Sunshine, lollipops and rain-clouds?

Ms. Frozen Yogurt recently blogged about her lonely venture into the wedding-preparation world. I could empathize, as I have had to do many things alone. However, her blog also reminded me of a day, not too long ago, when I really wish I had been alone in my lesson planning.

During my brief visit home, I decided to make an appointment to meet with my florist. Now, because I have been away for so long, I have never met my florist (gasp!). I know, I know...try it before you buy it, but I didn't.

She had come highly recommended to me by my bridesmaid who had done a trade show and had seen her work exhibited there. She told me that she had a very good eye and that she did stuff that was a bit unconventional. Great, I thought. Sounds like what I am going for. I called her, saw her stuff online and based on our conversation, thought that she would be a good person to work with.

So, I made my appointment to meet her at a local coffee shop and decided to bring along two aunts and my cousin/junior bridesmaid. She showed up with a lovely arrangment for me and one for the coffee shop, which I thought was a nice touch. She handed us her portfolio as well as some flower magazines to browse through for ideas. I will admit that I had no idea what I wanted going into the meeting, but I figured that the ideas would slowly emerge through our conversation.

Well, that did not happen.

One of my aunts tried to give her vision - centerpieces composed entirely of one type of flower, with each table having a different flower a la Martha Stewart, like this:

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Or these:

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I had not really thought about it, but upon a quick reflection, I thought that might be a good idea. Unfortunately, the florist was not on board. She insisited that having only one type of flower in one particular color could be disasterous. Why? According to her, if we insisted on say, all orange tulips or all yellow roses, we could be faced with sub-quality flowers. Her example was, "Say you have a dinner party. And you have been planning it for weeks. You have in your mind that you are going to serve chocolate-covered strawberries and when you get to the store, all the strawberries are moldy or soggy. However, right next to the strawberries you see the most beautiful and ripe raspberries. What do you do?"

I saw where she was coming from and agreed - to an extent. What if, I asked, I gave you a list of flowers that I like and you can get them in any of the following colors. Not all of them have to be the same, but as long as you get these flowers in these colors. Can you work with that? Of course, she replied, I just need some leeway.

However, the damage had been done. My aunt was furious that the florist was so stubborn and adamant about her stance and the florist was incensed at my aunt "butting-in".

We left the coffee shop with me wondering if I had burned my bridges with this florist - who, mind you, already had a deposit. I called the florist a few weeks after that and fortunately, everything was ok. I assured her that my aunt would not be coming to any more of our meetings and that from here on out, she would be dealing exclusively with me. She was grateful to hear that and we both agreed that there was some misunderstanding on everyone's part - the florist wasn't listening to my aunt and my aunt was not listening to my florist.

Things are a better now, but I am definitely a bit more cautious in inviting people to accompany me to vendor meetings.

What about you? Do you have a horror story to share about vendors and family?

Bachelorette Party

So, let's see...Recapping from my monumental move and catching up with where I am now.

A week before we moved from Boston to LA (the original plan), FH was stolen away to Maine by his best man and some friends to go white water rafting for the weekend. I mentioned this to one of my girl friends who promptly organized a bachelorette party for me. Great, I thought, we will meet at this girlfriend's home and walk over to our favorite bar, about a mile away.

*All pictures by me.

Well, this wonderful girlfriend of mine went all out. She had this beautiful pink and brown theme going:

Those ginormous lollipops that you see near the back - cheesecake lollipops....covered in chocolate....

I did not take pictures of the actual drinks, but this girlfriend made Kir Royale's and rimmed the champagne glass in pink sugar. You can imagine how cute they were.

She did such a wonderful job! We played a few bachelorette games and headed over to the Washington Square Tavern, my most favorite bar. It's dark and quiet, with dark wood everywhere and the bartenders have beautiful Irish accents...oh yes, and they knew me. You remember the Cheers song, "Where everybody knows your name"? Well, that's what it was like...except it wasn't everybody, it was the bartenders and everyone knows that when the bartenders know you, it's the best! (Yes, I enjoy a good drink every so often ;-))

Do you see how happy we are with our drinks?

Anywho, I remember that FH called me on his way to Maine, slurring his words slightly and asked how I was doing. Even in his inebriated state, he was worried about me and whatever games we would play (or would be played on me). I found it very endearing but at the same time, I thought the difference in our parties were so different. While I was having Kir Royales and cocktails and truffles (oh my!), he was having Bud Light and Burger King.

In the end, he had a great time, as did I. Each of us got a party that was perfectly tailored to each of our tastes. At the end of the weekend, we both were reminded of how incredibly blessed we both were to have such a great group of friends who cared about us so much.

