This is peacockgirl's Blue Wedding!

I am seriously stumped! She sells jewelry at home parties so can't do that, she is just using some of her own stock. Is a new mom and all of her energies are focused on her baby and her husband, doesn't have any hobbies right now. I really need to get her something but I can't think of anything. I don't want to do like cosmetic bags and stuff like that, she is a beautician and has a lot of that stuff.

Any one have any ideas?

Ok, for new brides do not be scared. Wedding disaster's happen. I thought that since I had attended and photographed almost 400 weddings and run a bridal shop for 3 years, been a cake decorator and restaurant manager planning a wedding would be easy. It's not, but i am getting thru it. Here is a general list of what has gone wrong....

1.had to change the date and the wedding/ceremony site 4 months before the first date and push it back 2 months, ok handled that.

2.Got a call from the bridal shop, my custom made gown was going to be 5" too short, I am 5'11". Got it figured out the train will be 5" too short, ok, do-able.

3.We asked my brother to perform the ceremony (go online and get ordained). Wanted us to pick a church, do some church exercises for him and read the bible....he is not doing the wedding.

4.Because we moved the wedding date....photographer was booked. Ok, doing pics of the 2 of us the day before and having friends shoot candids the day of. Handled.

5.Groom gets picked up for DUI and will not have a license until 2 weeks before the wedding, maybe and over $3k just flew out of the budget to his fines and lawyers. ok, cut backs on the wedding.

6.Officiant we found backed out with 6 weeks to go. He thought he would have some wedding experience by ours and we will now be his first. Ok, talked to him, stroked his ego and said it is our first time to and ok if we fumble in the ceremony and everyone laughs..good thing.

7.Latest-fell at a gas station on an unmarked step in their bathroom, sprained my ankle, hit my face and now (as you see) have a pretty black eye.

And to top it all off just today...
We ordered shirt/tie combos for the best man and my son (who is giving me away). Picked them up and they were the wrong tie. Took them back today, went to men's department and grabbed one of the combo that I had thought we ordered. Truck across the store and downstairs (all on my crutches) to the catalog dept. Tell them I wanted the 2 shirts in the other combo. Old woman starts to tell me why i can't order and there is no way to make sure i get the tie I want. Ok, so swap the tie, she says I will get the manager but if you go get another of this combo we should be able to swap. Ok, I will go back upstairs on the crutches. So they are going to do the swap, mgrs leave and I made some kind of comment about how this was good and i have had too many obstacles with my wedding. Her words...."Well maybe this is a sign you shouldn't be getting married right now."!!!! Seriously/???

Thank you wbc girls for letting me vent.

My officiant just backed out!!! A friend of a friend said he could do our wedding. Told us he was confident in his services. Thought he had done weddings. Come to find out he had others booked that the weddings never actually took place. He has never done one before and now is backing out because he is nervous about ruining the day. i have no clue where to look!!!????

DOES ANYONE KNOW A WEDDING OFFICIANT IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA AREA?????

We are having our wedding outside at a state park. There are no convienent (sp?) tables to use. There is a great area to set it up though. I am not wanting to haul alot of "stuff" out to the site, since we have to be cleaned up and out by 10:30 (state laws!). We are already taking a small kitchen table for the cake. I need some ideas of what to use for a small guest book table???? Any ideas wbc girls?

We are having everything outside and low key. He will be the only one in a tux. I was ok with him just wearing dress pants and tie, but he wants a tux since i have a gown.

So I had really wanted to have my FH wear the light grey tux. He doesn't like it at all. He likes the tux that is black with a brown pinstripe or the the total brown tux. I want him to wear what he wants, but I don't feel either one of those work. Only other option is to go black and he thinks that might be too formal.

I NEED YOUR ADVICE AND INPUT, PLEASE!!!

Ok, new dilema. So I went and put my dress next to the coat picked out tie and such and was going to be ok with it. Went to my dress fitting today (by the way it now zips!!!!! ) and showed my mom the tux. She HATES it!! Said it looked like s#@*, next to my dress. Said i will reget it in pictures, it does not compliment my dress and she absolutely hated it!! My mom has really good taste. I was ok with the tux but not overwhelmed with it. HELP!!!!!

I found water beads and they didn't have the blue. I like the clear but with my colors I think blue beads will be better. What do you think?

Only trouble it is too small....My fault ordered it smaller than I should have planning on losing weight and then gained. I am on major diet now to get into the dress. Worst case scenario I know the seamstress can take out the zipper and make it a corset back if we have to.....



UPDATE!!!-It fits, it zips no corset WOO HOO!!! She does have to let the lining out in the hips but with 2 months left and I lost 8# on WW last week (first week back on WW), the dress will be even better by the wedding. I AM SO EXCITED!!

Added bonus, my MOH was letting me borrow her tiara, necklace, bracelt, and earrings from Swarovski store she wore for her wedding. All I felt worked except the necklace, it is almost a choker and with my neckline didn't quite work but I was ok with that. Found a necklace that matches her stuff and is a "Y" necklace, gorgeous with this "v"neckline. The bridal shop owner is a friend and can't make it to my shower next weekend, gave me the necklace!!!!! It is a good day today!!!

Found and idea online and wondered if anyone has seen this or has an opinion.

I bought a ton of rose bowls really cheap to use as centerpieces. I have been trying to come up with ideas on how to fill them now. Thought about dying my own carnations in my colors or floating candles. I think the candles are going to be the cheaper and easier route.

My question is filler for the bowls. I am using the peacock feather as a color guide. I saw the idea of putting frozen peas in the bowls and using water and then float the candle in that. I am looking at blue candles.

My thinking is it is totally unique and the colors would be great against white table cloths. It would create a nice contrast. Any opinions? My backup is to get white candles and colored water gel to fill the bowls.

Ok, so my dress is the style of the white pictured dress but I am getting it custom made in the blue. My question is shoes??? I have a pair of white bridal slippers I got when I worked at a bridal shop. They have no heel (FH is 4" shorter than me), and I can put an arch support in them for the day. My mom thinks I shouldn't wear white shoes and should get something that would go better. Silver would look good but I can't find any flats that 1. I like, 2.look cute, or 3. would be comfortable all day?

Any ideas on some good shoes???

We went to the Iowa City Art's Festival last weekend and I found it. I was wanting to do something unique for the guest book but couldn't decide on anything. We found a booth that she makes hand-made recycled fiber product. She makes book covers for all kinds of things like journals and photo albums and guest books! The inside is pretty standard, sign here stuff. The cover though goes with my colors and the say on the front sold me. It had a scene with a little person in 3d on top (we are getting it custom w/b & g) and it had the saying "Friends are like stars.....we don't always see them but we always know they are there." She doesn't have a web site but I was so excited, I was going to order it in a few weeks. My FH saw how excited I was about it and went back and ordered it while I was looking at another booth!! I will post a picture of it when it arrives in a couple of weeks.