DC Bridal Bash

A few weeks ago, my wonderful MOH and bridesmaids threw me my very first bridal shower! As I used to live in DC, and many of my friends (and bridesmaids) still live there, they had the shower there. My MOH's mother lives in DC and was gracious enough to allow us to hold the shower there. Instead of a typical shower, this was a "recipe" shower, where all the girls baked something, then decorated a recipe page for a book that I was given. It was very yummy, and such a cute idea! I now have a book full of recipes, and many of the baking utensils and accessories off my registry.

We also played the toilet paper wedding dress game, but, in true DC fashion, we decorated cardboard cut-outs of the presidential candidates (and Bush) instead of each other! Everyone divided into teams, chose a candidate and had 5 minutes to create a wedding dress out of toilet paper. As the bride, I was the judge (although apparently there were claims of impartiality given my choice of Hillary).

The rest of the weekend consistent of eating at La Mad (my FAVORITE place!) and going out at night. Saturday night was so much fun, as we headed to the "old hangout" of Front Page. Oh, the memories! :)


Thanks, ladies! It was so much fun, and I love ya'll!

Happy Engage-iversary!

Monday was my and FI's one year "engage-iversary." Yep, that's right -- we've already been engaged one year! I have to say, though, that this is one time in life when it actually has FELT like a year... or more. I can totally understand now why most brides get married within one year of getting engaged. For example, here's a rough timeline of emotions over the past year:

From "Yes" - 4 months: Ecstatic, excited to jump right in and begin planning everything, go wedding dress shopping, book a venue and maybe a vendor or two, pick a color scheme.

4 months - 8 months: Still very into planning, reading every wedding magazine and blog out there, buy a wedding dress, reach the "one year until the wedding" date, finish booking most of the vendors, pick out bridesmaids dresses (but don't purchase).

8 months - 10 months: Dead zone. Nothing to do since we've already booked everything that most brides do during this time, become a little bored with the situation. Start to second guess everything we previously decided.

10 months - 12 months: Send out the STDs! Then, completely redo the color scheme, meet with the florist to inform her of this, and pick new bridesmaids dresses to go with the new scheme.

You see, the problem with giving a bride such as me too much time to plan is that I'm always looking for "new" and "creative" elements to add to my wedding, which basically means that I change my mind a lot. While I'm happy that we were able to basically have our pick of vendors since we booked so far in advance, that really has been the only positive to having a long engagement. If I had it to do all over again, and law school wasn't a factor, I would definitely not wait a year and a half to get married.

A New Image

A couple of weekends ago, FMIL and I met with my florist, Laurel Lane Florals, and had our first cake tasting. Unfortunately, both were sub-par.

First, the florist. As you may recall, I love the idea of having bright, colorful flowers -- blues, purples, and hints of magenta -- for the centerpieces at the reception. Everyone else, though, thinks white flowers are best give our extensive lighting and blue sheers. I can see their point; white flowers may reflect the specialty lighting better and "absorb" the colors. And I definitely don't want our wedding to be a "sensory overload" of colors. At the time, I agreed with the florist, FMIL and FI (who had expressed his opinion before the meeting), and we worked on coming up with centerpieces based on white. I love orchids, so we went with dendrobium orchids for the tall centerpieces and "miscellaneous" white flowers for the lower centerpieces. The more I think about it, though, the more I wish I'd stayed with my original idea. Since nothing is written in stone, yet, I have time to change my mind. But what do I want to change it to?

I think some kind of combination of white and colorful flowers will look good. Perhaps having the orchids hang down and encircle the colored flowers? With white pin-lighting on each centerpiece, I feel that the blues and purples of the flowers will show up more than everyone thinks. Regardless of what I ended up choosing for the centerpieces, the bouquets will definitely still be in the original color scheme. These are just such "happy" colors!

