Wylie and I are driving cross country. We will be leaving early July 5th from Blounts Creek, North Carolina. And we will be flying home to Virginia from Las Vegas on July 13th. Those two things we know for sure. What will happen between the 5th and 13th . . . who knows.
I realize that following a blog can be arduous. Especially the blog of a family member that thinks everything they do is just SO interesting and because you are related to us you feel obligated to read it. Sorry! :) he he
The wedding blogs were fairly infrequent, so that eased the burden. And the cross country drive will be over in less than two weeks, so hopefully since it's not drug out it will be easier to endure? In any event, I hope you have enjoyed sharing in the wedding planning and will further enjoy reading about the journey Wylie and I take.
We would love to hear from you while we are on the road - ring us up any time!
Jun 23, 2009
Jun 20, 2009
Mom of the Missus
Amanda Warrington
A tap dancer, a minister and a lawyer walk into a bar and the bartender says “What is this, a joke?”
What a fabulous week we had of partying and hanging out. Although the planning that remained for the week was minimal we were busy every day. My aunt and uncle hosted a clam bake at their house one night. Sarina and her mom, Saskia, arrived mid-week. With Sarina in the house the real partying began. The wedding itself went so fast that having the week before hand with family and friends was priceless. By Friday everyone had arrived at the beach and the rehearsal dinner was a big bash that included all the wedding guests. It was so much fun!
The whole week and wedding went smooth as silk. The closest thing we had to a glitch I prefer to think of as a classic wedding moment. With perfectly coiffed hair and our precision make up applications Tiffany and her maids and I ventured out to the already cool and running truck to go to the aquarium to dress there. Albert was driving and I guess a little anxious. Although there was no hurry, he began driving faster and faster. All in the same moment I said “slow down” and Tiffany said “you’re getting pulled over.” Mind you, it is quite humid in coastal North Carolina at the end of May. I guess as a safety precaution the officer made us roll down the rear window – to make sure we did not pull a bouquet on him? The policeman asked Albert if he knew how fast he was driving. Did he know what the speed limit was. What was the hurry. Where were we headed. You know the drill. Finally I could not take any more and I explained from the back seat that our hair was going to wilt and our make up would melt if he did not let us put the windows up. So after we answered his questions about the wedding, he congratulated Tiffany and sent us on our way without a ticket.
A pirate walks into a bar with what appears to be a paper towel on his head. The bartender asks “What’s with the paper towel?” and the pirate replies “Argh, me gots a Bounty on me head”.
The aquarium was such a fairytale setting -- it felt like we were under the sea. My niece, Taylor, thought that the whole “party” was for her. We had gift bags for our guests hotel rooms, and Taylor’s family’s bag had special “little girl” items for her. The place cards were photos of the guests, so Taylor was greeted by a picture of herself at her seat. There was a candy bar for the guests which of course had a special appeal to her. And the aquarium itself is built-in entertainment for kids. (link to shark tank video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94_d9euTRDo My nephews, Billy and Tyler, danced the night away. I think everyone had fun.
Tiffany’s dress was everything she wanted it to be. Not often in life do we get perfection, but her dress was truly perfect. She looked like an absolute angel. It could not have been more special.
Tiffany and Mike planned to have cupcakes for the wedding. When Tiffany met with the baker, she changed her mind and decided to have a cake. People kept asking me where the cupcakes were. But the cake was gorgeous! It was three layers and three flavors. I tasted the chocolate and the almond and they were both delicious.
What did the lifeguard say to the hippie? “You’re too far out, man”.
After the wedding, Tiffany and Mike spent a few days wandering back up the coast. Tiffany called it a “mini-moon”. They spent a few days on Ocracoke. They also went to Kill Devil Hills to see the monster truck, Gravedigger. And in Virginia Beach they had “old timey” wedding portraits made. -- so cute!
Knock knock
Who’s there?
Tiffany
Tiffany who?
Tiffany Hamilton
Thanks to everyone that has followed the wedding planning process through this blog. Thanks to family and friends for traveling to be with us for the special day. Thanks to Tiffany and Mike for sharing your day in such a wonderful way. I love you guys!
Amanda Warrington
A tap dancer, a minister and a lawyer walk into a bar and the bartender says “What is this, a joke?”
What a fabulous week we had of partying and hanging out. Although the planning that remained for the week was minimal we were busy every day. My aunt and uncle hosted a clam bake at their house one night. Sarina and her mom, Saskia, arrived mid-week. With Sarina in the house the real partying began. The wedding itself went so fast that having the week before hand with family and friends was priceless. By Friday everyone had arrived at the beach and the rehearsal dinner was a big bash that included all the wedding guests. It was so much fun!
