Ask any of my friends, it is NO secret that I can’t wait to be a “Mrs.” My obsession continues to things that openly declare this change of status. Check out the latest Mrs. items I have been gawking over…

Too bad this is only $575 (eek!!!!!)

Only $35 on etsy! Love it.

Ahhhh I'm obsessed. Only wish it came in silver. Maybe by June it will. Must. have. this.

Wedding present from Apricot Dude? If any of my friends are reading this—please hint to him hehe.

We are married!  Hooray!  I always thought being a Mrs. would feel different. To be honest, it doesn’t.  And really, nothing has changed.

Yes, it’s true, we both felt different the night of the wedding, but I think that is because we were just surrounded by so much love and happiness!  The morning after we woke up and said, “Good morning wife!” “Good morning husband!” just to test the new words but then we went right back to calling each other our regular nicknames.

The weirdest part of being married is calling Poinsettia Dude my husband!  It seems so strange! Another weird part is when he introduces me and says, “this is my wife!” I crack up every.single.time! It is getting so embarrassing! What is wrong with me?

I also had all these illusions that once I was a wife, I would know how to cook, bake, sew, reupholster furniture and do all the other things a 1960’s housewife knows how to do, i.e. Mad Men! Clearly I watch way too much television because I don’t know how to do any of those things and being a wife doesn’t change that!

I also thought I would have the “post-wedding blues” but to be honest, I can’t stop thinking about our wedding night and reliving every single moment! It was so spectacular!

In the end, being married is not much different than being engaged, except for the fact that I know I have an amazing teammate for life! Oh, and the fact that we are legally bound to each other!:)

Our wedding on September 17, 2011 was the most amazing day of my entire life. Now that it is over, I have been trying to recap the weekend but I just can’t seem to find the right words!

Our wedding was absolutely fabulous! Thanks to amazing wedding vendors and supportive friends and family, every detail turned out better than I could have ever imagined!

What people say is true!

A) Relax, it goes by so fast!

B) Don’t forget to eat small meals throughout the day!

C) Drink a lot of water!

D) Forget about eating and drinking at the reception, you will be talking to guests!

E) Have tips prepared in labeled envelopes!

F) Things will go wrong! Although, some of them will turn out better than expected.

What people don’t tell you!

A) You won’t have an appetite on the day of so you will have to be forcefed!

B) You will be on Cloud 9 and have an out of body experience! (It’s odd but amazing!)

C) You will lose your brain - You won’t be able to think or make decisions right before, during, or after your wedding!

D) One of the most amazing feelings is when you can feel the love of everyone in the room!

E) No matter what, write your own vows! It is such a special moment!

F) Be nice to your wedding vendors! You will spend ALL day with them and you want it to be a fun time for everyone! Plus, when you are nice, they may give you free stuff, like a touch up kit or an extra lip gloss!

Lilac Dude and I had been married a little over two months when our wedding vows were truly put to the test.

I thought I had the stomach flu and had missed a couple of days of work because of it when Lilac Dude finally convinced me to go to the doctor. It was a Thursday morning and he headed off to work (which was then an hour commute) and I laid back down to sleep until the doctor’s office was open to take calls.

They could work me in that day so my mother-in-law drove me to the doctor. Being 22, newly married and nauseated all the time they gave me a urine pregnancy test just in case. The pregnancy test saved my life. The glucose level in my urine was 2,000, I had high levels of ketones and severe dehydration. I was in a very dangerous stage of diabetic ketoacidosis (my pancreas had shut down and my blood and urine were basically turning to acid). I was admitted straight to the hospital. Had I stayed in bed and not gone to the doctor, I probably would have died.

We didn't have a clue what the future would be like. {Photo by Chatman Photography}

Lilac Dude then received the scariest phone call of his life to date. His new wife was being admitted to the hospital with a life-threatening condition. I’m not sure how many traffic laws he broke to get to the hospital to be with me, but he got there and stayed there.

We’re still trying to figure out how to live with each other and it’s scary to have a nearly fatal experience like that. Now that I’m home and we’re navigating my new life as a type 1, insulin-dependent diabetic.

I know without a doubt that when my husband vowed “in sickness and in health” at that alter, he meant it.

I was released from the hospital on a Saturday night. One state over, my father had also been in a hospital. On Monday morning he passed away after his long battle with cancer. That was when we hit the “worse” part of our vows. Being diagnosed with a chronic illness and losing a loved one are hard enough on their own and nearly unbearable without the love and support of your spouse.

