Hotels and the water taxi

Of course I ended up doing this myself....

Today I called over to the Hilton Boston Hotel at Logan Airport to reserve a block of rooms for our wedding weekend. For our out of town guests flying into Logan the hotel has a free shuttle to and from the terminals and also to the water taxi to Rowes Wharf and the Boston Harbor Hotel! The taxi is heated and covered and will be a fun way for guests to arrive to the wedding. I bet N will want to ride around in it "escorting" our guests, but really just for fun! They are putting together the contract to e-mail me and I should be ready to add this accomodation to our wedding website in a few days.

Elegant Coffee Cake

There's something to be said for baking for stress relief. With fellowship applications looming, a manuscript to write, and a wedding to plan there is no shortage of stressors around here. So after my evening run I took a little time out to whip up my favorite coffee cake recipe from Debbie and Aunt Helene...I feel better already!

The batter is mixed and the bundt pans laid out.

Bowl of topping of chopped pecans, sugar, and cinnamon, and bowl of the batter.

Elegant coffee cake in the oven!

Invitation drafts and wedding website wonders

The lovely and talented Erin of Lucky Luxe e-mailed me two options to start the design of our invitation suite. I'm excited about the details and will share the finished product when it is ready. The one thing I am still unsure of is where to include our wedding website. I want guests to be able to visit the site for information and directions, but am wondering about the most appropriate place for the www link. My first thought is an enclosure, such as a directions/information card. Unfortunately the internet didn't exist when Emily Post was writing about etiquette, but thankfully Peggy has addressed this one!

Wedding Web Site Tips from Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette

Your Web page should represent you as a couple. Take the time to develop a design and content that you are both comfortable with – one that reflects your personal aesthetic style.

Electronic RSVPs. If you plan to let people RSVP on your site, simply add a printed sentence at the bottom of your reply card sent with your invitation saying, “You may also reply by way of our wedding Web site: www.happycouple.com.”

Don’t list your Web site on your invitation. This may be tempting, but refrain. There are plenty of other ways to let people know about the site, such as including the Web address on other items enclosed in the invitation packet, such as the response card or maps.

Keep it Simple. A few well-designed pages will speak volumes.

Keep personal info private. Some pre-designed Web templates prompt you to type in personal details such as when you shared your first kiss, what you did on your first date, and so on. This may be good fodder for the bachelor(ette) party, but there is no need to share such intimate moments with your entire guest list – and anyone else who may stumble across your site. Keep your postings tasteful and inclusive.

Don’t put the emphasis on gift registries. It is fine to post links to various on-line gift registries on your home page. This is one of the conveniences of your site. It is important to strike a balance between discretion and a desire to make things easier for your guests. Place such links to the side of the page in modestly sized type.

Don’t overlook your unwired guests. Remember, not everyone has ready access to the Internet. If you know that a certain invited guest is not connected to the Web, be sure to send hard copies of any pertinent information

After the wedding. You can use your site after the wedding to post wedding and honeymoon pictures, anecdotes and a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all. This thank you does not replace the individual thank you notes that must be handwritten.

Think you might like to give it a try? Wedding Channel (www.weddingchannel.com) and The Knot (www.theknot.com) provide step-by-step instructions for designing your own free Web page, reachable through their Web addresses. Other Web sites show you how to create a Web site at your own Web address for a fee.

My dress has arrived!

While I was on call Friday night I got word from Phyllis at Priscilla of Boston that my wedding gown has arrived! How exciting! Right away I picked up my new iphone (LOVE, LOVE the iphone by the way) and called over to White Dress By the Shore for a beneath the gown fitting. My wedding planner Sarah suggested their services and I am looking forward to the upcoming trip to the Connecticut shoreline where I grew up. I am hoping to leave with some pretty new bridal lingerie!

Now that I have that appointment scheduled I also going to schedule my first fitting, where I will be ready to dree the part with my new lingerie and my shiny silver Manolos!

Thank You!

Just got some Thank You cards in the mail from my stepmother that match the invitations she sent for my bridal shower. Now I've got to sit down and start penning my thank you notes for all the lovely gifts I have received. Bridesmaid F told me that you aren't supposed to use your gifts until after you are married, but she and I agreed that is crazy talk. How can I resist baking a fresh loaf of bread in my new bread maker? How could I sit idle watching my beautiful new dishes and flatware collect dust? It's been like Christmas with all the gifts, and I must say N and I are enjoying our haul.

Thank you to everyone!!!

Bridal shower

I had a lovely bridal shower tea this weekend at the Madison Beach Hotel. Just wanted to tkae a moment to thank everyone for their well wishes! We had a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon to enjoy the company of family and friends.

Now it's back to planning full speed ahead!

Neverending "To Do" list

Currently on the "To Do" list:

1. Select ceremony music. I've got a PDF from Michael Reavey of the music in their repetoire, but other than knowing I want the Pachelbel Canon in D to play as a walk down the aisle, I am unsure of music selections for seating of the grandparents and parents, procession of the wedding party, and the recessional. I'm leaning toward a modern selection for the recessional that the DJ can pick up, creating a smooth transition to cocktail hour. N doesn't want me to tell anyone so he can see if anyone notices!

2. Meet with the officiant to discuss ceremony outline and vows. We've had an initial consultation with Edi and I've set up a meeting for 6/27 to start the process. Check.

3. Groom and groomsmen attire options (so far):

J. Crew white dress shirt and silk navy tie to match bridesmaids' dresses

Land's End suit-nice shade, khaki/oatmeal heather with white shirt and navy tie

Banana Republic suit-possibly khaki or this silvery gray hue with a white shirt and navy tie.

J. Crew suit- nice warm khaki hue with white shirt and navy tie of course

N is really against the rented tux look with the shiny shoes, and I am just happy that he is so passionate about some part of the wedding details. I think the groomsmen will all look very smart in new suits, and then after the wedding they will be a welcome addition to any wardrobe!

4. Rehearsal dinner. N's parents are looking into some options around the city of Boston and have come up with some preliminary ideas. Check.

5. Finish off bridesmaid's gifts. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I think I have come up with a nice gift set for each of my girls to include a custom clutch from a designer I found on Etsy filled with lipgloss, nailpolish, purse-sized perfume spray (I'm going to select different scents for each of the girls based on their very different styles and personalities), and a pashmina wrap. Check.

6. Book alternate hotel rooms (read: cheaper option) and put together concept for welcome bags. This should take high priority since I need to block off some rooms ASAP! Maybe I'll put N on the job, he's always good at finding a deal! For the welcome bags I think I am going to turn to bridesmaid F for inspiration. She's the most creative/crafty girl I know!

The list certainly goes on, but I think that's enough tasks for me to focus on for the weekend and week ahead!

Blog love

So things have been busy around the hospital leaving me little time to update our planning progress...
Shortly after receiving my lovely save the dates from Lucky Luxe I managed to get them addressed, stamped, and mailed to our guests. A few days or so later I got an e-mail from Erin saying our save the date was featured on another blog, Oh So Beautiful Paper! How fun! She's now beginning to work on our invitation suite, and I am excited to get a peek at her designs. For my part I need to work on the wording (i.e. "request the honor of your presence" or "request the pleasure of your company", or something to that effect.) I'm going to consult my Emily Post Etiquette book and Martha Stewart Weddings for ideas.