Rockabye Baby: 53 Days to Go

Rob and I have already been integrating the gifts from our shower into our lives - which feels almost wrong because we're not married yet.  But I figure the earlier we start, the more use we get!  The iPod speakers my mother gave us have been especially useful for lulling us to sleep at night - as we have been a bit stressed out.  On account of getting married, you see.   

Now That's Progress: 54 Days to Go

A couple months ago we set up a table in the corner of our apartment and dubbed it "Wedding Central."  After about a week, Wedding Central filled up so up went a second table, dubbed "Wedding Central Annex."  For months, both areas were filled with projects, gifts, files, books, signs, etc.

Today, enough progress has been made that Wedding Central Annex was no longer needed and has been taken down.  Insignificant as it may seem, this is in fact the first act of wedding de-escalation we have performed.  It's actually a bit sad.

Sale!: 55 Days to Go

We have to make sure that we leave a good impression on Portland.  And with the autumn looks coming out, we two of great fashion sense purchased Honeymoon outfits today.  West Coast here we come!

Meta-List: 56 Days to Go

Yes we have a list of things to get done for the wedding.  But sometimes the thing we have to get done is updating our list of things to get done.  So we must make another list of things to get done and write on it "Update list of things to get done," and that's something we got done today.

When I Was Your Age: 57 Days to Go

Nifty little ideas often come with not-so-nifty work.  Utilizing a photo slide show of Rob and Erica growing up for the Shower or Rehersal Dinner or Wedding Video is a cute idea, but one that requires finding oodles of old pictures.













Like this one of Rob as a hummel figurine.

Let Me Tell You: 58 Days to Go

Further proof of no escape from wedding insanity-- consider: even when we're out enjoying non-wedding activities sooner or later we'll be chatting up someone asking the most basic of questions, "so what's new with you?"  and since wedding rules our lives, that's what we end up talking about.

And if we perchance end up talking with someone else getting married, someone who understands the madness, the conversations can be epic.

Stop the Ride, I Want to Get Off!: 59 Days to Go

You know, it's one thing to say "we have lots of time" before the wedding, and it's another to actually believe it.  Our schedules are full for the next two months - but not necessarily with only wedding stuff.  There's films to be made, birthday parties to attend, obligations to fulfill and then there's just the regular life stuff.  Add "wedding" in there, and there's narry a free day on my calender.

We're going to feel so lazy post wedding!    

Honeydew List: 60 Days to Go

We're back to the wedding grind again.  We had finally checked everything off of our list, and now it's full again.  And although there's a lot of annoying "write this really big check to vendor A" and "contact vendor B and ask them why they haven't gotten back to us yet" in there... there's also a lot of "finalize the ceremony" and "decide which song we want to cut the cake to"... and that feels nice.

Go! Go! Go!: 61 Days to Go

After a big event that requires a lot of prep, like a shower, it's easy to want to take a break, a week or so off from thinking about every little detail.  Such breaks are simply not possible.  Today is two months until the wedding.  We're on schedule with our "get done list" but that doesn't mean we're not constantly thinking about how full that list still is.

Oh and also we went shopping for new clothes for the Honeymoon today.  Hooray vacation!

Pictures!: 62 Days to Go

Pictures are up from the Clifton Park shower.  Feel free to add any you have! 

Clifton Park Shower: 63 Days to Go

The shower at my Grandmother's house is over - and it went really well.  She worked really hard to make sure the house was ready and everyone was fed and happy.  Rob and I are so grateful to her for doing this for us - and to all our friends and family for their time and generosity. 

Thinking in the Middle of the Day: 64 Days to Go

We tried to work on the Honeymoon on our trip from Rochester to Utica then Albany, but the fact that 1)  I get car sick when I read 2)  We were too busy singing our awesome car playlist and 3)  The brewery tour was longer and beerier than we expected (plus, I had to drink some of Robs on account he was driving) made that just not possible.  At any rate, we're in Albany safe and sound.   

To Grandmother's House We Go: 65 Days to Go

In Rochester, of all places.  Headed to Albany tomorrow for the *thing*.

Over the River and Through the Woods: 66 Days to Go

It's been a night of packing, checking, and double checking.  We're on our way to New York tomorrow to visit my very awesome grandmother - who is graciously throwing for us a rockin' Bridal Shower.  My New York family will be in attendance - as will my east coast bridesmaids.  I'm so excited about seeing everyone I could just about explode.  Also there's a pool.  What more could you ask for?       

Customer Disservice: 67 Days to Go

What was supposed to be a five minute stop into our Tuxedo Rental place to drop of a groomsman's out of town measurements turned into an hour long debacle.

I don't blame the people working there as much as the man trying on a tux, being difficult, not allowing them to help any of the other customers in the store.  I understand that people are particular (heck, we are) but why do you need to have a ten minute whiny conversation about the shoes?  They're shoes!  They're black.  They have laces.  You put them on and they protect your feet from the elements.  And when that was done he started on the suspenders.

No Peeking: 68 Days to Go

This upcoming Saturday is our first Wedding Shower and it's very exciting.  Information on what it's like to prepare for a shower, have a shower, and recover after a shower is likely to follow.  But right now I can tell you what it's like 5 days out:  The unending temptation to peek at our registries is getting unbearable.

