The Story of Us (Part 2)

Where did we leave off?  Mr. B and I were on a path to become more than friends, but was it worth it?  Could I deal with the divorce and the kids and the age difference and the baggage?  My friends were generally supportive but they were also very cautious, with good reason.  They didn't want to see me get hurt.  Some also thought it was so funny that I was dating someone with kids, considering my borderline fear of them.  It was pretty casual, though, and we didn't make plans for the future.  We just had fun and enjoyed spending time together.

In February 2011 I flew to NYC for the weekend for my sister's birthday.  When I booked the trip I told my friend Brad that the only reasonably priced flight option was going to have a 4 hour layover at the Atlanta airport.  During the Superbowl.  Not ideal.  He joked that maybe I would meet the man of my dreams at the airport bar and we would get married and it would be fate.  Superbowl Sunday came and as I was preparing to go to brunch before leaving town, I texted Mr. B to ask how his first half marathon went.  It went very well and he was resting up before heading out on a work trip - a work trip to Atlanta. 

(paraphrasing...)
Miss B:  What are you doing for the Superbowl?
Mr. B:  I guess just watching it in my hotel room.
Miss B:  OK to say no (I say that a lot) but do you want to meet me at the airport and we can watch it together?
Mr. B:  Yes!  I'll let you know when I get into town and we can coordinate from there.

And the rest, as they say, is history.  I got to the restaurant first and had the most amazing waiter - he was half Hispanic and half Australian but all American, if that even makes sense.  He would say things like "You doing OK, mate?" followed by "No problemo!"  I texted Mr. B about him and he started making up hysterical nicknames for him along the lines of Crocodile Diego - I was laughing so hard and he wasn't even in front of me!

Bicycles on a plane!  (Personal photo.)

We spent a few hours watching the game, talking, and falling in love without even realizing it.  I got back to Tallahassee and told the friend that picked me up from the airport that everything just changed.  I could learn to love his kids because they were an extension of him.  I could overlook the divorce because everyone has a past.  The age difference never bothered us because we don't even notice it.

So there we have it - I did end up meeting the man of my dreams while watching the Superbowl at the Atlanta airport.  Anyone else find love in an unexpected place?

The Story of Us

Picture this - In 2005 I was a 22 year old, fresh out of college and diving head-first into a new job as an aide to a State Senator.  I divided my time between the senator's district office in Central Florida and the state capital, Tallahassee.  The office of a State Senator is a busy place - constituents and lobbyists come in and out all. day. long.  It is easy to gloss over the people and just concentrate on the work that needs to get done but every now and then you are fortunate enough to develop a relationship outside the confines of the Capitol. 

Mr. B was essentially just another lobbyist.  At the time he worked for a firm that did contract work so he had a lot of clients.  He was in and out of our office quite a bit and we started to develop a friendship.  Eventually we would have lunch on days I could break away and I even met his wife and kids one Saturday after a triathlon we both completed.  Mr. B and the kids came with me to breakfast with some friends, where his daughter proceeded to play Rock, Paper, Scissors with us - waiting until we threw our symbol before throwing hers, letting the other person win.  It was seriously adorable. 

This friendship continued for a few years and it was so nice having a friend who could give me advice on politics and life.  Without realizing it, he (and another friend of his if we are being honest) became the last person I would have lunch with in Tallahassee before going back to the district for the summer. 

Personal photo.

Flash forward to the fall of 2010 - my boss moved up the ranks and I was promoted to a position that required me to move to Tallahassee permanently.  Mr. B and I kept trying to make plans to catch up but life was busy and it took a few months for us to really connect.  One night we finally made it work - we grabbed some pizza and beer while watching the end of a Saints playoff game (and I think the end of their season that year...).  I will never forget the beer he drank that night - Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale.  We talked for a while about my new job, about his new job, about life...  And about the fact that he and his wife were getting a divorce.  This wasn't a surprise to me - things hadn't been great for a while and I had a feeling it was only a matter of time. 

We ended up meeting up with some friends later that night and it was the first time we really hung out with our guards down.  It was wonderful and I spent the next few days wondering if this was really going to happen.  Did I really want it to happen?  A 45 year old man in the middle of a divorce?  With two kids? 

(Spoiler alert: it did happen.  But you'll have to stay tuned to hear how!)

