tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36454252888347360052024-03-18T23:15:30.395-04:00B & T WeddingTracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-20420322358672125012012-06-25T14:16:00.000-04:002012-06-25T14:16:14.217-04:00The Day Before<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The day before our wedding was a whirlwind. I was up early to get the world's slowest manicure and pedicure with BM Kelly and my MOH. Then it was back home to rehearse my dance with my dad (more on that later!), then back to the salon for an equally slow, but completely amazing, blowout. Then I met up with my MOH and BM Kelly to drive over to the hotel for the weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Knowing that our wedding weekend was finally here made me incredibly happy and excited. I had planned so much and prayed a lot for things to go well and I just felt content and ready, feelings that were furthered by the appearance of lots of little fortuitous signs: Mr. B's hotel room was 602 (our wedding date), the Mets had some crazy no hitter (apparently this was legendary, I don't know, I don't do baseball), my hair and outfit were just as I'd always envisioned them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our rehearsal dinner was held at Mr. B and my favorite restaurant, called Due Mari. We had about 40 guests and served a buffet of appetizers, and delicious Italian entrees of pasta, branzino, steak, and chicken. It was laid back, with the guests just eating, drinking, and catching up for a few hours. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Couple of tips for your rehearsal dinner- if you plan to have speeches, make sure you know exactly how those will work. It was very difficult to hear on the mic we brought, so we wound up just listening to our friends' speeches in their hotel room later. They were so awesome and sweet that I do wish our families got to hear them too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Also, take a little time to think about the structure of the party. We just figured everyone would show up at the restaurant and eat, but it got off to a slightly awkward start, since there were five huge tables and I don't think people knew where or when to sit. They waited for us and we were busy greeting everyone and running around. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Anyway neither of these were a big deal, and we had a wonderful time with our families and friends. I felt so loved by all the people who had traveled to be there, took the time to write thoughtful speeches, and spent the night with me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Enough rambling, right? Here's some pics:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">That's us at our table with the bridesmaids and groomsmen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Me and BM Kelly</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-gXWJ6XCMWb3rejnuz69qaHVv9gEnVcScAlmHFRayYxV3Esgv1fH_Us62KHEyWRk0Cy5uIcFq9tBT4IZ8VWVrSPHONSU3JsT9k9VoMh5iYhklg0HYdova_0p-b2ylW805Y_W1Csq8DM/s1600/rd12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="267" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-gXWJ6XCMWb3rejnuz69qaHVv9gEnVcScAlmHFRayYxV3Esgv1fH_Us62KHEyWRk0Cy5uIcFq9tBT4IZ8VWVrSPHONSU3JsT9k9VoMh5iYhklg0HYdova_0p-b2ylW805Y_W1Csq8DM/s400/rd12.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Me with my MOH and BM Kaitlyn</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With our groomsmen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With Mr. B's family</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">All photos by my dad. My awesome dress is from J. Crew.</span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-58016251271281058452012-06-20T13:14:00.001-04:002012-06-20T13:14:10.661-04:00Precap: Table Number DIY<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We housed our table numbers in vintage looking, mismatched gold picture frames. Calling this project a DIY is kind of a stretch, but bear with me, this is an easy one: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Step 1: Go to Home Goods and TJ Maxx and immediately see large collections of gold frames. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Step 2: Estimate 20 tables. Find five differnet style frames you like, and buy multiples of each. (That's important! If you have 20 entirely different frames, it looks ghetto. If you have 4 of each of 5 kinds of frames, it looks cool and intentional). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyC5-MUX4CW-rEkwo9LezDvsqilJnZ9kLpo7fraY4jWMdHrqDfZmePCq4R6Otw_Nhm6YRaaLbBVApUYGhpbQHxUHtQy0_HA-u9ltpDa_VkqXFVzGHnabS9PzmO9Nf1jIU8jfyY542-Lc/s1600/pileofframes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyC5-MUX4CW-rEkwo9LezDvsqilJnZ9kLpo7fraY4jWMdHrqDfZmePCq4R6Otw_Nhm6YRaaLbBVApUYGhpbQHxUHtQy0_HA-u9ltpDa_VkqXFVzGHnabS9PzmO9Nf1jIU8jfyY542-Lc/s320/pileofframes.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Step 3: Buy frames. Get annoyed when you realize the 30 day return policy means you're stuck keeping all these after the wedding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Step 4: Take shimmery cardstock and cut down to the size in the frames. Call calligrapher at last minute and feel relieved she only charges 30 cents to write a number on a piece of paper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Step 5: Pop the numbers into the frames. Voila!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BhXd9A5dIL28sIguFW8z6vuFfE1-CDC22z-nyXlPiaXO4DRQ_GYaz1rFMD0ch6VW_Dsg2h4LxaJU_7C2immgXsSLqjrOTYiIkJ1kUTg7VKOFU9PA6cYq8rKwvFRpFXyodvmMiCza9qg/s1600/finishednumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BhXd9A5dIL28sIguFW8z6vuFfE1-CDC22z-nyXlPiaXO4DRQ_GYaz1rFMD0ch6VW_Dsg2h4LxaJU_7C2immgXsSLqjrOTYiIkJ1kUTg7VKOFU9PA6cYq8rKwvFRpFXyodvmMiCza9qg/s320/finishednumber.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Extra Credit: Beg calligrapher to make signage for the bars as well:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqzjxzYTBzb7W1hMKtdtWKuSMoJD8qiWp2toifTj0sCAEtZijP4PojEU5qe7knjE_NekxIFcLKnoAEfAgg33BDtcQmnHH2vttq9hqDsyjVy2kRY6fXYw418xCvKIym90GedCO6RLhYnA/s1600/finihsed+signs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqzjxzYTBzb7W1hMKtdtWKuSMoJD8qiWp2toifTj0sCAEtZijP4PojEU5qe7knjE_NekxIFcLKnoAEfAgg33BDtcQmnHH2vttq9hqDsyjVy2kRY6fXYw418xCvKIym90GedCO6RLhYnA/s320/finihsed+signs.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(All frames were purchased at Home Goods and TJ Maxx. Cardstock was Opal Stardream from Cards and Pockets. Calligraphy was done by Carmela Mazzarulli). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Also, my best friend and her cousin are using these for their weddings, so I feel better about spending $100 on picture frames). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What did you do for table numbers?</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-5951171478311026192012-06-19T08:33:00.002-04:002012-06-19T08:33:38.628-04:00Precap: Menu DIY<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Okay so before I get into the recaps, I want to finish my last DIY posts. My personal favorite DIY was the menus I created for our wedding:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXr0Hz5EFiMLm7aXFMBuQXmj77VqmKMoQuP3X1pNLrJXe1w9frqWiWbgKvCcwMI6NkDBtl2pa1OM8KX2mA2Ug06aMqTq7rVArNbx1M3xbjQSWzdPUFzAGQCAvKmI8OmcwP0h7mCI8ZzI/s1600/menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXr0Hz5EFiMLm7aXFMBuQXmj77VqmKMoQuP3X1pNLrJXe1w9frqWiWbgKvCcwMI6NkDBtl2pa1OM8KX2mA2Ug06aMqTq7rVArNbx1M3xbjQSWzdPUFzAGQCAvKmI8OmcwP0h7mCI8ZzI/s320/menu.jpg" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pic by Spark Photography</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I used Microsoft Publisher to create this. I started with your standard 8.5 x 11 page, and split it into two columns. I copied and pasted our monograms off our invite proofs and placed that at the top. The text was all written in separate text boxes so that I could center it appropriately, and then I just copied and pasted from one column over to another. Very simple. I liked this because it allowed me to print two per page, which saved me about $80. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had them printed on Opal Stardream cardstock from </span><a href="http://www.cardsandpockets.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cards and Pockets</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, like all my other DIYs.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrwSTMV8jKUrgz8c5J60rcRVjCLALbXISnD6WTlhiOzZvm3XINWcDx1jcfIe8mH6_d2G3WlW9c6bSBAqtBW3YLwT0_AKW7uduqx3gn6Ey90F7YlSkMRMqi2rahmei0pMJZ6Ky7QXoznQ/s1600/uncut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrwSTMV8jKUrgz8c5J60rcRVjCLALbXISnD6WTlhiOzZvm3XINWcDx1jcfIe8mH6_d2G3WlW9c6bSBAqtBW3YLwT0_AKW7uduqx3gn6Ey90F7YlSkMRMqi2rahmei0pMJZ6Ky7QXoznQ/s320/uncut.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then, we had to cut down the middle of each page to separate them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I used a corner rounder to round the corners, and then swiped the edges through a gold stamp pad. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Below, you can see how much that little edging added to the menus. (It also matched the gold edges on our invitation, though I cannot imagine a single person besides me would have realized that). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWCYNfXIrEiHXqnpRkhnKnCZKh6w4eBMVeP8qnQLmPumuhCkeNmBFwm22F0zjRPgZpb7EP2TBScQk4bUhlny1whuOkCgX00J7xpMSMlzSlJJd-8vvCB-utT6SplKvNpfpKqrNIBE2H3U/s1600/goldedges.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWCYNfXIrEiHXqnpRkhnKnCZKh6w4eBMVeP8qnQLmPumuhCkeNmBFwm22F0zjRPgZpb7EP2TBScQk4bUhlny1whuOkCgX00J7xpMSMlzSlJJd-8vvCB-utT6SplKvNpfpKqrNIBE2H3U/s320/goldedges.JPG" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img alt="Pop-out" aria-label="Pop-out" class="Hq" data-tooltip-delay="800" data-tooltip="Pop-out" id=":or" src="http://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To make it easier, I ran stacks of about 20 menus at a time through the stamp pad. I had to do it twice to ensure everything got a bold enough gold color. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At the reception, we had these slipped into the fold in an ivory napkin. They looked beautiful and I felt this was a DIY well worth the effort. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Are you designing menus? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-89728999280250715402012-06-18T13:45:00.000-04:002012-06-18T13:45:09.167-04:00Married!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well there hasn't been a post for a couple weeks now because Mr. B and I are MARRIED! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our day was seriously amazing, we were so blessed to have perfect weather and literally a perfect wedding. Nothing went wrong and it was amazing to be surrounded by so many loving family members and friends. Easily the best day of our lives. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZV8tQewQBxChmeEPsrAAke9VZUhewBg9R9jzD1stelyGUzvzcSOmsGm7XQtXUnzKs1uwzR5NYa3RBw_B4vcQTQ_PL5FDvXT_6MqznPp9wDrgkhDNLb7CN3iTpsLKIOUkLmYJO5Q-EY0/s1600/wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZV8tQewQBxChmeEPsrAAke9VZUhewBg9R9jzD1stelyGUzvzcSOmsGm7XQtXUnzKs1uwzR5NYa3RBw_B4vcQTQ_PL5FDvXT_6MqznPp9wDrgkhDNLb7CN3iTpsLKIOUkLmYJO5Q-EY0/s400/wedding.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stay tuned for some recaps! </span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-42184723811934183642012-05-30T08:12:00.004-04:002012-05-30T08:12:40.939-04:00Shower Gift Idea<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now that my friend Jenn's shower is over with, I can share with you guys the awesome gift that us bridesmaids gave her, because you might seriously want to copy it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jenn is not always much of a "stuff" person, so instead of getting her a registry gift, we opted for a more out of the box option: a date for each month of the year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Basically, we each chose a few months of the year and purchased gift cards, tickets, and other related items that would allow the bride and groom to go on a date. We packaged everything in envelopes, one for each month, and stacked them in a pretty box from Target. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I took June, July, and August, and decorated my envelopes with scrapbook stickers:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W-cJYPUF_E80CcFzLJ0YwIuIkRcaOtr7KLwzALX2i7zDGaxJPM8_EHXFVNks_TchDIUzF2uBJrTU45CI61PC_tHLgHj2TK2zPVIFFRGUoemq4Jj4aMGIkGK49EZ_-gXqXrVl03FGBI4/s1600/env.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W-cJYPUF_E80CcFzLJ0YwIuIkRcaOtr7KLwzALX2i7zDGaxJPM8_EHXFVNks_TchDIUzF2uBJrTU45CI61PC_tHLgHj2TK2zPVIFFRGUoemq4Jj4aMGIkGK49EZ_-gXqXrVl03FGBI4/s320/env.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For June, I got them a gift certificate to a winery in our state, and arranged it on colored cardstock to make it a little less boring looking. I wrote a little poem to explain what the date was:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For July, I got a gift certificate to the spa at their honeymoon resort. I included the menu of spa options and treatments. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRimJlmewXbq1vvQY_pgMsIvSSnBv88Kx-HqZdA685Lo_c690_Txog5Ik-kyl5gN3z8lTR2lr2ceAhatvmCK_cXlmm8GFzY-njKdPOHfJ21hT0C-akpyRwYjUzpWXFZkg1aHvm6FpGqE/s1600/july.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRimJlmewXbq1vvQY_pgMsIvSSnBv88Kx-HqZdA685Lo_c690_Txog5Ik-kyl5gN3z8lTR2lr2ceAhatvmCK_cXlmm8GFzY-njKdPOHfJ21hT0C-akpyRwYjUzpWXFZkg1aHvm6FpGqE/s320/july.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For August, the date idea was "Jersey Shore." I got her a book to read on the beach (she loves reading), and a gift card for her favorite boardwalk lunch spot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Other month's dates were as follows (most of these gifts are based around New York City, since we're all local):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>September</strong>: Mets tickets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>October</strong>: Gift certificate to apple picking orchard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>November</strong>: Central Park zoo tickets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>December</strong>: Mr. and Mrs. Ornament, trip to Union Square holiday bazaar and gift card to a fancy Union Square restaurant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>January</strong>: Chelsea Piers gift cards </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>February</strong>: Valentine's Day "Stay in and cook" date- cookbook, candles, Whole Foods gift card</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>March</strong>: Movie gift cards</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>April</strong>: Walking tour of New York City</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>May</strong>: Chili's gift card (I'll never know why, but she loves Chili's)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Other ideas we threw around included a couples' dance class, a horror movie Halloween (stack of cheesey movies + blanket), and an ice skating rink gift card (which the Chelsea Piers thing kind of covers). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">She loved the gift and I think her fiance appreciated that it was for him as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This idea originally came from the blog </span><a href="http://shannonbrown.typepad.com/life_in_general/2011/01/lets-go-on-a-date-january.