FYI for Wisconsin Brides and Grooms looking for wedding bands

Wedding Band Show tomorrow night: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Wedding-Band-Show-Tomorrow-.html?soid=1102720152975&aid=Bt2xrLplMGI

608-831-DINY (3469)

1903 cayuga St.

Middleton, WI 53562

I think I can, I think I can...

It has been a long time since my last post. And I have some posts in the hopper that need fine tuning, but I wanted to throw this out there this morning...

I subscribe to a certain running publication's daily thoughts online and this is the one I got today:

It's a long, hard road and it's going to have its bumps; there are going to be times when you fall and times when you don't feel like going on anymore, times when you're just crazy tired but it takes focusing on that one step you're taking. That's what I'm trying to do with the marathon; I don't think about the miles that are coming down the road, I don't think about the mile I'm on right now, I don't think about the miles I've already covered. I think about what I'm doing right now, just being lost in the moment. --Ryan Hall on running a marathon

This is so true, not just in running, but in many facets of life. I've felt like planning this wedding is certainly a marathon. You can do all of this planning and preparing, but once you hit mile 23 (aka 11 days to go) you had better have the mental toughness to push you through until the end and cross that finish line. Just to be clear, the finish line in this case is the planning part of the wedding. Saying the vows etc I think of as an entirely different marathon... one I plan to finish :)

Marriage in itself is its own marathon, but I'll write more on that once I get there.

Trunk show at Diny's Jewelers

Good afternoon, readers! A and I already ordered our wedding bands (from Kessler's). However, who am I to deny and other couples the knowledge I'm about to drop. I just got an e-mail from local jeweler, Diny's Jewelers (1903 Cayuga st. Middleton, WI 53562 608-831-3469 ). The store is offering $20 off on any purchase of $50 or more. Their wedding bands start at $50. Just an FYI. Hope you're having a great Monday and enjoying the warmer temperatures in Wisconsin. The shift in climate should make for more a comfortable protesting environment!

Green with bridal envy

I would never claim to be a model, nor would I say I'm clever enough to have a one-of-a-kind wedding (since many of my ideas I've found perusing the Internet). But how AWESOME would it be to have your wedding featured in a magazine?!

Someone I used to work with got married at this rustic and ethereal barn outside of Oregon, WI, The O'Brien Barn, which A and I actually looked at for our wedding. It didn't really have enough updated luxuries for our caterers and wasn't grandparent friendly (rickety steps), so we passed it up. Anyway, I read about her wedding there when I was first looking at venues and thought she had some original ideas. So, I happened to come across her profile on LinkedIn. I ventured over to her blog and became instantly envious!

Not only is her wedding featured in the March issue of Brava magazine, she's on the cover! Seriously beautiful. She mentions the cover on the blog for her design firm, Dilemma Studio. Despite my jealousy, I'm totally going to buy this magazine and read all about her amazing wedding. They had personalized beer glasses for favors, for crying out loud.

The wedding day look isn't complete without the jewels...

I have been scouring search engines for the last several hours (and hours on days and days before that) for the perfect wedding day accessories. And I haven't just been looking for earrings and necklaces and hair pieces to complete my look, but also belts and necklaces etc. for my bridesmaids, mothers and flower girl.

On a day-to-day basis, I don't always give much thought to accessories, but don't be fooled. I love them! They totally complete the outfit. And when you're working with two dress colors — white and black — you need to dress things up a bit! I originally thought of going very classic bling, but lately I'm feeling an urge to stick to my roots and go turquoise. Then I set my eyes on these lovelies.

I know I can't spend $600 on earrings for my wedding... but man, I wish I could!!!

The nice thing about shopping online is you don't have to physically travel from store to store to discover the next big thing. Use your online resources to uncover wonderful treasures.

Search Engines

I love searching for specific ideas in google because it provides dozens of pages of shopping results. Just as quickly as I can find thousands of images for bloodhound puppies, I locate plenty of amazing jewelry pieces to blow the entire wedding budget on.

The downside is there are a lot of duplicates since some sites distribute for multiple vendors. Also, some small mom and pop shops haven't expanded to the world wide webs (yep, did that on purpose).

