Travel Musts

Next Thursday we are off to Barcelona! I truly can't believe it's almost here. It's Z's first trip to Europe and I'm hoping he catches the travel bug before he begins planning our honeymoon. So as I start thinking about what to bring, here are my travel musts:

1. Moleskin City Guide

2. Cameras! I travel with my DSLR and a Point and Shoot {I bought it}.

3. Classic Video ipod - When going abroad I leave my iphone at home. It's too much of a risk and I want something that if I lose it's not a big deal. So I take an old ipod. 

What are your favorite things to bring with? Is there something I must pick up before I leave? Other than this Longchomp bag that I really want....

Stalling.

Today marks 7 months until our wedding, down from 30 months. Oh lordy time flies by far. to. fast. How is it already almost November?!

.:staying on topic:.

With only 7 months to go to the wedding I still have *so* much to do.

- Florist (narrowed down to 2 or 3)

- DJ

- Transportation

- Cake

Lately I just haven't been feeling it. Dare I say that I'm burnt out from being all weddings, all the time? Maybe I'm just tired or distracted by other things in life.

Did you go through a stalling phase in your planning. How long did it last? Do I still have hope?

How We Saved The Date: Everything Comes Together

After we had the books and the bookmarks it was time to get those suckers sent out to our near and dear.

We wrapped each book with kraft paper and I had addressed each book using a sharpie. To save on shipping costs all of the books were sent via media mail.

Now that you know how we saved the date, I'll break down the costs for you.

1. Books (x80) = $70
2. Bookmarks (x100) = $15 - Printed using Overnight Prints
3. Shipping ($2.77 per book x60) =  $167

Total Costs: $252

How We Saved The Date: The Books

We left off needing a creative touch to our bookmarks. I already knew what I wanted to do I just had to find a way to make it happen. Enter Housing Works...

I worked with the special orders department for a books by the foot order. I requested hard-cover books with classic romance titles to send to our friends and family. It took about two months to collect but we finally arrived with 80 books. Not all of the copies were perfect examples of romance novels and not all of them were hardback. But all in all we were happy with the results.  I drug them from their SOHO store all the way up to my Upper East Side apartment. It took several trips, but it was well worth it.

All of their proceeds go to a great cause and they were a pleasure to work with.

How We Saved The Date: The Bookmarks

I've mentioned a few times that we decided to use bookmark save the dates. I posted on here a few early drafts so I thought I'd take you through the evolution of our Save The Dates.

1. Bookmark the Date

2. Bookmarks Before our Engagement Photos:

3. More Final Drafts:

After running through a few drafts with close friends (including Corey and Heidi) we settled on this as our final draft:

We were able to incorporate our favorite photo from our Save the Date. I also used a graphic I created of Ohio with a heart near Cleveland as a tip of the hat to our hometown. While I think the bookmarks are unique to us and different than most people would receive, they still needed an extra something special.

A Little Break

October is a fabulous time to leave New York City. There is nothing like spending time with old friends and a nice drive through the country. Oh and journey through a corn maze isn't so bad either.

ps. Aren't K and B the cutest? We introduced them a few years ago and they are still going strong! Look for more of them in the future- She's one of my bridesmaids and full of pee your pants fun ;)

Ruffles and Rosettes

I'm absolutely in love with the Luisa Beccaria Spring 2010 collection. Her ruffled tiers, lace rosettes, and one shouldered dresses are gorgeous. Enjoy:

 

images via {Style.com}

All You Need Is Love

... and amazing friends. I'm going to see my dress tomorrow and make sure everything is okay. All of my bridesmaids live in other states so I'll be going with co-workers. Who happen to be the best kind of co-workers in the world. Thanks, CK and LE :)

I'm so excited to see my dress again. Like most wedding dresses, it came in a few months early - only taking four to complete and lovely readers, it's only 8 months until our big day!

Statement Jewelry on the Cheap

Check out this fun necklace from Ann Taylor Loft. At only $50 it's a great buy for any wedding related function. It's the perfect piece for your wedding shower, rehearsal dinner, or possibly even your wedding.

My Day My Way

via {flickr}

Oddly, Zack doesn't think about wedding 24/7 nor does he spend his evenings staring at photos of strangers weddings. Well guess what kids - I do every day and I love it. When I ask him his opinion on something his answer has become "Your Day, Your Way". I wish he'd give me a bit more to work with. But I know if he actually hated something he'd tell me and elements of the wedding that he cares about he's pretty outspoken about.

However, in some ways his little phrase isn't so bad after all. The day certainly is all about us or at least all about us sharing our commitment to each other with our near and dear. So let's talk about the things that we are doing that aren't so traditional:

1. I'm having a man of honor. {You'll "meet" him soon}

2. Zack's sister is standing with him as a grooms-girl.

3. Our wedding isn't in a church - a big deal for my family.

I'm sure that more things will come up as we continue the planning process. What are you doing that's different for your area or your family?