My last dance with my dad {photo from a friend}

When you’re thinking about your wedding vows, they may seem sweet and romantic. But make sure that you mean them, because you never know when your vows will be tested.

Sometimes I find myself getting so caught up in wedding planning that I tend to forget about the true meaning of it……that I’ve found the love of my life and I can’t wait to marry him! Here is a story that I found that truly touched my heart. If Apricot Dude and I can share just half of the love that this couple has, we will be blissfully happy. Grab a tissue and enjoy!

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

Lilac Dude and I are home from our honeymoon and are in the process of moving things into our new home. Wedding reflections, stories and reviews will be trickling in now.

{Photoy by Chatman Photography}

Sidetracked.

I have dreamed since a little girls of being a veterinarian. My first job was at a veterinary clinic, and everything I’ve done in school and work has been in pursuit of that goal. With that said, veterinary school is not easy to get in to, and I have spent my first 4 years post-baccalaureate working in a closely related field that I plan on making my career. I hadn’t applied to veterinary school until this past fall, for school starting this coming fall. I got several rejection letters, and more or less had decided that this path was not the right one for me. A few weeks ago, on a Friday evening, I got a call from one of my potential schools asking for me to be in California (I live in Texas) the following Tuesday morning for an interview. I had a huge day at work that day and how on earth could I get to California by Tuesday?! I immediately denied the interview offer. After pacing for about 5 minutes, I called back and scheduled the interview. I had no idea how I would do it, but figured worst case scenario I don’t show up and don’t get accepted anyways.

A talk with Freesia Dude and a look at flight prices evolved into talk of an impromptu road trip to California. An email to each of our more than gracious bosses, a call to the cat-sitter, and the decision was made. We left for California early Sunday morning.

We aren’t strangers to road trips. We have driven to Florida a few times, the Keys right after the proposal, to California once, and various other less daunting distanced destinations. We fell in love with California the first time we went, so the prospect of going again was enticing. We decided to visit San Diego after my interview to make the 48 hours of total driving worth it. We almost forgot about wedding stuff the whole week.

Our 1st trip to the West Coast

Key West, Florida

Aside from being my incomprehensibly supportive best friend, Freesia Dude was also my driver and my second opinion. We pulled up to a very attractive looking school the morning of my interview. While I spent the afternoon meeting professors and students, he drove around the town, checked out the YMCA and got a feel for the rest of the place. We both enjoyed what we saw, and knew it would be a nice fit for me. The interview was hard, leaving me with uncertain feelings. Mid-March would bring the news…

The interview was for my dream occupation. The not so dreamy part is participating in an intense curriculum for the next 4 years, the first 4 years of my marriage, potentially apart from my new husband. He and I have both put a LOT of thought and consideration into it and know that if I get in, I will go, and he may not. He will try, but leaving a great job that could lessen the potential burden of time and cost of my school may not be the best decision.

March 9th, watching television, surfing the internet, Freesia Dude is in class. I get an email casually informing me of my acceptance to veterinary school!!!!!!!!!! I should have stood on my head for the next hour because that’s how I felt. I laughed, then cried, then my sister-in-law called. I played cool…until she asked if I’d heard back from the school. Of course she had to ask right then! I told her the news and swore her to secrecy until I told Dude and my parents.

My mom and sister cried. My dad gave me a huge hug, so proud. My stepdad was giddy. It took a while for it to sink in, for me and for Freesia Dude. While we both knew I would go, it took a while for us to admit it to one another. I will be moving to California less than 4 weeks after our wedding day. I’m excited, nervous, scared, and thrilled….and planning a wedding. Oh my. Apparently the world didn’t stop when I started planning for our wedding. Talk about sidetracked.

In a disposable culture, where everything, including relationships (it seems) can be interchanged, why do some people still get married? I’m one of you… I want to get married, and I want to get married because of marriage to me is more than just two people living together. Mr. Magnolia and and I have discussed this many times: just because a couple isn’t married, doesn’t mean they aren’t as committed to each other than a couple who is married. But still — there is something beautiful in taking the time to stand up in front of your family and friends and proclaim your love and commitment. There is something about saying the words that your parents and grandparents and ancestors have also said, generations before you.

And yet, with the divorce rate so high, and many (if not most) couples choosing to live together instead of getting married, I think many brides enter marriage with hope and love, but also courage, and fear. I found this short tale while flipping through a small book called Wedding Toasts and Speeches: Finding the Perfect Words by Jo Packham.

