Whirlwind & Tulle

We managed to get through the first hurdle of the holidays: Thanksgiving…  Last Wednesday, we headed to Detroit, arriving in late afternoon.  We spent a little time with the FMIL and then met one of the FI’s previous co-workers for some drinks at Dragonmead in Warren (if you’re ever in the area and enjoy unique micro-brews, definitely check it out).

Thursday morning led us to Croswell, up near Port Huron, to spend time with the FGIL (is grandparents in-law a thing?).  Food, football, a tour of some of the 40 acres (stopping to pick a bit of moss for my terrarium) and more food filled the day.  Finally, an hour and a half drive put us back in Detroit.

Friday was some shopping, time spent with the FI’s various family members and a new pair of dark red cowgirl boots (after stops at three different stores).  We finished up with a late night drive back to Pittsburgh because we were both looking forward to spending a bit of time at home.

Saturday was some light errand running, resting and getting ready for… drum roll please… my first bridal shop appointment.

Sunday morning, I woke up and did my Insanity Fit Test (3^rd time, more than half way done with the program) and got ready, feeling sick the whole time.  I picked up my mom and we headed to Greensburg for my appointment at MB Bride.

I’m not 100% sure what I pictured the appointment to be like but it was probably something like what you see on Say Yes to the Dress…  A consultant would lead me to a fitting room, ply me with lovely dresses and I’d have that moment when the sun shines through the (non-existent) window, harps play and I know I’ve found “The Dress”.

Not so fast there.

We arrived a bit before noon to find cars full of other women waiting in the parking lot.  I hadn’t realized that the store didn’t open till twelve and there would be a mad rush for the doors and salespeople.  Being the laidback type of gal I am, we hung back and waited a few minutes till someone became available to help.

A few minutes later, my consultant came out and met my mom and sister (whom we met at the store).  She gave me a quick tour around the different areas of the store, showed us to the fitting room so we could drop off our stuff (i.e. my strapless bra in a grocery bag – classy) and then walked us back out to start picking dresses.

Being that I had no idea what I was looking for, other than no mermaid or empire waist dresses, it was quite the cluster…  But, we did manage to quickly pick out about seven very different dresses to start.  The best part of doing it this way was I quickly narrowed down what I liked and what did NOT work for me.  For example, dresses made 100% of satin overwhelmed me and I just couldn’t see them fitting into the “feel” of my wedding day.

So, after getting through the first set and putting two aside as “maybes”, I put on the provided terrycloth robe and wandered around to pull a few more options.  Another five or six more dresses chosen, we headed back to the fitting room.

The second set went quite a bit faster as I could tell pretty quickly when I disliked something.  There were three dresses left at the very end, two of which had made my mom cry, one that had made me tear up a bit and led to the addition of a veil and beaded headband.

So, I quickly tried those three on again.  The first one, which had been the absolute first dress I tried on, was quickly discarded because I decided it looked more like a prom dress than a wedding dress…  (Excuse the phone pics; we forgot to take a real camera with us)

The second one was also discarded pretty quickly because it just didn’t make me feel anything super special.  It was pretty but kind of plain and not super flattering to my figure.

So, that left the final dress.  It had the single thing I really wanted (but wasn’t a deal breaker): a lace-up back.  Additionally, it had a bit of bling in the form of vines and flowers, which I felt would "go with" my venue, was light/airy feeling and did amazing things for my figure.

I’m not going to post a picture of it yet, because it’s still in the running and I can’t imagine ruining the surprise for everyone (or my FI in particular).

I scheduled another appointment for Thursday at Bridal Beginning, a store in Mt. Lebanon that I’ve always wanted to go into (even when I wasn’t engaged… or even dating anyone) because of their unique window displays.

I feel like I may be able to call it quits after that appointment because I did really love the last dress at MB Bride.  I just couldn’t quite make a decision that quickly.  But, if after Thursday, I haven’t found anything that blows that dress away, I’ll be making my measurement appointment and ordering my dress!

Done and Done

Wow...  Feeling like I'm finally making some huge progress.

What do I have?

