Lisa & Trace-1/25/2011-WP/GF - we got our wedding pics!

[girli565]

Just wanted to add... If you're having a breakfast/brunch juices may be included.

 

[sambycat]

Just wanted to add... If you're having a breakfast/brunch juices may be included.

yeah - i will double check! i *thought* it was on the tinkerbell brunch menu, but lord knows i'm confused about everything else so......

 

[sambycat]

Not to be overly dramatic or anything but sheesh.... Justlots of tension and stress and two people badly in need of a vacation!! And yeah, like someone posted somewhere yesterday, what were thinking planning a wedding right after Christmas??!?! Eek indeed.

So good news is, we got our final BEO and essentially we now owe ~$100 instead of $1600. So phew! We paid off our photography. Still owe a bit on the condoand the balance on our video. And we still haven't gotten his ring. He liked a Tiffany ring that sort of goes with my engagement ring which is also from tiffanys but was the grandmothers and we didnot pay Tiffany prices for it. He liked the ring back in September and I bought it was like $1100. Which was alot but not undoable. We tried it and were quoted I thought $1200 but we have both been trying to loseweight and he wantedto do another sizing. Well, I have asked him probably 3 times when he was near the onetiffany store Togo try it again. We had gone a second time together and now the ring is like $1500. Still he hasn't retried it or gone to any jewelry store. I am worried about juggling funds because of Xmas and thetime to get thedang ri g!! I asked him yesterday, afterreading a thread here about mens rings and their costs and asked him if he needed it to be a Tiffany ring or could we get the same style somewhere else for less and had he looked. Well thiswas taken as if I don't want him to haveanytjing nice and we can't afford it because I amspending too much money on the house. Sothat made me mad and frankly we couldn't have afforded a Tiffany ri g ourselves and Ihave spent so much time and effort trying to do things within The ring costs twice as much as my dress! And I have tried to buy the thing twice but he wasn't ready with his sizing. I just wish he would lookaround but maybe he has. He should have what he likes though. I bought 2 band and they totalled $300. So it isn't like I think should have fancy and he not. These are the weird things. And I can sort ofunderstand how he mustbe feeling and iwish webothwerebei g nicer and more patient.

Mynew job has turned stressful and now Xmas. Just really humming at themoment. And typing this on my iPhone is ridonculous.

 

[sambycat]

• 2 dear friends emailed me today and have to cancel because of job/financial uncertainties
• 2 other couples, who RSVPd have not booked their travel, one couple we haven't talked to or haven't responded to texts or emails in a couple months - does NOT bode well
• his brother DID confirm tonite (they had RSVPd, but not yet booked travel) but are not sure if they are staying on property
• i would like to "upgrade", if you will, 3 of our vendors to eating with us, if they would diegn to do so - these 3 folks are people we have known/come to know - so it would be awesome, i ws so worried about keeping our budget within our means that we had to cap the guest list, no we are under. pathetically, sadly, meekly under....
• if we stick with 4 tables of 8, and our 3 vendors would eat with us, that still leaves 3 empty seats, assuming the other 4 people don't flake, er, have last minute emergencies...
• i would like to just cut the head count by those 2 or 4 (if they DONT come) BEFORE THE FINAL CUT OFF and possibly reconfigure the tables? how can it not look sad and empty?!
• DF's unemployment was on hold, but reinstated for the moment, due to all the senate/congress/unemployment extension/tax nonsense going on. who thought to get married after xmas again?
• DF was terribly upset that DCL has no announced that there is some sort of 1 day special cruise for boys and girls club of america going on the dream BEFORE the official maiden voyage!!! we do not begrudge the children in any way, but disney charged PREMIUM bucks for this cruise based on it being the first - arg!
• juices are included on the buffet.
• if we went down by 4 more people, cut 3 vendor meals (adding them as guests), and were able to fill 3 more seats (we do have different and sundry pals around the parks at the time), could it change our total a little??? i'm wishing it would decrease it and we could add something to the room to make it..... fuller
• oh yeah, we are going to have to change our videographer time to just ceremony, with a couple add ons, and it seems like we can do this - i am grateful to save ~$450, and what we are getting is exactly what i wanted in the first place..
• on the disney wedding blog (carly's NOT DFTWs!) yesterday, there was a mad hatter inspired wedding and the pics were awesome, but it ws the FIRST time i felt clear wedding envy/anger!!! we had some very similar elements, and, although i thought things did look cool and i certainly don't begrudge the newlyweds, i was overwhelmed with feeling like we are going to be totally derivative and lame and stupid and not have cute little tiny hats, oh and i am fat and my hair is going to look insane, and noone is coming and we should have just had 10 people come and had dinner at ohanas and everything sucks. oh, and we have no money.

