I take it back.

RoyBoy will not be moving up here. He really, really doesn't want to. So he's not going to. And I won't make him. He will be visiting soon, so that's nice. And I will be going down there, so that's nice. I am going to try to find a job that can lead to a career, anywhere, and then maybe we can work stuff out. We'll see.

...and how does that make you feel?

My uncle, who is the owner of the house where RoyBoy and I will wed, is also going to be our officiant. I am very excited about this. His only caveat is that we get pre-marital counseling, which I (and I think RoyBoy) believe will be a good idea. It will help us become a strong couple, I think. RoyBoy wasn't comfortable with my uncle doing the counseling, so we are having my local pastor, Pastor GD, do it. I called him recently to learn more about it, and it seems pretty simple.

Basically, we fill out a 178-question survey, which assesses our relationship in 11 different areas. Then the pastor looks it over, and basically we have a SWOT analysis of our relationship. We can look at what are strengths are, and discuss what our weaknesses are. There is also some reading. It takes 5-6 sessions. Luckily, RoyBoy is moving up here. It was going to be really, really annoying to do this other wise.

The next step is talking to my uncle, so that he touches base with my pastor.

Christmas and Holiday Greetings!

I hope you all had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Festivus/whatever. Personally, I celebrate Christmas (and love it). I was blessed this year- I got some $300 from various relatives and a family who is basically my own family, the M-Os. The money from the M-Os was given to me for one purpose: to go to see RoyBoy. Why?

BECAUSE ROYBOY IS MOVING UP HERE! AND GOING TO LIVE IN MY GUEST ROOM!

WOooooo! This is very good news. Thus far I have only seen him for handful of days since we graduated college in May. He has been trying to get a job (and hasn't been successful) while I've been working up here and living at home. RoyBoy has been invited to live in our spare room, and we have decided it's the best idea. Hopefully he can get a job in this area, at least for now. Although he wants to design rockets, he doesn't have the GPA/experience that most positions require. My boss recommended that he try to become a techinician, then try for the engineering jobs. I am disheartened that he doesn't have a job (he's pretty depressed about it), but I understand that it's a tough economy, and know that things will be better. Until then, he will be living with me! Yay!

In January I will be flying down to Florida to help him move up here. All the money from Christmas is going towards that, so I'm grateful to my relatives and the M-Os.

I also recieved $75 to A.C. Moore and Michael's, which is awesome- I am making a scrapbook right now as well as the jewelry for my bridal party, so all that money is going to come in handy. I also have money for WalMart, which I am saving until I decide what to get. I'm leaning towards the glass beads/marbles for vases, but we'll see.

Happy Holidays!!

Hair Games

I am thinking that, with a little patience, a large-barrel curling iron, and a lot of hair styling products, I can have my hair done for my wedding by a friend. Why? Because what I want is very simple and low maintenance, yet nice… and because I happened to put a lot of mousse/gel in my hair this morning (not on purpose) and I think it looks pretty fantastic. The curling iron would be for the few curls at the back of my head that like to pretend they are straight. Then I want my hair pulled away from my face with some daisies at the crown. I mean, I can do that for a friend, so surely a friend can do it for me! A few lose braids would like nice (see post “Down or Up?” from 8/8/09). That look is simple, and I can already do the basics. (Plus, my hair has natural volume, so it wouldn’t be that hard to make it poofy like that model’s hair.) The little wisps of hair by my face could easily be controlled with a small-barrel curling iron… HM. Yes, I like this. It’s simple, it’s fun, it’ll be a bonding experience, and I don’t see how it could go badly, honestly- what I want is so simple and easy, I could do it! (Not the back, but you know what I mean). Now to find the girl to do it…

Results are Excellent

Like I mentioned a few posts ago, I started exercising and eating better a while ago. I also started going to classes several times a week, or at least making a point to exercise on my own if I couldn't make it to the classes. Well, guess what? Apparently, I've made some headway.

Although I can't tell, my mother and sister can tell that I am smaller (my mother was actually alarmed by this, until I told her my weight was roughly the same, I was just more toned)! That's nice. I can't really tell much, other than some days my belt buckle is tighter than normal. My face is thinner according to my sister as well, which is neat- it's hard to lose weight there. My arms tend to bulk rather than slim down, but at least it's defined muscle.

The crazy part? I don't have to diet to fit into my dress. I'm between a size 2 and a 4, so I ordered a 4. It will have to be altered no matter what. So, no pressure to squeeze into a tiny dress! Still, it is very satisfying to know that I am being whittle away, the healthy way, just by doing all-over toning and exercises. It's also because I WANT to, and because it's good for me.

How gratifying. :)

Thoughts. Hm.

An old friend, HollyBerry, commented on a past post ("Moons of Honey"), which got me to thinking. She mentioned that the next few years will be filled with more payments than I ever thought about (mortgage, car insurance, loans, etc.), and that RoyBoy and I should try to get away for a honeymoon before that craziness starts, or we may never get around to it (or won't have the money to). She also mentioned timeshares... I know at least one couple with a time share, and the only reason I know is because they go every year to Orlando.

I do agree with her. I think it would be really nice to at least take off for a weekend, or a later holiday weekend, so that RoyBoy and I can have our time alone in a far-off (or secluded yet nearby) place. The only constraint will be money, but even going to a sweet B&B or to the Cape will be fine as far as I'm concerned. As much as I would LOVE to go to Europe for a week or two... we won't be able to afford it.

But, she has gotten me thinking about this again... Thanks, HollyBerry! :)

To Do, To Do.

Sorry I haven’t updated lately- I don’t have much to say. I haven’t done a lot lately. So much has been done, and so much I can’t do yet!
-Invitations, etc. have been printed; Save-the-Dates were sent a while ago.
-We have a contract for the baker and caterer, and both have deposits.
-The hotels have blocks set up, and contracts signed.
-3 bridesmaids have bought their dresses, and I have as well.
-RoyBoy has to pick his groomsmen and call an aunt to see if we can borrow their kids for flower girl/ring bearer duties.
-The photographer has been chosen, though no contract signed- we’re doing things differently, so there’s nothing standard to sign.
-The rehearsal dinner location has been chosen, and the menu as well, but I need RoyBoy’s mother to call me.
-I have an idea for punch bowls: get really big, wide, cheap, glass vases from places like Marshall’s, and use them. I love how this looks in my head. I want to just go and buy them, but wedding websites kind of discourage that. (Just going out and buying, I mean—it’s a good way to go over budget.)

