Dancing Queen, Bridesmaid Dresses, THE TASTING!, and a Place to Call Home...

Dresses, dresses, and more dresses... as you can tell my brain has been on dresses as of late. Once my wedding dress was secure and safely back in the country it was time for the arrival of my bridesmaids’ dresses!

Out to dinner after picking up the lovely dresses!

I was so excited to see them... it is a strange situation picking out dresses for four different people - it was especially complicated because I couldn't see the final product in the colour I had chosen until they arrived - a fact that drives me insane (can't be that far off I am pretty close to nuts already!). While I am still unable to describe the dress I chose, I will say they are beautiful and are safe and sound in Whitby. Thus far I have loved seeing each of my lovely Unit members in them and cannot wait to see the final product when they are standing beside me on September 18, 2010.

Another activity that has put me in the "wedding" mood was going to see Mamma Mia (http://www.mamma-mia.com/) with Brandon, Megan, and Amandeep... there is nothing better than a little ABBA to get you feeling excited for nuptials. The show was fantastic and I will admit (probably to Brandon's chagrin!) that we held hands during the wedding scene and it made the fact our big day is approaching and will be here before we know it that much more exciting.

A day on the farm... isn't he cute???

The next exciting thing on the agenda as of late is that we went to Royal Ashburn (http://www.royalashburngolfclub.com/the_perfect_setting.php) for the tasting!  The food was amazing and we had such a good time - of course we would have a good time as it equalled non-stop eating and selection being brought continuously before you!  It was very difficult to choose the options (especially the soup course - who knew?), but we finally succeeded and we are really happy with it.  The easiest choice in the end was dessert (so yummy!).  I can't wait!  I just hope I have time to eat (LOL) - I guess there are some bonuses to being diabetic - guaranteed food supply.

Gotta love family - Tasting at Royal Ashburn

Lastly the biggest news for Brandon and I is that we found a place to live!  We are moving to the T-Dot.  It is a big change, but look at it this way... we are not ending up living in my parents' basement, which realistically if we didn't find something... kidding Mom!  We are pumped about the new place and are able to take possession in the middle of the month... well Brandon moves in to the apartment in July, I will follow in September, but that is neither here nor there.  The building is from the 1930s and there is an amazing "old school" elevator - it is just perfect for us!  We can't wait.

Am I really going to be living with that?

Well I think I have finally caught up on all the tales of the last few weeks.  That means I can return to my regular full out rambling blogs (yes please don't cry with excitement!).  I hope everyone had a wonderful Canada Day!  80 Days People!

Diary of a Wedding Dress Shopper (Part Four) - The Final Adventure

Everyone knew the day had to come when I would once more return to Greensburg, Pennsylvania; it wasn't an if, it was a when... after all a girl needs her wedding dress! Therefore on a sunny (well it was pitch black because it was about 3:30 in the morning...) Saturday in May my dad and I climbed into our car and set out to GET MY DRESS!

Now for those that remember the saga (please view Diary of a Wedding Dress Shopper, Parts One, Two, and Three for the full history) I managed to find a dress a million miles away and set off back in October to find it... however when I got there the dress was terrible.  Nonetheless, it worked out in the end as while I was stressing and dealing with heart palpitations over having dragged Mom, Sue, Megan and Mallory to Pennsylvania in search of "the" dress, I managed to find another dress that just happened to be "the" dress. The rest of the story is simple... I ordered the dress and therefore had to return to find it and of course bring it home.

On the road... So early!

It was great travelling with my Dad. He is fantatsic company... mind you I don't think I have spent that much time alone with him in my entire life (it was 16 hours driving time), so I was a little nervous we would run out of things to talk about. WRONG!  We laughed and chatted the whole way and it was great... and as I am sure you might be starting to guess we did it in one LONG haul!

I was pretty concerned at first from the way he was talking that we would reach our destination and he would ask me to roll out of the car while it was still in motion, grab the dress, and go, but thankfully he didn't. Along the way we stopped at the PA sign (like we did on the way there), but unfortunately did not encounter Bicycle Bill, or was it Buffalo Bob? I did however make sure I got a picture with my Dad beside the sign!

Welcome to Pennsylvania! 