Cake!!

Figuring out what to do about the cake was the planning item I was most excited about.  Although my favorite dessert is ice cream, I was still really excited about picking out a cake.  I had a few visual ideas that I liked but I set out with no specific flavor desires.  Mr. B's son told us we couldn't have coconut so that was out, but we had endless possibilities aside from that.

First up, I pinned some "cake-spiration" photos - I knew I wanted something white and simple.  No fondant, no elaborate designs, probably no flowers, potentially no cake topper.  I love simple, white, buttercream, classic.  Here are some of the cakes that caught my eye -


Image via Style Me Pretty/ Photo by Jill Thomas Photography

I don't want the cake to look messy and I fear the option above could look a little messy if not done right.  Next option...




Image via Martha Stewart Weddings / Photo by Sabine Scherer Photography

 This is probably my favorite cake photo.  I think I would remove the flowers, though.

Image via Martha Stewart Weddings / Photo by Dana Gallagher Photography

I like the look of this but I don't know if it is too... well...  I don't know.  Too something.  Too casual?

An easier decision to make was where to buy the cake.  Our photographer got married in Savannah and she sent me a ton of information about vendors she used.  She recommended Baker's Pride and their reviews were really good.  I contacted them and they got back to me pretty quickly with a reasonable quote.  They also told me I could let them know when I would be in town and they would give me a box of different flavored cupcakes for me to try.  Ummm, yes!  I shared this image with Mr. B - the two of us sitting in Forsyth Park, eating cupcakes, drinking champagne...  And he told me that sounded like a trip to take the girls on.  Oh well - the girls like champagne more than he does anyway!

Some of Baker's Pride's Cakes that match my vision -

Image via Baker's Pride

Image via Baker's Pride

Although I am still finalizing the look, it is nice to know we have a bakery booked.  Now to schedule that tasting! 

Will it look to casual or plain with no flowers?  Who wants cake now?  Sorry!

Flowers

I really like flowers but fortunately I do not have a crazy list of floral demands.  I've heard horror stories of brides becoming obsessed with a certain flower (pink peonies, anyone?) and then being devastated after finding out they either aren't available or don't fit in the budget.  This is one area where Mr. B has an opinion - he hates bouquets that look like a "head of broccoli," as he calls it. 

Image via Seattle Flowers

A bouquet that doesn't look like that?  The first thing that came to mind was this -


 

Image via Seattle Flowers

 

This kind of bouquet can be done beautifully but it has this hint of 80s wedding that I can't shake.  I wanted something timeless and classic - not a throwback to the decade I was born.  I did learn a useless fact during this search - those bouquets are called cascade bouquets and they seem to be making a comeback.  Google image search them and you'll find some interesting options.  Back to what I do want.  During one of my bouquet-searching dates with the internet, I stumbled upon calla lily bouquets -

Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Julie Mikos / Floral Design by Julie Stevens Design

I. Die.  This is seriously perfection!  I don't think this is too broccoli-ish, is it?  This would be perfect for me and my ladies could have something a little simpler -

Image via The Knot / Image by Broxton Art Photography / Design by T'da Design

How beautiful will these look against navy dresses?!  Ahh, I am so excited just thinking about it!

Both my MOH/sister and a bridesmaid have done wedding flowers before so I plan on having them help me and we will do everything ourselves, aside from my own bouquet.  Tying calla lilies together can't be that difficult, can it?  We will also do the centerpieces but I am still trying to decide what to do there.  One image that struck me:

Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Andrea Polito

I like white flowers and candles.  I don't want anything too high, though, so that option might not work. 

The flowers are definitely a work in progress.  My sister was kind enough to do a trial run - living in NYC gives her access to a magical place called the Flower District.  Here are her trials:

Personal Photos

Personal Photos

I love square vases so the short option definitely appeals to me.  I like the pop of color in the tall version, but maybe with more of a blue to match our colors.  So now for some help!  What blue flowers could we use for the pop?  Which of these would look better surrounded by some candles?  Any suggestions for good (inexpensive) flowers to use?

Hair!

