And another current obsession of mine: peonies. They are so romantic, timeless and gorgeous in pink and white!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Flower Obsession: Peonies
And another current obsession of mine: peonies. They are so romantic, timeless and gorgeous in pink and white!!
Shoe Obsession
OMG!!! I have never been a shoe girl really but....I want these shoes to wear for my wedding! They're both really expensive. The first pair is by Christian Loutoutin, they're called Viva Lolo pumps. The second pair is by Pura Lopez and I like them the best. I've never spent more than $150 dollars on shoes....
How much would you pay for a pair of designer wedding shoes? If I find a good deal on my wedding dress, am I allowed to splurge? (Please say yes!)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
At Home Reception
More on the wedding homefront.
We really want to have a laid-back At Home Reception a month or two after the wedding so that all of our friends and family who couldn't make it to Maui can come!
I know the perfect spot...Greenfield Winery! I called yesterday to see if we could even afford it, and I think we can do everything for around $1,500! They are kind of out in the country, but they have a beautiful vinyard and a big terrace that overlooks everything. They have a gazebo area outside for a band, but the guy said everyone would probably fit inside and it will be so hot in late July anyway. We could do appetizers and wine and beer and hire live music, it sounds so fun!
I want to do a scouting trip with Ryan really soon, because it's been over a year since we visited and I can't remember how big it is inside.
I also booked our officiant this week and he looks great. He's this big, sweet Hawaiian older guy named Pastor Laki. He will do all of the Hawaiian twists in the ceremony but it will still be religious, which is what we wanted.
I'm now looking into my florist, wedding cake designer and catering company! I feel like I'm getting so much accomplished. I also have a preliminary design ready for our Save the Dates, but I need to nail down the colors. My fuschia is REALLY bright and the orange isn't quite the right color. I hate Microsoft Word!
Ryan asked me if I could request off a half day on August 14 and the whole day off August 17 so we would have a long weekend. He didn't say why but I'm TOTALLY GETTING ENGAGED!!!!!!!
We really want to have a laid-back At Home Reception a month or two after the wedding so that all of our friends and family who couldn't make it to Maui can come!
I know the perfect spot...Greenfield Winery! I called yesterday to see if we could even afford it, and I think we can do everything for around $1,500! They are kind of out in the country, but they have a beautiful vinyard and a big terrace that overlooks everything. They have a gazebo area outside for a band, but the guy said everyone would probably fit inside and it will be so hot in late July anyway. We could do appetizers and wine and beer and hire live music, it sounds so fun!
I want to do a scouting trip with Ryan really soon, because it's been over a year since we visited and I can't remember how big it is inside.
I also booked our officiant this week and he looks great. He's this big, sweet Hawaiian older guy named Pastor Laki. He will do all of the Hawaiian twists in the ceremony but it will still be religious, which is what we wanted.
I'm now looking into my florist, wedding cake designer and catering company! I feel like I'm getting so much accomplished. I also have a preliminary design ready for our Save the Dates, but I need to nail down the colors. My fuschia is REALLY bright and the orange isn't quite the right color. I hate Microsoft Word!
Ryan asked me if I could request off a half day on August 14 and the whole day off August 17 so we would have a long weekend. He didn't say why but I'm TOTALLY GETTING ENGAGED!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Weekend Update
Friday night I talked Ryan into going with me to see "The Ugly Truth" with Katherine Heigel. He agreed...as long as I would go see "The Orphan" with him on Sunday. I really HATE scary movies, but I wanted to see my movie so bad that I said yes.
My movie turned out to be pretty lame. There were a few funny parts, but it was predictable, and the whole tv producer plot was a little too far off base- some of the stuff they were saying/doing on the air would never fly in the real world, so as a former journalist everything was unbelievable.
After the movie we stopped at this little bar close to our house called "The Cross Eyed Moose." We always pass it and make fun of the name, so we decided to check it out. It was very low class and trashy...but we had a few drinks and hung out. It was nice.
