Are you FOCCUSed?

Small hurdle with the church and the small (but real) wedding ceremony, as our parochial vicor was in for the 10-year transfer to another church within our diocese. His replacement is to take over 33 weddings that the former head priest had lined up for the upcoming year. Since we only found out about this in June, and the transition was made in July, we really only had few opportunities to actually meet the new head priest and get to know him. When he called the meeting, it was a weekend that I was down with Mr. Smallville in Gloucester, so we actually drove up together on Sunday and met with him on Monday morning. Afterwards, I went to work and Mr. Smallville went back to Gloucester.

During our meeting, we were asked to take the FOCCUS test. FOCCUS stands for Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding and Study. It was somewhat a compatibility test, but more to see what aspects of life your partner has and has not discussed. It gives the priest/church an idea of what you need to discuss in the future, in hopes that you come to some sort of agreement or compromise.

It’s not a short test either. It is comprised of 200 questions, where the first 150-60 everyone would answer. And then I believe the last 40 are divided into two: 20 for inter-faith couples, and 20 for re-married couples. They ask everything from the way you raise your children, to your relationship, to finances, to family, in-laws, and friends, to your future sex life with your partner.
I especially felt bad for Mr. Smallville, because he was just in DC last weekend, so coming up yet again is a struggle in itself. And then, he was already nervous about meeting the first priest, who I adored. Mr. Smallville’s anxiety wasn’t pleasantly unfounded, because first was so welcoming and sweet when he met Mr. Smallville. He was nervous regardless, so for him to go through that again, I can’t even imagine it. And then have him say “oh by the way, you need to take this test.” I love Mr. Smallville, and he was a good sport about it in the end.

He's been a good sport about everything. There were many requirements for us to get married in a Catholic Church (called PreCana).

We were supposed to take a series of three 2.5-hour classes for Natural Family Planning, where you learn about your cycle, which would really be my ovulation cycle and when i'm "Most Fertile," since the church doesnt believe in contraception, and that we should work with our own biological nature and its signs to determine when was the "appropriate time" to either avoid or try to have a baby.

Another requirement was a 9 am to 4 pm Marriage Seminar with the church and ten other couples who are about to get married discussing everything from relationships, to children and family, to finances, to faith.

Also a certain number of meetings with the marrying priest were required, but we really only got to 2 meetings with the first priest, and a third with teh new one. And then there was the FOCCUS test. I appreciate Mr. Smallville for his efforts towards a wedding officiated in my faith.

Mr. Smallville and I answered as best as we could, taking the test at a table in the priest’s office while the priest checked his email. We’re supposed to wait to hear back from the priest if anything in the test stood out, should we need more discussion. Fingers crossed that we wont!

Invitations: A Labor of Love...

As you all know, I'm professionally a graphic designer who loves a great layout and lovely typography. I also do wedding invitations and reception print items as a side business, so it was only natural to go the DIY route for my own invitations.

Here are the results:

They're offset printed with 2 pantone inks.. one was a metallic burnt orange, and the other was a very deep dark chocolate. I used a gocco to add another color to the main invitation, a leafy branch in gold. It was printed on Textured ESSE Latte paper.

I chose a 6x9 inch gatefold pocket style invitation from my gatsby (Classic Metallic Ecru), with a main invitation card and the center, and the pocket filled with 3 enclosure cards of succeeding heights, and a bonus map on vellum paper of the area that I drew myself in illustrator. The invite cards were made using Esse Textured cardstock in Latte. I didnt go with the metallic version b/c i wanted there to be a contrast in the paper type since the colors were the same. The vellum was a white vellum that my printer found cheap for me.

The enclosure cards consisted of the RSVP, Directions, and an Info card that contains nearby attractions, Airports, hotels, and registry details.

Some added superfluous touches are the sash made of vellum, ribbon, and cardstock, and a lined envelope (liner printed on vellum). I went ahead and had the return address labels offset printed on the back flap of the invitation, as well as the front side of the response envelope. I also got mailing labels done for the addressing. I got them printed on natural white writing weight paper and then ran them through a xyron to make them into labels.

It was a lot of work because I'd chosen so many different components. I certainly kept people busy one sunday afternoon when we all gathered to put this together.

What do you think?

Tasting at Heritage Hunt

I booked heritage hunt with blind faith that the food would be good. They don't offer tastings before you book. It's a risk. I was nervous.

