99 + Forever

The Eleventh Hour

2010-10-06T15:45:00.005+10:30

In our wedding speeches my Dad told everyone about the time when I was at Uni and I had to write a business plan for a class I was taking. I had a month to do it, it needed to be 30 pages long. The night before it was due at 10pm I rang my Dad to ask for his help. He said - Sure I can help, I'll send you out some templates to fill in. You just have to add in all your information.
And I was all - Can you dictate the templates down the phone to me - it's due tomorrow.

There is something wrong with us. Both Mr B & I. It's called lastminuteitis. As in we never seem to do ANYTHING until the last possible moment. The time when you feel most stressed and you are nearly out of time - that is the time we are finally spurred into action.

I could give you a million examples. High school assignments. Studying for Uni Exams. Packing for trips.

Our wedding.

And EVERY time we say - Never again will we do this. It's too stressful.

And then EVERY time it all works out in the end.

Thus the motivation to change is just not there.

They have FINALLY given us a settlement date for our house.

We can move in this weekend. As in 2 days. We have not packed a single box.

When will we learn??

P.s. Blitzed that Uni Business plan - top marks in the class - Thanks Dad.

Us

2010-09-30T15:39:00.001+09:30

Ran into someone we haven't seen since the wedding yesterday. She said she loved our wedding because "it was so us".

Made me smile all the way home.

Home is where the heart is

2010-09-21T11:13:00.004+09:30

Today we found out that we will officially be homeowners! YAY!

Still not sure of the exact dates yet (the sooner the better as we only have two weeks left in our rental). But we are SUPER excited, and also a little petrified (that's a whole lotta debt).

Want to see some sneak peaks?
View from the street

Our new bedroom

Down the hallway looking at the front door, and off to the left through that door is the kitchen.

In a strange way I think this house was meant to be. We were looking at a completely different house when we stumbled upon this one. My parents place that we wanted to buy - let's pretend their address was 24 Cat Street, well this place is 12 Kitten Street (not our real address). But it seemed like a sign to me.

And when we went to see it inside it just felt like Us.

Heart Glasses LOVE

2010-09-01T15:26:00.004+09:30

I LOVE that Stacey rocked out these love heart glasses I sent to her! What a super star.

A few people have said they wish that there was a pair of love heart glasses that traveled around the interwebs ala Sister hood of the traveling pants.

I'm thinking we should do it!

So now we need a cool name, and I need to know who wants the glasses first!

Finger crossing

2010-08-30T13:16:00.002+09:30

Hello. Is anyone still out there?

Man I have so much to tell you guys. So much to catch up on all of your blogs. But not much time to do it all just yet.

Mr B & I put an offer in on a house. A house in the city. The country home I grew up in just wasn't in our budget. I am learning that letting go is ok, and that change can be a good thing. (well, trying to anyway).

Promise I'll be a much better blog friend once all this crazy dies down.

Cross your fingers for us. We find out the end of this week if we will be homeowners, or homeless.

Aloha

2010-08-11T16:04:00.005+09:30

Wow Hawaii seems like a million years ago. This last week has been super stressful. But we'll talk about that later. Today lets go back to Hawaii!

My lovely husband was in Vegas for work (hard life) so we met up in Hawaii. Meant we only had to pay for my airfare. Score! He greeted me at the airport with a lei. It was SO nice to see him. He was so cute - got a bit teary eyes seeing me again. He'll deny it - but I thought it was adorable.

Nearly drowning my husband on Waikiki beach.

We met some locals who told us we had to try the roadside shrimp at Romy's shrimp shack. It was SO good.

We went to a cheesy luau - Paradise Cove. We got in two for one, don't know if I'd pay full price for it. You do get drinks with umbrellas and pretty flower leis!

Poor Mr B had hurt his foot on some rocks this day, and they roped him into "volunteering" to be a dancer for the group. He was trying to say no because of his foot - but they thought he was making it up to get out of it. Luckily he pulled it off with a smile!

These are what I called the Rainbow bright shoes - at the time I thought they were cool but a little crazy. Ever since I wish I had bought them. Sad face.

Gotta love a man that will wear a flower in his hair!

I hit up all the US stores we don't have here. Victoria's secret, Forever 21, and I was super excited about Wal Mart - Mr B thought I was the biggest dork (you probably all do too). But I did not care! They are open 24 hours and they have a McDonalds inside. I got books for $5 each that are $30 back home. It was AWESOME.

We did not buy these glasses - but we were tempted!

I ate my first macaroon - so good!

We ate shave ice at Matsumotos after lining up for ten minutes! The place must make a mint - and all for selling water with sugar water on it. Was good!

On our last day we were driving back and saw all these people milling about on the beach on the side of the road. We got out and found out there were sea turtles in the water. $5 snorkels from Foodland across the road and we were in. Was the best part of the trip.

Bad photos - but there on the right is a giant sea turtle.

You can see him better in this one - that's me on the right. We didn't manage to get any great photos. Oh well.

Last stop was the Dole pineapple plantation for Dole Whip - which is this crazy pineapple soft serve. It was SO SO SO good. I have been dreaming about it ever since. (Mr B's hat - Wal Mart - $7 - and he didn't want to go in! Ha)

It was so nice to go away together. We work way too much, so spending quality time together was awesome. Felt like being on honeymoon all over again.

Oh to be on holiday again. Why do they always go so fast?

Concrete plans

2010-08-05T12:25:00.005+09:30

I don't know what to do.

We've been renting the same place for five years. Our landlord has decided to renovate and she's not renewing our lease. So now we have four weeks to work out what the heck we are going to do.

I hate change.

My Dad is trying to sell the house I grew up in. I want to buy it. But it's five hours drive from here. Would Mr B & I survive in the country? Is it really about the house? Or am I just trying to hold onto things that are already gone?

If we're going to have babies in the next few years (which is the general plan right now) then I really want to be near my Mum - who lives five hours away. So maybe we should buy the house.

But Mr B is a city boy. What if he hates the country?

We could always move back.

I hate not knowing what's going on. At the moment we have four weeks left in our place and no concrete plan about what the heck we are going to do then. I feel so stressed.

I just want someone to tell me what to do.

Recaps = FAIL

2010-07-28T13:20:00.001+09:30

Wow I have been a bad blogger lately. And I think I am quite possibly the worst wedding blogger at recaps EVER. It is nearly seven months after our wedding and recap wise I am up to the morning of the wedding. Ridiculous.

Does anyone even want to read recaps anymore?

Time out

2010-07-13T16:04:00.008+09:30

This time next week Mr B and I will be jumping on a plane and landing hereWhen we arrive I hope to be greeted with one of theseLots of time walking in the sunshineSwimming in my new suit that just arrived!Drinking loads of theseMaybe then have the courage to wear this (Ha)
Honolulu Baby!

Got any hot tips for me?

Grateful

2010-06-29T14:21:00.005+09:30

I will have been married six months tomorrow.

My parents have been married for 40 years.

Tomorrow their divorce goes through officially.

As much as I hate that all of this has happened in and around our wedding, a small part of me is grateful. Grateful for the conversations Mr B & I have had about our marriage. Grateful for the marriage demons I have had to face that I might have otherwise ignored. Grateful that I have two parents who love me. Grateful for the happy childhood I had. Grateful for my new husband and the strong foundation we have to build our marriage on.
Grateful for my new family in Mr B.

I am trying so hard to be grateful today.

What are you grateful for today?

Home

2010-06-20T12:05:00.005+09:30

My parents are in the final stretch of a messy marriage break up. It hurts my heart to think about it. Or write about it. Or talk about it.

I've been in denial. They live five hours away so I can just pretend in my head that things are fine.

When we go to visit my Mum still lives in their house - our home. Dad isn't there anymore. But in my head I just tell myself he's at work. He always worked a lot anyway.

I try not to think about it day to day. I don't talk to my Mum as much on the phone because she wants to tell me things I really don't want to know.

Now she is about to move out of our house.

And for some reason this feels worse than everything else has.

The part where he walked out. The part where he lied. The part where everything fell apart.

Yet the house feels worse. The house that is a home. My home.

Mr B said to me - Now that we're married we can be each others home. So no matter where we live, as long as we're together, we'll be home.

I have been clinging to his words like a life raft in the dark stormy ocean.

And although I'm still lost at sea, I'm not drowning anymore.

Details - Bali Suits

2010-06-04T11:59:00.008+09:30

In the lead up to the wedding we were on a spending hiatus. Saving every penny for the wedding and wedding things.

Mr B works in travel and a deal came through that was just too good to pass up. $300 return to Bali. Mr B did the sums, worked out that going to Bali and having suits made for all the guys would cost about the same as buying the suits here. I was still not convinced. I told him that if he could talk our friends Mr P & Mrs O into going then I was in (thinking they would say no). Ten minutes later we were all going to Bali!I don't regret it for a second (even though we blew out our budget). We had the best time. Holidaying with friends is so much fun. Made me wish we were having a destination wedding!

So back to the suits. We had five groomsmen plus Mr B that all needed suits. We had decided early on that we were going to pay for all our bridal parties clothing. Dresses for the girls had already been paid for at $100 each. So the boys suits really needed to cost no more than that or we just couldn't afford to do it.

We went to a few tailors in Bali. Some were a rip off, some were just plain scary. But then we found Liza tailors. It's in Kuta down Poppies Lane 2 - which I know sounds like crazy directions - but trust me - that's all you need to tell any taxi driver. Poppies Lane 2 is a one way road and the shop is a tiny hole in the wall - don't be put off - it is great! The guys that were running the place were about our age and loads of fun. They measured up Mr B & Mr P and we gave them a list of the rest of the boys measurements. It took quite a while to decipher the list and work out that boys are hopeless and can't measure themselves (lots of jokes about must have "fat leg and no crotch" from the guys running the shop). We had told them to get measured at a suit shop by a professional - but only one of them did. The other three had measured themselves - and it showed. We took our own photo of the suit we wanted - although they had tons of books with photos ripped out of magazines to choose from. All six suits - white tuxedo jackets with satin lapels, black tuxedo pants with a satin stripe on the leg and white pin tucked tuxedo shirts - cost us AU$85 each. They gave us a discount for getting so many (Mr B also had a grey pin stripe suit made so we ended up with seven suits!). BARGAIN!

Two days later we were back for fittings. Something obviously got lost in translation as the pants were white too! They tried to cover it up by saying they were just a mock up to try on - but we felt really bad when I saw the pile of six pairs of white pants behind the counter! The suits needed some slight tweaks and new buttons (they were way too yellow) and the black pants would need a much thinner stripe of satin (the white ones had a stripe about an inch wide, changed it to less than half an inch). But overall I could not believe how fast and how professional a job had been done in two days! The jackets were lined with fancy pockets. They were nice!Two days later we were back to pick them up. Seven custom made suits made in four days for $595. Only in Bali!
When we got back home the groomsman that had been measured by the tailor got a suit that fit, all the others needed adjustment - which ended up costing more than the suits! But we made the boys get that done themselves.

We ended up getting Mr B an expensive tuxedo shirt for the actual wedding day. The ones they made were good, but very thin material. Although with the heat wave of a day we ended up with thin was better! All the rest of the guys wore the shirts we got in Bali.

Overall it was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone. We got a holiday and suits for the same price as just buying suits in Oz!

Words of wisdom - If you're planning to do this - take all the guys to a tailor before you go and get measured correctly! Take your own picture of the suits you want made up. Make sure you are very clear about exactly what you want - even down to the colour of the buttons. Go to the tailors at the start of your trip so you have time for fittings and adjustments. Don't bargain too much - the quality is superb and the guys really do lovely work. If you short change them, they will short change you! We just paid what they quoted us - we had been to a few shops before and knew that we were getting a good deal. Also seven suits take up a whole suit case! So don't forget to leave room. Good luck!

P.s. Wedding day shout out to Bicoastal Bride who is getting married as I type this. Wishing you a wonderful wedding day. Can't wait to hear all about it!

Reasons I love photoshop

2010-06-01T12:47:00.000+09:30

Remember my hair trial where we all thought that I looked a bit like I had a bald patch when my hair was pulled back too tight? Hairdresser didn't get the memo.

Bald patch be gone....

No one will ever know.....

Wedding Regret #743

2010-05-31T13:17:00.000+09:30

Not having a guest book.

If we had a do over I would love to have a book like this -With each page being a different anniversary so guests could write you messages to read in the future. Each year opening messages from your wedding. Imagine waiting 30 years to read some of the cards. Not sure I could wait that long....

Guest Recaps - Mr B - The black hole

2010-05-28T13:21:00.000+09:30

I have a treat for you all today. A wedding recap from none other than my husband Mr B!
FYI - he and Miss P are in a rumble for who gets the most comments - goof balls.

