Ha... so the last time I posted anything was over a year ago. I guess my planning of blogging about wedding planning wasn't all it was cracked up to be. But, long story short - everything came together and we had a lovely and fun wedding.
It wasn't the most perfect Fall day, considering the week of had been GORGEOUS, but at least it didn't rain or snow. Everyone had a lovely time and now we've been happily married for almost 8 months. Time has flown. We took a belated honeymoon to the Dominican Republic in February, to both of our first all-inclusive. Definitely the way to go, and we had a blast. We really didn't know what to expect but it was all good. I had said that we'd go someplace that we may never get back to again, but it was fun and I think we'd definitely consider it! It was so nice to just relax on a beach, listen to the ocean while reading a book (and people watch!) for a week. The food was good, entertainment was good, and drinks were great.
Next up on the list is expanding our family, but the details of that are still being discussed. A lot of planning goes into this, but I am ready. But until then, I will enjoy my newlywed status for another few months. I suppose I can always focus on what we should do for our 1-year anniversary. :)
Friday, June 12, 2015
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The Registry
Ah... new things. New shiny new things. New things that we didn't have to purchase ourselves! It's the excitement of registering for gifts. I hope to have this done by the middle of June, and in the mean time have been searching lists and lists of what we should be registering for. So that got me thinking - what do you register for?
All of the lists out there seem to think that you need so many of this, and so many of that. Who needs 6 lamps, fine china, or fancy napkins? Obviously someone! When the FI and I merged our things last summer when I moved in to his already furnished house, we went through each others things and determined whose duplicates of measuring cups, measuring spoons, eating utensils, water pitchers, etc. would stay, or which ones would be donated/thrown out (we did donate a TON of stuff). It was due to the fact that I had been living on my own for 9 years prior to that, and the last 4 years in a condo that was 98% furnished. Needless to say, there was a lot of stuff.
After reading through these lists... it became more and more clear that maybe we really just needed to upgrade some things. I know he would love for me to have a Kuerig, as my current coffee maker (still in a great condition) would always make a mess of the water when I was done, and a Kuerig would solve that. I had been looking at new comforters/bedding for awhile, so maybe this was the time to get that. Of course, I was looking WAY before we got engaged - so luckily I never bought anything. Brand new towels for the bathrooms would be nice, as ours are just a collection of what we both had prior - as long as they were in very good shape. Other small kitchen appliances would be nice too, like a good food processor or small crock pot for dips. I'm sure I could come up with other examples too.
And... a honeymoon fund. I read countless posts on Wedding blogs/message boards and the consensus is - DON'T DO IT. But I think, why not? Some of these people are the same ones who feel that it's tacky to have guests pay for drinks and that an open bar (or no bar at all) is the only acceptable route to go. Seriously? Maybe in some places, but I'm pretty sure that no wedding I have ever been to has had people complaining about the fact that they have to pay or drinks. To each their own, I suppose. Anyway... we have been discussing possible honeymoon vacations (St. Lucia), and it would be nice to get the money to go there, even if it's in cash. I know asking for straight up cash is rude... but I guess when you have a registry that doesn't have a ton of options on it, people may get the hint to go that route. Gift cards would work too, and with the way I spend money at Target - greatly appreciated!
So, in conclusion... you wouldn't think that a Registry would have to have so much thought put into it... but you do. Getting to the store with the power of that scanner in hand - anything is possible! Heck, I had a friends now husband scan in some mac and cheese boxes - ha! Hopefully we can have a game plan going on before we enter said store(s) - and some store browsing and note taken may need to begin real soon though. If something is forgotten, if can always be added later.
All of the lists out there seem to think that you need so many of this, and so many of that. Who needs 6 lamps, fine china, or fancy napkins? Obviously someone! When the FI and I merged our things last summer when I moved in to his already furnished house, we went through each others things and determined whose duplicates of measuring cups, measuring spoons, eating utensils, water pitchers, etc. would stay, or which ones would be donated/thrown out (we did donate a TON of stuff). It was due to the fact that I had been living on my own for 9 years prior to that, and the last 4 years in a condo that was 98% furnished. Needless to say, there was a lot of stuff.
