Over & Out ...

As my mother told me yesterday, you know the big day is getting close when the flowers have arrived.  And they have ... along with the tables, chairs, dance floor, confetti cones, completed programs, favors, esc. -

 and currently, the employees from Distinctive Rentals are setting up the tent that will cover my Great Aunt's backyard.

So yes, we are close.  Really close.  So close that today's post will be my last before I am officially a married woman and my June garden, backyard wedding is a memory rather than an upcoming event to plan.  While I previously had planned, (my Type A personality is always planning), to blog through the day of the rehearsal ... I have since realized that this week will be a whirlwind of completing last minute to-do's, welcoming out-of-town guests, and obviously, setting up the vast amount of decor we have been planning for what now feels like forever.  Therefore, I must succomb to the fact that while I may want to, I will be forced to stay away from my Pink Dell laptop until I am Mrs. BB  ...

When I first began writing these posts approximately a year ago, it was in an effort to be a part of http://www.weddingbee.com/ ... one of the many wedding blogs that I frequent for creative wedding thoughts & ideas.  Well, that never happened.  But as I look back, the opportunity to reflect on this unique journey through writing about my daily experiences has been so valuable to me.  And even if no one besides my mom did read it (other than Mr. BB, when I directly asked him to!) ... I am thankful that "the burgundy bride" came to be.  Furthermore, while I realize that I will no longer be a bride past Saturday (yet an official married woman!) ... I plan to continue to visit this site.  Because the truth is,

I always have something to say. 

And of course, I will have to recap that June garden, backyard weddind that I was just speaking of. 

Until then ...

Passports, "Packing", & Pocket Schedules: Check.

Among other things ... of course.  Yes, we have now officially entered the single digit countdown to our June 25th wedding date, and more specifically, we are only five days away.

We feel like we have been in our own bridal boot camp for the past few weeks ... and by that, I am referring to the fact that we have been doing little else but tending to each & every detail for the big day.  So since the last time I updated my blog, a lot of loose ends have been tied up (literally & figuratively).

Some highlights include ... my FI finally receiving his passport (and thus eliminating all of my family members & friends who were lining up to join me on the sand in the Bahamas); successfully packing myself for the night before my wedding, the day & night of the wedding, and of course, that Bahamas trip I just spoke of; and lastly, typing, formatting, printing, folding, & tying the "pocket schedules" that our wedding party will recieve tonight at our official boot camp (more information to come).

Information Includes ... Times/Days of Events, Important Phone Numbers, Addresses ...

My Dad & Grad ...

Even if it was't less than 10 days before my wedding, this would still be a really, really thrilling time for me (as it is every other year).  As my fellow teachers know, the initial days of summer bring a sense of excitement that only we can understand.  Thoughts of long, relaxing days at the beach with no responsibility dance in our heads ... while the assurance of a paycheck every other two weeks still remains. 

There really isn't anything better.

Another constant that arrives each June?  The weekend in which we celebrate both our "Dads" & "Grads."  Both are celebrations that would be impossible to forget, since Target, Hallmark, and Macy's have been feverishly advertising them both since the beginning of May.  And personally, I plan to relish the opportunity to show some special people in my life how much I appreciate them.

Anyone who knows me is aware of how much I respect my dad, and furthermore, those who have met him understand exactly why.  I am fairly sure that I have expressed my thoughts on this subject on a previous post - but my father is seriously the best dad in the world.  He has always been there for me whenever I have needed him (which tends to be a lot ... still ... ) and I am beyond fortunate to have him. 

Secondly, although I look forward to graduation each year (and I have already explained why), this year will be extra special.  My youngest brother, Aaron, will be graduating from high school tomorrow evening - and if my family has anything to do with it, and we will - he will have the biggest cheer at the ceremony.  I am so proud of him & what he has accomplished, and again, those who have met him understand how incredible he really is.

Congratulations to my dad & my grad ... this weekend is all about you. 

Bags, Bags, Billions of Bags ...

