Lisacope's 6/26/2008 DFTW VR PJ - Started TR, some pix

[Janet2k]

...my sister...is going to be my MOH... Here is the dress we picked: http://www.davidsbridal.com/social_dresses_detail.jsp?stid=2678&prodgroup=213

Lisacope, I haven't been around the Dis much over the past month or two, so I missed this post of yours. The bridesmaid dress that you picked is lovely. Did you order it in red or another color?

 

[Lisacope]

I haven't updated this in awhile because we have been busy with Xmas and then we had a family cruise that we went on right after Xmas!

1 VR-related thing that I did before Xmas - I had Boudoir pix taken (I can recommend a great photographer in the Seattle area if anyone needs one!) which I made into a photo book using Blurb.com. Our planning session is coming up - Feb 19&20th and we are having a GF private dining dinner on Feb 17th - I am going to give the book to my hubby that night! I can't wait!

I have worked with my WP on making the ADR for our rehearsal dinner - it is going to be at 7:45pm at Citrico's before the dessert party that night - I am hoping it won't be too tight! We are going to select one of the group dining menus and maybe offer wine on the table so things move along!

We have passed the 180 day mark for our VR trip so I started working on making ADRs for the trip.

Alot of my family and guests are starting to make hotel reservations - I am starting to feel like I will fill my room block!

I have been working with a girl that makes jewelry to make jewelry for myself, my dd7 and my dsis (MOH) - it is really nice stuff and the price is right!

My dress should be arriving in the mail on Wednesday! Yay!

 

[Lisacope]

I hope your Xmas was good!

My Dsis' dress is going to be slate blue - we are going to take DD7 to David's bridal and try on some of the JB dresses and find her one in the same color.

 

[Lisacope]

It came in the mail yesterday! I tried it on right when it got here and it is beautiful! It finally feels like things are starting to happen!

 

[Lynn5700]

Your wedding dress is gorgeous,it looks great on you

The MOH dress is so cute!!!

 

[Lisacope]

Okay - our VR Planning session trip is coming up! We are going to be in Orlando from Feb 16 - 21st with our tasting session on the 19th and planning session on the 20th. We will be having our GF private dining dinner on Feb 17th - the 22nd anniversary of our 1st date! I am also hoping we can make a trip to CarolynAllens and pick Tuxs.

What I am hoping we will have accomplished before that trip:

- Someone to do my invitations
I have a mockup, I have chosen colors, now I just need someone to print them and I will even assemble them

- A dress pattern and fabric picked out for DD7
My mom is going to make this dress and she will be here watching the kids while we go to Orlando.

- Vows written
My brave DH has said he will do this, I am hoping he will get this done before the planning session

- Music for the ceremony chosen
We just aren't that enthusiastic about the way the organ sounds on the CD, so we may choose music to be played on a CD player.

- A Best Man picked out
There are two possible candidates for this, one may not be able to afford it and may not accept our help in getting to our event, the other had a baby in August last year and may feel it is too hard for him to come. I am trying not to feel anxious about this - I could also probably get my brother to stand in but his FIL is quite ill and it will be touch-n-go as to whether he and my SIL will be able to come.

Holy Cow!!! That sounds like alot to get done in less than four weeks!!!

What I am hoping to accomplish on the trip:

- A menu selected
We are doing a plated dinner with two entrees

- Logisitics and scheduling of the day worked out with transportation

- Floral and decoration chosen or sketched in

- Menu for dessert party decided on

- Beverage options for Reception, dessert party, and pre-reception

- Anything else you can think of?

 

[Janet2k]

Lisacope, I'm so glad to hear that your dress arrived. It's a nice feeling when that is finally out of the way.

It sounds like you didn't find a dress that you liked for your daughter. I'm sure whatever dress you're having made will turn out beautifully. Please share a photo once the dress is finished.

Would you care to share any info about the jewelry that you're having made? What color metal is being used? What color stones are being used? Anything that you feel like sharing, please do.

