In Retrospect

We're married! Oh-me oh-my we made it! What an unbelievable ride this has been. From conception to reception (I made that up!), it's just been amazing, and I thought I'd share a few words reflecting on what made the experience one for the history books.

To truly start at from the top, I must begin with the proposal. I was more nerved up for this act than I was for the ceremony itself, but I'm glad for it. It meant a lot to Ashley (and myself) that I did it in a meaningful way. In the months leading up to the wedding, this event would be reflected on many many times and analyzed for it's creativity, emotion, "me'ness", and most importantly sincerity. To half-ass a proposal would set the stage for a half-assed engagement, wedding, and marriage. So the stage was set for a "whole-assed" experience!

Whatever rules apply to planning a proposal also apply to the wedding planning, but on a much larger timescale. While the proposal requires forethought and effort in exchange for meaning, this can realistically be figured out within weeks or even days. Wedding planning, on the other hand, requires months of attention and many sacrifices. Still, it should be a fun experience that strengthens your relationship with each other and with your families and friends.

I must admit that Ashley clocked far more time than I did on the wedding planning timecard, but nearly every decision - big or small - was made by both of us. We divvied up the to-do lists, did our things, and met back in the middle when it was time to weigh options. The result was a relatively painless (I daresay it was fun!) planning phase and an unforgettable wedding that reeked of our collective personality, and for that we can thank ourselves over and over.

To be a bit more specific, Ashley was basically the art director for the wedding. Virtually every decoration came out of her binder of wedding ideas and was reviewed and refined with me. From paper lanterns, to bird cages, rustic photo frames, flowers, and hundreds of vintage bottles.  While she was collecting and crafting, I was messing around in photoshop. After designing our Save the Dates, Invites, and RSVPs, I had some fun photoshopping our faces into the famous painting "American Gothic" which we used on our candy bar wrappers and as a sign for the seed packet favors. Then there was the task of finding (~140) photos to print as fake polaroids which would be strung up on a clothesline around the corral. With the help of Ashley's dad, we all painted boards with city names and distances as a tip of the hat to how far everyone had travelled. And I can't forget the first dance, which Ash choreographed and taught me in pieces over the span of a couple months. Each of these things brought us together, brought us joy, and gave us a deeper sense of purpose.


[video of our first dance]

Two people can only do so much, however, and when it comes to throwing a wedding and reception for over 100 people, I'm convinced the two people in question would have to quit their jobs for a couple months to make it happen. This is where friends and family can make all the difference. First of all, I should mention that Ash and I were lucky not to have bossy family members who insisted on certain decor or ceremonial proceedings... so crucial! Our parents made many suggestions and contributed an immeasurable amount of help across the board, but their biggest contribution may have been simply to let this be our wedding.

Some (and this is really just scratching the surface) contributions of our parents included the building of a natural wood arbor, painting of many signs, buying, cutting, and gluing candy bar wrappers, planting wheat grass boxes as a stage for free seed packets, preparing huge vegetable, cheese and fruit platters, making gift bags for all the guests at the inn, making a basket of emergency bathroom stuff, hosting the rehearsal dinner, and helping us pay for many other items and services, both small and large. Then of course there was all of the communicating that needed to be done which we were lucky to have help with. By the way, I really feel that our relationships with family and friends were strengthened by asking these favors of them. Not only did we get to spend more time with those who helped us, but they got to really be a part of this super-important event of ours.

We owe thanks to so many friends for their help with the wedding, and rest assured that if you helped you'll be receiving a thank you note. However, there are a few people who I have to mention specifically here because without them the wedding would not have been as special as it was.

Jackie "M.O.H. Extraordinaire" Donnelly made herself super-available to our every need, provided the beautiful bouquets that the bridesmaids held, photographed Ashley and I for the table-name photos, and wowed us all with an incredibly moving (yet very comedic) toast at the reception.

When I told Nick "Every Problem Has A Solution" Mosher that my grandparents would be stuck in a hospital during the wedding, he set his life aside and went and found a way let them be a part of the wedding. Without me even asking, he checked wireless coverage at the Inn and found that we'd probably be able to use his 3G phone as a modem to connect to Skype since the Inn was without broadband. In a day we had tested it successfully on our own computers, and the following morning I was chatting with him via my laptop at the hospital. A massive weight of guilt and sadness that was sitting on many of our shoulders was lifted.

"Reverend" Jonathan Welch, first of all, said "yes" when Ashley and I sat down with him and asked if he would officiate our wedding. He then did the legwork and paperwork to make our union official, and sealed the deal on the 21st by delivering the perfect ceremony -- ask anyone who was there. Few could have told our story with his timing and candor, and certainly no one with his perspective.

At this point I could go into detail describing the ceremony and reception, the tearjerkers, surprises and bloopers. Scott's and Chris' toasts, by-the-way, will stick with us for a long time - if not for their sincerity and the laughs, then because we probably captured them on video. ;) Anyway... I digress. The point is love, and the giving, accepting, and sharing of it. To all of you who attended, and to everyone who has supported us in our lives together: Thank you. You have filled our cups to the brim, and though we dare not drink another drop for fear of bursting with love, you pour on.

We get by with a little help from our family...

Scott, professional rustic sign painter maker extraordinaire.


We decided to make signs to show our appreciation for just how far some of our guests will be traveling.

 
Sneak preview of our arbor.


Fun was had in the making of this structure.

 
Ash smelling a very minty tree branch.


Marmaduke with some embellishments.

Hand-Made Good'ness by: My Dad!

Thank gawsh for awesome dads!

My dad flew in last Thursday and words cannot describe how fabulous it has been to have him here! My dad and I are two peas in a pod, and I'll be the first to admit that I am a Daddy's Girl. :o)  During my childhood years my dad was my soccer coach and braided my hair, putting beads at the end of each braids so I could look cool and hip like the Fly Gurls from "In Living Color." He taught me to fearlessly ride the waves on a groovy, orange boogie-board. He introduced me to every genre of music and was my trusty date to my elementary school's Father-Daughter Dance. Because of my dad, I enjoy tie-dye, traveling, and shamelessly acting like a complete spaz. In a word, my dad is AWESOME...and if you've met him, I think you'd agree. ;o) Needless to say, my dad is a *B I G* part of my life and so it's only natural that he take on a large role in helping us prepare for our wedding.

