Nate & Kayla

So, even though it’s past midnight and I should be sleeping, I am instead writing a post for you, my devoted fans. ha.

So I was looking at the knots to do list and I realize that I’m doing pretty well!

Grooms: Choose and buy any accessories you will need: shoes, shirt stays, cuff links, and a pocket square.

- We’re just about done

Send out invitations (be sure to add extra postage for overseas guests).

-Happening next week or the week after at the latest

Begin writing the ceremony program if you are having one.

-Almost done

As you receive presents, be sure to update and/or add items to your registry list and record the gifts you get.

-Yep!

Begin working on vows, particularly if you’re writing your own.

-Almost done

Confirm reservations for out-of-town guests.

-Done for guests of honor

Research local marriage license requirements.

A quick peak into the 1 month stage and this is what we see:

Set aside some time to write thank-you notes for gifts received at the bridal shower.

-I’m going to do that the day after the shower

Grooms: Attend your bachelor party (and be sure to thank the best man afterwards).

-His bachelor party is 8/30 

Brides: Attend final wedding-gown fitting.

-Scheduled for 9/19

Make an appointment to take the veil to your hairstylist and make sure your wedding hair and veil work together.

-Scheduled for 8/23.  No veil!!!!  

Brides: Buy gifts for your maid of honor and bridesmaids.

-They are about 60% done

Grooms: Buy gifts for your best man, groomsmen, and ushers.

-They are chosen but not purchased 

Send rehearsal dinner invitations.

-Made the reservations for the rehersal dinner.  Invitations will be going out mid September

Do trial runs of hair and makeup; schedule wedding-day beauty appointments.

-Did the makeup already and hair is 8/23

Finish and print ceremony programs.

-I’m designing these as we speak.

Confirm wedding-night and honeymoon reservations.

-Confirmed

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So hows that for progress?  I am seeing the finish line folks!!

Why am I a bad bride, you ask?  Well, I have a whole slew of reasons right now that I could throw at you, but maybe I will just give you a few.

The big HUGE reason is that…ok…wait for it.

I hate my dress.

Ok.

Maybe I’m being too harsh.  I don’t HATE my dress.  I put it on again the other day (for maybe the third time since I bought it back in Novemember) and for the first time I didn’t LOVE it.  It felt so…heavy.  The train (which I never freaking wanted in the first place) felt at least 10 million miles long.  I just felt very…overloaded.  I don’t think it’s really the dress.  I think it is the manfiestation of all of my nerves and I am just taking it out on my dress. 

The worst part is that I have no nerves concerning the MARRIAGE portion.  I know that there is no one in this world that is more right for me than Nathan.  It’s nerves about the WEDDING portion.  I’m not afraid that anything is going to go wrong, per se, but having all eyes on me for a good 24 hour period is enough to drive me out of my mind. 

So, let me regress a little bit.  I don’t hate my dress but the dress is overwhelming me.  Heather told me that her dress weighed a million pounds as well, but she didn’t feel it because she was so caught up in the day.  I’m hoping that I will come to that point as well.  

I’m getting my first fitting on Sunday so hopefully when I put it back on I don’t pass out

So what is the second reason that I am a bad bride? 

Well, I’ve been checking our registry like it’s going out of style.  Well, it probably is out of style to do that.  Heather (she is obviously my go to whenever I am having a wedding breakdown) assured me taht it is totall ok to do that, but she may have been placating me.  I’m just excited!  Am I ruining the surprise? Probably, but I really truly hate surprises so it’s all for the better.

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So, on the GOOD bride side of things, my inviations are DONE!  Well. Almost done. 95% done.  That counts, right?  I just have to print our response envelopes, get our stamps and get our calligraphy done and THEN I’m done.  I swear, there was a point in the middle of the inviation process where I was ready to give it all up and just get them printed by  a professional.  Now that I can see a finished product I am SO proud of what I accomplished.  Not only do I think they are gorgeous, they are unqiue and they are 100% a product of my brain.  That is so damn impressive.  Seriously.  I’m impressed. Are you impressed?  Just wait till you get yours.

