292 Days Left

Time is starting to fly by! We are hoping get more into the details of the wedding after Christmas. Next month will be the reception site, tux shopping, invitations and registering for gifts.
Some of the places we have in mind for the reception include: Jay County Conversation Club, Lions Building, 4h or woman's building at the fair grounds, County Club, or Jay County Community Center. The farmland Conversation club is out because of the drive for our guest. The reception will be a casual dinner and dancing. This is just a time to get with family and friends.
Registering for gifts: Walmart, JCPenney, and Sears. We choose these stores because JCPenney is one of Melissa's favorite stores, Sears is Michael's favorite store and Walmart is a general store that is everywhere. It is going to be fun shopping but not actually shopping to spend money.
We have already picked out where we are getting the tux's. We are going to Louie's Tux (http://louiestuxshop.com/) shop in Fort Wayne. Then when we order so many tux's we get free invitations and half off ring bearers. We are ordering invitations thru Carlson Craft.
More information to come! Come back next month to read about our progress....

Save the date

Michael and I finally got our save the date cards out this past weekend. We ended up making our own well I should say Michael ended up making them. We had our minds set on magnets but with money being tight we ended up passing on that idea. I thought he did a really good job on designing them. We are a step closer to the wedding. Next month we will start resisting, tux shopping, invitations, and premarital counseling. Just so exciting.
The goal this month is to look into reception sites. We do have a couple in mind: Portland Conversation Club and Lions Club Building. My father gave us the idea of doing it at Farmland like we did our graduation but we just thought that was to way out there. We are getting married at Fellowship Baptist Church in Portland so we do not want our guest have to drive about 30 minutes to get to the reception. More to come soon!

Church

We have the church reserved for the wedding. The wedding will be held at Fellowship Baptist Church in Portland, Indiana. For those who do not know it is out by the high school. Now you are probably wondering who is preforming our wedding? Our wedding will be be preformed by Michael's cousin Mitch. He is in the process of getting ordained.
It is amazing that we are finally getting down on wedding details. I just can not wait to actually get everything planned for this wedding. Just so exciting to be planning my life with Michael because we are puzzle pieces to each other. Now we are in the process of finding somewhere for the reception and I still need another bridesmaid. I have some people in mind I just do not know. I really just do not have that many close friends.

Year

Today we have been engaged for one year. Time is flying and we do not have anything planned. Hoping to start the major planning here in the next month or two so we can have things planned. We would like to get our save the date cards sent out in January so I am hoping to get the church booked this month and the reception site next month. Then we will have to wait for most of the other things when Michael receives his bonus.

The only thing we have been doing is buying items for the decor since we are getting them 40% to 75% off since stores are trying to get Christmas items out. Plan on more information in the next month or so.

Our engagement pictures are done and now we are trying to be creative with them. Hoping to get one or two picked out soon.

Remember to check out our wedding website: www.mywedding.com/mmreef

Engagement Photos

Well, Michael and I did our best this weekend on taking photos. Some of them are not to bad but some well lets say 10 seconds is a short period. At some points we had my mother and his father helping us. It was a long weekend and sometime this week we are going to take some pictures of us up here in Angola to add to our collection. You can see some of our photos at http://www.mywedding.com/mmreef/index.html under photo galleries. Below is some of my favorite photos over the weekend. Yes, we did the Packer shirts on Sunday to support the Packer game (Packers vs Colts).

Corn field by Michael's Parents house

Haynes Park in Portland

The new bridge at the park diagonal from the Junior High in Portland

Pictures Tomorrow

Actually we are getting the pictures done today but it stills feels like tomorrow. I still haven't made it to bed because I have not been able to sleep lately. Bed time seems like it gets later and later everyday and I don't know why. Anyhow back to the subject of pictures. My brother was suppose to take pictures of us so they would be good ones. That is not happening now.. we went out Thursday night and brought a tripod to take our pictures. I just hope they turn out great!
We have some good pictures in mind so I am hoping for the best! It would be nice to be able to afford a photographer but we can't..oh well. I think sometime in the future we are going to like Wal-Mart to get some done for the newspaper. We wanted the nature in our pictures that is why we are doing them ourselves. A photographer session for engagements is like $300.00 which is way to much for our budget.
Look forward to see our pictures up soon.

