Aren't These Hydrangeas Beautiful?

The Good Ole' College Try....

Throughout my wedding plannings (i know that plannings probably isn't a word, but it is now) I have encountered many amazing Websites where the ever-present theme is DIY. Everyone is DIY'in these days, whether it be their wedding programs, invitations, wedding cake; I even saw a DIY wedding gown (that is completely insane!). Just what is this DIY, you ask? It took me a while to figure that one out myself. Little did all of us non-weddingoers know that there is a whole set of wedding lingo and abbreviations that we had no idea existed. Like FI, MOH, MIL, FIL, STDs (I hate that one....it is supposed to be save the dates but it isn't the first thing I think of : ) and so on. It took me a while to realize what the heck everyone was discussing on these sites. Especially when it came to DIY: Do-It-Yourself. Every engaged woman in cyber space has a DIY project going on, and frankly, I got a little jealous. While I usually prefer other people to do things for me, I wanted to be more hands-on with my wedding.....at least more than just filling out on-line forms and waiting blindly for a package to arrive in the mail. So I decided upon my very first DIY project: I am going to design my own wedding fans........with a lil' help from my fabulous graphic designer friend, Debbie. This is my first DIY [wedding] project, and I am extremely excited for it! I am also thrilled that Debbie is going to help me out with it. She is my creatively-apt, good friend/fashionista advisor. Good eye for details, that woman. Anyways....per my previous post, instead of having regular, run-of-the-mill ceremony programs, we will instead hand out wedding program fans. Originally I saw the traditional fans that look like this and was completely satisfied: Not only were they unique, but they were also cost-effective, and most importantly, informative!

However, not two weeks after making up my mind about the fans, I came across a much more sophisticated style that I just had to have. I spoke with Susanne from Cards de Luxe and she was very willing to work with me. Originally I had wanted her to do all my fans, from scratch. The only problem was that she wants $7.50 per fan! Multiply that by 80 fans and you have officially gone WAY over our program budget. While it would be worth it (her designs are so lovely, charming, romantic...) We just plain don't have the cash for it. So instead I worked it out with her where she would send me the template to design the fans, I would buy my own paper, and print off the designs, then send them back to her for cutting and assembly. The finished product will definitely be worth $7.50/fan, but I wont be paying that much! Here is an example of the new fans (I still have yet to work on them, but when I finish, maybe I'll post the final product)

I like the flip-fans so much more....they are more of a keepsake and I thought they looked a little more feminine (only the females will be receiving programs....I figured guys never look twice at those things). I am so excited! Susanne just sent me the template today, so hopefully I can work on it a little this weekend and get them printed out soon! I'm so excited about these, you have no idea! I have more DIY projects in the making, when we get a move on those, I will let you know........

The Perpetual Search for Perfection

That's right. I want everything to be just perfect. Does that make me crazy? It sure makes me feel crazy, especially when I find myself spending hours and hours searching the Internet for new ideas, or ideas that are better than the ones I already have, or new ideas about ideas, or....you get the point. The problem is, I feel as though I am continually searching, and not getting anything done! There are so many great ideas out there, and not enough time to sift through them all. & there is definitely not enough time to make up my mind on anything! It is enough to make you go insane! When Russell and I first got engaged, I was glad that our wedding date was only nine months away. I thought, "why have a long engagement?...I know I love him, why wait so long!" But now, I don't know....yesterday Russell and I went out for pizza (at Braconi's, of course!) and while we were there we started talking about how we almost wished we had more time to just relax and be engaged. We didn't really know how engaging the engagement process could be! (ha, ha) At least, I didn't know. While Russell has been extremely helpful, (he's the mastermind behind our menus--which should be done next week, yay!) I tend to take charge on things. If I don't know exactly what is going on, I constantly feel as though it will not be done right. It is just part of my personality/character to want to take care of things myself. The only thing I refuse to do is repeatedly call our vendors with all the changes we have made....and [luckily] Russell has definitely picked up the slack on that one. I don't know....I guess I was hoping that writing this post would make me feel like everything already is perfect. Which maybe, it is. But now I just feel like I wrote a whole lot of nothing, and am back where I started. Oh well......Maybe it is time Noel takes another mini-vacation. Hmmmm......

p.s. bridal bootcamp update......holy !?@# Beth & I are going to be in tip top shape come September!