Mr Smallville was working, and their tasting schedule didn't work with his work schedule, so i brought my sister (who is my maid of honor) and parents to try the food. Below are the entrees we were able to try at the tasting:

clock wise from the top left: Pan seared chicken filet with a madeira cream sauce, mashed potatoes, and sugar snap peas; Rosemary Grilled Chicken breast with wild rice pilaf and buttered cauliflower; Lemon Grilled Chicken and Jumbo Lump crabcake with oven roasted redskinned potatoes and a cherry tomato/zuchini medley; Flounder stuffed with Crabmeat with steamed asparagus and Sweet Potato Mash.

The food was delicious, and put my nerves to rest, THANK GOD! Can you guess my favorites? It'll shock you, but my absolute favorite thing on those 4 dishes was the Buttered Cauliflower? I know! So strange? I hate cauliflower, but anything in that crack-like butter sauce would take my breath away. I admitted that i liekd the rosemary chicken better then the lemon chicken (which goes with the crabcake combo) so we decided to switch it. I loved the flounder stuffed with crab. I kinda wish it was a bigger piece, though. The sweet potato mash was amazing and sweet and interesting, but we found nothing that it could go with on our final menu.

We made a few edits and switched around some side dishes. I couldn't get enough of that butter sauce so I requested it for the combination choice. We basically moved the flounder over to the plate the rosemary chicken was on. I also switched out the chickens for the combo platter since i didnt liek the super citric flavor of the lemon chicken.

Here are our final menu choices:

Meat Only Choice:

• Seared Chicken Filet with Madeira Cream Sauce
• Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
• Steamed Green Beans

Fish Only Choice:

• Flounder Stuffed with Crabmeat
• Buttered Cauliflower
• Wild Rice Pilaf

Combination Choice:

• Grilled Rosemary Chicken Breast
• Jumbo Lump Crabcake
• Oven-Roasted Red Skinned Potatoes
• Buttered Broccoli

There will also be a children's meal of chicken tenders, french fries, and a fruit cup.

I was nervous to find out that the Event Manager, Katie Simmons, was leaving, but after meeting her stand-in, Leah Stewart, my nerves were also put to rest. Leah was very comforting and reassuring that they had most everything covered. I didn't realize they'd be setting up the room to my standards without needing help from my bridal party. That makes me so happy! Hopefully she delivers on what she says!

Food choices, check! Now onto the invitations next...

With HIS Ring, he thee weds...

We went to Springfield Mall (Yes i know, a ghetto mall, but its 5 minutes from home) to look for a wedding band for Mr. Smallville.

Since Mr. Smallville works as a cable internet and phone field technician, many accidents can happen to him. One of his coworkers got his hadn smashed, and the gold wedding band bent INTO his finger! So Mr. Smallville took that coworker's advice and chose a "Tungsten Cabide" ring. Tungsten Carbide is this really strong metal that never breaks. In fact you'd need to use a special tool that only hospitals have to cut it. Mike thought it was perfect (though we are also forewarned that if his hadn ever swells up, that we couldnt get the ring off unless we went to the hospital)

we ended up with this one:

I like that its nice and simple yet unique in its material and all. the color is darker than most wedding rings you see out there. I loved the brushed metal, he likes the shiny, so its a great compromise! Yey!

Groom's wedding band, CHECK!

I am awaiting pictures from my tasting of the food so i'll post about the tasting and final menu decisons later!

Tuxedos!

So we finally decided on a tux accent color for the guys. Let me introduce you to "Cognac"

It's actually not as  bright as the picture. Its more of a warm/brighter chocolate.  This will be worn by the groomsmen, coin bearer, and ring bearer. 

Meanwhile, I chose a tie and vest for my dad in chocolate.

For those of you wondering why HIS dad doesn't get his own color, its because his dad is the best man, and therefore will have the same color as the groomsmen!

and of course we have Mr. Smallville in Ivory:


We chose very traditional one button black tuxedos with ivory shirts, and black patent leather round toe shoes. For cuff links, we chose black on gold for the guys, and black on silver for Mr. Smallville!

A review about Mens Wearhouse in Springfield, VA... though they were helpful, the reception was quite cold and because I didn't answer the gentleman's questions right away (I had to think of answers) he looked at me like i was stupid. And then he left us to work with others who walked in, and the girl he left us with didnt know how to smile. It was very awkward and after a while I just wanted to leave. I enjoyed talking to the bride that sat next to me than the sales people! If MW wasn't such a convenient chain that has locations everywhere (most of the guys in the bridal party dont live near by) I would've left! 

Otherwise, we can check off TUXEDOS from our list!

A Busy Weekend Coming!

This Saturday, 12 noon: Tasting at Heritage Hunt

I will be sampling the dish options I will be providing my guests. My sister is coming with me.

I knew I have a few issues considering Mr. Smallville and his family are finicky eaters. They don't like seafood, most vegetables, and many other things. I didn't want to serve them things they wouldn't enjoy, so I had to come up with a meat option.

