Last Man Standing

98 days

210 invited
28 attending
6 declined

I FINISHED THE LAST BOUQUET!! All seven of them are done which means that ALL of the "flowers" are done! SO EXCITED!! Here is a picture (for more click here):

I also had my hair trial this morning! I have pictures (that I have to keep for the big day) that I'll post below!

Looking at the pictures now, I want more hair around the sides of my face. I don't look how pulled back it looks from the front.

We got more gifts off the registry, but I'm too lazy to post pictures. However, they were the luggage set, the serving spoons and forks, and another serving piece for veggies.

Jess and Shannon helped me pick through the M&Ms for the favors to get rid of the brown ones. It didn't take as long as we thought but we may need to buy more in addition to the purple and pink. After I get the boxes, we'll see how it goes!

Double Digits!

99 days

207 invited
28 attending
6 declined

RSVPs today:
-Joel DeFelice, Matt's college friend
-Peggy & Alex, friends from Gap back home (declined because Peggy's brother's wedding is the same weekend)
-Brendan, my cousin (declined)
-Matt's parents
-John & Ann Madden

Jess is here for the weekend and we are going to my hair trial tomorrow morning with Shannon! I can't wait to see how it's going to look! I'm definitely bringing my camera!

Jess and I went to Michael's tonight and got the all the rest of the glass for the centerpieces except for the square vases. I came home and ordered them on Save on Crafts instead since they were drastically cheaper! I'm also ordering the black gems and then I'll be done!

I got the Vistaprint order and finished the menus tonight! They look great thanks to help from Jess! I'm so excited to have another DIY project done!

I also got the LAST brooch for Cristina's bouquet! I was going to finish her bouquet tonight until I realized that I needed to get more silver wiring. So...I'll be finishing it tomorrow.

I got the baskets for the programs today! They're a little small, so I've decided to not tie the fans and bubbles onto them. Instead, I'm going to get a big basket for the bubbles to leave outside and probably lay the fans in the pews, depending on if that's okay.

Dalmatians

101 days

204 invited
12 attending
1 declined (reception only)

We got back three more RSVPs: my grandparents (mom's side), Mike Trush (a college friend), and Father Barrera (who will be officiating the ceremony but not attending the reception)!

I'm still waiting on one more brooch for Cristina's bouquet! It's making me mad that it hasn't gotten here yet!

I also really want to hear about the dresses! I don't know why they are taking so long! I'm thinking about calling and seeing if they have any way of knowing when they're coming in.

Quickie

107 days

202 invited
0 attending
0 declined

Just a quick post on the first day of March (just a little over three months to go). I sent out the invitations yesterday after I left work, so they got to the post office about 6. A couple coworkers that live in the area got them today! I was seriously amazed at how fast they got out! So excited!

Another small tidbit: out of 22 diy projects I have only 7 to finish (not including the newsletters which are spaced out). A small detailed list:
1. bouquets which I have only Cristina's to finish as soon as the brooch comes in
2. ceremony programs which I need to buy fans for and then attach those and the bubbles to each
3. out of town bags which will be done closer to the wedding
4. escort card displays which will be finished once I get RSVPs back and can make escort cards for them
5. menus (for the tables) that I only need the menu insert for
6. centerpieces which will also be done closer to the wedding
7. favors which are another project to be done closer to the wedding

The Grass is Always Greener

I finished Shannon's bouquet! It looks great and I love the colors of the brooches! Now I'm down to ONE! AAAAHHHH! And, of course, the picture:

You Can Quote That

114 days

Currently working on: escort card frames quotes (7/7 done)

I finished the quotes for the escort card frames since the last two frames came in today! I was going to start working on the pictures, but the printer is running low on black ink and so I'll need to print them elsewhere. (I sent it to myself to try and print at work since it's a more industrial model and has a lot more ink.) I think I'm going to do the small signs for the frames tonight, instead.

Matt also got the last addresses that we needed while I got the invitation weighed, so we can send them out! It's going to be about what I thought so we'll have to start buying them now since it'll probably total around $85.

I received the original last brooch for Shannon's bouquet so I'll be able to finish her bouquet later tonight! Another one done! Yay! Here's the brooch that I finally got in:

Roses are Red

I finished Jules' bouquet! I got the brooches in last night, but Matt and I were really busy with the honeymoon, so I waited to finish it until tonight. I'm so excited to have another one done! Here is a picture:

I also got an email that our mothers' corsages will be shipping out tomorrow! I cannot WAIT to see them! I'll post pictures when I get them in!

Over the Moon

116 days

Currently working on: escort card frames (5/7 done)

Matt and I booked the honeymoon!! We are going to Sandals Grande Riviera in Jamaica for a week, starting the day after the wedding! We are also spending the following Sunday night in Miami before our departing flight back to reality here in Rhode Island. I am SO excited to have this finalized and one more thing checked off our list!

