Last Day of Work

So today is my last day of work for a week an a half! I'm so excited to leave here tonight and know that I won't be back until Tuesday, October 13th! In three days, I'm getting married! In four days, I'll be in Hawaii with my HUSBAND! Only downside: it's supposed to rain on our wedding day. I'm hoping for the best - maybe it'll only rain in the morning or after the ceremony or something. Our living room really is not ideal for the ceremony, and it's even worse for the reception. Hoping for the best!

Landscaper

The landscaper came yesterday to weed and prune. He was kind of expensive and I was really nervous that it still wouldn't look good, but I'm sooooooo relieved. Everything looks so much better now! And the lawn looks so much more spacious now that everything's been pruned back. Such a weight off my shoulders to know that the yard looks good. They also power-washed the front of the house to get rid of all the cob webs we had piling up. Thank you!

According to weather.com it's going to rain on Saturday and be 66 degrees. I'm hoping they're wrong... accuweather.com isn't much more helpful - 70 and mainly cloudy with rain possible. Don't rain on my wedding day please!

4 days!

5 Days

Only five days left!!!! Here are the tasks I have left from Google:

Discuss music with DJ
Finalize menu
Finish favors
Buy alcohol
Figure out wedding day timing
Compile centerpieces
Get manicure/pedicure
Get spray tan?
Get married!

Music is essentially done - same with menu. I'm hoping to finish up the favors tonight and I don't think I actually need to buy very much alcohol. I forgot to put "make place cards" though on this list...

Here's what the Knot thinks I have left:

THIS MONTHS TO DOS

Make sure your maid of honor and best man are aware of what you expect of them -- providing a list of their duties will help.

Finalize menu and service details with caterer.

Consider specific ceremony and reception decoration needs like a huppah, aisle runner, etc.

Make or buy favors. Allow extra time for custom-made favors (i.e., chocolates in a preprinted box).

Start taking better care of yourself (eat right, exercise) so you look and feel great on your wedding day.

Arrange for all insurance policies to include you and your future spouse: health, auto, homeowner's, and life insurance.

Brides: Decide on and purchase major accessories (veil and shoes) prior to final fittings.

Brides: Attend final wedding-gown fitting.

Make sure your homeowner's or renter's insurance covers your rings and gifts.

Work on a list of "must-play" (and "must-not play") songs for your DJ or band.

Have a follow-up meeting or phone call with the officiant to go over ceremony timing and details.

Confirm wedding-night and honeymoon reservations.

Do paperwork for official documents if you are changing your name.

Work out wedding day timing and details (who will get the bride there, where the wedding party will dress, etc) and draw up a schedule.

Get a head start on those thank-you notes (it will feel great to get a batch out before the wedding).

Brides: Make sure you have your garter and "something old, new, borrowed, and blue" if you want to include these customs in your wedding.

Call or email wedding party to relay critical info related to rehearsal and wedding (dates, times, directions, duties).

Brides: Pick up your gown.

Finalize any special preferences, readings, or other ceremony details (in writing) with your officiant.

Call guests who haven't RSVP'd for the wedding and rehearsal dinner. It’s okay to do this, you need a final head count!

Confirm head count, delivery time, and location with the cakemaker.

Plan a party or go out for cocktails to thank your attendants for all their help.

Brides: Pick up the veil and/or headpiece.

Determine any wedding day assignments for members of the wedding party, and make lists/info sheets as needed.

Give final head count to the caterer. Confirm set-up instructions and menu items.

Finalize seating chart. Buy materials for and make place cards (give typed names to the calligrapher if you're using one).

Shop and pack for honeymoon.

Grooms: Pick up your tux and try it on. (Don't wait until the day of to do this!)

Touch base with your officiant and give him/her rehearsal details and wedding day schedule.

Plan any additional night-before activities with friends and/or attendants.

Fax transportation providers a schedule and addresses for pickups on wedding day.

Prepare your toasts or thanks to friends and family. (Grooms: Need a hand?)

Confirm all final payment amounts with your vendors.

Grooms: Get your final haircut.

Distribute wedding-day directions, schedule, and contact list to all parents, attendants, and vendors.

Designate who will meet, greet, and handle each vendor on the wedding day.

Brides: Get a manicure and pedicure and confirm big-day beauty appointments.

Designate someone to collect the wedding gifts (and any cash) brought to the party.

Confirm date, location, time, and playlist with band/DJ and/or ceremony or cocktail hour musicians.

Leave a copy of your honeymoon itinerary with someone in case of emergency.

Put final payments and cash tips in marked envelopes and give to a designated family or friend to distribute on the wedding day.

Get some much-needed sleep -- if you can!