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Find Joy In the Journey</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, which I found via Pinterest. Check that link out, she has much better pictures and lots of other ideas!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What's your favorite shower gift that you've given?</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-78639086769443932252012-05-29T14:16:00.002-04:002012-05-29T14:16:14.880-04:00Program DIY, Part 2<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So last week I showed you guys the inside of the programs, and recently my mom, FMIL, and MOH came over to help me complete them, an easy but time consuming task, made a lot more fun by their company. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had designed and printed the covers a few months prior at, where else, my beloved Cards and Pockets. I had 6 x 12 inch booklets made and scored so I could fold them into 6 x 6 inch booklets. I printed them on the Opal Stardream cardstock I've used for all my wedding tasks so far, and designed a fairly simple cover:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8_Bm2cyP6DQ3NPOKXUJAnCN4PIG75KtiWPCWzWXg9OTJT5geygicoCp8kcztCdoa8JzwP-xKKybECaanwzNT_VTSOWO-ofZsaWpcc180Ht923suIRiNhZWybnH5kLb4OEDHsXYfWWo8/s1600/programcovers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8_Bm2cyP6DQ3NPOKXUJAnCN4PIG75KtiWPCWzWXg9OTJT5geygicoCp8kcztCdoa8JzwP-xKKybECaanwzNT_VTSOWO-ofZsaWpcc180Ht923suIRiNhZWybnH5kLb4OEDHsXYfWWo8/s320/programcovers.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Just our names, wedding date, and wedding location.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A heads up if you go this route, it's not exactly budget friendly. 225 covers cost me $186, and that is before the cost of resume paper, embellishments, and tools used.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To keep up with our lace and pearls theme, I purchased a beautiful lace from </span><a href="http://www.mjtrim.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">MJ Trim</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> here in New York City. Unfortunately, there was no name or style number printed on it, but here's what it looked like:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtit_4AwBsPqMbSyHS02UM9bqQ-x0h5NZMO_NJZytdy2mQam-AQIpYS7uvqhg8uCGzb-bH0GsR6VMF0-YrbLlqaEzKQf5Bu-ziC5rKYoECVJ99vFdGkEq1Ws4CT5eTKLsPZ7wTl1DisI/s1600/lace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtit_4AwBsPqMbSyHS02UM9bqQ-x0h5NZMO_NJZytdy2mQam-AQIpYS7uvqhg8uCGzb-bH0GsR6VMF0-YrbLlqaEzKQf5Bu-ziC5rKYoECVJ99vFdGkEq1Ws4CT5eTKLsPZ7wTl1DisI/s320/lace.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yes that's right, I set out a Christmas tablecloth in July...didn't want to wreck my mom's table with glue!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I cut 225 strips that were about 6 and 1/4 inches- I wanted the lace to be longer than the program. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We formed an assembly line. My mom attached the covers and the insides using a</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Swingline-Products-center-stitch-consistency-construction/dp/B004E2M9PY/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1338312646&sr=8-11"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> long reach stapler</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, which I think is a great way to make booklets. The long reach stapler allows you to set the size so that you can staple papers up to 12 inches long, rather than using a conventional stapler, which wouldn't have reached the binding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After stapling, she handed the programs off to the rest of us, who used Mod Podge and paintbrushes to apply the lace. We applied it to the front cover and folded it over the spine to hide the staples and leave a border near the spine on the back cover. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Since the lace strips were longer than the program, once the glue dried we just cut the extra edges off, which gave us a nice straight cut. That way, you don't have to worry about cutting the lace straight at the beginning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The finished product (also displayed on a heinous tablecloth, sorry!)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4_OdyCE9V2oPazayrGYwfChIj2vfhQPD7Epn8VNgsmZ3vRNto-aQIFo0m7sXAev3Ba4aJTQwIE2WBA6JLMn1Mn_mn-zgx27AKH6a294Mgc6Ntdvbk4NuseAdFKxmf7CimZ4QeVXzs4g/s1600/foldeds2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4_OdyCE9V2oPazayrGYwfChIj2vfhQPD7Epn8VNgsmZ3vRNto-aQIFo0m7sXAev3Ba4aJTQwIE2WBA6JLMn1Mn_mn-zgx27AKH6a294Mgc6Ntdvbk4NuseAdFKxmf7CimZ4QeVXzs4g/s320/foldeds2.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm very pleased with how they came out. They're definitely of a more formal and less trend-forward rustic look, and they were a heck of a lot of work, but I'm glad we did them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you're going to attempt a similar project my only advice would be to literally start four months in advance. By the time I got all our text together (and verified by our officiants), designed everything in Word, and ordered sample programs, it was already mid April, and I'd started the project in January.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What are you doing for programs? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-79571957818556631002012-05-22T09:01:00.000-04:002012-05-22T09:01:22.206-04:00The Ambush<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On Cinco de Mayo, I was sitting on my couch with Mr. B, reading and thinking how strange it was that we had no wedding tasks planned for the day, when I heard a knock at our apartment door. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Since I live in a small building that you have to be buzzed in to, I pretty much expect a knife wielding killer anytime I hear an unexpected knock. Luckily, instead of a killer, the surprise guests were my MOH and BM Kelly, who ambushed the apartment with overnight bags, a videocamera, and lots of excitement. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My MOH immediately set to plugging in her iPhone our speakers, and told me I had a half hour to pack before I was being whisked away for my bachelorette party!! The girls helped me toss 87 thousand different outfit and shoe combos into my overnight bag, and before I knew it, we were in a taxi headed to the Westin Times Square.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At the hotel, I was greeted by the rest of my bridal party, some cousins and friends. There were snacks set up (on zebra print plates), a bottle of Jack Daniels (my fave), and great decorations everywhere.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The girls handed me a few bags of bachelorette swag: a Lolita wine glass, a gigantic pink plastic "Bride" pimp cup, a crown, a veil, wedding day underwear, and a necklace, and immediately began fixing me a Jack and Coke in my pimp cup. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9J__-iVSBk5FBoyXmYpYHyXFAgtjlDPwTpXoJHa73e1ALhourfjxN4X8XLWY3kij3vXayvdgGC_K7qNoXcXTO8d5fcE6Ko41MBkfPhycuHcM8tbz2QpvufGytYX6C6XsGFT1KjaYIubg/s1600/swag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9J__-iVSBk5FBoyXmYpYHyXFAgtjlDPwTpXoJHa73e1ALhourfjxN4X8XLWY3kij3vXayvdgGC_K7qNoXcXTO8d5fcE6Ko41MBkfPhycuHcM8tbz2QpvufGytYX6C6XsGFT1KjaYIubg/s1600/swag.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We got ready together, which was an awesome flashback to college, listening to MOH's amazing playlist (seriously, I am pretty sure she got every one of my favorite songs on there) and then headed in a huge Escalade to a little unmarked East Village restaurant called </span><a href="http://www.invino-ny.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In Vino</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. It was the <em>perfect</em> restaurant- delicious food, a Tuscan-cave like atmosphere, and regularly refilled glasses of wine. We feasted on a variety of appetizers, pasta, and dessert. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LsYx_672rnE3TjW4doBbBWuUbfV29on_yZLynMWtFngCnB0HzR8qJ8cJ3wLYmXOAsRpAP9CoZvHtSsrbn8nYDuirnLSocfa04YidFeRnZcxC473Y2TQ91C0ICOggGkV0TIQJeb4TrPU/s1600/outsidecar" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LsYx_672rnE3TjW4doBbBWuUbfV29on_yZLynMWtFngCnB0HzR8qJ8cJ3wLYmXOAsRpAP9CoZvHtSsrbn8nYDuirnLSocfa04YidFeRnZcxC473Y2TQ91C0ICOggGkV0TIQJeb4TrPU/s320/outsidecar" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Posing in front of our gigantic Escalade cab</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUESYUsvj7VS9rELotG-WYNPDmSgmooMi2-2SnEOe6avmml_SC09jvGP3UF-mrdS6HybNewkx1j-dLxJ0p55ZYG48v1vbySqHTfwylBqxOBjcZmU1W3SzpvrTmYdk9qSTZo-42OslVGtI/s1600/dinner" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUESYUsvj7VS9rELotG-WYNPDmSgmooMi2-2SnEOe6avmml_SC09jvGP3UF-mrdS6HybNewkx1j-dLxJ0p55ZYG48v1vbySqHTfwylBqxOBjcZmU1W3SzpvrTmYdk9qSTZo-42OslVGtI/s320/dinner" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">At dinner</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then, we took a cab over to a top secret location for the best part of the night: karaoke!! I am not sure there is a human being that loves karaoke more than I do. The night was a blur of sake shots, more Jack Daniels, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, dance parties in a private room, and sake bombs in my pimp cup. (Please prepare yourself for a LOT of pictures). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyjeJMpsruJ2vWwQFqkcjEFOq0DblT_efhAsq_wkfubyJFHm9LtWR5eOazcYb6h45fZdvHoCkcFwys2ZQgZXbFi8k77DgzS1vyrePr9N7PoJ6hfF3ZBY5xWe57VYcigJZAVWX8-DsTtI/s1600/everyone" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyjeJMpsruJ2vWwQFqkcjEFOq0DblT_efhAsq_wkfubyJFHm9LtWR5eOazcYb6h45fZdvHoCkcFwys2ZQgZXbFi8k77DgzS1vyrePr9N7PoJ6hfF3ZBY5xWe57VYcigJZAVWX8-DsTtI/s320/everyone" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Everyone at karaoke</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAD-BDKGrW0Vppi4ozjjjOglxjBBnZ1tVF4YNnxEcG5BmVC64GtWSO34kZOeZ5C7jgFEXqchNdODgkmVTVNBIYkAVa9YPLg7h3PLkc7Vi0UPlnZaiyH-59ZVlgUAR38twVgJ1W1g-Irdk/s1600/cousins" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAD-BDKGrW0Vppi4ozjjjOglxjBBnZ1tVF4YNnxEcG5BmVC64GtWSO34kZOeZ5C7jgFEXqchNdODgkmVTVNBIYkAVa9YPLg7h3PLkc7Vi0UPlnZaiyH-59ZVlgUAR38twVgJ1W1g-Irdk/s320/cousins" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With my cousins- one is a BM and the other is reading at our ceremony</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxigD8J8qbpnHo9pZgQZVuchbHhDGsttWidSAjnhWeItdqOt39QYDrwK3xmaTCIZzOl7q6dgHLnxIVkXNwdSTYcX5SRiPHJ8zGoWzQiKM86PNlsavpNy0apS5pXXZpZthCOm21f1HE-do/s1600/college" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxigD8J8qbpnHo9pZgQZVuchbHhDGsttWidSAjnhWeItdqOt39QYDrwK3xmaTCIZzOl7q6dgHLnxIVkXNwdSTYcX5SRiPHJ8zGoWzQiKM86PNlsavpNy0apS5pXXZpZthCOm21f1HE-do/s320/college" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My best friends and roommates from college</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoaDCl6ufYmySGxU0OkrILpSB0hhQU6P3gaVzY1aSxiCI23pfeImNeZZZXeNFkB_H4GbSLZ4iyDjuCHmSxWmm2f8xPbsRmywaxyeHD_oiAR_kEF6SVS4k8Nl-wEFLGOZfqKy5rChP0tE/s1600/faded" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoaDCl6ufYmySGxU0OkrILpSB0hhQU6P3gaVzY1aSxiCI23pfeImNeZZZXeNFkB_H4GbSLZ4iyDjuCHmSxWmm2f8xPbsRmywaxyeHD_oiAR_kEF6SVS4k8Nl-wEFLGOZfqKy5rChP0tE/s320/faded" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">BM Laura doing Faded, our favorite song</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGUYG_cdbcuifTwJVZWpU418P_HGwxNizti63LLNsWoknM9kt8M4ElI97BSjBowYiUgdU2tLVpqOF0Z98azdH6EhaQCZDfeX6S83MBnZJFgQoX_5zEA007NNL531sLSmRXAmdFsyLWDY/s1600/sing" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGUYG_cdbcuifTwJVZWpU418P_HGwxNizti63LLNsWoknM9kt8M4ElI97BSjBowYiUgdU2tLVpqOF0Z98azdH6EhaQCZDfeX6S83MBnZJFgQoX_5zEA007NNL531sLSmRXAmdFsyLWDY/s320/sing" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2GKhMPhUm1GDNqlW9RoajYFz314TOi1e7nEmOtDHSmiYVnxoIzl6f8zuc77RiLhzmSYmJ5aubtg9hD-GU0hvGqcyOXI5B6FpnkVkoQ5GtcWzr2s_-00_BfWJSDOGh-9JIG8XCIkmGPc/s1600/woo" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2GKhMPhUm1GDNqlW9RoajYFz314TOi1e7nEmOtDHSmiYVnxoIzl6f8zuc77RiLhzmSYmJ5aubtg9hD-GU0hvGqcyOXI5B6FpnkVkoQ5GtcWzr2s_-00_BfWJSDOGh-9JIG8XCIkmGPc/s320/woo" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lots of singing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After karaoke, my cousin Rebecca got us into some trendy Meatpacking District club called </span><a href="http://www.gunbarnewyork.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gun Bar</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. She lives around there and apparently knows the bouncers. We managed to not spend a dime in the club, getting in free, getting free champagne, and getting handed free drinks from friendly nearby strangers sharing their bottle service. I may or may not have taken shots of vodka straight from their bottle. The club was fun and music good, although my scene is usually more of a grubby 30-beers-on-tap type of place. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLRZm3QVH2q78Waj5tiyTo_xCczm55WKtT_jZqfQIr5QjM5NWGKr3x02mj6z8SlllIxTkvd1QCQFsZhlqtk_sX9Q4Fv09Smhp1oWQvW_zRXzVgjyztK2AJ0uxMeW-ngzRqvW171N4jKA/s1600/meatpackingclub" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLRZm3QVH2q78Waj5tiyTo_xCczm55WKtT_jZqfQIr5QjM5NWGKr3x02mj6z8SlllIxTkvd1QCQFsZhlqtk_sX9Q4Fv09Smhp1oWQvW_zRXzVgjyztK2AJ0uxMeW-ngzRqvW171N4jKA/s320/meatpackingclub" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">At the club</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We broke for the night and BMs Kelly, Kait, and my MOH and I crashed back at the hotel room, where we stayed up chatting for a while. The next morning, we had a bridesmaids' brunch at our hotel, and then went back to our own homes, to crash and nap (or in my case, watch a billion hours of <em>Real Housewives of NJ.) </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My bachelorette was a perfect combination of my favorite things, and it was exactly what I would have imagined. The older we get, the harder it is to have crazy nights out with my girlfriends, and I was so happy to be able to have this night. I really appreciated the surprise factor and all the planning the girls did. It was awesome!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What did you do for your bachelorette?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xxKuiSSc58_l287RVIXPemb6dzmkF1FGrZ78XqG1xqcLnYqreJt684qgEc9tdbDicFUK5oD_e13eLUxb_uLl9dvxlTfdh7LlYoKolTcg2VNhlk_TvZqJYYTuwmsLUaiXq9DNvO05Bbg/s1600/streetsofny" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xxKuiSSc58_l287RVIXPemb6dzmkF1FGrZ78XqG1xqcLnYqreJt684qgEc9tdbDicFUK5oD_e13eLUxb_uLl9dvxlTfdh7LlYoKolTcg2VNhlk_TvZqJYYTuwmsLUaiXq9DNvO05Bbg/s320/streetsofny" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hailing cabs back</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-84830064965653148422012-05-17T07:00:00.000-04:002012-05-24T11:18:32.941-04:00A Blogworthy Shower Recap<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This past weekend was my best friend and MOH Jenn's shower, which I thought I'd post here because her future in laws did a beautiful job on it, constructing a shower that really looked like it walked off the pages of </span><a href="http://www.stylemepretty.