What should I be doing?

I feel like I should be doing a lot more when it comes to this whole planning thing. Dress, started looking, date – check, booked reception hall and church.

What else should I get started on? Invitations? Programs? Decorations? To me, all of this stuff comes later. But I feel like if I don't start working on this stuff it is going to creep up on me very quickly.

What do you think?

So Randy has a lot to say when it comes to the wedding. Not really, at one point, I think I heard alright, I bought you the ring, my job is done. Ok anyone that has ever met me understands that, well, I sort of like to be in control. Shocker, I know!

So a few weeks back I asked him what he thought for wedding colors. I believe it was, “Whatever, I don’t care.” I gave him my idea of red, black, and white. “No, I don’t like that.”

I have now decided that he may think he is off the hook and I should just do whatever I want, but I can just hear it as I start dragging stuff home. What is this for? I hate this color. Bla bla bla. So here is your warning Randy…this is our wedding. You asked, I said yes…watch out you don’t get a choice when it comes to helping me decide some of this stuff. :) Your soon to be stuck with me!!

The Dress

Still no luck. Since my last post I have hit up 2 more dress shops in Sioux Falls. I am definitely not worried that I am going to run out of time. Looking at the calendar, I still have just over 11 months until the big day.

But nothing is just jumping out at me. Everything is just ok. Yep, that one is fine to. I keep going back to the same style which I think is good, but not getting that feeling that everyone says you have. I am more worried that I am not going to find anything in SF. I really don’t want to have to travel much over an hour to find a dress. Especially if I am not 100% sure about it. How many times do you want to take that trip to see it again?

I went with one of my bridesmaids and tried on probably 15 dresses at the interlude. All similar style and it was either too much beading, not enough beading, too much lace, or just ugly once it was off the rack. So I turn to Emily and ask, did you get that feeling? Did you know it was the one? “Yes,” she said “I did.”

Sunday mom, Amy (Luke’s gf), and I made our way to David’s bridal. I have heard from a ton of people that this is the place to go. That is where I got my dress, and my 19 friends found them there too. Me…HA not a chance. But, we had a great time. The nice thing about David’s is that they have 40 dresses in YOUR size. You don’t have to imagine how it is going to look on or when you can finally get it zipped. They ALL FIT! We tried everything. Strapless, halter, straps, the gigantic poufy Cinderella dresses. I was still able to eliminate a lot of the styles that I didn’t really like, but a lot of people say to have an open mind when you try them on. So I did and we tried them all!

One thing that I have learned from dress shopping is that I need to have a GREAT personal attendant. These dresses weight a ton, are super bulky, and somehow I have to get in one with my hair and makeup all done up and then keep it perfect while throwing 30 pound dress over my head. Now taking applications for a professional personal attendant!

Photography Take 2

Last Tuesday night I met with another photographer. I will be honest, first thing that drew us in her direction, price.

We are running into the problem of photographers packages limited to hours of coverage. 4 or 6 are pretty popular and by having a 2:00 or 2:30 wedding, that doesn’t give us a whole lot of time for photos before the wedding and pictures after the wedding or having them at the reception for very long.

This lady I could book from whatever time we wanted her in the morning to whatever time we wanted her to leave from the dance. What’s the catch you ask? Why didn’t you book her? Great price, great coverage, what’s the deal?

She is VERY inexperienced. She has only done 4 weddings EVER. I thought about asking for references to talk to those people, but quickly found out that 2 were cousins, and one was a close family friend. Yeah, like they are going to say anything bad.

So, now I understand why I can afford her.

I won!

So, remember when I told everyone that I registered and every website imaginable the day after we got engaged? One of the sites I registered on was gonnagetwed.com. The give away great stuff each month. Wedding dress, dream honeymoon, flower gift certificate etc.

So you can imagine my excitement when I received a call the other day about winning thru this website. I’m thinking yes a photographer, cash, what did I win?!?! Ready for it…a Mary Kay makeover. Yep seriously.

I tried to get out of it I really did. But when I told the lady I was busy during the week she said that she could check back with me on Monday to look at the following week. I felt if I didn’t just do this thing I would have a stalker for sure for the next few months.

So Wednesday is the big day. 7:00 – 8:30 I have 2 or 3 people coming over to be completely freaked out by a crazy energetic Mary Kay lady. I’m sure everyone is just as excited as I am.

Comments

Alright -
I think I have figured this out. Everyone and anyone that is wanting to leave a comment about any of my posts should now be able to. There was a setting by default that would only let registered users leave comments. Dumb! So I have updated that to anyone. Comment away. Let me know what you think!

