When The Man's Away...

Mr. Honey and I have been fortunate in our relationship that we haven't had to spend many nights apart from each other, much less endure a long distance relationship. While it hardly compares to being in a LDR, I'm currently alone for sixteen long nights while Mr. Honey kayaks with four of his friends in the jungles of Ecuador. This is by far the longest we've spent apart, and while he doesn't have phone service he thankfully emails me daily with updates; usually starting with "I'm Alive", which is appropriate considering the dangerous nature of his adventure.
This is not the purpose of the post, though, for me to whine about being alone. I don't know if it's the fact that I've been alone (aside from my amazing girlfriends who call regularly to see if I need a beer, wine or dinner - or all of the above) but I've managed to become extremely motivated with wedding tasks. It's not that Mr. Honey doesn't want to help contribute or even purposely distracts me from wedding stuff, it's more that when he's chillaxin' on the couch next to me I'd rather chat with him than be sitting in my craft room by myself.
I tend to do things better by myself anyway; like cleaning the house. I'd rather him be gone the whole entire day then to be there getting in my way trying to help vacuum or dust. I have a routine and an end goal in mind, and sometimes it's just easier to do it my way. Control freak? A little bit.
I was reveling in how much I had gotten done in a short few days, and I started to think that how just two weeks prior I had a minor meltdown. I panicked about food, I worried about my mom's dress, I couldn't find a necklace or cardigans and I definitely couldn't imagine seeing the final product that is our invitations. There's just.so.much. Yet here I am, with each of those things checked off the list and feeling rather accomplished. It's easy to get caught up in everything we have to get done, but somehow, someway, things do in fact get done. And, go figure it's usually when you aren't having a bridal meltdown that things happen. It was hard for me to see it all coming together, finishing little pesky tasks, and I had a hard time believing other bees/brides when they would say "It will all come together". Well, here's another bride stating that it does.
In case you missed my hint above, here's a little teaser of something I've been working very diligently on:

That's right, the Honey invites are very near completion and will be getting mailed out next.week! I can't wait to share them, along with everything else I've been crafting/buying/finishing, with you.

Was there a moment when it felt like everything started falling into place? Did it take your significant other leaving to get some things accomplished?

Tactless

People loose all tact when it comes to anything wedding related. From the acquaintance who expects an invite to the relative who thinks they should decide how your dream day should be. It always astonishes me, how people forget to filter what comes out of their mouth when speaking to a bride-to-be.
I've had to handle the "Am I invited?" question more than I thought possible. It's always awkward; there isn't an easy way to break it to someone, that "No, you are not" and what I'm best at is avoidance. They can probably tell they aren't invited when I quickly look away or find an excuse to step away from the conversation; avoidance at it's best. I find it hilarious that some people think they would be invited but at the same time it's appalling that someone would even ask that question. I guess it could be taken as a form of flattery, that everyone and their mom really wants to attend your wedding. Nah, it's still what I deem as tactless.
In the last few month's, I suppose as the wedding is getting closer, I have had what I consider to be the worst of tactless acts. After running into an old friend (who was sitting with someone I didn't know) and catching up for a minute the conversation suddenly turned into this:
"When is your wedding again?"
"It's in January!"
"Thanks for inviting me..." followed by a brief silent moment "Good luck with marriage, not that it lasts anyway."
"Gee, thanks."
"Well, hey we are both divorced, so we speak from experience"
At this point, I quickly wrapped up the small talk and returned to my table where I vented to my recently married friend, who also experienced this in the month's leading up to her wedding.

