Nichole's Wishes PJ 10/24/2011 ~ WP/ADH/SCP ** OUR WEDDING DAY ~ The Reception

[Princess SarahK]

The ring is great! The shot glasses are great!! Everything looks WONDERFUL!!! I cant wait to see more!

 

[Nichole33]

Well, I LOVE it. I love the little guys on the side! The design you have is actually exactly what I wanted. ha.

Thanks! I wanted something a little different than the 3 stone look, but something small enough that it doesn't overpower my small fingers. As soon as I saw it I knew it was the one

The ring is great! The shot glasses are great!! Everything looks WONDERFUL!!! I cant wait to see more!

Thanks! Will hopefully have more frequent updates now! I need to start checking things off my to do list!!

 

[Nichole33]

After 30 hours of total drive time with the puppies, we made it back from our Michigan trip in one piece! Unfortunately, everything was unloaded into our front foyer and has not been touched in 5 days! … We had a wonderful trip, but it takes us a while to get back to normal life after being off from work for a couple weeks.

The pups love road trips! He is a pic of everyone loaded up.

We went to my parents’ house in northern Michigan first for the wedding shower/party. We rested for a day and then began getting everything ready. I was surprised we had so many guests from out-of-town that were coming. DF’s mom and step dad stayed at my parents with my brother and his wife. DF dad and step mom rented a nearby condo with other family members, so we had lunch with them in a little fish town the day they arrived.

I am so glad everyone gets along so well! One less thing that I have to deal with!!!

The party was lovely! The weather in northern Michigan was perfect … a little warmer than I expected (but at least it didn’t rain!). We set up in my parents’ backyard. I think my mom has been working on the yard and flowers all summer for this party! Here are a couple pics of the set-up.

My brother grilled and we had a nice spread of food and a candy buffet.

Of course the guests started to arrive early, but we had a lovely time. And it would be one of our parties if the alcohol didn’t come out!

We had shower pages made for our guestbook for the guests to fill out. I didn’t want to do any games, so this gave everyone something do. They are too funny! We had multiple references made to want grandbabies and lots of advice for the wedding day.

We had a little cake so we could practice the cutting. It is really awkward! I also learned that I have to specify when I tell DF to “put his beer down” I don’t mean put it in your pocket for the photos!

We spent Fourth of July in northern Michigan (my all-time favorite holiday). We went out on the lake, went to the Cherry Festival and watched the fireworks.

Midweek we went to stay with DF’s mom and step dad down state. It was a nice relaxing time for me. The dogs played non-stop and I worked on some puzzles with his brother’s girlfriend. DF even got to play a pick-up hockey game on his friend’s team.

All and all it was a great trip! Now it is time to start the thank you notes!!

 

[Sccrmnky2005]

Everything looks great!!! I love the frame that everyone signed, is that the engravable one?

I'm glad everyone gets along so well!! I wish my life were that easy

Good luck with getting more things checked off your list!!

 

[pinkfairy1684]

Great update! The shower looked amazing. I'm so happy for you that things went perfectly!

 

[Nichole33]

Everything looks great!!! I love the frame that everyone signed, is that the engravable one?

I'm glad everyone gets along so well!! I wish my life were that easy

Good luck with getting more things checked off your list!!

Thanks! I got the frame from I Do Engravables and I absolutely love it!

Great update! The shower looked amazing. I'm so happy for you that things went perfectly!

Thanks so much!!

 

[Nichole33]

98 days until our wedding!!

We finally made it to double digits
​

 

[elleinad16]

AHHHHHHHH! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Sweet Nichole - double figures!! Yay!!

 

[Ash8716]

Your wedding sounds like so much fun. You have some wonderful ideas.

We are getting married December 2nd and our reception is at ADH. We are heading down for our planning session on Friday. How did you get a plated menu, we were told it could only be buffet here?? It also seemed as though the menus we were given were not under 100pp.

 

[Nichole33]

AHHHHHHHH! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks!

Sweet Nichole - double figures!! Yay!!

Thanks!

Your wedding sounds like so much fun. You have some wonderful ideas.