What about you? Did you have a bachelorette party? Was it exactly what you expected it to be? Or were you faced with a Mrs. Mary Jane-like dilema?

Update

So, a lot has happened since my last post forever-and-a-day ago. I have gone from graduating for my second MA program in Boston with every intention of moving back to Los Angeles and finding a job, getting married and living happily ever after (not taking into account that CA is in serious fiscal trouble).

Then, I was offered a job to teach at a university in Denver. I had applied for jobs in CO, along with FH, because his sister lives there. Family is huge for us so rather than pick a place at random where we have no network, we chose to search for jobs in areas where we had family or friends. So, let me set the situation up for you: I have just left the Post Office (I mean, literally, just left) after sending my fourth shipment of possessions to CA when I check my Blackberry and see that I have a message from this university. A faculty member wanted to interview me. I showed it to FH, who suggested that I do the interview - reminding me that doing the interview did not mean that I would a) be offered a job or b) have to accept.

So I did the interview, aced it and was offered the job. I went to CO to baptize my future niece and checked out the university. With no job prospects for FH or me in CA and a good resume builder job in CO, I decided to take the job. Problem was that FH had shipped his car to CA, along with most of my belongings. So after the brief pit stop in CO, we flew out to CA where we spent about a week and a half with my family while we waited for his car to arrive. When it did, we loaded it up and drove from LA to Vegas (and resisted the urge to do a quicky marriage) to Salt Lake City. We stopped in Cheyenne for a quick tour and then head south to Denver.

Needless to say, in the rush to settle everything, I had a lag in my blogging as well as keeping up with WeddingBee. I now have taken a deep breath, centered myself and thought long and hard about re-applying. I have less than two months (well, practically two months since the two month mark was only two days ago!) but I am ready to get back in Wedding mode. There is oodles to catch up on ;-)

What about you? Has there been any major thing that has thrown a glitch into your wedding planning?

Bride's Bouquet Crashes Plane

Bride's Bouquet Crashes Plane

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Eeek! Can you imagine?!?

What is your worst nightmare about the bouquet toss? Did something like this EVER make its way into your worst case scenario?

Magnetic Save the Dates

So, after becoming engaged and picking a state to get married in (remember, I'm from CA and the FH is from MA), we figured that we would need to send STDs to those who would be having to travel for the wedding (his family). We wanted to give them plenty of time to prepare for the trip.

Well, then we started thinking that it would be best to send STDs to everyone, not just those who would have to travel, because hey, it's a STD not simply a Book-A-Flight reminder.

With that in mind, we thought long and hard about what do and one day, it just came to me: Magnets. I looked online for companies that could make magnets for us on the cheap, but everything turned out to be pretty expensive (I mean, given our budget). So I started thinking about making them myself - and I did. Not to toot my own horn, but they turned out wonderfully! We mentioned to a few people that the magnets were DIY and they could not believe it - they thought that the magnets were professional.

So, here's what we did:

First we picked a few pictures from our engagement shoot - shot by the wonderful Lexi Savelyev. We opened the picture in Adobe Photoshop and used the tools to add text to the picture (the necessary information, names, date, location in both English and Spanish). We saved the new pictures containing the texts onto a CD and took these pictures to Costco where we printed wallet-sized pictures. Obviously, you can take the CD to any picture processing place such as CVS or Target with the same results. Total cost? About $15 for 12 sheets of wallet-sized pictures (108 total pictures).

We also went to Staples to purchase wallet-sized magnets (typically used for business cards). Total cost: $15.49 for a pack of 50. We ended up buying three.

We cut the pictures to the right dimensions and adhered them to the magnets (the magnets have an adhesive back that is easy to peel).

I went to Paper Source and purchased some card stock. They have a special where if you purchase 10 items of the same thing (i.e. the same sized card stock, envelopes, etc.) they will give you another (of the same item) for free. Total cost: About $60 I believe (they were having a sale) for 100 cards and 100 envelopes.

I printed more detailed info onto the card stock (names, date, invitation to follow, etc.) and then cut slits into the cardstock so that I could insert the magnet.

We chose four different pictures - not all of which were diagonal, so we had to position the text differently on the cardstock depending on the layout of the picture. We also did half of the STDs in Spanish so that my family would understand.

Total cost: With stamps and everything, it was a little over $130. Ok, so it was not as cheap as I thought it would be but it is cheaper than having them professionally done. And the satisfaction of letting the creative juices flow? Priceless.

What did you do for Save-the-Dates?

