"Say Yes to the Dress"

This a reality show on TLC but it is from the point of view of bridal sales people at Kleinfeld's. For those of you not familiar, Kleinfeld's is an upscale, well known bridal salon in NYC. And in my humble opinion (and those of others as we discussed after my own experience dress shopping in NYC at RK Bridal - not upscale in any means), Kleinfeld's does not always come out looking good in this show, many times I think they are pushy and seem to have alot of issues when it comes to alterations (and alterations cost $650 at the store).

While watching the show (it was in marathon mode yesterday) this one dress style kept being selected by brides and B and I have no idea why. Maybe I am not couture enough for the dress style. It is a Pnina Tornei and from her 2007 Bridal Collection. It was all about this corset top (which I think is kind of see through but then what do I know).

(image taken from http://www.pninatornai.co.il/)

Hair Bling

Continuing the theme of bling, I found these barrettes online (http://www.whiteaisle.com/) and have loved them. I think about buying them just incase they disappear or sell out but my practical side thinks it is silly until I know what I am doing with my hair.

I also don't know if two would be enough if they were actually going to hold up my hair but they are cute.

(both images courtesy of white aisle)

More Bling Talk

Ardent reader Betty T (Aunt Betty to me and also need to say happy belated birthday to her) mentioned me wearing a colored stone (in this case a ruby) and originally I had wanted to do just that (not a ruby but something with color).

I love blue topaz (the lighter colored ones not the rich blues) and had talked to the woman at the jewelry store about it but she kept telling me that it would be too informal and casual for the wedding. In my head I was thinking: a) but I want blue b) it is not THAT formal of an affair (but I also would not describe it as casual either). So we stopped that discussion while I tried on diamond necklaces I would never buy.

So I decided to think about colored stones again and while walking through the South Shore Plaza (this mall has an insane number of jewelry stores in it in my humble opinion). I happened upon a really nice light blue pendant. Of course you can't see prices in the display case and I didn't want any help from a sales lady since I am not going to purchase anything. So I went home and looked it up online and it turns out that the pendant is an aquamarine stone. Aquamarine is the birthstone for March which happens to be when my birthday falls - how convenient.

The ones I am seeing online are much more affordable than the diamond necklaces I tried on and I think I will wear an aquamarine one more often than a formal diamond one. So I am going to search stores and see if I find one I have to have and then I will buy it.

From macys.com - similar to what I saw in the mall:



The one I saw in the store:

Renting Bling

Besides wedding bands, there is a discussion of wedding day jewelry. And while I have more than one option of borrowing pearls, I didn't know if pearls will look right with the dress. So after checking out necklaces (and prices) at the jewelry store I began to reconsider the pearls option. And there is always the option of renting jewelry. I had heard of "Bag Borrow or Steal" before and then while evading work came upon this article on CNN.

I would rent a necklace for $150 but the article states, "The most dazzling piece is an 89-stone diamond necklace with three optional pendants worth $95,950. It rents for $2,290 a day." and at that rate, I would just buy something a bit smaller.

If I was a betting woman, I would bet on me wearing pearls as my something borrowed come November.

I would only wear 3-ply

I meant to post this earlier but I got delayed by a cold and holiday preparations (belated Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year).

A couple was married in Times Square at the Charmin Restrooms set up for the event. The bride wore a gown made entirely of toilet paper. Click here for the article and click here for pictures of other toilet paper dresses. A toilet paper dress can come in handy in many situations and I can leave filling in that the list of situations up to you.You cannot tell from these pictures that they are TP. I swear - these women are very creative. However, I prefer a dress that can stand up to the elements.

Snow and stuff

We have had more snow in one week than we did all of last winter. It has been fun times in the Boston-area especially because of the "save your spot" phenomena. If you shovel out a parking spot, it is yours for a looooong time. Streets are lined with garbage cans, orange cones, lawn furniture - all saving the spot. Boston tried to crack down on it saying that after 48 hours you cannot save a spot. Trucks drove through and collected all the items in parking spots. Not to be outwitted, residents started saving spots with bags of trash and had garbage collected on non-pick up days. I guess this is just "save the spot" another thing that makes no sense and is technically illegal but everyone looks the other way because "this is how it is done in Boston".

Anyway, the snow combined with a cold mixed with a lot of work coupled with the Jamie Lynn Spears scandal has left me no time to post. So I apologize to my legions of fans. I truly am sorry.

And I am really upset by the Jamie Lynn thing. I thought she had a good head on her shoulders. But what can you expect when you let your 16 year old daughter's 19 year old boyfired live with her.

She is back!

Having survived the TWO storms that have hit Boston, I have good news. My engagement ring is back on my finger. And I checked out the recommendation for Barmakian Brothers and they have two rings that are similar to the one I love and for less than I was expecting. So all that is good.

The bad news: B's car has not moved in a few days and hopefully he can get it out of the snowpile that is the parking spot. Maybe we should put covered garage on our list of requirements of a house if and when we buy one. After all this snow we added proximity to the commuter rail or subway line that links into the commuter rail (mainly the Red Line which I love so I am fine with that) to the list of house requirements.

Who doesn't love a pinata?

Today is kind of slow for me at work and so I harassed bridesmaid Kim into emailing with me. And in our discussions of all things wedding, she mentioned having a pinata at the reception. Oh ho we laughed. But then I thought about one at the rehearsal dinner. How awesome would that be!! Everyone gets to smash the bride and groom until candy falls out. It is good clean fun the whole family can enjoy. So after our email exchange I searched and found this lovely couple.

