The Toasting Flutes Conundrum

Thursday, August 28, 2008

After last night's (and the past few weeks) exhausting search for toasting flutes and serving sets that match, I decided that we weren't going to find what we wanted.

No, not even Etsy could help on this one.

Finding anything that is gold is quite near impossible, but, my mom did mangage to find a simple knife and server set that we love (which unfortunately when I got around to purchasing, they were no longer available from that particular company).

So then I was off to find gold toasting flutes. It is difficult to find anything that is simple. Most wedding toasting flutes have hearts or knots, or weird designs and 95% of them are silver.

So, I have officially given up on finding anything remotely like what we want and have decided to just purchase the toasting flutes from our registry (firelight gold) to use for the wedding.

This way, we will use something that we can ALWAYS use again.

As a couple I think our overall motto is efficiency....so there ya go.

One "detail" decision down, fifty million more to go.

My timeline or yours?

Monday, August 25, 2008

Ok, why is it that every groom thinks that making a decision about color, or theme, or cake, or music is something that doesn't have to be done until the very end.

Is it just like they think it will all work itself out?

Or do they know that the longer they procrastinate, they know the bride will just take over and do it herself.

The sad thing is, it just creates more stupid tension over wedding related stuff. UGH!!!

I can't win.

Catching up with the Cousin....

Saturday, August 8, 2008

Me and my cousin Courtney (Inman) hanging out at Boston's in Jonesboro.


I haven't seen Courtney in probably 15 years. She still looks just the way I remember, so cute and tiny. Courtney's a few years older than me, but we've never had the chance to really hang out with each other and I only remember her from when I was a kid. It was SO awesome to meet up with her and really hang out with each other as adults. We had a VERY interesting conversation about our family and the strangely parallel lives we have led with regards to our fathers. It's nice to reconnect with family and I'm hoping that we'll be able to spend more time together (now that she's back in the states) and build a stronger relationship.

I'm SO EXCITED that I got to reconnect with her and I can't wait to see her again.

THE BLING!!!!!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

I LOVE MY RING!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.benson/RingPictures

I can honestly say that it is one of a kind and that there is nothing else out there like it.

The center stone(s) are a cluster of seven diamonds. These diamonds are from my Grandma Dot's diamond cocktail ring. I basically took the diamonds and kept the same cluster flower pattern and just put it into a different setting. Al and I chose the setting months ago from the Rubin brothers and it is a custom ring that is similar to a ring found from the Elizabeth Taylor collection The House of Taylor.

The ring is so brilliant and sparkly and I have the tendency to get mesmerized and just a little bit distracted by it. It's hard to get used to having such a beautiful thing in my possession and I truly realize how lucky I am.

Becoming a Knottie

Friday, August 8, 2008

So after months and months of lurking on the Atlanta Knot boards (www.theknot.com), I decided to throw in the towel and officially become a contributing "Knottie".

I created a knottie bio and posted my proposal video. It's my breakaway from weddingbee....ha!

I have to say, it's pretty cool that the Knot provides an online community of support for local brides. It's really great to have a group of locals to bounce ideas off of as well as give recommendations of vendors. I'm looking forward to sharing the planning process with the board over the next year.

Woohooo!

Work, work, work

Monday, August 4, 2008

So after the insanity of this weekend, it was back to the usual routine....work.

I was excited to announce my official engagement to my co-workers and they were thrilled....lots of oooh's and ahhh's over the ring. Good times.

I also decided to do the practical thing and called to check on insurance for my ring. There's so many little details to remember to take care of, so I'm glad I can check this one off my list.

I also decided to take back my black wicker hanging baskets, since after the visiting the space again, I realized they would be dwarfed in the ceiling and wouldn't really make a significant impact on the decor....oh well. I figure if I try to put anything in the ceiling, I would have to spend quite a significant amount of money in order for it to make a difference in the room.

My Birthday Dinner

Saturday, August 2, 2008

After the most exciting 10 minutes of my life, we were out the door in order to make it to my birthday party dinner. Al had planned a birthday dinner at Macaroni Grill with 20 of my closest friends and family. All the guests braved the crazy and very random lightning storms to join and Al and I to celebrate not only my 27th birthday, but our engagement as well.

I can't even begin to describe the love and support that I felt that night.

We walked in and were greeted by my parents and Erin and Charlie. I was so excited to show off my ring. As others started to arrive, I would greet them and they would immediately ask to see my ring. My hands shook the entire evening.

The attendees:
My parents, Al's parents, Galina, Shari, Erin and Charlie, Brian and Jessi, Debbie and Gautam, Scott, Scott and Sheila, Stacey, and Brandon and Lisa.
Unfortunately we had a few guests that couldn't make it that night, but were there with us in spirit (Allyson, Lisa and Scott and Lisa's mom, and of course Lindsay and Phil)

The whole night was a whirlwind of greeting people, chatting, catching up and just sharing a great evening together.

After dinner, the waiter brought out a cake that my mom and lyle had brought (which my mom had decorated with her nickname and the style of my dress -with the last two number transposed...details...). He sang happy birthday to me in Italian which was so lovely, and I cut my cake and we passed it around.

It was so lovely to have some of the most important people in my life all in one place. I can't wait for the wedding where it will be a similar experience but on a larger scale.

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!

THE PROPOSAL!!!

Saturday, August 2, 2008
OH MY GOSH!!!!

It's official, we're engaged.

As we were getting ready to head out, Al called me over to the computer to check out a new website that Lisa had sent to him for me to see.

http://www.bridaliciouswishes.com/

When I pulled up the website, it was a bridal website. I remarked on the name of the website and how it sounded like our nicknames. Al told me to click on the bridesmaid dresses and then pick one that I liked. When I clicked on a picture a video came up. I was a little confused, but hit play. All of a sudden our song "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol started playing and Al's face came up on the screen. As he began to speak, I looked over at him and he sat down on the couch next to me and said, it's a birthday thing. When he started off with "when I saw your profile on Match.com....," it suddenly dawned on me what was happening and I immediately began to to do the ugly cry. I was so emotional. As I listened to the wonderful things Al was saying, I began to shake and all I remember was covering my mouth with my hand and smiling through my tears. All of a sudden, I heard the question that I had been waiting forever to hear. I turned to look at Al and he was kneeling next to me holding a box with THE most AMAZING ring, I had ever seen! It was so much more beautiful (and sparkly) in person than I could have ever imagined. Al asked me again "will you marry me?" and I cried/laughed my way through a yes. He put the ring on my finger and I kissed him as I pulled him up to his feet and gave him the biggest hug ever. I kept laughing and crying as I admired me beautiful ring. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my entire life!!!!

You had me at mani-pedi

Saturday, August 2, 2008

MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I started out my day with a trip to the emissions place (yeah, I'm a procrastinator).

Then Al took me to the nail salon for my birthday mani-pedi. Oh my gosh it was so great. I have greatly missed my mani-pedi's. Al also got a mani and totally enjoyed the hand/arm massage.

After the salon, we grabbed a quick lunch at Subway, then went to see the Dark Knight. SUCH a great movie! I was really touched by Heath's final performance. Truly haunting.

After the movie we came home to get ready to head out to my birthday dinner. As we were getting ready to leave Al called me over to the computer to check out a new website....and.....