Becoming Kelly Wall

Fine China vs. Function

2009-02-09T23:11:00.004-05:00

It is finally done! The registering that is. It is funny, because everyone talks about how much fun it is, but I was really stressing about it. How do I know what colors I want, what I want, what patterns work together (without seeing them together)? Besides that, you then have to register at multiple locations to give other people choices!

You see, Walls and I don't live together and to top it off, we live at home. Translation: No furniture of our own yet, with the exception of my bedroom furniture, a desk and a dining table I acquired when I moved out for a couple of years. (Just in case you are trying to work this out in your head, my roommate had all the living room furniture.) Oh, I also have a washer and dryer and a papasan chair.

I am not sure what Walls has except for a busted (and I mean BUSTED) recliner he bought from a friend for $5. Not Kidding. In the realm of entertainment he is a goldmine, bringing a bunch of DVDs, Blu Rays, video gaming systems, surround sound system and large flat screen tv. WOOT! You are putting this together in your head now aren't you? The two of us, cuddled up in an empty living room, him in his old worn out recliner, me in my round papasan chair and theatre quality sound. Ahh, the good life.

That said we have registered at 3 stores. Bed, Bath and Beyond, Wal-Mart and Belk. (You can check out our registries through the links provided.) I have to say, I did have fun, but it was after I got everything settled and made sure we hadn't registered for 3 different toasters. It is funny to me though and I guess it is tradition, but what do 2 newlyweds with limited furniture need with fine china? Let's do a little math. Okay, so one place setting of "cheap" fine china is like $80, which is $320 for 4 place settings, but who has a formal dinner for only 4 people? So they ("registry experts" I guess we will call them) think you need 8 to 12 place settings worth. Ready for this, $640-$1280 in "occasional, once in a blue moon, your ass better not break that plate, china". I got home, deleted the china and registered for a tv stand, two side tables (for a couch we don't have) and a coffee table from Wal-Mart. Not traditional, but functional. Grand total for all four of those items...$360 and some change. We may not get them, but hey, if we do I think I can eat off of that.

Photo Tag

2009-02-08T09:57:00.006-05:00

Okay, so I was tagged by Heather to do a photo tag. I guess the rules are (if you call them rules) to go to the fourth album in your computer files and post the fourth picture in that file and then explain. Here goes something:

This picture was taken in Orange Beach, Alabama for one of my best friend's wedding. The picture is myself and my sister Kristin. I think it shows our sass and sisterness. Ha! It is funny 'cause it was the most fun I had ever had at a wedding. I have a lot to live up to, but I am not even going to try. ;o)

It was rather perfect selected the fourth photo from the fourth album, 'cause my fourth album was a mesh up many pictures for my Ipod. I think we should extend the tag and say that you should do the fourth of the fourth and name another like the third picture of the third folder.

Anyway, I tag: Bucky and Jen, Mike, Boshanks and Ashley.

Then and Now

2009-02-06T01:06:00.020-05:00

Steven Wall (AKA Walls to his friends) and I have been together for over 5 years now. Upon looking at some photos of us, I realized just how much we have changed. This inspired me to give you guys a look at the "Then and Now" of us. I am sad that I don't have more early photos on my computer, but what I do have is pretty funny. Here it goes:

The one above is from Christmas 2003 versus 2008 below.

and then there is...

The Braves Game in 2004 versus above 2008 below.

Oh and just some randoms from 2003-2006ish...

Slightly more recent...

Well, I guess that is all. It is late, the computer is slow and I am tired. Goodnight and thank you for letting me share some memories with you.

Meet the Photographer

2009-02-04T11:27:00.004-05:00

This is Catherine and she will be doing my photos for the wedding. The best part about the whole gig...she is also my friend. I consider myself extremely fortunate to know someone so talented. It will be a dream come true to have someone that knows Walls and I so well to catch our special day on film.

Catherine is extremely talented, capturing the moments that move you. It is far beyond the set up shots and often times overly posy pictures. Catherine comes from an art background and it is something I say more often than not, an eye for the aesthetic cannot be taught and she was born with it. She has been the model of professionalism even to someone that is a friend. I invited her over one rainy day to go over contracts and what I wanted and here she came binders and books and samples, layouts and options, hands full. She sat at the dining room table with my mom and comforted her concerns about lighting which only made me love Cat more. I follow her blog religiously and become more and more excited about when it is my turn. I urge anyone getting married or simply needing photographs to take a look at My Life Photography.

