items left to order: TWO

Kippot AKA yarmulkes (little hats for the men) and benchers (song/prayer books for after a meal).

That’s it. Oh, and to pick up the water bottles and potato chips for the welcome bags.

Seriously. That’s it. I sent the contracts to the DJ and the brass quintet (for the ceremony) last night. Every vendor we’re hiring has been hired! All that’s left is to do/finish all my crafty projects, finalize music selections, menu selections, floral decor, get our clothes tailored, and find someone to do my hair (I can do my own makeup).

We also have to talk to Rabbi Marc about our ceremony. A peer from synagogue (who is also a friend of a friend) got married about a month ago and Rabbi Marc was the officiant at her wedding too. He had just returned from a silent retreat and found out that his dad was quite sick and was in a weird/meditative head-space. Apparently, he threw everyone off by asking if they had any thoughts or wishes that they wanted to share with the bride and groom, to be spiritually sealed into their ketubah before signing it, no one was prepared for this question and there were 3-4 minutes of awkward silence (which my friend said felt like 10 minutes because everyone was just looking around like a deer in headlights). I want to go over everything with him, step-by-step, to make sure that there are no silent surprises like that at our ceremony. While Ben’s family may be OK with the touchy-feelies, mine isn’t. We’re more of the silent WASPy types when it comes to emoting than the huggy ones.

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BUBBLES! bubblesbubblesbubbles

I still want bubbles. But Ben doesn’t think we should have bubbles because I’ll be wearing a silk dress and I want to be able to dye it afterwards (to wear to Andrea’s wedding!). He’s worried that the bubbles will stain my dress. Very cute and thoughtful, but we’re going to miss out on photos like this:

(source)

And I want that! I don’t want rice/flower petals/bird seed thrown at me (and landing in my cleavage), I WANT BUBBLES!

Will bubbles really stain raw silk taffeta? Or will it just come out at the cleaners (I’ll have to have it cleaned before I can dye it). Ivory -> royal blue with ivory trim (the lining and tulle are poly).

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un-flowers

woohoo. We’re meeting with the flower lady either this Friday or next to talk about simple orchid arrangements. Woohoo for un-flowers! Sadly, we’ve been talked down from from the breadbasket-centerpiece idea because every coordinator/planner involved has told us how sad it will look once everyone eats it. It’s true, an empty bread basket isn’t nearly as attractive as a full one.

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Tentative Decisions

I think we’re getting married at the St. Julien Hotel in downtown Boulder. The major decider: a weather backup plan. Although October is the sunniest month of the year in Boulder, I don’t want to bet 100% that it will be beautiful outside. Yes, we’re still planning on having an outdoor ceremony but if it rains we can all smoosh into 1/3 of the ballroom. They can set up something like 120 seats, and everyone else can stand around the edges/in the back. As far as I know, the ceremony will only be 30 minutes or so.

On thing I wonder is: Who is Saint Julien? Turns out, no one in particular (according to wikipedia), and I’m OK with that. I was just curious.

Now, I need to meet with the planner there again and hash out the financial details. As in, can we actually afford it. We’d be considered a budget wedding for this venue and would need to hire a coordinator for the ceremony, contact a rental company to get the fencing you see in the background of the photo below. That succesfully covers up Canyon Street and the Library. I love the library, but I’d rather have the focus on Ben, me, and the Flatirons behind us. Oh, and we’ll getting married in that back corner, with people in chairs on the lawn. That gazebo thing, SO not our style. Plus, why would we want to put our awesome chuppah that my mom will be quilting for us under a gazebo AND face away from the mountains?

from customweddingsofcolorado.com

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Tentative Venue Decision

I think we’re getting married at the St. Julien Hotel in downtown Boulder. The major decider: a weather backup plan. Although October is the sunniest month of the year in Boulder, I don’t want to bet 100% that it will be beautiful outside. Yes, we’re still planning on having an outdoor ceremony but if it rains we can all smoosh into 1/3 of the ballroom. They can set up something like 120 seats, and everyone else can stand around the edges/in the back. As far as I know, the ceremony will only be 30 minutes or so.

On thing I wonder is: Who is Saint Julien? Turns out, no one in particular (according to wikipedia), and I’m OK with that. I was just curious. Though Saint Julian is considered to be the saint of hospitality.

Now, I need to meet with the planner there again and hash out the financial details. As in, can we actually afford it? We’d be considered a budget wedding for this venue and would need to hire a coordinator for the ceremony, contact a rental company to get the fencing you see in the background of the photo below. That succesfully covers up Canyon Street and the Library. I love the library, but I’d rather have the focus on Ben, me, and the Flatirons behind us. Oh, and we’ll getting married in that back corner, with people in chairs on the lawn. That gazebo thing, SO not our style. Plus, why would we want to put our awesome chuppah that my mom will be quilting for us under a gazebo AND face away from the mountains?

from customweddingsofcolorado.com

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Wedding colors: so cheesy, but true

We agree on these pretty colors (from Real Simple magazine). Yey! We’re both enamored with cobalt blue water glasses on the table, like at the Ritz-Carlton (which we looked at in Tysons, but can’t afford).

I know, I know, I said we wouldn’t pick colors or do most of the cheesy wedding crap that is out there, but it will make it so much easier to think about table settings/decor if there’s a picture or at least a solid idea to share with a wedding planner/site coordinator.

Pinky swear: this will not be a thematically identifiable event. Just a wedding + party event. The hope is that no one will look at our pictures in 10 years and say “oh. so your colors were blush and bashful.”

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