Wedding Organization

Based on appearances only, one wouldn't necessarily know that I'm an organized person. And in fact I wasn't always. Time and experience though, not to mention juggling lots of different things, has made organization critical for my sanity.

When the wedding planning started, I immediately went looking for a good all-encompassing planner. I never found one in paper form. The pre-made binders were just full of things that I didn't actually need, and the organizational pages they did provide simply weren't large enough or took too much handwriting. I found a few different digital things but ultimately I used one for a start and built from there.

The spreadsheet I ended up with contains all the pertinent information I need for EVERYTHING all in one place. My dear fiancé pointed out that I should probably make sure to back it up on a jump drive in case something happened to my computer.

The first spreadsheet is a guest list tracker. It's divided by host (bride family, bride friends, coworkers, groom family, etc). A column for last name only is included so you can sort each section alphabetically. There are columns for the formal name, casual name (outer and inner envelopes you know), and of course the seating card name. The address columns are broken apart as needed for mail merge (should you choose to print addresses onto labels or envelopes). Then the remaining columns track RSVP's, gifts received, and thank you's sent for the wedding, showers, and more.

The second page is the master budget. Every penny spent is recorded here and the expenses are linked to the appropriate groom-bride-couple budget pages. So for example, when I update the master budget, the individual budget break downs are automatically updated. Since our wedding is generously being supported by both of parents and ourselves, I wanted to be able to track not only how much was being spent TOTAL but also how much each party was paying thus far. Also concerning budgeting items is the last page for receipts. Plain and simple, all those little things I've bought and picked up along the way are recorded and tracked. This helps keep my spending in check and also serves as an easy one-look place to remember what was purchased. *A note on spending, I'm making as many purchases I can via a single credit card opened explicitly for wedding purchases. It's a zero-percent interest card with rewards points. That way I'm getting some sort of money back on the money spent, I'm not accruing interest, and we also have a little more time to foot the bill on these things since we haven't combined households or incomes yet.*

The other tabs include a timeline- you simply enter everything that's supposed to happen the day of the wedding. If you keep the time on a 24-hour clock (example, not 2 in the afternoon but 14:00) you can sort all the things chronologically after you entered them. Last but not list is the vendor list. This is mostly just contact information, but it's a handy place to have it all. You can print the list for day-of coordinators easy peasy.

I update the spreadsheet every week or so. When we were in the early stages of planning, I easily spent an hour on it each day. Now though it's mostly just the budget pages I have to update until the time for RSVP's and shower invites comes along.

Maybe this will help somebody someday, it's obviously completely customizable to your own needs!

Ultimate Wedding Planner!

Cuckoo's Calling

LOVED THIS BOOK.



I knew about the whole Robert Galbraith=JK Rowling before I started reading. I had added the book to my kindle wish list though before that news broke. I took the time over Christmas break to actually read the thing though and couldn't put it down. Like left some of the family festivities for a bit just so I could finish a couple of chapters.

I like mystery novels anyway and this one was a page-turner. I kept thinking I was figuring it out then a new clue would turn up and I would be baffled again. The ending was genius and left things open for a sequel. Which it has been proudly announced that a next book is indeed written and in pre-publication stages. They think it will be out sometime this fall.

I really enjoy when I can become attached to characters and read more books with them. I'm definitely a series girl.

Even if you don't like mysteries, I'd say to give this one a chance. It was a delightful read with a satisfying ending, and not too much mumbo jumbo "I'm a literary genius" shenanigan writing in the middle. Quite refreshing.

Parmesan Crusted Potatoes Au Gratin

There is nothing wrong with the title of this post just like there was nothing wrong with the recipe. Naturally I didn't follow it. In fact I don't even have the original link. It was so simple I just did it.

Slice your potatoes (I left skins on) thinly, of equal thickness. If you have a mandolin- use it. I didn't and mine turned out just fine.

Heat a cup or so of heavy whipping cream on low heat in a saucepan. Stir in some fresh or dried rosemary, some fresh or dried thyme, and little nutmeg. Add those seasoning to your preference. I did equal rosemary and thyme (maybe a teaspoon of the dried stuff?) then just a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer so the flavors mix.

Butter a pan they make a layer of potatoes. I made mine overlap each other. Pour some of the cream mix over the potatoes. Liberally sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top with a bit of salt and pepper. The idea is that the cream dampens the potatoes so the cheese sticks.

Do another layer the same way, then another, and another till you're out of potatoes. Pour the remaining cream mixture all over the top. I also added a bit of shredded mozzarella to every other layer just to increase the cheesiness.

