Execution

I've created a folder on my computer called "execution." My execution folder is full of gory details like the water bottle label template, a template to print 63 monograms sized for the 1" punch, and a layout file for our thank you notes, which I will be Goccoing.

I started the execution file last night after gathering all the materials to make 400 cupcake toppers. After a little photoshoping of the monogram and several test-prints, I was ready to print out a sheet of 63 monograms to punch while watching some girly TV. Three hours, 10 texts and six calls to S later I gave up. I lost the 100 sheets of 8.5x11 white labels I bought a few months ago for this project. I looked again in the morning, but they're gone. I imagine I recycled them in some manic I-hope-this-viewer-buys-our-house cleaning spree. Not wanting to waste what was supposed to be a super-productive weekend, I sat down this morning with Ugly Betty and started punching the 400 navy card stock backers. At number 295 the hole punch stopped working.

Several hours later I'm back at home with a package of full-sheet labels, a new hole puncher, a new office fan (happy birthday to me), a photocopy of the thank you for Goccoing, and a shower gift for bridesmaid W. I'm ready to execute.
Here's the guest book I bought yesterday - WS's Bride & Groom Cookbook! Our main guest book is our photo booth, but we'll have this out for guests to write little notes, wishes and thoughts to us on its pages. I tied a few black sharpies with hot pink ribbons rather than having guests write in pink & blue ink. I'm fairly sure I'll be sick of all things pink after the wedding!

Cupcake Toppers & I Love Stacey

Tonight I'm working on a design for the cupcake toppers. I bought several sheets of colored card stock with the thought that we would color-code the type of cupcake frosting to the card stock. However, I'm not sure I want to stray from our color scheme. In either scenario the back of the topper will actually say what type of frosting is on the cupcake so even if all the toppers are navy blue, the servers will still know what they're serving. My only concern is that at the end of the night when the cupcakes are boxed up in their take-away containers, our guests won't be able to quickly choose their favorites. However, I will have little signs for the caterer to put in front of each group of cupcake boxes and the toppers will still be visible. Thoughts?

Test cupcake with its topper

Test cupcake in its take-away box with the topper stuck in the front flap

I didn't take a photo of the inside of the box, but the insert that holds the cupcake is so cute. It has cut-aways for your fingers so you can grab your cupcake without mushing the frosting.

In other news, I just got word that a couple I referred to my fabulous caterer, Stacey, just booked Chefas to cater their July 2010 wedding! I am so pleased!! If that weren't good news enough Stacey then told me that as a thank you gift she will be having our fake-cake professionally decorated!!! What an unexpected surprise! I love Stacey!

125 Down, Only 25 to Go

After assembling 100 invitations Wednesday night, S packed up the invite elements neatly in the box-top that Biker Steve gave me, and hid them away so as to keep the house in tip-top house-is-on-the-market shape. I thought they would remain hidden for several days, but to my surprise when S got home from work he pulled out the box and got to work.

This is the assembly station:

And here's S the assembly machine lining up the holes and grommets perfectly:

I have to admit, I felt kind of guilty as S worked away and I prepared the easiest dinner on our repertoire: heating up frozen soup. But I am no good at this project. My invites were no where near as perfectly lined up as S's.

We took a trip to the post office earlier this week where they confirmed that we only need 44 cent stamps. I only had to utter "are you sure?" once and our friendly post woman was passing our invitation to three other co-workers to weigh it on their scales. Yes, confirmed on 4 post office scales near home, on one at the post office on S's drive home, and on one several months ago when I was deciding how many pages to include. I think it's safe to order our custom postage now. High-five to the post office lady for saving us tons o' cash on the 44 v. 61 cent option!

Assembling Machine

S is an assembling machine! Yesterday during the soccer and Sox games he assembled 100 of 150 invitations with exact precision. He's so good ;)

Biker Steve Delivers

Biker Steve called this morning to tell me that the invitations were ready for me to pick up. I love this guy's precision. He promised Tuesday morning and he delivered. Thanks Biker Steve. Of course I was too shy to ask Biker Steve to pose with the 'goods, but I did get this shot as I dodged a 30 second rain shower.
I don't care if it rains from now until the wedding as long as it doesn't rain on our weekend!

Here's a shot of the goods safely ready for transport to our assembly station coffee table. I hope there's a Sox game on TV this week 'cause S promised to do some serious hole punching before leaving for Chicago this weekend!
Back to work on this gorgeous day. The smell of our neighbor's gardenia bushes wafting in my office window is intoxicating.

Calligraphy

After a quick trip to Michael's I loop-de-dooped through a big stack of envelopes in just a few hours.
We have 35 more envelopes to print and are expecting a few more additions to the list from S's family. I'll be able to check "calligraphy" off the list as soon as S verifies the correct spelling of his friends' names (in his defense he's never called anyone by their real name so I suppose his phonetic guest list is excusable) and I ask my dad for our international guests addresses.

On the to-do list this week: designing cupcake flags and assembling invitations from the printer.

34 Envelopes

I just printed 34 invitations envelopes to work a little calligraphy magic on tonight. Then in the middle of "Maine" on invitation #1 I discovered that my perfect silver pen was left capless while I was away and kinda dried out in the sun. I'm going for a run.

