ONE MONTH AHEAD

August marks our ONE MONTH AHEAD, which means, we're almost there!!! Check out how close we are!!

July was such a busy month that even though I was able to update the blog, I never got around to posting about the Oh-So-Holy To-Do List from my wedding planning bible, The Bride's Year Ahead. July represented Chapter 11: Two Months Ahead, focusing on the Finishing Touches, and included a To-List of:

1. Finalize the ceremony.

2. Plan the rehearsal dinner.

3. Obtain blood tests.

4. Get a marriage license.

I finally completed #1 last week on one of my days off, and, like all wedding stuff, it took longer than I thought it would! We are having a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony, and boy do Catholic's like their tradition. There are specific readings you are allowed to choose from for certain parts of the ceremony, and it has to follow a certain flow. Luckily, I found this great website, giving step-by-step instructions on how to organize and plan a Catholic wedding ceremony. It gave me at least 5 options to choose from for each section of the ceremony, helping to keep our ceremony special. I was also able to choose certain readings that although similar in message, we worded more appropriately to our liking, excluding some such wording as how the women "obeys" the man, which is not what M and I want in our marriage. We chose readings that exhibited love and more equal partnership, which better reflects our relationship.

#2 is mostly planned, just have to type up itineraries for the weekend so our bridal party and family guests know what time which events are, and at what times they are expected to be where. By having it all written out makes for a much more organized weekend, and I'm crossing my fingers for less stress along with it as well! I am however looking forward to a relaxing BBQ with my closest family and friends for our rehearsal dinner, and cannot wait to be that much closer to marrying my best friend.

For #3 and #4, we luckily are not required to do a blood test for the state of California, but we DO need to obtain a marriage license! Because both M and I need to be present to obtain our license, we are going down to the Santa Cruz County Clerk's office the week before our wedding to obtain our license. Luckily, there is no wait time to receive our license, as it is effective immediately, and good for 90 days (thank goodness)!

And then we moved our way into August, the last month before our wedding!!!!!!! I started the month of August with a bang, flying to Las Vegas for my Bacehlorette Party, thrown by my MOH's and favorite girls. We had a blast staying at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and made our way around some of the hottest nightclubs and pool parties in Vegas!

August is not only the month in which I celebrated my Bachelorette Party, but our LAST AND FINAL CHAPTER of our Wedding Book!!!! Chapter 12: One Month Ahead, skillfully titled, Countdown to Bliss, and has a To-Do List to match what this month literally is; Cram Month!!:

1. Pick up your gown and make final alterations.

2. Confirm dates and details with service personnel.

3. Contact Newspaper.

4. Choose gifts for participants.

5. Finalize your guest list.

6. Make seating arrangements and obtain placecards.

7. Create a wedding day timetable, and distribute task cards to wedding party.

8. Your rehearsal dinner.

9. Wedding day itinerary.

Holy Moly!!!! I like how the book starts the chapter off with, "Congratulations -- you've made it this far!" Hahaha, and still so much left to do! This chapter is broken down by the final weeks leading up to The Big Day, and luckily I've already completed the list for Three Weeks in Advance. Most of the following next two weeks leading up to the "I Do's" are confirming services, drop off times, writing checks for the appropriate vendors, and reconfirming with services and wedding party members and guests. I'm not even going to go into detail about the list above, because all those things are works in progress right now, but will be completed upon the end of this month!! EKKK!! It's coming up too fast, and still SO much to do!!

To help break up some of the stress that has come along with the month, M and I took a short trip this past weekend to Mobile, AL to help celebrate his brother-in-law, Bobby, surprise 40th birthday party. As always, it was a fun time, but way too short! Somehow I was able to squeeze in time to get the girls to try on their flower girl dresses and absolutly love how they look on them, and can't wait for them to wear them at our ceremony! But the best part was being able to spend time with my baby. I relish time I get to spend with him and his amazing family. Soon enough they will be my family too ;)