Bride to Be

Wedding Favors!

2008-11-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

I have recently received some awesome wedding favors from beau coup! They gave me some really great ideas. I want to have something unique to offer our guests as little gifts. One my favorite ideas are the mini martini shakers. My friends and I are HUGE dirty martini drinkers, so this is right up our alley! This will definitely be a part of my wedding shower! My sister loves the idea too! I like it because this is the kind of gift that will not be going to waste! They also sent me some beautiful blown glass pens which I think this is a great idea to have the guests use to sign in at our wedding. Another more traditional idea is to have your name printed on the mini champagne bottles, which is cute, but there are SO MANY other creative ideas on their website!

Check out the website www.beau-coup.com. They really do an amazing job! You can view the items based on occasion, themes, even season! So many great ideas to chooses from! Thank you so much!

Here we are!

2008-08-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! My name is Jessica Kaplin and my Fiances name is Joe Hirst. Here is a picture of us from two years ago. It's one of my favorites! Joe proposed Christmas morning '07. I'll tell that story later, but for now just saying hi!

2008-08-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

This is me and my honey Joe! This was right after I gave a speech at my sisters wedding. It was great and EVERYONE was in tears! We have been waiting to plan our wedding until she had hers. She was waiting over 10 YEARS!!! So I figured she could go first!

I have been waiting to plan my wedding until after my sisters, and then I was all ready to get going. Unfortunately my sister recently found out that she has breast cancer. This has put a slight delay on the planning. It is hard to think about wedding stuff right now. Aly is my big sister, and is only 28, and she just got married. The whole situation does not seem fair, but I understand that there are people all over the world dealing with different hardships. We are just taking one day at a time and moving along in the process. And so far we have had some of the best news!

On a more positive note, I have s-l-o-w-l-y begun to look at dresses. This part of the planning is really exciting! I sent an email over to my sister who is my maid of honor. Because of course I need to have her opinion! I will probably go dress shopping with my little sisters, my big sis, and my mom. Picking out a dress really makes me want to get married. Because you can start to picture yourself walking down the isle and dancing with your man in your beautiful dress!

Meet Jessica- Season 5 Bride to be!

2008-08-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Meet Jessica... Chicblvd.com's newest Bride to be

Welcome Season 5 of Reality Internet- Meet Jessica

MARRIED!!!!!!!

2008-05-07T21:52:00.001-07:00

INTRODUCING MR. AND MRS. LAIER!!! WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED ALMOST A MONTH AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER! THE DAY WAS AMAZING... LIKE A FAIRTALE! EVERYTHING WAS A BLUR EXCEPT I REMEMBER EVERY LAST SECOND LIKE IT WAS IN SLOW MOTION DURING OUR VOWS.. WE RECITED OUR OWN VOWS TO EACHOTHER AND IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING MOMENT! I HAVE ONT RECEIVED ALL THE PICTURES FROM OUR PHOTOGRAPHER YET.. I AM SO ANXIOUS TO SEE! I WILL POST MORE AS SOON AS I GET THEM! I HAVE HONEYMOON PICTURES AS WELL :) BEING MARRIED IS AMAZING :) I HIGHLY RECCOMEND IT!
XOXO
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

Fortune Cookies!

2008-03-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

We are using fortune cookies for our wedding favors. We founf them on the chicblvd website! They sent us some samples and we love them. Not only are they pretty but they taste yummy too! We had the choice of a generic quote to be put in the fortune cookies or write our own thing. We chose to do our own. What a fun, unique idea! They have huge, jumbo ones too!!!
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

SO ESTATIC!

2008-03-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! I received my jewelry today from Cathy at "The Elegant Bead" and the jewelry is stunning! Cathy did such an amazing job on my bracelet, necklace and earings! I am estatic! Check out her stuff asap! Thank you SO~~~ much Cathy!

Engagement pics :)

2008-02-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

D and I took our engagement pictures last weekend. We had to postpone the session twice due to the rain but it was worth the wait! we had SO muuch fun! We got engaged on a cruise ship, we are getting married on a yacht, so we thought because D is a firefighter we should take them on a fire boat. My step dad (the one who introduced us) is a Captain at Fire station 112's in the San Pedro Harbour. This station has the biggest fire boat in the world. Pretty amazing looking! All the station guys took us on a cruise around the harbour while we took our pictures. Our photographer, Jorge Garcia, is amazing! He is like a ninja! He sneaks up and captures the best moments and you have no idea he is even there. Very cool.. I wanted D to wear his turnouts.. his fire pants, because let's face it.. they are H~O~T!!! ha ha ha my fav! Everything is going to begin getting crazy starting with this week! I have my first shower and then very weekend after that, it is going, going, going until the big day! I could not be more estatic!
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

Gettin' crazy fun!

2008-01-22T21:11:00.000-08:00

SO... I have been bad! I have been so SO~~~ busy! I apologize for lagging on my "blogging!" We have had so many family and friends visiting us from out of town this month! Darin's brother came to visit from Seattle, then the nexy week his Mom came from Seattle.. my Maid of Honor, Molly, flew down from Arizona this past couple of days to help with some "wedding" stuff and this week Darin's Dad is in town from Seattle. So fun but crazy! So Darin's mom, Laura, went with us cake tasting and I think that, besides the prposal, has been my favorite part yet! If they hired people to cake taste as a career.. I AM IN! We went to a place called "Cinderella Cakes." I highly recommend it! We are getting an amazing cake! The top is a mad hatter cake. We like to be a little from the norm! Going to be really fun! Next, we took Momma Laura to the yacht we are getting married on and her jaw dropped :) It is a breath taking sight! We went there for some food tasting which was fun! We brought the whole clan :) Molly then came to town and we were crazy, wedding planning, psycho people for 48 hrs! She brought stuff with her to make these sashes for my bridesmaids (she won't tell me what the Maid of Honors and I are wearing.. a little scared ) she also brought the bridal shower invitations with her. SO CUTE! Nikki and Molly both came over the next night to talk about thngs and do the invitations. I am so lucky to have them! Today, Molly and I went to a storage unit we have and raided it for pics of me growing up. WOW! Some of those pictures I am glad I got to before anyone else... We got some great ones for D's and my slide show! This wedding stuff is a ball! Talk soon!
Love, Kel
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

2007-12-27T10:46:00.000-08:00

My two Maid of Honors went with my Mom and I to do my final fitting for my dress (Jinny's Bridal in Huntington Beach) and to try on their dresses! My Friend Molly flew down form Arizona to be with me! I have known her seince birth.... Our friendship started in the crib as she says :) My friend Nikki I met in Pre~school at age 4! Tight ever since! I have been through so much with these girls and I absolutely ADORE them and I am so happy that they will be standiing by our side! (I have 10 brides maids and my Mom is my Matron of Honor!) The colors I chose for them are Fuschia pink and black. Their dresses are a Marilyn Monroe style dress... the one where the air is blowing her dress up :) SUPER cute and the flowers they will have are going to be fuschia. We has SO much fun trying on dresses... I could not help but feel like a princess when I put my dress on!
Hope everyone's Christmas was beautiful! Ciao for now
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

2007-12-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

D and I went registering! SO FUN!! First we headed to Bed, Bath and beyond and I could not get the scanner gun out of Darins hand! He was runing all over the place scanning everything! He was scanning some weird things lol... They gave us a list of things to keep in mind and some of these things were things I we would NEVER think of! An electric knife?! We decided to pass that one up and scan a couple extra fluffy pillows and a cool lookin' pancake maker thingy :) It's a good idea to have an idea of what your looking for because otherwise you will go into shop overload like us! Next we were off the Crate and Barrel. Super Market sweep! We tried to stay focused and keep our eye on the ball but we ended up goofing off and taking forever. So fun... that's how it should be right?! No strees! :) Last we went to Z~gallerie.. Wanted to give people some options :) This place is cool! The scanner gun was not working, so after prying D's hands off of the "non~working scanner gun" we wrote all the barcode numbers down by hand. By the time we were done we had actually not registered for too many things but we were so exhausted (Darin nearly passed out on their comfy looking bed!) we decided to head home. Another thing off the list. This is SO much fun!
Talk soon!
Love, Kel
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

2007-12-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Hi I wanted to introduce myself to all of you. My name is Keleigh Ferrari and My fiances name is Darin. I am a hair stylist in Huntington Beach and Darin is a firefighter for LA City. We met at the fire station on Thanksgiving day. My step Dad was Darins Captain at the time and once we were introduced that was it :) The pictures below are of the Cruise we were on to the Mexican Riviera where we got engaged! Darin proposed to me at the Captains Ball on stage in front of a couple thousand people. He asked the Cruise Director if he would introduce him on stage before we went to dinner. He set it all up.. so cute! The film crew got word and filmed the whole thing! They showed the video in everyones rooms so we felt like celebrities the whole trip ha ha ha.. SO AMAZING! I will try and put the video up asap... Below are just a few pics of us on the cruise after we got engaged. I am so excited to be able to journal our journey to our big, exciting day with all of you!

www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

Meet Keleigh... Chicblvd.com's newest Bride to be

2007-12-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome Season 4 of Reality Internet- Meet Keleigh

Wanna Be on TV????

