Maid of Honor gifts

Another thing checked off the list. Jamie and Jill's gifts are ordered! I cannot wait to get them in the mail! I think I had a wonderful idea. I just hope I can keep it a secret for the next 6 months.

Diet

Saturday will be two weeks that I have been on my new diet. I've dropped 10 pounds and have walked 3 miles almost everyday. I've only missed walking about 3 days because of Bunco and running around for wedding stuff. So far it's been very good. Hopefully it stays this way. I'll be really ticked if we have unhealthy food this weekend and if I don't get to exercise!

UGH!

My tummy hurts! We're leaving Wharton today at 5 and heading to our engagement encounter. I found out that it's not like Hermann Sons camp. We have one roommate...it's not just one cabin full of women and one full of men. That makes me feel a little better, but now I'm stressing because I'm going to have to stay with some random person. That reminds me of freshman orientation at Texas State. All these bad reminders. I'm just hoping that when we get there we will know at least one couple. Everything will be fine and dandy then. I guess I need to stop typing and let my hand rest since I'll be doing a lot of writing to Nick this weekend. Should be interesting....

Dresses are in!

Almost all of the bridesmaid dresses are in. I stopped by David's Bridal last night and 8 of them were there. I only picked up three. Jamie might pick up the other 5 today and bring them to Shiner this weekend. If not, I'll get them and start delivering next weekend. Shelley called as I was leaving David's, she had just walked out with her dress. Debbie and Sarah are the only dresses we are waiting on. I haven't heard if they have picked them up or not. That's another major thing marked off the list!

This Weekend...

Last night Nick and I were talking about our upcoming weekend at the Engaged Encounter. I've heard lots of good things about it, but this type of stuff is just not for me...Nick either. When we were younger Jill and I begged Mom and Dad to let us go to Hermann Sons camp in Kerrville. Jamie was to old to go, but they finally gave in and let us. It was TERRIBLE! I cried everyday. Mind you I was about to be in the 7th grade. The first day Jill and I would only see each other as we walked by from class to class. We would wave at each other and hang our heads like sad little ducks. I loved the swimming class I was in, but faked having a period so I could get switched to be in a ceramics class with Jill and a few other Shiner people. When we had to go to the next class, it went back to being a horrible experience. Jaace was about a year old at the time. Mom would send us letters with his handprints on them. She'd tell us how every morning he would go look and ask for "my guls." Would that not make you cry? Makes me want to right now! I still have those horrible letters. Needless to say, when we have kids, they will NEVER go to camp. I'm sure I'll scare them out of it. They can only go if I go, and I ain't goin! So, that horror story brings me to this weekend. Nick and I will be seperated in the evenings. I'm imagining a big cabin like the one at Hermann Sons, full of bunks with community showers and toilets. This is stressful to me! This is the only bad part about getting married. I know I'll make it, it's only two nights, but I'm dreading it! I'm not even a homebody! I just like having my own room to sleep in and my own restroom to use as I please!

Great Weekend!

I finally have made some progress with the wedding. Everything is slowly starting to fall into place. Mom and I spent Saturday and Sunday in wedding mode. We went to K & K and found my headpiece, veil, and jewelry. We even found Mom a dress! She didn't buy it yet, but I think she'll end up getting it. It looked really good and matches the color scheme perfectly. It was scary it was so easy! I thought Jamie, Jill and I were going to have our work cut out for us trying to get her into something that we all agreed on. She's showing it to them this weekend and they'll make a decision.

Other things checked off the list:
I brought all the mugs to the lady to be etched.
Decided on MIB Productions as a DJ...sending off money and contract today.
Arranged my cake backdrop.
Talked and emailed pics to the cake lady.
Made some invitations.
FINALLY found a place to buy chocolate tulle...ordering today.

It probably doesn't sound like much, but it was! I've got more to post after lunch!

Music for church

I think I found THE music! I'm waiting for a demo cd. Keeping my fingers crossed that it works out. I'm VERY impressed and SOOOO excited about these people. I think I'm going to keep it a secret though. Everyone will be in for a real treat if all goes as planned!

My weekend....

