getting lost in stupid stuff

[vc10um]

How's this for a validation of "good choices" though: I went to a wedding yesterday and the bride (who will be attending my wedding and has some overlapping guests) wore the SAME dress I ordered with the SAME necklace I wanted and the SAME matching earrings. She has awesome taste obviously but WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!?!?! Sigh. Now it's back to the drawing board for the jewellery at least. Is it okay to admit to you ladies that I was a bit sniffly at the ceremony and that it wasn't just the emotions of the moment?

Oh my goodness, Echidna! What are the chances?!?!!

I'm glad at least part of you can recognize the fact that she shared your same AMAZING taste...even if part of you was crying a bit. I know I would've been in tears, too! Especially if there was a big overlap in guest list! Can you return the original jewelry you purchased?

Oooorrrrrr...can you return your jewelry, and save some $$ by approaching the bride, telling her how ravashing she was, mentioning you're wearing the same dress, and asking if her gems could be your "something borrowed" for the day, since they looked so smashing with the dress??? I'm smelling new clothes for the honeymoon!!!

 

[sillyberry]

How's this for a validation of "good choices" though: I went to a wedding yesterday and the bride (who will be attending my wedding and has some overlapping guests) wore the SAME dress I ordered with the SAME necklace I wanted and the SAME matching earrings. She has awesome taste obviously but WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!?!?! Sigh. Now it's back to the drawing board for the jewellery at least. Is it okay to admit to you ladies that I was a bit sniffly at the ceremony and that it wasn't just the emotions of the moment?

Oh my goodness, Echidna! What are the chances?!?!!

I'm glad at least part of you can recognize the fact that she shared your same AMAZING taste...even if part of you was crying a bit. I know I would've been in tears, too! Especially if there was a big overlap in guest list! Can you return the original jewelry you purchased?

Oooorrrrrr...can you return your jewelry, and save some $$ by approaching the bride, telling her how ravashing she was, mentioning you're wearing the same dress, and asking if her gems could be your "something borrowed" for the day, since they looked so smashing with the dress??? I'm smelling new clothes for the honeymoon!!!

HA HA HA HA to vc's suggestions!!!

Echidna, that's some crazy coincidence. I would have been just gobsmacked! Maybe it's a great opportunity to go with jewelry a little more outside the box?

As for me, after meeting with my paper guru last night and looking at samples of thermographed invitations, I'm back on board with the wedding. The thermography looked GORGEOUS and suddenly my invitations came to life (as opposed to being flat and on a white background on my computer). I was seriously shocked at how much it added for not that much additional cost. Then we discussed a bunch of other little things, like stamps and welcome dinner invites and water bottle labels and menus and assorted sundry stuff, and I'm happy again. It's like I just needed to see something not on my computer or in my head to snap me out of my funk.

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

Glad your confidence is back, SB. Now, when do those Bar results come in???

I got my STDs out in the mail this week, so that was a huge weight lifted for me, but I do hear you on questioning things. I'm so sure about everything, and then I'm totally unsure and having horrible visions the next. Aaah, the internal drama!!!

 

[sillyberry]

Ooh, I want to see your Save the Dates!!! Pretty please?

(and 6 weeks)

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

Since we are getting married on the lakefront, I wanted to send them out as post cards with a photo of Lake Michigan that was taken near the park where our ceremony will be. So, I've attached the front half of the post card. The back has a lovely font with all of our personal info. My sister did these; she will be doing our invites as well. Edit - I would also like to mention that these only cost $24 to print and $14 in postage for a grand total of $38 for my STDs.

 

[sillyberry]

I love it!!! And what a bargain!

We're getting married on the same lake, just about 100 miles apart!!!

 

[4ever]

Has anyone had a moment where they regret every wedding decision they've made?

I had one last night. Suddenly, every choice I made totally sucked. The color scheme, the invitation suite, the dress, the food, the entertainment...every single decision I've made has been wrong. The wedding is going to be boring, the invitations are ugly, I'm going to look terrible, etc etc etc. Nothing will be special or interesting or worthy of the ridiculous amounts of money being spent.

It's like I got attacked by the Bridal Industrial Complex and I couldn't breathe! The moment passed, but yeesh. I did not enjoy that.

Now, to be clear, I don't think this is actually the case and I swear I'm not looking for validation that I'm a special snowflake or that everything will be beautiful and blah blah blah. I just wonder if I'm the only one who has these moments of sheer panic and doubt!

