DIY win and fail...

Let's do the win first, because it's happier (sure why not, we'll go with that). My tossing bouquet was something that I wanted to be different than normal. Everyone has been to a wedding and wanted to catch the bouquet and maybe you have caught one (I did once). At our wedding, I am giving all of our single ladies a bouquet to catch. Each flower in the "bouquet" will be its own bouquet. Here's what I did...

Take 20 parts flowers...


And add equal parts of ribbons along with some scissors.


With a snip, snip here and a little sweat there, the idea takes shape.


Each bouquet was tied with a ribbon and I let the strings hang because I thought it was adorable and fun. Here is how they turned out all together.

When the time comes to throw, I will hold them all together like one bouquet, but then they will separate and then every girl can catch one (hopefully, as long as there are only 20 or so girls to toss to).

So that's my DIY win, now for the fail. My card box did not turn out how I wanted it to, so I went to Michaels and bought one. I'm the bride, I'm allowed to do that if I want to.

In other news, I got my dress back from the seamstress today!! Yay!!! Now she is hanging in my room, teasing me that I get to wear her soon. Argh!!

I have one more day of work left! Whoopee!! And then I can devote my few remaining days to getting everything together and trying to remain calm. Good luck to me.

I am in the process of getting the bachelorette pictures together, so don't worry, that post is still on it's way (although might not come until after we get back from our honeymoon).

4 days!!!

Time to party!!

Getting ready for my bachelorette party!! I will post pictures when I've recovered (and by that I mean catch up on sleep). :-D

Thanking my parents

I spent MONTHS thinking of how to properly thank my parents for everything they have done. I just couldn't find the right token to show my appreciation until I was checking out my recommendations on Amazon. As soon as I saw these two, I knew exactly what I was giving my parents.

For my mom:

This is our favorite children's book. She bought me a copy a couple of years ago, so now she has her own copy to read her grandchildren someday (no, no surprises, it's going to be a couple of years).

For my dad:

When I was younger, I used to dance on Dad's feet all of the time. After seeing the cover of this book (and with the last couple pages being wedding related) I knew this would be perfect.

Showing your appreciation to your parents doesn't have to be grand and showy, even the smallest or seemingly silly thing can mean the most to them. :-)

8 days!!!

Weather update

One thing I forgot to add onto my last post, with the wedding being within Weather.com's 10-day forecast, I was able to check out what it will be doing on our day.

Unfortunately, right now this is it:

Sad Panda

We want to do our pictures at the lake because it is a beautiful location. We do have a back up plan, but would rather not use it. I know the weather can change in between now and then and I REALLY hope that it does.

Pray for now rain Friday and Saturday!!

Single digits!! *happy dance*

9 DAYS UNTIL OUR WEDDING!!!

So much is going on right now that I haven't really had time to blog! Sorry!

On Tuesday, my granny came over and we had a work party. We spent the evening putting tags on bracelets and ribbons on bubbles. I took pictures with my phone so you can kind of see what we were doing.

I had to print out 250 little tags and then punch holes in all of them to put the ribbon through.




Granny, my sister, and her fiance spent the evening threading the tags onto ribbon and then tying them around the bracelets. All 250!!




It took a while, but we got all of them done.




Then I got to working on the bubbles. I ended up getting all of the red ribbon done, which is only half, but now I only have half left. It's not so bad I guess.


I could have made it a lot easier on myself by just tying a not and clipping the ends short, but the bows were so cute! (Not that you can see them very well in the picture, but oh well. Take my word for it!)


This week I've been going through my closet and I finally decided to just pick an outfit for each day of the week until the wedding. Then I could take the rest of my clothes over to our new house. I was shocked when my clothes went from filling two rods to being about a foot thick on ONE rod!!

Might not be easy to see in the picture, but the small amount of clothes on the left are the ones I am wearing this week and next. I had a "moment" and had to sit down and just stare at it. Where has the time gone!!? I only have 9 days left and a fairly long to do list left!!

It is going down though, here it what is left:
-Print poem for memorial table (will take two minutes)
-Take engraved vase to Your Marketplace (again, two minutes, minus travel time)
-Make card box (I need to find plain, red wrapping paper & an appropriate cardboard box
-Pick out young-ish pictures for under glass (mine are done, now I just need Nick's)
-Put ribbons on bubbles (only orange is left)
-Ribbons on tossing flowers (I have both, now I just need to sit down and do it)
-Decorate centerpieces (I need to get red floral paper to put around the pot)
-Make CD for DJ
-Make CD of prelude & postlude music
-Print vows & 'Union' poem on invitation paper (need to get Nick's vows)
-Finalize rehearsal dinner details (mostly done)
-Gifts to parents
-Pass out schedule to all involved (only have a few left to pass out)
-Pay videographer
-Buy reception food (doing this on saturday, we're doing a nacho bar!)
-Honeymoon itineraries to parents
-Get pedestals from Beth and Matt (bridesmaids is doing this)
-Pack bags for honeymoon!
-Prepare bag to take to wedding (with emergency kit)
-Guys' final fittings & pick up tuxes (next thursday)
-Rings cleaned (day before)
-Assign someone to be in charge of ring bearer's dish, flower, girl basket, etc.
-Designate someone to transport card box to McClelland
-Go to credit union for honeymoon, tip, & emergency money
-Paint fingernails & toenails
-Pick up rentals & pay balance (day before
-Set up ceremony (morning of day before)
-Set up reception (afternoon of day before)
-Gifts to bridesmaids (at rehearsal)
-Have someone pick up my bouquet and the memorial flowers (morning of)

Whew! Still a long list, but we'll get it done.

