Hi blogger friends, are you still there?

Hello blogger friends,

I know it's been a month or so since I last blogged, please forgive me! We are now down to 39 days until we get married....again. Yes. That's right. Again.

In order to have a symbolic ceremony in the Dominican Republic we have to present our marriage certificate and in the state of NY it can take up to 30 days to receive that. We realized this last week when we went for our marriage license and decided that we couldn't wait much longer since were almost at the month mark. One phone call later and we were confirmed to meet with the judge this past Monday.

It honestly didn't hit me that this was for real until the judge started speaking and we had to hold hands. My knees got a little weak and the butterflies fluttered. I was extremely happy and at the same time trying to convince myself this wasn't the real marriage since I didn't want it to take away from our ceremony next month. It was about a minute and half and we didn't exchange rings which was great.

I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs!

Ok I know I know....we decided not to call each other husband or wife until after September 18th but it is hard at times. You may be wondering, "well what date will you celebrate your anniversary on?" since we get that a lot from people and the answer is: the day we exchange our vows will be the day we celebrate, September 18th.

Seriously life gets so busy the last month and half with wedding planning ESPECIALLY when your close friend is getting married a month before you. I'm sorry I've been M.I.A. but I promise to blog more leading up to the big day!

Anybody finding it crazy busy the last month before the wedding??

A little getaway 3 months prior

So yeah....today is officially 3 months until we get married!!! HELLOOOOO people! Remember when I was kicking my heels for it only being 7 months?!! Honestly it's really starting to kick in that the big day, the day I've been dreaming about since I was little is around the corner!

Since most of my vacation days and all of John's vacation days are being used for this wedding we have decided to get away for the weekend to relax and de-stress! We normally take vacations every 6 months so we are dying to go away right about now and we can't. So we are going camping with our favorite couple (and also his best man) in Eastern CT!! We went camping at the same place we did last September and had such a blast that we wanted to go again when it was a bit warmer. It's a great little getaway that doesn't cost much and we can enjoy the scenery, play games, grill on a open fire and drink beer! woohoo!!


Our campsite and hopefully the same one this time around. Little funny side note: our tent is the brand new Coleman one (orange) and our friends is the 1987 coleman version (just guessing). On our last day we woke up to a rain storm our friends old tent was swimming in a pool of rain and leaked while our tent was dry. Needless to say we bought them a new tent for our adventure and it happens to be the same tent we have so we should have no problems this time around!

Our friend Bob playing the ladder game. Ever place this while talegating?? It's awesome!

Snuggling by the campfire. *side note: this was 2 weeks before we got engaged*

End of September can be cold so we huddled by the fire.


Anybody else using all their vacation time for their wedding? If so, what are you doing to get away from the planning to unwind?

Happy Friday!

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Just a random photo that I thought was hilarious! It's Friday people. WOOHOO! I just love weekends although once the warmer weather arrives that means we get so busy that we just don't get any time to be couch potatos. This weekend is a prime example (and don't get me started on Memorial Day weekend!).

I have the privilege of being a bridesmaid in my friends wedding in August and since I am planning my own wedding I really haven't had much time to concentrate on hers. Her wedding is 12 weeks away and I haven't gotten a dress yet! Yikes! She has given us free reign on the style choice as long as its from David's Bridal and in the color "clover". This seems to be the trend in many weddings I've seen not only in person but also on TV. I think it's a great option since we have such a big wedding party and many different body types. So tonight I MUST go to DB and try on some dresses but I think I have it narrowed down to one.

This one

I tried the longer version on about 2 months ago and wasn't a fan of it but loved the top. It made me look like a balloon. So today is the day even though I've been dreading trying on dresses! Wish me luck!

Anybody else try this dress on? Do you dread trying on dresses too?

It was love at first sight...

You know how people say you'll find the right when you least expect it. Well it happened to me yesterday and I just loved how good it felt! Scratching your head yet? No I'm not talking about my FI (although we totally fell into each others laps that way) but I'm talking about the perfect favor for our guests. Something that represents are style/theme yet practical and something they can use! I hate going to weddings and getting a favor that collects dust and I never use.

I've known for a while that I wanted to give wine stoppers as favors to our guests but some of them are just so generic. Nothing wrong with that but I want to stand out from the crowd because that's clearly how I roll! How I roll? CLEARLY I need some coffee because I haven't used that term since HS.

I really liked the starfish wine stoppers since that goes along with our DW theme. And there isn't much out there for different styles of starfish wine stoppers.

This is whatcha get! Source

Or so I thought! I googled "starfish wine stoppers" and found most websites that supply the wine stopper shown above. And then I saw "Murano Glass Collection" and figured I would see how much those puppies would cost. Humoring myself (or so I thought) I clicked on the website and started to drool over this....

