A Tale of Two Blogs

I've decided to revive the old bloggity blog by breathing new life into it with my mad musings about every day life. This blog is and was always about my personal journey while my other blog was dedicated to my adventures in wedding planning. It just makes sense to pick up where I last left off.

Hello again, it has been a long, long time coming...xoxo

House Hunting

We are officially under contract!!! We had lost hope on winning the bid because the seller rejected the two offers we made on the house. She was pretty confident that she would get full price and no closing cost for the property. However, we felt that if she was not willing to negotiate than we would have to walk away even if we loved the place. So we continued to house hunt until we got the call a few days later from our real estate agent with the good news. I guess it is true when they say, "good things comes to those who wait".
btw we close on May 28th!

Flower Power

I simply love flowers and as every flower lover knows, flowers have a language of their own. Every sentiment is expressed in one form or another by these fragile blooms. As centerpieces, flowers are more than mere decorations, they are a form of entertainment that makes a big statement, silently. The flowers for my wedding will be faraway from the land of Laura Ashley and white satin lace. Vibrant colors and exotic notes like orchids, curly willow, bamboo and bear grass follow the flow of an Asian theme wedding. Incorporating cultural details is also very important with creating the overall look of the wedding. We want to hang Chinese lanterns and have Cambodian decor (Apsaras ect.) accenting the reception room. The flowers will pull everything together into one beautiful package.

The challenge is that we are having our seated dinner served family style. So the centerpieces will need to have height. However, tall centerpieces are quite costly so we decided to do half tall and half short centerpieces. The short centerpieces will need to have full blooms like peonies or hydrangeas to maximize appeal. Speaking of aesthetics, we don't want the short centerpieces to appear too small on the table but at the same time we don't want the flowers to cramp the space where the meals will be served. It is going to be a delicate act to balance but I'm sure the florist we choose will be up for the challenge.
Budget wise I've cut the floral expenses by having my MOH and 2 BMs carry fans with a personalized colored ribbon instead of a traditional bouquet. I'll blog more about the fans later. The girls will also have corsages or a boutonniere pinned to their dress. The low and high centerpieces will be comprised of seasonal flowers with the exception of the orchids. Orchids are my favorite blooms especially dendrobiums and cymbidiums, so they are a must!

We hope to find a florist who will emphasis on discovering designs that are reflective of our personal taste while committed to delivering freshness and quality. Staying within our budget is also key.

Dear Blog

I'm sorry I've neglected you but I have returned with some blissful news on our impending nuptials. We've decided to host our love fest affair on the last Sunday in May. That Sunday falls on Memorial Day weekend, which is a big plus for us (cheaper vendors/venue) and the extended weekend allows ample travel time for many of our out of town guests. As for the reception sites, I think we've found THE ONE. Easton Beach Rotunda in Newport, R.I!

Ideally, I would have loved a beautiful tented wedding but I realize we would be at the mercy of the elements. I didn't want the extra stress of having to worry if my wedding would be rained out. There were also too many logistics involved in planning an outdoor reception. So we decided for practical reasons an indoor wedding would be our best bet. The Rotunda fit the bill purrrfectly!

1. Budget Friendly: Sunday holiday rentals are half the cost of a Saturday rental
2. Package Deal: Includes 5 hour site rental, complimentary coordinator, arched wedding trellis for beach ceremony, dining tables & white garden chairs, free 1 hour Carousel rides, free parking
3. Catering: Allows us to bring our own cater. It's important that we serve traditional Cambodian cuisine.
4. Accommodation: 225 (Our guest count is currently at 200)
5. Scene: Wrap around deck with sweeping seaside views (Did I mention it is right on the beach?)
6. Location: The venue is close to to a number of attractions and near hotels.
7. Symbolism: Easton Beach is near Cliff walk and Flo's clam shack, our fave little seafood eatery. We have some very sweet summer memories on that beach.

Pick a color, any color

I've never attended a Jewish wedding but I was told that modesty is key so most of my cocktail dresses were out of the question. I stumbled upon this very simple but sweet silk Ann Taylor dress, love the little rose details on the sash but now I have to choose between two colors, the plum berry (my fave) and the navy blue. Both colors are lovely but the plum berry is only available in a size 6 and the navy in a size 4 (my size). I would need to get the plum berry altered if I choose that one. Both dresses are the same price and style. Which to choose?