Bachelorette Party

I had an amazing time downtown at my Bachelorette Party!!
Thank you all so very much!

I LOVE these girls!

The only photo I have of all of us:
Hopefully someone can share a photo of us all dolled up ;)

All You Need is Love / Destination Wedding Invitation Suite Revealed!

Hopefully, everyone has received their invitations. I asked my Mom to take photos of the invitation as she opened it and she obliged. Below is the reveal!

The outer 7.5" x 5.5" vellum envelope:

The back of the outer envelope:
"all you need is love"

The inner shimmery 7.25" x 5.25" silver envelope:

The invitation with wrap-around band (the inserts are tucked behind):

The entire invitation suite:
Wedding Celebration invitation mounted on moss colored cardstock, Destination Wedding invitation mounted on navy shimmer cardstock, RSVP postcard, Wedding Events card, Info card

The main fonts I used are Burgues Script and Florencesans Expanded. I also used various photoshop brushes for the images and a font called "Farm & Wild Animals" for the entree selections.

The vellum envelopes are from paperpresentation.com, the silver shimmer envelopes, navy shimmer backings and invitation paper are from cardsandpockets.com and the inserts and band ivory cardstock are from Staples. I was able to use the 61¢ wedding cake stamp which was very convenient, even though I would have like to use personalized stamps, and I used the only option for postcard stamps - a polar bear (insert clever LOST reference here).

Guests invited to the Wedding Celebration only received an invitation similar to the main destination wedding invitation mounted on the navy shimmer cardstock, the information card and a simplified RSVP postcard.

I will try to remember to take photos of this version. I completely forgot to make myself a couple extras for a keepsake and for photographing... so invite making is back on the to-do list.

Overall, I'm quite happy with how the suite turned out. I'm not sure what the cost breakdown is, or if I even want to know. I couldn't have done it without Andy - he really helped put everything together, cut paper, place stamps, stuff envelopes and kept me company until 2am. Thanks hon!

a stroke of crazy

I just had an idea:
Since there are 2 weeks between the wedding ceremony and the wedding celebration... What IF we took photos of numbers or words in the sand and then framed them and used them for table numbers?!

Craigslist for Wedding Services

I've had little experience with Craigslist (outside of selling my tv stand) but after researching HD video cameras, lapel microphones, and my future father-in-law/amateur videorapher asking me if I know what he should be doing during the ceremony, I've decided to post a services wanted ad on Craigslist.
I'm hoping that I won't be swindled, but instead I can pay someone to record the sound and ceremony from two different angles and give me a copy. I don't even need them to edit it... I just want to know that they remembered to hit "record."
I'll let you know if the responses come pouring in...

dress + shoes + veil = happiness!

from,via
Yesterday, I picked up my wedding dress. Trying on the "finished" version, I was terrified. What if the seamstress did the exact opposite (again) and took the dress in several inches instead of letting them out? What if it didn't zip? Is there such a thing as emergency rib removal surgery?

We had a helluva time zipping it up since there is so much excess fabric surrounding the zipper. The seamstress took 3 inches off each side and kept the fabric intact for resale purposes, plus having an invisible side zipper complicates things.(My mom is convinced the zipper is going to pull a kamikaze move moments before the wedding.) I slipped on my new shoes and veil. To complete the look, we decided to replace the cream ribbon that came with the dress with a deep navy. And for my something borrowed, my grandma's pearls.

The wedding dress ensemble is complete!

Going to a wedding shower today... It's impossible to have a wedding-free day, but I won't lie, I'll miss it when it's over!

September 11 by Numbers

I couldn't ignore this list today... it really got to me. "Lest we forget."

“No turning of the seasons can diminish the pain and the loss of that day.”
-President Obama

9/11 by the Numbers

The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.

Total number killed in attacks (official figure as of 9/5/02): 2,819
Number of firefighters and paramedics killed: 343
Number of NYPD officers: 23
Number of Port Authority police officers: 37
Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60
Number of employees who died in Tower One: 1,402
Number of employees who died in Tower Two: 614
Number of employees lost at Cantor Fitzgerald: 658
Number of U.S. troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom: 22
Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115
Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1
Age of the greatest number who died: between 35 and 39
Bodies found “intact”: 289
Body parts found: 19,858
Number of families who got no remains: 1,717
Estimated units of blood donated to the New York Blood Center:36,000
Total units of donated blood actually used: 258
Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks:1,609
Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051
Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks: 20
FDNY retirements, January–July 2001: 274
FDNY retirements, January–July 2002: 661
Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems by January 2002: 300
Number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001: 200
Number of FDNY vehicles destroyed: 98
Tons of debris removed from site: 1,506,124
Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99
Jobs lost in New York owing to the attacks: 146,100
Days the New York Stock Exchange was closed: 6
Point drop in the Dow Jones industrial average when the NYSE reopened: 684.81
Days after 9/11 that the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan: 26
Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11: 1,714
Economic loss to New York in month following the attacks: $105 billion
Estimated cost of cleanup: $600 million
Total FEMA money spent on the emergency: $970 million
Estimated amount donated to 9/11 charities: $1.4 billion
Estimated amount of insurance paid worldwide related to 9/11:$40.2 billion
Estimated amount of money needed to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $7.5 billion
Amount of money recently granted by U.S. government to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $4.55 billion
Estimated amount of money raised for funds dedicated to NYPD and FDNY families: $500 million
Percentage of total charity money raised going to FDNY and NYPD families: 25
Average benefit already received by each FDNY and NYPD widow:$1 million
Percentage increase in law-school applications from 2001 to 2002: 17.9
Percentage increase in Peace Corps applications from 2001 to 2002: 40
Percentage increase in CIA applications from 2001 to 2002: 50
Number of songs Clear Channel Radio considered “inappropriate” to play after 9/11: 150
Number of mentions of 9/11 at the Oscars: 26
Apartments in lower Manhattan eligible for asbestos cleanup:30,000
Number of apartments whose residents have requested cleanup and testing: 4,110
Number of Americans who changed their 2001 holiday-travel plans from plane to train or car: 1.4 million
Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11: 422,000
reposted from

it's the final countdown!

I'm now counting the days, not months until our wedding day. I can hardly believe it! Luckily, my list is getting shorter, not longer. I've completed 82/110 tasks at this point and the majority of remaining items are minor.

Last night and tonight will be spent enjoying our early birthday present to each other: Beatles Rockband. I'm so in love with it, I'm contemplating bringing it to the Reception in case no one feels like dancing!

+
I hope "The Final Countdown" by Europe is now stuck in your head so we can suffer together ;)

yum-o!

I just got our banquet order and my mouth is watering. I hope the peppers aren't too hot, I come from a long line of wimpy tastebuds...

Island Crabcakes: Jumbo Lump Crabmeat with Fiery Scotch Bonnet Peppers Served with a Cool Tropical Fruit Salsa, accompanied by Sweet Potato Wedges & Julienned Garden Vegetables

Herb Crusted Roasted Prime Rib ~ Slow Roasted to Medium Temperature Paired with Garlic Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables and Green Onion-Parmesan Popover