If your wedding is in the a.m., set your alarm and arrange for a backup.

Brides: Pull together wedding gown, veil, shoes, stockings, and a last-minute emergency kit (aspirin, makeup, safety pins, mints, etc.).

Confirm all specific honeymoon travel plans (including transportation to airport, etc.).

Rehearsal Dinner

So the Rehearsal Dinner was on Saturday! I think it went really well, but that's just me. The ceremony's really short, which is probably good since Seth gets impatient easily. My one concern is knowing when I can start walking because I can't hear the music very well from inside the house. Oh well - we'll figure it out. I'm thinking I may have my friend Megan just signal me to start walking.

So anyway, people arrived at the house between 3:30 and 4:30, so we got a bit of a late start, but that was okay. Seth's Dad and Step-Mom brought delicious food that they put in the oven to keep warm. Once everyone was there, we hung out for a little bit, set up the chairs outside, showed the photography (a good work friend of mine) where everything was happening, and had people take their seats. Then our DJ (another good friend and my Maid of Honor's fiance) set up the music and Seth and his Best Man and the officiant took their spots. My Maid of Honor and I went inside and waited for the music to start.

My Maid of Honor is walking to "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach and I'm walking to "Canon in D" by Pachebel. I did have to yell at people to stand up while I was walking which was funny. Then I got to Seth and my Maid of Honor had to remind me to hand her my flowers. Then we had to figure out when to get the rings from our Best Man and Maid of Honor so we'd have them for the vows. It was fun. I think I need to figure out a recessional song though because we at least walk back up the steps together.

Mobile upload from our DJ

After we rehearsed, then we had dinner which was delicious! My parents had brought beer and wine and the wine was sooo good. It was a really fun night and people seemed to get along pretty well. All in all, a success!

5 days!

Hair Take 2

So last night I got together with my hairstylist (my friend from work who will be doing my hair on wedding day) for another hair experiment. Unfortunately I don't have pictures to post yet, but I am happy to say that hair experiment 2 seemed better than hair experiment one. It looked much more natural and instead of small tight curls, I had more lose flowing curls which definitely looked better for me. Hopefully I'll have pics up soon.

In related news - I'm getting a haircut tonight! Thank goodness! I think just cutting my hair will help with the hair debacle of curling it since my hair is so long and heavy currently, it doesn't hold the curls very well. I'm thinking I'll chop off about five or six inches, so I'll post pics afterwards for the comparison.

8 days!

10 Days

It's official - the countdown has begun! There's only 10 days between now and my wedding and soooo much still to do! Hopefully it all gets done on time and everything goes okay. Even though the wedding's still a ways off, I've become addicted to checking out the weather to see what it will be like. Two days ago: rain and high of 60. Today: sunny and high of 78. Let's hope that forecast holds!

So here's my list of tasks from the Knot, and hopefully I'll be getting them done as we go.

1-2 WEEKS
September 13, 2009 through October 01, 2009

Make sure your maid of honor and best man are aware of what you expect of them -- providing a list of their duties will help. (pretty much done - need to make sure best man knows what he's doing)

Finalize menu and service details with caterer. (pretty much done - need to make sure all the timing details are set)

Consider specific ceremony and reception decoration needs like a huppah, aisle runner, etc. (don't think we're having any decorations for ceremony...)

Make or buy favors. Allow extra time for custom-made favors (i.e., chocolates in a preprinted box). (still working on finishing these)

Start taking better care of yourself (eat right, exercise) so you look and feel great on your wedding day. (didn't do this...)

Arrange for all insurance policies to include you and your future spouse: health, auto, homeowner's, and life insurance. (this will probably wait until after honeymoon)

Order liquor, wine and/or champagne if they're not included in the catering contract. (still need to get some drinks, but most drinks are being provided by my parents and Seth's grandparents)

Brides: Decide on and purchase major accessories (veil and shoes) prior to final fittings. (have shoes but need something for hair still)

Brides: Attend final wedding-gown fitting. (don't think I'm having a final fitting - just need to pick up dress on Wednesday)

Brides: Buy gifts for your maid of honor and bridesmaids. Knot Hint: Check out our selection of gifts for girls. (have most of the gift received, waiting on one item)

Work on a list of "must-play" (and "must-not play") songs for your DJ or band. (URGENT - must finish this!!!!)

Discuss music with ceremony musicians and agree on final choices. (same as above!)

Make sure your homeowner's or renter's insurance covers your rings and gifts. (going to do this after wedding)

Wrap all gifts for the wedding party and write each attendant a nice note. (still waiting on one item...)

