Bling-Bling Bride: No-so "big" band

I loved my play one words, particularly since FH and I are old skool and LOVE the oldies music including Sinatra-era music. But this post is not about music––it is about our quest to look for the perfect wedding bands that are miraculously affordable, especially since precious metals our being priced so high these days.

The last few weeks I have struggled to find the perfect band ring. I sought out a serious of rings that I thought would satisfy my needs, including even a plain polished band.

So I started with desiring a diamond-cut band, which was apparently very hard to come by (I realized that this is more of a hammered look, but you get the deal):

SecretCharm

 

I figured with the thin band, I could get two and one on each side of the band. But when I actually tried this "brilliant" idea when we went into a department store, I wasn't excited.

Then I figured a gem band would suffice, preferably a garnet eternity band:

Amazon

 

But when I put this against my ring, I didn't like how it did not lay flat against it. I did the same with a plain gold band but it looked to plain.

Finally I found a polished gold band with a bump/swirl to it, that helped it lay against my ring better (I don't have a pic because I found that one at a jewelers). The awful thing was that it was almost $400, and since I had FH with me, an argument ensued because he wanted to buy the ring for me and didn't want to spend so much for the band. I didn't object, since my budget was max $200 per ring.

I did take this discovery back home with me and decided to research v-shaped rings. After few minutes of searching, I stumbled upon this beauty that was everything I could have imagined:

Amazon

 

Of course the biggest downside is that I don't get to try it on and may have to get it sized, but I have honestly not seen too many stores online and physical that have much variety at all. 

So then my next quest was trying to find a ring for FH. He nixed the idea of a silver band and said he would rather have a band that complimented mine. So I searched high and low for gemstone accented rings for me, but only found bulky flashy rings that are just not his style. So we settled on the ring that he picked out in person (but I found it online):

Amazon

 

Again, I hope it fits! The greatest thing about it all is that the best man offered to pay for our rings! Yippie! Granted that it is only $249.81, I am elated that we are coming well under our budget, and that hopefully we won't have to get them sized.

Bling-Bling Bride

I am probably the most excited about my mother making my jewelry (besides getting married to the love of my life of course!). I have been bugging my mother about making jewelry for me pretty much since middle school (WELL over 12 years), but she has yet to make any (though she has showered me with tons of the pre-made stuff). As a result I nominated her to do my bridal jewelry as well as jewelry for my maid of honor. So here are the ideas I came up with (as you can see I am an Etsy addict.



I think I may do just white crystals for me with some accents of purple and teal. As you can see I LOOOOOOVE the v-neck because it will perfectly line the neckline of my dress:

theKACZcollection

seDuCe

candybead

 

Then here are some ideas for the maid of honor's jewelry which will probably use teal and purple (though I think it may have to be one or the other so that she can wear it again):

 

  

beauxbijouxboutique

  

morganmcgeehandesign

  

Even if my mother is unable to recreate this wonderful designs or make her own version, I will be more than willing to support the Etsy artist.

You're Invited! Part 2

I updated the invites on the snowy-blizzard Saturday:

This is the main page I came up with (with the details hidden for privacy):

 

Here is the envelope:

 

Here is the post card (the top part is one side, the bottom the other)

 And then I did a series of layering ideas that I am considering featuring the purple accent color. Note the a the "W" you see may or may not be a die cut that I talked about in the last post:

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Depending on what materials I find, it will determine which design approach I will take.

Finding the Perfect Photog Part IV: The Real and the "Wannabes"

As of yesterday my first interviewees, the ones who enamored me with their video-photo package, have been fired before they were hired. That's right. FIRED! (a moment of silence for mourning)

My dilemma began Saturday night when I called my mother to hatch out the positives and negatives for each of my potentials. While my mother didn't really give me much advice in terms of what to do, she did listen ever so patiently and instead tried to pull out of me what I wanted in terms of pricing and packages.

I stumbled upon the conclusion that I REALLY wanted photographs of me prepping before the ceremony (and preferably FH too, but only if a second photog was included, which would cause the price of the package to go up, since it only included four hours. I also decided that I definitely wanted the engagement session as well, which would be and addition $300. I also concluded that if I was about to drop $2,000 on photos, they better be darn good, to put it nicely. Finally, I knew that our ceremony would be brief with not a whole lot going on afterward, so we could probably cut the videography by two hours.

Their package, originally $1600 would end up costing closer to $2,200, and literally breaking the bank. My mother suggested to that I request to see more photos, so that I could at least sleep at night regarding that, and also try negotiating the price. She also said I should check out their references to be absolutely sure.

I did not sleep well at all waiting for a response (I sent the e-mail about 12:30 am last night). Here is the contents of the e-mail:


-------
I have some questions:



1. I would really like preparation coverage before the ceremony (of the bride), along with some portrait shots before the ceremony. I am thinking this will add at least 2 more hours of coverage. Is it possible to lessen the videography to only cover two hours so that we can get the two additional hours of photo coverage? We are working with a budget at $2,000 tops for videography/photography, so it is not possible to have both (we would also love to have an engagement session which adds the $250 to the $1,600). We are also willing to spare the just having one copy of the video and the photo DVD if that helps.



2. I would really like to see a couple of your most recent complete contact sheets/proofs, particularly ones using natural lighting. If it is not possible to view a whole shoot on the web, I will be more than happy to meet this Monday morning.

Thanks in advance!

----


It doesn't sound pushy does it? Doesn't it sound like a bride who is willing to drop two grand but would just like to know she will receive her money's worth? Doesn't it just sound like someone who hasn't drop two grand on anything in her entire life, especially for pics?

Here is the response:

------
Hope you survived the big snow.

here are the answers to your questions.



1.  I understand your budget- however We do not split up the time with photos and video.  We are both booked for the same amount of time. so if you wanted 2 hours of getting ready- then it would be 6 hours for both.  however, i really dont think that 2 hours is necessary.  if you are getting ready near the site- then 45 min. of final touches, getting your dress on, and shoes (and 15 min. for us to drive to valley green)- is probably your best bet given your budget.  You can get really nice portraits outside at Valley green- which are way nicer than doing inside pictures where there is tons of other things that are often in the background. since your ceremony is at 9:30- you will need to be ready to put your dress on for photos by 8:00 am and remember it will take a couple of hours to do other getting ready things like hair and makeup- which really dont make that great of pictures.  
but we can give you a discount for engagement photos and do them for $200 instead of $250. and it doesnt save us money by giving only 1 copy of a DVD.

