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The End is Near

Friday: setup for reception, finish slideshow and reception music, Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner

Saturday: I'm getting married!

Sunday: sleep in ;oD, brunch, open gifts, pack for honeymoon

Monday: leave for Walt Disney World for a much needed vacation/Honeymoon

Thank you to everyone for all your help in this process. I truly could not have done it without you! I wish I would have been able to invite everyone to come and see how it turns out, but it was not to be. I'll post pictures sometime in September.

... This is my beloved,
and this is my friend...
Song of Solomon 5:16

Photo Fun

Jason and I have been meaning to get engagement pictures for a while, actually, since we got engaged. It has just never happened. So, today we went out with his coworker and her digital camera to try and get something to go on our wedding programs. Here are a couple of the better ones.





Can you tell I was trying not to squint? The sun was SO bright! The second picture is the one I ended up using for the programs.

This is one of the bloopers.



There are a couple others where Jason looks constipated, and another where they say it looks like I am trying to help him squeeze one out. Yeah, some of the pictures were definitely better than others. :oD

Suggestions Needed

Does anyone know of a good slideshow program for creating a simple slideshow with music in the background?

Also, any suggestions for good jazz music? I have Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. I'm looking for something in that genre.

Hair and Music

My friend who was going to do my hair backed out last week. Her husband planned for them to leave on vacation a day earlier than she thought, which just happens to be the day of my wedding. Fortunately for me, the pre-school director has decided to pay for my hair as a wedding gift. Today I went to Alexander's Salon in Brea for a trial up-do. It is GORGEOUS! I'm not showing anyone, so it will be a surprise on Saturday. :o)

I will say, though, that it took an hour, 2 rubberbands, and 71 bobby pins to make it happen. I only wish I had something to do to make good use of the beautiful hairdo.

I also met with the pianist to arrange what she will do for the wedding. I think I am just going to have her play the pre-ceremony music, and maybe the Bridal Procession. I've picked out some music that I really like for the rest of the ceremony. Hopefully it all works together.

The Final Week

EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Details

Tonight a friend and I printed up cute little round labels and stuck them to the votives that will serve as our favors for guests. We also placed candles inside the votives, which is one more thing I can mark off my list as COMPLETE!

Ok, now it's time for some reader interaction. I need to begin a list of things that I cannot forget to take to the wedding with me. Any suggestions? I know I've heard a lot of stuff, but I have been forgetting to write it down.

I also need ideas for what I need to remember to pack for the honeymoon (don't get dirty here, there are youngsters who read, and I don't want to have to exercise my power to delete). For example, a woman at Bible study today said to make sure to pack an umbrella. She just got back from WDW and got rained on a ton, but had forgotten an umbrella. Any other handy tidbits?

Moving Right Along

With only two weeks to go, I think things are progressing quite nicely. This week I paid for the flowers, reserved the table linens, and bought my attendant gifts. I think the only thing left for the reception is music and mirrors for the centerpieces. We also have never figured out who will MC.

The ceremony is also pretty much taken care of. I also need to finalize music there, as well as get some more flower petals.

We practiced with make-up tonight. A friend is going to do it for me, so that is a big help. I'm not used to being all "done up," so it was kinda weird. She is going for more of a natural look, which makes me happy. I don't want to look like a drag queen, but I also don't want my face to completely disappear in the pictures.

Next I need to figure out who is going to do my hair. I have a friend from work who has said she will do it, but she has not followed through, yet. If we aren't able to get something worked out this week, I will need to look at alternatives quickly!

To be honest, I am counting down the days until this is over. I have thoroughly enjoyed being engaged, but I'm not a huge fan of weddings, even my own. I'm sure it will be nice, and I'm excited to have my family and friends there with me, but I'm also very nervous about being the center of attention for 150 or so people.

At this point, though, I don't regret exchanging a hasty elopement for a wedding ceremony. It is very important to me to get married in a church by my pastor, with my family and friends as witnesses. As long as that happens, everything else is just fringe.

Wedding Hair

I'm thinking I might try something like this:

Unmotivated

So much left to do. So little time. So little motivation to do it.

Clothing and Stuff

My brothers went today to get fitted for tuxedos. So, that means everyone is dressed! The girls all have their dresses, and the guys have all reserved their tuxes. I just need to find out from my dad what he is going to do, and we are all set!

I also found out today that my sister Sarah will be able to make it out for my Bachelorette party (aka a Day at Disneyland) and for the rehearsal. She originally thought she couldn't get the time off, but I guess she was able to work something out. Yay!

Still working on linens, music, and centerpieces. I also have 4 more invitations to send out ... if only I could remember who I was supposed to send them to.

Brief Sigh of Relief

I was finally able to set up meetings with the various coordinators this past Friday. They both went very well! The ceremony coordinator has everything we need for decorating the Chapel for the wedding ... and she will do all the decorating for me! What a sigh of relief. She said she actually enjoys doing the decorating, but brides usually want to do it themselves. Not me! I saw how the Chapel was set up for a previous wedding and liked it, so if she is able to duplicate that, I am more than willing to let her do it! The only big thing remaining for the Ceremony is creating and printing the programs.