I have a few friends who are pescatarians (they love fish and other things from the sea) and will only eat that much, so i have to provide a fish option.

The Filipinos would probably want a crack at both.

Here are the options:
Pan Seared Chicken Filet on Garlic Mashed potatoeswith a light Madeira cream sauce, caramalized shallots
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken Breast served with Roasted Tomato Coulis
Flounder Stuffed with Crabmeat nested on Julienne seasoned vegetables with a lemon-chive butter sauce

Starters will be:
Ceasar Starter Salad (Romaine Lettuce is the only vegetable the groom will eat)
Hot Rolls and Butter

For sides I'm choosing the same two for all three dishes:
Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans (The only vegetable other than Lettuce that the Groom's parents will eat).

The tasting will help me solidify these choices so I can finally send my invitations to print!


This Sunday, 12 Noon: Choosing Tuxedos at Men's Wearhouse

Mr. Smallville will be in town this weekend, so we will be choosing our tuxedos and colors.

I know you saw my post about choosing colors for the Euro Tie and the vest for the tuxedos.

We'll be ironing those details this weekend, so wish us luck!

The Graphic Designer Bride

In case any of you don't know this by now, I'm a motion graphics artist and a graphic designer by day. I have a lot of training on things such as layout, and typography. I know trade secrets liek "the grid," and the all important "white space."

I LOVE GREAT DESIGN.

And incase you haven't figured it out... i also love weddings.

About six years ago I offered to do my cousin's wedding invitations and reception print items. I designed them, printed them, etc. I found it to be stressful (what design job isn't) but fun at the same time! To do design work that doesn't have a department of defense theme or a higher education accounting concept is WONDERFUL!

I've done about seven weddings since my cousin's in 2006. I am even in the middle of another wedding reception design right now!

As you all know, with the work I’m trying to get into with print design for weddings, I have a bunch of ideas for my own event. It’s my way to showcase what I can do, so a lot of what I’ve planned is a bit involved. Since I’ve got my tasting this Saturday, I’ll be able to secure the entrée choices and schedule. Printing for invites will go out a week from today, so after the weekend of 4^th , it’ll be go time!

Just to give you an idea of what I’m gonna do, here are some ideas revealed:

Invites:

http://www.mygatsby.com/product.jsp?ProductID=405856

• So that's the format, but with a much better design and layout than the rotating gif above (which to me is a little too generic. sorry mygatsby, but its the truth).
• the cards that are actually printed will be from a real print house in Maryland. They’re using something called “offset” printing. I’m using a great uncoated (Nonmetallic) textured ivory paper and a dark orange metallic ink, and an uncoated chocolate ink. I’m using my gocco to add a gold swirl to the main invite card (to save money b/c a new color means an extra $200).
• The cards in the pocket will be taller than what you see in the picture. Some people will have 4 cards for the rehearsal dinner invite. There will be an extra vellum sheet behind the directions which is the map of the area.
• The metallic ivory gatefolds will be wrapped in a vellum/ribbon sleeve with the swirly design. The sleeve a little monogram of our first names as a seal on top (see picture below, but without the cheesy bow) and then stuffed w/ a metallic ivory envelope which is lined w/ the same swirly designed vellum.

Yes, I just reread that and it sounds just as confusing to me as you might feel right now. But it will be awesome. I promise! lol

Programs:

http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/05/10/programs-done/

• I have the gold thread to sew them together and all, just like Mrs. Plumeria did (who happens to be a graphic designer too. I got the idea of sew-binding a book from my bookmaking class in graduate school
  

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• The cover won’t be vellum like the example online. It will be a hard cover (same paper as my invites), but there will be a vellum page utilizing 2 of the awesome engagement photos that Trang did for me in march.
  

Ceramic Favors (to be done by one of my witnesses/godmothers/primary sponsors):

• They will be stuffed in this box with chocolate colored tissue paper:
  

• They’ll then have a vellum sleeve that matches the one that wraps around the invite, just to bring in some continuity… kinda like this, but without the cheesy bows:
  

·

M&M Favors:

• These are my very bags, of course w/ my swirly design:
  
  

• and then im ordering orange and cream M&Ms (and since they’ve already got M on them, I don’t need to do any special printing.
• these are what I plan on doing with the bags, but with gold thread:
  

The favors will alternate on the tables between place settings (ie you get M&Ms and the people on either side of you get candle holder.

Other items that we’ll have that im doing myself are:

• Table Numbers/Names
  
• Menu cards per place setting
  
• Escort Cards/Place Cards
  
• Welcome Bags for Hotel
  
• Cookie Favor Bags