Hi and welcome to my bio. If you have any questions I can be reached on the DW board or at bunnybride0108 at gmail dot com.
I try to credit most of the pictures if they are from other knotties. Otherwise I get a lot of images via flickr.com or take them myself.

QUICK LINKS



  
 



The condensed story of us...

(2 yrs) + (1 year plus) =

 
The ring is an estate piece from the 1920's.  He bought it from Carroll's Jewelers in Coral Gables, FL (I recommend working with Anna Brines there).  He proposed on 18 August 2006 and I couldn't be happier.  For someone that didn't want a ring with an expensive metal or a diamond I am surprised by how much I like it.  I am very happy that he put a lot of thought into finding something he liked without compromising my values.
Conflict Diamond Information

A big question we get all the freakin' time is "Why Costa Rica?"
No, I am not Costa Rican.  I have no family there.  We simply had a great time there on vacation in 2006.  So why not go back and drag our group of family and friends there for a big vacation?  They are very scattered across the U. S. and it was hard finding a neutral spot that wasn't too close to anyone, thus "offending" everyone else.  



Wedding inspiration has come from my bomb-diggity grandma back in the day, one our favorite movies, Monsoon Wedding (2001) by Mira Nair, and our beliefs in Buddhism and about the environment.


With seven months of wedding planning to go I made a mood board. The outlining Saffron, Merlot, and Royal Blue are our wedding colors.  
I'm calling it what a Goa beach party would have been like in the 40s or 50s if they had killer music and it was in Costa Rica.  Ha!


My mood board on weddingbee.com

In planning this wedding we knew several things from the start:
1.  An outdoor ceremony is a must
2.  We need to keep it as environmentally-friendly as possible without losing too much style
3.  We need to use local vendors wherever it is to benefit the local economy
4.  We will write our own ceremony to infuse our combined beliefs.

Here were the first sources I used for planning.  You can get them all at the library.
 

Here are some other kind resources to use as well as Green Weddings That Don't Cost the Earth and Organic Weddings

Calculate Your Wedding Carbon Budget (via Native Energy)
Calculate Your Wedding Carbon Budget (via TerraPass)








Buy a gown or accessories through Brides Against Breast Cancer
Conscious Weddings
 
Our wedding coordinator in Costa Rica is Dawn Yates.  I found her through a conservation and tourism agency (ATEC).  Dawn was married in Punta Uva several years earlier and her husband operates a primary forest non-government organization (La Danta Salvaje Private Rainforest Reserve).  I couldn't have asked for a better planner thus far.  We are very compatable in our eco-friendly planning.

Here are some pictures of Dawn's work.  Contact me if you want her e-mail address.


Here is a list of some of the stuff Dawn is helping us with... local flowers to be cut from the garden of our reception location, recommendation of a location that can serve as lodging, ceremony, and reception site, plates will be banana leaves, glasses will be cut from wine glasses used by locals in lieu of going off to be recycled, place cards will be etched on a tanic leaf that will later be composted, rehearsal dinner to be hosted by a family that runs a business footsteps from our lodging, Dawn will do my mendhi, and coordination of lawyer to make it a legal affair.

What is up with the animals??  
At some point you may notice we have some critters (e.g. bunnybride, peacock mendhi, elephant bags).
We are incorporating the fable of the four friends and their spirit of cooperation into our wedding week.
We consider our guests our family (blood-related or not) and like the sense of achievement that organized
chaos can bring when people cooperate with one another.  The four friends silhouettes will be displayed at the wedding reception.
There is a lot to learn from animals and Costa Rica is not shy on biodiversity (the elephant, peacock, and hare will be hard to find at our location).


 DIY TO DO LIST:
Monogram (15 September) CHECK
Learn the mysteries of the silk screen (link) -(15 October)
Make Paper - dye with turmeric or saffron (deadline 2 November)
Invites (15 November)
BM Purses (I have handles, just gotta get crackin' on the rest) - (10 December)
Decoupage mint tins (20 December)
Ceremony (4 January)
Program (also favor attachment) - (5 January)
Table runners and napkins - (10 December)
OOT Welcome info (Facebook, Itinerary, etc.) -(5 January)
Luminaries - (15 December)
Veil (5 January)
Escort Cards (scratch name on an almond-like leaf local to our site) - (19 January)

Engagement Pictures

Taken by  Silver Shadow Studios based out of Austin, TX primarily for commercial, fashion, and portrait work. All were shot in Big Cypress (part of the Everglades).  

