Dai*s Wedding RAvEs & RaNTs

The Great Hair Debate

2011-07-09T23:39:00.000-04:00

We are 3 weeks away to the day and with most things on our 'to do' list completed the biggest challenge we face now is 'hair'. Yup, hair.

As an African American female there are just to many damn choices. Do you go straight, or curly? Natural or processed? Diane Ross or Grace Jones?

We are so confused and unsure that we have not one, but two hair appointments at two different salons, for two different styles. Now of course one will be kept and one will be canceled but that doesn't mean we will be satisfied with the outcome. In fact, I can see myself thinking 'I wonder if the stylist at the other place would have done something better!?!?'

At any rate, with 21 days away I do need to pick something. Heck, even if I can't grow it I can buy it, borrow it or rent it. I just need to decide what it will be!

2 Months; to the Day!

2011-05-30T17:46:00.001-04:00

I can't believe we are two months to the day until our wedding and our wedding planning journey has almost come to an end. There has been LOTS going on even though I haven't blogged about it. Some are very small things that ad up to a lot, while others are being kept under wraps because they are still in the workings.

One of the more interesting things, at least from my perspective is the whole RSVP issue. I had read so many stories of how that is the least favorite part of wedding planning, very close to the horror of making a seating chart from what I read, but I still went into with an open mind and an open heart as I know life is busy and sometimes people do forget. Of course, reading these articles made me say to myself 'it can't be that difficult', 'these people must be exaggerating', and 'no one is that forgetful'....but in the end I had to join the majority as it was a horror story in some cases, but just like with life....we got through.

The other interested thing that has come out of this planning so far is seeing how this type of planning CAN add to a relationship both good, and not so good feelings. Good feelings as far as coming to a mutual understanding whether it be in choosing a venue, colors, a menu etc... and bad feelings as far struggling to decide who you can and can not invite due to money constraints. As I do always try to see the good, it does make us realize that we have some awesome people in our lives who do wish to be there in love and in support. For that we are thankful.

My last thought about planning thus far is more in reference to 'how' we are doing this. Wedding planning being stressful enough we had the nerve enough to take on the challenge of not only traveling right after, as in the same day, but invite those we love to join. In the beginning this didn't seem like a challenge at all, we were sooooooooooo HAPPY about the idea of cruising as a group and having some of what we thought would be the most fun with the best laughs. Most people know we can really be social butterflies when we want to be.

Now though, I realize that my idea of fun is not everyone else's. Sha and I have always been the type to go in with a positive attitude, find our own fun and if things weren't up to our speed make it such that we enjoy it because in truth we are blessed. We both come from a place that if we followed in the footsteps of those who have come before us we would never go any where, never experience anything new, and have no great stories to tell. So we are looking forward to some summer time fun, especially deserved after two years of wedding planning with no vacation in between.

Now me personally, I do find it important to yes plan for the future, but also to live in the now. As a society we are so fixated on the 'next' that we often forget the 'now'. Heck just take a look at modern technology, the emphasis we place on it in our lives and how we react to it when something new comes along. I don't ever want to miss anything because I'm so busy looking for the 'next' best thing. For life is to short and if I preoccupy myself with the next, I may miss the blessings that are right in front of me. So as they say, I'm stopping to 'smell the roses'.

So with only two months to go I am not only busy with planning, but I am feeling happy, reflective, and blessed.

Not defeated by an invitation....

2011-04-24T19:42:00.000-04:00

Well the invitations have been sent and if I thought any part of this wedding planning was a challenge I was wrong until I tried to DIY my own invitations. Now for those who are crafty this would probably be like a relaxing cool breeze, but for me it was stressful. At times I felt like I was standing on an edge of a cliff about to swat an annoying fly which would send me plunging into my descent.

Even though my sweetie was always in my corner, telling me things would be fine and I could do this......there were times I just didn't believe it and wanted to throw in the towel. I hung in there though, and even though I am not truly happy with the finished product I am glad that I didn't give up, that I wasn't defeated by paper and a printer, and in the end I do not have to label myself a quitter.

Our 'Boarding Pass' Cruise Ship Wedding Invitation

Shoes, glorious Shoes.

