everybody's workin' for THIS weekend!

Well, the ball keeps rolling. I've gotten almost everything on my ta-da to-do list finished... and with no surprise, there's still more to do! It's pretty great though. I feel like the end of all the planning is almost here and soon it'll just be time to relax and enjoy the wedding! If there's any advice I have to give about the final week of wedding planning, I'd say get it all done by two days before the wedding at the latest, if you can. I've been working my tail off these past two weeks, but the pay off is that the two days leading up to the wedding, I can be a calm-as-a-cucumber, to-do list free bride. So here's what I've gotten done in the past week:


Perfect programs for the ceremony
My brother Matt took over on this project and they look great! They still need to be printed, but they're basically done.


Design and print signs for the reception hall
These are all set! Matt designed these as well. He used the fonts the we used on the invites and save-the-dates so all the printed things sort of go together. I'm not going to show pictures of any of these now though... I want them to be a surprise to all the guests.

Design and print inserts for the luggage tag favors
Matt designed these as well (seriously, he's awesome) and FedEx Office took care of the printing today. I tried Staples first but they were going to be a bit more expensive. Lesson learned, if you have printing needs, choose FedEx Office. Other lesson learned: FedEx Office = Kinkos. Kinkos doesn't exist anymore. That was confusing for a little while. 


Make the tack-the-map board
My dad helped me put this together tonight. We decided not to use a map of the whole world because all our RI guests wouldn't have had room to fit their tacks on the map (insert RI-is-super-tiny joke here)! Plus, we don't have anyone coming from out of the US. Problem solved! So, we ended up finding a great vintage map of the US at Staples the other day that we glued down to the cork board tonight. We had to glue blue ribbon borders around the map since it didn't quite fit on the large cork board we had. Oh well! It actually looks really neat. Can't wait to have our guests tack their locations on to the map! It'll look even better. 

This was before we added any of the ribbon...
 a very early version of the tack-the-map project.

Meet with the DJ
I met with the DJ (my brother's friend Chris) about a week ago, the same night I worked with my brother Matt on all the printed stuff for the wedding. It seems like the night will flow smoothly! He knows all the songs I want to be played (which will be collected by my brother, loaded on to my computer, and played from my iTunes on the night of the wedding... saving money!), when to introduce things, who to introduce, etc., etc. I was a little nervous about music before I met with him, but I'm much more comfortable now. We still have a lot of music to find and load on to my computer, but this should come along over the next few days. 


Work on speech for rehearsal dinner
I let John take care of this and he did an AMAZING job on our speech, trying to convey our deepest gratitude for all the wonderful things our friends and family have done for us... not only to help in planning the wedding, but just overall throughout our lives. I'm so glad I let him take over on that. It should be very moving that evening :) 


Make bags for out-of-town guests
This wasn't on my original to-do list, but my mom had the idea to put together some bags for the out-of-towners staying at the Radisson. We found some of those reusable grocery bags and filled them with information about Newport, RI, directions to the church, water bottles, snacks, my dad's ideas for touring Newport, RI and my top 5 list of things to try in RI. I'm excited for our guests to see/use them!


Perfect the seating chart
This was one of my most challenging tasks in prepping for the wedding. It was just really difficult to get the right combinations of guests in the right numbers at the right tables. Then, after finally figuring it all out, I had to write it all out for the Radisson, which ended up being a stressful event in and of itself... because included with writing it all out, I had to list the food counts... chicken vs. beef vs. vegetarian vs. kiddie meals. The numbers kept turning out  wrong. We ended up with 130 guests, but the food wasn't adding up! It took me a little while of counting and re-counting and re-re-counting, but eventually I figured it out. All's good in the hood now! My suggestion though... don't offer more than one meal option. It'll make the seating and organizing WAY earlier. Just my two cents!


While I'm here in RI working on all this wedding stuff, John is still back in Houston putting our apartment together! He is about 96% moved out of his apartment as I type this and has been working on moving all his stuff over for about two weeks now. I felt bad leaving him behind to put our new place together, but he's doing such a great job! It's so exciting to talk about "our" apartment! I'm not used to saying that. Can't wait to be his official roomie!


And even more exciting is that I get to see him again in about 48 hours. He arrives in RI on Wednesday late into the evening. Before he arrives, we'll be having dinner with his parents and siblings (because they fly in before him!) at my parents' house on Wednesday night. Then, after that, just a few short days left til the wedding! I really can't believe this... it's almost here!! 

Bride on a Mission

I'm getting stuff done! Here are the few things I've checked off my to-do list.


Travel home to RI
This was probably the easiest task on the list. Not going to lie, it was a stressful day of travel (had to deplane the first plane for mechanical issues and got pushed to a flight 5 hours later. Then had a "lost luggage" scare in RI after landing.) A long day, but made it home safely with the gown!

