I'm going to try my damndest to keep this from becoming a wedding blog, but I do suspect that when things get going, that is going to be the main stressor in my life and since I can't yell at actual people, I'll yell about them through my blog. But I will try VERY HARD not to do it all the time.
As things are just getting started, I'm already dizzy from numbers. I've called I think 10 different venues (not to mention the ones Daddy Dearest keeps sending me... all in Pennsylvania). So far we've made a few decisions. I've picked a dress. I've picked bridesmaids dresses but not in that color--in purple. And any of those dresses they want. FMIL is making them all (she offered. And I picked simple, I hope, dresses). And we've decided that we want to get married on a Sunday in the summer of 2011, tentatively July 3.
We have what we call The Cadillac. The Cadillac is never going to happen. But it's nice to dream. The Cadillac would be at Citizens Bank Park (that's where the Phillies play) in the Diamond Room which is behind home plate. If we had The Cadillac, the girls would wear powder blue dresses with maroon sashes and the boys would wear maroon ties (those were Phillies colors from the early 80s, and Gzilla's favorite Phillies uniform). The Cadillac is going to be balls expensive, especially since everything is a la carte and there are no "per person" package deals. And we have 112 family members between the two of us. And our poker friends. And Gzilla's college friends that we're very close with. I have like 5 friends that aren't included in poker friends. So we're talking MINIMUM 180 people. I can easily go to 250. With my eyes closed.
I've already had one potential Bridezilla moment... I called a local country club who happens to be a client of my place of business. I did not play that card. I called, requested to speak with who deals with events, and asked her nicely to email me prices/packages, etc... and I got "Well. Our packages start at $105 per person." Okay. Yes, that's out of my price range, but that isn't what I asked you. I asked you to email me information. And if you want my business, MAYBE you shouldn't be a bitch to brides. Maybe. Just a thought. And then I got a request from work to write a commercial about how great this place is to hold your wedding reception. I got a good laugh out of that.
Showing posts with label Daddy Dearest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daddy Dearest. Show all posts
Monday, June 21, 2010
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The End of the Wedding Crazy. For now.
I'm been a little MIA lately... partly because of the wedding crazy and partly because work has been a bit of a nightmare. and the combination of the both makes me want to drink tequila out of the bottle.
The final wedding in the wedding crazy went surprisingly great! I KNEW that Gene was going to have to escort the girl my ex cheated on me with...and I was right. I also knew that my ex was going to be there with his girlfriend whom I adore. That was mostly fine. Only slightly awkward. The worst part of the whole night was the fake "Oh, how are you? You look great.. blah blah blah" that I got from the ex's friends who never liked me when we dated, which was fine because I didn't like them either.
The dress went well, I think. I did one BIG mistake though that no one noticed. I was clipping the seams on the inside of the dress so that it would lay nicer on the midriff, and I accidentally snipped a tiny little V into the skirt part of the dress. I had no idea what to do.. so I didn't do anything. I can't glue it together.... I'm still trying to figure out what to do... but I know that no one noticed (or at least Gene, and he notices everything--because he would have said "what did you do there?" and point it out, which is great because he's generally honest about my clothing)
The wedding actually looked pretty small. It was outdoors (hence my fluffy hair... it was straight. and then humidity happened. That picture was after the wedding back at the hotel. You can't even tell that I'm BLASTED!) and in my friend's backyard. Of one of their houses. I think they have three? That I know of? Her parents have a freakish amount of money. As in what they spent on photography for the night (3 photogs and 2 videographers) is about what a lot of people spend on the entire wedding. But they could save money on the venue. They instead spent it on food (yum), pictures, an ice sculpture of a monkey with a Shakespearean collar (for serious) and apparently booze. The open bar was the whole night... and they had good vodka. and they made my cosmos with cointreau instead of triple sec. Oh yeah.
But that brings me to my fear and aversion to having a wedding. I just think it's so STUPID to spend this much money on one day. Yes, I realize that it's a "once in a lifetime" thing... but my problem with weddings is that by the end of it, it's rarely about the bride and groom. It's about what everyone else wants. If I told my father that I wanted a barbeque with chicken, ribs, and potato chips, he'd want me to have lobster thermador and asparagus wrapped with prosciutto. I've said before that we want to go to Hawaii and come back married. And this plan has been adapted a few times. For a while, we decided that Vegas would be cool. This has apparently been revised yet again (at 2am last night, no less) to the Caribbean. As in St. Thomas or something similar. It would have to be one of the US islands... the flight would be much shorter, and therefore less expensive, and more people would probably be able to afford it if they so choose. And maybe we'll have some kind of family gathering before or after (super super informal. Cannot stress how informal. I mean like family reunion informal) to say "hey, we're getting married isn't that great."
