Get Thee a New Email

I said my posts would be brief on this blog, and four or five posts later I realize that's just not going to be the norm. So, allow me to provide you with a brief exception. :)

As I was writing about wedding websites, I thought maybe I oughta throw out a suggestion that I realized all-too-late in this briding game. If you go to any sort of wedding shows or wedding websites and give out any contact information, you will be inundated with phone calls/emails/mailers galore. Two suggestions:

1. Before giving out his/her number, make sure your fiancé is comfortable with the thought of getting millions of random messages each week regarding upcoming irrelevant promotions. This is especially true if your number is long distance and his/hers is not. Oops, sorry, Carlos.
2. Do what the title says and get a new email address, specifically for wedding-related contacts. One that allows you to create folders or somehow organize your messages by subject is a bonus. You will thank me for this, especially if you get on David's Bridal's mailing list. Seriously.

See? Toldja I could be brief! Not boxers, haha! Right-o.

That reminds me of a bride that Darci interviewed on With This Ring, who mentioned the sassy blue underpants she wore on her wedding day! So fun as a "something blue"!

Wedding Webbing

Immediately after typing the title of this entry, I realized that the subject of the post could be mistaken for some sort of exotic spider web-esque wedding decoration, or perhaps something having to do with duck feet. No, duck feet will not be the featured hors d'oeuvre at my reception!

This post will, in fact, be dedicated to the subject of wedding websites, since I'm in the process of updating my own website (yes, it's separate from this blog), even as I type. I started scoping out sites for my betrothed and moi long before we were engaged. One could even argue that it started when friends of mine started getting hitched and creating their own sites. I was able to scope out what I liked and what I didn't, so that by the time I had that tell-tale sparkly upon my finger, I knew the basics qualifications in determining with which website provider I would go:

1. FREEDOM! No paying. Whatsoever. Ladies and gents, this is one of those delightfully rare pieces of wedding planning that can come at no cost and still get your message across in a way that reflects you. Do not let them suck up your dollars unless you have a really good reason.
2. A variety of template options. The design of your site should reflect you and your fiancé. The more variety in the options, the better.
3. User-friendly. Don't lose sleep over your lack of html know-how. You should be able to click a button and see your website manifest before you exactly how you envisioned it!
4. Customizable. Don't let the website dictate what you can put on it. You decide. Some people like just the bare-bones facts on their site. I, on the other hand, am a babbler. I need space to write and tell our story using pictures and video and links, etc. Why else would I be blogging my little heart out?

You can set up whatever criteria you want for your site. Just make sure it reflects you. Here are some of the services I've come across so far:

• The Knot - Most of you have probably heard of this one. It's one of the trendiest wedding planning sites in existence. The Knot is more than just a website provider, it's a one-stop shop for all your bridal needs. I actually like to browse through their information on occasion, but chose not to create a site through their service, mainly because Carlos didn't like any of the designs. Hey, it's his site, too!
  
  
• Wedding Channel - Not quite as cute as The Knot, the Wedding Channel website actually became my prime source of resources leading up to and immediately after I got engaged. I just got used to the layout of their site and it was the origin of many a web browsing session in the hope of generating/implementing ideas.
  
  Carlos liked more of the Wedding Channel website design options than he did on The Knot, but I wasn't ready to settle for his apathetic approval. I wanted real, dedicated, "this is my site" passion from him! I took his feedback and kept searching.
  
  
• David's Bridal - As far as I can tell, David's website service is through a partnership with OurWeddingDay.com, which gives you a 30-day free trial of its service before you have to pay. If you've read this far, you already know my thoughts about that, but I'll leave it to you to decide what's best for you.
  
  
• Wedding Announcer - This is where I've been hosting our site, and I've been pretty happy with it, so far. The variety of templates is a little lacking, but I found one on there that Carlos was actually happy with, so that was good enough for me. Also, it's very user-friendly while still allowing you to be creative and control what gets published and what remains behind the scenes. I've had a lot of good comments from friends about this site, so far.
  
  
• eWedding - This is my new favorite!!! I think. I stumbled upon this site by accident, which surprised me, because based on what I saw, I thought it should be at the top of everybody's list of wedding website providers! It has really cute themed templates in a variety of styles, from very elegant to very contemporary. Better yet, there's an optional Flash intro, which was what convinced me to try the site out in the first place! I do have a couple of complaints about the upload/download times for some of the pictures, and the fact that you can format everything except for text size in the entries.
  
