Imitation is the best form of flattery

...or so they say.

I usually don't have a problem with good knockoffs, but I just cant get down with this faux Vera Bradley that a certain TV shopping network is pushing as equal to the real thing.

If you want this one though, you can find it here...I wont judge.
♥

Not dusk, Twilight

Ever so often, I completely cave to pop culture. This is one of those times. Honestly, I had never heard of the Twilight series before fairly recently. And right around the time I was starting to discover it, Krissi asked me if I had read them and then highly recommended I get on the bandwagon.

A week or two later, here I am. I've gone from skeptical compliance to peaked interest, with a brief detour in shock because for some reason I thought the movie was coming out next month, and now I'm placed firmly in the land where you try to read a book as fast as possible yet still absorb all the major themes AND delicious details. Gotta be able to support one of my favorite pastimes: making comparisons between the book and the motion picture adapted from the book. Seriously, I totally do that. Wanna know stuff they dont tell you in the movie because it would make the movie entirely too long? I'm your girl. I specialize in Harry Potter.

I'm running off now. I have work to do, and then Twilight to catch up on. The PHI has already offered to go see Twilight the movie (of course he doesnt care about not having read the book like me), and I'm going to graciously accept. After I finish the book of course.

♥

I'm trying, but I just dont get it

Last week I was accosted by Dani about (essentially) abandoning my regular blog in favor of my fab wedding one. Lo siento. I can't promise long and detailed prose, but I can promise to drop some fabulousness on you from time to time. Yes, I'm thrilled to be back.


I'm sorry B, but I have a pretty high tolerance for obscure/creative album titles. And maybe I'll understand it more once I hear the album (yes, I've already pre-orderd my copy from iTunes). I'm open to that. But right now...I just do not get it. Do you even get it? Is it going to be one of those things we look back on in 20 years ago and are like "what the hell was I thinking?" Idunno.

You know we've had our ups and downs over the years. I really do think you walked all over the Destiny's child. For a good reason? Debatable. No one doubts that you can sing...in fact sometimes you cram those runs down our throat. No one doubts you can shake your groove thing either. In a few words, you are really good at what you do. But do I have to call you Sasha?

So the point of tonight's post? I just wanted to see if anyone else was as confused about your album title choice as I was. Despite all my questions, I'm kind of excited about the album coming out, and despite having a "ring put on it" I ♥ when Single Ladies comes on the radio.

...all the single ladies...now put your hands up!
♥

P.S. Kanye honey, if you are reading this, you are so not off the hook either. We can talk about you later.

Have Ya'll Seen This?

My Uncle sent this to me the other day. Although I live in Georgia, I'm a registered Florida voter (for now). Normally, I vote to exercise my constitutional rights because the state usually goes the opposite of what I'm going. This year things are looking up...

♥

Important Announcement

Ahem, if I could have your attention for a brief moment, I have an important announcement to make: The wedding portion of my blog is getting its own place!

I decided to move the wedding stuff to another blog, mostly becuase I felt ...just fabulous was turning into a wedding blog, when in fact its not. I'll still have it after the wedding, and may possibly post non-wedding things here, but for the most part, after today, I'm moving the wedding stuff out and keeping it strictly non-wedding fabulous.

Or, at least thats what I'm going to try to do.

If you still wanna read about the wedding plans, ideas I have, things that inspire me, and off-registry gift ideas (you know you love those), please visit me at Soon to be Mrs. Patti. Please update your bookmarks/feeds to the new blog.

Thats it for me. I'm headed out to catch the LOOONG awaited season premiere of Private Practice.

I've finally succumbed to having a wedding blog. I've cross over into the dark side - lol.
♥

Special Request: Dress 0

As I've mentioned before, there has definitely been some dress drama.

Recap: I purchased a dress, returned it to David's Bridal and exchanged it for another dress (that cost the same), and then decided I didnt want that dress and sold it on eBay. The first dress we purchased (that was exchanged), I generally refer to as Dress 0. Mom loved Dress 0. I just liked it. Then I returned it for another, which I subseuqently sold.

Anyway, fast forward to today, and I'm well into the search for another dress. I think I've pretty much found it, but I'm open to the possibilities until I actually purchase one. Earlier, I was talking to the PHI before he went to work, and he was commenting on Dress 1 (he liked it), and mentioned that he wanted to see Dress 0. So, by special request, I'm posting pics of me in Dress 0.



Alright folks. This is Dress 0. As you can see, its defining feature is something I'm totally not really into: lots of embellishment. This dress is gorgeous, dont get me wrong, but it wasnt me. And I'm glad its back at David's.

This also concludes pictures of me in dresses. The next time you see me in a wedding dress, I'll be a married woman with a hyphened last name. So enjoy it while it lasts :)

♥

Current Events: Transportation drama, Football and the Debate

Despite spending a good part of the day immersed in wedding-world, I'm writing another non-wedding post - lol.

I just finished watching the debate. First of all, I'm super proud of myself. Second, I really have a hard time taking John McCain seriously. Which makes it kind of hard to give his debate performance objectively. Since i'm watching the news (and waiting for the PHI to arrive), I'm going to deposit a few thoughts about the debate and our policial climate:

1. He still just feels so old. Standing next to Barack Obama just seems to magnify that not so small issue. Do young people (we'll say the 18-25 demographic that I just left) find themselves able to relate to him? My granma is sharper than that! And my grandpa (who likes to talk about his time in the Army to ANYONE who will listen) doesnt reminisce on his veteran status and his war experience the way that McCain does. I wish I didnt know he was old. Like, my [fabulous] grandparents old. I digress.

2. I am pleased to see that McCain seemed to be a little bit more polished. Thats not a terribly difficult feat, but I'm glad he's stepping it up. Its crunch time now, and if he wants this presidency, he's got a lot of 'splainin to do.

3. [I'm not sure how proud I am about this] Prior to tonight, I was siding with Obama primarly because of the race card. And I would wage that many other African Americans are doing the same thing - on general principle. Surprisingly, Obama and I share some common thoughts about the state of the economy, the work the American governement needs to do to make us competive in this global environment, and steps we need to take to ensure our future. That felt good. Now I'm not just voting using my race card, I'm voting because of our alignment on the issues.

4. I'm a federal employee. I work for the Department of the Treasury (to be more specific). So talking about the federal budget, the President's budget, directly impacts me now. Two days a week I'm a federal employee, 3 days a week I'm a graduate student. That continuing resolution they mentioned? That impacts me. I'll still get paid, but our projects may be delayed because of it. It could also mean when the budget finally gets approved (in whatever state it will be in) after the election, the new president will have stacked it with whatever appropriations, cuts and allowances they deem important for us in the new fiscal year. Long story short, when they start talking budget cuts, tax cuts, and budget overhaul, my ears perk up. Thats my paycheck they could be talking about! (LOL, figured out which agency I work for yet?)

Moving on...

And what the hell is up with our gas situation? Its crazy. You would think that Ike hit Atlanta! Running out of gas is one thing, but not being able to purchase gas when you know you need it is very scary. I had my own ride around town experience on Wednesday. See, I work in Atlanta twice a week, and it takes almost a quarter tank of gas to get me there and back. Basically I purchase quite a bit of gas, and I dont like to let the tank get too low. On Tuesday one of my co-workers called in because he couldnt get gas. As laughable as that seems, its totally a reality! Thankfully I was able to find gas, but you better believe that I the PHI and I will not be doing a whole lot of driving this weekend.

In other transportation news, I thought when I left owrk on Thursday that I was on my way home. Needless to say, I was on my way only to the Lindberg station. See, I park my car at a MARTA station, and take MARTA downtown to my building. Sitting in traffic is not my idea of a good time, and it would take FOREVER to get to work if I had to drive into downtown Atlanta. But anyway, I left my building at 4:30 only to get off the train about 4 stops later. Seems there was a fire and they were bussing people to their stations rather than letting the trains pass through. After exiting and entering a couple more MARTA stations (because the whole moving the people situation was poorly planned and executed), I eventually got to my car about an hour and a half later. That got me back into Athens in time to check my email (nothing good) and prep myself for Greys. Yesterday was a long day, but not terribly bad, depsite the hold up getting home.