The reception is also coming along nicely. I have to finalize what I want to do for the centerpieces. I scrapped my previous idea (and, consequently, need to make some returns to Ikea), and now have two options I am toying with. If Jason will let me borrow his digital camera (mine entered the Black Hole and never returned to me), I will take pictures and have a vote. We also need to come up with an MC (let me know if you have any ideas).

Besides programs and centerpieces, music is the major thing that needs to be decided on. We need to figure out music for both the ceremony and reception. We have one special song that a friend is singing, and I will walk in to the wedding march, but besides that, we have nada. So, although many pieces are falling into place, there are still a couple major things that need to be done.

The Bubbles are Labeled!!!

With less than a month to go, there are SO many little details. Today Lissa came out and we went for the final fitting of my dress. It looked so short! (that, of course, would be because I am short.) It is still beautiful, though. There is one little part of the underslip that needs to be hemmed a little more, and it needs to be ironed. Other than that, it's ready! I'll pick it up the Monday before the wedding.

I decided to make good use of having some extra hands, so Lissa, Jason, and I made some labels for the bubbles and labeled 168 bubble containers. One more piece of the puzzle in place. Woo hoo!

Tomorrow we go to finish up application for the marriage license. We had planned to do it weeks ago, but there was a miscommunication, and Jason put Texas as my birth state instead of New Mexico. Then time kept passing by ... as it usually does. So, tomorrow we are going to get it done, then hope and pray it gets here in time.

I also have meetings with the ceremony and reception coordinators tomorrow. (Wow, tomorrow is a busy day!) I just found out that the church has a lot of the decorations and equipment that I want, so that is a relief. I'll find out specifics tomorrow.

Things really seem to be coming together. I can't breathe, yet, though. I tried to do that last week, then realized how little time there is left and how much there is left to do. It'll all get done, though, somehow.

If anyone has a good resource for linens, I could use some help there. I need 120" round ivory or sage tablecloths. Thanks!

Coordinating Schedules

I have a Wedding Ceremony coordinator and two Receptionist coordinators with whom I am trying to schedule meetings. This one can't meet on Wednesdays, and this one has a conflict next Tuesday. This one communicates better via telephone, and this one via email.

Tonight I went to see "Click." It would be really nice right now if I could just push fast forward to August 12 at around 1pm.

57 RSVPs

171 to go! (individuals, not cards)

Being Productive

Last week I ordered the cake and flowers, and mailed out the last of the invitations (save two that I just received addresses for). I have almost all the cameras (short a few thanks to an incompetent EBay power seller) and all of the bubbles for the reception tables. I've ordered the votive candles for the guests' favors, the flower baskets, and the ring pillow.

Next on the list, I get to start sending out Thank-you notes for shower gifts. Doesn't that sound exciting?

Counting Down the Days

45 days to go!!! The pieces are all falling into place.

Everyone is dressed
Pre-marital counseling is almost over
Almost all the invitations are sent
A few RSVPs have returned
Flower and cake are being ordered on Saturday

And, most importantly ... the Honeymoon is booked. ;oD

Shout Out!

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to my family and friends who helped assemble the invitations. I could not have done it without you. :oD

Mom
Matthew
Katie
Seth
Rebekah
Isaac
Dave
Tammy
Amy
Maddie
Emily
and, of course, Jason <3

Thanks for all your hard work. They are absolutely perfect and everyone loves them!

In the Mail

The inviations have been mailed!!! Well, all but about 10 of them that we need addresses for, and 20 or so that we are giving out by hand at work. I also need to find out the spouses' names of some of my coworkers.

At any rate, the vast majority of the invitations are mailed, and that makes me one very happy camper.

First Fitting

I had the first fitting for my dress yesterday and it is GORGEOUS! I would post a picture, but I seem to have misplaced my camera somewhere between school and home. I'm pretty sure it's in my car, but I thought I took everything out of my car and it didn't make it into the apartment. Let's pray it's there and I just forgot to pick it up.

EBay, a Bride's Best Friend

I've found some screaming deals on E-bay. So far I've saved a bundle on reception cameras and bubbles, flower petals, undergarments, and a veil. (Prices include shipping.)

Cameras: $3 each


Bubbles: $.13 each



Slip: $27
Bra: $14
Veil: $25

Shopping from home and having it delivered to my door: priceless. :oD

EBay: the one-stop shop for everything you need to make a low-budge wedding successful.

It's Here!

I got a call that my dress is in! I'll try to make an appointment for Wednesday to go try it on and get the alterations scheduled.

I can feel the butterflies beginning to flutter in my stomach. Weird!

Invitations Galore

My mom, four of my siblings, and a friend came over today and were a huge help assembling invitations. The only downfall was a mixup with the cutting that screwed up half of three of the pieces I needed to glue together. But, of 20 cuts, most of them were ok. Two of the problems were my fault, and one was Kinko's fault. He gave me 40% off and did not charge a setup fee. We were able to get 77 of them ready for mailing. There are 62 left to be glued, then I need to address, stamp, and stuff the envelopes and they are ready to mail! I hope to get that done on Monday and drop those babies in the mail on Tuesday. Wheee!