Our engagement shoot is set for Friday, March 27 and I cannot wait. I am giddy just thinking about it.

Compromise, Compromise, Compromise

2009-02-02T23:24:00.004-05:00

I feel like a broken record when I say I am relatively relaxed when it comes to most things, though I will admit to letting some of the stress get to me. The best advice I got was from one of my fabulous bridesmaids Marlena, who said, "all brides do this, it's nothing new. They stress over everything and then on the day, look around and realize how perfect everything is. So just relax." I then thought, "Sure, whatever you say crazy lady." But really, after some real thought, she IS right. I need to relax.

What do I know of throwing a wedding anyway? Not like I have done it before. So I am doing it with the least stress possible. Solution: Captain Compromise

I once read in school (psychology no less) that compromise means no one wins. Honestly, (though slightly factual and cynical) I believe my sanity wins. Here are my choices and some of the battles I have picked (and won according to my psychology book.):

The location (there was no fight, but I will take a win where ever.)

The time of the wedding is 6:30PM *Please note that my mom is still fighting this one. I am a rock!! I stand unmoved!

The DJ (Also no fight)

The colors (Slight convincing on the bride's side to the groom who thinks red is fine but black is for funerals.)

BBQ Reception

The Wedding Party Size (7 and 7 is a great deal, but I would not cut one single soul. Mom thinks this is entirely too big.)

And then there are the compromises:

The Parasols- okay so, the future hubby hated the idea. The list of reasons for why he hated them were numerous and then he followed the statement up with, "If you REALLY like them, I guess they are fine." So I told him that during the ceremony I would have the girls carry flowers if I could get some photos done with the parasols.

The Dresses- if you read the earlier blog you know now that the dresses are mostly black.

Open Bar- mom doesn't know this compromise, but I think what I am going to do is have beer, wine, champagne (for the toast) and some "spiked punch" (I will need help coming up with a good drink, so recipe suggestions wanted). I think this will loosen the 6:30PM complaint above.

So when I look at it, not too many compromises/losses on my part and I have decided to enjoy the process of it all.

In case you are curious the bridesmaid flowers should look sorta like the ones below:
The bouquets will have touches of ivory and will be tied up with black ribbion. All in all, it should be lovely and I am super excited to see it all come together instead of a crazy jumbled mix of ideas inside my head.

*I love The Knot for their supply of photos that make me feel less crazy.

We're Going On a Magical Get Away...

2009-01-30T12:29:00.006-05:00

To Disney World!!

It is official, we have made our plans and put down the deposit for our honeymoon. I am so thoroughly excited. As many of you know we are big kids at heart and love a good old fashioned adventure.

Walls and I went to Disney with some friends about 2 years ago and while walking about he noticed a couple with top hat Mickey mouse ears and Minnie mouse ears with a veil. He turned to me out of nowhere and said, “Wouldn’t this be a great place to have OUR honeymoon?” After getting over the internal shock of that statement, I turned to him and asked “why?” (At this point I was playing it cool, but on the inside I was chanting, I think he loves me, he wants to marry me, like Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality.) He drew my attention to the couple with the ears and said that even the guy collecting trash said congratulations. He thought it was nice that everyone complimented them. So the dream was born.

We knew we wanted to stay on the resort so the “Magic” would not be interrupted by leaving the park. Walls has fond memories of staying at the Contemporary with the Monorail coming straight through the hotel. We priced that one and several others last week and decided that the Contemporary was where we would stay. Flash forward to yesterday and trying to make a reservation and the Contemporary was BOOKED!! GRR! I got on the phone and the very nice “Cast Member” Roy said he could get me in the Contemporary Club Level for a cool $4600. Thanks Roy, but no thanks. He was great and continued to work with me, asking about the upcoming nuptials and he described the Yacht Club Resort. It is a Deluxe Hotel (Cause DELUXE makes it fancy) and also Disney’s flagship hotel. It fit in the budget (thank you Dave) though we are going to get a bit of help anyway via www.disneyhoneymoonregistry.com (Dave would say don’t take on more than you can handle in case no one helps you).