The whole week and wedding went smooth as silk. The closest thing we had to a glitch I prefer to think of as a classic wedding moment. With perfectly coiffed hair and our precision make up applications Tiffany and her maids and I ventured out to the already cool and running truck to go to the aquarium to dress there. Albert was driving and I guess a little anxious. Although there was no hurry, he began driving faster and faster. All in the same moment I said “slow down” and Tiffany said “you’re getting pulled over.” Mind you, it is quite humid in coastal North Carolina at the end of May. I guess as a safety precaution the officer made us roll down the rear window – to make sure we did not pull a bouquet on him? The policeman asked Albert if he knew how fast he was driving. Did he know what the speed limit was. What was the hurry. Where were we headed. You know the drill. Finally I could not take any more and I explained from the back seat that our hair was going to wilt and our make up would melt if he did not let us put the windows up. So after we answered his questions about the wedding, he congratulated Tiffany and sent us on our way without a ticket.
A pirate walks into a bar with what appears to be a paper towel on his head. The bartender asks “What’s with the paper towel?” and the pirate replies “Argh, me gots a Bounty on me head”.
The aquarium was such a fairytale setting -- it felt like we were under the sea. My niece, Taylor, thought that the whole “party” was for her. We had gift bags for our guests hotel rooms, and Taylor’s family’s bag had special “little girl” items for her. The place cards were photos of the guests, so Taylor was greeted by a picture of herself at her seat. There was a candy bar for the guests which of course had a special appeal to her. And the aquarium itself is built-in entertainment for kids. (link to shark tank video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94_d9euTRDo My nephews, Billy and Tyler, danced the night away. I think everyone had fun.
Tiffany’s dress was everything she wanted it to be. Not often in life do we get perfection, but her dress was truly perfect. She looked like an absolute angel. It could not have been more special.
Tiffany and Mike planned to have cupcakes for the wedding. When Tiffany met with the baker, she changed her mind and decided to have a cake. People kept asking me where the cupcakes were. But the cake was gorgeous! It was three layers and three flavors. I tasted the chocolate and the almond and they were both delicious.
What did the lifeguard say to the hippie? “You’re too far out, man”.
After the wedding, Tiffany and Mike spent a few days wandering back up the coast. Tiffany called it a “mini-moon”. They spent a few days on Ocracoke. They also went to Kill Devil Hills to see the monster truck, Gravedigger. And in Virginia Beach they had “old timey” wedding portraits made. -- so cute!
Knock knock
Who’s there?
Tiffany
Tiffany who?
Tiffany Hamilton
Thanks to everyone that has followed the wedding planning process through this blog. Thanks to family and friends for traveling to be with us for the special day. Thanks to Tiffany and Mike for sharing your day in such a wonderful way. I love you guys!
May 18, 2009
Mom of the Bride - Ready, Set, Wed!
Mom of the Bride – Ready, Set, Wed!
Amanda Warrington
Ready or not, here we go. I am pretty sure we are ready though. These past few weeks have been filled with finicky little tasks. All those little things that you can’t do in advance. With all of the big ticket items taken care of and nothing big to tackle I have had a lingering feeling that I am forgetting something. To keep myself on track I have gone into hyper-list-making-mode. Even the smallest item “to do” lands on my list – wedding related or not. My lists look something like this:
cat food
guest book
Wylie – hair cut, dress shirt, baseball pants
dry cleaning
buy more Sterilite tubs
Three days in a row I called Albert, my husband, and asked him to be in charge of dinner for those nights. On the fourth night I called and asked him to please just be in charge of dinner for the next two weeks. It was the only way to ensure that the boy gets fed between now and the wedding. Albert graciously accepted the duty and Wylie has eaten quite well – and I don’t mean fast food or carry out, Albert is a great chef. Thanks, Albert!
The final preparations have involved big rubber tubs. I have a few of them staged in the living room and when something we need for the wedding is added to the tub, it is also added to the list taped to the lid of that tub. I don’t trust myself to remember for two weeks whether I put the place card holders in the blue tub or the gray tub – the hyper-list-making is mandatory for me to keep organized.
I have gotten lots of phone calls from friends and family thrilled about the nearness of the wedding. We have family and friends coming from all over the country: Southern California, Louisiana, South Carolina, Northern California, Seattle, West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Connecticut, Vermont and Pennsylvania. And of course, even for our “local” guests, it means a trip to North Carolina. I can’t begin to express how much it means to me that so many people are able to join us at the beach and share in Mike and Tiffany’s day.
