Yesterday, Paul and I went to a wedding party -- kind of a reception for a ceremony that happened about 5 months ago. It was lots of fun and low-key. Colleen and Sergio are obviously very happy together, which was nice to see, even though we've seen them quite a few times this.
It was funny how Paul and I turned into celebrities, getting married 6 days from then (5 and counting now). People wanted to know about the wedding, the honeymoon, us. It was all very cute.
But the women, especially, all seemed surprised how calm I am, considering I'm a week away. They all expected me, I think, to be running around frazzled. I honestly don't have a lot to do this week until Thursday when I go shopping for dinner for 10 people. Pick up my dress, have a final catering meeting, that's about it.
I'm not-so-secretly wondering what I'm forgetting, of course... But at this point, I suppose, it'll only be Paul and I that realize we forgot anything if we have. I think we're pretty well set. Thank God for that organization gene I seem to have inherited!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Birthdays
Many of you don't know this, but Paul and I had planned on having quite a big party this year way before we got engaged... See, on Wednesday, my wonderful fiance turns 50 years old. And for exactly one week every year, I can make cradle-robbing jokes to him, as he's 21 years older than I am instead of 20. It's always a good week, but I'm running out of jokes, so if you can think of any, comment and share!
Then, next Wednesday, when we touch down in Paris, I'll turn 30. We just managed to slip that wedding into my 20s, didn't we? It'll be an exhausting, jet-lagged day, but then again, Paul and I won't even see each other on his birthday, as he's keynoting a conference in Colorado this week (I'm so jealous -- I wanna go with him! He's staying at the Broadmoor!). This year, even though they're big birthdays, we have to put off celebrating pretty much both of them. Good thing we have that huge party between them to console each other with!
So don't be surprised, those of you who can attend the wedding, to hear a birthday song in the playlist around cake-cutting time.
Then, next Wednesday, when we touch down in Paris, I'll turn 30. We just managed to slip that wedding into my 20s, didn't we? It'll be an exhausting, jet-lagged day, but then again, Paul and I won't even see each other on his birthday, as he's keynoting a conference in Colorado this week (I'm so jealous -- I wanna go with him! He's staying at the Broadmoor!). This year, even though they're big birthdays, we have to put off celebrating pretty much both of them. Good thing we have that huge party between them to console each other with!
So don't be surprised, those of you who can attend the wedding, to hear a birthday song in the playlist around cake-cutting time.
Weekend o' fun
So the schedule for the weekend is as follows:
Thursday
afternoon/evening -- Mom, Dad and Jannine, Liz, Leigha and her daughter Chloe come to town.
night -- Dinner for 10 at the Big Yellow House (BYH) -- Dana, Mom, Dad, Jannine, Liz, Leigha, Chloe, Maggie, Joe and possibly Mark. Since we're basically having a gourmet rehearsal dinner and wedding and brunch on Sunday, I find it fitting to serve the crew spaghetti and meatballs. :-)
Friday
11:00 a.m. -- The girls (Mom, Jannine, Maggie, Liz, Leigha) and I go for an earlyish lunch at Olive Garden (because I love OG, that's why!).
12:30 p.m. -- The girls and I head to TenSpa to get pampered for a few hours.
3:30 p.m. -- We should be done at the spa, at which point, I head home, get a quick shower to wash off all that luscious oil from my massage.
4:45 p.m. (ish) -- Stop by the Framingham Sheraton (which is where everyone is staying) to pick up Mom and whoever else wants to come and head to the Inn to decorate.
6:00 p.m. -- Everyone else involved in the wedding party/helpers arrive at the Inn for the rehearsal.
7:15 p.m. (ish) -- We all head to Bullfinchs for dinner.
Saturday (aka, the big day)
8:30 a.m. (you read that right) -- Dana, Leigha, Alice pick up Maggie, stops by Sheraton and gather Liz and Corinne and head to Inn, breakfast in tow.
9:00 a.m. -- Get to Inn, Jamie from TenSpa starts on hair.
12:30 p.m. -- Paul and the other guys arrive.
1:15 p.m. -- The guys and Aunt Gene toast downstairs.
1:20/:25 p.m. -- The girls toast upstairs. Julie Spilka (our videographer) is shooting both toasts, so they're offset a bit.
1:30 p.m. -- Guests start arriving.
2:00 p.m. -- The ceremony starts.
2:30 p.m. -- Cocktail hour/pictures.
4:45 p.m. -- Toasts and first dance and Dana/Dad dance.
5:00 p.m. -- Dinner starts.