Getting the information out there

1. Website: pages on lodging, getting a passport, rudimentary Spanish lessons, medical information, interactive satellite map of guests, our registry information (you'll see, even though it is a DW people may still want to get you something) and more







3.  Newsletter: Sent at the 5 1/2 month mark to harass people about their plans.  A simple one-page, tri-fold brochure that doubled as an envelope when sealed with tape.  It includes the itinerary, a breakdown of expenses guests can expect to incur and a request by the bride & groom for them to fill out a survey on our website to let us know their plans and if they need help.

     


"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared." - Buddha

please join us to celebrate the marriage of

kia x. xxxxxx
daughter of braulio, carolyn, and deaune

&

terry x. xxxxxx
son of dennis, nancy, and ronald

sunday, the twentieth of january, two thousand eight
at twenty past four in the afternoon
playa punta uva

more pura vida y comida to follow


   


And here are the monograms... first for the embosser and the others are for print and web use for the wedding.


We got our Wilshire Graphics Press embosser and it is so cool!   I highly recommend this company, they were able to work with our intricate monogram and make an embosser template out of it.  If you order one from them can you say I referred you?  Mention my referral when you order... Kia (#18536).  Thanks.

  
5.  Always remember to say please and thank you.  We won some letterpress notecards from Ephemera Custom Letterpress via Weddingbee.com.  I'll post when we get them.  We have also been using some of my recycled notecard stock and rubber stamps.

Location, location, location

We will be flying into San Jose and are having guests stay at Hotel Aranjuez while in the city.
The trip to our location is about four hours from San Jose.



The night before guests fly out of San Jose they will stay at the Adventure Inn Hotel.
It will be the most "luxurious" place they stay at, is closer to the airport, has a free shuttle, and FI & I won't be there to host so this gives us peace of mind.




Punta Uva (#7) is about 5 km south of Puerto Viejo (#3)
According to the1999 census the area has 2000 people from 49 countries.
The majority are Tico (Costa Rican), Afro-Caribbeans, and indigenous BriBri
Dos Colones Blog about Costa Rica blog by a U. S. ex-pat
Banana Azul Great website with a lot of info for CR and/or coast travelers
Colinsito's Blog Banana Azul owner and community leader
Puerto Viejo Satellite Extremely inclusive site to learn all kinds of beta on the area

Playa Punta Uva (ceremony location in front of Casa Viva)


Casa Viva (lodging and reception)
If the weather is dry we will set up in the garden, if it is wet we'll set up on the veranda surrounding the largest house we are getting for the bridal party.  The center picture is of the wooden table and chairs we will use.  We figure we'll line up 4 or 5 of them to make a large table so that we can all eat family-style with platters of food.





Costa Rican Hottie Knotties
CR is now the fourth most popular honeymoon destination.  Annek has great info that can help anyone.
Tourism is the countries number one industry and it is relatively easy to get married anywhere in the country.
Here are four brides doing the "I do" in CR.  If you want to be added to my list please let me know.
(click to go to their bios)

         

        

What all this hooplah is about? The short ceremony!  That's what. :)

We are writing our ceremony and it is SLOWLY coming along


Namaste.  Namaste is a universal recognition of a person by showing them unconditional respect.  This reverence demonstrated towards one another is an extension of how highly you hold yourself.  In all things we are connected to one another and should consistently demonstrate this respect with high regard.  Today we are here to further unify the connectedness that Kia and Terry share with each other as they become wife and husband.  With keeping our connectedness in mind, Kia and Terry wish to ask the guests here to be supportive of not only this wedding but their marriage.  Kind thoughts and words will always be welcomed during the days of their blessed union.


i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)