(image from www.lamariposaimports.com)

If two pinatas are too much we could attack a wedding cake. But we are not having a wedding cake per se at the actual wedding.

Or we can get something like these custom made ones from thepinatashop.net.

I can see you getting beer pinatas but what crazy fool wants a butter stick pinata? Seriously that is just gross. I used to eat straight up butter as a kid and I don't even like this pinata. I guess if you worked in the butter department of Land o' Lakes you would like the pinata. But still...

Hillary the Hand Model

So I mentioned that B got bought his ring and it was very quick and painless. I tried on over 10 rings and purchased nothing. Part of the problem is that my friend Hillary (the Texan republican with a heart a gold*) was given a ring by her beloved as a gift a few years ago and I fell in love. Unfortunately for the rings, each one I treid on or looked at was compared to Hillary's. Since we have time I am now pursuing the option of just getting Hillary's ring made. Alett (friend who got engaged on Halloween, click here for a refresh of her story) is having her engagement ring made (they are using Hugh's grandmother's stones but redoing the ring design to one more suitable to her profession and lifestyle). Also the lady at Romm Diamonds mentioned custom making the ring. And we have some time so I am meeting with the jeweler Alett is using in February and haivng Romm give us a price. I figure it can't hurt to ask and if I have to pay a lot I should get the ring I want. And the ring is the one wedding purchase I will use everyday.

So without further adieu, I introduce to you Hillary's hand and her ring. It is so purty! (and Hillary's hand is looking mighty fine as well).

*She is not really Texan but we call her that and it is a long story. But she does have a heart of gold and after learning she is a Republican I "allegedly" asked her "But do you have a heart?" I have no recollection of this conversation and that is why it has "alleged" status. But I can see myself saying that to her so it probably did happen.

An easy out...

After one of the more than I would like to know about story where a husband/boyfriend murdered his wife/girlfriend while she was pregnant, I had a discussion with B. During it I gave him an easy out. I told him that if he ever feels that he wants out of the marriage and responsibility of the kids and wants to kill, all he needs to do is leave me a note that basically states, "Liz, I can't do this. I was going to kill you but decided to just leave you and the kids." I figure it is a win-win, I don't have to die and he never has to deal with me or children again and does not have to go to jail.

Naked

So I went to get my ring resized but we decided to hold off but then this morning things changed. I took not one but two headers on the black ice and my hands broke my fall both times. After the second fall my ring looked a little off. Since I was on the verge of freaking out, I drove from North of Boston to South of Boston and had the ring checked and resized. It is being taken down one whole ring size and the prongs are being readjusted (I wasn't crazy!). The only problem is I don't have my ring for a whole week. I keep having little moments of panic when I don't feel my ring on my finger.

I can't wait to get my ring back and to not have it spin around on my finger.

Belated Well Wishes

Happy Belated Birthday to Ryan D! I remembered to call this year so that is step in the right direction.

One ring down

After an hour and half visit to the jewelry store, I walked out empty handed and B will have to return in a few weeks to pick up his wedding band. It was the first one he tried on and after trying several other ones, he went back to the original ring. And much like my dress selection, he was surprised that he really likes a ring and the way it fit. I was worried about B's ring selection process since he has never regularly worn a ring. I guess that is not that strange for a guy. He does wear a Celtic cross every day but that is kind of different.

So we still have another ring to go but we have time.

Happy Birthday!

Congratulations to Teresa and Mike on the birth of their daughter, Danica Rose. She was born at 4:24 am weighing in at 8 pounds and 21 inches long. Teresa's blog is listed on the side and judging by the pictures and her posts, she is very happy not to be pregnant and to hold her baby. Both are doing fine.

Congratulations to all!

My weekend and love of cookbooks

My company has a "use them or lose them" policy with vacation days and I will be taking Monday and Tuesday off next week. So in preparation I have been creating my to do list (I love to do lists. Love them. Though I rarely cross everything off and have notebooks filled with unfinished lists) and while a lot of things related to boring things like cleaning my apartment, doing laundry (long side story coming: once I get a "new" washing machine and I mean new to me via craigslist. I think my washing machine got jealous of the "new" dishwasher and decided to give up on me. Hopefully the new one will be delivered tomorrow and installed shortly after that. Not a good month for appliances here) and holiday things like sending christmas cards, finishing my christmas shopping - there are some fun wedding related things on their as well.


1) Begin Save the Dates: I already introduced you to my Gocco machine and I have been trying it out and setting up different layouts. I think I have it figured out. I like how the end product has an unevenness in the ink and has a bit of a vintage feel. Each one is unique. I like them.

2) Ring shopping: I know I posted how I was probably not ring shopping for a while but B got a gift card to the jeweler store where my e-ring was purchased. So we figured we would look around for our rings and see about getting my ring resized.