Have a follow-up meeting or phone call with the officiant to go over ceremony timing and details. (will do this if necessary after rehearsal)

Confirm wedding-night and honeymoon reservations. (still need to do this, will do it next week)

Do paperwork for official documents if you are changing your name. (after wedding item)

Get a head start on those thank-you notes (it will feel great to get a batch out before the wedding). (haven't received any gifts yet)

Work out wedding day timing and details (who will get the bride there, where the wedding party will dress, etc) and draw up a schedule. (have a schedule but still need to discuss items with people at rehearsal dinner first)

Brides: Get final prewedding haircut, if necessary. (need to schedule this soon)

Brides: Make sure you have your garter and "something old, new, borrowed, and blue" if you want to include these customs in your wedding. (don't think I'm doing this)

Call or email wedding party to relay critical info related to rehearsal and wedding (dates, times, directions, duties). (still need to do this - all set for rehearsal dinner but need to do for wedding)

Finalize any special preferences, readings, or other ceremony details (in writing) with your officiant. (pretty much finalized - will know for sure after rehearsal)

Brides: Pick up your gown. (Wednesday, Sept. 30th)

Give final head count to the caterer. Confirm set-up instructions and menu items. (don't think this is essential)

Plan a party or go out for cocktails to thank your attendants for all their help. (probably won't be doing this)

Confirm head count, delivery time, and location with the cakemaker. (still need to check on this)

Call guests who haven't RSVP'd for the wedding and rehearsal dinner. It’s okay to do this, you need a final head count! (didn't ask people to RSVP, not concerned)

Determine any wedding day assignments for members of the wedding party, and make lists/info sheets as needed. (probably need to do this...)

Brides: Pick up the veil and/or headpiece. (need to make a headpiece I think...)

Finalize seating chart. Buy materials for and make place cards (give typed names to the calligrapher if you're using one). (need to do this!!!)

Prepare your toasts or thanks to friends and family. (Grooms: Need a hand?) (probably not doing formal toasts...)

Plan any additional night-before activities with friends and/or attendants. (like I'll have time to do any night-before activities...)

Fax transportation providers a schedule and addresses for pickups on wedding day. (don't think I need to do this)

Grooms: Get your final haircut. (verdict's still out on whether he needs one or not)

Touch base with your officiant and give him/her rehearsal details and wedding day schedule. (will do this after rehearsal dinner)

Grooms: Pick up your tux and try it on. (Don't wait until the day of to do this!) (picked up the suit but need him to try it on still)

Confirm delivery locations, times, and final arrangement count with florist. (just need to confirm delivery time)

Confirm all final payment amounts with your vendors. (probably need to do this...)

Shop and pack for honeymoon. (will need to pack...)

Distribute wedding-day directions, schedule, and contact list to all parents, attendants, and vendors. (need to do this still)

Designate who will meet, greet, and handle each vendor on the wedding day. (probably my Mom gets to do this fun part)

Designate someone to collect the wedding gifts (and any cash) brought to the party. (need to designate... probably Mom)

Brides: Get a manicure and pedicure and confirm big-day beauty appointments. (need to schedule this, planning on the Thursday before)

Leave a copy of your honeymoon itinerary with someone in case of emergency. (need to do this once everything's finalized)

Put final payments and cash tips in marked envelopes and give to a designated family or friend to distribute on the wedding day. (still need to do this...)

Confirm date, location, time, and playlist with band/DJ and/or ceremony or cocktail hour musicians. (still need to finish playlist)

DAY BEFORE
October 02, 2009

	Confirm all specific honeymoon travel plans (including transportation to airport, etc.).
	Rehearse the ceremony with officiant and wedding party.
	Brides: Pull together wedding gown, veil, shoes, stockings, and a last-minute emergency kit (aspirin, makeup, safety pins, mints, etc.).
	Get some much-needed sleep -- if you can!
	If your wedding is in the a.m., set your alarm and arrange for a backup.
	Have fun and relax at your rehearsal dinner.
	Drop off guest book and pen at the reception site.

Marriage License

I forgot to take a picture, but on Friday, Seth and I went out to the City Clerk's office to fill out the information to get our marriage license! It was very exciting! Okay, maybe not really, but I'm certainly excited. We're getting married in less than two weeks now! The marriage license was really easy to get and probably one of the last big things we needed to do before the wedding. Now I just need to finish my favors...

It fit!