Saturday I ran errands to the grocery store and got my nails done. Then we had two weddings to go to! The first one was Jennifer Paris, this girl Ryan grew up with that I dislike. She's so fake and superficial that I was a little curious to see what her wedding would be like. Her parents own Paris Limo company, and she got married to Chris Bradshaw- this guy who was on last season of The Bachelorette-less than a year after they met. I'm convinced she started dating him just for the fame factor. Oh well...I'll try not to be mean, I hope it works out. The wedding was a little cheesy, it looked like from the 80s with fake pink rose petals and tons of tulle! I hate tulle!
When the ceremony was over, we headed to Arcadia to our next wedding. Actually it was an "At Home Reception" for our friends John and Savannah who got married in Mexico last month. It was at Savannah's parents' home out in the woods. We couldn't find it for the longest time, my Garmin kept telling us to turn left when there was no road and we almost gave up and drove all the way home! When we finally got there we were in bad moods and it was really hot and humid. Everyone there was sweating because we were sitting outside. There was a band and then later a DJ...we grazed on the leftover food and wedding cake (which was delicious!) and there was free wine and champagne, so that was nice. We headed home around 10:00 because Ryan was feeling kind of bad.
Sunday I cleaned the house a little and then we had to go to The Orphan. It was disturbingly terrifying and I had nightmares that night. NEVER go see it!!!!! Oh my.
My movie turned out to be pretty lame. There were a few funny parts, but it was predictable, and the whole tv producer plot was a little too far off base- some of the stuff they were saying/doing on the air would never fly in the real world, so as a former journalist everything was unbelievable.
After the movie we stopped at this little bar close to our house called "The Cross Eyed Moose." We always pass it and make fun of the name, so we decided to check it out. It was very low class and trashy...but we had a few drinks and hung out. It was nice.
Saturday I ran errands to the grocery store and got my nails done. Then we had two weddings to go to! The first one was Jennifer Paris, this girl Ryan grew up with that I dislike. She's so fake and superficial that I was a little curious to see what her wedding would be like. Her parents own Paris Limo company, and she got married to Chris Bradshaw- this guy who was on last season of The Bachelorette-less than a year after they met. I'm convinced she started dating him just for the fame factor. Oh well...I'll try not to be mean, I hope it works out. The wedding was a little cheesy, it looked like from the 80s with fake pink rose petals and tons of tulle! I hate tulle!
When the ceremony was over, we headed to Arcadia to our next wedding. Actually it was an "At Home Reception" for our friends John and Savannah who got married in Mexico last month. It was at Savannah's parents' home out in the woods. We couldn't find it for the longest time, my Garmin kept telling us to turn left when there was no road and we almost gave up and drove all the way home! When we finally got there we were in bad moods and it was really hot and humid. Everyone there was sweating because we were sitting outside. There was a band and then later a DJ...we grazed on the leftover food and wedding cake (which was delicious!) and there was free wine and champagne, so that was nice. We headed home around 10:00 because Ryan was feeling kind of bad.
Sunday I cleaned the house a little and then we had to go to The Orphan. It was disturbingly terrifying and I had nightmares that night. NEVER go see it!!!!! Oh my.
Friday, July 24, 2009
I made a wedding website!
I've been working on a wedding website lately, so that we can put it on our Save the Dates when they go out (soon I hope). It looks really cool! I told my mom about it and she logged on last night....and then she told my grandma about it, so she called wanting the password....haha. They loved it! I can't decide if I want to save it or just give you guys the website.
My stamps from Zazzle came in yesterday! They look awesome. I made one with Bella wearing a lei and peering out from the bushes, and then I made one with a pretty Hawaiian sunset. They both say "Andrea and Ryan 6.10.2010" at the bottom. Ryan thought the cat stamp was hysterical.
Today I am "working" from home today. I haven't done anything so far and it's almost 10am. I need a break!!! I told my boss I needed to stay home in the morning bc the plumber was coming out. Little does he know....the plumber came out yesterday, when Ryan was home.
My stamps from Zazzle came in yesterday! They look awesome. I made one with Bella wearing a lei and peering out from the bushes, and then I made one with a pretty Hawaiian sunset. They both say "Andrea and Ryan 6.10.2010" at the bottom. Ryan thought the cat stamp was hysterical.