Shopping Spree

Michael and I went shopping on Saturday to get flowers for the wedding. Yes, we know we still have one year until the wedding. Flowers were 50% off at Michael's and Hobby Lobby and we wanted to get some before the selection was low. We spent around $45 and got plenty of flowers for bride, toss, MOH, and 2 bridesmaid bouquets; groom, BM, 2 groomsmen, fathers, and mothers boutonnieres. The look a little fake but we are trying to save as much money as we can with this wedding. Now all we need for the flowers is the items to put them together : green tape, boutonnieres supplies, and ribbon. Thought about adding some silk leaves to them but not for sure. The flower girls will be tossing fake leaves instead of rose petals.

All the flowers!

Bridesmaid flowers!

We were excited but we went ahead went to Hobby Lobby to see if they had any that would work with the flowers from Michael's. End up not getting any from there but did find some other things we liked. We got the flower girl baskets, program basket, and bird seed basket. I was just so happy that Michael was actually getting involved in planning this wedding even though we had to move it back a week. The new date is October 10, 2009 which you can read about in the two blogs before this one.

We will be using this for bird seed bags and bubbles!
This one will be used for the programs!

The flower girl baskets!

Date Set

Michael and I talked about the date tonight and it is finally set! Hooray!! The new date is October 10, 2009 because Michael thinks of autumn being in October. I wanted to set the date the last weekend in September but he did not see that it was fall yet. In addition, that would have been Bradley Roll's birthday.

More to come on the planning. We are going flower shopping tomorrow to get fake flowers. They are on sale at Hobby Lobby and Michael's. It is kind of weird having your favorite craft store called the same thing as your fiance. Anyhow Once I get the flowers I will put pictures up!

Look forward on more updates!

Date Change!

Well my father is still stuck on changing the date for the wedding. At the point of time Michael and I looking at possible dates for the wedding. Thought about keeping the date around the old date but I just do not know right now. Still have to talk things out but we are changing the date just to make the father happy.
If he does not set-up and sale things at his event I will be so mad! I went with him this year to his sale because I was home since my mother was having health issues (kidney stones). It was not fun at all!!! More power to him and his sale thing.
Once we get a new date for the wedding it will be posted and set in stone unless we have to work around a church or reception site.
More to come on the planning~

Bridesmaid issue!

Alright so my problem! When I first got engaged I was so excited about picking my bridal party. Well I told my cousin Lisa that she could be a bridesmaid. It just hit me who is going to pay for her outfit (dress and shoes) which is going to be around $150.00. She does not have a job, has a child, and her boyfriend really does not bring home much. Basically she is living off the government but she is trying to get a job.
I really want her in the wedding but I can not afford to buy her dress. If I did that it would not be fair to my matron of honor (Stephanie) and my other bridesmaid (Christina). I am already going to buy Mariah outfit which is her daughter. What should I do? Find someone or pay for her outfit?
If only I would win the "One Love Contest" then things would be solved! The whole bridal party would not have to pay for their outfits! Then I could have another bridesmaid that is if Michael would go with it. He is set on three members each. I think this is because he really does not have many close friends.
Please vote for me:

David’s Bridal "One Love" Contest Sponsored by David's Bridal

Enjoyment and Programs

Michael and I started to design our programs tonight. It was nice to get some input on something. It really seems like he does not care about the wedding anymore. He has been working a lot at work lately and I think that is why. Also, I think because he knows we do not have money at the moment of time.
Any how, I am enjoying planning this wedding. Just been trying to get some ideas for what exactly I want which is so hard because there is just so much. The problem is that I find an idea of what I would like to have then I find something else that would look just as nice.
Have been using WeddingBook on Facebook which is nice to see what other brides are doing, have done or like for their wedding. This gives me opportunities to look at things with an open mind and get other opinions.
Am just ready to really start planning everything. I can not wait to start looking at the ceremony site, reception site, and clothing!
Oh yea, we are going with the heart save the date magnets which I am excited about!

Save the Date cards.

