Coffee Filter Flowers

I have to admit there is still that little kid inside of me who gets excited walking into a craft store. So much I could make and that smell...so good. Anyway, I found this martha Steward episode that showed them making coffee filter flowers...sounds kinda lame, til you actually do it and see how cheap and how beautiful they are. i get the EXACT color i want, they wont go bad, and mose of all they are soooooo cheap! It was $4 for 400 coffee filters, and the paint cost me a whole $5. All together with the filters, tape, stems, paint, and brushes, it set me back a whole $15. That $15 will make 100 flowers!!! I will only need about 4-6 per table because they are so big, So in theory that $15 just paid for 17-20 centerpieces! I am so excited. They way you make them, I can premake them without puffing the flower out and shaping it, and wait til the week before, so they look good still. Go Martha!

The Reception Hall

On saturday my mom, gina, lucas and I went to a taste test at the Genisis and then Andre's. The food at the Genesis I hate to say was HORRIBLE! Canned and fake everything with a cafeteria-like flavor. After that I was really expecting the worst as we pulled up to Andre's considering their price was even cheaper than the Genesis. WRONG! The food was twice as good as the Christy and 10 times better than the Genesis. Soooo yummy..we had a cavatelli conbroccoli, chicken dish, roll, salad (which was just like Rich & Charlies:) green beans, roasted butter herb potatoes...just a sample but ALLL of it was delicious. I am getting the contract faxed to me and should be making the deposit by the end of the week. I am really excited again, considering how upset I was after the Christy changed everthing on me and messed with my head. I was really really skeptical after that, but I am kinda happy that they were so rude and lied to me...I found a facility that much more beautiful with hardwood floors, the staff is really nice, the chef is a REAL CHEF, and to top it off saving me hundreds of dollars!!! Obviously we have yet to experience the wedding, but I have very little or no reservation. Can't wait to PARTY IT UP!

The Christy

So I went to the taste-test. The food was in my opinion delicious. It seemed everything was right, and I was signing the contract as I noticed the price. I had spoken with a representative back in February via email. I still have the email to prove it. She said they could match the price of a competetor as long as the package matched. Unfortunately that was not true. They wanted me to pay $5 more per head, then $3 more and I was supposed to feel like I was being cut a deal when they finally dropped it to only $1.45 more than the original quote. I am very dissappointed and feel lied to. There was a difference...the linens are floor length vs half length. I know I am not the girly type but $500 difference for linens doesnt seem to make too much sense to me at all! All this wedding stuff sure is stressful. If there was a misunderstanding I hear ya but they should honor thier original price, especially when I re-sent them a copy of thier email where they promised that price in writing. So, ball's in their court. If they honor their price I will probably still have it there. Like I said, I really liked the venue and the woman who was showing to me...but if not, I guess this is a lesson for me and everyone who attempts to book a venue....even having it in writing doesnt seem to matter.

Glad I started so early...

Wow, so its just one thing after another with this wedding junk! First the park I wanted to get married at is a thousand bucks, the wedding hall is 5$ more than originally quoted, and now the band (who happens to be my dad's) has backed out on me! I am not exactly a happy camper right now. So, my dad wont be at the wedding, and i have no idea where that will be anyway:) Happy Tuesday!

Taste Test

So i have the taste test planned for this Wednesday at the Christy. It will be Lucas, Marlys, my mom and I going. Keep your fingers crossed. It would be such a let down if after really getting my heart set to find out the food is bad. I am sure it will be ok...or at least i hope.

Time to kick it back into gear

Ok, My break is over. Easter is over, and what felt like a hundred birthdays between February and March. Time to start back planning this wedding! I am pretty sure we have decided upon the Christy. Just have to have the taste test and make sure the food is good, and we will happily be committing to that date/venue. I am officially getting married in less than a year! Crazy, considering I was the tree climbing tom-boy who swore she never needed a man:) hah. Kinda insane how quickly things can change. So now I really need to start working on the ceremony...ya know the actually wedding part hah. After this weekend, I am now really leaning toward NOT having an outside wedding. It rained on April 9th this year and I am taking that as an omen. So, Now the question arieses...Have you ever been to a wedding that had the ceremony in the reception hall??? And if so, did you think it was a bad or good idea?

Taking a much needed break.