We are super excited. I am sure this is going to be a pixie dust filled Honeymoon full of adventure.

Why Didn't I Elope?

2009-01-29T10:28:00.003-05:00

Okay, so before this becomes a self loathing blog, I am just going to say that in some cases it is a better idea to leave family out of the equation. Whew! I feel better. That said, we are moving forward as planned with the wedding (not that it ever changed) and hopefully it will be a glorious, happy occasion for all involved.

I have started talking to the women in my life that asked if they could be involved in the showers and have gotten a few dates on lock. I think this is one of my favorite parts, but being a bit controlling I am having a time with just sitting back and letting things happen. I want to help set up and lend my ideas, so I have taken the stance of "whatever you think is best", because once I start it is like chasing a boulder down a hill. It is true, I am a Planoholic.

For those of you ladies oh so interested, here are some dates to remember:

The Lingerie Shower-April 18
The Bridal Shower-April 25
The Bridal Luncheon (For my wonderful maids/matrons)-May 2
The Bachelorette Party-May 9

*Basically if you want, you can just clear your calender from April 'til the end of May according to Rachel.

Well that's all folks. Well, actually there is more, I am just not feeling it today. So short and sweet is all you get, but I am regularly blogging and that is a plus.

Happy New Year, Let the Stress Begin!

2009-01-23T13:46:00.010-05:00

Okay, so I asked for it. Really I did. I was sitting around up unto January 1st and the flood gates have opened. I have decided that it really does not matter if you are the laid back bride type or not. The moment you involve anyone else in the mix, things are bound to get sticky.

Well first things first, I have the gown. It is a Maggie Sottero and it is beautiful. I would post pictures, but seeing as how I don't want the groom to see it and he is mildly sneaky, I figured it was best to keep that to myself. It reminds me of Scarlet O'Hare and Gone With the Wind.

I took the some of bridesmaids to get their dresses. I told them it could be any style in the colors I selected. (Red and Black w/ Ivory Accents) Why this is a bad idea: Red to one designer is different from red to another designer. I will put this mildly, pick a dress, pick a color and stay with it. TOUGH COOKIES! Ha Ha! I am kidding, kinda. It was definitely a day I will never forget. I was thankful for the getting the dresses and some very patient bridesmaids. I have now made a few adjustments thought. My MOH Kristin will be the only one in mostly red. The rest of the girls will be mainly in black with red and ivory accents. I figure I can put all of the girls in matching red shoes, matching parasols and a flower in their hair that matches my bouquet. I still have 3 girls without dresses, but hopefully this will be an issue resolved by this weekend entirely.

Speaking of bouquets and flowers, I have decided to steal an idea that I have loved since the day I saw it and have my girls carry parasols instead of flowers. I thought it was so sweet and really pretty. However, the idea has mixed reviews among the wedding goers, but I have gotten more positive feedback than negative. Besides, I think it is cool and that is what matters, right? Hmm. I just don't want the same old wedding and I am doing my best to show how quirky Walls and I really are. Traditional and boring are NOT in our vocabulary. The parasol shown above is the actual one that they will carry and the pictures to the left give you a good idea what it looks like in an actual wedding setting. What is the best part of the whole thing? At $8 a piece it saves a pretty penny toward some other things.

For now, this is what I envision and it is perfect for us. I have to keep saying that so I don't compromise too much. My taste is not other people's taste.

What is next on the wedding agenda? The florist. Mom and I meet with him next Saturday. Also, Walls and I will complete our wedding registry. We went to Wal-Mart first and we are also registering at Bed, Bath and Beyond tonight. Finally, the wedding guest list! AGHHH!! Ugh this just seems like a terrible chore. I should just go around and tell everyone. "You know what's going on, be there." The End. Okay maybe not.

Who I Am (According to a Test)

2008-12-15T22:55:00.001-05:00

To think all I had to do was take a silly test to figure me out. Ha! Mad props to Paying Peter Back.

