Pickin' a Posey Provider

If we had to cut back on something, it'd be flowers.


Not that we don't care about flowers. We're getting married in a garden. In the summer. It's already gorgeous. Plus, don't flowers wilt and die?! They're pretty but not permanent. Spending 10-20% of our budget on a non-essential when that money could be earmarked for photography or music? Nuts. Nuts to that, I say. The problem was, I was smitten with blooms styled by some of the area's more expensive florists.

Determined to find a saner option, I polled friends, clients and a few friendly-looking strangers. One of the recommendations really stuck with me. This florist went above and beyond: hand-wiring dogwood blooms to branches when they weren't in season. The bride was so pleased with the service, quality and value... here she was two years later raving about them.

In the nights leading up to our meeting with the florist, I hunkered down with the laptop to pare down the hundreds of inspiration images. First by mood: whimsical, bold, lush, natural and wild. Then, by my favorites. Sorting this way made it easier to spot themes in flowers or colors. Mr. P leaned over several times to check on my progress. His only comment was to limit the number of photos so the florist wouldn't be scared away. (When setting up the appointment, the assistant did instruct me not to bring too many images. )

Here's a sampling of favorites.

Whimsical:

(source: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5)

Countdown: 7 months

With exactly seven months until the big "I do" to do, my mind is on all the things left undone.

To-do list items that are still nagging me:

1. Book officiant.
2. Design invitation suite.

We've thought up every excuse in the book to delay finding an officiant. The search started in August with 5 "feeler emails" which was then pared down to 3 in early October. Last week we were thisclose. Until the guy emailed a few days before our scheduled meet and greet to cancel. Another couple had booked him. The search (and knot in my stomach) resumed.

It's tough selecting a perfect stranger from a field of other perfect strangers to oversee and perform such an intimate ceremony. We have a closer relationship with our neighborhood bartender than our local clergy; unfortunately, the bartender is not ordained.

Hey man, can I get a White Russian?
And then there's the invitation suite. I would prefer to have started it in September, or even October, but more pressing to-do's popped up - and so it was back-burnered. Honestly, the more time I have to fiddle with the design, the more it'll keep changing. It's better I'm putting it off. Brian has caught on that I should have started already. Darn you, shared GoogleDocs to do list. It should be relatively easy to design and print, considering my background. I'm keeping it simple. Now tell me how naive I am and you'll see me in 4 weeks when I'm curled up in the fetal position.

How's your to-do list looking? Am I budgeting enough time?

Boy Band

So what about Mr. P's ring? After all, he is getting married too.


source
Much to my surprise, there are a lot of options out there for men's bands. Gone are the days of a simple domed band in gold or white gold, satin or polished finish. The nuances in options is a little staggering. A friend summed it up well, "Men don't wear jewelry, so it makes sense they're going to be picky about it." Giving them lots of options ensures they get a ring they're happy to wear.

I was surprised by the number of men's bands in the cases at the store. Unlike me, Mr. P wasn't fazed my the magnitude of rings and was able to point out a few he liked. He hadn't done much pre-shopping but had a sense of what he wanted to try on. No diamonds, nothing trendy and nothing expensive.

Un-Registry: China

A half century ago, a forward-thinking family member with great taste picked out a modern white and platinum banded pattern that we inherited. We have been saved from the frustration of hours spent shopping (and inevitably compromising) on a fine china pattern! It's actually very close to what we would have picked out. The tailored bands appeal to my graphic design sensibilities and the bright white color allows the food to speak for itself (something we feel strongly about). The upside is that it's simple enough to dress up with a second pattern or colored plate should we decide to get a little wild and crazy.

(source: 1 & 2)

Our first registry gift

Arrived home in late July to find a small Williams-Sonoma box tucked away on the front porch. At first, I thought it was a gift for Brian; his birthday was the next day. But because it was from one of our registry stores, I started to fret because it's too soon for registry gifts to start arriving... and (oh crap!) we still need to ask his dad if we can redirect gifts to his house.

