The Planning Journal of Jenny & James (GOOD NEWS pg3)

[TheSawas]

Our wedding is approaching and planning is moving along the bumpy road. Thank you all for the inspiration you have been giving me for our wedding day.

Here is my planning journal . . .

Me- Jennifer (teacher)
DF- James (law student and Capital Hill intern)

DF on our Halloween 2006 Cruise:

DF and I during one of our many Red Sox games vs. the Orioles:

Moi:

(And don't forget DF and I smooching in my avatar).


How we met:
Our profiles were posted on eHarmony for one day. I initiated contact with James after thinking he looked cute with his ball cap on. We sent lengthy e-mails which led to lengthy chats on messenger which led to 7 hour phone calls a week later. It was a Thursday evening when we shared our first phone conversation. The following Sunday he surprised me by flying to PA so we could meet and see if things were going to continue moving further (though we were both sure this was special or we wouldn’t have been investing ourselves). As soon as I saw him I gave him a friendly hug. I gave him a brief tour of Pittsburgh before showing him my hometown and new apartment. We spent the day talking at my dinning room table sharing stories and a supreme pizza from Pizza Hut. He returned to MA later that evening. After saying goodbye to him at the airport I called my mother (me crying a bit) and told her "I just met the man I'm going to marry."

When he returned for a visit two weekends later we shared our first kiss . . . when he returned home two days later I asked him to move in. He was only going to stay for a couple of months because law school would be starting soon and he needed to set up house in MD. After our time together during those months I made the decision to move with him (as I knew I could get a teaching position easily). Well, here we are going on three years since eHarmony and engaged to be married.

The wedding:
Date- January 5, 2008
Ceremony- Wedding Pavilion
Reception- Boardwalk
Dessert Party- Illuminations (France)

The wedding party :
Bride- Jenny
Groom- James
Matron of Honor- Amanda (sister of the bride to be married 10-20-07)
Best Man- Frank (father of the groom)
Ring Bearers- TBD (cousins of the bride Camden and Tanner)

Much more coming soon . . .

Jenny

(Yay! I posted pictures!)

 

[Maggimus]

You both are so cute!!

 

[gillian1926]

What a great story! I cant wait to hear more!

 

[kmab00]

Aww that's such a sweet story!!! Ya'll are adorable together!!

 

[TheSawas]

The story of the wedding dress:
My sister got engaged two weeks before I did. Her wedding is 10-20-07 and I am her maid of honor (she will be "matron" of honor for my wedding). We were supposed to go to the city to get our bridesmaids gowns for her wedding when another bridesmaid was running late to meet us. We decided we would stop by a bridal shop we knew well to take a looksie. While we were killing time my sister tried on a couple of dresses for herself. Mom told the owner I was a bride too and she chose some things for me to try. I never would have chosen the gowns for myself but thought this was going to be fun. My sister got the first gown she tried on and I had decided on the first gown I had tried on. The owner was cleaning up our dressing room and taking away gowns when she told me I had forgotten to try one on. It was much to big but I thought it was an excuse to try on another gown. She zipped it up . . . I looked in the mirror . . . and I could imagine DF seeing me walk down the aisle in that gown. The owner suggested my sister and I “borrow” the very long veil from one another for our something borrowed. I chose a sparkly tiara and daddy told mom to buy it all. The owner offered us approx. $700 off our total with both gowns. Two gowns for the price of one and a very special experience to share with my sister and mother. (We never did chose the bridesmaid’s gowns for my sister’s wedding that day).

The gown that almost was:

The dress I chose:

Front (gown and trim all in white with a longer hem):

Back:

Details:

The shoes (comfort over style for me):

My bridesmaid gown (in green with no gloves):

The veil I will be sharing with my sister is a plain-edge chapel legth veil. I am planning on adding the traditional blusher as well. My tiara sits like a crescent moon shape on my head and is covered with rhinestones. Pictures of the veil and tiara will have to wait until next week when I will be vacationing in PA where pictures of me with my veil, tiara, and gown are being kept safely away from the eyes of DF.

To be continued . . .