2007-12-08T23:06:00.000-08:00

CMT Network is airing a Valentine’s Day TV special featuring an engaged couple—and they’ve asked us to help recruit YOU.

This is a positive “premarital counseling school” that truly wants to help couples merge their two worlds as they surround them with a team of experts--to ensure they have a long lasting happily ever after marriage.

Would you like to be featured… and win the GRAND PRIZE: A GREAT HONEYMOON PACKAGE!
Does he find it a challenge to be romantic? If so, CMT will take you both on a romantic picnic and show him how it’s done. Does your man find that you have a hard time even cooking Mac N Cheese? If so, CMT’s experts will bring in a famous chef to give you some tips.

Taping will be on January 3, 4 and 5th. Please email a photo, where you live, and a brief description of yourself to contactus@chicblvd.com before next Friday, December 14th.

P.S. We are also taking applications for the next ChicBlvd.com Bride to Be!
Sign up for ChicMail!

The Honeymoon

2007-08-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Chris and I went to Costa Rica and had the most amazing honeymoon!! It was relaxing and adventurous! We layed out at the pool some days and then went zip-lining through the rainforest, horseback riding, ATV-ing on the beach....everyday was incredible....and it was absolutely wonderful being in another country and completely focusing on nothing but my wonderful husband!

The Wedding: Reception

2007-08-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

When we got to the reception site, the Fox Theatre, Chris and I took some pictures outside---we had our names put up on the marquee!! After pics, we met up with the wedding party to line up for our introductions.....right after that, we did our first dance to John Legend's "I Will Stay" then we had to cut our cake immediately because it was starting to collapse!!! We weren't too stressed out about it; honestly, it still tasted fine.....and it was the only thing to go wrong the entire day, so we were fine with it!!

We rented a photobooth as our favors and everyone seemed to have a great time with it!! Even Chris and I got in the booth (see above pic!)

It took us over an hour to make it around to all of the tables, and I felt like we really didn't get to spend much time with anyone! But I'm sure all of our guests understood!! And of course, as we were warned....we didn't get to touch our food!! But our caterer was nice enough to wrap it up for us and we munched on it later that night in our hotel room!!

Everyone danced and had a good time! My dad even paid extra to have the ballroom for another hour!!

It was such an amazing night....most people told me that I wouldn't remember much...that the whole night would be a blur....but I remember every minute of it!!

The Wedding: Ceremony

2007-08-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

The day of the wedding went by so fast!
First, I woke up at 7:30 because my nerves were really getting to me. I just could not relax! At 11:30, the girls and I walked up to P'cheen for brunch---this was thier bridesmaids' luncheon...ehem, "bruncheon." I was still so anxious and nervous that I could barely eat my breakfast!!
When we got back to my house, my friend Mikka came over and did my hair and my little sister, Maddie did my make up. Then at 4:00 Kelly and I left to go to the park (the ceremony site) where we met the photogrpaher, Ricki Chester (she is SO great, by the way!!) Then, the next 2 hours went by sooo fast.....we did a lot of pictures....me, the bridesmaids, my family, etc. Then at 6:00, Chris and the groomsmen arrived for their pics, so I had to hide in the room so he wouldn't see me! Then at 7:00, it was time for my father to eascort me down the aisle.....its strange, all throughout the day, I cried like a baby---overwhelmed with excitement and nerves and I was so afraid I was going to be a sobbing mess up there, but I actually did fine! No tears!
At the end of the ceremony, instead of a unity candle, Chris and I released 2 white doves....it was beautiful!!

The Rehearsal & Dinner

2007-08-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Its hard to believe its already over!! I got sick about a month before the wedding, so that did not make the planning any easier!!

On Friday, the day before the wedding, I took the entire day off work and went to the spa....I got a Jurlique body scrub and wrap---very relaxing! Then I got a mini-facial (in a "mini" they do not do extractions----who knows how your face will react, and who wants to risk having a RED face on the day of their wedding!!) After that, I got a pedicure--French to match my nails I had done after that appointment!!

After the pampering, I went back to my house where all of my bridesmaids met me. We hung out and then got ready for the rehearsal!
The rehearsal went smooth, but boy was it hot outside!!! I totally forgot to bring the marriage license for the Pastor....but I did remember my ribbon/bow-bouquet!!

Immediately after the rehearsal, we headed to Shout for the rehearsal dinner. It was so great to have everyone there. Chris' father gave a toast, as well as his step-father and grandfather and several of his groomsmen! Then my dad gave a toast welcoming Chris to our family---it was very touching....I cried and so did a few of my bridemaids!!!! Also, as a girf, my bridesmaid Bonnie made a slideshow of pics of Chris and I when were were younger, as well as once we've met each other....it was awesome! She did a great job on it!!

After the rehearsal dinner was over, we went back to my house and my bridemaids spent the night with me....I made sure to say goodbye to Chris since we decided not to see eachother until the Ceremony!!!

My Lingerie Shower

2007-07-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, three of my bridesmaids threw me a lingerie shower. We had such a great time! We played a game where the girls split into 2 teams and had to make a wedding dress! I had to judge the best dress! As you can see from the pictures above, they were very creative!!

The girls showered me with lingerie....some naughty, some nice! Some of the girls thought outside of the box---Mikka got me a spa wrap with my NEW initials monogramed on it--so thoughtful! And Bonnie got me some sexy bedroom slippers!

We played another game where Ashlee, Mande and Kelly had asked Chris 20 questions to ask me.....like What was Chris' first car? His first pet's name? The questions got harder, and each one I got incorrect, I had to put a piece of bubble gum in my mouth! I ended up with 6 pices in my mouth and could barely close it!!

It was so much fun! I'm truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life! I can't belive how quickly the BIG DAY is approaching!!!

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com

Wedding Planner Meeting

2007-06-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

Today Chris and I had our meeting with our wedding planner, Natalie and her assistant. Since we are having our wedding at park in Atlanta, there's not a designated person who will keep everyone organized, so we hired Natalie of Georgia Wedding Directors to direct our ceremony.

We learned a lot today and realized how many more decisions we have to make!! I think some of our hardest decisions will be choosing songs for the processional for each family member, etc.

A good tip the wedding planner told us to do was to bring our marriage license with us to the rehearsal to give to our pastor......that way, its one less thing to worry about on the day of the wedding!!

And then she brought up the dreaded question "What if it rains?" Of course we have a tent on reserve just in case, but we are praying we don't have to use it!!

Bachelorette Party!

2007-06-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

Chris had his bachelor party a few weeks ago, but mine won't be until July 6th! I am so excited! One of my bridesmaids, Bonnie is throwing it.....I'm not sure what she has instore for us girls, but I hope she watches Bridezillas this Sunday on We! Kaileema's bridesmaids throw her an awesome surprise bachelorette party! I won't spoil the surprise, but I think having one of these at my bachelorette party would be a blast!!

