2 Weeks until it all needs to be done

I think I'm doing okay...Ross hasn't killed me yet :) Seriously, I thought there would be more to do than there is right now. I am having A LOT of fun with most of the wedding planning at this point.

We still have some really important things to do...have his ring sized, pick out my band, finish the favor stuff, etc..but nothing that feels too daunting at this point. We have an appointment Monday at lunch for our marriage license (exciting!) and have confirmed transportation for the wedding party (and for us leaving the wedding).

I have AMAZING friends that are helping with SOOO much that I am not stressed, but I am getting nervous now that it's raining in Feb...it could rain on our wedding. (Please no one comment to tell me that's good luck. It's still ugly pictures. But in the end, we still get married, so I could get over it I'm sure).

Back to work...

Oh my God, I'm getting MARRIED!!!

It occurred to me today, more than ever, that I'm about to get married. Wow. Now some may be saying, "you should have realized this a long time ago, duh." BUT, today is the first day that I can say "I am getting married THIS MONTH!" In 20 days from right now I will be Mrs. Ross Bowen. I can't wait.

Today was filled with spending time with Ross doing fun, non wedding related things for most of the day. Then at about 2pm we ran to some stores together to get jars for our candy buffet we've decided to have at the wedding. I realized that next weekend Ross may not be available since his bachelor party is Saturday night...I don't know that I can schedule things for Sunday ;)

I am happy to report that we found everything we were looking for and bought the ivory unscented candles for all of the votives as well. Crossing more things off the mental list is a GOOD thing.

We came home and filled out the paperwork for our photographer and DJ and are emailing those out today. Tomorrow night is a few more appointments to take care of details, and then next Saturday I have my final dress fitting and his bachelor party.

I have to take a moment and back up...Last weekend my maid of honor and some best friends took me out for a weekend bachelorette in Palm Desert. My FAVORITE hotel/spa (that I've ever been to so far in life) is the JW Marriott in Palm Desert--and my maid of honor knew that. She and a few friends and a couple bridesmaids took me there for the weekend and surprised me with an AWESOME massage appointment at their spa. We drank, joked, relaxed and forgot the real world for a weekend. I had a great time...and want to go back. Forever. :) It was a great time, and wonderful to have some of the people closest to me be together at the same time (not everyone lives here, so it doesn't happen often at ALL!).

Anyway..it was back to real life this week...and I am glad I had a break that weekend, because now it's crunch time. I am still crossing things off the list...so more posts to come.

I feel really good. For the most part. :) I think things are finally getting all taken care of, and we're moving right along. I cannot believe our wedding is so close! I cannot wait.

My bridal shower was on Sunday, 1/11 in Old Town for brunch. It was a lot of fun, very relaxing and it was great to see some friends I haven't seen in months! I received some fantastic kitchen gadgets and pans, so stay tuned for dinner parties and wine nights at my house! Kirstin--you're the best, and I love you. Thank you for putting together such a great shower, I cannot believe you're doing this in the midst of planning your wedding too!

So far, I met with my make up artist yesterday, the DJ tonight, my hairdresser on Friday and have already made appointments with other vendors to check in as well. I still need to find stands for the table cards, the stationary I want to use with the favors, and a few other little things...but things are going great!

Right now the biggest headache I have is with deciding what to do with my hair (all down? half up/half down?) and whether or not to wear a veil. I've never thought "ooh, I want to wear a veil" and Ross and I are not the most traditional people ever to get married, so I am debating if I want to wear a flower in my hair, which I think is cute, BUT...then I am afraid, will it wilt/die before the wedding ceremony or early in reception? Is a fake flower tacky?

Other than that, I am just frustrated with the men's suits. Ross and the groomsmen opted to buy their suits, which I thought was great. They picked out pretty basic black suits and they opted to rent the accessories to match the bridesmaids. I went in there, and the suits were on sale. I said "great. how long is the sale going on for?" I was told until 1/25. (this was early Jan). I came back 5 days later with some of the groomsmen and Ross and they were no longer on sale. Seriously? So, that took the power of an annoyed bride and groom, and a sympathetic salesman who opted to sell 6 suits on sale rather than 0 suits. BUT, then I asked my dad to go in and get measured to have some alterations done, and he did. And they forgot to confirm his rentals, so he has to go back...nightmare. Why do I feel like the day before the wedding when the guys go to pick up their rentals, etc...that it will be wrong?

I am of the opinion that if the above are our biggest problems, we're probably in good shape though. I am having fun with all of these appointments, its just time consuming. My last fitting is on 1/31 for my wedding gown--canNOT wait! That's it for now...

I must, again, take a moment to say THANK YOU to some of my friends for being so fabulous. Ashlie, Ashley, Kirstin, all of the bridesmaids you are all wonderful and completely responsible for preventing a bridal melt down.

A Better Day

Okay...I am feeling so much better today! I feel like a new bride today in so many ways.

I have a MUCH better idea for a timeline for the wedding day, I've scheduled trials with both the hair stylist and make up artists for this month. I booked my last hair cut before the wedding for next weekend. I've confirmed with the bridesmaids who wants what (hair/make up) to be done so they all know how many girls they need to style that day. I've emailed the photographer (who is ALWAYS quick with feedback-- Tony Eisenhower. He's great!). I followed up with some questions to our coordinator at the AKC and have also followed up with the officiant performing the ceremony to confirm what she needs from us and when we'll next meet. Aahhh.. (<-- sigh of relief rather than panic). :)

Other goings on...I am searching for a limo at a reasonable price to pick the bridal party up from the Omni where we're getting ready, to take us to the Cabrillo National Monument for pre wedding pics, then to AKC for the wedding. Any suggestions out there??

