EJacks84's Blog

FI's wedding band is here

EJacks84 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:25:00 GMT

After Pre Cana ended this weekend, we still had the rest of the afternoon on Sunday for errands. We drove over to IDC (International Diamond Center) to pick up FI's wedding band. We were both very pleased. It looks great on him and he didn't want to take it off. I do need to practice placing the ring on his finger, though!

On our way home, we needed to stop at Wal-Mart to pick up a couple things. There was no way in hell I was leaving his ring in the car so I told him he could wear the ring while we were in Wal-Mart. He got soo excited. While we were shopping, I caught him checking out his ring a few times. Once we got home, I said, "OK hand over the ring." He was really sad about that. I hid the ring somewhere, but I won't be surprised if he finds out and looks at it from time to time. I just have to say I love the way his finger looks with that ring on it! :)

Pre-Cana Weekend

EJacks84 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:02:00 GMT

This past weekend, FI and I had a weekend long Pre Cana retreat. I was looking forward to it, but FI was not. He actually wanted to reschedule, but it was too late. (His friend is going through some rough times right now and he wanted to be there for him.)

The weekend started on Friday night with dinner. We met some couples at dinner and talked about wedding plans. One of the brides I met is a knottie, so we had fun chatting about that. After dinner, we had a couple hours of presentations and discussing stuff with our partner. Then it was off to our separate rooms for bed after a game of taboo with a few couples. I haven't had a roommate since my freshmen year at UF. Needless to say, it was a bit weird to share a room with a complete stranger. But it wasn't bad at all. We talked about our weddings and careers.

On Saturday morning, we had a big breakfast with eggs, sausage, waffles and more. Yumm!! I ate alll weekend. We had a snack table with chips and dip, cookies, candy, and carrots (which were not touched the entire weekend). Saturday was a full day of presentations and discussions. A therapist came and talked to us about communication and we did practice scenarios. It was really helpful. FI was like, We should practice this at home.

There was also a financial talk. FI and I got chosen to compete with 2 other couples in the nearlywed game, which basically was to see if we were on the same page about financial matters. We almost tied with the winners. So close!

Another hi-lite of Saturday was the segment on NFP (natural family planning). I had heard about it through some friends. This couple talked to us about their experience with it. They had been practicing NFP for 20 years or more. They had 3 kids (2 were accidents before NFP, and the other was planned). So they had no accidents while doing NFP. FI and I were very impressed. We are considering trying it- but not until after we are married.... just in case we mess up!

We also played the nearlywed game again. This time the questions were very general (like FI's dream car). We did not do so well. But I don't think it matters if FI knows my mom's maiden name.

We had a 2 hr break on Saturday afternoon. FI and I drove home to take the dog out and have a quick nap. When we got back, we had a "romantic" dinner. All the guys served the girls.

Later on Saturday night, we separated so that we could write love letters to each other. They will be mailed to us 6 months after our wedding date. FI had to address mine with my new last name and it was crazy to see that on the envelope! I got a little teary-eyed writing my letter. I cannot wait to read what FI writes to me.

The last activity on Saturday night was a beautiful ceremony. First we each had to say a prayer to the other one. It was weird bc neither of us is very religious, so I told FI to just tell me a hope or wish. Then we all got up, each couple faced their partner and held hands, and one of the couples who was in charge of the weekend read the blessing of the hands. (I was considering doing this at the ceremony but I now realize I can't because I will turn into a huge mess.) The second they started reading it, I knew exactly what it was and I was a huge crybaby. Thank God I wasn't the only one! It was a really great experience and we connected on a deeper level.

On Sunday, we had a couple talks, then had mass. This was the first time FI and I had been to mass together. It went well... except for his singing. I haven't been to mass in years but I really enjoyed it. Singing the hymns left me with a cozy, comfortable feeling, as I attended mass regularly in my childhood. FI and I talked about going to mass together on a regular basis. It is difficult with my job since I have to work every other weekend. After mass, the program was over.

The experience was extremely positive. We were both so happy we went. We learned so much more about each other and discussed things we hadn't talked about before- like the religious upbringing of our future children. I think the weekend came at just the right time. We were both a little down about relationships because of recent events with family and friends (infidelity, possible divorces/separations). It was great talking to couples who have been married for 35 years and seeing how in love they still were. It really gave us a sense of hope.

We have a workbook from Pre Cana. We did a few pages during the weekend, but we hope to complete the workbook together over the next few months since we think it will benefit us.

We definitely have a deeper connection now, and we are so much more in love. Everything and I mean everything ;) has been great!

BPix came in

EJacks84 — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:27:00 GMT

I got all my proofs posted online last week. I am not going to post them here due to the fact that if my pictures were to be found, it would be very damaging for my professional life, especially since I have plans to eventually get my doctorates degree.

