Bridal Fog

The future hubby and I are sitting in a corner at my very favorite Starbucks in Old Towne Orange, having had a delectable, albeit calorically dense, dinner of philly cheesesteaks and a shared raspberry cupcake from The Perfect Circle (who, by the way, had their winning Grammy display from Cupcake Wars out on the floor!!). Since we've settled here with bold roast coffee, I finished reading through my usual daily dose of wedding blogs, Etsy hunting, and also flipping through the entirety of the latest Martha Stewart Weddings.

Hello wedding coma, back so soon?

The following things have consumed my thoughts, and my internet searches, over the past month or so:

1. Shoes.

More specifically, deciding the color and style of the bridesmaid shoes. I'll admit, I'm starting to get a little touchy about this one. My original idea was for them to be light pink ballet flats, but this is proving to be harder to find than I anticipated. So I started considering other shades of pink, like fuchsia, or pretty much any other color, that would go with the predominantly pink peony floral scheme of the ceremony and the grey bridesmaid dresses. But then most of the people I've discussed this with (not the bridal party, to be clear) have given me strange/confused looks. Tell me if I'm going bridal insane here: is the combination of grey and pink, even a dark pink, weird? Should I go for another color entirely like yellow or aqua...? This also affects the kind of accessories I get them, which has been another marathon of an Etsy search on its own. Plus, depending on what accent color I pick, I may have to alter the original color scheme that the florist put together. Even my own shoes have been an issue, since I have a very clear picture of what I want, yet can't seem to find it anywhere. I've ordered one pair of Steve Madden heels so far, which turned out to be a very different shade than the picture, and were the wrong size. At least mine won't really be seen since my dress will cover them up most of the time, but I'll still know if they're sufficiently cute or not.

2. Groomswear.

Darryl has determined that he would like himself and the guys to wear some combination of grey and black, and maybe some other accent color if it looks right. I've noticed a trend in groomswear that the groom may wear a full suit, but the groomsmen wear matching dress shirts, grey wool vests, and ties, sometimes with whatever dress pants they think fit the outfit best. I figured this would be a good alternative to tux rentals so I did some research. I did indeed find the vests that have become so popular, but I'm having a hard time deciding if this would really be the best choice or not, and also if I could find them from H&M in the various sizes necessary since they can't be ordered online. We might have to make a trip to Men's Wearhouse just to officially rule it out or not.

3. The engagement shoot.

We're taking our engagement pictures at the end of April, and we've already determined the location(s) and brainstormed some ideas. I do have at least two outfits that I think would work, but I can't help but look constantly for other alternatives, just in case I find something cuter. We also need to determine what, if any, kinds of props and whatnot will be included. I haven't even thought about what Darryl's going to wear, but I doubt I'll talk him into doing much of a shopping spree for clothes when we haven't even shopped for his ring yet. I'm sure regardless of what we end up doing, the pictures will be stunning, as I have total faith in our photographer. But I have made it clear that I will die happy if we're featured on Green Wedding Shoes.

4. The bridal shower.

My maid of honor is planning my bridal shower, which has officially been set for Saturday, May 7th. Invitations will be in the mail as soon as I get around to emailing her the addresses... heh.

5. The honeymoon.

We decided after much calculation that it would be better to just fly to Seattle than to drive all the way there, since the gas and extra motel expense would make the cost pretty much even. So I've booked our plane tickets to fly out the day after the wedding at noon. We are saving a great deal though since one of my dearest friends hooked us up with an apartment rental for our weeklong stay outside of Seattle in Kent, WA, for a substantially lower cost than a hotel in the city. We'll be able to pretend like we're locals in our very own little place, just like we've wanted for so long now. So exciting :)

6. Post-wedding life.

I'll be honest. It's a bit strange to think about the fact that in less than 4 months I'll actually be married. Don't get me wrong - I'm thrilled that we'll finally be able to move on with our lives and our plans that don't involve a color scheme, besides maybe paint and upholstery colors. It's just odd that when I come home from work everyday, he'll already be there and doesn't have to drive home to Riverside at the end of the night. And that when we go grocery shopping together on Sundays, we don't have to get double of some of the same things because we only have one fridge to stock-up. That when we meet new people they'll be right when they assume we're married. That Dewey and Ginger will finally cohabitate. That we'll actually have to look for a place to live, and that we have no idea yet where that may be. That all, only some, or even none of our current plans may actually happen, and that's ok. That life as we know it will never be the same, and we couldn't be more pleased.

Well, I feel better now. The fog of the wedding coma is starting to clear. Thanks again for making it this far through my rant. More details coming soon...

The 4th and the Last

This past weekend we celebrated the 4th anniversary of us meeting and becoming a couple. This year we had a beach day in Laguna and split celebratory Macaroni Grill baked penne. We also saw "Love and Other Drugs" at the dollar theater, but it wasn't the most outstanding movie we've seen lately so it doesn't really count, haha.