Next up, we went to Scrumptions, which is a cake shop in East Greenwich, RI. Many of the wedding websites I frequent list Scrumptions as a "top" cake shop, and many of the weddings posted on my photographer's website used Scrumptions for their cake. However, I wasn't overly impressed. The tasting included several different kinds of cake as well as small samplings of their fillings. The cake, however, tasted stale. I realize that you can't make a cake for every tasting, but I do think they should serve "fresh" cake. They are trying to sell it to me, after all.

I looked through their books and chose a very simple design -- 3 tier (smallest available) square cake with ribbon trimming (real ribbon provided by me) and real flowers on top (so no fancy sugar flowers or anything. I also decided to go with butter cream icing instead of fondant. We picked out different flavors and fillings for the cake, too. So, the cost of this small, simple cake? Over $1000!! I understand that wedding cakes are expensive, but if we're paying $1K for a cake, then it should at least be good. Needless to say, Scrumptions is off the list.

Next up, we're spending the weekend in RI for FFIL's birthday celebration on Saturday, and we're visiting Belle Mer on Sunday. We're also going to try the whole cake thing again on Sunday -- this time trying the Creative Cake Company. Finally, we're hoping to go aboard and tour the Majestic, which is the boat where we're hosting the rehearsal dinner. Wish us luck!

Post Picture Here

I know everyone's waiting with baited breath to see the STDs, but unfortunately our camera is broken! FI and I both have cameras and both are not in working order. :( To those of you who haven't received one, I decided to go with the postcard idea using Vista Print. I was particularly happy to use the heart in the sand picture with our initials (the one to the right of the posts). On the front glossy side was the picture and "Save the Date" at the top with the numerical date on the bottom. On the reverse side was "...in the Ocean State!" (yes, I'm a rhyming fiend!) and the details (names, dates, venue and our website). Overall, I was very happy with how they came out, and even more happy with the price. We mailed out about 200 of these babies and total cost for 250 STDs and postage was a little under $100. Not too bad considering the other much costlier ideas!

Please Mr. Postman

We did it! After a week of sitting dormant in our living room, our STD's are finally in the hands of the United States Postal Service. Although I don't have a firm count, I think we sent out a little less than 200 of these babies! Clearly, we're not expecting everyone to attend, otherwise we'd have 400 people at our wedding. . . and FI would have a heart attack when the final bill came.

Most of my family from North Carolina will be unable to attend, but we still wanted them to feel included. In fact, my parents will be hosting an engagement party/reception/shower for us in January, so that many of my NC family and friends will be able to meet FI (and his parents and grandmother, who will be traveling down for the weekend) and celebrate with us. We had to schedule it during my winter break, but I didn't want it to be too close to Christmas or over New Year's because so many people will be out of town. Thus, we scheduled it for January 10, which is my last weekend off before starting the spring semester.

After I receive word that some of the STD's have been received, I'll post pictures and "the making of" story. Let's hope the USPS comes through in the clutch!

Time Flies

Wow, it's been forever since my last post. I apologize for the absence, but it's been a crazy time in the Legal Beagle household. As I mentioned previously, I had interviews the week before classes started, and those actually continue through next week. So, in addition to all the craziness of beginning my 2L year, I've had to conquer it all in a suit (since my interviews would often be immediately before, during or after class). Things have somewhat settled down now, though, so I can get back to the wedding grind!

UPDATES:

The Save-the-Dates have all been addressed, and they have been sitting nicely on my living room table for the past week. Yep, I've been so busy that I haven't even had time to go to the post office to mail them! It is first on my list for tomorrow, though. Once they're out, I'll put up pictures of them.

Next weekend, FI and I are going to Newport, ostensibly to meet with the florist and find a cake baker. We may also swing by Belle Mer. We have been planning this trip for weeks now, though, and something always comes up to divert our plans. However, it is DEFINTELY happening next weekend. We're almost 8 months out, and I have yet to meet with my florist outside the initial meeting before we hired her. I'm excited to show her my table sheers and explain our color "scheme" (if you can call it that).