More Dress Drama

One of my girls went today to buy the dress from below, and it was $280 after applying a rush charge. So, I told her to cancel, and they gave her much grief, but wouldn't do it. Then Jason got involved ... and they cancelled with a $35 cancellation fee. :oD He's good.

So, Ruth and I put our heads together and came up with this one from David's Bridal.



It is actually quite a bit darker in person, but this is the bridesmaid dress we are going to have. The color is also a little different from the Sage of the guys tuxes, but I think it will be ok. I don't like strapless, but it won't be a problem for them to add a spaghetti strap. They can have it in time, and if the one on the rack fits, the girls can buy it right away. The price is going to be about $180 after alterations, but there is no rush fee. That seems pretty reasonable based on research I have been doing, and there is the convenience of going to any David's Bridal and getting the same dress in the same color with no hassles.

This is the Junior Bridesmaid dress I am going to get. They have one on the rack that I will probably buy tomorrow, then get it taken in a little. The length is good, but it is too big, and the smaller size is too short.



So, it's done! I might lose one of my bridesmaids (she still doesn't want to pay), but I'm glad the decision is finally made, and the dresses should not be a problem anymore.

Invitation Wording

Every invitation I have seen says "Two thousand and six." Gramatically/mathematically, however, this is incorrect. The only time you say "and" as part of the number is when there is a fractional part. Are all the invitations wrong? If so, do I change mine since I have noticed this error? I feel hypocrital teaching the kids at school to say "two thousand six" while sending out invitations that say "Two thousand and six."

What to do, what to do?

I got a very good email today -- my mom and siblings want to come and help me assemble invitations ... in two days! I'm very excited to have them come, but there is a ton of work to be done beforehand ... including figuring out how to word the year. Oh the humanity!

Dress Drama

Two of my bridesmaids do not want to buy the dress I picked out. Now we are in a time crunch with less than 2 1/2 months to go and no bridesmaid dresses.

Any suggestions?

Invitation Innovation

Here is the rough draft of our invitation, along with a possible centerpiece for the reception.




What do you think?

I just noticed one typo (Onsite a reception...). Let me know if you see any others.

Financial Freakout

I met with the reception coordinators today, and found out that there is a substantial (to our budget) cost for the reception. We asked and asked before, but never got an answer about how much it would cost. I found out today that it will be upwards of $800 when all is said and done. Fortunately, that includes all drinks, napkins (engraved), plates and plastic ware, and service, as well as the expert advise and help of two wonderful coordinators. Unfortunately, it does not include linens. So, while I can take a few things out of our budget, $800 is a pretty stiff addition.

Long Time, No Post

After I finish my class, I will be gung-ho trying to get stuff done for the wedding. I did get the invitation parts ordered this week. We are going with a black Envelopment (5x5 pocket fold) with sage and ivory. Also, ivory envelopes. I'll post a picture as soon as I get the first one put together. I can't really describe it.

Besides that, I haven't done anything recently. I talked with the pianist today, and she is good to go. I'll touch base with the Reception Coordinator tomorrow and hopefully set up a time to get that worked out. I'm beginning to get a little scared, because it seems there is so much still to do, but Jason and I have both been too busy to do anything.

And my first bridal shower is this weekend! We already got two gifts in the mail. Whee!

Presto Chango

I checked the color of the Bridesmaid dress from below, and their Sage is WAY too dark. They don't have a comparable green, either. So, time for plan B. What do you think of this one?



The color is exactly the same as the tuxes (you can't tell from the pic, but it is), and they have matching Jr Bridesmaid dresses. I just need to find out how much it would cost. (The one below was $155 and $145 for Jr).

Big News

My mom isn't going on her trip during the wedding weekend. She didn't tell me her reasons for cancelling, but I think it is partly due to my wedding and partly due to her sister who is very ill with lung cancer. My mom is flying out this weekend to be with her sister, who has basically given up on life and is making her funeral preparations. Please continue to pray for her healing: she was doing much, much better, but has suddently taken a turn for the worse.

To put this matter to rest, I would like to ask everyone to give my mom grace that I did not give her. As Chad mentioned in his comments, there is another side to the story. I do not think I was wrong in what I was wanting (my mother by my side in planning the wedding), but I was definitely wrong to make it a public display and open my family up for ridicule. I can't take anything back, so please forgive me for being unwise with that matter, and don't think ill of my mother. I love her, and I definitely need her during this time. Thanks, ya'll. :oD

Cake!

We really liked French's today. The White cake with Fresh Strawberry filling was especially yummy, and is likely what we will go with. They even had a very pretty display cake in the window that I think was perfect. We still want to try Rockwells to get one more option (and more free cake ;oD).

Let Them Eat (More) Cake!

Tomorrow Jason and I are going to check out French's to see what they have to tell us about cakes and such. We are going to try White cake with Fresh Strawberry filling, Yellow cake with Chocolate Mousse filling, Marble cake with Bavarian cream filling, and Chocolate cake with Raspberry filling. All will have American Buttercream frosting. I'll let you know what we like.

Jason says we should try at least one more after this. I think maybe has an ulterior motive (yummy cake). If so, I'm right there with him. :oD

Deleted!

