Cake & Ice Creams » i do

The Dress

Kelli — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:12:04 +0000

So far wedding planning has been uneventful. I’m sure as we get closer to the date we will be crazed but so far, so good. The big stuff is out of the way. Venue, food, photographer and the dress.

The dress. Something I didn’t think I would obsess about. I had found one online for $360 – that would suffice. My sister convinced me that I had to go dress shopping. Even if I had one picked out, I had to go for “the experience.” Truth be told, I was crazy nervous about finding a $2000 dress I couldn’t leave at the store. She said “But, Alli will have so much fun…!” Sure, bribe me with the four-year old. I agreed to go and started paying attention to dresses on the wedding blogs I peruse – just for ideas.

I found a few I liked, but there was one I kept coming back to. I called around to stores in Spokane, nobody had it. I called all of Seattle, nothing. I even tried Oregon, California (we have friends we could visit!) and Idaho. Obsessed? Um, yes. Absolutely, totally crazed. I just wanted to try the darn thing on! Everyone I called said, “No, we don’t have it in the store but we can order it for you.” What’s the catch? If you order it, you buy it. Sight unseen. No trying it on, that would be my dress. That scared me a lot. But I LOVED it. I found a place in Oregon that had it on sale for $625 (plus tax free!). But their sale only lasted through July. Hmmmm….still sight unseen, but I LOVED it!

My obsession!

In Spokane, my Mom, Sister, Alli, Ann Marie, Ann Marie’s Mom, Judy and I went shopping and were unsuccessful. Nothing was going to work except THAT dress. Nothing. But how can a person who wasn’t going to obsess about a dress buy a dress SIGHT UNSEEN? So stupid. But I LOVED it. I told myself that I would scour all of Seattle, go to every single dress shop and if I still couldn’t find a dress that I liked, then I had permission to buy this dress – it was on sale after all. And I LOVED it.

D and Ree were kind enough to come with me on my first Seattle dress excursion. We started at Brides by Demetrios because both Ree and Steph found their dresses there. First store, second dress I tried on, I loved. I walked out to the giant mirrors where the girls were sitting and I can remember seeing Ree look at me – she had a big smile and this look on her face that is signature Ree. It was the look I was hoping for because I felt pretty great.

That was the one. I honestly didn’t think I would try on a dress and have a feeling of “This is my dress” but I totally did. Some negotiation ensued. Who knew you could negotiate for a wedding dress? Just like a car. I had no idea; but blame the fiance and they’ll drop the price at least twice (although Lord knows I still probably overpaid!).

It was a happy purchase. My obsession was short-lived, thank goodness. If you’re curious, here are pictures of MY dress. With me in it. So, if you want it to be a surprise, don’t click HERE.

Beaten to the Punch

Kelli — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:57:55 +0000

Apparantly Alli is marrying Uncle Kevin on April 1. She says it’s still ok if I marry him on the 16th though. Phew!

We heart Oregon!

Kelli — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:58:00 +0000

We had a wedding to go to over Memorial Day weekend in Portland so we decided to take advantage of the long weekend and spend a couple of days in Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast. The Oregon Coast is way better than the Washington Coast. And there are so many fun, local shops in Portland (supportland!) it makes it an adventure every time we visit. It almost makes us want to move to Portland. Almost. If nothing else I do feel badly for giving the Brick House boys such crap for being from “stupid” Portland. Sorry guys – it’s cooler than I gave you credit for. Plus now you have the “Sonics” too so I really can’t hate.

Anyway, the surf was awesome. We only made it out once but we went to Short Sands – a place Matty showed us a couple of years ago. It’s a quick quarter-mile or so hike through a grove of old growth forest that leads to a protected cove where the waves are always nice (at least the two times we’ve gone!). We surfed until we were almost too tired to hike out and were completely satisfied despite the downpour of rain the rest of the weekend. Back in Portland, Matty and Alison took us to Mississippi Street where there’s this really cool salt shop with giant peonies. Like the size of your head, giant. We loved them and want them for our wedding. I hope they’re in bloom mid-April but it may be a bit too early. Matty and Alison we might have a job for you in transporting giant peonies!

Evidently, it's hard for me to take normal pictures...

Cupcake Diet

Kelli — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:46:32 +0000

Cupcakes, cupcakes and more cupcakes! This is what my wedding diet has consisted of the last few weeks.

I’m not too sure that it’s working but….meh. They’re delicious! And nutritious?

At Cupcake Camp with KMJ, Jill and Anj. Eating cupcakes for cause - all to benefit Hope Heart Institute.

Cupcake tasting at Trophy!

Happy -1 Anniversary!

Kelli — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 17:54:00 +0000

To celebrate our -1 Wedding Anniversary (April 16!), Kevin and I flew to San Francisco for a quick, weekend getaway. We love San Francisco and had gone exactly two years ago so it was the perfect destination.

We were lucky with great spring weather so we were able to shop Union Square, Haight Ashbury and Hayes Valley happily, ride bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito (our butts hurt SO BAD after!) and hang out in Golden Gate Park. We also had delicious food, especially from the Clift where we got to sit in the Worlds Largest Table Chair!

We had the best time despite the weekend flying by! I think we’ll try to make it to SF every couple of years for traditions sake – if I say it on the blog, we have to do it!! Below is a highlight of my favorite moments and a video Kevin put together on our bike ride. Click HERE for all of our weekend pictures.

