The Loose Ends... (& the Music!)

Right now, I feel like I'm drowning in small details. I feel like every project is half-completed, and we'll never get to the finish line.

The programs? Printed, but not assembled.
The ceremony? Edited, but not printed.
The vows? Started, but not finished.
The signs? One base coat down, one to finish. Assembly and ribbons still required.
The Thank-Yous? Half purchased, have to get the rest this week.
The seating charts? Assembled, but need to get the easels.

I know things will come together sooner or later, but I just wish more of this was done. It's a really crappy feeling knowing the fate that awaits you for the next 10 days --- glue guns and paintbrushes galore.

We're STILL finalizing the final guest count, which keeps teetering between 164-170.

The one thing we have done is the music playlists for the day (and that was only because I outsourced this to my lovely sister and maid of honor). I LOVE all the music we're having! I can't wait to share it with you, so here it is:

Pre-Wedding

Plain White Tees- Write You A Song
The Last Goodnight- Pictures of You
The Proclaimers- 500 Miles
Adam Sandler- Grow Old with you (With Billy idol intro)
Taylor Swift- Love Story
Ingrid Michaelson- The Way I Am
Frank Sinatra- You make Me Feel So Young
Matt Nathanson- Wedding Dress
Josh Radin- I’d Rather Be With You

Processional

1,2,3,4 - Plain White T's
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Post-Wedding

Katrina and the Waves- Walking on Sunshine
Natalie Cole- This Will Be
The Monkees- Daydream Believer
Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye- Ain't No Mountain
Sonny and Cher- I got you Babe
The Turtles- Happy Together
Captain and Tenille- Love Will Keep us together

Cocktail Hour

Dean Martin- That's Amore
Michael Buble- Sway
Jason Mraz- Beautiful Mess
Frank Sinatra- Moonlight Becomes You
Michael Buble- Everything
Billy Joel- For The Longest Time
Frank Sinatra- Embracable You
Gavin Degraw- Follow Through
Dean Martin- You’re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You
Michael Buble- That’s All
Phil Collins- True Colors
Sara Bareilles- Many The Miles
Michael Buble- The Way you Look Tonight
Dean Martin- Everybody Loves Somebody
Jason Mraz- You and I Both
Nat Cole- L.O.V.E
Michael Buble- Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Dean Martin- Memories Are Made of This

Reception

Jason Mraz- Lucky (First dance)
Irish Eyes... (Father/Daughter dance)
My Wish - Rascal Flatts (Mother/son dance)
Michael Buble- Feeling Good
ACDC-You Shook Me
Stevie Wondie- Signed Sealed Delivered
Etta Jones- At Last
Kenny Chesney- The Good Stuff
The Commadors- Brick House
The Weather Girls- It's Raining Men
Casper- Cha Cha Slide
Bobby Vinton- Beer Barrel Polka
Tiffany- I think we’re alone now
Rascal Flatts- God Bless The Broken Road
Billy Joel- Just the Way you are
Sir Mix Alot- jump on it
Brian Setzer- Jump Jive n Wail
Michael Jackson- Beat it
Elton Jon- Crocodile Rock
The Four Seasons- December 1963
John Mellancamp- Jack and Diane
Whitney Houston- I wanna dance with somebody
ABBA- Dancing Queen
Chubby Checkers- The Twist
The Isley Brothers- Shout
Lionel Richie- All Night Long
Toby Keith- Me Too
Journey- Don't stop Believing
Sir Mix a lot- Baby Got back
Marcia Grass- Electric Slide
Jackson 5- I want you back
The 4 tops- I can't help myself
Journey- Faithfully
Van Morris- Brown Eyed Girl
Michael Buble- Save the Last dance

Some of the reception songs have changed and others have been added, but this is the basic gist: fun, happy music. I'm so excited -- I have a feeling this will make for a very enjoyable mood all day!

Set in Stone...

Remember WAY back in March when I mentioned that our wedding ceremony includes a memorial brick in the garden? No? Refresh your memory here. So I took a ride over to Wilder Park yesterday to scope out our brick location, what plants were in bloom, and the overall parking situation. I can report only good things!

Plus, I can prove photographic evidence!

Hey look! That's us!!



Sorry for the stinky picture, but seriously, how cool is this?!?!?!

What I'm Doing Now...

Obsessively checking the 15-day weather forecasts.

I am happy to report that there is not a drop of precipitation near August 9th. Cross your fingers it stays that way...



Coincidence that our wedding day is the only one labelled "Sunshine"? I think not...

With Open Hearts, Clear Minds & Conviction

Tom and I had a lovely weekend -- sure, it was busy and eventful, containing smatterings of family, friends, parties, broken car windows, unexpected expenses, wedding tasks, and thankfully, a little R&R.

Among the most eventful things, however, was a resolution we made. From today (well, yesterday) onward, we decided that we will not stress out or let anything in the next 13 days (!) bother us. Que sera, sera. We're not dumb -- we understand things will go wrong, unexpected issues will arise, things will be lost, forgotten, etc. Bearing all that in mind, we have made a conscious commitment to each other to not let it bother us, and to not let anything ruin the next few days for us.