Today I am "working" from home today. I haven't done anything so far and it's almost 10am. I need a break!!! I told my boss I needed to stay home in the morning bc the plumber was coming out. Little does he know....the plumber came out yesterday, when Ryan was home.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
HP, Bootcamp and Wedding Deposits
Last Friday Jenny, Tim and Alicia came up to Oklahoma to see Harry Potter at The Warren with me!! I was so excited about the movie, the company and the location that I had been counting it down for weeks....and the day did not disappoint!
It was my first time in the balcony to actually watch a movie, and in my opinion it was worth every penny. The seats were gigantic and the arms folded up, so it felt like I was sitting on a couch! We ordered dinner and wine, and Jenny was in heaven because the memory foam chairs actually had a heat option you could turn on to stay warm. The movie was great, I want to watch it again so I can catch every single detail. After the movie, we drove to 23rd Street to hang out at Cuppies and Joe for awhile. We stayed until about 11 and then went home and went to bed.
On Saturday we all woke up early and went to IHOP to eat breakfast/lunch. I hadn't eaten there in years! Hailee and I used to eat there when we lived in Ardmore, but it has been awhile. When we were done, they headed back to Dallas and I had to drive to Tahlequah to transfer a title for my step-dad since he sold a trailer out at our lake house. A little old couple bought it, and after I collected their cashier's check, I headed back to the city. I was in the car for hours!!! It was not fun, but he is sending me a nice check for my efforts, so it was totally worth it!
Saturday night Ryan and I went to the casino to play blackjack and hang out with his dad and Janet. I ended up winning $125 and Ryan won about $600 so it was a good night. On our way back home, I convinced Ryan to stop on the side of the road next to a corn field so I could steal some ears of corn! It was a huge field, so the farmer would never miss it. Ryan was really nervous and saying, "Hurry! Hurry!" A car started coming behind us, so I got nervous and yanked an entire stalk out of the ground by its roots and jumped back in the car! Dirt everywhere, we were laughing so hard. I ended up with 4 ears of corn, but they were weird and small so I just threw them away later.
This week I secured Shawn Starr as our wedding photographer!! I sent him a deposit, and The Westin charged me a deposit....and my wedding coordinator needed a deposit too. My stock account has been emptied and I cringed at how much I've already put towards everything. No turning back now! Haha. Ryan asked me this week how many vacation days I had left, and how much notice my boss would need for me to leave. I think he has something up his sleeve to propose but I have no idea what!
Today marks the halfway point of bootcamp and let me tell you- it is not getting any easier to wake up that early. It's a battle to get out of bed every single time. I even skipped last Friday because I could not do it. The workouts aren't so bad and I definitely feel a lot stronger. I haven't really lost any weight (probably because I can't stick with eating healthy like I'm supposed to) but I am convinced that I look more toned. My cellulite seems to have shrunk a bit too. Maybe for the last half I can stick to a better diet and add some more cardio on "off" days. One month until our cruise!!!!
It was my first time in the balcony to actually watch a movie, and in my opinion it was worth every penny. The seats were gigantic and the arms folded up, so it felt like I was sitting on a couch! We ordered dinner and wine, and Jenny was in heaven because the memory foam chairs actually had a heat option you could turn on to stay warm. The movie was great, I want to watch it again so I can catch every single detail. After the movie, we drove to 23rd Street to hang out at Cuppies and Joe for awhile. We stayed until about 11 and then went home and went to bed.
On Saturday we all woke up early and went to IHOP to eat breakfast/lunch. I hadn't eaten there in years! Hailee and I used to eat there when we lived in Ardmore, but it has been awhile. When we were done, they headed back to Dallas and I had to drive to Tahlequah to transfer a title for my step-dad since he sold a trailer out at our lake house. A little old couple bought it, and after I collected their cashier's check, I headed back to the city. I was in the car for hours!!! It was not fun, but he is sending me a nice check for my efforts, so it was totally worth it!
Saturday night Ryan and I went to the casino to play blackjack and hang out with his dad and Janet. I ended up winning $125 and Ryan won about $600 so it was a good night. On our way back home, I convinced Ryan to stop on the side of the road next to a corn field so I could steal some ears of corn! It was a huge field, so the farmer would never miss it. Ryan was really nervous and saying, "Hurry! Hurry!" A car started coming behind us, so I got nervous and yanked an entire stalk out of the ground by its roots and jumped back in the car! Dirt everywhere, we were laughing so hard. I ended up with 4 ears of corn, but they were weird and small so I just threw them away later.
