Wedding planning is hard work!

Since getting engaged, 500 million ideas have flashed before my eyes and into my head! There are so many great things that people have done and I want to do them all (well...maybe not all because some are hideous!).   The challenge in idea overload is to sift through and decide what goes together and what represents who we are as a couple and who we are individually.   I have done a pretty good job (I think) of trying to keep everything flowing throughout. One thing I love and regret at the same time is the colour we chose for bridesmaids dresses. Sangria is BEAUTIFUL and I like how it looks on everyone.  But it is IMPOSSIBLE to find anything in sangria. I found ribbon that is close and will do.

So the purpose of this post is that I am currently working on trying to decide whether or not to go with one idea I like or not. It's an out there idea I would say. One that would require time, crafting and maybe some money.  So it is time to see, is this idea something that will be worth it? Will it make me happier than the alternative? Will it end up costing more money?

So off to thinking and researching we go! I'm not going to share my idea because I love it too much! So maybe you will see it before the wedding or maybe at the wedding or maybe not at all!

Labels and Ring!

My return address labels have arrived!!! Yeah!!! The save the dates were waiting for them so they could be sent out. Still waiting on a few addresses from Tom but once that happens we are good to go!! yeah! So excited! We are getting married!! In less than 8 months!!

Yesterday I also got a voice mail message from the jewelery store that one

of my rings was ready to pick up. So in I went hoping it was the engagement ring - and it was! I missed it. But honestly if one more person asked me if I was getting married soon and that was why I

had it rhodium plated I was gonna freak out! It's free people! Who wouldn't want a sparkly ring!! So now we wait on my wedding band. It's getting sized and likely I will get my engagement ring

sized too eventually. The wedding band will be a 6.5 and the engagement ring is a 7. It fits fine and hasn't fallen off so we'll see.

Tom really did a great job picking out the ring. It's simple and elegant - like me!!! hahaa! My camera is not the best but I felt like taking some 'artsy' pics today. In the pic above the green reflection in the diamond is my camera.

This next picture is another attempt at being 'artsy' which I am not but I still like it. The pic in the pic is of Tom and I on what we say was our first date. On June 23rd, 2007 we helped out at the wedding of the daughter of the camp director of the camp we met at. That night was really the night that changed my mind. Up until that night I had been very hesitant about starting a relationship because I was leaving for NET ministries for 10 months. What was the point of starting something. A good friend of ours talked to both of us individually that night and while I don't know what he said to Tom, I know that what he told me greatly influenced the start of our relationship. He helped me to realize that if I didn't open myself up to what could happen, if I didn't tale a chance and see what could be, that I would always wonder what could have been. So here we are now three years later planning our own wedding. I thought the idea behind the picture was good.

A favourite activity of mine is going for walks and stepping on CRUNCHY pine cones!! I love it!! When we worked at the camp, it was prime pine cone crunching location!! So many pine cones! So little time!!! One day after we were engaged (I think) Tom came over after he was working and brought me this pine cone. He had been out on a walk with a young person at work and stepped on pine cones and he brought me one home to step on. Of course I didn't and instead it sits on my tv unit. It's hard to see the ring on the top of the pine cone but it's there. The shine made it too flashy!

All in all, I'm happy.

My DIY Jewelery

So while I won't be posting pics of my dress on here, I will let you in on some sneak peeks of the jewelery I have created to wear on our wedding day.

First is a pair of earrings. This was my first attempt at making earrings ever so I think they turned out well. Really all I did was attach the earring part to the chandelier type thing and add the dangling bead in the middle But it's a DIY nonetheless!!

Here is a picture of the bracelet I made. It was inspired from a bracelet I saw at roots that was strings of black seed beads braided together. I attempted the braiding but it was also a P.I.T.A. so I changed to his idea and I love it!!! I am excited to wear it. I just need to try in on sometime with someone else doing it up because I lack the skills. It may also be a bit small so I might have to re-do it.

So there you have it. A little sneak peek into my wedding attire!

8 Months

So today it is 8 months to our wedding. Today was a good day getting things done...sort of. Last night I got addresses for Tom's family and friends and now have just 12 addresses remaining to get and confirm. So I set out addressing the remaining envelopes for our Save the Dates. As I was stuffing envelopes with our cards for the out of town guests, I realize that I did not put on their save the date, 'Formal invitation to follow.' I am going to confuse so many people maybe?? I hope not. There will be some no doubt who ask about it but whatever they will survive!!

