Another wedding

Another one of my friends is getting married next year, and I am going to be in the wedding party. I haven't been in a wedding since 2007, when my best friend got married.

Being part of an American wedding can be both a hassle and a lot of fun. It's fun because you get to partake in all the intimate details and "behind the scenes stuff," but you also have to help with arrangements, planning and keeping the bride calm on her big day.

It can also be expensive. This time, I am getting off pretty easy. I think our bridesmaid's dresses came in around $150, and I don't have to stay overnight anywhere since the wedding is in Connecticut. With the hair and the nails and the shoes and the gifts, it will still add up.

I'm still really glad we did our wedding as simple as could be. Well, I guess it could have been even simpler, but I'm happy we only had 2o guests and that we were able to do it in Vermont. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. While others may forget details of their big day years later because they had so many details to remember, I will always remember us throwing m&ms at each other after dinner and eating cheese and crackers in the hot tub.

The wedding story

Fifteen thank-you cards and 105 photo printouts after our wedding, I think I may be ready to tell my story.

As I've said before, I became pretty impatient with people when they were trying to tell me what to do during the wedding planning. Some even called me "Bridezilla." This lasted up until a few minutes before the actual ceremony last Sunday in Vermont.

Not only did the groom, Albie, decide it was a good idea to try to persuade me to walk down some narrow stairs for my entrance when I had specifically said this would never happen because I would trip and fall, but some relatives proceeded to tell me that 3:30 p.m. was "just too early" to have dinner. One of my bridesmaids then insisted on there being dancing during the "reception," which I had requested not to do.

What is wrong with people? is all I kept thinking. This is MY special day, and nobody is LISTENING to me!!!

In the end, it all worked out fabulously. Despite the bridesmaid boquets of lilies never opening up, the best man driving halfway to Canada before finding the right way, and people trying to force me to put my dress on 40 minutes before the ceremony started, everything went smoothly and we all had a blast.

I did, in fact, enjoy being able to boss people around, so perhaps it was good they couldn't follow direction...

Right before the ceremony, my bridesmaids crammed into this room we had turned into a "catch-all" to watch me zip up my dress. In this mess, my photographer managed to take some of the most beautiful pictures prior to the wedding.

When the last car finally pulled up to the house (I could see the driveway through my window) - 15 minutes after we were scheduled to begin - one of my bridesmaids was sent out to tell everyone to PLEASE take their seats as soon as possible. She was very good about it, too.

"We are dealing with a very impatient Swedish bride, so if everyone would just take their seats right now, that would be great!" she said.

It wasn't long after that we all rushed out of there to the tunes of Bach's "Air on the G-string." And I mean rushed. You'll know what I'm talking about if you see the video (posted in six parts in previous posts).

The ceremony went quicker than I had ever dared anticipate. It was about 12 minutes, and that included blessings of the rings, the vows, a reading and several prayers. I'm starting to like the Episcopalean church's way of doing things. (Of course, several things had been cut out during the early stages of planning...)

As I was standing in front of the fireplace, with Judy (the minister) up on the actual fireplace on my left and everyone staring at me from the right, I found out what a good idea it had been to suggest early on that Albie and I take each other's hands for most part of service. It was much easier to concentrate that way, and also much easier to stand up and not worry about passing out.

I wasn't exactly nervous, but it was a bit stomach-turning to think about what we were about to do - right now, as everyone is looking. I am glad there were only 20 other people in the room.

Of course, our minister had picked up the wrong pair of eyeglasses, so she had to do the whole thing from memory. She apparently couldn't see a thing from her program. It didn't become evident to me until the very end, where I mistakenly thought she was getting emotional about her nephew and therefore messed up some of the words.


During the dinner, my favorite part was that the favor bags of m&ms were immediately opened up and people started flining them across the room. I think Albie's uncle was the one who started it, and I threw several in all directions that didn't hit anyone. Albie's dad, however, managed to hit two people with one shot as he threw a candy at his uncle, missed and hit the best man in the head. It then bounced off the best man's head and hit Albie's cousin in the boob.

