Wedding Registry List/Stores

Today Dave and I went to Bed Bath & Beyond to set-up our registry.  We had no idea what we wanted to register for, but we hoped being in the store would spark some ideas.  I think it actually helped.  Below is our most up to date list.  Any thoughts?

• Rice cooker
• Pillows
• Baking sheets
• Sheet set 
• Kitchen knife set
• Digital camera
• Stand Mixer
• Food processor
• Silverware
• Memory foam bath mats
• Memory foam kitchen mat
• Blender
• Cutting boards
• Canister set
• Toaster
• Luggage
• Wine rack
• Hanging holder for pots and pans
• Spoon rest
• Dinnerware
• Salt and Pepper shakers
• Kitchen utensils
• Spice rack
• Vacuum
• Menorah

Bridal Extravaganza/Wedding Bands

We went to the Bridal Extravaganza today at the mall and looked briefly at wedding bands.  For the first time since we had been engaged, it actually hit me - we are getting married.  Looking at the bands and talking about the ceremony made everything seem real.  I was instantly overwhelmed with nervousness and excitement!

When was that moment for you?

P.S. In regards to the bands, Dave is considering a simple solid gold band and I am looking white-gold contour band.

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Reception Venues

We decided that we are going to get married in upstate New York.  It is where my fiance it from, it is where we met, it is where we both went to college, and it is only a few hours from my family.  After looking for a week at possibly venues, we have our list down to six places:

• The Desmond
• Franklin Plaza
• The Georgian
• Longfellows Inn
• Century House
• Mohawk River Country Club

If anyone has any reviews of any of them please feel free to comment.

Wedding Binder Links

As promised, here are the links to the print-outs that I used for my wedding binder.  I basically used a mix between the following two sites.  My suggestion is to look through both of them and pick out the worksheets and information sheets that work for you.

The best part about these, they are all FREE!

PASH Wedding Printables

Russell and Hazel Wedding Templates

Printable Calendars

Do you have any other great sites for wedding binders?  Please share!

DIY Wedding Binder

I set to work today on creating my own wedding binder - I'm all about DIY and I love the option to personalize it.

Here's how I did it.

Materials:

• 3" round ring binder (I just used one that I already had 2-3" should be plenty)
• 45 sheets of white cardstock ( I found a 150 ct. Pack of 110lb white cardstock at walmart for $5.48)
• white round reinforcement labels ($1 for a pack of 924 at walmart - that is plenty!)
•  20 Post-it note 3" durable tabs ( Like the ones here, but I found a pack of 20 in the store for $6.49)
• 30 Post-it note 2" durable tabs (I bought these in store for $4.49)
• 3-ring hole puncher (already had)
• 17 Clear page sleeves (already had them, but you can get a 100 pack for abour $5 at walmart)

Total spent:  $17.46  

Directions

1.  Insert a sheet of white cardstock into each of the 17 page sleeves.  Place the 3" tabs on the right side of the clear page holders as shown.

                      - Create 6 with the tabs on the top

                      - Create 6 with the tabs in the middle

                      - Create 5 with the tabs on the bottom

2.  Arrange the clear sheets with tabs in alternating order, so that you have one page with a tab on top, followed by one with a tab in the middle, followed by one with a tab on the bottom, etc.  

3.  Next, hole punch the remaining cardstock.  You are going to affix the 2" tabs as needed to this cardstock to create smaller tabs.  

4. Using my list at the bottom of this post or your own list of categories and subcategories, write on your tabs.  Label each 3" tab with a category (i.e. Calendar) and the 2" tabs with the subcategories (i.e. Timelines).   

***Tip:  If you want your writing on the tabs to look neat, do what I did and type up all of the category names on the computer and then print out the list (depending on your font Size 16 and 18 work best).  Then you can place the print-out below your tabs and copy!**

5.  Once you have finished writing on all of your tabs, you are ready to assemble the binder.  I used the reinforcement labels on the hole-punched cardstock so make sure that it holds up through all of the use that it will be getting!  

