Trailer Trash Bachelorette Party

I have a girlfriend getting married this summer. Everyone wants a fun bachelorette party but some of us have kids, jobs, have been to Vegas too many times and just dont' want to spend a lot of money but I think I figured out the perfect place. The Sou'wester Lodge and Trailer motel in Seaview, WA. My friend Erica will love the "African Queen" I think and we can have a bunch of ladies down and rent a couple of these vintage trailers. They have live music and Astoria is close by so we can go have some fish and chips. Unfortunately, the finnish spa is no longer open.

Pasta Pepperonata Kinda

It was a cold, rainy day in Portland, but still nice to be back in my hometown. Since it was a federal holiday, I took the opportunity to spend the day, guess?........ Househunting, as I spend every waking moment that I am not at work since I arrived here. Well, that might be slight exageration, but not much. We do go out to eat occassionally. In Portland, it's hard not to. There are so many great places here and it's a fun way to explore the neighborhoods. It's been 6 months since me and the Husband moved back and we still don't have a house!!! We may have found it today and in celebration I am going to try to make the pasta pepperonata recipe that we enjoyed last weekend at our favorite local restaurant that we could have not lived without over the six months that we have been back and staying at my dad's house, Cafe Mingo.

I didn't have a perfect fit recipe because Mingo's was made with lamb sausage and the grocery store I went to didn't have any, so I substituted raw bulk italian pork sausage and goat cheese instead of the marscarpone, which Jamie Oliver prefers. Mingo made it with goat cheese and I swear they threw some tomatoes, so I did too before I realized that darling Husband handed me the tomatoes with chiles instead of the tomatoes with basil. Oh, and I used a jar of fire roasted red pepper instead of the fresh peppers, no fresh herbs.

Still, I think it's going to be good. A carbo load for tomorrow when we will make the offer on the next possible house. Built in 1928, it's totally retro kitsch, not what we were looking for but it's a killer neighborhood. I will keep you posted. Here is a pic from the 1960s kitchen--matching peanut butter colored oven and fridge!!!

BF Bride

This weekend is my best friend's wedding. Sounds like the first line of a movie script, no?

No wedding party made picking out the dress a bit more difficult. I had to do it for myself and I didn't plan well. My idea of finding out if my dress or outfit was suitable consisted of the salesman taking pictures of me in my different looks with my iPhone and texting it to her. Needless to say, fiber optics adds at least five pounds but that was before I got my spray tan, haircut, and nails polished. The only things I wasn't able to squeeze in in the 24-hours before we get on the plane to head to the destination were a good push-up bra to make the girls a tad more perky and a bikini wax. Oh well, I think she will like the outfit if I can just find a push-up bra between here and Pebble Beach.


I was able to find a cool pair of shoes for the rehearsal dinner that she'll be thrilled with. My shoes for the wedding lack a certain je ne se pas but Mom came through with some cool vintage gold shoes she picked up years ago at a garage sale for $2.95. Take that everyone else who spent $500 on Manolo's. I should be able to make it through the ceremony at least before my feet pop out of them. The things we do for fashion.

Anyhow, husband is also very excited. Since all of our real stuff is in the moving trucks still our efforts to meet the black tie dress code have to be a little understated. We got him a new black suit and he is wearing it with an orange and white checked shirt , black tie, and black Converse Chuck Taylors. If he stands out we'll just say he's in the band.

My dress is cocktail length so I think I technically will be underdressed but does she really think I would wear a gown? We'll assume that she meant it when she said that gowns were not necessary.

Should be a good time. I can't believe my little BF is getting married. She managed to hire some wedding helpers that essentially took care of everything. My only tasks were picking up her shoes tonight that she left behind after she flew off to the destination, collecting pictures of cakes in the shape of nested boxes and long beachy wedding hair. Boy did I get off easy.

Cheers to BF and her FH.

Bicoastal, again

Married seven months and we are now on separate coasts. I had 7 nights with my spouse in the last week and boy was it nice!? Soon we will actually be in the same place for.....ever? We will be back in the "promised land" starting the end of June. We can't wait. It was 3 years in the making. I am so excited to be married. The last few days have been very hectic and included missing a flight, a flat tire, a red-eye flight, a big work meeting, and..... I guess that was it. Anyhow, having a wonderful co-pilot made it easier and better.

A month is too long to be separated. If you plan to live apart during your engagement or marriage, do not wait a month to see each other. 3 weeks max, really.

Better Late Than Never: The Obama's RSVP

More than six months after my wedding and eight months since I sent my invitations, the POTUS and FLOTUS (President and First Lady of the United States) have sent me a response to my wedding invitation. The could not attend but wish us many good wishes.

I admit after reading that I could send an invitation to my almost neighors, Mr. and Mrs. President, I was pretty excited to think that someone in the White House might open my carefully designed and executed wedding invitation, afterall it was a silk-screened bandana map of Oregon and a letter press info card. I couldn't actually imagine them going to my wedding website and filling out the electronic RSVP, but I held out hope until my wedding that they might send at least a form letter that I could relish and paste into my wedding guestbook.

