Plans

This weekend Rick and I have MANY plans on our WEDDING TO DO LIST!!!

1. Send out the Save The Dates (YES, we still haven't)
2. Purchase Flower Girl dresses
3. Go to CVS and print pictures for my room :)
4. Take Bridesmaid shoes out to my sisters & get paid
5. Go to the bank
6. Go to the camera store
7. Cut Rick's hair
8. Wedding items/ gift research online
9. Work on some DIY Wedding Projects
10. Spend quality time doing something Ricky wants to do. ;)

Hopefully we'll at least get the Save The Dates in the mail TODAY - considering there are less than 6 months until our wedding & before we know if the invitations are going to be going out in the mail.

On that note --- it is 1:45pm & I still haven't gotten out of my PJ's!
I'll update you all at the end of the weekend on our progress on the WEDDING TO DO LIST.

DIY: Bridesmaid Jewelry

Our DIY necklaces and bracelets for the bridesmaids were completed towards the end of January - sorry for the delay just trying to get caught up & share the crafty inexpensive idea with my fellow followers. :)

So here is a little sneak of my FH Ricky (sucha team player) crafting the bridesmaid jewelry (gifts) with me (Oh, & a close up of my e-ring!)!

Items Used:

♥ 1 Sheer Ribbon (for the necklaces) $1.99

♥ pack of 8 bracelets bought online at forever21 $3.80

♥ 2 bags of white pearl beads (6mm) from JoAnns $2.10 each (on sale)

♥ 1 pack of memory wire (contains 6 - but we cut them smaller) from JoAnns $1.25

♥♥♥TOTAL: $11.24

[[[$11.24/ 8 bridesmaids = ~$1.41 per bridesmaid for both a necklace and bracelet!]]]

How To:

♥ For the BRACELETS we cut the wire with regular pliers, strung the beads and bent the end under the beads. To tie in the grey on the bridesmaid shoes and the grey sheer ribbon for the necklaces I choose a satin-like grey ribbon and tied a little bow on every bracelet.

♥ For the NECKLACES we cut different size lengths of sheer ribbon (for different length necklaces and beading, thread the ribbon onto a large sewing needle and thread the beads onto the ribbon, to complete the ribbon they tie into a pretty bow. As pictured above.

Hope the girls love these handmade crafty creations!

Guess we'll find out in 5 1/2 months!

Venue = Dream Come True!

MYSTIC CREEK GOLF CLUB

MILFORD, MICHIGAN

We are having both our ceremony and reception at this location, which makes me very happy.

CEREMONY

I'm looking forward to having an outdoor ceremony, with green grass, beautiful dress, close friends and all of our family. The only thing is... I don't think this gazebo is very pretty.

I was thinking maybe officially tying the knot in front of the pond that is just beyond the gazebo and down the hill.

Gotta convince the fiance' and Heather the venue coordinator.

What do you think of this gazebo thing?

RECEPTION

The reception area couldn't be more perfect! With all of the windows you have the effect tat you're outside but in the heat of August we will be inside in the air conditioning. Can I get an Amen! (sorry the photo is so dark)

Not only have I completely fallen in love with this place.

I absolutely love their food too.

So this is the last venue pic ladies.

Take it ALL in.

And this is Rick and I in the parking lot.

SO happy!

SO satisfied!

SO excited about our choice of venue!

(Cheese[y])

Wedding Cost Estimater

Wedding Cost Estimate
Based on the zip code you entered for 48380 Milford township: Oakland County, MI , the number of guests (200+), and the items selected, the estimated wedding cost is between $53,638 and $89,400.

OUCH! I'll let you ladies know what I come up with in the end!
Cause I know it won't be near $53,638.

Want to know how much your wedding will average... CLICK HERE.

[ Got this link from a dear blogger JESS ]

What's In A Date?

Brought to you first by: The Relentless Bride

Here's what is in OUR dates:

October 31 was the first time my FH came ot my house without saying he was going to spend time with his cousin. ;)

November 21 The day my FH asked me to be his girlfriend & is also my birthday.