***I also found a lot of helpful printouts that I included in my Wedding Binder.  I will be adding those soon!***

EDIT:  You can find my post about those links here.

This is an example of using the 2" tabs.  This was my Ceremony section.  

Categories and Subcategories List - Adjust as Needed

• Calendar
• Timelines
• To-Do lists
• Guest List
• Registry
• Budget
• Decorations
• Stationary
• Save the Dates
• Invitations
• Programs
• Other
• Rehearsal Dinner
• Ceremony
• Officiant
• Venue
• Readings and Vows
• Music
• Other
• Reception
• Venue
• Food/Drinks
• Favors
• Seating Plan
• Other
• Flowers
• DJ
• Photographer
• Cake
• Guest Accommodations
• Hotels
• Transportation
• Welcome Bags
• Other
• Gifts
• Family
• Wedding Party
• Bride
• Dress
• Accessories
• Hair and Make-up
• Other
• Bridesmaids
• Groom
• Groomsmen
• Honeymoon

Wedding Registry Sites

Dave and I have been working on our wedding registry.  We are considering doing three things:

1. Hatchmyhouse.com - a site that allows people to "buy" parts of your dream home.  A very cute way of asking for money for a house.  (Check out my post about the site here.)
2. Wanderable.com or a similar site that allows guests to pay for part of your honeymoon.
3. Myregistry.com - a site that allows you to register for anything that you find on-line.  You can also sync it with your in-store registries.

The best part of myregistry.com is that we can have everything that we register for available on one site.  Also, by registering in-store, we will gain the registry perks available from different stores.

This is the next big thing that we will be working on, so check back for detailed reviews of sites and stores.

EDIT:  Check out my reviews of various store registries here.  Also, my disappointing story involving IKEA here.

Guest List

My grandmother needs a guest list for the engagement party.  Dave and I decided the best way to come up with one was to create a draft of our wedding guest list and then decided from there who to invite to the engagement party.  The first step was easy - we both added all of our family to the list.  Next, we each listed friends that we would want to invite.  One problem that we had was whether or not to give someone a plus one.  The other  problem was that as soon as we added one friend to the list, this made us think of another one that we had forgot to invite - the list kept growing.  We decided on just adding everyone for now that we would consider inviting, take a break from it, and then go back to it in a few weeks.

Some guest list etiquette.

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Dates and Colors

Dave and I have officially decided on Fall 2013 for the wedding.  We are thinking of late September or early October of next year.

We will have to keep this in mind:  Wedding Dates to Avoid.

Also, we have decided on colors, well at least somewhat.  I know that we want a dark purple (plum?) as the main color with white or ivory.  We probably need an accent color, but aren't sure what - black, silver, gold, green, orange - so many options.

Any ideas for an accent color?

Also, please share your wedding colors below.  I love seeing the different combinations.

Engagement Party

My grandmother wants to throw an engagement party for Dave and I.  The plan is to have it in Maryland.  All of our family will be invited along with our close friends that will be part of our wedding party.

We have the date of the party set for Saturday, September 29.  We can't wait to see everyone and share our engagement with them.

Things to do for the engagement party:
- come up with a guest list
- start our wedding registry

We are planning on having the event at my grandmothers house.  She is going to set up a tent in her back yard.  She is also planning on doing invitations and linens to match our wedding colors.

Engagement Party Basics

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Wedding Music

I recently discovered a song that I am in love with.  I definitely want it to be played at the wedding.

Hard to Concentrate - Red Hot Chili Peppers

**Tip for Reception Music:  Add a line on your wedding invitations allowing guests to recommend a song they would like to hear.**

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Happiness

Dave and I went out for Chinese food this afternoon with a friend.  Of course, after enjoying the buffet we received our fortune cookies.  Dave's fortune read, "Stop searching forever.  Happiness is right next to you." I guess sometimes those fortunes are true.

