Invitations

It seems that lately anything will send me into a state of panic. Two weeks ago, for example, it was our invitations that had me spazzing out.

I had heard far too many post office horror stories, gruesome tales of mangled envelopes, missing invitations, and other misfortunes, and it was with great trepidation that I handed over my beloved, handmade invites to the rude post-office lady.

Call me crazy—Mr. Unicorn certainly does—but I went out of my way to hand-deliver the majority of the invitations. I figured that was the only way I could be absolutely certain that the invitations arrived at their destinations safe and sound.

Of course, I came up with this brilliant plan AFTER I’d spent quite a chunk of money on postage. The conversation with Mr. Unicorn went something like this:

Me: I’ll deliver these to the neighbors. You deliver these to your co-workers. And we’ll minimize the potential for damage to our precious invitations!

Mr. Unicorn: Can I ask why you bothered with postage then?

Me: …well it makes the invitations look pretty…

Mr. Unicorn: Give me your credit card. You just lost credit card privileges.

Me: But I need to order paper straws and mason jars!!!

Mr. Unicorn: -facepalm-

To be entirely honest, I think I would have splurged on stamps regardless.

When I send out all the invitations, I’ll do a full invitation reveal. Until then, I’ll leave you with this sneak-peek.

Back of the envelope featuring Mr. Unicorn's and my silhouettes. -Personal photo

Front of the envelope with the pretty, if somewhat pointless, postage stamp. -Personal photo

Any other USPS horror stories out there? Am I crazy for putting postage on hand-delivered invitations?

Table Numbers

All my vendors were booked by mid-May.

You would think that meant I could just sit back and relax for the next 106 days.

WRONG!

With less than four months to go, I had to really get cracking on my DIY list, which had remained untouched since the yarn balls. Next victim? Table numbers.

After stalking other wedding blogs and Pinterest, I decided I would copy the framed table-number idea. My plan would have worked flawlessly had Michael’s not discontinued their line of wooden numbers. I checked Hobby Lobby, but wouldn’t you know it? They didn’t carry the darn numbers either.

A lesser bride might have panicked, but not a unicorn bride.

I found these at Michael’s. They’re the right size for this project, and if anybody has a problem with the fact that I used letters instead of numbers, well they can just take a long walk off a short pier.

Personal photo.

First, I painted all the letters white. Then I purchased some frames and painted them to match.

Personal photo.

I bought pretty fabric to mount the numbers on.

And voila! The finished product:

Personal photo.

Did you run into any problems that threatened to derail your DIY projects? How did you handle them? Do you think anyone will care that I used letters instead of numbers?

Dressing the Men

I picked out my bridesmaids’ dresses pretty much immediately after Mr. Unicorn proposed. I knew right away that I wanted them all to be comfortable in a dress of their choosing as long as it was navy, knee-length, and chiffon or similar.

The boys, on the other hand, are a different story entirely.

I don’t know why I’ve had so much trouble picking out clothes for the guys. I knew I wanted them to look nice, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted exactly. Tuxes? Suits? Black? Grey? Khaki? Bow tie? Normal tie? Vest or no vest?

And then I met this Calvin Klein beauty.

Image via Saavi Formalwear

Isn’t it gorgeous???

I knew, of course, that none of our groomsmen would be able to afford it, so I decided to let them pick their own suits as long as they followed some guidelines:

-light grey color for the jacket and pants

-white shirt

-flat-front pants

Even with this much wiggle-room, though, the groomsmen dragged their feet. Months went by, and not a single one of them had purchased a suit. Bridesladies, on the other hand, were uploading pictures of their beautiful dresses to the page I created on Facebook.

Clearly I was going to have to simplify things for the menfolk.

Then I saw this beautiful picture of Mrs. Skunk’s wedding (find it at weddingbee), and I about died.

Image via Weddingbee.com / Photo by iloveyoumuch photography

This was the answer! Grey pants, black suspenders, and a white shirt! What could be simpler???

As there is absolutely no danger that the Unicorn groomsmen read this blog, I will go ahead and reveal that I plan on gifting the men their dapper, navy bow ties and their newsboy caps. This kills two birds with one stone.

I had been struggling with ideas for groomsmen’s gifts. We couldn’t give flasks or beer tankards because several of them aren’t 21 yet!

Was it easy for you to pick the groomsmen’s outfits? What about their gifts?

Nails

Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day. I’m definitely no exception. I’ve decided to splurge on hair and makeup for the big day, and I’m even getting my nails done.

Out of all the decisions I thought I would struggle with, I never dreamed that my nails would be one of the more difficult ones.