Not yet, but I'm too sacered of having such a moment to actually choose ANYTHING for the wedding. I'm worried that every one little choice will kind of dictate the "theme" of the wedding and so every other little choice I make, and I might pick the "wrong" theme.

I'm looking at venue decorations, specifically table decorations and I can't decide between a collection of preserving jars (like mason jars) of different sizes all allong our long tables with candles in them or, the more moddern groupings of cylindrical vales of different sizes with candles in them. The veune has a great intamacy and moodyness to it at night so the aim would be to have enough light from the candels to have only the fairylights on inside and keep the spotlights off.

If I go with the jars I can see the whole wedding going very country chic, natural looking invites in muted tones using some recycled paper, soft country looking flowers, wine corks used as place cards, a lace wedding dress etc.
If I went with the vases I see it being more modern and glam, invites simple and elegant with a bit of sparkle, structured flower arrangements of roses, a wedding dress with a glitsy belt and shoes....

I feel like I can't make one little teeny desision because it will impact all the other desisions and I dont want to pic the "wrong" theme and then get round to somthing important like picking a dress and working out I only like glitsy dresses and hate lace or somthing. ARHHHH!

 

[sillyberry]

I think that venue is screaming out for a country chic wedding. With all that beautiful exposed wood and brick, a modern glam wedding seems a bit off. Which isn't to say you couldn't pull it off, I just think it'll take a bit more work.

Have you tried on any dresses? Even if you're not buying now, perhaps going to try them on will give a better sense of your style, which might push you one way or the other on the essence of your wedding and won't make you feel like you're locking yourself into something you hate. My BFF always wished she had built the wedding around a dress she loved, not vice versa (although she looked fantastic and she's crazy, but whatever).

 

[4ever]

I agree it is a very country chic looking venue, but it seems that all the photos I've seen of weddings at the same venue have been a lot more modern- and they did look good. FI and I do like modern looking designs (we are both very much city people), but also really appriciate the more natural country look.

I'd agree withyou about trying on dresses BUT I don't really want to try on any dresses for another 3-4months (9 +months before the wedding) becuase I'm trying to loose weight before the big day and I do suit different (and more) styles when I'm a bit slimmer. I do LOVE lace dresses (which I think would go with the theme) but I don't want to spend a lot of money on a dress and it seems lace dresses will be alot more expensive. I hoping to find a beautiful ivory plain dress which could be accesoriesed either way.

I hate making desisions.

 

[vc10um]

I agree it is a very country chic looking venue, but it seems that all the photos I've seen of weddings at the same venue have been a lot more modern- and they did look good. FI and I do like modern looking designs (we are both very much city people), but also really appriciate the more natural country look.

I'd agree withyou about trying on dresses BUT I don't really want to try on any dresses for another 3-4months (9 +months before the wedding) becuase I'm trying to loose weight before the big day and I do suit different (and more) styles when I'm a bit slimmer. I do LOVE lace dresses (which I think would go with the theme) but I don't want to spend a lot of money on a dress and it seems lace dresses will be alot more expensive. I hoping to find a beautiful ivory plain dress which could be accesoriesed either way.

I hate making desisions.

Hmmm, Future Girl, that's a toughie. I agree with SB that you should probably wait until a dress speaks to you until you decide on how to accessorize the venue. Perhaps focus on non-theme/feel specific vendors and whatnot right now. Find your photographer (and videographer if you're having one). Start researching bakeries for cakes (if your venue doesn't do them). Look into options for reception entertainment. Find your florist and possibly see if they'll come up with two alternative inspirations for you: one country chic, and one modern glam. Look into rehearsal dinner locations (if FI's parents aren't taking care of that). That should keep you busy until you feel comfortable dress shopping, no?

 

[vc10um]

Since we are getting married on the lakefront, I wanted to send them out as post cards with a photo of Lake Michigan that was taken near the park where our ceremony will be. So, I've attached the front half of the post card. The back has a lovely font with all of our personal info. My sister did these; she will be doing our invites as well. Edit - I would also like to mention that these only cost $24 to print and $14 in postage for a grand total of $38 for my STDs.

LOVE these, by the way! We did postcards as well for Save the Dates. I think ours set us back just a smidge more than yours, only because we had to order in packs of 25 and we needed 52! GAH!

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

Thanks vc10um and SB!

4ever - Your venue looks amazing, and I totally love all the mason jars with candles in them. I was thinking you should go for a shabby chic sort of look. I think it would work very well in that venue. It could be a way to do glam, but toned down a bit.

