Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Yikes.

It's been awhile! Please don't mistake my lack of posting for lack of updates. We've kept up our momentum. I've been so busy with work - fall is our busiest season, plus I'm catching up from being gone a few weeks in September. Add a move and the holidays, and there is little time for blogging!

The post below this is one that TheKnot.com posted automatically for me. It's a review I wrote today for products we purchased. I ordered our save-the-date magnets from their wedding shop last week and they arrived today! I think it's cool they'll blog my review for me, but I don't know how relevant it is. Maybe if other brides read my blog, and just not my married friends? Who knows. Anyways, back to the magnets! They are so awesome. I'm pretty sure they were the very first item we knew we wanted post-engagement...before we were all about birds and branches (more on that later). I bought them so early (a year ahead of time to be exact) because I couldn't beat the 65% off sale. Not to mention, I'm constantly worried about things we want going out of stock or being discontinued. I would give these away now, but I really think we should wait until after next September, so no one thinks we're getting married September '10. I have relatives that thought we were getting married this past September, and of course people still/always think it's next September. I think Christmas next year will be good for giving away to most of the guests...no confusion that way.

I had mentioned birds and branches earlier...we are all about it! don't get me wrong, I totally shy away from themes and I'm trying not to be super tacky...everything is just falling together nicely. I bought the branch centerpiece kits from bloomsandbranches.com that I had mentioned in an earlier post and they turned out excellent. Mike made a sample centerpiece that is pretty sweet...sorry about the quality, I took the picture with my phone!



We really like it, but it doesn't quite fit the feel we're going for. We're going to replace the big pink flowers with small off-white hydrangeas, and 86 the glass and river rocks in favor of more modern square bases. Hopefully we get around to that soon and I can post the finished product.

For our alternate centerpieces, we're going to go with medium sized apothecary jars filled with twig balls in our colors, pine cones, and feather balls. Target has the PERFECT jars on sale right now, so hopefully I can scoop up the 12 I need soon. I'm thinking we'll have some votives on the branch tables and bud vases with hydrangea bunches on the apothecary jar tables.

So I guess some feathers here and some branches there don't really make a theme, right? Man, I hope I don't go overboard.

My Review of Personalized Magnets - NEW DESIGNS!

Originally submitted at The Knot

These magnets make cool save-the-date mementos, and favors for the bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and the wedding reception, too. With over 60 new designs, you'll definitely find the perfect one to suit your occasion. Personalize with your names and event date.  Each magnet measures 3 1/2 x ...


Amazing!

By Jessica from Windber, PA on 12/2/2009

 

5out of 5

Gift: No

Pros: Functional, Unique, Fits Theme, Good Value, Personalized

Best Uses: Theme Weddings, For Fun, Sentimental Keepsake

Describe Yourself: Bride

I just got my brown magnets in the mail, and I'm blown away! These are adorable and match our birds and branches theme perfectly. Our wedding is over Labor Day weekend, so having save-the-dates is vital to making sure everyone is on the same page and doesn't make other arrangements.

They do seem a little thin, but they are just magnets and it doesn't affect quality at all.

(legalese)

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

I'm back.

A week and a half ago I had very very minor surgery, and I thought for sure that my three week recovery would be filled with wedding planning and fretting...totally not the case. This is the first time in 11 days that I'm self sufficient and feeling pretty good (not so coincidentally, it's also the first day I'm not relying on 3 teaspoons of painkillers every 4th hour for pain management), and I'm back with a vengeance.

The hint of OCD in me rationalizes that now we have the big huge all important details down, we need to move to the next important, but slightly flexible tier - cakes, djs, florists, etc. I have absolutely no patience for things of that nature, so of course I'm back to my old ways and obsessing over centerpieces.

A quick Google search lead me to this gem


....over at bloomsandbranches.com. I'm all about cheap and efficient, so these are right up my alley. I need to crunch numbers (these kits vs. everything separately), but these just might be it! If we go with these, I could get one set a month or so...$35 a month won't be missed much! I estimate that I'd only need 10 or 11 of these (200 people - 14 at head table / 8 person per table / half of the tables would have this particular centerpiece). Hopefully we can decide in the near future and I can buy supplies for a mock centerpiece.

Here is a blurry picture I found of Emma and Connor last Halloween (our flower girl and ring bearer). Emma is Mike's niece and Connor is my brother. Just a little FYI.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

!!!!!!!

We found our dream reception site and paid our deposit on it! We had checked out this location a few weeks ago after hearing a lot of local buzz- it's housed in a very old building with a lot of rich history, and had received new owners last year who have just finished renovations. The owner invited us over to go through more details yesterday evening, so we saw the place set up for a wedding. It was so gorgeous! A favorite part of mine is the dedicated bridal room with a private restroom and a vanity- and it locks! Let's see, what else....wall to wall French doors separating the ballroom from the food, ROUND TABLES (this was a major selling point!), very large hardwood dance floor, very neutral palate...the list goes on and on. Another plus is that is is so very affordable...more than we could have dreamed. I think the absolute very best part of this place is the owners- they are the nicest people I could wish for. They obviously put so much thought into everything, from the decor to providing parking attendants. They are so flexible with everything, and they really just seem to want to please.

I think I was probably 10 times more excited in person last night than I'm conveying in this blog. Mike said that every time the guy answered a question, my big eyes just got bigger and bigger. I'm so happy!


In other news, I'm thinking of using kissing balls (carnations or roses?) as pew decorations, and then transporting them to the reception site and incorporating them into half of the centerpieces and around the cake and cookies. I really like the idea, so we'll see where it goes. We also really dig the idea of hanging votives (or floating tea lights) from branches on the other half of the centerpieces. I might make some mock centerpieces....eventually.

Oh by the way, http://thisisitjohnstown.com is the reception site!

