Featured Bride Ashley New News!

Yes, we here at Flaming Tulle suck. We are deliquent little bloggers both gearing up for weddings, summer, and well, working. We here at Flaming Tulle deeply apologize for boring you are readers (really? we have readers?) with our lack of content.

And now Ashley! More news on the Ashley front since we last talked when she found her reception spot.

Vicky- So what's new? Any new vendors under contract? You know you have 10 months left!

Ashley- We chose Greenwood Photography. So that's off the list.

Vicky- Great! Tell me more about them and the whole choosing process.

Ashley- Their website is here. I actually heard of them through family. Heather (sister) said she and her husband looked at using Greenwood when they got married 10 years ago but went with someone else, which turned out to be a nightmare in itself. My mom works on the Navy Marine Corps Ball every year and told me that Greenwood had been taking the pictures for the ball for the last several years. I had already met with one potential photographer but wasn’t impressed, so I asked my parents to meet with Greenwood during the day and get some information so I could look over it. Mom and dad set up an appointment and met with Martin, one of the photographers for the company who would be my photographer if I opted to go with Greenwood. Mom was very good at gathering information about the different packages and then gave me the information. Brad and I looked at several different packages and discussed the various options offered and compared them to the other photographer’s packages. One night after work, mom, dad and I went back to Greenwood for a second meeting. Martin was not able to make the meeting but the owner of the company was there to answer any questions I might have.

I was very impressed with the photographs and the various albums available. I was also happy that the owner wasn’t pushing me to sign the moment I walked in the door. You could tell that he was confident that what they offered was a good deal and that they would provide me with the pictures of my wedding that I wanted. I also liked that this company had shot a number of weddings at my church and at the reception site. He even made suggestions of potential pictures and locations for pictures in the church and at the reception site that I hadn’t even thought of. What was funny was when we mentioned the church; the owner said he would be there that Sunday to finish taking the first communion pictures. It was a relief to know that this company knows the rules of shooting in my church; they already know the lighting and how wonderful the stained glass windows are. We signed the agreement that night. It was a huge relief to get that out of the way. I still have to set up an appointment for our engagement picture and to discuss with Martin our schedule for the actual wedding day but I still have time for that.

Vicky- Wow- you really know what you want. I had no idea. You are so ahead of the game. I know you two were going through classes at the church. How is that going?

Ashley- Brad was raised Baptist, his family goes to Calvary Road Baptist Church in Alexandria and I have been raised Catholic, since we moved to Virginia 22 years ago, my family has attended St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Triangle. In order to be married at St. Francis we have had to meet certain pre-marriage criteria. Poor Brad didn’t know he would be spending so much time at the church when he proposed.

First we had to meet with the priest who will be marrying us (Father Bob Menard) for just a general meet and greet. Then we had to make another appointment to 1) take a test (they call it a communication tool but it feels like a test) and 2) individually meet with Father Bob. Then we signed up for and attended our Engagement Encounter day at the church. We had the option of taking the day course or the weekend course we opted for the day course. It wasn’t too bad and we met some nice people. We got some good information that day but we had already figured out/work out between us some of the other information they presented. We still have to meet with Father Bob to go over our communication tool results and at 6 months before the wedding we have to finish up the whole process. Brad has to provide a copy of his Baptismal Certificate and I have to provide a copy of my Baptismal, First Communion and Confirmation Certificates. We also have to turn in our “freedom to marry papers” (our parents have to sign the papers saying we are eligible to marry each other) and to go over the actual ceremony. We were given a book of readings to choose from and various options for how we want the ceremony will go. We have all but 1 reading chosen and then we have to meet with the music director to pick the music for the wedding. I guess it helps that I sing with the choir so I am more familiar with the various music, musicians and singers.

Unfortunately, if we did not complete the steps we could not be married in the Church. I feel bad that Brad has to go through all these steps, but I really appreciate that he understands how important it is to me to be married in the Catholic Church and more specifically my church. He doesn’t really attend his church very much and I go pretty much every week so when I asked him if we could be married at St. Francis he didn’t even have a problem with it. He thinks that St. Francis is a beautiful church so he’s willing to go through it for me. How sweet. He does joke around and say “they will probably make me eat a live chicken” to which I say “not on your first visit!” (From the movie Steel Magnolias).

Vicky- I remember seeing someone on 'Engaged and Underage' taking that test. I think that doing something like that is actually really smart. Going to some sort of class or communications session affiliated with a church or not is just good planning for your future. It helps to know where you are compatible and were you aren't. It has helped our marriage to know those points for sure.

What else is going on?

Ashley- Our next big step is to find a DJ. I’m also on the hunt for shoes. I can’t believe how hard it is to find ivory shoes! And for bridesmaid dresses. I looked that the ones mentioned on the Target website by Isaac Mizrahi, some are really cute and very affordable. Soon after that we need to start looking at the cake. Yea cake! and flowers.

Vicky- Ok, well be nice to me on that dress issue. I don't do gray or purple. Unless it's deep plummy one. Kidding. I can't wait to find out more in the coming months. Stay tuned and thanks Ashley!