Capri

I've decided that I'm done with this place. I'm packing up and getting the hell out of Dodge. Where am I going? Capri, Italy of course!

It was the last stop on our honeymoon, and it was by far the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The air smelled sweeter, the skies and the waters were an incredible shade of blue, and the views were breathtaking. I've decided it's the place I need to live, and I will do everything I can to get back there again.

I'm packing my bags now...

Wedding

WE DID IT!!!

And let me tell you... everything was PERFECT. Leading up to the day everyone was saying... something will go wrong, but you've just got to move forward and enjoy the day. I appreciated the advice more than I can say, so I woke up on the morning of the wedding with an open mind, and a surprisingly calm disposition.

I headed over the venue first thing in the morning with the bridal party and a few other amazing helpers (mom, dad, brothers, and sister in laws) and we set up. My beautiful bridesmaids and I ran through a surprise musical number we had prepared for my handsome groom, and then I headed back home to get ready.

I took my time taking a shower, had a snack, and my hairdresser (who is a friend I have known since Elementary School) set my hair into curls. Then I grabbed my dress and headed on over to the venue to begin! I can't believe how quickly time flew by. Before I knew it, there I was in my wedding gown standing before a full length mirror sobbing uncontrollably. I couldn't stop, and it only got worse when my dad came in to get me. They were happy tears, and tears for my grandmother who I wished with all my heart could be there with me. I don't care what they say... losing someone you love NEVER gets easier.

I was trying to hold it together as my daddy walked me down the isle, and as soon as I saw my groom standing there at the altar, everything changed. It was a moment I could never imagine being in, because I had never experienced it. It was such a wonderful feeling to see him, and I clearly remember every single step I took down that isle arm and arm with my dad. The ceremony was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and I had never been happier.

When it was over, we did our pictures, then headed up to the party. The best advice I got from people was to take a moment to look around and enjoy, and believe me, we did. The whole night was unforgettable, and when it started moving too fast, I took a time out to take it all in. The Super Secret Wedding Project was sock puppets and they were a huge hit! (I'll post more on that later.) Our surprise musical number was perfect, I got to eat, I got to have cake, and I danced my brains out without any influence of alcohol. When the last song finished playing and the lights came back up, I was still beaming from ear to ear. We snatched up a box of chocolate covered strawberries, jumped in the car that said "Just Married" all over it, and we headed off to the Grand California Hotel at Disneyland to spend the night.

As we closed our eyes for the evening in the incredibly comfortable bed, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the happiest day of my life, and I will never forget it.

I busted out three of the ten remaining favors today! BAM! I'm on a roll!

I'm trying to get everything at work in order before I leave, and that's probably the only thing I WONT have to worry about when I'm gone. A friend of mine is going to cover for me while I'm gone and she's pretty much amazing, so I know everything will be in good hands.

In other news, I contacted our venue about the FINAL floor plan (hopefully for the last time) to ask about getting one little table for a photo booth we are setting up. I told her it's by the Porta Bar in the lounge area.... and she had no idea what I was talking about. Turns out, we had made those plans with our FIRST coordinator, so it got lost somewhere along the way. After a few phone calls back in fourth and an email here or there, it's finally all settled. For now... I just had to give up the couches that I had originally wanted in there. Oh well. Couches are the least of my worry.

I also got to touch base with one of my VERY busy bridesmaids who was able to find time in her insane schedule to make menus that will be on each of the tables. They are super cute and one less thing I have to worry about. It feels so good to cross things off my list!

Tomorrow is another day, so here's hopeing I get something accomplished!!

Just when I think I can finally sit back and relax, things take a sudden and dramatic turn for the worse. Our new wedding coordinator isn't the one we started with, which is the biggest bummer out of everything. Today we met up with her, and aside from not getting any hugs, I just didn't feel like our wedding was something to celebrate, I felt like it was a giant business deal and nothing more. Where's the love? I miss our old coordinator Amanda SO much.

We got everything finalized (except for the guests we've added), and we're almost ready to go. Hmmm... it seems like we're always ALMOST ready to go. We still need to get paper for our photo printer, a program for my computer, paper, I need to make MORE placecards since the dog ate some, and MORE favors. I need to pack, figure out where the heck we are staying once we get to Italy, and I need to get the house ready for our house sitter. I'm really starting to stress out again.

Right now I'm reading a fictional book about these four girls who run a wedding business together and I can't help but wish they were in charge of our wedding. I need help, and a LOT of it.

On the eleventh day of planning my fiance gave to me, eleven songs to dance to...

Today I went through all my lists and made sure they all matched. Of course... they didn't, and I had left a few people off the main list which brought our guest cout up a little. More guests equals more Super Secret favors. I have a lot of work ahead of me this weeked... but at least I have everyone's names on place cards!

But the good news is that I was able to figure out when my hair and makeup is getting done, and get a better idea overall of what the hell I'm supposed to be doing that day.

12

Not this Saturday but next, I will be getting married. I can't believe how close we are!!! 12 MORE DAYS!!!

