Comments

First, let me clarify that S.E.A.S. is two buildings merged into one- the Church side and the Reception side. We met with the Church wedding coordinator last night. We will meet with the Reception lady a week out, to find out when we are allowed to show up to decorate, etc. We need to arrange everything with these gals, because that is the rules if you want to do things at SEAS.

The Church lady says that the rehearsal the evening before is at 6pm. And we can decorate at some time that evening also for the church. We will post more information when it becomes available to us, and Joan and Lee are making invitations to people for this event.

As for the wedding day, we can arrive at 10 am to start getting ready. Guys dressed in tux bottoms and t-shirt tops, so they don’t get too hot, with travel bags to put their clothes into, so nothing gets lost at the church. The same with the gals, and we can do hair at the church for anyone who’s hair still needs to be done. There is going to be lots to do, so people will need to actually be there on time, for those that are in the wedding party, and people who will be in pictures.

We have decided to do some of the pictures before hand, and some afterwards. This means that all the pictures that can be done without both Doug and I in the same room will happen before hand- bridal party, family, etc, beginning around 12pm. Then, afterwards, we will finish the pictures with both of us in the same picture while guests nibble in the Hall on appetizers.

The rest is going to stay a surprise.

Rehearsal at 6 pm on 9/29- wedding party and family

Arrive at church 10 am 9/30- wedding party and people setting up more stuff

Pictures at church 12 pm on 9/30- family, extended family, wedding party

Last Sunday, Joan, Doug’s mom, and Sandy, a long time friend of my family, hosted an afternoon tea for me as a shower at the Hilltop Inn Wildflower Tea Room at the small airport near my home town. Just over a dozen ladies came for the party, and we enjoyed scones, tea, salad, and finger sandwiches of quiche, egg salad sandwich, a chicken or tuna salad wrap, a fourth thing I am forgetting, and a fruit salad with a dessert stick straw rolled pastry (I forget what they are called, but this one had vanilla in it- they come in canisters and are a good compliment to ice cream) Oh, and cake, of course.

It was very different for this t-shirt-and-jeans-outdoor-gal to dress up for an English Victorian Tea, and try to act like a proper lady. The gals who came had brought things like comfy pants and tops to wear as pj’s, and candles for date nights with Doug. This shower was quite different from the barbeque and backyard friends from the previous week, which was more of a couples shower or house shower. Both parties were wonderful, and all four ladies and their guys who helped them, are greatly appreciated.

Either way, the kitten, Sadie, doesn’t care- wrapping and tissue papers are fun to play in, no matter what they were for originally, and I am sure she thanks everyone who supplied her with hours of entertainment. I know Doug and I sure do- it gives us a break from being her targets.

We had a party on Friday, and I want to thank everyone who came to the barbeque, especially Ginny, Debbie, Jack and Cary who put the whole thing together and let us all collect in the rec room of the basement. I had a blast, and I know Doug did. It is a great way to celebrate not only two years (on the nose) of dating, but the last month before we get married. It is wonderful to know we are surrounded by people who love and support us, both whom we saw Friday, who we will see on the 30th, and who have written to us and will see us some other time.

So, on with the last minute planning and relaxing. See you all on the 30th.

Ok, we decided to change to hotel info to something less expensive and closer to the church.

Comfort Suits
1415 Oakridge Drive
Fort Collins, Co 80525
970-206-4597

When you call, ask for our room block registration. It is under our last names, but it is never a good idea to put that info on the internet, so look for it in the invitations.

The invitations hit the mail, so they should be at houses this week. I think they look really cool- we made them entirely ourselves, with the pictures printed at Digigraphics by Marcia and Les in Fort Collins- Doug’s favorite photo development place. We got the paper at Xpedx- a paper-lovers dream come true.

It should be noted here that the dresses the bridesmaids are wearing are a French blue floor length Gregorian style swoop neck lace top pseudo two piece dress from the Chadwicks website and catalog, ranging in price from $80 to $110 depending on the usage of a coupon. Chadwicks has an excellent return policy and they ask no questions if an item needs to be returned for a different size.