Last, but not least, I've been having quite a few football chats lately. Perhaps its because I've been trying to be better with the PHI on the football front. This weekend, UGA battles Alabama. Its a huge game. SEC football is serious business, and both teams are currently undefeated. Unfortunately (or not) I really dont care who wins. I'll be glad to talk some trash to William if we win, but if we dont, I know I wont lose any sleep about it. Speaking of losing, the PHI's team lost. He's a huge USC (Southern California, not South Carolina despite his mailing address) fan and the boys didnt pull though. He seems optimistic that his boys will still make it to the BCS championship game, and that one of the SEC teams (or more) are destined not to because they have to play each other. What-ev.

Sorry, this was longer than I intended. Just wanted to deposit some stuff, coment on the debate, catch you up on my MARTA adventure, and officially go on record with another post with sports content (look at me, I've got 2 now!). Hopefully you werent terribly bored :)

♥

Real Quick

Okay, so this is completely off any topic I am ever on, but I went to Publix after the gym, and purchased some of that sushi they sell in the store. I was bracing myself for anything really: it could be bad...like spend the afternoon on the toilet bad, it could be fine, but taste bad, it could be good, or it could just be mediocre.

It wasnt that expensive, so I decided to risk it, and let me tell you: I was pleasantly surprised. I got the Crunchy Shrimp Roll, and used some of my own less sodium soy sauce, and after 12 pieces (yes, 12 pieces for $7!), I am both full and satisfied.

Take home message? Try at your own risk, but you may just like it.

Oh, in Nuptual News (hey, I should name my emails to the bridal party that - lol), the PHI and I are going to look at tuxedos tomorrow. I'll explain later...its a bit of a long story. Adi!
♥

WooHoo!

Breaking news: DRESS 1 SOLD ON EBAY TODAY!! AHHH!!

I just realized I've never posted pics of me in Dress1. So here I am, for the last time in Dress 1.

I am so excited. The bride who bought it has a wedding quickly approaching, so I'm going to do my part as a good seller and get it off to her today. The dress should fit her very nicely and since she doesnt have a whole lot of time before the wedding, I hope she doesn't have to have it altered. Not like I would have had to.

I am so excited to be taking this dress to the UPS Store.
So enjoy me in it while you can folks, because it wont live here anymore!

♥

LOL, literally!

I've been on wedding overdrive lately. Part of it is my fault, part of it is...well, its probably all my fault. I've come full circle about dresses - mine and the 'maids, and have really taken some positive strides towards making some decisions and getting a better feel for what the aesthetic of the day will be.

One thing that keeps me from being overwhelmed is working on other things. Another thing is TV. Particularly funny tv and commercials. So today, in the spirit of making sure you arent on wedding overload, I just wanted to share some of my favorite commercials. I am generally a reluctant YouTube-r, but I have to thank YouTube (and the PHI) for putting my favorite show-interrupters in a format that I can pass along to you. I still dont 100% understand why people make/post videos of themselves trying to be entertaining. Funny is so subjective. Lets leave it to the professionals:



Did you know the french word for stop before this vid? I didn't!

And this one takes me back to Girl Scout Camp. I said a Boom Chicka Boom!


And yo mama says....






What is a pookie anyway?


I'm going to run now, but research shows that laughter really is good for the soul. I feel better already (although I was pretty good to start with). When you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed, or just a little down, find something funny that can lift your spirits and improve your mood. Commercials totally work for me...what works for you?

♥

I got one!

I got a Xyron 510! Its a sticker maker, laminator and magnetizer. Okay, I made that last word up, but it will turn anything into a magnet. Think about it, the possibilities are literally endless.

I used one of those fabulously rare 50% off a regular priced item at Michaels coupon to get it on Monday. I havent opened it yet, but that doesnt keep me from being thrilled. I've only been wanting one of these since I read about them on WeddingBee! Since I'm not allowed to officially take on any big DIY projects for the wedding, I'm planning to use it to deal with our favors/place cards and the programs - and maybe even for dealing with our unity candle.

I'm so excited I don't know what I want to Xyron first!
♥

PS - I'm watching an episode of Charmed and I'm thrilled that Paige marries a man named Henry :)

Cuts like...a knife!

Mornin ya'll!

I know I've been super scarce this weekend - I'm in Columbia kickin it with the PHI. Anyway, I'm stopping in this morning to share something I'd been pondering for quite a bit: the cake cutter set. When I first started looking, I really fell in love with this Things Remembered set:

(Everlasting Love Server Set at Things Remembered)

It has hearts, and its not too gaudy or over the top...its all on sale for $39.99. Yes you heard me right, that's its sale price.

If I werent living on a graduate student's pay, I would totally get this one:

(Love Knots Cake Knife and Trowel Set by Vera Wang)

Again, absolutely fabulous, right? But at $60 for the set, the chances of you spotting this at my wedding reception are even slimmer.

I know, what a silly thing to be concerned about. The ones above are gorgeous. But Practical Patti starts to nag at me when I'm shopping. Her/my issue: how many times are you really going to use an engraved cake cutter set?

Of course I cant answer that.

And the rationale is, if youre going to spend all that money on something like that (were talking at least $30 for the simple ones - which may or maynot include the engraving), you should be using it on the regular. I'm a baker - I bake cakes/cupcakes/pies on the regular. I could always go for a good long knife that will allow me to seamlessly move through yummy baked goods with the greatest of ease (think: trapeeze...cake trapeeze - lol!). Mom/Dani and I had decided that a good cake knife is always good. A knife that is dedicated only (mostly) to cakes could get some good use. That trowel thing seems more aptly suited for a sweet potoato pie. In n fact, thats what mom uses hers for. Again, I'd totally get use out of it, but I cant actually see using it on my wedding cake. Do people do that? Plus mom mentioned that of all the weddings she's been to, she cant ever remember seeing the cake set.

Sadly, I hadn't either. That was the last nail in the cake cutter set coffin.

However, because of the before mentioned reasons, I see great value in a good cake knife and set out to find one that was lovely, could be used again, and could be easily dressed up with some ribbon or something tied around the handle.

Enter our Bed Bath and Beyond registry. Our BBB registry is china, bath items, bedding, and a few kitchen things. There are lots of nice things I'd love for our grown up house when I picture the PHI and I hosting thankgsiving/christmas dinner for the family. It also includes a pretty cute server set which....(wait for it)...has a cake knife as an option! I'll show it to you and then I'll tell you how much it costs, k.

(Gourmet Windmere Cake Knife available at BBB)

Simple? Check!
Easily dressed up? Check!
Matching other serving pieces! Check!
Will do a bang-up job cutting cakes? Check!
Price: $7.99 - Sold!

Yes, you read that right...$8. I'm so buying that when I get paid again. Not that I think they wont have it anymore, but my approach to these kinds of things is that I'll still need it 6 months from now like I need it now. May as well purchase it now if I have the cash. The set also has a trowel that comes with it, that if I remember correctly I have also registered for...for pies, not cakes - lol. FYI: I used a similar price-to-use ratio to make a determination about our toasting flutes, but I'll save that for another post.

How about you? Are you trying to find a happy medium between things you "need" for your wedding, things you can/will actually use after the wedding, and cost?

♥

Cake a year later?

Everyday I get emails from brides.com telling me about cool and unique things I can do to put our special touch on the wedding. A lot of them I save. Since its coming to my Gmail, I can easily add it to the wedding folder for safekeeping/searching when I come back to it.

Today I got a jewel. The PHI and I had totally planned to do the whole cake cutting thing and mom has asked what were going to do with that top layer of cake, considering we were planning to eat it (or at least try) on our first anniversary and would probably be leaving straight from the Palm beaches to go on our honey/mini moon. I didn’t have an answer really – I knew someone would figure something out or it would live in mom’s freezer indefinitely.