Sweet Success

Well, I can check one more item off my unrelenting "to-do" list: We have decided upon a cake! I was never too worried about the whole cake business, in fact, I can never remember what the cake looked or tasted like at anybody else's wedding, but it is an important part of the reception nontheless. It will be a three-tiered cake, with a little water fountain thingy underneath it. In fact, that is why we chose this particular cake. Extra toys are always a bonus, and the water fountain gives the cake an extra appeal. Who knows, maybe someone will actually remember it after our wedding! That will prove difficult, however, because I think we'll have all of five minutes to view it (Russell and I will be cutting the cake BEFORE dinner, not after....this way they can cut and serve the cake for desert) Not only does the cake have a neat water fountain, but the biggest bonus is that it actually tastes good! When the cake lady brought out a sample piece, My Mom and I cleaned the plate! I'm not sure of your experience, but I have never had wedding cake that didn't taste dry, or slightly odd in some way or another...although this is primarily because the baker makes the cake one to two days beforehand....Anyways, if the baker we chose doesn't change the batter ingredients before September, we should be all good! We chose a marble cake (chocolate and vanilla swirl) with raspberry filling and buttercream icing. MMMM sooo yummy! & I don't like cake! I personally liked the whipped cream icing better but September can still be hot, and we didn't want our cake melting all over the dance floor (that's our guests' job!). Be sure to try at least a taste of it!

This cake is similar to the one we will have, although ours has roses and hydrangeas on it, with fresh flowers covering the base. (sorry the pic is so small) Actually, I think the one we picked out is a lot prettier : )


There is the fountain I am talking about: We will have a periwinkle blue light in the bottom, with fresh flowers scattered so you can't actually see the base. I just think it'll look so cool...I know, I'm way too excited about cake accessories....now all we need is a topper!

Flower Girl Frenzy

After months of procrastination, I finally picked out a flower girl dress for our perfect petal princess, Meredith. This is not just any flower girl. She is THE flower girl, and therefore deserves the best....and I think the dress I found yesterday is the one! You seriously couldn't ask for anything cuter. Much to my amazement [and dismay], it takes just as much ordering time for the flower girl dress than it does for bridesmaids dresses. The woman at the bridal store scolded me quite a bit for waiting so long! She started freaking out, saying, "Oh my goodness! They have to cut the material and dye it and tailor it...blah blah blah...Let me see what I can do". I knew full well the whole time that she would be able to get the dress to me before September 1st (it is a business, after all...and businesses have to make money), and all we had to do was put a rush order on the dress to get it by the second week of August. And while that is a lot of time for such a little dress, we made it happen. I'm just upset that I have to wait so long to see it in person. After quadruple checking to make sure we would have the dress on time for the wedding, I placed the order. Just in the nic of time, and it will be totally worth it... I am holding back quite a bit by not posting a picture of it for all to see, but I have to leave some surprises for the big day! My Mom keeps telling me to stop posting too much information about everything, but I figure why not? At least now everyone (everyone who reads this, at least) will notice all the small details that they ordinarily might not have...i.e. bathroom baskets : )

I am also excited to see how Meredith will do...she will only be about 2 1/2 in September....a lil' tiny one. She's a pretty outgoing girl, but may need a little coaxing down the aisle. I'm sure it looks like a much longer journey to her than it does to us! Although at the same time, she might just be confident enough to do it all her own. I guess we'll find out. Either way, she'll steal the show!

Picking out the flower girl dress also allotted me some time to try on my dress again. [did I fake you out by inserting a hyperlink there? While that is my designer, it is not my dress, HA!---nor is my dress currently on the Website. Yes, that MUST be a surprise for all!] After a couple weeks of bridal bootcamp I'm looking better and better in it! I'll find any excuse to go and try it on and stare at myself...or sometimes I'll walk in sans excuse... They are starting to get to know me pretty well around the House of Brides these days. I can't help it though, every day I feel myself getting more and more excited. Like now! Since I will not be posting the flower girl dress, I feel as though I should have some pic for your enjoyment, so here are some cute flower girl photos I found today (not half as cute as Meredith, though!)

<--------Cute couple, crazy-lookin' dress!

<-----Great pic!