Man! I was so excited that I could ship my dress #3 home and try it on with my family. The shipping time seemed to work perfectly and it will fold up small enough to pop in my bag for the flight home.
However... I woke up to an email telling me that my purchase is delayed. :( After a few more thrilling minutes on live chat with Dawn (another random Nordstrom rep) she tells me it won't get to me until January 25th!! A full MONTH later!!
**Little bad feeling in pit of stomach...***
To be continued....
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Dress, take 3.
I just bought my third wedding dress. Seriously, I can't believe it.
So the jcrew one is packed up to send back. Alas. In the end, I didn't hate the look or fit, but it was just TOO ivory.
This new one might be described as an impulse buy. But they have a good return policy too! And I shipped it to my parents house, where I'll be for Christmas, so they can see me play dress up. :)
So this pretty little number is by Calvin Klein and came from Nordstrom's. And was less expensive than the J.Crew one. Go Figure.
I'm sure you're thinking, "But Ms. SB, how can you tell what color it is? What if it's ivory again?" Well, I too am nervous about that, so I spent a pretty annoying 5 mins on "live chat" with Kayla (random Nordstrom worker) asking her to describe what color Eggshell is, exactly.
"So, is it more white or more ivory?"
"It's off white. Not bright white."
"Is it more yellow? Or grey? Or brown?"
"It's like ivory, off white. Not white. But not ivory. Does that help?"
"Welllll.... sure. I can return it, right?"
**Ok, fine, I was asking a hard question. Still, it was annoying!
So we'll see. Hopefully it's a white eggshell, not a yellow or brown one. *Rolls eyes.*
What do you think of this one?? I might even like it better than the other.. we'll see.
So the jcrew one is packed up to send back. Alas. In the end, I didn't hate the look or fit, but it was just TOO ivory.
This new one might be described as an impulse buy. But they have a good return policy too! And I shipped it to my parents house, where I'll be for Christmas, so they can see me play dress up. :)
So this pretty little number is by Calvin Klein and came from Nordstrom's. And was less expensive than the J.Crew one. Go Figure.I'm sure you're thinking, "But Ms. SB, how can you tell what color it is? What if it's ivory again?" Well, I too am nervous about that, so I spent a pretty annoying 5 mins on "live chat" with Kayla (random Nordstrom worker) asking her to describe what color Eggshell is, exactly.
"So, is it more white or more ivory?""It's off white. Not bright white."
"Is it more yellow? Or grey? Or brown?"
"It's like ivory, off white. Not white. But not ivory. Does that help?"
"Welllll.... sure. I can return it, right?"
**Ok, fine, I was asking a hard question. Still, it was annoying!
So we'll see. Hopefully it's a white eggshell, not a yellow or brown one. *Rolls eyes.*
What do you think of this one?? I might even like it better than the other.. we'll see.
Platinum is expensive.
I had no idea how much just the metal costs! Mr. SB & I headed back to our favorite jeweler (who sold us the diamond and engagement setting) to order our bands. (Ok, I was pretty excited for this task!)
This was a very speedy errand, since we both knew what we wanted pretty clearly.
I never took glamour shots of my ring, but there she is on my scaly lizard hand (In my defense, I wash my hands ~1000x per day at work!).
This was a very speedy errand, since we both knew what we wanted pretty clearly.
I never took glamour shots of my ring, but there she is on my scaly lizard hand (In my defense, I wash my hands ~1000x per day at work!).Six prong setting, millgrain edges, ~2 1/2 mm thickness with pave diamonds in platinum. And I ordered the band to match.
Source.
Mr. SB initially wanted a ring similar to this, but with millgrain detailing either in the little lines or on the outer edges so that it kind of matched my ring. The jeweler explained how that gets really really dirty, especially at a job like Mr. SB's. So we were a little disappointed, but ok with it. The ring he ordered was very similar to this one, except the outer bands are thinner, so the inner band is thicker.
Any thoughts on jewelry metal? Is the platinum worth it??
Source.
Mr. SB initially wanted a ring similar to this, but with millgrain detailing either in the little lines or on the outer edges so that it kind of matched my ring. The jeweler explained how that gets really really dirty, especially at a job like Mr. SB's. So we were a little disappointed, but ok with it. The ring he ordered was very similar to this one, except the outer bands are thinner, so the inner band is thicker.
To be perfectly honest, I don't know anything about (or even care) the metal that the ring is made of. Mr. SB was pretty adamant that platinum is the way to go. So that's the way we went. Our jeweler offered to make his ring at the cost of materials. Which is still a whole lot of money for a plain silver band. However, this is not a point I would consider debating w/ Mr. SB. I expect (!) him to wear it every day for the rest of his life, so I hope he likes it. :)
The dreaded A word
I was really really truly dreading going for my first fitting. (The "A" word being "Alterations.")
You see... I spent a little more on my dress than I had planned to. So I was really really really really hoping not to spend even MORE on my alterations. Not to mention, I didn't want to have to travel far for multiple fittings, etc.
So this past Friday, I headed to the bridal salon to try on the dress for the first time in six months.... and....
That's me jumping for joy!
(Ok, not really. It's a picture from Source, but it's the same idea!)
You see... I spent a little more on my dress than I had planned to. So I was really really really really hoping not to spend even MORE on my alterations. Not to mention, I didn't want to have to travel far for multiple fittings, etc.
So this past Friday, I headed to the bridal salon to try on the dress for the first time in six months.... and....
That's me jumping for joy!(Ok, not really. It's a picture from Source, but it's the same idea!)
It really really fit beautifully. The length, the fitted areas, the bustle... everything was great. Unfortunately, because I went by myself, I don't have any pictures, but I was a happy girl. The only thing we're going to do is add some padding to the top. A whole $27 worth of alterations. Woohoo!! And all the nervousness I had in the months since I ordered it feel a lot better having seen the dress again... it's beautiful. And I can't wait to wear it. :)
What money saving areas made you do a little happy dance??
What money saving areas made you do a little happy dance??
Saturday, December 12, 2009
TGFDCs
Thank Goodness for Digital Cameras.
