bye bye

obviously, for those of you who still check back. I haven't posted in a really long time. I'm super busy with my research and honestly don't really feel the need to relive the wedding on the blog. It was amazing. The pictures are amazing. I would recommend all of my vendors. but not to leave you completely without some love - a few pics from the wedding.

My beautiful dress by Marisa purchased at Jacqueline's Bridal

The boys in their ties (Nautica from Macy's) and socks (Banana Republic)

My fabulous bouquet by Arenas (note the green strawberries and the succulents - love it!)

The tables - arrangements in my antique bottles by Arenas

*All images by the wonderful Tammy Swales (whom I just love)

so for now, good bye.

maybe one day I will have another blog or continue writing here.

Its been a good wedding day

After weeks of bad wedding feelings with lots of stress and unhappiness today was a good day. I awoke with clarity on the bridesmaid dress issue, did not confer with anyone and sent an email to the girls (for those who care, I decided on black dresses from Dessy). I called my mom, told her the issue was over and she said good.

I've been having issues with florist. The first one, I didn't like. The second one, I really liked but has a "minimum" which is a couple hundred above my flower budget. The third, my favorite at the time (after an email from me wondering where the proposal is) informed me that my date is no longer available. Ugh! So I kind of freaked, and made an appointment and a florist I've driven past for 8 years, have never entered before but yet somehow decided years ago that they would do my wedding flowers. I did not initially call them because I heard (and assumed) they would be the most expensive. I met with them after lunch and I really enjoyed talking to the older gentleman (Edward) who does their wedding designs. Edward seemed to genuinely like my flower visions and embraced them. He also gave me a quote on the spot - which was amazing (since I'm still waiting for a quote from place #2, which I met with on Nov 6th - they claim I'll have it soon). Also, they are not as expensive as I thought. Their quote fell $200 bellow the top of my budget and $400 bellow the "minimum" at place #2. So, I'm pretty sure I've found a florist!

Finally, I was avoiding studying for an exam tomorrow by browsing Guilt and found these lovelies. After several rounds of texting with one of my style gurus, C, I bought them.

Ben-Amun pewter chandelier earrings with Swarovski crystal; 3 inches long, 1.25 inches wide

Retail: $205, Guilt price: $85! Holla!

Yay, for good wedding days.

Yay, for less wedding stress.

Yay (kind of), for procrastinating studying dev bio...

Bouquets

A thought I had tonight while dealing with some insomnia - do our female "honored guests" require bouquets? I had always assumed that they would have them, but now I don't know, it suddenly seems weird to me. Besides some of them have tasks, like playing the violin and holding a chuppah that would make holding a bouquet difficult, so do they not get a bouquet, but the others do? If we don't do bouquets will their hands seem empty? Will I seem cheap if I have a bouquet and the other ladies do not? Will anyone but me even notice?

*photo from The Knot by way of The Un-Bride - I love the simple elegance of these bouquets, plus, magnolias are dear to my heart since the street we live on is lined with magnolia trees and for 1 week a year it is the most beautiful place in the world.

Engagement Party

Last weekend one of my dearest childhood friends (Big D) threw us the most lovely, unpretentious, homemade with love engagement party with the help of her husband (C), her mom (Char) and another dear friend Obear.  

We invited about 30 people and all 24 people who RSVPed yes (plus me and Beau) arrived.  It was the first time that I had what I consider my American family (a mix of family, family friends, high school friends, their parents and Beau's family) all in one place at one time.  At one point as people were arriving I started tearing because I was so happy not just to see them all, but to see them all together.  

D, C and O prepared chicken, beef and lamb shish kebab that C grilled and was served with rice.  Obear made a huge amount pasta with homemade pesto.   There was also guacamole, salsa and chips, tomato with fresh mozzarella, beer, hard lemonade, and punch.  My mom made one of my favorite cakes and Obears parent's made two amazing pies - literally, completely from scratch.  

Despite the threat of rain, it was sunny and warm for the entire party so we were able to relax and catch up in Char's backyard.  I just wish it was longer.  I feel like even with only 25 people there, I did not have enough time to spend with everyone.  I guess that is motivation to start cutting the guest list - over the past few months our 85 person list has grown to a 110 person list.  I can't even blame it on Beau, he made a list and it has remained the same list, unchanging over the months, my list just keeps on getting larger...  I need to do some serious thinking about who I really want to be there.