From brides.com:

Instead of freezing the top layer of your cake to eat on your anniversary, arrange for the baker to create a mini version of your wedding cake to be made one year later.

Genius, right?! I have no idea what it will cost, but considering one of my cake choices include a cake that Publix has in its special cakes booklet, I feel like they will be making it or something very similar for a while.

This may just work folks…I’ll keep you posted.

♥

Latest Wedding Idea: Fiesta

After the show its the after party and
After the party its the hotel lobby and
After the Belvedere its probably Chris
and After the original its probably this
-- Fiesta (Remix), R. Kelly

One of the benefits of having a morning-ish wedding is that you have the rest of the day to enjoy being married.

Another benefit of any wedding is having an afterparty. And I've been secretly wanting to have one of those. Shhh...dont tell anyone. This is between me and you.

The idea was fleeting at first. Actually, no. I didnt understand why anyone would have a party after just hosting one of the most expensive parties ever. But then I decided that I didnt want the PHI and I to leave for honeymoon that night and maybe hang out with family/friends after. Mom shot that down...she didnt understand why I'd hang out with these people after just hanging out with them all day. So I let it go.

Lately I've been microwaving-up (i.e. re-warming up) to the idea again. I mentioned it to Dani and she didnt really get it at first. After I explained I think she was marginally on board. I havent mentioned it to the PHI becuase he worked last night and has not yet officially risen from the dead. Mom will hear about it after I get some feedback. I'm learning that sometimes when it comes to this wedding thing she's going to ask why, but ultimately go along with whatever I've come up with.

So youre probably wondering what I'm thinking.

If we do anything, it would be an informal kind of thing. Perhaps meeting up for drinks post wedding (like 8 or 9ish) or having some kind of gathering at one of the hotels (again, with drinks and food).

I just feel like I'm going to want to spend more time with our peeps that are coming in for the wedidng!

Ooh, the PHI just rose from the dead. I'll ttyl. Fiesta fiesta!
♥

Trying to be a 1 Dress Bride

Attention everyone! I have a quick announcement!

In an effort to legitimize myself, I just put Dress #1 on the market. Effective immediately.

Here is my preliminary list of places to try and hock it:

• CragisList
• WeddingBee.com
• eBay
• PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

The first 2 ads are done. Any other suggestions?
♥

ORG Idea #2:

It is with great sadness that I add this item to the ORGI list:My beloved cocktail napkins.

I can barely keep myself together enough to type this, but they are just not in the budget. Not before Dress #2 and definitely not after. These beauties would cost me about $40 for 150, which is really alot of money for napkins when you think about it. Just napkins. Napkins I absolutely love. *sigh*

So I'm adding them to the list in the hopes that one of my faithful readers will get them for me or will send their link to mom so she can order them for me. And if the wedding comes and goes, or I think they're going to stop making them, I promise: I WILL ORDER THEM MYSELF.

They can be found at here. Citrus green is wedding-pefect. All the colors are perfect for everyday use.

You've been warned :)
♥

Dress Update: I ♥ LadyT and Living by the Girl Scout Law

I'll admit I'm an eager beaver. A girl who has bought 2 wedding dresses (well, bought one, exchanged it for another) in the 4 months she's been engaged is definitely an eager beaver. And as I've mentioned before, I really underestimated how difficult wedding dress shopping would be. Because of my experience thus far, I am afraid to fall in love with a dress. And am forcing myself to wait months prior to ordering/purchasing another one.

Yes, I said purchasing another one. Seems like thats going to be my fate. But I'm getting ahead of the story...let me back up.

Yesterday, I went to a bridal salon after work in Atlanta. It specializes in Plus Size wedding dresses. I had a fabulous time there! The ladies were so nice, the dresses were gorgeous, and the best part is that I had to be clipped into more than one dress because the dress was too big! Yes, the dress, not me, was too big! That feeling alone was worth the trip.

You're probably asking a few things:
1. What made you go there? and Why didnt you start there?
2. Why do you now ♥ LadyT and who the heck is that?
3. You seem to have found another dress, what does it look like?

All really good questions. And numbers 1 and 2 can be answered in the same response:

After I posted about finding another dress, the anxiety of telling mom, and the unknown as to how it fit, LadyT, my "blog friend" suggested I take a road trip to Bridal Mart in NC to try on dresses in that style. If you recall, the new love was a mermaid-y style dress with a plunging v neckline and a chapel train (you probably couldnt see the train really). It occured to me that a 5 hour road trip to try on a dress unofficially opened up the dress shopping can, and if I was going to dress shop, I may as well do it properly this time. The first time I was not living by the Girl Scout Law...I was not using my resources wisely.

Did I know about this PS Bridal salon? Yes.
Did I know its hours of operation and its location? Yes.
Was I too lazy to go check it out fearing the worst? Yes.
Do I feel kind of bad about it? Yes.

And despite traveling to yet another salon by myself (MJ and I are planning a trip - I will not buy another dress without her), I really got alot accomplished. I know for a fact that

• mermaid dresses
• dresses with sleeves
• v-neck dresses
• dresses with straps
• dresses with too much decor

Are NOT the hotness on me! Yes, the list is that long. I;m going to call that list The Forbidden Dress Qualities list. Which relegates me to finding an interesting a-line strapless dress to rock on my wedding day. Why do I ♥ LadyT? Because she warned me and inadvertently encouraged me to re-open the dress search. Why should I live by the GS Law? Because if it was, inaddition to being a sister to every girl scout, I would have been to SilverLining to check out their selection.

You live, you learn, and you drop knowledge on other people!

So, I just want to warn my 'maids: I am now going to be really gangsta about you trying on a dress before you select one. Dresses on the models online or in the store look awesome. They could look like something else all together on your frame. I want my girls to look fab on my day too and the best way to do that is to know what NOT to wear.

Alright, I haven't forgotten about your third question. As you can probably surmise, the previously mentioned new dress is not happening. Its got 3 of the Forbidden Qualities! I did find a dress that I love that is strapless, a-line, but has a little something extra going on. I don't have great pics of me in it, and MJ and I are making a date to go and try it on so I can get good pics. Its at the top of mom's original wedding dress budget, but she didnt blow her top like I thought she would when I quoted the price.

I told the ladies end of the year and I meant it. I'll probably need that time to try it on a few more times and be 100% sure. I do know I love it, its different, and it doesnt look like I purhcased it at DB. Dont ask me why, but thats kind of an issue for me - that my dress looks like I got it from DB.

Okay, running off now. If you get a minute check out LadyT's blog here, or Silver Lining's website here. I'll keep you posted on the dress front!

♥

I knew it!

Look what I found on the net the other day:


I always knew this was the deal....now I have proof! Happy Thursday!
♥

TV Pleasures: Not the Guilty Kind

Hi, my name is Patti and I'm watching the 90210 Premiere on the CW.

I cant even apologize for it, because its pretty enjoyable. Dare I say it...good?

Whoa! Lemme hold my horses. I'm not going to judge it until I see a few episodes. In the meantime, I will have my trusty DVR tape the season so I can have it when/if I want it. You should watch it too!

♥

Dressing the Bride - PHI DO NOT READ!

Disclaimer: This post is entirely about selecting, purchasing, and looking at pictures of wedding dress contenders. If you are not interested in seeing what I may walk down the aisle in, you should stop reading now. PHI: this means you.

Who knew deciding on a wedding dress would be so difficult?

Actually, I really should have anticipated this.

Currently, there is a dress I love hanging in my closet. Its problem is that it is 1 size too small. Yes, thats a pretty significant problem, but I kinda did something I always encourage other people not to do: I purhcased it anyway because it was on sale. Gasp!

I do love it, and could easily see myself walking down the aisle in it. Because of its sizing issue, it needs a significant overhaul...think: at least $250 in alterations - just to make it wearable! Turning my $200 dress into one that's going to run me/mom at least $450. And with the economy, its probably going to be a good $500 total before that's all said and done.

