Gentlemen (and Angels)! Start. Your. Ceremonies!

I feel like I say I'm excited about everything. If I were to rename this blog "the excited bride" would be a good name for me no? But believe me when I say I am SUPREMELY excited about starting to pull together our ceremony.

I did a post in the past about one of the nuptial blessing possibilities that I found when I was looking through my parents' old wedding program. That will definitely be a part of our ceremony, but there's a lot more to a ceremony than just the nuptial blessing!

So sometime this week Mishka and I will be sitting down together to look over a few ceremony reading possibilities. I definitely have a few favorites, but I want to get Mishka's thoughts on them.

I used to be a little sad that I would not be able to pick whatever readings I wanted, be they poems, or quotes from books, but now I don't feel that way at all. If you've ever read the bible, you know that it contains some of the most beautiful poetry ever written (I'm not speaking bias from the point of view of a Catholic, I'm talking from the point of view of an English major who has actually studied the bible as literature). And, surprisingly, there were a number of readings that expressed exactly the way I feel about Mishka, and exactly what I want to express to our guests about our marriage.

I would love to eventually share our whole ceremony script with you here, but I think I'll save which readings I'm using for a surprise since the only people who read this blog are going to be guests!

Ang the Hostess

If there's one thing I've learned from the wedding planning, it's that I love planning. And specifically, I love planning parties.

I suppose the realization of my love of party planning does not come directly from wedding planning. I mentioned before that I planned FSIL Katerina's bridal shower last year. It was an awesome experience, and instilled in me the love of party-planning. Not just big parties, like weddings, but small dinner parties too.

So, I've been super excited about hosting my first real dinner party- the bridesmaid get together I mentioned in a past post. And, though there are probably wedding related things I should be focusing on, I can't help but think about the smaller party only two weeks away.

And so, I recently came up with my rough draft of the menu! Wanna hear? There's 4 rounds to the murder mystery game, and there should be a course to match each one so here it goes:

Cocktails:

Chips & Salsa

Sangria or Porch Swing (still deciding)

Fruity Iced Tea or Unsweetened Iced Tea

Appetizers:

Pigs in a Blanket

Coconut Bread

Empanadas?

Main Course:

Macaroni & Cheese

Stuffed Pork Loin

Baked Regular and Sweet Potatoes

Salad (type TBD)

Dessert:

Homemade Ice Cream (type TBD)

Strawberry Brown Butter Betty's

Coconut Rice Pudding

This party is gonna be off the hook! (Reference to Arrested Development if you've seen the show)

I Love My Dress

THIS POST IS NOT SAFE FOR MISHKAS! MISHKA DISTRACT YOURSELF WITH THE ADORABLE TEDDY BEAR UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD IT'S SAFE!!!!

I know I already wrote a post about how my second wedding dress shopping experience, only reconfirmed my love of my dress, but I just thought I'd dedicate a post to not only my dress, but my entire "wedding day look". I still don't know what my make-up will look like (except similar to my bridesmaid make-up from FSIL Katerina's wedding), and I'm not sure what Jewelry I'll be wearing, but that doesn't mean I don't have a little bit more than just my dress picked out!

I'll reiterate a few things from my wedding dress post. My dress is a ballroom gown, strapless, with three beaded embellishment belts across the bodice. The neckline is sweetheart and there are buttons that go all the way down the back of the dress as well as down the very modest train. The skirt is not embellished in any way, other than the buttons, but I think it's elegant simplicity is very beautiful.

But you've already heard about my wedding dress? What about these other things I mentioned? Well.. have you heard about my veil? It's AMAZING! It's cathedral length, even longer than the train of my dress (but not by much). And there are silvery sequined embellishments down the sides of the veil which will cover the simple train of the dress and make it sparkle :). I never wanted a veil when I was younger. I didn't see the point. Then Mishka said he thought the idea of lifting the blusher to see my face at the altar was incredibly romantic and I reconsidered my prejudices. And now? I'm basically as excited about my veil as I am about my dress. Never saw that one coming...

And I don't know if you've heard this... but my mom always told me that when a bride takes her veil off she looks "unfinished". This is why, in her own wedding pictures, she is wearing her hat with a veil down the back all throughout the reception and dancing. But obviously, I cannot wear a cathedral length veil all day (although I would if I could). It's just not practical. So instead, I'll be wearing a crystal belt as a headband.

