Posted Thursday, September 04, 2008 4:39 AM
Really, really skinny. Like, I wish I could fit into his pants skinny. Like, he's my goal weight skinny. And he's six inches taller than me. If he were a girl, he'd be a runway model. A hot one.
No biggie. I never though I'd end up with a skinny dude, but that's how love works, right?
Every once in a while this becomes a problem. Most recently, when we went ring shopping. He has these really long skinny fingers but big, wide knuckles. So finding a ring that fits his finger is hard. Finding one that fits over his knuckle and is still tight around his finger is impossible.
We picked out a ring that looks good on his hand, that fits our budget, and that he likes. We agreed he would buy that one online, with a $50 off coupon.
A few weeks later, I asked him why he hadn't ordered the ring yet. He confessed he's not comfortable with buying a ring because the only rings that fit over his knuckle are too big on his finger, and slide around till the knuckle blocks it. He says it's not comfortable.
Okay. So we brainstorm ideas. Tattoo (he's not so big on them), ring on a necklace (I'm not hot on that idea)...hmm. Brick wall. Our next step is to go to a jeweler and see what they can do for us. I really want to exchange rings, so I'm going to try every avenue to get him one he's comfortable with. I love my ring and everything it signifies, and I hope he feels that way about his ring also. I'm open to suggestions here.
Another problem with his skinny-ness we ran into was Men's Wearhouse. We go in expecting him to try on tuxes and they say they only have floor models (which are obviously too big) and he can't try anything on. So he pitches a mini-fit and says he's not renting a tux without first trying it on. He's not fashionable in the least, so "trying on" is absolutly neccessary.
So now we're brainstorming on tuxes. He has a suit that's nice and fitted on him, so that's an option, but hard to match to the bridal party. Or we can drive down to Sacramento (our venue location, about 500 miles from our house) and try on tuxes at a local vendor that has them in-stock. Men's Wearhouse is definetly out.
Maybe we should try shopping at the Tall and Skinny Store for rings and tuxes.
Posted by
oneluckygal
Filed under: rings, tux
Posted Saturday, August 30, 2008 12:52 AM
So I've been working on wedding projects like crazy lately. The paper projects are stressing me out, so I've been playing with paper and watching reality TV every night.
My favorite project so far (okay, the only one I've really worked on, besides seriously thinking about it), is these cool door hangers. I got the idea from another Knottie, and twisted it to suite our own wedding.
Since we are renting out an entire hotel (28 rooms total!), I thought it would be fun to put everyone's names on the doors. That way, walking down the hallway, you can tiptoe past my Grandma's door, and rudely bang on my brother's door. There won't be any random knocking on doors, or accidently waking up Great Aunt Gertie.
So I used some scraps leftover from invitations (so many scraps, I'll never buy paper again!), cut a round hole on the top, and decorated the hanger. I used a white pen that we use at work (yes, I borrowed it!), and stuck leftover stickers, snowflakes, rhinestones on them. I made sure to put our relationship labels (Aunt, Grandma, Cousin...) so that everyone knows who they are related to each other.
Then I used my new toy, a lacy corner-punch/embosser to decorate the corners (you can't see it in this pic though). What I like best about this project is that it's a nice touch for zero money. Everything on this project is leftovers from a different project. Plus, guests can take their door hanger home (even though it says our wedding date on them) as a small favor.
Bad news, I can only do half of them, since room situations are still kinda up in the air. Very cute though!
Posted Thursday, August 28, 2008 6:59 AM
If there's one thing I could change during my course of wedding planning, it would be sending out Save The Dates.
The good things about Save The Dates:
1. It made us complete our guest and address lists early. This took a lot of compromise, haggling, calling people, and harassing our mothers. But it also saved us time during the DIY Invitation Crunch.
2. I have 100 magnets with our picture on them. That's why I ultimately sent the STD's. I admit, I just wanted the magnets everywhere. I coveted the Save The Date magnets, and so I got them.
3. Our guests have enough time to make travel arrangements. That's the whole point of them, huh?
And now, the reasons I regret sending STD's:
1. The guest list is finalized. The magnets are hanging on refridgerators. Now, I get 100 questions about why isn't so-and-so invited, why wasn't I invited, Uncle Lives-Far-Away didn't get one, blah, blah, blah. This includes the people who casually stop by my mother's house, and just happen to see the magnet. If I just sent out invitations, the invites wouldn't be prominently displayed, and I would only hear complaints for two months, instead of nine.
2. I wish I could take some of those magnets back. People who have drifted apart from us, or who have broken up with my close friends, or even people I used to work with but have since gotten other jobs. Those were the people I was kinda on the fence about inviting anyway, and now I have to stick to that decision.
