. That means the invitations will go out on Monday. So, I'm taking me time getting them together. I'm up to date (and even ahead) with the class stuff so I can do those and some dissertation stuff this weekend. Things are at least getting done.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Invitations Are Back
Actually, we got them back a week after I took them. The plan for this weekend was supposed to have been to work on them but that hasn't happened. I spent most of yesterday asleep because I caught a nasty head cold. (sigh) So, I am a little behind my personal schedule but still ok so long as I mail them out next week. Besides, Michael still owes me two addresses and his mother owes me one. The hard part is the final tally because we just can't invite everyone we want to. If this were a "normal" Halloween party, we could invite every last person we know including those we just see on occasion. Oh, well.
My plan for the day is to work out exactly what I'm going to put on the sheet of paper that we are including in the invite. I had already done one for the save-the-date cards earlier so I only need to modify it some. And I don't think that local people need all of the information so I'll do a simpler version for them. Mostly about the dressing part since that is the most frequent question. Emily Post covers that but not for a wedding like we're doing. lol We just have to be challenging.
My plan for the day is to work out exactly what I'm going to put on the sheet of paper that we are including in the invite. I had already done one for the save-the-date cards earlier so I only need to modify it some. And I don't think that local people need all of the information so I'll do a simpler version for them. Mostly about the dressing part since that is the most frequent question. Emily Post covers that but not for a wedding like we're doing. lol We just have to be challenging.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Hmmm. . .A Look For the Groomsmen?
Michael found this and thought it would be great for the guys. So, Jon, what do you say?
Stop twitching. You thought it was funny when he wanted the girls to do it. (hee hee)
Stop twitching. You thought it was funny when he wanted the girls to do it. (hee hee)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Productive Week
Well, we got some major things accomplished this past week.
Tuesday was spent trying to track down and order the invitations that we wanted. We had chosen a design from Carlson Crafts months ago. The actual search for the one we wanted went pretty smoothly. We looked at a gazillion twice but it really wasn't hard. And no, Jami, you can't see what they look like before you get yours. Why? Cause I am not ruining the surprise and also because it what I could put on here wouldn't look like them anyway.
Oh, there is a sample online but it's a different color and stuff. That is why I said I spent time trying to track it down. Originally we thought that we could have one of the print shops that Michael knows do the invites for us but they have stopped doing stuff like that because apparently it is a big headache. But you can order the cards in through their website and they will do the envelopes, etc. Well, our card was not on the website even though we had seen it in the most recent book. Here's what happened. . .the card number and color had been changed. How I ended up finding this out was by going to our nearest Hallmark store and discovering that what I had written down and what they had in their book was different. Seems they are out of date. So, I went to another one that has a more full service invitation section. Heck, they even do printing on the spot for stuff. The guy was really nice and helpful just like Maggie had been at the other store. I felt bad about switching but I needed to be sure this didn't get screwed up.
Actually, the number was still different at the second store. But he verified that it was what we were looking for and even confirmed the color we wanted and questions we had. So, while it took a while in the end, I got it done fairly well. I ordered the invitations and response cards. Return address on the latter automatically comes on the cards so that was cool. We'll have the print shop do the big envelopes and the babysitter cards and we'll do the info sheet here at home. So, I should be good to go in sending them out after Labor Day.
Yesterday we did two big things. The first was for Michael to decide what he wanted to get for a tux. We had chosen Men's Warehouse because they have stores all over and Kyle will easily be able to get fitted and everything. Plus, they let you pick up at any store and return at any store so that if you;re doing an out of town thing, you don't have to stress. I like that. Anyway, Michael likes three or four button jackets so we had a choice of two. Michael chose:
It's lightweight despite it being made from wool (so if you sweat, Jon, it's really not because of that). The shirts are microfiber so that should help too. The deal comes with everything but underwear so the guys get a nice neat little package unlike us ladies. (sigh) Men suck. lol The only difference between Michael and the groomsmen is that they will be all black and white while he has opted for a royal blue vest and tie to match my dress. Oh, and they are not wearing bow ties like in the picture but regular ties and the vest pattern is diamond.
The last, and most important thing, was that we decided to go ahead and order our rings. Michael knew what he wanted but I wasn't sure. I figured that we weren't going to match (which is not a problem) and that I would have to go very simple in order to keep costs down. Well, wouldn't you know, the ring Michael had looked at for eons was sold a few days ago? lol But the salesman at Reeds knew what we were talking about and we could order one. Would have had to anyway because Michael needs something like Tungsten Carbide or Stainless steel since anything less durable would be wrecked in no time on the job. Michael liked the chevron pattern of one of the Tungsten rings. So, that seemed to settle that.
Then we went and looked for me. I love the Art Carved collection but we so don't have $400+ to spend on rings right now. And Michael's ring choice just wouldn't work on my hand. So, I thought I would end up with a plain silver until we saw a Tungsten similar to Michael's. The difference is that the pattern simply goes up and down around the ring instead in a diamond shape around it. I started to dismiss the ring because I wasn't sure that it would look right, etc. Well, the salesman mentioned it as a choice and when he brought it out, it caught the light and sparkled. Michael, magpie that he is, liked it instantly better than his own choice! I liked it because it wasn't plain and the sizing actually worked on my hand. Michael admitted to not caring for the rough edge on his choice but the one I was looking at had a smooth one so. . .now we will have matching rings! lol
Here's what they look like:
You know what's even funnier? We have the same ring size! So, Michael said that we'll have to engrave the inside in such a way that we know which is which. lol Too funny.
Well, that's it for now. Lots more to do but I'm happy those things are done.
Tuesday was spent trying to track down and order the invitations that we wanted. We had chosen a design from Carlson Crafts months ago. The actual search for the one we wanted went pretty smoothly. We looked at a gazillion twice but it really wasn't hard. And no, Jami, you can't see what they look like before you get yours. Why? Cause I am not ruining the surprise and also because it what I could put on here wouldn't look like them anyway.
Oh, there is a sample online but it's a different color and stuff. That is why I said I spent time trying to track it down. Originally we thought that we could have one of the print shops that Michael knows do the invites for us but they have stopped doing stuff like that because apparently it is a big headache. But you can order the cards in through their website and they will do the envelopes, etc. Well, our card was not on the website even though we had seen it in the most recent book. Here's what happened. . .the card number and color had been changed. How I ended up finding this out was by going to our nearest Hallmark store and discovering that what I had written down and what they had in their book was different. Seems they are out of date. So, I went to another one that has a more full service invitation section. Heck, they even do printing on the spot for stuff. The guy was really nice and helpful just like Maggie had been at the other store. I felt bad about switching but I needed to be sure this didn't get screwed up.
Actually, the number was still different at the second store. But he verified that it was what we were looking for and even confirmed the color we wanted and questions we had. So, while it took a while in the end, I got it done fairly well. I ordered the invitations and response cards. Return address on the latter automatically comes on the cards so that was cool. We'll have the print shop do the big envelopes and the babysitter cards and we'll do the info sheet here at home. So, I should be good to go in sending them out after Labor Day.
Yesterday we did two big things. The first was for Michael to decide what he wanted to get for a tux. We had chosen Men's Warehouse because they have stores all over and Kyle will easily be able to get fitted and everything. Plus, they let you pick up at any store and return at any store so that if you;re doing an out of town thing, you don't have to stress. I like that. Anyway, Michael likes three or four button jackets so we had a choice of two. Michael chose:
It's lightweight despite it being made from wool (so if you sweat, Jon, it's really not because of that). The shirts are microfiber so that should help too. The deal comes with everything but underwear so the guys get a nice neat little package unlike us ladies. (sigh) Men suck. lol The only difference between Michael and the groomsmen is that they will be all black and white while he has opted for a royal blue vest and tie to match my dress. Oh, and they are not wearing bow ties like in the picture but regular ties and the vest pattern is diamond.
The last, and most important thing, was that we decided to go ahead and order our rings. Michael knew what he wanted but I wasn't sure. I figured that we weren't going to match (which is not a problem) and that I would have to go very simple in order to keep costs down. Well, wouldn't you know, the ring Michael had looked at for eons was sold a few days ago? lol But the salesman at Reeds knew what we were talking about and we could order one. Would have had to anyway because Michael needs something like Tungsten Carbide or Stainless steel since anything less durable would be wrecked in no time on the job. Michael liked the chevron pattern of one of the Tungsten rings. So, that seemed to settle that.
Then we went and looked for me. I love the Art Carved collection but we so don't have $400+ to spend on rings right now. And Michael's ring choice just wouldn't work on my hand. So, I thought I would end up with a plain silver until we saw a Tungsten similar to Michael's. The difference is that the pattern simply goes up and down around the ring instead in a diamond shape around it. I started to dismiss the ring because I wasn't sure that it would look right, etc. Well, the salesman mentioned it as a choice and when he brought it out, it caught the light and sparkled. Michael, magpie that he is, liked it instantly better than his own choice! I liked it because it wasn't plain and the sizing actually worked on my hand. Michael admitted to not caring for the rough edge on his choice but the one I was looking at had a smooth one so. . .now we will have matching rings! lol
Here's what they look like:
You know what's even funnier? We have the same ring size! So, Michael said that we'll have to engrave the inside in such a way that we know which is which. lol Too funny.
Well, that's it for now. Lots more to do but I'm happy those things are done.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Great Party
Saturday night was our couple's shower. It was a lot of fun. Valerie couldn't come up for it for various reasons, which was sad, but Jami took over in planning stuff and did an awesome job.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure how the party was going to be just because the stress level around it seemed pretty high. I just wanted everyone to relax and have fun (including the planners). But, in the end, that is what we had.
The most major snag was that the air conditioning in the building had apparently gone down on Friday. I didn't actually know that until 4:30p on Saturday because I'd been running around with Jami and the others all day. By that point, I just had to hope that the room was livable for us all. I told Cynthia to call if we needed to bring more fans but I didn't want to worry Jami about it. She had enough on her mind with stuff without adding more stress over something she couldn't control. The room turned out not to be too bad though it did require a huge fan to help.
The shower theme was "Sweet on You" suggested by Jennifer. Valerie had taken care of the invitations (unfortunately limited to those living here -- the shower is supposed to be fairly limited). Some people couldn't come because of family emergencies (hope those get better soon) and other conflicts. But that is the way things go.
The color theme was various shades of blue with some white here and there. That was very cool and shows how well Jami knows us since that's our favorite color.
Cynthia and her boyfriend, Jim, had put together the favors for the event. The center piece of each table was a see through Chinese take out box full of various candies. Around them were smaller blue and white ones for the guests to take home filled with the candy. I loved it because we have planned something similar for the wedding and this made a precursor. Jon, apparently, had a hand in that suggestion since he knew about our candy bar idea. Jennifer and her husband, Tavis, attached balloons around everything.
