Bringing sexy back. Girls vs. Boys.

Adam getting fitted for his tux.

When it came to dressing our fabulous foursome, Adam and I were at a loss. This was also something we hadn't really discussed yet, so we were going in blind. After talking with Universal about the decor at the wedding and the colors they were using, we chose a rich, satin purple as our color. Now, I love purple as much as the next girl, but the truth is this wasn't and still won't be a color for our 2012 celebration. We started our selection process with Halloween colors. As this was a Halloween wedding, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to go big or go home and choose Halloween colors. This left us with orange, blood red, black, yellow, purple and lime green. Adam and I, and Universal, felt orange was too cliche Halloween, so we nixed it. I nixed yellow because I didn't want our wedding party to look like bumblebees. Lime green seemed a little too...something. So, we were left with black, blood red and purple.

We eventually nixed black because so much of the setting would be in black and other dark colors, and we wanted our girls and guys to stand out. Left with the choice between blood red and purple, I chose purple. I know, I know, it is not a manly color. But in my defense, Adam had no qualms with it and I knew my brother looks great in purple. Plus, we had no time. Go go gadget purple.

Adam determining his jacket size.

You'll see plenty of photos soon enough of the wedding, and these photos will showcase KT and Allison looking fabulous in purple dresses and Bill and Keith owning that purple vest like a real man should. Adam and I made a hectic run to David's Bridal and Adam actually picked out the girls' dress. He chose a just-above-the-knee, strapless, form-fitting purple dress that had a black ribbon with two black flowers around the waist. I loved it, and so did KT and Allison. I hope they will find an occasion to wear the dress again and I am forever thankful for their eagerness and determination in locating the dress in their respective sizes with only two weeks until the wedding.

As I suspected, Keith looked great in the purple vest and Bill rocked it without even saying anything about it, and he looked awesome. Keith and Bill both rushed to Men's Wearhouse (more on them later, grrrrr) as soon as the wedding was officially a go to get fitted for their tuxes. I know it's not how they wanted to spend that Saturday, and we thank them.

Trying on the black shirt.

We set our dads up in tuxes as well, but we opted for them to wear a platinum silver vest instead of the purple. We wanted them to stand out from the two boys. My dad had a horrific encounter with Men's Wearhouse in Orlando that resulted in pants that wouldn't stay up, the wrong size vest, threats of cutting said vest down the back to make it fit and my brother ultimately snapping at the employees and demanding discounts. Through all of this, though, he kept a smile on his face and enjoyed the ride.

As for my charming groom, he selected a pinstripe tuxedo with a black shirt and white tie. And he looked a m a z i n g. I couldn't wait to get up that aisle and stand with him! Next up: choosing and dressing our officiate.

Introducing...the wedding party.

In an attempt to make our wedding as "normal" as a wedding on the steps of a haunted house could be, Adam and I chose to select a wedding party. We already had an idea of who we wanted to ask for our 2012 wedding, but that wedding party was starting to look fairly large. Because our guest list was now only 20 people, it seemed awkward to have more people standing up with us than sitting as guests. Plus, as all 20 of our guests are incredibly important people in our lives, it almost felt as if everyone was a member of a small, intimate wedding party. Ultimately, we decided to take this opportunity to have a wedding party consisting of only a best man, matron of honor, one groomsman and one bridesmaid. And lucky for us, this was one of the easier choices we made during our three-week planning process. Who did we choose?

Bill and Adam just before
we got engaged.

First up, Adam's best man. Adam and Bill have been best friends for an eternity, it seems, so this was a no-brainer. I have also known Bill since I met Adam, and we have become close friends over the past six and half years. Bill couldn't wait to give a speech, even though I had to remind him to keep it short since our reception was only an hour and half long.

Me and Kristina last year before
we moved to Vermont.

Next, my matron of honor, Kristina. I kept calling her my maid of honor, forgetting she got married in June! KT and I have been friends since sixth grade and I was super happy to have her stand up for us on our special day. KT met Adam even before we were dating, so she is quite familiar with him and our relationship. She found out about our wedding much later than our other guests, since she was out of the country on her honeymoon, and she immediately sprang into action and got on board.

Keith and I at KT's wedding.

Adam and Allison in Boston.