Mike decided to finally read this and give his two cents in the last post! Awesome!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

So Far So Good?

We found a place we really like for the reception. It is perfect and we didn't even know it existed until a few days ago! We just need to make sure that we can use our own caterer. We spent a great deal of time going over decor ideas: branches, votives, hanging votives, tea lights, etc. We're on the right track... I think so anyway. We're also looking at groomsman gifts. I don't really know what I want to do yet.
MP

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Blah blah blah.

I don't have too much to update on...lots of headaches and indecisiveness! Just a few minutes ago, I wrote our first wedding check! As of tomorrow, we'll have UPJ's Whalley Memorial Chapel secured for our ceremony. It was a little pricey, but totally worth it! The space is beautiful inside and out. It feels a million times more real now! This is so exciting.


Beautiful.

We decided long ago before we got engaged that when we got married (to each other or otherwise I suppose), that our favors would be customized Jones Soda. Again, a little pricey - really pricey- but we want it! Budget? Huh?

While delicious flavors like Black Cherry and Strawberry Manilow are enticing, we're going to stick with our color palate and go with Cream Soda and Root Beer (Ick, I hate both). Hopefully other flavors in our colors become available to give some variety.
I cannot wait to see hundreds of soda bottles with our mugs plastered on them.


Sunday, August 16, 2009

Local Schmocal.

I'm slowly but surely realizing that Johnstown does not have what I want and need for my wedding. I want my perfect venue at the perfect price with a million choices. I want to find at least one day-of coordinator. Heck, I'm even finding it difficult to meet a local DJ who doesn't have some sort of...unsavory... reputation.

Maybe it's me? I feel like I'm being super picky. I know I'm being picky. We both are, really. I hate the feeling of settling. I set myself up for disappointment. I expected to see a place and just know. You are 100% with the groom and the dress, and I want that with everything else! Money and location are against us.


Hahah, with that out of the way, I think I found my dress. It's sweet and simple and everything I want.



I'm not committing or anything yet - we have sooooooo long to go. I seriously want to buy that up right now, though!

One thing I think we've committed to is the rehearsal dinner! Mike is all about the local Fuji Japanese Steakhouse (He's mad about that place.). I called and they can accommodate up to 60 in a private room with 8 hibachi grills- and they give a discount for large groups! Excellent.


We have a lot more trivial (and not so trivial) things already decided on, check back soon!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

It's hit the fan.

Within 24 hours, we've both had wedding meltdowns. The guest list is this week's (month's? year's?) frustration. Mike has a huge family, and we're running into an etiquette issue with who to invite. The problem at hand is if we invite one relative, do we have to invite them all? If Grandma's sister Milly is invited, do we have to invite Grandma's brother Earl? What if we're close to Milly, but don't know Earl well (or at all?)? For a lot of reasons (MONEY! NOT WANTING TO LOOK OUT AT A SEA OF STRANGERS! MAYBE?), we obviously just want to invite people we know! We're being told we have to invite all or none when it comes to distant relatives, and we're unsure of how to handle it. The last thing we want to do is cause family drama llama.



On a happier note, here are some visuals.


The programs:







These are our invitations! I love the ivory swirls. Despite the pictures having different shades of brown, the programs and invitations are made by the same company and coordinate unbelieveably.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Chugging Along.

Last week or so, I received this gem in the mail:


Thanks CRo. No excuses now! This book proved to be an amazing resource- everything from where to sit my aunt to what length table linens to use.


Aside from reading books, magazines, and websites, we've made a lot of progress. We squeezed in a meeting with a local banquet facility, and were very impressed. Personally, I think it's down to two choices. I'll let you know after August 12th! We've also snagged more stationary- I think by the end of the summer we'll have all of our invitations, programs, placecards, and thank you cards bought and stored away.


I've obviously been looking at wedding dresses for the last 21 years, but recently I've been focusing my attention to David's Bridal (an MSN article refered to the national chain as 'The Wal-Mart of Weddings'). UH, HELLO. Budget, meet my new best friend. I think I know what I want- an off-white strapless ballgown. DB has some really amazing, (and so inexpensive it almost hurts), gowns. I don't think I want to make the purchase until next year, but knowing I could take one check from my weekend job and buy a beautiful dress is tempting! We'll see.

I cannot believe that next week marks 2.5 years of togetherness for us. A month after that marks 2 years until we make it permanent. What a life! I couldn't want more.

P.S. - Last night as a waitress gave me my check after a ladies' night out, she said 'Oh you have the mini verson of my engagement ring!'. Yeah, she went there! I think it was poor wording versus being catty, but wow!

Monday, July 13, 2009

5 months later...

We have just passed the 5 month mark in our engagement. I have no idea where the time went, but I am very thankful! If my math is right, we're about 1/6th of the way there.

Done:
best man
1/2 of the guest list
color scheme

Needs Done:
EVERYTHING ELSE.



...I cannot believe this is all the further we've gotten. I guess I did leave out some stuff - we do have most of our stationary. Invitations, thank you cards, programs - thank you, 50% off coupons for Michael's. Even still, we don't have all of it and I just got word that our particular style is being retired. Crap.

I'm going to blame the huge lull in activity on life itself. 3 jobs between us, bills bills bills, etc. I feel rejuvenated lately, and like we're making a lot of planning progress. We have an appointment in August to look at a local facility that shows promise. I used to think this place was an absolute winner, until I carefully examined their pictures and noticed the blue carpet...and chairs. BLUE? AHHHHHHHHH. Blue doesn't sit well with our brown and ivory (chocolate and cream? mocha and off-white?) plans. I hate to nitpick; but I need class, not clash.

Hopefully tonight we can make a master guest list, and maybe call a few more places for the reception. Wish me luck!