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!)

****

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.