Hey Amalie! I just discovered that Butterick has some new and rather cute little girl dresses that you should review for the flower girls.

On another progress front, I am now working on the muslins for Becky and Elizabeth. Once I get them put together, I will mail them and await their comments for fitting.

And in case anyone is curious, I can say that the muslin for Amalie fits, and needs only a couple of "creative" adjustments (Amalie, I want to talk to you about a couple of creative thoughts I have had). All the necessary fabrics to start on the real thing are now in my possession.... oh, wait, except for crinoline, but I have  a source for that, so, no problem. We are making progress!

Another Thing

Could everyone please post her favorite color here?  Be pretty specific too, ie. deep blue, rich purples, etc.

Rooms and Hair

Hey ladies,

So there are two things on the docket today: rooms and hair.

Rooms
Gavin and I have blocked out sixty rooms in three of Fort Dodge's hotels.  We will likely have any out of town wedding wedding party staying at the AmericInn, just across the highway from the Opera House.  We would like to start figuring out room combinations (who is planning on staying with whom), so that we could possibly reserve specific rooms for the wedding party.  I know that some of you will be staying at home, with dates/husbands or will want to stay with specific people.  Please talk amongst yourselves and start figuring on a plan.  I know that it seems early, but there is a baseball tournament in Fort Dodge the same weekend as the wedding -how inconsiderate of them, I know -and we'd like to fit things into place earlier rather than later.

Hair
So, my mom is going to chat with my beautician from Sheldon and see if she would be willing to come to Fort Dodge to do hair.  She knows my head so well, and she is probably the sweetest beautician on the planet.  My mom and I were wondering how many of us are planning on having our hair done professionally and how many people were planning on doing their own hair.  I'm fine with either.  I'd just like to see what do you're thinking of before the morning of the big day.  You can post ideas here or e-mail me directly.
I'm really excited.  I know that it seems like the wedding is really far away, but the next six months are going to fly by, and the sooner I have things in order, the better.  As I told Gavin this morning, I really want to sleep the week before the wedding.

Thanks for all of your help!

P.S. My hair will be very simple, but it will be "up".  I'm not looking for crazy updo's, or elaborate curls.  Have fun with your ideas though.

Hey Attendants!

I am getting antsy about settling on dresses and ordering them.  I guess I'm thinking that if we get that done in the next few months -by January -we can be sure that we find dresses you like, likely at better prices than the dresses we'd find in-season.  We decided upon blue, cocktail length, not strapless.  I'll post the dresses from Mod Cloth that Kim and Emma (and Becky) approved in July. At least one of them is still online.

No Toes

Shoes!  Glorious shoes.  It has come to my attention that in beginning to think about sewing dresses, we also need to be thinking about shoes.  My mother brought this up with a couple of my bridesmaids, so she does not cut any fabric too short.  Immediately, the question was tossed my way: What kind of shoes are we wearing?!  The following is a description of my vision although it still remains pretty vague.

I would prefer black shoes.  I do not have a height requirement of any kind.  If one is worried about being in heels all day, please wear flats.  If one is vertically challenged and feels the need for a lift, hit the heels.  My only great concern is the amount of toe showing.  I'd prefer a closed toe shoe, however, I would never say no to a peep toe.  My reasoning is this:  I do not want to have to dictate what color toe nail polish everyone must wear, that's just silly.  As this is also a semi formal event, I really don't want to see more foot than shoe.  Finally, let's face it, none of us are extremely tan.  A stark white foot underneath a beautiful, black bridesmaid dress will be rather distracting.  

I think that exhausts all kinds of shoe/foot logic.  I think my mom and I will have fabric sent out by October... I think.  I know that I'm anxious for everything to get rolling.  

Light sabers, anyone?

As long as I am in the posting mood... I thought I would share and get reactions to a little something I found a few weeks ago. It really does pay to go into the hardware and garden store with Lowell on a Sunday afternoon. While he was rummaging for some nuts or bolts or sour cherry balls, I was browsing the shelves near the checkout. Oddsbodkins! I saw what looked like a mini-light saber!