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Style Me Pretty</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Unfortunately, as I was a busy bridesmaid, I don't have a ton of pictures, but I'll do my best. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The event was held in a family member's beautiful, huge backyard. They set a big tent up next to the pool, with round tables covered in pink linens. The centerpieces were linen wrapped mason jars with paper flowers:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlQjM2mkx1ew4iS8R4PfsGF2ooUK4JM8MgIt0wIZ6SIYIapOukwU7dlItUmEEtApfmtlK9dw3kq1cVlFG92BQN4LkcnVnip_ZzZhMeQwhi8UbSCwfKLxz2j1NoYESHEQXnGWEDjINvSQ/s1600/shower_flowers_713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlQjM2mkx1ew4iS8R4PfsGF2ooUK4JM8MgIt0wIZ6SIYIapOukwU7dlItUmEEtApfmtlK9dw3kq1cVlFG92BQN4LkcnVnip_ZzZhMeQwhi8UbSCwfKLxz2j1NoYESHEQXnGWEDjINvSQ/s320/shower_flowers_713.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">They look good here, but looked so much better in context outdoors</span>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Her FI's mom just happened to have a huge collection of mismatched yet coordinated vintage linens, which she used as napkins. Pink linens provided a nice backdrop:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGA6HBIsfjV8P1clDkGRM8kjqo1KDO_GxlMY2BJ97t-ZqQ2P7ZmbdWoyttONUL0J-1wJStGIV2CNGu4niHSmD5RQPTytR-F9U1ZAEQ8Pu1ctc-H634yNhCS_35ogimbcJIw3qPlnITIs/s1600/tables.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGA6HBIsfjV8P1clDkGRM8kjqo1KDO_GxlMY2BJ97t-ZqQ2P7ZmbdWoyttONUL0J-1wJStGIV2CNGu4niHSmD5RQPTytR-F9U1ZAEQ8Pu1ctc-H634yNhCS_35ogimbcJIw3qPlnITIs/s320/tables.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On the deck, a drink table was set up with the ubiquitous notes to the bride, a specialty cocktail of gin and tonic with elderflower liquor (the bride's favorite), fresh squeezed lemonade, and a variety of appetizers. The table was accessorized by a bunting banner made of scrapbook paper that matched the linen napkins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Food was simple sandwiches, pasta salads, and roasted vegetables, but dessert included amazing carrot cake cupcakes decorated with fondant that matched the paper flowers:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2h6ms3UWn_cJ7b0ZbeE5izjdFsjZnc9tGskFb4Iz8Cy0luG7OApggMov6av_0UQVK8XrINeYV_WtIbGVEeVNxEaA3NrXdVJ20daDL0pvIPfSi3rlALkU6ZYm7TqaqmDSIs9vX_m-RqlQ/s1600/cupcake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2h6ms3UWn_cJ7b0ZbeE5izjdFsjZnc9tGskFb4Iz8Cy0luG7OApggMov6av_0UQVK8XrINeYV_WtIbGVEeVNxEaA3NrXdVJ20daDL0pvIPfSi3rlALkU6ZYm7TqaqmDSIs9vX_m-RqlQ/s320/cupcake.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> And my favorite was the favors! The groom's aunt paints watercolors, so she took a few of her paintings of dresses, shoes, and other girly things and made a set of six notecards for each guest. These were wrapped in various mismatched yet coordinated linens, with sheer ribbon and a little flowered heart:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCcZhIqqIShe8Z58SwdA29zkkPrrlVbpAHIW2kjiPmVQasAfPbe3iIAoiWhL6dHiALfyztit7ijmvbAVwfkEZ34514TJYxpYpJyOgOkX5qWXkcQffZ39BLo2NYf4O5ab0w11PsWMarSs/s1600/favors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCcZhIqqIShe8Z58SwdA29zkkPrrlVbpAHIW2kjiPmVQasAfPbe3iIAoiWhL6dHiALfyztit7ijmvbAVwfkEZ34514TJYxpYpJyOgOkX5qWXkcQffZ39BLo2NYf4O5ab0w11PsWMarSs/s320/favors.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The day was great and the bride loved everything- and we thank God, we had AMAZING weather. It was awesome to see a very bloggy shower in real life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have any of you attended any showers you really liked?</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-45811579062772140172012-05-16T09:06:00.003-04:002012-05-16T09:06:26.045-04:00DIY Programs: The Inside<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's been a while since a DIY post, so today I'm going to share how I made our programs, in case anyone out there wants to copy a somewhat complicated, but very pretty, project. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I immersed myself in loads of inspiration photos, and ultimately decided I wanted a 6 x 6 square booklet, with lace details. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I started with the insides of the program, brainstorming content and page size. Based on our program cover size of 6x6, I wanted the inside pages to be 5.5 x 5.5 when folded, to leave a margin. That meant the two page spread would be 5.5 tall x 11 inches wide on the computer screen. I planned to print these at home on 8.5 x 11 paper, so I knew I would need to leave a large bottom margin that I would later cut off. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So I opened a Microsoft Word document, set my page to landscape, and set my margins to .3 on the left and right, .4 on top, and 2.5 on the bottom. I formatted the page to have two columns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wanted four pages in the program:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Order of ceremony</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. Wedding participants</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. Explanation of traditions (we are interfaith, so the explanation helps if anyone's unfamiliar with something)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. Thanks/In remembrance</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I scribbled a little mini booklet on a piece of paper and folded it to see where everything needed to lay when printed in order to fold correctly, and came up with this order.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlzVqqglNKRJqdNsK11hmmLXNnFDkmYYJrLxEDnuySXMp-jcX7IpSlQh7BHgkwPT1v7m7sOfELU3uc6iWkKqvxQnCuxlp76r3ZbNFF7Q8bYIxCKpE_ily0bgvDZSy5kGPEkGsNqDNkDg/s1600/Program+inside.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlzVqqglNKRJqdNsK11hmmLXNnFDkmYYJrLxEDnuySXMp-jcX7IpSlQh7BHgkwPT1v7m7sOfELU3uc6iWkKqvxQnCuxlp76r3ZbNFF7Q8bYIxCKpE_ily0bgvDZSy5kGPEkGsNqDNkDg/s640/Program+inside.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Printing these was a breeze. I wanted to print double sided, so Mr. B loaded his printer up, printed 225 copies of the first page, turned everything upside down and backwards (you may want to do a few test prints to see how your printer works), and reprinted the with page 2 on the back. We used resume paper, as it is not see through, and gives the programs a nice heft. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then, we had to cut off the extra big margin on the bottom. That took a cutting board, razor, and a little bit of time. (And a Sam Adams to keep from boredom).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIETapADbYA9iyF-Zkc9LRVnJ2RzE4lgrjuOgT6DQ6dIQGHQ4u_d44I1MjBPg5rKUqqWnVKKiC3VllxDqXAD-9CQifikOGctIp-TdZNRd5XxGPqzBl3X2vm4TWOXp9jyhxBUmsAuUlUE/s1600/cutting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIETapADbYA9iyF-Zkc9LRVnJ2RzE4lgrjuOgT6DQ6dIQGHQ4u_d44I1MjBPg5rKUqqWnVKKiC3VllxDqXAD-9CQifikOGctIp-TdZNRd5XxGPqzBl3X2vm4TWOXp9jyhxBUmsAuUlUE/s320/cutting.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When it was done, I used a bone folder to fold the programs in half, and we wound up with the finished insides: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2oLADkLGksqtDEel1Bdrh3NcDOG3UhAEolZ3PoOjjeu76GJ5T-jvwKT_s4Q4uzZiy72Gw3V3vHZMnspEn75oltSphvcOZh1OYgX42G3CkZLI8XZIf-u8GvasHEVnUrSYS0CM8ZOtLyw/s1600/progfodled2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2oLADkLGksqtDEel1Bdrh3NcDOG3UhAEolZ3PoOjjeu76GJ5T-jvwKT_s4Q4uzZiy72Gw3V3vHZMnspEn75oltSphvcOZh1OYgX42G3CkZLI8XZIf-u8GvasHEVnUrSYS0CM8ZOtLyw/s320/progfodled2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Back page- thanking our parents and remembering deceased grandparents</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When they were done, I stacked them up and placed one of my heaviest shower gifts on top of them to keep them nice and flat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I plan to be assemble these this weekend, and will post the finished product then!</span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-34224340023029281752012-05-15T08:41:00.004-04:002012-05-15T08:41:57.703-04:00Cautionary TaleWeddings are important for a lot of people involved- parents, grandparents, siblings- not just the bride and groom, and it's easy to feel pressured to make everyone feel happy and involved. <br />
<br />
I ran into this situation with wedding dress shopping. My mother very much wanted that to be a mother/daughter only experience, but Mr. B's mom also really wanted to be involved. Both women felt strongly, and I was feeling the pressure on both sides. I was also nervous because Mr. B's mom has a little bit of a blabbing habit at times. <br />
FMIL B eventually wore us down though, and we brought her along for a trip. <br />
<br />
A mistake, as not even two hours after returning from the store, she described the entire experience to Mr. B and his dad, detailing a contender dress' price, veil, and beaded sash.<br />
<br />
So I decided not to involve her again. I didn't even tell her when we found, and bought, my real dress.<br />
<br />
But when it came in, she started asking to come to fittings, which I ignored until she eventually came to me in tears, saying that she felt like I didn't want her to see the dress. I should have been strong and honest and explained I wanted it to be a surprise, but instead, I caved, and invited her to the next fitting. <br />
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She came, and swore up and down she wouldn't say anything to anyone, and it seemed fine. My mother even admitted we were probably causing more bad feelings by being so secretive. Everything seemed okay.<br />
Till this weekend, when I was driving back from dinner with Mr. B and his parents. His mom's friend had gotten a dress for the wedding that was ivory and shared some similarities to my dress*, and Mr. B's mom told me the story and all about this girl's dress, saying, "You'd be so proud of me, I didn't tell her anything! Even though the dress is the same color as yours! And even though it has this detail that's similar to yours!" etc, etc. All while Mr. B sat in the back of the car, listening to everything.<br />
<br />
In one fell swoop of a stupid, pointless, not even remotely interesting story, she blew it all. Mr. B coughed loudly in the back, reminding her that he was in the car, and she stopped dead and said, "Oh my gosh" realizing what she had just done. <br />
<br />
Everyone started yelling at her and she kept apologizing. It was a supremely awkward, tense car ride. She felt really bad, I could tell, and kept apologizing repeatedly. <br />
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I do know it was an accident, but that's exactly the kind of thing I expected from her, and the reason I hesitated on involving her. I'm really upset that some of my dress may be given away to Mr. B, and I feel upset that I ruined a mother-daughter thing my mom wanted.<br />
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I mentioned before how I got <a href="http://www.bandtwed.blogspot.com/2012/02/our-guest-list-drama.html">suckered into inviting a close friend's ex</a> to my wedding, and just like that situation, I really regret not just standing up for myself. I felt strongly about not wanting her involved, but I was afraid to offend his family and afraid to look like a Bridezilla, especially since I knew I had been very Type A, possibly slightly bossy, on a lot of details so far. But you know what? We're getting married and I'm not going anywhere. It would have been okay to stand up for myself, and if she got upset about it, too bad. <br />
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I'm not writing this to complain about FMIL B, I'm just writing this to warn other brides that if you feel strongly, don't worry about what someone else thinks. YBe true to yourself and don't worry about offending or annoying people, because you inevitably will anyway. <br />
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*What the F$#%?! <br />
<br />Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-16604660074451232122012-05-09T12:22:00.000-04:002012-05-09T12:48:40.834-04:00Still SurrealOur wedding is less than thirty days away, but it doesn't feel real. I've spent our entire engagement planning, and it's always been so far in the future that now, even though it's very close, it still feels like a far-off, distant event. <br />
<br />
Our RSVPs in, our final meetings with vendors happened, we even applied for our marriage license. I pick up my dress soon, and we're starting table numbers. But none of these items are triggering a "holy-crap-it's-almost-June" freakout. <br />
<br />
We're on track really in terms of DIY projects, and things seem to be going smoothly, so I'm not feeling much of a last minute crunch. <br />
<br />
Is this normal? Why is it not sinking in that we're really, really close? I'm started to get nervous that the reality of it will hit me at a really inconvenient time, like say the morning of the wedding, and I'll be temporarily incapacitated with a bad panic attack. <br />
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Anyone else feel like this? It's weirding me out!!Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-89408759203699879132012-05-07T15:14:00.002-04:002012-05-07T15:14:29.561-04:00Groomsmen GiftsLike everything guys do, choosing groomsmen gifts was a project that took about four seconds of Mr. B's time.<br />
He ordered monogrammed beer mugs from the Pottery Barn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ueMVkV1CFjXky6dOICdBPnBz23hAEQjArP3NljEMBxFbOA_XILiLO7iJMY4tUhOXr94Ch_Tn1SfGbnWFrs4AOD5Tsk9tShGStuwr87OinzWMP2cfggraTVsGleg4UoMM9EdTpJoISEc/s1600/mug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ueMVkV1CFjXky6dOICdBPnBz23hAEQjArP3NljEMBxFbOA_XILiLO7iJMY4tUhOXr94Ch_Tn1SfGbnWFrs4AOD5Tsk9tShGStuwr87OinzWMP2cfggraTVsGleg4UoMM9EdTpJoISEc/s320/mug.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/pub-beer-mug/?pkey=cglassware"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pub Beer Mug, Pottery Barn</span></a></div>
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They're a pretty solid groomsmen gift, after all what guy doesn't like to drink beer? These ones in particular are a nice heavy weight, and the monogram is a nice, deep engraving. I know the boys will love it.<br />
I also wanted to highlight one other cool groomsmen gift idea, something I bought for Mr. B and his brother. Etsy seller <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/HandySam?ref=ss_profile">HandySam</a> makes really cool, well-designed wall mount bottle openers:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbieWZ9BIY-PIVZKxuc6nEmBxucN045HitLD28g9F3qnej_EcbJXMRm_WagZTF9aW9QvYUSti9yspq3EJGLNClZqSuW6XTzaDzxvgNNus87-U9bNn7dkFrFr_PgMaS_h57rQ-vgrzUNg/s1600/opneer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbieWZ9BIY-PIVZKxuc6nEmBxucN045HitLD28g9F3qnej_EcbJXMRm_WagZTF9aW9QvYUSti9yspq3EJGLNClZqSuW6XTzaDzxvgNNus87-U9bNn7dkFrFr_PgMaS_h57rQ-vgrzUNg/s320/opneer.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Personal Pic)</span><br /> </div>
You pop the top off your beer and the cap goes into the cool vintage can, and to empty, you can just twist the can upside down. So cool! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bjtRGJHUFAfcQHPM3PVI7Y56SeKK4zndwudPuyeHUK_nkmxmNnQMSq0XaK9elGHS_jluoowrHIBz3imb7GYCFat0SuUSVYVEh5uFxsrvtKL5V1_OmGi-Ub2nNPdF-04y_BWXn589iF8/s1600/open.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bjtRGJHUFAfcQHPM3PVI7Y56SeKK4zndwudPuyeHUK_nkmxmNnQMSq0XaK9elGHS_jluoowrHIBz3imb7GYCFat0SuUSVYVEh5uFxsrvtKL5V1_OmGi-Ub2nNPdF-04y_BWXn589iF8/s320/open.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Closeup of the opener</span></div>