Our couple will now jump the broom, a ritual with convergent roots in Mother Africa and Celtic Europe. As the bride and groom jump the broom, they physically and spiritually cross the threshold into the land of matrimony. Traditionally, jumping the broom was also a means of sweeping away any evil that may come into their paths. Therefore, in honoring this ritual, Kia and Terry issue a hope and a prayer of sweeping away any hatred or prejudice between people of different colors, beliefs, or traditions.


broom purchased at St. Augustine, FL weekend farmer's market ($15)
Platinum Wedding Bands

This has been a bit of a hassle (read my blog entry for details)
My e-ring is from an estate collection from Carroll's Jeweler's .  It is dates from the 1920's.  My wedding band is from an eBay auction and ranges from 1915 to 1936.  I still need to get his band and we are looking.  We also want to flush mount family diamonds into the bands.

   
Engraving Ideas - "me to my love and my love to me"
It is what Johnny and June Carter had engraved on their rings
or
"life is such a comedy"  
It is a line that the character P. K. Dubay says in Monsoon Wedding that we both really like   

Who is wearing what?!?

Me...easy to take care of.

$64 auction off of eBay.  BCBG cross-back dress in champagne.
Despite my look in the mirror I am really happy with it (I was balancing my SLR in one hand at the time).
It needs some simple alterations.  Shorten the front, leave the back as a train.  Shorten the straps.  Maybe a bit smaller.
Trash the Dress
Awesome TTD Video (Del Sol Photography)
 
Veil ideas.  I want it about waltz length with some embroidery.  Here is one I have seen on ebay but don't think I'll pay this much for.  I may make one, I haven't decided.

   

My jewelry will consist of some wedding bangles a friend gave me as an engagement present, my mala beads, and some simple earrings.
Dawn (WC) is going to do some mendhi on me the night before the ceremony 
I haven't decided if I am going to wear shoes yet. And as far as unmentionables all I may do a nu-bra.


Mendhi designs from darcitantananda (flickr member) - I love the peacock motifs!
 

Something old... my great-grandmother's hankie with the letter "M" monogrammed on it (her last name)
Something new... I'll get some cute choanies I guess ;)
Something borrowed... I have asked to borrow something from my MOH, we'll see what she brings
Something blue... I have a set of blue bangles that match the ones I was gifted.  I'll wear one blue among 11 red ones.


Make-Up: I LOVE Rani-a's make-up & hair...

Make up will be DIY and I need to practice.  The arsenal includes Make Up Forever individual lashes, DiorShow waterproof mascara, Bare Escentuals i.d. Bare Minerals in Tan (I may still switch to MAC, I dunno yet).  I still don't know which eyeliner, eyeshadow and lip stuff I'll wear.
I'm torn between wanting to do a heavy eye and knowing I'm a wuss and will cry.  So I think I may go light and sun-kissed.


Wedding day scent!  Yes I have one.  The folks at Sephora totally hooked me and bunnygroom up and we like the same scent.  
It reacts differently with our bodies, but it is basically the same scent.  Cannabis Santal (Patchouli, Cannabis, and Rose) by Fresh.


Hair... side swept bang and a low Chignon (I don't know if above or below the veil yet) with a fascinator of some sort.  
I love the slightly messy look but have naturally curly hair and that may not look so cute after a few hours in the tropical outdoor weather.


Lots of Hair & Make-up Pics!
By an unknown knottie. (Let me know who to credit)
DIY fascinator instructions 

The Bunnygroom... not so easy.

It is hard to find inexpensive, well-fitted, light-weight cotton clothing for him.  The saga is going on an on, despite many mall hours, vintage store hours, and eBay hours.  There are a few entries about this process on my blog and other people's blogs.  We did go to rag*trade recently with no luck, but at least an eco-friendly clothing exchange exists in Miami.  Woohoo!!

What we do know.  He will not be nekked.  He will probably have blue toenail polish.  Tan sandals.  I am going to do a little bit of mendhi on him two nights before the ceremony.  His boutinnierre will be attached to a jeweled frog pin in a orange/saffron with a matching blue one for the MOG.



The bridal party... kind of also pretty easy.