The food table held a variety of desserts. I'm pretty sure that Jami took care of most of it but I know specifically of the chocolate cake being baked by Kathy (yummy) and I'm pretty sure Jennifer did the cookies (also yummy). If I am not giving credit elsewhere, please forgive me for that. There were various cakes overall. It all looked yummy and like we were gonna be hyper forever. The centerpiece to it all was a Hello Kitty sheet cake from Publix. Yes, you heard that right: a Hello Kitty sheet cake. It's similar to this one:
I say similar because instead of the bubble blower on top, we got a compact mirror. I like the mirror so it was all good. Jami, Jon, and Cindy were waaaay too pleased with themselves over it. (grin)
People wandered around and chatted at first. Then dug into the food. In the end the group cozied up at three tables instead of four. One table "behaved", one was "mischievous", and one was "perverted". lol Michael and I ended up at separate tables. You can figure out which ones we ended up being with. I was actually the last to get food and sit down cause I was just sort of wandering around. It had been a long week and it felt surreal. I have rarely had a party as either a child or an adult. The few birthday things I've done have been low key things at a restaurant. And since I wasn't sure what to expect as far as how people would intermingle, well, it was a pleasure to see everyone getting on so well. If it is any indication of the wedding, we are gonna have so much fun! Not that I haven't believed that, but now I can feel it too!
Time went really quickly. We had thought to do a murder mystery at the party just in case we needed to keep things lively but we didn't need to. No worries, I think we'll do a party like that next year here at the house. lol Save it for then. Jami had set up all of the presents on a table (they looked really nice). I won't go through all of them but I can honestly say that I was genuinely happy to get them all. See, I never know how to react to presents. I always appreciate them but wasn't sure how I would feel to be getting stuff we registered for. But every time Michael opened a package I was like, "Yay! Cool." lol I know we requested the stuff but it wasn't until we actually had them that I realized how happy I would be to actually have them. I guess you get overwhelmed when registering and it kind of numbs you to the stuff. We didn't register for anything we couldn't use or didn't need. And I tried to keep costs down for people even though we registered for a wide price range like they suggest. But if something was cheaper at the one store, I put it on that list. Took forever but I'm happy with the results.
Anyway, it was weird being on the side where people were watching us open stuff. But it was fun too. Jami did a great job of handling the ins and outs of it and Cynthia was really great with keeping track of who gave us what. The whole thing ran smoothly. I'm sure it didn't seem that way behind the scenes at times but it was a wonderful party overall.
Now I gotta get back to working on the main event. I only hope it goes as well. (smile)
I have to admit that I wasn't sure how the party was going to be just because the stress level around it seemed pretty high. I just wanted everyone to relax and have fun (including the planners). But, in the end, that is what we had.
The most major snag was that the air conditioning in the building had apparently gone down on Friday. I didn't actually know that until 4:30p on Saturday because I'd been running around with Jami and the others all day. By that point, I just had to hope that the room was livable for us all. I told Cynthia to call if we needed to bring more fans but I didn't want to worry Jami about it. She had enough on her mind with stuff without adding more stress over something she couldn't control. The room turned out not to be too bad though it did require a huge fan to help.
The shower theme was "Sweet on You" suggested by Jennifer. Valerie had taken care of the invitations (unfortunately limited to those living here -- the shower is supposed to be fairly limited). Some people couldn't come because of family emergencies (hope those get better soon) and other conflicts. But that is the way things go.
The color theme was various shades of blue with some white here and there. That was very cool and shows how well Jami knows us since that's our favorite color.
Cynthia and her boyfriend, Jim, had put together the favors for the event. The center piece of each table was a see through Chinese take out box full of various candies. Around them were smaller blue and white ones for the guests to take home filled with the candy. I loved it because we have planned something similar for the wedding and this made a precursor. Jon, apparently, had a hand in that suggestion since he knew about our candy bar idea. Jennifer and her husband, Tavis, attached balloons around everything.
The food table held a variety of desserts. I'm pretty sure that Jami took care of most of it but I know specifically of the chocolate cake being baked by Kathy (yummy) and I'm pretty sure Jennifer did the cookies (also yummy). If I am not giving credit elsewhere, please forgive me for that. There were various cakes overall. It all looked yummy and like we were gonna be hyper forever. The centerpiece to it all was a Hello Kitty sheet cake from Publix. Yes, you heard that right: a Hello Kitty sheet cake. It's similar to this one:
I say similar because instead of the bubble blower on top, we got a compact mirror. I like the mirror so it was all good. Jami, Jon, and Cindy were waaaay too pleased with themselves over it. (grin)
People wandered around and chatted at first. Then dug into the food. In the end the group cozied up at three tables instead of four. One table "behaved", one was "mischievous", and one was "perverted". lol Michael and I ended up at separate tables. You can figure out which ones we ended up being with. I was actually the last to get food and sit down cause I was just sort of wandering around. It had been a long week and it felt surreal. I have rarely had a party as either a child or an adult. The few birthday things I've done have been low key things at a restaurant. And since I wasn't sure what to expect as far as how people would intermingle, well, it was a pleasure to see everyone getting on so well. If it is any indication of the wedding, we are gonna have so much fun! Not that I haven't believed that, but now I can feel it too!
Time went really quickly. We had thought to do a murder mystery at the party just in case we needed to keep things lively but we didn't need to. No worries, I think we'll do a party like that next year here at the house. lol Save it for then. Jami had set up all of the presents on a table (they looked really nice). I won't go through all of them but I can honestly say that I was genuinely happy to get them all. See, I never know how to react to presents. I always appreciate them but wasn't sure how I would feel to be getting stuff we registered for. But every time Michael opened a package I was like, "Yay! Cool." lol I know we requested the stuff but it wasn't until we actually had them that I realized how happy I would be to actually have them. I guess you get overwhelmed when registering and it kind of numbs you to the stuff. We didn't register for anything we couldn't use or didn't need. And I tried to keep costs down for people even though we registered for a wide price range like they suggest. But if something was cheaper at the one store, I put it on that list. Took forever but I'm happy with the results.
Anyway, it was weird being on the side where people were watching us open stuff. But it was fun too. Jami did a great job of handling the ins and outs of it and Cynthia was really great with keeping track of who gave us what. The whole thing ran smoothly. I'm sure it didn't seem that way behind the scenes at times but it was a wonderful party overall.
Now I gotta get back to working on the main event. I only hope it goes as well. (smile)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Ok Ok
I was tired of all the alcohol polls anyway so I took down the latest after hearing some opinions on it. I felt like I needed a trip to AA and I don't even drink! lol Truth is, that last one would have bogged me down. Been trying to follow the KISS (keep it simple stupid) mode of things but, well, that sure as heck wouldn't have been. And alcohol has never been a reason I went to any event but wasn't sure about others. lol
Guess I've been reading too many things about the "proper" way to do stuff when I don't really give a flip about most of it. I mean, standard etiquette is one thing but when you start delving into all of the minutiae of the planning. . .ugh. No wonder people go nuts over this stuff. And even the most laid back of people gets sucked in. Michael is right in that it's a big societal racket but it is also a beautiful thing to have. It's only the former if you cave to the industry side of it, I suppose.
But that is why I have you, dear friends, to keep me from doing that. I don't have a mother pushing at me to do things her way so that's good I guess. I don't have anyone else telling me how things should be done other than what I read and that's good too. I guess I'm swinging towards the opposite end of being a 'zilla from demanding to too questioning. lol
I may still put up a poll but, for now, I can't think of anything else to ask. Well, I have one but I think I have it answered. Just gonna stick with my original plan on that question. Hugs to all.
Guess I've been reading too many things about the "proper" way to do stuff when I don't really give a flip about most of it. I mean, standard etiquette is one thing but when you start delving into all of the minutiae of the planning. . .ugh. No wonder people go nuts over this stuff. And even the most laid back of people gets sucked in. Michael is right in that it's a big societal racket but it is also a beautiful thing to have. It's only the former if you cave to the industry side of it, I suppose.
But that is why I have you, dear friends, to keep me from doing that. I don't have a mother pushing at me to do things her way so that's good I guess. I don't have anyone else telling me how things should be done other than what I read and that's good too. I guess I'm swinging towards the opposite end of being a 'zilla from demanding to too questioning. lol
I may still put up a poll but, for now, I can't think of anything else to ask. Well, I have one but I think I have it answered. Just gonna stick with my original plan on that question. Hugs to all.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hotel Confusion
Hmmm. . .not sure what happened but it seems that my hotel blocking didn't happen like it was supposed to. Valerie tried to reserve today and was told that there was no listing. So, I called them right away. Just got off the phone with the director of sales. She was very nice and even though the price I quoted you all was $10 less than what they normally charge and I don't have proof of reserving, she went ahead and did so at what I said. Yay! I did notice that the website looked better than last time but it must have been a generic one up. They only opened in February so I suspect that they were having issues with being new, etc. Hey, whatever, we're all good. Thank you, Val!!!
Jonathan and I talked last night and we decided that renting out one of the hotel rooms to use for the kids on the wedding night is probably the best idea. I had already planned on getting a reliable babysitter but was trying to figure out where to put the munchkins. Well, a room will do and then Jon can crash there overnight so he doesn't have to drive home and can stay in the thick of things on Saturday.
All right, Val has led the way. Now the rest of you make your reservations. I blocked a total of 20 rooms: 15 kings and 5 double queens. One down. You have until September 30th to actually reserve but please be kind and do it sooner. Thank you!
Jonathan and I talked last night and we decided that renting out one of the hotel rooms to use for the kids on the wedding night is probably the best idea. I had already planned on getting a reliable babysitter but was trying to figure out where to put the munchkins. Well, a room will do and then Jon can crash there overnight so he doesn't have to drive home and can stay in the thick of things on Saturday.
All right, Val has led the way. Now the rest of you make your reservations. I blocked a total of 20 rooms: 15 kings and 5 double queens. One down. You have until September 30th to actually reserve but please be kind and do it sooner. Thank you!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wine Results and More Drunken Fun
The last poll narrowed the wine choices down considerably. And, apart from cheeky comments by a certain Swiss goon made via email, was very helpful. (wink) Ok, even those were helpful.
So, the next one is very simple. Should we serve any kind of alcohol besides beer and wine? I mean, it would be easy enough to do but that doesn't mean peeps want that. So, you have until next Monday night to give me an idea.
Hugs.
So, the next one is very simple. Should we serve any kind of alcohol besides beer and wine? I mean, it would be easy enough to do but that doesn't mean peeps want that. So, you have until next Monday night to give me an idea.
Hugs.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
A Charming Day
Michael's mother was in town for a visit so we went out to lunch with her. We also got to see her friend, Linda, again as well as meet Linda's two daughters. They are all very nice. It was a very relaxed lunch. See, when Linda saw on the blog that I love the Charming Tails series, she offered to track down the wedding party for us as a gift. Well, she managed to find them all! They are soooo cute. I put them out on the table so we could all see them. I have to figure out where I can put them for the ceremony and reception so that everyone can see them. If you have any suggestions, pass them on. They are definitely getting a top row in one of my two curio cabinets.
