RSVP or Else

Ladies and Gents, as our RSVP deadline of May 4th approaches we have 66 of 120 cards returned.  That's only about half.  And as a realist (not a pessimist) the first thought which comes to mind is, "the people who are not coming are waiting until the last minute to send their replies."  This is probably totally not true. maybe.

However, opening the mailbox after a day of work and finding our small purple envelopes provides such simple joy!  Since most people did not affix a return address label (come on now, folks! what if it gets lost?), we play a game of "whose RSVP card is it?!"  There is an added surprise of who the card belongs to and whether or not they are coming.  Mike and I try to wait for each other to come home to share the opening festivities, but some days you just tear into your little pile of excitement.  

Our guests have five remaining days to deposit the lovely purple pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelope in the mail.  That gives me about a week to wonder who is actually coming. 
A trusted post-office liaison named Cousin Laurie pointed out that the clear labels on the dark purple envelopes are tricky to read.  This does not make for easy delivery.  Not the best choice on our part.  So maybe the guests are not wholly to blame...

If by May 4th, or maybe even the 7th, we have yet to receive those indicators of attendance?  Then we send a polite email, followed by a rushed phone call (which we might punt to parents), ending with a Facebook wall post threatening your first born gently reminding those guests we want them to come, but need to know if we are to prepare a place setting for them!

It really is fun to watch the cards pile up!

Stay tuned for the next post, with an explanation for how we organize those RSVP cards!

Meeting of the Minds

Mike and I took action to solve many loose ends and figure out details.  After meeting with our wedding planner, catering point of contact, photographer, and venue point of contact all together at the venue itself, we have many tidy bows on details.  And then we have more things to think about!!

Mainly we needed to figure out two extremely important things: where will the band and bars be located?

See, the ten piece band needs an extensive performance area, but we also need the area in front of the door open.  No worries, we found a good spot for the performers and the doors can easily open wide.

Next up, the bar!  While one bar will be located in an easily accessible room, we were unclear if putting the additional bar on the portico made sense, if it allowed for family photos outside after the ceremony, and if passerby's might wander up and help themselves to our celebration.  Thanks to a security guard and selective timing of photos, we should be fine with the outdoor bar.

While discussing those details, we also found a place for our photo booth, decided where I will put on my finishing touches, how the ketuba will be displayed, and where the escort card table and coffee station will be!  TA-DA!

It feels good to get things figured out.
Too bad spring break is over, for me. I guess I'll have to go back to productive wedding planning on the weekends!

In Search of...

Ok wonderful readers.  I need your eyes and links.

I'm in search of a peacock dress for our rehearsal dinner.  So far?  The results are not good.
A simple google shopping search came up with some, er, interesting results:

6pm.com

This one is a little too pea-cocky.

Christina Gowns

This one is too fancy AND over the top.

DH Styles

Really? NO.

Dillards

Holy-Housecoat. NO

I tried "normal" sites and found some cuter things, but still not right:

ModCloth

Better, but not fancy enough.

And of course I checked Etsy, but am still on the search...

So now, I ask you dear readers to keep your eyes peeled.
Let me know if you find anything! Please copy/paste links below!!!!

Thank you -- and Happy Easter to those who celebrate!

Springing

I took these photos.
I edited these photos.
I share these photos.
(please be kind, do not take what is not yours)

Enjoy.

I hope spring found its way to you, too!

2 month update!

Oh time, slow down! Two months from today, count 'em: one, two, Mike and I will be married!

• We've send out the invitations and eagerly await all our RSVP's. 
•  (I really need to write about how we manage the replies with our guest list)
•  Soon we'll purchase a ketuba (and it must be soon!)
•  We're choosing ceremony and reception music.
•  I'm wrangling our contracts to organize when (and how much) payments are due!
• The kippot will be purchased any day now, too.
•  I started a family photo list for our photographer, however at 45 different family arrangements, clearly it needs cleaning up.
• My bridesmaids are planning my bachelorette party for Atlantic City!!!

There are so many little things left to do, but truth-be-told I'm not worried about getting it all done. Honestly, there's time and so many people to help.  I'm getting excited! 
We're 8 weeks away!!!!!!

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Hebrew Shebrew?

In yesterday's big wedding invitation reveal, I showed a picture that focused on the Hebrew writing at the bottom of our invitations:

This is the famed Hebrew lettering that almost caused my nervous breakdown.

I realized, I never told you what it says or means to us!

Taken from Songs of Solomon, the beautiful letters translate to mean: I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.

Mike and I are not the most strictly observant Jews around (although we are observant in our own ways -- post for another time).  Regardless, this verse spoke to us.  The wedding crowd finds it quite popular due to it's simplicity and focus on love.   Also Mike likes that his last name bears resemblance to "Solomon"  -- overall it fits well!

