Aeriell's Crazy PJ! 9/16/09 Musical Breakthrough, More Invites, & Other Silly Things

[AeriellDawn]

I've been debating starting a PJ for some time- it just seems so early to me. Even though I'm sure the time will fly, I hope I'm not jumping the gun! I just hope that through this I can find an outlet for all those crazy ideas and thoughts running through my head.

Now without further adieu!

A little bit about us:
My name is Aeriell, I'm 23 and I live in WV. I'm a culinarian and I primarily like to decorate cakes!
My FH is Mike, he's 22, and he moved here from New Orleans after Katrina hit. He's still a culinary student and enjoys cooking French cuisine!

How we met:
We met when Mike came up here to attend culinary school in January 2006. I was just about to graduate the culinary program and had just gotten on my feet after a rough breakup from a long relationship. I had just gotten comfortable with being a single girl and everything and then here he comes and ruins it! :rotfl: As soon as we met, sparks flew and we couldn't stop thinking about one another.

He had bothered one of our instructors so much about any little details about me that she was almost crazy! He insisted that anytime I was in the culinary labs that she call him so he could come see me. She eventually got so fed up that she game me *his* number and told me "For the love of God, just call the poor boy". I did two days later and we went out that night. We've been together ever since!

The Engagement!
Mike had been dropping heavy hints of jewelry shortly after I graduated. We were planning a trip to WDW so I was sure he would ask then. The trip comes and I'm so excited I could pop! Not just because of possible popping-question-ness but because this was the first trip to Disney I had gone on since I was a little girl. The very first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. It was a beautiful morning and as Mike led me to the wishing well by the castle, my heart skipped beats. He gave me a coin and bade me close my eyes and make a wish. I did- with the biggest smile on my face ever. When I opened them, there before me Mike held a ring. A plain, silvery, slightly heart-shaped ring. Not even a promise ring, just a plain band. I was, in a word, non-plussed. I smiled still and told him it was lovely, even though I was just a *touch* disappointed.

We had made an ADR for Chefs de France since we both enjoy French cuisine so much. I had been looking forward to this very much and since the ring incident- I had no clue as to what was to come.

On the day of our ADR rain threatened, but we walked Epcot for a while anyway. After we rode Soarin', we headed into World Showcase. I wanted to catch the Taiko drummers in the Japan pavillion but had lost my show schedule. Instead of popping into a gift shop to get one, Mike ran all the way over there to find the times. Little did I know...

There came a mighty downpour and we headed back to WL to rest a bit and primp for dinner. The rain finally began to clear a bit by the time we needed to head back into the park. I was so happy since we had really wanted to see IllumiNations that night. We were seated promptly and served a delightful amuse bouche. From there we ordered our meals, enjoyed some wine, and chatted. We were seated in the corner table by the windows in the front of the restaurant so we were able to people-watch as well. It was fantastic and I would have always treasured the evening for just that.

And then we ordered dessert.

The maitre d' came out and served us champagne, a nice perk I attributed to making our reservation so far in advance. And then out come our waiter, carrying a plate that looked like sea glass. I could see him from where I sat, and watched as he come closer. What I didn't see was the waitstaff all gathering to watch...

Our waiter came to our table with the sea-glass plate which I soon saw was topped with a spun-sugar dome. As he set it in front of me, I got a better look: mustard seeds and flower petals decorated the plate along with pristine berries and jewel-like pieces of diced fruit. Beneath the dome on a little white pedastle was the most beautiful diamond ring. I started to cry and the restaurant fell silent. Mike took the ring from the pedastle and got on one knee beside me. The people passing by the windows outside stopped to look. He look at me and smiled, hands shaking just a little, and said "Aeriell- I love you so much, honey. Will you please be my wife?"

All that I could manage to do was to cry and nod as he put the ring on my finger, and then give him the biggest hug I could manage! The restaurant erupted into cheers and once we left, Mike got many pats on the back from random guys and I got many congratulations!

We were able to watch IllumiNations; it was the best ever.:lovestruc


Well! I think that's enough for right now! Thanks for reading and I'll soon be posting more planning goodness!:woohoo:

[Mama of Indybride]

:goodvibes
Tears! So absolutely sweet, thanks for sharing in such detail!

I can almost drool over, I mean Visualize, your plate!

Can't wait to share your journey with you, and it is never too soon!

The time goes by faster than you think possible!

Enjoy, good luck, and keep up the excellent journal!!

[IndyBride]

What a great story!! I had tears in my eyes reading the last part. Can't wait to hear your plans as they come together.

[AeriellDawn]

:goodvibes
Tears! So absolutely sweet, thanks for sharing in such detail!

I can almost drool over, I mean Visualize, your plate!

Can't wait to share your journey with you, and it is never too soon!

The time goes by faster than you think possible!

Enjoy, good luck, and keep up the excellent journal!!

Thank you! When the waiter was bringing the plate over all I could think was "Wow, my dessert is going to ROCK!" Little did I know, right? :rotfl2:


What a great story!! I had tears in my eyes reading the last part. Can't wait to hear your plans as they come together.

Thank you so much! I get teary every time I tell it. I wish I could have accepted his proposal and even told the story with more grace, but what can I say? I'm a crybaby!:laughing:

[shezfrombermuda]

What a sweet proposal story! Congratulations and welcome.

[feline figaro]

a big :wave2: to you & welcome to the boards :banana: :cutie: :yay:

Always great to see another 2009 bride on here :thumbsup2

Cant wait to here all of your details & ideas for your big day. Great thing about these boards is that you ll read & see so many fab ideas that you ll constantly be inspired. Any help needed, no problem everyone on here will offer you a great mixture of advice.

:disrocks:

I ve been planning my wedding for a very very long time & had all my plans what i thought set in stone. I ve already booked Randy Chapman,minister & STVS so figured my mind was totally set.

HOWEVER ;)

This week i ve looked at a few weddings at a location i ve never really taken notice of & have now decided WE RE CHANGING LOCATIONS :woohoo:. Am so glad i found these boards as seeing peoples wedding vids & pics really opens your eyes to an endless amount of possibilities.

[AeriellDawn]

Thanks shez and figaro!

I've read a few of the other PJs and TRs on here and I love how everyone on this board is so positive and supportive. The DIS truly does roxxor the soxxors!

And now: More posty goodness!

The When
September 16th, 2009!

The Where
That's trickier. We keep switching! I know that we want someplace in Epcot and I'm pretty sure we're going to go with our very first choice: France! Has anyone else had a wedding here? Is it hard to decorate or is it awkward for seating? Pictures would be great if anyone has any!

The Colors
White, black and red! I feel especially torn about the colors. I love them, I love how they look together, and I love how I look *in* them! So what's the problem? How do I put them together to avoid and "goth" feel (No offense at all to any goth ladies out there- I do like the look, just not for my wedding day!) or being too dark? I'm trying to blend them into an airy parisian theme, but I'm having trouble finding inspiring examples (how could you fail me Google?!).

The Reception
Thanks to Lurkyloo (patron saint of awesome weddings), we took a second look at The Attic and loved it. My FH is in love with the view of the water and I love the casual feel with the antiques all around. My only worry is space (It's looking like about 30 or so guests for us) so I don't know about a dance floor. And with the soft colors in the room, again I'm afraid how our colors will look in there. I just can't think of any creative ways of incorporating them! If this turns out to be the case, then I think we may need to look at other venues.

FH is driving me crazy with the details for the reception. One minute he says one thing and then the silly boy totally forgets and says something else. I swear, I'm going to have to get things in writing from him from now on! We had planned on a champagne toast and then because he can't drink alcohol due to chemo meds and because he insisted some of his family would be offended just being served an alcoholic beverage for a toast, he suggested sparkling cider. Okay, great! We could offer a choice of either! No, he says, his family just may somehow be offended that *others* were having champagne and if *he* can't drink champagne he doesn't want anyone else to. He thinks offering a choice is tacky. I think he needs a swift kick out of groomzilla-dom. He said a wine bar would be okay, just not a champagne toast. What?! I think he's doing this to make me crazy.

We're also wanting to have a dessert party (maybe some hors d' oeuvres too!) later in the evening. Haven't decided where yet, though!

Speaking of hors d' oeuvres!

The Food
Since we're both chefs, the food is very important to us. I thought having a nice brunch reception would be nice, but FH disagreed. Again, he thinks breakfast food is tacky and wanted to do something else. So, after much discussion (very much discussion! and more to come, I'm sure) we've decided on heavy hors d' oeuvres to further punctuate our French theme. Get your towels out, because here's our drool-worthy dream spread!
*Fresh fruit and cheese display- seckel and red pears, fuji apples, and deep dark red grapes along with strawberries and black mission figs paired with a variety of cheeses (bleu, brie, chevre, parmesean, and perhaps a cheddar?) served with slices of crusty baguette.
*Crudite platter, either fresh or roasted we don't know. Carrots, celery, red pepper, broccoli.. just the usual veggie-tray suspects!
*Seared duck breast canapes- on mini potato pancakes with red onion marmelade and purple basil
*Smoked salmon on onion bagel chips with creme fraiche and dill
*Sushi (okay, not French, but darn tasty!)

I would like to work in a crepe station too, but we'll see what FH says to that!
This is of course the *fantasy* menu... I still need to ask my WC on how boku the bucks will be to pull that off!

As for the dessert party... hmm... I'll need some more time to dream up the fantasy goodies I would like to see there! That's about all for now, I believe- next time I should (hopefully) have dresses, BM dresses, and who knows what else!

[Angrypenguin]

Congratulations on your engagement! The food you have planned sounds delicious.:woohoo:

I think your colors will look great ,and it won't be goth. Although I'd love to see a Goth Disney wedding; I'd probably actually pay money to see that. :thumbsup2 :lmao:

[AeriellDawn]

Congratulations on your engagement! The food you have planned sounds delicious.:woohoo:

I think your colors will look great ,and it won't be goth. Although I'd love to see a Goth Disney wedding; I'd probably actually pay money to see that. :thumbsup2 :lmao:

Thanks Angrypenguin!