I know that my mother supports me. She isn't the one I worry about. Daddy dearest has issues because he wants to put on this air that we're all rolling in money. But he isn't paying for my wedding, I am. And I work in radio. Unless you own a station, you make ZERO money in radio. And Gene's parents just want us to get married in a church, which we don't really give a shit about. We were bascially Baptized Catholic and that's it. I go to church on Christmas Eve, and even then it's iffy if I actually go.
The final wedding in the wedding crazy went surprisingly great! I KNEW that Gene was going to have to escort the girl my ex cheated on me with...and I was right. I also knew that my ex was going to be there with his girlfriend whom I adore. That was mostly fine. Only slightly awkward. The worst part of the whole night was the fake "Oh, how are you? You look great.. blah blah blah" that I got from the ex's friends who never liked me when we dated, which was fine because I didn't like them either.
The dress went well, I think. I did one BIG mistake though that no one noticed. I was clipping the seams on the inside of the dress so that it would lay nicer on the midriff, and I accidentally snipped a tiny little V into the skirt part of the dress. I had no idea what to do.. so I didn't do anything. I can't glue it together.... I'm still trying to figure out what to do... but I know that no one noticed (or at least Gene, and he notices everything--because he would have said "what did you do there?" and point it out, which is great because he's generally honest about my clothing)
The wedding actually looked pretty small. It was outdoors (hence my fluffy hair... it was straight. and then humidity happened. That picture was after the wedding back at the hotel. You can't even tell that I'm BLASTED!) and in my friend's backyard. Of one of their houses. I think they have three? That I know of? Her parents have a freakish amount of money. As in what they spent on photography for the night (3 photogs and 2 videographers) is about what a lot of people spend on the entire wedding. But they could save money on the venue. They instead spent it on food (yum), pictures, an ice sculpture of a monkey with a Shakespearean collar (for serious) and apparently booze. The open bar was the whole night... and they had good vodka. and they made my cosmos with cointreau instead of triple sec. Oh yeah.
But that brings me to my fear and aversion to having a wedding. I just think it's so STUPID to spend this much money on one day. Yes, I realize that it's a "once in a lifetime" thing... but my problem with weddings is that by the end of it, it's rarely about the bride and groom. It's about what everyone else wants. If I told my father that I wanted a barbeque with chicken, ribs, and potato chips, he'd want me to have lobster thermador and asparagus wrapped with prosciutto. I've said before that we want to go to Hawaii and come back married. And this plan has been adapted a few times. For a while, we decided that Vegas would be cool. This has apparently been revised yet again (at 2am last night, no less) to the Caribbean. As in St. Thomas or something similar. It would have to be one of the US islands... the flight would be much shorter, and therefore less expensive, and more people would probably be able to afford it if they so choose. And maybe we'll have some kind of family gathering before or after (super super informal. Cannot stress how informal. I mean like family reunion informal) to say "hey, we're getting married isn't that great."
I know that my mother supports me. She isn't the one I worry about. Daddy dearest has issues because he wants to put on this air that we're all rolling in money. But he isn't paying for my wedding, I am. And I work in radio. Unless you own a station, you make ZERO money in radio. And Gene's parents just want us to get married in a church, which we don't really give a shit about. We were bascially Baptized Catholic and that's it. I go to church on Christmas Eve, and even then it's iffy if I actually go.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
More Joys of Homeownership
Since Gene and I have a house now, and not a one bedroom leaky piece of crap apartment, we're slowing trying to update our furniture. I hijacked my mother's dining set in favor of the 5+ years old Walmart special that I had in college, and last year for Christmas, Daddy Dearest bought Gene and me a couch (well, gift certificate to a furniture store, not so much the couch itself)
This year for Christmas (yes, I realize it's now the end of March) Daddy Dearest gave us VISA gift cards instead of a gift cert to a particular furniture store, since so many stores were going out of business. We haven't done anything yet.
Today I went to a few furniture stores to brows TV console stands... because at the moment we have a Target black particle board special. It's functional, and it works for the most part, but it looks cheap, and I'd like to have wood, or looks like actual wood and not luan veneer. Two store had a few reasonably priced pieces, but for the most part it was all over $1000. For a TV console. Not a full entertainment center with many many shelving units, just a TV console.