Darryl wrote in my birthday card this year that he knew 3 weeks after he met me that he wanted to marry me :) And since the dream is coming true in less than five months, giving us a new anniversary, this will probably be the last time this January anniversary date is a huge deal. Unless maybe we use it as an excuse for a winter vacation, as if I really need an excuse to plan one of those.

Lovecakes

Today one more thing got checked-off the master to-do list: cake tasting! While this is perhaps the highlight of many couples' planning process, I will admit I was a bit apprehensive.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the one cake designer that was included in my catering contract. The slightly out of date pictures I had seen didn't leave much to the imagination, other than your typical topsy-turvy cakes, and buttercream creations loaded with fresh flowers instead of sugar work. And the fact of the matter is that everyone knows I'm a cake-making-aholic, with rather specific opinions on what is cute, as well as what has crossed the line into tacky. I tend to gravitate towards the more simply-decorated creations, however those can sometimes be harder to make than more busy-looking designs, with lots of swirly-type things or unnecessary use of stencils. I'm all for unique wedding cakes that put a personal touch on a celebration, but some of the ones I've seen leave me to wonder. I mean, a hot pink and zebra-striped wedding cake is enough on its own without crystals dangling from all five layers, regardless of what may have been aired on Cakeboss or even Ace of Cakes. Just sayin'.

So anyway, I had gathered dozens of pictures from Martha Stewart Weddings and The Knot of cakes that I thought were doable for most any baker, but still kept my expectations at bay. I was fully prepared to give-up on the idea that she would be able to create sugar flowers, or even use fondant properly, and settle for a more simple rustic-looking buttercream cake. This morning while waiting for Darryl to get back from SAT proctoring, I narrowed the list down to about five, having received his opinions from the night before. Traffic was terrible on the way up to Twin Peaks, but lucky for us there wasn't really any snow left on the roads to cause further delays.

Much like the other preferred vendors I have met thus far from our venue, I was pleasantly surprised. She had brought more recent photos of her work, which were much more impressive than the ones I had seen. Turns out, she has been dying to do the kind of cake that I had envisioned, and had several magazine clippings that either matched the ones I had, or were better. She did her sketches while we devoured cake samples, and in the end we decided to have three small two-three tiered cakes on vintage cake stands, each a different flavor, and covered in fondant with pipped vintage-y designs inspired by the glassware that will be on the reception tables. Taste wise, the samples were better than expected as well, especially the signature champagne cake with chiffon filling which will be the main center cake, flanked by a red velvet and a spice cake on either side. While I'm still going to expect the unexpected when the time comes to actually see the final product, I'm positive they'll be amazing.

In other news, I'm working on getting whatever vendors we need booked by the end of this month. Honestly, I wasn't in much of a rush until I found out that the DJ I had in mind has already been booked for our date, so we need to decide soon if we should hire an alternate, or go iTunes style with help from family and friends. There are pros and cons to both. On the one hand, a DJ can prevent all-out disasters from happening, such as music cutting-out in the middle of a song, or the sound not working at all. They can also insure that the party will move along as planned without unnecessary delays. But on the other hand, good ones are expensive, and I've been to weddings where they have hired a not-so-good one who totally disregarded the couple's music taste, or didn't announce things at the right time, or even mispronounced their names. So, still thinking about it. In the mean time, I will be accepting song requests on facebook soon, just in case.

First Stress Post of 2011

I think I'm about due for a good long rant.

So I finally was successful in contacting the coordinator, after finding out that apparently I have been assigned to a different one for unknown reasons. During that lunch break phone discussion, I at least was able to confirm the menu selections for the reception dinner, and also the cabin reservations... well, except for one minor hitch. Apparently after "multiple attempts" to contact me, they did not reserve the wedding night cabin for Darryl and I after sending an initial e-mail that we had won a contest to stay there for free, despite the fact that I had e-mailed them back. Twice. And called 4 times over the course of three months, never being able to reach the coordinator who had originally attempted to contact me. So although they supposedly tried to confirm it with me first, another couple has booked the cabin for our wedding night, so we are out of luck. I'm assuming that none of these "multiple attempts" involved calling me, or even Darryl, and I had been checking my spam email as well, so I'm left only to assume that they simply dropped the ball and allowed a lapse in communication. Now, typically in the hotel business, this kind of mistake on their part would entitle me to some kind of compensation. So far all I have received from the new coordinator is a sincere apology. Well, that's great, but it's not going to get us a honeymoon reservation, is it? So far I have sent one email, with my previous emails attached for proof of response, and suggested that one of our other cabins reserved under my name could be comped, or they could book another studio cabin for us using the contest certificate. But surprise, surprise - no response. Honestly, I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do at this point. If we still had about 9 months to a year until the wedding date, I'd be tempted to cut our losses at this place and make other arrangements for a wedding site, and although it's still tempting, it might make matters only more stressful and costly in the end. The issue is not so much the lost cabin, or having to stay elsewhere that night, it's more just the fact that I should be able to contact my own coordinator and expect a response within a timely manner, not several weeks or months, and they should be aware of at least what I have already paid for and arranged, especially considering that I'm using mostly their vendors. Perhaps the only thing left for me to do is to show up at their front desk and not leave until everything is settled. Or start crying. They may think I'm crazy, but crazy gets things done.

