I haven't worked out in a few days. I've been really busy. I have worked two jobs on the weekends for the past few weeks, so I didn't really work out this weekend. The past two days I've gotten up at or before six and gone to do substitute teaching at high schools. Then I've come home, had dinner and hung around, and gone to work at 5 at Ruby Tuesday. No time to work out the past two days.
Last night I decided to take today off from sub work. There are things I want to do, and I'm tired of not doing them. I am going to go to Barnes & Noble today and pick out a wedding planning book for my sister, The Koala. (She's engaged! YAY!) I want to send it today. I am going to make cupcakes for my almost-dad and send them today. Perhaps I'll work out. I really need to finish laundary; it's been sitting, clean, in hampers and the dryer. Whoops.
Then there's the living room. We just got a new couch and love seat. Now we have to figure out how to arrange the room, because it's a little small to have the seats together in the typical 'L' shape. Thus, our room is a disaster area, because everything got shoved willy nilly to get the furniture in.
First, though, are the dishes. They've been stacking.
Another reason I'm 'taking a day off' is because I've had a sore throat and my ears clogged for over a week now. It's annoying.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Our Beach House
RoyBoy and I are renting a two bedroom, one bath beach house. It’s an older house (1940s) with lots of charms as well as quirks since it’s older.
The hardwood floors are original to the house and there is a lovely Florida room (like a sunroom but enclosed). The kitchen has a nice tile counter, but unfortunately the grout is very old and missing in a lot of places. The sink is deep, white, and ceramic. I thought this was awesome, until I noticed that it always looks dirty. The appliances are new, which is great.
The living room is an odd sea-foam green. It’s tolerable now that we have furniture and pictures on the wall, but I’d love to paint it a neutral tan. The living room also has a fireplace. However, due to spacing and the fact that I will never be cold enough to use it, and because I don’t want the bunnies exploring it, we have set the couch in front of it.
We were without a washer and dryer for about a month, which was interesting. Then a friend offered a set to us for the fabulous price of $50. Yay! Needless to say, we are thankful: We couldn’t afford a decent set.
An interesting part of the property is the garage, workshed, and mini “spare room.” The garage building is behind the house a little, with a workshop perfect for tinkering and the surfboard RoyBoy was making (and finished). The garage can’t be accessed by a car, given the post and gate in the way. No matter- it is storage! It is holding several boxes of items to be put in a yard sale, non-perishable and bug-tolerant items like vases, and some furniture we are holding for a friend. Attached to the garage is a small room that apparently was a sewing room back in the day. Now, it’s not insulated, has no A/C, and only one light. Why anyone would want to sit out there is beyond me. Thus, we use it to store winter clothes, holiday things, childhood items, and baking and entertainment items not used on a daily basis, such as trays and specialty pans. It’s great because it’s out of the way and lockable yet easily attainable.
The house is not completely insulated nor, I suspect, completely sealed up: Bugs are not uncommon, much to my chagrin. Going on a tangent, I really hate the bugs of Florida. I never really noticed them since I lived in apartments. I hate cockroaches. They freak me out to no end. They also like to visit us. Great. There are also locusts outside, which are fun to watch- they are basically huge grasshoppers. I have no problem with them. On the plus side, there are several butterflies that frequent our yard. No complaints there!
One annoying thing is that all the outlets are inconveniently located and not in abundance. This, coupled with inconveniently-located TV hookups, makes for wiring complications and cables all over. What can you do?
When will you visit? We have a spare room and places to sleep!
The hardwood floors are original to the house and there is a lovely Florida room (like a sunroom but enclosed). The kitchen has a nice tile counter, but unfortunately the grout is very old and missing in a lot of places. The sink is deep, white, and ceramic. I thought this was awesome, until I noticed that it always looks dirty. The appliances are new, which is great.
The living room is an odd sea-foam green. It’s tolerable now that we have furniture and pictures on the wall, but I’d love to paint it a neutral tan. The living room also has a fireplace. However, due to spacing and the fact that I will never be cold enough to use it, and because I don’t want the bunnies exploring it, we have set the couch in front of it.
We were without a washer and dryer for about a month, which was interesting. Then a friend offered a set to us for the fabulous price of $50. Yay! Needless to say, we are thankful: We couldn’t afford a decent set.