2011-03-30T22:23:00.001-04:00

Geesh...why are a good pair of shoes so hard to find?!?!
I mean is it to much to ask that we don't want them high, but not low.
That we don't want our toes completely out, but not completely covered either.
That they need not be too flexible, yet not too stiff.
Or maybe it's the price range, I mean we don't want to pay the cost of rent nor do we expect to only pay the cost of a stick of gum.
But Geesh....why are a good pair of shoes so hard to find.....for Sharine that is!
~~~~~~~
I lucked out with my shoe search a few weeks ago so here's a sneak peek, BUT.......

.......... they look 'different' now that I own them! *sly smile*

I've Got The Music In Me ...not.

2011-03-07T15:17:00.000-05:00

Okay so now we're at another cross road in the 'Saga of the Cruise Ship Wedding'.

As you know, or maybe you don't because it's your first time here, a cruise ship wedding is pretty much that; a cruise ship wedding. In other words, a lot of what can and can not take place or be done is dictated by the cruise ship. Case in point....music.

There are two choices.. to DJ or not to DJ. You can hire only their DJ and ONLY if you do a cocktail reception and not a sit down lunch reception. So in order to have music at your reception your hand is basically forced to book the cocktail reception.

Now of course if your into sitting at a table for 2 hours and not really having any space to move around and mingle, then the lunch reception is just for you. Since their lunch receptions are sit down they are held in one of the two main dinning rooms ie: no dance floor. As for the cocktail reception, they are held in one of their night clubs or lounges and the one you get is at their discretion again. Here there is a dance floor but no dinner tables. Almost sounds like you can't win for losing! lol

At any rate, we're not stuffy sit down folk and I know I am to ADHD to be sitting in one spot for two hours so we booked the cocktail reception. This selection now brings us to our current state of dilemmas. We can either hire their DJ for one hour at the rate of $$$$$$$$$$ or two hours at the rate of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. If not, they do have a sound tech for $$$$$$ who will play the music you bring.

God forbid you press play on their equipment yourself!

STDs (The Fun Kind!)

2011-02-21T11:41:00.006-05:00

As a DIY (do it yourself) novice I decided to try and save a buck by creating our own STDs (save-the-dates) for our wedding. Sharine and I had been researching STDs long before we had definite plans of our wedding and we realized that there was just so much to choose from, plus nothing came cheap once you said 'wedding'. We also realized that our cheapest route would be either an online printing company like (http://www.vistaprint.com/, http://www.123print.com/, http://www.magnetstreet.com/ etc...) or a DIY project by using materials from places like http://www.micheals.com/, http://www.joann.com/, http://www.hobbylobby.com/, etc..). This realization made it easy for me to at least TRY a DIY project and with the help of http://www.vistaprint.com/, and some materials from a paper store I believe we were successful.

After all, we all know that eventually STDs, invitations, thank you cards etc... all end up in one place no matter how much the sender spent.

In the garbage! lol
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Save-the-Date Photo Magnet
- I designed these at http://www.vistaprint.com/, it's a wonderful site where you can create all kind of things and use your own photos and personal touches.
- The envelopes we purchased at a paper store in Manhattan
- The ribbon is good ole' fashion curly ribbon

The Full Packet
- We included the STD magnet, and a note
- The note was a poem I made up for the occasion

Return Address Labels
- We had some clear address labels already (from staples) so I just added a heart to it.

Putting It All Together
- Sha and I prepare each packet for mailing

The Great Registry Debate

2011-01-27T13:43:00.000-05:00

There is a great debate that some may know about out, but all those who are planning a wedding do know about; to register or not to register, for gifts that is.

Now wedding etiquette says that you must register for you are starting a new marriage household and need things to help build that foundation. Wedding etiquette also says, that if you don't register you are sending the message that all you want is money which is a no no in the world of weddings.

So as most people know Sharine and I have been together for eleven years now and five of those years we have actually shared a household along with our kids. Now when sharing a household you tend to accumulate even more especially when there are 4 people living in it. Keeping this in mind we have begun our own debate. Not a debate on whether we should register or not, but where to register. After equally deciding we did not want to register we were reminded that if we didn't it would scream 'give us money', but also people have already begin asking us where are we registered?.

That is a loaded question.

With so many places that you can be registered at it's really hard to decide. Then when you top that with the fact that we don't want to register it makes the 'where' decision even harder.

So as we begin to look at the usual places like discount stores (Target, Walmart etc..), department stores (Macys), and speciality stores (Bed, Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel etc...) it makes me realize I have to begin to stress myself over choosing things I do not really need. Then of course you read & hear : well just upgrade what you already have. But what if you like what you already have? and why should you have money being spent on something you already have that works perfectly well?!?

Okay now just when you think the decision couldn't be any harder comes the whole modern technology twist; online registries. Now this twist doesn't just come with the fact that you can register with the above mentioned stores online, it also comes with the fact that there are even more registry choices; honeymoon registries, buying a house registries, and even the giant elephant in the room cash registries. Now compound this with the fact that we are getting married on a cruise ship and the cruise line ask that we let guest know that due to security reasons they cannot board with presents.

I believe I've just fainted and gone to registry hell!

Make Up Trials (Round #2)

2011-01-17T21:32:00.003-05:00

So Sha and I had our 2nd make-up trials yesterday. Our original make-up artist who's work we liked could not re-book us when we changed our date from May to July.

This time around I went for a more dramatic eye look since I wear glasses. I really liked the job she did. Sha on the other hand felt she looked to made up this time around. So although she loved her eyes, the foundation was a bit much for her. I won't say that she looked like a corpse, cause she already said it lol.

At any rate, we were really hoping that her make-up could be a little less made up on the day of the wedding as we really liked the make-up artist and want to work with her. She seemed really friendly with a down to earth personality. As she did my make-up she asked me questions about the wedding and we chit chatted a bit. Her sister who is also a make-up artist worked on Sha and she was quieter.

Today I emailed the make-up artist to tell her that although I liked her work, Sha was not very pleased with her look. It was a very nice surprise when I read her response that apologized for it and offered to do both our make-up on the day of the wedding (Sha had really liked the way she kept me looking more natural). This is especially nice considering she would have to start at least an hour earlier and we are already meeting her early in the morning.

Here are the before & after pictures:

Dana

Sharine

Lucky us.... I think!

2011-01-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

For our wedding we are only having one bridesmaids which is our almost 14 year old, and one groomsman....our son who will be 21 by then. On the day we shopped for our wedding gowns we also had the opportunity for our girl child to try on dresses just to get an idea of what might look good on her. We will not be purchasing until closer to our July date since her size has changed and we have no idea what size she will be by then.

More than likely we will go back to David's Bridal in May. We will also have the option of finding her dress in a variety of stores since it will be prom season. Of course being the girl that she is, she has threaten to wear sneakers, and declares herself a tomboy... NOT if you be trying to show cleavage?!? Somebody get her a dictionary please.

At any rate, it was with great pleasure that she actually wanted to try on dresses (which is the good news), but of course there has to be bad news and now we are going to have to declare war on her not trying to choose some hot chick dress. Contrary to what she believes, the theme of our wedding is not hoochie!! lol

Here's what she tried on....
......can you guess which was her favorite!?!?

All in all, we are pretty lucky though since we only have to dress one female and I've read plenty of bridesmaids wedding shopping horror stories. I hope we stay this way!

Three Times The Charm!

2011-01-02T20:12:00.001-05:00

On the last day of 2010 and the day before a new year was to begin, Sha and I began another adventure of wedding dress shopping. This would be our 5th time out and our last as our goal was to purchase and not just window shop. So for the third time we ventured over to David's Bridal determined to find 'thee' one. We had been to David's Bridal twice before, once to the Manhattan store and once to the Brooklyn store, and although we saw a few that we liked we hadn't made any final decisions. This time though, we were not leaving empty handed and in fact we didn't. We are now just waiting for our attire to be shipped and in about two months our outfits will be hanging patiently in our closets.

Here is some of the fun we had and some of the dresses we liked and disliked.....

Sha's try-ons:::

Dai's try-ons:::

In all the excitement neither myself, Sha or our daughter thought to take a picture of Sha in her 'chosen' one. Speaking for myself I just know that I was so awestruck by my lovely bride to be that all I could do was say 'wow', and I total forgot to take a picture. As for my 'chosen' one, although we do have a few pictures I am opting not to add them here so that there is some element of "awww" on our big day for family and friends.

Wedding challenges and beyond....

2010-12-28T15:50:00.000-05:00

Although there are many challenges and setbacks when planning a wedding I always hold on to the fact that things can be so much worse and I try to stay optimistic. It's very similar to how I live my every day life.

Being upset, down and defeated is so much easier than thinking of another way to go about things, trying something different and admitting that perhaps it was not in the cards. Now that is the real challenge and there is nothing wrong with challenging yourself. In fact, the mind, body and soul needs that to stay fresh, vibrant, healthy and smart!

Challenges are especially hard when you beat yourself up over things you cannot control. So in essence, I've stopped stressing over things I can not control. After all, if it's not controlled by me, why should I own it... especially when it's negativity.

Right now things are relatively quiet with a little over 7 months to go but as we go about planning our special day in July there are things that still need to be thought about, decided and paid for (yikes!).

Today I came across a most interesting wedding and it just made me realize that our challenges are merely a speck on the wall that nobody notices as they pass through the halls of life....

Please check out:
A Wheelie Special Wedding

Social Media & Gay-Wedding Planning

2010-12-14T19:59:00.000-05:00

An interesting article (link below).

Family Meeting : How social media has changed the face of gay-wedding planning.
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Like with most things it really depends upon the type of person you are and whether or not having family support means the world to you, or very little to you since you are going to be you no matter what.

I tend to lean towards the later, and always have.....

Traditions, from the untraditional....

2010-12-11T10:28:00.001-05:00

As a couple who is nontraditional, having a nontraditional wedding, and wanting to make it unique in some nontraditional ways....it's hard to stay away from some of the traditions that come with weddings. Confused yet?...so are we....lol