One thing of note that I noticed along the trip that I didn't last time was the incredible amount of road kill. Yes this may seem like a bizarre topic for a wedding blog, but seriously I have to comment as I have never seen anything like it before... apparently the road kill running (?) around the roads of PA is not your averaged sized road kill; instead it is the size of small trucks and everywhere!  I swear I felt like we were playing a game of Frogger where the animals appear out of the shadows and have to dive, dodge, and dash to avoid disaster (check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogger for information on Frogger).

Beyond stopping at the requisite McDs we powered along until we hit construction... of course I was driving at this point and it turned into a white knuckle experience because we couldn't even bail off of the road to let me dad take over as all exits were blocked off completely. Nonetheless, we survived (and so did the car) and made AMAZING time getting to Greensburg.

Okay... this is where I have to stop and talk about my McDs' experiences along the way... the only word I can think of to describe them would be "epic"...  The first one we stopped at was in Buffalo right after we crossed the border... I went in and I suppose this was the first day for all of the employees and it took 30 minutes to get our order... the staff didn't really know what was going on and pretty much just starred at the customers while they were ordering. People got angry and frankly one thing I have learned as a result of a number of life experiences I have enjoyed over the last 25 years - you don't mess with someone's breakfast... especially if that breakfast has a "mc" in the title... McMuffin, McGriddle, etc... Eventually as a result of my looking pathetic enough I received my order (cough, cough, had to freak at the manager...) and I headed back to the car.

We're here!

You are probably sitting here reading this and wondering where my dad was through this experience. The plan had been as we were on a tight time frame (washroom breaks every 20 hours kind of a schedule...) was that he would get gas while I got the food, and he had done just that and was waiting at the car for me.  Now, I love my dad, but really, wouldn't you worry if your daughter never came back within a logical amount of time?  Apparently (and reasonably enough) he didn't want to leave to come find me because he figured I wandered out the wrong door (one side leads north to the Canadian border and the other side leads south).  He assumed that I would eventually find my way home and wasn't too worried.  Geesh! He is lucky he got his McFood, imagine leaving me to wander around in a strange (cough, not really that strange, but I like drama) country, with a bag of McFood, probably attracting bears, having to use the stars to guide me out of the parking lot, waiting until the food that is basically plastic hardened to use it to carve a message into a stone to pass onto a wandering villager... okay now I am even annoying myself by my blatherings.

At any rate I went out the right door and found the car... but to this day I am a little perplexed that he found me THAT stupid to assume I would go the wrong way. 

From happiness to serenity...

 

Despite the construction and the amazing experience at McDs we arrived at 12:45 pm at MB Bridal (right on time according to our estimation) and it was then time to go and PICK UP MY GOWN! I was practically vibrating with nerves, but just like last time the fantastic Aleisha was there ready to assist and I was escorted to a change room. Last time the room was called "happiness" this time it was call "serenity"; must be a sign or something!

 Aleisha helped me into the gown and it was perfect! I know you are probably wondering if I showed my dad my dress and the answer to the question is of course I did. We had what could be best described as the "perfect" father/daughter moment and there were some tears (and it wasn't just me! Sorry dad had to tell the truth!). Nonethless, within an hour we were tucked back into the car with the dress safely secured and heading north. The trip home seemed to take extra long, but it was great just spending time together. In fact I think that will be time I will treasure for the rest of my life.
 

Careful precious cargo!

So along the way (and part of why the trip home took so long) we stopped at another McD's. This time we both went in to the counter to place our order. The bill was $11.35 for our meals and we handed the cashier $15.35... Please do the math... don't worry I will provide you time... how much change were we owed? Now if you don't know the answer please don't read further because I am going to get a little rude... the answer to this question is $4.00... a total the cashier could not get to, which is cool I understand, but before I realized that was the problem she went and asked 4 other employees for help... they stood there starring at the money not knowing what to do. Finally I said "four dollars, just give me four dollars...” and she still looked confused and had to get a calculator to solve the equation (to explain why she couldn't use the cash register she had entered the wrong amount)... so "off kilter"...