Being engaged isn't all about the wedding planning, it's also about my fiancé and I. This reminded me to take a break every now and then from wedding planning and just enjoy being happy with my fiancé.  We spent that afternoon catching up on some of our t.v. shows and cuddling on the couch.

What do you do to take a break from planning?  

The Ring - Part 3

I was beyond excited to get my ring back yesterday.  I immediately put it on and practically skipped out of the mall.  Once I was back home I went to take the ring off to get a good look at it and realized that it was pretty snug, more than it should have been.  After finally getting it off, I noticed multiple marks all over the ring and that the bad had lost its shape.  I called the store right away and explained the situation and asked what they could do.  After talking to both the store associate and a representative from their corporate office I was told that things like that happen and getting the ring fixed would take about two weeks.  

As upset as I was angry, I did what any crazy rationale woman would do:  sat on the couch, ate a few candy bars, and cried hysterically.  Fortunately, Dave got home a little later and was able to console me.  After a lengthy conversation, we finally decided that we were going to return the ring and get a new one.

So we began ring hunt number 2.  Success - we found our new ring that very same day.  It was so perfect, I couldn't have been happier.  I was even able to wear the ring out of the store that evening.

The Ring - Part 2

After wearing the ring over the weekend I decided that it definitely was a little too big and I was going to need it resized.  I finally came to terms with having to give up the ring after only having it for two days.  I dropped it off today to get it resized and was told that it would be in by Friday.

The Ring - Part 1

We were out at a bar for Dave's birthday.  While we were waiting for our friends to show-up we were having some casual conversation and somehow the topic of getting engaged came up.  The next day we decided to go look at rings and had it narrowed down to two rings after just a few hours.  The next day, Dave bought the ring.  We had been visiting his family in upstate New York for his birthday and he wanted to get the ring before left for Michigan.  I did not go with him when he got the ring, did not see it, etc.  However, I still knew that he had got it.

For some reason, I assumed that he was just getting the ring now and would wait a few months or more to propose.  The surprise was on me when he proposed just one week after buying the ring.

Did you help pick out your engagement ring?
	Yes
	No
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It's Official

We are engaged! My boyfriend fiancé proposed yesterday at Binder Park Zoo.

Our engagement story: We had planned a trip to the zoo for that Saturday. That morning we also decided that we were going to eat dinner at the Henderson Castle here in Kalamazoo. I had been wanting to do both for a while, so I was more than excited. On the drive there I actually said, "This is the perfect day! I think the only thing that could make it any better would be chocolate." Well, needles to say, Dave had something even better than chocolate in mind.

After visiting some of the animals, we went to do my favorite thing at the zoo - feed the giraffes. Once we fed the giraffes, we went and grabbed some food for ourselves. Then, we went to feed the giraffes a second time before leaving the African Safari visit. On our way back from the giraffes, I stopped in one of the observation huts to look at the zebras. While I was looking at the zebras, I noticed another animal, but wasn't sure what it was and pointed it out to Dave. When I turned around to make sure that he was looking, he had something in his hand. He opened the box and got down on one knee and asked the question - "Will you marry me?"

I immediately responded, “Yes, yes, yes.” According to Dave I followed that response with “Yes a thousand times,” though I don’t remember that. After getting picture together in our engagement hut, we grabbed ice-cream. I immediately decided that I wanted to get a pressed penny with a giraffe on it to commemorate the event, but, of course, we didn't have a penny. We ended up having to get change for a nickel! After getting our penny and finishing up our tour of the zoo, we stopped by the gift shop. I got a t-shirt and a lucky miniature giraffe.

We ended the day by having a fantastic dinner at Henderson Castle.  Of course, desert was a dark chocolate mousse - it was the only thing that could have made the day any better.  :-)

So what's your story ladies?  Feel free to share below, I'd love to hear them.