Big Box Sites

Sites like Overstock and Amazon have a pretty large selection and allow you to narrow your search quickly based on the specifications of what you would like. One-carat peridot studs?

Go for it. A pair of turquoise dangle earrings for under $25? Can do! Or get the best of both worlds with these charming earrings.

Homemade Sites

If you're longing for something local or incredibly unique, you don't have to look very far. Etsy is pretty much the holy grail of all things home/handmade, but Artfire isn't far behind. Tonight, I found this adorably chic leather bow belt that I could see cinching around a bridesmaid dress.

Your Favorite Online Store

You know your style and what you like. Don't feel like you have to search and search any of the aforementioned sites or cop out by ordering through some bridal store. If you love shopping at the Limited or Betty Page, look to them for inspiration and ideas. Even if you can't order the jewelry you want from them, their website should offer a variety of looks to point you in the right direction.

It also helps having multiple sets of eyes so you don't look like a zombie the next day. That's what really great matrons-of-honor are for! I'm pretty sure mine helped me find the perfect pair of earrings for me to wear on my wedding day to help me tie multiple elements of my ensemble together. I can't wait until they arrive! Until next time, happy accessory hunting!

Falling off the cart... feeling like a horse

OK, maybe I'm over exaggerating, but since I've changed jobs and allowed winter weather to throw a wrench into my workout routine, a few additional pounds have found their way to the scale.

A few months ago, my plan was to be too thin for my dress and have it taken in. The rose-colored glasses are off. I'm suddenly filled with not only too many takeout meals, but the overflowing fear that my dress will need to be let out.

I hit the treadmill hard on Thursday night, but I know it's not going to be enough to fight this battle. I can't let "It's Valentine's Day weekend," be my excuse all of the time.

It's a tough fight, taking off what you put on. Plenty of online sources offer to whittle your middle for a pretty penny, but who can dig into their bridal budget for empty promises? Thankfully, free (or inexpensive) online tools exist to help brides shed the winter weight:

News websites - You can always peruse the health and fitness sections of online news sources. Here's a story on weight loss for brides from MSNBC.

Health publication sites - Magazines like Self and Fitness Magazine have inspiring websites with access to wonderful diet and nutrition information without the subscription. Wedding websites, like the Knot, often have a section devoted to bridal transformation information.

Weight loss sites - You know the old standbys. Weight Watchers is everywhere these days, especially since they have vocal vixen Jennifer Hudson as their new spokesperson. These sites/ programs can be costly, but will provide results if you provide the will power.

TV shows - Look to shows like Dance Your Ass Off or even Dancing With the Stars for inspiration. Some reality TV Shows focus on weight loss and have options that include a membership with access to recipes and workouts, though there is some controversy in the methods used and practicality of the extremes taken. But if you're looking for fast results, it's an option.

All of that said, there are risks with extreme dieting for any occasion, so don't put your health in harm's way in a desperate effort to lose that extra bit of weight. Chances are your partner's jaw will drop as you gracefully float down the aisle. And it's always a good idea to check any change in diet etc with your health care provider - Just in case.

I'm going to start this week by eating clean and setting a workout goal of 45 minutes, 5 days. Next week I hope to check in with some good news and some tips of my own that have helped me in the past.

Stand by your man

Today was a productive day, though we're not able to check anything completely off our wedding to-do list. A and I began our Sunday morning with a scrumptious brunch at Granite City on Madison's west side. Once the mall opened, we walked into Willams-Sonoma and created a registry, including a few special kitchen gadgets we wouldn't ordinarily purchase for ourselves. I think A is most excited about the popsicle maker. Selfishly, I'm hoping for Bordeaux glasses.

We continued on to Men's Warehouse, where A tried his suit on for the tailor. Two simple words: Bad ass. He won't let me see the final look–it's only fair–but I have no worries. He's going to look so handsome. He's feeling somewhat confident about having this nearly checked off, but will happy once the suit is in his hands a couple of weeks from now.

