I wonder if I can go I to the bridal salon and say "I want princess Kate meet Bella Swan" and see if they can find a perfect dress for me, because to be completely honest, I'm worried I won't find one I like, or if I do, it will be extremely out of my price range. 

I know I want Victorian, I want lace, and I want sleeves. Someone else do the work for me. 

So earlier this week, Jason expressed a want to not wear a black suit to the wedding because of his skin condition, I can appreciate that so I've done my research. 

I love the idea of him and the groomsmen not being totally matchy matchy. I want to wear an ivory dress with red accents and have my maids in black with red accents, so why can't Jason do the same? I live the idea of him wearing a white suit coat over black pants with a white shirt, black vest and a red bow tie (because bow ties are cool!). Then his grooms men can be in all black, black pants, black vest, black coat, black shirt, but with a red bow tie and pocket square. This will allow a more clean look, plus with the grooms girl, it will make ordering a dress easier. She'll match both the groomsmen and bridesmaids and then me and Jason are differentiated from our bridal/grooms parties. 

Of course, pic time! 

Terrible quality but... 

Oh, I forgot to tell everyone. On Sunday, Jason and I spoke with the person we want to marry us! 

It was really cool. So basically our churh has two campuses. We are one church that meets in two locations. We've decided to get married in the newly opened campus, Hebron Campus. Jason and I went over to the Lakeside Campus after church this week and spoke with Tim, the children's minister at Lakeside Christian Church. He's the minister we've been closest with as a couple and we both decided we wanted him to marry us. It was really cool because although he kind of suspected that's what we were going to ask him after we arranged the meeting, he was still so honored and shocked, even bursting out "Shut Up!" when I did ask him. Not to mention, our wedding will be his first wedding that he will ever have officiated. We are so happy and proud to have him as our officiant, and I can't wait to start our pre-marriage counseling! 

The more I think about it, the more I want to put my maids in black dresses with red shoes and ivory flowers. Black is slimming and looks good on everyone, plus then I know everyone will be able to wear their dress again. 

Black short dress, red shoes (heels or flats, whatever they want) holding white flowers and floral jewelry. 

I'm still undecided but these pics are swaying me. 

Oh, I forgot to tell everyone. On Sunday, Jason and I spoke with the person we want to marry us! 

It was really cool. So basically our churh has two campuses. We are one church that meets in two locations. We've decided to get married in the newly opened campus, Hebron Campus. Jason and I went over to the Lakeside Campus after church this week and spoke with Tim, the children's minister at Lakeside Christian Church. He's the minister we've been closest with as a couple and we both decided we wanted him to marry us. It was really cool because although he kind of suspected that's what we were going to ask him after we arranged the meeting, he was still so honored and shocked, even bursting out "Shut Up!" when I did ask him. Not to mention, our wedding will be his first wedding that he will ever have officiated. We are so happy and proud to have him as our officiant, and I can't wait to start our pre-marriage counseling! 

This cake is perfect. If our cake maker can do this, I'll be ecstatic.

One year and thirty days until we're married! I can't wait to start our life together! 

I did the math! If both parents donate 1,200 to the reception hall, that leaves 1,700 for me and Jason to split. So basically, if the two of us donate 850 (or $70 a month) we've got it paid for :) when my tax return comes in, I can pay at least half my portion and I'll probably only have like $350-500 left which of course will make buying a dress on top of it, a little easier. 

Thank goodness for my awesome future mother-in-law for actually discussing things with me, helping me to decide things and not being vague on the money thing. It's easier to plan when you know how much is coming from where. 

So.

We basically have a reception hall. Just need to send in the deposit and stuff. Big weight off my shoulders! 

Oh. In other news, I have decided that I am making my own bird cage veil. I don't see a point in paying $300 for a traditional veil that I don't even want. 

Hopefully Sunday we will be able to speak with our officiating minister of choice. Then comes the never ending battle of making a zillion paper flowers, said veil, photo booth backdrop, getting engagement pictures taken and dress shopping! The hard stuff is finished, now comes the fun DIY stuff :)  

Reception Hall hunting!

So between reception hall hunting with Tiffany last year, and the little research I've done, I kind of knew, going in, what I wanted and what I didn't, where I wanted to tour and where I didn't. 

Today I toured Receptions in Erlanger and assuming Jason loves it as much as I do, that's probably where we will go. The price is amazing, right in our budget. It includes a 5 hour reception, appetizers, champagne toast, dinner for 100 guests, open bar, our cake (awesome! I know right?) and all of this for only $4,100.

I'm in freaking love with it! 

Well I guess if I'm a bad person for feeling robbed of a proper congratulations, then I guess Jason is too lol. He read my post complaining, and said he felt the same way. 

 Well, I know exactly what style wedding dress I want now.  Now comes the fun part, finding the right style at the right price. I I want my wedding dress to have an illusion neckline, an empire waist and a very full skirt.

2 things.

