Hair Pieces: So many choices

I have so many projects to do today, including pick up our wedding rings, but I woke up early and started researching hair pieces. I've already researched this some when I was preparing for my hair practice appointment with Daphne, but it's crunch time and I need to pick something. I plan on wearing it half up, curled, and pulled to the side. Now I just need to find the right ornament. Thoughts? Our wedding is Mediterranean-Tropical themed, so I kinda like the orchids, but I originally love the look of the first picture.

Source: Etsy

I plan for my hair to look like the gal's above. And I also love the way her makeup looks, too. A little dramatic, but still elegant.

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy


Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Thoughts? Love or hate any of them?

Invitations - Lessons Learned

Our invitations are here! It has been a stressful couple of weeks as we didn't know when our invitations would arrive. We decided to get them from Peculiar Pear Press and worked with Dandelion Patch in Vienna in picking them out and ordering. If possible, I definitely recommend going there on an "off" day, which I would consider only the week days. Stationery stores are super packed on the weekends. I checked out Paper Source in Georgeotown, Papyrus in Pentagon City, Rock Paper Scissors in Charlottesville, and The Paper Store in Clarendon, as well as Smashing Cards (we didn't really think any of their semi-custom made were "us"), and finally D*Lish Design based in California. The invitations we eventually picked out my mother and I had initially seen in Charlottesville at Rock Paper Scissors, but it was a little early in early March and I hadn't seen enough invites yet. We would have gone with them, but my fiance needed to see them and we certainly couldn't drive back to Charlottesville just to see the invitations. Luckily, I found them again at Dandelion Patch, which was my last hope (mainly because they're in Vienna and we're in Arlington, but I'd heard wonderful things about them). We were initially in love with invitations by D*Lish Design, but when we received the samples, we were a little underwhelmed. They looked great in the magazine and beautiful online, but they didn't really cut it in person. Lesson #1: see invitations first hand!

I did like working with Dandelion Patch, Wendy and Debbie there were wonderful. It was Peculiar Pear Press that was a little difficult - as far as I could tell, as they wouldn't return Dandelion Patch's phone calls as to what ink colors were available or when they expected to ship the invitations. This resulted in a much longer process than we had anticipated in the proofing process. Lesson #2: Research in advance what you want your wording to be. It was difficult for us to find wording we were happy with because it's a Catholic ceremony, requiring us to use the terms "holy sacrament" and because it's a sacrament that we administer to ourselves, we can't say "to" (as in at the "marriage of their daughter X to Y").

Then, once we saw it in print, it didn't look right the way the words were spaced out, so we had to enlarge our parents' names and separate them with an "and", etc., etc. Be sure to pay attention to ink colors AND have several people look at the proofs. My mother caught different ink colors being used when I didn't. Lesson #3: Allow for plenty of time for the proofing process. Ours took THREE WEEKS. Part of it was because I didn't know Dandelion Patch still needed information from us in the very beginning of the process (I had actually already discussed this when we were there in person, but they may have misplaced the notes from the meeting), resulting in a delay of a week and a half.

Finally, now that we have the invitations in hand, the ink is still a little different from the colors we saw in the proofs, but it's a digital proof, and you have to expect that. I thought ours were going to be a little more pinkish-berryish, but they turned out more purple/grape. In the end, I'm okay with it because they look less girly and I haven't emasculated my fiance with our invitations, but still not what I expected. Lesson #4: Digital proofs are not the same as printed proofs.

On the positive side, we sent our final approval to Dandelion Patch on May 14 (sooo late according to my timeline) and they shipped the invitations One-Day via UPS on June 8. So we basically received our order of 100 LETTERPRESS invitations in THREE WEEKS instead of the usual five to six weeks. Perhaps it was because there were fewer (they actually gave us 115 instead of 100), so that's awesome. So, even though the proofing process took a bit, their production time was awesome. Maybe because I was a pest. Who knows, but I'm super grateful. Lesson #5: Miracles can happen.

I'll share pictures of the invitations in the next week or so once we have them calligraphed, assembled, and stamped. PS - I looooove the new wedding stamps! Way better than the Celtic looking hearts. No offense, they just didn't do it for me.

I Never Was a Jimmy Girl . . .

Easter weekend long, long ago my mother came in to town to visit and drop off my younger sister as she returned to London we did what we normally do when we're all together. We shopped. I had already been working weekends long before, but family were in and we had some catching up to do. I needed to buy shoes so that I could try them on for my dress fitting that is in just two weeks. I still won't reveal my dress until after the wedding, but I can definitely reveal my shoes.

Front

Back

Aren't they adorable? Meet Juliet by Jimmy Choo. She comes in soft suppler leather in gold or silver. My mother actually bought the same exact pair, but unfortnuately they are turning out to be a size too small. Size 6 anyone? The best part of all was that we got them on sale! You NEVER see Jimmy Choo's on sale. I have never been a Jimmy Choo girl (I kinda think his style is a little audacious for me), but these have made me a believer. The (second) best part of all is that they are super comfortable. But I should def start breaking them in. I just don't want to soil them. Oh what a sad day that will be (when I soil them), not when I wear them for the "first" time.