Finally I received my change and was waiting for our order, but in an increasingly strange turn of events this troop of 12 year old girls wandered in and started demanding ice cream cones. I suppose as ice cream melts the cashier threw herself into this mission and started mass producing the cones... ummm... food please? I think it took another 30 minutes to get our meals... which equals a combined total of 60 minutes in McD's just waiting... shocking, no? I survived, but I have to say regardless it should not have taken 5 people plus a calculator to come up with the total equalling four dollars! Even if the moon was in the second house, and/or Jupiter aligned with Mars (thought I would use this allusion as my dad was on the trip and this has to be one of his favourite songs, "The Age of Aquarius" by 5th Dimension - for more information please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Aquarius_(album)). 

See I am protecting it as best I can!

So that was the trip and the end of my wedding dress voyage in a nutshell. While I can't (I guess it is a "won't", really...) describe the dress I will say it is wonderful and a perfect mixture of exactly what I was looking for! Thanks Dad for being incredible and doing SO much driving; you really are my hero! I am so glad we got to hang out like that, and I hope you feel the same way - sorry getting sniffly, must stop.

 

Heading Home...

So that takes care of the saga that was the wedding dress... I have it and the next stop for it will be alterations... the appointment is booked and I am good to go! 3 months people, 3 months!

 PS Next blog (as I am working on catching up) is about the bridesmaid dresses... stay tuned... here's a hint - WOW!

We went off to see the Minister... the wonderful Minister of... Scotland?

Well time keeps passing and the wedding is getting closer!  So much has been happening regarding I have barely had time to post, let alone think of posting!  So I am going to try to post a few times this week to catch everyone up on all of the excitement as of late.

One of the most exciting wedding activities of late happened a few weeks ago when Brandon and I met with the minister who will be performing our wedding.  The Minister's name is Malcolm Sinclair (can you get more Scottish???). 

Our first encounter with the minister occurred at my cousin's wedding - so yes we did steal him from Ryan and Judy, but I figure in his line of work he is supposed to share his talents!  Right from the moment Brandon and I heard him preform the ceremony we knew that he would be the perfect choice for our big day.

The second encounter with the minister actually involved my parents when they attended a Robbie Burns dinner at the Old Mill back in January.  Malcolm was the MC for the night and provided a mixture of musical entertainment and humour for the guests to enjoy.  Therefore (to steal from Joey Tribbiani....), he is a minister and an entertainer, we have a "ministainer"...

I miss Friends...

The third (and most recent) encounter was obviously when we met at his church to discuss the details for our big day.  In typical "me" fashion I could barely stop vibrating as we discussed the plans for the 18th of September.  The weird thing about meeting with him was that meeting the minister is a "very" wedding-ish thing to do - I kept imagining the upcoming ceremony and picturing Brandon and I standing before him saying our vows (chills people, chills).

So that was the meeting with the minister, but there is so much more to tell!  So stay tuned (and this time I will keep up with the postings!).  THE WEDDING IS COMING!!!  ALMOST LESS THAN 100 DAYS!

From Mexico with Love... (In lieu of a postcard...)

Dear Brandon:

I made it to Mexico! Yes, yes, yes! I miss you like crazy, but frankly this place is amazing! The day started off with a limo ride to the airport, accompanied by a little champagne, a few photos and lots of smiles... mind you the days leading up to the trip were about as crazy as imaginable (WITH THE AIRLINE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS AND ALL- a little "off kilter" if I do say so myself), so I think such a start is only fair... While the airline going out of business was like a bad dream, I have to say the whole idea of the trip in the first place was like a good dream... as the major reason behind the trip was my parents wanted to take my sister and I on a final Greig family vacation... before we diversify and “officially” add you to our mix (which I cannot wait for!).

[NOTE TO READER: Did you note that the airline went out of business? Yes of course the airline went out of business; why would the airline want to stay in business? I go on vacations all the time after all. For more information visit: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/788090--skyservice-charter-airline-fails-860-jobless]

Once my family and I finished checking in we eagerly awaited our flight (picture a line of disgruntled people who have recently spent the last 48 hours balancing on the edge of their seat waiting to find out if they will be able to go to Mexico, that are then told that their flight was delayed by an hour...).

With a few minor issues (i.e. the Tim Hortons staff not understanding why we would like toppings on our bagels.... dry bagel does not work for me, nor does paste, but that is an entirely different conversation), our flight was called to line up... the good news - we were bumped up to FIRST CLASS!!!