The other kind of dress I love is more sexy - its got straps, a v-neck, mermaid styling with a dropped wasit and rouching. And is made of taffeta (not wild about the taffeta). It even has a train (which would have to be bustled). And I just love it. Its plain, but sassy and sexy and I could totally see myself traipsing around in it for one of the most important days of my life (notice, I said one of...thinking about it this way takes some of the pressure off. Things should only be better after the wedding, not be the capstone of the first 27 years of my life - lol).

I have the best Mama in the world. And I think its because she gets me and loves the me I love. Despite this, I was worried about her response to my loving a different dress and was heistant to even mention it. See, Mom is fronting the dress bill. Her rationale: because she knows I'm particular about what I wear and that this would be no different. Love her. When I mentioned it last night, she was interested in seeing the dress and surprisingly open to the idea of me getting a different one. Ultimately, she wants me to be happy. The idea of the second dress makes me happy. Knowing that if I take this second route, Mom is still on board makes me even happier. She is the best Mom ever.

Okay, I think I've told you everything I can tell you about the dresses without actually showing them to you. Henry Jason Christopher Smith (yes, thats his whole government - lol), if you've decided to read up until this point, baby please stop now. I'm posting pictures!

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I'm serious....dont look! Youre the one who doesnt want to see, so you cant get mad if you peek!


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Dress #1: David's Bridal

I've mostly tried Dress #1 on. Because its too small, I had to be clipped in. But I've tried on A-line dresses like them before, so I know what I look like in them. And they are flattering. And comfy. That dress is light and I love the ribbon detail. I also love the simplicity. And the price. We cant forget the price. Oh, and I would definitely wear it with the crinoline...in the pic it looks a little limp, but the crinoline fills it right on out. Hmm, what else do you need to know? Oh, theres no train, and its not that long, so I'd be relegated to flats (which I got for $7 a TJMaxx - pics later). I ♥ this dress. Seriously. Moving on...

Dress #2: Marisa (price: TBD?)

Dress #2 is fab, I know. What it will look like on me? Idunno. I think its a viable option though for wedding day glam. The top is a little low cut for me, considering I'm soooo booby, so Id want it to be taken up a bit so I'm not falling out of my dress all day. It has a train (that I wouldnt want to be too long, but would need bustling, and arguably I'd be able to wear some kind of heel with it. Its not too poofy and still pretty slick and sleek. I could rock it.

As you can see from its label, I know who makes this dress. I haven't been able to find it on their website. The next logical step would be to go to a bridal salon, but I know how that's going to go. David's bridal is the only one who really carries a variety of samples in my size. Other bridal salons are disappointing. And the only plus size dresses they carry are these ugly, over beaded monstrosities. I know from the first dress (we'll call it Dress #0) that I am not a beading kinda girl...I never really thought I was. And I know that simple gorgeousness is my way. In a perfect world I'd get this dress in white with a slight train and wear it with a a cathedral length veil.

*sigh* I ♥ this dress too.

There is this lady on eBay who makes custom bridal gowns. She'll make any gown you send her a picture of, and last night I threw caution to the wind and sent her that picture of the dress. I should have probably sent pics of the back too, but I'll wait and see what she quotes me in terms of price based on what I sent.

The incentive with going with this kind of situation is that I'd have the gown cut for my measurements - my big boobs, my funky middle section, and my big kinda flat booty. And even if I had to have a few little alterations when it arrived, for the most part, I'd have a dress that only needed to be tailored, not overhauled (remind me to explain the issues with my current dress some other time). I'm not entirely comfy with ordering a dress on eBay, but the more I read her feedback (594 response, 100% feedback) the more I liken it to purchasing a gown from a bridal salon. From what I'm told, those things are meant to be custom fitted. Rarely does someone purchase a dress that needs no alterations, so this situation is not really much different. If I purchase the dress to fit my largest part, and have the rest altered to fit, I'm in the same bridal boat as every other bride.

So whatcha think? Dress #1 or Dress #2?
♥

Surprise Wedding Gifts Rock

A couple of weeks ago a mysterious package was sitting at my backdoor. I was expecting my FM transmitter for the iPod to be back there, but this other books was truly a mystery. I know mom hadn't sent anything because she would have asked about it. I really didn't know who it was from and eventually gleaned that it was sent from the Greater Palm Beaches. Home! A package from home! But from who?

I didn't get a clue until I opened it. And on top was a print out of an email on how to vote for a girl I know who was vying to be a red carpet reporter at the Emmys. It was some People.com/You Tube contest which mom had told me about, so I now knew which family this was from. But a couple sheets of paper is not worth a box, right? The box was for some really gorgeous towels! Ivory with an Old Gold (yes, I did say old gold...look it up if you don't have a reference point....try AlphaPhiAlpha.net) patterned border. They wouldn't be something I'd typically pick out since I'm into bright colors and almost all of my towels are a different color, but they are perfect for like a guest bath.

And they screamed their sender. Ms. Lerna is really quite a lady. Immensely thoughtful and pretty fabulous in her own right, she's one of those people who you just enjoy being around. And she sent us our first gift! Interestingly, there was no card, but I knew Fran (the daughter and People.com red carpet announcer contest winner didn't send them. These screamed her mom.

And that meant our first thank you note was in order. I promptly ordered some pretty cute standard thank you notes from Target.com and patiently awaited for their arrival. I figure we can have a wide variety of thank you type notes - ones that match the invites, some that feature our gifts, and even just solid ones for before the invites go out. Plus, I keep thank you notes on hand. In my older age, I really wanted to be the kind of girl who sent thank you notes for gifts. So I became her and I always have some on hand.

I sent Ms.Lerna's TY note on Thursday and she should be getting it this weekend. It was such a lovely gift, enhanced by the fact that it was a total surprise.

Surprise gifts rock. The fact that its a wedding gift that makes the surprise that much sweeter. I ♥ Ms. Lerna. She rocks.

♥

O-08!

I'm not nearly as political as I believe I ought to be.

Researchers who study the self believe that there are 3 possible selves: our actual self (e.g. "Who I am" our ideal self (e.g. "Who I'd like to be when I grow up") and our ought self (e.g. I'd like to be the kind of person who [fill in the blank]).

Generally speaking, I really like me (actual), and my ideal me is a pretty cool chick too. My ought to be is a little more problematic. If I had to fill out one of the possible selves worksheets that I give my students (if you wanna see it, let me know), "into politics" would be at the top of the list. Especially considering we are experiencing history. Literally.

Barack Obama is the official democratic candidate and his primary opposition has selected a woman (yes, you read that right) as his running mate.

WTH?!

Dont get me wrong, its all pretty awesome! But you wouldnt have a clue about my interest if you'd been monitoring my TV viewing this past week. Everyday, people I know have been talking about the convention goings on and up until last night I didnt even know what chanel to turn to. Last night the guilt got to me and I tried to watch some of it, but I was sleepy and distracted...so I DVRd it instead. I am a little sad I missed Hillary interrupt the vote thingie, and that I missed Michelle Obama speak. I heard some snippets on the radio, but was always on the train when they played the entire speech. Perhaps this weekend I'll look them up on YouTube and watch them in their entirety.

Because you see, despite me wishing I was more political, I do actually care about politics. And beneath my veneer, I'm super pumped. I do still retain some of my cyncism about the politicians (thats probably what motivates alot of my non-political behavior) but I want to believe that either way we will take some major steps towards minority equality. And thats what I'm going to do.

Obama 08!
♥

I DO NOT ♥ the Guest List

Ahh guest list...how I loathe thee.

I'm just going to put it out there: our guest list is much larger than I'm comfortable with.

But there are reasons why. One reason is that the PHIs family is on the large side (think approx 20 aunts and uncles (including their spouses) and approx 30 first cousins). My family is not nearly as huge (only 6 first cousins) but the wedding is in my hometown, and there are a slew of close family friends (I lovingly call them the fake aunts) that are pretty much family. When you factor those people in, were more equally yoked on the family front. Add in the handfull of Spelman sisters/Morehouse brothers for me (the PHI's line brothers for him), some of my friends from grad school (his job for him), and the requisite parent adds and were upwards of 225.

