Finding the photographer was the hardest part of my wedding planning process so far.
I feel like, next to the church and my dress, this is the most important part. The photo's that my photographer takes on that day are the only keepsakes that I am going to have to help me remember it, so I obviously I wanted someone trustworthy.
We searched through SO many photographers and none of them fit. I liked the idea of going with an independent company just because I felt it would be a more intimate relationship and we would be working with someone who actually knew us, rather than just being a part of a mass of people. This being said, I was finding that all of these nice, small, independent photographers were either not offering what I was looking for, or were for a good $2000.00 over my pretty strict budget.
So we took our search to bigger companies, where I was worried about becoming lost in a crowd, and still wasn't finding a photographer that offered exactly what I was looking for, for the right price.
Then Chris randomly stumbled across Piper Studios.
I will admit that I was not one hundred percent sure about them at first but as we saw more and more photographers and got more and more discouraged, I became more and more open minded. Then I met with them at the wedding show, and saw the "wedding show package" which offered everything I was looking for at the perfect price.
We set up a meeting where I got to see their beautiful work and I was hooked. Chris managed to get us the show price without booking the required videography, got them to absorb the tax and throw in additional prints. Can you say happy bride?
The next step is to organize our engagement shoot where we will meet with our photographer. I cannot wait to see what they do!
So relieved to have this major detail checked off of my list!
June 15, 2011
June 9, 2011
NKOTBSB
For Christmas every year my family and I do a secret santa to help ease the cost of an expensive time. This year, right around the time gifts were beginning to be bought I found out the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys were going on tour. Together.
My sister was a huge New Kids fan, and I was a huge Backstreet Boy fan, so naturally this had to happen. Unfortunately I didn't have her name, but with some covert op recruitment I found out who did (my brother), hit him up for the money and got the tickets for the two of us to go with three of my best friends (and bridesmaids) from highschool.
It took some hefty planning as I needed to make sure none of my friends announced that we were going to the concert and kept it quiet (this included not putting it on Facebook) until we gave the tickets to my sister on Christmas day. I also had to enlist some heavy acting skills and pretend that I had zero interest in the concert and that the tickets were much to expensive to consider it even if I was.
The point of this background story? The concert was last Wednesday night and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I had so much fun hanging out with my sister and my friends, something we don't get to do often anymore because of crazy schedules. On top of this, the concert was probably one of the best I have seen (and seeing as I have seen The Backstreet Boys something like 7 or 8 times, one of which we had front row seats..that's saying something.)
All I'm going to say is that these boys may be old but they still one hundred percent have it. They were jumping and running around the stage like they were still in their twenties and put on a high energy show that lasted about 2 hours. Amazing. Seriously, if you have a chance to get tickets to this tour, DO IT. It is worth every penny. We even came home and bought tickets to go see a second show in a town close by in August. It's that good. Trust me.
That being said, I will leave you with pictures.
My sister was a huge New Kids fan, and I was a huge Backstreet Boy fan, so naturally this had to happen. Unfortunately I didn't have her name, but with some covert op recruitment I found out who did (my brother), hit him up for the money and got the tickets for the two of us to go with three of my best friends (and bridesmaids) from highschool.
It took some hefty planning as I needed to make sure none of my friends announced that we were going to the concert and kept it quiet (this included not putting it on Facebook) until we gave the tickets to my sister on Christmas day. I also had to enlist some heavy acting skills and pretend that I had zero interest in the concert and that the tickets were much to expensive to consider it even if I was.
The point of this background story? The concert was last Wednesday night and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I had so much fun hanging out with my sister and my friends, something we don't get to do often anymore because of crazy schedules. On top of this, the concert was probably one of the best I have seen (and seeing as I have seen The Backstreet Boys something like 7 or 8 times, one of which we had front row seats..that's saying something.)
All I'm going to say is that these boys may be old but they still one hundred percent have it. They were jumping and running around the stage like they were still in their twenties and put on a high energy show that lasted about 2 hours. Amazing. Seriously, if you have a chance to get tickets to this tour, DO IT. It is worth every penny. We even came home and bought tickets to go see a second show in a town close by in August. It's that good. Trust me.
That being said, I will leave you with pictures.
May 26, 2011
Remember Me?
Hey All
So this blog has taken a back seat to um.....everything else. I figured when I was done school I would have tons of time to blog my heart out about every miniscule detail happening in my life. As it turns out life has taken over, and now that I spend the better better of 8 hours, Monday to Friday on a computer, the last thing I want to do when I'm done is go on a computer.
This being said, I have missed my little blog. I spent 4 years in University, enrolled in a writing program in which essays and deadlines were pretty much a given for my everyday life. When I was done I relished in the fact that I no longer HAD to write. Unfortunately this promptly turned into me not writing at all and I don't believe I have written a word since my finals almost two months ago. Very sad, and something I need to fix.