 No, that doesn't mean he's footin' the bill. On the contrary, Adam and I are paying for the majority of our Big Day, but all parents are contributing in some way. I would never ask, expect, or allow my father to pay for our entire wedding---not only is it old-fashioned, but I think it's ridiculous to be under the impression that Daddy should pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for every aspect of a wedding. Financial assistance is greatly appreciated, yes, but gee whiz brides-to-be, let's get a little bit more in tune with our inner feminist and take on some of that financial responsibility, eh? I could go to great lengths with this, but I digress...Let's  get back to the real reason for this post, shall we? We shall.

SO! Other than being the best dad in the world and being one of my very best friends and being the one who will walk me down the aisle in four weeks---which, by the way, is something I've imagined and cried about on multiple occasions for a number of years---I am proud to announce that my father is contributing his handy-man skills and making us a variety of awesome, custom-made goodies to go with our rustic and personalized wedding theme!

Tomorrow = Sign-Making Day!
From the get-go I knew I wanted to somehow represent my California roots. Stating the mileage from Chocorua, New Hampshire to my hometown of San Diego popped into my head without any question...but then we thought it would be fun to represent all the other major places our guests are traveling from! We've got friends and family from all over the map---California, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Maine, Kansas, Florida, Costa Rica---so why not pay homage to everyone's homeland? It's always fun to see how far away one place is from another place, right? Right! And it doesn't get any more rustic than old slats of wood (picked up from the side of the road and weathered to perfection), paintin' on 'em with white paint, and nailing them to a post. Stick it in a whiskey barrel and call it macaroni, woo! My dad has worked for years making sets and props for a theater company back in San Diego, so creating something like this is right up his alley and I know he's stoked about it. In addition to the multi-location directional sign post, I'd like to have signs like the ones you see pictured: one to put at the top of the dirt road that leads to The Brass Heart Inn, one that points in the direction of the ceremony, another one that points to the barn, and maybe one to lead guests to the fabulous photo booth that Adam and I will have set up inside the barn (*more info on THAT coming soon!).

Since early this week my dad has been working on constructing an arbor (with the help of Adam's dad, too!), which will be used for our ceremony---something quite similar to a "huppah", except we're not Jewish so I don't feel right calling it by that name. The Brass Heart Inn has one we could use, but it's one of those cheesy white-lattice ones and I just couldn't stand the idea of getting married under something so trite. Having a more natural-looking arbor was what I had in mind, and I knew that my dad would jump on the opportunity to make one. :o) The two dads collected branches from the woods of Salisbury and having been working their magic, creating us a special arbor which we have yet to see! They are anxious to surprise me and Adam with the finished product tomorrow, and I can't wait to see it! I have no doubt it will be awesome and better than I could have imagined, as this is something my father has been obsessing over for at least six months! Not only will it make for a picturesque ceremony site, but Adam and I will be able to move the custom arbor to our backyard and use it as an entryway to our future garden. Aww!

It means *so* much to know that my dad is excited for me and to know that he wants to help in any way, shape or form. Having my dad contribute his creative talents and personal touches to help us achieve our desired wedding aesthetic is truly priceless. Words cannot describe just how sentimental a person I am, especially when it concerns my dad, so I am thrilled about having his creations be a part of not just our wedding day, but the rest of our lives. Maybe we're not the first couple to have a family member construct something for the ceremony, or go with a rustic barn theme, but it still feels pretty great to know that NO ONE else in the world has ever had personalized wedding'y facets created by *my* dad. It's truly the little things that will make our wedding unique and extra-special, and I couldn't be happier. :o)


*Major props and thanks to my dad, as well as Adam's dad, for their dedication, enthusiasm, craftsmanship, and love!*

It's the final countdown....!

T-minus one month!

Woke up this morning and thought to myself, "Ah yes, it's Wednesday. I've got my running group tonight." But then after breakfast I took a gander at our dry-erase-board calendar and saw something in bright yellow ink:

"One Month Till Our Big Day!"

Holy crap! How could I have forgotten?? 'Tis the 21st of July and we are just four weeks shy of our wedding day. Let me just say that once more so it really sinks in:

WE ARE JUST FOUR WEEKS AWAY FROM THE DAY IN WHICH WE SHALL BE MARRIED.

It's kinda surreal, really. Am I excited? Absolutely! But stopping to realize that I'll be ridding my title of "Miss Ashley" and moving to "Mrs. Fraser" is just craziness. Getting married is BIG DOINS! It's like nothing I have ever felt or experienced. So really, the best way to describe how I'm feeling is "surreal."

I wasn't your "typical" little girl who dreamed about her wedding, wrapped in white bed sheets with flowers in hand. The *ONLY* things I have been certain of all these years is a) having my dad walk me down the aisle b) dancing my father-daughter dance to a Jimmy Buffet song  c) no roses. I've always known I've wanted to be married, but despite my brief obsession with Jonathan Taylor Thomas ( J.T.T. had *much* nicer hair than this Justin Bieber kid....), there was no guy I could really picture myself marrying. Truth be told, I wasn't too sure I was "the marrying type." I began to believe I would never meet my ideal guy, and so I devised my after-college-graduation plan: Buy a VolkswagonVanagon with camper pop-top; buy a dog as a trusty co-pilot companion; drive around the United States, visiting and camping in all the National Parks and figuring out which of the 48 continental states I ought to move to.  (!)

Thankfully, Mr. Adam Fraser---former internet pen-pal and long-distance amigo of three years PRIOR to our romantic connection---turned into a most excellent significant other, and now future husband!!!! Sometimes I yearn for the VW and dog and the traveling....but at least I know now that I'll have a life-partner with whom to share those experiences with, and I couldn't be more thrilled, grateful, and filled with exorbitant amounts of glee!  :o) Thinking about our wedding day makes me smile, simple as that---it's gonna be fun, memorable, and not a happy ending but rather a happy BEGINNING.

