Some good news... some bad news...

Good news -
*Wedding plans are full force... most the MAJOR details are done...
*Invites are on their way...
Some people have even gotten them already...
*I GOT MY DRESS AND MY SPARKLEY CONVERSE!
*All worked out and Cole can marry us!!

Bad news -
*I did not get to invite NEAR as many people as I wanted to...
Both zaq and I have big families...
and we are trying to keep this a very small & cheap wedding/reception...
hence the reason we are doing it at home now... to save on a TON of costs...
There are alot of family and friends that did not get an invite.
We kept the list to strictly immediate family...
from mom and dad through to first cousins.
And a VERY SMALL hand full of friends most of which are IN the wedding party.
Even with that I sent out 70 invitations.
We are maxed out at 150 people.

I know this is totally trashy, but once we start getting RSVP's back...
Ill be getting in touch with some of you to join us.
I had no idea how hard it would be to keep such a small list...
and its totally driving me nuts knowing that some important people in my growing up wont be there...
Doing the wedding in MPLS was easy, because most friends back home wouldnt come anyways...
but doing it at home there are so many people that want to be a part of our special day...
I should have just planned it on the football field and said - bring a dish to pass... haha
Like I said - if you get a mail from me saying hey! We have room PLEASE COME!
hopefully, you will just say... yay! of course Ill come...
and not think of me as completely tacky.
Please? :)
Maybe after the wedding we can all go meet at Petticoat and have our own party!! haha

Well, I think thats all the news I have for now.
Thanks everyone for being understanding.

LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD!! CONVERSE!!

Yeah - of course Im lucky...
I have zaq - hes great.
Great daddy... great fiance... great guy...
And the boys...
theyre amazing...

but lets be serious here...
when you see what Im talking about...
you TOO will agree...
just why it is I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Those of you that know me, know I am obsessed with Converse...
so it was no question that all my boys are wearing chucks...
big boys & little boys...
and of course... I need a new pair too!
Well, I found them...
They're perfect...
Classic Chucks with a little wedding "flair"
Yup - i tracked down a pair of black sequin mono chucks.
Impossible to find online, but they are @ DSW!!!
And just $45 compared to the $70-$90 they go for online...
I ran in yesterday totally randomly, and there they were...
I had to have them, and zaq being the amazing man he is...
bought them for me.

Check em out...



I can't wait to rock them on my wedding day.
Theyre just perfect....
and THIS is why Im the luckiest girl in the world :)

So far... when it rains it pours...

So - due to the reality of the cost of a wedding yes, everything had been postponed...
Slowly but surely were trying to make things happen...

We still have no clue about a venue...
I guess even to get married in a park around here you have to pay $500 for a wedding permit...
LAME!!!! Anyone want to share their backyard?
Or just give us about $5000 so we can go back to the plan of getting married at the W?
Thatd be nice, and much appreciated...

Oh, and my dress... yah - total fail...
we thought we were making a smart move... getting a good deal...
WRONG!!
It came with rips, tears, and holes in the black layers...
lace on the layers instead of satin...
pink/red stains on the white faux satin...
the fabric was insanely cheap...
crooked stitches everywhere... chunks of hanging fabric untrimmed...
it was terrible. I wanted to die... If I wasn't so furious I would have been crying.
Dream dress... yeah... gone.
So now on an already insanely tight budget, I have to fight to get my money back...
AND find a new dress...
I assume something generic and off the rack to get it in time.
Sad, very sad....

On the plus side.... we got our bands!
I was going to get something custom from Etsy...
but the cost was just as much for 3 tiny diamonds as what we paid for this bling...


I absolutely love it... and its really cool how the two metals contrast off eachother...
(titanium engagement ring & white gold band)
and zaqs is so super amazing...
totally him... black... pinstripes...
and one of his favorite features was the silver inlay...
Its so perfectly traditional yet modern & indie rocker dude.



So yeah... another thing off the checklist, so thats good...
but all the biggest stuff...
venue, dress, etc. etc. etc....
still yet to be determined.
Would love some advice!