Run to the craft store to buy stuff for reception hall decorations
This has taken us two days. I'm pretty sure we've gotten all the supplies we need. We've been to about 10 different stores buying lots of different do-dads (corkboard, vases, string, sharpies, etc.). We'll probably need to do a few last minute runs, but I feel good about getting almost all the shopping done. 

Make the seating key cards and attach to keys
It's taken me a few hours to get this all together. Yesterday I stamped every one of the envelope cards, then labeled all of them with guests' names. Today I attached the keys to each one. All that's left is adding the table numbers... but we haven't 100% figured out where everyone is sitting yet, so we'll have to wait for that.

Finish bridesmaids gifts 
They're all bagged and ready to go! I had lots of fun putting these together. Can't tell you any more because my b-maids are probably reading this now. 

Have a make-up trial run
It turned out great! This was a pretty easy task too. Just sit in the chair and let the professional make you pretty :) We had to adjust the lip color a few times, but in the end, I think we got it right. Loving the smokey eyes...

Have another final fitting with my gown
Well... there's a bit of craziness to this one. I mentioned a few posts ago that after my final fitting in Houston, I wasn't 100% happy with the way the gown was fitting. So, I set up an appointment at Sassy & Classy here in RI and went in expecting to make just a few small adjustments. An hour later and that wasn't the case... one look at the dress and the seamstress could instantly tell that it needed a lot of work. We took in the sides more, fixed the completely crooked hem, changed the bustle completely, and even discovered some pins that the seamstress in Houston had left in the gown! Talk about crazy. I'm a little stressed about how much it's going to cost to fix it all, but to be honest, by the end of the appointment I felt SO much better about the way the gown was fitting. Looking back on pictures from today, I can finally say that I feel that I look like a bride in my gown, whereas before (after fittings in Houston) I never quite felt that way. Sorry I can't show you pictures of this one, but you only have to wait a few more days to see anyway :) I can't believe I've kept it a secret for this long!!


Tomorrow we have another meeting at the Radisson to finalize plans with Linda, the event coordinator. There will probably be more to report in the afternoon. Stay tuned!

Reception Vision & the To-Do List

I've already shared a bunch of these pictures, but here are my ideas for the reception all in one fun inspiration board!

The top left is what I've asked for the cake to look like and the bottom right is what Kate Niemer is working on replicating for our cake topper! The keys up top will have guests names attached on a key card, helping guests to figure out where they'll be seated. The hard-to-see pic in the top right is tables with white table clothes, silver chairs, and blue napkins... the exact look we're going for. I hope it works out with the maroon/yellow rugs and golden chandeliers. Hrmmm. Below that is the tack-the-map board that guests will tack with their spot of origin... we're going to work on that next week. Then there's the head table (love all the candles), the teacups, which will be on a lot of tables, and a view of the courtyard at the Radisson. It's nice to see it all come together like that.

So, am I freaking out right now because the wedding is less than 3 weeks away? No-sir-ree! I'm going to be honest, blogging about the whole planning experience has actually helped me stay on top of all the planning. There aren't many things left to be done, so this bride is one calm cucumber. It also helps that she's had the past 1.5 weeks off from work (teaching) and has more free time ahead leading up to the wedding.

You're probably wondering now, what does Stephanie have left to do in the next 18 days? Well, I'll tell ya. Here's the ta-da to-do list! (I say ta-da because it's very manageable):

Travel home to RI
Perfect and print the programs for the ceremony
Design and print signs for the reception hall
Design and print inserts for the luggage tag favors
Run to the craft store to buy stuff for reception hall decorations
Perfect the seating chart
Make the seating key cards and attach to keys
Make the tack-the-map board
Meet with the DJ
Work on speech for rehearsal dinner
Finish bridesmaids gifts & purchase other gifts
Have a make-up trial run
Have another final fitting with my gown

... and that about sums it up. Yes, you read that last one correctly. After my last fitting (where I claimed on facebook that my dress "fit like a glove"), I tried the gown on again and it just isn't perfect. I think I may have been bloated when I tried it on. Plus, I wasn't super happy with the way it was taken in in a few spots, so basically, I'm going have one last final fitting in RI (at Sassy & Classy) to make sure things are perfect. They'll also be steaming my dress for me! Bye-bye wrinkles. I'm taking my gown with me in a carry-on on the plane home to RI, so the steaming will be a must.

Sorry, I've got to run! Time to work on checking more off that ta-da to-do list!

Recent Purchases Have Arrived!

Luggage tags... check! They're perfect.