2.  as far as giving you "proofs" to see- i dont make proofs remember- i give everyone all 800-1000 fully edited high resolution, high image quality image on a DVD. I feel like there are tons of pictures using "natural lighting" -aka- "outside"  on the gallerey on the website, the blog, and the samples i did have with me when we met.  If you want you can go to my picassa site- (i emailed you a link) and that has some of the sample folders of pictures i send to couples while they are waiting for everything to be done. so that you know- i always think that outside pictures are the nicest and turn out the best.  it is the inside lighting that is more difficult. but you cant control all of the elements no matter what outside (there can be shade areas, sun spots). this is not a photo shoot that has all the lighting artificially done even for "natural lighting" photos. so i feel, with the picassa album, that this should be suffient.

-----

I know it is always hard to tell in writing a person's tone, but an already antsy-anxious-doubtful bride can easily be driven off the deep end. This e-mail developed numerous red flags for me.

Red Flag #1
You don't split services? Umm...okay. I did have an interview with them, explained how small our guest list was, explained we are not going to have a "typical" reception by any means, and that there wouldn't be a whole lot to photograph OR video tape after the ceremony, which would probably last all of 30 minutes or less. So either you suck as a photog and use your husband to back you up with video, or he needs endless video to make a decent DVD. On top of that, why would you try to upsell me to the $2,200 package when I clearly don't need six hours of video. Seriously?

Red Flag #2
"I understand your budget..." um, hello, if you "really" understood my budget you'd honor your "we are willing to work within any budget" slogan on your website and in your brochure, particularly in a bad economy. Also, it wasn't like I was offering less than what their original package was. I was trying to negotiate the higher price.

Red Flag #3
"since your ceremony is at 9:30- you will need to be ready to put your dress on for photos by 8:00 am and remember it will take a couple of hours to do other getting ready things like hair and makeup." No s&%# sherlock. I was very much insulted. DUH! Any major event in a lady's life will take MAJOR prep time. I hate when people assume you are naive because you are young AND meek.

Red Flag #4
"...getting ready things like hair and makeup- which really don't make that great of pictures." FYI, I have seen PLENTY of portfolios that include these shots, and I happen to love them. What, is she afraid of portrait shots or something?  And wait a minute––if I am willing to pay for these shots, why would you deter me?

Red Flag #5
"...we can give you a discount for engagement photos and do them for $200 instead of $250." WOW a whopping $50 off of $2,200. BRAVO!

Red Flag #6
"and it doesnt save us money by giving only 1 copy of a DVD." Mind you I only included this line in my original e-mail in an attempt to negotiate and express that I am will to sacrifice other things to get what I really want.

Red Flag #7
"as far as giving you "proofs" to see- i dont make proofs remember." Notice I also used the word "contact sheet." A real photographer would know that I am basically asked to see an entire reel of photos from specific couple to see how the photog's overall work is, not just their "best" shots that are selected with bias.

Red Flag #8
"I feel like there are tons of pictures using "natural lighting" -aka- "outside"  on the gallerey on the website, the blog, and the samples i did have with me when we met." Umm...yeah. Most of the her photos, even the new ones she sent to me used flash (I could clearly see it in the photos) OR equally as bad, were all over exposed (too bright, which is and EASY fix with photoshop that I can even do!).

And she does go on to say: "[these are] sample folders of pictures i send to couples while they are waiting for everything to be done," but my question is, why don't you have a similar feature like that on your website of edited pics? And why are your "edited" pictures still SO over exposed even in the sunlight?

So it either means:
A. she really doesn't know what natural lighting is
B. she is not a REAL photog
C. she doesn't know how to change the settings on her camera
D. she doesn't know how to make a two- seconds fix in Photoshop to adjust the over exposure
E. All of the above.

And what takes the cake about this line is that she really didn't show a whole lot of samples in person––it was mainly a photo book of her sister-in-law's wedding, which again, the lighting was horrible. Plus she mentioned doing 50 or so weddings. Fifty weddings, yet all of the photos I've seenare "sufficient" which she says at the end of the e-mail.

Red Flag #9
"If you want you can go to my picassa site- (i emailed you a link)." The quickest way to piss off a potential or actual client is to not follow through. She hadn't e-mailed me the link. I did receive it five minutes later, but after reading the e-mail, anything would push me over the edge.

Red Flag #10
"so that you know- i always think that outside pictures are the nicest and turn out the best.  it is the inside lighting that is more difficult. but you cant control all of the elements no matter what outside (there can be shade areas, sun spots)." Sounds like a lame excuse. A real photog deals with the elements. DUH!

Conclusion
Me: Thanks for getting back to me. Unfortunately we are going to go with another photographer.



Her: Thanks for your time.That's ok. I don't think my style is what you are looking for. Good luck.

Umm...okay. If "style" translates into being an actual photog, then okay.

I  could have been mean. I could have been rude. I could have be down right nasty. But I decided to keep it sweet and short.

So why I am SO livid? Because I was actually willing to pay these people, and still would have gone with them had I not felt shut-out. I may have even nixed the videography and just gone with the photography, which was much more affordable. I just hate people who make excuses and don't try to work with you at all. If she had offered up other suggestions on working something out, I would have been more than willing, particularly since I was willing to have a second meeting. Maybe they are just greedy and would prefer a higher paid client. I hope they get what they ask for. It drives me nuts when you try to give business owners your business and they fail miserably in their approach to serve you.

When I talked to my mother, she confirmed that the semi-rude (I'm trying to be nice) e-mail could have been because she was "insulted" that I requested to see more pics. But what real photog doesn't like to brag and brag about their great work––unless they don't have any.

Again, I am not the average bear when it comes to liking photography, but I recognize what rocks and what doesn't, even if you are on a budget. And for the record, there are a good amount of photogs out there (though minus the video) that offer excellent packages that include more hours of coverage, an engagement session, and in some cases a second photog.

Brides beware. Don't get caught up in the BS just because you feel pressured to book. I am glad that I waited patiently and used common sense and gut-judgment instead of dropped $2,000 sporadically on a "wannabe."

You're Invited!

So even after a trip to Michael's, I wasn't really inspired by their scrapbook section. It seems that my teal/peacock/oasis color is hard to come by––I don't know if it's because it's such an unusual color for weddings, or because no one has decided to put out summer colors yet. I have searched high and low online as well.

Sometimes I think I am too particular for my own good. Ideally I would like a semi-shimmery teal colored card stock that I can cut into half a sheet of paper or smaller. I have already decided if this paper is truly impossible to find, my best approach is to make the invites with a teal background on the computer then print them out at Kinkos and cut them down so it looks like a bleed.