An interesting part of the property is the garage, workshed, and mini “spare room.” The garage building is behind the house a little, with a workshop perfect for tinkering and the surfboard RoyBoy was making (and finished). The garage can’t be accessed by a car, given the post and gate in the way. No matter- it is storage! It is holding several boxes of items to be put in a yard sale, non-perishable and bug-tolerant items like vases, and some furniture we are holding for a friend. Attached to the garage is a small room that apparently was a sewing room back in the day. Now, it’s not insulated, has no A/C, and only one light. Why anyone would want to sit out there is beyond me. Thus, we use it to store winter clothes, holiday things, childhood items, and baking and entertainment items not used on a daily basis, such as trays and specialty pans. It’s great because it’s out of the way and lockable yet easily attainable.
The house is not completely insulated nor, I suspect, completely sealed up: Bugs are not uncommon, much to my chagrin. Going on a tangent, I really hate the bugs of Florida. I never really noticed them since I lived in apartments. I hate cockroaches. They freak me out to no end. They also like to visit us. Great. There are also locusts outside, which are fun to watch- they are basically huge grasshoppers. I have no problem with them. On the plus side, there are several butterflies that frequent our yard. No complaints there!
One annoying thing is that all the outlets are inconveniently located and not in abundance. This, coupled with inconveniently-located TV hookups, makes for wiring complications and cables all over. What can you do?
When will you visit? We have a spare room and places to sleep!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Budget Recap
Budget Recap
The whole point of this blog was to document how I was saving money in my quest to plan a great wedding for under $5,000. I am proud to say that, because of the saving and DIY projects and everything I did to keep costs down, we made our budget. Actually, we did better than that. The budget total was… drum roll please… $4,367.52, making us $632.48 under budget! YEAH! I am wicked proud of this and extremely thankful to my parents, my in-laws, my family, my friends, and everyone else who made the wedding perfect, simple, and inexpensive. I am proud to be an example of an inexpensive yet amazing wedding, especially since weddings usually mean debt.
Reception
Food- $1,447.73
Bevs- $138
Cake- $494.42
Tent- $498.13
Chairs- $166.02
Vases, ladles, and tablecloths- $101.40
Balls and other frames- $17.27
Signing frames and pens- $36.32
TOTAL: $2,929.29
The food was, of course, the most expensive. We kept beverages simple: punch, water, NO alcohol. We got an unexpected, greatly appreciated, discount on the chairs. The balls were floating in the pool (so they probably should go in décor… oh well) and the frames were for instructions and to honor grandparents who could not attend.
Attire and Beauty
Gown and alterations- $429
Headpiece/veil- $5
Bride’s accessories- $0
Hair and makeup- $0
Nail polish- $3.50
Groom’s suit- $0
Groom’s shirt and tie- $70
Groom’s accessories- $29.99
Bride’s undergarments- $36.48
TOTAL- $573.97
The gown and alterations are always expensive, yet I was still under $500! Notice all the “$0” items? Those are because I chose not to get new items. In my hair were three daisies instead of the traditional and pricey tiara/barrettes/other flashy items. I didn’t have a veil, because that wasn’t the look I wanted. My accessories were my own and my mother’s sapphire earrings. The Barbie did my makeup, so that was free. Lil’ Fuss did my hair, then The Koala and The Showgirl put the daises in it. RoyBoy’s suit was his own, so we got a nice ivory tie and shirt for him to wear.
Ceremony
Ceremony accessories- $0
Programs- $19.28
We had a very simple ceremony with no decorations; given that we were outside, there was no need to add more flowers. The programs were made by me.
Flowers and Décor
Flowers- $225.63
Wristlets- $9.90
Vases and gems- $7.70
TOTAL- $243.23
The majority of the flowers were ordered from online and bought in bulk. Other flowers for wristlets and corsages were bought at local craft stores. The wristlet holders were also bought online. The vases and gems are so cheap because I had most of the vases donated to me. My aunt and uncle also borrowed some lovely arrangements to place around the yard by things like tents posts. You can’t mess with free.