Remember that super optimistic post I made about money and stuff? Well, my job is up in a few weeks, and we will see if I am still hired. Otherwise, I will have to find a job ASAP in order to pay for anything. I really, really hope they keep us- I’d like to give my father’s bank account a break.

Once the Christmas season is over, I’ll get back on the planning wagon.

What's in a Name?

There are a lot of women out there who are very partial to their last name, or being recognized as part of a couple. For example, if you say “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith” they are offended, and would prefer something like “Mr. John and Mrs. Jane Smith.” I guess that that is the “PC” thing to do. Then there are women who don’t take their husband’s name. I think this makes sense if they have an established career in medicine or something. Beyond that, I don’t see what the big deal is. I mean, I love being a Gill, and I’m proud of it, but I’m joining the Fussells now. Maybe I’m old-fashioned. Maybe I like the thought that RoyBoy and I will be one, with the same last name to prove it. I also don’t think it’s good for kids: “Mrs. Smith, I want to talk to you about Johnny,” “Ok sure, but I’m Ms. Jones, not Mrs. Smith.” This then makes me wonder if a) the parents are divorced, b) she isn’t the kid’s mom, or c) if somewhere there is a child going through an identity crisis: “Mom’s a Jones, Dad’s a Smith, WHAT AM I?” It just raises so many questions that aren’t your business, but that confuse you!

You know what else I say? If you get offended because I write “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” then you are too high maintenance for my wedding. The only married couple with different last names invited to my wedding is RoyBoy’s aunt and uncle; she is a doctor who chose to take her maiden name, and I’m ok with that; besides, it’s done, and I can’t change it. To the rest of you, tough cookies.

Lookin' Good, Kid!

Here’s something I haven’t talked about yet: health. All things considered, I am a pretty healthy person. Of course, this is very important if you want to look good, and I mean really good, on your wedding day. You want to glow, not look like you had a crash diet and are about to devour the wedding cake. So, what do I do?

Goals, Weight, and Being Realistic. First off, let me say that I weigh about 120 pounds. It fluctuates, but 120 is pretty average these days. The first thing you want to do when you decide to get healthy is figure out a good weight for yourself. If I want to starve myself, I can easily be 100 pounds. However, that would not look good. At all. Some girls of my height (4’11”) have the slight, waifish frame to pull that off; I do not. I need my curves. Once you embrace a healthy weight, it is much easier to stay there. I know that my body likes to be about 120 pounds, as it has stayed near that for the past several years. (There have been times that I’ve been closer to 130, but I also realized that I couldn’t allow myself to sit around and eat chocolate, as much as I would love to.) So, set a goal. Since I don’t want to look like a skeleton (and I think only anorexia would get rid of my big mama thighs!), my goal is to lose inches and not pounds. This comes from exercising, with a focus on toning, and by eating right. I have a pretty good habit of snacking on healthy things (such as carrots and peanut butter), but I don’t ban myself from anything. If I want chocolate, I’ll have chocolate, but only a piece. If I had a reasonably healthy breakfast and lunch (ok, maybe I ate too many Frosted Mini Wheats!) I won’t beat myself up if I have a burger for dinner. For me and my body, it’s about moderation and balance. I don’t need to lose weight, but I do need to be careful that I don’t indulge too often (which is sooooo easy to do). (Note: obviously if I needed to lose weight, this would be a different story. But I’ve been doing pretty well.)

Getting Fit. I try to exercise at least three times a week. I go to Pilates and two all-over body toning classes at my gym, and each class is one hour long. This is done on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with my little sister/MOH, The Koala. On Mondays I like to work out at home and watch Bones (which TOTALLY makes working out from home worth it!). I have a small weight set and an old stationary bike. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are up in the air- if I work out then great. If I don’t, well, I don’t worry about it. Balance, remember? I am doing exercises that are the most effective. NEWS FLASH: You don’t have to do and hour of cardio every day, followed by an hour of weights! By taking the classes that give me a full, and fun, work out, I am targeting areas I may miss by sticking to the same routine. I have also learned moves that I can do easily at home. That, coupled with some research, has let me develop a routine that is fun, varied, and shows results. Why classes? Because health shouldn’t be a solo thing. You need motivation from others who are also on the journey toward health. It’s also fun: I go with my sister, which is great, and one the instructors is a riot. He is Hispanic, with a thick accent so half the time you don’t know what he’s saying, and he likes to sing to the music and tells you to stick your booty out. It’s also gratifying to leave a workout all sweaty, knowing that the people around you feel like you do: stinky, but happy. Plus, the instructors get to know you. Both of my instructors know I have a wedding in June, and they are confident that by then I will be in super shape. Another cool thing? Last week my sister and I had stood at the front of a class, and we were both used to demonstrate exercise moves. NOTHING motivates you to do an exercise well and correctly than showing 20 other people how to do it.

The face, the face. I started going to a dermatologist a while ago, and I am glad I did. The products and pills I take may cost more than other products, but they are great. I rarely break out, and Olay’s products are good for the cleaning and moisturizing part of my daily regimen. I am confident that, since I have something that works right now, I won’t have to worry about my face breaking out or getting blotchy or being dry on my big day. With so many other things to worry about, this is one less thing! Gotta love it.

So, my top tips in summary: Exercise. Set a reasonable goal. Take care of yourself. Start now, to develop good habits.

Oh, and if you’re going to indulge, don’t regret it. Otherwise, what’s the point? It’s an indulgence, not a sin.

