One of the details that I was most proud of for our wedding were some of our favors. I had got it in my head, probably after reading one of my million subscribed wedding blogs, that I wanted to do custom soda bottles for our table assignments. I figured that with our color palate, the many colors offered thru Jones Soda would make for a fun addition. Jones actually makes custom labels for you, where you submit photos and language, and they will ship you bottles label ready. The bottles all still say Jones however when you get them. We found a more personal, less expensive way to do it. Keeping with the Beard and Fro theme of our wedding, we got to name our own soda. Its a good think that Mick has skills with Photoshop, as it definitely came in handy throughout our planning process.

With 4 flavors, 4 photos, and 2 different stories (one was his “how we met” story, and one was our engagement story), our bottles were WAY more customized than Jones ever could have done for us. Granted, we had to glue every label onto our bottles, but it was worth it. I can’t wait to see Eray’s photos of the table, but we have a standby in the mean time to show you. I also have our label images so you can see how AWESOME they were (I’m biased).

In one week from today, in just a few hours, I will be picking my mom up from the airport to start what I’m guessing will be a whirlwind week.

Slowly, everything is coming together. I pulled together most of the out-of-town guest bags last night, wrapped my bridesmaid gifts, a few days ago got my bustle fixed by a friend. I’m rethinking my rehearsal dinner spot and trying to sort out all of the vendors. Its a lot to deal with w/o a wedding planner, but hopefully with the aid of some post-its and directions, my friends will come to my rescue and get all the t’s crossed and i’s dotted.

Its weird that all this planning over the last 7 months…will be coming to a close in 10 days time.

Everyone has been so supportive, and offering up advice. I found a few posts that friends have sent over the past months.

• My advice to you is this: This day represents you and Mick. That’s it. What do the two of you want? What will make you happy as you’re walking down the aisle (toward him, and no one else)? What do you want to remember from this day? The idea of marriage may be a bit archaic these days, but I’m a hopeless romantic, and I love the idea of marriage. On this day, you are saying to each other, in front of your family and friends, that you want to be together forever. Even if everyone else goes away, this is the person that you want by your side for a long, long time.

• Also, remember to keep breathing – it’s the easiest thing to forget in the last couple of weeks. We are getting super excited for the trip up there; I’m sure it’s going to be great.: may i offer some advice on that?

• Have everything you can, even the delegating to friends if possible, set up BEFORE the day of the wedding. We had a planning meeting with a close group of responsible take charge friends the week before, and it was critical to letting it roll (we already did that). Because the day of the wedding is like a world record dominos setup…..tons of little pieces set up over MONTHs….and once it starts rolling, that’s it, there’s no changing it day of!! That’s exactly it. and lots of them won’t fall like you planned, and sometimes it will actually be cooler, sometimes not. What’s awesome is that we found that people totally had a better time when they had a duty, they felt more involved and part of it all.  Anyway, that’s my main advice. plan ahead, then roll with it when it comes, and make sure you ENJOY the day instead of worrying about details

I think that most of this advice could be directed at anyone. Its always nice to get it from people who have lived what I am going through, and I hope I can give similar advice when needed. What advice do YOU have for me and future brides?

to do right now is to NOT browse the wedding blogs. I’ve put myself on alert. No bridal blog browsing till after the wedding. If I look now, its a bunch of “what if’s” and “I could have done this better” and “Man I wish I had done that”. Its all so lovely…and I wish I could have all of it and none of it at the same time. Does that make sense?

I’m already in a state of panic. Over budget, over thinking and over stressed, I’m hoping that these last few weeks don’t drive me insane. As of yesterday we decided to form a committee of sorts to help with the day of events. We can have them over for dinner a week before the big day, and get everything sorted out so I dont have to worry the day of the wedding. Handing all my trust over. All my hard work. Lets see if I can do it.