We broke down and had a photo shoot w/ the furry babies this fine rainy day. The plan was to use the photos as table numbers. It was not smooth sailing, they're cats after all, but I think the results are pretty darn good.
Here's a sampling....
How cute are they??? :)
Rethinking favors
Ok, ok. As much as I L-O-V-E the first favors I wanted to give, I will not have time to be decorating little tiny brownie balls the day before my wedding. (The first four items on this page available at Source.)
Good bye, pretty little balls-on-a-stick.
So what else is a girl to give? Wine stoppers came to mind...
Pretty, and match the wine charms we were thinking of giving, but it's ~2x the cost of the brownie pops. So I'd rather get those!
Better pricing, couples won't want two of these though...
And this is the only other reasonable design in that price range.
I'm very *eh* on the star...
We went to a holiday wine and food tasting tour last weekend and tried some yum-tastic mini cupcakes from Kara's Cupcakes. I'm not a huge cupcake fan, but these were yummy. And in a little clear box and matching colors... promising!
Ok, the packaging probably won't be *that* cute.
They told us that the mini cupcakes fit into truffle boxes. And while I was looking up pricing on truffle boxes... I came across, you guessed it, truffles.
Source
Just a few of the flavors they have that caught my eye...
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Port, Champagne, Raspberry (to go with our cake), Amaretto, Kahlua, Cappucino, French Mocha, Mint Chocolate, Hazelnut.. .. ..
They only come in packs of four though, so we'd still have to buy and repackage them.
And speaking of chocolate, I have a sister whose boyfriend works at a pretty yum-tastic chocolate shop back in Wisconsin.
Source
Aren't these gorgeous? And they taste that good too.
Good bye, pretty little balls-on-a-stick.So what else is a girl to give? Wine stoppers came to mind...
Pretty, and match the wine charms we were thinking of giving, but it's ~2x the cost of the brownie pops. So I'd rather get those!
Better pricing, couples won't want two of these though...
And this is the only other reasonable design in that price range.I'm very *eh* on the star...
We went to a holiday wine and food tasting tour last weekend and tried some yum-tastic mini cupcakes from Kara's Cupcakes. I'm not a huge cupcake fan, but these were yummy. And in a little clear box and matching colors... promising!
Ok, the packaging probably won't be *that* cute.They told us that the mini cupcakes fit into truffle boxes. And while I was looking up pricing on truffle boxes... I came across, you guessed it, truffles.
Source Just a few of the flavors they have that caught my eye...
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Port, Champagne, Raspberry (to go with our cake), Amaretto, Kahlua, Cappucino, French Mocha, Mint Chocolate, Hazelnut.. .. ..
And speaking of chocolate, I have a sister whose boyfriend works at a pretty yum-tastic chocolate shop back in Wisconsin.
SourceAren't these gorgeous? And they taste that good too.
Price wise: Wine stoppers < Truffles/chocolates < Cupcakes < Brownie Pops
Gah! I'm so undecided. Might have to make Mr. SB make this decision...
What do you think?? Which favor would you be most excited to receive?
Gah! I'm so undecided. Might have to make Mr. SB make this decision...
What do you think?? Which favor would you be most excited to receive?
Programs, aka I need more paper
I'm not sure if I really NEED programs, but I (admittedly) get bored at other people's ceremonies and like something to follow along with. And if I'm taking the time to choose the stuff, might as well write it down!
I had decided on a gatefold style program, printed on cream cardstock, with the green damask printed bellyband that we used on the invitations, and the closure with our monogram. Similar to our invites, but not quite. And of course I'll be needing two different ones.
Info included: Wedding party, music, & (eventually) progression of ceremony.
I had decided on a gatefold style program, printed on cream cardstock, with the green damask printed bellyband that we used on the invitations, and the closure with our monogram. Similar to our invites, but not quite. And of course I'll be needing two different ones.
Info included: Wedding party, music, & readings.
I wasn't sure what to put on the right hand side, that might change.
I wasn't sure what to put on the right hand side, that might change.
Info included: Wedding party, music, & (eventually) progression of ceremony.The right hand column on this one I was excited about. I wanted to showcase our site and wine country in general. It still needs some editing, but overall I like it. I *might* decide to print the reading, if we have one, on the inner flap and post the winery info on the back of the program.
Note: I know a lot of people put remembrances into the programs and I'm not really excited about that idea. I think a mention of them at the ceremony will be appropriate. Especially because "those who couldn't be with us" includes people who couldn't make the trip, not necessarily passed away.
Tip for future program makers: Use MSPowerpoint, not MSWord, especially if you want to include any graphics. At least right now, I'm having a lot of trouble adding graphics to the document, behind the text in particular, and I lose all formatting if I try to cut and paste to a new Powerpoint slide.
Are programs a necessary and helpful part of the day? Or just a waste of paper?
Are programs a necessary and helpful part of the day? Or just a waste of paper?
Cere-Ceremony... The working draft
By no means finalized, but here's where I'm at.
Still no candles or handfasting or water ceremony. (Mr. SB asked "Can we step on a plate? It looks fun." Well, it's a glass and we're definitely not Jewish... so... ix-nay on that one.)
Probably one reading, but I'm not sure where. I didn't have NEARly as much fun picking readings as I thought I would. What I didn't want:
Still no candles or handfasting or water ceremony. (Mr. SB asked "Can we step on a plate? It looks fun." Well, it's a glass and we're definitely not Jewish... so... ix-nay on that one.)
Probably one reading, but I'm not sure where. I didn't have NEARly as much fun picking readings as I thought I would. What I didn't want:
- Bible readings - Plenty at the church
- Hard to understand poetry - No one listens
- Readings on how hard marriage is - Yeah, we know
- Readings on how someone else loves their husband/wife - Isn't that what we're doing with the vows?
- Children's books - Neither of us have a FAVorite one, and Pooh and Dr. Seuss just don't feel appropriate
Apache Wedding Prayer
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
Draft, in it's current form:
Gathering words
Acknowledgment of parents/guests, welcome to the area & why it was chosen
Remembrances
Reading here?
Marriage Address - I'm discovering that I kind of hate what alot of people say here. So I might go kind of bridezilla and give our guy a pretty strict guideline.
