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....!

Daisies, ladies, food and gifts...

So, my bridal shower is exactly one month away. Adam and I got to talking about this last night over dinner (which, by the way, was a delicious broiled haddock with rice pilaf and green beans, and yes, this is a shameless plug for The Grog in Newburyport)....

My Maid of Honor recently sent out the invitations for my bridal shower, and I was quite amused by the fact that I got one in the mail---how lucky I am to be invited to my own Bridal Shower! (lol, thanks Roomie!) Now that the invite is hanging up by our crowded calendar, I can't help but think about how crazy it is that my shining moment as Bride-To-Be is rapidly approaching.

Though I am excited and most appreciative to have a bridal shower thrown in my honor, it's kind of bizarre-feeling to be attending a big party that isn't celebrating my birth, but rather a once-in-a-lifetime status ("Bride-To-Be"); to be carrying out this long-time tradition not as a guest, but rather the "main event." Additionally, I have no part in planning this get-together---I just gotta wear a dress and show up!? Sounds easy enough, but that's almost all Type-B personality, and I'm much more of a mix of A and B.... ;o) I'm sure once the day comes it'll just be a whirlwind of fun....but thinking about it a month in advance has got me feeling a tad nervous. 

Is it because I'm not entirely sure what to expect? Am I worried about who will and won't be there? Am I too unconventional for such a traditional wedding pre-cursor? Will I react appropriately each time I open a present in front of dozens of women? I would love for all who attend this little shindig to have a good time and be glad they came, not feel obligated to go and begrudgingly buy a gift off of our registry....but there is absolutely no way to ensure such a thing, so do I just pretend everything is groovy? 

Adam thinks bridal showers are Hallmark'ized....and I have to agree with him a little on this one. After all, the tradition of showering the bride-to-be with gifts started long ago, but did NOT include lingerie with "Soon-To-Be Mrs. Fraser" printed in rhinestones on the butt. Bridal showers can have the tendency to get a little out of hand, what with the cheesy games and favors, the lengthy gift-opening process, and the amount of money one might spend renting a space and feeding lots of hungry women. 

Nevertheless, I appreciate the fact that the bridal shower is a long-standing tradition, and thankfully it is something that can be tailored and tinkered with; there are no rules chizzled in stone about how to conduct a bridal shower. To each his--uh, I mean her--own! 

It should be fun to  gab and laugh with all the ladies, and I'm pretty stoked that my mom, little sister, step-mom and bridesmaid Crystal are all able to fly out from California for this event. How lucky am I? Despite the minor anxiety I feel prepping for this bridal shower, I am truly grateful for my ever-loving M.O.H. and future mother-in-law who are hosting this little soirée in my honor. I feel loved and special....and lucky to be a bride-to-be (though you won't see me advertise that in a rhinestone encrusted, hot pink camisole)!

Dude'ish Attire

Finding a simple gray ensemble for Adam & his groomsmen has proven to be more difficult than anticipated....

Shame on us for thinking it would be a cinch finding the groom and groomsmen attire---sheesh!! Who woulda thunk it?! I found my dress just one week after getting engaged (totally unplanned, I swear)---it turned out to be maybe the 7th or 8th dress I tried on, and I was afraid that maybe I was breaking some sort of rule, because isn't it supposed to be a ridiculously laborious task for the bride-to-be to find that "perfect" dress??? Yet, my wedding day attire has been hanging in a garment bag at Adam's parent's house since November....and here we are, just 88 days away from The Big Day, without *any* idea what the dudes are wearing!

Many moons ago, Adam and I agreed that he and his wedding-party lads would look quite dapper in light gray pants with matching vest, coupled with a white shirt (with rolled up sleeves, of course), a  fun tie (orange, yellow, or green), and  a cheerful gerber daisy boutonnière. With male vests proving to be trendy and accessible, (*mental image of Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "500 Days of Summer"---mmm-hmm!), Adam and I assumed that Men's Warehouse would offer a large array of vest-and-pant combinations to choose from...and if not Men's Warehouse, then certainly places like Macy's or Nordstroms...........right????

Wrong-o. All of the aforementioned had such slim pickins, it was almost comical. Sure, Men's Warehouse has a store especially devoted to tuxes, but their vest selection was shiny and ugly and looked cheaply made. That, and they didn't have a shade of gray to offer. Gee, neat. "You're gonna like the way you look---I guarantee it."  <---not so much. Hmph.

So off we trotted to Macy's, Nordstroms, and Zara...only to be disappointed AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN! Zara had some really nice vests (more than the whoppin' THREE that Nordy's had on the rack, or the ONE that Macy's had in a sand'like hue), but they were really dark shades of gray and didn't match any of the friggin' pants. *Le siiiiiiiiigh* The guy at Zara was super helpful in bringing out every vest they had in the back, and tried so hard to match it with all the European-cut pants (which fit Adam's skinny rear rather nicely....!)....but alas, no avail. And so he told us to check back at the end of June for their big sale (as if a matching gray pants-and vest combo would miraculously appear then???), and check online for their incoming Fall collection. (FALL COLLECTION??? In June?!?!? Friggin' fashion industry, you never cease to amaze me....and piss me off)

So, the hunt still continues for the perfect groom attire, as well as groomsmen get-ups. I'm so glad that Adam and  I are in agreement with what he would look good in, and we are still optimistic about coming across a pair of suit pants and a vest that are both affordable and wicked-hot. ;o)  A recent thought that popped into our heads: what if just Adam wore the vest---assuming we find one, seeing as how it's become such a struggle---and have the groomsmen don gray pants, white shirt (with rolled sleeves---don't forget!!!), and suspenders!?! That would be five less vests to find and buy, and who doesn't find a guy in suspenders totally irresistible??? It's not set in stone, but it's definitely a viable option....and it this point it may be best to have a Plan B, C, and D in case the gray vest with matching pants is just never found.

Overall "vibe" for the wedding party dudes:
* relaxed and comfortable; not too friggin' hot to wear in the August heat
* anti-tux! no black, no coat, no way.
* semi-indie / unique / untraditional
* handsome and fun 

Wish us luck as we continue our search for the perfect groom-garb!

"I looooove the flower girl....." -The Cowsills

Cripes, neither of us has written for so long---the weeks seem to fly by! Admittedly, we haven't been too heavily focused on wedding planning details in these past weeks, having gotten overwhelmed by social obligations, my birthday, never-ending housework, the daily grind of work, and then going away to Florida for a week-long get-away! However, the 3 month countdown is nearly upon us, so it's time to get crackin'!

One thing I'm happy to cross off the THE LIST: Flower girl attire

Our flower girls, Isabel and Annie, will be donning adorable, matching yellow sundresses, which their mom found on sale for $20.00 each at Macy's a few weeks ago. They are super cute and just what I was hoping for; couldn't have hoped for anything better, and I truly mean that. The girls will not only look cute, but they'll be comfortable in simple cotton sundresses. No stuffy-and-fluffy dresses at THIS wedding, boy-howdy!

I'm considering making the girls daisy crowns similar to this ---------->
I find the leaves to be a bit much in this particular example, but white and yellow daisies put together for a head-wreath are just so precious. Representing youth and innocence, I think it's just the right hair accessory for a 5 and 10 year old girl. I wore a head-wreath of autumnal flowers for my mother's wedding back in the 90's and *loved* it---I felt like a little hippie-girl / flower-child, and loved that I didn't have to have pounds of hairspray and bobbypins weighing down my noggin.

I wonder if Annie and Isabel would enjoy a wreath of flowers as much as I did....???