Linda is very good at hunting stuff down and she loves doing it so I am very thankful for the thought and time (and money, of course). Really, it's such a personal gesture from someone who barely knows me. But she's been friends with Melba since before any of us were born so. . .guess that explains a lot. It goes a long ways to making me feel a part of his family. I already feel a part of his second one. So, this was all cool. I'm glad that she could make it up. Now I just need to figure out which side I want to put them on!
Linda is very good at hunting stuff down and she loves doing it so I am very thankful for the thought and time (and money, of course). Really, it's such a personal gesture from someone who barely knows me. But she's been friends with Melba since before any of us were born so. . .guess that explains a lot. It goes a long ways to making me feel a part of his family. I already feel a part of his second one. So, this was all cool. I'm glad that she could make it up. Now I just need to figure out which side I want to put them on!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Wine Poll #2
Ok, so, only three people voted for the wine. Guess we really do have more friends in low places than in the high. (wink) Whatever. . .for just a short time I'm going to let you help me whittle down the kinds cause 10 is too many. Actually 12 if you count the champagne and the White Zinfandel that Michael likes. If you don't vote, you can't bitch (as they say) on the wedding night about your selection.
Once we have covered this area we'll move on to more fun stuff. lol Hugs
PS The new poll is in the same place.
Once we have covered this area we'll move on to more fun stuff. lol Hugs
PS The new poll is in the same place.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Speechless
Ok, yeah, I know that rarely happens to me but it did on Saturday night. I was waiting until today to say anything about the event though cause, well, my brain is still trying to wrap around what's happened.
Michael and I went out to dinner on Saturday night with Jonathan and our friend Jan (who is friends with Jon too) and Yancey (my former manager at the bookstore). Jon and I've known Jan for quote a while now through the bookstore. She's always fun to talk to. Awesome lady. Well, she decided that she wanted to spend some of her rebate money on dinner for the five of us. So, we went to Longhorn. It was very yummy and an awesome gathering. At some point, Yancey asked Michael and I if we'd decided what to do for the honeymoon. So, I went into my well worn spiel about how we had wanted to do a cruise but can't afford to pay for that before the honeymoon. You know that I mentioned the Marriott as one of our registries because we love the chain, etc. So, we're hoping that people will do that for us cause then we can go somewhere (like California or Hawaii) and have some help with the hotel bill. Or for our anniversary next year since the card doesn't expire or depreciate.
Anyway, after dinner we were standing around talking. Yancey had left so it was just the four of us. Next thing I know, Jan is offering to buy us a cruise for our honeymoon! (crickets chirp) I think the three of us were wearing identical expressions of shock. Jon was doing his blink thing. Michael looked puzzled and I think I was agape. When I rediscovered my vocal chords I was like, "Thanks but that's just too much!" Well, she didn't think so. We're her friends, she has the means right now, so there ya go. She hadn't been able to think about what to get us so this solved that problem nicely for her. We protested but with Jan, once she has her mind set on something, there's no changing it. I was just so stunned that I didn't know what to do. Jan said to consider it not just a gift but as something that I could do for someone someday. A kind of pay it forward deal.
Michael and I ended up talking about it. He pointed out how much money I've loaned people in the past, etc. I started to say how I would do the same thing and that Jan is just like me. And that stopped me in mid-sentence. Hard to argue with someone who is simply and older version of you that way. Hard to say no when you know how happy it makes you feel to do something big for someone. To give them something unique. And last night I remembered two of the times I did that for various people ten years ago involving trips (and one a honeymoon). Do I regret that? No. Would I do it again if I had the money? Yes. So, I told Jan yes. Ok, so I had to justify it for myself but so what?
Well, she didn't want to wait long to go and talk to a travel agent so we set up to meet with one at AAA. When Michael and I had originally looked at cruises, I had the Frommer's guide as a reference. We'd decided a while ago that the Caribbean was nice and relatively inexpensive. Since we wanted to go in the off season, that was going to help even more. We'd heard that balcony rooms are awesome and can be had decently. So, that was what we had in mind. Michael only really cares about the time at sea itself but since we do have to stop in some ports, I suggested we see some of the Mayan ruins. That helped narrow it down more. The final narrow was which cruise lines. I already had those sticky noted in another book (the Dummies version) so I knew which we would like.
Jan thought ahead and spoke with the AAA agent without me yesterday so that the whole price thing could be avoided in front of me since I was determined to keep the cost down. She knew I would haggle. Far easier for me to capitulate if I don't have $ signs in front of me. Plus, it's gauche to be discussing gift price or for her to tell me her budget. I don't need to know how much money she has. That's not why I'm her friend. So, that made things easier.
The travel agent has a preference for Princess for us given what we like. I told her that Jen had suggested Royal Caribbean. So, she summed up the differences and reminded me of some things that I had read before that I liked about Princess. Really, it was fairly simple. Jan had wanted to help us with less driving time but it's all good. In the end, we ended up with a 7 day cruise that stops in Princess Cays, Bahamas (the cruise lines own port), Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Cayman Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico. That was pretty much what Michael and I had been looking at before so that was cool. But here's the last kicker. . .Jan insisted on booking us one of the mini-suites! Egads! I tried to talk her out of that but she wouldn't budge. She thought the regular balcony rooms looked too small and that we should have a larger balcony. Eeep! I mean, I don't ultimately know what end the suite falls in since there are higher and lower ends but still. . .she wouldn't budge. (sigh) So we now have a beautiful honeymoon planned. I won't type here when and stuff since this is a public forum even though we will have a house sitter. But yeah, I am still shocked.
We do plan to take some extra time in Florida since we're down there. Might as well recuperate and Michael has saved up all of his vacation time. So, hopefully peeps will still do the Marriott thing cause even if we don't use it then, we can use it next year for sure. Little get aways cause this will probably be the last biggie for a long while.
Jan is so gonna get it. lol I'll do something nice for her, you wait. It may not be as elaborate, but I will not forget this generosity. And both of us appreciate it.
Heck, I appreciate it a lot now for the look it put on Michael's face when I told him it was booked. He didn't care about the details, just that he was going to get to sail and be on the ocean. There may be a price to the trip, but that look was priceless.
Michael and I went out to dinner on Saturday night with Jonathan and our friend Jan (who is friends with Jon too) and Yancey (my former manager at the bookstore). Jon and I've known Jan for quote a while now through the bookstore. She's always fun to talk to. Awesome lady. Well, she decided that she wanted to spend some of her rebate money on dinner for the five of us. So, we went to Longhorn. It was very yummy and an awesome gathering. At some point, Yancey asked Michael and I if we'd decided what to do for the honeymoon. So, I went into my well worn spiel about how we had wanted to do a cruise but can't afford to pay for that before the honeymoon. You know that I mentioned the Marriott as one of our registries because we love the chain, etc. So, we're hoping that people will do that for us cause then we can go somewhere (like California or Hawaii) and have some help with the hotel bill. Or for our anniversary next year since the card doesn't expire or depreciate.
Anyway, after dinner we were standing around talking. Yancey had left so it was just the four of us. Next thing I know, Jan is offering to buy us a cruise for our honeymoon! (crickets chirp) I think the three of us were wearing identical expressions of shock. Jon was doing his blink thing. Michael looked puzzled and I think I was agape. When I rediscovered my vocal chords I was like, "Thanks but that's just too much!" Well, she didn't think so. We're her friends, she has the means right now, so there ya go. She hadn't been able to think about what to get us so this solved that problem nicely for her. We protested but with Jan, once she has her mind set on something, there's no changing it. I was just so stunned that I didn't know what to do. Jan said to consider it not just a gift but as something that I could do for someone someday. A kind of pay it forward deal.
Michael and I ended up talking about it. He pointed out how much money I've loaned people in the past, etc. I started to say how I would do the same thing and that Jan is just like me. And that stopped me in mid-sentence. Hard to argue with someone who is simply and older version of you that way. Hard to say no when you know how happy it makes you feel to do something big for someone. To give them something unique. And last night I remembered two of the times I did that for various people ten years ago involving trips (and one a honeymoon). Do I regret that? No. Would I do it again if I had the money? Yes. So, I told Jan yes. Ok, so I had to justify it for myself but so what?
Well, she didn't want to wait long to go and talk to a travel agent so we set up to meet with one at AAA. When Michael and I had originally looked at cruises, I had the Frommer's guide as a reference. We'd decided a while ago that the Caribbean was nice and relatively inexpensive. Since we wanted to go in the off season, that was going to help even more. We'd heard that balcony rooms are awesome and can be had decently. So, that was what we had in mind. Michael only really cares about the time at sea itself but since we do have to stop in some ports, I suggested we see some of the Mayan ruins. That helped narrow it down more. The final narrow was which cruise lines. I already had those sticky noted in another book (the Dummies version) so I knew which we would like.
Jan thought ahead and spoke with the AAA agent without me yesterday so that the whole price thing could be avoided in front of me since I was determined to keep the cost down. She knew I would haggle. Far easier for me to capitulate if I don't have $ signs in front of me. Plus, it's gauche to be discussing gift price or for her to tell me her budget. I don't need to know how much money she has. That's not why I'm her friend. So, that made things easier.
The travel agent has a preference for Princess for us given what we like. I told her that Jen had suggested Royal Caribbean. So, she summed up the differences and reminded me of some things that I had read before that I liked about Princess. Really, it was fairly simple. Jan had wanted to help us with less driving time but it's all good. In the end, we ended up with a 7 day cruise that stops in Princess Cays, Bahamas (the cruise lines own port), Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Cayman Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico. That was pretty much what Michael and I had been looking at before so that was cool. But here's the last kicker. . .Jan insisted on booking us one of the mini-suites! Egads! I tried to talk her out of that but she wouldn't budge. She thought the regular balcony rooms looked too small and that we should have a larger balcony. Eeep! I mean, I don't ultimately know what end the suite falls in since there are higher and lower ends but still. . .she wouldn't budge. (sigh) So we now have a beautiful honeymoon planned. I won't type here when and stuff since this is a public forum even though we will have a house sitter. But yeah, I am still shocked.
We do plan to take some extra time in Florida since we're down there. Might as well recuperate and Michael has saved up all of his vacation time. So, hopefully peeps will still do the Marriott thing cause even if we don't use it then, we can use it next year for sure. Little get aways cause this will probably be the last biggie for a long while.
Jan is so gonna get it. lol I'll do something nice for her, you wait. It may not be as elaborate, but I will not forget this generosity. And both of us appreciate it.
Heck, I appreciate it a lot now for the look it put on Michael's face when I told him it was booked. He didn't care about the details, just that he was going to get to sail and be on the ocean. There may be a price to the trip, but that look was priceless.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
You Never Drink. . .Wine?
