Expensive Wedding Cakes!

Go to www.bitchinbrides.com and click on 'video'.  Come check out this hilarious video that addresses just how much more we will pay for a wedding cake. 

No she di-ent!

MSN Article

Here is a story that was posted today on MSN, from The Knot. It would appear that there are a lot of post wedding woes about some of the decisions that brides make on their big day.

Enjoy!

http://http//lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articletkt.aspx?cp-documentid=9707767&GT1=32023


Biggest Wedding Regrets
Brides reveal their 'shoulda, coulda, woulda' moments.
By Charli Penn

What bride doesn't want her wedding day to go exactly as she planned with a minimal amount of drama? The truth is you can plan your heart out, but things may not always work the way you hoped they would. We asked newly married brides to be up-front and honest about their biggest preparation regrets so others could learn from their mistakes. Here's what they had to say.

About Receptions
"I would not have combined a chocolate fountain at our wedding reception with six flower girls. Thank goodness for Shout Wipes -- they were the only thing that managed to save my dress."Tip: Even if you aren't having small children or messy foods at your reception, pack a bridal emergency kit. Items like aspirin, clear nail polish (for stocking runs), and a miniature sewing kit are musts. If you're worried you'll forget it, ask your maid of honor to be in charge of gathering the little things you might need.

"I would have ordered three times more shrimp. My brothers-in-law and a few of the other guests thought we were offering an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet."Tip: After sitting through the ceremony and waiting for the wedding party to arrive, many guests will work up an appetite. Beautifully prepared appetizers may not always be the most filling. If you have big eaters on the guest list, you may want to add to your food budget or plan a meal with lots of options, especially if you're having an evening reception. At dinnertime, guests expect dinner-sized portions.

"I would have driven the route to the reception myself instead of just going by an online map. A lot of people got really lost on the way, and I'm still hearing about it to this day."Tip: If your ceremony and reception sites are not the same, include directions in the invitations. Don't rely on online resources because there can be glitches. If guests get lost and frustrated, it's likely to show in your photos. Map the route yourself and then have a family member on hand with a cell phone for anyone who's lost and may need clarification.

About Being the Bride
"I would have lost weight. After all, I had the time and the equipment."Tip: If you're gown shopping and you're not thrilled with the figure you see in the mirror, it's the perfect indication that you might want to begin a pre-wedding workout routine. While you don't have to lose weight to be a beautiful bride, it's important you feel comfortable and at your best that day. You'll love your pictures so much more if you're not obsessed with the little flaws. Most weddings are at least a year away, which gives you plenty of time to improve on body issues.

"I would have searched the dress shop on the Internet before putting down a deposit. When I went to the designer's website and found two stores in my area, I should have checked on them both. The Better Business Bureau would have shown me the complaints made against the one I chose."Tip: When you're spending major cash at a bridal salon, check references. Impulsive purchases very often don't work out well when it comes to wedding planning.

"I would have taken pictures of my bustle at my final dress fitting. When I was 'bustling up' before the reception, we couldn't quite figure out how to get it right."Tip: Arranging the bustle is indeed a not-so-easy task. Bring a member of your bridal party with you to the bridal salon when you go for your last fitting. She can learn precisely what needs to be done for the wedding.

"I would not have worn those ghastly fake eyelashes. They work on some people, but I'm not one of them."Tip: Try out new beauty products a few times before the wedding day. It's better to know how they work and what you can expect.

About the Wedding Party
"I wouldn't have worried about what everyone was wearing. Instead, I would have given the maids and moms a swatch of fabric and said, 'Don't clash with this.' I'm glad they chose their own dresses, but having to coordinate colors between three different designers was more stress than I needed."Tip: Always remember that when dealing with bridesmaid attire, being flexible comes with a price. Allowing the ladies to pick something that works for them won't always work for you. If you insist they have options, find a designer that offers multiple dress styles in the same color: You won't have nightmares about clashing colors, and they'll get a style in which they feel comfortable.

"I wouldn't have jumped so quickly to choose my bridal party. I would have taken more time and given it more thought since I hurt quite a few people in the process. I realize now that out of sheer excitement, I hastily selected the people who were closest to me at that time, neglecting the people that were with me for many years before."Tip: When it comes to picking your bridal party members, give it some time before you contact anyone. There may be conflicts between who you'd like to ask and who expects you to ask them. You'll want to identify those problems before you make any announcements. In most cases, it's inevitable that you'll have to do some damage control, but you'll most likely feel better if you ask after having thought long and hard about your choices.