I’m looking forward to having a wedding that everyone comes together at to celebrate us. I want to boogie. I dont want to stress. And looking at the blogs, and realizing where I could have saved money, or realizing what I didn’t need to do is totally inconsequential as of now. It doesnt matter. What is done is done…money is spent. But is it bad that I realize I would have been happy with BBQ and ice cream, as long as its about Mick and I and everyone getting together? I wish that there were opportunities to plan a wedding, say “just kidding” and do it over again. Ours will be fantastic….I just realize now that things could have been done differently. Had we been engaged for more than 7 months…we could have taken a bit more time with everything and not jumped hastily into decisions.

These are my end of planning rants. Don’t really listen to me…..everything is gonna be awesome.

Hello dear followers. I wanted to share with you that we are at the one month countdown…TODAY!

In one month from today..in about an hour from now…I will be Mrs. Lauren Frederick!!!

EEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Sorry I have been MIA and not updating as often as I should be.  So much to do…so little time!! I love blogging, and I love sharing my stories, finds and goodies with you…but right now, it would seem living my life is more of the priority than writing about it.  So bare with me during these little lulls in writing. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you!

Its the final countdown!!!

Decisions are coming to a head…final details are being pulled together.

I got my custom “slippers” in the mail. I bought them off an Etsy vendor, Hydra Heart. I think that they turned out super cute…they are terribly comfortable, and its a good thing that I went with the flats, because after picking up my dress, I realized that heels aren’t really an option. The length is perfect for flats.

I think, though am not certain, that I have my hair in check as well. I got my hair trial on Sunday, and though it was not “neat” and ready to go…we definitely got the idea, and I’m excited. And while I have a birdcage veil, all ready to go…I’m not sure I’ll be wearing one. I will definitely however be wearing the flower below  from Etsy Vendor Twigs & Honey.

I have also purchased some fresh water pearl jewelry, a bracelet and some earrings…but haven’t decided if I want to wear a necklace. I think I should, but seeing as thats a focal point on me, it’s going to have to be something special. Where do you like to buy jewelry?

A 7 day cruise to Mexico.

After much deliberation, threads on Facebook with many good words of wisdom, back and forths about All-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica, doing it on our own in Belize, even a 45 minute call with a booking agent today trying to sort out a trip to Hawaii…we finally made up our collective minds, and booked a cruise to Mexico.

The reasons are the following:

a) I love cruises, and Mick has never been on one

b) I love the idea of already having most of the trip payed for…with the exception of excursions and booze.

c) The cost was the deciding factor. With the debt that will no doubt follow the wedding…the last thing I want to do is drop a bunch of money we dont have on a trip that wasn’t our first choice. I believe I mentioned it before, but our original plan, Thailand, was thwarted by civil unrest in the country. Now we can save for THAT trip…maybe for our 1 year anniversary.

d) C’mon…it’s Mexico!!

We will be porting in Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerta Vallarta, and I can’t wait!

As Mick said…we have our whole life to vacation, and hit up the other locations that we had considered…this choice just makes sense now.

Soooo..Hooray for honeymoon cruises!!

(added bonus, we will also be on the cruise for my birthday. Thats twice the celebration!)

Wedding transportation has been on my mind, seeing as though I’m 1.5 months away from needing to figure out how to get from one place to another.

Let me break it down for you and maybe you can help.

1)We are getting married at Venue.

2)We are getting ready at, and staying at Hotel.

3) Hotel and Venue are 0.7 miles away from each other. Its a 4 minute drive.

Soooo…how do we get from Hotel to Venue? How do we transport the bridal party and the dudes? Do we let the guests fend for themselves? It is a hotel after all, I’m guessing that cabs are a plenty.

This is what I’m thinking, and I want an opinion as to what you see being the best option.

I can likely find a limo rental to take us from the Hotel to Venue. They can pick up the dudes or ladies (depending on who needs more time taking photos AT the Venue), drop them off, and go back to the hotel to do round 2.

But…a limo is fun, we can drink champagne, etc…but for 4 minutes? Then the 2nd round has a dirty limo? Is it even worth it? Do we just get a friend or family member to caravan us over and save the money? I’m afraid that I wont find a limo company that will rent for 1 hour, and we will likely end up paying the 2-3 hour minimum.