Next, we checked out wedding bands at Kessler's Diamonds, the local jeweler where A purchased my engagement ring. It's funny how sometimes you think you know exactly what you want. Then you put it on your finger and it's totally wrong. I was right about what I wanted in an engagement ring. I catch myself glancing at my left hand frequently. However, I was wrong in regards to what I wanted in a band. Good thing I tried a few on. A felt pretty solid on what he wants–something simple. We each found great bands that we look forward to slipping on one another's finger in a few months.

It felt really good today to focus on things A needs for the wedding rather than stressing about programs and playlists and slideshows. I look forward to working on those things, too, but I enjoyed A feeling like a groom. I realized I want him to have more moments like that, where he just gets to enjoy his role, rather than just answer my incessant questions about swirls on the programs.

Planned to perfection

The majority of my weekend was spent thinking about weddings. I plopped down on the couch late Friday night, and though I've run some errands and done a little shoe shopping, I felt pretty attached to the cushion. Not only was I crafting boutonnieres for the wedding, I got my reality wedding show fix. A is now feeding my wedding addiction and added TLC's "Wedded to Perfection" to the Netflix queue. Oh yeah. You know it.

The show features a married wedding planning duo and their struggles with planning the perfect day for couples in the New York area. It made me appreciate both the simplicities and complexities of planning my own wedding. When A and I began this process, we had two visions: The rich vision and the poor vision. The rich vision was filled with opulence and high class. The poor version was a potluck in a backyard. There's nothing wrong with either concept. They're just different. I feel like we've struck a wonderful balance between getting everything we want and being frugal with our budget.

One of the issues I have with a blog I frequently read is her position on the "Wedding Industrial Complex" and the necessity to keep the real meaning of a wedding in mind. I can't possibly take such a hard stance because if I had the money to spend, I would have. Easily. But I think it's important to express yourself on your wedding day. Although you've invited all that are close to you in one way or another, it's an opportunity to express who you really are. One way I can share my love of crafts and A and my general zest for fun is to come up with creative boutonnieres. I can't wait for people to see them.

I thought to myself today that I would enjoy doing this for others' weddings. Giving people an opportunity to have a custom wedding and eliminate stress. It could be a career move... someday. In the meantime, I feel ecstatic to have a project completely checked off my list. Coming soon: a how-to slideshow featuring my craftiness.

4 months and counting...

It's remarkable to me that there are only 120 days remaining until the wedding. The To-Do list is still miles long, of course, but what can you expect with a DIY wedding? Still, progress is being made. A submitted our request for alcohol and music is nearly finalized. We also have a GREAT surprise for the cocktail hour/reception. I can't wait to share it with you.

Last weekend was the semi-annual Wedding Planner & Guide Bridal Show. I've been to three of these now and I love the craziness. It's a trade show on hot pink steroids, but so many local award-winning vendors are at-hand to give information and provide ideas. Sure, they're trying to get you to buy their service, but unless you're crazy like A and I, you'll probably rely heavily on many of them. There's another show in Milwaukee this weekend. If you couldn't make either show, don't fret. There's a thorough online resource available to you all year round. Locate any type of vendor you can imagine. One admitted disappointment with the transportation section is there are no "Classic Car" vendors, which is something A and I were really hoping to have for photos.

Ultimate wedding song?

I feel like I've been distant, but a lot of things are happening. I'm changing jobs (and still working a 2nd job part time) and planning DIY projects for the wedding like a crazy fool!

Things are getting accomplished over here. I'm working on the slideshow in a timely fashion. I went to a bridal show today to try to tie up a few loose ends (and found a lovely piece of jewelry in the process).

One of our DIY undertakings is the playlist for each component of the day: Ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and four hours of reception music. We decided to forgo a traditional DJ or rent a band in exchange for an iPod/Computer setup and a fantastic uncle who will do some editing and provide a little MC flavor.

A and I have a great grasp on the type of music we want at the wedding. But I'm still left wondering: What do our guests want to dance to?

Which poses this question: You only get ONE song to dance to, what is your final answer?

I can understand why those who aren't invited may choose to withhold their response, but feel free to provide some input. Ready, go.