Thursday, April 29, 2010
Random wedding related smile
My florist for the wedding personally grows many of the flowers she likes to use in her arrangements. She has been texting me pictures of flowers all spring as varieties she is using for my wedding start to bloom. It makes me smile to get flower pictures texted to me randomly.
Vendors, please take note.
I have been awaiting a reply from the band for our reception. I had some interesting special requests for them, so I was a little nervous their answer might be, "No, that's not possible." But to try to make their life easier and perchance help persuade them to accommodate my requests, I sent them a very thorough, very detailed (very LONG) email explaining my desires.
Most of the time, in response to emails of this sort I receive rather insincere responses like, "Wow, that was a lot of info!" And I get the distinct feeling that people don't appreciate my organization and micro-managing. Plus they usually end up asking several questions that the answers to were in previous, long, detailed email... I have to wonder if they think I am typing for my own health and dexterity, or if there was some other reason why they opted not to fully read the info I sent them?
However, today's response from the band was the most perfectly stated, appropriate response I have received from a vendor throughout this whole wedding process. Here is the response, in it's entirety:
Valerie,
We can do that. I’ll forward the songs to the band. Thanks for being so detailed!
AH! Perfect answer! They get a gold star.
Most of the time, in response to emails of this sort I receive rather insincere responses like, "Wow, that was a lot of info!" And I get the distinct feeling that people don't appreciate my organization and micro-managing. Plus they usually end up asking several questions that the answers to were in previous, long, detailed email... I have to wonder if they think I am typing for my own health and dexterity, or if there was some other reason why they opted not to fully read the info I sent them?
However, today's response from the band was the most perfectly stated, appropriate response I have received from a vendor throughout this whole wedding process. Here is the response, in it's entirety:
Valerie,
We can do that. I’ll forward the songs to the band. Thanks for being so detailed!
AH! Perfect answer! They get a gold star.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The lineup
Eight hours in a car resulted in finally getting wedding music hashed out. I am happy with our decisions, and more importantly, so is my mom! The lineup includes:
Chopin
Debussy
Josh Groban
Rogers and Hammerstein
Norah Jones
Louis Armstrong
Ingrid Michealson
and Elvis
(among others...)
Come on, you know you are just a little intrigued by how this is all going down... right? I am getting pretty excited about it. (so much so that I am wiggling just a little as I am typing right now!) We are getting so close I am having a hard time containing my excitement. And the music is going to be so much FUN. Loving it! :)
Chopin
Debussy
Josh Groban
Rogers and Hammerstein
Norah Jones
Louis Armstrong
Ingrid Michealson
and Elvis
(among others...)
Come on, you know you are just a little intrigued by how this is all going down... right? I am getting pretty excited about it. (so much so that I am wiggling just a little as I am typing right now!) We are getting so close I am having a hard time containing my excitement. And the music is going to be so much FUN. Loving it! :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Crash Course in RSVP Etiquette
This is a topic very near and dear to my heart right now... and I must admit that I have not always been stellar at this myself... but I am all about sharing knowledge--especially if the knowledge can be helpful or edifying or enhance someone's quality of life. (In the case of the RSVP, it can enhance your life, and that of your host who has so graciously invited you to an event. )
M________________
use the M as the first letter in Mr./Ms and then fill in your name. Response cards may also request a number of guests attending, be sure to fill that portion out and correctly as well (see directions below.) It does your hostess little good to recieve a response card back with one name and no number attending, when she sent the invite to a family of four. Be sure to fill things out entirely so your hostess doesn't have to go to the extra effort to track you down and find out the missing info.
Less formal invitations may include a line on the invite that says RSVP then provides a phone number, email, or instructions on how or who to RSVP to.
If the invitation says "Regrets Only", you only need to RSVP if you cannot attend the event. Otherwise, the host has already counted you in!
SO! You have your invite in your hand, and it is addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, and it has a respond deadline of May 1...
First of all, read the ENTIRE inivtation and RSVP card carefully. There are a couple of things you need to look for:
1) The date and time of the event. This seems obvious, but if you skim the invite you might miss out of detials, like the specific time of the event... go ahead and jot it on your calendar or check it against your schedule. Paying attention to all the details can save you some greif and embarrasment later.
2) Method to rsvp. Do you have a card to send in, number to call, email address or website to use? If for some reason you are unable to RSVP by the means specified (i.e. online RSVP and you don't have access to a computer...) notify the host by some other means as soon as you can to let them know of your intentions to accept or decline their invitation.
3) RSVP deadline. Note the deadline and do everything in your power to respond by that deadline. Write the deadline in your calendar/planner as well, put the invite or rsvp card somewhere it will not be lost or buried, or just deal with it while it is still in your hand-- mark and send in the card, make the call or send the email right then... done and out of your way!