I am also fine with purchasing a DIY invites package, but only if I could find something I actually like! Ugg. I hate generic looking things that have no personality. So this is what I came up with last night (info was omitted for privacy):

 

I probably won't use this exact wording, I just wanted to see what the text looked like. My favorite part about them is the touch of purple around the edge of it. I used the colors from my original palette which include purple, sea foam, and teal. I think that I will forgo the theme, since I still can't quite decide what I want unless I incorporate the theme into the text like: "Join us near the tranquil waters of the Wissahickon river." I am thinking about a "water" theme as a play off of FH's name, but I'm still not sure. The invites are probably what I am less enthusiastic about because I really don't know for sure how they will come together.

Here is my original design again:

 

I think I want to have purple play less of a role in the color scheme and instead be more of an accent color, but if I can't find teal, then I will just have to settle with purple. I am thinking of sticking with a pearl like rose or cream color for the envelopes because those can hopefully be much easier to track down! I also want to minimize the amount of paper I use––the max four pieces, but again, it depends on what I can find. What stinks is that unless I find the paper I need, I can't really experiment that much.

More recently I am thinking of included some sort of "W" die cut in the paper that wraps around the invite, but I'm not certain yet. If I can find one, it would be one of the hand held ones I saw at Michael's like this one:

I also saw some cool rhinestone stickers that I could accent the invite with as well:

 I think that if I am not able to find the card stock, I want to give texture to my invites by using peacock feathers (or some type of teal and purple feathers), mini fabric flowers, crinkled fabric, and/or foil/shimmery paper.

I know it's too soon to freak out about the invites, but I want to have a definite idea before March rolls around when I plan to put it altogether.

 

Finding the Perfect Photog Part III: Let the Interviewing Begin!

Today I interviewed my first two photographers who were basically like night and day. I went prepared with my list of about 30 questions that I had compiled from a simple Google search "questions to ask wedding photographer and clicked on the first five links to compile a list.

The first meeting was with a couple––the husband was the videographer and the wife the photographer. They had a great photo-video package for only $1,600, which was a bit out of my original budget, but since then, I have decided that this is an area I don't want to cut corners with, especially since I am SO particular about photography and because my mother was a photographer for many years. The downside to the package was that I would have to pay for the engagement session separately, and that it only covered four hours––so if I wanted them to take pics before the ceremony, that would be extra. Also, she did not work with an assistant. The package did include two copies of digital negatives and two copies of the DVDs. While I LOVE their videos, I am NOT completely sold on the photography. While the average bride would probably be pleased with the photos (and the price!), I was not completely sold. I really like the couple because they seem down-to-earth and laid back. They are still an option but not my first.

The second meeting was with a OCD (she said so herself!) lawyer turned photographer who has WONDERFULLY crisp beautiful photos. However the wonderful photos did not overwhelm her control-freak (she also said this) aura. She chattered the ENTIRE time 1,000 miles an hour, and I don't think she fully understood the concept that I was having a SMALL wedding, so there wouldn't be a "cocktail" hour. I literally felt drained after listening to her. While I know she will be organized and on point, I don't think it will be worth dealing with her overwhelming personality. Last I checked, it was good protocol to match the speed and personality of your client, not bombard them. Just saying.

Out of the two meetings I did draw a few conclusions. First, I am considering raising my photog budget from $1,000 to $2,000, but only if FH's parents can contribute about $600 and if my mother could pitch in $500. While I am willing to raise our budget, I do feel a bit queasy about dropping so much on pics, but a super duper photog (which I have determined I do want  after all), requires some  super duper money. So this probably means we'll have to nix videography after all (bummer!), but if the package includes five or more hours of coverage, an engagement shoot, digital photos, AND a photog assistant I'm game for the bigger package, since these are all additional things I would like anyway. An added bonus would be to get at least three photo albums included, but I definitely will NOT hold my breath on that one, since good albums tend to been EXPENSIVE, at least from the photog.

For video, I am thinking about going with my original idea and just have someone run their video camera on a tripod, and that will have to suffice. I am even thinking about sacrificing my ipod music idea as well (though this is only a couple hundred dollars) and I'm even thinking of nixing a limo/driver as well if we do end up splurging on the photography. I don't want our budget to keep ballooning with less important details that aren't that major for me.

The only thing will be convincing FH that it will be worth the $2,000 on photos alone (our original plan was to hire a student photog). He won't be opposed to our parents pitching in, but he may frown a little since my mother is already contributing $1,600 for the reception, plus she's making my jewelry, AND she has to fly out here. But I have decided that we will only get married once, and besides our memories we don't have any other record to leave our children. I realize that other people spend far more on photography, but $2,000 is a pretty big deal since we wanted to keep our budget around $4,000.

So depending on what the verdict is from our parents, I will book a few more interviews with photogs that are around our new budget to see what's out there before making any final decisions.

"Ring" of Terror

FH and I spent a couple of hours browsing for possible wedding bands and we made our first stop at the Zales Outlet where I had my ring custom made. While perusing the display cases, I didn't find anything vaguely appealing and so I asked the woman about possibly getting something custom made. She said that they (Zales) didn't do any custom made jewelry––they had stopped doing it about four years ago. I was puzzled. FH had gotten my ring only two years before. I remembered vividly spending more than an hour pouring over the settings and finally selecting the perfect one, which I was now wearing. FH, overhearing the conversation jumped in and mentioned the name of the sales manager that assisted him. It turns out that the manager had been "let go" surrounded a string of investigations.

Long story short, it turns out that the manager had a history of swapping out good jewelry for lesser ones, was tied to "losing" a $50,000 delivery of jewelry, and was said to have his own outside jeweler that did custom jewelry for customers outside of the scope of company policy among a host of other accusations. Seriously? I was relieved that we hadn't decided on a diamond because I would be questioning the authenticity of it. And I know we had gotten a good deal on it because it was less than $500. But it turns out FH applied for a store card, never received it, never used it, but ended up with a balance on the card (another accusation brought against the manager regarding other customers). The store sales assistants said that they would bring the issue to corporate to be cleared up.

Needless to say both FH and I was totally perturbed about the whole ordeal. I have heard horror stories regarding all things wedding related, but I never thought that it would involve us in any way. I am glad that we have our ring and that FH's store card issue will be cleared up soon.

Guest List Wars: Part 2

Just when I thought the cost was clear, earlier this week FH put another thorn in my side––he decided to invite his six cousins after all. DOH! I asked him a series of questions to make sure it wasn't him just folding under pressure, but he seemed to have thought it through and came to a reasonable decision. He said that even if they didn't come (especially since his one cousin just had a baby), it would still be good to invite them.

