Wedding planning can be a full-time job (and it is for a wedding planner), but what about when you already have a full-time job?

I already have a couple of good time management habits that work for me, but sometimes my tricks don’t seem to be enough. One thing I know several brides have done is do a little planning here and there while at work.

photo from http://mcintranet.musc.edu

I’ll admit to using my downtime and breaks at work for wedding planning…

And doing so has helped me be productive both in wedding planning and work itself. So far, for wedding planning at work I have liked to do things like image searches for ideas or researching vendors. Sticking to something that can easily be put aside is a great option.

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I assume that I am not the only one out here in the Bridal Buds community to be hounded, no bombarded, with wedding-related telemarketing…

Cartoon from http://identityfraudnews.com/

I ran across this blog, so I know I am not alone…

Currently, I am recieving weekly calls from a Tuxedo Den in Vacaville, CA congratulating me on my upcoming wedding in April (me and Calla Lily Dude are set to wed in September!) and offering me a great deal on something or other…

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I am a AAA member, and one of the perks of membership is receiving Via, a bi-monthly travel magazine. Honestly, I have chucked the magazine into recycling every time I have gotten it… until today. It caught my attention this time around because I saw “Mendocino Getaway” on the front cover and beautiful Mendocino, CA is where we are planning to go for our honeymoon.

From flickr.com

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I’m not really one of those women that dreamed about my wedding day since I was 6 years old, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a fantasy dream wedding. You know, the wedding you would want if money were no object and you didn’t have any real restrictions…

One element of my dream wedding that I do get to have is an evening candlelit wedding overlooking a lake.

photo from cpyangrealty.com

I saw an episode of Whose Wedding Is This Anyway? where the couple had fireworks, and I thought, I WANT FIREWORKS! I had visions of fireworks reflecting in the lake at the end of our reception.

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Inspired by Pansy Bud’s post, I am reminded that it is a privilege to be able to marry the person you love and have your relationship legally recognized and protected. Since marriage equity is something near and dear to my heart, it was very important to me to advocate for the friends, family, and whole community that do not have access to this fundamental civil and human right.

There are many things that you can do to promote marriage equity, such as donating time and money to advocacy organizations, protesting, signing petitions, contacting your local representatives, and just spreading the word.

One way that Calla Lily Dude and I are spreading the word is through our wedding website. Here is a screen capture from our Marriage Equity page:

(You can see the video we posted on our Marriage Equity page here)

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My twin sister claims to be years away from tying the knot, but we have talked about her future bridesmaid dresses on several occasions. That being said, she LOVES pink and I HATE pink!!!

Photo from http://www.elitalice.com/

(She might buy me this shirt for kicks and giggles, but I WON’T wear it!)

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For the décor of my wedding, the main focal point will be candles, and lots of them! And candles are a great DIY way to bring romance to your wedding. I took my inspiration from this photo:

Photo from bridalcheek.wordpress.com

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I’m in the process of getting ready for our engagement photo shoot, and I wanted to share some strange but effective beauty tips that I plan on using (and have used before with excellent results).

Tip # 1: Banish puffy eyes

Let’s face it, puffy or swollen eyes make you look tired or older than you are. So, if you have puffy eyes, using damp tea bags (warm or cool, just comfortable to you) helps reduce the swelling. Simply place the tea bags on your eyes and relax.

photo from http://www.sabaidi.net/

For me, about 6-8 minutes of “tea time” can help me look more refreshed and awake. I’ve been doing this for years with success, and I just found out that it actually comes recommended by the Mayo Clinic!

I’ve heard that putting a little Preparation H cream on your tired lids or under-eye area can help reduce the swelling, but I’d rather stick with tea bags than hemorrhoid cream. This article talks about this beauty “myth”.

Tip #2: No more sweating your make-up off

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I already have a gorgeous wedding dress that I love, but I ran across this article the other day and I just had to find out more about the eco-friendly convertible wedding dress from designer Vanessa Fedorkiw.

Photo from isadoraclothing.etsy.com

Photo from isadoraclothing.etsy.com

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I am so excited that me and Calla Lily Dude are taking our engagement photos this week with our photographer. Here are the details:

The Location

We will be taking our pictures at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) campus, our alma mater. We met in college and still live in Davis, so it seemed fitting that we do our engagement session on campus. I found pictures of another couple’s engagement photos taken at UC Davis (in the Arboretum, where we plan on taking some pictures as well), so I am even more excited!

photo from xanga.com/enpointephotography

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