I will admit that at first I was afraid to love my dress. Like REALLY love it. I always knew it was a great dress: comfortable, warm, looked great on me. But now, I can't wait to try it on again. I'm itching for the chance to show my bridesmaid what I look like in it. I've actually found that with most of the things I love the most (be it people or possessions), the love has to grow on me.

So now I can't wait for two Saturdays from today when I can (hopefully) show all my bridesmaids my amazing dress and try it on for them during our bridesmaid dress fitting. I cannot WAIT!!!!

Mishka the Wedding Planner

Mishka is not a decisive person. He is very relaxed and easy-going and so most of the time whatever I pick works for him. For instance, the "ang's choice" dinner dictatorship I am now running. I cook, Mishka eats. It's that simple. The same has been true of our wedding planning.

He of course has had a lot of thoughts when I ask for them, but what it usually comes down to is "Whatever you want ang." In fact, this happens even more often than usual because whenever I ask for his thoughts, he always says "Ang, all I want is for at the end of the day, for us to be married. So pick whatever you want."

This may sound like the perfect arrangement for a very decisive bride. However, I am not a very decisive person either (one of the few things Mishka and I have in common). And all that freedom can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes I just want to shake Mishka and tell him to make up an opinion just to give me some guidance :-P.

However, I have to admit that the whole wedding planning process has been a great exercise in making decisions. I'm realizing quickly that, as much as I hate to make decisions, I do have a lot of opinions. My hesitancy to make decisions is more a reflection of my inability to truly ask for what I want. So, in a lot of ways, the freedom Mishka's easy-going personality affords me, has been very healthy for me.

So, while I don't know if it was Mishka's original intention (it probably was since he knows me better than I know myself sometimes), but his indecisive, easy-going nature has actually been a boon to our wedding planning, and to me personally.

So, thank you Mishka! And I can't wait to marry you either <3

Grooms Cake?

I know I've talked a lot about the traditions I'm super excited about, but this is one Mishka and I will be skipping.

It's not that I don't like the idea of having something special to surprise Mishka with on the say of the wedding, or of the rehearsal, but if I decide to do something, a groom's cake will not be it. This is for several reasons:

1. I do not like cake. I will eat, and hopefully enjoy our wedding cake, but if I'm going to surprise Mishka with some delicious food-type product, it's going to be something that we can both enjoy together. Especially if it's on our wedding day, or the day before.

2. Actually putting operation: hot cake (reference to Arrested Development if any of you watch the show) into action could be more difficult than it at first appears. I am not good at keeping secrets/surprises from Mishka because he can read my face like a book (sometimes it's actually kind of scary). Also, FSIL Katerina decided to go the surprise groom's cake route, and I know it caused some stressful moments at the rehearsal dinner. I'm not saying that a groom's cake would necessarily cause stress, but it would be one more thing to think about/consider when I already have a lot on my mind.

3. Perhaps most important of all, Mishka and I talked about it, and he doesn't really want one. He loves dessert food of all kinds, but believes that his mind will be so on our sure-to-be-delicious wedding cake, that any other cake would pale in comparison.

So there you have it. We will not be having a groom's cake. And, maybe you were interested maybe you weren't, you also know why. I think the groom's cake can be a fun, whimsical tradition for some couples. I thought FSIL Katerina's inscription "Come Travel With Me" on her's was incredibly romantic and touching. Unfortunately, it's just not right for Mishka and me.

Minor Success makes me happy :)

What success am I referring to?

Remember how I mentioned Mishka and I have been working out regularly? Well, I went home for the weekend (just got back yesterday), and every single member of my family mentioned that we looked both trimmer and various parts of our anatomy looked "tighter".

Granted, we still have a long way to go, but I've always heard that you shouldn't measure weight loss by numbers on a scale, but by changes in your body (i.e. fitting into a pair of "skinny jeans", or "before and after pictures).

And sure, my family members might be biased because they know we're working hard. But I did also notice that Mishka and my endurance has increased a LOT. We went to a really tough spinning class with my family on Saturday and both of us kept going until the last minute, with no slacking off or "going through the motions". We were both feeling it the next day, but we felt great too.

Even though we've only been doing this for a little under a month, we've been working super hard at shifting into a new lifestyle. We may have moments of weakness, where we just did not feel like working out, or really want an extra cookie with dessert, but overall we've been sticking to our guns on this one. And I am so proud of us.