It is actually a little glow light, with an LED flashlight and whistle, all in one. I bought the blue one, but they are available in several different colors. In the photo above (yeah, my hand is not always steady with the camera in my phone, but you should get the idea) I have both the glow and the flashlight turned on, standing in a tall hurricane glass. I am thinking of the reception, and the possibility of somehow incorporating them into the table centerpieces... what do you all think? I might also add that if we were to go this route, I think I might consider taking off the whistle part, since it would only take two or three people discovering that capability to sort of spoil the party for the MOB.

And just to make clear, I believe firmly in the dignity and sacredness of the church ceremony, but as far as I am concerned, the reception is the party, so, let the Force be with us!!

~Karen

Good Things in All Sizes of Packages!

It has been a busy day for delivery people out here at the farm. Two very major and special receipts are the roll of black silk charmeuse for the bridesmaid dresses, and for Amalie's eyes only, a package from the UK! It looks very pretty, and I am so excited to work with it! I laid it out in your room, Amer, but I will have to pick it up and secret it away before your intended might happen across it!

But, back to the bridesmaids' fabric. I still need to get the lining fabric, and then we should be able to send out the measures of fabrics with the patterns. It may seem a bit early, in one sense, because it is still a little more than nine months away, but I want to make sure you all have time to make arrangements for a seamstress, or to let me know how much work I should plan on doing. I do have measurements from Marlena and Kylie, and I should start on muslin practices dresses for you in the near future. If anyone else wants to enlist my seamstress services, let me know! You don't have to post measurements here; you can e-mail that information to momappleton@gmail.com

I think I am having more fun than even the MOB should have!

~Karen

TUESDAY!!

YEA Random Tuesday!!  So, I don't have much time for a suggestion today, so I'm going to keep this a little short.  I need to catch a very large plane tomorrow morning. ;)

My suggestion today is more for Betsy.  And it's cupcakes for the wedding cake.

And now we wait to see when Betsy sees this.  (Please still pick me up from the airport!!)

Tuesday Randomness!! (Save the Dates)

Okay, so it isn't Tuesday.  But I have an excuse.  It involves electricity to run an internet router.  And by involves, I mean it lacks involvement.  :)

So this week's idea is about the save the date cards.  Some ways to do unique things with these would be to include little games on them.  You could do a crossword that hints at important parts of the wedding.  Goom's name, bride's name, month that comes before July, etc.  Or you could do a word-find.  It would be different from other save-the-dates, and could be whimsical.  Of course, for the party poopers on the invite list, you'd want to include all the necessary info on the back.  But you could make it tiny and force them to find magnifying glasses. ;)

Random Ideas (Floral Stuff)

Yea, Random Tuesday!!  Tuesday Randomness!!  (I need a better name for this...)

So for my second random idea, I have an idea for the aesthetic of the wedding party (more for the ladies).  Instead of flowers, we could carry brooch bouquets.  One of my sorority sisters did this, and each bouquet was made to reflect the bridesmaid who carried it--with colors and styles, etc.  It isn't too difficult to make it (how-to linked here).  But it seems that the more difficult thing would be finding all the brooches... 

Just a quick shout out to my sorority sister who did this (one of the classiest women I've ever met, btw--very Audrey Hepburn...similar to someone else I know...), her blog has lots of pictures of the bouquets made for her wedding and three can be seen in the picture linked here.

And for the record, I have already told Amalie that some of my random ideas (this one in particular) will probably be something I very seriously consider when/if I get married.  So she's already agreed not to get mad if I do some of the ideas I post here (like this one).  It's on the Intarwebs so it is documented FOR-EV-ER. ;);) :):)

Random Ideas (Reception)

I've picked up a few ideas from weddings in the past that I've liked.  The one I can think of off the top of my head has to do with the reception.  A wedding I attended during college had a bowl with the names of all the other couples who were attending the wedding up at the bride and groom's table.  Every time the bride and groom stood up to kiss with the clinking of glasses, they'd also draw the names of another couple in the room who also were to stand up and kiss.

I'll do what I can to keep a theme like this going for you.  YEA, Randomness!!

Bachelor/ette Couples' Party Idea

Hi All! I had an idea for a party that I wanted to run by you all, and also to see if anyone else had some ideas.

