Tag: MLweds

Wedding Planning (and some body talk)

This weekend was a lot of budget talk and wedding planning.

We opened a joint savings account at Navy Federal Credit Union (thanks T and your vet status). We have a pretty aggressive plan to help ease the the reality of a kitchen/bath gut job/remodel this summer/fall and a wedding next fall (we don’t expect any family financial contributions for the wedding). We’re meeting with a financial planning at the credit union on Tuesday.

My friend S is officially helping me wedding plan, but she’s been doing it part time for years in Charlotte. (Side note: a DC area wedding planner who specifies in destination I talked to sent me a contract – $6,500 lololololol).

S helped me feel good about our planning timeline. Most of my friends were married within a year of their engagement so I think that’s why I’ve felt so behind. We’ll have a ~19 month engagement, so I just need to calm down!! I can take my time getting the big things sorted for the next few months.

S also sent along a really helpful and useful wedding budgeting spreadsheet, way better than the ones I’ve seen in “those wedding planning site.” I now feel confident about how to make the most of our budget.

S has been doing research (along with my bridesmaid C) on venues/locations. I’m pretty narrowed in on Lisbon, Portugal and Malaga, Spain. I’m getting connected with some brides or people who live(d) in those places, so that’s helpful.

T & I are looking to scout venues and other local things this fall, so we’ll have a sense of the weather and tourism for next fall. We want to give our guests as must notice as possible so securing a venue is important and having the save the dates out 10-11 months in advance.

Once I get the venue locked in my next major focus will be the dress. I’ve actually never looked through wedding gowns in a store – I’ve only been to bridal shops for bridesmaid dresses. I have a better sense of what I don’t want (no to strapless, open back, ball gown, anything tooo white, or too heavy) verses what I want (to wear a normal style bra, a little tasteful cleavage, maybe a little sparkle).

I think getting a dress this fall will give me time to continue with Weight Watchers and have a buffer to maintain (summer is my busy season where I am eating mostly catered food) I’m hoping to stay on track, but at the very least not derail!! Ideally I’ll hit my goal weight or close to it this fall and then spend the next year maintaining and toning.

Girly Overload

Between wedding planning and now home remodeling I’m getting sucked into a vortex of things I’ve actively tried to not care about ever.

Today we met with a design/renovation husband and wife team that came recommended by neighbors. I was basically like I have no vision, I just want it function, to flow, and to not be an eyesore like our current outdated kitchen and bath. When asked about our style I was like ummmm we’re going for a beachy vibe, despite not being near a beach or major body of water…

I’ve never been a “girly-girl” and I never spent time dreaming about weddings or homes. So of this upcoming planning is going to test my will for sure!

But at the end of the day I’ll be married to my guy and have a beautiful new kitchen and master bath so it’s worth. Oh and I’ll be broke haha.

Woooosaaaaa

Seriously who wants to be my wedding planner and project manage my remodel…

Delayed weekend recap

Friday: picked my sister up from the train after work and headed to a happy hour where T joined us. The 3 of us went to a college hockey watch party at another bar, my alma mater was playing our rivals. It was nice to see some of my DC alumni friends! 

Saturday: T made us nice breakfast then my sister and I headed to Body Pump at my gym. She was excited to go to a class since she is a Body Pump instructor at home, so she rarely gets to just attend a class these days. We stayed for CX Worx, which uses resistance bands and I’m always afraid I’m going to get snapped with it. The three of us spend the afternoon at our beautiful Loudon County breweries in Northern VA. Dirt Farm Brewing is a favorite and we checked out some Purcellville ones before headed to this random old hole in the wall restaurant that T and I found out there last month. 

Sunday: We all slept in, but I needed to drop sissy off at the training by 10am. After dropping her off I parked near the national mall and briskly walked around the monuments for an hour. I couldn’t get too sweaty because I had a massage booked at 1pm. Ran a few errands before my massage. It’s my old massage place near where I used to live and I had one more massage voucher to use. I’ve had this therapist before and once again he talked the entire time. Ugh. Glad to try a new place where I currently live. T gave me a gift certificate to try a place out here for Valentine’s Day! Once I got back home T and I took our relationship to the next level by combining phone plans into one family plan! I also got a new iPhone 7, my 6 was not longer really holding a charge after 2+ years. 

Great weekend all around. I love whenever T and my sister get to spend time together. I also used this weekend to gauge her interest in being my Maid of Honor or a Bridesmaid. She’s generally not into wedding stuff and has opted out of being in some of her friends’ weddings, but she said she’d love to be my MOH, so I’m excited!

Basking in Engagement Glow

Thank you all for the tumblr love yesterday! 

It was weird trying to figure out who to inform when and how. Who got the Monday calls/facetimes, verses who to text on Tuesday and Wednesday. I had some work meetings on Wednesday and Thursday morning where I knew I wanted to tell people in person. Who I would be upset if they found out via social media and not from me.  So I posted to other social media yesterday afternoon and got a ton of lovely responses, but I’m glad I was thoughtful in who I told how/when. 

I even walked into my Weight Watchers meetings a declared I had a new “why” to add to my list and showed off my ring. Everyone was excited, so even though they are a new community it was really nice! I even got my 4th meeting key-chain yesterday and saw another 1.2 loss. BOOM! 

Oh and my sister is coming to DC this evening, this trip was planned over a month ago. I’m excited to celebrate with her this weekend and then one of my other besties and her husband are coming down for a preplanned trip the next weekend!! 

So this happened!

Only T would propose on a Monday night after I get home from the gym!

As a life long music lover who really digs into song lyrics I thought I’d be able to pick a quote to express how I feel, but I am at a loss.

The only quote that could begin to sum things up is fittingly from, “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds, “I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you.”

My whole journey to this exact point began back when I started this Tumblr and started making my health and happiness the priority in my life. Happiness attracts more happiness into life, that I’m sure of.

Even after feeling like I lost my groove last fall, I picked myself back up, refocused and have been happier in the past 2 months than I’ve been in a long while!

I wanted to share this news here before it hits other social media because I truly value this space and value the support and community I’ve always found here!

Destination wedding late 2018……

Sappy Relationship Thoughts

Feel free to skip.

Tomorrow is T and I’s 17th month anniversary (not that we do anything except acknowledge it). However the amount of engagement questions has certainly up-ticked lately. I’ve definitely had “ring fever” for some time, but over the past two months I can sense that it’s truly shifted to “marriage fever.” 

For people who know me IRL, they are shocked in this turn of events since I’ve never been “yay marriage” or a gushy romantic type. Realistically I’d like to get through the holiday season just dating – especially since my mom has been uber challenging (re: crazy) lately and T’s been so wonderful and support as I try and reason with someone who is unreasonable and juvenile. 

As much as the idea of getting engaged in early 2016 is thrilling, I also forgot until this week about the whole “plan a wedding” thing. No thank you – too many details that don’t really matter.  I’ve never dreamed about a wedding, I don’t look at wedding things, or have a pinterest account. I could totally see us just do a small beach destination wedding and then throw a happy hour “reception” once we got home.

I want T forever. Plain and simple. 

I do plan to grab a girlfriend (I’m weirdly old school and don’t feel comfortable ring shopping with T) and look at engagement rings – I know what I like, but I’d be curious to see what size diamond is best suited for my finger.