Beach Bound Bride

Trash The Dress: Part 1

2012-01-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

Sis T asked me yesterday to see some of my Trash The Dress pictures.

I usually forget I even took these. You see, I actually took my Trash The Dress

pictures BEFORE we even got married. There was a group of photographers that

got together and organized this event.

Trash The Dress sessions (as well as Boudoir Sessions) were something

COMPLETELY NEW in my wedding days. If you Googled it, you would

only get maybe 3 pages of pics? So all us brides and photographers got together

to do a session for the benefit of all. They would get portfolio pics.

We would get FREE pics! Win-win!

Personally, I was in a rush. Missed half the session because I got lost

trying to find this dam in SoCal somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

I didn't have my hair done. Slapped on some make-up in the car.

And here's what you get. So I forgot about them for the most part.

Until T asked to see them.

I had about 5-6 CDs from different photographers and settings,

but wouldn't you know I can't find most of my wedding related

photo CDs now? Eek... this has me cleaning like you wouldn't believe

for these two days.

So, PART 1 - these photos are from the same photographer

who did our Engagement Pics. That's how I actually got to do these pics

(because he invited me afterwards...)

More to come if I can ever find the CDs!

xoxo,

Vivian

Monique Lhuillier: Katarina

2011-12-04T23:51:00.000-08:00

Sis T's engagement and trek to the Monique Lhuillier Sample Sale today got me thinking about dresses and my own wedding dress. After a bit of googling for the dress my sister fell in love with, I decided to search for some images of my dress, the Katarina, as well:

The print ad photo.

The runway photo.

I was amused to find out (on Once Wed) that Ali Landry also wore

the Katarina dress in her wedding to Jose Alejandro in Mexico.

It was fun to see dress twins in a "Same Dress, Different Ways" kind of way.

A few pics I found while browsing listings for selling the dress.

This bride has an amazing figure and paired it with a coveted

jeweled belt. Love this combo!

And a couple of me in my Katarina ... oh how I still love my dress.

I love how you can see the ruffles kinda swirl in this pic...

... and see the train in full effect here.

Sometimes I think about selling my dress, but then I get sad at the thought of

not having it anymore. What about you? If you're married, have you

sold your dress or are you keeping it?

Happiest Proposal On Earth!

2011-10-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

LOVING this sweet marriage proposal,

which happened recently at Downtown Disney, CA....
heart of the Happiest Place On Earth!

It's completely upbeat, happy, and sweet!

Hope this made you smile today!

xoxo,

Vivian

I Wish...

2011-09-26T02:03:00.000-07:00

... for a lifetime of love and friendship with my dear hubby...

... that we may always love and laugh together ...

... and always be thisclose...

Inspired by Mrs. Kutcher

2011-08-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Demi sure is inspiring!

Talk about keeping it HOT for your hubby!

Can you believe she's 47?

Feeling Married

2011-08-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

I just wrote a behemoth of a comment in response to Rhi's rhetorical question about "feeling married":

"...I completely understand where this post comes from
and I truly think it IS a confusing thing.
People don't really have good explanations for it, but always bombard you with these vague type of questions "How does it FEEL now that you're married?".

Ask ANYONE (mostly women) in the FIRST year of marriage, and MOST women I know will be a bit confused. Like, "not much has changed".
They still feel the same, if not more love towards their husband.
But you already loved him SO much before you were married too right?
Personally, I had a lot of weirdness with changing my last name,
and hung on to it until probably the 1 1/2 yr mark.
Saying it was very awkward. Using it, more so.
It felt like I was giving up myself to become a wife.
But, gradually, slowly, and unconsciously, BEING a wife became natural.
Second nature. I forgot about the I and the ME and corny as it sounds, everything became a WE and a thinking about us collectively and more selflessly about my husband. Not to say I didn't before, but something was different inside of me. And I think the only way that comes is over time.
You can't pinpoint a moment in which it happened. But it does.
(Side note: we've been married 3 yrs now).
And I notice it in my friends too.
You see a subtle change in everyone after about a year.
You can see the difference of "married love". I think it's why they call it the "honeymoon stage". Besides all the endorphins and adrenaline from getting married, when everything settles in a bit, that feeling comes from knowing that you have this partner that holds your heart.
And you realize that you hold his too.
From the other side, I think that many husbands feel the change much sooner after the actual marriage than the wives do. I'm convinced it has to do with the fact that men often do put themselves first and foremost when they are single, pursuing their careers and their dreams. Then, once they get married, they become less selfish and more comfortable about being responsible for someone else's well-being, support system, and emotions.
Oy vay - just a generalization and I wrote such a book.
But it's just my very very humble opinion based on my observations."

What do YOU think if you are married?
I'd love to hear different viewpoints, opinions, and stories!

xoxo,
Vivian

Finding The One

2011-08-22T09:15:00.001-07:00

Wedding Pics: The First Look

2011-07-29T01:46:00.000-07:00

For a long time, it has been tradition,

that the groom must not see the bride before the wedding.

In modern times, I hardly know a single bride

that DIDN'T see the groom before.

"The First Look" is touted as a time

that the couple can share alone before the wedding begins.

Often, a sentimental and sweet photo session

takes place if you opt for "the first look".

In our case, I was very happy we did these shots

since our families HIJACKED, and YES,

I do mean hijacked in all caps,

our "after ceremony" photo time.

More on that later...

. . .

In Hawaiian tradition, the bride always gives the groom the first lei.

It's said that giving the groom the maile lei showed him and everyone

that this wahine (girl) wanted his hand in marriage...

* I left out "The Kiss" here... there are still somethings a little private ;)

This alone time, before the ceremony started,

was really the only time we had to ourselves

until much past midnight...

and some of the only portraits we got together...