One of the few many subjects Mr. B had an opinion about is how I will wear my hair.  He will not know anything about my bridal look and he trusts me completely, but I know what he likes and doesn't like.  He told me he didn't want me to wear my hair all the way up, even though he knows I love getting up-dos.  He wants to marry the woman he proposed to in the Tallahassee airport, not some woman from a bridal magazine.  I get that, I really do.  I decided that I would do a half up/half down situation as a compromise.  Here was my original inspiration for how I would wear my hair: 

Image via Style Me Pretty / Photography by Chris Bailey Photography / Event design by Keely Thorne Events

I think this is beautiful and polished but also still "me."  OK, one decision down!  Wait, not so fast...  I went dress shopping and everything changed.  As I tried on every dress, I would put my hair up with my hands to see how it looked.  My consultant kept offering me her hair band but I kept insisting that I couldn't wear my hair up.  As soon as I stepped out of the dressing room in what would become THE dress I grabbed her hair band and knew my hair would be up.  It just had to be!  Everyone agreed that Mr. B would get over it and that I would look beautiful (great friends, right?!).  Fortunately, he has since pointed out a few up-do options as "It would be OK if your hair looks like that."

Well, as much as I am relieved I get to wear my hair up, I am now almost overwhelmed by the amount of choices.  I want something simple and not too "bridal," because I really do want to look like myself.  I know I want something low and centered on my head.

I can always look to The Duchess of Cambridge for some inspiration.

Image via Daily Makeover / Photo by Getty Images

Why is she so pretty?? I love the part, the enough-but-not-too-much volume, the placement on her head. This is a definite keeper.

I don't know if that back is exactly what I had in mind, though.  I was thinking more along the lines of a low, simple crossed bun situation.  Something like this:

Image via One Sweet Wedding

 

Oooh, yes.  I think that could be exactly what I want!

For the ceremony I plan on wearing a veil attached to the top of the chignon.  I need something simple enough that we can get the combs from the veil out for the reception without ruining my hair.   



Image via Project Wedding / Photo by Kelly Zhang

I think before I spend too much time deciding how I will do my hair, I first need to decide who will do my hair.  This is one of the problems with a destination wedding - I have very few resources for things like this.  I will also run into trouble trying to do a trial since every time I go up there I am with Geoffrey.  Maybe I will use the cupcake tasting/champagne drinking trip with the girls as a chance to get some hair and makeup trials in.  For a hot minute I actually thought of having my usual stylist and someone else from the salon come up to Savannah for the weekend but I quickly realized that would be a super ineffective use of money.  Ugh.

While we are talking about Kate Middleton...  I had my hair done for our engagement party and I asked my stylist to style my hair like hers.

Nailed it!  (Personal photo)

I can still look like myself with a simple up-do, right?  How did you decide on the perfect hairstyle?

Dressing the Ladies

As soon as we settled on our colors, I knew I wanted navy blue bridesmaid dresses.  I quickly fell in love with this dress by Adrianna Papell -

Image via Nordstrom

I became obsessed within seconds.  I am partial to dresses with one shoulder and I absolutely loved the lace.  This had to be the dress!!  I emailed it to my bridesmaids and within hours my dream died.  The dress sold out in some sizes, including smaller ones that I knew we would need.  Argh!!  (Of course it now seems to be available in more sizes.)

In my quest to recreate this dress, I stumbled upon the Watters Camellia dress -

Image via perfect bridesmaid dresses

 I could create it in all navy on the Watters website and it looked beautiful.

Watters Camellia / Image via Watters

No store in Tallahassee carried it but fortunately I had a bridesmaid dress shopping trip already planned in Jacksonville with my bridesmaid (and fellow bride!) BOC.

Bridesmaid Runner met us at the store and she and BOC tried on dresses I liked.  While we were there I narrowed it down to four dresses.  I did take pictures of the gilrs in each dress but I will refrain from posting them on the internet, as none fit them correctly.  The Camellia was a front runner but I liked three other similar styles as well -


Watters Posey / Image via Watters

Watters Heather / Image via bestbridalprices.com

Watters Gardenia / Image via Watters

I was fine with my bridesmaids wearing mismatching dresses as long as they were very similar, which these were.  I decided to poll the group and see where people were leaning and there was a very (very!) clear winner - the Camellia!  8 out of 10 preferred this dress and the other two liked it, too - decision made!  I ordered through the store where I bought my wedding dress, Vocelles, and my bridesmaids received 10% off. 