As an enlightened feminist woman, I know this is a stupid thing to be mad about but last night, 2 of my kind of friends got engaged, and literally everyone freaked out, posting congratulatory statuses. But like three weeks ago when we got engaged, everyone was happy but just said things like "I called it!" I guess when you've been together forever, people just assume that you're gonna get married and aren't as excited about it. Oh well. 

2nd

I took everyone's advice and checked out craigslist for used wedding dresses in my size. Yeah, no. Complete bust. I'll just have to keep looking. I'm sure there are beautiful dresses in the $500 range. I just have to keep looking. I'm endlessly frustrated by the whole thing. Way are weddings so expensive??!

Oh and I want my bridesmaids to wear corsets but there's a possibility that three of them could be pregnant. So my awesome crafty sister is going to knit them so that they are cheaper and non harmful to any possible baby :)

Hahaha!

I just thought of a funny thing. As soon as we're pronounced man and wife, I want the sound guys at our wedding to pop up a thing on the screen behind us, with a little xboxy sound that says "achievement unlocked: obtain a spouse." 

And then when we leave, we'll have te thing that Theresa from Fable III says as you start a new game, "So our story begins." 

This is going to be the geekiest wedding ever.  

So...

I went wedding dress shopping today. I'd been browsing before, but this was like for serious looking. And now I'm mildly freaking out but also kind of really confused. Like the lady was really sweet, she made me feel really special, but I never felt like a "bride". Like I didn't magically have that moment they push down your throat. And I don't know if I'm capable of it. I tried I think 7 dresses on. They were all really pretty and I could probably afford them. And like I kind of like one but I don't know if I'm in love with it. I felt good in it. I did but at the same time I kind of want the "ooh tingly" moment. I don't know. I guess I just don't want to look like poop. And I don't dress up so I don't have those moments. Ugh. Well here's a picture. I don't think it's the one. But it's definitely a really pretty one. I just crave that "moment". 

I still think I want something more Victorian. This is a bit too modern. Like I'm really confused though. I look at the picture and I'm like "holy crap I'm gorgeous" but I just don't know. Can someone find my dress for me??!

I still think I want something more like 

This or...

This. 

Soft. Flowyish without being "cover up the fat chick. Lace. Lots and lots of lace. Ugh. 

Crap...

I just realized that I have seven piercings that I have to find tasteful, attractive rings for that will match my dress. I guess the hunt for cute pearl and diamond ear/nose rings begins. 

Well, I think I've figured out the cake now.

So my parents are paying for our wedding cake. We had a good experience with the place that did my sisters cake so we'll probably go there again (good people, inexpensive, not pushy). So from lookin through Pinterest, I think I've figured out the kind of decoration I want it. I found this awesome one with sugar crystals coating the cake, making it look like snow. Since it's a winter wedding, I think that's very apropos. 

I would omit the roses and change the color to suit my wedding (maybe a white cake with red accents along the bottom). But that is seriously cute. Hopefully Jason likes the idea. 

Honeymoon ideas

Jason and I have yet to figure out what we want to do for our honeymoon. We're getting married in January so we don't really know where we can go without It being freezing cold or dangerous to drive in. We really wanted to go to Gatlinburg, but I don't think that's going to happen because the mountains the winter sounds awful. Right now we're thinking we might go to someplace like Indianapolis or Columbus and just chill for the weekend, and save money so that we can go to Gatlinburg over the summer or just honeymoon in England we go over there for our separate ceremony.

Wedding Reception Venues (in no particular order)

Tousey House- Burlington (for rehearsal dinner)

Benchmark- Covington 

Boone Links Golf course 

Triple Crown country club

The Crows Nest

Lookout Heights Civic Club (afforadable). 

The Newport Syndicate

Receptions-Erlanger 

Turfway Park

Summit Hills Country Club

Centerpiece idea

Since I'm throwing a winter, modern Victorian themed wedding, I want everything to be detailed. So I have this idea for a table setting and centerpieces. First, the chairs (garden style) should be tied with black or gold ribbons. The table cloth should be either red or black with an ivory lace doily on top. The napkins would be either black or red depending on the table cloth color and place settings should be set on top of decorative gold chargers. As well as a wine glass and water glass, each place setting should have a decorate teacup (possible favor idea as well). As for centerpieces, in the center, place a largeish round glass vase in the middle with a big ivory candle sitting on Epsom salt which will look like snow. Around the vase on the table we can place large blooms (fake probably) or place a garland around it. 

Plus I've looked it up, the vases are inexpensive and the candles I can make myself. A big bag of Epsom salts is like $2 and the garlands, if I make them myself, will be extremely inexpensive. 

I have a feeling that yard sales, flea markets and the dollar store are going to be my best friends during this wedding. Which I'm totally find with. 

Yesterday I made my first two purchases for me wedding. 

Since we're having a Victorian themed wedding (and because I've always wanted one) I bought a Victorian, ivory and black pagoda style parasol! And because I'm cheap cheap cheaply cheap I started looking for things I could add on to my order to give me free shipping and I ended up finding 15 yards of 2 inch thick lace strips for only $5. That perfect because now I have the lace for the centerpieces I like! 