Eeeek!

Our ideal day-of count is 150-175, which means I'm hoping that at least 50 people say they are sad they cant attend our event. I know thats terrible, but its the truth...so we'll roll with it.

However, in order for the 50 to decline attending our fabulous event, all 225 have to be invited. I'm not going to reveal what the invites will cost us per piece, but I will admit that I think of every addition to the guest list as an additional [insert price]that its costing us to invite them.

So regardless of their response, we've already spent money on them attending our event. If we spent the money on the front end, at least you could come and celebrate with us, right? You want everyone to come, but you want a lot of people to decline. You want your loved ones to be there, but only some or most of the loved ones.

And now you see my issue with the guestlist.

You cant win them all, but the guest list feels like a losing battle all across the board. Because the guest list is intimately linked to the budget bottom line (my other fave wedding topic...NOT!), the more people you invite, the more the most basic celebration is going to cost. The more food/champagne we'll have to buy. The more invites and stamps (ech!) we'll have to make arrangements for. The more cocktail napkins we'll have to make arrangements for (more on that later).

The more I'm going to think about our guests as dollar amounts rather than people. God, that really sounds terrible. Yet brazenly honest and true.

*big exhale* Looks like I'm taking this one for the team...
♥

Cha-Cha-Cha Request

OM just informed me that her advisor has a cupcake request: chocolate, chilli, cherry cupcakes or Cha-Cha-Cha Cupcakes as OM likes to call them :)

I'm not the biggest chocolate cupcake eater (we all know vanilla cake-vanilla buttercreme is my fave combination), but I'm intrigued, and I think the chocolate and chilli would go well together (think: moho/mojo sauce) and a choco-cherry buttercreme could be tasty.

Hmmm, he may be on to something.
to be continued...

♥

ORG Idea #1: Emboss me!

I blame my mother. She worked really hard to ensure that I was able to make choices as a child, and as I got older that translated into me thinking I could always exert said choice - especially when I'm asked.

You'd think wedding registries would be perfect for that. I get to tell you what we (mostly me) would like for our new home. I have tons of stuff already, mostly because when I want it, I figure out how to get it (VISA loves me), but there are some things I had planned to purchase and am now holding off on because the PHI blinged me out. For that same reason, mom and Dani have both been on this "dont get it because you can register for it kick" when I mention things I just have to have.

Since I'm not allowed to purchase these things for myself (my normal course of action), I'm starting what I'm going to call the Off Registry Gift Idea Series (ORG for short). For those of you who believe shopping from someone's registry is completely beneath you (lol) and unoriginal. Trust me, I really do want those plates we (mostly me) picked out, but if you must pick out something original, I can deposit some stuff here that I've been lusting after. And, this is my formal disclaimer that even if I mention it here as an idea, I stil may buy it and use it for the wedding (or not) and probably not add it to the budget. Since we all know how much I love the wedding budget.

So lets get this thing crackin...Off Registry Gift Idea #1: Embosser

(image: paper-source)

From the Paper-Source website: Blind embossing is a technique that raises an image without color. Think braille.

The way it works is you take that first contraption and add a little plate that makes the piece of paper or cardstock that you are imprinting look like this:

(image courtesy: paper-source)

Long story short, they make awesome paper goods....notecards, stationary, envelopes, the list goes on and on! And I really want one. I still toy with the idea of doing wedding stationary with it (mostly thank you notes), but I really dont know if I'll have the time or energy or money come time to put up or shut up.

Which is precisely why its numbero uno on my O.R.G. list. Do not be surprised if you see one of these at our house in the near future!

Now the only question is what kind of plate do I want....

♥

Shower Me With Your Love

My mama has been on this bridal shower kick. She's asked me about it a few different times. I don't know if this means she has ideas, or she's looking forward to hosting a party, or what. But eventually I pacified her by saying I'd be sure and mention it to the MOHs. I've only managed to mention it to Dani so far and I think I almost freaked her out (I think she had shower planning pegged for early 2009...and rightfully so).

So I got to thinking about bridal showers and all the fun ideas for them. I cant say I've actually attended a bridal shower before, so I only have what I see on TV and read about on blogs to go on. I have gone to a baby shower...but only 2 and those were both pretty fun.

So for those of you out there who are interested in hosting/attending/giving input on a shower, here are some sparky* things:

1. Party til you drop. Mom and I have tossed around the practicaility of doing multiple events in one day, like shower by day and bachelorette by night. Why would you ever want to combine 2 glorious events into a 24 hour period you say? Because if youre like me and your bridesmaids live (literally) all over, that may be the only time to get everyone together. Not that its a requirement for them all to be there, but still...

2. Going to a lesson/class for the shower. I read earlier today about a bride who had her shower at Sur La Table. I've never actually been a Sur La Table, but from looking at their site, it totally seems like the kind of place I'd be in to. Plus, if you have it at a location, its both a party and an experience, and maybe people can learn something to boot. I'm a big fan of LetsDish (and lesser so of WeekDay Gourmet here in Athens), but both businesses encourage private parties, and technically a shower could be a private party. Plus theres cooking/food prep and food eating...sounds yummy to me. I've also read about

3. Take advantage of the opportunity to have all those hands on deck. My BM Tamerah did this when her sister Paula got married a little while ago. They turned things like favor-box folding into shower games! Whoever folded the most boxes got a prize. Although my favors wont be boxed, they will need to be assembled, and if I had one of these showers it would definitely have to be at home. But you have to admit, all that extra help around would be a complete God-send for any DIY projects you had brewing.

4. Put your bridesmaids to work. This is the first I had ever read of it, but it was a pretty cute idea. Essentially, the bride invited her bridesmaids to a party at a store where they make custom bags - and the finished bags are the bridesmaids gifts! If you're interested in where they went and what they made (they were very cute by the way) you can click here. However, this idea could be very easily transferred to a jewelry making party. The best part is that the ladies could choose whatever they wanted to make. It didnt have to be for the wedding day, although I think a few of them went that route. Idunno, something MJ said about not wanting to wear the jewelry the bride gave them (a typical BM gift) is sticking with me...so much so that I'm leaning heavily towards not dictating jewelry. I digress...this idea has alot of things I love: personalization, choicefulness, and fabulousness....all in all an awesome shower idea.

Those were the probably the four top shower things that have come across my plate lately. But now that I'm thinking about it, I am even more excited about the idea of my own shower - whatever kind it will be. I know its going to be wonderfully fun. Hopefully I wont have to plan it (I told Dani the other day if I had to plan it I wasnt having one.I was having a bad day). Running now because I'm supposed to be cleaning. I'm so supposed to be cleaning. But I couldnt leave without depositing these little ideas down - for both your viewing pleasure and for my seriously sketchy short term memory.

♥

*sparky = Patti-slang for "things that spark my interest"

Pains in my bridal arse

I had kinda prepped myself for this, but I knew the GuestList would be a huge pain in my arse. And it has not disapointed me yet. In fact, right now I am avoiding re-adding some people back to the list that I know I will end up inviting. Thankfully it doesnt add that many invites to the list and I believe keeps me under 150. Is it tacky to send a box of invites to my mom and have her distribute them to save postage? Not all the local ones...just the family. I'm seriously considering that.

My second arse burr is the budget. I hate that thing. I know that we are over budget in some critical areas for me - namely invitations and photography. Oh, and facility rental. Our rental fee is $2500. Thats just the location...no food, no decor (except for its natural beauty), just the building. Thankfully mom is gifting it to us. [thank God for her. seriously.]

Despite the previously mentioned things, were pretty on target for the budget. All the major things are on there and accounted for. Its the minor things that I now have to figure out. Like our cocktail napkins. Cocktail napkins are standard fare at weddings. But they dont have to be tacky. I hate the standard ones like these:
Ech. I think I just half-gagged.

As you can imagine, said monstrosity is pretty cheap. Hell, they really should give these ugly things away. Part of the problem is that I don't know anything about this couple other than the fact that their colors are navy blue and white and they like flowers and doves (and I'm sure other equally typical wedding decor) from looking at these napkins.

