The minds (part 3)

I've been putting off writing the next installment of Meet the Minds. Why, you ask?

Simple. Writing about this chick is no easy task! I wanted to write something perfect and witty... fully befitting Jen, but knowing that I'll probably fall short, I kept putting it off until divine inspiration hit. Well, that's never going to happen, so I thought I would just dive in.

I remember explaining to a guy that Jen was dating once that, yes indeed he was wrong... Jen is always right. I don't mean sometimes. The girl is a wonder, and so if she says something is fact, it is. All the googling in the world will only bear her out. I used to try disagreeing with Jen, but it's a useless endeavor! Not only is Jen right, but she is also smart, funny, humble, crafty, creative, reality-based and emotionally intelligent. And I'm still selling her short with this description.

Jen and I met in the first few weeks of grad school. (Let me know if I'm getting this right, Jen). She was a nutrition chick and I was into Infectious Diseases. One of my earliest memories of hanging out with Jen was when I somehow convinced this nutrition girl to walk with me to the corner of Shattuck to go to McDonalds. Apparently, I had no shame eating the worst food in the world with one of the healthiest people I know. I reflected on this moment in August when Jen had a McDonald's biscuit waiting for me on dress try-on day. She always knows just what I need! So, on our first outing to McDonald's, I remember thinking, "Man this girl is cool." Maybe it was the witty banter or maybe it was the biology nerd in her. I can't remember the particulars, but I knew there was no going back.

Since then, Jen has been there through thick and thin. We suffered through altitude sickness and gastroenteritis together in Tibet and China. Eww, we tasted scorpion together, and we used the worst bathroom in the entire world on one of the most memorable nights in Tibet. (Side note: When I say worst bathroom in the world, I am not exaggerating. I'll save the particulars for those who are interested, but trust me when I say that you never have and never will see anything like this anywhere, ever. Period.) We've lived in Tahoe together, snowboarded together in Jackson Hole (and elsewhere), hiked, canoed, shopped, plotted, and played Taboo. Jen kicks all ass in Taboo, and I have been lucky enough to be her ass-kicking assistant. To this day, I've never been able to break our record of Taboo points with anyone else.

Now we live far from each other, but we see each other when we can. She's my fashion and decorating consultant. Jen doesn't need me for anything... she's far too competent for that. But for whatever reasons, she lets me hang out! She's way too busy for words, being such a successful person... but she still finds time for me... and for that, I am forever and ever, tears in my eyes grateful!

My taboo clue is, "Something Homer Simpson might enjoy ingesting"

Gah! The dress saga continues...

I learned something crucial today. Such a simple thing, but it may make me go back and revisit everything. The bra I've been wearing to try on dresses is no good. It seems that to give a strapless bra structure, you need to make it padded. Well, the last thing I need is padding! I took it off today to try on a couple of dresses, and lo and behold-- it's a whole different look.

Crikey, how many dresses did I dismiss that might have been ok with a different bra?

Anyway, I liked a couple that I found today... Don't get too attached to either of them ;)

The first is Vera Wang. It is so delicious!



I'm not sure who makes the next one, but it was fun, so I thought I'd show it.



So, I've got to go try on some of these other dresses again. My thoughts were to retry the Betina, the Audrey, and the Mori Lee. Anything else I should re-try?

Dress Madness, Part 2

I braved the world of dress shopping again today! I was feeling fairly well, and let's face it-- loads better in terms of physical health compared to last time.

We made it to 2 shops today:
I Do Bridal
La Belle Elaine's

Now I have to say, the staff in both places was great. However, the atmosphere of La Belle was crazy. There was a giant lighted runway lined with mirrors, and 100's of dresses in a huge circular room. I mean the place is way cool! I Do was much more utilitarian, but they made up for it with their charming staff and their prices are unbelievably amazing.

We had some good luck today. I don't know if it was my mood or that I already sort of knew what I was looking for from my previous experience, but we really did like almost all the dresses I tried on. Keep in mind that I still like the Augusta Jones, Betina... but Tia did fall off my list when I tried it on again today.

I'll try to weed them down here to the ones I really, really liked and give some images. Unfortunately neither place allows photos, which was a bummer. Fortunately, I was able to get a couple of images to help with the decision.