Today I am looking at Save the date cards. I think I have found the one... Just have to show Michael tonight to get a approval which I know he will say yes. There are cheaper than the ones we want in the first place. The ones we were going to to get was 149.99 for 100 which is 1.49 a piece. The ones I found is 82.80 for 72 cards which is 1.15 a piece. The new one is pictured on the left! One on the right is the one we wanted first..
Which do you like better?

Need help! Please vote.. ONE LOVE CONTEST!

Here please go to vote for me at the link below. I enter a contest to win some wedding items like dress, tux, bridesmaid dress, and a few other items! It would really help us and our wedding party. Thank you!

David’s Bridal "One Love" Contest Sponsored by David's Bridal

Update on Wedding Website

Finally we came to a conclusion on a website. We were doing one on ewedding.com but found out the settings we have are only good for 2 weeks so we would not have everything we want on site. I did some searching and found one that was total FREE!!! I love free stuff and we like this way better. Check it out sometime it at the following link:
http://www.mywedding.com/mmreef

Favors

Michael and I went to Walmart last night to get groceries. Any how it was rainy last night so we thought we would walk around Walmart to get some exercise. Anyhow Michael likes to look at electronics and I look at the crafts. So I went on to crafts and right in the craft clearance was some favor boxes. That is right I have my favors picked out for the adults. We are doing buckeyes in ivory boxes. I was going to do dry apples too but they will not fit in the box so I might just make them and set them out. The boxes were 5 dollars for a box of 50 so went ahead and picked up 200. We are unsure about how many guest at this time. We would like to invite most of our friend but do not know if we will be able to afford it!

For the kids on the other hand I am not for sure on them. We would like to have little activity kits for them so they will not get bored during the reception. We thought about coloring books and crayons which would not be to bad. Just about 1.25 per kid. That is if we buy crayon when they come out for school for like 22 cents a box and buy coloring books at the dollar store.

My question is what age do we cut of the kids and go to adults. I thought about the age of 10. I just know we are going to have a lot of kids there.

Wedding Websites

When we first got engaged I made our wedding website at theknot.com which the link:
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/Melissa Brenner&MichaelReef. Well I like the website but I wanted something more on the personal side so I found this website called ewedding.com. Now we have two wedding websites. http://www.eWedding.com/sites/mmreef/ this is the one I think I am going to post on our save the date cards. Feel free to go to both websites!

Photos of guest!

So once again I am looking for things for the wedding. I am trying to get ideas of what exactly I would like to do and have at the wedding. I just don't want an usually wedding. I want it to be exciting and fun for all my guest ages 1 to 100. One of things we do know we are going to provide activities for kids so they will not get bored. Today I am reading post on wedding book on Facebook. One of the ladies needs help finding a spot for her wedding in western Michigan so I start searching. I found this great site that would bring fun for everyone of all ages. It is www.shutterbooth.com. It is one of those picture things in the mall but this one can hold up to 10 people. I think I am going to price it to see if we could fit it in our budget. It would be great to have and they do guest books. One thing that I thought would be nice is to have pictures of the guest in the guest book. I still have to run this by Michael!

Wedding Flowers

The other day I was looking for silk flowers online and came across a place on ebay.com that has wedding flowers. The places is call yesss-I-do-weddings and if they are still in business next year I think I will go with them to get flowers. This way I am using fake flowers and do not have to make the items myself. For 149.99 plus shipping and tax I get a 21pcs. This auction is for a 21 pcs package which includes the following items:

1 Bride's cascade bouquet (11" wide 21" long) (picture)

1 Maid of honor bouquet ( 9-10" round)

4 Bridesmaids bouquets ( 8-9" round)

1 toss bouquet ( 7" round)

1 Groom's boutonniere (1 ivory rosebud, accent flowers, ivy leaf, Ivory and Burgundy organza bows)

9 others boutonnieres (1 Burgundy rosebud, green leaves, ivory accent flowers)

4 mothers corsages (2 rosebuds in Ivory and Burgundy, 1 mini rose, accent flowers, ivy and green leaves, pearl sprays and organza bows)

These beautiful bouquets are made of Ivory, Burgundy and Orange open roses and rose buds - Burgundy, yellow and ivory mini roses, Orange and yellow baby's breaths, accents, greenery and fillers. Handles are wrapped with ivory satin and decorated with an organza bow. Boutonnieres and corsages are all handwrapped. These bouquets are extremely full.
I know they are not what I exactly I had in mind but I do like them!
http://cgi.ebay.com/21pc-Bridal-bouquets-wedding-flower-ORANGE-YELLOW-FALL_W0QQitemZ180038608899QQihZ008QQcategoryZ26380QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

Fake or Real.. Is the question to be thinking about!

