Swag!

So, I was thinking something like this (not sure in the end what the exact wording will end up being..) for my daddy :)

And here is a beautiful poem I would consider giving along with the hankie:

This handkerchief is for the Father of the Bride. Soon you'll have a young lady by your side. Walking down the aisle to give her away. To the man she will marry on her wedding day. It seems like just yesterday she came into your life. Now she will be another man's wife. You're the one she's looked up to for all of these years, the thought of her leaving will surely bring tears. She'll never forget you or even try to replace her love for you, you'll see in the look on her face. She'll always be "Daddy's little girl" in you eye. Give her your blessing, this is not a good-bye.


Brad and I were both raised Catholic. I think something like this would mean a great deal to my mom... It is called "The Mothers Rosary". I would have to dig around and find out the details of what she prefers but it would have our wedding date engraved on it and a birthstone for herself and each one of her children


I have had Brads moms gift for a while now! It is a beautiful book, filled with things at the top of the pages like "my favorite memory", "things you have taught me that I will never forget". Brad will fill it out, and it even has a book mark so she can hold the place of her favorite page.


Speaking of which, my priest gave me a few words of wisdom (regarding a certain pain in the ass) which deep down I knew, but needed to hear anyhow;

"As for the BIG issue...family. Becky, it is unfortunate, but sometimes weddings, funerals, baptisms, graduations, etc. are times when families can get testy, and feelings are raw. You are a very gracious person. If your future mother-in-law is going to remove herself from the celebration, that is her choice. Your fiance will have to speak with her. In the end, she is placing her relationship with him at risk. Keep the lines of communication open from your side...never shut her out. That will leave the final choice to your mother-in-law, as well as the ultimate responsibility to make amends. My prayers are with you!"

The wedding party gifts will be a breeze. A few personalized beer mugs/flasks for the men, and a few sisterly items for my girls. I think we will give those out the evening before to avoid mass confusion. I will hand my dad his before we are ready to walk down the isle, and my mother hers while we spend that special time together as I get ready.
Not sure when Brad will give his mom hers. And I am not even sure what to get for my father in law and his wife! They are going to be the hardest ones to find that perfect gift for.

And for my groom


He has wanted this book for a very long time. I don't even think he will be expecting it anymore, and it is just too clever to reject.

Pictures

The colors are deep charcoal greys, ivory, champagnes with shiny accents of chrome, glass etc. Shades of laveneder and/or plum on the bridesmaids... I am giving the the freedom to pick out their own dresses from whichever color they'd rather of the two. I want them in what makes them feel sexy, comfortable and happy, not the traditional matching freak show.

Keeping the bottom one and throwing the top one I think (also my "something blue")


Going to finish these with a table number holder (probably a bell) and champagne or ivory faux pearls strung around. Also debating on a vase that will hold a single orchid in chrome or glass.


One of our favors


Going to also order these in purple, black and white






We have matching place cards to these invitations


I will wear this silk gardenia after I take the veil off at the reception (the up close pics do it absolutely no justice)


My veil


Our "guest book". This will be framed and hung on our wall


I am going to print this out and stick it in a frame next to the guest book


The hair inspiration

The Christmas Tree Shop

I got pretty much the rest for the centerpieces in PA at The Christmas Tree Shop yesterday evening! In random nooks and cranny's I was so excited I came across 5 large martini glasses, 5 huge engagement ring (napkin holders?), 5 vintage looking glass perfume bottles with little bauble screw on tops that actually hold perfume and have the little glass stick inside so you can swipe the scent on yourself. I'll probably go to Bath and body works to fill those for the ladies who decide to take the centerpieces home... I also scored like 10 yards of this really pretty sheer silver-blue ribbon, cheap.
Grand total? Including the adorable "An old crab lives here with the one who butters him up" & "Becky's 24 hour diner, clean up after yourself" signs I found? $44.00!

Now I just pretty much need the mirrors all these shiny props will sit on, and maybe a few faux champagne or ivory tinted pearls/feathers and the scattered personalized poker chips. I saw these huge, fantastic round mirrors that would be perfect, but a bummer at $20.00 a pop wah, wah, wah.... I will take pictures when I do my first centerpiece trial run.
I am turning into my parents coming home and telling tales of bargains, displaying my treasures for all to behold lol

To further sweeten the day, as I was walking out the door, the nice UPS man hand delivered the invitations and place cards from eBay.

What the hell just happened here?

So I spent some money yesterday. It felt good getting 4 more things crossed off "the list"...
Even better yet still, I didn't spend a gross amount which is a feat to share, considering I ordered all four things off the net. I've earned bragging rights.