[NOTE TO READER: Flying in first class may be eligible for the highlight filmstrip reel that will play at various intervals throughout the course of my life in my head when I feel in danger, excitement, and/or nostalgia, such a strip will include... Brandon proposing... Graduating university... Discovering Caramilk's secret... Rolling up the "rim" to be told that I have won a chance to play again... etc...)]

Upon landing in Huatulco (for more information visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huatulco) I came to the realization that the coolest place (well not literally) in the world to work in is an airport that is built as a hut... Can you beat that?

The resort we stayed at was called Las Brisas (can't remember what that means, but it was interesting...) and it is very much influenced by Spanish culture (no mass Westernization here).

[NOTE TO READER: Huatulco is practically on top of the equator (well not quite as it is still in North America, but closer than I have ever been), therefore, as you can imagine it is HOT! Originally I was panicked that since we were leaving weather that was approximately 25 degrees I would miss the one week we are allotted every year to celebrate Canadian summer, but as we landed back in Toronto in 2 degree weather it looks like my concerns were avoided.]

After lazing by the beach (AKA the Pacific Ocean, sigh) for a few days we signed up for a tour of the area. From tasting tequila, to avoiding chocolate covered grasshoppers, to living for the air conditioned bus, it was fascinating... one of the more interesting places we went was a textile factory... a place that inspired one of your souvenirs... I know it is your favourite: a table cloth with matching napkins. Please don't cry over such a gift, I scarified my own interests to provide you such a present, cough)

[NOTE TO READER: Don't worry Brandon did get "real" souvenirs, AKA a bowl and matching plate... cough, cough... kidding, he received a money clip and a beverage inspired t-shirt.]

I might be having a good time here...

Now before I progress any further I have to comment on one of the more "interesting" (cough) elements of the resort (cough, death defying)... the shuttle ride up to the rooms. As the resort is in the middle of the mountains a shuttle is really the only way to get around - please picture thin, winding roads, speeds faster than light, auto bond style driving, and efforts to save gas by cutting the engine and letting the vehicle roll... Anyway, we survived, at first I thought I was going to die and the filmstrip was playing like mad in my head, but by the end of the trip the daily shuttle ride was a favourite part.

Megan and Dad on the shuttle ride from &%$"/Q*...

Another day of the vacation included Megan and I hitting the water on a snorkelling trip in the Pacific Ocean. It was amazing! The tour guides were fantastic (not good looking at all without their shirts on, so please don’t worry that I was drooling all over the place) and were extremely helpfully with my diabetic “issues”.

[NOTE TO READER: The tour guides were so paranoid that I would die in the middle of the ocean somewhere – really appreciate that by the way – that they assigned a guide to Megan and I... unfortunately he swam without a shirt on... I feel that is just a mistake... chiselled abs should never really be exposed to daylight.]

Our last night in Mexico... What a Wonderful Family

Beyond the snorkelling trip every day was filled with weather over 40 degrees, sun, food, making pottery, more sun, food, sun, and more sun. The whole experience was incredible and while our flight home was delayed it didn’t matter because it just meant a few more hours in the sunny airport (huts are not great for keeping cool in...).

[NOTE TO READER: My parents got bumped up to first class on the way home... don’t worry I wasn’t jealous in the slightest.]

I missed you like crazy dear and for all our talk of running off to an island to get married... this emphasized how great it would be! However... the days are ticking by... ummm 160 at last count! And my anticipation is building.

This may be my last “official” Greig Family Vacation (thanks Mom and Dad... the trip was wonderful and meant the world to me... you’re the best), but I know I will have tons of Fulton (Greig, cough) Family Vacations to come!

Love you dearly and can’t wait to see you soon (and plan the rest of the wedding with you... did you look over the invitation proof yet?).

Your Marie

Facebook: The Wedding Planner of Tomorrow?

Here's the thing... I did not hire Facebook to be my wedding planner/vendor guide... however, apparently Facebook did not get the message, as since the day I changed my "official" relationship status my profile wall has been littered with ads relating to weddings and engagements. Now I realize that Facebook (like Google and other Internet based applications) gears its advertising to the content listed within the profile/web page/blog (etc...), but frankly it is starting to be a bit much.