Marriage Statement of Intent Consent - Bride & Groom, do you come here freely? We do. Do you, etc.... We do. The turn to each other and share your vows.
Vows
Rings
Group Blessing - "Each of you are here today bc you bring something special to their lives. You are who they will turn to in the future. As they pledge to be with one another, you pledge to support them. Do you offer your blessing?" (Guests say) We do. -- Except longer and more elegant than that.
Pronouncement - By the power, husband & wife, kiss the bride
Recessional
I think this has bulked it up a little bit. Maybe closer to 20-25 mins? That's what I'm hoping. Anyway, a place to work from.
Are there any special readings or rituals that you especially like to see incorporated into weddings?
Cere-Ceremony....
That title is set to Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" if you couldn't tell. :)
Wedding A, the church: Easy. A cut & paste ceremony (literally, from a book you choose options). Mr. SB picked from the reading options I selected, I've got some folks in mind for those readings. Easy Breezy.
On a side note, some of it was kind of fun. The different prayers and blessings, etc. I'm sure most people aren't listening/don't care, but I'm glad what is being said will be the most appropriate for us.
Wedding B, the winery: How does one plan a wedding ceremony? Especially when you're having a stranger officiate... Hmm.. I didn't have any readings in mind (we're doing all the Bible ones at the church, we're not that into poetry, I don't want anything from like a children's book) and aren't planning on doing anything like a unity candle or handfasting. So, I thought it'd be pretty simple. Let's see
First draft:
Welcome
Acknowledgment of parents/guests
Marriage Address - the part where the officiant talks about the meaning and responsibility of marriage
Vows/Rings
"You're married!"
Recessional
Estimated total time: 10 minutes.
Hm. Yep, we're going to have to add to that. I was working on this at ~9pm on Friday night and all of a sudden, I knew where the rest of my evening was going....
Many, many, many drafts later I came up with something a little better. There are some really generous women who post their whole ceremony, word for word, on the internet. And there are general guides, and there are people that do weird things. And there are brides-to-be who spend their Friday nights reading these posts and crying.
Mr. SB finally got off work and I told him what I'd been working on. His response "Doesn't the officiant guy just have a standard thing he does?" .... Well, yes, kind of. But no. I'm not going through the work of a second ceremony to have it be "the standard thing the guy does".
This post is getting long, so I'll put my final draft in the next one.
How long do you think, time-wise, is ideal for a non-secular wedding ceremony?
Wedding A, the church: Easy. A cut & paste ceremony (literally, from a book you choose options). Mr. SB picked from the reading options I selected, I've got some folks in mind for those readings. Easy Breezy.
On a side note, some of it was kind of fun. The different prayers and blessings, etc. I'm sure most people aren't listening/don't care, but I'm glad what is being said will be the most appropriate for us.Wedding B, the winery: How does one plan a wedding ceremony? Especially when you're having a stranger officiate... Hmm.. I didn't have any readings in mind (we're doing all the Bible ones at the church, we're not that into poetry, I don't want anything from like a children's book) and aren't planning on doing anything like a unity candle or handfasting. So, I thought it'd be pretty simple. Let's see
First draft:
Welcome
Acknowledgment of parents/guests
Marriage Address - the part where the officiant talks about the meaning and responsibility of marriage
Vows/Rings
"You're married!"
Recessional
Estimated total time: 10 minutes.
Hm. Yep, we're going to have to add to that. I was working on this at ~9pm on Friday night and all of a sudden, I knew where the rest of my evening was going....
Many, many, many drafts later I came up with something a little better. There are some really generous women who post their whole ceremony, word for word, on the internet. And there are general guides, and there are people that do weird things. And there are brides-to-be who spend their Friday nights reading these posts and crying.
Mr. SB finally got off work and I told him what I'd been working on. His response "Doesn't the officiant guy just have a standard thing he does?" .... Well, yes, kind of. But no. I'm not going through the work of a second ceremony to have it be "the standard thing the guy does".
This post is getting long, so I'll put my final draft in the next one.
How long do you think, time-wise, is ideal for a non-secular wedding ceremony?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
More boy stuff
Thinking about tuxes got me thinking about my little ring bearer. I saw a pillow long ago that I drooled over and went to go see if I got the same reaction months later.
A little Martha Stewart DIY number. I don't know how to sew, but I don't think the instructions are *that* difficult. My mom said she could do it, but I know she's crazy busy these days. Maybe I'll ask a crafty sister (I've got a couple to choose from) to make it for me for their wedding present. I'm excited to pick out the green fabric for the pillow and after seeing how the faux flower napkins rings turned out, I have faith this "flower" will be nice as well.
How many SEDI (someone else did it) DIY (do it yourself) projects did you incorporate into the big day??
And it did. I love it.
A little Martha Stewart DIY number. I don't know how to sew, but I don't think the instructions are *that* difficult. My mom said she could do it, but I know she's crazy busy these days. Maybe I'll ask a crafty sister (I've got a couple to choose from) to make it for me for their wedding present. I'm excited to pick out the green fabric for the pillow and after seeing how the faux flower napkins rings turned out, I have faith this "flower" will be nice as well.
How many SEDI (someone else did it) DIY (do it yourself) projects did you incorporate into the big day??
Dressing the boys
Mr. SB had a few days off work and I gave him a wedding to do list. One of the items was "figure out your tux situation." He's having one groomsman who lives ~4 hours away so he decided Men's Warehouse would be the easiest way to coordinate. He asked if I wanted to tag along and I was excited to do so. No decision making! Get to see him all dressed up!!
Yeah right...
First of all, I hadn't looked into tuxes/menswear at all with regard to wedding tradition or styling. And neither had he. So our crabby consultant probably used the phrase "Well, traditionally, you wear XXX, but it's your wedding, you can do what ever" 75 times.
Mr. SB fell into "I don't know. I don't care." mode, so I ended up making most of the decisions for us. AND we didn't have enough time to get fitted so I didn't get to see him all dressed up. Lame.
Yeah right...
First of all, I hadn't looked into tuxes/menswear at all with regard to wedding tradition or styling. And neither had he. So our crabby consultant probably used the phrase "Well, traditionally, you wear XXX, but it's your wedding, you can do what ever" 75 times.
