Today is Dec 1.. 17 days

Today, I am exhausted. I have spent the last 4 hours in a car. We took my dress (yes, early this morning and I know I am pushing it close) to the saemstress to be altered slightly. The bust is slightly too large and needs to be taken in a bit. I also got to try on my rehearsal dress since it has been taken in. It looks stunning.

I have a ton of things I am working on right now. I printed out the "guts" of my programs. I have cut them and cut the program cover. I have designed the cover design. I haven't printed or cut those yet, but I have to had punch out and tie the programs and that is taking awhile. I also have to hand glue in the envelopes and put in the tissues. It's really labor intensive, but I hope to finish them this weekend.

I wasn't going to do favors, but the thick paper that we cut for the program cover were the perfect size for... bookmarks! So I have designed them and I am looking forward to printing those out as well to work on this weekend.

I did wrap the attendants gifts and I almost have the reception playlist aced. Jane and Marsheena and Sam are planning my girl's night and Nate is planning JRock's bachelor party. All in all I suspect the last 17 days will be a mess.

A Month and a half!!

WOW.

I can't believe it's so close. It seems like 6 months ago I was still planning hard. Now, everything is planned and needs to be done. Yesterday, I had a mini panic moment.

See, I had send back the corset that I was supposed to wear under my dress today because it was WAY to big. And I need to get my dress altered still. *cringe* Maybe I'll have to get it fitted without it. I'm not sure.

I have yet to finalize the ceremony with our officiant. And that means my programs are still floating in needs to be done states.

We haven't gotten all the attendant's gifts.. which is hard because half our wedding guests are in it. Let alone wrapped... seriously.

Oh, and half our maids and men will be naked as they haven't gotten their attire yet. Yep.

So, I had a mini moment. (Oh yeah and I just took a pause to call my caterer [at least one section of our catering and got a very giggly high school girl].)

So, I am breathing, just worked out and listening to happy music. This is supposed to help.... right?

Why is your dress orange?

I took my dress back home to TN with me for the shower. I tried it on for the first time. I love the dress. However, while most people in my family like my dress and think it is beautiful, I could also see the look on their faces for a brief moment. The look said:

"Why is your dress orange?"

My dress is partially orange. It has a beautiful orange silk trim, 2 gorgeous orange ties in the back and orange and a champagne-y grape light color stitching.

My dress is a one of a kind, COUTURE, completely hand made silk (Panderetta) number designed by Chrissy Wai-Ching.

So, I thought I might mention why my dress is orange.

My dress is orange because… the color orange makes me feel alive.
Not because orange is one of our wedding colors. (That's just convenient.)
My dress is orange because… orange is beautiful, vibrant and happy.
Not because Jonathon is a Vols fan.
My dress is orange because… orange is my favorite color.
Not because I am bucking the system.
My dress is orange because… I wanted to wear orange.

I love my dress because it is unique and fun and sassy and couture and delicious. I know I don't look like the frothy white garbed bridal diva in my dress. BUT I feel like a bridal diva in my dress. I feel like the most gorgeous creature to walk on the earth in this dress. I feel sexy, sassy, slim, and mostly lovely.

My dress is orange. But man, I look good in it.

My dress and 100 days

It is officially, today, 100 days until our wedding.

I am excited beyond measure. Most it comes from the fact that I feel like a bride today. I got my dress yesterday in the mail from the wonderful Chrissy Wai-Ching!!

I know I told you yesterday I got my dress. Some of you will want to be surprised. So, if you do... I'd suggest not clicking on the link. However, if you don't give a crap about surprises...

you can see pictures of the dress.. (not on me)
here.

Dress!!!

I got my dress today!!! It’s so perfect.

More later, pictures this weekend!

Cool Dress Idea.

I wish I had thought of this! I love my dress (which I still haven't seen yet!), but I wanted a short dress as well. This would have been a great idea.

from Rock and Roll Bride.

Wedding earrings

These beautiful little orange and white cameo earrings are my wedding earrings. I got them from etsy for $4! Quite a bargain. I wanted to mimic the cameo in my necklace with my earrings and I wanted them to be dainty.

