14 months to go? Ahhhhhh! What happened to my year and a half?

Sorry for the lack of updates, been insanely busy and the wedding has went to the bottom of the list. I DID find my dress and its paid for as of yesterday!

Dresses
i just set my first appointments to try on dresses! I cant pass on a Maggie Sottero trunk show and I have to do a test run at DB before that!

Shedding for the Wedding
watching the finale...very inspiring! Cant wait to get started, but I cant seem to find the time. Gotta make it happen!

Broomal Party Additions

We officially added The Jacobs to our Broomal family today. Joe Joe and Liz said YES!!!

Woohoo!

Reception

It's official....we've booked the Holiday Inn Suites - North Beach for our reception venue!!! This is not an April Fool's joke. The Penguin and I met with "C" tonight so he could see the venue and he approved!

October 13, 2012 we will be getting married (somewhere) and will be having our pictures taken in front of that venue while our guests enjoy cocktail hour before our reception will start around 4:00. We're booking 4pm-10pm for right now. We've even got a plan for the kiddies so the parents can play!

We also blocked 15 rooms for our guests. We can add/take away more up until 30 days before the wedding at our discount rate. It looks to be between 109 and 129 per night. That's a steal for oceanfront suites...all with oceanviews and private balconies. It's worth it, trust me. We got to see another suite that our guests can stay in and I just love it!

It's perfect for what I want and what we can afford. I just wish they had another room we could have the ceremony in. We can plan to have the ceremony on the beach in front of the hotel and she said that we can always bring it inside if the weather got bad, but I hate taking that chance! We'll see as we get closer to the date.

How nice would it be to have everything done in one place though. Save on invitations! Save on transportation! No limo's needed! Everyone can just stay right there, get ready there, get ripped if necessary, and crash! One stop shop.

Life is good!

Table tip
David Tutera says...put your elbow on the table. Anything higher than your fist is too high! I agree. Im a candle girl anyway!

Good news!

I'm very happy to report that not only did the Groom finally make his picks, but he was able to confirm some things are we are OFFICIALLY getting married FOR SURE on 10/13/12.

Nothing, but us, can get in the way at this point!

Woo.

Groom failed!
He did not comply with the bridal party deadline...guess it could be worse. Still disappointed.

Bridal Dish or ditched

Me and my MOH were meeting to go to Bridal Dish today. We went to their setup at the VOW bridal show and they set up an appointment to see what services they offer. Before the appointment, we went to Star and got our digits put on and painted all pretty! I haven't had a pedi in forever! We got lost and ended up a few minutes late, but they were even later...permanently. They weren't there. Apparently I didn't confirm with them enough. I've already received 2 voice mails and one email with multiple apologies. They are really trying to make things right, but I'm thinking it's a bit too late.

Poop on you, Jennifer La Londe and Bridal Dish! You can keep your 50.00 off coupon poopon.

Me and my MOH at the MK Makeover!

Contest

I'm really considering entering the Crate & Barrel contest. I'm a little embarrassed to ask everyone for votes though. It would be worth the $100,000 grand prize though!!! I've entered a few here and there, why not one more, right?!?!?!!

More on that tomorrow!

Wedding Card Holder

Wedding Card Holder & Memory Box - got it at Michaels for 18.00 with a 40% off coupon.

Shedding for the Wedding
thats what we need to be doing! We're setting a date w/ a friend to take engagement photos for early next month and I want 10 lbs gone!

The view

Making wedding flowers!

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Spending the day with my MOH...first stop Wedding DIY class at Michaels!

First Venue Go-See

My MOH, aka Zena, and I will be going to look at a potential reception venue. It's nothing official, but if I really like it then I'll take the Penguin & LeeLee back with me to check it out further. It's located not too far from our house. The 2nd floor ballroom overlooks the oceanfront. The hotel guests will be right on the sand. They will get a discounted rate. It comes with a free night for us as well. It was just renovated. It has a lazy river indoors with water slides and a movie theater (to entertain those kiddies). Free parking for our wedding guests too. We could hold the ceremony right on the beach if we want too. A lot of perks. It's just the cashola that would get in the way. I'm really doing it for the experience. If it's meant to be, it will be.

They don't call me 99 for nothing.

Miri - by Maggie Sottero

I'm in love with Maggie Sottero dresses...there is barely one that I don't like.

Miri - by Maggie Sottero

Research! Hahahaha!

Postal PC?

Okay, so I polling anyone who cares to answer. I'm trying to save some trees and some money. Would it be completely tacky to not send RSVP cards to the technologically savvy wedding guests? I will be sending everyone wedding invites, but I was thinking of only including RSVP Postcards (with stamps affixed...I'm not that cheap, haha) to those that don't know how to use the Internet very well). I just don't think it's necessary to buy all that stuff for it only to be thrown away. It's such a waste...sometimes pretty...but wasteful. To each his own...which is why I'm polling.

However, I don't want to be tacky either.

What's the word, bird?