I ALSO received ALL of the brooches for Juliana's bouquet and all but one for Cristina's! Because we were so focused on the honeymoon, though, I'm going to put off finishing Jules' until tomorrow night.

I also rescheduled our menu finalizing to next Tuesday night because Matt's working on that Wednesday. I can't wait to check another thing off our list!

Ring-a-Ding-Ding

121 days

Currently working on: ceremony programs (100/200 done)

Matt got his ring in yesterday! It is SO much better than the other one and we are both really glad we exchanged them.

I finished Jess's bouquet!! I got the last brooch in today and so I finished the whole thing! I'm so excited to have another one done! Here are the pictures:

I also got my after party dress in! I have yet to try it on as Shannon is here hanging out, but hopefully it'll fit so I don't have to return it.

I also got an email from Vistaprint that our menu cards shipped so we can finally finish the invitations and send them out!!

Hairy Flower

126 days

Currently working on: pocketfolds (112/130 done)
                                   ceremony programs (50/200 done)

Sweet relief! Pre-Cana is done and over with and we never have to go back again! I'm not going to rant about how much a I hated it (a lot) but I will say that it did absolutely nothing for me. I don't want to dwell on the boring and painful, though, so let's move on to other things.

My hair piece came in! It is GORGEOUS! I am so happy that I ordered it from Etsy since the one I got from Claire's looks like crap compared to this one! Here's a picture:

We also sent back the ring we had originally ordered Matt and ordered the new one from Jared that he wanted. Here's a picture of it:

I got another brooch in! It's for Shannon's bouquet so now I only need one more for hers and I'll be able to finish it! Another picture:

Yesterday, we got a bunch of packages in as well, but I didn't have the time or energy to write about them because of Pre-Cana. My dress for my shower from ModCloth came in! I tried it on last night before leaving and it fits! I'll need to get a slip from Gap to go under, but I love it and I'm so glad to have the return nonsense done and over with! Our dads' cufflinks and ushers' tie and cufflink sets also came in! You can see them here on our wedding website!

All Brooched Out

129 days

Currently working on: pocketfolds (74/130 done)

I got my package from Vistaprint today from the post office! I understand why it couldn't be delivered; it was huge! In it was the 200 invitation envelopes, half of our ceremony programs and the direction business card inserts for the invitations. I've already started working on the programs! They have to be hole-punched in the corner and tied with ribbon. Later, I'll tie on the bubbles and the fans, once we order them.

Speaking of ordering: I finished ordering the brooches! I bought all of the ones for Cristina and Juliana's bouquets on ebay tonight for about $50! I'm so happy to have that done so I can finally finish the bouquets when they come in. Here are the pictures of which ones I ordered:

I also ordered our dads' cufflinks from Amazon as well as the ushers' gifts. There were only a few of each left and I wanted to get them before they were all gone. Here are pictures of these as well:

my dad

Matt's dad

ushers

I think that's all for now. Matt and I are going to put the addresses on the envelopes that we got in today!

Pearlicious

146 days

Currently working on: pocketfolds (62/130 done)
                                   bouquet pearls (8/8 done)

I finished the pearls for the Cristina's bouquet - the LAST one! I'm so happy to have that part all done, since the brooches are so much easier and fewer! I can't believe that I put it off for months and it only took me four days to finish. I'm ridiculous.

I also finished the RSVPs for the invitations that I have put together so far. (I had run out the other day and had to wait until the rest came in.)

And now onto asking the groomsmen to get measured for their tuxes.

Just Broochy

147 days

Currently working on: pocketfolds (62/130 done)
                                  bouquet pearls (7/8 done)

I FINALLY ordered the last brooches for Jess and Shannon's bouquets! Of course, one of Shannon's won't ship until after the end of the month, but at least I ordered them and can finish those bouquets once they're in. Here are the pictures (let's pray they look this way and I don't have to order any more).

Jess

Shannon

Shannon

Also on the subject of bouquets, I finished the pearls for Juliana's bouquet! I now have only one left to finish which I'm going to do tomorrow! Then it's just the brooches left to buy and put in, then arrange the whole thing and wrap it all up!

I also cancelled my alterations appointment with Alfred Angelo this morning. I'm going to shop around and ask for some estimates before I decide where to get them done. But I'm glad I won't be paying $500 to have material cut off my dress.

Alter This

148 days

Currently working on: pocketfolds (62/130 done)
                                   bouquet pearls (6/8 done)

Tonight, Matt and I went to Alfred Angelo to pick up Cristina's dress! I love it! The piping on the top looks so great! I also scheduled my appointment for alterations. However, when I came home and looked up what pricing might be (thinking around $200) I saw that their stores ran up bills as high as $500! I am NOT paying that much money (half of what my dress costs) to have it hemmed and taken in. So I've looked around on the internets for a local shop and emailed them about coming in for an estimate with them. I'm going to call tomorrow and cancel my alteration appointment saying that I'll reschedule, but I won't. I don't want to make it awkward, though, since I have to pick up some of the other girls' dresses. Speaking of which, I also told them about the cost so they can go somewhere near them or to the same place as me.