Why is it that people will pay this much money? Do Thomasville and Bassett and all of these high end stores come and clean your house for you? I understand that a nice piece of furniture is an investment, and that it will last years and years... but I just feel like I'm being completely taken advantage of. Plus as soon as these sales people discovered that I'm doing my homework pre-purchase, they couldn't run away from me faster. I'm the only person in the store. One person when I told him that I was looking for TV consoles, and made it clear that I was doing preliminary shopping, just pointed. He just said "Oh, it's over there." and that was it. Now, at ULTA, I'm not on commission, but if someone who has never been in the store before can't find something, I walk them to it. Because that's good customer service. Just pointing? That's rude.
At the moment, I'm debated going to an unfinished furniture store and doing my own staining. I know how to stain. I think I did a damn fine job of staining (and schlacking) the tables in my parents' ex-restaurant. I'm a handy person. I know how to use powertools... and paint... and stain... and... stuff. It just annoys me when these places don't have any prices listed on their websites. It's why I went to two of the stores I did during my lunch break today, because they had nothing listed on their website as far as price goes. The unfinished furniture place has new stuff all the time, so it makes sense that they don't list prices... because their inventory is always changing.
Anyway... if I decide to do a DIY staining marathon, I'll let you know. I'm all about doing things yourself, especially if you know what you're getting yourself into. I love watching the trading spaces and DIY shows because most of the time these people have NO CLUE what they're doing, and it ends up looking half-assed. Mine won't look like that, right?
This year for Christmas (yes, I realize it's now the end of March) Daddy Dearest gave us VISA gift cards instead of a gift cert to a particular furniture store, since so many stores were going out of business. We haven't done anything yet.
Today I went to a few furniture stores to brows TV console stands... because at the moment we have a Target black particle board special. It's functional, and it works for the most part, but it looks cheap, and I'd like to have wood, or looks like actual wood and not luan veneer. Two store had a few reasonably priced pieces, but for the most part it was all over $1000. For a TV console. Not a full entertainment center with many many shelving units, just a TV console.
Why is it that people will pay this much money? Do Thomasville and Bassett and all of these high end stores come and clean your house for you? I understand that a nice piece of furniture is an investment, and that it will last years and years... but I just feel like I'm being completely taken advantage of. Plus as soon as these sales people discovered that I'm doing my homework pre-purchase, they couldn't run away from me faster. I'm the only person in the store. One person when I told him that I was looking for TV consoles, and made it clear that I was doing preliminary shopping, just pointed. He just said "Oh, it's over there." and that was it. Now, at ULTA, I'm not on commission, but if someone who has never been in the store before can't find something, I walk them to it. Because that's good customer service. Just pointing? That's rude.
At the moment, I'm debated going to an unfinished furniture store and doing my own staining. I know how to stain. I think I did a damn fine job of staining (and schlacking) the tables in my parents' ex-restaurant. I'm a handy person. I know how to use powertools... and paint... and stain... and... stuff. It just annoys me when these places don't have any prices listed on their websites. It's why I went to two of the stores I did during my lunch break today, because they had nothing listed on their website as far as price goes. The unfinished furniture place has new stuff all the time, so it makes sense that they don't list prices... because their inventory is always changing.
Anyway... if I decide to do a DIY staining marathon, I'll let you know. I'm all about doing things yourself, especially if you know what you're getting yourself into. I love watching the trading spaces and DIY shows because most of the time these people have NO CLUE what they're doing, and it ends up looking half-assed. Mine won't look like that, right?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Totally Awkward Tuesday
I'm participating in Tova's Totally Awkward Tuesdays again... and I think I have a good one this time.
I've briefly discussed this before... but my parents are not married. Daddy Dearest had an affair with a coworker a few years back, and was leading a bit of a double life for about six months that we know of. That year where my parents were still "together" but my father needed to "figure things out" was a very hard time for everyone. My mom went pretty crazy... my sister became the parent (she had to deal with other crazy stuff besides our mother also)... and I went a little nuts also. But that's a totally different story. About two years after we found out about the other woman, my dad springs on the kids (on Easter Sunday) that he's getting married. In Vegas. Mind you... we haven't met his new significant other yet. He didn't ask, and neither did we.
When my dad told me, he also asked me to go with him to Vegas. But the kicker is that the wedding was in two weeks and I only had about 5 days to make this decision because they needed to book the plane tickets. I have to admit that I almost went for a very selfish reason... I love poker. And I've never been to Vegas. But Gene made a very good point. He said to me, "You shouldn't have to be the one to tell her how pretty she looks in her dress. Do you think you're emotionally ready for that?" And I wasn't. I wasn't even emotionally ready to meet the woman, but I told my dad that before they left for Vegas... that I wanted to meet her. My brother went with me.
