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Sunday, March 27, 2011

More Things To Do

As we get closer to the big day, I realize there may be a few more things I need to do or need to take credit for doing... Here's my new check list .


Things to Book:
Ceremony Site
Reception Site
Wedding Photographer
DJ
Videographer
Officiant
Baker
Makeup Artist
Hairstylist
Pre-Wedding Night Hotel Room
Honeymoon
Honeymoon Transportation

Things To Do:
 Pay Off Vendors
Meet with Officer's Club For Catering
Download Ceremony Music
Meet with Officiant to Design Ceremony
Guys Get Measured
Have Beads On Dressed Fixed/First Fitting
Second Dress Fitting -- March 30th!
Bridesmaid Order Dresses
Make "Must-Take Picture" Lists
Send Envelopes To Be Addressed
Have Invitation Weighed
Stuff & Stamp Invitations
Schedule Bridal Portraits
Make Hair & Makeup Appointments For Bridals
Apply For Marriage License
Water Bottle Labels
Pick Out Picture For Sand Ceremony
Send Photographer Pics For Guest Book
Register for Gifts
Plan Rehearsal Dinner <-- Dave's Mom taking care of
Write Thank You Notes for Shower -Done For 2 Showers
Change of Name Paperwork -
Give Final Headcount to Venue -
Confirm Final Payment Amounts with Vendors
Confirm Location/Date/Time with Photographer
Confirm Location/Date/Time with Videographer
Confirm Location/Date/Time/Playlist with DJ

Things to Send
Save the Dates
Invitations
Thank Yous for Shower
Thank Yous for Wedding

Things to Order/Buy:
My dress
Shoes 
My Jewelry
Garter  
Day Of Wear
Wedding Rings 
Rehearsal Dinner Dress
Invitation Postage
Wedding Day Gift for Dave
Clear Labels For Invites
Water Bottle Labels
Koozie Favors
Flute & Serving Set
Bridal Party Gifts
Sand/Sand Ceremony Frame
Sparklers/Ribbon/Lighters
Pen For Guest Book
Parasols

Things to Make
Cardbox 
Envelope Liners
Rhinestone cake Topper
Tears Of Joy Packets
"I Spy" Game
Info sheet with contact numbers
Wedding Day Timeline
Wedding Day emergency bag
Monogram
Programs


Week-of-Wedding To-Dos
Rehearse Ceremony
Pack Bags for Wedding/Honeymoon
Put final payments and cash tips in marked envelopes
Wrap bridal party gifts
Drop off Materials at reception site
Prepare toasts/thanks to guests
Give wedding day schedule, directions and contact list to parents, wedding party and vendors



Tuesday, March 22, 2011

How Could I Forget...

I had so much fun writing my last blog and being obsessed with checking the mail, I forgot about my second bridal shower!
The ladies at the church I grew up in were nice enough to throw a shower in my honor! It was awesome.  About 20 ladies came out on a Wednesday night, which for some of them can be late and passed their outage time. We had so much food as many of the women brought a dish. If you know anything about my church, we love to eat so it was no surprise we had so much and so much left over.

We had a great crowd, as I said. Included in that, Dave's mom and Kelly made the drive up from Augusta and my bridesmaid Amanda, who's going to school in Mississippi, was in town and got to attend as well. It was great to see these ladies as well.

Dave and I got some great gifts and we are so thankful for everythings.
Here are some pictures from the event....


Three Generations - My mom and grandma

Some Of Those Who Attended



My Bouquet

Kelly & Susanne

My Mom's!




I'm Officially A Mailbox Stalker!

The wedding invitations are out in the mail and hopefully on people's fridges! I'm so in love with them and apparently other people are in love with them too!!

After all the trouble I had making up my mind, finding something I liked and was happy with..I'm loving my decision. We've gotten a lot of compliments on the addressing as well that Dave's mom did. We've even been asked if she would do it as a side job for some I know getting married later this year.

Now that they've been mailed out, I've become even more obsessed with checking the mail than before. We only have one key to our mailbox and I just keep it in my car. I'm now to the point when I get to the main street we live off of, I'm grabbing the key, and going straight to the mailbox when I get home.  We've already gotten 3 or 4 RSVP's back...but today...8 of them...and they were all yes's! I'm so excited!
Some people haven't written little notes saying "We wouldn't miss it." I've had a bunch of people write on my wall letting me know they got the invite in the mail and are looking for something to wear! I love it!! It really just makes me smile!

