say cheese!

we put down the retainer for our photog last night. we met with 4 different people, and with each meeting the photographer seemed to impress us more and more. twice, we thought we'd made up our minds but were having the courtesy interview. each time, we walked away liking that person more than the previous.

until we met christen & scott chester. we LOVED them (that's them dressed up for a vegas photography convention last month--hah!). loved their work, loved their personality. they were a little more than we'd originally anticipated spending, but worth the splurge. and they were great at working out a package for us that meets our needs!! we cannot wait!

asking the girls

Because several of my bridesmaids live far (and not so far) away, I wanted to ask them in a unique way instead of just a phone call. So...I created a little puzzle that went like this...

• Unsuspecting bridesmaid-to-be receives an ambiguous brown box in the mail (or at her doorstep)
• She opens the box to find a note atop green confetti & filler
• The note reads:

Dear (name):

This is a test. In this box you will find a puzzle. If you are able to solve
the puzzle, an exciting adventure awaits. If you are unable to solve the
puzzle,
well, then nevermind. BEST OF LUCK!!!

Clues:

1. There are 6 wordes represented in 6 clues
2. Put the clues together to form a phrase
3. The completed phrase will be a question

-----STOP HERE AND SOLVE THE PUZZLE------

Once you solve the puzzle to complete the question, if you choose to accept
this mission...

1. Take a photo of yourself with clues #5 & 6
2. Text or email the photo to me to confirm your acceptance of this
   mission
3. Save the date for August 15, 2009!!!!

What was inside the boxes, you ask?

photo of myself

a handmade veil (a hotglue creation of a child's headband and layers of tulle)

CAN YOU SOLVE THE PUZZLE???

will ewe bee my brides maid?

i said YES, but will THEY???

Sometime on Thursday, my sisters will each receive a special delivery. One in Texas will receive a vase full of tulips, her fave flower. The other in San Francisco will receive a grow-your-own herb kit. Both will have messages attached, asking them to stand beside me on the BIG DAY as my maids of honor. I sure hope they'll say YES!!! I can't be there to ask them in person, but I hope these little somethings will bring smiles to their faces. They are truly the best girls in the entire world, and I'm a lucky girl to have 'em as sisters.

DIY Projects

So here's a short list of the projects I plan to undertake for the BIG DAY...is it too much??

• Invitations & Save-the-Dates
• Programs
• Website
• Bridesmaid bouquets
• Groomsmen bouts
• Reception centerpieces
• Reception & ceremony decor
• Ring bearer pillow
• Favors
• What have I left out???

This week's update...

HOUSTON...WE HAVE A BAND!!
We've booked a band for the BIG DAY! Check out Bobby & the Aristocats. They played a friend's wedding last spring and were a LOT of fun.

MONEY TALKS
The anxiety is over, at least for now. Jason and I both had positive conversations with our folks and with each other about how much we can afford for a wedding. That's a relief after hearing so many horror stories from previous brides. It definitely eases my mind about some things. The best advice to future aisle-walkers...go in prepared. Build your budget and figure out what you can afford on your own. Going in with a plan and line item estimates is so much better than asking for thousands of dollars on a hunch!

BRIDE-TO-BE IN NYC
We spent Valentine's weekend in New York City to attend my college pal's wedding celebration. What a place to spend Valentine's as newly engaged!! It was great. On Saturday, I even went to try on a few dresses at a designer's salon. When I made the appointment, the designer herself emailed me back. Thank you Coren Moore! I don't see Vera or Carolina or Priscilla answering their own emails!!!

Will one of the NYC dresses be "the one"???? You'll find out in August.

SIGNED SEALED DELIVERED
Well, the date is official now. We've sent the deposit for the reception venue. Wow, it's all so real!!

Update

On January 29, Jason dropped to his knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. As you can tell, I said yes. Actually, I started laughing because he looked so cute on his knee!

So...here's the scoop thus far.

Date: Aug 15, 2009

Place: Lake Rabun, Georgia

We're TBD on the ceremony site, but the Lake Rabun Pavilion is great for the reception. We fell in love with the lake during a camping trip in Sept 2007. Eventually we fell in love with each other, so it just make sense to get married there!