Cristina's dress

I also stopped at Michael's and got some more stickers to decorate the guestbook, as well as going to Walmart to grab some more silver wiring. I'm DETERMINED to finish the pearls for the bouquets tomorrow. And then, it's just ordering the rest of the brooches!

Brooch Blues

149 days

Currently working on: pocketfolds (62/130 done)
                                   bouquet pearls (5/8 done)

I ordered my wedding dress label tonight! The money finally transferred to my Paypal account, so I put in my order on Etsy! It's a simple white piece of grosgrain ribbon with my initials and wedding date sewn into it. Here's the sample image that was on the listing:

I also ordered three more brooches for the bouquets which I have started working on again! I finished the pearls for Jess's bouquet and I'm going to start one of the other two. I'm determined to finish the pearls this weekend! Here are the brooches I ordered: the last one for Hannah's bouquet and two more for Jess's.

Hannah

Jess

Jess

I'm planning on buying my bridal shower dress tomorrow before it goes out of stock again, especially since the other one I liked is no longer available at all. I'll update on how that goes.

A Pocket for Corduroy

163 days

26/130 pocketfolds

I started our invitations the other night and have gotten a total of 26 done. That's what the number under my countdown is for. Right now I have everything but one insert, the rest of the stamps, and the labels (which are on their way), so I'm making the pocketfolds and then putting in what I have for inserts. I really like the way they are coming out and I'm saving a ton making my own instead of ordering the pocketfolds (SUPER expensive for 6x9 invites), but they are definitely a labor of love.

Speaking of labors of love, I really need to start working on the bouquets again. They have become rather neglected and I only have 5 months (seems like a lot, but it's not) to finish the other 5. On average that's one a month which I should be able to do. I just need to get into the groove again (and perhaps rangle my bridesmaids in to help with the pearls and everything). Of course, that also means I need to finish buying the brooches. Okay, well I need to work on the invitations!

The Venue, the Brooch, and the Dress

187 days

I got an invitation in the mail today from the Biltmore for the menu sampling! It's on February 12 from 4 to 7 and we get to sample the menu possibilities and then choose our own menu for the wedding! I'm so excited and it's making the wedding seem that much more real...and closer!!

I FINALLY got the purple brooch that I ordered weeks ago. It's pretty and I only need one more to finish Hannah's bouquet!!

I also found a dress for our after party that I really like! I think I'm going to get it instead of the one from ModCloth. (That one's out of stock and this one is also cheaper.)

White Wedding

196 days

I FINISHED MY BOUQUET!! It is absolutely beautifula and I am so incredibly happy with it! Here are the pictures!!

I also added the pictures of Nicole's bouquet in this post.

Jackpot!

197 days

First of all, I received four packages in the mail today, two of which were at least somewhat wedding related. The first was from Vistaprint, who must be filling a million and one orders for them to have taken this long. It contained (for the wedding) some fo the RSVP cards, the photoshare cards, the cards for our guestbook, stickers for the invitations, as well as our Christmas cards. The other wedding related package was from Lia Sophia. Most of the jewelry ordered at my party came in (there's a holiday lag so some is on backorder) including the earrings I bought for the wedding!! They are even more gorgeous in person (compared to the catalog) and I absolutely love them! (The other two packages were more Lia Sophia jewelry and the books I ordered from Barnes & Noble; the sequel to The Giver and the first Hunger Games book!)

Second, Matt and I went to Michael's to get new ribbon for my bouquet. I got this beautiful white ribbon with silver glitter designs on it. (I just realized I'm not sure how the rainbow ribbon will look with it, but we'll see.) I also bought another scrapbook for the stationery from the wedding since it won't all fit in with the pictures in the other scrapbook as well as more silver wire for the bouquets (which will hopefully allow me to finish them).

Third, I also received two more brooches in the mail! I got another orange one for Jess's bouquet and a green one for Shannon's.

I'm going to try to finish my bouquet tonight, but will probably post pictures tomorrow!

Always Something

198 days

I got in the last brooch for my bouquet today and I've almost finished it!

I wired the brooch and arranged the bouquet. When Matt got home, he helped me wrap the "stems" in clear packing tape to keep the shape. Then I went to wrap it in the rainbow ribbon that I bought...and I hated it. I love the ribbon, but when it's wrapped around the stems it doesn't look good. So I've decided to buy thick double-faced satin ribbon to wrap around the stems and I'll use the rainbow ribbon to make the bow.

That means that I'll be posting pictures at a later date after I buy the ribbon. (Hopefully I can go tomorrow so I can finish it.)