How many dresses can you put on until they all look the same?

How many dresses can you truly put on before they just start to look like white dresses? ... some.

With only 6-7 months until the wedding, I had to start dress shopping ASAP so on January 19th my mom and I went on our first dress shopping expedition!  It was totally spur of the moment, but we ended up getting an appointment at one shop and on the waiting list at another.  

We drove up to Portland where Michael's mom and aunt met us to look at dresses.  I loved the very first dress I tried on and to this day I'm still in love with it BUT I was kind of alone in the feeling and I wanted to try others on to see what I actually liked on me.  I ended up trying on about seven dresses at the first place we went.  

After the first store, my mom and I decided to drive to the store where we were on the waiting list just to poke around and see what was there.  To our amazement there was an open appointment right when we got there and I got to try on dresses! I tried on about seven more at this store and my mom was head over heels in love with a tea length dress.  Although I loved it, it was a little to Alice in Wonderland/Princessy for me.

By this time it was about dinner time and we called it quits for the night and decided to grab some dinner and head home.

The next weekend was the second expedition that turned into a crazy experience.  Saturday morning mom, dad, Hannah and I drove up to Salem for a wedding expo that we thought would be fun and give us some good ideas. We looked at photography, dresses, ate all the food samples that we could shove in our mouths, and all the cakes!  There was so much to take in but it was so much fun! There was even a wedding fashion show!

Well after the expo we had an appointment at a bridal shop to try on dresses.  My bridesmaids Cassie and Nehala met up with us at the shop, and dad left to go back home. We tried on a ton of dresses and couldn't figure out what exactly I wanted until finally I found one that everyone fell in love with.  It was beautiful.  White charmeuse with a blingy belt a fit and flare skirt with a ruched sweetheart top. Lovely. 

Unfortunately I am a terrible decision maker and couldn't actually "say yes to the dress" until I was absolutely positive about it.  We ended up leaving it there and heading to a different store where Michael's mom Kathleen and his sister (and bridesmaid) Alaina met us.  All the girls tried on bridesmaid dresses and we actually ended up making a decision within an hour or so of them trying them on!

I only tried on two dresses at the store since there wasn't much time left in the appointment but I am incredibly happy that I did because thats when I found my dress!  I didn't know it at the time but the second dress I put on was the one that I would have for my wedding.  

Mom and I decided to go back to the store on Sunday to try it on again and when I did, I never wanted to take it off, sooooo I said yes to the dress!  No pictures of that one though, its a secret for now!

Drama of date changing

Previously you may have read about our decision on date and venue.  August 24, 2013 at the Hallmark in Newport.

Well there was a change of plans.

I got a call from Jeff who informed me that a couple had just cancelled and that August, 10th was available and if Michael and I wanted the date it was ours.

So after a whole weekend of debating back and forth about changing the date, writing pros and cons lists, freaking out, and having small panic attacks, we finally decided to go with August 10th because:

1. It wasn't that much sooner than the 24th
2. Three of our good friends (including the maid of honor) would for sure be able to attend (rather than a gamble if they would be there)
3. It would interfere less with my (potential) future job as a teacher

It was dramatic and frustrating and strange but we have OFFICIALLY (contract and everything) moved the date to August 10, 2013!

When and Where is this shindig going down?

When we got back from Maui, Michael and I were elated... until we actually had to start planning.  We had to start making decisions, the first being when did we want to get married?

I had always wanted a fall wedding at the coast because I liked the idea that it wasn't in the dead of summer but it was still nice weather.  That brought us to the choice: do we want to get married in 7-9 months? or 17-19 months?

After much deliberation and wayyyy too much input from family and friends,

We decided on 8 months.

You may say that we are crazy since Michael won't be done with school until June I won't be finished with school until August and crazy we may be! But that was our final choice.

The first thing we did was research venues on the coast.  The first place I fell in love with was at Cannon Beach.  It had a lovely ballroom with vaulted ceilings and a great view of Haystack rock.  My other love was in Lincoln City.  A big room up a bit from the beach with floor to ceiling windows and panoramic views of the ocean.  Then I found the Hallmark in Newport.  Right below our favorite restaurant, floor to ceiling windows, right on the beach.

After driving my best friend, and maid of honor, Kelly to the Portland airport Saturday (1/12) morning, Michael and I began our trek to actually visit these venues. We started out by driving straight across to Cannon Beach where I expected to immediately fall in love with the venue and everything about it.

When we arrived however, I realized that the pictures were quite deceiving! The ballroom (although gorgeous!) did not look out at haystack rock but into a nearby parking lot.  The event coordinator was uppity and acted like we were wasting her precious time, SOO we said goodbye to my supposed venue love.

Well Cannon Beach was a lot further from Newport/Lincoln city than we anticipated, so instead of visiting other venues then, we contacted the event coordinator at the Hallmark in Newport who got us a screamin' deal in a fancy room on the top floor with a balcony, where we stayed Saturday night. Point 1 for the Hallmark!

When we arrived, our fireplace was turned on and there was a bottle of champagne and a hand written note waiting on our table.  Point 2 for the Hallmark!

After dropping our stuff inside, we immediately went on a scavenger hunt to snoop inside the "Sunset Room" (the even room) before going on an actual tour in the morning. 

It. was. perfect. (At least from what we could tell in the night!)

In the morning (after we ordered room service... hum croissant french toast hellooooo yes.) we were greeted by Jeff, the super enthusiastic, friendly, and wonderful event planner.  My family showed up right on time to go look at the ceremony and reception area which, as I previously thought, was pretty dang perfect.  The ceremony cite is outside on a bluff above the ocean with a view of the Yaquina Head lighthouse and the reception is indoors about 100 yards away on the bottom floor with floor to ceiling windows, no wild carpets or paint. Just a blank canvas.  Points 3 and 4 for the Hallmark.

However, unable to make a snap decision, we decided to visit the two other venues in Lincoln City, The Inn at Spanish Head and The Chinook Winds Casino Hotel.  Both of which we found underwhelming (not in general, just in comparison to the Hallmark).

SOOO Long story short, Michael and I decided on the drive home that the Hallmark was perfect for us.  One hour from home, a fantastic view of the ocean, catered by our favorite restaurant, a reasonable price, and a great event planner to help, and availability on the 24th of August!

The beautiful ladies

If you're reading this, you probably already know that my best friend and maid of honor Kelly is currently living in Oklahoma for nursing school (bummer).  So, I decided that I should make moves and ask all of my bridesmaids while she was still in Oregon.  

It all started when Kelly and my mom drove down to Eugene on a whim and we went to look at bridesmaid dresses (and ended up trying on 4-5 wedding dresses!)  Kelly tried on about ten dresses and we hated almost all of them except a lovely plum, stretch satin, ruched, one shoulder dress.

I decided that I would make each girl a little gift to ask them to be a bridesmaid. What that gift was however... I had no idea.  I started by going to Michael's crafts to find inspiration.  I thought about framing a picture of each girl and I and writing them a letter, or "proposing" to each of them individually, one idea after another until finally I decided to paint them each a heart box, fill it with candy, and write them each a letter about our friendship.  

On Friday night (1/11) I invited all the girls to my parents house for a girls wine night/going away mini fiesta for Kelly.  Kelly already knew that I was asking the other girls but she didn't know she was getting a box too.  Once everyone was there I passed out my little gifts.  Everyone loved the boxes and notes (and the mint m&m's that were inside of course!) and gladly accepted!