Brian and I deliberated on who sent it and what it could be while I searched for scissors. We had a good chuckle once I found the packing slip and note. My first-time buyers, A & C, went to closing a week prior and sent a thank you gift sourced from our registry. They are newlyweds so we discussed weddings during the house hunt. She must have super-sleuthed our registry or remembered me mentioning it (although I don't).

Either way, we were thrilled to open it up and find a Vinturi and wine pump with stoppers. Now we were left with a dilemma. It is a thank you gift from our wedding registry. What's the protocol for use? Brian reasoned that since it was technically a thank you gift, etiquette and superstitions would permit us to open now. It was put to use that night on a bottle of Finger Lakes Cab Franc!

Testing out our new wine gadget

Joel the Jeweler

Put on your coat! It's about to get chilly in here from all this ice!

We had a date yesterday - with Joel the Jeweler! Mr. P bought my engagement ring from Joel (a friend of a friend) last year. According to my timetable, it's time to start shopping for wedding bands. I left the ring file at home; I've got it all stored in my bride brain.

Walking hand-in-hand to the store, I was a touch giddy. Which faded into nervous-giddy as soon as we walked over to the first jewelry case. Peering into the cases, all of the rings seemed pretty similar: simple bands with a row of diamonds that either went halfway or all the way around the ring (eternity). None of them were really singing to me.

source
Joel asked which I'd like to see. (My brain: "None of them" is not an appropriate answer, Miss P.) Long pause, then unconvinced pointing. We tried a few "plain" delicate bands that matched the band on my e-ring. Nothing. It's too early to settle so I held out for something different, more artsy.

Moving on... Thicker plain bands, pave, channel set, and detailed scrollwork designs also failed to impress.

Registering Review Rewind

Registering over a three-day holiday weekend is a productive use of time... except when everyone else has the day off and is hiding from the 100 degree June heat. You can escape the heat, but not the crowds. We had a whole day with nothing planned and just two store registries to tackle.

source(if you're into consumer behavior, the linked article is interesting)
1. Macy's: Basics with a little luxury
We didn't have an appointment. Correction, we didn't know we needed an appointment. We loitered at the registry desks, waiting for two couples to complete their initiation. The black lacquer walls, soft lighting, muzak and cubby-holed fine china tried really hard to demurely whisper, "You know you want this" but those marketing efforts were lost us on us. We were anxious to get scanning as we'd squirreled away a stack of dinnerware and serving pieces that were probably being restocked as we sat idly. Which reminds me, Macy's needs mock-entertaining spaces, like mini dining rooms, where you can lay out selections to see how they look together. At the very least, they need a table at the registry desks for this.

Ready, set - no, no wait!

It was when we found ourselves standing among 10 different sets of pots and pans at Macy's that we realized we were woefully under-educated. Coated non-stick or stainless steel? Copper core or aluminum? Three-ply or five-ply? All-Clad or Calphalon? Woah... I'm feeling a little dizzy.

Who knew copper could be so sexy?
This is pretty much how our first pre-registering trip started. If we're going to look like idiots, I prefer we look like idiots at Macy's instead of Williams-Sonoma. But that didn't happen. After a long, careful study of the various WS cookware lines, things weren't much clearer.

And the skies clear...

All morning long, it rained and I anxiously watched the clock. Once noon rolled around, we had a decision to make. Would the rain hold off for our Brandywine Creek State Park shoot? Or would we be forced to reschedule if none of the Plan B's panned out?

Just as I was ready to leave the office for the make-up appointment, my phone rang. It was Mr. P. And he had good news. Really good news. I squealed (quietly) and left in an excited flurry with a stupid grin on my face. The rain didn't stop. In fact, it poured on the hour drive to and from the make-up appointment. But it didn't matter - I was so thrilled it was all working out.

(I heart this shot.)
My car practically came to a screeching halt outside the house with 10 minutes to spare. After a quick change of clothes, inhaling some nachos and maybe half a Captain 'n Ginger, we grabbed the props and rain gear and were out the door.