The four of us went to this Italian family style restaurant called Maggiano's. OUr server is a male, and he looks slightly familiar. My dad recognized him immediately.. and didn't say a damn word. My brother on the other hand can't just let anything go, and he keeps going on and on about who this person is, why does he look so familiar, etc. Finally, when our server comes back, my brother says "Didn't you used to work at TGI Fridays with my mom?" Of course he did. Of course our server knows exactly who we are and didn't say anything.
The conversation that ensued between my dad, my brother, and our server was one of the most uncomfortable things in my life.
Brother: Didn't you used to work at Fridays?
Server: Yes, I did... why?
Brother: I'm Joanie's son... I used to bus there and do door.
Server: Oh! That's why you look so familiar. How are you guys.
Daddy Dearest (very short): We're fine, thanks.
Server: How's your mom doing?
Me: She's good... she's still at Fridays. You should stop in and see her.
Server: I will. (he looks at the other woman) So is this...like...your aunt?
Daddy Dearest (even more short): No. She isn't. Joan and I haven't been together for a long time now.
Server: Oh... well... I'll be right back!
And then he ran away. And he immediately called one of my mom's friends at Fridays. I was literally biting the inside of my cheek so that I wouldn't start hysterical laughing. You could tell that my dad was upset because his entire face was beet red, but his nostrils were white. You don't want to mess with my father when he looks like that. Poor other woman and her abnormally large butt was pretty embarassed as well... it was so funny.
My dad has been with this woman for four almost five years... and in my entire life, I've only seen her for a grand total of maybe five times. Ever. She's MARRIED to my dad.
I've briefly discussed this before... but my parents are not married. Daddy Dearest had an affair with a coworker a few years back, and was leading a bit of a double life for about six months that we know of. That year where my parents were still "together" but my father needed to "figure things out" was a very hard time for everyone. My mom went pretty crazy... my sister became the parent (she had to deal with other crazy stuff besides our mother also)... and I went a little nuts also. But that's a totally different story. About two years after we found out about the other woman, my dad springs on the kids (on Easter Sunday) that he's getting married. In Vegas. Mind you... we haven't met his new significant other yet. He didn't ask, and neither did we.
When my dad told me, he also asked me to go with him to Vegas. But the kicker is that the wedding was in two weeks and I only had about 5 days to make this decision because they needed to book the plane tickets. I have to admit that I almost went for a very selfish reason... I love poker. And I've never been to Vegas. But Gene made a very good point. He said to me, "You shouldn't have to be the one to tell her how pretty she looks in her dress. Do you think you're emotionally ready for that?" And I wasn't. I wasn't even emotionally ready to meet the woman, but I told my dad that before they left for Vegas... that I wanted to meet her. My brother went with me.
The four of us went to this Italian family style restaurant called Maggiano's. OUr server is a male, and he looks slightly familiar. My dad recognized him immediately.. and didn't say a damn word. My brother on the other hand can't just let anything go, and he keeps going on and on about who this person is, why does he look so familiar, etc. Finally, when our server comes back, my brother says "Didn't you used to work at TGI Fridays with my mom?" Of course he did. Of course our server knows exactly who we are and didn't say anything.
The conversation that ensued between my dad, my brother, and our server was one of the most uncomfortable things in my life.
Brother: Didn't you used to work at Fridays?
Server: Yes, I did... why?
Brother: I'm Joanie's son... I used to bus there and do door.
Server: Oh! That's why you look so familiar. How are you guys.
Daddy Dearest (very short): We're fine, thanks.
Server: How's your mom doing?
Me: She's good... she's still at Fridays. You should stop in and see her.
Server: I will. (he looks at the other woman) So is this...like...your aunt?
Daddy Dearest (even more short): No. She isn't. Joan and I haven't been together for a long time now.
Server: Oh... well... I'll be right back!
And then he ran away. And he immediately called one of my mom's friends at Fridays. I was literally biting the inside of my cheek so that I wouldn't start hysterical laughing. You could tell that my dad was upset because his entire face was beet red, but his nostrils were white. You don't want to mess with my father when he looks like that. Poor other woman and her abnormally large butt was pretty embarassed as well... it was so funny.
My dad has been with this woman for four almost five years... and in my entire life, I've only seen her for a grand total of maybe five times. Ever. She's MARRIED to my dad.
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