jennifaerie's planning journal - 3/2 - Made it on the Maggie Sottero Website!

[Donald'sGirl]

Jen your shower looked beautiful and I love the cake!! Those cupcakes you got your MOH and BM look fabulous!

 

[jennifaerie]

Aww! Thank you!

Not too much to report... just a few things.

I decided to give up on hearing from those people who refuse to contact me on whether or not they're coming, and we now have an official count. 82 adults (84 if you count us), 2 children under four.

I finally made the table name cards, and they came out *beautifully*! Rob and I keep looking at them and saying "Wow." They look really ... professional. I took some pictures yesterday, and I'll post those soon.

I also sat down and did all the tables. I thought it was going to be easy, but it's not easy when you're working with nine tables. You get the people you want together, but then you have fifteen groups. So that was difficult, but I nailed it down. So the tables are done. Then I did the placecards (they're created, but I haven't printed them yet... thought I might hold off on that). So that's done too. Those were the things I was dying to do, and they were the last "acts of congress".

I also did the room/table chart. I think our families may get upset, but I don't care. I don't want his family on one side of us and mine on the other. So we put the people we wanted to see most close to us, with our parents a table or two away. They'll live with it.

Big weight off my back now!

The only thing left is to get some gifts for people involved in the wedding (officiant, readers, etc.), and to order our chocolate favors. They wanted us to wait until the beginning of September.

I remember way back when, Cam suggested I write a poem for the centerpiece baskets to encourage people to use what's in them. I wrote it this morning:

Centerpieces are generally "do not touch"
but the fun level with those - notsomuch
Rob and Jennifer would like you to let it all go,
take these babies apart and make creativity flow
Sculpt, riddle, Mad Lib, color, or play
We want the child in you to emerge today
Whether you love to dance or you love your seat
Please be sure to have fun to make the day complete.

 

[pjstevens]

Jennifer,

Your poem is adorable. Can't wait to see the pics of everything.

 

[camara381]

hey there just catching up on your PJ. I love the poem it's so cute! the bridal shower looked like a lot of fun and the cake looked delicious... i must get me some inflatable dolls!!!!

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

Aww! Thank you!


Centerpieces are generally "do not touch"
but the fun level with those - notsomuch
Rob and Jennifer would like you to let it all go,
take these babies apart and make creativity flow
Sculpt, riddle, Mad Lib, color, or play
We want the child in you to emerge today
Whether you love to dance or you love your seat
Please be sure to have fun to make the day complete.

Love this!!! You did a great job, Jenni

 

[keenercam]

Hey, Jennifer! Guess what?!?!? It's your WEDDING MONTH!!! Woohoo!! I am so excited for you! How are you holding up, hon?

 

[jennifaerie]

Aww, thank you!

I've gotten past the point where I want to throw up whenever I think about it. Is that a good sign?

 

[29apr00]

Aww, thank you!

I've gotten past the point where I want to throw up whenever I think about it. Is that a good sign?

Yeah, that's a good sign!

Love the poem for your centerpieces!! Your reception is going to be so much funn!

 

[jennifaerie]

Thanks, Jennifer! I hope it's fun.

I forgot to post my programs. These pictures really don't do them justice.

You can't tell, but all the paper (except for the fall version) is textured. I wish you could see the textures... it makes them prettier.

 

[DisneyFairy19]

Your bridal shower was beautiful and that cake looks DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jennifaerie]

Thanks, Christina! Looks like you had a romping good time on your trip! I had no idea there was a Sex and the City tour!

 

[IndyBride]

Jennifer everything looks so amazing!!! I love your updates. I can't wait to see everything together!

 

[keenercam]

Oh, my! Jennifer, your programs are absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! Oh, I am so happy for you that all of your theming has come together in all those exquisite colors and textures -- all of your creativity just blows me away. I am so jealous of your guests, because your wedding is going to be one that I would remember forever, especially since autumn is my favorite season and you are using so many of my favorite colors.
Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

I agree with Cam! I adore fall and those programs are so neat and beautiful!!!!

 

[jennifaerie]

Val, thank you! I'm still swimming in awe over your guestbook!