3) Think about cupcake flavors: Before it became the cool thing to do, I knew we were going to have cupcakes. I love them. B doesn't like cake, especially wedding cake but liked the idea of cupcakes. As a wedding gift, my friend Kristin will be making the cupcakes and a small cake for us to cut into and save for our first anniversary. B is going to build her a web site in the new year and I will be talking more about that at a later date. In New York I used to get cupcakes and went to Buttercup. Oh how I missed it when I moved and I am not in Manhattan much anymore when I visit. This made me sad. Then a cupcake place opened up in Bay Ridge near B's parents. I visit it when I am in the neighborhood and B brings me back some when he visits. This cupcake place in Bay Ridge is owned by a guy that used to work at Buttercup and uses the same recipes because the Buttercup owner published a cookbook with her recipes (she also tried to sue him but lost the case). Kristin said she would make us any flavor cupcake as long as she had a recipe. My big idea - get the recipe book to get the exact recipes of the cupcakes I love so much. So B's roommate has a library card (I don't even know where the Medford Library is. I probably need a car to get there.) to the Boston Public Library and went and took out this Buttercup cookbook. At this moment, the cookbook is in Dot (Dorchester for the non-locals) and it is waiting for me to open it up and see all the different cupcakes I love and maybe some new ones I will grow to love. I am so excited to see which ones there are and to start seeing about options for the wedding. I love reading cookbooks. It is a weird past time of mine. Stop judging.


So that is what I will be doing Saturday - Tuesday with some sleep thrown in and a 50% chance I shower.

Free movie screening courtesy of Modern Bride

These are available on a first come, first serve, basis but for those in Atlanta, Dallas, or New York you may get lucky and have some fun.

Tickets to a creening for the movie 27 Dresses starring Izzie from Grey's Anatomy (a show I love but am not allowed to watch alone). Tickets available at www.brides.com/screening.

Do not remove

While watching some of the wedding shows on TV (I typically watch Bridezillas or Whose Wedding is it Anyways?), B and I heard of two couples who had some fun with the engravings on the inside of the groom's ring. One had "Do Not Remove" engraved and another had "Put it back on!" Nice to see humor in weddings is not totally a thing of the past. Here is an article that reinforces the notion of a man keeping the wedding ring on - it saved his life. His wedding ring deflected a bullet. I kid you not. Read the story here.

Marriage helps the environment

It is true according to this new article featured on Yahoo!. Ok actually it says divorce is bad for the environment because it creates an additional household where there was once only one.

Name Game

Changing of a last name is ultimately a personal decision and at most a decision between a bride and groom. Though these days it seems some are taking the decision to family members (via competitions) and the Internet.

Today the options are seemingly endless:
1) Bride takes groom's last name (but what about middle name, keep it or have maiden name become middle name)
2) Groom takes bride's last name (possible in seven states of which Massachusetts and New York are two)
3) Bride takes hyphenated name (Smith-Jones)
4) Bride takes combined name (SmithJones)
5) Groom also takes hyphenated name
6) Groom also takes combined name
7) Both take a new last name altogether

For some interesting discussion of the name game, read the New York Times article here.

Information for the Groom

In the latest bridal magazine (Modern Bride) I have purchased (it is the last fall/winter one to go onsale so I am done buying them...I think) there is a listing of the most helpful wedding web sites. I checked one of them out out of curiosity and it proved to be quite funny. Groom411 is a web site for the groom (duh) and is pretty funny. My favorite part is the extensive list of to do's for the groom. You can read it here. I like that it starts out before the mate is found.

Inspiration Boards

A big trend on all the wedding web sites are inspiration boards. Pictures of things that inspiring the theme of the wedding. I think artist's use them for help in creating, well, art. Now brides-to-be use them to create the day of their dreams (which I have yet to buy into because the day of my dreams should not involve me doing one thing I dread and there are things I dread associated with it).

Here is a link to a style blog and reader submitted inspiration boards: Style Me Pretty

Here is a blog post about how to create one: Weddingbee


I barely have a theme (I guess it is Fall. I am not that creative. Sorry.) and I do not have an inspiration board.

Being A Good Wife

This is supposedly from the 1950s but some investigating places it more around the 1880s (with the picture added later). For information about the investigation, click here.

The clipping speaks for itself (click on it to read it).

The heat is on

I succumbed to the New England weather and turned my heat on today. My toes were just too cold.

And I thought rain was bad

Most brides worry about rain on their wedding day or the florist not showing up. Lucky for me, I don't fear a military coup on my wedding day like happened to this bride. I don't think I would have reacted the way she did. Panic would have definitely set in.

For the article, click here.

Shopping, shopping, shopping

Not holiday shopping but home shopping. When B is over, sometimes he will make a comment such as "If I am going to live here we need to [change something about my apartment]". So as I start to buy things for my apartment, I take his comments into consideration. Also, it gives me an excuse to buy things. Recently I have purchased a new garbage can (because of his complaints about how the garbage bags don't stay in place with the old one) and utensil dividers for the make shift utensil drawer. However, the biggest purchase is about to happen.

Drumroll, please...

A portable dishwasher. B hates doing the dishes and hates that I let the glasses pile up in the sink. So we have decided and by we I mean me, to look on Craigslist and find one. And I believe this weekend, we will bring home the newest addition to our family. The added bonus is additional counterspace for my oddly shaped, yet quite large kitchen. Since this is not a small purchase (not really a large one), this may be our christmas gift to each other. Tres romantic!

First Wedding Nightmare

So I had my first nightmare related to the wedding.

