wheresmydessert?

Snapshot Sunday

2011-08-13T00:59:00.000-04:00

Mr. and Mrs. Hamster

City: New York, New York
Venue(s): The Pierre
Wedding Date: May 30, 2010

Bridal Gown Designer(s): Kenneth Pool Sophisticate
Florist: Flowers by Daye, New York, NY
Photographer: Erica Lyn, New York, NY
Videographer: Wilson Fontaine, New York, NY
Officiant: Rev. James Covington, New York, NY
Music: The Pete Saunders Band of Hank Lane, New York, NY
Stationery: DIY Hell, paper from Keldon Paper and Paper Presentation
Calligraphy: Carmela Mazzarulli
Catering: Venue catered (The Pierre)
Cake: Sylvia Weinstock
Late Night Snack: BonChon Chicken
Lighting Design: Frost Lighting
Hair and Makeup: Sissi Chan, New York, NY
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Calvin Klein Long Cross Back Dress in Cobalt (discontinued)
Spouse’s attire: MW Tux
Menswear: MW Tux
Honeymoon: African safari via GAP Adventures; beach vacation at Taj Exotica Maldives
Favors: Wicked Whoopies
Special ceremonies: Chinese Tea Ceremony

Color Scheme and Theme: NYC glam with a vintage feel, featuring gold, navy and scarlet

Photography by Erica Lyn

To check out any more details from our wedding, feel free to check out my archives!

Cute and Easy Holiday Cards? Sign Me Up!

2010-11-04T23:50:00.000-04:00

It's the week after Halloween - you know what that means, the start of holiday season! I know, Christmas is not for another 50 days (but who's counting?), but I just love the Christmas decorations around NYC (including the magnificent Rockefeller tree!), shopping and holiday cards!

Ah, the cards. I always have grand plans to include photos and personalized lengthy messages, but the sheer volume of the task makes this exhausting. Enter the world of Shutterfly holiday cards - beautiful and oh so easy. We used Shutterfly for our wedding Thank You cards and they turned out great! The site has a number of different offerings, such as Christmas photo cards, holiday photo cards, and gift tags. For the holidays, here are a few that caught my eye:

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Creating these cards is easy - just upload a photo and personalize the text, and Shutterfly does the rest. Voila! Personalized cards!

If you're also a blogger, you're in luck - Shutterfly is offering bloggers 50 free holiday cards! For details, check out this link:
http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Which cards do you like best?

Note (borrowing from The Nifty Foodie!): This is a sponsored post, but opinions about the brand are my own. I will be receiving 50 free photo cards from writing this post.

I need your help!!

2010-10-22T09:28:00.007-04:00

Hiya Kiddos!

As you can see in the below post, I "retired" from Weddingbee this week, so I won't really be updating the wheresmydessert blog anymore (wahhh!). But please come on over to my new blog, Big Apple Nosh for some food porn, cooking drama, and delectable desserts. Check it out, you won't regret it! :)

But first, I need your help!! Would you please vote for me (Big Apple Nosh) in the mushroom contest I entered HERE?

Voting closes today and last I checked, I am missing first place by 8 measly votes. I need your help to secure the top spot!!! THANKS! Big hugs to all of you. :)

And to liven things up, a fun fact about me: When on the West Coast, I've been known to wear cocktail dresses and go to In-N-Out. What of it?

See you on the other blog!

Hammy Says Good-Bye

2010-10-18T16:39:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess it's time for me to say good-bye. I've tried to drag my feet as long as possible (2 receptions? Waiting 3 months after the wedding to go on a honeymoon? Sure!), but the ruse is up, kiddos. Yet another Bee is retiring from the Hive.

Thank you, all of you, for your support, encouraging comments and suggestions. The Hamster wedding would not have been the same without your input! Thanks to you, I picked out my shoes, I forged ahead on my Gocco'd invitations, I ordered and re-ordered whoopie pies, I stuck a telephoto lens in a lion's face - and that's just off the top of my head. I had so much fun sharing plans with all of you and then sharing the finished product in my recaps, from start to finish. You've provided an outlet for my planning musings and craziness (and Mr. Hamster thanks you for that), and I hope that I've helped at least a few of you too. If nothing else, I hope you had a good laugh at some of my planning foibles.

When I applied to be a Bee blogger last October, I had no idea that I would be welcomed into such a warm, supportive community. I've since made wonderful friends with so many of the other Bees, and I wouldn't trade this experience for the world! I've never been in a sorority before, but I imagine the Bee blogger community to be the next closest thing. It's amazing.

I'll still pop in every now and again, and I'll still be on the boards! But if you're missing some Hammy action, check out my personal blog, Big Apple Nosh! Stop by and say hello; I'll say hi back. :)

Farewell for now! Don't be a stranger!

xoxo,
Hammy

Photo by Erica Lyn

Hamsters' Honeymoon in Africa!

2010-10-13T00:28:00.000-04:00

Hellooooo, Hive! Ahem, I mean - Roooooarrrr!

I've been away from the 'Bee for a few weeks, and I sure missed you all! Mr. Hamster and I just returned from our fantabulous honeymoon in beautiful Kenya and Tanzania, and I'm so excited to share some tidbits with you! We spent 10 days camping under the stars in the Serengeti, the Masai Mara, and at the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. It was a far cry from the hustle and bustle of NYC, I'll tell you that! But where else can you have lions, hyenas, zebras, buffalo and elephants wandering outside your tent at night? I kid you not! Here are just a few things we saw:

We first stopped at Lake Nakuru, where tons of flamingos and other birds congregated:

See that mass of pink in the background? That's thousands of flamingos! We've got some stork in the foreground.

We were super lucky to see the critically endangered black rhino - estimated to have dwindled to 700 in the world due to poaching:

We also saw numerous baboons:

...tons of buffalo (they look docile, but when they are grazing behind your tent at midnight, it's a bit unnerving!)

...giraffes galore:

and that was just Day 1! We then headed to the Masai Mara - where we saw even more wildlife!

The cheetahs were breathtaking:

and the lions were magnificent!

Additionally, Mr. Hamster and I woke up at 4:30am one morning for a hot air balloon ride to get a bird's eye view of the Masai Mara, and it was so fun!

Of course, breakfast on the open savannah afterward (with hyenas watching from afar for table scraps) was unforgettable - with an environment like this, even plain toast tastes delicious!

We then continued onto the Serengeti, where this wildlife feast (for the eyes) continued, where we saw several elephant families, such as this mother and baby:

who made my hold my breath in nervousness as they later walked by an interested group of young male lions:

and hungry hungry hippos:

...warthogs (or Pumbaas, as I found out they are actually called - yes, Lion King was correct!)

...and hyenas - they really do sound like they are laughing! They would forage our campsite every night for food scraps.

We timed our trip to coincide with the annual wildebeest migration - there were wildebeest EVERYWHERE!

We saw two bull elephants fighting, which was exhilarating as they were about 30 feet away and much bigger than our jeep! I got some video of it here:

One tried to make-up, but the other wasn't having it:

I also unwittingly took some video of ostriches like these:

um, mating. It certainly didn't look like how I'd imagine ostrich mating to be (not that I had given it much thought) - it looked quite graceful! Anyhoo, sorry ostriches. I feel all bird-voyeur now.

We also saw the circle of life in action, as these buzzards dined on a wildebeest carcass:

and a tense scene where this lioness:

was hunting this warthog family, hiding in the bush:

And then we were in for a real treat - we found the elusive leopard, thus completing our search for the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino). Notoriously shy, leopards are by far the most difficult of the animals to find, but he was just breathtaking:

Our trip then felt complete - we had found the Big 5, and everything else that would come was a bonus. Of course, we still had Ngorongoro to discover, and as one of the natural wonders of the world, it wouldn't disappoint! Still, we were heading back to camp after a long day of game driving, when we saw what would become the highlight of our trip:

These lion cubs were just the tiniest, most entertaining little guys! I got some video of them as well - one passed right by our car. Under the watchful and protective eye of their lioness mama, they were in good paws.

Our last stop was Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site. With its reputation as a protective oasis for its animal inhabitants, the animals we saw here were larger, older, and seemingly less fearful of predators. We saw HUGE elephants:

old and regal male lions:

even the zebras looked more dignified:

and more lions than we knew what to do with!

I admit, camping for 8+ days wasn't the most luxurious or conventional honeymoon - at one camp, our bath setup was quite intriguing:

Those are the showers on the left, the water tank on the right, and the fire in the middle to warm the water. At least we had hot showers!

But camping allowed us to have views like this:

sunsets over the camp like so:

sunrises like this to wake up to:

and action like THIS:

AHEM. I'm talking to the right of Mr. Hamster, what were you thinking? That's a zebra tail in a tree - one night a baby zebra wandered into camp. Four lions wandered in after it and had a little meal.

And I wouldn't say we suffered too much in the food department either (no zebra though, phew):

Mmm.

And in case you were wondering, yes, I took all of the photos in this post! Mr. Hamster got this shot of me in action:

Our honeymoon safari in Kenya and Tanzania was definitely a trip of a lifetime. Mr. Hamster, who doesn't even like vacations (and this is the man I married! Bah!), proclaimed it the best trip he's ever taken - by far. Camping and "roughing it" was definitely new to us, but we enjoyed every second of it. It was so difficult to return to the confines of a cubicle afterward! This trip may not be for everyone (if you need a mirror and hot showers every morning, camping in the Serengeti might not work for you), but if you're up for it, you will have an unforgettable experience.

Up next - my farewell! (Sob!)

Where are you honeymooning?

