April Showers bring May Bridal Showers

Hello all! I have no idea if anyone is reading this but I figured I'd better start a blog for personal note - and see what happens...


Weddings...weddings...weddings...Our life is consumed with weddings. Last weekend, our great friends, Cade & Jess, started their life together (officially) with a beautiful ceremony & reception. Josh & I are so thankful we were apart of it. It still brings tears to my eyes just writing this. We were right there for every moment - capturing it all. I've known them for about 2.5 years - Josh has known them longer as he worked with Jess at Longhorns since he started forever ago. We were there at their actual engagement - which she included the pictures I shot in their slide show - that was very touching. Long story of their engagement - but a very Jess & Cade moment - any who ---- It was great being there for everything. I'll post pictures sometime next week on facebook after they've seen them all.

So tomorrow is my first bridal shower back in Wellington. I don't think it's set in today that tomorrow is the major start of wedding festivities to come. I'm sure tonight I'll be in a panic and nervous like always - but it'll be fun. I will get to see a lot of great friends and family and I'm excited to share this event with so many people that have affected who I am and who I've become. Next week is my other shower in Wichita - time will fly I know! I'm trying to soak everything in, but at the same time it's a whirlwind of emotion. I've cried more over this wedding than I think I have in my whole life. I'm not going to lie - it's full of happiness and disappointments. If you know me - you know I'm hard headed and stubborn, just like my father. My brothers are the same way - we just don't like to admit it. It's very sad heartening when I hear family members aren't going to be able to make it, some I understand, and others I'm disappointed. But I'm one who wants everyone here at least one last time - we're all growing and having our own families and life is crazy. I can remember back to my brothers wedding when everyone was here - but that was when I was 9 and we've grown as a family by 10.5 people and lost one. I just cherish my family so much - I want them all to know that. I understand life, but sometimes I just want to ignore it. As a bride, I have a stubborn part - I can give and take on details, but it's hard to give and take on family.

I know this is a lot of rambling, but it's becoming therapy getting this out there - for probably no one to read - but it's out there. So many details go into a wedding. I've designed about 40 or so wedding albums in the last 3 years at work - I've seen everything under the sun - from colors that work, to dresses that don't. Details that are captured, and I'm sure many are over looked. It's so many things that make up one day it's crazy. I know it will be here and gone before I'm ready to - I know things will be forgotten and I'm sure people will be left off of the guest list unintended - but it's hard to draw the line. Our reception will only hold 260 people (max) - and I know about half of the people won't show - I told my mom a long time ago we're going to have to rent a tent for the parking lot. There's just no place large enough that is any where close to reasonable in this area. Wichita became way out of budget and Manhattan was WAY out there. It amazes me how much people charge for the simplest things. I've got a lot of things accomplished - not much is left our on to - do list. I'm getting my dress altered tomorrow - well, the first of 3 fittings. I hope by the day I will love the dress - but who knows. I've had so many doubts and tears over this dress. I'm just ready for our honeymoon (still to be determined). I'm to the point of I don't care I just want to go away with Josh with white sand and blue water. He told me he'd go up to Colbert Hills and steal some sand and we'd get some food coloring for the water. Funny guy he is.

Well I'm sure I could go on and on and on some more but I'm going to stop now as I need to get ready to go get a cavity filled - yay - not. And then to pick up a box of contacts that I'm dreading because one of my most favorite-st people in the whole wide world doesn't work there anymore. But she's happy so that's what matters the most :) Love you mom #2!

Amy

Surprise was a success!

Yesterday was a surprise for my bosses - John & Cindy. And here's what has happened in the last month to make it all work...

While John & Cindy were on vacation, Cindy's mom called me at the office to ask if I could help her with a surprise. The pastor at their church sings in a quartet group and she wanted them to come down and sing to them for their anniversary. So I thought up this plan - to have a wedding day consult knowing they're usually both there for those...so I moved a team to the next day and had it all set. I called a bride and filled her in with her "consult". So everything was all set....until 2 weeks ago. John booked another team in the spot of the one I had moved...not knowing the softball coach, I contacted the ad at the high school and filled him in on the whole story. He printed off my email and shared it with the softball coach. So while I was trying to create a loop hole - John went in a cleaning frenzy on Luke's desk - well, I left Luke a note about the surprise that I thought he threw away....NOPE....Instant panic! So I messaged Luke and filled him in on the stress. I tore up the message and threw it under all of the trash - hoping and praying John hadn't found out. While on my lunch break, I called Cindy's mom to tell her how much of a pain John is for trying to book everything under the sun while I was trying to have them there at 3:30 on Wednesday. She just laughed and apologized for the stress that was going on. This last Monday I went in to work because I knew I wasn't going to be there on Tuesday. I contacted the ad and then the softball coach. Not knowing the softball coach had talked to John last Friday. John didn't erase the time because he'd moved it to the 19th. This created so much confusion on Wednesday morning - I had to keep my mouth shut. I was about to explode and just say "You both have to be here at 3:30 - no if's, and's or but's" but I didn't want to give it away. Well about 3:15 arrived and the quartet came in and sang about 4 songs for John and Cindy. They were in tears and I filled them in on this surprise. With wedding planning and everything else - this was added stress, but I'm so glad it went over well. I had Luke take some shots of this moment - so I stole one for here :)

Wedding Updates and tangents

So I've never been a huge fan of blogging until recently... so we'll see how well I keep this up with the next months to come.

Most of you know me - and know that I'm getting married June 26, 2010 - which is just shy of 74 days away. No I'm not keeping a personal countdown on a planner - but our wedding website, www.theknot.com/ourwedding/AmyTroutman&JoshOlsen - keeps it updated for me. Which I check frequently to see if anyone has signed our guest book - if you haven't please check it out.

Today I FINALLY got my dress in - they were only 13 days late. I'm a planned person - I'm limited on time away and that was a major stress getting to my dress in time to take it back for alterations. Thankfully not many will have to be made - just a hem and bustle. I'm not "in love" with my dress. Nor will I think I will ever be "in love" with a dress. After watching countless episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress" I watched one where a girl couldn't fall "in love" with a dress - the dress lady said "There are about 5% of girls that can't fall "in love" with their dress." - Well I always have to be difficult. :)

Most of our plans are under way - napkins are ordered, cake topper is finished and on my old dresser in my old room at my parents'. Center pieces are completed and stowed away in my Grandma's basement - table runners are almost done - and the checklist goes on a mile....

For our family & friends attending our wedding - we ask that you PLEASE take a few minutes and visit this website: www.myspace.com/KyleBennettBand or www.kylebennettband.com - These are dear friends of ours that are playing our reception. We know many of you won't know their songs, but if you listen a few times - that'll help you get familiar with them. We're so excited to have them be apart of our day - they've been such a great part of our lives and we can't be happier that they're playing our reception. They're not your typical "wedding band" - they're Texas country artists - so please check them out.

That's all I have for this evening - off to bed for a long day of work if all goes planned correctly..I will fill you in on some more stress and surprises tomorrow.