The Chevy Chases find a venue: Part II

I apologize for the long delay since Part I.  I've been busy the past few weeks and spending every free moment in the evenings catching up on the day’s Wimbledon matches.

So, a quick recap: We had penciled in a date at the National Museum of Women in the Arts – a gorgeous marble hall. But, it was expensive and we didn’t have a good option for the ceremony, other than having it at the museum. So, when we finally got engaged 4 months after wehad stopped our venue search, we opened it up again.

We had initially rejected any sites that required a tent because we didn’t want to worry about it being too hot/cold, since May weather in DC can be unpredictable. But I had always imagined that I would have an outdodor wedding, and all of a sudden, we couldn’t figure out why we’d refused to consider venues with tents.

After extensive online research, we came up with two places: George Washington’s River Farm in Alexandria, and Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase.

The River Farm has an amazing setting on the banks of the Potomac, with a wildflower meadow and large lawns. There’s a tented patio in the back of the house, right off the ballroom. Of course, I saw the place in February just after the snow melted, but it was still pretty and didn’t take much imagination to realize how stunning it would be come spring.

source

Woodend has a similar setup, with a tented patio off the ballroom. I liked how at Woodend, the patio and ballroom are connected by french doors that enable the space to feel more continuous. The patio was also a little bit bigger than at the River Farm. For the ceremony, there are a few outdoor options. Most people hold their ceremony in the grove – a flat grassy area surrounded by hemlock trees.  If it’s been raining, another option is the south lawn, which is elevated a bit and has better drainage. If it rains and we have to have the ceremony in the tent, we’d hold it facing the south lawn so that our guests are looking out at the woods. So, we were happy with the different options.  For the cocktail hour, there’s a covered portico where we can set up a bar so that guests can enjoy the outdoor evening and maybe even spot some deer (I saw one when I was checking out the place!).

source

In the end, we went with Woodend, both because it felt “right” to us, and because the River Farm no longer had our date available.  There are lots of hotel options in Bethesda (all of which are metro accessible), and we’re close to the city, where many of our guests live.  We are really happy that we reconsidered our venue to find a place that was more “us” – not a formal ballroom but a beautiful setting where we can bring in our own style through flowers and décor.

And that, ladies (and the occasional gentleman?) is how we became the Chevy Chases.

How have you all let your venue reflect who you are as a couple?

Miss GWU: Maybe a Muse for Wedding Bands?

I've received many comments on my engagement ring from its antique appeal to the clarity of the rock. One of my favorites coming from my best friend "It is delicate but significant." Sometimes I catch myself staring at it because when I do, I get one of those exciting butterfly moments of reassurance that my man, Mr. GWU, knows me...like really knows me. From the time we discussed taking the next step to become engaged and to the actual engagement, I gave him no guidance as to thee ring; abstract at best. We visited one jeweler where I decided I did not want more than a carat and some sort of unique design. Literally that was all. The rest was left to Mr. GWU's imagination (and wallet :). Mr. GWU did good. real good. Following the engagement and learning more about the months leading up to the finish of the ring, I was happy to find out that Mr. GWU went to a local, family-owned jeweler called IGorman. Located on 20th st, NW, they were founded in 1981 and remain a family business set on high quality design and warm customer service. Mr. GWU loved working with them, particularly with his specific designer, Alishan. And here is thee engagement ring:

I love the ring. Since this was such a good experience for Mr. GWU and they have been with us on this part of the journey so far, I was thinking I would probably go to them for Mr. GWU's wedding band. I want something substantial, probably white gold, with a unique design or etching, and a short quote engraved on the inside. Looking at the work of the designing staff, I'm pretty confident they can capture my thoughts and produce a great wedding band for Mr. GWU. Here are some thumbnails from their site: http://www.igorman.com/

Has anyone worked with IGorman before on wedding bands and have suggestions on designers or anything else related to this process? Is it better to buy a band that is on the snug versus loose side?

umm so.

