More Customizable Decor

This post on Kate's Wedding made me realize that I never posted on the cute engagement present that I received from my friend trix. This adorable clipboard from the MacBeth Collection arrived at my office a few months ago. The pink and brown gives mad props to all of the fun that we had planning her wedding and the big pink crown pays homage to me as "the queen of planning." (That's her phrase, I swear!)

Isn't it the cutest? It's going to be bungee-corded to my belt loop the week of the wedding. I'm planning on giving a few as gifts myself.

MacBeth offers a ton of adorable product and patterns on their web site. Daily Candy is currently offering a code for 25% off of MacBeth purchases. All of their products are customizable with a pattern or monogram of your choice. How great would these things be for functional wedding decor?

Card Box or "Guest Book" Container?

Toiletry Bins for the Restrooms?

Bins for Refreshments and Favors?

All Images: MacBeth Collection

You could also serve beverages in one of these customized tubs at a bridal shower and leave the tub behind as your gift to the bride-to-be. (That wasn't a hint to the hostesses of my showers. You'd have to take it home with you at the end of the party -- unless you could convince Andy to store it on his side of the closet. Ha. Ha.)

Thanks to Kate for reminding me to give a shout out to my friend trix for the cool gift.

Because I'm So Vain...

For some reason, I just love this tray from last issue of the Chicago The Knot magazine. I think that it's a whimsical way to incorporate your logo or event design into the cocktail hour without being too over the top. (Seriously, you know that, like, three of your girlfriends would notice it!) It would look great in a lucite tray.

Image: The Knot Chicago Magazine

I have been obsessed with lucite trays ever since I stumbled upon these at Christmas time. I wanted to put one on my Christmas list, but figured that I should wait until I get my new name. (And a condo big enough too hold frivolities like lucite trays.) It would be cool to have a large tray with both of our names on it. I'd have a hard time picking a design though. I love them all!

All personalized tray images:

Iomoi Yahoo! Store

Week 6, Get Skinny

Once again, worked out like a champ and the scale didn't budge. I am getting pissed and stressed about it. And if one more person tells me that muscle weighs more than fat, I am doing to punch them. I am not powerlifting. I'm doing cardio! Apparently, I need to do more cardio. I'm just so gunshy about messing up my legs.

Reason 4,873,198 That I Love Paper Source

Ribbon!

How fun that they have ribbon in their signature colors! Just by chance, the colors of the dots in our invitations are almost IDENTICAL to their Poppy, Papaya, and Antique Gold colors. I didn't even plan it that way. It just happened. I never knew that they sold ribbon. Sometimes it feels like this wedding is being planned for me. (If only they sold XL ties. Ha. Ha.)

Image: Paper Source

Hooray for Paper Source!

I wonder how much I've spent there over the years? Too bad they don't provide end-of-year statements like Nordstrom.

P.S. I forgot to post that the cheap tote sample that I ordered last month arrived a few weeks ago. It's really, um, cheap. I can't decide if it's chinzy or economical.

I am Tacky...Just Like the Back of the Labels That I Want to Stick On My Invites.

I am still having the "do I or don't I?" debate on addressing the envelopes. I am using kind of shiny envelopes (Paper Source stardream metallic line), so I am wondering if preventing smears will be a royal pain. Also, I can't sit still for very long. Even if I did two invites a week until August, it would require me to sit at the kitchen table patiently twice a week. And that doesn't happen. Even for five minutes. So, in light of this, I played around with a few label configurations this weekend.

Option 1: 5" Labels from Paper Source

Although I like these, I've used these before and printing on them is kind of a pain. You need to find the center of each label and tape it to an 8.5"X11" template. And it still didn't necessarily align. I am a little gun shy about using these.

Option 2


Option 3: 5" Labels with Address Printed on 2.5" Labels and some 1.25" Labels

I'd have to do the math on this one. It might add up to cost as much as calligraphy! A plus side of the 2.5" labels is that I already have all of the addresses in layed out from the save the dates. I'd have a few changes to make to add the "and guest" and spell out the names correctly, but that Id be 95% finished.