Mr. SB fell into "I don't know. I don't care." mode, so I ended up making most of the decisions for us. AND we didn't have enough time to get fitted so I didn't get to see him all dressed up. Lame.
Our look. The "rule": Bride and groom coordinate off each other.
So, we have bride in white, groom in white vest & tie. Two button tux.
Attendants in green. The next rule: attendants coordinate with one another.
Men's Warehouse had basically no green options, so the vest (same pattern as the groom's) is a peridot, while my sister will be wearing clover. Oh well.
So, we have bride in white, groom in white vest & tie. Two button tux.
Attendants in green. The next rule: attendants coordinate with one another.
Men's Warehouse had basically no green options, so the vest (same pattern as the groom's) is a peridot, while my sister will be wearing clover. Oh well.
Next up, other guys. We don't have a lot of guys, my dad and the ringbearer (my brother) are about it. I don't think they were planning on renting outfits for the day, but we picked out a silver matching option if they want to. Personally, I think it'd be cute (and my mom and dad would get a kick out of) my dad and a little mini-me all dressed up, but matching ties can probably do that just the same. They're thinking about it... (**Can you just rent the vest & tie? Because I think they both have dark suits... Hmm.... something to look into.)
So the boys are dressed, pretty painless. It's so much easier for them! After picking out the white vest though, I saw how "dirty" ivory looked next to white and am definitely sending my dress #2 back. Unless he rents a second vest and tie and has his OWN look 1 & 2. :)
My main concern: Do you think the peridot/clover combination is too far "off"? Or it's close enough to not matter?
So the boys are dressed, pretty painless. It's so much easier for them! After picking out the white vest though, I saw how "dirty" ivory looked next to white and am definitely sending my dress #2 back. Unless he rents a second vest and tie and has his OWN look 1 & 2. :)
My main concern: Do you think the peridot/clover combination is too far "off"? Or it's close enough to not matter?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Dress 2 is in!
I got home from work yesterday to find my second dress had arrived! I made Mr. SB stay in the front 1/2 of the house and went to go try it on. To far less than stellar reviews. (Ok, one review, by me.)
Not great pictures. The dress wouldn't have looked any better, I promise.
Let's be fair: I didn't have on nylons (or anything with a control top) and the dress was super wrinkly from shipping. I was debating between sizes, got the smaller one and am glad I did! And apparently ivory at jcrew is yellow. I wasn't expecting that either.
The ivory is actually my biggest concern. My flowers are white (and I'm not buying two bouquets!) and Mr. SB will have a white vest... so... shoot.
Probably sending this one back. Where can I look next for a simple WHITE gown??
Not great pictures. The dress wouldn't have looked any better, I promise.Let's be fair: I didn't have on nylons (or anything with a control top) and the dress was super wrinkly from shipping. I was debating between sizes, got the smaller one and am glad I did! And apparently ivory at jcrew is yellow. I wasn't expecting that either.
The ivory is actually my biggest concern. My flowers are white (and I'm not buying two bouquets!) and Mr. SB will have a white vest... so... shoot.
Probably sending this one back. Where can I look next for a simple WHITE gown??
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Actually choosing the mu-zak
Alrighty, two ceremonies, two sets of musicians, two playlists.
Three categories: bridal party entrance, bride entrance, recessional.
After a whole lotta youtubing, here's what I've got.
Ceremony one, the church. More traditional. Probably a single guitar. Or maybe a single pianist, in which case all this changes, but I'm going with the guitarist idea.
Bridal party/parent entrance: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Bach.
Bridal entrance: Wagner's Bridal Chorus. Original, I know. It may be "uncool or untrendy", but what girl doesn't want to walk to "Here comes the bride"?
Recessional: Wedding March, Mendelssohn. Another classic.
Ceremony two, the winery. A little less traditional. Guitarist & Violinist.
Party/parent entrance: Hornpipe from Handel's Water Music.
Option 2: Pachelbel's Canon in D, Mr. SB put in a request for this one (which probably means we'll choose it) and winery entrance seems to fit best.
Bridal entrance: Trumpet Voluntary, by Clarke. Is this striking enough? I do love it...
Recessional: Vivaldi's Spring. Love love love it. And appropriate. And upbeat. I want to hire the guy playing in the video, too. :P
Does that sound like a reasonable play list??
Three categories: bridal party entrance, bride entrance, recessional.
After a whole lotta youtubing, here's what I've got.
Ceremony one, the church. More traditional. Probably a single guitar. Or maybe a single pianist, in which case all this changes, but I'm going with the guitarist idea.
Bridal party/parent entrance: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Bach.
Bridal entrance: Wagner's Bridal Chorus. Original, I know. It may be "uncool or untrendy", but what girl doesn't want to walk to "Here comes the bride"?
Recessional: Wedding March, Mendelssohn. Another classic.
Ceremony two, the winery. A little less traditional. Guitarist & Violinist.
Party/parent entrance: Hornpipe from Handel's Water Music.
Option 2: Pachelbel's Canon in D, Mr. SB put in a request for this one (which probably means we'll choose it) and winery entrance seems to fit best.
Bridal entrance: Trumpet Voluntary, by Clarke. Is this striking enough? I do love it...
Recessional: Vivaldi's Spring. Love love love it. And appropriate. And upbeat. I want to hire the guy playing in the video, too. :P
Does that sound like a reasonable play list??
Throwing stuff
I've told Mr. SB that I don't want to have a garter or bouquet toss. We're not having a lot of friends, and even less single friends, at the wedding. And while the bouquet toss seems kind of sad and awkward for the unmarried ladies, I think the garter hunting is just kind of weird and inappropriate. Mr. SB is sad about the no garter thing, so I was thinking about getting one for ... later. It's also a decent place to have your "Something Blue."
So there are about 500,000 options out there: joke ones, themed ones, HUGE ones. I've just listed some reasonable options below.
Option yeah, right.
But awfully pretty and totally different. Almost like it's jeweled.
Green beaded lace with velvet tie. And $75.00.