There’s a black hole on wedding days, which I risk the wrath of my fellow men to mention.

A secret time during the event which goes unnoticed.

Alright that’s a little melodramatic, but Mrs T asked me to talk about the Big W from my point of view. So as a special guest blogger I get to explain things my own way.

So back to the black hole, dictionary defined as a “great void; an abyss” which us lucky men get to enjoy during the women’s ritual known as hair and make-up.

I’m assuming that the ladies are so busy with straightening irons and such to notice we have time to enjoy a quiet ale.

Now I’m wondering if you wonder about us.

Are you so busy curling and straightening that you are really not bothered, or is it that our lack of need for concealer means we get left to our own devices in the middle of the busiest day on Earth. Does it bother you that we generally relax while you work yourselves in to a tizz?

I’m sure the chatter is different but I didn’t realize how different men and women can be until our video guy ducked between the two rooms we were using to get ready. The wedding day was an absolute scorcher ( 43c/110f ) and after a 40 minute session filming the ladies, video returned to find a round of cold lagers, a poker game mid session, football on the tube, and one particularly sweaty groomsman who was beating the heat by holding a pair of aces without wearing pants. It’s an amusing situation only a bunch of boys could land themselves in.

Our wedding day was fantastic, and crazy, and hot. And it was ours.
There are just a few moments in the lead up that were all mine.

This was one of them.

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night
Recaps - Setting up
Recaps - Rehearsal
Recaps - The night before
Recaps - Approaching midnight
Guest Recap - Miss P - Love Addict
Recaps - Mornings are not my thing
Recaps - Into the Madness

Commenting in the comments?

2010-05-27T12:26:00.002+09:30

What is the bloggy etiquette surrounding commenting in your own comment section?

A lot of times people will ask me questions in the comments and I'm never sure how to answer them. Most of the time I head on over to their blog and leave the answer in their comment section.

I used to comment in my comment section, but then I wonder if anyone ever reads it?

Personally I read WAY too many blogs and leave comments all over the place. I just don't have the time (or the memory) to go back and check if they have left me a message in their comments on a comment I have made.

I know Angie likes to comment to people in her comment section - so now I make a conscious effort to check back on comments I leave her.

My head hurts just from typing this.

Any comments?

P.s. Luc - you don't have a blog, so I am going to answer your comment yesterday in a blog post in the next couple of days. If you need it STAT leave your email address in my comments.

The list

2010-05-26T14:07:00.006+09:30

I've had lots of people emailing me and asking me about my 30 list. So I've decided to share a few things with you all.

#2 Travel overseas
#11 Read a book a month
#21 Go horse riding
#5 Make an effort to be more grateful for the things I DO have
#7 Watch Casablanca
#27 Take my Mum out for high tea (did this for mothers day - tick)
#22 Take the dogs to the drive in movies

Mr B got me a 30 tiara for my birthday. And made everyone wear Happy Birthday hats - we are all about the hats!

#24 Have a picnic in the park
#16 Go out with Mr B for a REALLY expensive dinner
#14 Host a dinner party
#18 Live in the same city as my best friends
#4 Shoot a pack of polaroid in one day
#29 Forgive my father
#1 Be happily married

What's on your list for this year?

Recaps - Into the madness

2010-05-25T12:03:00.006+09:30

So where were we? We had just jammed ourselves into our corolla and we were heading for the hotel.

After the drama with the hotel rooms the night before I was glad to hear that all the other bridesmaids and my Mum were waiting for us in our room! Unfortunately it wasn't the room we had booked and we were jammed in like sardines, but at least we had a room. They had put us on the same floor as the boys rooms so that the Photographer and Video guy could run back and forth between us - so at least they got something right!

Mr B walked us and all of our bags to our room. I remember turning to him and saying 'Is it too late for Vegas?' to which he replied 'No, but I don't want to wait any longer to be married to you' - which made me feel like I wanted to cry. We hugged and then he walked down the hall to the boys room.

I took one deep breath and opened the door. It was crazy busy in the tiny room, five bridesmaids, my Mum, Mr B's Aunty (who I didn't know was crashing our party), Mr B's cousin who did our hair, our makeup lady & my flower girl niece.

I walked in and just felt completely overwhelmed. All the stress of the last few days, the lack of sleep from the night before, and the tiny room made me feel suddenly claustrophobic. I felt like I couldn't breath. I wanted to turn and run down the hall after Mr B.

I said my hellos, then shut myself in the bedroom. I needed a minute to myself.

I wrapped up the bridesmaids gifts - pearl studs, their wrist corsages and headbands. Wrote out the card for Mr B's gift. Organised all my bits and pieces. Ran my hand over my dress. Held the veil up to my hair and stared at my tired self in the mirror.

I remember thinking - pull it together, it's your wedding day, you need to enjoy this, it's meant to be fun.

But I still felt pretty tense.

I opened the door and tried to embrace the madness.

Wedding hindsight tip - try to have a stress free day before the wedding and a relaxing breakfast the day of. You will feel so much better. (I feel like these recaps are turning into the What NOT to do tips for your weeding!)

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night
Recaps - Setting up
Recaps - Rehearsal
Recaps - The night before
Recaps - Approaching midnight
Guest Recap - Miss P - Love Addict
Recaps - Mornings are not my thing

Blogging over there

2010-05-21T17:50:00.003+09:30

I have been a bad absent blogger lately, but I did have time to blog over at A Brides Brain while she is away on honeymoon - go figure!

There's even a photo from this post that I was never going to put on the web, but where's the fun in that? Go check it out here.

Also while you're out there in blog land go and send some wedding well wishes to two pretty ladies who share the same weddding day (which is less than 12 hours away this side of the globe) - Cupcake Wedding & Always a bridesmaid.

Doing a wedding anti rain dance for you SG - I know it will be great no matter what.

Cupcake, have a sangria or two for me!
(her wedding has a pinata - seriously could you get more rad?)

Can't wait to see pictures - lots and lots of pictures!

Drum roll please.......

2010-05-07T12:41:00.006+09:30

Oh how I adored all of the nice things you had to say about my blog. It may have been just to get your hands on some rad love heart glasses.... but still.

I heart all of you. BIG STYLE.

I have been procrastinating trying to find a way to give everyone glasses! I even convinced Mr B to let me buy 38 pairs from ebay. Except then I worked out that most of you live OS and the postage to post them all out would be WAY too much. I was so disappointed.

This is how Lulu feels about not being able to give everyone a pair of glasses.
This photo is for you KWu

So I think I have kept you waiting long enough.

I tried to get Max to draw the winner, but he just wanted to eat all the little bits of paper. So instead I went with the ever reliable random.org.Comment #17

PartyPlannerGal said...Love those sunglasses! The red ones!!!

Your wish is my command lovely!

Her wedding is coming up in October - I so hope to see a photo of them at the wedding!

30

2010-05-02T20:58:00.004+09:30

See that little bio over there on the right? The one that says twenty something. Well it's twenty nine. And tomorrow it will be thirty.

I'm a little freaked. I don't know why. I guess it's just the fear of getting older. Of time going by. Of all the things I have left to do.

I know how to be twenty something. Have no idea what the thirties will look like. Not a big fan of change.
I've made a list of thirty things to do while I'm thirty. I'm excited about it.

I see travel and friends and babies and adventure and family in the future.

Tomorrow I'm ditching work and spending the day with my husband and our dogs.

Bring it on.

Overwhelmed

2010-04-27T16:16:00.004+09:30

I know I have been MIA. I miss blogging. I miss all your wonderful comments. I miss catching up on all your blogs.

I am just feeling so overwhelmed with life at the moment. Work stress that makes my head want to explode. So much going on.

I have that horrible stress sick feeling. Like there is so much to do and I don't know where to start. Just want to lay on the couch and watch trashy tv with our dogs for days.

Hate feeling overwhelmed.

I have loads to tell you.

Many many recaps I owe you.

A pair of heart glasses that need a new home.

Be back soon. x

Blog Love

2010-04-15T16:55:00.005+09:30

Two very special blog ladies need some love today.

Stacey aka Born to be Mrs Beever over at Thoughts of an all consumed bride gets married TOMORROW!!!!!! Her wedding is going to be insane, what with the entrance video, beautiful fan programs and about a million other cool details. The girl is super organised - had everything finished days ago - I always joke she should have been my wedding planner.

She was one of my very first commenters, and has barely missed a post since then. Just about every wedding blog I go to comment on, her comment is already there. She is outta control with the commenting. But it's not just one word boring comments, she is witty, and helpful and constructive.

So if you have a spare minute or two shoot over to her blog and wish her some wedding day luck. The girl will be live blogging from her wedding tomorrow too! Talk about dedication!

Stacey, I wish you every happiness and can't wait to read all about your killer wedding. It is going to be amazing!

Speaking of amazing - the lovely Miss P is celebrating her 29th Birthday today! My real life bestie, who you may remember from photos such as my personal fav - bridesmaidzilla I have another guest post from her coming up shortly - you can read her last one here. The girl can write. She has FINALLY started her own blog. I am super excited for her, but also a little worried about giving you the link - I think you will all love her blog more than mine!!

So shoot over and welcome her to the blogosphere and send her some Birthday comment love.

And if there are any lurkers out there that want comments on their blogs, leave me one here - I love to return the favor!

Man I love blogs.

P.s. I hereby swear that next week will be Recappalooza. Seriously a post a day. Hold me to that!

P.p.s. I'm trying to save my pennies for 32 pairs of hear glasses so you can all win.

99 days in - Sharing the fun

2010-04-09T13:47:00.006+09:30

I started this blog 99 days before our wedding. Now here we are 99 days after our wedding.

I have loved having you all along for the ride. Your comments have kept me sane so many times along the wedding journey. So I wanted to do a little giveaway to say Thank you.

You don't have to follow, or blog about it forty times, or wear a pirate hat (I mean you can if you want to, but.... ). All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and tell me why you like reading my little blog. Lurkers are very welcome too! Go on, leave me a comment - I promise to return the favor.

What do you win??

As you know our wedding lead up and day were a little bit stressful! However what I haven't gotten up to in our recaps yet is the part of the day when I got out my beloved love heart glasses.

We were in the girls van (we were classy, we had rent a vans) and I was still feeling tense. I needed to snap out of it. Miss P handed me my love heart glasses and for some reason just putting them on made me feel better. Happier. Like now was when the fun was going to begin. I remember one of the bridesmaids saying - Oh you can't wear those they'll ruin your makeup. And me thinking - To hell with the makeup - I just want to have fun.

And I did. We did.

My favorite photo from the whole day?

This one, because we were having fun - and rocking out the glasses!

So what better to pass onto someone else than fun - in the form of your very own Love heart glasses!

You get to pick too - White - like Mr B's glasses, or Red with white spots - like my glasses!

And the only catch is that you have to send me a photo of you wearing them!

So we can all share in the fun.

Winner will be drawn some time next week! Good luck.

Details - Wedding dogs

2010-04-07T13:27:00.004+09:30

We have three Chihuahua's - Max, Ruby & Lulu. Max and Lulu just turned seven and are brother and sister. Ruby is the baby at six - we call her the cat. We really wanted them to be in our wedding photos. But what with it being 42 degrees (107.6f) and us running late all day it didn't end up happening.

I've been working on our wedding album and we were both disappointed that the dogs weren't going to make an appearance. They are our little family.

So a few weekends ago we got back into our wedding outfits and took some photos ourselves. Mr B took the photos of Ruby (the black one) and Lulu (the white one) and I took the photo of Max (the caramel one).I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

Are you including your fur kids in your wedding?

P.s. My dress was SO tight I could barely get the zip up. Can anyone say comfort zone? Ha

92 days in - Family Easter

2010-04-02T13:57:00.003+10:30

Love Easter weekend.

Road trip with my husband and our dogs. Spending time with my family. Sleeping in my old bedroom. Watching the joy on my lovely niece's face as she hunts for eggs. Wearing funny hats (it runs in the family!).

Easter 2009

I look forward to bringing our kids home for Easter.

What are your plans for Easter weekend?

Hope the Easter bunny comes!

P.s. Wedding day love to Gaynor who gets married on Saturday. Can't wait to see the photos! Congratulations.

Details - Dress label

2010-04-01T13:34:00.006+10:30

I left loads of things until the last minute. I do NOT recommend you do this.

One thing I only thought of in the last month was having a label for the inside of my dress as my something blue. I ordered one through Initial Impressions on etsy.com on the 9th of December. What with Christmas postage madness it landed in my letter box the day before my wedding! My mother actually sewed it in on our wedding day. Talk about last minute!

