Out of Control Grocery Lists

As in wedding grocery lists. I have about 10 different lists of all my ideas and they keep growing and growing. Once I started writing everything down in list format of items I needed to buy I was slightly overwhelmed. As in the words of Groomzilla “Every time you come up with a new idea for the wedding that means more money out of my pocket.” Well this is true. I really just feel that adding personal touches to your wedding says wonders about who you are as a couple and shows how much time and energy you put into creating your special day.

My youngest sister recently got married this past June and I couldn’t believe the creative and original personal touches that her and her groom incorporated into their wedding. Every detail was perfect and did not go unnoticed. I think her personal touches really spoke wonders and allowed their guests that much further into who they are as a couple. I added a few beautiful photos below from Whit and Rob's wedding by Jade at Uplift Photography (was not sure about photo rights). View Jade's blog for more pictures of gorgeous details.

I know I keep writing about all these ideas that I have burning a hole in my head and have not really shared exactly what they are, firstly because they are not set in stone yet but mostly because I want to leave some mystery of the mind to my guests!

Photos from Whit and Rob's special day - June 26, 2010

Gorgeous Fringed Tulips were a huge hit

My mother and Rob's mother made all the colored napkins and table accents. What a beautiful touch to bring in color!

Our neighbor was Whit's florist making it all that much personal since she knew Whit dating back to her youth

Mini Captain Morgan Bottles for their place cards - had to do with how they first met

Bridesmaid Dresses

I haven’t really looked much into dresses for my gals because I was waiting until we could all be together trying on different styles and get a feel for what they will look like on their body types. For some reason I am really drawn to the one shoulder dress. I love the navy AMSAL dress to the right. Even the pink one-shoulder dress featured below is fun and flirty but may be a bit young. I love rosettes but those may be a tad too much, especially for us bustier woman in which they will just add to the bustyness.

Thoughts from the MOHs or BM??

Non-Wedding Wednesday

Although this past week has jump started some MAJOR wedding ideas in my head, I promised I would keep with my intentions of the Non-Wedding Wednesday theme. I find it only appropriate to discuss the impending “holiday” that is just around the corner. Yes Halloween, which by the way is probably my LEAST favorite holiday of the year. I really think that stems back to my childhood (taking you way back now) to when I was in first grade and there was a minor mis-communication between myself, my mother, and my 1st grade teacher Mrs. Henry.

That year Mrs. Henry had told us that there would be a Halloween party and that we were to dress up in a costume and wear them to school. Of course I rushed home and excitedly told my mother that I needed a costume. My creative and talented mother shot out some ideas and we settled on the idea that I would be dressing up as a bum that year. We pulled out one of my fathers old flannel shirts, old ripped jeans, an old wool hat, and even went as far as to black out one of my two front teeth. As I dressed for school that morning in my bum costume I couldn’t wait to show off our creativity to the other students in my class. Unfortunately on that dreadful morning when I walked into my first grade classroom, to my dismay, all the other students were dressed in their normal everyday clothes. I can still hear the loud shrieks of laughter that erupted at the sight of my hideous outfit. I was completely mortified. Mrs. Henry, the sweet older woman that she was, kindly walked over to me and told me that I must have had the wrong day for the costume party and told me to change into the extra set of clothes that (Thank God) my mother had thought to pack.

I really do believe that is why I have always disliked dressing up for Halloween. My mother and I still discuss that dreadful day. I am pretty sure she still displays the picture that she took of me that morning before school clad in a bum suit with my teeth blacked out on her hope chest. I really wish I had that photo to share but that was taken well before the world went digital.

Below are some pictures from previous Halloween costumes I have worn. Still undecided this year but avidly trying to be creative. I know what I wont be..!!

2009 - Dave and I on our Halloween cruise last year. We claimed we were the "Love Boat Rejects". Dave insisted we wear these outfits to our sit down dinner which I grudgingly agreed.



2008 scantily clad as a "Plumber Girl". This costume was a HUGE hit.


Halloween 2007 - French Maid

Engagement Galas

I didn’t realize how popular engagement parties were, probably because I have never actually been invited to one (I wonder if that has any say in my popularity status). I only realized that engagement parties existed when after we got engaged the next most popular question after “Have you set a date yet?” (the question I quickly became to dread) was “Are you planning an engagement party?” I am certainly not opposed to having an engagement party and would love to have one but we literally do not have the space to accommodate. If we owned a house this would not be an issue and we could throw a small gathering at our own home, however this is not a possibility since we currently reside in a small two bedroom apartment. If we decided to rent a hall or hold it at a restaurant, this can quickly turn into a “mini” wedding with a hefty cost associated. I also don’t feel completely right throwing an engagement party sans my family and wedding party since most are out of town.