Venue - check
Caterer - check (came with the venue)
Month of Coordinator - yep
Music for Ceremony & Cocktail Hour - trio w/ flute, oboe and cello
Music for Reception - DJ deposit check being mailed tomorrow
Photography - reserved and setting up e-shoot soon
Officiant - check
Card Box - won a vintage suitcase on eBay this week (was so excited)

And, other things in the works...

Cake (conventional) - tasting appointment in early December
Dress (for me!) - first bridal shop appointment the Sunday after Thanksgiving
Menu - working to set up initial meeting and tasting with caterer

Still outstanding:

Cake (gluten free) - have an idea b/c there is only one GF bakery in Pittsburgh (that I know of)
Any resemblance of an idea on STD's/invitations/etc.
Decorations, etc.

Good thing I've gotten some things checked off b/c work is getting pretty hectic.  But, I feel like I'll be in good enough of a place to go into the holidays with nothing hanging over my head (whew!).

Busy... Busy... Busy

Today involved a lot of driving around.  Some of it was productive, some not so much.

First, I drove the FI to the airport.  He's in Utah all week for work.  Then, instead of driving straight home, I figured that I'd stop at Ikea and pick up my hanging lanterns (for the shephards' hooks that will line paths throughout the reception site).

I'd done a bunch of research online, trying to find attractive and reasonably priced lanterns, and settled myself on the Karaboda's (I think... the Ikea website has been wonky lately).  The lantern has frosted glass, a place for an over-sized tea light and a silver handle.  They are very pretty and delicate.

So, after loading 20 of them into my cart (b/c the venue coordinator told me there are 18 hooks available), I wandered around to look at candle and vase options.  I took a lot of time looking at some larger lanterns I was considering for the centerpieces and then found myself carefully examining the Rotera lanterns.  They are small and black (other colors are available) with stars cut out and room for a standard tea light.

All of a sudden, I was frozen.  Was I making a horrible mistake by buying silver colored lanterns when the hooks are black (iron, I'm guessing)?  I stood there for a long time, two lanterns in front of me, sipping coffee, debating with myself...

I finally realized that there was no way that I could make this big of a decision by myself...  Seriously, this is what I thought.  I called the FI, who was just getting in line to board the plane.  He had zero opinion (or interest) in the debate on if the lanterns needed to match the hooks.

So, I gave up...  Unloaded the lanterns from my cart and left Ikea empty-handed.  Fail!

On the way home, I called my mom and explained my issue.  She was shocked that I couldn't make a decision "that's so not like you".  No kidding.  I have bride brain and my decision making skills have been reduced to null.

Oh well.

The afternoon brought a nice break from wedding related stuff - drawing class at the North Hills Art Center.  I took in some of the cake balls I made yesterday (for a party that we didn't quite make it to):

Then, home for an Insanity Fit Test (can't believe I'm re-starting that program again) and dinner.

Finally, a trip to meet potential photographers.  If I could describe an experience opposite to my first meeting with a photographer, this would be it.  They were energetic, smiley, happy to talk about what they do (they actually seem to enjoy their jobs!) and I can definitely see them shooting the wedding.

Now, I just need to chat it over with the FI to make sure he's on board.  But, and I can't believe I'm typing this, I may have found my photographers!  (Hope that didn't jinx it b/c I can't imagine any more searching...)

Brain Cupcakes (First Attempt)

When I read the following line from an invite to a friend's party for the season premier of Walking Dead: "We'll supply the beer, but you must Bring Your Own Brains." I instantly thought of the many 'brain cupcake' images I've seen online lately.  They'd be perfect for this party.


So, this morning, I decided to try and make some.


The results?  Eh, you'll see below.  But, I feel it was a solid attempt (there's always room for improvement).


First, I mixed up a box of Duncan Hines Super Moist White Cake mix.  I followed the instructions but added about 10 drops of green food coloring.  Then, I scooped a bit into liners, and put a bit of strawberry jam in the middle:

Then, I covered them with a bit more batter.  Baked according to directions.


