Kristin + Jason 4/22/11: Our Escape to the WP

[Prozac07]

Hi all! my name is Kristin, and I've been a loyal DISBoards stalker for months now. I decided that a planning journal is more effective before one actually gets married, so I decided to start on that. Not much time left now!

 

[sw33t_angel]

YAY you started one! Can't wait to read allll your plans!!

 

[Prozac07]

Both Jason and I are originally from PA, and we both had the same idea to move to our favorite vacation spot after graduating college. It's much different working at the beach as opposed to spending a week every summer there! But I digress. In September of 2008 my boss threw a "Hurricane Party" and I went and had too much fun, and Jason was invited by his neighbors to come along. Well that was it... haven't been without him since. I have no pictures of that night, and don't particularly want any. We'll leave it at that.

We had taken several trips up to Pittsburgh, but decided we needed a "real" vacation. Jason hadn't been to Disney since he was about 12, and I had last been there in high school, so we researched it and determined that WDW would be perfect. Plus Jason's favorite college team, Penn State, was playing in the Capitol One Bowl, and his grandma was going down on a bus trip to see it, so we got hooked up with tickets to that as well.

Disney was AMAZING, so much more than I even expected. Coronado Springs was gorgeous (it was my first time staying on-site), and all the holiday decor was beyond belief. We were going to watch the New Years fireworks with his grandma at Universal, but changed our minds and decided to go to the MK instead. There were people EVERYWHERE and were getting viciously attacked by strollers and wheelchairs, but managed to set up camp by a trash can near the little bridge connecting the Main Street circle to Liberty Square. We made friends with an awesome CM (who's also an awesome photographer, see below.) At midnight, Jason proposed!!! My only regret is that I didn't take off that stupid plastic hat!



And here are the goods:

 

[Prozac07]

YAY you started one! Can't wait to read allll your plans!!

Haha STALKER!!! J/K... Thanks for the encouragement!!!

 

[Prozac07]

So of course we enjoyed the rest of the vaca, and the second I came home I bought every wedding magazine in a 15 mile radius. I could have had another wedding if I would have not bought 2347890 mags.

We put a deposit down on a venue, started looking at photographers and booked one, etc. All the while, I fought with my mother. She LOATHES my fiance. Makes stuff up about him and his family. Says nasty stuff about me for being with him. This had been going on since we started dating. She's very set in her ways and insists others jump on board... if not, they're wrong. Needless to say, I haven't talked to my family in about a year, and we decided on a MUCH smaller wedding.

Yes, I cried. Yes, I was devastated that I didn't have the opportunity to plan my *dream* wedding. But it only made our relationship stronger. Jason actually brought up the idea of having a DFTW. After researching a little (and cutting the guest list a LOT,) the basic budget worked out cheaper and I was once again excited to get married.

We got our LOA in August and booked 4/22/11 at the WP at 2:30p. In lieu of a reception, we're treating our guests to dinner at the Spirit of Aloha show at the Poly. After all that happened, I can't feel luckier to have a loving man in my life, his great family, and a few loving friends who will support us no matter what.

 

[lilsqueakrr]

Yay! Welcome to the boards! Honestly, I love it on here everyone's awesome and you can make some really great friends!

Your proposal is so adorable! I wish my DF proposed in Disney but he couldn't hold onto the ring any longer.

Ring is gorgeous. Can't wait to see more!

 

[Prozac07]

Yay! Welcome to the boards! Honestly, I love it on here everyone's awesome and you can make some really great friends!

Your proposal is so adorable! I wish my DF proposed in Disney but he couldn't hold onto the ring any longer.

Ring is gorgeous. Can't wait to see more!

Thanks!!! Every time I read all the good vibes on here I feel that much more excited about my plans. I'll be posting a lot more, since I only have a little more than 2 months, I already have most of it planned!

 

[Prozac07]

Jason has been great about helping with the planning. I mean, for a guy! He actually found the color we're using (see Mermaid from David's Bridal... how he ended up on the DB website at work I'll never know), and I'm adding a few lime green accents.

We were assigned Kathleen Reynolds as a coordinator, and she's great! Very thorough and prompt to answer questions. This is what we've decided from the planning kit and from talking with Rosie:

Officiant: Rev. Tim Herring
Dinner: Spirit of Aloha @ Poly, 5:15 seating
My Bouquet: Island Bouquet in all white, wrapped in turquoise ribbon, 3 crystal mickeys

Maids' bouquets: DIY (more on that later!)
Jason's Bout: White calla lily, crystal mickey
Additional floral: 3 white rose bouts for FOG and 2 groomsmen, 2 white rose corsages for MOG and GrandmaOG
Cake: Elegant Scrolls yellow cake with strawberry butter cream

Hair/Makeup: Patricia LeJune

WooHoo! I love planning!

 

[KristiLyn]

Welcome to the boards!!! I love all of your plans so far!!! Beautiful ring! And the flowers and cake are lovely!! We are using the same officiant

 

[pepper79]

So Happy for you two Thanks for sharing this thread, and the forum! Your wedding sounds like it's going to SO fun!!! Can't wait to hear all about it

 

[Prozac07]

Jason and I aren't big into flowers, and I tend to go a little crazy at craft stores, so I tried my hand at DIYing save-the-dates... then ribbon pomanders... then alter pieces... then blinging my shoes... then bridesmaids' bouquets... then invitations... and a garter. I think I'm done now!!!