8 months out and today we bought my wedding band! It was a bit more than planned but it's the band that goes with my engagement ring so it seems like a good fit! It's currently getting sized and we should have it next week. I also had gone in to get my engagement ring rhodium plated and found out after that it was going to be 7-10 days. Until I get it back, I'm wearing my $12 ring Tom bought me back when my ring had to be fixed.

Things are going well wedding planning wise. We heard back from the caterer today too!! Which was good! I had been waiting forever for that. It seems like we might be saving a good chunk of money there (compared to what I had put in the budget). So that is a good thing - help us to get back on track!

I realized the other day that I had about 26 DIY projects to do as of one year out and have not completed nearly enough as of late. This means it is also time to get back on track with all the little detail projects that need to be taken care! That is the goal for the next 2 months!! Plus CRAFT DAY is coming up in November!!

It's ok to cry!

If you know me, which I hope you do if you are reading this, then you might wonder why I titled this, 'it's ok to cry!' I have always been a crier. I remember many occasions growing up where I would cry, for one reason or another. I am just in touch with my emotions and not afraid to let some tears flow - like they are now.

You may ask, "Katie, what caused these tears to flow?" To which my answer is, "I have NO FREAKING CLUE!" Just minutes prior to tears flowing down my cheeks, I was searching around my apartment for stamps I bought 6 months ago on sale. I was looking for stamps so that we could hopefully send out our Save the Date cards in the next few days or weeks but cannot for the life of me find them. No doubt I put them somewhere safe - hopefully. So that's fine! I'll survive. Then I try to print more envelopes - and the new printer Tom and I bought for wedding printing activities has been a P.I.T.A.!!! It is constantly smudging when I am printing on the envelopes so I had to not print the return address on them (instead I had to buy some - $5 for 240 aint bad!) So once again, the envelope smudges -just one of three but enough to make me bitter. Bitter because I have already wasted a number of envelopes on this printer and the box of envelopes I bought contained just enough envelopes for our out of town save the date cards!

So conceding defeat on getting any further ahead in the Save the Date department, I sit down and start checking out the many wedding websites I check out and get many ideas from. One contains blog post from a recent bride who is recapping her wedding festivities. While looking at pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready, and their rehearsal tears begin to fall.

At Pete and Jenn's wedding rehearsal I remember having this weird feeling in my stomach. A feeling that was anxious and nervous - not for them - for me! It is so surreal now realizing that we are next. It's all us. For so long it was them, and then them and us and now....it's just us. I feel pressure that isn't really there. I keep freaking out that there are a million things I need to do and there won't be enough time to do any of it it. Which is crazy because in reality, I am way ahead of the game and have most things planned. So why the stress??? I don't know but stress=tears.

The other night, as Tom was leaving my apartment we ended up standing at my door holding hands and pretending to say vows. As we were doing this, I teared up! Oh man! All I have to say is, Nicole you better have kleenex on you at all times (your dress has pockets for a reason)! Tom the same goes for you! Make-up is getting done professionally so it's waterproof. And expect tears - maybe at the rehearsal, maybe getting ready, maybe during the Mass and maybe during the reception. And at any point in the next 8 months and 4 days!

But tears are good! A nice cleansing! And often happy!

2 down one to go!!

So last night was Pete and Jenn's wedding! It hit be all day long about how we are next! Even though it is just over 8 months away it is crazy!! I am so excited but then I sometimes think - I am not ready for this!! There is still so much stuff we need to do. Some days I feel like we are on track and have everything covered. Other days I feel so behind!!

In so many ways, I want to be married now. But in so many I don't want to be. I want to take my time and enjoy these months of preparation.

That is where I stand - confused about what I feel. I know ultimately what I feel overall - excited, happy and so happy to be marrying Tom - but a lot of mixed emotions about wanting time to go fast but wanting time to go slow

Level 2-30 day shred

GOODNESS ME!! Level 2 killed me! I thought 'I've been doing level 1 for awhile now, not every day but I should be good.' YA RIGHT!! It killed me!!! But it felt good!!!! I sweat soooo much!!!!

Just my little check in. Life is good. Can't complain! Wedding 2/3 for Tom's family a week today!!! Then its a friend of ours and then ours!! yeah!