wedding shower

Group of family & friends with Josh & I (after shower)

Dessert & cake set up

My BMs and I getting some eats

Me & My bridesmaids minus Shari, who had an emergency

The YUMMY cake I went off my diet to eat... I want more!

My wedding shower was the past weekend and I love love loved it! It was just perfect. I wanted a luncheon and everything to be done in 3 hours (and not to BORE people) and we finished at 2:55pm, when it started at noon! I love getting to see everyone I love in my life - nothing beats that, and getting lots of new things! It's been a struggle finding a 'home' for everything in the kitchen, as my FH and I live in a 1BR apartment, tho a very lovely 1BR apartment it tis.

Thank you all!

the fun part!

We got 3 response cards back yesterday - one we already knew about b/c my FMIL had heard from her friend that she had sent it in! The anticipation is fun while opening them up - who is it? yes or no? how many? The amount of people that accept will shape much of the evening as far as how many tables to set up - how much booze to get, etc... I hope there are more today!

My shower is Saturday - I cannot believe it's already that time. I feel like I just dropped the invitation labels off to my MOH... The weather is looking to be pretty $hitty unfortunately. It's in a nice patio room with sliding windows/screen doors overlooking a little pond & fountain - very nice environment if it were to be nice - but 40 degrees won't get those windows open! There is a fireplace though that we will be putting on! [and it's heated in there!].

invitations OUT!

I dropped them off this morning at about 9:10am at the Romeoville Post Office on my way to work, feels sooooo good! I had the awesome help of my FSIL and BM last night to finish them - I was waiting on more paper this week, then had to glue them together, then stuff, stamp & seal. She was a TON of help!! There they are above all sitting pretty in the box before I handed them over to the postal lady! Now the fun and exciting part is waiting for the RSVPs to come back!!

my yelp review

I was mean!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/evas-bridals-of-oak-lawn-oak-lawn#hrid:-GrpJ36bjuBwCKH2TlKbIA

my yelp review.. it may change.

update on dress

ahhh, the drama! Long story short:

• I wrote bad review for Eva's on Yelp (love Yelp!)
• manager called me within hours to fix issue
• i picked up dress from seamstress and brought back to Eva's
• Eva's says dress is wrong size
• Maggie Sottero is shipping a larger size within 2 weeks and Eva's is putting in zipper for no charge

Better situation! But still cutting it close! wayyyy closer than i ever intended and why i ordered my dress in MARCH!

Invites go out TOMORROW! Took ONE to post office today and they weigh MORE than a 44 cent stamp! i had to buy 160 17cent stamps... ugh, it NEVER ends!!! Can't wait until they are out though, my house is a MESS! stuff everywhere.

We are going to Augustana in quad cities this weekend for Josh's college homecoming.. will be nice to get away and not think about the WEDDING.

dress woes

i was excited & nervous to get my dress from Eva's today. it took 7 months to get in -it's that "will i still love it? did i make the right decision?" - I do still love it, BUT my fear came true... I ordered a couple sizes bigger than what I am fitted for b/c I planned (and still will!) on removing the corset back to put in a zipper with buttons - that is what I always wanted and love. The salesgirl told me to get a 12 and said that I needed that size for the fabric to match when you put the zipper in... Well, it's too small - not too small if i was to want to wear the corset back, but too small near the top of the back and the fabric does not match up. There's nothing i can do b/c you sign something saying you are aware you are ordering NOT the size you measure for, so OH WELL from them. I was afraid of this all along. panic came over me - i immediately called my seamstress and was able to bring it to her this afternoon, she could sense the panic in my voice over the phone.

it's not an ez solution and unfortunaltely I did not hear from her, "oh no big deal!" like I wished. Not b/c i do not trust her capabilities, but b/c it's not ez to make something larger... She is going to take the 2 seams out on the sides and see how much she has to work with and call me, and we'll go from there. I feel good that it's 2 months to the DAY, and the dress is with her, but it's not the greatest 'picking up MY wedding dress' sort of day I wanted. ahhhh, good times. I pray it will work.

On a better note, i am meeting with a couple of friends/guys that are going to do my decorating the day of, and that is a HUGE relief. one less thing to worry about.

9 week and i'll be married and on my honeymoon at this moment!

OMG! 9 weeks from Saturday!

updates updates! My dress is in - i got a call and a message that it's in and I have to make an appointment to pick it up. I've called two times today with no luck of speaking to anyone that knows what's going on. I really just want to get it out of the store, since it has taken nearly SEVEN MONTHS to come in (just REDICULOUS!), and to my seamstress so she can start - I'm having some sort-of major work by removing the corset and putting in a zipper & buttons... Hopefully i can get it Sunday!

Invites are printed and ready to be assembled at home! Fresh off the press - I can't wait!! There are layers of colored paper, so they need to be put together, with labels on, and then in the mail next week! SOOOO excited and I'm dying to see them!

One BM dress is in - was ordered from David's Bridal only about 2-3 weeks ago - now they are the company to work with if you can find something there!

This week we went over our ceremony and started the outline with our officiant - everything is getting more and more real and I can't wait!

In between I have been slaving away on a project I have due for class today, which has consumed all of my freetime this week. It's over tonight after I give my presentation - ahhhhhh!

Kelly's wedding!

Tomorrow is my friend's, and bridesmaid, wedding! The time has gone by so quickly that I cannot believe the day is here! We are working on our invites - the paper is at the printer for him to print us a sample. They have become much more involved than originally planned but I believe they are going to be beautiful and I am so excited to send them out for everyone to see. I am missing only 5 addresses, and the labels are set up and formatted - ready to print! I just need to get some clear labels.

Decor, ahhhh decor. It's somewhat on hold as I need to speak with someone about asking them to be my day-of decorator... i'm waiting for a return phone call. I pray that he will say yes... please pray with me! I have piles of pine cones and vases and branches in my house... just what to do with them!