Cleaning up the chocolates the following day, all I could think was "it was definitely worth it."

When it was time to cut the cake, my grandmother called from Sweden and I had everyone yell out to her. Then Albie's mom got on the phone with her for about 15 minutes, and they must have said some great stuff in some joint langauge because they were both crying at the conclusion of their talk.

Then we couldn't find Albie. The best man had stolen him away and they were sitting in his car listening to music. We finally cut the cake though, and everyone enjoyed it just as much as Albie and I did when my friend Kristen first brough over a test cake to our house. It looked amazing too (more pictures to follow another day).

Albie passed out at 9 p.m. and I spent a few hours having champagne, crackers and cheese with my friends before they all went to bed too. Then I started cleaning and organizing some stuff, and I didn't go to sleep until 2 a.m. (still earlier than my normal bed time).

The following day, we all headed down to the inn where Albie's parents were staying, only to be greated by a very cheery chef who had made up a special treat: Eggs Altoria, named after us. It was basically bruschetta with a scrambled egg base, and it was really good. Of course, Albie was so hung over he couldn't eat more than a few bites. Then he slept through the rest of the day.

All in all, though, it was a very successful affair. Now we're married, and we'll have lots more stories to tell.

Wedding video - Part 6

Wedding video - Part 5

Wedding video - Part 4

Wedding video - Part 3

Wedding video - Part 2

Wedding video - Part 1

Just another day...

Haven't been blogging much, but I'm sure you all know why. The wedding is happening in about 38 hours... We are taking off for Vermont early Saturday morning.

Pictures and perhaps some short video pieces will come next week, I promise.

Sipping a mimosa

Since I started thinking about my bachelorette party a few days ago, I've been craving a mimosa (orange juice and champagne).

There's just something celebratory about them. And, of course, the first time I ever had one was at my friend Andrea's bachelorette party, so I do associate mimosas with parties.

Of course, it was five of nine on a Friday evening when I first thought of the yummy drink. No chance I would be able to make it to the liquor store! On Saturday, I didn't have time to do. And somehow, it didn't really seem like a priority.

On Sunday, I got a nice surprise: One of my friends brought over three bottles of champagne for the bachelorette. "It could be for tonight, or you can save them for your wedding," she said.
We didn't get around to drinking them, but after everyone left, I started thinking about mimosas again....

Of course, we had no OJ at home.

This afternoon, after being a good girl and going to the gym to burn off yesterday's pizza calories (the cheescake and brownie calories I'll have to burn off some other day), I had to go to Wal-Mart to get stuff for the out-of-town gift baskets I was putting together. As I walked past the frozen foods, the OJ was calling out to me!

As soon as I got home (and got off the phone with my grandmother), I popped open a bottle of champagne and mixed up some juice. Now I'm sitting here enjoying my delicious party drink and thinking of my wedding that is less than a week away... It is worth celebrating, right?

Bachelorette party

Today five of my girlfriends came over for a little bachelorette party. We played games, looked for CSI clues, decorated cookies and ate lots of food. No naked midgets, no male strippers and no puking. But I guess I am ready to get married now!!!

15 days...

Only 15 days left now until my wedding day...

More wedding preparations

a Marriage license

a Haircut
a Hair colored
a Teeth whitened
a Tanning
a Table cloths
a Napkins
a Favors
a Table decorations
a Jewelry
a Bridesmaids’ gifts
a Picking a poem
a Taking compatibility test
a Gifts for readers
a List of formal photos
a Menu set

Still left to do:
Manicure

Gift bags for out-of-towners
Gift for minister
Ask my boss about video camera
Thank-you notes for early gifts
Open joint account
Get rings engraved
Find out how/where to change my name
Start greencard application

Passing the test

Today we passed the test for whether we can get married - the pre-marital counceling session with our minister, aka Albie's aunt.

Albie and I eached filled out a survey a few weeks ago - today we got to see the results.