I can't take my eyes off you! (source)

"The intricate way the hand blown glass colors intertwine within the glass transform what is usually a common favor into a veritable original work of art." Reading the description just makes me swoon! And the best part? If I order 96 or more they are only (drum roll please!)...$2.99 each!!

(Dancing in my seat as we speak)

So I sent the link to my FI and of course I'm sure he wasn't as excited since his comment was, "those are great, get what you want babe." Wedding favors aren't exactly his top priority right now since he's been studying for his MIJ test since his apprenticeship is almost over. It's been a long time coming and I'm so proud of him but I also can't wait for the pay raise!! It couldn't come at a more perfect time.

Ok sorry I drifted off subject. So once we get the final headcount for our HR and DW, I will be ordering them faster than you can say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

What piece of the wedding just clicked for you? Did you fall head over heels for something? Maybe it was your dress or the venue or even the cake! Love to hear what clicked for you!

First comes love....

....then comes marriage...then comes...


I know what you're thinking but no it's not mine. He is my new (and first!) nephew Ryan Anthony who was born late Wednesday night. I apologize for the delay in postings but I've been a tad busy, can you tell?

He is absolutely adorable, precious, angelic and a blessing. I was so happy for my sister and brother-in law. I have to admit though, I have baby fever now. Holding him against my chest for 45 minutes was such a bonding experience and made me so excited to start a family. The wedding can't come soon enough! LOL Although unlike the saying "First Comes Love..." we will go about it a little differently and more like "First comes love...then comes marriage...then comes a HOUSE...AND THEN comes baby!" :)

It was a monumental weekend not only for my sister but for me. I turned the big 2-8 (the big 2-8? What's so special about that? I don't know.) on Saturday and although most of us were consumed in babyland, I also celebrated my birthday. It was an absolute blessing to be able to spend it with my family, which I normally don't get to since my parents live in FL.

Now that the baby has arrived it's the start of many great things to come this year. I'm so excited (and a little anxious) for the next 4 months.

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

I didn't want to be boring and just put "Happy Friday!" as my subject since I'm feeling more than just "happy" about it being Friday. This week has been long and a tad blah but this weekend is going to be just the opposite.

This post isn't really wedding related and thought I would take a break for today on the planning side.

This weekend is going to be awesome for numerous reasons: A) the weather is suppose to be in the 80's and gorgeous and B) my mother is flying up from Florida tomorrow for 3 weeks to help my sister out when the baby arrives (The sound of a record scratching). Wait, what? Yes. My sister is about to give birth any day now and I can't be more excited!!!!!

This will be her first child and I couldn't be more excited since it's a complete surprise as far as the sex of the baby AND the name! Plus I'll actually be able to spend time with my future niece or nephew since she lives only an hour away. I have two beautiful nieces already from my older sister but they live in Illinois and I only get to see their smiling faces MAYBE twice a year. =(

So this weekend we are planning on relaxing at the summer home (I will FINALLY take pictures of our home reception site so you guys can check it out yourselves), cooking some delicious burgers and enjoying the weather. Oh and being on call 24/7 in case the baby comes!

What is everyone else doing this weekend?

Love at first soles - Delicate Soles Giveaway

Before I get to the main reason for this blog entry I wanted to take a moment to thank those who have commented and offered opinions in the past on my blog. Its been so helpful and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there with the same wedding related issues. Thank you again!!

I've been lucky enough to follow one of my favorite blogs by A Chocolate Lover's Confession and recently she posted about a fantastic product that will make our feet very happy. Delicate Soles created a rollable flat shoe that is tiny enough to be mistaken for lipstick but comfortable after a long day. This is fantastic since I tend to bring big bulky bags with me each day into the city in order to fit my heels and other every day necessities. Plus I plan on wearing flats on my wedding day and have yet to find a pair!

She is giving away two pairs to two lucky followers so if you haven't already checked it out do so by clicking here.

Good Luck!

I feel naked....

Today was the first day that I left home without my e-ring!! The horror! I was sick yesterday so my head is still a little fuzzy and I walked out of my house without it on. I take it off when I shower and I must have been running around and forgot. HOW COULD I FORGET??! It wasn't until I was already driving about 3 minutes that I could feel how naked my finger felt. It was already too late to turn around and that feeling hit the bottom of my stomach. ::sigh:: I would have to go about my day without it.

I called the FI to tell him since he was still at home and I didn't want to him to think I didn't care. Of course he made fun of me and called me a "bad fiance" but said it happens. I've stared at my ring finger all day and see the faint mark from the ring. I can't wait to get home and put it back on!