I think Amalie and Gavin would have a lot of fun at a joint or semi-joint bachelor/bachelorette party (something tells me both of them are going to want a party on the tasteful side vs. the conventional raunch that goes down at some bachelor/ette parties...). Since they met through dance, and so many of us enjoy dancing, how about starting the party out with a ballroom dance class? I found a few places in Omaha that do private group instruction classes: Omaha Ballroom, Simply Ballroom, and Just Dance, to name a few. After we refresh our waltz, tango, and swing skills, we could go on to a nice dinner, and then end the night (with or without bachelors?) with some good old, diva-belting karaoke. :)

What are your ideas?

Hi everyone!  I'm just going to update on dresses thus far:

Becky has chosen:






Abby has chosen:





Kylie has chosen:

Marlena has chosen:


Pattern C.


Elizabeth has chosen: 

Molly has chosen:



Betsy has chosen:




We're done and confirmed!  My mom and I will begin working on finding the correct fabric(s), and we'll get on sending everything out to everyone.  Betsy has begun working on her dress by creating a muslin copy of her dress.  She has a very good idea in that she can work out any kinks with making the dress with the muslin copy and maybe make any changes to the dress that would better suit her body or tastes.  I'm so excited!

Well, to begin the merriment, I'm very excited to announce the MOH and bridesmaids' dresses' "states of being".*  (I started with "situation", but that's such a negative sounding word.  You'd all be holding your breath trying not to be scared or worried... but perhaps you should be. Heh, heh, heh.)  Upon my mother's suggestion, knowing that I wanted everyone to wear a floor-length black dress of their choosing, but fearing that the blacks would not match up, Gavin and I have chosen two dress patterns for each MOH and bridesmaid.  I will be sending each of you the online links to view your choices.  After critically viewing your two choices, you get to select the one you like best.  Some choices are shared between two people, so I do have some veto power in case two people choose the same pattern.  -I'd really love everyone to be different, because, let's face it, we're all pretty different!  That being said,  upon the selection and "okay" by me,  please send me your measurements or, if you're modest, the pattern size you would need.  My mother and I will buy the patterns and the fabric and upon arrival and division of supplies, we will send your supplies to your residences.

Your mission!  You may either find and employ a seamstress to make your dress, or you may make your dress yourself if you are so inclined and able.  Typically everyone has a mother, grandmother, or aunt who is pretty adept at using a sewing machine.  I believe all the patterns are around the "average" range, so no one need worry about an "advanced" dress that is extremely difficult to construct.  I'm really excited about this.  I think it is a unique way to have everyone involved in the dresses.  I hope that this way everyone gets a dress that they at least like and perhaps can figure out a way to alter in the future to wear again... "And the best part is you could just cut it off and wear it again!"  "Definitely, so true." -27 Dresses.

*Attendants, Gavin and I are still discussing our ideas about what you shall wear.  Again, we want you to be comfortable and happy with your attire for the day, but we are considering knee-length or tea-length.  I will be in touch!  Any ideas based upon the above paragraphs would be welcomed.

I'm not sure if everyone here has a Pinterest account, but we could create a shared board on the site. M, I know most of the stuff is pretty trendy, but it might be a good idea to share ideas with people!

Wedding Sites that Didn't Give Me Hives, circa 2010

The following sites were my best of the best list a couple years ago. The had great ideas and weren't overwhelming.

Utterly Engaged: Pure, unadulterated wedding porn (yes, that's actually a phrase). Best viewed on iPad.

Etsy: This is basically what you would get if you crossed a craft fair with Pinterest and Amazon. Etsy is not necessarily a wedding site, but I found some wonderful ideas and it was great to patronize the small businesses on this site. The bridesmaid clutches, some of my jewelry, and my fascinator all were Etsy finds. "Artisanal" means something here.

Off Beat Bride:  This one is a bit of an answer to The Knot/Nest/Bump, except ideas are a bit more, well, off-beat, and there's much less judgment in the community forums. (I dare you to tell The Knot community forums you are thinking about an ice cream cake for the groom's cake. The internet panic incited by this is sadly hilarious.) I highly recommend registering with the Off Beat Bride Tribe if you'd like a place to dish with other brides with similar tastes or in similar situations to you. Note: 87.6% of everything you see here will *not* be for you. That's one of the best things about this site.

Hi Bridesmaids, MOH's, Attendants and Mom's!  I'm very excited to finally get this blog up and running.  This is the place that we can communicate, inspire fun ideas, and share any concerns.  Please feel free to add to or edit this blog as much as you need.  I've made everyone part editors.