My dad isn't going to be at my wedding.

It's not that we don't get along, or he doesn't approve of the marriage, or anything that. he just doesn't travel. he was born and raised in Maine and he doesn't own a computer or understand the internetz. He's never been in a commercial airplane. etc.

I know this. I accept this. I still love him. Like a lot.

But sometimes it just hits me that my dad isn't going to walk me down the aisle and there will be no father-daughter dance and blah blah blah boo hooo. I've asked my best friend/MOH's dad if he would do the honors and he gladly accepted. Someone asked why I didn't just have my mom do it - honestly it hadn't occurred to me. I guess I could have done that but the question has already been asked and I couldn't very well take the job away from him if I wanted to - which I don't. He's not going to "give me away," he's just going to be a strong and calming arm to hold on to as I walk down the aisle. He and his wife have been like a second set of parents to me for the past 10+ years so it feels right. But I feel like I'm going to confuse the hell out of my guests...

Sorry I don't mean to bring the tone down right before the holiday weekend! I was just thinking about it and figured I should explain because I'm going to need advice on some things.. What if Mr. Fairfax wants to have a mother-son dance? Is it going to be weird that I'm not dancing with my dad? Also should I try to explain the situation or just let it be and let guests come to their own conclusions?

in other news.. aaahhhh I love this wedding!! happy holiday weekend :)

Tour de Cake Topper

I think the details in one's wedding are such fun. Everything about your personality and your fiance's personality come out in all the little things, from the invitations to the cake toppers.

With that being said...

The Tour de France is starting on Saturday! (Go Garmin and Astana--and Lance!) .

So what does this have to do with my wedding? Nothing, except that Mr. Charleston and I are huge cycling fans (more him than me---he's the one who actually rides with a group every week) and I wanted to incorporate his love for bikes and cycling into our wedding somehow. One of my students did our save the dates:

I loved it so much (as did Mr. Charleston) that I wanted to make the graphic of the girl and boy on the bike our cake topper. Since I have done most of the big things (venues, dj, photog, etc) I am now working on all the details, like cake toppers and centerpieces.

I found this awesome vendor on Etsy, Mountainbrook, who makes these awesome wood silhouette cutouts. I sent him a picture and he made our cake topper for us! Here is what it looks like:

It came a few weeks ago. It looks super great and I cannot wait to see it on top of a cake! Now all I have to do is find a cake!

So what are your details? I have had friends who have done D.C. totes since they were DC natives. Some have organized "DC Food Stops" for a wedding weekend where did they a tour of fun dc eateries like Ben's Chili Bowl, Five Guys, and Art and Soul. One idea that someone had was serving their mom's chocolate chip cookies and milk during the cocktail reception. I think anything that you can do to really make the day special is worth the extra effort. Good luck with all the planning!

Oh, and have a happy 4th of July weekend! Have fun and be safe:-)

Mission: Buff Bride

I've been on "Mission: Buff Bride" for a few months now. For a while, I was doing really well at getting my tush to the gym but lately? I've been slacking. (That Diet Coke addiction of mine isn't helping anything either...)

For those of you who don't know, I'm probably one of the LAZIEST marathon runners ever. I ran marathon #3, a 10k and a 10 mile race in the matter of a month - setting personal records in all three, leaving me beyond pleased. Unfortunately, I didn't train nearly as hard as I should have (I never do...) so I kind of set myself up for minor injuries. After the marathon which was Memorial Day weekend up in Vermont, I got lazy. I hurt my knee a little and well...stopped working out altogether with the exception of yoga.

So I recruited a friend. You see, I work at a gym here on Capitol Hill part time so I know many of the trainers. Yesterday, after my morning shift, I recruited a trainer pal of mine to give me some tips because "I want to look good in my wedding gown" as every girl does.