But I love how it turned out.You can put whatever you want onto the label and pick the thread colour. Ours said Mr B married Miss T December 31st 2009. It was only $13.Sample image from etsy
If I was more organised I would have also ordered a label for the inside of Mr B's tux and the groomsman's tux's as they were their gifts from us. They are made small enough to go on the back of a tie.How cute are they! $13 for two!

What's your something blue?

This is not a sponsor post, I paid full price for my label. I WISH I had sponsors wanting to give me things! Just sharing the vendor love.

Recaps - Mornings are not my thing

2010-03-29T15:07:00.006+10:30

So if you've been reading for a little while you know that one of the first things I did when I woke up the morning of our wedding was blog! I was feeling less than chipper and thought getting it all out would make me feel better.

Mr B was up at 7am making calls and trying to get to the bottom of our hotel nightmare. Luckily he got it sorted ready for everyone to check in at 9am.

I ran around like a headless chicken getting everything together that needed to go to our hotel room. I threw it all in a washing basket. Said goodbye to the fur babies. We stuffed ourselves into the car and headed out to the hotel room. I wish we'd taken a photo - Miss P, Mr B, Me, my dress, Mr B's suit, Miss P's dress, and a whole lotta other stuff all crammed into a Corolla. We were running late.

It was already hot at 10am - 34 degrees and climbing.

Wedding hindsight tip - If you can stay in the room you will be getting ready the next day the night before the wedding - DO IT! Relax, wake up for a lovely breakfast, feel chill right from the start.

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night
Recaps - Setting up
Recaps - Rehearsal
Recaps - The night before
Recaps - Approaching midnight
Guest Recap - Miss P - Love Addict

85 days in - Funny hat kinda crazy

2010-03-26T11:34:00.005+10:30

Let me set the scene for you - A couple of nights ago in our kitchen, Mr B & I both wearing pirate hats, a normal week night -

Me: Do you think everyone does this crazy shit behind closed doors?

Mr B: Since when do we only do this behind closed doors?

Me: Rrrrrrrrrr

Mr B: This inflatable parrot is totally helping me do the ironing faster.

Me: Great, maybe it can help with the dishes.

Mr B: Rrrrr love you.

Me: Rrrrrr love you too captain husband.

Are any of you this kinda crazy? Or is it just us?

P.S. The pretty lady that wears this serious BLING is getting married tomorrow! Please send good weather thoughts her way. Perth has been having some seriously crazy weather (think hail the size of golf balls) and I am really hoping that it comes good tomorrow. Enjoy every moment of your special day WestAussie!

P.p.s. Wedding day shout out to Jeana at My Dream ring who gets married tomorrow too!

Guest Recaps - Miss P - Love addict

2010-03-23T11:36:00.003+10:30

I have two confessions to make before I share some glimpses from my perspective of the days before the wedding and the actual day itself (thanks for letting me guest post Mrs T!): firstly I am a bit of a cynic when it comes to romantical things, weddings included...I know, boo! Worst bridesmaid ever!
Yeah ok, buuuut wait for the second confession (pause for dramatic effect): I started falling in love during Mrs T and Mr B’s wedding festivities. Uh yeah, I did say falling in love. With Mr B’s best man. I didn’t even believe shit like that could HAPPEN before it all actually WAS happening. To me. When I imagined the hen’s night it was all champagne and Mrs T with a naked man in her lap, not sharing eye-locking moments across a crowded room with a groomsman who I had only briefly met once before.

Weddings obviously create a certain kind of energy..romantical types might even say magic. Like it or not, the very lovely best man and I might be living proof of it. What have you done to me Mrs T? Hi my name is Miss P and I am (now) a love addict.

What with the wanting to kiss the best man all the time and also being quite ill in the days leading up to the wedding, my memory of that time is somewhat blurry. Things were a little crazy. Very intense. But I also remember a lot of laughter. Because that’s what Mrs T and Mr B do.

These two moments particularly stand out in my mind:

Mr B coming up to me when we were setting up at the venue to ask if I was ok and to give me a hug..proving yet again what a truly rad husband he was going to be. Even when he had ‘stressus maximus’ he took the time to show concern for the people Mrs T cares about.

Watching Mrs T and Mr B at a dance rehearsal on the day before the day before the wedding. I saw them get frustrated with themselves, laugh with each other and eventually work through what they were being taught (by a male dance instructor whose pants – it must be said – were WAY too tight). They looked completely in tune with each other. I got teary watching it which the cynical part of me tried very hard to hide. But looking back I can see it was because I felt like I was getting a glimpse of the bond between them. It kind of moved me.

Or maybe my tears were for the dance instructors genitals..who knows.

Next time...more best man goss. Oh and wedding day recaps..of course!

Guest Recaps

2010-03-22T14:30:00.007+10:30

So I should start this by saying that the only person in my real life that reads this blog is Miss P. Mr B knows about it, and although I have offered to let him read it, he says he's happy not to (if he had a blog, I'd be all over that!). No one else even knows I have a blog.

After a wedding the first time people see you it's all they want to talk about. The funny thing is that each person that you talk to has such a different perspective on what happened. Which is obvious when you think about it. But I hadn't really thought about it. I mean we both hoped that people had a good time. That it was a fun wedding. But I find it really fascinating finding out what people have to say about the wedding. The parts that stuck out to them. The little things they loved. Things that I didn't even know were happening.

So I thought it might be cool to hear from the lovely Miss P who just happens to be an awesome writer. Hear her view point on the whole thing. And hopefully we can all pester Mr B into doing a few guest posts too.

Luckily Miss P is the most awesome bridesmaid and friend ever and has agreed to indulge me.
Stay tuned for Miss P's first post tomorrow.

P.s. There may or may not be some extra gossip involving things that happened this night!

Recaps - Approaching midnight

2010-03-21T10:13:00.000+10:30

We got home and the house was super hot. Too hot to sleep. I was so stressed. I had forbidden myself from crying as I didn't want puffy eyes the next day, but I really do not know how I held the tears in.

The clock said 2am. I was still awake. It was way too hot to sleep. Miss P was in the spare room, Mr B was sleeping on the couch. My mind was ticking over with all the little things that simply had not gotten done.

I heard the floor creak and Mr B came into our room. He laid next to me in bed and held me tight. I wish I could remember the exact words he said to me. All I can remember is how much better I felt. How not once during all of the craziness had I thought that actually marrying this man was a mistake. We joked about how not eloping to Vegas had been a mistake. He whispered the word wife and I remember getting a little flutter of excitement.

And finally I was asleep. It was our wedding day.

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night
Recaps - Setting up
Recaps - Rehearsal
Recaps - The night before

79 days in - Gifted Goodness

2010-03-20T08:47:00.002+10:30

The lovely Miss P gifted us these for our wedding...The super rad retro Barbie & Ken wedding day set. The only way I could love them more was if the bride was blonde, ken had a white jacket and Barbie looked a little bit less crazy eye! Man I love Miss P.

Not your thing? How about Barbie Elvis & Priscilla at their wedding? Serious amounts of rad.

Or how about Vera Wang Wedding dress Barbie? You can even pick your hair colour. What is not to love?
Miss P and I share the barbie doll love. Our current obsession? Mad Men Barbies. Oh yes. Come to me my pretties!

P.s. Wedding day shout out to the super fun Miss Pug who is getting married today. Go check out her cute pug dog themed wedding goodies. So cute!

Recaps - The night before

2010-03-19T09:11:00.000+10:30

We hightailed it out of the venue to make our very last holy shit we need to learn this dance or we're screwed dance lesson. Yep, at 4:30pm the day before the wedding we were learning the ending to our wedding dance. The dance studio had neglected to tell us they shut for nearly two weeks at Christmas and reopen on the 30th of December.

We were super tense on the drive there. Really thought about skipping it. But we'd paid for the lesson, and we did know 3/4 of the dance - we really needed the ending.

We managed to nail it - JUST. It was not the big finish, or the fancy dance I had hoped for. But it would have to do.

We got home just in time to turn around and leave again for our rehearsal dinner. I did NOT want to go. We were meeting up with my parents, my sister, our best friends and Mr B's parents. Miss P wanted to stay home and I begged her to come with us. She is a trooper and could see that I needed her.

After the drama with the inlaws (I didn't even know how much more drama they would cause the next day yet) I did not feel like I was in the best mood to see them. It took all my will power not to give them a serving over dinner. Dinner was tense to say the least.

My parents & our friends tried as best they could to break the tension. They were really great. It felt good that they knew both of us well enough to know that we were at the end of our tethers.

We finally left at 10pm and headed over to the hotel. It had been a hot day 38 degrees (100.4f) and we were both really looking forward to sleeping in our air conditioned hotel rooms. Miss P was with us as we were planning on spending the night before the wedding together with Mr B in his own hotel room.

We arrived and went to check in to be told that our entire block of hotel rooms had been canceled. Not just our room, but ALL OUR GUESTS rooms for the following night too.

Mr B is a travel agent and had actually booked the rooms through his work. We KNEW they hadn't been canceled. We had paid in full for every room.

I could not handle it and went and sat down on a couch in the lobby. It was the last straw.

Poor Mr B spent over an hour trying to get to the bottom of the problem to no avail.

We had no rooms, and no choice but to head home to our HOT house at 11:30pm the night before our wedding.

It was not going well.

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night
Recaps - Setting up
Recaps - Rehearsal

Recaps - Rehearsal

2010-03-18T11:54:00.005+10:30

Ok, seriously who wants to punch me for taking so damn long to write these posts?

So where were we......

Running late. We had finally finished setting up all the tables. The venue was starting to look like I had imagined. The table settings were not perfect, but I did love our ferrero place cards (even if some were a little crooked!).We sat down with Mr B's Aunty (who was being very gracious and waiting patiently) to sign the last of the official paper work.Then it was upstairs to run through the ceremony. The sound system did not work, everyone was tired and over it, people were having to leave as we were running so late. It was not at all as I had imagined. I thought I'd feel loved up staring at Mr B while we said our vows. But instead I felt on the verge of tears. I was SUPER pent up and stressed. Mr B was too and he just looked annoyed. Me being oversensitive took this to be a bad sign. He wouldn't look me in the eye while we practiced our vows.

That night I found out that he just wanted to punch something as he was so disappointed in how stressful everything was turning out to be. He wanted it to be perfect for me and he felt like he couldn't do anything to make it better.

Ahhhh the joy of wedding lead up.

I think this photo of Miss S pretty much sums up how everyone was feeling at the rehearsal.

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night
Recaps - Setting up

74 days in - Birthday Husband

2010-03-15T13:03:00.004+10:30

We celebrated Mr B's birthday on the weekend with Mexican food and good friends.
Yes there were funny glasses. They only had one pair - I wanted some too! We are goofballs.

71 days in - Crazy eye

2010-03-12T12:57:00.006+10:30

I don't know if you remember this post - where I said I was going to post the pic of me with the crazy eye? Oh yeah...... I am a woman of my word.

My sister stuffed a hankie down my dress in case of wedding day tears. Here I was about to get it out for her. Can you tell I've had a glass of champagne?

P.s. If you click on this it goes up mega size so you can appreciate the crazy eye in all it's horrible glory! Mmm Hmm attractive!

70 days in - Getting our groove on

2010-03-11T14:44:00.002+10:30

70 days since our wedding. Time flies when you're having fun I guess.

It's taken us a while, but this week I feel like we've finally found our groove. Settling into being married takes awhile. I still forget and say girlfriend or boyfriend, and then get a little thrill correcting myself to say wife or husband.

It finally feels like it fits. The word wife. The fact we're married.

Being this side of the wedding is so much more fun than being that side of the wedding! Just remember that in those horrible stressful planning moments.
At the end you will be married.

More recaps on the way. Sorry to keep you all waiting. Berate me in the comments.

67 days in - Wedding date

2010-03-08T16:12:00.005+10:30

So I'm hoping you can all indulge me and tell me what dates your weddings are/were so I can keep track of everyone!
The amount of wedding blogs I read is getting out of control.

64 days in - Lucky girl

2010-03-05T09:13:00.000+10:30

Last night Mr B fell asleep on the couch.

I was going to wake him up and move him to bed. But instead I sat and watched him. Kissed his cheek and breathed in his smell.

I so adore this man.

Some times he drives me completely crazy. But I wouldn't trade him for anything.

Do love being in love and married.

He makes me feel lucky.

Recaps - Setting up

2010-03-04T08:50:00.014+10:30

Day before the wedding, 38 degrees (100.4 f), two sick bridesmaids, one tired groom and one bride who feels like her head is going to explode.

And scene.

So I would love to say the day before the wedding we did something relaxing. But alas it was not to be. The only day the venue could let us in to set up was the day before the wedding day.

