Catering, Tasting, All That Jazz...

Ryan and I made it down to Fountain Square last night for our catering tasting, which was lovely. Met my mom and dad there, sat around a very small table in a room full of other (well-behaved) families and snickered into our mashed potatoes and shrimp cocktail the whole time. We always manage to amuse each other to the point of tears. In classy settings.

Ryan finally got to see the theatre, which is just gorgeous. Everytime I walk in there... gorgeous. He really loved it, and the event planner for the theatre is just SO nice. I guess we're doing 8 place settings per table. 10 was way too much. The stars were shining in the ceiling and the candles were lit - our wedding will be a reality so soon! Wow.

Now I've REALLY got to get started on that dress. And those invites. And send out those save the dates. GAH! The bridesmaids are done though. Yay!

Oh, and I've decided we are doing fans for the bridesmaid's in place of floral bouquets. My MOH Kat and I are going to paint some paper fans with beautiful things, and I'm going to be carrying an arrangement of small mum pomanders with plenty of gorgous satin ribbon. Thanks to my future MIL for sending me an inspiring floral magazine for that one!

Calligraphy and Save the Dates

I finally got started on addressing our STD's - I decided that I wanted everything hand-lettered, so I broke out the nibs, bought a new pot of ink, and went to town last night on the return addresses. They're not perfect, but they still look nice. I haven't practiced my penmanship in a loooooong time. The fun part will be addressing the front of each envelope.

I did manage to buy some really cool stamps, the "Flags of our Nation" series - so everything is stamped now too. All I need to do at this point is go have the actual STD 'telegrams' printed up, then commence with labeling and folding (and stuffing. Lots and lots of stuffing.)

I really gotta get started on my dress. Shoo.

The bridesmaid's shoes came in the night before last, and they are BEAUTIFUL! So there's a small victory.

Foundation Wear

Here's the scoop about the inner workings of my mind, and why I don't open my mouth too much - because people might think I'm mean.

I HATE. HATE! it when brides and bridesmaids (or any lady dressing for a special occasion for that matter) do not wear foundation garments/shapewear for the big event.

I HATE seeing backfat and tummy rolls, and saggy bums. I realize that some people are fine with looking like this, but for goodness sakes, if you're spending all that money on a garment and a one day celebration, you should put some effort into filling out said dress attractively. In my mind it's on the same level with those hideous "wedding updos" that every salon tries pushing on hapless brides - who then end up looking like Jr. Prom court candidates. EWW.

I'm a liberated woman who regularly wears a very strong and tight old-school girdle (which also function to hold up my stockings), waist cincher, etc. And yes, it makes me look better. And I'm a size 4.

Here's a handy link that will set you straight: Lady Grace

For the love of a beautiful gown, wear some shapewear. Banish the love handles for at least one day. You'll be satisfied, I promise. Good shapewear is like a wearing a tight hug, a hug that rearranges your anatomy into something even better.

Back to the fun stuff - bridesmaid's shoes

Here's a picture of the bridesmaid's shoes I just purchased for my 3 attendants. I got them for 30% off (each pair!) - which is awesome.

I can't wait for these to arrive!

Guest List. Or How I Happened Upon the Gates of Hell.

No one told me it would be so hard.

Maybe I just care too much for people's feelings? I keep telling myself that I'm one of the only people left in this world who still has feelings of some sort, and that I'm just too sensitive. It isn't helpin!

Ryan and I both have HUGE. GIGANTIC. ENORMOUS. families. And there's the rub.

We want to limit our not-so-small wedding reception to 200 guests. No kiddies allowed - this ain't the circus - and that helps free up some seats. But the problem is that out of my allotted 100 guests, 85 of my spots are taken by family and Mom's invites. 85!! I do actually have more than 15 friends and guests that I'd like to invite, ya know?

So basically, people are getting chopped left and right. I don't want to hurt any of my intentioned guests' feelings - especially friends who aren't super close to me but close enough that I'd like them to be at our wedding. However. I just don't think there's room! I'm NOT paying for the catering in the end (but just about everything else), so if there's a larger guest list than intended, then so be it.

My mom and I combined have too many friends. We're people-people. That's what this really boils down to. We're too friendly!

Guest list making sucks.

CATS!

As a distraction I hereby give you:

The $1500 cat. He's cute. And he really likes getting in the way during photoshoots. Something about the yards of smooth white paper and hot lights, it's like a kitty magnet!



And here's SafeCat. He's very safe. And does not like to have his picture taken whatsover.

Fashion is As Fashion Does

I have my 2 bridesmaid's dresses hanging in my closet at the moment. My sister's fits her perfectly (so she says) and I have yet to get my best friend Kat's dress to her as she lives about an hour-point-five away. The dresses are Stop Staring, purchased through Daddyo's online - which happens to be located just a jump away in Fairmount, Indiana. Hometown of James Dean you know.



The nice things about these dresses are:

1. They aren't "bridesmaid's" dresses
2. They did not come from David's Bridal (a HUGE plus in my book)
3. They are not made out of cheap pastel satin/taffeta
4. They are flattering
5. The girls will look h.o.t.
6. They are red
7. They are REALLY red
8. They kind of reflect some the stylelines of my own dress (soon to be patterned and made... when I get around to it)
9. Did I mention Kat and Laura will look really hot?

I'm thinking about pairing these with some brown and cream spectator pumps of some sort. The ones I REALLY like are of course long gone. Gotta buy things when they're hot!

My dress design is cute, I'll post a sketch soonly.