Compatibility

RoyBoy and I are very different. For starters, our brains work on totally different levels. He is a rocket scientist- the ultimate engineer (in my opinion), and consequently he views things very factually and realistically. He explains things that make sense to him and other engineer-types. And then he gets frustrated if you don’t understand, because it is so blatantly obvious to him.
While I have science in my genes and I am a pilot (very science-filled), I could easily have done something more liberal-artsy: photography, writing, early-childhood education. I am creative. Thus, I see things very differently from RoyBoy, which makes our relationship interesting. Somehow we always seem to want the same thing, but we understand it differently and that can create confusion, then frustration, then realization that we’re saying the same thing but arrived there two different ways.

Another thing that is very different about us are our attitudes toward life. I am very optimistic and a chronically happy person (odd, because I had clinical depression for the majority of my childhood and early adolescence; apparently anti-depressants had a permanent, lasting effect). Even my “down” days are only slightly less enthusiastic then my regular days. I can’t stay something other than happy for long: I am rarely angry, as my frustration peaks quickly then simmers to passiveness; my sadness is fleeting, because I quickly turn to hope. I am perpetually happy and hopeful (it’s almost disgusting, since I can’t wallow in self-pity for long)- I just can’t not be happy. Then there’s RoyBoy. RoyBoy is very realistic, as well as pessimistic. He’s about the only person who can bring me down, but only because I hate when he isn’t happy and I want him to be hopeful like me. He doesn’t see the hope like I do, only that failure has been the norm and why hope when fate has it out for you. I try hard to encourage him, but it’s hard to keep that up.

However, he says I make him happy; it’s what he likes best about me. Because we are so opposite, we balance and complete each other. We are very compatible. It’s pretty interesting.

I look forward to seeing our life unfold with our different viewpoints.

Hooray, Cake!

The baker of my choice, DBBC, is staying in the business! They are even renovating their store so that they can focus on baked goods, breads, and specialty cakes. I’m so glad! Of the three bakers I met with, DBBC was my top choice. The owner/baker was just so fun, and I liked that the delivery cost was included. I went to see him on Saturday and placed my order. He was very intrigued and excited by what RoyBoy and I want, because it’s not your standard wedding cake…
Like I said in a previous post, RoyBoy and I liked what EC&TC did for their dessert: Several cakes, different types. RoyBoy and I are doing something similar. We are going to have two 10 inch cakes: One will be Red Velvet (hopefully with cream cheese frosting) with the fancy, swirly frosting all over it and one will be a Devil’s Food cake with chocolate shavings. Oooo decadent.
Then we will also have a cake that we will cut into: A two-tier yellow cake with raspberry filling and a smooth vanilla frosting. There will be little frosting dots on the bottom of the first tier and on the “seam” between the two tiers: One line will be yellow, one will be orange. There will also be little pink dots all over the tiers. The cake topper is going to be amazing: It will be a biplane. I sent him pictures of the WWI Fokker biplanes, and RoyBoy will be in the gunner’s position while a little me will be the pilot! I am so excited for this. It’s so cute, and so unique to us. I love biplanes and the role they played in WWI and then the Barnstorming era. I really like the Fokkers because I did a report on them and the Red Baron in my high school Aerospace Studies class. RoyBoy and I are also of German heritage, so that works as well.
For the rehearsal dinner, RoyBoy requested a German Chocolate cake. These days the Groom’s Cake is something special that incorporates their hobbies. DBBCOwner and I thought that we would make a stack of books with rocket-themed titles… but when I talked to RoyBoy, he mentioned that part of what he really liked about German Chocolate cake was the frosting, with its caramel-like taste and the toasted coconut. You can’t make book titles with that. Since RoyBoy is really not a cake fan, but he does like this kind, I think that he should have a cake that makes him happy. It was a great idea… but now we have the biplane topper, so I’ll be satisfied with that.
Hooray, Cake!

Coming to a Mailbox Near You!

It's done! I have printed all the invitations and the inserts: directions from my home state to the ceremony, directions from the recommended airport to the hotels I have blocks with, directions from the hotels to the ceremony, and the R.S.V.P. cards. They are lovely! I am a big fan, because I did a lot of work on the. I made the borders with the dots and daisies by myself, and I will hand hole-punch the invites and put a sticker on them. Plus, I made the directions from the airport/hotels doublesided, so I saved paper!

AND, not only is this such a great DIY project, it was cheap! It cost me $64 and some change for all the printing. What? I didn't spend hundreds on embossing and printing and foil and all the fancy junk? Nope. Just a lot of time, effort, and care. I wanted them simple, and they are. I wanted them cheap, and golly they are. And I didn't have to compromise, because I made them. (Well, RoyBoy had his input, but he chose from options I gave him. And he didn't care that much anyways.)

Since I am a Staples Rewards member, I will also be earning 50% back! I plan on using this money to make small business cards with the wedding website on it, so that people have more info.

EDIT: You know what's funny? I misspelt "Marriott." Whoops!

Sharing Costs

Remember the post I made the other day, about what I should do about the fact that I suddenly am going to have more money for this than I dreamt? In case you were wondering about my decision, I talked to RoyBoy, and he said to let it go. So, here's my plan:
-RoyBoy's parents are going to pay for the rehearsal dinner, which they plan on making cheap themselves. We will be having a low country boil. This is basically when you boil potatoes, carrots, sea food, and I don't even know what else, all together in a huge pot. It's an all-in-one meal. We will have it at the Fellowship Hall of the church my uncle is pastor at. It won't be very expensive, but a lot of fun. RoyBoy's parents are also generously giving us some money for our honeymoon.
-My parents will pay for the catering of the reception.

I think that that will make it pretty balanced for both sides. I will pretty much pay for the rest, which I am fine with.

Of course, the groom's side is 'responsible' for certain parts of the wedding, but I think I'll just do it all. The flowers and stuff that fall under their costs are so few, and I have ideas to make it cheap, that I don't think it will matter much.

Bring on the Savings!

Part of planning a wedding is budgeting. Part of planning a cheap wedding is saving. One really great thing to do when you want to save money is by becoming a Rewards Member of the stores you will be utilizing and by using coupons.

