Our Second Anniversary!

Two years ago, I was blessed to marry the one person on the planet who laughs at my corny jokes, makes me feel beautiful, pushes me to better myself, occasionally drives me bonkers, comforts me in sadness or frustration or illness… just loves me unconditionally. There are times where I feel like Dan and me have been married forever, and there are times when I can’t believe it’s already been two years. To make a long story short, I wouldn’t trade our relationship for the world.

I recently realized I never did a post about our wedding… so much for being a blogging bride! Without further ado, here are some of the highlights. All photos are by MKD Photography in Acton, MA– I can’t recommend them enough! If you want to check out their posts for us, here’s our engagement post and here’s our wedding post. I love, love, love them to pieces. Here we go!

This is my favorite picture. Ever!

PS- sorry for the insanity if you’re reading from Google Reader– I have no idea what happened that made this look so jacked up! If that’s where you are, click on over to the real deal… it’s way prettier.

We got blogged! Hooray!

I’ll be honest. I’ve been stalking my photographers, Mike and Kate Duval from MKD Photography, for a good long time now. Before we even chose them, I was watching them. Kind of like the FBI and Whitey Bulger (how’s THAT for topical, eh?). We knew we wanted to work with them from the get-go, and were floored by the result: the most gorgeous photos I’ve ever seen.

And we’ve been anxiously awaiting the day when we finally got to be featured on their blog. TODAY’S THE DAY!!

Here’s the link. Feel free to cry a little… I did. I am so in love with these pictures.

See if you can figure out which one was “That’s What She Said.”

We’re married!

Epic fail wedding blogger over here. Yep, that’s me.

This is also me/us:

You know, like the best picture EVER.

Since I know you were waiting with bated breath for me to post, I do hope you haven’t all died and whatnot. I also know that a lot of wedding bloggers stop writing midway through planning if the wedding gets called off. Didn’t happen! Happily married here, folks!

We got our disc with all the amazingness on it just last week, so now I can totally overwhelm you with the bad-assery of our big day! I just have to find the willpower to do it!

But first, a shout-out to the best vendors on the planet, who allowed me/us to be present in the day and say “eff you” to the idea that we “need a videographer because no one remembers their wedding day.” HOOEY!

• Ceremony: St. Agnes Parish, Reading, MA
• Party site: Topsfield Commons, Topsfield, MA
• Transportation: Patrick Flanagan, owner of a bitchin’ 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville that he fully restored (and perhaps the best Craigslist find in history), and M&L Transit for shuttle
• Attire: David’s Bridal for dress and hairpiece (and BM dresses), Gallet Collection for alterations and miracle bra, DSW for shoes, family and friends for accessories, Men’s Wearhouse for tuxes
• Hair: Caitie Michaud at DeNovo Salon in Wakefield (who also gave me my fabulous post-wedding chop)
• Makeup: did it myself with goodies from Sephora
• Photography: the absolutely amazing love-them-to-pieces Mike and Kate Duval of MKD Photography
• Music: uber-cool Julie Kramer with Big Jim in tow… line dances need not apply! Though I should mention she did wear a shirt to the wedding.
• Lighting/lanterns: Boston Uplights
• Flowers: Marla Porazzo at the Woburn, MA Whole Foods
• BM and GM gifts: various Etsians, who will definitely be named!
• Paper goods: us, never to be attempted lest you throw scissors at your matron of honor (true story… sorry, K!)

And since it’s a whopping 10pm here, this old lady needs to think about bed. Darling husband has fallen asleep on the couch studying for his firefighting academy final. He graduates Friday and will be a super-full-fledged firefighter who can pick up overtime– woohoo!

YAY!

Bad blogger, yes.

Exciting things:

• Cousin/BM E got engaged! YAY!
• Friends from college got engaged! YAY! FI’s a groomsman in their wedding!
• We’re under 100 days left! YAY!
• FI GETS SWORN IN AS A FIREFIGHTER IN OUR HOMETOWN A WEEK FROM TODAY AND STARTS A WEEK FROM TOMORROW! SUPER YAY!
• I still love my job! Yay!
• I’ve been busy writing awesome blog posts/articles about combining finances as a young couple and planning a wedding on a budget! Yay!
• And getting paid for it! Yay!

There’s a lot in my life to be happy about, and I’m totally blessed to be where I am in all senses of “be.”

Off to finish cleaning a little and finally get to watch “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” because it came out on Netflix yesterday and I got it in the mail today (I missed it in theaters). Because I’m a nerd who prefers to read adolescent fantasy series than grownup books. Though Six Graves to Munich by Mario Puzo and Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell were both excellent.

