tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32092069210106874842012-01-28T11:37:55.380-08:00A Wedding and Some Paper WorkA Story of Love and ImmigrationAgnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.comBlogger1181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-81250815837185212652011-01-19T16:46:00.000-08:002011-01-19T16:49:37.782-08:00The Foreign Affair: Let the Pudding Recaps Commence!I know that it's been more than 6 months since our wedding, and I am just now beginning the Pudding recaps. Still, I'm not going to make excuses - I'm here now, so ON WITH THE SHOW!<br /><br />The day before the wedding was a hectic one - actually the whole week before the wedding was no picnic. Despite the almost 2 years we had to plan this wedding, we were seriously behind! There were escort cards to prepare, and napkins to fold, and programs to print! Thank goodness for Sister Pudding. I was ready to give up most of the tasks - who needs pretty belly bands for napkins, right? - but Sister P just kept pushing. She knew that I wouldn't be happy if my visions weren't realized.<br /><br />I'm not going to lie; these days were extremely stressful. All of us were big balls of nerves - Sister Pudding refused to talk to Mama P (she can hold a grudge like nobody's business), Mama P refused to stop ironing Brother P's shirts (seriously, all of them - and he has a lot of shirts! Why Mama P, WHY?), and me? Well, let's just say that my craziness culminated when Mr. Pudding called to ask me if he could borrow a tie from my brother for the rehearsal. Needless to say, I had a screaming, crying fit, during which I questioned our entire relationship, and Mr. Pudding managed to find plenty of volunteers to lend him a tie. I am not proud of this, but I'm just trying to keep it real. It was CRAY-ZEE!<br /><br />Amidst the sobs of "how-am-I-going-to-marry-a-man-who-can't-even-dress-himself-without-me" and "mom-will-you-stop-ironing-Brother P's-shirts-we-have-to-leave-in-5-minutes!", I managed to get myself dressed, and get everyone out the door. By the time we arrived at the church though, we were 15 minutes late, and everyone was waiting.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTd9cHhL3tI/AAAAAAAACMg/4JoV6ZxR4ME/s1600/100_6036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTd9cHhL3tI/AAAAAAAACMg/4JoV6ZxR4ME/s640/100_6036.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTd9nabpbPI/AAAAAAAACMk/vz_Q1pfffU0/s1600/100_6037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTd9nabpbPI/AAAAAAAACMk/vz_Q1pfffU0/s640/100_6037.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The "crew" - and look, Mr. P found a tie!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>They didn't hold a grudge though. Upon seeing me, Mr. P's grandma compared me to Jackie O - "You may be late, but at least you know how to make an entrance". What could be better than that?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With so many out of town guests (almost 100!), I had some "hellos" to get to. I was especially excited to see my Godfather, who had arrived from Poland just that morning!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeACLRXYrI/AAAAAAAACMs/kSytcBjChQ0/s1600/100_6042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeACLRXYrI/AAAAAAAACMs/kSytcBjChQ0/s640/100_6042.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <i>An excited wave - "Hello, wujek (uncle)! So nice of you to fly half way across the world to join us!"</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTd_7p8qV1I/AAAAAAAACMo/pcSoRRWYwXA/s1600/100_6040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTd_7p8qV1I/AAAAAAAACMo/pcSoRRWYwXA/s640/100_6040.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Mama Pudding saying hello to my uncle.</i> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, we got on with the rehearsal. We didn't have a wedding planner, so I was left in charge. Not that I minded - I love being in charge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeBWl0Y4kI/AAAAAAAACMw/PSTawvANDyE/s1600/P1020455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeBWl0Y4kI/AAAAAAAACMw/PSTawvANDyE/s640/P1020455.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A short introduction, and we were ready to roll!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeDRDsudsI/AAAAAAAACM4/N1eZi4rcEMk/s1600/P1020453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeDRDsudsI/AAAAAAAACM4/N1eZi4rcEMk/s640/P1020453.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> </i> <i>Walking down the aisle with Mama and Pudding Pops!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeCE_1qw0I/AAAAAAAACM0/05ER74j1iDU/s1600/P1020445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TTeCE_1qw0I/AAAAAAAACM0/05ER74j1iDU/s640/P1020445.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> We can do this!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once we got going, the rehearsal actually went quite smoothly. No major mishaps, no major concerns. We practiced walking down the aisle, and saying our "I do's". And, somehow, magically, the stress went away, and happiness began to set in. In 24 hours, we would be husband and wife!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Up next, our <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/05/10/polish-wedding-traditions-polterabend/">Polterabend</a> - less drama, more glass breaking :P</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>***All photos courtesy of Grandpa P</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8125081583718521265?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-50444284992045321202010-09-27T06:24:00.000-07:002010-09-27T06:24:02.076-07:00In Defense of Polygamy?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TKCNZSPrpcI/AAAAAAAACLQ/ywHBXZTDWCY/s1600/big_love_big-742251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TKCNZSPrpcI/AAAAAAAACLQ/ywHBXZTDWCY/s640/big_love_big-742251.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.sltrib.com/tv/archive/2009_03_01_archive.htm">(source)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the premiere of TLC's <a href="http://blogs.sltrib.com/tv/archive/2009_03_01_archive.htm">"Sister Wives"</a> this weekend, there has been a lot of talk on television/radio about polygamy. It seems that many people (my self included) are fascinated by the inner workings of such a family. For a feminist like me, the first reaction to such an arrangement is disgust: Why would these women want to share their man? How do they deal with jealousy? Don't they have the self esteem to say "I, alone, am enough for my husband"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While listening to an <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39331847/39367075">interview with the "Sister Wives" on the Today Show</a>, a light bulb went off in my head. As a nation, we have judged polygamy quite harshly, while at the same time making apologies for divorce and sexual relations outside of wedlock that result in the birth of a child. A man who leaves his older wife with no financial means to take care of herself because he is no longer attracted to her is more noble than a man who takes on a younger wife, but continues to provide financial and emotional comfort to the first wife. In the same vein, is a man who commits to taking care of his multiple lovers and their children really worse that a man who fathers children with multiple women but refuses to make any commitment to them? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The fear of polygamy seems to stem from the many abuses some followers of the practice inflict on women and children. But isn't it a little unfair to judge the whole by the actions of a few? Being a Catholic, I would be truly upset if someone were to judge me responsible for some of the crimes committed by members of my church. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, to make myself clear, I would never practice polygamy. It wouldn't be right for me, being that I am jealous, opinionated, needy, overly judgmental, etc. I just think that maybe it's time for us to let people make their own decisions about how they live their lives and what brings them happiness. It just seems silly that relationships like those portrayed in "Sister Wives" and "Big Love" are considered illegal, but Hugh Hefner can have as many live-in girlfriends as he wants.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TKCZvk44yCI/AAAAAAAACLU/HfBUBORj4t8/s1600/girls-next-door-tv1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TKCZvk44yCI/AAAAAAAACLU/HfBUBORj4t8/s640/girls-next-door-tv1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://passionweiss.com/category/it-got-weird-didnt-it/">(source)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have you watched the new TLC show? What do you think of it? What do you think of polygamy in general? Is this a type of relationship that you would ever consider?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5044428499204532120?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-27576452127685485422010-09-20T08:57:00.000-07:002010-09-20T08:57:20.671-07:00Our Unniversary<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Two years ago today, Mr. Pudding and I legally declared our commitment to each other. For those who are new to the hive, you may have missed my post about our "<a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/10/our-engagement-party/">Engagement Party</a>". Here is a little refresher:</span></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SP512Ef5AnI/AAAAAAAAABY/dbjhEPqURyA/s1600/101_3098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SP512Ef5AnI/AAAAAAAAABY/dbjhEPqURyA/s640/101_3098.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SP52nRXwrpI/AAAAAAAAAEY/vyVDChm7xqE/s1600/101_3124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SP52nRXwrpI/AAAAAAAAAEY/vyVDChm7xqE/s640/101_3124.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SP529xhBUgI/AAAAAAAAAG8/9j9rJw3BTTc/s1600/101_3142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SP529xhBUgI/AAAAAAAAAG8/9j9rJw3BTTc/s640/101_3142.JPG" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">We have always known that we would not celebrate the anniversary of our legal marriage, choosing to commemorate what we consider to be our real wedding date: the day we stood in front of our family, friends, and God, and promised to love and honour one another. Still, it feels a little weird today not to even acknowledge this event, you know?</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">I know that there are more couples in the Hive that have had a civil ceremony before having their "real" wedding. Which anniversary do you celebrate?</span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2757645212768548542?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-63358466694569559482010-08-17T07:47:00.000-07:002010-08-17T07:47:27.159-07:00Wedding Day AmnesiaYou've heard of PWD (post wedding depression) from the likes of <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/14/these-are-my-confessions/#more-118048">Mrs. Lab</a>, <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/06/17/pwd-or-how-mrs-meatball-got-her-groove-back/">Mrs. Meatball</a>, and <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/06/22/the-aftermath/">Mrs. Beagle</a>, but I am here to tell you about another terrifying post wedding condition: Wedding Day Amnesia.<br /><br />Symptoms of WDA manifest themselves in a very simple way - they simply prohibit you from remembering anything of major significance from your wedding day. A sufferer might remember the timeline of the particular event, but will not be able to recall the details. For example, he/she might remember that there was dancing, and that they danced, but not who they danced with or what songs were played. Or, the patient will remember being very touched by a particular toast, but have absolutely no idea what was said during said speech.<br /><br />Some common causes of WDA include:<br /><br /><ul><li>The rush to complete last minute projects</li><li>Family stress</li><li>Lack of wedding planner</li><li>Guest list approaching 200</li><li>An overwhelming outpour of love from friends and family </li><li>Euphoria at finally being married to your best friend </li></ul><div>It is believed that when one or more of these causes combine during a person's wedding day, the patient is unable to properly absorb everything that is going on around him/her. The excitement of the day is so overwhelming, that it fails to register in one's long term memory. This can be compared to cramming for a big exam the night before the test: you store all of that data in your short term memory, and forget everything right after the test is over.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, WDA doesn't just affect brides. Grooms have been known to suffer from it, and it can affect anyone with close ties to the organization of the event. Poor Sister Pudding is also a sufferer...</div><div><br /></div><div>If, like me, you suffer from WDA, have no fear! Although there is no immediate cure, there are things that you can do to reverse the damage caused by this awful ailment. Make sure to review pictures taken by your photographers and friends on a daily basis. Listen to the stories of loved ones who attended your wedding but were not afflicted. Watch your wedding video over and over again. Listen to the music playlist from your wedding. Slowly, the symptoms will fade.</div><div><br /></div><div>My name is Mrs. Pudding, and I suffer from WDA. Am I the only one?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6335846669456955948?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-78115256310704706512010-08-04T09:04:00.000-07:002010-08-04T09:05:03.905-07:00An Ode to Our Photographers (and more Pudding wedding sneak peeks!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I have yet to receive all of the pro photos from our wedding, but if I had to choose one picture to sum up the whole day, it would be this one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmNnW-ESGI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/IITvM4MuQn8/s1600/IMG_7696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmNnW-ESGI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/IITvM4MuQn8/s640/IMG_7696.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Top reason why I love this photo? Sister Pudding having the time of her life!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div>We (and by "we" I of course mean Sister Pudding and I) hired our wedding photographers for two reasons:<br />First of all, they seemed to understand the style of photography we were going for (candid capturing of real<br />moments, with some formal shots thrown in). Secondly, upon meeting Clint from <a href="http://www.rsblog.ca/">Renaissance Studio Photography</a>, we knew that we would get along with him, and that he would put us at ease. Being that Sister Pudding and I (and the rest of our family for that matter) tend to be rather loud, very demanding, and quite strong headed, we really needed someone who would understand our "rough edges" and look past them. When we received our wedding teasers a couple of weeks ago, we were very happy to see that there was absolutely nothing "rough" about them. See for yourself:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmJ0o2l0gI/AAAAAAAAB2w/sBTCgxWafMI/s1600/IMG_4698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmJ0o2l0gI/AAAAAAAAB2w/sBTCgxWafMI/s640/IMG_4698.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKBv90M2I/AAAAAAAAB24/jG3-JQQKitk/s1600/IMG_5360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKBv90M2I/AAAAAAAAB24/jG3-JQQKitk/s640/IMG_5360.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKPRRTJ8I/AAAAAAAAB3A/7eDMssZWzYQ/s1600/IMG_5468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKPRRTJ8I/AAAAAAAAB3A/7eDMssZWzYQ/s640/IMG_5468.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKeo49i8I/AAAAAAAAB3I/p3M_AiECoHs/s1600/IMG_5484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKeo49i8I/AAAAAAAAB3I/p3M_AiECoHs/s640/IMG_5484.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKq0C1UbI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/rtH7LJsrY08/s1600/IMG_5728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TFmKq0C1UbI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/rtH7LJsrY08/s640/IMG_5728.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />Here's a little tidbit that most brides don't realize: You actually spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than you do with your husband. Clint spent the morning with me (tense moments and all - will fill you in later), and practically followed me around all day long. He was constantly by my side, so it's a very good thing that I actually enjoyed hanging out with him! Our second shooter, Erin, was practically Mr. P's shadow, so he was happy to find out that she was quite enjoyable too! Both of them were calm and collected, and up for anything (see the beautiful, serene shot above? Well, we had to hike through some pretty rugged terrain to get it - all my brilliant idea. It was hot and sweaty, and there were bugs everywhere. My dress doubled as mosquito netting, and Clint suffered many a bug bite. He did not complain one bit).<br /><br />So here is my advice to all of you brides and grooms looking for the perfect wedding photographer: Do not make your decision based on a website, blog, or portfolio alone. Meet your photographer. Chat with them about your vision. Make sure that their personality meshes with yours. The last thing that you will want on your wedding day is to be constantly followed by someone who <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/02/25/an-old-fashioned-kind-of-love-getting-ready-part-4/">annoys the stuffing out of you</a> :P<br /><br />Did you get along with your photographer as a person?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7811525631070470651?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-16612679350210249112010-07-19T12:38:00.000-07:002010-07-19T12:38:21.416-07:00"So, what does it feel like to be a married lady?"Since getting married over a week ago, I get questions like this a lot: "Does it feel different?", "Do you feel more like an adult?", and so on. To be perfectly honest, there is only one answer that I can come up with when probed like this.<br /><br />"So, what does it feel like to be a married lady?"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Well, I mostly feel hungry.</div><br />Confused? Well, you know how people always say that you need to remember to eat on your wedding day? Well, amongst the lists and schedules that I created for our wedding, I forgot to make a conscious effort to eat. On the day of our reception, I had half a bagel on our way to the hairdresser, and than didn't eat anything until dinner was served at our reception (at around 6:30pm). Of course, when I received my soup course (a delicious cream of mushroom) I had about three spoonfuls before my poor shrunken stomach yelled at me to take it easy! I had a couple of bites of the main course, and than nibbled on the midnight buffet. I had about two bites of our delicious wedding cake. All in all, I would say that I consumed under 1000 calories that day.<br /><br />To make matters worse, my eating habits were pretty much just as dismal during our <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/05/10/polish-wedding-traditions-polterabend/">polterabend</a>/rehearsal dinner, and our Sunday<a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/09/dw-in-the-dr-poprawiny/"> Poprawiny</a>. That means that I spent a whole three days celebrating, dancing, socializing, and stressing, but not really eating a whole lot.<br /><br />When the rest of the guests left on Monday, I found myself devouring everything in sight. We had quite a lot of food left over from the wedding, including a lot of <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/06/23/polish-wedding/">cake</a>. I swear for the first three days after the wedding I ate an average of 5 pieces of cake every day. Everyone kept telling me that I looked very thin on our wedding day. I didn't really believe them. But on Wednesday night, I decided to weigh myself. I stepped on the scale, and was completely shocked: After three days of binge eating, I was still 7 pounds under my regular weight.<br /><br />I am a total cautionary tale, ladies. Make sure to eat on your wedding day! Write it into your schedule! Force yourself to put some of the delicious food that your guests are consuming into your mouth! It seems easy enough, but it is the hardest thing to remember!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>And since this is my first official post as a MRS (!!!), I couldn't leave you without a little teaser pic. Enjoy!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TESnhnUYXvI/AAAAAAAAB0c/-JPLmc_7b4c/s1600/IMG_5288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TESnhnUYXvI/AAAAAAAAB0c/-JPLmc_7b4c/s640/IMG_5288.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.rsblog.ca/">Renaissance Studio Photography</a></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1661267935021024911?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-53964162381368814032010-07-11T15:38:00.000-07:002010-07-11T15:38:58.472-07:00No Day but TodayIt's 4:26am. I am at Mama Pudding's house on the morning of our wedding day. The whole house is still sleeping, but a slight noise from outside woke me up. Going back to sleep is out of the question: Today is my wedding day after all!<br /><br />Mr. Pudding's family have all arrived safe and sound. My family from Poland is all here, sans some missing baggage. The rehearsal dinner has come and gone, and my makeshift <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/05/10/polish-wedding-traditions-polterabend/">polterabend</a> was such a big hit (who new that breaking a beer bottle on the eve before your wedding could be so cathartic!).<br /><br />The last couple of days have not been without tense moments, capitalized by a few stress driven tears yesterday. Even this morning I feel slightly unprepared, since there are still about a half dozen loose ends that are on my to-do list.<br /><br />But it doesn't matter. Today is our wedding day. Today, I am the bride. Today, I feel determined to be relaxed and happy, no matter how many things go wrong. Today is going to be the perfect day.<br /><br />Mr. Pudding, I love you with all of my being. You are my rock, and I am so excited to embark on this journey with you. I'll meet you at the end of that aisle with bated breath and a joy filled heart.<br /><br />Love,<br /><br />Miss (for the last time) Pudding<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5396416238136881403?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-31492324446864649642010-06-28T07:05:00.000-07:002010-06-28T07:07:31.617-07:00Goody Two Shoes<i>***First, a disclaimer: So much has been happening as we are approaching W-Day, that I barely have time to breathe, let alone blog. Sister Pudding has been on my case about it, but I hope that the hive will be a little more understanding. I have tried really hard in the past couple of weeks to check in at least once every few days, and will continue to do so until the wedding. ***</i><br /><br />This post is about SHOES. Judging by the comments on past shoe posts like <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/04/27/chronicles-of-a-shoe-obsessed-bride-part-4/">this one</a> and <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/02/02/its-not-you-its-me/">this one</a><i> , </i>this topic gets the hive buzzing. And despite the fact that this post should have been written about a month ago, who am I to rob you of a good shoegasm?<br /><br /><i> </i><br />Like many, many brides before me, I have recently become a two-shoe bride. I really couldn't afford to be a two-dress bride, so the shoe dilemma had to suffice to fuel my need to be indecisive and paranoid :P<br /><br />Remember my original shoes? They were these lovlies from Badgley Mischka:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCikUtg94ZI/AAAAAAAAByQ/xRskqN99apA/s1600/shoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCikUtg94ZI/AAAAAAAAByQ/xRskqN99apA/s320/shoe.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://weddings.theknot.com/ODB/themes/national/detailview.aspx?id=46149&type=21&Accessory+Designers=Badgley+Mischka+by+My+Glass+Slipper&TM=21&ODBTHEMENAME=Bridal-Accessories&MsdVisit=1"> (source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you remember correctly, these shoes didn't floor me. Don't get me wrong, I really liked them. I just knew that they were not the most <i>special</i> shoes that I have ever worn, and I really wanted my wedding shoes to make a statement, <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/04/27/chronicles-of-a-shoe-obsessed-bride-part-4/">a la Mrs. Cola</a>. So, I kept the shoes, but I also kept looking. And one day, while doing another aimless internet search, I stumbled upon these:<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCinZCvHRNI/AAAAAAAAByo/Tw7wXn5svuY/s1600/B003B3NT3I.01._SS1500_SCRMZZZZZZ_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCinZCvHRNI/AAAAAAAAByo/Tw7wXn5svuY/s400/B003B3NT3I.01._SS1500_SCRMZZZZZZ_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://www.endless.com/Menbur-Womens-040090R04-Closed-Toe-Pump/dp/B003B3NT4M/ref=sr_2_22/?cAsin=B003B3NT42&fromPage=search&qid=1277732569241&sr=2-22&asins=B0031MB5VW,B0031MB724,B0031QNQCO,B003B3NSRK,B0031MB6A2,B003B3NTPQ,B0031MB6KW,B0031MB6DE,B0031MB3QE,B003B3NT0G,B0031MB0DU,B002QXLNC8,B0031MAYWS,B0031QNPLQ,B0031MB18O,B002QXLQQQ,B002QXLP9Y,B002QXLPYE,B003B3NTX8,B002QXLONQ,B0031MB7F6,B003B3NT42,B002QXLSVY,B002QXLNVE,B002QXLPEY,B002QXLNIC,B002QXLO6I,B002QXLSDM,B002QXLR7O,B002QXLPMQ,B002QXLQK2,B0031MB2GA,B002QXLNPA,B002QXLO1I,B002QXLM7O,B003B3NSSY,B003B3NU1E,B002QXLR06,B003B3NTEM,B002QXLS7S&asinTitle=Menbur%20040090R04%20Closed-Toe%20Pump&contextTitle=search%20results&page=2&size=40&page=2&node=242169011&nodes=242169011&brands=Menbur&sort=shoesbrowserel2">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">They were definitely "special". But in a good way, or a bad way? I showed them to Mama Pudding. Her exact words (in a loose translation by me) were, "those are some stupid looking shoes". Sister Pudding said, in her politically correct way, "I would never wear them". But I just couldn't let them go without seeing them for myself. And with free shipping both ways from <a href="http://endless.com/">endless.com</a>, I had nothing to lose!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the shoes came, they were too small (<i>note to North American shoe retailers selling European shoes: a size 39 European is not a size 9 North American. The last digit of the European size does not correlate to the American size in any way!). </i>Nevertheless, I knew that I loved them. I exchanged them for a bigger pair, and nervously took them to Canada to be scrutinized by Mama and Sister P.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCiqZViW4aI/AAAAAAAABy4/G96qxcgmbEQ/s1600/IMG_0368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCiqZViW4aI/AAAAAAAABy4/G96qxcgmbEQ/s640/IMG_0368.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCip68CMa1I/AAAAAAAAByw/Gp4QelEb7FU/s1600/IMG_0371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCip68CMa1I/AAAAAAAAByw/Gp4QelEb7FU/s640/IMG_0371.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i><br />To my surprise, in real life everyone loved them! They are a perfect match for my wedding dress, and the overall feel of our wedding. Sure, they are over the top. Sure, I will never, ever wear them again. But for me, that's kind of the point: these are once in a life time shoes.<br /><br />Were your shoes practical, or over the top? Did you purchase shoes that others around you hated at first? Which of the two pairs of shoes above do you prefer?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3149232444686464964?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-86039851711950781572010-06-23T07:29:00.000-07:002010-06-23T07:29:02.383-07:00This is what planning a Polish wedding looks like....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCIUSt3UpQI/AAAAAAAAByA/rmtiFifJ5n8/s1600/IMG_0360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCIUSt3UpQI/AAAAAAAAByA/rmtiFifJ5n8/s640/IMG_0360.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />Dear Hive,<br /><br />Feast your eyes on the 6 sheet cakes that Mama Pudding and I brought home from our wedding baker yesterday. If you think that 6 sheet cakes, on top of the wedding cake and groom's cake that FMIL Pudding is baking, is overkill, than you will be shocked to hear that these 6 will join another 10 that Mama P has in her freezer.<br /><br />So, in total, there will be 18 cakes at our wedding. Of course, only two of these cakes will be the standard, cream cheese frosting kind. The other 16 will be traditional Polish cakes - think cheesecakes, and poppy seed cakes and layered honey cakes. Kind of like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCIY7MBvF5I/AAAAAAAAByI/la4UQKd9fWQ/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TCIY7MBvF5I/AAAAAAAAByI/la4UQKd9fWQ/s640/IMG_0362.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />Needless to say, the pre-wedding diet is not going so well. Ironically, Mama Pudding is worried that there won't be enough cake at the wedding.<br /><br />Is your mom going overboard with wedding preparations?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8603985171195078157?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-43759384400172449012010-06-15T03:40:00.000-07:002010-06-15T03:40:52.602-07:00Late at night when all the world is sleeping.......I stay up and think of the wedding.<br /><br />Ladies and Gents, the wedding insomnia has hit me. HARD.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TBdYPfcR1-I/AAAAAAAABxg/BQRfbNIPTgU/s1600/insomnia+cartoon+chruch.com.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TBdYPfcR1-I/AAAAAAAABxg/BQRfbNIPTgU/s320/insomnia+cartoon+chruch.com.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jo7lJoQhtjw/SawTYVOLj_I/AAAAAAAAELI/FQNMcATA4ok/s1600-h/insomnia+cartoon+chruch.com"> (source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I knew that it was coming, since I am quite prone to bouts of sleeplessness. Whenever something exciting and/or terrifying is about to happen to me, I can't sleep no matter what I try. And it's not always big events that set me off. I am one of those people who can't sleep before a trip, or if I have a test coming up. There has been more than one occasion where I couldn't fall asleep because I had a really, really, REALLY exciting lesson planned for the next day. I am pretty sure that my teenage students would classify me as a loser. <br /><br />So, I really should not be surprised that I am sitting here typing this post at 6:30am, not having slept a single wink. I arrived at Mama P's house last night, and the excitement of RSVPs/shower plans/dresses was more than I could handle.<br /><br />I am terrified that I will not be able to sleep in the nights leading to our wedding day.<br /><br />Are you suffering from wedding insomnia, or am I the only one? Does anyone have any suggestions on how to ensure that I get enough beauty sleep?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4375938440017244901?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-2079564511311346502010-06-09T10:03:00.000-07:002010-06-09T10:24:28.965-07:00Old World Love (Engagement Picture Sneak Peek)Despite being engaged for over a year and a half, Mr. Pudding and I just recently had our engagement pictures taken. Mr. Pudding was a little bit confused as to why we even needed engagement pictures, but was persuaded to go along with the whole thing when I explained that it would be good practice for our wedding (he's such a good sport).<br /><br />I really wanted our engagement pictures to have a more "artsy" theme. I wanted them to be utterly romantic, and interesting to look at. I had the idea to do a shoot that involved a field with hanging laundry. I have always thought that linens blowing in the wind were terribly romantic. They remind me of my grandparent's farm in Poland, where my Babcia would hang linens to dry amongst cattle grazing on the dandelion fields. In fact, Mama Pudding to this day hangs all of her laundry outside in the summer time (she did this even when <a href="http://www.thestar.com/article/415836">it was illegal</a>....what can I say, Mama P is a bad ass). The visual just reminds me of a simpler time in my life.<br /><br />I was worried that our photographers at <a href="http://www.rsblog.ca/">Renaissance Studio Photography</a> would laugh at the idea of me wanting to have our pics taken with dirty underwear or something. To my surprise, Clint was very receptive. He suggested that we add a basket of peaches to the equation, and what we got was the perfect vision of old world romance!<br /><br />Take a look for yourself: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_AA9D3XRI/AAAAAAAABu4/H9xC7P_2oz4/s1600/cool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_AA9D3XRI/AAAAAAAABu4/H9xC7P_2oz4/s640/cool.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_AV4qiDEI/AAAAAAAABvA/FdkhVD5UKkY/s1600/sw1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_AV4qiDEI/AAAAAAAABvA/FdkhVD5UKkY/s640/sw1.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_BA9jVx8I/AAAAAAAABvg/3U2nJzd9JwQ/s1600/holdmypeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_BA9jVx8I/AAAAAAAABvg/3U2nJzd9JwQ/s640/holdmypeach.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_FPj4T6hI/AAAAAAAABwo/T7KE5Nur_LU/s1600/baskethold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_FPj4T6hI/AAAAAAAABwo/T7KE5Nur_LU/s640/baskethold.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_FgYSlSMI/AAAAAAAABww/D_jl7dpYYNg/s1600/bw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_FgYSlSMI/AAAAAAAABww/D_jl7dpYYNg/s640/bw2.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_Gl_8Gn7I/AAAAAAAABxI/88exhunDujc/s1600/engaged6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_Gl_8Gn7I/AAAAAAAABxI/88exhunDujc/s640/engaged6.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_Fqa5DkAI/AAAAAAAABw4/zXsPrh9xdKI/s1600/hugging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_Fqa5DkAI/AAAAAAAABw4/zXsPrh9xdKI/s640/hugging.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_DaXp3k1I/AAAAAAAABwY/-3ei0Ko4pBw/s1600/peek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" separator="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_DaXp3k1I/AAAAAAAABwY/-3ei0Ko4pBw/s640/peek.jpg" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" width="600 a></div><br /><div class=" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_Gt1dnTzI/AAAAAAAABxQ/TPgQ_8PWzEU/s1600/walking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_Gt1dnTzI/AAAAAAAABxQ/TPgQ_8PWzEU/s640/walking.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_ENloMtuI/AAAAAAAABwg/5nqkQKAgupk/s1600/hand2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_ENloMtuI/AAAAAAAABwg/5nqkQKAgupk/s640/hand2.jpg" width="600" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_HDY7Y3AI/AAAAAAAABxY/7WE1PifYU8E/s1600/kissing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA_HDY7Y3AI/AAAAAAAABxY/7WE1PifYU8E/s640/kissing1.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />All of the pictures are courtesy of the amazing Clint of Renaissance Studio Photography. You want to see more? I can't blame you! See the rest of this shoot, as well as many other amazing photographs <a href="http://www.rsblog.ca/?p=7179">HERE</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-207956451131134650?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-67390033750118461822010-06-08T09:24:00.000-07:002010-06-08T12:07:36.509-07:00Dance With Me, KermitMr. Pudding and I have been completely clueless about our first dance song. We have been talking about it for months, and haven't been able to make up our minds. The problem is that while I would be content with any old romantic song, Mr. Pudding wants to dance to something sentimental, but not gushy.