If I were to sit here and type out the many ways this wedding has changed, I would be in front of my computer for at least 2 days. It's now December and we are a little more than 7 months out with several things still not confirmed. In a way it's been hard to narrow things down since the cruise line takes care a lot of the larger details, but the small ones are what's sticking me like thorns on a rose.

Although I know the bigger picture of the wedding with remain the same (we are 100% doing it on a cruise ship), I have a feeling the smaller details will go through another transformation and so I sit here with baited breath............
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Love this site!

Offbeat Bride

Flowers, Take III

2010-11-17T20:49:00.000-05:00

So with a change of venue comes, a change in vendors.

Back in May we found a florist out in CT where we were initially going to get married. Then when we changed our venue there was no way we could work with her since she was in CT and our new venue was on a cruise ship in the Manhattan port. At any rate, once we canceled with her in September (no contract had been signed) we got to see the true professional that she was -check out my 'How Rude!' entry in September-. Nevertheless, we had to go back to the drawing board with the flowers for two reasons: (1) there are restrictions on what you can bring on the ship and (2) ordering from the cruise line was WAYYYY out of this world budget wise.

So off to searching we went and came across Angel's Accents. Always the skeptic, and never 100% sure I want to deal with a company that is online only, I've thrown caution to the wind and booked! Not only did I like what I saw (there are zillions of pictures), but she comes highly recommended on all three of the wedding forums I belong to.

Finally, I can smell the roses!

No Worries, Mon!

2010-11-11T17:25:00.000-05:00

So we all know that the 'Carnival Splendor' has not been that splendid for the last few days, and that Sha and I will be getting married on a Norwegian cruise ship in about 8 months from now. So as I sit here watching the news for the last few days I am wondering what our invited guest who are cruising with us must be thinking. Most are first time cruisers so I imagine them in front of their own televisions shaking their heads and saying to themselves "oh oh, what am I getting myself into".

Although Sha and I do not consider ourselves experts on cruising with only two short cruises under our belts, we do know that what occurred is considered very rare in the cruising industry. After all there are hundreds of cruise ships out on the ocean every day and vacationers are having the opportunity to enjoy their trips without incident. In fact, cruising is safer than flying and heck even getting in your own or someone else's car.

I do feel for those who were on the Splendor though, after all the smell of feces and rotting food can not be pleasant for even 5 minutes let alone a few days. I just hope that those passengers take it with a grain of salt as they enjoy their first hot water shower in days, a full refund, and a free cruise in the future.

As for those who now maybe second guessing whether they still want to book or not, don't be too alarmed. If our engine happens to go out we'll be thankful it wasn't our plane engine and we'll have some interesting stories to tell as we gobble up free hot liquor and all you can eat SPAM, get our money back and plan a free cruise on the house!

Mine, Mine, Mine! ~jumping up and down~

2010-11-06T15:03:00.000-04:00

Many months ago Sha and I went wedding dress 'looking'. I don't want to call it shopping since we actually didn't purchase anything. However, in our 'looking' process we did have the opportunity to try on wedding gowns and get a feel for what we liked, what we didn't like, what worked for our bodies and what didn't work for our bodies. During this 'looking' process we both found something we could live with. There were no 'I found the gown of my dress tears' like you see in the movies or the many television shows, but we did leave the shop with some idea of what would work.

Although we continued to look, and tried on dresses at various places we both agreed that the dresses we found out David's Bridal were the best for our looks, and most certainly for our pockets. Now we are at the point in our wedding planning where we MUST purchase our dresses before the year ends so that we have plenty of time for the dresses to be shipped and for alterations.

Now this is where it starts to go down hill for me.....

When I first found the dress that I intended on purchasing there were not many pictures of it online and not many pictures of brides wearing it. Now, I am constantly seeing this gown on other real brides and it's losing it's luster for me. So now instead of just going back to the store to order the dress I already know that I am going to have to fight the urge to try on some different dresses. In the throw of wedding planning they always say once you find a dress, order it... if not you will be searching and searching and searching because now your expectations are harder to meet and sometimes become unrealistic.

I'm not at the unrealistic mark at all, in fact now I don't even want to spend as much as I would have with my original dress. Having a cruise ship wedding diminishes the number of hours you will have for your ceremony & reception and so the thought of spending so much money on something I will wear about 3 hours makes me want to regurgitate and the fact that I keep seeing pictures of brides wearing the same dress makes me want to poop!!!

Yippeee!!!

2010-10-29T18:03:00.000-04:00

I was feeling a little nervous for a while there. I mean, how can you plan a wedding that is also a group trip and no one but the couple and their kids show up. It's a scary thought, but in these hard economic times it is also a realistic thought. This is one of the reasons why we changed our original wedding date. We knew it would give everyone more time to plan and save if they not only wanted to attend the wedding but join us for a week of cruising and sightseeing.

At any rate, over the last few months no one had booked but us. We were beginning to get a little worried that our plans of vacation fun with family and friends was going to turn out to be a week of wondering 'why didn't anyone show'.....

I'm happy to say that the excitement is back in the air now that we have booked guest.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((group hug everyone)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Cruising & The Norwegian Jewel

2010-10-16T20:26:00.001-04:00

Every man, woman and child has an opinion. So in essence what I may like, you may dislike and everything is subjective. With that said we LOVE cruising!

Now for some the thought of being on any kind of boat my not equal fun, and knowing that you are vacationing with thousands of others in a shared space may give you the hives. With cruising, although you are on a boat it is not a little canoe that would rock you into vomit-ville but instead a HUGE ship that is more like a floating city. The best part of it for those who think they may get sea sick is that unless you are sailing in a hurricane you don't even feel the movement. Plus, the bigger the ship the less likely you will even remember that you are on the ocean.

As for vacationing with many others, this is something that actually makes cruising fun. You are surrounded by people with smiles on their faces and most are warm, friendly and ready to share the experience. This also makes the entertainment (comedy shows, game nights, theatre shows etc..) on the ship more exciting and fun. Now on the flip side, cruising is not so crazy and loud that you can not find quieter activities to do if you so choose. There is usually a quiet area for lounging, a library, quieter dining options instead of a buffet, and viewing and/or participating in group activities is optional.

One of the best sites for everything cruise is Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com). This site includes information about each cruise line, every cruise ship, photos, reviews by writers as well as reviews by travelers like ourselves. There is something for everyone while cruising!
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Cruise Critic Norwegian Jewel Review (Click for a 2008 review of the ship we will be on by a writer from cruise critic. Note* this was a different itinerary*)

Travelers NCL Jewel Reviews (Click to read recent travelers' reviews of the Norwegian Jewel, with our same itinerary- Florida & Bahamas)

10/10/10 ... Original Wedding Date

2010-10-10T08:58:00.000-04:00

Back in August 2009 Sha and I sat down looking through our cell phone calendars for the perfect wedding date. In doing so Sha stumbled upon the date of October 10th, 2010 which would mean a wedding date of 10-10-10. We thought this date would not only be 'cool' but fitting since we would be in our 10th year together.

As we set off wedding planning we realized after visiting a few wedding venues that 10-10-10 would not be in the cards for us. For you see, this was a reality check of how expen$ive weddings could be. We really had no idea how much money was needed to have the kind of wedding we both wanted. Yes, you can get married for say $200 if you just wanted a quick ceremony and no add-ons including a reception. But for us this was not the wedding that matched our personal styles and us as a couple.

So once the financial realization of it sunk in we decided to cancel our 10-10-10 wedding and move towards a wedding in 2011. Eventually we would choose two more wedding date, May 14, 2011 & July 30, 2011 and settle on the later.

Click below for a little information about today's weddings:
10-10-10

On The Flip Side....

2010-10-06T18:45:00.000-04:00

Ho hum.... as the wedding planning continues I've reached a level of 'boredom'. The days of colors, linens, room decor, flowers....are GONE. With a shipboard wedding there is really nothing much to do in advance. Yes, we still have to pick out invitations and still have to find attire for us and the kids, but that's pretty much it. Other items such as having music, floral decor, choice of linens are optional, and choosing the menu whether it's a cocktail or sit down reception doesn't have to be done until next May.

Sometimes I miss all the hoopla of having to nit pick over choices and running around town looking at things, but then I remember that that was a nerve wrecking process as it was just to many choices. So again, it's just another sign of one just never being satisfied. One complains when it's to much to do and one complains when it's to little to do! lol

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A thumbs up award goes to.... Mark! (a DJ we were thinking of hiring)

Deposit refund, honored....

Now this is my kind of business!

How RUDE!!

2010-09-26T14:12:00.000-04:00

I often find people amazing, especially those in the business of working with other people. Now maybe it's just me, but how can someone 'pretend' to be so nice, helpful, caring and understanding and then all of a sudden be so cold.

Here's what happened:

Sha and I were given a florist recommendation and with supposedly no obligation, we met with the woman to see her work and talk about our vision for the wedding. After this initial meeting we continued to corresponded via email with thoughts and ideas. It looked like this would be the florist for us and all we needed to do was finalize what we wanted. However, a turn of events took place and we decided not to have the wedding at our original location. This change also meant that we would not need a florist so we let our contact know this and thanked her for the correspondence.

Now mind you, no contract was signed, no deposit was made and we were a little less than a year away from our event. So why with no obligation in place hasn't the florist replied to our email (it's been almost a month now) even if just to say 'okay'. Ummmm.

She seemed to have had no trouble emailing us when she thought she was getting our business/MONEY. It was all professional then.

I don't know, I guess even if someone decided not to use my service I would still maintain professionalism and at least reply to their final email.

Again, I guess that's just me....

The Biggest Obstacle

2010-09-12T15:33:00.000-04:00

A lot of money...

Well with a change in our wedding plans comes the concerns that cruising would be to much money for guest. Now we will admit, anything these days would probably seem like a lot of money in this financial climate. However, if someone is planning to travel for a week already then it's really a bargain.

