We've been a bit absent lately on the blog and for that we apologize. Sometimes life gets in the way and we become obsessed with the details. As any bride planning her wedding knows that can easily happen. I thought it was time to sit down and chat with Stephanie again and feature her once more. Let's see what she's been up to shall we?
Vicky: Have you mailed out those invitations yet?
Steph: They're going out today! We got them all assembled
last night.
V: Yeah! Next, is there one person who has really helped keep you
calm or level-headed throughout the process and why?
S: Mike. I think in his cluelessness about wedding
planning, he makes me realize how many details really
are unimportant, or not applicable to us. We're doing
this for us to have a great party, not to fit anyone
else's idea of what constitutes a wedding.
V: When you are about to tear out your hair and say
F' it to the whole wedding project is there something
you do that keeps you calm or motivated or that you
always do to take a break?
S: I've started a daily excercise class. It makes me too
tired to be stressed out. I also just think, we have
food, drinks, and a place to consume it all, so we've
got the basics taken care of.
V: Any other new developments?
S: Mike bought his tux. My mom's working on my dress. We
found the coolest guestbooks. We found a cake baker,
and the most delicous cake. I think we can relax for a
couple days now while we wait for RSVPs to start
coming in.
V: Fun! Lastly, do you have a secret wedding fantasy that you
think of when you get sick of your own plan?
S: Well, it would be nice if a long lost rich relative
surprised us with a destination wedding in New Zealand
or something like that.
V: I think I had a similar one like that when I got married. If only... tune in later for more news and fun stuff!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Take a Break!
I've heeded my own advice recently to take a break from wedding planning. It was starting to become all-consuming. I stopped looking at wedding blogs and online communities. We took vacations from wedding-related crafting. We literally vacationed, if only for a weekend, at Yosemite, and did absolutely nothing with the wedding.
But that vacation must end because the clock is ticking and we are approaching our deadline. Invitations must go out next week, and we haven't quite finalized and assembled them yet. It's going to be quite a weekend.
So, it's okay to take a break. But don't procrastinate.
But that vacation must end because the clock is ticking and we are approaching our deadline. Invitations must go out next week, and we haven't quite finalized and assembled them yet. It's going to be quite a weekend.
So, it's okay to take a break. But don't procrastinate.
Monday, April 16, 2007
One Perfect Day
If the wedding industry has any say in your wedding day, it's that it is the pinnacle of your life thus far, your shining moment, the "perfect" day. We, as women, and consumers in our culture, get caught up in this mess and to date this industry is bringing in $161 billion! When I heard this my heart stopped. $161 billion?!
Where did I get this heart stopping, cringe inducing information? From Rebecca Mead's new book, "One Perfect Day- The Selling of the American Wedding". While the book isn't out yet (May 2007), it is already causing waves. The Washington Post picked it up and ran a story on it a few weeks back and the book is being touted as one that exposes the heinous underbelly of the bridezilla culture. I, for one, am anxious to read a book that illustrates how we as women search like mad for that one perfect dress and give little thought to who actually made that dress and what they make per hour (30 cents in some countries). I'm curious to see how well this book does, and if it has any effect on the "bridal culture" we've created according to Mead.
I now feel slightly dirty and criminal having help to produce a wedding blog.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Featured Bride Ashley Dishes About Her Reception
April 5th marked one year to go before their wedding for Ashley and Brad. Ashley emailed me to say, "Wow! It is so exciting. I’m told it will go by so quickly, we shall see!" She also informed me that they have found a reception site. Quite possibly one of the hardest and most important parts of wedding planning. Go Ashley!
Vicky: You have found a place! That is great news! Tell us about it.
Ashley: The reception site is located at the Old Hickory Golf Club. In many ways it is your typical club. It is a beautiful site, very deceiving I found. The rooms for the reception are very open and airy. The bar area is surrounded with deep rich wood with several “Trophy” animals on the wall, very "manly”. The actual reception room is bright and elegant. The doors between the reception area and the bar are supposed to be kept open that day due to the possible number of guests so it will make the room feel bigger. The area opens out onto a veranda so there are large windows to help the sun come in and brighten the room. I think it is funny that the ladies rest room is upstairs and the gentlemen’s restroom is downstairs.
V: It sounds beautiful! I can't wait to see it. (I'm a bridesmaid!) What really made you choose this particular place over the others you viewed?
A: I could say location, location, location, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. Sure the fact that it is located still within a reasonable location (only about a 20-30 minute drive through town from the church) is a big plus, but the food that we sampled at their bridal open house last month, and the fact they could accommodate our possible numbers, the options they gave us, and how nice they were was a huge factor.
