5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Blast Off!

Well, it is countdown time. I have only 3 more days to work before I concentrate full time on final wedding preparations. Luckily, I am not stressed. I didn't get things done that I wanted to get done this weekend, but that's OK. The biggest task is figuring out the food quantity after double-checking the guest list. I have a week to get that done. But, I don't want to procrastinate!

I went shoe shopping with my MOH this weekend. It is always great to have some girl time with her. We met over at South Coast Plaza. My first stop was Macy's. It was my last stop, too. I think I tried on about 5 pairs of shoes. The last were the ones! They match the dress perfectly (Yep, carted it along), and they are SOOOOO comfortable! I feel like I have slippers on my feet!

There are so many people helping to bring this event together. I couldn't do it without them. Now I just need to firm up the people who will help with the food - either preparing it at church or setting it out/replenishing it at the reception. And coolers. We are going to need to borrow coolers. These are among the last minute details.

Well, since there are only three work days this week, I had better get movin'!

I feel blessed

Well, we have a new date for the wedding. Rescheduling everything went smoothly. I only had to pay $10 to reschedule the venue, and there was no cost to reschedule the photographer and the florist. Of course, the caterer and the cake baker will make this wedding a priority and will reschedule any conflicts that might arise for this new date... just a perk that comes with doing the food and cake ourselves!

The biggest challenge for me has been to let everyone know the new date. Those that had email were sent a notice through Evite, and everyone who accepted, had not responded, or who declined because of being out of town, etc. were sent a postcard with the new date. A few were also called with the news. I just hope that I didn't miss anyone!

There have been days this week that I have wished I was off instead of getting up early, but I know that I am sooo much less stressed than I would have been. And I have all this glorious, extra time to get things done, and I am trying to use the time wisely.... Besides, I will be catering a wedding for 200... I think that will be stress enough!

I truly feel blessed... all things are truly working together for good! (Rom 8:28)

Proberbs 16:9 and Romans 8:28

As a Christian, I should never be surprised at what happens. For example, when I wrote my last entry, I was stressing about the time left and for all the tasks on my "to do" list. Little did I know that before the end of the day, BW and I would be discussing a postponement.

It is so true that although we make our plans, God "directs our steps." If I focused solely on the circumstances that led to the postponement, I could have easily become depressed, angry (at God, at the person responsible for the situation... probably more of the latter), or even more stressed. But I wasn't. I was a peace, although worried about how BW was coping with the situation. I simply KNEW that God was in control. I also know that "all things would work for the good."

The day after this happened, I read an "Upper Room" devotional about always looking for blessings and at least one thing to be thankful for every day. It could even be something as small as "...daffodils popping out of the cold, barren ground...." In the few days since this has happened, I have seen so many blessings beginning to "bloom." People who learned that they would not be able to attend the wedding now have another chance. Details about the ceremony that we so deperately wanted but could not have managed before are now possibilites. Even something so small as a statement I made about one of the songs I was thinking about including in the DVD ("it would be perfect if the wedding was in October!"). And I have more TIME!!!!

If anything, these last few days has shown me that not only does God have a sense of humor (eg, the song), but He truly, truly cares about the details of our life and the desires of our hearts. I know that the wedding will be great, but the marriage will be better, because Christ will be right there in the midst of it all with us!

Tick, tick, tick

Oh my gosh! Where DID the time go? I cannot believe it is the end of August, and I have 16 days (including today) to pull this wedding thing off! Today is supposed to be a day off, but I was up at "normal" time (as if waking up before 5 am is "normal" by any standards). Granted, I haven't accomplished much beyond playing with the puppy (OK, dog ... she is 4 years old), and I need to be out of the house in about 90 minutes to start my various and sundry errands.