This is one of my favorite photos...

but knowing what I know about photography now (which isn't much),

I would have expected the photographer

to fix a few obvious blunders in the scene...

. . .

Overall, my advice is to go ahead and do "the first look"

if your time and photographer allows.

Without it, we may have never gotten any photos of just the two of us.

IMHO.

Wedding Pics: Getting Ready

2011-06-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Geez... practically 3 years later and I will finally post some pics for Rachel! ;)

I'm such a slacker - I still have my final wedding album layout

sitting on our counter for over 7 months.

I didn't realize I never got around to posting any wedding pics.

So here goes Part I!

(mind you, most of these pics qualities have been resized for lower memory)

My cousin was thoughtful enough to snap a shot

of the day's newspaper and wedding related story.

Getting my veil pinned on.

I wish the photographer had hung the dress over the window.

We had an amazing view of the valley with floor to ceiling windows.

***BRIDE TIP: Despite everything I read about NOT giving photogs a "must take list",

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you do. If I hadn't instructed for a few detail shots, I

would not have got them. This dress shot was just one of a few disappointments

from lack of a list and trying not to be controlling.

I had read that a signature wedding perfume scent would be a great reminder

for the hubby. The idea is that when you wear it, he will always relate the

scent to our wedding day. I think it worked (though Chloe became my daily perfume).

I couldn't afford Louboutins in the budget, but I did score these

sparkly Manolos for a good discount! Again, I was disappointed by

the lack of creativity with my shoe shot.

Surprisingly enough, we had to ask the photographer to take ring shots as well.

At least these came out nice.

In case you're wondering:

Hubby's Band is a Tungsten Carbide comfort fit ring.

I originally wanted to get him THIS RING, but he ultimately

fell in love with the one he chose (similar to THIS).

My wedding band is the Cartier Platinum, 3 Diamonds style B4058300.

My e-ring is a 4-prong solitaire based on the Cartier 1895 Solitaire setting*.

* Cartier didn't sell Asscher stones, nor would they sell just the setting.

So we had to go to a jeweler who did have the stone I wanted

and could make the same setting.

As some of you may know, I want to change my setting at some point.

The band and setting are eternally classic, but they are much more of

my hubby's style than my own. Though, there are days when I love that the

simplicity and elegance are timeless and go with anything.

Getting ready with my girls!

Me and my MOH checking out the reception room as it's getting set up.
We didn't know the photog was behind us at first, and these 2 were some of my fave shots.

That's it for today...

Cranes of Luck and Love

2010-10-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

Saw this beautiful wedding of Laura and Jonathan in Chicago, IL.

What an incredible backdrop and a perfect way to add visual interest

to an indoor wedding where you may have a plain background.

The vibrant colors make her white dress pop that much more!

Beautiful shot of the cake through the shower of cranes.

I have a similar one with shower of orchids.

In Japanese legend, making 1000 cranes can grant you a wish, such as long life,

or a thousand years of good luck. The same can be said if it is given as a gift.

Given to a couple for a wedding gift, it would hold a gift of wishing a thousand years of

happiness and prosperity upon the couple. Given for the welcoming of a baby

would be wishing the baby a long life and lots of luck.

In Asia, the crane is a mystical creature that is said to live one thousand years.

I love this idea so much - it's great for any special occasion - a baby shower perhaps?

And easily transitioned into a baby nursery! I'm definitely doing this at some point!

Want to learn how to make some paper cranes of your own?

Check HERE for a step-by-step photo tutorial.

Or check HERE for a YouTube video tutorial.

Martha Does It Best: Ring Porn

2010-01-23T22:22:00.001-08:00

My ultimate ring looks exactly like one in the colorful boxes in the pic below.

I squealed with delight when this issue came out.

Can you guess which one?

{All images above via From Martha Stewart Weddings, Spring 2008}

What to Wear for E-Pics

2010-01-20T22:44:00.000-08:00

Let me give some brides-to-be some sage advice.

TIP 1:

Do NOT procrastinate on choosing your e-pic

outfits.

I should have known. Brides are always stressing about

what to wear for e-pics. Just check and forum or wedding

board.

Did I worry? No.

I thought that J and I had a ton of clothes to work with.

well... it seems that I was wrong.

I did not want to wear the typical Black or White Top + Jeans combo.

Ideally, I would have done something "different", "colorful",

or at least more flattering.

Tip 2:

Don't wear something baggy or "flowy" if there is possibility of wind or breeze,

My tent-like top did nothing to flatter.

Below are a few e-pics [outfit combos] I LOVE LOVE LOVE!

{Sarah K. Chen}

I actually bought my parasols from Crystal (in the yellow dress).

NOT SURE WHY EVERYTHING IS UNDERLINED NOW :(

{Via}

*sigh*

These beautiful, glammy, and vintage styled shots

make me want to take "couple pics" again.

I love our beachy e-pics (very casual and more "us")

but I love these themes as well.

Well, J DID win a free photo session at a concert.

We might just have to redeem that prize soon!

E-pics: A Day at the Beach

2010-01-20T22:19:00.001-08:00

Having our e-pics (engagement pictures) taken was

one of the BEST decisions during wedding planning

and one of the most fun!

(Images are poor quality due to me re-sizing)

Below are a FEW of my faves...

This "splash" photo is one of our faves!

There's a series of these leading up to

and after the big splash.

Definitely a fun shot!

This one [above] is framed in our home.

J, being his silly self. ;)

The one above was a *heart* in the sand,

which got washed away.

Photographer: Bryan D. Chan of Premier Photographs

Bryan and his wife are an amazing team!

He worked with my budget and produced

pictures we'll cherish forever!