We're Back from Singapore!

2010-09-21T22:33:00.001-04:00

Hello hello! We are back from our Singapore reception! We are still waiting for our pro-pics from that fantabulous party, but just wanted to leave you with a decidedly non-pro pic of the evening:

Us with our families and Mr. Hamster's Singapore friends.

Yes, that's Daddy and FIL Hamster giving shaka signs.

Besides hammy-ing it up for the camera, we ate lots of food:

Marveled over the country's natural beauty:

Perused the supermarket wares:

And took advantage of the infinity edge pool at our hotel!!

Hopefully we'll get our pro pics soon, so I can share our Singapore reception with you! :) 'Till then, we're off to our honeymoon in Africa in a few days!

$100 Nordstrom Giftcard Giveaway! - WINNER!

2010-09-03T00:22:00.002-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my very first giveaway! Using this nifty random number generator, the winner of the $100 Nordstrom gift card has been chosen!

Source

I'll take a page from my blogger friend Mandy's book to announce the winner. It is:

THIS PERSON!

Pop on by and tell her that she won BigAppleNosh's contest!!

Our Singapore Reception Will be a Surprise!

2010-08-30T23:53:00.000-04:00

Next week, I'll be heading to our second reception in Singapore, where most of Mr. Hamster's family still resides. I've got my outfit planned out, but MIL Hamster is taking care of the reception details. It will be interesting to attend a reception in our honor that I had no part in planning. Although I admit, after planning our New York shindig, it's a bit of a relief! Here's what I do know:

Our Singapore reception will be at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore, a brandy-new hotel pictured here:

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The hotel opened this past June, so the best picture I have is the above mock-up! Pretty neat, huh? But wait till you get a load of this:

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Anyone interested in taking a dip in the infinity pool, located 55 storeys up?

So I admit, the details I can provide here are a little scarce, other than the fact that the hotel looks pretty neat (and it's of the same company that managers The Venetian and The Palazzo in Vegas!). I'll have more to share when I return in a few weeks! Until then, it will be a surprise for us all :)

Any two reception brides out there?

GIVEAWAY: $100 Nordstrom Giftcard!

2010-08-29T17:21:00.005-04:00

Yes, you read correctly - it is my first giveaway on this blog, and a pretty awesome one at that!

This could be yours

Source

This giveaway is sponsored by DesignerApparel.com. DesignerApparel.com, a shopping search engine for designer apparel, allows you to search across multiple retailers quickly and easily. For example, if I'm looking for a Marc Jacobs bag, I just click on the Marc Jacobs section and bags from Zappos, Net-a-Porter, and Neiman Marcus pop up. Dangerous, very dangerous!

Recognizing the difficult task of finding a mother-of-the-bride dress (I've been there), DesignerApparel.com has created a page specifically dedicated to finding the perfect Mother of the Bride Dresses, with brands like Adrianna Papell, Tadashi (I'm wearing a Tadashi for the Singapore reception!) and Eileen Fisher.

To celebrate this new section, DesignerApparel.com is sponsoring this giveaway - a $100 giftcard to Nordstrom. Spend it on a mother-of-the-bride dress or on yourself - I won't tell your Momma ;).

There are 3 ways to enter this giveaway:

1. Follow me on this site, and comment below to let me know!

2. Follow me on my food blog, and comment below to let me know!

3. Follow @bigapplenosh on Twitter (if you’re not already following me!) and tweet this statement:

I entered to win a $100 Nordstrom Giftcard on @bigapplenosh's blog! http://bit.ly/cXfVKP

…and then come back here and leave another comment with a direct link to your tweet. You must be following me on Twitter for your entry to be counted!

Go ahead and enter all 3 ways! You have until Thursday, September 2 at 11:59pm EST to enter. A winner will be selected randomly and announced on this blog on Friday, September 3rd.

GOOD LUCK! :)

Fine Print: DesignerApparel.com to ship Nordstrom gift card directly to winner when the contest ends. If the winner happens to be living abroad or prefers online shopping instead of in-store, DesignerApparel.com will offer “virtual gift card” with a code via e-mail.

The Hamsters' Wedding Video!!!

2010-08-24T15:34:00.015-04:00

We have our wedding DVD!!!

Video clip and all film stills by Wilson Fontaine

I had mentioned way back when how excited Mr. Hamster and I were about our videographer, Wilson Fontaine, who was the first vendor we had booked. Last week we received our wedding dvd, and we are BEYOND thrilled!

Oh you to see actual video? Click below for a taste!

Wilson also captured these other film stills (for those of you reading Weddingbee at work and don't have video access - you know who you are):

Mr. Hamster and I are SO glad Wilson was there to capture our day. Video of the day was a priority for us, and we shifted our budget around to make it possible. We've watched the full DVD several times now, and each time we view it we love it even more!

Are you having a videographer? What wedding elements are a priority for you?

Brides Magazine Blogger Event

2010-08-17T01:06:00.001-04:00

Last week, Mrs. Hermit Crab, Mrs. Lovebird, Mrs. Pug and I attended the Brides Magazine Blogger Happy Hour event. We had the opportunity to meet the lovely editors and staff of Brides magazine, as well as enjoy some hors d'ouvres and yummy cocktails!

Editor-in-Chief Millie Martini Bratten first led us through a slideshow of the Brides Magazine covers through the years - it was interesting to see how fashion trends have changed over the decades!

Since the event was hosted by a publication all about weddings, the arrangements and decor were gorgeous, of course:

And the food and drink plentiful!

Each attendee received a cute tote bag:

...which contained the latest issue of Brides, a box of thank-you cards, a beautiful invitation set, and other goodies.

Photo from Brides Magazine photographer.

We had such a great time - thank you Weddingbee and Brides Magazine for the opportunity to attend this fun event!

All photos by me unless otherwise specified.

The Other Dress

2010-08-11T01:55:00.001-04:00

For our Singapore reception, I had debated whether or not I should bring my wedding dress. Ultimately, I decided against it - the duchess satin and long train would be too heavy for the balmy equatorial climate; I didn't want to clean it, wear it and clean it again, and I felt like it had "its time" in NYC. Although I absolutely loved my dress, I only wanted to wear it once, on our wedding day.

My dress: The Kenneth Pool Sophisticate (photos by Erica Lyn)

Of course, I still needed something to wear for the Singapore reception, so it was time to go dress shopping again, whee! Here's where I had a little fun. While I had picked out my wedding dress with Mr. Hamster's tastes in mind, for my Singapore dress, I picked something that I absolutely loved - Mr. Hamster's tastes be darned! I know this dress will cause a little head-scratching on his part, but I think it's fun and romantic. :) And what dress did I pick? Here it is...

Tadashi Shoji "Feathery" Gown

I actually saw this dress in a champagne shade at Bloomingdales while I was helping Mom Hamster find her Singapore dress. I asked the sales associate if it came in white, and she replied no. But. It does. (Booo, poor customer service!). I went online, and faster than my hot little hands could click "Place in cart", I had it on it's way to the big NYC (with a coupon code to boot!).

I tried it on, and the top fit perfectly, but the length indicated it was meant for a 6 foot tall woman, which I am not. Unfortunately, those layers and layers of shirred fabric made shortening it an ordeal, but it wasn't anything that Mom and Sis Hamster couldn't handle (over countless days and bribery on my part with coconut cupcakes). We also switched out the black ribbon for a mauve one, per MIL Hamster's suggestion, regarding luck in Chinese tradition.

Here's Mom Hamster working tirelessly among layers and layers of silk:

And me trying the dress pre-shortening. Note I am standing on a 1-foot stool here. I believe I am *almost* as tall as Mrs. Scissors in this photo. Excuse the messy ponytail and the "I came straight from work" glow.

I suspect Mr. Hamster won't be crazy about all that fluffly fabric, but who knows, he may surprise me! How will this dress be received in Singapore? Stay tuned...

Did you pick your wedding dress with your partner's tastes in mind?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Ending the Night

2010-08-01T15:25:00.000-04:00

It's my last NYC wedding recap! As I wind things down, I'd like to share this picture with you:

Now what is it that could yield such a sweet kiss from Mr. Hamster? The answer, of course, is fried chicken.

A while back, I had planned for a delivery of 200 wings and drumsticks from BonChon chicken, the Mister's favorite fried chicken joint. At 9:15PM, our coordinator Chris appeared behind my chair and whispered "Don't change your facial expression, but the chicken is in the building." It was go time!

Multiple waiters in tuxedos appeared with silver platters carrying none other than the beloved BonChon - Mr. Hamster was happily surprised! Success! I'm really glad I went with the chicken instead of some of the other ideas I had in mind - Mr. Hamster thought it was really cool and our guests, despite being stuffed from dinner, still had room for some fried chicken. :)

After that, it was time to get the dance floor started! Mr. Hamster and I led the way:

And our guests quickly joined us!

On the right half of this picture, you'll see Mrs. Swan, Mrs. Trail Mix, Mrs. Pug and Mrs. FroYo hanging around the waiter with the mini gelato cones - smart ladies.

I boogied down with my bridesmaids:

Both sets of parents found their way onto the floor (and my parents aren't big dancers at all):

And even my little nephew got in on the action (check out the untucked shirt, he was ready to rip up the dance floor with my Aunt!)

Then came the surprise that our guests got REALLY excited about - cotton candy on the dance floor!