3. They were a waste of money. What was I thinking, sending out a pre-invitation? Geez. Now I wish I had that money elsewhere, when the budget is tighter and I'm more against my rope.
So even though the pros and cons are even, they are not equal. I wish I could remake the whole guest list now to get only those people who are most special to me, instead of just inviting them because they got an STD. Some of the best advice I've heard is to not pick your bridal party too early (thank god I listened to that advice, because I totally changed my mind from when I first got engaged), well the guest list should follow the same advice. Don't invite your guests too early either.
Posted by
oneluckygal
Filed under: STD's
Posted Wednesday, August 20, 2008 5:12 AM
Fiance and I were busy today enjoying our day off together (picture us sitting by the pool, getting sloshed from cheap wine out of plastic cups) and he says:
"It's only 100 degrees out. Isn't nice how much it's cooled off?"
"Yup, we're more than halfway through August. Summer's almost over."
"Then it will be September."
"Yup." I'm reading Kitchen Confidental, so I'm not really following this deep conversation.
"Then it will be October."
"Yup."
"Then November, then December."
Comprehension is slowly working it's way through my foggy brain. I sit up straight:
"OMG, then it will January."
At this point, I jump off my lawn chair, frantically making a mental list of all the DIY projects I've yet to start and spilling cheap wine all over my library book. I gather our stuff and run shrieking towards the house: "Four and a half months!!!"
Posted Tuesday, August 12, 2008 4:02 PM
My ex called me. Actually, he called my parents, who gave me his number. I debated about calling him for about a week before curiosity got the best of me and I picked up my phone. He was my only other real boyfriend, my high-school sweetheart and my first true love. We were together for 2 and a half years before things kinda exploded. We've kept in irregular contact for the last 9 years. When Matt and I moved to Alaska, I commissioned him to build a house on the back of my truck to pack all our belongings in (he's a carpenter).
So, he asked me what I was up to and I told him I was getting married.
I could hear the shock on the other end, though he tried to cover it. He's met Matt before, and knew we were still together, so I'm sure it wasn't that big of a surprise. He didn't beg for me back. There won't be any "My Best Friend's Wedding" scene.
All the same, this door closed forever. I will never date another guy. I will never get back with my ex. I have a feeling Matt and I will be together forever. We're so perfectly suited, even after 7 years of dating. I really do want to spend the rest of my life with him. We have made a great life together and I'm a happy girl.
Although my ex didn't extend his best wishes, I knew they were there. As I have my best wishes for his new life.
Talking to him, made me realize (again) that I made the right choice. He still has that immature way of thinking and drama-in-the-courthouse swagger that made me rethink our relationship the first time. I'm a lucky girl. I have a great man now and have had good men in my past. But I'm ready to give up all the other men (good or otherwise). I'm so content just where I am.
Him: "I can't believe you're getting married."
Me: "I can't either. But I'm ready."
Posted Wednesday, August 06, 2008 6:22 AM
We have booked our honeymoon rooms. We decided to go with a less expensive honeymoon since we'll be spending a ton of money on the wedding. Yes, the responsible thing to do. But also the hard thing to do as I watch my dreams of a Caribbean Cruise float away.
So we'll be spending a few days in Lake Tahoe, which is only a few hours drive time from our wedding venue. We booked our first night at a cute little Bed and Breakfast called the Fireside Lodge.
Very cute, homey, and wintry. They have an outdoor hot tub that we'll definetly be taking advantage of that night. Also, they have a Game Room that looks like a lot of fun. We're going to spend one night there relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere before moving on to a different hotel. $190/night.
Secrets Inn is a bit more affordable, but more luxury than rustic. We booked a deal to pay for 3 nights, get the fourth for free. So for 4 nights, we're only paying $325. Not bad.
This hotel has an in-room jacuzzi tub, mirrors over the bed and a glass-in shower. Practically screams Honeymoon! Very budget friendly, and the reviews are fabulous.
We haven't booked any activities yet, but this is what we're thinking: Dogsledding, snowmobiling, dinner cruise on a yacht, probably a casino show, a visit to David Walley Hot Springs Spa, and of course, a horse-drawn sleigh ride. My fiance ski's (really well, he can even ski backwards!), so he'll do that one day and I'll tag along, but probably spend most of the day in the Lodge Bar. That's how I ski. We're total Foodies, too. So I expect we'll be checking out a ton of restaurants while we're there. Mmm...