4) Who the invitation is addressed to. Say for instance the invite is addressed to Mr. and Mrs John Doe, you cannot assume that little Jimmy and Joey are invited as well, in this case only the two guests listed are invited. If the invitation is addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Doe and Family, or The Doe Family, Jimmy and Joey are welcome to come! If the invitation is addressed to two people, do not assume you can bring your family of 6, your nieghbors, and your neice. Likewise, if Mr. Doe is unable to attend, but Mrs. Doe is attending, she should not assume she can bring her sister with her 'in his place'. RSVP only for the people who are invited by the host. When in doubt it is always better to ask than to assume, (A note or call to your host saying, "We were unclear whether or not it would be appropriate for us to bring our children (or, a guest) to this event," But be prepared and be gracious should your host say no.) However, by asking, note your intentions and be sure it is becuase the invitation was unclear, and not because you are guilting your gracious host into adding 3 more people to the list that they had not invited.
Should you RSVP that you will attend an event you should attend. Only a matter of serious illness or death should keep you away. It's very rude to accept an invitation and then fail to show up, well, and it's very poor ettiquette.
Should you mistakingly fail to RSVP for an event, you cannot decide you would like to attend AFTER the deadline. You should still inform your host you recieved their invitation but will not be attending. Do not fail to RSVP and still plan to attend or show up at the event.
Remember that your host invited you because they would like you there! You should feel honored by their invitation and should in turn do everything in your power to make things easier on your host. So be sure to RSVP correctly and in a timely manner... your host will SO appreciate your effort and etiquette! :)
RSVP is a French acronym that stands for "Respondez S'il Vous Plait" which translates in English as "Respond Please". It is used for formal, or even casual events where a headcount is significant to a host providing food, gifts, or just to determine space requirements.
Usually an RSVP will have a deadline that can be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks before the event. Very Formal invitations will include an RSVP card (or sometimes called response card) with a self-addressed stamped envelope for you to send in the mail. Often response cards will have a line with a M that looks like:M________________
use the M as the first letter in Mr./Ms and then fill in your name. Response cards may also request a number of guests attending, be sure to fill that portion out and correctly as well (see directions below.) It does your hostess little good to recieve a response card back with one name and no number attending, when she sent the invite to a family of four. Be sure to fill things out entirely so your hostess doesn't have to go to the extra effort to track you down and find out the missing info.
Less formal invitations may include a line on the invite that says RSVP then provides a phone number, email, or instructions on how or who to RSVP to.
If the invitation says "Regrets Only", you only need to RSVP if you cannot attend the event. Otherwise, the host has already counted you in!
SO! You have your invite in your hand, and it is addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, and it has a respond deadline of May 1...
First of all, read the ENTIRE inivtation and RSVP card carefully. There are a couple of things you need to look for:
1) The date and time of the event. This seems obvious, but if you skim the invite you might miss out of detials, like the specific time of the event... go ahead and jot it on your calendar or check it against your schedule. Paying attention to all the details can save you some greif and embarrasment later.
2) Method to rsvp. Do you have a card to send in, number to call, email address or website to use? If for some reason you are unable to RSVP by the means specified (i.e. online RSVP and you don't have access to a computer...) notify the host by some other means as soon as you can to let them know of your intentions to accept or decline their invitation.
3) RSVP deadline. Note the deadline and do everything in your power to respond by that deadline. Write the deadline in your calendar/planner as well, put the invite or rsvp card somewhere it will not be lost or buried, or just deal with it while it is still in your hand-- mark and send in the card, make the call or send the email right then... done and out of your way!
4) Who the invitation is addressed to. Say for instance the invite is addressed to Mr. and Mrs John Doe, you cannot assume that little Jimmy and Joey are invited as well, in this case only the two guests listed are invited. If the invitation is addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Doe and Family, or The Doe Family, Jimmy and Joey are welcome to come! If the invitation is addressed to two people, do not assume you can bring your family of 6, your nieghbors, and your neice. Likewise, if Mr. Doe is unable to attend, but Mrs. Doe is attending, she should not assume she can bring her sister with her 'in his place'. RSVP only for the people who are invited by the host. When in doubt it is always better to ask than to assume, (A note or call to your host saying, "We were unclear whether or not it would be appropriate for us to bring our children (or, a guest) to this event," But be prepared and be gracious should your host say no.) However, by asking, note your intentions and be sure it is becuase the invitation was unclear, and not because you are guilting your gracious host into adding 3 more people to the list that they had not invited.
Should you RSVP that you will attend an event you should attend. Only a matter of serious illness or death should keep you away. It's very rude to accept an invitation and then fail to show up, well, and it's very poor ettiquette.
Should you mistakingly fail to RSVP for an event, you cannot decide you would like to attend AFTER the deadline. You should still inform your host you recieved their invitation but will not be attending. Do not fail to RSVP and still plan to attend or show up at the event.