Check out the expressions on the faces of Bridesmaid A, me, and Mr. Hamster, as well as the pair of "mystery hands" appearing as if from out of nowhere on the right side of the photo. Meanwhile, guest Lizzy G, behind my elbow, is quicker than the rest of us and already has her first mouthful of the candy.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and as the clock struck midnight, our band announced the end of the evening. I'm happy to report that the dance floor was still packed, and it took quite a bit of coaxing to get people to leave! Our lovely photographer and videographer had left by then; however, a guest snapped this last photo of the evening - notice that my sensible shoes were off by that time - yep, I was walking around the hotel barefoot:

(Above photo by guest)

All photos by Erica Lyn unless otherwise specified.

Well, there you have it, Bees - the Hammy wedding. Thank you so much for following my recaps - I hope you had at least half as fun reading them as I did sharing them with you! I really appreciated all of your encouraging comments and feedback - thanks to readers like you, I found my lip color, explored multiple shoe options, salvaged some Gocco FAILS, and countless other morsels of advice! Lest you think you're rid of me, I'll be heading to our second reception in Singapore in a few weeks, followed by our honeymoon in Africa, as well as sharing our Super8 wedding film when we receive it. So I'll still be buzzing around, if you're not sick of me yet. :)

In case you missed any of it, here's what we've done:

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.
We stuffed ourselves silly at the cocktail hour.
Mr. Hamster and I showed off our dancing skills.
I danced with Daddy Hamster.
I went gaga over our cake.
Mr. Hamster and I threw things at our guests.

Good bye - for now!

Over the Moon for My Hammy: "Will Jump for GiftCard"

2010-07-29T16:15:00.003-04:00

What could make me go from the joy of cake cutting to this?

Why, the tosses, of course. (And I was actually giggling, not crying, heehee)

I had previously expressed my concern about the bouquet and garter tosses. I didn't want to single out our unattached friends in the most literal way possible, I'm easily embarrassed, and do people even DO the tosses anymore? Then, I came up with the idea of attaching a prize to the whole business, and decided to go for it. I mean, who doesn't like prizes?

Why, there's a prize on my bouquet!

Before the toss, we attached a gift card to the garter and the bouquet (I used a bridesmaid's bouquet, because I wanted to keep mine!). We then called up ALL the ladies and ALL the gentlemen. And while I've cringed at other weddings when single ladies and guys were dragged up for the toss, no dragging was necessary - our guests were eager to participate.

But first, the garter needed to come off. Now apparently, this tradition isn't as prevalent in Mr. Hamster's home country of Singapore. So for him and our Singaporean guests, this whole "take an article of clothing or flowers and throw it at people" was new, novel, and intriguing. And I'll admit, he was not that good at finding the garter, even though I had pretty much looped it around my ankle for maximum modesty (well, as modest as you can get in a garter toss).

Mr. Hamster: "WHAT is a garter, and where is it?" Mrs. Hamster: "Omg."

Mr. Hamster: "Oh thank goodness." Mrs. Hamster: "Oh thank goodness."

Then it was time for the tossing:

Ah. Most of the guys in the very front of the crowd were the Singaporeans, for which this was new. They were SO into it, and SO disappointed, when one of my relatives caught it! I gave them a quick lesson on garter tossing physics to prepare them for their next American wedding:

"It's all in the trajectory, guys."

Then it was my turn. I took an appraising look at ceiling height and distance from the crowd and went for it:

Look at the height that some of these girls achieved! I love that my mom and her friend were also in on the action.

The recipient of the lovely bouquet and gift card was none other than Mrs. D'orsay!

All photos by Erica Lyn.

I'm happy to report that there were cheers and applause all around, and no grabby gals (or gents).

Despite my initial reservations at the toss, I was really happy we went with it, and the twist we added. Everyone really enjoyed it and the pictures were priceless!

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.
We stuffed ourselves silly at the cocktail hour.
Mr. Hamster and I showed off our dancing skills.
I danced with Daddy Hamster.
I went gaga over our cake.

Will you be doing a toss (or some variation on it)?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: I Love Caaaaaaaake!!!

2010-07-27T22:34:00.003-04:00

I had two loves with me on our wedding day. The first was Mr. Hamster. The second was our cake.

Oh lovely cake, how I longed to eat thee. Ever since I came home with a take-out container from my Sylvia Weinstock meeting (yeah, you know you would too!), I was looking forward to seeing and tasting our cake on our wedding day.

As you may recall, at my meeting with Sylvia, she sketched out a design for our cake. I was so curious to see how it would turn out in real life. How would it look? (Fantabulous) How would it taste? (Get your paws of my grub). I was not disappointed.

I'm not ashamed to admit that when it came time to cut the cake, I did a little cake-cutting dance (thank you, Erica, for capturing my excitement on film):

Mr. Hamster: "That's one big cake." Mrs. Hamster: "Caaaaake! Caaaaaaaaake!"

Chris, our maitre d'/coordinator extraordinaire, gave detailed directions on how to cut the first slice, but I was just too excited to pay attention.

"Heehee. Cake."

I mean seriously, we had this big cake knife in hand, and I wasn't even looking at the darn thing.

Good thing Mr. Hamster led the way, and I was just resigned to making big smiles and general giddiness.

"Cut it properly! Don't mess up the cake!"

Mr. Hamster: "Omg, this girl is crazy for her cake."

And finally, some “we’re not crazy” pictures:

Then it was time for the feeding. We had agreed to no cake-smashing; not only is it messy, but in my opinion it’s a waste of good cake. I gave Mr. Hamster a tiny bite – okay maybe I could have been a little more generous:

Whereas he knew that if he gave me a tiny bite - well, let’s just say hell hath no fury like a Hammy starved. I am slightly embarrassed to say that my “Better be a big bite!” look was also captured for eternity:

“Bigger bite, hon. Bigger bite.”

And how was it?
Let’s just say there were eyes to the sky:

And giggles of delight:

All photos by Erica Lyn.

Oh cakey. I love you.

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.
We stuffed ourselves silly at the cocktail hour.
Mr. Hamster and I showed off our dancing skills.
I danced with Daddy Hamster.

Tell me about your cake and/or dessert spread!

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Dancing with Daddy Hamster

2010-07-26T15:28:00.000-04:00

Many little girls dream of one day getting married and sharing that father-daughter dance. I was not one of those girls. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely a Daddy’s girl – but more in the “help my dad fix our car” way than a “dance with my dad” way. We built Lego forts. We played soccer in the backyard. And when it came time to plan the father-daughter dance, I didn’t really think he would care too much for it; it just didn’t seem our “thing”.

Of course, a daughter can often be wrong, so when my Sis Hamster told me that Daddy Hamster was really looking forward to the father-daughter dance (second only to walking me down the aisle), how could I say no? I think his expression in the above photo says it all.

(Just push play!)

I chose a few song options for the father-daughter dance, based on sentiment and how easily the songs could be danced to. Turns out Daddy Hamster didn’t really care about dance-ease; as he put it, “Don’t worry, I’m a pro.” He ended up choosing “She’s Got a Way,” by the Piano Man himself.

I burned the song onto a CD, which Daddy Hamster listened to on his commute to and from work. Additionally, we practiced our dance several times, but true to his word, he was a pro and the practice was more beneficial to me than to him!

Our father-daughter dance was completely stress-free; Daddy Hamster was a great lead, and we danced a basic tango step with a twirl or two thrown in!

All photos by Erica Lyn

In the end, I was so happy to have gone ahead with the father-daughter dance, especially after I learned that Daddy Hamster was really looking forward to it. Which leads me to another Hamster tip:

Find out what your parents are most looking forward to at your wedding, and if you can, accommodate those wishes. It can mean the world to them!

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.
We stuffed ourselves silly at the cocktail hour.
Mr. Hamster and I showed off our dancing skills.

Will you be doing a parent dance?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: More than the Hold and Sway

2010-07-21T15:28:00.001-04:00

After stuffing ourselves silly at the cocktail hour, our guests were seated and we were ready to make our entrance. I was a little nervous about going down stairs in my dress; I’m quite klutzy, and stairs and I aren’t the best of friends. But luckily I made it down those three steps without mishap:

And we were greeted by our cheering family and friends! Now came the moment that I think Mr. Hamster was most nervous about - more than the vows, were we going to make fools of ourselves at the first dance?

We had chosen our first dance song way back – in the spirit of full disclosure, I *knew* this would be our first dance before we were even engaged, and I was keeping my fingers crossed that Mr. Hamster would be on the same page. Lucky for me, he was – but how can you not be with lyrics such as these? (Just push play!)

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than

I have ever found a way

to say

to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you

that I know

we belong

That I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

During all those stressful moments of planning, when I was just *done* looking at flower inspiration pictures or printing out Zappos return labels, I would play this song on my laptop, and Mr. Hamster and I would practice. We’re not the most graceful people in the world, so some toes were literally stepped on. But we had fun, together. And it looks like at least one of our guests was impressed:

After our dance, we settled into our seats for the first course:

and I conferred with Daddy and Mom Hamster about very important things:

Mom Hamster: “I think I’m going to have the fish. You?”

I looked around at our guests mingling with each other and enjoying the food, and I was so happy! We had done the first dance, gotten through the parts of the day that I was concerned about, timeline-wise. I could now just sit back and relax, and see the results of my 15 months of planning. And it was good.

Then came time for the toasts. Best Man BIL Hamster started things off, speaking fondly of growing up with older brother Mr. Hamster, as well as his memory of when he first met me. It was really sweet, and I know he was nervous about it – but you really couldn’t tell and he did a great job!

