Dear Mr. Bunny,
Right now I am sitting in my parents' kitchen getting my hair done. You might be surprised to hear this, but I didn't have any trouble sleeping last night (once I actually got into bed, of course). We're actually doing this. We're actually getting married today!
There were so many times when neither of us was sure this would actually happen. But you know what? With every doubt and every uncertainty, you were there standing by my side, holding my hand. And knowing that you'll keep on being there that same way after we're married is one of the many reasons why I'll say 'I do,' today.
I'm so glad I get to spend the rest of my life with you!
Love,
Miss Bunny
P.S. Thank you, Hive, for being there for these final weeks as I stressed and planned and stressed some more! Weddingbee saw me through the whole engagement process. It wouldn't have been the same without you!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Blue and pink relaxation
OMGOMGOMGOMG.
Four days from now, Mr. Bunny and I will be married!
Life has been insane the past couple of days. Sunny Bunny brought her Australian boyfriend home and hosted the Bunny bachelorette Friday night. My family moved me out of my apartment and into our condo in about 3 hours flat on Saturday. Sunday night I took a break and chatted with the hive on Bee TV until my mother forced me to hammer out the rehearsal dinner guest list. And now I'm here at work, still plugging away on everything I need to get done so that I can go on our honeymoon next week!
When everything just seems too overwhelming and I feel like I'll never get it all done, I close my eyes and imagine our wedding: the lovely details, the decorations I've been dreaming up for months, and most importantly (in fact, so important that it makes everything else seem completely insignificant), me and Mr. Bunny, standing in front of all our friends in family, promising to stick together through everything life throws our way.
Of course, images like these are extraordinarily helpful in getting me to that zen state:
source
Four days from now, Mr. Bunny and I will be married!
Life has been insane the past couple of days. Sunny Bunny brought her Australian boyfriend home and hosted the Bunny bachelorette Friday night. My family moved me out of my apartment and into our condo in about 3 hours flat on Saturday. Sunday night I took a break and chatted with the hive on Bee TV until my mother forced me to hammer out the rehearsal dinner guest list. And now I'm here at work, still plugging away on everything I need to get done so that I can go on our honeymoon next week!
When everything just seems too overwhelming and I feel like I'll never get it all done, I close my eyes and imagine our wedding: the lovely details, the decorations I've been dreaming up for months, and most importantly (in fact, so important that it makes everything else seem completely insignificant), me and Mr. Bunny, standing in front of all our friends in family, promising to stick together through everything life throws our way.
Of course, images like these are extraordinarily helpful in getting me to that zen state:
sourceI love you, blue and pink. And I love you, Kelly Oshiro for coming up with this bouquet --
... and the resulting inspiration board. You've just made my wedding week that much better.
Any tips to combat pre-wedding stress?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Call me crazy
Mr. Bunny and I are a week away from our wedding, but I can't think of anything I'd rather do than hang out with you on BeeTV!
After my makeup series ran, I decided to purchase a couple of the popular products I've been hearing so much about -- Dior Blackout waterproof mascara, the Nars Multiple in Orgasm and a lipstain.
Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST I'll be on BeeTV live to review the products, take questions and just hang out and chat.
Hope you can join me!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Budget breakdown -- Invitations
I promised awhile back that I would breakdown the costs of my invitation suite, but I never did!
And then I missed the deadline for the Real Bee Budget: Invitations post. FAIL, again.
Fortunately for me, Mrs. Penguin is a sweetie and is including me anyway. Click on over to Weddingbee to see DIY invitation bee budgets.
And here I am. Better late than never, right?
These costs are approximate because I am L-A-Z-Y. But seriously, I think I've got a pretty accurate representation of the costs. Scouts' honor.
# of Invitations: 113 (plus additional invites that were similar, but printed on regular paper and some that were e-mailed out. Sorry, guys)
Total Cost: Approximately $280 (including postage)
Cost Per Invitation: $2.40
Printing:~$30 for laser printing at Kinkos
I could have saved by printing these at home, but I decided the quality and durability were worth the extra cost.
RSVPs: $50 for 200 vintage postcards.
My sister negotiated the price with an antique store owner before spending hours hand-picking each card. Then when she got to the register, the owner got all whiny and told her she picked the most expensive cards and upped the price to $75. She took on the extra $25 charge herself. Thanks, Sunny Bunny (aka Trixie Jean)! *muah*
Photos: $11 to print 120 at Costco
Postage: $80
Forever stamps for the invites and postcard stamps for the postcards. Standard issue from the USPS.
Additional costs: $30 for two Martha Stewart simple scallop punches, $6 for Martha Stewart circle scallop punch, and $15 for Martha Stewart acrylic stamp set, which is not included in the total above.