Anybody else feel naked without it on?? Feel like your lost? Kind of like when you leave your cell phone at home by accident.

Top 10 Wacky Weddings

We all have an idea of what we want OUR wedding day to be like. Some like traditional church wedding. Or a beach wedding. Some even love to be married by Elvis in Vegas! Check out these Top 10 Wacky Weddings:


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If I had to choose out of those top 10 choices I would go with the rollercoaster wedding.

Spring Cleaning

The weather is absolutely gorgeous out and I'm so excited that spring has finally arrived. It's now April and that means opening the windows and doing some spring cleaning! I try to go through all my clothes once a year and throw out the ones I don't wear anymore although its been hard the last two years because I keep saying I'm going to lose weight and fit back into those old jeans from 2005! So I finally am giving up that motto and facing reality. LOL

When I first moved back to NY my mother gave me a bunch of blazers (does anybody use that word anymore??) that she used to wear for work but now that she lives in FL she doesn't need them. I'm one of those people that won't say "no" to most freebies and I knew I probably would never wear what she gives me. And I was right....

These are the two piles of clothes I am throwing out. I went through my closet and my drawers. Notice the first pile with the blazers in those lovely bright colors. Yuck.

This is a plaid Ann Taylor jacket that's probably from 1997! Yikes.

A bright yellow blazer with the biggest shoulder pads EVER! What was she thinking??

I just had to try on the yellow jacket to show you just how big the shoulder pads are. Talk about looking HOT! Ha ha! Just kidding!


I feel refreshed and can check this off the list of to-do's that actually isn't wedding related. Two big garbage bags full of clothes off to the clothing box by our dry cleaners. I just love how much room I have now in my dresser drawers that I don't have to push down hard in order for it to clothes. C'mon you know what I'm talking about ladies?!

I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday weekend and enjoys this gorgeous weather!!

Food for thought....

"Happy marriages begin when we marry the one we love, and they blossom when we love the one we married."

I wanted to pass along this quote I saw on my friends Facebook page. I'm not sure who said it but I like it and wanted to share :)

It's Thursday which is the new Friday!! At least this week. Looking forward to the long holiday weekend with our best man and his girlfriend along with my Future In-Laws.

I thought I would post some fun random pictures of our favorite couple.

I love his best man and his especially his awesome girlfriend. This was taken at our engagement party. Can you tell that his best man brings out the best in my FI?! LOL

The boys at a UCONN footall game last September.

I can't help but bust out laughing every time I see this picture! This is why he is our best man because of his random funny moments!

Mexico - October 2009 (we look like we got burnt to a crisp!)

I love this chick! Us in Mexico.

Love & Marriage

I love my Ipod. I NEED my Ipod in order to keep my sanity on the train ride into work. Most people read the newspaper and I just sit back and listen to music to start my day. I had it on shuffle and one of my favorite comedians, Jeff Dunham, came on and his skit was entitled "Love and Marriage". For those that don't know of Jeff Dunham you are missing out! He is an American ventriloquist and stand-up comedian who has also appeared on numerous television shows. This guy has a gift. One of his characters is named Walter who is a grumpy old man. I'll let you see for yourself. I thought this would be a nice change of pace and make you laugh. :) Enjoy!

Happy Friday!!!

Happy Friday Ladies!! Another week closer to our weddings! I met up with a couple of NYC Weddingbee's last night for a couple cocktails and some yummy tapas at Le Fonda del Sol. It was great to get out and be able to talk everything and anything about weddings. Although it low turnout (only 3 of us) it was still great to pick their brains about ideas and also show them my invitations.

Wait, you got your invitations??? Yes! A lovely UPS man delivered them yesterday and I'll show you a sneak peak.

OK I know my camera phone sucks but it's the best I could do for right now. Not sure if you can tell but the actual invites didn't come attached to the pocketfold like the sample I ordered. Boo! So that means I'll be attaching them myself. ::sigh::

I couldn't be more happier with the invitations and the gold font turned out to be a great choice after all! I PROMISE I'll have pictures soon but for now this will have to hold you over. :)

Any fun plans for the weekend?? I am in a wedding a month prior to ours and have a "fitting party" tomorrow and I'm excited yet also nervous to get measured since I'm not exactly the size I want to be right now! ::biting my nails:: Wish me luck!!

Twilight Saga

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If you're like me and LOVE the Twilight series than you will love this post. Or maybe not.

I discovered this past weekend that I have a real-life Jacob in my life. Although this was not unexpected it still was quite a shocker to me. If you don't follow Twilight than you might not understand this post and I'm sorry.