It started out harmless. A bunch of us were going swimming in the ocean the morning of the wedding (a la Little Rhody's Block Island fete). And I ran out of the water and realized that my engagement ring was missing (analysis: I am worried that I will lose my ring since it is getting too big for my ring finger). Luckily I find it. Then all of a sudden I am dressed and the wedding is going to be starting in a little bit. B is out getting pictures with the male attendants and I am hiding from him. I realize that we do not have wedding rings and I call him. He answers the phone in a sarcastic manner and I start telling him that we have no rings and he needs to get some. I suggest he go to a jeweler and just buy two plain bands and we will re-size them later - we just need something for the priest to bless. He says that no jeweler does this and that he thought we forgot about the rings but he didn't think to tell me. It is at this point that I begin to yell at him and find myself actually yelling (more like mumbling but still) and I woke myself up. I went downstairs, went to the bathroom (my mother told me that bad dreams were our minds way of trying wake us up because we had to go to the bathroom) and got a glass of water. I fell back to sleep after about 15 minutes.

I want to go out this weekend and buy rings so I am sure that we have them for the ceremony. But I won't.

Some more pictures of the reception site

I had pulled together some pictures I found on flickr.com of other weddings at the Picnic House for B to send to his mom and I thought I would share them with my adoring fans as well.

So here are some interior shots to give you a better sense of what the reception will be like.


I like the random high tables set around the other tables. I think I may "borrow" this idea. It will give people a place to hang out during the cocktail hour (since it is all the same space) and during the reception people can lean their drinks on them while talking to old friends.


I like the chinese lanterns hanging but I doubt we will have those. I also like how this picture shows you the low lighting as opposed to the site fully illuminated with all the lights on.



Fully illuminated.

The centerpiece that could have been

Continuing from the post about the martini glass centerpiece that was ripped from hands, B and I were joking about getting oversized glasses for the centerpieces. And then one day while walking through the Christmas Tree Shop in Somerville, we happened upon this beautious modern day gem:

We thought (jokingly) about having them on the tables as centerpieces or better yet, as the actual wine glasses. Imagine us, the lovely couple, gulping out of these suckers after each toast. It would be a great time for all I am sure.

Interesting article

According to two Boston-area sociologists, marriage makes you greedy and isolated. However, once you have kids, the playing field is level so that is good. I don't know how much I buy into some of the theories - such as the effects of no longer fulfilling a role like husband or wife. But you can decide for yourself (For the full article in the Boston Globe, click here.)

First Dance

Don't worry we will not be doing this dance!

Click here to see the video (sent to me by Alett - maybe she will do the dance?).

The centerpiece that could have been

Everyone admires and comments on centerpieces at a wedding. One time at a wedding of a childhood friend, I won the centerpiece (I never win anything). The prize was an oversized martini glass with glass beads and a beta fish. The kid next to me was taking the fish home so B and I fished the fish (intended to say that) out of the glass and he went to a very nice home I am sure. We then carried the martini glass out to the garden (it was very heavy with all the water and glass beads) and poured out the water without losing any glass beads.

Upon returning to the reception room, we placed what remained of the centerpiece on the table and continued dancing. During the last dance, Mrs. D (the bride's mom) walked by the table and took the now almost empty martini glass and put it on her table. B and I were stunned and couldn't do anything. Not only was it Mrs. D who I had known forever but it was also the bride's mom. So that became the centerpiece gift that never was. I imagined sitting at home on my couch, drinking out of the oversized glass as my then roommate came home and hopefully looked at me amused. I still think about what my life would be now had I gotten to take the martini glass home.

Christmas Bows

I have never been able to tie bows on packages and just buy bows and stick them on (unlike my sister Kathleen who always has the best wrapped gifts - every thing ties perfectly and color coordinated). But Martha has a step by step guide for the perfect bow here. Maybe this is the Christmas that I learn to tie a bow. Maybe.

Even with the whole insider trading thing, I still like Martha. She knows how to get down with the crafts.

What to do with all the books?

So I have had started some fall cleaning partly to get rid of a lot of crap I have and partly to create room for B's stuff (I hate cleaning and if I tackle a few sqaure feet of space at a time I won't seem overwhelmed). So now I am faced with the question of what to do with all this stuff.

Some of my nephews are about to get cameras that work most of the time (and if they break them by seeing how far they can throw no one will care). But that tactic is not going to work for my books and random knick-knacks. Do I try to sell them via this hing called the Internet, donate, chuck them (I could in good conscience chuck knick knacks but I don't think I could throw books out).

As of right now I have two paper shopping bags worth of books and I have only gone thorugh one room (books can be found in almost every room though this first room does have the most books). I figure there is at least another shopping bag worht of books left to find in the house. I also have started filling a rubbermaid bin with the knick-knacky kind of stuff and may need another one soon.

If you want any books, kitchen utensils, random decorating items, stuffed animals, etc. let me know, I probably have it in a bin or box. Just let me know! :)

Gobble Gobble Gobble

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Bright Side

So most of my posts about us moving in together have been my fears and neurosis but I am looking forward to it overall. It is just easier for me to look at the negatives and then prepare for them rather go in blindly thinking it will be all rainbows and roses. So here are some of the good things about merging our lives:

1) I won't be alone. Sometimes it is lonely to go home to an empty apartment and sometimes I don't think I talk to anyone once I leave work until I get back in the office. So that will be nice.

2) It will be easier to cook. Most times I don't cook because it is just me and either I eat too much for dinner because the amount of food I cooked is for a few people or I get sick of eating the same leftovers all week.

3) I won't have to fold the laundry alone. I tend to have a backlog of laundry that needs to be folded so it will be great to have an extra set of hands.

4) Making plans will be easier. Right now there is always a discussion of where should we meet, how we will get there, and nothing seems to be easy. This will get easier.

5) Conversations will be easier. Cell reception in my apartment stinks so us having a conversation will no longer involve one of us repeating "Hello. Can you hear me?"