What is the protocol, are you supposed to throw your own engagement gala or have someone host the event for you? I’d just assume throw my own. Most websites say either is acceptable and to be extremely mindful of your guest list. Anyone on your engagement party guest list MUST also be included on your wedding guest list. As per the websites I researched, we are also past the suggested time frame of 2 months after our engagement; apparently we are already “old news”.

All past brides please share your engagement party experiences. Did you throw one yourself or did someone host one for you? How long after you were engaged did you throw the party? Who was on your "It" list?

The picture above is Groomzilla and I at a wedding this past weekend. The picture below..well I don't know who that is...

Riding Shotgun

Unfortunately I feel like I am at a stand still with the wedding planning. With this crummy economy, and 517 days out I feel vendors are a bit afraid to make any commitments to over-zealous brides..aka ME. Most I have called basically give me the “YIKES lady we have no idea what we will be doing in March of 2012!” So for now I am sliding over into the passenger seat and will continue to research ideas and vendors and hope that after the first of the year things will kick into high gear.

I do have some great ideas for future blog entries but I am waiting on some various items and need to compile everything into place before I can post. I have also decided that I am going to roll out a new promotion, something that has nothing to do with the wedding and call it “Non-Wedding Wednesday”. Every Wednesday I will try my best to post something that is going on in my life or any idea that strikes me at random and post about it just to keep you all fresh and sharp.

Just wanted to share with you some pictures of my first solo pumpkin carving experience. I went to a pumpkin carving party last night and had a lot of fun getting gooey and messy. I was the only individual over 14 who participated in carving a pumpkin but I still had a blast! I included some pics of my one and only.





My Creation of Splattered Brain Dip - Looks like moldy meatloaf from the picture but was actually guacamole inside couliflower and licorice. The kids loved it!

Good Golly Miss Holly

This woman, Good Golly Miss Holly, got me hooked on her cupcakes. At many of our girl’s nights it became a tradition for one of the gals to stop on her way and pick up a plethora of mini cakes from Good Golly Miss Holly for all of us to share. We would divide each cupcake into four pieces so all of us could have a taste of each of the different kinds. Red velvet and white raspberry quickly became two of my all time favorites; I am salivating just thinking about them! They are literally TO DIE FOR. Click here to get a sneak peek of heaven.

Miss Holly’s cupcakes inspired me to think that I might want a cupcake tower at my wedding instead of the traditional wedding cake. I figured since Miss Holly has so many wonderful yummy flavors to offer why not offer my guests that same wonderful experience.

I was just a little concerned that by having a cupcake tower, although beautiful and delicious, if one cupcake appears out of place it may throw the balance of the whole cake tower off kilter, that’s when I started to worry that it would appear to look “messy” for lack of a better word.

I am still impartial to the cupcake tower but if I do choose this route, this is one thing that I WILL find the time to eat at my wedding.

See pictures below of some examples of cupcake towers that I found on the web, although these are not quite my style or color choice these are just some examples.

Has anyone ever seen one up close and personal at a weddng? Opinions or thoughts?

Cute Story for the Kids/Horror Story for the Groom

David had taken my request seriously to call my father to ask for my hand in marriage, sounds easy enough right? Without knowing my father I suppose it may be kind of hard to make that judgment. I love my father more than anything and his quirks are what make him the unique man that he is and that much more loveable.

I can’t imagine the nerves associated with having to call your future father in law and ask for his daughters hand in marriage. The doubts and images of him saying “No” would be running through my head and my heart would be beating just as fast. I imagine this was a similar feeling David was experiencing that Tuesday night when I was out with my girlfriends as he made that highly anticipated call to my dad to ask him one of the most important questions of his life.

I am only telling this story second hand but knowing my father it is quite easy to picture. That Tuesday night my dad answered the phone which is somewhat unusual. The nephews were at the house so there was a lot of background noise “so John says”. David says hello to my father and introduces himself as David, (notice the comma for intended pause) Tiffany’s boyfriend. My father can not seem to understand who this person is and why are they calling to tell him that David Tiffany (the name of a man whom also lives in our 2 stop light town) has a boyfriend! He is assuming this is a prank call and that someone is playing a joke on him. Meanwhile my David is completely mortified on the other end thinking how can the father of the woman I am about to ask to marry me have not a clue who I am after spending many holidays and family occasions at his house?!?!

Once David was finally able to explain to my father that he was indeed not David Tiffany’s boyfriend but David, his daughter Tiffany’s boyfriend, he said what he needed to say and the rest is history.

I can’t even begin to imagine the confused look on David’s face after he hung up the phone with my dad. He then immediately called my bff Kiki who wrote it off to David as “John just being John” and that he is hard of hearing from working with loud machinery all his life. God, I love you Kiki!