My agenda for this weekend is pretty boring. I plan on having all of the chair covers and tablecloths cut by Sunday evening! Sounds like an easy task, right? Not so much when you have a HUGE roll of materal that weighs a ton and no where to really go with it. We'd like to go by the hall this weekend to get an exact count on chairs and tables along with measurements. Then we can go to town on the cutting. We only have 6 months and 1 week! Seems like a lot of time, but what happened to the last 4 months? I'm just ready for it to be here. Especially the marriage part! I'm ready to live with Nick by myself and have our own agenda. Living with his family is fine and dandy, but I'm ready for some alone time. I don't even know what that is anymore! We haven't had any since we got engaged in May! That's a huge adjustment from being in San Marcos when we were together everyday after school with nothing to do.

I'd like to also get with the cake lady and get everything set in stone. We also have to discuss photographers still. That should about do it for the time being.

I'll keep ya posted if I get anything accomplished! Sleep is also on the agenda!

On a brighter note...

I've got my bridesmaid's and flower girl's gifts ordered! Woooo hoooo! I think they are going to be SUPER CUTE!!! We just need some ideas for groomsmen gifts.

On hold with David's Bridal

Tatiana, my bridal consultant at David's has been great so far. She has always been straight forward with me. I'm on hold with her right now about the price change in dresses. I told her my bridesmaids were upset with me! Just a little fib. Anyways, I think she knows that she is in the wrong. Here's the deal....she told me the dresses had to be ordered ASAP since they were being discontinued. She said that if the dresses were not ordered ASAP then everyone would not get them. The thing that bum-fuzzled me was several girls went when they went down to $43 and they were guaranteed to get them. When I brought this to her attention she said that they got to order them because some of the other bridesmaids already ordered them and the event already existed in the computer. So....if one bridesmaid would have ordered at $140 then the others could have waited until the price was lowered and got them. That was according to her. Then I got on the phone with someone else and she contradicted that. Everything she said was stupid. She tried to keep talking and say a bunch of nothing so that I would agree with. I'm not that dumb! I asked to speak with someone else. She referred me to the store manager, but I asked for the district manager. She doesn't have a number...hummmm. She's supposed to call me back with it. If we don't get SOMETHING out of this then I'm not getting my headpiece, veil, or flower girl dresses from them. AND ya'll better promise to go somewhere else for alterations! Really annoying!

Not Successful

My complaining was only successful for my cutie junior bridesmaid, but everyone who REALLY knows me, knows that I'm not finished yet! I was really nice on the phone and she said that she would credit the jr. bridesmaid because she ordered Thursday. Supposedly the prices are not in effect until today! I don't buy it! I'm going to call someone higher up and see when they were actually marked down. Keep your fingers crossed that you get your $100 back!

I'm fighting for ya'll!

My bridesmaids that is. Yesterday something very interesting occured. Most importantly, all the dresses are ordered, but now I have a bone to pick with David's Bridal. So far they have been so nice and helpful. Now that this whole dress ordeal has happened, I'm pretty ticked at them. Sarah, my bridemaid that now lives in Florida, was going to order her dress there so that she could try it on before the wedding. She called me Wednesday night and I returned her call Thursday because we were playing Phase 10 until late that night. She tells me that she's not sure that she ordered the right dress because it was $43. Well, since it's being discontinued they said that the price would drop. Once the price dropped they would not be able to order the dresses. So Wednesday the price dropped and I still had 6 dresses that needed to be purchased. Shelley calls as I'm talking to Sarah. I call her back and tell her to make sure she gets it for $43. The lady said that she was guaranteed to get. I frantically call Debbie and Gina to tell them to order ASAP so that we'd get them. In the meantime, I call Jenny Schafer to see if Kourtney's (Jr. Bridesmaid) dress was $43 since she ordered earlier on Thursday. Nope, she paid the full price. This sounded a little fishy to me. I called David's Bridal and questioned them about it and they told me to call back this morning to talk to a manager. Gina orders her dress after I call them and she gets it for $43. I'm ticked! I'd love if all of my bridesmaids could get the money refunded, but they told me last night that they were already purchased and they can't be returned. If nothing else Kourtney should definitely get it refunded since she ordered yesterday. Sorry everyone that paid full price. I'm going to do everything I can when I talk to them later.