It should also be noted that I have asked that the bridesmaids wear white shoes. If they have a pair in their closet, then so much the better, and more so if they are comfortable. I don’t ask that that they match in style, just in color. Tennis shoes are fine too, just as long as they are mostly white and are clean. My mom has put the restriction of “no crocs”. I have restricted it to “no fuzzy bedroom slippers or the like” when I was asked, but ballet shoes are fine, as are Keds all the way up to K-Swiss. Inexpensive shoes can be found at places like Ross, and Chadwicks sells them also ranging in price from $10 to $20, and can be returned for different sizes. Also, “Something Borrowed Bridal” on 104th east of I-25 will order brand new shoes (among other things) in any chosen size and style, and the shoes can be returned to the store after the event in case the lady does not want to keep them, just “rent” them, thus reducing their price and putting in effect the “reuse” part of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” credo.

The bridesmaids can have the lady that is doing my hair do theirs as well if they choose, or not. They can wear whatever jewelry they choose, and can do their hair and makeup however they choose. If they don’t want to wear anything under the dress such as a certain type of bra or nylons, then that is their choice.

There will be flowers to carry and pictures to be in as well. Other than that, barring the mundane obvious things that only come under scrutiny when asked, there is not much else I am asking these four gals to do. Anything they are doing in addition to that, is their choosing, and their delight.

This bride here notes, in an attempt to not be the stereotypical “bridezilla”, that it is unbelievable and amazing that these things must be spelled out in a near-contract type note.

This is a link to my website that has a picture of our kitten named Sadie.

http://www.geocities.com/chy2400/FamilyOur.html

Enjoy!

For everyone who wants a hotel room, I reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton in Fort Collins from 9/28 afternoon through the morning of 10/1 checkout.

Hilton Hotel
425 West Prospect Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Tel (970-482-2626

This is an optional thing, as is the number of nights. The likelihood is that family from out of town will want to have a room, and if everyone is in the same spot, then it is a great time hanging out together and doing things like playing in the pool and going out for food, and having a grand time with people that you don’t see very often.

In order to get the group discount, sign up before August 17th. I know it is not a whole lot of time. Sorry about that.

Like a book… we each have many pages.

So, if you would like to learn more about either of us, here you go…

http://www.dchristopherlind.com/

http://www.geocities.com/chy2400

Doug, his brother Ron, and I moved most of Doug’s large furniture on last Saturday(15) in the 100+ F temps.

Perhaps I should say I moved smaller stuff, and those two guys moved the really big stuff, like Doug’s dining room table. I would have had to take it all apart to move it, but they popped it up over their heads, and away they went.

So, in my place now, is this gorgeous table, with the sturdy chairs to go with it, and a coffee table, with several end tables, and a new lamp. We have moved a lot of his books and other things already, and have a bit more of that to do, but he is mostly moved to where his stuff will be until next spring. He himself and his clothes will move in after September. It was a hot day but at least it was not humid. We were tired by the end of the day, and spent Sunday recouping and tying ribbons on about a third of the favors for the wedding.

Note to everyone who wants to polish a table like that one- leave it in the hot sun (move with gloves to protect from heat) and then spray the furniture polish on the surface, let it evaporate/soak in, and wipe off. As the table cools, and thus the pores shrink, it will retain that nice polished look because it keeps the oils.

Anyways, onward to more parts of this intricate project.

is present enough…

But there are those that are not satisfied with that answer, so we registered at REI, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Target.

www.REI.com

www.BedBathAndBeyond.com
(there are 20% coupons for this in the mail all the time)

www.Target.com

Back in April, we thought about registering at a furniture place, particularly where Jake runs his business, but between the two of us, for now, we have almost everything we need furniture wise.

Before anyone thinks that it is HER china pattern, please know that we picked it out together (no, Kelly is out of “print”) and that stuff is practically Tupperware- bone china is hard to break. And before you think that SHE wants those pots and pans, keep in mind I can’t cook, but I do make awesome chocolate chip cookies, and so I have the cookie sheets I need. He is teaching me, piece by piece, how to cook. And yes, we mixed and matched the colors of the linens on purpose. Call it a New Urbanism twist.