Andreah and Brian - Dec 8th, 2009 (Reception Photos Posted)

[acwinsett]

I called yesterday and spoke with Keith at Carolyn Allen. We're all set for gown steaming at 9am on December 8th! We'll have a wedding gown at $85.00 plus tax and three bridesmaids' dresses at $20 plus tax.

 

[BecBennett]

I think I'm addicted to your PJ! I keep coming back to check for more updates, and I compare myself on a scale of 1-10 of how organised I am compared to you, you're a 10, and I vary between 1-2 but it's ok, I'm happy with my score of preparedness!

I'm going to go back through your PJ again, and see what else is on your to do list that I can add to mine

 

[BecBennett]

Just so you know, the 3rd & 4th “To Do List” links take you to some random threads… I don’t even see a post there from you anywhere.

 

[acwinsett]

I think I'm addicted to your PJ! I keep coming back to check for more updates, and I compare myself on a scale of 1-10 of how organised I am compared to you, you're a 10, and I vary between 1-2 but it's ok, I'm happy with my score of preparedness!

I'm going to go back through your PJ again, and see what else is on your to do list that I can add to mine

You are doing GREAT so far! I saw the list on your PJ and it is the very same list that I started with. I just kept adding things to it as I went through all our vendor contracts and as I think of them.

Just so you know, the 3rd & 4th “To Do List” links take you to some random threads… I don’t even see a post there from you anywhere.

Uh-oh . . . thanks for letting me know! I'll get that fixed!

 

[polynesianbride]

You are the most organized DISbride EVER! Since my wedding is almost exactly a year after yours I think I will just check in with your PJ next year, subtract 2 days and follow your to-do lists I LOVE everything- your dress and jewelry are stunning All your newsletters are so professional... it would take me 2 months just to make one and you're cranking out 1 every 2 weeks! I love the menu cards, the sparkle shirts, EVERYTHING! You are going to have such an AMAZING wedding and I can't believe you just budgeted perfect for hitting the minimum! I'm so sorry that Brian's parents won't be able to make it to the wedding but so great that they'll be able to see the video and so sweet of them to send the cash they would've spent your way

 

[pezaddict231]

I can't get those awesome sparkle shirts out of my head ...then today I went to the craft store and saw the rhinestones and I was sold! They are so pretty and sparkly. Would love any tips you may have. What size rhinestones did you use? I was thinking the 4 mm looked like it would work best, but maybe the 5 mm would be better?

 

[acwinsett]

You are the most organized DISbride EVER! Since my wedding is almost exactly a year after yours I think I will just check in with your PJ next year, subtract 2 days and follow your to-do lists I LOVE everything- your dress and jewelry are stunning All your newsletters are so professional... it would take me 2 months just to make one and you're cranking out 1 every 2 weeks! I love the menu cards, the sparkle shirts, EVERYTHING! You are going to have such an AMAZING wedding and I can't believe you just budgeted perfect for hitting the minimum! I'm so sorry that Brian's parents won't be able to make it to the wedding but so great that they'll be able to see the video and so sweet of them to send the cash they would've spent your way

Aww . . . thank you so much! Once I'm finished, I'll have to clear out all the personal info from my 40-something page wedding spreadsheet and post it on here for future brides to use for their stuff!

 

[acwinsett]

I can't get those awesome sparkle shirts out of my head ...then today I went to the craft store and saw the rhinestones and I was sold! They are so pretty and sparkly. Would love any tips you may have. What size rhinestones did you use? I was thinking the 4 mm looked like it would work best, but maybe the 5 mm would be better?

My first tip would be to get your sparkles online. I paid like $5 at the craft store for something like 45 crystals, and I got them online for less than $2 / gross. The place I get my stuff from is www.mpressworkshop.com. The ones I used were the 3mm.

I get my t-shirts from Hanes.com. They're fitted and nicer than the shirts you typically find at the craft store.

Be sure to mirror-flip your design before you print it (especially if you have words!) That way it will look correct on the final design.

My best piece of advice is to use the instructions from mpressworkshop when you do the heat transfer onto your shirt. I had bought a kit from Michaels, and their instructions didn't have me apply the heat long enough and I had to replace a couple of sparkles. But then I found the instructions for mpressworkshop. I didn't realize until then that I hadn't been applying the heat for near long enough. So I pulled out my iPhone stopwatch and timed everything to the Mpress instructions. And the last thing they have you to is rub over the top of the transfer with a paper clip to make sure that there are no crystals loose. It worked GREAT. Those sparkles aren't going anywhere!

 

[pezaddict231]

Awesome! Thanks for all the tips! I'm really excited to do it now.

 

[acwinsett]

Friends and Family Shower
I haven't done my weekly update because my friends threw me a bridal shower this weekend, and we kind of had an "all girls" sleepover the night before. It was sweet and simple - not much too it really. They asked me what type of shower I wanted, and I said - anything is fine. My only request is that we have yummy food, tasty cocktails and NO SHOWER GAMES, please!!! When my Maid of Honor welcomed everyone to the party, our guests actually applauded when she said that.

I'll post a few photos soon . . . I just need to get them when the Matron of Honor sends them to me.

