Two Weeks To Go!

Exactly TWO weeks left to go - only 14 days!

Things still left to do:

• Book manicure/pedicure for day before
• Find/buy lip color
• Guest bag goodies
• Bathroom basket supplies
• Groomsmen gift (ordered, just waiting to arrive)
• Sisters gifts
• Write thank you cards for wedding party/family
• Wrap gifts
• Finalize music choices/meet with DJ (this Wednesday)
• Find extra camcorder
• Email photographer final "must take" list
• Meet with venue for final time
• Make signature drink sign
• Print escort cards
• Assemble menu holders
• Frame for signature drink sign
• Pens/markers for guest book
• Final alterations (this Friday)
• Decide on underwear
• Order cupcakes
• Stamp cupcake boxes
• Bring bouquet charms to florist
• Pull apart flower petals for ceremony
• Decide on wine bottle for rehearsal dinner

How are there still so many things left to do??

Oh and we have to pack for our honeymoon!!!  (Leaving for Jamaica in 16 days!!!)

Garter Art

I searched everywhere for a pretty and reasonably priced garter with NO SUCCESS.  Craft stores sold cheap ones, but they looked cheap.  The ones that I wouldn't mind wearing cost no less than $50 and the ones that I really wanted were priced at $80 and up.

So being as cheap frugal as I am, I decided to make my own.

Supplies:

• 4 ft. of stretch lace (found at Hobby Lobby) - with 40% off coupon $1.50
• Metallic "stickers" 3 pack (found at Michael's) - with 50% off coupon $1.50
• Floral embellishment 2 pack (found at Michael's) - with 50% off coupon $1.50
• Needle and white thread
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

Directions:

1.  Buy stretch lace and an embellishments you want for your garter.  Determine how much lace you need by measuring around the area of your thigh you want to wear the garter on (I doubled that length because I wanted to make a set).

2.  Wrap lace around thigh and cut to desired length.  Sew ends together using matching thread.

3.  Attach embellishments.  I hot-glued everything on with small amounts of glue and then sewed them on as well.  This will vary depending on what you use.

4.  Flip garter inside out.  Roll onto something to hold its shape (I used a rolled up newspaper in a plastic bag, a magazine in a bag would work just as well).  

5.  Create a zig-zag pattern with the hot glue along both the top and bottom of the garter.  Let dry.  This will help to keep the garter from sliding down your leg.  

Here is the end result (garter set for under $5):

Happy Birthday To Me!

My birthday present - 20 days until the wedding!  Ahh!!!!  I can't believe it's so close.  So many things to still cross of my list, though we did make some progress this past weekend.  My fiance was AWESOME and finished ironing the last of the chair sashes for me.  He ordered his groomsmen gifts finally - I'll be sharing those soon.  I finished up part of my bridesmaids gift and we figured out gifts for the parents - also coming soon.  We also met with our venue coordinator for our second to last time and figured out some things.  AND we officially applied for our marriage license!!!  For now I'm going to go and enjoy my birthday, but I'll come back to update you on all of our progress.

Last Call

After pulling together all of my resources (including facebook messaging a friend to ask for someone else's email address since fiance doesn't know how to contact this person) I was able to get back the final RSVP's.  I can't believe how many people did NOT send in their RSVP's - instead I received responses in person, over the phone, via text message, on Facebook, even carrier pigeon (not really, but one of my fiance's friends threw it out there as an option).

Anyway, all of that aside, we are having a grand total of 95 guests (not including ourselves) at the wedding (we invited a total of 149,so that means 37% declined).  Our minimum (a.k.a. the number of guests we're paying for no matter what is 110), bringing us 13 shy if you include us.  So we met with our venue and they were EXTREMELY generous and added on a bunch of extras to make up for the difference.  This is what they had told us they would do in the case that we came out below the 110 minimum, but we had no idea how generous they'd be.

I'd share, but I don't want to give anything away in case any guests are reading.  I'll be sure to fill you in post-wedding.

Bend and Snap (Bridesmaids Keep Out)

I FINALLY finished the hangers for my bridesmaids dresses and I'm BEYOND happy with how they turned out.

Here's what I used:

• 12 Gauge Hanger Wire (100ft. roll), bought at Home Depot for $5.99

• Wooden Hangers (6 pack), bought at Home Depot for $6.99
• Ribbon (extra that I had from invitations, but you can pick up a roll from any craft store)
• Pair of Wire Cutters and Pliers
• Drill
• Hot glue gun

1.  Cut 6 ft. of wire per name.  

2.  Leaving about 6 inches on the end, start to create their name. (You can print out their names in a nice font and try to follow it, but I found that free-styling worked much better for me.)

3.  If your hangers have a pant bar like mine did, you'll need to remove those.  I found that if you just pulled on it firmly the bars came right out.  

4.  Drill (or have fiance drill) holes for the wire to be inserted into.  The holes that we drilled were basically right where the holes for the pant bar were.  

5.  Center the name on the hanger and cut off the extra wire, leaving some extra to insert into the holes.

6.  Put a blog of hot glue in one hole and insert the end of the wire, pushing firmly.

7.  Repeat for the other end of the wire in the other hole.

8.  Decorate however you'd like.  I made little bows from ribbon with tacky glue and then attached them to the hangers with hot glue.

Here's the finished product (6 hangers for $12.98) (I left mine off since it's Mrs. "_______").  

Seeking out the Stragglers

Today's mail just arrived we are still missing 8 RSVP's (out of 149) - and they were due 8 days ago!!!  I can't believe this - we've even called, emailed and texted people.  The update on the breakdown is below:

September has Started

September has started, which means that I'm getting married THIS month!  We have 28 days until our wedding and so much left to do.

•          Apply for marriage certificate
•          Book manicure/pedicure for day before
•          Book hotel for wedding night
•          Get guest bag goodies
•          Bathroom basket supplies
•          Iron sashes
•          Parent gifts
•          Groomsmen gifts
•          Sister gifts
•          Finish hangers
•          Thank you cards for wedding party/family
•          Wrap gifts
•          Finalize music choices
•          Email music to DJ
•          Meet with DJ
•          Find extra camcorder
•          Email videographer info sheet
•          Email photographer final photo list
•          Decide on order of events for reception
•          Meet with Joe for final time
•     Late night station sign
•       Decide on signature drinks
•          Signature drink signs
•          Print table numbers
•          Print escort cards
•          Find bases for table number and menu holders
•          Frames for signature drink sign/cheesy toast sign
•          Pens/markers for guest book
•          Finish dress alterations
•          Have heart sewn into dress
•          Decide on bra
•          Decide on underwear
•          Make garter
•          Order cupcakes
•          Buy cupcake box labels
•          Get charm for bouquet
•          Bring both charms to florist at final meeting
•          Wine glasses for ceremony
•          Pull apart flower petals
•          Decide on wine bottle for rehearsal dinner

The list just keeps growing!  So much to do and so little time.