Baggage Claim!

I've been trying to figure out if I should do favors or not. I go back & forth. I made a decision a few weeks ago that I wasn't going to do favors because our per head cost for the luncheon is over $100. Yeah.. for LUNCH.

I told my mom this & she FLIPPED. Here's our conversation:

Mama RB: WHAT? Of course you need to give out favors. Just give out cookies like you originally said you would. Your guests CAN'T leave without a favor!

RB: Um so the dinner, lift ticket & yummy cake is not enough of a "Thank you"? When do most of these people get treated to such an amazing meal served in the clouds?? NEVER! That's enough.

Mama: *laughs* I understand what you're saying- but people will talk if there isn't a favor.

FINE. I lose.

Then I found something super duper awesome: Luggage favor boxes! Yessssss.... Another way to tie my "travel theme" into the reception. Woo. Hoo!

These are $3 a piece. All photos from www.beau-coup.com

These are $2 each. I would beef them up with a nicer ribbon & a map thank you sticker

These fit my color scheme the best. I could put a navy blue ribbon on it, a thank you sticker & call it a day! These are also around
$2 each.

Okay with that being said- is $2-$3 too expensive for a container? It helps our theme... but what would you do with these after wards? Are you for or against favors?

I'm a DIY Wuss

I had designed a boarding pass invitation (below is the original computer copy) which I loved! For the last week I've been designing the boarding pass holder & playing with the details & design of the boarding pass invitation.

Well... then my computer crashed. Not just a little bit. I mean died & everything was lost! I had sent my work to my email, but when my computer died- so did my love for my invitations.

Now I'm looking online for something that goes with our travel theme wedding! I'm still not 100% sure what I want, but my fiance will have the final say. People go bonkers when they see my boarding pass invites in person, but they are A LOT OF WORK! Sigh. So I searched the internet & a few options that are cute!

#1: I like this option. It's not my favorite, but it's fun. The little circular stamp says "Love takes flight" and would include our names & our wedding date.

#2: This option keeps with our travel theme (check out the map envelope liner!) and can be changed to match our colors. I would make it a little more formal, but it is an all inclusive invitation suite for a great price!


So I'm not sure which route I'll go, but I realized I'm a DIY wuss. DIY is satisfying & fun... but on my long list of things to do (with immigration, job, the big move, etc) invites are slipping on my priority list. I'm leaning towards taking the "easy" route out & paying someone to do it for me!

Are you DIY-ing your invites? Have you had any DIY remorse?

Attack of the Brides*

*some brides! Not all... a lot were very kind & honest, even if they disagreed with my approach to discussing divorce. I appreciate different views & opinions... :)

I started a thread on Weddingbee.com asking if other brides have discussed divorce with their significant others. Once it got rolling I felt a little under attack & the need to justify my approach. No longer was the question being answered: instead it became a huge mess about how my decisions were basically the wrong way to go into a marriage.

I read some of the comments & I started to cry. A lot of the posters were so kind in their responses (even when they COMPLETELY disagreed with my choice!) and others basically made me feel like I was going to become a failure & end up a divorce statistic.

One poster summed it up perfectly when she said "If you think about it- many people prepare for the worst while hoping for the best- take life insurance for example. None of us think our fiance's or husband will die suddenly- but people do die suddenly and young. And life insurance would let you live more comfortably afterward. But no one looks down on people for buying life insurance! As women, we need to take charge of ourselves and our own destiny."

Amen, sister friend :)

Am I going into my marriage HOPING we get divorced? Never. Look at Jon & Kate. Look at divorced couples you know. Did they get married with the hopes of one day breaking up? No. We all want to live happily ever after & I'm no different.

I really wish every couple a lifetime of happiness :)

Cake flags, you make my heart sing!

You make everything...
Groovy.
I said cake flags...
I think I love you!

*end song*

Phewf. Now that I got that out of my system,
how awesomely cute is this?

