Weddingbee

When I drafted our first guest list in December, the total head count (rounding up) was 150 people. Mr. Espresso and I both come from very large families, so a big wedding was a given. But the week before we did our invitations, the guest list suddenly jumped to 244. Say what?! Our ceremony only has room for 150 (if that)… how the heck would we fit 244! So after a lot of stress, a crying breakdown in the kitchen, and some sweet words and hugs from Mr. E (who didn’t even know what was going on or why I was stressed until my kitchen episode)- I was back in the game.

Everybody is also RSVP’ing “Yes”, but instead of fretting (anymore) over who will get a seat and who will be standing in the cheering marathon line before I even get to the aisle, I’m taking a step back. This is a blessing. Repeat. This is a blessing. Our friends and family want to be their to celebrate with us; and we’re dang lucky to have them!

So come on in. Just over this bridge we’re getting married.

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A few days ago, I had my first make-up trial for the wedding. Now my bridesmaid/make-up artist/amazing friend Kristie told me forever ago to start saving examples of what I wanted. So… I tore out two pictures from a magazine before she got to my house and showed her those. I even had trouble finding them once she arrived. Scatterbrained has definitely become one of my major characteristics in the last few months. Thank goodness she’s a great friend and didn’t care. Instead she asked me what I liked about the photos I picked, and they all came around to the same qualities: I wanted something soft, simple, and romantic.

Like these two ladies here:

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Yesterday I made my way up to Big Bear to tie up some loose ends before the wedding. Stop #3 on the to do list: North Pole Fudge and Ice Cream Co. (Posts on stop 1 and 2 to come).

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Because we’re planning our wedding at a venue that comes with virtually nothing, we’ve had our fair share of phone calls and e-mails with vendors. But never did we think that this would be one of them. Last week, we booked our boudoir, and oh, how I wish it looked like this:

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But it doesn’t. It looks more like this:
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Monday as I was about to leave for work, I received a text from our photographer saying our engagement photos were ready and up on her blog. What?! Spend the last 10 minutes doing my hair or looking at our pictures? Um ya- I went to work that day without even running a brush through my hair… but the stray strands and knots were totally worth it. Our photographer, Sandra Salisbury, is so awesome. She’s a redhead, she drinks coffee like a woman after my own heart, and she totally knows how to rock a camera. And she’s affordable. We love her.

Are you ready for this crazy duo?

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Escort cards have to be one of my most favorite design elements of a wedding. Since they’re one of the first things you see, they’re a preview of what’s to come. And I find it so interesting that such a small piece of paper can play such a large welcoming role.I’ve never been to a wedding with non- standard escort cards (which may be why I’m so intrigued)… so hopefully my first attempt goes ok. Here are the ideas I’ve come down to.

Fruit Escort Cards

(Image from Amelia Lyon Photography)
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We’re less than 50 days away from the wedding and we just booked our entertainment. Who’s been procrastinating? But in this instance, we had to wait in hopes of getting our top choice.

You see, back in June, I was researching entertainment and came across the musical awesomeness that is Mike and Brian. I emailed them immediately requesting a quote and their availability, but the price came out to be way over our budget. Insert frowning Espresso faces. I emailed them a couple times afterwards trying to figure out how we could cut the cost down and herein lies why we had to wait. Brian informed me that if I could wait a little over a month, and if nobody booked them for that date, he would perform at our wedding as a soloist and for a much cheaper price. So we waited, and waited, and waited. We wondered and prayed.
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A couple of months ago, I gave up the hope of having wine barrels as cocktail tables. I stashed the thought away in my “if we had more time and money” folder, and haven’t thought of it since… until Wednesday, that is.

Mr. Espresso called to tell me about his day (he was on a surfing vacation near Pismo with friends) and started talking about how they had just gotten back from picking up empty wine barrels for one of the guys. What?! I’ve been looking for those! Where did he get them? How much were they? Could we get some?

Image from Leigh Miller Photography

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Time for the big reveal. I’ve kept my dress a secret until now, but here we go- let’s just get on with it.

I went to 3 bridal stores before finding, “the one” as my mom likes to call it. The first store was too expensive (but Jenny Lee I loved the way you fit!). The second had nothing I loved. And the third… was Marry Me Bridal in Orange. I went there determined I wasn’t going to find anything, and I ended up buying the very first one I picked out.

Mr. Espresso I don’t think you’re reading, but if you are, STOP now.
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Let’s see, where did we leave off? Oh that’s right- I was staring at my box of invitations thinking, “I could polish this off tonight.” Muahahahahahahaha… oh contrare.

In fact, I dedicated every night after work to them. And my workspace quickly transformed into the mess that is this.

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