Photo Drop - IPhone clean out :)

  • Love how the sun shining through the tent makes a stained glass affect.
  • Mini flowers on my walk in town.
  • Amazing view from the Molly Pitcher Inn in NJ.
  • Really? What goes on here that they need this sign?
  • @ Donavon Frankenreiter
  • Delish maple milkshake
  • Normally I am not a fan of dyed flowers, but these sunflowers where great - not to mention the lobster wrapping :)
  • Simple gift wrapping
  • Saturday morning coffee in the center of town.
  • Arthur Ave burger, yum.

Donavon Frankenreiter @ Jonathan Edwards Winery! w/ RayLand Baxter

Six Days Out, belated

From the minute I started writing this blog I couldn’t wait for the “six days out” post. And… I missed it. Normally when things don’t go as planned I can have an issue coming to terms with it, but missing yesterday was worth it. Why? Easy, I spent the whole day carefree with Brian. It started with sitting outside on Main Street sipping coffee, moved to an outdoor patio for a few drinks, then off to Brian’s hometown for Old Home Days (honestly, it was hilarious), next was an outdoor restaurant in his hometown where we stumbled upon an impromptu class reunion. It was a nice lesson, even with the wedding so close take a day off, it is so worth it. When one of Brian’s friends from high school found out our wedding is on Friday she said “And you are out? You are such a calm bride!” If she only knew, but it was nice to hear. It was a day well spent.

In other news, I have gotten through the rough patch. We have a way to cover the catering invoice snafu, I am keeping my fingers crossed the weather WILL be what is predicted, and I have even started getting things ready for the honeymoon. Oh happy day.

…and here we go

Yup, the predictions were right - I am freaking out. Why? Oh, let me tell you. Three days ago life was looking great, I was happily printing table numbers and escort cards relishing in the fact this was one of the last tasks to complete before total wedded bliss. Then it happened while I was merrily checking my email- the final invoice from the caterer. The one bright spot was that Brian was outside, so he didn’t witness me break into uncontrollable tears. The final invoice was oh about $4000 more than I had expected. $4000 that frankly I don’t have. 

The reason I am being so candid about this is that I know I am not the only bride this has happened to. I know I am not the only one frantically trying to increase credit card limits. It happens, and even after two days of letting it sink in and having what seem like endless discussions with Brian about how to handle it, it still stings. And even though I know we will figure it out and get through it, for right now it is taking away from our day just a little.

Don’t be fooled, it wasn’t just the shocking invoice that sent me over the edge. Upon (stupidly) checking the weather for our wedding day today, I once again broke down into tears. 87 degrees and thunderstorms, seriously - SERIOUSLY? Well, maybe I can get cute pink Hunter rain boots… oh, never mind I am searching the couch cushions to come up with money to pay the caterer. AAAAHHHH!

Oh right… and for some reason our printer is staunchly refusing to print the letter “o.” So right now of wedding program read “Welc me t the wedding cerem ny  f Jennifer Mary Desillier & Brian Fleming.”

Here’s the deal. I know people who are planning their weddings have had a much more difficult time than I have. I completely feel for those people. One part of why I want to make a career out of planning weddings is to help people who are having a tough time. It’s all going to work out, and I am going to be Mrs. Brian Fleming, and that is what matters. But for today and maybe tomorrow, let me have my mopey moment.

Location, location, location!

As Brian and I were in Mystic finishing up wedding loose ends the other day it hit me how in love with our location we are. I think this is for quite a few reasons. For me getting married in my hometown means the world to me. I happen to be one of those people with some serious hometown (or in this case, homefiredistrict) pride, I mean really, it’s Mystic - how can I not love where I came from? I have so many outstanding memories that were formed in downtown Mystic and it makes me feel good that our guests will get to walk those streets and hopefully make some memories of their own. 

As a bride NEVER underestimate the importance of being familiar with your location. And I mean not only your wedding location, but the streets and layout of the town or city you are in. You’ll be running around on your wedding day, and you don’t want to end up lost. For me, Mystic offers that familiarity, it’s just one less thing to worry about on a day you shouldn’t be worrying at all.

I don’t want to speak for Brian, but since over the next 50 years it will probably happen a few times I’ll get a head start - I think Brian likes the location for the “feel.” Having an outdoor wedding allows us to be a little more casual, and I use that word cautiously. Simply, our wedding isn’t going to be stuffy, no one is going worry if they don’t know how to actually ballroom dance or if they are using the right fork. It’s us, we aren’t pretending to be people we aren’t. Our location let’s us do that.

That being said, we did look at other places. One I was totally in love with. Our wedding would have a different “feel” if it were there. Still us, but a different more polished version of us.

So your unsolicited advice - love your location whether it is a castle, a banquet hall, outdoor on seashell gravel :), a beach, a cornfield (don’t laugh - hay bales are seriously hot right now), or a backyard. Make it your own and make it represent you.

Oh, I decided to act like a tourist the other day in town. I even broke out my real camera for the first time in a while. Enjoy.

