1. Correct size of wedding shoes. I chose Martinez Valero, “Ozzie” in black satin. I’m so tall when I wear them! 4 and 1/2 inches with a 3/4 platform. LOVES it. Check out 6pm.com for awesome deals on designer shoes. They are the outlet website for Zappos- so I promise it’s legit. Just make sure you double check the right size- because they don’t have exchanges available- so you’ll have to return and reorder if they are wrong. But you can’t beat the deals.

2. Candles. I ordered about 200 candles from YummiCandles.com. I have wrapped them individually with different types of lace to go with our theme. I highly recommend the company- you can order pretty much any candle you can imagine in any color you need for a great price and they are a company out of my hometown in Buffalo, NY.

3. Rehearsal dinner/lunch. Being that our rehearsal will fall on New Year’s Eve- it is making our plans to find a restaurant difficult. It’s difficult to get anyone to accommodate such a large party on a holiday. I’m hoping we found the place finally. It’s called Bacchus and it’s associate with the catering company we are using for the actual wedding. Major score! Amazing food, amazing service, amazing everything. Another plus- it’s a wine bar!! How perfect considering we got engaged in Napa! Thank you again to Austin at Asbury Hall- the best damn wedding coordinator you could hope for. Seriously- if you want to get married in Buffalo- get married at Asbury Hall. You won’t regret it.

4. Lights for the venue. We are using Buffalo BalloonMasters to hang across the balconies on and we are sharing the cost with another bride who’s in the same venue the night before us. It will add such a fabulous ambiance to the room- especially since our ceremony and reception are in the same room. Saving cost by not having to decorate 2 separate spaces.

5. Weight loss. I’m 8 lbs. down! WOOHOO!!! This is major cause for celebration. I haven’t seen this number on the scale in quite some time. I contribute this a lot to working out and Jazzercise and also to making much better food choices, but also taking the time to relax as well and eat when I’m hungry. Who would have thought- diet and exercise are finally working! I’d like to lose 5 more by the end of the month and then work on the last 10 through the Fall. I think I can do it!!

6. Budget budget budget. Enough said. We are doing well but I’m always nervous because there are always things you forget about!

7. Our engagement shoot with Elisha Orin. I have an idea of “vintage picnic” in the downtown Elmwood area of Buffalo. It’s always been one of my favorite places and I think it would be fun to showcase some of the things Chris and I love. I’m currently searching for adorable outfits and props. I also can’t wait to meet Elisha. If you haven’t seen her work- check it out because she’s incredible.

8. Bridemaids and parents gifts! I have the BEST idea ever (which I cannot divulge here because some of my girls tune into read this little blog) but I’m on the hunt for what I need. Hint- it will make pictures completely fun.

9. Save the dates have officially been sent- very exciting news! I’m getting lots of emails and texts from people saying they love them! Now I’ve got to finalize the invitations and get those ordered. If you need an awesome designer try Shana at PoshPaperWorks.com. Custom designs at unbeatable prices. Shana has made some beautiful stuff for us and I’m so excited to see the final product.

10. Photo booth. I really want a photo booth at the wedding. I think it’s fun and quirky and the guests will love it. But the best price I’ve found is still $700 for 4 hours of time. That’s NOT cheap. Now I’m considering DIY options. I love these chalkboard speech bubbles and how much fun I’ve seen the guests having in all the pictures of weddings who had them. I think I can do it myself but it’s another project- do I really want to take something else on right now?

11. Bridal showers. Yes I said showers. There are 2 separate showers in Buffalo back to back to include all the family that wants to come. That’s a LOT of bridal madness. It’ll be really fun though and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there. It’s nice to know how many people want to celebrate with you. I think some of my friends are also planning another shower here in Columbus because they can’t make it to Buffalo for the others. I’m a lucky girl to have such wonderful people in my life.

12. Music. I have a fabulous DJ for the reception- thanks to Signature Entertainment (who has also promised not to turn into my DJ nightmare filled with the chicken dance or We Are Family). I also have a jazz band for the ceremony which is being run by a friend of mine and I’m trying to figure out exactly what I want played and if it’s even possible with small jazz trio or quartet. More on this later…

I think that about covers it but I hope that somewhat explains my recent absence in blogging. I can’t blog when I’m out there actually planning! There are so many decisions to make. I should probably write about them more so I can work out my thoughts and not be so scattered. I’ll work on that.