Here's a pic of the parasol and the centerpiece idea! 

Plus I can accent them in black and gold. Cute cute cute. 

On another, much less awesome, note: my mother has already started with her momzilla tendencies. We've already fought over who will be invited (mind you at the time, I'd been engaged a whole 6 days), who will in my bridal party, how to dress them, and how they might walk in. To all of these, I simply told her "no mom, it's my wedding, I can do what I want." 

Well now she's using my wedding as an excuse to not volunteer at her church. He says that will our wedding coming up that she won't have time. I guess she plans on having a ton of time to irritate me to no end. 

But I can guarantee, she will have hand in planning this wedding. I have waited my entire life to plan my wedding. I'm going to have the wedding I want, not the one she wants.  

So glad we chose Victorian as our wedding theme. It's going to be so elegant, but also whimsical and Aldo a bit untraditional which is exactly what I want. 

Lots of top hats, lace, suit coats and intricate details. It's gonna be cute. 

Ok, big decision has been made. Since we have a grooms girl, she will be wearing the same dress as the girls but in the color of the boys tuxes. 

Since our theme is something like Victorian/steampunk/fable/renaissance/circus freak fest, our colors are red, black, good and ivory. That mean the groomsmen will be in black suits with deep red accents (tie, vest, etc) and our grooms girl will be the same dress as our bridesmaids but in black and she'll have a red ribbon around her waist. 

My girls will be in deep red dresses with black ribbons (or corsets if they want) around their waists! 

All my planning right now is theoretical of course. No purchases have been made yet but I've only be engaged for like 10 days. I'm just glad I've figured this much out. 

Oh and that dress that I posted the other day is the dress that I think will be mine. 

I think my maids are going to wear scarlet, floor length chiffon over satin dresses. 

Something like one of these. 

Must Play Wedding Song List

All I want is you- Barry Louis Polisar

Alone together- fall out boy

Always- PATD

Anyone else but you- moldy peaches 

At the beginning- Anastasia soundtrack 

Carry on my wayward son- lullaby

Check yes Juliet- wtk

Don't stop believin' 

Either way-beta radio

The end of all things-PATD

Fidelity- Regina Spektor

Fine by me

First day of my life-bright eyes

Friends (bridesmaid song)- band of skulls 

From now on- the features

Gambler-fun

Gotta find you- camp rock

Here in your arms- hellogoodbye

I see the light- tangled

Just keep breathing- wtk

Just might change your life-three of hearts

Just the girl- click 5

Just the way you are

Lego house-ed sheeran

Let me be your wings

Little things-1D

Love like woe

Mary's song

Replay-iyaz

Slide-goo goo dolls

These are the nights- making April 

Thousand years

Thunder

Tonight tonight

Turning page

Your guardian angel

6 months 

Thank God I found you- Mariah Carey 98 degrees 

All I ask of you- phantom

Possible wedding locations and places to get pictures taken

Wedding locations

The Gardens in Park Hills 

Widerman house brewery

The Sanctuary in Newport 

Newport Syndicate 

Place for pictures

Ault Park! 

Eden park

French park

My airy forest

Devou park! 

Giles Conrad park 

So Jason and I have basically decided to have a church wedding. That means we'll probably get married at our church in my town and then drive somewhere for a reception. The venue is pretty much perfect and matches our color scheme. 

We just have to figure out the aisle situation as our church doesn't have a center aisle, which perhaps we will have to make. 

We still haven't set a date, but we've almost figured out our guest list! This wedding planning, so far, is easy. No fights with Jason and he has a genuine interest in contributing his ideas and opinions as we. I picked a keeper :) 

Ok! Pictures and then bed for this chick! 

Absolutely in love with this dress! 

Maybe we'll do phenakistiscopes as favors?

 

How adorable is this rustic vintage wedding?!

Details!!

An introduction

Jason and I have been together for more than three years. We met online in my freshmore (somewhere between freshman and sophomore) year of college. I had long since given up on meeting someone. I went all through high school having never had a boyfriend, only a few dates here and there, none of which had panned out. I was putting on a happy face but secretly I was bitter and sad every time I watched one of my friends get married. That's when I finally gave up and went online. I began talking to Jason simply because he had the screen name Britishkid. It was stupid and selfish for me to message him simply on the off chance that he was actually British (which he is) but it ended up being the best decision of my life. 

Fast forward 3 years. Together we have become best friends first, a couple second. My friends became our friends and together we got through a lot of the crappy experiences in life but together it was still fun. 

On Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 Jason asked me to be his wife after a wonderful night of ice skating, Starbucks, and a horse drawn carriage ride through downtown Cincinnati. I smiled and said of course, obviously since we'd both known since we met that we were meant to be. 

We are now planning a Wedding for sometime in January 2015. 

So, I created this blog as a way for me to keep track of all my crazy ideas, rant about momzillas, complain about wedding costs and generally just anything that is going on in my crazy mind as I plan for my wedding.

I'm studying for a test right now so in a little while I'll give you an extensive 'about me/us/our wedding/'.

Prepare to be annoyed.