  It's not quite as straight-forward as Wedding Announcer, but the loss in simplicity is outweighed by the professionalism of the overall site, once it's completed. And, there are even fun quizzez (unintentional spelling error that amused me, so I kept it) and polls that you can publish on your site for greater interactivity and feedback from your viewers! I have yet to play with the various multi-media options, since I'm in the process of transferring everything over from Wedding Announcer (Sigh, I almost feel like I'm betraying our original site! I really need to stop getting so attached to material . . . and virtual . . . things!).
  
  Addendum: I still like eWedding a lot, but I'm back to using Wedding Announcer after finding out the hard way that eWedding's free services are more limited than I thought. I'd received an email saying that my free trial was coming to an end, and when I went to see what was left I was pleasantly surprised and spent hours transferring things over to my new site.
  
  It wasn't until later that week, when all but two of the pages on my site got locked and invisible, that I went back to re-read the email. There, I noticed a key piece of a sentence that I'd missed before . . . "Your free trial is coming to an end in a few days." I thought it was already over! Turns out most of my hard work is only visible once I upgrade to a paid package, and you all know my thoughts about that.
  
  So, in the end, I like eWedding, in principle. The surveys and polls are a really fun idea, and the mapping service is an external one that I'll recommend in a differenct post. But, in the end, I'm not willing to pay for the service. Also, if you are open to paying, make sure you take advantage of the free trial, first. Like I said, it's a fun service, but I did notice some quirks that I was willing to tolerate for free, but not when it involves money. And read through the packages carefully, as they encompass very specific items and may require an upgrade for the stuff you love.

So, that's my little insight into the virtual world of bride-ism for the day. Hmm, can't get the thought of those polls out of my head . . .

Cupcakelicious

Carlos and I decided that cupcakes would be a fun way to keep the whole cake idea fresh and fun, and hopefully simple! Not unlike my calla lily experiment, I am toying with the idea of trying out a few cupcake recipes myself, and maybe even learning how to do fondant. Is it totally unreasonable for me to think that I can whip up 200+ delicious, beautiful, and affordable cupcakes the week of my wedding with little-to-no stress?

Personally, I think having a cupcake creation party sounds like a lot of fun, especially with my group of gals, and since I have fourteen months (Exactly!!!! Oh my goodness, it's the 27th, today, isn't it??!) to mull this concept over, I'm not tossing out this Do-it-Yourself project quite yet. Still, it might not be a bad idea to start researching bakeries!

Couture Cupcakes: Cupcakes with Pizzazz

In the mean time, check out this great blog done by a British-sounding cupcaker after my own heart. Or maybe I'll be after her own heart, considering I might steal a recipe or two from her! Hey, the girl makes cupcakes almost daily. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

Anyone who uses "couture" and "pizzazz" in her blog title has gotta be worth checking out, non? Try not to salivate too hard, her "cups of cake" look delish.

Flower Power

After a long, snowy winter, Milwaukee finally saw some weather worth kicking off the shoes for last week! Today, I'm back in my favorite oversized sweater in the back of the house (which is warmer than the front, since that's the side the wind's been blowing all week), sipping coffee to keep from shivering anymore. But the point is that spring has finally decided to fight for his right to claim April as his own, and winter is loosening her grip as May begins to make it's presence known.

So, as I ran around barefoot last weekend, I decided to conduct an experiment with the intention of replicating it next year if all goes well. I planted calla lilies. At a springy price of 3 bulbs for $12.99 at Steins, I figured that growing my own flowers would be much more cost effective than having a florist cover the arrangements. We're still 14 months out from the big day, so I haven't even begun to look into floral pricing, but I'm pretty confident that callas are on the higher end of the budget.

The nice thing about callas is that they look beautiful in a bunch, or as a single stalk, which leaves a lot of flexibility for determining how to use them without blowing the budget. They also come in a vast array of colors and sizes, leaving room for personalization and creativity, and there's no end to passable silk immitations out there. With their symbolic meaning of "majestic beauty", callas reign as a wedding favorite. After all, what's more majestic and beautiful than love?!

