Catie & Cent

And...we're married!

2009-07-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hello blog world, I have returned from a fantastic reason for a mini-hiatus: our wedding and honeymoon!

It. was. fantastic.

I don’t think I could have asked for a better day. Ever.

I set out to plan our wedding a a couple of goals: Make it fun. Make it personal. Make it memorable. And I think we hit all three goals with full force!!

Our wedding day would not have gone as smoothly and effortlessly as it did without our amazing crew of vendors, who I must thank for all their hard work!

Our photographer: Travis Hoehne

Travis, in a word, AMAZING. His team of Charlton and Lindsey, AMAZING. His nonstop and unmatchable energy kept the party going. He was so easy to work with and all the guests couldn’t stop complimenting how awesome he was. Travis also set up a photo booth, and it was SWEET! I say this is the best way to get photos with guests without having to do the obligatory cheesy table shots that I know photographers *love* to take. I know that I, along with all of my guests, are sitting at the edges of our seats, ready to see the photo explosion!
Me, my sister, and my cousins working the photo booth. (Thanks Auntie Terry for the photo)

Our cake diva: Jen’s Cakes

Our cakes were FANTASTIC. Not only in style but in taste too. Delicious. And yes, cakes. Jen made us a Groom’s cake to my specs – a Super Nintendo system just for Cent! As you may know, I’m kind of a cake buff. Ok, who am I kidding, I’m cake obsessed! I’m so glad that we booked with Jen’s Cakes because she did a FABULOUS job and I enjoyed every bite!

Check out our EPIC Groom’s cake (thanks to David for the photo):

And our beautiful cake! (Thanks Dianne for the photo!)

Our fantabulous florist: Huckleberry Karen Designs

The day of the wedding, Karen twittered that she had surprise for me. I had no idea what it could be. Well, let me just say that Karen is a miracle worker. We had our one and only initial meeting back in January. We had exchanged emails to confirm details, and she is wonderful to work with. So easy to communicate with and make changes. Anyway, the big day rolls around and we arrive at the church. Karen says she wants to deliver my bouquet to me personally.

She says, “Now what kind of flowers did you really want for your bouquet?”

“Peonies?!” I asked shyly.

She pulls the bouquet from behind her back. And there they were. Peonies. In the middle of July. See I told you she was a miracle worker. Thank you Karen!

She also pulled together some wonderfully fantastic centerpieces, which I wish I had had more time to check out and enjoy. They were lovely from some of the photos I saw from friends and family.

Our coordinator extraordinaire: Laura Saldana of Pink Petals Event Design

One of the best investments hands down to keep sane on your wedding day. Even if you are planning the wedding yourself, as I did, I’m so glad we decided to hire a day-of coordinator. After a few briefings, I passed the reigns to Laura and she took care of everything! She asked me all the questions and reminded me of things I had forgotten or overlooked. She brought pins for the money dance and pens for the guestbook. She was a lifesaver for sure. And I didn’t have to worry about anything the day of. I had so much fun!!

Our Make Up Artist: Yolanda Thayer of Prima Donna Makeover

Yolanda was our first vendor to arrive on the big day. She arrived at my parents’ home at 7:30am. I’m no early riser, but I think the excitement didn’t let me sleep in. Yolanda worked her magic on us and it was great working with her. She stayed with us through the ceremony and came to the reception site to do touch ups before the reception started. Thank you Yolanda for beautifying all of us!

Our DJ: Mark Haggerty of Denon & Doyle Entertainment

Mark made our night. He kept the flow going and everyone dancing. I mean EVERYONE. I haven’t been to that many weddings, but I have never seen as many people as were at our wedding DANCING. Usually people are shy about dancing, but not at our wedding! He played all the songs Cent and I had personally requested (sadly he didn’t get to one song my sister and friend had requested sorry girls!) Everyone danced until the very last song. My father-in-law was getting ready to leave (all of Cent’s family had to catch a 6am flight Sunday morning), but when Mark played “Flashlight” by Parliament, he rushed to the dancefloor and waved his phone like a lighter. Awesome!

Here’s me in the middle (Thanks David for the photo!)

Thank you to everyone who traveled near and far to share our wedding day with us. I can’t say enough how much it meant to both of us.

