New York, New York

I'm making the big move to NYC tomorrow, although as of 2pm today, I still don't have a place to live. You'd think as anal as I am about planning my wedding (and pretty much every other aspect of my life) that I'd have found a place months ago. But, I think I've been living in a state of denial. As excited as I am about working at the Manhattan District Attorney's office, I'm devastated about having to leave FI and the pups. It's the little things that I'll miss the most -- coming home to licks and barks, Fritz showing me something he "caught" (i.e. usually a sock), Samantha doing whatever she wants and getting away with it (because she's a lemon beagle), and of course just having them there. I'll miss waking up and going to sleep with them. I'll miss being able to communicate with Rob with more than words... the kind of communication that you pick up from a look or posture ... the kind of communication that only comes after living with someone for so long that you know them as well as you know yourself.

Now, I will be back every weekend (or at least almost every weekend), but it's still going to be a "commuter" relationship. It's a regression to when we first started dating, and he was in Boston and I in DC. It's only for 10 weeks. We can do that, right? Plenty of people do that, especially between Boston and NYC. I'm sure it will fly by ... the summer always does. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

Playing Bridesmaid

Today, I went over to Priscilla of Boston to try on the dresses I previously mentioned. All in all, it was a productive trip, but I did hit a few snags. First of all, the material that the dresses are made out of (silk satin) makes them very staticy and easy to pick and pull. This is obviously not good. In fact, it's so "not good" that POB pulled all the dresses from the showroom and is no longer making them in that material. As of right now, POB is still making the dresses, but they're substituting silk charmeuse (which is basically the same thing only better). This is why we couldn't find the dresses to start with -- they were all in the back and not on the show floor.

Secondly, I really like both long styles of dresses, both the strapless and the "tip of the shoulder." But, I think I like the "tip of the shoulder dress" a little bit more. It looks a bit more elegant, and the ruching at the bust area provides more coverage. Additionally, I even like the chiffon sash bow. So, maybe I'll give the girls a choice between the two, or maybe I'll just pick the "tip of the shoulder dress."

Thirdly, I really like both the "spa blue" and "mint julep" colors. However, the "peony" color would probably match the best with my other colors. I'm a little worried, though, that it'll be too pink or too bright. They didn't have any dresses available in peony, so all I got to see was the fabric swatch. I'm slightly afraid that it's a great color in small doses, but overwhelming as a floor length dress. The "spa blue" and "mint julep" colors are rather complimentary, though, so again maybe the girls could choose which color they wanted. But, if I had to pick one, I'd go with "spa blue."

As a side note, these dresses were WAY too big on me, so it's a little hard to tell exactly how they'll look when they actually fit. Additionally, I apologize for the blurry pictures (that's what happens when a 65 year old saleswoman takes them).

Strapless in Mint Julep:

Tip of the Shoulder:

On Sunday, two of my bridesmaids are going to the POB outside Washington, DC to try on these dresses and maybe a few others. So, once I get those pictures, I'll have a better idea of what I want to go with (I hope). What's your favorite dress combination?

More Decor Ideas

I recently found some great reception decor ideas at http://www.wildflowerlinens.com/, and I thought I'd share:

I love the colors and the monochromatic theme of the last two pictures! I want to incorporate bits and pieces from all the pictures into our reception decor. The hard part is deciding between them all!

Playing Tourist

Last Friday, FI and I headed to Newport to finally use the bed and breakfast gift that his mother gave him for his birthday in April. It was for a fabulous night at The Hotel Viking, http://www.hotelviking.com/viking_home.aspx, which is one of the premier hotels in Newport. As soon as we walked in, I could understand why! It's absolutely gorgeous, with big comfy rooms, a friendly staff, an indoor pool and jacuzzi, and a state of the art spa ("Spa Terre").

After we checked in, we decided to walk down to the main street (Thames St... pronounced like it sounds and not like "Tims") for dinner. It was actually really fun and interesting. We got to play tourists in our own town, which is something we never would have done without FMIL's gift! Newport is a walking town, with only a couple main streets, yet it can be confusing as well. A good map will definitely be included in all of the OOT bags! FI and I ate dinner at H2O, a previously considered rehearsal dinner site, which is located right on the water. The food and the view were excellent, but perhaps most exciting was seeing "our" dinner yacht go by! I hope to be able to take it for a test drive before our rehearsal dinner, but it looks awesome on the water!

All in all, it was great to just relax and see Newport from the perspective of tourists (as our guests will be). It gave me a great idea of the types of things my guests will need and want to know while they're visiting. It was also great to try out the Hotel Viking as a potential hotel for our wedding night!

Have Your Cake... and eat it too!

Originally, FI and I weren't going to have a cake, but rather a cupcake tower. Neither one of us are big cake eaters, and we're planning on having an extensive dessert selection and maybe even a candy/pastry bar. My mother, however, was horrified at the idea of not having an actual wedding cake. Apparently, it's not "really" a wedding without a cake. So, to appease her, we gave in and decided to get a cake.

It's really not been a top priority for me, though. At every wedding I've been to, very few people actually eat the cake (especially when there are other dessert options), and usually the cake looks better than it actually tastes. Fondant makes for a very smooth and decorative surface, but it's hard as a rock.

Enter Ron Ben-Israel (http://www.weddingcakes.com/). My mother's obsessed with him and his cakes, and with good reason. They're gorgeous, and supposedly, they're actually good to eat. He uses a very thin layer of fondant over buttercream icing, which makes it scrumptious and not hard. Of course, he's also a famous cake designer with famous cake designer prices. He's also based in NYC, and while this isn't entirely prohibitive, it does pose a few transportation problems. Recently, though, one of my college friends (and sorority sister!) began working as a pastry chef for Ron Ben-Israel! Hopefully, I'll be able to utilize her expertise in making a decision.

