Bridesmaids

Here's the card I gave my bridesmaids when I asked them to be in the wedding. I made it in Microsoft Publisher. I mounted it on Archiver's Pomegranate colored paper from the Yours Truly collection, tied a ribbon on the top, placed it in a chocolate colored envelope and spelled the girls' names out in glittery pink stickers. I'm so thrilled about the bridal party!

Wedding Bouquets

Here's what I'm thinking for mine... White Ranunculus, White Gardenias and White Cosmos
For the girls... Pink Ranunculus and Chocolate Cosmos

For Joe: A White Gardenia and a Chocolate Cosmo
For the Boys: White Ranunculus and Chocolate Cosmos

Moms would have the pink ranunculus and the chocolate cosmos for their corsages and Dads would wear White Ranunculus with the chocolate cosmos.

Just thoughts that I wanted to get down...






XOXO

Invitations

So we went to look at invitations at Print Wise in Elmhurst. It was really fun to look at all the big books they had. We really like the pockets style of invitations. Can't wait to figure it all out. I'd really like to do something where the Save the Dates match the invites. We'll see...

Wedding Website

We signed up for a wedding website today. It will help us keep track of all the wedding details and let everyone know what we're up to. There will be a way for guests to RSVP online and for the wedding party to see what we're planning for them. Once it's ready to be viewed, I'll post the link. For now, though, you can go check out the wedding website service. It's pretty cool.

Photographer

We're going with Fred Fox for our photography and video. We were able to secure Ruben, our photographer of choice, for the day. His work can be viewed here. Joe and I met with Yolanda at the Naperville office to learn about all the packages and services. She was very informational and so fun to work with. I'm really excited about the photos for the wedding. They're going to last forever, after all.

Wish List

While I have no idea where we're going to register, I did start a wish list on amazon.com
You'll find a nifty little widget on the left that shows what books I'm looking to be getting in the next few months. There were so many wedding books that I really had to be picky. I read the reviews of the books and thought long and hard about what I'd like to use them for. I've already gotten an organizer from my Mom and I'm starting to fill it up with contracts and information for everything. I'm just still looking for information on how to go about running things for the big day as well as ideas of things to do at the reception and things to do for my bridesmaids, etc.
As far as registering goes, we've kind of talked about a couple of places but it's hard to decide. Any suggestions?XOXO

Party

We had a big discussion tonight about the wedding party and I think we've finally got it all settled. I've already asked Amber to be my maid of honor and Nydia to be my matron of honor. Now I just have to ask the rest. I don't think Joe has asked anyone yet. I guess he's just thinking of how he's going to do it. XOXO

Work It Work It

Maid of Honor Amber got me to the gym! No really, I signed up on 1/2, but I haven't been there until tonight. I ran on the treadmill, the eliptical (won't catch me doing that one again anytime soon) and did some weight machines. Soreness, here I come! XOXO

Let There Be Music

We booked the band!

I went to Elmhurst College, where they have a tremendous jazz band. I've known for a long time that I want them to play at the wedding. I called up the director and he said they have that day available. This is extra perfect because we were able to get the Willowbrook Ballroom for the reception. The ballroom has an awesome stage that they'll be able to play on. I'd like to have a small combo play for the cocktail hour and during dinner. The jazz band will come on after dinner for dancing. It's going to be gorgeous! XOXO

The Dress

I found it!

I think. Is this crazy? I have an idea of what I want and I saw exactly that on theknot.com today. It's beautiful, perfect for a fall wedding.
theknot.com says it's not available in this state. So I looked into other states and it looks like I could try it on when I go to Arizona and maybe order it from a place in Wisconsin. I don't think it would be unheard of to travel up to Wisconsin, about a two hour journey, to pick up a dress. I'm sure there have been bridezillas who have done much worse.
Well, then I checked the actual designer's website and it looks like there is a place in Illinois that carries this designer!!! I can't wait to see it in person. I hope it's as beautiful as it is in the picture. You won't catch any pictures of it on this blog, though. It's an absolute secret. No one is getting this one out of me until I put it on for the big day! XOXO