Plus, they are so cute? Ne sais pas?

Rehearsal Dress

Cindy from lookylu clothing is making my rehearsal dress as you know.  And this was some of the options.  I have opted for no trim around the bottom, just a normal white trim and the plain orange ribbon in the ruffle. There were actually many more options, but I just wanted to get the whole dress and the ruffle I like on it.

Cindy is incredible to work with. She listens to exactly what you need, works fast, asks for feedback and is all around awesome. If you want a sexy, flirty, fun and completely custom dress made…. go to etsy and lookylu.

Dress Update!

I am so excited today! I emailed Chrissy about my dress since I was checking in with my lovely wedding fairies. And she got back to me and said that my dress is gorgeous and she should be ready to ship it at the end of the month! *squee*

For those who don’t remember this is my dress and it is being made by the fabulous Chrissy Wai-Ching!

She is also making my veil! I can’t wait to see them.

Orange Swatch!!

I got a swatch of the orange material from my dress from Chrissy!!

I thought you’d like to see it.

It’s a bit brighter than you see there. But it’s so soft and so wonderful and so sigh!

The Dress

So, annoyed with searching for a beautiful, cute, but not hundreds of dollars dress… I looked at the one place you ask and shall receive. Etsy!

I placed an order on Alchemy and got several bids. Then, a home town – St. Louis fashionista offered to make a dress. She showed me one that she thought would work.

I agreed! And for $58 you can’t beat it.

Here’s the dress. It will be made in white eyelet with orange ruffles and an orange band around the bottom.

I am so smitten with my dress.

LookyLuClothing on Etsy is making it. I’m so smitten.

Rehearsal Dress Part 1

I was getting antsy about my rehearsal dinner/after party dress. I knew what I wanted, but I wasn’t finding anything fabulous. I’m going to show you some of the things I had in mind before I show you my dress and how I found it.

The first dress is from sarah seven, second: I’m not sure, third from here, fourth from here, fifth from etsy and I’m not sure where… please let me know if you know the seller of this pretty thing.

Of course, the lovely Holly Stadler’s “fairest” dress and the Claire Pettibone “breeze” dresses were also in my head.

Rehearsal Dinner Dress

I am now looking for my rehearsal dinner dress.

Did I tell you my second dress fell through the cracks of a horrible seamstress and I gave up on it?

But the problem with my search for a rehearsal dress is that I love short bubble hem dresses (like the ones to the left.. OMG how cute are they?! I wish I knew who made them. I also wish I remember where I found this picture.) However, my wedding is December in the mountains of NC. Do you know how cold it is here in December? Yeah, it snows in October. Seriously. It’s cold. Now, admittedly the places we will be at are heated, but the trek to the truck may be chilly.

I really want a short dress though. It’s a style matter. I can’t decide if it’s better to suffer for fashion or be warm?

the wedding lull

I'm seriously loving this dress from Holly Stadler. Lovely. It'd be a perfect beach or informal wedding dress. I contemplated buying it. However, my wedding dress budget already strapped, my mom suggested that we go to the lady who made my prom dress my junior year as a knock off of the red "jump dress" in Titanic. It was $100. She said perhaps she could make something similar in design to this since she makes wedding dresses. I am going to check when I go home. If it is about $100, Jonathon said to get it. I'll wear it to the after party and for pictures we will have made at TWC in our formal wear.

I believe it is a lovely knock off (though I'm sure not what Holly intended) of the Claire Pettibone dress that I adored, longed for, and loved.

Not a ton of stuff is going on. I mailed my bridesmaids their lookbooks. Jane, Kourt, Court have gotten them for sure. I haven't talked to my other girls yet. Court already has her dress! And this story made me happy. She had to buy a dress for another wedding that is one of the colors I said they could get. She said she didn't know where she was going to be able to wear it again. So she'd be out the money for the dress for one time use. She asked if it was okay if she wore it to my wedding. I happily agreed. That is what I wanted for my girls: to be able to wear them again. Jane is using the opportunity to get a new J.Crew dress. She said it's a great reason to splurge and a good excuse to buy the J.Crew dresses she loves. So, that is good.