Okay, so the two were a bit cynical. Their wives left them and now they are lonely, single men in their late 30's living in a small town with an even smaller pool of women. I'm sorry that's how your cookie crumbled, but clearly I'm entering into this marriage with full faith that it will in fact last. And, thanks for being Donny Downer while I'm basking in my "I'm about to be married!" state of mind. Your opinion is certainly not going to change my mind about marriage and the commitment that accompanies it.
I thought (and hoped) this would be the only time I encountered such poor taste of opinion. Unfortunately, it was not. It happened the weekend of my bachelorette party, where it doesn't get any more obvious that a girl is really stinkin' excited to be getting married. The bride-to-be sash, the flashing weenies, the penis straws? That isn't normal weekend accessories, I'm very publicly celebrating my upcoming nuptials. As I stood outside with BM Hogan, a stranger approached us, a young male in an over-sized yellow shirt, and stated something sarcastically along the lines of "Good luck with that, it's never gonna work.", turned around and walked away. I remember yelling something at him about his poor choice of clothing, something like "Screw you and your stupid-huge yellow shirt!", which was definitely influenced by the two or twelve drinks that I had consumed throughout the evening. I'm sure me calling him out on his ridiculous attire didn't phase him, as he continued to strut up the street. And his tactless opinion didn't phase me, because again, I'm not changing my view on marriage based on his drunken statement.
It's sad that people are so jaded about marriage, and even more sad that they feel the need to rain on the parade of a bride-to-be. The silver-lining to the negative opinions is that my man doesn't feel this way. He does believe in marriage and the commitment. He does have faith, like me, that it will work.  When the Nay-Sayer's throw around their unwelcome opinions and speak without tact, I will be thankful that I found Mr. Honey who is ready to be my husband.

Have you been on the receiving end of a snarky opinion? What opinions/remarks/advice do you find to be tactless?

A Mini Honey

No, no, no I'm not announcing that I'm preggers. Nope, I am instead joining Bees before me who have had their moniker made into teeny tiny little charms. I first remember seeing Mrs. PAC posting hers and it stuck because I was getting close to my eight month mark of being able to apply to be a Bee, and I thought to myself "In the small chance I'm ever a Bee, I will definitely do that". Well, here I am...a Bee with an insanely cute moniker. Then Miss Sunhat posted hers a few short weeks ago and immediately after I read hers I was on the search for the Etsy seller that could make me a mini Honey Pot. It didn't take me long because I actually turned to the seller that Mrs. Snow Cone mentioned in her post and sent Heather from Sweet & Savory Trinkets a message. Not only was she easy to work with, but I got my charm in my mail box less than two weeks after I contacted her. Easy, quick and affordable...that's what I'm talking about!

Before I show off my 'lil charm, can I just say that I wish I had more excuses to wear food jewelry? I mean seriously, the miniature food is so cute that not only do I now want a smothered green burrito for dinner:


Listing by Sweet & Savory Trinkets

But I'm also trying to decide how I can justify buying candy corn bobby pins:


Listing by Sweet & Savory Trinkets

If you have a favorite food and can pull of wearing food accessories, take a look at this shop. Anyway, want to see a picture of my mini Honey Pot? Of course you do!



She got the color of the pot perfectly and I love how the honey drips have a shimmer to them. Ack, it's so cute! It's hard to conceive just how tiny the little things are, and when it arrived I was so impressed at the details contained in such a small package.

It's so teeny that it just about fits inside my engagement ring. I have not quite decided what to do with it...it will somehow make an appearance on our wedding day, along with the Bee charms. I'm not a charm bracelet kind-of girl, I'm more of a "oh this is cute lets put on my key chain" girl but I think this is just too fragile for my key chain. I will have to come up with something special to do with my Mini Honey to help pay homage to Weddingbee long after our wedding has come and gone. I'm taking suggestions.

Hive, if you ordered any piece of miniature food accessory, what would it be?! Something sweet? Or savory?

Wedding Pro's

Hi, Hive! Remember me? Sorry I've been MIA recently...the Honey's attended BM Scoot's wedding this past weekend and I had the special honor of being a bridesmaid so I got to spend an incredible 5 full days with some of my favorite girls. BM Scoot's wedding is the ninth wedding we have attended since we began dating in 2010...and it was the last wedding we will be attending as an engaged couple. That means the next one is OURS!

