decisions

While it wasn't quite as intoxicatingly fun as last time (something about a dull headache and no soda machine in sight), this time was more productive. I decided what I didn't want. I decided a few important things I did want. I narrowed it down to one vendor and two gowns. Price tag: $500 + tax. That's right, folkses ... I will be the proud non-owner of my dream wedding gown. Decision made.

We went to two places, where I tried on a total of seven dresses. (Way off my game today. It was the headache.) I love Toy but it seems that every dress I pick out is something like $1200.00. So I went to Princess Brides and discovered that I could pick pretty much anything I wanted (and have it precisely altered) for $500.00 - which includes shoes, jewelry, and tiara. I might not actually use these extras - I am picky about shoe height (I know I have to be reasonable but still, I don't want to wear Dyeables), I definitely want to wear my own jewelry, and I think I'm over the whole tiara thing. But they are nice extras to have available. The $500 rental seems to be the best option. There is the whole giving it back thing, but I don't even have under-the-bed space - I can't fathom where I'd put a huge garment box. Yep, decision made.

dress fund updates

Starting to re-entertain notions of renting. I mean, what AM I going to do with the thing after the fact? Take it out and play with it? Try to force it on my daughter?

Assuming I don't put my hand in the cookie jar prematurely, I'm now good to go on any of the dresses I saw, loved, and had to have torn off me because I wouldn't voluntarily get out of it.

Could I save a lot by renting? Honestly, not a lot - a $500 rental package is so very close to a $700 price tag - but I could save some, plus avoid the hassle of cleaning and storing it afterwards.

Still up in the air.

weekendcap

Wedding Expo was good! There was actual FOOD. And cake samples galore. I changed my mind about hating cake - I sampled too many lovely red velvets and even a lighter-than-air strawberry shortcake, and I am sold, and the naysayers were right: there is no such thing as a wedding pie or a wedding flan. You win.

Thank God I have my photog already because those guys are pushier than the cake people and I truly cannot tell the difference between most of them.

Got my makeup done by a Paul Mitchell girl, which was lots of fun except for the walking out with two different eyes part. (Both eyes were beautiful, they just didn't match each other.)

Bon and I saw one of our grade school classmates, who looked very much like she wanted to die or run away from us. To stave off comments from the peanut gallery (Dan), let me say I was not a bully in grade school. Bit of a drama queen, mebbe, but not a bully. And wasn't seventh grade eighteen years ago?

TDL:

- Figure out what TIME to hold the ceremony. You would not believe the consternation this one simple detail has caused so far.

- Save-the-dates

- Bridesmaid dress / groomsman shirt browsing

So, my friend and bridesmaid Peahen (the one without the e-mail) is in town to solidify details for her own October wedding. Yay. Anything that will take my mind off my own!!

time's a ticking

Next week Sat: Bridal Expo w/Bon.
Following Sat: Wedding dress shopping.

Woo!

saturday

I found the real wedding dress of my dreams @ the trunk show after ACUW's 2008 fundraiser fashion show. It's beautiful, unreasonably red, and completely unaffordable. Ah well, at least I got to touch it.

I dragged Bonnie backstage where she encouraged me to try on a different dress, a $2400 wedding dress (no, thank you, what if I love it?), and we dorkily got our picture taken with Anne Namba (who is exceptionally cool for letting me photograph her clothes.)

This is not the greatest picture of the dress - the room's poor lighting makes it look orange, when it's actually a true red. Don't worry, I know that only a China-Chinese or a truly ballsy, New Yorkified Chinese American could get away with so red a wedding dress. It's just for fun. Sniff.

are you for real?

The church thing seems to be resolved. We got "the other one." Which is good - it's the one I grew up attending, it's close to my mom's so it's convenient, etc.

And now (because a new problem must be presented the second the old one is out the door), S completely seriously wants to take 16 other people on our honeymoon. He thinks it will be fun*.

Can I have just, like, a month of peace where I don't have to fight anyone on stupid issues?


*A trip to Disneyland and Vegas with our families will be tremendously fun. Note I said A TRIP, not A HONEYMOON.

checkcheck

• Church
• Reception venue
• Photographer
• 5 bridesmaids.

Still-to-secure: the actual officiant, flowers, hair/makeup, all attire. And, I'm sure, two thousand and seventeen other things that have not yet even crossed my mind. Got one - flower girl. I think Mei Mei would be adorable but in February she'll be all of 2.5 years old. Maybe Sami.

Tagging along to Princess Brides with Niranda today. I need to learn her corset as well as get a better feel for gowns in general ... And do something about my gargantuan bridesmaid dress, so that her wedding doesn't turn into a three-ring circus courtesy of moi.

Note to self: S still needs to inform groomsmen. He's got 'em all picked out, he just hasn't mentioned it to any of them yet.

P.S. Got another one - invitations. Duh.

P.P.S. Rings! Rings would be nice.