I have decided to delete the posts and comments about my mom. In my mother's defense, she is going through a lot right now because her sister in Texas is very sick, and may not have long to live. (Consequently, this sister's anniversary is the day I am getting married, which is another reason I did not want to change the date.) Unfortunately, I do not think this absolves her, but I was wrong to make a public display, and for that I apologize.

Moving Right Along

We were able to book the chapel at the same location as the reception. This has been up in the air since I decided to change the ceremony location. Jason found out today that the chapel is available, and we're on the books 'tentatively' (pending $100 for deposit).

This was very good news to hear today amidst all the other drama that has been going on.

Bridesmaid's Dresses

So far, everyone is dressed except for the bridesmaids. Here are some options that I like.

Cake

We went to Beverly's Best yesterday. Yummy! There was a bit of discussion about what flavor to do the cake. I liked the Marble cake with Bavarian Cream filling and American Frosting. Jason liked White cake with Chocolate Mousse filling and French Frosting. If we go with Beverly's, I think we are just going to do both cake flavors, but have the American frosting.

We are going to try French's and Rockwell's, just to have a comparison on price and taste. Rockwell's is really close to the church, so maybe the delivery price will be different. It's also just fun to go in and try all the cakes. Heheh. I can't do too much more of this: I'm trying to at least maintain my weight for the wedding. :oD

Invitations, Flowers, and Cakes

Saturday was a very fruitful planning day. First, we went to a stationary store to get some ideas for invitations. I have been planning to make my own, in order to reduce costs, so we were basically just going in for some ideas. The lady was very helpful (and very pregnant, it must be something in the water around here), and showed us lots of options for making our own or for ordering something premade. Based on what we saw there, we pretty much settled on what we want to do, using an Envelopments pocket-fold similar to this, and buying cardstock to embelish. The pocket is a bit pricey (almost $2 per invitation), but the concept is really neat. I think we should be able to keep it under $2.50 per invitation total.

Next we went up and down Brea Blvd trying to find Beverly's Best to find out about cakes. We finally found the bakery, and the line was out the door. We were able to set up an appointment for Friday for a consultation. We will probably check one other place, just to have another option.

Our final task for Saturday was to check into flowers. I have really been leaning toward having someone else do the flowers, even though I think it would be cheaper to do them myself. I heard about a place in Fullerton that had a $99 special, so we stopped in there. The package is a pretty good deal, but neither of us were really very impressed with the flower shop overall. Jason also wanted to check somewhere else, so we stopped by Conroy's flowers, which just happens to be right next door to the church. They have a $99 that is very similar to the Fullerton flower shop's special. (Quick tip: if you are looking for wedding flowers, ask for a package. Otherwise they give you the book with $100+ bouquets, etc.)

They also have another wedding package for $395 that includes the bride's bouquet, MOH bouquet, 2 bridesmaids bouquets, groom's bouteniere, BM bouteniere, 5 groomsmen/usher/father boutenieres, 2 coursages, 2 alter arrangements, and a large head-table centerpiece. The arrangements are simple, but that is ok with me. I think this is a screaming deal, even though we would need to add a couple more items. Plus, they will deliver and set everything up for $10. We should be able to get everything we need for around $500. I'm pretty sure this will be our solution for the florals.

Rehearsal Dinner Goodness

If all goes as I hope, we will be having the Rehearsal on Friday evening at the church where the wedding ceremony and reception will be held on Saturday. This got me to thinking: since we already have the reception room on Friday night for decorating, why not just use it for the rehearsal dinner. We could do a simple potluck, or have something catered, and then have everyone stick around to help with decorations.

So, we were at Wood Ranch with Jason's parents last weekend for my birthday (Wood Ranch is currently my favorite place to eat). I noticed that they have a Catering Service. Since Jason's parents will be paying for the dinner, we looked over the options, and they thought it sounded great. We will probably look into a couple other restaurants, just to know what the options are, but it seems like this is what we will be doing:

- Famous Tri Tip Roast (1-2 slices per person)
- Choice of Ribs (Baby Back or Beef) (3-4 baby back ribs or 2 beef ribs per person)
- Fresh BBQ Chicken Breast (6 oz piece per person)
- Skillet Baked Beans
- Original Peanut Coleslaw
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Freshly Baked Garlic Rolls

The price is very reasonable, especially for what you get. It is actually cheaper than eating at the restaurant! And, it's YUMMY! :oD

Let Them Eat Cake

Jason's grandmother has offered to pay for our wedding cake. We were originally thinking of having a simple two-tier display cake, and get cheap Costco cakes for serving to the guests. This would be a relatively inexpensive way to feed everyone. But, Jason's grandma and aunt want us to have a nice cake that will feed everyone.

Personally, I think it is a great idea to have the 'kitchen cakes' for ease of serving. I want to have a nice three-tier wedding cake, but have the 'kitchen cakes' for everyone to actually eat. This just seems so much easier, since you can have people in the kitchen cutting the cakes and plating up the pieces for quicker service. Otherwise, everyone has to wait for us to cut up this massive round cake, dish it up, and pass it out to 200 people. Ugh.

I'm pushing for my idea, even if we don't do Costco cakes. The cake lady I emailed with a while back said they will make the kitchen cakes from the same recipe as the tier cake.