Option 4: Address Printed on 2.5" Labels and some 1.25" Labels, No 5" Label
(This is my favorite layout. Andy concurs.)

I'll have to rotate the dots to accommodate the postmark. I can guarantee that the post office near my office would laugh and possibly spit in my face if I asked to use the hand cancel stamp.

Option 5: Wrap-Around Labels
(This is my second favorite.)

I also tried some mockups of wrap-around labels a la Martha. I was too lazy to come up with a dot pattern for the draft, but you get the jist. (Can you tell that I am tired of fighting with dots?)

Saved by the Blog!

Man, the Blog Babes totally saved my a*s today!

First, Natalie of i heart peonies met me outside of my office this morning and bought my unused Calligraphy for Dummies book and calligraphy pens. Not only did she do me a HUGE favor, but she came to my front door to do it! Thanks again, Natalie!

Second, Linda of Silly Little Mischief left a comment on yesterday's tie post. She found an XL PAISLEY GEOFFREY BEENE TIE IN THE PERFECT COLOR SCHEME! I actually yelped when I first saw it. Do you realize how much leg work this saves me? Seriously, if you were in Chicago, I'd buy you coffee, beer, candy, or something equally affordable and full of gratitude and debt. (Honestly, that tie wasn't out there on Saturday.) Here is the tie:

Image: The Silk Tie Factory

Of course, now that I've purchased the paisley tie (which he requested in the first place), Andy's saying that he definitely wants the solid color. Sigh. I am e-mailing the Geoffrey Beene showroom in NYC to see if they can locate one. If they can't, he's getting the paisley tie or a custom-made tie made from the fabric from the bridesmaid dresses. It won't be a perfect match, but I'm done spinning my wheels on this one.

Here's how they look all together. I think that the paisley is a so-so addition, but I think that it's the different image types. I bet that it will look better in person.

Images: The Silk Tie Factory and with this ring, i thee obsess

Get Skinny, Week 5

I forgot to post this yesterday. I am getting stronger! I need to work on getting up earlier and getting weights in. Oh, and I lost one pound! :)

Costa Rica Information

Thank you to everyone who responded to my request for information on Costa Rica a few weeks back. I received a lot of very good information. I am heeding Riley's suggestion and posting it here for my blog pals. Here is a high-level list of the hotels and resources recommended.

• Michelle of Adam and Michelle's Marvelous Mayhem suggests:


• The Luna Lodge for its "great eco-friendly, ethereal beauty for a fraction of the price of most places."


• Sherman's Travel.


• National Geographic Adventure Magazine.




• Big Shot Artist in the Spotlight provided a review of the green Cala Luna Hotel.


• Tara from In This Instance recommends:


• Tamarindo Village.


• La Mansion Inn.


• Hotel Villa Caletas.


• Hotel Mariposa.


• Waterfall Gardens.


• and these resource sites:


• http://www.tamarindo.com/


• http://tamarindobeach.net/


• http://www.tamarindo.com/papagayo/


• http://www.govisitcostarica.com/regions.asp


• http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/


• http://www.manuelantoniopark.com/mapk/default.asp




• And for those that live in Chicago, this travel agent.




• Darcy of With This Ring is headed to Costa Rica for her honeymoon. She recommends:


• Waterfall Gardens.


• The Paradisus Playa Conchal.


• Bill Beard Costa Rica Travel Agency. Here's what she says about them:




• "They will pick us up at the airport, drive us to the hotel, and stop to see cool sites along the way. Our friends used them and from the first airport to the Peace Lodge they stopped to look at coffee fields and buy fresh Costa Rican coffee. While we're at the Peace Lodge we're taking a tour to this active volcano where there are hot springs and a spa...apparently the hot springs are all different temperatures and have swim-up bars ;)
  
  Then the Bill Beard people will pick us up again and drive us to the Paradisus (the Paradisus is all inclusive, the Peace Lodge isn't). I guess along the way we stop at a local town to eat lunch, etc. And then I plan to lay my a*s on the beach for 6 days!"




