my hippie pillow room... or not.

We went to IKEA today to buy 8 comforters and 32 large "euro" size pillows. You have no idea the kinds of looks you get walking out with two carts stuffed to the brim with pillows and comforters... we did tell people it was for the wedding, but we were tempted to say it's for the large orgy room we're putting in the house. No traumatizing scowling 65 year olds going in for their meatballs today, kids.


So what's this for? Our lounge!

That's right folks, the Gummi Bears don't dance, so no one else will. Well, you can, but we're not sure where and how you'll do it. That and you'll be mostly alone since we have only ~100 guests, most of which are my Korean family who don't dance and also never touch each other except to hit each other in that endearing Korean way. Wriggling your body in close proximity to another body? Out of the question.

We originally wanted this:


We then saw THIS:


-insert grabby hands and drooling here-
So, trip to ikea it was! We're using those blankets and pillows to set up a picnic style area on the grass lawn. We're also putting in picnic baskets, large umbrellas, basket for shoes and courtesy flip-flops. For entertainment, there is a craft area so you can make our scrapbook for us (please no construction paper penises) with polaroids, lawn games, card games, board games should you feel compelled to show off your scrabble prowess. We're also offering a huge assortment of snacks. A coffee/tea station with cookies, a refreshment bar with frescas, lemonade, horchata, bottled sodas, and a few types of fresh fruit popsicles because it's hot out there.

Best of all, we're offering the option to go home early since who really wants to waste an entire Saturday watching me prance around in a foofy dress?


But other than all the above, what else could we offer that would make the whole reception worth staying for? I know, you'd say "the couple" but seriously, that is like covering poop with frosting and telling people to just deal with the poop because I made it "with love". What have you wished there was to do at boring weddings you've been to?


PS. Mr. GB is desperately trying to find a way to have wifi for all of us internet addicted people... can you see me sitting in front of everyone, macbook open ignoring my reception? "Go away, my auction is TOTALLY ending soon!" We're telling everyone to at LEAST, bring your DS and PSP, we all want some multiplayer Mario Kart and Puzzle Quest.

Colors and Themes

Rob and I are not having a huge theme that is going to dominate the wedding, but we wanted some elements to tie the whole thing together.

Rob and I live a very vintage/retro lifestyle, filling our already period-styled home with vintage furniture and kitchenware. We wanted to extend that part of our lives into our wedding, the vintage dress without a veil, feather hairpins and casual atmosphere. We're looking at vintage birdcages to hold cards and nests on our tables as a cute holder for candy eggs.... I'm a candy fiend! Grass will be our main table element as the venue itself is absolutely gorgeous and lush with greenery, we don't feel the need to really take away from that with huge floral elements.

grass green, deep rich chocolate browns, with accent raspberry are our colors, birds and a casual day-at-the-park feel is how we'd like the whole event to play out.


This all ties into the fact that I desperately want those nests from Williams Sonoma. Badly.

Appointments.

Our meeting with Lisa from Good on Paper was pushed back until the 25th. It's too bad, I was really looking forward to it! We intend to bring our papillon with us to play with her boston terrier, which will be more fun than designing our invitations I'm sure!

I forgot to mention that we did meet with Nancy Liu Chin and she was a huge ball of bubbly energy, I had a hard time keeping up! I'm really shy, so I got a little lost, but she's a total sweetheart and I really have a lot of faith in her designs. I've been in love with them since the moment I started planning. I need to reply to her email, but Rob and I have been behind with taxes coming up and having bought our home last year, there are a lot of things we need to work out.

We have our rental and menu meeting with Rising Sun on the 20th, which I'm also nervous about because of my shyness, but I really love Heather and I feel we have a good connection. Rob is excited to be able to work with them as we really felt they understood us. Here's to hoping for good communication!


Rob and I are terrible at wedding meetings, I admit it. Between my shyness and both of us being very laid back and easy going about everything, the vendors expect a lot more from us in terms of questions and demands. We have very few, we trust people and we are easy to please. I wonder if they wish we were harder to please, or are just expecting more.

It's also hard for them to see the groom as the point of contact, rather than the bride - I always am misplacing my phone, so I rarely answer it. I'm very very shy in person and nervous on the phone anyway, so he has taken over as the point of communication to all vendors. I guess most grooms aren't as involved, but Rob and I stand as equals in our responsibilities and planning. I love him for that.

Mid-Wedding Planning Vacation

Rob and I are heading back to Japan for hanami - the cherry blossom viewing, at the end of this month. It's been months since I've been back to Japan, so my little heart aches for some time in my second-home.

We need a kick start on the planning, with most of the larger vendors already chosen and Grace working out the contracts, we're feeling the slump of overcoming major pieces and little drive to do the details. Hopefully we'll come back refreshed and relaxed, with new ideas and a drive to work out the rest of the details.

That and weight to lose because I intend to eat myself into some heavy weight gain.

If you have seen my ring, it's very cute and Rob had it custom made for me.... but in reality, it wasn't really made to have a wedding band next to it. So we've decided that the wedding band remaining a constant in my life is far more important that preserving the current setting of my engagement ring. Here are my two ideas for a new setting:

1. move all my current side stones to a channel setting in the band.
2. or change my ring to a vintage setting by moving my sidestones into a channel setting and bezel setting my centerstone with milgrain and tiny diamond detailing all around, like this except smaller and without princess cut sides.

The first is simpler, more classic and easier to appreciate the center stone itself. The second is more ME though, with all my vintage furniture and obsession with my 1920's home and all things retro. Rob and I considered that in 10 years I may want to get it reset, so which of the rings will last those number of year?

So we're slowly moving through the process.

We have almost worked out all the kinks with the venue. I want rob to hurry up and sign the contract, but we're waiting to hear from one of the catering options if they are available that day so we at least have two choices.

We're currently talking with a photographer about making an appointment to meet with her, our planner has given us a few others that we will be contacting to see more of their work.

In more exciting news, I went to relish at home and saw the hairpins I will most likely be ordering for myself and my sister.... and she immediately told the designer that I am getting all my letterpressing done with... who emailed my coordinator and told her that I went to the shop. It's funny, they're all friends and word spreads.



In other news, this is what I got from relish at home:


i ♥ j.mendecino.