Thursday, September 23, 2010

A "Yes" Becomes "I Do"

387 days ago I accepted Mr. Seashell's proposal. Tomorrow a simple, tearful, joyful "yes" becomes a lifelong, powerful "I do".

The past 387 days have been marked with the most emotional intensity I have experienced. There has been true blissful joy, and absolute sorrow. At many times during our relationship we have joked that things were far too easy. We never argued, we never had to fight for anything, we just "were". Then life handed us a million challenges at once. And we survived. It wasn't always pretty, but we have had our dose of heartbreaking reality and managed to literally lift each other up. We have learned how to fight for everything that is important.

In the past year we have grown professionally. Mr. Seashell achieved a major career milestone. After repeatedly putting off a licensing exam he finally stepped up to the challenge and passed. I received my Master's Degree and struggled to find a job. I didn't want a job, I wanted a career, and Mr. Seashell stood by me as I stumbled (sitting at home in sweatpants), and stumbled (more sweatpants), and stumbled again (sweatpants, tears, and not showering) until I found the right fit. I still get a rush of pride when we kiss each other goodbye in the morning, all dressed up in our work clothes, ready to take on the day. (We're grown ups? How did this happen?)

We have also become a team. I'm not really into the whole "what yours is mine, trust me completely, share the burden" type mentality. I'm a "I'll do it myself" kind of girl. Mr. Seashell has taught me how to work with someone (and when irritated not against them). We have taken on remodeling our condo together. We have taken on wedding tasks together. We have solved problems together. I'm starting to like it.

Tomorrow I marry a man that I love, and trust, and admire more than I can express. I am phenomenally lucky. When we take our vows tomorrow our lives will be forever changed. I'm ready for it. I'm ready for the changes, challenges, and joys of marriage. THIS IS IT!

Before I sign off as a "Miss" I'll share with you our Wedding Slideshow that will be played at tonight's rehearsal dinner. Thank you, thank you, thank you for having me. I have adored sharing my journey thus far. Enjoy!


Our Wedding Slideshow from Seashell on Vimeo.


See you on the other side!
xo,
Miss Seashell

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Time After Time

I have a lot of amazingly vivid memories from my childhood. One especially distinct time that stands out were Saturday and Sunday mornings I spent with my Dad.  He would take me out in his red convertible (he still has it) with the top down, and we'd drive down Blackstone Boulevard in Providence. Before leaving the house Mama Seashell would wrap me in a scarf and stick a hat on my head. I was prone to ear infections, and she didn't want to take any chances. As we'd pull out of the driveway I'd ask Papa Seashell if I could take the hat and scarf off - he'd roll his eyes and mutter something about "your mother" and then throw my hat and scarf in the back seat. I'd giggle. I thought we were so rebellious.

Then we'd go to McDonalds at University Heights. I'd get hotcakes with syrup. I'd eat neatly, but somehow the syrup left my hands sticky. I can still hear the sound of Papa Seashell cutting my hotcakes as the plastic knife squeaked against the styrofoam. It was the sound of an incoming sugar high.

Next, we hit the road. Sometimes we'd go to my Dad's office. I'd doodle on the dry erase boards. Or we'd go to one of his favorite hobby shops. Our errands often included a trip to a toy store, but more than anything I remember driving. The car, the wind, and the music.

Papa Seashell loves music. There was always music playing when we went out. During our trips there was one song that became "our song". It stands so strong in my memories that every time I hear it I am again four years old, sitting next to my Dad, wind in my hair, driving down Blackstone Boulevard in Providence.

When I left for college in the fall of 2000, I received this package in the mail a few weeks after I arrived on campus.



A CD with a simple note - saying he missed me, he was proud of me, and how this song always made him think of me - and the lyrics to "Time After Time". The memory of the song and our drives was just as strong for Papa Seashell it was for me. It melted my heart. I've saved the package for 10 years.

There was never a question about the song Papa Seashell and I would dance to at my wedding. We have had "our song" since I was a little girl. It make me hopelessly nostalgic and the memory brings tears to my eyes. The vision of dancing with my Dad on my wedding day, well, it overwhelms me. It will be another moment I carry with me forever. Time after time.