There you have it!
The total cost was more than I hoped to spend, but putting a little bit of my own spending money into the little costs helped my mom's cost come in under budget. That's cool for her, not so cool for me. Whatevs. I'm just so glad the whole invitation ordeal is behind us and that I never have to do this again!
And then I missed the deadline for the Real Bee Budget: Invitations post. FAIL, again.
Fortunately for me, Mrs. Penguin is a sweetie and is including me anyway. Click on over to Weddingbee to see DIY invitation bee budgets.
And here I am. Better late than never, right?
These costs are approximate because I am L-A-Z-Y. But seriously, I think I've got a pretty accurate representation of the costs. Scouts' honor.
# of Invitations: 113 (plus additional invites that were similar, but printed on regular paper and some that were e-mailed out. Sorry, guys)
Total Cost: Approximately $280 (including postage)
Cost Per Invitation: $2.40
Envelopes: $39 plus shipping
I accidentally purchased WAY too many envelopes. Oh well. At least I'll have them to use for thank you cards.
Paper: ~$40 for luxe cream coverweight from Paper Source
We were able to print two 5X7 invites per page.
Printing:~$30 for laser printing at Kinkos
I could have saved by printing these at home, but I decided the quality and durability were worth the extra cost.
RSVPs: $50 for 200 vintage postcards.
My sister negotiated the price with an antique store owner before spending hours hand-picking each card. Then when she got to the register, the owner got all whiny and told her she picked the most expensive cards and upped the price to $75. She took on the extra $25 charge herself. Thanks, Sunny Bunny (aka Trixie Jean)! *muah*
Photos: $11 to print 120 at Costco
Postage: $80
Forever stamps for the invites and postcard stamps for the postcards. Standard issue from the USPS.
Additional costs: $30 for two Martha Stewart simple scallop punches, $6 for Martha Stewart circle scallop punch, and $15 for Martha Stewart acrylic stamp set, which is not included in the total above.
There you have it!
The total cost was more than I hoped to spend, but putting a little bit of my own spending money into the little costs helped my mom's cost come in under budget. That's cool for her, not so cool for me. Whatevs. I'm just so glad the whole invitation ordeal is behind us and that I never have to do this again!
Monday, June 22, 2009
I luuurve my wedding band
Behold my wedding band!
(Sorry for the cruddy camera phone pic)
Here it is, resting on the roof of my car.
And here it is on my left hand.
(Sorry for the cruddy camera phone pic)Eeek! I know, I know, I'm not supposed to be wearing it yet.
But see how it's openwork? Mr. B and I wanted to get our rings engraved. Unfortunately, mine only has a small engravable section, so he's going to get my e-ring engraved instead. It's white gold, so we're also getting it replated so it's all bright and shiny for the wedding next weekend!
I love my e-ring, too, but I've been dying to wear my wedding band out in public since we picked it up last month. Nope, don't mind subbing out one piece of bling out for the other AT ALL.
You're just going to have to trust me that the e-ring and the wedding band look fab together.
Have you had to go without your engagement ring either to get it resized or for some other reason? Did you have a stand-in or go out bare-fingered?Friday, June 19, 2009
Miss Bunny's namesake
So, ya wanna know why I decided to be Miss Bunny, rather than somebunny else? ;)
source
Psst ... come here! ... I'll show you! ...
Meet our ringbearer.
This is Penelope, and our rings will probably be traveling down the aisle in a pouch tied around her neck. Our actual ringbearer, Mr. Bunny's nephew J, will carry her.
Penny isn't just any old rabbit. She's been with us almost as long as Mr. Bunny and I have been together.
Mr. B and I shared our first kiss on New Year's Day 2008, but our first real date wasn't until Valentine's Day. I never had a real boyfriend in high school, so I swore to Mr. B that all I wanted for Valentine's Day was a trip to the Build-a-Bear workshop(which is where I always dreamed in high school that my dream guy would take me on a date).
I already have about five million teddy bears, so I chose a rabbit instead. Her honey-colored fur reminded me of Mr. Bunny's short, blond locks. Like the dutiful sap that he is, Mr. B acquiesced to my request that he kiss the red heart I chose to put inside her before she was stuffed. ;)
The whole thing was totally sappy, but you know what? I totally didn't care. Just ten days later I fell asleep at the wheel and totaled my car. I swore to Mr. B that he didn't need to come over in the middle of the night to comfort me. Penny was there for me. I took her to work with me the next day, too, because I was so shaken up by the whole incident.
