Florist number two

I am a bit behind in my blogs and I apologize for this. I usually am able to do my blogs at work but it has been getting a bit busy to write it there.

So, here is what happened with the second florist that we visited last week. My friend Terry met up with my mom and me again to go see the florist. I had found this florist on theknot website. I was impressed by the pictures because they had some unique centerpieces and the website stated that they were Asian influenced. Unfortunately, looks can be deceiving. As soon as we drove up, I learned that lesson. The shop was held in a badly kept mini-mall and in front of their display window was a cheesy mannequin dressed in a wedding gown. Why a mannequin in a florist shop? I don't know.

My high hopes were raised again when we went in. An Asian man greeted us in the shop. I thought, "Cool, this shop is Asian owned." We told them that we had an appointment for a consultation. He told us that the head designer would be with us soon. We decided while we were waiting for the designer we would look at the photo albums of past works. Some of it was nice but they weren't quite as impressive as the photos on the website (which were also in the albums). What was even more disturbing was that in the album that was designated for thank you cards from previous customers, there was only two thank you cards. Not a good sign.

Well, the designer came in and she wasn't what I imagined her to be. She was a tall blonde woman. She was not quite friendly and she wasn't quite like the previous florist, Max. She wasn't as familiar with too many flowers and she wasn't as creative. She kept pushing roses on me. Roses are alright with some people but I personally feel that they have been overdone. Remember I want unique, different. Well, roses aren't too different.

Also, during our consultation, a customer came in to pick up some boutonierres, some 200 boutonierres. Well, it appeared as if they didn't have it ready. The other designer told her to wait as she finishes the rest of the boutonierres. Another not so good sign.

At the end of the consultation, she provided a quote. Well, I compared the quote with the previous florist I was sorely disappointed. This florist's rates were more expensive for ordinary roses when the other florist offered more exotic flowers for about the same rate. Why should I pay more for flowers that I really don't want?

Well, I guess that leaves us with florist number one. I am more than pleased and happy to go with her. As Vin said, we should always go with our first choice. It has always been the first vendor that we liked and chose in the end.

Meeting of the parents

I don't know how I let this slip my mind from the last blog. This is just as important as the wedding. The meeting of the parents happened this past Saturday. How it slipped my mind? I don't know. Maybe because it was pretty uneventful.

No, don't get me wrong. The meeting wasn't boring. It was pleasant. It was nice. It wasn't the dreaded event (like Meet the Fockers) that Vin had imagined it to be. Trust me. He was a bit nervous about the whole meeting. Just having the families get along. I wasn't worried about it much. Sure there is a culture and a language difference. Yet, you really can't ask for the great parents that Vin and I have. Each one of them made an effort to make everyone at ease. Vin's mom made a great lunch with all the trimmings.

I was actually surprised of only one thing. My mom. My mom is more the quiet one between my parents. My dad is the social butterfly, very outgoing and engaging. Yet, my mother actually went out of her way to befriend Ms. Ferraro and Vin's sisters. She made this flan shaped in a 4 leaf clover to honor Ms. Ferraro's Irish culture. That is my mom. She loves me so much that she tried to make Vin's family comfortable. I love my mom and I love my dad. I really couldn't ask for better parents.

So, one less hurdle to worry about. Now the next hurdle: Where are we going to live????

Just to keep in touch

Okay less than 6 months away. I know and it is scary. Right now, there hasn't been much movement on things. I did receive the contract for the hotel, (We chose the Wellesley Inn in Fairfield) for out of town guests. I have to speak to them to clarify some items.

I also started getting little odds and ends for the wedding. Every Sunday I look through the paper to see if there are any coupons from Rag Shop, Michaels, and AC Moore (all the arts and crafts store) and during the week I visit the shops to buy some stuff for the wedding. I am beginning to be a regular there. Soon all the staff will know me. I end up going to all the stores around the area. Just yesterday since I was in the area I stopped by the Michaels and AC Moore at Paramus. That is not my usual stomping grounds. At home, I go to the ones in East Hanover or Clifton. If at work, I go to the ones in Linden.

I like the idea that I am personalizing the wedding but at times, when I realize how much work it is, I think I might as well go simple for the wedding. Well, I can't put my personal touch on everything. It would be too expensive and time consuming.

Anyway, I am going to see another florist this Saturday and I just found out my dress came in. I am kind of disappointed that the dress came in so early. I thought that I would lose more weight. I only lost 5 pounds. Well, at least I didn't gain. So, I have to go for my first fitting soon. This is a sign that the wedding is coming up around the bend. I can already feel my anxiety rising.