This weekend we're buying the food for the reception (like I said in the to do list) and it's my bachelorette party!! Stay tuned for THAT post and pictures!!

9 days!!!!

15 days!!!

And boy am I ready for a vacation!!

Nick decided yesterday that I need a bouquet made from real flowers, so now I get to add that to my to do list! (Not that I'm complaining, he's paying for it!)

Music makes the people come together!!

It only took like 11 months, but here is our music line up.

Ceremony first

Everyone in our processional will walk in to 'What a Wonderful World' by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole

Israel kamakawiwo'ole - "What a Wonderful World from Mountain Apple Company on Vimeo.

Have you seen Disney's Man of the House? For those of you that have, do you remember the song Farrah Fawcett walked down the aisle to at the end? That is the song I am walking down to. 'Return to Innocence' by Enigma

Source: Youtube
Gives me chills whenever I hear that song.

While we sign our marriage certificate and pour our unity sand, this song will be playing 'Deeply in Love' by Hillsong

Source: Youtube

After we are pronounced husband and wife (I love that line!!), we will be walking back out to 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' also by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole

Over the Rainbow - Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole OFFICIAL VIDEO from Mountain Apple Company on Vimeo.

Onto the reception

Okay, I'm not all the way done because I don't know what song we will be announced to.

We will cut the cake to 'Baby I Love Your Way' by UB-40

Source: Youtube

For the bouquet toss, I really couldn't resist being cheesy. 'Single Ladies' by Beyonce

Source: Youtube

My garter will be slipped off and tossed to 'Let's Get It On' by Marvin Gaye

Source: Youtube

Took a while to decide on our first dance, but we finally agreed on 'Love and Honesty' by Hawaiian Style Band

Source: Youtube

I will dance with my daddy to 'Butterfly Kisses' by Bob Carlisle

Source: Youtube

Nick will dance with his mother to 'Road That Never Ends' by Keali'I Reichel

Source: Youtube

I am going to have a special dance with my grandfather and we will dance to 'And I Love You So' by Perry Como

Source: Youtube

So there you have it, our (mostly done) play list of the day.

18 days!!

Newsflash!! We have centerpieces!!

That's right, we now have (most of) our centerpieces!

After going from this:

Source

To this:

Source

To, finally, this!!

Source

We're using potted Bromeliads!! They are so pretty and vibrant and just the look we were going for! And I got them on sale at Fred Meyer, buy two and get one free!! So, we saved about $100 on our centerpieces. *Happy dance*

And right now, our laundry room looks like a tropical jungle! I want to go on a safari!!

Boy did I get showered!!

Saturday was my bridal shower and I REALLY got showered!! Thirty five women showed up and we all squished into my grandmother's living room! It was awesome though. I felt very blessed! I received some really great gifts, like ALL of our dishes, silverware, and glasses (very exciting, now we can eat in our home!). :-) And a facial!! Yay! Now for some picture fun!

The cake was so cute!!


My sister the Maid of Honor


The adorable flower girl!


From left to right: one of Mom's friends, Granny, my great aunt, Grandma


Again, L to R: Hairdresser (you can only really see her hair, cousin, cousin, Mom's friend, cousin, great aunt who is making our cake, and up top is my aunt :-)


FSIL playing the game: a prize was wrapped (many times) and you have 20 seconds to take off the wrapping. Whoever got it all the way unwrapped, won what was in the box.


Cousin playing the game


Great aunt--see the lovely duct tape?


My cousin got the duct tape off, but not the last layer in time.


My mom's friend and her daughter--she won the prize! A yummy smelling candle!


The package didn't make it all the way around the room, so the rest had to split into teams and make toilet paper dresses.


This was the winner. When it was finished, it had a corset back and lovely designs in the front. Even came with a headband and garter!!


Here are all three brides :-)


Like I said, I was blessed very much!


I was so excited that I received all of the dishes we registered for! Nick and I both loved them. :-)


Whew! What a party! I was exhausted afterwards!!

19 days!!

I bring this sort of thing on myself

I've known all along that we wanted to put M&Ms on the tables, just because we could get them in our colors and they made an easy treat for our guests. I was getting ready to order 15 pounds (yes you read that right) online, when it was mentioned by Dad that I should hit up the after Valentine's Day sales for our red and white M&Ms. Genius!! Shannon and I made the trek to Wal-Mart yesterday afternoon and bought 19 bags of M&Ms!