The only jewelry that I wore to my event (besides a ring) was a watch. I debated not wearing it but always felt naked without it, plus, it held special significance for me and so I wore it. And the funny thing is, here it is 3 years and 3 months after my event, and I just discovered that I had worn a watch to my original wedding (I noticed it in an old photo the other day). Boy, I sure am glad I wore it to my VR. Nothing like a little continuity in life. Oh, and one more "jewelry" thing. I didn't wear my original wedding ring to my VR. It was an heirloom that had been sitting in my bank's safety deposit box for a couple of years (I had worn the shank down almost to the bone). I wore a simple eternity band instead.

How is your "to do" list coming along? Will everything be completed before your planning session trip? My fingers are crossed for you!

By the way, I forgot to tell you that a few months ago, I read about an event that was held in your venue. It was a convention, I believe, and it sounded like the event turned out beautifully. I know you'll have an equally beautiful event.

 

[Janet2k]

- A Best Man picked out
There are two possible candidates for this, one may not be able to afford it and may not accept our help in getting to our event, the other had a baby in August last year and may feel it is too hard for him to come. I am trying not to feel anxious about this - I could also probably get my brother to stand in but his FIL is quite ill and it will be touch-n-go as to whether he and my SIL will be able to come.

Lisacope, what about your son? Could he pinch-hit if the need arises?

 

[Janet2k]

- Anything else you can think of?

No, it sounds like you've got the basics covered. I just want to mention that once you get the timeline, everything will fall into place and begin to feel very real.

 

[Lisacope]

Hey Janet -

Wazzup! I am very excited about the jewelry that I am having made for my vow renewal! I am getting a necklace, bracelet and earrings for myself and my MOH and a necklace and bracelet for my DD.

Here is the style of necklace she is making for me:

Here is the style of MOH's necklace (Her neckline is a little different):

My bracelet will look like this:

MOH and DDs Bracelets:

 

[Lisacope]

DH spoke with one of our potentials on Thursday and he is going to talk to his wife about coming. I feel a little guilty about DH's asking him: They have a 2 year old and they also had a baby in August and although Jeff (the potential) thinks it would be fun I think the wife is feeling overwhelmed by having two little ones. I can totally relate - I was the same way after I had DS14!

 

[Lisacope]

I can't wait - DH and I went out to dinner last night and left the kids home. We talked about some of the logistic issues about our VR. One concern I have: We are staying at BWV (Home Sweet Home!!!) for the entire VR trip but we have one night - the 26th - at the GF which is the night of our VR. I am concerned about where we are going to get ready - I know it is common to get early check-in when you are wearing those ears but what if we don't? We need to be dressed and ready to go at 6:30pm for pix - if we don't get checked in until 3:00pm will that be enough time for us to have hair and makeup done? I can just imagine how long it is going to take for DH to get himself AND Ds14 into Tuxes!!! Maybe we should get an additional night at the GF (The 25th) and DH and I could stay there after the dessert party at the GF and my mom could take DD and DS back to the BWV where we are staying until the 26th.

- Just an example of the kind of thing rolling around in my head!!!

 

[Lisacope]

The seamstress was super nice - and I thought she was really reasonable. I told her about our plans and she thought it sounded very cool!

 

[keenercam]

Lisa -- The jewelry is going to be so beautiful! I love the style you chose -- it will work so well with the neckline on your dress!

 

[Janet2k]

I am very excited about the jewelry that I am having made for my vow renewal!

Love the jewelry, Lisacope -- and my daughter does too (she was walking by my computer when I was viewing it). Très chic!

Had my first fitting yesterday!!

Awesome! Glad to hear that things are continuing to move right along for you!

 

[Janet2k]

One concern I have: We are staying at BWV (Home Sweet Home!!!) for the entire VR trip but we have one night - the 26th - at the GF which is the night of our VR. I am concerned about where we are going to get ready - I know it is common to get early check-in when you are wearing those ears but what if we don't? We need to be dressed and ready to go at 6:30pm for pix - if we don't get checked in until 3:00pm will that be enough time for us to have hair and makeup done? I can just imagine how long it is going to take for DH to get himself AND Ds14 into Tuxes!!! Maybe we should get an additional night at the GF (The 25th) and DH and I could stay there after the dessert party at the GF and my mom could take DD and DS back to the BWV where we are staying until the 26th.

Lisacope, here's how I handled my VR...

