Changing Ways

Register

2012-01-24T10:35:00.001-05:00

I've been pondering from the start just what to do about wedding presents. Our situation is basically summed up by this excerpt from the last time I talked about it, back when I thought I had found the perfect solution:

"T and I did the big stuff backwards. We bought our house first, and then decided to get married a few years down the road. This leaves us with a fully functional and furnished household, and only a vague notion of what to do about wedding presents. We don't need anything for the house, I don't feel comfortable asking people to just give cash, and I'm not selfless enough to ask them not to bring anything at all. That wouldn't be any fun or fair, and I personally enjoy giving gifts for special occasions (so I assume others do, too?)."

All of these things are still true. I though the perfect answer was to have a wedding website like honeyfund.com to show people what we would want to use cash gifts for - but it still left me a bit unsatisfied because it doesn't give people the option to bring real physical gifts - which I'm sure some people still prefer.

Our dreams of what we want for a honeymoon have also sharpened a bit. We're now planning to buy an RV and see a bit of the country and go camping. I'm in love with this idea and I think it's actually kind of smart (if I do say so myself).

We want to get a tow behind camper that sleeps 4. Our hope is that it will last indefinitely (with T's mechanical maintaining abilities), since it just needs to coast behind the truck and isn't a vehicle in and of itself. It will also allow us to park and leave it at a campground and then travel around the immediate area in the truck. Lastly, we're also looking to the future and taking kids camping would hopefully be less stressful and more fun that dragging them from hotel room to hotel room.

We're currently drooling over the 2011 Forest River R-Pod 172. Isn't it dreamy?

Wait! There is a point to all this rambling. My brilliant idea was that since we're pretty sure we'll be acquiring something like the camper above this year, I thought we could register for things that we'll need to outfit the RV. Things like lightweight cookware, extra towels, pillows, blankets, camping gear, a small TV, ... I would still tell people I would prefer contributions to help us make a down payment on the bloody thing (who knew campers cost as much as a small car?) but also give them the option of buying something if they're uncomfortable giving cash.

And everybody wins. Hopefully.

DJ Done!

2012-01-24T09:46:00.002-05:00

If you remember, I've spent the better part of two weeks looking around and interviewing various DJ companies trying to find a good one that is still in our budget. The budget being as cheap as possible.

Last Friday ABC Company emailed me again, giving my their best offer. They lowered their asking price to $600 for everything (down from $700). I was content. T and I discussed it and decided we would get back to them this week and put down our deposit.

But then...

I had previously asked my venue events coordinator, Brian, if there were any DJ companies that he would recommend to me, and there was - East Coast Event Group. I had emailed them I think last Tuesday and never heard back. Brian followed up with me over the weekend and I guess called them directly. Within a day I got an email from them following up with me and trying to resolve what exactly happened to the original email (I guess it got lost in the ether...)

I replied to them yesterday thanking them for getting in touch with me, but also politely stating that I already had a favorite DJ lined up who had offered his services for $600 all-inclusive. I received a reply email asking for a phone call, which we scheduled and held yesterday around lunch time, and East Coast offered their services for $550 all-inclusive.

The guy I spoke with on the phone, Bob, explained that he would rather have the work for a lower rate than not get the contract at all, and that I would also get a break because it's an afternoon wedding and only for 4 hours total. Their website shows that they usually charge $700-$1000/event, and on the agreement he sent it shows the quoted price of $550 with a note after it stating $450 discount per Bob. :)

Whoop whoop!!!

I checked out their reviews, for example here, and they sound wonderful.

I now have a company that was recommended by my venue, has awesome reviews, and gave me the best deal. I don't think you can really ask for more.

Right Now

2012-01-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

Traveler and I are obsessed with the BBC show Top Gear - with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. We've been watching it every night all night for about two weeks or so (thanks to Netflix!) after we ran out of episodes of the Big Bang Theory...

... and it's not over yet! ;)

To Be in School Again

2012-01-20T13:21:00.002-05:00

Last night was the beginning of the Spring Semester for me.

It started off with Management Concepts. A class that I think I'm going to like - the teacher is a nice guy with an MBA who used to work in various HR departments in the private sector for many years, and has been a teacher for only the last 10. Not bad. I did have to buy the book, since we'll actually be using it quite a bit, but I'm looking forward to what this semester brings.

