cakes cakes cakes

We've been researching cakes and cakeboxes. Here's what we found.

Websites for cake boxes

• cake slice boxes you can arrange in a cake shape
• flat cake boxes

and some cakes we actually liked the looks of

Industry guidelines claim we can expect to spend between $8 and $15 per slice. Is that really realistic? If I go into a store and buy an exquisite slice of cake, am I expecting to pay that much? If you order an okay dessert at an okay restuarant, for $8 it better be a pretty damn big slice of cake.

off to the gym

RocketMan and I are heading to the gym this evening. We've both been swearing to go there the past few MONTHS! and we still haven't made it yet.
There's no way I can fit into my dress if I don't start hitting the treadmill.
I also need a way to relieve stress.

So this morning I was up early and packed my gym bag. We are going to sweat it out. Because I've been stress-eating these past several weeks, I've been putting on weight. However, I read somewhere that women with different shapes should approach toning up differently. I have an apple shape--a tendency to gain weight around the midsection. In fact, as long as I can remember, I have had this shape and so do half the women on my mother's side of the family.

The recommended regimen for someone with my shape is to cut back on simple carbs, opting for complex carbs instead. Also, I need to take in a moderate amount of protein (that would actually mean an increase for me), and focus on cardiovascular exercises. The bright side is that belly fat melts away faster than fat that clings to the hips and thighs so I'll keep the junk in the trunk and slim down that waist!

DIY madness

I'm still searching for a way to incorporate tradition, so to speak, into our wedding. I think that having plaid silk sashes on the bridesmaids would be a nice touch. Either for their sashes or wrapped around their bouquets. It's a tough one.
I found a website where there were instructions on how to sew the sash yourself. My Mom has a sewing machine and it can't be that hard. The only trouble is the cost of the fabric.

http://www.budget-wedding.net/weddings/do-it-yourself-wedding-dress-sash-belt-and-scarf/

Another thing I've been searching for is plaid silk fabric. It's not cheap. It's pricey. But it's gorgeous. I think. On item I found here costs $10 for a sample!!! Maybe the bridesmaids will just have kerchiefs to wrap their bouquets.
There's a nice purple one here for $30/yard.

wait one cotton picking minute!
it's there on EBAY for a much more manageable price.

OMG
someone posted a trimming company on Kvetch
here's a link

and then I got lazy

I've received some books which I ordered both purchased and borrowed. I wanted to learn more about wedding papercrafts.
Well, one book was from the early nineties which I borrowed from the library. Some of the looks were frightening.
Two other books were purchased second hand online. They were published more recently. They had some good ideas but mostly it seemed like a lot of work for invitations--especially since there were going to be so many and in the end, people would likely not know where they wound up.
Perhaps buying invitations pre-printed, or buying invitation kits might not be a bad deal.
I looked at some designs on the big warehouse website (you know--the wedding dress people) and came across some that weren't all that expensive. Maybe 120 for 100 invitations and envelopes printed thermographically. Response cards are separate but those don't even have to be exactly by that company.

arts and crafts anyone?

I've been coming across a lot of ideas. I can't keep up.
Right now I'm thinking about invitations, invitations, invitations
I even bought 2 books from half dot com for creating your own paperie for a wedding
I wouldn't go so far as to make the paper myself but I'm finding one can get a little creative
and still do a lot of fancy things
such as
1. use card stock backing and a printed heavy paper--photo copy, trim, and assemble
2. alter blank note cards with your announcement on the inside--add stamping, ribbons, sealing wax, whatever
3. buy parts from a diy invitation company--it's not really diy since they are selecting the range and trimming the paper--but you have to print and assemble

I saw some good advice on the back of one book I borrowed from the library. It said, spend your time dreaming, not shopping. Don't spend a lot of money on things that aren't quite perfect.
I thought that was good advice. I don't want to wind up with a lot of supplies that aren't exactly what I'm going to need.
Images ripped out of a magazine actually.

Mountains and Valleys

The past five days have really taught me a whole lot about this relationship. There is no question that this is the lady that I want to marry. I would marry her tomorrow if she would allow it. It seems that things that I have learned about this relationship continue to be forgotten by yours truly. I have forgotten such things such as no matter what if it is day five thousand of the relationship; it should be the treated as the first time that I met her where I did my best to impress her and let her know that I'm there for her and would always like to be there for her (okay maybe that was the fourth date). I learned that this relationship will have its mountains where everything is going great and we are both clicking at every single point but there will always be the valleys that are not so easy to deal with but that's when you dig deep and realize that we can work it out; that we can climb out of the valley and reach to the zenith again. This past year has been without a doubt the best year for me and I look forward to many more great years with her. Oh yeah one last thing, the wedding is eight months away and everything is finally taking shape and I think that after this we both can counsel another couple on things to do and not to do when preparing for a wedding.