This weekend was the bachelor party weekend in Vegas, so I packed up my stuff (and the dog)and headed to mom's house since I didn't want to spend the weekend alone. Saturday morning at 9am, the work began. My sister is a photographer, and she set up a mini studio in the living room to do a photo shoot of the "Super Secret Wedding Project" favors. She was going to take pictures of each one so I could put them into a little coffee table book. I spent way too much time on this project to just give it all away and forget about it.

Around 10am, my bridesmaids and soon to be mother in law came over, and that's when the REAL work began. We set up stations all over the house. One to work on final touches for the project, one for centerpieces, and one for making more favors. The house was filled with laughter and love, and together we got everything done! YAY!!! My sister set up the "Super Secret Wedding Project" in the back yard, and I got my picture taken with all the favors. I can't wait to post pictures of it!!!

That evening, we all went out for pizza and beer to celebrate. The boys were out celebrating... why couldn't we? It was kind of a mini bachelorette party.

Sunday morning I went home to a very tired fiance, and we met with our photographers for a final rundown and walk through of the wedding day. It was fun to do that, because we got to see exactly what the venue will look like at the time of our wedding. It's so lush and green, and the flowers are in bloom, and there were bunnies EVERYWHERE!! It's going to be so beautiful, and I can't wait!

After that, I met up with one of my lovely bridesmaids (Womby), and we went out for a super nerd dinner. We are both fans of the Bravo channel, and the show Flipping Out with Jeff Lewis. On this season, he is re-modeling a restaurant, and in every episode he is eating food there and talking about how amazing it is. I have never craved Mexican food so bad in my life! So Womby and I geeked out and drove an hour to get there. Oh my gosh... it was TOTALLY worth it! the food was incredible and it's all I've been able to think about since then. Thanks for dinner Womby! We MUST go again!!

Now all I have left to do is pack, and put the names on placecards, and MAYBE make a couple extra favors just in case. These next few days are going to fly by so fast...

Shower!!!

Today was incredible. When I showed up at my mom's house, there were the most adorable decorations all over the table that my niece, sister, mom, friend, and her little sister set up. It was SO cute. White table clothes, banners, cupcake signs, bride and groom cake toppers, rose petals, and flowers were all over, and it seriously almost made me cry.

The guests arrived almost immediately, and let me tell you, I have never felt more love. I had old high school friends, work friends, family friends, neighbors, and family of course who all arrived, and there were probably close to thirty people there. Everyone took a seat at the table, and my friend (and bridesmaid) dressed me in a "Bride to Be" sash, white gloves, pearls, and a flower clip with an adorable veil attached, then the buffet began. There was biscuits and gravy, meatballs, fruits, veggies, yogurt, hummus, pasta, chicken enchiladas, and all kinds of other stuff to eat, and it was pure food bliss.

After eating, everyone had to draw a number, and as their number was called, they got to select a gift (a la White Elephant style), and all the gifts were hilarious, ugly, or stupidly fun items that you would find on the clearance rack of your local Ross or Tj Maxx. It was a blast to see what people were getting, and the octopus martini glass was for sure the most desired item.

After the gifts were handed out and laughed over, there was a wedding word search game, followed by a game to see who knew me and my fiancee the best. My sister had asked my fiancee and I a list of fun questions, and now she was going to ask the shower attendees to see who knew us best. Apparently I'm more complicated than I realized... because not even my mother knew many of the answers to the questions about me. But then again, "What kind of animal would you want to be" doesn't come up in conversations much. And for those of you wondering... I would want to be a Speckled Bear.

After the game, it was time for the craft. My sister bought out squares of white fabric, and fabric pens, along with little felt owls, sugar cookies, and fortune cookies. The owl represented words of wisdom, the sugar cookie was a sweet thought, and the fortune cookie was a wish. I'm a VERY sentimental person, and the craft was to pick one of the felt objects, and write a message on it, and design the fabric square that will be sewn into a quilt and presented on our wedding day. My sister gave me a little wrapped box, and said that inside was an example. Of course, it was a fabric square designed by my fiancee. I broke down crying as I read the words, "You're as beautiful as every Hawaiian sunrise we shared." (Side story, we went with his family to Hawaii on vacation and we made it a point every morning to be the first ones out on the beach to watch the sunrise. Just me and him.) He's so darn cute. I left to help my mom clean as people worked on them because I don't want to see them until the quilt is done. I had had enough crying for one shower.

We took a little break for dessert, which were delicious cupcakes of course, then it was time to open gifts.

Oh... my... gosh... I was spoiled today. People were told to bring a household item that starts with the first letter of their first OR last name, but everyone went above and beyond. I still can't believe how generous people are, and it gets me choked up right now just thinking about it. My registry has been wiped clean, and I wont need pajamas for a very long time.

The heat took us over as the shower came to an end, and it was time to say goodbye. I must say that this has been a truly unforgettable day, and my sister is to thank. She and my mom really pulled out all the stops, and after the troubles we've been having this past year, it made it that much more special. So thank you to my sister, for making me feel beautiful, special, and so incredibly loved, and thank you to my mom who spent hours over the oven making delicious food, and letting us use her patio. Also, to my friend and her little sister who got up waaay too early to drive over and set up.

20 more days.