6) Save on heat. I figure with a body in my bed I won't need to turn the heat on until Christmas at the earliest. (side note - have not turned on the heat but this was a tough weekend. I had to upgrade my sheets to flannel and that has helped a lot. Also, one of B's friends has the same rule about no heat until Thanksgiving. I think I love him.)

7) More music. B has an extensive music collection on his computer which will be mine as well. Music makes my weekend cleaning go by faster though I don't know if my landlady likes me blasting it at 9:00 on a Sunday.

What time is dinner?

Another moving in issue that has come to light is dinnertime.

We first realized that we had a difference of dinner expectations when we made our first thanksgiving dinner (I am good at preparing thanksgiving dinner imho). I said dinner would be at around 1:30 and he was expecting it to be around 4:30. My family always had Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner early in the day. And it is nice because you get it done with and then have all day to relax. Plus when you get hungry around 7:00, you have all the leftovers at your disposal. Also, while I would have to get up early, I would still be able to watch the football games on. B wanted to eat later because that is when his family ate - but I was doing all the cooking so I didn't think he really could be choosy. In the end, I think we ended up doing somewhere inbetween.

So this brings us to the new revelation that I like to prepare dinner when I get home around 6:15 but B tends to come home late, do stuff and then he ends up eating at 8:00.
This came about from our anniversary dinner when I wanted to go out at 6:30 and even stayed late at work so when I got home I didn't have to wait long for him to get there. But at 6:15 while I was walking up the Bike Path he called to say he was just leaving work. So that means he will be at my house at 6:45 (the earliest). But he didn't get there until 7:00 (empty handed by the way but then he picked up the check which saved him). So now we don't end up eating until 7:30.

That is way too late for me. And too dependent on outside factors. I like routine. I don't know what the end result will be for this one.

Tu y Yo

That is where we went. Tu y Yo in Somerville. It had been a place B had wanted to try (I had already eaten there once). It is authentic Mexican food and a bit different. We opted to try the fried grasshoppers on another night but I did eat cactus for the first time. The texture was not what I was expecting and it reminded me of green beans. I had some chicken dish that was really good and B had Tinga.

However, the best part of the night was coming home to a package next to my door - from Macy's. Since it was the first wedding package we have received I waited for B to come over. When he got there I promptly told him that this was the only time I was waiting for him to open the box. Next time I am tearing in like a 3 year-old on Christmas morning.

So here it is in a pictorial format.

The big box full of peanuts

ooohhhh pretty bow

The engagement cards have gone and now we are putting up wedding cards.

Yes we did open the gift and we have stored the boxes in the china cabinent (Miriam is her name. Long story but yes, my china closet has a name. Though the best part about New England houses is the built in cabinents in the dining rooms. Pure genius.) until next November.

And no, I am not going to post pictures every time I am fortunate enough to receive a gift. But this is the first one and I am excited. Kind of like how you take a ton of pictures of the first kid and by the last one you have none. You know what I mean.

366 days to go!

It is exactly one year from the wedding day. 2008 is a leap year so that is why it is 366 days away and not 365 days.

Because I am me, B and I are going out to dinner tonight for a pre-anniversary dinner. I was planning on going to Anna's (It is the BEST burrito place in all the land - seriously next time you are in Boston you HAVE to go. Much better than that chain owned by McDonald's called Chiptotle. I can't even believe I ever went to Chiptotle. Yes I can. I got a coupon for a free burrito so of course I went.) but B mentioned going to a decent place that actually has table service. We haven't yet decided. I will let you know tomorrow where we go because I am acutely aware that many of you will have trouble sleeping until you get this information. I have a high EQ and highly attuned to these things.

Happy birthday shout out to Hugh.

We found it!

So this weekend not only did I find my dress but also the bridal party's dress. After I tried on eight dresses at RK Bridal (limit was seven but I sweet talked one more dress - the extra dress turned out to be the one I bought), we made Kim try on bridesmaid's dresses. She was a great dress try-oner. If you ever need some to try on dresses for you, she is your girl. After trying on the one that she found online and a few others, we all liked the first one. Below is a picture of the Alfred Angelo dress. I have worn Alfred Angelo before and found that dress to be extremely comfortable. So hopefully these dresses will be as well.



Ann may opt for the jacketed version.




Since it will be November we may have to find a shrug or shawl for them to wear. If you have any ideas throw them my way.

Happy birthday to Erica and Jen C.

I found it!

I have found the dress and just have to order it (thanks Aunt Carol) and get my measurements taken. The only debate I am having now is whether to have the alterations done at the store or in Massachusetts. I don't know how hard (or easy) it will be to find a trusted source who will do the alterations in Massachusetts.

Because I love my dress so much and don't want her to be cheapened, I am not posting a link. She is a dress that is so beautiful that she must have the right setting, musical accompaniment, lighting in order to be unveiled. She is a bit shy - sorry.

While I am Away

I am off to NYC for more dress try ons and seeing family. In my absence enjoy this picture of Massachusetts fall foliage.





(pic from massroads.com)

New realization about making room

So I have been thinking about how I am going to fit B into my apartment and then this morning I received an email which sent me into a bit of a conundrum.


