Born to be Mrs. Beever

This is an image of the dress I originally wanted my bridesmaids to wear (and in this color, too):

After+Six+6554+(2) Wed Recap: Let them wear what they want!
Isn’t the back adorable?  It’s a Dessy (After Six) dress (from their web site).
After+Six+6554+(3) Wed Recap: Let them wear what they want!

When I took my six bridesmaids with me to a shop to try it on, I was so excited to see them all fall in love with it.  Perfect for our spring April wedding and to match our turquoise/aqua color.  Unfortunately, they all HATED it!  I mean, not just, “Uh, we’re not thrilled about it.”  But rather, it is totally unflattering…the bust is horrible…I hate the color…please don’t make us wear this, hated it!

I was so bummed.  But I wasn’t going to let the attire issue come between me and my girlfriends and relatives.  Then they started going on about how they didn’t like the blue colored dress and wanted to go with red instead (the other color of our wedding).  They said they would more likely wear red again and it would be flattering on all skin tones.  I was really bummed out about this because the blue was what I wanted to go with my color scheme!  The red was only the accent color.  So I asked them to show me some options of what they liked.  They came up with two choices:

Dessy+2721 Wed Recap: Let them wear what they want!
Photo by Dessy
(This would be in the same color as above)
August 31, 2010 by Born to be Mrs. Beever | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Fashion, Jewelry & Runway | 1 Comment
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Born to be Mrs. Beever

I totally realized that I hadn’t scheduled a post about my team of wonderful ladies who helped beautify and dress me on the day of the wedding.  I can’t believe I forgot this normal recap because even though I was irritated by all the photos our photographer didn’t get, the ‘getting ready’ shots are truly some of the most beautiful and my favorite shots of the day.  But before you check out the photos, here’s a couple minutes of several pieced together videos of my friends and family getting me dressed :)

This is Natalie Buketov.  Natalie did my hair and makeup as well as hair and makeup for four of my bridemaids and my mom.  She showed up at 7:30 in the morning and left just after our first look when we were about to start pictures which was probably at about 2 pm.  My girls looked GORGEOUS!
Yes, I have false eyelashes on here for sure
20100416 StaceyJohn 0036 Wedding Recap:  It takes an army (or getting ready)
Getting ready some more.  I was the second to last one to get styled.
July 21, 2010 by Born to be Mrs. Beever | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Wedding Photos & Video | 1 Comment
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Erin Powers

My favorite photos from our wedding were of the children.  I was really happy with a lot of our wedding photos – I looked amazing – but I still give it to the kids for looking cuter.  Here are some of the pictures to prove it to you.

Wedding Sean 034 Whats a Wedding without Children?

Aren't they adorable?

Wedding Dave 086 600x401 Whats a Wedding without Children?

The wedding party is complete with the ring bearer and flower girl! Even though it took about a dozen shots to get one with them both mostly smiling, it was worth it.

Wedding Sean 055 Whats a Wedding without Children?

Flower Girl: La la la! Ring Bearer: I don't want to do this! I'm mad!!

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They made it! And all the flower petals are still safely in the basket.

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It's dinner time! You can see the activity place-mat and basket (with crayons and Legos) I put out for the kids.

Picture 249 600x800 Whats a Wedding without Children?

Is this little girl good enough for our group?

(more…)

July 9, 2010 by Erin Powers | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Wedding Photos & Video | 2 Comments
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FutureMrsAble

A little update on my maid of honor. Her & I have been friends since Freshman year, 1999. We became closer in 2002 when we had Senior French together. After we graduated in 2003, her parents moved about 1 hr away from our hometown. So we lost contact. During the period of us not being in contact, she lost one of her very good friends named Eric. He died of some kind of blood disease where your blood dries up in your body. I’m not real sure really, she didn’t go into big details, just an overview of it. When he died, Melissa lost it. She was mentally incapable of performing her job duties. This is understandable considering Eric was her best friend and all of a sudden he was no longer there. She talks highly of him and says that he was even happy go lucky during his last days. (Which I think killed her the most.) During work one evening she hit a breaking point. Supervisors at UPS told her she needed time to grieve. Her family agreed but it was beyond grieving. She needed counseling.

