Wedding Planning

I feel like I've finally got the big stuff under control for mine and Robby's wedding reception!
We have:

Scheduled and reserved a sealing room at the Salt Lake Temple

Booked Wheeler Farm for the reception

Created the centerpieces

Booked the Photographer and scheduled our engagement session
Purchased my wedding dress
Figured out the food and beverages


Decided on rentals

Created our Wedding Registry

and
Found what to wear for our engagement pictures

I'm feeling so much more relaxed about wedding plans and life in general -- especially after a nice, long Christmas vacation.

Happy Day!

I Miss my Sparkle

I took my ring back to Shane Co on Friday to get re-sized. It won't be ready to pick up until Tuesday. I hate not having my ring. :( I feel so naked without it. I wore a fake ring Saturday and Sunday cuz I couldn't stand not having something on my finger, but I knew I would be moving boxed and other things today at work in preparation for the move so I didn't put a ring on. It just feels like something is missing.

I miss my ring. Tuesday can't come fast enough.

I Do Believe in Fairies

I had just about given up on the idea of getting a wedding dress with sleeves. All the modest dresses I saw online just looked to boring and -- frankly -- depressing. I figured I'd just get a strapless dress and a little jacket to wear with it to make it modest. I had almost decided to get this dress from the Perfect Dress:

I knew I was kind of rushed to get a dress because I new it would need alterations (I'm a good 6 inches shorter than the models they use), and also it's Chinese New Year right now. And I guess most wedding dresses come from China so you'd be hard pressed to get a dress from them in time for a March wedding. (Yikes!)

So, just as I had decided to call The Perfect Dress and order the afore-mentioned gown, my mom convinced me to call Fairy Godmother Bridal and ask if they had any similar dresses. I called Fairy Godmother on Sunday -- just expecting to leave a message and hear back from her on Monday. But she actually answered! She was so sweet and helpful. I told her what I was looking for and she made some suggestions of what she had in stock that she thought I might like. She seemed like she really understood my style and I thought: "What the heck! I'll just try her out." So I made an appointment for Monday at 6:30!

I got to her house (she's in the process of moving so she's just working out of her home right now) with my mom and brother, and she ushered me and my mom to the back room. John had to stay in the living room.

She was just amazing! First thing she did was to put a lovely necklace around my neck. She then gave me a lace bustier and shorts to put on. Then, basically all I had to do was stand in front of the mirror while she threw dress after dress over my head. I must've tried on at least 10 dresses. I had two favorites (the 2nd and 3rd dress that I tried on) in that time. So after I had tried on all the dresses she thought I would like, we went back to the two dresses I loved.

This was the runner up, but in ivory.
I won't show you a picture of the dress I ended up getting because the picture of it online just doesn't do it justice.

But I just have to say, it's beautiful!!! And she had already ordered it for her stock so it will be here before Christmas so I don't even have to worry about complications with Chinese New Year. Whew!

I just have to give a shout out to Fairy Godmother Bridal. Judy (the owner and wonderful lady that helped me that night) is just what every bride needs. She truly is like Cinderella's Fairy Godmother and she made this little scullery maid feel like a princess.

Gingerbread Wars

For FHE this Monday; Robby, my Mom, Brother, and I built Gingerbread House. We totally went old school on this and made them out of milk cartons, graham crackers, and candy.

Look at that spread!


John and my Mom were on a team and Robby and I were on a team.

John loves making gingerbread houses.

A lot!

This was their house

Complete with fountain and gargoyle

Robby and I made the Gingerbread Pentagon

The President is out front (in Red) with his body guard. There are two guards at the door

Some guards hidden behind trees and bushes, and even a sniper on the roof!


Santa had to hide behind behind the chimney for fear of the sniper


And Santa had every right to be scared, for just as he was about to descend the chimney to deliver presents, someone tried to break into the Pentagon.
But the sniper got him.

I think it may have been a terrorist from John's gingerbread house, because soon after the attempted break-in, All-Out War began!
There were Marshmallow, M&M, and Peanut-buttercup cannonballs launched from spoon catapults. The destruction was unimaginable. Christmas means Carnage!

But dang was it fun!

Or, at least, I think we all had fun ;)

Sparkle

As per request, here is a better picture of my beautiful ring! :)

But even this doesn't do it justice. You should see how this baby sparkles in real life!

Dream Come True

A few months ago, Robby and I had been talking about previous dating experiences and I told him I'd never been to Prom. He thought this was a crime, so to make up for it, he asked me to "prom" last week. He told me to get a fancy dress and he would take care of the rest.

Saturday night, He picked me up at my apartment (he even got me a corsage that matched my dress). For dinner, he took me to the Cheesecake Factory (can you say Yum!!!). He had Tomato-Basil Pasta and I had the Chicken Bellagio (breaded chicken on top of basil pasta, topped with prosciutto and arugula). And for dessert, we shared a piece of Reese's Peanut buttercup cheesecake. It was fantastic.

After dinner, we went back to his apartment and he had turned the second bedroom into a winter wonderland. He had decorated the room in Christmas twinkle lights and silver garlands and had even made a photo backdrop in the closet door. :)

He turned on a wonderful playlist of the best love songs and we slow-danced in that little room. It was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. He had his camera propped up on a shelf at the opposite end of the room so we could take pictures too. Just like prom!




When the playlist ended, he got out his ukulele. Years ago, before we dated the first time, he hadn't been able to fall asleep one night. And so, at 2 in the morning, he had written a song about me.

Phosphorescent stars glow on the ceiling.
I enter a land of dreams, but I'm not sleeping.
I was trying to go to bed but I lost my way
I forgot how to get there I'd like to go back someday
because it's two o'clock and my mind just won't stop.
I've been thinking about you and me and how it would be
But you and me only happens in my dreams. Only happens in my dreams.

... but then he totally surprised me with a new ending to the song. I don't remember all the words but it was about how he's now wide awake but the girl of his dreams is real. My favorite line was "you have a beautiful soul and your love makes me feel whole."

I started crying. Then when the song ended, he got down on one knee.


and asked me if I would marry him. Of course I said YES!!!


We're getting married March 12th in the Salt Lake Temple!!!!!!!

If you would like a wedding invitation, please leave your name and address in a comment. Thanks!!!