I Take This Man...

Ringless Finger

2011-05-22T15:33:00.000-07:00

My left ring finger is empty. It has been this way for the the past 24 hours. No worries. My wedding band and engagement ring are in the shop being sized down from a 7 to a 6. This is what losing 40 pounds will do to your fingers. The jeweler said it should be ready by Tuesday or Wednesday. It just feels so weird to have nothing on my finger that's been adorned for nearly three years (this includes the engagement). Every time I leave the house I find myself looking down at my finger...missing the outward symbol of my commitment to Mr. A. I feel like people think I'm just a single gal, and I don't want people to think that. I love being married, and to me my wedding ring is a symbol of that to the world. I thought about buying a temporary ring from JCPenney's or Kohl's but decided not too. I want my rings, so I guess I'll be ringless for the next couple of days.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

2011-03-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

I am so sick & tired of people asking me if we're pregnant and/or when we're going to have a baby. I love my father-in-law, but if he asks me one more time when we're going to have a baby (as if he does not have any other grandchildren) I may scream. I'm tired of two people at my job telling me that as soon as I lose all the weight I want (currently on Kanye's workout plan and I'm down 27 lbs since Jan 3rd), I'm going to get pregnant. SHUT UP!!! Why is it that Jennifer Hudson can lose 80 lbs and not get pregnant afterwards, but I'm going to get pregnant as soon as I reach my ideal weight??? WTHeezy?????????????? I even had a co-workers daughter who just had a baby in December tell me that I should just go ahead and have a baby now because I'll lose the weight after the baby like she did (she lost 30 lbs that she didn't gain while pregnant-without trying-post delivery).

Mr. A and I would like to have a child or two (twins????) in the future. We are not planning to have any kids right now. If we become pregnant anytime soon so be it but it will not be because we were trying.

What a Man Wants?

2011-01-29T06:33:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I was listening to Michael Baisden's afternoon radio show and the topic was the things a man needs from his woman. His list included four things: support, sex, food, and silence. I laughed because this is very similar to what I believe a man wants from his woman as well. However, I am only going to address two of the four: silence & support.

SILENCE: Silence does not mean that as the wife you have no voice in the relationship or the running of the house. It is actually quite the contrary. Silence means not greeting your husband with a full recap of your day, decorating ideas, weekend plans with the kids, vacation ideas, and so forth as soon as he comes in the house. What I have learned from Mr. A is that it takes a short time period after walking in the door for him to unwind. His brain and body need to rest before he can process all that I have to say. I give him that time. I don't bombard my husband with the millions of things running through my mind (the one that is always going a million miles a minute) as soon as he gets home from work. A hug & a kiss will do until he has finished deprogramming.

Silence is also important when it comes to support. Sometimes a man will present an idea to his woman and it will make absolutely no sense at all (this is because men are special). It is not a good idea to shoot the idea down by saying "that's stupid" or something of the sort. Even though these are the thoughts that may go through a woman's mind. Silence is important because it gives the man time to really think through his "grand idea" and possibly forget about it in time. It also give a woman time to think of a clever way to pull the man in the right direction without being the rooftop woman.

SUPPORT: Ever heard the saying or song "Stand by Your Man"? Out of all the things Michael Baisden mentioned, I think that support is the most important. When God created Eve from Adam's rib, he designed her as a help meet ("And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." -Genesis 2:18) for Adam. She was designed to help or support Adam. I always took it as the woman being a vehicle God created to HELP her mate MEET his full potential.

Q: How do I support Mr. A?

A: Two weeks ago Mr. A turned in his letter of resignation to the place where he had been employed for three years. Why do you ask? Mr. A has always been an entreprenuer. In his first career he was a cosmetologist--this he did right out of high school for many years. And now if I need a press or curl, he can make me and his girls look fabulous :) After he left the business of beauty he learned and mastered a trade. He worked with a little Ukranian man who taught him how to fabricate and restore natural stone. This means that Mr. A can fabricate a slab of granite into a countertop, table, vanity, fireplace hearth, cheese board, tray, pretty much anything you want it to be. He can also restore marble to its original beauty. When I met Mr. A he worked in the stone business as a contractor for various mainstream companies. But when the housing market plummeted here in Michigan, he found job security in the job he just resigned from. However, during those three grueling years of working the afternoon shift as a supervisor of crazy people, he still did his work on the side. Now, Mr. A is throwing himself into his business full time. He has a business partner; they have a building in metro Detroit, and they have been networking and working to attain clients for their business.

