Honeymoon Headache

The Knot guide says to start planning the honeymoon, seems a little early to me, but hey, I like deadlines. The original plan was a picture perfect week/week and a half long getaway to California. We would start in San Fran and then drive to LA, stopping in Half Moon Bay, Big Sur, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and Santa Monica. Sounds perfect, no? Well, after I estimated plane tickets, car rental, GAS (umm hello), food, hotels (we never stay anywhere fancy so of course hotels were a big chunk of change and California is not cheap) etc., etc., the grand total was somewhere around $7,000-8,000.

I think not.

Granted, we could stay in cheaper hotels, we could eat at cheaper restaurants, we could rent an economy car, but that just wouldn't feel special. If we are going to do it I want to do it big, I never do it big, this is my chance.

So for now, though I still hold onto my dream California honeymoon, we are considering other options. Caribbean? Virgin Islands? Mexico? We will be going in June and temps for the Caribbean reach over 90, ick, I am not a hot weather person, I am not a sit on the beach all day person (I burn easily and get bored, no offense to any beach people, I wish I could be one). I want to relax but I also want activity. St. Lucia looks gorgeous and I know it is a popular honeymoon destination but again the 90 degrees and I heard rumors of major mosquitoes that time of year, eww. Perhaps we go somewhere local for a few days and then have the honeymoon in winter when warm weather will be much more appreciated and the wallet will be a little more full. Is anyone else getting married in the summer and taking their honeymoon in the winter?

Mini Totes Are Filling Up

Since I haven't really done much planning lately I am working on a few smaller projects, like slowly acquiring items for the out of town mini totes. When we went to walk through the hotel rooms we noticed it was a little musky? musty?, you know what I am trying to say, so my dad had the idea of including mini candles in the mini totes. I already ordered blank matchbooks off Amazon and now I have the tea light candle holders. I thought they were cute and only $.95 each, I love the dots! All I need now are the tea lights and some cute labels for the matches. Oh and the travel Advil, water bottles, snacks, etc. etc. etc. But it is definitely a start!

Click link to view.

Also, a big congrats to Tara of In This Instance, I can't wait to see pictures!

Hiatus

I am going to take a break from blogging. Work is overwhelming (but great) right now and I just can't post the way I want to. I will here and there so add me to your Google Reader and you won't have to be checking all the time. Don't give up on me, I will be back!

I heart Snippet and Ink and Wedding Paper Divas!

I was the lucky recipient of a gift certificate from Wedding Paper Divas compliments of one of my favorite blogs, Snippet and Ink! I am SO excited. I have no idea what I am going to use it towards but there are so many great designs. Wedding Paper Divas is a great site to search for save the date cards, modern wedding invitations, thank you notes and rehearsal dinner invitations. Most of my favorites are by Paper + Cup. Here are a few I am considering. Thanks again to Snippet and Ink and Wedding Paper Divas!

Modern Stripes Thank You Notes

Floral Damask Wedding Invitations



Oval Monogram Wedding Invitations

Rehearsal Dinner

On to my next obsession, picking the location for the rehearsal dinner. I do realize I am not doing anything in the correct order but this is how my brain works so I just go with it! Granted most of you will have never been to any of these places but perhaps you can help me choose anyway.

Choice #1: Cucina Paradiso, private party room, $850 minimum (which may be a little high since we aren't expecting that many guests)




Choice #2: Trattoria 225, very cute but not within walking distance, I would like to avoid anyone having to rent a car, maybe we could work out a carpool...



Choice #3: Bar Louie, no private party room but they will take a large reservation, within walking distance but a bit further than we originally wanted, I like the casual, laid back feel.




Other than these 3 I am stupmed. Does anyone know any great restaurants in Oak Park?

New CB2

CB2 came out with some new awesome stuff. Originally I was kind of against the idea of registering but I realize it is just something you sort of have to do and it really does make it easier on your guests. You don't expect a gift, ever, but if someone is going to get you a gift it saves them a lot of time and anguish picking something off a registry instead of trying to guess what you might want.

Here are a few things I might want:

Sol Pendant Lamp, $99.95



Marimekko Hedwig Sheet Set, $84.95-$109.00



Acacia Mini Bar, $399.00 (Ok, I know this is a little pricey)




Oxide Frame, $49.95

Bridesmaid Stationery Sets

I am thinking of finally getting the Gocco out of the closet and working on the personalized stationery sets for the bridesmaids. I am having a hard time picking colors though because Paper Source has so many good ones. I kind of like the idea of the sets matching the tote bags. The tote fabrics and lining fabrics are shown and then the paper colors I am considering. They also have cute box mailers that I could use to present them, maybe include a fun matchy pen and labels as well. I am too indecisive!

Flower Girls YAY or NAY?

Still debating if we are going to do the whole flower girls/ring bearer thing. FH has two adorable nieces and one nephew and they would be perfect for the job but I don't know if that would be a fun thing for them or would be more of a hassle. BUT these cute outfits from J. Crew are starting to convince me! If I were to go this more expensive route we would purchase the outfits for them. Click if you would like to enlarge.

I Need More Closet Space...

"The Wedding Closet"

2 white tins/drink buckets from Target for displaying delicious bottled beverages
75 brochures from the city of Oak Park
100 blank matchbooks for OOT mini-totes (note to self: purchase travel candles)
50 OOT mini-totes, just waiting to be screen printed
1 fabulous guest book made using Blurb.com
4 packs of photo corners for fabulous guest book
1 Gocco machine waiting to be used for something
1 Xyron machine waiting to be used for something
100 favor boxes from Uline
30 assorted Sharpies for guest book
500 drink stir sticks hoping to be adorned with drink flags (all stir sticks dream of one day being adorned with a drink flag, it's true.)
27 sheets of Eames stamps from USPS.com
1 white wedding day hoodie from Old Navy
3 green tank tops waiting to be screen printed for part of bridesmaid's gift

Does that seem like a lot? Because there is much more to come!! Gotta love having an apartment that is 625 square feet. Oh and there are about 20 plus packs of Polaroid film being stored in the refrigerator.




P.S. I wish Deanna had picked Jason, oh well, I should stop watching that show anyway...

New Job = Not So Good For Blogging

Sorry, I suck, I will admit it. New job kicked my a** this week. Wedding planning will be on hold for awhile, good thing I already have so much done! See, planning ahead (ok WAY ahead) never hurt anyone.

Happy 4th of July! (and my dad's bday, happy bday dad!)