Isaac Mizrahi for Target in white.  My side will have champagne sashes that match my dress.  His female attendant will wear a blue sash to stand apart from my side.  They will either be bare foot or in sandals.  And my side will have champagne pearl necklaces with white ribbon that I made (I finished the necklaces by late July).  My side also wants a little mendhi two nights before the wedding.




MOG (?) She said she found something in green, that is all I know.

The Fathers... guayaberas (a.k.a. Mexican wedding shirt) and khaki.
They will be our gifts to them and bought two at rag*trade in late September.  My father has always wanted one and FIs dads were interested once we said what my dad was wearing.



The guests... (oh no she didn't, did she??)

Yep, I wrote "the guests"
We are asking them to dress in resort whites.  Basically any shades of white, ivory, tan, khaki, even grey.  Enough of our guests have been asking us what to wear, even colors so we are taking the confusion out of it with this guidance.  They will not be turned away for not doing this.
To see pictures of bridal parties and guests in white check out The White Theme Bio.

Decor

The tables will also be adorned with platters of food.

Food

Trits, Hummus/Veggies/Chips, Banana Bread, Gallo Pinto,
Ceviche, Ensalada, Assorted Finca Veggies, Fruit,
Jerk Chicken, Champagne, Punch, Beer, and Liquor
 



The Trits, Ceviche, Chicken and Cheese aren't kind but the other stuff is... farm fresh produce...mmmmmm.
The Conscious Kitchen

Cake

It turns out I am not a huge cake fan.  I'll let FI choose and handle this detailwith our WC.
Right after bunnygroom proposed I wrote to LEGO and requested a cake topper set.  There is a crazy wedding and LEGO connection (see blog link) that I never knew of until I started this planning.  

LEGO

What all can our guests expect besides the wedding?

Fan favors with attached accordion ceremony programs (thanks MS).  The ends of the programs will be playing cards.
One side will have our namaste and welcome, the other will have the order of the ceremony.
 
My close friends that make it will also receive a gold-label personalized bottle of whiskey
 
OOT Bags: emergen-c, chapstick, advil, postcard stamps, maps, itinerary, facebook, plantain chips, drinks, hard candy, gum, after bite relief
Shell necklaces: Collected shells with mechanically bored holes already drilled

Carbon Share
 La Danta Salvaje Private Rainforest Reserve
FONAFIFO

Community Volunteer day coordinated via Barry
The Bridge Program
Sloth Sanctuary visit... here is a photo of me with Buttercup in 1999
Aviaros del Caribe and maybe a softie sloth?


 Silly Prizes for milestones will be awarded at rehearsal dinner:
1st to get new passport - Shirley (MOH) - ?
1st to get flight reservations - Dennis (FOG) - Lonely Planet guide to be sent earlier
most frequent website visitor - so far Cheryl & Shayne from Oregon - ?
most Tico - we'll see based on the trip - departure tax of $26
most alcohol consumed on bus to coast - we'll see based on the trip - bottle of Ron Centanario dark
most Norte Americano - we'll see based on the trip - beef jerky and Coke
more categories to come


For bridal party:
Freshwater pearl necklaces (see above in the section of what they are wearing... cost about $3.50 each)
Handmade Bags (handles are $3/pair), Sarong in a matching pouch ($2 from Body Shop outlet), decorated tins (great for tampons, iPods, mini-shrines, etc. and cost is minimal to decoupage over leftover tin), and perfume decanter (5/$10 from local Greek festival)



Bridesmaid appreciation: I did not send "will you be my BM cards" because I asked over the phone.
At the 6-month mark I sent a thank you for saying yes card, newsletter and small trinket purse.




Who is the bridal party?
Shirley, my MOH and best friend of over 20 years.  I was MOH at her wedding 4 years ago

Kia, my niece that will be the resident scene girl if we can't get her hair straightener and eyeliner away from her.
The snail picture was snapped a few minutes after we were playing in the ocean

Emily, my niece that is coming into her own with a high degree of moxy so she'll help host the events

Kit, Bunnygroom's #1 attendant.  His BFF for about 15 years.