MOH Sister Hamster spoke next, talking about her younger sister (me!) and how she had hoped I would find someone who would be kind to my sensitive nature. She spoke of how she knew Mr. Hamster was that person when she met him, and despite wanting to name our first child Elvis, he was still welcomed with open arms into our family. MOH Hamster is a natural public speaker and did great!

Daddy Hamster and FIL Hamster then spoke briefly, toasting and welcoming each of us into the families. Both Dads, usually on the more soft-spoken side, really shined in the spotlight.

Mr. Hamster and I greatly enjoyed all of the speeches. The words that our families spoke were genuine and from-the-heart.

All photos by Erica Lyn.

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.
We stuffed ourselves silly at the cocktail hour.

What is your first dance song?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Details, Details, Details!

2010-07-20T15:12:00.003-04:00

I never really noticed all the little details at weddings until I got engaged. Now, when I see a handcrafted menu or beautiful escort cards, I appreciate all the hours of effort that took place behind the scenes.    I wrote about my favorite some of my favorite outfit details (including those infamous shoes) here. Although I’m not yet finished with my recaps, here are some more of my favorite details from our wedding:

I was pretty easygoing about flowers, giving my florist free reign for most elements. However, I absolutely loved my bridal bouquet of red charm peonies. It provided a pop of color in photos and many of our guests commented on it. My florist was kind enough to make one bouquet for our pre-ceremony pictures and another for my walk down the aisle.

I also loved the bridesmaids’ bouquets featuring blue thistle and white tulips. They complemented the ladies’ dresses really well and stood up in the heat.

Then there were our accordion-style wedding programs, with covers Gocco’d (and re-Gocco’d because I didn’t like the alignment) by me and assembled with the help of Mom Hamster and Sis Hamster.    I saw several of our guests holding onto them after the ceremony – I consider that a win!

I wanted to do something super cute and beautiful for our escort cards, but ran out of time.   In the end, I purchased perforated escort cards from Staples and printed them on my home computer. They actually came out okay – not out-of-this-world, but acceptable enough!

Our guests had a ball with our wishes/predictions/advice guestbook, and we had a blast reading all of the notes. Some were touching, others were hilarious. My favorite is the prediction on the lower left corner – it says “Mrs. Hamster will always be right.” I assume this guest left his or her name off to avoid the stinkeye from Mr. Hamster.

I was really pleased that we decided to go with the long tables. In fact, it was such an early and persistent request of mine that after a while, I heard Mr. Hamster telling potential vendors and friends, “Yes, we really want to go with long tables.” “We”?? Yesssssssssss, I’ll take it!

Our personalized table numbers were a hit, and our guests enjoyed going from table to table reading all the stories. Weeks after the wedding, one of our friends from grad school said “Oh yes, we were at table Dumpling.” Considering this friend made our open bar a worthy investment, I was quite surprised he even remembered being at our wedding, let alone the table name. (You know who you are.)

Our table centerpieces were left completely up to the florist, and she came through beautifully with tall arrangements of bells of Ireland and calla lilies, short arrangements of peonies, hydrangeas, roses and fiddlehead fern and bud vases of black callas. In true Hamster Auntie fashion, the centerpieces were broken down and distributed post-wedding.

The personalized menus were also a hit, with many of our guests taking theirs home after the evening was over.

And finally, the whoopie pies. Can we ever forget the whoopie pie saga? The answer is no, we can’t. The female half of many of our couple friends told me that they ate theirs, then they ate their partner’s (after some distraction, such as “Hey look, is that fried chicken I see?”). Sorry boys, you snooze you lose. All photos by Erica Lyn. Removal of Mr. Hamster’s name by me.

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.
We stuffed ourselves at the cocktail hour.

What details are you most looking forward to most at your wedding?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Sushi, Sake, Sliders and Shrimp. And Lamb.

2010-07-19T14:27:00.000-04:00

I know you can’t tell from the photo, but I’m saying “Please let’s hurry up and bustle my dress so we can go to the cocktail hour.”
It was time for some serious eating. Lemme tell you – I was SO excited about our cocktail hour. While we had a menu tasting for our reception, the cocktail hour involved choosing items off a list. So I was really eager to sample our selections and see how they turned out! After a quick toast with my ladies:

We headed out and were greeted by our sushi station, complete with sushi, sashimi, rolls and the highlight for the Hamster cousins – the sake!

We then moved onto the seafood station, featuring oysters on the half shell:
crab claws and baby lobster tails:

And then rounded the corner for the lamb carving station:

We also had a Peking duck station and various passed hors d’oeuvres such as goat cheese and watermelon, and the crowd favorite – sliders!

Top it off with some bubbly, and we were good to go:

Unfortunately, despite numerous promises to myself beforehand, I didn’t eat as much at the cocktail hour as I wanted to. I wanted to make sure that I spoke to as many of our guests as I could – after all, they were spending part of their precious long weekend with us, and I wanted to let them know we appreciated it! So Mr. Hamster and I mingled and chatted, moving through the cocktail hour space – until we found this group of lovely ladies:

Photo by Mr. Toucan

Look familiar? How many can you name? :)

And here’s another Hamster Tip: Even though you may have the best intentions to eat during your cocktail hour and reception, sometimes things don’t always work out that way. Speak to your caterer beforehand so that they can put together a plate for you and your Mr. or Mrs. to eat afterward!

All photos by Erica Lyn unless specified.

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.
I made Mr. Hamster cry.

I love hearing about food – tell us about your wedding food plans!

Tiffany & Co. New Collections 2010 Event

2010-07-16T14:33:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Miss Thimble and I attended the Tiffany & Co. New Collections 2010 preview. At this event, Tiffany debuted its newest pieces of jewelry - it was so much fun to be *this* close to so much beautiful bling and even try a few on! Some of my favorite pieces included:

I was just in love with these color-stone rings, and I'm a bit partial to the halo style, being a halo e-ring gal myself! Here's the whole collection:

I thought the magenta one third from the left would just go fantabulously with my outfit. Unfortunately, the Tiffany staff didn't agree.

I love how the gold complements the jewel tones so well in this cuff bracelet and necklace.

Lovely enamel bracelets with more color stone rings:

I love those diamond and sapphire rings, as well as the diamond butterfly brooch!

The classic Tiffany key, in various styles. Wait a minute, is that a Thimble I see in there?

And then my absolute fave, the piece de resistance - a 20 carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond...surrounded by other diamonds. I want, I want.

Of course no party would be completed without some goodies! I admit I took way too many pictures of the snacks and had a tough time picking a few choice shots for this post.

There were macarons in Tiffany blue as well as yellow/cream:

For the curious, that's lemon, "blue" flavor, and vanilla with chocolate ganache.

Cupcakes:

Jellybeans, malt balls, lemon candies, and grapefruit gummies:

Do you think they Gocco'd these napkins?

Of course moments were made merrier by fellow Bee Miss Thimble! I believe we single-handedly put away at least half of the cocktail snacks. By "believe" I mean "know".

It was so amazing to see all these new pieces of jewelry laid out so beautifully - I wanted it all! After all, a girl can dream, right?

Which one is your favorite?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: The Walk. The Vows. The Tears.

2010-07-15T14:30:00.003-04:00

It was time for my walk. I was walking into that room as a “Miss,” walking out a Mrs.

Let’s set the mood shall we?

Mr. Hamster had given me full reign over the ceremony music. We had a pianist, and for the processional I wanted something that both sounded good and gave me The Chills. None of the classical numbers spoke to me; however, Coldplay’s The Scientist did. This may date us years from now, but I don’t care. This was the song.

Daddy Hamster and I stood outside the ballroom as the bridesmaids made their way up the aisle. Finally, we got the signal from our venue coordinator. With a “You ready?” from Daddy Hamster and a nod from me, we made our entrance.

Although I knew that our guests would standing up, it was so amazing to see them looking at us with such love and excitement. I’m fairly shy and not used to 100 pairs of eyes staring at me, so it made me a bit nervous. I alternated between winking at friends and looking down – two very different reactions, I know.

We finally made our way to the head of the room.

With a kiss and “I love you” from Daddy Hamster:

and a hug for his new son-in-law:

Daddy Hamster stepped back, and Mr. Hamster and I made our way up the stairs together.

We were ready.

We had booked our officiant a while back. Neither of us is particularly religious, but he reflected on our love and strength together as a couple, and many of our guests later told us they really enjoyed our ceremony. Of course, Mr. Hamster and I were too pre-occupied by whether to say “I do” vs. “I will” (and when) to enjoy it fully.

Witness Mr. Hamster’s intense look of concentration:

And my look of slight confusion:

Fortunately, we aced our ceremony.

We said our vows:

We exchanged rings:

Our officiant then spoke to our guests – as our closest friends and family, they would see our relationship continue to grow, going through joyous times and rough patches, transforming as our lives change and we change. He asked our guests, if they agreed to play a part in nurturing us, supporting us, sharing in our times of joys and sorrow, to respond with a resounding, “WE DO!”

And THEY DID!

The above picture is actually one of my favorites from the whole evening. It really is a true reflection of Mr. Hammy and I in our most natural state – not too serious, always quick to smile.

And then we were pronounced. I kissed my groom.

Before we started up the aisle, now as husband and wife, I looked at Mr. Hamster and swore my eyes were fooling me. Mr. Hamster was completely teary eyed. Now, he is *not* a crier. Moments of happiness? Dry-eyed. Sad movies? Stone cold. I had hoped he would cry at our first look. Nothing. Walking down the aisle? Nothing. Apparently he was holding back, and it all came out after the ceremony. Of course his guy friends teased him to no end. But you’ll be kind, right?

“Don’t cry, honey.”