 

[sambycat]

merry happy boxing day, y'all!

things are entering a weird "eye of the storm" kind of calm.... a lot has gone on since my last post, but i am finally starting to feel really excited again, in the "we are getting married!!/just got engaged!" way of about a year ago!! and then i feel freaky!

as far as DFTW things go, here's whats up:

• the following adjustments have been made since thelast post - changed guest count to 30, with 4 tables of 7 + sweetheart. 3 vendor meals. i think out of this, we have 2 seats we are still not 100% sure about the guests. i added in the grooms cake to the BEO and all the adjustments hae been made for the size. this brings us to, including what we have already paid, actually about ~$100 UNDER. i've thrown it out to the marvelous elizabeth in floral that is there anything she could suggest that we could add to the decor for that $? we could do petals in the WP, and i am sure that therre isn't much in the way of centerpieces or altar things that would a) make a statement and b) be in that price range. but maybe there is some little thing or chair sash or who knows we could add.
• we did adjust our video, although i have yet to recieve the new contract. i originally really just wanted the ceremony anyway, so we are going back to that, with the webcast, with the HDcopy and a couple add ons. that should bring our total down to about ~$800? now, because i am so organized, i thought we had only paid $500 thus far, but actually we'd paid $700 and i paid another $200! woops! so we should be set, are awaiting that final bill, then he can just have a tip early or something!
• main project left to complete are programs. i think i've got it mocked up pretty well, it will be at the ceremony, but basically be a welcome, brief ceremony outline, thank you and menu card in one. need to start with the dreaded page by page printing of the odd shaped paper though.... yuck!!
• trace's step mom says she can help me with the dress. we are hopefully going to have them over in a week and have her help me try on the dress. trace and i have been working out, i've lost about 15-20# since we started, definitely toned up a ton but still not anywhere near the 50# i feel i needed to lose! i'm not even sure anything needs to be done to the dress, but i want it to fit well obviousle. i would really like the corset back though, and if that is something she can do then that would allow the maximum fit on the big day. i also went ahead and ordered this super pretty betsey johnson necklace i found that will be so pretty with the outfit! it was $135, not alot by bridal standards, but darn it if i wasn't hoping it would have gone on sale today and i have been stalking it like mad! christmas eve we had to go to a store or two and could no longer find it locally, so i ordered it.
• we found a ring for the DF! hallelujah! not at tiffany's and not platinum, but he really likes it, is picking it up tomorrow and it's really nice - sort of a comfort fit, polished, white gold band. not inexpensive by anymeans, but not the $1600 platinum band he had been looking at
• some changes going on with our DFTW planning, our planner has had to switch things up, so we are working with someone new to DFTW, from an event background. she is marvelous - we were able to get a phone conference last monday, and go over the whole BEO from start to finish. there are still a couple of awkward areas to me and we talked through them. also really helpful is that we seem to have a more similar lingo regarding all the cake stuff! many of the things she read to me back from our original planner's notes were actually better than what i understood, but it seemed like there was a more clear communication? i don't know. it gave me the distinct feeling that our OP (heh- original planer) is kind of an "under promise, over deliver" kind of gal - indeed she is so super organized that the transition is going well.
• room block - i think we have just squeezed by! really cutting it close there, but i think this week, we will have everything final
• we ordered the tuxes - the guys are doing black, with DF having a turquoise blue sort of vest, tie and chucks; miles, his son and BM, will have lime green; my brother will have purple. awaiting the shoes, should come this week. ordered the guys mickey dress socks and already had the mickey cuff links

now there is lots of stuff to do around here, finding kennel for the dogs - although i think we are going to be able to pay his aunt to come out and hopefully leave all creatures great and small at home. i HOPE.