Dress fitting was last night! I was soooooo worried that the dress wouldn't fit because I've... gained some weight... since I originally ordered the dress. Luckily I had ordered one size up anyway because the one I tried on was a bit tight and the dress fit me perfectly! I'm so happy! it's such a weight off my shoulders! Now the dress just needs to be hemmed and I can pick it up in two weeks! Here it is (I don't have to worry about Seth seeing because he's not a web surfer):

Tan

So I decided that I was going to try a spray tan before the wedding. I want to be at least semi tan for the wedding because I'm so pale in general! I figured a spray tan would be the easy, cheap way to go, and it's cancer free! Seth seemed kind of against it - I think he thought I'd come back orange, but I decided to set up an appointment for Friday and give it a try. I wish I had some pictures - it came out pretty well! Friday night, I felt kind of sticky for about 30 minutes and I certainly looked dark! But after a good night's sleep and a shower in the morning, I looked normal! I just had a nice soft glow! I think I'll definitely do it again for the wedding!

It's here, it's here!

That's right! My dress is in!! Finally!!! I was starting to get a little worried about it not coming in time. My wedding is in 22 days and I still need to do a fitting, get it altered (I assume), and then do another fitting. My first fitting is scheduled for Wednesday, so let's hope I fit!

Two Excursions!

So I've officially booked two excursions for Seth and my honeymoon! I'm soooo excited! The first is going to be the Mountain Riders Haleakala Sunrise Bike Tour. That's a tour where you get up super early, get picked up at your hotel, driven to near the top of the Haleakala crater to watch the sunrise. Then you hop on bikes and ride roughly 30 miles down! It's going to be so much fun (I hope)! We've booked that for Monday because I figure we should do that early in the trip before we get accustomed to the time difference. Hopefully 3:00 a.m. really feels like 3:00 p.m.

Here's a picture from Heather's trip there:
They also make you wear these awesome outfits because apparently that early in the morning that high up it's FREEZING:

The second excursion will be for later in the week, and that's ziplining! I've been wanting to try ziplining for some time now even though I'm afraid of heights, and I figure if I'm going to do it, I might as well do it in Hawaii! We'll be ziplining with Skyline Eco Adventures and doing the Ka'anapali Skyline Adventure. That's closer to where we're staying plus it has more lines than the Haleakala one. Here's one of the view's from Heather's time:

Bachelorette Party!

This weekend (Saturday) was my Bachelorette Party and it was a blast! I had so much fun and it went exactly the way I wanted it to! It was so much fun! On Friday night, my Maid of Honor came over for dinner and we made our shirts so that we wouldn't have to on Saturday with the other girls. Here's what mine looked like:

front

back

Then Saturday morning came and it was time to go to the Spa! One of our friends met up with us at my house and we all drove over. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from the spa, but we got facials, manicures, and pedicures, and lunch! It was awesome! Here are my nails after:

Then my Maid of Honor and I decided it was time to change into our shirts and get the other shirt materials ready for when the three girls who were joining us arrived. My Maid of Honor even got me a veil to wear out!
Joke loot! One of my friends brought me all this stuff! How cool is that?? They tried to convince me to bring the whip out with us, but I didn't want to make too much of a scene. I did bring those fun dice though!
Here's all the girls in our shirts:
And here we all our with our drinks at Margarita's while we wait for dinner to be brought out. It was so delicious! And I love their Russelritas! To die for!
First shot of the night. Three of the girls tried something called "Birthday Cake" or "Chocolate Cake". Unfortunately, it neither looked nor tasted anything like a cake!
We decided to break out the dice:

Dirty Dance to the Right

Dirty Dancing!

We decided it was time to leave Margaritas and so off we went to the next bar! There was a band about to play, but we got early enough to miss the cover charge. Sweet!

One of the girls convinced the band to give me beads since I'm getting married:

Switching to water in order to DD

Texting at a Bachelorette Party??

Another bride showed up and she had a Scavenger Hunt! They gave us a copy incase I wanted to do it, haha!

The girls!

My roommates from college!

My friend was waiting for this phone call:

She just became an aunt!

The girls at the last bar

Being DD'd home

What a fun night. I had so much fun and was home before midnight, perfect! We drank water and had some food and then my Maid of Honor and I crashed together in one of the spare bedrooms of my house. So much fun - thank you girls!

One month!

I'm getting married in one month! Can you believe it? I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it! In exactly 30 days, I will be marrying my best friend and true love! I'm excited but also very stressed out. I feel like there's so much to do and not very much time left now! According to the Knot, I still have 79 tasks to complete! Eeek! My biggest things I think are:

Make favors
Get marriage license (probably the most important thing)
Write ceremony and vows
Buy guest book or signature mat frame
Get dress in and fitted (eeek!!!!!)
Buy drinks for rehearsal dinner and wedding
Confirm honeymoon reservations!

September

It's September! It's September! I'm officially getting married next month!!! Too excited to say more!