In fact, I may think he was more prepared

and gave us better pics than even our wedding

photographer!

More on that topic to come.

I've come to realize how important engagement pics are.

After the wedding has come and gone, the e-pics

are more natural to keep displayed in the home.

With more than 1 or 2 wedding photos in

[our tiny] home, I think people might think us

to be self-centered or showy.

Engagement pictures capture us as couple,

simply, naturally, and in love.

What do you think?

Do you display more e-pics or wedding pics,

or none of the above?

Slacker

2009-12-29T08:26:00.001-08:00

I realized I never let this wedding blog come to full fruition. In all honesty, I was hoping it would be a launch-pad for another project and when that fell through I let Beach Bound Bride fall to the way side.

Well, it's been almost a year an a half since we've been married and I figured as one of my resolutions in 2010 that I would help finish along my little journal of our wedding planning and projects. As it is, we've already forgotten many of the little details and events that took so long to get to. I'd like to document some memories for ourselves while we still have them.

Another resolution for this slacker bride? I still haven't finished choosing the pictures for our wedding album. All done and paid for, but I just can't seem to finalize that project. I hoping to complete it before Valentine's Day or at the very least, our 2nd anniversary.

Tidbits and lessons learned to come. Happy Holidays and see you in the New Year!

photos for ideas

2008-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I <3 Bloomie's!

2008-02-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

J and I just came back from an eventful day at South Coast Plaza where we attended an "exclusive and intimate... Brainy Brunch"! According to the email invite I receieved from the nicest bridal "strategist", Daisy (whom I had met about a month ago:

"Here, you will receive great gifts and the chance to build you perfect personal registry with the help of ten product specialists. Space is very limited, and we have you rsvp'd for two people, so please contact us to confirm your reservation!"

Boy - they were NOT kidding! I had asked Daisy to also register my BFF/MOH (whose wedding is 1 1/2 mo before ours) and so glad we did. They literally had little round tabels set up in the aisles of Bloomingadale's fine china department!

From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by the bridal registry manager and shown to our own table, name card encased in a shiny silver frame. As we dined on scrumptious croissants, choclate-filled pastries, fresh yogurt topped with jewel-colored berries, and delicate spinach quiches, we were treated to made-to-order espressos and mocha lattes.

At the start of the hour, with a chime on the edge of a crysal flute, we began the "vendor speed-dating" - each bearing gifts of some kind. With the vendors we weren't crazy about (product, not person), the 5 minutes seemed endless. With the vendors we couldn't get enough of, the 5 minutes seemed to finish in the blink of an eye. *clink*clink* time to change (as the vedors each moved on with their goodie bags). We were left with an arsenal of phamplets, brochures, and two bags full of house paraphanelia.

After the hour and a half of personalized attention, we were registered and set about with a "strategist" to pick items that would set us up for the rest of our lives! With all the research and planning and dreaming I had of this day, it was actually very smooth and stress-free! I had compared, cross-referenced, made lists, and concluded that Bloomie's had everything I wanted all in one location! They were definitely more helpful, personal, incentives, and great tips that Macy's, Crate & Barrel, and Williams-Sonoma! Prices were pretty much the same across the board and Bloomie's also frequently has great bonus gifts on registry items as well!

Since my camera was stolen a couple of weeks ao, I'll have to list some of the freebies we receieved for attending today. If you have the chance to partake in one of these events - I HIGHLY recommend it!

* Thick canvas Bloomingdale's registry tote bag
* Victorinox (maker of Swiss Army Knives) paring knife
* Victorinox luggage tage
* 2 Villery & Boch "Wave" cafe cups
* DeLonghi cutting board
* Nespresso box of chocolates
* All-Clad kitchen towel
* Wedgewood can of Earl Grey Wildflower tea
* Denby coinpurse, pen set, and file folder
* Blinq silcone spatula
* Blinq silicone serving spoon

And for registering for some of the vendors present (minimum of certain $ amounts) we will receive in the mail:
* Victorinox tolietry travel case
* [Pair of] Kosta Boda crystal champagne flutes

I love their "The New Rules of The Registry... Rule #2 Feel like a kid in a candy store."

DIY #1 - Save the Date Cards

2008-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

With a week of February already in full swing, I knew I needed to get the wheels turning on this big bus of bridal bulls--t (well - I just couldn't think of another "b" word that went).

Having felt like accomplished so much on Friday (Picked the fabric for my bridesmaids dresses, which in turn helped choose my main theme colors), I was very motivated to keep the momentum I'd gained.

Since the wedding invite suite will be designed by Cards De Luxe, I couldn't get the same exact thing. I figured for sake of saving time, I would just do the STD cards myself, and it wasn't necessary to match the invites exactly.

I took a long lunch break to stop at Paper Source, buy STD card materials, oh and VOTE! And after a very long night at the office, I still came home feeling energized enough to produce these babies!

Paper Source A2 flat cards in Super Fine Soft White
Paper Source A2 envelopes in Papaya
Paper Source LP-Allium stamp
Color Box Inks (Moss Green and Orange)
Judi Kins Clear Embossing Powder (I so <3 embossing!)

I had a really difficult time coosing the stamp image I wanted. It came down to a group of ginko leaves or this new stamp they got in. I liked how airy it felt and it kind of resembles palm leaves. When I went to check out, the clerk told me they had just gotten these stamps in yesterday! Score one for the newness factor!

The above samples are the finished product. I also liked a right-justified set up, but the FI always likes things to be centered. (Note: I was testing on the envelope in the picture. Final outcome, I think the stamp will be tonal orange on orange).

Addresses will be on clear labels. For some reason, the envelopes will NOT work in my printer. Apparently it's smaller than the allowable dimensions. Do you think the friends and family will like?