Happy thoughts and goodness to everyone!

YAY!

Face time

At first, when I considered all the vain things I’d spend my money on in the name of being a bride (hair, Spanx, facials, makeup, all that good stuff), I figured I’d probably get my makeup done the day of the wedding because those sorts of things are best left in the hands of professionals.

Then I had my makeup done twice in one month and really wasn’t a fan either time. Thinking back on it, I should have realized that might happen, as I’ve never really liked when someone else has done my makeup for me– colorguard, theater, or even messing around at sleepovers. I’ve done my own makeup for all the proms and balls I’ve ever been to, so why not do it for the wedding?

This is when people generally step in and say “Oh, Leah… your wedding day is totally different from a prom or ball. You should really have someone else do it.”

To that I reply: “Wellllp, that’s just too bad because I don’t trust anyone else to do my makeup at this point, mmkay? I’d rather do it myself and know I’ll like it.”

So that’s what I’m doing– to save my sanity and a little money, I’m doing my own makeup. With that knowledge, I headed out to Sephora, one of my favorite stores. The staff was super-helpful in pointing out things like makeup with SPF gives people a weird sheen in pictures and BareEscentuals might be great for everyday wear, but they refract the light really weird in pictures and also give a weird sheen– two things I didn’t know, the second being kind of crucial, since that’s what I was thinking about wearing. Whew!

Anyway, on my first excursion, I picked up a handful of things:

• Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes kit- $32
• Sephora Stain & Shine in Coral & Gold- $15
• Benefit BadGal Waterproof Mascara- $19

I played around with it a bit today to see how it all looks together, and I really like it! The kit is everything you need for, like it says, bit beautiful eyes, and you can really amp up the smokiness (what I tend to do for formal events) to your preference. The stain & shine is just the right color for my lips– pinky and perky without being too bold, but I might swap out the gloss for something else. The one included is a bit sticky. I don’t have enough good things to say about the mascara… I’m a huge fan of the BadGal line, and have used the regular black and plum versions, which make my eyes really pop. The waterproof version lasted through a 7.5-hour bakery shift on a 95+-degree day, a nap, a shower, and my 30 Day Shred workout. I think I’m in good shape for the wedding.

I’m also planning to use NARS’s The Multiple ($38) and Powder Blush ($26), both in Orgasm. Layered up, the color is fresh and fun, and it won’t go anywhere. I already have both of them, so I’m glad I don’t have to plunk down the money again.

Now, all I have to do is find my face base makeup– primer, foundation, and powder. Anyone have any suggestions?

Skin saga

Some background: I’ve had problem skin since I was about 12. Not really bad enough to warrant going on Accutane or anything really serious, just mid-grade blackheads all over, oily complexion, and the occasional breakout. All the time.

I started going to a dermatologist when I was a teenager, but that didn’t seem to help a whole lot, so I stopped and tried all sorts of over-the-counter stuff. Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Clearasil, Pond’s– I’ve tried them all. When those didn’t really work either (and I had an allergic reaction to Clearasil that made my whole face blow up), I started going to the dermatologist again.

If you haven’t been prescribed skin treatments lately, allow me to let you in on a little secret: stuff ain’t cheap. I was spending upwards of $70 a month trying to keep up with it all and still wasn’t seeing the results I wanted to, and that was with prescription drug coverage. Now that I’ve lost perks like medical insurance (I’m working on it!) and disposable income, my whole skincare regimen has been called into question.

I’ve come to a realization recently. I’m fairly sure that over the past 12 years I’ve been working to dry out my skin, I’ve hit the balancing point and now have overdried my skin, kicking oil production up and keeping everything trapped underneath. The thought actually occurred to me when I noticed that my skin seemed clearer after working in the bakery a few weeks, when I’d come home sweaty and exhausted and oily as ever.

The next turning point came thanks to an almost-professional, though not a doctor. I got a gift certificate to a student spa clinic nearby (HIGHLY recommended!) and the aesthetician told me my skin was dehydrated. After I insinuated that she may be smoking something, she explained that there’s a big difference between water and oil to the skin. Hello… why had I never thought of this? I started moisturizing every day, and noticed that between the facial and daily moisturization my skin was getting a lot clearer.

I went again Tuesday for another treatment, and decided today that I’d skip my morning prescription and just moisturize, fully expecting to be greasy in a few hours. Surprisingly, I wasn’t!