Bridesmaids gifts... check! Girls, you're going to LOVE them.

Napkins... check... them out :)

 

They're not exactly the right colors, but they'll do. Don't you love the monogrammedness?

Groomsmens' socks... check! And check them out...

They look so cozy and fun. Better prepare the photographer/my brother to take a sweet sock shot of all the boys.

Keys for escort cards... check! They look SO awesome. Can you tell they're wooden?

Other recent purchases include John's belt and shoes and my earrings. He still needs a nice white dress shirt  and I'm on the hunt for some shoes for the reception. After we purchase those two little pieces, our wedding day attire should be all set. John's mom offered me the opportunity to wear her mother's bracelet on the big day. It'll be my something blue, as it's made of sapphires and diamonds. Perfect! I feel honored to wear it :)

Currently, I'm working with my brother to complete the invitations. They should be ordered and on their way to our guests' homes in the next two-ish weeks. All I can say is... they look AMAZING. He's worked so hard on them for us, and it definitely shows. Pictures will be posted after guests have received them... don't want to ruin the surprise.

Also, I forgot to mention that the rehearsal dinner venue has been booked! John's parents (with the help of a few suggestions from my parents) picked out the restaurant 1149 for the event. If you're a Rhode Islander, you know this place is a delicious and hip spot in the middle of the state, and you're aware of how awesome it'll be for a rehearsal dinner. We're very excited about their choice.

Other than that, everything is basically at a lull right now. We're working on getting more paperwork for the church and soon we'll be putting together readings and music for the mass. We'll also start working on getting music together for the reception, pick up some more decorations for the reception, design different paper goodies for the wedding day, and other random things that make the big day go 'round. I know I say this often, but I'm pretty shocked at how quickly time is flying and how nicely (slash easily) the details are coming together. Call me lucky, I guess... or maybe just lucky-in-love. Aww shucks! 74 days to go!

recent purchases

I've bought oodles of fun things on etsy.com recently. I've mentioned etsy before, but I'll throw it out there again... it's awesome. All handmade stuff from people just like you and me interested in selling their arts and crafts. It's heaven for brides. I go on there and am able to find almost anything I need wedding related.

Today I bought this:

from user annapanik

It's a flower for my hair! I'll be wearing it at the reception. I mentioned it to John and he said, "I've always thought you'd be beautiful with a flower in your hair." How sweet is that? Well... your dream comes true, Mr. Johnny boy.

I've also made some fun purchases for my bridesmaids! I can't mention exactly what I've gotten them (as I think most of them read the blog), but it involves jewelry and cutesy handbags :)

And I have my eye on this veil:

from user romancingtheveil

That's sort of the look I'm after for my veil. It's a bit longer than I'd like, but I love how the amount of tule isn't overwhelming and the pencil-thin edging is a nice touch. The one I want will be at about finger tip length.

On theknot.com (another great resource for wedding planning brides), John and I found these lovely napkins:

theknot.com

We ordered the pattern you see upfront... they say, "Eat, drink, and be married." How precious is that? They also have our names on them and our wedding date. We ordered 100 in that bright green color with dark navy lettering, and 100 in the navy color with silver lettering. A fine, fun little detail if I do say so myself.

John has also been extremely helpful in putting together the plan for the favors for our guests. My mom came up with the idea to give out luggage tags as favors (to go along with the "travel" theme). John and I did some research and we decided quickly that we didn't like any of the pre-made options available online. They were either too cheap/flimsy looking, too cheesy, or too far out of our price range. So, John took over and found these online: 

from embroiderthis.com

We only purchased one (to make sure it's what we want), but the plan is to get 175 of these, and fit them with something that has a design similar to our save-the-date. That way, we don't have to buy one with a cheesy design, or that doesn't quite go with all our color/theme plans. And my brother Matt has already agreed to help us design the inserts (thanks bro!). On the front of the insert, it'll say, "thank you" or our names/wedding date, and the backside will have space for guests to write their name, address, phone number, etc (to make it useable as a luggage tag). It'll be a fun, little DIY project for me and the fiance.

We still have some important wedding purchases in our near future, including groomsmen gifts, escort card materials, supplies for the tack-the-map "guestbook," and a few other fun decorative elements. I'll keep you guys posted as more purchases are made :)

Centerpieces, Flowers, Etc.

During my week home, I had the opportunity to hang out with the florist (my mom's long time friend, Niki) and work on ideas for flowers and centerpieces. Here's the skinny...


There will be three different types of centerpieces. One centerpiece will involve three antique tea cups, planted with african violets and a vase of white flowers between them. The second centerpiece will have a stack of three antique books topped with a small, clear bottle holding white flowers. The third centerpiece will be a mix of different antiques (old milk jugs, a lantern, crackers tins, etc) accompanied by a vase of flowers. Each table will also have 3 votive candles. Some tables will have maps laid under the books, vases, tea cups, etc. to go along with our adventure theme. 