I had to fly to Richmond on Wednesday to attend a meeting. It is amazing how my everyday life decisions are revolving around "THE WEDDING." Normally, I would have flown up the day before and stayed at a hotel in Emeryville. But not this time! I decided to fly up and back on the same day. I can't fly out of John Wayne and get to Oakland early enough to make a 9 am meeting, so I had to drive to Ontario. And since I had a rental car to return after the meeting ended at 4:00 (oh, did I mention traffic?), the 5:00 return flight to Ontario is out of the question. Let's just say that it's a good thing I am getting paid for OT right now instead of accruing comp time. If it wasn't for $$, I don't think I would purposely subject myself to a 20+ hour day...

But needless to say, sitting at the airport (and sitting at the airport... oh, did I mention that I was sitting at the airport?) provided me with some time to start putting my "to do" list to actual dates. I was doing OK until we met with Pastor Frank last night to work on the ceremony. I am only 2 days into the "to do list with dates", and I am already a day behind! And now I have 1 hr and 15 minutes to get out of the house. ACK! Where are Franck and Howard from Father of the Bride?

Saturday's Forecast: Sunny in the morning, showers in the afternoon

I had my first bridal shower on last Saturday. It was a blast! The organizers did a terrific job, and the guests were a true joy. The games were great, and even showcased the talents and humor of many of the women. It was to have been a kitchen shower, and wouldn't you know it... there were a few who didn't "get the memo" (to quote at least one of the so-called "offenders"). It just added to the charm of the shower, because at least one clever guest said that I had to explain how the non-kitchen items would be used in the kitchen! The first set of towels brought out many peals of laughter from everyone when one of the ladies suggested how BW could use the towels (or more appropriately the washcloth with a rubberband).

Looking back, although every bride gets excited about the gifts received at showers (and would probably be disappointed if she didn't get any), I think that the fun, friendship and fellowship were the most priceless gifts of the day. I was truly honored that all of these women in my church family were there. I have another shower (tomorrow) with friends from outside of the church... and quite honestly my biggest disappointment is that some of the friends that I would have love to have seen won't be able to attend. Things don't matter... people do. In fact, when I showed BW the gifts we had received at the first shower, he was blown away by many of the selections. We had registered for many things that we had thought that we would never receive (as one of my coworkers called it, it was for "grins and giggles"). We have truly been humbled by the generosity of friends.

Maybe I should try yoga...

Well, inspite of the valiant efforts of one Z Gallerie employee by the name of Matt, I could not locate one of the apothecary beverage containers. Flexibility is key when planning a wedding, and I am trying to be flexible. I wonder if yoga would help! (I am sure it would for the times of STRESS!!!) I have located similar items on the internet, many of which are back ordered. I, rather we, need to make a decision soon.

I had the opportunity to get about 9 hrs of OT this Saturday. There is a big BT (aka preparedness) exercise in Temecula. But that would have meant more than an hour's drive to the location, and I have to be there at 6! Granted, it would have been a nice chunk of change to use toward the wedding (I want very little debt from this event), but BW has a cake to deliver for another wedding (last one before he does ours). It is easier to use my car. And I am sure there are lots more things I could be doing that are wedding-related. Or not. Last weekend, it was mostly "or not." But I really needed those naps!!! :o)

It's All About the Details

I am taking a little "time off" (sort of) from the wedding planning. I guess I am taking time off from the running around. This weekend, I have let my fingers do the walking. But instead of the yellow pages, it is the internet. And the phone. But not the Yellow Pages.

I am on a search for beverage dispensers. A particular beverage dispenser... the Z Gallerie Apothecary jar beverage dispenser. I called the Shops at Mission Viejo. They must have been psychic, because they didn't even answer the phone. Then I called the SCP store. They were helpful at least in letting me know they did not have them. Then I called the Dos Lagos store in Corona. Matt (I think that was his name) was WONDERFUL! No, he didn't have any in stock. But at least he told me when they would be back in stock. He said it would be OCTOBER. But the wedding is in September, I lamented. He saw another store that appeared to have 4 in stock. I only need two of them. He located the phone number for me, and EVEN TRIED CALLING THEM!!! That is customer service!