Enough with the talk. Let me show you some photos.

Mori Lee Style 2105. It really is hard to get an idea of how this looks on me, until you see it... But you'll have to trust me that it accentuated my waist, and laid really nicely through the hips. It wasn't too low on top either.



The next one that we really like was a Casablanca dress, style 1908. This dress fit really well, but I'll admit that I felt a teensy bit like the top of a cake!


Next we have the Maggie Sottero Colby. It's a great dress, very light and very destination wedding. It's made of chiffon, so it feels a little flimsy compared to the others. Oh, and note that my hair will never ever look like this ;) (I promise!)
Next, I tried on a dress from a local Seattle designer. I think the line is called Audrey and the number is 1307. I put on the dress and felt pretty great about it. I tried it on again, hoping to remember it, but knowing that I wouldn't. No photos, so there was no way I could capture it.

I decided to do something I would never do. I put on a very pitiful look and told the assistant that I really really would love a photo to show my family back home in California. I wasn't exactly pouty, and I didn't cry, but I did leave enough doubt as to whether we were going there! The assistant was so lovely about it and snapped a couple of iphone photos for me. So kind! This is a lot of dress, and I do look very curvy in it. I wish you could see the details, especially since we can't find this online. It's got lace and rusching on top with a small amount of beading and crystals, but not too much. The back has two tiers... so think about dresses with pickups.


Now I know the majority of these dresses are strapless, but most of them can have straps added. The bottom one unfortunately would not look good even with spagetti straps.

Oh, and I'll show you the Betina again, since it is the one remaining on the list from my prior outing.



So what do you think? Opinions? Questions? Concerns? Let it fly!

Global financial meltdown (wedding style)

Now is a funny time to be planning a wedding. We've been so carefully planning and saving for a life together. We put together a reasonable budget and have been financially responsible. We have a plan for the wedding and for the future. Even in the best of times, throwing a wedding puts a financial burden on a fledgling couple... but add an unpredictable market and failing banks, and it makes you wonder if putting money into a wedding is such a good idea.

We're in a weird space because we've already paid for or put deposits down on the major things. But it does make me re-evaluate some of the details. I wonder if paper invitations are really essential. I also wonder how many decoration we really need. Maybe I can find a dress bargain that I can live with. How much DIY can I really do? (Especially since I'm so talentless when it comes to artistic things!)

In a way, I take this as an opportunity to re-evaluate what is important. It should be interesting to distill things down to the essential elements, and maybe in the end it will even take some of the pressure to be perfect off.

Yeah, if Chris's glass is all the way full-- 1/2 with air and 1/2 with water, I'm going to make sure mine is at least half full(!), but it does feel like we're blindly hurtling off a cliff into an abyss right now.

Anyone else feel guilty about the state of the economy and its relationship with your wedding? Are you changing or revising anything because of the crisis?

Lucky girl!

Well, I can't believe that I've actually had a stroke of luck. There are a ton of bridal contests out there, and when I run across them I'll enter-- of course never expecting to win anything.

(Although, what I really would love to score is a set of letterpress invitations... Guess I have to keep dreaming on that count!)

Nonetheless, I did score a gift certificate to Bonita J. jewelery. Check it out, and let me know if you have any opinions. I have a few ideas, but I'll be interested to see what you think!

http://www.bonitaj.com/sfnt.html

Example of one of their necklaces:

Amazing letterpress

OK, so most of you probably know that Chris and I were at first going to send out our invitations electronically. That idea didn't last very long. But lately as themes and ideas have come together, it has seemed more and more that invitations are a nice element to set the tone for our day.

I stumbled across the Dingbat's Agenda and learned all about some of the more creative things you can do with letterpress. They are giving away a full invitation suite, and I figure that their contest is the closest I'll ever get to letterpress. Here's hoping! (How perfect is this simple pear invitation?)

Pirate Name!

Friday is national talk like a pirate day! Being that I'm the pirate piece of pirates and pears, I went and searched out the pirate name generator.

My pirate name is: Bad-Rum Antonia. (I like it!)
Chris's name is: Cap'n Gus Cannonballs (funny)

Check out the site and find your pirate name!
http://gangstaname.com/pirate_name.php

Maybe we'll publish your pirate name in the wedding program!