I received an e-mail this past weekend from my a good guy friend of mine who I've known since college. We never dated but we hung out a lot and we we're "friends" on and off through college. I realized that we could be nothing more than friends once college ended because I just didn't have that connection with him. I loved him but only as a friend. I knew he felt otherwise but respected my decision. We've been good friends ever since and he's always been there for me whenever I needed advice and never judged. He lives in Rhode Island and we see each other maybe once a year.

OK, what's the point Kristen?!

Sorry, back to my story about the e-mail. Well I received an e-mail this weekend from him and he stated that he can no longer come to my wedding because he "can't just stand there and watch me marry someone else." He also stated to "not try and sway his decision any other way and that this was final."

WTF?!

I was very upset and hurt and angry at first. I wanted to kick the crap out of him! Then I took a step back and thought about his feelings and I stopped myself from going Bridezilla on him. I felt bad and wished he didn't feel that way. Then I realized that being friends just doesn't help the situation and that I have to put my feelings aside and do the right thing and walk away. If he hasn't moved on after 6 years than the problem all along was being friends. Although in the movie they are still friends I cannot continue to hurt someone.

This isn't exactly what I would like to deal with right now but such is life! It's a hard decision but honestly I am moving forward in my life and I don't need anything trying to get in the way of that. I want to be selfish but I can't. All of this isn't worth fighting over anyways because I have an amazing fiance who means more than anything in the world.

What's weird is that I was watching New Moon on blu ray when I got the e-mail. How coincidental is that???

Have you ever had a similar situation during wedding planning? Someone's true feelings comes out and all you can do is feel bad but do what's right?!!

6 MONTHS!!!

I absolutely love the little things in life that make my day. That unexpected moment or surprise that puts the biggest smile on your face, you know what I'm talking about?!

*my own creation*

Here I am sitting at work and I had to input the date into a excel sheet and BAM! 'It's March 18th??" Yay!! I do a little dance in my seat and the biggest smile knowing that I'm a month closer to marrying the love of my life, my best friend and soul mate. I might sound cheesy but it's so true. Plus spring is approaching and the weather in NYC has been so refreshing and makes the day brighter.

I just want it to be September already!! Every day my FI and I text or comment to each other how excited we are for this special day to arrive.

Don't you just love the wedding countdown? Has the months leading up to the big day go by fast for you or drag on?

Get Your Drink On!

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Thanks to a post on weddingbee I just got the best news EVER! According to a recent study, women who drink more gain less weight than women who don't drink alcohol. Whaaaat??? Shut. Up.

Read more about it here!

Of course I won't take this study TOO seriously since I need to lose weight for the big day regardless but at least we can rest assure at night time that having a few drinks won't hurt us as much as we think.....well I think at least!

Junk In the Trunk!

Thanks to my Daily Candy e-mails, I just received word that Saks Fifth Avenue is having their Spring Bridal Trunk Show in both New York and Beverly Hills throughout March.

"Get your dream gown from perennial faves Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta or take a modern approach with creations from Monique Lhuillier, Kenneth Pool, and Marchesa. Best of all, each event (there’re eighteen in all) showcases the designer’s entire collection, so you can be sure your ideal frock doesn’t pass you by."

I already found my dress but I would totally take advantage of this event if I didn't already have one! Enjoy ladies!

More info click here.

My Two Cents

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I'm stubborn if you haven't already noticed and part of getting married also means combining finances with your FI. As of right now we currently have a joint checking account that we opened up a year ago that was strictly to pay for our vacations and is currently where we put our blood, sweat and tears money for the wedding. We also have separate checking accounts still but eventually we are going to have to combine our finances, or are we?

I recently spoke about the 5 Things important to marriage and one of the things mentioned was "Find a solution and compromise. Just don't ignore it." and I find myself having to compromise when it comes to finances and the FI.

I'll be honest and admit that I have a lot of bills to pay each month whereas my FI barely has any. So he likes to pay for a lot of stuff like groceries and gas since he knows I'm not left with much after bills. I'm a woman and I like to shop and that's my downfall. With the wedding though I've cut down on any shopping for myself and focused on saving for the wedding.

Yesterday I received a $65 ticket for an expired inspection sticker. Boo!! My FI texted me this morning and said that he would take care of the ticket. That's incredibly sweet but I have pride issues and you mix that in with stubbornness and it's a great combo. It's my car so I should pay for it, right? Then I took a step back and thought about if I fought him on this subject and what the end result would be. Probably him getting annoyed that I'm being stubborn all because I have pride issues. Is it really worth it? So I compromise and let him know that I'm not exactly fond of the idea but arguing with him isn't worth it. And he wrote back "nope it's not, LOL!" I laughed and felt better that at least he knew how I felt and was appreciative of his kindness.