So tomorrow, the quest begins again. If they are out, we will have to decide on Plan B. I wonder if there are any on e-Bay. That would be a good thing.... these dispensers seem to be the "it" item right now. Might be a tidy way to make a profit if someone is desperate. Fortunately, I am not desperate... yet!

Making Progress

Well, tomorrow is the last day of my vacation. Looking back, this has been a rather productive week, even though I still wish I had done more! We picked the florist (no, this is not my bouquet, but these are the colors that will be used for reception flowers!) on Friday, and we finalized the photographer today.

I am so excited about our photographer! We are going with Harvard Photography. I love their artistry, but more important, they are Christian. BW and I want to keep the expenses down, so that's why we are doing as much of the work that we can (like cake and catering). However, photography is probably my biggest splurge. They do a DVD montage of pictures set to music... I already know that will be my favorite!

Well, the invitations are calling to me... they say "address us, address us!" If I want to get them in the mail by next Saturday, I need to heed their call!

Beware the Budget Breakers

After yesterday, I can understand why weddings are so costly, and why it is easy to spend into the 10's of thousands on weddings. First, it is easy to get caught up in the details. The bridal magazines alone can cost a small fortune! :) Then there is always the "keeping up with the Joneses" ... you see an idea that someone else has incorporated into their wedding and you gotta have it!!! It makes it hard to keep the budget in check when faced with all these temptations.

And then there are all the vendors...

We had a floral consultation yesterday. It wasn't our first, and it's not the last (that one is tomorrow). But I can say for certain that it was the most UNBELIEVABLE consultation that I have had to date. I am still shaking my head. This particular florist doesn't have a "store front" to go to, so the consultation might take place at a coffee shop or hotel lobby (unless, of course, they get caught!). But that's OK. The problem I had with this particular vendor is that they specialize in the wedding industry. That translates to inflated prices. Sure, they have got the terminology down ("high end" and "designer"). But, I am sorry. To quote more than 2.5 times what the other florists are charging, and then to tell the bride that she will have to pick up her flowers because the "minimum" was not met is a bit ridiculous. On top of that, there is an additional labor charge. Normally labor is included in the price of the creating the floral arrangement. Like BW said as we left, "That's like a baker telling you that the wedding cake will cost $600, then saying, 'By the way, I am also charging an additional $100 to bake it.'"

There are so many florists out there that do not specialize in weddings, but who do an equally beautiful job with floral design. I feel so sorry for all those brides who are not familiar with sales techniques, such as assuming the sale (or assuming the appointment). They can get so caught up in wanting the most beautiful wedding possible (don't we all?) that they completely blow their budget!

Marathons of a different kind...

I am soooo glad that I am on vacation this week! This weekend was a long one! It began on a low note... a "marathon hunt" for missing ribbon. I must have tore up the house twice, looking for ribbon. It's what I needed for the favors. Forget the fact that it's only 50 cents for 10 yards. I had to find that ribbon. As the moments past without it turning up, I got more and more frustrated with myself. I had it "in it's place," but then I moved it. And now I couldn't find it!

Oh well, I had another marathon to attend to, so I abandoned the ribbon search and just went and bought more. Actually, it turned out to be a good thing, because I added two new colors to the mix. My next marathon was a marathon shopping session. I was meeting my MOH at South Coast Plaza to hit the stores to search for her dress. We planned to meet at Nordie's, because she had a return to make, and I was in search of mascara. Please, no gasps from the Mary Kay world... our waterproof mascara, although it is great, does not give the kind of wedding day lashes that I want. Cindy was tied up by a major traffic accident on the freeway, so I not only got the mascara, but I picked up a few other necessities too (like perfume) and looked at the dresses that Nordies had to offer.

Once Cindy and I connected about 10:30, we were off! For the next 4 hours, we sought out dresses galore! She tried on a TON at Macy's, and then I proceeded to be a "bad influence" as she called me when I took her to Bath and Body Works and Sephora (I hear more gasps from the MK world). But this is all in the name of W-E-D-D-I-N-G. Finally, we did get a chance to sit down and eat (a nap would have been better). Unfortunately, we both ran out of time and had to move on to our next committments for the day... so dress shopping will continue on Wednesday.