Mr. H & I at BM Scoot's Wedding

While my title is a bit of an exaggeration, as we aren't actually pro's, we have had the opportunity to take in so many weddings and learn things from each and every one. I've always been a lover of weddings, but they take on a whole new meaning when you are a bride-to-be yourself and get to attend as a guest or participate as a bridesmaid. It sends bridal brain into stimulation overload, in a good way of course. I have developed a new understanding for what the whole day takes and what the day means.

On an aesthetic level, the effort it takes to plan a wedding is ginormous. Never again will I forget to look at the table numbers or admire the flowers. I will always sign the guest book and I won't forget to take in the feeling the bride has created for her day. I will RSVP immediately and I will admire the invitation suites that the couples put so much effort into. I will never let it slip my mind that this is her perfect wedding. Because every bride and couple is different, every wedding is unique. And perfect.

The nine weddings we have been to have been all over the board, from traditional Catholic or Christian ceremonies to personally scripted ceremonies; lavish affairs to backyard BBQ's; a tented event to a grand ballroom. Whatever the style or decor, whether prime rib or roast chicken...one thing is certain: the couple wakes up engaged and goes to sleep husband and wife. The meaning of a wedding is always the same. It's so easy to get caught up in the planning and let the stress get to you, but in the end it's about the commitment to one another for the rest of your life.

I love Weddingbee and other wedding blogs because it allows us brides in planning to completely consume ourselves with pictures and ideas, and talk weddings non-stop with those who are just as giddy. What I love even more though, is that while each of us have had our moments of being consumed with the material parts of the wedding, in the end we will each be a wife/husband/life partner to our significant other. No matter what kind of wedding we had.

There's one moment at every single wedding that brings tears to my eyes and goosebumps to my skin. The moment when the bride stands at the top of her aisle, waiting to take that walk to her man who is ready to commit his life to her. It's my favorite tradition and one that doesn't have too many variances. It's the moment I always remember and it's those few seconds that I anticipate the absolute most. Remember how I picked out my 'aisle song' very early on? I've heard it said a million times, but it's like everything and everyone disappears on that walk. While everyone is looking at you, you are looking at him and he is only one that gets to lock eyes with you. I haven't done the walk yet, but I can only imagine how magical that moment is. All details aside, it's your last few steps as a Miss and your first few steps towards making the ultimate commitment. *Chills*

Evidence of my favorite moment at the past 3 weddings: Friend JS, Friend JW and BM Scoot.

We are down to the four month mark and I know I will be overwhelmed with the planning, but whatever gets done and whatever doesn't, does not determine the outcome of our day...becoming husband and wife. Now who can remind me of this when times get tough?!
And just for fun, BM Scoot had favors that I may be a bit partial to:

Honey Favors!

Have you been able to attend weddings as an engaged couple? What is your favorite wedding moment?

Movin' and Shakin'

We are down to the five month countdown and I feel like I am finally making moves in the wedding planning arena. We have been engaged for just over a year now, and there have been plenty of times that I didn't feel like I was doing a good job as a bride-in-planning. I felt sub-par with my capabilities, even though I had the vision, I couldn't jump start the actual process. It didn't help that I was a devoted reader of Weddingbee, and read the chronicles of brides executing and finalizing all their details. But me? I didn't want to think about food or lodging or linens. I spent all my wedding brain on getting inspired but never acting on that inspiration. How in the h-e double hockey sticks was I going to get this thing put together? Well last week the wedding planning dam broke loose and I began checking things off the list at an insanely fast pace. Who would have guessed that one little purchase would be such a monumental event?

The well received culprit, a purchase from Zulily:

Personal Picture...Sneak Peek of Flower Girl Attire!

Then I started this Pom Pom crafting project, which I'm now slightly addicted to:

Yes the pile isn't that big yet, but this was a quick 45 minutes!

We visited the site Open Ministry for a very important person in our wedding. I also got myself a custom listing set up with an adorable Etsy chop called IttyBitty Wood Shoppe. Hint: they make cute things to go on top of yummy things.