There was never any doubt in our minds regarding who would stand up for us as our bridesmaid and groomsman. We are both incredibly lucky in that we have great families and great family members who are both blood and friends. What's better than that? It seemed perfect to honor our great relationships with our siblings by having them stand as our bridesmaid and groomsman. Of course, Allison and Keith have known each of us, separately, since the day they were born. It felt awesome to have two people next to us who knew us so well. Over these past six and half years, Adam and I have gotten close to each other's siblings, and it was such a joy to have them so close to us on our big day.

Adam and I are big believers in both sides of the wedding party standing for both the bride and groom, not just the boys standing for Adam and the girls standing for me. At the end of the day, we had four people standing up for us who love us both and support our relationship, which is such an invaluable thing to have. We are forever grateful to Bill, KT, Keith and Allison for helping us along the way with shopping for wedding dresses, shipping bridesmaid dresses from Ohio, renting tuxedos, checking in and calming us down and for simply being amazing. You officially rocked our world.

With this ring.

Given that our original wedding date was still over a year and a half away, Adam and I hadn't given a ton of thought to our wedding bands. I knew that I loved my engagement ring so much that I wasn't sure I wanted to put anything else next to it and Adam knew that he hated jewelry and wasn't sure he could wear a wedding band every day. With this knowledge, we headed over to our favorite jeweler here in Vermont and she was eager to help. She spent months meeting with Adam and helping him pick out my engagement ring, so she was ecstatic to assist with this step.

I found my ring pretty quickly, but it still took me a bit of time to make the final decision. I opted for a band that is a little more funky and expressive of my crazy personality. It is a thin band, white gold, and it has tiny circles of diamonds and tiny rectangles of rubies. Rubies! I loved this band because of the rubies; most girls don't get bands with anything other than diamonds in it and this band seemed very unique. I love the addition of the red, and I thought it was a great choice to symbolize our insanely unique and special wedding.

Lauren and Adam snapping photos of the rings.

Adam had a bit more trouble selecting his ring. He quickly narrowed it down to two choices and proceeded to ponder these choices forever. He was torn between things like weight and metal and appearance. We also weren't sure if we planned to get additional rings in 2012 to commemorate that experience. In the end, Adam realized that he is a one-ring guy and would not be getting another ring. I am still uncertain, but I am leaning toward keeping just the one band for 2012 as well.

Adam trying on the ring he         
would eventually choose.            

After what seemed like an eternity, Adam opted for a platinum band that has a hammered appearance. He loves how heavy it is and surprisingly, he wears it all the time and hates to take it off. I'm really happy with the choices we made for our rings. At the time, it was hard to make a choice because there was so much pressure to choose something quickly. But, as I learned with all the other choices we had to make quickly, less time can often mean you go with your gut, make the right choice and don't turn back.

I promise to post photos of the rings! I am hoping Universal's photographers snagged some shots of them at the actual ceremony, but if not, I'll take some shots here and post them. Up next: our wedding party!

And then the shock set in.

Immediately after I received the e-mail from Universal Studios saying we won the contest, I went numb. I couldn't think, I couldn't speak. Adam was at work, so believe it or not, I didn't call him first. Through the course of the evening and the days that followed, Adam and I called our families and closest friends and received a myriad of reactions. You see, not everyone knew we even entered the contest. My mother laughed, saying she knew I would win. My dad said, "April! You have to do it; this is the coolest thing to ever happen to us!" Some people were confused, as they didn't even know what Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) was. Most everyone was shocked. Adam's sister got over her shock fast and spent a solid ten minutes screaming with joy in my ear. Everyone had questions, and I had no answers. I knew nothing. I had a short e-mail and nothing else.

Well, of course, we said yes. I mean, c'mon? I've wanted to marry Adam for six and a half years now, so I certainly wasn't going to pass this up. And even with the stresses and sacrifices, we knew it was a once-in-lifetime adventure that we would remember forever.

After we said yes, a lot of things happened in a very short amount of time. Adam and I scrambled to narrow down the massive list of friends and family to just 20 guests. 20! We rendezvoused with Universal Studios via phone conferences and discussed cake flavors, reception menus, media presence and officiate information. At one point, I remember looking at Adam and saying, "Did we really just get off the phone with about seven staff members from Universal Studios?" Lucky for us, Universal served as a great wedding planner, but there were still things to be done on our end. And boy, were they big things. First, we needed to sign the contract. This was fairly easy. See?

Standing in front of the bank after we got
the contract signed and notarized.