Yeah, a goth wedding at Disney *would* be a pretty awesome spectacle! Maybe at the Haunted Mansion or better yet in the TOT!

Arg... so many ideas for a goth wedding and none for mine! :sad2:

[AeriellDawn]

As promised, here are some of the dresses that I'm considering.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress1.jpg


This is the number one candidate at the moment! I went to David's Bridal and tried it on already and it looks great! (Pictures when I do the magic dance of transferring from camera to computer!)


http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress2.jpg

Here's another one that I have my eye on. I just love the detailing! I just have to find some place around here that carries the darn thing so that I can try it on. Went to a local Bridal shop and they said the only way to get it in was for me to be *sure* it was the one I wanted and then pay half down! How do I know without trying it on?

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress3.jpg

Here's the third candidate, but it will be in red, of course! This one will make the red a little more subtle, so I don't know... worth trying though! (Again, if I can find a store where I can try it on..)

My 'Maids tried on the dress below at DB and loved it! They said it definitely has regular wearability and that was really important to me. I'll have them wearing it with a black peek-a-boo skirt and black sash with a sparkly brooch of their choosing. My maids have awesome personalities and I want them to be able to showcase some of that. That's why they're my top ladies!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/BMDress1.jpg



I had really tried to somehow fanagle my way into an all-red gown, but was assured that my father and several of the guests in attendance would have simultaneous heart attacks. :snooty: I guess they just don't appreciate a really bold bride!

Speaking of: for you ladies who like a little something different and don't already know about it: www.offbeatbride.com is a really neat and really interesting site with some good stuff! I particularly like the list of songs for a not-so-sappy father-daughter dance.

I'd love to hear what you ladies (and gents!) think of those dresses! :thumbsup2

[Mocharilla]

I love that second dress. It's one of my inspiration dresses. If I didn't have a budget....

The BM dresses are pretty cute! And will be good in the September Florida weather!

Sounds great :) Can't wait to hear more of your plans.

[AeriellDawn]

I love that second dress. It's one of my inspiration dresses. If I didn't have a budget....

The BM dresses are pretty cute! And will be good in the September Florida weather!

Sounds great :) Can't wait to hear more of your plans.


I know what you mean as far as budget goes.... that one would definitely be stretching it. Maybe the EBay muses will be smiling upon me as I search?

I'm glad you think so about the BM dresses! I'd hate for them to be uncomfortable!


I've been doing some more searching and thought it would be really neat to do origami flowers for my 'Maids and maybe even for myself. Who needs floral preservation when you have these babies? Plus, it seems *much* cheaper than actual floral! This is the place I'm looking at in case any of you are interested: http://www.asian-inspiration.com/buy-origami-flowers.html

Check out those lily of the valley! And on the second page they have hydrangeas and tulips that look almost real! I'm partial to the dahlias, though :cutie:

[jennifaerie]

If you want all red, I'd say go all red. Maggie Sottero, among other designers (especially Italian designers) has/have red dresses. I actually tried one for my wedding-- Maggie's Fiorenza.

There's nothing wrong with a little (or a lot!) individualilty! :)

[AeriellDawn]

If you want all red, I'd say go all red. Maggie Sottero, among other designers (especially Italian designers) has/have red dresses. I actually tried one for my wedding-- Maggie's Fiorenza.

There's nothing wrong with a little (or a lot!) individualilty! :)

I *loved* the Maggie Sottero red dress. I just know I could probably never fit it into the budget. And as much as I would really like to break tradition and have it anyway... well, the 'rents are paying so I have to at least bow a little. They're both cool and open to new things (my mom was jumping for joy and asking to make *sure* we have plenty of wasabi when we told her we wanted to include sushi in the buffet menu) so I'm happy with my red accents :hippie:

I'm finally getting some more ideas as to decorations and instead of worrying about the decor in The Attic I'm working with it. I'm thinking of found objects and quirky centerpieces like bird cages, wire Eiffel tower statuettes, antique picture frames and photos with a few candles and flower petals scattered about. White linens with a red runner criss-crossed in the center and the centerpieces in (mostly) black. I'm hoping that by using open elements I can keep it very airy, very Francais, and elegant but casual. I hope I can pull it off!

Another idea I had was white linens with the red runners and black bowls filled with red fruits (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, etc.). I dunno, though! Any suggestions or ideas? I know I have plenty of time, but I'm just one of those people to dives in and just can't stop!

BTW- alfred angelo dress on ebay = very happy Aeriell. Woohoo!:cool1:

[DisneyBrideToni]

Everything sound great so far!!!

I am also having my reception at the Attic and it is true that you have to find ways to incorporate the decor already at the Attic. I am going for a shabby chic kind of thing with pink flowers. I love your idea of bird cages and antiques. I think that would be perfect. I also think that touches of black, white and red would be fine. I can't wait to hear more.

Also I love your dress choices. I think my favorite is the second dress!!!

[Beep]

Hi Aeriell, congrats! I love the proposal story.

I also happen to love those dresses and nearly went for one of them with the red trim. Our colours are white, claret red and black and that would have been perfect. Then, I saw the Maggie Sottero Capri Royale and we suddenly had a new baby on the way. I couldn't resist it, it was stunning. Her dresses are gorgeous and, as previously mentioned, she does some fantastic coloured ones. You want a red dress girl? YOU GO FOR IT!!

We are having red as our accent colour so the flowers, waistcoats etc will be in red and the rest black and white. We are hoping for December 2009 (you think you're early with your PJ?!) and thought the red would fit really well with Christmas-time.

I hope you have great fun planning your dream wedding and keep us updated. We all LOVE PJ's!!

[PrincessBride010103]

I love the 3rd dress. :lovestruc

[AeriellDawn]

Everything sound great so far!!!

I am also having my reception at the Attic and it is true that you have to find ways to incorporate the decor already at the Attic. I am going for a shabby chic kind of thing with pink flowers. I love your idea of bird cages and antiques. I think that would be perfect. I also think that touches of black, white and red would be fine. I can't wait to hear more.

Also I love your dress choices. I think my favorite is the second dress!!!

Thanks Toni! I love the shabby chic idea- I bet it's going to be so fun for you to go antique hopping and put together your look. The Attic seems like it's *made* for that kind of look!

And yeah, I'm thinking that the second dress is The One! I just love the details!

Hi Aeriell, congrats! I love the proposal story.

I also happen to love those dresses and nearly went for one of them with the red trim. Our colours are white, claret red and black and that would have been perfect. Then, I saw the Maggie Sottero Capri Royale and we suddenly had a new baby on the way. I couldn't resist it, it was stunning. Her dresses are gorgeous and, as previously mentioned, she does some fantastic coloured ones. You want a red dress girl? YOU GO FOR IT!!

We are having red as our accent colour so the flowers, waistcoats etc will be in red and the rest black and white. We are hoping for December 2009 (you think you're early with your PJ?!) and thought the red would fit really well with Christmas-time.

I hope you have great fun planning your dream wedding and keep us updated. We all LOVE PJ's!!

Beep, you're awesome. I love reading your posts! And we're color twins! YAY! The only difference is that we're doing mostly white and red with black accents. :)

That dress is GORGEOUS! You're going to be *so* lovely floating down the aisle in that! Thanks for the encouragement on the red dress, too! I think I'll hang on to the mostly white one for now... but hey, in about 10 years maybe a rock n' roll VR would just *scream* for a red dress!

I think I may be getting waaaay ahead of myself there though! :rotfl:

[jennifaerie]

I *loved* the Maggie Sottero red dress. I just know I could probably never fit it into the budget. And as much as I would really like to break tradition and have it anyway...

Maggie Sottero dresses aren't all that expensive. They're about the same vein as Alfred Angelo, which, by the way, I looked at that dress too. I loved it. I never did get to try it on; I ended up finding mine before I got the chance. Mine has burgundy in it... it wasn't like I was looking for red... I was just drawn to it!

I love the idea of the black bowl/red fruits. I also love the idea of birdcages. You're well on your way! Now the tough part will be choosing!

[AeriellDawn]

I love the idea of the black bowl/red fruits. I also love the idea of birdcages. You're well on your way! Now the tough part will be choosing!

Oi... you're telling me! :sad2: And I'm sure that by the time it comes to make any *real* decisions I'll have dreamed up so many ideas my head will be spinning! I'm the same way with cake designs... my brides choose one and I feel bad for the rest of my "babies" that didn't get chosen!

I forgot to mention before! My invitation samples should be here sometime this week! Yay!!! I hope they're as awesome as I imagine. Take a look!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/SmallInvite.jpg

And here's the thank-you cards!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/SmallThanks.jpg

I'd like to add a little bit of black to them somehow, but I'm not sure how, really. Maybe black envelopes? A little ribbon? I'm at a loss (again!).

[DecemberBride]

I think we're getting our invites from the same place... :goodvibes

[newyearsbride]

Welcome and congratulations! I *love* your proposal story! I also love the third dress. BTW, white, red, and black is not goth, it's classic. Those were are colors before we switched. GL and and wait to read more!

[jennifaerie]

Ooh, I love the contrast between the invitations and the thank yous!

[AeriellDawn]

I think we're getting our invites from the same place... :goodvibes

Keen! I loves a lot of the designs on that site and they're really pretty affordable!

Welcome and congratulations! I *love* your proposal story! I also love the third dress. BTW, white, red, and black is not goth, it's classic. Those were are colors before we switched. GL and and wait to read more!

Aww, thank you! And thanks for the reassurance- I really appreciate it. Now that I'm getting things together in my mind, it's not seeming as goth. I just worry for no reason sometimes, though! :rotfl2:

Ooh, I love the contrast between the invitations and the thank yous!