When Mr. A sat down with me to talk about leaving his employer and going back into his business full-time, I didn't say "oh, no" you shouldn't do that or ask him "are you sure?" No, I supported him and I told him this. I presented ideas on how to make this business the most successful. I presented him with ideas on how to organize the shop and make the time he and his partner work the most efficient. Everything that I could think of that would HELP this business be the most successful, I shared with Mr. A. I didn't doubt his ability to be an entreprenuer. I don't doubt his business mind. My job is to HELP him in making this business MEET its full potential. I have no problem doing this.

Sidenote: Sometimes women do support their man in the wrong ways too. Look at Bonnie & Clyde. She was so enthralled with him that she helped him on his crime spreee. The women of Charles Manson's flock helped him as he tried to create a race war with his Helter Skelter killings. Think about all of the women who find themselves helping their mates by smuggling drugs or committing other crimes.

A Fireproofed Marriage

2011-01-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

So I watched the movie Fireproof

with Kirk Cameron this past week. It's a movie about having a strong, fireproof marriage with Christ as the foundation. The message of the movie was great. The acting and storyline were mediocre at best. However, there are some key points that the movie should remind all of those of us who are married and believe that we're in this relationship "til death do us part."

One, marriage is work. When two people get together everything is not going to always be hunky doorey. Two people come together with their different personalities and upbringings (which I believe should not be too different, but that's another topic) to form one union. Therefore, it is inevitable that at some point the two individuals will bump heads about something. However, just like a job, we two individuals have to put in the time & effort to sustain the marriage.

Secondly, in putting in the time & effort there may come times in which both parties are not working equally. This was evident in the movie with Kirk Cameron's character. He was the one who did not give up on the relationship with his wife, and it was his consistent persistency that brought them back together. When Teddy Pendagrass sang "When Somebody Loves You Back," he talked about 50/50 love. Well, sometimes in a marriage it's not always 50/50 or better yet 100/100. Sometimes you have 80/20, 40/60, or 70/30. The question that the film posed is what do you do when the going gets rough, and you're working harder than your spouse. Do you give up on your vows or do you take your spouse for better or for worse and work harder?

Happy Anniversary!

2010-11-27T05:27:00.001-08:00

On November 27, 2010, I celeberated the first of many more wonderful years to come with the most wonderful husband a girl could ask for!

For our anniversary we spent the night in the most wonderful city in the State of Michigan: ANN ARBOR. For all of those who know, it is the home of one of the most elite, public universities in the nation The University of Michigan. Anywho, we checked into the hotel, exchanged gifts, and perused the mall. Traditionally, the first year anniversary gift is paper, and the modern gift is a clock. I got Mr. A an engraved business card holder and he got me a new watch. It's funny because I'm the more traditional out of the two of us. After our time walking around Briarwood Mall, we headed back to the hotel to get spiffy for dinner at the Gandy Dancer is an exquisite restaurant that is set in Ann Arbor's old train station (photo below). It was there that we enjoyed three courses of fantastic food:

Appetizers:

Mr. A: Lobster Bisque

Me: Charleys Chowder

Entree:

Mr. A: Crab Stuffed Shrimp

Me: Salmon Rockefeller--soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!

Dessert:

Photo Courtesy of OpenTable.com

Carmel Apple Bread Pudding A la Mode-I really wanted to devour the whole thing, but I couldn't. Mr. A didn't have any because he didn't think this would have set well with the beer he'd drank.

During our meal we even saw the train whiz by us. The evening was perfect, and I must say we looked rather fab. Too bad we forgot to have our waiter take a picture of us. That's what happens when you're consumed with good food, wonderful company *wink*, and cocktails.

Oh Give Thanks!