I am making all the invitations and other stationary by hand (except the thank you cards, which I will explain later in the post). I am getting them printed at Staples, so I signed up to be a rewards member. Guess what? All printing done by Nov. 14th earns 50% back in rewards. Nice!

The embellishment for each invitation is a small gerbera daisy sticker and a dotted border made from a special border punch (think a hole punch, but larger and with lots of dots). So cute! I signed up to be an A.C.Moore rewards member, so each $1 I spend will get me 1 point, and certain purchases get double points. When you get 200 points, you get a $10 gift card or something. (The only snafu here is that a) the points will start over in January and I won't be at 200 points by then and b) I doubt I will get up to 200 points anyways!) But oh well. The other really cool thing about A.C.Moore (and Michael's, but you have to be special to be their rewards member or something) is that every Sunday there are 40% off coupons in the paper, AND pretty much every time you buy something there, they print you out ANOTHER coupon! I plan on buying 7 sheets of gerbera stickers (each has 12 stickers I can use, and I have roughly 80 invites to make, so it comes rounds up to 7 sheets), and each sheet is $1.99. That gives me $13.93 (no sales tax in my state, woo!). However, I plan on buying the sheets separately, in order to use the coupons to my best advantage (each coupon is 40% off one item, and you can only use one coup at a time). Each sheet will then cost $1.20, making 7 sheets cost $8.36, which means I will save $5.57. That doesn't seem much, but that will then let me buy two bags of those decorative rocks for the bottom of vases. o0o0o0o. I feel so smart :D

Another thing I'm doing is taking surveys. I am a member of MyPoints.com, and they send you surveys. Each survey gives you points, and then you can redeem them for gift cards. I plan on using mine to buy a card for Staples- nothing like printing stuff for free AND getting 50% in rewards!

I am so pleased with myself!

So. Why aren't I making my own thank you cards? Mainly because a while back I found a ton of super cute cards for sale at Michael's with daisies on them. I loved them. I bought them. They were $12. So, there you go!

Tale as Old as Time.

I loved my 9th grade English teacher. He was fun, and understanding, and he was also the director for the school plays I was in. One day in English class, we were discussing Disney heroines (a.k.a. the Princesses). I’m not sure why, but we often talked about weird things, like “Zen Stapling” and the deities that you could identify in Disney’s movie Hercules. So this one day he was talking about how he didn’t like how the Princesses because they never fend for themselves and had to wait to the Princes and stuff… (Except Mulan. He really liked her. Why? Because She kicked Hun Butt. And got a guy in the end. So that’s cool. ) He also said how he doesn’t like Belle and her story. Here is my version of what he said: “There she was, loving a guy for what he was: a beast. Then, suddenly he’s a good lookin’ guy! Why couldn’t they have just kept the story with her loving an ugly guy?”
Now, at the time I just laughed with the class over this. But since then, I’ve given it more thought from time to time. Here are my thoughts on this love story: Belle made the Beast handsome. I didn’t matter what the rest of the world thought of him. She knew his heart, and knew that, beneath the rough exterior, there was a gentle soul that just wanted to be loved. She broke through his exterior and found something beautiful. Love makes things beautiful. It takes a hold of something inside you, then radiates out. When people are loved and love back, you can tell in the way they look and act. They know that someone loves them, no matter how they look. And it changes them.


(Please Note: I know, and I’m positive my teacher knew, that many Disney stories are based off of fairy tales. That was beside the point, though.)

OHMYGOD. SHOES.

This past Friday I went to David's Bridal with four of my five bride's maids. (Lil'Fus is in her home state.) The Princess and The Showgirl ordered their dresses... yay! We also went to look at shoes for the girls. They tried on white, ivory, black, silver, and gold. They chose ivory, to compliment my dress. How sweet of them. That's why we're BFFLs.

The girls also were thinking about wearing pearl necklaces... me, too! Nice. The Barbie suggested that their jewelry have yellow in it, to compliment what the guys will wear.

Personally, I will be wearing a pearl necklace, pearl earrings (both gifts from my parents), my mother's blue sapphire studs, and something colorful for shoes. I loved a picture of a bride with bright yellow heels, and I want to do something fun like that.

Silver and Gold.

My engagement ring used to belong to my great grandmother, Dorothy Mae Cook Richardson. My mother wore the ring through my childhood. I fell in love with it when I was very young, and told my mother that I wanted it when she died. Or sooner. It has daises on the side, which was one of the reasons I loved it then and love it now (oxeye daisies are my favorite flowers). I also am a sentimentalist, so the idea of owning a family heirloom only got stronger as I got older.

It is 18K White Gold. As any good girl knows, white gold is not just naturally "white." It is an alloy of gold and white metals. 18kt white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium (from http://gilletts.com.au/information.php?info_id=13). Rhodium is then used to plate the rings, and it lasts a while and looks great.

Many times skin chemicals can cause discoloration as it wears down the rhodium plating.

My ring has probably been re-plated at some point- I doubt it could look this good otherwise. I have been wearing it since mid-May, when it got re-sized and fixed up so the diamond wouldn't fall out. Despite the fact that I have only been wearing it for 5 months, my skin is very special and is already wearing down the plating. This doesn't come as a huge surprise; I can't wear 10K because it gives me a rash, and when I got a 10K plated with something to prevent the rash, I wore through it and just got another rash. Still, I am kind of unhappy. This ring is going to have to be polished pretty much every year. Bah. Stupid skin.

Still... it's worth it. :)

Branded

I have to say, the "Knotties" (members of wedding website TheKnot.com) who are savvy at using TheKnot.com come up with the cutest things. Check out these badges!



how fun :)

$$$s

This summer I managed to land a pretty well-paying temp job. It was only supposed to last until the end of August, but then it got extended to the end of September, and then vaguely another month or two, and now officially into late December. It also has the opportunity to last into, and beyond, January- depending on the projects and if I can be used for them. This job pays almost double my last hourly job, and it is also a 40 hour/week job. Given that I have no real expenses (my parents graciously pay for pretty much everything and I live at home), I am able to save for the wedding, pay off my credit card, and also save for my student loan pay-back.

