Sorry to Leave You

But, I was off getting married!

I flew out to Washington very early on the morning of June 3rd and as soon as my mom and I landed in Washington, we drove to base to get me hitched.

We met up with Trenton and two of his friends (one of whom acted as our officiant) and we had lunch, signed our freedom single lives away. It was uneventful, and quickly over. A short trip to Tacoma's Office of the Auditor and we got our certified marriage license! We were officially married!

It then just became a trip of paperwork, eating and drinking. Thankfully, despite all the paperwork we had to do to get me into military life, we got it all done, including securing a house for our move. We also managed to have some great time with my mom, discover Seattle and find some cool stuff around the area.

All in all, it was one successful trip-- besides the lack of photographic evidence. I had a great time with Trenton, and I was sad to have to leave him behind. Back to work and school, with a new husband miles away. I'm so ready to get back to him and start our lives in our very empty townhouse.

Once I got back to Texas, I immediately started the Social Security name change, oh, and then sat for two hours to change my name at the Department of Motor Vehicles. But, you know what, it's over now! I have very little left to change my name on, and I'm hoping to get it done soon.

I'm ready for this July wedding, and ready to move, start our life together and have the time of our lives.

Absenteeism

I realize I have been gone. I was on a self-induced hiatus as I struggled with wedding decisions.

This blog, while fun, has been deleted several times over the last few weeks. I've contemplated the life of this blog, and why it's here. It started with a plan to apply for a larger group blog, and then I started to hate the idea. I thought about why it existed, why it needed to be in my life and in my planning process. It shouldn't have existed merely for others. I should have this blog because I want to have a keepsake of the planning process, and see how this evolves into a wedding and into a marriage.

I kept it going for others, and now I've finally realized to do it for myself.

Big Band

Woah there, finals. You've really gotten in the way of my wedding planning. And thus, resulting in my absence for the last few days. I mean, let's get real. It's been over a week. With all of my final papers, last projects, assignments and final preparations, wedding planning and blogging have taken a back seat.

Remember these invitations? They are still sitting in the exact. same. spot. I haven't gotten anything done with them, except to print out the response card post cards. And, those haven't even been cut. They're still sitting four to a page with no sign in sight that they will be separated soon. They will get done. They will get done. [Repeat until one truly believes.]

However, let's talk wedding bands! As in, ours came in! I ordered them about a week ago and they got here really fast. It was an online shopping experience and it did me well. I got both of our bands for a really good price, and they're terribly high quality. I know, I know. Stop blabbering and get to the pictures.

I was a bad little cricket and tried mine on. I needed to make sure it fit!

His wedding band, still in the box. It doesn't fit on my hands.

I really love them. Trenton likes his band, he got to see a preview before I ordered it. My band, I got to pick out myself. It made the entire thing feel more real. I mean, I know we're only a month away (read: 27 days) from being legally married, and a mere 63 days away from our wedding, but something about having the bands really solidified the entire thing.

I knew it was real, but it never felt real until I held his band in my hand. Saw my band next to his band. Then it was real.

You're Here Already?!

MY DRESS IS HERE! MY DRESS IS HERE!

Dear, dear JCrew. I am so pleased that not only will you be refunding my discount, but also, you got my dress here in a mere three days! I ordered you Sunday night, dress, and you arrived in my sweet, sweet arms on Thursday. [So technically, four days, but considering I ordered it at 8 PM on Sunday, I think it's three...]

I already put the dress on. Now, it doesn't hit right at my natural waist correctly, mostly due to my height and bust size, but it still looks so darn cute! I absolutely love the fabric, and I think with a cardigan, some cute flats and some funky jewelry, this dress is going to be rockin'! Plus... it has pockets.

I'D PUT SNACKS IN IT! I so wanted my wedding gown to have pockets in it so I could munch during the wedding, but I found my dress for such a good price and not to mention, I absolutely adore it! It's been the hardest thing to keep from Trenton. I love it so much I just want to tell him what it looks like and show it to him. I want him to enjoy it like I enjoy it.