Showers

2007-06-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my sisters (my maid and matron of honor) threw a bridal shower for me. They made it a Feng Shui shower and gave everyone little red chinese take-out boxes with little goodies in them! My cake was chocolate with vanilla icing and it had the chinese symbol for "happiness" on it! They served sushi, fried rice, edemame, and sake! It was so much fun!

I love shower themes! I'm constantly checking out other sites for ideas. The ChicBlvd wedding section has lots of great ideas for planning. Check it out: http://www.chicblvd.com/wedding/wedding.html

Next weekend.....I'm having my lingerie shower!! I can't wait!!

Wedding Themes

2007-06-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Coming up with a wedding "theme" isn't necessary, but it sure does make the wedding planning more fun! My fiance, Chris and I decided that we wanted to stick with a theme of "bright colors." Our bridemaids and groomsmen are wearing different color dresses and ties....a rainbow of fuschia, pink, peach, yellow, green, blue and lavender! Even our cake will be bright colors!!

As I was watching the exclusive preview of Bridezillas Episode 2, I really liked one of the "Zilla's theme......she decided to do a Tiffany & Co theme! Everything from her cake to her bridesmaid dresses are Tiffany blue! And for wedding favors, she does something so cute, I wish I had thought of it!!

For our wedding favors, Chris and I have rented a photobooth that guests will be able to go in and take unlimited photos! I think it will be a hit! Plus, we're setting out a table for guests to sign and leave copies of the pics for us!

BRIDEZILLAS ARE COMING!!!

2007-06-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

My favorite show is BACK! Thanks to WE tv, I've been given exclusive previews of this season and I have to say.....its going to be a good one!!!!

I love watching it and getting ideas for my own wedding....like how to wear my hair, decorations, etc. Oh yeah, and how NOT to treat my bridesmaids!!!

Bridesmaid Gifts

2007-06-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

I think I've decided that I'm going to get my bridesmaids these adorable MadieDeluxe (www.madiedeluxe.com) bags as bridesmaid gifts!
I'll be using the JaJa clutch in True White to carry a few things on my wedding day and when I showed a few of the girls, they absolutely loved it!!

I'm going to get Mande, the pregnant bridesmaid the Mommy Tote! I think I'll get the other bridemaids a different tote and fill each one up with some goodies!!

Cute Stamps!

2007-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I mailed out our invitations last week. Because they were so heavy, we had to put one $0.41 cent stamp and one $0.26 cent stamp on the envelope. With the rate change, I couldn't find the cute LOVE stamps we used for our Save the Dates, so I went to Zazzle.com and personalized our own stamps! I used the ones created ny The Knot, but you can even put your photograph on them!
I think I'll use one of our wedding photos and make stamps for our Thank You cards!!!

And the great thing about Zazzle is they sold me the stamps at the old rates ($0.39 and $0.24 cents!!)

Check them out!

Things to Do:

2007-06-13T10:00:00.001-07:00

Well, now that I have less than 2 months to go, I thought I'd put my To Do list into perspective.....here it is:

2 months before wedding:

Address invitations and send them out DONE!! Mailed them out last week! Later tonight I'll post a pic of them...and our personalized stamps!!!

Check on vendor’s progress and confirm arrangements with each one. In progress! Last week we had our caterer dinner tasting!!

Select gifts for each other, attendants, parents and other helpers. Still haven't decided on a girft for Chris....I think we're sending my parents to a bed & breakfast for a weekend get-away as their gift!! And I'm not sure what I'm getting my bridesmaids and other helpers!! Chris is getting his groomsmen personalized bar signs....a really unique idea!!

Order and/or pick up rings and make sure they fit. We've ordered the rings, but haven't picked them up yet!

Finalize Ceremony Details. We're finishing that THIS week!!!

Stay on top of thank you notes. I've been great about our Thank You's...I try to respond with in 2 days of receiving a gift!

Confirm transportation arrangements and honeymoon plans. Honeymoon is set! We're going to Costa Rica!!!

Start work on favors if you or the wedding parties are making them. We're renting a Photobooth as our wedding favors! So fun!!

The Nightmares have Started!

2007-06-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't had crazy dreams like this since the first month I got engaged, but now that I'm less than 2 months away from my Big Day....they've started again!

Last night, I dreamt that I showed up to my rehearsal dinner in my wedding dress!! And once I got there, I realized that I needed to change before everyone saw me in my dress---especially Chris!! In the dream, I remembered that I hadn't bought Chris his gift and card and I felt awful! Plus, the caterer came to tell me that I only paid for 150 guests and 200 were there!!
I was so relieved when I woke up!!!

I'm sure I had that dream because:
#1 I don't know what I'm getting my groom yet! Ideas, anyone?
#2 We're getting ready to send out our invites so our guest count is still in question!
#3 Tonight we are having our tasting for our wedding dinner! We're having chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, cheese and spinach. Our sides are garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. Yum!

I guess to avoid these dreams I'm going to have to stay on top of my checklist!

First Shower

2007-05-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day weekend, Chris and I went to Ohio. His mother, aunt and cousin threw me a beautiful shower! It was in a private room at a restaurant. Almost all of the women in his family made it to the shower---I felt really lucky!

We played games---one where they asked me to leave the room and everyone had to write down details about what I was wearing, etc. The person with the most correct details won a prize. Another game was "What's in Your Purse?" where they listed about 10 items each worth different points (birth control 10 pts, lipstick 1 pt.) The person with the highest points wins!

I was pretty nervous before the shower, but after I got there, I felt great to have so many wonderful people supporting our upcoming marriage!!!

Bridesmaid Cards

2007-05-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to ask my girls to be my bridemaids in a unique way, so I made each girl a card with a handmade dress on the front and wrote a special note inside. The cover said "Will You..." and on the inside said "Be My Bridesmaid?" It's an inexpensive (but a little time-consuming) keepsake for the girls to hang on to!

Bridesmaids dresses are in!!!

2007-05-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

My bridesmaid dresses came in today (which I think is pretty fast, since the girls just ordered them in March!) I'm glad they came in early since that will give my newlywed---and newly prego bridesmaid, Mande plenty of time to turn her dress into a maternity one!!! The dresses are Alfred Angelo and each 'maid will be wearing a different color....fuchsia, light pink, peach, butter yellow, lt. green, sky blue and lavender!! And each groomsmen will wear a coordinating tie!

The Gown!

2007-05-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

So, Saturday I got fitted for my wedding gown. My dress is a big white, poufy princess gown! It weighs about 7 lbs and has a long cathedral train!! I really wanted a dress with straps, but after I got to the tailors, I took the staps down "just to see" and I fell in love with it as a strapless! So, my tailor is removing the beaded straps for me. He's also taking the dress in an inch--apparently, you're not supposed to breathe in your wedding gown!! I go in for another fitting in a few weeks!

My flower girl (my 4 year-old niece, Lily) will be wearing a mini-version of my gown. She refers to it as her wedding dress and insisted on getting a pair of glass slippers to complete her look! She's going to be a riot at the ceremony!

I haven't found my shoes yet.....but I have decided that they must be high! Chris is 6 feet tall and I'm only 5'3!!

I also thought it would be cute idea to paint the bottom of my shoes blue. That will be my "Something Blue!"

Bride to Be Season THREE: Meet ASHLEY

2007-05-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Ashley and I'm getting married this summer!! My fiance, Chris and I have been engaged since November 29th and will tie the knot July 28th, 2007.

I work in the fashion industry, so it is very fitting that I met Chris when we were set up by a mutual friend to take him personal shopping. We went shopping on a Wednesday night and the next day he asked me to dinner for Friday.....and we've been together since that date!!

Chris is from Ohio and I'm from Michigan, but our home is now in Atlanta, GA, which is where we've decided to have our wedding. Since our families will be traveling so far for our Big Day, we want to make sure they have a fun, memorable time!

We've always wanted an outdoor wedding, so we chose Atlanta's most well-known park, Piedmont Park for our ceremony location. The ceremony will be held up the road at Atlanta's historic theatre, the Fox Theatre. We know that the venues will be memorable, but we still plan to add tons of little details to make our wedding day special!