See, I HATE manicures. I just feel so uncomfortable, and I don’t know any of the terminology, so when they ask me what I want, I’m reduced to pantomiming and searching for pictures on my smartphone.

When it comes to what I want for the wedding, though, I’m just lost.

So. I’ve decided to kill a few birds with one stone. I’m going to get regular manicures this summer up to the date of the wedding. This will help me get comfortable with the process, and it will narrow down what I want for the wedding.

First up: The Gel French Manicure. Or the French Gel Manicure. Or the French Manicure in Gel. (See???? I don’t even know what it’s called!!!!)

I am told this type of manicure will last a good while. So far, so good. As for the color, though, I am not entirely sold on the French Manicure. It’s very pretty and classy, but a part of me is bored with it. I want something more interesting for my wedding day. I just don’t know what.

I’ve seen beautiful pictures of brides with bold, colorful manicures on Pinterest, but that’s just not for me. Maybe a nice champagne color…?

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

Personal photo.

Personal photo.

Hive, what should I do about my nails???

Fathers and Daughters Revisited

Well I lied when I said I wasn’t going to choose a sappy, sentimental Father-Daughter dance song. I had dinner with my dad, and we talked about a lot of things. At some point, the conversation got very deep, and I realized that, although he wasn’t the greatest father when I was young, he really has made an effort to be better lately. A part of me wants to say he’s 18 years too late. But the other part of me is touched by the fact that he really is trying.

I started getting a little teary, so I tried to lighten things up.

“Well we need to pick a father-daughter song. And given your skills on the dance floor, maybe we should invest in some lessons.” It was meant to be a funny, offhand comment, but the moment I said it, things got serious again.

“What about our song?” My dad asked.

I knew exactly what song he was talking about, and for a moment, I was twelve again, reeling from the news that my dad had moved out and my parents were getting divorced. I felt betrayed, angry, confused. My straight A’s plummeted to D’s. My dad was never the greatest communicator, a factor that probably played a role in the failure of his marriage to my mother. So when he told 12-year-old me that there was a song he wanted me to listen to, I knew it was more than just a catchy tune he’d heard on the radio that he thought I’d enjoy.

Lullaby by Billy Joel

Goodnight my angel, time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
Then you should always know
Wherever you may go, no matter where you are
I never will be far away

Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me
When we went sailing on an emerald bay
And like a boat out on the ocean
I'm rocking you to sleep
The water's dark and deep, inside this ancient heart
You'll always be a part of me

Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry, and if you sing this lullaby
Then in your heart there will always be a part of me
Someday we'll all be gone
But lullabies go on and on
They never die
That's how you and I will be

It made me cry at 12, and it made me cry again at 22. But my dad is right. This is our song. And even if turns me into a sobbing mess of melting mascara on my wedding day, it’s the perfect father-daughter song for us.

How about you? What are some songs that have special meaning to you? Will you play them at any point in your wedding?

The Proposal

"How did he propose?"

Boy, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I'd be filthy rich.

So here’s the story from my point of view:

We had only been dating about six months, but I already knew that this was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Clearly, he felt the same way. We talked about marriage and kids and buying a house; everything was just dandy.

One thing you need to know about me is that I’m an impatient, impulsive person. I’m a car salesman’s dream come true. So although it was nice to know that we were both in it for the long haul, I wasn’t going to believe it 100% until I had a ring on my finger.

Petty? Yes. Am I proud of it? No. I think after so many violently disappointing relationships—one that ended with a gun at my head and another that ended with my ex being imprisoned for two years—I really wanted to make sure that I didn’t let this perfect guy get away.

So. We talked about it one night. I cried bitter tears and voiced my fears that he was never going to propose to me. The very next day he went out and bought me a ring.

How do I know this?

Because I was there. I didn’t pick out my own ring, though. I still wanted some element of surprise. So I sat on a bench just outside the jewelry store, super excited and grinning from ear to ear. It wasn’t long before Mr.Unicorn emerged from the store with two ring boxes.

“Before you get all excited,” Mr. Unicorn said, holding the boxes over his head and out of my reach, “I want to propose to you in front of our families.”

Well, poo. That meant more waiting. I was touched by the fact that Mr. Unicorn wanted to include our families, though, and I resigned myself to the fact that it would be another two weeks before I would see my ring.

The next day, after work, we went for a dinner-and-a-movie date. It was nothing special, really, so I didn’t bother to change out of my scrubs from work. My hair was still up in a messy bun, and I had not an ounce of makeup on my face. We decided to eat at Atlanta Bread Company because it’s conveniently close to the movie theater. I had just finished devouring my soup-in-a-bread-bowl when Mr. Unicorn whipped something small and shiny out of his pocket and blurted out, “Will you marry me?”