We are as ready as we can be. And if something catches us off guard, we will take it in stride and keep on smiling.
Amanda Warrington
Ready or not, here we go. I am pretty sure we are ready though. These past few weeks have been filled with finicky little tasks. All those little things that you can’t do in advance. With all of the big ticket items taken care of and nothing big to tackle I have had a lingering feeling that I am forgetting something. To keep myself on track I have gone into hyper-list-making-mode. Even the smallest item “to do” lands on my list – wedding related or not. My lists look something like this:
cat food
guest book
Wylie – hair cut, dress shirt, baseball pants
dry cleaning
buy more Sterilite tubs
Three days in a row I called Albert, my husband, and asked him to be in charge of dinner for those nights. On the fourth night I called and asked him to please just be in charge of dinner for the next two weeks. It was the only way to ensure that the boy gets fed between now and the wedding. Albert graciously accepted the duty and Wylie has eaten quite well – and I don’t mean fast food or carry out, Albert is a great chef. Thanks, Albert!
The final preparations have involved big rubber tubs. I have a few of them staged in the living room and when something we need for the wedding is added to the tub, it is also added to the list taped to the lid of that tub. I don’t trust myself to remember for two weeks whether I put the place card holders in the blue tub or the gray tub – the hyper-list-making is mandatory for me to keep organized.
I have gotten lots of phone calls from friends and family thrilled about the nearness of the wedding. We have family and friends coming from all over the country: Southern California, Louisiana, South Carolina, Northern California, Seattle, West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Connecticut, Vermont and Pennsylvania. And of course, even for our “local” guests, it means a trip to North Carolina. I can’t begin to express how much it means to me that so many people are able to join us at the beach and share in Mike and Tiffany’s day.
We are as ready as we can be. And if something catches us off guard, we will take it in stride and keep on smiling.
May 12, 2009
Mom of the Bride - Final Count Down
Mom of the Bride – Final Count Down
Amanda Warrington
With less than a month until the wedding, what has been going on and what remains to be done? Plenty, on both counts.
In these past few months life has gone on without regard for my well set out wedding planning schedule. A few unexpected things have popped up, such as: a skylight sprung a leak and had to be repaired. A pipe burst in our house, flooded a bedroom, and required hardwood and carpet replacement. And as long as we had to pull everything out of the bedroom, we figured we may as well paint it. Trust me, that was a project that I did not need! But it is done and the guest room looks great.
Also in the past month, my son was in a play at school and my life stopped altogether so I could attend the Dominion High School (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyzBnJyusq0) production of Music Man. In addition to mom of the bride, I am also mom of the boy.
What has been going on related to the wedding in these final weeks?
There was a shower for Tiffany last week. Our friends Barbara and Pam hosted it. Barbara had a wonderful idea for a theme – “photo and frame”. There are so many possibilities with photo and frame as the subject; and, people came up with the most original ideas such as a scrap book, family photos of great grandparents, books with photos and family biographies. They were all such special and unique gifts. And Pam out-did herself with beautiful decorations and delicious food. The wedding night will pass so quickly, and there will be so many people to meet and visit with that night that the opportunity for ladies on both sides of the family to meet at the shower was priceless. After the shower we had dinner for Tiffany and Mike, their siblings, parents and grandparents – again, a great opportunity to bring together members of both sides of the family. It makes for that many more familiar faces for everyone at the wedding.
We settled on a florist – finally! I must admit that I was starting to get a little nervous – I had visions of us making boutonnieres the morning of the wedding.
I spent a day with my friend, Laura, prepping materials for the wedding programs. They are going to be so pretty!
I got a dress. Okay, so I got about a dozen dresses. But I decided which one to wear and returned the rest. I have never worked with a personal shopper before, but I gave it a try for this purchase. I decided to try a personal shopper for a few reasons – I do not like shopping and I wanted to make the best use of my time. And also, people were making fun of the dress I wanted to wear so I thought professional help was a good idea. As it turns out, I am going to wear one of the gowns that I found with the personal shopper. Overall it was a good experience as Lynne (www.doctorofdress.com) encouraged me to try styles that I would not otherwise have considered.
So what is left to do?
Well, I have a dress but I still need shoes. I found some that I really like, but they are sky-high heels and I am not sure I can walk in them. My niece, Rachel, seems to think I will be fine in them. The optimism (and stamina) of youth!!