I'm not a big fan of traditional cakes, but at the same time I don't like those cakes that are WAY out there. I want something in the middle (something that reflects our "modern traditionalist" theme), and I think this cake ... takes the cake (sorry, bad pun):

Isn't the detail amazing? Everything on this cake is edible! This cake is "adorned with confectionery lace and a sugarpaste bow" and it is "vanilla-bean cake filled with strawberry cream and champagne-chocolate ganache." Yum! It serves 300, which is way more than we need, and it costs $4,500! Hopefully, we can work with Ron on both making it smaller and substantially decreasing the price. Otherwise, we may see if someone in RI can replicate it. I'm also thinking about using flowers instead of a bow. This is really the first cake I've found, though, that I really like. Here are some of the detail shots:

Bridesmaids' Dresses, Part II

As I'm waiting for Janie over at The Bride's Cafe to get back to me with information about the teal and blue dress I previously wrote about, I've found a few other dresses that I like at Priscilla of Boston. Since I bought my dress from POB, my bridesmaids will get a discount on theirs (although I don't remember how much). The good thing about buying "conventional" bridesmaid dresses is the ease with which they can find matching styles, fabrics, and colors. There are also POB stores throughout the US, so my girls won't have a problem finding the dress.

The material for these gowns is silk satin chiffon, which is traditional but not taffeta (I HATE taffeta). I'm not sure which color I would want, since it's hard to tell the exact color online, but probably either "spa blue," "imperial," or "mint julep." The colors may even be complimentary, so that the girls could decide which color they wanted. I like that the colors are the pastel versions of my reception colors. It makes them seem more elegant and classic. Since my dress is very Grace Kelly-classic, these colors and dresses may coordinate the best.

Of the POB dresses, there's the option of strapless or sleeveless (actually "tip of the shoulder sleeves") in the long gowns, or cute little cap sleeves in the shorter one. As of now (which we all know how quickly that changes), I'm leaning towards floor length. However, I will probably still let the girls choose which style they want (although I have a feeling most of them are going to choose strapless).


Dress #1 in Mint Julep: http://priscillaofboston.com/dress_detail.jsp?gid=2&sfid=50674&f=


Dress #2: http://priscillaofboston.com/dress_detail.jsp?gid=2&sfid=50667&f= (note that I'm not actually considering yellow as a dress color, it's just here to show the style ... so don't worry, Allyson).

Dress #3 in Mint Julep: http://priscillaofboston.com/dress_detail.jsp?gid=2&sfid=50672&f=

After clicking on each link, you can select and view the different colors available. All 3 of these dresses come in the 3 colors listed above (and oddly enough, they look different in each picture). I am going to try and make a trip to POB next week to look at color swatches.

Which dress do you like best so far?

Sheer Genius, Part II

So, forever ago, I posted on buying organza sheers for our tables. Well, I finally got around to taking some pictures of them, and I wanted to share! It's hard to really capture the color since they can look blue, pinkish, or purple depending on the light, but I have several shots from different angles.

What do you think? They're over my comforter, so not exactly the same as a satin tablecloth, but you get the idea. Also, they obviously need to be ironed before being used!

The Hunt for Bridesmaids' Dresses

Bridesmaid dresses are proving to be a thorn in my side. I suppose it's my own fault for not really knowing what I want, whether it be color, cut or style. Every time I think I've found something I like, I change my mind a few days later. It's very frustrating (and driving my bridesmaids nuts). I do like the idea of having my bridesmaids were different styles or colors, though.

Our color scheme has become a little more purple than I had originally intended, but the blue and teal are still there! But, it can be difficult to find dresses that matches these colors (oddly enough). Here are some of the dresses that I have recently found:

I love the "ombre" effect of this Mary L Couture dress. Plus, it includes all of my colors! However, I'm scared that it may be too "beachy" for our formal affair. If we were having our wedding outdoors at Belle Mer, as opposed to in a church, then this would be perfect. The one more formal part of the dress, which isn't really noticeable in the picture, is that the bodice is covered in sequins. I think it would also look good if one or two of the girls wore this dress, and the others wore a similar style in solid blue/teal or purple.

Again, I love the color of this Aidan Mattox dress, but it may be too "beachy." Maybe FI and I should just move our ceremony outside!

Today, I found yet another dress that I love ... but this time, it may actually be the perfect dress! Of course, since nothing can ever be easy, I have no idea who makes this dress or if it's even still available. I saw it on The Bride's Cafe blog, http://www.thebridescafe.typepad.com/. It's not actually being worn as a bridesmaid dress, so the designer's name isn't listed. It's the long blue and teal dress on the right (looks to be chiffon):

If anyone knows who makes this dress, or has any ideas on how to find out, PLEASE let me know! Coincidently, I'd like to point out that this wedding took place in Newport, RI! It's at the NY Harbour Court Yacht club. FI and I looked at having our rehearsal dinner there, but nixed it in favor of actually having it on a yacht. :)

I'm Back!

Yay! I'm back and officially a "2L" (although I do still have the writing competition to finish). Regardless, I can once again focus on my fabulous wedding. Today is also notable as being my and FI's anniversary. Exactly 2 years ago today, we met on a sidewalk in Washington, DC. Happy Anniversary hunny!

Also, 5 days ago was our "pre-versary" -- now, I no longer have to specify "2009" when I say our wedding date! When someone asks me when we're getting married, I can finally just say "May 15." It's the little things that matter. :)