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The seller was unbelievably fast (I got these three days after ordering them), and also offered me a discount (full disclosure, I asked for one. I always ask if I'm buying multiples of an item. I've never been denied).<br />
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Combine these with some cigars or a nice bottle of liquor (or just do them by themselves) and I think you have a very nice groomsmen gift!<br />
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What did your guy do for his groomsmen?Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-81105767525205384872012-05-03T08:41:00.001-04:002012-05-03T08:41:24.503-04:00Gifts for the Girls, Part 2<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A little while back, I brainstormed lots of </span><a href="http://www.bandtwed.blogspot.com/2012/03/gifts-for-girls.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">bridesmaid gift ideas</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then I forgot about it for a while. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then I realized my wedding is really soon, and I didn't have time to waste. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I started with the monogrammed robes, one for each girl. They were a bright aqua with white monogramming; I got one for myself as well, in the reverse color scheme. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM75wgLMxW9o-rEsSGGdZE72sGTVgtpKLllALyNeUNQZJnafP9542nwhZ64ZM73PPgmtH-ABPhgLJl_qVpQer6gmR3HhVbZTW7bsPojtUYm_oq-m7QtzM9MCGqfsc1TG0hYdoRe1IpQ9Y/s1600/robe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM75wgLMxW9o-rEsSGGdZE72sGTVgtpKLllALyNeUNQZJnafP9542nwhZ64ZM73PPgmtH-ABPhgLJl_qVpQer6gmR3HhVbZTW7bsPojtUYm_oq-m7QtzM9MCGqfsc1TG0hYdoRe1IpQ9Y/s320/robe.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They came from Etsy seller </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/oakembroideryloft?ref=ss_profile"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Oak Embroidery Loft</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, who I have to highly recommend. Holly was very sweet, responsive, and prompt, and even gave me a discount for ordering six (I think they wound up being like $20 each). The robes are a medium weight waffle knit cotton.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I also purchased matching Old Navy flip flops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In keeping with the personalized theme, I also purchased monogrammed acrylic trays. The idea came from </span><a href="http://www.thepeakoftreschic.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Peak of Tres Chic</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, an interior design blog I like to read, and I scoured Etsy to find a cheaper alternative. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I found seller </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/limetreegifts?ref=ss_profile"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lime Tree Gifts</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, who also was super sweet, prompt, and also gave me a bulk discount ($17 each), and ordered five engraved acrylic trays:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TKmyhq5WqT9vMpoCtO8vdeM1qdWXOUGyh8IIn6V29jPCOVqflSDbjbdsCS1OvrtOi3q1hZwMxjHt9cu-Shmw7uQZ6AK6FYej009HCLgIMGMek-fU5mLFWJO4b25SoIQlRgulsopd_70/s1600/tray.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TKmyhq5WqT9vMpoCtO8vdeM1qdWXOUGyh8IIn6V29jPCOVqflSDbjbdsCS1OvrtOi3q1hZwMxjHt9cu-Shmw7uQZ6AK6FYej009HCLgIMGMek-fU5mLFWJO4b25SoIQlRgulsopd_70/s320/tray.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I was obsessed with these- I'm ordering five more as gifts for our readers and moms, and myself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm using them to hold the bridesmaid's "Survival Kit," which contains:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Shout wipes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tissues</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cute heart shaped shoe cushions for painful high heels</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mini hair spray</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Makeup remover wipes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fashion tape</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My mom packaged up the survival kits for me with cellophane and aqua ribbon:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6YthSYQv2lHa1CHpulRVyGpjaij6e23C49BBSK1WfjNSUxdHycoInUKClXSphlbz4wSBlLcJQj6z_jsYPYTnRuXuLQFTD6BT68gru18m0W5P9FBpvfno9qYTK5nPYA0f2b1ju-xTu0o/s1600/survpackage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6YthSYQv2lHa1CHpulRVyGpjaij6e23C49BBSK1WfjNSUxdHycoInUKClXSphlbz4wSBlLcJQj6z_jsYPYTnRuXuLQFTD6BT68gru18m0W5P9FBpvfno9qYTK5nPYA0f2b1ju-xTu0o/s320/survpackage.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And then we combined that with the robes and flip flops, into a bigger version:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvrQHRfma2vORmF4eG8kbgW3_zCjkn7MxDGiVtC-kgYekJIcwLhsoS7O1tZLDl8_g_CcNUphWj-Uo-FIiJezKu7Akq3usS_MzKvZGlMMZcmGxmUib4iGlh9PD_qF7SwNEuYMlUX1DQt4/s1600/giftpcakaged.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvrQHRfma2vORmF4eG8kbgW3_zCjkn7MxDGiVtC-kgYekJIcwLhsoS7O1tZLDl8_g_CcNUphWj-Uo-FIiJezKu7Akq3usS_MzKvZGlMMZcmGxmUib4iGlh9PD_qF7SwNEuYMlUX1DQt4/s320/giftpcakaged.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(We'll be adding a nice bow to it)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I will be making and handwriting thank you cards to each girl (I am so nervous to do that, I sometimes have a hard time putting sentimental things out there), and I am also paying for their hair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So what do you think? Nice gift? I keep feeling like it's not enough!</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-58269017511518659382012-05-01T09:55:00.000-04:002012-05-01T09:58:22.824-04:00Shower Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, considering it happened over a month ago, I think it's time to recap my bridal shower! Bear with me, this is a long and pic-heavy post! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'll start with the invites, which my mom picked out and I LOVE. The leopard print and the super high heel are so me:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBL0EHVwMQ3xSRR_3vcnJ4eU4ntRNS6yf87ZVmKXQoTL9SzXVyofj_iQDjkotuJQr89g9Xd-WITq2wsE1Joufx2S_TvMx5pUfLKTxJczHRgvBzlDdqAi8csFIp4WUT9AO5JKTVFNpn1E/s1600/invite.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="267" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBL0EHVwMQ3xSRR_3vcnJ4eU4ntRNS6yf87ZVmKXQoTL9SzXVyofj_iQDjkotuJQr89g9Xd-WITq2wsE1Joufx2S_TvMx5pUfLKTxJczHRgvBzlDdqAi8csFIp4WUT9AO5JKTVFNpn1E/s320/invite.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"</span><a href="http://www.storkie.com/p-65513-wild-time.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Wild Time</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" invites, available at </span><a href="http://storkie.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Storkie.com</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have to admit I wasn't 100% surprised at the shower, but I was very excited, as indicated by my face walking in (terrible quality pic, I'm sorry):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2eSndrJZYcrDwSH6_CshyTifYdGADfKNzgPuWd7QQ-zhxITrlhhwLUBrVjP3f1QY-N9EOnhgCVfsJbHdo60jBpsacado-KZUD54X6c6-u-UWrkBcTMQ-SLdmeFHv50modpp7RKtpIDw/s1600/Showerentrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2eSndrJZYcrDwSH6_CshyTifYdGADfKNzgPuWd7QQ-zhxITrlhhwLUBrVjP3f1QY-N9EOnhgCVfsJbHdo60jBpsacado-KZUD54X6c6-u-UWrkBcTMQ-SLdmeFHv50modpp7RKtpIDw/s320/Showerentrance.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was also really nervous with all the attention being on me. I wasn't sure who to approach first or what to do, and I think I clutched my maid of honor's hand for the first twenty minutes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My mom, who planned the shower, chose to have the shower at my favorite local Italian restaurant, which was the best decision. The place has delicious food and a great casual elegant atmosphere. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There was no theme exactly, but my mom and my cousin Pam decorated the tables in lots of white, bling, and pearls. I thought they looked beautiful:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_84oeHakpXBnvdPCQFvEj6MqyLLErnMqITepPqFDhjeZVdcEktJ6fmjJJk-a9yJMgIoy5IO0YNKbDeF9hGhbzqInztNvVTUPi-rd92wbi6xR5NeVC-1ctIRlFrfK7OcPVSm_vyywEoDs/s1600/showertables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_84oeHakpXBnvdPCQFvEj6MqyLLErnMqITepPqFDhjeZVdcEktJ6fmjJJk-a9yJMgIoy5IO0YNKbDeF9hGhbzqInztNvVTUPi-rd92wbi6xR5NeVC-1ctIRlFrfK7OcPVSm_vyywEoDs/s320/showertables.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You probably can't tell in this picture, but the hydrangea centerpiece has a gigantic pearl cluster tied around the vase- awesome!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxQCqq7oboLg0nqECA7KSm_K65DhA6TKrOxF1BFu553-Xr91rIePvimMDqtuj7NKDaEj4uVQXeTry1WgbDaJ6-FGOgBLPwIYTs5hP0fSLYAJJevD59SCJ5dwUBphpkrS6vFEEIzdviK4/s1600/showermytable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxQCqq7oboLg0nqECA7KSm_K65DhA6TKrOxF1BFu553-Xr91rIePvimMDqtuj7NKDaEj4uVQXeTry1WgbDaJ6-FGOgBLPwIYTs5hP0fSLYAJJevD59SCJ5dwUBphpkrS6vFEEIzdviK4/s320/showermytable.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My table was lined with these awesome centerpieces- tall, top heavy vases filled with huge pearls and rhinestones. The tables had little wedding bell confetti, big fake engagement rings, and bottle openers that looked like silver high heels (which I kept and now use to open my Flying Fish). Mom and Pam did an amazing job on the decor. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrs-b0mc_hyphenhyphenWRRA-1pH-svHt7dYQTvL1ZRJl5Iv5xVV0p5VuP-O2iuqGR5Qc7Jb_VCNhHUef85MO67GvtkeU6vW96gZXWpHcK8CcP8a0iHrmrVUt7JXCx6dfs6CciDfWZihPp14g5Uis/s1600/showewithpam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrs-b0mc_hyphenhyphenWRRA-1pH-svHt7dYQTvL1ZRJl5Iv5xVV0p5VuP-O2iuqGR5Qc7Jb_VCNhHUef85MO67GvtkeU6vW96gZXWpHcK8CcP8a0iHrmrVUt7JXCx6dfs6CciDfWZihPp14g5Uis/s320/showewithpam.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Me with Pam, 1/2 of the team behind the decor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My mom gave a lovely and tearjerking speech at the beginning, and my maid of honor surprised me by following suit. Then we went right into lunch, a three course meal of mozzarella and tomatoes, salad, and a choice of chicken, salmon, veal, or pasta. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">During the meal, my bridesmaids went around with a few noncheesy games- guests had to guess how many ring pops were in a jar, and also had to fill out a ten question "B&T" trivia sheet. The winner was Brad's ten year old cousin Toni Ann, who called Brad during the shower to ask him all the questions!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXX-qOJjJ4PjqcgM1fkPsf_Xwb1Y7zO_Xc6lXTTMizKdw2s5laS-E4SG8QigE883VoHj2hEcVnYBsBDp2JQWWSJHyJQWwVnBPc1ZIm31q_0dT34g_An2wz2YV4mMTEfzRyLu3Sm5xVAvY/s1600/add3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXX-qOJjJ4PjqcgM1fkPsf_Xwb1Y7zO_Xc6lXTTMizKdw2s5laS-E4SG8QigE883VoHj2hEcVnYBsBDp2JQWWSJHyJQWwVnBPc1ZIm31q_0dT34g_An2wz2YV4mMTEfzRyLu3Sm5xVAvY/s320/add3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Me with my bridesmaids, and Toni Ann, the winner (and my junior BM).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">BM Kelly also made "Advice for the Bride" cards, which is something I had always wanted at my shower. I loved reading what people wrote, my favorite piece of advice being good old Toni Ann's:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUj33SDrOZOJCESMO1-CaXQXWK-xh-kx_Fs6vrOBY5vmE3cc3TEH_2ROD7FvzAbjJd6FGJeIgMEaM8hK43otQHZ0WsC5OHwDCV5__DWBAQYOINSmcDmfNGQ9wvmwyaYw3Y0zcQ2yimRlo/s1600/feedbrad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUj33SDrOZOJCESMO1-CaXQXWK-xh-kx_Fs6vrOBY5vmE3cc3TEH_2ROD7FvzAbjJd6FGJeIgMEaM8hK43otQHZ0WsC5OHwDCV5__DWBAQYOINSmcDmfNGQ9wvmwyaYw3Y0zcQ2yimRlo/s320/feedbrad.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's probably important that you know Mr. B is crazy skinny and not a big eater</span>!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hF6ays9JRcHQsTnM61qgiwrZs0a1gz-dcW3TB3nlCNgMRta9bKHTAekfx4j1p-pDaP4M28xW5RIKzMMPZs-m6hrayq4xWBao596rlhGXU0Opc6jwJ4AOeAwm7CVY9WcZQZLK09UEWQA/s1600/showerguests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hF6ays9JRcHQsTnM61qgiwrZs0a1gz-dcW3TB3nlCNgMRta9bKHTAekfx4j1p-pDaP4M28xW5RIKzMMPZs-m6hrayq4xWBao596rlhGXU0Opc6jwJ4AOeAwm7CVY9WcZQZLK09UEWQA/s320/showerguests.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some guests at the shower</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWD8uiLnZUQxw38T2dXR-mqSB89rvPpftBKxbX9I3AswMgcWUh-5y_q7TDWT-3UizmEbi3-ouHZpi_RP3p-d2sxJKq-U6DPlXM_0gPj6FlxZ7bTpLVWsjbTfxTCdXDZyPVOWMguStedg/s1600/add1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWD8uiLnZUQxw38T2dXR-mqSB89rvPpftBKxbX9I3AswMgcWUh-5y_q7TDWT-3UizmEbi3-ouHZpi_RP3p-d2sxJKq-U6DPlXM_0gPj6FlxZ7bTpLVWsjbTfxTCdXDZyPVOWMguStedg/s320/add1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With some of my girlfriends, M and H. I am a bridesmaid in H's wedding next July!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCenQ_WCWq_c6o2mt7FSb1goKXF0U18GwMCt06g_aU8iNkbWFx2ywkxmkGIfXhuCjzUoAumTHGbOiAevv_RkTaNH6IMJUxBrbXYYF5zIDlPOjk82g-muYg2NijxQ6swOZruYyFQHmCMw/s1600/showermewithcousins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCenQ_WCWq_c6o2mt7FSb1goKXF0U18GwMCt06g_aU8iNkbWFx2ywkxmkGIfXhuCjzUoAumTHGbOiAevv_RkTaNH6IMJUxBrbXYYF5zIDlPOjk82g-muYg2NijxQ6swOZruYyFQHmCMw/s320/showermewithcousins.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And here I am with some of my lovely cousins (are you getting bored of these pictures yet?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After lunch, it was time for gifts! I was astonished at the humongous pile on the table:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvPPbE_GeUWAlZTPhMD07gpJDw8xfG6F_AfzHbJWieIHu0xfb-BD1LDYH5i8_P0JuVZgVZddbgDKf5sUCnHaGDLQUV5-ip4R0gW_9NkEqfUd5V5AucyQGkwg-d4SfARc69Nr82bzGCL8/s1600/showergifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvPPbE_GeUWAlZTPhMD07gpJDw8xfG6F_AfzHbJWieIHu0xfb-BD1LDYH5i8_P0JuVZgVZddbgDKf5sUCnHaGDLQUV5-ip4R0gW_9NkEqfUd5V5AucyQGkwg-d4SfARc69Nr82bzGCL8/s320/showergifts.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This picture is like, only a third of them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have to admit but I was a little uncomfortable opening gifts, I kept getting yelled at to talk louder and I felt weird screaming out what I got. But I was amazed at how generous people were. We received so many great gifts off of our registry, including <em>nineteen </em>place settings of china (can you believe that?) My dad was less excited, since "Mount Lenox" is now taking up an entire room in his basement!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The girls did the "timer" game, where a timer went off every few minutes and the person whose gift I was opening got a prize. I think it was a good way to keep the guests entertained. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mr. B's brother's girlfriend also made me a beautiful wishing well. Unfortunately the only picture I have of it is sort of crappy, but it was really amazing, covered in white lace and flowers and pearls. She is a crafting genius. (Also, wishing wells are so awesome- I loved all the cute stuff I got, like crazy printed rubber gloves and a diamond studded apron!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My bridesmaids chipped in for my Kitchen Aid mixer, and some of them also made me some beautiful baskets. BMs Kelly and Laura, and my MOH made me a holiday gift basket, filled with all decorative goodies for holidays, and BM Kaitlyn made me a honeymoon basket, and a wine basket, which was so thoughtful. Each bottle had a note on when I was supposed to drink it (wedding night, first fight, etc) and I have to admit I totally teared up reading all of them. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoTtSJuP1l6lLz4svULW089WuRhgD48I0YMKABt7dBWNdSFHXjcWyHoNBubOTm45K2m4nfJpyQAut18VUOmkXpWYH1cWX2pPRX3S4PaP6TWjWIKN-YTKqlsfjMF03Qr-CZnaj8BU2dYs/s1600/Showergift+baskets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="158" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoTtSJuP1l6lLz4svULW089WuRhgD48I0YMKABt7dBWNdSFHXjcWyHoNBubOTm45K2m4nfJpyQAut18VUOmkXpWYH1cWX2pPRX3S4PaP6TWjWIKN-YTKqlsfjMF03Qr-CZnaj8BU2dYs/s400/Showergift+baskets.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After gifts, we had a Napoleon cake, which was unbelievably delicious:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwjEzy3QldG-UkR5kC0qnttYp4QGmb_PTE4Ipx-8k1PPZogVe3b5m8u21ZDMR8Tj7S2DyqZYfnHn9WtEsJ-SBJribKh7IuMxK690n7u7ajb8DBnZVEmmUG-HL7a0u_Fs9ywDuotmzD2M/s1600/showercakecutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwjEzy3QldG-UkR5kC0qnttYp4QGmb_PTE4Ipx-8k1PPZogVe3b5m8u21ZDMR8Tj7S2DyqZYfnHn9WtEsJ-SBJribKh7IuMxK690n7u7ajb8DBnZVEmmUG-HL7a0u_Fs9ywDuotmzD2M/s320/showercakecutting.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And then Mr. B showed up:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypf3971qW3lwzSAYB2kBF_f3pZdI3MNqL119K0fG_R3tugmmS2us2EA2tNS0ZnFMJ5noXloVDfxi4g2NDGyzv9Fl9Mt_f4TgK1mPxcjG-AuEcJfQuSR3pgAOUFc7D4yK7scYUHcPAXTs/s1600/showermewithbrad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypf3971qW3lwzSAYB2kBF_f3pZdI3MNqL119K0fG_R3tugmmS2us2EA2tNS0ZnFMJ5noXloVDfxi4g2NDGyzv9Fl9Mt_f4TgK1mPxcjG-AuEcJfQuSR3pgAOUFc7D4yK7scYUHcPAXTs/s320/showermewithbrad.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And brought me flowers, which capped off a very lovely day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My shower was perfect- great friends and family, generosity, my favorite restaurant and favorite things. It was really a wonderful afternoon and my mom and bridesmaids did an amazing job on everything. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And then it made me realize just how close we are to the wedding!</span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-63648999821601284842012-04-24T10:06:00.002-04:002012-04-24T10:24:26.512-04:00Our Favors<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I know there's a lot of debate about favors. Some people think they're unnecessary, and some people (like me) can't fathom <em>not </em>having them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Actually, I have lots of opinions on favors. I'm easily grossed out by homemade jams and similar cooked-at-home-and-packaged stuff, and I also hate donations (Not that I think giving a donation is a bad idea, just that I like to keep that stuff more private, rather than shoving my good deed in everyone's face). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Okay, so with all my pickiness out in the open, here's what I chose, feel free to have your own say about it:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQA1EOXUxKdkZ1hi5X9jCCSDelHu6xvD1NmLCxBsjSZH5raUPgQwnllyo0Hbq9B4ZqhuaVtK-edyjJGkK5bdgJH772nDt7c94TASv3t8ttMLxTnzBDW81rr7XyK76XD3EgvBjzCIZFpQ/s1600/fav.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQA1EOXUxKdkZ1hi5X9jCCSDelHu6xvD1NmLCxBsjSZH5raUPgQwnllyo0Hbq9B4ZqhuaVtK-edyjJGkK5bdgJH772nDt7c94TASv3t8ttMLxTnzBDW81rr7XyK76XD3EgvBjzCIZFpQ/s320/fav.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Champagne glasses! I used the monogram from our invitations, and Mr. B painstakingly centered our names and wedding date around the monogram. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We ordered the glasses from </span><a href="http://www.discountmugs.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Discountmugs.com </span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, and I was really happy with them. They offer 10% discounts frequently, so we wound up paying about $360 for 200 glasses. Their shipping was fast, with nothing broken in transit, and the glass quality was very good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The favors will be set out on a table at the end of the wedding, and I opted for a little DIY to jazz them up:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQA1EOXUxKdkZ1hi5X9jCCSDelHu6xvD1NmLCxBsjSZH5raUPgQwnllyo0Hbq9B4ZqhuaVtK-edyjJGkK5bdgJH772nDt7c94TASv3t8ttMLxTnzBDW81rr7XyK76XD3EgvBjzCIZFpQ/s1600/fav.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First, I made "thank you" tags:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr8761O2KIWqqqKza_L-prAs2sdjsqGNctpal-pxaBYsKuqw-fECPTqa4WPkLHpkagXLyaNaRVwfwSTbAAiJXO-W917dnWPRVJXVAtdljeTx8jqr5NK6GP_l9h60OZVg0BHu53jPM_9Q/s1600/tags.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr8761O2KIWqqqKza_L-prAs2sdjsqGNctpal-pxaBYsKuqw-fECPTqa4WPkLHpkagXLyaNaRVwfwSTbAAiJXO-W917dnWPRVJXVAtdljeTx8jqr5NK6GP_l9h60OZVg0BHu53jPM_9Q/s320/tags.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These were really simple:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Create a 3 colum by 7 row landscape table in Microsoft Word, sizing each cell to be 1" tall and 3" long. I made the table borders a very light gray so that I had guidelines for cutting them out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. Type your text- we just put "Thank you! Tracy and Brad" on them, in our wedding fonts of Edwardian Script and Garamond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. We printed them on Opal Stardream cardstock from </span><a href="http://www.cardsandpockets.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cards and Pockets</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, and cut them out (with a razor and straight edge, not scissors). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. Mr. B punched a hole in the tags and I used </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/We-Memory-Keepers-Crop-A-Dile-Chomper/dp/B0024M5GH4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1335275228&sr=8-7"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the best corner rounder ever</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> to make a 1/4" rounded corner on each tag. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. Finally, I ran the edges through a gold ink pad so they'd match the gold edges on our invite (not that ANYONE will notice). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I promise you can have the tags finished in like an hour and a half. I popped open a Sam Adams, got into the swing of things, and they were done before I knew it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We attached the thank you tags with a </span><a href="http://www.nashvillewraps.com/shreds/tissue-paper/sku-4xfv.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">sheer gold ribbon</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> from </span><a href="http://www.nashvillewraps.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nashville Wraps</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, and stuffed them with </span><a href="http://www.nashvillewraps.com/shreds/tissue-paper/sku-4xfv.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">french vanilla tissue paper shred</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, also from Nashville Wraps. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In an aside, Nashville Wraps is another company I have to really recommend. I paid $2.85 cents for 25 yards of ribbon (yes, you're reading that right), which was more than enough for 200 glasses. I paid only $6.85 for one pound of shred, again, more than enough for this project. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So for less than $10 we really added to the favors and made them look really nice, rather than just having a collection of glasses on the table. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And if you don't need shred or ribbon, they sell a humongous amount of gift bags, boxes, tissue paper, or any kind of packaging you could imagine, in all different colors and patterns, at wholesale prices. And no, they're not paying me to say this, I just think it is a really great resource for all of us crazy DIY brides!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What are you guys doing for favors? And do you get really opinionated about them too?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(all pics are personal, and terrible, sorry)</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-85751749353215515602012-04-23T11:25:00.001-04:002012-04-24T10:14:16.066-04:00We Have Wedding Rings!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This past Friday, Mr. B and I picked up our wedding bands!! I figured I'd share because who doesn't love looking at some good old ring porn? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I plan to wear my rings on separate hands, as I could not find a wedding band that matched my engagement ring. There is one designed specially for it, but it is <a href="http://www.bandtwed.blogspot.com/2012/01/not-with-this-ring.html">super ugly</a>. And also really expensive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So I just opted for my dream band, which doesn't go at all, and I'll just move the engagement ring to my right hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I went with a shared setting half eternity band:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPCt81nGFFYdkO0RQ9hh8NCBzpN3sgPuUdmBzCqt5MvlxJs8Vv7g7wq3iX7HhmIGCurzkvnJ_0QdDwfihbIpx4fMb1DRd6nMaK2iF2C-Y23yWP5s2chtmXes9vGs4nPM0-v26c2FvRLI/s1600/ring.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPCt81nGFFYdkO0RQ9hh8NCBzpN3sgPuUdmBzCqt5MvlxJs8Vv7g7wq3iX7HhmIGCurzkvnJ_0QdDwfihbIpx4fMb1DRd6nMaK2iF2C-Y23yWP5s2chtmXes9vGs4nPM0-v26c2FvRLI/s320/ring.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I think it looks beautiful and classic, and can definitely stand on its own. (And in the future I can possibly get some more, in different stones/shapes, to stack!) I suppose I could also wear them together, but that's a little over the top for me. It hides the pretty detail in my e-ring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mr. B also opted for simple and classic, choosing a white gold Art Carved ring with a brushed finished and milgrain detail:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzFPci4ZBf3PnlyHsVqHaokel2PtYHz1V3HJuWjkwn5km1OMdMLLyvTB9XnwKbyPatY5vtyMKvaC-5ZSOIVVUk0G0Wa_dX9LtH4LkHVdErLkdnLIO_KEOADHaIYRVxfsRG2UxfN3WoW8/s1600/bradring.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzFPci4ZBf3PnlyHsVqHaokel2PtYHz1V3HJuWjkwn5km1OMdMLLyvTB9XnwKbyPatY5vtyMKvaC-5ZSOIVVUk0G0Wa_dX9LtH4LkHVdErLkdnLIO_KEOADHaIYRVxfsRG2UxfN3WoW8/s320/bradring.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And here they are together:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Good thing these bad boys are locked away, otherwise I'd be extremely tempted to just start wearing it now!</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-35692029130916869782012-04-12T14:00:00.003-04:002012-04-12T14:00:56.518-04:00Post Wedding Goals<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I looked at my calendar yesterday and realized that almost every ounce of time I have in the next two months is going to the wedding. And I am loving every second of it, so much so that I am nervous I'm going to go into a post wedding withdrawal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love to be busy, creative, and at work on a project, so the wedding is a perfect outlet for me. But without it, I'll have more time to work on other things, so I set some goals up for myself:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Have people over more. I want us to have the kind of house where people always come to, and right now we're not really there. I'd love to have our families over more, plus we've got some close friends moving three blocks from us, so I hope they're ready for lots of Italian Sunday dinners! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The last time we had people over was the Superbowl!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Which, btw, I got totally carried away with I love party planning! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. I also really need to go through all our engagement/shower gifts and see what we're keeping, returning, etc. I can't say I need 18 place settings of china, nor can I believe I actually received that many. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfrynUQLTGIvhTsfy7U4g1rqVYZFp9Ll2reTINGxxsgwX11wyvp-ApaAU8ZBoX77QJEwwIcpn3ZdsHCudRYn6fAAQUptNxquIYEJy2sVYbVr7X4-8tte7qs3ks93wOFYkX1Um6uiV8cs/s1600/China.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfrynUQLTGIvhTsfy7U4g1rqVYZFp9Ll2reTINGxxsgwX11wyvp-ApaAU8ZBoX77QJEwwIcpn3ZdsHCudRYn6fAAQUptNxquIYEJy2sVYbVr7X4-8tte7qs3ks93wOFYkX1Um6uiV8cs/s320/China.jpg" width="257" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Think I'll drop down to 12 and buy some of those pretty crystal glasses! (Personal Pic)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. Paint our apartment. I think we have a pretty nice place, but the landlord painted it this awful peachy beige with salmon colored molding. It. Is. Hideous. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. Also in terms of apartment decor, I've discovered a great blog, </span><a href="http://www.thepeakoftreschic.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Peak of Tres Chic</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, which features tons of amazing design inspiration. I turned our second bedroom into my walk-in closet, and now I want to further morph it into an oasis of girly glam, with this picture as my inspiration:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIjyHx5YiehN4ZhVlLEwlXmo-F6NOEcHKA96_iu4je9SLnPo4-lbVYLh8Ut1kk9mf1mMZaCZs57pEHDNRrP9w6E221QKq_YYpGnWAweZhZQvwJPMwcvSm4PrBrUjqelUBiPk1pZ5KaGg/s1600/MIrror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIjyHx5YiehN4ZhVlLEwlXmo-F6NOEcHKA96_iu4je9SLnPo4-lbVYLh8Ut1kk9mf1mMZaCZs57pEHDNRrP9w6E221QKq_YYpGnWAweZhZQvwJPMwcvSm4PrBrUjqelUBiPk1pZ5KaGg/s320/MIrror.jpg" width="231" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thepeakoftreschic.com/2012/01/va-va-va-netian.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Love the lavendar and mirrored furniture! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. Keep blogging. Started this blog to become a </span><a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">bee</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (fail, twice over), but I really love blogging so I want to continue. Without a wedding to yap about, I'm torn between doing a straight up food blog, or a more all-encompassing lifestyle blog. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUcEtP5tEDBQFQpVXPU4A4N43ro4MOFmVv_e_eZY3zwbtstrb0RuxNH36HZqjGEU7uhV_ShlPp-GWh8XfIHFfY7oF1KOAyI6tg2Taa3PhBedwwDvq7EpDRZk-7Dh-F4FwSGsQUZdAz9E/s1600/soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUcEtP5tEDBQFQpVXPU4A4N43ro4MOFmVv_e_eZY3zwbtstrb0RuxNH36HZqjGEU7uhV_ShlPp-GWh8XfIHFfY7oF1KOAyI6tg2Taa3PhBedwwDvq7EpDRZk-7Dh-F4FwSGsQUZdAz9E/s320/soup.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You'd see stuff like this- a recent lunch of sausage and bean soup with escarole (Personal pic)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 6. Get my career act together. For the past 3.5 years, I have been a government budget analyst, flip flopping around to three army bases. While I loved my first two locations, I'm kind of hating the current one, but am not in a spot in life where I can make big moves. Since I've gotta stay put for now, I'm going to work on improving my attitude and taking charge of what I can to make it better (I do recognize I'm 50% of the issue). In the meantime, maybe I'll think about some other options or further schooling. Technically this goal should start next week, not post wedding, but whatever. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0UHjRx6rTW3Fm88AQGcfljyguA0HzYWMaUiLbfuHf5KNpKishmiRERPCXJ5ZyjsIROqeyQBgWKT9QnflCYvy2YgKBy7HiQMSAEGq4Ta7E1FAguYCkW03xbmFBruQcJLdXmVcB_CdPuE/s1600/mon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0UHjRx6rTW3Fm88AQGcfljyguA0HzYWMaUiLbfuHf5KNpKishmiRERPCXJ5ZyjsIROqeyQBgWKT9QnflCYvy2YgKBy7HiQMSAEGq4Ta7E1FAguYCkW03xbmFBruQcJLdXmVcB_CdPuE/s320/mon.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My beloved original base- now closed, hence all my career movement (</span><a href="http://www.princetoninfo.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Source</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">7. And finally, translate some of that wedding energy into great things for my friends! I've got a few weddings next July, so I'm looking forward to having more freedom to work on showers and surprises for them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So that's just what I'm thinking, who knows what real life will bring? Anyone else have some post wedding goals?</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-29748406619419426182012-04-10T08:24:00.001-04:002012-04-10T08:24:58.178-04:00Floral Look<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So I haven't shared something with you, mostly because it's not the hugest deal in the world, but Mr. B and I decided to switch florists a little while back. When we booked ours I was really excited about it, but over time we had a few miscommunications, I found her a bit cold in personality, and when I began delving into the idea of rental items, I realized she was shockingly overcharging me for things- $40 for plain tablecloths, $5 per votive candle on tables when I'd want around 9 per table, that kind of thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So on the recommendation of a wedding planner, we booked our house florist, </span><a href="http://www.atouchofeleganceflorist.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Touch of Elegance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> instead. I instantly loved Lisa, the florist there, because she was warm and really excited about her job. She had fun looking at my inspiration board, immediately whipping out fabric swatches, brainstorming napkin ideas, and sharing a flurry of sample photos. I felt like she really understood what I wanted, and she was giving us much better prices. So we switched. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And this past weekend, we saw our sample centerpieces, which I think fit in perfectly with our theme of formal, traditional elegance:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqV9n8KubguPxsjbeyIsyiyBCcl8CfnjEJXZxOQ-_dXo9bF56ZFTyzXqZUkmKe8xIPXIzJfB3aQQASY1l5JLgVF9gzNzGenohy-AUmwITYvVTHprImQ3Pz8Dr3OZaZsrqvuYdbYDu6p4/s1600/overallflowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqV9n8KubguPxsjbeyIsyiyBCcl8CfnjEJXZxOQ-_dXo9bF56ZFTyzXqZUkmKe8xIPXIzJfB3aQQASY1l5JLgVF9gzNzGenohy-AUmwITYvVTHprImQ3Pz8Dr3OZaZsrqvuYdbYDu6p4/s320/overallflowers.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The centerpieces are a vintage look gold candelabra, stuffed with peonies, hydrangeas, some type of chrysanthemum, and dendrobium orchids. We're also going to be adding hanging bits of ivy as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Something else I liked about Lisa's work was her attention to detail. Our last florist would only give us plain white tealight candles, no votives, included with our centerpiece. Lisa is giving us nine candles, an assortment of votives and floating pillars, all included- no $5 per candle rental fee. We're switching these plain votive holders in the picture to a gold mercury glass look: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjKs5_qa4nTopdU4ii-RRt3BrQoJ_AQsK_u1kTHZOGpNdSUCfrIHUXEvG-6dnWMZLwwYAXXCvy3UTZ_x98ZlWKHxg0N4t9DzJH2v77-P_uum-DvOHeQVlQp9EzxxorI7Qpe-ENPqReSo/s1600/basecloseup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjKs5_qa4nTopdU4ii-RRt3BrQoJ_AQsK_u1kTHZOGpNdSUCfrIHUXEvG-6dnWMZLwwYAXXCvy3UTZ_x98ZlWKHxg0N4t9DzJH2v77-P_uum-DvOHeQVlQp9EzxxorI7Qpe-ENPqReSo/s320/basecloseup.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I really love the look Lisa captured and am really happy with this particular flower arrangement. However, there's one thing I need your opinions on, and that would be our linens:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ESdKIpH1QMwgbpRsI050W8tndt5j_S4VIzW5qkvWtme8rdeRGuB7MJSnhmhPaPr2y3YL9zfsaVuxbipvP6IJ4n7MEsVCQoav1UWOmu9eSLvMeo7zWZFdmfkRcDzy1g1mjX97M9Jiedw/s1600/linen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ESdKIpH1QMwgbpRsI050W8tndt5j_S4VIzW5qkvWtme8rdeRGuB7MJSnhmhPaPr2y3YL9zfsaVuxbipvP6IJ4n7MEsVCQoav1UWOmu9eSLvMeo7zWZFdmfkRcDzy1g1mjX97M9Jiedw/s320/linen.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I LOVE this linen. I think it perfectly encapsulates our theme and I think it's absolutely beautiful. However, sometimes I think that in order to pull off a look the right way, you have to exercise restraint and cut something you love. I'm concerned that this blue linen is too much blue for the room. I'm afraid it might match the carpet too much. Here's a pic:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjhU9FAwx3uw_GKNAmU7Xi25ss0R3ctaBDgo046p9x1ZRzJPGeI3JlMVOUDm0A3ZiTx5XND4J3CKOYo45HG1ZeKUSOzIRG1lg_38lw4d9xRt8fUPt_5lxgKMsfAGWiyegr8-qdl5qdiM/s1600/paalce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjhU9FAwx3uw_GKNAmU7Xi25ss0R3ctaBDgo046p9x1ZRzJPGeI3JlMVOUDm0A3ZiTx5XND4J3CKOYo45HG1ZeKUSOzIRG1lg_38lw4d9xRt8fUPt_5lxgKMsfAGWiyegr8-qdl5qdiM/s320/paalce.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's really similar to the carpet. I'm not sure that having that carpet and very similar tablecloths is too much. Maybe I should be opting for a damask linen in the beigey color in the carpet, so that it coordinates but isn't the same shade. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What do you guys think? Use the linen pictured here, or opt for something else?</span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-30107799560327386122012-04-09T10:59:00.000-04:002012-04-09T10:59:01.724-04:00Tasting Recap<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Apparently our wedding is fast approaching, because Mr. B and I have just had a whirlwind week of wedding tasks, including the super fun food tasting! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Attending our tasting made both us and our parents feel so relaxed about our venue choice, not that I was doubting it. We met our coordinator, Alex, for the first time, and she was unbelievably organized and sweet, putting us all at ease. She led us into a private room in the kitchen, with a glass wall so we could watch the chef do his thing (I didn't realize this and sat with my back to the view- whoops!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We started with wine. Our venue offers a red and white option served tableside during the party, and our wine waiter (yes, wine waiter) led us through a tasting of three whites and three reds. We settled on a Laboure-Roi Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir for the table wine, though all six varietals will be available at the bars throughout the reception.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbJDZStGUZ9le7l6GvyVpeRU2KD0DAiq9B4DY3v-n2pPhMzQhB6gFGWEeRHowW_OtYnUbFhOQZV85LUntbSVfjlB8nl8q9XVZHRDevKr3gWAVNJD6kc4WcZfBAdiy_4BqXln9sDFv334/s1600/wine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbJDZStGUZ9le7l6GvyVpeRU2KD0DAiq9B4DY3v-n2pPhMzQhB6gFGWEeRHowW_OtYnUbFhOQZV85LUntbSVfjlB8nl8q9XVZHRDevKr3gWAVNJD6kc4WcZfBAdiy_4BqXln9sDFv334/s320/wine.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Next, we sampled three appetizer choices: a delicious crab cake, perfectly seared scallops with chive oil, and mozzarella en carozza, basically a fancy grilled cheese with slices of salty prosciutto. Though all were delicious, we chose the mozzarella option, figuring it was the most crowd pleasing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0SduEN0YcsurkVQAXP00ALQ8qELmlb0rX2XNcmecWwr4LoCOb1SxS3ByRuROiHjgQGym5nIEvsAMk95fhzjVXsLD_Ru28t_JgZodD9Tl1LRcLmoavLODl_hmX3iNMGe5tA8uyv5lM2A/s1600/ap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0SduEN0YcsurkVQAXP00ALQ8qELmlb0rX2XNcmecWwr4LoCOb1SxS3ByRuROiHjgQGym5nIEvsAMk95fhzjVXsLD_Ru28t_JgZodD9Tl1LRcLmoavLODl_hmX3iNMGe5tA8uyv5lM2A/s320/ap.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We also chose to combine our appetizer and salad courses to leave more time for dancing, so that's the big pile of baby greens you see there. It's topped with a smoked tomato vinaigrette.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We sampled the three entree choices for the wedding. They were served exactly as they would be presented on the big day, both in look and generous portion size. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the seafood option, we selected halibut served over risotto and wilted greens, and topped with a relish of capers, olives, and sundried tomatoes. It was delicious. Mr. B's mom loved it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNK3Wbac7J7-Om9P_lhpO5hOKXjc2GHmvFf8b4l9FhR_-fzcQSmk4i3s5luelveAt7QTInd6JijDNBsPpBeeaV3e2aIlEsefV9hHqIXR6fHex7VNAPg5StdZFxo2x0C1qqWo2cIYTORQ/s1600/halibut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="234" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNK3Wbac7J7-Om9P_lhpO5hOKXjc2GHmvFf8b4l9FhR_-fzcQSmk4i3s5luelveAt7QTInd6JijDNBsPpBeeaV3e2aIlEsefV9hHqIXR6fHex7VNAPg5StdZFxo2x0C1qqWo2cIYTORQ/s320/halibut.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the chicken dish, we chose a garlic and herb roasted Cornish hen, cut up and served with a bread pudding (which reminded me of Rachael Ray's "stuffin muffins"), and roasted root vegetables. This was easily the majority favorite.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BrwT_W76sl96kNFoU0Y-Nf8UMKrGS8abCvur2YMKJSyvOp665diTk3x-jNlcyY9ofsgbrA2pmlvQBT8scLARvbEzYf0FZIGnPnGZyXehLxlUixNxFl1gFjcjTwHBWy9a03uNvs2HMUc/s1600/chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BrwT_W76sl96kNFoU0Y-Nf8UMKrGS8abCvur2YMKJSyvOp665diTk3x-jNlcyY9ofsgbrA2pmlvQBT8scLARvbEzYf0FZIGnPnGZyXehLxlUixNxFl1gFjcjTwHBWy9a03uNvs2HMUc/s1600/chicken.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And for the beef, we'll be serving an herb-seared filet mignon with a port wine sauce. I don't eat steak, yet I'm considering ordering this, that's how good it was. It was tender with a nice charred crust, mmm. We sampled it with a potato gratin with gruyere cheese (delicious!) and rosemary baby carrots, but opted to swap the carrots for asparagaus to get a little green on the plate. I have a hang up of always thinking a plate needs green.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioByDlRPW_h8ZbViSvKdGFfgEiIbGXkw2C8NBzCYwT-eVMhtl1Cns6gTg360z9O-EI0JT29sO6yF7PljlZ2wfL6PGrxQ04UR7TQV4MLNYvqYtfIVC7UaQrU3rY443F8ezMSyOysALnhnE/s1600/beef.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioByDlRPW_h8ZbViSvKdGFfgEiIbGXkw2C8NBzCYwT-eVMhtl1Cns6gTg360z9O-EI0JT29sO6yF7PljlZ2wfL6PGrxQ04UR7TQV4MLNYvqYtfIVC7UaQrU3rY443F8ezMSyOysALnhnE/s320/beef.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We will be having a Viennese display for dessert, so we got to sample a chef's selection of desserts, including pineapple upside down cake, blueberry frangipane, cherry chocolate mousse, mini tarts, and cheesecake. Our Viennese also features a flambe station and a "boardwalk station," serving zeppoles in mini paper bags. My Jersey shore upbringing is extremely excited about this. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aOpmm8YJ2gqgM5Ydm42eK-8omtvBNT0UEtTbjMZDPodDbSSwCKBZMh-nC3Vuvc1RN59V5OzeTFKud4EDqKeiG0fh2cb45QNiR930AAedCVFAuprMOfXHMQ0-Ctn8bSHD5rbMmUjWAj8/s1600/desserts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aOpmm8YJ2gqgM5Ydm42eK-8omtvBNT0UEtTbjMZDPodDbSSwCKBZMh-nC3Vuvc1RN59V5OzeTFKud4EDqKeiG0fh2cb45QNiR930AAedCVFAuprMOfXHMQ0-Ctn8bSHD5rbMmUjWAj8/s320/desserts.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We sampled our cake as well. I loved the way they presented it- we chose three sponges and three fillings, and were able to mix and match to find the flavor combo we liked. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Rc-gS1UYwvc7BH4t8Rq7789gWjP4MOMSgWKwZouPDf76MoZ8_RdSdQ2QMEvzsnCNsoolNNFBkn-KudkILJmYF4mYI_0vaU5_nmRaJ__rV73bufgskIpzkKa-ngK-lNYtgok3oTaITOI/s1600/cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Rc-gS1UYwvc7BH4t8Rq7789gWjP4MOMSgWKwZouPDf76MoZ8_RdSdQ2QMEvzsnCNsoolNNFBkn-KudkILJmYF4mYI_0vaU5_nmRaJ__rV73bufgskIpzkKa-ngK-lNYtgok3oTaITOI/s320/cake.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We surprised ourselves by opting for a hazelnut sponge cake and chocolate parfait filling. I could care less about cake, but really found this very delicious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We also got to go through our cocktail hour menu options, though we didn't taste anything. It's extensive, with fifteen passed hors d'ouevres and multiple stations. We chose the offerings for our carving station, pasta station, saute stations, and opted to include a paella station and raw bar as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Overall, our tasting was phenomenal. I do expect that the food quality may drop a bit when they're cooking for 225, but it started out so good that I really don't think anything will be bad. I was super happy with our venue and the classy, organized way they handled everything. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The wedding is starting to feel really real now and it is so exciting to see it all take shape! I loved going for the tasting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(All pics courtesy my iPhone)</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-6221143747524734982012-04-05T09:02:00.003-04:002012-04-05T09:02:38.917-04:00Invite Reveal<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
Our invites are out and responses are coming back!!! Which means I can finally share them with you guys!</div>