We booked ourselves into the GF for the three nights / four days surrounding our vow renewal. We were supposed to hang onto our room over at the BWV, but we wound up giving it to one of our guests. Had our guests not taken the room, our children would have been in it -- which was the plan so that my husband & I would have the GF room all to ourselves (!!) for a few nights. But Fate obviously had other plans in store for us, and, honestly, it was fine with us. Except that my husband still teases me to this day that we have NEVER had a wedding night or a honeymoon or a vow renewal night. Hey, he should consider it just one more "reason" to make it to our 25th wedding anniversary -- when I FINALLY will make all of his dreams come true!

So, on the day prior to our event, we transfered over to the GF from the BWV (our friends arrived just as we were transferring so the timing was perfect). I actually checked into the resort with one of my best friends -- that way my husband & son could pick up their tuxes with another one of my dear friends (the tux place was somewhere in Orlando). I arrived at the GF's Front Desk, but the Front Desk had someone come downstairs to greet me. Two Cast Members then took us up to my room and handled my check-in there. That had been done for me before, but my friend had never seen it and thus got a kick out of it.

Our rehearsal inside the Wedding Pavilion was scheduled for the first night of our GF stay. Our rehearsal was followed by our Welcome Party at the GF's marina. I was thankful that I had booked us into the resort that night. It had been a very busy day for us, and it was nice to be at the resort where all the action was for our events.

The next day was our vow renewal. My Event Manager had booked a ballroom at the Convention Center for my daughter, niece, and I to get ready in. Two cosmetologists handled our hair & makeup needs. It was wonderful having plenty of space to move around in. Click here to see a few photos.

Once we were picture perfect, we got dressed and walked over to the GF lobby for our pre-ceremony photos. My husband, son, and nephew joined us there. Photos were taken inside the resort and outside the resort. Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for the wedding party to head over to the Wedding Pavilion for the ceremony.

Our ceremony came & went, as did our dinner reception at the Studios. Right around 3 AM, we were dropped off back at the GF. It had been a long & eventful day, and I was VERY glad that we didn't have to check out a few hours later (!!). Booking that third night at the resort was truly some of the best money that I had ever spent.

My husband & son hit the hay right away, but my daughter & I stayed up talking for a few hours. She eventually passed out, but I had a few loose ends to tie up. I don't think I fell asleep until sunup.

Now, you would think that our guests would let us sleep in, wouldn't you? It had been a long night for everyone, but no rest for the wicked! Our phone began ringing off the hook sometime that morning. ARG!!!!! And to make matters worse, they were calling us from the resort's pool deck: "Hey, Janet, come on down to the pool and join us for food & beverages!" It was all I could do not to tell them to go to h-e-double-toothpicks (!!). The kids quickly put on their swimsuits and headed to the pool. I think Rick & I joined everyone within the hour.

The rest of our day took off from there. Theme park visits (yes, more than one) and then a big, family dinner at the Yachtsman Steakhouse. I don't know what time we eventually wound up back at the GF, but as soon as we did, it was time to pack up our suitcases. We were scheduled to transfer back to the BWV the very next day.

So, I had three nights booked at the GF and it was some of the best money that I had spent during that vacation. It was nice being in the resort that was closest to many of our vow renewal events.

I wish you much luck in deciding what to do. It's a tough decision.

 

[Lisacope]

It was helpful to read your getting ready timeline - I am going to talk to DH about booking another night at the GF - I think that would work really well for us!

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

wow lisa...your vr is rolling ahead!!!!

congrats & it sounds really neat...you have me VERY curious about your reception local!!!!!!

your newsletter looks AWESOME!!!!

& your dress looks GREAT on you!!!do you have an updated pic of you in the on you ordered??

the jewelry looks so pretty!!!!!

cant wait for more!!!!

 

[Lisacope]

Thank you Myprincessgirllisa! I bought an awesome pair of shoes yesterday - I am going to try to take a pic of them because I just love them!

Thank you Cam - You have me wanting to do one of those half marathons - do you think there would be room for one more runner on the Marathon weekend in 09?

 

[lov2b@disney]

The jewelry is beautiful!! Book that 2nd night! I'm working on the same thing for our wedding! We have 3 DS's (DF has charge of all of them the AM of our wedding , should be interesting) We have our wedding night booked at the GF (no boys!) but would love a more relaxing 2nd night!

Your VR is shortly after our wedding!