I'm starting to think that this may have also contributed to some health issues of recent. I have been struggling for about a month now with my hair falling out. It comes out in clumps after I shower, and has been the result of many hysterical breakdowns during the getting ready process. I have visited my doctor several times....his opinion....go on vacation and reduce stress. Easy to say for someone who isn't working full time, planning a wedding and makes an easy 6 figures....thanks buddy... So here's hoping that getting back to releasing my frustration in the blog world will be helpful for my stress levels, seeing as I really don't have the money to go on the Caribbean cruise that my loving doctor prescribed.
There has also been some progress on the wedding front (a day that is exactly one year from today....yes I am resisting the levels of panic that arise when I think about this). I have a few things that I'm currently working on, and hope to diligently post about, but probably most exciting is the bridesmaid dresses.
I knew from the beginning that I wanted cute, short dresses. I'm getting married at the end of May and am desperately hoping for nice, warm spring/summery weather, so I want my girls to be comfortable and able to wear the dresses more than once. I started the process by taking my sister (and MOH) out to just get a feel for what I was looking for, and we actually found the perfect dress. After some e-mails back and forth with my awesome bridal party, it was done. I am waiting for one more girl to get measured and then the dresses will be ordered. Very excited to have this crossed off the list.
I ordered the dress in Fresh Blue (a fancy word for navy?) and the designer is Alexia. I love them, and from what I can see my girls are happy which makes it even better.
That's it for now. Hopefully it won't be two months before you hear from me again!
So this blog has taken a back seat to um.....everything else. I figured when I was done school I would have tons of time to blog my heart out about every miniscule detail happening in my life. As it turns out life has taken over, and now that I spend the better better of 8 hours, Monday to Friday on a computer, the last thing I want to do when I'm done is go on a computer.
This being said, I have missed my little blog. I spent 4 years in University, enrolled in a writing program in which essays and deadlines were pretty much a given for my everyday life. When I was done I relished in the fact that I no longer HAD to write. Unfortunately this promptly turned into me not writing at all and I don't believe I have written a word since my finals almost two months ago. Very sad, and something I need to fix.
I'm starting to think that this may have also contributed to some health issues of recent. I have been struggling for about a month now with my hair falling out. It comes out in clumps after I shower, and has been the result of many hysterical breakdowns during the getting ready process. I have visited my doctor several times....his opinion....go on vacation and reduce stress. Easy to say for someone who isn't working full time, planning a wedding and makes an easy 6 figures....thanks buddy... So here's hoping that getting back to releasing my frustration in the blog world will be helpful for my stress levels, seeing as I really don't have the money to go on the Caribbean cruise that my loving doctor prescribed.
There has also been some progress on the wedding front (a day that is exactly one year from today....yes I am resisting the levels of panic that arise when I think about this). I have a few things that I'm currently working on, and hope to diligently post about, but probably most exciting is the bridesmaid dresses.
I knew from the beginning that I wanted cute, short dresses. I'm getting married at the end of May and am desperately hoping for nice, warm spring/summery weather, so I want my girls to be comfortable and able to wear the dresses more than once. I started the process by taking my sister (and MOH) out to just get a feel for what I was looking for, and we actually found the perfect dress. After some e-mails back and forth with my awesome bridal party, it was done. I am waiting for one more girl to get measured and then the dresses will be ordered. Very excited to have this crossed off the list.
I ordered the dress in Fresh Blue (a fancy word for navy?) and the designer is Alexia. I love them, and from what I can see my girls are happy which makes it even better. That's it for now. Hopefully it won't be two months before you hear from me again!
April 13, 2011
The Man Who Saved My Life....Literally
It's been over a month since you last heard from me. I'm blaming school.
I did have a wonderful post planned about how I am officially done school, and all my big plans for my future. And then Saturday happened.
To be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to post about this at all but I have had far to many sleepless "what if" nights since then and am hoping that writing about it will get it off my chest and I can move forward.
Saturday started normally. I went out in the morning and got a grad mani/pedi with my mom, worked for a bit in the afternoon, then Chris picked me up and we headed to Swiss Chalet to meet with friends before seeing a movie.
The details after this point are a bit skewed. All I can say with complete certainty is that things went from fine to crazy in less than a second. I remember talking about weddings. I remember beginning to laugh about the fact that my friend owns two wedding dresses, and the face that her husband made when this fact came up. Then I remember realizing I couldn't breathe. I was choking on, what I believe to be a tiny piece of chicken.
This is where Chris comes in. All I can say about this man is that he definitely does not panic under pressure. He realized I was choking, had me upright, did the Heimlich, and had the chicken out in probably a matter of 30 seconds. I can also say that time slowed right down and it was the longest 30 seconds of my life.