December 5 (We always thought it was on the 5th of December but it wasn't actually and we can never remember off the top of our minds what the actual day was) we watched the movie The Five People You Meet In Heaven and confessed our love for each other in little red (my little red escort that we named)

April 4 My FH told me that he had a surprise for me the next day... but I was 1/2 asleep and didn't show much interest.

April 5 My FH surprised me with a new digital camera - we took a trip to downtown Detroit, MI to take picture sof the beautiful city/ ended up taking only pictures of ourselves & my FH asked me on one knee, "Will you marry me?".

August 22 Will be very special because it is the day we will wed. :) :) :)

Engagement Images of Style

(Photos by Monica Byrne *Images of Style*)

The video above was created by my fiance' to brighten my day. It is just a few of our favorite engagement photos taken by our photographer.

I thought this video would be appropriate to view on this Hallmark Valentines Holiday day.

Enjoy! :)

DRESS HIM...

TUX v. SUIT

My fiance (on the right - making his debut) and I have come to the conculsion that suit look just as nice as a tux. And in the way that we are thinking it is going to be ALOT less expensive for the guys... hence the suit he is wearing on the right costing the guys an average of $140.00 (given that they already have a "nice" pair of black shoes, their own crisp white dress shirt and black dress socks.

And while browsing the suit options we stumbled across some ties that may just do the job as groomsmen gifts.

April 5, 2008

Rick and I got engaged on April 5, 2008 - It seems so weird saying that. Well, that we're getting married and were not going to have to settle for seeing each other mainly only on the weekends. Gosh, I cannot wait to not have to make that hour drive every weekend. But my gosh, were getting MARRIED. I know, I know, some married or divorced people say marriage isn't all its cracked up to be - but I have no doubts that this marriage is going to be forever. Always, Forever... and heck we're already passed the "honeymoon phase" in dating cause let me tell you Rick and I are not afraid to tell one another when we upset each other. But I truly believe that is a gift because not all couples can duke it out like us. :)

So, Rick proposed to me at the Detroit River Walk.
On the first warm day of the year.
I had no idea.


And when I say no idea I really mean NO IDEA... we never really talked about getting married, although him and I both knew we weren't going to date the rest of our lives. So it was a pleasant surprise in which I had no clue it was coming. Especially because earlier that day he gave me my surprise being a brand new digital camera - which was obviously meant to through me off. IT WORKED!


You can read about the whole enagement on our knot page.
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/EricaSanders&RichardMeyereknot.com/ourwedding/EricaSanders&RichardMeyer


Here are some of my favorite PROPOSAL PHOTOS

This was before he proposed, even if it was warm outside once we got by the water I wasn't so warm anymore.

This picture of Rick I took just after he took the above picture of me. It occurs to me now that that hand of his in his pocket is hinding the box that holds my soon-to-be-enagement ring. Does he look nervous?

And lastly, this picture was taken by a guy that works for a group that is dedicated to making Detroit look more attractive to the worlds eye... he was the first person Rick & I told we had just gotten engaged. Which makes me chuckle a little.

Since April 5, WE dove right in on wedding planning, beginning first with a wedding date. *August 22, 2009*


Stay posted for photos & other wedding details. Coming soon...

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 NIV

First Timer

I'm excited to say this is my first post.

I have had this blog for awhile now but haven't found time to put thoughts, photos & ideas up. & not to mention i'm not so sure I know how to. Bare with me...

So... TODAY there are 250 days remaining until our wedding day (August 22, 2009)! It seems like that is going to take forever but I could trick myself and say there is 8 months and 7 days (but to me that sounds longer) OR 35.71 weeks remaining... that makes it sounds like less, right? (How do you have 0.71 of a week?) I suppose if days were hours then I could complain. 6,000 +/- hours, ehhh. Any way you do the math; I am thrilled everyday to know i'm going to marrying Richard William...

Because of these little wedding things...
- He actually cares what the bridesmaid dresses look like
(their really cute - can't wait to post pictures)
- He likes making the save the dates (their STILL not finished, but I could post a pic soon)
- For awhile he was more into it than me & made appointments with our DJ & photographer
- He really wants to be involved in ALL the planning (It's amazing!)
________________________________________________
There is so much more I want to post. I will post photos soon.
And as I said before, bare with me.