getting my hair done in about 2 weeks, still not sure whati am doing with it for the wedding. found that the place i normally get a pedicure at indeed has the "shellac" type UV nail polish that is supposed to last? am going to get a manicure day before we leave and pray that it lasts the nest 5 days to the wedding. i will just get something light and neutral and bring touch up polish.

also - one of the coolest things! my BFF/MOH threw me a "virtual" bachelorette! we do our podcast every week and take turns on production. a while back she volunteered to do a xmas show for last week, then had texted trace that i needed to listen to it as soon as it came out! well, she got several of our friends and listeners to send in wedding wishes for both of us actually! t is so cool and so touching and such a big surprise! really put me in the excitement mode!!

so..... after stuffing ourselves crazy this holiday (made homemade peppermint ice cream out of like 4000 eggs...), i guess i will put on my running gear and go hobble along in the 40 degree chilliness... then i gotta get more printer ink!!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Just checking in to see how things are going. I think that is so sweet that you got a virtual bachelorette party! Did you decide on what to do with your hair yet? I can't believe how quickly time is flying, although I think as it gets closer to the date, time is starting to go in slow motion!

 

[sambycat]

eating at queen victorias room at the victoria and albert's food extravaganza!

in the meantime...
the MAJOR freak out is this: i have lost "only" about 15# of the desired 40, BUT i am much more fit, running 4 miles several times a week (actually running), and fitting into things i couldn't fit into at my previous pass through my current weight zone - all telling me i am indeed fitter and more muscle-y, so WIN! but...... my FMIL was over this weekend, the seamstress, to look at my dress, so sure was i that it would need major alterations. but no. NO. no, it is actually tight to zip up. good tight in the sense that, as a strapless gown, it is appropriately snug. but needs zero alterations. despite the weight loss. i am glad i don't need to alter the dress but.....

it does fit BETTER. the arms are good underneath, no flub pinchy, no back fat, so i was told. i did buy a waist shaper and it does help a little so i will be wearing it. but what i realized is the problem is that it flares out before my waist reaches its actual narrowest part? it makes me feel like a fat fluffy fire plug.

so what in the H-E-double hockey sticks do i do? the dress is pretty. beautiful! i do love it and it definitely makes me feel special, like it is definitely a party dress and i did want that. i'm wishing now that i did try more on or had someone there with me, but then i don't know if i would have done anything different because i love the IDEA of it. i don't think there is anything i can do to make it better. i don't have the $$ for a new dress, nor is there the time, nor the energy on my part, to go searching for a different dress. i keep thinking if i had fiddled around with more of a sash to it, so extend the bodice down, but probably me winding tulle around my waist isn't going to do that. i thought i might by the next size down in the waist cincher and see if that helps at all.

i do wish i was going to be skinnier. i know it is completely irrelevent in the scheme of the world. i want to look pretty in the pictures, and not the whole "you have such a pretty face" thing. and i really don't want to be that whiney girl complaining about her weight or anything, because actually, overall, i am feeling really good. and i can defnintely see in my face that i have lost weight and that was the major thing i didn't like about my e pics.

le sigh

 

[sambycat]

i tried my dress on again last night. it was looser than the other day. so apparently i am mad of hot air and expand and contract with the weather or i get bloated only in my rib cage. go fig.

i realized that my tags are still on my dress (although i embroidered our intials on the inside!). i may go by the davids bridal in town and just see if they have my dress in decent condition in the next size down. just to quell my anxiety. i don't think i would try to trade it in, but i might just go see.

we are getting married in 16 days. we leave in 11 days. it will be nice to get all the closet and floor space back when the piles and mounds of stuff are done with!!

here is where we are project wise:

• last minute budget details are all decided. we had that ~$400 to do something with - can't remember if i updated this about that or not, but anyway, we are ading sheer overlays to each table, some kind of bows with a bit of floral at the first 2 pews of the WP, and some amount of tea cups with a floating gerbera daisy to each centerpiece. i am not sure entirely how many of those, f it is one per table or what... also, aded a few more of the mickey crystals to all the personal floral
• finished programs today
• i think i have everything for our welcome bags: brochure, postcard to send us with a wedding thought or wish, hand sanitizer, shout packs, tissues (still pondering the whole "cry packet" label thing), tea cup votive favor i ordered ages ago, personalized tea bags and coffee bag/grinds, heart candies and a couple boxes of the valentines message heart candies in each. i have these cute little flower cards in tiny envelopes made out of the recycled paper embedded with flower seeds that we wrote a little greeting on and is a name tag. of course i know see that our little tags are not sufficient for the hotel drop offs, so i will have to add that somehow
• have recontacted our vendors to check in - except i do need to speak with the arndts, they wanted to touch base on the pics and we did want to add another hour i think? trace has an extensive wedding folder put together with all the contracts and info that we need to take along
• i haveto put together a "weddding in a box" to send to my grammie who isnt able to come after all... we will do that next weekend

getting my hair done next weekend. after friday i am on vacation. have to start figuring out exactly what i am packing and how to get all our junk there!

very excited and stressed.

 

[disneybarbie]

Hi Lisa!

Sounds like everything is coming together.. I bet you can't believe how soon it is now!

I like the sound of the 'welcome bags' for your guests, really thoughtful. what goes in the 'wedding box' to your Grandma? I've not heard of that before hehe

Emma

 

[KatGarcia]

Im all caught up and can't wait to see how it all goes! Congrats!

 

[sambycat]

thanks for the comments guys! i really appreciate it!

saturday i have my hair appointment and i am now leaning towards just some kind of faux updo deal. i'm thinking i look best with my dress to have the whole nack and shoulder area more bare, so i am leaning towards trying something like that? also, i think it will look best with the LATEST thing i bought to wear on my head! HA!

so, i've been freaking out over my dress. last weekend i had decided to go back to the local bridal store and reinvestigate dresses. well i DID. yes folks, i was trying on different wedding dresses 2 weeks before the wedding!! let me just say, the folks at the local DB were AMAZING! i only wish i had originally bought my dress there! i explained my issues and concerns. they brought me several dresses in my size and no pressure at all. the one girl even took pics for me - three views! my original dress still has the tags on it - they said i could make an even exchange, whatever. it was a relief! there were two dresses that i liked alot (although i LOVE my original dress) AND i thought looked a million times better! like i lost 50# better!!!! and one had a super cool train that busteled and it just had me thinking how cool it would be in those MK photo shoots (assuming of course, i was in FOCUS!! hellooooo???) so i went all the way home, got my dress and came all the way back. on a work night at 7pm.... and yes, i still have to pics but that goofy photo bucket takes too long

so i did that and tried on my dress for everybody. and guess what? i LOVE my dress! they loved it and i did too. the manager there got the alterations lady to come out and guess what - for 65$ + a $25 rush fee i was told i could get it altered and have it by friday!! yes, the dress that is somehow still appropriately snug was taken in ONLY about an INCH on each side and she did something to the waist band. AND THEY CALLE ME TODAY THAT IT WAS READY!!!!

it looks amazing! totally flattering! I AM SO HAPPY!!! i'm not sure why my step mom-in-law to be didn't see that something could be done, it is her profession after all!, but i think she was expecting a dress that was going to be monstrously HUGE on me and she just liked the dress and thought it looked great! she didn't have the critical eye.

so i cannot say enough good things about that place! and we tried a couple of head gear things and i bought a whole new ordeal for my head and i think it is perfect!!!! they had a thin head band with a flower poof/facinator type thing on one side, all in white, and these two veil things. they are on a comb and i got 2. so they are ivory and like the netting veil. they go to mid back and are kind of, well, not puffy? so the lady puts the headband on me, then the two veil/comb thingys kind of hooking right on top of each other. well, it looks super cool! very flattering, gives the poof i wanted and i feel like i look really pretty! its like having hair! i think i will have poofy veils on all day!!! or do i HAVE to take them off if they don't go in front of my face? is that bad etiquette?