For the next two and a half months, I will be at the gym 5 days per week, either doing yoga or cardio/strength training. I've been doing yoga pretty regularly since the marathon sadly without much improvement (I fell over during a half moon pose yesterday...it was...dare I say, embarrassing)

What's my plan?
20 minutes of cardio (warmup)
3 sets of 10 pushups on a bosu ball
3 sets of 10 squats on a bosu ball
3 sets of 10 bicep curls using 10lb kettle bell (balancing on one leg)
3 sets of 10 rows (with 10lb kettle bell)
3 sets of 10 swings (with 10lb kettle bell...it's a squat type move where you thrust hips and swing a kettle bell into the air to shoulder height)
3 sets of 10 T's. Though I'm sure that's not what they're called, it's lifting my arms out into a T holding the 10lb kettle bells.

I'll be sticking to this for about 4 weeks and from there we'll modify to make it harder for the last month or so.

Not to mention, the 3 days/week I work at the gym, I teach 15 minute abs classes so that certainly won't hurt anything either!

I can tell you, we had an hour workout yesterday - my trainer pal and I - then I went to an hour long yoga class...and oh.my.god.

I'm fairly certain if I stick to this, my gown will look fab.

What did you do to get in shape for your wedding gown?

I LOVE my venue!

Mr. NationalHarbor and I are getting married at the Oxon Hill Manor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. We are getting married on Halloween and I was trying to find a venue that had the right feel. A giant hotel downtown could have worked I suppose but this one just felt right from the second we drove onto the grounds.

Our wedding planner suggested this location the very first time I met her. We were having cocktails and trading ideas and when I told her I was getting married on Halloween she exclaimed: Oh you should see if you can get the Oxon Hill Manor! I immediately went home to check out the place on the Internet and it looked perfect. I took off of work the next day, grabbed my fiance' and my parents and headed out to view the building and grounds.

I know I am biased but I think it has everything you need if you are having a smaller reception. It can hold up to 170, I believe. The Manor has its own brides' room upstairs where you can get ready, a drawing room, a library, a dining room, a beautiful long driveway, a spacious outdoor area in the back with fantastic views of the city and grounds, a pool with fountains and a mini garden on the side where lots of brides like to have their pictures taken I am told. Sadly, because of the time when I am getting married I won't be able to use the grounds for pictures though. They also have a number of chairs and tables in storage which you can use if you like which is included in the fee.

And speaking of fees-- that is the best part- the Manor is only $3,300 if you are a PG county resident and $4,500 I believe, if you are not. You don't even have to be the resident. My parents live in PG county but I do not. The administrator said as long as they sign the main paperwork that is fine and we could still get the discount! As I was writing the check for the deposit-which is only $750 by the way- a bride called checking on availability for October of 2011! The administrator shook her head and said that the phone rings off the hook all day with brides checking on dates. Apparently word has gotten out about the place. She said they do not start taking reservations for the coming year until they get back on January 3rd from Christmas break. She said that last year 3 couples had actually camped out the night before and were waiting for her when she arrived to open the door at 8 a.m. so they could ensure that they could get their date of choice. She then excused herself from the room. When she returned the phone rang again and incredibly it was a bride asking about an afternoon wedding on the exact same day as me!!! I had gotten my choice by the skin of my teeth!

I made sure I handed my deposit check over quick-- let me tell you!

The place really is great and I can only think of 3 drawbacks. 1) No red wine or red flowers. Oxon Hill Manor is owned by the Maryland Parks Service and since it has been recently refurbished with all new hardwood floors they will not allow anything red. 2) You cannot get on the grounds until 2 hours before your ceremony starts. For some-- this may be a problem and 3) you cannot actually cook on the grounds. They had a bad fire a few years ago and I am not sure if that had anything to do with their decision but they only have a warming kitchen now. My caterer said that was not a problem and that there are a lot of places that have that restriction though.

So if anyone is looking for a place which has some charm and are on a small to medium sized budget I highly recommend Oxon Hill Manor!

how I found my dress

While we're sort of on the topic of dresses, I'll share the story of how I found mine.