Remember that your host invited you because they would like you there! You should feel honored by their invitation and should in turn do everything in your power to make things easier on your host. So be sure to RSVP correctly and in a timely manner... your host will SO appreciate your effort and etiquette! :)
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Sex Candle
We are getting ever closer to the wedding date, and there are various wedding details we are working tirelessly to get in place. Took care of a few the other day when I went shopping with my mom.
Well, we picked up Z's wedding band and then did some shopping for--ahem-- wedding night attire. I thought it was going to be kinda awkward... but it was actually much MUCH less awkward than I ever dreamed it would be. We picked out pretty stuff. We giggled at how expensive the dang garment is when you consider the probable length of time it will actually be worn. We had fun. I was a little surprised-- pleasantly though.
After that we walked to the other side of the mall and mom suggested we stop in the candle store... she was picking out some candles and scented oils for her oil burner, and talked me into doing the same. I was kinda excited about my cool little oil burner candle thing on the way home mentioned that I wanted to get home and try it out. My mom was like... oh, don't you want to save it for your wedding night?
Uh, what?
Apparently I had missed the significance of the candle purchase that day. Here's Judy Sass having a special mom/daughter moment where she is helping her daughter create a mood for her wedding night... and all along I just thought we were candle shopping. No wonder she looked at me like I was crazy when I said I really wanted to get the luminaries shaped like pineapples (symbol of friendship and hospitality?)! (they were, by the way, super cool).
So my mom talked me into buying a sex candle... and I didn't even know it. All that being said, I was not specifically opposed to having a sex candle... until I walked into my parents bedroom yesterday and noticed a strinkingly similar candle/oil burner thing sitting on their dresser. And then I was like... ew. I am not sure how I feel about having matching sex candles with my parents. Mostly because I choose to believe (and don't try to tell me anything different) that my parents only made use of their candle two times, and about 25 years ago.
So there you have it. I guess thats just another few things to cross off the list(and some of them, I didn't even know were on the list!): Wedding bands, check. Wedding night attire, check. Sex Candle, Check.
Awesome.
Well, we picked up Z's wedding band and then did some shopping for--ahem-- wedding night attire. I thought it was going to be kinda awkward... but it was actually much MUCH less awkward than I ever dreamed it would be. We picked out pretty stuff. We giggled at how expensive the dang garment is when you consider the probable length of time it will actually be worn. We had fun. I was a little surprised-- pleasantly though.
After that we walked to the other side of the mall and mom suggested we stop in the candle store... she was picking out some candles and scented oils for her oil burner, and talked me into doing the same. I was kinda excited about my cool little oil burner candle thing on the way home mentioned that I wanted to get home and try it out. My mom was like... oh, don't you want to save it for your wedding night?
Uh, what?
Apparently I had missed the significance of the candle purchase that day. Here's Judy Sass having a special mom/daughter moment where she is helping her daughter create a mood for her wedding night... and all along I just thought we were candle shopping. No wonder she looked at me like I was crazy when I said I really wanted to get the luminaries shaped like pineapples (symbol of friendship and hospitality?)! (they were, by the way, super cool).
So my mom talked me into buying a sex candle... and I didn't even know it. All that being said, I was not specifically opposed to having a sex candle... until I walked into my parents bedroom yesterday and noticed a strinkingly similar candle/oil burner thing sitting on their dresser. And then I was like... ew. I am not sure how I feel about having matching sex candles with my parents. Mostly because I choose to believe (and don't try to tell me anything different) that my parents only made use of their candle two times, and about 25 years ago.
So there you have it. I guess thats just another few things to cross off the list(and some of them, I didn't even know were on the list!): Wedding bands, check. Wedding night attire, check. Sex Candle, Check.
Awesome.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
"I asked, 'God, How can there be a way out of this situation?' and he said, 'I am God, I make a way, I AM the way,' So I asked, and he is providing the resources and the blessings I couldn't. He prepared me, and prepared the way for this situation even before I knew it." --E
I was having a conversation with my friend E this morning. She is an amazingly kind, giving, servant. She doesn't have much herself, but everything she has she gives to help other people. She is currently trying to help a young, pregnant mother get back on her feet after being kicked out of her home. We were trying to round up toiletries, clothes, and other essentials just to get her by for now... and as we were trying to get these things together also have had offers or donations of maternity clothes and shoes, baby clothes, bedding, kitchen appliances, and a crib and a swing for the coming baby.
I am the kind of person who easily gets caught up in day-to-day tasks. I operate on a 'Okay, whats next' basis, and so it is easy for me to believe that the things I accomplish, I do in my own power. However, I cannot deny the obvious 'coincidences' in this situation, that all the right people with all the right resources, experiences, and 'things' at thier disposal are right in this young woman's path to help her out. This situation is obviously one that God has been preparing the way for, even before we knew it.