I like these dresses so much that I am thinking about buying one in ivory to wear to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  I will probably go with Posey since it seems the most classic.  I love Heather but it is a bit more expensive than the others.

I somehow got 10 women to order their dresses on time and they should be here in a few months.  I can't wait to see everyone in them!  Was anyone else planning on allowing their bridesmaids to choose their own dresses, only to discover they all liked the same one?  Am I crazy for thinking/hoping my girls wll really want to wear these again?

Greetings From The Bicycles!

Oh, hiiiii(ve)!  I promised myself I wouldn't do it but I can't help it - I am so excited to bee here!  I am quite honored to be joining such a wonderful group of creative and inspiring brides and I hope I don't let you down!  So, who are The Bicycles??

I was born and raised in New York/Connecticut and moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University.  Hurricane Katrina forced me to evacuate to Florida, where I have been ever since (taking a major piece of NOLA with me in my heart).  I've worked for the Legislature since I moved and that is how I met Mr. Bicycle.  (Shall we call him Bike?  Mr. B?  Other suggestions?)

We were friends for years and in the fall/winter of 2010 everything fell into place when I moved to Tallahassee permanently just as he was ending his first marriage.  He has two amazing children, ages 10 and 12, and we have two pets (well, 3 if you count our turtle, Sheldon).  Tabasco is a Vizsla who is a bit prematurely grey and Tchoupitoulas is the sweetest cat in the world.  Tchoup was left behind by her owners during Hurricane Katrina and I was lucky enough to adopt her almost a year after the storm.  (For those who are wondering, she is named after a street in New Orleans.)

Tabasco photo courtesy of Ashley Daniell Photography, Tchoupitoulas photo - personal.

We are both endurance athletes.  Mr. Bicycle has completed a lot of triathlons and a full marathon.  I have done quite a few triathlons, multiple marathons, and a Half Ironman.  The Bicycle is a perfect symbol of our hobby!

All photos personal.

We do quite a bit of traveling, which made it difficult to not pick Jet Setter or Road Trip.  Some of our travels are for weddings, some for races, and every now and then we throw in a trip just for fun.  We love sports of all kinds, especially football (New Orleans Saints for me, Gators and Tampa Bay Bucs for him) and baseball (NY Yankees for me, Tampa Bay Rays for him).  Unfortunately, we get to go to more games for his teams than mine, but we will make it to the Superdome for a Saints game one of these days!

All photos personal.

We spend a lot of time at Florida Gator football games in the fall, since Mr. Bicycle has season tickets.  All of our friends tailgate before and it is so much fun experiencing the one thing Tulane didn't (really) offer.

All photos personal.

I can't wait to share the details of the beautiful wedding we are planning in Savannah, Georgia.  It will be classic and uniquely us, filled with fleurs-de-lis (yep, that's the pluralization!) and fun. We are looking forward to involving Mr. Bicycle's children as we take this important step to start our new family. 

So hop on!  The Bicycles are ready to roll!

Haute Baubles

The store where I bought my dress, Vocelles, had a trunk show one weekend featuring jewelry and accessories from Haute Bride.  I picked Bridesmaid BOC up on a rainy afternoon and we headed to our appointment.  On the way I told her what I was looking for - a small dangly earring that was possibly sapphire.  We arrived and were greeted by so much beautiful jewelry -

Personal photo.

There were so many options!  Above is only a sampling of the large selection we got to look at (and try on!).  There was one pair that immediately caught my eye, an oval sapphire stone with a clear crystal halo.

Personal photo.

These were exactly what I described to BOC!  I sent pictures to my sister, who agreed they were a good choice.  The owner of the store could tell I was close to making a decision so she asked if I wanted to put on my dress to see how they looked together.  Yes!  It was so fun to get to put my dress on, even though the store sample was a bit too big (better than the opposite!).  They looked perfect together!  The owner showed me another pair just to see if I could like something any more than I liked those.  She said these earrings could be done with a similar halo as the ones above:

Personal photo.

They were a bit bigger than I wanted so I ruled them out pretty quickly.  I don't think I am going to wear a necklace but this one would be a good choice if I decide to, since it matches the earrings:

Personal photo.