You Are An ENFP

The Inspirer

You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends.

You are also unconventional, irreverent, and unimpressed by authority.

Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives.

You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're quite the storyteller!

In love, you are quite the charmer. And you are definitely willing to risk your heart.

You often don't follow through with your flirting or professed feelings. You break a lot of hearts.

At work, you are driven but not a workaholic. You just always seem to enjoy what you do.

You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist.

How you see yourself: compassionate, unselfish, and understanding

When other people don't get you, they see you as: gushy, emotional, and unfocused

What's Your Personality Type?

After The Holidays

2008-12-03T12:11:00.003-05:00

So, I have been pretty sparse with my blogging posts lately on anything wedding. To be completely honest I haven't done a lick of anything wedding related in months, but that said I plan on getting to it with much zeal after the holidays.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my very favorite holidays to spend with family and friends. Below is a picture of our Thanksgiving get together this year:
With one of those holidays down I have become a little anxious and nervous for the months ahead. This year flew by so fast, I feel like May 23 will be here tomorrow. I am not sure what all the nerves are about, because I am certain with whom I want to spend the rest of my life with and most recently, it has never been more clear (not even on the day I agreed to marry him). Perhaps it is the unknown or change I am nervous about, but even that seems silly. I have moved around a great deal in my life. Different states, different schools, different friends, have all been a part of the status quo. I have never been more at peace with my life than I am today. I have a wonderful group of friends, a family nearby, and I am about to marry my best friend. Why is my stomach in knots? I feel like I need a couch and a therapist. I can see it now, "Kelly, you are afraid to be completely happy in life. You thrive on chaos and the unknown. Now that will be $500 please." Ugh! Someone please shake me!

I am so lucky and I do not take that for grated one second. Today I have wedding butterflies. They will go away I am certain.

Here is the plan for January:

Get wedding dress. (YIPPIE)
Get bridesmaids' dresses. (One of which will be maternity, congrats Marlena!)
Meet with florist.
Finalize the guest list.

It's All Fun and Games Until You Realize There's Nothing to Do.

2008-11-18T15:06:00.003-05:00

**If you are having a sunshine day, you may not want to read this.**

As many of you know, I am out of work. Though I am getting unemployment, I am so bored! I think I might pull my hair out. It was fun for a good minute, not having anything to do, but now I suffer from REALLY not having anything to do.

I want a job, badly now. This suck economy is not friendly to a gal out of work. If I were a nurse or an engineer I would have jobs thrown at me, but I am niether. Ugh, I feel like I am having my own pity party and I am the star of it. I am sure I would be a perfect cast member for Avenue Q, trying to "find my purpose", but there is no need for a School for Monsters.

I wish something would just light the way to a solution. I don't want to work a restaurant any longer, not even to be a server, but when you have done it for so long that is all the job offers you get. I just wish someone had a answer for me.

Too broke to follow any dreams, too anxious to ride out on unemployment and be content, too few jobs to choose from.

HELP!

Party Pooped

2008-11-02T14:24:00.003-05:00

I am 26, partying like I am 21 and worn out like I was 45. The last few weekends have been, a blast actually, but that said I am so tired. It has been a nonstop partyfest. I am happy and sad to say that it is not even near over. Here is a glimpse of what the last few weekends and weekends coming up look like:

October 10th-Wall's Birthday Bash
October 25th-Worthan Renewal
November 1st-Halloween Party
November 8th-Hannah's Bachelorette
November 22nd-McPherson Wedding

Could be worse I suppose, but I am all out of Wooooo!

Anyway, I am happy and that is all it is about. I have the greatest friends on the planet even though they wear me out.

Picture by Catherine:

Video Tag

2008-10-14T16:40:00.002-04:00

Okay so I have wanted to do this for about a week now I think, but I am new at this blogging thing so I had to ask the expert. Hopefully, I can get it working. Heather did a post about songs in movies and as I looked at hers I thought about four almost immediately. Here are some movie song moments that I have loved oh so much.

