b l o g o r e l l i

Sixpence in Her Shoe: Slow and Steady

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other
people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out
your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow
your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly
want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

As of today, Mark and I have 239 days until we officially become Murforelli (according to my iPhone's "Wedding Day" application that I impulsively downloaded a week ago.)

I'll openly admit: I'm procrastinating; haven't designed, printed or mailed a single Save the Date, and I'm still hedging on what to do about a dress. People (like Bobby Crocker, Cho, Mark, and Mom-orelli) are starting to call foul on my dragging feet.

Eeeeeeeeek.

So I'll just say that as soon as my husband-to-be returns from business travel on Saturday, we will resume nuptial progress with a vengence. We're not really that far behind (although we may be according to Mindy Weiss, who I'm avoiding like the truancy officer in high school):

- date set
- venue chosen
- menu done (preliminary, but still)
- registries sorta done
- officiant...yep!

One of the big planning conundrums involved us not wanting to get married in church, but instead outside at the restaurant. We both wanted a very personal ceremony, and thought one location would be easier logistically, too, since we are offering a shuttle for guests staying at the hotel. After much family debate, that's our plan, and check out the kook who's agreed to marry us:

It's the Reverend Bobby Crocker, our own personal preacher man! We are very excited about having him do the honors, to say the least. Onward, turtles...

What's One More Collection?

Granted, I don't know what the heckie I'd do with a "lot a of 100 vintage mixed estated art deco bakelite ring boxes" but I kind of like ...the idea of having them?

Sixpence in Her Shoe: PA Plan!

I didn't do a nuptials update last week because we didn't have much to report. This week has been fairly quiet as well, except for an adventurous trip to The Natick Collection last Saturday to attempt a headstart on the registries. Read about that little jaunt right here.

This weekend, we planned to head to Vermont for Beer Weekend, two days of brewery tours and pints. Instead, we ended up deciding to pinch pennies, stay at home, and recharge. We'll need the energy in reserve for our next (long) weekend, when we head to Pittsburgh to take care of a bunch of wedding 'stuff'.

Luckily, I have already planned for us to check out some possible reception acts:

Saturday, November 15, 2008
Direct from Scotland: Bodega + world champion piper Bruce Gandy, opening "2005 Best Young Folk Band." BBC Radio 2

"The most exciting band to come out of Scotland since Capercaillie." Sing Out! Magazine
"The music buzzes. Superb. Bold and energetic." The Living Traditions Magazine
"Scotland's answer to Nickel Creek. Fantastically good." Cropredy Festival (Oxfordshire, England)

Presented by The Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming
Part of Saturday's daylong Second Annual Balmoral Classic
Reserved seats, $17 students/seniors, $20 advance, $25 door
Rauh Theater
Hillman Center for Performing Arts
Shady Side Academy
423 Fox Chapel Road, Fox Chapel
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15238
Order tickets online or call 412.394.3353 ProArts

Other things on the punch list include: meet with priest, check out rental tents/chairs/linens/etc, eat at Dad-orelli's restaurant and discuss reception food, and go check out where Mom-orelli wants to have the bridal shower...oh, and hit my favorite thrift stores (not wedding related.)

On Sunday (my 31st -- gulp -- birthday,) we'll be hanging at home, eating my gammy's chicken & dumplings, and watching the hometown boys. Go STILLERS!

Sixpence in Her Shoe: Divine Intervention

Once again, a quiet week in Murforelli wedding planning land (although we do now have -- supposedly -- complete guest lists from all parents.) Murf is away on business for the THIRD straight week in a row, this time to Napa Valley, so I've been keeping myself occupied by

- joining a new gym right near my work to get the Ultimate! Wedding! Workout!
- prepping for the South End Open Market on Sunday
- watching the VP debates with Half Pint, Mr. Car, and Will P
- oh, and reading the nice chunky stack of bridal magazines lent to me by makeup artist extraordinaire Ms. Tara of tada!

As some of you know, both Mark and I felt a bit hesitant to have a Roman Catholic ceremony (even though both we and are families are RC.) I guess we originally thought something outside, with a close friend officiating, and a Franciscan brother from The Prof's days in FrancisCorp doing a blessing seemed more "us." But after realizing how important a traditional, faith-based service is to our respective (Catholic) families, we reserved a church near to the restaurant/reception.

The church is gorgeous, but the fees for being wed there add up to almost $900...and the organist won't even play my sole request of Elvis gospel songs pre-ceremony. However, we had accepted the cost and location, until my Mom mentioned that the church she had been attending boasted a beautiful interior and more budget-friendly. I was on the fence since I've never seen the inside of this second church, but agreed to follow up and call the rectory.

