Bills, Bills, Bills

Well, the big day is fast approaching: 158 days to be exact!  With less than six months to go, the fact that we owe multiple companies multiple dollars is starting to really stare us in the face.  Eric and I have decided to pay the photographer ourselves, and we have our own other expenses such as wedding bands, attire & accessories, reception favors and attendant gifts, the honeymoon, and church and pastor fees.  To start sorting through the bills and decide who to pay first, I find it easiest to start with the most expensive.  We have been making payments to the photographer since October and now owe less than half the total amount.  Having a spring/ summer wedding also brings the perk of having tax returns to help contribute toward outstanding balances.  This tax season will definitely help us pay off some of our vendors.  It is now crunch time and we must really buckle down to save money and make payments to those that we owe.  Handling these balances one at a time and in increments helps keep us from getting too overwhelmed. 

Another great idea to help pay off balances long term is to apply for a credit card that has zero interest for 12 months.  I have been keeping my eye open for mail offers of this sort so I can put some purchases on the card and then have until this time next year to pay it off.  My dad really wanted us to have a destination wedding to avoid huge expenses, but I instead am having the wedding of my dreams and wouldn't trade it for anything!  I am conquering each task one at a time and have enjoyed every bit of the wedding planning process thus far.  Next items on the agenda: gift registry, suit shopping, and cutting the guest list.

The Dreaded Wedding Day Diet

Every bride wants to look fabulous in her gown on the most special day of her life.  She also wants to look killer in her bathing suit on her honeymoon.  Ah, yes, 'tis the time for the wedding weight loss!  There are so many fad diets and supplements out there, but I am a firm believer in hard work and determination.  With just over six months to go (I know, I can't believe it!), I have started to hit the gym and monitor my food intake.  Let it be known that it is NOT easy!  I'd much rather go home after work/school and indulge in pizza, pasta, and anything else that isn't exactly "healthy".  But, sadly, I've traded that in for whole grains, lettuce, chicken, and protein shakes.  I mean, come on, those extra 20-25 pounds aren't going to shed themselves! 

To help motivate myself and meet my weight loss goals, I have convinced my friend (who is getting married two months after me) to join me in a weight loss challenge.  Whoever can lose the most weight by May 15 will be deemed the "winner".  But of course, there are a few catches.  We have each decided to start a "sin pot", in which every time we commit a sin, we must put $5 aside.  This is an honest contest.  "Sins" include eating fast food, not getting four 30-minute workouts in each week, binge eating, and eating any other food that would be considered a huge no-no.  When May 15 hits, the bride with the most weight loss gets to claim the other bride's "sin pot".  The only way to re-claim $5 is to work out for 7 consecutive days for 30 minutes each.  We know the biggest reward will of course be looking lean and fabulous in our dresses, but who can't ever use some extra cash!?  Let the weight loss war begin!

Decisions, Decisions

I thought I had it all figured out.  I wanted to go with blue bridesmaid dresses- David's Bridal has a fairly new color out called Horizon, and it was PERFECT!  But after going to David's Bridal and looking at my options, I decided to go back to Atlas for the bridesmaid dresses because there selection was much better.  They had another blue color, called Cobalt that I LOVED and decided to go with.  Once I made my selection of the type of dress and got a sample swatch from Atlas, I took it home and showed my fiance.  He told me it was purple.  PURPLE!!??  No, no, it's BLUE!  Just a really rich blue, and yes, there IS purple in it, but it is clearly blue.  So now, I have a dilemma.  Eric (my fiance) swears that the color is fine and he likes it (I'm sure wishing he would have never opened his mouth in the first place), but now I'm debating between that color and another called Starry Saphire.  My flowers are going to be shades of orange- peaches, apricots, tangerines- and I think either color will work with the flowers.  I just can't decide!  What to do!?