11 Days left!

2009-07-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at my computer last night, staring at an email from my awesome florist, Karen of Huckleberry Karen Designs. In the close of her note, she wrote, “12 more days!”

When I thought about it, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Okay, maybe not the whole ton. Maybe just a couple.

But it was a good thing. A happy realization. And it was like I knew that, but her words typed out words made it that much more REAL.

I’ve been getting messages and emails from friends and family who will be gathering next week for our wedding. Our wedding is NEXT. WEEK. Holy moly. And maybe I keep doting on this fact because we’ve been engaged since March 2008. I didn’t know how quickly this day would come considering that it seemed light years away! Now, we’re down to just under eleven.

People keep asking my mom about how I’m doing. Like I’m supposed to turn into a fuming, drooling, three-eyed monster, commonly known as a “Bridezilla” like the type you see on the television series. And she laughs simply and says, “Everything is going great.” She asked me the other day, “Should you be freaking out? My friends keep wondering.”

Well, good news, I haven’t sprouted any extra optical units or turned any shades close to Elphaba from Wicked, so I think everything is going to be alright.

I’ve been asked, “How are you feeling?” “Are you ready?” “Are you nervous?” I’m so excited and elated that the big day is coming. Okay, so the nerves should creep up around 1:55pm on July 18, but those will be happy nerves. Like “It’s finally time” nerves.

We want everyone to have a good time and have fun at our wedding.

See you in 11 days!

60 days left!

2009-05-19T11:00:00.001-07:00

Invitations are going out this week, so be sure to keep an eye on the mail!

Music Requests!

2009-05-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

Have a song to suggest? Would you like something played at our wedding? You can make song requests on our wedding website!

Click here to make a song request

See you at the wedding!

Discounted Hotel Rate!

2009-05-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

Courtyard by Marriott Silicon Valley:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjcft-courtyard-newark-silicon-valley/

* 34905 Newark Blvd
* Newark, California 94560 USA
* Phone: 1-510-792-5200
* Fax: 1-510-792-5255
* Toll-free: 1-800-455-7315

$59/night for King size room (1 King Bed)

$69/night for Queen size room (2 Queen Beds)

Discounted rate available for THURSDAY, JULY 16 through SATURDAY, JULY 18. Please book by June 24, 2009.

See you soon!

Less than 3 months to go!

2009-04-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

How did time pass so quickly?

I thought that a sixteen month engagement would take forever to pass, but apparently I was wrong. We have just under three months to go and I know it's going to fly by quicker than I can even fathom.

We're excited though! Even with all the planning nuttiness, I'm looking forward to the big day and making it official.

1 year ago!

2009-03-01T22:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, one year ago Cent popped the big question! And I said, "Yes!" I can't believe that it's been a whole year since that day and all of the things that have been happening. All the planning, all the traveling, all the preparations. The big day is almost here!!

5 months to go!

2009-02-22T01:07:00.000-08:00

Photographer, check.
Dress, check.
Church, check.
Venue, check.
DJ, check.
Flowers, check.
Cake, check.

Invitations are still brewing and will be out in the mail by May!!

Vote for me!

2009-01-31T12:28:00.001-08:00

So I enter contests with the thought that I probably won't win. But I guess I have some luck. I once won the pumpkin carving contest at work, $50! I won the drawing at the company Christmas party, $100! I won the drawing from F-Stop Beyond TV, $60 value! And I won a $10 iTunes card from Southern Weddings Magazine! I'm not trying to brag, I'm just amazed that I have won stuff.

I'm up for something again.

Southern Weddings Magazine has been running a contest since they launched their print magazine in January. It's a chance to win The Flip. All you had to do was take a picture of yourself with the magazine or a picture of the magazine on the stands. Well, I happened to be in Dallas when the magazine launched and since as the title suggests, it features Southern Weddings, it was way more readily available in Texas than California. So I asked Cent for a special trip to Tom Thumb (Texas equivalent of Safeway) and snatched one up off the shelves! I was all excited about taking a unique picture. I didn't really know what to do...So I lagged. I waited and the deadline past twice, but they extended it twice. So I finally got my act together and submitted a photo!