I know I am starting a little early but I would like to know what kind of flowers I want to have at the wedding. Been debating about having fake or real flowers. I would love to have real flowers but they cost much these days. Just for a few flowers at the store is like $10.00. Today, I went to Michael's to look at fake flowers to get an idea on what I want. I would like to decide on fake or real soon because if I go with fake I am going to buy them when the fall flowers go on sale/clearance. I would like to have mums, wheat, daisy, lilies, or grassy looking. I will add a picture of what I sort of have in mind. I want my flowers to be red, orange, and yellow. This will add color to our wedding. I just do not know about what I really want. I found some flowers that I do like on the internet such as rusty spider daises, spicy Cheryl mums and two tone bronze mums but these will be hard to find in fake flowers. If you have any ideas please help me..On the right hand side is a rusty spider daisy.

Planning!

Michael and I have talked about having the wedding back home in Portland, Indiana for all of our family and local friends. With gas prices going sky high we do not want a lot of people traveling. I did think about having the wedding here in Angola at the state park. In addition, we figure it would be cheaper having at home because of prices of rentals and food. The only problem we are going to have is to find a carter. I really do not want my family and friends to stress about food and clean up but it may have to happen. We are going to start looking into things in the next couple of months. First we want to talk with church we would like to have our wedding at and set things up there before the reception. The church we have in mind is the Fellowship Baptist Church out by the high school. I went to church there before with a friend and thought it was a good looking church. Also, Michael cousin goes there so Michael is going to talk to his cousin. Probably check it out one weekend we go home at the end of this month or next month. I just want to start getting things organized so we are not doing things at the last moment. Want to be a nice bride in this planning so start me early so I will not have so much stress.

Wedding Date

Michael and I have picked out a date for our wedding. The date we picked out is October 3, 2009 which was a great day for us. The way we picked it was that we wanted a fall wedding and started looking for days in the fall. The dates we came up with was the at the end of September and the beginning of October. This would give us enough time to plan the wedding. THE DATE came by looking at the date 10.3.09. My favorite number is 13 and his is the 9th because those are the days we were born on. Also, I like the number 13 because of Friday 13th. Anyways, now we have an issue with the date. My dad goes to Sportsmen club in Fort Recovery the first weekend of October. Now the question is to keep the date or move the date for my dad? I really want my dad there but I think his hunting stuff is more important then me. I am willing to compromise on the schedule of things but I don't know if I want to change it. Example would be to have the rehearsal at 6pm on Friday so that give me until 5pm to be at Sportsmen. Then we could work something out on Saturday. I thought about having a somewhat evening wedding. Having the wedding start around 4pm so the guys would have to be dressed and ready for pictures by 2pm. I just really do not know at this time. I have to think about it more and talk to Michael. More to come about the date.

Starting on the wedding planning!

Michael and I are planning for our wedding to take place in the fall of 2009. This will give us plenty of time to save money and plan for a great wedding. We want our wedding to fun for our guest. I made this inspiration board on Polyvore. Here it is!

A little about starting our life!

I know this is September 2008 so I started this blog way late. I thought it would a great way to let my friends and family know what is going on in life. Michael and I are engaged and planning a wedding. We got engaged on November 13, 2007. This was my 22nd birthday and it happen right before midnight. Our life together started on February 10, 2003 at Pizza Hut in Portland, Indiana. We were on our first together when he asked me to be his girlfriend. From that day on we just started to fall for each other more and more each day. In May 2006, we moved in with each other to save money on rent and bills. Currently, we are living in Angola right off 69.