This week hasn't been as eventful as the previous weeks have been. We will be mailing out wedding invitations on April 1st. Eric and I are relieved that we had such great friends to help us get them ready!
On Thursday at work, I had a surprise visit from Sarah and Gabe! It was a nice treat to have some company before heading back into a hectic work schedule. They also brought me a cupcake from the Cupcakery! YUM! It's one of my many favorites places in the CWE! Friday night I was lucky to spend some one on one time with Gabe at the mall while mommy Sarah went to get her laptop fixed at the Apple store. I truly had a great time hanging out with them!
Also, we have a flower girl! Yah! Jadzia (Josh and Yoli's daughter) has accepted to be our flower girl! So our wedding party is just about finished. We need to ask Ben (Eric's cousin's son) to be our ring bearer. I have a feeling he will say YES!
Today, I have done nothing except went grocery shopping. I am caught up on Gossip Girls and almost caught up with Ugly Betty. Tomorrow I will get up early for the last proctoring for the MCAT exams and then off to my parents for my birthday dinner.
While out shopping, Eric and I got some gerber daisies to try out our centerpieces. I think they look good enough, but Eric doesn't like using the spaghetti jars as a vase. So we'll probably head to the dollar store sometime to see if they have any vases that are satisfactory for Eric. :o)
Here's a picture. Let me know what you think!
Well this past week and weekend has been busy again! On Thursday I went over to my friends, Josh and Yoli's place, for a wonderful dinner and meeting their newest addition Josie and catching up with Jadzia and Ludi. I couldn't believe that Jadzia was only three, she is so tall and I got to see her do some awesome ballerina moves. Ludi is so affectionate and gave me a hug as I was leaving. It was so nice going there after work as work has been rough on my lately that being around children just makes the worries go away! Yoli and I talked about Eric's surprise groom cake and discussed the details. I am confident that it will be a wonderful cake and can't wait to see it and eat it!
On Friday, Eric and I went over to another friends place. We finally got to meet Rachel's husband, Frank! I knew he existed but Eric was getting doubtful since he has never seen the guy! We had a blast and even learned a few things from her kids, Kate and Jack. I noticed that Steve in the Blues Clues wears the same shirt all the time. From a night with three girls to a night with a girl and a boy, I definitely can see that boys have a lot more energy. I was able to ask Kate if she would be our flower girl. She denied our request at first, but agreed to think about it. We would be thrilled if Kate agreed, but understand if she did not want to, because walking down the aisle with 200 plus people looking at you can be quite intimidating! Especially for a 4 year old!
Friday we also found out that four of our pictures from the engagement photo shoot were up on the photographer, Ken's, website. To see the pictures, enter the site, click on galleries, and then N + K engagement. I'm not sure why it's K and not E. I love the pictures, not the hair!
We rescheduled our second hour for March 31st which will be my 28th birthday! Wow, I'm getting old and I have the gray hair to prove it!
Today, Eric and I got up early to meet my mom. We went to a secret place to talk about a secret, awesome addition to our reception. We are very excited about this and believe that you will be blown away when you witness this unique thing. I know, it's killing you right? Just wait 10 more weeks!
Afterwards, we went to buy our big double happiness symbol (see below). We will have it at our ceremony and reception then it'll be on our headboard which a couple of my Chinese friends have told me will stay for a few months after the wedding.
In the afternoon, Eric and I went to Michaels and Big Lots to look at candles, ribbons, etc. We are now focusing our efforts on the centerpieces and the wedding favors which I thought were not going to be a big deal, but has now turned into a time consuming affair. We hope we have lots of friends willing to come over and help us out again once we get all the material together!