Centerpiece Hell

I am obsessed with the centerpieces for the reception. Why I have no idea. I am really concerned how they are going to turn out, if everyone will like them, and how they will go with the overall look of the wedding.

WHY!?!?! Have you even been to a wedding that you actually remember what the centerpieces looked like? I have been to 1. The only reason I remember what they were is because they were cake. Instead of cupcakes or getting up for dessert after the meal each table had their own individual cake.

So I want something cool. I want something memorable for whatever reason. I want something colorful, but simple, and most importantly, cheap, but I don't want them to look cheap. After all no one will remember them anyways!

Idea #1

I had come across some photos on one of my many websites with rocks and vases, water and candles. Oh hey, I can make that. Here is my attempt

Not too bad, but I figured out that to do each one I wanted at least 2 of the $3.50 vases that I told mom I had to have because I was sure I could do something creative with them.

Idea #2

Rental place from Watertown. I am thinking that I would like a lot of color on the tables. Not sure that I am set on 1 or 2 colors. I like them all bright and cheerful. I thought this would do it. Different colors for each tables?

Idea #3

Rachel Ray. Well it looked awesome on her website anyways! Lemon jello and daisy's.

We I sure wasn't going to spend the money on daisy's just to try another creative centerpieces. I really liked this idea. I was thinking it would bring color to the tables and be something unique that no one else would probably have or think of.

After sending a picture message to my mom last night, she explained to me that having memorable things at your wedding was a good thing, but maybe this wasn't what we wanted people to remember.

I am finding out very quickly why people RENT decorations! I am not giving up. My obsession isn't any better. I will keep you posted on my other great ideas!

Guest List

Almost right after we got engaged we started a guest list. Not wanting to forget anyone, we started with high school friends, college roommate, and everyone else who's weddings we have been invited to over the last 4 years. I just want to invite everyone we've ever met in our whole entire lives.

You think you're good inviting close friends and family. This person is invited, so this other person needs to be invited, too (can't have anyone getting offended).

This couple needs to be sent an invitation, but just out of courtesy. Come on their family. They probably won't actually COME. (But what if they do??)

The guest list is one part of wedding planning that I'll definitely be grateful to have DONE.

We're booked for August 29, 2009!

Alright, it's official now... we're getting married on August 29, 2009.

I went yesterday, signed the contract and droped off the deposit at the Days Inn, our reception venue. I feel so much better now that it's done. At this point, we have signed a contract for the date... we have to work out all of the details (food, drinks, etc.) at a later date. We are meeting next week with another photographer so I am hoping all goes well with her and she is free next year.

This weekend we are off to visit some friends in Rochester. More next week.

Why can’t everything just work out as planned?

I understand that no matter what day you pick for your wedding, isn’t going to work for everyone else. What can you do? You pick, hold your breath and hope that it works for as many people as possible. Well, what do you do when the date you pick is a problem for ½ of the groom’s family? Do you keep your original date and hope for rain or do you suck it up and try to change it? We are looking at plan B.

After a Labor Day weekend wedding we caught complete hell over the wedding date we picked, as it falls right in the middle of harvest. Quite a few people made it a point to let us know that unless it rained, they wouldn’t be attending. Now besides the fact that you can walk up and tell someone that is beyond me, but as soon becoming part of this family the last thing I want to do it make it impossible for them to attend.

So bright and early this am I started calling. Started with the Days Inn to see how booked September was looking and if there was a chance that a day early in the month would open up. September 12 is looking available, and how about August. Last I checked it looked like all the weekends in August were going to fill up just as quick. Nope the 22nd and the 29th are free. Checked with the church soon after that and those dates are free there as well.

Now we are juggling around the end of August. I worry that if we shoot for the 12th of September everyone will be able to get in the field early next year and will be ready to go by that time. Then I will look back and wish I wouldn’t have switched the date at all. I have already gone thru this once, picking a date calling back and fourth to my mother and asking what I should do. Now I find myself going thru it all again. word to the wise…if someone tells you their wedding date, congratulate them and move on with your life. If you can make it great, if you cant, that sucks and I am sure they will miss you.

Capturing the memories

One of the most important vendors, possibly the most important, in my opinion, is the photographer. I've been browsing photography websites for quite some time now. I've just always loved looking at professional photos, so when we got engaged, I already had a number of photographers in my head that I knew we would want to check out.Last Friday, we met with one. Wonderfully nice woman, great work, GREAT prices, but not for us. I think I knew it right away, but since she was the first that we met with, we didn't make any decisions immediately. Since then we have been browsing other websites and blogs trying to find someone that has some experience and a knack for photography, but that also falls within our budget. We have a couple places in mind. Recent graduates just starting out seem to be our best bet in being able to get what we want. We are looking to get some meetings set up to view some of their work, so we will see what happens.