UPS, her then employer, offers amazing benefits as most people know. So, with her insurance & special benefits she was given time to take outpatient treatment at a local center called Tinbrook. Along with her outpatient treatment being paid for 100% they paid her 100% of her wages as well. Awesome. During her time in therapy she learned how to live with the grief but it only lasted for a while.

Her & I started talking again in December of 2007. We arranged a Mary Kay party for January 2008. She is a MK consultant. After January we pretty much grew inseperable. I even would go stay at her house w/ her parents while she was on the road after she quit UPS to be a Semi Truck Driver.. yes, those big ol’ 53″ trailer haulers!! I remember being so excited for her change in career. I pushed her to do what makes her happy. And she started, likes it for a while but because of a certain someone, things got hard on the road and her depression came back.

Melissa has battled with herself over not having a boyfriend. She talks a lot about how she has only had one real boyfriend and it wasn’t even serious. I think deeply that she loved Eric but did not have that opportunity with him and she is heartbroken but does not want to admit it.

On Monday, at 10PM EST, Melissa went with her Aunts to be admitted to Our Lady of Peace Institute. I am very proud of her for wanting to take care of herself. There is much more insight into the situation but I don’t feel like airing her dirty laundry. There is a certain gentleman friend of hers that is no longer allowed to be in contact with her because he contributes to the stress, depression & suicidal ranting of Melissa.

I love Melissa with all of my heart. She is my best friend. Her parents have voiced their appreciation of our friendship because they seen an improvement in Melissa after we started hanging out regularly, I started going to her house to spend nights, etc. But in the past couple of months none of us have known what to do with Her. She doesn’t know how to help herself and we didn’t know where to even begin. She thought she couldn’t get help because of being unemployed and not having insurance but they found someone to help her.

Right now I am focued on my B.F.F getting healthier. Mentally and Physically. She is a beautiful person, inside & out. She deserves happiness & if she lets this gentleman keep contacting her we’ll never get her healthly again. But she wants to be better so this is going to be a good thing I think.

Here is a photo of us!!

CIMG1868 My Maid of Honor Pardon the terrible shot. We were both slightly intoxicated at her party here!! But I’ve misplaced all of our good pics :(

June 24, 2010 by FutureMrsAble | Filed under: Bridal Parties | 2 Comments
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Almost Mrs.Telo

I feel like I haven’t written in here in forever! My invitations have gone out and today I received my first two response cards! So exciting!

I am a traditional kind of girl but since it’s MY wedding, I was kind of thinking it wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t follow certain traditions. For example, we aren’t doing the garter toss/tradition because my fiance isn’t American and I don’t even think he knows what that is. So I think it’s silly to make him and his other Albanian friends take part in something  that they just don’t get. I was going to do the bouquet toss until I realized that most of the women coming are not single! So I really don’t want to do it with just 4 girls! I do plan on singing a song, I was thinking Alicia Keys “If I Aint Got You” because I have always really liked to sing and my fiance loves when I sing that song. But besides that, is there anything else I can do instead of the bouquet/garter toss? What did or will you do?

Another thing is that I am not making the bridal party dance together. I have always found this so awkward every time I had to do it. Our bridal party will be announced before us and will go sit down at their seats. Then we will start our first dance, halfway through the dj will invite any couples to come up and join us. Then our bridal party and anyone else who wants to can come can join us with their dates.

On a completely different random note, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate my fiance really stepping up to the plate. It’s no secret he would have simply preferred going to city hall with two witnesses, but he knows how much I want my special day so he has really been supportive. And although he isn’t as involved as some grooms, (he could care less about invites and linens, and I had to explain that yes, we do need favors) he has been sacrificing for me. We share one car, which was his car before we moved in together and mine went to car heaven, and because I commute to work, I take it Monday through Friday. He is a chef so he gets rides from coworkers when working in the morning or waits for me to bring him in the evening if that is when he is scheduled. I know he’d love a second car, but it’s not in the budget right now with the wedding coming up in less than two months. (I can have a second car anytime but a wedding is once in a lifetime!) He has also been training me at the gym so I can be in tip top shape for the wedding and honeymoon! I feel so lucky to be marrying him!

