Saturday, September 29, 2007

Who let the cat outta the bag?

It appears my previous post must have been in vain. FH went to his first USC home game last weekend (while I was in Vegas) and the question did pop out from one of his BFF.

Friend: "Hey... are you Viv getting married?"
FH: "Who told you that?"
Friend: "That's what I heard..."
FH: "From who?"
Friend: "From friend D" (who happens to live in FL mind you)
FH: "Who told friend D?"
Friend: "I don't know. So are you guys getting married?"
FH: "Yes"

And then I'm not sure what the rest of the conversation was. Probably back to the football game on hand. LoL. So... you see, FH was right. News does get around in his circle of friends. Actually that did happen to moi as well. At Diane's wedding, 2 friends also asked me as they had "heard" as well. Well, at this point, I see no reason to need any formal engagement announcements or even STD cards. :) Check 1 for the budget!

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Keep it on the DL

So the I had to discuss the invite situation with J. I figure it's best to do a formal STD card (as most of my friends have done) very early in advance, so that our friends and family we really want there will block out the dates for us. FH is completely opposed to this and wants to wait and send out formal invites in April/May (w/ the destination wedding in August). In fact - he hasn't even told his groomsmen the fact that we are getting married yet.

Being the girly-girl I am, I was deeply offended, but FH's reasoning is that he wants to wait until "after football season is over". "What?!?!?!?" was my natural reaction. His response to my gawking was that because his group of buddies will naturally talk amongst themselves, and alas, most will not be able to be invited - at least not in the first round of invites. With space limitation of 100, it doesn't leave us with much room for friends. So friends will chatter and be upset when then learn they are not invited (especially when he has been invited to their weddings). Sooo... for the remainder of football season (through attending games and parties) we will keep it on the DL with his friends. Weird you think? Am I the only girl who thinks this is weird? I mean, I understand him - it is very logical and reasonable (see post on "and you are who?".

Monday, September 10, 2007

Incompatible?

From question posted by Mr. Bee (on http://www.weddingbee.com/) - Do you have any incompatibilities between you and your partner?

1. Bedtime - I NEED to go to bed by a certain time every night to get up for work (10:30), but FI is commonly up til 3am watching TV and cleaning up (he’s a nightowl for sure). I crave that time to cuddle and talk before I drift off to sleep, but usu. I end up alone in those last few moments.



2. Decorating - I need to feel like a place is my “home”. Making it my own by paiting, puting up artwork, etc. Since we are at FH’s place, his motto is “Do not consume” - no more things in. Everything is great the way HE likes it, no changes, etc. Granted he has this year to say that we have a lot of large expenses before anything to the condo gets done. I feel like a nomad when I stay there (and he sees nothing wrong with that).



3. Leftovers - If I don’t think I’ll eat it , I wouldn’t take it. If it seems old to me, I’ll throw it away. FH thinks everything should be brought home “do not waste food”. He also thinks everything brought home should be eaten “do not waste food”. I think some things can be let go (do we really need to finish the spaghetti from last week? blech!). My compromise? Letting him bring it home and throwing old things out when he doesn’t see me.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

If the ring fits...

I finally decided to go ahead and try on some rings at various jewelers today while having drinks and shopping with a girlfriend. I keep reading how many brides had a set idea in their minds of what they wanted in a ring. And then when they go to try them on, they have a complete change of mind or preference. Based on the fear of this potentially happening, I set out to find what I wanted: Three stone - asscher cut - flanked by trapezoids - plain band.

After trying on a variety of styles (radiant w/trapezoids; plain solitare; cushion cut w/pave all around, 3 stone round, asscher w/pave band, princess w/split shank (pave), and 3 stone emerald), I have confirmed that what we decided on IS the best! The closest was a radiant w/trapezoids at Cartier. Not many jewelers carry asschers already set in a ring. But the cut is what I love. Both the sales associates at Cartier & Nathan Alan understood that. The moron from Bailey Banks and Biddle was telling me how he would choose a cushion over the asscher cut any day, even after I told him that it was what I wanted.

Review of the stores I visited today (all at South Coast Plaza):

Cartier http://www.cartier.com/ - Awesome, awesome service!!! Even though she knew I wasn't buying anything today and actually just there to "try on" different things, she was curteous and most helpful! She even sized me and directed me to Nathan Alan to see if they had something closer to what I wanted. The radiant w/trapezoids was my favorite (of course the center stone was over 3cts and a canary diamond). They were exemplary in service!

Nathan Alan - Also very very curteous and helpful. They had a picture of the ring I wanted and she will order it - no obligation - just to try it on whenever I want. I DID try the asscher cut w/pave band and I am enamored w/the cut. Even though the GF I was shopping with preferred some other styles I tried (she is a solitare, Tiffany-setting, plain band - gal herself), the sales associate at Nathan Alan was great in emphasizing that the cut is a very personal choice. Also that Asscher cuts are very modern and contemporary. I loved that!

Bailey Banks and Biddle - Awful! I would never recommend going there. 5 sales associates with no customers. Took about 5 minutes of me standing at one particular counter before I had the lamest salesassociate come greet me. This man needed a serious lesson in personal hygience and grooming. Reeked of body odor, had a messy comb-over, an ill-fitting jacket, and paisley print tie. Comment about Asscher diamond (see above). When I told him what I wanted to see, he said he had it but brought a loose diamond out. Then when I asked about other tyes of cushion cut settings he had - he told me to just draw what I want and they would design it for me. Useless. Ugh. Awful.