An item on my registry (thanks K & C you rock) was purchased but placed on backorder. (I hope I don't get emails all the time, I like surprises). But then I realized that we will be receiving gifts and we will have to make room for them. The easiest solution is that we just open the boxes and put the gifts away in cabinets, closets, kitchens, etc. However, we are not taking gifts out of the boxes until after the wedding. Just to make sure, we are not using any gifts until the papers are signed. You never know when one of us will flake out. And then returning gifts will be easier since nothing has been used.


But the problems is that we will have boxes waiting to opened. And I don't know where they will go. The guest bedroom (no boxes yet and dying for some visitors if you want to use it) is our go-to-place but who knows what it will look like after the merger.


I guess there are worse problems to have. But still, the apartment can not handle much more clutter and disorganization.

I also have resigned myself to the fact that B is the neater of the two.

How long until the wedding?

It is one week and one year away.

(for those keeping score at home that means if we didn't change the wedding date it would be only one year away.)

Bridal Party Beware!

Don't piss me off or you will be stuck on armpit duty.

Those committing minor infractions will just have to keep my wine glass full.

(picture from divinecaroline.com via weddingbee.com)

But don't worry, I will never ask you or anyone else at the wedding to do this.

Compromise??

Another issue with the merging of our lives is not the number of computers he has or or the Xbox, but this innocuous golden orb:

I refuse to turn the heat on before Thanksgiving and choose to wear a hat and hooded sweatshirt around the apartment. In fact I am just starting to insulate the windows in my apartment with plastic as my bathroom is getting chilly in the morning.

I try each year to see how long I can make it without turning on the heat and I do it for two reasons:

1) I don't want to pay the high gas prices

2) It is much more efficient to regulate your personal temperature rather than force your environment to appealing temperatures.

B on the other hand is a delicate flower who does not like the cold (welcome to Boston my friend). He and J turn on the heat way too early and often in my opinion but they don't ask for it.

The thing is, this problem also goes the other way. I hate air conditioning. Again, it costs more money and I feel bad about the damage it does to the environment. (Side note: I have had these viewpoints long before Al Gore and his Inconvenient Truths - I am just saying). In fact, this is only the second year in my adult life that I have had an air conditioner. A fan on high works well for me though sometimes I do lie there with a cold, damp washcloth on my head in order to fall asleep but I am tough. B claims he can't sleep in the heat.

I think this is a debate that cannot be settled just yet. And I am not sure what the compromise is.

Making Room again

So after surveying my apartment even further, I realize that it is going to take a major effort to organize and get rid of not only the clutter, but the junk. And it is going to be harder than I thought. I admit that I watch Clean House on Style and make fun of the people who can't let go shoes that they never wore and don't actually fit them. I can laugh at them no longer. As I look at the stack of VHS tapes in the living room, some with no labels, I realize that I am one of them. I can't let go of the tapes. Nevermind the fact that it is an outdated technology and I don't have a VCR (though B does so maybe I should hold on to them just in case we want to watch them). Also it seems like a waste to just throw out Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Green Gables the Sequel. The tapes are perfect and who will appreciate the story like I do.

Another area that I realize that is not going to be easy are closets. And it is not the emotional kind of tough but physically difficult. I realize that my closets are deep and tall. There is a lot of stuff crammed in these dark spaces. I may not be brave enough to go in and take prisoners.

However, I do realize that I have to do these things and not just in order to make room. I cannot keep accumulating stuff at this rate. I may suffocate myself or become the crazy lady down the street with years worth of newspapers and many, many cats.

Making Room For B Part I

In blending two apartments, I have to make room for B in my apartment. And a problem is my pack rat-ness. I don't throw anything out. As the youngest of many, I take home furnishings/accessories hand me downs from everyone. Unfortunately, I do not store or display them in an efficient or neat manner like some (specifically Kathleen and Maureen).

The piece-de-resistance that highlights my inability to throw anything out is this picture:


This overflowing recycling bin is full of bills/bank statements dating back to 1999. The scary part is that I moved to Boston in 2002. So I moved a box of bills from New York to Boston. Why - incase I got audited. Honestly, I don't know. I thought you were supposed to save these things. This bin needs to be emptied before B moves in and I am trying to shred a little each week. It is not going well.

Congratulations!

Yesterday was Halloween and B and I braved the commuter rail and traveled up to Salem. There were thousands of people dressed up in good and some not so good costumes. And of course there were tons of sexy cops, fire fighters, football players, doctors, nurses, maids, etc. to keep us entertained. Unfortunately, this is not that kind of blog so here is are some clean photos.

Normally, we would avoid Salem on Halloween like you avoid the East side during the Puerto Rican Day Parade. However, our friend Hugh was planning on proposing to his girlfried (and avid reader/poster of this wonderful blog) Alett. They met a few years ago on Halloween, in Salem. Luckily for everyone involved, she said yes.

Here is the happy couple. He is crazy and she is Canadian so it works for them. And their dogs are excited that the two of them are making it official - it helps them feel like a real family now, just like the other dogs at the dog park.

2 Become 1

Apartments that is. For a variety of reasons, B is moving into my current apartment which is a great two-bedroom near Ball Square. It is very neighborhoody, close to the Red Line, and affordable. My one complaint is the stove from 1970 but I have a washer/dryer, basement storage and a backyard.

The problem is that I have been living by myself for just over a year and by the time he moves in, it will be two years. I like things my way. I like answering to no one and if I want to eat Kraft singles in bed, I can. I also do things a certain way and do not like change.

