Two Weeks

We're entering the two-week finish line. I'm spending more and more time on the phone with my out-of-town support group, my lovely aunts-Grammy-cousin combo. They are a powerful team, let me tell you. I've also been singing Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear pretty constantly this week...haha.

Among the final details we're working out:

1. FOOD! We're planning on doing a few large pans each of baked ziti and stuffed cabbage. The stuffed cabbage is a Hungarian recipe (oh did I forget to mention that my dad's side of the family is 100%? Yeah they rock out with their Eastern European co- well, you know) that is one of my absolute favorites. The side bonus is that, as a complete surprise to everyone involved, Corey really likes it too! He was raised to be a really picky eater (his mom is pretty picky herself) but in recent years he has really been opening up and trying new things...lucky for me, my Grammy's cooking is on the list of things he never would have tried before, but is in love with now.

Mmm, stuffed cabbage. Also: SOURCE

 Apart from the big entrees, we're planning on doing a sandwich ring or two as well as a large fruit and vegetable spread. There are a few finger food options I want to assemble as well (can anyone say portable caprese salad? Mmm yumm).

2. FLOWERS! We're obviously doing all of this, too. DIY, baby! No it's not terrifying and stress-inducing, why would you say that?! ..yuk yuk. For flowers we're thinking we're going to hit up the farmer's market and check out the selection they have there. If I don't find anything I like there, we'll probably use Whole Foods as our second choice. I love wildflowers, and I'm not THAT picky about my flowers so really I imagine I'll just pick out whatever is available that I like. In all honesty, the question regarding flowers is less "what do I want" and more "what I DO NOT want." For instance, carnations and daises are not an option, at all. But for the most part, I'm open to the universe. Universe, bring me my perfect flowers! Super cheap, please. I got bills to pay.

These are my dream flowers, the lisianthus. Also: SOURCE

 3. DAY-OF! Oh my god this is the bullet point that freaks me the fuck out (sorry, it's THAT big of a deal to me). I've accepted the fact that I will be in a chair from 11:30am up until it's time to walk down the aisle (deck) at 4pm, so figuring out who is going to be doing what where and taking what food where and how long it has to be cooked and also this and also that and it's just all so nuts and omg omg omg.

It's safe to say I will be [lightly] drinking that day...just so I don't freak out worrying that everything is getting done. Whew.

Once we have all of these details done, we're pretty much done. I've made a bunch of garlands (pictures to come) and I'm finishing up our programs at the moment. We're also gathering up centerpiece stuff...but I'm feeling pretty good. I paid off my dress last week, and it's supposed to be coming this week for me to do my final dress fitting. I also had my hair trial on Saturday with the amazing Alison Jones. I asked for her for long flowy curls with some twists bringing the hair away from my face, and she did an amazing job.

I love the natural looking curls. I felt like a goddess...

I'm starting to get really excited by all of the pieces slowly coming together.

Engagement Pictures

I'm feeling great because our engagement pictures came back from our photographer, and I am IN LOVE with them. We're using a photographer named Chloe Austin for all our photography needs, and she is one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and not only is she great at what she does but she clearly loves it...she was an obvious choice for our wedding. You should take a look at her website Chloe Austin Photography and see all of the awesome work she's done.

For our engagement pictures we went downtown one rainy day to our favorite spot (do I even have to say it? I post about Chamblin's Uptown all the time) and had fun being our normal goofy selves.

 

I'm so in love. I'm in love with that tall man in stripes who smiles so widely every time he looks at me, and I am in love with these pictures that so wonderfully capture us for the sappy goofballs that we are.

Florida Fall

Fall in Florida is absolutely my favorite time of year. In the past it has been Fall that has been the season of new beginnings (new school years, new friends, new everything) and for this year in particular Fall is incredibly meaningful.

I am getting married this Fall. In 32 days, I will walk down the aisle [deck] under an oak tree that has seen more than I can imagine, and I will become Mrs. Foster.

I haven't really written about the wedding much lately because I think I've been on wedding overload...my brain is spazzing out and I'm getting to the point where I don't even want to talk wedding because I will launch into a brainspew of my worries and plans and thoughts and it all comes out before I can even stop it.

So...I've just sorta been avoiding it.

That isn't to say that I haven't been utterly consumed by all things wedding. Because I totally have. I (and when I say 'I' I mean with my partner Corey helping me with every single thing) have successfully designed my invites myself and had them printed/cut at Office Depot, I designed an envelope template and cut/scored/folded/glued 100 envelopes out of brown packaging paper, hand addressed them all and sealed the stuffed envelopes with gold wax, and mailed them off. I have the park registered, I have the reception hall [mostly] paid for, my dress is [mostly] paid for, we have taken our engagement pictures and our photographer is [mostly] paid for. We ordered custom rings from Fabuluster on Etsy, which we are so SO excited about. We have been making all sorts of banners and garlands, and I'm making linen placemats and napkins. Corey's brother Geoff made a beautiful fingerprint tree for us (kinda like this one) and I can't wait to see it filled up with the fingerprints of the people that love us.

Most of my anxiety comes from not being able to really picture it all together. It feels like I'm putting dots on a page with no real idea of how the connect-the-dots is gonna turn out once we put the lines in. There are a ton of dots that I'm not even able to put on the page yet because they're still up in the air. Food, day of schedule, getting everything paid for, getting ready... bridal showers? Flowers? Bachelorette party? It'sI just hope that it turns out to be something that I'm proud of. Is it weird to say that? I don't really care that much if my wedding impresses other people, I just want to be proud of the work that we've put into it.

Most of all, of course, I just want to marry my best friend. Looking at his face makes every worry worth it, and when the worries grow too large I scurry into his arms and bats them all away. He is my fearless protector, my comrade-in-arms, my best friend, and my love. Sweet jesus I love this man. I love that I have fun with him everywhere we go, from being goofballs at a park to trying new beers at European Street Cafe...every day is something new, even if it is something we have done a million times before.