• Hotel Capitan Suizo.


• Mimi from enjoy: the blog, has been to Costa Rica several times. She recommends:




• Posada del Sol.


• Hotel Punta Islita.


• Hotel Bula Bula.


• She also had this note: "I don't care what hotel you are in, the Four Seasons or a $30 a night place, you will have bugs and you will probably see a gecko in your room. That's just how it is."




• Vanessa from Adventures in Weddingland kindly invited me to e-mail her, but I haven't had a chance to do so. I'll post an update if I get any good scoop!

As an alternative, Kate from Waterfront Preppy suggested the Whistling Bird Resort in Jamaica.

Also, note that it's tough to find direct flights from most the United States. Most flights are connected through Miami. Also, a friend of mind suggested that you focus on the Pacific side of the country. It's safer and less rainy than the Carribbean side.

Thanks again to everyone who provided information.

If Andy doesn't get on it soon, we may end up exploring
the eco-tourism of the Indiana State Park System like our friend The Mitch suggested.

Ties

Our groomsmen will be wearing custom-made brown sport coats with chinos and some combination of these cool Geoffrey Beene ties from Macy's. I'm not going to place my vote because I think that it should be Andy's decision. (I just get to do all of the leg work!) How lucky did I get finding a line that had eight different ties in the same color palette?

Tie Option 1
Left to Right: Groomsman #1, Best Man, Groomsman #2

The rusty sienna color matches the bridesmaid dresses almost perfectly. It's a shade darker, so it looks great without being all matchy-match. I like that the three guys will wear different ties with the single color tying them together.

Tie Option 2 -- Andy's Current Favorite
Left to Right: Groomsman #1, Best Man, Groomsman #2

The middle tie is one that I bought a while back. The orange is lighter and brighter, but it still picks up the different shades in the others. Andy is also considering just getting three of the middle ties.

Tie Option 3
Left to Right: Groomsman #1, Best Man, Groomsman #2

This was the original option that I presented to Andy, but he nixxed the dot tie for the best man. So, we'll use it for the dads.

Dad Ties
Left: Andy's Dad's Tie; Right: My Dad's Tie (picked out by my mom)

Andy's Tie

Unfortunately, finding a complimentary tie for Andy is going to be a pain in the a*s, as he needs a tall tie. I have checked two Nordstroms, four Macy's, and a Jos A. Bank. They have a combined total of one and a half tables of ties. Unfortunately, I've also wasted a good two or three hours browsing online. Since I can't find a striped or paisley tie for him (his original request), he's thinking that he wants to go with a solid rust colored tie. There will be a good amount of fabric leftover from one of the bridesmaid dresses, so I might be able to have a tie made for him if we're down to the wire.

I wish that I could take two regular ties and have them made into an XL tie, but no can do.

Dress

I had a nightmare last night that the store ordered the wrong dress, so I decided to nip it in the bud and bite the bullet. I popped out to the 'burbs to check out my dress.

Oh.

My.

God.

I.

Love.

It.

It's perfect. Absolutely perfect. And it's TOO BIG! Hooray! I am telling myself that it's because I've been working out like a champ. Hopefully, it will be much, much bigger come time for alterations.





Here's the 4-1-1 on all of my accessories:

• Veil: LOOKS AWESOME without the feathers. The feather clip just doesn't work with my dress.


• Ivory J. Crew Shoes: They aren't the best selection. The color's off and the design doesn't work too well with my dress. I think that I might look for some gold shoes.


• Orange J. Crew Flats: AWESOME.

YEAH!

I Need To Check My Voicemail More Often...