Who is the family?
Bunnygrooms stepdad, Ron, with his mother, Nancy, at FSILs wedding.  His dad, Dennis, with his kid sister, Ang.


My dad, my niece Emily (red beanie), Terry holding one of my twin nieces, and family friends camping.  And my dad solo.


My mother and stepdad won't be attending.  One of the troubles of doing a DW is that all guests won't be able to show.  
In their case they are both blind and leaving their seeing-eye dogs in quarantine is not an option.
Instead FI and I are going to visit them for Thanksgiving in the Bay Area.

Playlist Ideas: no particular order yet

Cocktail and one hour of dinner will have a guitarist

First Dance Song... Baby/OsMutantes
Daughter/Father... Rainbow Connection/Kermit the Frog
or In My Life / Judy Collins or ???
Son/Mother... Landslide/Fleetwood Mac

Dinner
Ya Devi Sarva Behuteshu - Ravi Shankar
Svara Mantra - George Harrison
Ocean Rain - Echo & the Bunnymen
Drunken Lullabies-Flogging Molly (chill acoustic version)
Baby Its Cold Outside-Johnny Mercer
Falling From Grace - Gentle Waves
Chanson des Chats-If You Rescue Me
Dreamer - The Postmarks
Lass en fallen als waers heiss - Sedoussa
In My Life - Judy Collins
Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn & John
Here Comes the Sun - Nina Simone
Si no te huberias ido - Marco Antonio Solis
Better Get Hit in Yo Soul - Charles Mingus
Je Cherche un Homme - Eartha Kitt

Cake cutting... Sugar Shack / Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs

Dance
Golden Years - David Bowie
Gotta Give It Up (Part II) - Marvin Gaye
Rozalla - Everybody's Free
El Matador - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Never Stop Falling - Pink Martini
Begin the Beguine - Cole Porter
Your Song - Elton John
Gay Bar - Electric Six (YMCA mix)
El Satanico Dr. Cadillac - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Ready 2 Wear - Felix da Housecat
Sinnerman - Nina Simone mixed by Felix
Glamorous - Fergie
Isaraelites - Desmond Dekker & The Aces
Its Only Time - The Magnetic Fields
Can't Take My Eyes Off of You - Lauryn Hill
Sunday Kind of Love - Etta James
Aaj Mausam Bada Beimann Hai (Today the weather plays tricks on me) - Mohammed Rafi


My Getting Ready Music
Born Slippy - Underworld
Shame on a Nigga - Wu Tang Clan
Une Very Stylish Fille - Dimitri From Paris
Brazil - Pink Martini
Hip Hop - Dead Prez
Umi Says - Mos Def
My Man My Moon - Feist
Latin Goes Ska - The Skatellites
Chunari Chunari -

Gifts

Flip Books
Lolos Boudoir
Atomic Bettie Productions

Mini-moon & Honeymoon

Punta Caracol
Organic Tuscany

Keeping the memories...

Our photographer for the week will be Daniel Scheerer assisted by his wife Kori.
Pixel Perfect Photography
Mrs. Ant on Weddingbee has been a great resource in figuring out how to make an album with images

For our physical wedding album we like this Novica Thai Elephant Photo Album.  The larger one can hang on wall nicely.  We will have guests fill out postcards at the reception and send them to ourselves.  Guests not attending the wedding can also send us well wishes via postcards.



DW SIGGY CHALLENGE FOR NOVEMBER


So you are getting married... I am too. :) Here are the three most helpful things I hope I can give to you in your planning:
    

Here are loads of links I hope you find helpful (the homemade buttons are size-related based on popularity)
**Also lots of knottie bios linked at the bottom of my bio :)



   

In months of planning my wedding I have made some friends on the Destination Weddings board.
I am very familiar with their plans as well and look forward to the successes of their marriages.
(click to go to bio)

     

Then there are the weddings you just love.  For me these exude a fun, heartfelt emotion I hope to emulate at my wedding.

 

Another fave but not from the knot... "When Mendhi Met Mariachi"


Then there are the helpful bios and people (a lot of hawaii, hmmm...)

  

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