The One with Arianna's Surprise

Our summer schedule seemed endlessly jammed with wedding events, so it was no surprise when I was told we were going to a ceremony planning meeting one Saturday afternoon. The drive to the church was thrown off course when Tom received a call from his mom asking us to stop by his aunt and uncle's house to help them carry something up from their basement. They live right by the church so I didn't mind, thinking it would be a nice gesture for us to do.

As we walked up to the house and rang the bell, the door opened and there stood an adorable little lady. After standing frozen and confused for quite a while, I realized the adorable little lady was indeed my 94 year old grandmother with throngs of people behind her yelling "Surprise!". I was so shocked I don't remember my next reaction, but I allegedly began to actually back away, and then I inevitably started crying. Every corner I turned there were more and more people who had showed up for, and pulled off, this awesome shower.

I come from a very small family so I knew it wouldn't be worth it to do a shower back in Indiana, and half of my bridesmaids lived in Chicago, anyway. It occurred to me at some point a bridal shower might happened, but didn't give it too terribly much thought with everything else going on! 

As a die hard Friends fan, one of the first details I noticed was not only did my shower have a name, but a blatant Friends reference. All of their episodes begin The One... except for the pilot, which was called simply The Pilot. Welcome to my shower: The One with Arianna's Surprise.

We had salad, pasta, an assortment of drinks and desserts, and these adorable monogrammed cupcakes. 

After eating and regaining my composure a bit, I opened gifts. Now, our registry was somewhat unusual. Our registry included 23 items. The recommended number of items? 300. Between moving immediately after the wedding and not having a specific house in mind to purchase items for, we didn't want to register for gifts we would regret or never use. We just selected a small number of nicer things. As for china sets, I am getting a few full sets from my family. We had no need for more. So, understandably, when it came time for gifts, I was unsure of how things would unfold.

That day I received nearly every item on our registry, along with some other useful items like a luggage set. I didn't have any luggage of my own and these were a life saver when we packed and moved, they are sitting under our apartment staircase now! A bridesmaid also got me a Europe travel book, Europe Through The Back Door by Rick Steves, which I am using to plan our trips.

My grandmother. Seriously, how cute is she? She's my life.

My flawless momma, grandmother, and me.

Once things died down, I had some time to reflect on the happenings of the day. Wedding planning can be a crazy and frustrating process. Moments like these allow you to know how much support you have from loved ones.

Bachelorette and the City

If you ever need to know how to throw a successful bachelorette party, just ask my MOH. I am not a go-crazy-and-rage-all-night sort of gal, but I also told myself to relax, go with the flow, and enjoy one of my last official girls nights ever.

The morning of, it was down pouring throughout the city, you will soon see rain is a common theme when it comes to my summer wedding activities. I wasn't told what was on the agenda so the added weather challenge was throwing me off my game. Finally, I settled on pink pants (which are actually capris but on my stubby legs come across as pants), and an off the shoulder white top with sandals. Versatile, a hint of bridal white, and cute.

Around noon some of the girls and I met up at Navy Pier for the first adventure, a boat cruise luncheon. We went on the Odyssey and it was a very classy event, reminding me of cruises I used to go on with my family back in the day. Lunch was delicious and had three courses. I had a salad, salmon, and a berry dessert, plus a couple of beverages!

The obligatory cruise ship photo!

A black car picked us up and drove us to the hotel where we would be staying that evening. I didn't realize there had been some scheming going on and walked into a fully decorated room. Penis straws, phallic shaped cookies, endless wine, and a perfect assortment of snacks were some of the many things awaiting our arrival!

For party favors, there were hangover kits accompanied by a box of chocolates to help you get through the following morning. The boxes were a beautiful lilac color, holding true to my wedding colors of cream, gray, and shades of purple.

The lovely, delectable spread that awaited us! Even though I wasn't quite hungry, I ate a hefty quantity of brie, crackers, vegetables, and hummus! Plus one of the girls brought my favorite Trader Joe's treat: goat cheese smothered in blueberries. It's pure antioxidants, people!

We chatted, drank wine, and played some very entertaining card games before I opened up gifts. Each girl got me a piece of lingerie or sleepwear and I had to guess who purchased what, I guessed nearly all of them correctly! 