We have also found our ceremony musicians, which is a relief since we didn't really think about needing them initially. The only problem has been in actually getting a contract. The first one they mailed took forever to get to us (even though they mailed it from Somerset, MA), and then it didn't include the vocalist (only the trio musicians). So, in order to save some time, I emailed them FI's fax number, and they assured me they would fax the new contract today. Apparently, though, no fax has arrived (as of 4pm EST). If I hadn't heard great things about this group, I might be worried... ok, I am worried period. But, I really love their sound and the vocalist is amazing. They've also performed at St. Mary's in Bristol, so they're aware of the acoustics and protocol with the church. If we ever actually sign an agreement with them, I'm sure they'll perform beautifully for the ceremony.

Ok, that's the update for now, but check back soon for the STD pictures!

To Hire or Not to Hire

FI and I have been fortunate enough to find and book most of our vendors well in advance. However, there are a few loose ends that we have to tie up.

For example, while we've booked the guest shuttle bus, we haven't booked the wedding party's transportation. Since our wedding happens to be on a popular prom night, the limo companies book up fast. Of course, we're not sure if we want to get a limo since most aren't large enough to carry everyone. Since the entire wedding party will be traveling around Newport to take pictures after the ceremony, it's important that we have something that will allow us to ride together. So, we've also thought about renting a limo bus, which holds up to about 30 people. However, there's the question of how I (as the bride) will get to the church. Obviously, I wouldn't be able to ride with the groomsmen and groom. So, we're back to possibly needing 2 vehicles or having to make 2 trips. It's a dilemma. While I've always thought it would be nice to arrive in a white Bentley or Rolls Royce, they are unfortunately very expensive. And, there's only room for me and my dad (prior to the ceremony). There is FI's car, "Vivian," a silver Mercedes. I could possibly just ride in it and have my dad drive. This is the first "to hire or not to hire" question we're facing... and one that needs to be decided soon.

Our second questionable hire is a videographer. Personally, I think we should hire one. Every bride I've spoken with said it was one of their best "purchases," as the day goes by so quickly and it's great to have a video to see everything that you missed. Unfortunately, FI doesn't think it's necessary. He says that we'll never watch the video, and it's just a waste of money. This is a valid concern. We probably won't watch it all that often, but it would be nice to have it to watch after the wedding. To be able to come back from our honeymoon, pop it in, and relive the day. Especially as the bride, I'll miss so much of the ceremony, such as the little flower girl and ring bearer, and the bridesmaids, walking down the aisle, and even FI's debut. However, the average cost of all day coverage is about $2000, which is definitely not cheap. So, is it worth it? Hopefully, this is a battle I'll win. I definitely think this is a "to hire."

Finally, and a most definite "to hire," we have to find a cake baker. There are several places in and around Newport, but we haven't had an opportunity to go cake tasting yet. Personally, I don't want to spend a lot of money on the cake. I just don't think it's going to be the focal point of our wedding that it is in many weddings. So, as long as it looks good, and tastes great, it's good enough for us!

Thoughts? Suggestions?

STD Update

This week has proven to be very productive, but very busy. Next week is the beginning of "OCI" or "On-Campus Interviews" at BUSL. Basically, OCI is the convoluted process of finding a job for NEXT summer. Law firms come onto campus and meet with anywhere from 20-50 students in 20 minute segments to determine if they want to offer them a "call-back interview." A call-back interview takes place a few weeks later at the firm and lasts much longer (usually around 4 hours), and you meet with 4-5 attorneys at the firm. If you pass this interview, then you're offered a summer internship ... for next year. While this seems premature (and probably is), it's nonetheless how things have worked for years. Plus, at the end of next summer, you're usually offered a permanent job at the firm for when you graduate. So, I guess everything works a year in advance in the legal world.

Therefore, I've been dutifully researching the firms I'm interviewing with, dusting off my resume, and bolstering my interviewing skills. On top of that, I finally ordered our SAVE THE DATES!