Next Tuesday will be the start of Principals of Marketing. I also ordered the book for this class - I buy them used on amazon.com, saves a ton of money and supposedly I can sell it back to amazon once the semester is over. Hope that teacher is a good one as well.

Campus doesn't look quite like this yet... call it wishful thinking if you like :)

Alternative Guestbook Idea

2012-01-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

Source: weddingwire.com

I found the cutest little polaroid camera on sale at amazon.com ($70). I think this would be amazing!

DJ Doldrums

2012-01-19T14:01:00.004-05:00

I'm not having such an easy time finding a DJ. It was supposed to be the easiest - I would just use the same guy that my friend used for her wedding last September, but I waited to long, and now he's booked for my date. Also, they raised their prices since my friend booked them (it's now $600 instead of $450) - double bummer. He did suggest another guy that works for the same company - lets call it ABC company. I called him and he seems nice, here's the quick view on his stats:

ABC Company

$600 Reception

$100 Ceremony

(1) Person at Event

Music request, etc by email/other

Previous experience at our Venue

still waiting on email to see if backup DJ is provided in case of illness, etc.

Fully Insured

However, it was hard to get a hold of him at first, so I started looking around for what else was out there. I found and called DEF company, and the DJ there also seemed really nice and was around the same price.

DEF Company

$600 Reception

$150 Ceremony

(2) Personnel at Event

Music request by website portal, email, or other

No previous experience at our Venue

Backup DJ in case of sickness, etc.

Fully Insured

Credit

They are both still more than I want to pay. I had originally set aside $500 for this - knowing that my friend paid $450 and that prices probably went up a little since she booked. What I forgot was that she didn't have her ceremony music done by the DJ and I wasn't expecting prices to suddenly rise 30%.

So I talked to Traveler last night and we looked at them together and now I'm leaning more toward DEF guy and Traveler more toward ABC guy or an IPod on shuffle. :/

So instead of making a decision and trying to talk either of them down further on price I've started researching more. I emailed a few more people, heard back from two of them and found out they were asking about double the rate of ABC and DEF, and talked to people at work. Now I've got two colleagues who each has a DJ buddy whom they're going to tell to email me.

So now I feel like I can't further negotiate with ABC or DEF until I know if there are other options, so now I'm stuck waiting. I hate waiting.

Invitations

2012-01-17T16:40:00.001-05:00

I'm still waiting for my "Save the Date" cards to arrive in the mail, but just ordering them set of another obsession. I've been trying to get as much wedding stuff done these few weeks, since school starts back up on Thursday.

The last two days I've been working on my official invitations - the make-your-own kind. ;)

Traveler picked up two sets of invitation kits late last year (he found them in the clearance isle, and if you know Traveler you know he can't walk past stuff on clearance). So here I have these two different sets and so I made two different sets of invitations. Overall though, I think I made them work out pretty well. Here's my favorite one (forgive the awful quality, I took this with my cellphone):

Of course they're not all done yet, we still have to taste test the food before we pin down a final menu - so the menu card is only for practice/design purposes. I did, however, print all my invitations and all of my RSVP cards. Go me!

Wedding Reception - Menu Research

2012-01-11T12:37:00.001-05:00

Hi All,

we have a choice of three dinners to offer our guest at the reception. One is a seafood dinner, one is a mixed plate, and for the last one we want to choose a chicken dish. We do have an opportunity to taste test these sometime in February, but I would like to know what you think! Please vote for your favorite below.

Thanks,
Schatz

Wedding Flowers

2012-01-11T10:23:00.002-05:00

Aren't they so pretty?

I stopped by the flower shop last night on my way home and had a little consultation with the florist. :) The main centerpieces are included in my wedding venue package, but I still need pretty things for the bridesmaids, groomsmen, the moms, dads, grandparents, and me!

Most of the time we spent talking about the particulars of what I want for my bouquet - which wasn't as painstaking as I thought it could be, and then a little less time on the rest, since they somewhat follow the theme set by my flowers. Sometime in February or March they'll put together a sample for me to make sure I like what I think I want, and then I'm all set.

My bouquet will be mostly a variety of pure white flowers - roses, white deli star mums, and carnations - accented by the gerber daisies with the black centers. I can't wait to see it.