Dinner was rapidly approaching so we changed and prepared ourselves for the evening ahead. I wore a classic white dress I found at Nordstrom Rack and was feeling pretty damn good about myself. Then, I got a mysterious black stain on my dress. Thankfully, one of my bridesmaids saved me and scrubbed it out. The black must have come from the lovely shot necklaces I was wearing because before too long, the stain was back. After replacing my necklaces with some untarnished ones and cleaning the dress one more time, we were ready to head out.

Luckily, the restaurant was close by, as it had started to rain again. We ate at Untitled, a speakeasy type supper club just a couple of blocks from our hotel. I've lived in Chicago for three years and I had never been to Untitled and I have to say, it was such a cool experience. They will have different theme nights and while we were there there was an amazing jazz band playing. While the band would take breaks, burlesque style dancers came out on stage. The whole vibe was very retro and I loved it. We ordered a plethora of dishes and ate family style, after finishing we headed to a side room to check out the bar. In the mean time, the band's stage was converted to a dance floor. The floor was jammed with people. We crossed paths with some other bachelor/bachelorette parties, it's always fun to celebrate with other people!

A few hours of dancing later, we decided to call it a night. Some girls headed home while the rest of us walked back to the hotel, in the rain. The wine and snacks welcomed us once again, so we refreshed and nourished ourselves before heading to bed.

I give a lot of credit to all of the girls who came out with me that night. I had so much fun and it was exactly how I wanted my bachelorette party to be. I was able to enjoy the city I love so much, yet never have enough time to explore. That weekend was a perfect send off for one of my last nights as an unmarried lady!

Blue Grass in the Mountains

The last weekend in June we flew out to Colorado for Tom's cousin's wedding. We landed late Friday morning and went to pick up our rental car. A piece of advice: when renting a car that will be driven through steep mountains, do not get a four cylinder engine! With five people and our luggage for a long weekend, it is a miracle the car survived all of those winding roads.

We all stayed at the YMCA of the Rockies. We were surrounded by mountains and they were a glorious sight to wake up to each day. The morning of the wedding we went on a short family hike, exploring waterfalls while bundled up in ample layers of clothing. Temperatures were not as high as I expected, luckily there were spare hoodies up for grabs! 

By mid afternoon the sun was shining and the weather was much warmer, just in time for the ceremony to begin. Chairs were set up outdoors and the view was one of a kind, mountains and trees at every turn. The bride was walked down the aisle by both of her parents and the couple recited a quote from the Dalai Lama. I loved the personalized touches!

Cocktail hour was very relaxing with kegs, wine, appetizers, and two bags sets for guests to use as entertainment. Wildflower arrangements were at each table in glass mason jars, they were beautiful. At the reception, local pizza was cooked on site and totally to die for. I had one slice of each kind, there were at least four varieties! For dancing, a blue grass band performed. Dancing to blue grass? The craziness! But let me tell you, the floor was packed all night with various moves such as jumping over a bottle, doing a jig of sorts around the bottle; and you cannot knock it over, or else! Everyone's feet were covered in remnants of dirt from all the dust we kicked up in the festivities. After staying through a few strongly demanded encores, the band packed up and we went back to our room. 

The next morning, the four cylinder car was all loaded and we headed out. Getting the dirt out of my shoes took a few weeks, but that night was well worth it!

A Summer Wedding in Cabo

As I type this from my couch in Stuttgart, Germany, I am in awe of all of the fun memories and once in a lifetime experiences this summer held. Allow me to catch you up to speed over the next few posts.

Tom, my now husband, and I  traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in early June for my sorority sister's wedding. I had the honor of being a bridesmaid and, with my own wedding rapidly approaching, was looking forward to gaining a bit of wedding insight. Since Tom and I had never been to Cabo before, we were looking forward to some sun and relaxation. Upon arriving we took a shuttle bus to the resort, Cabo Villas. For whatever reason, I expected the climate to be humid and borderline sweltering. I had not done my research. The drive to Cabo Villas was full of desert landscapes and views of other hotels and resorts. Our first night in Cabo consisted of the wedding rehearsal and an unbeatable rehearsal dinner.

The bride is pure class, so naturally the rehearsal dinner was on a catamaran, allowing us to eat and relax while taking in the amazing view.

A beach ceremony was the following day, it was beautiful. The bridal party danced in to "Happy" by Pharrell, which was no easy feat in my three and a half inch wedge heels! She chose the perfect bridesmaids dresses for us. They were light and airy; ideal for a hot, summer wedding.