The Kaleidoscope of my Mind

2008-01-22T22:45:00.000-08:00

Taking to heart all the considerate advice I was given from the previous post, I have taken another stab at this color palette issue. Thanks to all the bees out there who took the time to give such thoughtful comments!

Laura and Heather's advice regarding my love of pink, orange, and green, and the images from the side of my blog as part of my inspiration board led me to this kaleidoscope of images.

(All images from The Knot , The Kahala, and Theresa Lang)

It all came together with the inspiration from the invitation from Theresa Lang. It incorporated 3 of my top fave color choices beautifully! And at this point, I think the FH is ready and willing to compromise on colors so that I can finally commit.

With the promise that neither he, nor any of his groomsmen will be coerced into wearing pink, the FH is happy to compromise on colors so that I will finally commit and stop interrogating him on choices every day!

So what do YOU think?

Tie-Dye?

2008-01-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

SO I take it back... I have 1 little stress with the wedding right now. COLORS. I know every bride seems to go through the seemingly monumental task of choosing their wedding colors. How did they all do it? And then commit? It seems so much easier to commit to my future hubbie than it is to choose what color I want our BM dresses to be or initiations.

A few choices:

* Bright Orange + Green; Accents of cream, brown, and pink or yellow.

* Bright Orange + Aqua/Turquoise; Accents of black, white.

* Yellows + Pinks; Accents of green, white.

* Blush [pink], Creams, Champagne; Accents of brown, metallics [gold, pewter, or silver].

* White + Green ; Accents: brown, and any other color under the sun.

* Bright Pink/Fuchsia + Green; Accents of lighter pinks and white or cream, black.

and the list of combinations could go on and on... to which one BM told me I could just do all the colors of the rainbow and the "tie-dye" palette may bode well with my Hippie hubbie-to-be.

A few inspiration boards garnered mostly from StyleMePretty. Inspiration board #4 is from the Martha Stewart - Today Show Wedding. If you see any images that need crediting, please email me and I will add it. List most brides, I have saved many images a while back without saving the original source.

In no particular order:

The #1 front-runner according to my florist. He, like FH, like the subdued color palette. I like the simplicity and sophistication.

I love the bright fun colors of this Alice-in-Wonderland palette. Deemed "too bright for my taste" by the florist, and "too much pink" by the FH. I guess it's out.
3.

My #1 choice, florist's #2. Only problem I see is that this would go best with a classy, evening affair in city. Meanwhile, I'm having a daytime, semi-casual, beach-side ceremony.

I think this board is a nice combination of my Alice-in Wonderland brights meet the champagne/blush, city sophisticate. I may take cues from this palette to create my own.

This palette ties for my #1 fave. It's similar, but with a slightly more garden-in-the-country feel. My only concern is if it would we too subdued for our surroundings. Perhaps something a bit brighter for the outdoor ceremony, and this palette for the indoor reception?
6.

Ta-Da! This is MY 1st attempt at an inspiration board. I'm drawn to the lovely pinks and yellows. They can be subdued or brightened up endlessly! Accents with green, white or cream, and brown or black - I think it complements our event beautifully. However, FH say it and was shocked by how much PINK there is in it. I may need to tweak this a bit if I stick with this palette. I used a lot of tropical fruit, as would be found in our locale, and cocktail drinks as heavy inspiration.

Which do you think would work the best?

7th Heaven

2008-01-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

Only 7 months left til our big day! It seems like just yesterday we were at Pearl & Khai's wedding (7.7.07). With 1 whole year to plan the wedding, I thought it'd be a breeze. I'd have everything done by February so we could enjoy a nice skiing/snowboarding season and not stress.

Not that I'm stressing. Actually - there's really little stress right now. I'm still on the cloud we ra rang in for the new year. My honey was so sweet and good to me - he brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and cooked a porterhouse steak dinner for us last night.

I guess the only thing hat brings me down to earth again is this email from theknot.com reminding me of my my unchecked "To Do" boxes I have yet to complete. Still, all I have to do to float back to my 7th heaven cloud is close the little "x" box at the upper right-hand corner. And I'm floating away again....

2008 will be Gr8! / Bridal Resolutions

2008-01-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

2008 - We rang in the New Year with 2 other '08-to-be couples and a pair of newlyweds!
The FI pointed out what a great year 2008 will be:

We're getting married!
We'll go to our bachelor/bachelorette parties (in Cabo & Vegas, respectively).
We'll go on our honeymoon!

In following Miss Jasmine's post on weddingbee, I've decided to post some of my Bridal New Year's Resolutions as well. For many bride-to-be's, I'm sure the list quite similar. Nonetheless, as all the great planning books will advise - it's important to write down your goals. So here goes:

[1] Be mindful of the budget and be resourceful as much as possible. As I have been told more than once, "live within your means". Bargain, negotiate, and cut the unnecessary crap. Nuff said.
[2] Healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit. As an ongoing resolution that I try to kick up a notch each year, I will try to embrace a healthier lifestyle for the mind, body, spirit. With the wedding this year, I have even more incentive to step up my goals! More walking the dog, more yoga, more swimming, more gym, more organic foods and veggies, more water, more kisses, more compliments, more smiles, more hugs, more "I love you's". Less fat, less meat, less alcohol, less sugar, less TV, less negativity, less stress, less complaining.
[3] Remember the whys of the wedding. I will try to remember that the importance of the wedding is about me and the FH. As I have said repeatedly before, I wouldn't care if no one showed up - the wedding of my dreams should be about the FH and myself. Luckily, I have great parents and a great FI that also stand by with me on this one.
[4] Don't sweat the small stuff. So who cares if a napkin doesn't match a BM dress? At the end of the day, no one will remember the small stuff. They will only remember the feeling and the festivities.
[5] Live in the moment. Because being engaged and getting ready to be married is a time in my life that I will only have once. I want to enjoy every moment of our lives - to soak it all in. :)

Happy 2008! We're getting married this year!!!!!!!!