As I packed up the CD and note after taking a photograph, I caught a glimpse of the postmark. He sent this to me exactly ten years before my wedding. That is some incredible serendipity.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Programs!

When I started researching inspiration for our wedding programs, I had one thing in mind: keep it simple. As much as I love a beautiful, intricate, interesting program, I couldn't help but feel heartbroken by the idea that most people throw them away after leafing through them during the ceremony. I searched the Weddingbee gallery. I found this lovely one by hive member JoieDeVie:

Inspiration found! Then I made it my own.

First, I stamped:
{Stamp from Paper Source}

Mr. Seashell cut and then rounded corners:


I documented ink drying:


And then after hours of gluing, they were complete:


Simple and sweet - just what I wanted!

Did you DIY your programs? 

Sunday, September 19, 2010

A Few MORE Details

Last week I shared with you a few of our wedding details. Perhaps you thought that was the extent of our wedding projects. If so, I have three words for you: OH HECK NO.

It's been a wedding factory 'round here. I'm embarrassed to show you photos of our condo. This shot of our table will have to suffice as a snippet of what things look like.


So what else have the Seashells been up to?

Additional Leaves
At the end of the reception all of the Aunties who have worked so hard will receive one of our centerpieces. We're attaching an additional leaf to their favor to let them know to take one.


Candy Bar and Hors d'oeuvres Signage
Not entirely complete. Almost, though!


Other Miscellaneous Signage


Signature Drink Signs
Giving up on privacy here. My signature drink gives a nod to Papa Seashell's family history on St. Thomas. Mr. Seashells hints at his family's musical talents and love of Manhattans.


Jordan Almond Sign
I don't even like the darn things, but for the sake of tradition we're including them. Mama Seashell found the poem, so I figured "Why not?"


Welcome Note
This will be included in our Out Of Town boxes.


Dinner Menu
My pride and joy. After dropping off a bunch of our wedding "stuff" at the caterer last weekend Mama Seashell and I spied piles of menus that other brides had completed. It was a project I was definitely going to forgo, but then I was oh-so-tempted to have some of our own. For two people with no graphic design background, I'm SO proud Mr. Seashell and I knocked these out in an afternoon.


Man, we've been busy! Next up? Our programs!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A Few Details

This past weekend I flew to Providence to wrap up several wedding-related loose ends. We squeezed in a hair trial, final dress fitting, meeting with the caterer, meeting with the florist, stopped by the chapel, and ran errands galore. It was phenomenal how much we were able to accomplish.

I'm not sure if this is common, but our caterer, Russell Morin,  provides an on-site person to oversee everything at our reception. Since booking with Russell Morin we have worked exclusively with Liza who has been absolutely amazing. She has worked with us to not only establish our menu and catering-related coordination but also the timeline of our event and similar technicalities. Liza will be setting up a lot of the details at our reception: placing our guest book, organizing the candy bar, displaying all signage, etc. For this reason, we had to get all of these items to her.

Here's what we brought:

1. Custom Napkins
I fell in love with Amber's wedding featured on Real Weddings. When I saw that she had an Etsy Shop. I knew I had to have those napkins! Plus, I knew attempting gocco was beyond my patience and ability. She's fantastic and I adore our napkins!


To cut cost, I layered our custom gocco napkins with plain gold napkins. MOH Julia helped layer!


2. "Just Married" Sign
Mr. Seashell and I cricut'ed this a while ago. I meant to blog about it but somebody deleted the photos. *coughcoughMr.Seashell*  The sign is being placed on our sweetheart table.


3. Table Numbers
Also cricut'ed by the Mr. and Miss Seashell duo.


4. Gold Pen Cup, Pens, and Guestbook
This probably didn't deserve its own photo, but tracking down the "just right" cup was harder than you'd think.


6. Candy Jars and Candy
Admittedly, not the best photo. It will make the real deal look that much better when I blog professional photos from the wedding.


7. Sparkly wands
Sadly, even though real, flaming sparklers are legal in Rhode Island fire codes at our venue have not changed. Thank you for the info hive, but it appears my sparkly wands will have to suffice.

And there you have a sneak preview of some of our wedding details! The countdown has officially hit single digits. UNREAL!

