Four Days and COUNTING!

Who knew the toughest part of being the Mother of the Bride so far would be all this ironing?  I don't iron.  Everything I own is wash and wear!  I am NOT good at ironing.  It didn't help that I had the iron setting way too low for the first 5 tablecloths.  That I had to go over them more than 4 times each. SMH!  There are 22 tablecloths.  I still have 8 to go as of this writing.  I just realized before I went to sleep 5 hours ago, I  could de-wrinkle them in the dryer to make it easier.  The Maid of Honor, Ummi, offered to help me on Sunday and I turned her DOWN!  What was I thinking?  I'll tell you what I was thinking.  I was thinking a couple hours of ironing shouldn't be too bad.  But it's been over 10 hours now.  I am in Ironing HELL!

On other fronts, Randy and I dropped off the Out of Town bags at the hotel yesterday.  I still have about 5 left for people I'm not sure where they are staying.  I did the candy buffet mock up and got all the ribbons changed.  I couldn't find the decorative tags I ordered so I used some pretty business cards I had laying around. We went to Sam's to get the last of the candy and the makings for S'mores (for the pre-wedding fiesta).  Got the cutest platters there for the cheese buffet with tiny little forks! Also, hit up a nursery and bought some vines to cover up the chicken coop. Firmed up with rental guy for all the party supplies at the venue.  Tried to firm up with the Taco Cart Lady, but she was at a Labor Day party, so I will do that today.

Today on the rest of the agenda is getting Grandma over to the seamstress to get her dress fitted better, as well as fixing Pru's dress - zipper ripped and it's too tight and getting my dress. Picking up a ceder chest from one of my patient's and cleaning off the patio the rest of the way since no more rain (yes, rain in September in Cali!) is predicted. Mirtha wants to finish my beauty stuff either today or tomorrow. Oh, yeah, and there seem to be more IRONING!

Debating on whether to rent a larger car for transporting all this stuff to the ceremony site.  But I wont do that until Thursday. Trey's parents are due in sometime tomorrow.  Joel is coming in Thursday night as is Connie from Hawaii and Trey and Christa are due at 4:30.

Let the countdown continue!

Eight Days! And Alex and Pablo Recap

It's 8 days until the wedding! 

I'm picking up my dress and my mom's dress today.  Fingers crossed.  The wonderful lady, Frances that's been doing dresses for me, my friends, and friends of my friends really messed up BIG TIME on the dresses for Alexandria's wedding.  The dresses were just not usable.  Crooked hems, misplaced linings, seams ripping, zippers breaking.  A total nightmare!  They wound up hunting for bridesmaids and MOB dresses 3 days before the wedding!  They found truly lovely dresses 2 days before the wedding and if you hadn't known about the problem, you would have never guessed it wasn't planned that way.

Randy and Corina, MOB

But I'm very anxious about picking up the dresses (and vests for the ushers) today.  Frances has been wonderful in the past and, truth be told, I'm worried about her.  She doesn't remember conversations we've had, is losing measurements and having to re-do them or be reminded that they are on the back of someone else's chart and I can't believe she let Corina down like that!  It's so not like her!  She showed me the lace and the fabric when I was there last time and it's just LOVELY! I really hope she can pull this off!

I have the rentals arranged for the pre-wedding fiesta next Friday!  Yay!!! Going to have a bouncer for the kids and a Taco Cart!  Everyone is responding so positively.  I'm looking forward to having a great night with friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers!  

I need to firm up with the van rental company to get the guests to and from here and the venue and the hotel.  Trying to firm up with the rental company, but the man's mom is ill and he is in Canada.  Another worry, but I'm sure it will be o.k. Flowers are good.  Coordinator is good.  Christa sent the music list to the D.J. last night. Catering is good for both events.  Just need to confirm with Coco's Tacos on Monday. Harpist is set, Minister on board, Photo Booth set, Videographers fine, Photographer great.  One more trip to L.A. for lights for the lanterns.  Still need to get cheese and fruit for the cocktail hour.  Candy bar needs labels. We are ready!

Alexandria and Pablo

Candy Buffet

Speaking of the candy bar, it went over so well at Alex and Pablo's wedding!  Got so many comments about how great it was from the guests.  People really liked it.  It was just extra fun!  A great addition to the cocktail hour.  I took about 150 lbs and didn't bring any back.  Of course, it didn't hurt that some people were taking 5 bags at a time, LOL.

Alejandro, Corina, Pablo and me, hijacking the pic!

Alex was a truly beautiful bride.  The service was performed by her cousin, Ray and he did a wonderful job. So personal and just the right amount of humor and sentiment. It was very touching!  The music was great (since we're using the same DJ, that's a good thing)! The food was actually good.  Surprised after some of the weddings I've been to.  Corina looked so lovely!  The picture perfect Mother Of the Bride! Good times were being had by all!  So sad that we had to leave early, but Randy is going through another round of kidney stones.

My last day at work until the Tuesday after the wedding!  Will try to update more this week!

Hair Trial Progression

Finished product

 

 

 

 

Here  are the pix from my hair trial for the wedding.  I think I really like it!  Starting with the wet hair all the way to the finished product.

 

Thanks, Mirtha!!!!  The Sands Salon

T.V. or Not T.V. That Is The Question

I've been awake since 3 a.m. (again) so I decided to update a little.  We were contacted by a new reality show called "What Are You Worth".  It will be on the A&E network and stars the guy from Storage Wars, Berry Weiss.  Apparently they help out families that are trying to do something special for their children. Sports, music, academics, etc.  Well, they wanted to do someone with a wedding and I had left my profile open on a casting site when Christa was thinking about doing a wedding show to help pay for the wedding.  So, they contacted me.  We've done a phone interview and filled out an application, sent pix of us, the house, my blog (Hi Sarah & Kate), my Facebook, etc.  The major complication is that Christa is in training in Florida.  Then she starts her jobs in the Bay Area.  Plus the wedding is 21 days from now.

