The Wedding!!!

One of my favorite pictures so far, taken by one of JewishGuy's friends :)

The whole weekend was amazing, I can't even begin to describe it! I keep wanting to sit down and write a whole post, but I'm not sure how to do that. Should I break it down, day-by-day? Or should I just write one big EEEEEEE post?

So here goes, one big EEEEE post, to be followed up by other, smaller posts. A compromise, I guess!

Everything went perfectly, as far as I could tell! The bachelorette party was superfun, Shabbat was great and full of enthusiasm, and Sunday was just a blur of awesomeness. I remember looking around while people were eating on Sunday and saying to JewishGuy - I can't believe how perfect this is, everyone is so happy, the weather is beautiful, this place is beautiful, and it's so fun.

I kind of want to talk about Sunday first, so I will, and hopefully eventually I will come back to the rest of the weekend at some point.

All week we anxiously looked at weather.com and talked to our friend The Meteorologist for updates on the weather. Being March and DC, the weather could do whatever it wanted at a moment's notice. At the last minute we decided to hold the ceremony inside because thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon. No thunderstorms ever materialized, but it was beautiful inside and out. As you can see, the room was full of glass, so it was almost like being outside but without the bugs and wind.

Then we left and ate in a room by ourselves as friends banged on the door. When we came back, we were sent into the main room under a bridge of streamers!

During the dancing, someone came up to me and said "when you're in the chair, lean back!"

"What?"

Suddenly I was shoved back into a chair and up above everyone's heads! It was really hilarious. JewishGuy and I did the thing where you hold the handkerchief between you. Awesome.

Then after more dancing, we were pushed back into two chairs and given water, streamers, glow sticks and leis. Our friends and family did some funny dances and schtik for us. It was awesome and so funny!

The rest of the night kept going just as fast, I don't think it slowed for a second. The speeches were great, JewishGuy and I played "The shoe game," which we kind of were hoping to play (thanks SportyJew :P). We took pictures with the various contingencies at the wedding - friends from other cities - and ate delicious food.

When it was over we went back to the hotel and hung out for a couple more hours ... then it was all over! How bizarre! It's over?

I'll write more about it later, shorter stories about specific things that happened. Now I'm kind of back in the real world and have massive papers and exams I have to recognize as being real and coming up.

Getting close!

We finished the programs today except for the table assignment stickers. We've made a 7 page book for the programs, printed them at kinkos and then bound them ourselves with embroidery floss. Then we glued on tags that were made by the invitations lady, to tie everything together (like a good rug).

I can't believe it's so close! In two and a half days we will get in the car and begin the road trip across the country.

It's weird that it's been a whole year since I started this blog. Time just passes and things come together, I guess!

I am still deciding if I want to get new outfits for the weekend but I probably won't. More likely, I will try to make new outfits out of things I already have. I don't really think I feel like really shopping. I have made a few attempts in these final weeks to go shopping for Shabbat outfits but have gotten distracted or the store I wanted to go to was no longer in business, and I don't really feel like trying too hard when I have a closet full of dresses I've only worn a couple of times (usually to previous weddings).

Yesterday we had an aufruf here because like so many people we are having the wedding somewhere else. It seems to be a tradition to have one aufruf in this congregation 2 weeks before the wedding and another at the congregation where the wedding will take place the week before. It was fun! People threw hershey kisses at us (painful, but JewishGuy blocked it haha), and then the drama with the kiddush lunch. Good times. :)

So here's this week's schedule!

Sunday: finish work for class
Monday: class
Tuesday: class and pack
Wednesday: 12 hour drive home
Thursday: courthouse for marriage license stuff and then bachelorette party!
Friday: move into the hotel, Shabbat services / dinner
Saturday: aufruf, lunch, and dinner, maybe going out?
Sunday: wedding!

Updates & Clarification

HEY everyone,

#1, I wanted to clarify something important about the blog, because I think I have given the wrong impression to some people.  This blog is where I post things that I like, things that I think are pretty, not necessarily things that I *have* to have.  I'm not actually a bridezilla.  I just think things are pretty.  Mostly, I am flexible about the wedding, and have in fact given up control over most things because I don't have time or I'm not overly concerned with how it turns out.  I do have general ideas as to what I want, which I post here, but it's not set in stone!  So what I post here is the same as a bride-to-be buying bridal magazines and clipping things out that are cute.

Also, just a note, I lapsed in renewing my domain name, so images may not show up on the site for a couple of days.  They will be back soon, hopefully.

#2, Updates!  We are having our invitations done by OrangeBeautiful, and they are pretty awesome, so check them out.  They also have a blog, where they post pretty things that THEY like!  I'm having my second meeting with them next Thursday, when we'll go over some designs they are working on for our awesome invitations.  The invitation is going to have a tri-fold, with the third section being a tear-off RSVP postcard.  How fun!  They're going to play off of the cuteness of the imagery of our Hebrew names, which mean Bird and Tree.  WE ARE SO ADORABLE.