Ugly and cookie-cutter? Double ech.

Personally, I ♥ these:Look at them...hearts, initials, and totally personalized. These are not your average cocktail napkins! Plus, my favorite part is that they actually don't scream wedding day. Everyone I have showed these to so far could easily see me pulling these things out for any occasion at our house. They're just so us.

And up until a couple hours ago, I fully intended to order them. But at $24.95 for 100, even if I supplement printed napkins with solid ones (the current plan), I'd need about 150 of these (running me about $36.90) before sales tax and shipping.

It didn't seem like a lot when I fell in love with them (i.e. picked them out) but now that's alot to spend on just napkins. Damn budget. My shoes didn't cost that much. And if I go with the current veil plan, my shoes and veil together wont cost that much. Plus, that's just the printed ones, that's not including locating and purchasing plain ones....probably from PartyCity or someone like that.

Long story short, I am determined to have cute cocktail napkins and I think Etsy may save the day for me. I found these fab (and inexpensive) customizable napkins from Etsy seller Go Against the Grain (perfect for wedidng planning), that may work. I read on another blog that she's getting married, but I'm seriously considering convo-ing (Etsy lingo for sending a message) her today so that we can get the ball rolling on the napkins. They don't go bad and I have no problems with them sitting in my office or at my mama's house for a year.

I'm avoiding the budget spreadsheet like the plague right now. So much so that I continue to think of things that should be on it and instead of adding them to the spreadsheet, I'm adding them to a Word document on my desktop with intentions to add them later.

*sigh* terrible...I know. At least I'm writing it down somewhere, right? Never thought I'd say this, but I much prefer Curves-induced arse pains.
♥

P.T.I and new ♥'s

PTI is one of the few shows (if not the only show) I can say I *gasp* actually enjoy on ESPN.

PTI is cool in my book for a number of reasons:
1. They only talk about each topic for 30 seconds...not like another show I know that goes on and on and on about nothing indefinitely (ahem SportsCenter).
2. Theres a really useful agenda on the right side that scrolls and adjusts as you are crossing topics off the list (I know they dont really talk about it that way, but thats the way I interpret it).
3. Technically its a sports show, so I get half points with the PHI for sitting through it and actually paying attention.
4. Those Sportscasters are fiesty slightly arrogant sports-know-it-alls. Add those together and you get some parts that really are just straight up funny.

Anyway, hashing out PTIs merits were not my reason for showing up today. I wanted you to pardon my interruption of all things wedding so I could talk about something else for a bit :)

Today, I wanted to tell you about 2 things that are basically changing my life. Thing #1: Mobile email. Okay, so I've been trying to get mobile email for awhile and erroneously thought I needed a blackberry to do so. When I wanted to change my phone but not my plan (about 6 months ago), Verizon told me that was not possible. So I hung up my mobile email hopes and tabled them for when i was debt free. Then I got engaged. And then the PHI and I decided to combine our Verizon accounts in an attempt to save money (thats a story for another time). The plan we ended up with comes with a ginormous amount of minutes and features VZ navigator - our whole reason for getting said plan. However, it also has mobile email and some other crap I kinda tuned out and subsequently dont know about. I had almost forgotten about the mobile email until PHI brought it up one day and I started to check it out. After figuring out how to even get to the email, I quickly opened it up and there was my gmail...in most of its text only glory! How exciting! And considering I'm away from email for a large part of Tues and Thurs, it allows me to stay abreast of whats going on so I'll know what I'm coming home to.

*swoon*

My second new love is one of google's fab products. Anyone who knows me and is close enough to hear about the wedding planning know I am obsessed with WeddingBee. I try not to bore people to death with a wedding that is not theirs...I remember what being on the recieving end of the obsession is and I hope that my girls will tell me when they are over hearing about it rather than just suffering in silence - lol. But WeddingBee is awesome in that it allows me to read about, gather inspiration from, and sometimes even help other brides who are just as interested in their wedding as I am in mine. I cant say that I was much of a blog reader until fairly recently. Yes, there was my favorite cupcake blog, but that had gone to the wayside when I started planning our wedding. Then theres WB and whatever links to other people's blogs that I come across. Enter GoogleReader. Seriously, its changed my life. Basically what it does is it brings all my blogs to a central place. If you leave the window open, it will automatically update itself like gmail does. And I can star things, email things, make lists public, etc.

Simply stated: its pretty awesome.

And I now am subscribed not only to wedding blogs, but also to my beloved cupcake blog (and I may add a couple others but I really only love one), Obama's shared articles, and my wedding photographer's blog.

*bigger swoon*

Okay, I need to get back to "work." I was poking around on wedding sites and ran across an article on sweetheart tables. And considering mom keeps asking me about various decor aspects, I figured it might be a good idea to start collecting decor ideas in general. All sweetheart tables are not created equal, and I want the whole team to have a really good idea about what the aesthetic is not going to be.

Adi!
♥

We know I love her...now you can love her too!

Yes yes, another photography post.

I promise I'll chill out about this soon. But it occured to me that you probably hadn't seen any of her work! You need a visual, so I'm going to stop chattering so we can get to the goods. These pics are of Jamel and Marissa's wedding in DelrayBeach earlier this year. If you remember, I previously posted about doing my due-dilligence on selecting this photog...this couple was one of the references, and if you read that post, they obviously loved her. Now you'll see why.

Ohmigosh, this pic makes me want to wear a veil. I hear that this bride&groom under the veil pic is very popular...I hadnt seen it before and I love it. PHI also seems to be very into the idea of "revealing me after I'm pronounced as his wife" <-- his wording.

I just love her work and I'm so excited about her capturing our day. Seriously, when I'd found her, I knew....kinda like when I met the PHI.

Happy Wednesday!
♥

Giving Thanks

I love stationary. So the idea that I get to send out stationary throughout this wedding process is extremely exciting to me.

It can also make you nauseous.

See, wedding stationary is terribly expensive. And because this is a once in a lifetime kind of thing, you want it to be as fabulous as possible - within reason. I added that last bit because as I've mentioned before, I know people are going throw these bad boys away. My goal is to find the proper balance between something thats fabulously me, but wont cause me to shudder at the thought of my friends and loved ones throwing them away. Which I have. More on that later.

Today's post is about another important piece of wedding stationary: the thank you note. Again, I love little notecards, particularly ones that are personalized in some way. I have ones with my initial, hearts, and polka dots - all Patti icons that once you open it you say "oh, this is so her." Naturally our thankyou notes needed to follow suit.

Today on my favorite wedding blog Weddingbee I ran across this idea on the message boards:

(source)

What you're looking at what I believe to be the front of one couple's photo TY note - the couple surrounded by their gifts.

How cute is that? Pretty cute, I know. And if you do it right away, very meaningful. This could easily be turned into a postcard at vistaprint for mere pennies per card.

The TY note I selected/"custom printed" that will match our invites really isn't that thrilling. In fact, its mostly reality kicking in saying that 40 cents a card is a great price and that I would be hard pressed to get custom thank yous made elsewhere. Enter vistaprint. At vistaprint I could easily get 200 some odd postcards for like 40 bucks or so. Thats 20 cents a card!

Long story short, photo TY note is definitely a contender. The PHI likes it, I could do it for cheap, and it would be an interesting and different (dare I say, unique) way to thank our guests for their loving generosity.

File this one away folks...you may be seeing it again :)

♥

Britney Spears VMA Spots

Has anyone seen the new Brit Brit VMA commercials? She looks so....normal.

Idunno what she did, or when she stopped looking so cracked out, but thank goodness.

Welcome back Brit.

So Fresh and So Clean Clean

Wow, completely off topic: I'm watching Style, and MelB has (what I believe to be) a SoapNet commercial for All My Children. Now, I cant guarantee its all my children because once I realized it was her, and how fab she looked, I kinda stopped listening to her. I did stop long enough to know it was the black couple from that soap mom has watched since before I was born (seriously, she's watched it that long), and the groom's name is Jesse...which makes me think it was All My Children.