Dr. Charles Garfield, author of “Peak Performance,” tells a humorous story about differentiating between courage and fear. A very wealthy man, he notes, bought a huge ranch in Arizona and invited some of his close associates in to see it. After touring some of the 1,500 acres of mountains, rivers and grasslands, he took everyone back to the house, which was as spectacular as the scenery. Behind the exquisite home was the largest swimming pool in all of Arizona. There was just one thing about it, however, that was unusual. The gigantic swimming pool was filled with alligators.

The rich owner explained that he valued courage more than any other character trait. Courage, he claimed, was what made him a billionaire. “In fact, courage is such a powerful virtue that if anyone is courageous enough to jump in that pool, swim through those alligators and make it to the other side, I’ll give them anything they want. Anything – my house, my land, my money.”

Of course, everyone laughed at the absurd challenge and proceeded to follow the owner into the house for lunch. Suddenly they heard a splash. Turning around they saw a young man swimming for his life across the pool. He was thrashing at the water as the alligators swarmed after him.

After death-defying seconds, the young man made it, unharmed, to the other side. The rich host and his guests applauded his efforts. And the billionaire stuck to his promise. He said to the dripping wet fellow, “You are indeed a man of courage and I will stick to my word. What do you want? You can have anything – my house, my land, my money – just tell me what you want and it is yours.”

The young swimmer breathed heavily for a few moments, looked up at the host and said, “I want to know just one thing. Who the hell pushed me into that pool?”

To all of you awaiting marriage, I applaud your courage and understand your fear as you wait on the edge of the pool to jump . . . or be nudged . . . into matrimony.

My sweetheart and I exchanged our vows nearly 8 months ago and I am just getting to talking about the wedding. Why so long?

Was I busy? A little, I guess.  But no more than usual. That’s not the reason.

The wedding just consumed so much of my every waking thought between my work and sleep hours in the months leading up to the wedding that, once it was over, I just didn’t want to talk about it that much anymore.  I haven’t been able to even look at a bridal magazine or watch one of those bridal shows since the big event. I just got super sick of weddings.  Mine and everyone else’s.  I was so happy to finally, after so many months of thinking nothing but wedding, wedding, wedding to change the conversation.

Did anyone else feel that way?

End of the big day: Bud turns to Blossom

The minute it was done I was really sad, since it was everything for which I had hoped and it was hard to let go of the day…the dream. But there was also this huge feeling of relief. I did it! I don’t mean I was relieved to be married. I mean I was relieved to have survived my in-laws, 2 root-canals within a week of my wedding day, my sister’s pinkeye  (who was my MOH), dress fittings, rehearsal dinner venue choosing, travel plan making for everyone on the list, dance lessons, hair and makeup challenges, motherly criticisms and a whole long list of other stressors. I survived them all. I wanted to shout: I WIN! And then I didn’t want to think about any of that ever again.

But 8-months in, here I am, back again. A recently engaged colleague asked me some advice today about wedding planning and for just a moment I felt that rush again. The rush of checking something important off a long list of other important things to be done. But then I remembered. Thank god it is over. Thank god it was so wonderful.

For 2 years I have gone back and forth about sending out Holiday Cards.  And of course this year I waited too long, even after going online and creating two options.  I think part of the reason why I always hesitate sending them is because in today’s technology world, aren’t most of the people I’d send them to going to see my best wishes on Facebook or through email? Not that getting snail mail isn’t still fun – and often the best thing to do, but I just felt that I could send everyone an ecard or email with a Happy Holidays message and a few pics of us over the past year.

So, the question is, are you sending them out, and if you aren’t, why?  Also, what photos are you including?  Engagement?  Wedding?  Neither?  I feel like we missed the timeline when we could include our wedding pictures…but maybe not?  For the ones I did online, I used a photo of Lavender Dude and Me at our wedding, and another with our dog Sophie.  I created them on Minted.com (love their site!).

(photo cards created at Minted.com)

My husband and I haven’t been married even 3 months yet and everyone wants to know when we are having a baby.  The questions started almost immediately following our wedding.

http://supermon.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/baby.jpg

Yes…friends and family…we want a baby.  I am 32 and my husband is 33.  We realize we need to do it sooner rather than later.  But we are trying to be sensible about it.  We are relocating to another state next spring for my husband’s job.  I do not want to be 8 months pregnant and moving.  Nor do I want to be moving with a brand new baby.  It is also very important for me to be able to stay at home at least for a year with our new baby.  I have a 10 year old from a previous relationship and I stayed home with her for 10 months before returning to college full-time.  If my husband and I wait a year or so before conceiving that ups my chances tremendously of not having to return to work immediately after giving birth.