So that's our Honeymoon. Five days/four nights. Responsible decision. Lots of fun, food, and drink. I'm starting to get excited about it. The best part: No bikini worries!
Posted Saturday, July 26, 2008 5:44 AM
Tonight I broke the news to my man that we need to get wedding insurance. His jaw dropped and he threw a tiny hissy fit (Whaddyamean we need wedding insurance?! Now we need to get insurance?!). I can see his point, as lately I've decided everything I buy or do is wedding-related. Let's see, there's my wedding tote bag, my wedding diet, wedding shoes, wedding pajamas, wedding book... Our house has become the proverbial Wedding Candy Shoppe. You can look, but you can't touch until The Wedding!
Unfortunatley, wedding insurance is a neccessity. Our Site actually requires it. So tonight I began researching wedding insurance.
Basically, there's two kinds. There's Postponement/Cancellation Insurance and Liability Insurance.
The first kind you probably don't think you need. You might think: well, there's no way I'm postponing or cancelling my wedding. But sometimes there's forces beyond our control. Snowstorms, hurricanes, bankrupt vendors, accidents, sickness. If your father becomes too sick and you need to postpone or a hurricane rains out your outside site, the insurance will pick up the tab to replace deposits, food, invitations, rings, and attire. If your photographer loses your precious film, insurance will re-do your wedding. Depending on how much insurance you buy, you can virtually re-create your entire wedding.
The second kind, Liability Insurance, is what our Site and many other vendors, require. This insurance insures the hosts and the venue from being held responsible for any misshaps. If someone drinks too much and is involved in an accident on the way home, if someone slips and takes a nasty spill on the dance floor, or if your bridesmaid breaks a leg walking down the aisle. The insurance company will litigate any medical or legal claims.
There are two main companies (and many smaller ones) that offer wedding insurance. http://www.protectmywedding.com/why.html and http://www.wedsafe.com/ .
According to Wedsafe, Liability Insurance in California (our wedding location) will start at $195. We're unsure if we want to purchase Postponement/Cancellation Insurance yet, as that will run another $200 (for the lowest level, but we'll also get a 10% price break for buying both). That might be a good idea considering we're having a Winter wedding and roads have a chance of being snowed in. (Really, Californians can't handle snow, two inches and the highways completly shut down). The Knot Checklist says we need to purchase this month.
So there it is. Wedding Insurance in my Wedding Nutshell.
Posted Thursday, July 10, 2008 2:39 AM
When I first began wedding planning, I agreed with the old adage: "It's the Bride's Day." Of course it is. She has the army of beauty slaves, the poofy white dress, and the tiara. Who else's day can it be?
But now I'm a more experienced Bride. I see how hard my Mother has worked on this wedding: planning, paying, and primping. She works extra shifts to pay for what she considers her half. So does my stepfather. My mother hunted for the perfect dress for six months (and counting!) because it's her day too. Everyone at the wedding will eventually find themselves talking to my mother. Complimenting her on the wedding and her beautiful daughter. And her dress, of course.
Then there's the Bridal Party. All the hours they've spent talking, planning, and dreaming of this moment too. All the ideas, hard work and fun. Don't even mention all the years I put them through of relationship troubles (Does he like me? I hate him. I love him. We broke up. Should I take him back? We're back together. I hate him.). They should earn a diamond tiara just for that! Not to mention the Bachelor/ette parties, the showers, the planning meetings, shopping meetings, travel to and back. Yuck. It's a ton of work. Hair, shoes, jewelry, pedicures, fake tans. It's a lot of money too! But these people wouldn't miss this day for the world.
And that brings me to The Guests. The people you love most in this world, who have come together to share this most important day with you two. All that time we spend agonizing over the favors, the menu, the invitations. If there are no guests, there is no Party! One of the things I'm most looking forward to is seeing all my beloveds in one place. To introduce my best friend to my Aunt Judy and my Great-grandmother to my favorite bartender. It just wouldn't be a day without them there, and I try to show that with my obsessive planning!
And last but not least. There's the groom. The man who sends our hearts a-flutter and our eyes a-rolling. The man who sits quietly by my side listening (okay, half-listening while playing WII) as I lament over which cardstock to buy, satin vs silk, my troubles over finding the perfect invitation ribbon. The guy who reminds me to take a night off from cutting paper and painting aisle runners. The guy who refills my wine because my hands are covered in paint or I don't want to stop my project. He might not care about what kind of ribbon I'll eventually choose, but he does have his own needs. Without a groom...well, I don't even want to imagine that.
So it's not MY day. It's Our day. All of ours. A day of family and connecting and loving and sharing. And that's the best way to begin the rest of our lives.