Planning

Lately I have spent many a sleepless night fretting over our wedding. Time passes by so fast yet so frustratingly slow! We have SO much more to do and so little time to do it! I feel very rushed for the first time, as if the clock has finally begun ticking down the time.

There are 8 months left until our wedding!!

We've made a list of Things Still Needed that reaches all the way to the bottom of the page!

The end of February will hopefully find us in a much better planning place with our caterer and florist down. And then March will be a busy busy month of getting down a lot of the details.

And then the next 6 months will be spent crafting, readying and bracing ourselves!!

Who would have known so much would go into an event that is really quite short?

Exciiiiited!!!

Today we got in our (free) samples for invitations from the stunning Bella Figura!!

They sure know what they're doing. They sent a bunch of little sample things. And maaaaaaannnn, once you have it in hand it's so hard to turn away from it. And Adam, ever the demanding diva, WANTS them! It's a LITTLE bit over our allotted budget depending on what options we pick (and can be just at budget depending on options). He keeps saying "We're getting them! These are it!!" I'm trying to be the stricter harder decision maker but it's hard! Cause I want them too!!

We'll see how we decide in the next couple of weeks.

In other news,

- We are way ahead in planning than all the "ultimate wedding planning guides" suggest we be. We're at about the "4 - 6 months before" time frame even though we're about 9/8 months away.
- This morning I played dress up and put on the entire ensemble. Gown, shoes, late night coverup/sweater, hair accessories.
- finding catering has turned out to be a total pain in the butt.
- We recently got matching journals for writing drafts and such of our vows and love letters to read after the wedding.
- we have both agreed, we're sick of waiting around and want to just have our wedding now.

Time passes SO slowly when you have an even like this to look forward to.

Merry Christmas!!! (Belated)

Hope everyone had absolutely wonderful holidays!!

We were incredibly busy during the entire holiday season (like always) but we had a wonderful time! We were happy to see so much of our family and only wish we could have spent more time and seen EVERYONE. On Christmas Eve we started out the day at Reina's house in South City and ended the evening at my mom's house in Half Moon Bay. On Christmas day we headed back to Reina's for brunch and exchanging gifts. In the afternoon we headed to my aunt's house in Pleasaton.

Adam and I were bad and exchanged gifts a little early: Christmas eve day afternoon. But it wasn't TOO early!!! Only a little...

If anyone's interested, for Christmas Adam got me a new dress I wore Christmas Eve, an Angry Bird, a dancing video game, and a pair of earrings. I got him a Bear Grylls machete (what was I thinking?!), a gourd for mate (South American tea), and a little family portrait. (Which is what the video is made from). We were both happy and felt extremely spoiled. And it's a little cheesy and our favorite part of Christmas is just spending time with each other. Even if the drive is far, we're running from one party to another, we aren't spending enough time with parents or siblings or cousins, at least we're together.

Now, less than NINE MONTHS UNTIL THE WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!! The stress is starting to press in. We're hoping if we ignore it, maybe it'll just plan itself!

Merry Belated Christmas!!

Small Things

We have a lot of planning still to do but gradually many things are happening.

No rest for affianced.

Once I get wedding on the brain, sleep seems impossible.

I can spend very valuable late night sleep-time hours tossing and turning about things like how to seam burlap, how many folded papers I should make a week to reach my goal of a trillion by september, or what our signature cocktail should be. It's all very trivial, but it spins in my brain all night while Adam gently snore away.

So what is it tonight? Wedding websites. There are the free, the cheesy, the cheap, the downright ugly, and the DIY. While Adam and I both have relatively designer/creative like minds, website programming isn't something we excel at (yet), so I don't forsee us programming our own.

And then, like a strike of lightning, it hits me! I know just what to do!! I shake Adam awake to explain, he nods with eyes closed while I yammer on and on about whatever-whatever, he says, "great!" And goes back to sleep.

Thus is the exciting life of the engaged.

(For the record, I'm a PLANNER, not a bridezilla.)

Drafts

Not that anyone who follows this blog really need the reminder but we're still making "save the date" cards.

Tonight I created the first draft of what I hope will be our very hand-crafted save-the-dates!

SUIT!

So...i've neer bought a suit, nor have i really needed a suit until now. But i HAVE always had serious suit envy of other people who wear suits well. So my hunt for the perfect suit (that i don't look goofy in) begins.

Here's kind of what im going for

I can only hope to look that good. Just hangin' out. On some steps. Or against a brick wall with some plants.

Capture This!

A couple of weekends ago we met with our proposed photographer!

Her work is AMAZING, her package is perfect, and we can't wait to have her photograph our wedding!

I send out the paperwork tomorrow to finalize!!

Dressed in Amazement

Most of you already know that I absolutely love Anthropologie so when I found out that they were starting a bridal sister company I was BEYOND excited. I subscribed to the wedding list and I waited. I waited and waited and waited. They sent out a sneak peek of some of the gowns. Adam and I watched the little video over and over in equal excitement.

I tried to like other dresses, I tried to consider other options. But the more time passed (we have been engaged for a while, you know) the more I was sure, it was BHLDN or bust.