Want to know what may have been the decision maker?  BOC pointed out that they look like Kate Middleton's ring!  Sold!  I think my new theme for the wedding is Kate Middleton - is that OK?

Now the only item left to complete my "look" is shoes, which is turning out to be more of a process than I hoped.  But that's a story for another day! 

How did you complete your look? 

On Becoming a Stepmother

I never thought I would find myself in a position of being in charge of anyone other than my cat, Tchoupitoulas.  As I've mentioned before, I never wanted children but now I find myself becoming a stepparent to two wonderful kids, ages 10 and 12.  They are at a perfect age - I never had to deal with diapers or potty training or spitting up.  Instead, I get the company of two great kids who can bathe themselves, cut their own food (for the most part), and participate in conversations.

I won't sit here and pretend it was (or is!) always easy, though.  It is tough going from zero to family in 6.5 seconds.  I didn't have the normal preparations so I could see it coming and get ready for it.  I wasn't there for a lot of their memories, memories shared between them and their two parents.  I don't fully understand how and what they have learned - I frequently find myself using words and explanations that they don't understand, but I think it is good at times to make them reach out of their comfort zones.

It is also just tough being a parent and adjusting to that new life.  I used to work, work out, eat dinner, watch TV, and go to bed.  Now on days we have the kids, life is a bit crazier.  I have to try to fit my workout in without seeming like I am abandoning the family.  It is also very important to me that we eat healthful meals, which means cooking most nights.  I purchased a FoodSaver, which has been life-altering.  I now cook a big meal a few times a week and then freeze the leftovers. The other nights, we pull something from the freezer from a few weeks before and with the FoodSaver it is (usually) just as good as it was on night one.  We then make lunches and get snacks ready, all while making sure everyone has showered, brushed their teeth, done all their homework, and done their reading (and understand what they read!).  We are definitely in it together but it is just so much more pressure than I had when I could go 3 days without needing to refill Tchoup's food bowl.

All of the above has its rewards, though.  I am cooking!  Me!  I used to buy groceries and act like I was going to cook, but then eat every meal out.  Such a waste of food and money!  Now I plan everything out and it really isn't so bad.  I'm much better in the kitchen since it isn't so foreign to me and I am saving time (not money, though - groceries for 4 definitely cost more than groceries for 1) and being much healthier.  I try to make as many snacks from scratch as I can, including granola bars, crackers, and one really bad attempt at fruit chews.  This sometimes makes my weekends more stressful than I would like, but it is so rewarding when I know every ingredient we all eat - and everyone likes it!

I frequently have these moments where a little light bulb goes off - Oh!  This is why people have kids!  Everything from seeing A in a school play to getting breakfast in bed on my birthday to hugs before bedtime.  My absolute favorite times are separate times with each of them in the evenings.  A is a very good helper in the kitchen - she measures, pours, and stirs exactly how I show her to.  We frequently make overnight oats together and it is a very special time.  After she goes to bed, it is just M, Mr. B, and me.  This is our "adult" time, since M is basically an adult, and it is nice catching up with each other and watching shows we all like.  I always get a huge hug before he goes to bed, which is close to the best feeling in the world. 

Everyone thought it was so funny when I ended up with someone who had kids, and I pretty much agreed with them.  But being a stepmother has proven to be more rewarding than I could have imagined, though, and I can't wait to see where we go from here!

Has anyone else stepped up to a role they never thought they would have?

Dressing Our Junior Bridesmaid

Mr. B's daughter A is going to be our junior bridesmaid.  She is 10, which is a little too old for a flower girl and not quite old enough for a bridesmaid.  I don't entirely understand the role of a junior bridesmaid but the plan is to have her walk down the aisle and then most likely sit with her grandparents instead of standing with the bridal party.  After all, there won't be a lot of room up there with the ridiculous size of my bridal party.

Although A is excited to be in the wedding, she is not excited about getting dressed up for it.  She is a tomboy through and through - no princesses, no skirts, nothing girly.  She would rather be in mesh shorts and a dri-fit tee shirt than anything else.  Unfortunately our wedding is a little more formal than athletic wear so we need to figure out what to put her in.

