"I'm So Lucky to Be Marrying You"

(Love Notes*)

 

Those were some of the last words I heard from the Boo before he went into training over a week ago.  We've been through three years and countless days without communication, and you know, it never gets any easier.  Truth be told, we haven't been together through a deployment yet, but it's on the horizon.  

The hope is that our wedding will keep me too busy planning to really miss him.  But I don't think it will end up working like that.  To be honest, I suspect that it will be much like this, but worse.  I have this feeling that something is missing from my life.  And with that something missing, there is this enormous silence that I can't shake.  And I'm a little more anxious about everything, especially the countdown to our reunion.  

This isn't to say that I don't have a life, and I don't have friends.  Because in the end, the relationships I have with the people around me is an enormous help.   But it may be this blog that makes each day go by faster (that's the only thing I want right now), and gives me the opportunity to focus my thoughts on our future (yahoo!).  

I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read about our wedding(s).  There is much, much more to come.

-Mich




* If you see a photo that you recognize, please let me know so I can credit the work.

Tasty Possibilities

Image via Snap Photography / Event by Raina Dawn Events

When we started planning our wedding, there was very little debate about what kind of food we wanted to serve our guests, at least in our little dream world; we wanted a meal that was delicious as it was fresh--quintessential Summer food.  We wanted a lobster bake.  

The prospect of finding a caterer was pretty nerve-wracking. Would they laugh at our budget? Criticize our tastes?  Get back to us in quickly?  The first caterer I spoke to was amazing.  She did not tell me that our idea was crazy, or too casual, or not right for a wedding.  Major bonus points for her right there!  Instead, she and I went through the typical lobster bake and made changes where I saw fit.  She let me interrupt her repeatedly, which was good, because I did that over and over again.  She helped me convey what I thought was a fragmented list of demands into an amazing menu.

Let's take a look at our original menu, shall we?

Instead of a buffet, I wanted a family style meal with big platters of food being passed around the table.  To me, it's a great way to avoid the formality of a traditionally served meal, without having our guests having to mill about a buffet table.  

We scrapped the New England clam chowder.  Sacriledge, I know.  But clam chowder has never really appealed to me in the heat of the Summer.  Instead of clam chowder, we went with a fresh gazpacho? 

Image via MyRecipes.com

 

Traditional steamers?  They were a must!  And of course, some lobstah.  We added some chicken for those that didn't eat shellfish, AND red bliss potatoes because I can't have a meal without potatoes.  It just doesn't happen.
 

Image via SteamerShellfishtoGo

Image via FoodNetwork.Com 

Then there were the sides.  Like traditional corn on the cob--no!  A girl's gotta draw the line somewhere.  I just couldn't stand the sight of 100 of our nearest and dearest, digging at their teeth with toothpicks.  Blegh.  So, we decided on a grilled corn salad with black beans and BACON.  Because our wedding feast could not have been complete without my favorite pork product.

Image via FoodNetwork.Com / 

Of course, none of this was meant to be.  Our nontraditional wedding feast wasn't in the cards for us.  At least not for our wedding, but I've tucked this away for the future!  Anniversary party maybe? 

Weighing the Options - Military Wedding? Pt. 5 (A Conclusion)

5
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To date, I've been floating through this engagement with a really nonchalant attitude about planning our wedding.  As I move forward with my plans, I hope to remind myself (on a daily basis, if necessary) that a wedding is just one day--the marriage is forever.  

So when faced with decision that acutally means something to one of us, I'd like to pretend that there is an option, when there really isn't.  Because really, when a decision is special enough that it means "something" to one of us, then it should mean everything to the other--at least for "something" so personal, and so essential to our lives together. 

The decision was made when he said it's what he wanted, because it matters to him.  And I love him, so it matters to me now.  Our wedding is for the both of us, and while his military career isn't the only thing to note about him, it is a very important part of his life.  It will be a big part of our life as a couple for the next few years.  

And so it is.  I'll marry him in his blues. He'll wear his distinctions on his chest lieu of a boutonniere.  We'll kiss under an arch of sabres.  Done.  

And since we'll have those sabres for a couple of hours, I'll want to do this:

Image via GwynethColleen.Com / Photo by Gweneth Colleen

Yep.  One badass wedding party, comin right up!






Did you struggle with deciding on what kind of wedding to have (whether it be military, religious, cultural)?

Dark Days Are Over!

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I've was working on a few posts when a nasty storm tore through the Northeast and knocked out the power for a couple days (at least for me, there are still many people without power right now).  A few more days passed and the internet is officially up and running again!  

Yes, it is no fun to be without power.  On the bright side, we're in March now and the weather is warming up!  I suppose it was good to put things in perspective--thank goodness for electricity and all the creature comforts I take for granted on a regular basis.  

