Developing our menu for our tasting was an exercise in restraint, and I dreaded the thought of having to make a final decision (a common theme in my wedding planning to date).  I edited three iterations of my e-mail back to Wendie indicating which items had a shot at being on the final menu and should be prepared for our tasting, wrestling with whether or not requesting the filet mignon, crab-stuffed shrimp, crab-stuffed tilapia, and crab-stuffed crab for our tasting would come off as a bit greedy. In continuing with our environmentally-friendly theme, I decided that less would be more and picked items that were locally grown and raised, organic, and within our budget. I thought I had whittled down the list quite nicely, but Wendie gently indicated that I still maybe overdid it just a tad. The size of my eyes vs. that of my stomach often gets me into trouble, which also explains why I have slid backwards on progress towards my weight loss goals, but that’s a topic for another day.

When Fiance and I arrived to the BrewWorks for our tasting, we were given another quick tour of the facilities, which was helpful since we haven’t seen our venue since June, and it has drastically changed to the tune of offering another finished floor.  The new room in the penthouse of the building was even more spacious and beautiful than the one we had initially reserved. And yes, Wendie informed us, it would be available for our wedding date. Already, our day was getting off to an auspicious start.

After the tour, we were lead to our private tasting room, where a table had been dressed in our chosen wedding colors (burgundy, black, and silver) and the tiered votive candle centerpiece had been lit for some fine Sunday afternoon ambience. The head chef at the restaurant presented us with our meal, poured us two glasses of champagne, and bade us a happy feast. While we dined over hummus assortments, cheesy puff-pastry appetizers, and mango salsa-topped salmon, Wendie helped us plan the structure of the day – you know, trivial details such as when our ceremony would be starting, whether we wanted to be seated at a headtable or a sweetheart table, band or dj (that question seems to pop up frequently), and so forth.

And after we had our share of four courses and bubbly, there was only one thing left to do:

Visit a baker for our cake tasting.

Did your caterer provide a tasting prior to the wedding? What tips would you give brides prior to attending their tasting?

It was weigh-in day. But not just any weigh-in day – it was Critical Milestone Number One Weigh-In Day, a pre-determined date I had strategically set by which I needed to reach my short-term goal weight in order to stay on track towards being in peak shape for my wedding. Not all brides trying to trim up approach weight tracking day with as much apprehension as I; only the ones who are fairly certain they haven’t taken the necessary steps to monitor calories in nor taken action to facilitate calories out.

I advanced towards the scale as one meeting certain doom, and coached myself into taking the first step on. The numbers raced ever upward, my heart sinking a little lower with each one that passed.

I weighed in at exactly the same weight I did one month ago when I wrote this original post, to the tenth of a pound, and nowhere near my ideal number.

I heaved a great sigh and immediately took pen to paper – it was time to reset some goals and deadlines, and formulate a new strategy. I realized I could renegotiate my original deadlines without setting me back too far, but cannot afford anymore missed deadlines. Managing weight loss is like managing any other project – if I can’t stay on time (or on budget), I’m going to be fired from my wedding. A quick internet search yielded these resources to help me get back on track:

1. Eating Right: SparkPeople.com is a must to bookmark. This website has great articles and tools to help build a weight loss plan. The Nutrition Tracker database is comprehensive, making it very easy to log daily caloric intake. The best part is all of the advice and tools are free, so it doesn’t eat into my wedding budget.
2. Staying Active: It happened quite timely that a friend shared via Facebook that they needed a 12th member for their team in a 200 mile relay race in April. So I jumped at the opportunity. After all, as much as I don’t want to let down myself, I really don’t want to let down my friends. Knowing they’re relying on me to hold my own in this race, I’ll commit to training now, and signing up for other races in the interim.
3. Reducing Stress: Stress triggers emotional eating for me. I also blame stress when feeling lethargic and drained. Trying to lose weight and planning a wedding are two major stressors I don’t usually have to face. This article provides great de-stress tips for those overwhelming moments.

I may have started this day feeling defeated, but now I feel encouraged! Critical Milestone Number Two Weigh-In Day is set for November 7th, and I WILL NOT fail.

How did you feel when you missed a goal If you’ve “been there” before, share your support with other brides going through the same thing here!

Whether you’re having a grand gala in a luxurious ballroom or a small gathering at a nice restaurant, your invitations are the first glimpse your guests will see of your wedding, and they should set the tone of your celebration. With custom invitations you make all the decisions: fonts, colors, papers, layout, etc…all with the help of a professional designer.

Don’t want flimsy card-stock meant for scrapbookers? Then choose a 100% cotton paper imported from France that will last your lifetime and many generations to come. Want a modern design, but just can’t find it in one of “the books”? Go with a custom design and get something that nobody else will ever have.

Invitation Photo by Cindy DeSau Photography

Isn’t it expensive to hire a designer just for wedding invitations?

The cost for custom wedding invitations is actually very comparable to the mass-market selections, and you’re able to get exactly what you want and usually a higher-quality product. Pricing can be based on your budget, and if you work with an experienced designer, they’ll know how to get you the most for your money. You’ll also have flexibility in the number of pieces you choose. With a custom design there’s no need to order in increments of 25, and therefore, you won’t have to pay for extra invitations you won’t use.

What are the typical enclosures needed for wedding invitations?

Because you’re customizing your design, you can also customize your entire ensemble. A typical ensemble consists of the ceremony invitation and the response card. You can also add:

· Direction card

· Hotel Information

· Reception card

· Place cards

· Menu cards

· Programs

· Thank You notes

· Anything…

Photo by Cindy DeSau

When it comes to the first dance, tradition has it’s place.  Soft, simple romantic love songs become the couple’s song for life and can be continued reminders of the joy of the wedding day when overheard shopping together for groceries or on a long car drive to the in-laws for the weekend. I myself think this tradition is a great reminder of the romantic side of the wedding day. Fun flourishes of lively entertainment can occur at any point, but ultimately, the first dance is meant to “open the floor” for dancing with the guests of honor starting the festivities. I think this is a great idea because it’s the first real moment that the wedded couple can spend together as married partners. It’s romantic and heady and sentimental. Having three solid minutes to just hold each other, feel the connection of the day’s events, and ignore the crowd whom the couple must now entertain for a few hours is a grounding moment.

However, some couples opt for a more theatrical, orchestrated first dance which is more of a demonstration of the fun foundation of their couplehood.  Lively and entertaining, the guests always find surprise and joy in this kind of first dance.  It gives the couple a chance to showcase their friendship, the rock upon which every marriage is ultimately based.  Goofy, jovial first dances are videography-worthy and liven the party up from the get go. These dances definitely show off the creativity and commitment of the couple.  (Also, it’s possible that if the couple doesn’t go the crazy dance route, the groomsmen might!)

One of my favorite first dances to witness was my cousin and her husband; they picked a song from the musical Wicked.  The musical was from a trip they took together to see the show in New York City, so it had historical meaning to their relationship. It’s a tough song to dance to–in the modern “slow dance” swaying concept–but the couple used a ballroom dance step that made them look like were gliding in each other’s arms.  It was romantically meaningful and it was sheer poetry in motion. They looked elegant and in love, which of course they are. The guests were taken on a journey with them; it was a traditional first dance mixed with contemporary music that summed up these two lovebirds in a word: classic.

The first dance isn’t the most important moment of anyone’s wedding day, but it is a beautiful shared memory.  Choosing the song and the tone should be an enjoyable way to reflect on your relationship. Ultimately, it’s a great chance (maybe the only chance that day!) to be close to your spouse for a few minutes surrounded by those you love.