We are getting married December 2nd and our reception is at ADH. We are heading down for our planning session on Friday. How did you get a plated menu, we were told it could only be buffet here?? It also seemed as though the menus we were given were not under 100pp.

Thanks! You can now have a plated menu at ADH - actually I think they changed the rule last fall (according to our sales consultant). It was a deal breaker for us, so we had no problem getting it. There are some limitations on what you can have since the food has to travel a little bit, but we had no problem getting it. Have you asked your planner about it? I know the planners are not always on the same page, but I would push the point if it is something you want.

For the menu, we didn't go with one of Disney's set menus. We took out the app and the dessert, which took off between $*** pp. Then we talked with the chef during our planning session about what we were looking for and talked with our planner about what we wanted to pay for it. We had a couple back and forth rounds of negotiations between the three of us, but in the end we ended up well under $*** pp.

Good luck!

 

[Polygirl10611]

Everything looks great! You are going to have a beautiful day!

 

[DoomBuggy0922]

Apparently, I missed your bridal shower post! I love the picture of the dogs.

And... CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS!!! WOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nichole33]

Everything looks great! You are going to have a beautiful day!

Apparently, I missed your bridal shower post! I love the picture of the dogs.

And... CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS!!! WOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!

 

[Nichole33]

I have been so bad about keeping my PJ updated! Actually, I have been so super busy with work, I haven't gotten much wedding stuff done. I have been assigned a bunch of Google patents to write by the end of the year ... good for my career, bad for keeping up with my wedding planning!

We have gotten most of our RSVPs back so we are finalizing our numbers and inviting a few people on our reserve list. Hopefully we will have that all squared away in the next week or so and can finalize the BEO. I am still going back and forth about spending all that money for Cindy's carriage to take a tour of the construction zone. I always wanted the carriage, but I think I may be disappointed with the ride around all the construction. DF would prefer we went without it and put the money towards our honeymoon or something else, but I am still on the fence. I think I am going to pay the total minus the carriage now and wait to see some pics in the next month or so.

DF's ring came in last week, so that is one last thing I need to do! My dress is in also. My first fitting is scheduled for next week. I am a little nervous since I haven't seen it since January. Hopefully I don't need too many alterations!

Here is my abbreviated to-do list:

Finish programs
Finish menus
Finish place card candles (I have a lot of half-done projects around the house!)
Order the materials for the rehearsal dinner invites
Order Drinking Around the World t-shirts
Finalize list of attendees for all events
Finish Passports for new guests
Print out labels for welcome boxes, wine bottles, Bear Necessities packs and suckers
Finish schedule of events brochure for welcome boxes
Have all brochures printed for welcome boxes
Put together welcome boxes
Finalize schedule for hair (need to confirm times with Randy)
Get earrings for the girls
Get the girls to decide on shoes
Get marriage license
Decide whether we are doing a girls' tea and order invites (I don't know if I am putting too much on the schedule)

I am sure there are a few other things that I need to do, but you get the idea. My goal is to have everything done by the end of September - finger's crossed!

 

[elleinad16]

Hi, Nichole!

I'm sorry your so torn about having Cindy's carriage. It is a tough decision...you might really enjoy having it and get some great pictures, even though the path will be altered.

The list looks like it's getting shorter! I think it's great you are giving yourself a goal to be done by the end of September, so then you will have a couple of weeks to focus!

Can't wait to see more.

 

[Nichole33]

Al little background first ... I have 3 best friends that I have travelled all over with and whom I always figured would be my bridesmaids/MOH. We have taken trips all over for any special occasion or any excuse we could come up with. All of them said yes, knowing the when, where, etc. of the wedding (I didn't ask anyone until we had already been engaged 6 months). One is currently teaching in Korea and will be back for the wedding (she actually negotiated her contract around my wedding and is super supportive). My MOH is turning 40 this year, has been divorced twice and desperately wants to have children, but hasn't found the right guy yet. She was thrilled when I asked her and was supportive through dress shopping late last year, but she has gotten really depressed lately. The other one is super emotional and a little unreliable.