So, besides the location, priest, photographer and food... we now have our guest book, the garters, the dress/veil/shoes. Cake set, photo album/scrap book, one of our favors, the invitations and place cards, the floating candles+ for the centerpieces I'm making and the white silk gardenia flower I will wear tucked behind my ear once I ditch the veil at the reception.

Recently, we had the enthralling task of digging through the ceremony book our priest sent us via snail mail and picking out the ceremony. We will not be writing our own vows (thank god lol).

Then the day takes a weirder turn.

Starts out by mother in law torturing me with her dark mood and complaining about... well, everything on yahoo when I sign on. She told me she was just about ready to tear into Brad for not making his face more readily available for her admiration. So I gave him a heads up about that.
I really should have run then, lucky for her I am a moron, and silly me for being content in my life and trying to help people to see what they should be thankful for, rather then throwing themselves a pity party.
So I am trying to talk down her mind sucking mental warp, when it happens. She turns the mega bitch on me!
She is so good, you never even see or feel her strike at first. Some what like what I would imagine a baby snake, that turned out to be highly poisonous. By the time you see the punctures, you're dead lol

Long story short, she told me I am being selfish about the wedding and that it is all about me and my family (I am one of 5 kids and just one part of my family back home could easily fill all 50 spots, funny enough that none of them will be there) and that I don't want her family to be in the wedding. She pulled the daughter (that she also bitched a good 15 minutes about) the Maid Of Honor out of the wedding, when I told her I would like to hear from my Maid Of Honor sometime soon, and that maybe I should not have asked her because at 14, she is not really stepping up.
I wanted to hear from the kid herself she was into it, not from mommy dearest.
I apologized that her family is so small, and that they are so old. But told her I am doing the best I can and it is impossible to make everyone happy. It's also not my fault my brothers and Brad get along so well.
To which she told me I could be evil to Brad all I want to, but I am not doing it to her daughter. (What?! lol)

The woman needs to find a pill and take it.

I think what really chapped her ass, was when I asked her if she was going to hold another grudge against me for years because I attempted having an adult conversation but that is was okay because I would love her anyway, cause it seemed that is just what she needs... I acknowledged she must be extremely lonely and depressed to be conducting herself this way, and asked her if she'd felt better having gotten all she got all off her chest she needed to because she hadn't managed to drag me down. (I think I heard her bubble burst at this point)

Anyhow, now I am stuck twiddling my thumbs, wondering who is/will end up being the Maid Of Honor and my right hand girl that day. I have plenty of worthy candidates who would be more than happy, but the way this all happened... it just doesn't sit right with me yet to start moving on.
Would you laugh if I admitted to sending yet another email out to his little sister, kept it short and sweet explaining I was sorry I had opened my mouth to her mother, I realize I should have tried calling her instead and that we did not say we didn't want her. Acknowledged it was rather hypocritical of me to have done this, when in actuality I was begging the kid to communicate with me one on one. After all, we are trying to be role models here!
So, now she knows her mother is the one that took her out of the wedding, probably making things worse but at this point, not much could be done to accomplish that.

Hmmmm, she never did end up exploding on Brad or Michele the way she claimed she wanted at the start of the conversation... you're welcome guys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtah-bH1n4g

Confessions of a stressed out bride no.1

Inspired by a courageous, outspoken friend I've decided to share my recent life's adventures.

Admittedly, I am starting to get myself in a panic planning my own wedding. I seem to speak a foreign language undesired by most... which at times in my high strung emotional state, I am sure I blow out of proportion.

It always makes me laugh when people complain about how organized I am, because they would like to help with the wedding, yet no one is willing to make a decision when I come to them with a choice. I try to include everyone as much as possible... I made my 14 year old self absorbed sister in law as Maid Of Honor because her brother is the only sibling she grew up with.

I took this responsibility on because I knew I could handle it, and yet I am still human. I would still like to hear the occasional "How is the planning going?", "Is there anything I can do?", "Do you want to get a drink?" Instead, it feels like people are pulling away.
Trust me, I don't want to face the drama that I am inevitably inflicting upon myself and my future husband, but they are family and it has to be done because this is how we want to start our familys foundation for our kids.

There are at least two sets of tension going back years that will need to be closely watched & kept under control that day *sigh*

One of which, a mother in law who thinks this is a day to show up her ex husband so she is finally losing all the weight she's been complaining about and carrying for years. She has also thrown a couple (I hope) jokes, one of which wearing a bright red dress and lipstick/shoes.

I just cannot wait to see this vision come to life that has been playing in my head so long come true, exchange our vows and start drinking a few glasses of wine at a leisurely pace.