Here you can see some of the tea cups, a stack of old books, and
a tiny vase atop them. Also, our florist (Niki) is in the background.  

As for flowers, we have a variety of white flowers and leafy green plants (to pull in the green colors of our "blue and green" theme) and maybe even some succulents! Each bridesmaid will carry a different white flower (white roses, white hydrangeas, amaryllis, carnations, and I can't remember the rest), and my bouquet will be a big combination of all their flowers. 


Niki was so helpful while I was explaining my ideas ... she knows her flowers well and came up with some great arrangement ideas. And she also has a great artistic eye for things such as centerpieces. We even put together some more ideas concerning the seating cards, tack-the-map piece, and gift table. 


Also, a recent addition to our reception decor: my parents booked a rental of 150 silver chiavari chairs (because the chairs at the Radisson are red & gold and no bueno) AND uplighting for the room. We'll also be renting navy blue napkins to bring in the blue of our "green & blue" color scheme. 


If you've never seen chiavari chairs before, they're all the rage in the wedding scene. Especially when the reception hall you're renting out only supply VERY outdated and heinous-looking chairs. Here are some pictures of the chiavari chairs and uplighting. 

Silver chiavari chairs

Uplighting! Ours will probably be a mix of blues and greens.

Tack-the-Map Guest Book

I mentioned this guest book idea in an earlier post. Instead of signing a tradition guest book, guests will instead place a pin in a map to indicate where they travelled from or (going along with our adventure theme) "where their adventures began."

Well, as I was perusing one of my favorite wedding blogs (weddingchicks.com), I came across the exact idea, played out at a couple's wedding. This will be helpful for us when we design ours. Cute, right?

(photo by visionari)

Photo Dump

Our theme is vintage adventure. We were originally inspired by the movie Up! (which is where John's proposal idea came from). From there, we decided that maps and other fun adventurey things would be incorporated into the theme/decor. Somehow, vintage keys got involved (think "unlocking" the adventure) and also tea cups, tea pots, and old books. I don't know if they all go together yet, but just think old trinkets and I think they'll some how work out. 

So now, I'm just going to dump a bunch of photos on you guys to give you an idea of some wedding details (stolen from other weddings) that give us inspiration for our theme and feel of the day. 

It all started here, with some vintagey Up! inspirations. 

How can you have Up! without the grape soda bottle caps? They sell these on etsy.com.

I love the colors here, and the adorable clutches that each girl is holding.

Beautiful green & white flowers

Close up of green & white flowers. Also, the green of the dress is one of our colors.

Another flower shot

This is a different type of bouquet, still incorporating the green & white.

I love the green bottles here. We probably won't end up using them at our wedding, but I love the colors anyway.

The candles lining the head table are so much fun. And I love the idea of turning the b-maids' bouquets into vases of flowers. They quickly become a decoration at the reception and stay hydrated at the same time! How practical!!

Not in our colors, but still... I love the look of vintage books. And think about it - novels are totally ADVENTURES! Perfect for the theme :) 

Not sure what our save-the-date or invites will look like yet, but I love the map and color scheme here.

I am SO in love with this cake. I love how simple it is, yet it still has some sass & fun with the different textures. I think it would look amazing with this cake-topper...

I originally fell in love with this when I found it on etsy. Since then, Kate Niemer (co-worker and dress shopping buddy extraordinaire) has volunteered to make it for us! I think it has a trinket-y, old fashioned feel to it.

We really want skeleton keys to be a part of our big day in a big way. Just love the look of 'em.

Skeleton key escort cards on a door? Yep. Consider it done. And how vintagey, right?! We found these wooden skeleton keys on etsy.com to help make this happen...

Don't you love these save-the-dates?! They're a little out of our price range, but I figured I'd include a pic as another visual for the escort card idea.

I just love succulents. Not sure if we'll be able to incorporate much of them, but love them just the same.

My mom is getting old tea cups and tea pots to pot flowers in. They'll be used as part of the centerpieces on the tables. Again, think trinkets.  

Here's another ADORABLE idea. Instead of a guestbook, have guests put their thumbprints (in our colors) on this precious tree, then sign underneath. Voila! Instant piece of artwork for future home. And if we had an older looking frame, it'd totally fit in with the theme.

Another idea is to have guests put a thumbtack in a vintage map to signify where they came from or where their "adventure" began. We could use this as the guest book, then when the wedding is over, we can hang it in our house and have guests continue to put thumb tacks in it for years to come!