<br /><br />Yesterday we had our first dance lesson. Since we didn't have a song picked out, we asked our instructor to teach us to Waltz. To our surprise, we picked it up quite easily, and really enjoyed ourselves! We came home and began searching the internet for songs that we could waltz to - which is no easy feat!<br /><br />Suddenly, Mr. Pudding stumbled upon a song that made him choke up. Mr. Pudding does not get choked up easily, so I knew that he must have found something good. What he found, was this:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ggdoi0rgSjI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ggdoi0rgSjI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><br />According to Mr. Pudding, this song makes him think of his childhood, and how far he has come in his life. The lyrics aren't necessarily about love, but Mr. P says that it summarizes our belief as a couple that the world is generally a good, happy place, and that we must always strive to reach for the stars. He says that our wedding day will be his "Rainbow Connection".<br /><br />Mr. Pudding does not get excited about a wedding decision very often, so this song is a serious contender (especially since Mr. P has guaranteed that there will be a tear shed on his part if we dance to this song). The only problem is the fact that Mr. P would like to have his favorite childhood entertainer sing the song.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA5rR2B7KQI/AAAAAAAABuw/KeH0cKt5yyA/s1600/kermit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TA5rR2B7KQI/AAAAAAAABuw/KeH0cKt5yyA/s640/kermit.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://halloweenswimteam.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/more-remixes-kermit/">(source)</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFLZ-MzIhM">*****see the Kermit (original) version here**** </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ummm...growing up in communist Poland made me miss the whole Muppet's craze. Having Kermit perform our first dance song just seems weird to me. I am not against the song, as long as it's performed by someone with a pulse!</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mr. Pudding requested that I put it to the hive, so I am asking you to take sides on this one: Would you allow Kermit to make a (vocal) appearance at your wedding?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6739003375011846182?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-41857126625790639132010-06-03T07:22:00.000-07:002010-06-03T07:22:51.076-07:00Cautious JoyWhen I was in college, I worked at a School of English. The school was associated with our university, and we had students from all over the world enrolled in our program. I worked as a Monitor - it was my job to organize social activities for our students, as well as to lead them in conversation. It was an absolutely amazing experience, which allowed me to befriend people from all over the world.<br /><br />One of the people that I got to know very well was Mario. As the youngest person in our program (he was only 16 at the time - the program caters mostly to college level students), he astonished everyone with his drive to master the English language, and his carefree attitude. He was one of those people that you knew would grow up to be someone great - he was wise beyond his years without being condescending.<br /><br />At the end of the semester, Mario returned to his home in Mexico. He would eventually enroll in med school and get engaged.<br /><br />This morning, I received news that Mario had been kidnapped, and despite the fact that his parents paid over a million pesos in ransom, he was found dead a couple of days ago. <br /><br />While one bride to be is preparing her wedding vows, another is mourning the loss of her murdered fiance.<br /><br />Cautious Joy used to be my Weddingbee screen name. The phrase is my personal reminder that everything in life is balanced - there must be an equal amount of joy and sadness. When I experience something joyful, I try to savor every minute so that I can recall the moment in times of hardship. When I experience times of pain, I try to remind myself that joy is just around the corner.<br /><br />A wedding is such an all consuming, monumental moment in our lives. We work so hard at making it the perfect day - the dress has to be "The One", the invites must be printed on the thickest paper, the bride must be at her most radiant - that we sometimes forget to be grateful for the joy that we have already been given.<br /><br />I don't know Mario's fiancee, or his family for that matter. I hope that somehow my thoughts and prayers will reach them. And who knows - perhaps through the power of the internet, this post will find a way to them. <br /><br />Mario was a wonderful man, and the world is a much sadder place without him.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4185712662579063913?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-59467624778348668592010-06-02T08:27:00.000-07:002010-06-02T08:28:36.138-07:00The Pudding InvitesOne of the reasons why I picked "Pudding" as my moniker is the fact that pudding is the perfect treat: it comes in many flavors, it's perfectly sweet, and (as a plus for all of us working hard to loose those last 5 pounds before the wedding) it's usually very low in calories! In short: It's the perfect guilty pleasure!<br /><br />Like pudding, I wanted our invitations to be perfectly sweet without being over the top. I learned from my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/08/a-true-labour-of-love-and-hate/">adventures with our STDs</a> that although I wanted to design our invites, I did not want to bite off more than I could chew!<br /><br />I began the journey by attempting to learn the basics of <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a> and <a href="http://www.inkscape.org/">Inkscape</a>. The programs are really easy to use, and there are tons of tutorials online that will help you master them. For a noobie like me though, it proved to be too much. It took me nearly two months to finally realize that I was in over my head. So, I turned to Etsy and found Ginger from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/studioGdesigns">studioGdesigns</a>. She took my idea and ran with it, and the result is more than I would have imagined!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Without further ado, here are the perfectly sweet Pudding invites:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TAZywZ7c4II/AAAAAAAABuM/6SDk8tV6ajE/s1600/take2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TAZywZ7c4II/AAAAAAAABuM/6SDk8tV6ajE/s640/take2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For the life of me, I can't get the edited photo to rotate. Pengy</i>, <i>maybe you can figure it out?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And a little bit of a close up:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TAZxdHN8h6I/AAAAAAAABuE/dgc9U3B6F18/s1600/IMG_0349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/TAZxdHN8h6I/AAAAAAAABuE/dgc9U3B6F18/s640/IMG_0349.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />I had the invites printed at Staples on metallic cardstock from <a href="http://www.paperandmore.com/">paperandmore</a>. Anyone considering going this route, be warned: the machines at Staples hate the cardstock. I had to do some serious grovelling to get the high school student working to keep printing despite the fact that every fourth sheet jammed the printer. As you can see, the invite is two sided, and the rsvp and reception cards are backed with yellow and navy Cuttlebug embossed cardstock. I also made the belly bands by using ribbon and a glue gun.<br /><br />The whole package was placed in a vellum envelope and stuffed into the navy blue outer envelope. The envelope label is a <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/">Martha Stewart template</a> that I edited myself.<br /><br />All in all, I am super happy with my invitations. They are one of a kind, completely unique, and didn't cost me my sanity! I have received nothing but compliments on them, and that always makes the work worth while :)<br /><br />Did you use a professional to turn your invitation vision into reality? More importantly, is pudding your guilty pleasure, too?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5946762477834866859?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-80897648208136565862010-06-01T07:24:00.000-07:002010-06-01T07:24:49.813-07:00Proposing to our Flower Girl!I know what you're thinking....we're getting married in July, and we're only now proposing to our flower girl?<br /><br />Well, here's the thing: We have been hesitant about selecting our flower girl because....well....we have never met her! You see, Mr. Pudding has a very, very large, very, very close knit family. FMIL Pudding had ten siblings, and even though they are scattered across the entire country, they are very much connected. Our little (adorable) flower girl is one of Mr. P's youngest cousins, and she lives on the other side of the USA. Even though we have never met her, we have heard countless stories, have seen hundreds of pictures, and are very fond of her.<br /><br />We hesitated a little bit with our decision not because we were unsure if we wanted her to be a part of our wedding, but because we didn't know if she would want to be. I mean, walking down the aisle can be traumatic for a little girl, and this nervousness can only be heightened by the idea of walking towards someone you do not know. After having an extensive chat with her mother though, we decided that Little D could handle the pressure. With permission granted , Mr. P and I went off to The Christmas Tree Shops to put together a little Flower Girl proposal kit.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_6tp8jT91I/AAAAAAAABs4/F7sc_2AOIJM/s1600/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_6tp8jT91I/AAAAAAAABs4/F7sc_2AOIJM/s640/IMG_0354.JPG" /></a></div><br />The kit includes many little goodies, like a pin wheel, a fun little tutu, some "educational toys" (on Mr. Pudding's persistence), a monogrammed water bottle, and a "Fairy Tale Weddings" coloring book (featuring all of the Disney Princesses on their wedding day). <br /><br />We're super excited to have a potential flower girl, and hope that she accepts our proposal! FMIL Pudding will be sewing her dress, so stay tuned for some progress posts!<br /><br />Who's your flower girl? Is she really familiar, or are you just getting to know her?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8089764820813656586?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-44981932071178290682010-05-24T09:07:00.000-07:002010-05-24T09:07:25.647-07:00Guest Book Table PrimpingA long, long time ago, when I was still a naive bride-to-be who thought all of my DIY aspirations would come to fruition, I purchased these pillar candlesticks:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qYNfEU6_I/AAAAAAAABqo/FT2Y2srIdD8/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qYNfEU6_I/AAAAAAAABqo/FT2Y2srIdD8/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qYNfEU6_I/AAAAAAAABqo/FT2Y2srIdD8/s640/IMG_1173.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qYNfEU6_I/AAAAAAAABqo/FT2Y2srIdD8/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the time, I thought that these might serve as the base for our centerpieces, and I bought the two of them to work on some prototypes. I have since abandoned the idea, opting for a professional to put together our tall centerpieces. I didn't want these to go to waste though, so I decided to use them to spruce up our guest book table. I turned those candlesticks, into these beautiful arrangements...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qg1cJCThI/AAAAAAAABrQ/ZzT9NZgBWRg/s1600/IMG_0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qg1cJCThI/AAAAAAAABrQ/ZzT9NZgBWRg/s640/IMG_0324.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...and it was really easy! I started by spray painting the candlesticks, since I wanted them to be a little more white:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qaNRx-9lI/AAAAAAAABqw/rvDsLQ9DLG4/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qaNRx-9lI/AAAAAAAABqw/rvDsLQ9DLG4/s640/IMG_0313.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I purchased two styrofoam balls in varying sizes from Michael's, and some beautiful white and pink peony bushes and yellow rose bunches that were on sale at the time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qbOBw-nLI/AAAAAAAABq4/H_NBZbLJXaY/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qbOBw-nLI/AAAAAAAABq4/H_NBZbLJXaY/s640/IMG_0311.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qYNfEU6_I/AAAAAAAABqo/FT2Y2srIdD8/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I cut the flower stems so that they were approximately the same height, and started sticking them into the styrofoam ball - as if I were making a pomander! To get a clearer idea of the progress, I balanced the ball on top of the candlesticks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qjfYzGViI/AAAAAAAABrY/CH8PLbya36k/s1600/flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qjfYzGViI/AAAAAAAABrY/CH8PLbya36k/s640/flowers.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I covered the ball with the flowers, except for a small opening at the bottom where the ball will balance on the candlestick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qftAvbojI/AAAAAAAABrI/awHh7X8qejU/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_qftAvbojI/AAAAAAAABrI/awHh7X8qejU/s640/IMG_0325.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that's it! This project took no more than half an hour and cost under $20.00. These arrangements will stand on our guest book table next to <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/03/26/our-wish-box/">our wish box</a>, but I really do think that they would work well as centerpieces, as long as the stands were tall enough.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I guess I should also mention that most of the flowers at our wedding will be real, and while I wish that these were as well, I am very happy with the fact that this project was easy to assemble, and very cheap. I feel like no one will notice a fake flower here and there, and this is a good way to save a couple of bucks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are you mixing real and faux flowers at your wedding?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4498193207117829068?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-42989070218013066902010-05-21T13:07:00.000-07:002010-05-21T13:13:48.056-07:00The Sweetest Shower<div style="text-align: left;">Well, you've all seen <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/05/18/bridal-shower-cake-3/">the cakes</a>. Now it's time to get this party started!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bNifK5KOI/AAAAAAAABns/ln97jgZFZKw/s1600/100_5745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bNifK5KOI/AAAAAAAABns/ln97jgZFZKw/s640/100_5745.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Some of the set up crew with the cakes. FMIL Pudding is in the middle.</i></div><br />On the morning of the shower, FMIL Pudding chased me out of the house so that her and "the crew" (her sisters and mom) could set up the house. In the meantime, I went to visit Mama and Sister Pudding at their hotel. We spent the morning eating in bed and generally bonding - I have missed just hanging out with them! We also prettified together, which in true Pudding Ladies fashion, made us half an hour late to my own shower....at least we made an entrance!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bkfvN4c6I/AAAAAAAABp0/nZvF_THPstE/s1600/Crispics+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bkfvN4c6I/AAAAAAAABp0/nZvF_THPstE/s640/Crispics+008.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sister Pudding and I</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The shower started with some lovely appetizers and a salad bar. We really wanted to keep the lunch light, since we knew that we would be gorging ourselves on cake very soon.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bVcWOoMnI/AAAAAAAABoE/hREYTaHOSac/s1600/Crispics+033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bVcWOoMnI/AAAAAAAABoE/hREYTaHOSac/s640/Crispics+033.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bPQSA54ZI/AAAAAAAABn0/Gfhe2IjZ_fg/s1600/DSC02514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bPQSA54ZI/AAAAAAAABn0/Gfhe2IjZ_fg/s640/DSC02514.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mr. Pudding holding my plate while I loaded on the food. Navigating the salad bar was seriously a two person job :p</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The weather was beautiful that weekend (unlike every weekend since), so we all took our salads onto the patio. After some munching and a lot of socializing, it was time for some shower games. Mr. Pudding's Grandma P had 11 children, so she loves organized activities like this! She was all over the shower games!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bR-4CGpqI/AAAAAAAABn8/2FLdr_I7nRQ/s1600/Crispics+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bR-4CGpqI/AAAAAAAABn8/2FLdr_I7nRQ/s640/Crispics+017.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Grandma P is standing in the middle, while Grandma G looks on. Check out Mama Pudding on the left, and Sister Pudding with the cute black/white/pink skirt.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of the games that we played helped us establish the household roles within our relationship. See the blue bucket in the picture above? It was full of household products. Grandma P had a list of chores, and asked us to decide who would do each chore. The person who took responsibility for the chore got a related gift.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bVzGwRqyI/AAAAAAAABoM/MoSFR3DykGA/s1600/chores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bVzGwRqyI/AAAAAAAABoM/MoSFR3DykGA/s640/chores.jpg" width="600" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mr. Pudding agreed to cook, take out the garbage, clean the cat litter box, and keep the family schedule. I took on the responsibilities of washing the windows and cleaning the bathrooms.</i><br /><i> </i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />After the games, it was time for the cakes! In my last post, some of you wondered how we were able to narrow it down to just two cakes. Trust me, it wasn't easy! I tried pitching a cake buffet idea to my FMIL, but we decided that for our 200 person guest list, She would have to make between 10 - 15 cakes! That would be completely overwhelming. So, instead, we came up with an ingenious scoring system:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_baVzfodSI/AAAAAAAABok/60CVju_dliY/s1600/IMG_0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_baVzfodSI/AAAAAAAABok/60CVju_dliY/s640/IMG_0330.JPG" width="600" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Every guest got a score card (that was backed with beautiful cardstock) and was asked to rate the cakes based on taste, texture, and appearance. After tasting all of the cakes, Mr. Pudding and I collected all of the cards, tallied the results, and than used our personal vetos to make the final decision.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bl_mhhFOI/AAAAAAAABp8/lFtTuGT43PE/s1600/103_4319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bl_mhhFOI/AAAAAAAABp8/lFtTuGT43PE/s640/103_4319.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Adding up score cards in my "Domestic Diva" apron given to me by Grandma G.</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>The decision was not an easy one, but it looks like most of the hive would be on board with our choices. We decided on "Caught in the Rain" (coconut cake with pineapple filling, toasted coconut dacquoise and cream cheese and white chocolate frosting) for the main cake, and "Bella Noche" (tiramisu cake with white chocolate and cream cheese filling, Kahlua and espresso syrup and bittersweet chocolate). <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bb_N3oitI/AAAAAAAABo0/KzEZe5FgSI8/s1600/Crispics+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bb_N3oitI/AAAAAAAABo0/KzEZe5FgSI8/s640/Crispics+045.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />After we finished tasting the cakes, it was time for presents. And let me just tell you, our guests were very generous. Among other gifts, I received this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bct_KZCJI/AAAAAAAABo8/AP4pCs20Ce8/s1600/100_5795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bct_KZCJI/AAAAAAAABo8/AP4pCs20Ce8/s640/100_5795.JPG" width="600" /></a></div> <br />Along with the mixer that is every bride-to-be's dream present, the ladies also gifted me with laminated cookie recipes, and each one gave me a cookie cutter that was symbolic to them. I was even let in on some family secret's including a recipe for Mr. P's great grandmother's molasses cookies!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bf8VxzA9I/AAAAAAAABpM/aP90MP56qro/s1600/IMG_0335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bf8VxzA9I/AAAAAAAABpM/aP90MP56qro/s640/IMG_0335.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bgWzlNKLI/AAAAAAAABpU/QOou6Sy7CfM/s1600/IMG_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_bgWzlNKLI/AAAAAAAABpU/QOou6Sy7CfM/s640/IMG_0336.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And Mr. Pudding was not left out of the gift giving action - his Grandma G gifted him with a 6 pack of Red Bull wrapped in a bag that looked something like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_biDVtDLyI/AAAAAAAABpc/N4-SASWuv3s/s1600/160157-baby-gift-bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_biDVtDLyI/AAAAAAAABpc/N4-SASWuv3s/s320/160157-baby-gift-bag.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://stores.thencomesababy.com/-strse-Gift-Wrap-and-Bags-cln-Baby-Gift-Bags/Categories.bok">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hmm....</i> <i>I think Grandma G is trying to tell us something...</i></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">All in all, the shower was a great success! We all had so much fun, and the event really made me feel like I was part of Mr. P's family! Thank you FMIL Pudding for the thought and effort that you put into this party!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Are you having a shower hosted by someone in your partner's family? Tell me about it!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4298907021801306690?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-47119744543819285562010-05-18T10:29:00.000-07:002010-05-18T10:29:07.781-07:00Let Them Eat Cake!A couple of weekends ago, FMIL Pudding threw me <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/04/19/let-the-celebrations-commence/">the most wonderful wedding shower</a>. It was <i>literally</i> the sweetest shower ever - so sweet in fact, that I need to break up my recollection of the event into two posts in fear of spiking your blood sugar levels.<br /><br />So, I want to start with the setup. As you know, the shower took the form of a cake tasting, since FMIL Pudding is baking our wedding cake. And let me just say: We ate cake! Don't believe me? Take a look:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_LCg9EkYUI/AAAAAAAABnM/lrXi9aebJfw/s1600/cakes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_LCg9EkYUI/AAAAAAAABnM/lrXi9aebJfw/s640/cakes1.jpg" width="600" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_LCsJGQbNI/AAAAAAAABnU/Mq68jkuMHWI/s1600/cakes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_LCsJGQbNI/AAAAAAAABnU/Mq68jkuMHWI/s640/cakes2.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_LCyvZeCGI/AAAAAAAABnc/a9TwGKeGVPI/s1600/cakes3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S_LCyvZeCGI/AAAAAAAABnc/a9TwGKeGVPI/s640/cakes3.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />FMIL Pudding really outdid herself - she made a total of 8 cakes! Here's a list of what we were tasting (try not to drool all over your keyboard):<br /><br /><i>Starting with the cake in the top left corner:</i><br /><b>Raspberry Dew: </b><span style="font-size: small;">Sponge cake with almond pastry, raspberry filling and raspberry buttercream. </span><br /><b> Chocolate Eclipse: </b><span style="font-size: small;">German chocolate cake with coconut, pecan, and caramel filling and chocolate ganache.</span><br /><b>Caught in the Rain:<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: small;">Coconut cake with pineapple filling, toasted coconut dacquoise and cream cheese and white chocolate filling.</span><br /><b>Moon over Mansfield:<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: small;">Maple butter cake, walnut pastry and maple buttercream.</span> <br /><b>Bella Noche:<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: small;">Tiramisu cake with white chocolate and cream cheese filling, Kahlua and espresso syrup and bittersweet chocolate.</span><br /><b>Blueberry Zinger: </b>Lemon cake with blueberry filling and lemon buttercream.<br /><b>Poppy Sunrise: </b>Orange poppy seed cake with orange buttercream filling and marmalade glaze.<br /><b>Midnight Express: </b>Golden sponge cake with mocha buttercream, chocolate meringue and ganache.<br /><br />All the cakes were delicious, but there were definitely a few stand outs. In the end, we decided on two cakes: one for the main wedding cake, and one for a sheet cake that will be served as dessert. Before I give you a play by play of the shower, and reveal the big winners, any guesses on the cakes that we chose? Which flavor would you choose?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4711974454381928556?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-44990912166134700912010-05-14T08:04:00.000-07:002010-05-14T08:04:12.497-07:00Polish Wedding Traditions - Odds and EndsWhew! It took me longer than the anticipated week to write up the most important Polish wedding traditions. I hope that you enjoyed reading them, and that you learned something about the Polish culture! To wrap up, I just wanted to draw your attention to some of the different traditions that have been mentioned on the 'Bee before, thanks to the Avocados and the Sea Breezes!<br /><br />Breezy wrote about the <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/09/dw-in-the-dr-poprawiny/">Poprawiny</a>, or "the do-over": the day after the wedding extravaganza (I told you Polish weddings were three day affairs). I love her family's <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/03/10/dw-in-the-dr-sto-lat/#more-86231">addition of a shot of vodka and a shot of water</a> to the "Bread and Salt" tradition (like a true Polka, I like anything with a little addition of wodka). She also wrote about <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/14/au-revoir/#more-121952">an interesting way to celebrate</a> one's 1st wedding anniversary :p <br /><br />Mrs. Avocado wrote about <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/08/11/the-bedding-down/">"The Bedding Down"</a> and her awesome wedding party <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/02/16/that-wedding-bedding-down/">pulled it off perfectly</a>! She was also <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/01/07/polish-wedding-traditions/">showered with coins </a>upon exiting the temple.<br /><br />And don't forget to review one of my favorite traditions that I wrote about a while ago: <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/18/why-i-need-kick-a-shoes/"> stealing the bride's shoe</a>!<br /><br />Ok, now it's your turn. Tell me about your cultural wedding traditions!<br /><br />(Extra points for those with French Canadian wedding traditions, since Mr. Pudding is 1/2 French Canadian and I would love to incorporate something from his culture in our wedding.)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4499091216613470091?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-38053251544300079862010-05-12T09:17:00.000-07:002010-05-12T09:18:28.132-07:00Polish Wedding Traditions - "The Unveiling""Oczepiny" or "The Unveiling" is one of the oldest Polish wedding traditions. It usually happens at the reception around midnight, and officially marks the first day of the bride's life as a mature woman and wife. The ceremony begins with the unveiling of the bride (hence the name, duh). The maid of honour is put in charge of taking off the bride's veil, which you can imagine is no easy task!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-rPOf4IJaI/AAAAAAAABmk/_86EPeqWxQA/s1600/DSC01047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-rPOf4IJaI/AAAAAAAABmk/_86EPeqWxQA/s640/DSC01047.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://naszdzien.blox.pl/html/1310721,262146,21.html?441387">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After the veil is removed, the bride tosses it to the single ladies at the wedding, similar to the American custom of tossing the bouquet. Traditionally, a cap of sorts is placed on the head of the bride, usually by the mother in law, to symbolize the bride's transition from young bride to married woman.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-rRltuQSuI/AAAAAAAABms/SwempLeRuHw/s1600/oczepiny_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-rRltuQSuI/AAAAAAAABms/SwempLeRuHw/s640/oczepiny_2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lg-wodzirej.yoyo.pl/wesela.htm">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This ceremony is usually followed by all sorts of fun games and contest. The groom will usually throw his bow tie (not the bride's garter) to an eagerly awaiting group of bachelors, and the next couple to be married is selected. Typically, a type of money dance is incorporated at this point as well, with the maid of honour collecting monies in an apron for "diapers".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There will most likely be an "unveiling" at the Pudding wedding, but I think that we will stick to throwing the bouquet, and skip the "married woman cap". I do like the idea of Mr. P throwing his bow tie instead of the garter, since that tradition makes me a bit uncomfortable. Will you be incorporating any games/customs into your reception? </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3805325154430007986?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-42038010737563934352010-05-10T12:45:00.000-07:002010-05-10T12:51:08.949-07:00Polish Wedding Traditions - "Polterabend"A Polish wedding is not simply a one day affair. It is a full out celebration consisting of three full days of binge eating, drinking, and dancing. The fun begins with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Polterabend</span>: a Polish/German custom (side note history lesson: our part of Poland was under German/Prussian occupation for close to 300 years before WWI) where anyone from the community that wants to come and wish the soon-to-be-married couple well is invited to bring a collection of bottles and jars and smash the glass on the porch of the bride's house. Traditionally, the bride and groom were supposed to clean the glass up themselves to prove that they would work together on the household chores. The people "testing" them could only be persuaded to stop throwing glass if the groom persuaded them with enough <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">wodka</span>.<br /><br />***<i>All pictures below are personal shots taken by Mr. P or me at my cousin's Polterabend in Poland.</i> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">In the modern version of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Polterabend</span>, some things have changed:</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFhDqJ41AI/AAAAAAAAAjg/4j-IYo0nGok/s1600-h/IMG_0405.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377686145540346882" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFhDqJ41AI/AAAAAAAAAjg/4j-IYo0nGok/s320/IMG_0405.JPG" style="display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>The glass is now thrown into a self made bin for easy clean up (The sign says "Wishing You Luck").<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFhTRY0j7I/AAAAAAAAAjo/ifmhTLryAL8/s1600-h/IMG_0406.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377686413770002354" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFhTRY0j7I/AAAAAAAAAjo/ifmhTLryAL8/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>And somethings haven't changed at all:</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFiZ4LUPoI/AAAAAAAAAjw/JzlWX1i3AmU/s1600-h/IMG_0407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377687626773184130" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFiZ4LUPoI/AAAAAAAAAjw/JzlWX1i3AmU/s320/IMG_0407.JPG" style="display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>There is still a lot of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">wodka</span> :P</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">If you ever go to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Polterabend</span>, you can also expect a lot of food:</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFjVJZuXmI/AAAAAAAAAj4/On577tNllJs/s1600-h/IMG_0350.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377688645009301090" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFjVJZuXmI/AAAAAAAAAj4/On577tNllJs/s320/IMG_0350.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My aunt and me with a tub of freshly made kielbasa</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> on the morning of the party</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And, in true Polish fashion, someone is bound to whip out an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">accordion</span> and play a polka or two:</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFkxYk9J0I/AAAAAAAAAkA/CZeSttvvNew/s1600-h/IMG_0421.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377690229630904130" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SqFkxYk9J0I/AAAAAAAAAkA/CZeSttvvNew/s320/IMG_0421.JPG" style="display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div>Mr. Pudding and I will be having our own version of the Polterabend, although it will be more symbolic than authentic. Has anyone out there been to one of these celebrations? Does your culture have any pre-wedding traditions?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4203801073756393435?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-40118644570972113082010-05-05T11:34:00.000-07:002010-05-05T11:36:31.036-07:00Polish Wedding Traditions - "Bread and Salt"The bread and salt tradition is a Slavic custom that dates back to the 17th century. It is basically a greeting ceremony, and it is practiced in many eastern European nations including Poland, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and others. In simple terms, the host and/or hostess of a household or event will welcome important guests by presenting them with a loaf of bread and some salt. The guest will then take a piece of bread, dip it in the salt, and eat it. This is supposed to be a symbol of great hospitality, as well as an expression of hope that the guest will never know the pains of hunger.<br /><br />This custom is not limited to weddings. Many Slavic governments use this tradition when greeting diplomats and people of political importance. Joe Biden even got a taste of it on a recent trip to Ukraine.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-G2K_rQFBI/AAAAAAAABmE/C0mvD1ROhWo/s1600/Biden_Kyiv_Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-G2K_rQFBI/AAAAAAAABmE/C0mvD1ROhWo/s640/Biden_Kyiv_Bread.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_salt">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At a wedding, this custom can take one of two forms. On the one hand, the hosts of the event (usually the parents of the bride and/or groom) can welcome the newly wed couple with bread and salt upon their entrance to the reception.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-G3sNq8XKI/AAAAAAAABmM/cdyZW8f-z48/s1600/ad0d89f190ac7ecf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-G3sNq8XKI/AAAAAAAABmM/cdyZW8f-z48/s640/ad0d89f190ac7ecf.