making a list, checking it...well, all the time!

1. My ring is in!!! Mom picked it up today and is delivering it to me this weekend.
2. FI's ring is en route and should arrive tomorrow!
3. Our cake topper arrived today...love it! Crafty Eddy rocks.
4. My bridal shower is this Saturday! Woot! My sister flys in to town tomorrow night and I can't wait to see her.
5. My first fitting is next Tuesday. I ordered my corset for underneath and am hoping it shows up on time.
6. Appointment to finalize our menu and other venue stuff is next Thursday.
7. The programs are all copied and about 1/4 are assembled and finished. Hoping to get more done this weekend with a little help from my friends and family.
8. Cocktail napkins have been ordered.
9. Last night, I assembled all of the thank you notes I'll need after my shower and I have new pens standing by.

We are getting there. No where near the end of the list yet but, we're making progress little by little. I am really looking forward to this weekend and my shower but, at the same time I know that the weeks are really going to fly after that! Thank goodness this coming Monday is a holiday and I'll be able to stay home and get through a lot of thank you notes and I'd also like to get the flower girl's pomander made.

So much to do but, I'm feeling in a much better place right now and not stressing as much. I'm exercising (go Shred!), eating right and trying to really take time out each day to relax with FI and have moments where there is NO wedding talk. It's all good :-)

Now, if the last 90-something people would just send in their rsvp's...

good fortune...

How fitting during a weekend filled with wedding related activites! This was FI's fortune last night, after our chinese take-out dinner...too funny.This weekend we:

• put stamps on all of our RSVP envelopes
• addressed invitation envelopes for a few guest list additions
• designed the insert with directions to the ceremony
• made some revisions to the program (almost done!)
• started work on the accommodations insert

I just uploaded the photos from our final food tasting on 12.03.08 - this first photo is looking out over a small section of the Grand Ballroom and dance floor from the balcony. I'm stading right above the bar (shown in the next photo). I love, love, love the original period chandeliers and inlaid marble floors in this room!This is the view from the back right corner of the ballroom, looking back to the bar and entertianment area. The staircase leading down from the balcony is where we'll make our entrance into the reception. The upper level will also have the placecard/favor and guestbook tables. Our beautiful moms (his on the left, mine on the right) hadn't seen each other in a few months and had a great time chatting about the wedding and catching up over the fabulous food and martinis. Something tells me they will become very good friends over the years! The holiday week will not slow down the planning process here. My must-do's are:

• design accommodations insert (Monday, 12/22)
• print accommodations/directions inserts (Wednesday, 12/24)
• assemble invitations (Fri-Sunday)
• MAIL INVITATIONS!!! (Monday, 12/29)

102 (partially) finished programs...

I was off work yesterday for a religious holiday (not mine) and was determined to make some wedding related progress. I had printed the monograms for my program covers last weekend and the plan was to finish all of the covers yesterday. Somehow, I ended up with 102 instead of 100 - a minor thing but, funny! Darn good thing I'm not an accountant. And...here they are!!!

It took about three hours to score all of the black cardstock and then attach the monograms with double sided adhesive and I love the finished products! Thank goodness for my scrapbooking adhesive gun (Scotch ATG)! It's been a god-send in all of my DIY projects.

And, another little share. I don't think I ever posted the photo I found of our new ceremony ballroom with candlelight:

I think the second photo is fairly representative of what our reception set-up will look like with all of the candlelit centerpieces (minus the flowers and with chiavari chairs!). Four and a half months to go!

so much closer, so very excited...

This weekend has been a whirlwind of all things wedding - from start to finish. FI and I ended up getting a lot accomplished and, though we didn't think it was possible, are even more excited about our wedding.

1. On Saturday, we met with our amazing photographer. Each time we speak with him it is so clear why we chose his company - we get along so well and he immediately puts us at ease. And, of course, his work is stunning! During our meeting, we booked our engagement session for late October and decided on the locations: starting in Central Park, the steps of the Met, Grand Central Station, the Brooklyn Bridge and ending up in DUMBO. He shared some photos from a recent engagement session and we were just amazed at the emotional in the pictures...can't wait for ours!

2. Another visit to our venue. It was to be a quick trip to drop off another payment but, then we were told that due to another smaller booking of an event (a bar mitzvah that starts an hour after our reception begins) on our wedding day, they bumped us up into the larger, gorgeous Grand Ballroom. Check it out...

Our Sweetheart table will be set-up directly in front of the huge arched window. No photo can do this room justice. The entire wall of windows overlooks the water and will be lit up during the cocktail hour by the sun setting over the water. We were lucky enough see it set-up for a wedding of approximately our size and it really looked wonderful. Also made up my mind on a few DIY things - I will definitely be making my own place cards and table numbers (I do not like the venue defaults).

3. Saturday night was dinner with Jess, my best friend from college. I asked her to be a bridesmaid, working it in to part of her birthday gift and she said "yes!" My bridal party is now complete...let the dress shopping begin!

4. Sunday morning - We got to Macy's just after opening to set-up our registry (our first is at BB&B). I started a collection of Fiestaware several years ago and love it so, we registered for more. Also, some bakeware and picture frames. Macy's gives a nice registry incentive of a red Victorinox bag which made hauling all of the wedding mags out of the mall a lot easier! 5. We decided on our centerpieces!!! We knew we wanted something low and with candles for a romantic glow - perfect for a nighttime reception in February in New York. After shopping around for a while and using a table display to try out different combinations, we hit on one that we loved and jumped on the main components - vases, silver leafed chargers and clear and ice blue glass pieces - enough for 18 tables. We also picked up a couple packages of crystals to scatter on the chargers to refract the light. We'll pick up more over the next couple of months, after deciding how many we'll need. A little later in the year I'll order the pillar and votive candles and votive holders and we'll be set! MAJOR CHECK!!!!

Whew...I am tired, excited, optimistic and so relieved to have gotten so much done in just a few hours.