First and foremost the cost of a cruise includes ALL meals, entertainment, and on board activities. Most other vacations only include the cost of travel (flying, Amtrak, etc..) and the hotel stay. Unless your at an all inclusive resort, the meals are never included. Secondly, one of the best things a budget traveler like ourselves can have is something with a payment plan, and cruising allows that when you book so far in advance like we have. Lastly, cruising usually allows you to visit more than one place in a weeks time and that's not a bad a deal for those who don't have the opportunity to travel much.

Currently, the cheapest cabin rate for our wedding cruise requires a $250 per person deposit but when mapped out can be paid in full by the April 30th 2011 due date at just $99 a month if starting payments in October (or $49.50 every two weeks if you really want to break it down). Nevertheless, there is also the option of depositing now, and paying the full balance when the tax return comes rolling in! lol

Of course if you are paying for more than just yourself (ex: $198 a month for two) it can pricey, but that is with any 7 day vacation. Even going to visit granny down south for a week doesn't come cheap these days!

I guess we look at it this way, we can easily spend $99 on crap we have nothing to show for during a months time, so why not spend it on a vacation with lasting memories!

Booked!!!!

2010-09-04T10:26:00.000-04:00

We're Cruising Into Marriage!!

So I'm feeling all warm and tingly inside.

In the last two weeks we have gotten confirmation on our wedding booking, and we have booked our cabin with a deposit. It's all feeling real-er, than real!!!

Now this kind of wedding is not for the control freak, the gal that needs to have her hand in every pot, or the bride to be with her finger on speed dial. A cruise ship wedding is set up by the cruise lines' wedding company that they out source to and everything is taken care of by your wedding consultant prior to the day of your wedding. So over the next 11 months our job is just to fill out the forms, send the emails and call the consultants when we want to add features or cancel them all together. Then on the day of the wedding we will work with the ships wedding coordinator to finalize and then take that loving walk down the aisle to marriage.

Although Sha and I started out planning a more traditional affair we realize that even if we have to put our wedding in the hands of consultants & coordinators, ultimately a cruise ship wedding is the wedding that says:

' Dana & Sharine '

Can I Get Confirmation On That!!

2010-08-29T10:26:00.000-04:00

Waiting for someone else to give confirmation on something can be the start of one of those terrible mind games. It makes you contemplate, second guess, and even wonder if something has gone horribly wrong.

As this wedding planning saga continues we are in the process of waiting for full confirmation that our deposit for our new wedding venue has been received. Now mind you, I know banks have to clear and paperwork has to be processed but this doesn't calm the nerves when you are just so excited about a new adventure.

The funny thing is, I know this is only the beginning.

When you plan the type of wedding that we are now working towards most of the details our out of your hands. Therefore, the whole process is full of waiting and confirmations. Now for a control freak such as myself, I am not sure how this is going to work but I know in the end I will get the best confirmation of all.

That I am married to my sweetheart Sharine.

Wedding Websites

2010-08-21T12:04:00.000-04:00

I think personal wedding websites are the coolest thing since slice bread. It's the easiest and fasted way to get information to guest and there is so much information on the web that most questions can be answered, especially when planning a destination wedding. It also gives you an opportunity to get quick feedback and help in the entire planning process from start to finish.

With a change in our plans there also had to come a change to our site.

Click..
click..
clicking away...

Anticipation...is making me wait...well no more like making me crazy!

2010-08-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Don't you just hate when your all set to do something and your bubble is burst!!! That's how I felt yesterday.

We were all set to finalize our *new* wedding plans and the person we needed to see was out for the rest of the week. I had just spoken to him on Tuesday which was his first day back to work since he works Tuesday-Friday, so of course I was totally surprised when here we are two days later ready to plan and his colleague tells us he won't be back to work until next week. UGHH!!

And so we wait......

Bridesmaids Dresses

2010-08-18T18:27:00.001-04:00

There are so many different ways to dress your bridesmaids now.

Long gone are the cookie-cutter bridesmaids that appeared to be more like Stepford Wives. Brides are allowing her girls to pick their own dresses so long as they are in a particular color, or they're wearing their favorite black dress already hanging in their closets and or even just wearing what they find most flattering on their own bodies. I feel bridesmaid's have come along way in terms of looking fashion forward, comfortable and feeling stunning.

Call me old fashion but one of my least favorite styles is the 'print' bridesmaids dresses. For some reason this is an awkward look; and please don't let it be red with any kind of lines on it for my brain immediately screams picnic table. My favorite style though (and again maybe I'm old fashion) is the matching bridesmaids. Now this doesn't mean all dresses, all shoes, and all accessories are matching, but matching in the sense that all the bridesmaids are wearing the same color. For me this is 'semi classic' and for a non traditional bride like myself it is probably the closest thing to traditional my wedding would be, that is if we were able to have bridesmaids.

2010-08-15T18:29:00.000-04:00

Wedding planning is a trip.

So many questions, choices, and decisions to make and just when you thought you had it all figured out.......
.................... you don't.

We've recently come to the conclusion that this wedding should be about us; and that we need to stop making our plans based on what will make everyone else comfortable. Yes, we want it to be just as special for our guest, but when all is said and done no wedding guest will store 'our' wedding in the section of their memory bank marked 'best thing that has ever happened to me'; in fact a year later they may not even remember much about the day that was special for you. So we've had to seriously ask our selves the questions...

* In the long run who has to be completely happy with the wedding experience?!?!
* Who has to have a lasting memory that says 'I loved it'?!?!
* Who does the wedding really have to reflect!?!?

....and in our answers there was a reoccurring theme...

....'us'.

Giving Thanks...

2010-08-12T12:26:00.000-04:00

I would like to believe that even if I were as straight as an arrow I would believe in marriage equality for all.

In fact, I know I would and today I just found another hero; Click Here.

It's the Best/Geekiest Wedding Ever -- Bride and Groom Superheroes!

2010-08-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

Wow!!

Now this is my kind of wedding.

It's the Best/Geekiest Wedding Ever -- Bride and Groom Superheroes!

Not that I am into super heroes like this, but just the thought of thinking so out of the box that you make your wedding fun and non cookie cutter. I am all for the non-traditional, do what you wanna do, I have no desire to be Cinderella weddings.

SUPER congrats are in order here!

A $5 million dollar wedding!?!?

2010-08-05T17:30:00.000-04:00

While it is estimated that Chelsea Clinton has spent about 5 mil for her wedding I really don't see the point.
I mean even if I had money out the kazoo I do believe there is something called "going overboard".
Heck, I'd settle for a measly $50,000 wedding.
I'm not picky!

When Life Was Simple

2010-08-02T21:24:00.012-04:00

I know technology is grand, and we've come a long, long way....
Honestly though, does EVERYTHING have to be so over the top!?!?
Can we still have the 'simple' things in life!?!!

These pictures tell me no, but...

I am fighting to keep it a YES!!!!!

If only...

2010-07-25T17:17:00.000-04:00

As we get closer to our wedding date which is now now less than 10 months away, I wonder if we are 'settling'.

For you see, one of the things that Sharine and I have in common is our love of the ocean, the open sea, cruising, and just sitting by the calm nature of water. We often spend our time together gazing over the Hudson River when we are down by Christopher Street, or relaxing by Chelsea Piers. We have also spent plenty of relaxing moments by the East River at such places like the South Street Seaport; moments that have been both quiet, and full of energetic conversations.

If only all good dreams could come true.....

She WAS a beautiful bride untilll...

2010-07-22T23:12:00.000-04:00

As I began this little wedding planning journey I also began to enjoy looking at pictures of real weddings. From the decor, to the cake, from the bridesmaids dresses to the bouquets, there are just so many beautiful things to see. However, I have also come to realize that there is one little pet peeve, irritant or annoyance that I have and that is seeing a bride in her formal gown with nothing but these 'tats' not only making my eyes focus on them, but taking away from the beauty of it all!

Shady Business

2010-07-19T21:06:00.000-04:00

Where do I begin...

Back in October 09, Sha and I came across a quaint little tea house down on Irving Place in Manhattan. We had scheduled a visit, then a tasting, and then we began to plan a wedding there. Our first step was to fine tune all the details of what we wanted so that the general manager could put together our contract and we could then leave a deposit and 'seal the deal' so to speak. So after several emails back and forth our choices were made and the general manager said he would have our contract ready in the following week after he came back from his travels. That was November 11, 2009.

A full month would go by with no contract, no email, no phone call, no nothing. So on Dec 10th I sent my own follow-up email and to my surprise I received a reply about 10 minutes later. In the response he stated that he was "just looking over a few weddings for 2010 and making myself a note to start the terms of agreement for you". Huh!!? what!?!?!? Now a month prior he was suppose to be starting the contract, so how was he JUST doing it now!??!

So always being one to try and give people the benefit of the doubt (thanks to my lovely soon to be wife lol), I sent a thank you reply and waited as the days on the calendar rolled by.....

December 2009...
January 2009...
February 2010.. (umm, Houston? do we have a problem?!?!?)
March 2010... (so of course we are looking into OTHER venues by this time)
April 2010... (booked a different venue)
May 2010...
June 2010...
July 2010...

.......................July 16th, 2010 WTF!?!??!! You gotta be kidding me?!?!? where's the hidden camera!?!?!?

-----------------
Greetings again from The Inn,

I hope you are both having a wonderful summer. I wanted to check back in and see if you wish to confirm your hold on October 10th. I am starting to get additional inquiries for other events and it is now time to proceed forward with the "terms of agreement." I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Shawn
-----------------

So I'm sitting at my computer, mouth gaping open, eyes wide, and clicking forward so that I can send this madness to Sharine. The brain is trying to register this mess and at the same time I'm wondering how should I respond, if I should respond, if I do respond should I let him have it, should I tell him where to stick it! I am at a loss for words initially but a few days later it flows easily....

-----------------
WOW.

This email has certainly come as a total shock. After never receiving the terms of agreement from you and then no response to our emails we quite frankly were very disappointed and wrote you and this establishment off. We will admit we loved the quaintness of the inn, the tasting, and the staff that we met but the turn of events left a bitter taste in our mouths and we moved on.

Below is the very last email we received from you which was in December. Please fell free to go forth with new inquires for our date.