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://forum.abcslubu.pl/viewtopic.php?t=3189">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The other option is for the hosts of the event to stand outside of the reception space, and welcome each individual guest by extending the bread and salt to them. This is the version that the Puddings will most likely be incorporating.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-G40puMCBI/AAAAAAAABmU/hnqhczSIBPE/s1600/IMG_5072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S-G40puMCBI/AAAAAAAABmU/hnqhczSIBPE/s640/IMG_5072.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u203/lpaszek/Slub%20Lidiii%20i%20Artura/?action=view&current=IMG_5072.jpg">(source)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is by far my favorite Polish wedding tradition, and it is an easy one to incorporate into a wedding reception if you are looking for a nod to your Slavic heritage :)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4011864457097211308?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-40431487311721634912010-05-03T19:50:00.000-07:002010-05-03T19:51:41.887-07:00Polish Wedding Traditions - "The Coin Toss"The coin toss is a tradition that the hive has heard about before. Does this couple look familiar?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S9-FoLexBjI/AAAAAAAABl0/ydINYCVCxt8/s1600/3002003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S9-FoLexBjI/AAAAAAAABl0/ydINYCVCxt8/s640/3002003.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/11/05/penny-throwing/">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our very own Avocado's pulled off this tradition beautifully! Basically, after exiting the church, the happy couple is showered with coins by their guests. The bride and groom have to pick up all of the coins by themselves, and this is supposed to ensure the prosperity of their union.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S9-IkC2CWhI/AAAAAAAABl8/iYDD2XH37Zw/s1600/coins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S9-IkC2CWhI/AAAAAAAABl8/iYDD2XH37Zw/s640/coins.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Personal photo taken in Poland at my cousin's wedding.</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This tradition makes for some very fun pictures, and I am all for anything that will help our chances at having an economically sound marriage :p<i> </i><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Are there any other cultural traditions out there that incorporate coins, or are meant to predict good fortune for the bride and groom?</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4043148731172163491?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-27895539717873404182010-05-03T06:54:00.000-07:002010-05-03T06:54:33.633-07:00Polish Wedding Traditions - "The Blessing"Sister Pudding has been giving me a lot of attitude about the fact that I haven't been blogging as regularly as I used to. She's calling me a "bad bee", and she's right; my post counts in the last couple of weeks has been measly compared to what it used to be. The truth is, the closer I come to the wedding, the more thinking about anything wedding related (including blogging) gives me a slight panic attack. I sincerely apologize: I have been a bad bee.<br /><br />This week, I would like for that to change. So, in order to ween myself back to being a regular blogger, I have decided to do a week long series on Polish wedding traditions. I have a different tradition for every day, and I am hoping that this pre-determined list of topics will aid me in blogging regularly.<br /><br /><b>So without further ado, today's tradition is called "Blogoslawienstwo" or "The Blessing".</b><br /><br />The idea that seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck does not exist in Polish tradition. In fact, the bride and groom have many duties to perform together before the wedding mass begins. The Blessing takes place right before the young couple depart for the church. The closest family gathers at the bride's house, and observes while the parents, godparents, and grandparents give the couple a religious blessing. Usually, there will be a cross prepared and some holy water, and each person will have the couple kiss the cross and sprinkle them with the holy water.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S97Rp7holYI/AAAAAAAABlk/6GyCoGBT7wk/s1600/blogoslawienstwo-slubne-foto2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S97Rp7holYI/AAAAAAAABlk/6GyCoGBT7wk/s640/blogoslawienstwo-slubne-foto2.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S97SDy262NI/AAAAAAAABls/rObGeAjhxPk/s1600/blogoslawienstwo-slubne-foto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S97SDy262NI/AAAAAAAABls/rObGeAjhxPk/s640/blogoslawienstwo-slubne-foto.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.szwonka.pl/index.php/category/reportaz-slubny/">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a very touching and personal moment for the family of the bride and groom. It is the time when the family officially declares their approval of the union, and a chance for the parents/godparents/grandparents to impart some words of wisdom on the young couple before the celebrations commence. There is a 95% chance that Mama P, Sister P, and I will all be bawling our eyes out throughout the whole thing. Good thing that I will have my make up artist on hand :p </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the Pudding family came to Canada from Poland about 18 years ago, one of the things that Mama Pudding chose to pack in the few suitcases that we were allowed to bring was a "wedding set" - basically, a silver cross, two candelabras and a silver container for holy water. Most of the weddings in our family have been blessed with this same cross, and my turn is just around the corner.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Does your family and/or culture have any pre-wedding-ceremony traditions that you will be incorporating into your wedding day?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2789553971787340418?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-45366936267969771482010-04-27T07:09:00.000-07:002010-04-27T07:10:52.228-07:00Catholic Adventures: Pre-CanaMr. Pudding and I completed our Pre-Cana classes this Sunday. We opted not to do the weekend long "Engaged Encounter", and went to classes on Thursdays and Sundays for two weeks instead. Although we were both a little hesitant about the classes (Mr. P in particular), we actually thought them to be quite enjoyable.<br /><br />Our sessions were mostly centered around group discussions. They were monitored by five married couples who took us through the material by sharing their personal experiences. We were often asked to share our thoughts with a small group, and than with the whole class. The questions up for discussion ranged from "what values do you and your partner have in common" and "how will you ensure that your marriage is a spiritually healthy one" to "how comfortable are you discussing sexuality with your partner".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S9bseluY8VI/AAAAAAAABlc/IxpnqZY4Xuw/s1600/038-precana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S9bseluY8VI/AAAAAAAABlc/IxpnqZY4Xuw/s640/038-precana.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mylifecomics.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/pre-cana-marriage-classes-and-the-awkward-questions/">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Although I was surprised by the very tolerant attitude that the presenters had when it came to sexuality (several of the couples with us had kids, and this was not frowned upon in any way), I was mostly uncomfortable with the discussion. And so were the presenters. We spent about 45 minutes talking about ways to be "intimate" without having sex, and than got a lecture on how to figure out whether or not a woman is fertile based on her "mucous levels". I kid you not. </div><br />All in all though, it was really nice to sit down with other couples and discuss issues that are important to us. Mr. Pudding and I do not have very many married friends, so it was refreshing to talk with people that were on the same page as us. We also did this activity called "The Family Alter", during which each pair was asked to bring in a symbol of their relationship and share with the group. I loved hearing everyone's stories, and was touched by the amount of love that was in that room.<br /><br />Did you take Pre-Cana classes? What were your favorite and least favorite parts?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4536693626796977148?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-41516959267357672042010-04-19T06:59:00.000-07:002010-04-19T07:00:22.728-07:00Let the Celebrations Commence!Guess what I just received in my inbox?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8xafAfTgfI/AAAAAAAABjo/LQ_OiB7UP3s/s1600/caketasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8xafAfTgfI/AAAAAAAABjo/LQ_OiB7UP3s/s640/caketasting.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><br />Remember that FMIL Pudding is <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/24/mildor/">making our wedding cake</a>? Turns out, having your cake baker live with you has some advantages. Every Sunday night for the last couple of months, FMIL P has whipped up a different flavor of cake for us to try. The problem? Each cake is better than the last, and we simply cannot make up our minds on the flavor.<br /><br />The solution? My very first wedding shower! FMIL is going to whip up several of the front runner flavors, and the lovely group of women attending will grade each one. By the end of the shower, we should have our winning cake!<br /><br />I am so excited about this shower! It's such a unique and original idea, and I am extatic about the fact that this is one decision that we won't have to make alone :)<br /><br />Did your shower have any kind of theme? Tell me about it!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4151695926735767204?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-51835611136893675812010-04-15T12:53:00.000-07:002010-04-15T12:53:58.684-07:00Gossip Girl, I am notConfession: I am a 27 year old woman who enjoys watching shows about trendy high school kids, and Gossip Girl is one of my favorites. Blair is absolutely my fashion icon, and I am strangely attracted to the naughtiness that is Chuck Bass.<br /><br />This week's episode was particularly exciting for me. Why? I'll give you two words: Polish Wedding.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8drAgDYttI/AAAAAAAABjg/O_rk4XqTFto/s1600/318dorota.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8drAgDYttI/AAAAAAAABjg/O_rk4XqTFto/s400/318dorota.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cwtv.com/"> (source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's right, the very Polish Dorota got married this week, and I had big hopes for her wedding. Because she kept talking about how incorporating tradition into the ceremony was very important to ensure a successful union, I thought that I was in for a slight glimps into my own wedding: a modern North American affair, with a mix of "the old country".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, Dorota's wedding was quite disappointing. There wasn't a single tradition that I recognized, and the ceremony didn't even take place in a church. This is highly unlikely for a Polish wedding, considering that 95% of people living in Poland are Catholics. I feel like the writers of the show couldn't be bothered to do even the minimal amount of research to ensure that the wedding at least resembled something that could be called "traditional".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the show's credit, Dorota's fiance is Russian, so maybe some of the customs they showed were from the Russian tradition. I also loved how they featured "I got a Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas played on the accordion.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you watch Gossip Girl? What did you think of Dorota's wedding? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>P.S. You can watch the episode<a href="http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/gossip-girl"> here</a>.</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5183561113689367581?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-80114537636064433482010-04-14T07:58:00.000-07:002010-04-14T07:59:59.311-07:00Preppin' le PewIn between the printing, cutting, and gluing that our semi-DIY invitations require, I have been thinking about ways to spruce up the church for our ceremony. Most churches are beautiful enough on their own, and don't need much decoration. We will have two floral arrangements in the front, and I am planning on personalizing a runner to decorate the aisle. The only thing missing is some pew decorations.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XQc7GiSHI/AAAAAAAABi4/wHvtC5HwUFE/s1600/LT-Valentine-Pepe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XQc7GiSHI/AAAAAAAABi4/wHvtC5HwUFE/s400/LT-Valentine-Pepe.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i-love-cartoons.com/snags/clipart/Valentines-Day/Valentine-Pepe.php">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, much like the famous casanova above, most of the ideas for pew decorations that I was able to find were a little too fussy and frou frou, and not at all desirable.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Here are some of the usual suspects:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XUMwdSKpI/AAAAAAAABjQ/WqR2Puwb-mI/s1600/318601_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XUMwdSKpI/AAAAAAAABjQ/WqR2Puwb-mI/s320/318601_1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.liweddings.com/chat/topic-56288-1.html"> (source)</a></div><br /><b>BOWS: </b>This is the least expensive and probably easiest option. The bows can be made ahead of time, or even purchased already made, since there is more than one online retailer selling variations of these for under $10 each. Unfortunately, I just don't love them.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XTKnZiX7I/AAAAAAAABjI/7c82l12FmMg/s1600/P1010028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XTKnZiX7I/AAAAAAAABjI/7c82l12FmMg/s400/P1010028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://rosesforweddings.com/main_layout.htm">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>TULLE: </b>I suppose that this option could work, if we kept it really simple. Unfortunately, I was informed that hanging tulle off of the pews was a fire hazard, so this option is out.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XR7fvgwuI/AAAAAAAABjA/LqhvgNPjpnU/s1600/springPew1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S8XR7fvgwuI/AAAAAAAABjA/LqhvgNPjpnU/s320/springPew1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pintasmas.com/?p=89">(source)</a><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>FLOWERS: </b>In my opinion, this is the most attractive option. Unfortunately, flowers also happen to be the most expensive one. Our budget has really been stretched and flexed in the last couple of weeks, and I really want to keep this project simple. Also, I won't be able to put the flowers together myself, which of course adds to the expense.<br /><br />So Hive, I'm at a loss. Are these my only options for pew decorations? How are you preppin' your pews?</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8011453763606443348?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-38783791804788369132010-04-09T09:20:00.000-07:002010-04-09T12:58:54.583-07:00A Different Kind of Head TableOur reception space is your typical banquet hall. Nothing fancy, just a large room with hardwood floors and chandeliers. And lot's of wooden panels. Typically, weddings that take place here follow the same set up pattern: round tables for guests, and a long rectangular head table for the wedding party. Here's a visual:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S79OQBnyzOI/AAAAAAAABig/-ATVB77Mvo4/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S79OQBnyzOI/AAAAAAAABig/-ATVB77Mvo4/s640/IMG_3060.JPG" width="550" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(photo credit goes to Uncle Pudding)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are several reasons why I am feeling a bit "meh" about this arrangement. First of all, I find the idea of a large head table a little bit....overdone. I feel that this blueprint for a reception hall, although beautiful and I am sure very functional, is just a little bit out dated. I would like our room to have a little more originality. My second problem with this arrangement is the fact that we have a very small wedding party of 6 (and that includes the bride and groom). That will make for a very small head table, and I feel that with this arrangement, it's go big or go home. Lastly, I don't like how this set up makes the wedding party a major focal point of the event. I would rather not be stared at while eating the delicious food that I hand selected :P</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sister Pudding and I were thinking about this conundrum the other day, and we came up with (what we think is) a perfect solution! Why not make the head table vertical instead of horizontal? Don't know what I mean? Here is a wedding the pulled it off to perfection!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S79TbHQWM9I/AAAAAAAABio/AnBDD0y-A_E/s1600/insp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S79TbHQWM9I/AAAAAAAABio/AnBDD0y-A_E/s640/insp2.jpg" width="550" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S79TmX1vcvI/AAAAAAAABiw/gu6zYKwG6AA/s1600/insp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S79TmX1vcvI/AAAAAAAABiw/gu6zYKwG6AA/s640/insp4.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sweetmondayphotography.squarespace.com/journal/2009/6/19/ami-nick-married-at-the-riviera-country-club.html">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you see how the long head table, with the bride and groom sitting at the helm, is framed on either side by round tables? I am thinking of having our parents and grandparents sit at the table with us, making the reception family focused. I am so in love with this idea, and the photos that it will provide. I feel like it brings the modern aesthetic of long tables to a reception that is doomed to use round ones.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I pitched this idea to Mama Pudding and Pudding Pops, and they are not quite on board. They don't understand the concept and don't think that it will work in our more square hall (which is giant by the way - my cousin had a wedding for 450 people there). They also worry about the fact that the bridal party will have their backs to some of the guests, but doesn't this happen with round tables as well?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All in all, this battle has not been won yet, but I am determined to hold my ground. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Are you doing something unexpected with your table layout? Did you face any opposition from your more traditional family?</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3878379180478836913?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-85644323782994953112010-04-05T08:54:00.000-07:002010-04-05T09:10:05.663-07:00Almost Famous!Like many brides-to-be, I have a <a href="http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/">Martha Stewart Weddings</a> subscription. I was lucky enough to be gifted this must have magazine from my FMIL when Mr. P and I got engaged. The subscription was placed under Mama Pudding's Canadian address, since I was living with her at the time. Despite my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/02/26/red-white-and-now-blue/">migration south</a>, the magazines still come to Mama P's house, and I think of them as fun little surprises waiting for me when I come home.<br /><br />I am visiting Mama Pudding this week, and using the time to catch up with Martha. As I was flipping through an old issue of the magazine, I spotted her! My wedding gown, in Martha Stewart! I couldn't believe it! Sure, it was an add for the designer, but still!<br /><br />You see, the gown is made by a slightly lesser known label (San Patrick), and I have never before come across it anywhere in print or online. I haven't even encountered another bride on the 'Bee that bought the same dress. Even after doing a google image search, I was not able to find a single "real" bride in my dress. So seeing it now, in this most important of wedding magazines, got me really excited!<br /><br />For those of you hard core enough to want to do some sleuthing (and I know you're out there), my dress is "featured" in an add in this magazine:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S7oGuu3ZqUI/AAAAAAAABiM/uVnW8mSFqtg/s1600/gr.MarthaStewartWeddings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S7oGuu3ZqUI/AAAAAAAABiM/uVnW8mSFqtg/s400/gr.MarthaStewartWeddings.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gryphonstationers.blogspot.com/2009/04/martha-stewart-weddings-spring-2009.html">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Did you encounter your dress in a magazine or on one of the major wedding websites? Did you get excited about it like I did?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8564432378299495311?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-77809746155966507742010-04-01T07:03:00.000-07:002010-04-01T07:05:31.274-07:00We're in the Double Digits, People!Well, not yet. Our wedding is actually 100 days from today. So technically, we will be in the double digits tomorrow.<br /><br />Where did all the time go? When we got engaged in August 2008, the wedding seemed a lifetime away. I have to admit that I was upset about the fact that I would have to wait so long to walk down the aisle. I tried to twist our timeline any which way to get the date bumped up, but it just wasn't possible.<br /><br />Now that the wedding is just around the corner, I find myself wishing that I had more time. I even (jokingly) asked Mr. Pudding if he would mind postponing.<br /><br />To be honest, I am feeling a little unprepared. There is still so much to do, wedding wise, but my fears go beyond that. I'm feeling a little bit unprepared for this "married" part - for this part when I officially leave my family to begin one of my own - the part where I become an adult.<br /><br />Yes, I realize that I am 27 years old. Yes, I realize that by the time Mama Pudding was my age she already had 3 kids to take care of. But the thing is, deep down inside I don't <i>feel </i>27. I feel about 17. Everytime I hear Abba's "Dancing Queen", I feel like they're singing to me :p<br /><br />So, I guess I am having a case of cold feet. But my cold feet aren't about Mr. P. I know that I want to be with him. We've been together for 6 years already, so I feel like that't pretty clear. My cold feet are towards this "growing up" business.<br /><br />Is anyone else as nervous as I am to finally become an adult?<br /><br /><br /><i>P.S. I realize that for many of you your wedding did not mark the day that you became an adult. The day you got your frist job, first apartment, first child, etc., did. Please excuse my rather old fashion view of what marriage means.</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7780974615596650774?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-43469777184628771402010-03-25T20:12:00.000-07:002010-03-25T20:53:52.048-07:00Our "Wish Box"<div style="text-align: left;">One of the projects that I have been working on for the past couple of weeks is our "wish box". What's a "wish box", you ask? Well, Miss Guinea Pig provided a great explanation of the concept <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/03/17/guest-book-no-no-guest-box/">here</a>. Thanks, GP!<br /><br />Wanna see my version? It makes me so freakin' happy! <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wUzNIA3bI/AAAAAAAABhc/qm1-6gsUCtM/s1600/IMG_0225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wUzNIA3bI/AAAAAAAABhc/qm1-6gsUCtM/s640/IMG_0225.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> TA DA!!!</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I found this beautiful box at TJ Maxx for $4.99. It was originally a kind of "rustic creme" colour, so I spray painted it a nice, crisp white. As is evident by the right hand corner of the box, I suck at spray painting. Mr. Pudding has promised to fix my botched paint job :p<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6tzbbor-_I/AAAAAAAABg8/y_oVdVvEtcY/s1600/IMG_0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6tzbbor-_I/AAAAAAAABg8/y_oVdVvEtcY/s640/IMG_0223.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />I tweaked a template I found on <a href="http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/">Creature Comforts</a> to create my cards. I cut them down to size, and than backed them using the same paper and patterns as I used for <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/03/18/on-a-roll-2/">my table numbers</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6we8Xv-w5I/AAAAAAAABhs/JYSi1mM2hWs/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6we8Xv-w5I/AAAAAAAABhs/JYSi1mM2hWs/s640/IMG_0222.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />I made four different English cards. Each has a different "prompt". I hope that this inspires our guests to be a little bit more expressive. I also made two cards in Polish, since we will have non-English speakers at the wedding. Mr. Pudding's dad is also working on a card in French, in order to honour his French Canadian roots.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wQXZo3zdI/AAAAAAAABhE/sFUIncFse4k/s1600/IMG_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wQXZo3zdI/AAAAAAAABhE/sFUIncFse4k/s640/IMG_0218.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />After the guests fill out their cards, they will simply place them in the box. I thought about putting in alphabetized tags, but then decided against them. I see no practical need to organize the cards in such a manner.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wR4kH4MWI/AAAAAAAABhM/Kr3J6ER8Z5M/s1600/IMG_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wR4kH4MWI/AAAAAAAABhM/Kr3J6ER8Z5M/s640/IMG_0226.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />Again, the paint job sucks. I probably wouldn't pass kindergarten with these skills. Don't judge. I'm not quite sure how I will display all of the pieces yet, but I am loving the amount of texture and the pops of colour that the cards present. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wV0E82-jI/AAAAAAAABhk/kDCEWgpMljA/s1600/IMG_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6wV0E82-jI/AAAAAAAABhk/kDCEWgpMljA/s640/IMG_0224.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>All in all, I love the finished product. It was a relatively easy DIY, and I think that it will make a big impact on our reception space. I love that I was able to incorporate colour, sentimentality, and a nod to our heritage all in one project!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have you decided on your "guest book" yet? Are you going the traditional "book" route, or will you be doing something out of the ordinary? </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4346977718462877140?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-22678311674545377572010-03-21T20:43:00.000-07:002010-03-21T20:46:08.764-07:00Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater (?)I don't know about you, but the recent scandal surrounding the marriage of Sandra Bullock and Jesse James has really saddened me. Doesn't it seem like more and more Hollywood men are cheating on their beautiful, talented, and intelligent wives with women that are less than worthy of their attentions? I mean, has it even been a month since we listened to Tiger Woods publicly apologize for a string of affairs? Before that, we had Reese and Ryan (how perfect were they?). And who can forget Halle Berry and Eric Benet? I mean, why in the world would anyone want to cheat on Halle Berry!?<br /><br />Still, the Sandra Bullock/Jesse James scandal seems to be particularly vile, simply because this is a time when Sandra should be celebrating all of her success, and not going through such heartbreak.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6bewL4j4KI/AAAAAAAABfE/_QQuy4zDqjk/s1600-h/sandra-bullock-jesse-james-oscar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6bewL4j4KI/AAAAAAAABfE/_QQuy4zDqjk/s640/sandra-bullock-jesse-james-oscar.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.zap2it.com/thedishrag/2010/03/jesse-james-cheating-has-sandra-bullock-been-hit-by-the-oscar-curse.html">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This recent media outburst has really got me thinking about infidelity. According to <a href="http://www.truthaboutdeception.com/quizzes/public/infidelity_statistics.html">some statistics</a>, 30-60% of all marriages will go through some type of infidelity in the course of their relationship. That number seems mighty high to me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, this makes me think about what I would do if faced with this situation. Mr. Pudding and I have discussed this in the past, and our opinions on the topic are very different. Mr. Pudding has said that infidelity is a deal breaker for him. I, however, think a little differently. At this point, without having experienced infidelity first hand (and hoping that I never will), I feel that I would probably pull a Hillary in this instance.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6biBugArqI/AAAAAAAABfM/YNpUA27V0O4/s1600-h/hillary_clinton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6biBugArqI/AAAAAAAABfM/YNpUA27V0O4/s640/hillary_clinton.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/is-hilary-clinton-hot-or-not/question-479093/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Here is my reasoning: Mr. Pudding (<i>my</i> partner) is not a cheater. He is a very loyal and honest man. I am not at all concerned about him ever being unfaithful to me. So, if by some instance of bad luck, infidelity does become an issue in our relationship, I will put my trust in the fact that this was a once in a life time mistake that will never be repeated. I think that I would be able to forgive. Once.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, if I was married to a man for whom infidelity was a well known issue, I would probably treat the matter differently. For example, did you know that, according to their prenump, Catherine Zeta Jones will be <a href="http://www.aisledash.com/2008/01/16/crazy-celebrity-prenups-catherine-zeta-jones-and-michael-dougla/">awarded 5 million dollars</a> in a divorce settlement if Micheal Douglas cheats? If I was marrying a man with a past like Micheal's, I'd probably take similar (if slightly less extreme) measures.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6blvqoaDRI/AAAAAAAABfU/u8mobgRX0eI/s1600-h/michael-douglas-and-catherine-zeta-jones-2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6blvqoaDRI/AAAAAAAABfU/u8mobgRX0eI/s640/michael-douglas-and-catherine-zeta-jones-2007.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bittenandbound.com/2009/04/02/michael-douglas-facelift-rumors-photos/michael-douglas-and-catherine-zeta-jones-2007/">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, I'm curious: Are you in the "forgive him" or "forget him" camp? Is infidelity a deal breaker for you? </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2267831167454537757?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-76139737455964610382010-03-18T11:19:00.000-07:002010-03-18T11:19:30.356-07:00On a RollIn the last week or so, I have been a DIY wedding machine! I feel very energized and inspired, and I think that this might have something to do with the beautiful weather. Crafting with the windows opened to let the breeze and sunshine in is so much more enjoyable than trying to work in a cold, dark room.<br /><br />I will be unveiling some of my crafting in the weeks to come, but I wanted to start with a project that I finally managed to complete. That's right, bees: My table numbers!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6JrxwE0_oI/AAAAAAAABe0/NQmOJoOgpww/s1600-h/IMG_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6JrxwE0_oI/AAAAAAAABe0/NQmOJoOgpww/s640/IMG_0192.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />I took <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/29/the-table-label/">your advice</a> about having more than one pattern serve as the backing, but I really wanted to keep all of them a uniform yellow. So I used the stripes, a damask design, and two different embossed patterns.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6JtPpaJfwI/AAAAAAAABe8/aJmjCTWMZ6M/s1600-h/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6JtPpaJfwI/AAAAAAAABe8/aJmjCTWMZ6M/s640/IMG_0193.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />And before you comment on the fact that 29 tables seems like a lot, keep in mind that I am scaling up. We are inviting around 250 guests (expecting around 200), and are having round tables. Ideally, we'd like to sit eight people per table, but are willing to push that number to ten per table. Hopefully, 29 tables is an overestimate!<br /><br />Does anyone else find themselves inspired to craft because of the weather? What types of projects have you crossed of the list? <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7613973745596461038?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-63626357467003304782010-03-17T09:25:00.000-07:002010-03-17T09:26:52.936-07:00Catholic Adventures: FOCCUS TestThis past weekend, Mr. Pudding and I visited the priest from our parish in order to take the FOCCUS test. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Catholic getting-to-the-alter process, FOCCUS stands for "Facilitating Open Couple Communication and Study". The purpose of the test is to pin point the areas of life where you and your partner might experience conflicts.<br /><br />Now, I would like to preface this by saying that I was expecting a scary, right and wrong test. A test that would ask uncomfortable questions about our sex life, our devotion to the faith, and our desire to procreate. A test very much like one of the many Hollywood portrayals of said practice:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6D2TLDinOI/AAAAAAAABek/Pfvl9Dsy3-4/s1600-h/licensetowed3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6D2TLDinOI/AAAAAAAABek/Pfvl9Dsy3-4/s640/licensetowed3d.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/license-to-wed2.html"><i>(source)</i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Mr. Pudding and I began taking the test, we were both a little worried. We were separated and handed a scantron sheet, and some number two pencils. GULP.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6D5zhXFftI/AAAAAAAABes/RMxC_azpIfA/s1600-h/test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S6D5zhXFftI/AAAAAAAABes/RMxC_azpIfA/s640/test.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/admissions/updates/TestCenter.htm">(source)</a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We shouldn't have worried, though. The test was actually very straight forward, and the questions asked were very thought provoking. They were questions that all couples should consider and talk through before making a life long commitment to each other. Off the top of my head, here are some examples:</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>I am concerned that our different upbringings will cause us to disagree on financial matters</li><li>We have discussed the role each one of us will play in the maintenance of our home</li><li>I feel that my partner doesn't listen to what I am saying when we argue</li></ul>Each question had to be answered with "agree", "disagree", or "undecided'. I found this slightly irritating, since I don't really believe in absolutes. A lot of the questions were difficult to answer in such restrictive terms.