So, anyone know a good cake-baker? His grandma wants us to get something nice and of good quality. Any suggestions?

This Week in Wedding Planning

Well, actually, this all happened today.

Jason booked the photographer. The guy did pictures for a friend of his from work, and they were good. The neat thing is that he gives you all the film at the end to do with as you please. The only downfall is that we then have 11 or 12 rolls of film to deal with. I think it is a good choice, though, and it's done.

My pastor called me today to tell me he is resigning ... and will probably be unable to officiate at my wedding. This throws a large kink in the plans, since I was planning to have the ceremony at my church with my pastor. However, this does free me up to change the one thing that has been bothering me for a while ... having the ceremony so far from the reception. I know that people don't mind driving 10 miles, but it sure does seem like a hassle. It would be one thing if we were having the reception at some nice place with dinner and dancing, but that's now what we're doing. The reception is only going to be cake and punch in the Social Hall of Jason's church. So, I've been toying with the idea of just having the ceremony there, too. We will be looking into this more next week. I think it will ultimately be a much better solution, and will definitely reduce stress for me and the guests on the 'big day.'

Well, I guess that actually is all. Jason made some other phone calls today, but nothing has been confirmed, yet. He is looking into possibly booking a D.J., and will call about cakes when I get more info. I need to get flower and cake info from a friend at church. She was working on a really tight budget and gave me some good ideas last weekend. I hope something works out in that area. I need to get the ball rolling on some of these things.

Update, to Tide You Over

This week was very crazy and busy, so no real planning was done ... which has been the story of the past month.

I did make some progress on the invitations. I did some rough sketching and laying out of the invitations. I think I know what I want to do, now I just need to see if I can pull it off cost-wise and time-wise.

In other news, a small stone fell out of my ring. There were 12 teeny diamonds around the setting, but now there are only 11. I'm sure it is covered under the warranty, especially since I have had it inspected regularly, it's just a matter of getting the time and gumption to call them to find out what to do.

Don't look for any updates this weekend. I am leaving Friday for a retreat, and will not return until Sunday afternoon. I don't even want to think about wedding plans during that time. I am escaping from it ALL.

See you on the other side!

SCREEEEEEEECHHH!

Yes, our plans have come to a screeching halt. The only real reason is general busy-ness. We finally finished our wedding class, so that would, theoretically free up Saturdays for planning, but, alas, this is not to happen. In the next two months, I have all of two Saturdays that are not spoken for. ::sigh:: And Jason is possibly going to be out of town all this week. ::ugh::

So, I end up staying up late at night going over all the things I SHOULD be doing. Why does life have to be so stinking busy? ::grumble grumble::

Oh, if you want to help us pay for this thing, there is a nice little PayPal donate button on the left. If you know where I can get better button graphics, let me know, k?

No Color Change

Thanks for all the advise. I am going to stick with Diamond White for the dress ... for a couple reasons. The main reason being that they cannot change the order. I could probably work it out, but I think Diamond will look better overall. Ivory did look better with my skin than white White, and the "Diamond White" does look very white until you put it up next to a "white White" dress. I asked the Director at my Pre-school (who used to be a wedding coordinator) and Lissa (my fashion consultant) and they both agreed that Diamond White is the way to go. I don't want to look like the dress is glowing, and I'm afraid that's what would happen with "white White".

As far as coordinating, I think I'm going to go with cream for linens and flowers. That should look very nice with the sage and pink, and make the dress look even whiter. I have two different veils that I can borrow, and three different sets of jewelry, so hopefully one of those will work. If not, I guess I will have to buy something to match. I am going to have to buy shoes anyway, and they can dye them to Diamond White if I want. The shirts on the tuxes are barely visible, and the dress will be next to the black of the tux, not the white, so I think that should work out fine (I actually mentioned this when I ordered, and she didn't think it would be a problem).

Fun with the Flowergirls

Today I took the flowergirls shopping for their dresses. They are two girls (ages 5 and 6) who have been in my Sunday School class for the past few years (one for almost 3 years, one for almost 5 respectively). I saw these cute Easter dresses at Target that are exactly the color I want, so I decided to jump on the chance for a cheap, cute, girly dress for the flowergirls.

This is the dress.


So we made a "date" of it. They tried on the dresses and twirled in front of the mirrors, throughly enjoying themselves. Then we went to the little snack shop and had popcorn and Icee, since "you can't have a date without food." Fun times!

Dress Color Query

I'm in quite the quandry over the color dress I ordered. I was going to order straight White, but eventually decided to get Diamond White instead. Diamond White is a bit 'softer' than regular white, and is whiter than Ivory, but ivorier (is that a word?) than White.

Did I make a wrong decision? It's probably not too late to go back and change the order. Should I ask them to change it to white?

Married readers of my blog, what color of white did you have for your dress? Unmarried readers, any advise?

Productive Weekend

I would have posted this last night, but Blogger was being veeeeeeery slooooooow.

We had quite the productive wedding planning weekend. On Saturday we went to Facets 58, got my wedding ring fitted, ordered Jason's ring, and put money down on both. Next we went to Friar Tux to pick out and reserve the tuxes for groom, best man, groomsmen, jr groomsman, and ring bearer. After that we went to Target and spent an hour adding items to our registry. Finally, we went to the 4th class of our Pre-marriage class.