After reading through these lists... it became more and more clear that maybe we really just needed to upgrade some things. I know he would love for me to have a Kuerig, as my current coffee maker (still in a great condition) would always make a mess of the water when I was done, and a Kuerig would solve that. I had been looking at new comforters/bedding for awhile, so maybe this was the time to get that. Of course, I was looking WAY before we got engaged - so luckily I never bought anything. Brand new towels for the bathrooms would be nice, as ours are just a collection of what we both had prior - as long as they were in very good shape. Other small kitchen appliances would be nice too, like a good food processor or small crock pot for dips. I'm sure I could come up with other examples too.
And... a honeymoon fund. I read countless posts on Wedding blogs/message boards and the consensus is - DON'T DO IT. But I think, why not? Some of these people are the same ones who feel that it's tacky to have guests pay for drinks and that an open bar (or no bar at all) is the only acceptable route to go. Seriously? Maybe in some places, but I'm pretty sure that no wedding I have ever been to has had people complaining about the fact that they have to pay or drinks. To each their own, I suppose. Anyway... we have been discussing possible honeymoon vacations (St. Lucia), and it would be nice to get the money to go there, even if it's in cash. I know asking for straight up cash is rude... but I guess when you have a registry that doesn't have a ton of options on it, people may get the hint to go that route. Gift cards would work too, and with the way I spend money at Target - greatly appreciated!
So, in conclusion... you wouldn't think that a Registry would have to have so much thought put into it... but you do. Getting to the store with the power of that scanner in hand - anything is possible! Heck, I had a friends now husband scan in some mac and cheese boxes - ha! Hopefully we can have a game plan going on before we enter said store(s) - and some store browsing and note taken may need to begin real soon though. If something is forgotten, if can always be added later.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Play that funky music!
It really was never a debate. He wanted a band, and I just wanted to make sure that certain songs were played. Ya know, the first dance, mother/son & father/daughter, and maybe a fun wedding party song. After reaching out to a band we saw at another wedding dance a few months back, we figured we'd see if they were available. If yes, great. If not, time to figure something out.
Well, they were available and their cost wasn't AS much as we had originally thought. Which I guess was good and bad. Would a DJ be cheaper? Probably Or should we just go for it and have a great time to end the day festivities?
After confirming that they'll be able to play whatever songs we want during dinner, being able to play all of those "traditional" dances, and getting done 15 minutes before we get kicked out of the reception hall (to play two night ending song) - we booked! I can definitely say that I am excited, as it will be something we can look back on and say that we did. Yes, a DJ does have some perks... but a band is just plain 'ol fun.
Oh, the bridesmaid dresses got ordered last week! One more thing to cross off the list. I think each of the two will look great together, and the blue will look really nice. They're supposed to come in sometime in August - so here's hoping!
So, now I can say that the following has been done:
Well, they were available and their cost wasn't AS much as we had originally thought. Which I guess was good and bad. Would a DJ be cheaper? Probably Or should we just go for it and have a great time to end the day festivities?
After confirming that they'll be able to play whatever songs we want during dinner, being able to play all of those "traditional" dances, and getting done 15 minutes before we get kicked out of the reception hall (to play two night ending song) - we booked! I can definitely say that I am excited, as it will be something we can look back on and say that we did. Yes, a DJ does have some perks... but a band is just plain 'ol fun.
Oh, the bridesmaid dresses got ordered last week! One more thing to cross off the list. I think each of the two will look great together, and the blue will look really nice. They're supposed to come in sometime in August - so here's hoping!
So, now I can say that the following has been done:
- Reception venue
- Ceremony venue
- Officiant
- Photographer
- Band
- Wedding dress
- Bridesmaid dresses
- Wedding band
Time to focus on some little things before getting to more major things in a few months. Next up - invitations!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Making it Official
We met with the Officiant last night, and were really impressed. She was really nice and seems very "go with the flow". It is awesome that we pretty much get to customize how our ceremony will be in terms of what is said and the length. He is thinking less than 10, but I am hopping for at least 10 to make it a little bit more memorable. But, we'll see what gets played out.