I'm trying to accept that in the future I have to put my pride aside and accept that our finances are going to combine one way or another.

Will you be combining your finances or keep two separate accounts while married?

5 Things...

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I spent this past weekend at my FMIL's since she recently had surgery and I learned a lot from her that I wanted to share a few thoughts. John's parents divorced when he was young and it wasn't an easy transition for him nor his mother. It got me thinking and with more than half the marriages today ending up in divorce, now more than ever, it's critically important to know how to make marriage work for you.

Here's the thing. Your marriage could be the best decision you've ever made in your life. Won't you give it your best shot?

I came up with the 5 things that I feel are important to making a marriage work. Now I know i'm not married yet but based on our relationship this is what i've learned.

1. Make a commitment to make it work

If you're half-hearted about your marriage, you will end up with a half-baked relationship. Like all good things in life, it requires your commitment to put in time, effort, nurturing.

This is not to say you have to be obsessed about it all day. But do be aware that you need to spend time with your spouse, work things out, focus on things or activities that make the relationship better and grow over time.

2. Treat your marriage like a team sport

If that's too casual for you, then think "business partnership". A good marriage involves two people coming together, planning ahead, identifying what works, what doesn't, working though obstacles, putting in the time and effort, heading out into the game (or the real world) together, and sticking together no matter what comes.

3. Don't underestimate any problem that crops up

While you don't want to turn every molehill into a mountain, be sure to assess each issue or problem area that arises. Many couple let things fester. So much so that a small problem, that could have been solved with 5 minutes of discussion, turns into grounds for divorce.

Address everything that comes up. Find a solution or a compromise. Just don't ignore it.

4. Talk, communicate, share

The most IMPORTANT thing you could probably do for your marriage is to talk to one another. Discuss things, share experiences, complain (about other folks!), even argue with each other. Couples who stop talking will find that their marriages don't last.

5. Build a house (a strong marriage) on a strong foundation

As a couple, spend time thrashing out your views, values, attitudes towards things that will affect you together now and later in life. Figure out how you both feel about children, parents, jobs, politics, the environment, and everything else. The more you understand each other, the stronger the foundation upon which you can build your marriage.

This is strictly my opinion and i'm not sure everyone is going to agree with me. I recently read a blog where a bride-to-be went through a difficult time with her FI and trying to figure out if they should even get married. My heart went out to them and I hope they both work hard to make the relationship work and learn from their lessons.

What makes it work for you in a relationship/marriage?

The Dirty Work

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I got a degree in Travel & Tourism Management and one of the first jobs I had out of college was working as a Travel Agent. It was an interesting job and although the perks are AMAZING (you practically go away to tropical places for free), it wasn't all that it's cracked up to be. I spent many hours with clients, especially couples planning their honeymoons, trying to find the perfect resort within their budget and that fill all their criteria. Yeah. Not. Always. Fun.

Since we are having a destination wedding I thought I would take care of every one's travel arrangements myself since I could keep everything organized and also look for the best deal. Or so I thought! I started to look into travel deals on various websites and then I started to realize that along with planning every single detail I would also have to correspond with every guest coming and deal with their travel demands. What was I thinking????

So instead I decided to have someone else do my dirty work for me. Unfortunately all my former colleagues have either been laid off or quit their job from the company I used to work for, and so I had a problem trusting some random person. Not like that matters in the end but I'm getting there, I promise.

So I pondered the idea for a while and then decided to search the web for other options. Of course my company comes up in my search and most of you are probably thinking, 'why waste your time looking when you can just book with a company you are familiar with?', and you're right but I just had a gut feeling about it and continued to search. That's when I found Destinationweddings.com.

I memorized their website and found out that you don't have to pay a fee for their services and they have 52 years in the travel industry. You get to work with your own designated DW coordinator who will be there every step of the way to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible PLUS they will beat any competitors pricing. BONUS!

To be honest I was going to make this person's life a bit simpler since I already picked out the resort, booked a date, and a reception place. All I need for her to do is to book everyone! All you have to do is pay $50 to join which is applied to your final trip cost and within a day I heard back from our amazing DW coordinator, Michele. I explained to her my travel background and what I needed her to do. I think she was a little surprised at how much I've already booked! LOL

Honestly, it's been a blessing booking through this company because she handles all the questions from guests and the details. Can you imagine handling all of your guests travel arrangements?? Yikes!

Are you using a DW coordinator or a travel agent to handle the dirty work? Even a Day of Coordinator? Did it go well? Were you satisfied?