On Sunday, we spent 3 1/2 hours in Bed Bath & Beyond working on another registry. It was quite the adventure going through the whole store basically planning out our future ... everything from pots and pans to bed linens and shower curtains. It took a long time, but was actually very fun. I don't like shopping (I'm WAY too picky), but it was fun to go through and scan in all this stuff, hoping someone else will buy it for us.

Bed Bath & Beyond is the most amazing place for your registry. They are VERY professional and take GOOD care of you. We had probably every associate in the store stop by and ask how we were doing and if we needed help. That might sound annoying, but it was actually refreshing to have folks who work in Customer Service actually give service to the customers. Overall, a fabulous experience and one I recommend for anyone who is getting married and looking for place to register. Not only do they have fabulous products and decent prices, but the service is friendly and attentive. What more could you ask for?

Done!

I ordered the dress today (dress #1). Hallelujah! And, Ferndales matched the price I was quoted at Mary Me. Sweet.

Postponed

Due to my incessant cough that refuses to go away, I decided to stay home as much as possible today and rest. I'll go on Wednesday during my lunch break to order the dress.

Did I mention that Jason's mom sent me the money to put down as the deposit to order the dress. Isn't that sweet of her?

Trying to be Decisive

I'm very close to going with Dress #1. After looking over the pictures Jen posted, I'm pretty sure Dress #2 looks great on the model in the picture, but would not look so great on me. However, I know how Dress #1 looks (I think it actually looks better on me than on the model in the picture), and it is the one I keep coming back to even after looking at other dresses. It is just so beautiful!

I've decided to order it from Ferndales, though, instead of Mary Me Bridal. Is that bad? I found the dress at Mary Me Bridal, but I really liked the service and atmosphere of Ferndales better. It seemed very down-to-earth and established. Mary Me is very nice, but a little too sophisticated for me (besides the fact that "Mary" should be spelled "Marry" ... and I don't like their website). Also, Ruthie at Ferndales sent me a nice card thanking me for coming and hoping to see me again soon. What personal service! I just called her to see if I could order through them, and she even remembered me! That is not something I get often living in the Metropolis.

So, I am scheduled to go in Monday and order my dress. I really hope I am making the right decision. I'm so indecisive and I keep second-guessing myself. For instance, I wonder if I should go for a more simple look ... say something like this dress. What do you think?

Wedding Dress Dilemma

Here's the deal: I got a second opinion on this dress, and it was good. But, I really like this dress better ... at least the picture of it. The trouble is, I cannot find a place to try on dress #2, though there are abundant places I could buy from online.

I could order dress #1 tomorrow, and go with my second choice, or I could take the risk and get dress #2. But, in order to get dress #2, I would have to buy online, without trying it on, and the best return policy I've found (if they accept returns at all) is a 15% restocking, plus I would pay shipping.

Suggestions? Advice? What should I do?

Six Months to Go!

This week has been rather fruitful: we finalized the rings, settled on the colors (hopefully for good), narrowed down my dress selection, and put a deposit on the tuxes. I'm going on Wednesday to get a second opinion on the dress, and hopefully get it ordered. Jason is going on Friday to put some money down on the rings and get them settled. After that, I am going to take a week off (from planning) to recuperate before we head into invitations, flowers, cake, tuxedos, and bridesmaid dresses.

Thank you!

Thanks to everyone for all the comments. You have all done this before, I haven't! I haven't even been to any weddings in over 5 years! You've all given me some great ideas and advice.

Jen, you have in no way overstepped. Your comments have helped tremendously. I've never done this ... you have, AND you enjoy it! :o) I just wish you lived closer!

Jeri, your comments have been priceless, given at just the right time to help encourage me and bring me back to my senses and help me enjoy the process.

Everyone else (Wendy, Liz, Deb, Roland, Melissa, my cousins -- sorry to lump everyone in together, and ever sorrier if I missed anyone), thanks for the support and advise.

Please keep it coming. I need all the help I can get! :o)

One more decision made, 5 million to go

We've decided on wedding rings! Woo hoo!

Jason's ring is smililar to this:

My ring is something like this, but only one diamond on each side, yellow gold, and with no center stone. It should match up nicely and complement the engagement ring very well.

You have no idea how happy this makes me. Now, if I can just finalize and order the dress, I will feel like this wedding is actually going to happen.

Bridal Salons

Ugh, another day of visiting bridal salons, sifting through dresses, having them shoved over my head, and parading before the mirror. I really hope I find a dress soon, I can't take much more of this.

Reflections on my experience thus far:

Allusions (Bad experience ... sorry to those of you who love it): unprofessional, unfriendly, massive selection, poor customer service, no picturs allowed. From the moment I walked in, I felt claustrophobic and uncomfortable. I was greeted practically at the door, which was nice, but the lady was not very friendly, informing me that they no longer carried the Mori Lee collection, and hadn't for about a month. They had tons of dresses, but they were all hanging in bags I was told to look through and see what I liked (the bags were very staticky). The consultant tried to be friendly, but it seemed forced, and she was so focused on the price that it was annoying ("This is pretty, it looks expensive with all the beads, but the price is really good" -- three or four times with each dress). They even charge you for steam cleaning.