I know people say there is no ‘perfect’ time to have a baby.  Really…we would be happy and ready for the baby if and when he/she comes.  We aren’t trying for a baby…but we are not preventing it either.  When it happens…it happens…and then we will be able to share the great news with our friends and family.

For those of you who are newlyweds…what is your baby timeline looking like?

You really won’t get far in this world without money. And somehow, things like honesty, loyalty, ambition, hard work, and compassion have come to mean less and less. Since money is so important in the world today, it makes perfect sense that the meshing of two people would be a little bit messy. Sure, we can promise to love each other for the rest of our lives, through sickness and health, that’s easy! But the money part? That’s a little harder.

Source

Of all the many different aspects of our lives as independent human beings, I think that the one we want control over most is our financial situation. And that’s why it’s so incredibly difficult to join our finances with another person. If, God forbid, something were to happen to the relationship, money is really the biggest thing to worry about. How many couples getting a divorce end up going to court over money, the house, the furniture?? Our future outside of the relationship depends on the money that we make, and so we’ll fight tooth and nail to keep it. And we’re suddenly just expected to let go of all that? Let go of the ‘yours’ and ‘mine’ and change it to ‘ours’ just like that? Well, not just like that, but yes.

Honestly, I’ve never had any problem with the whole ‘our money’ thing. I have Dahlia Dad and Dahlia Mom to thank for that. Their incredible example of what a real relationship is has made this transition a whole lot easier for me. Anyhow, like I said, it was never a problem.

Even before Dahlia Dude and I got engaged, it was already ‘our money’ in our minds. We each make our own money, but never really argue as to who pays for what. Rent, utilities, groceries, you name it. We know what we have to pay, how much it is, and we take care of it. That’s it. There’s no arguing, no fighting, no bickering, nothing. We don’t worry about who owes who what, we don’t worry about who makes more and what they’re paying, we just take care of our responsibilities and use what we can for fun. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have such an easy time with this.

I also know, however, that my way isn’t for everyone. So what do you and your husband or fiance do about finances? Do you keep everything separate? Have a joint account? I’d love to hear what you’ve found works for you, and what definitely doesn’t work.

So the 16th was our first wedding anniversary. It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year– it seems like just yesterday! To celebrate, we did a couple of things. We had a nice dinner out at a local hotspot– I had scallops and grits, Plumeria Dude had roasted chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese.

We also ordered a jumbo key lime cupcake– seen above — from the Atlanta Cupcake Factory. They are a longtime favorite of ours and I was tickled to learn that key lime is one of their seasonal flavors. I would totally have used them if we had an Atlanta wedding.

One last thing– we also bought a house! OK, it was a whole two days after our anniversary, but it totally counts. All of the paperwork = first anniversary paper gift, right? We are so psyched about being homeowners. It’s kind of like that famous Saved By The Bell episode.

We’re in a new chapter of our lives, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

In November, only two months after our engagement, Lilac Dude’s grandmother sadly passed away. When it came time to start cleaning out her house all of the family decided that they would rather give Lilac Dude and I everything we needed to start a home than sell it to strangers.

Hand-me-down furniture is great. We’ll start off with a couch, chairs, a kitchen table, a counter top convection oven and pretty much all of the “big things” for a new home together. Even though these items are used, they’re a huge blessing to have because they are all pretty expensive to purchase just after getting married. When we were going through things I realized that some of things you just need to get new, which alleviated my registry worries a little because I had been watching the list of things we need shrink, which isn’t bad but I did want our guests to have a selection of different things on the registry.

Here are a few things I’ve decided we will register for new and why:

1. Blender – my parents still have and use the one that they got as a wedding present 27 years ago. They are a lasting appliance that we will probably never have to replace.

2. Toaster – To be honest, I don’t feel like cleaning someone’s old crumbs out of my “new” toaster. Plus this will be sitting on our counter for the next several years, I think I want to pick it out myself.

3. Towels – We both have “college towels” that over the last 3 years have taken a beating.

4. Bed sheets – I’m not really sure that this one needs an explanation.

Obviously we’ll be registering for more than just those 4 things. And we know where we want to register, but we don’t exactly know when we should do it. With 400 days until our wedding, we think it’s just a little too early.

What else should couples get new? And when do you recommend Lilac Dude and I build our registry?