Then we got home and the work began. If you remember right, Valentine's colors are red, white, and PINK. We had to take out ALL of the pink M&Ms from ALL 19 bags. My wonderful Shannon/Maid of Honor and my brother's wonderful girlfriend helped me separate the M&Ms, thank goodness.



Wonderful Shannon


Brother's wonderful girlfriend :-)


About halfway through this ordeal, we realized that we would only end of with half of the white M&Ms that we needed. Not a big deal. Now I only have to buy half the amount I needed.

Total cost of red and (half of) white M&Ms? $26.00
Cost online? $150.00
I love bargain shopping. Two bad Halloween isn't before my wedding for my orange M&Ms.

Taking a trip to Build a Bear Workshop

Saturday before picking my grandmother up from the airport, my mom, sister, aunt, and cousin took my flower girl to Build a Bear to make her gift, or I should say, her distraction. Shylee is three and doesn't have a very big attention span so her new bear friend will (hopefully) distract her during the wedding.

It didn't take her long to decide on the pink bear. :-)


Shylee chose to put in a heartbeat (although I don't think she knew that's what it was) and then it was time for stuffing.


I'll also say here that she wanted to put a sound in her bear and promptly chose a song from iCarly. Not that I have any problems with that, but I didn't want her bear bursting out into song in the middle of our ceremony. Instead we got her a giggle, which could very well have everyone giggling on our wedding day. Oh well.

There are SO many choices of clothing in that store it is amazing.


My mom found the two wedding dresses in the store and Shylee chose one of those before seeing the rest of the store (we would have been there ALL DAY).




25 days!

Where has the time gone!?

Nick and I only have a month left! A lot has happened in the last week (see my last post for something truly exciting!) so we'll start with my first fitting on Thursday.

First let me just say that this seamstress is awesome and very inexpensive! I didn't need a lot done with my dress, just tightening the straps, tucking the lining of the dress in at the top, and the bustle. So I am only being charged $40 for my alterations!! Yay!!!

In this picture, you can see the top of the lining along the top of the dress. The seamstress is going to tuck and tack it so it won't show.


Here is kind of what my bustle will look like, right now it is just pinned in place.


Shannon was goofing off with my veil since she had her fitting before I got there.


Silly girl :-) (If only she had known then, and if you don't, see my last post)


I also got my shoes that day. I love how they are two-tone like my dress!


This last week we also decided to change the reception centerpieces from fruit to flowers. This is just going to be less stressful all around because we won't have to make them two days before the wedding (yes, that was the plan, but no longer). So I have been calling around and haven't been able to find a place that can get me 24 potted white lilies. If worse comes to worse, we will use fake calla lilies as the centerpieces, but I'd rather have live ones so that I can plant them after the wedding.

Yesterday we met with our photographer to get her paid and the details finalized. She said I was super organized (must be my OCD) and the appointment took all of 20 minutes.

I was going to post this on the one month mark, but that was two days ago and I couldn't very well write this post while Nick was here because of my dress pictures. Here is my to do list for the next month and what I have finished from the last list (again, updates are in bold):

-Finish buying decorations (almost done with this one, still need the taper candles and vases for the ceremony, a couple more candy dishes, and about 100 more little umbrellas)
-Finishing etching our toasting glasses & sand vase
-Contact our reception venue to see about setting up the day before the wedding
-Plan our rehearsal dinner
-Get our engagement announcement into the local newspaper
-Check on insurances
-Buy a card box
-Get marriage license
-Get our music selections to the person that will be doing the sound for the ceremony
-Finish buying our dessert plates and napkins (I was able to get everything else at Costco)
-Order our food
-Finishing gathering supplies for our photo guestbook
-Buy yellow roses for Grandpa's memorial table
-Finish buying our favors (still need the Multiple Sclerosis bracelets and M&Ms)
-Get our music list to the DJ
-Pay for our videographer
-Pick out our engagements pictures we want printed to put on the tables
-Finalize and print our programs
-Finalize the day of schedule and send to everyone involved in the wedding
-Call non-RSVPers
-Confirm that everyone in the wedding has what they need
-Gifts to the girls
-Honeymoon itinerary to our parents
-Pack for our honeymoon

So, a lot to do in the next month, but it will get done.

26 days! So exciting!

My sister is engaged!!

She came running in to my room last name at 1:00 AM saying her (now) fiance proposed at their midnight picnic! Yay! I'm so excited for them both and now I get to plan another wedding!!!

The happy couple :-)


Her ring is gorgeous!

My sweetie is wonderful!!

Nick brought me flowers at my work today!! They are gorgeous red roses and Stargazer Lilies (as if you couldn't tell)!!



29 days!!

Yippee! Another giveaway!

Are you changing your name after you get married? Head over to Miss Pug's Pawfect Wedding and check out the name change kit giveaway from Name Chance Express! This would be an awesome addition, making changing your name SUPER easy!

Even if you are not changing your name, check out the blog anyway!

36 days!

Mail time!!

I've received a bunch of stuff in the mail the last few days, but today I finally got our cake topper!! It is so pretty and will really add to the tropical theme we're going with for the reception. :-)



38 days!!