Saginaw Wedding

Lets just start of by sharing where we are from and what nursing school we went to?

Brand New
Gorgeous Dress!! It is both traditional and modern.
Never Worn
Never Altered
Size 6
Wedding was cancelled
Original Price $1600

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/clo/2368123537.html

Where are you from? Atlanta, GA

Where is FI/DH from? Bronx, NY

Where do you live now? Augusta, GA

Okay, so where do I even begin... Last month I decided to go home (Michigan) to SURPRISE my best friend Jenny for her 22nd birthday. A big part in my decision was that her and my other best friend are moving to another state to open some stores for their work in the summer and I am moving back to MI earliest is late August- which means this was the last time I will see them for a while! So I got into town and everything was great. I got in on Saturday the 26th, which was the day of her party bus... everything went on like it always does, Jenny was shaking when she saw me.. "BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER" :) her words....

fast forward to Monday the 28th.. (Which is Jenny's ACTUAL birthday) I had planned, since I leave on Tuesday, to spend the morning with my mom then meet up with Jen to hang out before all of the friends took her out for dinner. Well, as I was trying to get ahold of her in the afternoon, she never answered or called me back, I went onto FB to waste time... alll of a sudden her away message is "RIP Kris, I will always love you".... background on that. Kris is her boyfriend of the last five year that was deployed on his third deployment to Afghanistan.

Kris passed away the day before Jen's birthday and she got the phone call from his parents the morning of her birthday. As you can imagine, it is always hard to lose a loved one, but this is also happening on her birthday. I seriously did, and still do, feel so helpless to my best friend. There is nothing anyone can say or do to make the sadness and pain go away. Kris just turned 25 on the 12th of February and he died serving our country. I keep facebook stalking Jen from Colorado because I just want to be there for her and there is nothing I can do really. I am telling all of you this because I really think we need some prayers our way... It is so hard watching her from afar. I don't want to always be the reminder of Kris to ask how she is doing and everything so one day I wrote her a letter and sent it to her to make it be everything I had to say and I wont bring up the event again unless she brings it up first. It is really tough when I know she is hurting so bad.

Please send prayers Jenny's way. I know Kris is looking down on her and giving her strenght becuase she is a tough little cookie. She always has been. As a military wife it hits even harder. When DH and I were just dating Jenny and Kris were my inspiration. I always called Jen for advice or help in times of need when DH was deployed and I know she could use more help. She has a great support system but it will just take time. So please send some prayers her way. Its going to be a long journey ahead....

ps- sorry if this was so random, I just wrote as I thought of it so if it doesn't mix well, Sorry!

Thanks everyone. I know all of our prayers will be answered! Here is a link to an article about him.

http://www.wnem.com/news/27103191/detail.html

So far, I've stayed pretty well within my wedding expectations. I've reminded myself that we are having a small, low-budget wedding in order to support ourselves in an apartment together, to allow FI to go to grad school, to save for a family, etc etc. I've been pretty good with that. 

Until this dress.. 

Allure 8634

I saw this dress photographed and wow. It's so beautiful. I've found the dress on a variety of sites for around $1,000 give-or-take. Unfortunately, that's still far outside my budget. I've read that a lot of girls on here have tried it on and loved it. Have you come across dresses with a very similar feel for a LOT less money? 

Hey my fellow Michiganders!  (or are we Michiganian's? lol)  Over on the Michigan Brides group we are planning on a GTG December 18th in Novi!  We'd love to meet anyone that could make it!

Where were you born?

Where was FI born?

Where did you meet?

Where do you live?

We set the date for June 5, 2009. Both the ceremony and reception will be at Apple Mountain in Saginaw, Michigan.

Marge; The Messinator; The Destructor; Mertle the Turtle; Tornado Butt; Margeit.  These are the nicknames that my fiance Chris has so passionately given me over the years.  I am messy (AKA I stpill things a lot), clumsy (hence helping me spill things a lot more), SLOW (according to him; mostly at walking, due to my short legs + the fact that I have a hip replacement), I wiggle around in bed a lot (A LOT, I guess), and Margeit, well that's a mixture between Marge and Midget.  How kind. :)  No really, it doesn't bother me at all; actually I find it quite intriguing and encouraging how well we get along with one another, even with the making-fun-of-me nicknames!  We're kind of like a mixture between... two little kids kindling a best-friend relationship, and two eighty year olds who have been together for three quarters of their lifetime. 