My day wrapped up with an invitation & favor making party with friends from the church. It was great! These ladies are such a blessing. They found a big OOPS with the invitation (Letty, what TIME will the ceremony begin?), but Betsy and Anna Marie came to the rescue and added the time to the invites. We did not get as much done as I would have liked, but we did cut a lot of ribbons, tied a lot of knots, and got a lot of prep work done!

Sunday after church, BW and I went to another Bridal Expo. It was MUCH smaller than the first one we went to (which was held at the OC fairgrounds), and we got roped into attending a vacation timeshare presentation. But oh well. The best thing about it was that I think I learned a new trick for putting the invites together so they will look better. I haven't tried it yet.

And the marathon continues this week. Besides finishing the invitations (and addressing them), I have to meet with two more florists, then pick the florist, shop some more for Cindy's dress AND meet with the photographer. But now I think I will take a nap! After all, I AM on vacation!

Confession is good for the soul

BW and I started our premarital counseling last night. Because "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" (and sorry, we have not been to Vegas, but if we had...), I will not be divulging details about our sessions. I don't want to share anything about my beloved without his permission. What I can say is that no matter how well we know each other, I did learn a few things, and I revealed a few "secrets" related to our meeting.

The first session was rather light-hearted. Pastor Frank had us each write down separately how long we had been dating, how long we had been engaged, and how we met. I always have fun with the "how we met" story. Every time we share the story, there has been "my version" and "his version." BW always said that he doesn't remember saying (in his Texas drawl) "You look good, you look real good." Not only did he admit to it, but he added a detail that I forgot! Pastor Frank was having such a good time walking back through time with us. Frank asked me if after BW said that if I sought out opportunities to interact with him more. I had to confess (because we promised to be open and honest) that I actually avoided him for a time. But God encouraged me to give the guy a chance, and I am so glad I did! Like Pastor Frank said (quoting Eph. 3:20), God "...is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

Goin' to the Chapel...

... and we're gonna get married! I cannot believe that it is less than 3 months to go to the "big day." I have had nine months to plan this wedding. I ... oops, we (my fiance loves participating in the whole process)... have done some of the basic stuff (like location, gift registry, etc.), but then it all came to a SCREECHING halt for two to three months. Wouldn't you know it, right after we sent out the "Save the Dates," we learned that the date we wanted to save might not be the wedding date after all. That has a killer way of dampening the planning spirit. But I refused to cancel the location and just took a step back to breathe. As the time inched closer to when invites needed to go out, I found my stress levels increaing. Not good! I didn't want to be a bridezilla! Fortunately, the call came that all was a go! Talk about overdrive!

In the past 5 days, my dress has been ordered, the invitations are being printed, decorations have been purchase (along with 25 lbs of Jordan almonds.... what am I going to do with 25 POUNDS of Jordan almonds? Well, the guests will like it, and one of the women at work said that she has plenty of ziploc bags if I want to bring the leftovers), and I have met with one florist. In the next week, I will be finalizing the photographer and the florist, getting the wedding bands, meeting with the friend in charge of decorating the venue, going dress shopping with my MOH, and getting together with some friends to assemble the invitaions and favors. That's assuming the 2-5-p-o-u-n-d-s of Jordan almonds arrives (it should). Oh yeah, and on top of that, we start premarital classes with the pastor and I still have to go to the office!

I am normally a fairly organized person, but if it ain't written down.... well, let's just say that the faintest ink is better than the most retentive memory. I just had a DUH moment today when I realized that I need to have the printer make up the response cards too! I was thinking about the response cards in the kit, thinking we could just write in the date to RSVP by. HELLO! It's a kit! Kit = blank cards! Oh well! Tomorrow they can go to the printer and be done in time for the girls' night "in."