Planning The Super Secret Renewal of Vows - 18th February 2012

[DoomBuggy0922]

Oh I LOVE your rings! And they look SO good together!!!! (My wedding ring and DF's don't look anything alike, we both just picked ones we liked. )

But I LOVE them, I really do. And I'm probably not supposed to say this, but they are so reminiscent of Kate/Diana's engagement ring. (For me that's a good thing, I promise, Kate Middleton is pretty much my role model.)

 

[librarygeek]

Those rings are gorgeous, and they match so well! My and DH's rings don't match at all because we also just picked what we liked. But I love the blue so if I were you I'd stick with that. I like the matching, personally, I kind of wish DH and I had both found rings we liked that matched!

 

[MrRomance]

The wedding rings we have are matching, mine is just a wider band. They are called together-rings. They are made exclusively at a little store in Amsterdam. I guess the best way to describe them is they are two interlocking rings and the inside my ring has DW name, inside her ring is my name. Neither of us want to replace them and I like the idea of matching rings. DW thinks I should have my colour!

 

[MrsDuck]

The rings look great-- good choices!!

 

[MrRomance]

Sorry to be a little but I really can't let the wonderful support and generosity of the DIS community (most of which was anonymous!) go by without saying a HUGE !

Katie, Amanda and myself are just blown away by it! Please if you were one of the mystery sponsors send me a PM with your details because Katie is now working on making thank you cards!

Katie has already raised 63% of her target in just 5 days and not only is that absolutely AWESOME for the hospital, it's had an amazing effect of Katie too. I don't think she realised how special she is to take on the challenge. To her it was all about helping others but because of the support she has received not just in sponsorship but also the messages to wish her luck and tell her what a great thing she is doing, she is on right now.

To each and every one of you, thank you so much for giving her that feeling!

All I can say is

THANK YOU!

 

[librarygeek]

So glad I could do a little something to help! I am just so happy that I could help your daughter in any way.

 

[DisneyDivaN]

I just wanted to stop by, just finished reading, what a great family you have, I think it is so sweet that you were going to surprise your wife, even though the cat is out of the bag.... It is still a lovely thought! Your daughter is so brave for wanting to do the run and donate to the hospital what an inspiring story!!

OK now on to the renewal stuff love love love the rings, I am a September baby and thats my birthstone and my favorite color!!

Love the menu choices too, keep all the plans coming!

 

[MrRomance]

This week will be the purchase of my ring, I think we're now agreed on the matching Sapphires We should (I'm hoping) get our BEO's for the VR and the Reception Meal this week which will be good. I've got a good idea of how much it is all going to cost, but until I get the BEO's I won't rest!

After much discussion and consideration, we've decided to open the invitation to my MIL and FIL. As I said in the previous posts, my MIL is a difficult person to deal with but we've handled it in such a way that she will be less likely to be wretched! I've laid the law down about how this is my DW's day and I won't have it ruined. She is less likely to be nasty because it came from me. We had a big issue before (when she was referring to me as "that pr***") and we didn't speak for 2 years after I dealt with her. I think she learned that I'm a nice, quiet kind of guy if you're nice to me, and your worst nightmare if you are nasty to me. Hopefully, she'll behave and my FIL will get to give his daughter away as dad's are supposed to! They haven't confirmed they will come yet, but it looks positive so far.

The cousin...oh...I just give up. She can make her mind up and pay for herself. DW says it won't be a loss if she is not there, so I guess it's on her to do what she needs to do! So as of now, we will probably have at least 9 of us for the reception meal and food for 10! That works out pretty well!

As you know, Amanda's dress was too small because I got it wrong! It fits perfectly everywhere but across the chest/back! She has been on a healthy eating & exercise plan and I have joined her. It is mainly to support her and also to set a good example with to DD who is training for her run. I've been really good (considering I am a junk food fiend) so we're all in this together!

I did post this in another thread but I wanted to share it here too because I know some of you sponsored my DD through this PJ. She changed her target from £250 to £300 because she reached £250 in 5 days. We're now at 9 days and she is currently at £340! So this is for you all from Katie!

Anyway, back to the issue at hand. Amanda wants her dress altered. It has a zip but she'd like it to have a lace up corset back. I think it's a good idea because if she loses too much weight the dress will be too big everywhere and it really is just the chest/back that is the problem. So...I need your guys help... I know most of you are from the US, but if there is anyone in the UK who knows a good dress alterations place, PLEASE let me have the details.

This week, I want to hopefully get a final head count on who is coming and who isn't. If my in-laws can make it, I'll need to go get my FIL his wedding attire. The other job is my ring, need to get that ordered!

Feeling better than I was last week!

 

[luvs2cruise]

Jay,
I just read through your PJ and you and your family are such an inspiration.
Congrats on your vow renewal. My dh and I are doing a DCL VR June 2012.
Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[Jilian]

Yay for Katie reaching and exceeding her goal! She must be so excited.

