Tuxs are done

One more thing to check off of my list. John and I went yesterday to the Men's Wearhouse and picked out the tuxs for the wedding. Boy did I have to fight him on shoes though. He wanted the completely shinny leather shoes. They reminded me of the hidious black patten leather shoes I wore when I was 5. The sales lady that we ordered them through suggested ones that were the most comfortable. Like I told John. No one is really going to be looking at your feet anyways. Go for comfort. You are going to be in them all evening.

Here are the pictures of the tuxs. I found them.











John's Tux











The Groomsmen's Tuxs











Dad's Tux

Tiara

I got my tiara. There was one that has crystals all over it and it was beautiful at Bridal Exclusives. My mom called Elizabeth yesterday and ordered it for me for Easter. I am so excited. Elizabeth is going to call me when it comes in. I couldn't find a picture of it but as soon as I get it I will post a picture. Now to make the bobby pins we saw and find some jewelry. Those two things shouldn't be to hard. I hope.

I still have to work on those pesky invitations.

Sigh

I am still working on wedding invitations. My mom only give me a guess as to how many I am going to need. I keep asking for a list and she just says she doesn't know. Thats crap. I wish she would get busy and help me with that. I need to get one from John as well but that is a lot easier. I also need to make a list of my friends that I want to invite. I am thinking around 200+ people at my wedding. I think we are going with 100 invites but until I get a list from both of them I will never know. I also need address. Yikes!!! I think after the invitations we are done for a bit. That is of course after the bridesmaids dress that I think we are going to have made. Or at least the bridesmaids will have made.

We are looking for nothing to complicated. But I want them to have some type of strap and floor length. That way each girl can pick their own shoes. I don't want them to be uncomfortable.

Anyways, I hate to do this but I need sleep.

Night

I FOUND IT!!!

I found my dress. It was between two dresses at Bridal Exclusives. Amanda and my mom liked one and Elizabeth (my consultant) and I like the other. The one that Amanda and my mom liked was a little more contemporary with nice clean straight lines. It was pretty but it just wasn't my dress. My dress has a lot of detail, crystal beading and a detailed train. It is also a lace up back. I love it. Joanne ended up coming a little late because Aidan had a swimming lesson but she liked my dress as well. I guess they did say I looked a little top heavy but I don't care.

We went to David's bridal and didn't find anything that was close to what I found at Bridal Exclusives. I take that back. There are a lot out there that are close but nothing that compaired to the quality and they cost the same price. I do understand that David's bridal gives you a discount on the bridesmaid's dresses ($20 off) and I think like 15% off of the accessories. That would be nice but I couldn't pass up the way the Swarovski crystals glittered even in low light. Also I loved the service I got at Bridal Exclusives. Elizabeth was very attentive and didn't mess with anyone else while she helped me. She would have also been the one to ring us up had we not needed to go to David's bridal for our next appointment. Anyways, I went to David's bridal and the person who was supposed to be helping me was helping like four or five other GROUPS. I saw her like twice. Amanda got really good at helping me in and out of their dresses. To me that's pretty sad. My mom even helped me once. Anyways, I hated being there and we left shortly after we got there. Good thing to. Their bridal bra was making it hard for me to breath and it was the right size. Don't worry the one I got at BE was confortable.

Anyways, Long story short. It was a wonderful yet really long day. Today my body hates me and so does my tummy. I am starting to feel better but it has taken a while. Anyways, now for the invitations and so on.

Random thoughs

So tomorrow I hopefully find my dress. I have an idea of what I want I just don't know if it will cover anything that might be showing. I would like to not look pregnant in my pictures. I have two really good people going with me. My mom can some times be brutally honest but at the same time she will not let me walk down the aisle in a dress that looks bad on me. Same goes with Amanda. Joanne is coming later and she is a bit more tactful then my mom so that will help. It should be really exciting. But probably exhausting.

A few people have asked me what and if I am going on a honeymoon. We are and aren't at the same time. We are going to go on one but it will only be over night. I really don't want to take any extra time off because of maternity leave but at the same time we need something. That is why we are picking memorial day weekend for the wedding. I have thought about taking an extra day off so we can spend time with his family when we return but as far as where we are going neither of us are really sure. We are thinking about going to the beach but really aren't sure where yet. We need to make some decisions soon though. Yet again another thing I have to hurry on.

I talked to John this morning about wedding cakes. He promptly told me that I could take care of that one without him. I said fine that means more cake samples for me. I think he will change his mind. I really don't need his help on the cake decoration just the flavors. I am not always the best judge. Any ideas of good places in the Portland/Vancouver area? My brother went to Larson's in Vancouver and I have heard wonderful things about Beaverton Bakery. I need all the help I can get right now.

Anyways, back to work (finding wedding invitations.)

No, neither of the pictures are of exactally what I want. I can't show my wedding dress on here because I don't want John to see it and the cake is just an idea. Both are pretty though.

Dress day

Saturday is my dress day. I am going to two locations to find my wedding dress. I need to find it soon because I don't have much time left to order one. I am really excited about this.

The two locations I am going to are Bridal Exclusives in Clackmas and David's Bridal. To me David's bridal is a last resort. So many of my friends have purchased their dresses there and too many ended up with the same dress. (mental note: don't pick the same dress that you have seen at other weddings. People actually remember those things.)