The best example is locking the door. I lock my door with a key, even though I can just turn the knob thing and lock the door before I close it. I do that when I close the door at B's but at my place I have to lock it with a key from the outside. However, there is a reason for my rule. I forget my keys a lot. I misplace them often. I lose my keys several times. So if I am outside my apartment there is a good chance that my keys are inside. So if I only lock the door with a key, I always know that as long as the door is locked, I have my keys somewhere. It is a simple system and it works for me.

Now if B is over and we go out, he tries to lock the door his way not with a key. I don't like it. It puts a crimp in my system and could cause me to get locked out. Then I have to get my landlady to let me in and I feel stupid even though she says "that's what I am here for" when she lets me in.

We have Gocco'd

So B and I tried out the Gocco machine yesterday and it is awesome. We still were unsure about how it worked. It is as simple as the instructions say but there will be some complexity in dealing with the invitations since we will have multiple colors and our print area is bigger than the printing screen.

Here is the machine on my dining room table (with a towel underneath just in case).

This is the image we were trying to print copies of.

Here is the screen with ink.

Then we press down...

And voila! We have created prints in gold ink of the picture. We tried it on textured and flat paper. We like the textured better.

I have to remember to go heavy on the ink but still pretty cool and easy.

Save the dates are next!

Playing Hooky

I mentioned a few posts ago that B and I were taking off the Friday after the BC/VaTech game. I am glad we did since after the miraculous win, we (along with some of his friends) were the last to leave BSG. The win made for a non-cranky B on Friday as we went to Rockport for some no frills, economical, delicious lobster, clam chowder and ice cream. The drive up was really pretty as the foliage is hitting its peak. And being a Friday, there were not that many out of state leaf peepers. We hope to start exploring New England more. Next I want to go to a corn maze. We will see when that actually happens.

Our no frills table and chairs...

Our view...

Other pictures around Rockport...

BC's next game is Saturday at home - we have a wedding and I have much empathy for the bride dealing with her BC alumnus groom to be. I wish her Godspeed. And B is not allowed to check scores during ceremony or reception. But I am sure any of his ten BC friends will keep him updated.

Cake Time!

We are not having a large cake and instead are having cupcakes with a small two-tiered cake for cutting into (and serving that night) and preserving for our one year anniversary. If we were having a cake, I would use the one below as inspiration. Imagine a whole cake that looked like me in the same wedding dress. There is only one word to describe it - Awesome!

Keeping Secrets

I am a horrible secret keeper - if you have told me something in confidence I have more than likely told B. The good news is that he is a great secret keeper so if I did tell him your secret, it will go no further than him. I like to think that he would not have caved to Voldemort and Harry's parents would not have been killed. But that is just me.

And after dress shopping, I realized that me not divulging anything about the dress is going to be torture. I have to keep this to myself for over a year (and 2008 is a leap year so I have an extra day to deal with). If I do falter, I do not doubt that he will quickly put me in my place. I already have been scolded because I accidentally left some pictures up on my computer screen after I transferred them from my camera to the computer. They were thumbnails so he didn't see much except blobs of white or ivory. I would have looked.

The other weird thing is that we discuss (and he might say overdiscuss) every wedding decision. This is a very big one and feels weird for me to be making it all by myself. It is also hard because I want him to love (not like) the end result.

Registering

Because I can't show the pictures that I took on Saturday, I am moving on to another topic - registering. After we had gotten engaged (or as New York would say, after B engaged to me) we did not go down to New York and visit any reception sites for almost two months. In those two months I got antsy to do something wedding-related, so I decided to open up a registry.

Because of their lenient return policy I knew that we were going to register at Bed Bath and Beyond and then another store to be named later. After blogging about going to Target with B after I had already done all my shopping, I thought it was too bad I didn't register at Target. The other store we picked was Macy's because it is everywhere and everyone knows it. I didn't want to send people to a store that I don't shop in normally (Williams-Sonoma or Fortunoff) and everyone has Bed Bath and Beyond or Macy's near them. Also I have heard that Crate and Barrel discontinues things fairly often and many brides have to register multiple times because their original items are no longer in stock.

Also Macys and Bed Bath and Beyong usually have good sales or send you a million coupons (I am looking at you Bed Bath and Beyond...20% off any one item). While registering, Lynn (our bridal consultant) informed us that even though the 20% off coupon lists a bunch of brands that are not included in the offer, all you have to say is "I didn't know know it didn't include [insert brand name here]. I don't know if I want it" and the cashier is supposed to allow you to use the coupon "this one time." It is part of their training in providing the utmost in customer service.

So on this Saturday afternoon, we have our first encounter with the scanner. B was intrigued and the first five items placed on our registry we his choosing. The jigger was the first item we registered for and he picked it. While I did look forward to registering, it was very overwhelming and after awhile, I started to feel uncomfortable about selecting the exact things I wanted and how much things cost. After about two hours, we turned in our scanner and decided to finish off the registry in the comfort of home and over the next few months.

One weekend when I went to New York without B, I dragged bridesmaid extraordinaire, Kim, with me to Macys and started that registry. Macy's Herald Square was definitely overwhelming but I liked that they had EVERYTHING there. I saw all my options in person rather than on the computer screen or just a picture in a flyer. (Also when you tell them the number of invited guests they tell you how many gifts you should register for and the number in each price range which is handy.) While there Kim feel in love with a pineapple patterned china. One day Kim, one day and it will all be yours. After about an hour in Macy's, we left and replenished our bodies at the Beer Garden but that is a whole other story.