Seriously, where does the time go?  Mr. BB & I talk about it often - how as you get older ... minutes, hours, days, even years ... seem to go by faster & faster.  Are we the only two who remember when we were younger and an hour used to feel like FOREVER?  You know, when your mom told you that you had to wait an hour until you could go play with your friends and it sincerely felt like a lifetime before it would ever end ...

So my point is that the last 18 months have officially gone by so incredibly fast that they feel like a blur, and the fact that my wedding is now exactly 10 days away is pretty unbelievable (and incredible all at the same time).  And what are we spending these last few days doing?!  LOTS - in fact, we all (my mom, fiance, dad, brothers, sister, future brother-in-law, esc.) have a list of to-do's before the big day can become a reality. 

My main job has been getting the billions of bags together for the many people who are involved in this upcoming celebration.  That includes:  kids bags, bridal survival kit bags, "friend-or" bags (those people who have helped us from the goodness of their dear, dear hearts), vendor bags, and OOT bags (out-of-town bags).  My house, which was already "packed to the brim" with materials needed for a week from Saturday, is now completely overflowing with bags, bags, and more bags.  And I must admit that both my future husband & myself are very much looking forward to handing them out (thus, clearing out our home) in the days to come.

"Lunch"ing with the Ladies

I am constantly thankful that I was not the first of my girlfriends to get married, as prior to going through the process with two of my best friends recently, I certainly was not aware of many of the bridal traditions & customs that exist.  It is seriously hard to keep up will all of them, although I would now consider myself officially an expert on the subject.  One of them was definitely the bridal luncheon.  Sure, I had heard of a bridal shower and as a girl who loves a celebration of any sort, I have thoroughly enjoyed the ones I have attended.    And obviously, the bachelorette party was an event that I (sometimes) looked forward to even more than the wedding.  But the bridal luncheon was something I was unsure of ...

You know you are getting older when you look forward to giving gifts more than recieving them.  (You remember Christmas as a young child, when you tear open your gifts so quickly you aren't even sure of what Santa actually brought you ... and then feel slightly depressed after you realize there aren't any more presents labeled with your name.)  Needless to say, I have been thinking about the perfect gifts for my special ladies for over 18 months now.  In fact, I actually began on them last summer ... when on a few of my days off, I hand-painted vases in colors that reminded me of each of my girls. 

So over the weekend, I was positively thrilled to be able to thank the extraordinary woman in my life who have made this wedding process so unforgettable for me.  (And , of course, had my mom to help me in this pursuit, even though she is definitely the one who deserved the biggest thank you).  Together, we hosted a luncheon at Rockafellar's Restaurant, in which we were able to celebrate over yummy food, cocktails, a fantastic view, and of course, gifts for the girls.

  

Thank you, again, to my ladies for all you have done, and all I know that we have to look forward to.  And of course, to my mom, who we all know that I couldn't have done (any of this) without.

Licensed To Wed.

Well, another weekend has passed and we are now that much closer to our "big day" ... a day we have been planning & anticipating for well over a year now.  Although I must fully admit that I don't know that the reality of it has struck me yet, either that or I am just that anxious for it to be here. 

And I know my FI, mother, grandmother and various other family members & friends would express their "readiness" for June 25th as well.

So it's a good thing that we have now made it official by getting "licensed to wed" - Mr. BB & I visited the courthouse to obtain the all-important marriage license on Friday!  As with most other events thus far in my life, I was a tad tardy to meet my husband-to-be, who was starting to think he had a runaway bride on his hands.  (He should have known, since he knows me, that I had walked into three different buildings before finding the correct one, in which I ran into another issue since my camera wasn't allowed in the building.)  Nevertheless, I made it right before their 4:30 closing time, and after handing over our applications and raising our right hands to solemnly swear that all of our information was correct - we had another check off of our wedding to-do list.  As VA law states, the certificate is valid for 30 days, and now all that remains is the signature from our officiant (and a fabulous celebration).  And I must mention that the manilla envelope that holds our marriage certificate even even has a sparkly heart sticker on the outside.  Such a sweet touch.