2010-11-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are celebrating our first Thanksgiving as husband and wife, and guess what? I'm cooking. As I type this message, my 11.5 pound young turkey (do people really buy old turkeys?) is finishing up in the oven along with the quarter ham that I glazed! I cannot believe that I'm really cooking a holiday feast. The funny thing is that Mr. A has to work today (he works at one of those places that NEVER close), and I'm headed over to my aunt's house once the turkey and ham are done.
MENU:
Turkey-I followed Emeril's Brined, Herb Turkey recipe
Ham~ I bought a quarter ham from the grocery store and glazed it. I didn't have all of the necessary ingredients for the various glazes I found online, so I called Mom and she helped me figure something out with what I already had in my pantry: fresh pineapple, brown sugar, orange juice, cayenne pepper (to cut the sweetness), honey, mustard, and cinammon. The consistency was not as thick as I would have liked it, but it turned out to be pretty decent.
Green Bean Casserole
Hashbrown Casserole
~Instead of the crushed corn flakes, I crushed the leftover fried onions from the Green Bean Casserole. I also added the world's best food EVER...BACON :)

I opted out of making macaroni and cheese for a few reasons: time-consuming & too many ingredients. However, when I do make mac & cheese, I use Patti Labelle's recipe.

Next year I may add dressing and a sweet potato dish to the menu. I may even have people over to my house...I don't know about that. Being the hostess with the mostest would make me GROWN for real!

Desserts:
Peach Pie~ My mom gave me a small collection of recipes when I first went to college. This was one of them. I'm not really sure where she thought I'd be whipping up baked goods in the dormitory, but I'm glad she gave me this recipe. It is such a delicious, quick & easy sweet treat.

Toffee Brownies~I got this recipe from Paula Deen, and they are so amazingly delicious & easy!

Pics coming soon

P.S.~ Mr. A was off yesterday and will be off tomorrow through Sunday for our anniversary!

Almost one year later

2010-10-12T19:01:00.001-07:00

Well, it seems that I have neglected this blog over the last eleven months. We have been super busy with life and all that comes with it.

No, we are not pregnant yet nor are we trying to get pregnant. My father-in-law asks me if I'm pregnant every time I see him. Yes, I understand that Mr. A and I have been together for a while, but we have only been married for a little less than a year. We plan to begin trying next year; if we become pregnant before then, it will definitely be the plan of God.

House Hunters Detroit-
OMG! We have looked at soooooooooooooooooooo many houses in the city of Detroit over the last year and a half. We even put offers on three of those houses. All of the homes were either short sales or foreclosures. The last house we put an offer on was fantastic, but the closing costs were exuberant (nearly 20% of the purchase price), so we had to let it go! Currently we're waiting to see how things pan out with our current living situation; the landlord is toying with the notion of short selling the property. This is the only way we'll buy the home, so time will tell.
People think we're nuts for wanting to stay in the city of Detroit, but the qualities we want in a home we can get for an uber low price in the city. Plus, Detroit is a very neutral location for both of our jobs. I was concerned about schools, but in this current market there are so many good deals that a very low mortgage would afford us the opportunity to send our FUTURE offspring to private school.

Kiddies-As you know, when I married Mr. A. I became a mom without having to go through my own labor pains. This doesn't mean that there's no pain in step-parenting, but I'll consider them to be growing pains because I learn a lot about myself through my interactions with the girls.

The oldest moved in with us this summer when she came home from school. It's been an experience...that's all I really have to say about that.

The middle daughter has just received her drivers' license and a car. It's good to know that child support is going towards more than her mother's car note and shopping expenses.

The youngest daughter is growing up before our very eyes. She's just reached her teen years. She hasn't begun to smell herself yet, but it's clear that those years are not far behind.

I'll try to keep this blog updated; let's see if I post before our anniversary!

the Wedding

2010-01-03T13:47:00.001-08:00

The wedding was beautiful despite a couple of glitches that we both are able to laugh at now.

First, the wedding ceremony was interrupted at the exact moment when the minister asked "if there are any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace." Heads turned towards the back of the sanctuary where the culprit sat. Me without my glasses on could not clearly see who the woman was; all I could do was pray that it was not Mr. A's ex-wife. It was not. The church where we were married serves food to the less fortunate during the week, and the woman with the red knit hat was clearly a frequent recipient of this outreach service. She did not object to the joining of Mr. A and I as man and wife; she just wanted us and our guest to know that she had never been to a wedding before and that she was from Ohio. My brother who could be a linebacker in the NFL was ready to step out of his place as a groomsman to take care of the woman. However, the ushers, hostesses and church security guard handled the situation.

The second blooper of the wedding occurred when the minister announced us as husband and wife. Instead of announcing Mr. A and myself; he announced Mr. A's brother and I. I guess the whole situation with the lady in red through everyone off.

He actually laughed at both the day of the wedding; it took me a week to see the humor in both situations. It took me a week to laugh!