This week I secured Shawn Starr as our wedding photographer!! I sent him a deposit, and The Westin charged me a deposit....and my wedding coordinator needed a deposit too. My stock account has been emptied and I cringed at how much I've already put towards everything. No turning back now! Haha. Ryan asked me this week how many vacation days I had left, and how much notice my boss would need for me to leave. I think he has something up his sleeve to propose but I have no idea what!
Today marks the halfway point of bootcamp and let me tell you- it is not getting any easier to wake up that early. It's a battle to get out of bed every single time. I even skipped last Friday because I could not do it. The workouts aren't so bad and I definitely feel a lot stronger. I haven't really lost any weight (probably because I can't stick with eating healthy like I'm supposed to) but I am convinced that I look more toned. My cellulite seems to have shrunk a bit too. Maybe for the last half I can stick to a better diet and add some more cardio on "off" days. One month until our cruise!!!!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Photographer
My next goal is to book a photographer for the wedding sometime this month. My top contenders, based on recommendations and reviews on the Knottie Hawaii board are:
1. Shawn Starr I love the vintage look he gives some of his photos, and he is so artistic! He is my #1 choice, but since he's based in Oahu, I don't know if we can afford him. He's extremely popular!
2. Joanna Tano A few of the girls are working with her, and it seems like she takes very good photos. She is gaining popularity though, and I think she raised her 2010 prices, so we'll see.
3. Marbelle They are definitely the best deal, for full day coverage at $2300. At first I was pretty sure I wanted to use them, but after looking through some of their photo galleries, I am not sure their quality is as good as the previous two. Still, it might come down to budget and some of the photos are stunning.
I am waiting on quotes from Shawn Starr today...he only books 5 weddings per month, so if the price is right.... I will get Ryan on board and seal the deal!
1. Shawn Starr I love the vintage look he gives some of his photos, and he is so artistic! He is my #1 choice, but since he's based in Oahu, I don't know if we can afford him. He's extremely popular!
2. Joanna Tano A few of the girls are working with her, and it seems like she takes very good photos. She is gaining popularity though, and I think she raised her 2010 prices, so we'll see.
3. Marbelle They are definitely the best deal, for full day coverage at $2300. At first I was pretty sure I wanted to use them, but after looking through some of their photo galleries, I am not sure their quality is as good as the previous two. Still, it might come down to budget and some of the photos are stunning.
I am waiting on quotes from Shawn Starr today...he only books 5 weddings per month, so if the price is right.... I will get Ryan on board and seal the deal!
I heart Russel + Hazel
Rhiannon found me the greatest wedding planner by Russel + Hazel. It was originally $75, but it was on another website for a sale price of $35! I ordered it last week and it came in last night. I love it!
It has a lot of different tabs and places to stick pictures and papers. I am dying to sit down at lunch and go through everything. I already have tons of things to put it in, and it will be nice to have everything contained in one giant binder. :)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
I'm Booking Our Hotel Block
It's almost over!
I just have to find the strength to tell Sheraton Ryan that we won't be staying at his hotel :( I lost a little bit of sleep over it last night.
But...The Westin gave us a sweet, sweet deal!!! They are giving everyone the free upgrade to Run of Ocean rooms (partial ocean view) for $185! We can upgrade to Ocean View for $215. AND Ryan and I get to book their Luxury Suite, which is huge- the size of our house- for $299/night! The regular rate is $2500. Everyone will be able to hang out together in there and I will be able to get a lot of my last minute DIY projects done. There's a big living room, wet bar, huge lanai with a stunning view. OMG!!! It's going to be fantastic! My mom and his mom get free upgrades to Deluxe Ocean view rooms, and the third person charge is $50. Now people who want to share rooms can do it and save a few hundred during their stay :)
Boot Camp this morning was horrible. It is like torture getting up at 5:30am every other day. I seriously dread it the whole night before, and when my alarm clock goes off I am in disbelief. I actually get angry. At first I was losing a little weight, but I just weighed myself again and I now have GAINED weight! I know, I know...it's because I'm building muscle...but it still feels a little disheartening. I don't want to kill myself, but I might have to add cardio on off days to try and melt off some of this fat. We have been doing a ton of strength work and circuits, we even played tag on Monday, haha!