Southern Wedding Flip Entry

Here's my entry! #11 on the page: Flipping out for Southern Weddings!

Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you'd rock the vote for me, dear reader. All you have to do is comment with #11 at the bottom of the page! Voting ends February 6! I appreciate it!

Thanks and happy Saturday!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! With the new year it means that we are only 6 1/2 months away from the wedding! Woo hoo!

We know that some of you who are coming in from out of town will be needing some rooms. Marriott sent us the shortcut! Click below to go straight to a reservation page for the room type you'd like to reserve. The special rate of $59/King Room $69/Queen Room is good for 7/17-7/19. Email us if you will be staying for longer! We'll find out if we can extend the special... catieandcent[at]gmail[dot]com

Queen Room (2 Queen Beds)

King Room (1 King Bed)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T17:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you have a wonderful holiday! It's our last one apart! Woo hoo!

7 months to go!

2008-12-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

The months keep passing faster and faster. We have seven months to go!

Check out our little website: www.mywedding.com/centurionandcatie

Happy Holidays!

Wedding Music Video

2008-12-10T10:51:00.000-08:00

Want to see some British people go wild? Check out this awesome wedding music video!

Brian & Eileen's Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

December!

2008-12-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

In 9 days, we will be exactly 7 months away from the big day. Between now and then, we still need the following:

-florist
-cake vendor
-invitations
-choosing food
-get the bridal party dressed

And if you thought those pretty things we sent were invitations, thanks! Thos took a lot of work, haha, but those were just to get you thinking about the wedding... real invitations are in the works!

Guess what's coming!

2008-10-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Save the Dates are FINALLY being sent out! My labor of love will finally be shared with our guests, yay!

I will post pics of the complete project once I drop them in the mail.

Thank goodness for ribbon for 20 cents and 40% off coupons at Michael's and JoAnn's!

9 months to go...

2008-10-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

We're getting there. The chill time is going to end soon. Luckily, we have the BIG things taken care of. Church, check. Reception venue, check. Photographer, check. While Cent was here, we hired our DJ, which ended up being super easy!

I would definitely recommend them based on watching them in action at a wedding, their showcase, and their professionalism and ease to work with them. They are Denon&Doyle out of Pleasant Hill.

So now, we just need a florist, cake baker maker, and what to do with the invitations. Yay!

Great Retreat!

2008-10-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

I spent this weekend with my fiance at our Engaged Encounter retreat out in Danville. It's hosted by the Diocese of Oakland and a preparation requirement to get married in the Catholic Church. We both went in without any assumptions or expectations, and happily had a great time. It's so nice to just get away from it all, work, wedding planning, stresses, and just focus on each other.

The weekend isn't about sharing your personal life with strangers; rather it's a unique opportunity to discuss questions and issues with your fiance(e), that perhaps haven't been discussed before. Although the weekend was intense and tiring (we had to be up by 7am), we walked away feeling closer to each other than ever before, plus we received a "Certificate of Completion" and feel that much more prepared for the plunge!

Even if you do not practice a religion, I believe that anyone who is considering or preparing for marriage would benefit from this type of program or marriage preparation. Communication is key. It's the key to a lasting relationship and union. Like their tagline says, "A Wedding is a Day...A Marriage is a Lifetime". This is so true. I'm so glad that we had the chance to address topics with each other now, instead of later on down the road. We laughed, we shared, we really connected.

Save the Dates ready, but not going just yet

2008-09-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

I still need to go down to the Courtyard by Marriott and book the block of rooms. The last time I went I didn't have a very good estimate. I have a better estimate now, so I'll be booking around 12 rooms to start. I think that should be enough and I think that it shouldn't be a big deal to add more if needed. Once that's done, then I can print up some hotel info for our out of town guests, and voila!

We're doing this :)

2008-09-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Jumping the Broom!

Photo by the talented DrewB.

PS, happy 3 year anniversary! :)

10 months to go!

2008-09-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

I realized that today was the 18th, so that means ten more months to go. Considering that we're already more than half way through September, July will be here in no time!

I found THE Dress!

2008-09-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

I found my dress on the first trip out. I won't be posting a picture of it for obvious reasons, but I found it!