Lesson for brides to be: There is no such thing as a perfect wedding. As long as you and your fiance are husband and wife at the end of the day, nothing else matters (cue the Lauryn Hill and D'Angelo).

Newlyweds

2010-01-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

I am now Mrs. A and loving it. Mr. A and I have been married a little over one month now, and it's great! Being married makes me feel very tough. Knowing that I have someone who's 100% in my corner provides a girl with a strong sense of security because I'm Mr. A's wife. I feel like I can tell any and everyone to kiss my converse because of this. Cohabitating, even though we were totally committed to one another, did not provide this sense of security. I guess it has a lot to do with the spiritual and legal convenant that we are in with one another.

Now that we're married, we are honeymooning *wink* and thinking about what the future will hold. We are currently in search of a home of our own. At the present moment, we rent the house that I grew up in and for a while had considered purchasing it. However, the neighborhood is not what it used to be and this is not where we see ourselves raising children (or a child). Hopefully in the next month or so we will make some final decisions about our future dwelling space. Even though there are a lot of homes on the market, dealing with the banks as opposed to a homeowner is a HOT MESS! I'll definitely keep you posted on what happens with our house hunt.

Just so you know, our honeymooning does not include trying for a little A to add to the family. Even though we have names picked out, talk about college savings plans, and look at nursery pictures (okay, that's just me) we are waiting a year before we travel that road together. I say together because Mr. A has children (12, 15, and 20), but step-parenting children who do not live in the same household is different from parenting a child under the same roof.

Lesson: Newlyweds should enjoy each other before they embark on the journey of parenthood

I's Married Now!

2009-12-04T07:23:00.001-08:00

We did it!

Here Comes the Bride

2009-11-15T17:16:00.001-08:00

The song that I will come down the aisle to is not the traditional bridal march or the famous Pachelbel's Canon in D. The song that my father will give me away on is more beautiful than either of those to me. Enjoy

2009-11-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

Mr. A and I do not have any honeymoon plans as of yet. We wil probably go somewhere warm during my Winter or Spring Break. However we will be front row the next night at the Teena Marie & Charlie Wilson concert!

Bridesmaid Dresses-the Remix

2009-11-15T16:22:00.000-08:00

The colors for the wedding took a slight turn after my mom and I selected the linens. The color scheme that I originally had in mind was ivory and a plum/magenta color. The linens we selected were more of a burgundy color, so we changed the colors to burgundy and ivory. As a result the dresses had to be changed too.

My Matron of Honor and one of my bridesmaids (Mr. A's oldest daughter) will wear this dress from David's Bridal:

My other bridesmaid, Mr. A's middle daughter, will wear this dress. It is also from David's Bridal:

12 days and counting...

2009-11-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

There is so much going on in my life right now that I just want to scream!

The wedding is less than two weeks away, and I'm overwhelmed with emotion! Here's why:

My dear MOH, my cousin, called me about a month ago to say she wouldn't be able to be in the wedding. Then she wasn't even sure if she would be able to attend. She lives in out of state and didn't have the money for the ticket or dress. Ummmmmmmmmmmm, how long have you known about my wedding? Thankfully, my sister-in-law (step-brother's wife) has stepped in to save the day. Fortunately my cousin has gotten her plane ticket; ate least she will be in attendance.
Mr. A's youngest daughter's were going to be in the wedding, but their re-married mother and her drama decided they could not attend the wedding. Now the girls are back in the wedding because their crazy mother came to her senses just five weeks before the wedding. Hopefully, she won't change her mind because we've already ordered their dresses.
I feel like an oompaloompa! Kanye's workout plan was a flop
People do not have the common courtesy to RSVP either way even though the response card had a space for those who would and those who would not attend. At least make use of the stamp on the response card! GEESH!
People who did not RSVP were called, emailed, or sent a text message. Those people who still did not respond can KISS MY GRITS! And please do not just show up because you will be not be allowed in!

Other than that things are starting to come along...

~the soon to be Mrs.

Bridezilla in 1...2...3....

2009-09-27T08:28:00.001-07:00

Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge!!!