This was the first on my list because I am a car karaoke queen and there is nothing I like more than driving around in the car with some friends when that perfect song comes on. From the movie Almost Famous:

I love this movie so much and even though what follows is very sad, I love this moment in this movie. From A League of Their Own:

My Fiance Walls loves just about anything Christian Bale and I have now seen American Psycho more times than I can remember. I don't know why but the song and acting in this scene make something very disturbing humourous.

I just love this scene. From Beetlejuice:

Okay, so I so love this one and I am a sucker for cute silly love stuff. From The Wedding Singer:

I feel bad posting this one, but I have had an obsession with this song ever since, that and maybe a train. *blush* From Risky Business:

Well that does it. Thank to Heather for helping me out and by the way, it was the first one.

I Got Lost A While But...

2008-10-13T22:58:00.005-04:00

I am back! I don't think many follow the blog, so it is more for me than anyone. So here is an update:

Job: Gone. For real. It's an extremely long story and a blessing. (It is hard for good to prevail in Hell) Now it is time to find a new career. I am taking my time this time. I want to find something...well...good and good for me. With eight months to go before the wedding, I really need something stable and hopefully with any luck, non-service oriented. Anyone out there that knows anyone looking for an admin. or office manager type I am an available determined girl looking to get her foot in the door somewhere. (Crawl before you walk)

Life in General: I worked super hard to throw my dear fiance the birthday bash of his life and I think I succeded. Thank you to everyone that helped make it a night to remember! Here are a couple pictures from that night.

1930's Hollywood themed, I arranged for us to fly in a plane like Howard Hughes, well actually, I arranged for him to fly the plane. He did well as we are both still alive. Ha!

Several friends really got into the dress up aspect of the party and it definately turned into a night to remember.

Wedding: Well, nothing new to report as of yet. I am in the limbo stage. I have all the "must do's" done (Location, Caterer, Photography, Entertainment) and it is too early for the semi-minor stuff. My next step, the guest list. This seems daunting to me for whatever reason. I will write later on some of my choices in things, but at this point I have a wedding renewal to attend and a wedding of two friends to be in, so the social plate is full.

BTW, Heather, how in the heck do I post a video from youtube on here? I tried to do your tag and failed.

Blessed

2008-08-27T21:51:00.003-04:00

Sometimes we (I) can overlook the blessings in our lives. Today was one of those "reflection" days for me. I am so lucky to have the life I have and the people in my life that I have.

I have some of the most phenominal friends anyone could ask for. They were heaven sent (really). It is funny, one day you are enjoying your time with a ton of your friends gathered in one area, look around and think how did the universe align to bring me such wonderful people? I know it sounds cheesy, but this happened to me the other night. I felt like such a brat the night leading up to my surprise party (granted I had help from all the friends that told me how "sad" it was that I didn't do anything for my birthday the entire week), but then there they were, standing there, in honor of me. This isn't the first time that these people have come together in some way to help me, make me feel special or anything, but maybe the first time I realized how petty other things can be. I almost feel sorry for those that do not have friends like mine. Is that snotty? I don't mean it to be. I just don't know another way to express it. We are so tight knit, my little support group, that it is often difficult to let new people in (WARNING potential boyfriends and randoms). I only say this to explain once again how blessed I feel, because at one point, I was a "random" (and then I fell out of a hammock, long story). I found a quote the other week that expresses this better than I could:

"I am certain I have deserved every enemy I have ever made, but I am also certain I have never deserved my friends."

My family is crazy, but I have also learned that so is every other family under the sun. Never could I have asked to be born into a family like mine. I never knew what a permanent friend I had in my sister until she moved away. She is so funny, and randomly funny at that. How I took for granted all the simultanious winks and nods, I will never know. It was like being twins, but not. She sometimes speaks in a way that no one understands, well, except me. Then we joke and I say, "I speak Kristinease" followed by laughter. My parents, flaws and all, are two of the most supportive people in the world. They enable their children without being a crutch to them. At work, I was talking to a girl who said her mother was always on drugs and still is. They talk all the time and have a "pretty good" relationship, though growing up her mother would be gone for weeks at a time. She said that she was happy she grew up like she did, because it made her independent and strong. Honestly, I think it made her mad. I complain about my mom (and she is no saint), but she had a way to teach me to be fiercely independent and strong by being there for me and leading me. I then think, I was taught to be independent and she was just left to be independent. I am not sure what I ever did to deserve my parents. I wanted for nothing, but was taught to appreciate everything. I guess I have learned appreciate my family.

