65 days!

Invites went out on Monday, and several people have already turned in their RSVP cards. Yay! I love opening those little envelopes and seeing peoples’ names.

Next task is to schedule the final walk-through at the Discovery Gardens. It’s not easy having to coordinate with the venue, planner, caterer, fiance’, and my cover at work, but everyone’s been really accomodating, so I think we’ll work something out.

I had a great email conversation with Sean this week, wherein I asked a bunch of questions about chairs and set-up and various other little details, and he gave me the firm answers that I was looking for. Basically he let me know that James Johnson will set up my ceremony chairs (which are provided by TDG). He recommends using TDG’s $2 chairs for the reception. He recommends seating 10 to a table instead of 8, as I’d originally planned; he pointed out something obvious that I’d completely overlooked – more tables = less dance floor. And of course more tables = more flowers, linens, etc., which = more money. Also, he can order any color of linens that I want, given a 10 day notice. So, we can go over all those little details when we meet up at the end of August.

So I’m feeling a little more confident about the little stuff now.

Other things on the to-do list for the next couple weeks:

1. Sign a contract with my apartment leasing office to rent their comunity center for bridal shower (edit: check!)
2. Get a list to Tiffany of people that I want to invite to shower (and decide if we want girls only or co-ed)
3. Finish making a list for Shawna of family portraits that we want to have taken
4. Decide on and book a rehearsal luncheon venue (currently under consideration: Buca di Beppo)
5. Finish putting together favors
6. Decide on a first dance song (hoping our choreographer can help with this next week)
7. Choose about 30 songs and finalize the don’t play list for the DJ.
8. Communicate with the officiant (who is currently at Comicon) about ceremony details

69 Days…

Saturday, we went to Texas Discovery Gardens for our 2-month walk-through.  We didn’t accomplish all that much other than giving them more money… We did learn, though, that they have 200 complimentary wood chairs for the outside ceremony, and they offer white plastic/resin chairs for inside for $2 each.  Round 60″ tables and rectangular 8’x30″ (either of which seat 8-10) are $6 each.  We’ll definitely use the outside chairs and the inside tables.  We might talk to Sean at Jim Lee to see if he has nicer chairs for the inside, or possibly do chair wraps or covers to fancy them up.

One of my concerns right now is figuring out the head table/s seating.  The hall has a large elevated stage area; big enough  for a large band to set up… but we only have a DJ who won’t take up much room.  So our initial thought was to put three head tables (bridal party and immediate family) up on the stage.  Problem is there are three steps leading up to the stage, and three people who can’t manage that walk up.  So we’re looking at other ways to seat people and use up some of that space.  Possibly a long table with just me, Rich, Tiffany, Sara, Ben, and Doc.  Or maybe those six with the addition of spouses; Katy, and Marlena… if we bring Tiffany’s husband Scott up, it seperates them both from their kids, unless we bring the three of them up too… And then what do we do about our parents and other siblings?  Ugh, such a mess.  Maybe just a sweetheart table up there, but there’s really too much space for one tiny table.  Anyway, I hope to get that all sorted out so0n.

On a more positive note, invitations are going out today.  Yay!  I’ve already gotten two RSVP cards back. 🙂

76 days…

We went wedding band shopping yesterday.  First stop was Robbins Brothers – the storefront near the Galleria is so huge, I figured they’d have a massive selection.  Turns out that they just have a massive building… they don’t have any more rings than any other mall shop.  Anyway, it was a good first stop.  We found a few possibilities, but nothing that knocked our socks off.

Next stop was Zale’s at the Galleria, where we found a band for me.  I wasn’t sure if I’d be getting a wedding band or not – my engagement ring is rather large, and doesn’t really need any more embellishment, but we managed to find a band that was contoured just right to fit against my center stone.  And it was on sale, and deeply discounted, and the stones were bigger than the more expensive one at Robbins Bros.  And it didn’t even need to be sized.  So I couldn’t resist. 🙂 

Rich is still on a quest for the perfect ring… he started the day wanting something titanium or tungsten carbide, but ended the day leaning more towards white gold.  He likes hammered finishes, which look more realistic when done on gold, and look like chiseled facets on the harder metals.

We found one at Bachendorf’s (alas, I can not find a link to it) that was really unique – platinum, white gold and yellow gold blended together.  But it was ten times what he was expecting to spend, and four times what I was expecting.  So we’ll keep looking.  Hopefully we’ll find something for him soon.

I also found my shoes yesterday.  I’m going with these from the Tom’s bridal collection. 🙂  I tried them on at Nordstrom, but they only had one pair, which looked a bit worn – they’d clearly been tried on quite a few times.  So I ordered them online and will have a new pair shipped to me.

Also today I initiated contact with James Johnson, who will be doing out clean-up/tear-down after the wedding.  We’ll meet with him on our final walk-through (note to self: remember to call him when I’ve scheduled the final walk-through!)

This Saturday at 3:00 is our 60 day walk-through at TDG.  I think we’ve got everything pretty well in hand at this point, so mostly we just need to take care of our next payment.  It’s always good to see the venue again, tohugh, so I don’t mind doing another walk-through!