Updates

Wedding things we accomplished in February:

1. Booked our venue
2. Made a wedding website
3. Sent out the save-the-dates
4. Hired a photographer
5. Hired a DOC
6. Booked a photo booth
7. Booked our rehearsal dinner spot
8. Bought a dress online
   

Whew. In just 28 days, that's a lot of wedding website viewing, check-writing and decision-making. And I haven't even started on the DIY projects I think I'm going to do. Speaking of which, I'm off to Paper Source.

ps. the No-Chip Manicure is holding tight!

I bought a dress today

I don't know if it's *the* dress, but if it pans out it will have been the item on my budget that I would've overestimated the most because it was a whopping $79 (plus tax and shipping) from J. Crew:


And, while not really a shoe person, I would totally splurge on these:

No-Chip Manicure

After reading about CiCi Nails No-Chip Manicure in Daily Candy earlier this week, I had to try it. I'm generally tough on my manicures, and am amazed if I can manage to leave the salon without smudging, let alone go for five days without a chip. This No-Chip Manicure promises to leave your polish intact for up to three weeks. That would mean I could get through my wedding, honeymoon and maybe even a week back at work with polished nails! Crazy!

Until then, now's a great time to try it for yourself because if you mention Daily Candy between now and March 9 you get 25 percent off, so it's a pretty good deal (it's regularly $50). If you do go, a couple of things to note:
-they use "organic gel", not polish, so forget about picking out your go-to OPI or Essie colors. Fortunately the gel colors aren't too bad, and the one I picked actually looks just like Angel Food, Ballet Slippers or similar light pink
-it isn't that quick a process. I sat through the end of Wheel of Fortune, an entire episode of Ugly Betty and half of Grey's before my manicurist determined I was free to go
-the hand massage part of the manicure comes at the end. I love the massage and was a bit disappointed when I thought I wasn't going to get one. So don't despair!

I'll report on my mani status in three weeks.

Again?

The US Postal Service is raising rates again effective May 11. Guess I'd better get my stuff with these stamps out the door.

Very P.O.S.H.

I love P.O.S.H. Chicago. They moved downtown a few years ago, so I don't get to the store as often as I did when they were closer to home. But I do check their website every now and then, especially for the Chicago-related items. If I was more creative, I think I would find a way to incorporate these Chicago Athletic Association ice cream dishes into our reception decor somehow:

Venue update!

Did you hear that huge sigh of relief whooshing through Chicago last week? That was just us after finally signing the contract on our wedding venue. We're getting married at the Blackstone Hotel!

Even though the hotel idea was really sort of last-minute, the more hotels we toured, the more we started liking it. It was also reinforced last weekend when we we told a friend (who will be one of the many out-of-town guests at the wedding) that the ceremony and reception will be taking place all in one convenient location, and her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

One of the great things about the Blackstone is the Crystal Ballroom, where most of the action will be taking place. It's gorgeous and has a wonderful view of Michigan Avenue and Grant Park:

And the space! We also get this hall:

and one just like it one floor above.  Yippee!

Checking in

In the next day or so I think we're going to have a signed contract with a venue! I won't talk about it now, for fear of jinxing it, but it's gonna be good. In the meantime, read recaps from Tina's wedding. They're cracking me up and giving me some good inspiration.