A Song to Walk To

I'm having reoccurring dreams that on the day of the wedding, I realize I have no ceremony music or reception music. Then I have to call up friends in a band I know, and ask them to bring their ipods, microphones, and shaky fruit. It's alarming.

 

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But in real life, my latest fun obsession is thinking of music for the ceremony, especially songs to walk down the aisle to!

Contender #1:

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Rufus Wainwright's Complainte de la Butte. It's French (for me) and one of Mr. Magic's fave artists! And pretty! One problem (see convo below).

Contender #2:


"Antarctica" live from the Cd Release Show

Anything by The Never.

Well, ok, not anything...sometimes their songs are scary (witches, bombs) or anxiety producing ("Oh anxiety, you're mine all the time.") But they have some pretty instrumental songs, and some great lyrics. Plus Mr. Magic and I are both HUGE fans (it is rare for our musical tastes to overlap), and they are a local band! I'm sure they will be heavily featured at some point in our wedding ceremony and reception - but not sure they have The Song for me to walk to.

See the convo me and Mr. M just had regarding this:

me: im gonna need The Never to write us a song for me to walk down the aisle to

like 30-45 seconds

not scary or sad

FH: hahahaah

me: im serious

something instrumental

FH: not a bad idea actually

me: maybe this lonely vampire song would be ok

hee hee hee

some of their intros are so melancholic

they won't workFH: true

me: or like, anxiety producing

i don't think that would be wise

do you think johnny would do that for us?

or should we ask someone we know better

like

jesse!

"hey jesse, can you write us a 30-40 second song that sounds like something The Never would make?"

FH: haha

me: wait wait wait

i might have the song

although

hang on

damn

rufus wainwright complainte de la butte is actually about a prostitute

...it's pretty though

FH: haha

He's really into it, despite his succinct responses! What music will you be playing when you walk down the aisle to your future partner? And how many of you knew that song was about a prostitute? I'm thinking our guests would have no idea!

Shades of Grey

I mean, purple. Shades of Purple.

Step into my world - but watch your step, ok, because it's a scattered, multitasking, colorful space filled with cat hair and caffeine. Oh, and about one million shades of purple.

plum raisin and bordeaux

eggplant and aubergine

wildberry and blackberry

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Of course, I have no idea what these shades look like in actual reality, since they are likely being distorted by my computer monitor, the lighting in this room, and the (hopefully) temporary insanity that is taking over my mental space.

Seriously? I just want a good fall purple. Let me know if you find it somewhere!

Jumping the Shark

I think my wedding dress search has jumped the shark. Yes, I realize that that is not proper use of the term. I don't really understand the phrase, but still use it all the time, much to Mr. Magic's chagrin.

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But you know what I mean. OK, maybe you don't. I feel like I have viewed so many dresses online, I no longer have rational thoughts or opinions. I keep looking for something "different" and "unique" and since the market is flooded with a gazillion sweetheart lace dresses, although they are so beautiful I have now convinced myself that they are "trite."

I've decided I need something classic yet modern, romantic, with a dose of individuality. I look at probably 100 dresses a day but had not found anything that peaked my interest until checking out this Rivini site (YES, it's wayyyyyyy out of my budget, but right now we're looking for inspiration, people...next I will google "how to sell extraneous organs." One search at a time.)

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I think the only "unique" thing about this dress, actually, is the capelet, which is appropriate for me as Miss Magic (magicians...capes...), but Mr. Magic thought it was "weird looking." Boys. Sigh.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by options with gowns, jewelry, flowers, linens...the cereal aisle at the grocery store...that you just "jumped the shark?" You know, in the way that I am totally misusing that expression?

Celebrity Skin: Part Deux

Here's an update and then the second part of the "Get Amazingly Awesome Skin by the Engagement Shoot" cleansing ritual.

As you read previously here, I have been using the Clarisonic Brush. It's making me break out (eek!) but Claire the Esthetician said that is to be expected for several weeks as it is "bringing all the gunk to the surface." OK, but gross. I'm gonna hang in there and hope it's true. I'm noticing smoother skin from all the exfoliation, but big, bad breakouts. So, maybe it's kind of working? Stay tuned...

Here are ALL of the products I am resting my faith in. Please feel free to feel sorry for me and my poor, sad skin.

Cleansing:

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash and Ultracalming Cleanser, depending on whether I'm breaking out or dry.

Exfoliating:


Dermalogica Microfoliant (best product ever!) and the Clarisonic Brush (verdict still out on this one)

Moisturizer:

La Roche Posay Hydraphase Moisturizer. Good for warm weather - light but still moisturizing.

Spot Treatment:
That's right, I said spot treatment like I'm British...or like I'm treating a stain.

Clearasil Rapid Action Tinted Cream and/or Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel.


Prevention:


Retin-A, SkinCeuticals Phloretin - CF (I have no idea but what this does, but it has antioxidants, was super expensive, but I got it for free), and Obagi sunscreen.

Notice what's missing? An eye cream! I just cannot deal with another product right now! Anyone else have such a ridiculous skin product arsenal of products they actually use ever day?

