DIY Wedding

We have been doing a few DIY projects for our wedding and it is hard work!  Things get messy, glue is everywhere, paint stains show up on our couch, there are always multiple trips to and from Michael's + AC MOORE.  Wedding stuff has not only filled up our brains but has filled up our living and dining areas.  There is NO WHERE TO RUN, 
REPEAT 
NO WHERE.
Even in our sleep, we have been having nightmares of our wedding!!!

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Hi!!!!  So I wrote that bit about a month ago during Thanksgiving Break and looking back..WOW what a SPAZ! I am still a bit like that but maybe not so much because the wedding is in a week and really in a week, there's nothing more I can do than just make sure everything is ready and prepped up.
Can't wait to share all the details :) 
I am sorry for not blogging much. Last day of finals was yesterday, I slept maybe MAX 24 hours this week and that is overly generous guesstimating. This by far was the worst and hardest semester for everyone and I am glad its over and done with. 
On the upside Barack sadly could not make it to our wedding and am still waiting patiently for my response from Johnny.

My Purple Bridal Shower

My bridal party and friends planned this awesome bridal shower and I just wanted to show off with lots and lots of photos because they worked so hard!!!

All photos taken by Kanzen Studios! THANKS GUYS!!! They were so amazing. Everyone commented how awesome the photos turned out. This was the first thing I saw as I was about to go inside the house. 

Of course!

  

This was the 2nd thing I saw, basically everyone. It was a bit overwhelming and a wild group of women.

After all the hugs and OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR HERE hellos- the details was the 3rd thing I noticed:

I LOVE

1. the different color pom poms which are my color scheme as my wedding

2. the  food AKA MY FAVORITE FOOD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD-sushi that is! was delicious

3. the personalized chopsticks were super cute-  I STILL HAVE THEM AT HOME, I DON"T EVER WANT TO USE IT!

and 

4. the photos of me and the mister was a nice touch.  

They also made a photo booth/ collage room.  The collage portion was bringing in a photo and there were so many baby photos, high school photos, and not so proper photos of myself!

A bridal shower is nothing without embarrassing games.

The toilet paper wedding dress contest- everyone was into it- Even my grandma :) and the dresses were surprisingly well structured that it was so hard to pick the winner.

My cousin and aunt even compiled all the gift wrapping and bows from my present-opening to make me a paper dress as well.  The winner of course- had to be my mom. 

At the end of the day we had some cake and champagne and my bridesmaids and I took some glamour photos!

I love love love MY BRIDAL SHOWER, it was great to be with all my closest friends and family. It certainly surpasses anything that I could ever imagine.  Thanks for reading!

Cookie Day Part 1- morning

Over the Oct 20th weekend, my mom hosted a Chinese version of an engagement party 

'SICK BANG'- literal translation Cookie Day. Others may know it as Pig Day. Not everyone does it, I guess it depends how traditional your family wants to take this. 

This is the basic list that my mom gave me.

 On Pig Day:

The groom's family would send:

• An elaborate array of food ( Pig, chicken dried scallops, dried Mushrooms,etc)
• Traditional Chinese cake/pastries
• Religious items to the bride's family ( such as a new dress for the bride's sisters and new pair of shoes for bride' brother)

The bride's family would return gift to groom's family:

• Parts of pig ( Head and Tail)
• Traditional Chinese pastries
• Religious items to groom (new belt and new wallet)

Usually this happens a month before the wedding but we did this a few months earlier so that we could pass out our invitations.

In the morning, we had to go to  grandmother's to pray and give offerings.

We ate breakfast and relaxed a bit while the older ladies did all the chopping. 

I wanted to know more about Cookie Day so I googled and found this:

From: http://www.weddingbee.com/

1. The bride and groom’s families refer to the Chinese calendar and choose a “lucky date” for the cookie party.
2. The parents on both sides negotiate and agree upon a number of special wedding cakes and cookies (in individual pastry sizes) that will be purchased by the groom’s family and presented to the bride’s family on the determined date.
   • Anywhere from 200 to 700 cakes and cookies are typically ordered from special Chinese bakeries.
   • They are considered to be part of the wedding dowry. The idea is that when a bride marries, she will part with her parents and assimilate into the groom’s family. In exchange for “losing” a daughter, the grooms family provides cakes to the bride’s parents to sweeten the parting. 
   • If the grooms family presents a large number of cakes, this symbolizes that the bride is marrying into wealth and she will be well cared for.
3. A whole roast pig (Ours was 47lbs!) on a wooden red platter is also purchased by the groom’s family to present along with the cakes. The pig supposedly represents the bride’s virginity. Sometimes coconuts are also given as a symbol of fertility. I’ve heard that a live chicken should be included in the “dowry,” (He bought 7 cooked chickens instead since it's more practical). 
4. Someone from the groom’s side that is not the groom, his parents, or grandparents (We asked our Best Man-Ken) delivers the goods to the bride’s home where the entire extended family of the bride is waiting to feast.
5. Once the pig is handed over, the brides relatives immediately chop off head and the hind portion and returned these to the groom’s family. This is to symbolize that everything has a beginning and an end.
6. The bride’s family also has gifts prepared for the groom and his family including:
   • Boxes of food and treats 
   • A wallet, belt, and suit for the groom.
7. The bride’s family divvies up the cakes and distributes them to all the relatives. The quantity of cakes is determined by the seniority of guest or relationship with the family. These are supposed to be distributed with the wedding invitation. Several of the cakes are boxed up to return to the groom’s family also.
8. A big family celebration ensues on both sides and the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other until the wedding day." (Yea we had the big party and saw each other afterwards!)