I say us because it really is an effort on both our parts. For all my resolve, there are times that, if Mishka weren't my conscience I would probably have given up (particularly regarding food). And if I weren't Mishka's conscience, he probably would not have kept up with our work-out schedule.

I've always said Mishka and I were a great team, but I'm still impressed with how far we've come together :).

Married Out of College

Do a lot of people get engaged while they're in college?

I had always considered Mishka and I a pretty rare couple, to be engaged before we graduated. My FSIL Katerina and her husband S got married young, but even they didn't get engaged until after they graduated. I had always assumed it was a relatively uncommon thing, particularly since there is certainly a stigma against people getting married "too young" (and 21-22 is admittedly young).

But this past week I met THREE other girls who had gotten engaged over the holidays. They were all seniors and most of them had known their boyfriends (well, fiances now) for at least a year and a half, often more.

So now I'm wondering, is it a relatively common thing for people to be engaged before they receive a bachelor's degree?

I don't think it's a bad thing to get engaged at a young age. It is not right for every couple, but obviously I can say it's the right decision for Mishka and me so I can't judge others who choose the same path. In fact, I think it's very admirable. Marrying young gives a couple the opportunity to grow together and contribute to each other's formative years. Marrying young is something of a different kind of commitment to those who get married in their 30s and 40s. Not that one is better or worse, just different.

But, as I said before, I know it's the right decision for Mishka and me, so I'm looking forward to the unique challenges and rewards a marriage right out of college holds for us.

Ukrainian Traditions: Ceremonial Walk

Who here saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Do you remember the wedding ceremony? Everything is in Greek and so Tula translates what is happening for her groom. At one point, she says that they are married and they are about to take their first steps together as man and wife. The priest then leads them around the altar a few times.

Obviously, in My Big Fat Greek Wedding they are Greek Orthodox, but technically, Mishka and his family are "Greek Catholic" and there are many similarities to the Greek Orthodox traditions. So when I was researching Ukrainian Catholic (i.e. Greek Catholic) wedding ceremony sources, I wasn't too surprised to find this on the list.

I think this is a beautiful tradition. It's like the tradition of being "announced" as husband and wife at the end of the ceremony, or sharing your first kiss as husband and wife, but taking it to the next level.

However, I'm not 100% we'll be able to make this one happen. I love being able to include all the Ukrainian traditions that I can, but I'm not sure we'll be able to do everything and still keep our ceremony at a reasonable length since we're doing a full mass. We're going to have to really pick and choose which ones we do and which we don't. So while I think this ceremony is super beautiful, it's up in the air whether this one will make it in or not.

But I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can!

Ukrainian Traditions: Ryshnik

One of the other Ukrainian traditions we're planning to incorporate is standing on the ceremonial ryhnik. This is what it looks like (check the feet):

Obviously, there are a LOT of Ukrainian traditions in that picture, some we will be doing, and others that we won't. But I do love the symbolism of the ryshnik.

My source says of the Ryshnik:

"The symbolism of embroidery has been passed down from generation to generation. The embroidered towel, interlaced with threads of various colours, represents all aspects of human life: family, love, tradition, hardship and faith in God. The couple stands on the towels to indicate the new life they now begin."

Source

Standing on the ryshnik not only indicates the beginning of a new life, it also indicates the shared path the couple is embarking on by getting married. It is similar to the hand-binding because it connects the couple. But instead of tying them to each other, the ryshnik is the foundation on which their marriage will be built. Not only that, but whatever the embroidered cloth is, would be a beautiful decorative addition to any home, placed in a location of honor for all visitors of the happy couple to see.

Ukrainian (and Beyond!) Tradition: Hand Binding

So unlike a most of the other traditions I'll be talking about, hand binding is one which represents both Mishka and my heritages. It is honored in the Ukrainian wedding traditions, and the Celtic! Yup folks, I am a hodge podge of European heritages but my two prominent ones are Polish and Irish. So when I found out that hand-binding is a way that we could celebrate both our heritages at the same time, it's inclusion went from probable to definite!

However, though the ceremony itself is basically the same, you tie the couple's hands together during the vows with a little prayer before and after, what the hands are bound with is actually quite different.

Here is a picture of Katerina and S's hand binding with a ryshnik or embroidered cloth:

However, in the Celtic tradition, colored cords or ribbons are used:

And even better, each color has a different meaning!