Here's a few pics I found online that would fall under that theme:

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

And something I got super excited about - my earrings came in the mail today!!! I ordered them off etsy. They look even better in person. I was thrilled! I think they will definitely add that old Hollywood charm to my dress:

 

[4ever]

Hmmm, Future Girl, that's a toughie. I agree with SB that you should probably wait until a dress speaks to you until you decide on how to accessorize the venue. Perhaps focus on non-theme/feel specific vendors and whatnot right now. Find your photographer (and videographer if you're having one). Start researching bakeries for cakes (if your venue doesn't do them). Look into options for reception entertainment. Find your florist and possibly see if they'll come up with two alternative inspirations for you: one country chic, and one modern glam. Look into rehearsal dinner locations (if FI's parents aren't taking care of that). That should keep you busy until you feel comfortable dress shopping, no?

Good advice VC- Since I don't have a definite theme or colours yet I'm focusing on finding vendors who can do either look really well and then actually nailing down the design in a couple months time. So far I have contacted two florists I like and one wedding cake maker. I think we may have a photographer (my friends sister did her fine arts degree in photography- I just need to confirm she wants to do it and is confident of doing a good job and work out how much she wants to be paid.) I have contacted a transport company I want to use (old red London bus! - Fi is English and we met in London). I’ll probably end up with a really simple dress anyway (I don’t like sparkly dresses and tend towards more casual looking options anyway) and dress it up with a pretty belt and head piece.

I feel like I should care more about entertainment but I don't really. Fi has been assigned music for the ceremony and background music for the reception- a good friend of ours does dome DJing and I think he's got his own gear so I'll see if he's interested in doing a bit of dj-ing at the reception (they won’t let us just play music off the iPod- Boo!) or if he'd rather just be a guest. I hate the idea of paying for stuff I don't care about.

As for the rehearsal dinner, we're having a very small bridal party (1 attendant each) and my parents are renting a batch near our location for the long weekend and night before for my family, FI and I and Fi's parents so we'll probably do a little practice the night before and have dinner there or at a local restaurant- nothing we need to book for this far in advance.
I really want to commit to a theme or a look and make everything work and look really cohesive, but I find it all really hard to imagine without actually seeing it.

Mrs Sterling I love your earrings! And thank you for those pictures, I find stuff really hard to visualise until I actually see it together. The flowers a neat but a little more vintage than I’m after, I really like the other two photos though, I wish I could see the centre pieces better!

 

[sillyberry]

One of my bridesmaids is using our photographer, and so I found out - we're in her brochure!

I giggled with glee, the FI groaned.

 

[rosetta]

lol, now you're famous sillyberry!

 

[vc10um]

Future Mrs. S, I love your earrings! They're fabulous!

Future Girl...I love all your ideas so far! ESPECIALLY the London Red Bus! Fabulous!!! For the music, it sounds like your friend may be a good option. Otherwise, might he be able to put together a playlist and bring his equipment, and then you can have different family members MC/introduce the different events during the reception? The rehearsal sounds pretty easy as well! Sounds like you're trucking along with over a year left to go!!!

SB, you're famous! I'm still so jealous that you did sitting/laying down pictures! I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that we'll be able to do them at our Cherry Blossom pictures at the end of the month! (And I'm bringing a blanket.)

I've got pretty much all our vendor meetings set up for our trip out to KC in March! That'll be our last trip out there before the wedding and we'll be getting most of the final details in order! YAY!

 

[4ever]

I'm nothing if not prepared! I'm the obsessive orginised sort - when I get a project I just go go go!

So last night just before bed I was struck by venue decoration insparation- white table cloths, odd sized perserving jars with candles along the long tables, white plates and napkins, purple menu with a bit of brown string details, favours in little muted purple boxes tied with brown string (or brown paper bags with purple name lables matching our stationary, or little glass jars with the same lables) with CADBURY MINI EGGS(!!!) inside as the favours (theyre kind speckly and rustic ish looking, and our wedding is the day before easter weekend starts), and maybe a small flower matching out bouquet on to of each menu, maybe a bit of lavender or somthing.

Anyway- it goes on, I've got the signing table and cake table and outdoor area all mentally sorted.

And now I will shut my mouth on this thread for a while and let you guys talk because I am letting my obsessive tendencies take over.

 

[vc10um]

I'm nothing if not prepared! I'm the obsessive orginised sort - when I get a project I just go go go!

