And last but not least, the cake.

As it will only be the two of us, we don't need a huge cake. What would we do with the leftovers? I suppose we could share with random passers by, but, on the beach in Akumal after dark, there are precious few passers by. I have asked Jennifer, our wedding coordinator, who is also the owner of Turtle Bay Cafe and Bakery, to make us a small wedding cake. I found the perfect cake topper for a beach wedding, and it kind of resembles us, so, the cake needs to be made to compliment the topper, not the other way around. Im thinking, a sandy colored cake, possibly red velvet with cream cheese frosting in a dusty color made by mixing in a bit of cocoa for color, decorated with a few star gazer lilies and our topper.

No shoes, No shirt, no Problem

When you get married on the beach you really can't wear shoes, but, what woman wants to go to all the trouble for hair, makeup, dress, jewelry, and then do nothing for her feet? Well, not me. So, I am wearing these barefoot sandals. Just a bit of foot bling.

something blue

I wanted something blue, you know, something old (guess that's me), something new (pretty much everything), something borrowed (haven't figured that one out yet), and something blue (hence the blue crystal headband).

More pictures

My beautiful bouquet. Pink Star Gazer Lilies, pink roses, a bit of green, and two views of the crystal dragonfly pick to go in it. Just a bit of sparkle.

pictures

This is the veil, full length view.

Close up of the veil. I love the detail on the scalloped edge. You can't really see it well in the pictures but the detail has some sparkle to it.




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Two views of the garter. I love the embroidered butterflies on the ribbon and the jeweled butterfly in the center.

The veil has arrived

42 days to go and today the veil arrived, and it's gorgeous!!! I love it love it love it, so much better than the one I wore on my wedding day. Long story short, my mother in law made it for me, she asked if she could, I relented even though it didn't seem she was interested in my input on the design. Well, in fact, she wasn't, she made one she liked, I really didn't like it at all, but, trying to be a nice future daughter in law, I pretended to love it. Well, I find out years later that she sewed a cross somewhere hidden into the veil, to "protect" me in the temple. She is not LDS, so, naturally, she didn't feel it was right that we were being married in an LDS temple. What she didn't know is that I never wore that veil in the temple, I used the one provided by the temple itself, and put the one she made on afterwards for pictures.

Anyway, now I have the one I always dreamed I would have. It's perfect. I sold out so many times for other people the first time around. This time it's about what I want. I just hope I can be understanding of what my daughters want when their time comes. I will be posting pics of the veil and several other items a bit later today.

Six Weeks to go

We have less than six weeks to go before we leave for Mexico, and I'm actually starting to get a bit nervous. I realize this isn't a real wedding, and there aren't any guests to please, but, it's still very important to me that everything be just right.

My dress is nearly finished, just have to do the final fitting and sewing of the completed sleeves to make the dress modest and something I will be proud for my children and grandchildren to see pictures of. The sleeves on Tim's shirts are out and waiting to be measured and reattached. The person making my veil mailed it weeks ago, and it never arrived, so, I checked with her and it was apparently lost in Shanghai, so, she is sending a new one via DSL. Hopefully I will have it this week. I've searched for another like it, and no luck for under hundreds of dollars so, it's either that one, or a cheap one.

I've sent Jennifer an email asking for the final size up of the details. Just want to see what has been finalized and what needs to be. August will be a very busy month for me, getting kids ready for school by the 22nd, Salem Days activities, Katie coming home from London, I travel to Maryland for FEMA training on the 28th and don't get back til Sept 2nd, and then I work all night on the 3rd, which also happens to be Mindy's birthday. I want to schedule a manicure/pedicure for me and the girls on that day, which means even less packing time. My plan is to have everything packed for the trip to Mexico before I leave for Maryland, as reasonably as I can, so I just have last minute stuff to do when I get home on the 2nd. We leave early in the morning on the 5th of September and have a full day of travel, getting us there by about 6pm. Then an hour ride using USA transfers, private transport, from the airport in Cancun to our resort in Akumal.

Through all of the month of August, I also have to work. sigh, it will all just have to get done.

53 days

Wow, it's getting down there fast. Just 53 days til our rededication.

My alterations on my dress are moving along. Saturday was a long, and stressful day of trying to get the bodice and sleeves just right to match the dress. I think it's a good match, and will find out later this week when I attach them and try it on again.

Tim's wedding outfit will be grey pants, a white cuban shirt and bare feet, and I am altering a couple of cuban shirts as his measurements are very specific. I have taken an xxl shirt, opened the side seams, removed the sleeves, so I can adjust the shoulders and then will shorten and reattach the sleeves to fit his frame. I will then mark and stitch the side seams for a more fitted measurement. He will need one shirt for the ceremony and photo shoot, including trash the dress, and then we will change for a short shoot where we will pose to match our cake topper. For that shoot he will wear a long sleeve white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a black tie, and the same grey pants from the ceremony. After that, we will change into our wedding dinner clothes. He will wear the other cuban shirt and not sure on the pants, still working that out.

Right now, I have the first shirt taken apart, and the second is partly taken apart.

My veil is due to come in this week or next, can't wait to see it. I've started sorting and will begin initial packing this week.

57 Days til our big day!!!

It's hard to believe that there are only 57 days til our rededication, and that means 53 days til we leave for Akumal.

Still so much to do. Our rings are under construction at Jared's, and we are assured they will be ready in plenty of time. Nothing much new has happened in the preparation so, nothing to post.

Everything paid for

Well, we made our final payment on the trip yesterday, and it feels so good to know that, no matter what else may or may not come together, we at least have the comfort of knowing that,barring major weather interference, we have the room and the flights booked and paid for.

Just have the alterations to the dress and Tim's shirts, and then choosing or purchasing pants for him to wear. Everything else is ready, well, except for the actual ceremony fee. Jennifer hasn't gotten me a final quote, so, as soon as we know what that is we can finalize those arrangments and relax.

67 days

Down to 67 days left before our re-dedication. That means 63 days til we leave for Mexico.

Jennifer has confirmed my bouquet will be pink star gazer lillies and pink roses. Normally I wouldn't have done roses, but, she was having trouble finding plumeria at any florist in the area, and to me, the bouquet is a minor detail, so, just wanted that settled on.

Our tax return came in so we can finally pay off the trip, and get some other loose ends tied up at home. That makes the whole trip planning feel less stressful.