I look forward to blogging with everyone! Please feel free to email me with any questions, comments and suggestions!!

xo, ash

Bride to Be Season TWO- MEET Melissa

2007-04-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

1/20/07
Wedding Recap:
Well, the wedding has come and gone and so has the honeymoon! Sorry it took me so long to get back to update all of you but things have gotten pretty crazy! I had to move and get settled into our new place which took a bit longer than I had anticipated!

The wedding was perfect! I had such a blast that I can't believe it is really over. The day started off with me getting up semi early (I seriously couldn't sleep) and a little while after waking some of my bridesmaids started showing up for hair and makeup. We got ready together and the photographer (Jim Kennedy Photography) and videographer (Ashley Video) were there taking pictures and video of the day. Once we got in the limo to head to the church everything started to go by in a blur. We had a really fun ride over with all the girls...playing music really loud and driving down the coast. I will always remember how much fun we had that day :)

Once at the church I got my bouquet and basically waited for no more than 20 minutes before it was time to walk down the aisle. I met my dad at the door of the church and the wedding director had us wait for a minute before she pulled the doors open for us to walk down.

Everything seemed to go as planned and it was so beautiful. I remember as my dad and I started walking down the aisle I saw how beautifully decorated the church was and saw everyone smiling at us. As soon as we got up to the front and Matt took my arm it was time for the vows. We had a soprano soloist who sang a couple classical pieces and she was amazing!

After the ceremony we had our reception at the Turnip Rose in Costa Mesa and I must say, they really went above and beyond my expectations. The food was great (although I barely ate any of it!) the service was great, and the room was beautiful.

Of course we did all the "typical" wedding traditions such as bouquet toss, garter toss, cutting the cake and for my family the Tarantella. For some reason that didn't really go as planned though and it ended up being an improvised dance circle that was seriously fun :)

Our DJ Bruce Battleson did a great job of keeping the crowd going the entire time.

Again, I really can't believe that it has come and gone! I will never forget my wedding or the planning of it and I am so greatful that Chicblvd.com let me share in this journey with all of you. Please enjoy the pictures from the wedding that are below and I can't wait to see where life takes me next!

Love,
Melissa

12/28/06
Well, there are only 2 days left until my big day! I can’t believe how quickly this wedding has come up. This week has been full of a lot of last minute things such as pulling together all the wedding favors and picking up my bridal gown. My fiance and I also finished our pre-marital counseling this week and made final decisions about the ceremony such as what songs we want played and also which passages from the Bible we want to have read at the ceremony. I am really excited about this wedding and also really nervous at the same time.
Tonight Matt and I took our third dance lesson which was a ton of fun. We started this week and managed to put together a first dance with a really cool instructor named Jillian. I hope it goes as well at the reception as it went at the lesson!
Tomorrow we have the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. I also still need to pack for our honeymoon! I can’t believe I waited this long to pack, but I really haven’t had much time!!
Well everyone, it has been a ton of fun being the Bride to Be here at Chicblvd.com! I have loved sharing my journey to marriage with all of you! When I get home from my honeymoon I will write in about the wedding and let you all know how it goes!!

Talk to you soon,
Melissa

12/15/06
I had my second fitting appointment this week for my dress and it looks great! I can't believe I will be wearing it in only a couple weeks now! It was a really cool day because my mom was there with me and then my aunt and cousin came as well and they brought me flowers so I would have a real bouquet to hold when I tried my dress on. I have pictures of me in the dress, but of course I can't post those before the wedding!! :)

I also had my trial hair and makeup appointment. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my hair, but the woman who will be styling it for the wedding had some great ideas and together with my cousin's help we picked a great style :) I will be wearing a tiara style hairpiece that matches with my dress...My hair will be in a twist style that almost looks like a flower...it was really cool! The makeup is going to be very natural, but with fake eyelashes to make them stand out in pictures. The girls in my wedding will also be getting hair and makeup done as well.

Well, I thought the countdown was on before, but it is REALLY on now! Only a couple more weeks and I will be a wife!

12/06/06
I am a Chain Starter for the 1st Carry a Tin for AIDS program hosted by HintMint and Chicblvd.com! My tin arrived to me this weekend and I am really hoping to get it all the way to the office of YouthAIDS/PSI in Washington DC, on or before January 1st!!

I have created an email address TinNumber10@hotmail.com and would love it if everyone who receives the tin would email me at this address and let us know who got the tin, where it was given to them, and any inspiration they would like to share with us!

Raising awareness of AIDS is so important and even if you are not a tin starter or participant you can play an important role in the lives of these children. Send an email of hope to a child in Africa through Compassion’s site! Let’s bring a little sunshine to these precious children’s lives and let’s all make a difference!!

12/03/06
Well, my wedding dress came in earlier than I expected! I got to try it on this week and I LOVE it! I can’t believe it is already here! At the beginning of all the planning the dress shop told me that it might not arrive until 2 weeks before the wedding…I was having all sorts of nightmares about that, but it is here now and I have no need to worry any longer!

It almost fit perfectly except for the length, so there won’t be much to do for alterations which is great news. I have to go back in a couple weeks to try it on again and then my final pickup for the dress will be 5 days before my wedding.

Last night I did a lot of “last minute” wedding shopping. I had to get a guestbook, ring bearer’s pillow, necklaces for my bridesmaids, a cake topper and I am still trying to figure out what I want to wear for jewelry on the big day! My dress is diamond white with gold embroidery, so I am thinking about wearing pearls but I am not sure. I am a white gold or silver kind of girl, so I didn’t want to go buy gold jewelry because I probably wouldn’t wear it again. Not that I will wear my wedding dress or veil again though, so maybe wearing it again shouldn’t be the deciding factor after all! Haha
Any suggestions that you might have would be appreciated of course!

I am seriously starting to feel my stress levels rising as the day approaches! As soon as I am done with this entry I am going to go relax and light some candles and read a book! I got the best smelling candle from Ciao Bella. It is Vanilla scent and smells like freshly baked cookies…I love it! They also sent me some great bath products as well which would make great bridesmaid gifts.

Well, I am off to go relax now…Please feel free to leave me a comment about the jewelry ideas!

~Melissa

11/27/06
Well, My Bridal Shower has come and gone and I can't believe how fast it happened! I seriously feel like it went by in 10 minutes even though it was more like 3 hours! We had a lot of fun though! My friends from Chicblvd were there with me and got some of the shower on film which we will be posting to the site soon! I can't wait to see how it turned out! Here is a quick replay of the events of that day:

I got up kind of early on the day of my shower (a Saturday) and was actually kind of nervous...Not nervous because of the shower necessarily, but nervous because this shower represents that I am REALLY getting married....Of course, I want to get married, but there is just so much that I have left to do!!

Once I got to the restaurant where it was held things just flew by! We played some bridal shower games and they were a lot of fun :)
The first game we played was the guests had to guess how many M&Ms were in this big vase full of silver and white M&Ms. We chose to use M&Ms because we are Matt & Melissa :) Cute huh? ;)

The next game we played was Bridal Scattergories, but I actually didn't see this one being done because while my guests were playing I was being suited up into an aporn with 28 kitchen utensils attached to it! They were all tied on and I had to walk around the room while everyone tried to memorize what was attached to my apron. I then left the room and they had to write down what they could remember as best as they could!

After we were done with the apron game it was present time! I got so many amazing gifts, I couldn't believe all the stuff that I ended up with! My fiance and I are set as far as our new home goes!

We had a great time and even though it went by in a blur I will never forget my wedding shower or the people that made it so special :)

11/15/06
Matt and I finally got to taste the food choices we have for our reception! The place we are having the reception at had an event called Open House where tons of couples who are planning a wedding at their facilities got to come and check it out and try the food. There were so many good options, I am not sure what we are going to go with yet! We were having a hard time deciding whether we should have a sit down dinner or if we should have a buffet style dinner. There are a lot of positives with both…The sit down seems more elegant and is a bit more organized, but you get more choices with the buffet which might be good for our picky eaters…Ahhh I just can’t decide what to do!! We don’t have to make the final food choices until 2 weeks before the wedding so I am sure we will have it all figured out by then :) Either way, I am sure our guests will be happy because the food was EXCELLENT! We are having a cocktail hour to start the event off and they are letting us pick 5 different hor’dourves to serve during that time. I am sure it will be very elegant!