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Our <a href="http://www.bandtwed.blogspot.com/2012/03/awesome-calligraphy-discovery.html">beautiful calligraphy</a> is the first thing guests will see in their mailbox:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGtovII2OXDCjcuBf4VWJ1FAECkXhlu6IqFQtoNLFevb7wNksNvOrKUW-bDFd9eBpk99o3pTq8ai8wmDyrVTHGSHxOafstIZ6O_LRs4j4Z8i_BMWw5ptNNjubHOp5IrQ2zEauuL58jSs/s1600/pic1edited.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGtovII2OXDCjcuBf4VWJ1FAECkXhlu6IqFQtoNLFevb7wNksNvOrKUW-bDFd9eBpk99o3pTq8ai8wmDyrVTHGSHxOafstIZ6O_LRs4j4Z8i_BMWw5ptNNjubHOp5IrQ2zEauuL58jSs/s320/pic1edited.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Carmela did an amazing job, right? I am 120% IN LOVE with this calligraphy. Let's see a close up, of another invite:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiin9ImpQuSuX7N9BU_uJHFZy6ilijrxJ8w6T6GrWA0TH_R8spTG1h2QvfsooRNZVkswk7Vy7ArPcwlggLQ6ZLRWQErnd1g21NEly77Imsu-uIE-kSxVFm2o7a-nSEf1pWWDM89jDjMkmw/s1600/calligcloseup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiin9ImpQuSuX7N9BU_uJHFZy6ilijrxJ8w6T6GrWA0TH_R8spTG1h2QvfsooRNZVkswk7Vy7ArPcwlggLQ6ZLRWQErnd1g21NEly77Imsu-uIE-kSxVFm2o7a-nSEf1pWWDM89jDjMkmw/s320/calligcloseup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sigh.</div>
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So then they open it up to see a more familiar, friendly version of their names, in the same awesome calligraphy:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9o-lgNHQWcxp9Q_ES57XqgAKEvR7qX4f8XEccCC6dxn3GsO8Vq5d_HDhj5q0gUU0LW5qDl-KCaFSqmzZKsJ1oyfNuVFDWPa2E3gMv8rtw9aui5SC3Bmb9OifNWhHdnLApUWyvhOLW6w/s1600/pic2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9o-lgNHQWcxp9Q_ES57XqgAKEvR7qX4f8XEccCC6dxn3GsO8Vq5d_HDhj5q0gUU0LW5qDl-KCaFSqmzZKsJ1oyfNuVFDWPa2E3gMv8rtw9aui5SC3Bmb9OifNWhHdnLApUWyvhOLW6w/s320/pic2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then the inner envelope with its pretty gold liner:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrED3F7weAvNrTpfJcNJKDacgLFlhPCUDBlWXxn9_nutUpeXosC0MunPAc6WdY4kG7JWjeo4oNHyAtP2mTj1hq31dNj9qUh5gjkVicaKrjl0kZ5m0oIInVh4pr_SqPSK9oDT02fPLrr5k/s1600/liner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrED3F7weAvNrTpfJcNJKDacgLFlhPCUDBlWXxn9_nutUpeXosC0MunPAc6WdY4kG7JWjeo4oNHyAtP2mTj1hq31dNj9qUh5gjkVicaKrjl0kZ5m0oIInVh4pr_SqPSK9oDT02fPLrr5k/s320/liner.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The invitation suite includes a beautiful customized card with all the accommodations and website details. I'm glad we spent the extra money to create this, I think it really makes the invitation look classy. Our elegant reply cards are here as well:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN7iZYiVZ65SGBC7uxt_ARw27xTccATUwedEX15NK-LlLLCMuhML0xXcR7oUtTF5RlZc4pkBLDEohoQH95CSqCd_DiTUb3BpktJcX05aiRT9TIKrfVYIannzPFPr3-5HNQQ74EF1IFI8/s1600/accomodations.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN7iZYiVZ65SGBC7uxt_ARw27xTccATUwedEX15NK-LlLLCMuhML0xXcR7oUtTF5RlZc4pkBLDEohoQH95CSqCd_DiTUb3BpktJcX05aiRT9TIKrfVYIannzPFPr3-5HNQQ74EF1IFI8/s320/accomodations.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And finally, the invitation!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01w8DlTzUyDIZSfvarM80ST33lLhO8p6rbh6P6MvvD7NcgbePj_9Mbm2kyjEXa1I9XpguaTj0BCc-BmSopwZ8bYrTopRl3UlNNp3SeV1d3QMugXlTNx7tyvfrTJVXc2cNuqddh33yakw/s1600/invitehopeufllystraight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01w8DlTzUyDIZSfvarM80ST33lLhO8p6rbh6P6MvvD7NcgbePj_9Mbm2kyjEXa1I9XpguaTj0BCc-BmSopwZ8bYrTopRl3UlNNp3SeV1d3QMugXlTNx7tyvfrTJVXc2cNuqddh33yakw/s400/invitehopeufllystraight.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I love them!! </div>
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</div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-54410084290344513162012-04-03T16:09:00.001-04:002012-04-05T19:55:02.713-04:00Honeymoon Style<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lately, my mind has wandered from the wedding to the honeymoon. With all the new summer clothes coming out in stores (and on fashion blogs!) I keep bookmarking awesome outfits to keep in mind for nights in Hawaii. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'll start with the obvious, which would be a collection of brightly colored bikinis for the beach. I have a personal rule to never spend more thant $20 on the whole swimsuit, so I get a lot of these in Old Navy sales and at Forever 21. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33r58IwHxwJ8x3K9mbBDABqez_ac16AfobSFr2lUo-54tghrCBD4C0l2QJ1NtJkrtjvX4EdfJ42CyDRy6aXrr_s1H6Mlr92f1-gYOYuoh7fACdAo_lbhpSZhVTsfFQG2T1pzcI15Bjus/s1600/bikini.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="255" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33r58IwHxwJ8x3K9mbBDABqez_ac16AfobSFr2lUo-54tghrCBD4C0l2QJ1NtJkrtjvX4EdfJ42CyDRy6aXrr_s1H6Mlr92f1-gYOYuoh7fACdAo_lbhpSZhVTsfFQG2T1pzcI15Bjus/s320/bikini.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5405&vid=1&pid=898549&scid=898549002"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm going to pack my favorite coverup, which I scored for only $9 in Macy's last year. This picture may not do it justice but I think it's so glam:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXax00Vdw7f5jGL0qTPH90ymNf2o9ARWGu8JyH2En0PW_0KwDTfQiqNyQps07y4jiKNCbjDbXLy163-TvSjZVdZoEulstjWAMArLUgBAIqjVbZdrEo0gY_BzayMrsHm9_spkYXUHSVAyY/s1600/coveurp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXax00Vdw7f5jGL0qTPH90ymNf2o9ARWGu8JyH2En0PW_0KwDTfQiqNyQps07y4jiKNCbjDbXLy163-TvSjZVdZoEulstjWAMArLUgBAIqjVbZdrEo0gY_BzayMrsHm9_spkYXUHSVAyY/s320/coveurp.png" width="74" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Personal Pic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I just bought a hot pink blazer in H&M and I am so excited to try out these looks, since I already have a white dress and white capris:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinouWyieXX__58068cQTt1AS-F4eMe0ksiJQphTvmxBbtY66OySzzS3C8yT6mnWiqXzh0K60nDcDtp-fIFX6X87nlY0rGz8wVLRAoQTQiq68kNc5KB1Q3FHf1oCXe8KADdOoKXXdkOI3Q/s1600/pinkblzr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinouWyieXX__58068cQTt1AS-F4eMe0ksiJQphTvmxBbtY66OySzzS3C8yT6mnWiqXzh0K60nDcDtp-fIFX6X87nlY0rGz8wVLRAoQTQiq68kNc5KB1Q3FHf1oCXe8KADdOoKXXdkOI3Q/s320/pinkblzr.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/209698926369595084/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU_E5xa5j-U7Dg7cwXs-d10T8TKynYJxBIG0re85LIMIcyi3RIMsQylhqnUBe9VUiaHnQ3QKTE97EpFATqWY7-YOJ-HkGaT8AIqneBozvTUWDknbZL47Of_JDbaZJIJRj5Lq8YHLwx6c/s1600/pnkblz2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU_E5xa5j-U7Dg7cwXs-d10T8TKynYJxBIG0re85LIMIcyi3RIMsQylhqnUBe9VUiaHnQ3QKTE97EpFATqWY7-YOJ-HkGaT8AIqneBozvTUWDknbZL47Of_JDbaZJIJRj5Lq8YHLwx6c/s320/pnkblz2.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.theblondesalad.com/2011/03/sunday-in-barcelona.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I saw this awesome outfit on Atlantic Pacific, </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopnYNlZG0fTMrj5liaPsv6C8g58kSo06Mi6wR5Xo9sckBTszEAm4K4jUGN2_ouUfNCj9WxEO7grNNt-mqH8__IT58dBPdONWmGKRW4kO00AVHZyHLFrv15BxU-YUBsIwXkLb04-2asi0/s1600/scarfprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopnYNlZG0fTMrj5liaPsv6C8g58kSo06Mi6wR5Xo9sckBTszEAm4K4jUGN2_ouUfNCj9WxEO7grNNt-mqH8__IT58dBPdONWmGKRW4kO00AVHZyHLFrv15BxU-YUBsIwXkLb04-2asi0/s320/scarfprint.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">which reminded me that I own some very similar items:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lgGbvyHSho_yVnAbvnG-YZUJzCbk0NUGq0tF0500nj9ExOXbnpdRr9C6v2dkAMhjtslug6t5fQyIok-5haD0Tt4VPKEoRXJD5jT99nCg5XERfQfhpgQeW-AqlpwZlE5jDPAh1cuvLIo/s1600/fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lgGbvyHSho_yVnAbvnG-YZUJzCbk0NUGq0tF0500nj9ExOXbnpdRr9C6v2dkAMhjtslug6t5fQyIok-5haD0Tt4VPKEoRXJD5jT99nCg5XERfQfhpgQeW-AqlpwZlE5jDPAh1cuvLIo/s1600/fb.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Personal Pic)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Love this daytime casual outfit with shorts, though you can bet I'd skip the hat:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJuP0VOTNXIM-XjEAeXBLWqldMD2NHIWFRio-9orZxfT88V-ZYkg9kutRfBVXGQAOn9iBMPDzNn_yGJdSmms9kGODP-DlhF4byLWeabXb0K8LBAvnTk6gW8AdGTFSI_R7cEherk3utnQ/s1600/bee_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJuP0VOTNXIM-XjEAeXBLWqldMD2NHIWFRio-9orZxfT88V-ZYkg9kutRfBVXGQAOn9iBMPDzNn_yGJdSmms9kGODP-DlhF4byLWeabXb0K8LBAvnTk6gW8AdGTFSI_R7cEherk3utnQ/s320/bee_11.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Not to mention these super cute jellys I got for the beach:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVG5p2dFJdbaYdHzxWqVeug29S2rwYJXGIhTgJT_2X7tgW9EgnyQfn3UiwmnJJX-hJtCYNwdFduMOU6I19_oPpwJGMFb38wA0UkwrgXfmTyFSg4G-cckAXeWcjfOvlIszLkZxOxjlb4E/s1600/sadnals.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><img border="0" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVG5p2dFJdbaYdHzxWqVeug29S2rwYJXGIhTgJT_2X7tgW9EgnyQfn3UiwmnJJX-hJtCYNwdFduMOU6I19_oPpwJGMFb38wA0UkwrgXfmTyFSg4G-cckAXeWcjfOvlIszLkZxOxjlb4E/s1600/sadnals.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Personal Pic- The brand is called Dizzy, I bought them in a local boutique.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So there's my start to honeymoon packing! Anyone else get weirdly excited to plan outfits for trips?? </span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-54121827970024352042012-03-28T09:21:00.002-04:002012-03-28T09:22:00.712-04:00Ceremony Readings<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Choosing our readings was my favorite part of planning our ceremony, although it was tough- there's so much great wisdom in the Bible that it was hard to narrow down just two passages to share with a group of people who most likely never pick the book up. If I had my way, there'd be like eight readings (and an audience that actually pays attention). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We used the collection of </span><a href="http://www.saintpiustenth.org/pdfs/wedding_readings.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">standard Catholic readings</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, and did one Old Testament reading, something that would appear in the Torah to represent Mr. B's Jewish heritage, and one New Testament reading to rep my Catholic heritage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wanted to avoid the beautiful but overused 1 Corinthians, so I decided to hunt down a reading that would explain the type of lifestyle Mr. B and I would strive to live with each other and within our community. I had options from Hebrews, Colossians, Phillippians, but we finally settled on Romans 12:9-18, text below:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let love be sincere;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">hate what is evil,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">hold on to what is good;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">love one another with mutual affection;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">anticipate one another in showing honor.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Do not grow slack in zeal,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">be fervent in spirit,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">serve the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Rejoice in hope,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">endure in affliction,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">persevere in prayer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">exercise hospitality.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bless those who persecute you,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">bless and do not curse them.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Rejoice with those who rejoice,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">weep with those who weep.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have the same regard for one another;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">do not be wise in your own estimation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Do not repay anyone evil for evil;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.</span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mr. B made the final call on our Old Testament reading, and chose the classic Genesis 2:18-24:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I will make a suitable partner for him.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So the Lord God formed out of the ground</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">various wild animals and various birds of the air,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">whatever the man called each of them would be its name.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The man gave names to all the cattle,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and while he was asleep,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">that he had taken from the man.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When he brought her to the man, the man said:</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“This one, at last, is bone of my bones</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and flesh of my flesh;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This one shall be called ‘woman,’</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That is why a man leaves his father and mother</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and clings to his wife,</span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and the two of them become one body.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm glad he picked this, as the idea of us leaving our families and becoming a unit is a lesson we've been learning firsthand as we settle into living together. I like that the reading is directly applicable to us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Okay, and I'm including a bonus reading (woo hoo!), this was my favorite from the OT. It's Tobit 8:4-8:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On their wedding night Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Sister, get up. Let us pray and beg our Lord</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to have mercy on us and to grant us deliverance."</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sarah got up, and they started to pray</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and beg that deliverance might be theirs.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They began with these words:</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Blessed are you, O God of our fathers;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">praised be your name forever and ever.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let the heavens and all your creation</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">praise you forever.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to be his help and support;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and from these two the human race descended.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone;</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">let us make him a partner like himself.'</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">not because of lust,</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but for a noble purpose.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Call down your mercy on me and on her,</span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and allow us to live together to a happy old age."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Isn't that what we all want? To live with each other happily until we're old as hell? So nice!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Did you go secular or traditional with your readings?