hats off to jack skeleton

Wishing everyone a happy Halloween!! Thought I'd share the best Halloween wedding vow, from the "classic" The Nightmare Before Christmas:

My dearest friend,
if you don't mind,
I'd like to join you by your side,
where we can gaze into the stars
and sit together,
now and for ever.
For it is plain as anyone can see
we're simply meant to be.

Happy Halloween, sweetheart!

26 days

We're still chipping away at the long to-do list for the wedding. Marcus completed the design for the ceremony programs and got them printed on the weekend. We decided on our first dance song, finally. And we've been brainstorming a bit of a must-play list for the reception. I have yet to figure out the music for the ceremony (besides Chelsea's performance).

I completed Tina's "bestman" dress and it's in the mail on the way to her. I hope it fits good. I also completed my jacket. It turned out really nice! Soft and cozy. Now I just need some snow to complete the look. I started my veil yesterday and will complete that this week. It mostly involves hand beading, which I will do while watching my weekly trash tv. The last thing that needs to be sewn is Tina's shrug which I will do this weekend or next week. I also cut some scrap fabric out to sew a simple little purse.

Tomorrow I get to pickup my wedding dress from the shop! I've gone to two dress fittings and it's looking great! They ended up having to take in the bust quite a bit and adding some extra boning in the bodice. And of course it needed to be hemmed and the bustle fasteners placed. Anyway, it will be a nice feeling tomorrow to know that the dress is complete.

We have decided to drive back to Calgary (with Chloe safely tucked into her carry case on the back seat) on November 17th. That gives us a week in Calgary before the wedding to finish off some details and visit with the family. Lots to do before then, though, both wedding and non-wedding related. Poor Marcus is working at least three jobs right now which may become four soon. I will busy this Friday and Saturday with the church Christmas Bazaar, which I have been sewing lots of stuff for. Besides the purses and paperback book covers, I also made half a dozen zippered coin purses and a couple of cosmetic bags.

And early HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes to Lisa! Her birthday is on Thursday, so keep her in your thoughts.

five weeks to go

This week involved a long list of tasks to complete and the next five weeks are looking quite similar.

My mom and dad got back from their trip to Colorado last Sunday. My mom went to the final consultation at the Buttercream Bake Shoppe yesterday. Sounds like everything is set with them. My mom was also given the task of making reservations somewhere for a dinner the Friday before the wedding for those involved with the big day.

Tina (as Bestman) has been given a fairly time intensive task involving buttons and floral wire. She must make approximately 80 flourishes for our table centre pieces. But I think things are a little slow, possibly even completely boring in Lethbridge, so she seems eager to have something to do.

Marcus has started work on the ceremony program and other necessary design elements.

Chelsea (Marcus' niece) has agreed to perform a song during the ceremony. There is a song we've sung at church a couple of times that we really like and we've provided Chelsea with the it. That should work out wonderfully!

I've been keeping myself busy with emailing back and forth with everyone, going to my first dress fitting, making sample table centre piece flourishes (to illustrate to Tina what we need), sewing Tina's dress, and cutting fabric out for her jacket. Her dress just needs to be hemmed now, which I'm hoping to complete on the weekend. I also want to get started on my jacket for the wedding this weekend too. Plus we're attending the church Halloween potluck on Saturday night. And tonight Marcus and I have scheduled in another wedding planning session to discuss this coming week's tasks.

Special thanks to Pastor Mike who provided a pizza dinner on Wednesday night and an informative Christianity 101 session at our apartment. And also to Bradley, who was able to attend and share good thoughts (and chips).

Have a good week everyone!

44 days

My little heart is starting to feel very giddy indeed. Every time I think about how many weeks left until the wedding, it starts to pitter-patter a mile a minute. Marcus and I have finally scheduled in some wedding planning time together tonight. Lots of things to brainstorm and decide on, like music selections, reception proceedings, tasks that need delegating, and figuring out when we will actually be traveling back to Calgary.

Mostly I start to freak out when I think about the non-wedding things that are happening over the next six weeks, like events at our church, work, Christmas (ya, not sure how we're working Christmas gifts for the family into everything, seeing as we won't be returning to Alberta for Christmas, just the wedding).

I have Tina's "bestman" dress back in my possession, so I've been trying to get that sewn together. While Aaron was in town, we went to Fabricland and he found the perfect fabric for me to sew a winter coat to go with my wedding dress (as we're doing photos outdoors before the wedding ceremony and it will be the end of November in Calgary). I picked a simple pattern for the jacket in hopes that it will come together more quickly. I still have Tina's jacket to sew and my veil to make. I'm anxious to just get in the sewing room and start working.

My mom had a very successful shopping trip with my Aunt Carol in Colorado Springs. She managed to find sprinkles for the wedding cup cakes, and lace for the corsages and boutonnieres. Two fewer things for me do deal with. Yay! Slowly checking things off the long list of to-dos...

new photos and turkey dinner

Marcus and I are trying to get out act together more with the wedding website. We've managed to get some more recent photos uploaded to the album. Some of them are from our wedding shower that was held in July at my parent's house. Others are from a picnic the two of us took together at a local park.

This past weekend we participated in the Run for the Cure in Vancouver with a group of people from our church. It was a very rainy, wet, day. Still lots of fun, but very, very wet. Marcus and I did the 5k walk. Thanks to those of you who donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation!

My brother Aaron is flying out on Friday to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with us. Looking forward to that a lot! We might be the only two Springers enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner this weekend. Blake is still in New York (and, of course, it's not Thanksgiving down there yet). And Mom and Dad and Taddy Bears are in Moab, Utah at the moment, although they'll hit Colorado Springs by the weekend. I'm sure all the various branches of Riedners will be cooking up a storm this weekend. Wishing everyone on this side of the border a Happy Thanksgiving! Take care!