So it's very fitting that Penelope be there on our big day -- her with the heart that Mr. B so lovingly kissed for me back when our relationship was brand new and we were still tiptoeing around each other's hearts.
We plan to get ringbearer J a gift certificate to let him make his own Build-a-Bear as his gift so he doesn't feel let down when he has to give Penny back to us.
Our ceremony is pretty traditional, so having our ringbearer carry a stuffed animal instead of a ring pillow is going to be one of its most unique elements. What are you bringing to your ceremony to make it personal?
Meet our ringbearer.
This is Penelope, and our rings will probably be traveling down the aisle in a pouch tied around her neck. Our actual ringbearer, Mr. Bunny's nephew J, will carry her.
Penny isn't just any old rabbit. She's been with us almost as long as Mr. Bunny and I have been together.
Mr. B and I shared our first kiss on New Year's Day 2008, but our first real date wasn't until Valentine's Day. I never had a real boyfriend in high school, so I swore to Mr. B that all I wanted for Valentine's Day was a trip to the Build-a-Bear workshop(which is where I always dreamed in high school that my dream guy would take me on a date).
I already have about five million teddy bears, so I chose a rabbit instead. Her honey-colored fur reminded me of Mr. Bunny's short, blond locks. Like the dutiful sap that he is, Mr. B acquiesced to my request that he kiss the red heart I chose to put inside her before she was stuffed. ;)
The whole thing was totally sappy, but you know what? I totally didn't care. Just ten days later I fell asleep at the wheel and totaled my car. I swore to Mr. B that he didn't need to come over in the middle of the night to comfort me. Penny was there for me. I took her to work with me the next day, too, because I was so shaken up by the whole incident.
So it's very fitting that Penelope be there on our big day -- her with the heart that Mr. B so lovingly kissed for me back when our relationship was brand new and we were still tiptoeing around each other's hearts.
We plan to get ringbearer J a gift certificate to let him make his own Build-a-Bear as his gift so he doesn't feel let down when he has to give Penny back to us.
Our ceremony is pretty traditional, so having our ringbearer carry a stuffed animal instead of a ring pillow is going to be one of its most unique elements. What are you bringing to your ceremony to make it personal?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Giving up
With less than three weeks until the wedding, the stress of everything is really starting to wear on me.
I really don't have that much wedding-related stuff to do (at least, stuff that's very important), but I do have to move out of my apartment by June 30 -- which includes slapping a layer of paint on the walls because the roomie and I decided to get creative with color about a year ago.
On top of that, I really want to have everything done by next Friday so that I have a full week to take care of any last-minute details that pop up.
Everything really got to me last night and I ended up crying on the phone with Mr. Bunny.
"There's not enough time!" I wailed. "I'm not ready to get married!"
Mr. Bunny struggled not to laugh. Apparently I make funny noises when I cry. ;)
"Of course you're ready," he said, matter-of-factly. "You're more ready than I am."
"I''m not emotionally ready!" I insisted, still crying. "We haven't met with the pastor enough yet!" (As background, Mr. Bunny and I went to 2-3 months worth of counseling with a Christian counselor and have met with our pastor 3 times already).
"You're totally ready," Mr. B said. "Besides, the wedding isn't the end of everything. We'll still be here after the wedding."
He was right, of course. We don't stop growing in our relationship and learning more about each other and how to be a good couple after our wedding. Hopefully, our wedding day is just the beginning of this. It's only the end of the first stage of our relationship and the start of a new period of learning about each other.
It was exactly what I needed to hear. I stopped crying immediately and started laughing along with him, joking about our honeymoon.
This type of exchange is typical of Mr. Bunny and me and shows one reason why we're a good fit. I didn't always know that Mr. B and I were meant to be together, though, and I haven't always been able to shake off my worries so easily.
It's a little hard for me to write about this, but I want to be honest, so here goes.
I have issues with anxiety. I know many people, especially women, have trouble dealing with stress, and my own struggle has been so bad that it's diagnosable as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
I have always been a high-strung person, but my anxiety level has typically been manageable, with a few exceptions. Fortunately, I've never had panic attacks. For some reason, my anxiety has been at it's worst the past two summers, making it difficult to work or be happy at all.
This is how it feels: I realize suddenly that I feel terrible even though nothing is physically wrong. I get a lump in my throat that doesn't go away for days. Everything is a disaster. Everything spells doom for me, or for my relationship with Mr. B. If one thing is fine, then I blame the way I feel on something else.
High levels of anxiety are often associated with depression, and I struggled with that last summer as well. The "catastrophic thinking" that characterizes GAD convinced me that I would never feel better and that I would never be happy again. And if I would never feel better, well, why would I want to live like that?