Time passed by. I revisited Emily Post to see if this really was protocol. I waited some more. And then after I had changed my address at least two times and moved from the West Coast to the East Coast and back again, my mom called me and told me she had picked up some old mail at the house I lived in leading up to the wedding and ............ there it was.

I received a hand addressed envelope from the White House. Enclosed was a third sheet sized notecard with the White House seal and an stamped signature of Barack and Michelle wishing us a happy marriage. So small and conventional and yet still very symbolic and pleasing--but I do work for the man after all.

For now it's going on the mantle for all to see.

Identity Crisis

I just got a new job and they wanted to know my full legal name so I told them, the one that is on my passport, which is the same one that I was given at birth. I prefer to use a shorter name on my business cards, taxes, and driver's license because I have a long name, but in this case they were insistent that I use my full legal name. So I figure this means the name on my passport, but they tell me to call the county where I got married and ask them what is on my marriage certificate. Turns out that I put my shorter name on it. Well I guess I inadvertantly changed my name and the ironic thing is, I didn't change it to my husband's name, I just changed it to a different version of my own.

Wonder if I will be able to go on my honeymoon with my passport? Ugh.

The Registry that keeps on giving

It's been five months since the big day and H and I are still getting a few wedding gifts here and there. We have had to make several returns and exchanges because we ended up with duplicates and things that we didn't prefer, not that we are complaining--the stores we registered at have been very nice to work with and we finally put all of the gift cards for William Sonoma together and purchased the big All-Clad cookware set. It's very pretty and if we had enough room for it in our kitchen, I would create a meal that used all seven pieces today. Unfortunately, most are going back in the big box which I am going to try to find a place for in our stairwell or someting. (I wish we had a house, or at least a one-bedroom.) Anyhow, in looking back at W S website, we realized that we could get all of this cool booty by registering for a bunch of Wusthof and Le Creuset, and just for registering and sending in a copy of your registry, you can get some cool free gifts. So soon we will have some more stuff and no room for it, but perhaps by then we will have a new home.

Married Christmas!

H. and I went back home to Portland for the holiday. (We seem to be alernating whose family we spend Xmas with each year.) We had a great time. As usual, I busted a move in the kitchen and cranked out many, many more cookies--perfecting some of the recipes that we (and others) tried out at our DC cookie party: chocolate coconut meringue, ginger shortbread, lavender and pink salt shortbread, coconut snow balls, thumb prints with real cherry halves. Oh! and I found a great recipe for sweet and spicy pecans in the Oregonian Food Day. Seriously, these things were great and went so fast at the Xmas Eve open house that I made more and gave them away as gifts. If I had had this recipe at our wedding these would have been the favors--with hazelnuts for my home state and pecans for H.'s. I also made an excellent butternut squash and roasted chesnut soup, sesame soy kale, and......... helped my sister with an oven-baked shitake mushroom risotto. Dad pitched in an awesome leg of lamb and my mom and step dad smoked a turkey. It was a delicious spread. I almost forgot the smoked steelhead that H. and brother in law offered and the goat cheese cheesecake that I whipped up.

All in all, a delicious week. I didn't get to get out and exercise much over the last week, but the domestic goddess in me really came out and it felt good to have that Kitchenaid lever in the hand again. The wedding gifts are still all in storage, but my sister had hers. I think I will live a little longer without my gadgetry. I will try to post the recipes soon.

H. surprised me once again with some great gifts including 8 weeks of swing-dancing lessons with him. I can't wait for those. Some couples do that before their wedding, but we didn't have time. Plus... we have our whole life to dance together, not just our wedding day.

I am married. What now?

Not in a hurry for the next big thing, but I am thinking about what I can offer those other budget brides you have yet to march forth.

A couple of ideas:

1. made my own cake - approx $250 in savings, was able to get the exact flavor I wanted and only use good local ingredients, was also a big hit with the inlaws because I used their family recipe
2. caught our own fish - we went on a guided salmon trip the week before the wedding and were able to catch enough fish for the entire wedding, made for a great story and locally and sustainably caught fish
3. had mom do flowers - bought flowers at farmers market by placing an order, then mom, grandma, and aunties did flower arrangements and bouquets on-site that morning, savings of approx $250
4. had friend cook fish - if you can talk a chef friend into doing this it can ensure that you get your hard caught fish the way you want it. Not every caterer can ensure that. It also gives your friend a duty of honor at the wedding, though this can turn into a duty of anxiety and sweat if you have a lot of backseat cooks
5. had a bunch of our guests camp together and paid for group campsite - saved number of hotel rooms that they took up and left more for family who wouldn't have camped, and was fun
6. have friend design invitation and another friend design other stuff like wedding program and thank you notes - you could have one friend do it all, but you might wear them out, afterall, they are providing a service to you and you may not be paying for it. I saved a lot of money this way, approx $250 on invitation and $100 on program and thank yous. I also took care of the printing myself through my own contacts so I could pick out all of the paper and stuff myself
7. have a friend or friends be your photographer - buy them a plane ticket to the wedding, or provide them with lodging and a rental car, or something to entice them to offer this service, but be sure to make them feel as if they are a guest and not a worker. You will want to have other people photograph too because your photog can't be everywhere and can't be expected not to drink and have fun all night long, approx savings $1000-$2000
8. more to come
   

Gone Fishing

It was great. I can't believe it's over. It's not over. It's just the beginning of our next adventure.