The Dress

2008-08-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

I'm going bridal gown shopping on Thursday!

11 months to go!

Happy August!

2008-08-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

It's our first photo together! According to the photo stamp this was taken on September 6, 2005. Almost 3 years ago! Who knew?! I'm so happy though and couldn't ask for anyone better. Yay! We'll be seeing each other again in about three weeks when our respective parental units meet!

Save the Dates coming soon!

2008-07-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

I've been a one-woman sweatshop working on our Save the Dates. I wanted something convenient for our guests to remember and something that they wouldn't want to throw away (at least until after the wedding).

Here's a sneak peek:

Now I just have to get some envelopes, design a return address label, and get these babies in the mail!

Send us your info!

2008-07-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

&amp;lt;a href="http://catieandcent.wufoo.com/forms/catie-cent-are-getting-married/" title="html form"&amp;gt;Fill out my Wufoo form!&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;
Powered by Wufoo

365 to go!

2008-07-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

As of today, we have one year until the big day! I'm very excited to now be able to really count down. I know that the time will fly by especially since it has flown by since this day:

March 1, 2008 - The day Cent proposed!

Can't wait!

TravisHoehne.com in Full Effect!

2008-07-02T10:16:00.001-07:00

Our awesome and totally rad photographer has launched his website: travishoehne.com! Check it out!

Congrats Travis!

Getting Closer

2008-06-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

We're almost at the "one-year-from-now" mark! Soon the wedding planning will be in full speed mode.

Escort Card Ideas: Color Coded Candy!

2008-06-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

I love this idea that was shared on the Wedding Chicks. It's cute, helps guests find their table, and provides a nice little snack! I love the colors that were used in this project since the blue is right up my alley in terms of our colors. The blog post can be found here.

Reception ideas: Photobooth

2008-06-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

An idea I really want to make happen is a photobooth. I'm not talking the traditional, sit in the photobooth and take four poses type. I want a DIY stand in front of the camera and have fun "photo booth". I'm not sure if I could just pull this off on my own with my digital SLR or if I should go through my photographer. It's something I think would be super fun though.

Check out a sample photobooth slideshow from Jonilyn Photography:

Awesome!

Save the Dates in Progress

2008-06-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

As I keep finding more and more ideas for what to do with my Save the Dates, I'm almost overwhelmed. I have a general idea of what I want and I want to stay focused on the vision that I have. It's hard to feel unique when you see your idea translated and created by another bride. I'm so thankful, though, for all the of the wonderful resources online that brides have been sharing since the blog boom.

I love the idea of magnets, so your guests will have a constant reminder on their fridge of the upcoming nuptials. I also like the idea of including stickers for guests to mark in their other calendars. This may seem like overkill at times, but I think that if you send a Save the Date to someone and then an invitation, they have absolutely no excuse not to know when your wedding is. I would hope that this would cut out the "Oh I didn't knows" or "You should have told me sooner" or "I wish I knew ahead of time". That's the whole point of a Save the Date, right, to SAVE THE DATE.

Here's some inspiration from Melissa Jill, a Scottsdale-based photographer, who has a new line of Save the Date Cards:

Here is what I have come up with. I'm planning on maybe using these as the magnets and including another insert with information for our out of town guests. It's so hard to decide on just one idea, that I want to include everything! These are preliminary designs, with some others on the way.

Awesome engagement photos by our rad-tastic photographer, Travis Hoehne!

Project #1: Save the Dates

2008-06-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

Since a good portion of the people who are going to attend our wedding are from outside California, I knew that we needed something to help our guests plan for next year. I've been working on creating Save-the-Date cards so that it's no surprise as to when the event is. I'd like as many people who can come to come and share the weekend with us.

Not being a graphic designer, but wanting to create my own stuff, has proven to be a challenge. Luckily, it's easy enough to play around with. I just have to find a font that I like enough to use with the rest of our stationery. I want to incorporate our colors and make something that our guests won't throw away...

Jet Fuel is ruining my life.

2008-06-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

If it wasn't bad enough that gas prices jump up every single day (and not even easing into the $4 thing), the price of jet fuel goes up as well. As a consequence, plane tickets skyrocket. What used to cost $220 on a good day to fly to Dallas, is now between $330-$450 if you're lucky. It's pretty depressing considering that my salary has not gone up in order to offset the inflation in prices. It might be easier to get through this if my disposable income increased to cover $4.29 gas!