- M

Engagement Pictures

Or "Something to Drool Over"


It's hard to talk about how practical engagement pictures are, because they're not. So let's skip straight to the impractical. I mean, if anything, engagement pictures capture a moment in a very exciting time. A time I hope we can look back on for many many years. The problem is that I don't like being in front of the camera. My passion for photography is from the perspective of the viewer and not the subject, so to speak. But, I'm going to try to ease up on myself and let loose. So I've scoured the internet for some of the most awesomely beautiful engagement pics in the hopes that I will find something to inspire me.

This woman is gorgeous.  I don't think I could handle the close up.

I think I'd feel a better at this distance.

Now we're talking.  Add a little color, and some traffic stripes and I'm happy.

Silly.  In the best way.  I think I need a little "silly" for our pics.

I've seen these e-pics over and over again, and each time they make me smile.  Fun! Silly! Water balloons!  How awesome are these pics?!

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + 6)

Grin and Bear It

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There are about five posts I've started and left undone.  Ideas and inspirations will come to me and I get so excited to write about them, only to get nervous about the topic.  Nervous.  A little timid maybe?  

No, it goes beyond a little shyness and heads straight to fear of being judged.  I know I might not fit in with every single person I meet.  And I know that no matter how badly I want to be accepted by the folks I often find myself surrounded with, it ain't gonna happen.  Not completely.  

It's a fact that people out there (and by out there I suppose I mean people in general) have a tendency to judge.  We all have our own opinions of how things should be done.  Nowhere is this more apparent than wedding planning.  "Why is your wedding so far away?  What the heck are engagement pictures for?  Do you really like French on invitations?"

Hmm... The wedding is so far away because we found a place we love and can afford.  Engagement pics are for looking at, like so, so many wedding-related things.  And yes, I am a Franco-phile, and a logophile (big words that mean "I'm a nerd")--did you know that R.S.V.P stands for réspondez s’il vous plait ?  So technically, everyone's used French on their invites at some point or another.  It's doesn't matter whether or not they are a silly, loudmouth, quasi-Liberal gal like myself who happens to like the idea of using a complete phrase instead of an abbreviation.  So there.  

This isn't an attack on anyone in particular.  I think I've just climbed inside my own thoughts and insecurities.  I think I've also been to enough weddings to hear the criticisms.  It's going to happen.  So long as I don't hear about it, everything will be fine.  Even if I hear it, it's still fine.  Clench-my-jaw-take-a-deep-breath-breathe-breathe, fine.

Phew.  That felt good.  Now back to the pretty things. 

{Sweet} Charity : In Memory

My apologies for being absent this week, and my apologies for interrupting the happy wedding banter for this...

This week my dear, dear friend lost her nephew to complications from pneumonia.  My thoughts and prayers are with her and her entire family.  Although I can not begin to imagine the loss they must feel, I can try to respect their wishes.  This beautiful boy was loved by so many people.  He was taken away far too soon.   So it's with sadness and hope that I am adding two new charities to the list on this site.  Incredibly, in their time of grief, the family has asked that donations be made to the Kidney and Urology Foundation of America or Donate Life Connecticut.  

While this may seem only remotely related to weddings it isn't.  Wedding are a time of joy, celebration, love, and hope.  There is so much to be thankful for.  I know that I may not always convey that feeling, especially when I'm babling on and on about tulle and lace.  So in that spirit, I ask everyone out there in blog-world to consider a donation in lieu of traditional favors.  There are so many wonderful charities out there, which is why I've added the list of charities to the blog.  If you're considering going the route of a donation, please take the time to look at some of these charities.  

 

Thanks, 

Mich 

Lucky In Love

Some friends of ours are planning a trip to Vegas this Spring.  Unfortunately, we're probably going to have to pass on this one because we are now offically saving for our wedding, and we've pretty much given up on making plans far in advance until we know when the Boo will deploy.  Sigh.  Twenty some-odd years of life, and I've yet to visit "fabulous Las Vegas."  

And even though I've never set foot on the strip, or laid eyes on the bright lights, there's still a part of me that would love to (not) plan a fabulous Las Vegas wedding. Just throw on playful dress, don a pair of bright blue (suede) pumps, add some intense red lips to the mix, and then it's a quick drive to A Little White Wedding Chapel.   

Take a look:

(Row 1: 1, 2, 3, 4. Row 2: 1, 2, 3. Row 3: 1,2)

Spring!

It may be hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner, but it is!  Sadly, I take notice of the little things that hint at longer days and warmer weather.  Yes, I actually got excited about pitchers and catchers reporting to practice last week.  Is it because I play fantasy baseball?  Mmmnot-so-much...

And here 's yet another major sign of Spring:

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Martha Stewart Wedding's Spring 2010 issue hit stands today.  Yes, this is a sure sign that Winter is going to bite the dust very soon!