I emailed with one of my girlfriends who is going to make place cards for the tables (since we're having a seating chart, I hope this makes it easier for everyone to find their places). She has the gift of craftiness and art that I lack...we're a perfect pair! Ashley, thank you!

Ross is listening to music samples from the DJ's list right now selecting what is ok and not ok to play at the wedding and we even went looking at tuxedos last night...and had great luck! The guys may all buy their suits rather than rent and just rent the accessories instead. (Which is even better, can't have too many suits, we're going to 3 weddings already this year!).

Today is such a better day! :) I keep hearing stories that it will be like this until the wedding reception is half way over, but I still contend that it won't be that bad. I am determined to have FUN and no worries the week of the wedding. I don't mind stress now if it gives me an earlier "light at the end of the tunnel."

Tomorrow and Thursday I am picking my niece up from her pre-school and watching her until about 8:30p. And Thursday will be fun because we're going to try on more flower girl dresses (which she LOVE, LOVES trying on). She's 4 years old and completely content in the princess stage of life, it is absolutely adorable.

This weekend I am picking up my wedding dress and seeing what, if any, alterations are needed and then heading to my bridal shower on Sunday...which Kirstin (maid of honor/cousin) won't tell me much about other than time/location. I don't think there will be much to worry/stress about for the rest of the week and I am going to relax and enjoy it (while it lasts ;) ).

The countdown continues

It's already been almost a month since my last post--I can't believe it! Time is flying by. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a happy new year!

As for us, we have been taking turns being sick with the cough/cold that's going around and are finally getting over it. Back to wedding reality...we are getting married in 47 days and all of those little details that we kept saying "we'll take care of it later," are needing to be taken care of all at once.

The invitations went out, but then I had a few friends call or email to say they hadn't received an invite and were wondering when they were going out...WHAT?! (*sigh*). I understand no one can control the postal service, but seriously...how the the invitation make it to England, but not less than 2 miles from our house to my friend in Rancho SD? But, not a big deal in the big picture. We've begun to call/email people we haven't heard back from to confirm they received it, etc. It's just one of those things that reminds me things go wrong and you just have to deal. (but I don't have to like it) :)

It's time to really start looking at what is left to do. Planning what to pack for the honeymoon (yes, I think about those kinds of things 2 months in advance...have I mentioned that being Type A is a big part of my life?)

But the real wedding details...confirming with vendors, confirming dates, times, etc. Then I received an email from the make up artist I am booking that she was wondering about the timeline for the day and how many girls were having the make up done...(*sigh*). I don't know any of that yet. Where do I begin to figure it out? Understandable question, if I were her I'd want to plan my day too in case she has other jobs...but really, where do I begin to figure out what time? What is enough time? How do I know when I will be getting my hair done, will that be a conflict, probably. So who do I confirm with first--hair or make up? Then, what about the photographer..when do they get there, when would they like to get pics taken for the best light? When will the florist be there with the flowers so we can begin taking pictures with the arrangements? The sun is setting at 5:40p that day...will we get good pics in the dark? What will really happen if it rains that day? How long will it take to move things inside and set up in there?

I can't be at the venue before a certain time because it's on a military base...so that means I really can't even see the venue before I'm all ready to get married, which means I won't have a chance to change anything if I want to, because I don't want everyone to see me in my dress....(DEEP BREATH).

All of the above jibberish and rambling thoughts ran through my head today at once.

I've since got some things figured out, and I feel a lot better. BUT, all I can really do is hope that the timing sort of works out. All I know is that in the end, I'm getting MARRIED!! :) In 6 weeks I will be Mrs. Ross Bowen. So in the end, I understand it doesn't really matter if the candles aren't where I would have put them or a place setting isn't they way I wanted it or whatever. I AM GETTING MARRIED! But there will be another new blog tomorrow to expand on these thoughts, but we have to run out right now to look at tuxedos for the groom and groomsmen. More tomorrow.

Recovery and Relief

Woo-Hoo! The invitations are out! I must thank Ashlie M for all of her help with these! They were all mailed out on Saturday morning and I am thrilled. It felt like the last "big" thing we were on a deadline for and now that we can cross that off...I feel that we can relax a bit for a few weeks. Ross and I had fun putting the wax seals on the envelopes, although it was a bit tricky. Sorry if you got one that was a little strange looking, it took a few to get the hang of! :)

I realize its been a few weeks, so I can also update you on my foot--thank God, no cast. I stopped using crutches after about a week. When I went back in for my follow up doctor appointments the verdict was that since it's a hairline fracture it should heal okay on its own and if not improving over a few weeks to call podiatry. Yah00, I am getting around better and better, no boot for me! And, I made it back to the gym a few times this week. I can't run, but I am pretty efficient on the eliptical trainer if I lean on the heel more than the ball of my foot.

***One word of caution to all who plan to attend our wedding-BRING the ORANGE card from the invite with you. It is your pass on base and allows you to park your vehicle on base. I can not get any more, so please hang on to the one sent to you. If you lose it, let me or Ross know, we have a couple of extras.***

2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back

I am happy to report that more deposits are going out and we have just about all of the details wrapped up and now it just comes to finishing the invitations, getting them out and confirming everything for headcount, etc...the things that can't be done until closer to the wedding.

I am trying very hard not to panic, but I BROKE A BONE in my foot this weekend and find out shortly if I will need to be in a cast or just a boot. I'm in a splint and on crutches at the moment.

I do feel good that a lot of the details are taken care of and I won't have to be going on a lot of initial meetings with vendors, but at the same time-I have a lot to do! Not to mention wanting to work out regularly, wanting to get things done for the house; the timing was not ideal for this to happen.

On the bright side--it happened far enough away from the wedding that even if I do need a cast, I believe it will be healed before the wedding.