1) Remember the excitement from my last wedding update? Well, it is gone at this moment. Why do you ask? Well, it seems that the public official that is a member of an organization to which my dad is a member will not be able to perform our wedding ceremony! He was going to do it for free, and it was going to be fantastic! Well, I now know why he was willing to perform the ceremony free of charge and why he will no longer be able to serve as officiant. It seems the Mayor of Ecorse has been INDICTED of fraud, bribery, and conspiracy. Clearly, he didn't need our money since he's been stealing it from others throughout his stint as mayor. However, his alleged wrongdoings have now left me without an officiant. Check out the article below:

The News Herald: Breaking news coverage for Southgate, MI

Posted using ShareThis

2) Mr. A is clearly working my nerves right now because he doesn't think I should be concerned about registering for gifts. He wants money--money is great ;) However, there are some people who much rather prefer to buy gifts than give cash. Plus, there are some things that I want/we need, and it doesn't make sense not to register for them in hopes of getting $$$ just to spend the $$$ on those necessities.

3) Bridal shower: the tentative date is 10/24...one month away. I need to send out invitations, but if the location has yet to be determined [DRAMA] how can I send them out?

4) Riesling...

Forward Progress :)

2009-09-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've blogged, so let me give you the rundown on what's happened since our last meeting.

Mr. A an I have decided on a church for the ceremony. Thank God. The cost of the church is only $150 without the use of clergy. Since my dad is a member of the Lion's Club, he has called upon his fellow member to be the officiant for our wedding ceremony. This gentleman is the mayor of a nearby town. It seems that a public official can legally conduct the wedding ceremony if the county of the ceremony an the officials public service are one in the same. This is the case. The last that I checked this gentleman said he would perform the service free of charge (that equals dinner and drinks at the reception) as long as his schedule is clear. What are you really doing the day after Thanksgiving? Prayerfully nothing.

Yesterday, Mr. A and I selected his wedding band. It is currently in the lay-a-way.

What we need to do within the next week or two is register. I could probably do this by myself (and I may if Mr. A keeps procrastinating). However, I would like to have him involved in the process even though when I told him we needed to register, he said "for what? Stuff like candles?" Umm, not quite candles dear....

I'm supposed to be on Kanye's Workout Plan, but since school started last week and I'm back to school myself I have not been on a strict schedule. I'm thinking about getting a trainer within the next week or so. I like being on a schedule; it helps me focus.

Centerpiece Breakthrough

2009-08-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

When we first began planning the wedding, it was my idea to use the florist for all of the floral arrangements: bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and centerpieces. However, after visiting two florists we decided that we could cut an expense by making the centerpieces ourselves. I had plenty of photographs of the type of centerpiece that I like, so why not be a DIY kid and save money. The prices we'd been quoted for centerpieces ranged from $40-70 depending on the size and number of flowers. With about 19 tables in needed of a center attraction and the other floral arrangements, there had to be another way!

Over the past week or so, I'd been secretly thinking about saying forget it and allowing the selected florist to do everything. I just didn't have the gumption of organizing all of the centerpieces and their parts, coming up with a system on how they're going to be set-up (candles lit, vases filled with water), and what's going to happen to 19 centerpieces at the end of the night? Plus, after going back and forth to various craft stores to price vases I was tired. I didn't know what I was going to do. But since my mom has already purchased the flowers for the centerpieces, there was no turning back to the florist! So we had to work out the issues that were probably only issues in my mind!

Problems solved:
Centerpieces will be given away at the end of the night. To whom and how...don't know yet.
Vases can be filled with water when the room is being set-up (i.e. linens, favors, etc)
Candle lighting...leaving that to the coordinator. She can figure that out :)
Vases: The vases at the "discount" store are about $28 before the 50% discount for members.
Yes, my mom is a member! At Michael's the same vase is $14.99, and in this week's
sales paper there was a 40% coupon for one item. Well, guess who went and picked up a
20" square vase for $9.53...if you guessed this bride-to-be, you're correct!

Since we already had the flowers and I was able to pick-up the rocks from the dollar store, I was able to put together 75% of the centerpiece. The only things missing are the water and floating candle (yet to be purchased, but they are only $1). The flower is a silk orchid.
Let me know what you think!

Cost from the florist: $70

DIY cost: $15-19 depending on whether or not I have a coupon to use at Michael's

The savings will be so worth the time! We refuse to have any wedding bills after the wedding!!

Four Months to Go...

2009-08-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's been ages since I've blogged, and I apologize. Hopefully, there won't be another hiatus like the last one. Anywho, the wedding plans are coming along...here's what we can check (or almost check) off the to do list:

PHOTOGRAPHER:We've met with two photoraphers and we have basically decided to go with my hair dresser's husband. Even though he lacks personality, his pictures are beautiful and he offers the most bang for the buck.

