what we doin

i saw a friend of mine last night who asked me how my blog was going - shout out to LM! :-)
i had to think and remember i had not updated it in a while. I guess I've been busy, started school, but it's not hard yet b/c it's early in the semester. Love this part of the school year. And my one class is taught by a Chinese prof who believes in lecturing for 3 hours straight, so the reading that is required is not discussed in the class... at this point I'm thinking, why read it?! Word is it's the easiest A in the program - saaaaawwweeet!

What we are working on:

• invites - FH's cousin, and BM drew us up a diddy of a pine cone design we will be using on our invites. not sharing the pic - no chance for copywright infringement (is that right?) and want to be a surrrprise!
• decor - it's ongoing. been buying tall vases from Michael's for part of centerpieces - got 50% coupons and help from my FIL's!
• ceremony - how long (25 min-ish), readers, unity candle?, much much more... Starting this very large discussion with PW in couple weeks at next counseling session
• guest list - think we're done. ahhhhhhhh. need some more addresses - not too many. have them all in label form.
• music - mainly ceremony.... what are we going to do. this is a priority.
• wedding party gifts - for me, my bridesmaids and brideman - i'm nearly done... I'm so excited for my theme of gifts & surprises that i already can't wait to give to them!
• guest book - friend of FH family has home in the Keys and has purchased a book for us to possibly use, which sounds exactly like what we want! waiting on that...
• shower labels for MOH - DONE! bringing them to her on Tuesday.
• my accessories - i need a hair comb piece. I'm seeing my stylist on 9/12 and i'd like to have something to bring with me that day. Need to look NOW! i found one i really like at DB, but it's $50, and i don't want to spend that much... Got my corset, shoes, and veil in hand already!

Ok, i'm exhausted. half from that list, half from drinking wine last night and going to bed too late.

4 months 4 months 4 months!

Holy majoly - but very exciting! I think of 4 months ago [April] and that doesn't seem too far away, so it is nuts to me that in 4 months we'll be getting married. Today I'm sending in the retainer letter & deposit to my florist (very excited about the direction we are going). My FH and I are going to have a date night on Friday - our pastor has given us the 'orders' and we must report back to him on Monday, our next session of counseling. We are at the point where we are going to start discussing ceremony and timelines and all that other stuff. I went to Borders after work yesterday to look for a Florida Keys coffee table book to use for our guest book - no such luck - nothing even close! I am going to have to order one online and hope for the best that it will be good. I was hoping to be able to skim through it to make sure it's what we'd want... but there are some choices online.

Other things I have been thinking about and working with others on: menus, itinerary for evening [my aunt], programs [FSIL], and FH has started working on music - starting by initial reception music... I told him I'm in control and on top of the late night music, ha!

Morning after breakfast...

We have reserved a room at the Carleton Hotel for 2 hours the morning after the wedding. We will be providing a continental breakfast for all those that have stayed over after the wedding. It will be a great way for family & friends to get together that are not normally together for a few more hours, and just another way for us to express our thanks and gratitude to those that attended :-)

I am excited, as I have stated I love the hotel, and we have seen this room set up for a morning after breakfast on one of our previous visits. I can't say enough how accomodating the Carleton has been, and so very reasonable as well.

I have started contacting musicians through this site I found: gigmasters.com - to get quotes for our ceremony music. There is a Steinway piano available at the 19thCC, but not sure if we are 100% on using it yet, but just want to start the search for our cermony music. It will be live music of some sorts, whether it's a string quartet or piano... Next step is to think about the songs - I always hear ones I like, but have no clue what the names of them are!

Happy FRIDAY!

Less than 7 months....

So I got the Knot countdown email a couple of days ago reminding me there are 7 months, now less, to the DAY. I'm not behind on anything, except thinking about what we want to do for ceremony music... I just sent in deposit for DJ.

One great thing that has happened, somehow I stumbled upon a weddingbee blog of a girl by the name of 'Miss Stiletto' (http://www.weddingbee.com/author/stiletto/) that is getting married at the 19th CC as well - as she & I have discovered, there is not much info online about the venue. We have traded emails discussing different things and she has put me in touch with a local Oak Park florist 'Fleur Lily Chic' [www.fleurlilychic.com]. I have been speaking with Carolynn and she has had some great suggestions for flowers in Dec that will fall within my budget. I am excited - as I previously discussed, my brideman will be arranging the bouquets, but Carolynn will be ordering the flowers for us to use. While this kinda takes away from the excitement of going in the morning and picking out random flowers, it also ensures the flowers will be of good quality and available... probably a safer and more reasonable option. She will be making my bouts and my corsages as well.

In a previous post I showed a bouquet of dahlias that i LOVED and would like exactly, but unfortunately they are not available in December - which I was afraid of... Their season is June-Oct, for all you summer & Fall brides - I LOVE dahlias... But Carolynn has suggested deep red Gerber daisies, somewhat similar, anemones (red with black centers) and some others that can definitely work as well.

Music

I will book my dj for the reception soon - I am waiting for the contract in the mail. One more thing off the list! hmmm, what else. I have asked all of my bridal party - My FH has not asked anyone yet, but I think it's more important for the bridesmaids/man since I feel like they have a little more responsibility. We need to start thinking about the ceremony music - there are 2 pianos that you can use (rent) at the 19thCC and I think we should use them - but we'll need someone to play them!

I have 5 weeks and some change off of grad school and I hope to use the time to the maximum! After summer semester I have about 3 weeks until Fall semester, and then I have NO breaks until the wedding. Thinking of it that way is kinda insane, but why i need to use this time. It's getting warm!!!!! yay!!

TO DO LIST

not much to update. i have been severly slacking in updating, even if nothing! I have been working on a "wedding website" that will provide all the info for the wedding. Will somehow send it out in the invites, whether it is on the map & directions - prob not on the invite itself. There is a link to this blog on the website. We have a lot we need to do - My "knot.com" list is growing, and I have not been able to check things off lately... including:

• Choose your bridesmaids & groomsmen (OVERDUE)
• Finalize guest list (OVERDUE)
• Start auditioning DJs or bands (OVERDUE) - we are debating on trying to do a "ipod" wedding or not...
• Set up appointments with florists (OVERDUE) ... but I only plan on having flowers for myself and my party, so i don't think i need to do this 9months before?
• Narrow down gown choices and make final decision [working on this!]
• Book band or DJ and send deposit
• Start looking into registering for gifts
• request demo tapes for cememony musicians (no clue what we're doing!)

So, I def have things to do. I have given my FH about one more month on choosing a wedding party.... He hasn't felt it necessary yet, and it's not, but getting there! Going this weekend to look at dresses at 2 new places, i hope i can find my dress then!