I was never against buying a used dress - in fact I was pretty sure that's the route I would go from the beginning. For one thing, in the honest words of Miss Glen Echo, I'm cheap. I could not justify spending thousands of dollars on a dress, no matter how gorgeous it was (not that you shouldn't, if you have the budget for it, I just don't). For another thing, buying a dress already used would help my mission to put on a more eco-friendly wedding. So I started hunting PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, OnceWed.com, etc., well before we were even engaged (blush).

But these other ladies are totally right - you can't (well, shouldn't) buy a used dress online without having tried something similar on so you know it's right for you. Also - why would anyone want to bypass boutique dress shopping?? When else can you have a gaggle of ladies following you around as you basically play dress-up for hours? Actually that sounds ridiculous but man, it was so much fun. Which is why I was almost disappointed that I found my dress on my 2nd shopping excursion!

The first place I went was Ellie's, in Alexandria. I only knew about it because I was a bridesmaid recently for a friend who bought her dress there, so one day when she was going in for a fitting, she made an appointment for me to try on dresses at the same time. They have a really great selection of gorgeous dresses there, and also a ton of bridesmaid dresses (and if you buy your dress from them, your bridal party gets a discount on their dresses). I fell in love with every single dress I tried on, but especially the Jim Hjelm 8763 and the Sarah Danielle 5523 (can't seem to access the Sarah Danielle website right now so that link is to a listing that I MISSED OUT ON, gahhh that was even my size). I am still pining away for that Sarah Danielle dress honestly. But! The Jim Hjelm was $3K and the SD was $2100 ish, so I sighed and passed them up.

I had already marked my calendar for the 2 Running of the Brides events I knew of that were happening this year - one was in April, at the Rockville location, the other was the one coming up this month, at Friendship Heights. I was all excited to camp out and have a group of friends go with me - and then I found out about a sample sale at Priscilla of Boston at Tysons Corner.

dun dun DUNNNN.

I showed up with my mom, and a couple friends came by, and I tried on a few dresses without loving any of them too much. Then just as I was thinking it was about time to get some lunch, my mom suggested I take one more look through the racks, since girls were constantly bringing dresses back they'd tried on and didn't like. I found one that I thought was gorgeous and it fit me nearly perfectly! As soon as I put it on, I really liked it, but when I walked out of the dressing room and my mom burst into tears.. I knew it was the one.

Also, it was marked down from $4,200 to $199. And that day they were doing an additional 20% off. So with tax, it ended up being $167.19. Strapless, full lace overlay with a beautiful chapel length train - and we found maybe 1 small snag in the lace, not even noticeable. I'm still in awe that we found it and got that price. weee!!

So right now I'm in the market for a good wedding dress cleaning service. I'm concerned because it's all lace. Anybody know a good place in the DC area I can trust? I've heard so many horror stories of dresses ruined during the cleaning/preservation.

Setting the Date

I love that Miss OBX knew her wedding date before her engagement date! Reading her post got me to thinking about how we set our wedding date. There are obviously a lot of factors that go into selecting a wedding date. For us, the most important one turned out to be orthodontia. In other words, my braces!

When we first told Mr. 16th's parents that we were getting married, we thought we may wait until late 2010 or even 2011. We wanted time to save money so that we wouldn't deplete our house fund with wedding expenses. Well, we are fortunate to have families who love and support us, and want to see us hitched as soon as possible! Both his mom and dad immediately said "2011? No, no, no!" I called my mom to discuss dates and got the exact same response.

OK, so we'll move the wedding up a bit. When should we do it? "September?" Mr. 16th suggested. "Sure!" I replied. A 9 month engagement sounded doable, and we really didn't see any reason to wait at that point. But then, something hit me. My braces! Ugh!

I had braces put on in December, just a few weeks before we got engaged. After I had my widsom teeth out a few years ago, all kinds of weird things happened in there and I had finally decided it was time to correct things. The bad news was that I didn't qualify for fancy invisible braces. The good news was that they would only have to be on for a year.