I'm sending out my Save the Dates this week, I hope. I ordered cute stickers from our engagement session (the first one) for the back from Moo. I hope to get them this week. We've already stamped them. Now, all we have to do is get the stickers and we are set. As soon as they go out... pictures!!

My Dress!!!!!!

It's official. I have given Chrissy my measurements. I have paid my deposit. I feel completely comfortable posting this now. I have commissioned the absolutely most perfect dress from Chrissy Wai-Ching. I ordered the Pandereta gown (orange and white is absolutely perfect). I also ordered the Muse bolero with the edges dyed orange to match the dress, and a veil to match the bolero. I am so beyond stoked. I couldn't imagine a more perfect dress. Or a nicer person to work with. She has been so wonderful. I can't wait to see the final process... in about 3 or 4 months.

** all images are personal screenshots from Chrissy's website and copyright Chrissy Wai-Ching.

Rocking: Seinfeld
Feeling: Ecstatic

Dress Love

Tonight, after going to H & R Block to have our taxes filed, I am ordering my wedding dress. I am beyond excited. I wish I could tell you how excited I am. No loves I am not ordering the lovely dress I have been obsessing over for many weeks now. Nope, but I am ordering the dress that when I saw it I thought "This is THE dress." I suppose you are wondering why I am not showing you mountains of pictures. First off, because I haven't ordered it yet. I don't feel secure in posting things until I have laid down the money and it is completely definite. Secondly, it's hard to find pictures of this dress in a viable way. Thirdly, I am having a few things about it changed and thus any picture of the dress will not be exact.

That said, let me tell you where I am getting my dress from (many of you who know the designer will go.. "ohhhh I get those reasons now" after you hear this). I am ordering my dress from Chrissy Wai-Ching!! I know, swoon and sigh right? Her work is beyond gorgeous. I am so seriously stoked. I am also happy to announce that the dress in question is completely within my dress budget. I am also happy to say it fits my color scheme and is so perfectly me.

I'll show you pictures later. Post ordering it. With all the changes I am making (which is a few but not many). And if Chrissy thinks there is enough changes that she will send a sketch.. well I'll post that as well.

I'm so excited.

Invitation update: tomorrow!!! Tomorrow I will have my lovely, beautiful, perfect invitations. Sigh.

...

I.Believe.I.Have.Found.My.Dress.

Wedding style

I have been trying to refine, not just my personal wedding style, but the whole wedding's style lately. I have collected hundreds if not thousands of pictures from the months of planning. For a long time, I've felt like our wedding was an eclectic mix of styles. And it bothered me. However, I know right now, that our wedding is an eclectic mix of styles. And I am okay with that.

Our wedding has a high fashion, diy, book, India, orange, with some UT touches style. I'm okay with this because it is an accurate portrayal of Jonathon and I. I am obsessed with India and high fashion. Jonathon is obsessed with UT. We are both obsessed with orange and books and diy. I think it accurately expresses us. It may not look like it will all come together but I think it will.

I have been thinking a ton about dresses. I love this beautiful Claire Pettibone dress above. The cost? $2475. Sad face. I won't get it, but maybe a knock off? Hand made for me? Possible. Our next big wedding purchase is my dress.

I'm also working on music, decorations, stationary products, our guestbook, and others. But I just wrote our ceremony script. I am so terribly in love with it. It's sob worthy. I have included three readings, family and friends intentions, customized vows, traditional vows, and very special ceremony that is not a unity candle (gag)*. We are both now happy with the wedding ceremony.

*Unity candles are fine for some people, I have seen them at so many weddings with them, and if they have meaning to you that's awesome, but I grow tired of seeing unity candles with no meaning behind them.

Sigh

Oh beautiful Claire Pettibone dress! Why must you be so expensive?! Why does a simple dress of cotton and lace have to cost so much? And why in the world are you the perfect dress for me? I mean, you are clearly the dress I am meant to have. I believe you have my name written on you. Sad face.

Dear Claire,

I know you are a designer. I know you make lovely couture pretty gowns. But please for the love of god lower your prices. And I would buy this dress.

