Fiancés Say The Darndest Things

One of Mr. Lab's most endearing qualities is the way he expresses how he feels about any given topic. I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of his more "darndest" quotes about wedding planning. They're like a grown-up version of Kids Say the Darndest Things!

On noticing Mr. Lab is reading Weddingbee more and more as the big day draws nearer:

Me: "Why have you been so interested with reading Weddingbee lately?"
Mr. Lab: "Well, I heard I was involved in this wedding somehow."

On naming our signature drink:

Me: "What should we name our white Russian?"
Mr. Lab: "The Caucasian Mail Order Bride."

On reviewing any of my DIY projects:

Mr. Lab: "Wow, that turned out way better than I expected."
Me: "Gee, thanks for having faith in me, babe." *sticks tongue out at him*

On writing the ceremony:

Me: "Hey babe, would you please take a half hour study break to help me write this ceremony?"
Mr. Lab: "How about you kick me in the balls for 30 minutes instead?"*

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On trying to remember another quote for this post:

Mr. Lab: "You should be writing it down every time I say something brilliant."

Yeah, if you didn't know Mr. Lab, you'd probably think he was a horrible person. But he really doesn't mean any harm and always says these things with a little smirk on his face.

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I can clearly tell he's joking and trying to relieve the pressure of an impending wedding. I mean, we all remember his little meat cake stint, right?

Does your fiancé say the darndest things about your wedding planning? Do share!

*He did, in fact, help me with the ceremony. And he actually got all lovey-dovey after the first meeting with our officiant made things more "real" for him.

Holy Crap! (And our first wedding-induced fight.)

We've hit the big 1-0-0 mark on the countdown.

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Okay, I'm officially freaking out.

To make matters worse, Mr. Lab and I have been fighting. And it's about something that we should not even be arguing about: the "need" for a wedding cinematographer.

It's a long story and I won't get into the specifics. We've finally come to a compromise and I don't want to open up any fresh wounds. But boy was it exhausting. He basically didn't see any reason to have a wedding film made, no matter the cost, because he-along with the backup of some of his recently married guy friends-felt like the film would never be viewed; thus, making it worthless.

To me, having a wedding cinematographer ranks up in the top 3 most important things to have on the day of the wedding. I didn't care what it costs (of course I'll go for the cheapest option I can while maintaining high quality of work). It's our one day that we've (read: ME) been planning for nearly a year and I wanted every moment captured on film to cherish for as long as we live. It's about having a record of our day for not just us, but also friends and family and the future family he and I will create one day.

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But once I began researching cinematographers in our area, I realized quickly that the east coast is lagging behind on people trained in this emerging wedding must-have. I get that there are options to have friends film for you or to find someone on Craigslist. But I'm a journalism student who works with a camera daily, so I have a higher standard than most when it comes to shooting and editing a "story". I also want to avoid any potential for regret due to hiring an amateur. Because of this, people who fit my standards ended up on the higher end of the price spectrum. This didn't sit pretty with Mr. Lab despite the fact that these options technically still fit within our predetermined budget.

In the end, we had a long talk a couple nights ago and finally reached a compromise.

Even though these cinematographers I found fit within our budget, I could still find ways to cut back in other areas to save money further to make the cinematographer "cost less". I could also continue my search for more affordable cinematographers before putting down a deposit without truly taking time to think over the options. Mr. Lab realized how much it means to me to have a wedding film and I realized how much it meant to him that we didn't spend out the butt for it just because we could (within our budget).

So I'm currently in contact with my photographer to cut a few options out of our package (like the rehearsal dinner coverage and bridal portrait session). And I'm going to put up ad on Craigslist just to see if there might be some very talented SCAD students who can fulfill my high expectations without draining our wallets.

But we also decided that if I can't find someone by the end of the weekend, we will go with one of the cinematographers I've already found because time is a-tickin'. Many options have already been booked for our day. It's now or never!

I can finally sit back and enjoy our 100-day mark with a little less stress weighing down on me. *ahhhh*

I guess this is what the whole "marriage" thing is about, huh? Compromise is a beautiful thing.

A "Real Wedding" Special

As promised, I am here to deliver a quick recap of the wedding of two of our wedding party members this past weekend!

The Friday before the wedding, we met up with the bride and groom for their rehearsal dinner at a local steakhouse:

All photos by me or friends using my camera. Click to enlarge!

Top: Me and Mr. Lab with Brooke & Jimmy.
Bottom: Brooke's family enjoying the show.

After dinner, the boys and girls split up for a night out. Their wedding was at 7 pm the next day, so they could afford to stay out late.

Brooke looking adorable in her Audrey Hepburn-like outfit. Must point out the too-cute Kate Spade bag!

The day of the wedding, I was appointed the "provider of instant photos via Facebook"-photographer along with official make-up artist. I took both jobs very seriously (and I have over 200 photos to prove it!). Armed with my bag full of MAC and my point and shoot camera, I made my way over to the State Botanical Gardens in Athens, GA (after FINALLY picking up my e-ring from its month-long hiatus).