Oh, Cam, you always manage to get me to tear up. You must come up here right now with your pom poms and come to the wedding. You have helped me come full circle on this. Without you, I would have been a mess. You have made me so much more confident with all your help, morale-boosting, and love. Thank you SO much.

Lisa, you are another queen of the pom pom! Thank you very, very much!!

I forgot I had these pictures... here are the baskets that someone (we think the kids) is going to hold to hand out items pre-ceremony. Rob wrapped the garland around them.

This is the programs basket.

The bubbles.

We're also handing out tissues too... they're Snoopy/Charlie Brown tissues.

My make-up and hair trials were today. Will be posting those soon.

 

[jennifaerie]

Out of all my planning experiences, today's was probably the most traumatic... the one I was dreading the most. Yet, I wanted it done right away, because I wanted to say I got past it. Happily.

The hair part went better than expected. I didn't hate it! Looking at the pictures post-experience, I'm truly impressed. I still have it in right now, and I have not gotten a migraine yet. It definitely is tight and reminds me of why I didn't want to have my hair up in the first place. But I think it's worth it. My mom will be happy too, because there is curl involved!

You may not remember, but I wanted something soft, romantic, low. I was planning on pulling some of my hair in back, maybe braiding it. Then I would leave the rest down.

My mom kept harping on me having the hair curly, because it wouldn't be dressy enough without having down curls. I was open to wave, but I didn't want ringlets.

I decided that, based on how my dress was, I really wouldn't mind an up-do that was really low... almost like a flamenco dancer. Just without the flower in my hair (though I'd love to have a flower. But it'd be overkill with the comb). I printed out a handful of pictures, all low, kinda messy and romantic. I told my stylist to do whatever she'd like in a shorter time frame (we really don't have much time to work with).

I didn't get to see it until it was done (which is good, because I would have panicked the whole time). But lots of people kept walking by and making comments about how beautiful it was and how they loved watching it progress.

It was really important to me that my "bangs" were hanging out in front. It was also important that some of the back was visible from the front. I don't like the severe pulled back look. It makes me look masculine.

This version (rather than having most of my hair down) probably works a LOT better with the comb, which found a lovely home in this plethora of hair. Ashley, my hairdresser, was stunned at how much hair I seemed to have. She had just cut off almost two inches, so I was concerned she wouldn't be able to do as much with it.

The Mantilla veil I had made just wasn't working from the front. She even pinned the puckering parts on the sides of the comb, and I didn't like it. I adored the Prestyn (Hope can attest to this one) Mantilla veil. But I'm not sure if it worked with the Ivana. So another option was further in back. I was impressed at how much I *really* liked this look, as I was ready to nix the veil altogether.

It also didn't take away from the comb.

I love how Mantilla veils wrap around the body. This still does it.

When you look at these pictures, look at these as my before pictures from the make-up trial.

 

[jennifaerie]

I've heard stories from brides. I remember how alarmed Rachel was when she found out her wedding coordinator was closing her business and giving her accounts to someone else. I remember other brides who found out the dress shop they purchased their dresses from (Dani, were you one of them?) closed. Hairstylists got ill. Make-up artists didn't show or swapped out at the last minute.

Make-up is one of my all time least favorite topics. I wear concealer, powder, and lipstick. I've worn the same exact concealer, powder, and lipstick since high school (I am thirty-one years old). They work for me. I have NO interest in anything else. I LOATHE eye make-up. I hate foundation.

I opted to have make-up because I hate just about every picture I'm in. Most of it is because of how my face looks. After realizing I wanted my wedding pictures to look, for me to look remotely flawless... I knew I needed to suck it up and get make-up done.

I found this place while researching airbrushing in the area. They were the only ones who did it. I booked the make-up appointments, and then I opted to have my eyebrows done.

I had a couple appointments with Linda. I really grew to like her. I trusted her. And me trusting someone with my face is huge. The whole eyebrow thing was immensely traumatic for me. She did them twice. I felt much better about it. So I felt great (as great as I could) about her doing my make-up.

Imagine my surprise when I walked in the door this afternoon and the owner welcomed me instead. She had laid Linda off and now she would be doing my make-up.