SO! Just four weeks to go and so much to do:
Get all the D.I.Y. projects done (and there are many a'D.I.Y. project to be had).....
Pick up my altered dress.....
Pick up our rings.....
Write our vows....
Finalize our ceremony lay-out with "Reverend Jon Welch"....
Finish our first dance choreography...
Make our final song list(s)....
Pay deposits (with what money!?!?)....
Purchase our marriage license at the New Hampshire city clerk's office....
Pray to the sun gods for fabulous weather for the duration of our Wedding Weekend.....  ;o)
etc.....

On the upside:
*We've received all of our RSVP's and can start working on the seating arrangements----w00t!
*My dad is in town visiting and building our natural arbor and other fun goodies for the wedding
*Adam is a super-essited groom-to-be, and that makes me so proud and happy and giddy---tee hee!

There's a lot to be done in the next four weeks, there's no denying that....but I'm not stressed out like your typical bride-to-be. Sorry, no Bridezilla here---I'm too busy with directing / choreographing children's musical theater productions and job-hunting to be preoccupied with minute wedding details. The weeks are flying by, but I'd much rather be EXCITED for our big day o' nuptials instead of stressed beyond belief, because what good is it gonna do being a moody stressball? I may not be a religious individual, but I have faith that our wedding day will be most excellent...and I can't wait to be married to my friend, my Fiend, my confidante, my teammate, my partner, my love..... <3

Glowing Globes

My, what affordable and lovely decor you have!

Came across the most outstanding web site for ordering paper lanterns of any size, color and design you could ever want in life!

Go here:
http://www.paperlanternstore.com

Adam and I both just *love* the look of glowing Chinese paper lanterns, and the calming ambiance they bring to any venue. We're most excited about bringing these relatively modern orbs of light to the rustic barn in which our reception will be held. What a lovely lighting accessory they shall make, hanging from the beams and wagon wheels that are suspended from the ceiling, and working in tandem with the white twinkly lights that shall be wrapped around the railings of the mezzanine!! We are certain that our amazing photographer, Shyla Dalirifar (www.shylaphotography.com) will capture the sense of romance and fun throughout the reception, and we couldn't be more thrilled! And I personally can't wait to cut a rug all night long under these little paper moons..... <3

Bling Bling

When it comes to big purchases, Adam likes to do his research....look at every option.....narrow down his choices.....do some more research.....try things on for size....not make any quick decisions.....sleep on the idea of MAKING a decision....and after some time, finally decide that a decision must be made.  ;o)

As I made mention in my last post, I already chose which wedding band I wanted; took less than 15 minutes! Went to Kay's and made my purchase tonight, done and done. I'm pleased to report, however, that my dear fiancé finally made his decision--AND purchase!-- just 45 minutes later. *HUZZAH!*

Both of our bands have to be sized, but they'll be ready for pick up in 2 weeks. Once we have them in our posession, I'll be motivated to sew a groovy ring bearer pillow for 'em to rest upon during their march down the aisle! :o)

Rings and things

We're bringin' our A-game..

We are just 6 weeks away from the A & A Wedding of the Century, and there is still quite a bit left to cross off on the ol' To Do list....It's time we really crack down and bring our A-game. *ba-dum, chhh!*

Yesterday, Adam and I went on a massive errand-running spree up in New Hampshire. It started out hot and sunny---Adam went surfing in Hampton, and I went for a run to the post office---but then the skies turned gray and the predicted rain began to fall. It certainly didn't keep us from being ultra-productive, though! We popped over to Gram's for a bit so she could alter the bridesmaid dress I'll be wearing on August 7th in Yankton, South Dakota...then we went to Michael's for some bouttonniere-making ingredients...followed by Best Buy so I could finally buy a new MP3 player (hooray!!!). Adam also got a groovy pair of slip-ins from Old Navy for $7.00 and a pair of new flip flops at Pac Sun, and ate a nutritious and delicious lunch at Fresh City. Then into the ol' Fox Run Mall we went, with the mission of finding fun ties for the groomsmen (preferably orange paisley).

Our search for fun groomsmen ties was a bust, but Adam DID enable text messaging on his cell phone FIIIIIIIINNALLY, after 4 years of textless communication. Then, much to my surprise, Adam suggested we pop into one of the jewelry stores to look at and try on wedding bands. *gleeful squeak!* Did my fiancé just think of something we had been talking about doing for a month now (and obviously escaped my mind completely)??? What a treat it was to have Adam remember a vital wedding-prep. detail! ;o) 

Anywho, we talked with Anna from Kaye Jewlers for nearly an hour---she was a hoot and she likes us as well; said she's "putting us down with an 'F' for 'fun-people.'" She was thrilled with the fact that all of our names started with 'A', thereby making us The A-Team of course. ;o) She was super patient and helpful, letting us kinda run the show and explain what we like, don't like, etc. We never felt pressured by her, and that's huge with me because salespeople typically drive me crazy (especially when they think I don't know what they're trying to do). Adam, the most indecisive man to walk the face of this planet, and me, a relatively particular and no-nonsense individual, were semi-successful with this wedding band endeavor. 

I believe I found the band I want, and for an *awesome* price too. It's a petite , 1/6 TDW chevron-style band with a cute beading lining on both sides of the row of tiny diamonds; 14k white gold band, to match that of my engagement ring. It's a small enough band to keep the engagement diamonds as the focus, but not so small that it gets lost. I think it's a lovely compliment; a happy match. "That was easy."

Adam tried on nearly every single ring, but for the giant mafia'esque "bling" and is still on the fence with the ones he narrowed out as "liking, but not loving." We both kinda dug the unique'ness of this stainless steel cable one, as well as the simple cross-hatch pattern. But I think The Fiend (aka: Adam) craves something more simple, and if he could he'd take the frickin' sizing band as his wedding ring! 
[no joke, Adam asked if there was a band that looked and felt as comfortable as the sizing band...LOL!] 

I've put in my two cents (i.e. no yellow gold, PLEEEASE!), but I'm very willing to let Adam choose his wedding band. After all, I chose my engagement ring and I'm choosing my wedding band as well. HIS wedding band isn't gonna be on MY finger, it'll be on his. He's got to like it. I'll let him take some time before making the final decision....but not TOO much time, of course, because we're only SIX WEEKS AWAY and I'd really like to have bands purchased sooner than later. Anna-at-Kaye's-Jeweler mentioned that once you order a ring there's typically a two week turn-around, so we really gotta place an order in the not-too-distant future!