Where am I going with this? There is a great possibility that I can pay for most of this wedding by myself (with the exception of the tent from RoyBoy’s parents and perhaps food). This also means that $5,000 may not be a hard ceiling- I mean, my parents said they could do $4,000, the tent will be around $1,000, and I already have $1,000 saved myself. That gets us to $6,000, and I project that I will have another $2,490 worth of savings, for a grand budget of $8,490.

WOAH. That is double what I first though I would be able to spend on this wedding. I am pretty amazed, honestly.

Now, that figure does not mean that I am going to get all extravagant- I still want this to be a simple, cheap affair. All it means is that I will have some wiggle room and that my parents don’t have to go into debt. It also means that I should tell my future in-laws that we are not as bad-off as I thought… as long as I can keep all my savings for the wedding. I’ll talk to RoyBoy about it first, then his parents. (It’d still be super if they paid for the tent.)

Moons of Honey

So many posts in one day! Haha. But I like to keep the different subjects as seperate entries.

RoyBoy told me last night that his parents were saving some money for us for a honeymoon. That is so generous of them. RoyBoy and I were basically planning on simply going to my grandparent’s cottage for a weekend, since we probably won’t have the money to go anywhere. Now, I don’t know how much they plan on giving us, and I don’t really care, but their gift means that we may be able to do something nicer for ourselves. Or maybe we could save it for a honeymoon in the future, depending on what our jobs/lives are looking like in June 2010. Either way, it is very kind of them.

Gettin' stuff done.

This past weekend I got to see RoyBoy. YAY! It was great. We were able to do some wedding things together, which was good.

We went to a mall and looked at rings. It was kind of funny because he kept asking me what I thought, and I kept saying I didn’t care as long as he liked it. (Obviously if it was a garish ring, then I’d step in, but otherwise, whatever.) Given that he has to deal with this thing, he needs to like it and it has to be comfortable. There aren’t as many styles for guys that are still innately simple. We, well really he, got some ideas of what he likes and doesn’t like, and that is all I wanted. He wants white gold and a simple band but with an element of style- the mill grain, a texture, etc. They had some wicked cool rings with wire in them.

We also went to a tux rental store to check out styles and colors. RoyBoy likes the idea of a 2- or 3-button, black suit. He’s not sure about the vest, but possibly ivory to match me. It’s an idea, anyways. Also, we are thinking that the groom’s men may have yellow ties (and vests if we do them, I guess) because the orange vest was to orange. He was also glad to see that the vest in watermelon (the counterpart to my bride’s maids’ dresses) wasn’t an overly bright pink… so maybe it’s still an option! We’ll see. Can I tell you how cheap this all is? Like, less than $175 for a head-to-toe outfit. Crazy awesome. And if you rent 4 or 5 suits (I forget which) then the groom’s suit is free.

I also talked to his mom about the announcement, and gave them the form/picture, so they can do it when they choose.

The last thing we also touched on was registering. Given that we went to a wedding, and so had to go to a store they had registered at to get a gift, having RoyBoy see it was helpful. I think that we will be able to make some good decisions when we do ours.

All in all, a very great trip to see my beloved.

Inspirations

We recently went to a wedding in SC. It was an Eastern Orthodox ceremony, which was very interesting. While it was nice to see the lucky couple, this is the third wedding I’ve been to since July, and I’ve really loved getting ideas from the weddings. Here’s what I really love…
Wedding of HE&TH: 1) The reception was at the bride’s parents’ house. It was lovely as well as special because that was where she grew up and where the couple would be living one day. 2) They had a slideshow playing on the roof of the tent at one point; very cool.
Wedding of MD&SB: 1) The reception was at a Chunky’s theater (they have a dinner and movie screen in one room) so they had trivia and pictures playing the whole time. It really set the mood as fun and relaxing. 2) The couple didn’t dance. Now, RoyBoy and I will be dancing, but it’s refreshing to know that people aren’t pressing it if they don’t want to. 3) The bride and groom gave each their mothers a gift, to say thank you for the way they had raised them. It was very touching.
Wedding of EC&TC: 1) They had an outdoor reception and ceremony in the same way RoyBoy and I will: ceremony in the front, reception in the back! Great! They had a tent over the ceremony, though, and I just want one for the reception. Their tent didn’t have sides, and I really like that. It was breezy, casual, and easy access. 2) They had the walkway defined by mason jars hung from stakes used for plant holders. In the jars were flowers or candles. It was very sweet, autumnal, and rustic, which was what they were going for. 3) They didn’t have a lot of tables or chairs, which was what RoyBoy and I plan as well, and people were just fine. They walked, they mingled- just what RoyBoy and I want. 4) They made little sofas out of hay bales, covered with a sheet and pillows. This was SUCH a good idea. It made great seating that was perfect for the outdoors. They also had special, cushioned chairs for the grandparents, which was very kind and thoughtful. 5) They had a total of four different cakes, two pies, and a plum tart. This was a great variety, and they got them done from a local bakery. Again, very rustic, very simple, very country. (The cake they ate from was a sweet potato cake- yum! They also didn’t feed each other, which I thought was interesting.)

What I’m incorporating:
-Dancing. RoyRoy and I will dance, and I will dance with my dad. RoyBoy and FMIL (future mom-in-law) will dance if they want- there is no way I am choosing that one haha. We may or may not have a part that is all about everyone dancing (Macarena, Electric Slide, etc.). I kind of really want to, so that people will have something to do… Oh, to heck with it! We’re dancing! I love talking myself into these things… :)
-The hay bale sofas. Ok, we won’t use hay bales, but I love the idea. Also, the comfy chairs for older family- when you’re that old, you deserve a great seat!
-The different desserts, maybe. RoyBoy really liked that. We are definitely doing something different. RoyBoy doesn’t like cake, so one interesting alternative that we both like is a small cheesecake just for us.
-I liked the candles and flowers lining the way. I will be walking down a driveway to the ceremony site, and I think it would look nice to have something like that.
-A new idea I got was using potted flowers. Easily movable from one place to the other and also simple and cute.