I'll really have to send out our Save the Dates a year in advance so our out-of-town guests can plan accordingly and not have to spend a fortune (I don't want that!). I want everyone to be able to make it, especially those across the country and celebrate with us on this special day. Hopefully there will be some relief of some sort in the near future.

Our First Date....

2008-05-24T00:20:00.000-07:00

Leading up to the first date, we did the typical college student form of communication: AIM. For those not in the "know", that's AOL Instant Messenger. Yes, we lived about 20 feet away from each other, and yet, for the first couple of weeks before the first "official" date, we chatted and flirted online. I suppose it's because it felt easier and safer because it wasn't in person. Less intimidating perhaps?

Eventually several online conversations later, I received a text message asking if I wanted to go to dinner after work. At that point, I wasn't sure if it was a "date" or a "friend thing". I was hoping it was a date. I'd never been on a real date and the prospect gave me butterflies in my stomach. There was just something about him; I knew he was special.

After work on September 23, 2005, I got ready to go to dinner. He didn't tell me where, but I was prepared for anything. Considering we earned the pitiful minimum wage in the state of Florida, I wasn't expecting a three-course candlelit dinner. From what I remember now, when he came to pick me up across the hall, I couldn't help but smile. He didn't show up with any friends, and it was just us in the car... I thought, well, I guess it's a date. I figured that if he offered to pay, that would seal the deal.

We drove for a little bit and pulled into the parking lot of our destination: TGI Friday's. The one thing I remember vividly while we were ordering off the menu, was that he ordered a "cheeseburger without cheese". I thought that was a weird way of putting it, but I thought it was cute. Personally I would have asked for a hamburger, but whatever. When I asked him why he ordered it that way, he pointed to the menu where it said Cheeseburger, then under it in fine print it said Without Cheese.

I was a little nervous that our conversation would have the dreaded awkward pauses. But my mind was put at ease when it just flowed. We talked about our families and where we lived and where we went to college. It was an ideal first date conversation. And the rest, is history. I met my best friend and now I get to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him. I feel so lucky and blessed!

Engaged!

2008-05-23T10:32:00.001-07:00

My favorites from the Engagement Photo session by the awesome Travis Hoehne. Thanks Travis!!

I love this action shot. I look bored. or mad...

Love this one!

My first and last time as a model...

Cent should get hired! Check that smile :)

Fun one!

Oh Mario Kart! I'm the defending champion... for now!

This one makes me laugh.

Awww.

Stopping some Texas Traffic...

I don't know how I'm going to wait another 365+ days!

Our E-Pics are Coming!

2008-05-17T00:43:00.000-07:00

Yay! I just got an email from Travis saying that our engagement photos are ready! They will be in my hands next week! :)

We have a venue!

2008-05-15T09:03:00.001-07:00

I'm very excited to say that we have a reception venue! After a lot of consideration of options and debating between this place and that, a decision has been made. We'll be partying and celebrating our nuptials at the Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton. The sound of "country club" actually made me worry that it meant extra zeros would be attached to every price tag, but actually it's very comparable to other venues in the area. Without further ado, some photos:

The front entrance

The Lobby - so pretty!

The Terrace - great for hors d'oeuvres and hanging out

The Ballroom - lots of space!

The Bar - drinks and mingling

Rehearsal Dinner-ware

2008-05-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

Now, I've never really thought about "needing" a dress for the rehearsal, and with the wedding still more than a year away, it hasn't been a top priority. But, it's always fun to look at dresses online and sometimes more fun than wedding gowns. It's like picking out a bridesmaid dress for yourself. For example...

Tahari Strapless Shantung from Nordstrom

Muse Watercolor Print Silk Dress

Adrianna Papell Scalloped Party Dress

JS Boutique Lace Dress

Maggy London

All images from Nordstrom.com

Engagement Pic Preview!

2008-05-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

Our nano-second of fame via our AWESOME photographer Travis Hoehne. He met up with us in Dallas and we had some major fun with these!