Bridesmaids

Ahhh..... my girls.... gotta love them!  Today was the day for my bridesmaids to get fitted- it was interesting because two of them are pregnant, (and due one day apart in March!) so it is crucial that all measurements are accurate!  And another bridesmaid could possibly be pregnant, in which case she is holding off until next week to get fitted once she sees her doctor.  And my flower girl... absolutely adorable!  I chose three dresses and allowed her to pick the one that she liked the best.  She is 6 years old and quite the princess!  Everyone kept asking me about shoes, jewelry, hair, etc.... and my answer was "I don't care".  I guess I'm not that picky about what everyone decides to wear as long as all their shoes are silver!  I'm easy and pleasable.  Even the flower girl's grandmother kept asking me which dress I liked better, but I really didn't care, I wanted the flower girl to pick it. 
It is amazing to see things starting to come together... this is really happening!!  We all went to dinner later and discussion about the bachelorette party was brought up- it was weird for me to realize that everyone at dinner was there for me, and I am going to have a whole day of everything being about me and my fiance.  At dinner today I found myself thinking about how lucky I am to have such great friends and family who are all so willing to be a part of my wedding day.  It hit me hard that this is actually my turn for a wedding, as I have been in others and only been a helping hand in the process.
Tell me about your bridesmaid fitting experiences- did you have any pregnant bridesmaids?  I would love to hear your thoughts on attendant gifts as well- I am not shooting for jewelry, as I'd rather let them pick their own.

Planning Buddies

I am lucky enough to have two friends who are also getting married this year, one two months before me and the other two months after me.  It is nice to have others to share the experience and be able to relate with, because let's face it, the guys just don't get into it like we brides do.  Not only is it more fun to have others to plan with, but it has saved the three of us money too!  We have found that interviewing venues together has worked to our advantage- companies want one bride's business, but to get three at one time is golden to them.  They were definitely willing to wheel and deal with us.  The three of us ended up booking the same limo and DJ company and got a great deal.  Sure, there are other friends and family who have offered a helping hand because they are already married, but being at the same stage with your friends is much more beneficial...now we have each other's weddings to look forward to too!  And thanks, Kimmie, for being the guinea pig and having your wedding first... now I can find out ahead of time if the DJ sucks and book another one!

Bridal Shows

ATTEND THESE!  Bridal shows are GREAT ways for future brides to get out and explore many options, as well as meet the owners of different companies and view their work.  Did I mention that they provide lots of samples and many vendors allow you to enter your name in to drawings for discounts or freebies?  Hello, I was the lucky winner of $1,000 off of my reception hall!  It is possible!  Bridal shows are meant to be fun and provide you with an experience to get a taste of all involved with the planning process, and you can even eliminate or add "maybes" to your list.  Collect as much information and sample as many items as possible- you can then look everything over when you get home and either keep (filed nicely into your binder) or pitch what you want or don't want.  Bridal shows of larger scale can be slightly overwhelming- just pick a starting point and work your way from table to table.  It is ok to skip some if you are sure that you won't need that type of vendor for your wedding (ie: musicians, cake person if you have someone you know).  I highly recommend going to as many bridal shows as you can, especially the big ones.  Spend the $5 to get in, a $1,000 return isn't such a bad trade off!  What have you experienced at a bridal show that helped you make a decision for your wedding?

For Love of the Game

Picking the Date of the Big Day
It's the little things that are lost in all of the excitement of actually planning the day that most little girls dream about.  Who would've thought that deciding on a date could be so complicated?  Originally we had thought about planning a fall wedding- not too hot, not too cold, and generally a good time for a vacation for the annual anniversary.  Then the "DO NOTS" started rolling in... NOT during the World Series, NOT on opening weekend of football (college or pro), NOT the OSU vs. Michigan game.... and so on.  I then realized what I would be setting myself up for if I actually set my wedding date during football season/end of baseball season: a portable TV within the groom's reach throughout the entire wedding day, not to mention the difficulties of ever being able to plan an anniversary in which he might not be able to watch an important game.  Oh yes, how the Buckeyes rule his life every Saturday in the fall!  After realizing the madness I would be subjecting myself to with a fall wedding, we quickly changed our minds and settled on a late July wedding.  So it's smack in the middle of baseball season, but that's much more "doable", since they play so many games.