Being cut off from oxygen is probably my biggest fear, and after Saturday it's about 50 times worse. I was terrified. My whole body was shaking for probably 45 minutes after it was over and I completely lost my appetite. I'm also playing the "what if" game. "what if Chris had lost it. What if we were in a booth and not at a table and I couldn't get up as quickly. What if the chicken hadn't moved. I know this is pointless, and not what happened so there is really no need to think about it, but apparently this is how I deal.
I can also say it's getting better. It's not a constant topic anymore, I'm fine, minus a bit of a sore throat the day after.
I'm alive, and the only person I can thank for that at this point is the man I'm going to marry.
On a lighter note, I was alive enough to attend Yoga for the first time with the bestest last night and I now feel like a truck ran over me. Several times. Someone who does this on a regular basis PLEASE tell me it gets easier....
I did have a wonderful post planned about how I am officially done school, and all my big plans for my future. And then Saturday happened.
To be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to post about this at all but I have had far to many sleepless "what if" nights since then and am hoping that writing about it will get it off my chest and I can move forward.
Saturday started normally. I went out in the morning and got a grad mani/pedi with my mom, worked for a bit in the afternoon, then Chris picked me up and we headed to Swiss Chalet to meet with friends before seeing a movie.
The details after this point are a bit skewed. All I can say with complete certainty is that things went from fine to crazy in less than a second. I remember talking about weddings. I remember beginning to laugh about the fact that my friend owns two wedding dresses, and the face that her husband made when this fact came up. Then I remember realizing I couldn't breathe. I was choking on, what I believe to be a tiny piece of chicken.
This is where Chris comes in. All I can say about this man is that he definitely does not panic under pressure. He realized I was choking, had me upright, did the Heimlich, and had the chicken out in probably a matter of 30 seconds. I can also say that time slowed right down and it was the longest 30 seconds of my life.
Being cut off from oxygen is probably my biggest fear, and after Saturday it's about 50 times worse. I was terrified. My whole body was shaking for probably 45 minutes after it was over and I completely lost my appetite. I'm also playing the "what if" game. "what if Chris had lost it. What if we were in a booth and not at a table and I couldn't get up as quickly. What if the chicken hadn't moved. I know this is pointless, and not what happened so there is really no need to think about it, but apparently this is how I deal.
I can also say it's getting better. It's not a constant topic anymore, I'm fine, minus a bit of a sore throat the day after.
I'm alive, and the only person I can thank for that at this point is the man I'm going to marry.
On a lighter note, I was alive enough to attend Yoga for the first time with the bestest last night and I now feel like a truck ran over me. Several times. Someone who does this on a regular basis PLEASE tell me it gets easier....
March 8, 2011
Dreaming
I spend my days searching for beautiful shoes that I can wear on my wedding day such as these:
Or these
Or these:
I would even give into my mom about the whole blue shoe thing if I could have these:
Unfortunately we don't have 700+ extra dollars in the budget for these pretty shoes, so these may have to remain a dream
I think this is a perfect opportunity to include a sad smiley face :(
Or these
Or these:
I would even give into my mom about the whole blue shoe thing if I could have these:
Unfortunately we don't have 700+ extra dollars in the budget for these pretty shoes, so these may have to remain a dreamI think this is a perfect opportunity to include a sad smiley face :(
March 7, 2011
The Things I have Learned While Planning my Wedding....
1. EVERYONE has an opinion. They all think that their opinion is the best and they will share it whether you ask them to or not. Then you get this blank stare like you were expected to bow at their feet and thank them endlessly for this information that you could not have possibly lived without.
2. Because of the above, the first thing you should learn to do is convincingly nod and smile while tuning people out
3. Weddings, in some aspects, are like funerals (morbid, I know) and they will cause family drama.
4. Simple things are really complicated for some people. Unfortunate, but true
5. The words "why didn't I elope" will run through your mind at least once a month.
6. Planning a BIG, princess, Cinderella wedding is not nearly as much fun as you imagined it to be when you were 6
7. You can waste an entire day looking at pretty bride and bridesmaid dresses and have no clue what happened
8. The above is very dangerous when trying to complete an University degree.
9. Photographers are annoying
10. Bridesmaids are awesome (I'm not just saying that because my bridesmaids read this. They really are awesome. I recommend having as many as you can find)
11. There will NEVER be enough money
12. Long engagements? Over rated
I think that's it for now. Due to some unexpected wedding drama last night, I'm a little annoyed. This made me feel better.