More to come soon! :)

Some Blue for Thought

2008-05-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

This is my first Photoshop stab at an inspiration board. I've been scouring sites like the Knot and Martha Stewart and Brides and everything to find a nice chocolate and aqua color combination. I haven't quite found what I want, but I think it's all a matter of finding the right shades.

The venue we're looking at comes with white linens. I really don't want to be one of those brides that cares about the tablecloths. The venue coordinator mentioned that an estimate for colored linens is between $30-$38 a table! For cloth. For cloth that probably no one would notice unless you have guests that are interior designers, wedding planners, or just notice that kind of thing. I am considering table runners, which would help incorporate the color palette. Of course, that's all still up in the air.

I really like the contrast of the chocolate and aqua blue. More inspiration to come!

Oh, Illustrator, How I Enjoy Thee

2008-05-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Since learning how to use Illustrator last Fall, it has been one of my favorite programs. It's definitely not a program that you can figure out on your own. At least not for me. I definitely needed instruction. Well, 18 weeks later and $60 down the road, I'm now well-versed in Illustrator. I wouldn't say I'm an expert by any means, but I can come up with a thing or two.

I started to mock up our invitations, mostly to get the gears turning, but here's what I came up with today. Luckily I have the CS2 suite from work, and I'm planning on the CS3 suite which I get a sweet deal on thanks to my class!

It looks a little off since I took trim size and bleed zones into account. (Terms I learned this past week in my Photoshop class). But I'm pretty sure we're agreed on the brown/blue color scheme, which I thought we could carry onto the invitations. More to come!

Engagement Photos, Check!

2008-04-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic time yesterday with our AWESOME photographer, Travis Hoehne, shooting in downtown Dallas and the Speedzone. I can't wait to see the results!

It turned out that Travis was going to be in Texas for a workshop this week. Since Cent lives in Dallas, I figured it would work out nicely if we had our engagement photos taken where he lives, since we're having the wedding in California. Plus, it was unknown and new territory for Travis as he is from California and has had several photo shoots in the Bay Area. It was so fun!

We shot around the Dallas World Aquarium (also where we went for our first anniversary) and took some awesome action shots. ::cue Chariots of Fire music:: Then, we went to have some fun. For a unique twist on engagement photos, we went to Speedzone where there were also have the debut of Mario Kart for the Wii. We were able to borrow the Mario and Luigi hats from the Mario Kart people and Travis shot us while we raced. So fun! Then we played a round of putt putt golf, something we'd been wanting to do since we first started dating. Even though we didn't keep score, I won! I got two holes-in-one! It was probably the best round of mini golf I'd ever played. So many thing just fell into place, it was so great!

I'll definitely post some shots when we get them!

We have a date!

2008-04-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

Well Michigan finally made up their minds and picked our date. Oh well. It's just a date and I'd rather have Fr. Jose be our officiant than being dead set on July 11. Cheesy anyway. So July 18 it is.

Actually, it works out a little better because some venues are still open for reservation. It's crazy how quickly people book venues, especially since it's summer. I'm feeling optimistic and that everything will work out once we have a venue chosen. Now it's just a matter of choosing. A couple of choices are out - Sunol Valley is booked up, Summitpointe is too small, Palmdales Estates you have to supply your own drinks.

Here are the contenders:

Castlewood Country Club, Pleasanton
(image from www.castlewoodcc.org)

Dublin Ranch Golf Club, Dublin
(image from www.herecomestheguide.com)

Wedgewood Banquet Center at Metropolitan Golf Links, Oakland
(image from www.herecomestheguide.com)

Palm Pavilion, Pleasanton
(image from www.herecomestheguide.com)

Oh the decisions and comparisons. There are some other places too, but these had pics. July 18, here we come!

Low Centerpieces are the way to go

2008-04-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

In the midst of my hard drive fiasco, I decided to peruse some photos of centerpieces. I know that all of this stuff is backdrop to the main event -- the party/reception/dinner/etc, but it's fun to think about. I'm not a bridezilla (yet) nor am I totally high maintenance. I think big centerpieces are pretty awful, especially if it makes your guests want to move it to the floor so they can see each other.