Lilac Dude just presented me with a clean pair of pants. At this point in time we both live in a dormitory and my dude lovingly washed my jeans that had sadly been bathed in a friend’s lemonade earlier in the day.

We often joke about my cooking and his aversion to dishes. But not very long ago we had a very serious discussion about housework. We talked about the house work that we didn’t mind doing and that we hated doing. We decided to do the chores that we like and share the ones that we don’t. For example, neither of us enjoy washing dishes, so we’ve agreed to share that responsibility.

I think that it was a very important conversation to have early, it will make establishing a home together much easier. Especially since Lilac Dude will be vacuuming it!

What issues do you think couples should discuss before they get married?

Something happened today that I am sure many of you can relate to.  There I was, reading my email, when I saw something that made me giggle. What was it, you ask? An email from Periwinkle Dude…

Source: openclipart.org

Yes, Periwinkle Dude has a knack for making me laugh, but this was unintentional.  In fact, the email wasn’t even addressed to me.  The email was written to one of our wedding vendors, and the message was something to the effect of: “…further to my wife’s email below…“

Yes, Periwinkle Dude and I have been married for more than 7 months.  Yes, I have had quite a few chances over the months to introduce and speak about him as “my husband”, and I imagine he addresses me as his wife when speaking to people who don’t know me by name, but that doesn’t often happen in my presence.  And I’ve certainly never witnessed those words coming from him in writing before — this was a first!  It seemed like such an official title.  It caught me by surprise, and for some reason, I found it amusing!  Obviously I know and understand that I am indeed Periwinkle Dude’s wife; I made the decision of sound mind, and besides, wasn’t that the point of all the commotion and preparation we went through for 16 fun-filled roller coaster months?!  So yes, in my head I get that I’m a wife.  But there was something about the bluntness and simplicity of the word in writing that caught my attention, and made me smile.  When I first became a fiancee that was a big deal for me, and it took a while to get used to that label!  Let’s just say I am change-averse.    By the time the wedding rolled around, I loved my “fiancee” title and did not want to give it up!  But in the moments I took to re-read the simple word in Periwinkle Dude’s email today, I realized the “w” word was one I was proud to own and how much I look forward to hearing it again, many, many more times.

Have any of you had “a-ha moment” experiences like this, with a new title or maybe new name?  Was there a certain occurrence that made your new status “click” in your head?  Please share!

As brides-to-be or newlyweds, I’m sure you’re aware that it is common to receive gifts for your engagement, bridal shower, and wedding. And we brides know that wherever gifts abound, thank you notes are sure to follow!

Source: www.esquire.com

According to Emily Post, wedding thank you notes should be sent within 3 months of receiving the gift. This was unfortunate news to me since I’ve always been a believer (and supporter!) of the common fallacy that couples have until their one year anniversary to both receive and send thank you notes for wedding gifts. Oooops!  Here are some other tips from our favorite etiquette mentor, Emily Post:

Who needs a note?

• Anyone who gives you an engagement, shower or wedding gift, even if you have thanked them in person. Individual notes should be written to people who contributed to a group gift.
• Anyone who gives a gift of money: cash, checks, contributions to savings accounts and donations to charities. Mentioning the amount is optional, but it does let the person know the correct amount was received. You should mention what you plan to do with the money.
• Your attendants. A warm personal note attached to your gifts to your attendants will let them know how much you appreciate their efforts and support on your behalf.
• Anyone who hosted a party or shower for you. Ideally these notes should be written within two days of the event. Each host or hostess should be thanked individually with a note and a thank you gift.
• People who house or entertain your wedding guests. A note and a small gift should be sent to anyone who houses or entertains out-of-town wedding guests.
• People who do kindnesses for you. The neighbor who accepts delivery of your gifts when you are at work; the cousin who supervises the parking at the reception – anyone who assists you before, during or after your wedding.
• Suppliers and vendors. You don’t have to write everyone you hire for services, but anyone who exceeds your expectations will appreciate a courteous note of thanks.
• Your parents or whoever is hosting your wedding.

