Don't Stop Me Now

I've had this song stuck in my head all day. "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen. I think I could listen to it all day! It is also a good motivational song, makes me feel like being productive. haha

Watch this wedding video made to the same song. One of the best videos I've ever seen! I must see!

http://vimeo.com/1531870

A Congratulations is in Order!

I'm so excited to be able to announce...

my Maid of Honor, Ashely is getting married!!

They are planning for a May wedding.

Congrats guys!!

5 Months to Go!

We're getting married in 151 days!!

Plans seem to be falling into place the last few days which was pretty unexpected. I am a tad bit stressed due to the start of a new semester and a new area for my job but I'm pleased to announce that I have got a lot of planning done during the past two weeks. I completed my Winter Break To Do list and even went beyond what I thought I'd have time for.

Now to catch you all up on what has been going on:

Our cake topper is officially here! We had a problem with the one we ordered a few months back (they sent us Christmas ornaments instead!) but Ben reordered it last week and it arrived yesterday. It looks great, but it is a secret... sorry!

Invitations are looking AWESOME!

Here is a behind the scenes glance at the invitations.

The map (above) took me about 3 hours to create!

There are 5 invitation inserts in all and all of them are designed. 2 are already printed, cut and ready to go. We are hoping to get our wedding time line finalized this week so I can print the rest of the cards. I'm hoping to have the invitations done by the beginning of next month so I can cross this HUGE project off my list! The envelopes came in yesterday too! So I get to start addressing those this weekend. I'm getting sooo excited to send them out (in a couple months!)

Bridesmaid News! Over break my bridesmaids picked out their dresses and they are ordered. It was quite the eventful afternoon when four of my bridesmaids tried to pick out their dresses. David's Bridal was PACKED and nothing the girls tried on seemed to work for them. After a couple hours and a change from the original plans, everyone went home happy. Which is all I could really ask for. My Maid of Honor wasn't able to join us but she was able to order her dress a few days later.

Ashely, Lauren, Eryn/Alyssa, Raena

Photographer! We finally have one! We are booking them on Thursday. This took WAY longer than I thought but I'm so happy with our decision. We really tried to get this one company but they NEVER returned our calls. In the end we felt like if we couldn't depend on them to call us back how can we depend on them to be our photographer.

Tuxes! Ben picked out what kind of tuxes he wants his boys to wear. Now he has to register everyone at Men's Warehouse (where the guys get 10% off their tux and Ben gets his free!) and then they all have to get fitted.

I'm sure I am missing alot but that will get you caught up a bit. I went to a Bridal Show this past weekend and I believe we found a DJ, looking to next weekend. Also I found a florist I like but I need to make an appointment to meet with them and check on prices. Hoping to get that all done SOON!

Love you all!

Bridal Shower #1

A Bridal Shower

marks a very special time

in the lives of those in love.

It's enjoying

happy moments

with friends and family,

sharing the anticipation

of a beautiful future -

celebrating love!

Ben's aunts, Julie and Addi threw me a bridal shower over Christmas break. I was a little nervous about having to open gifts in front of everyone but that was all forgotten the moment I walked into the house. I had so much fun during the shower. Celebrating our upcoming wedding with family and friends was so wonderful.

Here is a look at some of the fun we had:

Checking out the yummy food.

That's our flower girl in front of me, Ms. Lydia!

The beautiful cake Aunty Ju made.

Then I had to cut the beautiful cake. :(

The Games!

1. Why Do We Do That: Matching different customs to the reason why we do them.

2. 50 Years Later: We matched pictures of a couple on their wedding day and then 50 years later.

3. Ben and I answered 20 questions and the guests had to try and guess what our answers.

Playing games.

Starting to open gifts.

Checking out the blender!

Ben's family (Mom, Grandma, Aunt)

I got a sewing machine from my mom and Ben's mom!

I was just a tad bit excited!

And sewing accessories from Ben's sisters.

Lauren and Addie got me cookie cutters and cookie decorating items.

Lauren also wrote out a few of her favorite cookie recipes.

Alyssa started my rehearsal bouquet.

I get to add to it in April.

The biggest surprise of the night came when Aunty Ju

game me Thank You cards that were addressed

and stamped. What a great idea!

Here is a glimpse at the gifts I received.

Thanks to all who attended!

Christmas Break?

Christmas Break is a time to relax, but not for us!! I have decided to rename Christmas Break to Wedding Catch-Up!

We have registered somewhere else!

Ben and I have always talked about registering at Target but after researching it a bit I wasn't too happy with their return policy. Well they have recently changed their policy so last week Ben and I registered there! Kohl's is great for their bedroom/bathroom/kitchen selections but not much else. At Target we can find a lot of other things that is on our "wish list."

The Wedding To Do List:

Put together invitations... check

Design invitation inserts... 3/4 are done!

Design, cut and mount monogram for invitations... check

Design table markers... check

Design program cover... check

Wedding favor design... check

Still on the list for the next 2.5 weeks:

Pick up my wedding dress

Keep plugging away at invitations

Start making the table markers

Bridesmaid dress shopping with 4/5 bridesmaids

1/2 Bridal showers! Yeah!

2/4 premarital counseling class

I am never bored that is for sure! This whole process has been a blast so far and this next week is going to be so much fun! It will be a busy one filled with family and fun activities so I wanted to touch base quickly on the blog because I'm not sure when I'll be on next. :)

Blizzards, Invitations and Cutting, Oh my!

This is what I woke up to on what was suppose to be my last final of the semester.

This is my window!

I had to walk through this numerous times and some is past my knee!

Today, December 9th is our first snow day!