I have an appointment with Mikala (www.bristles-shears.com) on Saturday. I told Mikala nearly a year ago that she needed to transition my red hair to blonde before the wedding. And blonde I shall be . . . I love you, Mikala!
Aside from hair and shoes, these are a few of the items remaining on my “to do” list:
· *Finish power point and photo DVD to be played at the aquarium during the reception.
· *Provide the caterer with a final headcount. Only a handful of invitees did not reply, so our count should be pretty close. And no, I am not calling the people that have not replied.
· *Assemble the programs.
· *The seating chart and place cards can be finished the week before the wedding at the beach.
People keep asking me what I will do with myself after the wedding. The truth is that Tiffany has done most of the planning. But trust me, there is plenty on the horizon. My son and I are driving cross country in July. Come June, Wylie and I can focus on planning our route and points of interest for the trip. I am open to suggestions if anyone out there has any! And after that . . . well, hopefully pipes will stop bursting, but life is bound to go on in its usual exciting manner.
I have enjoyed the planning process but will not miss it. I will miss the “built in” excuse to get together with Tiffany so much. But as for the planning, I am ready to move on and have a wedding already!
Amanda Warrington
With less than a month until the wedding, what has been going on and what remains to be done? Plenty, on both counts.
In these past few months life has gone on without regard for my well set out wedding planning schedule. A few unexpected things have popped up, such as: a skylight sprung a leak and had to be repaired. A pipe burst in our house, flooded a bedroom, and required hardwood and carpet replacement. And as long as we had to pull everything out of the bedroom, we figured we may as well paint it. Trust me, that was a project that I did not need! But it is done and the guest room looks great.
Also in the past month, my son was in a play at school and my life stopped altogether so I could attend the Dominion High School (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyzBnJyusq0) production of Music Man. In addition to mom of the bride, I am also mom of the boy.
What has been going on related to the wedding in these final weeks?
There was a shower for Tiffany last week. Our friends Barbara and Pam hosted it. Barbara had a wonderful idea for a theme – “photo and frame”. There are so many possibilities with photo and frame as the subject; and, people came up with the most original ideas such as a scrap book, family photos of great grandparents, books with photos and family biographies. They were all such special and unique gifts. And Pam out-did herself with beautiful decorations and delicious food. The wedding night will pass so quickly, and there will be so many people to meet and visit with that night that the opportunity for ladies on both sides of the family to meet at the shower was priceless. After the shower we had dinner for Tiffany and Mike, their siblings, parents and grandparents – again, a great opportunity to bring together members of both sides of the family. It makes for that many more familiar faces for everyone at the wedding.
We settled on a florist – finally! I must admit that I was starting to get a little nervous – I had visions of us making boutonnieres the morning of the wedding.
I spent a day with my friend, Laura, prepping materials for the wedding programs. They are going to be so pretty!
I got a dress. Okay, so I got about a dozen dresses. But I decided which one to wear and returned the rest. I have never worked with a personal shopper before, but I gave it a try for this purchase. I decided to try a personal shopper for a few reasons – I do not like shopping and I wanted to make the best use of my time. And also, people were making fun of the dress I wanted to wear so I thought professional help was a good idea. As it turns out, I am going to wear one of the gowns that I found with the personal shopper. Overall it was a good experience as Lynne (www.doctorofdress.com) encouraged me to try styles that I would not otherwise have considered.
So what is left to do?
Well, I have a dress but I still need shoes. I found some that I really like, but they are sky-high heels and I am not sure I can walk in them. My niece, Rachel, seems to think I will be fine in them. The optimism (and stamina) of youth!!
I have an appointment with Mikala (www.bristles-shears.com) on Saturday. I told Mikala nearly a year ago that she needed to transition my red hair to blonde before the wedding. And blonde I shall be . . . I love you, Mikala!
Aside from hair and shoes, these are a few of the items remaining on my “to do” list:
· *Finish power point and photo DVD to be played at the aquarium during the reception.
· *Provide the caterer with a final headcount. Only a handful of invitees did not reply, so our count should be pretty close. And no, I am not calling the people that have not replied.
· *Assemble the programs.
· *The seating chart and place cards can be finished the week before the wedding at the beach.
People keep asking me what I will do with myself after the wedding. The truth is that Tiffany has done most of the planning. But trust me, there is plenty on the horizon. My son and I are driving cross country in July. Come June, Wylie and I can focus on planning our route and points of interest for the trip. I am open to suggestions if anyone out there has any! And after that . . . well, hopefully pipes will stop bursting, but life is bound to go on in its usual exciting manner.