Isn't it awesome? That's what really drew me in- It's just so... neat! I love how the white petals and text look against the red- I bet no one loses these puppies! Your invites in your PJ are absolutely gorgeous too! And your thank-yous are freakin' sweet, if I may say so!

[jennifaerie]

:laughing: Thanks! We're not exactly the most conventional couple, so we're breaking all sorts of rules along the way!

We spent most of tonight assembling those puppies. It's funny how much effort you make for something that someone looks at maybe once or twice for a minute.

My hope is that they'll open them and say, Wow, these are different! Then maybe they'll look at them for two minutes instead! :lmao:

Yours will definitely get that second minute! ;)

[Beep]

Beep, you're awesome. I love reading your posts! And we're color twins! YAY! The only difference is that we're doing mostly white and red with black accents. :)

That dress is GORGEOUS! You're going to be *so* lovely floating down the aisle in that! Thanks for the encouragement on the red dress, too! I think I'll hang on to the mostly white one for now... but hey, in about 10 years maybe a rock n' roll VR would just *scream* for a red dress!

I think I may be getting waaaay ahead of myself there though! :rotfl:

Awww, thank you honey, that's really sweet of you.

My Mom wasn't impressed with the dress at first as I have a large tattoo on my back and one on my arm. She was trying to get me to cover them up with just about anything she could think of but has given up now. I'm having long hair extensions which will cover what the dress doesn't on my back but the armband is going wild and free and nature intended. It actually looked quite cool with the dress!

Hmmm, ok, start off with the white dress with the red banding and then people will be ready for the red dress at the VR!

Happy dress hunting and keep us up to date.

Alex :goodvibes :goodvibes

[AeriellDawn]

:laughing: Thanks! We're not exactly the most conventional couple, so we're breaking all sorts of rules along the way!

We spent most of tonight assembling those puppies. It's funny how much effort you make for something that someone looks at maybe once or twice for a minute.

My hope is that they'll open them and say, Wow, these are different! Then maybe they'll look at them for two minutes instead! :lmao:

Yours will definitely get that second minute! ;)

I noticed the lack of conventionality in your PJ and I think it's awesome! Your invites will surely get the second minute! :goodvibes

How are you planning on addressing yours? Calligraphy, labels, printer? My handwriting is....uh... interesting so hand-addressing is iffy at best :laughing:

I *am* going to try my hand a putting wax seals on the envelopes, though! I've always wanted to get something with a wax seal... just seems so fancy and classic to me :lmao:

[jennifaerie]

I noticed the lack of conventionality in your PJ and I think it's awesome! Your invites will surely get the second minute! :goodvibes

How are you planning on addressing yours? Calligraphy, labels, printer? My handwriting is....uh... interesting so hand-addressing is iffy at best :laughing:

I *am* going to try my hand a putting wax seals on the envelopes, though! I've always wanted to get something with a wax seal... just seems so fancy and classic to me :lmao:

I just finished addressing my envelopes last week. It was *NOT* fun. I don't have beautiful penmanship myself. So I bought some stencils and tried those out with a calligraphy pen. We agreed it didn't look all that nice, so we bought letter stamps (I got a set at Michael's for $19.99). I thought they looked horrible, but I got a lot of compliments from the few people I showed them to. They thought I had done it on purpose (they look a bit... playful. I thought they looked sloppy! But I'm my own worst critic). The stamp pad was gold.

I love wax seals! Someone gave me a set when I was a teenager, and I used them for years. This time, we just got gold leaf stickers, since it went with the whole motif.

I'll try to take pictures of an envelope. I thought about it, and then I was like, People will see their addresses. I could make a fake one though, so you can see how it turned out.

[IndyBride]

Everything sound wonderful. I really like your invitations. Can't wait to hear about more of your plans.

[AeriellDawn]

My Mom wasn't impressed with the dress at first as I have a large tattoo on my back and one on my arm. She was trying to get me to cover them up with just about anything she could think of but has given up now. I'm having long hair extensions which will cover what the dress doesn't on my back but the armband is going wild and free and nature intended. It actually looked quite cool with the dress!


Pfft- I say keep the tats! There's just something about a tattooed lady in a wedding gown that's just... I dunno. Unspeakably awesome, I think.

We're wanting to do the dessert party thing, and I'm taking a page from Carrie (patron saint of awesome weddings)'s book and thinking about a subtle little costume change during the time in between the ceremony and day reception and the dessert party. However, instead of the very lovely fascinator idea, I'm thinking hats!

Tiny hats! :cutie:

http://image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.21088319.jpg

Like this, but white and red! I dunno about the veil part, I may just ask for the hat and little doo-dads only. Maybe gloves for in the evening too? I don't know, just random ideas surfacing and then returning to the murky depths of my mind.

Also, I've started a bridal beauty regimen! Okay yeah... big achievement right? :rotfl:

I have been drinking so much water- I feel like a sieve, if you catch my drift!:lmao:

So I've started taking hair, skin, and nails vitamins (my nails are really weak and my skin could use some TLC) as well as really watching what/when/how much I eat. I really want to lose weight before I have loads of pics taken of me, so I'm starting an exercise routine and of course, the diet. Any recommendations would be awesome! (I'm looking to drop about 80 lbs! I'll be needing to do some of these :yay: and less of this :happytv: )

Any recommendations for skin care products? I'm washing with olay soap, exfoliating with St Ives apricot scrub (less often now, my cheeks are kinda extra-rosy from where I was exfoliating too much!), neutrogena pore-reducing toner, and olay spf 30 moisturizer. I want to be one HAWT bride, baby!

I'm also looking to start using mane and tail shampoo and conditioner- that stuff makes your hair *awesome* and makes it grow fast too!

Thanks for reading everyone! :goodvibes

[newyearsbride]

I *love* birdcage veils... they look so glamorous! As for the tiny hat... very cute!

I've heard Aveno and Olay are as close to professional skin care products as your going to get! They work really well. I've heard nothing but good things about the apricot one as well, but I'm allergic to apricots so that's one bridal look I WON'T be going for, I don't think I could pull of the blochy/swollen look.

I think I might try the horse and mane shampoo if you recommend it! Is your hair growing pretty fast? Does it look long and luxurious?

[lurkyloo]

"Now with 500% More Pictures" - I LOVE it! :rotfl2:

[AeriellDawn]

I *love* birdcage veils... they look so glamorous! As for the tiny hat... very cute!

I've heard Aveno and Olay are as close to professional skin care products as your going to get! They work really well. I've heard nothing but good things about the apricot one as well, but I'm allergic to apricots so that's one bridal look I WON'T be going for, I don't think I could pull of the blochy/swollen look.

I think I might try the horse and mane shampoo if you recommend it! Is your hair growing pretty fast? Does it look long and luxurious?

Ouch- sorry to hear about the apricot allergy! There are some really nice sugar scrubs out there that do basically the same thing, though! And I think you're right... the blotchy and swollen look is *not* a good one!

And yes- the mane and tail shampoo works wonders! I haven't started using it yet, but when I used it all those years ago before prom it was like magic. Silky, long, and strong. And even better, the dollar store has a huge bottle for just $1! :hyper:

Here's an old prom pic- sorry it's tiny, but if you break out the magnifying glass I think you can see the 'do!
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Aeriell_Dawn3.jpg

"Now with 500% More Pictures" - I LOVE it!

Titled with you in mind, Carrie! :rotfl:

[hope1826]

I have been drinking so much water- I feel like a sieve, if you catch my drift!:lmao:

So I've started taking hair, skin, and nails vitamins (my nails are really weak and my skin could use some TLC) as well as really watching what/when/how much I eat. I really want to lose weight before I have loads of pics taken of me, so I'm starting an exercise routine and of course, the diet. Any recommendations would be awesome! (I'm looking to drop about 80 lbs! I'll be needing to do some of these :yay: and less of this :happytv: )

Any recommendations for skin care products? I'm washing with olay soap, exfoliating with St Ives apricot scrub (less often now, my cheeks are kinda extra-rosy from where I was exfoliating too much!), neutrogena pore-reducing toner, and olay spf 30 moisturizer. I want to be one HAWT bride, baby!


Hiya, I've lurked in your PJ, but never posted... I have some recommendations for nails and skin care... Liquid Multi Vitamins are a gazillion times more effective for hair, skin and nails than Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins.
I use Vitamin Shoppe brand Liquid Green Multi Vitamin. I had super thin nails that were always breaking and within the first two weeks of taking the new liquid multi, my nails were long and healthy. My hair also grows faster when I take them. The bottle has 32 servings (one per day) and is around $25. I used a variety of Hair, Skin and Nail vitamins for years and barely noticed a difference. This also gives me tons more energy during the day and I sleep better at night. But here's the catch... it doesn't taste yummy at all. :confused3

Also if you use Nailtiques (clear nail polish about $8 at CVS/RiteAid/Walgreens for a teeny tiny bottle), in about a week you will see a difference in your nails too.

As far as skin goes...before my wedding, I used Olay Regenerist 14-day intensive Therapy. It was $25 and you just put lotion on before you go to bed for 14 days and it was AMAZING!!!!! The results only last about 2-3 weeks after you use it, but it actually worked better than $100 facials I've had. I have very large pores and they disappeared completely!

hth

Nikki

[AeriellDawn]

Hiya, I've lurked in your PJ, but never posted... I have some recommendations for nails and skin care... Liquid Multi Vitamins are a gazillion times more effective for hair, skin and nails than Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins.
I use Vitamin Shoppe brand Liquid Green Multi Vitamin. I had super thin nails that were always breaking and within the first two weeks of taking the new liquid multi, my nails were long and healthy. My hair also grows faster when I take them. The bottle has 32 servings (one per day) and is around $25. I used a variety of Hair, Skin and Nail vitamins for years and barely noticed a difference. This also gives me tons more energy during the day and I sleep better at night. But here's the catch... it doesn't taste yummy at all. :confused3

Also if you use Nailtiques (clear nail polish about $8 at CVS/RiteAid/Walgreens for a teeny tiny bottle), in about a week you will see a difference in your nails too.