But one year meant that they would be on in September. Now, I feel a little bit silly about this, but I just don't want to be a bride in braces if I don't have to be. I decided it was worth waiting a few months until they came off. So we started looking at early 2010. And pretty soon a date became clear. Late enough to hopefully be warm and spring-like, early enough that we wouldn't have to make our families wait too long. It also worked out perfectly for a great honeymoon (which I'll tell you all about soon - but here's a little preview) and falls at the start of spring break for our student and teacher relatives.

So we are set for March 27, 2010! When we first selected the date it seemed so far away but time is really flying by already.

{Love that pretty letterpress calendar? Make it yours!}

D.I.-Why?

Most brides these days are incorporating handmade, personally crafted elements into their wedding for a more intimate and down-home feel.

I, on the other hand, am cheap...

I decided a while back when I first started planning my wedding that I was going to DIY a few things here and there in order to save some money. This idea has turned into quite a laundry list of projects (24 to be exact).

So I figured I needed to find a way to avoid the inevitable stress that DIY projects bring...Yes, that's right...STRESS...I said it! Some wedding blogs would have you to believe that DIY is ssooo much fun! They take you step by step through the process as they do it, you envision some lovely girl with an apron on and a copy of Everyday Living sitting next to her as she meticulously and perfectly glues, cuts, folds and sprinkles crafty goodness into her special day...I begin to day dream and see myself as an urban Martha Stewart, gluing, cutting, folding and sprinkling pieces of crafty magic everywhere...but in actuality, I end up with a scene similar to this... (source)

My plan is to tackle one project at a time. I know that sounds so simple, but for someone like me, it is easier said than done. I have a list that I am working from (it of course has no order) and I decided to just go down the list, find inspiration or instructions on what I want to do and how I want it to look and then, as Nike says, "Just Do It!" With 8.5 months to go, I should be able to get all 24 items done...right?

First on the list was my "Will you be my Bridesmaid?" cards. Those were simple...I did something sort of like what Miss Woodley Park did...I got some photo cards from Target, cut out some pictures of bridesmaid dresses, cut out some heads from pictures I had of my girls and voila! Cards...so simple and easy...I must be a DIY genius! A DIY idiot savant, if you will! Here is how they turned out... (personal photos)

So cute!

Ok, I am good with the cards...so I made our Save the Dates (which I will share at a later time) and again thought I was a crafting maniac!

So in my DIY frenzy, I tried to do our wedding invitations...all 165 of them. One... Hundred... Sixty... Five... Invitations! I eventually decided my sanity was more important than saving a few hundred dollars. But, not before I created 60 of these little disasters.

I did not, however, let this insignificant, although time consuming, blunder deter me. I might have fell, but I got back on the ice and decided to go down my DIY list and do our rehearsal dinner invitations. All I needed to make was 28, not 165 invitations, it was a much simpler project to attack and it did not need as much planning and forethought. One tip Ladies, pick and chose the DIY projects you tackle carefully...if you don't, you might end up wasting much more time and money than you would have if you had just paid a professional (I spent a total of $300 on materials on those ugly invitations...oh...that actually hurt to write!)

I downloaded an invitation template I found here and added the perfect Mexican themed font to it from here. I personalized the template with our rehearsal dinner info via Photoshop and downloaded a simple, yet perfect wrap around label template from here. The paper and envelopes were purchased from Michael's (total of approximately $25) and I printed them out at home. This is the result, check it out. (personal photos)
There are plenty more projects to come. What kind of projects are you ladies working on? Any blunders so far?

Are YOU a Sample Dress Bride?