There is a lot to be said about being proactive and organized, there is also a lot to be said about knowing when to take a minute to NOT THINK ABOUT WEDDING STUFF. Hah. I am at that point now. I have been taking a much needed break. It can be very stressful trying to plan out the big day, and recognizing that and taking a deep breath is advice I would pass on to anyone in the planning stages like I am. Don't get me wrong, waiting and procrastinating will only make it hell later, but putting things off a week or so doesn't hurt anyone. Remembering that you are allowed to do this is a very important power that you need to exercise. I am lucky enough to have people who are willing to help me without overwhelming me, but some aren't so fortunate. If you are one of these unlucky few with with the hovering mom or friend, don't be afraid to tell them you want a week break or so without talking about wedding stuff at all...as long as you do it with a little thought and sensitivity they will totally understand, and after that week I guarantee you, planning your wedding will actually become fun again:)At least until the next break! haha

The Venues

So we checked out all the venues this past Thursday. I was okay with Andre's and with the Genesis. I was surprisingly let down by Orlando Gardens. The carpet was HIDEOUS, and the walls were not pretty either. There was a tiny dance floor that was supposed to be shared with the band...making it even smaller. Also, it was the most expensive. Lame. So, the best by far was the one I had thought would be the worst. I have driven past the Christy everyday for the last 4 years and always thought it looked dated and tiny. That was definitely not the case. There is only one room, so we wont have to share the building with another wedding party. They have an actual stage with a dance floor that is twice the size of the others. The room is large enough that they have the buffet set up the whole time, and they don't have to break anything down. They have all black chairs, which compared to the orangish ones at some of the other venues was a welcome change. The carpet is a bit dated, however, It is not nearly as noticeable as at Orlando Gardens. I am pretty set on picking the Christy, the cake is included, and the staff was very nice. So, all that is left is a taste test. Yeah I know it is tough, but I think I'll make it through the grueling process of tasting food! I already have 4 professional taste-testing volunteers...amy, lauren, gina, tina....Anyway, I'll be getting back to you all soon to let you know more....

Bridal Expo

So, I went to a bridal expo at Ameristar this weekend with my friends Madeline and Gina. TALK ABOUT OVERWHELMING! Geeze, there were about a million people and tons of people pining for the business. I am glad that we went though. I found a place that is EVEN CHEAPER THAN GENESIS, THE CHRISTY, and ORLANDO GARDENS. They don't include the cake, but they also don't charge for service. On a Friday they charge $14 a head! So, that is a big difference from the $17.50...especially because the $17.50 from the others doesnt include the service...or sales tax. I kept going back and forth tring to crunch the numbers, and by the time you rent the tables, chairs, linens, buy the food, (most improtantly the alcohol) etc, I can't seem to find the purpose in trying to do it myself. It is just easier and actually cheaper to go to a venue. So, I am making appointments to visit all four of the venues, sometimes things are too good to be true, so I would like to see the insides of all of the venues before I make a decision. I will keep you all updated. Also I found out more information on the cake that is offered for free with the package from the Christy. The cake is provided by McCarther's Bakery. They had a table at the expo, and their cakes were beautiful. I got to see pictures of the cakes that would be included at the Christy. I was pleasantly suprised, and would be happy to have the cake provided if I go with the Christy. We'll just have to see. Keep your fingers crossed.

Invitations

So the invitations are next. I have been looking into pre-made vs. homemade. I am definitely leaning toward homemade. It is highly expensive for the premade. Now adays, almost everyone has a printer. This makes having someone print them for me just seem like a waste of money. To add a litte bit of a fancy feel to the design I have come up with a pretty simple idea. It came from one of my lovely friends Gina who did my baby shower invites and made them look beautiful. I plan on buying cardstock in the blue color of the ribbons of the bridesmaids...Then I plan to buy the more see-through white paper to layer on top. I will punch two holes in the top of the cards and tie a little ribbon through to hold the papers together. I can get a enough paper for the blue cardstock from office max for $15. All I need is a nice paper cutter and time. I am still shopping around for the clear white paper. If any of you can think of a place with a good price I am all ears. All together, with the price of envelopes, paper and stamps, I should be able to spend well under $100. This is a fraction of the price I have been able to find from the printing companies.