About the Planning
"We wouldn't have done DIY invitations. The amount of money we saved just wasn't worth the time it took us to make them."Tip: It's important to understand the nature of the projects that you're taking on before you or your loved ones commit to something you ultimately just won't want to finish.

"I would have hired a day-of coordinator. It got irritating when people would ask questions like, 'Where should I put the extra programs?' after the ceremony."Tip: The one thing most brides don't get on their wedding day is a break. If you want to enjoy individual moments more and deal with questions and disasters less, hiring day-of help should be a high priority on your to-do list. The quality time you'll gain is well worth the fee.

© 2008 The Knot Inc. All rights reserved.

My New Car...

I was in Denver for work this week and since I arrived on a plane I obviously needed a car to get me around when I was in town for three days. Rent a a car, right? Of course not, I just bought one while I was out there and drove it around for a couple days. I had to take a flight home though, so, the car had to stay in Denver. I guess I'll just never be able to use it again. Well, maybe I will use it if I ever go back to Denver, but chances are that it will stay in the exact same spot where I left it when I was done using it. Sure, it was a really nice car and I did need it when I was there, but it did cost a lot of money. Now that I think about it, I probably could have rented a car out there and saved a lot of money. Not just a lot of money, but a LARGE amount of money. In fact, I bet that I could have rented a car for less than 1% of what it cost me to buy that car. However, if I rented a car then I would never have 'my new car' just sitting there taking up space waiting for me just in the event that I decide to go back to Denver.

That story sounds pretty dumb..............but I'm sure it would sound smart if I changed "car" to "wedding dress" and changed "trip to Denver" to "wedding".............or would it?

Evites should be the answer...

Can you please send me the number of the person who sets the standards for wedding invitations? Wedding invitations are ridiculous these days. The amount of paper that is used just to pass along the simplest information is unbelievable. You send a "save the date" card. Then you send a small package that has the actual invitation. Oh, and inside that small package is another envelope that the person has to send back to you letting you know if they will be coming. There also has to be separate cards inside the small package that invites guests to the ceremony and to the reception. Not to mention the separate invitations that need to be sent to people who need to attend the rehearsal dinner. Hmmmmm, there must be a better way. Thank goodness for the smart folks that created Evite. Why not just send all of your guests an Evite. Evites are free. Not only do you not have to pay for mountains of paper, you don't even have to buy stamps. I hate the post office. The best part about an Evite is that you (and your guests) can monitor the RSVP list. Wouldn't it help to know if that girl you want to hook up with is bringing a date. How about being able to tell how many single ladies will be in attendance. These are crucial facts that can determine your entire strategy for the evening. Should I pregame really hard and risk passing out early, or should i keep it under control so i can mingle with the young single lady guests? Will there be enough people there for it to go unnoticed if i sneak away with a bridesmaid? Is there going to be so many single guys there that I might as well not go because it will be a sword fight? Life is all about preparation and "knowing is half the battle."

Stories to add?

If you or someone you know has a great story to add, I would love to hear it! Just send me an email recalling the event, and I will be sure to post it for everyone to enjoy. The stories can be aggravating, funny, ironic, or anything else that you want to share. Additionally, the stories can involve you or just someone you know. Lastly, if you prefer, I can keep all identities anonymous.

I look forward to reading all your great stories!

Email me at: KLeeGee@Gmail.com

The favors that blew up in our face...literally!

I like to think that I have a flare for the creative and unique. So, the challenge of coming up with a wedding favor was a personal ambition. I couldn't do something too 'main stream', nor could I get swept away with high costs. Therefore, I needed to combine my creativity and resources to create the most memorable favor anyone had seen....and you can certainly say that I did just that.

The idea progressed over a series of months. First it started with a clear glass bottle, similar to a soda bottle. Second, I purchased some red bottle caps. I could see the idea taking shape, but whatever was I going to fill this bottle with?? Wracking my brain, it hit me...bath salt!!