Carlos was actually the one who picked this flower out for our wedding, and I've been quite proud of him for making such a perfect selection ever since! That man's got extraordinary taste in just about everything but women's shoes, so I've gotten used to deferring to him for any sort of style decisions I need a second opinion on, and have had great success thus far. But back to my experiment . . .

As I said, $12.99 will be an excellent price, assuming that this thing goes through. But before any of you hands-on budget-savvy brides follow my lead, let me remind you that this is still an experiment! In order to plant the bulbs, I actually spent upwards of $40 on planters (three 9-inch plastic ones with built-in drainage), soil (a 20-pound bag, which is all my little muscles could carry), peat moss (for better drainage, as suggested on the calla lily package), and the bulbs themselves. I'm writing off everything but the bulbs as non-wedding expense, since I'll continue to use those items in future gardening endeavors.

In addition to the start-up gardening costs, I still have some research to do, since the planting information on the bulb packages was minimal. For example, I bought two bulbs that are supposed to grow small callas and one bulb for the larger variety, but I have no idea how many flowers the bulbs actually produce. The pictures show a bunch of flowers, so I'm guessing 4-8 flowers per bulb, which may or may not cover my wedding party (5 bridesmaids/groomsmen plus flower girl and parental corsages, etc.). So, it's possible I'll need to purchase another bulb or two.

Also, I think the bulbs are perennial, which means that they'll grow back again next year, but I'm really not sure how that works, and if they'll grow differently the second time around. Some plants do that, after all. Finally, I really need to check up on the details of how to nurture my plantlings. I put them into the dirt and drenched them, according to the instructions on the package, but that's about as far as that info took me. It mentions having excellent drainage and removing the bulbs from the soil after the first frost (which is why I think they're perennial), and keeping them in full sun/partial shade, but aside from that, I'm not sure. Do these pretties need constant attention or is it more of a leave-them-alone-and-they'll-come-home type of deal?

I should really look into some of this stuff. After all, I planted them a week ago, and we've had thunderstorms and snow flurries in the forecast since! What can I say, though? I was excited both about the weather and the concept of saving money/growing pretty flowers for my big day. So, dear readers of mine, I fully encourage you to experiment, but maybe do a little more research than I did, first! I'll keep you posted on anything I find out regarding my own questions, along with updates on my little callettes' growth! Happy spring!

Generation de Inspiration - About My Blog

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this blog was inspired by the blogs of Monica Rae, a Wisconsin wedding vendor, and Darci, a fellow Wisconsin blog. I have since become hooked on Darci's blog, and am doing all I can not to totally copy her style, which is so tempting since she is fantastic!

But one of my requirements for anything related to Carlos' and my wedding, and subsequent marriage, is that it remain true to our style. So, although there may be some similarities, I'm confident that as I continue to be inspired by a variety of sources, and as our wedding comes together, my blog will become as unique as our wedding.

One major difference between Darci and me at the moment is that she blogs daily! That girl is hardcore! I think I might be able to work up to daily posts the more I get into this, but be prepared to see some slack (during the week, especially), followed by multiple posts in one session. I'm also known for long posts (see my other blogs). However, this is a utilitarian blog designed to be a reference for others pursuing wedded bliss, and not just my personal musings on life's little ventures. Therefore, I'll try to keep my posts on the brief side with consistent labels for better search results.

That, of course, means that I have to wrap up this post and head to the next one. But, before I leave, I want to encourage any kind of feedback. Darci's blog started out as a way to stay connected with distant family and friends throughout her planning process, which is one major result I'd like to see come out of my own blog. Her blog also turned into a wonderful resource and forum for other brides seeking inspiration for their own planning process. If my blog acts as an idea generator for other brides, or if there's something in particular that you'd like to see posted on my blog, please feel free to contact me!

So, I guess the moral of this post is, whether you're close family or friends or an equally smittened bride-to-be looking for a connection with others in the throes of love, please feel free to leave your comments. I'd love to hear from you!

And no matter what you do, check out Darci's blog . . . she's even got contests! That lady's my bridal hero! Cheers!

