Thursday, August 28, 2008

Gosh darnit!

Oh Snippet and Ink, why do you have to post such great inspiration boards!!! It makes choosing soooo hard!

Board #271 Lemon-Lime:

I think we both could be happy with these colors...but I so love the aqua and orange because it's so different (I think)!

When you have the time...a lot...take a gander around Snippet and Ink.

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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Let's go back

...back to when FI proposed. WARNING: This is long.

FI had planned a birthday trip for me for the weekend of June 30, 2007; my actual birthday is on June 25th. I received a phone call from Mom the Friday night before leaving. She says that FI called the house and asked to talk to dad in a very excited tone. Now FI talking to my dad isn't unusual as we live very close to my parents, used to live with them, and FI has a key to the house, and we come over every week. Anyways...Mom sounds really excited, and it clicks in my head what he could possibly want to talk to Dad about, & then I tell my mom that if she's ruining something for me, I will be so mad!

We go to the 'rents house Friday night to hang out a little bit. FI asks me if I had asked my dad to check my oil yet, and I say no, and he says that he'll go and tell my dad. It's clear to me now what he was up to...but not so much at the time.

We head back to our apartment, and our roommate (who introduced FI and I to each other 6 years earlier) and her boyfriend are there. We chat for a while. They know we're heading out on a trip, and the boyfriend asks where we're headed, and I tell him I have no idea, that it's a surprise. I find out that the roommate and her boyfriend are also going on a trip, and I ask where. The boyfriend was about to answer, but stops short of saying something. I find out later that our roommate was signaling to her boyfriend "don't say anything" from behind my back. And that was Friday night.

So Saturday morning rolls along. We have to leave very early! 7:00am. So we're ready to go; I have no idea where we're going or what we're doing. FI says we need to make a stop, and now we're picking up my BFF, and i think...oh, three’s a crowd...that's not romantic. So now thoughts of a possible proposal vanish b/c I only imagine that when he proposes, it would be just the 2 of us. And girls...some of you have been through this: picturing that special moment, expecting it & expecting it, & then boom...it doesn't happen. So you don't want to put yourself in that kind of agony ever again b/c it totally sucks! Right? Right. So you make yourself forget about that. And the idea of him proposing is now gone.

We drive from the OC up the 101 for forever! Still no idea where we're going...just the 3 of us: Me, FI, & BFF. We finally end up in Templeton at this bed & breakfast, and BFF's boyfriend, who is from nor cal, is waiting for us there. And then not more than 5 minutes, our roommate and her boyfriend shortly arrive. 3 couples! Yay! and then I find out from our hostess (who didn't know this was all supposed to be a surprise) that we're taking a limo tour around Paso Robles wine country.

First, we visit Eberle, then Meridian, then San Marcos Creek (where there were peacocks on the estate; I think he tried to propose here, but we were interrupted by our friends), then Pipestone (an organic winery), and then last but not least Castoro.

So at Castoro, FI said he wanted to take pictures outside, so we go out into the vineyard, just the 2 of us. He starts to say “you know I didn’t bring you up here just for your birthday..." And from what I can remember, he also says "I love you so much. You know...you've made me the luckiest guy in the world. And I want to make a commitment to you.” My eyes have welled up with tears, and I start to sob; I put my hands over my mouth. He gets down on one knee and asks me to marry him. It takes me a while because I can't find my breath, but I say yes! And we hug and kiss.

He tells me our friends had no idea that FI had planned this all along! So we try to think of some clever way to tell them, but at the first sight of my girlfriends, I start crying happy tears of joy only able to show my engagement ring.


As you can see in the picture, it was very emotional for me...even knowing that he was going to propose. And that's our engagement story!

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Go on...DIY

The future in-laws are in town, and that is why I have been silent. And because of the hecticness that is this week (and past week), I will be directing you to some cool blog posts on DIY that I've stumbled upon.

DIY Boudoir Photos

Miss Candy Corn of Weddingbee busted out the Canon point and shoot and decided to do her own boudoir pix.



How fabulous are these? I still cannot beleive these are DIY! Talk about saving money...

DIY gift box from cereal box



I first saw this project on a $10,000 wedding. It looks like so much fun to do...I wonder how I could use it in our wedding...

Tissue Paper Pom Poms

As seen on Weddingbee by Mrs. Penguin (using real flowers), and Knottie Vintage Glam. These DIY decorations are uber cute!


Martha Stewart


Martha Stewart

These could definitely help save money if you can't go all out with flowers and decor.

Now, go take up a project and DIY!

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

40% off coupon for Michaels

Yay for Michaels coupons! Here's one I stumbled on...


Get a heat embosser or a calligraphy set. I don't see any exclusions...how about a Cuttlebug or a Xyron? Or print one every day until the 30th and get 10 things (coupon good for 40% off one item)! Oh yes, I would do something like that.