We had a date with our venue and a measuring tape this past weekend to figure out how we will set up the space, which means we I get to start putting together more details and planning table decorations:

Image via Style Me Pretty/Photo by Carrie Patterson

My dress will be unzipped from her bag this week and will be put on for the first time since I bought her, for my first official fitting. This calls for me to have all sorts of things lined up by then, like shoes and my under-pretties.

She's patiently waiting!

I discovered fabric rosette jewelry somewhere along the way: 

Image via Little Birdies Secrets

Last, but the farthest thing from the least; remember our photographer dilemma? Well, I'm going to leave you hanging with this super-duper-huge-smile-inducing teaser: we found a photographer that fits our vision, has crazy ridiculous talent, and is far below our budget. While I'm dying to divulge the goods, the full story deserves it's own post. This is just scratching the surface of things that came to be in the last week so needless to say it has been such a huge week for the Honey wedding and I can't wait to share all the goods with you!

Has anyone else felt unproductive as a planning bride? Did you have a purchase that opened your planning floodgates?! Tell me I'm not the only one!

199 Days On the Countdown

199 Days. Mark one down, one less day. 198 days. (To the tune of 99 Bottles of Beer. Mmm beer).

I digress.

Thanks to the many email subscriptions I signed up for on day one of being engaged, I get the (not always welcome) daily reminder of how long or short until the big day. Today? 199 days. Depending on what's on my bridal brain, this can either seem like an eternity away (we still have 2 weddings this summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas...an eternity away) or it can seem like ohmygod.onehundredninetynine.short.days. Like 6 months short, and that's my feeling today. Panic.

{techzoogle.com}

This past weekend, we had round two of Wedding Extravaganza 2011. I knew this wedding was going to be the most similar to ours and so we were both giddy with anticipation, and it was perfection. I had the privilege of helping set up and decorate the morning of, which really popped my eyes wide open to how much work is involved. The bride and I have been gossiping our weddings for nearly a year now, she was always the one I could discuss flowers/rings/vows/aisle/venue/food with; and now her wedding is come and gone. I think back to where we were six short months ago, and where were we? Mexico, for her bachelorette party, which at that time July 3rd seemed like an eternity away.

{The 2 Brides-to-Be in Mexico}

{With the bride on her wedding day, excuse the crappy camera I own}

We've got a couple big items checked off the list: the venue, the dress, the engagement pictures, the save the dates...but so much more to do. The food, the music, the photography, the alcohol, the lodging, the gifts. The list goes on.

It must be normal to have unmotivated moments while planning such a huge event, but these next six months are gonna fly by and this gal moving at turtle speed, needs to step it up a notch:

{Turtle Rocket, ha!}

What Me & Karina Smirnoff Have in Common

Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with her amazing dancing skills or incredible body or mile-long legs...seriously, very unfortunate.

{PETA Ad}

What we do have in common is our wedding date. The professional dancer announced today that she will be getting married on January 21, 2012. 

It's a strange thing, to all of a sudden see your special date plastered all over the 'web as someone else's special date. It's even stranger to see that date knowing it is in the near future...because we know celebs don't typically have long engagements; they have the money and teams to make weddings happen what seems to be overnight. But, as the article says, there is just over seven months to go. While our weddings could not be more opposite: mine in cold Colorado, hers in warm Mexico; my dress simple and fun, her dress big and extravagant...and of course the obvious things like extraordinary food and famous guests, I know have a famous wedding twin.

Oh, and I've talked about my girl crush on the new Duchess of Wales, Kate Middleton...so it's only fitting that I mention that I happened to purchase my dress on the day of her wedding, you know while we are talking about having things in common with famous peeps. It was actually really fun to go try on my dress and talk about the Princess' wedding dress with my bridal consultant, just hours after the most televised wedding e.v.e.r. Good luck? Sure, lets go with it.