Why I probably will not buy from Allusions:
Me: "I like this dress, but it would be nice if I could see how it would look in my size" (the dress was a 10, I am an 18)
consultant: "Yes, that would be nice, but too bad."

Ferndale (Good experience): professional, friendly, limited selection, great customer service, no pictures allowed 'officially' (unofficially, they let you). There seemed to only be two people working in there, but signed in and looked around for something I liked until there was someone available. The dresses were arranged tastefully around the salon for ease of viewing. I found a couple to try on, and my consultant recommended another one. They didn't have my size, but she was able to fix it so I could at least get a good idea of what it would look like in my size. I tried a sale dress that would need to be altered, and they were very honest about how it could be altered and the price. Steam cleaning and ironing are included in the price of the dress.

Why I might buy from Ferndale:
Beautiful dresses. :o)

David's Bridal in Brea (Good experience): professional, friendly, huge selection, great customer service, pictures allowed. Their 'undergarments' for trying on were in good shape, and they had my size (I didn't realize this was a big deal until I went to the other two places). The dresses were hanging in their plastic bags, but there is enough room between the aisles that it doesn't feel cluttered. They have every dress in just about every size, or at least one that is very close to it. My consultant was awesome, and had fun helping me try dresses on -- she really seemed to enjoy helping me.

Why I will probably buy from David's Bridal in Brea:
Consultant: "We want you to see exactly what you will look like in the dress before you buy it."
Me: "Cool!"

Mary Me Bridal (Good experience): very professional, professionallly friendly, good selection, great customer service, no pictures allowed. This salon was a little on the pricy side. I found two dresses that I REALLY like, but they will end up being around $700 before alterations. Ouch! The atmosphere is very professional, and what I would expect of a bridal salon (you can even view pictures of the salon here.

I might buy from them because I really loved a couple of the dresses. My favorite and a close second. I don't know if the budget can handle it, though, so I might end up back on Ebay. ;o)

Bridal Gown Again

I absolutely love this gown, but I can't find it anywhere. :o(

Update:
I tried on one today that is VERY similar, but it is silk (it is GORGEOUS and half price on the sale rack ... but would need about $200 in alterations).

Presto Chango

Ok, I'm feeling a little better about the whole planning thing (thanks to Jeri for her helpful comments and Jason for just listening).

I might scrap the whole pink dress idea and change my main color from hunter green to sage. I'm not really hip on pink anyway. I would like to keep a pink flower, though, since I need a contrast and I am totally in love with this look for the flowers (the picture doesn't do it justice):



So I was looking for sage bridesmaids dresses and stumbled upon this one competely by accident. I went to the website to look for one I saw at the knot, originally looking for #915. Don't ask me why, but I thought I was looking for #361. Unfortunately, it is being discontinued Febrary 12.



I think it's beautiful, and would look good on all of my bridesmaids (of course, only trying it on will tell for sure). They just happen to be Mori Lee, which is available at Allusions (thanks for the tip, Jeri!). They do have some nice bridal gowns, too -- very different from David's Bridal overall. Now I just have to find out about price.

I think I like the sage (hopefully the color will be better matched in person):

Overwhelmed

I'm not so good at this wedding-planning stuff. At this point in the game, I am completely overwhelmed, and the only "encouragement" I get from anyone is, "6 months will pass before you know it," and, "It's going to get worse." How is that possible?!?!?!?

On the never-ending list of things to do:
get engagement photo
create and send 'save the date'
figure out floral arrangements
find a cake-maker
choose a dress ... and all that goes with it (veil, jewelry, etc)
find shoes
figure out a hairstyle
choose brides-maids dresses
find tuxes
decide on decorations
find invitations
get addresses for invitations
1000 other things I've probably forgotten already

I feel like all I've really done is book the church and reception hall. Wait, that IS all that is done at this point. Am I wrong to be TOTALLLY FREAKED OUT right now?!?!?

I think I am going to cry.

Bridesmaid Dresses

I've pretty much decided to go with pink dresses for bridesmaids, since Hunter Green is too dark for summer dresses. I still want the groom and his guys to wear hunter vests and ties, so I will give them pink rose corsages to tie in with the dresses.

These are a couple styles that I like. What do you think? (Think pink)

I Did It!

I actually made it to try on dresses today! Click here to see the photo album. Yeah, we had fun. :oD

I also picked out what I want to be my flowers: Pink Rose and Lily of the Valley


The only trouble is that these are both very expensive flowers. So, my backup is Pink Carnation and White Babies Breath (there is one where the flowers are a little larger than the teeny accents in boquets).

Tuxedo

I like this. I'm trying to decide between regular tie and bow tie, though.

Reception Decisions

It looks like we will be able to get Jason's church for the reception. This is great news, as it frees us up to really start finalizing some of the planning. He is going to call them tomorrow to double check a couple things, then we should know for sure.