• Red: passion, strength, lust, fertility
• Orange: encouragement, attraction, kindness, plenty
• Yellow: charm, confidence, joy, balance
• Green: finances, fertility, charity, prosperity, health
• Blue: tranquility, patience, devotion, sincerity
• Purple: Power, piety, sanctity, sentimentality
• Black: strength, wisdom, vision, success
• White: purity, concentration, meditation, peace
• Gray: neutrality, canceling, balance
• Pink: unity, honor, truth, romance, happiness
• Brown: earth, grounding, talent, telepathy, home
• Silver: treasure, values, creativity, inspiration
• Gold: energy, wealth, intelligence, longevity

I think that is the coolest bit of it all... I don't know if we'll be using only a few colors or all of them, but either way, this is one of the traditions I'm SUPER excited about!

Ukrainian Tradition: Crowning

One of my favorite traditions which Katerina and S incorporated into their wedding was the "crowning".

According to one of my Ukrainian research sources the meaning behind the crowning is:

"Most often in the form of a periwinkle wreath, placed on the heads during the crowning ritual. They are a symbol of love, purity and fertility. They are placed on the heads of the bride and groom to signify the dawn of a new kingdom to be ruled by the couple—side by side. They also remind the newlyweds that their marriage is a partnership in Christ, and that they owe it to God and to each other to live a life of honor and love."

Source

I think the symbolism of the couple as the beginning of a new kingdom is wonderful. It's as if the tradition is welcoming you to be the King and Queen of every child's fantasy. I love it. I think it's beautiful.

In other research I found that, though that particular source mentions periwinkle wreathes, I also read sources which mention that actual crowns are also an option.

Katerina and S opted for the myrtle wreath option:

Source: Laurie Beck Photography

But what would actual crowns look like? This seems like it's more of an Eastern Orthodox option than a Ukrainian Catholic option. Still could be cool though:

Source

In all honesty, we'll probably be doing the myrtle or periwinkle wreaths. It just seems like it would be easier and cheaper.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on Hand-Binding (it's not just for Ukrainians anymore!)

Ukrainian Traditions

So, as some of you may or may not have figured out by reading some of my other posts, Mishka is Ukrainian, born and bred.

In my recap of his sister Katerina's wedding, I mentioned many of the Ukrainian wedding traditions she incorporated. In fact, on her own wedding blog, Katerina wrote a post about all the Ukrainian traditions she wanted to include in her ceremony.

Many of the elements she incorporated, I plan to include as well. I could list them all for you here, but I think the meanings behind them are so beautiful that I'm going to devote several posts over the next few days to the different traditions, and what incorporating them in the ceremony will look like.

Stay tuned!

Expanding Each Other's Horizons

I think it's very important in a relationship that you expand each other's horizon's. Expose each other to new experiences, if you will. There are MANY ways in which Mishka and I do this for each other, but the horizon which has been most prominent recently is food.

Mishka is a chicken boy at heart. He knows what he likes, and what ingredients he likes and tends to disregard menu options with things he thinks he doesn't like. However, recently, he's come to notice that he often likes picking food off my plate more than he likes what he ordered. Which has convinced him that it might be OK to try new food once in awhile.

So we've established a new rule in our relationship: Ang's choice. At least when it comes to dinner. I am the chef, and so what we make for dinner is my choice. It's given me a lot of freedom and we've been eating some (healthy) meals that I'm not sure I would have been able to convince him to swallow before.

For instance, last night we ate Mexican Potato Soup. It was pretty spicy (though Mishka didn't think so... I'm starting to learn he has an amazing tolerance for spice), but had delicious flavor and went great with a sandwich. Despite the spice, we're looking forward to enjoying the leftovers. Would Mishka have ever tried it without my cooking it? Probably not.

And I'm not going to say it's not fun for me to get to cook whatever I want either ;).

Are We Having a First Look?

No.

I know there is the immortal debate of whether or not to have a first look or to not see each other until the ceremony. As soon we booked our ceremony and reception venue it became clear that we would not be doing a first look.

But let me elaborate:

Our ceremony begins at 2:30 and ends at 3:30, but our reception does not begin until 7pm. With travel time, there are about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for us to take photographs in between the two events (don't worry, there will activities for our guests during that time). So with so much time for the family/couple/bridal party shots, we don't really need another private couple session before the ceremony (beside the fact that I would need to be ready even earlier than 2:30 which would be a feat in and of itself).

