Our photographer was amazing! She did the photos for my friends wedding, and also took portraits for another friends’ engagement pictures. She has this great energy, and she is really talented, too. She asked us briefly what kind of pictures we wanted, and she made sure throughout the night to get us to pose together. She was the one that reminded us to cut the cake so we could get a picture! Overall I loved my pictures! Professional pictures are very much worth the money.

We thought that having my husband in a casual suit would be fine, since most of the bridal party was in regular summer dresses, and my dress was simple, and also because we are simple people. The suit looked great! We had lots of fun having him try on different pants and jackets and shirts at Banana Republic. He usually buys his work shirts from Sears or whatever is on sale at Macy’s, so it was fun for everyone to see him in something nicer, fancier, more cooler, than what he would normally wear. It was him 100%, just a more expensive version of him.

I ruined my husband’s plan of proposing to me by looking at his blackberry and seeing that he had an appointment at Kay’s Jeweler. I asked him about it, questioning if he was getting his mother or sister a present. He said he wasn’t getting anything for them, and then I accused him of cheating on me. Then I started crying, and he started laughing, and told me that he was going to chose an engagement ring, and he wanted it to be a surprise, but now I could go with him. Also, he said I took the pressure off of asking him, since his wanting to marry me was more of a confession. We went together, and the saleperson was great. She explained that lots of couple go ring shopping together because people do have specific taste. My husband was the one who found the ring in the store, and I loved it. We were only there for three hours, too, which the salesperson said is also about average.

I was boring and I did my hair myself. Or rather, my bridesmaids took care of making sure my hair and make-up was perfect. We bought beautiful hair accessories from Claire’s. They had these beautiful ‘crystal’ diamond pins and hair clips. At the bridal stores they were three times as much. We also all wore matching crystal bracelletes. One bridesmaid thought it would be funny to also get blue cowboy hats for the photoshoot, and it was funny. I did not let them wear those hats in the church or beyond the hotel. Overall, my review of Claire’s store at the mall is that they have nice stuff for your hair for cheap.

We didn’t block that many rooms at the hotel, but in the end even the people who live in town stayed here because it was just so convenient. We got our room for free on our wedding night. Overall the hotel was great. The front desk was good about answering all our questions, making sure we knew when the limousines were here, and even finding thread when a flower girl tore the zipper on her dress. I didn’t go to school for business, but this was definietly great customer service. Whatever their manager is telling their staff, it’s the right thing.

I had my bridesmaids hold fresh bouquets of lavender, and I also held a bouquet of fresh lavender and baby breaths. I saw this sort of bouquet, though not as nice, at a farmer’s market in Vermont. I asked the garden center if they would be able to do the same, or at least get me the basic plants so that I could make it myself. Because I asked them before the end of the season, they actually made sure they had lavender for me, which was amazing because they didn’t need to. I did pay more, because it was a special request, but I think it was worth it. Also, I see that they now sell bouquets of lavender, so my idea must have been a good one.

We had heard of people who make wine and give that away as gifts. We could afford wine, but we got cases of bottled root beer, my husband’s and my favorite non-alcoholic drink. We then when to the office supply store and bought the materials to make our own labels with our pictures on the label. Labels were really cheap to make, even with the colored ink. The rootbeer was also cheap, because we have a friend who works in distribution. We had the bottles all set up by a table near the exit, with a sign that said that we wanted to toast our marriage and to our new ‘roots’. It was cheesy, but most people told us it was sweet. And during our thank you speeches over dinner, my husband mentioned that maybe everyone could keep the bottle and we could all drink the vintage rootbeer at our 50th wedding anniversary. He’s such a sweetie.

I think my friends almost stopped being friends over the whole chosing the bridesmaids dress. I asked them to buy their own dresses in shades of pale blue, thinking that would be easy. People had different budgets, and some people wanted to get similar acceesories, and then hats, and there was some fighting. Part of the problem was that everyone was friends with me, but not friends with each other. In the end they found stuff at Forever 21. The store is super cute, and there is enough selection and different styles to meet the needs of the girly girl or the posh girl or the shy girl. And they were all in the same shade of blue, and the material was actually this nice silk, which impressed me because usually I associate Forever 21 with cheap things.

The bridal shower was at my mother’s house. Everyone I knew was there. Because it was a potluck, and people brought food, I can’t say that any one place did cater it. My mom did buy drinks, including beer, from Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart was also where my mother spent over $200 on bridal shower decorations. There was a big sign, and then these hanging bouquets, and then even these small confetti packets. It was cute, but I wouldn’t spend $200 on decorations, especially since most of them we could have made ourselves. But it was cute and nice and I was grateful my mom did all that for me.

I loved, loved loved the bridal show! I wasn’t going to go, but then went at the last minute. I was surprized that they charged brides to go in, but the tickets weren’t that expensive. Parking was horrible. The good part was that I met the woman who would be my wedding planner. She explained that part of what she does is take care of ‘day of’ stuff, not just the dress shopping and cake eating. The worst part was that I saw dresses that I liked better, and cakes that I couldn’t afford, and brides that were obviously skinner and prettier and would have a nicer wedding. But when I came home my fiance gave me a foot rub and I felt better.