I have heard wonderful things about Bridal Exclusives but the one time I was there to help Erica pick out a dress they were a little rude. Granted that was a few years ago and I am sure they have changed but we'll see.

Wish me luck!!!

Attendants

I was really excited about choosing bridesmaids and a maid of honor. Here are the three people I choose.

My maid of honor is my cousin Heather. She has been such an amazing part of my life. Especially in the last few years. Who would have thought that we would have become so close in the last few years. We started to spend more time together when I got a job in downtown Portland. She would meet me for lunch from time to time and sometime I would have tea with her after work while I was waiting for my brother to pick me up. Then she moved out to Beaverton. I missed our time together so much. It was hard at first but shortly after she moved so did I. John and I moved in together in a small apartment in Beaverton just down the road from her. That lasted about a month before the love of her life returned and wanted her to move in with him in Tacoma. That was a major blow for me. I knew I was going to miss her. But we are still just as close. She is the one person that I call almost every day. Or at least a few times a week. I don't know what I would do with out her friendship and advice.

My next choice was Amanda as a bridesmaid. We have had a lot of the same experiences in life and have really become closer since Clark. Though we don't talk as much as we used to she is still one of my closest friends. And I am honored that she wanted to be a part of our special day.

Erica Nemnich will also be a bridesmaid. This shouldn't come to a surprise to anyone. She has been my best friend since 2nd grade. No matter how long we are apart she gets me so well. I couldn't imagine not having her with me when I move into the next chapter of my life.

And my wedding day wouldn't be complete without Joanne my sister-in-law. I have known her all of my life. She grew up with my brother and they were best friends all throughout their life. Then one day my brother woke and decided that she was the one. I couldn't have a more perfect sister-in-law. And I am glad to have her in my wedding and in my life.

Our ring bearer will be my nephew Aidan. Hopefully he will be walking by then. I might just have to strap him into a wagon and have the flower girl pull him. He has a few more months to figure it out though. Aidan was born in February of 2006 and has been an exciting addition to our family.

The rest of the attendants John has pick or I do not know them as well.

Flower girl will be John's niece Julia.

Best Man is John's brother Ross.

Groomsman are (so far) my brother Roger and John's friend Jimmy.

Our minister will be my brother's father-in-law and Joanne's dad Keith. He did an amazing job on their wedding and I know he will be perfect for ours.

First Post

I wanted to keep everyone up to date on the wedding plans that I was making because they seem to be changing so often due to my new situation.

John and I are very excited to be getting married. I know he has been wanting to for years but I just wasn't ready. Boy doesn't that seem in the reverse but honestly I don't think it is that strange.

I will guess that I should start everything off with how he proposed.

On August 23rd 2006, John and I took the day off and we decided to go to the Chinese Gardens in Portland. They were really pretty but small so it didn't take us long to go through them and then we went to lunch.

Every year for our birthday's we go to Todai's in Pioneer Square for our free birthday meal. It is a great tradition. I got up to get something (I forgot what) and when I got back there was a ring next to my plate and he asked me to marry him. It was really special. I love the ring he gave me it has a little of sentimental value to him and now to me.

Months later John mentioned that he wanted to propose in the gardens but he got nervous. How sweet, after 4 years you wouldn't think he would have been.

Anyways, that is where this story starts. I had planned on getting married in January of next year. My wedding colors were going to be red and silver and the theme was going to be snowflakes. It would have been beautiful but something unexpected happened in January of this year to throw everything off.

In January I found out that I was pregnant. Yep, that's right. I am due September 12th 2007. I am not ashamed to admit it. I don't think I could hide it even if I wanted to. I am going to be 5 months pregnant at my wedding.

Oh yeah, by the way, we upped the wedding date to May 26th 2007. I didn't want to at first. I think I didn't want things to change just because of the baby. I was still in shock and I wasn't really listening to anyone. John had always wanted to get married earlier anyways. Well, my mom made a good point. There is now telling whether I will have post-pardon depression 4 months after the baby or not. For me that is a real concern as I have suffered on and off from depression most of my life. Well with all of that to consider and the fact that John did want to move up the wedding anyways baby or not, I chose to move it up.

So far that is all I have. One of the colors is still red. I am still getting married at Salmon Creek United Methodist in Vancouver. And my sister-in-laws father is still willing to be our minister.

Saturday I am going to be wedding dress shopping. Yikes!!! So much to do and so little time to do it in.

Salmon Creek United Methodist

All I can find right now is an old picture of the church but here is part of the church that I grew up in. This picture is from 1908 and this part of the church still stands. It had to be moved at one point because they were widening the dirt road that is next to it which is now Hwy 99. I did attend church many times in this small chapel but in the 70's (I think) they built a larger building right next to it. This holds a larger sanctuary as well as day care classrooms and other rooms larger meeting rooms. In the late 90's they also built on a youth facility with a gym and a few more classrooms. I was able to use this building a few times as well.

I guess the reason all of this information is past information for me is because I stop attending the church many years ago after I graduated from high school. But that means nothing now. This is where I attended Sunday school, was baptised, went to youth group and spend many wonderful days in other activities.

I look forward to a future in this church now that we are planning our wedding and intending on moving back to Vancouver.

We are going to have the ceremony in the larger sanctuary because the small chapel pictured will not fit everyone and the reception will be held in the gym. Sorry folks no alcohol. I guess I don't mind because I can't drink anyways. Maybe we will do something afterwards. Who knows?