I'm trying to write my concluding thoughts and I keep thinking, "I like four, or three, or two, and one's ok, and that expensive one is so pretty, but four's good and so is three, and one. Ack!" Basically I'm totally undecided! For my first night of thinking, I've got some options.
Any votes or thoughts on the garter? How do you feel about bouquet/garter tosses?
So there are about 500,000 options out there: joke ones, themed ones, HUGE ones. I've just listed some reasonable options below.
Option yeah, right.But awfully pretty and totally different. Almost like it's jeweled.
Green beaded lace with velvet tie. And $75.00.
I'm trying to write my concluding thoughts and I keep thinking, "I like four, or three, or two, and one's ok, and that expensive one is so pretty, but four's good and so is three, and one. Ack!" Basically I'm totally undecided! For my first night of thinking, I've got some options.
Any votes or thoughts on the garter? How do you feel about bouquet/garter tosses?
Still talking about veils
So since I decided that I'll be veil-ing for the first ceremony, I decided I should look for one.
Consideration #1. Bridal stores charge a tonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn for them.
Consideration #2. I'm not going to be attempting (or asking anyone) to make it myself, although the talented women online insist it's a simple undertaking.
Consideration #3. I'm wearing a simple dress (no cathedral length) and don't like the birdcage look.
When I tried on veils at David's Bridal, I liked the elbow length. A tiny bit of googling lead me to the wonderful world of etsy. So many options, highly rated sellers, and SUCH good prices. I decided I like the work (and price) of BellaBridalVeils and searched through her selection.
My two favorites (I'd be ordering in ivory to match the dress. And all her veils come on a plastic comb which can be taken out "easily" for look two):
Option one.
Pretty simple, two tier. Can use as a blusher (pull over your face) or not. I don't want a blusher, but I like the fullness. Finished pencil edge. $24.00.
Option two.
Something I hadn't heard of... a circle cut. If I won't be having a blusher, I think this is exactly what I want it to look like from the back. "Layered" without layers, same pencil edge. $32.00.
Consideration #1. Bridal stores charge a tonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn for them.
Consideration #2. I'm not going to be attempting (or asking anyone) to make it myself, although the talented women online insist it's a simple undertaking.
Consideration #3. I'm wearing a simple dress (no cathedral length) and don't like the birdcage look.
When I tried on veils at David's Bridal, I liked the elbow length. A tiny bit of googling lead me to the wonderful world of etsy. So many options, highly rated sellers, and SUCH good prices. I decided I like the work (and price) of BellaBridalVeils and searched through her selection.
My two favorites (I'd be ordering in ivory to match the dress. And all her veils come on a plastic comb which can be taken out "easily" for look two):
Option one.Pretty simple, two tier. Can use as a blusher (pull over your face) or not. I don't want a blusher, but I like the fullness. Finished pencil edge. $24.00.
Option two.Something I hadn't heard of... a circle cut. If I won't be having a blusher, I think this is exactly what I want it to look like from the back. "Layered" without layers, same pencil edge. $32.00.
If you click on the link for option one or two you can see more views of the veils. Votes? Comments? Other suggestions?
Is buying a veil without trying it on risky?
Who knew weddings required multiple choice tests??
As part of the pre-marital counseling for the Catholic Church, we had to head 45 mins away to a counseling center for the first of three sessions.
Step one (the only one we've done so far) was to go take a 165 question test. On a Scantron sheet! There were 16 categories to measure our matching-ness. I think most were pretty reasonable questions about children, money, temperament, etc. Some were really weird, like "How flexible are you when you solve a problem?" The faith ones were also difficult, because it was things like "Our faith and spirituality bring us closer." And I was thinking, well no, we're pretty different, so I'd mark "Disagree" but Mr. SB thought well, it doesn't drive us apart and we're pretty similar spiritually/morally though not religiously, and he'd mark "Agree." So we might spend a little time discussing that part.
Overall, it did give us some interesting things to talk about and mostly we felt pretty good that we're a good match. Next step (in three weeks) we talk about the results. We're aiming for 80% agreement! :)
Interestingly, our counselor (therapist? I don't know what to call her) is one of 7 girls married to an only child. We talked about a few things that were so similar between our two situations (her & her husband vs. Mr. SB & I) and were very encouraged that they have been married 34 years. :)
Did you/would you consider pre-marital counseling?
Step one (the only one we've done so far) was to go take a 165 question test. On a Scantron sheet! There were 16 categories to measure our matching-ness. I think most were pretty reasonable questions about children, money, temperament, etc. Some were really weird, like "How flexible are you when you solve a problem?" The faith ones were also difficult, because it was things like "Our faith and spirituality bring us closer." And I was thinking, well no, we're pretty different, so I'd mark "Disagree" but Mr. SB thought well, it doesn't drive us apart and we're pretty similar spiritually/morally though not religiously, and he'd mark "Agree." So we might spend a little time discussing that part.
Overall, it did give us some interesting things to talk about and mostly we felt pretty good that we're a good match. Next step (in three weeks) we talk about the results. We're aiming for 80% agreement! :)
Interestingly, our counselor (therapist? I don't know what to call her) is one of 7 girls married to an only child. We talked about a few things that were so similar between our two situations (her & her husband vs. Mr. SB & I) and were very encouraged that they have been married 34 years. :)
Did you/would you consider pre-marital counseling?
My dress
My dress is in!!
I'm very very excited to take a trip to SF to pick it up, but a little sad that my mom and sis aren't here to go with me. Mr. SB said he'd drive down w/ me and wait outside. I think we're going to turn it into a combo trip to order our bands. Hooray!
So, I've put on a few pounds over the past couple months, and I'm nervous about how the dress will fit. Mr. SB & I have really and truly started in on our "until the wedding healthy eating" phase. I think we'll hold strong, but trying on a dress that I've been waiting on for 5+ months and having it not fit isn't something I'm looking forward to!
More honestly... I'm nervous that I'm having dress regret. When I tried on my dresses w/ my sis, I wasn't in love with any of them despite trying on several that were "everything I was looking for". When I tried on the one I bought I really did love it. It gave me butterflies.