Ok, so only two of you have voted so far on the wine poll. If anyone else cares, you only have three days to do it in. It's a decent selection of wine types so I can go with that but if you miss out I don't wanna hear it the day of the wedding. lol Seriously though. . .more help is always appreciated. But if that selection is cool, I'm good with it. Hugs.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
I Have My Dress!
Yup, that's right, it came in. We got a postcard in the mail telling us that the dress had arrived. Michael let his dispatcher know that he would like a job up in Raleigh at some point so we were able to go up on Wednesday. Actually, his job was two hours west so I ended up hanging out at a dinky little mall. We were exhausted by the time we stopped at the bridal store. Michael stayed in the truck while I went in to make sure that everything was fine.
I have to say that I really like Bridal Mart. They are really nice and helpful. I ended up talking with one of the same women from last time. She helped me try on the dress with a corset first but then insisted on seeing it without so that I wouldn't have to buy anything that I didn't need to since the dress already has a built in corset (Val and Jami are gonna have so much fun tying me into it lol). It looks just fine without so I may just do a normal bra or get one anyway. I really can't picture myself trusting that something won't happen if I go top commando even though it fits snug. Nope. So, I am going to figure it out over the next few months.
The dress was just fine. The lace bolero jacket I bought is pretty and not itchy but I'm having Michael make a satin or silk lining for it so that it covers my arms and upper back better. But I love the sleeves. And I may still do wings on me. Not sure yet. The lady who helped me suggested that since the dress has blue trim and blue in the back that Michael should sew in some blue beads on the jacket. That was an awesome idea. Michael is actually going to make shells in blue and white to see which we like better. If we go with the white, we'll do the blue beading. The lady also gave me a great idea for how to do the bustle so that the train pattern stands out in the back. It's going to be awesome.
I also bought my veil so I don't have to deal with that down here. Why go hunting when I found one that we both like? And it works well. It's not as long as I had originally wanted but that's fine. The comb works well and it lays pretty and that's all that matters.
So, that errand is done. Yay! I'm going to wait until the end of September to worry about tailoring it because it doesn't need much. I'm lucky. . .the length is perfect, the waist is perfect, and the bodice is fine but for needing a little tuck under the armpits. The only other thing that we need to tweak are the straps. They are removable and thin and I don't really care for them. So, Michael might make me new ones. But, if I had to rush in buying a dress and needed it tomorrow, well, it would work just fine. I am so happy with being tall right now. lol
Anyway, that's about it for this week's adventure. We're trying to finalize a location for our shower and that should be done this week. So, I'll let you know how things go. Hugs.
I have to say that I really like Bridal Mart. They are really nice and helpful. I ended up talking with one of the same women from last time. She helped me try on the dress with a corset first but then insisted on seeing it without so that I wouldn't have to buy anything that I didn't need to since the dress already has a built in corset (Val and Jami are gonna have so much fun tying me into it lol). It looks just fine without so I may just do a normal bra or get one anyway. I really can't picture myself trusting that something won't happen if I go top commando even though it fits snug. Nope. So, I am going to figure it out over the next few months.
The dress was just fine. The lace bolero jacket I bought is pretty and not itchy but I'm having Michael make a satin or silk lining for it so that it covers my arms and upper back better. But I love the sleeves. And I may still do wings on me. Not sure yet. The lady who helped me suggested that since the dress has blue trim and blue in the back that Michael should sew in some blue beads on the jacket. That was an awesome idea. Michael is actually going to make shells in blue and white to see which we like better. If we go with the white, we'll do the blue beading. The lady also gave me a great idea for how to do the bustle so that the train pattern stands out in the back. It's going to be awesome.
I also bought my veil so I don't have to deal with that down here. Why go hunting when I found one that we both like? And it works well. It's not as long as I had originally wanted but that's fine. The comb works well and it lays pretty and that's all that matters.
So, that errand is done. Yay! I'm going to wait until the end of September to worry about tailoring it because it doesn't need much. I'm lucky. . .the length is perfect, the waist is perfect, and the bodice is fine but for needing a little tuck under the armpits. The only other thing that we need to tweak are the straps. They are removable and thin and I don't really care for them. So, Michael might make me new ones. But, if I had to rush in buying a dress and needed it tomorrow, well, it would work just fine. I am so happy with being tall right now. lol
Anyway, that's about it for this week's adventure. We're trying to finalize a location for our shower and that should be done this week. So, I'll let you know how things go. Hugs.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Wine Poll #1
Ok, so the beer one went well. Thanks to all who voted. The top three were: Corona, Sam Adams, and Yuengling. The rest were: Coors, Becks, Heineken, Miller, and Bass. We will definitely be sure to have the top three at the reception. Closer to the time we'll decide how many of the other five but I'm thinking a few of each will be fine. There was a call for Miller Lite. Of the others, we'll go with what is standard unless there is a special request. So, if you want something specific. . .let me know either on here or via email. K?
Now, on to the wines. Here's where I get out of my depth. Beer I grew up around but wine. . .well, my knowledge is limited despite living in France for a while. I know general stuff and a few labels, that's it. I don't like the taste and I've learned that everyone is different in what they like. So here's what we're gonna do. I'm going to do this as two or more polls. The first is going to be the general type so I can then look into specific labels. Feel free at any time to make specific recommendations at any time in this process. lol Or you can let yourself hover and see what I come up with. You never know with me. Hopefully you are all finding this kind of fun. I mean, why not have input from some of the people who will be partaking in the festivities? I like options, as most of you know, but this helps a lot in narrowing them down. So, thanks again! (ps. . .this poll is in the same location as the last -- on the right hand side of the blog screen after the registries and before the archives). Hugs.
Now, on to the wines. Here's where I get out of my depth. Beer I grew up around but wine. . .well, my knowledge is limited despite living in France for a while. I know general stuff and a few labels, that's it. I don't like the taste and I've learned that everyone is different in what they like. So here's what we're gonna do. I'm going to do this as two or more polls. The first is going to be the general type so I can then look into specific labels. Feel free at any time to make specific recommendations at any time in this process. lol Or you can let yourself hover and see what I come up with. You never know with me. Hopefully you are all finding this kind of fun. I mean, why not have input from some of the people who will be partaking in the festivities? I like options, as most of you know, but this helps a lot in narrowing them down. So, thanks again! (ps. . .this poll is in the same location as the last -- on the right hand side of the blog screen after the registries and before the archives). Hugs.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Please Help With the New Poll
Yo. . .I am thinking that all the hair stuff was just too much. lol Did you all miss the fact that I am beginning a round of polls about the alcohol? Matt is the only one who responded (he doesn't care what kind of beer so he didn't vote). Now, you all may not care either but if I could have a little guidance as to what is most popular, that would be greatly appreciated. I want the polls to be fun but I also need them as help for certain things. So, please, vote. I'm going to extend the voting period to next Thursday night instead of Monday night. That way, there's a little extra time. Thank you!!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Poll Results and New Poll
Ok, so no one has added to the votes. I've dropped styles 5 and 8 since no one liked them and I do agree. Personally, I am dropping style 9 because it's too slicked back. Lord knows my hair can do that with enough goop but it really isn't much different from wearing a low pony tail. I think I'll drop style 6 too since it's like style 4 and had fewer votes. Style 2 is very similar to style 1 but I'll keep it since it does have a slight difference. So, the remaining choices that I will take to the hairdresser are:
Now that that's over with (and thank you muchly for the help), let's get on to something a lot more fun (for some people) and more vital (for those same people). lol ALCOHOL!!
Michael and I will be supplying the alcohol. Sorry, we can't afford an open bar so supplies will be limited to what we bring. However, having said that, I would like to get an idea of what people like. So, the next couple of polls are going to be geared towards that. WW will be supplying us with an experienced bartender so I thought I could get creative here. Over the next couple of weeks, I will post a new poll on different alcohols and drinks that will run about 10 days in voting time. Hopefully this will be fun for you all and it will give me a chance to have a clue towards specifics. I will go fancy later but let's start with the basics first: Beer. Over on the side you will find a list of beers that I know to be popular. They are in no particular order and you can vote for more than one. Now, if you want to get specific within each producer, please either email me or tack on a response to this post. Right now I'm narrowing down the brands so we'll assume that we're talking the general beer (not light or funky flavors but original stuff). I can always set the next one up as a specific. K? Have fun!
Now that that's over with (and thank you muchly for the help), let's get on to something a lot more fun (for some people) and more vital (for those same people). lol ALCOHOL!!
Michael and I will be supplying the alcohol. Sorry, we can't afford an open bar so supplies will be limited to what we bring. However, having said that, I would like to get an idea of what people like. So, the next couple of polls are going to be geared towards that. WW will be supplying us with an experienced bartender so I thought I could get creative here. Over the next couple of weeks, I will post a new poll on different alcohols and drinks that will run about 10 days in voting time. Hopefully this will be fun for you all and it will give me a chance to have a clue towards specifics. I will go fancy later but let's start with the basics first: Beer. Over on the side you will find a list of beers that I know to be popular. They are in no particular order and you can vote for more than one. Now, if you want to get specific within each producer, please either email me or tack on a response to this post. Right now I'm narrowing down the brands so we'll assume that we're talking the general beer (not light or funky flavors but original stuff). I can always set the next one up as a specific. K? Have fun!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Michaels Craft Store
I have finally found an excuse to use the coupons for Michaels that come in the Sunday paper. lol I say excuse because, well, I like the store but haven't had reason to shop there much. I also had a coupon for A.C. Moore but I didn't really like them as much. They had some different stuff but. . .eh.
Anyway, two weeks ago I went in to see if I could get some nice boxes for organizing cards and stuff. And maybe find a card box for the wedding since I haven't seen anything like what I got Valerie last year (knew I should have bought one for us) at Hallmark. The wedding ones are just too darn expensive and, well, wedding frou-frou. I want something I can use again. And I found it! Michaels was having a sale on one of it's collections so I managed to get a couple of good boxes that I can use for various things. They have butterflies on them and are spring in nature but, hell, doesn't matter. The one I got for the wedding has a blue and white bouquet and that should match mine close enough. I can now move all of the cards I've saved since I was a child (yes, I have kept every card ever given to me) in a nice box instead of a plain one. Plus I have one to keep the invitation stuff organized. We are not doing those at home but I want something I can use as we put them together once they are back from the printers. And I have one for loose photos. So, I am happy.
Michaels' wedding section is fine. It's where I got the save the date cards. Some things are a little too pricey but some are decent. I know we're going to forgo the bubbles thing even though we can't do the rice/birdseed thing at the venue. No point when it will be dark by the time we leave. But I've seen other things to use from other places. So, I'm happy.
We are essentially buying stuff a little here and a little there. It's working well. Ok, well, I should get some work done. I've got to think what should be the next poll. Will have that within the week. Hugs.