Going along with Ms. Charleston’s post – I thought I’d follow up with some more things to think about when dress shopping. I agree with all of her advice – definitely have an idea of what you think you might like going in – neckline, color, material, embellishments, but try on any and everything you can get your hands on. I had a word document with dress pictures that I loved, and then stores that carried each designer. But we all know that the dress looks WAY different in a glossy magazine, with teeny tiny model showing the dress off. So my most favorite and valuable nugget of advice was to search sites that sell pre-owned wedding dresses, even if you don’t think you’ll ever buy a “used” one, so that you can see what a type of dress, or even, if you get very lucky, the exact dress you’re looking for looks like on a real girl.

Long story short, while searching for v-neck dresses (which I thought looked the best on me – Mr. OBX has a thing against strapless, and I am fidgety, plus, I seem to have a disproportionate amount armpit fat that never looks good with strapless and until they invent an exercise that targets that area, no strapless for me – though I tried lots on), I came across MY dress online at one of the resale sites. I knew I had to have it. V-neck dresses themselves are a bit more difficult to find, plus I wanted embellishments on the TOP of the dress, and this dress (the one in the center in the pic on the left) was just it.

(www.preownedweddingdresses.com)

I set about finding it in a store in DC, because I knew I had to see it in person. I called the designers headquarters in NY and found out that it had been discontinued, and that my only hope was finding a sample. So I googled and googled, and called stores across the country, to no avail. And then I called Hannalores on a whim, knowing they carry the designer, and they HAD the dress. I was jumping out of my skin, made an appointment for that same afternoon, went in, tried it on, it fit like a GLOVE, and was CLEARLY the dress (plus it was 50% off – which put it actually somewhere near my price range). Of course, I doubted it (and made things WAY more difficult than they have to be – which has become a hallmark of my wedding planning process), and didn’t buy it then and there – I spent the weekend trying on other dresses at Lady Hamilton, Rosalins, Katherine’s, Hitched, and back at Hannalores to try on “the” dress again. I didn’t hesitate this time and I bought it!

The store said they would take care of cleaning the very minimal marks on the dress, repairing some of the beadwork, etc. and would have it ready for me in June to pick up for my fittings. And then I freaked out – I bought a “used” (crinkle nose when saying this) dress for the most important day of my life, it had been in the store for a long time – what if it had changed colors (and my internet research confirmed that this could be a reality), what if the front was too low cut, what if they couldn’t MAKE it perfect, what if this WASN’T MY DRESS after all?

After a slight miscommunication, the store made good on its word, and their seamstresses/repair department made the dress perfect (even to my discerning eye). Pamela did an amazing job at easing my concerns when I was in a tizzy that “I was not meant to be a sample dress bride, I’m way too anxious” – we took the dress outside, and my fear that the dress had turned yellowish was alleviated, and she convinced me that there is no stigma to buying a sample. So, after that very lengthy post – here is my (very biased) list of things to consider before buying a sample:

• Take a deep breath and think about what a sample is – yes it is probably a great deal, but the dress you are looking at WILL BE the dress you will wear down the aisle, and other people have tried it on, and it may not be the letter of perfect. Think about whether this will cause you more worry, stress, and anxiety than the great deal is worth.
• Get unbiased advice on the alterations (and what is possible for your specific dress) before you buy!
• Really examine the dress for wear and tear – be picky and be pushy. In addition to the things you can see, consider the traffic/business of the store, and how long the dress has been in the store. Go over the dress with a fine tooth comb with alterations staff (not salespeople) when its hanging on the hanger in a well lit area (dresses CAN turn yellow after a long time under fluorescent lights, in plastic bags – and there is very little that can done about this).
• Discuss every imperfection and whether it can realistically be fixed. Of the things that can be fixed, negotiate with the store what you expect to be fixed, how you want it fixed, and when it will be done by. Make sure the seamstress is present for this discussion. Get this in writing. Take pictures (if you can) of all marks or changes. Of the things that cannot be fixed, ask for more discounts (but really consider if you are okay with having the mark, or rip, or whatever).
• Do your research and figure out what the dress sells for new, and how old the dress is (what year the designer first offered it). Be able confidently negotiate based on how old it is, the retail price, and the condition of the actual dress. Realize that you are helping the store recoup their costs on the dress, that you are NOT a second class shopper because you are looking at samples, and that you deserve the same level of service as everyone else – they need you more than you need them.
• Be prepared for a no-return policy and don’t let anyone pressure you into buying the dress until you are certain that it is the dress for you. It is likely that the dress will still be there tomorrow or next week. As soon as the dress leaves the store, it will be YOURS, so don’t take it until you are satisfied with how it looks.