6:15 p.m. -- Dancing starts.
7:00 p.m. (ish) -- Cake is cut.
8:30 p.m. -- Last dances start.
9:00 p.m. -- Paul and Dana head up to the honeymoon suite...
Sunday
10:30 a.m. -- Paul and Dana arrive at the Sherborn Inn for brunch.
11:00 a.m. -- Others start arriving, brunch is served. All out-of-town wedding guests are invited to this shindig.
1:00 p.m. -- Paul and Dana, Dad and Jannine, Mom, Scott and Liz and Corinne and Aiden, Brett and Sara head to BYH for a quick tour (for Scott and kids and Brett and Sara).
2:00 p.m. -- Gift-opening party with immediate family.
5:00 p.m. -- Paul and Dana start putting on their Parrotheadwear and shortly thereafter head to Foxboro to party with Jimmy Buffett.
Monday
Morning/afternoon -- Paul and Dana and Dad and Jannine go watch the golf tournament for which Dana won tickets.
Evening -- Paul and Dana head to Fenway for a Red Sox/Blue Jays game.
Tuesday
Paul and Dana pack/get ready for honeymoon. Leave in the evening for our honeymoon in France. Sucks to be us, eh?! :-D By the time we're on the plane, we'll be so ready to just veg...
Thursday
afternoon/evening -- Mom, Dad and Jannine, Liz, Leigha and her daughter Chloe come to town.
night -- Dinner for 10 at the Big Yellow House (BYH) -- Dana, Mom, Dad, Jannine, Liz, Leigha, Chloe, Maggie, Joe and possibly Mark. Since we're basically having a gourmet rehearsal dinner and wedding and brunch on Sunday, I find it fitting to serve the crew spaghetti and meatballs. :-)
Friday
11:00 a.m. -- The girls (Mom, Jannine, Maggie, Liz, Leigha) and I go for an earlyish lunch at Olive Garden (because I love OG, that's why!).
12:30 p.m. -- The girls and I head to TenSpa to get pampered for a few hours.
3:30 p.m. -- We should be done at the spa, at which point, I head home, get a quick shower to wash off all that luscious oil from my massage.
4:45 p.m. (ish) -- Stop by the Framingham Sheraton (which is where everyone is staying) to pick up Mom and whoever else wants to come and head to the Inn to decorate.
6:00 p.m. -- Everyone else involved in the wedding party/helpers arrive at the Inn for the rehearsal.
7:15 p.m. (ish) -- We all head to Bullfinchs for dinner.
Saturday (aka, the big day)
8:30 a.m. (you read that right) -- Dana, Leigha, Alice pick up Maggie, stops by Sheraton and gather Liz and Corinne and head to Inn, breakfast in tow.
9:00 a.m. -- Get to Inn, Jamie from TenSpa starts on hair.
12:30 p.m. -- Paul and the other guys arrive.
1:15 p.m. -- The guys and Aunt Gene toast downstairs.
1:20/:25 p.m. -- The girls toast upstairs. Julie Spilka (our videographer) is shooting both toasts, so they're offset a bit.
1:30 p.m. -- Guests start arriving.
2:00 p.m. -- The ceremony starts.
2:30 p.m. -- Cocktail hour/pictures.
4:45 p.m. -- Toasts and first dance and Dana/Dad dance.
5:00 p.m. -- Dinner starts.
6:15 p.m. -- Dancing starts.
7:00 p.m. (ish) -- Cake is cut.
8:30 p.m. -- Last dances start.
9:00 p.m. -- Paul and Dana head up to the honeymoon suite...
Sunday
10:30 a.m. -- Paul and Dana arrive at the Sherborn Inn for brunch.
11:00 a.m. -- Others start arriving, brunch is served. All out-of-town wedding guests are invited to this shindig.
1:00 p.m. -- Paul and Dana, Dad and Jannine, Mom, Scott and Liz and Corinne and Aiden, Brett and Sara head to BYH for a quick tour (for Scott and kids and Brett and Sara).
2:00 p.m. -- Gift-opening party with immediate family.
5:00 p.m. -- Paul and Dana start putting on their Parrotheadwear and shortly thereafter head to Foxboro to party with Jimmy Buffett.
Monday
Morning/afternoon -- Paul and Dana and Dad and Jannine go watch the golf tournament for which Dana won tickets.
Evening -- Paul and Dana head to Fenway for a Red Sox/Blue Jays game.
Tuesday
Paul and Dana pack/get ready for honeymoon. Leave in the evening for our honeymoon in France. Sucks to be us, eh?! :-D By the time we're on the plane, we'll be so ready to just veg...
