Experiment - Dying flowers

Matt and I left for the weekend, but before we left, I took a picture of a blue spot on my mums! There were actually quite a couple on the petals, and I was really excited!!

day 2

When we returned the following day, I noticed that near the middle of the flowers, there was a blue-ish hue to the petals. There were, also, string like colors of blue on the bottom of the petals.

day 3

Today, they pretty much look the same, but I think that we need to purchase some flowers that are actually buds rather than in full bloom so there is more time to have the food coloring go through the flower.

day 4

I recently purchased a sample pocket fold from cardsandpockets.com. It came in the mail today, and it was great. They're really inexpensive as well. The only problem was that it wasn't the same color that I had thought and it wasn't the correct size for my invitations. When I went to see if I could get the correct pocket fold in my color, it wasn't available. But I didn't waste my $5 purchase! I did use it to get some measurements for my own DIY pocket folds. Here's an idea of what mine will look like, using the pocket fold that I received from cardsandpockets.com.

I, also, ordered a photobook from mypublisher.com, today. I'm so excited to receive it! It's going to be used for our guest book during the reception. I was also really happy because I found a coupon for $20 off, so I only ended up paying $10! I'll update when I get it!! yay! For now, here's our "online" version!

Aisle Runner, DONE! And e-pic album

I started our customized monogrammed aisle runner yesterday, and finished it today. It wasn't exactly hard, but it did hurt my back, bending over it all the time. I'm so happy with the way it turned out!! Pics of various stages below!!

Tracing the outline of our monogram (cold beer with me)

After I painted the green

Painting on the blue
After the blue

All Done!!!!

I left the blown up monogram underneath the aisle runner. I was scared that I would paint the wrong area on the monogram since it was kind of "weavy". It ended up pretty much being like a huge paint by numbers project. I also traced the outline with the paint so it would look smoother. It was a lot easier than I had anticipated, and I'm really happy with the outcome of it!

I've also started a small experiment as far as dying flowers. I bought some cheap mums from the store, and put them in some water with blue food coloring in it. I'll keep posted on how they're doing!

day 1

We also have our entire cd from our engagement pictures! I uploaded the majority of our favorites to here.
Password: dinaandmatt

Floral, Flower, Florist

I posted a while back about how I made a deposit of $50 at a florist recently. I thought I was happy that I got this item checked off the list, but now realize that I think I made a major mistake. I didn't do much research because I haven't heard much about florists in the area, so I just went with the floral company that I purchased all of my bouts through for h.s. dances. Now, I wish I had done some more research.

My last (and first) visit to the floral shop was a pretty nice meeting. The designer seemed to know what she was doing, and was going to see if she could dye some gerbera daisies turquoise blue. If not, she would look for some really good silks for me. She told me that the next time I was coming home to give her a call a few days before I'd be there, and she would experiment with some different options, and I could come in and see if I liked anything. Well, when I called today, she told me that the dye kept coming off the flower (which I know that Gerb's can be spray painted, I've seen them before). She then told me that there was no other option for me to get a blue Gerb. I've read a lot of different people who have cut the flower a few days prior to the event, and placed the stem in a food colored water so that the flower would then take up the food coloring, therefore making it that color. She never looked at silks, never tried anything else.

I tried to make an appointment with her for this saturday, and she just said "Well, you can come in, but I probably won't be here." I just thought in my head, "then why don't you just say you can't make an appointment this saturday?"

Once I hung up with her, I decided to call this other florist that I heard about. When he answered, he was really nice and asked a lot of questions that I didn't even think about. I'm really excited to meet with him. My only problem is not knowing how I could get my $50 deposit back from the other florist shop. I never signed a contract (which is dumb, I know) but I think it could get me out of this since I'm not binded to them other than by $50. My parents already said that they would just eat the $50 if I can find a better deal through this other florist. I'm really hoping to find something good!

E-Pics part deux

We've been blogged! I was totally excited to find out that our photographer got some of our pics up on their blog! They look great, and I'm really happy with them! Jen and Jason were awesome to work with. They really made us feel laid back (which Matt needed a lot of). And had some awesome ideas. Here is a sneak peak, and I'll post more once we get our disc! Enjoy!!

http://www.imaginz.blogspot.com/

E-pics!

Yesterday, we had our engagement picture session. We met in Grand Haven, and after a whole weeks weather forecast of rain, it ended up being quite a nice day. It was HUMID and very sticky, but no rain and some sun. My make-up pretty much melted down my face, which is really bad, but I hope she can do some form of photoshop magic to make me look fresh and wonderful. Kind of strange, though, posing in front of complete strangers. Matt was definitely nervous, and he had a hard time loosening up. Hopefully the pictures won't show that. I had a nightmare about them last night, and in my dreams they ended up being awful. I'm really excited to get them, and I'm really glad we did them. Hopefully, he'll be better in a year from now when we are at our wedding!! EEK! Will probably post some pics when I get them, which will hopefully be by the end of this week!

Florists, photog, and a church and country club

I am slowly checking vendors off the list. I have left the D.J., possibly the cake maker, possibly a videographer, and also the string quartet for the ceremony. Other than that, I am pretty much all set. I did, just recently, hire a florist. I went to the florist shop and sat down with their designer. I don't know much about flowers, so I'm expecting a lot of help here. We discussed a lot of the flowers I had/have in mind, and I showed her some pictures of bouquets I liked. She wasn't super helpful, but not completely bad. I decided to go with them (without doing much research) because there are really no other options. There is, however, one other store in downtown, but I used to buy my mom roses from there when I was a little girl and it always smelled and it was really dark and creepy looking. I just really wasn't turned on by the place, so I decided not to go. Bad idea. I went home to get my hair colored this weekend, and my stylist is getting married in September back in my hometown. We started talking about different vendors, and all of a sudden she just started raving about her florist... who happens to be the guy that works at the smelly, dark, old flower shop! She said how he customizes all the bouquets for every bride and bridesmaid. Crap... that sounds awesome. Then she goes on to tell me the price she's paying for all of her centerpieces, church decor, and all the rest of the flowers! Damn... that sounds amazing!! I'm going to try to meet with him, but I already made a deposit with the other florist so I'm not sure what to do... ugh... why am I always trying to just get things done???