Celebrity Skin...

is what I want! No, not this type of Celebrity Skin!

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This type...

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Unfortunately, I am not one of the blessed few with great skin, much less good skin. I started breaking out early and often, and just remembering those times makes me cringe (senior prom with very red skin from the Accutane I was on - ugh). Now I am approaching 30 with pores large enough for their own zip code, a few milia around my eyes, some acne, general unevenness, and dry skin. My wonderful, cannot say enough good things about her, esthetician Claire at Carolina Medi-Spa told me I have most unusual combination skin where I am almost always both too oily and too dry - at the same time. Thank you, gene pool!

Having good skin is pretty much always a battle for me, and now that the engagement shoot is coming up, the stakes are higher! I'm not trying to have spotty engagement pics. Enter Secret Weapon #1:

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You know those electric toothbrushes that get your teeth oh so clean? Well this is the same thing, 'cept for your face. It's like The Best Ever At Home Exfoliating Brush for Your Face...Ever. Or is it?

I started using it a couple nights ago, and used it with a really mild cleanser:

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But after using it, I noticed I was really flaky, like peeling. This might have been due to a salicylic acid facial I had had a few days previous (I told you, I'm not messing around). It's making me break out (eek!) but Claire the Esthetician said that is to be expected for several weeks as it is "bringing all the gunk to the surface." OK, but gross. I'm gonna hang in there and hope it's true. I'm noticing smoother skin from all the exfoliation, but big, bad breakouts. So, maybe it's kind of working? Stay tuned...

Here are ALL of the products I am resting my faith in. Please feel free to feel sorry for me and my poor, sad skin.

                

Cleansing:


Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash and Ultracalming Cleanser, depending on whether I'm breaking out or dry.

Exfoliating:

Dermalogica Microfoliant (It is a very light rice-based microfoliant...best product ever!) and the Clarisonic Brush (verdict still out on this one).

Moisturizer:

 

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The elta MD lotion is good for warm weather - light but still moisturizing. Since I am using Retin-A (see below), my skin is very sensitive to the sun so I really have to wear a sunscreen. As a girl who grew up at the beach, this has been a tough lesson to learn, but I am finally into wearing sunscreen...I even slather extra on the backs of my hands to prevent aging.

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In the winter, I need double the moisturizer so my face doesn't flake right off. So I use both the elta MD and this SkinCeuticals product.

Spot Treatment:
That's right, I said spot treatment like I'm British...or like I'm treating a stain.

Clearasil Rapid Action Tinted Cream and/or Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel. I actually don't think either of these is awesome. Do you have a good spot treatment?

Prevention:

Retin-A is supposed to change my life skin. I am still waiting although my skin has evened out a bit. I try to use it every night but skip it if I am too dry. Also, I learned that you should not put it on when your face is still wet from washing. Let your face dry for ten to fifteen minutes, otherwise your skin will absorb too much of the Retin-A too quickly, and you might flake up.

SkinCeuticals Phloretin - CF is a very expensive product that I got for free during a promotion. I have no idea what it does, but I know I am supposed to use it in the morning.

Notice what's missing? An eye cream! I just cannot deal with another product right now!

What do you use to keep your skin clear and glowing? And if you say you just use Vaseline or "Irish Spring" bar soap (true stories, I have friends with perfect skin who use these), I will scream!!!

Next Stop on the Train: Milk Glass Mania

OK, I swear, I will not post every piece of milk glass that I buy, find, or receive as a gift (hint hint HINT). But just a few more photos because it was such an exciting day!

After my last trip to the flea market, I learned that prices vary a lot for these coveted containers - anywhere from 1$ to 45$. I knew one woman had a dollar table with a few pieces (and said she'd have more in the future) but everyone else was charging at minimum 4$. That's not a lot but when you think I might need at least 60 pieces, it does add up.

So today I went first to our local PTA thrift store. I found one large bowl for 8$ and bought it, possibly because I had not drank any caffeine yet and was not thinking clearly. Headed to the Goodwill...nada. So drove out to the flea market, where all my dreams came true!

My lady with the dollar table had NOT added any more milk glass as she had promised so I moved on. I found some great deals, some for 1$ or 2$, which bolsters my confidence that I should hold out and look for the ones that are cheaper. I asked one guy who sold me one of the best pieces today why it was only 2$ and he said "Well, I just want to get rid of all this stuff." Works for me!

The two pieces on the right are my favorite, of the hobnob pattern, of course.
The second from right was 2$!

The one in the middle was 8$. Damn you, Chapel Hill PTA Thrift Store!!!

And finally...

How cute is this one??? Just one small problem...

Uh yeah, not sure how I did not notice that this was part of a lamp and not a container. Don't fret, Ima glue it on a saucer and put another container inside to make sure the water doesn't drain out.

Isn't it funny how, when planning a wedding, you (ok, I) get sucked into things that I never knew or cared about before? I was so happy hunting down these milk glass containers today, and it kind of surprised me! Have you been surprised about how much you enjoy something in your wedding that you never previously thought about?

What's a budget wedding anyway?