As far as work goes, I have a job. That is more than some can say. It may not be the "dream" job yet, but I am a fighter. I was told today, as I worked out with my trainer (he is a manager at the place I work, so it is not as FANCY as it seems) he said, "Failing is better than not attempting it at all." Granted, he was talking about my arms being so fatigued that I couldn't do the next exercise well (or at all) and I was upset, but I think it applies to my job as well. I may fail in my attempts to make this place a successful, peaceful restaurant, but at least I am attempting the trial.

Finally, I am marrying my best friend. I am not sure I have ever known a man that knew me better than me. Let me tell you, this is a frustrating thing too. I am stubborn and hate to admit when he is right, mostly because he will brag about being right more than a woman. I love that he treats me like he is lucky to have me, though he will never admit this is manland. I love him..a lot.

So, if I am not blessed, I am unaware of it, because today I feel it. Wh0 am I to complain today?

What is the Fair Salary for Insanity? Warning: Rant

2008-08-12T22:51:00.004-04:00

So, I will depart slighty from the planning of weddings and focus in on another part of planning, and that is, my future. Growing up I don't really remember having a "what I want be when I grow up idea."

There are a billion things I think I have "potential" to do well. I worked as a server while I was in college and the path I chose after school was in the service industry. I have been a restaurant manager for three years now and to be completely honest, I really like what I do. I am good with people and I have patience for days, which is a asset when dealing with the public. This was a career I chose! I knew what I was getting into, but now, since working at my new restaurant for the past 6 months, I am beginning to think I need a different path. The pay is, well great, the hours are long and no two days are ever exactly the same. Pluses and minuses like ALL jobs, but I have reached a new level of crazy.

Sometimes I feel I am chasing standards. Things that would be considered "no brainers" are "tooth pulling" issues in my new job.

Simple Respect: I will be in the middle of telling my boss something about what he asked me to do and he will walk away. Dead middle of a sentence, walk away! HELLO! Am I here? I would check the phone line, except, I am not on a phone! I worked late the other night, because we were super busy. It is something that is expected of management, but like all people, we have limits and deserve appreciation. After pulling a 13 hour day, I said I was going home and asked if he still needed me. He never looked up and shooed me. Like a knat or a fly that is buzzing in your face, shooed me! YOUR WELCOME!! Staff members talk back, curse (every other word) and refuse to follow the status quo. They don't respect management and more than that, they don't respect themselves. How can they respect management when their "leaders" hold no authority? Which brings me to my next standard.
Management TEAM?: It is hard to explain where I am without explaining where I came from. I worked with a great team. We backed each other with very few exceptions. Here, it is all for yourself. I say no and they run off and cry to another manager that says yes, after hearing me say no. I write someone up and I get a phone call telling me to edit what I wrote 'cause the staff member doesn't like it. AAAAAAAAAAGH!! All of this stems from things like, being in a section they don't like, cursing in front of guests or dumping ranch dressing on another employee...yes really. I am great with children, but I didn't sign up for the adult daycare. "We" have rehired three people that we originally fired. I wish I could explain the logic behind this one, but logic fails me at this moment. The staff thinks all rules are BS, because NOTHING will happen to them. Even if they get fired, they will just come back in a week or so.
"Hello, my name is Kelly": Not darling, sweetie, babe, honey, sweet cheeks or whatever pet name seems to suit me for the time being. Restaurants, anywhere, have never been overly PC anyway and I have never been overly sensitive, but I am tired. I want to work somewhere where co-workers call me by my name.

*Sigh*

How much is my sanity worth? Do I dislike what I do now or where I am? Both maybe? I don't know. All restaurants included, the hours are long and Holidays are Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and weekends don't really exist. Where do I go from here? Back to the pencil pushing 9 to 5 world? I wish this was as easy as picking the colors in my wedding (Red, Black and White).