We wish you well.

Dana & Sharine

------------------
woosahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Am I A Color Whore!?!?

2010-07-12T20:56:00.000-04:00

PURPLE/ORANGE/FUCHSIA

I know weddings are suppose to be romantic, and sweet, and sentimental...but does that have to equal bland? We are getting married in the spring and usually you see lots of pinks, yellows, light greens, and a variety of pastels; bland, bland, bland....

I see myself running in the total opposite direction. Can you say 'POP'!?!?!?!? That's what I think wedding colors should represent. I mean it's a festive occasion with lots of smiles, laughter and hopefully a whopping good time. So even though we are having a hard time finding what we we want in our colors of purple, orange & fuchsia... I know that when we do our wedding decor will read WOW!...and that's alright with me!

Wedding Planning Blues

2010-06-28T20:50:00.000-04:00

Things have slowed down tremendously in the world of wedding planning. I remember when Sha and I seemed to be caught up in the world wind of planning and every time we turned around there was a venue to visit, some food to taste, inquiry emails to send and wedding vendors to meet. Now a days it's just quiet.

Now don't get me wrong I am so glad we found our venue which took us months to do, however it seems that once that was completed everything else just feel right into place. So now at the 10 month mark most of the big things are done:

Booked Venue/Catering

Booked Photography

Booked DJ

Booked Officiant

Found wedding gowns; didn't order yet
Purchased both our wedding bands
Booked Make-Up Artist

Found Florist; haven't finalized order yet

So now we focus on the smaller items and for some reason this is what has caused our turtle like movements. Things like selecting invites, choosing centerpieces, deciding on favors, etc... have become a big bore. Actually no, it has become more like a big chore.

I didn't like chores as a kid so of course I a not too thrilled about them now!

Is it Live, or Memorex?!!!?!?

2010-06-25T16:21:00.000-04:00

I wonder how much 'material' I would need!?!?! lol

Click below to read more!

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest - Sexy One-Shoulder Gown Wins

Bridal Diapers: A New Trend?

2010-06-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Please say it isn't so!!!!

Now ladies. There are a lot of things I would do for my wedding, but this!?!?

How do you spell GROSS?.... bridal diapers!

Bridal Diapers: A New Trend? <-----click link for details

That Ohhh So Frightening Make-Up Trial

2010-06-20T20:09:00.004-04:00

BEFORE BEFORE

On Friday Sha and I had our first make-up trial with a make-up artist who normally works with clients for their head shots that her photographer husband shoots. One of the reasons why we chose to give her a try was because we just fell in love with her husbands personality during our consultation with him back in April when we hired him as our photographer. We also had an opportunity to see her work via the head shot photos on their website and we loved how 'natural' her clients still looked. Our goal was to not look alien, but enhanced. So here we are....

... enhanced.

Sha AFTER

Dai AFTER

No Need To Ask If Children Can Attend!!!! lol

2010-06-16T18:31:00.000-04:00

I just LOVE unique weddings!
Have you been to any?!?

Wedding Planning a la/ World Wide Web

2010-06-14T22:37:00.000-04:00

As I sat adding email addresses to my online wedding organizer I wondered 'how in the heck was this done pre world wide web'. You see once I had the email addresses added all I needed to do was hit 'start' and then a pre-made note was generated that could be sent to guest requesting their mailing addresses. Of course the note was a little too generic so with a few word changes and the stroke of a key on the word 'next', all of our guest received their mailing addy request. No phone calls, no voice mails, no leaving messages with others (I bet you can tell I'm really not a phone person lol)... but just one stroke of a key and it was done.

Five minutes later we received our first response and my immediate thought was how cool is this!! I am so glad I am wedding planning in the age of modern technology:

* online wedding planning guides
* online wedding forums to exchange information with other planning brides (love it!!)
* online budget planner (hope we can stick to it)
* online checklist & appointment tracker (essential)
* online guest list
* online invites (we're not going that far)
* online seating charts (nice!!)
* online RSVPs (right up my alley)
* online wedding website for the couple to give details of their ceremony/reception
* online wedding shopping from gowns, to shoes, to veils, to under garments
* online wedding blogs (*smile*)
.....and so so so much more!

What makes this age of world wide web wedding planning even sweeter is that all this is FREE!!!!
I am loving every bit of it.

Although I don't use all of these sites, here are a few for those future brides out there:

~ http://www.ewedding.com/
~ http://www.theknot.com/
~ http://www.weddingwire.com/
~ http://www.offbeatbride.com/
~ http://www.getmarried.com/
~ http://www.mywedding.com/
~ http://www.weddingchannel.com/

David's Bridal.. Part Deux!

2010-06-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

So we took a trip to David's Bridal once again but this time to the one out in Brooklyn, NY. Wow, what a difference a borough makes!

While there we waited several minutes for someone to greet us and ask how we could be helped (no one was at the guest table) and finally when someone did come out it was several more minutes before we were seen. Not too bad, but considering the place looked like a ghost town I kind of wondered what was the hold up.

At any rate, the assistant we did receive left A LOT to be desired. She found the dress I came to try on, walked us to a dressing room, handed the dress to Sha and walked away. Ummm... isn't it her job to HELP the customer!?!? What if Sha wasn't with me, who would have helped me dress?!?!? Now mind you after getting much better service at the DB in Manhattan and an assistant who dressed me, that was my expectation for my visit here. NOPE!

So before she could get any where I asked Sha to ask her for the bustier (assistant at the Manhattan DB had put one on me at that fitting) and although she did get it for us, it was all she did. Ummm. So I try on the dress which is too small and I ask for the next size. After a few minutes of her disappearing she comes back and says "we don't have a size 20 here's a 22 to try". As Sha once again is helping me to get dressed we both realized right away that this gown is way to big. Not so much because a size 22 is bigger than the size 20 I had asked for, but maybe because Ms. 'Bright' assistant had given me a TWENTY FOUR!!!

She then has the nerve to come back and say, "oh that's too big you will need a 22". Huh?!?! what?!?!? .. so you mean she KNEW it was a 24 and not the 22 she said it was!?!? Sha got me the heck out of that gown and we were about to be out of there. Of course as we strolled out we couldn't help but look through the racks of gowns and so on our way out we got a lovely surprise....

.... a size 20 gown smiling and waving "ya'll come back now, ya hear".

I guess SHE didn't have a size 20 for me to try on but the rack did!

Bridal Debate -- Would You Wear a Red Dress on Your Wedding Day?

2010-06-09T11:32:00.000-04:00

Bridal Debate -- Would You Wear a Red Dress on Your Wedding Day?

Although traditional isn't so 'traditional' any more....

.......and we all know there ain't nothing traditional about my upcoming nuptials, I still can't see myself in a wedding gown of my favorite color; purple. That thought immediately leads me to a vision of Baby Bop all grown up in a wedding dress & veil!

This doesn't mean I will be in the virginal white (let's not go there people), but even as unconventional as my wedding may be there is still a tiny bit of that girlie girl inside me that envisions a 'traditional' bride look.

Only time will tell.....

Two Brides Can...

2010-06-03T16:57:00.001-04:00

Well of course as we've been planning our wedding many kinds of thoughts have gone through my mind. Once of which includes the fact that as two brides Sha and I have never really encountered any problems (ie: homophobia, bigotry, etc..) That got me to thinking that there are actually 'perks' to being two brides that most heterosexual women planning a wedding will never experience. Follow me :::

Two brides can..... have someone else to talk about their wedding with from sun up to sun down.

Two brides can..... go wedding gown shopping without the stress of deciding which best friend to invite.

Two brides can..... surf online for wedding resources without the other half of the couple become completely bored.

Two brides can..... look through tons of wedding magazines and have someone to compare notes with.

Two brides can..... join wedding blogs & forums and then discuss the information and things others post.

Two brides can..... go from one venue right to the next and not feel like a break is needed.

Two brides can..... have a food, cake, etc.. tasting and not think our mate is gonna think we just a stone cold pig.

Two brides can..... attend wedding expos without the other feeling like they're missing a game some where.

Two brides can..... enjoy reading vendor, photographers, florist etc... contracts and both read the fine print.

Two brides can..... write a check for something wedding related, and not wonder if we should have gotten the car fixed instead.

Two brides can..... hire a photographer just because we like him, & not wonder if we should have been more concerned about the price.

Two brides can..... try on each others prospective wedding gowns.

Two brides can..... stress over wedding invitations together.

Two brides can..... like the same veil, gown, shoes, bouquet, garter, etc...without any suspicions.

Two brides can..... change their wedding colors (several times) without the other person rolling their eyes.

Two brides can..... start a wedding blog, website etc.. and discuss what two brides can!

(*disclaimer::: I'm not saying all of these things happen to every same sex female couple planning a wedding, and in fact I am sure there is plenty I've left out. I'm just saying though.... lol)

Darn it!!

2010-05-30T19:07:00.000-04:00

So yesterday we decided to journey out to Michael's (I'm starting to wonder if we are gluttons for punishment) in search of invitations once again. This time we found a store in Portchester, NY which is about 25 minutes out of the city. We've past this store several times on our way out to Stamford, CT and wondered if we should give it a shot. Well yesterday we did and still came home empty handed.

It wasn't all bad though as they had an even bigger selection than the two Michael's we have visited previously. At any rate we later found ourselves at the Palisades Mall in West Nyack,NY checking out their card stores but lo and behold instead we came across a dress shop that sold plus sized gowns (Camille La Vie). From the look of what was in their windows we most certainly did not think they would have anything bigger than a size 2, let alone bridal gowns up to size 24. Well they did and this brought about another unscheduled wedding gown try-out (we had our first a view weeks ago at RK Bridal in Manhattan). Sad to say we didn't find anything, BUT happy to say that they did have some gowns for us fuller figured gals. Their dresses however, were not 'W's which meant that if you tried on a 20 it was not a 20W, and so therefore you'd really need to try on a 22. So basically, your street size is a 20 but your bridal size there might be a 22 or even 24.

The other 'plus' to this shop was that their starting prices for wedding gowns was $299. That in itself is a bargain and we are so bummed that we didn't find anything there for us! So it looks like David's Bridal is still the top dog of cheap wedding gown for us at $549 & $599 a pop. I know they say once you find your dress you should stop looking, but we just can't help wondering whether or not a cheaper gown is really out there for us and we just haven't found it yet. We both agree that we really don't want to spent a fortune on something we can only wear once. Neither of us are 'Sex In The City' gals!

Invitation-ly Challenged

2010-05-23T21:31:00.001-04:00

