Merry Christmas!

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

7 months to go!

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

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!

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!

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...

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!

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

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 :)

Jumping the Broom!

Photo by the talented DrewB.

PS, happy 3 year anniversary! :)

10 months to go!

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!

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

I'm going bridal gown shopping on Thursday!

11 months to go!

Happy August!

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!

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!

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365 to go!

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!

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

Congrats Travis!

Getting Closer

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!

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

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

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

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.

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....

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!

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!

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!

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

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!

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

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

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!

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!

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

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.