Bolero Jacket
Picked up the bolero jacket from the bridal shop today, and it's perfect! She had just barely enough material to make it. I also ordered a brooch last week for the jacket:

Sparkle-Mania
Okay, so I THOUGHT I was done making sparkle shirts. Well, the word quickly spread amongst our wedding guests about the sparkle shirts and pink jogging suits and now EVERYONE wants in on the action. One of my friends went to far as to order a $60 pink velour jogging suit from the Victoria's Secret website since Hanes.com didn't have size XS. I was lucky enough to catch the jogging suits still on clearance in combinations that should fit the newcomers. And last night, my Matron of Honor (who was visiting from out-of-town - she came in for the shower) showed me an adorable pink velour jogging suit she bought for her 4 year old daughter to wear. It is almost the exact shade of pink that the grown-ups will have. So it's back to the sparkle sweat-shop as soon as my crystals arrive . . .

Pink M&M's
The least-exciting update is that today I bought 4 bags of pink M&M's that were made to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month. I wasn't necessarily planning to do favors, but since I found these huge (2 lb???) bags of pink and fuschia M&M's for $3.50 each, I figured I might be able to find something to do with them. Especially since the specially-colored bags of M&M's are usually a LOT more expensive for a LOT fewer M's.

DIS-apalooza!
Got us signed up for the after-hours DIS party at Pixar place for the night before we come home . . . now THAT should be FUN!!!

And you won't believe this one . . .
FMIL has been on the phone with Disney today trying to re-book her trip. After ALL the times we tried to tell her to hold on to her room until she absolutely HAD to cancel . . .

Now, she REALLY wants to go, and says that both she and dad are feeling so much better now. (She also says it's because she had so much fun at the shower). So anyway, looks like she's gonna book a room at Port Orleans French Quarter in our room block, since they let their free dining ressie cancel. So, I guess we'll need to add back all the floral that we dropped a couple of weeks ago . . . doh!

Hope everyone's having a GREAT week . . . I'll post more updates soon!

 

[BecBennett]

You're going to have to get a pic of everyone together in their jogging suits! Too cute!

That's good news that your inlaws are now coming. Why don't people understand that we've done the research! We know what we're talking about, and if we suggest something, chances are there's a good reason for it! At least they're coming now, I spose it doesn't matter about how many times they book and cancel, so long as they end up there on the day...

 

[Chilly]

Great update!

 

[pezaddict231]

Beautiful brooch! that's great that she had just enough material to make the jacket.

Aww, the shower sounds so fun!

Oh man, that's really awesome that everyone was so excited about the shirts, at least you know they really appreciate all your hard work, and what cute pics you will have!

That's good that Brian's parents are going to come now, although they really should have just listened to you...but it's great that they are getting excited about the wedding and spending time with everyone.

 

[acwinsett]

. . . iPhone cuff links!!!

 

[BecBennett]

How cute! I wish my DF was that way inclined, it would be so much easier to shop for him!

 

[pezaddict231]

These are great!

 

[MegKate]

Where the heck did you find those Andreah? They're beyond awesome!!

 

[Boston Disney Bride]

Those are so cute! If you don't mind me asking, how did you get your guest bags down to Disney? I heard some people UPS them to your hotel there and then you drop them off at the hotels your guests are staying at..is that what you did, and how much did disney charge you?

Also, I have been addicted to your PJ tonight, I havent been able to stop reading it..LOL You've given me great inspiration so THANKS!

 

[acwinsett]

Where the heck did you find those Andreah? They're beyond awesome!!

I got them at www.cufflinks.com. I think they were, like, $50 or so. Funny enough, I was just about to get the same Mickey Mouse cufflinks you bought for Rob, but when I saw these, I was like "THAT'S IT!!!".

You would just HAVE to understand Brian's relationship with his iPhone. Starting from the first day they came out, Brian was on the local news broadcast AND his photo was in the newspaper as he purchased the first iPhone on the day they were released. When iPhone 3G came out last year, he purchased it on Day 1. And, once again, when iPhone 3GS was released earlier this year, he purchased it on Day 1.

I'm sooo excited . . . I cant WAIT to see what they look like in "real life" and I can't WAIT to see his reaction when I give them to him

 

[acwinsett]

Those are so cute! If you don't mind me asking, how did you get your guest bags down to Disney? I heard some people UPS them to your hotel there and then you drop them off at the hotels your guests are staying at..is that what you did, and how much did disney charge you?

Also, I have been addicted to your PJ tonight, I havent been able to stop reading it..LOL You've given me great inspiration so THANKS!

Aww . . . thanks for the kind words! I'm having a GREAT time planning and making fun things for the wedding. Please stay tuned . . . we're trying to wrap up the "artsy craftsy" stuff in the next two weeks, but there are some COOL NEW PROJECTS that I'll be posting soon!

Regarding the welcome bags, we've actually switched gears a little. We were having the same concerns as you with regards to shipping, delivery, etc., so we decided that, instead of having welcome bags waiting for our guests on-site, we are going to send out "pre-arrival boxes" instead. We'll mail them to our guests about 2 weeks before the wedding - just in time to turbo-boost their excitement!

They're still a "work in progress", but this is shaping up to be our AWESOME-IST PROJECT EVER!!!! I'll post more information about this project soon, so keep reading!