Why does it seem that the things that should be the least trivial turn out to be the most trivial?!?! Yesterday we decided to check out Michael's again, it's a big craft store for those who don't know, since there is a semi new one that opened up in the city. We didn't really have any high hopes about the trip because when we went the first time the invitations they had really left a lot to be desired and the thought of making them ourselves had past. Well even though this time was much better, just in the sense that they had a lot more choices, we still did not fair well at all.

At first nothing was in our colors. Then when we did see one, it was just ugly. So yes Michaels' does have inexpensive invites but only if cheesy is your cup of tea. Now on the other hand if you've got that 'crafty' eye then Michael's is the place where your creative juices can flooooowwww. They have so many tools for card making, scrap booking, wood working, painting etc.. and so creating an invitation from their tools of the trade should be easy if this is your talent.

Since this talent is not ours we were just lost in the sauce as we looked through rows of papers, stamps, embellishments etc... It was at that precise moment I realized: this invitation search is becoming my achilles heel. You see prior to this trip I had been searching online for that 'perfect' invitation. From the websites of online sellers, to invitation you design sites, to the place an order and DIY printing websites, I feel like I've seen it all.

A while back we engaged in some 'premature' shopping and ordered a save-the-date and invitation sample. Even though we liked it we really hadn't settled on our colors, a theme, our flowers etc... so we ended up not going with those because they don't match what we eventually did settle on. Now for me, that doesn't really matter as I think these are purely things that people won't really care about & they will be come garbage as soon as they return from our wedding. Sha however, has the gift of stylishness, and a flair for what looks good and so even though we differ in this capacity there is no way we are going to end up with anything tacky. At least not tacky to us.

All this to say.... why does THIS part of our wedding preparation have to be so time consuming, mind boggling, and difficult!?!? After all, isn't it just a molehill?!?!

Envy...

2010-05-21T22:14:00.000-04:00

I am a sinner...
Let me explain.

One of the 7 deadly sins is envy (to desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation). Now I have never been one to envy anyone because I'm a firm believer that not everything in life is meant to be mine, or rightfully mine. Well today as I continued our search for invitations I started to wonder why I couldn't be one of those talented people who could DIY the majority of our wedding odds and ends, not only because it would save us some money but also because it would give us that 'personal' touch we can't seem to find.

I said to myself, "self...., where is your DIY talent!?!?". Now fortunately I didn't answer back, but I did realize I am envious. I am envious of all those who were on that 'creativity' line when the higher power, or mother nature, or whomever was giving them out at that gate.

As for me, I must have been at the snack hut. Again. lol

!!CHEERS!! to all you awesome DIY Brides, you RULE!!!

WhiteKnot.org - Marriage Equality

2010-05-18T21:21:00.002-04:00

WhiteKnot.org - Marriage Equality

Posted using ShareThis

Update:.... Sha and I have plans to incorporate this into our wedding in some form or fashion. We think this is awesome AND are happy that we have support from so many people.

Wedding Gown Shopping... Day 2

2010-05-17T20:41:00.004-04:00

So off we go to David's Bridal for our second go at finding 'the' dress. As our own official wedding planners we have come across many a horror story when it comes to David's Bridal (DB). So of course we tried to g with an open mind and not let those stories cloud our judgement.

Well in all honesty our visit was not that bad. Yes, we would have liked the one to one attention that we got at RK Bridal but they try, and just can't since it's more of a 'factory shopping' kind of place. Don't let the nice decor fool ya. At any rate the assistant we had started out attentive until they have her other clients to work with as the same time as us. We ended up helping each other try on dresses (good thing we had back to back appointments), while our assistant pretty much just went and brought to us things she thought my work.

At the end of the experience both and Sha and I had the feeling we had found our dresses. Notice that I didn't say 'THE' dress.

Here are the dresses we tried:::

Sha's Dress Up

Dai's Dress Up

Wedding Gown Shopping... Day 1

2010-05-15T19:24:00.002-04:00

So yesterday after work the future wife and I were trying to decide how to spend such a lovely evening together. Somehow we ended up in RK Bridal and that's where the story begins.....

As we walked into RK Bridal I thought my knees would begin to shake and my stomach would do a flop (see previous blog) but I was actually calm, cool & collected. We stopped by the bridal shop which is not far from Sha's job just to see what the place looked like and to make an appointment. Lo and behold no appointment was needed and we ended up trying on dresses for the very first time.

Their policy is such that for a first visit you can sign in and the next available assistant will call you. Meanwhile they ask you to find 5 dresses you would like to try on while you're waiting your turn. So Sha and I did just that and not even 10 minutes later I was called. Not only did I try on 5 gowns but the assistant also picks out dresses that seem to match your taste, budget, etc.. plus you can try on as many as you want for an hour & a half. I had three top choice but the one pictured (right) stood out from the rest in terms of how well I wore it.

The best thing about the visit was there was no pressure to buy, and in fact Olga the assistant I worked with said that I should try on dresses elsewhere to see what was out there and if I really felt the dress I liked was 'the' dress I would be back. So they give you a paper with the names, dress #s & prices of the ones you want to remember. Of course you can also buy on the spot if you like. You can also come back and re-try the dress or other ones, but any visits after the first they do advise that you make an appointment so that you can work with your same assistant.

This was a great experience, I was very surprised (as specially as a bigger gal), but at the same time I was not nervous at all. Probably because it just all happened and was not planned. Only one bad thing.... only photographs of the dress you are purchasing is allowed. So that's why I've attached the dress photo from the website of the company who makes it.

This was my second dress choice. I liked the way it 'gave' me boobs! lol

Sha's Favorites

First Choice....

Second Choice....

Third Choice.....

Flip Flop

2010-05-13T20:24:00.005-04:00

In the pit of my stomach...

Well this afternoon I called DB and made an appointment for this upcoming Sunday. On that day at 12:00pm I will be going for my very 1st dress 'look see'. Then at 1:30pm it will be Sha's turn. What happened today though kind of shocked me. As I made the call the pit of my stomach did a flip flop, and then I began to get that inner shake of fear. Until that very moment I have been nothing but excited. I didn't expect to feel nervous at all.

Music Music Music

2010-05-09T15:11:00.005-04:00

So today I decided to work on creating my part of the play list for our reception. You see we can submit 100 songs to our Dj and so I'm choosing 50 & Sha is choosing the other 50. Not too complicated right?!?!?

Then how come I am having such a HARD time doing such a menial task! I think it's more so because I am just a music person and I love so many many songs. At the same time I am thinking what would my guest want to hear? what would make THEM get up on the dance floor? and what songs would make a great balance between what we like and the over all mood that we are going for?

At any rate, with the help of my son who's 20 & hip, I have chosen 50 songs. Fortunately, we are also going to have the input of our guest as we have added a 'song request' feature to our wedding website. Now let's just hope they drop by the site and take a moment to send their request. I want to have a blast but more importantly I want them to have a great time.

A Break With Tradition -- 'I Chose Not to Have My Dad Give Me Away'

2010-05-04T08:17:00.002-04:00

Just call me a 'modern' bride...... because I just read this and loved it!
The thought of sharing that special moment with the person with whom I am feeling the closest to at that very moment works for me.

A Break With Tradition -- 'I Chose Not to Have My Dad Give Me Away'

....and our colors are....

2010-05-03T19:56:00.009-04:00

So after about almost 9 months we have finally settled on our colors. Although we had many color combos in mind we were never set on any particular colors because we had no venue. It was very important for us to know what our 'space' was going to look like before setting colors in stone. In a way, I'm glad we both felt that way. For you see although neither of us would have ever thought we'd be using ORANGE in our wedding, we are. How that came about was basically by default. Our newly renovated venue has orang-ish/coral-ish/gold-ish chairs, so in order to not have an added expensive of chair covers we decided to incorporate the orange in our wedding color scheme. So basically:

sage (Sha's favorite color is green) + lilac (my favorite color is purple) + orange (venue chair color) = Dana & Sharine's Wedding Colors!

Flowers, Take II.

2010-05-02T14:49:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we finally met with our second prospective florist (Melissa of 'Stylish Blooms', the first didn't pan out due to higher cost plus just looking at pictures of flowers just doesn't cut it. I'm not sure if that's the way it works but I wouldn't just have magazines & flower charts to show prospective clients. At any rate, the second florist we met was the total opposite. Not only did she have books to show, including her own, but she also came to us with the flowers we said we were thinking of having (gerbera daisies). She had created a bouquet for us to see, as well as two types of boutonnieres. She also had lose daisies to show us a different design we could have for our daughter's bouquet. Lastly, she had a bag filled with vases, ribbons, pendants, jewels, beads, color swatches and more. She also shared with us pictures she had taken of the bouquet with two colored ribbons.

By the time she was done we had the opportunity to see bouquets, boutonnieres, and a centerpiece. What was also great was that she came to meet us at our venue so that she could see the space we were using. In doing so we were able to see how the centerpieces would look in the space and she was also able to meet our catering manager who asked for her business cards.

I may not be much of a flower person, but I can tell when a business is going to continue to 'bloom'.

The Bands Are Here!

2010-04-30T13:52:00.003-04:00

Ring shopping wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Sharine had purchased my engagement ring in 2005 at a jewelry store that went out of business a few years ago. The ring, which has three diamonds strategically cut and when placed together forms a heart, is one of a kind (well at least we've never even seen anything close to it). So of course this made us think we were going to have a hard time finding a band for it. We couldn't be any more wrong. On our first day out we found a great match, and even though we didn't purchase it right away we would go back to that store in the diamond district (NYC) and buy the band for me.

Although Sharine's engagement ring actually had a matching band when I initially purchased it I only had purchasing an engagement ring in mind. The ring, which has small diamonds clustered together to form what looks like a bouquet touched my heart as soon as I saw it. I envisioned myself proposing to her and placing this bouquet of diamonds on her finger as I asked her to be my wife. Even though I knew she hadn't wanted an engagement ring and would only wear a band after we got married, I couldn't not officially ask her to be my wife and place a ring of commitment on her finger. As we looked for a matching band for her ring I remembered that I had seen one already at Zales where I had bought her engagement ring so when we finally had a chance to go there they still had it and so this was the ring Sharine decided on.

All in all it was one of the easiest wedding purchases we have made thus far!

First Go @ Invitations Via...Zazzle.com

2010-04-27T09:52:00.007-04:00

