2 days!

...until I become a wife!

Jim and I have had a fabulous week together...just enjoying the last bit of being able to say "fiance"; although we've tested out the husband and wife titles, too.  It feel just as foolish as when I had to start calling Jim my fiance.  I've gotten most of my name stuff switched around at school.  It sure was weird to see Mrs. F_____ on the wall before I left.

I went and got Cara last night in Hudson.  It was definitely very surreal to be meeting in the Tar.get parking lot like we did for her wedding 2 and a half years ago.  I'm still in denial that this is MY wedding.

I also am not enjoying seeing those snowflakes come down, but what can you do?  I guess I don't have as much of a pull with Mother Nature as I thought I did.  It's going to be 50 and sunny by Friday, and that's all I can hope for. :)

We are off to run a couple last minute errands when Cara *finally* wakes up, and then we have to pick up my dress at Louise's...and we are headed home.  Today's tasks include dropping my dress off at the church, showing my personal attendant how to bustle it, picking up the candleabras we are renting for centerpieces, finishing the memory candles, sorting the supplies, and keeping calm while being pulled in 504 different directions.  I can do it. :)

I can't wait to come back soon and post pictures of our big day.  Hopefully, all four readers will stay tuned.

7 days to go!

Wedding Dress

Check!

New wedding jewelry to replace the set I lost (but then found!)

Check!

Wedding band?

Check!

Table numbers?

Check?

 I actually think that I'm going to give up on table numbers, but will be putting pictures of Jim and I on them instead!  I'm not sure I"m going to have time to do the seating arrangement...and I'm not stressing myself over it either.

I hope that adults can find a seat to sit in..and if not, TOO BAD! :)

I'll guess you'll find out when you arrive if they have numbers or pictures on them!! :)

See you in 7 days!

2 weeks!

Can you believe it? I never thought this day would come.  It felt like October 17, 2009 was light years away when we set the date last August.  It's now just a mere 14 days away.

I had another fitting with Louise on my birthday...what a better way to spend the first day of my 29th year.

Sorry the picture quality is not amazing, but when it's dreary and gross out, the natural lighting just doesn't show up.  Do not worry...that necklace is not the one I have chosen to wear with the dress! It was just left over from the outfit I wore to school.

This woman does amazing things with a sewing machine.  I do not know a time where I have felt more beautiful.  But isn't that what your wedding dress is supposed to make happen? :)  I can not wait for Jim to see me in my dress....I think he'll cry. In a good way (I hope).

I need to start tanning immediately to get ride of those ridiculous tan lines.  Will they go away in two weeks, since I procrastinated until the last minute?

Just checking....

The left side pictures are from the first fitting....the right side pictures are from my last fitting.  Can you tell the difference?

Dress Fitting #3!

Despite a sad family time, the show must go on.  And sometimes the best thing is to find something to distract your mind from the sad situation.  Seems like a perfect time for a dress fitting!

We were even able to try on my veil with the dress.  My aunt Lisa did a FABULOUS job on constructing the veil.  It was absolutely everything I hoped it would be!

Of course, Mom didn't put it in quite the right spot, so I had to fix it!

Ha, maybe if I would just make up my mind...

Yep, that looks good!  Don't mind the fact that it looks like I have a moustache in the mirror-Louise's mirror broke earlier in the day.  Lucky for me, it won't be me that has to deal with the 7 years of bad luck.

The white tab at the top of the veil will be hidden away on the wedding day.

So I decided to see if I would like the veil in front of my face.  In the process, I forgot about a pin near my armpit. OUCH!

I just didn't want to bleed on the dress.  One band-aid later, we were good to go.

Admiring myself in the mirror.  I really like this angle (Thanks, Shirley!) because I think it makes me look skinnier!! :)  Oh, did I mention that she has to take more in on the sides?  Yep, I'm not dieting, but I think the nervous energy is starting to work!  Maybe I should keep pushing my wedding out one month at a time...

Here is the BEAUTIFUL bustle.  But apparently, it's not good enough, so Louise is going to keep working on it.  I thought it was fine....but when your seamstress goddess says NO!.....you don't argue. Smile. Nod. Agree.

This makes me even more excited to get in this dress on October 17!! I go back for another fitting on my birthday....hopefully, that should be the last one!

Bows, Bows, Beautiful bows!

