Our wedding challenge

At pre-cana one of our discussions lead us to both saying that we wish we did more acts of service and volunteering. While I was on the plane last weekend I thought about something we could do instead of gifts to each other. It is kind of a wedding challenge of sorts.

I told B that instead of gifts we should commit to one day of service (together) every month for the first year of marriage. While it doesn't have to be the same thing each time, it would be nice to get in a groove somewhere.

I think we are going to start out with something like BostonCares and maybe go from there.

We hope to turn the wedding web site into a blog of sorts for after the wedding so you can follow up there to see how we fare we the service challenge.

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.

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.

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.