A few weeks ago, I decided to call my church and reception site to ask some questions. First, I called my church. I started to ask her questions, and then all of a sudden she stopped me and asked my date again. I told her, and she was like you're not even in the book! I just told her that I called about a year ago and booked the church. I talked to the priest, and also another secretary for the church. No biggie, she put me in and I was all set. I was a little upset, but oh well it wasn't that bad. So, then I call my reception site. I called and was told a BIG surprise. Apparently, they had switched management companies and the contract that I had signed and placed our $500 deposit under was now in null. I was pissed. They also told me that we could not receive our deposit back since we signed with the other management. Uhm... and why didn't anyone inform me of this change? Later, I found out that we made the deposit 2 weeks before the change! Then, she goes on to tell me that I wasn't in the books! WHAT?!?! I DID NOT pay $500 for nothing! I was seething. I calmly ended our conversation, called my parents bawling, and they went over to check it out. Apparently the lady was quite snappy to them, but after a firm talking to by mom (surprise!) was calmed down. My parents said that it should still be ok, and that I really don't have much to worry about. Let's just hope... It's a good thing that I keep up with my vendors (or at least try to)!!

We hired our photographers, and I'm so happy! They were actually my second choice, but I'm so happy that we decided to go with them. They seem like a really cool couple, and I could actually picture myself being friends with them. We're having our engagement session next weekend with them, so we'll see how it goes!! I'm excited!!



In other news, my mom and I are talking again. It's always weird. We get into the biggest fights... hell, my entire h.s. years was one big fight... but if we just steer clear of each other for a while (like a month or so) it's as if nothing happened.

Mo is now my Maid Of Honor. I'm so excited and happy about it! She's been so amazing, and I'm so lucky to have her up there with me! Dan will still be my Man of Honor, but they'll just split the duties. She's saved me a ton of money too, since she designed our invites, save the dates, and anything else I could ask her! I'm so lucky to have such great friends!

Oh yeah, and a couple of checks off the list:
- Program layout













- Bubbles ribboned, and in the process of putting labels on









- A new set of initials for the door (bigger)









- Some of the favors

Long awaited update!

I have not been doing so well in keeping up with this blog. It has been some crazy couple of months so far. Matt and I moved from Mt. Pleasant to Lansing, and to be honest, I am not too enthused about it. I still haven't found any work, and we still really don't have any friends. I've been trying to find a way to work for my parents, but my mother has been insane lately and we're not really talking as of now. I have a lot to update on with all the wedding stuff, so I'll start from the end to now.

I went through a rut. A tiny rut, but a rut. I didn't do much wedding planning at all for a while. I did, however, sign the contract with the Baymont Inn for 25 rooms. The hotel coordinator, however, was not the nicest person in the world and I've been thinking about changing to a new person. We, also, signed a contract with a company called the Magic Bus to use a 1960's London double decker bus. It's not the most elegant thing in the world, but it's definitely different! My dad and I also went wedding dress shopping, and purchased the dress! I'm so excited, and am now starting to feel like a real bride. I have been talking with someone at the Comfort Inn to see if I can get a contract with them instead of the Baymont. The coordinator t the C.I. just seems so much nicer and accomidating than the Baymont. And since I have so much time, I'm really trying to do some DIY projects. I also think I've found a BM dress that will work out great for all my girls!

Now, another major story. This involving my mother, and why we are currently not speaking to each other. I went home about 3 weeks ago to drop off Harper for the weekend since Matt and I were going to be at a wedding for 3 days. While I was there, I asked her why she thought we were never close. I tried to open up to her a little, and actually thought I got through to her. I told her about how I understood that she didn't have time for me, but at this point in my life I really would like for her to be there for me.This is such an amazing time in my life, and of course every daughter wants to share it with their mother. Well, the conversation ended with her telling me that she would go dress shopping with me wherever I wanted to go. Later on in the week, I found a dress that I really wanted to try on, and the only place that had the dress was in Ann Arbor. I called my mom to see when she would be free, and she goes on and on about how she didn't want to go to AA because it was just too far away. She then went on saying that she didn't understand why we couldn't just go to Lansing. The fight escalated and I ended up hanging up with her. Shortly after, I wrote my dad to see if he would go with me instead. Obviously, that's what happened and we ended up buying a great dress. Once we got back home, she asked my dad how much it was. When he told her, she looked at me and said, "Well, what's going to happen if you and Matt break up?". I was FURIOUS. I just sat there for a while, but then ended up going to my room and crying. That really hurt my feelings, and after such a great day, why would she try to ruin it? She tried to act like the good mother and knocked on my door to ask me what was wrong. Once I finally opened it, I started telling her about how rude I thought it was for her to say that to me on such an important day to me. Why should she make me feel like shit when I was so elated over something I had been looking forward to for so long. Again, this argument escalated. In the end, I ended up telling her she was a horrible mom, and that I could never understand why I try so hard for our relationship when she just doesn't care. Since then, we haven't spoken. I guess we'll see how it'll go...