Much Needed Update

From the accounts I have heard today, two weeks from our wedding day, is the time brides really start to lose it. I think I might be near the edge, but I haven’t teetered over into the total bridal meltdown abyss. Before I get there, keep your fingers crossed I don’t, I MUST tell you about my dress. More specifically the great way my dress fits all due to a wonderful seamstress.

I bought my dress from David’s Bridal, and no, I’m not ashamed of it. However, I did not like my experience at the store and because of poor experience (seriously, it was BAD) I made the choice to get my alterations done elsewhere. So, I turned to the Internet yellow pages. If that isn’t the mark of a laid back bride I don’t know what is. I came across some great reviews for Donna Miller. Done! I called her and made an appointment, from that moment on everything went wonderfully. She took the top in, took off the train - we are getting married on seashell “gravel” a train, despite my mother’s disappointment, is not practical, and talked me out of getting extra work done (altering my sash). She was terrific every step of the way. I couldn’t be happier, and my dress is now hanging in the guest room at my mom’s house… I confess I do sneak a peek at it every time I am there. I am thrilled that as I embark on my wedding planning and design business I have a trusted seamstress to recommend.

I can’t wait to put a picture of the dress up, but that will have to wait until after the wedding day!

Extra Edition Photo Drop - Don’t you feel special? We also scouted our wedding venue again with the help of our awesome bridal assistant Amy at Amy Champagne. Seriously awesome, after the wedding I am pretty sure I am going to devote at least one post if not more to her! Oh, and today is Brian’s birthday! 

  • Found our first look location - I am clearly thinking about how thrilled I am going to be to see Brian on our wedding day.
  • First thing our guests will see at the Mystic Seaport
  • Flower prep - gorgeous peonies and roses getting ready to be put on a wedding arch @ a wedding I worked this past Saturday
  • Brian’s birthday lobster
  • The whole BIG birthday dinner
  • My future husband with his Star Wars birthday card :)

Photo Drop - Last week was a busy one. We had our last two days of school, got our marriage license and met with Ed Haberek, the First Selectman of Stonington and our officiant. So here is our belated week in pictures.

  • Great find at TJ Maxx - Michael Kors maxi dress, honeymoon here I come!
  • Stonington Town Hall, getting our marriage license
  • Delicious lunch at Dog Watch Cafe in Stonington Boro to celebrate one month to go
  • You can’t tell in this picture, but the rain has been crazy heavy lately
  • Here is the storm cloud to prove it
  • You ca now make your own six pack at Whole Foods, dangerous
  • My first attempt at a Dutch braid
  • Rhody friends, this is for you - coffee milk!

Photo Drop!!! Our last full week of school, gorgeous weather, and wedding crafts.

  • Inflatable obstacle course @ field day. I ran this thing about 15 times against different kids. It became a monster after about the 8th time, my arms totally felt it the next day, but I had a total blast with the the kids.
  • The kids found a ton of crabs and snails, it was fun to teach them about them. I did feel bad for this crab that lost his front claws.
  • Morning light in our living room.
  • The field on our weekend walks is in full bloom.
  • Started a mock up of a twine wrapped “a.” Hoping to make some for a friend when she and her husband move into their awesome new house.
  • Amazing color on these wild flowers.
  • Complete ribbon shaker from the side and the top.

Two days of school left, the my life gets totally devoted to the wedding!

DIY Ribbon Shakers - Tutorial

There are certain wedding photos that no matter how many times they are done I love them. One of those is the picture of a bride and groom running down the aisle with guests waving sparklers, throwing confetti, or even blowing bubbles. Sparklers won’t work for us because it will still be light out, then I thought about colored ice cream sprinkles, but they can stain clothes. Although I loved Rainbow Bright as a kid, I don’t want to be her on my wedding day. Then it hit me - ribbon shakers! I knew I could make them myself and could easily customize them to our wedding colors. Here is how to do it.

Materials:

  1. Ribbon - any craft store has a huge selection so it is very easy to match your wedding colors
  2. Wooden dowels, Popsicle sticks, or any other material to use as the “holder”
  3. Hot glue gun & hot glue sticks
  4. Time (seriously, I made 75 and it took a decent amount of time.)

1) Cut your ribbon to the length you are going to use. I cut mine to 20 inches so I would have enough to tie and still have about 18 inches of ribbon. I used smaller holders, so anything longer wouldn’t have looked proportional.

2) Place a small dab of hot glue close to the top of the stick or “holder” you are using. I left some room at the top, just because I like the way to looks.

3) Tie a simple knot over the hot glue. Make sure it is secure and pressed into the hot glue. Otherwise when you shake it the ribbon will fly off - trust me.

4) DONE - shake it up. 

There are plenty ribbon shaker tutorials on the Internet, some involve eye hooks, some involve bells, all are good, but for our purposes and budget these very simple ribbons shakers were the way to go. I know they are going to help give us that great picture I love. Oh yeah, and they were $0.14 each :)