I am 23 years old, and am truly blessed to have the wonderful man that God has given me.  I have tremendous strenght through my faith, my family, my relationship with my fiance Chris, and through my friends.  All of these things have been like a life-support link for me throughout the last 5 years; through high school and college graduation, two major surgeries, our engagement, moving about twelve hundred times, and through my biggest obstacle in life - a hip replacement.  My best buds Chris and Ryan were there for my big surgery, along with my mom and dad.  After that, I met some new friends in college, at Saginaw Valley State University (rooming with my buddy Meag, and kicking some Seung-ni butt with Cassie), and strengthened some old relationships with some old pals from high school, mainly Heather.  I have stayed close with my cousins, who I played Monster with in their barn and went ice skating with on homemade ponds growing up.  My memories of childhood could never be any better kept than they are, as is.  I wouldn't have changed anything!

My parents have tried to give me everything in life that they possibly can; and they have done that on a tight budget.  Though my dad is a cop, most people don't realize that he works for the lowest paying police department in the entire state of Michigan.  And my mom had to switch careers at age 50, from court reporting to nursing, because of the lack of need and because of the growing technologies in the legal field.  But they've done everything they can to supply me with loving, geneorus, faithful, hard working morals, the drive to succeed, communication skills, and respect.  They have suppported me when I have failed, and even in my deepest darkest moments, stil had true, undenial pride in me.  They (for the most part) are the reason I am who I am today!

I am currently planning my (ok, OUR) wedding, which will take place on August 6th, 2011, the date of my late Grandma Margot's birthday (which we did not plan!).  I recently graduated with my BS in Medical Technology and Biology, and will be attending William Beaumont Hospital's School of Medical Technology starting in December of this year.

My life - no, my grown-up life - is beginning; I am TERRIFIED; I feel lonely and depressed, scared and apprehensive; and I am excited as hell.

:) :) :) :)

So a while back I went and looked for BM dresses with one of my girls, Meagan.  It's unfortunate that with 6 girls it's very difficult to get everyone to go to the same try-on date; in fact, it's hard for a few of the girls to get any days off to go!  So luckily, I got Cassie to go dress shopping with me a while back (didn't get to post the pics till now) and my other friend Megan came along and also tried some on for us. 

So the one's below are of Cassie and Megan.  Didn't find any that SUPER stood out yet, but sill, we tried on some funky ones for fun!!!!

By the way - our colors for the wedding are dark purple, black, and ivory!  (with a hint of silver maybe at the reception - because there's a little bit in my dress!)

Really liked this, but a little heavy material.

Love the look of the elegance of the long ones, but it's just gotta be so hot, with all those pickups!

This one was sooo cute!  Cassie was such a good sport she just HAD to try it on!  And it doesn't look too bad!  (But sorry girls, it reminds me a of some over-the-top cowgirl hoe-down or something... sorry!)

I didn't like this one that much in real life, but in the pic it looks very form-fitting and elegant.  Like.  I decided that I would like to go with a purple/plum/amethyst/eggplant (one or the other) satin material like in above.

Really liked this one, but I do think the pickups are a bit much.  Plus, this material is tafetta, which although light, doesn't come ever ever ever in the purple that I like; rather an irridescent shiny pearly purple, which I don't like.

Not my favorite, but if the girls wanted to pick this in purple I would be happy; it would be more fitted, so it would look tighter and better against the body.  If a girl wanted a formal but simple look this would be good for them I think.

This is kind of like the one above; simple, but formal.  The wasitband is a little thinner which I think makes the tummy look a bit smaller.

Didn't like this one; although Cassie does look pretty much good in anything!

Awwwww!  This reminds me of "Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet" for some reason.  Love the cupcake look Cass!  (Just not in my wedding lol).  If it wasn't QUITE so poofy then it would be cuter :)

Meg said this color usually doesn't look good on her; but I thought this dress looked great (as far as the color).  I definitely don't like the chiffon material; everything shows, and yeah, it's light and fluffy (which is nice, because they can stay cool in the hot weather on the beach for the ceremony), but I don't think it says elegant and formal like the satin dresses do.

Again, really cute style (this tea length was more what I was orignially going for), but hate the taffeta.  Plus the whole dress is cute but doesn't speak to me.

