Search for THE dress

My mom and I walked into our first appointment on Saturday at the Bridal Boutique in Louisville. Picture a small town bridal boutique in an old building and you’ve thought of this place. The store was filled to the brim with dresses and had that small town feel where everyone was warm, friendly, and super helpful. Our wedding dress angel was Donna and she was amazing! She’s been in the business for 27 years and knew everything that you need to know about wedding dresses. She pulled dresses for me based on some pictures that I showed her and she did a really good job. I had no idea what went into trying on dresses! I was clamped and squeezed into many of the dresses. I came out in one dress that was a size 6 and told Donna I wasn’t going to fit and she just looked at me and said “Oh yes you will” and by golly she squeezed me into it! She had said she was strong and she sure was. All of the dresses I tried on were beautiful but when I tried the second one on I got a feeling and I knew this one would be a tough dress to beat. I tried on about 10-12 dresses that day and after the 12th dress I asked to try on the second one again because I kept comparing all the dresses to that one. When I came out in it the second time Donna said I had that look in my eyes that a bride has when she finds “THE dress.” The fact that I was trying on wedding gowns truly hit when she put the veil on me and gave me a fake bouquet to hold. I didn’t want to take the dress off!

We didn’t buy it then because we still had an appointment Sunday at a place in Southlake (a high-end area) so we knew this place would be really nice. Let’s just say that it would be an understatement to say that we were “let down.” The store was clean but it was so cold and had no personality. The sales girls barely smiled and were helping multiple brides so I would be standing there for several minutes just waiting to be zipped, clamped, or laced up. During the time I was there, I just kept telling my mom that I wanted Donna there. After about 20 minutes in the store and 4 dresses later my mom looked at me and said, “You want to get out of here and go buy that dress don’t you?” I said “yes” and we were out of there before they knew what happened. I called Donna on the way there and I met her and my dress at the door. I got to wear it for about an hour and loved every minute of it.

5k

This past Saturday, Casey and I both did something that we have never done before...we ran a 5K. We got up bright and early Saturday morning to run in the Dash Down Greenville which is before the big St. Patty's Day Parade. I had been training on a treadmill so I knew it would be quite the change to run outside with wind and everything. Also, the farthest I had ever run was 2 miles. Casey and I agreed that we would run it individually so we could see what our best times were. As soon as we crossed that start line, Casey was off. It was kind of like in odl cartoons where the roadrunner takes off and the coyote is left in a cloud of smoke...that's how I felt. The first mile went by really fast. There was a station passing out beer at the mile marker which reminded me I was running in a St. Patty's day race and made me warry of grabbing any future cups along the race route. At 1.5 miles, I saw the biggest challenge yet, a very steep hill. Since when do they put hills in Texas? I set the goal for myself to not stop running up the hill. I can proudly say that I achieved that goal. However, achieving that goal was at the detriment to my pace and my legs. Once at the top, I felt like I was going to throw up and that my legs were made out of jello. I tired to run again but I was running so slow that people running with strollers were passing me. Talk about a blow to the ego! I'm pretty sure one group of guys had a mini keg in their stroller too. When I eventually made the final turn and could see the Krispy Kreme sign (which is where the race began) in sight, I began to pick up my pace to a slow sprint because Casey told me I should do a"runner's kick" like professional racers and I could shave 30 seconds off my time. Well apparently the Krispy Kreme was a lot further than it had appeared because my kick was dying before I saw the finish line. I did finish the race in 39 minutes and was proud of myself. I definitely need to kick-up the training for the warrior dash because running up mud hills, swimming in swamps, and running up bales of hay will definitely kick my butt if I don't.

Update on Life

Sorry for not blogging in a while. I have many things to update you on. First off, in the wedding world we are making a lot of progress. We have the church, the reception venue, photographer, DJ, and Honeymoon all set which I think is good considering the wedding is a little less than a year away. The reception will be at the Petroleum Club in downtown Dallas. It’s such a neat and unique space and the coordinator there, Masoud (Ma-sood), is amazing. The photographer is Stephanie Davis. As soon as I saw her blog I fell in love with her photos and knew she was who I wanted! I posted the link to her blog on the side of mine so feel free to go take a peek at her work. Casey and I have also already booked our honeymoon. We are going to be going on a 5-day cruise to Progresso and Cozumel, Mexico. Casey and I are really excited about going to see the Mayan ruins there.

In running news, Casey and I have continued to train for the Warrior Dash by signing up for some 5Ks. We have two coming up in March so I’m sure you will be hearing all about that and if we survive running the whole thing.