June 22, 2010 by Almost Mrs.Telo | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Entertainment,Wedding Etiquette & Advice | 4 Comments
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Vonda_July2010

It’s been a while since I last blogged, but that’s because its crunch time right now so I’ve been extra busy. These last three months have been a rollercoaster. So let me give you the rundown.

I’ve come to realize that I made a mistake with my MOH. She’s has definitely placed a dark cloud on my wedding experience. Let me 1st mention that she volunteered for the position early b/c she wanted it so badly. Anyway, she got upset over something very trivial. Apparently she was a bit bothered by my May Wedding Newsletter; detailing some of the duties I wanted the BM’s help with, some of MOH customary duties like giving a toast during reception. She emailed me three or four weeks after I sent the newsletter, when I was trying to give her name/addresses of people to invite to my bridal shower, and stated that she was offended. She proceeded to go off on me via email and reattached my newsletter with all her remarks in caption. Who the heck does that!!!??? I responded very nicely and respectfully asked her to step down from her position if I was becoming a problem for her. Of course she said NO!!! “She’s fine”. At this point I’m confused. I left her and the situation alone, and continued to plan my wedding. I didn’t hear from her like I normally would & I didn’t contact her. This went on for 30 days.
My sister, who is my Matron of Honor, contacts her about my shower to see how she can help her and she tells her that she’s not going to throw me one and that she should do it and instead & she’ll help her if she needs it. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
I contacted her and we had it out.
I pretty much told her I will have no one at my wedding, and in my wedding (especially standing beside me) I don’t plan on talking to on July 11th and going forward. So we need to figure out the tension. Again my wedding is July 10.
Long story short, two BM & and hostess said they would throw me shower and to not let all this negativity come my way. They told me to sit back and relax while they handled things. To say the least, they were bit PO’d about the ordeal too. I’ll update you in my next post about my bridal shower b/c it was wonderful!!!

June 15, 2010 by Vonda_July2010 | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Wedding Etiquette & Advice | 0 Comments
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FutureMrsAble

[Originally written on 6/12/2010]

I had a freaking break down tonight. I mean a flood wall of tears. I slipped up & told my hubby-2-be that my veil was pink. :( I didn’t want him to know any thing about what I’d have on. I had set my mind on that so much that I actually decided I was even going to buy a new hair clip so he didn’t know which one I was going to have on. :( I wasn’t even going to show him the new one.

Am I going crazy? Or, did I have a legitimate reason to cry? I feel terrible for slipping up. I’ve held it in for 2 1/2 months now. Ughhh. :(

[This was added on 6/14/2010 @ 1:05AM]

Why is it that when I look on weddingwire.com (which is actually linked via my facebook profile) and read everyone’s colors, themes, plans, dresses, etc, I feel like I am going to vomit? I see these gorgeous dresses that I know I could never even bare trying on because its no where near a budget I can afford. And then I see that the color scheme I am using is so common & three years ago when I was going to get married the first time everyone thought I was nuts for choosing those colors because they’re just not proper. I literally get so angry and want to vomit when I see all of these girls with the same colors as me. And there plans look so much better than mine (probably because they’ve got daddy’s money, something I don’t have the luxury of.) Sadly it makes me hate people that I don’t even know. I don’t want to be that way. I mean, every time I sign into facebook I am on weddingwire immediately to see the updates & to look at my countdown clock and I immediately get p.o’d because someone else is getting married with my colors and themes. I don’t want to be this way. I’ve never wanted to be better than anyone. Heck, I’ve never wanted to be like someone.

In my insane madness of tears when I realized hot pink & black was the new lavender and ivory, Jamie simply says, “Change your colors.” It’s easier said than done. And I love the man with all of my heart and I know he is trying to be there for me but he really doesn’t understand.

