Monday

5 days

So apparently we're meeting with our officiant on Wednesday. I'm really over all this, I like him but the meetings are honestly a waste of time. We'll see how this one goes.

I sent in the final payment for our photographer, Jess today! One more down!

Photo Op

17 days

No new RSVPs today, but my friend from high school is bringing another of our friends, Taylor, to the wedding. I'm happy because he's awesome and I haven't seen him in a while.

This weekend is my bachelorette party! I'm finally getting excited about it, which is a small miracle after all the drama and confusion! Now I just need help from my bridesmaids about what to wear...

We're going to send in the rest of the money for our photographer this week!!

Sixty

60 days

222 invited
112 attending
30 declined

Currently working on: favors (171/192 done)

Only one RSVP today from Matt's former coworker, Shawn, and it was a decline.

I bought more Hershey Kisses for the favors today at Walmart. I finished another 30 which leaves only 21 left! I'm going to buy more candy tomorrow, maybe jelly beans, and finish them up! Here's pictures of the two new kinds (Skittles and Kisses):

Jules sent me a link to a wedding pictures from the Biltmore. It was really sweet of her and there were some good pictures in there. Click here to take a look!

I got an email that my bridal shower photobook shipped today! I'm so excited to see it!!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Jess sent me a disk with all of our engagement photos on it, but here are a couple that she put up on Facebook and her website. They're amazing!

It's Never Too Late

Apparently I have decided to really venture into blogging.

My fiance, Matt, and I got engaged in March of this year and we have already started planning the wedding. I think I'm driving most everyone around me (especially Matt) nuts with the planning details. So to get them out, I'll post to the entire world. Not only that, but I'm hoping that I can help future brides with their planning. (I've been contemplating becoming a wedding planner...after my wedding.)

Here's a rundown of the wedding so far:

• We picked our ceremony and reception venues (not the same place): St. Dominic Chapel at Providence College for the ceremony and the Providence Biltmore for the reception. As to picking a college's chapel: Matt graduated from PC in 2009 and he absolutely loves the school. He was their mascot (the Friar) for two years and has held basketball season tickets for since he was a freshman. We live in Rhode Island now and plan on staying here and I wanted to include some aspect of PC in the wedding. (I refused to let the Friar attend the wedding.) In addition, we don't belong to a church here and we want a Catholic ceremony. Thus, we agreed on St. Dominic Chapel. As for the Biltmore, we spent our first anniversary there and I absolutely love the hotel. It's a vintage, 1920s hotel with a penthouse level ballroom that has exquisite views of the city. It was a given...and love at first sight.
• We decided on wedding colors, well I decided on them and Matt agreed. We are doing mainly black and white with rainbow accents. Sound tacky? It's not, I promise. The bridesmaids will wear black dresses and each will have an accent color (my maid of honor with have red, the next bridesmaid will have orange, etc. down to my flower girl in pink) and the groomsmen will wear corresponding vests and ties. However, most of the decor will be black and white.
• We have recruited our wedding party! Here's the final roll call:
• Maid of Honor: Juliana, my friend and roommate from college
• Bridesmaids:
• Jess, a former coworker and close friend
• Cristina, another friend and roommate from college
• Margaret, a friend from high school
• Junior Bridesmaids:
• Nicole, Matt's 15-year-old sister
• Hannah, my 10-year-old sister
• Flower Girl: Olivia, my 5-year-old sister
• Best Man: Nick T, Matt's friend and roommate from college
• Groomsmen:
• Ryan, another of Matt's friends from college
• Nick C, a mutual friend that I went to college with
• Lars, a mutual friend that I went to high school with
• Rich, another mutual friend that I went to college with
• Junior Groomsman: Devon, my soon-to-be 13-year-old brother
• Ring Bearer: Cole, my 5-year-old cousin
• We have sent out our save-the-dates! We are doing all of our stationary through Vistaprint. They are AMAZING, especially for those brides (like myself) not willing to spend thousands of dollars on invitations and the like.
• We have found our photographer, dj, and officiant (the college doesn't provide one)!
• Jess Warzoha, a friend from college, is doing our photography! She does a great job and has already had some great offers (including shooting Drake's CD release)! I'm so excited to work with her, starting next Saturday with our engagement photos!
• We're using Living Reel Productions for our music at the wedding! Eric is very professional, cooperative, and helpful! He's already done a great job and, an added bonus, doesn't cost an arm and a leg!
• Our officiant is one of Matt's former professors from PC (they're a Catholic school), Father Albino Barrera. We've had an initial meeting with him and I really like him! He's easy to listen to so our guests won't fall asleep, hopefully!
• My parents have planned an engagement party for Matt and I next Saturday at their house! Most of the wedding party will be attending as well as close friends and family from both sides. Of course all of these people are also invited to the wedding, so no hard feelings yet!
• Our guest list has been started and agreed upon! A HUGE part of the planning, and a huge headache for many couples, we got an early start. We started by listing our family and friends that we both wanted, then asked our parents for additional guests. Luckily, our parents are all easy-going so it wasn't very dramatic or painful.

I think that's all that has been done so far that's finalized. I will update my completed list as the months race by!

I am so excited about marrying Matt! I'm just hoping I don't drive everyone around me crazy with the details.

Some pictures!

St. Dominic Chapel

The Providence Biltmore

Our save-the-dates (with our last names blacked out)