We did it! We were married!

All photos by Erica Lyn.

After 15 months of planning, from poring over fonts to gocco-ing invitations to ordering and returning 19 pairs of shoes, it came down to this. Twenty minutes between the two of us, witnessed by our loved ones. That's all it took. At the end of the day, it is not the handcrafted escort cards or favor tags that make the wedding a success. Brides, revel in the ceremony. No matter how involved, or uninvolved, your partner has been in the planning process, this moment is shared by the two of you equally. Savor it.

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.
The bridal party set the stage.

Up next – the moment our guests were waiting for. (The cocktail hour)

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Traipsing Down the Aisle

2010-07-13T22:41:00.000-04:00

Roll out the white carpet, the Hammies are coming!

To set the mood, let me introduce you to our prelude music. Just push play, you won’t regret it! And no, I didn't choose this music because it's from a Brad Pitt movie. I chose it because it's from an Anthony Hopkins movie. Just kidding! (I chose it because it's from a Brad Pitt movie):

By the way, did you notice that the Pierre staff is in white tie (with those penguin tails I think are so cute)? I think I even saw a white glove here and there. Meanwhile, we wore black tie. Yep, we've been out-fancied by our venue.

Anyhoo, we had gotten dressed, had our first look, and taken pictures in Central Park. There was one thing left to do - what was it again?

Oh yeah, get married.

Our guests were ready (and quite intrigued by the runner activities):

Mr. Hamster walked in first with Best Man BIL Hamster. Then came Mr. Hamster's parents:

Mom Hamster escorted by my brother-in-law:

The dapper groomsmen, traveling all the way from Singapore, Chicago and...Westchester! Ok, that's not that far, but his wife was quite pregnant (they had their baby 2 days later!) and STILL rocked it on the dance floor, so I give them props.

My lovely bridesmaids:

MOH Sister Hamster with my nephew, Ring Bearer Hamster:

I must say, I was quite impressed - at 18-months old, he made it down the aisle like a pro!

"Fine, I'll walk - but I'm not holding a pillow, Mom. Those are for babies."

The groomsmen were waiting:

The bridesmaids were ready:

And so was the groom:

All photos by Erica Lyn.

It was go time.

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.
We sweated it out in the park.

Up next - I make my way down the aisle. Will I trip? Wait and see...

Over the Moon for My Hammy: I Feel Sweaty, Oh So Sweaty

2010-07-13T14:03:00.000-04:00

After our first look, we headed to Central Park for some photos. I’m really glad we took a few hours to take pictures with our bridal party, many of who had traveled across the country and globe to be here with us. With the park right outside our venue, how could we pass up such an opportunity?

I had to have pictures with my ladies:

And Mr. Hamster with his groomsmen:

We also posed for a few group pictures:

Me with Daddy Hamster!

We also got a TON of photos of Mr. Hamster and me – only a few of which I’m posting here:

Don’t we look all calm, cool, and collected? Well, let me you in on a little secret. 90-degree weather and a duchess satin gown do not mix well. While you can’t tell in the above photos, “backstage” we were sweating bullets. Good thing Mom Hamster picked up some fans from the $1 Store:

And MIL Hamster had picked up an umbrella from the front desk:

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hotel for our ceremony – any later and we might encounter our guests arriving! So we skedaddled.

All photos by Erica Lyn.

Up next– ceremony time!

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.
We had our first look.

Will you be taking pictures before the ceremony?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: The First Look

2010-07-12T13:48:00.001-04:00

One of the unique things about NYC is that you can get a first look photo with a shirtless man:

Quite early on, we realized that if we chose not to do a first look, we would only be able to do pictures during the cocktail hour – and uh, we wanted to eat! I was very disappointed at first; however, our love for food won out over my desire to surprise the Mister and his desire to be surprised. What can you say, we have our priorities.

With that, I made my way out to greet Mr. Hamster:

Being all sneaky Pete about it:

“Excuse me, I’m looking for my groom. Have you seen him?”

There you are!

“Nice dress – is it new?”

All kidding aside, I was really curious to see how Mr. Hamster would react to seeing my dress for the first time. I’m not going to lie, while dress shopping, his anticipated reaction really influenced my choice. While I picked a dress that I loved, I also picked it because I knew he would love it. There were other contenders that I know would yield Mr. Hamster’s “huh?” face – they didn’t make the cut.

After a few moments together, we were ready to head into Central Park for some bridal party pictures!

All photos by Erica Lyn.

Coming up next– what do you get when you take pictures in 90 degree weather with a satin gown?

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous.
We put on our party clothes.

Will you be having a first look?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Putting on Our Party Clothes!

2010-07-07T15:38:00.001-04:00

Remember these babies?It was time for them to make their debut. Yep, I had my hair and make-up done, it was time to get into The Dress!

My dress and veil were waiting patiently for me (yes, I’ve given them personalities):

As were my hair clips and our wedding bands:

Even though I had worn my dress about 4 times for my fittings by now, I was really excited to see it completely pressed and altered to fit me like a glove. This was also the first time that the embellishments on the train were exposed (they were covered up during fittings to prevent the dress from getting scratched). Look at my face – you’d think there was a cupcake up there or something:

I’m sure this isn’t the case for every dress, but getting into my dress was a complex and multi-woman affair. It had 2 zippers, multiple hooks, a corset thingie, and countless other torture devices. It took all my bridesmaids to figure this thing out.

“Hmmm, the directions say ‘Unzip and step in’”

Going from bachelorette party tank-top to wedding dress. Klassy!

Making sure the Ladies are in place.

Oof, shouldn’t have had that extra piece of cake yesterday.

After I was *finally* in the dress, it came time for the shoes:

You’ll see that I started with the white shoes for picture-taking in the park – comfort and all. I brought the red Loubies with me, but what can I say – I was too lazy to change into them later on. I know, all that shoe drama for nothing, right? Sorry.

Mom and Sis Hamster then helped me with my jewelry – the necklace and earrings that my sister wore for her wedding. It was my “something borrowed.”

And Sissi showed me how to put the veil on for the ceremony:

Mr. Hamster, as you can imagine, didn't take as long as I did to get ready. In fact, our videographer said that she had never seen a groom get ready so quickly (I like to think it was because he was excited to see me, ha!). So what was he doing all this time?

Chillin' with BIL Hamster:

"What do you think the girls are doing?" "No clue, dude"

Then, his groomsmen arrived, and it was for reals:

After a final good luck toast, we were ready for our first look!

All photos by Erica Lyn

It was so fun to have my closest friends and family help me into my fancy dress! That being said, this process took a LOT longer than anticipated. Which brings me to Hammy Tip (#.…Um, I’m so bad with the Tips – I’m going to stop numbering them).

Hammy Tip: Have extra buffer time throughout your wedding day schedule – that way, even if you’re running late, you’ll still be calm and under control!

Next up – the first look!

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.
The ladies got beauteous

How much time are you budgeting for your dressing-up? (FYI, it took me about 30 minutes)

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Ladies Get Beauteous!

2010-07-06T00:44:00.002-04:00

I woke up on the morning of the Hamster wedding to a sunny, scorching hot day. After a low-key breakfast of fruit and bagels with Mom Hamster, we were ready to get prettied up!

It was an early Sunday morning, and a holiday weekend at that, so NYC was pretty quiet:

However, our hotel suite was bustling! Mom and Sis Hamster got their hair and make-up done first.

And then it was my turn! I never thought I’d post pictures with my hair in rollers for the world to see, but you won’t laugh too hard, right?

Mom and Sis Hamster looked on patiently (and munched on those cookies on the coffee table – yum!):

As well as read some of the wishes/predictions/advice guestbook cards that some guests had filled out at the rehearsal dinner: It was so nice to have my mom and sister there, while we all got ready together. They provided a calming influence as well as cracked jokes here and there, keeping things lighthearted. After all, the Hammies never take themselves too seriously!

My make-up artist, Sissi Chan, put the finishing touches on my hair and make-up:

And I saw the finished result – and loved it!!

If you remember from my original make-up post (it’s okay, I know you don’t), I was going for an old-school glam vintage look – and I think Sissi achieved that perfectly!

Then the lovely Hamster bridesmaids arrived:

And I got to catch up with my close friends:

After some last-minute touch-ups:

I was ready to get into The Dress!

All photos by Erica Lyn.

Up next – the Hamster Men get ready, and I put on my party clothes :)

What have we done so far?

Poured tea
Bumbled our way through a rehearsal.
Rewarded ourselves surviving the rehearsal with some food.
I teased you.

What will your day-of preparations look like?

Shameless Plug

2010-07-03T17:28:00.001-04:00

I've still got my recaps to catch you up on (just got my pictures a few days ago, woohoo!), but in the mean time here's a shameless plug for my new site! Yes, I'm restarting my food blog - go check it out! :)

Big Apple Nosh

Go ahead and follow me - you won't regret it ;)
Happy eating!

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Such a Tease!

2010-06-23T18:23:00.005-04:00

I mentioned in my last post that I’m getting my pro pics this week – but in the mean time, here are some teasers!

Remember this one?

All photos by Erica Lyn and second shooter Neil Albuja.

Stay tuned, more coming soon!

What have we done so far?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Thai Chi, Chai Tea, and Other Asian Things

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Are Rehearsals Supposed to be Funny?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: The Rehearsal Dinner

2010-06-23T00:27:00.004-04:00

Hello, hive! I’m back with another installment of the Hamster recaps. The good news – I’m getting my pro pics this week! The bad news – you won’t see as many handy dandy photos such as these: Yes, I’m taking a picture of the bathroom in our hotel room. I mean, come on - there was a TV there! That’s pretty nifty.

