Long Distance

We are coming up on 9 months from the wedding in a few days, and it gets harder each day. I'm sure I don't have to remind any of you that Greg and I are living apart right now. And it's becoming harder and harder and more and more stressful. I did get to spend the weekend with him because we went to Virginia to visit Kevin and Selby. We had a very good time, and are looking forward to returning with the whole family for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to spend time with Greg, but as I drove out of Dayton tonight and back to Columbus I had some overwhelming feelings. I felt extremely lonely, and I felt that three days was horribly unsatisfying. I'm truly thankful for the time we get together, but it's never enough. It's so hard to kiss goodbye and drive away. One day, I hope, we will be together, and be wishing for some alone time. But for now, we take what we can get. Not much longer now.

Flowers

I had a meeting with the florist today to discuss everything for the wedding! And she gave me the samples to take home which was so exciting! The Cutting Garden is a flower shop in Uptown Olmsted Falls that is owned by a family friend. I met with Melinda and she was so nice and very helpful! In fact her wedding colors are going to be the same as mine! So...I want to tell it all, but I'll try to leave some things for surprise. The cake will have green orchids for sure! My bouquet will have mixes of greens, pinks and purples. The maid of honor will have a mini bridal bouquet. And the girls will be the same but smaller and no roses. Greg's boutineer is an orchid with a sprig of green hydrangas. And the groomsmen will have 3 small white spray roses. The centerpieces will either have hot pink gerbers or green fuji mums. We talked about mothers, and fathers, grandparents and readers too! It was a really fun time to see everything come together!
Oh and by the way...the matchbooks have been re-printed for free. So I'm going to have a TON of matches!!
I think that's it for now...up next entree tasting and favor tasting! =)

Elegant

The wedding plans are coming along nicely, and everything seems to be based around the word "elegant". In the beginning it was fun and casual. That is, when we were thinking cocktail reception. Over the past few months things have changed some because we are doing the sit down dinner. So...Windows on the River alone says elegant. My dress...although chosen when we were still in the fun and casual phase has now been made even more perfect because it too is elegant. Before I was worried it would be too much for a fun and casual evening. I bought my veil today and ordered my shoes today...another step toward elegant. The bridesmaids dresses moved from a fun and flirty cocktail dress to a long, black and elegant dress. And you all got a chance to see it on a previous post. The cake is crisp and clean and the DJs are classy. All adding up to hopefully the most elegant night of our lives. However...we have hit one bump in the road. I think I can say this is the first thing to not go quite right.
Greg and I ordered a few wedding things a couple weeks ago and they arrived today!! Yay! we got our toasting flutes, cake servers, and bubbles. And we got our napkins ans matchbooks!! The matchbooks are probably what we were most excited about!! But, they are very sloppy and "un-elegant", definitely not crisp and clean. Don't worry, I am working with the company to see what I can do. But as everything decided for the wedding has screamed elegant or been decided against if it was not...this has made that come to a screeching and disappointing halt.

I suppose this isn't a big deal, but I needed to vent a minute. Hopefully this is the worst thing to happen along the way...cause I think I'm doing pretty good!

Sweetest Day is 300 Days!!

Happy Sweetest Day!!!
Today is also exactly 300 days until the wedding, and we started our registry at Bed Bath and Beyond!!

Hotel

We have booked the hotel for guests to stay in Cleveland! It is located downtown, minutes from the reception venue! The Hyatt Regency at the Arcade. This was also an option for the reception but Windows won us over!

And...most importantly...today is exactly 10 months from the wedding and 6 months since we've been engaged!!! We truly are enjoying the "engagement phase" of our life. It makes it that much easier to live and work in separate places!

Happy 10 months to go! Happy 6 months of engagement!

Flowers, Food, and Misc.

So...I think I mentioned we ordered our Save-the-Dates and an engagement picture book. Well, they came this week!!! And they are AWESOME!!! And thankfully Greg was able to come visit me Saturday evening so he got to see them too!

This week we ordered our matches, napkins, bubbles, toasting flutes, and cake server. We had a coupon. =) Can't wait for those things to come!! It's all coming together!

October 26th I meet with the florist to discuss all our flowers and decorations. The pictures I posted are from my inspiration folder on the computer, but that's all they are...inspiration! Colors and ideas, hopefully the florist will be able to help me figure it all out! And hopefully we will be talking about lowering cost where we can! Yikes! I don't even have a quote yet, but I've only heard horror stories of how expensive flowers can get. So I'm scared, and hope they can work with the budget I have set in my head!

And we officially have our entree tasting on November 13th!! We get to try: chicken vinaigrette with tomato relish, prime rib, baked halibut, and chicken marsala!! Yum! And Greg and I plan to order some favors...although not officially decided on...for tasting that day too!

Less about wedding, more about life: Last weekend Greg got to come up for Saturday evening. We went pumpkin picking at Lynd's Fruit Farm here in Columbus. That was our second year in a row! We also bought honeycrisp apples, hot kettle corn, and mini pumpkins for decoration. Next weekend, my mom and her best friend Kathy are coming to stay with me Friday night. I love visitors! And Saturday Greg comes up for the weekend!! It's my birthday, AND my LAST birthday NOT married! Kinda weird.

305 days to go!!! <3

The Dress

The dress has been ordered!!! And the little black envelope was 10% off!! Woohoo!

And as I can't share my dress with you, I'll atleast share the bridesmaids dress wtih you!

Little Black Envelope

I cannot express how excited I am about the little black envelope they gave me today at Catan's!!! Brigitte and I went in to try on the bridesmaids dress we were 98% sure about next to my dress that I am 1000% sure about! As we were leaving we stopped to ask a sales lady how much of a deposit is needed to order my wedding dress. After a little conversation she asked if I had received my black envelope. I had no clue what she was talking about! She then took me over to the desk where we had half a shoe box of little black envelopes. She said I have to bring it back...UN-OPENED...when I order my dress! There is a special discount inside each envelope, anything from 10% off, to 50% off, to free shoes, or a free veil! AND there is ONE FREE DRESS in the mix!! Half the envelopes have been claimed and the free dress has yet to be found! CAN'T WAIT TO GO ORDER MY DRESS! And now it's even better knowing there is a surprise waiting for me in that little black envelope!!

I guess that makes up for the bridal show being cancelled today! =)