6 more months and this will all be over. Would you believe me if I told you I was excited for the end to come? 2 year engagements are a LONG time. Please leave words of encouragement so I don’t have another bridal breakdown.

So when it comes to the shoes I wear for my wedding- they’ve gotta be something special. And I’m not worried about comfort. You’re talking to the girl who wore high heeled boots on walking tours of London and ballet flats hiking up muddy trails in Napa the day I got engaged. And I’m convinced that all these years of self inflicted feet torture has only been in preparation for my wedding shoes. I’m prepared to endure for a pair of 5 inch beauties. I’ve been on a major shoe hunt for about a year. Yes, an entire year I have scoured shoe sites for the perfect foot adornment. I want black to go with the rest of my accessories and also so I can wear them again. White bridal shoes are rarely able to be worn after your day and colorful wedding shoes are a new trend, not to mention incredible practical for potential use later on. Here are a few of my favorites-

Badgley Mischka “Carlton” found at Nordstrom.

Tony Bianco “Grettel” Sadly only distributed in Australia and New Zealand.

Christian Loubouin “Declic Glitter Pumps” found at Saks.

Martinez Valero “Ozzie” found at Zappos. I believe these are a Louboutin look-a-like for a budget savvy bride with style.

Stuart Weitzman “Larosa” found on StuartWeitzman.com. These are my personal favorites and current front-runner for my wedding day. They would go perfectly with my belt!!

If you’re a fellow shoe whore who shares a passion for all that is tall let me know what you think! And please post a link to your favorite shoe if you’ve got it! I’d love some opinions and always open to other options and suggestions. You can never have too many.

And because of my post title- if you haven’t seen this YouTube video… watch it! Let’s get some shoes. Betch.

I also just turned 25 on February 3rd. I’ve heard turning 25 scares a lot of people but this was a birthday I was ready to embrace. It was a quiet and contemplative day and I tried to reflect on what I learned in the last year. This has been a year of exciting events as well as complicated challenges. But overall it was a year of growth in all areas of my life and I am extremely grateful for it. I have wonderful people in my life and overall I am the happiest I’ve ever been. My mind has been opened to possibilities and opportunities that I never thought possible both personally and professionally. I’ve made some great new friends and have been overwhelmed by the community support and encouragement I’ve received from people I’ve never even met. (Twitter rocks!) I’ve gotten rid of some toxic friends and improved my other relationships with those amazing, one of a kind type friends. (Marissa and Miranda- I’m talking about you!) I also feel that my relationship with my sister has grown stronger over the last year and I’m so lucky to have her there for me. But most of all I’m so excited to marry my best friend and love of my life. Chris impresses, amazes, and infatuates me every day and I truly can’t believe I will get to spend the rest of my life with him.

Not to mention that having this new job also makes wedding planning a little easier considering I will actually be able to contribute to our budget. I feel strongly that all couples should contribute something to their wedding budget and I was worried that I might not have been able to. Planning a wedding is really stressful and this new job actually takes some of that stress off of me. (Yeah- a job that takes stress away- how cool is that?)

I wanted to take a little time as well to thank you. I have a wonderful loyal readership and the people who send me emails and ask questions and tweet me are some of the most genuine, awesome people I’ve meet over the last year. Especially you Columbus peeps and the people who helped encourage me to never give up over this tough year. I have found support in people I’ve never met (and some I have briefly) and yet you have been so kind and helpful to me. When I announced I’d finally landed this new job, the flood of congratulations and well wishes I received was overwhelming. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

Seriously- thank you.

About a year ago I mentioned how bummed I was about finding out via Facebook how one of my best friends got engaged. I was and am happy for him, but I was sad that he didn’t tell me himself. (Since that post, we have reconciled from our falling out and are now on good terms.) I’ve known the guy since I was 9 and we dated for about a year when we were in high school. My first “real” love, he went off to college, we broke up but remained close friends. I always knew that if I really needed something, he’d be there. It’s that kind of bond you can only have with someone who grew up with you and understands you. But over the college years, we grew apart mainly because of distance and finding our own lives outside of our hometown. In the process, we both found the real loves of our lives and then daily life takes over. Life is busy. It’s hard to maintain relationships- even when you live in the same town with people. But if you don’t live in the same place, it’s even harder.