Apparently, we answered a lot of questions the same or very similar. Sometimes, even too similar, in that we both said we are assertive and make the decisions at home, and that we both get what we want most of the time. I do all the cooking and the laundry, while Albie we share cleaning and pet responsibilities.

Religion is something that, perhaps, we should talk about. And oh yeah, perhaps it would be a good idea to actually talk about children and whether we want to have them? I also have to remember to make Albie a beneficiary on my life insurance plan!

We spent some time going over the Episcopalean wedding ceremony again (not as long as the Catholic one since there's no communion, but not as short as if we had chosen a justice of the peace).

I was really glad that the minister listened to me on one point: I absolutely refuse to have it announced at the end of the ceremony that we are Mr. and Mrs. Albert Yuravich, as if I completely were to lose my identity along with my first name.

Of course, she was a bit confused as to how to write it, because my name will now be Maiden Name-Yuravich, and Albie's is officially Toffey-Yuravich (although he never uses the Toffey part). I will not use the Toffey part; Albie will not use the Maiden Name part.

This all would have been so much easier if we could have both just picked Toffey, but this is not an option since his living relatives are all Yuraviches with the exception of the minster. But just think about it... Toffey... doesn't it sound yummy?

Bridezilla blogging

I'm sure you've heard of Bridezillas - the brides or brides-to-be who go from sweet to completely nuts in just a few seconds.

We've all heard the stories and seen the pictures of these women who maul their in-laws and cause thousands of dollars worth of damage after ruining cars, homes or reception sites. Now there are even tests online where you can check if you have turned into Bridezilla.

I don't need to take a test, however - I already know I have.

Friends at work already call me Bridezilla. Mostly, it's because I go off on the littlest things when it comes to my wedding. What I hate the most is when people tell me "well, if you are going to do this, then you must also to that."

"I don't have to do anything," I tell them. "It is my wedding. I know what I want, and that's how it's going to be!"

What I want to say is "It might not be traditional, but just deal with it!"

Then, of course, there was the caterer who huffed and puffed over the fact that even dared suggest food could be served from the kitchen. Oh, and we won't be having matching plates for everyone. How could I possibly work? I mean, how will people know where to put their food if they have a blue plate instead of a green???

I probably should have hinted more towards the fact that everyone of our friends and family can cook really well, so perhaps we really don't need a caterer?

Sometimes, the helpful suggestions from others are the worst.
"There's a great hairdresser down at the center of town. They only charge $23 for a haircut, so you might want to make an appointment there the morning of the wedding."
"To do what?"
"You know, have them style your hair."
"Style how?"
"Blow dry it nicely and stuff."
"You don't think I can blow dry by own hair???"
Geez.

So I took the Bridezilla test a few minutes ago: "Your results: Low-Maintenance Bride. You're a very easygoing bride who knows what getting married is really all about. Give yourself a pat on the back for being so down to earth!"

So there, I guess it's not that bad after all.

Getting our marriage license

Last weekend we were in Vermont checking out the place where we are getting married. We also stopped by Town Hall to get our marriage license.


I had called Jackie, the town clerk and tax collector (it's a small town!), ahead of time to find out what we needed to bring.

"As long as you know both mothers' maide names and the towns where everyone was born, it shouldn't be a problem," she said.


We showed up armed with passports, driver's licenses and state ID cards. "Which would you prefer?" I asked Jackie. "Neither," she said. "There's no need to see ID."


Albie and I, and his mom and aunt, sat down at a large table in the middle of the room and started the paperwork. Albie, of course, found a bowl of peanuts he started munching on. A nice fireplace was letting out heat behind us... all in all, it was the nicest town hall visit I think I've had in a long time.


When we had some questions, Jackie referred to a 2-inch binder that was about half full.
"Is that everyone who has gotten married here in the last ten years?" I asked, somewhat sarcastic.

"Oh no," Jackie replied. "These are all the weddings, births, deaths and divorces dating back from 1994."