Front of SAVE_THE_DATE (postcard)

Back of SAVE_THE_DATE (postcard)

I must say Zazzle.com does impress. Often you don't have high expectations when you are purchasing something that doesn't cost as much as it could. So when I ordered the one Save-The-Date card & one pack of 10 invites (it was the smallest amount that could be ordered), I wasn't expecting much from the very inexpensive printing company. However, in the past I had ordered a personalized photo mouse pad as a gift and since it came out pretty cool I figured 'why not' see what they can do that's wedding related.

Front of Invitation (back is solid pink & text can be added)

Well I will be the first to admit. I AM impressed. If your a budget bride and invitations and the like are not high on your priority list then zazzle.com is for you!

Sign on the the ...... line!

2010-04-26T20:26:00.000-04:00

Well today we gathered our deposits and signed two more contracts. One for our DJ and the other for our Officiant. Now I don't know if I am just an 'old school' kind of girl or what, but it's so weird to me that now you can just sign a contract, mail, fax or scan & email it to the other party (along with your deposit of course), and then they sign it, mail it, fax it or scan and email it back to you.

It just all seems so none-personable to me. I guess I like to conduct my business in person, enjoy the pleasure of everyone signing, handing over my deposit, and shaking a hand or two.

Where is our darn invitations?!?!?

2010-04-25T13:24:00.000-04:00

So yesterday we went on an invitation hunt. We got a lead on how Walmart has some great prices on invitations that actually look good and all you have to do is buy the kits and print them yourself. Now see to me that not only sounds like a bargain, but doable. I guess however, you can't always believe what you read even though your leads are coming from other brides who were successful in coping their Walmart invites.

Unfortunately, Sha and I can not even come close to saying the words "Houston, we have our invites!". Although we love Walmart, don't get me wrong, they just don't have anything worth even spending $30 on in terms of invites. Now I'm all for a bargain, but the product has to at least LOOK good even if I find out later that it isn't.

Since first impressions are lasting impressions, we are just not Walmart invitation buyers!

So off to Michael's (the craft store) we go.

At Michael's again we didn't see any weddng invitation kits to our liking. So we headed on over to the DIY aisle (aka/Card Making/Scrapbooking aisle). Here we became dazed and confused. I mean there was nothing that scream THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!!! for the newbie card makers we would be. So after about an hour of looking, and reading, and discussing, and inspecting, I found myself becoming more and more discouraged. My whole mood changed and I began to realize that this is how poor folks who want to get married but don't have a create DIY bone in their body end up spending tons of money they don't really have.

So off to online invitation shopping we go.....

To blog or not to blog!?!?!

2010-04-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to FINALLY check out the world of blogging from the 'other' end. Up until now I've only been a 'reader' of blogs even though I've often wondered what it would be like to write one. Of course the big dilemma was if I did have a blog what in the world would I blog about?!?! I mean after all my life isn't that exciting, I don't have any hobbies or tips that I would like to share with others nor do I feel the need to purge. Well at least not until now.

For the last few months my girlfriend and I have been wedding planning and it's been a very interesting experience for me. Not only because we are two brides, but more so because the wedding planning experiences is 'unique' and the multi million dollar wedding industry is a world all it's own.

So much so, I wrote a blog about it......

(Prior to me starting this blog we had already found our wedding venue. To read about the venues we visited in NYC & the experiences we had during our visits, see all post below this one and click on 'older post'.)

Say "ccchhheeeeesssseeee!!!!"

2010-04-22T21:51:00.001-04:00

4/20/10:::

We found our guy. Our photographer that is.

You ever meet someone for the first time and feel like old friends?!?!? Well that's what happened when we met Jared of 'J & J Photography'. He was so down to earth and we laughed, and we joked and we just LIKED him.

Now of course we always have to 'think' & 'discuss' before finalizing any kind of business with someone. We also have to read the contract, including the fine prints and then 'sleep' on it.

Well the moment we walked out of Jared's place we 'knew'. But, we slept on it... and a few days later the contract was signed!!!!

~ and yes, his work is GOOD... he had plenty to share ~

To have & to hold....

2010-04-22T21:50:00.000-04:00

Thus far the most interesting part of our wedding planning for me has been finding someone to marry us. Since we aren't 'members' of a church (although we go from time to time), I didn't feel right about getting married in a church. At any rate, before we were going to be legally married (NYC isn't legal, but CT is) I hadn't given much thought to who would perform the ceremony. We began to search online (like we do with most anything else) and found out that 'celebrants' will gladly perform commitment ceremonies. Of course the first thing I need to do was become familiar with what a celebrant was, and once I got over that hump I was all for it.

So we began by looking at a few websites and emailing celebrants about their availability for our wedding date. Once the initial contact was made & we found out our date was available we started to meet prospective masters of our ceremony lol. Although the meetings themselves went well I was actually struck by the 'cost' of hiring a celebrant. The price range we encountered was from $600-$5,000+. Thus far out of 3 candidates we have said not thank you to 1 (Ms. $5,000+ who's cheapest package was $1,150 & darn it you didn't even get a keepsake of the ceremony, no rehearsal, nada!). Another we liked but at $800 I kind of feel like I would be paying for for that than my wedding band which would be cheaper and at least I get to keep my wedding band for life!! Now the third, which is the least expensive was nice but didn't seem as professional as the other two. You could tell that although she may be great, she is still learning her craft... even in terms of selling her service and making you believe she is 'your' girl.

So as it stands now..... we may be marrying ourselves for FREE!! lol

Seen one, seen em' ALL...

2010-04-22T21:49:00.000-04:00

Wedding Expos...

I'm not sure if I am really digging em'. I mean back in 08' I was a maid of honor and my fiance and I both went with them to the 'Great Bridal Expo' in NYC Marriott Hotel in Times Square. On this day it was kind of cool seeing all that was being offered for engaged couples although I wasn't digging the crowds. However, my fiance I attended again this year since now we were the couple planning our own wedding.

Well I don't know what I expected, but geeeesshhh it was just yucky. Not that anything had changed, except we saw a few vendors I didn't remember seeing last year, but maybe that was just 'it'. Nothing new, exciting, or fresh seem to intrigue us and we ended up sitting down just relaxing until the fashion show began. Luckily, they had some cool wedding bands there to entertain us and the fashion was 'okay' or else it would have been a total bore.

Since then we have given two more a try because they were being hosted by different companies and at different venues. The first we checked out was at the Astor Center because we wanted to really see if the venue it's self was for us. The venue turned out not to be ($$$$$), and the expo it's self was quaint and cute. The set up was so much better but most of what was being offered was not for the 'budget' bride like ourselves.

The second expo we gave a try was 'The Wedding Salon' at the Roosevelt Hotel not far from Grand Central Station. Another expo geared towards the rich & richer, and really just a horrible set up. Mass confusion, no crowd control, and just ugh. The best thing about that one was they had nice table displays.... if you could get close enough to see one!

El Bizcocho, Las Flores y La Musica

2010-04-22T21:48:00.000-04:00

4/11/10::: This weekend was filled with planning and fun. We are just getting back from an overnight in Stamford, CT and we decided to book a room at the Holiday Inn Stamford-Downtown where our wedding ceremony & reception will be held.

During this overnight we made appointments to visit the bakery where our cake is coming from (it's included in our catering package), and the tasting was YUM_E!! Angela Mia Bakery in Norwalk, CT is good!

Next we visited with a prospective florist (Vanessa of 'Simple N Elegant') which was a recommendation from our venue. The prices were really not what we wanted to spend for such a small wedding. So we are going to continue our search.

Lastly, we visited with a gentlmen who owns his own entertainment company (Mark of 'Jamkat Entertainment') & his wife. Their services include dj, photography, videography and more...We REALLY liked him and his wife and they are VERY budget friendly compared to a lot of what's out there. So this may be one more thing we do have very soon.

April Showers, Bring.... smiles.... 6 months and 17 days later!!

2010-04-22T21:47:00.000-04:00

4/1/10::: We received our contract revision and are ready to sign. We plan on vising the site again for the signing this upcoming weekend. Things are finally looking UP in terms of finding the right venue for our budget...and we're so glad we have finally found our venue.

4/3/10::: So we decided to take an unscheduled visit back out to our venue, to take another look see and sign the contract in person. In this day & age of faxing it wasn't a requirement. However, if I'm spending my hard earned money I'd prefer to do so IN PERSON! With all that said... we FINALLY booked a venue. All it took was 6 months and 17 days!! lol

Getting Excited!!!

2010-04-22T21:46:00.002-04:00

3/21/10::: So I never thought I would be the kind of gal to like a 'hotel' wedding venue. Lo-n-behold, I do, I do, I do. Yesterday we visited Holiday Inn Stamford Downtown, which was just renovated about a year ago and from the moment you walk in you are hit with a modern day decor which gives it an 'upscale' feel. Located in another state (CT, and we're in NYC), but only 45 minutes away it was well worth the travel. For starters the hotel does have a complimentary shuttle that will take you to & from the hotel when you arrive (we came by train), and also for visits throughout the local area. Along with the modern day decor and shuttle service, the Holiday Inn Stamford Downtown has many venue spaces to choose from. ALSO, their starting price for wedding packages is VERY reasonable and they do cater your menu to your liking if you don't want a package. The only downside is the ceremony space. You can either have it in the room you choose, or the atrium near the running waterfall (more like a waterwall) which is a public space that they can make private with dividers. Since same-sex marriage is not legal in NY, but is in CT we had decided to check out CT and have a 'destination' wedding (minus the sun, sand and surf). If this works out, we will have an intimate weekend wedding with our dearest friends in attendance.!
3/31/10::: A contract!... we've finally received our contract from Holiday Inn Stamford Downtown. Except for the time noted for the rental of one of their rooms for our rehearsal dinner, everything else looks good. We are waiting for a revision as we wanted to have our rehearsal dinner from 7-10, and not 6-9, since it is a Friday evening and everyone will be coming from out of town.

As March Marches On...

2010-04-22T21:45:00.001-04:00

So we took a break from looking at venues, and although this break was not something discussed it just sort of happened. We stopped emailing venue managers, we stopped making appointments, and we just kind of quietly both kept looking up venues but neither of us making any real effort to hit the pavement again. Now I'm not sure if this because we had become discouraged not being able to find anything, or if contemplating moving the wedding date had stopped the urgency. At any rate during the months of Dec., Jan. & Feb. our venue search became dormant. At least until......