So last night just before bed I was struck by venue decoration insparation- white table cloths, odd sized perserving jars with candles along the long tables, white plates and napkins, purple menu with a bit of brown string details, favours in little muted purple boxes tied with brown string (or brown paper bags with purple name lables matching our stationary, or little glass jars with the same lables) with CADBURY MINI EGGS(!!!) inside as the favours (theyre kind speckly and rustic ish looking, and our wedding is the day before easter weekend starts), and maybe a small flower matching out bouquet on to of each menu, maybe a bit of lavender or somthing.

Anyway- it goes on, I've got the signing table and cake table and outdoor area all mentally sorted.

And now I will shut my mouth on this thread for a while and let you guys talk because I am letting my obsessive tendencies take over.

BEST. FAVORS. EVER.

While I realize you *really* don't want to make a decision yet, I feel like you're totally leaning and running with the country/rustic chic idea, and I totally love every concept you're coming up with.

I LOVE the lavender and brown color scheme...perhaps you could tuck some actual sprigs of lavender in your bouquet for a rustic look that smells amazing. Or JUST carry lavender! It would be stunning and simple! Lavender sachets in the hotel welcome bags? LOVE the idea of tucking lavender into the menus (or have the staff fold the napkins into pockets to hold the menu and the sprig?)... I'd love some chocolate brown raffia tied around the mouths of your jars! Maybe alternating with some sheer lavender ribbon?

GAH! FG, I'm in LURVE.

 

[sillyberry]

Okay, a day where I'm not traveling...excellent.

FMS - those earrings are to die for. I think Roger would approve!

vc - you must be insanely well organized. I don't even know half the stuff I still need to be doing! I'm sure after your trip you'll really feel like everything is finally and firmly nailed down. I'm pretty sure that will be an awesome feeling!

4ever - love the ideas you're rocking! vc (as always) has some AWESOME suggestions. I love the idea of using real lavender in your decor. It smells so wonderful and really adds something special. I definitely like the favors done in brown paper bags. I always think that look is rustic but super chic. Sounds like you've got an awesome framework developing!

 

[4ever]

I really like the idea of adding lavander to the bouquets- I'll see what photos I can find of it working well a bit later. The venue has a lot of lavender so I really wanted to at least use the colour to try and tie everything together.

VC- you're right, I really am leaning more towards somthing more country/rustic- so I'll just comit and say that's what we'll do. FI really likes my ideas, and as long as he can still wear a dinner suit he's happy.

So, in an attempt to sort out all these crazy ideas (and stop driving FI mad by asking if he thinks X and Y go together) I made an insparation board!

 

[vc10um]

FG...OMG...are those FAMILY WEDDING PICTURES IN MASON JARS?!?!?! I just died and went to country chic heaven!!! I REALLY wish my side of the family wasn't riddled with divorce. I wanted to do a display like this at our reception...but my parents are divorced, I'm estranged from my father, my mom's father was an @$$hole, my dad's parents were divorced, and I don't have any married siblings! For the same reason, we're not doing a "who's been married the longest" dance during our reception. It's SO lopsided!

SB...I only LOOK organized. But this whole OOT wedding thing is at least forcing me to get things like timeline and the BIG details in order ASAP. It's all the appropos "Stupid Stuff" that's still completely unorganized.

I had a wedding nightmare for the second time last night. I'd forgotten to order the flowers! We're going with a mail-order company called Bridesign.com and I don't have to order the flowers until like 3 weeks before the wedding. They do an 18 piece box which has pretty much EXACTLY what we need. But I can't keep having these nightmares! GAH!

 

[sillyberry]

vc, wedding nightmares are the worst. I haven't had one for awhile (although I had a normal nightmare last night, which itself wasn't fun and made me worry about the contents of my subconscious...), but I always wake up in a cold sweat and can't fall back asleep.

But how awesome that you found an online florist with exactly what you need!!!

Today I met with the boudoir photographer and got that set up for late April! So exciting. Loved her. I swear, she was like my dirty soulmate. And then I went to my first Bridal Boot Camp. Oof. I am totally not cut out for anything called a "Boot Camp..."

 

[vc10um]

vc, wedding nightmares are the worst. I haven't had one for awhile (although I had a normal nightmare last night, which itself wasn't fun and made me worry about the contents of my subconscious...), but I always wake up in a cold sweat and can't fall back asleep.

But how awesome that you found an online florist with exactly what you need!!!