While I'm happy with the STDs, they're not what we'd originally planned to do. Up until about 2 days ago, we had the fabulous idea of sending out Italian cookies from Modern Pastry (here in Boston on Hanover Street) in their cute little boxes with the STD information inside. Modern is our favorite pastry shop (as any real North Ender would know, Mike's is only for the tourists!), and they are relatively inexpensive. A half-pound box of assorted cookies is $4.50. There are about 15-20 cookies in a half-pound box. So, we looked at our enormous guest list and decided to only send STDs to those people we thought may actually come, which equaled about 125 boxes (only sending 1 box per household). Figuring we'd put about 3-4 cookies per box, we decided to order 25 pounds of cookies and 125 half-pound boxes (at .75/box). Since 25 lbs equals 50 half-pounds, which would all come in half pound boxes, Modern was only going to charge us for 75 boxes. After checking with the post office, it would cost about $2.70 to mail each box. All told, it would probably be about $500-550 to send out these STDs.

A terribly cute idea, right? FI and I both loved it, and, as I mentioned, it was THE idea until about Wednesday. "What happened then?" you ask. Well, I came to my senses. There are a couple of major issues with this idea:

1. With all of my interviews next week, I don't really have time to make the cute little inserts for the boxes with all of our STD information, including travel and accommodation information.

2. It's outrageously expensive. And, I can think of about 5 other ways I'd rather spend that money.

So, yesterday, I went back to my very first, and cost effective, idea -- and no, it's not magnets. What is it? Well, you'll just have to wait a week to find out!

Crazy/Beautiful

Most brides start some kind of workout routine prior to the wedding, whether it's to shed a few pounds or tone up some flabby areas. Personally, I have some issues with my thighs and "armpit fat" that I'm trying to overcome. The entire wedding industry is geared towards making a bride feel like she needs to be at her absolute best for this one day, and many brides take this to the extreme (think liposuction, breast implants, etc). Brides to be are made to order a size smaller and then stress about fitting into it for a year. I don't know about you, but, when I'm stressed, Ben & Jerry are my best friends, so losing weight just ain't gonna happen. Add to this the fact that many popular dresses now are skin-tight mermaid styles that show off every dimple of the butt and thighs, strapless gowns that require a Madonna-esque upper body, or the silky wisp negligee style of Claire Pettibone that "real" women would only wear in a darkened bedroom on anniversary night. It's brutal on a woman's psyche... and physique.

Some brides get so caught up in perfection that they even require their bridesmaids to "better" themselves. The New York Times recently had an article on how some brides are demanding (although often also paying for) breast implants and botox (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/fashion/24skin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin). This is in a different stratosphere than the normal mani/pedi with matching polish that many brides provide or even the more demanding requirement of spray tans. Oh no, this is life-altering, injecting yourself with poision and possibly fatal surgery. FOR A WEDDING! THAT'S NOT EVEN THERE'S!!!

While I'm sure there are some bridesmaids that may welcome the opportunity to do something they may have always wanted to do (especially if the bride is picking up the bill), I think I would be insulted. Being a bridesmaid is about the relationship between the bride and the girl; the friendship that bonds them together and makes the bride want her to be a part of her special day. While pictures obviously last forever, and you want everyone to look snazzy, the first thing you should notice about your wedding pictures is not the size of the bridesmaids' boobs. You should be able to look over your wedding portrait and see the natural, non-Botoxed smiles of your best girlfriends who are truly happy for you and don't resent you for the hell you've put them through the past year.