She came with me to Jacksonville on our bridesmaid dress shopping trip and she was hoping/expecting to pick out something to wear as well.  We looked at all the pretty dresses in the store and she kept asking when we were going to a store to look at something for her.  I showed her the dresses designed for flower girls and junior bridesmaids but she kept insisting that she wanted to wear "church pants and a collared shirt," which equates to khakis and a polo.  And sneakers if she has it her way.  As much as I really do want her to be comfortable, I will not be comfortable if she walks down the aisle looking like this:

Image via Continental Uniform

I don't have a good idea of what I do want her to wear, though, since I hate most dresses designed for young girls.

No.  Thank.  You. (Image via onlineflowergirldresses.com)

One Coren Moore dress caught my eye at the Jacksonville store but unfortunately it was too small for A to try on, although I don't know if she actually would have even if it did fit.

Image via Coren Moore

I think it is just so sweet and it works with our colors.  I don't want to push the issue too much until the summer, though, so I have some more time to keep looking.  This dress is a bit more than I wanted to spend, especially considering I know she will only wear it once.  So I will keep looking!

In the meantime, I hope we can get her more comfortable with the idea of wearing a dress at the wedding.  She wore one at her mother's wedding and apparently didn't give her any trouble, although I have a feeling it is because it wasn't posed as a choice.  Mr. B tried to get her to wear a dress at Thanksgiving and she all but threw a hissy fit, refusing to eat with us and spending the evening on the couch, even after he let her change back into her jeans. 

She is a tomboy and I in no way want to change that about her, but I also don't want her walking down the aisle in something that looks like her school uniform.  That being said, I don't want her to look like a typical flower girl or junior bridesmaid.

Should I have her wear navy pants and a cream shirt of some sort?  Or look for a dress that is comfortable, wedding appropriate, and not too girly?  Has anyone else dealth with a similar issue?

Dapper Dudes

I am fortunate to be marrying one of the most stylish men I know.  In fact, he could be more stylish than I am.  Probably not, but he is a close second.  Mr. B knows more about cuffs and collars and tie knots than I do about shoes.  Seriously!  Anyway, I knew it was going to be interesting when he had to decide what he wanted his handsome groomsmen to wear but I wanted to give him (almost) complete control.  I think the current options are all very good and do-able, and also hopefully re-wearable.

Shoes
Mr. B wants everyone in brown shoes, preferably ones that tie.  He does not plan on asking everyone to buy the same shoe, he just wants them to look like this:

Image via Johnston & Murphy

Socks
OK, Mr. B has no opinion here but I think this could be an interesting way to add some character.  He wants tan socks to match the slacks.  I want....  Argyle?  Fleurs de lis?  Something - anything - other than tan?

Pants
Mr. B wants tan flat-front pants and he wants them all to match.  This is one of a very few items that he wants everyone to buy so they are all the same.  This is his current inspiration:

Image via Macy's

Shirt
Mr. B wants a light blue shirt, given the fact that white tends to wash people out (especially when paired with khakis) and he wants a good neutral.  We are currently debating between cuffed and not cuffed, but generally he wants it to look like the shirt below.  The spread collar here is quite formal and is sharp.  He has yet to decide how important it is for everyone to match so they may be able to wear shirts they already own.

Image via Paul Frederick





Blazer
No.  Gold.  Buttons.  That's pretty much the only requirement.  Mr. B is going to tell his groomsmen to wear a jacket they already have for a navy suit, considering most navy blazers (jackets not for a suit) have gold buttons.  If they don't already have something that fits the bill he will recommend:

Image via Bluefly

Tie
This one is important.  And difficult.  This will pretty much set the tone for the men but it has been more difficult than I expected to find what we want.  Can't we just get Vineyard Vines to design something special for us and then sell it at a super reasonable price?  Too much to ask?  OK :(
So we know we want fleurs de lis and I want navy.  Geoffrey is more flexible on the color as long as it isn't yellow.  This is what we are currently considering:

Image via Vincenzo Boretti

Cuff Links
If we end up doing cuffed shirts then we will obviously need cuff links!  Mr. B wears cuffed shirts more than most but we still think this is a nice option for his groomsmen, plus it gives us a really great option for a groomsmen gift!  We know we want them to be a fleur de list but it is tough to find something just right.  Current inspiration:

Image via Cuff-Daddy

Will these blend too much with the blue shirt?  I think the silver border will make them stand out - hopefully!  A lot of the options out there are tacky, making it difficult to pick something that works with our personalities.