The font and image we found perfectly fit onto the invitation.  The sizing and space perfectly lined up.  The drippy effect matched seamlessly with the watercolor peacock.

And boom, our invitation has Hebrew on it!

I found some other people who fancy that phrase, too:

Red Letter Words, Etsy

Sketch and Etch, Etsy

Simag Jewelry, Etsy

Do you have a favorite verse?

Our Wedding Invitation Reveal!

I almost want to keep the invitations a secret for just a while longer, because I love them so, So, SO much.  They are by far my favorite part of the wedding so far.
Seriously.

They are the most decadent non-edible item I ever laid eyes on.
I luff them so.
And so what if people just throw them away before or after the wedding? I will always remember how absolutely gorgeous and stunning they are.

So, you can see I'm a bit obsessed with them.

One more thing, if you didn't catch my guest post yesterday about how we almost had to reprint all the invites, please go check that out now.
Then you can fully appreciate the depth of my love for these pieces of fancy cardstock.

Ok one last thing, promise, before the photo montage.
Huge, deep appreciation goes out to Sugar of DIYva Designs (& Nar, her partner, too!).
Sugar worked with my needy self, made countless changes to the proof(s), and is the genius artist extraordinaire behind the design.

So here they are.
(Be still my heart)

outer envelope holding inner envelope with belly-band holding reply card

Belly-band with wax fleur-de-lis detail

inner envelope with reply card

outer and inner envelope - the invitations are inside the inners...

the invites!

(please excuse the removal of our last names for privacy)

the two reply card versions (since Kosher was not available for all)

the late addition Hebrew

(aka my heart attack)

Needless to say, I'm more than happy with how they turned out.
And coupled with gold ink calligraphy on the purple envelopes?
Simply gorgeous.

The only thing better will be marrying Mike!

What do you think of them??

Situation Normal...

Ladies and Gentlemen, not all is smooth sailing when it comes to wedding planning...and the proof is over at After Nine to Five.

While Ashley is off getting married (whohoo!) I guest blogged for her about our biggest wedding SNAFU to date, and the lovely resolution that followed.(Hint: it involved the invitations!)

So go check it out, will ya? please?
And then tell me I'm not crazy! :)

Happy Monday!

Happy Birthday, Mike!

Today my man turns one year older!  I absolutely love celebrating birthdays, so today will be non-stop F-U-N! Unless, of course, Mike decides he wants to just play video games, then it will be fun for him and I will clean the house (meanwhile, I still get joy out of that!)

Last year I wrote up 27 things I love about Mike, but today I keep it short and sweet.

I love him entirely and completely and can't wait to become his wife!  There's one way sure-fire way to Mike's heart: through his stomach.  This morning we started off with his favorite breakfast: banana pancakes.

Here's a Jack Johnson song, Banana Pancakes, to start your morning off right, too!

Happy Birthday, Mike!!!!!!!!!!!

(and my niece, Eleanor, turns 4 today, too!
Happy Birthday to my little love!)

Happy Weekend, All!

May it be filled with banana pancakes!

Sing, Sing a Song!

It's Friday, I'm in Love!

When you attend a wedding reception, what songs do you LOVE hearing?
You know when you're tearing up the dance floor and really breaking it down, what are those songs which make you really wanna get your groove on?

And then, once you've got a good thing going, a song you hate or seems so out of place comes on and you either A) run for a bathroom break, B) get another drink,  C) take a break, or D) all of the above.
Which songs do you hope the DJ or band doesn't break out?

And don't you dare say The Electric Slide.
It has a very special place in my heart.

On our band list, here are the ones we stared (meaning they must play):
The Electric Slide (yes, really, and it's going to ROCK)
Any Motown songs
Some Jackson Five
Some Big Band Swing
Polkas (of course)

Horas (of course)

On the list, here are the ones we crossed out (meaning please do not play!):
California Girls, Katy Perry
The Cup of Life, Ricky Martin
I'll Be There, Mariah Carrey
Butterfly Kisses, Bob Carlisle
Daddy's Little Girl

Other than that, we left it up to their discretion to feel out the dance floor and play great music!
So what do you LOVE and HATE to hear at wedding receptions?

Ketuba Inspiration

A Ketuba is a Jewish marriage contract, or even prenuptial agreement, from the root "to write." Back in the olden days of sheep and cow trading, there were certain amounts that were rendered for virgins versus widows or even divorcees, if the marriage should fail. All this legal mumbo-jumbo (although very important!) was spelled out in Aramaic, the vernacular in Talmudic times, and both parties signed.