Thank you Knottie Morgan101009 from LA, CA boards!

Expires August 30, 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Friends and Family Sale at Urban Decay!

Just got this in my email box and wanted to share:

30% off Urban Decay with code "FFL30" for one week only: 8/19 to 8/28.

You've got to stock up on the Eyeshadow Primer Potion! It's amazing!! No greasy lines or migrating makeup! If you're planning on doing your own makeup for your wedding, you need this!

I also love the XXX Shine Lip Gloss. I don't normally like the minty feeling, but this lip gloss gives off a shine that I'm totally willng to stand the mintiness.

Urban Decay does not test on animals, and they have lots of vegan makeup to choose from if you're vegan.

Not to mention there's 75% off everything on HardCandy.com!

Now, get to shopping! Enjoy!

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Sunday, August 17, 2008

the cake

Our venue originally offered the wedding cake as part of their wedding package. We had other bakeries already in mind for our wedding cake, and they were not contracted with our venue. So we were able to get credit for what we would have paid for the cake and use that towards something else.

Honestly, the cake issue is less important to FI. But I love cake! I can't help myself sometimes. So I really want a cake that's going to taste yummy!

I am not really a big fan of cake icing. It's just too sweet for me sometimes. So I would love to see if I could find a bakery that could achieve this no frosting cake:


Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart.

I think King's Hawaiian could definitely pull this off with their famous Paradise Cake, and if they can't...well, their frosting happens to be amazing! Not too sweet, and layered with guava jelly. Their wedding cake models do not show the guava jelly, but I'm sure they could add it if requested.


Photo courtesy of The Delicious Life.

King's Hawaiian's Paradise cake features flavors of lime (green layer), passion fruit (yellow layer), and guava (pink layer). And it is good!

Asian bakeries have the ability to make icing to our sweet standards, so we'll be considering some of those too. JJ Bakery comes to mind as well as the Chinese bakery Diamond Bakery. I also love Goldilocks and Red Ribbon Bakeshop (I'm a biased Filipina).

In our research, we've been finding that some venues charge cake cutting fees (wtf)...we have to pay for the cake, and in addition, pay extra to have it cut? Freakin' A...I'll cut the damn cake myself for everyone...to which I consider cupcakes as a choice. And while I've not tried all the cupcake bakeries (but I definitely have tried a bunch), my taste buds find Sprinkles Cupcakes a first choice when it comes to cupcakes. My favorite flavors are pumpkin, vanilla, and red velvet.


Photo courtesy of Sprinkles Cupcakes.

Some unfavorite bakeries...I've tried French's Cupcake Bakery in Costa Mesa which is comparable to Rossmoor's as my memory serves me. I tried red velvet at both bakeries, and IMO, neither compare to Sprinkles for sure. And I was definitely not a fan of Mrs. Beasley's cupcakes in South Coast Plaza...too Betty Crocker for me (as in, I could make better cupcakes) and not to mention the frosting will give you diabetes. Okay, enough hating...

Top choices: King's Hawaiian Paradise Cake and Sprinkles Cupcakes, in no particular order; I'm really having a hard time choosing between the two.

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Flower Power

Fi and I are minimalists...we love a simple idea that goes a long way. So in thinking about centerpieces, we want something that is simple and chic, but still stands out...oh, and not super expensive. So of course, I look to Queen DIY, Martha Stewart. She has some great ideas. Some of the pictures show more than what we require, but it's still fun to look at!

We'll be using round tables that have seating for 10 people each. Mirrors and 4 votives are complimentary. To maximize this look, I was thinking something like this:

Simple and easy enough so that I can have family and friends help out.

For flowers, I was thinking of Gerbera Daisies in oranges, peaches, and yellows. But I love love the look of poppies.

So I'm going to try for poppies first, and if it doesn't work out, I'd be perfectly happy with Gerbera Daisies. I think both flowers exhibit lots of power!

I also love the look of cylindrical vases of all sizes:


Photo courtesy of www.brides.com.

Maybe I could stick 3 different sized cylindrical vases in the center of my tables.

What was/is your flower power strategy?

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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

obsessed with makeup!

At least I thought I was obsessed with makeup. Check out Shades of U. This blog will show you a world of makeup you've never seen. Aileen, the author of the blog, will show you eye shadow, blush, lip gloss, lip stick, and mineral foundation swatches and much much more. She loves MAC and is always up to date on having MAC's latest collection. She showcases all her looks, and notes makeup she uses to accomplish each look. I love checking out her blog daily. I am so envious of her makeup collection!

Another blog I love to check out is The Mineral Makeup Blog. This blog reviews mineral makeup brands, and there are a lot. It's a good resource for great brands you've never heard of. Mineral makeup suits my oily skin! I love Monave for my foundation and setting powder and Everyday Minerals for their blush, eye shadows, and their finishing powders.