Sure, the facials are a bit of a splurge, but they start at $26 for a 90-minute treatment that includes a consult and massage. Even when I’ve added on an eyebrow wax, ultrasonic treatment, and an exfoliating enzyme, it totaled $50. Anyone more well-versed with the spa scene want to comment on the savings there? Plus, when you add on treatments, your appointment runs longer and you get to relax more. So relaxing, in fact, that you might not mind if someone runs into your parked car while you run into David’s to pick up the sash for your wedding gown (true story).

It seems I may finally be on to my skincare solutions. I’m planning to go in for a facial once a month until the wedding to get everything worked out, then probably drop down to every other month or so to save some cash.

Anyone else have a similar battle? What’s worked or not worked for you?

Engagement Pictures!

We’ve been able to peek at our engagement pictures for a while now, but I didn’t want to spoil any surprises. Now that our fabulous photography duo, Mike and Kate Duval of MKD Photography, have posted some of their favorites on their blog, I decided I’d share. Check them out here!

Here’s the one just about everyone says is their favorite (and we like it too!)

Wedding update

I had my life update yesterday, so here’s a look at where we’re at wedding-wise.

HOLY CRAP WE’RE UNDER 6 MONTHS TO GO.

Thanks for that brief interruption of my normal thought process.

Flowers

Thanks to Shelley (and many others!) for the suggestion to check out Whole Foods. The one closest to me does wedding flowers, so the FI and I went in to check it out. The woman who’ll be doing ours is so sweet and accommodating– she totally understands that we’re budget-first-flower-types-second at this stage of the game. We both love the look of dahlias, but they’ll be out of season, so we’re thinking up other alternatives. We also are big into the textures of the flowers and the bouquets, so that’s a cool place to be.

You’ll all be happy to know I handed off the reins to a professional for all the flowers. Go ahead and say “I told you so” in the comments!

Hotel blocks

I’ve been in contact with a few hotels near the party site, and we just have to make the final call for the blocks. There’s one hotel that’s a lot closer to the site (about 10-15 minutes away) but more expensive, as opposed to one a little further away (10-15 minutes beyond the first) that’s less expensive.

We’re thinking of doing blocks at both, but as a guest, which would you rather?

Engagement photos

We had our engagement pictures taken last weekend! We decided to (sort of) reenact our first date by heading to the same place we went mini-golfing and got ice cream. After convincing the nice old man at the window that we weren’t actually going to play golf and that we just wanted the clubs and balls for the picture, we took a few fun “it’s all in the hips” Happy Gilmore pictures. Come to think of it, I think most of the pictures will have me with my mouth wide open, laughing. I don’t do serious photos.

After the pretend golf session, we waited around and peeked in windows until the ice cream place opened, when I proceeded to eat Rocky Road ice cream at 9 am. Breakfast of champions, I tell you!

After that, we headed to Lake Quannapowitt, also known as The Wakefield Lake because everyone’s too lazy for the “Quannapowitt,” and did some pictures there.  It was really nice, since it’s a nod to where we both grew up, and it’s also where we’ll be doing photos after the ceremony. Yay!

Rehearsal dinner

I said to the FI’s moms: “Go for it.” We picked the place and are letting them run with the rest of the details. One less thing for us to worry about, and I know they’ll do a great job. As far as I know, they’ve booked the venue and put down the deposit, which is all fine with me.

Ceremony

We asked our surviving grandparents to bring up the gifts during our Mass and our godfathers to do the readings. Everyone’s been so excited to be asked, and it really means a lot to us that they’re involved.

Still TBD:

• Transportation: after K&M’s wedding, we decided we liked the idea of having a shuttle between the hotel and the party– that way, we cut down on the number of cars at the party site, and we seriously cut down on the likelihood of anyone taking too much advantage of the open bar.
• Tuxes: got some info for the FI, so he gets to start making decisions on this one. Should be interesting
• Crafting: finish the last pomander for the FGs, make the pew decorations (half-pomanders with tissue paper instead of flowers), spray the lanterns for the party tables, figure out the invitation situation
• Dress fittings: kind of dropped the ball on this one, but I just need my bustle and boobs done. No hem, no taking in, nada. Fingers crossed.
• Honeymoon: ::grumble, grumble:: we can’t decide where we want to go because we have no idea how much money we have to spend. At this point, it’s in the zero-ish range, which is making things difficult. Current ideas: Switzerland/Germany/Austria (still); Portland, OR/Seattle/Vancouver; Calgary/Banff/Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada). Anyone have any input on these?

I’m really starting to get excited now!!

Life update

Like I said in my last post, I know I’ve been super-MIA lately. What with starting an AWESOME new job, helping the FI with the business, being down a computer and last but certainly not least being a part of MOH K’s fabulous wedding… I’ve been a little busy. And lazy about blogging. I said it.