Eso si que es?: 69 Days to Go

Our apartment is filling up quickly with wedding schtuff.  There's scraps of paper, drafts of table signs, returned RSVPs, the last few invites and probably a badger in there, too.  The point is, planning a wedding is messy work.  I can't wait until it's all over and we can go back to Rob's socks everywhere instead.     

Technology!: 70 Days to Go

Our website has a fancy super-involved feature that allows us to draw up an exact schematic replica of our reception space, make little tables and figure out the seating arrangement.  Unfortunately all the complexities were too difficult.

So we moved on to creating an Excel spreadsheet to manage our seating arrangement.  But that was also not working.

So we pulled out a notebook and started writing things down in pencil, yet weren't able to visualize it.

And finally we found a successful method.  Little pieces of paper with people's names on them, spread out across the floor.  Who needs technology?

We are Gathered Here Today: 71 Days to Go

Is it what every modern couple does or is it a sign of far too much micromanaging that we're basically writing our entire wedding ceremony?

Not that we're writing writing it from scratch.  We've got some books from the library with a lot of samples that are a great help.  Basically we're picking our favorite bits, trying to leave out anything that goes on and on about how much misery we'll face together (bummer man), or items about how marriage is the most important thing ever (harsh on the single people in attendance) or suggestions that our marriage is all part of God's special plan (he should focus less on us and work more on making the Browns better... seriously, we'll be fine).

Hopefully when it's all done it'll be yet another accomplishment, micromanaged to success.

You've Got Mail: 72 Days to Go

Got our first several RSVP's in the mail.  Don't worry we won't update you on every response from every person, but we can't help but be excited.  It's like getting the surprise at the bottom of the cereal box every day!

Someone's Gotta Be First: 73 Days to Go

Kudos to Leah Stampe and Rob Latsch, the first people to RSVP for our wedding.  Hooray!  And they did so using our convenient online RSVP tool.

I Wanna Be In Pictures: 74 Days to Go

In preparation for upcoming celebrations, we have a sweet photo website where you can view and upload pictures to the various events of our wedding.  In fact, please do!   

And They're Off: 75 Days to Go

Aside from a few addresses we have yet to collect, the invitations are in the capable hands of the United States Postal Service.  Which means this is probably the last blog we'll be writing about invitations.

But don't worry because now our world will become about responses, and RSVP's and who's eating what and sitting with whom.

Musical Chairs part 1 of 500: 76 Days to Go

Have you ever tried to solve a rubik's cube?  with your hands tied?  in the dark?  while decoding the Zodiac killer's puzzles?  If not, I really can't explain to you the process of figuring out a wedding reception seating chart.

We started work on ours today (the first of many sessions I assure you).  I promise we'll have it all figured out by October 23rd.... of what year, I don't know.

The Tide is High: 77 Days to Go

I've been working out in preparation for the wedding in the only way I know how:  swimming.  I was a competitive swimmer from ages 8-19, and I find it to be the absolutely most effective and enjoyable way to get in shape.

The rest of the world, it seems, does not agree. 

Maybe it's just the times I go, but it seems the only people who swim to work out are over the age of 60 or are doing some sort of physical therapy.  Is swimming really that déclassé?   Am I so out of touch? 

Cooperation Makes it Happen: 78 Days to Go

How thankful are we to our parents, Vin & Jodie, Jen & Nathan and Peter & Olivia for coming over today to help us assemble wedding invitations?  The task was daunting and would have taken just the two of us days.  With everyone together it took us about four hours.

Everyone gave their time and effort to cut and paste and assemble and all for us.  We feel very loved and could not be more appreciative of them.

I Always Wanted to be a Writer: 79 Days to Go

"Proper etiquette for wedding invitation envelopes is to hand write them," is what someone on some website somewhere wrote quickly and conveniently using their computer.

Tomorrow we'll be having people over to assist us in writing outer envelopes, inner envelopes, pasting, stamping, and otherwise assembling all of our invitations.  What we're doing tonight is really only very tenuously related to the big party that is our Wedding.  We're preparing for the preparing of the inviting of people to the big party.

You're the one that I want: 80 Days to Go

Toasters and blenders and food processors, oh my!!  Why is it that stores can't seem to keep anything in stock?  It's hard to maintain a wedding registry when item 203a gets replaced by 203b then soon after, 203c.

Thank goodness for the internet. 

In 44 Cent Increments: 81 Days to Go

Wedding Invitations rule our life.  Today it's time to spend a small fortune on postage.  If Erica hadn't pulled the invitations out of the way after I spilled all my wine on the table we wouldn't even have to worry about all this.  I'm just trying to help.

Pigpenmanship: 82 Days to Go

Okay, handwriting... don't fail me now!

Instead of going to bed early tonight like we promised ourselves we would, we stayed up late obsessing over our penmanship.  Those wedding invitations aren't going to address themselves (that would have been an extra buck per envelope), so we better just suck it up and get to it... tomorrow.

Oh, and the verdict is in!  We weighed an invite at the USPS and officially know we won't have to sell blood just to buy stamps.  A bit of advice to anyone getting married in the future, though, postcards are awesome.    

Break: 83 Days to Go

No wedding planning today.  Cedar Point instead.  Tired.  Bed now.