The day was absolutely gorgeous and the setting was simple stunning.

Entrance to the Botanical Gardens.

Top left: The path down to the day chapel.
Bottom left: The plaza outside the reception hall where the drinks were set up.
Right: The charming day chapel!

As soon as I arrived, I got to work making the girls look as gorgeous as possible. Brooke looked absolutely stunning in her Anya Bridal "April" gown. She switched out the ivory sash it came with for a black one that tied into her theme better. She's planning on selling her dress, so let me know if you want more information. The bridesmaids were allowed to pick out any black cocktail dress of their choice.

Top left: Doing makeup for my second wedding! I did Mr. Lab's sister's makeup for her wedding as well!
Top right: This is one of my favorite photos from the night. I love how Brooke's BMs are all fawning over her!
Bottom right: I made sure to stay out of the way of the professional photographers by hiding way back in the bushes and secretly stealing shots.

I made sure to capture some details from the day that I now know as a bride-to-be took a lot of thought and planning to make happen.

Top to bottom l-r: The bridal party gifts (my tote has my NEW initials on it!!!), Jimmy's motorcycle bout charm, Brooke's wedding gift from her new hubby, the BM's bouquets/centerpieces, the "guestbook" that had an etching pen (HUGE hit!), Brooke's one of a kind modern-inspired bouquet

Mr. Lab stopped by to say hi to the bride before getting ready for his photos with Jimmy. He was really upset because when he went to pick up his suit from the drycleaners, they had already closed....at 1 pm on a Saturday!!! But he threw together a quick black ensemble (all wedding party members wore black as a main color). Isn't he good looking? ;)

I apologize for the flash reflecting in the mirror and blinding you! You might recognize my dress from our engagement party. I resisted the urge to buy a new outfit! Yay me!!!

Finally, it was go-time! The ceremony site was absolutely breathtaking. Just the venue alone was enough decoration with all its gorgeous detail work, but Brooke had the florist add simple and complimentary flowers to the altar and first pews.

Top left: Jimmy's parents ready to go down the aisle (Mr. Lab and I were also greeters and in charge of opening the door for Brooke's grand entrance)
Middle: A view from the altar
Bottom right: A view from the entryway

After the "I do's", we moved over to the reception site for the cocktail hour while Brooke and Jimmy had their alone time and photos taken (they opted for the aisle first look, prompting Mr. Lab to beg for that again!). The food was AH-MAZ-ZZZZZZZZIIIIIINNNNGGG. It was catered by an Athens' favorite, Marti's at Midday.

Top row is the dinner served while the bottom row was the passed appetizers. Sorry about the shot of the half-eaten bruscetta. I kept forgetting to take a picture before munching down!

Equally amazing were the desserts! They had a candy buffet (featuring my fave: Sour Patch Kids), the wedding cake, and a cheesecake groom's cake. I did make myself a baggie full of the candy, but I somehow misplaced it before the end of the night. I woke up the next morning grateful for this because I'm supposed to be taking my own advice, remember?

Soon it was time for all the key moments of a wedding reception:

Top to bottom l-r: The first dance, best man toast, cake cutting, sparkler exit

But during all of that, we had some good times dancing (burning off that dinner!) and enjoying meeting and mingling with other guests. Not to mention with the bride and groom!

Bottom left: Overview of the centerpieces
Top right: Bridesmaid Ashley's introduction (she's one of my bridesmaids as well!)
Bottom right: Brooke in her totally cute "Marilyn Monroe"-esque reception dress

I had an absolute blast at Brooke and Jimmy's wedding and can't wait to return the favor at our wedding in November!

Our Wedding Party Members Are Crazy In Love With Each Other!

Okay, actually it's just two of them and they're getting married today!

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to my bridesmaid Brooke and Mr. Lab's groomsman Jimmy. We've all been friends for years and cannot believe their day has finally come! I will definitely post photos of their black and white with splashes of red wedding being held in a day chapel at a botanical garden.

Brooke & Jimmy on New Year's Eve. We're so happy we got to spend our engagement night with them!

I met Brooke as a freshman in college and we've been friends ever since. I still remember the late nights we spent in our dorm rooms gossiping, watching tv, and hiding alcohol (shhh!) from our RA. Jimmy is one our former co-workers and one of Mr. Lab's former roommates (actually, Brooke is too!). He's actually willing to lend a hand when we need one, whether it be moving or fixing something that's broken.

When Brooke and Jimmy started dating, I knew it would lead to marriage because they're made for each other! Congrats soooooo much and I cannot wait to get down at your wedding! ;)

Save the Date Options

We've already hit our 6 month mark on the wedding countdown. Because only 2 people on our guest list live in our wedding city, we need to send out STDs* to inform friends and family of our "destination wedding" SOON. But I keep going back and forth on possible STD options. How can something that's supposed to be so simple be so hard to pick out? I'm definitely gonna need the hive's help on this one.