Today I met with the boudoir photographer and got that set up for late April! So exciting. Loved her. I swear, she was like my dirty soulmate. And then I went to my first Bridal Boot Camp. Oof. I am totally not cut out for anything called a "Boot Camp..."

I'm really excited about the online florist. I knew I only wanted callas and I'm still kicking around the idea of doing my own arrangements, but I have a feeling I'm just going to end up ordering from Bridesign. And they're partnered with 190,000 florists in the US or something like that to fix anything that may go wrong with the delivered flowers.

YAY BOUDOIR!!! I have 22 days until my pictures and I'm starting to freak. I need to go shopping this weekend for the last bits of outfits! And yay dirty soulmates. I was in theater in high school and marching band all through high school and college. There are not many people out there who can out-dirty me.

I'm not cut out for Boot Camp style classes, either. I'm hoping I can maintain my current plans through the wedding (swim twice a week, pound pavement 2-3 times a week, run on the elliptical 1-2 times a week, and pilates 3 times a week)...I feel like I should add weights in there somewhere, but my arms are DEAD after swimming and the day after, so I feel like they're getting enough resistance training there, and pilates works a lot of the muscles in my legs that aren't worked by running. So I think adding in weights would be asking for more than my body can handle at this point.

No real updates except we BOOKED OUR FLIGHTS TO BELIZE!!! Thank you KAYAK fare tracker. Early last week, fares had come down to $550/person, but I had recalled seeing them lower last year when I was pricing out the HM so we could start saving. So I decided to put a fare track on it and wait it out. 2 days later they were up to $570 and 2 days after that they shot up to $610! GAH! But I held strong. Yesterday, I got my update: American Airlines had dropped their price to $450/person! EEEEE! So, the Honeymoon is officially complete!!! (Except for purchasing a new wardrobe! )

 

[sillyberry]

At some point we totally should try to out-dirty the other.

I don't think I would be cut out for doing the arrangements for the wedding, although I'm totally impressed with people who do. I have terrible flower arranging skills (it's pathetic) and I would worry too much about being stressed. I mean, I'm planning on doing simple sunflower or daisy arrangements for the welcome dinner and that's freaking me out!

YEAH HONEYMOON!!!!!!! I'm so excited you got that last final piece of the puzzle put together. Belize sounds really awesome. FI is apparently working with my MOH on our minimoon, and I still am totally in the dark - which was the goal. Then I need to know my start date for work so I can start to plan the actual honeymoon.

You definitely don't want to burn out on the exercise front, because then (if you're like me) you'll just quit altogether. And I'm not actually quitting Bridal Boot Camp. I just plan on kvetching about it the whole time.

 

[vc10um]

At some point we totally should try to out-dirty the other.

I don't think I would be cut out for doing the arrangements for the wedding, although I'm totally impressed with people who do. I have terrible flower arranging skills (it's pathetic) and I would worry too much about being stressed. I mean, I'm planning on doing simple sunflower or daisy arrangements for the welcome dinner and that's freaking me out!

YEAH HONEYMOON!!!!!!! I'm so excited you got that last final piece of the puzzle put together. Belize sounds really awesome. FI is apparently working with my MOH on our minimoon, and I still am totally in the dark - which was the goal. Then I need to know my start date for work so I can start to plan the actual honeymoon.

You definitely don't want to burn out on the exercise front, because then (if you're like me) you'll just quit altogether. And I'm not actually quitting Bridal Boot Camp. I just plan on kvetching about it the whole time.

I will totally take you on...but I'm pretty sure that will need to be done off-PS. How 'bout when you move to DC, mmmmkay?

I'm envious of your super-secret Minimoon! I can't wait to find out where you're going!

And yes...burnout = quitter. Obviously the opposite of what I want to happen. And kvetch away!

 

[sillyberry]

Happy Monday my lovelies!

Had a productive weekend on the Welcome Dinner front. We went out searching for fabric to make tablecloths, and after much searching and much frustration, found a great patterned fabric to use as the runner. We're going to pair it with yellow "linen" tablecloths and red plates and napkins (tied up with blue and yellow raffia). Thank heavens for Joann coupons! We also found awesome jars at Garden Ridge and Ross to use for the centerpieces! They're ridged, which matches really nicely with the beehive beverage dispensers I'm ordering. We also found blankets at Ross to use as picnic blankets since we don't have enough tables for everyone. I updated the collage...the invitation inspiration isn't quite right anymore, but it's what I have.
Which brings me to a gripe, I guess. My mom has this way of making things better...which pretty much means more expensive. Like, the caterer will provide plates, but they're just white styrofoam plates. But wouldn't it be better if we had coordinating plates! And then I get all worked up about how it WOULD look better if we had coordinating plates...and it spirals down from there. It isn't breaking the bank, or anything, but...definitely getting lost in stupid stuff! I'm hoping to sell off some of this stuff post-wedding though - I don't need 24 jars!