Stationary
Invitations, RSVP cards, stamps- $193.59
Other stationary- $10
Thank-you card stamps- $26.40
TOTAL- $229.29
The invitations and accompaniments were more expensive than I planned, and I think that is because of not thoroughly planning and thinking things though. If I were to do this again, I am confident that I could make this cost less. I was not careful in the beginning, and wasted time and resources. Oh, well.
Wedding Rings
His ring- $129.94
Her ring- $0
RoyBoy’s ring is a lovely titanium ring from an Etsy.com artisan. My ring was free because it is my great-grandmother’s and I am borrowing it from my mother (when we can afford to get a custom-made ring, I’ll return my ring to mum).
Gifts
Bride’s Maids gifts- $46.94
Groom’s Men gifts- $70
Favors- $14.88
TOTAL- $131.82
The bride’s maid’s gifts were cheap because I made them! I made jewelry for each of them (and had fun doing it). Even the groom’s men’s gifts were inexpensive, but they were still very nice cufflinks. The favors shouldn’t have been more than $5, but we had to get more CDs after ruining half of them. (Sigh.)
Misc.: Telegraph Announcement- $35
I only included the announcement I paid for. RoyBoy’s parents had one in their local paper as well.
Transportation and lodging- $75
I am only including the hotel room that I personally paid for. Everyone else took care of their own hotel rooms, for which I am very grateful.
Photography and videography
I’ll cover this in a separate post.
The whole point of this blog was to document how I was saving money in my quest to plan a great wedding for under $5,000. I am proud to say that, because of the saving and DIY projects and everything I did to keep costs down, we made our budget. Actually, we did better than that. The budget total was… drum roll please… $4,367.52, making us $632.48 under budget! YEAH! I am wicked proud of this and extremely thankful to my parents, my in-laws, my family, my friends, and everyone else who made the wedding perfect, simple, and inexpensive. I am proud to be an example of an inexpensive yet amazing wedding, especially since weddings usually mean debt.
Reception
Food- $1,447.73
Bevs- $138
Cake- $494.42
Tent- $498.13
Chairs- $166.02
Vases, ladles, and tablecloths- $101.40
Balls and other frames- $17.27
Signing frames and pens- $36.32
TOTAL: $2,929.29
The food was, of course, the most expensive. We kept beverages simple: punch, water, NO alcohol. We got an unexpected, greatly appreciated, discount on the chairs. The balls were floating in the pool (so they probably should go in décor… oh well) and the frames were for instructions and to honor grandparents who could not attend.
Attire and Beauty
Gown and alterations- $429
Headpiece/veil- $5
Bride’s accessories- $0
Hair and makeup- $0
Nail polish- $3.50
Groom’s suit- $0
Groom’s shirt and tie- $70
Groom’s accessories- $29.99
Bride’s undergarments- $36.48
TOTAL- $573.97
The gown and alterations are always expensive, yet I was still under $500! Notice all the “$0” items? Those are because I chose not to get new items. In my hair were three daisies instead of the traditional and pricey tiara/barrettes/other flashy items. I didn’t have a veil, because that wasn’t the look I wanted. My accessories were my own and my mother’s sapphire earrings. The Barbie did my makeup, so that was free. Lil’ Fuss did my hair, then The Koala and The Showgirl put the daises in it. RoyBoy’s suit was his own, so we got a nice ivory tie and shirt for him to wear.
Ceremony
Ceremony accessories- $0
Programs- $19.28
We had a very simple ceremony with no decorations; given that we were outside, there was no need to add more flowers. The programs were made by me.
Flowers and Décor
Flowers- $225.63
Wristlets- $9.90
Vases and gems- $7.70
TOTAL- $243.23
The majority of the flowers were ordered from online and bought in bulk. Other flowers for wristlets and corsages were bought at local craft stores. The wristlet holders were also bought online. The vases and gems are so cheap because I had most of the vases donated to me. My aunt and uncle also borrowed some lovely arrangements to place around the yard by things like tents posts. You can’t mess with free.
Stationary
Invitations, RSVP cards, stamps- $193.59
Other stationary- $10
Thank-you card stamps- $26.40
TOTAL- $229.29
The invitations and accompaniments were more expensive than I planned, and I think that is because of not thoroughly planning and thinking things though. If I were to do this again, I am confident that I could make this cost less. I was not careful in the beginning, and wasted time and resources. Oh, well.