anyways, i will mail my dress down to florida soon! everything is falling in line! i think all the projects are done - i made cry packets with a sticker i printed up, finished programs. trace wants to mail the wedding ephemera down to our condo deal and that frightens me, but i may be going for it.

tomorrow is my last day of work, then i am on vacation. saturday is hair day, monday i have a doctors appointment and a dental appointment that i want to cancel. wednesday i get mani/pedi action. thursday we leave.

i need to pack and am most stressed over that at the moment.

oh i am also stopping myself from trying to change our ceremony venue to the new MK price decreased option!! but i don't think there is time to sell my kidney and heal before the wedding....

 

[TangaroaTiki]

Sounds like you are ready to me. Try to relax and enjoy because it will all be over before you know it. You will be a beautiful bride and the wedding will be perfect. Looking forward to hearing all about it on the Cats.

Once you're on that cruise ship you will breathe a huge sigh of relief!!

Can't wait to see the pictures on FB

 

[sambycat]

Sounds like you are ready to me. Try to relax and enjoy because it will all be over before you know it. You will be a beautiful bride and the wedding will be perfect. Looking forward to hearing all about it on the Cats.

Once you're on that cruise ship you will breathe a huge sigh of relief!!

Can't wait to see the pictures on FB

THANKS!!! means alot, let me tell you!

we are watching the golden globes (YAY! chris colfer!!! BOOOO! tangled should win!), surrounded by clothing, boxes and mess. we are packing and cleaning and shuffling things about. have mailed 2 boxes off to FLA already, dress is in a box by the door, shipping it UPS tomorrow. trying to figure out how in the H-E-double hockey sticks i can get all our crap down there and back!!!!

but, while we are atching TV, thought i'd post some pics, first, some of the dresses i tried on (but am keeping my original dress!), then i finished the guestbook vinylmations and they turned out super good!

this was one at david's bridal that i had tried on when i bought my dress, the waist comes down further and thus lookd better i think?

this dress, though i wasn't crazy about it, was making me reconsider because i thought it looked really good and it had the coolest train and pick ups!

then i finished our "guestbooks"

the picture isn't the greatest, but i did give it a cute little goatee!!!! (it's the slightly more brown thing to the left of the slightly more red thing that is actually the boutonniere!


i cannpt believe it is all finally coming together.....

 

[pixie921]

Your vinylmations are so cute!! You did a *great* job personalizing them!

I bet it feels great to sit back and see everything coming together! You're so close now!

 

[Mindyjoy]

I love the vinylmations; I was thinking about putting one on each table as a centerpiece/guestbook. Did you add the veil and rings yourself? If so, how did you do it (if you don't mind sharing your secret)? They are so cute; you did a really good job.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I LOVE the vinylmation bride and groom!!! Just precious!

 

[DVC Bride 2011]

LOVE the guest books! I can't believe your wedding is here already, everything is going to be amazing. I cannot wait to see pictures of your big day!

 

[EllieBride]

Hi Lisa,

I haven't checked the boards in a while, but was glad I did today so that I can wish you a happy wedding. All of your work will soon payoff! You may recall that I had a lot of the same frustrations and stresses as you leading up to the big day, but they all vanished once we finally arrived at WDW. Just enjoy the day and the magic with your prince.

As for the dress and the pictures - quit worrying We saw your engagement pictures and they turned out amazing!!! The wedding pictures will be even better. Not to mention, you have David and Vicki there to keep you smiling. I'll be checking their Facebook page often for some sneak peeks!

Best wishes,
Michelle

P.S. I'm glad you like your new planner... do you know who has been assigned to shoot your MK photos?

 

[disneybarbie]

Love the Vinylmation.. that's such a good idea!

Not long til you get to WDW now.. hope everything is going well!


Emma

 

[KristiLyn]

I love the vinylmations; I was thinking about putting one on each table as a centerpiece/guestbook. Did you add the veil and rings yourself? If so, how did you do it (if you don't mind sharing your secret)? They are so cute; you did a really good job.

I love your vinylmations!!!