Long time no see.

I haven't seen RoyBoy since May. We graduated from ERAU on a May 5th, a Tuesday, and then Mum and I drove home to NH on Saturday the 9th. It's been a while. 5 months, actually. Today I am flying down South to see him, his family, and go to the wedding of his childhood best friend.
I'm excited! It will be great to see him. Plus, we need to talk about rings, his attire, registering (just in general, mind), and other stuff. It's hard to plan those things without him around.
We will also get to celebrate my birthday (which was in August) and our 4 year anniversary (Sept. 26)! Lovely. :)

Hear ye, hear ye!

Engagment/Wedding Announcements. They’re important, right? They tell all the neighbors what’s up, and they tell the old people from high school what’s up, and they inform anyone not in the loop at the local church/what-have-you. They share your joy and excitement with the community. I know I skim through our paper’s announcement page every Sunday. I never know anyone, but it could happen.
They are also expensive. RoyBoy’s local paper has a charge of $50 with a 3 inch photo. It’s $150 if you want a 7 inch photo. I don’t know what the charge is for our local paper, just that there is one.
I do not recall seeing this in my wedding budget planner. Gah. I mean, we’re going to do it at least in my home paper. RoyBoy’s paper is up to them. I think they’ll do it. I hope they’ll do it. Boo charges!
Once you throw the word ‘wedding’ into the conversation, things go different ways. Hotels, etc. may give you deals so that you spend your honeymoon with them. Caterers and bakers tend to go up in price it seems. And wedding stationary is just through the roof. Oh man. Ohmanohmanohman.
There are many things I am willing to give up. For example, the champagne toast. It’s not really necessary. (Just fun.) But something like this seems like it’s important. So we will do it. I just wish they would give up a break…

O.M.G.

Long story short: I looked up my dress style number (Galina Style T9337) on Google, and I learned that there is a Sims2 version of it. Waaaay too funny.
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=341948

Weddings are in-tents.

RoyBoy's family is graciously going to pay for a large, white tent for the backyard reception! Yay! I measured the space with my cousin, and it can easily hold a 35'x80' tent. And a tent that size would easily hold enough tables for everyone to sit at. Given that we are not having a formal, sit-down meal, nor are we providing a ton of tables, we can get a smaller tent. But I'm going to leave that one to my in-laws. I'm so grateful! I'm even putting them on the invitation. :)

Stealing an idea!

I was looking at the "Wedding Obsessions" blog on theknot.com and they featured a blurb about throwing paper airplanes as the bride and groom leave, instead of rice/birdseed/bubbles/etc. I LOVE this idea. It's so funny and fun and different! And perfect for us, given that I'm a pilot and RoyBoy is an aerospace engineer! Too cool.

Take my piktcha!

I have just gotten an email from my photographer, RK. He sent me his pricing, and it is going to be very reasonable. It's one of my bigger expenses, so I am already starting to save up. I'm really excited for him and his assistant- they're great! And I love that modern style that he uses for his shoots. If we aren't in the same area around the time of the wedding, I think I will send some money to him and his assistant, so that they can fly up here.

Yay!

Mail Call!

So this past Saturday I dropped off my Save the Dates at the post office. People are already telling me that they got them, and that is great!

I also sent off a check to the catering company for my deposit, so that's one thing off the to-do list.

I chatted with the owner of TDB the other day. I had left a message, and then finally got a hold of him. Unfortunately, he doesn't know if he's going to stay in the business... So I am going to call him in October to see what going on. I really wanted TDB to be our baker. I hope he can work things out... stupid recession.

The Date. You should save it.

So my Save the Dates were printed! It cost $25, which I used a Staples card for (niiice). Almost all have been stuffed/addressed. I bought some cute stamps with wedding rings on them- $35. (I got some extra, though.) The envelopes I got a while ago, but they were cheap, plus there were a ton of them, so whatever.

Lookin' good! Now I just need to finish them and send them... haha.

EDIT: Almost all of the Save the Dates are stamped, sealed, and addressed. I am still waiting on a few addresses, but beyond that they are also good to go! This weekend I will swing by the post office and mail them. Yay!

*squee!*

Yesterday I picked up my dress from David's Bridal! It's beautiful! I'm so glad to have it :] Although, now it's just going to be sitting there for a really long time, haha. But still! YAY!

Have your cake...

...And eat it, too! I am undecided about what flavor of cake to have. Since it is an outdoor, summer wedding I do know that I don't want chocolate. It would be too heavy. (Well, if we serve the groom's cake, then I'm OK with that.) I want a light cake, with butter cream frosting. Not fondant. Sorry- not sold on it. But... yellow or vanilla? Lemon or butter almond? Maybe a spice cake, or carrot cake? No, not the last two. A lemon cake sounds divine, perhaps with a raspberry filling? Butter almond is intriguing- but what filling? And then a traditional yellow/vanilla cake with raspberry is always delicious. I'm sure I could also have a fudge or peanut butter filling, as well. That would be different! But I think I'm leaning towards lemon or yellow, since it just seems so fitting.

Let Them Eat Cake

Yesterday I went to visit three bakeries local to my wedding site. They were all great. I went with my cousin, since I'm getting married at her house and she knows the area.

The first, R&D's, has been a family-owned business for decades. The guy we talked to was very nice, and I really liked how upfront he was. They are also a bakery, so we got some delicious pastries. The problem was it was 9 am, and we had whoppie pie for a taste of cake/frosting. WAY too much sugar. All the pictures of their cakes weren't very modern, though.

The second, TDB, was also great. The guy we talked to was in the middle of making a golfcart cake, and had some great pictures of interesting creations he had made. (He also made cookies for a holiday party the Jonas Brothers had one year, when they were in town or something... lol). We talked about all sorts of different things we could do, like have the top layer be cheesecake (RoyBoy doesn't like cake, the silly boy). Delivery is also included in the price, which is cool. They also do an interesting thing: Traditionally the happy couple freezes the top layer of the cake and eats it on their first anniversary. This doesn't really appeal me, to be honest. TDB offers a coupon that let's the couple come back on their anniversary for a small cake instead- nice and fresh.