I'm in love with Vistaprint, so here's what I came up with for the STDs (giggidy):


My local Michael's had a lot of turquoise goodies in the sale ribbon bin, so I started there and used 5" Styrofoam balls for the pomanders. And I used a cool-melt glue gun instead of the pins most people use. I determined I was going to run out of ribbon too quickly if I did whole pomanders, so I decided to cut them in half, that way they lay flat against the pew.

Now if I can only get the motivation to do the damn things!

We have this great place called Olde Time Pottery, which is like a Walmart for craft stuff, fake flowers, glassware, household stuff, outdoor stuff.. you name it. And it's CHEAP!! I did these for the altar for about $30:


Just a little bling to Disney up my shoes (which I bought before the dress!) Also notice the HOT Steelers socks in the background:


Michael's had these pre-made bouquets on sale for $5 a pop, and they happened to have 3 of them left. I got some calla lilies, some grassy-looking-stuff, and some more turquoise ribbon, and voila:


I got invites on sale too! I only needed 15, but they came in a box of 50. Which is good, because my printer decided to eat half of them:


(Probably not) last, but certainly not least, I'm making a custom garter from one I found on Etsy and some Crocs shoe charms I came across. I know that sounds weird but they're cute! I just cut off the knob thing on the back with and Xacto knife. I'm still waiting on the garter to come in, but do a DIY in your head:


Oh yeah I'm making Jason a Snapfish photo book as my wedding present to him too, with pics from when we first met up until the big day. I'll post that when that's done too

 

[Prozac07]

Welcome to the boards!!! I love all of your plans so far!!! Beautiful ring! And the flowers and cake are lovely!! We are using the same officiant

So Happy for you two Thanks for sharing this thread, and the forum! Your wedding sounds like it's going to SO fun!!! Can't wait to hear all about it

Thanks ladies! I know this isn't much of a "planning" journal, since most of the planning is done, but thanks for the love! The trip report will be more exciting, I promise

By the way, seeing how it's Super Bowl Sunday and all...

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!​

 

[pepper79]

Love all of your flowers and stuff so far! I take it you both Like Wall-E? EEEEVAAAA. We like that movie here too
I printed the invitations for my wedding too, SO inexpensive, and they really come out great! You're gonna have a blast

oh yeah....

GOOOOOOO PACKERS!!!!!

 

[lilsqueakrr]

Everything looks great! I LOVE your bouquets! That's something similar to what I want to have for my wedding, except I won't be doing any white. hah. ;D I'm a BIG color girl!

Can't wait to see more!

 

[sw33t_angel]

Haha STALKER!!! J/K... Thanks for the encouragement!!!

Hahaha... I may or may not be a stalker.... it is not something I am proud of...

Thanks ladies! I know this isn't much of a "planning" journal, since most of the planning is done, but thanks for the love! The trip report will be more exciting, I promise

By the way, seeing how it's Super Bowl Sunday and all...
[/B][/COLOR]

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!​

HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!!!!!! HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

​

LOVE all your ideas!!!

Oh, and Old Time Pottery is amazing!!!! Love it!!

 

[KristiLyn]

Thanks ladies! I know this isn't much of a "planning" journal, since most of the planning is done, but thanks for the love! The trip report will be more exciting, I promise

By the way, seeing how it's Super Bowl Sunday and all...
[/B][/COLOR]

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!​

Everything looks wonderful!! I'm glad you started a pj! It's great to see everyone's ideas, even if they are already planned!!!

 

[pixiegirl]

Congrats!!! I love everything you planned so far. I can't wait to see how it all turns out!!!

 

[Prozac07]

I just got back from my 2nd dress fitting... I can't wait to wear it in a few months! I went to a few different stores and got a good idea of what worked on my body and what didn't. Here are a few of the better ones from the "fail" pile:







I went to this cute little boutique here at the Beach and got the "Kleinfield's" experience (yes, I watch too much TLC, and yes, I'm watching it now). That's when the lady helping me pulled this:


This dress fit me like a glove, but it was over my price point and still didn't feel completely "right." Plus the mama drama I talked about earlier was coming to a head at that time, so I really just wasn't ready to get a dress.

I was poking around online and found this on the Eden Bridals site:
and I NEEDED to try it on.

I called/e-mailed about 20 stores from NC down to Charleston and nobody carried a sample of that dress! I finally e-mailed Eden (even though they say not to) and said that the only sample was in a shop in Camden, SC... 3 hours away and frankly, Hickville USA.

One bad morning at work makes for a good reason to take a road trip. So I drove...and drove...and drove to try it on. I tried on 3 or 4 dresses, but I knew that that dress was the one:


The sample was *huge* but a few clips helped. When my actual size came in, the waist fit perfectly but the top's a little big:


Yay for a good tan! I better start working on that again...
I feel like a bride now!

 

[Prozac07]

I couldn't really find a dress I liked for my maids, and again got inspiration from a TV show. David Tutera likes taking his brides to Two Birds and getting them convertible dresses. I found a seamstress on Etsy and got one for myself, just in case... although I didn't need to worry cause they're AWESOME!



Sorry for the cheesiness and blurriness, I was attempting to send my maids a pic on my phone to show them. They're knee-length too, not that this bad bathroom pic shows that. The real beauty is that the top can be wrapped a million different ways. I like the flowers with them too!

Katesy's shop on Etsy is great. She sent me a little book of ~10 fabrics to choose from in my color of choice and was quick to respond and send them out.

 

[lilsqueakrr]

Your dress is BEAUTIFUL! =] I LOVE it!