The absolute worst month was July 2008, but in the midst of that dark, dark time, I got to see the depths of Mr. Bunny's love for me. He was always understanding, always strong, always caring, and never stopped telling me he loved me.
This was when we first started talking about getting married, and I thought, wrongly, that our relationship was to blame for how I felt. I told him I wasn't sure I could marry him.
That time was rough on both of us. We went to visit his family for the Fourth of July, and one night, as fog rolled over the Tennessee hills, we had a whispered talk that made me think that I could, indeed, marry him.
Mr. Bunny convinced me later that month that I should go see a counselor, and she recommended after our first meeting that I see a doctor and get on some medication. Apparently my anxiety scores were off the charts. :/
I tell you all this because I know that it's something a lot of people struggle with. I see posts on the boards from women wondering whether or not they should call off their engagement, and here are my thoughts on the matter: Ask yourself why do you want to get married and why to that particular person?
I don't believe that there's a "one" you're supposed to be with. I believe that a well-rounded adult can be happy in a relationship with many different people. If you break off your relationship, it would hurt, but you would find love again eventually.
I am with Mr. Bunny because I love him, yes, but also because I know he will make a good husband and father and because I am ready to be married. We have a good working relationship, we push each other to be better people, we share our faith and have similar dreams and goals for our lives. All of these are great reasons for us to get married to each other right now.
The thing that helped me the most in deciding whether or not to marry Mr. Bunny was stepping back and looking at my emotions objectively. Just because I wasn't not feeling happy didn't mean that there was something wrong with my relationship. Many people go through life looking for someone who will make them happy, but no one is going to make you happy all the time. It's easy to blame feeling bad on the person you're with when in fact it might have nothing to do with him or her at all. I urge you to consider your reasons for getting married and base your decision on that, not on your feelings.
If you're unhappy and you're not sure why, seeing a counselor or therapist could help you figure out why you're feeling the way you feel. In my case, I think my sister moving away and my grandfather's death contributed to my problem.
I've been on low-dose anti-depressants for almost a year now, and I can say this to those of you who struggle with anxiety. In my case, at least, the drugs do help. Before I got on medication, I couldn't get through the workday without crying. But now, I can't remember the last time I cried because of work. My emotions don't stop me from tackling everyday life anymore.
Those reasons I gave for marrying Mr. Bunny are what I remind myself of whenever I start trying to do to blame my anxiety on our relationship.
The title of this post is from a song by Ingrid Michaelson that I found shortly after Mr. B and I got engaged. It describes very accurately what it's like when you're consumed with worry about a relationship and the sweet relief it is to let go and trust that whatever happens, you'll get through it together.
Giving Up
by Ingrid Michaelson
What if we stop having a ball?
What if the paint chips from the wall?
What if there's always cups in the sink?
What if I'm not what you think I am?
What if I fall further than you?
What if you dream of somebody new?
What if I never let you win, chase you with a rolling pin?
Well what if I do?
I am giving up on making passes and
I am giving up on half empty glasses and
I am giving up on greener grasses
I am giving up
What if our baby comes home after nine?
What it your eyes close before mine?
What if you lose yourself sometimes?
Then I'll be the one to find you
Safe in my heart
I am giving up on making passes and
I am giving up on half empty glasses and
I am giving up on greener grasses
I am giving up
I am giving up
I am giving up
I am giving up on greener grasses
I am giving up for you
I am giving up for you
I am giving up
<3 to you all,
Miss Bunny
I really don't have that much wedding-related stuff to do (at least, stuff that's very important), but I do have to move out of my apartment by June 30 -- which includes slapping a layer of paint on the walls because the roomie and I decided to get creative with color about a year ago.
On top of that, I really want to have everything done by next Friday so that I have a full week to take care of any last-minute details that pop up.
Everything really got to me last night and I ended up crying on the phone with Mr. Bunny.
"There's not enough time!" I wailed. "I'm not ready to get married!"
Mr. Bunny struggled not to laugh. Apparently I make funny noises when I cry. ;)
"Of course you're ready," he said, matter-of-factly. "You're more ready than I am."
"I''m not emotionally ready!" I insisted, still crying. "We haven't met with the pastor enough yet!" (As background, Mr. Bunny and I went to 2-3 months worth of counseling with a Christian counselor and have met with our pastor 3 times already).
"You're totally ready," Mr. B said. "Besides, the wedding isn't the end of everything. We'll still be here after the wedding."
He was right, of course. We don't stop growing in our relationship and learning more about each other and how to be a good couple after our wedding. Hopefully, our wedding day is just the beginning of this. It's only the end of the first stage of our relationship and the start of a new period of learning about each other.