The last place, WDF, was a recommendation from my Aunt and Uncle (who are hosting my wedding). WDF is very popular, and very good. We looked at a lot of pictures, and my cousin says that they have the most amazing frosting.

But, I can't have three bakers. So, we will go with TDB. (Now to just confirm with them!) haha

A little help?

I recently reached out to my community, asking for vases, decorations, and other goods for my wedding, since we are on such a tight budget. I got some great responses, mainly from women with vases to donate! One lady also gave me CD stickers, software, and sticker-attacher! Another girl I know also sent me a book, How to buy Everything for your Wedding on eBay... and Save a Fortune! by Dennis L. Price. Thus far it looks interesting! A woman I've known for a long time whom I will call the Basket Lady has also reached out to me, but I have yet to hear back from her. Hopefully she will email me back! (I think I will re-email her...)

I am very blessed to get so much help :)

In case anyone is reading this who has helped me, THANK YOU!

So Excited!!

I ordered my dress!!! I'm so excited. It somehow feels more official now, you know? AND it was only $249!! That's amazing, if I do say so myself. It will come in in November.

Yay :D

Say "cheese"

I have decided to book my friend, RK, and his assistant as my photographers. I am very excited. They are great photographers, they are very modern in their shooting style and are fun to work with, and I've actually taken pictures with them before. (Senior year at college I was almost Homecoming Queen, and they took some cute pictures of me to make a banner/ads for PR.)

So I am very excited to have them. The only downside is that they are where our college is, and I am... not. Two days away, actually, by car. SO I need to pay for them to come here. That's the only con, though, so there we go. If we are in the same area, then we can road trip together.

I'm excited. They are really great guys.

So, that's vendor number two!

Catering

I've booked my first vendor, how exciting! Well, practically. Once I mail them the deposit, it's official. Our caterer will be a deli called Colleen's, which is local to the wedding place. We are getting a ton of food, buffet style, for $9.75 a person. They don't do wedding cakes, but since I am bringing my own cake they will waive the cake cutting fee (they usually serve regular cake with the buffet and charge to cut it, but since they won't be bringing the cake, it is waived; a nice swap). So that's awesome. And they will provide simple Chinette plates, napkins, and silverware, so I don't have to worry about that. Yeah, these will be boring, so maybe I'll just spice it up with colorful napkins.

They don't do drinks, though. So I will have to provide those, and cups. But that's easy- lemonade, punch, water, etc. No prob, Bob. Noooo prob. Oh, and sparkling juices. No alcohol, so that is our substitute. (I love sparkling cider, though, so I'm good with this!)

Birthday Wishes!

The other week was my birthday. This past May I graduated from college. These two events mean that I am collecting giftcards/etc. in the gift-giving process, and I am hoarding them. Thus far, I have $100 to WalMart, $25 to Bed Bath and Beyond, $75 to Staples, $15 iTunes, $15 to Michaels, and $150 in Visa card moneys. Plus $50 cash for invitations, as well as a crazy-cool British card-making magazine, which is basically like scrap booking but in card form. These people make my Christmas cards look like... well, silly. But I like them anyways. So there.

Anyways, this is great. So much support, and so much I can easily use to buy things, without actually using my money or Dad's money! And that's nice. :)

Oh, the glories of the Internet

A while ago I became a member of www.TheKnot.com. It's a great wedding website, and it's free. They also have wedding websites that you can personalize, so I did! It felt necessary. It has all the information, and I will put the website somewhere on the things I send out. I'm wondering... the website has information about accommodations, directions, etc. Can I therefore leave these things out of the invitation? Traditionally, you send the invitation with a few accommodation recommendations, and then directions from the ceremony site to the reception site. Maybe I can save paper, and therefore money, by only sending the invites and RSVP cards. (That is, except to the older guests, who may or may not use the web.) Although there is a place online to RSVP, I want to go with the traditional option of including the RSVP card and envelope. Hopefully people will RSVP sooner that way.

http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/StefGill&RoyFussell



EDIT: Mum and Dad say to include everything, and not to forgo printing something.

Down or Up?

I've been growing my hair out since eleventh grade, when I chopped it off for Locks of Love and rocked a cute pixie cut. I decided a while ago that I'd grow it out, and try not to get too many drastic cuts, until I got married and then cut it for Locks of Love again (at some point). The idea was that I want to have the option for an up- or down-do. I have decided to wear my hair half down. I have beautiful hair, not to toot my own horn or anything, but it's true. It should be down! And free! I want it half up because whenever I do wear my hair down, it's not very fancy. And it's my wedding! It should be different.

My vision: Hair half down. Curls looking great, and not frizzy (so I pretty much have to get it done; I'm not that good at making my hair look great on my own). The veil will be tucked in where ever the half-down part starts (or ends). And I want oxeye daisies (my favorites) in my hair as well.

Looking through Modern Bride magazine, I saw this do and really liked it. It's what I want, but also with some subtle braids. Hm.

Thirsty?

One way that we are saving a lot of money is by nixing the bar. You heard me right, no alcohol at the wedding. Why? Well for starters, it costs a lot of money.

You can either get a vendor and pay for the tab/up to a certain point, or have to pay the bartender and then extra if people don't buy like, $200 worth of drinks. Or you can buy a ton of alcohol and serve it yourselves/get someone to pour it for you.

You can also just do a champagne toast- and if you're going to do this, then you better get decent champagne, because what's the point of cheap champagne?

So reason one, it's expensive.

Reason two, our families aren't big drinkers. Some of the family (I could count them on my hands I bet) might have a glass of wine or a few beers with dinner. Not many college kids will be there, and they'd be the only ones actually drinking. (And then my parents would wonder about my habits ;])

Reason three, we are planning a daytime, outdoor wedding. People drink less in the day.