Anyway, two weeks ago I went in to see if I could get some nice boxes for organizing cards and stuff. And maybe find a card box for the wedding since I haven't seen anything like what I got Valerie last year (knew I should have bought one for us) at Hallmark. The wedding ones are just too darn expensive and, well, wedding frou-frou. I want something I can use again. And I found it! Michaels was having a sale on one of it's collections so I managed to get a couple of good boxes that I can use for various things. They have butterflies on them and are spring in nature but, hell, doesn't matter. The one I got for the wedding has a blue and white bouquet and that should match mine close enough. I can now move all of the cards I've saved since I was a child (yes, I have kept every card ever given to me) in a nice box instead of a plain one. Plus I have one to keep the invitation stuff organized. We are not doing those at home but I want something I can use as we put them together once they are back from the printers. And I have one for loose photos. So, I am happy.
Michaels' wedding section is fine. It's where I got the save the date cards. Some things are a little too pricey but some are decent. I know we're going to forgo the bubbles thing even though we can't do the rice/birdseed thing at the venue. No point when it will be dark by the time we leave. But I've seen other things to use from other places. So, I'm happy.
We are essentially buying stuff a little here and a little there. It's working well. Ok, well, I should get some work done. I've got to think what should be the next poll. Will have that within the week. Hugs.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Leather and Lace: Attendant Attire Part 2
You know, I had a hard time finding pictures for the rest of the gals. But some of these may do.
I can so see Val as Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had a hard time finding one of her as a vampire in the alti-verse but none were great. That would be my first choice for her. Otherwise, I'd have her wear:
Make the pants red leather and it would be awesome!
Ok, now Jen I can totally see as a leather clad butt kicking babe. It is so different from what I've seen her wear but I think it would be great. I was thinking a pirate for various reasons but then, well, I was scanning pictures and came across this:
Van Helsing is not the best movie in the world but Kate Beckinsale does kick butt in it. Her Underworld persona is all leather clad and that would work as a secondary but I think this one is a nice mix for Jen.
And last but not least is my darling niece. She's the "baby" of the group and, maybe because she's family, I just cannot picture her in anything like the others. At first I was thinking something from the Princess Bride but then I saw this and thought it would suit her just fine:
Yes, Cynthia as Elizabeth Swann from Pirates of the Caribbean works well for her. She'd kind of match every one else.
But no. . .I wouldn't really do this. But if I was a 'zilla who had this vision, I could. But I won't. These would be great for a party but not wedding attendants. So, if any guests want to run with these ideas. . .go for it. That works well for you all. Or the ladies could always dress up for one of the other parties! lol
I can so see Val as Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had a hard time finding one of her as a vampire in the alti-verse but none were great. That would be my first choice for her. Otherwise, I'd have her wear:
Make the pants red leather and it would be awesome!
Ok, now Jen I can totally see as a leather clad butt kicking babe. It is so different from what I've seen her wear but I think it would be great. I was thinking a pirate for various reasons but then, well, I was scanning pictures and came across this:
Van Helsing is not the best movie in the world but Kate Beckinsale does kick butt in it. Her Underworld persona is all leather clad and that would work as a secondary but I think this one is a nice mix for Jen.
And last but not least is my darling niece. She's the "baby" of the group and, maybe because she's family, I just cannot picture her in anything like the others. At first I was thinking something from the Princess Bride but then I saw this and thought it would suit her just fine:
Yes, Cynthia as Elizabeth Swann from Pirates of the Caribbean works well for her. She'd kind of match every one else.
But no. . .I wouldn't really do this. But if I was a 'zilla who had this vision, I could. But I won't. These would be great for a party but not wedding attendants. So, if any guests want to run with these ideas. . .go for it. That works well for you all. Or the ladies could always dress up for one of the other parties! lol
Friday, May 23, 2008
Ayyiyiyiyiyiyi : Attendant Attire Part 1
(giggle) I've been organizing my books and came across something that gave me a new idea for the attendants. . .maybe I should have them just dress up as some of my favorite fantasy characters. (snort) I mean, I've been trying to convince Jami for years that she's simply a blond version of:
Just add a black wig (I would never ask her to dye her gorgeous locks) and costume and voila! I have a warrior attendant. Whatcha think? hmmm?
Just add a black wig (I would never ask her to dye her gorgeous locks) and costume and voila! I have a warrior attendant. Whatcha think? hmmm?
Monday, May 19, 2008
If Lynn and Michael Had Known Each Other as Kids
© 2008 Bill Amend
Just click on the strip to see it larger or go to foxtrot.com It was yesterday's comic in the Sunday paper. lol Someday the last frame will be explained in all it's context.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Sorry About the Dress Comment
Ok, so months ago I mentioned that Valerie prefers straight satin. No, she doesn't. I made that assumption because that is what she had dictated for us to wear for her wedding. That choice had been because she wanted to give us clean look while allowing us to pick our own dress style. Sorry. I thought she had said something about not liking chiffon, etc at the time but I was wrong.
She's going to look at the dress this weekend and see how it works. I hope wherever she goes has her size or close to it. I think it will be awesome. So, keep your fingers crossed.
I was looking at decorations tonight. Well, I was bookmarking sites anyway. If anyone sees something they think is cool, throw it into the idea pot via a comment here (with a site address) or email. I'm open to suggestions so long as no one gets upset if they don't get used in the end. Lord knows there are various reasons for things not being done this time but maybe in the future. But I like ideas.
She's going to look at the dress this weekend and see how it works. I hope wherever she goes has her size or close to it. I think it will be awesome. So, keep your fingers crossed.
I was looking at decorations tonight. Well, I was bookmarking sites anyway. If anyone sees something they think is cool, throw it into the idea pot via a comment here (with a site address) or email. I'm open to suggestions so long as no one gets upset if they don't get used in the end. Lord knows there are various reasons for things not being done this time but maybe in the future. But I like ideas.
Tee Hee
Ok, so if things seem to be getting a little childish and stuff, just remember that we could be having a wedding that looks like this (no, Michael, we can't):
Hello Kitty Wedding
For another Hello Kitty wedding video, go to: HK Ideas
Hello Kitty Wedding
For another Hello Kitty wedding video, go to: HK Ideas
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Charming Thanks
I got a lovely call this evening from one of Michael's mother's oldest friends, Linda. She's been friends with Melba since before Michael was born. I met her and her son last year when I was at the bookstore. She's very nice. Sent me two pretty handmade bracelets. Well, the call was unexpected. Guess it shouldn't have been since I sent her one of the save the date cards. But anyway, she had check out this blog and was surprised to see that I love the Charming Tails. So, she was calling to ask me if I was serious about wanting the wedding party. Yes! Michael thinks they are adorable too. Well, she used to collect them and knows people who do as well and so has offered to get us the set. Awww. . .how so very sweet! I am very touched and very excited. Really, it is such a lovely thing to do since she doesn't know me very well and all. But I understand as I tend to do things like this too. lol Must be the Yank in us (she grew up in the PA/OH area).
But seriously. . .I really am grateful and wanted to let you all know that. They will definitely have a place of honor at the wedding.
Linda told me about a piece that I am going to keep my eye open for. It's one of the oldest pieces. I looked it up and it came out the second year of the series. Hmmm. . .that one will take a while to track down. lol But, as Linda said, she thinks hunting them is the fun part. I quite agree.
It's these conversations with great people that make me so look forward to the wedding and all the fun we're going to have!
But seriously. . .I really am grateful and wanted to let you all know that. They will definitely have a place of honor at the wedding.
Linda told me about a piece that I am going to keep my eye open for. It's one of the oldest pieces. I looked it up and it came out the second year of the series. Hmmm. . .that one will take a while to track down. lol But, as Linda said, she thinks hunting them is the fun part. I quite agree.
It's these conversations with great people that make me so look forward to the wedding and all the fun we're going to have!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Help Me Decide!
Ok, so, Blogger has added two new cool features: Slideshows and Polls. Which is great timing because I have been looking at a gazillion hair photos. Don't really need to decide this until later but I wanted to do something girlie and frivolous. Well, I've narrowed down the choices to 10 and have set up a slide show to the right along with a poll. You can choose more than one of the styles and I'm leaving it up until September so there's plenty of time. Of course, if you run across one and want to pass it along for consideration, please do so. Eventually I'll find a stylist (yes, Kyle, I know you could do this but I'm not gonna ask you to work that day) and try the top choices out to see which one I like the best. Yes, I am partial to some of the ones on the list but this sounded like fun. I may take it down sooner than September to do other polls but, for now, you're stuck with this one. Have fun!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Cake Toppers
As I'm sure you know, there are a gazillion ways to decorate cakes. I remember my first foray into wedding cakes a few years ago when my friend, Andi, got married. We had fun emailing each other pictures of what looked cool. But it's enough to give anyone a headache. Besides, I've learned that often the coolest looking cakes are either a) way too damn expensive and/or b) taste like cardboard. It's because of the icing they use. Blech Which is why she went for the idea of plain cheesecakes with various topping options. Those were so fun to pick up at the bakery. My car smelled too yummy. lol
Anyway, we're doing something equally as simple as I mentioned before with the Godiva chocolate cakes. We are going to add one of the white coconut ones for people who would rather have something besides chocolate. But all in all, the cakes are fairly "plain" looking. Of course, we can set them in a cool fashion or decorate them with flowers or whatnot. Actually, Michael and I have had our main topper in mind for over a year when I found it online.
See, one of the things that we have in common is that we love dragons (well, anything fantasy based, really, which explains the wedding theme but we always agree on dragons). So, when I found this topper online, we agreed to it:
It's pewter and very cool. There is a full set of wedding stuff with it: cake knife and server, flutes, goblets, etc. We can't afford the whole set so the only other thing I'm considering are the flutes in the cobalt blue:
Minus the engraving though cause I like them better plain. Don't need our names and date on them cause we know what they are for.
Now, last night I remembered another set I love. I'd completely forgotten about it cause at the time they were out, I had no idea I'd ever get married so I didn't even buy them for a "someday." See, I collect something called Pocket Dragons. Got into it years ago because one of my friends then was collecting them and I thought they were so cool. Well, the creators decided to retire the entire collection two years or so ago. So, it's hard to get the wedding pieces but I think they are so cool:
And last but not least, I have another collection I do that is all my own (in other words, no one else I know collects them), Charming Tails. Hallmark carries them and they have been around for quite a long time. They are cheaper than the PDs but I tend to like all of the pieces cause they are just so damn cute! I won't post the pics here cause they have a complete wedding set but you can find it at Charming Tails Wedding Collection. (sigh) I LOVE them! Aren't they adorable? Ok, so maybe it would be over the top to have three different cake toppers but they have to be decorated somehow. But I have plenty of time for that consideration cause we don't have the money right now for any of them. Gotta survive the summer first. Ah well. Just some rambling ideas.
Anyway, we're doing something equally as simple as I mentioned before with the Godiva chocolate cakes. We are going to add one of the white coconut ones for people who would rather have something besides chocolate. But all in all, the cakes are fairly "plain" looking. Of course, we can set them in a cool fashion or decorate them with flowers or whatnot. Actually, Michael and I have had our main topper in mind for over a year when I found it online.