Emily Post’s Ten Do’s and Don’ts of Thank You Notes

1. Do personalize your notes and make reference to the person as well as the gift.
2. Do remember that a gift should be acknowledged with the same courtesy and generous spirit in which it was given.
3. Do be enthusiastic, but don’t gush. Avoid saying a gift is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen unless you really mean it.
4. Don’t send form letters or cards with printed messages and just your signature; don’t use email or post a generic thank you on your wedding web site in lieu of a personal note.
5. Do promptly acknowledge the receipt of shipped gifts by sending a note right away or calling and following up with a written note in a day or two.
6. Don’t mention that you plan to return a gift or that you are dissatisfied in any way.
7. Don’t tailor your note to the perceived value of the gift; no one should receive a perfunctory note.
8. Do refer to the way you will use a gift of money. Mentioning the amount is optional.
9. Don’t include wedding photos or use photo cards if it will delay sending the note.
10. Don’t use being late as an excuse not to write. Even if you are still sending notes after your first anniversary, keep writing!

Now that you know to whom and how you should write thank you note, here are some suggested wording examples courtesy of elegala.com to help get you started and finished:

To a close friend or relative:
Dearest Aunt Sandy,
Thank you so much for the generous gift. As you know, John and I have been saving for a new home and your contribution will help greatly. We can’t wait to have you over for a housewarming party very soon! Thanks again for thinking of us and for sharing in our special day.

To a more distant friend, relative or business colleague:
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Lee,
Thank you so much for the lovely vase. It will go beautifully on our kitchen table, and Meghan and I will think of you each time we use it. Thanks again for sharing our joy.

To someone who couldn’t make it to the wedding but still sent a gift:
Dear Denise & Chris,
Thank you both very much for completing our sterling place setting collection. Martin and I look forward to using it at every special dinner we host. We truly missed you both on our special day and look forward to seeing you soon.

To someone who wasn’t invited to the wedding but sent a gift:
Dear Lorie & Mike,
Thank you both so much for the thoughtful gift certificate. Amanda and I look forward to purchasing new appliances for our kitchen with it. Thanks again for thinking of us during this special time in our lives.

Does anybody have any other tips or advice on thank you note etiquette to share with the garden? Did you/will you follow the “3-month rule”? If not, how long did it take you to finish all your wedding thank you cards?

Money is a very important issue that needs to be discussed when you’re getting married. Based on studies, money is one of the leading causes of divorce. John and I talked about how to handle our finances way before we even moved in together. We made sure we were on the same boat. We also made sure that all our debts are paid for before we got engaged.

There are three ways to handle your finances as a couple: joint, separate, and mixed (joint & separate). John and I decided that the mixed method is the best one for us.

Click image to enlarge

Whoa, our chart looks like a man (robot rather) with two heads! Anyway…

We have 7 accounts total:

• My existing checking account
  - where my income is directly deposited
• My existing savings account
  - where my extra money goes, leaving at least $200 in my checking account after all necessary expenses and contributions are made
• John’s existing checking account
  - where his income is directly deposited
• John’s existing savings account
  - where his extra money goes (I don’t know how he determines how much goes to this account)
• Joint checking account
  - our contribution is based on ratio of each individual’s income to total combined income, then matched to total joint expenses and contributions (formula in chart)
• Joint savings
  - part of our contributions that is spent on yearly expenses including vacations
• Joint long-term savings
  - part of our contributions that is set aside for emergencies and future large purchases
  - contribution to the joint long-term savings is based on the remaining income of the individual earning less after individual necessary expenses, joint expenses, contributions (joint savings), and $500 are deducted. The contribution of the individual earning more will be calculated based on the ratios of the incomes.

How do you handle your finances as a couple? Does your chart look like a man with two heads as well?

They say you have a year to give a gift for a wedding, but that you should send Thank You’s within a month.  What about Thank you notes for your vendors?  Is prompt payment and a tip enough?  We don’t think so, but unfortunately we’ve left our vendors un-thanked for almost six months.  I was great about sending our guests thank you notes within 2-3 weeks of the wedding.  For gifts received later, I usually sent the thank you card out the day we got the gift in the mail.  We tracked all our gifts and when thank you notes were sent through the WeddingWire feature.  But because I was so focused on thanking those that gave us something, our vendors got the short end of the stick.  Then I was sending thank you notes for friends helping us move, for housewarming gifts, etc.  I kept putting the vendor thank you notes off.

I did give them all rave reviews on WeddingWire, and thanked them in that way, but I’m a big proponent of handwritten cards.

Well, the new year is the limit for me.  I plan to send all our excellent vendors thank you cards when I send out my Christmas cards, and I’m including a photo of the area of the wedding they helped with. This way, they can hopefully use not only our thank you notes in their portfolios, but also pictures of their goods and services in use.   I have photos of our beautiful flowers for our florist, photos of my hair being done (and the finished product) for my stylist, a great photo of our DJ in action, and more.  Hopefully they enjoy this extra touch and aren’t annoyed that the note came 6 months after the wedding!