We had looked at a few other places, and only one was close, but it would require people to travel on a Saturday afternoon on I-95 or route 1, all the way up to Springfield (roughly 20 miles away) which is a nightmare just waiting to happen (if you have travels in the DC area on a Saturday you know what I’m talking about).
V: Good point! That area is a total mess on Saturdays now. I loathe it. Now that you have the place and the specific room do you have any ideas on decorating? Themes? Colors we know a bit about already. Share!
A: The reception is going to be elegant, but still fun. I was originally thinking of saving money by doing a buffet dinner, but my dad made the command decision that we were having a sit down dinner. I’m so excited about that! The menu is still TBD but we have narrowed it down to a few appetizers; scallops wrapped in bacon, 5 spice Asian beef skewers, and a stationary veggie display and the guests will get to choose from the Salmon, that is already been chosen, or a Chicken, still have to choose that one. Sides will most likely be mixed vegetables and the garlic mashed potatoes. Yum! Of course they serve bread and such with the meal. We are having light open bar for 4 hours and coffee and I’m assuming tea will be served towards the end of the night after the bar is closed. It looks like we will be having a few kids come so there is a special menu for them of grand and glorious chicken fingers. Then of course CAKE! Um, cake!
V: Wow! You really are nailing things down fast. That's great to hear! The menu was such a hard issue for me during my wedding. I must have looked over the choices for weeks, driving everyone around me mad in the process. Anything else you wish to share about the reception at this point?
A: We are looking at renting some table cloths in a deep blue color so that white of the plates and silver of the silverware really stand out. I plan to use flowers to decorate the tables, but I haven’t figured that out yet. I’m so picky about floral arrangements that I’m sure the florist is going to think I’m a pain. The tables are rounds and can hold 8-10 people. I would like a centerpiece that sits high enough that it makes a statement but also allows for the guests to talk to each other and not have to dodge the centerpiece. I’m thinking a mixture of blue and white flowers with silver accents. Mom wants candles, but we shall see. I don’t want just cheesy votives. If I do candles they will be elegant.
We are still working on a DJ, but I’m hoping the DJ will be able to read the crowd and can match the music to the crowd, which in turn will keep everyone happy and dancing. I love to dance so I plan on doing a lot of dancing. I already plan to wear braces under my dress for the reception so I can dance and my knees don’t give out too early.
V: You have thought so far ahead. It's great! I think you'll find little worry about once the event draws closer. It all sounds really lovely. What does Brad, your fiance, think of the place?
A: Its funny. Brad actually was really pulling for this place. We stopped by one day just to take a peek and we took a mini-tour. When we left there, he kept saying we needed to have our reception there. He is even happier because he gets a few rounds of golf for free.
V: Too funny! The golf course there really is quite nice. So after all this chatting how are you feeling with exactly one year to go until the big day?
A: At one year out I’m excited, but not overwhelmed. We still have lots of time left so I’m taking time to accomplish my tasks. The Photographer and DJ are the next big things to look into, so that should be interesting.
V: Thanks for sharing Ashley! We'll check in with you again soon!
Have questions for Ashley or Stephanie are other featured bride? Email us at Flamingtulle at gmail dot com.
Vicky: You have found a place! That is great news! Tell us about it.
Ashley: The reception site is located at the Old Hickory Golf Club. In many ways it is your typical club. It is a beautiful site, very deceiving I found. The rooms for the reception are very open and airy. The bar area is surrounded with deep rich wood with several “Trophy” animals on the wall, very "manly”. The actual reception room is bright and elegant. The doors between the reception area and the bar are supposed to be kept open that day due to the possible number of guests so it will make the room feel bigger. The area opens out onto a veranda so there are large windows to help the sun come in and brighten the room. I think it is funny that the ladies rest room is upstairs and the gentlemen’s restroom is downstairs.
V: It sounds beautiful! I can't wait to see it. (I'm a bridesmaid!) What really made you choose this particular place over the others you viewed?
A: I could say location, location, location, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. Sure the fact that it is located still within a reasonable location (only about a 20-30 minute drive through town from the church) is a big plus, but the food that we sampled at their bridal open house last month, and the fact they could accommodate our possible numbers, the options they gave us, and how nice they were was a huge factor.
We had looked at a few other places, and only one was close, but it would require people to travel on a Saturday afternoon on I-95 or route 1, all the way up to Springfield (roughly 20 miles away) which is a nightmare just waiting to happen (if you have travels in the DC area on a Saturday you know what I’m talking about).
V: Good point! That area is a total mess on Saturdays now. I loathe it. Now that you have the place and the specific room do you have any ideas on decorating? Themes? Colors we know a bit about already. Share!
