Boo!

Happy Halloween!

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Gift and Run

Anyone else have trouble finding those responsible for mystery gifts? Since we didn't do a registry and told guests not to feel obligated to send us presents, there were quite a few guests that gave us nothing. This renders the process of elimination useless in mystery gifter identification. We've also inquired close family members for leads, but there are just too many variables to nail anyone down.

So someday when I gather enough left over wedding energy to make those thank you cards, we'll be sending them to each guest. We will thank everyone for sharing our day, but we still want to say specific thank-yous to those who took the effort to gift us presents. Any suggestions? Or does anyone have ideas on how others can avoid gift-and-runs?

Somethin' Somethin'

The pro pics have finally arrived and I'm uncertain about where to begin. Guess I'll start you guys off on a little somethin' somethin' while I gather my thoughts!

Something Old - Classic Tiffany gold heart pendant that was a gift from FIL to MIL ages ago, which I wrapped around my bouquet...

Something New - My purdee rose gold ankle strap peeptoes that I've already re worn a couple times since the wedding (re usability, baby!)

Something Borrowed - This gorgeous veil from my dear friend who made it for her own wedding in 2005...

Something(s) Blue - Our matching Optimus Prime temporary tattoos...

So, what are your thangs?

Images by Travis Hoehne

CK Friends & Family Promo

Extra 30% off everything including sale items with coupon code FRIENDS1 at Calvin Klein. Valid for 4 days only, 10/23 thru 10/26.

The BM gifts would have included one or the other had this sale took place before my wedding, check out the huge markdowns (the extra $30% off makes them $21 each)!

Of course, I had to get a lil' somethin' somethin' for myself! This was my best deal, I hope it fits well!

Happy Shopping!

Practical is My Middle Name

Creative has been my nickname once or twice.
Thrifty is definitely my maiden name.

But Sane, ha! I'm sure no one in their right mind ever came close to referring to me as such.

In any event, you can find my guest post over at Meg's today.

I hope you don't mind that the first sneak peek of wedding pro-pics is shown on another site, it was simply a timing issue. Several blogs helped me a great deal with keeping the lid on my craziness in planning our wedding and they include not only that from the practical bride herself, but also lovely ladies like Nomi and Peonies who were featured in the same Wedding Graduate series (which also introduced me to a couple other fabulous brides!). So when I was asked to chip in, I couldn't refuse, and it just so happens that it's before my own recaps. But hey, just coz I love you guys, here's a special pro-pic for you:

Fun Fact: When I asked the hubs for his piece of advice to share on the guest post, he first said "Don't ask anybody for help!" Then he offered "Don't tell any body anything!" I had to pry a little to get a more positive piece of advice out of him, but at least this proves I'm not alone in the madness.

*Image by Travis Hoehne

Kick @$$ Newspaper Banner

I suppose it's a blessing that I saw this tutorial after the wedding, because otherwise I'd have had another project on my plate. Me LOVES reusing materials in DIY projects! A few banners like this one (in your wedding colors?) hung between trees would be especially pretty, no lettering necessary! The semi-transparency of the paint showing the newspaper adds just the right amount of quirk for me.

I can totally picture this painted in a glittered ivory, alternating with a matte eggplant color, hung on a black satin accent ribbon. Yup, it's settled. Those are my newest fantasy wedding colors.*

Image and tutorial from maya*made, found via zakka life

* Fantasizing about wedding colors is a common symptom of PTWS even in the mildest cases

Da Pool Party Results

The super casual pool side rehearsal after party we planned turned out wonderfully. The weather was fabulous, and people kept saying how they were so glad we did this instead of a sit down dinner. We entertained about 50 guests, and the gazebo area we rented was secluded to give our party privacy and plenty of room to hang out and mingle...

yet it was still only steps from the pools for the guests' enjoyment as the sun sets in the background!

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the venue not only feature live music on Friday nights...

but also had drinks specials galore that totally made up for forbidding us to bring in alcohol. Helllloooooooo dollar beers!

We provided 4 times the food than necessary because we live in fear of hungry guests (don't worry, left overs went to good homes);

brought games for entertainment (people looove that cornhole);

stopped and posed for the upcoming Top Gun remake poster (pictured: best man and mr.GT);and just did a whole lot of hanging out! (pictured: MOH, me, and my daddy)

We are so glad we took an alternate route over the tradition rehearsal dinner. Being able to include everyone, chilling outdoor and poolside, giving everyone the freedom to come and go whenever they wanted and to eat/chat/play as they pleased - was the perfect prelude to our celebration to come.

This day also set a new record for highest number of times it was pointed out that I look exactly like my dad.

So yesterday the hubs started asking why I have been neglecting my own blog. Long story short, I got a mini lecture on how wrong it is of me to just practically disappear from the face of the earth after sharing so much of the planning process. He said in the next post I write I must apologize for my absence and for leaving you all hanging, even if all of you means only one single person. I happen to agree, for I too have been a victim of many plan-and-run blogs without the reward of seeing the final product, after following and cheering on a bride's process. So I'm sincerely sorry if I have left anyone pondering this possibility here, and I hope you will forgive me. In my defense, the pro-pics are actually still not in my hands (yes I realize it has been almost 2 months), but they are supposedly on their way.

I never intended for this to be a wedding only blog, but wedding planning surely can take over one's life! It seems that most who visit me here shared that agenda, and I wonder where I should be going from here. I have no destination, but somehow, I feel a bit lost.

I think I'll just see where my mind and fingers take me, and I hope some of you will still keep me company once my wedding chapter comes to a close.

Image by John Brainard

Miracle on the 13th

26 years ago today my parents gifted me the most awesomest present, evah
think I'll go celebrate with a sushi buffet...

Fumes

(S)He who is in an abusive relationship with some disgusting perfume or cologne, choking innocent bystanders everyday, is often the same person who can't stop complaining about that accidental burnt popcorn smell occuring in the office twice a year.

Image by HolaHolaCherryCola

I don't know about these tag things...

I don't mind sharing, but it seems like whenever I'm tagged I find myself realizing how uninteresting I am. To keep from boring everyone to death, I'll only be able to half-fill my obligation here:

Things I Did Today

1. Tried to DIY this really cute paper lantern that I pictured in my head, it did NOT work out.
2. Wondered why the hell I was trying to make a stupid paper lantern.

Things On My To-Do List

1. Start on those thank-you cards.
2. Make a tea sachet with left over wedding tea that I have pictured in my head, which will inevitably suffer the same fate as that aforementioned lantern.

Guilty Pleasures

1. Jamba Juice - they totally screwed us over at our wedding (we placed a catering order for our guests pre-ceremony and they never showed up) and I should boycott them forever... but I don't think I can.
2. Eating everything, and then wanting to eat everything else, and then wondering where the hell the dessert is.

Random Facts

1. I was once able to toss a flag or a rifle for at least 2 full rotations from under a fanning leg move and catch it properly.
2. At age 19 (I think?), I passed out condoms in a wedding gown on a very busy city street in a promotional event for Durex, and my mug got on several local newspapers including the front page headline of one.

Now who to tag... hmm... any volunteers?