1 Month to Go!

I'm a fail-bride because the big one month mark came and went last week without so much as a peep from me!

So here we go with my very last monthly update...

Past Month Goals:

1) Decide how I want my makeup to look and purchase anything I need for that. Semi-check. I bought false eyelashes earlier in the month and tested them out. As for the rest of my makeup, I realized that I don't really care all that much. I have my hair and makeup trial on Sunday, and I'm going to ask for something "natural with some oomph". I think we'll figure it out just fine.


2) Schedule dance lessons. Check! We used a groupon I had purchased for 80% off 2 private dance lessons at our local Arthur Murray Dance Studio. We learned some basic moves like the box step, some swing, and how to incorporate turns and spins. We have another lesson scheduled for Wednesday, but if we continue, we have to pay $350, and attend 4 more times. We haven't decided if we're going to proceed or not.

3) Print menus and reception timelines. A big fat X for this one. I was going to do it, but then I found out I had to have the menus approved by our reception venue. After they were ok-ed, I just got lazy.

4) Print table numbers. Check! Ryan found a deal on Shutterfly for 50 free photos, so we turned my table number design into matte photos, which will be placed in Tolsby frames.

5) Frame family wedding photos. Check! Ryan and I took advantage of a frame sale at Michael's to pick up six 8"x10" silver frames to display wedding photo of our parents and grandparents.

Ryan's maternal grandparents

6) Create activity books for the kids. Check! I just finished this yesterday. We don't have a lot of kids, so I only had to print 6. We did them on our home printer, I used a 3-hole punch, and tied the pages together with leftover bakers twine.

Making this list each month has really helped me feel productive. It's so nice to look at a solid list of all the things you've gotten done, instead of focusing on all the things still left to do.

Other Accomplishments:

• I added wooden handles to the back of my chalkboard speech bubbles (which I don't think I showed you... they are props for our photo booth).

Sort of like this.

• I started writing my vows. I feel like they are suuuper long, though.
  
• I numbered all the cards for our wine box.
• We picked the songs for our reception. The entire bridal party will enter to "Marry You" by Bruno Mars (looovvvee this song), and our dance with our Father and Mother will be to "Hold My Hand" by Hootie and the Blowfish (we will all dance at the same time).
• I bought some cute gifts for our readers and our soloist (but some of them read this blog, so that will remain a mystery for now).
• We booked a trip for our honeymoon. We will be ziplining and riding 4-wheelers while in Mexico.

Source

• We tracked down every single guest who hadn't RSVPed. Thank goodness I'm only getting married once!

Every little item that I get to mark off our master To Do list gives me endless joy.

Goals for the Upcoming (and final) Month:

• Print menus, timelines, programs, and miscellaneous signage.
• Create OOT bags (this is mostly my mom's project, but I'm helping out).
• Send a day-of timeline to all our important guests and the vendors.
• Finalize seating at the reception and create our seating chart.
• Get our marriage license.
• Buy gifts for the flower girls.
• Buy stuff to fill the bathroom baskets.
• Pack for our honeymoon!
  

... that, plus a bunch of tiny little things I wouldn't dare bore you with here. Our motto for this last month is basically just "confirm, follow up, pay".

It's finally starting to hit me just how close this is. Ryan and I are heading to Illinois this weekend for the final time before the wedding. We'll meet with our reception venue to finalize the details, I'll have my final dress fitting, we'll meet with our DJ, and I'll have my hair and makeup trial. I promise to post photos next week!

Bad, Blogger!

I know, I know. I haven't written a real post in 2 1/2 weeks. Does anybody even read this anymore?

We are almost 1 month out from the wedding.
My map business is keeping me busy!
I'm starting a photography business. That takes up the remainder of what little free time I have.
Along with that, I'm still working full time (duh).
And, I ran a half marathon on Saturday.

So, pleeeeease forgive me for my absence!

Here are some photos from my Bachelorette party a week ago to make you feel less neglected...


11 of my awesomest friends came to Chicago for the day to celebrate my bachelorette-hood. I was 100% in the dark about our plans for the evening, but they made it awesome.

Obviously, we all dressed as catholic school girls. That was my wonderful Maid of Honor's idea. How fun. She hand-made all those pink ties so we would match.

Our first stop was an all-male revue. I don't have many appropriate photos from that, but I was called up on stage. It was super fun and totally mortifying at the same time.

After that, we went to a western-style bar where we danced on the bar and rode the mechanical bull (a first for me).

Then, we headed to another bar for some more dancing. I had to find guys to perform weird tasks like serenade me (the bottom photo).

We ended the night around 3am back at our posh penthouse suite, after I had 10+ drinks and an amazing time.

I never expected it to be as much fun as it was. And it was so cool that my friends from different places could all get together and get to know eachother... so now they won't be strangers at the wedding.

Stay tuned... I'll post tomorrow about our RSVP numbers!

Dance, Dance

Back in December, I listed some of my ideas for first dance songs.

This was before Ryan and I had even discussed it.

So after my post went live, I sat down with him, and we went through them, song by song, and made cuts and additions.

We decided we both really liked "You and Me" by Dave Matthews...



It's slow, has cute lyrics, and has a slightly more up-tempo chorus, which would be perfect for dancing.

Months went by, and we continued to ignore the first dance decision. Until I heard "Rhythm of Love" by the Plain White T's...



It's fun, playful, and a great dancing speed.

So which did we decide on? "You and Me". I told Ryan that both would be great... but I fear that "Rhythm of Love" will be overplayed by June, and when I hear "You and Me"... and I can practically picture our wedding video.

Perfection.

But our dance skills? Not so much.

So I purchased a Groupon for 2 private dance lessons at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio here in town. It's a $210 value, and I paid only $30.

We don't expect to become pros with only two lessons... but every little bit helps!