snowflakes at least are pretty.

Guess which day my wedding is on?

This is something I just have to laugh at.

Pretty typical of my life.

eleven days

is not enough time.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

brown paper packages

Is it a no-no to open gifts before the wedding?
Got some big packages and they are taking up space...
and curiosity.

..I'm not going to tell you what I do.

Invitations

Most invitations have been mailed. Hurrah! Unfortunately we had a bit of an oopsiedaisy and some of them got mailed out without return stamps and without being taped shut. So I apologize if anyone received one that was ripped or missing a registry card and stamp.

Also, we realized after accidentally inducing much panic that many people think the reply card reads respond by Oct 13th. It actually says Oct 31th. But they look a lot a like.

So far Andrew has about 53 people coming and I have 3. This of course doesn't include the wedding party. It's slightly ironic considering I wanted to invite the world and he only wanted his family. Another lessons in learning that perhaps he was right.

Corsages are Nice

Well gosh. It's been awhile.

Sneak peak! My sister Bird has been working hard on making corsages and boutonnieres for the wedding party! I can't wait to see them all completed because they look incredible. She's using ribbon and fabric which will be much cheaper and just as pretty as buying flowers! The picture is of Andrew's and our little ringbearer's.

progress comes at a price

So much stress. I had no idea. I always thought the engagement part of a relationship sounded so fun. Pure bliss and romance as we plan a beautiful wedding.

We're in Iowa again and are actually getting a fair amount of work done for the wedding, but now that we are below the hundred day countdown, it seems as though we'll run out of time.

Things we've done this week:

1.) Finally had a realization that we were both thinking about this wedding in two completely different, conflicting ways. I'm not sure that is going to change, but at least we are fully aware of the other person's perspective. While Andrew looks to this wedding as a lesson in budgeting and saving money, I look to this wedding as giant party. I feel as though my wedding is a once in a lifetime event (and probably the biggest event in my life) and I want to throw a wonderful celebration. And we all know, that if I'm throwing a party -- I want a PARTY.

2.) Discussed (but haven't resolved) processional music. While I was thinking to pick something epic and grand, Andrew thinks nothing but Cannon in D will suffice. This conversation has yet to be fully resolved.

3.) Went to another couple's wedding and realized we aren't as creative as we thought. But we still want to try. We're getting tired of hearing all about how so and so's wedding was "the best" or "the prettiest," I feel like our wedding is feeling a titch insecure and inadequate.

4.) I tried on my dress again at the bridal shop for Janna, Sandy (Andrew's aunt), and Erin. I still love it.

5.) Sandy, took me out to fabric stores to look at tulle for the veil she is making me. I'm very excited to see it completed.

6.) My sister ordered her bridesmaids dress online and it was hideous when she got it. I'm just glad we didn't order six of them at one time. Back to the drawing board on that one.

7.) Picked out invitations.

8.) Fought about what the RSVP card should look like. For an hour. So silly. I can promise you, after our wedding is over, we won't even remember what it looked like.

9.) We're still struggling to send out Save the Dates. Collecting addresses is a lot of work.

10.) Today should be a good day. We are going food tasting and tuxedo shopping. These should be fun, right?

those curtains are worth it.

Going into this wedding planning, I didn't think I'd be incredibly picky. "I'm very sensible," I thought.

But somehow, in a matter of days, my feminine spirit has overtaken any practicality that I thought I'd be able to maintain. Suddenly, beautiful > economical and visions of satin, silk, velvet and jeweled elephants are running through my head. How much for a chandelier? "How did this happen?" I can't help but wonder. The notion that "plain and simple will be best" has long disappeared. Now I have a desire for elegance and grandeur.

Unfortunately, this desire for wedding aesthetics did not overcome my fiance. He was still firmly rooted in the idea of saving as much money as possible. This became evident when we both chose different reception venues as our favourites. He chose the country club and I chose the 1923 vintage lodge. And for several days the beautiful vs. economical war raged. After an epic struggle, I unknowingly made my winning move and he gave up the fight. Since then, he's realized that when it comes to weddings - decisions should be split 60/40.

Have I become BRIDEZILLA? Goodness, I hope not. I'm coming to realize that being a woman is an uncomfortable buisness. I dislike the fact that we can not decide things together and that my "femaleness" makes me a tyrant.

But we decided on the reception venue at last and I will have a beautiful reception full of velvet curtains at the Elks Lodge 290 in Waterloo. My fiance is very kind.

November 20th, 2010
Kelly & Andrew will be married at the 1st Reformed Church in Aplington, Iowa.
To be followed by a reception at the Elks Club Lodge in Waterloo, Iowa.