The big drop off
My "lair" (aka my craft room in the basement) is much emptier now that I brought about a dozen boxes of stuff over to the Inn last Thursday. of course, in true Dana fashion, every box was sealed and labeled with its contents. I even know where the extra super glue is. :-)
There was actually room to walk around in the room now, which is good because I needed a little space to wrap the presents for the wedding party and assorted helpers, which we'll give out on Friday night at the rehearsal dinner.
I know we're getting close when I relinquish the detritus (written with the best of intonations) of the ceremony and reception...
There was actually room to walk around in the room now, which is good because I needed a little space to wrap the presents for the wedding party and assorted helpers, which we'll give out on Friday night at the rehearsal dinner.
I know we're getting close when I relinquish the detritus (written with the best of intonations) of the ceremony and reception...
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Some pix from my lair
I've been in my craft room working and creating... Here are some pix:
Corinne's headpiece:
The program:
And the back:
A table name card:
Corinne's headpiece:
The program:
And the back:
A table name card:
Monday, August 6, 2007
Spa Day
So instead of bar-hopping, I'm choosing to have a spa day with my girls (lunch beforehand, of course) for my "bachlorette party." I think I've talked about this before, but I just went this weekend to reserve all of our appointments. It'll be the girls of the bridal party and the moms. We're going to be spoiled rotten, which is exactly how women should be treated the day before a wedding, IMHO. Manis, pedis, massages, facials, you name it. It's gonna be GREAT! Thanks, TenSpa, for putting up with us!
The task that took our entire engagement
I can honestly say that there has been one task that has taken from the day after we were engaged until, probably, a day or two before the wedding; and that task is music.
We've been listening to albums we haven't listened to in years, we've been ripping what we haven't ripped already (the benefit of which being, of course, that almost our entire music library will now be digital and stored on our server), we've been selecting songs for a few different playlists (cocktail hour, dinner, dancing, plus the shorter events like first dance, father/daughter dance, cake-cutting and last dances), we've been scribbling songs from the radio down on whatever teeny piece of scrap paper we could find so we would remember to download them later, we've been organizing and cutting and reorganizing. It's a monumental task, to be quite serious.
I didn't quite figure on this much work, musically speaking, when we decided that our wedding music would be supplied by our MP3 players. If we were engaged for 2 1/2 years instead of slightly over 7 months, I think this task would take 2 1/2 years. At some point (probably 2 days before the wedding), we will have to just finalize whatever we have ended up with at that point.
The hardest part, of course, is not selecting which music to include, but rather selecting which music from our vast list to NOT include. I've had to cut some pretty great songs because of time. The cocktail hour playlist, for example, is all classic love songs -- crooners and modern-day crooners like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, and, of course, Harry Connick, Jr. We have easily 10 hours of wonderful music that I'd love to be able to play, but cocktail hour is only 2 hours long. Narrowing it down is hard. I have to keep telling myself that it's background music -- everyone will be talking. And just because we don't play it at the wedding doesn't meant we don't ever play it. But the choices are getting more difficult.
Wish me luck!
We've been listening to albums we haven't listened to in years, we've been ripping what we haven't ripped already (the benefit of which being, of course, that almost our entire music library will now be digital and stored on our server), we've been selecting songs for a few different playlists (cocktail hour, dinner, dancing, plus the shorter events like first dance, father/daughter dance, cake-cutting and last dances), we've been scribbling songs from the radio down on whatever teeny piece of scrap paper we could find so we would remember to download them later, we've been organizing and cutting and reorganizing. It's a monumental task, to be quite serious.
I didn't quite figure on this much work, musically speaking, when we decided that our wedding music would be supplied by our MP3 players. If we were engaged for 2 1/2 years instead of slightly over 7 months, I think this task would take 2 1/2 years. At some point (probably 2 days before the wedding), we will have to just finalize whatever we have ended up with at that point.
The hardest part, of course, is not selecting which music to include, but rather selecting which music from our vast list to NOT include. I've had to cut some pretty great songs because of time. The cocktail hour playlist, for example, is all classic love songs -- crooners and modern-day crooners like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, and, of course, Harry Connick, Jr. We have easily 10 hours of wonderful music that I'd love to be able to play, but cocktail hour is only 2 hours long. Narrowing it down is hard. I have to keep telling myself that it's background music -- everyone will be talking. And just because we don't play it at the wedding doesn't meant we don't ever play it. But the choices are getting more difficult.
Wish me luck!
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