FLORIST: My wedding coordinator (Mr. A's sister) and I met with a florist abut a week or so ago. Comparing his rates to the other two quotes my mom and I received, this is our best bet: Say It With Flowers in Allen Park, MI. Since we are creating our own centerpieces, the floral arrangements will be for the bridal party and the ceremony. Which leads me to the next item on the list...

CENTERPIECES: Mom and I have all of the flowers for the guest tables-the sweetheart table amd place card table centerpieces are still up in the air. Today we went to the craft store to price the floating candles, vases, and rocks/ice crystals for the centerpieces. Once we purchase the rest of the materials, I'll post a pic for you all to see :)

LINENS: done! So glad because I probably would have changed my colors 99 more times...we went to three different vendors, and the best bang for our buck-chair covers, sashes, and table cloths-was a vendor the caterer recommended :)
My mom and I are pleased with the services. My dad on the other hand doesn't know why we need chair covers. He said he's never heard anyone say "those were some nice chair covers"...MEN!!

RECEPTION VENUE: St Clemente Banquet Center-you can GOOGLE it. We still want to have the ceremony here, but my dad is on a 007 mission to fund a church...

As you can see, things are progressing. The closer the date gets, the more excited I become!

-the soon to be Misses :)

Bridesmaids' Dresses

2009-05-28T17:53:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my dear friend, the bridesmaid dresses have been decided upon. My fiance's sister was going to design them-she's a seamstress-but my maid of honor lives across the country, and having her fly back and forth for fitting was not feasible. She should be able to find this dress in a bridal salon in her area and then order it online (cheaper).

This dress was selected after a few beverages of the adult nature and some Coney Island-definitely not bridal bootcamp food. I was not in agreement with the color palette Mr. A. had selected (fuschia & purple), so my dear friend, her mom, and I went on a quest to come up with the wedding colors. This is the color we decided upon. The color that will compliment this lovely plum/magenta is silver.

Two of my local bridesmaids, a.k.a. my future stepdaughters, will be

able to order online. Unfortunately, my junior bridesmaid (future stepdaughter #3...dear fiance is a tad bit older than I and divorced) will have her dress made by my future sister-in-law. The plan is to get a swatch of the actual bridesmaid dresses and head to the fabric store.

My Dress

2009-04-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited. My mom and I went to our second bridal salon today, and I found my dress. I was under the impression that I liked dresses that were more poofy at the bottom with a lot of "pick-ups." However, after trying on several of those types of gowns today I realized that looking like Scarlet O'Hara is not for me. The final gown the young lady at the bridal shop brought to me was absolutely perfect! I fell in love instantly. Here's a pic:

the Ugly...

2009-04-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

We're still without a ceremony site for the wedding. I know that I said Mr. A and I had made up our minds about having everything in one place, but now I'm not so sure. Friday my mom emailed the catering company (they operate the banquet hall we're using for the reception) about options for having the ceremony & reception together. In a quick reply, we were informed of our options:

We can use the chairs that will be at the tables and pay a set-up/break down fee Concerns: This option suggests that when the guests arrive the table area will look barren because all of the chairs will be on the dance floor. This option would incur additional costs because we would have to pay for the ceremony area to be draped off, so that when guests enter, they don't see the "reception" area.
We can rent chairs for $2.25 each--this includes a color sash to coordinate with the wedding colors. Concerns:

Is there anything I really need to say besides this is a H.A.M!!!!

Oh, the chair is available in white, but come on now...

Ceremony Blues

2009-04-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

When Mr. A and I really got into the wedding planning process, we thought it would be nice to have the ceremony at my grandmother's church. This is where she married my grandfather, and this is also where my mom and stepdad exchanged vows. We called the church, and we will not say "I Do" there or any other church we've called. Why? I'm glad you asked. My grandmother's church requires $1300 for non-members and get this $700 for members. For what? It takes fifteen to twenty minutes for the actual ceremony. My parents made a donation of $100 for their wedding at this same church. The church secretary mentioned an additional fee for sound--the music for the processional will be on CD, so what sound need is there? Is it for the microphones? Of course we crossed this AME church off of our list.

I called the church where I'm a member, but they don't have the date available because they church is closed the day after Thanksgiving...blah. My mom's church...$900

The church we've been visiting wants $850 and six months of counseling...six months. Ha! And if you receive counseling elsewhere, getting married at the church is at the pastor's discretion.

