Cake Topper

Ok - so the wedding is in such a short time so I'm trying to do EVERYTHING at pretty much the last minute.  I was a bit nervous to start things early just in case we had problems with the visa or something.  I didn't want to have everything set up and then have to cancel or postpone it - so I just had a bunch of ideas saved on the computer, ready to implement the minute Ivan got here.  However, once Ivan got here I realized my time was limited and I never really got to the implementatin stage.  So, now I'm a bit rushed and trying to do everything at once.  Oh well - what's life without a little excitement and procrastination, right!! 

So, as I sit here, packing for ANOTHER trip to Oregon, I am also trying to get invitations done (since we finally confirmed the location of the ceremony and the time) and order things for the wedding.  I officially ordered our custom cake topper!  I am really excited about this.  My co-worker had a great custom cake topper and I thought it would be fun to have something other than a bird or two people (who usually are the same skin tone - which Ivan and are are not).  So, I ordered a cartoony-style custom cake topper of us from Sophia's Workshop on Etsy.  Here is an example:

This one is of a traditional Chinese wedding, which Ivan and I are not having, but I sent photos of us and some ideas for props that reflect our personality.  So, although ours will be very different from this one, you can get the idea of the custom possibilities.  I am really excited to see the sketch Sophia comes up with!!

I also ordered some fun things for my bridesmaids, but since they sometimes read this blog I can't divulge - but I'm SUPER excited about them!!!

Middlebury Congregational Church

Yeah - it's settled.  We finally have a place to get married.  The reception has been set for a while, but I was still going back and forth on the actual ceremony.  My lifelong wedding dream was to get married in the Catholic church, since I'm Catholic.  I wanted a full mass and then the wedding, done by a priest.  I was excited about the marriage classes that we would have to take and the preparation that goes into getting married in the Catholic faith.  However, my dreams were dashed when the priest in Vermont told me that there was NO WAY Ivan and I had enough time to prepare for a Catholic wedding and that it would take at least 6 months.  Plus, he didn't seem to believe we would pass the compatibility test and there was no way to find out since apparently it didn't come in Spanish.  So, after this VERY discouraging converstaion, I gave up my hope of being married in the Catholic church.

However, I shyly mentioned my dream to the wedding planner at Middlebury Inn and she suggested a very nice church located just across the street from Middlebury Inn.  The Middlebury Congregational Church.

So, I headed over to check it out (on the web that is) and read the bio of the Pastor and find any information about the little church. What I particularly like about the church was the affiirmation statement:

"This church regards all persons with equal respect and concern.  It is open to and affirming of all persons, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, age, nationality, marital status, or physical, mental, or emotional disability."

I mean, right then and there, it is way more accepting than the Catholic church and maybe they wouldn't have any problems marrying an American and her Spanish-speaking Honduran - with or without a compatibility test.  Don't get me wrong, I would still like to have my marriage blessed in the Catholic church, maybe back here at home where we have a Spanish-speaking priest, but for now, this little church seems perfect.

Thank you little church, for being right across the street from Middlebury Inn and for allowing us to marry inside your doors.

Nail Biting

You can't even imagine how hard it is for me to stop biting/picking my nails.

I think trying to stop is worse than quitting smoking (although I've never smoked, so I don't know).

My fingers are attached to my hands - I can't put them away, or refuse to buy them.

I don't even know I'm doing it 95% of the time.

Until my co-worker yells at me.

Or Ivan yells at me.

Oh why didn't my mother make me break this horrible habit when I was young!!!

I am determined to "bite" this in the butt.

Nails - you will not get the best of me.

Beautiful wedding of mine:

do not fear,

I will have nice looking hands.

I promise.

Bridal Shower Bliss

My fabulous sisters and amazing friend threw me a beautiful Bridal Shower.

I love Bridal Showers - at least planning them and going to them.  And now that I had mine, I love having them too. 

I must admit it felt a little weird being the center of attention and trying to talk with everyone and making sure they all knew how important it was to me that they made the effort to come.

The theme of the shower was Honey and Bees.  My sisters and friend had the cutest stuff and great decorations.  They should really go into a business - everything was so cute.  The invitations, above, said "Kattrina found her HONEY" and all the favors were little jars of honey, honey candies, and those honey stick things.  And Cathie, my sister's sister in law, made little stickers to put on candy that said "Bride to Bee" except the Bee was a sticker of a bee.  SOOOO CUTE.