This will probably be a really tough decision for us, well maybe me more than Randy... out of all the things we need to buy and pay for, this is the only thing from the wedding that we'll have for the rest of our lives.

The Dress

Is it ever too early to start looking? I would guess that depends on who you ask. The groom “You do realize you wedding is over a year away don’t you? What if you buy it too early and then don’t like it when the wedding rolls around?” Your friends, especially the ones that are already married “When do we get to go dress shopping? Can I go with?”

Well I guess I am a girl. I am very excited to try on all the “princess dresses” that every store in the state has. Ok maybe not every dress, but you get the idea on where I am coming from. It didn’t take me long to decided that dress shopping is just as fun, maybe even more fun that ring shopping.

July 31, 2008 I had the afternoon off. Hey mom, what are you doing this afternoon, can you skip class? I want to go check out the dresses. I believe is how my email read. “Going to the dress store sounds totally like the best part for me,” was my mother’s response. Ok twisted my arm, lets go. Up until this point, yep we had been engaged for a whole 6 days, I think the talk of how much everything was going to cost, scared Betty a little.

Our first stop, I Do 2. It is a consignment shop for wedding dresses. Some have been worn for the special day, others a day that didn’t happen, and still others, brand new from other stores around the area that had closed. I was able to find 3 that I liked and 1 mom had to have me try on.

Next to getting proposed to, this was another first. The first time I would try on a wedding dress. Would it be the one? Would it take my breath away? Would I totally love it? Nope. Not even close. How about dress #2? Better, but still no. And the one mom had me try on, hell no. Little flowers sewn all over on it. Mom did you really think that was going to be it? I did find one I liked. It was very plain, ivory in color with a Champaign strip of satin around the top and matching around the bottom and down the train. Did it take my breath away, was it the one? Well, no, I mean come on; I couldn’t even get it zipped.

There has to be a first time for everything, and this was my first dress shopping. I didn’t find the one, but I found some things I liked and didn’t like. White, white dresses might not be for me. I like ivory. And the plain, plain non strapless dress I thought I wanted, well that might not be it either. If the dress is supposed to match your personality, I wouldn’t call myself boring in the least. I need a little pizzazz and excitement going on for the day.

"When are you getting married??"

That's the first question anybody asks when they find out you're engaged. Well, after "how did he do it?" :)

The funny thing is that it's not like you have an answer. I mean, people started asking me this less than 24 hours after the engagement as if we would already have set a date. So at first, the answer was really vague--"next spring or maybe next fall."

Then when we had started looking at reception places and contacted churches. In Brookings there isn’t a whole lot to choose from. There is only one reception hall that allows alcohol to be served and that same place also attached to a hotel. We thought it would be nice for our guests to be able to have their rooms and the dance in the same place. No one has to drive and being a catholic wedding, you can just go to your room for the time in between the wedding and the reception. Once we knew where we wanted everything, we narrowed it down to a few dates, May 16th, August 1 or sometime in October. May 16th – graduations – one especially we couldn’t avoid Big Case would be in Chicago. August 1 – HOT!! So October it is.

Now, we are about 99.9% sure it is October 3, 2009. We will hopefully be signing a contract with our reception venue Friday October 3, 2008, as you can only officially book the place a year in advance and the church already has us down.

And then the countdown officially begins.

Oh the internet

If anyone reading this is recently engaged or hoping to be someday, one word, the internet. Well that is 2 words, but whose counting. The Saturday after our engagement I wanted to go buy every wedding book ever written. I figured that would be a total waste of money and decided to check the internet first. Oh man…I searched wedding websites and got more than I had bargained for. Some of the best sites I have found include http://www.theknot.com/, http://www.weddingchannel.com/, and http://www.onewed.com/. I started registering for everything under the sun. David’s bridal – do you want to receive special sale notifications? Yes. The knot.com – do you want to know when we add new photos to our gallery? Yes. Needless to say I have my email address registered at about every wedding idea site I could find. And my inbox gets filled everyday with crap that I usually end up deleting.