See, one of the things that we have in common is that we love dragons (well, anything fantasy based, really, which explains the wedding theme but we always agree on dragons). So, when I found this topper online, we agreed to it:
It's pewter and very cool. There is a full set of wedding stuff with it: cake knife and server, flutes, goblets, etc. We can't afford the whole set so the only other thing I'm considering are the flutes in the cobalt blue:
Minus the engraving though cause I like them better plain. Don't need our names and date on them cause we know what they are for.
Now, last night I remembered another set I love. I'd completely forgotten about it cause at the time they were out, I had no idea I'd ever get married so I didn't even buy them for a "someday." See, I collect something called Pocket Dragons. Got into it years ago because one of my friends then was collecting them and I thought they were so cool. Well, the creators decided to retire the entire collection two years or so ago. So, it's hard to get the wedding pieces but I think they are so cool:
And last but not least, I have another collection I do that is all my own (in other words, no one else I know collects them), Charming Tails. Hallmark carries them and they have been around for quite a long time. They are cheaper than the PDs but I tend to like all of the pieces cause they are just so damn cute! I won't post the pics here cause they have a complete wedding set but you can find it at Charming Tails Wedding Collection. (sigh) I LOVE them! Aren't they adorable? Ok, so maybe it would be over the top to have three different cake toppers but they have to be decorated somehow. But I have plenty of time for that consideration cause we don't have the money right now for any of them. Gotta survive the summer first. Ah well. Just some rambling ideas.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Registries
Well, we've finally finished tweaking our registries. Just like a lot of people we know, we don't want to look like we are gift grubbing. However, let's be real here, gift registration is a necessary evil for wedding planning. Besides, I've heard from family members that I can be difficult to buy for (um, ok) so this should solve that problem should they feel the need to buy us something. Really, though, I'll just be happy to have everyone in one place and having fun.
I should probably explain our choices. Four places seems like a lot but most guides recommend about two to four. We were just gonna do two with the Marriott and Bed Bath and Beyond. Travel registries are starting to become popular. However, a lot of them have hidden fees and funky rules. But the Marriott is different. The registry is completely free to users and it's easy. Once I registered, they sent us an empty gift card in a cute little suitcase holder. People go to the website or call Marriott and "buy" items from our listing. While the "sample" items they have are pricey, it's easy enough to just add your own amount to the gift card. With the Marriott, we aren't stuck with a specific honeymoon package because we can use the card at any of their properties. So, if we have to change our plans, well, we can. I'll babble about honeymoon stuff later.
Anyway, we chose Bed Bath and Beyond because they have an awesome selection of stuff. We love that place. But then we realized that we needed a third registry because of people being so darn spread out and not necessarily having a BBB near them and possibly not wanting to do online stuff for either registry.
I wanted JC Penney. . .but we started the registry without realizing that they suck! I mean, I worked for them thirteen years ago and have always loved the company. I had no idea that their selection -- even through the catalog -- had gotten so, well, lame. The bedding department is still pretty good as is the windows section. Bath has gone down but for towels. And the rest? Pitiful. Just pitiful. It was too late to cancel it. Besides, they still have the best window treatments and we can certainly use those. But I know that as for us shopping there in the future it will just be for that and clothes for Michael.
So, we ended up with Macy's (whom I also like) and that turned out wonderfully. They are what I'd hoped Penney's would be. And another cool thing about them is that if someone buys from the online registry via weddingchannel.com, money gets donated to the charity of our choice. I chose the American Cancer Foundation for obvious reasons. If I'd known that Penney's had changed so much, I would have just stuck with the two traditional registries and the nontraditional travel one. Ah well. It was a learning experience. Never assume that somewhere is as good as it used to be.
One good thing about all of this? Michael and I didn't fight at all about what we wanted to register for. In fact, we tend to agree on stuff most of the time. And he was awesome in going along with me and not grumbling. But then, he likes to shop. Fortunately our tastes mesh all right. We have a habit of deferring when one of us wants something more than another. We both have to like something though for it to be considered a viable option. But, if we have, say, two choices that we both like and one happens to really be a favorite of one of us, it usually wins by default (like the every day butterfly china pattern that I love). So, even though we spent hours at the stores (and me online fine tuning), it was pretty easy over all.
I should probably explain our choices. Four places seems like a lot but most guides recommend about two to four. We were just gonna do two with the Marriott and Bed Bath and Beyond. Travel registries are starting to become popular. However, a lot of them have hidden fees and funky rules. But the Marriott is different. The registry is completely free to users and it's easy. Once I registered, they sent us an empty gift card in a cute little suitcase holder. People go to the website or call Marriott and "buy" items from our listing. While the "sample" items they have are pricey, it's easy enough to just add your own amount to the gift card. With the Marriott, we aren't stuck with a specific honeymoon package because we can use the card at any of their properties. So, if we have to change our plans, well, we can. I'll babble about honeymoon stuff later.
Anyway, we chose Bed Bath and Beyond because they have an awesome selection of stuff. We love that place. But then we realized that we needed a third registry because of people being so darn spread out and not necessarily having a BBB near them and possibly not wanting to do online stuff for either registry.
I wanted JC Penney. . .but we started the registry without realizing that they suck! I mean, I worked for them thirteen years ago and have always loved the company. I had no idea that their selection -- even through the catalog -- had gotten so, well, lame. The bedding department is still pretty good as is the windows section. Bath has gone down but for towels. And the rest? Pitiful. Just pitiful. It was too late to cancel it. Besides, they still have the best window treatments and we can certainly use those. But I know that as for us shopping there in the future it will just be for that and clothes for Michael.
So, we ended up with Macy's (whom I also like) and that turned out wonderfully. They are what I'd hoped Penney's would be. And another cool thing about them is that if someone buys from the online registry via weddingchannel.com, money gets donated to the charity of our choice. I chose the American Cancer Foundation for obvious reasons. If I'd known that Penney's had changed so much, I would have just stuck with the two traditional registries and the nontraditional travel one. Ah well. It was a learning experience. Never assume that somewhere is as good as it used to be.
One good thing about all of this? Michael and I didn't fight at all about what we wanted to register for. In fact, we tend to agree on stuff most of the time. And he was awesome in going along with me and not grumbling. But then, he likes to shop. Fortunately our tastes mesh all right. We have a habit of deferring when one of us wants something more than another. We both have to like something though for it to be considered a viable option. But, if we have, say, two choices that we both like and one happens to really be a favorite of one of us, it usually wins by default (like the every day butterfly china pattern that I love). So, even though we spent hours at the stores (and me online fine tuning), it was pretty easy over all.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Flying In
Ok, I was going to wait to put this info on the blog until later but I've already had two questions about it so here we go.
For those of you who are flying in. . .the best days that week would be any but Tuesday, the 28th. Thursday will be ok but with it being the day before the wedding, well, I can't promise we'll be available for pick-ups and what-not.
As for when to leave. . .that's up to you. I just locked in the rate through that Sunday night. However, I'm sure that if you want to stay longer into the next week, the Wingate people will be more than happy to haggle with you. It's off season and the beginning of a week. So, I doubt there will be a problem with the rate staying the same.
Now, where to fly in? Well, that all depends upon rates. Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) is the closest. Charlotte International (CLT) is the next best but is 1.5 hours away. So, it depends upon 2 things: 1) how much of a difference in price is your ticket and 2) will you be renting a car? Cause, with gas the price it is, if you're renting a car, you could spend as much in gas (usually a little more than a half tank to three quarters depending on the vehicle for a round trip) for the extra drive. If you're not renting, we can get you from either place. It's a straight shot from CLT to Columbia and the hotel so that shouldn't be a concern for you all.
So, it's your call on that one. CAE is a much smaller airport but CLT isn't too intimidating. As you make plans to come in, just keep me posted via email. K? Hugs.
For those of you who are flying in. . .the best days that week would be any but Tuesday, the 28th. Thursday will be ok but with it being the day before the wedding, well, I can't promise we'll be available for pick-ups and what-not.
As for when to leave. . .that's up to you. I just locked in the rate through that Sunday night. However, I'm sure that if you want to stay longer into the next week, the Wingate people will be more than happy to haggle with you. It's off season and the beginning of a week. So, I doubt there will be a problem with the rate staying the same.
Now, where to fly in? Well, that all depends upon rates. Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) is the closest. Charlotte International (CLT) is the next best but is 1.5 hours away. So, it depends upon 2 things: 1) how much of a difference in price is your ticket and 2) will you be renting a car? Cause, with gas the price it is, if you're renting a car, you could spend as much in gas (usually a little more than a half tank to three quarters depending on the vehicle for a round trip) for the extra drive. If you're not renting, we can get you from either place. It's a straight shot from CLT to Columbia and the hotel so that shouldn't be a concern for you all.
So, it's your call on that one. CAE is a much smaller airport but CLT isn't too intimidating. As you make plans to come in, just keep me posted via email. K? Hugs.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Let Them Eat Cake
One more thing down. We will be having the yummiest cake ever for the wedding. No cardboard for our guests (though I must admit that my friends have done well to avoid that at their weddings. . .but then, they have good taste). Nope we are having to die for cake.
See, there's this local bakery called Chocolate Nirvana. It's a very tiny little place that you would probably miss because it's mixed in with a bunch of houses and small businesses. It is next to the one historical house (that we considered for a locale) and just happens to be down from Michael's church but. . .you blink, you miss it. We've known about it for years because they sell to a lot of the local restaurants. Miyo's (my fave in Columbia) serves their Godiva Chocolate cake, Coconut cake, and various cheesecakes. They are all very yummy but our favorite is the Godiva chocolate. Can we say yummmmm?
I called today and the lady loved me cause we don't need to arrange a tasting and that just made her life easier. She said I was the best bride ever! lol When I went to secure the date for us today, the lady told me that they actually have a chocolate covered version of the coconut cake that tastes like a Mounds. mmmmm So, we may end up with one of the cakes being that. They do separate cakes rather than a tier thing which is fine. Oh, and I joked about how I should have said yes to the tasting cause then we would get to eat yummy samples and she gave me some slices for free! Woohoo! lol That was very cool. Heck, no guilt here cause that's supposed to be one of the more fun parts of all of this. But it's all good.
(giggle) Everyone is gonna be so hyped up on sugar. It's gonna be a great party!
See, there's this local bakery called Chocolate Nirvana. It's a very tiny little place that you would probably miss because it's mixed in with a bunch of houses and small businesses. It is next to the one historical house (that we considered for a locale) and just happens to be down from Michael's church but. . .you blink, you miss it. We've known about it for years because they sell to a lot of the local restaurants. Miyo's (my fave in Columbia) serves their Godiva Chocolate cake, Coconut cake, and various cheesecakes. They are all very yummy but our favorite is the Godiva chocolate. Can we say yummmmm?