Today I met with the coordinator who is helping me get everything together at the reception site and we went over the linens and table decorations. My mom came with me and we had a lot of fun just chatting about the wedding and trying to decide on all these little details that you never really think about at first when you are planning a wedding. There are just so many little things to think about…table linens, chair covers, seating charts, centerpieces…the list goes on and on! Luckily I have quite a bit of help getting all these things in order :)

11/13/06
Matt and I just picked out our wedding bands! It was so much fun going shopping for rings together ☺

My ring actually matches my engagement ring, but Matt wanted me to check and make sure that it was the one I wanted…it definitely was!

The most fun part of the day was picking out a ring for Matt. He found a really cool brushed metal looking band that looked FANTASTIC on him. Matt has never worn a ring before, so it was a new feeling for him to try these on. I am so glad that he found something that he liked! Seeing both of our hands with wedding bands on our fingers was such a cool moment. Not that I didn’t realize this was actually happening, but seeing the rings really made it that much more real. So exciting!!!

Let’s see…other updates…I now do not have a flower girl! Kind of a big dilemma to deal with last minute! I have no idea what to do about that little problem, but I am sure it will work out somehow right??? I need to find a girl to be in the wedding AND order a dress for her! Yikes…this is going to be difficult.

My wedding shower is this coming weekend! I am really excited about it! It will be nice to be with my family and friends this weekend, talking about the wedding and Matt ☺

Well, as things progress I will be continuing to keep you all posted! Any last minute suggestions from our readers would be appreciated! Just post a comment here on the blog if you have any wedding stories or suggestions you would like to share!

Love,
Melissa

11/01/06
It is officially less than 2 months until my wedding!! I can’t believe it. I feel like there is so much left to do and absolutely no time to do it! I guess I have most everything taken care of at this point. I picked a florist a few weeks ago and I am really happy with what we have designed so far. The florist is called Elementals and they have the cutest shop in Los Alamitos! So far the plan is to have lots of white and red roses and an arch that goes over the doorway at the church with flowers wrapped around it. We will also be having flowers on the pews and candles lighting the aisle. I am so excited! This is exactly what I imagined my wedding would be.
The other day I had to go to the bridal salon where I ordered my dress because my veil arrived. I got to try it on and it really hit me how soon this wedding is coming up! I also got an update on my wedding gown…it looks like it will come in at the beginning of December rather than just two weeks before my wedding which makes me a little less stressed out.
So the only things are left to do are: final floral decisions, getting my dress altered, getting all the bridesmaids dresses altered, PICKING A FLOWER GIRL!!! (can’t believe I haven’t gotten to this one yet, final decisions with the DJ, getting the tuxedos ordered, still need to send out invitations for the wedding, deciding on favors for the wedding tables, picking a hair stylist and makeup artist for the big day…wow this is actually a pretty long list and I bet I have forgotten a few things!!

10/25/06
As many of you know, apart from planning my wedding I am also pursuing a career as a songwriter! (See my blog below for more details about my music)

Playing and writing music has been such a great way for me to get away from all the demands of planning a wedding for a while...I love spending time working on my music and sharing it with others...Please check out my music at the following link to my page on myspace:

www.myspace.com/lissawilliams

Add me to your friends page and say hello!

~Melissa

10/23/06
So far I have been having a blast planning my wedding with my friends at Chicblvd! I have also received some awesome gifts along the way!

Pretty Girl Makeup sent me an amazing kit of beauty supplies that have definitely come in handy! Their products smell so good! I love everything that they sent me, but my favorite item is their Sugar Scrub…You should all check it out!

My Little Pretty sent me the beautiful necklace that I will be wearing in my wedding shower. I would highly recommend their jewelry for any occasion!

Speaking of gifts…Matt and I are currently in the process of registering for our wedding gifts. There are SOOOO many choices! I have been making most of the decisions on the basics because Matt is away all the time for work. It’s funny though because he had a definite opinion on silverware. It was seriously the last thing I would think a guy would care about, but he was certain of the type that he wanted. I don’t know why but I just thought that was really cute.

Most of the gifts that we are registering for I am just picking online which might not be the greatest idea without seeing the items in person, but I have been SO busy these past few weeks that the last thing I can imagine having time for is going shopping! With work, my relationship, and this wedding to plan I barely have time to sleep anymore! I don’t really mind it though because everything is running fairly smoothly and Matt and I are in love…so that is all that matters!

10/16/06

Ladies--check out paperbyolga.com!

Nikki Gutshall, ChicBlvd.com co-founder, used their invitations for a bridal shower last year and it was the hit of the party. Nikki LOVES paperbyolga.com and would recommend them for the most unique, handmade invitations.

Here's more about the company:

Paper by Olga makes sure your invitations capture the love and excitement of you and your fiancé! Designer, Olga McMurray makes handmade wedding invitations while creating unique designs that give any event from casual to formal a personal touch. Each invitation is created using natural materials from cotton rag to abaca plant parts then dressed with exquisite ribbons, pressed flowers and unique & whimsical adornments. She loves to create custom one-of-a kind invitations that set her apart from the “traditional” wedding invites. Your invitations are your first connection that you make with your guests. So set the tone with handmade wedding invitations!

Visit her site www.paperbyolga.com or email her at info@paperbyolga.com to talk with her about your wedding needs.

Mention ChicBlvd and she’ll give you 25 free thank you cards with your invitation order.

Gotta love it, Girls! :)

10/09/06
I met with the most amazing photographer for my wedding photos! His name is Jim Kennedy and he is located in Huntington Beach, CA. I was planning on meeting with a few different photographers but after meeting Jim I booked him for my wedding.

I think picking a photographer is a lot like picking out a wedding dress. When you find the right one you just know it.

He has a great personality and I just felt very comfortable with him right away. Another huge plus was the fact that he is being so cool with our schedule since Matt is in the military. In fact, we just got our engagement photos taken this past week since Matt had a day off.

Man…was that engagement session FUN!! We did a bunch of water shots which was hilarious because we were in our clothes. I wore a black dress with polka dots and Matt wore a white button down shirt and jeans. The pictures started out with us just near the water…the scenery of the beach in the background…But, as time went on we inched closer to the water until we were literally rolling around in the sand with the waves crashing over us. I will never forget that day!

10/09/06

1. How did you get started as a musician?

I got started as a singer when I was pretty young, but I started taking the whole musician thing seriously when I was in high school. I started out singing for a band in high school and eventually was writing lyrics for them as well. The band fit more into the ska/punk genre which was huge at the time, but I had really been inspired by the whole girl with guitar genre and was listening to a lot of Lisa Loeb, Alanis Morissette, and Joan Osborne. I had been writing songs in that style during the whole time I was singing for my band but never played them for anyone.Then after fate broke apart my first long term relationship I wrote this heart wrenching song that at the time I thought was fabulous. I got the courage I needed to play my originals for others and soon after that my career as a singer/songwriter was born!

2. Have you always been a songwriter, and how did you learn to
write your own music?

I would say that I have always been a songwriter because even as a child with no clue about what I was doing technically, I would write lyrics all the time! I had boxes and boxes of original lyrics that I used to try and make up melodies to. I also used to sit in my bedroom as a child and sing along with all my favorite artists, making up music videos in my head and pretending I was the star. As a young child my parents had put me in piano lessons which (thankfully) had permanently engrained basic music theory in my mind. When I started playing guitar later on I took a few group lessons and then bought myself every teach yourself book on guitar I could find. My first songs could be best described as flowing from thought to thought songs without a true structure but with a heck of a lot of emotion. As I started performing and meeting with industry folks I learned how to say what I wanted to say but yet put it in a musical format that was more listener friendly. I would say that most of what I learned sort of came with experience and by attending conferences and most importantly listening to great writers!

3. What's it like being a female musician? Do you feel like there's
a difference between male & female musicians, and if so, what kinds of differences are there?