After a few online vendors quoted me HIGH prices for their bath salt, I hit the web. After an hour of googling, I discovered some home made bath salt recipes. This avenue provided me the customization of colors, fragrances, ect....it was going to be perfect! The recipe was simple, one part Epsom salt, scented oil, color dye, and the optional baking soda (for extra softness to the skin). Oh...and I was going to go all out, no expenses spared, throw in all of the ingredients!

So, after a few weeks of brewing in the kitchen, and my mixer on full blast for hours the salt was done! I added the custom labels to my bottles and I was ready for production. With the assistance of my bridesmaids (and a few bottles of wine), we were off. My girls did such a great job...they even filled them to the very top. Then, put their finishing touches of the shiny red bottle cap pressed firmly down on the bottle. They were a piece of art! Now, all I had to do was wait for the wedding to unveil my creation!

The wedding came and went in a flash (as it always does). My guests grabbed their bottles before our big exit, and they were a hit!

(early warning sign) A few days after we returned from the honeymoon, my husband was at the computer when he heard a loud 'BANG'! He rushed into the living room, where the extra bottles were being stored, and noticed that one had exploded!! The cap had blown off and salt was all over the room. Taken back by the surprise he called me with the story. After a few short minutes of problem solving....Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye realized the mistake. I had put OIL, SALT, and BAKING SODA, in an AIR TIGHT COMPRESSED BOTTLE!! Anyone that has had 3rd grade science knows that this can not be a good combination.

(Bottles go flying) It was not long at all before I started receiving frantic calls about exploding bottles! Friends, family, co-workers were all calling with stories about their exploding favors. Some of them were panicked, others thought it was funny, and others were complaining about the damage that I had caused in their homes. I can just imagine my favors blowing up all across town, ravaging homes, and hurting innocent people. Just as any manufacturer would, I issued a recall. I sent out NUMEROUS emails warning my guests about the dangers of their 'mementos'. I provided instructions on how to handle the favors, how to remove the pressure, dispose of the bottles, ect. It was quite the ordeal for several weeks as I lived in fear that I may have blown out a loved ones eye or killed a pet hamster.

Slowly as weeks passed, the calls were coming in less frequent (Thank God, or I was going to have to buy a hot line #). I got clean bills of health from my guests, and all seemed to be forgotten. I made sure that my husband took care of our remaining left overs, to which he almost went blind from the salt blowing in his face. Thankfully, we do still have a small memento of a turquoise blue dent lingering in our ceiling from the ordeal.


(These pictures were provided from my photographers; Scott and Tem Photography, after the bottles blew up in their home.)

The Missing Centerpieces...

My wonderful new husband and I returned from our amazing honeymoon and magical wedding. Everything had gone perfect, and we could not have been happier. We got back into our new life at home, and began sorting out things post-wedding. A few weeks passed when I dug out all of our wedding center pieces to take inventory and begin the process of selling them on Craig's list. To my surprise, I noticed two vases missing from my grand total. I questioned my new husband, who knew nothing of the issue, and told me to let it go. So, I went about things and posted the ad to recoup the costs on my expensive spend...



Approximately 5 months later...... a friend of mine had a baby! I was very excited about the new addition to the family, and couldn't wait to see pictures. As is the tradition now a days, all of the pictures were posted on Myspace. I quickly went to her page to see 'the bundle of joy', and was surprised to see 'new house pictures' posted as well. I started thumbing through the photos, when....there it was! Filed under 'front bedroom' was a shot of the missing two vases, used as lovely decor in her new home. Well, you can imagine this came as quite a surprise to me.



(5 months earlier....the night of the wedding). This friend had attended our wedding with her husband, and unborn baby. During the activities of the night we had several people coming to us with there well wishes for our future. When we came to this particular friend, she couldn't talk about anything other than my center pieces, and how much she wanted to buy them from me. I was certainly enthusiastic that she liked them so much, but thought that we could discuss the issue later. So, I said we could talk about it after the honeymoon, and that was that. I never heard from her again, and the vases were never mentioned after that point.



Reality. We realized that our friend, husband, and unborn baby had hung around for the rest of the wedding. At the end of the night, while everyone was packing up, she and her husband smuggled out two of the vases along with some other small pieces of decoration. She never mentioned it to anyone or myself...until the pictures.