Assembly of the Aunties: Part Two

Just when the Aunties thought their hard work was complete, Mama Seashell kept things moving in Rhode Island! Next up, our pew leaves!

Before her passing, Mr. Seashell's mom had hand-cut each and every pew leaf we needed to decorate our wedding chapel. She was planning on completing their assembly closer to the wedding. Knowing the significance of this project, and wanting to ensure Justine's strong presence on our wedding day, my "Aunties" and Mama Seashell eagerly volunteered to help tie the pew bows and leaves together.


Another Seashell wedding project complete! I couldn't be more thankful for the loving support of Mama Seashell and my Aunties. It's such a treat to keep receiving these photos from Rhode Island. Our wedding is truly a team effort and a labor of love. Score another one for team Seashell!

Has your family helped you in any special ways?

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Light It Up!


Uplighting definitely creates amazing ambiance. When I mentioned adding some colored lights to the ballroom at our venue, Mama Seashell made some inquiries and found a fabulous deal: our caterer was willing to rent us 6 can lights for $15 each. SCORE! This would create the perfect amount of "glow" in our ballroom at an unbelievable price.


 {source}

Fast forward a few months. We learned that the can lights were overloading the circuits at our venue and were blowing fuses. The venue coordinator told me about a recent wedding where the band lost power 3 times during the evening. No good. She recommended I contact companies that use battery powered LED uplights. I did my research, shopped around, and the best quote I could find was $1,000. Also, no good.

I put my engi-nerd (Mr. Seashell) to work. (There was no way we were going from paying $90 to $1,000 for lighting.) After racking his brain, he finally came across these:


At $61 each, they made for a decent compromise. We went ahead and purchased 6 and had them shipped to Providence. We also figured we could cover our expenses and resell these post-wedding.

As they are, they create that lovely intense "blue LED glow". We picked up some gels and played around.


On the lower step is a golden amber gel, on the higher is a soft pink. Papa Seashell and I decided the golden amber had the right amount of intensity. Then he helped me cut gels.


Once our gels were cut and secured we lit up the living room (currently covered in wedding "stuff")!


Who knew you could DIY uplighting?

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

I Moo'd. I Mini-Moo'd.

I couldn't resist. Miss Thimble and Mrs. Pin Cushion made me do it. I moo'd. I mini-moo'd.


They're just too darn cute.

We're putting them out on our two bars for guests to take as they grab a drink. They're just the right size to slip in your pocket or purse! Hopefully people will also actually upload photos. Fingers crossed.

After I placed my order for my mini-moos I also noticed something - the US headquarters is in little ol' Providence, RI! I'm not sure what is up with my urge to knock on their door this weekend and tell them that they rock, but if I do I promise to take pictures. I'll do my best to keep my excitement at bay.

Did you moo? Have you had any hometown discoveries?

Our Family Tree

Family photos have been collected, oval shapes have been cricut-ed, and another DIY is (almost) complete!


...and just in case our wedding guests wonder who they're looking at we even labeled the backs of our photos!


So, what are these things? Remember waaaaaay back when I was on a search for creative ways to incorporate family wedding photos? Then Mama Seashell, our florist, and I came up with this "Family Tree" idea. Surely you haven't forgotten my beautiful mock up...


You totally remember now. I can tell.

So, that's the latest project update from the Seashell household. I can't wait to see this in action. In fact, I can't wait to see this whole wedding in action. It's getting SO CLOSE! Tomorrow I depart for Providence for a long weekend crammed full of errands and final meetings with vendors. I'll be documenting tons along the way. GET EXCITED!

Are your projects starting to come together?

Monday, September 06, 2010

The Second-Guessing Begins

Six months ago we picked out the tuxes for Mr. Seashell and our groomsmen. It was pretty straightforward. We walked into MW Tux in Chicago, dressed up a few mannequins, and arranged for a pick-up in Providence. Easy peasy. Here were our selections:

Ivory Vest and Tie for Mr. Seashell                     Black Vest and Purple Tie for Groomsmen

Sharp and dapper? Absolutely.