On another return trip to NY, B and I finished off our Macy's registry for the most part - he selected the bedding. I say for the most part because I feel like they are in a state of constant flux. I add stuff and then feel guilty about how much I have registered for and take stuff off (I do that with actually purchasing things either I go to the strore put a lot of things in the cart and then slowly put most back or I just buy a bunch of things and then end up returning some). I go back and forth as to whether I should have an item on the Macy's list or the Bed Bath and Beyond one or both. B gets a gift from work which is similar to something on the registry so I take that off. I think I need to stop thinking about it for awhile and just let the registry sit, unchanged, for awhile.

Day of Dresses

My Saturday consisted of trying on several dresses in the Boston area. The started with me meeting Laura, trusted dress advisor, in Davis Square at 10:30 and ended at 6:00 with said dress advisor dropping me off at home. And while I was exhausted and tired and couldn't look at another dress, I was able to get a good idea of what I wanted and what worked for me. I am now able to really focus my search for the one dress to rule them all. While I can't go into specifics about what I am now looking for, I can tell you a few things:

1) I don't like pouff
2) I hate petticoats
3) Facial hair does not look right on a lady (though she was very nice, patient, and helpful)

Thanks a ton to Laura for shepharding me through the day and Alett for infusing us with some life towards the end of the day.

Detour!

We take a break from our regularly scheduled dress talk to discuss the package that was on my doorstep today.


My Gocco Printer!!!!!!!!


This is a picture of every thing in the box displayed nice and neat. Unfortunately, it does not look that way in my living room. Things have kind of exploded.


For those of you not in the know - Gocco is a fully self-contained compact color printing system invented in the 1977 by Noboru Hayama. Using flash bulbs similar to those found in old cameras, an original image is thermally imprinted on a master screen.

The name "print gocco" is derived from the Japanese word and concept "gocco", loosely translated as a type of make-believe play used to learn common rules and knowledge.

In December 2005, Gocco’s parent company, "Riso", announced they are ending production of the Gocco system due to low sales in Japan. An Internet campaign was started to find a new home for the product. (definition courtesy of Wikipedia)

So all I want to do now is print something. But because you of the process, just playing around for one or two prints is not really the thing to do. The goal is to use this printing machine to create save the dates, invitations, reply cards, thank you cards, anything card related for the rest of my life, etc.

Examples of Gocco-created invites are below (click the links):
WeddingBee example-this also gives a bit of an example of the process
An IndieBride
Another IndieBride

Dress Thoughts

I don't wear a lot dresses and the thought of big, poofy, heavy wedding dress give me panic attacks. I am looking for a simple dress that is not too shiny, heavy, ornate, over the top, or meringue-like.

As I have only really looked in magazines and torn out pages, I am not even sure what to expect in terms of dresses at stores. I am not going to lie - the thought of dress shopping intimidates me.

I am not going to wear a dress like this. B and I discussed no color for the wedding dress (I want to look good for myself as well as for him, so I ask him his opinion in a very vague manner):

However, something like this is okay:

I like dresses like (remember to click the link to see unless you are my fiance, then don't click anything. there is nothing to see) these:

Dress 1

Dress 2 (last one)

Coming Soon

I will be posting somelinks to dresses that I like right now. I like the look of these dresses and like them regardless of how they may look on me. Also B visits this blog from time to time and because of that, I have to post the links rather than the actual picture. The question all of you may be asking yourself is thatwon't he look. And the answer is no, he won't. Why won't he - I don't know. I just that he won't. He doesn't even look at his phone if he gets a text while watching TV or doing something. It drives me crazy. However, we did discuss what would happen if the situation was reversed andwe decided that I would totally look. And I would. Don't judge.

See you at the movies

I hung up the phone a few minutes ago and booked another vendor. This is the last one that I have had to deal with it and I had been procrastinating. It is the videographer. And it is of lesser importance to me and one of the only reasons we are getting one is because of Brendan's oldest brother's kids. I guess when they were younger, their parents' wedding video was their favorite "movie" to watch. Since video is of lesser importance and I didn't feel like traveling to New York to look at other people's wedding, I selected this vendor solely on word of mouth and price. And according to ladies on the Knot, they are fabulous.

We selected (and by we I mean me since videographer has an "E" next to it) Halo Video. Click here to see some clips of their previous work.

And they keep rising...

So because all of you care, the football team that caused the wedding to change dates has been doing quite well this year and keep rising in the polls. Below is a picture of my nephews (Thomas and Ryan) who were excited to wear their new t-shirts and at the time BC was only ranked 14th in the nation. I can only imagine the excitement they have in wearing the t-shirt of the #3 team in the nation.

Virginia Tech will be a tough game. I took the next day off of work. BC win=B happy=Me happy.

And pretty maids all in a row

Since the color of the wedding had been decided (remember - wine), I have turned my attention to selecting a dress for the bridal party.

I had a few requirements for the dress:
1) It had to not be strapless
2) It had to cover the knee
3) It had to look pretty in wine/red


I like the look of J.Crew dresses but their price tag seems a bit steep, especially if the girls never wear the dress again. (I know all brides want their bridesmaids to wear the dress again but I don't think many do it).


J.Crew: I liked this one. So the search was on for a similar dress.




Then I saw this one on David's Bridal:








Then Bridesmaid Kim decided to find one she liked (I guess that means she doesn't like the others?). And she sent me this:







Several people have said not to juge the dress color based on the Internet and that all the dresses look different in person. I hope to get at least one bridesmaid to a store before the end of the year. We will see...