Seriously, I don't know how many times a day I need to be reminded that I am getting married and need to be able to fit into my wedding dress! "The Wedding Dress Diet" and the "Liquid HCG Diet for Brides" (ummm what is HCG? Forget it, I probably don't want to know), are just two of a mass number of websites appearing on my profile geared towards making the bride-to-be panic and buy into the conspiracy that is the diet industry.

I would like to see an ad for this picture...

Tied up by Marriage... Try 1-800-1HELPME

Then again there are the ads suggesting I buy "Pinwheel" bouquets for my bridesmaids and that I too can have the "Perfect Wedding", or better yet I can have the destination wedding of my dreams... frankly Facebook basically does the work for you, it is all there, but would the service on the other end of the ad actually be more than a trained chimpanzee on a telephone? Wait another ad for "MarreMe" wedding planners just appeared... if you think I am lying and exaggerating the number of ads, I am not... I have viewed all of these ads in less than five minutes! Can you imagine the advertising exposure these ads give off? And frankly what I have just mentioned doesn’t even scratch the surface... there are wedding ring ads, cake ads, dress ads, venue ads, honeymoon ads, and ads just advertising ads! It gets to be a bit much and frankly a little like wedding bell capitalism overload!  There are even ads for wedding kilts!  Wait I need to look into this...

I guess all of the pending nuptial ads should act as a warning for after I get married, as I am willing to bet the ads that will appear after September 18th when Brandon and I say "I do" and I change my Facebook status will consist of a totally different theme... Viagra, divorce lawyers, divorce courts, open relationship counsellors, marital aids, mediators, dating for the discriminating client, How to Cheat for Dummies... you get the point... now you are probably sitting there worried that my emotion/opinion of marriage is jaded and bitter... but don't worry it isn't, the problem is that I am a realist and can't see advertisers making a lot of money off of ads for romantic getaway weekends, foot rubs, and books on How to Run a Hot Bath with Bubbles, Candles, and Rose Petals for Dummies (PS I am still trying to figure out what HCG is...).

What happens after I start having kids? Will the tone change? Will it be summer camps, Sylvan, and prep schools? I suppose only time and technology will tell... oooh they just added another ad... "Hey Day" online wedding services - how to build your wedding web page! I like to think I am doing okay... and now there is Bridal Cash Registry and Couture Bride... the ads will never end! I suppose this is what I have to look forward to as the days tick away and we get closer to the BIG day! In fact we are T-minus less than 6 months (how did that happen?)! Therefore stay tuned as the days progress and my tales continue as we get closer and closer to the alter... and closer to ads emphasizing divorce, alternative dating, ball and chains, nursing homes, and that ever faithful blue pill (I can’t wait 'cause that means I have married Brandon!)... let me know if anyone knows what HCG is!

Swimming in the Pool of Weddings

Blub, blub, tablecloths, blub, blub, registry, blub, blub, taxes...

I have to say that it always amazes me how when one starts planning a wedding the thinking never stops. For instance I have spent the one million days that have passed since Brandon proposed trying to pick colours for the wedding. Yes I know I have ordered bridesmaid dresses and the invitation paper, but the fact is that I am finding the actual decor colour scheme difficult to develop as a result of, well, everything! (Scottish may seem cool, but it adds a special layer of complexity to the situation).

Therefore, when I went with my lovely entourage (AKA: the Fiancé, the MOH, and the Queen Mum) up to Royal Ashburn to pick out table cloths for the day I felt a little overwhelmed with colour... it was everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. We were met at Ashburn by my lovely wedding planner (who had a Scottish wedding herself) and were offered a number of choices all of which would be perfect. In some ways I felt like a kindergartener and wanted to pick one of everything.

As the true spaze I am we debated everything (and are still working on completely crystallizing the ideas), however what impressed me the most was how supportive and understanding everyone was and not once did anyone suggest I would do better in a mental institution or perhaps as the "poop scooper" in a three ring circus - you know the job I am talking about... the dude/chick with the backwards hat following the parade of elephants around with an extra large shovel, known as "the" shovel (sorry folks not for home use, as they are only available via special order and not from Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart or Zellers).