Next, I took a tub of Duncan Hines Cream Cheese frosting and dumped it into my stand mixer.  I beat it while adding some powdered sugar (probably about four heaping tablespoons).  I also added two drops of red food coloring.  


The frosting was put into a zippie bag with the corner cut off.  I piped two D shapes and filled them in with squiggles:

Definitely not perfect.  But, I think everyone will know what they're supposed to be (thanks to the theme of the party).

Notes for next time:

- Need to figure out a way to keep the jam in the middle of the cupcake.  Mine sunk all the way to the bottom for some reason.

- Add more powdered sugar to the frosting.  It wasn't quite firm enough for piping.

- Consider getting an actual icing bag + tip to pipe with...  This would prevent a lot of lost icing when the zippie bag splits at the seam all of a sudden.

A Zombie Time of Year

Yesterday was the epitome of an October day in Pittsburgh: cloudy and dreary in the morning, clearing up to clear skies in the afternoon, all the time chilly with a ridiculous wind blowing the leaves everywhere.  Perfect fall weather...

Perfect for making hearty meals and getting scared!

After a huge foodperks! redemption shopping trip yesterday morning (finally made it to a full $60 savings), I decided to make a pork loin with sauerkraut, potatoes, onions and apples.  Comforting and delicious (recipe below).

Then, we set out to meet some friends at Kennywood for Phantom Fright Nights.  It was super crowded but so much fun.  We got to go through several haunted houses, rode on some of the lower key rides and watched countless teenage girls run from guys with Jason masks carrying chainsaws.

I have drawing class this afternoon.  Then, hopefully dinner at Alchemy N Ale (gotta get that Groupon redeemed).  And, then, we're going to watch the season premier of Walking Dead at a friends' house.  For that occasion, I'm making brain cupcakes...  Some pics and the instructions should follow soon.

In the meantime...

Fall Pork Loin Bake

Pork Loin - about 1.5 lbs

Sauerkraut - 1 lb bag (or canned would work fine)

Red Potatoes - About 8 to 10 small, quartered

Onion - 1 medium, thinly sliced

Granny Smith Apples - two, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper and Brown Sugar (optional) - to taste

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat up a dutch oven and add a little bit of oil.  Salt and pepper the pork and then brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.  Pull the pork out of the pan for a bit later.

- Add a bit more oil and throw in the onion and apple slices.  Saute till a bit browned and tender.

- Pull the onions and apples out of the pan and tun off the heat.  Dump the sauerkraut into the pan.  Add a bit of brown sugar if desired.  Put the pork loin in the center and sprinkle the potatoes all around.  Cover everything with the onions and apples.  

- Bake, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.  (I had to pull mine out at about 2 hours.  The pork was cooked through but could have used a bit more time to become tenderize.)

- Enjoy!

Snarky Vendor & A Sense of Relief

One thing I never counted on being, as a bride-to-be, was an emotional mess.  Since the e-ring was placed on my finger, I have noticed a ridiculous amount of mood swings: crying one minute and feeling giddy the next.  Say, for example, the song that we are planning on having for our first dance starts playing on the car radio, as I’m about to pull into my office’s parking lot, and I break into tears…  That’s perfectly normal, right?

So, with this added sensitivity to absolutely everything around me, it seems that personal attacks from vendors are definitely something I’m not prepared to handle (nor are they something I was expecting from so-called professionals).

As of my last post, I was explaining my wedding photography situation.  I had met with a great photographer (quality of picture-wise) who left a little to be desired in the personality area.  Move ahead to the end of last week and I receive a follow-up email from her, just checking in to see if I had any additional questions, etc.  I replied, thanking her for her time and letting her know that I would be using a different photographer…  I know I don’t actually have another photographer signed (I haven’t even met with any other photographers yet), but I knew I wasn’t going to hire her.

Done.  Moving on.

Not quite.

I received another email from the photographer, which struck me as mature and professional.  She was requesting feedback so that she could better her offerings.  A surprise and a bit of a dilemma.  Should I be as honest as possible, offering the best constructive criticism I could create?  Should I just offer lip service and make something inane up to explain my choice?  Or, should I delete the email and forget about it?