So, where do I fall in all of this? I admit that I've probably gone a little overboard in my own personal appearance "enhancements." I decided to get braces last year in anticipation of the wedding. I've always been somewhat embarrassed by my smile, and on a day when millions of pictures will be taken, I wanted to be able to smile with all the joy and happiness that I felt without worrying about my teeth. In this sense, the wedding was the catalyst for making me finally go to the orthodontist. I've also recently started seeing a dermatologist, and I still like to get a facial every now and then. Stress does crazy things to my skin (or maybe it's the Ben & Jerry's?), so I want to keep things in check well before the big day. As for that armpit fat and jiggly thighs, I recently went to the boxing gym with my fiance, and I'm even considering taking some yoga or ABT classes at school this fall. If I'm paying for a gym membership through my tuition, I might as well use it! Overall, though, nothing too crazy... right?

Oh, and for my bridesmaids, I think I'll stick with the mani/pedis... after all, most of them already have bigger ta-tas than me!

Twist & Shout

To continue with the china and registry theme, I wanted to share another new obsession: the Nambe Twist Collection. Nambe, (pronounced na:m'bei), was named after an ancient village not far from Santa Fe. Today, Nambé is a company recognized worldwide for its award-winning designs and admired for its dedication to both artistic integrity and everyday functionality. They include both metal alloy and crystal pieces. Perhaps you'll recall "Nambe" from my previous "Bull Market" post -- it was a Nambe frame that MOH knocked over. The Nambe Twist Collection is very unique, and it blends contemporary and tradition in much the same way as our china pattern. From the Nambe website:

"The Twist Collection is poetry in motion, from airy wine glasses with twisty metal stems to heavy yet softly contoured metal bowls. Creations primarily of designer Fred Bould, these items of functional art take their design cue from his fascination with the spiraling helix. The sense of motion captured in the metal is palpable. Twist includes a fabulous cocktail shaker, votives, vases, candlesticks, napkin rings, and salt-and-pepper shakers, joined by a striking Neil Cohen tray, making this one of our most comprehensive collections. The flash of crystal and the warm wood on the salad servers add even more texture to this fluid metal tableware."

I think the entire collection is fabulous, and I've registered for many pieces, including the wine and martini glasses and flutes. Unfortunately, these crystal and alloy glasses are $75 a pop, so it's obviously going to be a collection that I have to build up over time. The collection includes a martini shaker, many vases, napkin rings, and several alloy and crystal bowls.

While there is no Nambe Twist silverware collection, I did find an amazingly similar collection by Oneida. The "Satin Aquarius" collection has intertwining "ropes" of satin and polished stainless steel. The result looks "twisted." Overall, I think it matches very well with the Nambe Twist pieces!

Do you think these pieces will go well with my china collection? Anyone want to make a bet on how long it will take me to actually get the whole Nambe Twist Collection? Maybe by the time I have grandkids...

All Roads Lead to China

Since I'm currently obsessed with the Olympics in Beijing, and given my registry post a few days ago, I thought I should share my china pattern with everyone. FI and I wanted something more contemporary, which actually proved quite difficult. It seems that everyone is content with the white-on-white, platinum rim, $145 per 5-piece setting type stuff. While there are a few outrageous patterns out there, we wanted something "contemporary" not "hideous," and we wanted something that would "age" well. It's a difficult marriage between contemporary and classic in china. And, while it would have been nice to have bone china, I didn't want the hefty price tag that came along with it. Oddly enough, many of the "big name" china settings, like Kate Spade and some Vera Wang, which are also $120+/setting, are NOT bone china, but rather just "fine china." Honestly?!? Why would you spend the same amount on "fine china" as you do on "bone china"? You must REALLY like the pattern...

Anyhoo, back to my own situation. At first, I thought I was doomed to settle for a more classic and less contemporary pattern. I liked the Mikasa "Parchment," which is only "fine china" but is also only $49.99/5-piece setting at Macy's. They also had a 52-piece dinnerware set on sale for $259.99 (regularly $600.00). Not bad. I still really like this pattern, and at that price, it's almost cheap enough to use as "everyday" dinnerware.