Sorry, that was so not the point of this post.

The point was I'm sitting here on the sofa extremely sleepy. Like, I'm so sleepy that the idea of getting up, slapping some rollers in my head and proactiv-izing (yes, I made that up) my face seems like waaay to many things to accomplish before falling into my bed. But I will do them because if not, my head will look like a mop (the nasty kind that instead of throwing in the washer you just throw away) and I'm in the process of overhauling my face. A girl has to be engagement photo ready in a couple of months (were shooting for November...pun not intended).

Anyway, I'm sitting here in a state of increasing dilerium and I happen to glance down at my ring. Despite what most people think, once you get some of that 4th finger left hand bling, you really dont spend all of your waking moments staring at it. Now, dont get it twisted, I spent a large part of the first month just getting used to wearing the thing and staring at it. And occasionally I still nik the PHI with it (he doenst want me to ever take it off...so he suffers its wrath mwha ha ha). But now that I'm a few months in, I have the requisite ring tan, my ring is definitely one of my homies. She knows that if its her against a wall or any other material she'll win everytime (diamonds are super hard which makes my ring super durable), and that she will come off when its time to put on lotion.

Why you say? Because lotion makes her extremely dirty.

I dont spend very much time talking about her specs...I know them because I was there when she was purchased from my friends at Kay, but I will tell you this: she's completely colorless...like a D. And when she's fresh out the jewelry wash clean, she's absolutely breath taking.

And that is when I find myself ring-gazing.

Like tonight. I got her cleaned on Saturday and have been taking her off for bath's, hair washing, etc. Its almost like she's turned into a whole other ring - on a regular basis. One day I'll post her before and after pics. She even looks bigger. Maybe its that light moving all up and thru her when she's so fresh and so clean. But anyway, because of that metamorphosis, I take every opportunity to get my ring cleaned. If were walking past a Kay, I'm goin in and letting them clean my ring.

If she lived on your finger, you would too. Trust me, the sparkle is worth it.

I'm a glutton for sparkle!!
♥

Photographer Update

You can see from my last post, I was absolutely into the photographer. I still am. And I loved her work before I contacted her.

Well, I was ready to book her immediately. Right after she told me she had the date available. But after talking to my dear friend Dr. Hunt, I came back down to reality. I realized I had not done any due diligence about her. I had seen her gallery, gone through her blog with a fine tooth comb, and read every bit of text on her site....twice!

Since she and I had started talking about a custom package, I realized I should probably slip in some questions from my Real Simple wedding sheet on "Questions to Ask the Photographer." I was hesistant to ask because I didnt want her to think I wasnt interested. And in hindsight, I should have asked the questions first and expressed my enthusiasm second - lol.

But anyway, one of the questions were about references. I've read in various places that you should definitely check references. But as a graduate student who has written a few letters of recommendation, you wont suggest people who will give you a bad review. Even still, I knew that I wanted to get the references and contact the people.

This is what Dani and I created to send out -the perfect blend of I know I dont know you but I want you to give me some inside info:

Hi Reference,

My name is Patti and I was referred to you by Chelsey Boatwright. I'm writing because I wanted to get your feedback on your photos, the picture taking process, day of issues, and just working with her in general. Any help or input you can provide would be great. Thanks!!

Patti

...and this is what I got back:

Hi Patti,

Chelsea was the photographer for my wedding and she was amazing!!! I did alot of research in choosing the right photographer because in my opinion that was the most important thing. I looked at her work and spoke with her and knew she was the right fit. I personally like her photojounalist style. Anyone can line up people and just snap a picture. But she has the talent to make things more artistic. Here is a link of some of my wedding pics in her blog: http://chelseyboatwright.squarespace.com/journal/?currentPage=3 And in my opinion these are not even the best ones. I don't have the pics saved to this computer so I can't send them. But there are about 5 shots not included in that which are absolutely to die for. I love them sooo much. The whole process of working with her was painless. And I got the pics online from her to view within a week. If you are thinking of working with her I would definitely work with her. I was even pregnant at the time of the wedding and she shot in great angles so you couldn' tell. And I am even using her for the photographer for our baby pictures. If there is any other info you need about my experience with her just let me know.

Regards,

Reference #1

and this:

Hi Patti,

When we had our wedding (this past December), Chelsey was working as an assistant to the photographer we hired. Chelsey had just begun her business and was doing her old boss a favor.

We're glad she did, because my husband and I honestly felt that Chelsey's pictures were far superior than her former boss. They subjects were more centered, had clearer focus and made better use of the avaiable light than the photographer we hired!! Chelsey had no problem taking whatever poses we requested and seemed comfortable improvising.

It took us a month for us to get our photos back, but that's not a reflection on Chelsey. Her pictures were submitted online far before her boss'.

We felt that Chelsey's work was above and beyond what we expected of her and we were thoroughly pleased with her both as a person and wedding photographer.

We hope this helps!!

Reference #2

So there you have it. Two glowing recommendations. Did I expect any less? No. Am thrilled nonetheless? You bet.

Now I'm waiting (on baited breath) for her to email our contract so I can send our deposit. Never been so excited to spend $200. Night!
♥

I'm in love with a....photographer!!

[sung to the tune of Gavin DeGraw's I'm in Love with a Girl: I'm in loooove with a photographer....(I'm.in.love.with)]

Okay not really, but I am very pleased.

See, for the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to nail down our next major expense: photography. Not that I wanted it to be the most expensive, but I wanted to be able to have a bit of flexibility with whomever was chosen, yet not break the bank.

Well, for a while, I was loving my #2 selection: www.rebeccahinsonphotograpy.com. I found her on craisgslist I believe, and her photos were lovely and her prices were totally in our range. Plus, it wasnt until I found her site that I realized we were interested in getting all of our digital images. Getting actual photos was fine too, but I really want to be able to have all the images to do with what we like...think albums, photo collages, slideshows, etc.

Chatting with Krissi confirmed that.

So the night I was contacting her, I was talking generally to Krisitin about selecting a photographer in general, and she told me she popped by our good ol friend theknot.com. It was there that I found my first choice for a photographer: Chelsey. Her work can be found at www.chelseyboatwright.com. There was just something about her pictures. It was kinda like the vibe I got when I saw the photographer whos going to take our engagement pics. I was absolutely smitten.

...and I still am now.

Now all isnt quite peaches and cream, but her package is something we can work with and I saw on her site that there is a possibility for custom packages. Idunno what that entails, but our perfect package would be about 6 hours of coverages, and all of our images on CD - we wouldnt necessarily need to have prints since you can get those anywhere for pretty cheap.

I'll keep you posted, but in the meatime....I'm in loooove with a photographer!

♥

Lo Siento

Yes, I know what day it is...and it looks nothing like Saturday (or Friday or whenever it was I promised to come back and clear up the mysterious origins of that rather large picture). I'm sorry. Really, I am. Weekends kinda fly by on me, and I find myself trying to ride the ebs and flows that becoming an increasingly anxious person inflict on me.

I digress.

Im back today and I've come prepped to clear up a bit of controversy. What you have been looking at is a mock-up..mood board so to speak of my proposal for man wedding day attire. It occured to me on last Thursday that perhaps a tux was a bit formal for our morning wedding. Yes, tuxes are traditional but I think that sometimes tradition is motivated by people not knowing their options or being too lazy to look into some (sorry, stepping down from the soapbox).

I cant remember who I mentioned it to first. I'd love to say that I went to Jase with it first...but come-on, realistically I probably mentioned it to mom. I know Dani heard about it after I told Jase. Well mom was completely on board. Not only did it mean that Jase could get a pretty nice suit (I'm envisioning one that is tailored so perfectly that the only way to get it off would be to peel it off his sexy frame....ooops...sorry...re-focusing back to the topic...), but the groomsmen can wear black suits that they already own and we'd maybe do their ties as part of their groomsmen attire. And since all of the groomsmen have travel plans to add to their wedding budget, this may infact save them a bit of cash. Most men our age own a decent black suit...if they decide to get a new one for the occasion, thats totally on them.