I cringed a little bit. While I love his cousins, the thought of adding five more people maxes out our guest list (I really wanted to leave a couple extra seats just in case, particularly for our officiant). Also, I liked the idea of less people, only because the room is so small. So instead of being cozy, it looks like it is going to be snug. Also, that means that I will have  to account for at least three more invites, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it is if I plan on making them by hand. The funny part is that the extra costs ($30 x 5 =$150), didn't alarm me at all. It is just that with five extra guests I would have to be mindful of the additions effecting things like the number of place cards, favors etc.

On the other hand I am glad we are maxed out, because it means that we can't possibly invite anyone else, which makes it even easier to say no, since it's just not possible.  It turns out that booking a small venue helps alleviate some of the common planning pressures after all. I think I will feel better about the people who aren't coming when we have more of an idea of how to include them later.

Guest List Wars: Part 1

After putting a deposit down a couple of weeks ago, FH and I made phone calls to our family members to inform them of our date. FH unfortunately got corned for four hours by his mother who asked a bunch of questions the groom is likely not well-versed on (like a theme, colors, etc). Also, FH being the nice guy that he is, felt overwhelmed when his mother questioned him about why he wasn't inviting his cousins and trying to guilt trip him because his cousins were like siblings and didn't really have other family (with one of their mother passed away, and their dad MIA). Ironically enough, I originally asked FH the same thing, but we decided that if we invited his closest cousins, we would be obligated to invite mine, especially since my cousins would actually be in town, while his would have to travel to get here.

His mother also was adamant about having a gathering at her house that afternoon for lunch, since our festivities would be so early and people would have the rest of the day available. FH being the nice guy, didn't make any decisions, and said that he would have to clear it with me––which translated into me having to call his mother. Awkward. FH even begged me to handle it, because it was all too overwhelming (which I thought was extra cute because he has never begged for anything). So I did it. I call my future mother-in-law.

At first I was excited at the possibility of perhaps having a bigger celebration at her house with all the family that we couldn't invite, but it turns out that she wanted to do something very minimal (so much for that!).  I explained the whole guest list situation as well and how our venue only held so many people, which she seemed to understand. I also explained that we weren't requesting our families, particularly our parents to wear our specific colors (I could care less about that, particularly since our guest list is less than 30 people anyway), which she also seemed please about.

So the fire was extinguished and FH and I were both smiling again, and relieved that we were able to stick to our decisions, and be okay with them. I am worried about having to tell my mother's family that they are invited to a later celebration. This is why I want to get our other celebration listed on the calendar as soon as possible, but until we really know our budget after the wedding that just isn't possible.

I was able to break the news to my former pastor who lives in California. I was relieved when she said she wasn't sure that they could make it anyway on such short notice. She did express that she wanted to still receive an invite for a memento. Now that was doable.

Second Go-See

FH came down a couple of Saturdays ago for his first and my second go-see of the venue. I was a little nervous because I knew this visit would determine whether or not we took the next step in putting the deposit down. I was almost certain that he would love it––it was all of the things that he wanted––it was intimate, beautiful, and affordable.

The only hang-up I had was that we had a bad experience within the park (not at the actual venue). To make a long story short, we ended up having a huge blow-up argument and I left him where he was in the park without a cell phone or money (which I wasn't aware of at the time. It turns out he left everything in my car). About five hours later, after I frantically searched for him and it grew dark, he arrived at my aunt's apartment (a couple of miles away), dehydrated (majorly bad since he is a diabetic) and drenched in sweat. Still to this day I have never been able to live it down (and my family even teases me!). And while we have been to the park a couple of other times and have good memories, of course the bad and the ugly trumps them all. So needless to say, I was a bit nervous.

He checked out the inside and outside and seemed pleased. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to sit on a bench overlooking the river, ducks, and geese. Although it was a bit chilly, and the trees were bare, it was still a beautiful park even in the winter. For the first time, as we sat in silence, I noticed the sound of the river and thought about how pleasant that would be on our wedding day.

Then a woman walked by with a nice camera. I stopped her and asked if she took wedding photos, but it turns out that she was just a student, barely learning the ropes. She did, however, give us an impromptu engagement shoot as we sat on the bench. She had to take portraits for her class assignment, and we became her perfect muse. She gave us her e-mail so that we could get the pics later (we are still waiting for them), so hopefully we we get to see them, even if they don't turn out so well.

So all turned out well, plus the added bonus of a photo shoot. I am glad that we can check the biggest item off our list and finally set a date. I am also glad for the opportunity to "redeem" myself in the form of exchanging vows and promising to never leave. In that aspect I am glad we will be able to trump an awful experience with a wonderful one.

Dress Shopping - Finding "the one"

I don't have an enchanting story about finding "the dress." Maybe it would be a more emotional story if my mother had been there or if my aunt and cousin started balling (I made sure that they didn't), or maybe if the dress was the most important thing on my check-off list. Even when I had a larger budget, the dress wasn't the most important thing to me––if you recall from an earlier post, I was all ready to rent my dress but FH was totally opposed. So now that my budget became even smaller, it became all about finding the one that fits everything––my budget and me.

I decided to start out with David's Bridal since they are very reasonable with their prices and I saw quite a few styles that I liked in their catalog. We were a little early for our appointment so we spent a few minutes looking at bridesmaids dresses. Then Erin greeted us, and seemed friendly enough. We sat down and I showed her the dresses that my aunt and I marked off from DB's catalog and she whisked dresses in and I began to try them on.

The first time I looked at myself in a gown I was baffled. I guess that while I daydreamed about getting married, looking stunning, the whole nine yards, I never actually saw myself in a dress or really any dress. I wear so few dresses, particularly formal ones, that I never really thought about how I would look. So when I saw myself it was a little weird, and to make it even stranger, I was wearing a strapless dress which did nothing for my figure (I looked fat! The worse!). Erin saw that I totally wasn't feeling the strapless and opted for sleeves from then on.

I also wasn't feeling the "poofy" skirt––I wanted to steer clear of too much fabric, particularly when it came to the train. I also was a HUGE fan of cap sleeves until I saw them in action (POUT!).

I loved the simplicity of this dress (see below) but it just didn't do it for me. My cousin came up with the perfect rating for the dresses, stolen from Coldstone's sizes: "Like it," "Love it," or "Gotta Have It." This was barely on the like it scale.

We did figure out that I really like the v-neck (which I always enjoy because it accentuates the right places. Then we tried mixed the cap sleeves with the regular sleeves. This was probably one of the worse ones I tried on (see below). This was definitely a hot mess.

Next up was opting for a halter top, which I was initially a HUGE fan of. But it was a bit much (too sexy) for my wedding day. Plus I didn't like the large jewels.

