Invites and more!

Being on vacation this week has allowed me to get so much done for the wedding!

Yesterday, I called the florist and made an appointment to see her and go over flowers again. I have so many new ideas thanks to all of the wonderful ladies on theknot.com message boards. I think I might even have some new centerpiece ideas, since my mom was unhappy with the lack of flowers in the centerpiece. I stole this idea:





I might do a few tables of the high and the rest low, both with fresh limes in them. I have to see what she says and how much the cost will be with all of my new ideas. I know some will be much cheaper, but some will cost much more, so I hope it balances out.

In other wedding news, the invites have been ordered! I wound up getting them from the store next to Archie Moores because I really like the couple that owns the store. And I was impressed that the woman recognized me from the bridal show the first time I walked in. So I have order invites, response cards, and thank you cards. Overall, the price was really good, and they gave me a 10% discount for finding them at the bridal show. So my cost of admission was officially worth it! The proof will hopefully be in on Friday, so Aron and I can stop and take a look at it before we head off for a hockey filled weekend on Long Island.

Other checks on the check list:
Called limo companies, waiting for one more to get back before to us we decide and book one.
Called bus companies for quotes for the hotel shuttle
Got some prices on our favors
Decided (maybe) on Ketubah wording.
Learned about 1/4 of our first dance routine at dance class. So cute!

Later this week:
Go to jeweler one night this week to order wedding bands.
Decide on what I want to do for Bridesmaid gifts.

I did have an excellent lunch today with Stephi and Jamie, 2 of my wonderful bridesmaids. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and I got my favorite BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad. Yum!

I love being on vacation!

More dance

Last night was our second dance lesson, and this time it was a private lesson. Our lesson was with the owner, and he seems like a really nice guy (though a bit strange). We started off with his fiance, who is really nice, because he was busy with the couple before us still.

Today's lesson focused on the Waltz and Swing. I have learned that I am pretty decent at the steps and making sure I am on the right foot and doing the right thing with my feet. I have also learned that I am terrible and turns. I seem to be in a rush to get back into dancing that I speed through the turn. Oh well, we will work on it.

Last night we also played our first dance song for our instructor, and he mentioned some ideas of where we can go with it, but I don't really remember anything he said. Plus, he has a thick German accent, so I really can't understand everything he says.

Last night was the last of our free lessons, so we bought a package. It is pretty expensive, but I think that is a good idea. If anything, it will give us some confidence on the dance floor so we don't just stand there like middle schoolers swaying back and forth.

In other wedding news, tonight is our 2nd meeting with the rabbi. We are going to head there after Aron gets home from work, meet with the rabbi, then stay for the Friday night service again. This temple doesn't really do Saturday morning services, so they read from the Torah on Friday nights. They keep it pretty short, but it is still longer than a normal Friday night service. I really don't mind. I kind of enjoy the idea that we are attending services on occasion. It is still not something I can see myself doing weekly, but I wouldn't mind my attendance being more than just a high holiday (if that) thing. It is also really inconvenient that the temple is all the way in Ridgefield, but the rabbi there seems to be the best match for us, so it is worth the drive.

Dancing Fools

We successfully completed our first dance lesson!

Last night we had a group class, which consisted of us, and one other couple. They seemed to be about our age, and they also signed up at the bridal expo. I think the small class and the other dragged along fiance made Aron feel better. The other couple had no clue what they were doing either, so we were not the only clueless ones.

We started off with a foxtrot, a basic box step, and a tango. I will forget all of this very soon, if I haven't already, but it's ok, our instructor is not expecting us to remember anything. And much to Aron's delight, he said no practicing at home.

Our next lesson is Thursday evening, and this one is just Aron and I and the instructor. They like to get you in for your private soon after the first lesson so they can minimize the amount of forgetting.

So far so good on the dance. I think even Aron would admit that it was not as bad as he was expecting.

Just Dance. I'll be ok. Da Da Da Da Just Dance.

Just for the record, I now have that Lady Gaga song stuck in my head...but anyway...

The first step towards Aron and I not looking like dancing fools at the wedding has been taken! At the bridal expo last weekend, I met with the nice people from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio. I filled out the form for more information, and I found out that a new place was opening in Orange this week. So I circled both Orange and Trumbull as places that we would go. Monday afternoon, the nice British guy from the Orange studio called me and offered some free introductory lessons. So it is official, we begin lessons next Monday. When he asked about our dance experience, I told him that we had none, so we are doing a group class for first time dancers. I am hoping to do a few group classes and then a few private so we can work out some fun moves to our first dance song.

As you can probably tell, I am really excited about this. And if you know Aron, you probably can guess that he is less than thrilled with the idea. However, I mentioned it months ago, and he agreed to go along with the idea. Apparently he only agreed because he never actually thought that I would make it happen. Too bad, I made the call, and now he has to do it. But really, we are going to have 175 people watching us dance, I want to look like we have some clue as to what we are doing because between the 2 of us, we have 4 left feet.

So Monday night begins the dance adventure of Aron and Julie. And if it doesn't go well, there is always a bar next door...