I was surprised. Shocked. Stunned. And very, very giggly.

Some girls tear up when they’re overcome with emotion. Some girls go completely quiet. I giggle. Hysterically.

At the onset of this fit of giggles, peoples started staring. You could tell they were confused. Did he just propose? Here??? At Atlanta Bread Company? Weird.

But my proposal was perfect. It caught me off guard, which is very hard to do given that I’m so damn nosy and impatient.

I said yes, he put the ring on my finger (the wrong one, at first), and we rushed to the photobooth at the movie theater to take some pictures.

Personal photo.

Personal photo.

Personal photo.

Any unusual proposal stories out there?

Veiled Meaning

Like most brides, I find the sight of a UPS or FedEx truck in my neighborhood to be wildly exciting. If I see one, I usually rush home to see if it left something for MEEEEE!

One awesome day last month, I came home and found a slightly squashed package by the front door addressed to MEEEEE!

It was my veil!!!!

I ordered it from a seller on Etsy, and I have to admit I was a little nervous about ordering a veil without first trying it on. But this particular seller had rave reviews, and the veil was ridiculously cheap… So I took the plunge and hit “Add to Cart.”

I’m sure you wanna see pictures.

I’m still not 100% sure how I’m supposed to attach the thing to my head, but this is what I think it’s going to end up looking like. It does have a haircomb sewn in, and I'm sure the hairstylist will know what to do. Please excuse my oh-so-comfy sweatshirt and crazy hair.

Personal photo.

Personal photo.

I also tried it on with my dress, but I can’t show you pictures of that just yet. To give you a little bit of an idea, though, the lace on the veil mimics the lace overlay on the dress.

At the beginning of the whole wedding-planning process, I was completely opposed to wearing a veil. I wanted a simple hair accessory, like a blingy headband or fascinator.

And then I met Pinterest.

Ah, Pinterest, how I love thee. Even though thou art the sole reason I burn through my phone’s data plan each month.

After seeing so many beautiful pictures of brides in veils—birdcage, cathedral, mantilla…the list goes on—I was sold on the idea. After all, when else am I going to be able to wear a veil? Besides Halloween, there’s really no good excuse to wear one.

I was set on a birdcage veil, until I realized that it wouldn’t look too great with my particular dress. I’m not hating on the birdcage, mind you.

All in all, I’m thrill I decided to spring for a veil. I think it looks very elegant and romantic, if I do say so myself.

What are your thoughts on veils? What style are you going with, if any?

Health Kick

There’s one snippy comment I’m tired of hearing. You all know what I’m talking about. It can be worded several different ways, and it usually comes up at mealtimes, especially if you spring for a second helping of your absolute favorite Godiva chocolate cheesecake. It typically sounds something like this:

“Don’t you have a wedding dress to fit into?”

At first, I just laughed it off. As time went on, I found it less amusing and more offensive. Why shouldn’t I treat myself to the decadent deliciousness that is Godiva? With all the stress of planning my own wedding, changing jobs, house-hunting, and keeping up with classes, I felt I deserved a tasty reward if I wanted it. My dress fit to perfection when I bought it. How could a single slice of chocolatey heaven affect that?

I was convinced my haphazard, unstructured, twice monthly workouts would keep me in decent enough shape.

Well, ladies and gents…

I was wrong. Dead wrong. Incredibly, horribly, shockingly wrong.

I just tried my wedding dress on for giggles, and let me tell you that the experience did not leave me giggling. IT’S TIGHT!!! I can’t breathe in the darn thing. It zips all the way up, but just barely and with much gut-sucking.

This is my wake-up call. Starting tomorrow, I am in full health-kick mode. I am starting by pouring all our soda down the drain, giving away my last box of Thin Mints, and hitting the gym hardcore tomorrow. I will spend what’s left of my paycheck on fruits and veggies, and I will thoroughly research healthy recipes to incorporate into my diet. I will learn how to pronounce and cook quinoa.

And whenever I feel my motivation flagging? Well, I’ll just try on my wedding dress.

Anyone else going on a pre-wedding fitness kick? Any tips from anyone already on a health kick? Anyone know how to pronounce the word quinoa?

Fight!