I think it hit us both yesterday, as we spent an afternoon shopping online for new luggage, that once these next 2 weeks are over, we will no longer be dating. We will no longer be engaged. We will no longer be Tom and Beth, technically single. We will be Tom and Beth, married.

I know that sounds fairly obvious to all of you, considering you're reading a wedding planning blog. But taking into account that we've been dating for 6 years, and engaged for 2 of those, it's all we've known.

We've been looking forward to this day, and all that will follow it, for what feels like centuries. To have it so close, so impossibly tangible, it's almost unbelievable. I realized yesterday that I feel like I've been holding my breath. Just waiting, waiting, waiting....and now it's finally time to let it out, relax, and ENJOY all that the next few weeks (and again, beyond!) have to offer.

So, as our title says, and so do our vows, with open hearts, clear minds, and conviction, we have decided to reside on Cloud 9 for the remaining days of our engagement. Feel free to find us there, and if you have any problems, leave 'em at the door!

"It is Time to Get Excited!"

I think it's been fairly evident with my lack of posts lately, and the length of the ones I do post, that there's been little excitement around here.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm overwhelmed (not really with the wedding, but with simultaneously trying to plan a honeymoon and 2 weeks out of work), or if it's simply because I'm impatient and just want the day to be here already, but I'm just not excited. There. I said it. Judge me if you will, but I've been finding it harder and harder to be excited. I know I should be jumping around and dancing and gushing to every single person who will listen, but I can't for some reason.

This isn't cold feet or anything, please don't jump to conclusions. Maybe it's just the overwhelming-ness of the plans (as stated earlier) with the realization that I'M ACTUALLY GETTING MARRIED. Weird. It still doesn't feel real, and probably won't until about half-way through the reception, once it hits me square in the face.

Yesterday, as I enjoyed a fun outing to a baseball game with my lovely fiance, I received an email from one of our vendors with some contract details. As I read the email, I saw these words: "It is time to get excited!" A genuine smile crept across my face, and as I leaned over to show Tom the email, I saw the grin on his face get wider, too.

And there you have it, folks. A glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I can break out of this funk and enjoy the next 2.5 weeks (though I'm guessing with my diet/exercise regimen that might not be possible)...

Hi, My Name is Beth...

...and I have a problem.

An addiction, really.

I love wedding signs. I do. I really, really do.

Look at this one I found this morning on Etsy!



Charming, no?

Tom's already cut the wood for our signs (and they actually look just like this!). Now, I'm tempted to redesign the way I want them painted so they look all cute like this!!!

So It's Finally Happened.

I like to call it "The Part of the Wedding When You Have SO Much Stuff That You Can No Longer Functionally Use Your Living Room or Kitchen Table."

Yep. We've hit that point. I naively never thought we'd be here --- I always figured that I was organized enough that we wouldn't have boxes of wedding paraphernalia strewn about. I was wrong. Gravely wrong.

Poor Tom came home from work to find the house littered with tulle, sparkles, scraps of paper, boxes of parasols, and mountains of other crafty supplies. Even my best effort cleaning it all up left us with over 4 boxes stacked on tables and couches.

At least we held out this long!

20 days to go!! :)

Where Have I Been?

Don't worry, I'm still alive over here.

Strangely, with about 3 weeks to the wedding, things are moving slowly over here. I feel pretty in control and only have a few minor things to accomplish. I've been taking the last week easy, because I know after this week, there's no turning back. It's going to quickly become wedding central over here, and I just don't know if I'm ready for that!

This weekend, I have another dress fitting (checking the hem and starting the bustle!). I also hope to make a trip to the craft store and pick up the picture frames for our seating list and a few other miscellaneous things I need. I also need to paint the signs that Tom made. (They're WAY cute and I can't wait to show them off to you!).

I've spent some time this week finalizing the programs, and now am just searching for somewhere to get them printed (you wouldn't believe the ridiculous prices I've been quoted!). I've figured out the final checks we need to write, and now just need to sit down and write them. Then, I need to make the confirmations for our honeymoon reservations.

That's the major stuff right now, and what I hope to get done this week.

Have a good weekend!

She's Got the Look...

Hair and makeup for me is tricky. My hair is thin, fine and completely straight. It's difficult to get it to hold a curl, and applying product only weighs it down and makes it look dirty. With makeup, I never like the way it turns out when a professional does it. I don't look good with black eyeliner and mascara does absolutely nothing for my eyelashes (luckily, my eyelashes are super long and curly!!).

From the beginning, then, I had decided that there would absolutely be no professionals involved with my hair and makeup, besides my mom and sisters. Tomorrow I'm heading over to my mom's house for hair trial #1. She's known for her mild hair talent and major eyebrow talent, so this has all been entrusted to her.

But, we still have the makeup to work out. I'm a huge fan and proponent of Bare Minerals, having been on the bandwagon for over three years (and converting at least 5 people to it since...). I plan on taking a trek over to the Bare Escentuals store soon and testing out more of their eyeshadows and liners, since I really want to concentrate on my eyes (what I deem as my best feature).