What did you do to thank your vendors?

The year, months, weeks and then days leading up to our wedding honestly flew by so fast, I didn’t think I could ever lose time that quickly again. In a way it all seems like a distant blur, far back in my memory, yet somehow it also feels like just yesterday. In fact, our wedding was 6 months ago. That’s a whopping 183 “yesterdays” to be precise!  That’s right, Periwinkle Dude and I have made it to the 6-month mark, woohoo! I know that’s no sweat to you old pros out there, but hey, we’re infants in the world of marriage… this is a milestone for us! When Periwinkle Dude and I married, we promised to love each other through all kinds of ups and downs, which comes in handy because we have already faced a few challenges in the past few months, and we’ve faced them together.  And so for our 6 month anniversary, I dedicate this beautiful song to my husband, the love of my life.

We Are Man And Wife – Michelle Featherstone

UGH!!!! Please don’t assume that one partner will take another partner’s last name when they marry!!!!

from http://teriberi.wordpress.com/2009/04/

I have always known that I wanted to keep my name, and Calla Lily Dude is more than supportive about it. All my coworkers, friends, and family knew that I would be keeping my name.

I don’t mind it when people call me “Mrs. Dude.” I get a kick out of it when people call Calla Lily Dude “Mr. Blossom.” However, I ran into a major problem with someone assuming that I was taking the Dude last name….

So, designing my own beautiful wedding album went off without a hitch, and the album that was shipped within 1 day of placing an order, but it took over 2 weeks to get to me at no fault of Shutterfly…

Why, you ask? Because my apartment manager assumed I would be taking the Dude last name… and took it upon herself to not keep my last name on our mailbox directory. Apparently, UPS will not deliver a package to an address if the receiver is not listed on a posted directory. Good for UPS, bad for me!

It took a week and half of back-and-forth between me, my apartment manager, and UPS. I got the album delivered, but my last name has not been added to the mailbox directory yet…

So, the moral of the story is to be more up front whenever your name is concerned, whether you are changing or not. While people should not assume that you are going to change your name, you can’t assume that people are going to double-check with you about it either.

We did it! I can now officially write my first post as Orchid Blossom…or should I say Mrs. Orchid Blossom!

We made it through both our ceremonies and are now busy packing for our move tomorrow, but I wanted to say a quick hello to everyone before any more time flew by.

We tied the knot!

Both of the ceremonies went off without a hitch and turned out to be fabulously fun days. Our Halloween wedding turned out just as I envisioned. It was wonderful to see all the hard work and planning we had done come together the way it did…and I had a blast partying and dancing into the wee hours of the morning!

The Sikh ceremony was also a great experience. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in all of traditions that were important to Orchid Dude’s family, and it was wonderful to finally meet his family from England that I have heard to much about.

I can’t wait to get back my pictures from both days and share them with you all. There are so many elements that I ran out of time to post about before the wedding…and also some surprises I can’t wait to share.

Once we get our move out of the way, I will be back here posting up a storm!

As you may recall, me and Calla Lily Dude both wore engagement rings, which were simple wedding bands worn on our right hands.

We switched our rings to our left hands during our ceremony, after we said our vows.

"With this ring, I join my life with yours."

Since I was fresh out of college and blew my savings on the trip to Italy where we got engaged, our rings were inexpensive sterling silver. We planned to upgrade to white gold before the wedding, but it got pushed aside in the flurry of all the other wedding stuff we had to take care of…

I ran into a few roadblocks in the process of upgrading my wedding ring. I was looking for a white gold band with no stones, but with some personality. I started by browsing online, and I liked these rings:

from goldandgems.com, kay.com, and ice.com

Then I took myself into a store with my heart set on the ring center above. And somehow, I walk out of the store having ordered this ring:

from kay.com

I really, really liked the ring, but after a day or two I was convinced that I had done myself a disservice because I didn’t even ask to see the ring I originally wanted. More than that, I “really, really liked” the ring with diamonds, but I didn’t love it, and I think I should love my wedding ring. I spent the week it took to get the ring with diamonds sized agonizing over my choice.

I ended up ordering the center ring above online so I could compare both rings. Now that I have both, I ended up loving the ring I originally wanted, so I will be returning the ring with diamonds.

The lesson here is definitely to trust your instincts and don’t let yourself be persuaded by a sales clerk until you have seen what you went into the store to see in the first place.

