Let's get down to business

Now that we're in the home stretch, I'm going to start blogging again. Promise. Here's some random updates. More to follow.

Cake

I'm going to make an appointment at Dinkel's next week for cake tasting. I've heard they bring you entire bowls of frosting to taste. This might gross some people out. I am not one of those people.

Music

Believe it or not, we'll be having a live jazz combo! My cousin Tim's jazz quartet will be providing pre-ceremony tunes, as well as playing a couple songs for the ceremony itself.

After that, it's iPod time. Our friend Dan owns Chicago Sound, an AV equipment rental company, and he's going to make our lives a ton easier. Murphy's has a built-in speaker system on both floors and a wireless microphone we can use, but Dan thinks they speakers might not be loud enough to really rock out the dancing on the first floor. If so, he'll provide some equipment capable of playing Poker Face at the volume we're looking for. Just knowing he's going to handle that stuff so we don't have to makes me happy.

On the other hand, the playlists (one for upstairs, one for downstairs) are all ours. That's a lot of music. We should probably get working on that.

Suit and Ties

I'm having a black suit custom made in Thailand for the wedding. Really. I'd like to say that's just how I roll, but it's actually just how Brian Bauer rolls and I'm just along for the ride. He's coincidentally having a suit made for a wedding in August, so I can piggyback on his style and fabric choices.

All the men in the wedding, along with our father and Amanda's brother, will be wearing grayish-green ties that match the bridesmaid dresses ("dusty shale") pretty well. We bought them at Macy's, so I may have to admit that my boycott is over.

Hotel

I kind of feel we got jobbed by the Ambassador East. Pretty much everyone who's looked online has been able to find a far better room rate than the one we were given as part of our reserved block of rooms. WTF is that?

At any rate, please look around. I know people have found deals through TravelZoo and 1-800-HOTELS.

Wedding Shower = Feeling overwhelmed with generous family & friends! Thank you, thank you, thank you...

We've survived shower No. 1 - it was an incredible time! We feel showered in love and good wishes from family and friends who marched over to B's mom's house for food, drink and fun.

We received some incredible gifts as well as kind wishes for our married life.

I'm starting to really realize that we're getting married. As much as that doesn't seem like a big deal, I also realize it's a bigger commitment than just living together and that it's an exciting idea to start our very own Criner-Issleb home together.

I cannot possibly express how thankful we feel for the love and happy tidings expressed at the party - we'll send thank you notes, of course - but it's just heartwarming and amazing to feel so loved. Yow!

B's mom also asked everyone to share a memory of B or I or both of us and passed out maps of the places we've lived and visited to help. Some favorites:

• My mom remembering B ordering a cowboy (enormous) steak at dinner, then years later hearing a woman ask, "Who could eat all that?" Her answer was, of course, "our soon-to-be son-in-law."
• B's mom recalling our sinkhole party and our travels to DC to see the Supreme Court and President Obama's Innauguration. She even called us patriots - which is pretty flattering for two liberals who tear up over healthcare reform.
• Many orange and blue sentiments - I-L-L, I-N-I, friends!
• Michelle recalling B trying to take back a six-pack of beer after a party and getting scolded by me.
• "If it doesn't work out there is always the Seminary." Hmmm.
• WIXY Country memories from my dear friend who adores weddings, traditions and common sense.
• Skeeball boardwalk memories from Cindy who witnessed much of the development of Brian and I as we went from friends to what we are today.
• Compliments to B's amazing brain, cooking, game-playing skills, etc...
• "Wherever you go, go with love."

Cheesy bits aside, we are positively glowing after our shower. And seriously considering cooking up a four course meal with all the gift goodies.

Thanks friends and family!

Ideas galore

I will admit that I occasionally look at wedding blogs. I do. Wedding blogs are really stupid most of the time and usually showcase the most ridiculous of wedding ideas (like cakes that match dresses and jars of buttons at the reception to symbolize something...).

But... I also like the idea and concepts of tying it all together. Our wedding doesn't have a definite theme though you can pick any combination of words like...

• Casual
• Fun
• Simple
• Thrifty
• Awesome
• Pub-ish
• Modern

Still... I do want my hair to match my dress and my shoes to add something to the whole thing. I want everyone in the wedding to look a tiny bit unified (though not matchy-matched). I think we're getting there and I have big hopes for the big day bringing all these ideas together.

And, our invitations are here and out the door in a few days! Yow!

Invites almost here... a tally so far...

Besides a few hiccups in life - I left my job (planned, but makes for a busy week) and B got pneumonia - we are moving right along with wedding preparations.

Tonight Shachar, of Bates Meron Sweet Design, brings us our invitations. Shachar designed them with our photos and opinions. They look really cool - not formal or stuffy - and we love them. I have to stop at Paper Source for envelopes, print the insert with information on it tomorrow. Then we'll stuff envelopes and send 'em all out. I'm seriously contemplating watching some YouTubes about calligraphy so the invites look pretty, but I'm not sure how successful my sloppy, left-handed self will be at that.

I go for another dress fitting June 30. My first was pretty awesome. The dress is too big, but really pretty. I found a bra and now I'm on the prowl for some interesting shoes to wear with it. The seamstress is putting a pocket in my dress for my Continuous Glucose Monitor - sweet!

Both bridesmaids have their dresses and we're moving along on flowers, hair, makeup and other stuff like that.

We registered at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Carson's & REI. It was a pretty ridiculous process and I cannot imagine having most of this nice stuff. Our first shower is this weekend and we are excited and thankful for such awesome friends and family.

See, lots of progress! We still have a few things to figure out (music, an exact menu, etc) and lots of time to do it. Hooray!