Thanks.

Amy

Budget: Last Post

I'm combing several parts. Mostly, because I am just glad that the last 2 weeks are over. Jonathon's appendectomy went well. He is healing and doing very well (since we both went back to work Thursday). The funeral wasn't nearly as sad as we thought it would be. It was more of a celebration than anything. And.... some good news for a change... I am a finalist for a new position at the college I work for and the position is full time with benefits. I'm rather excited and happy.

Last part of my budget talk.

Ceremony fees were relatively low. Most of our fees are speculation based on market prices of today. Most of decoration is in candles and flowers. We are decking the stage with poinsettias (white). Candles in the windows, wreaths on the 2 doors, which we have already bought. Our officiant may be free. We haven’t asked him about fees yet, but he didn’t mention them and he is a professor we both had. We will get him something nice even if he doesn’t charge us. Our venue as I mentioned was free. Although, we are going to donate some funds to the college post wedding. Our music is being done by a friend. My mom already has the birdseed (which by the way is so much nicer for the birdies in winter). Birdseed may not be posh or creative, but it does have a positive impact on the wildlife in our area around this time. I don’t want little birdies to miss the feast. We just have to get the packets and ribbon for that. And that pretty much sums up ceremony fees.

Budget check: $4200 (ish)

Attire is easy. Jonathon plans to rent his tux and shoes. No surprise there. Which will set us back about $100 bucks. My attire isn’t so easy. However, I do plan to go light on my dress. Either a stunning Flirt by Maggie Sottero prom dress or a short dress or something completely lovely, but cheaper. I bought most of my jewelry a long time ago without a wedding in mind. (Real pearls picked up on a summer trip to India.) Otherwise, I picked up some on sale things (including my something blue and bangles). I’m possibly having a custom jacket made. I will get my designer shoes from a local store at home that sells designer shoes worn on the runway once for less than $50. (I’m talking Anne Klein, Steve Madden, Nine West, Jimmy Choos, Manolo’s.) Overall, my estimated budget (based on the plans above) is relatively cheap.

Budget check: $5200 (ish)

Okay, I know you have wanted to hear about my letterpress and how it fits here. So, I will keep you waiting no longer. First it starts with my Save The Dates. I want to wait and show you those and go into more details about them as I send them out. So, let me just say that I spent about $30 bucks on them. Then, I have designed the program already and I plan to print those out myself. So, the cost of paper and ink is the only factor there.

So, really that brings us to my invitations. My beautiful invites (which I promise to share with you when I send them) are letterpressed by the amazing Mary Beth and Amy from Peculiar Pair Press. (I HIGHLY recommend them.) I managed to get a great deal on my invites. They were running a deal on an invite suite that was perfect for us. So, I contacted them. I doubted with our budget that we could afford something so wonderful. Low and behold.. I was told that for our set, with the amount we needed (50) for 2 color invite only (it’s close friends and family I would rather call and have a personal chat with everyone than a super formal rsvp card) with printed envelope would be $450. I was sold. So, I ordered them already. I should be getting them very soon. I have a lovely wonderful friend doing the calligraphy (for free but we will give her goodies).

So, letterpress budget check: $5800

Flowers have been mixed into the ceremony and reception budget. However, here are my methods of keeping my flower cost down. I am buying local wholesale flowers, my mother is helping me arrange them. I am having y bouquet and flower girl pomander made. It’s the only thing. I’m keeping my flowers in season with only a few off season flowers. I’m keeping florals to a minimum. They are part of my tables but only in a limited understated beautiful way.
Extras have their place.

We are saving money on not getting a hotel for ourselves or renting cars. Not necessary. (This is the green in me.) We will probably take our SUV and people will probably ride with us. It’s not a thing. We are having an after party post reception. There will be alcohol, most of it we already have, but some we will get before the party. There are other random costs I haven’t included here. Such as, the later donations to the school, attendants gifts, our wedding bands, etc. Most of the cost of our wedding comes down to photography, invites, food, and extra fun things. Truth be told, this wedding may come out under $8000. We will see.