I have enjoyed the planning process but will not miss it. I will miss the “built in” excuse to get together with Tiffany so much. But as for the planning, I am ready to move on and have a wedding already!
Apr 22, 2009
Mom of the Bride - Whirlwind trip to North Carolina
Bridal Party
Everything you'll ever need to know about getting married and planning a wedding in the Washington, DC area.
Mom of the Bride: A Whirlwind Trip to North Carolina
Amanda hits the road with her daughter to get some important things in place.
By Amanda Warrington Published Tuesday, April 21, 2009
With two months to go before their wedding, some brides might be in a panic over not having a vendor for their cake or florist. But in North Carolina, it’s nothing but a thang. No problem, no worry.
We recently went to North Carolina to meet with various vendors and scheduled two appointments for one day and six (that’s right, six) for the following day. While driving down, we came up with a list of questions and expectations for a coordinator, talked about music selections, the seating chart, and any one-off groupings that we wanted the photographer to catch. We were on a whirlwind mission. Our weekend went something like this:
Friday:
6:45 a.m.: “Amanda, get up, Tiffany’s here” my husband shaking me when he hears Tiffy’s race truck rumble to a stop in front of the house. When did she become such an early bird?!
8:00 a.m.: We picked up Debbie, Tiffy’s future mother in law, load up and the three of us head down the road.
12:00 noon: “Hey, we are making good time. Maybe Douglass [cake lady] can meet with us earlier than 4.”
12:02 p.m.: Phone rings – Douglass has had a pipe burst and needs to reschedule for Saturday.
12:04 p.m.: “Hey, maybe our 6:00 appointment can meet with us at 3:00”
3:00 p.m.: We meet with the first of two coordinators we are scheduled with for the weekend.
5:00 p.m.: We arrive at my aunt and uncle’s house in Beaufort where we are spending the night.
Saturday:
7:15 a.m.: “Mom, get up, Aunt Sonda’s making breakfast”
9:00 a.m.: We meet with a cake lady.
10:00 a.m.: We try to meet with a florist but she has forgotten our appointment. Next . . .
11:00 a.m.: We meet with Naomi and Janine and finalize arrangements for them to do the bridal parties hair and make up on the day of the wedding.
12:00 noon: We meet the caterer at the aquarium for a walk through of the space.
2:30 p.m.: Tiffany and Debbie meet with a florist.
3:00 p.m.: I meet with a second coordinator.
4:30 p.m.: We meet with Douglass Ann – the coolest cake lady ever.
7:00 p.m.: We arrive in Chocowinity at my in-laws house where we are spending the night.
I consider the trip a success because we finalized hair and makeup, the cake, and the coordinator. I feel confident that Tiffany will hire the florist she met with. With all of the vendors in place, we just have to focus on the final details.In these weeks leading to the wedding, I realize that my biggest issue is simply this: I can’t believe that my Tiffany is getting married. That she will be a wife. With a husband. It’s just so weird!
Amanda, a local mother of the bride, writes occasionally about helping to plan her daughter's wedding, which will be in the spring. To read about her adventures from the beginning, click here.
As a side note to this blog - for whatever reason, the editor at Washingtonian heavily edited this blog. I thought the edits actually made the blog on Washingtonian not make sense. And the edits certainly change the voice.
Everything you'll ever need to know about getting married and planning a wedding in the Washington, DC area.
Mom of the Bride: A Whirlwind Trip to North Carolina
Amanda hits the road with her daughter to get some important things in place.
By Amanda Warrington Published Tuesday, April 21, 2009
With two months to go before their wedding, some brides might be in a panic over not having a vendor for their cake or florist. But in North Carolina, it’s nothing but a thang. No problem, no worry.
We recently went to North Carolina to meet with various vendors and scheduled two appointments for one day and six (that’s right, six) for the following day. While driving down, we came up with a list of questions and expectations for a coordinator, talked about music selections, the seating chart, and any one-off groupings that we wanted the photographer to catch. We were on a whirlwind mission. Our weekend went something like this:
Friday:
6:45 a.m.: “Amanda, get up, Tiffany’s here” my husband shaking me when he hears Tiffy’s race truck rumble to a stop in front of the house. When did she become such an early bird?!
8:00 a.m.: We picked up Debbie, Tiffy’s future mother in law, load up and the three of us head down the road.
12:00 noon: “Hey, we are making good time. Maybe Douglass [cake lady] can meet with us earlier than 4.”