She gave us examples of readings, verses, vows, unity items, and more to use. We mainly just have to go through the material and pick which ones we want, or if we like a couple - we can combine and she'll make it work. I love that.
Ya know, I never mind sitting through a wedding ceremony... but it always seemed to go on forever when the pastor/priest did the sermon. I know that's nice and all, but to me - it's not needed. Let us do the other stuff, skip a sermon, and make it official. She is pretty much doing that.
In other news, we sent the tentative booking information to the band we're getting... so that is exciting. The whole time we have thought about doing a band instead of a DJ. For one, everyone does DJ's and sometimes the cheesiness that they bring can be too much (inflatables, feather boas, games, etc.). We have seen this band play before at wedding receptions and enjoyed that all they did was play music - and good music. It's also nice that they are able to play certain songs that we want (like couples dance, father/daughter/mother/son), as music is important to me. I think they'll do a good job to cap off the celebration. We both have a lot of friends that dance, too.
Next up - Flowers, Cake and the little things. Oh, and maybe some engagement pics too.
She gave us examples of readings, verses, vows, unity items, and more to use. We mainly just have to go through the material and pick which ones we want, or if we like a couple - we can combine and she'll make it work. I love that.
Ya know, I never mind sitting through a wedding ceremony... but it always seemed to go on forever when the pastor/priest did the sermon. I know that's nice and all, but to me - it's not needed. Let us do the other stuff, skip a sermon, and make it official. She is pretty much doing that.
In other news, we sent the tentative booking information to the band we're getting... so that is exciting. The whole time we have thought about doing a band instead of a DJ. For one, everyone does DJ's and sometimes the cheesiness that they bring can be too much (inflatables, feather boas, games, etc.). We have seen this band play before at wedding receptions and enjoyed that all they did was play music - and good music. It's also nice that they are able to play certain songs that we want (like couples dance, father/daughter/mother/son), as music is important to me. I think they'll do a good job to cap off the celebration. We both have a lot of friends that dance, too.
Next up - Flowers, Cake and the little things. Oh, and maybe some engagement pics too.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Say Yes to the Dress... for reals!
After visiting 7 stores (yes, 7), and trying on countless dresses in the style I was looking for - I found "the one"! It was actually at Store #3, and after trying it on... I knew I loved it. It fit well, gave me the amount of curves I wanted and had other features that I was impressed with. And the bonus - it was under $1K!
There were 2 other dresses that had caught my eye as well. One was almost too basic, but still very nice on me (and great price, too). Plus, the store owner was great to work with. It kind of made me sad that I didn't get that dress based on the service alone... but I would consider going there for other things (like jewelry). The other was amazing with features (thinner v-neck straps, lace with a Swiss dot lace underneath, small belt, small keyhole back, corset tie in the back), but it was WAY over what I was wanting to pay. Had it been maybe $1,200 instead of $1,500, I would have justified the cost - as it was a nice dress and also fit me really well. However, the size I tried on was way big, so I wasn't sure that once I ordered the dress in my size, that it would still be as flattering. In addition, this place did not allow pictures and cut the tags out of the dress, so I wasn't able to locate in online to view a zillion times to make a decision.
I am happy with my dress, and can't wait until it comes in... in like 4-5 months. Now I'll be on the hunt for jewelry (thinking pearls), shoes and a veil. The store I got my dress at gave me a $150 store credit, so that can be at least used for a veil - which may have some subtle bling since my dress won't have any of that, which is OK actually. It's nice to have that decision out of the way.
I have also decided on a bridesmaid dress color - Mediterranean Blue according to Alfred Angelo. They're about 10 different long styles dresses to choose from, so finding a flattering style should be easier. I asked my sister to be my MOH when I saw her a couple weekends ago, and then asked Blair's sister last week to be my bridesmaid. Her and I went dress shopping last night, and she found a very flattering dress at a local store. My sister plans on going this weekend to find a style that will suit her. Good deals!!