Another factor to take into consideration is that it is usually most convenient to do a first look if the ceremony and reception are at the same place. Because if everything is happening in the same location it becomes EXTREMELY difficult to keep from seeing each other before you walk down the aisle. But it is not so difficult for me to be dropped off in the back of the church only 10 or so minutes before the ceremony.

And finally, though I think the idea of a first look is extremely romantic to me, I have never been super impressed with the resulting pictures I've seen. I feel that we can have an equally romantic time with our private couple shoot after the ceremony.

The one argument which is still convincing to me is that a first look can be very relaxing and centering during the stressful excitement of your wedding day. And if my personality up to this point is any clue, my level of stressed excitement is going to be off the charts. But I think that will be part of the unique way I enjoy my special day. And I think holding each other's hands once we're together at the front of the aisle will have the same effect.

But that's just why a first look was not right for us. I know my FSIL Katerina loved her "first look" with her husband S. It was definitely the right choice for them, and they did get some great pictures out of it. And I know it was one of the most emotional and loving moments of their day, so "first look"s can be amazingly romantic and beautiful. I'm sure if we were having one, it would have been. But I know it will be just as exciting and romantic when Mishka and I see each other in all our wedding day splendor for the first time as I enter the church on my father's arm.

Google is Helping Me Plan My Wedding!

Well Google has their hand in everywhere else, why wouldn't they gather their resources to help us brides! And gather their resources is exactly what they'e done:

I don't know if you can read it in the photo, but they have "google sites" for your wedding website. They have a plethora of different template styles to choose from - one to fit any wedding theme it appears. And one of them just happened to be ideal for a New Year's Eve Wedding! It's so gorgeous.

And of course the website makes it super easy to incorporate Google Forms, Google Maps, Google Docs, and Google Spreadsheets into your website which means we will have some very cool features on our site! I'm so excited!

They also have Picnik where you can easily and quickly design save the date post-cards. I used the service to create some GORGEOUS save the dates, but will be looking to see if picnik is the best place to get them printed from. Since Mishka and I are getting married on a holiday, we may need to be sending our save the dates sooner rather than later to ensure our guests don't have plans.

I'm so happy Mishka sent me this the other day. Apparently, it's brand spanking new and it came at just the right time for me and Mishka to rock this new google feature!

I can't wait to show you all what we created!

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! (Katerina and S happy dating anniversary! 4 years - wow!!)

Everything's Better When You Do It Together

But that doesn't mean it's easier :-P. Yes, this is the infamous "pre-wedding workout" post.

However, the exercise journey that Mishka and I are embarking on is not strictly for the best wedding/honeymoon bodies we can get. There are a number of factors in our lives right now which mandate a healthier lifestyle. So, yes we're excited about the idea of rocking wedding bodies, but our ultimate goal is for healthier exercise habits to ensure that we have a long, healthy, and happy life together.

Now onto what we've done so far:

Who among you in wedding-blog land have not heard of the infamous...

So far, the work-out has been kicking Mishka and my bottom. I've been working out on and off for the past few months (since I was getting in shape for FSIL Katerina's wedding), but for Mishka this is the first regular work-out routine he's done since high school.

We've managed to maintain a schedule of working out about 3 times a week and so far it's been going great. Since we don't have time to do it every day, I don't know what our results will be in a month or so. But if we can keep it up until the wedding, who knows?

And the best part? That we're doing it together! So Mishka is my motivation to keep going and I am his. Because I know that working out is helping his health and he knows that working out makes me happy. So it's good all around :).

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

But You're So Far Ahead...

As if!

I keep hearing people telling me we've "already done so much" and "are so far ahead of the game". If this is true, why are wedding tasks still piling up?

What's my to-do list for the next 30 days you ask?

1. Schedule my first wedding dress fitting

2. Take my sister, bridesmaid C (who has been out of the country for the last 6 months) dress shopping to see what she thinks of bridesmaid dress options

3. Register for our Engaged Encounter so that we can officially be married in the Catholic church

4. Have our second meeting with our officiant to take our F.O.C.U.S. compatibility test

5. Go dress shopping with my mom for her dress

6. Create my save-the-dates because since our wedding is on a holiday we might need to send them out sooner than usual

7. Following off that, Mishka and I need to finalize our guest list (or guest list draft?)

8. Finish our wedding website (more on that Monday!)

And of course most of this will be taking place during my school breaks. Once again there's no rest for the weary student stricken with senioritis! Still, I'd rather be planning my wedding than writing a paper!