I was pleased with the way my photos came out. I have a lot to choose from. The first few times I looked at my pictures, I honestly didn't like a lot of the ones in color because my makeup seemed way too dramatic (smoky eyes, red lips, fake lashes). But after staring at them repeatedly for a few days, there are many that I really like, quite a few that I really love, and only a handful that I don't like.

Sadly, an entire outfit did not come out for some reason. It was my bridal outfit (white lace bra and panties and veil). My photographer was very accommodating and offered to reshoot that outfit at her next boudoir marathon in September. (Thank God I did these early so I still have time).

During the session, we also forgot to shoot my wedding shoes (we did shoot my black stilettos). I was disappointed because I specifically wanted these shoes in pictures. Since we are reshooting, we can now get pics of these shoes (with me in the background). It was no one's fault we didn't get them the first time, we both just forgot because we were so wrapped up in everything else.

I'm really happy that I get to reshoot but now this means I can't get lazy with the gym. I was hardcore all the way up until my session, then got lazy. I've been to the gym 3 times since my session (which was 10 days ago). Now I've got motivation to keep up with the gym.

Alright, enough about the BPix. It's all I've been talking about for the last 2 weeks. Not much else wedding related going on right now. I've been kind of blah lately but I don't want to get into that until I find out if it's as serious as I am making it out to be.

My BPics Session was Awesome

EJacks84 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:31:00 GMT

I had been looking forward to bpics for a long time now. I started my gym routine 8 weeks ago in preparation for this. I had gotten waxed and sprayed. My hair was cut and colored. I tried on all my outfits the day before and everything looked hot.

I couldn't sleep the night before my session. I was just too damn excited! The only sucky thing was that FI got mad at me that night. He was annoyed by how much time I was spending at the gym (and how muich less time I spent with him). I wish I could've told him because then he would've understood completely. But he had no idea at all what I was up to. Once he gets his wedding gift, I will remind him and then he'll never give me a hard time about that again. So bpics were perfect timing because if I had to wait any longer, I don't know how I could've kept up my gym craziness.

OK so morning comes and I wake up early. I wait for FI to shower and leave for work. He was taking an awfully long time. I was getting restless because I had a mani/pedi scheduled. So he comes out of the bathroom and says: I don't think I'm going to work today. My boss said I could work from home. Seriously? I thought he was kidding me. FI NEVER works from home. It came out of nowhere. I kept asking him, Are you really staying home with me? Then I started getting annoyed. I asked, Are you sure you want to stay home with me? Why couldn't you do this yesterday or do it tomorrow?

He had no idea why I was acting like this. So I finally had to tell him something. I told him I had a surprise for him and he had to leave. I said I was doing the surprise today but he wouldn't get the surprise for a while. Then I kicked him and the dog out of the room, locked the door and showered. I told him he had to leave the house for a little while, and he had to leave before me. I could not have him seeing me leave the house with his shirt and my overnight bag.

So while I was in the shower, he told me he was going to work. :::sigh of relief::: What a close call!

I leave the house with all my stuff- 4 pairs of shoes, 5 outfits and a couple extra panties, a veil and some ties. I got a mani and pedi. I did a sexy cherry red color on my hands and feet. I LOVE it. I am a french mani kind of girl, so this was very different for me. But now I am truly considering doing my nails in this color for my wedding.

I run a few more errands and was very excited for my session. About an hour before my session was to start, I got really nervous. My heart was beating faster and I was hot then cold and back to hot. Somehow I calmed down. By the time I got to my session, I was calm and ready to go.

I got my hair and makeup done, while sipping some wine. (I didn't even get tipsy, though. I had half a glass of wine and had no inhibitions whatsoever.) We did a smoky eye and red lips. I even got fake lashes. We teased my hair so I would have major bed head. When I first looked at myself in the mirror, I was a little taken aback. But after a few minutes, I was like WOW.

The session was so much fun! My photographer made me feel very comfortable- no akwardness at all. I got to do some really fun poses in the bathroom and on the balcony. My photog showed me some pics along the way and they were smoking!

I think my fave outfit was my "bridal" outfit- white lace bra and panty, white pumps and a veil. I even did a few shots sans outfits. Just some panties and my hands covering my boobs. I also took some shots rolling around in the sheets.

My photog isn't shooting a wedding this weekend, so she'll be editting allll weekend. I should get my pics back next week. I get to choose about 50 pics for my book. I am soo excited. I don't know how I will be able to keep this a secret for the next 7 months!!

2 Days to Go!

EJacks84 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:39:00 GMT

Until my bpics!!! At this point, I'm not nervous, just really excited. I wonder if I will get nervous when it's time to take the pics. I am not shy about my body, but who knows.

I've got my outfits and shoes picked out, and my airbrush tan was done today. I am glowing! Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut and colored, then getting a mani and pedi before my session.

I've been going to the gym regularly (3-5 times a week) for the last 8 weeks and I feel great! I think I just might be in the best shape of my life.