I just have to find the strength to tell Sheraton Ryan that we won't be staying at his hotel :( I lost a little bit of sleep over it last night.
But...The Westin gave us a sweet, sweet deal!!! They are giving everyone the free upgrade to Run of Ocean rooms (partial ocean view) for $185! We can upgrade to Ocean View for $215. AND Ryan and I get to book their Luxury Suite, which is huge- the size of our house- for $299/night! The regular rate is $2500. Everyone will be able to hang out together in there and I will be able to get a lot of my last minute DIY projects done. There's a big living room, wet bar, huge lanai with a stunning view. OMG!!! It's going to be fantastic! My mom and his mom get free upgrades to Deluxe Ocean view rooms, and the third person charge is $50. Now people who want to share rooms can do it and save a few hundred during their stay :)
Boot Camp this morning was horrible. It is like torture getting up at 5:30am every other day. I seriously dread it the whole night before, and when my alarm clock goes off I am in disbelief. I actually get angry. At first I was losing a little weight, but I just weighed myself again and I now have GAINED weight! I know, I know...it's because I'm building muscle...but it still feels a little disheartening. I don't want to kill myself, but I might have to add cardio on off days to try and melt off some of this fat. We have been doing a ton of strength work and circuits, we even played tag on Monday, haha!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The Westin Vs. The Sheraton
So for the past week, I've been in the middle of a huge dilemma. I guess this is the first of many to come, since I have to research and be involved in EVERY detail of my wedding-planning....and I don't like to say no and hurt the poor little vendors' feelings.
I called The Sheraton up one night to ask about their rates for a room block next June. I talked to the sales manager for awhile, his name is Ryan and he was really nice. We negotiated what seemed like an unbelievable deal- $199 for a garden view room and $215 for partial ocean view and a free upgrade for me and my mom's rooms. He also dropped the $25/day resort fee to $15/day. I hung up really excited and it was set in my mind that I would sign the proposal when he sent it to me.
Then The Westin Villas and The Westin sent me proposals. They are owned by the same company- Starwood properties. The Westin was offering rooms for $189 and $229, with a reduced resort fee of $10/day AND an awesome upgrade to one of their nicest suites for me and ocean view for my mom.
The Villas were a bit more, but I quickly disqualified them because I don't want my mom's side of the family to feel like they need to cook and do laundry in their condo while we're there, supposed to be enjoying a relaxing vacation.
So Ryan and I seriously went over both of our remaining proposals and looked at their websites. We listed the pros and cons. The Sheraton has the best beach in Maui. The Westin has "Heavenly Cloud" beds. We finally ended up deciding on The Westin.....but then Sheraton Ryan called me last night. He asked me what I thought about the proposal, and I told him I was still unsure. He asked me what he needed to do to win my business....so I told him the rates and upgrades that The Westin was offering us. He said that not only would he match their rates, he would upgrade EVERYONE'S room to a partial ocean view for $185! And give us one of their best suites as an upgrade!
Now I seriously don't know what to do....I guess it's a good problem, that these hotels are going back and forth but I really have a hard time letting someone down and Sheraton Ryan has been soooo great to me. I still might be leaning towards the Westin though. They called to see what I thought too, and ended up lowering their third person charge from $75 to $50.
Gah.
I called The Sheraton up one night to ask about their rates for a room block next June. I talked to the sales manager for awhile, his name is Ryan and he was really nice. We negotiated what seemed like an unbelievable deal- $199 for a garden view room and $215 for partial ocean view and a free upgrade for me and my mom's rooms. He also dropped the $25/day resort fee to $15/day. I hung up really excited and it was set in my mind that I would sign the proposal when he sent it to me.
Then The Westin Villas and The Westin sent me proposals. They are owned by the same company- Starwood properties. The Westin was offering rooms for $189 and $229, with a reduced resort fee of $10/day AND an awesome upgrade to one of their nicest suites for me and ocean view for my mom.
The Villas were a bit more, but I quickly disqualified them because I don't want my mom's side of the family to feel like they need to cook and do laundry in their condo while we're there, supposed to be enjoying a relaxing vacation.