Sponsorship

So one of the tips I came across on one of the many websites I have been visiting is to have sponsors. Get local companies to donate their services in return for their advertisment at your wedding. Some may think this is a "tacky" method. And until I really started to investigate this, I too thought it sounded crazy. So far I have been suprised by the responses. First, I started this blog, so there was a spot for all the sponsors-to-be to view. This way they could get to know me, and see how many women like me are following the blog who they would be exposing themselves to. I have definetly had a rude reply here and there, but it does'nt hurt to try. I posted a craigslist ad and have recieved a response from a Mary Kay agent willing to give the bridal party facials and do their make up. Of course with doing all this i am being careful to make sure that the people are legit. I am sure I will have a couple crazies respond, but being as that we are on a budget...is that what you call it when you have negative money?....anyway I can use all the help I can get. I was always told its not what you know but who you know, and I am seeing the reality to that right now.

TIP # 3. ASK so many of us (me especially) are too proud to actually ask around and see who would be able to donate thier services. Chances are you have a friend or she has a friend that is a make up artist or does hair, or can bake a mean cake....just saying. People are suprisingly happy to help, and they aren't gonna ask you. They think you are so busy and there is so much to do right now that they would be an annoyance or a bother if they asked you.

Still Never Hurts To Ask

Once again, it never hurts to ask! I just spoke with a representative from the Christy. They are willing to match the price and it includes the cake, and NO SERVICE FEES! They are my new favorites! so, 17.50/person with cake!

Here is a link to their website:

http://www.thechristy.com/locations.html

Color Scheme

So according to a friend, you can't do much without a "color scheme". Wow, I can't believe I am talking about this kinda stuff...and not bothered about it. ha. Anyway I decided my bridesmaids all get to wear black. In my personal opinion it is just mean to do anything else. If a woman isnt 100% happy about their body, and have never met one that was, sticking them in a bright colored dress isn't a nice thing to do. Considering I actually like my bridesmaids and I want them to look great and feel great, it was an easy decision to go with a black dress. So I found a $50 dress at target...I know crazy, but I really like it.

Here is a link if you want to look at it: http://www.target.com/Mossimo-Black-Crossover-V-Neck-Empire/dp/B001DYNE32/qid=1234836623/ref=br_1_8/182-3426302-2508509?ie=UTF8&node=1104830&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=1104830&rank=-product%5Fsite%5Flaunch%5Fdate&rh=tgt%5F2%3ABlack&page=3

I am going to have a blue ribbon tied at the waist (a light sky blue) to add a bit of color. Also I am thinking of having them hold white flowers. Then maybe I would hold flowers the color of their sash to tie that into my white dress. So, the color scheme would be black, blue, and white. I would like to have the groomsmen wear a blue tie that matches the blue on the women's sash. The groom (love em) would wear a cobalt blue tie. It would be darker than the men's so that he stood out. Comment away. Bad? Good? I really don't know how to dress myself let alone plan other people's outfits! hah. So if you have any input feel free to help me out here:)

Recption Halls

Okay, so today I started the proccess of selecting a venue for the reception. Being Irish and Sicilian (NOT ITALIAN ha), the most important part is the food and drink. I found a couple places that are in the running. A place called Genesis, and another called Orlando Gardens. Each of them offer a discounted price for Fridays. Genisis was 17.50/person. This includes rental space, open bar for four hours, buffet dinner, linens, service, seating, china, and I am sure I am forgetting something else. The second place, Orlando Gardens offers all the same ammennities plus a couple extras, but for 20.95/person. I contacted both venues, and Orlando Gardens offered to match the price of Genesis without hesitation.

TIP #1, PRICES AREN'T SET IN STONE. I am going to be visiting both of these venues to see which suits my needs best. I will be reporting back soon.

TIP #2, FRIDAY IS ALWAYS CHEAPER. If you are on a budget, you can save 2-5$ per guest simply moving the date to a Friday.

The Purposal

So I was excited, as many women like me, to have the love of my life get down on one knee and ask that I spend the rest of my life with him. It was so sweet, him getting down on his knee in the middle of a restaruant. Being a very quiet person, I know that was a big leap for him. He too was just as excited to hear me answer YES! I spent the next few days on cloud nine. Then came reality. The dress, the cake, the caterer, and on and on and on! Being the girl who climbed trees and played in dirt and never spent time thinking of a wedding, it has all come as quite a shock. For anyone out there that has just read this and thought "me too!" this blog is for you. I will update you all on my journey, planning the wedding, the dissappointments, the cheap tricks, and of course the final result of all of this craziness. If in doing this I can help one person either feel sane, or give them information on a great deal this is all worth it. So here's to the wedding being everything I hope it can be, and keeping my sanity until the big day!