June 2, 2000

(Source)

June 2, 2000 was a momentous day for my young life. It was the day that, after two and a half years of teeth extraction, wire tightening, rubber-banding my mouth shut and gasp! head-gear, I was finally getting my braces removed. I remember running my tongue over my smooth, clean teeth and marveling at the sensation - a sensation that had eluded me for a very long time. For two and a half years, running my tongue over my teeth would have resulted in a several cuts.

The doctor gave me my retainer and told me that for 6 months, I had to (no ifs, ands or buts) wear my retainers all the time. And I did, adjusting with some difficulty to the new apparatus in my mouth. Oh sure, during a school dance or a special event, those retainers would be nowhere in sight, but in general, I was very good about wearing them.

After the 6 month mark, I slowly started phasing out my retainers. Needless to say, over nine years later, wearing my retainers is not something I do...at least, not until recently.

My teeth are still pretty straight - if you see my smile in pictures, there is no way you could see the subtle shift of my bottom teeth.

(Photo courtesy of Lexi Savelyev)

But I notice it. And with the wedding a little over 4 months away, I am trying to perfect anything and everything I can about my appearance - even if it is something that only I can see...

So I have begun wearing my retainers at night. Ok, so maybe this shouldn't be something that I restart but something I should have been doing all along...thereby avoiding the inevitable pain I am now eduring as my teeth realign. ::Sigh:: But alas, I didn't and now, I am paying for my lazy behavior.

So, my question: What have you started doing in preparation for your wedding that you should have been doing all along, but did not do?

Wedding Bee

So...after applying to be a blogger for WeddingBee and getting the email letting me know that I was not accepted, I felt...well...I'm not sure. I took it all in stride and reminded myself that there were many talented people out in the blogging world vying for the same position that I was. I also told myself that things happen for a reason (the mantra of my life) and let it go. I left blogging, assuming that the only reason that I had started to do it was for the WB application and went about my life and wedding planning and job searching and whatnot.

A few weeks ago, my fiance were out and about running errands and when we came back to the apartment, we decided to unwind a bit by watching TV. Halfway through a show, my short attention span kicked in and I picked up my netbook to search through the net. After a few minutes, he asked what I was reading. WeddingBee, I replied. He looked at me and casually stated, You should apply to be a bee.

I was surprised. He knew I read WeddingBee on a daily basis and that blogging intimidated me a bit. Because of this, shall we say, fear, I never told him that I had applied in the first place (I was hoping to surprise him with the news only if I got accepted as a blogger). It was my own personal little challenge. Now, here he was, vocalizing something that he knew I really wanted without me having to tell him.

I was surprised at our connection and so in love with him. So I took his suggestion to heart and got back on the horse....So here I am, giving it another go at WeddingBee.

I know its a longshot. I see the posts by Mrs.Bee about how many wannabees like myself apply for the chance to share their perspective with the hive. But I have nothing to lose and much to gain.

So, who wants to be a Bee and how many times did/will you apply?

Protection

I recently read in Brides Magazine some quick fixes for problems that might arise during the wedding. One of the problems they posed was what to do if your FH could not stop sweating. They suggested that FH drink a cold glass of water and to have a hanky ready to go. Well, check out what I found:

These handy little shields go over the armpit area of a shirt and prevent sweat stains. Now, I have never worn a tux, but from what I hear, they can get pretty hot. The last thing I want is a sweaty fiance (or at least, an obviously sweaty fiance). These pads are made of out of breathable cotton and you can purchase them here.

What steps are you taking to ensure your fiance (or yourself) feels and looks as cool as a cucumber?

Real Flower Jewelry

You've seen the flower girl dresses that I have decided to go with and in searching for cute accesories, I came upon this Etsy seller:

RoyalPrincess's (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6331912)

She takes actual roses and preserves them with Electrofoming and then makes them into jewelry. I know I was supposed to be looking for accessories for the baby, but I can't help it if I find some stuff for myself as well, right? ;-)

Flower Girl

My FH is a proud new uncle and we have been asked to be godparents to the new baby. Even before being asked to be godparents, even before meeting the baby, probably right around the time when we found out that the baby would be a girl, we decided that she would be our flower girl. However, a problem that I have encountered is the fact that the baby will in fact, be a baby. An 8 month old baby to be exact.

Obviously, that poses some problems, namely, what will she wear and how will we get her down the aisle. I have looked all over the internet and most flower girl dresses will be too big for her. I have looked at Etsy, but most dresses look too casual or too waaay over the top. I have even looked at christening outfits, but they look, well...like christening outfits.