I think something like this on each table would be nice and simple and fit the bill of filling the empty space in the middle of the table. Plus the simpler, the more inexpensive. I also like the idea of decorating with some votive candles, but one of the venues we are looking at doesn't allow open flames. So I'll also have to look into some LED tealights.

All photos from The Knot.

Hand-Tied Bouquets

2008-04-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

I definitely want a handtied bouquet... none of that "tightly packed" business.

Both from the Knot.

From Martha Stewart Weddings

Some Maybe 'Do's

2008-04-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

So since the reception search is sort of on pause due to the pending couple in Michigan, I figured I would check out some 'do's on the Knot.

I like this hairstyle, swept back and simple. I'm not exactly feeling the hair vine thingy, but fresh or fake flowers would make a nice substitute.

I can never make this curly tousled hair look work. Of course, I think I'll have someone else do my hair, so it should be a non issue. My only concern would be me getting annoyed or hot from having my hair down...

Similar to the first style, only with flowers. I'm thinking I might need some fake hair filler to give the do some body. My hair is fine and would need some major inflation to look like this.

I really like this one. Simple with flowers. Out of my face, but still pretty.

Make up your mind Michigan!

2008-04-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

So there is a couple in Michigan who may be getting married the same date that we want. This would be a non-issue if they didn't want our same officiant. All I have to say is that they better pick the right date, which at this point could go either way.... Hurry and make up your minds folks, we have!

Oh the joys of wedding planning.

Monograms

2008-04-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

I'm liking these monograms I found on Aylee Designs via Wedding Bee. Although I'm thinking that I can design my own now that I have some Illustrator and Photoshop skills. These are fun for personalizing aspects of you wedding and would make great return address labels for thank you notes.

I like these ones too from eLucky Designs.

Inspiration everywhere!

Not into the Gocco Thing

2008-03-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

So since the beginning of lurking around the wedding blogs, I've seen a lot of talk about this thing - beloved by some, despised by others, it's called the"Gocco". From my understanding of it, it's a mini printing press that you burn on an image and then ink up the paper. More or less. Anyway, it's one of those thingamabob's invented by the oh-so-creative and cutesy Japanese.

I'm not buying it though. First of all, it seems like too much work. Second, my coworker tried it out and a flurry of things happened that they didn't end up using it anyway. Third, it looks a little like stamps gone awry. While I know there are many brides out there that live and breathe by their Gocco, not I, not interested.

Don't get me wrong, I have a little (or big) obsession with paper and paper products (watch me wander the aisles of Michael's) as well as pens and writing implements. I'm excited about designing my invitations and getting something uniquely us. I'm not really sure what I want to do, but I've been inspired by Wedding Paper Divas, but they aren't quite what I'm looking for. Plus, we might be getting our printing done free!

Oh all the things to keep track of!

J'aime les fleurs

2008-03-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

I love flowers. Not so much taking care of them, but I like looking at them.

And, in terms of floral centerpieces, I'm leaning toward those that are low to the table so that the guests don't feel compelled to move them in order to see the other people at the table. I'm not into the big and fluffy and elaborate and view-obscuring. Cute and simple works for me. Plus it's a lot more cost effective (aka Cheaper!)

Take a gander.

All photos from www.aboutweddings.com

Cake!

2008-03-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

I love cake. I'm so excited about the cake part of the wedding!

A couple of pictures to drool over.

And this first one has our initial!

cakesbyana.com

evasexquisitecakes.com

miniasbakeshop.com

jenscakes.com

edithmeyer.com

Yes, it's Expensive

2008-03-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

So, I'm thinking that once I've gone through the wedding wringer, that I should jump on the bandwagon and make some cash on the side.

I think that if I team up with my cousin Mercy (who has serious creative vision), that we could totally shoot weddings for fun and for money. Cheap to begin with and build a business on that. I just have to tell her my business plan. I think she'd be okay with it. :)

The sad thing about the photographer that we will be owing money to, is that he is on the low end of the cost spectrum for photographers in the Bay Area. Good for him, bad for our wallets. Photography is really important to me, so someone with a style that I like is really important!

However, with my cost and budgeting skills, I've figured out that we can have a reasonable Bay Area wedding, and still have a little something left in the nest egg. Even with my meager salary.