The Secret Garden in Newnan

2008-08-06T11:13:00.012-04:00

I cannot tell you how excited I was when I rode in through the beautiful entrance to Dunaway Gardens, hidden away in the city of Newnan. My mom and I had had our game faces on all day. We didn't want to give it away that we loved anything for price negotiation reasons. This was our last stop and after quite a bit of sticker shock with previous country clubs and serious compromises with places that didn't quite stack up to my vision, this was the place that broke my poker face. Candace (the tour guide) was walking me through my dream. Everything from the outside ampitheatre to the tent reception was perfect. I kept nudging my mom everytime Candace showed us something else. So here is a preview of our wedding and reception site.

This is where my ladies and I will be changing. It is a beautiful house/office with a kitchen and bedroom.

This is the ampitheatre where we will be married (weather permitted).

The view in the gardern is wonderful. I really cannot believe the beauty in this place.Waterfall in the Japanease Garden.

The dining tent, the dancing tent and the bar for the reception. This is just perfect for the party and oh, will we party!

Momzilla of the Bride vs. Everything Else

2008-07-27T23:28:00.007-04:00

I have to preface this blog entry before I truely start it. I want to say that I really love my mom, but like all moms, she has her quirks, but maybe my preception is off because it is MY mom. (But I really think she is the "zilla", in this wedding.)

I am not going to lie and to be fair, I will admit that I have a vision for my wedding. I don't think that I am overly ambitious or that I am being pushy, but I do see some of the things I want and with my mom, everything is a struggle.

Enter Exhibit A: BBQ Reception

Anytime I have ever gotten together with friends or family there is always large amounts of home style food. BBQ and comfort food has been a staple in my life for as long as I can remember. My parents even had "pig roasts" in VA when I was just a kid. When I thought of my friends and family coming together for my special day, I thought what better way than with food we all love and not the traditional finger foods of wedding history? So I pitch this to my mom. I invision pulled pork with a bottle of BBQ sauce for people to serve themselves. Greenbeans, pasta salad, cole slaw and potato salad with chicken kabobs (for those who are not pork fans) round out the menu. My mom sees, when I let her in on this information, sloppy, dripping, BBQ Ribs and chicken legs slathered in sauce with runny baked beans and she informs me that "[she is] not serving our nicely dressed guests, BBQ at the reception. My first reaction to this is "OUR GUESTS"? When did I agree to marry my mother? I stand my ground and we meet with the caterer (that SHE picked) and I explain what I want. Turns out I and the caterers are on the same page. They talked about all the things I wanted and added some great dishes to the mix. My mom, continually drops the fact that she doesn't want it to be "trashy" a billion times over in the four hours we met with them. Each time they INSIST that it will be classy. Upscale BBQ they say. She concludes our meeting with the caterers once again dropping the "trashy" statement and I swear I can hear the banjos playing a BBQ soundtrack in her head.

Kelly 1 Mom .5 (for driving me half nuts)

Exhibit B: Centerpiece Ideas (Any of them non-flower)

I have suggested groups of varing size vases with floating candles, centerpeices that have smaller versions of a candy buffet with "take out" boxes, and also mirrors with votive candles, but each time I get the "Rachel" negative face. For those of you unfamiliar with the "Rachel" negative face, it is the kind of face that looks like you were sucking on a lemon when somebody suddenly farted. She is convinced flowers are the way to go and each time I suggest something like the one above I get the old, "well I'll just have to see what that would look like".

Verdict still out on this one.

Exhibit C: Open Bar

Bottom line, I want one. I happen to be a bar manager and as one, I happen to be close to some distributors. I want to use this to my advantage and purchase X amount of mid level alcohol, beer and wine at cost. I already have a bartender that works for me that wants to work the wedding. My mom is convinced that all my 25-35 year old friends are a bunch on irresposible drunk teenagers. What if they drink too much? (They will catch a ride with someone else). What if they get sick? (We will take care of them, like always.) This was another thing see mentioned to the caterers. I guess she was trying to build an allied force. *They didn't care.*

Verdict also still out.

Side Note: My mom likes to mention things to people in uncomfortable situations which leads me to...