In other news, I made a huge "oops" on the MOH attire. My mom is disabled, can't wear heels, and is very self-conscious. She was worried about finding something she loved to wear to the wedding, which is super important to her, but after we scoured the internet and did some preliminary shopping and weren't finding anything, we decided to look into having something made for her. We went to a nearby fabric store and she fell in love with some gorgeous material. The whole outfit came together like magic and we were totally excited and happy. So we cut the fabric and OOF! number one. Of course I didn't really do the math on how much all the fabric would cost. Then I started calling seamstresses recommended by the shop and OOF! number two. The quotes were crazy expensive compared to what we thought it would be. So now we have this fabric already cut and are pretty much locked into getting the suit made. It'll be beautiful and she'll be happy, but it still hurts.

I'm normally fairly savvy, but not so much in this case. I could just kick myself for not asking more questions BEFORE we started.

Hmm...I'm a bit of a downer. I'm really not, I promise! That's just what's on my mind right now! How's everyone else doing?

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

Ok, I'm glad you took the thread in this direction, because I didn't want to be a "Debby Downer" in such a happy place. But now I feel like I can share with you ladies.

I love my grandpa A LOT. Salt of the earth, they don't make men like him anymore, plus he is super handsome for an old guy! So, my plan is to have him walk me down the aisle with my dad (one man on each arm).

Found out on Thursday that he has stage 3 esophageal cancer that is spread to his stomach. Doctors are recommending chemo AND radiation followed by surgery to remove the remaining tumor. He is expected to survive this, but I'm not sure of all the unknowns that come along with this. Will he be healed from the surgery? Will he be strong enough to do this even if he is healed by then?

I haven't asked him to do this yet, and now I'm not sure if I should??? I thought it might be a good thing, as it would give him hope -- looking forward to being an integral part of the wedding ceremony. But should I put that on him with all he has on his plate? Help me sort through this one, please.

 

[sillyberry]

FMS, I'm so sorry. I'm glad to hear it appears he'll be able to make it through.

I would ask him. Tell him how much he means to you and that you would love him to walk you down the aisle, if he can. Make sure he knows that you'll understand if the time comes and he can't do it. And then have it be his game time decision.

I obviously don't know him, but I don't think it will be a burden to bear. It sounds like it would be more of a joyous thing to look forward to.

::hugs::

 

[vc10um]

FMS, I am so sorry to hear about your grandfather! Sending prayers and positive vibes to you and your family for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. And I agree with SB, ask him to walk you down the aisle! It will help provide motivation in recovery! And if for some reason he isn't up for the task by the time the wedding rolls around, perhaps he can join you and your father at the end of aisle and join arms with you there, or join you a few feet before the altar, and they can both give you away.

SB, I am loving your welcome dinner! Especially all the different napkins! They're making me want to order custom cocktail napkins for our wedding! Just 100 couldn't hurt the budget too much, right? There I go, right into your mom's trap about coordinating the plates and linens and...and...and....!!! It's so easy to blow your budget, isn't it? ESPECIALLY when you know you have enough savings to cover it! As for the situation with your mom's attire, I am sorry to hear that things are costing much more than anticipated. Hopefully, though, she will love the suit so much she will wear it many many many times in the future and remember your wonderful wedding day every time she wears it.

AFM, nothing really new to report except we booked our hotel for the duration of our stay in KC. We're at the Courtyard (which is one of the two hotels I booked for our guests) and they're honoring our wedding block rate for FI and myself for the entire time we're there (which is 5-6 nights!) so that's awesome. We're also upgraded, for free, to a King Suite, which will be SUPER helpful, since it's where all the Bridesmaids will be getting ready with me! And I think we have a fridge, so we can get champagne and orange juice the day before and not have to worry about weird Sunday alcohol laws! YAY! They're also keeping Housekeeping out of the room until we're finished getting ready on Sunday, AND we get rose petal turndown on the wedding day! So, huge thumbs-up to Courtyard properties.