I have been super stressed about work, trying to sell the house, and life in general the past month or so and really have not had time or the energy to deal with the wedding or any drama. The girls got their dresses and some have been bugging me to pick out some shoes for a while (something my MOH originally said she would do). So I went on-line, found something and sent a link asking the girls what they thought. 3 of the 5 liked them (pretty much saying "whatever you want"), one didn't say anything and my MOH said she didn't want to pay for shoes she wasn't going to wear again. Ok, so I tabled the idea, not wanting to deal with it. The other one didn't say anything. She (the unreliable one) called a week later and I completely vented about how stressed I was and how I didn't want to deal with everyone right now. I asked her not to say anything to anyone, but she called my MOH and I am not sure what she said to her but then my MOH was pissed at me. So she wanted to have dinner a couple days later on my bday to "work it all out".

I get there and they block me in the back corner of the booth and lay into me about what a complete bridezilla I am (even though I haven't asked them to do anything except buy a dress and get matching shoes) and how selfish I am for having my wedding out of town, on a Monday so they would have to take a day off of work and having it during their birthday "month" (among a long list of other putdowns. I am so completely hurt I didn't know how to defend myself and I was pinned in the corner so I couldn't leave. I feel like I have gone out of my way to make my wedding as easy as possible for everyone. I sent out STDs and a newsletter really early with tips on how to save/budget for the trip, I found super cheep dresses and haven't asked them to do anything (except try on dresses, which the unreliable one didn't show up for, and my MOH helped me pick mine out). I am the type of person who can't forget something once it is said and I reminded them of this when they started in on me.

I don't completely blame my MOH. I know she is really depressed and going through a lot of emotions right now (and I don't know what my BM said to her). I think our friendship will survive but I feel really awkward asking her to do anything wedding related. My dress is in and my first fitting is next week. She said before that she would go, but I feel like I am putting her out or making her more depressed.

I am really upset and hurt by my other BM though. I blame her for the whole ordeal. It has been a couple weeks since we talked and I have been trying to put it out of my mind. She called me last night crying (she is super emotional) apologizing for the talk and wishing we never had it. But then she said she still thinks I am a bridezilla and she stands by everything that was said! So I am at a loss about what she is apologizing for then! That I was hurt by it?!? I am to a point that I would rather she didn't come if I am putting her out that much and if I am such a terrible person in her eyes. DF is really upset and says I should tell her not to come before she bails at the last minute. I told her last night that if I was putting her out too much she didn't have to come and that I would completely understand. She said "it doesn't matter at this point." I really don't know what to do!

I try not vent my drama on here too much, but I really need some advice. We have friends that are so excited about our wedding. In fact some are inviting themselves to the wedding (saying they will come for everything else even if they can't come to the reception). I am so hurt that my best friends see my wedding as a burden.

 

[DoomBuggy0922]

Honestly? If it "doesn't matter to her at this point," I DEFINITELY think you should tell her not to come. Really. She is being completely unreasonable and unfair to YOU. Remember, that this is your day--- well, yours and DF's day--- and you should only have people who are positive influences be there for it! You don't need people like her in your life, and I think your other friends should understand this.

Keep us posted on how it goes!

 

[dkal]

Honestly...is having a couple bridesmaids worth all of this?

Friends don't treat each other like this.

I'd release all of them from being in the wedding...and even from attending if they don't wish to come.

You are the Bride and the day revolves around you and your future husband....not them.

I went through some of the same and decided early on not to put up with any outside drama. Once a line was crossed...I released them from participation and moved on.

Don't worry about hurting any feelings by letting them go...they don't seem so concerned about yours.

Good luck.

 

[DisneyShamrock]

Can you dump all of them? I mean, if they are going to do something like that, why bother having them there? They are supposed to alleviate your stress, not cause you more.

I would ditch all three of them for cornering you. It's not selfish to want the wedding of your dreams. Imagine how they would react if the situation reversed.

I'm sending you lots of pixie dust that they at least start acting like the friends you thought they were. Keep us posted. Good luck!