I have a temper. I’m impatient, I’m reactive, I’m volatile. Which isn’t very good, because my job requires that I deal with people—sometimes very unpleasant people—on a daily basis. Mr. Unicorn is my complete opposite. He’s patient, he’s cool-headed, and he’s unwilling to get sucked into a fight. His relaxed attitude surprisingly has a calming effect on me. Sort of like this:

Me (texting Mr. Unicorn about an extremely rude customer): “I want to jump over this counter and attack him with the letter opener. Either that or quit my job RIGHT NOW! Help me choose.”

Mr. Unicorn: “Fetal position.”

The mental picture of me, diving behind the counter to ball up on the floor, made me giggle. And thus, Mr. Unicorn kept me sane and employed.

But sometimes my temper gets in the way of our relationship.

Most couples fight. I think we can all agree on that. It’s how we handle these fights that matters. That’s what determines our likelihood of success.

The wedding planning process has tested the strength of our relationship several times already. The latest major fight was about fonts, I shit thee not. Doors were slammed, tears were shed, and cold shoulders were given—all thanks to Copperplate Gothic Light.

But we came out of that just fine. We can even laugh about it now.

How has wedding planning affected your relationship? Have you fought about anything wedding-related?

Fathers and Daughters

My father and I have a pretty precarious relationship. I could go into detail and whine about how he was never really there for me when I was growing up, but I’ll spare you. Suffice it to say, that we love each other, but it’s not the comfortable “daddy-and-his-little-girl” sort of love. 

This makes picking out a song for our Father-Daughter dance very difficult. A quick Google search of “father daughter songs” yielded an ungodly number of sappy, emotional songs meant to tug at your heartstrings and get the waterworks going.

Gag me with a spoon; cheesy references to butterfly kisses are just not my cup of tea.

So I edited my search to “non-cheesy father daughter songs,” and I’m pleased to say that I’ve narrowed it down to one of the following:

Daughters by John Mayer

Wildflowers by Tom Petty

Another option I’ve considered is scrapping the traditional Father-Daughter prom-sway-dance thing in favor of a choreographed, light-hearted routine to some more upbeat tunes such as:

The Humans are Dead by Flight of the Conchords

Actually, I’m totally kidding about that last one. But wouldn’t it be awesome????

Anybody else have difficulty picking father-daughter dance songs?

Life has been a crazy, hectic whirlwind of work (new job!), school (final exams!), and wedding-related fiascos (more on them later), so it's nice to take a break to update the hive.

So far, everything seemed to be going swimmingly with the wedding plans. We had our venue, our photographer, our cake, etc. We even had TWO engagement shoots. One was shot by a gentleman whose children I used to babysit. He offered to do an engagement shoot for us for free!!! I was ecstatic! He is super talented, and if you ever need a photographer in Atlanta, Georgia, James Barker is your man. For realsies. Check out his website: www.jamesbarkerphotography.com .

Here we have a few of the best pictures he took that day:

Photo by James Barker Photography

Photo by James Barker Photography

Photo by James Barker Photography

Photo by James Barker Photography

Funny story behind the very last one: Mr. Unicorn yawned just as Mr. Barker took the picture, and it looked like he was chomping down on my head. Naturally, we edited it to make it look like he’s a zombie about to eat my brains.

On the not-so-positive side of wedding planning, we decided to fire the photographer we originally booked to shoot the wedding. I hated to do it, but I felt we had no choice. We had booked How Beautiful Photography back in January. I made the mistake of signing a contract without consulting Mr. Unicorn first. He’s a photographer, so it would have been smart of me to bring him along for the interview; he knows all the right questions to ask when it comes to photography.

Long story short, we were deeply disappointed by our photographer’s lack of professionalism and organization. The first red flag: she lost track of the payments we had made, and she sent me a message on Facebook, asking me to confirm that we had paid $300 so far. She was off by $100; we had paid $400. I sent her the correct number, offering to send her copies of the checks that we had given her, and that was that. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

What happened afterwards was just ridiculous. The following is an excerpt from a Facebook message she sent me:

“…explain to me your process of booking [your venue]. how much, what kind of payments have you made or do you have to make?”

Basically, she wanted me to change venues because she doesn’t like the owner.

Um. No.

I showed the email to Mr. Unicorn, in case I was overreacting, and the first words out of his mouth were, “She’s fired.”

I’m very disappointed in how things turned out with this vendor. Our engagement shoot with her went ok, but she lacks basic photography skills, not to mention professionalism.

On the bright side, though, we found a fabulous photographer to replace her. His photos are to die for, and I can’t wait to see how he does at our wedding. Best part? His prices are very reasonable. Check out his site at http://chriswithcamera.wordpress.com.

Has anyone been disappointed with vendor drama? How did you handle it?