DIY or Don't?

In today's economy, brides are definitely looking to do more parts of their wedding "DIY" style...me well I am one of those brides! Although I am a pretty "crafty" person and for the most part creative, I have found the DIY route (with regards to Save the Dates and Invitations) to be extremely frustrating. The reason? Well, there are just SO many possibilities to come up with and ways of putting things together. I think the most frustrating part is executing all of the ideas that you like into one that communicates to everyone what the wedding will be like. I don't know if my creative side just puts too much weight on the invitations and what they "should" look like or if I just worry too much about what all the judging eyes out there will say?

Anyways, I think in the end, it's going to cost us just as much to DIY the invitations as it would have been to just order them through Wedding Paper Divas or something. There were actually quite a few that I absolutely love...and for some reason decided to go with the DIY style. Now, looking back I think I should just order the one's online and be done with it all! Being that we still have several months before the wedding, and since we haven't started putting together anything for the invitations...I may just return what I've bought and order the invitations online.

As of right now, we are making the save the date notifications. Since these are a less formal announcement, I'm not too worried about their presentation. However, I did just spend about 3-4 hours (with breaks) designing my save the date cards in Photoshop. Hopefully, my sister and mother like them and I won't have to change them. Then it's just a matter of printing, cutting, glueing, stuffing into envelopes, addressing, and stamping postage on 'em and then we'll be done. Whew!

What is the priority?

I think the most "overwhelming" part of wedding planning is determining what to work on first and when. So much of wedding planning really is a domino affect, 'you can't do this until you've done that' sort of thing. So, what do you start on first? Well, the most on-going element of our wedding planning has been the guest list. It seems like daily it is changing, constantly adding more and more people. I guess this will continue to be the way it is until we've sent out the Save the Dates. Last night I told Jarrod we should scale back the invitation list...reason being is that I am afraid of it just getting too big and then people don't feel "involved" because they have to sit really far away or the lines for the food buffet will be extremely long or we won't be able to make the rounds and be good host/hostess. Plus, I feel as though we're starting to put people on the invitation list that we NEVER see...if we never see you why should you come to the wedding? Now, don't get me wrong! Long distance family is one thing...but friends that you haven't seen in years or friends that you only talk to maybe once a year?

Hopefully after this weekend (once Jarrod is done working on his car for the races) we can sit down and FINALLY finalize this list. Otherwise, I might lose my mind with the amount of Save the Dates, and the amount of centerpieces, favors, etc. that will need to be created/bought.

Now, I'm in a small delima of trying to figure out who to have do my hair and where to stay the night before. On top of that, one of my bridesmaids has been MIA and not returning my phone calls, text messages, or facebook messages for about 2 weeks. I've left her messages telling her that if she doesn't want to be a part of the wedding that it is completley fine, just let me know. I understand if someone is too busy or just cannot take on the responsibilities of a wedding so I don't blame someone for not wanting to take part...but I need some communication so that I can plan accordingly!

Centerpiece Direction

Well, you would think that doing floral design would play in favor of choosing what to do for our centerpieces...oh how wrong you would be!

Fortunately, I do know what I want...but unfortunately I am not always certain how I want to present my idea! Let me explain, I know I want to incorporate fresh flowers based on the bridal party's bouquets and I know I want to incorporate fresh potted herbs...but how do I present them together in a way that still exudes our personalities and the theme of the wedding? The possibilities are endless! I mean, from the size of the containers, the elements to use, the colors, the textures, the unique qualifiers that meet the expectations! The combinations are endless!

Fortunately, with the encouraging recommendations from my lovely maid of honor (and my sister), Jen we finally put my mind at ease today with a "decision". Based on the images below:

How will these all come together and fit the "elegant touch" I want as well? Well, I guess you'll have to wait and see the wedding pictures for that!

To Invite, or Not...that is the question!

We are now working on finalizing the invitation list, mainly right now it's to have a better idea as to who we are sending save the dates to. Since we will be creating those in the upcoming weeks, I need to know an idea of how many to make. While I have one number in mind, the list is slowly climbing and my fiance keeps adding more people. Which starts to scare me because the venue can only hold so many people, comfortably. I want to make sure that there is enough room for a dance floor and that people have enough space around them while they are eating.