In other news, my grandmother and my Aunt Linda are coming out here next week so they can attend my bridal shower!  I am so excited to see them both.  It’s been about 2 years since I”ve seen either of them.  It’s odd because when I was growing up I probably saw the two of them just as much (if not more) than I saw my parents!  I so adore them both and can’t wait to introduce them to the other ladies in my life!

Ok, my fingers are about to fall off now and I’m almost done with my lunch hour.  You can thank my future sister in law Anne for this update, by the way.  She said she was so bored at work that she might have to stab her eyes out with a pen (well, not that severe) so I decided I would update and save her.

Thats all for now!

Seriously.  Let me eat cake or else.

We’re leaving for our cake tasting soon! I’m verrrrry excited.

So I bought my shoes yesterday.  After two bad experiences online and two returns I figured I just had to go to a real store and try stuff on.  Alana and I went to Macy’s and Nordstroms and the FIRST PAIR we freaking picked up wound up being the one!  I think that is the recurring theme when it comes to our planning, haha.  I cna’t find any pictures of these shoes online, but they are FIERCE.  Way fiercer than that last pair I posted.  I kinda wanna wear them all the time..  Oh yeah, they are comfy too!  woo!

Ok, we’re off to Wente to stuff our faces with cake YAY!

Oh yeah, my first bridal shower is in 2 weeks! It’s all coming together!  

Somehow, almost 10 months have passed since we got engaged.  And also, somehow, it is only 4 months till the wedding.  4 months from today I will be a married woman.

WOW.

we have our cake tasting next weekend!  I’m quite excited.

I wish I could talk more about planning but I have so many cute little details that I want to surprise people with.  

Ok

well I guess I can show you my FIERCE shoes

So, this is supposed to be a wedding blog, I know I know.  But! i just had one of the most amazing meals of my life.  My future in laws and my future husband and I went to Michael Mina in SF for my birthday.  Michael Mina is one of the first few restaurants in the United States to be given a Michelin rating.  not only that but they received 2 Michelin stars!  They are a big deal folks!

OK, enough blathering, here is what I ate:

We first had a surprise treat of a Sea Urchin Panna Cotta, Crab tempura and BBQ eel.  Sea urchin? Yeah, not so much. Way too fishy. But I tried it so I’m proud of myself.  The other two bites were amazing though.  I don’t think I’d ever eaten eel before either!

Next, our first course.  I had:

Dayboat Scallops ~ Spring Vegetables 

  • English Peas, Nantes Carrots, Onion Soubise 

  • Fingerling Potato, Young Leeks, Black Truffle  

  • Fava Beans, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Pork Jus 

So, I just had a total freak out moment.  4.5 months!? SERIOUSLY!?  Why did I think it was still like 6+ months to go?  Time to burst into overdrive!

So, since i have nothing else to talk about right now I will just post pictures that have been an inspiration to me during planning.  These items may or not wind up actually being in the wedding.  Some of them are just pretty pictures

oh yeah

by the way

ITS ALMOST MY BIRTHDAY!

1 hour left and I will be. Well. I’ll be ancient. *cough*

Ok. I’m a baby.  I’m 23.

 Woot! Happy birthday to me

What’s new on the wedding front?  Welllll we’ve chosen our honeymoon spot!! woot woot.

We’ll be spending 4 nights at:

The Venetian  I love it!  So excited.

I think my favorite restaurant in Las Vegas is closed.  It was closed for renovations but now I thin it may not be coming back  Now I don’t know where I can get turtle soup!  Yes. Turtle soup. Don’t knock it till you try it.

Well I’m glad that another thing is off the to do list!  

Oh by the way we are just over a week until…MY BIRTHDAY!!  I’ll be 23.  How exciting.  Is it weird that I’m extra excited because that will be my marriage age.  O.k. I’m weird.  Why is that exciting.  

After months and months of debating over a first dance song. I found it. Accidentally!!

I wasn’t even LOOKING!

No, I’m not going to tell you what it is.  But it’s perfect.  It’s very us.  It’s funny and cute and ….oh my gosh I’m gonna explode.

Just a little teaser pic from our engagement session.  I had a lot of fun being told what to do and how to pose  It was totally different than any experience ever.

We’re on our way to Heathers so she can make me pretty for our e-pics.

Here’s me RIGHT NOW. Excited cant you tell?

http://www.cupcaketime.com/wedding/kaylanow.jpg