And The Winner Is…..

DC NearlyWeds has been nominated for the WeddingChannel.com Bridal Blog Awards.

WeddingChannel.com (http://www.weddingchannel.com/), the number one wedding & gift registry website, has announced its first annual Bridal Blog Awards program (www.weddingchannel.com/blogs).

As a result Yours Truly (DC NearlyWeds) has been nominated for the award. Although the different categories have not been chosen, we are determined to win the “Best Overall Wedding Blog”.

Give DC NearlyWeds your nod toward winning this title by nominating us!

Click here:
http://forums.weddingchannel.com/main.aspx/bridal-blog-awards_blog-nominations_dc-nearlyweds

Reply to the post to second (or third or fourth, etc) the nomination! Also include a link to your favorite blog post and why you think DC NearlyWeds should win!

You can post as many times as you desire, but remember nominations end on July 8, 2009.

We will keep you posted on updates!

Taffeta and Tulle

I thought about this post because I ran into a friend of mine over the weekend who is recently engaged and was off to go dress shopping.

For someone who is off to go dress shopping for the first time, it is a terribly fun and anxious experience. Let's face it, you're trying on wedding dresses. No matter how unconventional or un-girly one claims to be, there is something just so fantastic about trying on that first gown. My own dress shopping experience was LONG. I literally couldn't wait to get to shopping the second I got back from our vacation. Now, word to you ladies about to venture out: shop shop shop. I think one of the best things I did was shop around and try on every single style there is out there for brides. So here are some places and tips from me to you on dress shopping.

1) Know what you want. It's overwhelming when you walk into a bridal boutique and see every color, shape, and style imaginable. Some people find "the one" the second they try it on, while others like me needed a little more time to really find it. So search those websites and magazines and have an idea of what you want, but be open-minded. There are certain styles that are recommended for certain body types but trust me--you want to try on everything.

2) Shop around (if you can and want to and have the time!). It's easier said than done, but sometimes you don't know what you're looking for until you've seen every possible option. This may also save you the trouble of realizing that your spontaneous wedding gown purchase is not making you as happy as you were when you were high on wedding dress fumes when you go in for your first fitting! I went to Hannelores, Hitched (where I swear I found my dream dress), I Do, I Do (where I thought I really found my dream dress), Carine's, David's Bridal, and a few online peeks. Thefrock.com is a vintage/couture dress haven for someone who is looking for vintage Oscar, Dior, and Givenchy to name a few. I thought this dress was adorable:

Vintage Lanvin

By the time I was done I knew that although I'm petite, I loved the ballgown look even though every style guide advised me otherwise. I also knew that I at first shunned strapless but loved every single strapless dress I tried on. I was also going to get a white gown, but a light gold/ivory gown made me look amazing.

3) Bring good friends (but not too many). Bring the ones that will be honest with you. Also, remember that while they are welcome to their opinion, YOU are the one who has to wear it so ultimately, go with you gut, not your gals.

4) Wear clean undies, a strapless bra, and patience. You may be in the store for five minutes or an hour. Some places may also limit the number of dresses you try on.

Those are just some of the things that I know were helpful for me to keep in mind when I went dress shopping. And to be honest, there were times when I went by myself because with too many people and too many opinions it was easy to get lost in the mix. I finally found "the dress," in the most unusual places: The Running of the Brides at Filene's in Mazza Gallerie. My bridesmaids and I went last summer just for fun because I saw a TV special about it and I had tried on so many dresses that I thought it would be fun and worth seeking out a designer gown at heavily marked down prices. The dress was an ivory ball gown, a fraction of the dress I almost bought the week before, and after a few alterations, it is now the perfect dress:

new neckline with the pockets I had put in

Bustle!