Who knew that one could get so excited about bows?  Last Christmas season, I found some awesome polka dotted wired ribbon on clearance--perfect for pew bows!!  I gathered up every ream that the stores had, and even went to 2 more looking to add to my stash.

One problem: Neither my mother nor myself know how to make pew bows.  After a couple less than stellar attempts, my mom and I were destined to have to outsource the pew bows.

Enter Sue, a friend of the family. 

 "I  know how to make pew bows...bring the ribbon down, I"ll figure it out!"

Last Thursday, my mom and Sue began working on the bows.  My mom said they were cute, but sometimes, I worry when she says that, because we don't always have the same taste in things. 

Luckily, this time, Mom was right.

Jim and I popped home for a day to meet with the minister, so Mom and I finished the bows while the boys went golfing.

Yay! Love how they turned out!

I think this is the last DIY project that we have to finish....but then again, I might come up with another new fun idea! :)

I also updated the aisle runner. I wasn't impressed with how our names turned out with the light pink paint.....so I painted over it with brown and added our wedding date.  So much better. 

New and updated................................................Old and Not Cool!

Odds 'n Ends!

Here are a few odds and ends that I've been meaning to post!

Here's myself, my future mother-in-law, and my mom at my shower in my hometown.  We got SO much stuff...it took me almost a week to get motivated to put it all away! But check out that bow bouquet! It's so cheesy..but so awesome!! :)

Here is a shot of the cutest little decorations EVER!  My mom and I spent a couple of hours putting these together when I was home in August.  She tied the bows, because, well, I was less than successful at making them look nice.

Now I have to decide: Do I like it better with the "sand" (ie: brown sugar) in with the candle...or just with the candle?  We will be using the fake tea lights, because these will be hanging on tree branches.  I really don't want to have to call the fire department at my reception.

I also have received my shoes back from David's Bridal.  I'm so in love.

Too bad I have short, stubby toes.

I found this picture last week and now I really want a cake.  How beautiful is this?  Would my mom hurt me if I changed my mind now?? :)  Probably...but I do think that this pushed me over to the side of having a small cake for Jim and I to cut.

And just because I'm so in love with my inspiration for my flowers...here's another shot of the Knottie (gillrob) that I stole it from.

6 weeks from today!!

It's real...

Our invites are ready to mail out. All 175 of them.

(I don't know that I'm ready to talk about what will happen if everyone invited says yes.)

My mom, Shirley (Jim's mom), Andrea (a bridesmaid), and myself worked on Saturday to cut, stuff and lick. It actually only took a couple hours, and really went fast once we got into a rhythm. There are only a few mismatched RSVP cards...but it's all good!

I am so excited to take these to the post office tomorrow morning. Let my {exciting} daily trips to the mailbox begin.

55 days!!

Alterations!!

I had my first appointment with my amazing seamstress Louise today...I am so excited for this dress to be finished!I have to go back for one more appointment for her to do the hem after the zipper gets fixed.

Here's Number 1:

#2

..and number 3.

I have a favorite...what do you think??

2 months, 2 weeks, 2 days! (Too much to do!)

Where has the time gone? It's already August. I have been busy getting little and not so little wedding projects done this summer. I headed home to my parent's house this weekend to tackle some and also attend a wedding shower for my high school friend, Amy.

I came home Friday morning, and my lovely hairstylist mom was able to sneak me in for a hair trial!

I LOVE IT!

The bridesmaid dresses also came in last week...and I love them too!

Here is my lovely crinoline. It has no idea what is going to happen to it in a few short minutes. Do you see that lovely PINK water?

My crinoline didn't know what hit it!!:)

Waiting for it to soak up all the pink goodness.... Ta-da!!! As a re-occuring theme here on this post, I LOVE IT!

Just a cute Dad picture. :) He really likes the crinoline too!

Today, my mom and I tackled all the centerpiece flowers. We had to cut the stems, tie them up in bundles and remove the price tags.

The final product will be this, plus some pearls in the vase to cover up the fake less than real stems.

I might add a ribbon or bow around the vase, but we'll see.

The invitations are put together, thanks to my lovely future mother in law and two of her scrapbook/card making friends! They plowed away on them last week and assembled most of it for me!! Such a huge relief to not have to tackle that alone! Now, I just have to finish getting addresses, and they should be ready to send by the end of this month.

There, that should catch you up on the wedding! :)