The Church

Happy first Sunday of 2008! Superman and I have decided that we would like a Catholic wedding. So we'll be getting married at St. Isidore's Parish in Bloomingdale. It's the church that I was confirmed at and had my first holy communion at. I just love St. Isidore's chapel. Well, we have lots to do for that. We've got to get the affidavits from our parents, certificates of baptism and go to a "Becoming One" meeting/workshop or whatever it is. We also are going to have to sit down and decide what readings we like so we have the service that best fits us. Then there's the music workshop we have to go to in order to find out what kinds of music they expect us to use and then we'll be able to talk about what kind of songs we'd like played at our wedding. That may just be the hardest part. XOXO

The Date, The Ballroom

Joe and I decided that we would like to get married on October 18, 2008. So that's the day. Not only is it full of my favorite number, but it's also the anniversary of my Grandparent's wedding.
I've known for years that I want my wedding to be held at the Willowbrook Ballroom. So that's where it shall be. I had to fight hard for it, but it will be quite an occasion, I'm sure. My other grandparents frequented the ballroom when they were alive, so it's a very special place to me. Nothing else had all the things we were looking for in a reception site the way this place does.
This ballroom is a legend. I'll post a bunch of stuff about it later. XOXO

Photo Album

We went to dinner for Joe's Dad's birthday on 12/28. Joe's sister, her husband and their puppy were there also. Of course, we brought puppy along. In addition to birthday presents, puppy got a toy and a card from his cousin wishing him a speedy recovery from his demanhoodification surgery. Joe and I got a sweet photo album for our engagement. Thanks J! Love it! XOXO

Wedding Planner

Mom got me a beautiful wedding planner for Christmas. The book kind, not the person. I'm looking forward to filling it up with plans for the wedding! Thanks Mom! XOXO

Toasting Flutes

Thank you to Joe's parents for the lovely toasting flutes they gave us on December 24th! It was our first engagement present. XOXO

The Proposal

It was on December 23, 2007.

Joe's family invited us to go see Jersey Boys with them. His sister and her husband were there as well. We packed up puppy to bring him with us and headed out. It was a very windy day. We stopped at Caribou so I could get a tea, as my throat had been bothering me that morning. The barista was so sweet. She gave puppy a dog treat and gave me a free tin of hoof mints to go with my tea. Yum.
As we drove down the highway, the wind seemed it would blow us right off the road. We made it to his parents' subdivision to see a limousine sitting near the entrance. Hmmm. When we got to the house, puppy ran around out back for a little while. When Joe's sister got there with her husband and their puppy, they changed and we locked up the dogs. Suddenly, there was a limo out front!
We rode the limo into the city to see the show. The music was great! I couldn't believe how well those boys sang. Afterwards, Joe bought me a program and we piled back into the limo to head back to the 'burbs.
Dinner that night was at Venuti's. I had ravioli as I always do and it was delicious. The gin & tonic was mighty good too. After dinner, we went out into the cold again to head back to his parents' house for presents and dessert. And puppytime. Did I mention how cold it was? So, so cold.
The puppies romped around in the snowy backyard. We exchanged grab bag presents and ate cookies. Finally, it was time to head home. We wrapped up puppy and put him in the car then drove off towards home. On the way home, Joe asked if we could open presents that night.
"It's not even Christmas Eve," I argued.
I'm a jerk.
Anyway, we got home and I promptly changed out of my nice Christmas skirt and into my comfy pajama pants and my pink Alaska sweatshirt.
Joe told me to go sit by the tree, so I did, gifts in hand. We took turns opening presents. A Gordon Ramsay cookbook and Bourne Ultimatum DVD for him and a Kathy Reichs book and a device for my iPhone for me.
Then he told me to close my eyes.
Uh-oh, I thought. Could this be it?
I did as I was told and waited while he got up and came back. He told me to open my eyes and he started talking.
"This is something for the house," he said.
WHAT? I'm thinking. What could he have gotten for the house that he's hiding behind his back? A picture? A new remote control?? What?
The rest is a blur of Christmas past, present and future. He showed me the ring and asked if I'd marry him. I hugged him. I cried, but I didn't sob. I maintained my dignity (I think). "You didn't even look at the ring," he objected, while I hugged him.
I made him put it on me. He was on one knee while he did. It's beautiful. He picked it out.
It's been described as stunning, beautiful, gorgeous, so me, perfect and so sparkly. I'll tell you what, the day I got it, it hurt my eyes to look at it. The sparklies were just bouncing off the ring like crazy. Of course, I've trained my eyes to deal with it. There's no way you can keep me from staring at my left hand now. Joey did a fantastic job. He's the love of my life. XOXO