I think this is officially the only time I've panicked in all of my wedding planning. This meant I had to have someone I didn't know sculpt my eyebrows one week before the wedding. I had let them grow all the way back in because Linda knew what to do with them. This woman doesn't know them at all.

I'm surprised, but I actually expressed my apprehension over this. She kept patting and squeezing my shoulder and assuring me she wouldn't make them thin or over-sculpted. She showed me where she wanted to trim, and it was pretty much what Linda did. But I'm still in alarmed mode and probably will be until next week. Ugh.

So here I was scared about make-up, and then bam, something else to make me nervous.

She seemed to go along with my "Make me me, but with better skin" premise. With Linda, I told her I hated eye make-up, and she told me she wouldn't use mascara. Unfortunately, Theresa would not budge on the mascara. At one point, we had a ten minute discussion over how I hated mascara, but she thought it would look better for pictures. Now, after looking at all the pictures, I'm deadset against it. It still looks cheap, and I don't think it adds to my look at ALL. So when I go in next week, I'm definitely going to let her know, no matter how difficult it is for me to express my opinions in fear of upsetting the balance.

At any rate, I felt like a made up doll, but of course, it doesn't show in the pictures. I *definitely* felt more human with my glasses.

I couldn't give her any opinions of how I looked while I was there because I got a "floaty thing" in my eye, which blocked my view. Funny how, as soon as I walked out of there, it went away. Optical panic attack?

I guess I should show you some pictures, huh?

Just to remind you... this is how I looked before I got there:

As much I loathed how I looked in the mirror, I will admit, she did the whole "me with better skin". She insisted on lip gloss to make my lips "pop". I don't like it. But it takes two seconds (read: blot) to remove and add more of my own lipstick (which she opted to use instead of her own... I was impressed on that one).

I also liked how alert I looked. She succeeded in getting rid of the blue bags under my eyes.

This picture sealed the coffin on the mascara issue.

Look! I'm human again! Once she had me put my glasses on, I felt so much better. Until I pulled my glasses off and saw all this make-up on my glasses. Definitely going to use Model in a Bottle (I sprayed some on afterwards, but I didn't do enough today to see if it truly held up).

That little bit/clump of lipstick is driving me crazy. I just want to wipe it off, but I can't, dammit! It's a picture!

After I looked at some of the pictures, I realized I looked too shiny still. I asked her to powder me up. She used some matte powder. It helped.

After we left, Sara offered to take some pictures outside, since the wedding was taking place outside. I was horrified by this picture. >laugh< Really horrified. I seriously hate the mascara. You probably can't even see it. I hate it.

Ah, me again! Me. With mascara.

Say no to mascara! I will allow the eyeliner, but I just can't do the mascara.

When I got home, Rob's response was, Whoa. You look so... different. I think I loved that response. He loves me as my simple, non-foundation-ed self. That made me very happy. So I realized this make-up thing was for me and the camera alone. That actually took a load off for the Roots shoot.

I took a bunch of pictures when I got home with the different jewelry choices. I'll post those soon too.

 

[jennifaerie]

After I got home, we took some more pictures.

You remember the coveted garnet choker...

The floral necklace.

The pink floral necklace.

I was trying to choose earrings. I decided that I'd be wearing the garnet set's earrings and my pearls... I can't resist the pearls.

I ended up liking almost every picture with the glasses more. And it seems the garnet choker goes best with the hair too.

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

I like being a pom-pom girl

Can't wait to see the hair and make-up

ETA: WOOHOO, there was another page and it was all there! How gorgeous was your hear! I love it, just love it. That comb and veil with it is soooo perfect!!!

I am sorry to admit this to you, but I am a mascara girl. My lashes are totally colorless and it takes mascara to define my eyes. I like it on you but I bet you will also be beautuiful without because you have nice dark eyes and the eyeliner will do it all anyway. Just be firm with that lady!! The lips were great and she did a lovely job on the foundation and blush too You are beauteous, Jenni

 

[Beep]

I think you look lovely with mascara on - it really opens up your eyes. I love the back of your hair, but if I'm being totally honest I don't think the front 'flows' as well as it could do. Could you blend the sides a little and still leave it down and to the front?