So I'm really particular about my makeup...Only one person has done my makeup in a way I loved. So I'm on the lookout for a makeup artist to help me on my wedding day. I'm really interested in airbrush makeup. I'm looking for makeup that can withstand my emotions. I'm a crier...I mean, I cry when I think about walking down the aisle to FI. I balled when FI proposed, and I balled when we told our friends of our engagement. It was hard not to wipe away my tears during the Sex and the City movie. When I start going through trials, I'm gonna go out and rent Pay It Forward or A Little Princess (aka super crying movies) to see if my makeup can withstand my tears.

My everyday look: light blush and eyeliner



My party look: smoky eye, dramatic blush


So it's hard to tell the difference from my pictures...sorry for that. For the wedding, I think I want to go somewhere in between. Last Christmas, my mom got me Makeup Makeovers: Weddings: Stunning Looks for the Entire Bridal Party by Robert Jones. It's got some great tips. And there are tons of pictures in bridal magazines. I don't know how I'm going to find "the look."

What are you planning on doing? Get your makeup done professionally, or did you end up doing it yourself?

If you're already married, what did you do? What's the best cry-proof makeup out there? What was your favorite makeup for the big day?

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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Max & Chloe

I love jewelry! When I'm shopping on the web, I know I can get my fix at Max and Chloe! They carry some of my favorite brands like CC Skye and Gorjana. Get $10 off $100 with code AFLT10, and sign up for chance to win a $500 shopping spree. Good luck!


Saturday, August 9, 2008

More shoes

Yes, I am obsessed with shoes. If only I had more money...oh man. Went to the Metro Pointe Nordstrom Rack Pre-Sale this past Wednesday. I came a little late, so I saw some ladies with really great finds! I'm so sad I missed out on those. I saw some Manolo's out there, Jimmy Choo's, and Lanvin flats in other ladies' carts. I was holding on to a pair of Burberry stilettos for a while, but I just couldn't justify the $400 price tag (down from $1000). The Burberry's fit so well, and they were the most comfortable heels I've ever tried on before. I carried those babies around the store for like half an hour before putting them back on the shelf. I still feel a little regretful. *sigh*

I did come out with another potential pair of wedding shoes, and a fun pair for work or going out.





These are Sergio Rossi's "Bow" in color Oro. They sold on Zappos originally for $539.00 and are now on sale for $431.20. I got them for about 70% off the original price!



These are Loeffler Randall's "Eppy" Heel in Black. They are on sale at Barefoot Tess for $264 down from $465. I got them at 80% off the original price.

I am uber happy with my finds, but I so wish I had the Lanvin flats that my friend was able to snag. And I so wish those Burberry heels would have had a lower price...

Happy shoe buying!

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Sunday, August 3, 2008

Other venues we passed on...

I hope this can help some couples out there in their search.

This was one of my mom's favorite venues. It's the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, and it's a hidden gem. Off the 5 on Avery, it sits at the end of the street. It was a really cute place, but adding up the numbers put us over our budget. So this one was a pass for us too.

I so loved the Tustin Ranch Golf Club.

It was perfect! Seriously down the street from our apartment. The entrance you drive through to get in was just majestic! I could not believe I didn't hear more about this place before. I loved the ceremony area! Their motto is "Public with a Private Feel." So true. It looked very high-end...and the prices reflected that. This was definitely at the top of my list, and I was so sad to let it go.

The El Adobe Restaurant in San Juan Capistrano was very affordable! SJC is such a cute city. While visiting the restaurant, FI and I had to walk and check out the park and other historic buildings in the area. Mom wasn't too crazy about the place, however.

We also checked out the Franciscan Gardens in SJC. We weren't super impressed...we felt like it was a backyard, and the price wasn't worth it to us.

The Westminster Rose Center was another affordable venue, but the menu was just not that impressive. I tried to like it, but I just couldn't picture my wedding there.

We ventured to LA and visited the RecCenter Studio...for the avant garde bride and groom. You could do so much with the space...and therein lies the problem: you would have to do something to the space; in fact, you would have to do a lot of work, but it's got so much potential. It's a blank slate to work with. Parking was kind of sketchy too...not guaranteed. And it was in LA...the traffic is so unpredictable, and the place was kind of difficult to find. But the venue rental fee didn't sound too bad at all. And I loved the uniqueness of it!

The Betty H. Reckas Cultural Center is a fairly new venue. The space was nice and large. A Greek Orthodox church sits across from the ballroom. If you plan to have your ceremony at the same location, you'd probably do it right in front of the church. This didn't do it for us either. But again, another venue with lots of potential.

It's been difficult for us. We finally did find a place. It made top 3...its location, convenience, and price allowed it to take a spot. It feels good to have a place though, and a date. It's really official now. We're getting married!

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