More checks on the To-Do!

So the Save the Date Magnets came in the mail SUPER fast!  I sent them out the next day and have already gotten messages from friends and family saying that they got them.  I tried to hand out as many as I could, to help save some money.  

So that's a big thing off the list!

I also blocked 15 rooms off at the Hilton Hotel that is close to the venue.  We even get a shuttle bus! Awesome! 

The next big things I need to do/figure out:

• If I want to get a Suite room at the hotel to have more room for my bridesmaids/I to get ready
• Book the room Dan and I will stay in on our wedding night
• Figure out the honeymoon - there may or may not be some changes
• Order the invitations
• Cupcake Tasting - This weekend!! Can't wait!
• Menu Tasting - Sometime in November 
• Plan out the ceremony with Dan and Pastor Ken

I put together the scoring tool so Dan and I will also get to practice cutting some wine bottles soon! Woo-hoo!

In other news, one of my best friends just found out she's having a baby girl! Yessss!! Bring on the colorful tu-tus and hair bows! SWEET! 

Engagement Photos: A Peek

Here's a sneak peek at some of our engagement photos from this past weekend :)

I didn't add all of them.  I will add more later.  But so far, which one if your fav?

Guess what tomorrow is?!

First day of school with my new class!

Just like every year, I have mixed feelings.  Relief to have a "normal" schedule again, sadness that the Summer weather is over and my chance to take mid-day naps, excitement for Fall flavored drinks like my precious pumpkin spice latte, and overall being overwhelmed with knowing how busy I'm about to become again.

Thankfully this Summer has given me a lot of time to get a TON of wedding stuff done so I don't have a lot of crazy stuff to do this Fall for it.  So that's good.

Things that I have left to do in the next couple months:

• Find/Set-up hotel block and set-up shuttle bus 
• Edit/piece together the ceremony readings and passages with Dan and pastor Ken
• Play around with wine bottles to see what I like for the centerpieces
• Figure out the whole centerpiece look
• Send out save the dates after choosing which engagement photo I want to use for it (the photos are this upcoming Saturday!)
• Figure out if we are doing a rehearsal dinner...and if so, how/what we are doing for it
• Go to the tasting party in November to make decisions about our menu
• Finish the BBB registry
• Buy jewelry for wedding (I just chose it today!)

Anywho... have a good night! Wish me luck with the kiddos tomorrow! :)

*Shout out to the ladies who have helped me a lot lately with wedding stuff! You know who you are! :)

I got the dress!

Just ordered my dress! YAY!

So they told the dressmaker my height so that it can come perfectly for my size! Since I'm wearing flats, the hope is that we won't have to alter much at all except for the bustle! 

Sweet!

I also just officially booked my hair and make-up girl! (and just in time too, because she had another inquiry about my date!)

Yay!

DIY

So Dan and I are going to get all DIY up in here! Woo!

I found this great tutorial on how to cut a glass bottle cleanly and without a saw! Boom! Safe and easy!

This is the tutorial: http://makezine.com/2010/03/08/how-to-cut-a-wine-bottle-in-30-seco/
This is the glass scoring tool I bought on Amazon for $19: http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Green-g2-Bottle-Cutter/dp/B004ZRV3AU/ref=sr_1_1?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1377051614&sr=1-1 

This is why we want to cut wine bottles...

So I want to try it with a clear bottle and also a black/really dark one and see which one I like better.  Since my colors are gray and purple and the table clothes will be gray, I'm thinking it might look cool to  get a purple candle to go inside of a clear bottle.  We are going to do some testers so we shall see! :)

I'm excited! My ideas for the centerpieces are finally coming together.

I had a meeting with the venue event planner today and it went really well.  She seemed surprised (and a tad bit judge-y) at some of my answers regarding traditions that everyone does that we're not (i.e. garter toss, place cards, and cutting the cake).  Oh well, lady! It's my wedding! I'll do what I want!

So here are major to-do list items we have crossed off recently:

• Find an officiant - We found a WONDERFUL one! We love him!! BONUS: He's an elementary band director! This is great because Dan and I met in band! It's fate!
• Create a wedding website - Done! (I won't publish until we finish both registries).
• Finish Honeyfund registry - Done!
• Find dress - I GOT MY DRESS!! Wooohooo!! It's perfect and I didn't want to take it off! Yay!

Next to-do items:

• Finish BBB registry - we are purposely keeping this small to encourage people to go to the honeyfund registry instead.  We have been living together for two years and we really don't want more house items.  We would rather have an amazing trip together!
• Get hotel block and talk to hotel about room for me, bridesmaids and bridesman to get ready in.
• Take Engagement Photos - We are doing this in the next two or three weeks in Ellicott City. 
• Send out Save the Dates.
• Start DIY projects - wine bottles and chalkboards.
• Talk with a travel agent about honeymoon/shop around for deals

School started this week for staff.  Students come back next week.  I'm glad that I have the major vendor decisions taken care of for the wedding since I won't have a lot of extra time to do that during the school year.

:) Peace out!

Woohoo!!

I lost an inch in my waist and a half inch on each thigh!! Woohoo!!

I've been working really hard with my personal trainer and on my own and I'm actually seeing some results! Hallelujah!

Stoked!

I've realized how much I use "awesome," "excited," and "super" in my speech/writing.  I tell my students all the time to broaden their vocabulary, so I thought I would!

Hence the title..

Courtesy of Urban Dictionary - Thought this was fitting :)

So before I chose stoked, I had excited in mind and when I went to find a picture from Google, I loved the combination of them all!  So I took a screen shot instead. 

Haha I love this!
*note - I know the little girl in red is in there twice, but that's ok.  She's just REALLY excited.

So anyways, I'm stoked/excited/thrilled/pumped/happy* BECAUSE
We booked 2 photographers and a Dj last night!! 

Thanks to a fantastic recommendation from my future sis-in-law (shout-out to E! woo woo!) we found The Pros, a company that hosts several services including photo, video, dj, and photobooths.  Score! Their prices are absolutely unbelievably cheap, their reviews are are off the charts, and they had a showcase last night that included demonstration of services/products with prizes.  Sounds too good to be true, right? So far I'm really impressed.  I got TWO photographers (the main one has won awards for the State and is the best in the company!) and a Dj who told me she would make sure everyone left with a smile on our day! She was the only dj to have us do the cupid shuffle last night! She actually got us up and moving and she was hilarious! Perfect!

Ok so I need to go to bed and don't want to write too much more, but here are the major things left:

*Rings - haven't thought much about these yet
*Officiant - working on it 
*Dress Shopping - scheduled!
*Tasting - choosing menu 
*Tasting - choosing cupcake flavors -- MMmmm
*Engagement Photos - working on it! 


:) Have a great night/morning! Happy Weekend!


*Ok, just one more screen shot of urban dictionary - when I looked up happy. Bah ha!