And another thing that has me upset is my MOH. She is making no attempt to make herself involved. I tell her when I am doing things so she can come along but she never does. I tell her details via text messages and she never cares. She has absolutely no desire whatsoever about my wedding. I don’t expect her to be as excited as I am but I expect her to want to participate. She is the MOH for crying out loud. She was supposed to come over Saturday night. I was going to run some details by her & show her a few of the things I’ve ordered and gotten in since she’s been over last and she said she was coming over. 12am came, 1am came, so finally at 1:30am I said to her via text, “So I guess you’re not coming.” and I waited another hour & didn’t recieve a response. I truly thought she was my best friend but Jamie brought something to my attention that really hurt. When her “other friends” invite her to do things, or they have plans, she never calls me or invites me. She only comes over to my house when she has no one to hang out with or nothing to do. I am her last resort. Saturday afternoon I asked what she was getting into and she said “Nothing because no one invites me to do anything.” I then say, “Well, I was going to see if you wanted to come hang out.” She says, “yea, maybe later.” She is always saying thatwe never hang out anymore, but she makes no attempt to come over until its 11:30 at night and she just wants to crash on my couch for work the next morning.

I’ve come to realize this weekend that our friendship isn’t as important to her as it is “or was” to me. She is my MOH (for now) and I asked her because I thought that she was my best friend. Apparently I am a backburner friend & Jamie brought it to sight Saturday. And seriously, just sitting here writing about it makes me feel like I am going to vomit. That is how upset I truly am over this. Our only means of communication is via AIM because I cut texting off of my phone & Jamie’s just until things are better with our money. I am on AIM any time I am online. I don’t always have to be the first to start a conversation. But I am. And I try to be fun and upbeat and say things like “What’s cookin’ good lookin’?” and she comes back with “NM”. Or I’ll say “How are you today sweetie.” and she comes back with “Same as always”. And by same as always it means, “In a bad mood, having a bad day, I hate everyone, no one cares about me.” Because those are her favorite things to tell me now.

I try to talk to her to make her feel better but she apparently doesn’t want to feel better because she just stays depressed.

I seriously want to just tell her that she can help with the wedding if she wants but I don’t want her as my MOH because an MOH is supposed to be there for the bride: emotionally, phyiscally and mentally. But I am always the one there for her. The roles are reversed. And she always talks about how she’s never going to get married because she only loves one guy and he doesn’t even care that she is in existance. I don’t know what to do anymore. It makes me cry. Literally. I truly believed that we were BFF’s. Until Saturday… at which point I cried while washing dishes because I simply just don’t know what to do. My favorite sister’s life is too busy for me & my other sister lives to far away. Other than them, my MOH was all that I had & I guess I am losing her too.

June 14, 2010 by FutureMrsAble | Filed under: Wedding Etiquette & Advice | 2 Comments
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NotYourTypicalBride

Shortly after we were engaged, Captain D. and I were out with my girlfriend and her husband when the subject of the wedding came up.

Now, my girlfriend just happens to be a wedding planner, and she has very specific ideas about how to do weddings “right.” She was slightly disturbed when I said I was not going to make a splashy entrance or be announced, and she was visibly shaken when I said I wasn’t going to do a bouquet and garter toss.

When she brought up the topic of bridesmaids and I said, “Oh, I’m not having bridesmaids” …well… that was the last straw. She proceeded to lecture me on all the things that make a wedding a wedding, and to explain that wedding guests “expect” certain things to happen. (Now, anyone who knows me should know NOT to make that particular argument, because I am certainly not one to do something simply because people EXPECT it! LOL)

On the subject of bridesmaids, she said there’s no more special moment than when your bridesmaids are in the room getting ready with you. She insisted that I should talk it over with my two sisters, because certainly they would WANT to do this for me. I tried to explain that my sisters would be happy to perform the duties of a bridesmaid, and of course they could be in the room with me, without me calling them bridesmaids and having them walk down the aisle in matching dresses, but she wasn’t listening.