I have gotten a few “but you deserve to have diamonds in your wedding ring” comments from friends while making up my mind, but I had to go with my intuition. And I love it!

You might think after the big day you will be free of to do lists and be done with juggling a bunch of wedding-related tasks… but, trust me, this is not the case. Welcome to the world of the newlywed…

from http://digifree.blogspot.com

…and your new to do list! Imagine that, after two and a half years of wedding stuff, I still have some wedding stuff to do now that we are married. The Nest provides this list of newlywed to dos.

Here is my post-wedding to do list:

• Send announcements (Check!)
• Write and send thank you notes (Check!)
• Clean and store my dress (Check!)
• Create and order wedding photo album
• Pack up wedding stuff strewn about my apartment
• Sell some wedding stuff or donate it
• Upgrade my sterling silver ring for white gold (which was supposed to be done before the wedding…)

Some of the common things you should do as a newlywed, we were able to take care of earlier (like calling Calla Lily Dude’s tax preparer) or I don’t have to worry about (like changing my name, since I am keeping my own).

I am happy to get some things off the list and was able to do so rather quickly with some planning. For example, I had our DIY announcements printed at the same time as our invitations and thank you notes, so I just stuffed announcement envelopes when we were getting our invitations together. Our announcements went out in the mail the day after the wedding.

I also printed 2 sets of mailing labels to make sending thank you notes a breeze. I even took a stack of thank you notes and a print out from our registry on our honeymoon, since I knew I would be up earlier than my dear husband and would need to kill some time. I am happy to report that I got all of our thank you notes sent within 2 weeks of the wedding. I like to think of myself as a thank you note rock star because I have several friends who never sent out thank you notes and regret it to this day, years later.

As for the other to do items, I am currently working on creating our wedding album using Shutterfly.com, but stalled on packing away the wedding miscellany in our apartment or selling/donating it . I think I am attached to all the wedding clutter after being surrounded by it for the last two and a half years, so I am reluctant to see it go… but I know I can’t have boxes and stuff laying about forever!

I have ordered several new wedding rings, so look for a post about that…

I am settling into married life quite nicely, but I still have to take care of a few more wedding-related to dos, so the wedding adventure is not over just yet!

I don’t often watch The Office myself, but Periwinkle Dude is a faithful fan and asked me to watch the long-awaited nuptials with him last week… so how could I refuse?!  The episode was actually pretty funny, and stirred up some nostalgia of our own engagement and big day. 

picture borrowed from Give Me My Remote blog

During the rehearsal dinner, Jim made a toast to Pam.  In his words:

“Four years ago I was just a guy who had a crush on a girl who had a boyfriend.  And I had to do the hardest thing I ever had to do, which was just to wait.  Don’t get me wrong I flirted with her.  Pam, I can now admit in front of friends and family that I do know how to make a photocopy.  I didn’t need your help that many times.  And do you remember how long it took you to teach me to drive stick?  (Pam: Like a year).  I’ve been driving stick since high school.  For a really long time that’s all I had.  Little moments with a girl who saw me as a friend.  And a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl who I worked with, but I think, even then I knew, I was waiting for my wife.”

Periwinkle Dude and I also met at work.  He had a crush on me; I thought we were just friends.  Needless to say I was oblivious, but I eventually saw the light and we started dating…   You know where the road led (I am a Blossom now after all!), but ours was definitely not a high-speed romance.  By the time our wedding day rolled around, I had loved Periwinkle Dude for 4 years.

Four years is a single term for a United States President.  Four years will often earn you a Bachelors degree.  Each four year period creates an extra day in February.  In 1461 days we can face loss, joy, birth, death, and everything in between.

When I was younger I often wondered where or when I would meet by husband, and how long we’d date before marrying.  The funny thing is that none of the scenarios I predicted held true, and I have definitely teased Periwinkle Dude on more than one occasion for taking his sweet time deciding whether I was “the one” for him.  All kidding aside though I’m very satisfied with the way my life turned out, and I’m happy that Periwinkle Dude and I followed the path we did.

So… tell me about your marital time line!  Did you and your beau fall in love and get married quick as lightning?  Or did you take your time moseying to the alter?  Did anybody else get married after 4 years of dating like we did?  Please share!

P.S. – My advice to all of you out there in cyberspace (unsought as it may be!) is not to rush things!  Puzzle pieces have a funny way of falling into place at just the right time if you give them the chance.  If a control-freak like me can through all her best-laid plans to the wind and admit this, you should entertain the possibility as well.