As far as skin goes...before my wedding, I used Olay Regenerist 14-day intensive Therapy. It was $25 and you just put lotion on before you go to bed for 14 days and it was AMAZING!!!!! The results only last about 2-3 weeks after you use it, but it actually worked better than $100 facials I've had. I have very large pores and they disappeared completely!

hth

Nikki

:hyper: I have a PJ lurker! Thanks so much for the tips- I guess you get what you pay for... (they had the skin, hair, and nails vitas BOGO the the grocery store..:rolleyes1 ) But I may switch to the ones you recommended! They may not taste yummy, but I don't know many that do, honestly. (Flintsones don't count!)

And thank you, thank you, thank you for the tip on the Regenerist! I'll tuck this one under my hat for when the big day gets closer! I have big pores too and I've been trying to shrink them, but nothing works. I've never had a facial, but I'm taking your advice that this product works better than expensive treatments. Thank you *again*! :worship:

[hope1826]

:hyper: I have a PJ lurker! Thanks so much for the tips- I guess you get what you pay for... (they had the skin, hair, and nails vitas BOGO the the grocery store..:rolleyes1 ) But I may switch to the ones you recommended! They may not taste yummy, but I don't know many that do, honestly. (Flintsones don't count!)

And thank you, thank you, thank you for the tip on the Regenerist! I'll tuck this one under my hat for when the big day gets closer! I have big pores too and I've been trying to shrink them, but nothing works. I've never had a facial, but I'm taking your advice that this product works better than expensive treatments. Thank you *again*! :worship:


LOL, it's fun being your PJ lurker! Everything sounds/looks great so far.

Ohhh, maybe you should try the regular Vitamin Shoppe Liquid Multi Vitamins first. They actually do kind of taste like Flinstones Multis!

Yeah, they are more expensive, but I finally made the switch because it is actually more cost effective. I did some research and found that our bodies only absorb 2%(not so healthy)-20%(super healthy) of vitamins in tablet form, while we absorb about 90% of vitamins in liquid form. So now that I know that, it kinda feels like vitamins in tablet form are a huge waste of money. And you really feel a difference in many ways when you take them in liquid form. It could possibly even help you lose weight, because of the energy boost.

And just like you, NOTHING had ever worked on my pores, but this was super easy and wonderful! I cancelled a pore cleansing facial I had scheduled at the Mandara Spa at Disney for the day before our wedding. I totally didn't need it after using the 14-day treatment.

Keep me posted after you try these things, if you do try them! I hope they help!

Nikki

[jennifaerie]

I love, love, love the hat! That's great. And it sounds like it would go perfectly with what you're planning!

My skin is really sensitive, so I can't really deviate from what I use on a daily basis (even going from cheapy to expensive stuff). I've been using Olay cleansers for years, and then Clean & Clear moisturizers (with a couple other things thrown in between), including apricot scrubs for exfoliation. I wish you luck with that. I know I'm going to wake up on my wedding day with a colossal zit on my ... everything! :rotfl2:

I laugh, but I guess it won't be funny when it does happen!

[AeriellDawn]

We interrupt these regularly scheduled beauty-related messages with a FLASH! update!

My invite sample AND my DFTW planning folder of goodness came today! I'm so excited I can't hardly stand it! :hyper: My mom and sister just left after a long discussion of these items and some decisions.

First things first!

THIS dress is The One (dress to rule them all. MWAHAHAHA! Sorry... :rolleyes1 )
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress2.jpg

I will be going to try on another AA dress to get the sizing and then order that beauty off of e-bay for half the price! ::yes:: I'll probably still be getting the veil ad DB unless I can find and better (cheaper!) one online. Thank goodness for the internets.

The invites are awesome- I'm not used to the single page-type invite so I was worried that it looked cheap (I want to *be* cheap, not look it!) but mom and sis reassured me of it's awesomeness. It's a medium-weight paper and the printing is very crisp and interesting. I love the RSVP cards! The samples are black, but I think they'll look stunning in the red. I would like to fancy them up with a little ribbon and they will *certainly* be getting those wax seals! Don't know about addressing yet, but we'll see when we get there!

I feels official now that I have the DFTW packet. I wish the STDs were customizable but oh well. (I giggle when I think that I'm giving STDs to all my guests. And the abbreviation 'BM' makes me chuckle as well! I think I might be a perv...)

We also talked about music, but I'm kind of lost there. I like what I like and don't really have a huge mental song library. My sister does, though. So this I shall use to my advantage! For father-daughter dance we're really trying to find just the right song. My dad and I aren't the fluffy bunnies, daddy's little girl, butterfly kisses kind of father and daughter, so it's hard to choose a song. And some songs have kind of a creepy incest vibe (don't ask, I'm probably crazy and mean no offense!) so I'm trying to find something appropriate. My dad and I are both into classic rock so maybe Bread's Daughter, The Beatles Blackbird or Here Comes the Sun. We might take it a little modern too with Natalie Merchant's Kind and Generous, Loudon Wainwright's Daughter, or Ben Fold's Gracie. Or we could really go nuts and do the Time Warp from Rocky Horror Picture Show! :rotfl2:

I'm thinking I would like to walk down the aisle to "La Vie en Rose" on violin.

Also, have some pictures! These are two of the jewelry sets that I'm considering; the first is the set I would wear during the ceremony (imagine the gold bits in silver) and the second is the evening set. Let me know what you think!
http://www.awnol.com/store/images/graphics/00000001/BLP373.jpg
http://www.awnol.com/store/images/nkr736.jpg

Total cost of BOTH sets together? $16.50
Now I just hope they don't break or turn me green or anything! :rotfl2:

[jennifaerie]

I just spent $128 on stamps, so I'll be glad to write about you for a change! :rotfl:

First, yay about the dress! I feel like I'm living vicariously through you because you're going for it, and I never got to try it. I *love* that dress. Love, love, love it.

Second, I'm so glad about the invitations! Huzzah! Isn't it nice when it all comes together, and you just know you've made the right decision?

Third, :lmao: about funny abbreviations! I am a system administrator for a scheduling system. One section of the system is abbreviated "IBS". During training, I'd say to my users, At least it's gender neutral and not PMS!

Also (that makes this fourth), I love the songs you chose. If you and your dad are okay with moving a little faster than what slow dancing calls for, then Blackbird and Here Comes the Sun are great! You know I'm all about unconventionality, so I think they're great.

I am a huge fan of pearl chokers, so I love the first set. But the second set made me actually say, Va va va voom! And I don't think I've ever said that. I think both sets are gorgeous, and I'm glad you're considering using both.

If you only wear them for a few hours, you should be good (and not green)! :rotfl:

[newyearsbride]

I've always been a fan of that dress! Make sure you share pictures when you get it! I love your necklaces, esp. the second one... gorgeous!

[29apr00]

Congrats on your engagement!! What a beautiful story!

So umm.........what about your cake?? ;) I'm a very amatuer cake decorator and i'd love to see what your thoughts are for your cake! I'm have the hardest time thinking up what i want for my VR.

I love your dress! It's beautiful! Can't wait to hear more!

Jennifer

[AeriellDawn]

I just spent $128 on stamps, so I'll be glad to write about you for a change! :rotfl:

First, yay about the dress! I feel like I'm living vicariously through you because you're going for it, and I never got to try it. I *love* that dress. Love, love, love it.

Second, I'm so glad about the invitations! Huzzah! Isn't it nice when it all comes together, and you just know you've made the right decision?

Third, :lmao: about funny abbreviations! I am a system administrator for a scheduling system. One section of the system is abbreviated "IBS". During training, I'd say to my users, At least it's gender neutral and not PMS!

Also (that makes this fourth), I love the songs you chose. If you and your dad are okay with moving a little faster than what slow dancing calls for, then Blackbird and Here Comes the Sun are great! You know I'm all about unconventionality, so I think they're great.

I am a huge fan of pearl chokers, so I love the first set. But the second set made me actually say, Va va va voom! And I don't think I've ever said that. I think both sets are gorgeous, and I'm glad you're considering using both.

If you only wear them for a few hours, you should be good (and not green)! :rotfl:

Boy-howdy, that's a lot of stamps! What are you sending, small ponies with your invites? :lmao:

Yeah, it took me a while to really go for it, but heck... I just *love* that dress! Yes indeedy-do it's nice when it comes together! I'm just torn between some slight embellishments and just keeping it clean and crisp as it is. :rotfl2: My FH gets male PMS (prissy male syndrome) often! It's nice to have a gender-neutral abbreviation now! :rotfl2:

My dad is a big Beatles fan, and my sister assures me that if we dance to Blackbird, he's going to cry. I dunno if I want my dad to cry, but I do want it to be something really special to him. :blush:

I'm glad you like the necklaces! Mom and sis liked them too (even though they looked at me like I was off my nut when I unveiled the mini hat) and FH is *really* digging the second one. I can't wait to order them! And I guess you're right, only wearing them for a little while shouldn't turn me green but I think I'll invest in some clear nailpolish just in case! :rotfl:

I've always been a fan of that dress! Make sure you share pictures when you get it! I love your necklaces, esp. the second one... gorgeous!

There will be bunches of pictures!!! And thanks for the necklace praise! (I must admit, I could probably go with just the second one and be totally happy!)

I was looking for bustling ideas for this particular dress (I can't be trailing that train all day!) and came upon these:
http://www.leanna.com/Bridal/bimages/SameDiference02.jpg
http://www.leanna.com/Bridal/bimages/SameDiference03.jpg

What do you guys think? I'm partial to the last one, but they're all really neat, I think!::yes::

[lov2b@disney]

Just caught up with your PJ! Sweet :lovestruc engagement story!

The dress is beautiful, I like the 3rd bustle.

popcorn::

[jennifaerie]

I definitely like the third bustle the best, the second, runner-up.

