update 10/01 the Vet & Newbie(Michelle & Chris)Keeley's Portland Maine, 11-30-08

[bigsis1970]

Edit 8-13-08 --- YEAH we are actually getting married this year - you'll see further down I said it wouldn't happen but we got some strings pulled on our venue and friends of his parents are doing lots of it for nearly no cost or for free! I will update with the actual plan on the bottom when I have a good half hour or so...

Hi, Welcome to our Wedding Planning Journal or our PJ .. I am the Vet and he is the Newbie I will refer to us as such thru out this report and while we don't have $$ for an actual Disney Wedding we will be having a DisneyMoon so I hope it's still ok to post here..

My Planning Journal – I guess I should give a little background info... I am Michelle age 37and have been married once and I have 2 kids (DD age 14 and DS age 11) I have been to Disney several times (17 times) – but not since Jan 2007 for a solo weekend – and would LOVE LOVE a Disney wedding but have no $$$ for one – I own a house, own a car, have a dog and cat, also have a full time job and bills up to the high heavens… LOL
My boyfriend is Chris – he is 25 (yea I know but he is so GREAT I couldn’t help but scoop him up) and never been to Disney!!! EEEK I will change that in time... Chris has a memory problem, he has epilepsy and due to seizures when he was younger it affected his short term memory, so he asks me the same things a lot and we have lot’s of notes posted around.. He is a Chef but I don’t let him cook a lot – haa go figure – I guess he has to do it at work all day why do it at home.. He also has some OCD – neat and orderly to my messy and cluttered ways... LOL

We will be having a DisneyMoon!!! That has been decided already – Chris wants me have to one and I want to show him why I love it there soo much…That part was easy! Hope the rest is easy as well

 

[bigsis1970]

The meeting: We work in the same building – I for the insurance co and he for food service co here... Actually I tried to hook up with him last summer (2007) but he was scared of me and told my friend he had a girlfriend. So I said ok and avoided him like that plague for about 6 weeks then the week between xmas and NY last year (2007) he said to me just out of the blue one day as I was getting lunch “I got a new truck” and I was like oh that is weird “ Oh that is nice, a new new one or a new used one?” being polite and he says “ a new used one, it’s a Green Silverado” and hand me my sandwich “oh, well thanks” and I go off back to my desk and don’t think much of it again.. well now we are into the full week of Jan ’08 and one of the cashiers says to me “Chris wants to take you out” and I almost dropped dead “WHAT I thought he had a girlfriend?” and she says “well I guess not anymore” and I was still so shocked that I just stood there so she says “what should I tell him?” and I say “oh um yea tell him yea that would be nice” then I ran away – didn’t give her my phone number or anything to give him HAAA now understand my ex was cheater I lived the last nine – YEA 9 – years alone with my family, kids and pets, dated just a few times in those years so I was scared outta my wits.. so I get back to my desk and thank god for my friends – they noticed I was all red and giggly and stuff and grilled me for details so when I told them what happened they were like “OMG we’ll go give him your cell” and off they went – I got a text that night and well the rest is history. We started out texting all the time then went to calling all the time in between we went on a few dates then it moved to staying for the weekend – when my kids were not home (they live with their dad one week then with me one week) next it went to staying for part of the week when the kids were with their dad to the whole time they were gone to moving in with us the beginning of June!

At first when I told my kids I had a boyfriend my DD freaked – from the time she was 5 it’s only been us 3, she thought the world as she knew it was gonna come crashing down and I was gonna throw her aside for this guy – she has always loved her daddy more even though he left us – so I fully expected her to be awful about it, not wanting me to be happy and find someone who would love me forever.. It took her about 3 or so months to admit that Chris is nice and it’s nice to have me happy and it would be ok if we ended getting married... my DS is pretty easy going so to him it was just fine long as he “didn’t hear any animal noises” LOL I am telling ya where do they come up with this stuff – I reassured him NO Animal Noises LOL he says he likes Chris pretty well and said “well daddy got to have a girlfriend and get married why can’t Momma?” once when my DD was fighting with me about Chris – Gotta love that logic right!! So anyway right now thing are great with all us living together every other week...