So, there we have it. A dress for my courthouse wedding. Now just to decide what to wear with said dress...

J. Crew, You Lied To Me

You told me my dress was shipping and yet, UPS tells me they have only received billing and shipping information. I got so excited to wear my cute little dress, and you stole my excitement right out of my heart.

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I have a love-hate relationship with JCrew. I basically love almost everything in their store and online, but I really hate their prices. While these clothes are better quality than what I normally buy (as in, Target, Old Navy, American Eagle) I still have a hard time justifying a $60 pair of shorts that I could find at Target in a similar style. 

Now, about this dress. I have been absolutely lusting over  this dress and it's embossed cotton. It even has pockets. I'm in love. However, I ordered this online, so I have yet to find out if it will fit. Once I ordered it and got back on to lust after it some more, I found out JCrew just started a 20% off sale item promotion and I have now lost a good $19 because of it. I can't cancel my order anymore and it will cost me $6 to return the item, bumping my savings to $13. Is it worth it? I don't know.

I plan on wearing this dress over and over and over again. I've already got plans to wear it when I walk at graduation in May, when I get married in Seattle, to any bridal showers I have, and also just around town with some cute flats and a cardigan. Now if only I had known about this freaking sale. I'm so pissed at you, JCrew. Toying with me like that.

What do you think? Should I forfeit my $13 and just keep the dang dress or send it back to get my discount?

[EDIT]

JCrew. You have re-instilled my faith in you. I just called your nice customer service line and because I just bought my dress and then got notification it was further on sale, you put my $19 back on my card. I greatly appreciate that extra money back and I'm happy that you were kind enough to do it even if it was against policy. You realized I just bought that dress and then had my money float away with a sale less than 24 hours later. I appreciate that, JCrew. You are back in my good graces despite your outlandish $88 pair of gladiator sandals I could've found at Target for a fourth of the price. Thanks, JCrew.

You Could Go Around The World...

...in the time we have left til our Texas wedding!

That's right, folks. We're eighty days away! [Kudos to myself on the 'Around the World in Eighty Days' reference!]

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We're a mere forty-four days away from the Seattle courthouse wedding. I've already booked my flight out there, courtesy of my dad's airline miles. I'm super stoked to fly out there, but we still have a lot to do before we can actually get married up there.

At least three days before I fly into Sea-Tac, Trenton has to take our marriage application to the courthouse. Plus, before that I have to fill out, sign and notarize my part of the application. Then send it to Trenton, who will then fill out his portion, sign and notarize the thing. We're good to go after that and a short three day waiting period. Once all plans are in place, I can call the courthouse to set up an appointment with a judge to marry us.

Then WE'LL BE LEGAL! And looming over us, ominously of course, will be the loads of paperwork that comes following our nuptials. Oh, the joys.

They. Are. So. Close.

The invitations. My nuptials included, but mostly... the invites! My invitations got the cutting and printing started tonight!

The only problem with it was that when I first started planning for invitations, I was doing a 4" x 6" invite, so I only bought enough paper to get 6 invites out of each sheet of paper. However, once I nixed the pocket fold invites I decided instead to do a flat card in 5" x 7".

Um, on a 12" square sheet of paper... you only get 4 5" x 7" cards. So, I didn't have enough paper. I will have to go to Hobby Lobby to get the rest of my paper. I had enough white paper and black paper, just my gorgeous pink paper. I'm sure Trenton wouldn't mind me losing the pink, but I still love it. I'm going to get some so I can get these suckers finished!

Want a teaser? Hmmmm?

(personal photo)

Also, why yes, that is a Blue Moon in the background. It was late, I was finishing them as I finished my delicious beer. Never fear, I'm of age. I bought that beer, and I have the identification to prove it!

[sigh] I'm glad I've finally gotten a small step accomplished with my invitations. There's still a lot to do, like assembling them, rounding the corners, layering them, gluing them, etc. Then I have to print the RSVP postcards, the directions, and decide if I'm going to include information to get people to our website.

So many decisions. But, at least one thing is done!