So... as I said in the last post...
we have LOTS of good stuff in the works..
lots of ideas...
and a few things set in stone...

Some awesome gift sets for my girls (which i can't talk about till AFTER the wedding, duh, haha)
Some Super rad mint books for the reception...
That Ill get a photo of soon...

AND the ties are done!! THEYRE AMAZING!!
I love the red... but man, the white is sharp!!!
Zaq hasn't decided if he wants red like to guys or white to stand out...
so Im gunna buy him both :)
Cuz Im a nice fiance :)




The clan over @ RokGear have TOTALLY hooked us up...
WE are SO lucky to have found them for the wedding.
Its the details like this that really make this wedding all about us...
Thanks again guys...
Check them out here.
www.RokGear.etsy.com


We also have photos of Gianna's exact dress... YAY!
Its sooo amazing and adorable...
I can't wait to see her wearing it!





I also ordered some labels for the invitations...
Garrett has ALMOST finished our design so we can get ordering all or that stuff...

And did I mention... WE WENT TO THE W ON THURSDAY!
Its so fantastic... I can't wait to see everything put together.
The have a stage set up in there AND an awesome black and white background on the wall...
Of all these classic 50's icons... and the Foshay tower in the back... super cool... love it.
They have all black linens... and tons of candles for me to use... which saves a bunch of money..
so thats cool. So I think I might just make some table runners for the tables instead... Or maybe some lace... or maybe to some of each? Mix it up on the different tables?

Hmm what else... Jody's dress came in... so thats super cool...
So did Aymees... and she looks SMOKIN! haha
Dawn wants to peek around though, and see if we find anything else we like better....
where they all match... so we will see... maybe those will be rehearsal dresses, haha...
But yeah, i think we have seen 4 on Deb's site that are cute and mix n match... so we will see :)
Wish us luck on our hunt!

So has anyone else seen anything that we MUST HAVE for the wedding!?

GREAT NEWS!

So, I found someone to make my dress...
YAYYY!!!
Happiest future bride in the world... i cant wait to see it!!
ITs gunna be SO amazing...

Speaking of dresses...
theres TONS of good dress new flowing around here....

I fell in love with a dress from "Sweet Plume" on etsy.
www.SweetPlume.etsy.com
Sticking with my handmade, DIY trend... :)
Spreading the etsy love...
The dress was ALMOST perfect... except...
it had leopard spots... oh, and was $90.
Boy did I luck out...
I sent her an email saying, hey if you ever have a sale let me know...
I need a custom dress with black and white damask.
The next morning I had a message back...
she was working on a sample EXACTLY like that...
and said that if my flower girl was the model's size..
I could buy the sample for $54...
it was perfection... they both wear a 4/5..
I was meant to get this dress :)



Now remember... It will have Black and white damask to tie in with the rest of the wedding.
Im SOOOOO happy... my little Doodle Bug is gunna look SO cute in this dress :)

AND - Ive been on the hunt for bridesmaids dresses...
I found a super sexy pencil dress for Aymee.
IT really fitted, strapless, has pintucking and a sexy lace panel down the center.
Oh, and did I mention it wass brand new, with the tags... for $8??? YEah... crazy.
I think I want all of the girl to be in all black, with SOME sort of lace...
and then they can doll the dress up however they want, with whatever jewelry they want.
Throw in their own personality... ya know?

SO yeah... all about DIY... loving etsy wedding ideas right now...
and all about EBay... because I just cant make a sexy dress like aymee's for $8...
And this wedding is all about Champagne taste on a beer budget...
Ill make it happen :)

I think Im in love... My dream dress...

I saw it last night...
I fell in love...
Saw it was only made in France...
I was heartbroken...

Its a love/hate relationship...

But, I think I have a few tricks up my sleeve...
Seeing as were doing everything to make this out DIY punk wedding...
Im sure I can make it happen... or at least something damn close.

Whatcha think?