As I stated, cameras were not allowed in the building, but I did manage to get a few on the way out ...

LOVEMYJOB

I am not one of those people who has a "personalized" license plate, but I do often find myself analyzing them to figure out their true meaning.  And as my FI knows, there is one particular license plate (placed on a car that belongs to an individual who lives in our neighborhood), that always seems to catch my eye.  It reads "LOVEMYJOB," and everytime I see it, I wonder what career its owner is in.  I mean,  who really likes their job that much?  The point of a job is to get paid, and then, in my case, spend it at Forever 21 ... although, as a wife, I truly plan to be better at that.  But to my point, even after listening to all of the guest speakers in my classroom each year say "Love your job & you will never work a day in your life" ... is that really true?  Does anyone really love their job so much that they would do it for free?

So, as the school year draws to a close and my desire for summer days "Ms. Wright-free" grows stronger ... my thoughts have been on my own career.  And while I fully admit that I wouldn't do it for free, I have been thinking about how fortunate I really am.  The excitement that my students have for my wedding is evident, and when I really think about it, it makes me giddy.  They ask questions about it daily, continue to assist in DIY projects even though they are completely exhausted, and express their anticipation for the day often.  Furthermore, on the last official Friday of the school year (tomorrow) ... those students who will be "working" the wedding are staying after school to discuss last-minute details ... while most of their friends will be at the beach or the mall celebrating their upcoming freedom.

Yes, I would have to say that I love my job.  I am really anxious for the amount of time I will have back after the wedding to devote to improving my daily plans for the students who have devoted so much time to me.  And lastly, I may even forgive them for telling me that my new last name sounds like an old lady in class today.  Maybe. 

Crazy for A Canvas

Obviously, with nuptials less than 3 weeks away, all of our invitations have now officially been mailed & we finally have the list of guests that celebrate with us on our wedding day. 

 (On a side note: our "head count" of 150 somehow grew to 188 plus 15 kids ... but we have "made it work" ... the more, the merrier, right?!!)

So now that our "babies" have been released & retrieved, it's time to reveal my personal favorite part of our wedding invites.  As previously posted, thanks to many extraordinary & hard-working people, there were quite a few elements to the final product.  But, without a doubt, my heart belongs to the hand-painted picture that my good (no, great!) friend/bridesmaid Niki created.  The picture is of my FI & I in the backyard of our Tall Trees estate in which we will be married.  Needless to say - it is certainly special to us both and we feel lucky to have had it as the first element of the invites that our guests were able to see. 

What made me feel even more fortunate?  When Niki gifted me with the actual original canvas ... a gift that I immediately placed in our home and (obviously) plan to always keep.

Thank you, Niki, for creating something beautiful, unique, and personal to our day.  I love that this is a part of the wedding that will last a lifetime.

Passport is Packed. I'm Prepared.

But unfortunately, that only makes one of us.  In less than 3 weeks, the plan is for my new husband & I to embark on our honeymoon in Freeport, Bahamas.  And after 18 months of planning, the vacation is one that is sure to be completely necassary & well-deserved.  I have seriously been having dreams of us sitting on the beach, sipping cocktails with pretty umbrellas strategically placed in them, for weeks now. 

But those idealic thoughts may have to be placed on hold for just a minute ...  

Mr. BB & I went to apply for our passports approximately a month ago, and (especially) after attempting to joke with the lady who was assisting us with the matter, realized how serious this process was.  But with a lot on both of our minds with an upcoming wedding to plan, we both didn't devote much thought to the need for a passport after applying for them that day.  That was until last week, when I casually went by our mailbox after school to find ...

A FedEx Envelope ... Containing My Passport, Complete with the Official Book that Surrounds It.



And then immediatly placed it in my bag that holds many of the other items that will come with me on my honeymoon.