I know my song with my dad will make him cry. But it's got sentimental value. Oh heck, my dad'll be crying before that!

No ponies! We got sixty .59s, and then we got four sheets of .42s. Also express shipping (I never express, but we would have gotten them after June 10th). Ouchie.

[October Bride]

As promised, here are some of the dresses that I'm considering.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress1.jpg


This is the number one candidate at the moment! I went to David's Bridal and tried it on already and it looks great! (Pictures when I do the magic dance of transferring from camera to computer!)


http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress2.jpg

Here's another one that I have my eye on. I just love the detailing! I just have to find some place around here that carries the darn thing so that I can try it on. Went to a local Bridal shop and they said the only way to get it in was for me to be *sure* it was the one I wanted and then pay half down! How do I know without trying it on?

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/Dress3.jpg

Here's the third candidate, but it will be in red, of course! This one will make the red a little more subtle, so I don't know... worth trying though! (Again, if I can find a store where I can try it on..)

My 'Maids tried on the dress below at DB and loved it! They said it definitely has regular wearability and that was really important to me. I'll have them wearing it with a black peek-a-boo skirt and black sash with a sparkly brooch of their choosing. My maids have awesome personalities and I want them to be able to showcase some of that. That's why they're my top ladies!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/BMDress1.jpg



I had really tried to somehow fanagle my way into an all-red gown, but was assured that my father and several of the guests in attendance would have simultaneous heart attacks. :snooty: I guess they just don't appreciate a really bold bride!

Speaking of: for you ladies who like a little something different and don't already know about it: www.offbeatbride.com is a really neat and really interesting site with some good stuff! I particularly like the list of songs for a not-so-sappy father-daughter dance.

I'd love to hear what you ladies (and gents!) think of those dresses! :thumbsup2

Hi
My best friend has the first dress and i have to say it was just stunning so my vote goes for number 1 :lovestruc

[AeriellDawn]

Hi
My best friend has the first dress and i have to say it was just stunning so my vote goes for number 1 :lovestruc

Believe me, when I tried on Number 1 I adored it too- it really *is* a stunning dress! All the extra detail just sold me on Number 2. If you go here: http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=168176&ppid=1122&image=39833513&images=39833535,39833513,39833521,39833524,3983353 0,17076586,127279882&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0
and scroll through the pictures (and imagine them in RED!) you'll see why I was smitten!

I went to a local bridal shop to try on the AA dresses today and get my size. It was the singular most awful experience ever! :headache: The lady was so rude and when she assured me that the dresses run small and when I needed a size SMALLER than my normal size (this thing was obviously falling off me) after she *assured me* I would need at least a size 24-26 (I'm a 20 and would have fit better into and 18! Woo diet!) she refused to believe it! She even called another little floozy over to confirm that there was no way I could ever possibly without the help of some serious lubricant squeeze my ample derrière into an size 18 gown! My sis and I were all :furious: "Hussy! You best recognize!" And then left- but I got what I went in there for: The Size! Now I never have to go in there ever ever again. :goodvibes *End rant*

jennifaerie wrote:
I definitely like the third bustle the best, the second, runner-up.

I know my song with my dad will make him cry. But it's got sentimental value. Oh heck, my dad'll be crying before that!

No ponies! We got sixty .59s, and then we got four sheets of .42s. Also express shipping (I never express, but we would have gotten them after June 10th). Ouchie.

lov2b@disney wrote:
Just caught up with your PJ! Sweet engagement story!

The dress is beautiful, I like the 3rd bustle.
I'm with you guys on the third bustle- it's just neat :goodvibes

jennifaerie- That's cool about the sentimental song! I would really like something with the sentimental value too! That's why I'm really looking at the classic rock songs rather than newer stuff; my dad would wake us up on saturday mornings by blaring classic rock like Dr. Hook, John Pryne, The Eagles, Pink Floyd, etc., and making my sister and I pancakes before we started to watch cartoons. So those bands and really good rock in general always reminds me of those mornings with daddy. :lovestruc

I would also like to re-state that that's a heckuvalotta stamps! And paying express postage for stamps strikes me as rather ironic and funny- no offense intended!

and 29apr00 wrote:
Congrats on your engagement!! What a beautiful story!

So umm.........what about your cake?? I'm a very amatuer cake decorator and i'd love to see what your thoughts are for your cake! I'm have the hardest time thinking up what i want for my VR.

I love your dress! It's beautiful! Can't wait to hear more!

Jennifer

Thanks for the engagement compliments! I've passed all of them along to FH and now his head will no longer fit through doors :rotfl:

As for the cake- that's a toughie! I've been playing with ideas and looking for inspiration, sketching things here and there, but I just haven't hit on that perfect design. I saw the pics of the standard disney cakes in the cake thread, and have to say that I was.... well... it's just not what I'm looking for. I *did* however dream of a flavor of cake and I *know* I want an eiffel tower cake topper! Maybe I could post some scans of the cakedoodles I've made?

Does anyone know of disney can do varied shapes on one cake? I really like the idea of breaking up lines a bit- again, I wish I had more adventurous brides! :headache:

[jennifaerie]

Ah, my dear, you are so right!

I'm usually the in-the-clouds person, especially about money. But for some reason, Rob really wanted these stamps.

You're so cool. Here I am with my Bryan Adams song, and you're talking about Pink Floyd and the Beatles! :rotfl2: But there's still a reason. My mom asked me to use that Tim McGraw father/daugher song, but I flat out said no. This song means something to my dad, so I gotta use it.

I *so* want to see cakedoodles! :yay: :yay:

[AeriellDawn]

Ah, my dear, you are so right!

I'm usually the in-the-clouds person, especially about money. But for some reason, Rob really wanted these stamps.

You're so cool. Here I am with my Bryan Adams song, and you're talking about Pink Floyd and the Beatles! :rotfl2: But there's still a reason. My mom asked me to use that Tim McGraw father/daugher song, but I flat out said no. This song means something to my dad, so I gotta use it.

I *so* want to see cakedoodles! :yay: :yay:

Way to stick it to The Man! :hippie: (Not that I'm calling your mom a man... or that she had bad taste in music- it's a very sweet song!)

But I just think songs with meaning are much better- especially on a day that's so super-charged with estrogen, it's nice to say "I'm really thinking about you too, Dad" instead of something so sweet it'll give you tooth decay.

Um... but if it's *really* sweet and *really* meaningful too- then double bonus! :thumbsup2

Cakedoodles forthcoming! One was inspired by an Iron Chef Japan battle! (Let your imaginations run away with *that* one! Bwahaha! :stir: )

[jennifaerie]

I'll try to remember to scan the cakedoodle of our cake. It was the only place we went to that was willing to draw a sketch for us. That alone sold us.

[AeriellDawn]

As promised- cake doodles! Sorry they're not in color- I generally just keep a regular ol' pencil handy instead of colored ones.

This first one is the one that was inspired by the Iron Chef Japan battle- it was the one where they had to use all Wedgewood plates and dishware. I was really struck by the black Jasperware design with the white reliefs, but the red was really interesting too. I don't know which would look better, though!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/cakedoodle1.jpg
Some actual Jasperware:
http://www.aspireauctions.com/auctions/2004MAR/thumbs/5122-01.jpghttp://common.csnstores.com/common/products/WED/WED2181_m.jpg

This next one I call "Funky French". It had all kinds of different shapes and patterns and some unusual separators between the tiers. Oh. And a squirrel!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/cakedoodle2.jpg

This one has two cakes! One is a reproductions of my dress detail and the other one is a graduated play on the swirl pattern that's so popular right now. I really like how ribbon looks around the bottom of a cake as a finishing touch; it's just really clean. And there's what I'll look like while eating the yummy cake!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/cakedoodle3.jpg

And here's a commentary on how my FH affects my decision-making process. It's cake related! I also wanted to include a cake with the neat damask design that's also really popular right now, but.... I can't draw damask!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/cakedoodle4.jpg

Who ever heard of someone having a personal grudge against a croquenbouche? A croquenbouche is a tower of cream puffs in a cone shape that have been stuck together with caramel. They're *very* nummy! Here;s what a real one looks like!
http://www.fictionislying.com/pictores/albums/userpics/10001/normal_croqfull.jpg

Also, we had Wedding Workout number one yesterday! Let me just say that... *whimper* It huuuuurrrrrrts! :faint: Doing good though- from now on we'll be getting fit every M-W-F and I'm going to keep to my diet and taking the pup for many walks. I feel skinnier already! (Now if I could just walk...owwie!)

Also, and update on the dress: We've decided to hold off ordering it until wedding season is over and we could (in theory) get an even better deal. I don't particularly like the idea, but mom says she has a gut feeling that it would really be best and she's usually right. So I'm putting my trust into her and if she's wrong... well... then hopefully I can still get my dream dress! Also, on the upside if things *do* fall into place I could maybe order a smaller size so It wouldn't have to be altered down to nothing.

That's all for now! :thumbsup2

[jennifaerie]

Oh, your doodles are adorable! I loved all the cakes, but the swirly one, and the one with the dress detail are my favorites. I love how the detail spills off the cake. That's really creative.

Though I think you should just have a cake with your little faces all over it. :goodvibes

[29apr00]

WOW great cakes!! I really like the 1st one. not too sure about Disney doing one like that. One bride wanted a pillow cake and Disney told her no,

[AeriellDawn]

I don't know if it's going to happen. I don't know if we're going to have the wedding anymore.

