Happy Easter

Dave and I spent our first ever holiday together.  Strange I know - but this was a weird year.   We went to church, went to brunch (which was surprisingly difficult.  Is it against the law to have brunch that is not a buffet in New Jersey??) and then – I made dinner.

A table for two.  We like to sit next to each other because we are adorable.

I made roasted shrimp cocktail.  If you have never made this you must.  Roast the shrimp on a cookie sheet at like 400 for 5 ish minutes.  I drizzled with olive oil, S&P and crushed red pepper.  Served with a side of cocktail sauce.Caprese Salad.This is champagne we’ve had in the fridge since our rocking New Year’s Eve.   I think I got a little tipsy.My mom sent us pretty new glasses from Tiffany’s.I love Tiffany’s.  I don’t love that they are holding my ring hostage for like 2 weeks while it gets resized. :(

Dinner was broiled rib eye with sautéed onions, 1/2 a baked potato w/light sour cream, a slice of garlic ciabatta and some roasted asparagus.It was better than anything we could have gotten out if I do say so myself.

We registered over the weekend.  I have five lists with hundreds of items total.  Dave’s freaking out thinking we’re going to get all of it and he has no idea where we will keep it all.  I - having upgraded to a 5 bedroom house instead of a studio apartment – can figure out where to put four truckloads of stuff.

Just sayin’

I quit chorus and went to Zumba tonight, then came home and ate a peanut butter sandwich.

Wedding planning is still going.  I have a ton done but I’m looking forward to meeting with a second florist this weekend.

Winter left, spring lasted a minute and summer came early.  It was about 80 degrees today.

I’m slowing down.  All of the sudden I got a little sleepy.   Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.

Decades in the making

Hello lovelies!  I am back after a whirlwind 3 weeks (give or take) in which I have done the following

1) Lost 8 lbs. (!!!)

2) Picked a wedding date & venue

3) Picked bridesmaids dresses

4) Bought MY dress (!!!)

5) Booked a DJ, booked a quartet for the ceremony

6) Gone cupcake tasting – and picked the flavors we’d like (not finalized but close)

7) Picked a photographer (pretty much – again it’s not finalized but close)

8) Decided on favors

9) Purchased a sample flower girl dress (we’re going to have 3)

10) Met with a florist (who was AMAZING!  Like someone out of a movie.  I kept waiting for Howard Weinstein to show up)

SO.  We’re in pretty good shape. :)

Everything is just as I imagined it.   Actually - my dress is not at all what I thought I’d pick but I couldn’t be happier.

Oh.  Let’s talk about dresses for a second.  Why does the bridal industry think only size 6 women get married??  Because according to them I am a size 20.  I was a size 20.  Once.  That was 48 pounds ago.    

The place I got my dress was lovely – even though I could not zip it up to save my life.  We did a test run at David’s Bridals (where the Vera Wang’s only go up to size 14 (read 10) fyi).  At least there I could try things on but the Bridal Consultant – if you can call her that – left a lot to be desired. 

I was basically given dresses that were the exact opposite of what I asked to try, a bra that was 14 sizes too big and left to my own devices.  I’ve heard people who have had great experiences there but this girl isn’t one of them.

The dress I chose couldn’t zip up but I know exactly what I’ll look like in it.  I was able to customize the top to make it the style I wanted.  It’s stunning – if I do say so myself. :)

I know it might seem crazy to be doing things so quickly but c’mon.  This is what I do.  I plan for a living.  I know what I want and I want to get it settled.  I might be giving Dave a coronary in the process but he tells me his health is fine.  I’m trying not to push it. ;)    Honestly though – even though it’s been quick there’s no settling involved.  I am so excited about every single thing we’ve done so far.

Can you tell??

Pictures to come (of everything but the dress – sorry but you know.  Dave reads this blog people!!)  My cameras and cords are in NJ which is where I’m headed after work today.

Dave and I are registering tomorrow.   EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend – whether you celebrate or not.

Wait till you see what I’ve been up to.

I’ve basically planned an entire wedding in about 2 weeks.

I will share (most) details starting tomorrow.

Stay tuned.

:) K

Gym, Tan, Laundry

 

1) I fear I won’t be back here with any regularity until this wedding planning is near finished.  I’m like a dog with a bone.  I can’t leave it alone till it’s done.

Or buried – as the case may be. :)

Today Dave and I are going cake tasting.  Before I walk myself there I am going to go do some C25K at the gym.  

2) I used Kiehl’s Self Tanner on my feet and legs prior to Carrie’s wedding last weekend.  My feet are 2 different colors and I looked like an Oompa Loompa.

3) I have clothes all over my apartment, all over the bedroom in NJ.   I haven’t done a full load of laundry in weeks.

4) I haven’t been in NYC with any regularity.  I have to bring food from Dave’s and will need to go get toilet paper on my way back from the gym before I kill this box of tissues.

5) I have lots to tell you but not too much time to tell it in.  Hopefully  I can catch up with you all tomorrow.

Until then!!

This just in: Diamonds make you lose weight

Hello lovelies.  I am sorry to be MIA for a bit.  This weekend was spent moving some of my stuff from NYC to NJ (eeek!) and at Carrie & Chris’ wedding.  The “City Girls” were chauffeured by this hot guy driving a white 12 passenger van.

But that’s another story.

I am here to tell you in the first week since being engaged I went to M’s and lost…5 lbs.

So basically it’s not that I can’t lose weight – it’s just that I’ve not had the motivation I guess.

