tw + ac - 10.17.08.04: Becoming a Bride and Groom

After months and months of overthinking my wedding day ensemble, it was finally time to put it on! All of those moments trudging through slush to try on dresses after work, the hours spent on etsy looking for rock star jewelery that wouldn't break the bank, the sneaking out to shoe web sites at any free moment to look for the perfect shoes - it was all coming to fruition.

My shoes were from J. Crew, my necklace and earrings from Chicago artist Toki via p.45, and my purse was made at 1154 Lill during my spring outing with my bridesmaids and friend VP. I have to say that I don't think that I made the right choices with my accessories. I think that they were beautiful, but boring. In trying to create a timeless look that didn't scream, "She got married in 2008!" in 20 years, I played it too safe. You can't even see my necklace on my pale skin.

My mom helped me get dressed.

I didn't think that I had a "bride" moment, but judging from these next photos, I must have - the photographer didn't even tell me to pose in the first one. What a cheeseball.

I think that my dress was too big on me and not tailored correctly in the back. It was supposed to be form fitting and tailored, but I think that the back looks sloppy. And I don't know how I could have lost weight because between wedding projects and a September work deadline, I hadn't gone to the gym in ages prior to the wedding - as you call tell from my flabby man arms.

I loved my hair color and highlights. My hairstylist busted his butt on my hair a few days before the wedding. He spent a good two and a half hours making me "brilliant red." Totally dig it. I wish that my hair looked like this every day!

Meanwhile, Andy was getting dressed down in his parents' room. I don't have many pictures to post of his prep time because a) the photographers took 38 pix of him (compared to the 128 of me) and b) I think that his mom would kill me for publishing a picture of her in a bath robe with no makeup!

This first pix is one of my favorite detail shots of the day. I love his Bears hat - at least this one. The other one is not quite as photogenic -- or hygenic, for that matter.

(That's our Day of Coordinator, Katie Kozlowski, helping Andy with his bout and pocket square.)

Andy enjoying his "bride" moment. Ha, Ha.

Now it was time for us to see each other! Andy headed up to my hotel suite. How was it 3:45 p.m. already?

All professional images from Sarah Alair Photography.

tw + ac - 10.17.08.03: Getting Ready to Get Hitched

Most of this is a repeat for those who subscribe via google reader - sorry about that!

I don't know how to describe the surreal feeling of our wedding day, so I won't begin to try.  From the moment that I woke up, I felt as cool as a cucumber, which is very uncharacteristic of me. I wonder if Andy had LP slip some valiums in my morning oatmeal?

Unfortunately, I had to run to Kinko's to type up the questionnaire for the officiant, so I didn't get to start off my day with a leisurely bath (not that I would have wanted a bath in our hotel. Eww.) or brunch with my friends. It worked out well, though, because that was the only time that I was alone all day and it turned out to be a nice morning of reflection for me. And I got to sneak in a little "hello" to my virtual bridesmaids.

After a quick shower, my bridesmaids and I popped over to A New Leaf to pick up the flower for my hair. While I was there, I got a sneak peek of the flowers for the day! (I am kicking myself for not taking a "before" shot of them stacked up in containers.) From there, we headed up to the Andersonville neighborhood for our hair appointments. LP and my sister ran some errands while I got my hair done and texted everyone and their brother.

Images: Provided by my sister and processed using Poladroid

I had to rush back to the hotel to meet the makeup artist from Beauty on Call, so I couldn't stay to watch my sister and LP get their hair done. I would pay good money to see a photo of myself dodging traffic with my big up-do while balancing two dozen cupcakes and a shoebox full of coat check tags and talking on the phone with my Day of Coordinator (DOC) as I tried to hail a cab. I almost got hit by a car twice.

Back at the hotel, the action really picked up. When I arrived, the makeup artist was waiting for me in the hotel lobby. We had a few moments of quiet before my mom and dad came to the room. Then, the DOC arrived with the sandwiches - total waste of money. I'm the only one who ate one.

Then, my friend VP arrived with more treats.

Then, the photographers arrived.

Then, my sister arrived to get her makeup done.

Then, a bellhop arrived with a gift of champagne from my friend, Balz, who couldn't attend the wedding. (I will admit that this was one of two moments during which I teared up that day.)

Then, the DOC came back to deliver the flowers.

Then, my Aunt Karen popped in to catch the action.

And last, but not least, LP came rushing in from her hair appointment.

