Anyone who wants to can view the wedding ceremony on uStream at 11am central time (recording will be available afterward).  We found out today they have wifi at Dave and Busters so we plan on turning it back on at 1pm to stream the reception as well.

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Family starts arriving tomorrow around lunchtime.

Bra

Got it (finally) from Bare Necessities online and it fits and works under the dress, so that is done. Other than the fact that Ann’s Bra Shop can’t seem to credit me back correctly for the one I returned to them.

So all of my DIY projects are done.

Cake and Cupcakes

I picked up the candy flowers for the cupcakes. SUPER cute!

I am picking up the cupcakes and cake on Friday and will put these on them then.

Centerpieces

DONE! (unless I have to add an extra one because of some last minute RSVP’s that change our table count)

Ring bearer Pillow

Done.

Flower Girl Baskets

Done.

Garter

Got one.

Memorial Candle

Done.

Guestbook Card Basket

Done.

Card Box

Done.

Cake Topper

Done.

(no picture because its still a secret!)

Wedding Ceremony Online

We are going to attempt to broadcast our wedding ceremony live online via uStream. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mattandkristiswedding
Watch us finally make it legal from the comfort of your own home!
(times are in Central Time)

Other

I still have quite a few items on my to-do list but it is shrinking fairly quickly.  I made calls yesterday and today to confirm orders and reservations, I still have a few calls to make there.  Tuesday is my last day of work before the wedding then I have 3 full days of running around getting stuff done before the big day!

Dress

I had my second dress fitting today.  The seamstress had taken the bubble hem out and let the bottom part of the waist out about 1/2 inch.  I tried it on and she pinned up the hem and decided to let the top part of the waist out (under my bust) to give a bit more room.

I STILL haven’t found a bra that is going to work with the dress.  All of them are showing under the arm holes.  I am going to go to Ann’s Bra Shop here in town this weekend. They specialize in hard to fit sizes like me.

Photos

We met with our photographer Kym on Monday and went over what we want and don’t want and came up with a schedule.  I am so excited about Kym taking my pictures!  Check out her awesomeness here and here.

Hair & Makeup

I setup my hair cut and color appointments for the Wednesday before the wedding.  Matthew is having his haircut the week before.  My hair goddess will also be doing my hair and makeup day of.  Have I ever told you how much I love Patrice Clements?  She is the hair goddess!

Cake Topper

Got the last piece I need for the cake topper, it needs some work but will be done soon.

Flowers

I ordered my flowers.  I am getting them from Dierbergs.  White Gerbera daisies with light green ribbon for the boutineers and corsages.  I think I am going to go with multi-color Gerbera daisies for my clutch bouquet, just for a pop of color against the dress.

Ceremony

We finally decided NOT to have the ceremony at our house.  It wold just be too many people in a small space. So we have moved the ceremony to a hotel near the reception. Most of the out of town guests will be staying there as well so that makes things easier.

Centerpeices

I got the ribbon put on all of the pots for the centerpieces.  I still  have to find a place to get the candy to put inside them!  If anyone knows where to get bulk candy, let me know.

A quick tip: use double stick tape to keep the ribbon from slipping when tying your bow.

Dress

I had my first dress fitting last week (no pics, sorry).   Its being let out 1/2 inch in the waist (this makes me sad), the bubble hem taken out and the hem taken up about 3 inches.  I have to go back in a week or so so she can pin the hem up because she had to take the bubble part out first so the hem will hang straight.

Hairpiece

I have been working on different hair pieces, I posted version 1 last time.

For a refresher, here is version 1

I made versions 2 (forgive the lack of makeup and bad hair, I’ve been working in the heat all day). I like this version, it looks better in person than it does with me trying to take a picture of it myself.  (I look like I am being sent to my death in that 2nd picture)

and version 3.  The only reason I made version 3 is because I LOVE this fabric.

Shoes

If you recall, I bought wedding shoes already.  Cute shoes.  Well, the problem is, they are not very comfortable and the flip-flop nature of them  makes my dress get caught on my heels.  Soooo..I went in search of wedding new shoes.  Last Saturday I went to 3 shoes stores and came home empty handed.  Sunday (my fitting was Wednesday) I HAD to get shoes. I went to 2 stores then the mall, after 6 stores in the mall I was EXHAUSTIVE and resigned to going home empty handed again when I saw the Payless Shoes on my way to the exit and decided to stop in.   And what would you know, I found shoes. And they fit. And they are comfortable!

I like them but they were a little plain, so I decide to jazz them up a bit

I am really happy with the way these turned out.

Cupcakes

Being the nerd that I am, I made a mockup of what my cupcakes will look like on my cupcake tree I finished a couple weeks ago

Cardbox

I re-covered my card box and am much more happy with it!

Other

Most of the RSVP’s are in, just waiting on a few stragglers.  I worked on the top-secret cake topper some more, its almost done.

I ordered and received my necklace and I LOVE it! (That is my new hair clip there too)

I ordered and received new glasses, because I thought my old ones did not look feminine enough with my dress, what do you think?

Current

New

Old with dress

New with dress

I made this little prototype veil thingy (a veilette if you will), not sure what I think about it yet

On Me

By itself 

Picked up the last of the ribbon I should need for the centerpieces

Picked up the flowers for the centerpieces  (hooray for Hobby Lobby 50% off)

Got some chocolate pebbles to put in my centerpieces  to see how they look.  I am going to order the chocolate this week for the centerpieces before it gets too hot to ship it.

Finished covering, decorating and putting together the cupcake tree

Finished version 1 of my card box, there is probably going to be a version 2 because I don’t like the seams on this one!

My shoes came and are very comfy!

Got a nice heavy duty extra long dress bag

Did some work on the secret cake topper, Mom is going to help me some more when I see her this coming weekend for Memorial Day.