The next dress was the definitely almost the icing on the cake. And it was the first time I considered a longer veil (I was originally just going to do a birdcage veil). It was gorgeous!

The next dress was also a close call too, I just didn't like how the halter part of it sat so high. You can see how I added the brooch as an accent to the dress, which I really liked.

Hmmm...this off the shoulder dress looked almost identical to the dress in one of my collages. I toyed around the the prospect of this one.

My face lit up when they laced it up in the back so that it fit more snugly. Surprisingly enough I wasn't into laced backing (or whatever it's called) but it worked for me because it really gave the dress shape.

So this is the dress. I opted for the other veil so that I could incorporate color into my dress. In the pic it's red, but I ordered it in lilac.

The greatest part about it is that I met my budget of $300. The original price was $350, so I received $50 off. I did break the bank on the veil––a whopping $179. I know that it competes with the price of the dress, but it is a splurge that i didn't mind taking because it was one of the veils that I probably wouldn't be able to DIY, so I decided that it was a good investment. I did end up getting the undergarments and shoes from them as well. So my total ended up being $626.

Another pleasant surprise was that my aunt strong armed my dad to pay for everything. YAY! I will still have to pay for the alterations (mostly in the sleeves) and cleaning, so I will have to research my options (I hear DB is a bit pricey when it comes to that stuff).

What I LOVED about dress shopping was the undergarments. They felt so comfy and snug that I almost felt comfortable enough to wear them as outer wear!

The unfortunate thing about the whole day was coming home to find out that FH hit a deer :-(. I am glad he is okay. His car wasn't destroyed (thank God for older vehicles that are still made of steel). I was really sad that I didn't get him to tell him that I found the dress (is that selfish?). I was also sad because it is another expense out of his already small budget that may come out of our photog budget.

Despite the bad news, I am still relatively happy to get a major item checked off my list. Tomorrow I get to check off the venue, and hopefully the photography in a couple of weeks. YAY!

Mini-Moon

When I first heard the term it was much like brides-to-be using the term "STD" freely (which is save-the-dates if you don't know). The funny thing is that my plan for our honey moon happened to be a mini-moon, before I even knew the proper term. A mini-moon is basically a scaled back honeymoon that is just a couple of days rather than a week or more and costs a heck-of-a-lot less.

A mini-moon is budget friendly, since you will only have to miss a couple of days of work and you skip the cost of week-long expenses. Apparently this is becoming more and more popular during this economic crisis, and as couples hold off to save up for the honeymoon of their dreams. The cool thing about the mini-moon is that you can still take off a week for vacation time from work, only have a couple of days out of town, then spend the rest of the time home, resting, settling into your place as a married couple.

The other great thing about the mini-moon is that if your families want to contribute to your wedding, but can't pay for an extravagant trip, they could fit all or a good part of the bill since it will only be a few hundred dollars (if that much).

A mini-moon doesn't even have to be out of town. You can easily rent a suite in an upscale part of town and splurge on room service, the spa, and great restaurants. Just as long as you are away from your normal stresses and can enjoy one another, a mini-moon can basically be anywhere.

I am not sure where our mini-moon will be. FH really wants to be at a beach, and I want to go where I haven't been yet. We are thinking Florida might be the best route, and perhaps California. Of course my opinions may change in the next couple of months as we finalize our plans. I guess I am not so particular about where we go, just that we are together, having fun, and enjoying each other as newly weds.

I do have ideas about our future honeymoon though. After seeing the movie A Good Woman (?? I think), I fell in LOVE with the Amalfi located in Italy. I am also enamored with Fiji, Greece, and the Dominican Republic. Another romantic thing to do would be spending a week in the mountains in a cabin. There is still so much of the world to see, and I am excited about seeing it with FH :-).

First Bride Meltdown

I mentioned before that FH lives 90 minutes away from me, which is already stressful enough since we only get to see each other once a week, if that much. Compound that problem with wedding planning. Compound that problem with trying to get premarital counseling.

Last night I became really overwhelmed when we extensively discussed who our officiant would be, and who would provide premarital counseling. I felt like this was an inappropriate conversation to have since we rarely see each other and it was a conversation that we could have over the phone. Also, the conversation was stressful after going non-stop all week regarding the reception, photography, and wedding party wear only to spend time with FH trying to perfect yet another detail.

On top of that, although I find premarital counseling a very important detail, it is really not first one my list. My primary objectives before the semester begins is securing our venue (setting the date in stone), finding a dress, and finding the photographer. I feel like once those things fall in place, I can worry about the other important details like premarital counseling, my hair and make up, invites, menu details, etc.

And finally the real nail in the coffin is the difficulty in finding premarital counseling with a spiritual component from someone who can also do our ceremony and can meet on Saturday mornings (since FH's schedule is crazy, we live 90 minutes part, and I will be working and going to school).

I finally said to FH, "I have too many other things to think about!"

He responded "Fine! Then I'll take care of it then. I will call someone on Monday to inquire."

Despite still feeling overwhelmed, I never felt so relieved. It was one less thing I had to research and worry about.  Plus because he works in counseling as a profession, he is very particular about credentials and experience––so this is right up his alley.

While the counseling is important to me, it isn't a priority right now––I know it sounds sad, especially since FH is all about building a marriage for a lifetime rather than investing into a single wedding day. But the reality is, he's not going to plan it (he simply doesn't have internet access at his place, and well, he's a guy––why should he burdened with satin teal or purple placemats?), my mom is also too busy (and would be too stressed anyway), I don't really want a planner because I am a HUGE micro manager as far as details, and our wedding is going to be in less than six months (which requires great speed and precision).

Now that I have one meltdown under my belt, hopefully I will see the next one creeping up for next time (sigh of relief!).

Wedding Planning: Helpful Websites & Software

I feel so privileged to live in the digital age. It makes life SO much easier, especially when you are wedding planning. Here are some tools I have used during my planning:

Firefox Web browser: I am absolutely addicted to the tabs feature which allows you to have multiple web pages open in one window. You can quickly switch back and forth for comparing vendors, themes, etc. The best part about it is that if you eyes get weary, you can exit out of the program and save all of your tabs so that they will appear again when you reopen the browser. Another great feature is that you can bookmark pages (make them "favorites" as it is known for other browsers), add tags (search terms that will help you find the pages later), and a bookmark and history search feature that makes it easier to find the web pages you have visited. I only started using the tags a couple of weeks into my research and wish that I had made better use of this sooner! I am not certain about features for the other browsers but I am definitely sold on this one.