3/1/10::: Still planning 'mentally', but nothing as really come along and given us that 'it' feeling. Maybe we're being to picky, or maybe because we know it's a one shot thing and we want it all. At any rate, we've entertained the thought of going to CT since it's legal there, we've thought about a B & B setting out of the city, and even a cruise. For now though.... the search continues....

3/8/10::: Been searching through some CT websites and there are a few nice locations. The venues are emailing me back and we have an April visit for one of them already. Another venue here in NYC has invited us to an 'open house' so to speak. This will be taking place this Thursday (3/11/10).

3/10/10::: On a whim we decided to ask a representative of a venue I had come across (right here in Manhattan) if she was available for a showing today. She was free and gave us the tour. We LOVED it! Right place, right space, right price....one catch. They have a particular caterer we must use soooooo, we are hoping to schedule a tasting soon and we are hoping it will be delicious! The downside (catch) is their point of entry. You have to walk through the ice skating rink area since the venue is housed @ Chelsea Piers which is a multiplex of sporting facilities. By taking that route you will encounter ice skaters of all ages and noise. Once you've gotten by it though, the venue is a great space. The VIEW (if you love the water) at Sunset Terrace, is what seals the deal. Gorgeous.... and so THIS would be our place if the total cost is in our budget. Thinking on it.

3/12/10::: Last night we checked out a wedding venue here in NYC called Astor Center. I had emailed the venue for some general information which always includes the first question of 'Is your venue same-sex ceremony friendly?', and not only did we get a "yes" but a free invitation to a wedding expo they were having there. The expo was cute & quaint, not one of those huge 'which way do we go' type of events. We were able to visit with different cake, cookie and chocolate makers, caterers, as well as enjoy martinis and a champagne tasting AND see the actual venue space. The venue which has two lovely rooms (the gallery & the lounge) was actually really nice. It didn't give us that 'feeling', but it wasn't bad at all. The downside is the space rental is $$$ to our wallets and it doesn't include catering. So even if we had gotten that 'feeling', we would still have had to pass.

As the Venue Search Continues

2010-04-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

As October rolled in we continued our venue search......

11/02/09::: City Hall Restaurant....this was a nice space, but dark because it's in the lower level of the restaurant & has no windows. The price is one of the cheapest we've come across but it just didn't give us that 'feeling'. Besides, our date was already booked.

11/06/09::: Tasting... The Inn @ Irving Place... yum! We enjoyed all 6 courses and it's very us, but very different in terms of the people we know. I would love to use this venue for that reason, it's so 'us'. I know you have to make your guest happy but for all the money a wedding cost the couple's happiness should be the 1st priority. It's our memories that need to be preserved.

11/08/09::: As we wait to hear from venues we decided to go forward with researching caterers since we really liked the Seamen's Church. Since this venue only provides the space, tables & chairs.... a catering cost would be inevitable. Of course with a low budget we couldn't even dream of having a decent caterer. At any rate I've emailed me all of the ones this venue works with and boy oh boy the cost is CRAZY! ..and just think some of them probably have terrible food!

11/13/09::: WOW! I was emailing back & forth with a catering company (Steven Brown Caterers, contact person Denise is lovely) and we were able to get the cost of a $12,000+ package down to $10,000+, then down to $9,000+. We were told they could find MORE ways to cut cost if we came in for a consultation so that they can see exactly what is important to us for our wedding. Low and behold we are now at $6,000+ for food, non alcoholic beverages & mixers, linens, tableware, cooking equipment and staff. We are saving by supplying our own liquor & supplying our own cake. We also save buy not having water glasses on the table, not renting martini glasses and other things they charge you for & you may not need. We can get water at the bar, and have a cocktail drink that requires an all purpose glass. Heck we're gonna do the linen napkins but if we did paper we'd save $114. Who knew?!?! lol

11/13/09::: Visited The Ketch this evening since we already had the appointment before narrowing it down to our top two places. This is nice place if your looking for more of a casual affair. The prices are EXCELLENT for a New York Venue. It was about $70 a person for food & drinks. The 1st floor space is more elegant than the lower level, but the lower level is more private. Not sure if having a ceremony there would be as nice though. The reception would be nice.

11/17/09::: Still waiting on two proposals. One place is an Inn & requires no hiring of a catering company, no decorations, just music. The other is a blank canvas so to speak but with tables & chairs. This requires a caterer, decorations, music. We both have the same favorite and are going back for a second visit this evening. I'm hoping the stars are lining up properly and in the words of Michael Jackson "THIS IS IT!" lol.

11/21/09::: We still haven't gotten a proposal from either of our top 2 venues. Uphm!!!

11/28/09::: A sad kind of day.... we decided to change our date. There are certain things we just really don't want to skimp on so we are saving for a longer period of time. We are not going mark our 10th year together with a 10-10-10 wedding, but instead get married either late summer or early fall of 2011.

11/30/09::: Met `M (Minwin of 'life magical'), a prospective photographer. We loved his quirky personality and he was so upbeat....we're hiring him for sure!

With a change of day I was a little sad, but sure we would find and even better venue in the long run.

Hitting The Ground Running

2010-04-22T21:00:00.000-04:00

Once we decided to get married, we wasted no time hitting the venue circuit....

10/03/09::: Visited The Park. NICE!!! Indoor/Outdoor feel. Three celebration spaces to choose from. We liked the 'park' area for the ceremony and the lounge for cocktails & dancing. We were also able to taste the food. We LOVED every dish!!! We are awaiting the cost for what we would want.

10/4/09::: STRESS = no venue found yet!

10/05/09::: Bridal Expo @ The Marriott. Nice fashion show, but booths were pretty boring. Two good things came out of it, we registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond...and we tasted a GREAT cupcake & may consider that bakery for our wedding.

10/06/09::: Visited the Cellar Bar, lovely place...to pricey for something that didn't 'inspire' us.

10/07/09::: Today we received the proposal/cost from The Park. WHOA!!! $12,427 and we just have to say "no thank you". It is with sadness because it was a great place. However, at that rate we won't have money for dresses, a photographer, a dj or other hidden cost. Disappointed.

10/8/09::: We had to decline our firts venue offer because it was WAY over budget. It broke my heart, but....one day we will find what's right for us. Back to the drawing board....

10/10/09::: One year from today we will be getting married. The clock is really ticking now!

10/19/09:::@ Elizabeth again, tasted their food. It was GOOD. Out of about 10 dishes we really BOTH liked 8. We have put in a menu/beverage package request and await the dollars & cents of it all.

10/21/09::: Visited The Inn @ Irving Place, beautiful. It's got an old school charm in the ceremony/dinner area, and a lounge & let's get this party started feel in it's reception area. We would not need any table flowers, we can use theirs for free and there is no space rental fee or cake cutting fee. We can also book a room there at the lowest cost & will receive an upgrade to a better room.

10/21/09::: Also today, we received the cost for Elizabeth. At $10,206 it is $2,221 cheaper than our 1st venue proposal from The Park. I am not sure if we we will even find anything cheaper here in this city! We are thinking on it.

10/22/09::: We have received the menus for The Inn @ Irving Place and have put in our request for food & beverage packages. Now we are awaiting the proposal/cost. This is the nerve wrecking part & it make me impatient! lol

10/28/09::: 6 days later and still no proposal...ummmm. Today we finally received an email stating we would have the $$ & cents of it all tomorrow. 6 DAYS LATER!?!?!? .... at any rate we made appointments to see two more venues during this 6 DAY wait because the quiteness was killing me lol, sooooo tomorrow & Friday we will be on the prowl again.

10/29/09::: FINALLY... a return email. Prices are still crazy (but hey it's NYC) however, it's cheaper than we thought it would be, Our next step.... the tasting.

10/30/09::: Another venue here we come..... Seamen's Church. This one turned out to be our favorite. Three spaces: chapel for the ceremony, gallery for the cocktail hour, large party space with wrap around outdoor balcony for the reception. Bad news: $4,300 + $1,000 (refundable if you don't trash the place) = spaces, tables and chairs. Even if you only use one of the spaces the price is still the same! We can't afford it.

The Start

2010-04-22T20:00:00.000-04:00

Back in August 09 right before we went on vacation we decided that when we got back we were going to seriously begin to plan our wedding. So as soon as we got back we hit the ground running and began to look at venues. Here's what happened in September 09...

09/18/09::: Visited our 1st two venues, both in the same day..Illi & 202.
Illi, too small....202 old smell, a visit by a waterbug!
09/25/09::: Visted Sha's friend's community center.... to small, to dirty, no class to it.
09/26/09::: Visted a B & B called Sugarhill. Nice place, but way to small and not the look we are going for.
09/29/09::: Visited Elizabeth, cute. This place has a bar area, lounge area, and an indoor/outdoor garden. The roof slides open to let in natural light and air. I loved the decor and there are some perks. We no venue fee, no cake cutting fee, we can use their table vases for free. There is ipod capability or we can have a dj. Only down side, there are two skulls that are the base of two lamps when you come into the space. My thought is to put some flowers on them to cover it

Dai*s Wedding RAvEs & RaNTs

The Great Hair Debate

2 Months; to the Day!

Not defeated by an invitation....

Shoes, glorious Shoes.

I've Got The Music In Me ...not.

STDs (The Fun Kind!)

The Great Registry Debate

Make Up Trials (Round #2)

Lucky us.... I think!

Three Times The Charm!

Wedding challenges and beyond....

Social Media & Gay-Wedding Planning

Traditions, from the untraditional....

Flowers, Take III

No Worries, Mon!

Mine, Mine, Mine! ~jumping up and down~

Yippeee!!!

Cruising & The Norwegian Jewel

10/10/10 ... Original Wedding Date

On The Flip Side....

How RUDE!!

The Biggest Obstacle

Booked!!!!

Can I Get Confirmation On That!!

Wedding Websites

Anticipation...is making me wait...well no more like making me crazy!

Bridesmaids Dresses

Giving Thanks...

It's the Best/Geekiest Wedding Ever -- Bride and Groom Superheroes!

A $5 million dollar wedding!?!?

When Life Was Simple

If only...

She WAS a beautiful bride untilll...

Shady Business

Am I A Color Whore!?!?

Wedding Planning Blues

Is it Live, or Memorex?!!!?!?

Bridal Diapers: A New Trend?

That Ohhh So Frightening Make-Up Trial

No Need To Ask If Children Can Attend!!!! lol

Wedding Planning a la/ World Wide Web

David's Bridal.. Part Deux!

Bridal Debate -- Would You Wear a Red Dress on Your Wedding Day?

Two Brides Can...

Darn it!!

Invitation-ly Challenged

Envy...

WhiteKnot.org - Marriage Equality

Wedding Gown Shopping... Day 2

Wedding Gown Shopping... Day 1

Flip Flop

Music Music Music

A Break With Tradition -- 'I Chose Not to Have My Dad Give Me Away'

....and our colors are....

Flowers, Take II.

The Bands Are Here!

First Go @ Invitations Via...Zazzle.com

Sign on the the ...... line!

Where is our darn invitations?!?!?

To blog or not to blog!?!?!

Say "ccchhheeeeesssseeee!!!!"

To have & to hold....

Seen one, seen em' ALL...

El Bizcocho, Las Flores y La Musica

April Showers, Bring.... *smiles*.... 6 months and 17 days later!!

Getting Excited!!!

As March Marches On...

As the Venue Search Continues

Hitting The Ground Running

The Start

April Showers, Bring.... smiles.... 6 months and 17 days later!!