I found the ONE

This wedding business is big business. The dress shopping experience was not at all what I had imagined, but then again, I had not really imagined it up until very recently. I started going to places by myself, as everyone was telling me that I needed to order my dress Pronto. Here I thought I could just get something "off the rack" in like, May. Apparently, things are just not set up this way.... So I started looking, seeing what I liked and didn't like...I even tried on big designer name gowns just for fun, I tried on this 8,000 Vera Wang, and told the girl I "just didn't like what she did with the pleats"....It was so much fun. I'm not sure I would ever pay that kind of money for something I only wore once, even IF I had the money. 8 grand buys an amazing full suspension bike... much more useful!
Then I returned shopping once with my girlfriend, then I brought my mom with me on Wednesday and showed her my top 2 picks. They were both equally amazing, yet with subtle differences... one not so subtle difference was the price. I didn't tell her the prices, and she also liked the one I had felt the most comfortable, the most "Me" in... First I found the ONE man, now I found the ONE dress to say "I do" in. It will be Ivory, a gorgeous Mermaid fit-to-flare. Very Sassy yet Classy. No, we didn't take any pictures. We'll take plenty in June!

SAVE THE DATE !!!

"SAVE THE DATE"
...On this day I will marry my best friend...

On Saturday, June 28th 2008

At Forest Chapel

Mammoth Lakes, Ca

BRIDEzilla EXPO

My friend Jane invited me to the Bridal EXPO today.

A year ago I would have laughed at the thought of me, going to something like this. I'm sure Jane was thinking the same thing... but she threw it out there... and I picked it up. I figured what the heck... I was definitely not "my cup of tea" but I also must admit that It was, indeed, helpful! I had sensory overload, but by the end of the day and after organizing my thoughts -and the countless flyers and business cards I got- I was able to make sense of it all, and of one thing Dan and I are sure of...

Yes, we ARE having a wedding. We want to celebrate our special day and share it with our closest friends and our families. But we agree that we do not want to get in debt over doing this. We want to keep it simple, yet wonderful. We agreed that we'd rather HAVE MORE PEOPLE there, than PLATE SETTINGS. We don't want to nor need to decorate or get flowers.... because how do you improve on nature's own beauty? That's why we are getting married outdoors!

So yeah, we'll cut cost corners... in the things that don't matter in the end. We'd like to have you all there, just you. Just us. No wedding party, stuffy sitting arrangements, no ribbons, no frill. No six hundred dollar cake! But yeah, don't worry, we'll let you eat cake!

A DESTINATION Wedding!

When we initially considered eloping... we might have been thinking Kauai. When we agreed not to elope, we figured we could have a Destination Wedding IN Kauai. But logistically, that would be a lot more expensive than we are comfortable with, not to mention very difficult for most of our guests... then I woke myself up from a dead sleep with what should have been a no-brainer destination from the beginning.... MAMMOTH LAKES!

It is a place that is SO special to both of us.

Dan having been the first person to ever take me there...

So think Destination Wedding. Mammoth Lakes, Ca.

The Forest Chapel

Ok...so we think we have a date (if it works out! Still waiting to hear) and we definitely have the place... now can you imagine the location? Forest Chapel, in the woods, overlooking Twin Lakes... How sweet would this be?
Ok. We are sold. Keep your fingers crossed that it comes together!

WE think we have a date!!!

Ok. So now I'm actually THINKING about planning this. I must admit, that once the idea that we are having an actual wedding sank in a bit, I got really excited. And with good reason!

I figured we'd never find a place to have our ceremony this year. But on the other hand, Dan doesn't want to wait a whole other year. We agreed that there is really no reason to wait. If we can afford it and get it done with MINIMAL to no stress... I knew that I don't want to wear long sleeves or be cold. So we decided Summer would be the season. Check.

And if we're not waiting until Summer of 2009... (unless we have to for unforeseen circumstances) then it's Summer of 2008. But as I've quickly learned in the Wedding Planning world, that's apparently, very short notice. But you know us, we won't complicate something that can be simple. Dan's work gives him a week OFF for Independence Day. I asked for Vacation from my work that same week and spinned the wheel of fate.
So start thinking towards the END OF JUNE. Check.

ME? Plan a wedding?

It took a little while for the reality of it all to really sink in... we were so happy just being together on a day to day basis, that Dan proposing didn't really change anything, per se, but I suppose it reinforced what what already there... Dan and I didn't really talk about any details for many days afterwards, even though we both were bombarded by the usual questions... "When is the wedding?" "Where" etc. WE hadn't even talked to each other...
The mere thought of planning a wedding was not even something I'd considered.
I instinctively figured we would elope. When we finally DID talk about it, Dan said he "wasn't opposed to eloping" "but that our families and closest friends should be there..." I know. ADOrable. Well, that's not exactly eloping, now, is it...
So we agreed that we would have a small wedding...
but when? Where? We had margaritas and a large brunch and decided we'd nap on it...

WE GOT ENGAGED!

WELCOME to our Wedding Planning Blog!!!

If you're reading this it is because you already know that Dan proposed to me on Sunday, December 2nd, 2007 on the edge of Figueroa Mountain. It was a beautiful proposal... a total surprise... on a beautiful, unusually warm December day after a great day or riding motocross.
We had a beautiful weekend together, doing what we love, with the person we each love, in a place we love... Just when I thought life could not get any sweeter...

I said Yes!
Us at Cold Spring Tavern afterwards...
Wow. Dan never ceases to amaze me!