hmmmmm

maybe we'll just run away and elope: Fiji Deal

We're heading to see E's family this weekend where I plan on asking his dad & stepmom if they'll be able & willing to go to a destination for our wedding.  In all reality, RI would be a destination for them. And I know they both have passports, might just have to work on his bro & mom's .... but we shall see.  Nothing is finalized yet, I'm just trying to consider ALL possibilities.

Merry Christmas! 
Here is a picture of our mini Christmas tree:

Life

Well, I promised a weekly update and while this has nothing to do with wedding planning, it does affect future planning.

I wasn't really advertising this, but I have been spending the last 2+ months studying for the PHR (Professional in Human Resources) exam, which I took earlier this afternoon.  Thankfully it has immediate results as I'm not sure I could wait 4 weeks to find out my fate.  But, with all the stress I've put on myself & inadvertently E, I can happily say that I PASSED!!!  YAY!!  That makes one less thing I have to worry about while also planning this wedding, since the test is only offered twice/year and I would have wanted to retake it as soon as possible so not to lose any information I learned.  So, minus daily life and work, my main focus for the next year can be my wedding and all that it entails, which I'm finding out is quite a lot.

This also comes at a great time as a good friend from my DC days will be in SD this weekend!  Double YAY!  Have a fabulous weekend y'all, I know I will!  =)

Thursday's Thoughts

Two more days until the weekend!  Not sure why, but I really need this one.  Maybe because I received my new job description and my workload seems to have doubled - I said "seems" because a few projects will be leaving me effective 1/1/12.  Can anyone else believe that 2012 is around the corner!?!? Where did 2011 go??

Here are two dilemmas that keep me up at night (not really, but they do pop in my head at random times, especially when I should be focusing on something else):
1. Engagement Photos - are they necessary or just a great excuse for fancy pictures?  Should I ask E's stepmom, a photography teacher, to take them? Or shell out a couple hundred bucks for a professional who I might feel more comfortable with and will guide us as to how to pose, etc? 
2. Setting a Budget - where to start? Tried to talk to my parents when we were home for Thanksgiving and they gave me no set dollar amount, just "yes, we want to be involved". Great, care to elaborate?!?!?

PS - Happy Happy Birthday to my fabulous friend JBJG!

Hello!

I can't promise I'll be on here everyday, but when something new comes my way, I'll be sure to update. I'm also going to try to post an update each week. I hope that this will be a fun way to capture all that happens in the next year & a half, so please, please, please share your feedback, comments, ideas, suggestions, etc.

E & I got engaged November 5th. It has been a whirlwind since then: my birthday and one of my BFFs visiting followed and then a week in RI/MA/CT for Thanksgiving visiting and celebrating with family. Oh yea, work too. Which was one of my busiest couple weeks, of course. I did go dress shopping with my mom while home and found 2 dresses that I LOVE! Stay tuned.

As I mentioned, one of my BFFs, K, brought me a boat load of wedding planning things when she came to visit for my recent 30th birthday. We had a blast while she was here and I am looking forward to her next visit! We also got together when E & I were home, and she proceeded to give me even more wedding planning paraphernalia, such as a binder and magazines. Thanks K! I have enough reading for the next 6 months!  ;-)

Two dilemmas in my wedding planning, and nothing else can really be done until these two get finalized: place & date.

Place ideas:
1. Newport, RI - childhood home
2. San Diego, CA - current home
3. Destination, such as Mexico, Belize, etc.

Dates, which could change depending on the location so dont think these are locked in - March 29, 2013 (Easter weekend) or July 27, 2013

And I know that no one else can make the decision for me. Time to start looking into costs, availability, etc ...

ciao for now