We arrived at 10am. My sister and Miss P were both sick, I was sick too - but in complete denial.
The chair cover people were down stairs setting up so we used the time to practice my niece Miss S's walk down the aisle. Step together, step together. She was in her element!Downstairs the tables and chairs were all ready.Mr C had just arrived from Darwin and came down to help set up. He wasn't even in the bridal party but the guy was a champion. Here he is hard at work putting together the place cards. I was being a bit precious about them being straight and he called me over to show me one he had made purposely crooked just to irk me. Lucky he is a funny guy!What is not in the photos is me freaking out because there are not enough glasses for everyone. My sister asleep on the floor because she feels so sick. Mr B getting phone calls from all but two of the groomsmen to let us know they couldn't make the setup or rehearsal. Me getting phone calls from bridesmaids to tell me they were lost/running late because they were getting their nails done. The phone call from his parents, after which he threw his phone and broke it. My Mum crying because she is so stressed from so much left to do. Finding out I have somehow managed to order the wrong amount of chair covers and it is too late to do anything about it. Mr B's Mum arriving and taking over the setting up, totally changing my table settings and me just walking out beause I can't handle it. The bit where I made my niece cry because I told her she couldn't put the placecards out - not my finest moment.

I do NOT recommend setting up the day before. Or if you do, make sure you are more organised than us!

Luckily there were plenty of things to distract Miss S - like the fact the chairs were set up upstairs now and she had a real aisle to walk down.She also put on a concert for Miss P. Luckily Miss P is a champion - and even though she was feeling sick she was a happy concert watching participant. Then my Dad arrived. Luckily he could see how tense we all were and helped to lighten the mood. We practiced our dance for the first time now that the floor was all set up. Miss S kept telling us we should be doing the chicken dance instead.Here she is getting cranky because we aren't doing the chicken dance properly.

In spite of all the craziness, dancing with my Dad was a wonderful grounding moment. We have had drama in recent years and it was nice to have him dance me around the floor as if nothing had ever changed. He was old Dad - and I was happy.

EDIT - P.s. Thanks to my Mum for all these photos. Unfortunately she is not in any of them. But she did SO much to help. Love you Mum x

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness
Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night

62 days in - Tulle heaven

2010-03-03T11:17:00.000+10:30

Wedding do over I would buy this vintage dress .

Someone has to snap it up. It's like heaven made from tulle.

And obviously it would be winter - because heat waves are no fun on your wedding day (trust me).

So I'd wear this outside.
And I'd totally wear the ruby slippers.

Hot!

61 days in - Fight or flight

2010-03-02T11:17:00.005+10:30

So we had our first married fight. And it was a doozy.

We both said things that we regretted as soon as they were out of our mouths.

It was not pleasant. There was a brief moment when I wondered if I had made a mistake getting married. I felt like I wanted to punch Mr B in the head.

We both took a time out to cool down.

Then we hugged. Hugs can melt away so many things.

We talked for hours. Late into the night holding each other in bed.

I knew that we would be ok. That getting married wasn't a mistake.

I read an article in a magazine that said it's healthy to let your kids see you fight, as long as they see you make up too.

I know that there will be many more fights in our lives. We're crazy passionate people - be that a good and bad thing. But I know there will be many more hugs too.

Everybody fights, it's just that most people don't like to talk about it.

60 days in - Click your heels

2010-03-01T12:59:00.006+10:30

I SO want these.

Limited Edition Wizard of Oz* Ruby slippers! Needs them.

They are from Harrods and were 29 pounds. Sold out. Now they are 250 pounds on ebay - which is an insane amount of Aussie $'s. No fair.

I promise I would wear them everyday.

Best wedding shoes EVER!

* Mr B's favorite movie - he can't stand musicals - I told him this is a musical - he is in denial.

Recaps - What happens on hens night - stays on hens night

2010-02-25T12:37:00.002+10:30

We had dinner with all the girls and boys in a private room upstairs at our favorite restaurant. Then it was time to split up again and paint the town red.

Except it was a Sunday night. We had assumed because the Monday was a public holiday the bars would be open.
Yeah no.

Here we are at another closed venue!

Turns out not much was open. So we ended up at the same bar as the boys. After that things got a little crazy. What happens on hens night is supposed to stay on hens night.

Highlights and flashbacks - Some serious making out being done by a few members of the hens night crew with members of the bucks show crew. A serious amount of booty shaking on the dance floor. Many rounds of shots. An impromptu lap dance by none other than the very drunk Mr B for the bride to be! (he has no recollection of this - luckily there are photos - but I am threatened with death if they get leaked on the web). Late night gossip and chocolate back in the girls hotel room. 4am hotel break in by members of the bucks crew. Morning after breakfast and all day sleep in!
That is my - "Is this really my stripper face" & his - "So not going to remember this tomorrow" face.

It was a REALLY great night.

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments
Recaps - Limo Madness

Recaps - Limo madness

2010-02-24T00:48:00.008+10:30

Ok, so we just finished having our nails done and we were headed for our hotel.

My lovely mother dropped us all off and we waved goodbye to her and my niece.

We get to the hotel to find that they have totally stuffed up our room, which, along with the running late, was turning into the theme to our entire wedding.

We ended up with two rooms side by side. My sister did my hair and the girls presented me with my tiara veil. We were running late for dinner and needed to high tail it out of there. Grabbed our sashes and cocktail bling and headed downstairs.Where the surprise stretch limo that Miss P had organised was waiting for us! Serious highlight of the night.We drank a crazy amount of champagne in the limo. So much fun!

Then it was off to dinner with all the girls and guys. Watch out boys & Mr B ... here we come!

Previously.....
Recaps - Spa Treatments

53 days in - Radism

2010-02-22T13:18:00.003+10:30

I was over on A Los Angeles Love leaving a comment about her wedding pinata when this came up as the word verification

I swear there is a person somewhere typing these in and laughing at all of us.

Have a radism Monday.

48 days in - Thankful for friends, family & fellow bloggers

2010-02-17T15:55:00.018+10:30

Let me start by saying Thank you. To all of you. Those comments you left on my last post made me feel less crazy bride and more normal. You have no idea how much BETTER you all make me feel. Sometimes just blogging about things helps me to move past them.

We have been holding off on sending out the thank you cards as we were waiting for a wedding photo to put in them. (I know it's been six weeks and I am probably going to etiquette hell for taking so long). I wrote out the ones for my family and friends, and I made Mr B do the ones for his. Then I read one of his - Man can that boy write a thank you. Made me want to throw all mine away and let him write them all. We included this card for people that had contributed to our honeymoon registry.

We also included this card for a website I found that lets you upload and download shots for free! (took me AGES to find one where you could download the photos at full resolution, it's not as pretty as the paid sites, but it's FREE!)And we've already gotten some photos back. I've tweaked them a little in photoshop and we are both feeling so much better. Apparently there are some photos of my walk down the aisle from the front on the way too! Want to see my favorites so far?

My sister reading me Mr B's text that says 'Does anyone in the girls camp know how to tie a bowtie? Help!'

From my sisters camera - Miss P & I right before I fell off the luggage trolley (not the best idea in heels!)

My sisters camera again - A close up of Mr B & his brothers cufflinks (yey for detail shots!)

Mr B's step Dad's camera - My lovely niece giving us the rings. SO LOVE this shot.

These two are from my Aunty. This is just after Mr B's speech. I'll fill you all in on the joke in the recaps!

Funny Dad joke during our dance.

LOVE this photo of us dancing.

My Mum took this - and although it's cropped a little crazy, it's my favorite photo so far. Right on midnight. Happy New Year indeed!

Sometimes the best photos are the ones you didn't even know you had.

46 days in - Expectations too high?

2010-02-15T13:47:00.015+10:30

I know I've been MIA since I posted the photos.

I also know that you all loved the photos I did post. So do we.

They are the best images of the day. I just haven't known what to say. Mr B & I are so unhappy with the photos in general. After reading all your lovely comments I just started to feel massively ungrateful. Like you would all hate me if I told you I feel ill about the photos we are missing, as in it's keeping me up at night as I replay and obsess over it.

There is no photo of me getting my hair or make up done. No portrait of me with my mother. No close up portrait of me at all. There are fifteen shots of me with the girls and forty three of Mr B with the boys. No detail shots of the placecards we spent hours making. Hardly any photos of Mr B & I on our own. I could go on and on.

We spent $60 on socks for the boys sock shot. You all know the one. And we got this -

I adore the ring photos on everyone's blogs. And I adore our rings so was really looking forward to ours. These are the most in focus shots.

This is the backdrop the photographer chose for our portraits - even though we both expressed concerns at the time - eg. Us -We really don't like the look of this. Him - It looks great. Us - trusting that he was seeing something we weren't.

I particularly like the ugly pots and the chair that is creeping in on the left hand side of the frame. Did he not see it?

See this shot -He said - Stand there and smile. And we said - we don't think this is a great backdrop. You can see the look on our faces - the what are you thinking? look. Would you like a cheese platter? WTF?

Mr B & I had big plans for some fun balloon shots. Trying to make Mr B look like he was floating away. This is the way our photographer choose to crop it - without the balloons. And I even remember him saying - Oh these look great.

He cropped everything WAY too tight. The front of this building is so beautiful. But you'll have to take my word for it.

I think the shots I am most gutted about are my walk down the aisle. This was a huge moment for me and my Dad. And the only shots we have all look like this.

Not a single shot from the front. And none of the girls or my beautiful flower girl walking down the aisle.

This is how ALL the ceremony pictures look. No zoom in, zoom out, change angles. How would you have taken this photo? Landscape? Or portrait?

We had the most beautiful venue. Yet 80% of the shots are all of just the staircase. All the family shots and the ceremony shots look pretty much identical to those shots of the bridal party I posted before.

I know I am being picky. But we paid the man $2000 for these shots. It was the BIGGEST wedding expense. These photos were really important to us. I've seen his photos. He shoots for a wedding magazine - does all their covers. Beautiful shots. He's even got a shoe shot on his website that is killer. We kept saying can we give you a list - and he said no he had it covered. We thought we were on the same page.

I just don't know what happened.

I emailed him three days ago and still haven't heard anything back.

What do you think? Honestly? Are we being too picky?

Finally

2010-02-10T11:46:00.011+10:30

40 days in - Home

2010-02-09T15:15:00.005+10:30

We went home for the weekend. To the town I grew up in. It was lovely. Eating my Mum's killer french toast in my PJ's. Going to the movies with my sister. Sleeping in my childhood bedroom. Walking our dogs around the neighborhood. Just being together. We talked about moving to the country a lot on the drive back to the big smoke.

Mr B & I took Monday off work and drove my niece to school before we left for the drive back. We walked hand in hand, my little niece in her school dress with her pink backpack in front of us, and I felt like I was getting a little glimpse into our future. I so hope we have a little girl of our own one day to drop off at school.

P.s. The postman is not showing me the love.

P.p.s. I missed my 100 post blogaversary the other day. Can't believe you've all read that much of my crazy!

36 days in - Mr Postman

2010-02-05T15:46:00.004+10:30

Apparently our wedding photos are in the mail winging their way towards us right now!!!!

I am so excited. Wish it wasn't Friday, that's two non post days.

I know I have only *just* started recaps - was kinda waiting for the photos - but once I have the photos - I don't think I can wait to show you all.

So how about when they arrive I pick out ten or so and share them with all of you....

And then the rest can go with the recaps.

What do you think?

If you're anything like me you've probably had more than enough waiting. I know I have!

Hurry up post man...

35 days in - Projects

2010-02-04T12:50:00.005+10:30

I hadn't consciously realised that I had expectations about what being married would be like.

I grew up watching I love Lucy and wishing I was in the 1950's. My Mum was a stay at home Mum, fantastic homemaker, sewed loads of our clothes, cooked and baked.

I guess in my head I thought that once I had a husband he would just take care of things. Like money, and bills, and, well, everything.

I would flit about at home in an apron playing happy home maker and lunching with the ladies of leisure.

We'd move into our new house. Which we would own - he would have bought it for us. Husband would carry me over the threshold.

But yeah, reality, ain't much like that.

I think I'd probably go insane if I was home all day by myself. I handle all of our finances and pay all our bills - and as much as I like to think I could let Mr B do these things - I am too much of a control freak about finances to let that happen. We are at least 12 months away from possible home ownership.

And reality of my parents marriage - they were married ten years before having me, worked two jobs each trying to put together enough money for a home and a baby. Traveled through Europe together. Did loads of stuff before they got to the project house/baby bit.

Everyone tells me I need a new "project". Project house. Project baby. Project something.

But as I mentioned before we just don't have the $$$ right now for project house.

And project baby is still a way off in both our minds.