</span></div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-85880015823877916312012-03-27T13:40:00.003-04:002012-03-28T09:21:41.850-04:00Our Ceremony Plan<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am sure I've shared this before, but Mr. B and I are having an interfaith Catholic/Jewish wedding, which basically means that we have to create our ceremony plan from scratch. It can be kind of overwhelming- not only do you have to learn your own traditions (which, let's face it, most of us don't know those in quite as much detail as we should), but you have to learn someone else's. And then you have to combine them in a way that is fair to all religions, doesn't offend your officiant or old fashioned relatives, and works for you as a couple. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sticking to tradition made things easier for us. I used a book called </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Interfaith-Marriages-Creating-Christian/dp/0805060839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332869876&sr=1-1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Celebrating Interfaith Marriages</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> to figure out the most important elements of a Catholic wedding and the most important parts of a Jewish wedding, and different ways to order them. We structured everything like a Mass, got everything approved by our officiants (a Catholic deacon and Jewish cantor), and now we're good to go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For other interfaith Catholic/Jewish brides, here's what we chose to do:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Processional</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Opening remarks </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Opening blessing</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Acknowledgement of Separate Faiths</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a short statement that will acknowledge that we're bringing together two different religious traditions- just in case anyone doesn't know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Blessing over wine </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is a standard Jewish tradition.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First Reading, Old Testament<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Second Reading, New Testament</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Remarks</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our version of a homily. Still working out which officiant will do this, but whoever it is will give some personal remarks about us as a couple and hopefully relate them to our readings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Prayer of Faithful/General Intercession </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For you Catholics, this is the "Lord hear our prayer" part. I'll include the text of this since I really like it:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For leaders of Church and State, for heads of institutions, for heads of homes and households… that they will lead us and guide us in the search for goodness, joy, and love among us- Let us pray to the Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For all married people: for those who married yesterday, for the new couple Tracy and Brad, married today, for those who will marry tomorrow… that they may savor the joy of being together, warm love and children, a long life, friends, and a new day, every day- let us pray to the Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Exchange of Rings</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In the Jewish faith, this is the part where you are really bound before God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Glass Breaking </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The big thing we left out was the Sheva Brachot, or seven blessings. I think it's a good thing to do if you have a lot of family or friends that you want to include in the ceremony, but we left it out in the interest of keeping the ceremony to only 30 minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So that's our interfaith mix. Other interfaith brides, how did you design your ceremony? Were your officiants laid back about things?</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-25067177108185936292012-03-20T10:30:00.001-04:002012-03-20T10:37:17.466-04:00Apparently I Need a Million Dresses<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's amazing how many new outfits we need for wedding events. I put all my energy into finding the perfect wedding dress (success!) only to forget that I need dresses for my engagement pictures, engagement party, bachelorette, bridal shower, and rehearsal dinner. In real life I'm a serial outfit repeater but the same people are at all these super-photographed events, so I must shed my repetitive ways and drag my butt shopping. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Finding outfits is made harder by the fact that I've been to basically zero bridal showers and rehearsal dinners, so I have no idea what's appropriate. My mother also insists on making my shower a surprise, and the only outfit guidance I've gotten is "You better wear heels" and "Consider leopard." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Right now, I'm planning to wear this dress from Express for my shower: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ulDCjZ-0L7fiEyscpvgh21OUdGLZOMw249_YX7d3MKBLnE4YcbrmRGvHK9iX49YDxq30FBjSF7R7GR-4GKOjEPqNfT1omHgokC4fBI8nc1mopRQGJjFoqUJPm6ZFCbpiT3VI2zqozvg/s1600/showerdress.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ulDCjZ-0L7fiEyscpvgh21OUdGLZOMw249_YX7d3MKBLnE4YcbrmRGvHK9iX49YDxq30FBjSF7R7GR-4GKOjEPqNfT1omHgokC4fBI8nc1mopRQGJjFoqUJPm6ZFCbpiT3VI2zqozvg/s320/showerdress.png" width="196" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In all honesty I don't LOVE it, the material is only of mediocre quality, but I'm pretty sure the shower is fast approaching and I really haven't found anything else. I do plan to accessorize it better- a neater black cardigan, giant pearl necklace, giant pearl bracelet- so hopefully that'll help. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What I did really love was this, but cannot justify spending $400 on a dress. Also it's not leopard:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BxoWxAAU3QQXFMs5Bpq-fkoEHl1EI6w0u4890ML0o1o8mz-82_pF2AD5NvoyaY7EyZ0YG23CeGdmAnMC4FyD9MaQ6SAd7VPUJ5ONyfoE2lPCJKNV7Ti2Ps7BF8wdu5NuOnzMCDAikug/s1600/katesapde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BxoWxAAU3QQXFMs5Bpq-fkoEHl1EI6w0u4890ML0o1o8mz-82_pF2AD5NvoyaY7EyZ0YG23CeGdmAnMC4FyD9MaQ6SAd7VPUJ5ONyfoE2lPCJKNV7Ti2Ps7BF8wdu5NuOnzMCDAikug/s320/katesapde.jpg" width="256" yda="true" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.katespade.com/designer-clothing/designer-dresses-and-skirts/kate-spade-snapshot-bailey-dress/NJMU1507,default,pd.html?dwvar_NJMU1507_color=935&start=18&cgid=clothing-dresses-and-skirts"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kate Spade Bailey</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> dress from </span><a href="http://bloomingdales.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bloomingdale's</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the rehearsal dinner, I bought this pretty dress on a major sale in J.Crew. I'm not totally sold on it either though. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQywDRJTdgwOZ66fnX8TT1LAoJ3Ny5vu4HbV02kLmtHrPgM3oaBZrqvxLiVz_zVp5i4CAhOou74cZOEUsoruTaSj497TVTWoX0mKSWNoiuOIRGvmi_WfOwuL4mwptV1Wu_lsG0o_p9194/s1600/jcrewdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQywDRJTdgwOZ66fnX8TT1LAoJ3Ny5vu4HbV02kLmtHrPgM3oaBZrqvxLiVz_zVp5i4CAhOou74cZOEUsoruTaSj497TVTWoX0mKSWNoiuOIRGvmi_WfOwuL4mwptV1Wu_lsG0o_p9194/s320/jcrewdress.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jcrew.com/wedding/Engagement_Party/PRDOVR~61968/99102575532/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~20+17+4294967097~90~~~~~~~/61968.jsp"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">J.Crew Marla dress</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had wanted a more retro silhouette:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cucMP_gk-cuz7Ig0aWfu6n3n6HLkn7bOujHwEBouXaXAsWZE1BdFQ2MhaGNO1DVjSCyxLN23M5I6CK5q-xbGaKFCeGwRQ5GwUJdpGA82udg4ye8PjbEjumMHYizPf0eOcWwf182UbwE/s1600/alicenolivia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cucMP_gk-cuz7Ig0aWfu6n3n6HLkn7bOujHwEBouXaXAsWZE1BdFQ2MhaGNO1DVjSCyxLN23M5I6CK5q-xbGaKFCeGwRQ5GwUJdpGA82udg4ye8PjbEjumMHYizPf0eOcWwf182UbwE/s320/alicenolivia.png" width="181" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/alice-olivia-dress-marie-ruffle-bottom?ID=592467&CategoryID=21683#fn=spp%3D4%26ppp%3D96%26sp%3D1%26rid%3D61"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Alice and Olivia Marie Dress, Bloomingdale's.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Or something just more sparkly/bright/fun:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pf29wIUJyA4EW_hFxLWL-gP1jRXybPKcpJ5Cf3nR3lFnRHXi_xi4a_DEAKj9EJ9OdBT2SdBJzxPhBrgJldPVbLJujNZphTxjTJW4yMbPX8GafWAa3n0xihvWSBna5EYlMmHMgrkPmaI/s1600/rehearsaldresses.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pf29wIUJyA4EW_hFxLWL-gP1jRXybPKcpJ5Cf3nR3lFnRHXi_xi4a_DEAKj9EJ9OdBT2SdBJzxPhBrgJldPVbLJujNZphTxjTJW4yMbPX8GafWAa3n0xihvWSBna5EYlMmHMgrkPmaI/s320/rehearsaldresses.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Badgley Mischka Orion shift, Halston confetti dot dress, Theia fuschia party palm dress- pics from Rent the Runway</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These are all from </span><a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Rent the Runway</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, I can't afford to actually buy any of these. I have never used the site before but am definitely considering experimenting with it for one of these events. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Such as my bachelorette. I love the Herve Leger bandage dresses, they scream bachelorette to me. I would DEFINITELY never buy or rewear one, so a rental option is a great idea for that. I love this new spring shade:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhHAd3f_67poZHqWOlu30bMqIRNJN27jnC6aZipMc1H13X5SNpa_uEucSuHYt1clx3yBE1_kPmxo6ojsYzU408kjvu214NT1Wi_p-qEYzwyaiZeULbEfHVZH7XBeiA2_Hth7F8wb7t2k/s1600/herve.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhHAd3f_67poZHqWOlu30bMqIRNJN27jnC6aZipMc1H13X5SNpa_uEucSuHYt1clx3yBE1_kPmxo6ojsYzU408kjvu214NT1Wi_p-qEYzwyaiZeULbEfHVZH7XBeiA2_Hth7F8wb7t2k/s320/herve.png" width="88" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.shopbop.com/signature-essentials-neck-dress-herve/vp/v=1/845524441933631.htm?folderID=2534374302164176&fm=browse-brand-shopbysize&colorId=38537">Herve Leger from Shopbop.com</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The only thing I'm set with? My morning after brunch dress, which will definitely be repeated during my honeymoon:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEt0NKWhmiN14p77Wc8JFmAVsmFA-SyPMGbcgnA7VyfVR3LVqdJ3ms8DWxnaOsadL7QtO_4VR6xP1ym8ezeyTrc8buJDT0uJ-dgRTHuGe1VJ4IASRDaMZzeaijbOtxd07O8Drayeqn0t4/s1600/bloomy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEt0NKWhmiN14p77Wc8JFmAVsmFA-SyPMGbcgnA7VyfVR3LVqdJ3ms8DWxnaOsadL7QtO_4VR6xP1ym8ezeyTrc8buJDT0uJ-dgRTHuGe1VJ4IASRDaMZzeaijbOtxd07O8Drayeqn0t4/s320/bloomy.png" width="143" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1650021484"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lilly Pulitzer Bloomy Dress</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have wanted a Lilly dress forever and finally found one that fits. It's a little pricey, but I think Lilly is classic- those fun patterns and prints are in style every summer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What are you guys wearing for all the events surrounding your wedding? Send some inspiration my way!</span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645425288834736005.post-35305770486792857772012-03-19T09:55:00.001-04:002012-03-19T10:16:50.093-04:00Command Central<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My life lately looks like this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cv4Ld0Pq2xzFiNHJBfSuEISjY-Z-uJAWd133OPf_Zs0rkuXgl5b8L886NyXErAvrQyHAKm-SrlKSIwDS9xx5MOpKwnCQCURPPMx4rurv1IaPWKJC-OgViw1SQWWHYHYOVstpmczXepw/s1600/commandcent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cv4Ld0Pq2xzFiNHJBfSuEISjY-Z-uJAWd133OPf_Zs0rkuXgl5b8L886NyXErAvrQyHAKm-SrlKSIwDS9xx5MOpKwnCQCURPPMx4rurv1IaPWKJC-OgViw1SQWWHYHYOVstpmczXepw/s400/commandcent.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My dad calls this "Command Central," and it's my set up of Excel to-do lists, tasks in my planner, my wedding binder, and a much-needed cup of coffee. We're two and a half months out, and I woke up crazy early Saturday with a compulsive need to organize our growing list of tasks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's huge. We need to print and assemble programs, meet with our band, choose ceremony music, finalize ceremony plans, I need accessories, I need more fittings, he needs groomsmen's gifts, menus have to get printed, but tasting has to happen first, flowers need to be finalized, my mom needs accessories, my dad insists I take dance lessons, must make a cardbox, must stuff invites, need stamps, only one girl has picked up her bridesmaid dress, and on and on. I assume most of my readers are brides- you know how it goes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love planning my wedding and am usually pretty levelheaded, and insanely advance-prepared about it all, but I have to admit that as I thought about all this, a knot began to squeeze itself around my chest. I felt stressed and overwhelmed. Luckily it was St. Patrick's Day, and Mr. B and friends dragged me out to spend the afternoon boozing it up in the West Village:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_ezJfrDzEHAcEYO3L_NyKSfSvZX7ePIf8EaCa3G8QSmnMaI21C-sLS7NwqNwLNM9MC9lIk1WWKgaYPrkhxWbECNwpEaAGX3L-LqQux9dkYNKIVQksJwXvcwFM9u4VB1ddYr6staAKlo/s1600/stpatsday.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_ezJfrDzEHAcEYO3L_NyKSfSvZX7ePIf8EaCa3G8QSmnMaI21C-sLS7NwqNwLNM9MC9lIk1WWKgaYPrkhxWbECNwpEaAGX3L-LqQux9dkYNKIVQksJwXvcwFM9u4VB1ddYr6staAKlo/s400/stpatsday.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And then on Sunday, Mr. B and I began to tackle some open items. We finally ordered wedding bands (and saved $250 thanks to a gift certificate from BM Kelly!) and our favors. My glorious saint of a mother went through our guest list and every single envelope, carefully typing out any errors (mostly people I left off the guest list, ack) and sending a neatly packaged box of spare envelopes and new instructions down to our calligrapher. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And now I feel a lot better. It's a lot of things to do, but most of it is extras that I'm <em>choosing </em>to do, because I <em>want </em>to- which means I shouldn't allow myself get stressed about it- I don't <em>have </em>to do any of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And the other thing I realized is that this is all really fun to me. Yes, it's a lot and that can make it stressful at times, but honestly I'm shocked at how fast 16 months went by, and I really want to savor and enjoy these last two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How are you guys handling a gigantic to do list? </span></div>
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</div>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13423398437754661286noreply@blogger.com1