Partyin' it up on June 26th...

*The Bridal Shower -- No Water Required!*

My bridal shower was a few weeks ago, but I only just uploaded my pictures onto my laptop, 

so here it is, the long awaited entry regarding my Bride-To-Be Par'tay!

It was a warm Saturday afternoon and Mother Nature was kind enough to refrain from starting a thunderstorm. The day of my bridal shower had finally arrived and I had never been so excited and nervous to go to the Fraser home before! All the build-up leading to this day had my stomach doing cartwheels, and while I still wasn't sure how I felt about opening a ton of presents in front of a large group of women, I knew it wasn't worth stressing over. Brenda, my mother-in-law-to be, went to extremes in throwing a fantastic soirée in my honor, and I kid you not when I say she had been planning this bridal shower since, like, December. The decor, the tasty home-cookin', the gifts.... EVERYthing was color-coordinated and tied in with our wedding theme of yellow, orange, green, and gerbera daisies. I couldn't believe how much work had been put into the set-up and preparation; I was truly flabbergasted and tried hard not to let the on that I was overwhelmed with emotion.

Cake reads: "57 Days... ...and counting!"  Kudos and thanks to Aunty Cheryl for making such a grand dessert!

It's a pretty outstanding thing, realizing that you are the recipient of an outstanding fiesta, all the while being surrounded by family and friends from both coasts and "showered" with nothin' but words of support, encouragement, and love. It was a happy celebration indeed and I think all the ladies there enjoyed themselves. How couldn't they?? The food was phenomenal and the ambiance was perfect: low-key, but cheerful.

My step-mom, Sondra, was kind enough to foot the bill for a rent-a-tent, just in case of rain. We got barely a mist toward the end of the party, but I loved having the tent anyway because it was so fun and festive...and matched the color scheme!

The gift-opening was a lengthy process, but I was ever-grateful for all the fabulous things I received! In a nut shell: 

* lots of orange (towels, kitchen gadgets, home decor!)

* many items from our Target registry (no shortage of Pyrex, hehe!)

* various items that weren't on the registry but are very "us" (fun!)

* Lowe's gift cards (hallelujah!)

One great gift idea came from my mom, where she gave each guest a stamped envelope addressed to me containing a few recipe cards. Each guest is expected to write out some of their favorite recipes and mail them to me so I can add them to my groovy new recipe box! Clever, eh? Looks like I'll be learning to like cooking in the very near future! ;o)

Above: Jackie, Alyssa and Julia engorge on tasty treats created by Brenda and Gram---mmm!

Right: Brenda saw this centerpiece idea in a wedding magazine a while back and thought, "Ooh! This is perfect for Miss Ashalilly!"  
("Ashalilly" is the nickname she gave me when I moved here three years ago)

The time seemed to fly by, and after the gifts had been opened and the food had been consumed, people started to trickle out. It amazes me how fast a few hours can zoom by, making it seem as though no time has passed at all. I felt bad because I didn't get to talk to all the ladies who were kind enough to come and celebrate my bride-to-be'ness. I can only imagine how quickly the time will pass on our wedding day.... Eeek!

Jackie, my Maid of Honor, had the great idea of providing magnets, stickers, and markers so that shower guests could write out messages of "love, life, and marriage." Adam and I stuck them up on our fridge that night, and I find myself stopping to re-read them often. SUCH a fun idea, Roomie---thank you! :o)

Though a good amount of guests had left by 5 o'clock (the shower started at 1:00), the party was still hoppin' and the young ladies who remained participated in the Toilet Paper Bridal Gown game!! Our dress models were Savannah (my cousin-in-law-to-be), Haley (my half-sister), and Isabel (one of my two flower girls). The designers had 5 minutes to create a wedding dress of toilet paper, and I must say that we all did a fantastic job under such time constraints and with such a fragile material! ;o)

My littlest flower girl, Annie, practiced walking down the aisle with my "practice bouquet." Again, my Maid of Honor did a pretty outstanding job in putting said arrangement together---it's fun, it's festive, it's sturdy. I can't wait to put it to use at the rehearsal on August 20th! 

All in all, my bridal shower was just right; I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate with all the females in my life. There were a few lady-friends and family members who were unable to make it due to work or distance, but they were definitely there in my heart and I'm excited to see them next month for our wedding!

To those of you who WERE able to attend,  I am forever grateful and fear I will never be able to thank you enough for all you did to make my bridal shower such a special celebration. I truly am the luckiest and have never felt so special This bridal shower really made me stop and think about how fortunate I am. Solely focusing on this bridal celebration, I am extremely blessed because....
*... my mom, sister, "aunty," and bridesmaid Crystal flew out from San Diego to be a part of this day
*...I am welcomed and loved by all of my fiancé's family and family-friends  

*...I have a good amount of female friends in my life that are all fun, intelligent, interesting, and lovey

*...I have four hilarious, amazing, beautiful and supportive bridesmaids who are willing to help with anything

*...everyone who came to my bridal shower truly wanted to be there

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! 

Shake yo' groove thang!

"May I have this dance?"
"Sure! But only if you're willing to pop and lock and shake what yo' mama gave ya..."

Joy of joys! Adam and I are on Day 3 of choreographing /  practicing our super-fly First Dance and already it's ridiculously fun and full of awesome (if 'awesome' was a noun).

I. am. so. PSYCHED! 

I cannot tell you how {thrilled} I am to be marrying someone who is so willing (and dare I say excited?) to bust a move. As a long-time performer and dance teacher, having a fun and upbeat First Dance has been at the top of my priority list. It would be a crime NOT to do something lively and untraditional, don't you agree??? This is why I feel so fortunate to have found Adam, my "perfect match" Not every guy out there is willing and able to appease his Dancing Queen wife-to-be in this arena. Thankfully, Adam is a guy who is comfortable in public and confident enough in himself to be okay with "acting a fool" every once in a while. Not only that, but he knows that to dance in front of people does not require professional training or being perfect (whatever "perfect" is)---it's all about having F U N. I have little to no shame and am alwayswilling to dance crazy-like in front of people, so it looks as though I was destined to meet Adam Fraser eh?? *hehe* ;o) Knowing that I'll soon be sharing the stage with my significant other is a very exciting thing for me---I just envision us doing our First Dance routine and a big fat smile spreads over my face! Never fails, every time our song comes on (admittedly, I've been listening to it on repeat on my drive to and from work this week--ha!), I feel the rush of happy hormones and get more and more excited over our dance-in-progress. :o) The reality of it all fills me with such glee that I can't help but feel giddy; I can't wait for the moment we are announced as Mr. and Mrs. Fraser and dance together for the first time as a married couple! 