Wedding Rings
His ring- $129.94
Her ring- $0
RoyBoy’s ring is a lovely titanium ring from an Etsy.com artisan. My ring was free because it is my great-grandmother’s and I am borrowing it from my mother (when we can afford to get a custom-made ring, I’ll return my ring to mum).
Gifts
Bride’s Maids gifts- $46.94
Groom’s Men gifts- $70
Favors- $14.88
TOTAL- $131.82
The bride’s maid’s gifts were cheap because I made them! I made jewelry for each of them (and had fun doing it). Even the groom’s men’s gifts were inexpensive, but they were still very nice cufflinks. The favors shouldn’t have been more than $5, but we had to get more CDs after ruining half of them. (Sigh.)
Misc.: Telegraph Announcement- $35
I only included the announcement I paid for. RoyBoy’s parents had one in their local paper as well.
Transportation and lodging- $75
I am only including the hotel room that I personally paid for. Everyone else took care of their own hotel rooms, for which I am very grateful.
Photography and videography
I’ll cover this in a separate post.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Reception Recap
It has been over two months since RoyBoy and I got married. I have been procrastinating the wedding sum up, I admit. I’ve been thinking about what to write about- things that stand out, funny moments, what was perfect… I’ll break it into a few segments, though.
Can I say that the wedding and reception was perfect? Because it was. I explained everything I wanted, in detail and with some diagrams, to my aunt (the hostess), my parents, and anyone else who wanted to help. Like many brides, I didn’t see the finished product until I got there, but I wasn’t too concerned. I knew that my aunt, who has hosted many events at her house and is a great planner, would be the perfect person to supervise. I also knew that my parents and family would work together to ensure that our day was perfect.
Here is a breakdown of the reception (mostly).
We set the chairs up the evening before and my family all pitched in. The small tents were set up by my uncle, dad, and a few cousins— VERY exciting to watch. Then we set up the tables, and I was able to convey the end result to my aunt as we set things up.
We had the gift table and a table with colored paper set up near the chairs; the paper was for the guests to make paper airplanes to throw at RoyBoy and me as we entered the reception. The paper airplane throwing was amazing! Everyone had a great time with it and it was just so much fun.
The flowers that my mum made were placed on the tables and looked so simple and perfect. The daisies, being silk, looked perfect all day and provided the perfect burst of color.
We had tissue paper flower/balls on the tent poles and they were a fun accent. The multi-colored, polka-dot tissue flower, made by my second-dad, was displayed by the head table.
Drinks were served in very large vases by my cousins- homemade punch was a delicious, playful option for our guests. The cakes were set up with the drinks and they were all delicious and visually appealing. Nothing like a good looking cake! The food was amazing everyone was able to pick from a variety of dishes. The food was in a buffet style, which was ideal for the laid-back atmosphere.
The dances were held on the pool patio. RoyBoy and I didn’t practice or anything before hand, which I would definitely recommend. We didn’t chose a long song (“1, 2, 3, 4” by Plain White Tees at 3:18), but I got antsy. I decided to spice things up. I had a lot of fun dancing around RoyBoy, who stood there amused. My dance with my father and RoyBoy and his mom’s dance went smoothly and more traditionally.
I climbed up the pool slide for the bouquet toss and had a great crowd below and behind me. One of my crazy uncles, UJ, decided get in the middle of the ladies… and caught the bouquet! It was hysterical and a great moment.
One of the really fun parts of the reception was the photo booth: a large sheet set up on the far side of the lawn, a small tent to protect from the sun, a bunch of funny props, and my camera on a tripod. One of my bride’s maids, the Barbie, helped round up people to make the photo booth a success. The pictures (hundreds of them!) are amazing to flip through because the camera was in continuous-shoot mode. I am so glad that it was fun for everyone, because it gave us great shots of a lot of people.
I think the best thing was that everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. A lot of people told me that they loved how simple and easy it was- very comfortable and real. That is the perfect compliment, and was exactly what I was going for.