You know Joe?

2008-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of a post on weddingbee, I was browsing photog sites and came across Joe Photo, who was the photographer of my dear friend M.
http://www.joephoto.com/image_preview.php?path=AZ%202006%20300%20Favs%20with%20Borders%20UPLOAD/View%20Gallery&image=230&SkooksKartUserSession=6af31de86b5fadfab7d2674d57b075fe

http://www.joephoto.com/image_preview.php?path=AZ%202006%20300%20Favs%20with%20Borders%20UPLOAD/View%20Gallery&image=278&SkooksKartUserSession=6af31de86b5fadfab7d2674d57b075fe 20Gallery&image=278&SkooksKartUserSession=6af31de86b5fadfab7d2674d57b075fe

M had a beautiful and elegant wedding. 100 ppl. Guests that "genuinely care and love us" as M put it. M was the epitome of a beautiful bride. As her MOH - I remember the joy was radiating from her as she glowed, and gleefully pranced along the hallway in the moments before her big walk down the aisle. "I'm getting married! I'm getting married!" I will never forget how happy my friend was in those moments.

A few of my own photos from that beautiful October day: The beautiful view behind the ceremony site at Ritz-Carlton Dana Point; getting ready, mini tea ceremony in the room.

I wish I had more pictures of the ceremony to share - but M just told me they went to pick their pictures for their album a couple weeks ago, and being in the party I only have the memories of the special day.

"Always, always, always a bridesmaid..."

2007-12-27T22:44:00.000-08:00

...is thankfully not true for me. I've only been in 3 weddings in my lifetime. 1st time as a flower girl for my uncle's wedding. Last year as a MOH. And this year as a BM.

Also I am very grateful to have never had to don anything similar to one of these monstrosities...

(Photos courtesy of http://www.kheigl.com/)

Yup, that's right! I went to see the sneak preview of Katherine Heigl's wedding-themed movie, "27 Dresses". Of course we laughed and laughed, empathized and rationalized the different parts of the movie. However, in effort not to spoil the whole movie for the few of you who may read this post, I will just say that there can be no way that any bridesmaid out there has had as much bad luck with BM dresses as our dear heroine of the movie. It would be fun though - to have a grown up "dress-up closet" as she does.

What would be your worst BM dress ever? I'd love to see pics!

Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget

2007-12-22T11:19:00.001-08:00

This is one of my all-time favorite sayings that I think really sums me up. I DO have expensive taste. Yet, I am very much a bargain-hunter that can rarely stomach paying "retail". Thus, this saying also easily translates to our wedding planning.

Though there are the things I can't bargain for price and won't sacrifice for quality: the venue, the photography, the food and beverages....

(Above images from Chrissy Lambert, Signature Drinks, and The Kahala).

What I CAN bargain, skimp, or cut back on is pretty much everything else!!!

To date, we have bargained for:

1. Our scarf wedding favors (for the women) purchased in bulk on our Cambodia trip!

2. My Monique Lhuillier wedding gown from her sample sale!!! Early birds definitely catch the worms!!!

3. Additional Chivari chairs for our outdoor ceremony (to be included in our upgrade package).

Future plans of bargain hunting, negotiating, and other wheeling-dealing tactics include"

1. Airline tickets using mileage points.

2. Invitations hopefully through the savvy skills of FMIL.

3. BM dresses

4. Hawaiian luau for day after wedding celebrations if MOB can work her magic.

5. and everything else I can possibly manage!

I hope that as this wedding planning progresses, I can impart some of my acquired knowledge and secrets to other Brides-to Be! My mission is to make sure everyone gets champagne, even if all I can afford is beer!

Anyone else have good tips?

It's MY Wedding Anyways, Isn't It?

2007-12-21T15:08:00.000-08:00

I have long read about over involved MOB's, FMIL's, and statement-making BM's. The mantra "Whose Wedding Is It Anyways" that circulates amongst brides-to-be.
YET - in my case - it seems to be the complete opposite. And it bothers me slightly (well, more than slightly at certain times).
Cases in Point:
* MOB - My mother. What to say about her. Hardworking, independent, modern-day career woman. Not quite motherly at all, yet I had hoped her first daughter getting married would spark some interest in the participating. Her only requests to date so far have been 1) "I don't want to make a speech. Don't make me get up and talk in front of everyone!", and 2) "Give me an itemized list for your budget." That's it. She didn't want to go dress shopping with me - "What do I know? You and I have different tastes." She has no interest in the details - "Pick what you want according to the budget."
* MOH - BFF. A fellow bride-to-be, with an earlier wedding date, who has yet to pick most of any of the details for her own wedding. I will be holding her hand as her MOH for the next few months and pushing her along to get things done. To no fault of her own, this lady owns her own pharmacy business and works another job on Saturday. She is just not capable of doing a lot of things most MOH's do.
* BM#1 - My SiSTeR. I love her to death. She is one of the most precious things in the world to me. However, and this is a big one, she is 8 yrs younger than me, AND a sophomore at an out-of-state university notorious for their parties. Thus, quite self-absorbed in her own life and not one to ask a lot of wedding questions or care about "duties" of a BM. I understand - she's at that point in her life.
* BM#2 - Has a plethora of drama in her life, and though quite attentive to my wedding chitter-chatter, has a lot more to talk about regarding her own issues. And I am the girl who listens and dishes out advice.
* BM#3 - A recent bride herself, she takes interest and gives advice. However, BM#3 is a victim of MAJOR FMIL interference in her wedding. Since she worked approx. 12hr days the entirety of her engagement, she basically let her FMIL plan and expedite the entire destination wedding and does not have much advice to give.
* FMIL & FSIL - Have been through their "BIG" wedding planning with FSIL's wedding several years ago. I think they are pretty much over it after that event (which I am told was approx. 400 people). Not much input except an uncomfortable discussion about our engagement rings (directed at me - pertaining to size and prices). That's an entirely other post I may write about soon.