12:02 p.m.: Phone rings – Douglass has had a pipe burst and needs to reschedule for Saturday.
12:04 p.m.: “Hey, maybe our 6:00 appointment can meet with us at 3:00”
3:00 p.m.: We meet with the first of two coordinators we are scheduled with for the weekend.
5:00 p.m.: We arrive at my aunt and uncle’s house in Beaufort where we are spending the night.
Saturday:
7:15 a.m.: “Mom, get up, Aunt Sonda’s making breakfast”
9:00 a.m.: We meet with a cake lady.
10:00 a.m.: We try to meet with a florist but she has forgotten our appointment. Next . . .
11:00 a.m.: We meet with Naomi and Janine and finalize arrangements for them to do the bridal parties hair and make up on the day of the wedding.
12:00 noon: We meet the caterer at the aquarium for a walk through of the space.
2:30 p.m.: Tiffany and Debbie meet with a florist.
3:00 p.m.: I meet with a second coordinator.
4:30 p.m.: We meet with Douglass Ann – the coolest cake lady ever.
7:00 p.m.: We arrive in Chocowinity at my in-laws house where we are spending the night.
I consider the trip a success because we finalized hair and makeup, the cake, and the coordinator. I feel confident that Tiffany will hire the florist she met with. With all of the vendors in place, we just have to focus on the final details.In these weeks leading to the wedding, I realize that my biggest issue is simply this: I can’t believe that my Tiffany is getting married. That she will be a wife. With a husband. It’s just so weird!
Amanda, a local mother of the bride, writes occasionally about helping to plan her daughter's wedding, which will be in the spring. To read about her adventures from the beginning, click here.
As a side note to this blog - for whatever reason, the editor at Washingtonian heavily edited this blog. I thought the edits actually made the blog on Washingtonian not make sense. And the edits certainly change the voice.
Mar 19, 2009
Mom of the Bride - Cupcakes and Heels
Bridal Party
Everything you'll ever need to know about getting married and planning a wedding in the Washington, DC area.
Mom of the Bride: Cupcakes and Heels
By Amanda Warrington Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009
During the wedding-planning process, there have been a few items that Tiffany has dug in her heels on and not budged. Like what? Cupcakes!
When Tiffany first told me she wanted to have cupcakes instead of a wedding cake, I was surprised. I’d never heard of that before. When I mentioned this cupcake nonsense to friends, they set me straight, telling me that Martha Stewart loves cupcakes, how popular they are, that there are successful bakeries dedicated to cupcakes only, and that they thought it was a great idea.
Cupcakes? For a wedding? Really? I’ve since warmed up to the idea and think it will be wonderful. We can have several flavors with cute toppings, stacked in a tower. It’ll be adorable!
I got Tiffany a cupcake Christmas-tree ornament. I also made her some note cards with a cupcake tower stamped on the front. For her birthday, I got a small cake and cupcakes for the celebration. And I call her “Cupcake” sometimes.
Another thing that’s all the rage for today’s brides are “save the date” announcements. I was on board with this idea from the start. Given that this is a destination wedding, I thought it was important to get information out to guests as soon as possible. Tiffany wanted to get magnets. I resisted the idea at first, but she really wanted them. The feedback from people has been great—everyone loves the magnets!
Speaking of digging in heels, Tiffany doesn’t want to wear heels on the day of the wedding. That’s all right. But she has also mentioned wearing tennis shoes or Crocs. That’s not all right. We still have time to find shoes she’ll be comfortable wearing and that will do the dress justice. But I’ve seen pictures and videos of brides wearing Chuck Taylors or flip-flops with their fancy dresses, and I’m sorry, ladies, but it looks silly.
Having no idea how Tiffany would feel about it, I asked if she planned to do a garter-belt toss at the reception. She said, “No way.” I was relieved that she was firm on this. It’s a tradition I’ve never been fond of—the husband reaching up his wife’s dress and tossing an undergarment to his single buddies? Who thought of that anyway?
But what about the parts of the wedding that Tiffany has very strong feelings about, that I have different very strong feelings about? I know that times are changing, and I need to get with the program. There are a lot of traditions that modern brides are doing away with. So when we have different ideas, I need to remember that it’s Tiffany and Mike’s day.
This reminds me of my very first post, where I described the dress I envisioned for Tiffany and the contrasting idea she had for herself. I’d still put her in a fancy sundress in an open field. But it’s her day—and will be her way. And it’ll be perfect!