Well, one day at a time. One day at a time. I just have to remind myself. One day at a time.

packages, packages, and more packages

It was always good to come home from work but now it is even more exciting. There are packages and packages arriving at least once a week. Some of them are engagements gifts (Thanks Ange and Kris) and some of them are things that I have ordered for the wedding. Yet, I get so excited like it was Christmas. Running from the front door to the kitchen to get a pair of scissors to open up the packages. You can't imagine the big boxes we receive for some of the items we get. The gift will be hidden among tons of packing peanuts inside a box three times its size.

Unfortunately, all these packages and boxes have joined all the rest of stuff in the basement. We are storing some of Vin's stuff to move into the new place, our place. So there are piles of boxes, crates, furniture held in a place where our pool table used to be. I have to thank my parents and my brother for their patience. Hopefully, by end of July this stuff will be moved out.

Well, don't let that stop you from sending more packages and boxes. You would make my day. I am sorely going to be disappointed when the wedding is over. No more boxes to look forward to opening. Oh well, I will just have to relish these days and these boxes. Thank you again for all your gifts. You honor us with all your love and generosity.

My take on the logo

Hopefully all of you have seen the great work that Linda did on our logo. Linda did have to suffer under my scrutiny but it wasn't me who kept cracking the jokes. Mr. Funny here tried to distract Linda from working on the logo by sticking out his tongue while he was eating cheesecake.

Let me tell you. Linda worked on the logo about 3 hours and a half. The most difficult one to create was Vin. As you can tell, it is not an accurate depiction of him. Linda tried and tried to make his hair grey. There was no way to do it. She also spent hours on his hairline, especially the widow's peak that he has. Of course, that was under my direction. So, this is what we came up with.

I am proud of the logo. I am proud of Linda for being patient with the both of us, especially my scrutiny and Vin's hyper antics. I think it will make the wedding more unique. As you can tell, I stress the uniqueness. Vin and I are quite individualistic and we both are goofy so this logo states all of this.

My dad at least appreciates the uniqueness of it. My mother saw the logo and she kind of gawked at it. Oh well, you can't please everyone.

just a friendly shout out

just wanted to give a 'thank you' to linda. she designed a 'logo' for me and cheryl. you can see it on the wedding website: wedding.dreamanxiety.com.

i felt bad for linda. you see, she, cheryl, and i were at cheryl's place sunday creating this, and all day cheryl was making jokes, just trying to take away from this great job linda did. poor, poor linda.

thanks again, we really appreciate it.

Calculated risks

I had met friends for brunch on Sunday. What does this have to do with the wedding, you ask. Nothing, really. Other than that they asked about the wedding and the progress that is going on. One of my friend stated that she reads this blog regularly and would like to make some comments but is afraid of the reactions of other readers. I encourage everyone to comment. Nothing personal will be taken and it makes it more interactive. I enjoy reading more than my own ramblings. Other people have given me suggestions such as message boards where people can share some funny stories of Vin and I when we were younger but Vin stated that it would be hard to manage. Other people have sent me a lot of advice via private email and that has been helpful too. So, comments and feedback is more than welcome. It is good to know that people are interested in our life and are reading the blog.

At the brunch, my friends asked me have we decided where we are going to live. Trust me. Vin and I have been bouncing back and forth over to rent or buy. Rent or buy. Rent or buy. This decision has been circling my mind. There is a lot of things to take into factor. Money is the biggest issue. I know all about building equity and building an investment and giving your money away in rent. I also know that I am not sure if I want to settle for something just to buy. I also have a hard time parting with money, especially all the money that I saved up. I am already having anxiety over spending the money for the wedding. Another big ticket expense I don't want to see so quickly.

Other factors are Vin's career; Vin's need to move out of his apartment by July; Cheryl's separation anxiety from her parents; Cheryl's anxiety about living out on her own and surviving on her; and Cheryl's irrational fears about being put out on the street. Yes, I am a bit of a neurotic. I crave safety. No risk. Just safety. It is a wonder that I am even taking this risk of getting married.

Yet, I am. Despite my neuroses, I am starting to grow up and take responsibilities. I am willing to share my life with the man I love and I am willing to take care of him and possibly the children that we might have (that is a whole other type of neuroses attached to that issuethere). I am also willing to take the risk and trust that he will take care of me and our children.

So, where does this leave me? I guess, I am willing to take the calculated risk of getting married and living in an apartment with my new husband. Equity or no equity. Next year, we will calculate the risk of buying a house together. I guess we take it one risk at a time ; )