Then I spent too much time reading bridal magazines and searching the internet. :(
First, I read an article about what was just coming into fashion for bridal trends, hot at the moment, and not cool/dated. My skirt style (pick ups) is apparently dated! The comment was "there are much prettier ways to decorate your skirt." Ouch.
Then, on weddingbee, a bride-to-be posted a picture of her in two dresses, one of them was mine! She was deciding between the two. To be fair , she didn't look anything like me, BUT she didn't look good in my dress and alllllll the comments picked the other.
So anyway, I'm going to try and get an appointment to pick it up in a couple weeks (hopefully after I've shed a few pounds!) and will be prepared to love it again.
Does everyone experience dress regret at some point??
I'm very very excited to take a trip to SF to pick it up, but a little sad that my mom and sis aren't here to go with me. Mr. SB said he'd drive down w/ me and wait outside. I think we're going to turn it into a combo trip to order our bands. Hooray!
So, I've put on a few pounds over the past couple months, and I'm nervous about how the dress will fit. Mr. SB & I have really and truly started in on our "until the wedding healthy eating" phase. I think we'll hold strong, but trying on a dress that I've been waiting on for 5+ months and having it not fit isn't something I'm looking forward to!
More honestly... I'm nervous that I'm having dress regret. When I tried on my dresses w/ my sis, I wasn't in love with any of them despite trying on several that were "everything I was looking for". When I tried on the one I bought I really did love it. It gave me butterflies.
Then I spent too much time reading bridal magazines and searching the internet. :(
First, I read an article about what was just coming into fashion for bridal trends, hot at the moment, and not cool/dated. My skirt style (pick ups) is apparently dated! The comment was "there are much prettier ways to decorate your skirt." Ouch.
Then, on weddingbee, a bride-to-be posted a picture of her in two dresses, one of them was mine! She was deciding between the two. To be fair , she didn't look anything like me, BUT she didn't look good in my dress and alllllll the comments picked the other.
So anyway, I'm going to try and get an appointment to pick it up in a couple weeks (hopefully after I've shed a few pounds!) and will be prepared to love it again.
Does everyone experience dress regret at some point??
Trying a Martha craft
Saturday morning with coffee and the Vh1 countdown is the perfect time to work on wedding crafts! I posted about the napkin poms before and decided to give them a shot. (*Side note: Mr. SB's vote on how to make the table look better was "Both colored napkins and a decorative ring." Thanks honey, double the work.)
Required Items:
Floral wire and tissue paper from the dollar store. Sweet.
Ruler and scissors.
I followed the instructions on her site exactly, even though it looked a darn mess in the process.
Finished result #1. Huge, not full, totally wrong.
Around that time, Elliot discovered that mommy was playing with crinkly craft products and got very interested.
Required Items:
Floral wire and tissue paper from the dollar store. Sweet.Ruler and scissors.
I followed the instructions on her site exactly, even though it looked a darn mess in the process.
Finished result #1. Huge, not full, totally wrong.
Around that time, Elliot discovered that mommy was playing with crinkly craft products and got very interested.I read the comments on the page and one poster noted that she used different sized paper than the instructions suggested. So I gave that a shot.
Too full, too big, just right! (Click to enlarge photo, I think you can see it better that way.)
Next to a coffee mug for size reference.
I'm actually very happy with how it turned out. Provided I get the thumbs up from Mr. SB, I'll go look for some colored tissue paper and craft away. I guess we need to decide if we're having colored or white napkins, but we'll get on that.
How do you think they turned out??
Too full, too big, just right! (Click to enlarge photo, I think you can see it better that way.)Next to a coffee mug for size reference.
I'm actually very happy with how it turned out. Provided I get the thumbs up from Mr. SB, I'll go look for some colored tissue paper and craft away. I guess we need to decide if we're having colored or white napkins, but we'll get on that.
How do you think they turned out??
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Project of the Day
I attempted a DIY wedding map for my guests a while back and it wasn't good. To say the least.
Here's the most recent attempt, with the hotels & church roughed in. (The map & roads are accurate.) Be kind...
Functional, but don't love it. What is it that needs to be fixed? The fonts? The clip art?
Help! How can I make my map better???
Here's the most recent attempt, with the hotels & church roughed in. (The map & roads are accurate.) Be kind...
Functional, but don't love it. What is it that needs to be fixed? The fonts? The clip art? Help! How can I make my map better???
Some place to put our guests
Fortunately or unfortunately, I live in a tourist destination that prides itself on not being strip mall-ish. Most of the time, I really like it, but trying to find to find accessible, affordable housing for our *many* out of town guests has been a pain!
There are few large or chain hotels in this area and the ones that exist (there's a Best Western in Sonoma) are no bargain (rooms starting at $220 group rate!). Bed & breakfasts & spas are super nice and abundant, but can also be extremely expensive. I've found two reasonable options, one in Sonoma & one in Napa but NEITHER take block reservations. And therefore don't give any sort of group discount either.
This is all I want! A basic room for <$150 (it's low season! And isn't the economy crummy?!).
(*Side story. The place in Sonoma told me "Sure, we can block the rooms, but at the time of booking we charge your credit card for the first night. When they check in, we just charge for additional nights so you have to get reimbursed if you don't want to pay for it." What? How is that a good plan for anyone?? I think I said something really elegant like, "Really? Well, I don't think I want to do that, but I'll call you back if I do...")
Unfortunately, this is where I'm at. There just aren't many hotel options in this area. I've listed the two hotels on our wedding website, and people will have to call and reserve them individually. (*I was planning on having a nice out of town bag for them, hopefully there's not too much running around town to distribute them.) I'll try and help trouble shoot as best I can... but hopefully there's not too much of that!
Do you think the guests will have trouble reserving rooms not "in a block"?
There are few large or chain hotels in this area and the ones that exist (there's a Best Western in Sonoma) are no bargain (rooms starting at $220 group rate!). Bed & breakfasts & spas are super nice and abundant, but can also be extremely expensive. I've found two reasonable options, one in Sonoma & one in Napa but NEITHER take block reservations. And therefore don't give any sort of group discount either.