I know some people think Bridal Showers are stupid/cheesy, and others that they are just an excuse to get presents - but I loved the idea of getting all my girlfriends together and hanging out while playing fun games (yes, I think bridal shower games are fun).  Presents are fun too (especially when you need EVERYTHING), but of course they are an added benefit. 

What was even more great was that everyone got to meet Ivan.  He came up to the shower to help me open presents so eveyone got a chance to see him (and if they spoke Spanish, to chat with him).

Here are some fun pics (these are just from my camera, when I get other photos, I'll post them too):

{yummy cupcakes my sister got - they were honey cinnamon and had little marzapan bees on them}

{the winners of the hot potato game}

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH

ELIZABETH,

MELISSA,

AND SARAH

FOR A

WONDERFUL BRIDAL SHOWER!!

I loved every minute!!

It's all in your face

 {source}

Now, I am not into very many beauty routines.  I shower, I wash my hands, and every once in a while I slather some lotion on my legs.  Oh, and I use a ton of chapstick.  That's about it.  However, I have bought into the idea that I should try and look my best on my wedding day.  Get my hair nice, maybe lose five pounds, tone my arms, and get beautful skin.  I am not doing very well on any of those fronts - except the skin part.  Yes, I have adapted a skin routine.  Scary thought.

I sadly admit I am not a face washer.  It's embarrassing actually.  I wash my face every morning in the shower - sometimes with bar soap and sometimes with a Neutrogena face wash.  I think about washing my face at night, but I am usually soooo exhausted at night that I'm too lazy.  It's all I can do to brush my teeth (and don't worry, I floss in the afternoon because my I am a night-flosser-failure).  Now, I wouldn't say my skin is horrible.  It's pretty clear.  But, now I want perfect touchable skin.  Wedding Day Skin. 

To help me in the effort, my sis bought me a Clinique Three-Step Skin Cleaning Systerm.  Fancy stuff.  So, I am trying to change my habits and begin using the three steps.  Every night I wash my face, use this toner thing that takes off my dead skin, and mosturize, mosturize, mosturize.  It is TOUGH.  It's a true fight of laziness vs. must-have-nice-skin.  And it takes forever to have a night-time routine.  Who woulda thought...

And I do believe, my skin is softer.  And those thought crinkles that appear on my forehead after a day of too much thinking are a little fainter.  Ahh, touchable skin.  Still - is it crazy for me to obsess about these little details?

Next beauty routine: nails.  Good thing my loyal co-worker is on my nail-biting habit like a cat on a catnip-stuffed mouse toy.  Unfortunately, I have my own office so she can't monitor me all day.  I'm trying to stop though - really and truley. 

Grow, nails, grow!  I'm trying so hard not to eat you!

{source}

so...what do you think about barbie make-up for wedding day!! :-)

Wedding Proposal

This is so adorable!  Ivan's proposal was not quite as romantic as this...  I'll tell ya about it one day.  In the meantime, take a look at this one!

{via A Cup of Jo}

And finally - a location!

So, I think I settled on a location and I am quite happy with it.  Thanks Mom, for helping me out!  I can't tell you the exact location yet, but the town looked like this in 1909:

Sudden Attacks of Nerves

{Eva Schuster}

The more I read, see, and discuss wedding things, the more nervous I get. What if I forget to do something? What if I leave something out?  What if I'm not creative enough?  Or people think things I've incorporated into my wedding are dumb?  I know you think that I shouldn't care, but I've been to my fair share of weddings and people always talk - about the food, the music, the ceremony, the favors, EVERYTHING.

People even had opinions about whether I should have a wedding or not.

Girls spend their entire life planning their dream wedding - thinking about the details, getting the right venue, the perfect photographer, the ideal menu, the creative favors, making every aspect reflect their personality.

I'm trying to do that in a few months.

And I'm not devoting every second to it - or even every other second.

I don't even know what all the things consist of - what goes into a wedding?

Just every once in a while I start to get overwhelmed.

I start thinking that I'm never going to get organized enough.

And then I remember,

it doesn't matter.

No matter how horrible the wedding is - at least Ivan and I will be married.

Unless I somehow screw that up!!!!

Then I'm really in trouble....

Minute Rice

Luckily I'm not having rice at my wedding, instant or not.

It's rose petals all the way!