<br /><br />Mr. P and I were both pleasantly surprised by the fact that the test clearly tried to discourage the idea of marriage as being an easy formula for a happy life. Questions like these were really refreshing:<br /><ul><li>I believe that our marriage will be a happy one, as long as we love each other</li><li>We decided to get married because our parents were unhappy with our cohabitation</li><li>I need to be married in order to be truly happy</li><li>My partner's inability to have children would be a deal breaker for me</li></ul>There were also some sex questions, but none of the "you're-going-to-hell" variety:<br /><ul><li>The idea of being naked in front of my partner is terrifying to me</li><li>I am concerned that I will be required to perform sexual acts that make me uncomfortable</li><li>I believe that my partner's sexual needs are similar to mine</li></ul>And, to dispel any rumors of Catholic priests refusing to marry couples who live together before marriage (which is, technically, our situation) or couples with children, there was a series of questions on the test that targeted this demographic.<br /><br />All in all, the test was a positive experience. We have yet to get our results, as the tests get sent off for grading. I will let you know how we do, but our priest assured us that there was no such thing as "failing". That's not to say that there weren't any "deal braker" questions on the test. For Mr. P and I, these included:<br /><ul><li>I am worried about my personal safety when my partner gets angry</li><li>I am concerned about my partner's gambling habits</li><li>My partner's consumption of alcohol and/or drugs is a cause of many problems for us.</li></ul>The test really made us think about our relationship, and we spent a couple of hours discussing our answers. We did discover that under the "how many months have you been courting" question Mr. P did the math and put 90, while I ball parked and wrote 50. That's a pretty big difference. I hope that the Catholic Church doesn't hold my lack of math skills against me :P<br /><br />Did any of you take the FOCCUS test? What was your experience?<br /><br /><br />P.S. For those of you who have yet to take the test, our priest did mention that the FOCCUS test is on it's way out, and that a revamped test will be introduced at some point this year.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6362635746700330478?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-15708081326498749112010-03-13T07:20:00.000-08:002010-03-13T07:20:16.867-08:00Made for the 'Maids(Sister Pudding, you are not welcome here)<br /><br />With the BM dresses ordered, it was time to move on to choosing the accessories for my beautiful ladies. Even though I toyed with the idea of blinging out the girls with <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/20/blinging-out-the-girls/">coloured stones</a>, in the end I decided that classic pearls were probably the way to go.<br /><br />I was imagining long strands of pearls. Something that the girls could each wear in their own distinctive way. Something like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5ulop2183I/AAAAAAAABdk/Z0V9yorOf9c/s1600-h/lace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5ulop2183I/AAAAAAAABdk/Z0V9yorOf9c/s640/lace.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.getmarried.com/wedding-blog/2008/12/03/wedding-party-attire/"> (source)</a></div><br />The other day I was leafing through a flier from Macy's, and noticed that their pearls were on sale. I took this as a sign, and went to the store to check out their selection.<br /><br />Turns out, long strands of pearls like in the picture above are super expensive! If I want to achieve that look, we are going to have to go faux.<br /><br />The trip wasn't a total failure though. They did have a great selection of traditional pearl sets on sale. I picked up two of these bad boys:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5uq1aOamCI/AAAAAAAABd8/bdKmL18EMsc/s1600-h/IMG_0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5uq1aOamCI/AAAAAAAABd8/bdKmL18EMsc/s640/IMG_0188.JPG" /></a></div><br />The set, including necklace, bracelet, and earrings, came to a total of $39.00. Considering the fact that these are real freshwater pearls, they were a total steal!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5upNo_FQ9I/AAAAAAAABd0/YX1tjSJvD4A/s1600-h/IMG_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5upNo_FQ9I/AAAAAAAABd0/YX1tjSJvD4A/s640/IMG_0185.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>What kind of blogger would I be if I didn't model them for you, a la Price is Right?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm still in love with the idea of multiple pearl strands, but was thinking that this could be a nice gift even if the girls didn't wear them for the wedding. I know that neither of my maids owns a set of pearls, and this could be something that they will treasure forever. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Macy's sale ends on Sunday, so if you are looking for a cheap and classic gift for your BMs, or even something special for yourself, there is still time!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">What are you planning on gifting your bridesmaids?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1570808132649874911?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-11038713046563257342010-03-12T08:34:00.000-08:002010-03-12T08:34:39.498-08:00Mama's GirlI finally pulled the trigger on ordering the bridesmaid dresses! Thank you so much for all of your support and encouragement in making this very difficult decision. I really couldn't have done it without you!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5ppZYUf0cI/AAAAAAAABdc/kE0vZxND_YU/s1600-h/BM+Dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5ppZYUf0cI/AAAAAAAABdc/kE0vZxND_YU/s640/BM+Dress.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>How gorgeous are my Ladies?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am actually quite surprised that none of you were more harsh with me about my indecision. I don't know if I would have been able to handle reading my whiny posts with as much grace as you guys!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Where did this hesitation come from? I am usually a very decisive person - very "down to business". So what caused me to go so loopy?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I spent some time thinking about it, and realized that I had a hard time making the decision because I didn't have Mama Pudding's approval. It's been really hard planning this wedding without having her immediate input (good or bad). Don't get me wrong - Mama Pudding's advice sometimes makes me want to pull my hair out. Still, I love her critical eye, and I know that when she says that something looks nice, it must really, truly be spectacular!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I finally ordered the dresses when Sister P took Mama P to a Canadian salon that carried the B2 line. Sister P tried in on, and Mama Pudding love it. The next day, I ordered the dresses.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyone else planning their wedding far away from their mom? Do you miss her input?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1103871304656325734?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-29134379362559756632010-03-10T09:48:00.000-08:002010-03-10T09:48:07.265-08:00My Big Fat Polish Rehearsal DinnerOur rehearsal dinner has been stressing me out lately. You see, with so many out of town guests, we are looking at having a big guest list for the dinner. And when I say "big", I mean HUGE. And when I say "HUGE', I mean bigger than many wedding receptions.<br /><br />The guest list is currently approaching 100.<br /><br />I don't have much planned for the rehearsal dinner yet. We have decided that since the wedding will be "Polish light" (we want both of our cultures incorperated), the rehearsal dinner will be a Polish bonanza. We will be serving Polish favorites such as pierogi, cabbage rolls, and barszcz.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5fXvCZPE6I/AAAAAAAABc8/9D21FHPhvPs/s1600-h/polish-pierogi-pierogies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5fXvCZPE6I/AAAAAAAABc8/9D21FHPhvPs/s640/polish-pierogi-pierogies.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pictures.polandforall.com/polish-pierogi-pierogies.html">(yum)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5fYbPHwnmI/AAAAAAAABdE/8C9zqKJV6Ls/s1600-h/302214-Cabbage-Rolls-with-Sour-Cream-Sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5fYbPHwnmI/AAAAAAAABdE/8C9zqKJV6Ls/s640/302214-Cabbage-Rolls-with-Sour-Cream-Sauce.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.about-recipes.com/recipes/302214-cabbage-rolls-with-sour-cream-sauce.html">(yum)</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5fZDrNnfTI/AAAAAAAABdM/SPVPl6TL-sY/s1600-h/28792671_621bf505d8_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5fZDrNnfTI/AAAAAAAABdM/SPVPl6TL-sY/s640/28792671_621bf505d8_o.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><a href="http://virginredvelvet.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html">(YUM)</a></div><br />We also know that we will have some version of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polterabend">polterabend </a> (a post on this is coming, I promise!). <br /><br />Other than that, I have no idea what our rehearsal dinner will look like. I want the atmosphere to be fun and friendly, and I am looking forward to our families having the chance to meet each other before the wedding. I have to admit though - sometimes I feel like I am planning two back to back weddings :p<br /><br />Will your rehearsal dinner be big and fabulous, or small and intimate? Are you incorperating any cultural details into the event?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2913437936255975663?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-289458123810464342010-03-05T07:18:00.000-08:002010-03-05T07:18:52.322-08:00Say I Do to the ShoeThe search for the perfect, low heeled shoe has been a <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/18/why-i-need-kick-a-shoes/">long</a> and <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/27/my-first-but-not-last-wedding-return/">hard</a> one. Nevertheless, I am happy to announce that I (may) have achieved the impossible! I managed to find a beautiful, stylish, comfortable shoe with a heel that is under 3 inches!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EWUO-u71I/AAAAAAAABb0/l6DeWIZqMg8/s1600-h/shoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EWUO-u71I/AAAAAAAABb0/l6DeWIZqMg8/s400/shoe.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://weddings.theknot.com/ODB/themes/national/detailview.aspx?id=46149&type=21&Accessory+Designers=Badgley+Mischka+by+My+Glass+Slipper&TM=21&ODBTHEMENAME=Bridal-Accessories&MsdVisit=1">(source) </a></div><br />Meet Eddy, by Badgley Mischka. At first, I wasn't sure if she and I would be a perfect fit (pun intended). I liked the broach, and the silk overlay thing. But I wasn't so sure about the ankle strap, and I still missed the glamor that only a 4 inch heel could provide.<br /><br />I ordered the shoe from <a href="http://www.zappos.com/">Zappos</a>. I figured that I had nothing to lose because of their free shipping and great return policy. And than, they came:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EY6MQmU0I/AAAAAAAABb8/qPgDz15-eHA/s1600-h/IMG_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EY6MQmU0I/AAAAAAAABb8/qPgDz15-eHA/s640/IMG_0151.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />I opened the box with bated breath. I honestly wanted them to be perfect, but I was so nervous that they would disappoint me.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EZzhNDMTI/AAAAAAAABcM/S9FMtPYEshQ/s1600-h/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EZzhNDMTI/AAAAAAAABcM/S9FMtPYEshQ/s640/IMG_0154.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />I took them out of the box, and stared at them for a good 10 minutes. Did I love them? Were they perfect? I wasn't sure, so I took them for a little photo shoot.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EbE3zB4xI/AAAAAAAABcc/5u7Auw5NYcM/s1600-h/IMG_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EbE3zB4xI/AAAAAAAABcc/5u7Auw5NYcM/s640/IMG_0155.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />Hmm....they look good from the front. I had to put them on my feet to know for sure. I took them to my usual I-need-to-take-pics-of-my-shoes spot.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EcIu6LYII/AAAAAAAABck/6EfyQ824iWY/s1600-h/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EcIu6LYII/AAAAAAAABck/6EfyQ824iWY/s640/IMG_0175.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />This is exactly how Mr. Pudding found me when he got home from work: unshowered, in a dirty sweatshirt, with my sweat pants rolled up, and Badgley Mischka shoes on my feet. I swear I kept them on all evening, trying to decide whether or not I liked them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EduASjC2I/AAAAAAAABc0/sn8LMCByVj4/s1600-h/IMG_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S5EduASjC2I/AAAAAAAABc0/sn8LMCByVj4/s640/IMG_0167.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I had to admit that they were very comfortable. I called Mama Pudding via Skype and showed them to her using my web cam. She really loved them! Getting that little bit of encouragement from Mama P meant a lot, and forced me to evaluate exactly what it was about these shoes that made me hesitate. I realized that the only thing that could make these shoes more beautiful would be a 4 inch heel. I can't expect to find a low heeled shoe that comes with a high heel, now can I?<br /><br />So, it's been decided. They stay! I am still going to keep my eyes open, since these babies were a little pricier that I wanted to spend, but I am happy to report that I will not be walking down the aisle barefoot!<br /><br />How is your shoe hunt going? </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-28945812381046434?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-21863789398864207782010-03-03T07:07:00.000-08:002010-03-03T07:11:50.701-08:00Confessions of a Short Attention Span BrideI thought that I would take a moment to update you on the state of my current DIY projects. Remember those <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/14/martha-martha-martha/">fabric flower escort cards</a> that I am making?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S45z0rsr81I/AAAAAAAABbE/0AbvbfCWxew/s1600-h/IMG_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S45z0rsr81I/AAAAAAAABbE/0AbvbfCWxew/s640/IMG_0166.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />They're safely hidden away in a hot chocolate mix can. Does it look like there are 200 of them in there? Umm....not so much. And <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/29/the-table-label/">my picture frame table numbers</a>? Well, see for yourself:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S452HnCoofI/AAAAAAAABbM/S_y_rwEWiKc/s1600-h/IMG_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S452HnCoofI/AAAAAAAABbM/S_y_rwEWiKc/s640/IMG_0163.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />Not even close to being done, are they? Recently, I have noticed a huge trend with my wedding planning. Basically, I spend hours upon hours researching different options. After I finally find an idea that I love, I give 100% of my effort to making the perfect prototype. Than I blog about it, and make a couple more. And than I move on to researching a new project. In my head, I feel like I've accomplished something, since a decision was made. The reality is much different.<br /><br />I have made a vow to myself not to start any new projects until I finish the ones in progress. But I have to wonder....am I the only one with a case of B-SAS (bridal short attention span)? <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2186378939886420778?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-34533128878806302692010-02-28T20:14:00.000-08:002010-02-28T20:17:55.844-08:00She Bangs, She Bangs (and Sometimes She Doesn't)<div style="text-align: left;">Ok, first of all, thank you so much to all of you who commented on my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/02/21/continued-hairapy/">hair trial post </a>. Your kind words of encouragement and tips on how to better communicate with my hair stylist were (as always) greatly appreciated! </div><br />I have to admit though, I was keeping something from you, and unfortunately, I think some of you caught on (ahem, Spaniel). The truth is, as much as I was confused about whether or not I liked the back of my hair, I knew that I didn't like the front - which is why I didn't include any pictures of my face in the post.<br /><br />Here is what it looked like:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s0autQ0MI/AAAAAAAABac/mbMVV3D3NvA/s1600-h/IMG_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s0autQ0MI/AAAAAAAABac/mbMVV3D3NvA/s640/IMG_0025.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I am seriously awkward here. Any tips on taking decent looking self portraits?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />Now, in the stylist's defense, I did tell her that I wanted my hair like this. I wanted it simple and classic, but after seeing this pictures, I just don't like it. It looks so.....slicked back.<br /><br />This experience has me questioning my hair choices. You see, I have had bangs in some shape or form for most of my life. I even had the ugly, thick, bangs that seemed to be all the rage in the early 90s. Kind of like this, except less styled:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s5X2pEU_I/AAAAAAAABas/TVPNZzW0KGo/s1600-h/E_KateWalsh_325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s5X2pEU_I/AAAAAAAABas/TVPNZzW0KGo/s640/E_KateWalsh_325.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tvcocktail.ivillage.com/entertainment/archives/2007/04/">(source)</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As soon as Mr. P and I got engaged, I decided that I would begin to grow out my bangs. I felt that this would make my style choices more versatile and classic. However, seeing the pictures from my hair trial, I am starting to miss the way my bangs look in an up do. Just take a look:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s7QP5zdkI/AAAAAAAABa0/MHYhQjn7c94/s1600-h/agnieszka2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s80QzSA9I/AAAAAAAABa8/SBV5o7pjkSo/s1600-h/n514733394_1389352_9533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s80QzSA9I/AAAAAAAABa8/SBV5o7pjkSo/s640/n514733394_1389352_9533.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Sister P, Puddin' Pops, and me</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Now keep in mind that the two pictures of me aren't really comparable: one is a casual pic with bad lighting, while the other has me dressed up and in full make up. If I were to try the no bang look again, I would ask for a style more like the one Catherine is sporting here:</div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s2tDBKf8I/AAAAAAAABak/YlEYo5G9MvY/s1600-h/121409-catherine-zeta-jones-400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4s2tDBKf8I/AAAAAAAABak/YlEYo5G9MvY/s640/121409-catherine-zeta-jones-400.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20301062_20323485_20716540,00.html">(source)</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So, I turn to you, Hive, with the ever important question: Bangs, or no bangs?</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3453312887880630269?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-47094753018949066402010-02-25T13:11:00.000-08:002010-02-25T13:13:23.292-08:00Red, White, and Now Blue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4bhBPMBaHI/AAAAAAAABZ8/RKJJn-0cZpY/s1600-h/flags+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4bhBPMBaHI/AAAAAAAABZ8/RKJJn-0cZpY/s640/flags+collage.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have some SUPER BIG NEWS today!!!!!! News that definitely warrants the overuse of capital letters and exclamation points :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mr. Pudding and I attended our Change of Status interview today, and I have been approved for a Green Card! It's coming in the mail, and in as little as two weeks I will finally be able to work, travel, and generally contribute to society once again! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are beyond excited! The interview went very smoothly, and upon exiting the building Mr. Pudding gave me a giant SMOOCH! It's been such a long road, but we've finally arrived!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4bkrq0KHKI/AAAAAAAABaM/c1rHDtDJcF0/s1600-h/IMG_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4bkrq0KHKI/AAAAAAAABaM/c1rHDtDJcF0/s640/IMG_0148.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Taken just moments after the interview: </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>First picture as an American (resident alien actually, but whatevs)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We celebrated by signing "Born in the USA" and "American Woman" on our drive home - well, actually, I sang, and Mr. P rolled his eyes at me :p We also stopped by a local grocery store to pick up a piece of the American Dream :p</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4bmDvOWxrI/AAAAAAAABaU/vEm7jZ-O-50/s1600-h/IMG_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S4bmDvOWxrI/AAAAAAAABaU/vEm7jZ-O-50/s640/IMG_0150.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyone else going through the immigration process? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>P.S. Do not be mistaken: as far as hockey is concerned, it's TEAM CANADA ALL THE WAY!</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4709475301894906640?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-81036713357688086702010-02-19T19:39:00.000-08:002010-02-19T19:43:08.220-08:00Continued Hairapy<div style="text-align: left;">In my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/02/18/hairapy/">last post</a>, I talked about the inspiration behind my first hair trail. I went into the appointment determined to communicate my vision to the stylist, and even though I was more vocal than usual, I found that I didn't get exactly what I wanted. As a reminder, here is what I was going for:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39Syaj0eWI/AAAAAAAABZM/g9onshttxHI/s1600-h/20-gett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39Syaj0eWI/AAAAAAAABZM/g9onshttxHI/s640/20-gett.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/02/11/married-in-montana-the-girls-get-ready/#more-82797">(source) </a></div>And here is what I got:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39TzChsMjI/AAAAAAAABZU/DkyUnghrlMw/s1600-h/IMG_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39TzChsMjI/AAAAAAAABZU/DkyUnghrlMw/s640/IMG_0028.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39Vg9wjvvI/AAAAAAAABZs/efXkdH8hX4Y/s1600-h/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39Vg9wjvvI/AAAAAAAABZs/efXkdH8hX4Y/s640/IMG_0027.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />Hmm....it wasn't bad, but Mrs. Cherry Pie, I was not. It looked nice and all, but it just wasn't what I asked for. Despite the fact that Mama Pudding liked it a lot (and she does not "like" easily), I think that I need to take a little bit more time to explain exactly what I like about the Cherry Pie hair style for our next trial. I mean, looking at a picture for 30 seconds cannot possibly be enough for my stylist to understand what I am going for. Sister Pudding is definitely coming to my next hair trail - she is going to be my personal hair translator :P<br /><br />I do have to say one thing for this hair style though: it held up ALL night! I took the train from Toronto to Montreal right after the trail, and than Mr. Pudding and I drove from Montreal to Vermont. After the seven hour journey (which included a couple of cat naps), my hair still looked pretty much perfect. Take a look for yourself:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39Y1VLmJAI/AAAAAAAABZ0/Hb-S2Ix8lik/s1600-h/IMG_0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S39Y1VLmJAI/AAAAAAAABZ0/Hb-S2Ix8lik/s640/IMG_0045.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Perhaps I should re-evaluate? What do you think? Did your first hair trail go as expected?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8103671335768808670?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-72272531670090592102010-02-18T09:08:00.000-08:002010-02-18T09:08:57.233-08:00HairapyI was finally able to visit my family in the Toronto area this week (YAY!), which meant a lot of wedding planning was scheduled, and some of it was actually acomplished! I was able to book a very last minute hair trial, which I hadn't planned for. I was definitly not prepared, but thanks to Sister Pudding I was able to put together some quick inspiration picks.<br /><br />Although I love me a loose, curly, non-fussy updo a la <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/17/love-at-the-ranch-the-bride-and-groom/#more-118499">Mrs. Cowboy Boot</a> , I knew that for our marathon of a wedding this hair style would just not work. I plan on dancing the Polka until the whee hours of the morning, and I need my hair to stay in place! I was after something more structured that would work with my thin and fairly straight hair.<br /><br />Luckily, my years of stalking the 'Bee have finally paid off (literally, I've been reading for about 2 years now). I knew just the Bee to serve as my main inspiration. Perhaps you recognize her?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S31yocVAuQI/AAAAAAAABY4/9Z_JNdRTSOc/s1600-h/9before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S31yocVAuQI/AAAAAAAABY4/9Z_JNdRTSOc/s640/9before.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S31yuix8KpI/AAAAAAAABZA/8edcSolxF4s/s1600-h/11befor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S31yuix8KpI/AAAAAAAABZA/8edcSolxF4s/s640/11befor.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/02/17/montana-wedding-ceremony-2/#more-83607">It's Cherry Pie</a>! How amazing did this lady look on her wedding day? I figured that if I looked half as lovely as her, I would be in good shape!<br /><br />Armed with a few Cherry Pie pictures (and <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/02/11/married-in-montana-the-girls-get-ready/">her cool cotton ball trick in mind</a>), I nervously set out for my appointment. Sister Pudding couldn't come with me, so she told me "to remember to be honest". You see, I tend to be too nice to hair dressers, and say that I like something that I actually hate. Well, I was determined for that not to happen this time!<br /><br />How did you first hair trial go? Did you use a Bee for inspiration?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7227253167009059210?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-50262555077183308602010-02-15T08:30:00.000-08:002010-02-15T14:29:33.112-08:00Present TenseAs I've mentioned before, Mr. Pudding and I attended three back to back weddings on two different continents last summer. We were guests at two weddings in Poland (my cousins) and one in Chicago (Mr. P's cousin) in the course of three weeks - exhausting to say the least!<br /><br />Mr. Pudding and I have a sort of agreement that when there is an event in my family, I take care of figuring out and financing our gift, and vice versa. We do this with the assumption that it's easier for us to know what type of gift is appropriate for our own family members. This will change once we are married and share a bank account, but for the time being, it seems more than fair.<br /><br />Because these events were back to back, they really drew my attention to how different my gift giving is from Mr. P's. You see, in my community there is only one gift acceptable for a wedding:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3lxXfQSv6I/AAAAAAAABYo/cQ3SAD3xmBs/s1600-h/ist2_1019566-currency-canadian-pile-of-cash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3lxXfQSv6I/AAAAAAAABYo/cQ3SAD3xmBs/s400/ist2_1019566-currency-canadian-pile-of-cash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://loogaroos.blogspot.com/2009/09/canada-interactive-fund.html">Yes. It's Canadian money, and the colours are beautiful!</a> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mr. Pudding's community, however, is more partial to these types of presants:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3lyaPqZ8dI/AAAAAAAABYw/YcUUr_5BUYE/s1600-h/1245687934448019525Minduka_Present_Blue_Pack.svg.med.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3lyaPqZ8dI/AAAAAAAABYw/YcUUr_5BUYE/s320/1245687934448019525Minduka_Present_Blue_Pack.svg.med.png" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.clker.com/clipart-28898.html">(source) </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, whereas my cousins received cash in their wedding cards, Mr. Pudding's cousin received an amber decorated vase that we bought in Poland.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a very strict formula that I adhere to when figuring out the amount of money to give someone as a wedding presant. It starts with the amount of money that I feel the bride and groom will reasonably spend on me as a guest. Once I figure out approximately how much it costs for me to attend, I add to that amount based on my closeness to the couple and my financial means at the time. As far as I know, everyone in my community gives gifts based on this same idea, and a newlywed couple often will get enough "gifts" to cover their wedding expenses and maybe even have a little left over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In Mr. P's family, however, gifts are more quality over quantity. The giver puts time and effort into picking out something meaningful that they feel the bride and groom would like and find useful, and hope that in twenty five years the no-longer-newly-weds will remember who gave them that beautiful sugar bowl, vase, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think that it is extremely interesting that different communities adhere to different rules of gift giving. I know that gift giving can be a sensitive topic for some, but I would love to hear how you approach this issue. Do you have a "formula" like I do? Do you like to give monetary gifts, use registries, or try to pick something unique to the couple?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5026255507718330860?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-75543129152480524802010-02-11T08:29:00.000-08:002010-02-11T08:31:03.910-08:00Staying the NightWe will have a lot of out of town guests at our wedding. In fact, "out of town" is probably an understatement - I should say "out of country". Approximately 50% of our guest list will be crossing the US/Canada border to attend the celebration, and another 10 - 15% will travel for more than an hour to join us. Because of this, arranging for hotel accommodations was a very important task, one that we knew had to be taken care of early.<br /><br />It dawned on me this morning that I've never told you about our great accommodations find! We have informed our guests about the reserved hotels via our STD's and website, and have received overwhelmingly positive feedback! I think that I have heard at least twice as many "great choice on the hotel, guys" than "Wow! Your STDs are beautiful and amazing and must have taken so much hard work!"<br /><br />On to the goods! After checking out many of your standard hotel chains in our area, including the Holiday Inn, the Comfort Inn, and the Marriott Residence Inn, we were just not impressed. Even with a group discount, the hotel rooms were expensive (averaging around $120.00), and they were mostly located about 30 minutes from our venue, right next to Highway 401.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3Qo5xWmNLI/AAAAAAAABXA/e_DItI09snA/s1600-h/141683919_a6799bbf58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3Qo5xWmNLI/AAAAAAAABXA/e_DItI09snA/s640/141683919_a6799bbf58.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/141683919_a6799bbf58.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/loneprimate/141683919/&usg=__ncUmBrx1MG2QhC3ju0Lp8ah2xzA=&h=333&w=500&sz=85&hl=en&start=2&sig2=9WsM2jMZ8D_GwKETZ2cvvw&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=z8gBgXvxDXe53M:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhighway%2B401%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=hCh0S7rhMpaMnAeaxtWkCQ">Glamorous, right?</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were generally pretty disappointed until FMIL Pudding suggested that we go check out the <a href="http://stayrcc.com/oshawa/index.html">Residence and Conference Centre</a> . Initially, I wrinkled my nose at this, since I knew that "the conference center" was really just a fancy name for "the dorms at your local college". I thought that there was no way that our guests would want to stay in run down student housing. Boy, was I in for a treat!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we visited the grounds, the hotel turned out to be exactly what we had been looking for. It's located just around the corner from our reception hall, and boasts beautiful facilities including a gym, pool, and outdoor fields. And the "dorms" were not like the ones that I remembered from college: they were spacious and very comfortable suites! </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3Qs2sK7GiI/AAAAAAAABXY/D2FLRoUzGLg/s1600-h/private_suite_layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3Qs2sK7GiI/AAAAAAAABXY/D2FLRoUzGLg/s400/private_suite_layout.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each suite comes with two bedrooms with double beds, a bathroom, and a kitchenette/common area. Let's look at a couple of pics, shall we?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3QslWhQKfI/AAAAAAAABXI/oUb9eRWq1eA/s1600-h/dc-uoit_suite_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3QslWhQKfI/AAAAAAAABXI/oUb9eRWq1eA/s320/dc-uoit_suite_01.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3Qta_ZfG7I/AAAAAAAABXg/hldzMe_w6gE/s1600-h/dc-uoit-south_suite_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3Qta_ZfG7I/AAAAAAAABXg/hldzMe_w6gE/s320/dc-uoit-south_suite_04.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3QtpTg48uI/AAAAAAAABXw/VDVnjWaBn7k/s1600-h/default_rates_washroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S3QtpTg48uI/AAAAAAAABXw/VDVnjWaBn7k/s320/default_rates_washroom.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think that our guests will be more than comfortable! And the best part? These suites will cost our guests around $80.00 per night. Since they're more than big enough to be shared by two couples, or a family with children, the total cost to our guests is about $20/person! And that's in Canadian dollars, people! Score!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In case you're interested in reserving something similar for your guests, there are comparable accommodations available through the Residence and Conference Center in Canadian cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor, and many <a href="http://stayrcc.com/locations.html">others</a>! I bet there are similar facilities in the US as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Did you reserve a block of hotel rooms for your out of town guests? Did you go extravagant or thrifty?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*<i>Unless otherwise noted, all pictures are from the <a href="http://stayrcc.com/oshawa/index.html">Residence and Conference Center</a> website. </i> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7554312915248052480?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-58849796173277204922010-02-07T13:03:00.000-08:002010-02-07T13:03:03.981-08:00Ring a Ding (Pud)DingRemember my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/09/it-started-with-a-ring/">beautiful engagement ring</a>? Mr. Pudding worked so hard on getting me just the right bling, and he definitely succeeded. It's the perfect mixture of my need for glamor (lot's of diamonds, please!) and Mr. Pudding's need for practicality (bezel setting, so it doesn't snag). Need a reminder? Here it is:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28UzgQuMsI/AAAAAAAABWE/Kkancx9SAgo/s1600-h/1670_xlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28X0xWQNkI/AAAAAAAABWM/hAQ3ezeHbVA/s1600-h/1670_xlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28X0xWQNkI/AAAAAAAABWM/hAQ3ezeHbVA/s320/1670_xlarge.