The country club where we work is run by a ship of fools. Because the club president is angry with my FH he's bringing up a vote with the board to get rid of him. The club pres is angry that FH tells clients the truth or when FH tells him how things need to be done in order to turn a profit- or even break even on food costs. The club pres is friends with *everyone* on the board so they'll vote how he wants them to. They're even angry that FH had to raise prices just to break even! The board should be concerned with the club making money and happy for this- instead of fighting tooth and nail about a stupid $2 price increase due to rising food costs!!!! :furious:

Mike (My FH, in case y'all forgot) is so fed up, he's ready to go- wants to leave except for the fact that he's very worried about what some of his customers will be left with. But since he's not working out the rest of the year he's not going to get his bonus (however measly) of 35% of the overall profit- and they're so petty they may not even give him the gratuity money that he's already earned. :(

I've been all over the place gathering applications for a new job and I'm worried because places around here don't pay very well. I don't know how we're ever going to save enough for this wedding and pay bills/eat on top of it. I just hope that the University renews my adjunct contract in the fall. That money would really help.

I just don't know what to do- I want to cry my eyes out. I would rely more on cakes, but I don't have my own bakery so it's kind of hard. I just feel so lost; like everything is just falling down around me. Thanks for listening (reading?) to me rant. I just really needed to get that off my chest. I just wish I knew it would all be ok...:(

[feline figaro]

AeriellDawn::goodvibes

Did you actually do those drawings yourself?? If so they re great, girl pics are super cute. You can draw me a pic if you get really bored:cutie: , wish i had your talents:thumbsup2

[AeriellDawn]

Oh, your doodles are adorable! I loved all the cakes, but the swirly one, and the one with the dress detail are my favorites. I love how the detail spills off the cake. That's really creative.

Though I think you should just have a cake with your little faces all over it. :goodvibes

I really like extending detail off of the cake itself and yes- I really like the swirly one, too. I'm glad you like the doodles! Maybe it if turns out that I have to make my own cake I might sneak a little face in there somewhere.

WOW great cakes!! I really like the 1st one. not too sure about Disney doing one like that. One bride wanted a pillow cake and Disney told her no,

I really like that one too! I hope that Disney could do it, but if you say they wouldn't do pillows (how easy is *that*?!) then I doubt it.

AeriellDawn::goodvibes

Did you actually do those drawings yourself?? If so they re great, girl pics are super cute. You can draw me a pic if you get really bored:cutie: , wish i had your talents:thumbsup2

Hehe! I'm glad you like my doodles! I wanted to get into cartooning/comics but went to chef school instead. If I ever meet someone with a story I may start a comic. I would love to draw you a picture! Just lemme know what you'd like and I'll see what I can come up with!

You're all such sweethearts :hug: Even when I'm down your nice comments cheer me right up. Thanks girls! :goodvibes

[DisneyBrideToni]

I just caught up with reading your PJ. I love all of your ideas. I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE that little hat!!!! That would be adorable!!!!!! I love all of your ideas. The cake sketches are great!!! I hope you still have your wedding in Disney!!! I am sure everything will work out for you. I am sure we will all help you find a way to keep with your Disney wedding no matter what happens!!

[AeriellDawn]

I just caught up with reading your PJ. I love all of your ideas. I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE that little hat!!!! That would be adorable!!!!!! I love all of your ideas. The cake sketches are great!!! I hope you still have your wedding in Disney!!! I am sure everything will work out for you. I am sure we will all help you find a way to keep with your Disney wedding no matter what happens!!


Thanks Toni! I hope we still have it at Disney too- I really really from the bottom of my heart appreciate the support- it means so much to me and I'm so happy to belong to such a kind group of people. :hug:

[DisneyBrideToni]

Thanks Toni! I hope we still have it at Disney too- I really really from the bottom of my heart appreciate the support- it means so much to me and I'm so happy to belong to such a kind group of people. :hug:

Everyone on this board is great!!!! They are all wonderful friends! I just realized I said I LOVE YOUR IDEAS twice...LOL. I guess I really love the ideas! :rotfl2: I think your dress is great! Its an Alfred Angelo right? I have an Alfred Angelo dress too. If you go to a website bestbridalprices.com (i think thats the page) they have all of Alfred Angelo's dresses at a discount. If thats not the right site let me know and I will find it for you!

[Mocharilla]

I don't know if it's going to happen. I don't know if we're going to have the wedding anymore.

The country club where we work is run by a ship of fools. Because the club president is angry with my FH he's bringing up a vote with the board to get rid of him. The club pres is angry that FH tells clients the truth or when FH tells him how things need to be done in order to turn a profit- or even break even on food costs. The club pres is friends with *everyone* on the board so they'll vote how he wants them to. They're even angry that FH had to raise prices just to break even! The board should be concerned with the club making money and happy for this- instead of fighting tooth and nail about a stupid $2 price increase due to rising food costs!!!! :furious:

Mike (My FH, in case y'all forgot) is so fed up, he's ready to go- wants to leave except for the fact that he's very worried about what some of his customers will be left with. But since he's not working out the rest of the year he's not going to get his bonus (however measly) of 35% of the overall profit- and they're so petty they may not even give him the gratuity money that he's already earned. :(

I've been all over the place gathering applications for a new job and I'm worried because places around here don't pay very well. I don't know how we're ever going to save enough for this wedding and pay bills/eat on top of it. I just hope that the University renews my adjunct contract in the fall. That money would really help.

I just don't know what to do- I want to cry my eyes out. I would rely more on cakes, but I don't have my own bakery so it's kind of hard. I just feel so lost; like everything is just falling down around me. Thanks for listening (reading?) to me rant. I just really needed to get that off my chest. I just wish I knew it would all be ok...:(

Oh no! :hug:

This is why country clubs suck. Well, part of it.

It's okay. It'll all be okay. You could always put off the wedding a little longer if you need to, so you have more time to save up money.

The cakes look great, by the way.

And if worst comes to worst, just go to the courthouse and do it, or whatever, and do a vow renewal at Disney!

[PhilHarMaestro]

Loving your PJ so far!:) popcorn::
Just wanted to say though, I would make sure that your dress is not going to be discontiued anytime soon, because I went through that 3 times and it was such a bummer! :(
Everytime I found "the one" I would wait a week or so, or longer and go back and it would be discontiued! And now I actaully found the perfect dress and bought it right away and it is now discontinued..so be careful.
BTW: I love your dress!!!

[AeriellDawn]

Everyone on this board is great!!!! They are all wonderful friends! I just realized I said I LOVE YOUR IDEAS twice...LOL. I guess I really love the ideas! :rotfl2: I think your dress is great! Its an Alfred Angelo right? I have an Alfred Angelo dress too. If you go to a website bestbridalprices.com (i think thats the page) they have all of Alfred Angelo's dresses at a discount. If thats not the right site let me know and I will find it for you!

Oh Toni- you're so sweet! Thanks again on the tip for the website (it does work!) and those are quite some deals that they're cutting! However, thanks to the powers of eBay, I found the dress for $499! (very excited about that, but now my concern is a wedding to wear it to)

Which dress is yours? I would love to see it! I suppose I should read you PJ to find out! (It takes me so long to read through them all- I get so into the details that I have to take my time and really *look*!)

[jennifaerie]

Oh, Aeriell! :hug: I'm sorry you and your fiance are having such a rough time right now.

I'm sending warm, warm thoughts and wishes your way (including an insane amount of claustrophobic hugs and tasty, colorful cake)!

Let us know if there's anything we can do besides wishing! :hug:

[DisneyBrideToni]

Oh Toni- you're so sweet! Thanks again on the tip for the website (it does work!) and those are quite some deals that they're cutting! However, thanks to the powers of eBay, I found the dress for $499! (very excited about that, but now my concern is a wedding to wear it to)

Which dress is yours? I would love to see it! I suppose I should read you PJ to find out! (It takes me so long to read through them all- I get so into the details that I have to take my time and really *look*!)

It is Number 1224. (I am pretty sure..lol) I remembered the number because its like the date for Christmas Eve...LOL. That is awesome about the $499!!! Ebay is great!! Sadly I didn't know about that website until AFTER I bought my dress from a shop but I am going to tell my Matron of Honor about it so then we will just go to the shop to try on her dress and then get it from that site.

[AeriellDawn]

Oh, Aeriell! :hug: I'm sorry you and your fiance are having such a rough time right now.

I'm sending warm, warm thoughts and wishes your way (including an insane amount of claustrophobic hugs and tasty, colorful cake)!

Let us know if there's anything we can do besides wishing! :hug:

Thank you so much Jen- Mike and I really appreciate you keeping us in mind. Maybe if we don't get to have the wedding we've always dreamed of we can at least have a Disneymoon. Nothing to do but wish right now! Though if you want to knock over a bank, send some our way, okay? :rotfl:

It is Number 1224. (I am pretty sure..lol) I remembered the number because its like the date for Christmas Eve...LOL. That is awesome about the $499!!! Ebay is great!! Sadly I didn't know about that website until AFTER I bought my dress from a shop but I am going to tell my Matron of Honor about it so then we will just go to the shop to try on her dress and then get it from that site.

That dress is so pretty and princessy!!! I *love* the neckline! And that's a really good idea- basically what I did was to go into a shop and try on a similar one (they didn't have my dress) to get the size.

[A whole new world]

We have the same dress. I brought mine from the US and had it shipped to the UK. Because of the corset back it fits perfect.

I was wondering how to have it busseled and then i saw your pictures. I like the third option. Is it tied under with a ribbon or poppers. Would you be able to give me a little bit of detail as to how its done? In the UK not many people have it busseled like that they just have it tied to their arm, which would really annoy me. I think the third option looks real neat and gives a whole new dress for the reception.

Are you having yours in claret and white?

Thanks :thumbsup2

[AeriellDawn]

We have the same dress. I brought mine from the US and had it shipped to the UK. Because of the corset back it fits perfect.

I was wondering how to have it busseled and then i saw your pictures. I like the third option. Is it tied under with a ribbon or poppers. Would you be able to give me a little bit of detail as to how its done? In the UK not many people have it busseled like that they just have it tied to their arm, which would really annoy me. I think the third option looks real neat and gives a whole new dress for the reception.

Are you having yours in claret and white?