Mr. A and I have decided that we can have the ceremony at the reception site. Chairs can be set up on the dance floor, and we can have a small cocktail/hors d'oeuvres hour in the lobby & bar area. Mom has not accepted this, so we're going to visit my cousin's church on Sunday...

Nuptials-Here or There?

2009-04-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Before I was ever dating seriously, I planned my wedding. I was going to take the plunge on the beach in Jamaica. I would be barefoot. It would be a very intimate affair with our parents and a few close friends. It would be the perfect weddingmoon. That was my plan. Notice the emphasis on that possessive pronoun.

When Mr. A. and I got engaged, we talked about going to Vegas and getting married. We weren't going to do the Elvis wedding or even a themed event. We did our research, and thanks to one of my colleagues, we found the perfect wedding chapel. It was cute and more importantly it was cost effective. In Vegas we would still be able to have our intimate wedding (twenty or so guests) and a mini-honeymoon all wrapped in one. And we'd would have a small reception at one of the many fabulous restaurants the city has to offer. It was going to be perfect. Did you notice that past tense verb?

Dear old dad put his foot down and nixed our Vegas wedding plans. FOB (father of the bride) didn't think we would really be saving any money since we'd have to pay for accommodations, airfare, food, etc. There would be people who we would want to be there who wouldn't be able to attend (i.e. grandparents and siblings with newborns). So when all was said and done (and because mom and dad are footing the reception bill), the wedding will be here in metro Detroit where carefree planning is non-existent.

~Ciao!

The Proposal

2009-04-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

After dating for three years, Mr. A and I found ourselves in Toronto for one last summer getaway before I had to go back to work. It was a retreat during Labor Day weekend. We stayed at the beautiful Sheraton Centre Hotel, and upon our arrival Mr. A kept talking about how we had to take a picture by the waterfall. The hotel courtyard is the home of a glorious waterfall. Being none the wiser, I said of course we should take a picture by something so lovely.

It was on our second night across the border, and we got dressed to go out to dinner to a fabulous place called Joe Mamas. There's live music, and the food is amazing. You can probably tell that we enjoy music with our meals. Anyway, I digress. Before we ventured to our reservation, Mr. A found another hotel guest to take our picture by the waterfall. Sure, why not? We were looking quite cute. The lady took the picture (which I don't like because I think I'm looking a little oompaloompaish), and she went on her merry way. And that's when it happened. Mr. A started rattling off something about being together forever, and he pulled out the ring from his pocket. I clearly don't remember anything after his spiel, but I know I didn't cry.

I must have said "yes" because here we are with a little over seven months left to our big day.

The Hook-up

2009-04-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

People always wonder where they'll meet the love of their life. Will it be at the club or the grocery store? The library or the PTA meeting? A sporting event or on the web? I am a firm believer, that you can meet your soulmate any and everywhere. There's no place where cupid's arrow does not reach. I was struck at a nightclub.

My fiance (whom I'll refer to on this site as Mr. A.) and I met on Saturday, October 8, 2005 at Yesterday's Night Club at the birthday party of two of my friends. Now, when I first saw him I thought he was quite handsome, but I also thought he was the beau of another co-worker
:-( However, after a little investigation, I learned that the handsome man was actually her brother! Lucky for me. After a couple of drinks and that club small talk, we danced the night away and eventually exchanged numbers. I was quite interested in getting to know Mr. A more, or at least adding him to my roster. [For those who do not know, most single women and men keep a few membbers of the opposite sex on rotation. Don't ever think when you meet someone of the opposite sex that they've been sitting at home alone waiting for you!]

Well on the other side of the club there was another gentleman (I'll refer to him as Mr. X because he remains the unknown). At this time I was only 25, and my playette card was still very active. Mr. X and I danced after Mr. A retired for the evening. Mr. X got my number too!

Both of my suitors called me. Mr. A called the next morning, and Mr. X called two days later. My now fiance and I set up our first date for the following Wednesday, and Mr. X and I were supposed to meet at a local sports bar that Tuesday. Well, Mr. X stood me up...I guess that wasn't meant to be.

Wednesday, October 12th I was scooped up by Mr. A and taken to the oldest jazz club in the country-Baker's Keyboard Lounge. Our night was filled with great food, great music, and great conversation. The evening was perfect. When Mr. A dropped me off at home, I had a feeling that my player card would soon expire.