The heat wave we've been experiencing in New England this past week has presented us with the challenge of keeping cool whilst dancing. [ Fun fact: we are cheapskates and don't choose to invest in A.C. ] Boy howdy, I kid you not when I say that our house is hot enough for a killer Bikram yoga sesh--it is just so damn HOT in here!! Luckily, the tile *finally* went down on the finished side of our basement just two weeks ago so it's a good 15 degrees cooler down there; makes for an ideal dance studio!  [EDIT (Adam): "Ideal" with one exception: head is a mere 4 inches from the ceiling which makes some moves kind of - dare I say - dangerous.] It's still hotter than Hades, but it's fun to be spending time together, dancing and sweating up a storm, and putting our creative minds and bodies to work. I'm wicked proud of Adam actually, not only for being open to learning some of my serious dance moves, but also for coming up with a few ideas of his own! Just today, in fact, he suggested something and it filled up an 8-count perfectly! *Good job, Fiend!!!*  I'm having a blast creating choreography that we can both do and have a good time with, and it seems like Adam is really having fun with it all---couldn't ask for anything better!

This whole First Dance topic makes me think about one of many reasons why I love Adam so much:

I love that he isn't afraid to be wild and zany with me; he's game to have fun and isn't scared to be in the spotlight every once in a while. He may not be a trained dancer like myself, but he accepts and respects our differences and is STILL able to have fun, and that scores him some major Brownie points. He compliments my high level of energy with his own unique energy, and together we make quite a team! Planning this wedding with him has truly been a joy because we both share the desire to have nothing short of an AWESOME time together with our family and friends. We want it to be memorable and beautiful, enjoyable and fun, all the while remaining true to ourselves. This, of course, includes lots and lots of dancing at the reception....CAN'T WAIT!!!

*Note: I'm sure you're dying to know what our First Dance song is.....and I'm sorry to break your heart but it's a secret---you're just gonna hafta' wait and find out when the day comes! I *will* tell you, however, that we're doing a fast n' funky dance, as well as the more traditional slow dance. Double-wammy! 

Las Flores

Florist: check!  (it's about time, I know...)

'Tis true, I had put off booking a florist long enough to make my mother-in-law-to-be gasp in horror...which later made me cry because I was fearful I had really effed up, and in the words of Modest Mouse, "truly missed the boat." Here we were in the middle of June and I had not yet booked a florist. For reasons unknown, I wasn't too worried about this reality and the procrastinator in me figured that it'd all fall into place last-minute, which was perfectly fine as long as there were actual flowers and not hand-picked weeds from the side of the road. I had faith that I'd stumble upon the answer...though I hadn't a CLUE what that answer would be. A professional florist that would cost me loads of money? Buying wholesale flowers from Costco or online and tackling yet another DIY project?? Bite the bullet and buy silk flowers from A.C. Moore in hopes of no one noticing the strangs of thread jutting out from various petals of felt-covered stems????

I'm a pretty outstanding procrastinator (which is what I learned best during my 4 years at UCSC), so again, I just wasn't worried about flowers for some reason. Why stress about a bunch o' flowers, right???

Well, when Adam's mom and grandmother showed GRAVE concern for my not yet having booked a florist, I became incredibly stressed. Just ask Adam--it was like a switch had been flipped and I experienced a minor panic attack and cried. I knew it was time to stop lollygaggin', and deep down inside I knew it wasn't too late to get flowers somewhere....but I think I was just a tad bit embarrassed. What kind of bride-to-be doesn't have her friggin' FLOWERS figured out just two months before her wedding????

So the very next day I referred to some notes I had jotted down back in January---back when  I was recently finished with graduate school and had no job, so time was plentiful and wedding planning happened every day (which has SO not been the case over the past few months, ha!). My faithful maid of honor, Jackie, helped me round up some details from two florists up in North Conway< New Hampshire and within a day and a half I had booked Adrien, The Faaaaabulous Florist of The Flower Drum! *huzzah* I must say, after talkin' with Adrien over the phone and paying my deposit, I felt ten times better. Knowing I had a florist to help make our day beautiful brought a sense of calming over me; how pleased I was to know someone else would be arranging bouquets and delivering fresh flowers to The Brass Heart Inn the day of the wedding. No stress!

Some "deets" (aka: details):
1. Adrien suggests the boutonnieres NOT be made out of gerber daisies because they tend to wilt in a rapid manner. While he has offered various options that go along with our color scheme, I'm trying to hunt down silk gerber daisies (that look real enough and aren't too humongous) so as to make the groom & groomsmen bouttonieres myself. What do guys care if their "flower pin" is a live flower or not? And technically, once picked and wrapped in sticky green florist tape, the flower is dead anyway. May as well make it fake... :o)

2. The price for four bridesmaid bouquets, two flower bouquets, and my bouquet isn't too bad...though I still need to figure out what the grand total will be once we add in the single stems for decorating the aisle and centerpieces. Many, MANY thanks to my faithful bridesmaid (once again!) for offering to help pay for the flowers, 50-50. SUCH an excellent gift idea, Roomie!!! *future maids of honor, take note!*

3. I'm drivin' up to meet with Adrien on the 29th of July. Yeah, seems kinda last minute, I know...and yeah, it probably is....But whatever, I have faith that this will all be fine. The florist knows that the only flower I want is the gerber daisy, and our colors are orange, yellow and green. Easy-peazy! They're JUST flowers, after all...why stress over pretty plantlife??? ;o)

Custom Made!

*Finally!* We can show off another fabulous facet of our wedding: the invites and rsvp postcards!!