I guess the nice thing about people that don't live together before they are married, is that they get to do project move in together. Even if they are renting a place, it's still new and exciting moving in together. Setting up house together.

Mr B & I have lived together for 3 years. In the same place. We are both desperate to move. To set up our own home, paint, bang nails into all the walls.

Perhaps project save some $$$ should be first on the agenda? Then maybe project travel?

How do you imagine married life to be? What's your plan for the first "project" of your marriage?

Recaps - Spa treatments

2010-02-03T15:20:00.023+10:30

So I guess the start of the wedding day madness was the hens/bucks show. It was the 27th of December, Miss P & I had spent the morning in complete post Christmas sale madness trying to find outfits. We were running late (the first of many times) and feeling quite tense.The plan was nails with the girls and Mum & Miss S my 5 year old neice. Obviously I couldn't take my niece out on the town so we thought nails would be a nice way to include her, and a bit of pampering for us!

Sister & I getting our toes painted. Notice my lovely bride hoodie

Miss P & my Mum both wearing their hoodies get foot spas & massage chair action

We got fancy spa pedicures at this little place down the road from my house where the nail polish smell is not too overwhelming!

We all decided on red toe nails and plain or french fingers for the wedding. I love this bright red on my toes!

Mrs S looking lovely in her dry your toes shoes!

I decided to get my nails french polished. It didn't last the four days until the wedding.

Miss S decided she did want to get her toes done after all. Except then they got out the scary box with all the tools and she freaked. Did not go quite as planned....

Was nice to have to stop and sit still for an hour. Felt much calmer by the end of it. Wish we'd done this the day before the wedding!

Next stop - check into our hotel....

31 days in - Onemonthaversary

2010-01-31T22:32:00.004+10:30

It's late on Sunday night. Mr B & the dogs are asleep on the couch. Home made burgers for lunch, bought a chandelier for our future house with wedding gift vouchers, cooked dinner for our best couple friends. Not a bad one month anniversary!

We both forgot until my Mum sent us a text wishing us a happy onemonthaversary!

In some ways it feels like we've been married for ages, the wedding seems so long ago.

Yet other times it feels like just yesterday that we were standing in front of our friends and family promising to spend forever together.

It's exciting being at the beginning.

27 days in - Enough

2010-01-27T15:53:00.003+10:30

For some reason my most vivid memory of our entire day was at the reception.

Standing in the kitchen.

Just me and Mr B.

It was after my Dad's speech and they had just announced that Mr B's step dad would be up next. Mr B's brother came over and informed Mr B that his step dad had no idea he would be doing a speech and so had nothing prepared and didn't want to say anything.

Awesome.

Mr B kinda freaked and took off to the kitchen. I trailed after him sure that everyone would wonder what the heck was going on. (Since then I have found out no one even noticed us leave).

It was the thing that tipped him over the edge.

Mr B was so upset.

I had told his parents that one of them would be making a speech at the reception, hoping that maybe his mother would step up. They said no worries. Then never got back to us. But I wasn't really expecting them to get back to us, I just assumed they'd write something. At least one of the grooms parents ALWAYS gives a speech at their sons wedding.

We were standing in the kitchen, Mr B saying that he had had enough, he just wanted to leave. Me trying to get foundation off the lapel of his jacket with a wet towel. It was surreal. Like everything else wasn't really happening.

I said to him - You and I are our own little family now. Let's not let anything ruin our day. This is our wedding reception, all these people love us. Let's go eat more donuts! Then we hugged, and kissed. And he was ok. We were ok.

And his step Dad ended up doing a speech. And no one else knew about the drama it had caused.

Of all the moments in the entire day this is the one that stands out in my mind with the most clarity.

Just him and me - and it was enough.

23 days in - Hypotheticals

2010-01-23T13:27:00.001+10:30

So hypothetically* if your in laws contribution to your wedding was the wine and beer.

And they said it was their 'Gift to you for your wedding'.

Then they get clear skin wine that you want to put labels onto. But they never drop it around so the bottles end up being blank.

Then the day before the wedding they call to ask how YOU are going to get the cartons to the venue even though you have about a MILLION things left to do and they live thirty minutes away.

Then at the end of the reception there are three cartons of beer and four cartons of wine left over. But when the Grooms brother goes to get the leftovers to take back to the hotel room it causes an argument because the in laws are taking all the leftovers home.

Not to give to the bride and groom later. But because the 'Grog is theirs'.

Would you be pissed? Would it be impolite as hell?

Or is it just me?

*hypothetical my ass

22 days in - Smile your face off

2010-01-22T12:29:00.005+10:30

We will hopefully get to see the pro pics at the end of next week. I am super excited, but also terrified at the same time. I have the WORST poker face. If I don't like them, it will be written all over my face. Hoping that I will be pleasantly surprised!

Trying to edit all the photos from other people's cameras. Wish we had taken more with our camera. But there are some shots I'm loving.

This photo in the van makes me smile my face off.

Sometimes it's the little things and the silly photos that say the most about a wedding.

Promise I will start recaps soon. You must be about ready to kill me by now.

P.s. Wedding love to Lilaphoenix who is getting married this weekend. She just got some rocking henna done. Enjoy it my lovely!

21 days in - Your thoughts

2010-01-21T16:04:00.003+10:30

So it sounds like everyone is on board for tell it like it is Mrs T. (Mr B actually calls me that in real life).

Except a lot of what went wrong had to do with specific people. People in my real life do not read this blog. Apart from the wonderful Miss P. What if they find me? My photo is all over this blog. What if they get pissed at me?

And what's the deal with posting photos of people online? Is it cool for me to post pictures of my bridal party when they won't even know their images are out there?

Last thing (I promise) where should I start the recaps? Do you want to hear more about the Hens night? Or do you just want wedding stuff STAT?

Let me have it...

20 days in - Under my Umbrella

2010-01-20T13:14:00.006+10:30

I was so unsure about posting yesterdays post. About sounding like a whiner. But I want to be honest with you guys. About the good things and the bad. I don't want other people to feel like this and say nothing. Or to feel like this and feel so lost like I do. No one talks about these things. They go through the wedding snaps, pick out the best ones, post them online and talk about all the good things and their weddings seem PERFECT.

I remember the first time I came across Chic on the Cheaps wedding photos. Her dress, his white jacket tuxedo, that going away outfit with the hat box. It was like someone had stepped into my head and stolen my wedding! I forwarded the photos to Mr B's inbox and called him at work. I was all 'Someone has had our wedding - and it was AWESOME'.

Then I read her post today. On hating her wedding. And it just resonated around me.

How could she hate her wedding? It looked PERFECT. I wish my wedding looked like that. Her dress was killer hot, dashing groom, awesome photos - what's not to love?

But that's just it isn't it. Everyone's weddings always look more glamorous than they probably were. You don't see the photos of the video guy trying to do the hook up on the back of the brides dress, or the ugly hire vans they used to drive around, or the one where the bride looks crazy eye, or the one where you can see up your Great Aunts dress, or the one of the sweatylooklikethey'regoingtofaint groomsmen (yes, I have ALL these photos).

So I'm not going to do that. I'm going to be real. I'm going to show you the photos (maybe not the one up my Aunt's dress). I'm going to tell you the things that went right, but also the things that went wrong.

And maybe in doing so I'll feel better. And maybe someone else out there in wedding blog land will feel better about their wedding too.

To quote Liz:

"But there is a very real possibility that something tiny and stupid and not worth your time will disappoint you and hang over your post-wedding-memories like a storm cloud."

Let's open up some umbrellas. I'm over the rain.

19 days in - Over it

2010-01-19T16:10:00.005+10:30

Post wedding depression. Do I have it??

I find myself obsessing over all the things that went wrong (there were many) and all the DI WHY things that did not get finished.

I get annoyed that we were both so tense in the last 24 hours before the wedding because we had too many things planned, and simply too much left to do.

I hate myself for not hiring a day of coordinator.

I pore over other peoples photos of the wedding and feel the need to religiously check facebook in case someone has put new photos up. I stress about the pro pics - what if I hate them, what if he missed this shot and that shot, what if what if what if......

I feel annoyed at all the people that let us down. Yet so overwhelmed by the people that really stepped up for us. Want to know who your real friends are - have a wedding.

I curse the weather gods because it was so ridiculously hot and we couldn't go to half the photo locations because of it.

I keep seeing brilliant ideas out there in wedding blog land and wishing I had seen them before the wedding.

I want to buy wedding magazines, and then feel sad that I can't.

I adore being married. It's actually worlds cooler than I even imagined it to be.

But this after the wedding is done weirdness.

I'm over it.

15 days in - Being

2010-01-15T16:57:00.003+10:30

Mr B is away for work. Last night was the first night since we've been married that we slept apart. I missed his feet touching mine.

Miss P is still here until Monday. So we have girls weekend planned. Mr B is happy she can 'babysit' his new wife. I think I would be missing him a whole lot more if it was just me and the fur babies!

Husband. Wife. The words still sound strange to say them. But I still get that giddy smile when Mr B calls me wife, or I call him husband. It's fun being newlyweds.

I will start recaps soon, I promise. Just have a bit more catching up on life to do. Then I'm all yours. Want to start it soon before I start to forget little things. And the more people I talk to that tell me things about the wedding, the more my perceptions change about things that happened.

It went by so so quickly. Wish I had soaked it in more.

But the being married part - so much better than the getting married part!

P.s. Wedding love to Jenn of A Bride's Brain who gets married on Sunday. Soak it in girl.

13 days in - Playing catch up

2010-01-13T14:42:00.004+10:30

We're back from honeymoon!

It was blissful.

Now we're both playing catch up, with work, friends, life etc.

I'm going to spend the next few days catching up on all your blogs. Replying to all your lovely comments. I've felt a bit lost without all of you. Had to resist the urge to spend our honeymoon checking blogs online!

Then let's start the recaps shall we. Do you want me to wait a few more weeks for the pro pics? Or do you want it now with guests happy snaps, and then I can post the fancy pics once I get them?

Oh and one last thing. A lot of people seemed to get the impression from my last post that our wedding was 'perfect' - it was wonderful and special and emotional and so many other things, but so NOT perfect. So many things went wrong as well as went right. But this is all another post for later.

Missed you all.

Mrs T x

1 day in - It'll be alright on the night

2010-01-01T22:55:00.003+10:30

We got married last year.

It was super hot.

I got to wear my love heart glasses.

Team bride sang Going to the chapel in the air conditioned van on the way to the ceremony.

I had to tell my Dad to slow down as he raced me up the aisle.

Mr B wrote personal vows that were so special.

Miss P did a reading by Dr Seuss and cried more than anyone else!

The bridal party did a conga line into the reception.

Mr B's speech made everyone cry.

The donuts were awesome.

Our friends made mars bar slice in the shape of hearts.

We nailed the end of our dance.

I got a midnight kiss from my new husband.

Everyone went out on the steps at the end of the night with sparklers.

And at the end of the day we were married.

Now we're off on a plane.

Can't wait to share photos with you guys, and catch up on all your blogs and comments.

Much love,

Mrs T

Wedding Day

2009-12-31T07:19:00.004+10:30

It's 7 am. I am literally exhausted and could use another nights sleep.Yesterday was the day from hell. Just one thing going wrong after another culminating in our hotel room somehow being canceled and us spending the night at home in the heat.

It's going to be 42 degrees here today. Which is insanely hot.

I want to kill half the bridal party.

I have the flu.

Mr B is cranky.

I spent most of the last half of yesterday using every ounce of strength I had to fight back tears so I wouldn't have puffy eyes today. It hasn't worked.

My Mum cried, my sister cried, Miss P cried and I just tried to hold it all together and felt like everything was falling apart. We're all sick, and stressed, and tired. I really thought it would be different.

I loved practicing my dance with my Dad yesterday once they set the dance floor up.

I loved practicing the walk down the aisle with my niece the flower girl.

I loved how AMAZING my Mum has been, she has been a life saver.

I loved how some of our friends really made an effort yesterday to be wonderful and help us out.

I loved when we finally nailed the end of our dance at our last minute session.

I loved last night when Mr B snuck into my room and told me he loved me. Then he held me in his arms and we both wished we had eloped.

I really hope all that stuff everyone says about it being alright on the day is true. I am trying really hard to shake it off and be happy. I just feel so exhausted.

I thought the morning of my wedding would be so different.

I am letting go of expectations from here on out.

I wish it was just me and Mr B, because I guess in the end that is all that really matters.

It would just be nice if something could go right for a change!

Please give me all your words of wisdom. I need them right now. Even if you haven't commented before, tell me something great.

And if anyone has any puffy eye solutions, I need them stat!