Thanks :thumbsup2


Hi A Whole New World! Yay for being dress twins! It's really neat to know someone having the same dress and I'm also happy to hear that the corset back helps so much with the fit- I can't wait to get mine (eventually, I hope). I'm glad that the bustle pics I posted on here helped you! The site that I found them on is really wonderful and tells you a lot about all different types of bustles. The ones featuring this particular dress are near the bottom titles under "Same Difference". It doesn't give diagrams or closeups I'm afraid, but the descriptions are pretty good and I'm sure any good seamstress will know just what to do.

That particular bustle used 4 eye hooks (I think!) to spread the design and make it fully visible with a little loop hooked onto one of the buttons on the dress to give it that little pickup. Here's the site with more detail than I can provide! http://www.leanna.com/Bridal/Bustles.htm

And yes, I am *definitely* going with the claret and white! :goodvibes

[Alarose]

Aeriel,

I just finished looking through your PJ. So far, everything looks amazing! I especially loved looking through your cake sketches! You are an amazing artist! For some reason, the picture of the penguin in there made me crack up :rotfl2: Not a cake... :rotfl: Really though, all of your cake sketches are amazing.

I L O V E the dress you picked out. You are going to look beautiful! Everything is looking great.

I am so sorry that you and your FH are having such trouble with the country club idiots. :worried: I really hope they get their act together before they lose a great worker! Sending prayers and thoughts your way. Everything will work out...just remember that. Your wedding is going to be amazing, beautiful, special no matter what or where you have it. Keep us updated!

[AeriellDawn]

Aeriel,

I just finished looking through your PJ. So far, everything looks amazing! I especially loved looking through your cake sketches! You are an amazing artist! For some reason, the picture of the penguin in there made me crack up :rotfl2: Not a cake... :rotfl: Really though, all of your cake sketches are amazing.

I L O V E the dress you picked out. You are going to look beautiful! Everything is looking great.

I am so sorry that you and your FH are having such trouble with the country club idiots. :worried: I really hope they get their act together before they lose a great worker! Sending prayers and thoughts your way. Everything will work out...just remember that. Your wedding is going to be amazing, beautiful, special no matter what or where you have it. Keep us updated!

Thanks Alarose! I'm glad you like the plans! I can't believe all the compliments on my skills of an artist- you guys are making me blush! :blush:

I love that dress too- I can't wait to actually have that baby in my hot little hands!:hyper: The thing at the country club is..well... really stupid. I just hope those idiots realize that they're being idiots and leave my FH alone to do the work he needs to do! I really appreciate the prayers and thoughts- it makes me so happy to know that there are so many wonderful people out there wishing us well.

Thanks for keeping the faith Alarose- we are developing a contingency plan because after a discussion last night FH declared "We *will* have this wedding. We've both always dreamed of this and it only happens once in a lifetime." :cloud9: I love that man. It *will* be a lovely wedding and I *will* keep you updated! :hippie:

[AeriellDawn]

I wanted to thank all the brides (future, present, and former) on this forum for being so kind, so eager to help, and so supportive. A lot of you said you liked my sketches so I wanted to gift you with a finished DIS bride pic! So now, for all you wonderful ladies, "DIS Brides Do It With Ears On"!

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/aeriell_dawn/DISBrides.jpg

[Mocharilla]

Aw, that's so cute! :lovestruc

[DecemberBride]

That's awesome!

[Wazzo]

Just caught up! Thanks for sharing, everything sounds awesome!

Your sketches are AMAZING! I LOVE the DisBride!!! :lovestruc Thanks for sharing that too!

[DisneyBrideToni]

wow that is an awesome sketch!!! That should be our official logo!

[Alarose]

Thanks Alarose! I'm glad you like the plans! I can't believe all the compliments on my skills of an artist- you guys are making me blush! :blush:

I love that dress too- I can't wait to actually have that baby in my hot little hands!:hyper: The thing at the country club is..well... really stupid. I just hope those idiots realize that they're being idiots and leave my FH alone to do the work he needs to do! I really appreciate the prayers and thoughts- it makes me so happy to know that there are so many wonderful people out there wishing us well.

Thanks for keeping the faith Alarose- we are developing a contingency plan because after a discussion last night FH declared "We *will* have this wedding. We've both always dreamed of this and it only happens once in a lifetime." :cloud9: I love that man. It *will* be a lovely wedding and I *will* keep you updated! :hippie:


Yes! It is going to be a beautiful wedding! That is great that you two are not going to hold any plans bassed on the idots at the Country Club. Go for your dreams. Everything will work out! :goodvibes

I LOVE the Dis Bride tribute! Ummm... "Dis Brides Do It With Ears On!" What specifically do you mean by 'it?' :cool1: LOL...I know what you mean. I guess you know where my mind is :rotfl:

[Ticky Toria 78]

What a great picture, thanks!:goodvibes

[A whole new world]

Thanks for posting the info about the bustles. I really appreciate it. I've never come across pictures of our dress with a bustles before.

I love your sketch :thumbsup2

[Lynn5700]

Aww the sketch is sooo cute!!!!

[jennifaerie]

What a gorgeous picture, Aeriell (I really need to come up with some new adjectives! I do have an English degree... I'm slacking). I love it. I echo Toni-- it should be our logo!

[Keira1387]

Great sketch!! Thanks!

[alissa2008]

Disbrides do it with ears on?

:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:


you are quite talented! I love your drawings!

[AeriellDawn]

You guys are all so sweet! I'm so glad that you enjoy the pic- I'm going to get a big head from all the compliments! I think I'm getting teary too :goodvibes

Just my way of saying thanks to everyone for being awesome- and if you want it surely can be the logo! I don't mind one bit- in fact, I'm proud to offer it!::yes::

[bestla]

awww I'm so sorry you're going through a stressful time!! I'm sure it will all work out--you won't have to give up your Disney wedding!! In fact I am personally learning how to have a budget friendly Disney wedding (it IS possible!). So don't you worry!

oh and I'd like to add that I simply luuuurve all your choices! I would have totally gone with the all red dress! The DF and I are very non-traditional...so I'm sure I will break my mom's heart if I don't end up with a white dress. Oh well! I'M the bride!:rotfl:

I can't believe your experience in the bridal shop! Psht--forget her. She's probably old and sad and lonely...and not to mention totally jealous of your uber-romantic DF and your ability to fill out a dress with fabulous curves!

[AeriellDawn]

awww I'm so sorry you're going through a stressful time!! I'm sure it will all work out--you won't have to give up your Disney wedding!! In fact I am personally learning how to have a budget friendly Disney wedding (it IS possible!). So don't you worry!

oh and I'd like to add that I simply luuuurve all your choices! I would have totally gone with the all red dress! The DF and I are very non-traditional...so I'm sure I will break my mom's heart if I don't end up with a white dress. Oh well! I'M the bride!:rotfl:

I can't believe your experience in the bridal shop! Psht--forget her. She's probably old and sad and lonely...and not to mention totally jealous of your uber-romantic DF and your ability to fill out a dress with fabulous curves!

Thanks so much bestla!! We'll work through it- my mom and I are so good at penny-pinching that I know we can make it work! I was really frustrated and scared and disappointed that I wasn't thinking straight. After calming down (gotta do that whole 'breathing' thing) I'm starting to get a contingency plan together (did you know banks will do wedding loans? This is just in case, of course..). A pep talk from mom really helped, too. :goodvibes

Yay for another lover of RED! It's cool to keep meeting more and more untraditional brides- way to keep breaking those molds! :hippie: I did compromise on an all-red gown for one with *quite* a bit of red on it- they *are* the 'rents and footing a chunk of the bill after all.

And I agree on the bridal shop hussy- I guess I was just too much sexy for her to handle! :confused3 :rotfl:

[dislovr]

I LOVE your sketch!!! It is soo cute. I've been reading but havn't posted. I'm no longer a lurker! :cool1:

[AeriellDawn]

I LOVE your sketch!!! It is soo cute. I've been reading but havn't posted. I'm no longer a lurker! :cool1:

Another lurker come to light! Thanks for the compliments! :goodvibes

[bestla]

I did compromise on an all-red gown for one with *quite* a bit of red on it- they *are* the 'rents and footing a chunk of the bill after all.


...oh yes my parents are footing a hefty chunk as well. You're just a better daughter than I am!! :rotfl: oh I'm all talk. I'll totally end up giving in to my mom...she is just way too good at the whole guilt trip thing. :confused3

[AeriellDawn]

...oh yes my parents are footing a hefty chunk as well. You're just a better daughter than I am!! :rotfl: oh I'm all talk. I'll totally end up giving in to my mom...she is just way too good at the whole guilt trip thing. :confused3

I know, right? Maybe it's something they teach you while you're pregnant like those breathing classes.

"And today we'll be learning how to give The Look and how to subliminally transmit guilt into your children's minds!"

Seriously though, I would do *anything* for my mom and since she never got a real wedding of her own I'm more than happy for her to live somewhat vicariously through me! :lovestruc

[IndyBride]

Great sketch! I'm glad you aren't letting the work mess get you down on your Disney wedding!

[29apr00]

:rotfl2: That sketch is tooo cute!! I love it!

I know, how crazy is it that Disney won't do a simple pillow cake!??? Gosh, put a glass slipper on it and Disbrides would pay $1000 for that wedding cake! ;)

Sorry about the drama with FH's job! Hope it gets settled soon!

Jennifer

[AeriellDawn]

:rotfl2: That sketch is tooo cute!! I love it!

I know, how crazy is it that Disney won't do a simple pillow cake!??? Gosh, put a glass slipper on it and Disbrides would pay $1000 for that wedding cake! ;)

Sorry about the drama with FH's job! Hope it gets settled soon!

Jennifer

$1000 you say.... Hmmmmmm! ;) If I sell 10 of them that's our minimum covered! :rotfl2:

I think the drama is dying down (for now). We'll see after this huge wedding reception next weekend. :faint: It's going to be *awful*! 300 people in a too-small space, with us trying to feed them out of a barely-functional kitchen. Their original number was 170- something we could handle- but now...we just want to get it over with. It's ironic that the number is 300- because I feel like it's going to be a massacre right out of the film. But enough ranting! I have neat things to tell!