I saw the picture below, and really liked how her eyes were the focus, and the rest of her makeup was natural, but still pretty. Substitute the black eyeliner for brown, and this is pretty much the look I want to achieve:



I really think my makeup should still be natural looking, and just a slight exaggeration of how I normally wear it. I want to look back at my wedding pictures and see me, not see the trends of '09 reflected on my face (much like the brides of the '80's look back and see blue eyeshadow staring at them).

Eh. Time will tell. Of course, I'll post updates on how my adventures go.

Happy Weekend!

Why I Love My Florist

This sounds like the great beginning of an essay, and maybe it should be.

I know I've extolled her virtues and talent before, here, here , here and here, but you've got to believe me -- she really is superbly talented.

And even though I have complete faith and trust in her, I can't say I'm not nervous that I won't actually see the flowers until I arrive at the ceremony on the wedding day. So yesterday, when she posted on her blog about a wedding she did this weekend where the colors were white and light blue and encompassed most of the flowers I'm using, I was so excited to see them!

Below are snapshots of the bridesmaids bouquets --- these are essentially what we'll be doing, but with some green hypericum berries and some blue/green hydrangeas thrown in...






Gorgeous, no?

Bouquets and photographs lovingly copied from Kio Kreations

The 2 Sides of a Wedding

Lately, I haven't quite been feeling the "fire" for wedding planning. Whenever people ask me how it's going, I usually reply with a one-word answer and try to focus on something different, usually the honeymoon or our house or our dog...anything but wedding details. I feel guilty that I'm not more excited at this point. I've been racking my brain lately trying to figure out why I'm doing this.

Am I excited to be married? Absolutely! Am I excited to celebrate the day with our closest friends and family? Absolutely! So what's the problem?



Today I had a bit of a "Eureka!" moment. I'm a bit embarrassed to say that despite blogging for almost a year now, and silently planning my wedding in my head before that, it never really occurred to me WHY this is such a challenge.



One's wedding has two sides --- 2 separate, distinct parts. The first part, and the most important, is about committing to marriage with the person you love, and celebrating that with your family and friends. The other, and the part that is often CONSIDERED more important but isn't, is the actual planning of an event. It's the details, the timing, the vendors -- everything associated with a party.



When one graduates college, what do people ask you? "Are you excited to graduate?" "Any job prospects?" "Where will you be heading next?" -- not "Are you having monogrammed napkins at your party?" or "What color is your cap and gown?"

So why is it that weddings are treated differently? Of that, I'm not sure.



But what I do know is that I cannot wait to be marrying Thomas. Period. The party, as they say, is small potatoes. Our marriage is what is to be celebrated, not our choice of flowers.

Wedding blogs, if not filled with pictures, are simply just musings. This blog, without its occasional spattering of pictures, would just be terribly boring. I love photography, I love fine art photographs, I love pictures of the quirky details -- I love it all.

But now, as I face the task of making a list of "must-have" pictures, I find myself struggling.

How detailed do I get? Where is the line between being a control freak and demanding "pictures of guests laughing" versus letting our photographer do what she does best?

I have complete faith that our photos will be gorgeous -- I just don't want any of my "details" to be overlooked.

So, below is a random assortment of pictures I love. Maybe they'll provide me with the perfect amount of inspiration when compiling my list.

Oh, and I welcome (most) suggestions. Please don't suggest any family/group type photographs, because that's simply not what I'm interested in. We'll take those, don't worry, but right now, I'm looking for helpful suggestions on what photographs speak to you (or what photographs you wished you would have gotten at your wedding).


The quintessential ring shot. Already on my list.

Simple, yet perfect.

Sweet. And I love the blue shoes peeking out.

Perfect timing.

I love it. Who knew you could capture so much personality without seeing any faces??

Legal.

Today, Tom and I are making it legal.

We're heading over to the DuPage County Clerk's office to complete the paperwork for our marriage license!

Once we file this, we have 60 days to get married. And with 38 on the official count, I think we have a nice cushion.

So, with my lovely half-day today (and a full day off tomorrow!), Tom and I are meeting up for lunch and then we're off to file our paperwork.

We're getting SO close! I don't know how I'm going to be able to stand being in the same house as the license and my wedding band and not want to elope!! :)

The Old Hair/Veil Debate.

Here's the dilemma:

My hair is at a medium-length with plenty of layers and sideswept bangs. It's not exactly what you would call "bridal hair." It's a proven fact: my hair usually looks better down than up. Why? I'm not really sure. Fact: I refuse to wear my hair down for the wedding. Fact: I also refuse to wear my veil (if I wear one) on the crown of my head. I will only wear it at the nape of my neck, or not at all.

So how are we going to make this work? I'm not sure. I'll be scheduling an appt. with my normal hair stylist and hopefully she can figure out the puzzle. Below are pictures of how I'd LOVE my hair to be:

Ideally, of course.