See you on the other side guys. x Miss T

2 days out - A million things

2009-12-29T17:47:00.004+10:30

I have about a million things I want to tell you all.

About the hens night, about the evil dancing lesson today, about how right now Mr B is outside transforming a pot plant holder into a wishing well, about the stress related argument we had this morning, about how much I freakin LOVE Mr B right now, about how the weather report now says heatwave AND rain on our wedding day, about what a champion my Mother is for making bow ties & sashes for the girls dresses,

about how loved we both feel right now.

But I have a million things still to do. And we are 49 hours away from the I do's.

So alas, I have to go.

BBQ with friends, and then trying to finish seating charts (which SUCK just so you know) and place cards (which look AWESOME) and ipod playlists (that should have been started three months ago).

Wish me luck x

3 days out - Hens Night

2009-12-28T20:32:00.005+10:30

We started the afternoon at the nail salon and got fancy pedicures. Massage chairs & a bit of down time with the girls was just what I needed.

Then we checked into our hotel room and got ready. I got a lovely tiara veil and we all had sashes and cocktail rings.

Jumped into our limo for some bubbly and a cruise around. Then we met up with the boys for Chinese Banquet.

A bit of dancing, some crazy dares, many illusion shots, and we ended up back at our hotel room about 3am for gossip and chocolate.

I had such an awesome night with the girls. Loved it.

So exciting, can't believe that in three more days we'll be getting married! This week has just been getting better and better.

4 days out - Dedication

2009-12-27T14:52:00.004+10:30

I am in the car, wearing my bride hoodie, laptop on my lap, Mr B is driving me to the nail place. It is the start of the hens night...

I am running late, but I had to say Hi and do this blog post.

Dedication people - isn't that what marriage is all about!?

Shots to be drank, fake veils to be worn, see you in the morning with pictures.

Wish me luck.

P.s. Wish you could all come and party with me in real life. You're like my online bridesmaids and I love you guys x

5 days out - Groomzilla

2009-12-26T23:05:00.004+10:30

Today was the first (and I hope only) appearance of Groomzilla!

Tomorrow night is our hens/bucks shows. However this morning I found out that the boys had not organised ANYTHING. All of them thought the other one was doing something, and with Christmas in the middle, no one ended up doing anything. Mr B was disappointed and didn't know what to do. He had to go into work to fix up something and was just generally just stressed.

While he was at work I called the best man, the groomsman and the other boys that he wanted to come and told them all the bucks show was tomorrow. Then I called a pub that has a roof top golf course and booked them in. Then called the best man and told him he needed to do the rest.

Groomzilla melt down crisis averted.

Apart from that we had a great day. Went down to visit friends at a beach house they are renting. Got a bit of sunshine. Then on to a friends birthday BBQ where I ate the best potato salad ever and six pieces of mars bar slice.

We really need to do some wedding stuff. Still need to organise ipod playlist, seating charts, final dance lesson, meet up with the photographer, programs (do people actually read these?), place cards and I am sure there are other things I am forgetting.

But for now I am off to bed. Muchos holiday love to you all. Can't wait to have a few minutes to catch up on all your blogs, sorry I am the absent commenter. I do still love you all.

Sweet wedding dreams x

6 days out - Last Missmas

2009-12-25T21:34:00.004+10:30

Happy Holidays! Today we celebrated my last Christmas as a Miss! Next year Mr B & I will be spending our first Christmas as Mr & Mrs.

Hope your day was filled with good food & the company of great people.

Sitting on the couch with my lovely dogs on my lap, just about to watch Surviving Christmas with Mr B.

Tomorrow it's full steam ahead to the wedding!

7 days out - Coming together

2009-12-24T12:14:00.004+10:30

Exactly one week from today right now I will be putting on my wedding dress. Hair and makeup done, laughing over glasses of bubbly with my girls.

Mr B is at the venue right now setting up chairs and tables.

Friends and family are starting to arrive from over seas and interstate.

My Mum is sewing bow ties and dress sashes.

Our new order is in with the new caterer.

My dress is being altered and made more lovely.

It's all coming together.

Tomorrow I will finally be able to see the 31st on the weather forecasts. The day before is forecast for 37 degrees (98.6f) HOT. Please cross your fingers and think cool change thoughts. We'd rather have rain than a heat wave.

I hope you all have a lovely Holiday tomorrow. It still doesn't feel like Christmas.

It still doesn't feel like in a week we'll be getting married!

8 days out - Positive Wedding vibes

2009-12-23T14:43:00.003+10:30

8 days, EIGHT DAYS...... holy crap. Where has the time gone?

My Mum and sister and the lovely flower girl Miss S arrive today. Starting to get very excited.

2 days till Christmas. Still need to buy and wrap presents.

Ticking things off the to do list - just trying to get through work today and tomorrow and then I am on holiday! Mr B's last day of work today, then tomorrow he is going to set up all the chairs and tables in the venue. Hopefully he'll snap some pictures for all of us.

We've scheduled in everyday between now and the wedding and have even managed to leave one day completely blank. We are naming it Rancho Relaxo day. Just me and Mr B and our puppies, chilling out.

I saw an email this morning that Mr B had written to one of his good friends. He said that everyone kept asking him if he was nervous, but the closer the wedding was getting, the more certain he was that he was making the perfect choice. *swoon*

Thanks for all of your words of wisdom yesterday. You are so right about looking forward to the parts of the day that will definitely happen.

The one thing I am most looking forward to is looking down at Mr B's hand holding mine, seeing our shiny new wedding bands and being excited about all that our future together holds!

I hope you will all indulge me and tell me how many days away your weddings are and the one thing you are looking forward to the most! Need some positive wedding vibes around me.

9 days out - Expectations Vs Reality

2009-12-22T12:55:00.006+10:30

I have this bad habit of picturing how things will go in my head and then being disappointed when they don't turn out as I'd hoped.

Case in point our engagement party. I imagined my Dad doing a speech, we'd have a cake that said 'Happy Engagement' and maybe some balloons?

Well, none of that happened. It just ended up being people hanging out in a room we'd hired, drinking booze we'd paid for and standing around.

Things went to hell about a week before the party with my Dad deciding he didn't want to be married to my Mum anymore after 38 years. So things were awkward. I told him not to do a speech about marriage as it felt wrong. I was so angry at him I didn't even want him to come, but Mr B said I would probably regret it in future if he wasn't there.

But then I just assumed maybe Mr B's Step dad would do a speech. And did I ever tell anyone I wanted a cake? No, I just assumed someone would get us one.

So we got no speeches and no cake and I was left really disappointed about the whole thing.

I do not want the wedding to be like this. I am trying to voice my expectations to people, but I find it really hard. I'm trying not to plan too much about the actual day, because if I do and then it goes off plan I am worried I will get upset. But how can you not plan your wedding day?

I want to be present for every moment of the day, really soak it in. It's going to be over so fast I don't want to waste time feeling stressed or bothered. If something goes off plan I want to just roll with it.

I really hope reality exceeds my expectations. Just this one time.

10 days out - Miss Mrs

2009-12-21T14:13:00.003+10:30

I'm not really keen on Mrs. I feel like old people are called Mrs. But I dislike Ms even more.

I kinda like Miss.

I am happy to take Mr B's last name, I'm actually looking forward to it. But the Mrs part... not so much.

What title have you decided on?

11 days out - Grow old with me

2009-12-20T17:39:00.009+10:30

Now that we're getting married I catch myself staring at Mr B wondering what he will look like as an old man. I know now that I'll be there for that and it's a weird feeling. Good, just strange. I wonder where life will take us. If our love will grow and change as time goes by. What our children will look like. How it will feel to hold our first grand baby. How many countries we'll travel to. If I'll get those laugh line wrinkles.

Being married feels exciting.

12 days out - The calm before the storm

2009-12-19T11:00:00.003+10:30

I thought I was doing so well at being chill. Alas it was not to last.

I had a crazy overwhelming day at work yesterday and was just emotionally drained.

Mr B got home from work and I just burst into tears which didn't stop for half an hour. Then I had to pull myself together as we had a dancing lesson.

The lessons have been a pain. We keep getting a new instructor each time, we don't remember the routine, and the new instructor can't help because they don't know it either. The original instructor said our music was too hard, so picked us out another song. Then last night the guy is all "gee this song is really hard to dance to". I seriously just wanted to head butt him. So he changed our dance and song AGAIN. Mr B is struggling to keep up and he is the one who is supposed to be in the lead. It is all getting way too hard. They can only fit us in for three more lessons before the wedding and we still have no idea what we are doing. Dance FAIL.

It was all too much and I ended up in tears again when we got home.

Mr B sat and stroked my hair. I told him how I felt so overwhelmed with everything. Work, wedding, Christmas. I felt like we have hardly had any time to ourselves. I felt like we were steam rolling towards this wedding. Had we talked enough, were we really ready? I am so bad when I'm tired. Everything just gets so much bigger and feels so much worse.

And then he says 'We don't have to have all the answers to all the questions, We have our whole marriage to work it all out together'.

And just like that I felt better.

P.s. Note to self, if you cry late at night you have severe puffy eye in the morning. No crying the night before the wedding.

13 days out - Blog etiquette in busy times

2009-12-18T12:09:00.007+10:30

Today I am feeling slightly overwhelmed. The stress is starting to seep back in. I am crazy busy at work and have a million fiddly last minute things to do for the wedding. And only 13 days.....

We have ordered donuts, and party size dessert items and little savory items. So the catering is all set. It's not quite what we wanted, but with 13 days to go - what can you do? At least we have food!

Moving on to the point of this post -

The blog etiquette rules are kind of a gray area around blog land. Let me tell you mine.

You leave a comment here, I head on over to your blog and leave a comment back. It's only polite, and it's a great way to find cool new blogs and blog buddies. I get so frustrated when I leave a million comments on someone's blog and then never hear from them in their comments, or they never head on over here. Even just ONE comment people. It takes all of 30 seconds, and it brightens up someones day. Especially new bloggers. How exciting is it when you get your first comment!

At the moment your comments are like some kind of wedding drug. I wake up in the morning and check them on my phone and feel calmer just knowing that other bloggers out there in blog land are cheering me on, or understanding my mania, or sympathizing with the bride craziness.

You follow my blog, I return the love.

If I like your blog I add you to my blog roll. I get such a kick out of seeing my blog on someone elses blog roll. Have I forgotten to add you? Want to be on my blog roll? Just ask - I will happily add you.

So the problem I am having right now.....

I am getting SO busy I barely have time to post on my own blog, let alone pop over to all of yours.

I just want you to know that I LOVE reading all your blogs, and I ADORE all your comments on mine.

I'm sorry I'll be a little more absent than normal. But I promise that once the craziness subsides I will be catching up with all of you and leaving comments galore!

I'm sure you all understand, but I just wanted to say it here so you would know for sure that I still love you all, just super busy.

P.s. I know this is a crazy time of year for everyone, but I hope you'll stick along for the last 13 days of my lead up to the wedding. You guys keep me sane!

P.p.s. A lot of the time I reply to your comments in the comments, so don't forget to check back there.

14 days out - Christmas Traditions

2009-12-17T12:07:00.002+10:30

Exactly two weeks from today we will be getting married!!!!

I feel like I need to pinch myself when I say that. Still doesn't feel real.

And it's nearly Christmas! We have hardly thought about it this year, too wrapped up in wedding madness.

We have our own traditions. Traditions that Mr B & I are making as we go along. One of which involves the gift of pyjamas that you get to open Christmas eve (so you look a little more stylish in all those Christmas morning photos). Then Mr B & I put them on, cuddle up on the couch and watch Surviving Christmas - which is terrible and yet SO GOOD. It cracks us up every time, and we even convinced Miss S to call my Dad doo daa last Christmas - which cracked us up even more (and I totally lost you all with that comment - go now and watch it).

Out latest tradition that we are starting this year is a Christmas movie count down. We are trying to get a good collection of movies that we can watch every year in the lead up to Christmas. On the list so far are - Christmas with the Kranks, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, the Santa Clause, It's a wonderful life, Home Alone, Jingle all the way, Miracle on 34th Street & Four Christmases.

What's your favourite Christmas movie so we can add it to the list?

P.s. Mr B really wants us to get one of those bad Christmas jumpers, so we can wear them to Christmas lunch. Won't that look great in photos. Ha. Do you know those things are like $60 on ebay? For a knitted deer/santa/holly monstosity. You know the ones I'm talking about. Might have to take up knitting!

15 days out - Wedding Nirvana

2009-12-16T14:01:00.005+10:30

Still feeling surprisingly calm. Had Miss P & Miss O, two of my bridesmaids, over and they tried on their dresses. They looked so good!