I have long waited for the chance to share our wedding stationary designs with the world, knowing that it was going to be a great accomplishment and something worth boasting. ;o) It took Adam and myself a while to agree on the layout of the invitation, and then once THAT was finally accomplished, the challenge of creating the "perfect" rsvp postcard had to be added on, taking all the more time! If you don't already know, Adam is incredibly talented with computers and graphic design, but with this great talent comes great perfectionism. Admittedly, I was nagging at him from time to time, telling him to just "move on, it's fine!" because I was anxious to do this on the to-do list: design invitations and rsvp postcards

I knew from the get-go that we weren't going to go with some hum-drum pre-fab design; the DIY approach was agreed upon early in the engagement game, and I was both pleased and excited over the idea of expressing our creativity on the pieces of paper that would be sent to the home of every single guest. But we were pretty clueless as to how to make our goal turn into reality. All we knew was that we wanted to include a barn somewhere on the invite, and make the rsvp cards postcards because they make for cheaper postage! *rinnnnng riiinnnggg, money saving alarm!!!!!!* ;o)  Once we had a rough outline of the invite design, we then found it difficult to find a printing press that would take Adam's jpeg file and print HIS design on THEIR paper. *Curses!*

Companies like Wedding Paper Divas failed us, along with countless others that came highly recommended or just looked good in general, but after lots of time and perseverance (and maybe with a touch of luck), Adam came across www.pixxlz.com---an eco-friendly printing company! That was another thing Adam and I knew we wanted to do: make our wedding invites as "green" as possible, because we are all about the love, the peace, and the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle). This company proved to be two things: completely awesome and SUPER-DUPER affordable. We're talkin' ~150 invites and ~150 rsvp postcards printed for the low price of $105.00. No, I'm not kidding and yes, I know that is an incredible bargain. After reading in wedding mags that the average cost runs from $4 to $8 per invite, I can't help but feel like we're the luckiest S.O.B.'s this side of the Mississippi! 

So, without further ado, here are the stationary masterpieces, designed by my beloved fiancé  and printed with tender love and care by the amazing Regan Smith Clarke at pixxlz.com!  :o)

*  The front side of the rsvp postcard. I love it! It's so bold and funky-fun! And while it is a bit straight and to the point (i.e. "There is no way you can lose this, and please friggin' respond on time!"), we did include the word "kindly" so it's not totally screamin' in your face.... ;o) Love the font, love the colors, love the rustic-country touches mixed with modern funk.

* The back side of the rsvp postcard is fabulous too, don't you agree?? The meal preference icons were my idea, and we had a good laugh over the hilariously-stupid silhouette of a piece of lasagna (which was obviously replaced with a leaf to represent that it's the vegetarian option). The kids meal icon cracks me up, too! Stuck a polar bear postcard stamp on each of these puppies and DONE!

* The invitation is a 5.5" x 8" piece of cardstock. Adam was incredibly meticulous about the color gradation from yellow to orange to green, the rustic "wash," and the placement of the font. Speaking of font, we realize that it's not very formal...and that is EXACTLY what we were going for. The invitation should really reflect the time of vibe you are going for, and while we are mixing in bits of traditional American wedding, we are also uniquely making this special day our own and do NOT want our guests to think that they ought to be showing up in stuffy suits and ball gowns! The image is serene, the font is varied and fun; we went with a less-than-formal wording ( "Food and merriment to follow!" for example), and feel really good about this decision. What I ALSO feel really good about: This single piece of cardstock and a 4 x 6 rsvp postcard stuffed into a single large envelope only required a regular .44 cent postage stamp! No extra postage needed for being overweight or oversized, and no wasted paper with pointless inner-envelopes, velum flaps, ribbons, etc.  YAY!

* Today's Stroke of Genius brought to you by the letter "B" as in "Belt" *

Personal touch....

I am so impressed with myself right now (lol!), and just had to share this genius idea I had no more than 20 minutes ago.

(picture by moi) ---------------------------------->

What you see here is a practice / miniature version of my orange gerber daisy bouquet...wrapped in what used to be my grandfather's belt.

*Cue tears*

After my Papa Springett passed away in 2001, I inherited a few of his groovy pieces of apparel---some plaid shirts, a pair of pants, and this sweet leather belt with a Western silver buckle. While I was doing my Spring Cleaning two months agol, I came across my grandfather's belt. As I was putting it on, the worn-down leather in one particular spot ripped, causing the belt to split into two pieces. I was devastated. I took the buckle off and tucked it away for safe keeping, then I angrily dropped the two pieces of leather belt into an empty trash can. I couldn't believe my grandfather's belt just frickin' broke into two. It's irreplaceable. "What do I do NOW?"

A few days went by and I couldn't stand seeing the two bits of  my grandfather's belt in the trash, so I took them out and set 'em aside, thinking maybe I could use it for scrapbooking or some other creative project one day.

Cut to today: I'm tidying up around the house and come across the pieces of leather belt. I look at 'em, once again disappointed to not have the belt in one piece so I could wear it like I used to, and unsure as to what the heck I could do with these worn pieces of leather. Then it was like something knocked me right upside the head---must have been what they call a "stroke of genius"---and I started crying instantly, overwhelmed with memories of my grandfather and upset that he isn't alive to see his one and only granddaughter get married, but completely overjoyed with the creative thought that came to me. I dashed to the kitchen where I had a few daisies in a vase of water, and when I took 'em out I wrapped the longest piece of salvaged leather belt around the stems. The tears kept comin'.....I couldn't believe how awesome it looked and how fitting it is for the type of wedding we're having. It's rustic, it's personal, it's significant.....it's perfect.

Now I'm thinking of adding my grandmother's pearl necklace and having my deceased grandparents represented in this way, rather than the photo charms I was originally going to buy (or considered just making myself). I miss my grandparents so much.....but by having pieces of my them as part of my bouquet, it'll almost be like they are there with me and my dad walkin' down the aisle.

[In loving memory of Harry and Dodie Springett <3]

Antique aesthetic, programs, etc.

Old mixed with new...


I have always been a fan of antiques.