The next pattern that caught my eye was the Waterford "Ballet Ribbon." It's white with a platinum rim, but it has black ribbon swirls on the side. There are colored 9" accent plates in the collection, but they only come in 4 pastel colors. It is $125/5-piece setting at Macy's, which is a little more than I would have liked, but at least it's bone china. It also has a TON of matching pieces, including silverware and table linens.

Finally, during our epic trip to Macy's last week, I saw the Noritake "Platinum Wave" china set. It actually looks similar to the Waterford, with platinum and silver swirls, but it's porcelain instead of bone china, and only $80/5-piece setting. It's also a good blend of contemporary and traditional. I especially liked the option of square accent plates. In fact, they have large and small square accent plates, as well as square bowls, so it's like having 2 different sets of china in one! The classic colors make it easily adaptable to any decor, and Noritake makes several different holiday accent plates that will look great with this pattern. Fortunately, FI also liked this pattern, so the hunt was over!

What do you think? Is it the perfect blending of contemporary and classic?

Bull Market

I apologize for the long absence, but the past week and a half have been crazy busy. It was my last week in NYC, and while I loved the city and my fabulous internship, I was more than ready to come home to FI and my puppies. Traveling back and forth between Boston and NYC every weekend is NOT fun! If I never see another Greyhound bus again, it'll be too soon.

I did manage to get a lot accomplished last week, though. MOH and I went to Macy's on Monday to set up my registry there. Two kids in a candy store, we were not. More like two bulls in a china shop. First, I somehow managed to knock over an entire row of silverware that was hanging on a display case. MOH thought this was hilarious, of course, but karma came back to bite her in the a** when she knocked over a Nambe crystal vase. As I was looking over the Nambe silverware, I saw the whole thing happen. It was like watching a movie in slow motion -- I saw her ginormous red bag brush by the vase, her turn around with a look of shock and panic on her face, then came the loud crash (followed by her GASP!) and millions of pieces went flying everywhere. While she frantically looked for someone to explain the situation too, I was trying really hard not to burst out laughing. Fortunately, no one was made to pay for the vase, and everyone was very understanding. Somewhat humiliated, we left shortly after that.

My other registry experience was much more tame. FI and I established our Bed, Bath & Beyond registry last weekend, and the most interesting thing that happened there was FI "shooting" everything with the laser. It was quite the shock to see just exactly how much stuff he "shot" when I got home and looked at the registry online. It took almost as long to delete everything as it did to originally add it to the list. Somehow his idea of what we "need" and mine are very different (no, goldfish-shaped cracker holders are NOT a necessity).

Despite all of this, and my tinkering with them over the past week, I think I'm finally satisfied with both registries. It was actually a really stressful process. It's tough trying to balance what you want with what you need with what you think is reasonable for people. There's definitely a lot of "wish" items on the lists, but perhaps some people will go in together to buy a gift. Overall, I think that I have a good mix of items and prices between the two registries. Hopefully, my guests will feel the same way. At this point, though, I'm definitely making all changes online -- it's much safer for everyone (and everything) involved.

Traditions: Toss It

Traditions have always been a big part of weddings, but it seems lately that more brides are choosing to forego some of the more common ones. For example, the bouquet and garter tosses are increasingly a thing of the past. But, why is that? And, where did these wedding traditions come from? CNN.com did a post recently on the "Bizarre origins of wedding traditions," which included the symbolism behind the bouquet/garter toss, the white wedding dress, and others. It seems the origin of the tosses is just as humiliating as the dreaded call for "all single ladies/gents" to come to the dance floor.

(At least one person seems excited...of course, this looks to be from approximately 1985, judging by the clothes.)

Here's what CNN said about it:

"It used to be that after the bride and groom said, "I do," they were to go immediately into a nearby room and consummate the marriage. Obviously, to really make it official, there would need to be witnesses, which basically led to hordes of wedding guests crowding around the bed, pushing and shoving to get a good view and hopefully to get their hands on a lucky piece of the bride's dress as it was ripped from her body.