And then there is the GROOM. My Groom. The one who has been putting in crazy hours at work the past few months as people have been laid-off and he is picking up additional files. The one who is uber laid back, a total guys-guy. Only firm condition from him is "My guys and I WON'T wear PINK.". Anything else, he lets me choose and decide. "Whatever you want beautiful."

Although this complaint list may seem unfounded - I feel like I am all alone in this process. No one else seems to really care about any of the details. For my very practical family - a ring, a minister, any white dress, uncles with cameras, and some phone call invites would suffice.

Is it strange that I would want some more people to be a tad bit over-involved? Maybe because of other weddingbee posts that show that all this "over-involvement" is just proof of love and care? But on the other hand, I fear the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for." and try to make peace with who I have.

Paper Heaven

2007-12-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

Okay - I admit. I did not want to do any of the wedding stationery myself. Not only do I not have the time, nor patience. Most of all - I do not have the space.

BUT, (and this is a big one)

I found the Paper Source store near me [at South Coast Plaza - Crystal Court] last week. And um.... yeah. I am now the proud owner of the Marvy Uchida Embossing Heat Tool Model 2500. As the sales associate informed me - it is an investment! For some reason, my sales pitch about this wonderful invention ceased to impress the FH as much as I was at the store.

Nevertheless, armed with a bag full of goodies, pamphlets, and a considerably lighter wallet, I walked out of the store armed with stationery ammunition!

I am NOT going to do the invitation suite myself. For that, I will leave it to the professionals for my sanity's sake. However, I am planning to make my own Save-the-Date cards.

[Insert FH's joke here]

FH: You know how to make God laugh?

Moi: No - how?

FH: Make plans. [chuckle, chuckle]

Back to the topic at hand. To mildly prepare myself, I decided to make about a dozen holiday cards for my coworkers to practice on. Set up our brand new printer and figured out how to print on the cards. Yes - it's been a mighty long time since I've used a home printer.

Step 1: Found the greeting at http://www.hp.com/ that matched with my snoflake theme.

Step 2: Printed cards and envelopes.

Step 3: Stamped and embossed galore (stamps, cardstock, envelopes, Color Source Ink pads, clear and glitter embossing powder from Paper Source).

Step 4: Stuff cards into envelopes. Ta-Da! I'm not that impressed with my own work. With all the DIY projects I've seen on Weddingbee, make me long for special envelope liners and maybe some wax to seal them closed.

Perhaps it is a work in progress. At this rate my STD cards may not be in the mail until....

Silver, Plates, and Sheets... Oh My!

2007-12-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

I have REGISTRY on my mind. Fanciful dreams of falling onto lush beds doused in Pratesi and Frette. Swirls of patterns on fine China from Vera, Versace, Calvin, and other people who only need to go by one name. My palms sensitive to the cool touch of sterling silver and eyes glistening from the stainless steel and crystal galore. Christofle, Baccarat, Tuttle, Crate and Barrel, Kitchen Aid, Le Creuset, Calphalon, Shun, Williams-Sonoma, the list goes on and on like the scrolls of Santa's "wish list".
It doesn't help that I get distracted from Christmas shopping by popping into stores to get more info on products. "What's the difference between folded steel edges [on a knife]?" "What's better, ceramic or bone china and why?" "Teflon coated or cast iron? Pros and cons?"
I wake up feeling very exhilarated by my nocturnal shopping spree, yet very guilty. Registry is NOT the reason for getting married. I should embody the mentality that these "items", these "things" are just practical, every-day use household items. Not things to be coveted or lusted after in my sleep. Seriously - I dreamt of finding a bargain set of KNIVES last night that would be a great wedding gift for a couple I know. Yet I was so tempted to keep them for myself. Warped. My brain is warped. Who dreams of such things? Only a serious shopaholic bride-to-be such as myself. I don't deny it. I must be slightly crazy. But at least I can call it temporary insanity, and hope it is cured after the wedding. :)

All photos from bloomingdales.com

Vidiots

2007-11-26T23:09:00.000-08:00

Since when did a video cost $1000 to produce a 60 minute final product? In choosing a "package" with our hotel, I wanted to do the most expensive package (really because I wanted the Chiavari chairs and orchids). But it comes with a videographer - which we need to choose from a list of pre-approved vendors. Trouble is the videographers on my list do not nearly seem as up to par as the local O.C. and L.A. media-mecca selection offers. Truly what you find in la-la land offers you high quality, commercial-ready productions.

The FH really could care less about videos and photographers. Really he has absolutely no interest in helping me choose. Nada, zero, zilch. He actually firmly holds the position that he will not even go back to look at photos, nevertheless a video. And I actualy believe him. Unless there was a bouquet toss with some semblance of an interception, sack, touchdown, or a torn ACL action - there would be little incentive for FH to look over these uber important parts of the wedding.

I really didn't see the point in the video as well. I figure there will be more than enough video coverage from our camera happy relatives. I tried to negotiate with our hotel to alot the $1000 to another category. Despite our corrdinator's best efforts, she could not sway the director to re-allocate a portion to a different vendor.

So you ask - what do I do? I reviewed the three videographers' sites and chose the best one. Now I sit and wait. And hope that he is not already taken. Cause the other videographers look like they may have me shaken in my boots (um heels)... stay tuned!