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Yup- We did all of that and much more. I don't agree with most of the items because I feel like some of it is unnecessary but I think it is nice to have something like this to pass onto future generations.

Come back soon for Part 2 of cookie day!

Thanks for reading, I know it is picture and word heavy.

Let them eat cake!

Not sure if you saw my rant before about how I went to 8 cake places...

YES 8- That's a lot of cake. 

So with my mom and best friend/MOH in tow, I finally made a decision on cake design, cake tiers, and cake favors. 

I thought that day would never happen but its done and now put away. One thing off my checklist and off my brain. 

Am I alone in this? I feel like I am a crazy one in being so indecisive.  This morning when I got my latte and was asked if I would want whip cream or not, I seriously didn't know and couldn't make a decision.  Stories/Comments welcome :)

Afternoon Tea

When I think of  'Afternoon Tea', images of sophistication and ladies wearing fancy hats pop in my mind.

I am neither sophisticated nor do I own a fancy hat but that doesn't mean I still can't pretend. :D 

When I found a tea shop close to home, I invited my best girls and asked them the BIG question...

Choosing bridesmaids was a no-brainer because I wanted the people I grew up with to stand alongside me.

Lucky for me and my bridezilla-ness, they all said yes! 

At the Tea Leaf

 I loved the patterns of the tea set- its so lovely! OHHHH- And the lace tablecloth! I about died and gone to heaven. sighhh...

I have no idea where my obsession with lace came from but once that ring was on my finger, lace was all I could think about.

CHEERS!

P.S. Seeee I do have a fancy hat on!

P.S.S. I have no idea why I look so tan, usually I am as white as snow.

What Happens in Vegas.....

Hardest part about getting married: Swallowing the expenses and DIY Best part about getting married: Partying with your friends!
I wasn't going to share because everything that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas but my MOH did such a fantastic job in planning and facilitating a trip for 10 girls that I wanted to post a few things that she DIY herself!  All of her hard work shouldn't go unnoticed.

She bought all the shirts (in my favorite color) and rhinestoned everything herself for me and the Bridesmaids. She even went to a F21 store in Chicago because they didn't have some of the sizes online or back home! 

 We are missing a bridesmaid because she is under 21 ( SORRY RACH!).

Becky made the sign herself as well as stuffed everything in her suitcase. I was in a different hotel room so when I went over to her room I was REALLY SHOCKED!!!! I had no clue and was scared for what was to come....knowing my friends.

Planning a trip of 10 is no easy task especially with travel/board expenses and all the activities that were planned. So thanks to my MOH and my bridal party that helped plan everything and to my lovely girlfriends that was able to make it!

Thank you my love.

Just wanted to give a big  XOXO  to my amazing fiancé  because I don't really know where I would be if it wasn't for him.  He works soooooo hard for the both of us and I am grateful. I know how stressed out he is from traveling and working. He has to deal with our home, bills, and family. NOT ONLY THAT but he is also planning our wedding. Sometimes I feel like an incompetent woman/future wife because what guy really volunteers himself to plan a wedding? ?!?!?SERIOUSLY?!?!? 
 He just wanted to be THAT guy that wrote the checks but because of my grueling classes, he didn't want me to mess up and volunteered to be the mastermind.  For all the brides out there that is frustrated/stressed/goes BONKERS from wedding planning,  I am not one,  He is.  It makes me sad because I know that when he is stressed, its because I put him there. I know that when he hears of other grooms- they have nothing to do with the wedding and have no interest in planning it and prefer it that way. So he does get a little bit miffed over that sometimes.  So I just want to thank you.  I know that you don't have to do this, but you do it anyway. I love that you are involved because it will be a wedding of two minds. Thank you for being patient with me because I have a gazillion ideas (check my pinterest!), I send you a million links, and want to do everything possible but you know better than me (sometimes!) what is best. 

I love you. Thank you babe.  

Wedding Shoes Faceoff

As our wedding is coming closer and closer, I realized that I am one annoying person. 

I can't make one single decision about anything without having to ask the Mister what he thought! I do it so often that even I am annoyed! 

Shoes, Cake, Venue, Dress, Cake, Flowers, and did I say Cake? 