Now I'd like to think that Jase is a relatively open guy. But this suit thing was an uphill battle. What you may fail to realize about JS is that his initial impression of things (esp. wedding related) is a bit of resistence...not because he is truly against the idea, but because its so new. And I know that about him, so when I prep myself to present a novel idea, I know I may have to do some fast talking and have some citations/sources/examples prompted and ready to throw out at a moments notice. Not to pop my own collar, but I usually do a good job of at least explaining myself, and alot of times he is completely on board when I'm done. And after my looong and fast (I talk/tpye a little faster when I'm trying to explain myself partially to combat being shut down....wanna get all my points out - lol) explanation of my seemingly brilliant idea, what did he say?

He still didnt get it. My baby needed a visual.

Again, not surprising. He is PHInominal (I made that up...cute huh) but he is still a man. And most men I know need to kinda see it before they get it. I've gotten around this with Jason in a variety of ways. Most of the time I actually show him something (email, in person, whatever), but when I cant give him a visual because it really only exists in my minds-eye, I have used an experiential approach (a la "imagine you are a guest at the wedding and you...) - which also works.

My baby is very smart :)

But anyway, enough of the how to handle JS lesson, I kinda anticipated him wanting to see it and had already started working up a plan. The result? That mysterious picture featuring suspiciously coincidental green and white attire! The plan is for Jase to be in the white (I love love loooove the white damask stripe tie -is the exact tie I had in mind) including a vest, and the guys will be in some sort of green tie. Although the wedding colors are a kiwi green, I'd be okay with another shade of green. Like I love the pin dot tie, but I know #1 the green is a clover rather than kiwi, and #2 the men-folk may reject a dotted tie. So I'm prepared for that...I'll get my polkas in somewhere! What will probably happen is the guys wear one of the lighter green ties. And I'm okay with that.

Really I am.

Plus, it will be very nice with the ladies in their plum. Maybe some kind of green/purple boutenieere (sp?) for the guys. Idunno, I havent gotten that far yet. What I do know is that im not feeling the groomsmen wearing vests, so I hope Jase isnt really married to that (pun intended- lol). If we were going to go the coordinated vest and tie look for everyone, we'd be better off getting tuxes. And the point is not to be quite that formal, but still stylish, sexy, comfortable, cool, (literally and fashion-y), and coordinated. So we'll just have to see.

So there! I've cleared up the controversy and you managed to learn a bit about how to communicate with my [PHInominal] future-husband in the process. I'd like to think that was worth the wait...but we already know my mind works in mysterious ways. So I'll just continue to think that, and you're welcome to think what you want.

♥

A Lil Sumthin Sumthin

Okay, since I've completely talked this up to at least 2 people (one being the PHI), I have to post this up, and I promise I'll come back later to explain. Now, how much later...Idunno. But I promise it will be today :)

Toodles!

xoxox

Who's Hungry?

Its official: Jase and I have a wedding date: October 3, 2009. Its goin down..I hope youre ready!

So on Friday, I sent an email to the caterer re-initiating contact with her (we met with her the day after our engagement to talk about getting married at the Harriet and what the food costs would be). Well, today she wrote me back! And we've been emailing back and forth about setting up the catering, deposit amounts, etc.

Thats not the point though. The point is that I'm sharing our tentative brunch menu with you.

Passed Hors d’ oeuvres
Cheese Blintzes
(Served with Sour Cream)

Mini French Toast Drizzled with Maple Syrup
(Served with a Dollop of Crème Fraiche and Pear Compote)

Assorted Mini Quiches

Tropical Punch Fountain

Brunch Menu
Display of Fresh Sliced Seasonal Fruits & Berries

Mini Assorted Muffins, Danish and Breads

Eggs Benedict

French Toast and Waffles
(Assorted toppings to include, chocolate chips, maple syrup, raspberry syrup, strawberries, apples & cinnamon and whipped cream)

Apple Smoked Bacon & Turkey Sausage Links

Home Fries
(Served with Sautéed Onions and Peppers)

Ham and Cheese Frittata

Vegetarian Frittata

Scrambled Eggs

Dessert
We will cut and serve your Wedding Cake on a Raspberry Painted Plate

An Assortment of Miniature Pastries and Freshly Baked Cookies

Beverage
Fresh Brewed Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee
International Herbal Tea Selection
Sweetened and Unsweetened Iced Tea
Raspberry Flavored Iced Tea
Orange Juice

Whatcha think? Jason ♥'s breakfast, so I knew he would love the idea of a brunch reception (the wedding is starting at 11AM), but it was important to me that there be enough of the breakfast things I eat on the menu. And as you can see, there are!

Mmmm, sounds delish doesn't it?
xoxox

Graphic Designer I Am Not: Website Update

Hola!

So ever since a couple nights ago (geez, its been that long? Maybe it feels like last night because I didnt really make it to sleep last night...I'm okay I think...no, I dont know what was going on but I have an idea).

I digress.

The point was, ever since mentioning that I wanted to do a site for the PHI...

Pause. Sorry, lemme explain. Jase read the blog about calling him FI and instead of pronouncing it "fee," he pronounces it "phi" which I actually thought was pretty cute. I told him I'd do him one better: if were going to call it phi, we may as well spell it that way. And for him, its double the joy because his fraternity has a lovely Phi in the middle, and now he'll get a PHI as hi moniker...if I remember to use it, lol.

Anway, after blogging about using a blog for our wedding website, I hit the ground running. Essentially, the theme is "simply stated, I heart u" and I created this header thingie last night that incorporates some of the fonts from the invites. Earlier I went in and souped up the blog to look far less bloggy - took off the nav bar, adjusted the margins of the main post section and the sidebar, made the posts a navigation menu, added drop caps to the first paragraphs of the posts, and added a guestbook...which mom has already signed (love her).

Right now I'm kinda stymied on the banner. And I want to do a footer as well. I emailed my cousin who is our resident knower of all things computer, graphic, and graphic design to see if she could point me in the proper direction. I know she is very busy, so hopefully she can help me get something worked out between now and September.

Long story short, its coming along quite nicely and I am pleased. I'm also fatiuged, but I think thats mostly a function of little to no sleep. Ooh, lets not focus on that...

xoxox

What A Girl Wants is a Wedding Website

I always knew that I wanted a wedding-website. Long before I even got engaged, I just knew that I wanted one. I figured one of us (us=bride or groom) would have out of town guests (OOTs) that would need to be accomodated , and that a website is an excellent way to handle that. I've just been struggling with it. There are lots of options, both free and paid, and subsequenty ALOT of ways you can go with it.

No offense TK, but I cant do it. Ya'll really need to step it up. Same with the weddingchannel, and a whole bunch of other peoples services. I'm not against paying for it, but it needs to be a pretty awesome set up, and so far, I am unimpressed.

I also was/am toying with the idea of doing a freewebs page. Its free (duh), which is great, but it requires alot of legwork on my end, and I am not entirely thrilled with the setup. I could also potentially have my cousin do a site from scratch for me, but ideally, this website would be a situation where I could update it regularly and from my lovely Toshiba (anywhere in the world - LOL).

Fast forward to tonight. Earlier, on Weddingbee (yes, its my new fave hangout), I stumbled across a tag for a website where they used good ol blogger to do it. Blogger! Who would have thought?! And a few other bees have followed suit, so there are at least tips to get you started, and a whole lot of options. Which is good for a girl who isnt 100% sure what she wants.

Like I've said before, there is a plus in having loads of time. I want our site to go live in October (lol, Idunno where I got "go live" from), but when it goes live, I want it to be equipped with bios, pics, our story, etc. All your standard website fare, plus some fun extras just for stopping by. And considering how successful I've been with my past attempts at a website, whatever I do go with will definitely be a process....just like everything else.

So the newest website plan? Blogger. Infact, I'm going to look into it as soon as I post this.

Yes, I'll keep you posted (pun intended) :)
xoxox