It's raining, it's pouring

After spending two hours last night auditioning engagement shoot outfits (very full and semi-drunk – not recommended), it was all for naught – it looks we’ll be rained out. If you recall, we chose Brandywine Creek State Park to showcase the fall color peaking thisveryminute. All the locations were outside: fields of grasses, a meandering stone wall and sweeping views of the rolling countryside. I had even planned framing for certain photos and props.

I knew the weather wasn’t guaranteed. The only explanation I can offer is that I stuck my head in the sand and pretended bad weather wouldn’t foul our plans. So now with a 50% chance of thunderstorms, a chance we're not willing to take, so we’re exploring other (inside) options. Big pouty face. It’s my fault. I’m a planner who failed to plan.

source

Not in the face!

That's what Mr. P asked of the other black belts in his morning karate class in the weeks leading up to our engagement shoot. (Isn't that more encouragement to deliver a hard blow somewhere else?) He got popped when sparing last week; I couldn't tell, thankfully. Our close up with the camera is tomorrow. Fingers crossed he is untouched when he returns from class later.

Mr. P in 1984, yellow belt
Update: No boo-boo's! Mr. P thanked them by saying they could resume "disfiguring him on Thursday." Lovely sense of humor.

Do your or your future spouse participate in an activity that could make you less than camera-ready? What is it and would/did you change anything in the weeks leading up to your wedding?

Cheap, even with other people's money

We (read: mostly me) began brainstorming for our registry in early 2010. Thinking with the registry in mind, we paid attention to what kitchen items received heavy or little use. Our nicked paring knife that's always dirty? Put two new ones on the list. The rattling, sucky (in a bad way) vacuum cleaner on its last leg, thread bare sheet set, torn guest comforter, hand-me-down flatware and Teflon pan losing its coating - all gone.


Sad, sad knife

They still make it? (source)
Emphasizing that we are not being greedy, I've been able to convince Mr. P that broken, worn-out or less durable items are all acceptable to replace/upgrade. We're planning a lifetime together and our stuff should stick around for at least half that time. He laughs that even when he isn't buying, he's cheap. The months of careful cultivation and detailed research will hopefully yield a solid housekeeping foundation.

Lego Love

We may combine furniture, household goods, and even finances but our Lego collections will never be combined. At least that's what Mr. P has jokingly maintained for the last few years. He claims his Legos are superior to mine and co-mingling would be disastrous (for his).

source
Both of us grew up with a fascination with the tiny bricks. When I moved away from home, my Legos were packed up for the trip. Every once in awhile, we'll drag the storage totes out and start construction projects. My foreman does a poor job of planning since my projects inevitably run out of bricks and I eye his pile. Man, it would be nice if I could just borrow a few.

See what I could accomplish if I had more bricks?
You can tell whose Legos are whose; our sorting styles are a microcosm of our personalities. Mine are grouped by color and size into large chunks. And his, well... they're dismantled with lightning speed and unceremoniously dumped back.

Thing whole Lego thing got me thinking... How can we incorporate this quirky shared interest into the wedding? Cake! It's the most obvious and tastiest, of course. The internet is awesome. Ask (search) and you shall receive.

It all works out

So... I got an email from my bridal consultant that basically said the information we were given a few days prior was wrong. Wrong as in the dress BM R picked out doesn't come in yellow. She apologized (wasn't her fault) and suggested I come in again to look at the other options.

I shouldn't have picked up the iPhone while on vacation. Blah.

source

Just a snip

In preparation for next week's engagement shoot, I stopped in to see my hair dresser for quick cut. Even though it was cut less than two months ago, it was losing shape and getting leggy. Now, I'm the type of girl who goes once every 4 months... about the time when I notice it looks shaggy, procrastinate, then forget to schedule an appointment for two more weeks.


Yes, that's the Flowbee. source
I feel more polished and know that confidence will carry over into our shoot.

What beauty touch-ups did you take care of before your shoot?