Do you remember this incident? Well that lovely lady offered to tweak my dress for me. So now it will fit and be a little bit lovelier than it is now. Should be enough to shake the bad mojo off! Miss P & I got to go to the fancy designer store she works in and hang out in the back room where all the dresses are made! It was so pretty, tulle and sparkly things everywhere. I stood on a little stool, surrounded by bead work and feathers all over the floor, pinned into my dress and felt a little smidge of happiness. It was the first time since all the dress drama that I actually felt happy wearing the dress. FINALLY!!!

Still have no caterer, but Mr B and I have taken tomorrow off work to go in search of one. I am planning on 'sampling' more donuts!

Starting to get really excited now. I can't believe that the planning is nearly over. I feel a little bit sad, I don't want to waste any time being angry, or stressed. It's like I've reached this crazy place I like to call Wedding Nirvana. Just soaking it all in and enjoying the last part of having and being a finacee.

P.s. Thanks for your feedback on the hair and makeup. Need to work out how to pull more hair out for the fringe to address the bald patch! And no cupcake wedding, I am not angry with you!

P.p.s. Thanks Brit over at Landlocked bride for the shout out about my rorting of the postal system.

16 days out - I feel like a bride with a veil

2009-12-15T16:29:00.009+10:30

I arrived for my makeup trial with Miss P & Mrs S, two of my lovely bridesmaids, and was greeted by Chardonnay in her little pink outfit. This was a very good start.

How cute are those little teeth! She sat on my lap and slept for most of the makeup application. She wasn't even fazed by the sound of the airbrush. I had airbrush foundation and blush, plain gloss on my lips, a little bit of gold and pink on my eyes and killer fake lashes.

Fake eyelashes are seriously awesome. Why have I never worn them before?

I really don't wear makeup, apart from a bit of lip gloss and the occasional bit of mascara. The foundation took a whole day for me to get used to, but by the end I really liked it.

I'll have to try hard not to scrunch my eyes up like this in every wedding photo!

Then it was off to the hair trial. I was thinking bird cage veil, but then my Mum offered me her veil. It is a bit poofy, but I adore the fact it was hers. And it makes me feel like a bride! Funny how a veil does that.

If you remember my hair inspiration photo I wanted braids and loose curls. We did try it without a fringe, but I felt like I had a giant forehead. So we went with side swept.

My hair line is funny, and I feel a bit like I have a bald patch in this photo.

The back looks lovely with soft curls, and the braids give the veil combs something to grab hold of.

I'm thinking I need more product to keep the curls in, my hair tends to go straight rather quickly. Got any tips?

So what do you guys think? I need honesty people.......

17 days out - Flower girl dresses

2009-12-14T12:27:00.009+10:30

I took Miss S, my lovely niece and flower girl, out shopping for her dress. Just the two of us, we had a lovely day.

We made the mistake of starting at a bridal store. They wanted $300+ for a flowergirl dress. They were like minature bridal gowns, complete with beading and rouching, but they looked a bit too grown up for a little girl in my opinion. We tried some on anyway. She looked so cute as she'd come out in front of the mirrors and stand on the block. There was a no photo policy, which is completely no fun, so I sneaked this one in the change room.

I was all 'Ok, this is a secret photo, so we have to be quiet'. Which in hindsight was not such a great thing to tell a five year old. Upon leaving the change room, the lady asked us if we wanted to purchase any of the dresses. I said we'd think about it, and Miss S pipes up 'It's ok, we have a secret photo for later'. Whoops!

We then went to Myer, where they were having a 25% off girls dresses sale. Score! Miss S picked out three dresses to try on.

She was happier with these ones as they didn't have 'scratchy' tulle and they were more 'spinny'.

And we didn't have to take 'secret' photos!

I would love to show you the one she picked, but she said I couldn't take a photo as no one is supposed to see the dress until the wedding. Too funny. It's silver, with a sequined top, and ruffled skirt with a bow on the back. With discount it was $55. Super cute and she loves it!

I also found these shoes from Target this week - bargain & perfect match.

So now she's all set. She is going to make the cutest flowergirl!

Are you guys having flower girls and/or page boys in your wedding?

18 days out - The calm/maybe crazy bride

2009-12-13T09:14:00.007+10:30

So it's 18 days until our wedding.

We have no caterer, thus no food at all for our reception.

HOWEVER, for some reason, I am feeling completely calm about it all today. I kept saying it out loud yesterday - we have no caterer - and then felt like I should be freaking out. But nothing. It actually kind of made me want to laugh. Perhaps I am about to go completely crazy.

You guys were all kick ass and had my back in the comments, with talk of lawyers and general ass kicking. And it was enough. You felt my pain. You understood. You wanted to drop kick the caterer with me, or for me. And it was enough.

I could let this STRESS me out, or FREAK me out, or induce a BRIDEZILLA melt down.

But I am saying NO.

We are going to have fun at this wedding. It is going to be awesome.

Miss P and I tested donuts yesterday. Mmmm donuts. They have so many different flavors!

Worse case scenerio - we will have loads of different kinds of donuts from holy glaze and cakes from the cheesecake shop. We will go to the supermarket and get biscuits in bags and party pies from the freezer section. We will lay them all out on the lovely collection of glass cake stands my mother has collected.

Sent via SMS - the woman is my hero

And no it is not what I thought we'd have. And it won't be quite as fancy as I would have liked.

But at the end of the day, when Mr B is holding his wifes hand who is eating her third donut after dancing her ass off - I really don't think I am going to care about the food one iota.

P.s. Hair and make up trial photos to come - it went really well!

P.p.s. Disclaimer - although I may seem calm today, and feel like I am, I am aware that bridezilla hilarity may ensue in the following 18 days. Wish me luck staying normal!

P.p.p.s. Sorry for saying ass so many times in the post. There I go again....

19 days out - My inbox

2009-12-12T12:33:00.004+10:30

'Hi,

Just writing to say that we've decided to go on holidays until the 4th of Jan so can't do your catering anymore. Please look us up next time you need catering.

Sincerely,

THE WORST CATERER EVER'

Oh crap.

P.s. We freaked the heck out of Mr B - there was screaming! Ha.

*UPDATED* I meant we freaked Mr B out with Miss P's arrival.

This email IS ACTUALLY from my caterer. NO JOKE.

Yeah.... good times!

20 days out - Good surprises

2009-12-11T14:25:00.010+10:30

So I'm at work today and Miss P calls me to chat, and then says, "Oh hang on, I just have to go into this shop, I'll call you back" and then she walks into MY shop!

She lives across the other side of the country and was supposed to be arriving on the 26th, but decided she was missing out on too much wedding stuff so is over for a week, then back home for Christmas, and then back on the 26th. Crazy person!

But I am SO excited! She is here for the makeup and hair trial tomorrow, and the dress alterations on Monday! I just wish I didn't have to work.

Was looking back through some photos from New Years last year - we still thought we were getting married in July back then, so didn't know what we'd be doing a year from then.....

My Mum & Little sis

Miss P & I - hopefully we'll be dressed a little more stylish this New Years!

Mr B & Miss S - our lovely niece and flower girl!

And I'll be with these same great people this year. Except this year I will be Mr B's wife!

Life is so good!

P.s. New Years head boppers are the shizz - I'm just saying....

P.p.s. We can't decide how to freak Mr B out when he sees Miss P tonight. Trying to find a giant box might be in the near future.

21 days out - Spendy MCSpender

2009-12-10T12:27:00.000+10:30

Naughty overspending bride bought the headband....

And it is SO pretty! And SO worth it! And SO made me smile ear to ear when it arrived!

Do it - buy the pretty thing you are lusting after for the wedding - you won't regret it.

P.s. Having my second hair trial on Saturday, will post pictures so you can all help me decide what to do. I'm kind of in love with the headband now.....

22 days out - The best day ever?

2009-12-09T11:37:00.002+10:30

The closer we get to the wedding, the more people keep saying to me 'Make sure you enjoy it, it will be the best day of your life'. And I'm all 'Gee I hope not'. And then people give me the look. The look that says 'Ok crazy bride' without literally having to say it.

But seriously - the BEST day of our ENTIRE lives?

I really hope not. What's the point of getting married if the wedding day is as good as it gets?

I talked to Mr B about it and he feels the same way. He said he'd like it to be in the top 25 days perhaps, but not the number one.

I hope we have hundreds of best days together. I hope that each time we have a better day, we'll think 'Gee, THIS day is the best day ever', and then we'll think that again the next time we have an awesome day.

Why do people put so much emphasis on this ONE day? I know it will be a great day. An amazing day. Mr B & I will be married, which is super exciting. And I sure as hell hope we have a good day considering I don't think we'll ever spend that much money on one single day again.

Maybe that's what they should say 'Make sure you enjoy it, it will be one of the best, and definitely the MOST, expensive day of your life'.

I really hope it's a good day, a GREAT day, a fantastic day that we never forget.

I just don't want it to be the best day ever.

We're planning plenty of those for our future.

23 days out - The crazy dreams begin

2009-12-08T10:12:00.004+10:30

Last night I had my first proper wedding dream. I walked into the hall and there was a big red carpet (it's meant to be white) and I thought that to myself, but continued on my way. Then it flashed forward to the reception where we seemed to be having a pretty good time. Mr B & I were then back at our hotel and we both realised we had left without doing our dance! We were both freaking out and wondering if we could go back and do it and then leave again.

Then I think I woke up and then went back to sleep, because the craziness continues.

We were walking through the airport on the way to our honeymoon when I see a copy of Martha Stewart Weddings (which I must admit, just floats my boat in a big way) I think to myself, Oh I can't buy wedding magazines anymore. But I pick it up anyway and flip it open. There is a photo from our wedding of me and one of the bridesmaids dressed up in Mr B's suit. I have a weird flash of memory and I am back at the photo part of the wedding. The photographer tells Mr B that he just doesn't know how to pose and one of the bridesmaids should step in for his shots.

I burst into tears and tell Mr B that we have not one single shot of the two of us together. And the photographer has forgotten to take any shots of the bridal party. Not happy.

I can't even sleep now without wedding craziness! Ahhhhhhhhh

Am I the only one whose head is filled up with wedding? Is it invading your dreams too?

P.s. Thanks for the mutual venting in the comments yesterday. I was totally waiting for someone to tell me what a bitch I was being. So thanks for being nice to the crazy bride again.

P.p.s. The red sashes are a go - 12 votes yes to 1 vote no.

P.p.p.s. I promise to be a bit less crazy from now on, or at least I promise to try!

24 days out - Drama drama

2009-12-07T13:40:00.004+10:30

So the bridesmaid with the baby - I've decided that she can deal with it. It's too awkward a subject to bring up - and I don't want to hurt feelings. Especially this close to the wedding. So if she brings the baby, she'll just have to do her thing. It will all work out in the end (she repeats to herself).

But today she rang to tell me that she doesn't fit into her dress. It's too small. They can't be altered. She is stressing out about it. And in turn managed to stress me out about it.

I just don't care anymore. That's bad isn't it!?

But seriously, whatever. You show up, great. Your dressed, great.

Do Mr B & I end up married no matter what - Yes. Awesome. Let's do that then.

In hindsight I would have had just my sister and best friend. But I felt like I had to have the same amount of people on my side as Mr B's. We really jumped into the decision WAY too early.

Any bridesmaid dramas you'd like to discuss in the privacy of my comments - go crazy. Tell me I'm not alone in the drama. Please.......

25 days out - Let's eat cake today!

2009-12-06T13:15:00.001+10:30

Spare thoughts gave me a little link love over on her blog in regards to a comment I left about my Bikki Grandma and Grandpa. It was the name my sister and I called our Great grandparents, because every time we'd go there, we'd leave with a little bag of chocolate biscuits. How I miss them. But I guess I was lucky I got to have them at all, a lot of people never get great grandparents.

Going off to bake Spare thoughts Grandma's cake recipe. Yum!

Happy Sunday.

P.s. I am so looking forward to seeing all my family at the wedding.

26 days out - Presidential letters

2009-12-05T12:34:00.001+10:30

Lookey whose address I found.....

P.s. The post office told me that I'd need two stamps for all my local invitations because my envelopes were 2mm bigger than allowed. So I put a spare envelope with ONE stamp in the post addressed to me, and when it arrived a day later, I put ONE stamp on all the invites and posted them out. And everyone got them, and it saved me $45. Post office 0 Miss T 1!

27 days out - Sushi cures all

2009-12-04T13:39:00.010+10:30

Firstly I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you that left nice comments and helped to talk me off the bridezilla ledge yesterday. Chocolate Lover, Jess, lilaphoenix, Christie, PartyPlannerGal, Born to be Mrs. Beever, Bicoastal Bride, Chic 'n Cheap Living, Mireya & abluebirdbride - You guys are AWESOME. I woke up and checked the blog on my phone and all your comments made my day. I am trying to control the crazy. Hopefully this will be the last melt down (who am I kidding?) before the wedding.