Let the Training Begin...

Casey and I have decided to put our relationship and our bodies to the test. We are competing in a crazy thing called the Warrior Dash in May. The Warrior Dash is a 3.5 mile race complete with 13 obstacles (tornado ally, climbing up bales of hay, running down stream, climbing up a muddy hill, jumping over fire, etc) and you get a "warrior helmet" which very much resembles a viking helmet (see photo). Casey has promised that we are running this race together as a couple which honestly, is the only way I would want to run it. I figure if we can make it through this race together, we can make it through anything! Training began last weekend. We ran outside on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was a piece of cake. Sunday on the other hand, made me cry. My legs felt like they were each 100 pounds and the air was cold so it burned my throat. Casey was so supportive, encouraging, and such a sweetheart. Tuesday I trained in the gym and I had a lifetime first...I ran 2 miles without stopping! I was so proud of myself. My goal is to be able to run 4...then I need to work on building some muscles so I can hoist myself up the robe ladder. More updates to follow...

VISA + Morgan Freeman = Tears

This weekend I was reduced to tears by a TV commercial. In the past, I have been moved emotionally due to various insurance commercials. However, never have I ever actually shed tears. The commercial that made me do this was a VISA commercial. Who would have thought that a credit card company could be so moving? Perhaps the commercial moved me so much because I had never heard the story of speed skater, Dan Jansen before. The story about his sister dying a week before he raced in the Olympics and had promised her he’d win, and then he fell during the race. Only to triumphantly win the gold at the next Olympics and skate a victory lap holding his daughter Jane, who is named after his sister. Who wouldn’t cry at this tale?! The cherry on the sundae was the fact that it was none other than Morgan Freeman’s emotion provoking voice telling the story. I think Morgan Freeman could read Knock, Knock jokes and I would cry.

Fried Wedding Brain

My parents came into town this weekend for a family friend's wedding and to look at reception venues. After a weekend of wedding, wedding, wedding, I can honestly say that my brain is a little fried. That being said, it was still a great weekend. Friday night we had dinner with our good friends the Hailey's. It's always so nice when we all get together. Ann really went all out and had the tables decorated complete with linens and chair covers. Saturday was crazy. We started off the day with the four of us (Mom, Dad, Casey, and me) going to the church to meet Bill and go over some wedding details. It was a lot of fun to meet the man who married my parents and watch them go down memory lane togther. Then it was off to look at venues for the reception. We were able to eliminate some right off the bat. Others made the short list (Petroleum Club and Belo Mansion) which we are currently still going over. The boys were such troopers that my mom and I gave them gold stars. Not once did they complain. In fact, they really seemed into it! After reception venue searching, we had to run home and get all dolled up for Natalie Kinnebrew's wedding. And what a wedding it was! It was gorgeous and I got a lot of great ideas for my wedding. Sunday was all about football (it was a bad day for the Cowboys and Charges though which made for a sad Casey and Dad). For dinner, we went to Pappasitos so the in-law's could meet. I don't think it could have gone any better! Monday, my mom and I continued the search and now we are including the Tower Club on the list of considerations. By the afternoon though, our brains were fried so we went for gelatto and to a movie. I'm really excited to finalize a venue so we can move onto the next thing on the wedding checklist!

We've set the date!

As of Tuesday afternoon, we officially have a date for our wedding! Prior to this, the great question was where we were going to get married. One option would be at a church here in Grapevine with the recption nearby. The second option (and my dream option) was to get married at the church that my parents married in. This church also looks like it just walked out of a Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tale. The only problem with option 2 was that as a non-member, I can only book 4 months out, which would be an insane risk to take. Well, my mom found out that the pastor who married them still works at the church so she decided to send him and email and call him to see if there was any loophole since they used to be members and I was baptized there. We hadn't heard back so I was getting discouraged. I mean, he must get questions like this all the time, right? Well, Tuesday afternoon, the phone call comes in! He completely remembered my parents and my aunt and uncle (he married them as well) and he said that he would love to marry her daughter (me!). When my mom told me, I was litereally screaming and jumping up and down in my cubicle at work. Not only do I get to be married in the beautiful church that my parents got married in, I also get to be married by the same pastor! How romantic is that?! So, we are now officially on the books at Highland Park Methodist Church for Saturday, January 29th, 2011!!! The funny thing is, this date is almost 30 years to the day that my parents married (January 24th, 1981). My parents fly in tomorrow and Casey and I are going with my parents on Saturday to meet the pastor and tour the church. Here is a pic of the church...