I've been bored at home all day because of the down time between the end of classes/work and my internships. I took this rare free time as an opportunity to narrow down the choices to 3 (for now). Here they are!

Option 1: Simple & Classic

This option would ideally coordinate with the rest of the wedding paper details. Because a damask print will be incorporated in the wedding decor, why not use it on all the wedding correspondence? This option would also be perfect for incorporating an engagement photo. The particular design shown is only $16 for a digital file and I could print them anywhere, making it the cheapest option by far.

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Option 2: Wedding City/Venue Theme

With this I would incorporate the city of Savannah or our venues. Maybe a train motif to symbolize Savannah Station? Or a postcard like this one from Etsy's turnofthecenturies that features Savannah's historic squares where we'll be married? I could customize the back with the essential information myself.

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Option 3: Funky & Fun

But who says the STDs have to incorporate a detail from the wedding or its city at all? Maybe they can just be full of personality and completely different from all of the other wedding stationary? This is a mock up of a Pose Print STD featuring me and Mr. Lab!

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I love each one for different reasons and can't choose by myself! So hive, which one do YOU think I should choose?

[Poll]

Option 1: Simple & Classic
Option 2: Wedding City/Venue Theme
Option 3: Funky & Fun
Option 4: None of the above. I have a great idea for a STD that fits your "Romantic Southern Charm" theme and will explain/post a link in the comment section!

*I never fail to let out a giggle when abbreviating save the date!

Mother's Day...and FMIL's Summer???

Mr. Lab and I went back to his hometown this weekend to celebrate Mother’s Day with his family. I called up my mom to see if she’d like to join us for dinner (my treat!). So she and my younger brother made the 40 min. trek over to FMIL’s house. This was a good thing for 3 reasons: 1. I got to see my mom & brother 2. We could discuss wedding stuff with both mothers present and 3. I didn’t have to go back to my hometown and face possible family drama with my sisters. Win-win-win!

Me & Mama Lab eating at a Mexican restaurant for Mother’s Day 2009! I'm guessing my hair was all messed up because I downed an entire pitcher of strawberry daiquiri almost all by myself?

But I bet you’re wondering what the title of this post is all about. Well, starting next week, I will be spending a little over a month with my FMIL. I landed an internship at a news station in the town she lives in, and rather than find a place to live, she offered to let me stay in Mr. Lab’s bedroom for free. I’m truly grateful because I would not have been able to afford to pay rent back home and an extra rent during the internship. I will be working about 5-8 hours a day at the station and am not sure if I’ll be able to find a job for the month I’m there. Thankfully, my financial aid will take care of essentials like food and gas and rent back home, but that’s all I’ll have for the summer, so money will be very tight.

FSIL, FMIL, and I in St. Petersburg a few years ago.

Luckily, FMIL Lab is like a second mother to me. She and I have always gotten along and call each other periodically to talk and catch up. She lives alone with only her Cocker Spaniel, Tobey, so I know she’ll enjoy the company of a human, haha. Plus, we’ll get to do some serious wedding planning while I’m there!

Me & FSIL in Savannah during one of my wedding planning trips.

After I finish the internship in FMIL’s town, I’ll be off to Savannah for another internship at a station there. I’ll be staying with FSIL and her hubby! I’m so glad that we all get along so well because I will be getting to know them A LOT this summer. FSIL and I have bickered a couple of times in the past, but we both talk it out and are back to normal in less than a day (we have a healthier relationship than my real sisters and I). The best part is that I’ll be living in my wedding city for a month, so I won’t have to worry about traveling the 4 hours to get some essential items on my checklist taken care of!

The only bad part about the internships (other than not making any money) will be being apart from Mr. Lab for over 2 months. We’ve already discussed trips to see each other, but it’s going to be really rough, especially since we’re getting married soon after the summer’s over. I guess we’ll see if that old adage “absences makes the heart grow fonder” is really true, huh?

Could anyone else spend an entire summer with their in-laws without going stark-raving mad?

It's no secret...weddings are overwhelming!

It's 4:30 am. Why am I still up? Because I just got engaged (on New Year's Eve 2008) and I'm already falling into an abyss of browsing the internet for wedding ideas! I can't stop! I'm tired, a little hungry, and my eyes are starting to hurt from glaring at the computer screen. Yet, I keep going. I've even started my official wedding blog (hint hint: you're reading it) and set up my wedding website (found at http://www.mywedding.com/chrisandleilani).

This will be the place where I document every step of the wedding planning. I hope to entertain my friends and family while keeping them informed with all the decisions I make. I hope to inspire other brides-to-be out there on the world wide web the way I've been getting inspired tonight. I hope to keep my sanity by using this blog as a "catch all" wedding planning organizer (I'm a type A, ADD, perfectionist. No bridezilla, right?).

I hope you bookmark this blog and visit often, sharing your comments and suggestions along the way.

Here's to the official start of my wedding planning adventure! Oh, and Happy New Year's everyone!