It was exactly what I needed to hear. I stopped crying immediately and started laughing along with him, joking about our honeymoon.
This type of exchange is typical of Mr. Bunny and me and shows one reason why we're a good fit. I didn't always know that Mr. B and I were meant to be together, though, and I haven't always been able to shake off my worries so easily.
It's a little hard for me to write about this, but I want to be honest, so here goes.
I have issues with anxiety. I know many people, especially women, have trouble dealing with stress, and my own struggle has been so bad that it's diagnosable as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
I have always been a high-strung person, but my anxiety level has typically been manageable, with a few exceptions. Fortunately, I've never had panic attacks. For some reason, my anxiety has been at it's worst the past two summers, making it difficult to work or be happy at all.
This is how it feels: I realize suddenly that I feel terrible even though nothing is physically wrong. I get a lump in my throat that doesn't go away for days. Everything is a disaster. Everything spells doom for me, or for my relationship with Mr. B. If one thing is fine, then I blame the way I feel on something else.
High levels of anxiety are often associated with depression, and I struggled with that last summer as well. The "catastrophic thinking" that characterizes GAD convinced me that I would never feel better and that I would never be happy again. And if I would never feel better, well, why would I want to live like that?
The absolute worst month was July 2008, but in the midst of that dark, dark time, I got to see the depths of Mr. Bunny's love for me. He was always understanding, always strong, always caring, and never stopped telling me he loved me.
This was when we first started talking about getting married, and I thought, wrongly, that our relationship was to blame for how I felt. I told him I wasn't sure I could marry him.
That time was rough on both of us. We went to visit his family for the Fourth of July, and one night, as fog rolled over the Tennessee hills, we had a whispered talk that made me think that I could, indeed, marry him.
Mr. Bunny convinced me later that month that I should go see a counselor, and she recommended after our first meeting that I see a doctor and get on some medication. Apparently my anxiety scores were off the charts. :/
I tell you all this because I know that it's something a lot of people struggle with. I see posts on the boards from women wondering whether or not they should call off their engagement, and here are my thoughts on the matter: Ask yourself why do you want to get married and why to that particular person?
I don't believe that there's a "one" you're supposed to be with. I believe that a well-rounded adult can be happy in a relationship with many different people. If you break off your relationship, it would hurt, but you would find love again eventually.
I am with Mr. Bunny because I love him, yes, but also because I know he will make a good husband and father and because I am ready to be married. We have a good working relationship, we push each other to be better people, we share our faith and have similar dreams and goals for our lives. All of these are great reasons for us to get married to each other right now.
The thing that helped me the most in deciding whether or not to marry Mr. Bunny was stepping back and looking at my emotions objectively. Just because I wasn't not feeling happy didn't mean that there was something wrong with my relationship. Many people go through life looking for someone who will make them happy, but no one is going to make you happy all the time. It's easy to blame feeling bad on the person you're with when in fact it might have nothing to do with him or her at all. I urge you to consider your reasons for getting married and base your decision on that, not on your feelings.
If you're unhappy and you're not sure why, seeing a counselor or therapist could help you figure out why you're feeling the way you feel. In my case, I think my sister moving away and my grandfather's death contributed to my problem.
I've been on low-dose anti-depressants for almost a year now, and I can say this to those of you who struggle with anxiety. In my case, at least, the drugs do help. Before I got on medication, I couldn't get through the workday without crying. But now, I can't remember the last time I cried because of work. My emotions don't stop me from tackling everyday life anymore.
Those reasons I gave for marrying Mr. Bunny are what I remind myself of whenever I start trying to do to blame my anxiety on our relationship.
The title of this post is from a song by Ingrid Michaelson that I found shortly after Mr. B and I got engaged. It describes very accurately what it's like when you're consumed with worry about a relationship and the sweet relief it is to let go and trust that whatever happens, you'll get through it together.
Giving Up
by Ingrid Michaelson
What if we stop having a ball?
What if the paint chips from the wall?
What if there's always cups in the sink?
What if I'm not what you think I am?
What if I fall further than you?
What if you dream of somebody new?
What if I never let you win, chase you with a rolling pin?
Well what if I do?
I am giving up on making passes and
I am giving up on half empty glasses and
I am giving up on greener grasses
I am giving up
What if our baby comes home after nine?
What it your eyes close before mine?
What if you lose yourself sometimes?
Then I'll be the one to find you
Safe in my heart
I am giving up on making passes and
I am giving up on half empty glasses and
I am giving up on greener grasses
I am giving up
I am giving up
I am giving up
I am giving up on greener grasses
I am giving up for you
I am giving up for you
I am giving up
<3 to you all,
Miss Bunny
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