THIRTY DAYS

We are just 30 days away from the big day, and holy crap did this just sneak up on me! Six months ago when we got engaged I thought I had all the time in the world to get stuff done, now in just a blink of an eye we're less than a month away, and I still have a lot to do.

I'm trying not to stress too much about everything, because I know I have a fantastic group backing me up, but it's getting difficult to sleep at night with my brain going 3465346 miles an hour. Benadryl has been my friend.

I've always heard from people planning weddings how difficult it is, and now I know. You don't ever completely grasp just how much goes into a wedding until you have one yourself. I can't wait to finally be married and sitting on the terrace of our hotel room in Canada. Just the thought of that calms me down and makes me smile.

BLARGH

For every one thing I get accomplished for this wedding, five more things pile up. I feel like I'm walking blindfolded through a maze of fire, and my outstretched arms are desperately feeling for anything to get me through it.

I know a lot of wonderful family and friends are offering anything and everything they can do to help, but curse this blasted control freak inside of me that wants everything done the way I see it in my head. It's definitely a catch 22: I have so much on my plate that it's overwhelming, but I fear if I unburdon it onto someone else, I'll freak out even more because it's out of my control.

Not to say that I don't enjoy some of it. I have no doubt relished my numerous quiet walks through Michael's where I gather ideas and decorations. And even though the invitations were all handmade by me, and it took many days of sweating, ripping, tearing, tying, printing, stuffing, and cursing at the printer, the finished product and the pride I take in my work was definitely worth it all. I also love my wings, another product handmade by yours truly. I know that if I were to settle for store-bought wings, deep down I wouldn't be completely satisfied with them.

I will definitely be happy when this is over and done with, and I can bask in the finished product (even though from every bride I've heard from, they say the actual wedding is over in the blink of an eye) I want to put on the wedding of the century, Royal and Kardashian weddings be damned!

Bridesmaids

Watch out Judd Apatow, my girls give this movie a run for it's money. (I never understood what that phrase means)

I've carefully selected four girls to back me up on my special day, not only because I know they'll be amazing bridesmaids, but because I know they'll do whatever I tell them to do.

They're picking out their own dresses (with general guidelines) and making or buying their own wings. That's right, we're all gunna be little woodland faeries.




So without further ado, here are the final four that will accompany me in my journey down the aisle...

Jennifer Pintus My maid of honor. Jen was the first friend I made after moving back to Texas from Florida in '03. We bonded through the artform that is hockey, specifically the Dallas Stars. We were both carless, jobless, and moneyless at the time, and she would have to take the train to come see me. My mother and I would pick her up at the station and drive up to Frisco to do a little light hockey player stalking. She used to sleep over, and we would watch the Stars games in my room. If we weren't together during games, we were texting or IM'ing each other.
Last year I was the MOH for her November wedding to Giacomo. I knew she would be the only one to fit the role of my MOH one year later, and that being each other's MOH's will bond us for life.

                                                                         

   Tink One of my oldest friends, I first met Tink in Jr. High when we were only 15. We were both outcasts, "Mansonites" as they called us in those days. We often hung out in her room listening to Manson, ICP, and Enya. She was the one that introduced me to faeries (now you all know where her name came from) and at one time her wall was adorned with drawings of faeries I drew for her. We loved dressing up, doing our make up and hair all crazy-like, and putting glitter on everything.  I guess some things never change.

Jessica Saul Back in 2000, I started working at the MJDesigns on Preston and Forest. I often shared the "Customer Service" booth with a brown haired girl with a saucy attitude and an amazingly dry sense of humor. We worked together for awhile just as "work acquaintances" until one day she noticed a silverchair button on my purse. Anybody who knows me knows I've been obsessed with silverchair since 1995, so when she pulled down the back collar of her shirt to show me a silverchair tattoo on her shoulder blade, I knew I made a friend for life. We moved to Orlando together in '01 to stalk *NSYNC get out of Texas, lived in hotels together, worked together, and were basically joined at the hip. Now we're old ladies who enjoy painting pottery while reminescing of our wild youth. BOYS!! *sniiiiiiiiff*

Help Me

So, about a year and a half ago, I saw a wedding dress in a friend's wedding magazine that I immediately knew would be my dress. It was close to my bday at the time, and I had found it online for like $150, so I told my mame to get it for me for that bday. This beautiful dress has been hanging in my closet ever since:

But recently I've been perusing a website with ball gown dresses, and I'm second guessing my dress. I still love it and I still want to wear it, so I was thinking...why don't I wear a ball gown dress for the ceremony part, and my original dress for the reception? Sounds like a good idea, right? I mean look at this thing!:

 

Beautiful, right? Arrrggghh I don't know what to do.

 

The Checklist

Six more months! Dream wedding is coming to fruition...

Venue: The Tribute in The Colony, TX

Theme/colors: Medieval fairytale, winter wedding

The Cake: The Stanley Cup (yes, you're reading that right)

The Photographer: Phoenix Taylor

The Honeymoon: Fairmont Springs hotel in Banff, Alberta Canada

Game Over!

On Thursday April 7th, Matthew Musler proposed to his girlfriend of almost five years, Kelly Martin. And thus created the beginning of the end.

A simple yet elegant diamond nestled between two genuine sapphires. The ring couldn't be more perfect for Kelly. Not too gaudy or showy, and the sapphires (Kelly's birthstone) also make it unique for an engagement ring.

The wedding will be on 11/11/11. Not only is the date itself badass,(and will also be impossible for Matt to forget down the road) but it also holds sentimental meaning. For nearly the entire course of their relationship, Matt and Kelly have made it a point to text each other "11:11:11" at that time twice a day in the AM and PM for good luck.