Yesterday, I spoke with the priest at the new "contender." Not only is the fee drastically cheaper, but when I told him my name, he revealed that it was he who gave my dear little Nona her last rights shortly before she passed away 16 months ago. Her priest in town was unavailable that night, and Father Chad came to do the anointing in his absence.

Hearing his story, I felt some sort of calming balance; one of the last people to commune spiritually with one of my most cherished loved ones seems like an obvious choice to send Mark and I on our way into this new life together. Maybe from somewhere, that day, she'll see us, Father Chad, and clap her hands together in joyful excitement.

Saint Gertrudes, to be referred to in the future as "Gertie's"...

WWWW

(World Wide Wedding Web)

One activity filling my lonely late nights while The Prof is away? Looking around online for quality wedding planning blogs. I'm talking about sites that burst with creativity, great ideas, and inspiration for a more quirky bridey -- of course, there's always The Knot and MS Weddings for all the requisite stuff.

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite finds:

Snippet & Ink is my  #1 these days for her sublime mood boards. In fact, her most recent one, "Golden Autumn Days," just about captures most of the themes and colors which I think would go great at our farmhouse reception.

Thoughtful Day's creator became "obsessed with all things wedding" while planning her nuptials and has continued blogging as a newlywed. She also lists a killer assortment of links in the sidebar.

Sixpence Coin reveals the inspiration behind the name of this weekly feature (the actual last line of the popular "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence for her shoe" wedding day good luck rhyme.) I bought one of these for each of the 2009 brides that I know, and one for me, too! Just a note, the sixpence goes in the left shoe.

Oddly enough, the phrase is also the title of a book ("which covers...traditional concerns...higher education for women, thrift as a philosophy, children's literature, hospitality and keeping up with the Joneses") that a well-meaning elderly lady customer of my father's gave to me as a gift on my 16th birthday.

Brooklyn Bride will help a gal to "plan a modern wedding in a world of pink flowered and poofy dresses." Yes, please.

Oh Happy Day is so cute!

Dress Your Wedding from David's Bridal is a fairly simple interface that allows a user to create, dress, and style a virtual wedding party (most obviously your own, but if you miss your Fashion Plates, then hey, go crazy.)

(Doesn't this image from David's Dress Your Wedding look like Murforelli? I know...totally NOT! "My" hair resembles a spray-on helmet, while "Mark" seems to be preserved in a mummified state. Hee hee.)

Sixpence in Her Shoe: Three's Company

Once again, the week was fairly quiet in regards to wedding planning, due to The Prof being away on another business trip (to Naples, Florida.) In the meantime, I caught a nasty head cold and am home from work on this extremely rainy day, constantly sniffling while trying to recuperate in time for this week's South End Open Market.

Two Sundays ago, Murforelli managed to do one wedding-related task and check out the nearest Crate&Barrel for some ideas on what we might put on our wedding registry. That's right, we still don't have a guest list or budget, but damnit to hell if we aren't going to ace the consumerist aspects of this "wedding" thing.

So far we have a few possible places to register:
– Crate and Barrel
– Target
– Home Depot (The Prof)
– Abodeon (Blogorelli)

Whenever possible, we're listing our registries through the I Do Foundation, an organization who partners with retailers and donates up to 10% of the value of gift purchases to the couple's chosen charity/charities. As for C&B, we could only agree on two items: a sleek salt+pepper mill and a wine cooler. Oh well, we have plenty of time to get that salad spinner on the list.

In other news, the BM Ken's sweet and fun wife Ania (introducing Blogorelli nickname: APIC) emailed to let me know that the numerological sum for our wedding date is actually three (not one.) Her birthday is on September 19, plus she married someone born on the 19th and has known a myriad of people connected to the number 19, so I trust her. Luckily, THREE is still a super number:

"...instead of 1, your wedding day is a 3, which even on the surface appears ideal (think trilogy, triangle, perfect balance). To quote my books:
'Forever young, no number brings more joy than the 3. This is the number of creative self-expression, of the optimistic happy spirit, of enthusiasm and imagination.

The 3 represents the creative principle, as well as a variety of trinities, such as: past, present, future; mother, father, child; birth, life, death. The creative principle of the 3 governs both the act of creation and the act of procreation, which translates to both spiritual and creative power.

3 is a happy spirit, blessed with humor, optimism and enthusiasm for life--after all, it's a joyful energy.'"

YEA! Thanks, APIC, and we'll see you on your birthday next year...if not (hopefully) beforehand!

(Pittsburgh forms a triangle where the three rivers meet...coincidence or kismet?)