Keynote (like PowerPoint but for Mac): This is a great program to click and drag (or copy and paste) web images onto a page and organize them into a collage. You can have an unlimited amount of slides. I have created multiple files with slides reserved for different topics like a file for bridal gowns, another for reception themes, another for wedding party etc. The great thing is that you can export the file as a PDF allowing you to e-mail it to friends, family, and your wedding party. It is also a fairly good program to use if you don't have Adobe InDesign and you want to compile a save-the-date and/or invites and other cool things.

Adobe InDesign & Illustrator: My other heavy addictions––InDesign can be used as a great collage maker as well. This is one of the most flexible programs for designing almost anything you can imagine in terms of invites, save-the-dates, ceremony programs––anything your heart can dream up. This program Illustrator works great with InDesign and creates great graphics to use in your InDesign creations. You can export your Illustrator creations as regular jpegs, png, gif, etc files so that the graphics can be e-mailed, uploaded to the web, or used in other programs.

Google: Although Google, in my opinion, not as brilliant in search results as it was five years ago, it is still my primary search engine. The key to getting great search results is to try a variety to search terms to get the best results. For example I have been looking for affordable Philadelphia photographers. One of my first searches was "Philadelphia Photographers" which yielded the higher-cost photographers and very few websites I was actually interested in. I thought to do another search for students at area schools so I searched for "Philadelphia art institute + photojournalism." When you can maximize your creativity in which search terms you can research, you will maximize your results (or eliminate the unhelpful words). Another cool Google feature is the images search where you can search for images based upon color, which is great when you are seeking out items to match your color scheme.

Wedding Sites (like Brides.com, Theknot.com, DavidsBridals.com etc): These sites are not only great for getting ideas, but they also have their own bookmark features where you can the save your inspiring findings without having to save them to a separate collage. I love this feature because it only takes a matter of logging in and clicking a simple link to save an image.

Etsy: This site is great for getting inspiration, finding supplies (particularly if you have a small scale DIY project), buying handmade/homemade/natural products, and getting great deals on jewelry, clothing, and your other wedding necessities. You can also find DIY templates and kits as well. The great part is that many of the artists and crafters ofter custom ordering, fulfilling your hearts desires. Sometimes I end up spending hours on this website alone, drooling over the possibilities.

Blogs: Whether you get attached to particular blogs or you start one of your own, both are useful and sometimes give you a much needed break from all the planning stuff. Starting your own blog makes it easier to upload pictures and share them with your friends and family (without having to send HUGE files).

Reading blogs is great for inspiration and finding brides who have the same struggles and frustrations you do. I have found blogs like:

• www.weddingbee.com
• www.apracticalwedding.com
• http://idoweddings.wordpress.com
• www.thebrokeassbride.com

Numbers (like Excel for Mac): This is a great program for compiling your guest lists, seating charts, and budget––and they great part about it is that you can include everything in one file on separate worksheets so that you don't go insane trying to track different file names. I have also used it to save different versions of our guest lists and seating charts within one file so that we have a running history of everything.

Finding the Perfect Photog Part II: 3 Great Tips

Today I didn't end up cleaning my room like I had planned to do, or making skin moisturizer either. Instead, I spent the last seven hours combing the net for photographers.  I freaked out yesterday when I realized just how important photography is to me, and how I am will to spend a whole lot more than a measly $600 if I have to if it means getting really nice photos.

Really nice photos don't come cheap though. Many packages have a base price of $2,500 to $3,000 and sometimes that price doesn't even include digital negatives. Are they living in the same economy I am? I am thinking though of upping my budget to $1,000 to $2,000. I will try to get our parents to contribute 25% to 50% of the amount, which would be a HUGE help (we will see if this happens). Even if they don't I think I am willing to forgo taking all but one summer class, just so I use the extra money toward the photography amount. There are some places that do financing though, so I may not have to worry about that.


While searching, I made quite a few mistakes during my initial research (especially since it was so hard to find articles on the web in researching). So here is a list of tips on researching photogs (whether you are on a budget or not):

1. Devote Plenty of time to your research
Devote plenty of (frustrating) hours of finding photographers in your area. This may be easier for some areas than others. Also, the upload times on many of these sites take a long time unless you have super duper internet speed (but even then, if your service provider caps you on a certain amount you can upload each month, you may want to opt seeking out someone who have unlimited). Some great sites to start out with:

• Facebook pages & groups: while I only landed a couple of hits on here, the great part is that you can often message the photographer on the spot and see some of their work uploaded in albums, which you will be able to upload a lot faster since Facebook caps the size of their photos
  
• Flickr groups, pro & individuals: many professionals and novices have photos listed on Flickr and a contact e-mail and in some cases an actual web address that will lead you to more of their work. Just watch out for the dates when they last posted. One person I found hadn't posted for two years and likely moved, or may have not been taking pictures at all.
  
• Local photography associations:  One website I visited was specifically for photojournalists (which tends to run a bit more sometimes). The great part is that the prices were listed and there were links provided to their websites. Click here to view.
• Friends, family, co-workers, associates, peers who have had recent photography: Whether you inquire on Facebook, via e-mail, or face-to-face, find out who provided their photography. Most people are willing to share that info. Don't forget to mention who referred you and make sure you find out if they have ever done weddings. If they have not, don't risk it.
  
• Photography or photojournalism students: Look around at the local colleges, post some listings––you may find great aspiring photographers. If they have a decent portfolio and references, it could be a good steal. Just make sure, as with anyone else, get a contract in writing.
  
• Decidio: I discovered this website during a Google search: affordable photography Philadelphia and this site provided me with an entire page of results that I couldn't even get through tonight.
  
• Google: play with different search terms to see what you come up with. When you get frustrated, keep trying. I was about to give up when I discovered Decidio through a search.
• Reception & Ceremony site preferred/recommended photogs:  It is worth the inquiry to see what these photogs have to offer, especially since they have actually covered an event at your venue.
  
• Knot.com, Brides.com etc (as a last resort): While these sites offer (over-priced) options, it is a great place to start to view different photography styles just to see what you would like for your own wedding. That way it makes it much easier to sift through the pile

Don't forget to expand your search to statewide or if you have close neighboring states. If you are in a optimum location like Philadelphia, you can seek photographers in PA, NJ, and DE as prospects. Some of them have small fees to travel outside of a certain radius, which may be minimal and not offensive to your budget if they have excellent photography and packages. The only down side is that the photog may or may not be familiar with the area in getting around or with your reception/ceremony/photo shoot site.