We went to 8 cake places...YES 8 cake places and I still have not made a decision! They eventually all tasted the same and now I sortof hate cake. :/

The clock is ticking and I need to make a decision soooo.....

To my far and few lovely readers I need your help! 

I am having an indecisive moment on shoes. I love all shades of purple/pink/fuschia colors and so that is incorporated in bits and pieces of my wedding. I have always wanted to wear purple shoes to my wedding and I found them! 

Well sortof. 

I found 2 and there are pros and cons to each.

I only ask for 2 things and that is

1. Peeptoe style

2. The right shade of purple!

 I was going for the classic look but seriously.. purple isn't classic so that is out the window. I just didn't want to look like i'm wearing a Kashdarichunky shoe. 

Shoe 1: Brian Atwood Baccina Pump

+LOVE THE COLOR. It is the shade of purple that I love!

+Makes my legs look amazing! Another customer walked by me and said that it looked really good on me. 

+I can kiss my hubby in this without having to tippy toe since hes a giant. 

- I am unsure of the platforms. I never pictured myself getting married in platforms. I feel like platforms are more of a trendy thing than a timeless thing. 

-I think if the platforms were lower, I would be more YAY I LOVE THIS SHOE. But I am okay right now.

Shoe 2: Enzo Angiolini Tanen Pump
+ Right amount of height.The platform is not too tall or obnoxious.
+ Peeptoe!
+ It's a shoe I would most likely wear multiple times afterwards
- the shade is a little bit lighter than Shoe 1 but it's not much different.

  FACEOFF

POLL: What would you pick for me?

Here we go again

It's my 3rd year of classes and let's hope its my last! I am trying to look up pharmacy rotation sites in Boston so if anyone has any suggestions or places for me to call, please do :)  I am hoping that this would be my last year in Vermont because it gets harder to be away each time. Last night on the phone my mother in law said she missed me and I almost cried ...
OK I LIE.
I DID CRY.
LIKE......
AAAAAA LOTTTT Who I am kidding!?!!? I am a big cry baby! But you better not tell her that. OR else I will track you down via IP address! 

Sorry for sidetracking, the main reason I wanted to blog was to blog about me and the mister! Der. We were Googling Hangout thing and saw this option where you can add smiley faces and tiaras onto the video and it follows you around the screen.   The Mister went APES ...seriously.... YES I said APES.... CRAZY over this app.   Don't mind me I am going to show you how APES he was by adding captions because this was the first thing I thought of.
You can be a sweet dream ......

or beautiful nightmare.....

Either way, I don't want to wake up from you. 

SORRY if I scared you. Clowns freak me out too! The background is white because the Mister doesn't wear a shirt and I didn't want to expose you guys to that! Keeping this site PG!
Great- I have the beyonce song stuck in my head.

Chicago Photos (May)

I forgot about this trip but we went to visit Chicago back in May. I found them as I was flipping through photos of us, I tend to do that when I miss him. We used the Chicago CityPass and hit up all the tourist spots. 

The Shedd Aquarium:
I just thought this was pretty artsy and cool photo.

The Bean:

As we were walking towards 'the Bean' I took out my phone and a butterfly just flew towards me and wouldn't leave me alone. I seriously had 3 minutes worth of photos with this butterfly. 

 At Buckingham Foundation:

 It looked beautiful and it was sortof like a music/light show at night.

At Skydeck Chicago ( Willis Tower): 

I am deathly afraid of heights, LIKE DEATHLY AFRAID. It's so childish that I won't go down an escalator until someone goes in front of me so that I have someone to land on if I fall. 

When we were coming up the elevator, my legs get shaky. In order for me to be in this photo, I had to walk backwards. I would NOT look down or behind me. It is a bit sad.  

Okay Back to Studying!

Family Dinner: the first of many more to come!

For the whole summer I have been going home more often because 

1. I miss home

2. I miss my mommy. YES!  I STILL CALL HER MOMMY and will always will, even when I am a wrinkly old 70year old lady. 

We've been having family dinners over at my mother's house so it gives me an excuse to come over and eat my mom's home cooking. 

This past week the Mister's parents - my future in laws- wanted to cook dinner for everyone. The Mister and I had our reservations about this -will it be awkward, what can we talk about during the dinner if it was, and how the heck will everyone fit upstairs?!?!

But in the end it worked out pretty well. 

I guess the apple doesn't far from the tree. 

They know how to throw a great party! 

The food was so delicious and it was executed restaurant style. 

Gordon Ramsay got nothing on us!

The parents were drinking hot tea and no matter how old I am- I still feel like we are 'THE KIDS'. At one point all the kids were just together chilling on the couch talking about marvel cards, video games, and Taylor Swift while the dads was talking about seafood and the moms was talking about cooking techniques. 

It was so much fun that I actually can't wait until we have another family gathering, maybe with the middle sisters because they were both out of state at the time. Sorry dudes, you missed out! 

XOXO,

Marley