So, I figure that we will have to find some seamstress to make a custom dress. ::Le sigh::

We also have to find a way to transport her down the aisle. She wont be able to walk, and her regular stroller probably wont look very wedding-y. So, what do you do in this case? I saw a "Whose Wedding is it Anyway?" episode where the wedding planner went all out with the stroller and covered it in flowers. It was ADORABLE! I love the idea, so now I am wondering how I can go about recreating it, without breaking the bank.

Any ideas? What are your flower girl plans?

Age of Weddings

It seems to me that most of my friends nowadays are either married, engaged or definitly on the road towards marriage. Not only that, where a few years ago I was going to quinceneras (Sweet 15 birthday parties) on a regular basis, this past year and this year, most of my major events consist of weddings and birthday parties. When did this happen?

Not that I'm complaining. I love seeing my friends with their significant others, knowing that they have found the one. Nor do I mind finding out that a friend of mine is pregnant/delivered her first baby. I'm thrilled for them. I am just in shock at how quickly I have accepted events that I once viewed as a distant milestone.

Funny case in point. A few months ago, I went to Long's Jewelery because they were having a huge wedding sale. This Long's Jewelery store is pretty big and is located across the street from the Burlington Mall. After shopping at the mall, FH and I drove to Long's. We are pulling into a parking spot, right next to another couple. I look up, ready to offer an understanding smile to the fellow bride-to-be when I realize that the couple parked next to us also happen to be some friends from grad school. They got engaged a couple of months after we did! The fiancee and I looked at each other and burst out laughing, while the boys looked at us strangely (not yet having seen each other). It was only when the boys saw us hugging that they put two-and-two together. We caught up a bit before parting ways inside the store to find our rings (which both couples did). Funny, that an event that would not have caught my eye years ago, now draws not only me but my friends as well....

What about you? Are all your friends getting married or are you the first one?

Save-The-Dates

So, after becoming engaged and picking a state to get married in (remember, I'm from CA and the FH is from MA), we figured that we would need to send STDs to those who would be having to travel for the wedding (his family). And then we started thinking that it would be best to send STDs to everyone, not just those who would have to travel. Here's what we did.

First we picked a few pictures from our engagement shoot - shot by the wonderful Lexi Savelyev (http://www.lexiphotography.com/). With Adobe Photoshop, we added text to the picture (the necessary information, names, date, location in both English and Spanish) and took these pictures to Costco (but any picture processing place would work fine) where we printed wallet-sized pictures.

We also went to Staples to purchase wallet-sized magnets (typically used for business cards).

We cut the pictures to the right dimensions and adhered them to the magnets (the magnets have an adhesive back that is easy to peel).

I went to Paper Source and purchased some card stock. I printed more detailed info onto the card stock (names, date, invitation to follow, etc.) I cut slit onto the cardstock to insert the magnets and voila! Inexpensive STDs.

Because the pictures are not all horizontal nor diagonal, we had to position the text differently on the cardstock depending on the layout of the picture. We also did half of the STDs in Spanish so that my family would understand.

What did you do for Save-the-Dates?

Who's Walking You Down the Aisle?

I got a call from my mom yesterday. My great-aunt is visiting from Mexico and she asked my mother about who would be walking me down the aise (my father and I have a very stormy relationship). My mother informed her that my father is not invited and that she would be walking me down the aisle herself.

Now this may not be so unusual nowadays, but my great-aunt could not wrap her mind around the fact that a woman would be walking her daughter down the aisle. She insisted that my uncle would be a better option. My mother broached the subject with me, and I assured her that no matter what, she is the person who has been with me through thick and thin and if anyone is going to "give me away", it will be her. You could almost hear her breathe a sigh of relief. "Ok, I mean, that's what I told your aunt, but I just wanted to check..."

No, I will not be changing my mind.

Alas, given the fact that I am being given away by my mother and having a male honor attendant, I think my great-aunt wont be the only one having trouble wrapping her mind around my wedding ceremony...

What about you? Are you being given away? If so, by who?

Engagement Ring

Inspired by Anne Ruthmann's instructions on taking wonderful engagement ring pictures, I am showing off my best shots. Enjoy!

I like this one because you can see the brownstone in the background. I will definetly miss Boston once we move...

Springtime in Boston is wonderful! I found this mini pansy walking from BC to my apartment. I then used Adobe Photoshop to make it B&W.

The background here is from the only painting FH and I own...We hope to fill our home one day with paintings.

This flower was plucked from the tree outside my apartment. Again, I used Adobe Photoshop to change it to B&W.

What do you think of my photography skills?