I started working on the card box this week.  I had picked up a box at Hobby Lobby for $4 a couple weeks ago but had been putting off working on it because I didn’t want to cut the hole in the top.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and started it. 

Cutting the hole was not as bad as I thought, and I got it fairly even and straight

Next I decided I needed to cover the whole thing in paper before covering  it in fabric, because I didn’t want to polka dots to show through

About 2/3 of the way through this process, I decided to cover the whole thing with batting before I put the fabric on, to make it look better and also to make it easier to attach the fabric, which is kind of slippery, but since I was almost done covering it, I went ahead and finished.

So today I decided that I might as well cover this thing since I had everything I needed (I thought).

I measured and cut the batting

I then affixed the batting to the box with spray adhesive

Then I cut the fabric….incorrectly

So I am going to end up with more seams than I wanted and will have to decide if that is okay.  I ended up making A LOT of cuts and using a LOT of spay adhesive but I got the fabric over the batting

So the spray adhesive won’t hold the seams at the corners down

I am going to pickup some hot glue and try that,  the fabric is kind of slippery, so I am hoping that will work.

The plan right now after I get the seams taken care of is to put a ribbon around it like this

after that i will add a “cards” sign on the front.

I need to go to Hobby Lobby and get more of this ribbon, I have bought all they had 3 times now!

Attire

My shoes arrived, I’m not 100% sold on wearing these for the wedding, but they are comfy and I like them.

Matthew’s tie arrived

My hair clips arrived

Favors

The cards came that will go in the favor envelopes and double as the guest book cards.  I got those stuffed in the envelopes I had already stamped.

Dress #2 came today. Not sure if I like it or not.  I like it, its comfortable, but its sleeveless.  Here are some pictures.  What do you think?

Reception

Mini-envelopes for favors will be here tomorrow.  Need to decide how to decorate them.

Centerpiece

I finally decided on a centerpiece! Thanks to the ladies on TheKnot.com DIY forums and my good buddy Jocelyn.  Here it is!

Now I just have to get more ribbon (this was the last spool at hobby lobby) and more pots and decide what kind of candies to use (these are chocolate covered raisins here)

Cake Topper

I had a fantastic idea and am following up on it, I am keeping it a secret though!

Envelopes for favors

Found these, had to search for “florist envelope” to find the right size.

Guest Book

I am going to get business cards printed that have info about the D&B  play cards that go in the envelopes.  On these I am going to print “please write a note for the bride and groom and leave it in the basket at the front of the room”.  This will be our guest book.

Flowers

Found a great price on the flowers at Dierbergs florist, I called and talked to them and am going to order my flowers from there.  They will even deliver!

Invitations

My printer died but I was able to resurrect it.  Gotta love HP printers.  It lived through printing my envelopes (yeah, I decided to do that so that the post office could actually read the address) the invites and the inserts.   We are getting the invites out early due to the number of people coming from out of town.

Dress

100% decided against making it myself even with help.  I went shopping on Friday, for hours.  I hate shopping.  Really. Really. Really hate shopping for clothes.  I came home with no ideas and depressed.   However I got online again and actually ordered a dress today.  Ordered it from one of my regular clothing places so I can return it if I don’t like it.

This, in white

Reception

There is a big screen in the reception room,  I am thinking of putting together a slideshow.

Instead of a guest book I am thinking of doing small note cards that people can write on, then after the wedding I can assemble them all in a frame to hang on our wall.  What do you think of this?

Any ideas for fun, simple centerpieces?

I have to figure out the logistics of getting to the venue early, after the ceremony, to get everything setup there

Ceremony

Back to having it at the house,  may have to rent some chairs.

Diet

I’ve decided I need to lose some bulk before the wedding since I will be one of the centers of attention (not my favorite thing) and be in a lot of pictures (also not my favorite thing).  So we started South Beach on Monday. Ugh.  Its hard. Mentally and physically. The cravings get bad sometimes and its a lot of work to make the meals, all of the meals from scratch.   However, I have lost 6 pounds since Monday morning, so I guess its worth it. Only one more week on phase 1 then it will get a bit easier.

Flowers

Jocelyn found gerber daisies for $1.30 a stem.  Now we just have to figure out how to make corsages and boutonnieres.

So ever since then we have been making decisions.  Where. When. Who. We decided on the big where (St. Louis) and the when (July 24th, which also happens to be Matthews birthday) and started working on a guest list.

Venue

We have been figuring out the more detailed where and looking at prices and menus and things like that, that is a work in progress.  This is going to be expensive any way you cut it.

Invitations

I ordered invitations, I got a great deal 100 self print invitations for $17 shipped!  I am working on the wording since it will be non-traditional.  I must find the right font!!!!

Dress

I have trouble finding clothes that fit at the best of times, so I decided to make my dress.  Now, here is the problem with that…I can’t sew.  Sooooo….the wonderful Michelle is going to attempt to teach me how, she deserves an award just for offering.   Since this is going to be a very casual, laid-back type of affair, I will not be having a formal traditional wedding gown.   I have picked out two patterns, one is a vintage 40′s dress pattern (will post a picture of that one when it comes), the other is a Vogue pattern

Michelle and I are going to start this learning process with a “test dress” after I get back from Chicago.  Mary has been helping me try to pick out a fabric, so far that has been a frustrating process as I am very picky about color.

Cake

Cupcakes with whipped cream icing!

Out of Town Guests

I need to start researching hotels around our house since most of our guests will be coming from out of town.

Details

Its a good thing I am good at details and a bit neurotic, I have started a file for everything, to keep track of these details.  I am using The Knot to keep track of things, its a good site with lots of lists!  I love lists! Matthew is being fantastic and makes me happy every day that I will be spending the rest of my life with him. <3