Photo Guest Book

On my list (it has been forever) is our wedding guest book. For the longest time I wanted to do a photo book and I almost used Shutterfly's because they were having a sale. BUT I misunderstood the sale and it didn't matter. Now that I've had more time to research it, I've narrowed it down between MixBook and Picaboo. I really wanted to use a photobook for a guest book because I wanted to take advantage of the engagement photo shoot we had. We love our pictures but after the wedding, I'm afraid that everyone will be oohing and ahhing over the wedding photos and forget about our engagement pictures. Of course, the wedding is probably more important, but our engagement photos were shot where we first met almost 9 years ago and also where Mr. Keswick proposed, so they're very special to us. Plus, I feel like the guest book will be more interesting for the guests. They even made some of my friends and family cry, so I think that's a step up above the usual blank lines and spaces. (Mr. Keswick was opposed to our guests signing a matted photo that we would hang. Not sure why, but I was fine with it.)

Has anyone had any luck with these? I like how neither make you download special software. I don't want to spend more than $50 on a guestbook and these are great professional options.

What really matters

First, I cannot apologize enough for my complete mia-ness. I know it's not new, but work somewhat exploded in March. It was 2 months before my work's annual event (I help plan a 3-day wine tasting & auction) for a national healthcare organization and we were down to the wire. Then, exactly one month before my event, our third colleague on the event left. My boss and I planned and executed 3 days of food, wine, and auctions. It was a successful event, but it of course had a price: my life for an entire month. Beginning in March, all wedding planning went on hold (except for our invitations because that was non-negotiable).

So, I write this "comeback" post with a heavy heart. No, my fiance did not leave me or cheat on me. My mother's family is rather large. She is one of 7 children. However, there has been some quarreling among them - a little bit expected when there are so many, perhaps. Then, my grandmother passed away in February and relations among the siblings have not improved. Now, my mother and her brother have only each other as their siblings refuse to talk to them or entertain their requests to make amends. My uncle and his wife still live in the Philippines. They are a wonderful and loving couple and my fiance and I were so excited to include them as our Primary Sponsors in the wedding. Well, my mother heard from my uncle last night who had been to the American embassy earlier that day to apply for their visas. They were denied. They weren't even asked any questions about why they were coming, or had a chance to show the invitation I sent them to include with their application, or the ability to prove that they wouldn't try to illegally stay in the states.

My mother is devastated and so am I. It kills me that now she will have no one in her family represented at our wedding. When I think of my wedding day, all I can think of is the joining of our families and what a wonderful celebration it is supposed to be. My father has siblings, too, 3 sisters. However, one cannot travel because my cousin is still in school and my two other aunts are coming, but neither of their husbands (my uncles) appear to be able to make it. When my mother told me about it a few weeks ago, I couldn't help but cry. Now when I think of my third uncle not being able to make it, my heart just aches. My fiance's family is huge and so many are *hopefully* coming to the wedding. But it saddens me that they won't be able to meet any of my family. Only when I find out that so few of my family will be there do I realize how important it is for me that they are with me on such an important day. I have always looked forward to this day because of what fun it will be and what it symbolizes for both our families. Now, more than ever, do I realize how much family means to me. It almost feels too late.

PS -- Happier posts to come. I promise, including wedding invitations, tastings, favors, shoes and dresses, and my first dress fitting! If you can, please say a prayer for my family and me.

Gorgeous Wedding Cakes

And of course, I cannot write about cakes without showing you all the research I've done! Check out these beauties:

We love the illusion effect of this cake. It's so unique!

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Not sure why they chose pillows, but still very beautiful and different.

Photo Credit: WeddingChannel.com

And one of my all-time favorites. I love how beautiful that "lace" looks!

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Where oh where has our cakery gone?

Last night I was so excited about our upcoming weekend. I had appointments at 9:30 AM (tasting), a break for lunch, 1:00 PM (hair and makeup trial), 3:00 PM (wedding invitations), and 5:00 PM (the second tasting). I had emailed both the cakeries our ideas for flavors and designs for the cake and was all set. However, this morning, Teri of Cakes Unlimited LLC emailed to say that she was worried she was not the best fit for our wedding cake. This was a crushing blow as she seemed so sweet, nice, and over-the-top helpful. I had really high hopes. She suggested I contact Mahila Creations and The Small Cake Company as they might be a better match. In so many words, she said: Most of the time, I can re-create my bride's vision for their wedding cake. But, when I believe that I am not the right person to do that, I would rather share you with someone who can make your dream cake happen. Your wedding cake is too important to me for you to be unhappy or disappointed that your wedding cake was not something you really wanted.

Teri was definitely still willing to meet with us this weekend and offered to assist in my reaching out to them, but suggested I taste the other bakery's fondant first before I decide to forego fondant (my fiance and I are big buttercream fans).

So now the quest continues. *sigh* I've contacted both bakeries, but I fear the lack of advance notice for these bakers. Unfortunately, it looks like yet another trip to Charlottesville. I think it's worth it, it's just somewhat frustrating, you know? More updates soon *hopefully*.