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.exceldiamonds.com/">(source) </a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I showed you my ring for the first time, many of you wondered what my wedding band would look like. The ring has a unique shape (which I love), and it does present a bit of a conundrum. Initially, I was planning on getting something like this:</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28Z58jIZRI/AAAAAAAABWU/TaguRUd7Vgs/s1600-h/1671_xlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28Z58jIZRI/AAAAAAAABWU/TaguRUd7Vgs/s320/1671_xlarge.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.exceldiamonds.com/">(source) </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">When Mr. Pudding saw this band for the first time, he instantly fell in love with it. He said that he liked that the two rings spooned, just like we do (we're big time snugglers)*. Even though that totally melted my heart, I started thinking that maybe the one band was just not enough bling for me. The band on my engagement ring is quite thin, and so is this band. So I started thinking that perhaps I could get two bands - one for each side of my ring.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We looked into having these rings custom made, and even though it is totally doable, the price tag is substantial. Mr. Pudding has said that if I want two bands, he would get them for me. He argues that I will wear these rings forever, and I should have something that I love. I feel guilty though, since one band is already quite pricey. I started to lean towards getting just one band now, and having Mr. P buy me a second one for an anniversary in the future.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lately though, I've been drawn to right hand fashion rings. They seem to be much cheaper than their "wedding band" labeled counterparts, and they provide a lot of bling for your buck. I've been thinking about sporting one of these beauties on my ring finger, and switching my engagement ring to my right hand. <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/08/28/wedding-band-ring-custom/">As Mrs. Avocado explained</a>, in Poland people wear their wedding rings on their right hands, so this seems like a suitable solution.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think that any of these would do nicely in the place of a traditional wedding ring:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28lF_NIAfI/AAAAAAAABWc/qJlbMu0ThGM/s1600-h/022112407_MV_PD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28lF_NIAfI/AAAAAAAABWc/qJlbMu0ThGM/s320/022112407_MV_PD.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jared.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home%7C10451%7C10001%7C-1%7C">(source) </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28mMt1R8-I/AAAAAAAABWs/qjWp2V_r33Q/s1600-h/309_xlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28mMt1R8-I/AAAAAAAABWs/qjWp2V_r33Q/s320/309_xlarge.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.exceldiamonds.com/">(source)</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28mum-YIGI/AAAAAAAABW0/YGV2IkPwf9E/s1600-h/021730104_MV_PD_JAR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S28mum-YIGI/AAAAAAAABW0/YGV2IkPwf9E/s320/021730104_MV_PD_JAR.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jared.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home%7C10451%7C10001%7C-1%7C">(source) </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you have an odd shaped ring? Did you get a custom band to match your e-ring, or did you opt for a separate band?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">***Despite his love for snuggling with me, Mr. Pudding is nothing but the manliest of men :p</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5884979617327720492?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-85027462511012126542010-02-04T09:40:00.000-08:002010-02-04T09:40:20.996-08:00Beating a Dead HorseAlternate Title: I Think that My Bridesmaids Hate Me<br /><br /><a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/07/who-doesnt-love-a-fashion-show/">Last time we talked about bridesmaid dresses</a>, we were (mostly) in agreement that this little B2 number was the way to go:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2r_s8bDRCI/AAAAAAAABVI/ZkZ8JI-3R6I/s1600-h/BM+Dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2r_s8bDRCI/AAAAAAAABVI/ZkZ8JI-3R6I/s640/BM+Dress.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>You commented that the dress was flattering and photographed well, and my two beautiful bridesmaids agreed that the dress was their favorite.<br /><br />Armed with all of this positive reinforcement, what did I do? Well, I just couldn't pull the trigger and forced BM/FSIL to go shopping with me just one more time :p<br /><br />Having exhausted most bridal boutique options in the state of Vermont (oh how I miss the shopping selection of the Toronto area), we had only one stop to make: David's Bridal.<br /><br />To preface, there are no David's Bridal stores in Canada, so the only knowledge that I had of this chain was gathered from the internet. I hate to say it, but the impression that I had was mostly negative. It's weird, but the internet has the power to spread negative reviews much faster than positive ones :p<br /><br />I have to say that David's was a pretty pleasant surprise for me! We went in on a weekday morning, so we had the place to ourselves. The selection of dresses was pretty large, and I loved how they had each dress in different colours and sizes! One of the biggest annoyances in the BM shopping experience has been the fact that non of the sample dresses came even close to fitting my girls (size 2 and 6 - hate them!). It's really difficult to see how a dress would fit when it's at least 5 sizes too big!<br /><br />We did find some possibilities at David's. They really had some great and very affordable dresses! Here are a few we considered:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2r_ji-VGUI/AAAAAAAABVA/SaVUIAnLCsU/s1600-h/DB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2r_ji-VGUI/AAAAAAAABVA/SaVUIAnLCsU/s640/DB.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I really liked this one, and FSIL loved practicing holding a bouquet</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2sDmjChy8I/AAAAAAAABVQ/MXzaOv8yQtQ/s1600-h/DB2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2sDmjChy8I/AAAAAAAABVQ/MXzaOv8yQtQ/s640/DB2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I was worried about the material gathering on the hips on this one, but it looked beautiful on my skinny mini bridesmaid!</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2sEL9aXSgI/AAAAAAAABVY/g6tgmMMvoI4/s1600-h/DB3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2sEL9aXSgI/AAAAAAAABVY/g6tgmMMvoI4/s640/DB3.jpg" /></a></div><i> We didn't love this one, but the colour could have something to do with that.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2sEwfv4bTI/AAAAAAAABVg/g0LszmdQEwg/s1600-h/DB4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2sEwfv4bTI/AAAAAAAABVg/g0LszmdQEwg/s640/DB4.jpg" /></a></div><i>We tried this one on just to see how the navy colour would look on a person, since it looked a little bland on the hanger. It was a cute short dress, but we're going long, baby!</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Upon returning home and looking through the pictures, I still think that the B2 dress is the way to go. I have yet to pull the trigger, though. I think that the reason that I am struggling with this decision is because I'm not sure if any of the dresses are special enough to be worth the price tag, you know? Unfortunately, I have exhausted all of my shopping options in Vermont, and most boutiques have warned me that I need to order a dress by the end of February at the latest. A decision will have to be made soon, and I'm scared to make it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sigh. Was it this hard for you to decide on a BM dress? Are you sick and tired of me rambling about it yet?</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8502746251101212654?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-31747485615742503172010-02-01T14:32:00.000-08:002010-02-01T14:34:33.259-08:00Different St(d)rokesOk, I have a bit of a confession to make. Some of you commented about the <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/14/fabric-backed-save-the-dates-a-tutorial/">amount of work</a> that went into our STD's, and I must admit that they took a considerable amount of effort to complete. Still, I withheld a little detail from you, and I have finally decided to come clean.<br /><br />With our wedding guest list approaching 230, I only made about 30 STDs. I decided early on that not everyone on our list would get the blood, sweat and tears version. This decision was a fairly easy one for me, since save the dates are really not common in my family. Plus, all of my relatives have had our wedding date circled on their calendars for almost a year and a half now :P<br /><br />I probably wouldn't have sent STDs at all if it wasn't for the fact that Mr. Pudding's family is traveling to our wedding. They needed to be given an appropriate amount of time to plan the trip, and I wanted to do this in an official way. So, all of Mr. Pudding's relatives received STDs in the mail. We also have quite a few friends traveling from far away. Although I sent out the beautiful versions to my friends from England, the Middle East, and Australia, Mr. Pudding's friends, as well as local friends, all got an email. I felt a little bad about this at first, but than I had the chance to talk to one of Mr. P's buddies, who told me that I shouldn't even bother sending him a paper invite. He said that an email was enough, and I should save the money on postage :p<br /><br />What about you? Did you send STDs to all of your guests, or just the ones traveling from afar? Did you bother with them at all?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3174748561574250317?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-34523514519634972542010-01-29T10:11:00.000-08:002010-01-29T10:18:05.564-08:00The Table LabelSince our STD's are finished, and the designing process for our invites has stalled do to my inability to use any design programs more complicated than Microsoft Publisher (I'm trying to teach myself how to use Gimp and Inkscape...any other free, user friendly design software out there?), I've decided to move on to a new project - our table numbers.<br /><br />When I first started the planning process, I imagined wooden numbers on our tables, <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/29/table-numbers-revisited-2/">a la Miss Cola</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2McfvrgdHI/AAAAAAAABUI/WEQ1amoJE7E/s1600-h/wa104114_spr09_007_xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2McfvrgdHI/AAAAAAAABUI/WEQ1amoJE7E/s400/wa104114_spr09_007_xl.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/jayme-and-chris?&lpgStart=1&currentslide=19&currentChapter=1#ms-global-breadcrumbs"> (source) </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am planning for our centerpieces to be taller versions of the ones above, and the wooden numbers seemed to fit! Alas, this plan was not meant to be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am one of those people that goes to craft stores without any real purpose in mind. I just kind of pace the aisles, hoping that something will jump out and inspire me. And on a recent trip to Michael's, that's exactly what happened!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2MeOstdKSI/AAAAAAAABUQ/bTUwa_4JNXo/s1600-h/IMG_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2MeOstdKSI/AAAAAAAABUQ/bTUwa_4JNXo/s640/IMG_0017.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /><br />These gold and bronze frames were in the dollar bin. In my "normal" state of mind, I would have passed by these without a second glance. In my "wedding" state of mind, however, I saw potential. They came in many different shapes, and I quickly picked out thirty of the oval and rectangle ones. Once I had these babies home, I proceeded to take them apart.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2MfUQnParI/AAAAAAAABUY/pByV7LaSWAE/s1600-h/IMG_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2MfUQnParI/AAAAAAAABUY/pByV7LaSWAE/s640/IMG_0019.JPG" width="600" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I plan on spray painting them white, and putting our numbers inside. I even made a prototype, but was hoping that the hive could help me with the colour selection (yes, I need your input again - I am very indecisive - are you sick of me yet?).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2MjYK6m4OI/AAAAAAAABUg/V9iUPwy4Neo/s1600-h/number+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2MjYK6m4OI/AAAAAAAABUg/V9iUPwy4Neo/s640/number+collage.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please keep in mind that these will be standing on either navy tablecloths, or navy squares/runners on top of white tablecloths. I made "number 1" first, but the number is a little hard to see in real life. I made "number 3" because Mr. Pudding commented that my obsession with stripes was starting to be a bit concerning :P</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Which do you like best?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Number 1</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Number 2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Number 3</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3452351451963497254?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-47518336781628700432010-01-28T08:14:00.000-08:002010-01-28T08:20:42.338-08:00Honeymoon, Mini-Moon, Not-A-MoonMr. Pudding and I had no trouble deciding that we would skip the traditional honeymoon. With the wedding being such a huge expense, planning an extravagant vacation seemed impossible. Plus, we both agreed that a tropical getaway would be that much sweeter during the winter months - contrary to popular belief, Canada is beautiful and very warm during the summer! So is Vermont, for that matter!<br /><br />So, with a tropical honeymoon postponed, we started thinking about a mini-moon. We considered visiting Mr. Pudding's grandparents in the Finger Lakes, NY. They have a beautiful summer home, and we love spending time with them. We also thought about going to Maine, since we spent a <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/09/the-proposal-12/">beautifully romantic vacation </a>there right before Mr. P proposed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2Gzb-m-jDI/AAAAAAAABUA/lNzcqeNSRjQ/s1600-h/n81008719_37689652_7765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2Gzb-m-jDI/AAAAAAAABUA/lNzcqeNSRjQ/s640/n81008719_37689652_7765.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mr. Pudding and I watching the sunset on a secluded beach in Maine. *Sigh*</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And than it dawned on us - there are guest traveling thousands of miles to be at our wedding. I am having family fly in from Poland, and friends coming from Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. They are traveling to spend time with us, and realistically, at a wedding with a 200+ guest list, there will only be so much time that I will be able to spend with each individual person on the day of.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, it was decided: Not only will there be no honeymoon for us, there will be no mini-moon either. After the wedding, Mr. Pudding and I will spend one night together in a hotel in Toronto, followed by a couple of days staying with Mama Pudding and the visiting family. After that, Mr. P will probably return to Vermont (and work, since we will be saving up his vacation days for a future excursion), and I will stay in Canada for a week or two. I will spend the time with the family and friends that have traveled so far to celebrate this new change in my life.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's not exactly the most romantic option, but we do believe that it is the right one for us. Are any of you postponing the honeymoon? What are your reasons for doing so? Am I the only one who will be spending the days immediately following the wedding separated from their brand new hubby? <br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4751833678162870043?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-74331612834457513042010-01-27T10:14:00.000-08:002010-01-27T10:18:17.369-08:00My First (but not last) Wedding ReturnMy search for <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/18/why-i-need-kick-a-shoes/">the perfect wedding shoe</a>s has not been an easy one, and unfortunately, this story has no happy ending yet. I thought that I had hit the jackpot when I saw these on the Nine West website:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2B-5Gc9pTI/AAAAAAAABSQ/Y-bVvNqXtFQ/s1600-h/PG.NWJANIKA.TAUPESA.PD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2B-5Gc9pTI/AAAAAAAABSQ/Y-bVvNqXtFQ/s400/PG.NWJANIKA.TAUPESA.PD.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ninewest.com/Janika/4061982,default,pd.html?cgid=1062&itemNum=32&variantSizeClass=&variantColor=TAUPESA">(source) </a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They were almost perfect: A beige satin with a slight sheen, pleats (which also make an appearance in my dress), and a darling embellishment. The best part? They were on sale for $39.99! Sure, the heel, at 3.5 inches, was higher than my desired "3 inches or less" criteria, but I own many Nine West shoes because I find them to be affordable and well made - my feet never hurt in a Nine West shoe. So I ordered them, patiently waited for them to come in, and prayed that the heel wouldn't be too high.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, my prayers weren't answered this time around. The shoes were darling, and so comfortable. But, alas, the heel was slightly too high:<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2CAxiIAc5I/AAAAAAAABSw/6ZKTVB9PEIE/s1600-h/102_4074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S2CAxiIAc5I/AAAAAAAABSw/6ZKTVB9PEIE/s640/102_4074.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sorry for the stale pedicure. Also, I'm pretty sure that I didn't shave that day. My apologies.</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>For a moment, I thought about just keeping them. Even if I didn't wear them to the wedding, I could find other uses for them, right? And really, $39.99 is such a good price for a pair of adorable, comfortable heels. And than, the voice of reason - aka Mama Pudding - reminded me that with a wedding just around the corner, every penny counted. So, with a tear in my eye, I took them back to the post office, and sent them on their way. Perhaps a Weddingbee reader could give them a happy home?<br /><br />So, my shoe search continues. Sadly, I doubt that this will be the last shoe return that I will make before the wedding comes around. How many times did you buy and return shoes before finding just the right ones?<br /><br /><i>P.S. Part of the reason why I love 4+inch heels is that they make my giant feet look smaller....any other big - footed girls feel this way?</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7433161283445751304?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-84013484485717791032010-01-23T18:02:00.000-08:002010-01-23T18:02:59.817-08:00BookwormThere are a few things that I enjoy more than curling up with a good book. I have always loved reading, and have fond memories of hiding under the covers with a flashlight and the newest BSC novel. My taste in books has evolved over the years, but the bookworm in me remains constant.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1ubyuz6GRI/AAAAAAAABPc/7fMnPRXI6aw/s1600-h/book-worm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1ubyuz6GRI/AAAAAAAABPc/7fMnPRXI6aw/s400/book-worm.jpg" width="392" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://davespeaks.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/daves-book-club-2010/">(source)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Since I want our wedding to be reflective of our personalities and tastes, I have been looking for ways to incorporate my love of reading into our wedding. I thought about using books in our centerpieces, <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/06/04/one-lucky-day-cont-details-and-whatnots/">a la Mrs. Lovebug</a>, or perhaps giving them a nod on our invitations like <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/09/24/accept-the-imperfection/">Mrs. Avocado</a>. Non of these options seemed quite right though, until I saw this <a href="http://www.livingwithlindsay.com/2009/11/librarians-please-avert-your-eyes.html">tutorial</a> for a beautiful wreath made out of the pages of old books. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with, or how it would turn out, but I just knew that I had to make one.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After a couple of days of hot glue gun fumes, the wreath is complete. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I think that it came out fabulous! Wanna see?<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1uopfZxCLI/AAAAAAAABPk/WSXrpHWcCo0/s1600-h/102_4081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1uopfZxCLI/AAAAAAAABPk/WSXrpHWcCo0/s640/102_4081.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1uo9uT3r8I/AAAAAAAABPs/67jbiJw54mc/s1600-h/102_4080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1uo9uT3r8I/AAAAAAAABPs/67jbiJw54mc/s640/102_4080.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm thinking of making another one and hanging them on the doors of our church. What do you think? Any other suggestions on how I can use it?<br /><br />Are you making sure that your favorite things are represented at the wedding?<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8401348448571779103?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-71332386392158481282010-01-21T08:55:00.000-08:002010-01-21T08:57:11.751-08:00My Secret ShameI have been thinking about writing this post for a while, but have held off in fear of being tar and feathered by an angry bridal mob. As I type, I fear that I may get an email from Pengy any minute demanding that I surrender my Bee privileges. I can only hope that the hive will accept my shame, and not be too harsh with judgment.<br /><br />So, with bated breath, I give you my shameful confession:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1h_dkO-_VI/AAAAAAAABNg/VQ51wRnchvc/s1600-h/happy-chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1h_dkO-_VI/AAAAAAAABNg/VQ51wRnchvc/s640/happy-chicken.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sodahead.com/living/hows-your-attention-span/question-820931/">(source)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love The Chicken Dance. I always have. In fact, Mr. Pudding loves it too. When we hear the sound of that happy song, we just can't wait to get out onto the dance floor and start "wiggling our butts".<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To make things worse, we also like channeling the village people in the YMCA, and getting our conga on to "Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot". Oh, the shame!<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Honestly, I find that these songs, as tacky as they may be, help me loosen up. They're a great way to get the "non-dancers" in the crowd out on the dance floor, since the steps are simple, and pretty universal.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, there you have it, hive. My secret shame. Will you still have me?<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7133238639215848128?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-64982676607906413362010-01-19T09:29:00.000-08:002010-01-19T09:29:17.104-08:00Just You Try to Shut Me UpIt seems like once the six-months-till-the-wedding date passes, everyone starts to get real serious about planning. I (the bride) have been serious about planning for over a year now, but everyone else (including the groom) have shrugged me off until this point. Now everyone is freaking out, and I am the only calm one - since half of what they are freaking out about I've already planned for :P<br /><br />Anyway, I have recently been receiving quite a few requests to speak (or give a toast) at the wedding. Our Dad's will both be speaking to welcome guests (and the new addition to the family), Sister Pudding/MOH will speak, as will BIL/BM. It is customary at Polish weddings for the godmothers and godfathers to speak, and although I am unsure if they will, I will certainly give them the option. I have recently decided that I would like Mama Pudding to say something as well (even though she says that she will be too emotional), and of course, Mr. P will do the customary Groom's toast.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1XccDabRvI/AAAAAAAABLw/60WEY3zrhDs/s1600-h/wedding_toast4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1XccDabRvI/AAAAAAAABLw/60WEY3zrhDs/s400/wedding_toast4.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hallmarkcards.com.au/content/Public/How_To/Celebrate_Weddings/Blessings_and_Toasts.aspx">(source)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div>That's a lot of talking, but I don't care. I figure that every single person that is invited is either family or a close friend, and will want to hear nice (and embarrassing) things said about us. <br /><br />But there will also be one very, very special, very nontraditional speaker at our wedding.....ME!<br /><br />I know that Emily Post would probably frown on this, but I just can't imagine not getting a chance to express my joy on such a special day. That, and I'm a huge microphone hog, and I love the sound of my own voice. Seriously. I've served as the M.C. at many a wedding/cultural event. Just look at me hamming it up:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1XrDcnmKaI/AAAAAAAABMQ/T_FK-lOpPYs/s1600-h/mc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S1XrDcnmKaI/AAAAAAAABMQ/T_FK-lOpPYs/s640/mc.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh yah, I'm loving every minute of that. Just you try to shut me up at my own wedding!<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are there any other brides ditching tradition and planning to give a speech or toast at their wedding? <br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6498267660790641336?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-65715795091003413842010-01-14T13:29:00.000-08:002010-01-14T13:34:01.019-08:00The Months BeforeOne of my very good friends got married last year. Her relationship with her husband started around the same time that Mr. Pudding and I began dating, and we've been through some similar ups and downs with our men.<br /><br />When I visited her a couple of months after her (beautiful) wedding, she told me something that I didn't quite understand at the time. She told me that the months before the wedding were some of the hardest months that she had ever been through with her boy, and that she thought about walking out of the relationship many times before opting to walk down the aisle instead.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0-HIrLoruI/AAAAAAAABLo/W1ipiefX2PI/s1600-h/couple-fighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0-HIrLoruI/AAAAAAAABLo/W1ipiefX2PI/s640/couple-fighting.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jeremiahsimmons.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/restoring-the-bond-in-distressed-marriages/">(source) </a><br /></div><br />I have to admit that, at the time, I totally judged her. I couldn't help but wonder what would make a woman marry a man that she was constantly fighting with. She told me that some of her girlfriends felt the same way about their husbands-to-be the last couple of months before their wedding, and that this subsided after the "I Do's". I thought that they just didn't love their partners as much as I love Mr. Pudding.<br /><br />Now that our wedding approaches, however, Mr. P and I have been fighting more than usual. Mr.Pudding and I aren't really the type of people who fight - our verbal disagreements usually consist of us telling each other why we are angry, and than kissing to make it better - so the sudden outburst of arguments seems particularly odd.<br /><br />Every couple argues. It's inevitable that your partner will do something to completely aggravate you at least once a week, no matter what the status of your relationship. The difference when you are engaged is that you feel like this is your last chance to walk away. This "fight or flight" instinct is what I think causes people to argue in the months leading up to their marriage. Suddenly, your partner's cute little flaws are something that you will have to live with FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. That is one scary thought!<br /><br />The months before the wedding are stressful. Subconsciously, you can't help but think that this is your last chance to bail on your partner's shortcomings (which he/she no doubt has). It is one of the few times in a relationship when you think more about the bad in your partner than the good.<br /><br />Luckily for me, Mr. Pudding and I are (mostly) able to recognize the true source of these fights when they happen. We remind one another that we are fighting about something that is insignificant, and that we love each other. We always remember to laugh them off.<br /><br />Anyone else notice that the amount of arguments you have with your significant other increases the closer you get to the wedding? How do you cope with this phenomena?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6571579509100341384?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-21398894667793219562010-01-13T11:00:00.000-08:002010-01-13T11:06:54.156-08:00Fabric Backed Save the Dates: A TutorialRemember my beautiful STD's? Here's a reminder, just in case you've forgotten ;)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04I0ANy4HI/AAAAAAAABKo/AoJDnPVkVSQ/s1600-h/STDpic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04I0ANy4HI/AAAAAAAABKo/AoJDnPVkVSQ/s640/STDpic2.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />Several of you have asked me for a tutorial, and of course I am happy to oblige!<br /><br />You may remember that I got the <a href="http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/goodthings/textiles-message?autonomy_kw=fabric%20invitations">original inspiration from Martha</a>. Her instructions, however, were a little lacking. Here they are verbatim:<br /><a href="http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/goodthings/textiles-message?autonomy_kw=fabric%20invitations"><br /></a><br /><i>"To make these cloth-backed cards, get yourself an easy-to-use sticker-maker called the Xyron 500. After you've fed the material through the machine -- thin fabrics like cotton work best -- trim the now-sticky piece with a rotary cutter, and then affix it to the back of the invite".</i><br /><br />Ummm....several problems came to mind. First of all, I do not have a Xyron, and buying one seemed excessive. Also, I couldn't help but wonder what Martha intended to do about the edges of the cards. I mean, wouldn't the fabric fray?<br /><br />I decided to try to figure this thing out on my own, and am more than happy to share the results with you. Keep in mind that I am not the craftiest of people, and there may be an easier way to achieve the same result. Please feel free to modify to your heart's content!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />You will need the following supplies:<br /><br /><ul><li>Fabric<br /></li><li>Bristol board and/or cardstock </li><li>Paper Cutter</li><li>Glue, and lot's of it - I used Elmer's Craft Bond Spray Adhesive, but supplemented with a Scotch Craft Stick, and a hot glue gun.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04QoFB-A6I/AAAAAAAABK4/Q58nzPzezA0/s1600-h/inst1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04QoFB-A6I/AAAAAAAABK4/Q58nzPzezA0/s640/inst1.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />First of all, gather and trim the cardstock that you plan to use as the backing to your desired length. I used all sorts of random scraps that I had lying around.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04Sc43iqjI/AAAAAAAABLA/5kFYAia7Ll4/s1600-h/inst3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04Sc43iqjI/AAAAAAAABLA/5kFYAia7Ll4/s640/inst3.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />Next, cut your fabric at least 2 inches larger on each side than the cardstock. I also ironed the fabric after cutting it. I'm kind of anal retentive like that :P<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04TmLwAUmI/AAAAAAAABLI/8MgQoxXZ6SU/s1600-h/inst5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04TmLwAUmI/AAAAAAAABLI/8MgQoxXZ6SU/s640/inst5.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />Spray the cardstock with the adhesive, and place it on the material. Use the craft stick on the long edges of the fabric, and fold them in.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04U5X37Y4I/AAAAAAAABLQ/PSw-FIMH1YI/s1600-h/inst7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04U5X37Y4I/AAAAAAAABLQ/PSw-FIMH1YI/s640/inst7.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />Next, I cut the top layer of the unfolded material, and folded the corners of the bottom layer in. I did this because it made the fold less bulky.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04Vpsk7jUI/AAAAAAAABLY/--8UhqK1kdY/s1600-h/inst9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04Vpsk7jUI/AAAAAAAABLY/--8UhqK1kdY/s640/inst9.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />I repeated this process on the top of the backing, and glued down both sides with the craft stick. I also ran a little bit of clear nail polish over the four corners to make sure that they wouldn't fray. I stacked the finished cards underneath a heavy book overnight to make sure that the glue stuck.<br /><br />That's it! Your fabric backing is ready for the invitation. Mine was made of two layers: the yellow layer was just regular printer paper, and the white layer was linen paper from <a href="http://www.paperandmore.com/index.html">Paper and More</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04XSiUI9tI/AAAAAAAABLg/w1rWPiKdQs8/s1600-h/IMG_0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S04XSiUI9tI/AAAAAAAABLg/w1rWPiKdQs8/s640/IMG_0312.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />For some reason, sticking the yellow layer onto the fabric was the hardest part. I ended up using a glue gun to make sure that the whole thing stuck together. The linen paper had no problem sticking to the yellow paper, and covered up the glue gun marks.<br /><br />I hope someone out there finds this useful! Let me know if you decide to make any fabric covered stationary yourself - I'd love to hear tips and/or success stories!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2139889466779321956?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-35397675468130379312010-01-12T19:53:00.000-08:002010-01-12T20:01:23.759-08:00The PlanIn my last post, I mentioned <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/01/12/losing-it/#comments">the extreme methods</a> I went to in order to lose my "college 20". With 6 months to go until the wedding, I am happy to say that no such methods will be required this time around. I am at a healthy weight, and am fairly happy with the way I look. Like most girls, I am continuously looking to lose that last 5 pounds, but I don't think that this should be a problem considering the amount of time I have left.