So, they wanted everything by 8 AM last Thursday.  But now I haven't heard anything back.  Part of the "story" is the party we are throwing the night before the wedding.  I'm not sure how much to work on getting the yard and such ready vs. how much they want to shoot before it's ready.  Or whether to go through the stuff I want to have appraised on the show and digging it out for them.  Do I need to get a storage locker for all of Christa's wedding stuff that's in the front room and bedroom?  A little crazy-making.  But I'm really excited to think that all the relatives that couldn't make it, might be able to see some of it on T.V.

Trixie, the wayward Kitty and great Mouser!

On a side note, Trixie, our black kitty, came home last night after being away for almost 2 weeks.  She was quite hungry, skinny and thirsty. She must have gotten trapped somewhere! So happy to have our great huntress home!  She was happy to have the other cats gone, LOL.  The mother cat really tortured her.

Alex and Pablo

Tonight is Alexandria and Pablo's reception dinner.  They are having a bar-be-que and I'm bringing my famous dip and a fruit platter.  Should be lots of fun.   One week until their wedding.  Everything's moving so fast!  They are using the same D.J. as us and I'm excited to hear him at a wedding.

Well, I guess I'll get my day started. 

Quick post about the candy buffet - Pic Heavy

Here is the progression of the Candy Buffet.  I did a mock up of this one for my friend's daughter's wedding which is 2 weeks before my own daughter's wedding.  I will do a similar one for Christa, but with her colors.  Luckily they are both using silver accents so I can use the same ribbons and just change the display cards.

I have been assembling the jars since I found out about the wedding.  Garage sales, Ikea, T.J. Max, gifts from friends (thanks Gillian and Annalisa), etc.

I couldn't find a template that I liked from the paper/scrapbook stores so I ordered them off Esty.  Thanks, Maria! (Her website is http://www.mariapalitousa.com/)  I used organza and satin ribbon and tacky glue to hold them on.  It took me about 5 hours from start to finish (washing the jars, figuring out which jars I wanted figuring out where to place everything, which candy to use in which jar, making the labels and so forth).

Here are the pix along the way:

Busy Saturday - 4 weeks until the wedding.

Christa is happily attending JetBlue University, again.  They let her miss her orientation since she had it before so she could fulfill her obligation to Ikea and work her last day there.  Thanks, JBU!  There is some kind of basketball tournament between the various airport provisioning teams taking place in Orlando so she has been cheering on the LGB team.  Sadly, they lost yesterday.

Saturday was sooooo busy.  I went to Sam's Club to buy the last of the candy buffet items for Alex's wedding (2 weeks, YIKES!), then did regular grocery shopping at Stater's, unloaded everything (thankfully Randy has a few hours of surplus time off work to help me) then I went to drop off the flower girl's dress and tiara.

Kids grow so fast during the summer!  We may need to buy yet another dress, LOL.  It fits her now, but just barely.  We are going to try it on her a week before the wedding.  If it's too small I will be picking up one more thing in L.A. that week.

Then off to the 99 cent store to finish off the Out Of Town bags.  I was able to get razors and toothbrush kits.  As well as some stuff for Gunner (ring bearer) and his baby sister, Rowan.  Later, I worked on the labels for the water bottles and got them put on.  The template I posted on here was for a different brand.  I tried using all kinds of different templates, but wound up just making my own, ARRRRGGGGGHHH!

I had lunch with DeeJay, the videographer.  We caught up on what was going on in eachother's lives.  He was one of my Drama Babies at Long Beach Poly.  He also attended the YMCA Youth Institute (CORAL) like Christa did which is where he learned the videography.  He and one other Y kid will video the wedding and then Christa will do the editing herself.

After I dropped him off I took Christa's dress back to Francess.  After trying on the dress again, Christa decided that, while she wanted to be bold, she didn't want to be so bold as to show her booty to all her guests.  So, she is installing a modesty panel about half way up the back.  Still showing skin, but not her ghetto booty!

Then to Staples.  Got the label paper and a paper-cutter.  I've been using the one at work in my off time and decided to just go for it.  With two weddings in four week, I will probably need it again!

Got home and worked on the labels (see above) for a few hours.  Checked out the pictures of Randy's niece, Shauna's wedding being posted by folks in Wisconsin.  Then off to meet the photographer, Zack, at the venue.

Lanterns

Long tables - We're using rounds

More of the ceiling

Showing with the doors open

We got there ahead of the photographer and were able to sneak upstairs and peek at the way they had it set up.  Randy took some pix before the ceremony ended and we had to leave.  Unfortunately, Zack didn't get there til just after that.

While waiting for Zack, we bumped into a bride I've corresponded with, Camile, from the wedding bee boards www.weddingbee.com She and her finace were just adorable!  They are looking for a venue and are considering the bath house at my suggestion.  It was so great to meet someone from cyberworld IRL and she was such a nice lady!

We walked around with Zack and his assistant, Dawn, and looked at sites for where he wanted to get pix, talked about the various events and then went over to the vacation house I rented for Christa to get ready in.  Unfortunately, it was rented so we only got to look at the outside.

All in all, a very productive day!

Sunday I'm going to do a mock up of the candy buffet and get the wedding stuff in the front bedroom organized!

On a parting note, I thought I would share this photo of my co-worker, Maiko (pronounced like Mike with and O), with you.  She was heating up some curry in the "Maiko-wave" and when she pulled it out, she tripped a little.  Curry went EVERYWHERE; walls, table, floor, but somehow it missed HER.  This is a pic of her cleaning up the last of it off the blinds.

Maiko and her curry!