I chose the first option: honest, constructive criticism (or so I thought).  My email went as follows:

“I wanted to get back to you with the feedback you requested.  There were three main parts to my decision for a wedding photographer, which are listed below with some points of comparison that I hope help.

1. Quality and Style - Your photographs were some of the best I saw online and in person.  I loved the detail and you definitely placed very high on my list for this part.

2. Price - At first, I felt that the price you listed would easily fit into my budget.  When I started adding the items I wanted plus the holiday surcharge and tax, it became one of the more expensive options I was considering.  It seems like engagement sessions and a guarantee of two photographers are included in quite a few packages, which were more important to me than any kind of album or prints.

3. Personality - This is a tricky one because my fiancé and I both hate having our pictures taken.  I am trying to find a photographer who is outgoing and personable, who will hopefully be able to get us out of our shells for the engagement shoot and on the wedding day.  I can't really explain this much more than saying it's a gut feel when I meet with people.

Anyway, I hope this helps and wish you the best with your photography.”

Done?  Moving on?

Of course not.

I was shocked yesterday, when I opened up a response from her, which blamed me for the personality issues in point 3.  To summarize, she said that during our meeting, it didn’t seem like I wanted to be there to ask questions and get information.  I guess maybe it could have come across that way…  But, my thoughts are that, as a professional photographer, she should realize that I may have never thought about what questions I should be asking.  I wanted to be sold, maybe even charmed a bit.  This person is going to be around all of my closest friends and family members on one of the most important and memorable days of my life.  I want to like my photographer, at least on the surface level that we’ll be on in the few minutes we meet.

Oh well…  Good decision on not hiring her I guess…  The search continues…

Photographers & Heartbreak

So, earlier in the week, I was prepared for three meetings with wedding photographers.  I had one scheduled for Monday, another on Thursday and the last for this evening.  One (and only one) meeting later, I am starting over from scratch.  Harrumph.

What happened?  Here's the breakdown:

The meeting on Monday was with a photographer whose work I absolutely love.  She has pictures of a wedding at my venue featured on her site and I found myself looking at them over and over, replacing the bride and groom with myself and the FI (we looked fabulous!).  She has tons of close-up, artsy pics of the details I'm looking for: beautiful hanging dress shots, cakes aglow with sunlight, etc.

The only problem?  While reading through her FAQ's, I found her tone to be a bit short, bordering on rude.  Not a big deal, I thought; some people aren't great at communicating through written word.  Sarcasm doesn't translate well, etc.  Plenty of excuses were found b/c I loved the pictures.

Ok, so there was another slight problem...  Someone else, a wedding related professional, knew of someone who had had a not so great experience with this photographer.  The photographer had left the wedding without letting anyone know and missed several important picture moments ( the father/daughter dance being one of them).

In my mind, I had already decided against hiring her.  I can't get past the idea that pictures are the one tangible thing that lasts beyond the actual day of the wedding (ignoring the marriage, of course).  I'm just not willing to take any unnecessary risks.  But, I drove the 45 minutes to her studio for the meeting anyway, perhaps hoping that she'd blow me away with albums and charm.  Alas, no such luck.

So, one photographer down...  I tried to think a bit more logically.  I made a spreadsheet detailing what was included in each package and at what cost.  After looking closely at the numbers and going back over the website portfolios, I decided that I was probably not going to hire Photographer #2, who I was supposed to drive another 40 minutes to meet with on Thursday.

After deciding on Photographers #3&4 (the third meeting was with a married couple who shoot together), I emailed #2 to say that I had made my decision earlier than expected and would be cancelling our meeting.

Fast forward to sitting on the couch with my FI, watching some Thursday night TV, an email comes across from my chosen photography company: they're cancelling the meeting b/c they've been booked.  WHAT?!?

Heartbreak sets in and I frantically start visiting the links of recommended photographers they sent with their cancellation.  Some are good.  All are less expensive.  So, I've filled out a bunch more information requests forms.

Now, I wait... And, maybe do a bit more searching online...  And, consider the possibility of student photographers?  Eh, we'll see.