Aaaanyway, when we last left off, we had poured tea as well as rehearsed. That left only one thing to do – eat!

For the rehearsal dinner, we treated our bridal party and out-of-town guests with some famous NYC brick oven pizza. We went slightly overboard with the ordering (I estimated each person would eat 1/3 of a pizza, but there was tons remaining. Lightweights), but Mr. Hamster’s friends happily took care of the leftovers.

Um, so yeah…this is a familiar story – whenever food is placed in front of us, the Hamster family and friends just quiet down and EAT, and hence I forgot to take a lot of pictures. Sorry. But you get the gist, right? Hamsters, eating. Like so:

You get the idea.

After we stuffed ourselves full of pizza, calamari and caprese salad, BIL Hamster had a surprise for Mr. Hamster – a custom cake from Carlo’s Bakery, of Cake Boss fame! Super cool, if I do say so myself:
Mr. Hamster was playing in the WSOP the weekend after our wedding (I know, I’m a good wifey), so the cake was designed in reference to that. OR was it supposed to mean “Marriage - it’s a gamble!” (I kid, I kid)

BIL Hamster and Mr. Hamster with the P-p-p-poker Cake

Then Mr. Hamster and I just wanted to dig in right then and there, but we were told to use a knife and fork like civilized people. Darn.

Of course we couldn’t dig in without a picture first.

Notice the fine lines and composition, the candid action of MIL Hamster taking a photo of the photographer while the Bride mugs for amateur photog #4. Erstwhile, Mr. Hamster’s Singapore buddy employs the ubiquitous bunny ears/v-for-victory/peace-sign pose, while Dad and Mom Hamster observe with amusement and intrigue. The groom, oblivious to these goings-on, poses for amateur photog #3.

After the cake was eaten and doggy bags distributed, I headed back to the bridal suite for my last night as a single lady. I had the city waiting for me outside my hotel window:

And my dress all set and ready to go:

I was ready.

What have we done so far?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Thai Chi, Chai Tea, and Other Asian Things

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Are Rehearsals Supposed to be Funny?

How will you spend your last night as a single lady?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Are Rehearsals Supposed to be Funny?

2010-06-15T00:31:00.000-04:00

I'm high-strung person. I operate most efficiently on a baseline level of stress and anxiety - maybe it's the New Yorker in me, I don't know. So as our wedding day approached, I was all set for the nerves to kick in. And kick in, they....didn't.

The week before the wedding - nothing. 2 days before - nothing. Then, it was rehearsal time, and I was *sure* I would be a mess by then. Instead, I was a cool cucumber. What gives? Take a look:

Rehearsal time: Bridesmaids listen intently to the venue coordinator. I stand back and enjoy a drink.

Not to be outdone, I started stressing about *why* I wasn't stressing. What was wrong with me? What did it mean? What was happening? These concerns dissipated with the advice of wise Mom Hamster:

"Get over it."

Okie doke.

Anyhoo, on to the rehearsal.

To this day, I'm not sure if one is supposed to plan the rehearsal beforehand. I sure didn't, but not to worry, our venue coordinator, Mr. Rose, took care of it:

"So was I supposed to plan this thing? And more importantly, can I get another drink?"

I'm so glad Mr. Rose was there to take care of things. A gentleman of another generation, we first met him when we decided on the Pierre for our venue. He whipped out a fountain pen to draw-up our contract (while I whipped out my free pen with my company's logo. Win!). He and his staff ensured that our day ran smoothly. Of course, I like to think he was highly amused by our haphazard rehearsal:

"I see I have my work cut out for me."

While I was no help at all:

Drunk on my seltzers with lime.

Luckily for our rehearsal (and Mr. Rose), other members of the bridal party were on the ball with their roles.

Hamster Nephew with Dad Hamster, ready to go.

MOH Sister Hamster and my nephew made their way down the aisle. Hamster Nephew was very interested in the food warming dishes for a wedding taking place later that day (definitely got that from our family).

The Hamster BMs also made their way down the aisle and waited in the altar area. Look at those big smiles!

Then Dad Hamster and I practiced our walk, led by Mr. Rose, who I think by now realized he was leading the "remedial" rehearsal class.

"Heehee. What now, Dad?"

Then it was all over for me - a mess of tears? More like a mess of....giggles. (I swear I don't know what was so funny).

And like that, the rehearsal was over. And...I didn't pay attention to a single thing. How would I know what to do during the actual ceremony? Would I be another mess of giggles and guffaws? Stay tuned...

Hammy Tip # 2:

You may be a ball of nerves before your wedding. If so, I'm envious. If not, don't stress about the lack of stress. It's okay. The wedding will still turn out fine. :)

Were you stressed in the days leading up to the big day? If you're not yet married, do you think you'll stress out when the time comes?

Over the Moon for My Hammy: Tai Chi, Chai Tea, and Other Asian Things

2010-06-11T13:32:00.007-04:00

Hi, Hive! I'm still waiting for my pro pics, but I just missed y'all so much that I decided to start my recaps a little early! You don't mind, do you? But first, what do you think of my recaps title? Say it out loud, you won't regret it. Clever, huh? Thank you Mrs. Cupcake for the suggestion!

First up, the tea ceremony.

Yeah, I try to clean up nice every once in a while.

But first first, I just want to clarify before I get the inevitable question. I am not scratching my butt in the above photo. I'm putting on my shoe. I know, that's the most awkward way to put on a shoe, like, ever, but try putting on shoes when you're wrapped in the equivalent of Saran wrap, and you'll find that the *only* way to put on a shoe is all leaning on a chair, foot by your butt, awkward-like.

And second first, the cheongsam I'm wearing above is my mom's cheongsam from 34 years ago - she wore it to my uncle's wedding 2 months after giving birth to my sister. Two months. Geez, Mom - wish I was so lucky. With my American diet of Big Macs and Hot Fries I barely fit into that dress, and I have no babies to show for it.

Okay now the tea ceremony.

Tea-hee

We've seen quite a few tea ceremonies here on the Hive - we had Mrs. Hot Cocoa's Chewish tea ceremony. We also witnessed Mrs. Peony and Mrs. Toucan's more traditional tea ceremonies. However, I think the Hamster tea ceremony most resembled the mood of the lovely Mrs. Perfume's Vietnamese tea ceremony - a little cluelessness but a lot of good intent.

The tea ceremony is a tradition that is intended to show respect for elders, and (according to my dandy research here on Weddingbee) is the "real" wedding ceremony for some couples. My parents were pretty laid-back about the tea ceremony; my sister didn't have one, and they were fine with our without one. My in-laws were really pro-ceremony though, so we did it. My mom gathered the supplies and consulted with my aunt, who knew much more about this stuff than any of us did.

Here are things we didn't do:

1. No kneeling. I tried, but see above "Saran Wrap Dress" description - it was impossible.

2. No extended family. Just the parents. Intimate and cozy, that's our ceremony.

3. No traditional tea set. Where are the Chinese tea cups? My mom pulled some English china from the basement. Her response when I asked her about it - "Eh, it'll do."

4. Untraditional gifts (I think). My parents weren't sure what they were supposed to give Mr. Hammy, so they got him a new suit (which he wore for the ceremony) and a wallet with cold hard cash. I got the more traditional jewelry gifts.

Mr. Hamster modeling his new suit. Mrs. Hamster trying not to fall over.

Here are things we did do:

1. We served tea. WIN!

We set up the chairs and the tea cups, and then everyone stood around. No one had any idea what to do. Who goes first? Who serves to whom first? Who gets what? Where's the food? But lock a bunch of Chinese people into a hotel room long enough, and we'll eventually make something up. The Hamster-In-Laws sat down first and we got to serving.

Serve

Serving MIL Hamster

Mr. Hamster Serving Mom Hamster

Serve, Serve, Serve

And then we were done! Phew! I think everyone was a bit relieved that we stumbled our way through the tea ceremony with a modicum of tradition and minimal awkwardness.

Then it was on to picture time. I picked a spot on the couch and stayed there - again, Saran Wrap Dress. I'm not going anywhere.

"I want my sweats. And a cheeseburger."

Me with my In-Laws.

Mr. Hamster with his In-Laws

I call the next series of pictures "Why The Hamsters are Not Ready to Have Kids":

The Nephew Transfer - almost dropping him! (My excuse: He's squirmy.)

Trying to bribe him with promises of dessert. He's not buying it. Mr. Hamster choosing to stay out of these shennanigans.

Then my nephew's shoe fell off and it was all over.

Finally, we got our act together and posed. Don't we look nice and normal? You would have never guessed that we were bumbling our way through a tea ceremony just 20 minutes ago, which leads me to Hamster Tip #1:

No need to feel constrained by cultural or traditional norms, if your family isn't feeling it. There's no harm in taking what works for you and personalizing it. As you can see, it can lead to lots of laughs!

There you have it, folks. It might not have been the most traditional tea ceremony, but it worked for us. Next up, the rehearsal!

Are you incorporating any cultural traditions into your wedding? Do you also have squirmy nieces and nephews?

The Hamsters are Married!

2010-06-07T20:25:00.001-04:00

We were married and it was fabulous! The weather held up, the food was amazing and the music had the dance-floor packed. I'm waiting for our pro pics to start my recaps, but just wanted to pop on by and leave you with this little teaser...

Photo by Erica Lyn

Want to see more? Stay tuned!

Mrs. Hamster

It is time.