Therefore the debate... do I choose green? chocolate? champagne? buttercup yellow? electric blue? dogwood rose? jazzberry jam? well you get the point... (Don’t worry electric blue is not really an option! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colors). Well the verdict has been reached, but only as a result of a huge expenditure of brain power on my part... sigh... this is where the blub, blub, blubbing starts.

Now with tablecloths planted firmly in my past (thank God), I have turned my attention to registering. DISCLAIMER: I WOULD LIKE TO STATE NOW THAT I DON`T EXPECT GIFTS, I ONLY WANT TO SHARE BRANDON AND MY BIG DAY WITH OUR CLOSEST LOVED ONES. PLEASE DO NOT FEEL YOU NEED TO BUY FROM THE REGISTRY THIS IS JUST ME EXPLAINING MY TALE... In order to avoid the appearance of asking for gifts I am not going to use the stores' names in this discussion; instead I am going to refer to the first store we registered at as “Regina Phalange” (I miss Friends) and the second as “Tom, Dick and Harry”.

Never having been married or had a baby before I have never registered, hence why this was a bit of a learning experience... We went to Regina Phalange and met with the staff member assigned to the registry area... then we were turned loose with a scanner and a never ending time frame. Frankly I think Brandon became blinded by the light of Regina Phalange’s “electronics’ department”, as his top priority was to scan a number shiny objects (aka televisions) and a few lazy boy recliners... once I got that out of Brandon’s system and suggested that perhaps we would do better with a few gifts geared towards actually living in our future residence (aka sheets, towels, dishes) we really got down to business.

Our second stop was Tom, Dick and Harry. This store was not as much fun as Regina Phalange as I feel that it did not have enough to offer and the quality just wasn’t there. However, we finished off the items on our list, but we still had one more stop...

While Tom, Dick and Harry and Regina Phalange proved to be interesting experiences, Brandon and I found the Oshawa Regina Phalange rather lacking and decided we would be better off hitting the downtown location... and the only thing that can be said is WOW! And as a result we are now done the whole “registering process” with the minor exception that we have a king sized duvet registered with a queen sized duvet cover, but the way I look at it marriage is a work in progress... blub.

The final topic that I am swimming in as we tick down the days till the wedding (198 and counting!) is the HST. This is a problem because we clarified with all of our vendors when we signed the contract the impact the HST would have on our cost, but when it came down to it not all of them respected our contracts. Therefore, blub, I have been spending the last few weeks, blub, trying to sort out this mess and fight the “good” fight, blub. I will explain the whole saga when it comes time to pass, but for now let me say that it is drama ridden at best.

Did anyone note my mention of 198 days and counting? We have entered a new century of pre-wedding bliss and I cannot wait for the days to tick away. As such I want to take this moment and thank both our families for all they do for each of us every day. For example without my MOH, I would be lost (she is my hero after all).

WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!!!

I'll Have Gray-Asparagus With That...

Dresses, dresses and more dresses... what a difficult thing for a bride to decide. First the bride has to pick out her wedding gown, which can be a difficult task all on its own, but then she has to pick something for 1 or more of her closest female (or male) friends to wear - first focusing on the colour, then the length (i.e. long, cocktail, tea length, or hooker), then the neck line (or no neck line as the case may be), and then, and then, and then... at some juncture the whole process becomes a little overwhelming and the bride begins playing a mental game of Bridesmaid Survivor... or rather Bridal Survivor (do I really want to get married if it means having to search and search for a dress that will keep everyone happy and I may potentially hate?). Therefore, setting out to find a dress for my lovely Unit was a little more difficult then I originally anticipated.

Lunch with Carter and the Unit... He Fits Right In!

Frankly if I were to lay blame for my stress it would be best to be honest right up front and say I made a mistake immediately: I left myself too open to suggestions from others, and as I am a person who wants to make everyone happy this is a dangerous situation. As the Guys and Doll(s) of our wedding party are all wearing kilts for the big day I didn't want the girls wearing short dresses as frankly I felt we had enough leg on display already. However, it is tricky in the year 2010 to ask your bridal party to wear matching dresses, let alone full length gowns. Therefore, I began to stress and stress and stress about pushing for long dresses... who knew it was so hard to find something that worked with the theme? and when did all the cocktail dresses become so... cough... night-club-esque? (Man I am starting to sound twice my age!).

We're Still Celebrating the Whole Carter Being Born Thing...