We also booked out photographer, and I am very excited to work with her. She does weddings, engagement shoots, and families. I know a few people who have used her for family pics, and she has nothing but great reviews... so that is nice. Next week we meet with our Officiant and will hopefully have her booked. Then next will be the band. :)
I am happy that all of our big things are coming together. It's been a very productive couple of weeks.
There were 2 other dresses that had caught my eye as well. One was almost too basic, but still very nice on me (and great price, too). Plus, the store owner was great to work with. It kind of made me sad that I didn't get that dress based on the service alone... but I would consider going there for other things (like jewelry). The other was amazing with features (thinner v-neck straps, lace with a Swiss dot lace underneath, small belt, small keyhole back, corset tie in the back), but it was WAY over what I was wanting to pay. Had it been maybe $1,200 instead of $1,500, I would have justified the cost - as it was a nice dress and also fit me really well. However, the size I tried on was way big, so I wasn't sure that once I ordered the dress in my size, that it would still be as flattering. In addition, this place did not allow pictures and cut the tags out of the dress, so I wasn't able to locate in online to view a zillion times to make a decision.
I am happy with my dress, and can't wait until it comes in... in like 4-5 months. Now I'll be on the hunt for jewelry (thinking pearls), shoes and a veil. The store I got my dress at gave me a $150 store credit, so that can be at least used for a veil - which may have some subtle bling since my dress won't have any of that, which is OK actually. It's nice to have that decision out of the way.
I have also decided on a bridesmaid dress color - Mediterranean Blue according to Alfred Angelo. They're about 10 different long styles dresses to choose from, so finding a flattering style should be easier. I asked my sister to be my MOH when I saw her a couple weekends ago, and then asked Blair's sister last week to be my bridesmaid. Her and I went dress shopping last night, and she found a very flattering dress at a local store. My sister plans on going this weekend to find a style that will suit her. Good deals!!
We also booked out photographer, and I am very excited to work with her. She does weddings, engagement shoots, and families. I know a few people who have used her for family pics, and she has nothing but great reviews... so that is nice. Next week we meet with our Officiant and will hopefully have her booked. Then next will be the band. :)
I am happy that all of our big things are coming together. It's been a very productive couple of weeks.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Say Yes to The Dress
OK... so not yet... but it has started!
I went to my first wedding dress appointment yesterday and was partially nervous, but also excited. I know the type of dress I'm looking for and know that I don't want to spend a ton of money, so that helps some. It's also nice to see what some of the dresses look like on and in person than what I may have seen online. What a difference!
I was mainly looking for lace, but did opt to try on some satin ones as well. The satin ones weren't horrible, but boy were they heavy. There was one that wasn't so much, but I just feel like I would be carry around that extra weight all day/night and want to be free to move.
I ended up really liking a couple, although a few others could have been added to that list as well. It was my first time, so I was open to a lot - as long as it was in the style that I was looking for. The two that were written down each had their own pros and cons.
#1 - The Good: just enough lace, a great v-neck neckline, fit loose but was still form fitting, and very lightweight. The Bad: low back, so not sure what I would do with a bra, and the slip underneath sits weird in the chest area (but could have just been the size too).
#2 - The Good: fits AWESOME (fits my body perfectly), has a nice corest that would hold up to anything, just enough lace, not much for alterations, and not heavy at all. The Bad: strapless and isn't able to get straps.
Both are the same price, or relatively close. They are also both a tish above the maximum price range, but the first one is on a 25% off sale too... so that is a bonus. I have another appointment tomorrow with a small boutique in town, and plan to call 3 more places for next week before another appointment in St. Paul next weekend. They all have about the same designers, but it'll be nice to see what is all out there to make a decision.
In other news... our venue for the reception gets booked on Monday!!
