6 weeks and counting!

Alrighty, my maid of honor is correct...a lot has happened in the past two weeks and I have simply not had a chance to write. :-) I've been a busy, busy bride to be, that's for sure!

Let's see...over the past couple of weeks I got the invitations in and they are beautiful! My lovely maid of honor, Ashley addressed them all because she has pretty handwriting...unlike mine. Thanks boo for all your help on that! They are stamped and ready to go, hopefully will be mailed out this weeks.

We are officially 6 weeks from the wedding today! Last week, I wrote out a detailed list of instructions for set up for Oakhurst staff and for everyone else. I want to make sure that no one has a question on anything.

I got the bridesmaids gifts ordered and though I'm in Blairsville today my mom called and said that they have already arrived and I cannot wait to see them!

Last Thursday night, Kathryn and I went to David's Bridal for alterations. This was the first time since I purchased my dress that I had put it back on.

Sweet Ashley is letting me borrow the tiara, necklace and earrings that she wore on her wedding day and when I tried everything on all at once I just LOVED it!!! I had forgotten how much I loved my dress until I saw it on again. I know for sure I made the right choice. I had to remember to ask the folks there about steaming and cleaning...and I had to buy a strapless bra. $79.00 yall--I nearly had a stroke. $79 for a BRA?!?!?!?! It's amazing how fast you can spend money on a wedding. I also asked the sales associate there for a deatiled description of my dress incase I need it for the newspaper...I haven't made up my mind whether or not I want to do that, but I think my mom really wants me to.

We looked it up in the catalog together and it simply said, "A satin ball gown with pick up skirt and halter neckline..." But the way the sales associate said it almost made it sound magical.

When I looked at the dress in the catalog I thought..."It really doesn't look that pretty." I remember look at the dress on the hanger in the bag and thinking...no way--that's not the dress....but when you put it on me it looks like it was made for me. :-)

It took a really long time to get all pinned up but after she was done I did a little Macarena and Electric Slide around the Bridal Shop. I said, "Well, I've gotta make sure I can do it in this dress!" HA HA!

I must admit, it was nice to get all the attention that night. There were girls coming in to try on dress and were looking at me and saying ooooh's and aahhhh's :-) Another mother of a bride looked over at me and said, "You look really beautiful, but more than that, you look really happy."

And I thought to myself as I danced and pranced around in my dress, "I really am. I am Cinderella and my prince is finally here!"

Kathryn was such a trooper while waiting her turn...she was so tired by the time they cam to her that she wasn't having much fun any more. Me and mom kept ourselves busy by trying on different dresses. Mom is still looking for something to wear to the wedding and I was looking for a pretty dress to wear to the rehearsal. I found lots of pretty things but they were all way out of my budget.

Over this weekend we had to cancel our studio session for the wedding song AGAIN because of the snow. Don't remember if I've written about that yet but Danny and I are pre-recording, "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" to be played at the wedding ceremony. Hopefully I'll be able to cross that off my list soon.

So because the canceling of another appointment was making me anxious I felt as though I must be doing SOMETHING productive for the wedding so I started working on the wedding programs. I created them myself and printed them at Staples. Because I am anal about everything I am cutting them by hand, punching holes and tying them together with black ribbon. A very tedious job let me tell you! I spent 3 hours on them on Saturday and got 50 out of 200 completed.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and Danny and I both decided on a different kind of gift because we are both low on money. Our wedding photographer offered us a really good deal on an engagement photo session and since we never had one we are going in together and buying this for each other. The photo session is next weekend.

So for Valentine's Day we stayed in away from the cold snow and icy roads and just hung out...watching movies, playing scrabble and checkers...Then I moved back the coffee table and had the fire going in the fire place and we cut on our song and practiced dancing for the wedding. Let me tell you....I've got a long way to go. We may end up just holding each other and swaying back and forth.... :-)

But practicing in the living room was one of the sweetest Valentine memories I think I'll ever have.

2 months, 2 days and counting

Things have been incredibly busy since I wrote last.....obviously...or I would've been writing. :-)

I am starting to feel the crunch of time running out. Ya know, the bridesmaids dresses still have not come yet! Yikes!

Lots of my little "doo dads" as my mother called them have been coming in the mail...my cake topper and some of my gifts for my little flower girl and ring bearers...my "Soon to be Mrs. Byers" sash for the bachlorette party....stuff like that.

I told someone the other day that if I didn't feel as though I had to make a list of instructions and detailed agenda for just about every person involved in this day then I might not be so stressed. ha ha...

But, you're dealing with an OCD bride, who has an OCD maid of honor...trust me--we're gonna do everything possible to make sure that this day runs like a well oiled machine.

Ashley and all my girls have been such a big help. There's no way on earth I could ever thank them enough for all they have done already.

Danny is starting to feel the crunch too...cause I'm having to get behind him to make sure that he's making sure that his groomsmen are all in line and so on and so on.

Our weekends between now and the wedding are filling up fast. If it's not an HH singing, then it's a shower, or party or dress fitting, or SOMETHING!

