Check In: 130 Days (or 20 Weeks) Until We Say 'I Do"

Can you believe it's been a month since the last check in? I can't! Well a month has indeed gone by and lots has happened.

Before we go into all the activity, I'd like to rewind a year. On this day last year, cubes asked me to be his girlfriend. We'd already made the transition from little 'd' to Big 'D' dating, but with a simple question our lives were further joined. "Will you be my girlfriend?" My answer should be obvious, but in case you have doubts, I said, "Yes." I then asked him, "Will you be my boyfriend?" He replied, "Yes."

Okay back to the regular programming. First off, we finished interviewing rabbis and had our first meeting with the rabbi we chose.

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Our rabbi is Rabbi Allen Bennett, a permanent rabbi of the Reform Temple Israel in Alameda. We'll be meeting with him regularly over the next couple of months to craft a ceremony. (We also ordered the kipahs.)

(Personal Photo taken with iPhone)

Second we had our first Wedding DIY Project Crafting Day. Annie loaded us up with extra supplies (her rotary cutter was amazing!) to streamline the crafting. DOH Ames and GM Steve hosted the group of us - Mooflyfoof, Hilary, cubes and I - at their house and we finished off the invitations! They now sit neatly packaged waiting to be set free. Etiquette says that they should hit mailboxes 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding date, but with the popularity of our date (10/10/10), Burning Man, initial catering estimates due the week we get back from Burning Man, and Hotel Reservation release dates a week after we get back, these pretties are going out early - 12 weeks before the wedding date (that's July 24th or 8 weeks from now).

(Photograph by Laura P)

We toured (and selected) accommodations for out-of-town guests. We booked and then re-booked our own accommodations for the wedding night. Trading in an in-room treadmill (The Westin San Francisco was sold out of Indulgence/Romance Packages so they offered a Spa Package instead) for an in-room whirlpool.

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We planned (and booked) accommodations and activities for our Mini-Moon. A two-month out reminder has been set to contact Michelin Star restaurants in the area for reservations.

(Photography Credit: Clarita on MorgueFile)

Finally we've been on and off the registry merry-go-round. Selecting one bricks-and-mortar vendor and online registry. Attending parties where we're wined and dined (or not). Then adding a second bricks-and-mortar vendor. And then firing the first bricks-and-mortar vendor, keeping the second bricks-and-mortar vendor and the online registry. And just when we thought we were done? Adding a third bricks-and-mortar vendor to the mix. My head is still spinning!

In case you're keeping track, here's the obligatory checklist for those who are playing along with us (for comparison - our first checklist and our most recent checklist):

1. (Done!) Ask friends and family members to carry and hold our chuppah and witness the signing of our ketubah.
2. (In progress) Book a caterer.
3. (Done!) Retrieve wedding bands from jeweler and put in safe deposit box.
4. (In progress) Have custom corset made (went for measurements).
5. Have lace bodice of wedding dress repaired/reinforced.
6. (In progress) Have hat with birdcage veil designed and made (met with Esther).
7. (In progress) Find a US-based custom shirt maker and order shirts for the men in the wedding party. (We just need to measure cubes and then we can summit the order.)
8. (Re-Done!) Secure hotel room for night of the wedding.
9. (Done!) Secure a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests.
10. (Done!) Plan mini-moon (weekend after our wedding).
11. (In progress) Finish tablescapes (remove stems from flowers; need more bottles!).
12. (Done!) Find paper cutter, glue, etc. and order missing tools (corner punch) and more supplies (deckle and scoring blades, cartridges of ink, etc.) as needed.
13. (Done!) Print invitations, information inserts, and reply cards.
14. (Done!) Cut invitations and information inserts to size.
15. (Done!) Assemble invitations.
16. Determine and verify needed postage using scale at post office.
17. (Done!) Address envelopes.
18. Cut envelope liners.
19. Line envelopes.
20. Stamp rose on envelopes.
21. Stuff envelopes.
22. Seal envelopes.
23. Apply postage.
24. Drop completed, addressed invitations in the mail and wait patiently for RSVPs to come in.
25. (In progress) Plan Burning Man ceremony (talked to Josh, set date - just before dusk the day of the False Profit Tuesday Night Party, and secured location - Syzygryd).
26. (In progress) Determine arrangement of tables for dinner and assign seats.
27. (In progress) Make pillows to soften Gothic chairs that guests can sit on during cocktail hour (selected and ordered plush that matches our wedding colors).
28. Figure out music for dinner and reception.
29. (In progress) Write vows.
30. (In progress) Prepare day-of-survival bags for wedding party (selected and ordered eco-friendly bags).
31. (Done!) Order gifts for the men in the wedding party.
32. (In progress) Order gifts for the women in the wedding party.
33. (In progress) Review various Jewish ceremony options and choose the one or parts of each we like.
34. (Done!) Find and order kippahs.
35. Design our ketubah.
36. Get marriage certificate.
37. Find 1950s outfits for kitchen shoot.
38. Find getaway outfit.
39. Prepare wedding day timeline.
40. Create vendor and wedding party contact sheets.
41. (Done!) Design Thank You cards.
42. Send out invitations for Burning Man ceremony.
43. Make bride's wedding outfit for Burning Man ceremony.
44. Find groom's wedding outfit for Burning Man ceremony.
45. Make (test) leave-no-trace bouquet for Burning Man ceremony.
46. (In progress) Make LED outlined pillows for Burning Man reception.
47. Concoct and test Signature Drink for cocktail hour.
48. Find bartender for cocktail hour/reception.
49. (Done!) Purchase compostable cups for cocktail hour.
50. Purchase beers for cocktail hour/reception.
51. Borrow coolers for beer/ice/non-alcoholic drinks.
52. Purchase supplies for Signature Drink.
53. Create signage for Signature Drink.
54. Add personal touches to Guestbook.
55. Purchase supplies for Guestbook Table.
56. Create signage for Guestbook Table.
57. Iron/fold napkins for reception.
58. Iron/organize tablecloths and napkins for reception.
59. Finalize cake design.
60. Drop off cake topper with baker.
61. Drop off wedding favors, tablescape items, linens, decor items at SAH.
62. Pick up flowers from Flower Mart.
63. Make bouquets and boutonnières.