Like I said, it's a small town.

Wedding details - for those who care...

My wedding shoes - $30 at Kohl's.

(Can't post pictures of my $150 bridesmaid's dress,

since Albie might see it. If you are really curious,

post a comment or e-mail me and I will send you a pic).

Our sample wedding cake that my friend Kristen is making:

Banana cake with vanilla pudding and whipped topping.

(Of course, it's going to have the little people on top!)

We will get married in front of the fireplace in my

former host father's house in Vermont. Albie's aunt,

a minister, will perform the ceremony. (We are

trying to convince her to stand on the fireplace).

People will sit here and watch the ceremony, in

a church-like room with cathedral ceilings

and a beautiful chandelier (not pictured). If it's sunny,

we'll have some gorgeous natural light from

the huge windows covering the back wall.

And we'll have dinner in this dining room, then

we'll go have a drink in the bar and enjoy ourselves

before we pass out from exhaustion!

Royal engagement

I read on a friend's blog this morning that Swedish Crown Princess Victoria Bernadotte is now engaged to her long-time boyfriend Daniel.

Royalty is a big deal in Sweden, even though they do absolutely nothing to run the country except act as diplomats to foreign leaders and sometimes advisers to government officials, I presume. However, it's just the joy of having a real king, queen, prince and princesses that is so fascinating.

Daniel, a gym owner from Stockholm who is not of "noble blood," has been dating Victoria for seven years. They have may have been living together as well, I am not sure. Now, they finally have the government's and the royal family's blessing to get married.

Being named after the crown princess, who is a year and a half older than I am, I do take solace in the fact that I got engaged first! (Christmas - read about it here). And not only that! Victoria and Daniel are planning their royal wedding for the late spring/early summer of 2010.

Albie and I are getting married in a month! Yup, that's right - March 29, 2009. Exactly one month before our four-year anniversary of our first date. It's going to be a small ceremony away from home.

But don't worry. Just like Victoria and Daniel posted their engagement announcement on YouTube, Albie and I will post video evidence on the web for the whole world to see!

Bride Wars

There's a new movie out in theaters here called "Bride Wars." I haven't seen it yet, but in the previews they show two girls (Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway) who are best friends planning their weddings together. They both dream of getting married at The Plaza, and lo and behold, it's available for three dates very close to each other.

Then something goes wrong.

All of a sudden, the brides-to-be find out their weddings have been scheduled for the SAME DAY. Oh, the horror!

"Well, one of us will just have to change the date," the first bride says.
"Or one of us could change the venue," the other says.

But both want the date, and both want The Plaza. So they start fighting. Kate Hudson's hair is "mistakenly" colored blue; Anne Hathaway's dress is covered with red glittery hearts. And it goes on and on.

While I'm pretty sure I'll end up seing the movie when it comes to DVD, the preview only left me with one thought: What is their problem?

I mean, why does everything have to be the princess-fairytale-it's-all-about-me wedding? Is that really what makes people happy? If they were really best friends, wouldn't it be great to be able to share the day?

When I was a little girl, my best friend and I planned to get married on the same day so we could have a double wedding. It was our dream.

Double weddings are fairly common in Sweden, especially among siblings or best friends. And why not? All the friends and family are already there, so what's a few more guests? You split the cost of the band and the meal, and you have one big party.

If you get the location you want, and the date you want, and your husband-to-be shows up, what is the big deal? I frankly don't see it. Perhaps the movie will give me a clue. I'll have to post an update in six months when the DVD has been released.

The American housewife

I felt like a real American housewife today as I slipped on my sweatpants and took a trip to Wal-Mart without even showering.

I had to pick up food for our cats and our newly acquired fish - Billy. Albie and I went to a wedding yesterday. On each table, underneath the flower boquet, was a beta fish swimming around in a little bowl. We were ordered by the bride to take one home.

Now I'm sitting here watching the the fish, making sure Billy doesn't become the next snack for Sophie or Pip.