The Element of Surprise

2007-11-16T22:27:00.000-08:00

Do you like surprises? If not, why? If so, why?
I've never really figured out if I enjoy surprises or not. I think in terms of relationships, everything has always been implied. No surprises. No special event to ask me "Will you be my girlfriend?", a la Miss Lovebird.

Everything seems like it has always been assumed or directed. For instance, my first boyfriend mentioned in a statement one day, "I don't want my girlfriend to do xyz." I don't remember what xyz was. I just remember standing there and saying, "Am I your girlfriend now?" and getting a solid and steady "yeah" for an answer.

When I think of how FH confirmed we were getting married was when he told me I better call some hotels if I wanted to get married on 8.8.08. So I guess that was that.

I'm not really upset or bothered by the fact that this is how all my relationships have been. Maybe it's in part because of me. Perhaps I subconsciously attract men who are matter-of-fact or give off the vibe that I don't like surprises?

Given my history, it didn't surprise me when FH announced to me earlier this week, "We have an appointment with L (the jeweler) on Saturday." "OK", I answered. Thinking that I would go with him on the first appointment with L, talk cuts, carats, clarity, color, and the final "C" word, costs. I've just assumed I would be a part of negotiations and FH would want me there.

So - to my surprise, when I called FH yesterday to inquire the time of the appointment, so I could make other plans for the day, he blurted out, "OH - I was just going to go. Did you want to go to?" Shock. Surprise. Yes guys, FH got me. Not in a bad way. I don't mind not going. I think it's rather great that he goes on his own. I was just surprised. Something that seldom happens. And I still haven't decided if I like surprises or not. (BTW, when FH said "we", he meant himself and our friend P, who is introducing L)

What do you guys think? Do you/did you want to be entirely surprised when it comes to your e-ring?

Who let the cat outta the bag?

2007-09-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

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!

Keep it on the DL

2007-09-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

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?".

Incompatible?

2007-09-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

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.

If the ring fits...

2007-09-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

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.

And you are who?

2007-08-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

FH and I just spent last night with about 60 of his parents' closest friends (including a few family members). Apparently, even without a ring or formal engagement notice, the associated "aunts and uncles" are fully aware of our wedding date and locale. I think most everyone at the party expects to be invited. We are of course more than happy to entertain all friends and family... just one teensy-weensy problem... our reception hall says "max. 100" and ceremony site says "max. 60 # of seats". Ummmm... FH has 40 family members on one side of his family alone.

We know who "has to be there". It's just the others who should be but aren't on the list that I worry about. What did you do/are you going to do about the ones who aren't invited to the main celebration? We will be having a local reception as well so the more the merrier at that event. I just have a feeling that most would want to be invited to the main event in Hawaii. Any tips or suggestions? Leave it to the parental units to break the news or send them separate invites for the local reception only?

Back from our trip with wedding loot!

2007-08-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

We are back from our Malaysia & Cambodia trip! First of all, the Angkor temples are A-MAZ-ING!!! You must definitely see them in your lifetime! And the food in Malaysia is incredible!!! A pic of us at the famous Angkor Wat temple with one of the 4 smiling gods.

But, back to wedding stuff now. Upon seeing these gorgeous silk scarves in Cambodia, I recalled a blog in which the bride placed pashmina scarves on the backs of chairs, I thought these would be PERFECT for MY wedding. They were much lighter weight than pashminas, and the bright colors would make the perfect colorful accent to our beautiful ocean backdrop. AND they were much more affordable. The different vendors wanted $3-4 for each scarf but FH, being such a negotiator, worked out the volume discount. I got 60 scarves for the wedding to drape across the backs of chairs and have the women to take one as a gift! (This is the closest kind of scarf I could find a picture of). They are each wrapped so nice and flat in a bag that I don't want to take them out of the bags yet).

What was even more amazing was how I managed to fit them all in my already overstuffed luggage.

def. Budget

2007-08-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. i think this is a foreign word i will soon need to make my new BFF.

budg·et (bjt) KEY NOUN:
- An itemized summary of estimated or intended expenditures for a given period along with proposals for financing them: submitted the annual budget to Congress. As in - I need to make an itemized summary of estimated or intended expenditures for a given period of a few days for our destination wedding. Am I the only one who thinks it's not just a 1day/1meal event?
- A systematic plan for the expenditure of a usually fixed resource, such as money or time, during a given period: A new car will not be part of our budget this year. As in - a free for all bar and complimentary luau for all of our guests will not be a part of our budget in this lifetime.
- The total sum of money allocated for a particular purpose or period of time: a project with an annual budget of five million dollars. As in - Our wedding bugdet has a limited budget of $xx dollars.
A stock or collection with definite limits: "his budget of general knowledge" (William Hazlitt). As in - my budget of shoes and dresses do not fulfill our needs?
Appalachian Mountains A wallet or small pouch. VERB: budg·et·ed , budg·et·ing , budg·ets VERB: tr.
To plan in advance the expenditure of: needed help budgeting our income; budgeted my time wisely. As in - we DO need help to budget these expenditures and help to budget our time as well.
To enter or account for in a budget: forgot to budget the car payments. As in - I cannot budget for a live band?
VERB: intr.
To make or use a budget. As in - How does a budget work?
ADJECTIVE:
Of or relating to a budget: budget items approved by Congress. As in - Budget items not approved by FotB.
Appropriate for a restricted budget; inexpensive: a budget car; budget meals. As in - I think other than the location - ours will need to be a Budget wedding. But I love it!!!

Does size really matter?