I have a print of a similar picture (that I got on my trip to SF with D!) so it was fun to replicate it!

On our bike ride to Sausalito!

World's Largest Table Chair!

My new bag that I'm in love with!

Honeymoon!

Kelli — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:28:21 +0000

What you’d think would be the easiest part for us…we are actually kind of struggling. There are a bunch of places we want to make it to eventually, listed below in no particular order, but nowhere that you’ll hear us say “we have to go to [insert awesome destination here] for our honeymoon!”

We need your help! Participate in the survey below and help us decide!

**Final selection will be based upon equal parts poll results and how far our frequent flyer miles will take us.**

**Update 4/14/2010**

Looks like we’re going to Fiji! Next step, cash in those miles. Thanks to everyone that voted….and those that voted three times on different computers

Cousins Please!

Kelli — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:59:48 +0000

My adorable niece made a song to the tune of Jingle Bells for Kevin and me.

It goes something like this:

Auntie Kelli, Uncle Kevin
they get married too
mumble mumble mumble
i like fancy dress
Pllggggggfffff
Cousins please!

I’m ~~pretty sure~~ positive she was put up to that. But it’s pretty irresistable nonetheless.

Soon baby, soon. For now, pick out that new fancy dress!

These Cupcakes are Taken

Kelli — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:53:04 +0000

KMJ and I took the boys to our first (cup)cake tasting!

Kevin and I have quite a bit of time to figure out what we’re doing for dessert but Cupcake Royale was running a promotion where you got a cute T for coming in and tasting. Why would we deny ourselves a cute T and eating cupcakes? We wouldn’t.

The staff at Cupcake Royale were super friendly. They let us taste cupcakes until we were sick (and even let us take home the ones we couldn’t finish), you can mix and match a ton of flavors and color combos, which is fun, and you get to use their finest sprinkle supply!

While the quote for 200 cupcakes was more reasonable than I expected (I don’t really know what I expected so maybe that helped), they don’t offer any sort of bulk discount, which surprised me when buying at such a large quantity. In fact, not only do they not offer a bulk discount but if you’re looking to buy 0-150 wedding cupcakes, there’s a .25 premium from simply buying them out of the case because you get to use the fancy sprinkles. They offer a pedestal/stand, delivery and a cutting cake…all for a cost.

I’m learning very quickly attach “wedding” to anything and it seems to be ok to charge [a lot] more. On the bright side, their cupcakes are delicious and worth every extra .25 cents!

So Close. But SO FAR AWAY!

Kelli — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:30:05 +0000

After MUCH, headache causing debate, we decided on a wedding date!

Our debacle was the venue we fell in love with was pretty much booked throughout 2010.

So, do we do it this year anyway (they had openings in the winter), chance snow in the pass, people being over wedding season and people starting to get busy for the holiday season.

-OR-

Wait until next spring. Allowing us plenty of time (too much?) to plan and save (never enough time for that).

Drum roll please….we wait. We’ll start the 2011 wedding season off April 16, 2011. Save the date!

If you’re curious, THIS is the venue that we couldn’t say no to.

Yes, yes, yes (it’s about time!). YES!

Kelli — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:09:24 +0000

Most of you know the exciting news….Kevin and I are engaged!

The short story: Kevin made me run in the rain so he could ask me to marry him.

The long story: Kevin and I run Greenlake after work fairly often. A lot less lately as it’s dark early and cold and rainy. Last Wednesday Kevin announced in the morning that we needed to go for a run. We hadn’t gone in a long time and he was feeling out of shape. I agreed, knowing if it was raining we wouldn’t really go. Of course, it was raining but Kevin still REALLY wanted to run. I whined the entire car ride to the lake but he eventually convinced me it was a great idea.

I usually change at work and take off running once we get to the lake. Kevin usually changes at the lake, then catches up with me – since I’m slow. So it’s not unusual that I take off without him. This time though, instead of following me, Kevin got back in his car and drove around to the other side of the lake. He proceeded to set up a mini luminaria. The bags said “Love you babe <3″. (Slight back story – Greenlake has a luminaria every year, the second Saturday in December. Two years ago, we lost track of everything and everyone around us at the luminaria. We were dating the next week.) Kevin was standing at the far end of the luminaria with a rose in his hands. The funny part is I saw this guy setting up a luminaria and I remember thinking “What is this idiot doing setting up a luminaria in the rain?” I quickly realized it was Kevin and immediately started to cry. The first thing out of my mouth, half choked up, half out of breath from running was “You’re not running…”

He pulled me off to the side so we could look at the lake. He said a lot of really wonderful things that I have no recollection of and then he asked me to marry him! I said Yes

Kevin and I have been talking about it (our wonderful future together) for a while. And because I’m crazy, I kept trying to anticipate when/where/what/how. He totally surprised me, caught me off guard and curses, made me cry. He later told me he was going to propose in Lincoln City over New Years because the ocean is so special to us….but he couldn’t find a ring he liked. Then he was going to do it in Mexico…but we both got sick. I’d thought I’d never be happy about getting sick in Mexico but I’m so glad we did because I can’t think of a better proposal than ours.

Love you babe <3 Forever and ever.