We made the trek to Houston. It was one of THE most AMAZING retail experiences. The building, the rooms, the decor, it was all exquisite, luxurious, and incredibly special. On top of that, the gowns were all incredibly well made, the fabrics were beautiful. (The prices are unbelievably reasonable). Picking my gown, veil, and shoes (all fabulous) are all just steps to my growing excitement. They are only small pieces to the anticipation of the entire wedding ordeal. I can't wait for our wedding and I can't wait for us to be married.

Here are some pictures of BHLDN Houston that I took. I won't show too much because I hope to have everyone on the edge of their chair, just like I am.

The exterior of the store

Golden letters and metal florets

Part of the storefront's decorations - A swan made of chivari chairs, pinwheels, penants, and pompoms

The chandelier of the dressing room where I tried on my top 6 favorite gowns.

Ten days later, on the dot, I received my precious package!!! Here is my unwrapping process!

My LARGE package came in what seemed like a custom made, perfectly fitted, mailing sleeve.

Once unwrapped, this is what I found!

Ribbon-like elastic held the BHLDN label.

The garment bag inside.

BHLDN garment bag and specially made hanger. (I know, I go crazy over the silliest details)

When I left Houston I had these two gems tidily packed away in my carry-on that I guarded like a hawk.

My shoes (Blurred out just a little, of course)

My Veil!

And that's the end of my little gown adventure!! Now I just have to wait the torturous 9 months until the wedding to wear it all!!

BHLDN IN EXACTLY 72 HOURS!!!!

SEVENTY TWO HOURS EXACTLY UNTIL BHLDN!

Inspiration Board

I created several of these inspiration boards. Over the past year or so I've been saving images that really inspire or excite me. I pulled them together in little collages, printed them out, and are keeping them in my wedding binder (which I'll share some other time).

I don't want to give away too much aesthetically but this is approximately the look and feel we're going for. I dream of a lot of whites on whites on creams on different sorts of whites with a sort of casual and natural feel. Something airy and open. You know that feeling where something is so captivating, enchanting, and inspiring that your breath catches for just a second? And your  heart melts a little?

That's what I'm aiming for.

BHLDN

HOLY CRAP!

ARE YOU GUYS SO EXCITED?!!

BECAUSE I'M FREAKIN' DYYYYYING I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY. PRACTICALLY THE END OF WEDNESDAY.

AND THAT MEANS ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT UNTIL SATURDAY!

SUNDAY IS WHEN I AM OFFICIALLY PURCHASING MY WEDDING DRESS!!!!!!!!

I'M DYING.

SO. EXCITED.

Here's a hint:

Hola wedding goers! This is Adam. Recently we took a mini road trip to see the venue one more time. This time around we heavily documented the location to really roll up our sleeves and get down to planning! here's some fun photos we took on our trip. Complete with Penelope sprinting action!

And here's the SMALLEST peek at our wedding venue to be.

The Photography Hunt

We've been hunting for the perfect photographer since before we even got engaged. It's a LOT harder than it sounds!

First of all (and more importantly) we want a photographer that is a true artist. Not just someone with an insane amount of megapixels to their camera. It gets more difficult. Not just someone with style, but someone whose style appeals to us.

Second, it has to be reasonably priced with all the right ingredients into the package. They say if you're having a wedding on a budget you have to make a list of the three things that are most important to you, so they can be your bigger purchases. That way you aren't disappointed in your budget wedding, you feel like you got the things that really mattered.

When we first got engaged we made our list.

1. Venue
2. Photography
3. Dress

But because it's our "splurge item" doesn't mean we should ignore prices altogether.

Photographer A gets a 10 aesthetically but has nothing in the package and only one "shooter." Photographer B gets maybe a 7 or 8 but has 2 shooters, albums, prints, and all sorts of stuff. 

How do we choose?!

There are about half a million wedding photographers out there. I'm hoping to get the contract and have that signed and on the way by the end of October. That means a little less than a month.

What next?

Caterers and flowers.

It's Certified!

After review we've officially decided on our venue!!
Today I mailed out the signed contract and deposit check!
While I won't give away the place and ruin the entire surprise, I will tell more and show pictures later.
So stay tuned!
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Venues

Boy, we have had quite a run looking for a place to have our wedding!

We needed to find a place that:

1. Could accommodate the number of guests we were planning.
2. Fit both of our ideas of a dream place to have our wedding
3. Was relatively reasonably priced and/or flexible with their contract.

At first I thought it would be all fun: weekend trips, fancy tours, and sunshine. At first it was all fun and games. But after the fourth, fifth, sixth place, it started to get old.

Were our dreams and wedding fantasies unrealistic? Would it be impossible to find a place? Was our budget too small? How long is long enough to look?

Venue searching is TIIIRING. 

We scoured any and every website we could. TheKnot, HereComesTheGuide, and every single vendor listing site, and every blog we could find. We even enlisted the help of a wedding planner for "ala carte" planning services. 

We started out looking here in the city. We expanded to the entire bay area. We went north coast, south coast, far and wide. Gradually we just started looking further and further.

We're 12 months away from the wedding and we're finally close. We're very close.

We have the contract in hand, we're doing final reviews. All we have to do is write the check and send it off!

I can't waait!!!

When things are finalized I'll post more information here!

Coming soon: wedding dress shopping, tablescaping, and invitations.

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to our wedding blog!

We thought this blog (and later our wedding website) would be a great way to keep our friends and family updated in our wedding journey!

Planning is half the fun of any wedding, so stay tuned here to keep track of the ins and outs and decision making regarding the big day!