  So yes, it was an exciting moment that made our impending "escape" more of a reality.  That was until I noticed that my FI didn't have a beautiful FedEx envelope like mine, but instead a rather small, lightweight letter placed to him from the same return address my big envelope had.  And I immediatly thought back to high school, when you were applying to colleges, and you knew that the heavy letters meant good news and the lightweight ones were just the opposite.

It wasn't good news.  Mr. BB had been denied - that is until he submits a birth certificate with the correct embossed seal from the state.  So since then, we have submitted (in fact, overnighted) the correct record of his birth.  Now, we are just waiting for his FedEx envelope to arrive.

In the meantime, anyone up for a trip to the Bahamas?  Keep in mind - You have to have a passport.

Last Wedding Before the Wedding ...

It certainly feels like there are a lot of "lasts" lately ... especially since I just got through encouraging my students to make it through the week by reminding them that it is their last full week of the school year.  Other "lasts"?  This is the last year that my students will call me by my current last name,  Friday night marked our major last meeting before the big day, and over the weekend, Mr. BB & I attended the last wedding we will before our own.

So after that rather overwhelming meeting (in which we had a discuss that infamous rain plan that we have been trying not to think about for so long!) ... my FI & I were able to enjoy someone else's special day for an evening.  It truly was a beautiful event, and one that made me that much more anxious for our own.  My favorite parts of the wedding?  When the bride & groom were announced for the first time - as I couldn't help but think that I will myself will be a Mrs. in less than a month.  And of course, much like any other wedding I have ever attended, I was a sap for the father/daughter dance. 

Here we are at the last wedding before our own ...

With my husband-to-be!

Notice the stunning backdrop ... love those backyard weddings! :)

So yes, they had the ideal weather for such a special occasion.  And after the "Plan B" meeting I previously mentioned we had the night before, I was a tad bit envious of their chosen day.  Cross your fingers with me (and even your toes) that we will be just as lucky.  And of course, congratulations to the newlyweds! 

Locked & Loaded ...

When planning an event for what is now 190 people (plus 18 kids) ... there is bound to be a lot of "stuff."  And by "stuff," I am referring to plates, signs, cupcake toppers, mason jars, favors, ties, straws, shoes, flags .....

The list could seriously go on, and on, and then on.  Over the last 18 months, with my mom and I at the helm, we have aqcuired quite a bit.  And until this past weekend, it was spread over three houses in random boxes and corners of various rooms.

Well, my mother deserves more than a simple thank you for this one ... as I find myself saying quite often lately.  As my FI & I partied the night away for our bachelor/bachelorette weekends, she spent the 3-day holiday weekend organizing all of that "stuff" that our backyard wedding will require.   And as a result, we are truly locked & loaded for the big day.  Of course I don't want to get too carried away ... there are quite a few loose ends that need to be tied up before our guests arrive ... but we are certainly more ready than we were before.   Here is what our wedding room looks like now:

Impressive, right?!  Thanks mom. :)

Flowers from the FI

Yes, the pretty flowers above are currently sitting on my kitchen table ... and yes, they were put there after I brought them home from school.  And how did they get to school?  My future husband sent them to me last Friday to wish me an enjoyable bachelorette weekend.  It's true.

I realize that to many, flowers are a normal occurence.  But I have always told Mr. BB not to spend his money on them ... because I have an issue paying money for an item that will eventually die.  I really never understood the importance of it all.

However, at a point in which I was beyond highly stressed over a wedding less than a month away & (I admit it!) a little frazzled over all I had to do  ... they made me quite blissful.  Ecstatic even.  And, they were just what I needed to rmark the beginning of my "last fling before the ring" with my closest girlfriends.

As I posted yesterday, the weekend was just what I needed to "relax, rest, & rejuvenate" for the final plans that are to take place in the next 3 weeks.  It's crunch time; but certainly a cheerful time.  There are a lot of final touches that need to be made ...  and if I start to feel a little tense or anxious over it all, I plan to look at those pretty flowers from my FI to feel better.