We even got our wedding gift today! My good friend and mentor from my first news job, Ashley, won't be able to attend because of May being a ratings month in TV (I really didn't even think about it when we sent the date...opps!)  I got home after excitement of 8 RSVP's and walk in the door and there's a box from Target inside. I opened it, and inside a beautiful wrapped gift in Target's logo print on white paper (who knew they had some awesome gift wrap) and inside.. a set of 4 beer glasses!! We love them!! Dave is so excited.. it's one of the things he wanted since he loves beer! Thanks Yarchin! Love ya lots!
 As for the Checklist....it's almost all done!! We got so much done the past week.... Dave's ring has been ordered and is already in!  6 guys have been measured for their tuxes...just waiting on one more. It's all the small things.. music list, picture list, download music I've already selected.  I got to order sand for the sand ceremony. I found pink sand but can't find orange similar to it. It's not really sand.. it's more like thick tiny rocks... I guess that's a good way to explain it. =)  

We should get our guestbook from our photographer this week. She told me she would mail it today. She loves the way it turned out and now I can't wait to see it!!


Need to Do:

  PAY OFF VENDORS
 Meet with Carol for catering 
·            Update flower list with Sandra
·             Download wedding ceremony music  <-- started
·             Meet with DJ – list of “to play” and “not to play” songs
·              Measurements for Guy Tuxs <---6 Guys Measured...1 More to go...
        Make Appointment for Alterations
        Have beads fixed on dress <- Pick up next week!!!!
·              Bridesmaid Order Dresses 
·              Must take picture list < -- started working on
        Send Envelopes to Susanne to be addressed
·              Go to post office to weigh invitation
·              Schedule hair trial <-- had to reschedule, made appointment for Bridal portraits
·              Figure out who’s doing my makeup
·              Apply For Marriage License
       Send photographer disc of pics for guest book  <-- Photographer has ordered!
       Water Bottle Labels
P     Put Together Invites
       Mail Out Invites

   Need to Make:
·              Card Box 
        Rhinestone Cake Topper
        Tears Of Joy Packets 
·              Programs
·              “Day Of” wear
·              Emergency Kit
En    Envelope Liners
        I Spy Game Cards
      
   Need to Buy/Order:
·            Clear Labels for Return Address
·              Postage for invitations
·              Pick out other gifts for Bridal Party
·              Sand/ Sand Ceremony Frame set
·              Dave’s wedding band
·              Garter
·              Sparklers, Ribbons & Container
·              Pen for guest book
·              Koozies 
·              Parasols 
·              Flutes & serving set <-- Mom ordered!
·              Solemates – heel covers



Until next time....  1 month, 4 weeks and 1 day to Mrs.!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

I'm So Impatient!

 Well the invites are done... all 161 of them.. addressed, stuffed with invite & RSVP card and direction card, stamped and sealed.... Melissa and I spent about 2 hours finishing them up yesterday.  Now I have to wait and I'm a very impatient person, especially when it comes to waiting.  Proper etiquette says to mail out invites 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding.  So if I send out 2 months in advance, that means I have to wait until March 21, which is a Monday. I would like for invites to start arriving that date, so I'm thinking I will mail them out sometime the week before... but man, the wait is killing me.  It's like all the envelopes are sitting in the box just staring at me.  I think I also just want to get them out to start getting RSVP's back.  I love checking the mail and I can't wait to come home and go to the mail and find out who's coming and sadly, who can't make it. 


An a side note, planning for my bachelorette party is underway.  It's set for Saturday, April 16th. My wonderful matron of honor Suzanne is doing all the planning and I've asked her to keep it all a secret.  I don't want to know what's going on. I hate surprises but I think this is one I can deal with. It will be here in Charleston and I'm super excited for it! 
 

I also have another bridal shower schedule to by my Charleston bridesmaids. I feel so loved to have 3 bridal showers.  My second one is coming up next week in Columbia. 
The ladies of the church I grew up in are hosting it.  It's during the middle of the week though since I'm still working weekends so I was worried none of the bridal party would make it, but I was wrong.  My childhood friend/bridesmaid Amanda will be there. She's in vet school and is in Columbia for the entire month of March.  Dave's Mom and Kelly will also be able to come up since they live in Augusta now. I'm looking forward to it.


Need to Do:

  PAY OFF VENDORS
 Meet with Carol for catering 
·            Update flower list with Sandra
·             Download wedding ceremony music  <-- started
·             Meet with DJ – list of “to play” and “not to play” songs
·              Measurements for Guy Tuxs <---4 Guys Measured...4 More to go...
        Make Appointment for Alterations
        Have beads fixed on dress <- Pick up in 2 weeks
·              Bridesmaid Order Dresses 
·              Must take picture list < -- started working on
        Send Envelopes to Susanne to be addressed
·              Go to post office to weigh invitation
·              Schedule hair trial <-- had to reschedule, made appointment for Bridal portraits
·              Figure out who’s doing my makeup
·              Apply For Marriage License
       Send photographer disc of pics for guest book  <-- Photographer has ordered!
       Water Bottle Labels
P     Put Together Invites
       Mail Out Invites <-- Can't wait!!