So that was a learning experience. I am sure that long after the wedding is over I will still be getting notifications from David’s bridal and their $100 gown sale. But in the mean time, I have found anything and everything I can think of for wedding ideas. How to make your own invitations and centerpieces and good wedding favors are just some of the ideas I have come across. I have also learned about how to host a non-traditional Friday afternoon wedding to a Sunday morning brunch and what to serve and the activities you could have instead of a dance. Not for us, but there are a ton of ideas out there.

Besides decoration ideas etc, after a day of searching this is how I came to want to start the blog. I came across some really cool sites people had made up and it seemed to be an easy way to keep my family and friends involved while giving them also a place for suggestions and little comments on what we are doing. When the date gets closer and as I get better at understanding what this page can do, I will be including directions to the ceremony and reception, hotel accommodations, and an introduction to our wedding party.

I am finding out that there are about a million things that go into planning a wedding. And keeping track of them on your own is nearly impossible. With the help of some of my favorite wedding sites, and this blog, I have all the faith in the world it will be a day to remember.

Step One: Boy asks girl. Girl says yes.

Randy and I got engaged just over a month ago, on Friday July 25. After almost 4 years of dating I had finally been able to get him in to a few jewelry stores and low and behold I found one I liked. We then checked a few other places to compare prices, warranty information, and most importantly financing, but always came back to this particular one. After a few viewings I was told that my trips to the jewelry store were done and that if it was going to happen it would.

I proceeded to ask about once a week or so to go back and see it again. Each question ended with the same answer…nope, you have seen it enough. This particular week I had asked once again, to my surprise he said fine, if it will quit you from asking. I was delighted! Friday after work we met at Riddle’s. Walking in the look on the sales persons face said it all. I asked right away, “Where is it? I want to see my ring.” Her head dropped and quietly said I’m sorry, it’s gone. From there the story elaborated into as a new store with the company there were given all of this great merchandise and now they had been open a month or so, their stuff was up for grabs from the other stores. It just so happened that my ring was one of the items that was sent to Billings, MT.

I was devastated. I had found a ring that I absolutely loved and now it was gone. I couldn’t help how I was feeling and started to cry in the store. The look on Randy’s face made it even worse. I can usually tell when he is lying to me as he gets this mischievous little smirk. But that day it was different. It wasn’t a smirk but a look of oh man she is going to kill me. We hung around the store for 20 minutes or so and discussed some of our options if the ring happened to get sold to the couple from Montana. Alicia would look for some more diamonds similar to the one I had found and watch for a good deal. I guess I had to be satisfied with that answer, because after all it was gone. Or was it?

We arrived home. Walking in the door I remember telling Randy that if he had bought this ring and was waiting to give it to me, this was a really mean way to do it. I went in the house and there was a vase of Gerber daisies waiting for me. Randy tells me that he wanted to get me flowers because he knew that when we went in that the ring was going to be gone. Oh I can’t tell you if I was sad again or mad. I asked why he would let me go into the store knowing it was gone. I marched into the bedroom, with my eyes once again filling with tears, and grabbed Molly girl off the bed. As I walked back out to the kitchen there he was holding a familiar looking maroon box.

This was it. I guarantee every girl imagines how it is going to happen. When, where, and what will he say? It was my turn. As he opened the box and I saw that ring I feared I would never see again, he dropped to one knee, said that he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, and would I marry him. I proceeded to freak out!! Amongst the screaming and no nonsense blubbering, yes came out of my mouth. He placed the ring on my finger and it was a perfect fit. I was completely shocked but couldn’t have been happier. We had discussed the whole marriage thing so I thought that it might be coming, but I no way expected it to be that day. It was low-key and at-home, but romantic and very thought out. I wouldn’t change that moment for anything. We proceeded to call friends and family to let them know the good news. We went out for supper enjoyed a quiet evening at home.

Side note of what our parents said:
My mom immediately started crying. She was very happy for us and I think had a hard time concentrating on the Catfish Bay ski show that night. Yes, she was parking cars when she found out.
My dad was happy for us and let me know how ironic life can be and how much work marriage takes. He told us both congratulations and appreciated that Randy called to ask his permission
Randy’s mom – This I my favorite. As Randy being the only son, I figured we would get a little excitement out of Kathy. Her words exactly “Oh that’s nice.”
Randy’s dad - I don't think that we actually talked to him on the phone. However, the first time we saw him, first thing he wanted to do was see the ring.
He didn’t bother to tell either of his parents what he had planned so I think they were a little shocked. Happy for us, but it was unexpected.

We have now started to plan our wedding to take place fall 2009. Fun times! There is a lot to think about, which is a bit overwhelming, but I like to think that I am a pretty good planner, so I am hoping to do just fine, especially with the help of family and friends.