It was utterly wonderful chaos!

LP and my sister gave me this fun "Mrs. C" t-shirt from the T-Shirt Deli - in orange and green, of course! The T-Shirt Deli wraps their items up like deli meat and serves them in a doggie bag with a bag of Jay's potato chips. I finally got my beloved Jay's potato chips for my wedding day!

I also got to show off my new necklace from Andy!

For the record, this is all that Andy did that morning:

Images: Provided by Andy's Mom and Processed using Poladroid

All professional images by Sarah Alair Photography.

tw + ac - 10.17.08.02: The Rehearsal Dinner

Andy's parents hosted a lovely rehearsal dinner for us at Mike Ditka's restaurant on the evening before the wedding.

The food was so delicious, but pre-wedding jitters must have suppressed my appetite, as I hardly ate. I have been dying for a pork chop ever since.

Since we couldn't get into our wedding venue the night before the wedding, we had to do a quick walkthrough of the procession and ceremony at the party.

We used our party favors as seating cards for the tables. I purchased pillow boxes from Paper Source, filled them with treats, and created name stickers with the Chicago Bears logo. The Bears theme was a little surprise for Andy.

All guests received Fannie May Halloween candy, assorted candy, and one of the following items:

• Lottery tickets (the guys),
• Hand and Nail Cream from H2O+  (the guys' lady friends), or
• A "TA" ornament from Paloma's Nest (female family members and my girlfriends). I have to admit that I stole was inspired by the always lovely thoughtful day's idea of ornaments as favors.

For some reason, I thought that we'd have a place card table, so I also made place cards. I wish that I would have used the time to make table numbers instead - yet another thing that I ran out of time for.

My sister gave Andy and I shirts to commemorate our Chicago Bears-themed Rehearsal Dinner - a Mike Ditka's shirt for me and a Hawaiian shirt for Andy. (I'm actually wearing my Ditka shirt as I type this summary!) There was an entire photoshoot of Andy's new shirt. You would have thought that Ditka himself had walked in the door.

All Images taken by my family members and processed using poladroid.

At the end of the night, Andy and I exchanged our gifts to each other - a Tiffany's necklace for me and a Tiffany's money clip and a set of cufflinks for him.

Images from Tiffany and Processed in Poladroid

tw + ac - 10.17.08.01: Ladies Who Lunch!

The day before the wedding, my girls and I kicked off the wedding celebrations with an afternoon of lunch and nails.

I met my and Andy's moms, two of our sisters, my friend VP, and Andy's aunt at Luxbar for an awesome lunch - including a bottle of my favorite wine, Silver Oak, courtesy of good 'ole Aunt Ruth! Unfortunately, my bridesmaid, LP, and Andy's sister, Nik, couldn't attend because of work. That is the only downside of getting married on a Friday - you force people to burn up their vacation time.

After lunch, we headed to Spa Emilia to get our nails done. It was so fun!

My mom had never had a manicure or pedicure before, which, for some reason, made me feel very spoiled. The pampering was old hat for everyone else...

Unfortunately, I had a hard time relaxing, despite the two glasses of wine and four glasses of champagne. I think that it was nerves, excitement, overstimulation from being the guest of honor, and the damn ceremony questionnaire that our officiant said that he never received (I swear that I sent it!). I spent most of the time trying to sneak away from everyone to work the questionnaire - to no avail.

As a favor, each gal received a pocketbook favor box containing a few pieces of Godiva chocolate and a small tube of one of my all-time favorite products, hand and nail cream from H2O+.

Good Luck, Ami!

Best of luck and virtual hugs to Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs as she celebrates her vow renewal tonight! I can't wait to hear all about it!

Images: Elizabeth Anne Designs

With This Ring, I Thee Nest

Image: Bride and Broom, H. Armstrong Roberts, 1988

Last week, I begrudgingly, but officially, relinquished my "Bride" title. I sent out the thank you cards - all 91 of them, including almost all of the vendors' cards. I can't find my camera cord to upload the photos of the cute envelope labels so I will post the whole package after the wedding recaps.

In the meantime, here are the Christmas cards that I ordered from Snapfish. They turned out great! We've received a lot of compliments on them.

Ooops!

I was scheduling some posts for next week and accidentally posted them because I forgot to change the year. Those of you who use Google Reader have already seen them in their unedited glory. Oops. For everyone else, the recaps will begin next week!