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.medifast1.com/">MediFast</a> plan was extreme, but it did teach me a practical lesson about loosing weight. Many people swear that the only true and honest way to loose weight is by counting calories. While I tend to agree with this method, I found that it did not work for me. I just had a hard time figuring out how many calories were packed into the food that I was eating. I tried using some of the many <a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/">calorie counters</a> that can be found on the web, but the truth is that most of the Polish-centric food that I eat on a day to day basis is just not listed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S01DKrXbKWI/AAAAAAAABIY/k2QS1JeKK5k/s1600-h/fish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S01DKrXbKWI/AAAAAAAABIY/k2QS1JeKK5k/s640/fish.JPG" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>An example of a Polish dish served at the two weddings Mr. P and I attended in Poland during the summer. I dare you to try figuring out how many calories this guy is packing</i>!<br /></div><br />MediFast works on a 5 + 1 system. Basically, throughout the day you are allowed to eat 5 MediFast meals and one "lean and green" meal of your choice. This works out to eating about once every 2 hours.<br /><br />This is the golden ticket for me. I do not count calories (not really) but I do count the time between eating. I make note of the exact time that I have a meal, and tell myself that I will not eat for at least the next two hours. I keep my "meals" between 150-200 calories, and don't eat until I am hungry again. So, for instance, if I had breakfast at 8:00am, I will not eat again until 10:00am. If at 10:00am I am ravenous, I eat another "under 200" snack. If I am not hungry, I put off eating until I am; say at 10:30am. In this case, I would not have my third meal until 12:30. I have between 4 - 5 of such "meals" per day, and add one full meal - basically whatever the family happens to be eating, although I do try to opt for the healthier options, or eat the less healthy in moderation.<br /><br />This works for me for several reasons: First of all, I don't actually have to track anything. I found that when I was counting calories, I spent a lot of time researching and documenting. With this method, all of that time can be put to good use blogging instead. Also, and perhaps most importantly, I CAN EAT ANYTHING I WANT! If I want a granola bar, I eat it. If I want a handful of M&M's, I can eat them, too. Of course, I have to limit myself to only 200 calories worth of M&M's, but I can still indulge if I feel like it. Having one "free" meal a day also helps, since I hate watching everyone else eat good food while I chew on some celery. This way, I can enjoy dinner out with family and friends, and after a while your stomach gets so used to the small meals, that you end up eating a lot less during your "full meal" than you normally would.<br /><br />I am pairing this method with at least 30 minutes of exercise (any exercise) per day. I think that if I stick to this plan, I will be well on my way to looking my hottest on our wedding day. After all, those pictures will follow me around for the rest of my life, and I want my grandchildren to comment on how smokin' their grandma was when they look at them!<br /><br />What are you doing to get in shape for your big day? Any big diet and/or exercise secrets you would like to share?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3539767546813037931?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-1296910875503220292010-01-11T11:56:00.000-08:002010-01-11T12:05:15.035-08:00Losing ItFor all of those July brides (and grooms) out there, we have officially hit the 6 month mark! <br /><br />For me, this means that it's finally time to start a health and fitness routine that will turn me into one hot bride. But before I tell you about my plans to achieve my most hottest self, I think that we should flashback to 2008, just before Mr. Pudding and I got engaged, and became <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/10/our-engagement-party/">legally married</a>.<br /><br />Even though we didn't consider our civil ceremony to be "the real deal", I still wanted to be a smoking hot "non-bride". The problem was that after my first year of working, I still had not lost the weight that I gained in college.<br /><br />Now, when you are a tall girl like me (5'9), you realize that there are pros and cons to your height. First of all, you must come to terms with the fact that no matter how much you diet or work out, you will always be "bigger" than your girlfriends. Miss Samantha Jones demonstrates this quite accurately:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0tvrP_hOhI/AAAAAAAABHI/wXMet-2QZVM/s1600-h/satc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0tvrP_hOhI/AAAAAAAABHI/wXMet-2QZVM/s640/satc.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fadedyouthblog.com/153773/sarah-jessica-parker-and-kim-catrall-put-the-rumours-to-rest"> (source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Both ladies are beautiful, no doubt, but Kim is very clearly "bigger". Just look at their legs! Sometimes, my "bigger" form gets to me a little bit. In a world that is obsessed with numbers - pounds, dress sizes - it's hard to keep the fact that as a "bigger" girl, my numbers have to be "bigger" as well. This does not mean that I am any less beautiful or attractive! <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the most part though, I am happy with my body type. The true plus of being a tall girl is the fact that you can easily gain 5, 10, 15 pounds, and nobody will notice! The extra weight distributes itself proportionally, and no one is the wiser. From day to day, your body looks like it hasn't changed much.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is, until you start looking at pictures.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I entered college looking like this:<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0tzExSXhgI/AAAAAAAABHQ/J3_RwQMvi7k/s1600-h/uni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0tzExSXhgI/AAAAAAAABHQ/J3_RwQMvi7k/s400/uni.jpg" width="367" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My college besties and I....see what I mean about being "bigger"? I think that I look fantastic in this pic, but let's compare my hips to those of the bestie on my left, shall we?</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And by 2008, one year after finishing school, I looked like this:<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0t4bVW6t0I/AAAAAAAABHg/wpSxoxrELx8/s1600-h/fat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0t4bVW6t0I/AAAAAAAABHg/wpSxoxrELx8/s320/fat.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />The changes in my body crept up slowly, fueled by a lack of exercise and a diet of french fries and Ben and Jerry's. I didn't notice my body changing, until one day, a couple of months before our engagement, I looked in the mirror and saw someone I didn't recognize.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The weight was stored mostly in my upper body. My face became chubbier, my breasts ballooned, and my love handles got bigger. My legs, butt, and thighs remained pretty much the same, though. My pant size didn't increase much, which is probably why I didn't notice how much weight I actually gained. Although no one would call me "overweight", I was about 10 pounds over what would be considered healthy, and 20 pounds over my ideal weight.<br /><br />The photo above was taken in June of 2008. By September of that year, I would look like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0t8cKTJhRI/AAAAAAAABHw/IWX9Yy7Pqyw/s1600-h/w1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0t8cKTJhRI/AAAAAAAABHw/IWX9Yy7Pqyw/s640/w1.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />I was able to loose the weight that I had accumulated over 5 years in less than 3 months - actually, it took about a month and a half.<br /><br />How did I do it? Well, around the same time that I was realizing it was time to make a change, my FMIL was on the <a href="http://www.medifast1.com/index.aspx">MediFast</a> program.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0t_cf5qxbI/AAAAAAAABH4/Zz2qF4M6N10/s1600-h/medifast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0t_cf5qxbI/AAAAAAAABH4/Zz2qF4M6N10/s400/medifast.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.medifast1.com/index.aspx">(source)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">She was loosing weight very rapidly, and I thought that I should give it a try. I have to admit, I did not do a lot of research on this diet before I started it. My FMIL works in the medical profession, and I trusted her judgment.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, let's just get something very clear: this diet is not easy. The food is...well...flavorless at best, and sticking to the diet takes an extreme amount of discipline. But if you follow the program, the weight melts off quite quickly, or at least it did for me.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Did anyone else try the MediFast system? Are there any other successful diet stories out there? <br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-129691087550322029?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-18475752805448524662010-01-09T08:47:00.000-08:002010-01-09T08:47:33.980-08:00Let's Polka!I have yet to sit down and plan the music that will be played at the Pudding wedding. I have no idea what tune will accompany our first dance or what song I will listen to while I walk down the aisle.<br /><br />I do know one thing though. Our reception will have a very special guest performer:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ipGysPZPI/AAAAAAAABGs/ZTR6AKzJKUU/s1600-h/grandpa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ipGysPZPI/AAAAAAAABGs/ZTR6AKzJKUU/s640/grandpa.jpeg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />Meet Mr. Pudding's grandfather, aka The Polka King.<br /><br />I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, but Mr. P is 1/4 Polish, and that 1/4 comes from his maternal grandfather. Mr. P's grandfather is very patriotic, and did his best to instill Polish traditions in his family. Let's just say that Mr. Pudding earned major brownie points when he announced his intentions to marry a true flesh and blood "Polka"*.<br /><br />Mr. Pudding's grandfather is a Polka playing machine. He plays the accordion at all family functions, and our wedding will be no exception. Even though Mr. Pudding's Polka dancing skills are a little spastic, and my feet will no doubt get trampled, I can't wait for our first (but certainly not last) Polka as husband and wife!<br /><br />Are you having a family member or friend "perform" at your wedding?<br /><br /><br />* the word "Polka" actually means "Polish girl"<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1847575280544852466?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-12351154637291537172010-01-07T14:14:00.000-08:002010-01-07T14:27:32.051-08:00A True Labour of Love (and Hate)<div style="text-align: left;">I am incredibly happy to report that after months of hard labour, our STD's are finally finished! They are all tucked away into their yellow envelopes, but are waiting to be sent out until Mr. Pudding finishes our (completely original, completely beautiful) wedding website. I can't wait to share them with you though, and doubt that many of our wedding guests are reading Weddingbee :P<br /></div><br />Hive, meet our STD's! Be nice - They're a little shy:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0Y7l9-ENvI/AAAAAAAABDA/DvUItN2rGG0/s1600-h/102_4043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0Y7l9-ENvI/AAAAAAAABDA/DvUItN2rGG0/s400/102_4043.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />At first, I thought that I would print the addresses on the envelopes, but I tried writing them myself with a bold-tip calligraphy pen, and decided that they didn't look so bad. I also added the little flourish at the bottom of the envelopes - isn't it cute (in a <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/05/18/the-glossy-invitations-invite-design-basics/">Mrs. Gloss</a> kind of way)? <br /><br />When our guests open their envelopes - and I'm assuming that they will open them in a nice, neat way instead of just ripping them - they will see these beautiful liners that took forever to print, cut, and glue:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZQAi-TL-I/AAAAAAAABDI/ef3Rd4VPhkA/s1600-h/102_4045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZQAi-TL-I/AAAAAAAABDI/ef3Rd4VPhkA/s400/102_4045.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />The front of the card looks like this (it pains me to blur):<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZTJHWiXlI/AAAAAAAABDQ/OXa6AqYoZHc/s1600-h/STDpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZTJHWiXlI/AAAAAAAABDQ/OXa6AqYoZHc/s320/STDpic.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />I wanted the cards to be sweet and simple. Their intent was to point our guests to our website, where they would find all of the information they would ever need. Here is another shot:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZV42lhy6I/AAAAAAAABDg/NilgC1g3E_w/s1600-h/STDpic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZV42lhy6I/AAAAAAAABDg/NilgC1g3E_w/s320/STDpic2.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wondering about the backing paper? Do you remember this <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/19/stds-1/">post</a>? It's not paper...it's fabric! I originally got the idea from <a href="http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/goodthings/textiles-message?autonomy_kw=fabric%20invitations">Martha</a>, but had to tweak it because her instructions were.....well....lacking.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">STD, do a little twirl, why don't ya!<br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZXeTJLxDI/AAAAAAAABDo/PHDlG67ZU_Y/s1600-h/102_4050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZXeTJLxDI/AAAAAAAABDo/PHDlG67ZU_Y/s320/102_4050.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZXyo4DhKI/AAAAAAAABDw/YT1oyhGUGZY/s1600-h/102_4052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZXyo4DhKI/AAAAAAAABDw/YT1oyhGUGZY/s320/102_4052.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />The fabric backing took forever to finish, but I think that the end result is so unique and adorable! Let's take a couple of more looks shall we?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZaCkFgiAI/AAAAAAAABF0/9yiw3-k2ivQ/s1600-h/STDpic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZaCkFgiAI/AAAAAAAABF0/9yiw3-k2ivQ/s320/STDpic3.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0Ze7GZ0lrI/AAAAAAAABGM/QZmL00H_ya8/s1600-h/STDpic4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0Ze7GZ0lrI/AAAAAAAABGM/QZmL00H_ya8/s320/STDpic4.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />And here they are all ready to embark on their adventures!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZaXnyYswI/AAAAAAAABF8/a7L3896sSAo/s1600-h/102_4055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0ZaXnyYswI/AAAAAAAABF8/a7L3896sSAo/s320/102_4055.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />What do you think? Did you make your own STDs? How long did the project take to complete?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1235115463729153717?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-8234159838554320612010-01-06T13:31:00.000-08:002010-01-06T14:05:04.362-08:00Who Doesn't Love a Fashion Show?Back in December, MOH/Little Sister Pudding came to visit me in Vermont. She was here for a <i>whole</i> week, and we spent most of it talking wedding. Little Sister P is the only person in the whole world that has no problem listening to me talk wedding 24/7...perhaps because she is a huge talker and on most days it is me who listens to her rambling stories and nods my head :P<br /><br />Anyway, we took the opportunity of having <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/17/an-ode-to-our-wedding-party/">both of my bridesmaids</a> in the same country and went dress shopping. We invited MIL Pudding to come along, and she, in turn, invited her mother, so this really turned into quite the little party! I had such a wonderful time being surrounded by all of these ladies, and it makes me feel all mushy inside that the women in Mr. P's family are just as excited to have me become a part of their family as I am to join it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T9tgg4tbI/AAAAAAAAA_0/bYgWnuCaw7I/s1600-h/BM+Dress+-+collage+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T9tgg4tbI/AAAAAAAAA_0/bYgWnuCaw7I/s640/BM+Dress+-+collage+3.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>How adorable is Grandma P? She was the official photographer of the excursion. MIL P and I took some time to explore the wedding dresses - I was trying to show her the basic "feel" of my dress, since she hasn't seen it (none of the dresses even compared to mine though).<br /></i><br /></div><br />We went to a total of three bridal stores: One great, one good, and one a total bust. But we did try on dresses - lot's of dresses!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T1WsChjlI/AAAAAAAAA-8/pvO1bUp-fAU/s1600-h/BM+Dress+-+collage+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T1WsChjlI/AAAAAAAAA-8/pvO1bUp-fAU/s640/BM+Dress+-+collage+1.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />I'm sure that everyone says this, but I swear that it is true in my case: I have the most beautiful bridesmaids that ever graced a wedding.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T2Y42fuqI/AAAAAAAAA_E/La0_IGh9Xlw/s1600-h/BM+Dress+-+collage+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T2Y42fuqI/AAAAAAAAA_E/La0_IGh9Xlw/s640/BM+Dress+-+collage+2.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><br />We ended up with a couple of contenders, although we did not make any final decisions. Everyone kept asking me what I thought, and I just couldn't bring myself to pick a dress that someone else would have to wear. I saw several dresses that made me think, "wow, I could rock this dress", but I wanted my <i>girls</i> to feel this way. Did anyone else feel weird about forcing your tastes onto your maids?<br /><br />So, without further ado, here are the current BM dress contenders:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T9hY-n92I/AAAAAAAAA_s/j6aSc7yq8xU/s1600-h/contender+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T9hY-n92I/AAAAAAAAA_s/j6aSc7yq8xU/s400/contender+1.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>First, we have my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/23/the-dress-that-almost-made-me-change-my-mind-1/">first love</a>. This dress is by <a href="http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/common/store/catalog/templates/ET1.jhtml?Ns=PCT_DISCOUNT%7C1&N=4294956509&st=s">Shoshanna</a> - it's the only short dress that I can picture on my 'maids. </i><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T4wkeqQoI/AAAAAAAAA_U/q6V1Qx9Piz0/s1600-h/contender+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T4wkeqQoI/AAAAAAAAA_U/q6V1Qx9Piz0/s400/contender+2.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This next one is a <a href="http://grandasia.com/B2-B2078-Bridesmaid-Dress-P324602.aspx">B2</a> dress. Sister P was concerned that it made her look "hippie" (as in love handles, not "flower power"). I, of course, thought that she looked beautiful! </i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T7JLPjjxI/AAAAAAAAA_c/bbtjMsGwGWQ/s1600-h/contender+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T7JLPjjxI/AAAAAAAAA_c/bbtjMsGwGWQ/s400/contender+3.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>We all loved the classy simplicity of this <a href="http://www.jasminebridal.com/J_2_1_1_1.aspx?sqno=JPN2008092510517&j_style_no=STYL20080821006&j_line_no=LINE20080821018&j_line_season=B">Belsoie</a> gown. The empire waist sash is satin, while the rest of the dress is chiffon, which kind of gives the whole thing a "tuxedo" look. I am not sure if it photographs that well, though...</i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T8YVTf0kI/AAAAAAAAA_k/MEecPkGo0ZQ/s1600-h/contender+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0T8YVTf0kI/AAAAAAAAA_k/MEecPkGo0ZQ/s400/contender+4.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>And last, but not least, we have this <a href="http://www.priscillaofboston.com/dress_detail.jsp?gid=620&sfid=51170&f=">Vineyard</a> gown. Sorry about cutting off Sister P's head. Pictures weren't really "encouraged" at this salon :P</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So ladies, help an indecisive Bee out, would ya? Which dress do you like best?<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. What is up with bridal promotional photos? I have yet to see a model rock a wedding or bridesmaid gown like a "regular" girl does!<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-823415983855432061?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-74626479119531079992010-01-03T19:09:00.000-08:002010-01-06T14:08:53.676-08:00Walk With Me<a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/04/a-bride-unveiled/">As you know</a>, I am very much looking forward to this moment at our wedding:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0E6ZnhrYLI/AAAAAAAAA8U/oNOEH-EMkGQ/s1600-h/lifting+veil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="nnn" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/S0E6ZnhrYLI/AAAAAAAAA8U/oNOEH-EMkGQ/s1600/lifting+veil.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.zeniaphotography.com/">(source)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Although the tradition of "giving the bride away" is considered incredibly outdated and very patriarchal, I think that the meaning behind the concept of a father walking his daughter down the aisle has changed in the last couple of decades. To me, it has become more of a symbol of parental support for the union, rather than a sign of male dominance.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Being a fairly traditional girl, I have always wanted my father to walk me down the aisle. Lately tough, I have been questioning my resolve in following this custom. As <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/15/a-love-story-one-family-two-brides/">you may have deduced</a>, my parents are divorced: They separated about 5 years ago. Even though everyone in my family is better off because of it, this situation produces a very complicated set of wedding issues (and a whole mixed bag of mental ones, but that's a story for another day).<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mainly, I am concerned about the fact that my father is not really representative of my family. He is definitely a part of it, but since he and my mother are no longer a unit, the "symbol of parental support" mentality that I have attached to the walk down the aisle doesn't seem complete. I would never dream of taking this honour away from him, I just wish that there was a way to acknowledge the fact that my mother is behind our union (individually) as well. I'd love to have them both walk me down, but their relationship is not very friendly, and I feel like keeping them apart as much as possible is the best way to avoid unnecessary conflict.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Come to think of it, the tradition of the father-bride, mother-groom dance doesn't really seem conducive for divorced families either: Why should only one side be acknowledged?<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do any of you come from divorced families? What did you do to ensure that both parents felt like they played an equally important role on your day? <br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7462647911953107999?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-39410078804794949182009-12-30T14:24:00.000-08:002010-01-03T19:26:30.262-08:00Being Held AccountableDo you <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/20/the-stds-revisted-part-one/">remember</a> the <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/21/the-stds-revisited-part-two/">evolution</a> of my STD's?<br /><br />You don't?<br /><br />Well, that's probably because it's been forever since I talked about them (more like just over a month - that is called a hyperbole - consider this a "teachable moment"). I am ashamed to tell you this, hive, but my STD's are still not finished. I have been making a major push to get them done before the year is up, but I am unsure if I will succeed. With our wedding being in July, this really is "do or die" time. If I don't get them done in the next week or so, I might as well forget them and move on to the invitations.<br /><br />So, I am begging you to help me stop procrastinating and finish these puppies up! I give you permission to call me a slacker, a dead-beat bride, or any other insult you can come up with until I write that triumphant "they're in the mail" post. And as a reward for your troubles, here is a sneak peak of the finished product:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SzvS4q4c_1I/AAAAAAAAA8M/h73OEoW3Bzw/s1600-h/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SzvS4q4c_1I/AAAAAAAAA8M/h73OEoW3Bzw/s640/IMG_0311.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What project have you been putting off? <br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-3941007880479494918?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-26741271442699344782009-12-26T18:48:00.000-08:002010-01-03T19:25:21.681-08:00(Photographer) Growing PainsRemember our fabulous<a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/13/our-photographer-4/"> photographer</a>? I was so happy that I was able to find and book one that had an amazing portfolio and offered his services for a reasonable price.<br /><br />Lately, the business of our amazing photographer has been booming. And why not? He is talented, professional, and affordable. A couple of months after we booked him, his prices went up by almost 50%. Sister Pudding (who interviewed the photog with me) and I both agreed that this was a good move - he really was a steal at what we paid. I was super happy that I managed to nab him before he got really popular.<br /><br />Just the other day, I was stalking our photographer's blog (totally normal, right?) and discovered that his studio is growing. When I hired him, the studio consisted of him and another shooter. Well, he recently hired 10 more photographers! Talk about expansion!<br /><br />This made me a little worried about who would actually shoot our wedding. I wrote the photog a quick email, asking what these changes meant for our wedding. He replied that he would no longer be shooting it. Two other photographers on his team would be.<br /><br />This worried me big time. We hired him because we really clicked with him. I felt like he understood our vision for the wedding, and now someone we have never met would be shooting it! I took a quick glance at our contract, and discovered that it did not specify that the original photographer would shoot the wedding himself, but rather that a "studio photographer" would take the pics. I clearly remember omitting the "will you be the one shooting our wedding" question from my list of things to ask - after all, there would be two photogs at our wedding, and only two at the studio at the time.<br /><br />Nervously, I wrote an email explaining my discomfort. Luckily, our photographer is a great guy, and explained to me that I had nothing to worry about. The two photogs shooting our wedding were hand-selected by him, and their work is fabulous. He even suggested scheduling an engagement session where he would shoot alongside the other two, and offered to shift things around so that he would shoot the wedding if I was still uncomfortable after that.<br /><br />I haven't decided what I want to do yet, since I don't want to be difficult, and the work of the other two photographers is indeed pretty fabulous. Just feast your eyes on these:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SzbKiNWVaJI/AAAAAAAAA8E/fZMROIwK1gA/s1600-h/13745_313639435458_687935458_9717330_5094452_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SzbKiNWVaJI/AAAAAAAAA8E/fZMROIwK1gA/s640/13745_313639435458_687935458_9717330_5094452_n.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SzbKdZZvRxI/AAAAAAAAA78/bP-3rDV59TM/s1600-h/13745_313646770458_687935458_9717714_1427187_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SzbKdZZvRxI/AAAAAAAAA78/bP-3rDV59TM/s640/13745_313646770458_687935458_9717714_1427187_n.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rsblog.ca/">(source)</a><br /></div><br />What do you think I should do? Have any of you been in a situation like this?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2674127144269934478?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-89233040808390466042009-12-22T08:51:00.000-08:002009-12-22T08:53:39.972-08:00I'll be Home for Christmas (But Only in my Dreams)In my last post, I talked about the good things that can sometimes come with a long distance relationship. Now, I am going to talk about the worst: spending the holidays apart.<br /><br />Mr. Pudding and I have always spent the holidays far away from each other. Even during our years at college, he would go home to Vermont for the holidays, and I would go to Toronto. We would exchange excited phone calls and emails about family events, and send pictures of us opening presents and celebrating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigilia">Wigilia</a>. We were always extremely sad at the fact that we were unable to share these moments together.<br /><br />This year, Mr. Pudding and I will spend Christmas together for the very first time. We have dreamed of our first Christmas together for such a long time that I feel like my heart should be bursting with joy.<br /><br />It's not. For the last couple of days I have been very sad about the fact that I will not spend Christmas with <i>my </i>family. I have been missing my Mama, and Sister Pudding, and Tata Pudding, and even Brother Pudding (who's studying overseas and won't be home for Christmas either). I'm terribly sad about all of the family traditions that I will be missing, like Mama Pudding making Sister P and I bake terrible sugar cookie men, that often end up missing a leg, or an arm, or a head. I miss our plastic Christmas tree with lot's and lot's of silver tinsel. I miss the fact that the Christmas season meant that the whole family would be dressed to the nines all day, and we had to go to church practically every day for a week.<br /><br />This year, I will be celebrating Christmas with the love of my life. We will open presents on Christmas Day (my fam opens them on Christmas Eve), in my pajamas, next to a real, live Christmas tree. We will eat cookies that look like they belong in a Martha Stewart magazine. It will be wonderful, and lovely, and very joyous.<br /><br />But it won't be home.<br /><br />Anyone else spending their first Christmas away from their family?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8923304080839046604?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-79888140680497411642009-12-21T20:56:00.000-08:002009-12-21T20:56:43.971-08:00Sometimes, I miss our LDRI've mentioned before that Mr. Pudding and I were in a 2 year, long distance relationship. After being together (off and on) for four years in college, we both decided that we were not yet ready to commit to moving to another country. Our relationship was at a "make it or break it" point, and there was no better way to test its strength.<br /><br />Our LDR taught us that we desperately, intensely, passionately wanted to be together. Now, don't get me wrong, being in a LDR is rough. I spent many nights upset and crying because I wanted Mr. P beside me, not 600km away.<br /><br />Still, there were definitely some advantages to our situation. The thing about LDRs is that they can be extremely romantic - the constant hellos and goodbyes are very exciting, and it is hard to be mad at each other when you're only spending a weekend together.<br /><br />So, I thought that it would be fun to share my list of top 10 things that I loved about being in a LDR:<br /><ol><li>Flowers - Mr. P used to bring me flowers at least once every two months when we were in an LDR. Now, I haven't seen a bouquet since we have been reunited almost 4 months ago.</li><li>Fancy Dates - When you are in an LDR, you want to make every moment together count. We went to all of the local museums and hot spots. Now, we spend most nights on the couch (which, admittedly, I love).</li><li>Being constantly connected - When we were apart, Mr. P and I would chat via G-Chat throughout the day, and always, always talked on the phone before going to bed.</li><li>Talking - As a result of being constantly connected, Mr. P and I used to talk about the most mundane things. Everything from what we had for lunch to what we were watching on tv seemed like breaking news.</li><li>Kissing - Mr. P and I were majorly into the PDA when we were in an LDR. We're still a sickeningly lovey dovey couple, but it's definitely been toned down.</li><li>Anticipation - There is no better feeling than waiting for your honey to arrive, knowing that he would be there any moment, and you had the whole weekend ahead of you.</li><li>Feeling desired - I'm sorry, but there is nothing more attractive than a man who would drive a total of 14 hours just to spend 48 with you.</li><li>Wanting to be desired - I would primp for every single visit. My nails would always be done, and my legs always shaved. Not so much now :P</li><li>Picking a fight out of sadness, not anger - Like clockwork, Mr. P and I would always get in a fight on our way to the train station. There was something freeing about getting rid of all those emotions, knowing that this release came from a sadness that the other was leaving.</li><li>Planning the next scheduled visit - Mr. P and I visited each other every other weekend. It felt almost like anticipating Christmas morning twice a month!</li></ol>Are any of you in an LDR? What do you love/hate about being far away from each other?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7988814068049741164?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-65834169474658558352009-12-18T10:24:00.000-08:002009-12-18T10:24:37.025-08:00She'll Be Coming Across the Ocean (Maybe)My <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Babcia</span> is the most wonderful, courageous, and inspiring woman that I have ever met. She survived WWII in Poland, where she was imprisoned in a Nazi work camp. After the war, she walked home from the camp....it took her several weeks. Despite that, she managed to raise 6 kids, 4 of whom would eventually move to Canada. Despite the distance, and the fact that most women her age would be terrified to get on a plane, she has traveled to Canada more than a dozen times.<br /><br />This is a picture of my aunt, my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Babcia</span> and me taken when I visited Poland this summer:<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/StYhupcY_GI/AAAAAAAAAtI/7loNarxRF74/s1600-h/IMG_1060.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392534689105378402" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/StYhupcY_GI/AAAAAAAAAtI/7loNarxRF74/s320/IMG_1060.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">(photo by Mr. Pudding)<br /><br /></div>I am ashamed to say that this is the only picture that I took with my dear <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Babcia</span>. I only saw her for one weekend and was too busy listening to family stories to think about grabbing my camera.<br /><br />Anyway, my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Babcia</span> has promised to make it to Canada for our wedding next year. Nothing would make me happier than to have her with me on that day. We have a very special relationship, and along with Mama and Sister Pudding, she is one of the most important women in my life.