This is toffafay's Blue Wedding!

It fits the theme of our birds and books! It's a bookmark! To make this bookmark, all we did was:

Step 1: FH created a file that was 1.5" by 5" and within that image he added the background, photo, and the writing. We played with the font forever.

Step 2: We printed a test image to make sure grammar and the bookmark looked the way we liked.

Step 3: We save the file and took the flash drive down toStaples and had them print color copies of the bookmarks (we put 6 bookmarks on one page and printed out 11 pages) - about $6.00 for that.

Step 4: We used Staples' paper cutter ourselves to carefully cut out each bookmark.

Step 5: We had Staples laminate each bookmark (about $14.00)

Step 6: We took a single hold punch and cut out a hole at the top for ribbon.

Step 7: We added ribbon that we bought at JoAnn's (about $4.00)

Step 8: Viola! It's done and so easy!

So last January (2008), I realized that I really needed to lose weight for health reasons and to look better. I joined a month of WeightWatchers and was very happy to have lost 8 lbs in that month! I also joined Curves and began walking 3 times a week. I continued to lose weight. Then I moved to Canada and joined a gym here. I even met with a personal trainer up until the date of what was supposed to be our wedding (August) and lost about 25 lbs in total from January. I was also losing inches and loving it! I've still been going to the gym 3-5 times a week but have met plateau. I want to lose 10-15 more lbs by June 2009. Should I join WeightWatchers again? Be on a stricter diet? Work out harder? I still definitely want to do everything in a healthy manner.

What are you doing to lose weight?

So, at first I didn't even want to mess with centerpieces. Then I found this idea:

http://2000dollarwedding.com/2008/10/socially-conscious-and-eco-friendly.html

Rebecca just sent a brilliant idea for centerpieces that are truly good for the Earth: gift baskets that would be donated to food banks after the wedding.

The idea came from reminiscing about her Bat Mitzvah centerpieces:

"I worked with my Mom to make food donation baskets! We painted the baskets in dusky rose and silver (sigh, my 13-year old color palette preference) filled them with canned food items, wrapped them in cellophane and ribbon, attached a note saying where the food was going, and voila!"

She continues:

"For a wedding, I'd probably go with something 'prettier' and stay away from non-eco friendly cellophane, but still. I was thinking maybe wrapping the cans and jars individually with pretty papers or simple ribbon, and maybe mixing them in with old tin-can vases for a similar stylistic impact (a la Style-for-Style). For shelters that accept fresh fruit, that's also a centerpiece option (not all do). Besides the charity impact and the waste reduction impact, using non-floral/non-perishable centerpieces would undoubtedly cut down on day-of stress about decor (flower shopping, transporting and arranging! ack!). For the less aesthetically inclined and DIY-impaired, I also found this charity that rents centerpieces in return for a charity donation."

These are photos of what inspires me and what I hope to succeed in my wedding. :)

I've always pictured myself wearing a tea-length wedding dress when I walked down the aisle. I think it's an image in my mind from an Audrey Hepburn movie. I actually ordered my dress in May because I thought I was getting married in August (but then my grandfather died and everything got pushed back - long story). I ordered it from an online vendor for $299.00 which I should probably not have in the first place. It was from Chrys Cross Bridal, and it was not made to my measurements. I guess that's what you get from going through an online vendor. It was a foot too long! It is going to cost me $130.00 for me to get it shortened when the site boasts that all dresses are made specifically to measurements. When I asked the owner if she will be reimbursing the money, she said no. . so I am going to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Since then, the web site is down and it looks like she's gone out of business. I'm glad I even got a dress at all!!

http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/handmade-weddings-a-last-minute-article-about-my-last-minute-1589/

This bride had plenty to say about last-minute planning, "We were married last September in Virginia but procrastinated almost everything until maybe a month beforehand. Together we were working about 10,000 hours a week at Etsy and I was wearily navigating my way through the first trimester of pregnancy.

Inwardly, I was positive that if I ignored planning my wedding hard enough, a wedding fairy godmother would swoop down in a magical monsoon of glitter shimmer tulle and take care of everything for us somehow.

That actually did not happen. But, I am here to tell you that it is okay to have a wedding by the total seat of your pants. A really great wedding, even."