I think it will be neat if it works out to have the reception there. Then we would be having the wedding at my church and the reception at his. It is a neat way to link the two, and it also acts as a 'rite of passage' of sorts since I will be leaving my church when we get married to attend his. It seems almost symbolic to go from my church and the wedding to his and the reception. Maybe I am just being sentimental, but I think it's cool!

We also decided on people over food for the reception. It was getting so frustrating trying to do an A list and a B list, and finding out that more and more people wanted to be invited ... and we our budget was for light snacks for 150 ... it just wasn't worth it. The wedding and reception are between lunch and dinner, so we are going to nix the food and just invite everyone we want to be at the wedding (currently around 300). We'll have the standard cake and punch, with nuts, mints, and sparkling cider on the tables. We are hoping everyone will so happy to be there that they won't mind if we don't feed them.

I Didn't Make It

TO the dress shop, that is. It seems I need someone to prod me along, so I will wait until I have more moral support.

I did get my engagement ring back today. We had it sized down, inspected, and cleaned, so I was without it for the weekend. I missed it so much! I used a fill-in because my finger felt so naked without it.

On the wedding ring front, we did find one that we really like for Jason and we have a couple ideas for mine. One idea is to have a ring that is similar to my engagement ring, but with three baget diamonds across. That one will probably have to be custom made, though, and may cost around $800. Option number two is a much simpler design, with a row of small diamonds that is the same length as my engagement ring. The lady at the jewelry store was looking to find one that does not have to be custom made, but she was not there for us to talk with today. I am pleased with either option, but money is obviously a consideration.

It looks like I may go dress shopping on February 11, since Ruth is going to try to be here that weekend. I am going to try to get my bridesmaids out, too, and we will all go together. What fun!

Dress Time

Today is the day. I am actually going to go to the dunge ... er ... I mean, a dress shop.

I'm scared stiff. I'll let you know if I survive.

Rings

Today we go to see if my engagement ring needs resized, and to start looking at possible wedding rings. I really hope we can find something nice that 1) links with my engagement ring, 2) has a coordinating ring for Jason, and 3) is not too expensive.

Am I asking too much?

The Plan Thus Far

Wedding:

Theme: Victorian inspired
Location: my church, with my pastor officiating
Possible colors: Black, forest green, rose pink

Attendants:
Maid of Honor - Ruth (my former roommate)
Bridesmaids - Sarah (my 21-year-old sister), Lissa (my close friend)
Junior Bridesmaid - Rebekah (my 13-year-old sister)
Flower Girls (tentative) - Tatyana and Annaleia (my step-sister's 9-year-old twin daughters)

Best Man - Dave (Jason's cousin)
Groomsmen - Jeff (Jason's best friend), TBD (maybe one of my brothers)
Junior Groomsman - Austin (Dave's 9 year-old son)
Ring Bearer - Jacob (Dave's 4 year-old son)

Reception:

Theme: Summer Afternoon Garden Tea
Location: Jason's church
(possible) rented plants to make a garden indoors

Menu: Finger foods, scones, mini-sandwiches, little smokies (per special request)
Cake
Tea (of course) and punch
Sparling cider for the toast (they have peach and pear cider at Ikea, how cool is that???)

Inspiration

I hung out with Deb last night, and she totally inspired me. It was so nice to have someone (besides Jason) to bounce my ideas off of and get positive feedback. I really don't know what happens at weddings, since I have freaked and not gone to any for most of my life (I've attended two weddings total, one as a kid, and one as a bridesmaid about 7 years ago). I totally regret my avoidance of weddings now, as I'm completely lost when it comes to planning.

So, talking with Deb was good. We talked about general wedding and reception stuff that I already have ideas for, and brainstormed a couple other things. Then we went to Barnes and Noble and looked through Wedding magazines and a book about Victorian Tea parties. I really would like to do a lot of things myself (flowers, decorations, entertainment ... maybe even the wedding cake), so that might help me get more into it as well.

So, I'm feeling a little better about this, just waiting on the reception site so I can really get down to business.

Blech

I am really not digging this whole wedding planning business. Some days, I REALLY wish I had enough money to tell someone -- here, I want to get married here, with this color, and invite these people, YOU do the rest. What am I saying? "Some" days? No, I wish that EVERY day.

I am hopefully going to meet with Melissa sometime this week or next week to go through her stuff and see what inspiration I can borrow. Maybe that will help me get out of the slump. A wedding is supposed to be a joyous occassion, but, for some reason, for me it is sheer torture.

Guest Lists

Jason and I input our rough guest list (I LOVE theknot.com), and came to 250 invitees (approx 100 invitations). Then we realized that each of us forgot 10-20 people each. So, when all is said and done, we will have around 300 invitees. I think we have decided to go for 150 guests total.

Time to break out the ax.

I went through last night and this morning working my list to come up with an A list, and a B list (sadly, my blog readers are confined to the B list). According to articles I read about quest list etiquette, it is best to first invite those people you MUST have. When we get responses back from those guests, we can then move to the B list and invite friends from there. What a process.

One Month

Today is the one month anniversary of when Jason and I got engaged. :oD

Now it's time to really knuckle down and get this wedding planned.

To Veil, or Not To Veil?

So many questions to answer when planning a wedding. What are your guys' thoughts on veils?