We need a set of these...

2008-03-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

Seems appropriate considering that we met during the Happiest Celebration on Earth at Walt Disney World. Now how do you register for such...

Regional favors

2008-03-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again, as much as I don't care for Martha Stewart, she and her staff have some cute ideas. I really like these regional favors that were featured in the Winter edition of MS Weddings. Since we're from opposite sides of the country, and Cent has grown up all over, I thought maybe we could incorporate some kind of favor thing. I like the idea of the peach preserves. The California favor idea was olives -- not what I think of when I think California.

I keep thinking about things for the wedding in bits and pieces. People ask me about the reception, the dress, the flowers, the colors, the favors, the photographer... So much to think about! I'm still working on finding a reception venue, and I think until I figure that out, I'll be too preoccupied to think about the other things. Of course, I'm just saying that now...

Hawaii Bundt Cakes....................Texas Spice Rub

Georgia Peach Preserves........... Cute Sugar Cookie Cakes

(above images from Martha Stewart Weddings)

These are a couple of cute favor ideas I found on The Knot. I love chocolate covered pretzels and then the bags with the red labels have cookies in them. I love cookies! I want whatever we do for favors to be cute and as hassle-free as possible. Again, I say that now.

(images from theknot.com)

I knew he liked me...

2008-03-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

especially after this day, when we went to Epcot with Michelle (one of my roomies).

I guess he thought it would be cute to let me know that he liked me by running into me and poking me like a first grader. Oh well, clearly, I bought into it. At this point I did wonder if he liked me, but we hadn't really said anything about it. Though, if I remember correctly, it was 3-4 days after this that we went on our first date. Awww memories.

How We Met...

2008-03-08T15:53:00.000-08:00

We met back in August of 2005. I had decided that I wanted to delay my entry into the real working world by taking on a post-graduation internship at the "Happiest Place on Earth". It seemed like a bold move to fly out to Florida, not knowing what would happen once the internship was over.

I had flown in on a red eye with a layover in Miami. Bleary-eyed, I arrived at the housing complex for the Walt Disney World College Program Interns. I was assigned to Apt. 1801. I had five roommates, and I was the second to arrive to the apartment. I ended up sharing my room with a girl with a Kentucky twang.

A few days after settling into the new digs, and getting to know each other a little better, there was a knock on the door. It was a guy from Apt. 1802. At first glance, we weren't quite sure what he wanted or if we should accept the invitation. He was nice, but obviously trying to hit on any female he could. He wasn't exactly what I would call suave, but he was well-meaning. After a little coaxing, we agreed to venture across the hall and meet new people.

Cent and I met because we ended up sitting in closest proximity to each other. I wanted to meet new people and he was friendly. I had to have him repeat his full name at least twice, trying to perfectly replicate "Centurion" the way he pronounced it. (I still mess it up at times.) I can't even remember what we talked about that night, but I guess we left my roommates with the impression that I was totally into him. All I could say was "I was just sitting next to him!" They teased me that I liked him and that we would have little pennies and nickels. I suppose they were on to something...

We became good neighbors and then good friends. Then more than "just friends". And, as they say, the rest is history.

Flowery Inspiration

2008-03-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

Now that it's official, it's time for a little inspiration. Ever since we announced that we were engaged, I've been getting questions right and left about different parts of the wedding. Honestly, I've never envisioned my dream wedding. I've thought about it here and there, but I've never said I want orchids and hydrangeas with a big pink cake... or whatever. Frankly, at one point I wasn't even sure if I'd ever have a boyfriend. Well, mission accomplished! :)

The time has come to start thinking about all these things. I have a legitimate reason to get lost on wedding websites and stare at all the pretty pictures. I can spend my time discussing wedding-related stuff at work with the girls. And I do enjoy watching wedding shows on TV - Platinum Weddings (for the wedding I'll never have), Bridezillas in small doses (for the person I never want to be), and Rich Bride Poor Bride (for the look on the planners' faces).

I was on the Knot, and found some bouquets that I liked. I don't know if this is necessarily what I want, but I do think that they are beautiful arrangements!

(all images from The Knot)

We're Engaged!

2008-03-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to describe the feeling.