Jenny

 

[Maggimus]

i love your dress-- what a great story... and for so cheap!! Goodness i paid more for my dress and accessories-- I wish i had gotten out that well!! way to go..

 

[TheSawas]

i love your dress-- what a great story... and for so cheap!! Goodness i paid more for my dress and accessories-- I wish i had gotten out that well!! way to go..

I love your dress Maggie so you definately got the bang for your buck. You looked beautiful and the style looks very nice on you. I always thought I'd be the bride that spent an enormous portion of the budget on her gown but my heart wanted a bargain. That's what being an avid TJ Maxx shopper does to you.

This planning journal has caused a planning storm to happen today. I've been making lists, binders, organizing the bridal mags, and saving links to share with all of you. Just wait 'til I get to PA on Tuesday. I have several wedding related shopping excursions planned.

Jenny

 

[purplegirl247]

Great planning journal so far. Love your wedding dress pics. Also love that you met on eHarmony. I keep telling my dad he needs to get his butt on there but he keeps saying the commercials can't possibly be true. Well, you're the second Dis bride I've "met" who's found her love on eHarmony, so take that, Dad!

Keep the good stuff coming!

 

[Thumper's Tara]

Wow! Great Planning Journal so far! I am excited to see another January 2008 bride. We are doing the WP, Ariel's and Illuminations in France too!

We have a few things in common - I met my DF through eHarmony as well! DF and I did the whole talking on the phone for hours before we met thing too. We talked for 2-6 hours a night for almost a month before we met!

It seems good minds think a like!

Congrats and I can't wait to read more!

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Great story! I love your avatar, so cute!

Beautiful gown!

 

[MickeyAnne]

Great story! I guess sometimes you just know huh?
Love your dress choice!! You will look beautiful!

 

[TheSawas]

Journal Entry 3- Do-it-myself

Well, I'm packing my bags and going home for the week. I will be making a final choice on the gown my MOH will be wearing (scheduled some un-necessary trips to alfred Angelo and David's Bridal because I am going through gown shopping withdraw). I will also post some pictures of me with my wedding gown, tiara, and veil. DF will be joining me later in PA. We will get our engagement photo taken and there will be some other wedding shopping going on. I'm hoping to get pew bows, guestbook, and invitations checked off the do-it-myself list.

I haven't made a final decision about using a monogram or a castle on everything (napkins, invites, guestbook). I played around with a monogram in Photoshop and this is what I got:

I used our names since our intials are the same. I want to add our wedding date below our names. From the reaction DF had I think we will be using this monogram.

I contacted Randy Chapman about photography (Maggimus I just HAVE TO HAVE this man as my photographer . . . thanks a lot) I also contacted two salons who will travel on site for hair. I am thinking about just doing my own make-up (I used to be a make-up artist) if I think my nerves won't interfere on wedding day. I also have an appointment with a Mary Kay consultant to go over my skin care and possibly plan my wedding make-up if it's going to be another do-it-myself project.

Jenny

 

[orangetiggs]

I love that monogram the hidden mickey is so cute!

 

[princess110607]

Your monogram is awesome! Love it!

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

What a great journal....i try to tell people that online sites are a great way to meet people, but they all sneer at me like im crazy...oh well

Your dress is so elegant & the shoes are so cute....like the glass slipper

keep us posted

 

[TheSawas]

As promised . . . pictures of my wedding dress and I. The unhappy look on my face in the pictures was because of the stomach flu. My dress was making me smile on the inside. And excuse my undergarment trying to make an appearance as the dress was literally ten sizes too big.

The train and back details:

The back:

Front details and my tiara:

Front details:

Bottom details and trim:

My sister wearing the veil she and I will be sharing as our "something borrowed":

 

[lurkyloo]

Oooh - pretty! I like your sister's dress too. You have to post these on the wedding dress thread!

 

[MickeyAnne]

I love your something borowed plan!! How cute!

And you look wonderful in your dress. Yay!

 

[Cinderella Fan]

Beautiful dress.

 

[heatherlynn444]

I love teh details of the front of your dress! how pretty! my sis and I got married 6 months apart and we both wore the same jewelry and that was my "something borrowed" the story of how yall met is so cute!