Anyway, he’s getting married tomorrow to his beautiful fiance. Though she and I have never met, I’m sure she’s a really great person because my friend has great judge of character. I’ve tried many times to arrange get togethers when we’ve all been in my hometown for holidays, but it never worked out. Most likely partially due to that fact and partially because he and I once dated, I was not invited to their wedding. I completely understand the reasoning, and I’m sure I’d give a big HELL NO if my fiance wanted to invite an ex to our wedding, but nonetheless it makes me very sad. I wish I could be there and watch them get married. I wish all the awkwardness with this type of situation (which is unavoidable, I know) wouldn’t be a factor. I wish inviting them to Chris and my wedding wouldn’t be weird. Maybe I wish it was Chris and me getting married tomorrow. I wish a lot of things. What can I say? – I’m secretly an idealist.

When I was 15 or so, I used to joke with him that if he got married before me, I’d be like Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding and try to sabotage it by any means I could. Alas, I won’t be doing that. Instead, I called him the other day and offered him some relaxing advice and then I gave him a heartfelt congratulations. I hope he knows I meant it.

Growing up is kinda crappy sometimes. You realize that no matter how much you want to hold on to certain friendships or relationships, you might not be able to anymore or you have to try to be more flexible and adapt them to your new life. Because that life thing continues to take over and slowly you realize that priorities change and loyalties lie elsewhere now. Change is good. I welcome change, though I do wish it were a little easier sometimes. For everyone.

(photo: movie still from My Best Friend’s Wedding)

When I was about 6 or 7, there was a wedding going on down the street. I donned an old Cinderella costume from Halloween, pulled on my purple elbow length gloves, tiara, fake pearls, and ran down the block. With my little red wagon in tow filled with rocks, flowers, and other treasures, I begged the wedding party to let me be their flower girl. The bride was nice enough to come over to the little gypsy homeless looking girl me and tell me that she thought I looked very nice but sadly could not be in the wedding.

I have always dreamed about my own wedding. The dream has changed many times over the years and has slowly morphed into the vision that we are creating for January 1, 2011. One thing that hasn’t changed- my love for things that are entirely too expensive. To name one thing specifically, since I was old enough to know who she was, I have longed for a Vera Wang gown. Her gowns stand for everything that girls could ever want on their wedding day- timelessness, effortlessly chic, stunning, perfection, the list goes on. I had pretty much conceded on ever owning one and went ahead and bought my dress. And even though I love my dress, I had second thoughts. Even now, I love my dress but it’s not a Vera. Being incredibly stupid, I tried on a Vera dress yesterday. Made of some of the softest tulle you could ever imagine touching- it was stunning. I didn’t want to take it off. But with a price tag of $4500, it isn’t even close to a possibility. Even if I sold the dress I already have, it would barely make a dent in that price.

And now I’ve created a major dress dilemma. Nothing compares to a Vera Wang dress. They are special. You put it on and you can’t imagine wearing anything else. I would sleep in this dress. I’d wear it to the grocery store. I’d pull a Miss Havisham and just never take it off. I even tried to send a picture of the dress to my stepfather thinking he’d say something negative and I’d be able to let go of my dream dress with some dignity. Instead he came back with this- “that dress was made for you.” Then we had an exchange about how there’s no way I can afford it. I also can’t really justify spending that much on a dress I’ll wear once. But I can’t stop thinking about it. I dreamed of the Vera last night. I can’t stop thinking about how I felt in it. Every detail was flawless. It was as if Vera Wang herself had designed a one of a kind dress just for me. I would do anything for this dress.

Someone help me! Talk me out of this. Talk sense into me. It’s crazy and I clearly need some wedding dress therapy. But do both of us a favor and look at the dress… then try to talk me out of it. But I think just about anyone who understands and appreciates fashion will take my side on the matter.