I called today and the lady loved me cause we don't need to arrange a tasting and that just made her life easier. She said I was the best bride ever! lol When I went to secure the date for us today, the lady told me that they actually have a chocolate covered version of the coconut cake that tastes like a Mounds. mmmmm So, we may end up with one of the cakes being that. They do separate cakes rather than a tier thing which is fine. Oh, and I joked about how I should have said yes to the tasting cause then we would get to eat yummy samples and she gave me some slices for free! Woohoo! lol That was very cool. Heck, no guilt here cause that's supposed to be one of the more fun parts of all of this. But it's all good.
(giggle) Everyone is gonna be so hyped up on sugar. It's gonna be a great party!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
We Have a Hotel!
Ok, all, we have hotel rooms blocked for all of you out of towners. It's a Wingate Hotel that's really well placed in the grand scheme of things. It's a new building and is right down the road from the wedding/reception site. The price is very good for what we're getting ($89/night) and the block runs from Sunday, October 26th to Sunday, November 2nd. I did such a span because I don't know how long some of you will want to come and stay. And trust me when I say that the rate is awesome. I've priced a couple and lowest I would have gone for with a decent place is $70/night. And the rate we have is even lower than their advertised rate on either their main page or Expedia. I did my research so this place wasn't just chosen for convenience.
Now, if some of you have memberships with another chain (this is a Wyndham), then feel free to try and find rooms there. I say try because unless you know Columbia. . .well, you could be way out or in the middle of stuff you don't need to deal with. See, the wedding weekend happens to fall on one of USC's big home football games. (sigh) USC vs Tennesee. For those of you who have no concept of college sports, trust me when I say that if you wait to get a room. . .you're gonna be doomed. Some places are already booked. So, contact the Wingate and just go with that one.
Besides, everyone staying at the same place has several advantages for all of us. I've included the link on the right. I have reserved 15 king sized rooms and five doubles. If anyone would like to share one of the doubles, let me know and I'll pair y'all up. I know some peeps have a limited budget.
By the way, go ahead an book even if you have to cancel later. They are holding the block until my birthday but you never know what can happen. And you can always cancel later. I will be sending out printed info soon as well so peeps not normally checking or getting these updates can have the info.
When planning on how long to stay. . .that's up to you all. Mike and I will be taking our honeymoon a little later in the month so we have breathing space to see people. And I will have that Wednesday off from work so if anyone would like to do a trip somewhere, we could do so. I'll put up options later on for outings.
Hugs to all!
Now, if some of you have memberships with another chain (this is a Wyndham), then feel free to try and find rooms there. I say try because unless you know Columbia. . .well, you could be way out or in the middle of stuff you don't need to deal with. See, the wedding weekend happens to fall on one of USC's big home football games. (sigh) USC vs Tennesee. For those of you who have no concept of college sports, trust me when I say that if you wait to get a room. . .you're gonna be doomed. Some places are already booked. So, contact the Wingate and just go with that one.
Besides, everyone staying at the same place has several advantages for all of us. I've included the link on the right. I have reserved 15 king sized rooms and five doubles. If anyone would like to share one of the doubles, let me know and I'll pair y'all up. I know some peeps have a limited budget.
By the way, go ahead an book even if you have to cancel later. They are holding the block until my birthday but you never know what can happen. And you can always cancel later. I will be sending out printed info soon as well so peeps not normally checking or getting these updates can have the info.
When planning on how long to stay. . .that's up to you all. Mike and I will be taking our honeymoon a little later in the month so we have breathing space to see people. And I will have that Wednesday off from work so if anyone would like to do a trip somewhere, we could do so. I'll put up options later on for outings.
Hugs to all!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Pictures
Nope, not gonna show you the dress. You'll either see it at the wedding or afterwards.
What this title refers to is pictures of Michael and I. The photos below were taken at the AWA 13 Fire and Ice ball last year. The originals can be found on the Dave Nelson Photography website. They're pretty good though I look a bit wired in the one. lol Imagine that when I get excited. So, at least now you know what we look like together!
Of course, his hair is different right now because he shaved it off. (sigh) But he has promised me that he will grow it back for the wedding. I love when he has hair.
What this title refers to is pictures of Michael and I. The photos below were taken at the AWA 13 Fire and Ice ball last year. The originals can be found on the Dave Nelson Photography website. They're pretty good though I look a bit wired in the one. lol Imagine that when I get excited. So, at least now you know what we look like together!
Of course, his hair is different right now because he shaved it off. (sigh) But he has promised me that he will grow it back for the wedding. I love when he has hair.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Dress
So, I told Michael this past weekend that the next time he headed to Raleigh on a MWF I would like to go along to check out the two online stores that I found from up there. Well, he happened to need to go yesterday so we took that as a hint and I went with him. Well, the one shop doesn't exist. It's supposed to have a physical location but it doesn't. Unless, of course, it is really owned by the second shop. But whatever cause the second place (which I knew existed cause it's listed in Bridal magazines) was perfect for my needs. It's called Bridal Mart (sorry, Rebecca, for not calling you but I didn't know our time frame since Mike had two jobs up there) and is great. They have tons of dresses ranging from $100+. The price to order a brand spanking new one that has never been worn is only slightly higher ($30 for mine) than the in stock price. Actually, I suspect that difference would depend upon the condition of the dress but I didn't research that.
They didn't have "my" gown in my size but they did have it in a smaller one (8) and even in the right color. Michael was shocked by how much the thing weighs (he estimates 20 pounds). lol But he really likes the dress as much as I do. He did get to see the other two top choices but didn't like them nearly as much (Jami, the one you tried on had a pink copy there that was only $300 there cause it was a display model). We also looked for a veil and a few other things. Then we talked about whether to order it then or for me to call back.
Well, the women were so very helpful. The price was so very good. And the place had customers who seemed happy with their purchases. So, it was a no brainer that I would be getting my dress from them. In the end, we ordered it They measured me again and that's when we had some fun because my measurements are larger than what the book says should fit into the size I know I am. In order to be sure, the woman had me try on an Alfred Angelo dress (one like you tried, Cynthia) which was cool cause Michael got to see one of the three choices on me. And we got to verify the veil too. Well, you should have seen the lady's face when the smaller size fit perfectly. She has never seen that in 10 years. lol I guess I a just an odd duck. Or my fat shifts elsewhere for dresses.
Michael paid for it cause he didn't want me to touch my savings more yet. I'd already pulled some for the deposits we've made so it was all fair. We ordered the dress and the jacket I want for it. When they come in, we'll get the veil I found and a bra/corset thingie cause I tried one on and they fit awesome and fall just right.
So, that's one more thing off my list. The ladies can buy their dresses from Bridal Mart too if they want. Theirs is a very good price there. And all in all I am happy with the outcome of this area so far.
They didn't have "my" gown in my size but they did have it in a smaller one (8) and even in the right color. Michael was shocked by how much the thing weighs (he estimates 20 pounds). lol But he really likes the dress as much as I do. He did get to see the other two top choices but didn't like them nearly as much (Jami, the one you tried on had a pink copy there that was only $300 there cause it was a display model). We also looked for a veil and a few other things. Then we talked about whether to order it then or for me to call back.
Well, the women were so very helpful. The price was so very good. And the place had customers who seemed happy with their purchases. So, it was a no brainer that I would be getting my dress from them. In the end, we ordered it They measured me again and that's when we had some fun because my measurements are larger than what the book says should fit into the size I know I am. In order to be sure, the woman had me try on an Alfred Angelo dress (one like you tried, Cynthia) which was cool cause Michael got to see one of the three choices on me. And we got to verify the veil too. Well, you should have seen the lady's face when the smaller size fit perfectly. She has never seen that in 10 years. lol I guess I a just an odd duck. Or my fat shifts elsewhere for dresses.
Michael paid for it cause he didn't want me to touch my savings more yet. I'd already pulled some for the deposits we've made so it was all fair. We ordered the dress and the jacket I want for it. When they come in, we'll get the veil I found and a bra/corset thingie cause I tried one on and they fit awesome and fall just right.
So, that's one more thing off my list. The ladies can buy their dresses from Bridal Mart too if they want. Theirs is a very good price there. And all in all I am happy with the outcome of this area so far.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Saturation
Ok, so I spent more time on the wedding this week than any other point. I think I'm overflowing with it. lol Actually, it only comes down to two main areas: flowers and dresses. So without further ado. . .
Flowers: I have to admit that I haven't had a clue what I want for the flowers. Just something pretty. lol And that I want to get them preserved afterwards. So, I made an appointment with the owner of my favorite flower shop here: Rosewood Florist. I didn't want to seem like a complete space cadet so I did some research on the seasonal flowers and meanings and made a small list. Really, I am simple in my tastes with them because I like most flowers. I lean towards the standard roses and lilies but I also love carnations. For fillers I like baby's breath and ivy. All of those coupled with the wedding theme helped Chad come up with some great ideas. Our flowers are going to look like they've just been picked because the stems will be wrapped and exposed at the same time.
My flowers will be all white (roses, stephanotis, and freesia) with an undercurrent of blue (hydranga). I think there will also be baby's breath and ivy. I had thought having something different for each of the attendants would be good but Chad says that uniform really does work better. I trust him so they will have baby's breath, yellow freesia, hot pink mums (I think it's mums), white daisies, and ivy. He thought that yellow would be the best coordinating color. Okie dokie. I want corsages for Michael's mother, my Aunt Wendy, and Kathy since they will be the primary mommy figures. Those will be white roses. Michael will have a boutonniere of white freesia, stephanotis, and ivy wile the rest of the guys will have yellow freesia and ivy. But Michael needs to see the latter to see is he likes it so we may nix the boutonnieres. But our deposit is done and we can cut stuff later. Oh, and my tossing bouquet is free. It's something they throw in (pun intended). As for preservation, check out the Flowers Forever Link.
Dresses: We did this over two days because I didn't go to the shop I prefer. (sigh) Should have cause the other one didn't have anything that I could really try on though I did make an attempt. We're all getting something from the Alfred Angelo line. We went more for Jami and Cynthia to try on my top dress choices for them. I pretty much had a firm decision made but I wanted to see it on them. It (#6494) looked fabulous:
It should fit Jen well as I'm pretty sure I've seen her in that kind of neckline. I really hope that Valerie likes the dress too because I have been in love with this one since I first started looking. She prefers straight satin and I like the fluidity of the chiffon over the satin. I think it will flatter her but I don't know. I'll trust her judgment on the yay or nay. I have other choices that will be ok.
As for me. . .well, I got to see some of my top choices on. Jami said that she had been surprised because I didn't act like a Bridezilla about the whole thing. Um, no. A Bridezilla would never have told her attendants to try on the gowns so that she could see how they look. lol Jami and Cynthia modeled two of my top choices because the sizes weren't anywhere near close enough for me to try. And Jami wanted to see what they looked like just as much as me so I was like, "Well, if you want to see them that badly, you model them!" lol So she did. They were both great. Jami looked beautiful. It freaked her out a little. But she will be an awesome bride some day.