Tapas and my 5th Bridesmaid

Last night, I finally managed to get some time with my friend A, who I knew I wanted to ask to be a bridesmaid. I also knew I wanted to do it in person so this would be my first chance to do it since Mishka and I got engaged.

We didn't get to see each other for my birthday, so she was taking me out for a belated birthday dinner and the restaurant was my choice. A and I are both foodies, so I thought Tapas would be a good choice since we could try a bunch of different things instead of only an appetizer and an entree. The food was delicious (as expected), and it was so wonderful to catch up after many months of not seeing each other.

But, one of the highlights of the evening for me, was early on when the conversation turned towards my plans for the wedding. She asked something about my bridesmaids, and I awkwardly segued "Yes, well, speaking of bridesmaids... A would you like to be one?"

She was so surprised and so touched. She immediately said yes and that she was extremely honored to be a part of my day. And I was honored that she accepted. A is one of my closest female friends (perhaps the closest) and I am so excited to have her stand up at the altar with me when I marry Mishka next December.

It was also nice to actually have a bridesmaid who didn't know long before I got engaged that she was going to be asked. My sisters all knew basically since they were born, and Mishka's sister Katerina knew since before Mishka and I got engaged- probably since before she got married. But, though I have known A for years, I'm pretty sure I took her totally by surprise :).

I'd love to tell you more about her, but as soon as Mishka gets his butt in gear about asking his groomsman I'm going to introduce our bridal party members one by one. He's got two down (with no exertion on his part :-P) but he's got three more to go! Go Mishka go!

Bridal Shower Mystery

I'm not good at surprises. I LOVE them, but as soon as I know there's one coming I have an overwhelming urge to snoop.

So when my mom told me that bridal showers are traditionally surprises, I immediately felt my detective senses tingling. So far I've been able to ignore my snoop opportunities, but I'm probably going to need Mishka's help to keep me strong. Actually, he loves to tease me when he has a surprise for me, so he might just use any bridal shower knowledge to torture me rather than help me :-P.

Anyway, I am SO excited for my eventual bridal shower-whenever the date may be. I actually planned one for my FSIL and Bridesmaid Katerina last year. I even wrote a guest post on her blog about it. I won't say it was easy (easier than planning a wedding though!), but it was also a LOT of fun. And the bridal shower itself was a huge success.

I remember Katerina's face. She didn't stop glowing from the moment she entered the restaurant. There was so much love and support for her that day, it was palpable. And everyone was getting along so well that though I had a bunch of games planned, but only one real game was played. And afterwards, the more intimate boat tour of NYC harbor (planned by Katerina and S to spoil their hardworking bridal party) was a great bonding experience for the bridesmaids who were meeting face to face for the first time. If I'm half as happy at the end of my bridal shower as Katerina seemed at the end of hers, I'll consider myself one lucky bride-to-be!

But since we're on the subject, I'll name a few things I'm 99% sure will be a part of my surprise bridal party.

1. Kitchen Appliance gifts

I love to cook and this would be a great opportunity to get some funky kitchen gadgets I wouldn't buy for myself otherwise. Again, I could be wrong, but I could definitely see my mom getting me an ice cream maker or a canning machine (I can't wait to make my own jams!).

2. Lingerie

Katerina had a honeymoon themed shower and so there were a lot of "intimate-wear" gifts. I wouldn't be surprised if Katerina, or one of my saucier aunts provided me with some gifts more suited to private environments ;). And that's just fine by me! Though again, I could be totally off since many of female family members in attendance will be 40+.

3. A "how well do you know your fiance" game. If you followed the link to my guest post, you'll find that I did one for Katerina and it was a ton of fun! I know Katerina said she wanted to reciprocate at my shower, but I'm sure the day will be amazing no matter what games are played (or even if no games are played at all!).

I'll stop playing guessing games now. You probably won't here anymore about this topic until you get the recap since thinking about my shower too much will only make me more likely to want to snoop!

Getting Your Bridal Party Together Can Be... MURDER!!!

Mishka's puns are really rubbing off on me...

Anyway, a thought occurred to me awhile ago that it might be a fun idea to try and gather my bridesmaids together for a meet and greet. Since three of them our my sisters, and the other two haven't met anyone (either each other or my sisters), I thought it would be a fun to gather them together for a dinner party.