 

[bigsis1970]

So really I am staring this way early... there is no ring yet – I’ve been told by the end of the year there will be (actually he said at first wanted to be married by end of the year and I was like WHOA can’t plan that fast so he changed it to engaged by year end – ok doable) We did go on Saturday so I could be sized and he had them write up a card with all my info (including size and what ones we tried on and liked so he wouldn’t forget) I am a 6 ½ and we saw some really pretty ones – solitaries , ones with side stones and some 3 diamond ones BUT the one I really fell in love with had a HIDDEN MICKEY on it!! We were pretty done at the store when we wandered by a case that said “try us on for fun” they were cubic zirconia’s but when you purchase it has the real diamonds in them and I was trying a few on – as the sign suggested – and when I tilted this particular ring towards me, I started laughing.. Poor Chris must have thought I lost it, he was like “What?” and I said “OMG look right there – it’s a hidden Mickey!!!” and he said “ Geez it must be fate” however it was pretty expensive – the most expensive one we looked at plus you had to pay extra to get the middle diamond. So I don’t know if that is the one I’ll get – and it will be completely fine if that is what happens because I know it will be a ring he has picked from his heart and that is what matters... But I won’t lie – I hope I get that one... LOL

I’ll update more as it happens – I need to find a great planning journal (spiral bound maybe) for second weddings – I am not sure about the etiquette, like do I still get a shower, can I NOT wear white, is it tacky to register even though I have a house and things like that? I was married the first time in 1992 and divorced in 1998. I am sure things have changed...

 

[Lynn5700]

Hi!!! I just wanted to say congrats and I look forward ro hearing your plans

 

[bigsis1970]

Hi!!! I just wanted to say congrats and I look forward ro hearing your plans

Thank you - I looked at some of your pics and they are soo beautiful!!!

 

[DecemberBride]

Where is Standish? I have a house in Port Clyde... around Camden/Rockland area?

Can't wait to hear more about your plans!!!!!

 

[bigsis1970]

Where is Standish? I have a house in Port Clyde... around Camden/Rockland area?

Can't wait to hear more about your plans!!!!!

Thanks we are about 25 mins west of Portland.. My parents live in the Bangor area (for about 5 years now) and they have done work in the Port Clyde area - they work for a sunroom/patio/basement finishing company..

 

[DecemberBride]

Thanks we are about 25 mins west of Portland.. My parents live in the Bangor area (for about 5 years now) and they have done work in the Port Clyde area - they work for a sunroom/patio/basement finishing company..

Oh sweet! I'll ask for they're info if I ever need anything done!

 

[bigsis1970]

So since I've been married once and the Newbie and I live in sin right now I am thinking about this one in Ivory/Black - I am hoping to have a evening wedding and thinking this would look elegant.. I've read good reviews from fluffy girls who ordered this dress as well (as I fall into that catagory)

 

[bigsis1970]

well came across this dress on e-bay !

Oh so these are a few of the settings we looked at --- look closely to the side stones on both rings

 

[december14disney]

Just wanted to say welcome! Cant wait to hear about your plans!

 

[bigsis1970]

So we got our wedding rings

I also am getting an e-ring but he hasn't given it to me yet so waiting to see it!!
I won a dress on EBay monday night -- total paid with shipping $54.24!!

we bought our invitations last night - the image will have Chris, Myself, My DD & DS, our Dog and Cat

 

[bigsis1970]

On the invitation the outside will say
"Our Happy New Beginning"

Chris picked the verse for the middle :
"In this world of uncertainty
and confusion
We have found each other...
Different yet alike
We have grown together
In love and understanding,"

and in the info part it reads :
"The Bilodeau and MacVane families
invite you to share in the joy
of marriage uniting their children
Ms. Michelle Whitman
and
Christoper MacVane
on Sunday November 30, 2008
at eleven o'clock in the morning
Keeley the Katerer
178 Warren Ave
Portland, Maine
Brunch Reception immediate
following the ceremony."

 

[Tink901]

Hi Michelle -

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!

I sent you a email.

Hope to catch up soon!!

Brenda

 

[IndyBride]

Many beautiful choices!!! That dress is very nice and the price is amazing!!

 

[Risnsun]

Are you having your reception at Keeley's??? That is where I had my wedding reception from my first wedding. They did a really good job. Can't wait to hear more. We are from Maine as well. Close to Bangor. What a small world!

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

Congratulations! I am looking forward to hearing more

 

[bigsis1970]

Hi Michelle -

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!

I sent you a email.

Hope to catch up soon!!

Brenda

Thanks !!! hum, I didn't see an e-mail?

 

[bigsis1970]

Are you having your reception at Keeley's??? That is where I had my wedding reception from my first wedding. They did a really good job. Can't wait to hear more. We are from Maine as well. Close to Bangor. What a small world!

Yes we are having the whole shebang there... I haven't been there in years but its been very nice everytime before so I have no doubt it will for this as well.. My parents live in Etna - Mile 167 LOL, wish it would stop raining!!

 

[Risnsun]

At least we have had a couple of good days recently. The rain is ridiculous this year. Keeley's is really nice. They take care of you really well. We had a lot of guests back out in the end, and they normally just donate the food to a shelter, however, since so many weren't able to make it they ended up giving us the leftovers. The only suggestion I have, is make sure, that if the bar is open to certain people make sure they know. My exhusband had no idea that the bar was open to him, and had all his friends buy him drinks all night. Plus the staff should have known too. Other then that, we had no problems, we had a good time. No hiccups.