Let's Share!

Instead of placing disposable cameras on each table in the reception room, I am hoping that our guests will remember to bring their own digital cameras to the wedding.

Giving guests disposable cameras to snap away with is an old and fun tradition, but it is also not in our budget. I don't want us to miss out on having pictures of our guests that may not be taken by our photographer, so I set up a photosharing site just for the wedding. This way, our guests can upload their own pictures and everyone can view them.

I also created little cards for our guests to take with them that has the website on the front side and uploading directions on the back. I included a username and password that I made for guests to use so that they will not have to sign up for an account on their own.

If all goes as planned, we will be able to collect hundreds of pictures for free, and who doesn't like free things?

Here is something else that I want, but really don't need. It's a customized wire clothes hanger for $15. I think it would be an adorable photo opportunity for my wedding dress.
Why am I always wanting unnecessary things?

100 Days

One hundred days until I marry the man of my dreams.

One hundred days until Brandon and I start our new lives together.

One hundred days until we get to celebrate this new beginning with our loved ones.

One hundred days until we take pictures like this one (in non-teddy bear form).

Three Generations of Crazy

The most important women in my life are also going to be the only family members of mine who will join in on the wedding celebration in December.

When my mother confirmed this with me the other night, my heart sank. Brandon's side of the guest list is mostly composed of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. While all of my family members are invited, no one but my mother, grandmother and sister are attending the wedding.

How is someone supposed to take such news? I knew from the start of the planning process that it was going to be difficult to have everyone fly out to California. I told myself not to get my hopes up, and I didn't. But when you actually hear it, you can't help but hurt.

And then I realized that the only family members who have ever been consistent in my life are these three strong women, the ones who have molded me into who I am today.

My mother and grandmother, who are both a full head shorter than I am, are going to walk me down the aisle and give me away to my husband. And my sister will be standing right up there with me. It will be quite a sight.

Surviving the Wedding Day

To my wonderful bridesmaids and bridesman: If you do not want to know anything about your gifts stop reading NOW.



One of the ideas I found early on while browsing through dozens of wedding blogs is the bridal party survival kit. I was inspired by a post in 100 Layer Cake that featured cellophane bags holding useful emergency things for the wedding day. The post also provides a beautiful downloadable label template.



I decided to create my own label that used our wedding fonts, was larger, and required a little less ink. I used a Martha Stewart template and pasted it into a Microsoft Word document since I do not have PhotoShop. I had to create another document with the text only and matched it so that when I printed the two documents together they would match.

Each female kit includes deodorant, hair tie, bobby pins, Aleve pills, band-aids, gum, tissues, oil absorbant sheets, baby wipes, Q-tips, chocolate, and a tampon. I put these items into a disposable 25 fl oz. plastic containers.

I adjusted Tony's kit and tossed in an extra Twix because his was so sparse compared to the girls' kit.

Cost breakdown:
Travel-size deodorant: $0.97 each
Gum: two packs of three for $4
Twix: $1.02
Aleve: two packs of six caplets for $1.94
Containers: $2.14 for five
Tissue: two packs of four for $2.24
Band-aids: $0.58 for ten
All other items were found around the house

Total cost: $16.77
Cost per kit: $3.35

Budget friendly, thoughtful, and practical. Three cheers for Target and their crazy clearance prices!

Let's Eat!

Brandon and I finalized the menu for our reception while I was in Georgia, and we can't wait to eat some more yummy food from Jason's Catering.

Our choice of five passed hor dourves during cocktail hour: homemade pot stickers, brushette de pompadora, shrimp scampi skewers, caribbean rumaki, mini pizzadillas.

My suggestion is to gobble up as much of the caribbean rumaki (plantains wrapped in bacon and baked in a brown sugar glaze) as you can b/c they are delicious.

I spent about 40 minutes coming up with a template for our menu cards which will be tucked inside each guest's napkin. Microsoft Word and I have become very good friends after making our invitations and it has become a lot easier for me to format things the way I want them.

Each menu is printed on plain white cardstock (75 sheets for $2 at Big Lots). They are 3.67" wide and 8" in length. In order to create three perfectly even menus on one sheet of legal sized paper, first adjust all margins to 0" and select three columns with a spacing of 0".

Play around with font sizes and formats. Before printing, look at the print preview carefully to make sure that nothing gets cut off. Always print on scratch paper on the "fast draft" option first until you are absolutely sure you have what you want. Click on "yes" when it asks you if you want to continue even though the margins are wrong.

I used Albermarle Swash and Georgia fonts, which is consistent with the rest of my printed projects. The little swirls were made using Nymphette font. Make sure you leave enough of a border and to center your paragraph alignment.

If you have trouble with cutting paper evenly like I do, you can also click the "line between" option and use those lines as a guide.

I used my temperamental Martha Stewart punch for the top of the menu and embossed a peony stamp at the bottom.

Sorry for the poor quality of pictures. I'm going to have to start using my sister's camera for these posts.

P.S. Is anyone else besides Alvin still following this thing? I plan on blogging at least once every week until December.

Oh Happy Day!

Why am I so ecstatic? Because after 30+ hours of cutting, folding, twisting, fluffing, and sticking, I am finally done with making my twelve tissue pomander balls. When I say 30 hours, I do mean 30 hours. Future brides, pick a red color scheme so that these babies can be used again after their 30 minutes of glory during the ceremony.

Final cost breakdown after a few adjustments: 2 packs of six 3" styrofoam balls ($5.99), wire ($1.75), ribbon ($0.69), 120 sheets of tissue paper (about $11)= a total of $19.43. Not shabby considering that a pack of five red lanterns on clearance at Target is $14.99.

I also made a sign for our candy buffet table that is going to be provided by our caterer. Since I have no idea what the candy buffet will look like or even what candies they are providing, I wanted to at least create a cute sign. I was inspired by this sign and customized it to fit our own weddding:

I will also be making more stickers similar to the ones that were sent out with our STD to customize the cellophane bags that guests will be able to fill with their sweet treats.

I wish my camera took better pictures because this stuff looks better in person.