After going out with the ladies to look at dresses I finally stated loud and clear that short was out. I felt terrible and this was my second mistake: feeling terrible. I think one of the things that is easy to happen when you are getting married is to get lost in the chaos and try to please everyone (because sometimes it is just easier). I had spun myself into circles trying to come up with a solution that I would be good with, but at the end of the day your gut always knows and my gut knew I wouldn't be happy unless the dresses were long.

Bridal Branial Breakdown is a disease that I am starting to suffer from (yes I made this term up myself and I personally feel it is going to be Legend (wait for it) ary – sorry I have been watching way too my How I Met Your Mother lately and am starting to talk like Barney; before long I am going to be telling people to "suit up" and referring to myself in the third person as "awesome"). Bridal Branial Breakdown, or Triple B as I like to refer to it occurs when the bride begins to over think things too much (i.e. bridesmaid dresses) and her brain starts to smoke (pouring out of her ears predominately, but nose is also an option if the condition escalates), and then her eyes start to water (looking suspiciously like tears) and then her head starts to play music (very much like bongo drums) and from there, well, from there the situation just escalates. Candidly, if you had asked me two years ago whether I would care how long the dresses were I would of said, "Do I care if they even wear dresses? Pants or a skirt would work"… funny what an engagement ring + a year and a half of planning + a looming wedding date does to a gal's brain? The Bridal Branial Breakdown gets em every time!

Okay, so once the length decision was made, the colour had to be selected, but the colour, oh the colour! How many shades of green are there? One million? Green can come in shades ranging from grass, to kiwi, to celadon (what the $%^&@# is celadon?), to sage, to mint green, to sea foam, to hunter, to army green, to asparagus, to British racing green (maybe for a car, not for a dress!), to chartreuse, to fern green, to gray-asparagus, to honeydew, to olive, to Sacramento State green, to shamrock… well you get my point (and by the way could someone please explain to me who came up with the term "gray-asparagus green" – what the heck kind of asparagus were they eating?)... before we go any further I need to pause here as my brain needs a break, I was beginning to feel like Bubba from Forest Gump for a second… okay now I am focused again, where was I? Right Dresses!

I didn't pick this one!

Colour may seem simple, in fact it should be, but yet again you have to worry about what people will be willing to wear, skin tone, hair colour, and, and, AND! For instance I have spent my whole life dreaming of having sage green bridesmaid dresses, however when it came to pass I made my third mistake: I wasn't insistent enough on the colour… who knew sage wouldn't be loved by all? In the end the dresses are not going to be sage (it is a secret, because, well, some things have to be a secret for the big day), but it wasn't because of public opinion, the choice was all mine and frankly because my Unit is about as dedicated as dedicated can be they probably would have been willing to wear burlap sacks if I had asked nicely enough and added a cherry on top to sweeten the deal, so no one fret that perhaps I have chosen something that doesn't make me happy.

Photoshop Rocks!  Can't Give the Secret Away! 

My Lovely Unit

In the end I survived, and we ended up with what I consider the most beautiful bridesmaid dress in the world. It didn't take until closing time and we are all in one piece! I am so excited to see my beautiful Unit dressed in their finery on my wedding day (214 days and counting!) that I am practically bouncing off of the chair right now! Thanks ladies for dealing with my indecisiveness (it was only because I wanted you to look beautiful), but know one thing for sure, I definitely didn't make a mistake choosing y'all to stand by me for our big day (even if I occasionally develop a severe case of the Triple B)!

Cakes and Kilts... What More Could a Girl Ask For?

Wow there is less than eight months until the big day; time has flown so fast! January has been jammed packed with wedding activities and the excitement is building. The last two weeks have seen us take care of ordering the cake, the lads (going for the Scottish thing) getting sized for kilts, and my Lassie’s (AKA the Unit) picking their bridesmaid dresses!

And the journey begins! 

Doesn't he look cute?... confused about his apparel, but cute!

For Brandon and I cake is not the most important part. It is obviously a key to the whole day (you have to have something to shove in your new spouse’s face), but for us a wedding is not defined by cake... however... there are some that would disagree and by that standard we still have to choose a wedding cake that is edible and at least goes with the whole wedding motif we have tried to create.