I love the rings. I'm very partial to sapphires too. Your wife's band is the same exact band that I have as my wedding band. You both have nice taste! lol

I'm no help on the alterations but I think Tinkerbell (aka Joanne that had the Swan wedding) is from the UK, so maybe she can help?

 

[MrRomance]

Jay,
I just read through your PJ and you and your family are such an inspiration.
Congrats on your vow renewal. My dh and I are doing a DCL VR June 2012.
Looking forward to hearing more.

Thank you and congratulations to you on your VR too. We've been thinking about the DCL for a while but I'm a bit weird about cruises. I went on one many years ago which was not a nice experience (and rationally I know things have changed a lot!) but I felt "trapped".

Yay for Katie reaching and exceeding her goal! She must be so excited.

I love the rings. I'm very partial to sapphires too. Your wife's band is the same exact band that I have as my wedding band. You both have nice taste! lol

I'm no help on the alterations but I think Tinkerbell (aka Joanne that had the Swan wedding) is from the UK, so maybe she can help?

I love the rings, we didn't want to lose our existing wedding rings so these will be a nice addition to them. I can't wait to get mine ordered now so that I can tick another job off the to do list!

I am so proud of Kate, she really has inspired me to do more for others. I worry for her but I know I have to let her do this because it means so much to her. I learned years ago, when a child with ASD is set on something, saying no is a recipe for tears and tantrums, so I have to set her free on this journey she wants to take and hope for the best!

She had gained more from it than the hosptial will in my opinion. She is so focused on it, it's taking her mind off her own issues and giving her a sense of pride. She is making thank you cards for every single person who gave their name on their sponsorship and she just wrote letters to the grocery stores asking them to put her poster up in their store. She's at £350 now and has set her sights on £798 (exactly) because she read in her fundraiser pack that it will buy an electric wheelchair and all the accessories for a child. I think it's a little ambitious but I didn't think she'd raise £350 in 9 days either!

I never thought that alterations would be such an ordeal. DW has contacted 3 different people and they've all come back saying they can't do it! 2 have said they're retiring and the other one is fully booked. REALLY? Is there really such a demand for dress alterations?

 

[Chilly]

I've just used the text number, it seems to have worked, I wish your DD every luck in raising the money and completing the run.

Have you tried asking in department stores? They ofen have numbers of people who can do alterations. Or shops that sell fabric etc.

 

[MrRomance]

I've just used the text number, it seems to have worked, I wish your DD every luck in raising the money and completing the run.

Have you tried asking in department stores? They ofen have numbers of people who can do alterations. Or shops that sell fabric etc.

for supporting Katie! Funny little story from about an hour ago... Kate was sitting colouring in a thank you card she's made and I asked her if she wanted to go over to the park for a while seeing as it is half term. She looked at me like I'd said the most ridiculous thing and said "Daddy, can't you see I'm busy here? I guess that told me!

Amanda has called around the department stores and a couple of bridal stores but they have all been "uncooperative" saying things like "well if it is not one of our dresses..." Maybe I'll have to bust out my mum's sewing machine myself

 

[Chilly]

for supporting Katie! Funny little story from about an hour ago... Kate was sitting colouring in a thank you card she's made and I asked her if she wanted to go over to the park for a while seeing as it is half term. She looked at me like I'd said the most ridiculous thing and said "Daddy, can't you see I'm busy here? I guess that told me!

Amanda has called around the department stores and a couple of bridal stores but they have all been "uncooperative" saying things like "well if it is not one of our dresses..." Maybe I'll have to bust out my mum's sewing machine myself

I found a thread on Martin's Money Saving Tips forum that had lots of people asking about dress alterations. People asked about Essex a few times and people replied but they always said PM for details so I couldn't find you any, but maybe you could post on that thread?

Where in Essex are you?

 

[MrRomance]

I found a thread on Martin's Money Saving Tips forum that had lots of people asking about dress alterations. People asked about Essex a few times and people replied but they always said PM for details so I couldn't find you any, but maybe you could post on that thread?

Where in Essex are you?

We are in near Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock. I think we may have found someone! There is a dress maker at Barleylands who said she can do it for around £50 which is brilliant. I think Amanda wants to run the dress down to her next month. Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Chilly]

We are in near Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock. I think we may have found someone! There is a dress maker at Barleylands who said she can do it for around £50 which is brilliant. I think Amanda wants to run the dress down to her next month. Thanks for all your help!!

Excellent £50 sounds about right.

Let me know if it doesn't work out as I know lots of people in Essex so one of them might know someone.

 

[MrRomance]

Sorry, just have to share this...Kate wants to run in this!

[/IMG]

 

[Chilly]

Soooooooooooo cute

 

[luvs2cruise]

Kate is adorable!!!

 

[MrsDuck]

She is adorable!!