Also, I am taking a trip to Maryland in December to meet with florists and wedding planners.  We are thinking of hiring someone for the weekend to make sure things go smoothly, and if not the weekend then definitely a day-of coordinator.  My mom is putting together the itinerary of my meetings and I'll just go to them and chat (maybe we will go together?)

Things are coming together without me having to do too much, which is also awesome.  My mom and JewishGuy's dad are working on Shabbat services, the whole family is participating, reading Torah or Haftorah or having aliyot or leading services.  It's going to be awesome.  I am really excited. :)

DesignerChick is working on setting up a consult with her make-up artist for me also for my trip in December.  I probably won't have the dress yet, but we are going to design my make-up concept.  Ha!

CankeyB along with my other bridesmaids are hard at work on my bachelorette party, although I don't know much about it other than it will be a slumber party the Thursday night before the wedding.  OBVIOUSLY I am ridiculously excited!  (Also... I have a sneaking suspicion there might be a "surprise" bachelorette party for me here in Chicago thrown by people in my program...)

I think that's it for now in terms of updates...!

Yay Tallit! & Dress stuff

I bought the tallit for JewishGuy! I happened to be walking around Jerusalem and stumble on this little shop for an artist who hand-weaves tallitot in Rehovot. She said she could make a custom one if I wanted, but I saw one in the shop that I think is perfect. I had my friend try it on so I could see what it looked like on someone, and I think it's good. He won't get to see it for a while, though! I'm not going to describe it here but it's nice, not crazy colorful, understated but I think he will like it. And if he doesn't like it, the lady said as long as it's clean and new we can bring it back next time we're in Israel (honeymoon?? :P). So that is nice to know.

In other news, I am glad I didn't spontaneously buy the dress. I showed my friend pictures of it on my camera last night and she seemed unenthused. Granted, she didn't know what I was looking for, but it doesn't matter, if she didn't think it looked good then maybe I was just caught up in the moment. Really, it's good I didn't buy it, because it was at the upper limit of what I wanted to spend on a dress! Plus I would have to carefully transport it back.

ahhh!!!dress!!!

I may have found The Dress!!!!! Yes, in Israel. I passed it on the street, fell in love, it happens to be EXACTLY my size in every area so no alterations needed - I'm not even exaggerating!!!!!!!! The guy in the store let me take tons of pictures, he said I could email him from home and he would ship it to me if I wanted so I didn't have to make any decision without consultation...

It is knee-length, has a very modrn pattern of squares that are slightly transparent to another swirly pattern underneath, it has a v-neck with beading (not a halter top, no crazy boobage) and the skirt is a-line with a tied-on belt.

He said (this could just be the sales talk) that this was the only one of this dress he had right now and if it didn't fit perfectly then I would have to be in Israel for a lot of time so they could alter it because it is difficult to alter.

Anyway, I'm not going to ppst pictures because JewishGuy reads this but I was very excited. I'm going to shop around of course but.... YAY.

Tallit

I am either going to make JewishGuy's tallit or I am going to buy one for him when I am in Israel. I'm leaving a ton of space in my bag to carry all the things I bring home - I am literally packing economically (only bringing about 5-6 days' worth of clothing, a compact towel, using hippie toiletries to maximize multiple use soaps, etc) so that I can shop shop shop for things for the wedding, among other things.

I really like the idea of making his tallit, but I am not an amazing seamstress so I would rather buy him something awesome that would last a long time than spend a long time making something that would start to fall apart at the seams after a few years. Also, I bet I could find some amazing tallitot in Tsfat, hand made by someone in the artist's colony, for not very much money!

The reason I am buying him a tallit is because he follows the tradition of not wearing one until he is married, so I want it to be a present from me. :)

We Have a Venue!

Woo!  We have now put down a deposit on this place (the same one that I was talking about before) for March 29!

These pictures are from when my mom went to visit last week.  Very pretty.  Yay!

There was a little bit of drama involving the times - they seemed to say to my mom that the 7 hours we were buying didn't include set-up or clean-up, but then the contract was pretty clear that not only did you have to subtract that time, but that you should only really count on 4 1/2 hours of event time!  That's really not enough for the ceremony AND the reception.  However, since it's a Sunday and we're the only event happening that day, we were able to buy some more hours to make it a more reasonable amount of time.

Also, the kosher caterer that's been recommended to us by many different people on separate occasions is on their list of preferred caterers.  That's great because they know the rules of this place and I'd say we could probably trust them not to do something crazy that would cost us our security deposit.  That's probably the next thing we have to get: the contract with the caterer.  

We have to do it soonish only because we are also going to need them all weekend, not just for Sunday afternoon.  We are planning Shabbat meals for the out of town guests in the hotel who are shomer shabbat and therefore have to come Friday and can't go out to dinner or anything.  So any caterer we get would (preferably) do Friday night dinner, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner and Sunday dinner.  That's a lot of catering.  However, my thoughts are (at least right now, just preliminary thinking) is that if we are able to block off rooms in a hotel in downtown DC, the Saturday dinner could be relatively small so that the guests would then go out on the town Saturday night... although the kashrut issue might prevent that from actually being possible.  Well, who knows, that's another discussion.