So Ryan and I seriously went over both of our remaining proposals and looked at their websites. We listed the pros and cons. The Sheraton has the best beach in Maui. The Westin has "Heavenly Cloud" beds. We finally ended up deciding on The Westin.....but then Sheraton Ryan called me last night. He asked me what I thought about the proposal, and I told him I was still unsure. He asked me what he needed to do to win my business....so I told him the rates and upgrades that The Westin was offering us. He said that not only would he match their rates, he would upgrade EVERYONE'S room to a partial ocean view for $185! And give us one of their best suites as an upgrade!
Now I seriously don't know what to do....I guess it's a good problem, that these hotels are going back and forth but I really have a hard time letting someone down and Sheraton Ryan has been soooo great to me. I still might be leaning towards the Westin though. They called to see what I thought too, and ended up lowering their third person charge from $75 to $50.
Gah.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Day Dreaming
One of my Knottie friends (fellow bride to be on the Hawaii board on The Knot) Kate got married on Tuesday and her wedding coordinator (hereby referred to as WC) posted a sneak peek of her pictures. She did such a great job on the details and everything was so beautiful, I just had to share!!!!
http://awaysoiree.com/2009/07/10/sneak-peek-of-kate-jeffs-wedding/
http://awaysoiree.com/2009/07/10/sneak-peek-of-kate-jeffs-wedding/
Monday, July 6, 2009
Olowalu Plantation House
Something happened this weekend that makes me so crazy with excitement that I want to scream and jump up and down and do cartwheels on the lawn.
Ryan and I had another "talk" (he hates those, haha!) because we really needed to book our wedding venue before they had to give our spot up. I was telling him how concerned I was that all of the good vendors are booking up for next June, and I haven't felt like I could start planning anything because we aren't officially engaged. Long story short, he told me to put some faith in him and just go ahead and book the site!
So I am! Today! We're really doing this!!!! June 10, 2010. Wow. Amazing, fantastic, fabulous, AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Check it out: http://www.olowaluplantationhouse.com/
Now that we have that secured, I am getting antsy to start planning and booking other things like the photographer. And I need to start rounding up addresses so that the minute he proposes, I can send out our Save the Dates! I will let my closest friends know right now, so that they can start planning and saving as early as possible.
The only thing I am worried about is our friends being able to afford it. Maui is really pricey! I wish I could just put everyone's plane and hotel on my credit card because I will be heartbroken if someone I really care about can't come because of finances. And Ryan will have the same problem. We're not quite out of the 'just got out of college and can't afford anything' stage just yet....our friends are still just beginning to build their lives, change professions, buying houses, having kids...nobody is really settled down with some savings in the bank yet. I just hope somehow it's all going to work out.
I haven't been able to work at ALL today...seriously, all I have done is browse wedding blogs and websites. My boss would kill me if he knew :)
Ryan and I had another "talk" (he hates those, haha!) because we really needed to book our wedding venue before they had to give our spot up. I was telling him how concerned I was that all of the good vendors are booking up for next June, and I haven't felt like I could start planning anything because we aren't officially engaged. Long story short, he told me to put some faith in him and just go ahead and book the site!
So I am! Today! We're really doing this!!!! June 10, 2010. Wow. Amazing, fantastic, fabulous, AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Check it out: http://www.olowaluplantationhouse.com/
Now that we have that secured, I am getting antsy to start planning and booking other things like the photographer. And I need to start rounding up addresses so that the minute he proposes, I can send out our Save the Dates! I will let my closest friends know right now, so that they can start planning and saving as early as possible.
The only thing I am worried about is our friends being able to afford it. Maui is really pricey! I wish I could just put everyone's plane and hotel on my credit card because I will be heartbroken if someone I really care about can't come because of finances. And Ryan will have the same problem. We're not quite out of the 'just got out of college and can't afford anything' stage just yet....our friends are still just beginning to build their lives, change professions, buying houses, having kids...nobody is really settled down with some savings in the bank yet. I just hope somehow it's all going to work out.
I haven't been able to work at ALL today...seriously, all I have done is browse wedding blogs and websites. My boss would kill me if he knew :)
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