Cocktail hour and the reception followed at the Hacienda Cantina y Cocina. Pictures were a blast, we did races down the beach and narrowly avoided getting wiped out by incoming waves! I cannot wait to see how the pictures turn out. The bride and groom absolutely wowed all of us with a choreographed dance to "Save The Last Dance For Me" by Michael Buble. The fresh fish at dinner was delicious and all the guests joined in the dancing, with some encouragement from their tropical beverages.

Tom's favorite part? The late night churros. He downed easily half a dozen fresh, warm churros with chocolate and caramel sauce. I nearly had to roll him home down the beach that night.

My Thighs Are On Fire!

I did something rather crazy this weekend. I paid for workout classes. WHAT? Such insanity! I know, I never saw myself doing such a thing either but with less than four and half months until the wedding, I needed a change. Admittedly, I was becoming bored with home workouts and my level of intensity throughout my sweat sessions has not been at it's full potential. I was over it. 

Enter late night online purchases.

This afternoon I went too my first Pure Barre class. I took ballet growing up, I do pilates regularly, and while my arms and abs leave some room for improvement my legs have always been solid and strong. Ho. Ly. Crap. The arms were a bit tough, core work was a struggle, but my legs literally went to jelly, nothing like looking at yourself in a mirror and being terrified your lower half will give way under you as it shakes like crazy! Regardless, I loved it. I am super crazy and going back tomorrow morning and every day the rest of the week (it's my spring break, I have to take advantage!). 

I have a month unlimited pass and I am hoping this will be my wedding workout match from heaven. Because, although it snowed/hailed on me as I was walking (dragging myself) home, swimsuit season is also approaching! Yay beaches, warm weather, and SUN!

Becoming one of THOSE people

I now obsess over table linens. Oh yes, table linens. We are turning the corner into the final countdown to wedded bliss. We are getting legally married this weekend (long story) but in  a way it's super awesome. After over seven and a half years it's kind of fun to do this twice, and my name change paperwork and appropriate documents will be in order before summer even hits. I love getting things done ahead of time! 

Now, back to the linens. Our venue requires us to rent chair covers and ties. Fear not, I have found a virtual online builder to appropriately envision the colors and now want to rent table cloths because, why not??? On the upside I nearly have the bridesmaids gifts figured out and assembling invitations will begin over my spring break in a couple of weeks. I can't even complain about our progress, we're accomplishing a lot each month! But I am still freaking out over mundane things and need to calm down.

One area I am NOT thrilled about? My diet and exercise. To be honest, winter has wreaked havoc on my weight. I have also had the flu for about a week and am feeling miserable. Such things are not too great for my desired washboard abs. After my body heals itself a bit, I look forward to implementing (and strictly following) a healthy, manageable regimen. But considering I just ate some full fat, full delicious coffee ice cream, I plan to begin tomorrow. With a 6 am workout. Can't wait. 

Vanity absolutely plays a role in considering myself bridal material, but more importantly I just want to feel amazing. There is a lot of build up for one day to kick of the rest of my life with the one perfect person, but I want to begin feeling confident and healthy. 

Happy My Birth Month To You!

This month I turn 26. My birthday has always been a source of great excitement for me. As some women get older, the tendency is for us to become ashamed or feel less attractive. "A true lady never reveals her age." Oh who gives a crap. Own it. My 93 year old grandmother will tell you her age whether you ask her or not. Although, she has the adorable-kick-ass-old-lady thing working to her advantage. We often shy away from our true selves, age included, but just own it. 

My annual day of gifts could not be arriving at a better time. While registering for wedding gifts and errand running this weekend the strap on my purse broke. Do I have an organized box filled with other handbags? Absolutely, but that isn't the point. I am allowed to be self indulgent for my birthday. I am wishing for a Coach handbag to replace my once reliable, now broken bag. No worries, I sent an email to the fiance with the link and color suggestions. He said he wanted to get me something useful for my birthday!

We tend to get bummed about becoming a year older as it reminds us of what we were supposed to have achieved by that point, a milestone we should have reached. Admittedly, I have it pretty sweet. This year alone I am getting married to the love of my life and embarking upon a six month international adventure during which my only job is to explore how we will travel as much of Europe as possible. Embrace what you have accomplished and appreciate what makes you unique. This winter has made me super guilty of self depreciation and being too focused on what is going wrong to appreciate all that is going right.

Here's to loving ourselves, our lives, our ages, and all the challenges involved. Develop like a fine wine and get better as time moves forward.