Top model pose.

I hope to get the dress 100% done and perfect in the next few weeks.

So good luck as you venture out and look for your perfect gown. For you ladies who found yours, what advice do you have?

p.s. ladies, The Running of the Brides is on July 31, 2009 at Mazza Gallerie. Camp out for the adventure, but there are less people and plenty of dresses left in the afternoon. I'm adventurous so I went, complete with t-shirts and team!

It's my engage-aversiry!

Today marks year THREE since Mr. National Mall popped the question, and it's also my 22nd birthday (yay!) In honor of this lovely day, I figured I'd provide some pictures!


This is us driving up to NYC. Yes, I'm wearing a crown :) Sad to say, I already knew about the proposal because Mr. National Mall was being so secretive, I snooped around and found the info :oops: so I couldn't wait until we arrived!

When we got to NYC we went out to a wonderful dinner at an old Italian restaurant. The first picture is the outside of Barbetta restaurant as it was raining while we were eating in the garden. The second picture is how it looks when its NOT raining and gross, as it always is on my birthday. Much prettier. To start off the evening we ate the best food that I have ever tasted outdoors at this restaurant. It was a wonderful beginning, even though it was raining. The waiters there even sang Happy Birthday to me (and very well, at that!)

My yummy cake Enjoying my dinner :)

After dinner it was of course, raining, but Mr. National Mall insisted on taking a walk to Central Park. I already knew about the proposal (I know, I know...) so I pretended to be mad and mumbled and grumbled the whole way. We reached Gramercy Park and climbed aboard a horse and carriage. I was speechless as to what I found. Inside the carriage was a violinist and a bouquet of white roses. As we rode through Central Park, still raining, the violinist played soft music for us. After a few minutes, Mr. National Mall wanted to give me my "birthday present", and I was completely expecting a ring! He hands me a ring box, and inside are......earrings. Thoroughly disappointed, I said thank you and continued to stare out the window.

All of a sudden I hear the violinist play "Canon in D", the song I want to walk down the aisle to. I turn to my fiance and struggles to get down on one knee inside the cramped carriage. As he does he says "I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle to this song....will you marry me?" I of course, say yes!! Suddenly, it stops raining (of course), and we stop at a lake in Central Park, which was supposed to be the proposal spot. The sky was gorgeous shades of pink and purple, and it was a beautiful moment, even though the proposal had already occcured.

Which brings us to the ring! It's absolutely perfect, and exactly what I wanted. Mr. National Mall did good :) Excuse my awful camera pics...I still can't take a good picture of the ring!

And three years later, here we are today! Finally planning and getting ready to be married. I can't believe it's been three years already, and I cannot wait to marry the love of my life!

Bride$hare!

You do know the Broke-Ass Bride, right? She of the ridiculously cool and funny wedding video, not to mention the great blog? Well, she has a new venture - and it's something that can save you money!

I love, love this idea. Bride$hare is a "networking" style site where you can share wedding items, and maybe more importantly, the cost of wedding items. So just the other day I wrote about my desire for lots of milk glass vases in our centerpieces. Here's how it would work - when I'm sure that's what I want to do, I can find another bride who wants the same thing. Then we work out a way to share the items and the cost. Maybe I buy them and sell them to her after my wedding. Maybe we split the cost of buying them, both use them, then resell them and split the profits. Maybe I just go ahead and buy them and then post them for resale on the Bride$hare boards. There are so many possibilities! Whatever way we do it, the goal is to save money, help ourselves and other brides have great weddings for less, and go a little greener in our planning by reducing waste.

Sound great? Here's what you should do: 1) sign up for Bride$hare, 2) befriend me on the site! (I'm Lysandramarie), 3) join the DC Metro Area group, 4) start sharing and saving!