Town Ordinances

Looks like we're in compliance with town gathering & parking ordinances as long as we keep our guest list under 250 people, the town doesn't paint white stripes down the sides of our road, and our neighbors don't complain about noise.

The plan is to place traffic cones on the sharp corner and hill before the house, use buses to shuttle guests, and to woo all our neighbors into submission with cupcakes the week before the wedding.

Sign-off at the Printer & Selection of the Ring

Big day here in sunny fla! My buddy Steve from Speed-d-Print called this morning to say that a print proof of the invitations (that I just sent him yesterday) were available. When S got home from a very early morning we went over and gave our final sign-off. They're even better than I expected! Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of the proof, but you'll all see them soon enough.

Then, because we were already on the other side of town, we stopped at Jeweler's Trade Shop to try on the wedding bands they ordered for me. I think the single band looks best. S measured his ring size again, since I failed to write it down last time (it's a 10) and we were off.

Now it's back to work for a few hours until I go out for an 8mile jog. This marathon training plan was a lot easier to fit into my life when mid-week runs topped out at 5 or 6 miles.

SmugMug Page

I created our smugmug photo sharing page today. The URL is:
http://www.fsryan.smugmug.com
I'm going to create mini moo cards with upload instructions to enclose with our invitations, thank you notes, and to make available at the wedding. We'll post all of the photos from our wedding and from the photo booth on the site too so our guests will be able to order their favorite photos.

If you'd like to sign up for your own SmugMug account use the code: MiGfq5GFzDInE and you'll save $10 off the annual subscription price.

Cupcake Liners

check.


from Cupcake Social.

To-Do

I thought that two weeks in Maine would allow us to attack the to-do list with a vengeance. And while we checked-off quite a few "big" items, we nearly doubled the length of the list. My favorite addition? "Read the men the riot act. Mom."

note how few x marks there are

Looming close are "send invites to printer," "calligraphy on envelopes," and "bridesmaids earrings."

One of the most exciting developments of late, besides mom crying as soon as the harpist's fingers strummed the first few notes (it was touching, I added "buy kleenex" added to the to-do list), is that we will have professional assistance with the photo booth. According to our fab photographer, Geneve, her assistant "loves doing photo booths!" I'm really excited for the photo booth because it's going to double as our guest book. We'll have a few chalk boards for guests to write notes on and hold up in the photos. After the wedding, when I'm in complete withdrawal, I'll create a guest book of all our photo booth photos.

Shower, Shoes, Hair, Makeup & Dresses

It's been a busy week in Maine! I had an amazing shower on Saturday, May 2. The bridesmaids did an excellent job choosing just the perfect location. I was surprised, it was a blast, and I think everyone enjoyed their tea! I think I'll post a few photos to facebook this week.

I met with our Chaplain on Wednesday and really liked him a lot. We had a great discussion and I trust that he will come up with a service that will have enough spirituality and traditional church-wedding elements to satisfy our traditional sides, but will comfortably reflect our different upbringings and beliefs. I was very impressed with his expertise, curiosity and willingness to craft a ceremony unique to each individual couple. It was very apparent that he strongly values marriage and in turn the words, actions, and prayers that begin the marriage. I am very pleased with our selection; I couldn't be happier.

I had a dress fitting on Friday and can't post photos since I don't want S to see. The dress fits perfectly, which is amazing considering how huge it was the last time I saw it. Unfortunately it just barely reaches the floor when I'm in bare feet so the Cole Haan shoes will not work. Nor will the Kathryn Amberleigh shoes, which were just a huge disappointment all around. Mom came to the rescue when she found the perfect blue satin flats with a bit of an embellishment. Thanks mom and thanks again for the great deal, ebay! (Shown with the ribbon that will be incorporated into my dress).
I also had a hair & makeup consultation on Friday. I think we're all set to create the look I want and will be able to incorporate the white satin flower that I found at the J.Crew outlet last week (shown with the ribbon that will be incorporated into many wedding elements).
Friday night we had an Arbonne party and bridesmaid S is going to teach us all how to do our makeup for the wedding in August. I'm really excited for her and to host a party two Sundays before the wedding. I loved, loved, loved the Arbonne products, which is saying a lot because I have red-to-the-touch sensitive skin. Yay bridesmaid S, great find!

Over the weekend I found hot pink satin hair flowers that I am going to use to create corsages for the women of honor at the wedding. Mom, S's mom, S's Ana and grandma, and my Nana will all have the satin corsages. Another great outlet find!
Finally, on Sunday I created a stencil of our monogram and stenciled all of the out-of-town canvas bags that we'll have for our guests staying at the two hotels where we booked blocks of rooms. I hope we have lots of guests and no leftovers (although I wouldn't mind keeping one for myself). Maybe I'll ask the hotel cleaning staff to save any bags left behind so I can have one for myself.
That's it for now. We're meeting with the floral arranger tonight, and with the harpist on Saturday. I'm hoping to have a chance to see the inside of a tent too, if we can make arrangements with the rental company.