And the biggest reason of all: this is happening at a pastor's house. Even if I wanted alcohol, I'd get shot down pretty quickly.

So, no alcohol. It's not worth the expense, and I don't have the funds for it anyways! I will easily save $1,000. Sparkling cider/grape juice is friendly and fun, and will suit us fine. (Or people can bring flasks, which would be a riot.)

Veils veils veils

So traditionally, when you wear a wedding dress you also wear a veil. For my dress, there's a lovely veil with a trim on the edges, which corresponds well with the ribbon trim on the dress. Now it'd be very simple to buy this thing, but it's $80. Eighty Dollars for a piece of toile and ribbon on a comb. Not budget friendly.

So I went on the hunt. You can buy simple veils at Michaels and A.C.Moore. I actually found a veil that was practically the same as the $80 one, except it was white and not ivory. I will keep looking, though! It'd be easy to buy, and only $15 or so.

My aunt is also a great sewer, and making a veil is very simple and cheap- under $20. With the awesomeness of the webs, I even found two sites:

http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/making-a-bridal-veil.html

http://www.craftstylish.com/item/46914/diy-bridal-veil

We shall see!

How I'm saving money

Since this wedding has to be pretty cheap, I am trying all sorts of things to save money. Here is what I am doing thus far:

-Wedding and reception site: We are having the wedding at my Aunt and Uncle's house. They live just over an hour from my hometown. They have a lovely front yard and a nice, spacious back yard. By having it there, I am easily saving $6,000

-Music: My aunt and uncle have a lovely, portable Bose system. They have also offered to let me borrow a portable sound system from their church, for use of the microphone. By using these two systems, plus a playlist, we will easily save $750+. Our families aren't huge dancers, really, so it will really be more for background.

-Invitations and other mailed items: I am making them. I have designed the mock ups and will print them on simple cardstock. If I don't like how they print, then I will buy fancy stickers. I would pay around $150 in inviations. Thus far, including all envelopes, it has cost me less than $20. I've checked up on printing pricing, and it's very reasonable. I think I can easily save $75-100. By having flat inviations/etc. I am also saving on postage!

-I am also looking into locals who give my aunt and uncle's family discounts. They are the senior pastor and wife of their church, and therefore will be a great reference. References + freinds = discounts sometimes. I'm keeping my options open, anyways.

-Favors: I accidently bought around 100 blank CDs a while back, so I'm considering that a sunk cost. Given that I already have a playlist, and this is a wedding, a lovely CD of love songs seems just right. Factor in printing and buying the stickers, of course, let's say $50. (The stickers are less than $20, and I'm being generous with the pricing.) Given that many favors are $2 per person, and we are having 130~ people, that's $260 plus s&h. I also doubt that one household needs more than 1, maybe 2, CDs. (And it's cheap to get more anyways.) I think I can save $150 easily.

-Food and beverage: We are not serving a dinner, but appetizers and finger foods. Many entrees are $30+ per person, and that's $3900. Many catering places can serve an array of finger foods, from $2-6 per person. We'll say $12 per person, so that gives us a few options for eating. $1560. We just saved $2340. We also will not have a bar (hey, it's going to be at a pastor's house!) so we can save $1000 there. Nice. Drinks, we will say $5 per person, still only $650. And I DOUBT it will be that much.

Thus far, I am saving about $10,000. I'll take that in a to-go bag, thanks.

Bride's Maids Dresses

I love my bride's maids. I really do. My sister is my Maid-of-Honor, and she's pretty great. Three of my bride's maids have been my best friends since high school: The Princess, The Showgirl, and The Barbie. (Together, we five [plus another who has drifted] make up the FabGang.) My last bride's maid is RoyBoy's little sister, who will be called Lil'Fus. Now, the nicknames from FabGang were established long ago. I just gave RoyBoy's sister that nickname to use in this blog; sometimes I call RoyBoy "RoyFus," as his last name begins with "Fuss."

We went dress shopping at David's Bridal, minus Lil'Fus as she is in another state, and they all found dresses they like. They are all different, but will all be in Watermelon Pink. I love how each girl picked a dress to flatter her shape and style. Like my dress, they are all tea-length. Lil'Fus chose to do separates, and got a really good deal on her top and skirt. Accessories will be gold, and probably handmade by me.

My Attire

Back in June I went to the local David's Bridal with three of my five bride's maids and had a great time dress shopping. I haven't bought it yet, but I fell in love with this dress! It's and ivory, tea-length, organza, A-line with ribbon detailing and cute bow in the back. AND it's only $300! Quite the bargain, as dresses go.

I haven't picked out my shoes, but I last months Brides Magazine made me re-think the traditional ivory shoes... The cover bride was wearing gorgeous bright yellow heels. This made me wonder if I could pull off such a daring look, and my sister/maid-of-honor, thinks I can! So We'll come back to those.

For accessories, I will wear the beautiful pearl necklace and earrings my parents gave me as a graduation/engagement gift. I'm always touched by the gifts my parents give me.

First Post and About Us

Hello! I've started this blog to document the planning of my wedding. I will be marrying RoyBoy on June 26, 2010. I will try to update as often as possible.

Our wedding has a very low budget (hence the name, right...). My parents will be giving us $4,000, and anything else will be from RoyBoy and myself. His parents will also be giving us money for their traditional parts: rehearsal dinner, certain flowers and attire, etc.

Given how little money we have, this wedding is going to be very simple and I will be creative. I've never been the "I love a Challenge" type, but I am determined to have a fabulous wedding. I will tell you about everyone and everything I am using, hopefully, and my DIY projects.


A little about us...

RoyBoy and I met at college at a fraternity party; I was a freshman, he a sophomore. We hit it off, and have been together ever since (3 1/2ish years). We both graduated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in May 2009. RoyBoy is a rocket scientist- seriously, he graduated with a BS in Aerospace Engineering, Astro focus- and I am a (private) pilot with the goal of being a professional pilot. Currently, we do not have jobs in our fields, but we are trying. It's a tough economy, which makes this simple wedding an even better idea.

:)