But then, I went to a black tie event with Papa Seashell over the summer. I couldn't escape the thought that men in bow-tie tuxes looked just a bit more polished and formal and special. I mentioned the idea to Mr. Seashell, and he uttered words I have never heard in our relationship before: "Whatever you think, honey". (My head is still spinning.) Mr. Seashell is hopelessly opinionated, and frankly I'm still confused about this exchange of ours.

Time passed, and I couldn't get the idea of bow-tie tuxes out of my head. I would have immediately made the switch if it wasn't for one concern: Mr. Seashell carries some of his weight in his face and I was worried a bow-tie would look too "tight". Additionally, I've seen Mr. Seashell in a vest and tie tux before. Wouldn't a bow-tie tux feel all the more special on our wedding day? I was starting to think so.


So, on Saturday we played dress up.


Eeeeeeeeeeeee! I died. I love, love, love, love, loooooooove Mr. Seashell in a bow-tie tux! Who knew? The picture on the right is one of my all-time favorite pictures of my man EVER. That little devilish grin on his face is crazy cute. Needless to say, we made the switch.

To distinguish him from his groomsmen, we're adding a simple black vest for the groomsmen. Maybe that's a little backwards, but I'm going with less is more for the groom.

Have you second-guessed any of your wedding decisions? How did they turn out?

Friday, September 03, 2010

Executing the "B List"

With a never-ending guest list and a venue that holds exactly 200, the Seashell crew had to come up with a way to accomodate all parties involved. We were scared to excessively over-invite for risk of filling our venue beyond capacity. We also were reluctant to invite too close to the 200 number and come in with a half-empty venue and many people we wished we'd have invited "if we'd only known".

Simply put, the numbers game with acceptances and declines is just that: a numbers game.

Here's how we made it work:

We divided the guest list 50/50. This meant each side got to invite 115 people (we left a little room for declines). This was our "A List". Invitations were sent on June 25, 2010 with a response card date of July 25, 2010.

People who didn't fit on the "A List" were placed on the "B List". These people did not receive Save the Dates. Also, these were people we genuinely would have loved to have at the wedding all along, but with 100 invites on each side, family and close friends took priority. B-Listers included Mama Seashell's hairdresser, friends of friends, and second and third even fourth cousins. For the most part, we were able to keep this list relegated to people who may not have immediately heard from others, "Oh, I got the Seashell invitation in the mail today! I'm so excited!". (Because, of course, everyone is totally excited for our wedding.) These invitations were sent out as declines arrived, with the bulk on July 25, 2010 and a response card date of August 25, 2010.


Our goal was to include as many people as possible and also preserve the appearance of our invitations (as in, "Wow! I CLEARLY got B-Listed with this 2-day response turn around date!"). We certainly didn't want to make anyone feel as if they were less than invited, but we were also in a bind with a limited number of slots at our venue.

Our final numbers worked as such:
  • Total initial people invited: 233
Held our breath as we awaited 33 declines, and then waited for additional declines so that B List invites could be sent
  • Additional B List guests invited: approximately 30
  • Current Projected Attendance: 190 
Papa Seashell recently asked, "Should we get working on a C List?" He cracks me up. No, Dad, I think we're good.

Did you execute a B List? How did you manage it?

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Take A Seat!

I am proud to say that we have braved a few projects with our Cricut! (Honestly, the thing still scares me a little, but we're slowly becoming friends. Notice who's operating it in the photo below.) Most recently, we have begun creating our escort cards. Here's how our process works: I am the visionary, Mr. Seashell is the engineer. I do the organizational work, and then Mr. Seashell executes the details involving patience and precision. Yay teamwork!

The Idea:
Create golden leaves with our guests names and table numbers printed on them.

The Problem:
How to get printed information on a cut out shape?

The Solution:
1. Figure out how many leaf shapes fit on a single sheet of paper.
2. Create a "negative".


3. Scan the "negative" to your computer.
4. Type names and table numbers into the blank spots.


5. Print on desired paper.


6. Run print out through Cricut on same setting as "negative" previously created.

And that's our process! I am checking and cross-checking each card with our guest list, and Mr. Seashell is operating the Cricut. So far so good.

What are we doing with these leaves you ask? Here's a reminder. It's all coming together!

Did you have any projects that were less than straightforward? Were they worth it?
 

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