Wedding attire - women

I love this dress. I love the color. I love the pleats. I love the cut. I love that its from my all-time favorite store. I love the price - currently on sale for $99. I was having dreams of my lovely friends in pretty pleated "mojito" green, or more selfishly of me in it at the rehearsal dinner, but alas, its only available in a size 00 - who in the world actually fits into a size 00?!?

* Image from Banana Republic

Our Semi-Alternative Wedding Party

Meg at a Practical Wedding posted yesterday on non-bridesmaids, and I realized that Beau and I are having a semi-non-traditional wedding party.  We are going to have one, though we are calling them honored guests because its mixed gender, there won't be a best man or maid of honor distinctions, and some of them will be asked to preform ceremonial functions in the wedding.  

The Beau's group is not completely decided, but it will definitely include is brother, his sister and his sister's fiance.  It will also include two more close friends as chuppah holders.  

My group is a little more complicated.  I did want a MOH, but there were three possible choices - my sister, my best friend Big D, or my other best friend Maya (not her real name).  I was recently Big D's MOH and would love for her to be mine, but in August she is moving to Turkey for a two-year assignment as a US diplomat (cool-right!).  She will be able to attend the wedding, but it is unlikely that she will be able to attend any of the other wedding related activities.  My sister would hate every minute of it and may even move back to Israel sometime in the next year and half, so she is out.  Maya, would love to be the MOH, but I just couldn't pick between the three, so I'm not.  

I will also be having two chuppah holders my childhood friend O-bear and the lovely Doctor Whimsy (hey Doctor, if you are reading, I just hadn't gotten around to asking you - will you do it?).  

Maya was initially skeptical of this arrangement, especially in relation to who is planning any pre-wedding events and who is giving the MOH speech.  The speech was easy, Beau and I are going to open the floor to any of our honored guests who would like to say something.  The pre-wedding activities took some thought, but I decided to delegate, so that no one person was saddled with all the responsibility - as a former MOH, I can say that it took a huge amount of work to plan it all!

• Engagement party - Big D and O-bear; I didn't want an engagement party but Big D was very insistent that she wanted to throw me one before she leaves for Turkey and they are both excellent cooks!  I think its going to be a Memorial Day BBQ.
• Shower - my sister/mom and the doctor (doctor, is that alright? I swear I was going to ask you in person)
• Bachelorette party - Maya; this is going to be outrageous!  I can already tell that Maya's going to go all out on this - in high school she liked to make me blush with talk about sexual things and in college she tricked me into going to a male strip club (long story)!

Its complicated, but so far it seems to be working.  No one person has tons of responsibility and I didn't have to potentially hurt anyones feelings, by picking my one bestest friend out of my best friends - I refuse to let my wedding be a source of contention between my nearest and dearest.

And finally, dress.  The men will be asked to wear dark suits that they already own and we will provide the ties.  I haven't decided what to ask the ladies to wear.  I'm thinking of asking them to each get a knee-length dress of their choice in any shade of green (or possibly purple) - I will probably take a vote to see which color they prefer.

Wow, that was a surprisingly long post.  I hope it wasn't too boring!

Three times a bridesmaid...

A year ago I had never been a bridesmaid. I had no close friends getting married. This year I find myself, in the completely opposite position. Two months ago my best friend got hitched, and not only did I get my first experience as a bridesmaid, I got to be the maid of honor (oh! the power!). In recent weeks I have also been asked to be a bridesmaid in two more weddings. I will be a bridesmaid to my darling Doctor Whimsy next October when she finally weds her man. And, this weekend I was completely surprised and humbled when Beau's sister asked me to be one of her bridesmaids in her August wedding. I'm very excited and a little apprehensive about the often mixed pleasure of being a bridesmaid.

I am not generally superstitious, but this morning I found myself thinking of the old wives tale "three times a bridesmaid, never a bride", and I got nervous about my future as a bride. My first recollection of this superstition is while reading the Anne of Green Gables series many, many years ago. In the story Anne cannot be a bridesmaid to one of her closest friends due to this suspect edict. It seemed very silly to me at the time and seems even more silly now, but still there is that doubt. There is a teeny-tiny part of me that thinks that I have jinxed my own happiness to provide for my friends. Despite the very little voice saying "what were you thinking, you're so screwed now!" I will be a bridesmaid three times. I will even be a bridesmaid more than three times (though, the fourth and fifth times -for my sister and other high school best friend- will almost certainly occur after my planned marriage to Beau) and bollocks to old wives tales!

Image of me from my best friend's wedding by the talented Sandi Foraci.