This one looked a lot more horrible in person than it does here!! Haha (no offense Meg).  But is def waaaay too heavy for an August wedding, too much in the design; but this is the color purple I really like!

Again, the color purple I like.  HATE the dress (no offense Cass!).  Just does nothing extra for the body.

This was prolly my fave of the day. Lightweight, though taffeta (yuck), but cute, trendy.  Still, didn't come in my purple, and I don't like the material anyways.  Was hoping for mooore.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Hehehe... she had to try this one on for good times' sake!  The funny thing is... she liked it!!!! GODDD!! I hated it, but, whatever makes ya happy Meg!!! lol

OVERALL,

Didn't find the BM dress of my dreams yet.  At this point I was beginning to consider picking a brand and material and color and letting the girls try them on, but I knew I had to get a few more to try some on so I could get a better idea.

Meg (not Meag, my BM) and I went to try some on at Unique Bridal in Auburn, MI.  We found some I looove which I had Meag (BM) try on at a later date.  I do have pics of Meag, but not Meg. 

When trying on with my girl, I tried to be less general, and more specific, eliminate more things, be more picky, and pay attention more to comfort, cost, and material.

So here's Meag trying some on at Lola's in Saginaw:

This is one of the few tea length ones I absolutely LOVED on Meg in Auburn.  I had to have Meagan try it on.  She said it was comfortable, and pretty, but that's about it; she didn't feel like a princess in it.  I loooved it.  The only prob was this one is a Bill Levkoff, which runs around $200, I think a little bit expensive (though GREAT satin material).

LOOOVED this one.  She looked like a HOT MAMA!.  This one is also a Bill Levkoff, so again expensive, but super nice satin material.  But this one was a little form fitting and too tight for Meag; she especially needs a comfortable dress that's practical for her sitting in her chair.  There was one more black Bill Levkoff we tried on; it was long, and gooorgeous on her; pleated on the entire bodice, but then the pleating stopped right above the wasitline.  She didn't think it would be comfortable sitting in her chair at the reception the whole time.  (Plus the lady at the shop didn't help, talking her out of it the whole time!!! lol).  We both looved it, but knew it wasn't practical for her.  I still wanted her to be comfortable.

This one was cute, but no cigar.  It was eh ok.  I would be totally fine with a BM wearing it, though I think they could all have a bit more spicy dresses and more formal (more "bridesmaidy" as Meagan put it).  I believe this one, though, and all the following dresses are Alfred Angelo; right now I am in a dilemma between Bill Levkoff and Alfred Angelo (though I am leaning toward Alfred Angelo)!

We both loooved this one.  A little looser at the tummy so it gave volume and showed off curves, but with a little pleating and high waist to hide the tummy in a bit.  Plus, it has the sweetheart neckline like my gown.  We really liked this one.

OK can't really see this one that well, but it was GORGEOUS on her.  The color and the style were great.  It has a corset back, which means it can go super tight for the chubby-wasited girl, or give curves to the super-poley girl.  The pleats also give curves and make the tummy look tiny (even though you'd think it's the opposite; it really works!).  This is a style I'd reccomend for my girls.

This one is of the short version of the Alfred Angelo that Meag ending up picking for herself (see below).  Looks great sitting down, formal, gives nice curves, and is really lightweight, and satin!  Comes in grape and purple (which I like both!)

This is the one she looved.  She said she felt like a princess in it; and I think she looked like one! And it will look even better in the right color and fitted nice and tight to her body.  It is long, which will be a little tough in August weather outdoors, but she said she'd rather tough it out for a short half hour or so and look great than wear a short dress just to be comfortable and look ok.  Plus, she said this one was very comfortable, and lightweight material!

I think we're on the right track!

Check and done!  We heard of Trisha Tecmire (then Trisha Losee) of Trisha Lynh Photography through some other engaged friends of ours that booked her for their wedding.  I had been researching and comparing and contrasting all these "bargain" photographers from down here in the tri-city area; I knew I didn't want anyone from up north in Hick Town; no, I wanted someone who created quality, artistic, and creative photos.  And these "bargain" photographers were not really up to my standards.  Finally I found Trisha and bam - I knew she was the one!!!!  She is not the cheapo priced photographer from Saginaw; but she is definitely not expensive either.  One look at her website and you will love her too!  Here are some of her pictures from her facebook page:

I can't wait to work with Trisha and get REALLY creative!!!!!  Our engagement photos are on September 26th... sooo excited!