Bakery bliss

I love, love, love, love my new job. It’s fun, challenging, interesting, fun, educational, meaningful, and fun. I love the people I work with, my new bosses, the new hires (after me– I’m already an old pro and I’ve only been there a month!), the work I do, and everything I’m learning. I feel like I’m a major part of making sure the business keeps running and keeps growing, and there’s an immense sense of pride in that.

The hours are always a surprise (4:30am-2:30pm morning shift, 11am-6pm closing shift, or 9-4ish admin shift), so that’s a little bit of a challenge, but it’s been fun getting a feel for when I work best. I actually like the morning shift! It’s a lot busier than the afternoon, so there’s more running around and chatting with guests, but the time totally flies.

What I miss about my old job: not feeling like I’m broke all the time, medical insurance, the people I worked with, and being able to have a quick chat with a few friends and Mum on instant messenger. What I don’t miss: the commute, the stress, the long hours with no thanks, the wardrobe, feeling like I’m ready to snap at any second.

Business time

Flight of the Conchords are pretty hilarious. Doesn’t matter if that particular clip has anything to do with what I’m talking about. It’s funny.

Anywho, I’ve been helping the FI with his landscaping business lately. It’s been tricky trying to set a schedule so that we can get all the paperwork and billing done with both of us working (he’s still part-time at Lowe’s a few nights a week), but we’re trying to figure it all out. It doesn’t help that the printer won’t talk to the computer so we have to do the invoices twice– once on paper to send out and once in QuickBooks for his records. Has anyone else run into a printer spooler issue, especially with a Vista machine and HP printer? How’d you fix it?

Best friend’s wedding

By this point, you should know that MOH K and MOSH are my two best ladies. This past weekend, MOH K married her college sweetheart M. I was a bridesmaid, and was so honored to be part of their day. K and M get along so well with the FI and me– us girls are loud and neurotic, where the guys are the silent-but-deadly (funny) types. MOSH and BFN were also in attendance, as were most of the crew we hung out with in college. We all had a blast!

And I danced so hard I broke my dress. Beat that.

Registry round 2

The FI and I knew we wanted Fiesta plates and serve ware, which isn’t available at the good ol’ Bed Bath & Beyond (BB&B). After a little research, I found out that it’s sold at Macy’s and Kohl’s, but that Macy’s has the 4-piece dining set (2 plates, bowl, mug) as opposed to the 5-piece dining set (2 plates, bowl, cup and saucer), so it was off to Macy’s we went.

I also poked around the site and found some of the higher-rated towels and sheets and whatnot so thought we’d check them out while we were there.

At this point, I would like to ask a question: is it coincidence that both BB&B and Macy’s have their registry stations set up in the china departments? Or is it that the only people buying china these days are brides and grooms so they might as well start there? Smart from a store-planning standpoint, at any rate.

We got our scanner gun- big bonus there, since we didn’t get to scan at BB&B- and were let loose into the store. Since we’d already gone a little wild at BB&B as far as kitchenware and gadgets were concerned, we were slightly more restrained at Macy’s. That, and their Fiesta section was a little smaller than what we’d envisioned. Not to be discouraged, we went for the Ivory and Cobalt pieces, mixing and matching here and there to a nice effect. We were originally going to go with the Sunflower, but once we saw them in person, we realized they were really yellow, not quite the soft, sunshiny yellow we’d thought. Just so you know.

After that, we wandered over into the bedding area, where the FI started the hunt for “million thread count” sheets. At one point, he got so excited, he drooled. I wish I was kidding! I’m blaming the fact that he’d just taken a big sip of hot coffee (thank you, Keurig demonstration!) and was super-excited about the Martha Stewart sheets we’d picked out. And yes, he knows I’m blogging this– I made sure to ask him

After making our rounds, we went back home. I just logged on to our registry site to see how we did and change some colors on things– not all items came in the colors we wanted, so I wanted to do that before I forgot. The site tells me I registered for 53 gifts at Macy’s today. Great. But wait– what’s this?– why are so many “unavailable for purchase?”

A whole bunch of the items are being discontinued. The pillows we’d added, the individual casserole dishes (good for baked scallops with breadcrumbs), the garment bag for traveling, the platter/serving bowl combo… all gone. It’s recommended that we choose replacement items instead.

I understand that there’s turnover for the inventory and product lines. What doesn’t make sense to me is that there were no signs or signals indicating that these products might not be there next week. It might not make sense to have it for all the items out on the floor, but what about a popup on the scanner gun? Or a warning from the registry setup lady that there’s a lot of turnover happening, so just to be aware?

Anyone else run into this, either while registering or trying to make a purchase online? What did you do?