Talking with E on the phone this morning was a good reminder for me. She pointed out, this isn't about what we do, but about what God has already done. Because he has loved and blessed us in our situation with resources, possessions, and healthy able bodies... we are able to use what we have to love on someone else who really needs it right now. It's not something we could accomplish on our own, but only with God preparing and providing the way... :)
I was having a conversation with my friend E this morning. She is an amazingly kind, giving, servant. She doesn't have much herself, but everything she has she gives to help other people. She is currently trying to help a young, pregnant mother get back on her feet after being kicked out of her home. We were trying to round up toiletries, clothes, and other essentials just to get her by for now... and as we were trying to get these things together also have had offers or donations of maternity clothes and shoes, baby clothes, bedding, kitchen appliances, and a crib and a swing for the coming baby.
I am the kind of person who easily gets caught up in day-to-day tasks. I operate on a 'Okay, whats next' basis, and so it is easy for me to believe that the things I accomplish, I do in my own power. However, I cannot deny the obvious 'coincidences' in this situation, that all the right people with all the right resources, experiences, and 'things' at thier disposal are right in this young woman's path to help her out. This situation is obviously one that God has been preparing the way for, even before we knew it.
Talking with E on the phone this morning was a good reminder for me. She pointed out, this isn't about what we do, but about what God has already done. Because he has loved and blessed us in our situation with resources, possessions, and healthy able bodies... we are able to use what we have to love on someone else who really needs it right now. It's not something we could accomplish on our own, but only with God preparing and providing the way... :)
Monday, April 12, 2010
April's Shower/April Showers
Here are a few pics from the "Housewife" wedding shower I threw for my best friend this weekend. I am pretty happy that for once the design I had in my head translated nicely into a super cute set-up and party. Check it out:
(yes... we made everyone wear aprons!)
(This is the food table after we destroyed a couple strawberry pies on it, so it's looking a little rough, but you get the idea... haha)
Soooooooo... now thats over, back to planning MY wedding, STAT!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tangible light bulb
I like it when you have a crazy idea... and you just kinda throw it out in vain hope that someone else might catch it and latch on and help you make it happen... and someone does. And things work out, despite it being a crazy idea that your family didn't really get. And as it turns out, the person who got on board with you is a complete stranger who makes it possible to pursue this crazy idea you had for less money and energy than you expected to spend on it. I love it when that happens. How often does that happen? That NEVER happens. I LOVE it that this happened.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Making time
Oh. Em. Gee. Life is hectic right now. We are getting down to the last 6 weeks of wedding planning. Zachary and I are trying to get our house clean and organized and ready for couple-ness. I am planning a Bridal shower for my friend. And I think every weekend between now and Memorial Day is already completely, intirely, and fully booked. And goodness, our busy-ness is created by all inherently GOOD things, fun things, happy things... but even still it is taking it's toll. We are exhausted. Could we possibly find time for one more thing?
Uh-huh.
We did. We decided to move some things around and make time for one more date night with some good friends that will soon be leaving the country for a while. (sad sigh) I am so glad we did. I didn't feel like I had the time or energy to do it, but Z convinced me we really needed to... and did we ever. There is nothing to renew your spirit like sitting around the kitchen table after a good meal with friends, drinking coffee, telling stories, and laughing 'til your tummy hurts.
I need to learn not to be too busy for important times like that.
Thank you to our wonderful friends, and thank you Z for a wonderful evening... lets make many more!
Uh-huh.
We did. We decided to move some things around and make time for one more date night with some good friends that will soon be leaving the country for a while. (sad sigh) I am so glad we did. I didn't feel like I had the time or energy to do it, but Z convinced me we really needed to... and did we ever. There is nothing to renew your spirit like sitting around the kitchen table after a good meal with friends, drinking coffee, telling stories, and laughing 'til your tummy hurts.
I need to learn not to be too busy for important times like that.
Thank you to our wonderful friends, and thank you Z for a wonderful evening... lets make many more!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Music Considerations
Currently trying to complete the next wedding task of picking out music. It's proving a little difficult. We are not your typical couple. Neither of us appreciates sappy love songs, so typical wedding music is mostly out. Our 'love song' choices are a little more on the funky side so I am having an interesting time trying to work our preferences into a traditional ceremony... er... yeah.
In the mean time, I am having fun listening to and sorting through some musical selections and here are some of my favorites from this week, for your enjoyment:
(the first two are clicky links to the videos...)
The way I am: Ingrid Michealson
Lucky: Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
In the mean time, I am having fun listening to and sorting through some musical selections and here are some of my favorites from this week, for your enjoyment:
(the first two are clicky links to the videos...)
The way I am: Ingrid Michealson
Lucky: Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
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