Being a female musician brings with it some unique challenges that our male counterparts don't have to deal with. I think the most important difference that I have had to deal with is gaining respect from the industry. There are stereotypes that paint a picture of a female as naive and not savvy when it comes to industry protocol which in my experience is just not true! As a female musician I would just encourage other ladies to learn about the industry and know everything you could possibly know about your genre. There are a few people out there who look to take advantage of those they believe to be weaker or unwise and it is really quite sad. Fortunately there are more great people out there than bad ones, but we always still need to be wise when it comes to dealings with others.

4. How has Music inspired you?

Music has inspired me in so many ways that it will be hard to narrow it down to answer this question! It has inspired me to believe in myself and others, to always look deeper into lifes meaning, to love, to live after losing love, to question, to have faith, to search for God, to love God, to know that there is more to life than whatever I am going through, to continue to search for that perfect song, to relate to others and most importantly to see the beauty in all the seemingly insignificant details that make each of us unique.

5. What's your biggest goal as a musician?

My biggest goal as a musician is to be a positive influence on young people everywhere. I hope that my music gives people hope, entertainment, and also someone to relate to. I love it when someone from my myspace account or someone who has been to a show emails me and lets me know that a certain song reminds them of a personal situation they are going through or gave them some sort of inspiration. It is a confirmation that I am doing something important. In my opinion, if it doesn't make a difference in someone's life then it isn't worth doing.

6. Do you have any advice for girls who want to learn how to play
music and write their own songs?

Just start writing! Even if you never show anyone the first 100 songs you write at least you will be getting some practice! I am a big fan of workshops and lessons as well. I taught voice lessons all through my college years and I have to say that it is amazing to see the progress that students make when they put their mind to it! If you want to sing then you really should take voice lessons. Even if you are a natural vocal talent it is so important that you know how to take care of your voice so that it will work for you for years and years to come. Also, keep in mind that whatever inspires you in life is going to help you as a songwriter. Anything you read, anything you see, anything that makes you think will help you write! Don't be afraid to ask for advice from other writers who have more experience than you do and try to get out and see as many performers you can!

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10/02/06

I picked a DJ for our wedding while Matt was out on a training trip. I know he is going to really like this guy though! His name is Bruce Battleson with Battleson Entertainment.

The day I met with him I had both my parents come with me and it was seriously so much fun. His approach to making sure that I had the right fit for my wedding was very unique and entertaining. He asked me a lot of questions about my expectations for the wedding and then asked my parents for their expectations. Too bad Matt wasn’t there…I know he would have enjoyed being a part of this whole experience.

Bruce sent me home with a whole book of things to do before the wedding. I had no idea how organized the music for a wedding is! We get to have a list of songs that we definitely want played at the wedding and a list of songs that we do NOT want played at the wedding. I know Matt and I will have some differences of opinion when it comes to those choices! The other day Matt and I were in a store and this REALLY annoying song came on and Matt said “We should play this song at the wedding.” I said “No way, are you SERIOUS.” He didn’t understand why I was so against this awful disco song…haha…sorry to any of you disco fans out there…it just isn’t my style really. So, yeah, I can’t wait to make these lists with Matt.

Apart from all the regular songs we still need to come up with a first dance song, a garter toss song, and a bouquet toss song. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

9/25/06

Picking bridesmaids for a wedding can be tricky. You don’t want to leave anyone out whose feelings might get hurt, and you also don’t want to have the entire female guest list standing up at the alter with you…

Luckily for me I had an easy time of it. I have a younger sister who is my maid of honor and her best friend who has been in my family for years, two cousins, my brother's lovely girlfriend who has also been a part of my family for years,a friend I have known since I was a baby, and another friend who I have known since I was about 12 or 13. I feel so blessed that all these lovely ladies have agreed to be with me on my special day.

As any bride knows…if picking bridesmaids is tricky then picking a bridesmaid gown is near impossible. First you have to pick a color and you just pray no one will complain (too loudly) about your choice! Second you have to pick the dress! So far all my ladies have had great things to say about the dress and color (so let’s hope they really like it!!)

The dresses my bridesmaids will be wearing are long satiny gowns in the color claret which is a rich, dark red. The gowns are long and have a little crisscross design on the front with a rhinestone pin that looks like a snowflake. I loved this dress the minute I saw it because my theme is wintery with snowflakes! They will also be wearing long red gloves. I am so excited!

The only bridal party attendants left to be determined are the flower girl and ring bearer. Matt has the groomsmen already picked out.

I can’t believe how quickly things time is moving by! I got engaged on August 5th and even though I have gotten a lot done in the last month and a half I feel like I still have a zillion things left to do! I am sure it will all work out though ☺

Talk to you all soon!

Melissa
9/20/06

Brides... check out this site: mylittlepretty.com. I just got a necklace from them and it's GORGEOUS!

My Little Pretty has a great treasure trove of gifts for us brides, our bridal parties and our "mother of the bride". The designer Kristy Nuttall is awesome. Her sense of design and creativity even goes beyond bridal (I would wear my necklace any day!!). She has created an exclusive line of sterling silver, pearl and stone pieces--it's a contemporary-classic combo look. I found out she works with brides to come up with a necklace to match any neckline and dress. Ladies, check out her collection of necklaces, bracelets and earrings at mylittlepretty.com. You will love them! Or email her to set up a time to talk about your needs - kristy@mylittlepretty.com. She's great and will treat you well!
9/18/06

Wedding dresses take MONTHS to come in! If you are a fellow bride planning a wedding, then please read that sentence again! MONTHS!
I ordered my dress right after Matt asked me to marry him and it is due to arrive 2 weeks before my wedding! That means alterations and fittings will all need to occur within a 1 week time period! Scary huh?
I have to say that dress shopping has been my favorite part of the planning so far. Maybe it’s because I am a clothing fanatic or maybe it is the excitement I felt when I saw myself for the first time in a long white gown, but I just loved dress shopping!
My mom came with me the night we went looking for dresses and I tried on about 7-8 gowns. The first gown that I tried on I thought was the one for me, but around gown 5-6 I really found “my dress”. They say that every bride knows her dress the minute she puts it on, and in my case I would have to say that this is true. Funnily enough as I was standing there in my ballroom, strapless, VERY long train, diamond white with gold embroidery gown I overheard a bride in the next dressing room over say, “Well, I guess this is fine. Most brides don’t fall in love with their gowns anyways right?” My mom, myself, and my salesperson all looked at each other with a look that just said “not true!!” I couldn’t believe it! I hope that bride next door ended up finding a gown that completely knocked her socks off, because I know my gown did!
Buying a dress also includes finding a veil and I found the “perfect” one! Long with little crystals on it and a small crystal headpiece that goes with it… I am in love with my wedding attire! For jewelry at the wedding I have not decided 100% on what I will wear, but right now I am thinking of wearing a white gold heart with diamonds that Matt gave me on Valentine’s Day and then these beautiful white gold and diamond earrings that were left to me by my grandmother. I still have time to decide on these smaller details, but at least I have the dress picked out!!
Speaking of dresses…I also picked out my bridal shower dress! It is a beautiful ivory dress with hints of gold in it. For jewelry on that day I will be wearing a beautiful necklace by My Little Pretty. It is sterling silver with Swarovski crystals and white and tan mother of pearl beads.
I am getting so excited talking about all the clothing and jewelry for the wedding I think I am going to try on my bridal shower dress right now!!
I will be writing back very soon!

~Melissa

P.S. As a bride... I have many questions! So I recently asked Amy Nichols, founder of Amy's Guide to All Things Bride (www.amysguide.com) and owner of Amy Nichols Special Events (www.amynichols.com):

What is one thing brides usually forget on the day of the wedding?

Here is her answer:
Melissa,

That's a great question. A few things that I'd recommend to any bride would be to most of all, smile, relax, and try to be aware of the moment and take it all in. It is a day you've been planning for months, so why not enjoy it!

Also important - remember to EAT both before the wedding and during the wedding. Ask your caterer to make sure there is a dedicated server bringing hors d'oeuvres to the bridal party during photos.