Upcoming post: We go for cake tasting this weekend :) It should be a sugary-sweet, snowy day.

The Home Stretch

As of this weekend, we have less than 6 months to go before the wedding! Now no one can say I'm planning way far in advance, because I actually have to get stuff done now instead of just pondering every detail incessantly. With the holidays upon us, I haven't had a whole lot of time or cash to deal with any major planning, but I have started on some more long-term projects.

One long-term ordeal has been trying to contact the wedding coordinator. Not really sure what's going on with that one. I tried emailing several weeks ago to no avail, called last Wednesday and left a message which has not been returned, and now I'm really starting to wonder what the deal is. The thing is, she is the only person who can set-up the remaining contracts with the caterers and cake bakery, so we still need to make one more trip up the mountain to hammer this stuff out sooner than later. So if this blog has indeed become more popular than I am aware of on the web, maybe someone at the venue will get the hint and I won't have to go bridezilla on them. I have two years worth of pent-up wedding angst, and that just wouldn't be pretty.

Anyhoo... My other project has been to find the vases/bowls/etc. with which to create the reception table centerpieces. So far I have won 4 eBay auctions for lots of several antique milk glass pieces, and I have 3 more to go. After that I'll have to wait for the shipments to come in so I can re-evaluate the situation. It's easy to get carried away with those things. If I get too many, my florist will hate me and there may not be space left for food at the tables. But if I get too few, well, that'll just look kinda sad. I like the concept I've finally landed on though, with all white milk glass pieces of various shapes and sizes scattered on the robins egg blue tables, filled with peonies and ranunculus. No more stress dreams about that one, I hope.

I think the thing I'm most excited about though, is the plan we've conjured-up this week for the honeymoon. Now that we have a better idea of our budget and time constraints, we're planning a week-long road trip up to Seattle, and possibly further to Vancouver, BC for a day or two. I'm researching our specific stops, which may also include Big Sur and Portland if we have time. The main priority is, of course, Seattle. It'll be hard to come back, I'm sure.

So all of that plus plans for the bridal shower and bachelorette are in the works. The real planning starts now! Wish me luck!

Progress Makes Perfect

This month, we have three major items checked-off of my to-do list.

First, the photographer is booked at last! Roya Jade will be our super-awesome picture provider, including an engagement shoot in the near future. See her work at royajadephoto.blogspot.com

Second, we met with Debra from Fleuris Flower Studios (at her really cool house on a hill in San Bernardino) today. I was nearly convinced we wouldn't even be able to afford flowers at all, but she seriously made it do-able for us and our trimmed-down budget. And I still get my pink peonies and yellow ranunculus! So, our official colors are now: light pink, fuscia pink, light grey (from the bridal party attire), butter yellow accents, and robin's egg blue and ivory table linens. Now I just have to scour the internet, thrift stores, and garage sales for inexpensive vintage vases or bowls for the centerpieces, and they'll do the rest. Whew, huge weight lifted. Maybe I can have a non-decor related wedding nightmare now.

Third, I'm in the process of booking a really nifty surprise for our favors. Only Darryl and my dad know what it is, and I think it's super awesome. Hey, I have to have some mystery left in the big day, right?

Oh! Also, I added another registry to our list. We are now registered at Williams Sonoma, for anyone who would prefer shopping there. Particularly for the Le Creuset Dijon yellow pots I like. :)

So the next major things to figure out are cake, and how much to budget for a DJ. I have one quote for the DJ so far, and it was about double what I expected, however that particular one knows the sound system at PineRose the best, so we would avoid a lot of potential problems with technical malfunctions, and also seems to have a good personality and music selection. But, talent doesn't come cheap. So... yeah. We'll see. Also have to decide how much stuff I should/need to go DIY style on, like programs, veil, etc. Feeling good about my progress so far, though.

Menu Tastings

This week in wedding news...

Darryl and I went for the dinner tastings at the home of the caterer in Fontana. First of all, let me point out that according to South Park logic, "this place must be legit, just look at the fountain in the lobby..." Well, front yard. The use of fall decor inside would also, I must say, put whoever is in charge of Fall merchandizing at Michael's to shame.

The tasting itself definitely brought out my inner Top Chef judge. Points for presentation; although microwaving the samples in front of the judges is probably a no-no. Higher points for taste, which is always what really counts anyway. Darryl voted for the lemon buttermilk chicken, and I voted for the marinated sirloin with peppers, so I guess that's our two main courses. The side of buttered assorted squash was nice. Other sides will include: a spinach green salad, red skinned potatoes, pasta salad, and appetizers that I haven't decided on yet. Should please everyone, right?

I think my main goal is to keep everyone nibbling on something for the majority of the day. Maybe even some snacks before the ceremony, and something on the tables. My number-one pet peeve of weddings is being hungry and waiting for the dang reception to start. And we all know how I get when I'm hungry...