Anyway, phew, another major milestone in the wedding planning process complete!

Yay wedding!

Today, JewishGuy and I went to the wedding of friends of ours.  The whole thing was beautiful, lasted about 10 hours (total) and was a ton of fun.  It started with a catholic mass - it was really interesting.  At one point they told people to turn to their neighbors and say "Christ be with you."  But I wasn't paying attention, so when this person turned to me, I thought she was saying hi so I said, "Nice to meet you!"  Well, who knows what she was saying, but I think she was probably saying the Christ-related line because she definitely was catholic.  The ceremony was in the chapel of the university near here, where they met, and it was really pretty.  I thought the priest was great, he had some good lines in his sermon, and the whole ceremony was beautiful.

Then we went to an art gallery for their reception.  It was fantastic!  First of all, it was very simple and pretty.  The downstairs had long white banquet tables with lots candles and vases filled with limes.  Everyone's name was placed at their seat - the name cards were sticking out of a wine bottle cork.  It was very cute. :)  There was also a small outside patio with a few tables and chairs, lit up by a lamp and christmas lights.

Upstairs we had hors d'oeuvres and, later, dancing.  This was a good space as well.  There was plenty of room for dancing and there were small white tables for sitting while eating.

A lot of the prettiness of the decor came from the space itself, being in an art gallery there were a lot of really nice paintings everywhere that really matched the feel of the whole wedding.  The dinner was cool, with an "open mic" kind of toasting that was really fun.  People stood up and said things about the bride and groom if they wanted once the official speeches were over.  It was very laid back and I really liked it.  The groom gave a very moving speech (JewishGuy told him he set the bar too high).

Also, they made their own wedding cake, which was especially delicious.  It was a chocolate cake with a kind of buttercream frosting (I think?).  The frosting was perfect because I hate sugary frosting.  This was just subtly sweet and creamy.  Very nice.

JewishGuy and I had an amazing time.  We even danced!  JewishGuy is a terrible dancer but so am I so I guess it worked out all right - this was the first time we had danced since when we met on the birthright trip 5 1/2 years ago!

(Also we took some limes from the centerpieces haha)

*EDIT* Plus then we went to the after party at the hotel, which was a great addition to the reception.  We wore jeans and drank wine and got yelled at by the hotel probably 8 times in 2 hours for being "too loud" even though we were just talking.  I love the idea of an after-party and JewishGuy and I were talking about how we should have something like this, too, like just for a few good friends and out-of-towners before they head out for their early morning flights the next day.

April Fools!

OK So we aren't actually changing the date... it's still March 29.  I thought I was hilarious.  I think I was!

CHANGING THE DATE!

We've decided to have the wedding August 24 instead.  We just don't want to wait!  I think we can probably get the planning done in time, we just have to step it up.  Plus I'll be free most of the summer so I can do a lot of traveling to help with preparations and whatever.

Yay!!!!

Engagement Partay!!!

JewishGuy and I decided to have an engagement party!  It's exciting because a lot of people from here probably aren't going to make it to the wedding, so we still wanted to celebrate with them somehow.  We don't have a ton of money to do this with, so we are going to go with a simple and cute dessert party :)

I've arranged to reserve the courtyard in our apartment complex that has nice shrubbery, trees and a pretty nice fountain.  It's lit up at night by small post lights in the shrubbery and lights in the fountain, and there are a few tables and chairs (and we can drag some chairs over from the pool in the other courtyard but I assume most people will be standing most of the time).

I am thinking of making little lights to put on the tables to add a little more light but to also be our decorations.  I want to do something simple, like really just going to the thrift store and picking up some old vases and then sticking candles in them.  I want the effect to look like a combination of these:

I think that could be really pretty.  Like not quite as polished as the top one (also not hanging), but not quite as childish as the bottom one.  And on the tables would be different (covered) bowls of cookies, cakes, and other desserts, plus wines and other drinks. 

That plus a little light music... I think that could be very nice!

I am going to hand-draw invitations and then take them to kinko's to be sent out to everyone as soon as I get all of the addresses I need.  We are going to invite a pretty large crowd, so I think it will be fun.  I am going to wear a dress :)

Offsetting Cynicism with Dresses!

I think a lot of my frustration came from trying to do something spectacularly unique.  Instead of that, I would just like to make it look pretty.

So to offset the cynicism of my previous post...

How pretty is this dress???  I loove it.

A lot of the prettiest dresses I am seeing are sleeveless, so one issue I am going to have is figuring out how to cover my shoulders (or whether I think it's even necessary to do that).  I would cover my shoulders for the ceremony if I would do it at all, but I haven't decided if I really have to do that.

I also like this dress:

I think it's very pretty, too.  I've really liked the bottom one for a long time (ie: the whole week I have been engaged), but the top one might look nicer on me - especially with flats.  Even though it's an evening wedding, whatever!

-1st Anniversary!

Today is our -1 Anniversary!  How exciting!  (We were alerted to this fact when JewishGuy's mom called wishing us a happy negative one anniversary haha!)

OK, Juuuust kidding

We just now decided: March 29!