Exhibit D: Too Late to Wed

For example, while meeting with a friend about photography she blurts out, "Don't you think that 6:30-7:00 pm is too late to be having a wedding? You need GOOD lighting." To which she answers, "No, we should have plenty of time and if it starts to get a little dark I have some things that will help with lighting." Unrelenting, my mom still adds to me that the older guests might have a problem staying out. Then mentions that the reception "goes past her bedtime". Too which I ask, "you wouldn't stay up for my wedding?"

Kelly 2 Mom .5

I am sure we have only scratched the surface to my Momzilla and seeing as we have just less that 10 months to go, it gives her pleny of time to shoot down my ideas. *Sigh* Lord give me the strength of compromise and patience.

The Defense Rests

Meet the Wedding Party

2008-07-23T23:58:00.000-04:00

Because we are a very silly group and there is no better way to prove this I decided to introduce you to the silly side of our wedding party:

This is Jay. He is the Best Man in the wedding. Jay and Walls met in high school and have been best friends ever since.

This is Kristin, other wise known as my Matron of Honor. She is also my sister. In this picture I am on the phone telling her I got engaged. I think she was excited!

The plumber above is also known as McPherson. He is another groomsman that went to school with Walls. He too will be getting married soon to one of the bridesmaids, Hannah. BTW, he is not plumber, but he seems to be doing a good job none the less.

This is Marlena, one leg of the tripod and one of my wonderful bridesmaids. We met about 6 years ago and in the past year has become a constant in my life. She loves kissy faces as much as me.

This is 5000 (yes I said 5000, it's a whole other story). He has been around the group for just about as long as I have. Though he didn't go to school with the guys, they met over Bunjee's Comics and Magic the Gathering interests.

Ahh, my friend Rachel. She's a nut and the other leg of the tripod. We met at a party through Marlena. She beat me up for Marlena's wedding bouquet. Don't believe me, there are pictures to prove it.

This is Jonny. Friends with Walls since high school as well, he is truely one of the funniest people ever.

I met Hannah in College and we became friends after doing Dracula together. We like to think we were meant to be friends as a professor mistook me for her all semester. (I should mention that we were NOT in class together.)

This is Mike. He is a good friend that we met at Bunjee's through another friend Bill. He now works there and he will be a groomsman...again...for like the tenth time. Ha!

This is my cousin Alyssa or Lucy as I call her. We have been close since she was...umm...born. It was only natural that she be one of my bridesmaids.

Bill! Bill is the owner of Bunjee's Comics both of them (there are two) and I have known him for seven years, but he has been friends for a long time with the guys. The bottle he is holding I believe is dressing flavored Jone's soda, Thanksgiving edition. Eww!

Brannen, who is not pictured, will also be a bridesmaid. She is my future sister-in-law. With such a great sister relationship with my own sister, I cannot wait to have another!

Pitts is our silent friend. Always there to lend a hand, he is another groomsman that has known Walls since high school.

Well, that's the lot of them. I am really proud of the wedding party, because I believe it is truely a wedding PARTY. Ha!

Welcome

2008-07-20T23:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog. I am usually faster at adopting things like this, but after months and months of watching many of my friends start blogging, I have decided to do the same. The timing is just right for me. I am going through some pretty big life changes that I want to share. *As an avid MySpacer, I find its weakness, blogging, less user friendly.* So here we go...

Anyway, for anyone that doesn't know me, I am planning a wedding to my long time boyfriend, Walls. (Walls is a nickname derived from his last name, and yes I call him by this, because he doesn't answer to much else.) We have been together 5 years this November. Some days it doesn't feel that long, other days it feels like we have been together forever. He is, for lack of a better explaination, my better half. It sounds so cliche, but I have found a person to complete me. He is my perfect balance. I am dangerously spontaineous; he is super cautious. I am an "open book"; he is a complex vault. I trust until you screw me; he has you earn his trust. Blah, Blah, Blah. We fit. Period.

Whew! Now, how did we get here?

We met through an ex boyfriend. Yeah, really. Don't get all up in arms, there was nothing going on prior to the split. Jay (the ex) is Walls' best friend and will be the best man in the wedding. He is actually a good friend of mine, and no it is not weird. The rest is nearly a 5 year history. Well, that was easy.

So, I am getting married and sharing it all here. Stay tuned. (Does one say "stay tuned" for a blog?)