So that is the current plan for the wonderful gentlemen that will be standing with us on our wedding day.  How much is common to ask men to pay for their portion of the outfit?  It isn't just a single dress - it is a lot of items!  What is normal here?

Getting Around

Finally, a battle I won!  And it cost less than I expected!  With a bridal party of 16, the logistics of getting around had the potential to give me a major headache.  Right off the bat I wanted a trolley - it is a common thing in Savannah, it would most likely fit our entire bridal party, and we could get some awesome pictures.

Left Image via Elizabeth Anne Designs / Photo by Pilster Photography           
Right Image via Historic Tours of America

Well, Mr. B wasn't on board.  In fact, he was very much against it, saying he wanted a limo.  OK, fine - I can't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do (yet!) so I started looking for limos.  I really did give it a good try but it did. not. work.  First of all, we would need at least two limos to fit the whole bridal party.  Also, a lot of limos these days are tacky.  Seriously.  So, so cheezy.  My research showed these were my options -



Image via Savannah Limousine Service



Image via A Savannah Nite

Ugh, these images make me cringe.  I cannot drive around in one of these on my wedding day.  I just can't!  So back to the drawing board we went.  And by "drawing board" I mean "trolley."  After explaining the difficulties with logistics and looks, Mr. B agreed we could look at trolley options.  I contacted a few companies in Savannah and settled on Oglethorpe Tours.   



Image via Morgan Gallo Events / Photo by Geoff L. Johnson

Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Azelle Photography

 

Ack!  I am so excited!!  We can fit everyone in it and it will make for some super cute pictures.  The plan is for it to pick my ladies and me up for pictures a few hours before the wedding, then it will drop us off at the church and get the guys.  It will then take all of us around for pictures after the ceremony before dropping us off at the reception.  I am going to get some bottles of champagne and maybe some snacks, too.  I think we will even have enough room for spouses/partners of our wedding party to join in!

Cross another item off the list!  Is this cute or is it too trendy?  Are there other options out there?

Where do we stay??

OK, this may be trivial and I could have been making a big deal out of nothing - but - I was having the hardest time deciding where to stay on our wedding night!  My plan is to spend Friday night there by myself (or maybe with my sister) and then spend the wedding night there with Mr. B .  I want a space big enough for all the girls to eat, drink, and get ready. 

I originally thought I wanted to stay in a bed and breakfast (even though I've never stayed in one) since it seemed like a romantic place to spend our first night as husband and wife.  No B&B has a big bridal room, though.  I did find one room I like but I don't think it will be big enough, the Oglethorpe Penthouse at The Gastonian.

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It has two working fireplaces and a separate living room and bedroom.  It just doesn't seem big enough for 11 people to get ready at the same time, though.

I then discovered the McMillan Inn, which appears to be a small inn of suites.  They have a carriage house that could potentially be big enough:

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I found another carriage house at the Armstrong Inns and this seems like another viable option.

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None of these are ideal, though.  I think my problem is I was spoiled by a wedding I was in a few months ago at the JW Marriott in San Antonio.  They have a beautiful bridal suite and it was more than enough room for all of us.  There was a bedroom, two bathrooms, a huge dining table, a couch, and just a lot of space.  The only place in Savannah that has anything similar is the Weston - across the river.  Do I really want to get ready (sort of) far away?  Oh, and it is really, really expensive.

After a few months of worrying about this with no obvious good choice, I realized the solution was there the whole time.  One of our room blocks is at the Andaz Savannah, a really fun Hyatt property in the heart of the historic district.  I emailed our contact there and she had the perfect solution - their Andaz Suite is a two-room suite, featuring a living room area, wet bar, and balcony.  It connects to either a king or queen guest room, so MOH/Sister NYC will stay in the adjoining room and we will be able to have a large space to get ready on the big day!

Image via Andaz Savannah

Mr. B and I stayed there last fall and loved everything about it, from the complimentary in-room snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to the lobby bar, where you can get an expertly crafted cocktail and an order of bacon! 

I know this seems like a small detail, but it worried me for a while and I am so happy to have it figured out.  So, tell me - what did you do?  Did you use the same space for getting ready and the night of the wedding?