Sometimes the greedy guests helped get the process going by grabbing at the bride's dress as she walked by, hoping for a few threads of good fortune. In time, it seems, people realized that this was all a bit, well... creepy, and it was decided that for modesty's sake the bride could toss her bouquet as a diversion as she made her getaway and the groom could simply remove an item of the bride's undergarments and then toss it back outside to the waiting throngs to prove that he was about to, uh, seal the deal."

Um, yeah, I knew there was a reason I didn't like those traditions. Plus, it's embarrassing for the bride and groom, too. I personally don't want FI "all up in my business" in front of 150+ people, including my grandmother. I'm sure my dad doesn't want to see that, either. Plus, unless they're in a relationship and counting the days until they get a ring, girls do NOT want a spot light shone on them or the fact that they're single.

(I'm sure my dad will welcome FI into the family with open arms after witnessing something like this...)

Perhaps the most uncomfortable part of the whole ordeal is having to watch (or God forbid, BE) the ones who catch these things. Now, there's some sick joke that the garter catcher must slowly push the garter up the leg of the bouquet catcher, while everyone's around watching and egging him on. For goodness sakes, these people may not even know each other! And, what if their significant other is there (and not the garter/bouquet catcher)?

It's the 21st century, and I don't see why humiliating yourself and your friends on your wedding day is still a "tradition" that needs to be followed. Personally, it seems like a barbaric tradition to start with, and personally not one that I condone or intend to follow. Of course, to all you traditionalists out there, there is something to be said for just having fun and enjoying it. If it's for you, then go get 'em, tiger! Just work on your throwing technique ahead of time...

Hello, Lover

In the course of my seasonal stalking of the latest in designer shoes, I came across the Jimmy Choo fall/winter 2008 collection. Simply, divine! In particular, I found the most fabulous shoes ever, and quite possibly the most perfect bridal shoes. May I present "Grant":

This hot little silk satin peep toe is a cool 525 pounds, and I don't even want to think about how many dollars. It has a 4.7" heel and exquisite jewelled detail. They come in nude and black, and with the antique ivory of my dress, the nude would be PERFECT. *sigh* A girl can dream.

Some other fabu shoes:

Miss Carrie Bradshaw herself wore these little beauties as her "something blue" in the Sex & the City movie. The Manolo is always a good choice, even if he does carry a hefty price tag. Besides, why spend all that money on a dress and then wear $30 shoes?These new fall 2008 Christian Louboutin shoes are tres chic. They are multicolored watersnake peep-toe with a 5" heel. I think it would be so cute to have these non-traditional shoes underneath a traditional ballroom gown. Think of all the great photos! Of course, these beauties are also $995.

I love these shoes! Another great "something blue" shoe from Christian Louboutin's summer 2008 collection. These satin open toed shoes have a super cute "feather flower" on the toe and little ankle straps. They'd even fit in with our "peacock feather" theme. If I didn't think they'd clash with my dress, I'd definitely go for these shoes.

Of course, buying any shoe now is probably a bad idea. First, I'd never be able to wait until the wedding to wear them. I'd convince myself that I needed to "stretch them out" and thus wear them on any and every occasion. Secondly, I'd probably find something else I liked more later. I change my mind way too often to be locked into something now... well, except for my dress itself. So, who knows? If I still like the Jimmy Choo shoes in January, maybe they'll still be available and go on sale. A girl can hope.

TwoBirds Bridesmaid Recap

Yesterday, MOH and I went to TwoBirds Bridesmaid to check out the "everything in one" dress. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. First off, Ariane (owner and creator) was wonderful to work with, and she was very patient with my questions and need for demonstrations. It's so great to know that, even though she's been on the Martha Stewart Show and the Tyra Banks Show (among others), she's still working face-to-face with customers.