My girls will get bouquets that will be a bit smaller and a mix of white and purple flowers: dark purple carnations, purple alstroemeria, white deli star mums, and white mini carnations. Traveler is getting a boutineer featuring the white & black daisy, and the groomsmen, dads, and grandparent's boutineers will feature a white rose, and the moms will each get a white rose to hold. :)

Save the Date Cards - Ordered

2012-01-11T09:16:00.001-05:00

SG Photography Booked

2012-01-10T09:22:00.001-05:00

The photographer and I had our meeting last Thursday night, and I was pleased to note that I really did like her in person as well. She was very friendly and bubbly, but with enough personality that I'm sure she still has it in her to boss around the guys and make sure we get great pictures.

We sat at our table in the local Wegman's pub area and talked for over an hour about everything from her experience and work style to the gritty details of my wedding (in all their glorious vagueness). We covered the procedures she has in place to prevent various catastrophes and looked at the pictures that she's shot for previous weddings. I'm very confidant that she will be awesome.

At the end of the meeting she was open to lowering the price to $800 ($150 less than stated) for the 2012 basic package (which is not the same as the 2011 package that I mentioned in the last post)

I'll get two photographers for 4 hours (if it runs over it's $75 for each additional hour - and with the lower price point of $800 I could get two photographers for 6 hours for the originally quoted price of $950 - though I'm hoping that won't be necessary)
DVD with 300 - 500 edited images with full rights

I sent out the filled out contract and the $350 deposit check yesterday. One more item checked off of my To-do List. :)

SG Photography

Only Five Months

2012-01-04T09:45:00.001-05:00

The wedding is only five months away now! Time does fly by... though I don't feel unprepared exactly. In fact, if I dwell on it a bit, I think I'm right on track with my slowly progressing wedding preparations.

I'm meeting with a potential wedding photographer tomorrow night! I hope she is as nice in person in real life as in her emails. She was recommended to me by a friend (they are neighbors), and she lives in the area. I love her pictures, her brochure is very informative, and looks like she goes out of her way to help her clients. :)

If I choose to go with her, I'm planning to book the basic package, which includes the following:

1 photographer
6 hours of photography coverage
Unlimited images
Online ordering and proofing
Images on DVD with print release

However, the price for this lovely service is, in my opinion, quite ridiculous at $950. The problem is that most of the other photographers I've looked at (and I spent quite a bit of time on it) are even more delusional.

I had found one lady that would come out for 4 hours at $500, but she lives over two hours away and didn't seem nearly as professional as SG. The other semi-reasonable priced company I found was $600 for 4 hours/$720 for 6 hours, but they subcontract to other photographers in the area, and got discouraging reviews on several wedding forums relating to unreliability and poor quality pictures.

I think I prefer not to take my chances on my wedding day, so SG Photography it is!

sg photography

Roadtrip!

2011-12-30T12:45:00.000-05:00

T and I are heading out on a trip this New Years weekend. We were invited up to Vermont to hang out with our friends C&H at their condo. I'm not sure exactly what we'll be doing, but I do know it won't involve laundry, cleaning the house, or taking down the Christmas decorations, so I'm in!

Ryn is staying behind and hanging out with mom this weekend. I think she'll be alright though, her grandmama spoils her horribly.

Ryn with Marrow Bone. Not sure she realizes that her dogbed isn't quite the right size...

If you've noticed that she has a goofy racoon eye, you are right. Poor baby had a skin infection earlier this month and lost all the hair around her left eye. Anti-biotics and neosporin have cleared up the bacteria, but now we have to wait for the hair to grow back. So for now she just looks rather silly.

Roomba 560

2011-12-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

My big gift this year was a vacuum, and I couldn't be more thrilled! I love my iRobot Roomba 560. It's just so neat - here take a look at the wikipedia article. I could sit around for hours and just watch it bump around my house and clean :)

It doesn't map out a room and then try to follow a grid, it's more of an organic process. The algorithm that guides it's decision making is supposedly based on the behavior pattern used by insects when searching for food, but instead it's this cute little robot disk searching for dirt. It has sensors to detect obstacles and drop offs (so it won't fall down the stairs), and when it's decided that enough cleaning time has elapsed it goes back to it's home base and docks to recharge.