Too Cute to Pass Up But Too Late

Just saw this on 100 Layer Cake, a DIY wedding site. (Frances, check it out.) If only I had 3-4 weeks to order one of these needlework hoops, it would be the perfect ring pillow. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29232405

Best Ebay Buy for the Wedding So Far

I have been watching ebay like a hawk for the last few weeks to collect enough blue mason jars for my flowers, but I also have dabbled a bit in my search for wedding shoes. I have decided on a pair of bright puprle Frye sandals with a wood heel for the reception and a pair of kick-ass Lucchese cowboy boots for my walk down the aisle.

Dress Rehearsal

My dress has gotten bigger on me. Good thing I waited to have it altered. The dress is now at least a full size if not two sizes too big. I dropped it off yesterday to get altered and left a very nervous bride. I am trying to think positive and hope that it's going to be alright. If it isn't I will still have two weeks before the wedding to buy something else off the rack or via Once Wed.

My two big worries at the moment are the food and the dress. I have more control over the dress, I think.

I hate that word, control.

PS-I am not actually wearing a veil. This was just a dress rehearsal to see how I think the dress looks on me. My mom threw together that bouquet from some store-bought flowers. She has talent.

One Month Countdown

It's almost here. I had a four-hour meeting with the venue/caterer this weekend. It was grueling but I guess, if that's what it's going to take, then it's worth it. I just want the food and the band to be really good. The place is very pretty. The people are all great because they are my people and the man is naturally, the perfect guy. The dress is not perfect. The bride is not perfect. Last week I was feeling like everything was going wrong. My FH pointed out a typo on the invitation. I almost had a heart-attack. My future mother-in-law reminded me that the Navajo embrace mistakes because if we were perfect we would be like god and have to die. That kind of made me feel better.

Anyhow, this week I feel a lot better and am starting to get excited. For god's sake, I won't have seen my man for over a month and a half when he finally gets here the week before the wedding.

On to edible flowers, finding an organic farm to buy my flowers from, making my cake, making my favors, writing my vows, finding the table linens..............

Cascading Veggies

I love this way of displaying food. It's just more interesting than a bunch of bowls. It shows off the veggies themselves.

Wedding Invitation Stress

My wedding invitation is a complex project that involves many people now. One friend, my mother, some random graphic designer, and a screenprinter. Not the best situation. They say you should send them out 8 weeks before your wedding. I am still ahead of the game then, but my idea was to have a custom printed bandana that is a map of the state of Oregon with all of our favorite places and historical landmarks for out of towner and also have all of the wedding details on it. We will see what we end up with. This is not exactly what I was thinking because it's a)not coll, b)colors are bad, and c)doesn't really have a pretty map. Nevertheless, it's the only example I could find. Mine will be so much cooler. Just have to get er done.

My New Favorite Wedding Website

I have spent so many late nights checking out wedding websites and blogs. It's become an addiction. Who has something new and cool? Not many site do, but Vintage Glam Weddings does. Check it out: http://vintageglamblog.com/. I especially love all of the delish vintage gowns. Glad to see someone found a vintage gown that fit.

My Friends are Like Tea Cups - Great Shower Idea

I just returned to the West Coast for a temporary work assignment and it's great timing since the wedding will take place on this coast. My girlfriends and I got together for an early celebration--a sophisticated bachelorette party if you will in Sonoma County. It was D-I-V-I-N-E. I highly recommend it for any bride who is getting tired of all of the wedding planning details.

My sister reminded me that it's a wonderful thing when you have a lot of good girlfriends when you are getting married and throughout your marriage. You need them.

My girlfriends each brought me a vintage tea cup and saucer. It not only made for a wonderful addition to my currently very small trousseau but it was so neat to see which cups and saucers each friend brought. They were all different patterns; although many had turquoise and golds in them, which are incidentally two of my favorite colors. But even in their diversity, they all went together nicely and are definitely more interesting than if I had a whole set of just one pattern. Just like my friends. Thanks girls.

Great Cake Stand

I just saw this great wood cookie cake stand on Once Wed on April 30. It's a wood cookie with a cute little cake on it. I think it would fit in with my woodsy theme and it would probably be cheaper than buying several cake/pie stands.

Three Little Bridesmaids Sitting in A Row - Each with a Different Look

Last week on Once Wed (see Annemie and Mitch) I saw this great idea for bridesmaids' dresses. Three matching dresses with different necks. Rather than the usual one halter, one strapless, etc., the designer of these dresses chose to use a kind of silk flowers in different places on the tops of the girls' dresses. Not that they didn't have straps but the flowers are really the focal point and they are so pretty they kind of hide the straps. They look so cute and perhaps they could be worn again. Well that's what we all hope.

I am going to suggest this to my BMs. Especially if they aren't wild about the dresses you pick out for them.