This is all I want! A basic room for <$150 (it's low season! And isn't the economy crummy?!).(*Side story. The place in Sonoma told me "Sure, we can block the rooms, but at the time of booking we charge your credit card for the first night. When they check in, we just charge for additional nights so you have to get reimbursed if you don't want to pay for it." What? How is that a good plan for anyone?? I think I said something really elegant like, "Really? Well, I don't think I want to do that, but I'll call you back if I do...")
Unfortunately, this is where I'm at. There just aren't many hotel options in this area. I've listed the two hotels on our wedding website, and people will have to call and reserve them individually. (*I was planning on having a nice out of town bag for them, hopefully there's not too much running around town to distribute them.) I'll try and help trouble shoot as best I can... but hopefully there's not too much of that!
Do you think the guests will have trouble reserving rooms not "in a block"?
Still hate my plate setting
So we got the quote from the caterer/rentals and the rentals were WAY more than we had hoped. Lame. Apparently our tablecloths were expensive, that's what we get for shopping without price tags. So we won't be upgrading to prettier china/silverware, but I've gotta do SOME thing.
Recap:
This is my mock setting. White china, simple flatware. The tablecloth has a pretty sheen to it and is a nice clovery green color. And it's booooring.
Our centerpieces will be similar to this, in colors and shape, but smaller. And surrounded by votives and pillar candles.
Source
Ideas:
Napkin pom rings. These beauties (introduced to us by Martha and adapted by another blogger) seem easy enough. Tissue paper and floral wire, I can handle. Wouldn't it be pretty to have several color poms to go around the table? Different colors at each place setting around the table... various greens, ivory, yellows?
Different napkin/name card idea. This would be a fun way to add color. I wasn't really planning on assigning seats, but I bet we could find some pretty, cheap ribbon and do this pretty easily. And that name card + belly band looks a lot like my invitations & programs.
Colored napkins. We planned on having a green tablecloth, white china, and white napkins. But maybe green napkins is all you need? (Ignore the huge seashell centerpiece in the pic below.)
The really simple dishes, flatware and glassware look just right in this picture with the color coordinated linens.
Source
Do you have a favorite? How else could I spice up the place settings?
Recap:
This is my mock setting. White china, simple flatware. The tablecloth has a pretty sheen to it and is a nice clovery green color. And it's booooring.
Our centerpieces will be similar to this, in colors and shape, but smaller. And surrounded by votives and pillar candles.Source
Ideas:
Napkin pom rings. These beauties (introduced to us by Martha and adapted by another blogger) seem easy enough. Tissue paper and floral wire, I can handle. Wouldn't it be pretty to have several color poms to go around the table? Different colors at each place setting around the table... various greens, ivory, yellows?
Different napkin/name card idea. This would be a fun way to add color. I wasn't really planning on assigning seats, but I bet we could find some pretty, cheap ribbon and do this pretty easily. And that name card + belly band looks a lot like my invitations & programs.
Colored napkins. We planned on having a green tablecloth, white china, and white napkins. But maybe green napkins is all you need? (Ignore the huge seashell centerpiece in the pic below.)
The really simple dishes, flatware and glassware look just right in this picture with the color coordinated linens.Source
Do you have a favorite? How else could I spice up the place settings?
A teary evening...
I *had* big plans for my evening, but since my garage door is not cooperating (gr!) I'm at home doing wedding stuff.
Thinking about the Catholic vows and how much I wish we could have them say something a little different (case in point, I don't want to talk about death, in any fashion, on my wedding day. "'Til death do us part" has always sounded SO morbid to me!), I set out into the e-world to find out "how to write your wedding vows".
Here are some of my favorite suggestions.
I love you. You are my best friend.
Today I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you,
and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
I promise to love you in good times and in bad,
when life seems easy and when it seems hard,
when our love is simple, and when it is an effort.
I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard
These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.
Source
_______, I love you. You are my best friend and will be forever. Today I give myself to you in marriage to be your wife. I promise to encourage you, to laugh with you and to comfort you in times of sorrow. I promise to love you in good times and bad. I promise to cherish and respect you. Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you, caring, loving and being there for you in all life has for us. I will always be the person that you can trust, talk to and the person that will always understand. I will make my home in your heart. These promises I give you today and all of the days of our lives. I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live. Take this ring as a sign of my faith and commitment.
Source **I changed this one a little bit.
I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give.
I promise to accept you the way you are.
I fell in love with you for the qualities, abilities, and outlook on life that you have,
and won't try to reshape you in a different image.
I promise to respect you as a person with your own interests, desires, and needs,
and to realize that those are sometimes different, but no less important than my own.
I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my personal
world into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.
I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face change as we both change
in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.
And finally, I promise to love you in good times and in bad, with all I have to give
and all I feel inside in the only way I know how... completely and forever.
Source
Today I will marry my best friend,
the one I will live with, dream with and love.
I take you to be my husband/wife.
From this day forward I will cherish you,
I will look with joy down the path of our tomorrow's
knowing we will walk it together side by side, hand in hand and
heart to heart.
Source
So they all brought tears to this bawl-baby's eyes. None are perfect and, obviously, I've got some thinking to do on length, style, etc. But it was a fun project. :)
Which of the vows above is your favorite??
Thinking about the Catholic vows and how much I wish we could have them say something a little different (case in point, I don't want to talk about death, in any fashion, on my wedding day. "'Til death do us part" has always sounded SO morbid to me!), I set out into the e-world to find out "how to write your wedding vows".
Here are some of my favorite suggestions.
I love you. You are my best friend.
Today I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you,
and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
I promise to love you in good times and in bad,
when life seems easy and when it seems hard,
when our love is simple, and when it is an effort.
I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard
These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.
Source
_______, I love you. You are my best friend and will be forever. Today I give myself to you in marriage to be your wife. I promise to encourage you, to laugh with you and to comfort you in times of sorrow. I promise to love you in good times and bad. I promise to cherish and respect you. Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you, caring, loving and being there for you in all life has for us. I will always be the person that you can trust, talk to and the person that will always understand. I will make my home in your heart. These promises I give you today and all of the days of our lives. I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live. Take this ring as a sign of my faith and commitment.
Source **I changed this one a little bit.
I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give.
I promise to accept you the way you are.