I have a feeling that it's going to continue to be very busy. I have had several folks tell me, "You know, you think you have so much done until the week or two before the wedding and then you realize how much you forgot."
And I'm saying TELL ME!!! Anyone want to share your comments about things you forgot? Maybe it will help me make sure I'm not forgetting anything. :-)

2 months, 10 days and counting

Things have been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!

Favors and bubbles are still not done....but over last weekend I made a TON of lists for everyone, a ceremony overview, reception agenda, photographer outline, DJ instructions, etc. And Danny and I spent a couple of hours working on our ceremony.

We put together and typed the whole thing up from the "We are gathered here today, --to You may kiss the bride!"

I went over it with Dad the other night and he kept saying stuff like, "Do you, Jenna Boo..."

I love my dad. I hope he doesn't cry that day because if he does then I am going to become completely unglued. That would just tear me up!

The girls have been busy planning the bachelorette party weekend thingie. I am SO EXCITED about that!!! :0)

I will have to write more later when I have more time. My garter came in the mail and I'm going to try it on!

2 months, 16 days and counting

I got a call from the print shop a while ago that said the proof for the invitations was ready for me to see. Can't wait to look at it!

I went by the post office to mail something for HH, and while I was there I over heard one of the post office employees telling another bride to make sure they brought one invitation fully prepared and weigh it before they buy stamps because most wedding invitations require at least a 61 cent stamp. Wow! I did not know this and apparently that bride didn't either because her invitations didn't get mailed on time because she didn't do it right.

When I stepped up to the counter I said, "I couldn't help but over hear your conversation because I am getting married in a couple of months. Anything Ineed to know?"

He proceded to give me some very good advice and helpful information. So, thank goodness I went to the post office today! I will hopefully be going to the mountains this weekend to spend a little time with Danny. I am hoping to get him to practice dancing with me. I need it before the wedding.

My dad, who is marrying us, brought home about 4 or 5 books yesterday of examples of different ceremony outlines, different sources he looks to whenever he is performing a ceremony.

Hopefully Danny and I can look through those this weekend and narrow down what we want.

Happy Friday everyone!

2 months, 17 days and counting

Well, when January 1st hit, the wedding stuff kicked into high gear around here. I knew once Christmas passed that the rest of the time would just fly by... and it is quickly doing so.

I have been sick the past few days. That's why I haven't written. I have been trying to get in the bed as early as possible. Plus, my computer is messed up, so different things I have to do like, type up vows, get music downloaded, create programs...stuff like that....no computer really hinders those things, ya know?

Feeling a little better today so I got a little bit done for the wedding. I finalized an internet order for a cake topper. (I ordered pretty silver letters,D & J) Also, Danny's wedding band came in and I love it! I know he will too.

Plus I stuffed about 50 favor boxes. Not a total loss right? lol My sweetie said he wanted to get in bed early so I'm trying to finish everything so I can hurry and get on the phone with him to tell him goodnight.

2 months, 20 days and counting

Wow, yesterday evening turned out to be really productive. I worked for about 5-6 hours on all three of my slideshows. I have one big wedding slideshow that shows pics from Danny growing up, me growing up, then all our pics together...

Plus I have two more slideshows that I simply took the songs for the Father/Daughter Dance and Mother/Son dance and set pics to them. While me and my dad are dancing pics of us through the years will be on the screen, and so forth with Danny and his mom.

My wedding coordinator from Oakhurst called me yesterday afternoon as well just to introduce herself and chat a minute. I got butterflies just talking to her. Seems like we've been talking about this wedding forever...and it's really going to be here SOON! I am really going to be a bride and get to have this awesome wedding. I just can't believe it. I am so excited and I feel extremely grateful that it's finally my turn. :-)

I made two copies of each slideshow--JUST INCASE :-)--then went to bed about 11pm. It felt so good to mark those things off my list!

I have not been feeling great today and I am very tired. The only thing I got done for the wedding today was order Danny's wedding band. But at least it's ordered and on it's way!

Nighty night everyone!

2 months, 21 days and counting

Let's see...

The realization that this wedding is coming closer every day is overwhelming and exciting to say the least.

Danny, mom and I just came from Starbucks where we had a nice little cozy meeting with our wedding photographer. I expressed all my concerns and questions while sipping on a delicious white chocolate something or other...

We chatted about the contract and all the details. The photographer's inital package includes 5 hours of wedding coverage. My biggest concern is, will that be enough time to cover everything? I mean, we want to get all our pictures out of the way before the ceremony, plus have some time to chill out before I walk down the aisle. We plan to have a nice, long reception with food and dancing, and tons of fun!

Mom and Danny argued that 5 hours would be plenty...but I always wonder, "just incase". :-)

I guess I just don't want it to be over so fast. I mean, I have poured my heart and soul into the planning of this day. It's something I will remember forever and I want to make it last as long as possible, without keeping everyone out too late.

Danny had to head back to the mountains this evening so I may kill some time by putting ribbon on some bubble bottles or researching the wedding programs.

Seems like if I worked on something every day for the wedding from now until April 1st then I might just get done in the nick of time! ha ha!