Need some blogs to read - click those links above. These girls are the best!

We both took a couple of hours off this morning to go and get all the last minute arrangements made with our venue. Unfortunately they are shutting between Christmas and New Years now so we have to pay someone to open it up the day before. Just wouldn't be a wedding thing without a hidden cost!

I thought I'd give you a virtual phone camera tour.

So you walk up the stone steps......

Through the heavy wooden and stain glass doors...

To the Grand Hall which is where we are having our ceremony. You'll have to imagine all the chairs and the white carpet for now. Not sure if we're getting married at the bottom of the steps, or half way up on the ledge (where that sign is it's about five feet wide)? I think we'll decide the day before at the rehearsal.

Then once we are married it's down stairs to the chandelier room for some dancing and dessert!

You'll have to imagine the table cloths and chair covers, and the chandeliers all lit up and sparkly.

We ended up with a spare half an hour before we had to go back to work and managed to squeeze in a trip to Sushi train. Sushi is seriously the cure for everything.

Hope you are all having stress free planning days today. x

28 days out - Bridezilla, is that you?

2009-12-03T15:48:00.004+10:30

Man I am so cranky. I don't know what is wrong with me. I feel MASSIVE amounts of stress. Work is full on this time of year. Add that to all the wedding things we still need to do. Plus Christmas is fast approaching too and I just feel completely overwhelmed today.

Mr B and I nearly killed each other at dancing last night. We just couldn't get it, and I was so fed up I nearly cried in front of the dance teacher. Good times.

The guy who was going to alter my dress says he can't do it anymore. So I need to find someone new, pronto.

My Mum said she would make the red sashed for the dresses, but now sounds like she's backing out already.

One of my bridesmaids wants to know if she can say the word penis in our wedding speech. What the? It's not my 21st. Ugh.

Another of our bridesmaids RSVP'd for their baby too. Except the only little one we were expecting is the flower girl. Our other friends are all getting baby sitters for the night, so they can let their hair down. I'm worried about a screaming baby during our ceremony, and I don't know how we're going to cart it around for photos and getting ready. But I feel like I can't say anything about it, and I feel evil for not wanting them to bring it.

I just feel like all of these things are so petty they make me sound like bridezilla.

Yet everything combined just makes me feel like my head is going to explode.

Going to inhale some chocolate biscuits - talk to you all tomorrow. x

Thank you for listening to the crazy bride.

29 days out - Iron on DIY

2009-12-02T13:14:00.002+10:30

So you all know about the bridesmaids hoodies with the bling on the back. But I wanted everyone to feel included, so I bought some iron on bling from sparkle*and*glitz on ebay.

So, first step is to buy your item to iron the letters onto. For Mr B's mother and two Grandmas I picked out white light weight 3/4 sleeve wraps. I would have preferred a darker colour (it makes the letters stand out better) but options & time are limited.

You need to set your iron to NO steam and it's hottest setting. Then you iron the fabric flat and to make it a little warm. Max was looking on hoping for treats!

Remove the backing paper and stick to the fabric. The shiny stones come on sticky paper which you can reposition until you are happy with the placement.

Then you need to turn your fabric inside out. This is important! Do not iron onto the transfer directly! You need to hold your iron onto the back of the fabric in the area of the transfer for 15 seconds. You can move it a little bit if you're worried the fabric will burn.

It should look something like this once it's done - I know it's hard to see, but the glue on the back of the stones sort of shows through the fabric.

Then you are supposed to wait for the fabric to cool completely before you slowly peel the sticky paper off.

Because if you are impatient like me and peel while it's still hot the little stones will come away with the sticky paper! If this happens just use the tip of the iron on those stones directly and they should stick, or worse case you can stick them on with tweezers and glue.

And ta da - One Grandmother of the Groom wrap completed. I did Mother of the Bride & Groom and two Grandmother of the Grooms. I only have one Grandma and she lives in Oregon and can't make it for the wedding. I also did one for the flowergirl on a pink short sleeve hoodie.

Mr B's mothers expression when she got hers was SO worth it. She just wants to feel included.

Some people were not as impressed as others!

Wraps from Kmart $15 each + Transfers $12 = Complete item for $27. Much cheaper than I could find online. And you can put the transfers onto anything you like. A cute pair of sweat pants to wear while you get your make up done, a hoodie for your hens night, a tote bag for your honeymoon, the possibilities are endless!

Have you got anything customised for your wedding?

P.s. Did you see that 2 at the front of the days left. Eeeekkkkkkk

30 days out - Picking your battles

2009-12-01T13:46:00.001+10:30

We're having a dessert reception. As in all we are feeding people is dessert foods. Cakes, eclairs, donuts, tarts, trifle... you get the picture. So as far as a wedding cake went we figured we'd just stick our cake topper onto one of the many cakes we'd have on offer and cut it as our wedding cake.

I noticed over on Thoughts of the All consumed bride the soon to be Mrs Beever mentioned songs for cake cutting! So thanks to her post and some of her great comments I think it is between Sugar Sugar by the Archies and How sweet it is by Marvin Gaye.

I had a baking day and tried to make one - don't laugh!

Ok, maybe do laugh. My niece and I had fun eating it all the same - it tasted divine.

However Mr B's mother kept asking us about what we were doing for a wedding cake. We had told her numerous times what I have told you above. But she just kept on asking.

Now I am a really straight up person. Say it like it is. Makes life easier when people know how you feel.

Mr B's mother on the other hand used the indirect method of communication - eg. don't tell you what I actually want, just hint at it until you hopefully get what I'm trying to say and if you don't then I'll probably hold it against you. (I do love the woman, just very different to my mother!)

We finally deciphered that the wedding cake was an important part of the wedding to her. So when she insisted that she buy us a wedding cake we said yes.

Except today I saw the receipt for the cake. Three tier, chocolate cake, white icing, 6inch/8inch/10inch - it's a small cake - $480! I nearly died.

It should look like the cake above (sorry for bad photo, it was off their computer screen on my phone!)

I imagine it looking something like this with our cake topper and a vintage glass stand.

But you know what - if it's important to her, and she wants to pay for it, who am I to rock the boat?

Personally I think it is a massive waste of money - however sometimes you have to pick your battles.

And besides, it is a lovely cake!

P.s. Anytimes in your planning you've just let people have there way to avoid the drama?

P.p.s. Any other old school cake cutting songs we should consider?

31 days out - The divine Miss P

2009-11-30T15:21:00.010+10:30

Got this photo texted to my phone -

My best friend Miss P thinks we should put red ribbon sashes on the bridesmaid dresses. It will match my red shoes, and it's not too over the top colour wise, and I did find red velvet ribbon....

What do you guys think? Honest opinions needed.
You can vote in the poll to the right over there.

She also sent this

Bridesmaidzilla

I hard core LOVE you Miss P x

P.s. We live WAY too far apart, and I haven't seen her in nearly a year. 26 days until she arrives!

32 day out - Birds, Babies and Britney

2009-11-29T23:14:00.011+10:30

We went home to my Mum's house this weekend. Five hours there, and five back, in the car gave us plenty of time to talk through all of the last minute wedding bits and pieces. Also plenty of time to eat loads of chocolate biscuits, sing along to the radio and ask each other a hundred times if we were there yet!

Highlights of the weekend-

Mr B helping me to rescue three baby birds that had fallen out of their nest. We made them a bucket nest and kept them inside over night and then hung their new nest back in the tree this morning. Luckily the Mumma bird came back today, I was feeling rather stressed about them. Happy to be marrying a man that cares about animals as much as I do.

Hanging out with my Mum, sister and niece. Watching my five year old niece sleep cuddled up with Mr B on the couch. Felt like looking into the future, and I liked what I saw!
(he's gonna kill me for putting his sleeping face on the net!)

Tonight going to the Britney concert. Mr B got free tickets through work. I'm not a huge Britney fan, but the girl puts on an awesome concert. It was REALLY good. New respect. It's love I tell you when your man takes you to Britney!

Hope you all had an awesome weekend. Off to bed now, but will be catching up on all my blog loves tomorrow! See you then. x

33 days out - Oh I wants it!

2009-11-28T13:08:00.001+10:30

Wedding budgets suck. If I had a loads of spare wedding $$$'s today I would buy....

One of these, or maybe two. How cute are these garters (this one is all your fault Anna and the ring!)

That tulle is flocked with little velvet spots. Oh how I LOVE flocked anything. So pretty.

That little blue bow would make a beautiful something blue!

This headband. Side placement of the jewel. Seriously thinking I could rock this at the wedding.

Still lusting after birdcage veils. This one is super cute - only US$25 - Bargain!

Love drop earrings.

What would you buy today if you had extra $$$?

34 days out - Thankful

2009-11-27T14:58:00.005+10:30

I wish we did Thanksgiving in this country. Family get together, good food, no present buying stress and everyone taking a moment to be grateful for the good things in their lives.

I told Mr B that we should do Thanksgiving next year. Have our friends over, start our own traditions. Plus it will give me an excuse to play 50's housewife and get my apron out!

How cute is this little number - $10 on etsy!

I'm excited about having our own little traditions. I love traditions. Love the holidays! I haven't really had much time to think about Christmas, it's fast approaching like the wedding.

I have a lot to be thankful for right now.

Happy Thanksgiving.

What are you most thankful for?

35 days out - Wedding website

2009-11-26T14:26:00.006+10:30

Have you got a wedding website? We have. It's over on www.mywedding.com. It is completely free and has all our info for our guests to check out. We put it up in September when we sent the save the dates out and have had 138 hits since then, with 811 page views. My overseas relatives have had fun checking it all out and feeling a little more involved.

We have little funny bios for all the bridal party, a fun how we met story with our baby photos, photos from our engagement party, a place you can leave your music selection for the night and also a page with all the attractions and places to stay in town. You can add photos and links to other website too. It's super easy to use and I really can't belive it's all free.

We went with the Vegas template.

We're making all our guests RSVP on the website. It makes it super easy, you can even export all the info to Excel spread sheets. If you're having meal preferences (we're not) you can even get that info as well.

We've also got a link to our registry. Here are just some of the items still on it. You can't see it on this screen shot, but there is an item for 50cents that says - Make Mr B eat a chocolate covered cricket at the markets. We've been getting a bit creative.

Have you guys got wedding websites? Know any cool sites that give you free ones?

P.s. No one paid me to say this nice stuff about these companies (I wish) just wanted to share the FREE love. Free + Weddings doesn't happen very often.

36 days out - Reasons I want to marry my new printer

2009-11-25T13:29:00.015+10:30

I bought a new printer yesterday. Today I have many invitations all printed out and put in envelopes and stamped. Just like that. Who knew it could be that easy?

So do you want to see them? I edited this (obviously) because the blurred out invite just looked horrid.

We got the rounded corner cards and tiffany blue envelopes from ChelseaPaper on etsy and I couldn't recommend her more. Super fast delivery from the US, and cheaper than buying them here even with the postage.

Here they are coming off our new Canon printer. Borderless printing = happiness. Those are the backs of the invites you can see printing out. We printed them double sided.

We got cream coloured 5x7inch rounded corner cards. Had to mess with the blue a bit to make it come out the right colour. Love our deer logo on the bottom.

I really wanted wrap around labels. But those suckers are expensive! I ended up buying Avery stick on labels that are meant for the spine of those big binders. Laid them out in photoshop and then transported the files into word. A little time consuming, but I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

Lulu was really over it by the time I got around to sticking the stamps on. Made Mr B lick them all, hate the taste of envelopes!

I got sparkler stamps from the post office. The wedding ones were kind of naff.

Our address was on the back of the wrap around.

We ended up needing 85 invites (sent a lot overseas to relatives that aren't going to make it).

So all up -

100 envelopes & 125 5x7 cards (bought extra for screw ups!) = $105
Avery Labels one packet = $28
80 x 55cent stamps = $44

= $177 divide by 85 invites

= $2.08 each including postage.

The printer was $139 including all the ink cartridges, but I'm not factoring that in as we'll use it from now on. It even prints on CDs.

Would I do it again? Now that I have the printer I'd think about it. But to be honest I'd probably save myself the headache and just get someone else to do them. What started out as a DIY money saving option ended up requiring a new printer. Not quite what we had budgeted for. Also I wish the invites were printed about four weeks ago!

Wedding invites printed and sent - CHECK!

You like?

P.s. Anyone know the address to send an invitation to President Obama? Saw this reply from the white house over on A beautiful wedding for less. Need one!