Amanda, a local mother of the bride, writes occasionally about helping to plan her daughter's wedding, which will be in the spring. To read about her adventures from the beginning, click here.
Comments
1740’s--the heart of Virginia- Staunton--the groom and bride went to bed. The unmarried went to the end of the bed. The men took balled up socks and tossed them on the grooms head, the one who hit was the next groom, for the bride, the young ladies tossed balled up socks on the brides head, the one who hit her, was the next to marry. I am guessing this has progressed to the awful garter and flower throwing. In those times it was about fun and what they had to work with. No floral shops or silk stockings. I don’t like the tradition, but here is where part of it started. Possibly a Scottish or Irish tradition since that area was founded by such....Sharon Lewis Arnold
Posted by: Lewischild, Mar 26, 2009 09:28:00 AM
Everything you'll ever need to know about getting married and planning a wedding in the Washington, DC area.
Mom of the Bride: Cupcakes and Heels
By Amanda Warrington Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009
During the wedding-planning process, there have been a few items that Tiffany has dug in her heels on and not budged. Like what? Cupcakes!
When Tiffany first told me she wanted to have cupcakes instead of a wedding cake, I was surprised. I’d never heard of that before. When I mentioned this cupcake nonsense to friends, they set me straight, telling me that Martha Stewart loves cupcakes, how popular they are, that there are successful bakeries dedicated to cupcakes only, and that they thought it was a great idea.
Cupcakes? For a wedding? Really? I’ve since warmed up to the idea and think it will be wonderful. We can have several flavors with cute toppings, stacked in a tower. It’ll be adorable!
I got Tiffany a cupcake Christmas-tree ornament. I also made her some note cards with a cupcake tower stamped on the front. For her birthday, I got a small cake and cupcakes for the celebration. And I call her “Cupcake” sometimes.
Another thing that’s all the rage for today’s brides are “save the date” announcements. I was on board with this idea from the start. Given that this is a destination wedding, I thought it was important to get information out to guests as soon as possible. Tiffany wanted to get magnets. I resisted the idea at first, but she really wanted them. The feedback from people has been great—everyone loves the magnets!
Speaking of digging in heels, Tiffany doesn’t want to wear heels on the day of the wedding. That’s all right. But she has also mentioned wearing tennis shoes or Crocs. That’s not all right. We still have time to find shoes she’ll be comfortable wearing and that will do the dress justice. But I’ve seen pictures and videos of brides wearing Chuck Taylors or flip-flops with their fancy dresses, and I’m sorry, ladies, but it looks silly.
Having no idea how Tiffany would feel about it, I asked if she planned to do a garter-belt toss at the reception. She said, “No way.” I was relieved that she was firm on this. It’s a tradition I’ve never been fond of—the husband reaching up his wife’s dress and tossing an undergarment to his single buddies? Who thought of that anyway?
But what about the parts of the wedding that Tiffany has very strong feelings about, that I have different very strong feelings about? I know that times are changing, and I need to get with the program. There are a lot of traditions that modern brides are doing away with. So when we have different ideas, I need to remember that it’s Tiffany and Mike’s day.
This reminds me of my very first post, where I described the dress I envisioned for Tiffany and the contrasting idea she had for herself. I’d still put her in a fancy sundress in an open field. But it’s her day—and will be her way. And it’ll be perfect!
Amanda, a local mother of the bride, writes occasionally about helping to plan her daughter's wedding, which will be in the spring. To read about her adventures from the beginning, click here.
Comments
1740’s--the heart of Virginia- Staunton--the groom and bride went to bed. The unmarried went to the end of the bed. The men took balled up socks and tossed them on the grooms head, the one who hit was the next groom, for the bride, the young ladies tossed balled up socks on the brides head, the one who hit her, was the next to marry. I am guessing this has progressed to the awful garter and flower throwing. In those times it was about fun and what they had to work with. No floral shops or silk stockings. I don’t like the tradition, but here is where part of it started. Possibly a Scottish or Irish tradition since that area was founded by such....Sharon Lewis Arnold
Posted by: Lewischild, Mar 26, 2009 09:28:00 AM
Feb 24, 2009
Mom of the Bride - Three Months to Go
Bridal Party
Everything you'll ever need to know about getting married and planning a wedding in the Washington, DC area.
Mom of the Bride: Three Months to Go
Amanda has three months, one spreadsheet, and a can-do attitude.
