so...I added another bridesmaid*. It was really oversight on my part that she wasn't there in the first place. But I swear it ends here. And now we have 6 and 6. Which means our bridal party is approximately 10% of the guest list...but hey, we've got a lot of really close friends, people who have really influenced our lives in major ways. Also fiance wanted equal numbers...

I also kind of have some "honorary" bridesmaids, 7 to be exact. Girls that I became close with when I studied abroad, and we still keep in touch and are great friends, even over 2 years later. But I had to draw the line somewhere, so they're still invited to all the shower/bachelorette stuff and I'm inviting them to come get ready with me morning of. They're talking about getting matching outfits, different from what my girls are wearing, but they just love me :)

*I know "bridesmaid" is so not the progressive term to use these days. But I haven't seen a term that I can really get on board with and no one would know what I mean if I said "my bridal brigade"...The less I have to explain myself these days, the better.

JKLM....blah blah blah

So...I've finished all the "L's" for addressing save the dates. I'm kind of ready to give up now. Which is bad because my last name starts with M, as well as the majority of my family and a large number of friends end up later in the alphabet. So I'm not even remotely half way through. It's getting a bit boring and tedious. I see why printed labels are gaining acceptance. I don't even want to think about how I'd have to do all this AGAIN for the actual invites. Unfortunately I also don't have a printer at the moment...it is stored away in a box at fiance's. Nor can I afford the ink.

I tend to do this a lot with big projects. Plan and imagine to my heart's content. Make lists, spreadsheets and cover every possible surface with post-its containing well thought out and logical ways to accomplish ideas. When it comes time to actually DO it, I lose patience quickly and immediately find the easiest way out... not a very good character trait.

updates updates

well I managed to get (most of) the addresses I needed! maybe my procrastination is being cured!

next step: actually write the addresses on the envelopes and take them to the post office...crap.

Um here's the deal. I'm realllllllly good at planning and talking things out. I'm AWFUL at executing and following through (not on big stuff, just little things). Procrastination is hereditary (ok maybe not, but I definitely learned it from my mama), but that's no excuse. I think I've been trying so hard to not procrastinate that instead I've just been delegating everything to everyone else. that works right?


My relationship with Fiance is excellent, getting better every day actually. We've been realizing just how much we missed out on during the long distance portion of the past four years. All the daily struggles and day-to-day growth that we never got to see in each other. It really did set us back. We feel like we're finally on the same page again and moving forward. We can't wait to start living together. Yeah, we're kind of old school and won't be moving in together until a month or 2 before the wedding. That will be a whole new experience! I won't get into all our reasons behind that other than that I'm grateful to have these few months to truly live on my own and be independent and that when we get married there will be so many new things. It's a beginning, a fresh start and it'll be tangible in so many different ways.

I've barely even thought about the wedding these past couple weeks. Is that weird? We're five months out and I swear I've gone whole days without thinking about it.
a) Aside from getting these darn save the dates out the door, I have zero responsibilities right now. And I trust everyone else involved so I know I have nothing to worry about (for the first time in my life! i'm a class a worrywart).
b) Life is crazy. I'm still working long days. I'm one of those people who needs 9+ hours of sleep to function properly. And my body can't really deal with too much caffeine or sugar so I'm trying to avoid coffee and candy (the poisons of choice of my coworker). I love my job I just wish I knew how to stop being so darn exhausted all.the.time. I mean, I know this is the "real world" now, but I feel zombified most days. Also my skin doesn't like this lifestyle change. Need to save my pennies for a facial...

Fun story? I got invited to a charity dinner for MS on Monday night in Beverly Hills by my work. We're talking $500 a plate dinner.And there was  a cancellation so Fiance got to come too!  My celeb sighting skills are terrible. But Donny Osmond performed...haha. He's quite a character... Apparently Nia Vardalos, Selma Blair, and Joey McIntyre (from new kids on the block!) were also there. Ryan Reynolds was the "honorary" chair, which apparently means "not coming" chair. darn. Adam Sandler was a major contributer but I didn't see anything in the press release about him going. It was a beautiful cause though, with some majorly inspiring stories. Fiance is not a fan of social events, but he's trying to break into the film industry which means he will be attending a lot more of these in the future. (I don't mind!)

edit: dear Macys wedding registry. thank you for telling me there's only 150 days left till the wedding. that feels like way less than 5 months. for some reason that freaks me out. even though there's nothing to do. what the heck?!

so jealous

Headline "Bruce Springsteen hijacks a NJ couple's photo shoot"
We love Bruce. Can you imagine if the Boss walked up during your engagement shoot and took your guitar to serenade you? UH-mazing.

Captured by photographer Kella McPhee.

$#*!

Please tell me you have seen and laughed at this.
Next please tell me you watched this last night. 

I don't own a TV so I had to wait until today.
and just to make this wedding related, I will quote the twitter feed:
"Invite them. A wedding is a loaded gun. Don't be the a--hole staring down the barrel asking which button makes the boom noise."
"Engagement rings are pointless. Indians gave cows...Oh sorry, congrats on proposing. We good now? Can I finish my indian story?"
So much genius.

double u double u double u dot

so we made a wedding website. Because about 85% of our guests are from out of town. So it made sense to put all the information in one convenient place. With ceremony/reception addresses, hotels and local restaurants and things to do. Also linkage to the registries. Not that I'm usually one to abide by the etiquette rule makers but linking to a registry on a website that is only listed on the save-the-date is apparently the only acceptable way to tell people that you're registered? I remember the first time I read that you're not supposed to write anywhere where you are registered. It made no sense. So you spend all this time picking specific items but you're not allowed to tell people about it? Right...

Plus our registries are set up through a certain website so if anyone clicks our registry links through our wedding website, it'll automatically donate to a charity of our choice which I think is awesome.

We went with a free, basic, template type of deal. Because frankly I'm not interested in spending money on a website (let's keep that money in the food budget. am i right?). I don't care how graphically revolutionary it is. Just tell people information. There are also a lot of adults/older people so they don't need the distracting bells & whistles (we're just lucky they even have a computer, none of my grandparents do!)

Fiance is the writer in this unit, so he's in charge of writing up the little "about us" etc. sections. So...there may be something about outer space or zombie apocalypses. But that's why I love the guy.

apologies for the apparent apathy or incoherence...my brain is mush from too many consecutive extra-long work days.

life

busy busy busy. the meetings are almost over at work. But then project start up will begin and it will be hectic some more. I'm still working 9-10+ hour days. Still loving it but I'm so drained. It took me three days to work up the energy (and notice I was out of towels) to do laundry...

There's been discovery of an illness in the (close) family. unsettling but we're incredibly optimistic. still. it makes all those wedding details pretty insignificant. this family member definitely still wants us to continue on as planned, it gives something to look forward to. at this point I could care less whether we have tablecloths as long at they are at the table you know?

I find that these life events, good, bad, and otherwise help me focus on what's important instead of adding stress to THE WEDDING. makes me care less and less about the wedding and more and more about the marriage that will be happening.

also. I think i'm hitting pro-status in the delegation department. It's almost like I have nothing to do (except goals below). which is a GOOD thing friends.

Goal: send out save-the-dates before october starts... (let's forget I wanted to get these out a month ago)
pre-goal: get everyone's addresses...