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove the foil, put a fresh layer of Parmesan on top and return to over. Let the thing bake till the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.

I served mine with some ham and steamed green beans. Delightful!

6 months to go!

We are about 6 months away from the wedding. Oh, my, goodness. I'm excited to start sharing my wedding DIY posts soon now that I've actually started on the work. I really need to take pictures though to share what's going on and I'm not the best at that. Here's what's going on though.....

Still no dress. I know, I thought I found one but I hadn't really. My mom's coming into town to force my hand. Not literally, I just really need her opinion before I can choose. So I have it narrowed down to 2. Hopefully I can make the decision.

Still no cake. What is the deal with cake these days? It is outrageously expensive. I make cake. In fact, I make good cake. It's hard for me to pay that much money for something I can make myself. I realize I can't actually make my own wedding cake, but don't think I'm happy about it. We are still searching for something that costs less than our first born but tastes good.

Invitations are underway! All 638 pieces are waiting for printing and assembly. I ordered the invitation design from an Etsy shop and doing all the printing at home. The shop I chose was so reasonably priced it was still cheaper to print at home than to hire a printer. Plus I like being in control of everything :)

All of our vendors (except for the cake) are picked and deposited. It's a relief to know we don't have to "book" anything still. Everything down to the hair stylists and hotel rooms are taken care of.

We are perusing honeymoon ideas. If you have suggestions, throw them at me.

My sweet fiance has started counting the number of times I use the word "traditional" when working on wedding stuff. I can't help it. I want a classic, traditional wedding. Just like I want a classic, traditional marriage :) You know, the kind that stand the test of time.

Happy Holidays! (2 weeks late)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I sure did. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I lost all time to blog! I truly did enjoy the holiday season though :)

I thought I'd do a quick post on gift-giving. It's the best part of the holidays for me, picking out those fun somethings for those special someones. Some people get really stressed by it though and it becomes a burden. While I will certainly do my fair share of complaining, the truth is that I can usually find something for everyone. I don't think I'm the gift queen by any means, but I think I do a pretty good job. Here are my tips for finding those fun, unique gifts.

1. Uncommongoods.com. They have such fun interesting stuff. You just need to browse through their options and when you see something you like, pin it. Chances are you'll come across an opportunity to gift it to someone sooner rather than later.

2. Keep a secret gift pin board. Secret obviously because you don't want people to see what you thought of for them. Pin board so that you actually remember those gift ideas you had. I constantly come across things online I think would be a good gift but then there's no upcoming reason to gift it. So I simply pin the idea, put the person(s) name in the description and voila! When I'm blanking on gift ideas all my previous genius thoughts are safely stored waiting for me.

3. Use the gift shops. Seriously. If someone likes sports, go to the team's store. Same goes with bands/musicians. The thing is, most of the stuff (a lot of the stuff) sold in the team store isn't sold at other retailers. That makes it more likely to be a one-of-a-kind item that they person wouldn't normally get for themselves.

4. Customize. When in doubt, add a person's name or initials to something. It makes it instantly personal. An average casserole pan is just a plain casserole plan. Have the person's name engraved into the glass though and it's a fun, unique gift that shows a little extra thought. There are several online retailers that sell personalized items. Just google it and see what comes up.

5. Buy out of season. You can still get summer stuff in the winter time. You just won't find it in store. Get on board the online bandwagon and hit those websites! If not the most original gift, you certainly won't see a bunch of other people gifting new beach towels for Christmas.

6. Accessorize. Buy a cooler- fill the cooler. BBQ tools? Throw in some new rib rub. New blouse, add the earrings. It's the little things that show you didn't grab the single first thing you saw. You put effort in the gift by finding coordinating items.

7. Wrap pretty practical. Little things have big impact when they all meet a common theme. It's easy to head to a craft store, buy a basket, and put everything in it with a pretty ribbon tied on top. Not only is it pretty, but practical, and handmade which makes it seem (you guessed it)- personal!

8. Groupon. I love Groupon; it's the only way Coach and I get to go out for a nice dinner. But I also buy items from Groupon Goods. I gift Groupon's too. If you're the type who gives gift cards, get the most bang for your buck. Your $50 budget means more when it gets $100 worth of merchandise. Just watch those expiration dates! No point in giving a golf groupon if the snow won't melt before it expires.

That's about it. I love online shopping and do a lot of it. But if I'm buying straight from the store, I make sure the gift is well-rounded, and/or wrapped with care and love. (Aaaaawwwww) The holidays are over but a new year means another round of birthday! Happy gifting!