<br /><br />Nevertheless, my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Babcia</span> turned 86 in October, and even though she is in very good health, I realize that at her age things could change by next summer. She might not be able to make the long and exhausting journey to Canada. Because she is also aware of this, she gave both Mr. Pudding and me a wedding present when we were in Poland, "just in case". <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Babcia Pudding</span> is very religious, so she gave both of us rosaries. Here is mine:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/StYpG5AXP5I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/UeTzTkAebTM/s1600-h/IMG_0214.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392542802181046162" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/StYpG5AXP5I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/UeTzTkAebTM/s320/IMG_0214.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />(photo by me)<br /><br /></div>I would like to carry this rosary with me on my wedding day, and I think wrapping it around the stems of my flowers would be the perfect way to do that. I'm thinking something like <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bridalpartytees.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/memories-2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bridalpartytees.com/blog/%3Fcat%3D26&usg=__lftleYBFFnsZejYKEzMhRthquuo=&h=324&w=475&sz=59&hl=en&start=23&sig2=KFl1pXQeYbrh7RscVTJrQg&um=1&tbnid=4jrXgVXhTYcs3M:&tbnh=88&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwedding%2Bflower%2Bstems%2Brosary%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1&ei=2S_WSvJV0c2MB5qkvP0J" style="color: #ffff66;">this</a><span style="color: #ffff66;"> </span>image on the left:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/StYwPm7q9sI/AAAAAAAAAtY/zYt_KO2k1ec/s1600-h/memories-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392550648529745602" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/StYwPm7q9sI/AAAAAAAAAtY/zYt_KO2k1ec/s320/memories-2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 218px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br />Since I plan on wearing gold and pearl jewelry, I think that this will be a perfect little detail for my flowers.<br /><br /><br />Are you having any long distance guest at your wedding? How are you planning to honour the ones that can't make it?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6583416947465855835?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-56376843856437748222009-12-16T20:59:00.000-08:002010-01-09T07:27:37.778-08:00Why I Need Kick A** ShoesLike many of you, I have been spending countless hours searching for the perfect wedding shoe.<br /><br />I am a shoe girl. I have countless amounts of shoes in my closet, many of which I have only worn once. I have also been known to buy a pair of shoes that cost more than the rest of my outfit put together. So, being that shoes are my first love (sorry Mr. P), and I can easily hush my guilty conscience if said shoes cost slightly more than anticipated, I should have no problem finding the perfect pair, right?<br /><br />WRONG!<br /><br />Being a 5"9 bride whose bridesmaids (luckily) are approximately the same height, which just happens to be (unluckily) around 5"4, I have been banned by Mama Pudding from buying anything with a heel higher that 3 inches.<br /><br />Sadly, these are out:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sym-X2TutXI/AAAAAAAAA7k/cPLQcNu5-mA/s1600-h/shoe.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416069343814268274" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sym-X2TutXI/AAAAAAAAA7k/cPLQcNu5-mA/s400/shoe.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 140px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 140px;" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.endless.com/s/ref=end_wm_hero?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=090XX2BPN3K5N2J3QNNC&isClearance=2&sort=-product_site_launch_date&node=242321011&brands=Badgley%20Mischka%7CJessica%20Simpson%7CKate%20Spade%7CLuichiny%7CMartinez%20Valero%7CNina%7CPelle%20Moda%7CPoetic%20Licence%7CStuart%20Weitzman%7CZiGiny&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=101&colors=519118011%7C519127011%7C519124011%7C519126011&dept=242321011&pf_rd_p=504526971&heelheights=519511011%7C519512011&pf_rd_i=242169011&pf_rd_m=AF16NM0QF9TKW">(source) </a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>"Not to worry, Miss Pudding" - you might say - "there are tons of great bridal flats out there!"<br /><br />Unfortunately, flats are not in the cards for me on my wedding day. I can rock a ballet flat with a pair of skinny jeans like no body's business, but I find that they do little for my <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/02/bent-out-of-shape/">slouching problem</a>. In my experience, a little heel goes a long way to making a girl walk a little straighter.<br /><br />The problem is that I cannot seem to find a beautiful shoe with a low enough heel. Many people have advised me not to worry about it. They suggest that I just purchase a comfortable and functional shoe, since most people don't even see the bride's shoe.<br /><br />Not so at a Polish wedding. There is a Polish custom that allows for all of the bachelors at a wedding to hunt down the bride and steal one of her shoes. Said bachelor than barters with the groom to give up the shoe in exchange for - you guessed it - wodka!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SynA9nUNT5I/AAAAAAAAA7s/tGcubesVs7k/s1600-h/arek.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416072191648026514" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SynA9nUNT5I/AAAAAAAAA7s/tGcubesVs7k/s400/arek.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 272px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Brother Pudding showing off his booty after successfully negotiating the terms of release with the groom - yes, Brother Pudding is a ham</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>So, you see, my shoes will have their moment to shine at our reception, and they need to be gorgeous! <br /><br />Sigh...Have any of you found beautiful shoes with a heel under 3 inches?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-5637684385643774822?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-14711611764175196602009-12-14T20:24:00.000-08:002009-12-14T20:51:47.947-08:00A Love Story: One Family, Two BridesOk, I know that some of you were pretty upset with me for making you wait this long, but in my defense, this story was very complicated!<br /><br />So, in my last installment, I mentioned how the flowers that were supposed to be delivered to Mama Pudding's work <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/14/a-love-story-twists-and-turns/">never got there</a>.<br /><br />I frantically called Sister Pudding, who frantically called the flower shop. They told her that they were running behind schedule all day, and that the flowers may have been delivered a little bit late. Bummer. Luckily, our aunt works with Mama Pudding, so we called her to ask if maybe the flowers came after Mama P had left. They had! Fortune was finally on our side: my aunt had brought them home with her.<br /><br />We explained the situation to my aunt, who jumped in her car and drove them to Mama P's house. About 20 minutes later, I received a call from two very giddy and chatty girls (it's amazing how a girl in love acts the same whether she is 16 or 50). They wanted to know more! I, of course, kept my mouth shut, and just told Mama P to dress nice, and to pack what she would need for the night.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Sister P had purchased 38 roses (to go with the previous 12, making 50 all together), rose petals, bottles of wine and champagne, and candles. She also ordered food from a local restaurant (the restaurant at the inn would already be closed when they arrived) and made chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. She drove to the inn, and set everything up. Than, she sat in her car, waiting for their arrival.<br /><br />After I received the call that they had finally arrived from Sister P, we both had to wait until the next day to find out what happened. You guys think that it's been hard to wait for the conclusion of this story, you have no idea how difficult it was for Sister P and me!<br /><br />I finally got a call in the late afternoon the next day, and was filled in on what happened by a very excited couple. M said that the moment they entered the inn, Mama Pudding started badgering the receptionist. She wanted to know about dinner, and costs, and checkout times, but the receptionist played his part well and did not say a peep. He simply walked them upstairs, where their room was lit with candles and the glow of the fire place. M immediately opened up the bottle of champagne that Sister P had left for them. He handed Mama P a glass, and made a toast about their journey. Mama P actually could not fill me in on exactly what he said, but she did mention that she wondered what he was blabbering on about - M swears that it was very romantic.<br /><br />They took a sip of their champagne, and Mama P began to change the subject. But M suggested that they drink their champagne "do dna" - bottoms up - which is a customary way to celebrate in Poland. Mama P took a bigger drink and....<br /><br />Noticed that there was something sparkly at the bottom of her glass! She got so excited that she couldn't even finish her champagne! She made M drink it, and than he placed the ring on her finger....of course she said YES!!!<br /><br />They spent the rest of the night eating the dinner and dessert that Sister Pudding had prepared, and talking about their future together. They said that they didn't sleep a wink...<br /><br />On the weekend, they celebrated Mama P's 50th birthday and their engagement with their closest friends and family. Mama Pudding, who had such a hard time on her 40th birthday, went on and on about how wonderful her 50th was. She keeps saying that her life is finally about to start...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SycVfRYyzBI/AAAAAAAAA7A/e0nM4Gt8pwQ/s1600-h/mom+and+mietek.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SycVfRYyzBI/AAAAAAAAA7A/e0nM4Gt8pwQ/s400/mom+and+mietek.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415320703923833874" /></a><br /><br />Were any of you lucky enough to witness one of your parents fall head over heels in love?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1471161176417519660?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-15880906618783926652009-12-14T07:58:00.000-08:002009-12-14T08:22:49.050-08:00A Love Story: Twists and TurnsLast I left you, <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/09/a-love-story-2/">Mama Pudding's partner</a>, M, had just <a href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/10/a-love-story-the-perfect-plan/">ruined a perfect and meticulously planned surprise</a>.I received the forwarded email from my mom at around 10:30pm. I called her right away (using Skype, of course), foolishly hoping that perhaps she hadn't read it. As soon as her beaming face appeared on my computer screen and I saw her smiling from ear to ear, I knew that the surprise was truly blown. She ecstatically apologized for ruining the surprise, but was so happy that he was coming that I couldn't stay disappointed for long. She asked that we not tell M about his mistake; she was worried that his mood on the journey would be ruined. Mama Pudding suggested that she could pick M up from the airport, and surprise <span style="font-style:italic;">him </span>instead.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I called Sister P to tell her of the change in plans. Poor Sister P: As many of you students know, the beginning of December is kind of crunch time at school. She was busy writing papers and studying for midterms all while working two jobs and recovering from the flu. Organizing Mama Pudding's surprise was time consuming, but it was also the only glimmer of happiness in her otherwise dreary life. When I called her to tell her the bad news, Sister Pudding's carefully stacked world came crashing down. She started to cry, and, like any good big sister, I hate to see Sister P cry.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">All night, I tossed and turned trying to think of a way to salvage some of the surprise. M hadn't mentioned anything about the proposal in his email, so we still had that going for us. However, I started thinking that there might be a little bit more that we could do to help this great cause...</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">When I woke up (and may I remind you, this is now the day before M was scheduled to arrive), I called Sister P with a new plan. I proposed that we book a room for them in an inn or B and B, and have them drive down right from the airport. Sister P took this idea and ran with it. She suggested that we had flowers sent to her work telling her to pack for an overnight trip (Mama P would not be happy if we made her go anywhere without her “essentials”). We called M to fill him in – he LOVED the idea.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I booked a room outside of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Stratford</span>, Ontario, just 15 minutes away from Sister P. We ordered 12 long stem roses to be delivered to Mama P's work with a note that said something like this:</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Dear Mama Pudding,</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>You think that you are so smart, but we have more than one surprise planned. Pack on overnight bag – you're going on a little trip.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;">Mama Pudding was supposed to arrive home from work around 4pm <span style="font-style: italic;">the</span> day. I sat by my lap top, anxiously awaiting her call. I knew that when she received the flowers she would call me and try to get more information because Mama P is always in control and <i>hates</i> surprises. When she still hadn't called an hour later, I became worried. When I finally got her on the phone, she acted completely non<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">chalant</span>. She didn't want to chat because she was getting ready to pick M up from the airport. That is when I knew that she didn't get the flowers.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;">What else could go wrong with this plan?....</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1588090661878392665?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-88914730091821010072009-12-09T13:36:00.000-08:002009-12-09T14:48:32.306-08:00A Love Story: The Perfect PlanGet the background on this love story <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/09/a-love-story-2/">here</a>.<br /><br />Some of you have figured out that the "girl" in the love story is Mama Pudding. You gals (and gents) are so smart, I can get nothing past you!<br /><br />Mama Pudding and M have been "dating" for a little over a year now. I put the word "dating" in quotation marks simply because it's hard to actually nail down when they became a couple. M sent his very first email to Mama Pudding in April of last year, and they have been head over heels ever since. Mama P keeps telling me that one day she will give me access to all of their emails so I can write a bestselling novel. I can't wait to read what was in that first email.<br /><br />Anyway, back to the story:<br /><br />About a month and a half ago, M called me on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Skype</span>. This sometimes happens, but only because M is not very computer literate, and he often mistakenly calls me when he means to call my mom (foreshadowing?). This time, he had meant to call me. He had a plan:<br /><br />At the beginning of December, Mama Pudding turned 50 years old. M wanted to surprise her by flying in for her birthday. He wanted me to arrange for the flight, since it is cheaper to buy plane tickets from here than from Poland (weird, huh?). I was all for the surprise, especially since I would be unable to make the birthday myself. M also asked me to arrange for Sister Pudding to pick him up from the airport, and ask her to buy 50 red roses so he wouldn't surprise Mama P empty handed. He also bashfully mentioned that he had something else to talk to me about, but that we would do it "another time".<br /><br />I did have my suspicions about what he wanted to talk to me about, and they were confirmed when M, once again via <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Skype</span>, called me a week or so later. For some reason my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">webcam</span> wasn't working, so he used the opportunity to tell me that he was planning on proposing to Mama Pudding upon his arrival. He said that not seeing me made him braver!<br /><br />Of course, Sister P and I were ecstatic! We got right to work planning the perfect surprise. We spun many lies to ensure that Mama P would be home (she's a very busy women). We let my aunt in on the surprise so that Sister P and M could stop at her house first. M wanted to shower and change into a suit for his big moment.<br /><br />Things were going wonderfully for a while. M would call Sister P and I almost ever night because he was so excited/anxious. He kept telling us how hard it was to lie to Mama P - he worried that she would catch on. She didn't.<br /><br />Two nights before M was to fly in, he sent me an email. It said something like this (I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">paraphrasing</span>, because the email was in Polish):<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Hi Miss Pudding!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I am so excited about our surprise that I haven't been able to sleep. Tomorrow I will be packing my suitcases, and than I will be on my way to Canada!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Please remind Sister P to purchase 50 of the most beautiful roses she can find. I am not flying across the ocean to show up with just one!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I will be forever grateful to you girls, </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">M</span><br /><br />Cute, right? There was one problem though. I didn't get this email from M - Mama P forwarded it to me. That's right! He had accidentally sent it to her instead of me (remember the computer illiteracy?)! The surprise was ruined!<br /><br />I know how you love a cliff hanger, so to be continued...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8891473009182101007?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-24222997242791397902009-12-08T09:31:00.000-08:002009-12-08T09:43:18.001-08:00A Love StoryHive, I've been holding out on you. I have been keeping a secret so huge and exciting that I thought that I would burst before I could tell you. But the day is finally here, so get ready to hear what is (in my opinion) a great love story on par with Romeo and Juliet or Anthony and Cleopatra (sans the suicides).<br /><br />In order to give the story justice, we must go back in time to the early 80's in communist Poland, where a beautiful young woman laments the loss of her sweetheart, whom she hasn't seen or heard from in months. They had a fight the last time they talked, and she assumes that the boy has moved on, or wants nothing to do with her. She decides to forget about him. That New Year's Eve, she meets a dark-haired and handsome man and they began to date. This new man asks her to marry him within a few months of meeting, and the girl - disillusioned with love- agrees. She believes that this man is reliable and kind; the perfect man to father her children. They marry within 6 months of meeting, and the girl sheds some not-so-happy tears during the ceremony.<br /><br />At around the same time, the original boy is sitting in the army barracks. Military service is mandatory for all men, but his original 2 years of service has long come and passed. He was hoping to clear the air with the girl as soon as he got his release - he wanted to apologize to her in person. Unfortunately, because of martial law, he has been retained in the army for a longer time, and stationed in a secluded forest. There is no post office in the area, and he has no way of contacting his beloved. Upon finally getting his release, he learns that the girl is getting married. On the day of her wedding, he gets in his car and drives around aimlessly, hoping to run into her.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxnGW0rVTJI/AAAAAAAAA6k/CMooGuRYKho/s1600-h/Mietek+001.GIF" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 303px; min-height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxnGW0rVTJI/AAAAAAAAA6k/CMooGuRYKho/s400/Mietek+001.GIF" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Girl and Boy circa 1981<br /></span></div><br />Fast forward to last year. After over twenty years, immigration to Canada, three children, and a relationship void of much affection, the girl (now woman) and the dark haired man decide to go their separate ways. The divorce is far from amicable, but all parties involved, including the children, understand that it is for the best.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the boy (now man), sits at his brand new computer - one that he barely knows how to use - and logs on to the Polish version of <span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span></span>. He finds the girl's profile, and decides to add her to his friends list. He has no idea that the girl is now single, even though he went through his own traumatic divorce several years back.<br /><br />The boy and the girl reconnect via the magic of the <span>Internet</span>. After the first couple of emails, the girl tells her (adult) children that she is conversing with someone special, and gushes about how wonderful he is. The children (her two daughters in particular) are very excited, because they have been encouraging her to date for some time. They find it a little bit strange that their serious and stern mother is all of a sudden acting like a giddy 16 year old.<br /><br />After a couple of weeks, the boy flies the girl out to Poland. They meet face to face for the first time in almost 20 years. After that first meeting, the boy and girl take turns flying from Poland to Canada every couple of months. They email and talk on <span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Skype</span></span> for hours each day.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxnGXGVjnbI/AAAAAAAAA6s/96tPZIMmahc/s1600-h/Mietek+002.GIF" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 314px; min-height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxnGXGVjnbI/AAAAAAAAA6s/96tPZIMmahc/s400/Mietek+002.GIF" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Girl and Boy circa 1981</span><br /></div><br />Whew! Now you know the background....stay tuned for the rest of this love story!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2422299724279139790?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-49525770090993732242009-12-07T11:35:00.000-08:002009-12-07T18:43:52.868-08:00Catholic Adventures: An Unusual RequestI have mentioned before that Mr. Pudding and I will be married in a Catholic Church. Couples that choose to go this route quickly realize that there are quite a few hoops to jump before getting to the alter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sx1aX-65OlI/AAAAAAAAA60/dx4sPKOeAeM/s1600-h/marry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 305px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sx1aX-65OlI/AAAAAAAAA60/dx4sPKOeAeM/s400/marry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412581695242713682" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://thinkexpats.com/ideas/91-relating/214-jumping-through-the-hoops.html">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The first and most important one is to make sure that both parties have been Baptized, have had their First Communion, and have been Confirmed in a Catholic Church. I know that the strictness of this rule depends on the priest of a particular parish, and there are priest out there that will agree to marry a Catholic and a non-Catholic as long as they promise to raise their children as Catholic. This is not the case in my church. Luckily, Mr. Pudding comes from a Catholic family, and has all three sacraments (despite not being super religious), so this is not something that we have to worry about.<br /><br />When I called our parish priest to arrange to meet with him to discuss our wedding, he told me that there were several things that we needed to bring with us. The first was our marriage certificate, since we are <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/10/our-engagement-party/">already legally married</a>. Our priest had no problem with this fact, although I have heard from some members of the hive that they have had problems with priests agreeing to marry them in a religious ceremony if they have already gone through the legal process.<br /><br />He also asked us to bring our birth and baptismal certificates. I didn't think that this would be a big problem. We both had our birth certificates, and I was sure that Mama Pudding had my original baptismal certificate hidden away with other baby memorabilia. I was pretty certain that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FMIL</span> had Mr. Pudding's as well. That is when the priest dropped a bombshell: the certificate had to be no more than 6 months old, and needed to be obtained from the church where we were originally baptized. Now, normally, this would not be a problem - and indeed, it wasn't for Mr. P. But I had been baptized in Poland! How was I supposed to get a baptismal certificate from across the ocean, and what did it matter how old it was?! I mean, wasn't a certificate signed by the priest who poured the water on my baby head proof enough that I was baptized? I thought that this was a ridiculous request.<br /><br />I am very lucky to still have family in Poland, and one of my aunts agreed to take care of this annoying errand for me. When I finally got my hands on the certificate, I realized why it was important that the baptismal certificate be no more that 6 months old: The Catholic Church actually tracks all of their members via their original church. The church where I was baptized has been informed of all the sacraments that I have received to date. They knew the date and place of my Communion and Confirmation, despite the fact that I received these sacraments in Canada! They also knew that I have never received the sacrament of marriage, which is very important, since the Catholic Church does not acknowledge divorce or re-marriage.<br /><br />Now, before any of you decide to make any "Big Brother" connections, consider the fact that church records have been used for years as one of the few reliable sources of historical data. I think that it is pretty cool that my future great-great-great grandchildren will be able to trace and piece together my life story by simply acquiring my baptismal certificate.<br /><br />Any other Catholic brides out there? Have you found any part of the journey to getting married in a church taxing or surprising?<br /><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4952577009099373224?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-84763117452770740302009-12-06T19:59:00.000-08:002009-12-06T21:13:51.557-08:00Our Special DayWhen a bride-to-be seeks advice from the outside world, be it friends, family, or strangers on the Internet, we often hear the phrase, "it's your day". Should I spend more than I can afford on a dress? "Go for it! It's your day!". Should I make my bridesmaids wear sea foam green taffeta dresses? "Whatever you want; It's your special day!"<br /><br />I have to be honest: This concept is pretty foreign to me. Our wedding is about a celebration of our love, yes, but it is far from being "our day". It is about bringing our families together, and honouring the fact that our guests have traveled long distances to celebrate with us. Being on a strict budget, this means that we will have to sacrifice some of "our" comforts as bride and groom for the comforts of our guests.<br /><br />I have already mentioned that we will have a <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/12/03/drink-and-be-married/">full open bar</a> at our wedding. This is an expensive venture, but one that is expected at a Polish celebration. We will be organizing the bar ourselves which will save us a few pennies, but cutting the bar, or offering signature cocktails, would disappoint our guests***.<br /><br />We will also be serving a full, three course meal, with a second buffet style "supper" at 10pm Even though "dinner" and "supper" are pretty much one and the same in North America, most Polish people eat "dinner" earlier in the afternoon, and "supper" later in the night. That's right - we are feeding our guests twice. This is by far the biggest expense of our wedding, but with all of the polka-dancing and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wodka</span>-drinking that will be going on, our guests will need to be well fed! It's a key element to keeping the party going until the <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/16/polish-weddings/">early morning</a>.<br /><br />Between these two massive undertakings, close to 2/3<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">rds</span> of our budget will be blown. Here are a few things that we are prepared to sacrifice to ensure that our guest get the full "experience":<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Transportation</span>: I really don't care what type of car "takes me to the church on time". We are looking into renting a fancier vehicle for the weekend, but will not be upset if the same car that drove Mr. Pudding the 700 km to visit me every other weekend also drives my bridal butt to the church and reception.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Honeymoon</span>: We have pretty much decided that a tropical honeymoon is not in the cards for us. We will probably take a delayed trip in the winter, but the days following our wedding will most likely be spent lounging on the deck of Mr. P's grandparent's camp in the Finger Lakes.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Bridal Party: </span>Even though we mostly chose to have a small bridal party for <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/17/an-ode-to-our-wedding-party/">the sake of simplicity</a>, I would be lying if I didn't admit that the expense of a 20 + person wedding party terrified me. Between bouquets, boutonnieres, and presents, having only 4 people in our party will be a money saver.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Bridal Pampering</span>: I have to admit - this one is super hard. I would love to have the full on "bridal treatment", but realistically, this is probably the easiest way to pinch a few pennies. I will not indulge in any <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pre</span>-wedding pampering, and that most likely includes doing my own manicure and pedicure. I will be getting my hair done (because it needs to be perfect), but I am open to doing my own make up.<br /><br />These are just a few things that we will be sacrificing in order to make "our" day feel a little bit more special for our guests. We are certainly not sacrificing much, and to some of you out there it may seem silly that not getting a manicure is considered "saving". One of my cousins in Poland who <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/16/polish-weddings/">got married this summer</a> was actually the designated driver at her own wedding. She drove Mr. P and I (and many others) home at 6am as her way of making her day enjoyable for her guests. I am certainly not taking it this far :P<br /><br />What are you doing to make your day special for your guests?<br /><br /><br />***I just want to be clear that <span style="font-style: italic;">our </span>guests would be disappointed because an open bar is expected at a Polish wedding, and we would not be meeting their expectations. I think that signature cocktails, or even no cocktails at all, can be fabulous as well...it's all about meeting expectations.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8476311745277074030?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-10448315414342825662009-12-02T19:00:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:18:05.306-08:00A Bride UnveiledThis post is all about veils. There seem to be so many choices these days...how is a slightly indecisive bride to choose?<br /><br />We have the stylish bird cage:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxcsLCDZHaI/AAAAAAAAA5k/jFiNrqndaC0/s1600-h/birdcage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxcsLCDZHaI/AAAAAAAAA5k/jFiNrqndaC0/s400/birdcage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410842045350223266" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/02/04/dw-in-the-dr-i-finally-get-to-wear-the-dwess/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The romantic mantilla:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxcvRpUJtWI/AAAAAAAAA5s/QyAM0vPgBFg/s1600-h/mantilla.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxcvRpUJtWI/AAAAAAAAA5s/QyAM0vPgBFg/s400/mantilla.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410845457503597922" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbeepro.com/2008/12/22/nari-wyatt-31508/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The dramatic cathedral:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxcxgFihQPI/AAAAAAAAA50/6HHwAiWpfxE/s1600-h/cathedral.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxcxgFihQPI/AAAAAAAAA50/6HHwAiWpfxE/s400/cathedral.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410847904621478130" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/10/27/the-caramels/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And the sassy "pouf":<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc0CfS9n_I/AAAAAAAAA6E/K4fsGLv8d80/s1600-h/pouf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc0CfS9n_I/AAAAAAAAA6E/K4fsGLv8d80/s400/pouf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410850694674358258" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/10/15/the-stars-got-hitched/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But veils are no longer a must for brides. Many choose to wear a flower:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc1jlHbmdI/AAAAAAAAA6M/_oi505uAG3A/s1600-h/flower.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc1jlHbmdI/AAAAAAAAA6M/_oi505uAG3A/s400/flower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410852362683914706" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/17/love-at-the-ranch-the-bride-and-groom/">(source)</a></div>or some feathers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc22on15BI/AAAAAAAAA6U/DIejod3mPFw/s1600-h/feathers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc22on15BI/AAAAAAAAA6U/DIejod3mPFw/s400/feathers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410853789554304018" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://bios.weddingbee.com/topic/updo-with-feathers">(source)</a><br /></div></div></div>All of these pictures are from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Weddingbee</span> community....it just goes to show what wonderful diversity we have here at the 'bee!<br /><br />As for me, I will be pulling a <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/04/13/a-blusher-kind-of-girl/">Mrs. Glitter</a> and wearing a chapel length veil with a blusher. I know that the symbolism behind the blusher is a bit <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil">flawed</a>, but I have always romanticized that moment when the father of the bride lifts her veil. I think that it will be a very special moment between my dad and me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc7M0_rb3I/AAAAAAAAA6c/EhbH_NLNIZk/s1600-h/lifting+veil.