So the pressing question still remains: Who the HEC is David Tiffany and does he really have a boyfriend??

My sister, my dad, and I at a wedding a few years ago



Proud Dad at my beautiful sisters wedding a few months ago

Stripper Heels or Virgin Mary?

I happened upon this DIY (Do It Yourself) blog entry of brides who are jazzing up their wedding shoes with none other than a hot glue gun and rhinestones purchased at the local craft store. Not sure how I feel about the green and red “bling bling” but I guess it would go along with a Christmas wedding theme.


The pair to the left are sort of cute, but as a convenience measure I think I’d opt to spend the money on an already “prepared” pair of pumps rather than driving myself bonkers with the glue, stick, cuss, then repeat method.



Look here for the full scoop and other pictures of DIY rhinestone wedding pumps.

Who Brought the Funk..or Fashion?

Funny things happen at weddings, especially when there is alcohol involved. I can't wait for these types of things to happen at mine. I hope this will be a night full of sweaty dancing, singing, swaying, and pure good ole debauchery.

I wanted to share something real quick of something that happened at a recent wedding. I am not sure what would have prompted this woman to try on a sweaty old cowboy boot that belonged to a 6 foot man but I’m sure glad she did! I think it’s outright hilarious. I have known this particular person for a life time, so that's why it makes complete sense to me.

See for yourself..is this fashion in the making or a fashion disaster? I quite honestly think it looks pretty darn cute (I recently was on the hunt for a pair of cowboy boots).

Here is the picture of the gorgeous woman in her pink dress clad with not two but ONE blue cowboy boot.


Click here to reveal the mystery one booted woman. You will also discover some great fashion tips, quite possibly tips that will aid you when looking for an outfit for my wedding!

Ring Press

This was passed on to me by bff Kiki. I love getting new press information on my ring and learning how popular it has become. I hope by posting the press my ring is receiving does not come off as bragging but simply as excitment. I also know that it makes Dave ecstatic to see what a perfect choice he made. I understand this is not the best picture and tough to read but I plan to look for this article in the Brides October 2010 issue on stands!

Thanks for passing on Kiki!!

Thanks to Jaime

Many thanks to Jaime who featured my post re: "Asking my Maids" in her Friday Faves weekly post a couple Fridays ago. I was excited for the shout out!

Check it out here!

Any press is good press!

Thanks Jaime, much appreciated!!

Sunglasses at Night

I assume planning will kind of slow down until after the New Year. Once we book a band and a photographer then I can start riding the wave in the passenger seat and take it easy. So for now I have been emailing bands to get pricing and information. For some reason bands seem to be a bit pricier down here and I’m contributing that to corporate/Disney events. But from what I have heard from speaking with most of them is that they all seem to be struggling since the economy is so bad so I am hoping we can work something out.

I do have to say that I am a little afraid that Groomzilla and I are never going to agree on a band since Dave’s only request is that they can play “Sunglasses at Night” by Corey Hart…umm WHAT?!?!

I did get a card for a woman that is a singer/songwriter that I heard at a River Bar a few weekends ago when I was there with some girlfriends. She had a beautiful voice (my father may disapprove of her dreadlocks) and I could totally picture her playing her guitar and singing during the ceremony and cocktail hour.

We have a wedding to attend for one of my co-workers in two weeks which I hope will prompt some ideas since this will be my first wedding in which I will be attending as an engaged woman.

We took a 20 mile bike ride today so I am a bit tired. I better get those legs in shape for the dance moves that Dave and I intend to burn up on the dance floor at our wedding!

Running Ragged

I'm not running ragged yet but I have started running after work a few days a week with a co-worker. The weather lately has been gorgeous and perfect for running. Getting more exercise was something I had wanted to do before we even got engaged so I'm not running to loose weight for the wedding, just to stay healthy. I was even thinking of training for a half marathon but between juggling a running training schedule, wedding planning, a masters degree program, and working full time I think I'd be pushing it a bit much. I will say that since I started running, my appetite has sky rocketed which I justified by engorging on an enormous slice of lasagna for dinner tonight.

I also have to say that I am very proud of our groom as he has been getting up early and heading to the gym in the morning to work out (especially after he was upset when I posted the twit pic of us at the bridal show where he thought he looked chunky).

Its Official - March 24, 2012

Wow it felt good to finally set the date in stone. We signed the contract and paid our deposit to hold the date for March 24, 2012! So much planning and ideas to think about!! I have attached some photos below that I took today of the venue.

Ceremony Site



Looking up to the cocktail hour terrace

Cocktail area terrace off the ballroom


Bar area for cocktail hour/ballroom reception

Ballroom - still under construction but love all the windows