And finally the pièce de résistance:

*drool* it's the best of both worlds! I'm going to be doing something similar to this cupcake/cake tower a la Martha :)

Are you going to be having a traditional wedding cake or cupcakes... or both? Don't you just love how cute these little flags are?

E-Love!

Email love (sort of)! That's how our story starts....

(Courtesy of Revival Arts Studio)

Mr. RB & I met online! *Gasp* Neither of us were looking for love either... I mean, the stars had to align for us to meet. We were both dating other people (he was with her for 6 years, I was with my guy for 2 years), we were playing a 30 day free trial game of Catan online that randomly matched us up... had either of us could have slept that night- we wouldn't have been paired up! We talked all night & I added him to my IM chat. That was the last time I talked to him until I moved to Vancouver & was newly single.

During that time he kept randomly emailing me things like "Hey. U good?" or "Whats up?" That was all... One or 2 word emails! It annoyed the crap out of me! Like seriously you hillbilly, you can't even write a proper sentence? So I ignored him.

I had just moved to the other side of the country, I didn't know a soul & I was bored one night- so I emailed him back. He called me that night, we talked for 5 hours straight... and the rest is history! We met in person in Seattle a few months later. The sparks flew & we knew it was going to turn into something serious.

So, he's ashamed of how we met & he won't tell anyone... I'm not at all. I'm an open book for the most part lol. I'm 23 & everyone my age meets people online. You're weird if you don't! He's 35 & his friends feel like if you have to meet someone online you're a pathetic loser. I don't see anything wrong with meeting a someone online... I'd prefer to meet someone online than at a bar. I can atleast e-stalk them before I meet them! lol Ooooh yes. I google everyone & everything!

So there you have it! How did you & your SO meet??

Sucks when you job gets blow'd up!

I've struggled with my blog & how much of my personal life I really want to reveal. I'm trying to keep some anonymity for my FI's job... but today, it's all about me. I own a small business. It's a franchise of a local bakery & it's been my life for the past 2 years. The fee to start my business was 6 figures & I needed some serious love money. [Insert my cousin.] He became my business partner. I am so grateful for his help because I never would have been able to start this up on my own! Since getting engaged, my cousin and I discussed him buying me out so I could move to the US. [Insert lawyers.]

This has been going on for the last 6 months. This entire situation is similar to a divorce. Our relationship is strained. We're fighting over petty things & we're trying to stick it to each other any chance we get.

I was advised in the middle of October to take a leave of absence. Well now I've been told I need to quit my job. After finding someone to step in as management... I'll be officially unemployed! I'm not upset because I knew this day would come, just not as soon as it had. Overall, my spirits and my state of mind are pretty healthy, but I am upset that my cousin is being such a shark. I'm a little bummed & want this all behind me.

I've always been a glass is 1/2 full type of gal: at least I'll save $250 bucks because now I don't need to invite my cousin or his wife to my wedding!

Tis the season... for soggy breasts?

From my disney Christmas... drool. My fav tree in Toon Town

In Canada, Thanksgiving has come & gone... ours is the second Monday of October! So my focus is already on Christmas!

I spent Christmas with his family last year & I found out they don't do the whole sit down turkey dinner because its so close to American Thanksgiving! I hated that!! I love a big Christmas meal... and since it was our first major holiday together as a couple, I tried to start a tradition for our future family! I decided we would have a Christmas dinner with just our household & open most of our presents on Christmas Eve.... but save a few for in the morning from "Santa". My parents are German and quite often in Germany they celebrate on Christmas Eve.

Well it was just the 2 of us & I decided to make a chicken instead of a turkey. I've roasted a chicken before many times, but this time: I roasted it upside down! My chicken came out with a crispy bottom & soggy breasts!!! He didn't have a potato masher... My leek soup tasted dirty... it was the WORST meal I've ever made.

lol my dear fiance asked that we don't make that particular meal a tradition (but he's still down with our little family having turkey together one day!)

Have you and your guy created any holiday traditions?? Do you love or loathe any tradition?