As  I considered the matter over the following days, I decided she was right. I SHOULD have bridesmaids… and bridesmaids I will have. Four of them. Their names are Danielle, Sara, Ashley and Julie. They are our beloved nieces, and they are all under the age of 10. The groomsmen will be my two nephews, Kyle (9) and Brian (6). My youngest niece, Gabriela (5), will be the flower girl. Maid of Honor is Captain D.’s 15-year-old daughter, and Best Man is Captain D.’s 20-year-old cousin. I’m loving the idea that, as an older bride, I will have the youngest wedding party I’ve ever seen!

LipKids 300x225 Meet My Bridal Party
Four members of my wedding party – Sara, Brian, Danielle and Kyle

And what did my sisters have to say?  Just as I suspected… they thanked me. :)

June 8, 2010 by NotYourTypicalBride | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Wedding Etiquette & Advice | 2 Comments
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caitlin1122

So I think that I’ve found the Bridesmaid dresses that I want!Sorry for the awful phone picture!

Personal Picture

Bill Levkoff style 541 in Watermelon

You can also see them on Bill Levkoff’s website. My favorite colors are celadon, pistachio, rose petal and watermelon. It’s a tissue taffeta dress which is perfect for our outdoor wedding. We are also pretty laid back people so I like the idea of the watermelon color because its more bright and fun. The celadon is really pretty but not as fun for us since it’s not as bright.

June 6, 2010 by caitlin1122 | Filed under: Bridal Parties,Fashion, Jewelry & Runway | 5 Comments
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Vonda_July2010

I had to take a mental break from this but I’m back.
So we’re currently trying to get our wedding party on one accord because we’re down to crunch time. We only have 100 more days until the “BIG DAY”

So we have:
1 Maid of Honor & 1 Matron of Honor (sister)
7 Bridesmaids & 7 Groomsman,
1 Junior Bride (step-daughter to be) & 1 Junior Groom
2 Flower girls & 1 Ring Bearer
3 Hostesses & 4 Ushers
And a partridge and a pear tree!!

I wanted my fiancé and I to only have five attendants each outside of MOH and the kids, but he couldn’t leave out any of his core guys (I must say they are very tight nit). So the number kept going up, until I stopped him at seven and put the rest of the guys as ushers.

We have our final selections on wedding attire. Again our colors are fern green & choco brown. These dresses are from David’s Bridal and men’s attire is from the Men’s Wearhouse. Bridesmaid (fern) MOH x2 (chocolate). I’m having the girls wear chocolate brown shoes -there choice and I’ll wear Fern green shoes to match main color. Here are some pics….

bridesmaid dresses brown copy 214x300 Wedding Party How Many is Too Many!!bridesmaid dresses fern copy1 214x300 Wedding Party How Many is Too Many!!Menswearhouse suit brown wit Fern vest tie copy 300x224 Wedding Party How Many is Too Many!!

I had the hardest task trying to narrow down a decision to this dress, because I needed something that would compliment everyone body styles. My girls range from size 4 to 28). The dress I chose was contingent on one girl since I wanted her to be comfortable too. At the end of the day, nothing really worked & she admitted that and said she needed to loose weight, not just for my wedding but she herself is getting married in Nov 2010. I still wanted everyone to be happy but finally decided I didn’t care anymore and went with what I wanted (although not my first choice).

Now for the men. I’ve come to the conclusion; men are just cheap in general. The fact that they have to pay over $100 for something only to rent and return pisses them off. I had one groomsman email us after his suit fitting and paid deposit or all of it I think and griped about the amount. Now my fiancé is always talking about how cheap this guy is although he makes a VERY GOOD LIVING!! I cap that to stress it. The final total was a little extra from what we said, apparently due to taxes and insurance. So I called the store to confirm all charges b/c I wasn’t told what the insurance/damage fee was. The lady informed me our “groomsman” had no problem shopping after his suit fitting and purchased two ties and two vests. She said, “Now that guy look and carried himself very dapper but he’s griping”. MEN!!

April 2, 2010 by Vonda_July2010 | Filed under: Ceremony and Vows | 3 Comments
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