On top of the wedding planning worries, I now have a cold. Being that I am only a temp at my current job, I do not have any sick days or anything either. So, I am sitting miserably at work in the "cave" as we call my department. I work with mostly guys, and they always have the air conditioner blasting and our part of the building is pretty much the only office space without ANY windows. So, it's cold and dark and typically smells bad...

Anyways, I am excited to report that we booked our photographer, Nothing But Miracles. The company is owned/operated by a really sweet couple. The wife is actually a friend of mines, sister. But they're take on photography is so fun and unique and they really make you feel comfortable about it all. We are planning on doing the engagement session towards the end of June. Right now I'm trying to figure out where we should go for the photo session. The only thing that has really come to mind is downtown Fullerton with the train station and maybe CalState Fullerton (being an alumnus and all). I really want some vintage type shots as well as the gardeny romantic shots too.

time ticks by, so slowly

It's amazing...even though there is TONS to do with regards to planning a wedding, there is actually quite a bit of "down" time. So many things depend on so many other people, so the down time happens while you are waiting to meet up with those other people and in between "right now" and "then". And many things rely on one another...it truly is a domino affect!

Fortunately, in my "down time" I am getting to the gym and trying to get in shape to wear my beautiful dress! I love my dress, but it's not one of those that holds everything in place for ya...you really gotta be slim and trim to pull it off! So, I am hitting the gym at least 4 days a week, spending an hour on arms one day (with abs), and spending about an hour the next day (with abs) and then typically taking a day off or I do more cardio that 3rd day. Even though I'm pretty much sore everyday after working out...I still don't see any results! However, Jarrod has reassured me that this is normal, so I will push on and hope that results start happening soon. Fortunately, I have 6 months, but unfortunately that 6 months goes by fast!

Another exciting development is the fact that I am finally getting stuff together to start making the "Save the Date" cards. My sister and I go to Kelly Paper next week to pick out the paper that will be used for both the "Save the Dates" and the wedding invitations. At first I was kind of dreading making them ourselves...but now that I have an idea in mind (thanks to Myrna and Nicole) for the wedding invitations I am getting excited about it! Now, I must decide do I print them at home, or do I spend the extra little bit to have them printed somewhere?

Stress?

So, last night was the first official Erin melt down during post engagment! I know...they happen so frequently for me, I'm sure those of you who know me aren't too surprised. What set it off you ask? Well...as always it was something petty and stupid! I was at 24 hour fitness trying to participate in their "Hot Hula" class, which is tahitian dancing with a twist. Well, I found out that I have no hip action at all and was finding it difficult and frustrating to try and keep up with everyone else...right at my heightened time of frustration, one of the class helpers (you know the ones that do this stuff all the time and are the "example" of how to do it correctly) comes up behind me and puts her hands on my shoulder and tells me: You're not supposed to move your shoulders.

Yep, that's all it took! I tried to stick out the class and forget about it, but by then I was fighting back the tears so much; so I left! This was just the beginning of a several hour spiral down throughout the night.

As always though, Jarrod was right there to comfort me in my time of petty emotions and allowed me to just cry...which I think is what I was really needing. Between the planning and the choosing for all the elements of the wedding, and the full-time job frustrations, and the "try to keep the family happy" and try to meet all the expectations...I really am just worn down!

Anyways, enough complaining! Now onto find some chocoloate brown cardstock to buy for the save the date cards!

Plans, Plans, Plans

I really don't think it matters how long you have to "plan" a wedding...if you have a long engagement that just means more planning, if you have a short engagement that just means you're consolidating all the planning! Either, way you're rushing to find everything that you need and the more you think about what you want, the more you remember about what you actually need.

At least now we have a date for the wedding along with a venue, November 7th, 2010. This is good and bad! Good in the sense that I now have a timeline or at least an end date...bad because it's only 6 months away! With the guest list up to about 100 people, things are getting a little bit "bigger" than I had originally anticipated.

Fortunately, we have a great support system from people who love us and are there to help! Now, it's just determining what we need help with so that we can delegate things out to everyone.

Anyways, the excitement, the stress the anticipation and the stress (did I mention that already) are well underway!