Ashley and Nate's Disney Dream Planning Journal 4/10/15

[CaliMermaid]

Welcome and thank you for sharing our DFTW journey with us. Here is a little of our story:

We met when I sat down next to him at a bar called The Misfit in Santa Monica. This was my first night out since my ex (also a Nate) moved to Seattle. Nate had just moved from Boston and his ex had decided not to move at the last minute. I was enthralled with his stories of sketching shipwrecks in Lake Champlain during college and his chosen career as a video game art director. He saw me, the all-business government administrator, as the perfect yang to his yin. I was leaving on a Mediterranean cruise soon, so he asked me out for the very next night. There were instant fireworks and my two weeks overseas generated a deep sense of longing.

When I returned serendipity struck when I went surfing before work and he paddled right up to me in the lineup. In the whole Pacific Ocean, we chose the same random spot. We've been inseparable since. I took up scuba so we would have another way to enjoy the ocean together. I play the piano and he plays guitar, so our neighbors get to hear lots of late night Elton John sing-a-longs. I took Nate to meet my family at Animal Kingdom Lodge last October and he said he had the best time of his life since he had visited WDW as a child. He planned to take me home to Vermont for Christmas and propose, but he couldn't wait and made me a wonderful dinner and popped the question the night before we left.

 

[EleishebaNacht]

That is a beautiful story. It made me a little sniffly. I'll be reading along to see how things go!

 

[Disneyducks12]

Glad to see you moved over here to the planning journal section it will be so much easier for people to follow along with and congrats again on your wedding looking forward to sharing ideas our weddings are really close together so it will be nice to share ideas

Melissa

 

[CaliMermaid]

Nate found my engagement ring on Etsy (photo not true to size). The band was cast from a twig found in a river near his childhood home in Vermont. The wedding rings are also coming from Vermont but on a much more somber note. Much like the movie "The Five Year Engagement," Nate has lost two grandparents during our short engagement thus far and he inherited his grandfather's and great-grandmother's rings.

 

[CaliMermaid]

I walked by a thrift store in downtown Culver City on my way to Trader Joe's and noticed that the collection of ships in bottles that usually crowd the window had been displaced by racks of wedding gowns. I went inside and examined the gowns which, bearing beautiful fabric and beading, showed the wear of sample dresses. The original tags read $3,000-$4,000 while the thrift store tags read $200-$400!

I asked if I could try on a few and the woman in an apron working the shop seemed surprised. She took me to the 'dressing room'- a shower curtain suspended from some piping in the ceiling. As I carefully tried on the dresses, I gathered a crowd of small children and the elderly. Thankfully, I am a sample size (well eight inches too short, but otherwise). I tried on a strapless mermaid and it was stunning. The woman in the apron asked "are you going to say yes to the dress?" I laughed and said "yes." My young fans cheered. I still haven't figured out how to upload photos, but for now, here's a good representation of what the dress looks like (I look nothing like the model):

 

[alyaki]

That's pretty cool that you found your dress for such a good deal - it's a lovely one! Also, very cool engagement ring.

 

[CaliMermaid]

That's pretty cool that you found your dress for such a good deal - it's a lovely one! Also, very cool engagement ring.

Thank you! It's nice to have a couple of details work out so early.

 

[EleishebaNacht]

Ooh, so pretty! Both kind of Little Mermaid-ish.

 

[majix]

Beautiful story! Love meant to be's!!!
Love your dress!
Can't wait to read more!

 

[XxsmortzxX]

Wow! What a wonderful way to meet!! Look forward to seeing more!

 

[Saradactyl]

Awesome find with your wedding dress! I've been hoping to score a cheaper dress, but no such luck yet

 

[CaliMermaid]

At long last, we have finished our save the dates and our wedding website. The website is not password protected, so you are all welcome to visit:

www.missingpresumeddrowned.com

 

[CaliMermaid]

 

[lilofigment1]

http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/ashley_ford2/media/savethedateWeb1_zps9481c146.jpg.html

These are so cute! Following along

 

[Bewitch324]

Congratulations!! Your engagement ring is beautiful...I love that it was cast from twigs...what a great personal touch!!

Way to go on finding your dress!! Serendipity, for sure!! Way to go on being a sample size, that helps, eh?

I love your save the dates, those are so clever and funny!!

Brooke

 

[Disneyducks12]

At long last, we have finished our save the dates and our wedding website. The website is not password protected, so you are all welcome to visit:

www.missingpresumeddrowned.com

I am having major wedding website envy! I have been wanting to change mine for a while and I am definitely getting inspired to do so!

Also I love your engagement photos they are so awesome and unique!

 

[CaliMermaid]

Thank you! I made the website using Wix for free, but it took several attempts and probably 20 hours to lay it out in a way we could agree on.

 

[EleishebaNacht]

LOVE the Save the Dates and your website is so funny!

 

[Disneyducks12]

Thank you! I made the website using Wix for free, but it took several attempts and probably 20 hours to lay it out in a way we could agree on.

That's so funny another DCL bride used WIX as well and I signed up but got so lost on it haha I think I will have to try again I want a super nice website I think I will just have to put in the time but did you design the layout yourself or use a pre-done one?

 

[Bewitch324]

I LOVE your wedding website!! It is awesome and very unique!

Your engagement pictures are so funny...you both manage to look great in every one, but they're all hysterical!!

Brooke