I'm kind of a jealous person, it's true, and this is most true in the realm of finances. Everyone wishes they always had more money than they have...after all, isn't that the point of life? (That's a joke people, chillax.) I really do know what it's like to not have money and be broke. Like, digging through the car for change to find enough money to get to your unpaid internship kind of broke. Or, growing up always wearing your older brother's hand me downs, living in a trailer, not having transportation kind of broke.

Poor upbringing + working hard myself to pay for school and start a real career + expensive tastes x label whore tendencies = screwed when it comes to wedding planning.  

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Now we are lucky enough that both sides of our family are contributing some financially, and Mr. Magic and I are trying to save and put in some money too. But weddings are ridiculously expensive, and have about 4,597,326 hidden costs. Ok, maybe not so hidden but not something you'd think about before hand).

Like, chairs. I've got 100 chairs included in my venue rental. They are the ugliest chairs around. So if I'm gonna use these chairs, I need chair covers. Those are $2.50 minimum x100 chairs =250$. But I'll need to rent 50 more chairs for the reception (and chair covers for those), and 150 chairs for the ceremony. I mean, all this adds up to like $1500 just for friggin' chairs.

*Note: I actually did not do the math because I feel kind of nauseous from all this money talk, and I can't do math when I'm sick.

Also, I just read a blog post where someone said their "budget" wedding costs $25,000.00. I mean, yes, I'm sure she has a budget for her 23K wedding, but that is not a "BUDGET wedding." At least, it's not in my judgey little book.

I'm being a grump, I know. I should focus on the BIG PICTURE and not compare my wedding/life/financial means to others, even if it is the American way.

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Did thinking about the budget make you nauseous or want to bite off all your fingernails or eat a box of Velveeta Mac N Cheese...or is it just me?

C'mon Ride Da Train...

Miss Magic's Memo: I jumped on this train last April and have been chugging along ever since!

The Milk glass Centerpiece train, that is!

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Choo choooooooooooo!

I'm on it. Soooooooooooo on it. And guess what? Mister "I don't really care anything about the wedding but I hate those stupid vintage cans they are too country and can't we do something more formal and traditional" Magic is ALSO on the milk glass train! All Aboooooooardddddddd!

(OOH, sidenote: I'm addicted to Harry Potter, and all this talk about trains reminded me of the Hogwarts Express which reminded me that HP World (as I like to call it) will open on June 18th, 2010, I believe. SWEET!)

OK, back to business.

Milk glass centerpieces are blowing up in wedding land. Here are some images:

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I'm in good company too! Check out some of these bees who have also used milk glass: Mrs. Pretzel, Mrs. Turtle, Miss Brooch, Miss Oatmeal, and Mrs. Stripes, just to name a few!

So, me and Mini Magic headed to the Raleigh Flea Market to see just how plentiful these milk glass containers were, and how expensive. They were quite plentiful, but some were quite pricey - 25$! 45$! I don't think so.

But then, I found one lovely lady who had a dollar table. Oh. Snap.

I got these 5 pieces for 7$! That's um, hang on... $1.40 a piece!

***Disclaimer: To me, milk glass means anything white with a design. To some folks, they might see these dollar table finds as rubbish. This does not matter to me. Hobnob pattern versus um, some other pattern...it's all the same to me!***

It's still early but right now, I'm thinking dark brown table cloth, white plates, white napkins with aubergine and burnt orange (can't help it, it sounds so much better than saying "purple and orange") napkin rings, and aubergine and burnt orange flowers (and some green up in there). Whatcha think?

Have you found any great finds at great prices?

More floozy-ing around...

Miss Magic's Memo: This post was written last April, when I was floozying around all over North Carolina, ogling and whistling at dresses in all sorts of bridal salons....

Oh Lord. More dresses!

In an effort to actually be able to afford to feed the guests at our wedding, I decided to look at some less expensive dresses. I did what any frugal NC bride would do, and I headed to the Burlington Bridal Mart.

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On their website, their own directions reference both a Waffle House AND a Hardee's. Nuff said.

So, now I've found two more dresses, in addition to these other designer beauties. This first gown is lovely and amazingly affordable, but I'm not sure it goes with an outdoor wedding and barn reception in the fall. I think it would be awesome for a beach wedding, or even a pretty summer garden wedding, Maybe I should reconsider our date....

Pallas Athena PA9931-PA9963


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Check out this gorgeous back!

The next dress is quite similar to the Vineyard Nora that I loved, but I would want some alterations because the sleeves are kind of broad, especially on my narrow shoulders. It's 1000$ less than the Nora (but still three times as much as the one shouldered dress above).

American Allure C155

It has the cool keyhole back (like the Nora).

Both dresses are fine. Maybe good, maybe great even! But the open air dressing room, unpolished saleswomen, and fluorescent lights were kind of stressful for me. Good thing I had Mini Magic (my little sister and MOH) there to help out, take pics, AND try on some heavily discounted bridesmaid gowns (see those after I find my camera cord).

So between these two and the other three, which one do YOU like best? Did you wear a dress that didn't exactly "go" with your venue?