Okay wait, I take that back. A more accurate statement might be, "I have always been surrounded by antiques...and while I didn't dig the "old crap" at first, it grew on me and now I can't live without it." ;o)

As a kid I loathed stopping into antique stores with my parents. On every family vacation, whether in Northern California, Oregon, Wyoming, heck, ANYWHERE, we'd pull off the road and pop into a shop full of old stuff. It never failed. If they saw an antique shop, we were most definitely going in it. My parentals were big on displaying old rustic stuff in the house---i.e. old saws hung on our wall of the living room, ancient firefighter gear was proudly displayed on top of our entertainment center, and old tin Coca Cola signs were in our kitchen. Obviously I was too young to understand nostalgia or appreciate the art of collecting and adding a sense of "old" to the new....

....But my parent's habit and liking for the rustic, funky aesthetic clearly grew on me (thanks, Mom and Dad!), because there is nothing I want more than to incorporate old furniture and rustic good'ness into our Big Day. After getting engaged, the first thing I felt was the strong desire to have an abundance of glass bottles. I'm proud to say this mission was accomplished in just a few short months, almost effortlessly; we're talkin' various Rubbermaid tubs FULL of glassware! Since succeeding with my bottle collection, I've since been on the hunt for antique side tables. I sadly had to leave my FAVORITE piece of antique furniture back in San Diego when I moved because it didn't fit in my Jeep Cherokee, so I'm constantly hoping to come across another long-legged, small table with a single drawer to fill the void. So far, no dice.....but we still have 2.5 months, and MANY yard sales and second-hand stores to check out, so I'm not feeling too defeated just yet. ;o) Other rustic pieces on my mind: whiskey barrels, horse shoes, picture frames, wooden boxes, arm chairs, sofas, ottomans, an old bicycle..... Yeah, basically anything and everything that speaks to me.

What purpose will these things serve? I'm so glad you asked.
* The bottles are for the center pieces. (Note to wedding guests: sorry, the center pieces are not for the taking once the reception has ended. I treasure my glass bottle collection and, well, you can't have 'em!! lol)
* The side table(s) are to display programs, escort cards, food and beverage during cocktail hour, framed photos, etc. Nothing is cooler, too, than having living room "stuff" outside amongst nature---love it!!!
* Anything and everything else is simply for the love of rustic aesthetic and personalizing our wedding day.

My mind has been racing lately with ideas for our ceremony and what to print in our programs. Naturally the programs will be another DIY project (my, how my DIY list has grown...), but I know Adam is excited about them after seeing a fine example at the wedding we "crashed" last weekend, and I am anxious to get this creation goin' as well. I love the look of the simple n' rustic program made with "paper-bag" cardstock and tied with twine. Easy-peazy, and cute to boot! We'll most likely be going the multi-page route, just to keep the programs smaller and feel good about including everything that's important to us---family members, wedding party, readings, the deceased, etc. It's a lot to think about, but a fun project nonetheless! :o)

"Shoes. Ohmigawd, shoes."

The search for the "perfect" orange ballet flat has proved to be rather unsuccessful. Why must the only pair I like be $420.00 from Prada???  *curses!* 


As if our wedding didn't scream "Low budg'!" enough already, I popped into Payless Shoe Source today....and popped back out with two pairs of ballet flats, either of which have a good shot of being worn on our wedding day (which is just 81 days away, b-t-dubs).

While my heart has been set on finding a fun pair of orange shoes (preferably flats 'cuz heels suck--they hurt, they're pricey, and they're no fun to dance in), I opted to go ahead and buy the following pairs of shoes. Just in case I never find my dream footwear, I've now got these two options in my own closet. I couldn't pass up the ol' "Buy 1, Get the Second 1/2 Off" deal at Payless had goin' on---two pairs of cute shoes for under $20.00 is a steal! And if I *do* happen to find fantastic orange slip-ons, well, then I've got two more pairs of shoes to wear this summer. :o)

Shoe #1
Brand: American Eagle
Yellow stripes with faux-suede flower

I would be a-okay with wearing these flats during the wedding reception because they are yellow, unique, comfy, and stay on my feets when walking and dancing. Yes, I tested this while in the store; the sales lady was amused. I'd like to maybe add an antique orange button in the center of the flower, but otherwise these shoes are pretty great! Simple, yet feminine, and totally works with our wedding vibe.
(Note: The ant may be kinda-cute in this here photo, but I HATE that he and all his buddies have made their way into our house to escape the heat outside. Rogue ants can be found aimlessly roaming about in nearly every room of our house and it's starting to gross me out. Not only are these ants humongous, but I'm not fully convinced that they don't bite...)

Shoe #2
Brand: Predictions
"White Eden"

There is *no way* I would wear these just the way they are. I bought these shoes as a back-up option / art project! If I can't find a pair of fun orange ballet flats, then by golly I'm gonna make 'em myself. I'll have to investigate what's best to transform "Blinding-and-Boring White" into "Citrus Fruit." Dye? Fabric paint? Spray paint? Maybe I should just B'dazzle 'em, eh?? (hehehe..kidding.) If turning them the proper shade of orange is a success, however, I do intend to add some type of embellishment on the top, like a flower or a buckle, or maybe some rick-rack ribbon. I like the idea of wearing custom-made wedding shoes, and I'll be stoked if I can create orange ballet flats that are cooler / more "fashionista" than the ones from Prada....but we'll see how fruitful this creative endeavor is. ;o)

Yippee!

Dress Success (revisited)!


Adam and I went over to his parent's house tonight for a Memorial Day Weekend cook-out. *Delicious!* But after stuffin' my belly with some tasty grub and a few "adult beverages," I started to have frightful mental images of not fitting into my dress. 


So what do I do? Why, I skibbled upstairs to the Fraser's guest room to try on my dress and make sure the thing fit! I had to know. I had to put my mind at ease. 


And whattaya know?! My dress slipped on without any struggle at all, and looked better than I remembered! I stood in front of the mirror, admiring the cleanliness and simpleness of it, happy once again with the choice I made back in November. I don't appear to have lost any significant weight, but I haven't gained any either, so I'm pretty pleased...and just a little more than excited about my pre-summer tan (thank you, Florida!). 