Now-a-days, marriage contracts are a matter of secular civil law, however the Ketuba is still regarded highly as an important tradition in which bride and groom promise themselves to each other, and still covers what will happen in the event the marriage fails. (Which won't happen to Mike and I because his life is on the line if anything happens.) (maybe I shouldn't put that in writing...)

But they are gorgeous, stunning, amazing works of art.
They make a great addition to any wall.
We need to purchase one soon, as they are personalized and customized to your needs.

Here are a few I'm drooling over...

Blue Magel Ketubah, by Ketuba Kraft on Etsy 

Ketubah Dancing Tree of Life by Naomi Broudo 

Miro Ketuba by Ketuba Kraft on Etsy

Chamsa II by Nava Shoham on Ketuba.com

 

A New Beginning IV Ketuba by Ketuba Studio's on Etsy

Which one is your favorite?
If you had a Ketuba at your wedding, where did you purchase it from?

Stylish Blogger Award!

Well golly gee, can you believe it? Kassi, over at Truly Lovely, thinks I'm truly lovely, too!
She passed along the Stylish blogger Award to me!!



This award does come with some fine print. But what doesn't now-a-days?


So after receiving this award, you share random facts about yourself, & choose much deserving bloggers to pass this fabulous award onto!  There's something about passing it on to 15 bloggers, but I think that 1 or 5 also works.


Here goes:

7 Things About Vicki:

1. I'm a school teacher by day.  Second grade (7 & 8  year olds) to be exact.  And I LOVE it. I honestly can see myself teaching for the rest of my life.  Maybe this is because I don't work well with adults (no patience for ignorant adults, but for children- the world).


2. I love photography: taking pictures, editing pictures, admiring others photos. ALL of it.  (related: I can't figure out how to use Photoshop to save my life, but am learning through blog tutorials!)



3. I speak Spanish when I get beyond a little drunk. "Tu eres mi jamon y queso."

4. I have an Old Navy Visa and am not afraid to use it.  This is not an add or sponsored post, but seriously the benefits this card brings me are amazing.  You can use it at any of the affiliated stores. Just recently at GAP I bought 2 pairs of jeans, a shirt, and a mustard colored skirt (yes, necessarily detail) for $64 total.  For. Serious. (you might also say I love to shop)



5. My pets are named after Beatles songs, with the exception of Melonball. Don't ask.

6. I eat oatmeal for breakfast 6 out of 7 mornings a week. My favorite flavor accent variations are: almond butter & blackcurrant jam (like PB & J), honey crisp apples and cinnamon, bananas and almond butter, & apple butter. Also? I eat my breakfast at the computer while I publish/read my morning blog posts.


7. In yoga, my most proud accomplishments are crow pose, headstand, and most recently, hand-stand!

And here are  5, stylish bloggers who I pass this award on to:

Alicia of Luckiest Girl Ever

(recently engaged, go read the whole action-movie-like story!)

Nicci of Changing The Universe

(momma with a new hairs-do and adorable son!)

Joanna of Raising Madison

(hip-momma, scentsy selling and IRL friend - cute lil' girl, too)

Ashley of After Nine to Five

(Wisconsin soon to be bride and fun lady!)

The Teenage Bride

(A teen bride and soon to be momma!)

Congrats, stylish ladies!!!

Going Postal

Last week I dropped a whopping $200 on stamps.
Postage stamps!

But the best part about it? The post-man at my post-office is my new bestie.  Since I casually laid the wedding invitation on the scale, he bent over backwards to not only get me the cheapest rate to send my envelopes to the calligrapher but to find me 120 matching stamps for our response cards, and for the invitations themselves.

And then when I walked in the door again two days later with my inner envelopes, he didn't laugh at me much when I explained I forgot to include them in my initial shipment to the calligrapher.
Bonus: He had 140 wedding cake stamps waiting for me.

But the icing on the cake? (Pun intended)
Postage rates are rising.  A good friend (Hi,Corinn!) posted a link to a USPS article on my Facebook wall about this. While I can't really understand all the legal mumbo-jumbo in their charts, the one thing I do take away is that postage rates are on the up-and-up again.
And just in time for our invites to go out and RSVP's to come back.
Luckily, we already bought our stamps and they are being put to use before the April 17th hike.  Also it seems, although again I can't understand the darn charts, that regular $.44 stamps will stay the same.  Let's hope so, because if not, many of our RSVP's won't find their way back to us without the help of additional postage that we did not supply.

So friends, if you get a wedding invite in the mail, please do the noble thing and after April 17 remember to add extra postage to your reply card (if it needs it, if you can figure that one out)!

(Bee Tee Dubs, yes! this means are invites are close to traveling to other houses!)