Another thing you might want to bring is a stool without a backrest which you can sit on before the ceremony -- have a couple of your maids help lift your dress over your head, then sit down on the stool, and then they can delicately let your dress back down. This way, you'll be able to sit without wrinkling that gorgeous dress!

Lastly, make sure you have a day-of emergency kit with anything you might need - some painkillers, bandaids, breath mints, etc.

Amy

9/10/06
Planning a wedding always begins the moment a young girl catches her first glimpse of a bride...she starts thinking about colors and flowers and cakes...and then eventually, as she gets older about the groom. At least, that is the way I always perceived it. I began planning my dream wedding when I was about 8 years old but had yet to know who my groom was going to be until August 5th, 2006. My boyfriend and I had talked about marriage many times...I had hinted at my desires (ever so un-slightly) as far as timing, rings etc... I will never forget the moment that Matt, my fiance...(I just love typing that word...fiance) asked me to marry him, or the moments leading up to that event. :)

The prior weekend to our engagement, my boyfriend Matt had text messaged on Friday night to say that he would be home on Saturday if I wanted to get together. He is in the military and gone quite a bit so the unexpected moments that we get to share together are some of the best times we have. I was having coffee with a good friend of mine when I received the message and from that point on I just had this "feeling" that we were getting engaged. I drove to San Diego on Saturday morning really expecting to get engaged and although we had a lovely day together it didn't happen. However, some "hints" were dropped that I felt meant the following weekend, when he was officially home from this particular block of training, might be the day.

As that next Friday night rolled around I was so very excited. We were going out to dinner together and I had high hopes of engagement rings and wedding bells. Matt, knowing that I expected to be proposed to, decided to try and throw me off a bit by telling me that he loved me very much and that he knew that someday we would get married, but that were just weren't there yet. Needless to say I was kinda upset!

On Saturday my dad and Matt spent the afternoon together and when they got back Matt asked me to go out to dinner with him. We got all dressed up and he took me to this great little Italian restaurant where there was a piano player and it was so romantic. After dinner we went to the beach and were watching the waves crashing on the sand when suddenly Matt looked into my eyes and said, "Melissa, I love you so very much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
Of course I said yes!!!

Now, getting engaged is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wedding plans! There is so much to do in the days ahead...ESPECIALLY since my fiance and I have decided to get married in 4 months! I am just amazed at how many things there are to planning a wedding! I am excited, scared that things won't get done in time, and did I mention excited!!

I know we will get there...to our beautiful wedding day...this diary will be the story of how we make it...I am really looking forward to sharing the journey with all of you!

Love,
Melissa

Meet Melissa- Diary of a Bride to be.... Follow us along this journey!

Season ONE- Bride to Be- Meet Andrea

2007-04-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

5/18/06
Since I last wrote Rob and I have hit a SERIOUS rough patch. I'm sure you may have guessed something like that since I have not wrote in a while. As much as I want to think what we've been going through is "normal" or "typical" for engaged couples, I have to be honest in saying it's typical for us. Often times in this relationship I've felt like we take one step forward, two steps back; and although I thought we put that behind us I'm afraid old habits die hard.
To make a really long story short I have put the engagement on hold.... and I've taken off the ring. As painful as this decision has been, I know for now it is best. No one should marry without knowing 110% that it's "right", and although I'm not saying it's wrong for us I am saying it's the wrong time. Lately our relationship has taken a back seat to Rob's "business". He summed it up perfectly by saying as a business owner "you don't own the business, it owns you". He's right in a lot of ways and although there's nothing wrong with that, I'm just not sure if that's what's best for me. I honestly believe there are deeper commitment issues that he's refusing to accept. I also believe that when a man asks you to marry him, he should be ready to GET MARRIED, especially after 5 years! Anyways.....I'm not angry, I'm not bitter (some of you may not believe that). It would be easy to go there, but why? It's no one's fault. So I'm choosing to look at this as yet another opportunity for self reflection and growth. My plan is to spend the next couple months reevaluating the situation and hopefully you'll be hearing from me soon. Either way, it's been great getting to know the girls at Chic Blvd and everyone that wrote me. Best of luck to all you future brides and have a great summer!

Sincerely,
Andrea

4/17/06
I can't believe it! I've changed my mind about the wedding location and I'm not sure how everyone is going to take it. With everything that Rob and I have been going through, I've begun to re-evaluate our plans and feel like it's probably in our best interest to elope and save our sanity. All my friends are probably reading this freaking out! So let me preface this in saying my version of eloping is going to Hawaii for a simple ceremony on the beach, not running to the Little White Chapel in Vegas (I'd never do that to you girls!). It's definitely not the wedding I had hoped for but I have to be honest with myself. We don't need the big wedding, we want the big wedding. Our needs are much greater and should be focused on putting that money into our home, our future. And come on! Have you ever seen any pictures of a Hawaiian wedding?!?!?! It's gorgeous! I have two friends that had a Hawaiian wedding and they paid about $1200 each. Need I say more? Now I just need to tell my brides maids and parents. Yikes!

3/31/06
A few days after I wrote the blog about feeling frustrated with my fiance, I received a comment from a girl named Niki Aives. Niki wrote that she and her fiance were engaged after 8 years. With all the stresses of the engagement they are now on a "break" and have postponed the wedding. I also have another girlfriend who recently ended her engagement for various reasons...... this is so discouraging! Why does this happen?!?!?! I feel like the minute we become engaged, we enter the "can I deal with this for a lifetime?" stage. It's like we become ultra sensitive to all the little things that have always been there; AND in our defense I think our men begin to challenge us in an effort to keep their individuality. I'll give you an example. Recently Rob has been working really late. Rather than calling to say "eat without me, don't worry, etc." he's just strolling in at 8:00 at night! When I ask that he call me and let me know, he's challenging me saying "you know where I am, what's the big deal?" We've been together for 5 years and this has never come up. Am I being too sensitive or is he just being a butthead?

In the end, I have to have faith that these things will work themselves out. I recognize it's not just him, it's me too. First and foremost we both just need to "take a chill pill" and realize this is natural. Other couples go through this. Then we need to stay focused on our commitment to continuously improve and feed our relationship. Something that has really helped me over the last few weeks has been a website called "Love and Respect". I get weekly devotionals for couples that Rob and I discuss together. Although Love and Respect is a faith based web site, anyone who doesn't consider themselves a "religious" person should still get a lot from it because it touches on basic principles. I highly recommend this site. I also stumbled onto a book called Emotionally Engaged by Allison Moir-Smith, M.A. I haven't read the book but it looks like fun. She has a bridal- counseling practice, and has had over 200 clients, so I would imagine she has a lot of great tips for brides to-be. I'll definitely put this on my reading list!

Niki, I'm sorry for your separation. I'm sure this has been a painful experience for you and I'm touched by your candor. I really hope you and your fiance can reconcile. Thank you for sharing your experience with me and Chic Blvd's readers.

Best wishes,
Andrea

3/29/06
I'm so relieved! We finally decided on a wedding location and I can't be happier. Ponte Winery it is! Last weekend Rob and I spent the day visiting Pala Mesa first and Ponte second. When we went to Pala Mesa he thought the location was "nice"....not exactly the response that I was looking for. When I asked him what he liked most, he said he liked the idea of all the guests staying on the premises and he thought the ceremony site was "cool". I had a feeling he'd say that because when I showed it to him he immediately walked over to the rope attached to the big bell and began pulling it. If the resort didn't know we had arrived on their premises, they knew then!
On our way to Ponte I was feeling a little discouraged because Rob clearly didn't have the reaction I thought he'd have over Pala Mesa. I was growing concerned that he'd have a ho hum attitude about Ponte and I'd seriously cry. Thankfully that was not the case. Right away I could tell he was more engaged. We walked throughout the gift shop and he was checking things out. He mentioned that it smelled good (I think he was hungry). I showed him around the wedding location and described in as much detail how the event would play out. He mentioned the site was much smaller, which I said I found more appealing as opposed to Pala. Pala Mesa is a HUGE location and my fear was that our 115 guest party would be swallowed whole by the resort. When we were done walking around the wedding coordinator Miranda stopped what she was doing to come greet Rob and give him the official tour. That was really sweet considering we didn't have an appointment. She showed him the groom's corridors (which he liked) and the tent and did a really fantastic job of painting a picture of how the night would unfold for him. We ended the tour in her office telling stories and laughing about silly things for almost an hour. She is absolutely adorable and made Rob feel really comfortable. In the end Rob was sold on Ponte, not because it was the most elaborate or the least expensive but because he really enjoyed his experience and felt very comforted by the coordinator. She took the time to get to know us and even talked about her own personal experiences. Ultimately that personal touch is what sealed the deal. Thank you Miranda!