2007-08-11T01:12:00.000-07:00

Ahh... perhaps something that pops into every guy's mind at least once in their lifetime. In my case, the issue of size IS wedding related. The rock, the ice, the bling bling! I have my mind set on an (at least 2 carat) Asscher cut stone, flanked by two smaller side stones. Thing I have come to discover about this "idea" I have in mind - to make it a reality will cost Mr. Pineapple a pretty penny! Is it unfair to hold your FH up to this ideal we've created in our minds? Mr. Pineapple is soo sweet and willing to make me happy in just about any way possible. I don't like to be unreasonable or beyond logic and practicality. But I think my dream wedding along with a ring of my dreams may just be too much ka-ching ka-ching!

I don't want to put any more pressure on Mr. Pineapple - I won't say anything further about the the size of the rock or even the setting. It's all for him to decide. I'm quite happy with the fact that I got the destination wedding, and even more estactic to have found and be loved by such a wonderful man as Mr. Pineapple.
But I still have a bit of that little-girl-feeling inside - you know - the one every girl has - (in best pouty face) "but i want to have my cake and eat it too---"
I just have to remind that little girl that "you can't and shouldn't get everything you want in life," otherwise it wouldn't make special things special at all.

8.8.08 is the date!

2007-08-09T23:06:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this by saying that our engagement-to-be is less than traditional, and more rooted in superstitions & practicality. If you know Chinese people, you may have figured out the "why" on the date. FH and I are both ABC's (the common nickname for "American Born Chinese"). However, just because we are ABC's doesn't mean we don't hold a lot of passed on superstitions of our elders. We both partially believe in our parent's superstitions and preferences for particular numbers and traditions. In Chinese, the pronunciation of "8" sounds very much like the pronunciation for the word "fah" or "fat", that is used for fortune, wealth, and good luck. The particular grouping of 8-8-8 is a very popular one, evidenced by selected groupings for phone #'s, license plates, and even addresses.

Now how did we set a date when there hasn't even been a proposal or ring presented yet? It all took place over the long 4th of July weekend this year. As it has now been well-documented, 7-7-07 was a record-breaking date in the history of weddings! Being such an auspicious date favored world-wide, transcending cultures, languages, and even religion, our most superstitious friend wanted to marry on 7.7.07. As we discussed the virtues and glorification of this date, I mentioned I would favor 8.8.08 to FH. As we discussed the virtues of the date, it occurred to FH that 8.8.08 was indeed an ideal date both auspiciously AND practically speaking. While I have a medium sized family and circle of friends, FH comes from a large family with lots of friends (his sister's wedding was 400+ people). The combination of my dream for a destination wedding, the fact that 8.8.08 lands on a Friday immediately cut down on the guest list. Further, there is a high likelihood that many potential guests would be committed to other Chinese weddings, or gambling, or in China for the start of the Olympics, we believe our guest list would be even smaller, with only core friends and family we'd really love to share the event with.

Since we knew it was going to be a very popular date, FH told me to start calling places I was interested in right away. Alas, I only knew of several hotel/resorts in Waikiki that I would like for the wedding I had envisioned in my head since I was in the 4th grade - on a cliff overlooking the ocean. When I started calling around a few weeks ago, my 1st pick was the Kahala Hotel & Resort (formerly known as The Kahala Mandarin). Although I have never been there, I just instantly felt it was the right place when I saw the website. Intimate, spectacular views, with the right ambiance of casual, sophisticated elegance. When I called the Kahala, I was told they did not accept reservations for up to 1 year in advance. That left me with a week and a half before I could book.

During that week, I spent countless hours searching the "net" for other options. The Royal Hawaiian - classic - all booked. The Hilton Hawaiian - well-known - all booked. The Sheraton Moana - no call back - probably all booked. The Sheraton Waikiki - not really what I wanted - no call back either. The Halekulani - beautiful, but also where my cousin was married and I don't want to steal anyone's thunder - no call back. So I ended up where I began, desperately hoping I could get The Kahala.

On 8.8.07 at exactly 11:02 am (that would be 8:02 am Hawaii time) I called The Kahala and they dropped the bomb on me. "Since 8.8.08 is such a popular date and we've had so many inquiries, we are doing a lottery to choose the couple for this date." Ahhhh!!!! What do they mean? How can that be fair? Shouldn't it be "first come fist serve" and gosh darnit I MUST be the 1st caller! My practical side decides to calm down and we give her all our info - preferences for ceremony? "I'd love the Koko Head gazebo, but I'll take what you have." Number of guests? "Give or take 100 - but I'll take what you have." Day or Evening ceremony? "I prefer evening, but again - I'll take what you have." The day progressed with anxiety and I almost gave up on my date. I figured if Hawaii were so difficult to book, then we were too late to get anything local (as where we live has many Chinese communities). 8.9.07 - I call my contact at The Kahala around noon. There were 15 entries for the lotto on 8.8.08 (they only accepted calls on 8.8.07). There were 4 slots and they had not done the drawing yet. Where else to look if I don't get picked? The Halekulani, miraculously on 8.9.07 (around 1pm) they called me back with the message that there were possibilities. Immediately I returned their call and reserved the morning ceremony on The Hau Lanai/Terrace, followed by a lunch reception. This is the picture on their site.
Within the next hour, I receive a call from Karo at The Kahala. I was selected in the drawing and reserved for the Diamond Head Gazebo morning ceremony to be followed with lunch reception in the Waialae Ballroom! I went from despair to having 2 reservations!!!

As of this moment, I am confident we will choose The Kahala. I have heard nothing but rave reviews about their weddings. And although The Halekulani is equally impressive, I would rather let my cousin and his wife keep that hotel as theirs in memories.

So now we have the date! It's feasible! It's possible! Now I need the actual proposal and an e-ring!!!