I don't know what I want

As far as a soloist and instrumentation goes. I kinda want someone playing a sax. Or traditional with organ and singing. A harp/cello? What about a trumpet? Too many deadgum options out there and no answers. I'm considering using Marty Shimek from Shiner. He's an awesome singer and he plays the sax. I think he charges $175. I'm just weighing all of my options. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I want something unique!

7 down

7 dresses ordered! Only 4 more to go!

Gettin' it done

My bridesmaids ROCK! They are being so good about our little predicament. 5 out of the 11 have their dresses ordered! Thanks so much girls. So far I have gotten lots of positive comments about the dresses as well. Everyone says they are really comfy and flattering. Yay! That makes me feel like a good bride! I DO NOT want to be a BRIDEZILLA! With that being said, I want everyone to have their hair done the same way and their fingernails and toenails done in a certain polish. Just kidding...

If I haven't told everyone, wear whatever shoes you'd like. I'm not asking you to spend $40 on shoes that you will wear one time. I'd prefer brown, but more than likely you won't see the shoes anyway. Wear your hair however you'd like. I think that's about it.

I'm making calls today on soloists and organists. Still haven't found a photographer that I'm "IN LOVE" with. Still need to finalize caterer and menu. In other words, I haven't accomplished anything on my to-do list!

P.S. I'm always taking suggestions.

Congrats Gina!

Yay! I found out my bridesmaid, Leslie AKA Gina, is pregnant with her first child! We are so happy and excited for you two. She was so funny when she told me they were expecting. She called and apologized and thought I was going to be mad at her because I was going to have a pregnant bridesmaid. I'd never be upset about that...I'm thrilled to have a pregnant person in my wedding!

My story on meeting Gina is kinda funny. Brad and Gina were Ross and Ryan's neighbors in San Marcos. The night that I met them was also the night that Nick and I met at the Bocktoberfest. Brad and Gina were engaged at the time. Ross and Ryan always said that Brad and Leslie were getting married. When I was introduced to them they said it was Brad and Gina. I thought that he was cheating on his fiance. A few days later I found out that Gina is also Leslie. Maybe that will end some confusion for other people as well. I'm not really sure why her nickname is Gina...she doesn't look like a Gina!

A Little Stressed

As you would know, my bridesmaid dresses are being discontinued! Yesterday I went shopping in Houston for gifts for my bridesmaids. I went to David's Bridal on my way back home just to check out the flower girl dresses. Well....to my dismay, the lady told me that she found out the day before that the dresses were being phased out. I kinda figured that this would happen to me. It's not so stressful for me, but my poor bridesmaids! I really feel terrible rushing them to get this done by the end of the week, I could just change dress styles, but these are perfect! They are really comfortable and flattering for all figures! Plus, I already have a bunch of the invitations done and don't wanna change colors. The persimmmon color comes in several dresses, but I don't like any of the others. So that leaves me with calling and hustling my bridesmaids. I'm so sorry guys, I appreciate you all getting this done for me. Love ya'll!

Engaged Encounter

I finally sent the Engaged Encounter form and money order off this morning. Luckily one spot opened up for the last weekend in September. We were on a waiting list and got in! Thank goodness! The next one was the first weekend in December and I'm supposed to be having my first shower then. The next one is the first weekend in February and that is to close to the wedding. You are supposed to have it done at least 3 months before you get married.

Anyways, this Engaged Encounter thing that we have to go to cost $190 and lasts from Friday to Sunday. We stay in bunks, seperate sexes of course. I'm kinda excited about it and a little scared. It just sounds like Hermann Sons camp all over again and we all know how much I hated that. I've tried talking other newly engaged couples into going with us, but all the people I know have plenty of time to do it before they get married. I'm also kinda leary of this whole encounter because I really don't like religion to be shoved down my throat. I've heard that it's like couples therapy...lots of writing to your future spouse and then discussing things in depth.

Be thinking about us the last weekend in September...

BUNCO!

Yay! I'm finally meeting some girls!!! There's a new store in Wharton that I absolutely LOVE! It's called Miss Priss Originals...she does embroidery and sells lots of other cutesy, girly things. I've been there WAY to much....so much that the owner asked if I would be a sub last night. I agreed to it without any hesitation. I was actually thinking about starting up my own bunco group, but now I don't have to because I'm officially part of the one I went to last night. I had a great time....lots of really sweet girls. Several of which that I already knew and several that know Nick. Can't wait til the end of September to go again.