3/08/06
Oh my gosh! I am quickly learning that planning a wedding is a labor of love! Now I know you're reading that and probably thinking "Oh boy, it's starting already" but, let me assure you the planning has had nothing to do with it. IT'S MY FIANCE!!! I decided long ago that I wouldn't bother him with the minor details, just the big decisions and ones I thought would be fun for him. Sooo, I searched and searched for the perfect wedding locations and when I narrowed it down to two locations I asked that he set aside an afternoon to check them out. He was busy so I waited a week and asked again. I won't bother you with all the gory details but I'll say this, the conversation didn't go well. In fact, the conversation ended with him suggesting that we postpone the wedding until next year (gasp!). Now, in his defense I must say that he is a first year business owner and is extremely busy, this I know. BUT postponing the wedding should not be the answer. When the dust settled I got to the bottom line, he really didn't know what was expected of him, he doesn't have a lot of time to plan and thought postponement would be safer (with me) than not being present at the tedious appointments. He was WRONG!
Lesson #1 Write out the appointments that you're fiance MUST attend (i.e. engagement pictures, fitting for the suit, WEDDING). Then make a list next to it of the things he might want to be a part of such as cake tasting, food tasting, WEDDING! Then write down all the things you'd never expect him to attend like picking out flowers and invitations. This will help him to understand what is expected of him and will make him feel that he has some control of the situation and you never know, he might actually enjoy himself!
Had I done this in the beginning it would have saved me a painful weekend. Lesson learned!

2/23/06
Dear Diary,

Today I scouted the vineyards of Temecula in hopes of finding my wedding location. Let me first say I should have planned this a little better for two reasons. First off I had back to back appts with only an hour in between. I really should have given myself at least 2 hours in between because when meeting with the coordinator you have to tour the location, talk about the packages and most importantly TASTE THE WINE!! The second reason is that I drove myself to the wineries not even thinking that I would be wine tasting all day- DUH! This of course, is a must because the wineries do not serve alcohol at weddings, only wine and beer. So, as you can imagine it's imperative you wine taste before hand so you know what all of your guests will be served.

My favorite vineyard by far was Ponte Wineries. Ponte is nestled right next to the biggest and most elaborate winery/resort in Temecula. Out of all my options I thought my first choice would, of course be the resort next store and was pleasantly surprised at my experience with Ponte. When we arrived at Ponte the coordinator was actually there (which has not always been the case so far); and eager to take care of us. She first walked us around the premises to get a feel of the vineyard. It is well manicured, quaint, very romantic and I got the feeling that everyone who works there are not only proud of where they work but really enjoy it too. All the staff I met were truly hospitable and I felt well taken care of.

Some things I like most about Ponte are:

They have lovely cottages set up for the groom and bride for the wedding day (other locations offer trailers);

Included in the per person price is the coordinator, linens, silverware, champagne toast, ceremony site, cake cutting fee and more;

They offer rehearsal dinners in their barrel room, which holds all of their wine. They line the room with candles and it makes for a truly beautiful experience.

Overall, I would say Ponte Winery is my first choice so far. My only concern is that they do require 125 person minimum for Saturdays and I feel that I may be way over budget if I chose this location. For now, I will keep an open mind and see if there is something comparable yet a little lower in price.

Andrea

P.S. The wine was pretty good too!

2/19/06
This is me and my man!

Check out "our story" at www.chicblvd.com/andreas_story.html!

November 16, 2005 - I got engaged!

Rob had been saying he had a little surprise for me the week prior to our engagement. When the weekend came I assumed we'd be doing something on Friday, since we had a big birthday party in L.A. on Saturday night.

Sure enough Rob had arranged everything for Saturday late afternoon BEFORE the party--and although I was intrigued with thoughts of my surprise, I was preoccupied with getting to the party on time.

Okay, just between us I was slightly annoyed. Rob told me we'd go watch the sunset prior to the party - and in my mind we really needed to be home getting ready for the long night ahead of us! It didn't make sense to get ready before we watched the sunset because it would be windy and I'd just have to redo myself again before the party- Ahh, such a woman!

I told my every day flip-flop wearing man that I would shower and just throw my hair back and later completely do myself up for the party. Although he agreed, in an odd turn of events he chose his designer jeans, nice shirt and cologne for the event. Instinctively, I rethought the plan and took my hair down, applied some lip gloss and of course some mascara.

Rob grabbed a bag to put a bottle of wine in and we headed out. As we got in the car I can honestly say that I felt like something big could be happening and I'm not sure why. Looking back Rob seemed so calm preparing for the moment but my womanly instinct was kicking in.

We arrived at a Duffy Boat Rental company in Newport Beach, signed in and quickly boarded the adventure. After cruising the harbor for a little bit we opened the bottle of wine and made a toast. Other boats with large groups of people partying would come by, raise their glasses and yell a "cheers" at us. I laugh now because this prompted me to turn on a station with dance music, get up and dance (basically ruining Rob's "game"). Every time I turned the fun music on he would turn the radio back to mushy music and again I'd eventually turn it back. Clearly I was the one steering the boat!!

We drove up to the dock of a restaurant, where Rob had called in an order of some appetizers. He asked that I hold the side of the dock to keep the boat stable and said he'd be "just a minute". Since the appetizers weren't even started I ended holding the dock out there for 20 minutes. When Rob finally returned, appetizers in hand he was obviously a little more frazzled.

As he got onto the boat he kicked his glass of red wine all over the boat. So, now he's totally frustrated and getting even more nervous because we're losing the rest of the sunset and the proposal is minutes away.

After dunking the entire lower portion of his leg in the ocean (to rinse the wine out and jeans) we proceeded back out to the bay. Once we found the perfect spot we turned the engine off, ate our sushi rolls, drank what was left of the wine and enjoyed the moment.

Just as we were getting ready to head back to the rental shop Rob seized the moment. He said " Babe" and I turned to him. He stood up walked around in front of me and knelt down on a shaky knee. He told me I stole his heart 5 years ago, I'd always have his heart, and asked if I would marry him!

I'm here so we all know what I said. I told him I knew the day I met him that I would some day be his wife. He smiled and I smiled and he said "So, is that a yes?!?!?! Yes!

After that, everything was kind of a blur. I tried to see the ring he presented but because it was past dusk at this time I couldn't see a thing. One thing I do recall is telling him to hit the gas so we could get back to the dock as fast as possible. I sprung out of the boat (leaving Rob in my dust) and ran straight for the ladies restrooms. As I checked out my gorgeous ring I looked in the mirror and found Rob peeking his head in to see my reaction. He was smiling ear to ear.

After that can you believe we actually went home, got ready and went to the party? We had a fabulous time too. I felt like I was in a dream. It wasn't until the next day that reality began to sink in. My mind began to wander into the future where I will not only be a wife but also a step mommy. The future is exciting to me, lots of fun things are in store but now it's time to focus on all the details that will carry us into marriage. I have to plan a wedding and unfortunately this is not something I've been secretly planning throughout my relationship; and now I'm beginning to think I should have! I've never even looked at rings until now. You see, I've always dreamt about the emotions I will have on the blissful day, the intimate moments I will share with my mom and dad; and the memories that will last a lifetime.

Now I just have to create the ambiance that will be the backdrop for one of the best days of my life. Thankfully, ChicBlvd.com has offered to help me along this journey - so I hope you will come along!!