The only thing to do on a day like this? Get back into my PJs, throw in a movie, and work on a wedding project. Since invitations are going to probably take the most time, I've decided to get a head start. So far I have scored and folded all of them and am now in the process of cutting them and taping them together. The perfect project for a Snow Day? I think so! :)

Just after scoring and folding the invitations.

About 60% of them all ready for the next step!

Before & After cutting

All taped up!

The bottom is a pocket for all the reception and hotel information.

The middle is for the ceremony details.

The top is the fold that lays on top.

Now all I have to do is cut all of the invitations and tape them together!

Happy Snow Day!

Meet the Groomsmen!

Here they are!

Best man, Eric
with his wife (my bridesmaid, Lauren a month before Addison was born!)



The Groomsmen!

Jessica's brother, Justin




Ben's brother, Casey

Friend, Lance





Friend, Rich

It's HERE!

I ordered the paper for our invitations on Monday night and got it today!! The paper came in a hefty box and I was too excited to wait longer then .2 seconds after FedEx dropped it off! Everything looks great! Here's a glimpse!

In order to get the paper size that we needed they had to use REALLY long pieces of paper so they gave us what they didn't use. That paper is going to be used for SO many other aspects of our wedding.

Here is the paper we are using for the invitations!
In a few weeks they will be transformed!! :)

Busy Busy Busy

We have been so busy that our blog has been neglected a bit. Here is an update on our planning!



Paper and ribbon for our invitations were ordered on Monday! We ordered the paper from Anchor Paper (http://www.anchorpaper.com/) and ribbon from http://www.save-on-crafts.com. Those will be constructed over our semester break.



Our cake topper is ordered! Ben picked it out and it represents us as a couple quite well! :D We received it in the mail but Ben opened it and found they sent us Christmas ornaments instead so we are currently waiting to get our cake topper.



Bridal Showers are being planned! My first one is being planned by Ben's Aunts Ju and Addi and will take place on December 29. It is happening so early so Ben's older sisters can attend. My mom is making the trip down and I am really looking forward to everyone getting to meet her. My mom (with help from my aunts and Grandma) are planning a shower in my hometown on April 17th.



Save the Dates are here and stuffed into their envelopes! They are ready to go out in the mail soon! And the most exciting news that I have to share is... I said YES to the dress! Along with my mom, two aunts, cousin, my Maid of Honor and Grandma we traveled to David's Bridal where I tried on quite a few dresses but when it was all said and done #3 was the magic number! No behind the scenes look on the dress though! I want to share details with all of you but this is one I'm trying to hold back on a bit! But we did purchase a dress (thanks Mom!) and we are picking it up on December 23rd. What a great Christmas gift! I'm bringing it down state with me when Ben and I head to his house for Christmas so I can show his family! I can't wait to share this with them! My Maid of Honor (MOH) also tried on dresses and we choose a dress. She will be in Marine (Dark Blue) and the rest of the bridesmaids will be in Truffle (Deep Brown). They are going dress shopping in December.



There is a quick update!! I'll try to update a little more often, once the semester is over I hope to be on here more!

Meet the Bridesmaids!

Maid of Honor - Ashely


Bridesmaid - Lauren


Bridesmaids - Alyssa, Eryn, Raena (left to right)

There are my beautiful ladies! I can't wait to marry Ben with them by my side!

(Still To Come: The Groomsmen! Ben still has to talk to two more before I can share them! :D)

Engagement Pictures (Part 1)

We asked a friend of ours to take a few pictures of us. We had a little photo shoot this past Sunday and they turned out great. We still have a ton more to take but it was too cold and windy to stay outside for too long. Here is a sneak peek of some of the fun we had. The numbers are going to be used for a future project. Enjoy!

Save the Date!

June 12, 2010

Service will be held at Redeemer Lutheran.
Reception to be held at Marquette Mountain Ski Lodge.

After a few weeks of frustration, everything has finally worked out! Now unto the photographer! :D

Save the Date (Almost)....

We have decided we are going with Marquette Mountain Ski Resort as our reception location (see previous post). We talked with Pastor Weber at Redeemer Lutheran Church this afternoon and will know in about a week if we can get married there. He has to speak with the Church Elders before we can say for sure. Pastor Weber has a conference to go to early next week but hopefully before next weekend we will have a date (finally!). It has been a long road to get to this point and we are so thankful that things seem to be finally working in our favor! The next post we'll announce the date for our wedding! Keep checking in!

Reception Site Inspection

The buffet and bar area.

Part of the reception area with a deck on the left side and the dance floor in the back.

Rest of the reception area with the gigantic wood beam that we will have
to find a way to work around. The head table is closest to the right.

Buffet Table: two lines and it takes around 25 minutes to get 150 people through.

Area behind the bar/buffet area for socializing.

Head Table: set for 18! Yikes!

There were four TVs around the room to use during the reception.

Ben and I went to our local ski resort, Marquette Mountain as a possible location for our reception. It was recommended by my co-worker because he had a great experience there when they got married. Overall, we were happy with it. There were a few issues that kind of bothered us but we'll work with it if needed be. There were two big wooden beams that made it difficult for everyone to see the head table. Also the chairs were quite small and plastic. They don't look very comfortable especially for the guests who may remain seated for most of the evening.

Some things we liked: we don't have to clean up! He will package everything up for us and we can pick it up on Monday. All we have to worry about is taking the gifts and the left-over food. In most cases we should be able to decorate the day before. So far only one date is chosen for the months of May and June which leaves a lot of options open. We can be penciled in for a date until we decide for sure if this is where we are going to hold the reception which is also a great option.

Overall, the guy who helped us was very accommodating. He made us feel that whatever we wanted to do he would find a way to make it work. He does alot of the work himself: cooks, set-up, take-down and helps us out during the decorating. We are going to do a little more researching and we'll let you all know soon what we decide!