2.  Research dates of availability and prices first before falling in love with a photographer.
I know it sounds obvious but I learned this the hard way after falling in love with a photographer's photos, e-mailing, and finding out that she was already booked. Then in other cases I would practically have drool all over the screen before I realized that the average package was $2,500 or higher. Don't let the price completely deter you though. Some are willing to sell their services a la carte, particularly if you know you just want a couple of hours of coverage and only a CD––that can cut your budget dramatically. I find that the easier way to approach the site is by skimming their photos just to make sure their style is consistent and plentiful, then looking for their availability (if they have it listed) and finally looking at their prices.



3. Have all of your info ready e-mail so you don't have to send e-mails back and forth.
So it is probably a good idea to make sure your date is set in stone as far as your venue and ceremony site (unless for some reason you want to plan everything around the photog's schedule). Include the:

• date of your event (this should be the first thing you mention, that way if they aren't available, they can stop reading)
  
• the place and address of the ceremony and/or reception (include city, state, and zip)
• what type of services and/or packages you are looking for (number of hours, 1 or 2 photogs, video, copyright, digital negatives, albums etc)
• your budget (within reason! make sure if you want something significantly less, mention that you want less coverage hours––like 2-3 hours instead of 5 etc; don't insult them!)
• questions you may have
• who/what referred you
  
• your contact info (if you want to be contacted via phone)
  

Don't write a novel but don't be too short or frank either. Be gentle and courteous. Mention a line about how you admire their work––and don't be generic, be specific.

You can also call of course, but if you want to keep a electronic paper trail of all of your research and communications, it it far easier to look for a sent e-mail and/or response than it is to sort through all of your billions of collages, outlines, notes, magazines etc.


I am so glad that I am making progress in this area sooner than later!

Finding the Perfect Photog

So last night I received a great deal in my e-mail for MJS Studios: $595 for 8 hours of photography--a great steal and financing was even available. So I put in a request to be contacted online and I told them to call me after 2 pm today. So after I got off of work I rushed home and found my cell phone (I thought I lost it) only to discovered they had already called and left a message. I was slightly annoyed, but the guy seemed nice enough so I called back to see if I could schedule an appointment.

When I called back, supposedly Tim wasn't available so I talked this other guy who had a really gruffy (and almost creepy) voice who tried to sell me the package on the spot and said the deal was expiring today (mind you that there was no expiration to the coupon they sent). It wasn't a hard sell, but it was enough to leave me disappointed, particularly since I wouldn't know what photographer I'd be working with, nor the style of the wedding until 30 to 60 days out. Plus to have all the photos on disk would be an additional $400 to $600. Plus it did not include an engagement shoot. Originally I was looking to spend $800 to $1,500 when we were going to spend $8,000, but now I am looking for a decent package under $600, especially now since our wedding and guest list has been significantly scaled back.

I kind of guessed it may have been too good to be true, but thought I'd give it a feel anyway. I did learn one important thing about selecting a photographer for us though. I definitely don't like the feel of a big corporate 800-number business taking my photographers. I want to make sure I actually like the person I am working with and can actually see their work before I ever put money down. I don't want to talk into a phone and that be the only means of communication. I want some really classy photos, but after the really nice shots, I just want to let it all hang out.

I really want engagement shoot, but I don't know yet if we can really afford it. It would be nice to have a shoot where we both get super glamorous and take old school pics. Today I had the idea that maybe we can just do our own shoot or get someone we know or do a crazy shoot where we pick places all around the city to take photos and have random people take photos for us. Random places include Chuck E. Cheese where they have awesome photo booth black and white prints, that are not high in quality but are fun and cute. Then we can go to other places like other photo booths, the LOVE sign in Philly and other spots. We'll see how the next couple of months goes as far as our budget.

Well at least I have a clear head going into it. I honestly haven't done a lot of research on photogs yet, so this is still something I need to step up the pace on, especially since it is at the top of important things to accomplish along with the dress and venue.

Thin is in - The (Very Small) Wedding Party

 Many little girls dream about who will be a part of their big day––adding siblings, best friends, favorite cousins etc, to the coveted spot in the bridal party––and I was no different. Since my sister passed away when I was 15, I wondered who would be in my bridal party. I envisioned cousins and a few associates, but I couldn't really think of anyone who I deemed as a good consistent friend who has weathered it all with me. Sure I had a few people in mind, but I knew that it wouldn't be completely authentic.

Enter in FH. FH is one of five children––he has two younger sisters and two older brothers. Plus he had two really good friends. I was ecstatic! The perfect number for a fair-sized wedding party. Hmm. Or so I thought. We talked about the wedding party well before we got engaged, but when it came to putting pen to paper and finalizing our guest list he automatically axed his estranged brother who refused to face their father who he hadn't spoken to in years. Then he axed all of the rest of his siblings and one of his friends, feeling as though they would be uninterested or it would be too much of a hassle coordinating everyone. I was DEVASTATED! The only one left remaining was his best friend. I immediately feared the worse––a lopsided wedding party EEK! Who would I keep, who would I eliminate? I decided to include my closest cousins. Plus he didn't want his niece or nephew in the wedding either.

Then another ball dropped. Our wedding was suddenly moved up from November to May. EEK! And our guest list, originally 130, then 100, then 70, would now have to be scaled back to immediate family members of less than 30. I couldn't have all of my cousins because I would also have to invite their significant others and their kids. Plus, now with the group so small, there was no real need for the wedding party. My dreams of a substantial wedding party were totally annihilated.

But after pondering the situation over a few days, I was really honest with myself and considered the situation of my FH. Neither one of us really had close reliable friends––wasn't that what a wedding party was supposed to be for? Not just for the sake of having one? He would only have a best man (and even that was only because he was his friend's best man and his friend insisted on being one), so I decided to only choose one leading lady. But who would that possibly be? It would have to be someone who was like a sister to me since my own sister wasn't there on my big day. It would have to be someone who knew me better than most people and could really relate to me. Who other than the one whom I started calling my sister-cuz? I was elated with this idea. It was full of meaning and purpose, and not just being I wanted to have her be in the wedding, but because I wanted someone who was close and supportive.

It took a few weeks to transform my mind from thinking about what a wedding party is supposed to consisted be according to tradition and industry standards. But have me and my FH done anything traditional and via the "norm" during our entire relationship? No, not one bit. As much as I accuse him of being an anomaly, an odd ball, an-against-the-grain-sort-of-guy, I am actually the same way, though silent in my rebellion most of the time. We have an atypical wedding budget, we met atypically, we have led an atypical relationship which has mostly consisted of cell phone calls, I have an atypical ring––there are a lot of things that can't even make a blip on the "normal" radar.

