Hey ladies!

Congratulations to all of you. Andy and I got married on July 10, 2004, so we're coming up on our first anniversary. Our wedding was in South Lake Tahoe, CA, and then we honeymooned in Ochos Rios, Jamaica.

It was a DIY affair b/c of our limited budget. We burned cds instead of having live musicians or a DJ, I made the invitations/save-the-dates, etc. We had cupcakes from Alberton's instead of the $500 cake, and I made the cupcake stand. There are about a zillion pictures at http://www.autumnpeople.org/gallery/Wedding_Photos if anyone is interested.

I didn't do very well in losing weight before the wedding (I lost maybe 25 lbs, which I have since gained back), but I'm trying to lose weight now to help with some fertility issues (as well as just to look/feel better)!

The best advice I got was that you can save money in a lot of areas, but not to skimp on the photographer. Also, we didn't have a videographer (one of Andy's uncles was supposed to videotape, but didn't). That is probably my biggest regret, especially because I'd have liked to "see" our first dance!

Sarah

my daughter got married in November. She & her husband are Lance Armstrong fans. They donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation and got enough yellow wrist bands for their guests. Everybody loved them and it was something different. They made cards with a little picture of them and a note explaining that they had donated to the foundation in honor of their attendance at the wedding. the cards were attached to the bands.

Watch out for the CD thing...it may be a copyright violation. I doubt that the feds will show up at your wedding and haul you off.

Sarah! I'm looking at your photos right now... they are so beautiful, I'm almost in tears!
You're a lovely, lovely girl, and Andy looks like such a sweetheart.

Jenn, I just saw the ring! It's gorgeous, hon! Pop the question NOW!

Ellis!!! You aren't supposed to tell me that. It'll be hard enough to wait until the 4th!!!

Which is I guess when I will do it. Don't think there will be fireworks in EastBumbleBlank, VA, but who knows.

I just think a black sky, under the stars, or in our tent, would be nice

Jenne--The tent would be great, or fireworks. Andy proposed on a bench at a site we were considering as a wedding location (I announced to him that we were getting married in the summer of 2004 and needed to look for locations and he could propose whenever). He tried to get me to take a walk on the beach so he could propose there, but I didn't want to get sand in my shoes (and didn't know WHY he wanted to walk on the beach), so he had to improvise. As long as what you say comes from your heart, it will be perfect!!

Ellis--thanks for the compliments--Andy is a great husband (most of the time). Tahoe is so beautiful it's hard not to get great photos there. You'd think after nearly a year I'd get tired of looking at the pictures, but I don't.

FAVORS--I made candles for the tables, but no one understood them to be favors, so most are in boxes somewhere at Andy's parents house. His step-mom also ordered personalized M&M's (didn't know you could do that) from the M&M website in our colors that said "Andy & Sarah, July 10, 2004." I don't remember if they fit all that one one candy or if some had names and others dates. Anyhow, they were kind of cool, and you could put them in any number of bags/boxes/containers. I also don't know how expensive they were, but you can get tons of colors even if you don't personalize them.

Now I am in the mood for M&M's!!! and I don't like chocolate!

And your pictures are beautiful!!!

You can actually mix your M&M's colors and see what they look like and everything...unfortunately, they are wicked expensive (or at least, they used to be...might be better now! I think they were something like $14 a pound or more? )!

Here's the link: http://shop.mms.com/customized/printing/step1.asp

Oooh, I was looking around more...how cute are these? http://shop.mms.com/store/product_de...P+08Z+WED&UID=

Adorable but pricey

Now I really want M&M's, especially after such a crappy lunch (I had some Perdue Short Cuts chicken and half a 50% light cheddar brick that was, luckily, in the fridge here at work)...

Look what I get into in 6 minutes!

I took $2 and ran down to the vending machine here at work. I stared at both those Peanut M&M's and plain chocolate ones.

I stepped aside and got a Diet Pepsi, then back to the snack machine.

I put my dollar in.

And instead of pressing f4 for peanut or f9 for chocolate, I pressed f7 for lightly salted peanuts...

I am proud. But there will be NO M&M favors at our reception. NO SIR E BOB!!!

Sorry, Jenn!

M&M's are yummy, but they always give me a headache.

Think about the yumminess of a long, healthy life with HB instead. Do you have a yummy dinner planned? What you guys had the other night sounded fabulous!!!

We bought ground turkey but used it for "spaghetti [squash] and [turkey] meat sauce" last week and it was horrible. Was going to make taco bake with it tonight but an afraid of wasting the ingredients is we don't like the turkey!

I may go pick up Boca burgers and mustard (we're out) on the way home tonight anyway

Boca burgers sounds good!

I bet you might like the turkey in the taco bake...you could try cooking it with a bunch of taco spices and see if it's any better. It's definitely an acquired taste... 95% lean beef might be better for you and tastier.

I'm so proud of you for just getting peanuts, Jenn! Good for you!!! Hey, at the reception, you'll already be fitting in your dress, so M&Ms could be there...as long as someone else puts the favors together.

Laurie!