I'm Getting Married!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so I realize that this blog wouldn't exist if I wasn't getting married, but still, I just had an urge to shout it from the rooftops. Being after 10:00 p.m., that probably wouldn't be well-received by my neighbors, so the next best option was to post something on this blog that echoed my thoughts, emphasized by lots of exclamation points! You get the idea. :)

So, since this is a blog about my "luhv" journey, I'd better give you a sense of where I'm at on my path to Missus-hood. So here's the timeline up to this point:

The Engagement (Feb. 16, 2008) - Getting engaged is, of course, a pretty essential stone on the path toward marriage (except for the occasional pair of elopers and Britney Spears), and we were ecstatic when we reached that point. Carlos managed to surprise me, which was a surprise in itself, since we'd been talking about marriage and I was expecting it to happen practically every other minute.But, we'd also been talking about finances, so the night before he got down on one knee, I convinced myself that my ring finger would probably remain bare for at least another few months.

He, meanwhile, was employing outstanding amounts of romantic intuition and creativity and behind the scenes to create the perfect setting for a proposal. As you can probably tell from the ring on my finger and the video of our proposal, it worked!! To any Milwaukee girl looking to inspire her guy, Red Arrow Park's winter ice skating rink is a great hint to drop. This was a legitimate dream date that I'd happened to mention to Carlos when the weather first got cold, and he certainly took the idea and ran . . . err . . . skated with it!

View Proposal Video Here

Photography - After a couple of heart-racing discussions soon after we got engaged, becoming slightly overwhelmed by the list of tasks that apparently lay ahead, Carlos and I were able to make some concrete decisions and start moving forward. I'd already chosen our wedding photographer, Sarah, when I'd seen her presentation a month before we got engaged. We hit it off instantly, and, honestly, who wouldn't hit it off with Sarah?!

I almost scared Carlos out of working with her because I quoted too high a price, but that was just because Sarah and I got together for coffee one day, got a little excited as we started "wedding talking" and got carried away as we went over the list of all the great items she has to offer. Plus, Carlos is from Nicaragua, so we started talking about trips and multiple wedding ceremonies, and before we knew it, I was spending beau coup bucks, despite the fact that Sarah was being incredibly generous in her pricing! Carlos brought some reason into the picture, and although Sarah and I have yet to draw up a formal contract, I think we're looking at an in-budget number.

Honestly, she really is very reasonable in her prices, especially for the quality of her work (and that awesome personality that makes the photo shoot so fun)! If any one's looking for a customizable photo experience, at a great price, done by a professional with a winning personality, Sarah's your girl. She does maternity, business, and child photography, etc., to boot! Check out her blog by clicking here or by clicking the "I Do" Photography link on the sidebar.


When Shall We Wed? (The Date) - Carlos and I picked our date a week or two into our engagement, merely because we wanted to have an answer when friends and family asked us about it. I swear, people think that the guy gets down on one knee and the girl whips out her calendar! When we finally did nail down a date, we were partially prepared. In a flight of whimsy back at the beginning of our "what if we get engaged this year" phase, we'd gone through the entire list of months and analyzed each one for wedding potential. We cut out the winter ones right away (again, he's from Nicaragua), which, in Wisconsin, only left four or five.

We decided upon June, or late September/early October, depending on when we got engaged. Since we're too laid-back a couple to work through checklists with a sense of urgency, we decided we'd better give ourselves at least a year. So, when he proposed in February, 2008, the closest option was June, 2009! From there, we literally looked at a calendar and pointed. This technique proved effective until we found out that the reception hall was booked that day. No worries, we bumped it back a week, after confirming that Sarah could do that day, of course!


The Church - We're both Catholic, and go to the same church - St. Catherine on 51st and Center. So this decision was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, there's not a website yet, but as soon as there is (probably when I create it in the next month or so), you better believe I'll add it to the vendors list! We start our wedding preparation with Deacon Ralph, this Sunday, right after our monthly Pancake Breakfast! I've known Ralph my whole life, so I wasn't too intimidated when a previous St. Catherine bride told me he makes us take a big test. But then, she's a life-long "daughter of the church," as well, so maybe I should be nervous! Oh well, at least my tummy will be filled up on pancakes!


The Reception Site - When my mom suggested that we check out Mount Mary College as a possible reception site, we thought it was a great idea. The pricing turned out to be perfect, and there's no beating the location, both geographically and architecturally! The Alumnae Dining Room (click here for virtual tour), which seats 400 (we're estimating a party of up to 200, so that leaves room for a dance floor), features Gothic floor-to-ceiling windows and cultural flags representing all of the countries Mount Mary's students come from. This couldn't be more perfect for our "Love in Any Language" theme!

