Single Monday

So far my last Monday as a single tax filer (egads, I have to send that in tomorrow before I forget) was spent snuggling and kissing Markers on the couch. We talked a little about our excitement and the fact that we really wrapped up the wedding planning this week. There are only a few minor items to finish: place cards and coding them with dinner selections, delivering items to our coordinator, handing over the cake topper and then it’s really just getting ready for Saturday. I have to say it was a good way to start a Monday! And then I had to go to work. Oh well, can’t win them all!



We spent Easter at church with Mark’s mom and Mike, then we busted out our seating arrangements for the reception and headed to relax in Grosse Pointe with my family. It was actually a pretty nice Sunday though picking seats isn’t easy. At all. Well, not at all but in some regards. We have one table mixed with Mark’s friends and mine but have also put our groups of friends in rows together…and we have one weird table. I imagine everyone will think their table is weird but only we know who that weird table really is :)

Tonight I’m running a quick wedding errand to the craft store and then delivering place cards to the calligrapher. Well actually just to Liz, who has graciously agreed to pen them all in. After that my goal is to run and start writing some thank you notes. I also have to pack up a box of some things to bring to our coordinator...one list down, another one developed...

busy, overwhelmed and SO excited!

OK, this is going to be so brief.  I'm up to my eyeballs in work things and have I mentioned before this little thing called THE WEDDING!?!

Quick updates in my favorite form--list!
1. "Details by Laura" was hired to do our day of coordinating (ceremony and, the biggest help, reception)
2. Shower time was fantastical on Saturday, I am still in awe over the turnout and amazing gifts!!  Grace hosted us at The Victorian Rose Tea House in Rochester.
3. Bachelorette party was a blast, can't wait to do it again...for someone else!  We did dinner at D'amatos, drinks at Coach Insignia & dancing at Deluxe.  Special thanks to Caitlin and Liz for pulling it all together

But everyone likes pictures, here are a few of my favorites from the weekend festivities :)

SHOWER:

BACHELORETTE "double vision":

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.

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.

time for another list

So we decided that we'd been making decent progress without a planner and nixed the idea. My heart starts palpitating (is that a word?) when I say this out loud but we can use that cash towards something fun now. I need a list to slow down the heartbeat. Next up we need to work on the following:

1. invitations
2. finalizing the people participating in our ceremony
3. research florists

Side note, I am kind of a boring blogger. My bad. I will use pictures in the next post for excitement.

The Joy of Planning

Last night we accomplished making lists. Most of you know I love lists, however what I truly love is crossing things OFF the list.

Our new list:

1. Print the guest list so Mark can review
2. Set up appointments with DJs
3. Email a church (oh wait I DID this one, yay! But no reply just yet)
4. Email a professional planner

I read on a blog last night that you spend around 250 hours, or SIX work weeks planning a wedding. Um, about that...I already have work weeks; and on a good day I can take a full hour lunch, these good days come about once a week. So that means during normal business hours I need 250 work days to plan this bad boy. Um, about that....April 10 is 233 days away.

While I still have lots of fun ideas for our wedding last night Mark and I talked about our (ahem, my) rage level during the planning process. I currently have mild crabbiness at all things wedding. I would prefer to have zero crabbiness and actually focus on having fun. So with that Mark has offered to get a second job to pay for a planner...sweet but not necessary, I found a few local firms that should fall within our budget and help take most stress away. Too bad my handy dandy list is on the kitchen table. But hey, what's one more day?

;) Sara