Piece of Cake, Er

Actually, for our reception, the likely dessert culprits are either cupcakes or pie, and maybe a make-yer-own sundae bar. Luckily, I'm all about procrastinating on the necessary tasks (guest list, dresses, etc) and focusing on more fun touches -- like these cupcake toppers that I happened to see (and buy -- only the Red Sox version!) on Ebay last week. They're for our New England contingent who make the journey to PA.

We went to our last regular season game two Fridays ago. I finally got a Red Sox hat -- courtesy of The Prof. Don't we look so match-y in our complementary outfits? I feel a little like a traitor to my hometown Pirates (arg!), but it's not like I'm wearing Patriots gear (GO Stillers!)

Illumination

With temps at night in PA these past few weeks hitting around 60 (or lower,) we'll likely need to have the walls up on the tent for our reception. At first, I really dreaded this realization because I think those white vinyl tent walls look about 0% attractive. Then I saw this dusk photo of the place where Jeffé and Sarah got married...

Lots of luminary-lined walkways and warm glowing light from the tent= I'm ok. Also, a chill in the air lends perfectly to a cozy touch like having baskets with shawls for the ladies, a la the patio at Oleana in Cambridge. Of course, I guess this courtesy could backfire (although I've always thought a man wearing a shawl has a very European flair.)

The more we investigate  "nuptialities" (nuptials + realities,) the more I'm learning: accept the facts, and tailor the little details to fit "the vision."

Commence planning...

Sixpence in Her Shoe: "365 days until your wedding"

Today, Murforelli is exactly UNO AñO away from the big day. In 365 days, I'll awake from a delightful, Ambien-induced slumber to my mp3 alarm clock playing "Going to the Chapel"...and the song will be about moi!

I'm concentrating on the lovely thought above, and not all of the planning which must happen in the next year. In other progress, we have initially composed our (tiny) wedding party...

Flower Princess: Miss Niamh
Bearer of Rings: Sir Lincoln Olav
MOH: Cho
BM: Captain Flapjack
Bride & Groom: MURFORELLI!

In deciding on a number of attendants, The Prof and I feel like we are so blessed to have such dear friends -- and so many of them! -- that in the end, we kept things simple. We each needed a witness, and wanted to involve our favorite (respective) child, so that's how things ended up...simple. I'd rather see my gal pals in some hot little numbers and knockout shoes of their own choosing rather than all conformin; each woman's uniqueness is what I love about my friends. Plus, we know that traveling for a wedding is already enough cost and stress, so aside from showing up to our big day, we wanted our friends (and us!) to just be able to kick back and have a blast. Lord knows I'd sit in a pew for the ceremony if given the choice!

To prepare the MOB and MOH for everything to come, I got them each two carefully chosen books. For Mom-orelli, the reading material included It's Her Wedding But I'll Cry if I Want To: A Survival Guide for the Mother of the Bride and The Knot Guide for the Mother of the Bride. Cho received The Bridesmaid Guide: Etiquette, Parties, and Being Fabulous and You Can Wear It Again: A Celebration of Bridesmaids' Dresses.

They both admitted that the tomes freaked them out a bit, but they would try to live up to my (and Mindy Weiss') expectations. We have all kinds of other fun and special things planned to honor those "liberated" from wedding party duty...just you all wait and see. Tee hee.

No other planning has taken place this week because my hubby-to-be is in Cancun for work. I know, cry him a river. I can't wait for you to come home, babe, and thanks for sending me the photo below with the caption "Wish you were here!" The image really warmed my heart while the rest of me froze in our chilly, 45 degree apartment this a.m.

The Big 1-9

Since there are only so many aspects of a wedding one can plan 372 days in advance, I decided to check the success of our nuptial date in numerology's opinion.

Saturday, September 19, translates to...

9+1+9+0+9=28
2+8
1+0= 1

I found this analysis of the number "1"  (and 10, which makes up 1 in numerology) online:

 — 1 —
The number 1 energy suggests an increased measure of executive ability and leadership qualities than your path may have indicated. No 1 of any month gives you greater will power and self-confidence, and very often a rather original approach. This 1 energy may diminish your ability and desire to handle details with a broad brush. You may be sensitive, but your feelings stay rather repressed and subdued due to external bindings.

— 10 —
Your birth on the 10th day of the month adds a tone of independence and extra energy to your Life Path.

(NOTE: In doing research to make the graphic above, I found a great set of numbers of Flickr, shot by Will Wan.)

In celebration of choosing the date, Cho got me a fun necklace from Etsy with a mini bingo chip that displays the number "19". She said it's to remind me both that 9/19/09 is the day, and not to take this wedding planning stuff (or Mindy Weiss) too seriously.