I'll update on how things go after my session. The good thing about having it during the week is that FI won't suspect a thing. He just thinks I have a new addiction to spray tans.

More to come after Thursday...

His Wedding Band

EJacks84 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:06:00 GMT

After 2 weeks of shopping and about 5 different stores, FI finally decided on a wedding band. It's kind of different which is what he was going for. From the very first store we went to, he basically was interested in this particular design. He would find other designs to consider but would go back to the original one, although they were different metals or designers or thickness.

I even indulged him and we went to a pawn shop. I was sooo against it and the only reason I did it is because I know how picky he is and I had faith he wouldn't find anything he loved. Yeah, I was right.

We ended up ordering his band yesterday from IDC (International Diamond Center). The ring is a Frederick Goldman piece, metal is palladium. FI is so excited to wear it. I ordered it this morning and it should be in in about 2-3 weeks.

Can I also say that this was a lesson in patience? FI is a slow shopper no matter what he is buying. At Wal-Mart, he spent 20 minutes trying to choose which protein bar to buy.

Anyway, here is a link to a pic. The ring in the pic is 14K white gold but other than that (and the price), it's basically the same.

http://tinyurl.com/56b578

Wyndham Orlando

EJacks84 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:40:00 GMT

I had some issues last week and I admit I am disappointed with the way everything turned out. After going to a bridal show, FI and I decided it would be awesome to have an ice luge at our wedding. It totally fits our personalities. The ice vendor told us it would be about $300 for the ice, and I thought the price was okay. I did not think it would have extra costs associated with it.

Fast forward to a couple weeks later. We went to a bridal showcase at our venue and asked one of the wedding coordinators about an ice luge. She said she would get back to me. We finally got in touch with them and after some time, we got the info for the ice luge and I almost fell out of my chair.

The actual piece of ice would be about $350. Not too bad. Since we only have about 65 guests, we didn't need an extra bartender, so we didn't have to worry about the extra fee (which would be $100). But this is what is ridiculous to say the least:

$7 per person for the first hour, $5 per person for each additional hour.

If you do the math, it is over $1,000 for an ice luge for 65 guests even just for 2 hours! We are already paying for unlimited call brand bar. Why do we have to pay for more alcohol? The key word is UNLIMITED. Yet I got an explanation how more alcohol will be used... again it's UNLIMITED, and I doubt much alcohol would be lost sliding down the ice.

Do you know how many bottles of Grey Goose I could buy with what they are charging me in extra fees? In addition, I mentioned that not every guest will take part in the ice luge. Some people do not like martinis, even if you can slide it down a piece of ice.

I spoke with another girl who told me she is getting a martini luge for $450. No other fees. She said she already paid for an open bar so they didn't charge extra. Wow isn't that a concept.

What really upset me is that they were not willing to work with me at all. Before we signed the contract, they responded promptly, were willing to negotiate, and overall a lot more helpful. Now that they have my money, they don't care.

And to top it off, when I declined, the consultant said she hoped she could help us find some other thing to make our wedding unique. I don't think so! I am not handing them over any more money than I have to. If I think of anything extra I want, it's going to be something they can't provide and I will get it from an outside company.

You would think that after spending thousands of dollars there, they'd be helpful. I thought they'd be willing to work with me because by me getting an ice luge, they increase their revenue. Oh well.

And to top it off, they gave me a crappy room rate for my block and when I tried to negotiate it, they were very unwilling to do so. So instead of fighting, I found a beautiful hotel down the street of comparable value for $50 less per night. Most of my guests plan to stay there anyway.

OK enough venting for now.

Wedding Band

EJacks84 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:43:00 GMT

I finally had a weekend off from work. We really didn't do a whole lot of wedding planning stuff. But today we went shopping for wedding bands. We went to Shane Co and International Diamond Center. The guy at Shane Co cleaned my ring so it's really pretty again. The salesman was really helpful showing us tons of bands for me, and then for FI. I saw some that I liked but wasn't convinced. FI saw a couple that he liked. But can I just say that the knot's budget tool is way off. According to them, we would be wayyyy over budget if we went with the rings we liked. Next we went to IDC. They had a band there that I liked and the price was really reasonable, but I wasn't ready to buy, especially since I have been eying the matching band on Blue Nile. FI didn't see anything he was crazy about. I have a feeling it will be a long process to find FI's wedding ring. I even told him not to worry about price, but he's really picky. I am a quick shopper, too. So shopping with FI can be tedious.

We got home and I showed FI the band on Blue Nile. Before shopping today, I thought it was kind of pricey, but after trying on bands that cost $1,000 or more, the band on Blue Nile was a bargain. It cost more than the one at IDC but the total carat weight of diamonds was twice the weight of the band from IDC. Also the Blue Nile band was 18K gold, not 14K. So FI was like, do you want me to buy it now. I said sure. We found a 10% coupon code and the ring should be here on Wednesday. Yay!!! Now just gotta keep searching for FI's ring.