Today was our engagement photo session. I've read from lots of places that you should try out your hairstyle for your wedding for special occasions. So I did, HUGE MISTAKE. As you can see, my hair looks terrible! I got up early and got to the salon at 9:30. I told him the hairstyle I wanted (up) and he told me that it was too easy and said "no offense, but that is what old people do in China." I figured since he went to school in New York that he'd do a good job so I trusted him. I wanted to cry after I got it done. I went to the mall to get a free trial make up done by Lancome and I think the make up turned out great. Afterwards I went to get my nails done and the ladies at Bahama Nails conversed with me on where to get my hair done and made me feel better.
Since I felt bad that I had got all dolled up and just didn't like my hair that we would go and take pictures anyway. However, I asked the photographer if he wouldn't mind just doing one hour today and another hour another day. He was fine with it and I'll have to take an hour off work on a Tuesday morning to get it done.
Saturday Eric, my mom, and I got a lot of things done. We went and picked out a tux style for the groomsmen and Eric. Then my mom dragged me to the Indian ladies doing the eyebrows with thread. It hurt so badly, my eyebrows bled and were red, but I admit for 5 minutes it was worth it. Then we headed to Estee Lauder to get a trial make-up which I loved the lipstick color but didn't care so much for my eyes. We then went to (tiny) Chinatown to buy our favors, red envelopes, and I got a qipao. I think it looks beautiful and will just have to steam it before the wedding. I can't wait to wear it! That evening we met the band and talked to them about our first dance and if they cared if we had a Laotian band. They didn't so be prepared to listen to some "exotic" music at our reception! :o)
By the way, I want to say thanks to a lot of people who have helped me during this rough time by either lending an ear or giving me some good advice about my work situation. Thanks to the girls in the Honors Program: Vanessa, Jessica (and Killian), and Lindsay for calling, coming in, or allowing me to have an escape. A special thanks to Jenny for making me flower pens in my wedding colors (see above). Thanks too, to Sarah, Rebecca, Yoon, and fluffy-head Aaron for checking in on me. Last week was incredibly difficult for me and it was so great to have such great supports willing to offer their help and ear. Of course, too, Eric for the tough nights and mornings when the emotions hit the worse for being there to be a shoulder to cry on or an ear of steel to listen to me vent. I'm so lucky to be marrying him in 11 weeks!
As you can see above, this past Sunday, Eric and I were fortunate to have great people to help us with our wedding invitations! Thank you Vanessa, Kate, Dave, and Sarah! You saved us hours!!
With only 12 weeks to go things are coming down to the wire. We are in the process of asking a girl on Friday (hopefully) if she will be our flowergirl! If she says yes then our wedding party will be complete! Our engagement photo session got moved up to this Sunday so I will be doing a trial hair and makeup on that day too. Saturday we're meeting the band so Eric and I need to decide on our first song!
Work hasn't been easy either. On Monday my boss made a shocking announcement and now there's even more on my plate. My papers and exams will all be due in April so I am trying to get most of it complete this week including all the reading! My mom wants me to go to Canada to get a qipao but I don't think that's going to happen anymore since I will be needed in the office. Please keep Eric and I in your thoughts as we fly through these 11 1/2 weeks left before our big day. We certainly hope you'll join us!
There's 13 weeks left. I can't believe it. In reflection to the wedding planning process I would do some things differently.
1. I would not have put in so much effort into the Save-The-Dates-in fact not even do it. Nothing has been more frustrating than the amount of people you have sent them to who still ask when the wedding date is.
2. The invitations I ordered. I thank in advance for the people willing to give up their Sunday afternoon to help me fold, stuff, label, and stamp the invitations. However, once they see how they are folded they will hate me (maybe) but I'm sure everyone will think they are awesome. I would have just ordered the cheap-o invitations and not have such difficult invitations.
3. I would have eloped. I remember when I first got engaged everyone told me to do that (okay really all the old people). They said that I should just save my money and then invest the money in a house or something else.
Eric and I are contemplating not doing any ceremony programs. It'll save paper, people throw them away right afterwards anyways, and I'm sure everyone knows the order of the ceremony.
Eric has worked hard on getting an easy url for our knot page. Here it is if you want to check it out: wedding website