But what kind of dinner party?

Why a murder mystery game of course! And not just any murder mystery, but a wedding themed one!

"Join Grand Cayman Island's high society for the social event of the season as Blaine Barnacle, Grand Cayman's most eligible bachelor, is tying the knot with the beautiful, enchanting, and oh-so-mysterious Bitsy Fleecer. When Bitsy's body is found in the wine cellar of the Wedding Bells Reception Hall, the wedding guests are forced to solve the mystery themselves, before the police and the tabloid reporters arrive to expose all of their dirty little secrets."

I have thrown a few parties like this in the past and have always had a great time with them. This will be the first time I'll be hosting one without significant help from my mom. I can't wait! I'm sure everyone will love each other and fun will be had by all.

I want to order it right now so I can start planning the menu and select who's playing what character! I can't wait to give you the recap!!

Marriage and my Positive Psychology Class

This semester I'm taking a course called "Intro to Positive Psychology". What is Positive Psychology you might ask? It's the study of how to increase lasting happiness in your life and the health/social benefits that go along with it. It also teaches you what your signature strengths are so that you can more easily see them in others (in fact, one of our assignments is to take a personality questionnaire to establish our unique strengths).

So why am I bringing this up on a wedding blog?

Well a lot of the things you can actually do to make yourself happier are "intentional choices". Such as the people you choose to surround yourself with, the career you pursue, how you relax (and how often), do you take the time to appreciate all the wonderful things in your life (and how wonderful you are), and the view you choose to take on the bad things as well.

I think having a happy marriage can often be the same way. You never speak to a long time married couple without them saying that a marriage takes work, and I think a lot of that work is making certain choices. You can choose to be positive and optimistic during the bad times, you can choose to let go of a grudge after a fight, you can commit to a date-night once a week, you can be open with your spouse about your fears.

So what I'm saying is that I think there is a lot of relevant strategies I'm looking forward to learning over the next month or so, while I'm in the class. If I learn anything ground-breaking I'll be sure to pass it along! :-D

Old Hollywood Glamor

Does it ever seem like everyone and their sister is having old Hollywood glamor as their wedding theme? And that's not to say I am against it, because old Hollywood made some of my favorite movies of all time. And if you're not going for a princess look, the 1940s had some of the most beautiful actresses ever in some of the most gorgeous/over-the-top costumes ever created.

I was thinking of doing old Hollywood glamor for a while as my theme, but decided to let a theme evolve from what we were doing. Good thing to because a Hollywood glamor New Years Eve party might have been a bit much.

BUT that doesn't mean I may not try to incorporate one bit of old Hollywood into my special day (warning, this is going to be another hair style post... I know I do a lot of these).

From the day I first grew hair I was told I looked like Veronica Lake. Particularly since when I don't have bangs, my hair is always falling over one eye in her traditional "peek-a-boo bang". Not thinking of the internet as a resource for many years, it wasn't until I saw a film with her in it that I noticed there is something of a resemblance.

We're certainly not identical twins, but her high prominent cheek-bones, oval face shape, and full lips do encompass some of my facial features as well. So if she could wear the glamorous crimped peek-a-boo bang, why can't I?

I know I've given a lot of hairstyle possibilities and no, this is not "the hairstyle" for sure, but I'm enjoying exploring my options since I rarely do anything special with my hair.

My First Wedding Nightmare... sortof

I'll admit that I was reading wedding blogs long before I was engaged, and there was one theme which frequently came up on all of them: The Wedding Nightmare. It's your wedding day and the wrong groom is there, your dress is missing, and so is your mom. Or the party is going terribly and all your guests walk out complaining.

Or, in my case the reception begins and the venue comes over to say they accidentally let all the food go bad, so there is nothing to eat. I immediately get pissed and a little bit scared, before my mom and I discuss it and arrange for a restaurant to deliver some food to us on the fly.

So, I guess it wasn't really a "Nightmare" in the traditional sense since there was a solution found to the problem within the dream itself. And I remember thinking that they always say SOMETHING has to go wrong on your wedding day. So I took a deep breath and acknowledged that if we could get through this, that the rest of the reception would go fine.

Though I would never have expected it, this "nightmare" gives me hope that my wedding is going to be great. I was definitely afraid that if something big went wrong I would let it ruin my special moment, but if I can let go in a dream, I can let go in real life. Does that logic make sense? Maybe not, but it's still comforting to me!