I am not motivated today let me tell you.  I went a little heavy on the Malbec last night.

Wedding planning is…going.  I haven’t tried on a dress yet – we don’t have flowers or a photographer or a cake but we’re looking!!

I’m so lazy today and it looks nice outside.  I hope I can find some motivation soon.

I’m going to be making a yummy (light) dinner for me and the fiancé tonight so stay tuned!!

Planning – Phase 1

I’m a planner by trade and I’m pretty sure it’s in my DNA.  When we first started dating I used to say all the time to Dave “I am really not trying to nag – but I need to know basic plans in order to function.  The plans can change – but I need to sort of know what is going to happen when.”

Back then it was simple things like “What time should I meet you?” or “What do you think we’ll do this weekend?”  

Planning has taken on a whole new meaning this past week. :)

I had all these grandiose ideas about my wedding.   The one thing I am adamant about is that I don’t want to have the wedding or reception in a hotel ballroom.  I want light and outdoor space.

My first choice – right off the bat – was the Midtown Loft and Terrace.    I called them immediately and they gave me pricing – which was thousands of dollars just to walk in the door.

Then I contacted a caterer I have used for corporate events.  They gave me a quote that had labor and rentals amounting to more than food and alcohol.

(insert sad face here)

Deep down I already knew it.  I do this for a living.   There is a reason that people use hotels for this kind of thing.  The staff is already there, the tables and chairs and barware and plates and silver are already on site.    Your costs drop considerably when you factor all that in.

Luckily, however, I live in NYC.  And so I think (cross your fingers we are signing on the dotted line tomorrow) we’ve found our location.

Oh.  And a date.  Sunday, September 4, 2011.

Yep.  You heard me. :)

The ceremony will be upstairs – with a view of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.   We have the option to have the ceremony outside but a) it’s more expensive b) I do not want to fret about the weather.   It’s Labor Day Weekend.  It might be sweltering.

Cocktails downstairs in a bright sunny room.   There’s also a full bar that you cannot see.  Everything is white and modern.  I like that.Outside those windows is an outdoor patio.   So during cocktails people can sit outside if they choose.  The reception itself will be back upstairs which also has two terraces so that people can mingle outside then as well.

So that’s where we are right now.   We have to find someone to do the ceremony.  We need hotel rooms for out-of-towners,  flowers, a cake, music and a photographer.   The upside of a city wedding is that we don’t need limos and the like – and Battery Gardens offers valet parking.   Jen found a dress she thinks she might like.   Now I…gulp…need to try and find mine.

I’m heading to M’s today to see what wedding madness has done to reverse the upward motion of the scale as of late.  I have to say this all has been terribly motivating. :)

From now on expect less food, more wedding planning posts.

I trust you’ll be OK with that.

So where should I begin?

I’m guessing you all are most interested in my work trip to Orlando right?

OK.  It would be cruel to keep it from you any longer.

      

No??  That’s not what you wanted to hear about??

OK.  I’ll tell you about the night I got engaged then.  :)

Dave and I went on our first date on March 29, 2010.  I remember it was raining and I met him at a now defunct wine bar.  It was a frequent first date place of mine.  Close to my apartment but not too close.   He sat at the same table where I had my last (horrific) first date.  We even had the same waiter.

We basically closed the place down and he offered to walk me home.  Being a savvy New Yorker I was loath to let anyone I’d just met walk me home but I let him. 

Let me say this.  I am sure Dave has had as tough a year as I have.  He patiently stood by while he thought I stood him up right before my gallbladder surgery.   He came out to Long Island to see me right after.   He was there the whole time when everything was happening with my dad.  I told him last night I’m not sure I could have made it through all that without him.  It might have broken me. :(

But luckily I didn’t have to. 

When people close to me meet Dave they all say the same thing.  He’s very nice to me.  That sounds weird but it’s the simplest way to explain it.  As much as he says I do for him he does for me.  I guess that’s the point of a good relationship.

Anyway – on Wednesday to celebrate the occasion of our first anniversary Dave took me to Tabor Road Tavern – where we went for New Year’s Eve.  I was sick.  Still am.  When Dave saw me he asked if I still wanted to go as I looked miserable.

Sidenote: (I didn’t know he was going to propose.  I thought maybe there was some chance he MIGHT.  I was also starving and had been looking forward to this dinner.  No way I wasn’t going to go.)

First thing – I made Dave valet park when he tried to self park.  The ring – unbeknownst to me – was under my seat in the car.  It had been there all day in a commuter parking lot as well but I didn’t know that yet.  So now he had to go back to the car and get the key from the valet and get the ring. 

We were seated at a regular table but then Dave asked for a booth so we had to wait at the bar.  We had a glass of wine and then were finally seated in a big booth. 

We had a lovely meal, during which we were just talking about our year together.  During dessert and simply during our conversation he asked.  I said yes.  Then he gave me a sparkly ring in a blue box. :) 

Then he took me to CVS to get NyQuil because I was really sick.  

For the record, diamonds shine even brighter in fluorescent light. :)

We told the kids on Friday and they were all very excited.  Mora wants us to do crafts at the wedding.   I told her maybe at her next birthday party.

We’re already deep into planning and it looks like 5 months from now (give or take) I might need a new name for my blog. :) 

It took a while but I finally got here.

I have been kinda busy…

Big huge catch up post tomorrow.

 

 

(PS:  It’s 10x more sparkly in person!)