Do I go limo? Old-timey car that only fits a few of us? Shuttle bus that can take all the people from the hotel?

I also need to think ahead to the way back from Venue to Hotel. I think that a cab pick up is the best idea there, though i lose that cool photo of us getting into a vehicle, and waving goodbye. These are the things I’m thinking about. What would YOU do?

No real pedicabs in downtown Oakland

Maybe we hot-air balloon up out of there? (image via bridezilla)

Big red truck anyone? (image via ruffled blog)

We are getting married in Lake Merritt. Maybe we kayak it? (image by Aubin Ahrens Photography)

Too bad Oakland doesn't have a subway system (image via green-weddings.net)

Or we could just take a van...

The whole time we have been planning the wedding, I’ve been trying to keep organized. I have all my emails that come in wedding related labeled with a bright purple wedding tag. I even opened a new email account for all our vendors and registries. My contracts ended up in one folder from my venue, but at least they are all together.

I was worried about this phase though. We are now coming on the final stretch. 78 days and counting….eeeeek!

Our invitations went out, and its actually super fun to come home every day to check mail, because so far, minimum of 4 response cards daily. But…how should I keep track of all the YES/NO’s and keep myself in line and prepare for gift listing, Thank you card sending, and most important, the table seating and place cards.

I think I have worked out a system….I wanted to share, and compare. I also thought that this would be handy for my few friends/blog readers who are also planning a wedding.

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That’s how I feel anyway. Last night I finished stuffing my envelopes and this morning I put my wedding invites in the mail. I had seven months to plan, and I feel like everything up to this point has been gravy. Find a DJ, check. Venue, florist, date, photographer, colors, pick our wedding party, check. Now…the reality hits. These are my issues. Some of them I have a handle on, but I would appreciate any sort of advice, and thoughts on the following:

1. How do you tell people that they can’t bring their significant other. I have friends with SO’s of years, but I’m not friends with the SO, and they don’t live together. I have friends who recently got a SO, but we can’t let them come either. There are already too many invites out, and its just not something we can do. I know honesty is best…but it still sucks.

2. I don’t have a wedding planner. There are so many moving parts that I’m trying to keep a handle on, by the end of it I might lose it. Does anyone have a good program, or system as to how to keep track of RSVP’s, create table numbers and seat everyone? Do you do it on the computer? Do you do it manually? Any help would be appreciated.

3. How do you get over the money stresses (when you know you are already likely over budget), and just have fun with the planning? Its going to start getting real soon, with the final payments going to all the vendors.

4. I need to keep all my vendor information together . When do you make the “final” call to make sure all your ducks are in a row?

5. I need to get over the fact that had I to do it over again, my list might not be as long. I made some counting errors, but am glad I got to invite everyone I did. At times, its just a bit too much. I forget that I live locally to 2/3 of my guest list, so for attendance, its just another Saturday night out on the town. (This isn’t directed at anyone in particular. I’m just venting on my blog)

6. Less than three months to go…I’m worried I won’t be able to get it all done…HELP.

7. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEPS…..

/stress over

So we decided that we didn’t want to do a traditional wedding cake, and I have been looking into alternatives for the standard, tiered cake that you see at most weddings. If I was to get a “cake”, Debbie Does Cakes might be the best cake maker I’ve seen in ages…if you get some time, I highly recommend checking out her Flickr set of past cakes. Looking for an eggs and bacon cake? Look no further. How about a Coach handbag? She can do it. Seriously….her talent is endless. These are the “cakes” I would consider getting.

Cupcakes

Short of getting a custom funky Ace of Cakes style cake, cupcakes are a huge trend right now too. You can purchase tiered cupcake stands to hold your decorated cupcakes which will give the appearance of a wedding cake when the cupcakes are added. I like the idea of customizing them to go with your theme and colors. So many options of flavors too, so you dont have to stick the whole party with the chocolate buttercream cake that you purchased but your mother-in-law hates.

image via Cupcake Decorations Club

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