stolen ideas!

Over the weekend I got some sort of bridal magazine delivered so in order to stave off complete boredom I cozied up on the couch to flip through it on Sunday.  I about fell off the couch when I got to the page about using grey and yellow wedding colors!!  And the best part was they featured the same necklace I have been coveting!!!  Total copy cats.  Just saying.

Mark's mom is now going to do our flowers, yay!  Super helpful and (I imagine anyway) a cost savings.  We narrowed down the rehearsal dinner spots (Pizzapapalis or Fishbones, both in Greektown) and I found some invites I like that just need a color tweak and they'd be ideal.  I think I'm going to hire a graphic designer here to help tweak them and then find somewhere to have them produced.  Plus this way we can use the same design in table numbers, thank you notes and place cards, etc...right?  Good plan?! 

I seriously have ZERO CLUE on how these things all work out.  I just searched my old emails for the "ridiculous" timelines my recently married friend's sent to me and now I am frantically trying to adjust them around my wedding.  No longer do they seem ridiculous :)

The joy of registering

My first advice is don't go when either or both of you are tired as crankiness makes the experience less fun.  Just sayin'.

Our game plan was for a walk-thru at both Crate and Barrel and Macy's, we stuck to it.  Then we decided which things we wanted at each store.  Stuck to it.  Next, we decided to add Target into the mix since it seems silly to pay department store prices for cooking utensils (i.e. whisk or spatula).  Finally, we walked back across Somerset and got started at CB...we picked a few items on our "for sure purchase at CB" list and then I wanted to browse.  Mark, it turns out, was less interested in browsing...so I had to let him point and shoot at random items to keep him entertained.  Bagel slicer?!  Sure...zap!  Colander?! Sure...zap!  My favorite part was when Mark stomped off to zap this giant pot that has a steamer thing on top because "that's the only thing he wanted."  I was thinking our pot set might have one that matches so we should wait and all but I had to smile and say zap it!  Except I think I hissed about the matching sets before I gave in :D

The great thing is we did agree on most of the big choices (cookware, dishes, silverware) and then on the drive home I found out Mark doesn't care about napkin colors so I don't need to offer him choices as he will just exercise veto power rather than discuss how the deep purple is more elegant but the teal is brighter.  I mean, that's how I looked at it.  He just said "purple" and I thought perhaps some more discussion was required.  Not so much.

Later that night we took the checklist that CB provided and went through and labeled which of the three stores we would get the necessary items from.  The game plan/list approach might be more effective than the two of us wandering in all sorts of directions.  I'm going to try to do some research on the best toasters, mixers, etc.  Side note Mark laughed when I said I wanted to register for a mixer because he's never seen me bake.  Forward thinking babesy I said...I mean I will probably have baking duties assigned as a mom or if we host a holiday dinner.  Duh. 

So tonight we are going to hit up Target and then another night we will tackle the Macy's list and also anything we don't find at Target (spatula wise) we will add on at Macy's.

Weekend update

Let's see, I was handed a invitation catalog a few weeks back and finally got around to ordering some samples.  The prices are way low but for someone who loves paper and design (me) it's not all that cute.  Budget says, it will work.  My inner Martha Stewart says we can jazz it up somehow.  Now I just need Markers to weigh in.  I will go out on a limb and say he picks the simple white invitation and really doesn't care if Martha attempts to improve them.

On Saturday (11/14) my mama had her birthday--yay!  And Heather and Ken got married--also yay!  I got to spend the day with both of them, Heather did a great job pulling the day together.  We both had so much fun and by the end of the night realized the next wedding we go to will be our own :D 

I (sort of) accomplished a wedding task!

Just the other day I emailed a flower vendor!  Woo-hoo go me!  I also asked for another reference and I also have another one in my head that I will contact.  Awhile earlier today I took a few, ahem, minutes online to find some yellow floral arrangements that I dig for reference.  Let me try to post something I like for you to reflect upon now:

I like the nosegay approach for bridesmaids.

And perhaps another to sustain you:

Simple and bright, I like the "stuffed" look.  Am just now wondering if these are dandelions because that would probably be a huge money saver...hmm...

That's really all.  Maybe it wasn't quite a noteworthy accomplishment.  HA!

Updates, multitudes of updates

Well that title is quite the exaggeration.  Oh well.  Let's see, this weekend I'm going to be in Grosse Pointe so my plan is to stop in and get a better idea of the alcohol needed for the reception.  Nevermind all the dozens of other things to get done, that one seems palatable for a Saturday afternoon.

Halloween night was fun, I was pleased with our Cabrera costumes.  Though while ironing on the decals I felt like I should put a disclaimer saying that domestic abuse isn't funny.  Here's the costume in action:

And here is the costume post action:

Last night I had the hardest time turning my brain off.  I remembered all the bridesmaid dresses need to be ordered, I need to follow-up with the ceremony coordinator, flowers need to be figured out, so on and so forth.  Wish I'd made a list because the only thing I was able to recall this morning was remind the girls to get their dresses ordered.

What a week

SO. Not a lot of blog updates lately, like I said, "what a week."

Last Wednesday was my Grandpa Ken's 80th birthday, it was also his last day with us. After a recent diagnosis with terminal cancer he took an unexpected bad turn and passed away on what was his 80th birthday. I wish he'd been awake to know we were all there to celebrate with him. But I think even though he wasn't awake he probably still knew we were there.

The memorial service was really nice and there were well over 250 people there to pay their respects to an amazing, solid man and to share stories, hugs and faith with my grandma. One last hug, story and rummy game would be nice but I know he's with our maker and waiting to see us again.