So today I got (more) invitation samples! I really liked the other ones, but I kind of wanted to see something a little more fancied up. I found one that I really liked and will be posting pics soon!

Also today I was browsing iTunes looking for some nice french jazz and I somehow stumbled upon the Vitamin String Quartet. Okay, this one is for you unconventional brides out there because these musicians are AMAZING! What makes them so incredible besides their skills? They do string quartet versions of popular rock/pop songs! And they're REALLY GOOD!

They have everything from Enya to Jimi Hendrix to KoRn to Pink Floyd to Paul McCartney! AMAZING! They have newer music and older (the White Stripes songs sound great and so does Guns n' Roses Sweet Child of Mine). Really great stuff- hit them up on YouTube or iTunes if you want a peak. FH was loving the Black Sabbath and GooGoo Dolls covers as well as the Nirvana covers. I was totally blown away and they're just sneaky enough for us to create a mix of to play in the background- we still get awesome rock but with an air of sophistication! They also have a Rock n' Roll Wedding album and an Indie Rock Album... and check out the Hay Weddings album too! Great songs on there!

...Wow... Sorry, I was babbling like a brook there! :lmao: I'm just really excited because this is a way to inject even more of ourselves into our wedding day.... and give me the chance to walk down the aisle to Bohemian Rhapsody. :rotfl2: I'm also going to be making a cd for my dad to choose our dance song- when I asked him about it I just got a somewhat incredulous "Well I don't know, kid!" He's kinda nervous- not exactly an extrovert, my dad. I guess that's where I get it! :confused3 I'm really liking The Eagles' "Pretty Maids All In A Row" right now. Kinda suits us, but I'll see what daddy says.

Today was also bridal workout number 2! We took it much easier this time (I don't know HOW we did it that first time, we must have been out of our minds) because we were *all* sore the entire weekend! It was only just today that we started feeling not-achey. Slow and steady wins the race, but man... I want my perfect bride-bod now! :hyper:

Also... I've been very bad where diet is concerned. (I'm an emotional eater- it's my big downfall- and where I was upset I fell back onto those old comfort foods and plenty of them.) I'm so disappointed with myself; I'm really going to try harder from now on. :worried:

That's it for now! Maybe I can con Mike into a backrub... ;)

[PrincessBride010103]

be careful of those backrubs....all i wanted was a backrub and I ended up like this:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/mamadoll010103/Baby%20Bump/belly001.jpg:lmao:

[AeriellDawn]

:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

That's one mighty backrub! I would ask for a foot rub, but FH is afraid of the Ick Toe. (It's a long story, let's just say that 20# rolls of aluminum foil, great heights, and my toes don't go very well together.)

Your baby bump is gorgeous, BTW! Congrats!

[PrincessBride010103]

:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

That's one mighty backrub! I would ask for a foot rub, but FH is afraid of the Ick Toe. (It's a long story, let's just say that 20# rolls of aluminum foil, great heights, and my toes don't go very well together.)

Your baby bump is gorgeous, BTW! Congrats!

Lol just wanted to give you fair warning :)
getting knocked up in the midst of planning your wedding is not something I can reccomend :rotfl:

[jennifaerie]

Ooh, I'm going to have to check out the string quartet. I get all those tribute string quartet albums, but I never noticed the name of the quartet (aren't I observant). It looks like it might be them, though, because the company is Vitamin Records.

So maybe I have already! Very good stuff!

[AeriellDawn]

Lol just wanted to give you fair warning :)
getting knocked up in the midst of planning your wedding is not something I can reccomend :rotfl:

I would say not! Still, what a blessing; I'm excited to be a mom one day... just not quite so soon! ;)

Ooh, I'm going to have to check out the string quartet. I get all those tribute string quartet albums, but I never noticed the name of the quartet (aren't I observant). It looks like it might be them, though, because the company is Vitamin Records.

So maybe I have already! Very good stuff!

Why does that not surprise me? :rotfl: Great minds think alike, I guess!

I'm so glad that I can come on here and read amazing PJs and TRs and talk to such great people. I found out today that I may or may not be able to go back to my teaching gig in the fall. That means not much money. We'll get by, but this whole thing just really depresses me. Even with all the planning and anticipation... sometimes I dread it. I feel so scared and so uncertain of how things are going to go. I'm not just whining because I'm afraid I won't get my big Disney wedding- so many of you are doing such amazing and beautiful things outside the World- I'm just worried we won't get married at all.
I guess maybe I'm being a baby, but all this worrying just takes its toll on a person. Mike is great- trying to cheer me up and reassure me that everything will be okay. But I just thought that I would be doing great things by now- I thought I would be a success at *something*.

Just between you, me, and the fencepost, I want to get out of the kitchen and work a normal job where I can stay clean and not have to worry about burning myself or falling or cutting myself or some awful combination of all three. I'd love to be a food writer but how the heck do you get into such a thing and make a living?

I want to get out of this tiny town and go where the opportunity is.

Sorry for the whine-fest, but I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for reading- I really feel like I've developed something like friendship with a few of you ladies :) I appreciate it and I'm going to try to suck it up and make the best of a bad situation.

[bestla]

awww hugs! :hug:

everything will work out, maybe just not at once. I'm slowly learning and accepting that. Being a grown-up totally sucks! ...and I whine about this daily. :lmao:

I thought I'd have my masters degree by now and finally be doing what I'd really like to be doing (being a librarian. don't laugh!!). But, we just don't have the money for grad school right now. Unfortunately, along with the several awesome things DF is giving me, I also get his $50,000 student loans. And now we are determined to buy a house this fall, so my grad school plans will likely be delayed even longer. So for now, I'm staying in a job I don't like all that much simply because it pays the bills.

Anyway..not trying to hijack your thread...my point is that you will get through it because you have each other! Maybe you'll have to wait a bit longer for your dream wedding (and concentrate first on making your daily life ROCK!)...or maybe you'll decide you don't want to wait, so you'll just need to put something fabulous together on a major budget (which is what I'm hoping to do). Either way...it will all come!! And it will mean all that much more to you once everything falls into place. Just take one thing at a time!

Lots of warm fuzzies coming your way... :hug: :hug:

[jennifaerie]

Aeriell, you are not whining at all! You feel stuck, and you need to get it off your chest. There's nothing wrong with that.

No matter what happens, you *will* get married. There may be a lot of uncertainty, but that is one thing you should be certain of. Mike loves you, and you love him, so no matter where it happens, how it happens, it will happen.

That doesn't clear up the ickiness of everything else... it doesn't make the bowling ball go away, but it's something.

:hug:

[lpizzuro123]

Welcome and I have enjoyed reading your report. We just returned from our planning session down in Disney for our November wedding and I am finally getting caught up on what has been going on on these boards.

I must say I love your dress. I was deciding between the two AA dresses myself in white and claret and had decided to go with the one with the two ribbons of color down the back. A few days before ordering it I found another dress on these boards and fell in love with it and went to a local shop to try it on and then went back and forth for about a month before deciding. I decided to go with an all white dress and I love it but I still miss the thought of some color in the dress. My girls are all wearing an AA dress in claret but I let them chose their own style - as long as it is AA in claret. I like the idea of them in different dresses in the same color.

It sounds like things are going along well and I look forward to reading more of your planning.

Linda

[AeriellDawn]

Thanks girls- the advice and warm fuzzies really made me feel much better. I just have to remember to keep going, be motivated, and that things could always be *much* worse! Thank goodness for what we do have and that touch times can never last forever so long as you work hard!

So finally some *real* updatey goodness!

I've narrowed down the invites (For now... I think...) Let me know your opinions on these!

There's this one- I haven't gotten the sample yet, but I have gotten one similar from this same company so I'm expecting high quality. It's much cheaper than the other one (which I like very much... but $133 for 50! hatchi-matchi!) Enough blabbing, here's the linkage! http://www.theamericanwedding.com/shopping/prod_detail/main.asp-pid-5158

This one is the one that I got a sample of- it's a nice weight paper and the embossing is lovely. For some reason I'm a sucker for raised ink and the ribbon is just what I want. I think I'll substitute a lovely red ribbon for either one that I choose. Linky-Dinky! http://www.theamericanwedding.com/shopping/prod_detail/main.asp-pid-411

Now remember- RED ribbon! Pa-cha-kow! (Sorry. I come with my own sound effects! :lmao: )

Annnnd... that's all I can think of for now! Oh! Is it sacrelige (sp?) not to give out favors? I'm ridiculously practical so I just can't see spending lots of money on something my guests will throw away/forget about/never use. I'm not against them- so many of the PJs I see have such cute favors! I just get weirded out that something I spend weeks deciding on and then pay for will go unused and is probably unwanted. There's always some kind of goodie, but I don't know if Disney would even let me do that or if I would want to given the pre-wedding craziness. Maybe a mini cookbook from Mike and I? I don't know! :confused3

I really need to get a plan and stick with it! :laughing:

Okay, that's really it. You ladies are some real classy dames- thank you! :worship: :hug:

[jennifaerie]

I like them both! Very classy!

(And I like the sound effects too. :) )

I actually read about not giving favors, and no, it's not wrong or mean or improper to not give them.

If you end up feeling guilty about it, I'd just do the candy bar thing or something that would appeal more to you (like the cookbook). But don't go out of your way if you don't want to.

[bestla]

Everything I've read/heard etiquette-wise is that favors are not required or expected. If you DO end up giving something--make sure it is edible or useful! You don't want people to just throw away something you put a lot of thought/money into!!

ergh...I KNOW I've seen a list of the best and worst favors to give...but of course I am unable to locate it when I want to.

If it helps....I know it was somewhere in the etiquette section of indiebride.com (http://www.indiebride.com/)

There's only..like...4 years of columns to browse through... :confused3