We did have a couple of alternative options that never got fully explored (what can I say, we lead charmed lives, and got our first choice, right off the bat). One was the Oak Creek Community Center, which we were considering due to its proximity to the airport and less expensive airport hotels, which could benefit our many out-of-town guests. The Peck Pavilion at the Milwaukee County Zoo was another potential and appropriate option, given the fact that I worked at the zoo for five years as a summer job in high school. Finally, the Milwaukee Public Museum had a really neat sounding package, but they never responded to my email requesting information. I'm guessing it's pretty pricey, though, being downtown. Their caterer happens to be Sodexho, the same one used at Mount Mary, so I banking on some good quality food. Both the museum and Mount Mary's menus sound delish - I can't wait to schedule a tasting!


Caterer - Mount Mary requires their receptions to be catered in-house, but before we decided on them, we threw out a few ideas. We were interested in having some sort of a Spanish tapas/Latin American buffet, and when Carlos learned of Antigua Mexican and Latin Restaurant, we just had to check it out. We went there for dinner with friends, and loved it! I've also got La Merenda on my list of places to check out. Their menu looks delish . . . plates from all over the world! Oh, and while I'm on the subject of really yummy restaurants, Il Mito and Margarita Paradise (where we had our engagement dinner - excellent service and food!) are both fabu. Not sure if they cater, but they'd be great for the rehearsal dinner or shower or something. Hmm, that's got me thinking . . . :)

Okay, so that's basically it for the decisions and research we've done so far. On a really small but exciting note, today marks the two-month anniversary of our engagement, and I didn't even realize it when I started to create the blog this morning!

Anywho, here are some upcoming tidbits that I'll be sure to write about (in no particular order):

1. Handmade bridesmaid's gifts, courtesy of Carlos' mom! You can do it, too!
2. Growing my own bouquet - this will be an ongoing spring experiment. I'll keep you posted.
3. Catering decisions begin tomorrow. Let's eat! Okay, okay, we're not quite at that point yet. Soon, I hope!
4. Making my own dress (not the fancy one!) - another experimental step into the DIY (Do It Yourself) world.
5. Dress shopping! Starts this Saturday!
6. Centerpieces de Calla at a waaaaay budgeted price.
7. Cupcakes!!! Oooh, I've got a fantastic link for this one . . . stay tuned!
8. Home Improvement

Okay, I'm cutting myself off for the night. Good thing I'm working late tomorrow and my first meeting is at Alterra at the Lake (I love my job). Bedtime was an hour and a half ago! To all a good night!

I Love You, in English

He said, "I love you," before we'd ever kissed! True, his native language is Spanish, but that knowledge did very little to calm the internal panic that built to near-destructive (for our relationship, at least) proportions over the course of the next 24 hours! Thoughts racing too fast to grab hold of, I wondered about the power of romantic vocabulary and how just one or two ill-timed phrases had my heart beating with anxiety rather and my eyes darting to and fro, seeking an escape.

Lucky for me, I'm a writer. When I couldn't think or talk my way out of my panic, I opened up a journal and grabbed hold of my "best handwriting" pen. As I composed my message to the man I'd just committed my heart to, I found myself defining love for him -- and me. At that point, it was necessary to tell him what I understood when he uttered those three little words, and how that understanding changed with regard to their Spanish counterparts. When I finally said to him, "I love you . . . in English," he knew exactly what I meant.

16 months later, we're happily ensconced in our engagement! As we explore and embrace the opportunities that await us, I find myself going back to that first conversation about love. What does it mean? Where has it brought us? Where will it take us? Not every answer is clear, but one thing is certain. I love him, in English, and in every other language there is.

Welcome!

Welcome to Love in Any Language, one Milwaukee bride's documentation of her own journey as she traipses ever closer to that aisle of love, and beyond!

This blog was inspired by a post on Bespoke who referenced Darci's blog, With This Ring (see Other Inspirational Blogs on the side panel), and encouraged other brides to follow in Darci's footsteps. I love to write, and in planning my wedding for the last two months, have found plenty to write about!

So, with this post, I enter into the wide world of bridal blogging. We'll see where it takes me. As any bride knows, the journey of love is never straight, and neither is the path that results from surfing the net in pursuit of bridal bliss! Thanks for reading along, feel free to leave feedback or comments about your own experiences, and most of all, enjoy!