This is digginitez's Blue Wedding!

So my fiance and I are both have the understanding with his field of work, (Biomedical Engineer) that once he finishes his Thesis and Defense for his Masters, we will need to leave beautiful Orlando.

With that being said, we have discussed me having a career change and potentially even going back to school full time. Well, I stalk websites for my dream job...and one came up, with requirements that I actually qualify for AS IS! Not that I would actually get the job...highly competitive...but that left me with the question, do I apply or do I not apply?

I opted to apply...but what if I actually get it? I CAN'T turn it down...how do you turn down your dream job? However, my salary would be cut in half and we have budgeted right down to the final day before the wedding based on our combined salaries.

Eek! What to do, what to do...

What are all of you doing???

This is going to be my mom's dress...possibly with silver on the bodice, rather than the nude. She is debating...she is also VERY nervous about the black since it is a "no, no" in traditional weddings. Ridiculous! We are all in black, so can she be!

I seriously teared up when I saw her in this!

So I'm trying to find readings that are unique and not atypical for a wedding ceremony. I found this just now and with Cwidi and I dating for 7 1/2 years...it's so perfect...

From "Union"
by Robert Fulghum

"You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks - all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will and you will and we will”- those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe”- and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “ You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed- well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another- acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this- is my husband, this- is my wife "

Any one have any other unique ceremony readings?

These are my girls' dresses! I have a total of 7 girls. My sister (Maid of Honor) will be in the darker one, with a sash that matches the other girl. The top is strapless, and kind of like a shell. It is similar to the other girls' dresses, just does not have any type of strap or halter.

It was REALLY important to me to find a dress that looked amazing on all of my girls. They range in size from 0 to 18 so that was a really tough task. Oh, and did I mention they were all over the country? Even better!

So, over at David's we found these dresses that really compliment ALL of my girls. Only problem is, they are very popular and my order is expected to come in until RIGHT before the wedding. Originally, they were slotted to come in 5 days before my wedding...of course they tell me this AFTER we purchase them! I have been calling every week, and so far they are due to me (at the latest ) 3 weeks before the wedding.

Hopefully they come in on time, otherwise we'll be calling a lot of David's Bridal shops having them transfer in store dresses from all across the country!

Okay...to get an idea of what we are going for with the tux, I've provided an example with this handy-dandy Build-a-Tux Program.

Cwidi will eithr have a black textured vest, or white textured vest with the white textured tie.

The boys will have the second photo color scheme. The best man will match my sister's dress...which I will update a post of their dresses momentarily. :)

We were originally going to have the guys wear Rainbows, but our parents have requested dress shoes be worn...fine, okay, we'll compromise. :)

So I have been pretty relaxed with this entire process so far...and the photographer and DJ just kind of fell into our laps!

We were recommended by the Wedding Coordinator at the hotel to check out the Dream Team, as dubbed by a local reporter and the name kind of "stuck."

They are a DJ, Photographer and Videographer that work together constantly and everywhere I look, they just get raved about! We weren't interested in a videographer, but we have booked the DJ and the Photographer...

Our photographer is Scoobie (Scoobie Photo) whose work is just so creative, fun and gorgeous. He has a Photojournalistic style and I think his personality and direction will really compliment our personalities and get some really great shots out of our group.

Our DJ is Liquid Entertainment, Jay Edwards. He's also a DJ on Mix 105.1. When he said "I HATE the chicken dance" I knew he was our DJ. (All the others argued the point to use the chicken dance when necessary while Jay refuses.) Jay is a really comfortable guy to talk to and obviously is very experienced and knows his stuff. Plus, he's worked 20seven plenty of times and knows how to get the crowd into the "Dance Room" to shake their booties. :)

Not only are they praised for their work everywhere I read/hear, but they are so experience in the space. The Resort itself is MASSIVE and I have been there 3 times and have found new things every time I've gone. Scoobie knows every location for some GREAT Photo Ops!

I get giddy thinking about their work...!!

I am so in love with our Reception Location. We will be getting married in Orlando at the Lake Buena Vista Palace Resort and Spa. We will have the entire 27th floor that used to be a restaurant. They have recently redone the entire floor in brown, light blue, and pale green and it has a lounge type feel.

The cocktail room is in one section, the cake in another, the dance floor in another room and then our dinner tables are in this long area. Each table has their own window to check out the skyline. At 9 we will be able to watch the Epcot fireworks!!

Dad wasn't thrilled but everyone else was and we think it will really encourage our guests to get up, mingle and dance!

So the proposal was amazing...after 7 1/2 years of dating, and being ready to be married for the past 3 1/2, I had gotten pretty good at slipping the "if we were engaged..." comments into any conversation you could think of, so one would think I would have seen all the hidden gestures and behavior the day it would actually happen...boy was I wrong!

Cwidi was going to be in Las Vegas for a volleyball tournament the weekend of my birthday, so the weekend before he planned a surprise. I figured out what the surprise was ahead of time since it was something I've been dying to do FOREVER. We were going to go on a behind the scenes safari ride at Busch Gardens AND FEED GIRAFFES. If anyone knows me...they know I LOVE giraffes! I'm an AEPHI, why wouldn't I LOVE giraffes?! Anyways...it was absolutely amazing. I had already packed the camcorder, camera and I helped Cwidi choose his outfit for the day...so since I did all of this, I obviously nonchallantly checked for any type of boxes...CHECK! Good to go, no proposal coming...

The safari was AMAZING and when it was said and done, we were starving...but he said he saw something at the beginning of the tour he wanted to check out...so I followed right behind without a clue and we ended up at the beginning near the trucks with him scratching his head. If anyone knows Cwidi, when he scratches his head he is thinking deeply about something...so I got suspicious and thought "Hey, there is more to the safari! Another cool animal! Where is the trainer???" Next thing I know, he mumbles something, reaches into his pocket and gets on his knee.

ABSOLUTE SHOCK! He had me so fooled! The day was amazing, I cried. Turns out my parents were at a baseball game clung to both cell phones, waiting impatiently for the call. I called my sister, who burst into tears and declared her love for each of us. I didn't even have my cell phone on me to call anyone else!

YEAH ENGAGEMENT!!! :)