I went to my first wedding dress appointment yesterday and was partially nervous, but also excited. I know the type of dress I'm looking for and know that I don't want to spend a ton of money, so that helps some. It's also nice to see what some of the dresses look like on and in person than what I may have seen online. What a difference!
I was mainly looking for lace, but did opt to try on some satin ones as well. The satin ones weren't horrible, but boy were they heavy. There was one that wasn't so much, but I just feel like I would be carry around that extra weight all day/night and want to be free to move.
I ended up really liking a couple, although a few others could have been added to that list as well. It was my first time, so I was open to a lot - as long as it was in the style that I was looking for. The two that were written down each had their own pros and cons.
#1 - The Good: just enough lace, a great v-neck neckline, fit loose but was still form fitting, and very lightweight. The Bad: low back, so not sure what I would do with a bra, and the slip underneath sits weird in the chest area (but could have just been the size too).
#2 - The Good: fits AWESOME (fits my body perfectly), has a nice corest that would hold up to anything, just enough lace, not much for alterations, and not heavy at all. The Bad: strapless and isn't able to get straps.
Both are the same price, or relatively close. They are also both a tish above the maximum price range, but the first one is on a 25% off sale too... so that is a bonus. I have another appointment tomorrow with a small boutique in town, and plan to call 3 more places for next week before another appointment in St. Paul next weekend. They all have about the same designers, but it'll be nice to see what is all out there to make a decision.
In other news... our venue for the reception gets booked on Monday!!
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Some progress!
We have a meeting with one of the venues today, mainly to get more details about the information we got and to ask any questions we may have. We are aiming for an October wedding, and this place had some more dates available compared to other places... and is a little cheaper for what they offer. Besides the normal rental fee and food and beverage minimum, the included offerings aren't horrible and the only thing we'd need to pay extra for (besides late night snacks, a keg and some punch) is having some audio/visual for a slide show.
Some places didn't include the cutting cake service, or included that in an a la carte option for a couple hundred bucks. Seriously?! Other places offered a lot of additional decorations, but really... I just want something simple so whatever is included in the wedding package is fine by me (mirroed tiles and some glass cylinders and floating candles).
So, I am crossing my fingers that the date we want (or I want... and both moms would like to see a Fall wedding) is still available and we can put a deposit down and make the date official. Big step! Next up will be figuring out what we want to do for a ceremony (if we are not able to rent a smaller room at the reception venue), and then work on the music and a photographer.
I have also scheduled a couple appointments to try on dresses in town here, and then another place in St. Paul next weekend. That place is supposed to have a lot options, so I am hoping I can find something I like and is still affordable. Yes, I want a nice dress but it doesn't need to be super expensive. Hopefully trying on dresses will be just like 'Say Yes to the Dress'!
I am happy that things are starting to roll, especially since this wedding is a little less than 7 months away. I have had plenty of friends do it in less time, and their wedding festivities were great. Once the main things get booked (reception, decision on ceremony, music and photo)... the rest will be easier.
Some places didn't include the cutting cake service, or included that in an a la carte option for a couple hundred bucks. Seriously?! Other places offered a lot of additional decorations, but really... I just want something simple so whatever is included in the wedding package is fine by me (mirroed tiles and some glass cylinders and floating candles).
So, I am crossing my fingers that the date we want (or I want... and both moms would like to see a Fall wedding) is still available and we can put a deposit down and make the date official. Big step! Next up will be figuring out what we want to do for a ceremony (if we are not able to rent a smaller room at the reception venue), and then work on the music and a photographer.
I have also scheduled a couple appointments to try on dresses in town here, and then another place in St. Paul next weekend. That place is supposed to have a lot options, so I am hoping I can find something I like and is still affordable. Yes, I want a nice dress but it doesn't need to be super expensive. Hopefully trying on dresses will be just like 'Say Yes to the Dress'!
I am happy that things are starting to roll, especially since this wedding is a little less than 7 months away. I have had plenty of friends do it in less time, and their wedding festivities were great. Once the main things get booked (reception, decision on ceremony, music and photo)... the rest will be easier.
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