The bride-to-be I saw in the mirror tonight brought a giant smile to my face---this dress makes me feel and look happy, beautiful and comfortable... and it just doesn't get any better than that, does it?? Now that I have total peace of mind, I have no qualms about puttin' my dress on in front of all my moms and bridesmaids at my fitting next month...and I can't WAIT to wear it on our wedding day. My dress is very "me" and while wearing it I feel like the lovely, healthy, modern bride that I am. 


(I like that I can say that with confidence. No, I take that back. I LOVE that I can say that with confidence! I am a lovely, healthy, modern bride---woo!)  :o)

Wedding Crashing

What a kickass kickoff to Memorial day weekend!  Ash and I headed North yesterday to "NorCon" — my HILLARIOUS name for North Conway — where we did a bit of outlet shopping.  Ash picked up a sundress and a cardigan at GAP, and I snagged 3 really nice pairs of pants from Banana Republic for about $10 each - normally I can't stand that place, but I lowered my guard since I was looking for a vest/pant combo for the wedding and ended up striking gold.  For bonus points I scored a watch that I plan on wearing when I go surfing on week-mornings so I can tell when I need to paddle back in and get ready for work.  Shawing!

After a quick jaunt downtown for ice cream (Ash) and a carnitas taco (Adam), we headed back to The Brass Heart Inn where we got hooked up with a free tasting of their dinner menu.  Sheena, the event coordinator for the Brass Heart, basically invited us to come and crash a wedding since it'd be convenient for them to whip up 2 extra plates for us.  Ash and I rolled in around 6:30 and wandered around, jaws agape, taking photos of every beautiful nuance.  We both fell in love with the place all over again just looking at the gorgeous landscape and seeing the lawn set up for the ceremony.  I'd blab on about it, but I took photos, and each of those are worth 1,000 words as you all know, so here are 19,000 words to paint a picture of our future wedding site.  We hope you find it as romantic (in every sense of the word) as we did.

Besides the site itself, the staff are just outstanding. Sheena and her husband are just the nicest, most down-to-earth people. The staff are fun, and funny, and seem to really enjoy what they do. Jason, the bartender, joked around with us about crashing the wedding while we were taking pictures in the corral outside of the barn. Later, when we had the courage to enter in the middle of the reception, he hooked us each up with drinks. Ash Sheena put it, "we love being around people at their happiest moments."

"Hey hobo-man, hey dapper-Dan...."

<-- Dapper indeed!

The search is finally over---we found the perfect vest and suit pant combo for Adam to don on our wedding day, and we couldn't be any more stoked about it.

{"stoked" adj.- to be "stoked;" to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilirated, or excited about something.}

So, I must admit--I was a bit discouraged after our fruitless trip to all the hoity-toity men's clothing stores at Northshore Mall and wondered how / when on earth we would find something we both liked and could afford. I still couldn't believe that my dress-hunt was next to effortless and we were struggling to find gray vests and matching suit pants.

But I wasn't about to admit defeat. No-sirree! So I scoured the world wide web, knowing that most stores don't stock all that their websites have to offer and hoping for the men's suits gods to smile down on me as I searched for all the required requisites: perfect shade of gray;  a vest that fell on the middle of the vest spectrum (which is orange life vest on one end and super-gay mesh vest with zippers on the other) and I came across this fabulous combo on Express.com. Hallelujah! I showed Adam, he gave the nod of approval, and I yelped a celebratory "Yay!"

We went to Express in the Fox Run Mall yesterday on our way up to Chocorua (where we were scheduled to crash a Jewish-Catholic wedding in order to observe how awesome our venue looks when "in action" and also taste the fabulous dishes that will be served for dinner at our reception), in order to see how well the men's suit pants fit my fiancé's skinny arse. ;o) He popped out of the dressing room wearing the gray striped pants and a white button up shirt (of course, the store didn't have the vests in stock), and I said aloud with the dressing room attendant standing there, "Ooh, Fiend! Those pants look good on you! I'D do ya...."  ;o) Ha!

So Express it is---yay! Placed the online order for the "Striped Corded Cotton Producer Suit Pant" and the "Striped 5-button Corded Cotton Suit Vest" and got a sweet $30.00 discount, thanks to an online coupon promo code. Lookin' forward to getting Adam's handsome garb in the mail in 5 - 7 days and getting a private fashion show.... hehe ;o)

{Bring On the Moms}

Exactly one month from now I will be hoppin' into my wedding dress at David's Bridal for my scheduled fitting... with all my mothers in tow. Yepp, my mom and step-mom will be in town because my bridal shower is the day before, and I'm gonna go ahead and assume that Adam's mom and grandmother will join in on the fun because, well, why wouldn't they? After the bridal shower, this qualifies as one of the most major womanly-bonding moments in history! Who would pass up the opportunity to see me stand on a podium in the $450 wedding dress I purchased?! Ooh! Ooh! And THEN watch as the seamstress measures how much material to take off the bottom because I'm friggin' short!? What would be even better is if I've gained weight and don't even FIT into my dress! Wouldn't that be a HOOT?! And if I do miraculously still fit into my dress....well....we can all just stand there and weep because that's what they do on the tv shows!

;o) I'm such a sarcastic ass. I'm sorry.

I know this is a big deal and I shouldn't mock it because if I DIDN'T have any of my moms, family or friends present for this "momentous" occasion I'd probably lose it. I had only my Maid of Honor with me when I was dress shopping (which I think disappointed my mom a little bit...), so inviting the ladies to be a part of  "Dress Donning: Round 2" kind of felt necessary. The sentimental heart inside of me knows that this will be a day I will always remember, simply because the major women in my life will be there. And how lucky I am to even be able to say this. I mean, what if I didn't have my mother in my life? Or my mother-in-law was a horrible human being that I loathed? I know that not every bride-to-be has a handful of amazing women in her life to dote over her as she tries on her dress just months before The Big Day. I should definitely be grateful that I get to share this wedding-prep milestone with so many special ladies....and I am, I really am. <3

Do I think my moms will cry when they see me in my wedding dress? Meh, it's hard to say. We'll just have to wait and see! Do I think I'll still like my dress after having not seen it / worn it for the past 6 months? I sure hope so!! And I'm praying that I haven't fattened up like a Thanksgiving turkey, because how much would THAT suck!? :o/

Off for a run....!