Enter Aunt Audrey’s Cakes (for more information please visit:
http://auntaudreyscakes.com/)... and may I say YUM! Instead of being a lack lustre experience I completely enjoyed the cake sampling and the cake design we chose. This is where I have to give a shout out to Brandon for his fantastic ability to understand food; he has this incredible knack for mixing the right sauces, spices, carbs, proteins and vegetables into the tastiest mixtures one has ever tasted! In fact I have been known refer to Brandon as the king of Subway as without fail we can stand in line at Subway right beside each other and put the exact same ingredients on a sub, but every time (EVERY SINGLE TIME) Brandon’s sub ends up being 1000% better than mine (amazing but true). He actually might be the eighth wonder of the food world... Anyway, back to the cake...

Landon... Booyah!

I don’t want to ruin the surprise, so I will leave it that we chose a lovely cake and I am completely pumped to have what appears to be a lovely food item to shove in Brandon’s face (mwhahaha, mwhahaha)... well, not really... this is where I have to be honest... I am not into the whole cake in the face thing... in fact it kind of disturbs me and as the resident diabetic in the relationship I feel shoving a pile of sugar in my face (even if it misses my mouth) is just bad mojo for the day – sugar is evil stuff and I wouldn’t put it past it to try to absorb through my skin into my blood stream and send me on a high that no legal or illegal drug could produce. I am explaining this right now so no one thinks I am being a stick in the mud on the big day... I am just being practical... we all know how my luck works and if it wasn’t a crazy high blood sugar as a result of my face being caked it would be my uncanny ability to somehow get icing in my eye and end up blind... therefore, it is just better to avoid, avoid, avoid.

I think someone finds something funny!

The next wedding event that transpired was something that both Brandon and I have been eagerly anticipating for months – the kilts! We can’t call ourselves off kilter if we don’t have kilts! Therefore, on a sunny day in January we went to the Scottish Company at Leslie and the 401 and were sized... now frankly I am going to try to do my best to explain, but the pictures will have to do most of the talking because frankly it was so much fun to see.

Sue you cannot hide from the camera!

One big topic during the course of the fitting was the to wear underwear or not debate... this has been a critical debate for months and one that I personally feel is open, shut... and covered! The gentleman who fitted the guys and doll(s) pointed one important fact out to the troop and that was... THESE ARE RENTED KILTS and perhaps you won’t want to share space quite that way. Therefore, the jury is still out, but I am thinking with arguments like that it won’t be that much longer until a clear distinction is made.

I'm not sure about the shoes Deep, but you look pretty darn good in a kilt!

In addition to Brandon’s gang we had two younger visitors with us: Carter (remember him? he was just born not that long ago) and Brandon’s niece Alyssa (absolutely adorable young lady). It was great to have them along for the ride and frankly they work well in pictures!

(Left to Right)

Mom practicing her baby holding techniques on Carter

It looks like Brandon is kidnapping Alyssa away... Run Alyssa, Run!

Okay, okay, that is probably enough for tonight, but that leaves the tale about bridesmaid dresses for next time! Therefore, stay tuned and while I think these jokes are mildly tasteless those who are anti-kilt will probably get a chuckle and occasionally I have to provide you folks and outlet for your unkiltsmanlike opinions (and the guys and doll(s) of Brandon’s gang a few options for comebacks on the wedding day... ummmm Sue I don’t know what you are going to say, but we’ll work on it)!

(Left to Right) Suzie Q and Terry Too... My parents and me... I am so lucky! 

Therefore, a few responses to the question: What do you wear under your kilt?

1. Nothing is worn, in fact everything is in good working order!
2. My mother once told me a decent lady wouldn’t ask, God bless ’er she was right!

3. On a good day lipstick (okay that one is inappropriate, but I laughed really hard)!

4. My shoes and socks!

5. Ahhh lass I am a man of few words... (and one can imagine where that ends!)

6. My Scottish Pride!
(For more information on jokes that will tickle your sporran please visit: http://hubpages.com/hub/thejockspot_UP_YOUR_KILT and/or http://www.realmenwearkilts.net/what.html)  

PS I didn't want to give away any "real" pictures of the kilts since I figure that should be a surprise.  However, I will let you know that the tartan is Scottish National and the whole kilt fitting was one of my favourite parts so far!