Secondly, the dress was actually really cool. It truly is "one size fits all" for the most part (they do have a plus size dress, as well as an extra long one for those really tall girls). As it happened, the only floor length sample dress they had was extra long, which of course was xxxxtra long on my 5'2" MOH. We also tried on the shorter, butterfly hem dress, but quickly ruled it out. While it's a neat concept, it just looks unfinished to me. The hem is calf length, but then cuts to the knees in front, making it uneven. Plus, with the floor length dress, the girls can easily cut it off after the wedding since there is no "finished" hem.

Thirdly, there are indeed a multitude of ways to wrap the dress, and I think there is something for everyone. It would be fun to have a "wrapping party" the day before the wedding, perhaps at the bridesmaid luncheon, to see how everyone wants to wear it. I'm also thinking that I may have the girls wear it with the cap sleeves for the ceremony (a more conservative look) and then for the reception, they can wear it however they want. Not 100% on this, though, as part of what I like about the dress is having each girl look slightly different.

Fourthly, they now have a 2 toned dress that they're marketing as the MOH dress (to set her apart), but I think it would work for all the girls, if you wanted. Basically, you can pick any 2 colors available and the top portion (that which you tie) is one color and the skirt is another. She had an example in rosewater (top) and chocolate brown (bottom) that was really lovely. I think if those were my colors, I would go with that combination for all the girls. However, since I'm probably going with "deep ocean," the color pops on its own, and I don't think there's a good contrasting color for it. To set the MOH apart, or again maybe for all the girls, I may just get them brooches to place somewhere on the dress (depending on how they tie it).

Finally, since my bridesmaids are scattered across the country, this dress definitely makes sense. It's one size fits all, so no need to have the girls measure themselves. There's no need for alterations, which in addition to saving them money, also means that I can pick up the dresses and just hold onto them until the wedding date, if necessary. And, even though it's a bit pricey at $290, it is totally re-wearable and they're saving the $100 or so they'd probably end up paying in alterations. It seems like a win-win situation!

So, without further ado, here are the pictures. Please pardon my MOH's bright red bra (MOH's note: if you're going to try on bridesmaid dresses, probably best to wear a nude strapless bra).

Short Dress in Deep Ocean:

This color looked really good on MOH, with her blue eyes. I'm thinking of requiring all the girls to wear blue contacts to match. :) The color will also look good at our venue, which overlooks the ocean (after all, it is called "deep ocean").

Long Dress in Navy:

I actually really like the navy color, too. I'm still debating between it and the deep ocean. I think the navy has almost a dark purpleish tint to it, which would go well with our flowers. I'm definitely going with the floor length dress, though. It just looks so much more elegant than the shorter one.

Short Dress in Aubergine:

Initially, we looked at aubergine since it was the closest thing available to dark purple, but it's a little too wine-colored for me. I think it would look great for a fall or vineyard wedding, though. Also, Ariane is in the last picture. TwoBirds is run out of a cute little apartment in Midtown that she used to live in before she married. It's nice to be able to try on dresses there, instead of an impersonal store.

The Best for Last:

Clearly, MOH approves of this dress. She says it's very comfortable and light, and thus very easy to wear. Deep ocean was also her favorite color. So, what's the general consensus? Yay or nay?

Bunches of Bouquets

As I've yet to meet with my florist to discuss arrangements, I'm continuing to scour the internet and wedding magazines for pictures of flowers, centerpieces, etc. to show her when we do actually meet. Here are some of my latest bouquet finds:

I particularly like #2, as it matches our colors perfectly. However, I'll have to wait until we actually decide on bridesmaids dresses before I can pick their flowers. As for me, I'm concerned it may be a little overpowering, since the colors are so vibrant. I'm not 100% sure yet, though. I've thought about doing a mixture of irises and orchids, using some of those pink and purple orchids pictured above, but also including white orchids with purple throats. I've also thought about using lighter flowers for the bouquets and in the ceremony overall, and saving the "darker" flowers for the reception. If I do that, then I may go with bouquets similar to those in #3 and #6. I'll have a better idea once I talk to my florist, Tricia, at Laurel Lane.