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Sxc7M0_rb3I/AAAAAAAAA6c/EhbH_NLNIZk/s400/lifting+veil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410858568879140722" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.zeniaphotography.com/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">What type of veil are you wearing?<br /></div></div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1044831541434282566?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-67548973197616160452009-12-01T07:38:00.000-08:002009-12-01T07:59:34.710-08:00Through the Magic of the 'Bee....A couple of days ago, I blogged about <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/23/the-dress-that-almost-made-me-change-my-mind-1/">a way too expensive bridesmaid dress</a> that Sister Pudding and I fell in love with, and had to leave behind. I had been checking the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Neiman</span> Marcus website religiously for any possible discounts, but by the time that post went live on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Weddingbee</span>, I had all but given up.<br /><br />Hive to the rescue! Some of you were quick to click on the link that I provided, and pointed out that the dress was now on sale! I rushed over to the website to check if it was available in the right sizes, and it was! The price was still a bit steep, so I wavered....until reader <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Kalasin</span> was so kind to post a discount code for 20% off and free shipping!<br /><br />I had no choice but to take this as a sign, so I ordered the dresses! They are on their way right now, and will be in my hot hands at the beginning of next week. This aligns with an extended visit from Sister Pudding (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">sooooo</span> excited.....anyone else in a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">LDR</span> with their sibling/best friend?) and we will be sure to put on a little fashion show for you all.<br /><br />Thank you, thank you, thank you!<br /><br />Have you discovered any discounts thanks to the power of the 'Bee?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-6754897319761616045?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-8699374416457568422009-11-27T12:33:00.000-08:002009-11-27T13:41:36.541-08:00What's Love Got to Do With It?During the summer that Mr. Pudding popped the question, I decided to turn my excitement about our looming engagement into something positive, and do a little bit of research on what I was about to get myself into by agreeing to be Mr. Pudding's "wife". I picked up <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/marilyn-yalom/a-history-of-the-wife/_/R-400000000000000160751">this</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"> </span>book at a local bookstore, and spent our <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/09/the-proposal-12/">Maine vacation </a>reading about the women who have come before.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxA_69NCSsI/AAAAAAAAA5E/nTdN4-K56MA/s1600/ahistoryofthewife.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SxA_69NCSsI/AAAAAAAAA5E/nTdN4-K56MA/s400/ahistoryofthewife.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408893434566167234" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/marilyn-yalom/a-history-of-the-wife/_/R-400000000000000160751">(source)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it! Despite the "intellectual feel" of the book, it was a surprisingly entertaining beach read! Are there any other ex history and/or literature students who have rediscovered their love of reading for fun after years and years of reading only material that you had to for class?</span><br /></div><br />The book did bring up an interesting point that I wanted to discuss with the hive. The author discusses the reasons why people entered into matrimony at length, and surprisingly notes that "brides and grooms did not enter marriage with the expectation of "loving" each other as we understand the term" until about the 18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> century. For the most part, women married to gain security and status, while men married so that they could have legitimate heirs.<br /><br />When I started thinking about the reasons that I have for marrying, the fact that I "love" Mr. Pudding is at the top of my list. I know that I "love" Mr. P because there are frequent moments when I am with him that I feel an overwhelming sense of joy so strong, that I actually pause to acknowledge it. But different people classify love in different ways - some believe that it is best described by the butterfly feeling in your stomach when you think about that other person, while others believe that it is more of a friendship that is developed over time. But if there is no real criteria to classify "love", than how much credit can we give to this term as a reason for why we get married?<br /><br />I'd like to think that I am marrying Mr. Pudding simply because I "love" him. But than, I think of my high school boyfriend, whom I also claimed to "love" (and at the time I really believed that I did), but knew that I would never marry him because his life goal of being the next big rap star did not mesh with my ambitions. I can't help but admit that the facts that Mr. P is educated and has a good career play a part in why I have chosen him as my partner.<br /><br />So, I ask you, hive: How do you classify the importance of "love"? What other reasons do you have for marrying your fiance?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-869937441645756842?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-25349220798031028412009-11-23T10:37:00.000-08:002009-11-23T10:57:36.050-08:00Addressing the Dress: Bringing in the Big GunsAfter finally realizing that the cheapest option for purchasing my dress was the boutique where I originally found it, I was ready to place the order. The only problem was the fact that I was now in Vermont with Mr. Pudding, and a trip to the Greater Toronto Area was not in our plans. I figured that since the store already had my measurements, it was safe to send Mama Pudding to place the order by herself.<br /><br />Now, let me tell you something about Mama Pudding: She is an expert negotiator (maybe haggler is a better term). She truly tries to talk herself into a discount on EVERYTHING. This is not a skill that was passed on to me, so even though it can get embarrassing at times, I am happy to have Mama Pudding in my corner.<br /><br />So of course when it came time to place the order on the dress, Mama Pudding went in with a plan. She could have placed the order over the phone, since that's what we were originally told to do. Instead, she decided that face to face would lend itself to a better negotiation. She drove the hour it takes to get to the boutique from her house, and ended up getting 10% off the dress, 50% off the veil, and 30% off of the custom cut costs (my dress can't be hemmed and the standard size is too long (even in heels) - being 5'9, this was a surprise). Mama Pudding did good, and I was once again happy that she was on my side.<br /><br />Did you manage to get a discount on your dress?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2534922079803102841?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-28001640724983256052009-11-19T20:41:00.000-08:002009-11-19T21:14:16.157-08:00Drink and be Married?As was evidenced by the<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/16/polish-weddings/"> two weddings that we attended in Poland</a> this year, a Polish wedding is not complete without alcohol. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wodka</span> is a traditional Polish favorite, but us Poles don't discriminate. We are equally fond of tequila, gin, rum, whiskey, wine, beer and many others. All of these multicultural guests will make an appearance at our wedding. Cutting out the open bar to save on costs was just not an option for us.<br /><br />Despite the "merriment" at our reception, I have asked that love be the groom's intoxicant of choice. I made him promise that he will not drink.<br /><br />You see, despite the fact that Mr. Pudding's alcohol consumption is above average for an American, he sometimes forgets that he is only 1/4 Polish. He tries to keep up with my family, and it doesn't always end well.<br /><br />Because I love all of you at the hive dearly, and trust that you will not sell me out to Mr. P, I am going to tell you a secret: I don't actually plan on holding Mr. P to his promise. I know that when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tata</span> Pudding offers him a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">wodka</span> shot to celebrate his becoming a part of our family, it will be impossible (and rude) for him to refuse! I am hoping that the promise to me will make him think twice about his alcohol consumption, and will limit him to 2-3 drinks, tops. After all, I don't want him to end up like this guy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SwYkc-NRG-I/AAAAAAAAA4o/61bno0bCdkE/s1600/drunk-groom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SwYkc-NRG-I/AAAAAAAAA4o/61bno0bCdkE/s400/drunk-groom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406048482858441698" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Everyone%20Else/pages-2/41-dead-in-killer-Turkish-wedding-Scrape-TV-The-World-on-your-side.html">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Are you giving your groom any alcohol consumption guidelines?<br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-2800164072498325605?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-71350434230528354772009-11-19T10:23:00.000-08:002009-11-19T10:57:23.310-08:00Addressing the Dress: OutsourcingCatch up on my dress buying experience here.<br /><br />When I last left you, Mama Pudding and I were debating whether buying a beautiful sample dress at a greatly reduced cost made more sense than buying more (4 times more!) expensive dream dress.<br /><br />After my "<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/11/10/our-engagement-party/">Engagement Party</a>" dress experience, I was very open to the suggestion that a less expensive dress was the way to go. In your comments, many of you mentioned how beautiful that dress was. This made me smile because I really was very "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">meh</span>" about the dress when I bought it. I couldn't find anything that was quite "bridal" enough, so I settled. And you know what? On the day, I looked beautiful in the dress. I really, truly believe that "I" looked beautiful in the dress, and not that the "dress" looked beautiful on me. This was because I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">extremely</span>, deliriously happy on that day, and I would have looked beautiful in a burlap sack. Keeping this in mind, it would have been very easy for Mama Pudding to convince me that the cheaper dress was the way to go.<br /><br />Alas, Mama Pudding is never one to sacrifice quality for a good price. When I started leaning towards the cheaper dress, Mama Pudding put it like this: "Miss Pudding, if we had to choose a dress from that one boutique, and no other dresses existed, we would buy the sample gown and you would look gorgeous. This is your day, and you deserve YOUR dress, not just A dress."<br /><br />With Mama Pudding's blessing, I was excited to finally order my dream dress. But before that happened, I had one more brilliant idea. San Patrick is a Spanish line. Spain is in Europe, and (as you know) we were going to Europe that summer! We were going to Poland, not to Spain, but I thought that maybe the dress would be cheaper there because it didn't have to be shipped as far or something. Mama Pudding and I did visit a bridal salon in Warsaw, Poland that carried the line, but, to our complete shock, the dress was actually quite a bit <span style="font-style: italic;">more </span>expensive in Poland than in Canada! This was very surprising, because the average standard of living in Poland is lower than that of Canada, and I can't imagine many people wanting to spend this much money on a wedding dress!<br /><br />Did you purchase (or look into purchasing) your wedding dress in another country?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7135043423052835477?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-75182843405825483722009-11-06T20:16:00.000-08:002009-11-06T20:25:30.401-08:00A Little AnnouncementFully <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">realizng</span> that there are around 5 people who read this blog on a regular basis, I just wanted to clarify all of this "Miss Pudding" stuff.<br /><br />You've seen me mention my love for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Weddingbee</span> in past posts, and now my obsession can reach new levels because I have just been introduced as the newest bee!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvT1rspPonI/AAAAAAAAA2w/D0a0js485iI/s1600-h/pudding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 89px; height: 117px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvT1rspPonI/AAAAAAAAA2w/D0a0js485iI/s320/pudding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401211984191398514" border="0" /></a><br />I'm Miss Pudding! Feel free to visit me <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/author/pudding/">on the most wonderful wedding site on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">internet</span></a>. I dare you not to fall in love.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-7518284340582548372?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-10159566193623099302009-11-04T13:39:00.000-08:002009-11-04T14:10:47.484-08:00Bent out of ShapeIn my opinion, this is the defining photograph of a Catholic wedding ceremony:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHmkvw0NWI/AAAAAAAAA04/l3cRycsoS_U/s1600-h/ceremon041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHmkvw0NWI/AAAAAAAAA04/l3cRycsoS_U/s320/ceremon041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400350947164829026" border="0" /></a><br />(photo of <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/09/18/dumpling-wedding-vows-and-kisses/">The Dumplings</a> taken by <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.thecohensphoto.com/blog/">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Cohens</span></a>)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHr7xo1rwI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/cJoMYmuTmzk/s1600-h/00403.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHr7xo1rwI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/cJoMYmuTmzk/s320/00403.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400356840363372290" border="0" /></a>(<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/10/31/catholic-wedding-ceremony-2/">The Hydrangeas</a>, photo by <a href="http://www.perezblog.net/"><span style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Perez Photograph)</span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">Come to think of it, I think that this moment is pretty universal despite of the type of ceremony that you choose to have:<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHohgR2GYI/AAAAAAAAA1A/v9I-RK1SAB0/s1600-h/b167140530.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHohgR2GYI/AAAAAAAAA1A/v9I-RK1SAB0/s320/b167140530.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400353090492045698" border="0" /></a><br />(<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/10/03/online-ordained-minister/">The Penguins</a>, married by a family friend <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/10/03/online-ordained-minister/">ordained on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">internet</span></a>. Photo by <a href="http://sarahkchen.com/">Sarah K. Chen Photography)</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHq4BpemLI/AAAAAAAAA1I/7UiXZINMikQ/s1600-h/12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHq4BpemLI/AAAAAAAAA1I/7UiXZINMikQ/s320/12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400355676429916338" border="0" /></a>(<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/01/16/that-wedding-the-ring-ceremony/">The Avocados</a> at their Ring Ceremony, photo by <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://kellinicolephoto.blogspot.com/">Kelli Nicole</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHt0ULWq5I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/KxsujkoIDN0/s1600-h/401440601.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvHt0ULWq5I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/KxsujkoIDN0/s320/401440601.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400358911219248018" border="0" /></a>(<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/10/18/a-hawaiian-affair-ceremony-take-2/">Mr. and Mrs. Sushi</a> at their Destination Wedding Ceremony. Photo by <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://blog.amodophoto.com/">Frank <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Amodo</span></a>)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />There is something so tender and sweet about the moment when the to-be-married couple, in front of their friends and family, turn towards each other to utter their vows. The photos above really capture that moment where everything around the couple fades away, leaving only two people who promise to love each other for the rest of their lives.<br /><br />It is really important to me that this moment is caught by our <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.rsblog.ca/">photographers</a> as well. I do have one concern however:<br /><br />I am a sloucher.<br /><br />It's quite possible that this is because of my height. At 5"91/2 (short girls round up, tall girls round down) I certainly tower over most females in my life. But my height isn't such that I am taller than many men, and I certainly don't shy away from wearing fabulous high heeled shoes. Whatever the culprit, this is something that I am very concerned about for our ceremony.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvH04LITh6I/AAAAAAAAA14/Okhzkor5gGg/s1600-h/n514733394_1389345_7596.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvH04LITh6I/AAAAAAAAA14/Okhzkor5gGg/s320/n514733394_1389345_7596.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400366674091411362" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">(photo taken by my Uncle John)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's a fuzzy picture of Mr. Pudding and me, but you get the slouchy idea. I am trying to improve my posture by taking up yoga. I might also start doing the old book on the head routine that Mama Pudding made me practice as a little girl. I don't care how fierce <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tyra</span> says this is, I do not want to look like this on our wedding day:<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvH67rzheVI/AAAAAAAAA2I/KyzHUmnP5cw/s1600-h/33os9au.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SvH67rzheVI/AAAAAAAAA2I/KyzHUmnP5cw/s320/33os9au.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400373331471989074" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://honestlyantm.wordpress.com/marjorie/">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Any other slouchers in the hive? What are you doing to make sure that your bad posture doesn't ruin your wedding pictures?<br /></div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-1015956619362309930?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-82476607191917878032009-11-02T19:54:00.000-08:002009-11-02T20:54:14.578-08:00Who Wants to have Their Wedding on a Mountain Top Anyway?Let me tell you, I have seen my share of raised eyebrows when people hear my answer as to the location of our wedding. It seems that people think that we are crazy to sacrifice this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Su-vw3oY8_I/AAAAAAAAA0o/HVEa_jGg008/s1600-h/vermont.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Su-vw3oY8_I/AAAAAAAAA0o/HVEa_jGg008/s320/vermont.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399727732342453234" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2008/06/sleep-green-in-the-green-mount.html">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Su-yNz8d0TI/AAAAAAAAA0w/86JnBXwUQDo/s1600-h/Oshawa+Action+Plan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Su-yNz8d0TI/AAAAAAAAA0w/86JnBXwUQDo/s320/Oshawa+Action+Plan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399730428592378162" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.mmm.ca/projects/Prodetail.aspx?ptitle=Oshawa%20Downtown%20Action%20Plan">(source)</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">With the struggle of the automotive industry, my home town just east of Toronto has taken quite a hit. The city most famous for a historical <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005998">strike</a>, has been (harshly) described in a recent <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.thestar.com/GTA/Columnist/article/621652">newspaper article</a> as "little more than a hollowed-out downtown surrounded by sprawl".<br /><br />So, when given a choice between having our wedding in the beautiful state of Vermont, or in Ontario, our choice was clear: we were getting married in Oshawa.<br /><br />The decision was an obvious one because of several factors. First of all, since (realistically) I would be the one responsible for most of the planning, it made sense to plan the wedding in a community that I was familiar with. Second, my Polish family does not understand the concept of a "destination wedding" (much like <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/07/22/the-forecast-calls-for-a-warm-breeze/">Mama Sea Breeze</a>). If I sent them invites to a wedding in Vermont, I wouldn't be surprised if 75% of them just sent a gift. Actually, that's incorrect, they would probably insist on an at home party, or invite themselves over to Mama Pudding's house to celebrate (with or without Mr. Pudding and me).<br /><br />But the final, and perhaps most important reason why we decided to have the wedding in Ontario is the fact that it is Polish custom to be married in the bride's home town. I have heard that this is custom in North America as well, but it's not as strictly followed. I wanted to get married where I grew up, and it meant the world to Mama Pudding to be "the hostess" of the wedding.<br /><br />Luckily, Mr. Pudding new how much this meant to me and did not put up a fuss.<br /><br />Is your wedding in a location that others might find "undesirable"?<br /></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-8247660719191787803?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-48355639710087754952009-10-30T09:25:00.000-07:002009-11-18T20:18:31.091-08:00Addressing the Dress: Narrowing the SearchI have talked about the crazy <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com/2009/10/addressing-dress.html">reasons</a> for not wanting to reveal the identity of my dress on the world wide web. But that doesn't mean that I can't write about our dress buying adventures, does it? Oh, and just to make it fun, I will be posting random pictures of me in dresses that I didn't buy throughout this post.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/cautious_joy/me4-1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(all photos taken by Sister Pudding)<br /><br /></span></div>Sister Pudding and I spent a lot of time narrowing down the search for dresses. After an extensive search in the Toronto area, we visited some boutiques in Kitchener and Waterloo. We were very pleasantly surprised by the amount of bridal salons that are found in these tiny cities just west of Toronto. The prices of the dresses were also significantly lower than what we were able to find elsewhere.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/cautious_joy/me5.jpg" height="400" width="300" /><br /></div><br />We knew that I'd never be able to pick a dress without Mama Pudding present, so we made a mental note to bring her back to the stores we visited. We returned to the area shortly before our trip to Poland this summer. Mama Pudding was going to Poland with Mr. P and me, and she was planning on staying for a couple of months, so it was kind of crunch time. We visited our favorite of the Kitchener stores, and found the dress that we felt was "the one". It was a San Patrick gown that my mom swears was "made for me". We went to a couple of other stores, but found nothing that even compared to the San Patrick.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/cautious_joy/me8.jpg" height="400" width="300" /><br /></div><br />Upon returning to the original store and trying the dress on again, we were sold. But this isn't where the adventure ends. We also began to have a little bit of cold feet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Su44oxRGR1I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/VxX6hf0ytcQ/s1600-h/feet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 305px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/Su44oxRGR1I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/VxX6hf0ytcQ/s320/feet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399315276334778194" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://trudymorgancole.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/feet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://trudymorgancole.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/im-getting-cold-feet/&usg=__XrIXSaXujFCHB335GHEeE5fglEY=&h=381&w=400&sz=112&hl=en&start=2&sig2=CC8gmMaPlELMEuPfYYLJiQ&um=1&tbnid=Ir2ks1Sqskph7M:&tbnh=118&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcold%2Bfeet%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26um%3D1&ei=RjjuSsLHDcKolAeZxNj_BA">(source)</a><br /><br /></div>The dress was on the expensive side of what we were looking at and the standard length was too long (at my height, this is a surprise) and would need to be ordered in a custom length which was an extra fee. I asked the sales women to measure me so that they would have the information on file, and told them that we would sleep on it and call them in the morning. We didn't want to drive all the way back to Kitchener (about an hour's drive), but the staff assured us that we could put in the order over the phone.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/cautious_joy/me1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /><br /><br /></div>When we got home, Mama Pudding and I decided to visit just one more bridal salon. We had recently moved, and there was a bridal store just down the street. We walked in, and the sales lady put me in a beautiful, fit and flare, tulle gown. The dress fit me like a glove, and they were having a sample sale. I could have this dress for about 1/4th of the cost of my original pick. We asked the staff to put the dress on hold, and we went home with a big decision to make...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SwTG5686tWI/AAAAAAAAA4g/M5zKZMXvUQs/s1600/Image033.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SwTG5686tWI/AAAAAAAAA4g/M5zKZMXvUQs/s400/Image033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405664151131043170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Did you pick a more expensive dream dress or a stunning bargain dress?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-4835563971008775495?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-92097318606830085062009-10-29T08:52:00.000-07:002009-11-01T17:34:20.949-08:00A New FamilyI was inspired by a board thread a couple of weeks ago to write a post about my living situation. For the last 2 months, Mr. Pudding and I have been living with his parents. Initially, we were planning on making this a short term situation, but are now thinking of staying until after our wedding in July.<br /><br />I have always been 100% behind the idea of living with his family. Mr. Pudding, on the other hand, has been more hesitant. <br /><br />When we lived apart, I lived with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tata</span> Pudding, and Mr. P lived with his parents. It just didn't make much sense for us to be renting two <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">separate</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">apartments</span>, one in Ontario and one in Vermont, when we knew that our living situation was temporary. I was never ashamed of telling people that I lived with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tata</span> Pudding, but I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">extremely</span> proud of the fact that I was able to pay off my student debt in a year and a half. Mr. P, however, has admitted to purposefully omitting his living situation from conversation for fear that he would be judged as a slacker. I think the fact that I have moved in puts even more pressure on him. He promised to provide for me if I moved here, and I think that he feels like he is not doing that as long as we are living with his parents.<br /><br />In the Polish culture, it is very common for a young married couple to live with their parents. Many households contain several generations. This is a simple way to help each other out: the grandparents provide shelter for the young couple, and in return, the young couple takes care of the grandparents as they age. It's a loving way for families to work together.<br /><br />It seems that in North America, this living situation is looked upon differently. Many people have the false belief that living with your parents means that you are either irresponsible or broke. This is not the case for us: we can afford an apartment, but want to buy a house. We want to be debt free, and are taking this opportunity to save as much money as possible. We are very, very lucky to have people who love us and want to help us. I know that not everyone is in the same boat.<br /><br />I think that it is more mature to accept help when you need it, than to drown in your pride. I see many people our age take on more than they can chew with school loans, mortgage payments, and credit card debt. We are sacrificing some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">luxuries</span> to make sure that our life together is started on the right foot.<br /><br />Another positive side of living with Mr. P's family is the fact that you get to know your in laws very well! I really appreciate and love my new family, even though I still can't call Mr. P's parents by their first names. I hope that they won't mind me calling them "mom" and "dad" after the wedding.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SunHL1MNmPI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/MNr8MtdMz5A/s1600-h/100_0152.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SunHL1MNmPI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/MNr8MtdMz5A/s400/100_0152.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398064634451040498" border="0" /></a><br />(photo by Mr. P's Uncle Tom)<br /></div><br />Anyone else in my boat? Do you live with your parents or in laws?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-9209731860683008506?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-4223291418326757652009-10-28T13:54:00.000-07:002009-11-01T17:28:44.015-08:00The Struggle of the Modern WomanA couple of weeks ago, we received the latest issue of "Time" magazine (thanks to Mr. Pudding's parents....if it was up to me, we'd just be getting Martha and maybe some US Weekly). Anyway, Time has conducted a survey on <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://search.time.com/results.html?N=0&Nty=1&Ntt=the+state+of+the+american+woman&x=0&y=0&srchCat=Full+Archive">"The State of the American Women"</a>, which was summarized in an article by Nancy Gibbs. The results were overwhelmingly positive. According to the author, "it's expected that by the end of the year, for the first time in history the majority of workers in the U.S. will be women". Furthermore, "more and more women are the primary breadwinner in their household (almost 40%)". Gibbs also notes that the notion that "women's rise comes at men's expense" is all but forgotten.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SuitLDZTkTI/AAAAAAAAAwI/IxGk_eF3UGc/s1600-h/1101091026_400.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vEcvbLW0Bs/SuitLDZTkTI/AAAAAAAAAwI/IxGk_eF3UGc/s320/1101091026_400.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397754558805152050" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://search.time.com/results.html?N=0&Nty=1&Ntt=the+state+of+the+american+woman&x=0&y=0&srchCat=Full+Archive">(source)</a><br /><br /></div>As a person who is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">extremely</span> interested in the issues of equality, I started reading this article with a smile on my face, proud of how much the women of my generation have contributed to the movement. As I kept reading, however, my smile began to diminish. By the end of the article, Gibbs concludes that "as women have gained more freedom, more education and more economic power, they have become less happy". She attributes this to several different issues, one of which is that women are "working longer hours while playing quarterback at home".<br /><br />When I closely studied the survey, I became even more concerned. Even though 76% of the people polled said that the fact that women now compose nearly half of the workforce is positive for society, 65% of these same peeps thought that our society has been negatively impacted by the decrease in the amount of children who grow up with a stay at home parent (only 30%). Is it just me, or do these statistics seem contradictory? The reason that most children do not grow up with a stay at home parent is precisely the fact that women now work. Even though a father is just as capable of taking care of children as a mother, the reality is that it is mostly women who choose to stay home. Indeed, if our family had the option of a stay at home parent, I would certainly want it to be me!<br /><br />As I prepare to create a family of my own, I can't help but think about the fact that I am exactly the type of woman that will struggle with these decisions. I love my career: I find it meaningful and fulfilling. But I also want to have a family, and want to do what's best for my kiddies. I wonder if there is some kind of magical equation for balancing home and career as far as women are concerned.<br /><br />Have you ever thought about how your role at home and your professional career will merge, and what effect this might have on you, your partner, and/or your future children?<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://search.time.com/results.html?N=0&Nty=1&Ntt=the+state+of+the+american+woman&x=0&y=0&srchCat=Full+Archive"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3209206921010687484-422329141832675765?l=thelinebetweenyouandme.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Agnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113608609168222601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209206921010687484.post-82487705047226063352009-10-23T16:24:00.000-07:002009-11-01T17:22:20.832-08:00My First Date with CraigHere at the hive, bees (like <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/03/27/cracking-craig/">Mrs. Joey</a>, and <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/10/21/reconsidering-china/">Miss Lamb</a>) have been buzzing about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Craigslist</span></span>. Until recently, I was a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Craigslist</span></span> virgin. I had never even been to the site! Come to think of it, although I've certainly explored sites such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ebay</span></span>, I've never actually bought anything from these online sources! I guess I'm just a little bit weirded out by used stuff....the snob in me says, "well, if it's not good enough for you, it's certainly not good enough for me!" (my how far I've come from my Polish-Communist-food stamp childhood).<br /><br />Anyway, after all of the wonderful and cheap things that the bees have found on <spa