...because apparently, my dress arrived on Tuesday! OMG! That's four months ahead of schedule. My first reaction was "Oh man! I could have gone out there today!" But then I realized:

1. I don't have any room to store it and neither do my parents.
2. I am afraid to try it on. What if it doesn't look good? What if I am still too chubby for it? (I ordered it for my current size, but still.)

So, I might drag out the pick up process for as long as I can. We'll see...I could decide in the morning that I can't wait to see it.

I just went for a bike ride along the lake. SPRING IS FINALLY HERE! I originally planned to ride from Irving Park to the Shedd Aquarium, but I was riding into the wind and barely made it to Fullerton. I stopped at Fullerton and relaxed for awhile. On the way back, I realized that I was riding in eighth gear. I am such an idiot. An out of shape idiot, though, because I am beat! I have to say, sitting in the sun on the lakefront was just what the doctor ordered for my vacation day!

Unveiled Disappointment

My veil arrived yesterday. I tore the box open immediately and ran through the office wearing it. One of my coworkers teared up and called me "stunning." I am home alone today so I had some time to try it on. And I think that it might look really dumb. Granted, I hadn't showered yet and was wearing one of Andy's t-shirts, which may have dulled the effect, but I really think that it just didn't look right. I tried it with the feathers and without the feathers. I tried wearing it to the front, I tried wearing it to the side, I tried it wearing it on the back, and it just looked dumb. I'll have to take it to my next appointment with my hairstlylist and see what he thinks. If he doesn't like it, I'll just bag it and toss a brooch or a shitty flower in my hair and call it a day. I'm really not the veil type, but I'm still a little disappointed. I hate that I love and am drawn to advant garde styles, but lack the inate sensibilites to pull them off. Who knows? Maybe it will look better with fancy hair and makeup.

Did you guys see these veils in Ready2Spark's post the other day? They're super cute and affordable.

Image: http://www.artikal.com/bridal.htm

See Ya...

In celebration of the six month countdown, the Save the Dates were mailed on Sunday night. We've been getting some nice compliments so far. I'm just happy that they're gone, I'm tired of looking at them. Here's a look at the final product.

While I was down for the count nursing that headache a few weeks ago, I managed to polish off the envelopes. I was tres gauche and used printed labels, BUT they were expensive Paper Source ones that match my invite design nicely. Applying the polka dot design was the most tedious process in the world. I cut four sizes of dots from Paper Source labels, then attached three dots to each address label. Getting all of the dots off of their backing was the biggest pain in the rear. Thankfully, I don't do any housework and had one long nail left on my left hand. (Ha, Ha.) I had to slide my nail between the sticker and the backing without bending the edges. I hope that this is the dumbest idea that I have throughout the entire wedding process.



I ended up using the replacement stamp for the return address instead of the embosser.

The Countdown Begins...

Napkins

I am guessing that Miss Cream Puff's DIY napkin post has inspired many brides to make some customized napkins on the cheap. I know that I'm giving it a go.

Image: Wedding Bee, Miss Cream Puff

I did a quick Google search for wholesale napkins tonight and so far, PartySecret.com, seems have the greatest color variety and the best prices:

• 360 ct. beverage napkins: $12.60


• 600 ct. beverage napkins: $12.96 (for 36 cents more, just buy bulk and save yourself post-wedding trips to Ikea for cute napkins)


• 250 ct. 3-ply beverage napkins: $17.40


• 192 ct. guest towels: $12.92
  

It looks like their prices and style availability vary by color, but still, how awesome is that? My forecasted order for For Your Party is like two hundo. I could double-up my napkin plans and still save over a hundred bucks. :) I have to say, I am pretty surprised that the ink doesn't smear. I've always wondered that when reading Martha Stewart's suggestion to rubber stamp napkins.

Image: Martha Stewart

"Mini Me"s

Check out the layered fabric on these evening and cocktail party dresses from BCBG. I'm not too wild about any of them, but they'd be great, if not expensive, compliments to my wedding dress if they came in different colors.

Images: BCBG