Progress Report from Mimi...
We’ve made some serious headway lately: we’ve booked a photographer and I’ve found a wedding dress!
In the photography category, we once again successfully went over budget. Bob of Grand Lubell just stole our hearts with his enthusiasm and knowledge. The M&M’s he shared during our 2½ hour meeting also helped. :) When we walked out of our meeting, Brian and I both knew that we would be booking with him, we just needed time to talk ourselves into overspending one more time. Well, technically we agreed to allow this budget category to expand to what we needed it to in order to book Grand Lubell, so we didn’t really go over budget.
I really lucked out when it came to my dress. I met a fantastic woman from Shaw’s of Wauseon at the Superbowl of Bridal Shows back in January. She was really nice and convinced me to take the hour-long trek out to Wauson. For those unfamiliar, which I think is fair to guess is most of you, Wauseon is a one stoplight kind of town. Even better, at Shaw’s you can buy a Carhartt and hunting jacket at the same time you buy pick out your wedding dress! Most convenient, really. So my mom, my sister Kelly, two of my nieces, my nephew, and I all headed out on a recent chilly, rainy Saturday. The dress I finally settled on is absolutely nothing like what I thought I would end up with. It’s much more traditional than I thought it would be. I ended up with a great deal though…because it’s a floor model, it was over half-off and I received a discount from having attended the bridal show. This is one category (the only so far) that I kept to the budget even after alterations. About those alterations, did I mention the dress is a size 20 and so needs to be taken in a bit? (Wow, we could fit 10 Mimi's in there -- can you imagine! -Brian)
I should also note that the bridesmaid dresses were actually selected a while ago. The six girls will be in alternating shades of blues: cadet and cornflower. Almost all of the girls have been fitted, so that is progressing along nicely and so far none (though it was close) have cried in horror at themselves in the dress. (Note from Brian: The dresses are actually from Mimi's Bridal here in Ann Arbor ... how fitting and poetic.)
Now we just need to find someone to conduct the ceremony!
In the photography category, we once again successfully went over budget. Bob of Grand Lubell just stole our hearts with his enthusiasm and knowledge. The M&M’s he shared during our 2½ hour meeting also helped. :) When we walked out of our meeting, Brian and I both knew that we would be booking with him, we just needed time to talk ourselves into overspending one more time. Well, technically we agreed to allow this budget category to expand to what we needed it to in order to book Grand Lubell, so we didn’t really go over budget.
I really lucked out when it came to my dress. I met a fantastic woman from Shaw’s of Wauseon at the Superbowl of Bridal Shows back in January. She was really nice and convinced me to take the hour-long trek out to Wauson. For those unfamiliar, which I think is fair to guess is most of you, Wauseon is a one stoplight kind of town. Even better, at Shaw’s you can buy a Carhartt and hunting jacket at the same time you buy pick out your wedding dress! Most convenient, really. So my mom, my sister Kelly, two of my nieces, my nephew, and I all headed out on a recent chilly, rainy Saturday. The dress I finally settled on is absolutely nothing like what I thought I would end up with. It’s much more traditional than I thought it would be. I ended up with a great deal though…because it’s a floor model, it was over half-off and I received a discount from having attended the bridal show. This is one category (the only so far) that I kept to the budget even after alterations. About those alterations, did I mention the dress is a size 20 and so needs to be taken in a bit? (Wow, we could fit 10 Mimi's in there -- can you imagine! -Brian)
I should also note that the bridesmaid dresses were actually selected a while ago. The six girls will be in alternating shades of blues: cadet and cornflower. Almost all of the girls have been fitted, so that is progressing along nicely and so far none (though it was close) have cried in horror at themselves in the dress. (Note from Brian: The dresses are actually from Mimi's Bridal here in Ann Arbor ... how fitting and poetic.)
Now we just need to find someone to conduct the ceremony!