Here someone took a time-lapse photo of the Roomba cleaning a room (isn't it pretty?):

I'm not sure where exactly my camera is right now, but when I find it I'll have to take a little video of it. But in case you're dying to see the Roomba in action, here's the official promotion video:

Merry Early Christmas Eve

2011-12-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

Quote

2011-11-15T10:13:00.001-05:00

Sometimes a silly, heartwarming inspirational quote just won't do the job. That is why this little gem is plastered right on the side of my timeline spreadsheet. Sometimes you just need to look back and remember why you decided on something to begin with.

"The main reason for people's lack of success in life is their willingness to give up what they want most of all, for what they want right now." Zig Ziglar (motivational speaker)

For example, what I want right now is this a pack of these cuddly things:

But what i want most of all would be the following:

And the only way to get both is to finish the one so I can have the other.

PS: Aren't those the cutest puppies you've ever seen?! Maybe that picture should go on that spreadsheet, too. :)

The Finished Attic

2011-11-07T09:01:00.001-05:00

Childhood Movie

2011-10-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

On the way back from our girls weekend in Vermont last Sunday, a song came on the radio. I said to the girls "This kind of reminds me of the movie The Last Unicorn." Nothing. None of them had seen it. T has never heard of it either. How can that be?

So I kept thinking about it and finally watched it again this week. Funny how things seem much more complex and scary when you're small, but I still love this film. I have the main song on my ipod now, and I've been listening to it all day.

I also found out the movie is based on the 1968 book of the same name by Peter S. Beagle, which is even now on it's way to my door. :)

Bridesmaid Colors

2011-10-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

Trying to decide...

one purple and four black

or

three purple and two black?

Originally they were all supposed to be purple, but the dresses sold out before everyone got theirs. I quickly ordered black ones to fill the gap, since I really liked the dress and didn't what to force people to return them for another dress. Now I have to decide which way to go:

Fun with Wedding Wire

2011-10-11T14:24:00.004-04:00

They have a little corner where you can make your own wedding inspiration boards, so I've been playing with it on and off all day. :)

Parasite

2011-10-11T14:21:00.003-04:00

The vet just called to confirm that poor Miss Ryn does have a parasite causing her diarrhea. It's a little protozoa called Giardia. Infections are sometimes asymptomatic, but are known to cause diarrhea in young and older dogs. Runaway infections also interfere with nutrient absorption and can damage the lining in the small intestine.

The antibiotic I received for her, metronidazole, should kill the buggers. The doc asked that I bring her and a stool sample by the vet office in 3-4 weeks to make sure she is all clear.

I'm grateful that it isn't diet related. This means that all the treats and such that I've been feeding her are not the cause of her upset tummy, and I can keep up with our training. It also means I'm going to get her some yummy soup bones to enjoy (the ones with the marrow still in).

Good Dog and Poor Brother

2011-10-10T19:30:00.002-04:00

I took Miss Ryn to the vet today. I was getting a bit antsy because after 3 weeks with us she still has diarrhea. I have some medicine for her now, and I'll have a definite answer to what's wrong with her tummy tomorrow. The vet said he'd give me a call when the lab results of her poop sample came back.

In other news, my poor brother twisted his foot today and apparently chipped the bone in his right foot/ankle (? not really sure which). He's going to an orthopedist tomorrow, and he said he'd call me afterwards and keep me updated. :/

Amusement Park and Haunted Houses

2011-10-10T09:13:00.001-04:00

Sunday T and I went with friends and spent the majority of the day at Dorney Park. T and the other two rode the roller coasters (which I won't ride) and we all went on the medium intensity rides until 6 pm, when the Haunted Houses opened. Then two of our other friends joined us and we wandered from one Haunted House in the park to another. The lines were ridiculous but the scaring was fun. We didn't get home till almost 11 pm and I'm so tired today. Thank goodness for coffee. :)

Agility Competition

2011-10-08T21:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning I took Ryn and we spent the morning at an agility competition. I got to meet some old friends, watch some agility, and hang out with my aunt and her dogs. The weather was gorgeous.

Arriving in the morning...

...watching the action...

Zen hanging out in his chair

Satori watching agility

Bridesmaid Dresses

2011-10-07T15:57:00.000-04:00

My friend and Maid of Honor H has been gently pushing me to start looking for my bridesmaid dresses. Which she accomplished by scouring the internet and sending me ever more links to nice dresses. :) So I've been good enough to look through them and even really liked one dress. It wasn't sold in the store so I ordered two sizes of the dress online ~ so I can see what it looks like in real life and how the sizing is...