I even Googled uneven wedding parties to have a further peace of mind––there were people who had guys for MOHs, people who had more guys than gals and vise versa, and there were people who had no wedding party at all. Despite the reassurance, I began to lament again about not having a real bachelorette party or bridal shower––but again the reality was I am not from Philly, I have moved all around the county, my friends are scattered, and even those I do call friends, we only have a limited relationship. I felt (and still very much feel) "cheated" in many ways. But again, this is all only because of what the wedding "norm" says what you are supposed to have. I hope to look back on all of this and simply laugh, and share it with young girls who conjure up all of these ideas of what a wedding should be. I hope that my wedding and marriage is far more meaningful than all of the trimmings.

The best thing about this whole ordeal is that FH gets what he wanted all along––a small wedding. I am starting to buy into the whole idea and am even thinking about having an outside ceremony.

Some other great advantages with a small wedding party include:

• less picture taking––there are a lot less combinations of photos to take when there are only a few people
• specialized wedding party attire––you can now select the attire (dress, tux, colors) to tailor to your participants so that they can feel the most comfortable
• reduce thank-you gift costs––now you only have to worry about getting gifts for a couple of people (if you choose to get gifts at all) and the gifts than you can give can be very personalized or you can opt for a full out spa day now since you only have to fit the bill for a small group
  
• not a major need for a rehearsal dinner, or having a short rehearsal––with less people to coordinate it may theoretically take less time to prep for the ceremony
• less flowers (if any)––now you can slice down your flower budget because there are so few bridesmaids
• less cooks in the kitchen––while lots of help can be great sometimes, other times it just means that there are too many opinions to choose from, which can be very stressful in an already stressful process.

I am now excited about my one bridesmaid/MOH. Best of all I don't have to split my attention between more than one woman!

The Name Game

Ahhh, to be married with your spouse's last name...isn't this what a girl dreams of, to be Mrs. ______? Turns out, some brides take the road less traveled by keeping their name, hyphenating their name, or in some cases creating a combined name of sorts. I, being a traditionalist in this area, am very adamant about taking my FH's name. I believe that it is a sign of respect and unity, plus, I am trying to run away from my maternal grandmother and great grandmother's act of keeping their maiden names––to me this just causes a lot of confusion for the lineage.

The major thing that stinks about taking on the guy's name is having to change your name on EVERYTHING and EVERYWHERE. Ugg! Plus you probably run into at least one person during your lifetime who still remembers you as Miss ______.  With the added convenience of Facebook, this allows you to put both names so it is not so confusing for the people looking for you.

Another thing that stinks is if you go from the beginning of the alphabet to the end like I will be in the next few months. Bummer. I always liked being close to first.

I think that when I change my name I am going to combine my maiden name along with my mothers would-be maiden name (her father's last name she would have had if her mother took the name), as part of my middle name. I got the idea from FH's name––his middle name is actually his mother's maiden name, which I like a lot. From what I can remember, a friend from Mexico said that using both the mother and father's last name as a part of the children's name is standard. I really like this idea because it carries on the family name and gives it history.  Too often a change in name is seen as a loss of identity––I want my change in name to reflect my identity.

I am actually really excited to have his name––I feel like I will be more of a part of him. I get dreamy-eyed just thinking about it. I see giving up my name as part of the many sacrifices that come with uniting two lives. I feel so honored to earn the right to carry his name and have our future family carry his name. I know it will be quite difficult adjusting to, and even writing, but I am definitely up for the challenge!

Dress Shopping - Bride & Bridesmaid

We didn't officially go dress shopping today, but simply perused the racks. My aunt wanted me to try on a couple of dresses, but I was freaked out because it was a Saturday (I read that this is the absolute WORST time to possible try on a dress because this is when most people go), because the place was swarming with people, and because––prep your self for TMI––I hadn't shaved my armpits recently (I know, gross girly move, but can't I get a break? It's winter!).

We mostly glanced around for the the sale prices and the styles that were available. I was very pleased to find that most of the prices were under $600, which was a huge relief considering my budget is only about $300 or so. It was also great to see some dresses in person––looking online and at catalogs just doesn't cut it as far as the detailing. One thing that would have been really useful while looking, would have been tags with a picture of what the dress actually looks like on a bride. Like with many clothes, it's hard to really envision the shape of a dress if it just looks like a big white blob on a hanger.

I was open to having ivory, I found that it was simply too dark. While I don't want a stark white dress, I think something in between ivory and white would be great. I also don't want a train since our ceremony is going to be so small––no need for a lot of extra unnecessary material if I am not planning a grandeur entrance.

I surprised myself by seeing a couple of dresses with tulle––yes I said tulle, the very wedding-y fabric I have been trying to avoid. I am very adamant about not getting the "typical" wedding dress, or extra ruffles, ribbons, lace, and bows that would be ultra girly-girl. I want something that is elegant and chic, not something I could have very easily worn in the 80s or in a princess-Cinderella fairy tale.

I again surprised myself by seeing a couple of all lace dresses, another fabric I was opposed to. I guess it depends on the type of lace and the style of the dress. I think I really like it when the style is more antique, something that I'd like to hint in my wedding (we are both old heads. Even his parents once called us old familiar souls).

I was also happy to see plenty of bigger sizes, though I may not have to try on as big of a size as I thought (18+), but we'll see. I hear the fitting can be tricky.

The only downside to David's Bridal is that while that have many different selections, they don't really have the old-timey dresses that I have seen. Check out this Michael Nolte Candace dress:

I LOVE the front and the back. She is actually wearing a jacket that gives it the key hole backing, hence why I am thinking that if I want a specific look, I may have to opt for the jacket. If I'm not absolutely sold on David's dresses, I will definitely look else where and may even go up to New York to some of the districts they have there.


Bridesmaid Breaking News
If you remember my collages from earlier this week, a black bridesmaid dress was a definite choice for me. After my aunt picked out almost the exact dress that I desired, I cringed. The dress was nice, but didn't "pop" like I thought it would. It looked dull and dead on the hanger. This is FABULOUS news to my maid of honor who said "you're going to have me in black––okay cuz" in a text message after I sent her the collages. The funny thing is that I would have never considered a black dress in the first place had I not seen some beautiful Knot wedding pictures with bridesmaids in black.

I thought it would be a great compliment to the guy's black tuxes, but it looks as though the teal (or "oasis" as defined by David Bridals) would be the better contrast. I am still debating or whether or not the contrast between the teal of the maid of honor and best man, will look okay with me and FH being in purple accents. I think if I stick with the deep purple, I'll be okay.

So excited about the progress that I am making. Maybe I'll be bold enough to make dress fitting on Monday evening if they have an appointment available?