I fell in love with you for the qualities, abilities, and outlook on life that you have,
and won't try to reshape you in a different image.
I promise to respect you as a person with your own interests, desires, and needs,
and to realize that those are sometimes different, but no less important than my own.
I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my personal
world into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.
I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face change as we both change
in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.
And finally, I promise to love you in good times and in bad, with all I have to give
and all I feel inside in the only way I know how... completely and forever.
Source
Today I will marry my best friend,
the one I will live with, dream with and love.
I take you to be my husband/wife.
From this day forward I will cherish you,
I will look with joy down the path of our tomorrow's
knowing we will walk it together side by side, hand in hand and
heart to heart.
Source
So they all brought tears to this bawl-baby's eyes. None are perfect and, obviously, I've got some thinking to do on length, style, etc. But it was a fun project. :)
Which of the vows above is your favorite??
Ceremony A: the easy one
So, putting together a wedding ceremony. Not something many people do on a regular basis. One thing you can say for the Catholics, they're organized! At our meeting, the priest gave me a book.
In this book are sections where you choose one reading from the "B" category and assign some one to read it, one from the "C" category, a Gospel reading from "D", etc.
Mr. SB, as a non-Christian, isn't really that invested in the readings, but has some interest. Especially that we choose readings more focused on moral codes/lifestyle than direct religion or religious figures. Our conversation actually went something like this.
"Mr. SB, do you care about the readings I choose?"
"Can we pick the readings that aren't too churchy?"
"You do realize they're all from the Bible...?"
I'm going to read through the book and choose two options for each category and then have Mr. SB put in his two cents. (Ok, I'll be honest, I hope he chooses the "Love is patient, love is kind" passage from 1 Corinthians.)
We're both a little disappointed that the Catholic vows are the priest talking then you say "I do." But let's be honest, I'm sure I'll be crying and "I do" will be plenty for me to try and squeak out. And later we can share our more personal statements. Hooray for benefits of two ceremonies!
Honestly, I'm pretty excited to have the opportunity to include more people in the ceremony because I have a few people who will be in attendance (my godmother, godfather, dad who's studying to be a deacon, godbaby) that it would be nice to be able to include. Unfortunately, I also need a vocalist & musician and don't really have those in the family. So we'll be looking for another set of them (we have the reserved for the winery).
Coming up with a "free form" ceremony will be a little more challenging, and will be a soon-to-do project.
Did you have trouble selecting readings for your ceremony or did they seem to fall into place?
In this book are sections where you choose one reading from the "B" category and assign some one to read it, one from the "C" category, a Gospel reading from "D", etc.Mr. SB, as a non-Christian, isn't really that invested in the readings, but has some interest. Especially that we choose readings more focused on moral codes/lifestyle than direct religion or religious figures. Our conversation actually went something like this.
"Mr. SB, do you care about the readings I choose?"
"Can we pick the readings that aren't too churchy?"
"You do realize they're all from the Bible...?"
I'm going to read through the book and choose two options for each category and then have Mr. SB put in his two cents. (Ok, I'll be honest, I hope he chooses the "Love is patient, love is kind" passage from 1 Corinthians.)
We're both a little disappointed that the Catholic vows are the priest talking then you say "I do." But let's be honest, I'm sure I'll be crying and "I do" will be plenty for me to try and squeak out. And later we can share our more personal statements. Hooray for benefits of two ceremonies!
Honestly, I'm pretty excited to have the opportunity to include more people in the ceremony because I have a few people who will be in attendance (my godmother, godfather, dad who's studying to be a deacon, godbaby) that it would be nice to be able to include. Unfortunately, I also need a vocalist & musician and don't really have those in the family. So we'll be looking for another set of them (we have the reserved for the winery).
Coming up with a "free form" ceremony will be a little more challenging, and will be a soon-to-do project.
Did you have trouble selecting readings for your ceremony or did they seem to fall into place?
Two look bride
I had read how some ladies are choosing to be "two dress brides," a more formal gown for the ceremony followed by a more dance friendly version for the party. And I thought that was crazy. You're spending all that money! Wear the dress all night!
Until...
I know Mr. SB was really looking forward to our "first look" at the winery with my fancy dress and the beautiful back drop (and our photographers present to capture the moment..). I have to say, I was/am too. But now with us having a little ceremony first, 3+ hours before we see the rest of our guests, with our photographers not yet present, isn't the set up for a "Wow" moment. So... I did a little thinking/online shopping and have decided I'll be a two dress (and completely different look) bride.
Look one: To be worn at the winery (first look, ceremony, and all night). The dress has a full skirt, strapless, sweetheart neckline, trumpet shape. Sparkly hair clip, no veil.
Look two: To be worn at the church. Simple, more formal material, but simpler silhouette. And a steal. :) And I'm going to wear a veil. So I'll actually have seen him in this look first, hopefully get some of my cry out of the way, and then come out for a Wow! moment in the dress above.
Dress two isn't his favorite style, but I think it's totally acceptable and works well with our funny ceremony set up. I'll be recycling shoes, possibly jewelry. I'll talk about jewelry another time.
Do the two dresses/styles seem to work with what I've got planned?
Until...
I know Mr. SB was really looking forward to our "first look" at the winery with my fancy dress and the beautiful back drop (and our photographers present to capture the moment..). I have to say, I was/am too. But now with us having a little ceremony first, 3+ hours before we see the rest of our guests, with our photographers not yet present, isn't the set up for a "Wow" moment. So... I did a little thinking/online shopping and have decided I'll be a two dress (and completely different look) bride.
Look one: To be worn at the winery (first look, ceremony, and all night). The dress has a full skirt, strapless, sweetheart neckline, trumpet shape. Sparkly hair clip, no veil.
Look two: To be worn at the church. Simple, more formal material, but simpler silhouette. And a steal. :) And I'm going to wear a veil. So I'll actually have seen him in this look first, hopefully get some of my cry out of the way, and then come out for a Wow! moment in the dress above.
Dress two isn't his favorite style, but I think it's totally acceptable and works well with our funny ceremony set up. I'll be recycling shoes, possibly jewelry. I'll talk about jewelry another time.
Do the two dresses/styles seem to work with what I've got planned?
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