By Amanda Warrington Published Monday, February 23, 2009
In three short months, we’ll have a wedding. It’s hard to believe that it’s that close. There’s still plenty to do, but I feel that we’re in pretty good shape. Here’s our timeline for some of the bigger tasks:
• Early March: I’ll go to my mom’s for the weekend, and she and I will address the invitations. (We decided against calligraphy, and Mom and I have been practicing our loopty-loop script.)
• Late March: Tiffany, her future mother-in-law (shout out to Debbie!), and I will make a trip to North Carolina to finalize details with vendors.
• Early April: Mail the invitations.
• Late April: Our friends are throwing Tiffany a shower.
• Early May: Get a final head count.
• Late May: I gain a son!
It all feels very manageable to me. I’ve approached my portion of the planning the way I handle any project—methodically and with extreme organization. I have a spreadsheet with seven tabs in it. These are the tabs:
• To-do: Items are added as quickly as they’re completed and checked off.
• Guests and addresses: It has grown nearly as much as the to-do list.
• Vendor contact information.
• Budget: Budget shmudget!
• Flowers.
• Seating chart.
• Music: Tiffany will have a harpist for the ceremony and appetizer hour and a DJ for dinner and dancing. We’ve asked family and friends to tell us of any sentimental favorites they’d like to hear at the reception.
As long as I keep my spreadsheet updated and keep my contracts and vendor information organizedin my file, my mind is clear. I know what’s on the horizon and can wrap my mind around it.
The to-do page of my spreadsheet designates the person responsible for each item on the list. There has been some shifting of duties as we’ve moved through the process. When I’ve sensed that Tiffany is overwhelmed with too many items, I try to alleviate some of her stress by taking a task or two from her. She has tried to do so much on her own. Planning a wedding definitely takes a village. Fortunately, family and friends are eager to help and be involved.
My sister, Tomme, offered to find us a beach house because we’ll have 15 to 20 people throughout the week. She found the best house ever—and with that detail tied up, I’ve started to get really excited.
With three months to go, I feel things are under control. I’ll let you know how things are when we have two months and one month to go.
Amanda, a local mother of the bride, writes occasionally about helping to plan her daughter's wedding, which will be in the spring. To read about her adventures from the beginning, click here.
Everything you'll ever need to know about getting married and planning a wedding in the Washington, DC area.
Mom of the Bride: Three Months to Go
Amanda has three months, one spreadsheet, and a can-do attitude.
By Amanda Warrington Published Monday, February 23, 2009
In three short months, we’ll have a wedding. It’s hard to believe that it’s that close. There’s still plenty to do, but I feel that we’re in pretty good shape. Here’s our timeline for some of the bigger tasks:
• Early March: I’ll go to my mom’s for the weekend, and she and I will address the invitations. (We decided against calligraphy, and Mom and I have been practicing our loopty-loop script.)
• Late March: Tiffany, her future mother-in-law (shout out to Debbie!), and I will make a trip to North Carolina to finalize details with vendors.
• Early April: Mail the invitations.
• Late April: Our friends are throwing Tiffany a shower.
• Early May: Get a final head count.
• Late May: I gain a son!
It all feels very manageable to me. I’ve approached my portion of the planning the way I handle any project—methodically and with extreme organization. I have a spreadsheet with seven tabs in it. These are the tabs:
• To-do: Items are added as quickly as they’re completed and checked off.
• Guests and addresses: It has grown nearly as much as the to-do list.
• Vendor contact information.
• Budget: Budget shmudget!
• Flowers.
• Seating chart.
• Music: Tiffany will have a harpist for the ceremony and appetizer hour and a DJ for dinner and dancing. We’ve asked family and friends to tell us of any sentimental favorites they’d like to hear at the reception.
As long as I keep my spreadsheet updated and keep my contracts and vendor information organizedin my file, my mind is clear. I know what’s on the horizon and can wrap my mind around it.
The to-do page of my spreadsheet designates the person responsible for each item on the list. There has been some shifting of duties as we’ve moved through the process. When I’ve sensed that Tiffany is overwhelmed with too many items, I try to alleviate some of her stress by taking a task or two from her. She has tried to do so much on her own. Planning a wedding definitely takes a village. Fortunately, family and friends are eager to help and be involved.
My sister, Tomme, offered to find us a beach house because we’ll have 15 to 20 people throughout the week. She found the best house ever—and with that detail tied up, I’ve started to get really excited.
With three months to go, I feel things are under control. I’ll let you know how things are when we have two months and one month to go.
Amanda, a local mother of the bride, writes occasionally about helping to plan her daughter's wedding, which will be in the spring. To read about her adventures from the beginning, click here.
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