2. Because of the above, the first thing you should learn to do is convincingly nod and smile while tuning people out
3. Weddings, in some aspects, are like funerals (morbid, I know) and they will cause family drama.
4. Simple things are really complicated for some people. Unfortunate, but true
5. The words "why didn't I elope" will run through your mind at least once a month.
6. Planning a BIG, princess, Cinderella wedding is not nearly as much fun as you imagined it to be when you were 6
7. You can waste an entire day looking at pretty bride and bridesmaid dresses and have no clue what happened
8. The above is very dangerous when trying to complete an University degree.
9. Photographers are annoying
10. Bridesmaids are awesome (I'm not just saying that because my bridesmaids read this. They really are awesome. I recommend having as many as you can find)
11. There will NEVER be enough money
12. Long engagements? Over rated
I think that's it for now. Due to some unexpected wedding drama last night, I'm a little annoyed. This made me feel better.
March 3, 2011
Changes
It's been a while since I last posted, and a lot has happened.
I have determined that this is the year of changes, and I hate change. I think it upsets my OCD because it honestly makes me a little panicky. I have a set schedule and system, that I happen to like and I'm not really a fan of messing with it.
Even so change is inevitable and this year seems to be my year.
The first change is my upcoming graduation. I can't believe that in April I will be officially done school. As exciting as this is, its a little scary. I have never been completely done school. I have taken years off, but always with the knowledge that I'm going back. This time I don't have that option. I have completed four years of a university program and if that can't get me a full time job then so be it.
This leads me to the other big change of recent. I have worked at my current part time job for almost 8 years. This means that I am not even close to prepared to start searching for a new job. I have no resume, no cover letter, no interview experience. Nothing. On top of this, my current boss and I have gotten to the point where we literally have no relationship. I don't talk to her, she doesn't talk to me and when we do talk it almost always leads to some kind of an altercation. It had gotten so bad after Christmas that I was maybe getting 4 hours a week and they were almost always a closing shift. It all came down to me being extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with the situation that I was in. My mother runs her own bookkeeping business, so I started working with her, around my other schedule, in an attempt to keep up my hours.
Obviously this didn't work. Working two jobs and going to school full time was making me even less happy then I was before. What this all leads to is that on Tuesday morning I officially quit my job. The Saturday before I sat down with my parents and explained to them that working shift work and trying to search for a job and arrange interviews around my schedule was just not possible. Since my dad is going back to work in about a month, my mom has a lot more work to offer me so she gave me the go ahead to quit my job and work for her, while searching for a full time job in my field.
As excited as I am to get out of a bad situation, it's also a little sad. I've tried explaining it to C that it's like losing your childhood security blanket. As much as I bitched and complained about the place, I knew that it would always be there. On top of that, I have met so many awesome people that I can't imagine not working with and who I am going to miss terribly.
On the other side I have this huge feeling of freedom. For the first time since I was 16, I'm going to have nights and weekends off, without asking for them.
I guess change is not only inevitable, but occasionally a good thing.
I have determined that this is the year of changes, and I hate change. I think it upsets my OCD because it honestly makes me a little panicky. I have a set schedule and system, that I happen to like and I'm not really a fan of messing with it.
Even so change is inevitable and this year seems to be my year.
The first change is my upcoming graduation. I can't believe that in April I will be officially done school. As exciting as this is, its a little scary. I have never been completely done school. I have taken years off, but always with the knowledge that I'm going back. This time I don't have that option. I have completed four years of a university program and if that can't get me a full time job then so be it.
This leads me to the other big change of recent. I have worked at my current part time job for almost 8 years. This means that I am not even close to prepared to start searching for a new job. I have no resume, no cover letter, no interview experience. Nothing. On top of this, my current boss and I have gotten to the point where we literally have no relationship. I don't talk to her, she doesn't talk to me and when we do talk it almost always leads to some kind of an altercation. It had gotten so bad after Christmas that I was maybe getting 4 hours a week and they were almost always a closing shift. It all came down to me being extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with the situation that I was in. My mother runs her own bookkeeping business, so I started working with her, around my other schedule, in an attempt to keep up my hours.
Obviously this didn't work. Working two jobs and going to school full time was making me even less happy then I was before. What this all leads to is that on Tuesday morning I officially quit my job. The Saturday before I sat down with my parents and explained to them that working shift work and trying to search for a job and arrange interviews around my schedule was just not possible. Since my dad is going back to work in about a month, my mom has a lot more work to offer me so she gave me the go ahead to quit my job and work for her, while searching for a full time job in my field.
As excited as I am to get out of a bad situation, it's also a little sad. I've tried explaining it to C that it's like losing your childhood security blanket. As much as I bitched and complained about the place, I knew that it would always be there. On top of that, I have met so many awesome people that I can't imagine not working with and who I am going to miss terribly.
On the other side I have this huge feeling of freedom. For the first time since I was 16, I'm going to have nights and weekends off, without asking for them.
I guess change is not only inevitable, but occasionally a good thing.
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