Anyway, I love the back of my top choice dress but I am not so thrilled with the front. It's a little plain. Jami liked the one she tried on better. Cynthia liked mine. Obviously, in the end, it's what I want that matters. However, I am going to show Michael the pics and see which he likes. After all, he isn't seeing me in the dress so it doesn't jinx things.
I may just post them all here for you to vote on just for the hell of it. I'll make a decision at some point so it will be a surprise in the end for you all but it's good to have various opinions.
Flowers: I have to admit that I haven't had a clue what I want for the flowers. Just something pretty. lol And that I want to get them preserved afterwards. So, I made an appointment with the owner of my favorite flower shop here: Rosewood Florist. I didn't want to seem like a complete space cadet so I did some research on the seasonal flowers and meanings and made a small list. Really, I am simple in my tastes with them because I like most flowers. I lean towards the standard roses and lilies but I also love carnations. For fillers I like baby's breath and ivy. All of those coupled with the wedding theme helped Chad come up with some great ideas. Our flowers are going to look like they've just been picked because the stems will be wrapped and exposed at the same time.
My flowers will be all white (roses, stephanotis, and freesia) with an undercurrent of blue (hydranga). I think there will also be baby's breath and ivy. I had thought having something different for each of the attendants would be good but Chad says that uniform really does work better. I trust him so they will have baby's breath, yellow freesia, hot pink mums (I think it's mums), white daisies, and ivy. He thought that yellow would be the best coordinating color. Okie dokie. I want corsages for Michael's mother, my Aunt Wendy, and Kathy since they will be the primary mommy figures. Those will be white roses. Michael will have a boutonniere of white freesia, stephanotis, and ivy wile the rest of the guys will have yellow freesia and ivy. But Michael needs to see the latter to see is he likes it so we may nix the boutonnieres. But our deposit is done and we can cut stuff later. Oh, and my tossing bouquet is free. It's something they throw in (pun intended). As for preservation, check out the Flowers Forever Link.
Dresses: We did this over two days because I didn't go to the shop I prefer. (sigh) Should have cause the other one didn't have anything that I could really try on though I did make an attempt. We're all getting something from the Alfred Angelo line. We went more for Jami and Cynthia to try on my top dress choices for them. I pretty much had a firm decision made but I wanted to see it on them. It (#6494) looked fabulous:
It should fit Jen well as I'm pretty sure I've seen her in that kind of neckline. I really hope that Valerie likes the dress too because I have been in love with this one since I first started looking. She prefers straight satin and I like the fluidity of the chiffon over the satin. I think it will flatter her but I don't know. I'll trust her judgment on the yay or nay. I have other choices that will be ok.
As for me. . .well, I got to see some of my top choices on. Jami said that she had been surprised because I didn't act like a Bridezilla about the whole thing. Um, no. A Bridezilla would never have told her attendants to try on the gowns so that she could see how they look. lol Jami and Cynthia modeled two of my top choices because the sizes weren't anywhere near close enough for me to try. And Jami wanted to see what they looked like just as much as me so I was like, "Well, if you want to see them that badly, you model them!" lol So she did. They were both great. Jami looked beautiful. It freaked her out a little. But she will be an awesome bride some day.
Anyway, I love the back of my top choice dress but I am not so thrilled with the front. It's a little plain. Jami liked the one she tried on better. Cynthia liked mine. Obviously, in the end, it's what I want that matters. However, I am going to show Michael the pics and see which he likes. After all, he isn't seeing me in the dress so it doesn't jinx things.
I may just post them all here for you to vote on just for the hell of it. I'll make a decision at some point so it will be a surprise in the end for you all but it's good to have various opinions.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Wedding Site
We have a locale for both the wedding and the reception! Yay! Actually, we've had it for a few weeks but I haven't had time to let you all know. Just look at the Wintergreen Woods link under wedding stuff. It's perfect. The pictures really do capture the place well. In fact, those are what kept drawing me back to the page. That and the idea of having a place with all in one capabilities.
I mean, we looked at a lot of places and narrowed them down to 12. But the main problem was that the places we liked were awesome for the budget but hell on time because we would have had to do all of the decorating the day of, etc. Ugh I so don't want to spend our wedding day stressing out about where everything is going to be set, etc. I'm not being a Bridezilla, I'm being practical.
Well, with Wintergreen Woods, we get it all in a nice neat package. The couple who owns the place set it up for busy people like Michael and I. They will take care of it all to our specifications. And we will be ok for both an outside or inside ceremony depending upon the weather. There is plenty of parking. The food choices are awesome and per head within the budget. We don't have to pay extra for alcohol cause we can supply our own for no extra charge! One place wanted to charge us a $15/head corkage fee if we brought our own alcohol. WW supplies us with a bar facility and a bartender within the cost of the package. That really sold Michael after the other place. If we decide not to go with one of their cakes, we get some $ off per person. So that's cool too. Plus they coordinate everything and I don't have to stress about not having a planner or trying to designate someone to help. Everyone can come party with us like we want. All in all, it's a wonderful idea, place, and deal. And we really like the people. It was a great weight off of our shoulders.
Of course there is still a ton to do but WW really will help me with the small details. So, right now we have: locale, DJ, and photographer. Next up is hotels (which I have a list of) and flowers (appointment this Tuesday). 8 months to go!
I mean, we looked at a lot of places and narrowed them down to 12. But the main problem was that the places we liked were awesome for the budget but hell on time because we would have had to do all of the decorating the day of, etc. Ugh I so don't want to spend our wedding day stressing out about where everything is going to be set, etc. I'm not being a Bridezilla, I'm being practical.
Well, with Wintergreen Woods, we get it all in a nice neat package. The couple who owns the place set it up for busy people like Michael and I. They will take care of it all to our specifications. And we will be ok for both an outside or inside ceremony depending upon the weather. There is plenty of parking. The food choices are awesome and per head within the budget. We don't have to pay extra for alcohol cause we can supply our own for no extra charge! One place wanted to charge us a $15/head corkage fee if we brought our own alcohol. WW supplies us with a bar facility and a bartender within the cost of the package. That really sold Michael after the other place. If we decide not to go with one of their cakes, we get some $ off per person. So that's cool too. Plus they coordinate everything and I don't have to stress about not having a planner or trying to designate someone to help. Everyone can come party with us like we want. All in all, it's a wonderful idea, place, and deal. And we really like the people. It was a great weight off of our shoulders.
Of course there is still a ton to do but WW really will help me with the small details. So, right now we have: locale, DJ, and photographer. Next up is hotels (which I have a list of) and flowers (appointment this Tuesday). 8 months to go!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Bridal Party
Ok, so, my "maids" are all in a row: Valerie is my matron-of-honor and the fire fairy, Jami will be the water fairy, Cynthia is the air fairy, and Jennifer (Michael's best friend) is the earth fairy. Bill has agreed to officiate. But, Mike needs to ask his groomsmen to stand with him. Well, except for Jonathan cause he's been in on stuff from the beginning. Mike doesn't want to be pressured into asking anyone else (especially his chosen best man) until he's ready. I've agreed to back off and let him do it on his time so long as he promised to ask before the summer. Cause by then the guys will need to go tux hunting. So, it's all good and I can scratch one more thing off the mental list. I'm getting more excited about it again. :o)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Our First Deposit
We have our entertainment! Mike and I met with the DJ last night. His name is Walter and he's been in the biz for 18 years. He's a jack-of-all-trades in that he does planning, consulting, dj stuff, etc. We like him and think that he will be just what we need. His company is called Music and More. . .To Go We settled on his "Palmetto Elegance" Package which includes:
3 hours of continuous music, digital sound system, and music library.
Use of the MMTG Request Book and request/dedication sheets.
Customized music selections and ordering of special music.
Unlimited email Q & A access plus 3 hours of face-to-face planning time.
On-site coordination of photographer, caterer, and other vendors during reception.
On-site production and direction of all activities from bride and groom's arrival to departure.
Emcee services, to include presentation of wedding party, first dances, toasts, etc.
We can upgrade to the "Grand Affair" package if we aren't required to hire someone else to deal with directing the wedding itself (because the location says we have to). If we upgrade to that, he'll coordinate the entire day!
I am so excited about this. Makes me feel loads better knowing that we have someone with a lot of experience around to help make things run as smoothly as possible. This way I don't need to ask friends and family to help out with the organization so we can all have fun! Can't wait!!
3 hours of continuous music, digital sound system, and music library.
Use of the MMTG Request Book and request/dedication sheets.
Customized music selections and ordering of special music.
Unlimited email Q & A access plus 3 hours of face-to-face planning time.
On-site coordination of photographer, caterer, and other vendors during reception.
On-site production and direction of all activities from bride and groom's arrival to departure.
Emcee services, to include presentation of wedding party, first dances, toasts, etc.
We can upgrade to the "Grand Affair" package if we aren't required to hire someone else to deal with directing the wedding itself (because the location says we have to). If we upgrade to that, he'll coordinate the entire day!
I am so excited about this. Makes me feel loads better knowing that we have someone with a lot of experience around to help make things run as smoothly as possible. This way I don't need to ask friends and family to help out with the organization so we can all have fun! Can't wait!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Let the Fun Begin
So, we have a little over ten months until the big day. Time to get planning in earnest. We went to one final bridal show this past Sunday. Good thing we did cause there were people there we hadn't seen before. I specifically went because I wanted to talk with the DJ I want to have for the reception. We saw him and his wife at the last minute but that was cool. He has actually gone into a partnership with some others and they are renovating an old venue by the canal. We went to see it and Michael realized that he had been to a reception there a while back. The place was let rundown but it has awesome possibility. So, that is an option for locale.
When we got home, I sorted through all of the brochures and stuff I had from the times we've gone and put them in my organizer. I had bought a little notebook for lists and stuff and started compiling them. Michael wants me to do a comparison chart of places so that we can narrow things down even more before seeing places.
I also started my initial guest lists and stuff so I have a rough idea how many people I need to invite. Fortunately, after listing everyone I could think of, the number is within our range. whew
I need to call the DJ today because I haven't received a response to my email. I think I may not have been clear enough in my message. Or he's not in a rush to book cause he knows our date. Whichever, I want to talk packages cause he does more than DJ. He also coordinates and I think that would be most helpful since I am not hiring a planner. So, I'll keep you posted.
When we got home, I sorted through all of the brochures and stuff I had from the times we've gone and put them in my organizer. I had bought a little notebook for lists and stuff and started compiling them. Michael wants me to do a comparison chart of places so that we can narrow things down even more before seeing places.
I also started my initial guest lists and stuff so I have a rough idea how many people I need to invite. Fortunately, after listing everyone I could think of, the number is within our range. whew
I need to call the DJ today because I haven't received a response to my email. I think I may not have been clear enough in my message. Or he's not in a rush to book cause he knows our date. Whichever, I want to talk packages cause he does more than DJ. He also coordinates and I think that would be most helpful since I am not hiring a planner. So, I'll keep you posted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