Can I say that the wedding and reception was perfect? Because it was. I explained everything I wanted, in detail and with some diagrams, to my aunt (the hostess), my parents, and anyone else who wanted to help. Like many brides, I didn’t see the finished product until I got there, but I wasn’t too concerned. I knew that my aunt, who has hosted many events at her house and is a great planner, would be the perfect person to supervise. I also knew that my parents and family would work together to ensure that our day was perfect.
Here is a breakdown of the reception (mostly).
We set the chairs up the evening before and my family all pitched in. The small tents were set up by my uncle, dad, and a few cousins— VERY exciting to watch. Then we set up the tables, and I was able to convey the end result to my aunt as we set things up.
We had the gift table and a table with colored paper set up near the chairs; the paper was for the guests to make paper airplanes to throw at RoyBoy and me as we entered the reception. The paper airplane throwing was amazing! Everyone had a great time with it and it was just so much fun.
The flowers that my mum made were placed on the tables and looked so simple and perfect. The daisies, being silk, looked perfect all day and provided the perfect burst of color.
We had tissue paper flower/balls on the tent poles and they were a fun accent. The multi-colored, polka-dot tissue flower, made by my second-dad, was displayed by the head table.
Drinks were served in very large vases by my cousins- homemade punch was a delicious, playful option for our guests. The cakes were set up with the drinks and they were all delicious and visually appealing. Nothing like a good looking cake! The food was amazing everyone was able to pick from a variety of dishes. The food was in a buffet style, which was ideal for the laid-back atmosphere.
The dances were held on the pool patio. RoyBoy and I didn’t practice or anything before hand, which I would definitely recommend. We didn’t chose a long song (“1, 2, 3, 4” by Plain White Tees at 3:18), but I got antsy. I decided to spice things up. I had a lot of fun dancing around RoyBoy, who stood there amused. My dance with my father and RoyBoy and his mom’s dance went smoothly and more traditionally.
I climbed up the pool slide for the bouquet toss and had a great crowd below and behind me. One of my crazy uncles, UJ, decided get in the middle of the ladies… and caught the bouquet! It was hysterical and a great moment.
One of the really fun parts of the reception was the photo booth: a large sheet set up on the far side of the lawn, a small tent to protect from the sun, a bunch of funny props, and my camera on a tripod. One of my bride’s maids, the Barbie, helped round up people to make the photo booth a success. The pictures (hundreds of them!) are amazing to flip through because the camera was in continuous-shoot mode. I am so glad that it was fun for everyone, because it gave us great shots of a lot of people.
I think the best thing was that everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. A lot of people told me that they loved how simple and easy it was- very comfortable and real. That is the perfect compliment, and was exactly what I was going for.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
FALL!
OhMyGoodness. I am so excited for this layout. I love autumn, and I get nothing here in Florida. I had no idea you could change it up so much! I would have had a way better background sooner- something relating to the wedding, or at least the colors! Oh well. I love fall leaves! Yay!
Ok, done sharing my exuberance. :D
Ok, done sharing my exuberance. :D
Long Time, No Blog.
First off, let me apologize for not updating sooner. There’s no excuse, really. I’ve just been procrastinating. As it is, I am going to be changing my blog. Obvioulsy I can’t keep writing about wedding planning – I’m married! – but now I’ll be writing about what I’m up to as a married woman. Here’s what you can look forward to (or dread if you don’t like the topics):
-The wedding summary and budget breakdown, including savings highlights
-The house RoyBoy and I are renting and what we are doing (and not doing) to it, as well as pictures
-Cooking and baking triumphs, tips, and recipes
-Homemade/DIY projects and pointers, such as homemade household cleaners and “green” attempts
-Bunny shenanigans
-If I feel like it, maybe a weekly photo for my portfolio (and when I say portfolio, I mean that in a very lose way)
So that’s it! If you’re interested, keep following me!
-The wedding summary and budget breakdown, including savings highlights
-The house RoyBoy and I are renting and what we are doing (and not doing) to it, as well as pictures
-Cooking and baking triumphs, tips, and recipes
-Homemade/DIY projects and pointers, such as homemade household cleaners and “green” attempts
-Bunny shenanigans
-If I feel like it, maybe a weekly photo for my portfolio (and when I say portfolio, I mean that in a very lose way)
So that’s it! If you’re interested, keep following me!
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