2010-05-28T16:30:00.000-04:00

It is time. This weekend, this day, which seemed unfathomable 15 months ago, has arrived. As I write this, I've got 142 whoopie pies stuffed in the freezer, a printer groaning under the weight of custom-font escort cards, and a woefully ignored cat playing tag with my ankles. I've gotten so much done, and I've still so much to do. But despite the seemingly insurmountable pile of tasks before me, I am ready.

I am ready. It has taken me a long time to get here. For most of my life, I've been decidedly *not* ready. I wanted to be married - it is "the thing to do," isn't it? Go to college, meet a nice person, get married. It was what was expected of me, and what I expected of myself. And it scared the hell out of me. I am my own person. I didn't want to become half of one unit. I desired to be held accountable to no one by myself. Then, I met Mr. Hamster, who felt the same exact way.

I am independent. He is independent. Yet, on this weekend, we will join together. We will not become one indeterminable unit. That is not our way. Instead, we will support each other's aspirations, growing and improving our individual selves. And by doing so, we become better partners for each other. It took me 28 years to realize that depending on someone doesn't equal helplessness; relying on someone does not equate to weakness. Both of us feared losing identity, but this relationship isn't about two becoming one, it is about two becoming a better two. This may not work for everybody, but it works for us.

This weekend, there will surprises. Things will not go as planned. The weather may be capricious. My meticulously detailed schedule will not be followed. And yet the day will be a success, for after this one day of wedding, there will be may more days of marriage. Not to say marriage will be easy - there will also be surprises, deviations from plans and schedules, and stormy weather. But it will be okay - I will have my biggest supporter backing me up, as will he. I am ready.

Thank you, for following my planning journey, for humoring my really-not-that-important shoe struggles, my whoopie pie foibles, my haphazard attempts at DIY. Your support and feedback have kept me going when I just wanted to throw my Gocco against the wall. I'd like to think that I've inspired some of you in your plans - but in the grander scheme of things, I'm just a girl planning a wedding, like many of you. Really, as long as I've caused one of you to crack a smile or suppress a giggle, I am happy.

'Till next time...

Miss Hamster

You want a slider? Sign our guestbook.

2010-05-26T19:59:00.000-04:00

We hope that during our cocktail hour, our guests will have time to sign our guestbook in between their stuff-yo-face moments. I did, after all, spend much longer on this than the probably the average Bee buzzing around here. I blame this on my own ignorance of color printer settings, incorrect margin setting on Microsoft Word (my unrequited love) and supremely awful paper cutting skills (Mom Hamster steps in to save the day. Again).

But despite all this, our guestbook is finished..........Tada!

Hello, my name is Hamster, and I can't take non-crooked photos.

Okay, so you kinda gotta see it in action, but I basically borrowed Mrs. Tiramisu's awesome guestbook wishbowl and combined it with Mrs. Cupcake's bulletin board (except non-crafty Bee that I am, I purchased mine from Bed, Bath and Beyond). I'm hoping our "guest board" will spark some laughs and witty messages (you hear that, guests? Laughs. Witty. Witty!! Haha, just kidding, none of my guests read my posts. Sigh).

Here's the little directions note, which I will frame:

And here are the note cards for our guests to fill out with how many Hamster babies we'll have, when we will win the lottery, and how many whoopie pies we will eat that night (Kidding. I think).

What are you doing for your guest book?

Get with the...

2010-05-25T21:15:00.000-04:00

Like several Bees before me, I was enchanted by accordion-fold programs. When I saw a packet of 11x17" paper on sale at Paper Presentation, I knew it was meant to be. I purchased some navy cardstock (both glittery and matte), pulled out the trusty Gocco, and got to work on the covers.

I like having options.

For the innards, I fit 2 program onto an 11x17" sheet, with each innard 4 panels long. I included the ceremony program, bridal party members, and an e.e. cummings poem. I also included a quote incorporated in Mrs. Peep Toe's and Mrs. Hot Cocoa's programs, which will not be recognized by most of our guests but appreciated by a select few. Then, in the continued practice of recruiting family members (especially on holidays), Sis and Mom Hamster helped me cut, paste and attach ribbon, like so:

Sis Hamster Folding the Program Innards

Reinforcing the crease with the trusty bone folder

Mom Hamster cutting the program innards.

I believe it was at this point that she said "Put the camera down and get to work, child." But for blogging posterity, I soldiered on.

The folded innards.

Sis Hamster gluing the covers on.

The inside of a completed program.

To hold the programs, Mom Hamster found a basket as well as - *get this* - a gorgeous piece of velvet left from when her mom, my grandmother, sewed the bridesmaids dresses for my mom and dad's wedding. How's that for something old and borrowed?

The finished product.

Are you having ceremony programs? What will they look like?

Sit Here. Eat Now.

2010-05-24T21:19:00.000-04:00

"Sit. Eat."

The above is an oft-heard expression at Hammy family gatherings. Sometimes the "Sit" part is omitted, but the "Eat" is always present. When it came time to make our menus, I had this "crazy" idea (I know, it's wild) of combining the menus and placecards into one. Here's the finished result:

Personalized Menus!

Making personalized menus was surprisingly not time-consuming, thanks to a function called mail merge within my first love, Microsoft Office. You basically need one menu design (or form letter, document, whathaveyou) and a list of your guest's names. You mail merge those babies together, and voila - personalized menus. Pretty neat, huh?

I printed out the merged menus onto cream paper (or "Baronial Ivory" if you want to get all hoity toity. Whatever) and paper-cut and mounted them on navy cardstock. Or rather, my mom did, as part two of our Mother's Day festivities. Sorry, mom (again). I'm pretty happy with the result - menus and placecards in one - color me efficient!

Are you making menus? Any tips to share?

Flowers.

2010-05-24T00:03:00.000-04:00

Because really, I don't know enough about them to come up with a clever title.

I hadn't really talked about flowers - to be honest, the whole subject intimidates me a bit. When I first started planning, I didn't have the best experience with potential vendors. If a vendor doesn't wish to work with your budget, I thought it would be common courtesy, especially after meeting and communicating over email, that they would let you know instead of leaving you hanging for 2 weeks? Perhaps not (I obviously hold a grudge against this particular vendor.) Aaaanyway.

They didn't want my money

I eventually found a florist that was open to my ideas, lack of botanical knowledge, and budget. I loved her willingness to share her passion and educate - she even took me to the flower market in NYC, where we put together the floral vision for the Hammy wedding. Fun - I love markets!

Here's what we came up with for centerpieces elements:

Calla Lilies and Bells of Ireland for Tall Centerpieces (photo by my florist Daye Deura)

For the low centerpieces, we will be going with shades of white and green, the actual flower choices I'm pretty much leaving to Daye (I'm low maintenance like that. Ha ha).

For the bridesmaid bouquets:

Blue flowers and white tulips or lithianthus (?) , and blue thistle (the only one I remembered!)

For my bouquet, I was all set to go with white peonies, deep maroon calla lilies and fiddlehead ferns. Then, I saw this:

Those red peonies were calling my name! I needed to have them in my bouquet, so we're going with deep red peonies. I'm so excited! (I never thought I would say that about flowers).

Miss Hamster's Floral Tips for the Botanically Challenged:

1. Don't be intimidated. Don't know the difference between a rununculus and a rhododendron? Don't be afraid to ask. A florist should be patient and answer any questions you may have.

2. Pick flowers that are in season. In-season are more cost effective and look better (less traveling time, perhaps?) than their out-of-season counterparts.

3. Be honest with what you want, don't want, and have no preference about. I want bold flowers. I don't want a ton of roses. I have no preference as to whether the white reception flowers are rununculus, peonies, or tulips (but minimal roses, please!). If you like your florist's previous work, some general parameters will give him or her the flexibility to make changes based on what's available but still create something that you're happy with.

Any other floral tips to share?

Where's My Dessert?

2010-05-20T23:14:00.000-04:00

Is there ever such a thing as too much dessert? I hope not, because if there is, I think we've crossed that line. Yes, I'm throwing it out there.

Here's a summary of the Hamster sweetstravaganza:

1. Half of our guests will get this:

Chocolate and Passion Fruit Dome served with Passion Fruit Coulis, Raspberry Coulis

2. While half of our guests will eat this:

Coconut Lemon Mousse Dome, Passion Fruit and Vanilla Tapioca

3. All of our guests will get wedding cake.

Source

4. Additionally, mini ice cream cones will be passed around on the dance floor

Source

5. We'll also have cotton candy towers passed on trays

Source

6. Petit Fours for the Table

Mmmm.

7. And of course we couldn't forget the whoopie pie saga

Whoopie!

8. And finally, Mr. Hamster's reception surprise isn't *really* a dessert, but it may as well be.....

BonChon!

Which one is your favorite?

Just gimme my Franks-In-Blanks....

2010-05-19T18:53:00.000-04:00

By now, you know what our guests will be eating at the reception; however, I never talked about our cocktail hour munchies! I love cocktail hours - more than once, I've stood outside the kitchen exit with Sis Hamster or my bridesmaids, just so we could have prime pickings. Yes, we are "those people."

We are going with a mix of fancy-pantsy and casual for our hors d'oeuvres selection. First, the fancy-pantsy:

1. Watermelon cube with goat cheese and extra virgin olive oil

Fruit is good for you.

2. Terrine of foie gras on brioche toast

I list "duck fats" in my profile. Of course we're having this.

3. Mission figs with gorgonzola

Hey Cheezy, come to mama

4. Caviar on blini

Eggs are good for you too.

5. Roasted baby lambchop with fresh rosemary

I love meat on sticks!