A: The reception is going to be elegant, but still fun. I was originally thinking of saving money by doing a buffet dinner, but my dad made the command decision that we were having a sit down dinner. I’m so excited about that! The menu is still TBD but we have narrowed it down to a few appetizers; scallops wrapped in bacon, 5 spice Asian beef skewers, and a stationary veggie display and the guests will get to choose from the Salmon, that is already been chosen, or a Chicken, still have to choose that one. Sides will most likely be mixed vegetables and the garlic mashed potatoes. Yum! Of course they serve bread and such with the meal. We are having light open bar for 4 hours and coffee and I’m assuming tea will be served towards the end of the night after the bar is closed. It looks like we will be having a few kids come so there is a special menu for them of grand and glorious chicken fingers. Then of course CAKE! Um, cake!
V: Wow! You really are nailing things down fast. That's great to hear! The menu was such a hard issue for me during my wedding. I must have looked over the choices for weeks, driving everyone around me mad in the process. Anything else you wish to share about the reception at this point?
A: We are looking at renting some table cloths in a deep blue color so that white of the plates and silver of the silverware really stand out. I plan to use flowers to decorate the tables, but I haven’t figured that out yet. I’m so picky about floral arrangements that I’m sure the florist is going to think I’m a pain. The tables are rounds and can hold 8-10 people. I would like a centerpiece that sits high enough that it makes a statement but also allows for the guests to talk to each other and not have to dodge the centerpiece. I’m thinking a mixture of blue and white flowers with silver accents. Mom wants candles, but we shall see. I don’t want just cheesy votives. If I do candles they will be elegant.
We are still working on a DJ, but I’m hoping the DJ will be able to read the crowd and can match the music to the crowd, which in turn will keep everyone happy and dancing. I love to dance so I plan on doing a lot of dancing. I already plan to wear braces under my dress for the reception so I can dance and my knees don’t give out too early.
V: You have thought so far ahead. It's great! I think you'll find little worry about once the event draws closer. It all sounds really lovely. What does Brad, your fiance, think of the place?
A: Its funny. Brad actually was really pulling for this place. We stopped by one day just to take a peek and we took a mini-tour. When we left there, he kept saying we needed to have our reception there. He is even happier because he gets a few rounds of golf for free.
V: Too funny! The golf course there really is quite nice. So after all this chatting how are you feeling with exactly one year to go until the big day?
A: At one year out I’m excited, but not overwhelmed. We still have lots of time left so I’m taking time to accomplish my tasks. The Photographer and DJ are the next big things to look into, so that should be interesting.
V: Thanks for sharing Ashley! We'll check in with you again soon!
Have questions for Ashley or Stephanie are other featured bride? Email us at Flamingtulle at gmail dot com.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
You Glow Girl!
Since the 1920’s, when Coco Chanel made tanning fashionable women have been striving for that healthy golden glow on their skin. These days we know that that “healthy” glow is not so golden or good for us. We turn to searching for the perfect self-tanner. Truly a reckless pursuit indeed sometimes.
Each year companies roll out new self-tanners for face and body. Each year we are bombarded with ads and stinky new goo to slather on ourselves with the hopes that we don’t turn orange or stain our clothes. Each year we stain our clothes and smell like some sort of toxic chemical. This year I bring you two types of sunless tanner- a spray and a lotion that really work.
First is my old stand-by, Body Shop Fake It! Self-Tanner. It comes in varieties for the face, body, a mousse, and a great exfoliating mitt to do all the pre-work. You should always remember to exfoliate the area you want to self-tan. What I like about the Body Shop Fake It! is that it’s natural, is subtle, comes in medium to light and medium to dark, and leaves a nice glow in a few hours. It moisturizes and helps the forest and beekeepers many of whom are women. Your fake bake is also helping others. It retails for $16.50 and can be found at the Body Shop website
Next up is Arbonne’s Made in the Shade Sunless Tanner. The pump spray comes out a milky white, which makes it easy to see on your skin as you spray and rub in. The smell at first is a bit witch hazel like, but goes away quickly and won’t stain your clothes. The Arbonne Sunless tanner has SPF 15 in it as well and they make an excellent bronzer too. This self-tanner is very light and shows more after each application. It retails for $28 can only be ordered from an Arbonne consultant. To order Arbonne Made in the Shade Sunless Tanner, contact Vicky at veamason at gmail dot com.
Tanning is so 1985 and tanning salons cost more and more money over time and are still not healthy for your skin. Using a sunless tanner is the best bet for you and your wallet. If you want a beautiful healthy glow on your wedding day or any other day, try one of these great sunless tanners.
P.S. I’ve heard Orlane’s is great too – it’s more of a bronzy glow, better for people with a medium to dark skin tone and quite pricey coming in at $100 a bottle. Try Neiman Marcus for that.
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