   Need to Make:
·              Card Box 
        Rhinestone Cake Topper
        Tears Of Joy Packets 
·              Programs
·              “Day Of” wear
·              Emergency Kit
       Envelope Liners
        I Spy Game Cards
      
   Need to Buy/Order:
·            Clear Labels for Return Address
·              Postage for invitations
·              Pick out other gifts for Bridal Party
·              Sand/ Sand Ceremony Frame set
·              Dave’s wedding band <-- need to go shopping for
·              Garter
·              Sparklers, Ribbons & Container
·              Pen for guest book
·              Koozies 
·              Parasols 
·              Flutes & serving set <-- mom is ordering this week
·              Solemates – heel covers

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Road To The Aisle

Things are really starting to come together.. I know I just blogged the other day but I've gotten so much done since then.  I think it helps I've only worked 2 of the last 6 days.  (I had a normal weekend off then got back on my regular schedule, so I worked Monday & Tuesday this week, and was off again on Wednesday & Thursday.)  Anyways...

I wanted to share what I've gotten done.  One of the big checks... Dave finished our photo card box.  I wanted to post pictures and instructions on how I did it since so many knotties on The Knot boards have been asking, but I can't find the pictures I took of Dave working on it when here started...So instead here's a link to the blog I followed....The Road To The Aisle We did just about everything the same, but instead of using L Brackets, we used Hing Brackets. I hope this helps if you want to do the project. It's a lot of fun and is a way to get the fiance' involved.






Another thing started and almost done, the wedding invitations!!! Dave's mom did a wonderful job with the calligraphy . She brought them last week and I couldn't wait to get the liners done...so right after they left on Sunday I got started!  She has 20 envelopes she still has to send to me for last minute additions and corrections.  Once I was done with the liners, I couldn't wait.... I went ahead and added in all the invites. 

Then yesterday Dave and I went and had the direction cards printed up. Since we're getting married on a military base, there's some extra steps our guest will have to take to get to the ceremony. That plus the address for the Officer's Club doesn't come up on Google Maps or in my GPS, so we wanted to make sure everyone knew where they were going. After that, we went and got the invitation weighed and purchased stamps for the invites and RSVP postcards... Don't get me started on those stamps.... Let's just say the post card stamp prices are going up during the month of April, right in the middle of my RSVP timeline. So the cards have two stamps..one with a polar bear..the other with a tiffany lamp. Not my dream stamps for my wedding invites. Anyways... I got home and couldn't wait (once again) so I started putting stamps on the RSVP cards and matching the cards with the correct envelopes. We numbered our RSVP cards to match up with our guest list in case someone forgets to put their name.  Now I will finish up the rest next week with one of my awesome bridesmaids, Melissa.  I can't wait to get the invites out in the mail and on top of that, start getting RSVPs back!!

Another project I started and I'm so excited about is our "I Spy" game/cards for the reception.  I just came across this the other day and think it would be fun and super cute. The wonderful Martha Stewart started the trend..
You have cards at all the tables and you just have random things from your reception for people to take pictures of, like "The Photographer Taking a Picture," "The MOH Helping the Bride," " The Newlyweds Talking With Guest," etc etc  I'm excited about it!



I'm so excited the big day is almost here. I can't wait to celebrate let alone go on my awesome honeymoon!




Taking Care of The List:

Need to Do:

  PAY OFF VENDORS
 Meet with Carol for catering 
·            Update flower list with Sandra
·             Download wedding ceremony music  <-- started
·             Meet with DJ – list of “to play” and “not to play” songs
·              Measurements for Guy Tuxs <--Papa & Dave have been measured, other guys have been sent info
        Make Appointment for Alterations
        Have beads fixed on dress <-- dress is dropped off
·              Bridesmaid Order Dresses < -- DONE!
·              Must take picture list < -- started working on
        Send Envelopes to Susanne to be addressed
·              Go to post office to weigh invitation
·              Schedule hair trial <-- going to see my stylist next week
·              Figure out who’s doing my makeup <-- My good friend Brittany has agreed to this, along with doing hair
·              Apply For Marriage License
       Send photographer disc of pics for guest book  <-- going out this weekend
       Water Bottle Labels
P     Put Together Invites
       Mail Out Invites

   Need to Make:
·              Card Box 
        Rhinestone Cake Topper
        Tears Of Joy Packets 
·              Programs
·              “Day Of” wear
·              Emergency Kit
En    Envelope Liners
        I Spy Game Cards
      
   Need to Buy/Order:
·            Clear Labels for Return Address
·              Postage for invitations
·              Pick out other gifts for Bridal Party
·              Sand/ Sand Ceremony Frame set
·              Dave’s wedding band
·              Garter
·              Sparklers, Ribbons & Container
·              Pen for guest book
·              Koozies 
·              Parasols 
·              Flutes & serving set <-- mom is taking care of
·              Solemates – heel covers