6. Coconut langoustines

Something I learned today: langoustine = "real big shrimp"

7. Wild mushroom risotto ball

Carbs + Fried? Sign me up!

8. Short ribs of beef spring roll with hot sauce

The roll of my people.

9. Prosciutto and sage palmier

I always thought they were called butterfly cookies.

Next, what y'all have been waiting for - the casual assortment!

1.Assorted mini pizzettes

It's not delivery, it's...

2. Parmesan crusted gougeres

OMG. I love these. They are fancy Cheezypoofs.

3. Mini sliders

Yesssssssss!!

4. Mini grilled cheeses

Yesssssssssssss!! x 2

5. And the piece de resistance...

Franks in Blanks

We will also be having a seafood station, sushi station, a Peking duck station and a carving station. I'm all picture-searching'ed out, but I'm sure you can imagine. And THEN, after that - the dinner. It's a lot of food, but I know the Hamster guests are up for the challenge. :)

Which of the above would you be pigging out on?

Optional Anxiety

2010-05-18T21:22:00.000-04:00

In my invitation reveal, you may have noticed that we decided to go with a "Black Tie Optional" dress code. We didn't really put much thought into this - we (okay I) just thought it would be kinda neat if some guys decided to show up looking like this:

Giggle.

Okay, I mean our male guests showing up in tuxes, not looking like RP, but a girl can dream, right? Anyway, I printed our invitations with the "Optional" option, not thinking much of it. Guys who wanted to wear tuxedos could, if they didn't, no biggie. Who doesn't like options?

Well, based on some anecdotal feedback from my friends, this option is causing some wardrobe frets.

One guest was concerned that by wearing a tux, he would be mistaken for the bridal party - which as explained by his wife, he didn't mind, *but* he was afraid other guests might assume he was being presumptuous. Another guest was considering wearing a tux but wanted to make sure there were enough guys who were also wearing tuxes. And the list goes on.

The invitations are printed and sent, our guests have RSVP'ed and those who want to wear tuxes will - so there's nothing to be changed at this point. But now I'm just curious...

If you were a guy, would you wear a tuxedo to a "Black Tie Optional" wedding? Why or why not?

Whoopie!! (or "I never thought dessert would make me cry")

2010-05-18T00:47:00.001-04:00

So I'm not sure if you remember (ok, I know you don't), but I am a baking fanatic. Love it, love it, love it. After my red velvet whoopie pies were a hit at the Hamster cousins' dessert party, I came up with this awesome(ly foolhardy) idea to bake whoopie pies for our favors.

Hamsters making Whoopie (the eating kind).

Well, with a to-do list that's not getting any shorter and the time getting close, Mr. Hamster, Mom Hamster and Sis Hamster convinced me that baking 107 whoopie pies a day before the wedding probably wasn't the best idea. Darn.

But I needed those whoopies. I had to have whoopies. The reason was silly - but I had wanted tags that said "Whoopie! Serena and Mr. Hamster." I know - it's ridiculous as I'm typing it out now - but I was stuck on that idea. Whoopie!!! I mean, come on.

So, I turned to outside retailers. After some sampling research, I picked Wicked Whoopies to supply the Hamster wedding. They are pretty yummy, if I do say so myself. I placed my order and was on my merry way.

Or so I thought...

I had meant to order 60 red velvet minis and 60 classic minis. However, in my rush to order the pies, I accidentally ordered 60 red velvet minis and 36 ginormous classics. **Facepalm** Seriously, the classics are the size of a BigMac (a sandwich I know all too well). I must admit I cried a little when I realized the error of my ways.

NOT the same.

So here I was, left with too many big whoops, too few small whoops, and nothing was just right. Some creative math was needed. I evaluated our guestlist and came up with this seemingly haphazard but actually extremely precise methodology:

Aunt/Uncle pairs will get one large whoopie per couple. Same for cousins with SOs. Friend couples will get one small whoopie per person, as will single guests. EXCEPT for some singles (grandma, my cousin's daughter, some friends who will be traveling by themselves from afar) who will get one large whoopie to devour all by themselves. Confused yet? Yeah, me too.

And, to make the Pierre work for their service charge, I created an elaborate (but I think pretty straightforward) diagram showing both where our guests would sit, AND more importantly, where the whoopies would sit. I'm sure they would looooooove this.

Names are "wingdinged" to protect the innocent.

AND THEN! And then. Since I had ordered labels to complement the small whoopies, they looked absolutely ridonk on the big whoops. See for yourself:

Ridonk.

Soooooo, I made some larger labels on Microsoft Word and printed those babies out. Mom Hamster (thanks mom) cut out the labels.

Much better.

You think the story's over right?

Not remotely.

THEN, I had a heart-to-heart with Sis Hamster and admitted to my neurotic self that it would really bother me to have different sized whoopies, some to share, some not, some straddling table spaces, some not - all haphazard. I felt bad for ordering the wrong whoops and creating wasted work for my mom, and silly for being left with 36 Mac-sized whoopies. I admit, there were more tears.

Sad Hamster

So, the resolution? I'm ordering 60 more whoops, they will all be the same size, and everyone will get one. Yes, it will cost a bit more, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm paying less than $100 so I can *not* look at my pictures afterward and go "Hm. That looks weird." Problem solved.

Whoopie!! Whoopie?

(Sigh)

What has made you cry during the planning process?

This Little Map Went to the Mailbox

2010-05-17T17:04:00.000-04:00

In my last map post, I told you about our wedding map, which I had toiled over only to be at a loss at where to put it (invitations, wedding website and welcome bags weren't viable options for this little map). Thanks to your really helpful comments, I got my map printed as postcards for free (well, with $9 shipping) - thank you hmaxwell77 for the tip!

And here they are!

I added a little hotel for the Pierre (created on PowerPoint by yours truly) instead of the bland conversation box I had in the map's previous incarnation. We're sending them as postcards to those who RSVP'ed Yes as a "Can't wait to see you!" note. I'm so happy these little maps will make their appearance!

Any DIY projects you had to scrap, only to have them resurrected later on?

Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner

2010-05-12T20:59:00.002-04:00

...unless it's the Hammies.

I know this movie by heart.

Hive, I'd like your opinion. And I'm really hoping that it will confirm *my* opinion, but we shall see, won't we.

I'm working with my contact at our venue on possible floorplans. After some back and forth, we put together what I thought was a pretty great layout. It has long tables (yay) laid out banquet style, with a separate lounge area, like so:

Done, easy peasy. But as I think about it some more, I'm concerned that tables 10 and 12 might feel a bit like nowhere land. Am I looking too much into this? I sure hope so. Here are some arguments for the current layout.

1. No one will care.
2. It's not that separated, and perhaps I can make that a cousins section, or a friends section, or a young people section or...what have you.
3. I don't want to give up the lounge area - who doesn't like lounges?
4. (And the real reason) - I am SO DONE with floorplanning! This one works.......right??

So now I ask you:
If you were seated at Tables 10 or 12, what would your response be?
A. I don't care, where's the food?
B. This table kinda sucks.

I know you know which answer I'm hoping for. And you know I know you know. So, choose wisely. (Haha, no really, just be honest. As in, "Honestly, Hammy, no one cares.")

Anyone else have floorplan woes?

It is Easy, Being Green

2010-05-11T19:19:00.000-04:00

In my last rehearsal dinner post, I shared my grand plans to print my painstakingly hand-crafted (on Microsoft Word) rehearsal dinner invitations. Well, as is the case with the best laid intentions, this plan went out the window when:

1. I couldn't figure out how to print on anything smaller than 8.5 x 11 (don't laugh)

2. I realized that we're quickly running out of a very precious resource:

Time - where did it go?

Crap.

Enter the world of Paperless Post, or as I call it - "Evite for those who don't want to send out Evites." Paperless Post is an online invitation and rsvp system, with a myriad of designs to choose from. You can even add virtual envelope liners (almost as good as the real thing. Almost). The first 25 invitations are free, so I hopped right on that baby. Choose a design, enter your guest list, and voila - you're done. Our RD guests will be receiving this in their email:

Paperless Post tracks the guestlist as people respond, and I'm guessing our response rate will be higher since people just need to click on the invite to RSVP - no separate email needed. We also saved on stamps and paper-waste (although that was not my first thought, I must admit).

While this wasn't my first RD invite choice, I had a ton of fun choosing the invitation design. The site is user friendly and the first-timer promotion can't be beat - give it a try!

Have you modified any plans or projects due to time?

Happy Mother's Day! Now get to work.

2010-05-11T00:10:00.001-04:00

This past Mother's Day, my mom celebrated by helping me with wedding stuff. I know, I'm a bad daughter. She insisted that she loves "any time I get to spend with my daughters" (guilt trip alert!) - so that's my story and I'm sticking to it, ha! Sorry, mom.

One of our first tasks was tackling the cardbox. We started with a gray and white box from Paper Presentation, and ever resourceful - purple satin ribbon salvaged from the Bed Bath and Beyond registry gifts. Seriously, they have really nice gift ribbon:

We then had to cut a slot in the lid. I was all ready to have at it with my dad's box cutter. However, my mom, who is much more precise than her willy-nilly daughter, drew up a "quick sketch" of the slot height, width and location:

This would have taken me 2 hours. It took her 2 minutes.

And got to work:

I was a good daughter (um, self-appointed title) and documented the experience with photos.

The completed card slot.

Slap a bow on that box, and Voila! A card box. Simple, elegant and made by mom.

Have you employed your parents in any wedding projects? Did you also make them work on holidays?