Wedding card box

Planning

I'm back to being excited about planning again...especially with the pending departure of Algebra in my life. I'm actually starting to think that it just might be doable...financially. I have faith that it will all work out. Gonna start small with the engagement business. Some wonderful people have offered to help out, so I'm going to take them up on it! We're gonna get some pictures taken and have a party in the near future. See invites soon!

Vendor Stuff

Vendor croapola
....i dont want to talk about the cupcake intake.

Just Cupcake's Girl

Just Cupcakes setup!

Vow Couture Bridal Show

Couture runway show with Matthew Christopher

Dollar Tree Bride

Maybe we can afford to get married in 2012...if we do all the shopping at the Dollar Tree.

Just done.
I may have to change the title. No, we're not done, but the wedding may be on hold for a bit due to $. This just sucks. Maybe Ill buy a lotto tix.

Sand in my toes?

So the Penguin ironically wants a beach wedding. I think it's a nice idea, just a real pain to plan. It's doable though. I looked in to some things and it's actually more doable than I thought. I just wish money weren't an issue, then I'd feel WAY better about doing it.

Anyone have any experience with beach weddings?

My biggest concern is for my guests. Most would have to stand or I'd have to buy mats for them to sit on. I don't want a long ceremony anyway. It will probably change my wedding dress style. It would make for gorgeous pictures though! Plus, we live at the beach...it only seems natural!

[Pictures from one potential officiant/photographers website:]

Thoughts?

Probable Honeymoon!

http://www2.ncl.com/vacations?key=SUN10MIASTTRSUBGISLUPHIMIA

Officially planning
when you get Sandals packages in the mail!

Valentine's Day

Crazy+monkey+chocolate+Sue Sylvester. I really do have the best man on earth.

Is it bad when you pretty much decide your wedding date based on the potential honeymoon date...especially without talking to the potential groom? Hahaha!

1st Purchase

So I may be making my first wedding purchases soon. One of my old coworkers at the CMO daughter just got married and her colors are the colors I am interested in as well. She has a lot of black and white stuff at the very least. I'm going to go and check it out before she puts it all on Craigs List.

I can't believe this is actually happening. Now I just have to come up with a place to start storing things.

Random *j#)!9

Watching Bridezillas is very educational. Here are some ideas, thoughts, and inspirations that popped into my mind...good and bad.

 

• I might "name" my tables instead of numbering them
• I wont get married on a holiday!
• I want Britt to sing and play guitar for one of our dances. Flyleaf!
• We're definitely going on a cruise for our Honeymoon. Hellooooooo, St. Wherever!
• Does anyone use train/page boys anymore?
• What in the sam blue hell will I do for a bachelorette party? I don't drink nor tolerate drunks well.
• Can we toast coffee?
• I want to incorporate pictures of my Grandparents and my Dad somehow.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions? Tell me a joke? Entertain me!!!

Chris & George's Wedding

So we did a little inventory while we watched these guys tie the knot. It was tough holding back the tears as I watched my previous coworker/friend/co-coach finally get married. They'd been together 11 years!!! They are great together though and it's about time! Couldn't happy to a better woman. Anyway, on with some pictures...

Nice shout-out to the couple!

Pretty centerpiece

I like the seating chart. I can see doing something similar.

Overall table

Taken with my actual camera...the rest were on my phone.

1st dance...so in love.

Me and my old coworkers in the Mayor's office [Judy and Margaret]

Donation to charity instead of favors. Great idea!

I wish I took a better pic to get the detailing in those bouquets and in the cake. Very cute.

The venue was really nice...ocean view in the background. You can go out on the deck for pictures too!

Me and Chris...beautiful bride. She could've cared less about that dress, hahaha!

Note to self: do research on church weddings. There are many unexpected noises and sounds that come with that deal!

Colored Dresses?

Would you be tarred and feathered if you showed up in a purple or black bridal gown????

Like this...

Not like this...

or this...

[I would love the above as a purse!]

What i WONT be wearing.

Testing mobile updates!

The Bling

Initiated - 2/5/11

So guess whose a newly enlisted member of the "getting hitched" club? Yes, that's right.
Agent 99.
It's official.
The Penguin strapped on his big boy pants and popped the question...well had it written on a menu, but either way, it's done!

He's an amazing man and I'm a lucky girl. Now all the madness begins. It's going to be a loooooooong engagement. I consider myself to be pretty anal, controlling and I like to plan everything so a long engagement will be a good thing.

Of course the first thing out of everyone's mouth is "Did you set a date?"
Not even close. All I can say is it won't be any earlier than October 2012...maybe even in to early 2013. I'd like to finish school first, but we're working on that.

It's hard not to get excited though. I want to map it all out in 2.3 seconds. Unfortunately, you can't pick out a dress if you don't know what season you're getting married in. You can't pick a dress if you don't know whether you're getting married inside or out. It's all up in the air.

Slowly...it will out work itself out.

It will all work out here.

This blog will allow you, should you dare, to follow my insane planning and upside down world transforming from engaged to "the Mrs." I would greatly appreciate your suggestions, thoughts, input, and links to all things bridal. I will be uploading pictures ALL the time.

COMING SOON:
Engagement Party info!