What I have been up to over the last month...

SO much has happened since my last post.  Sorry I have been slacking, it seems like time is passing so fast.  I am really happy because that means it is closer to the big day, but it is also hard to believe!  We have been BUSY.  I was never able to post the pictures of my dress and the bridesmaid dress.  I don't have access to my real-life models in the dress, but here is the company's picture.  We will be getting them in black with a white sash that will be tied in the back, not the front. 

I received confirmation that the dresses have been ordered this week and their ETA is around the middle of March.

My last semester of working preparing to open the Anderson Student Center at St. Thomas is about to come to an end.  We officially open on Tuesday at 7am.  Here is a little preview of my new office.

Save the dates have been ordered and sent out to most people.  We are still waiting on a few addresses, hoping to send those out very soon.  We made a guest book out of our engagement photos and received just after Christmas.  It looks really good, and hopefully will be a good way to keep our guests' names and photos in a place we might actually look at them again.

A very blurry version of the cover of the Guest Book

A very blurry version of the Save The Date

The DJ has been booked.  We went with Instant Request DJ because they had a really good deal and have won Minnesota Bride DJ of the year for the last 5 years or so.  Josh was pretty excited to see that they also did Justin Morneau's wedding.

After our meeting with the church coordinator (which was hilarious, but kind of a long story ending in her giving us hugs goodbye), we started planning out the readings and songs for our ceremony.  I think we have our readings picked out, but not so much with the songs.  I am really struggling because I don't want to do the same old songs that everyone does, but I can't find anything better.  This may be a case where I need to bite the bullet and go with tradition because they truly have worked all the kinks out :)

Christmas was really nice and a success.  We had a really good time with Josh's parents and Jeremiah and Amber and the boys (who loved our gifts... score!) and then made our way to Moorhead together for the first time for Christmas.  It was really nice to get to spend the holiday together.  On New Year's Eve day we also went to Josh's grandparents in southwestern Minnesota which was fun.

Somewhere in there we have also been working on our registries at Target and Macy's.  Both places are telling us that we don't have near enough on them, but we are trying our best!  We already have a few things purchased, which is really funny.

Target

Macy's

Right before Christmas, we stopped by the Holiday Inn in Lakeville to check it out before we set up a block.  We loved it, and they provide a shuttle to The Legends and back!  If you are out there reading this and thinking about booking a hotel room, you should.  They won't charge you anything if you set it up then cancel it up to 6pm the night of the wedding.

Holiday Inn

After working with a travel agent (thanks Rachel!) to look at honeymoon options, we decided to go to the Riviera Maya in Mexico.  We haven't booked it yet, but the options are AMAZING!  Booking is one of the next things on our to-do list.

Can't wait!

Also over the holidays, we went to The Legends to test out the food, which was so good it was hard to pick.  We talked with the coordinator there to get some ideas and took pictures of the site so we can plan decorations from afar.

My favorite decoration idea (for the bathroom doors)

Last Saturday, we went on a major role heading for a cake testing (yum!) and then picking out tuxes.  Josh picked a new, super light one which ended up being a little expensive, so we will probably switch to a less expensive one to help the guys out a little.

 This is the cake we like best so far.  We would want it in white with the "pearls" white and the decorative top design in black.  We are also thinking about doing a blue ribbon along the base (and removing the monogram and strawberries).

After all that, we went to check out some invitations we had our eye on and were able to purchase them ON SALE.  Can't beat that.

Here are the invites.  Should be fun to assemble :)

 
Coming up we will be working on the invites, trying to figure out the rehearsal dinner, deciding on our cake, booking the honeymoon, finding accessories, and getting Josh's wedding band.

Not to mention our trip to New York over the first weekend in February.  It just so happens to be NYC Restaurant Week and Broadway Week.  I am really hoping to get to a show while we are there.