Filling out the FedEx form so we could send
the contract to Universal.

Adam standing outside the FedEx building
after we mailed the contract.

Second, we needed to buy wedding bands. This was very difficult. We hadn't even thought about wedding bands. Well, we bought them and I adore them. My next post will be about the bands. Like that little tease?

Third, we needed to choose our wedding party and our officiate and dress these people and dress ourselves! While the wedding was a Halloween theme, the guests were to dress as one would normally dress for a semi-formal wedding. And Adam and I were to wear typical wedding clothes. Which means, I flew to North Carolina the weekend before my wedding on a wing and a prayer (is that the phrase?) with the hopes of finding a dress. Don't worry, faithful blog readers, I have plenty of photos of that experience. Oh the fun we had!

So many tasks, so little time. But you know what? I've never had so much fun doing something so crazy. Life is both one giant adventure and a block of time full of mini-adventures. I think this might just be our greatest adventure yet. (Subtle nod to Inglourious Basterds there. Hey, I'm still me.)

Next up...picking out our wedding bands. AKA, April makes a semi-quick decision and Adam stands for nearly an hour contemplating.

We got hitched!

This weekend was by far the best weekend of my life. Friday night was incredible. Surrounded by friends, family and evil scareactors, Adam and I were married on the steps of a haunted house at Universal Studios. It was surreal, magical and totally crazy. We're back in Vermont now, no longer living in sin!

I can't wait to share everything with my faithful blog readers. You're about to embark on the wildest adventure ever. Get ready to hear all of the details, from signing the contract to dress shopping to partying with Jack the Clown. I hope you're ready...

XOXO
Mrs. Cochran

The Story You've Been Dying to Hear.

I'm back. Blogging about your wedding isn't easy when...wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. In my last post, I alluded to a huge, life-changing e-mail and something wicked coming. And you've been on the edge of your seat since then. C'mon, I wouldn't be a good writer if I didn't know how to pen a cliffhanger. So, you think you're ready for the news?

Every year, Adam and I hop down to Universal Studios in Florida during the month of October for a celebration called Halloween Horror Nights. It is one of my absolute favorite times of the year, and we love it. At night, the entire park transforms into eight haunted houses, six scarezones and insanity. Every year, I run, screaming out of houses as I am chased by Freddy or Leatherface or some random scary guy. I know what you're thinking...how is this fun? Well, for a girl who loves horror films and Halloween, this event is pretty much the Holy Grail.

This year, Halloween Horror Nights ran a contest for engaged couples. You see, Universal Studios plans to offer wedding packages now. Engaged couples can get married in front of the Jaws ride or at Halloween Horror Nights, etc. To kick off this new service, Universal ran a contest for engaged couples to win a wedding at Halloween Horror Nights. I thought, "Oh, how fun and awesome that is!" and sent in 200 words on why Adam and I wanted to win and a Halloween-themed photo of the two of us. Of course, I sent the photo we used for our Happy Halloween cards last year. Remember?

The contest winners were randomly selected and normally, this should have excluded me. I've never won a damn thing in my life. I don't know how it happened, and frankly, I'm still unsure it did. It is possible I am stuck in a dream. Adam and I did some serious thinking about Inception, and I think the movie might have become a reality. I mean, it'd be totally fitting for me to get stuck in a dream due to a movie. Right? Right?

The thing is, it's not a dream. I'm gonna give it to you straight, faithful blog readers. Adam and I won the contest. We are, in fact, to be married on the steps of a haunted house at Universal Studios in about...10 days.

The past week has been a whirlwind. A million emotions and questions run through my mind constantly. I feel like Adam and I should issue some sort of press statement to you all. We couldn't speak about our victory until Universal officially announced us, which is why it took so long. Here's what I can tell you. We are ecstatic to be given this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. For two crazy kids who love Halloween, this is a dream come true. A lot has changed since last Monday. We're getting married much, much sooner than we planned. And we are getting married in a much different way than we planned. And we are getting married in front of a much, much smaller amount of people than we planned. But, even with all of this change, we still have the most important constant on our side. Adam and I are in love and we can't wait to be married.

Now, I imagine there are several thoughts running through your head right now. First, you think we're crazy. I wouldn't question you if you thought that. I often think I must be certifiable to go on this wild ride. But, you know what? It's maybe not quite that crazy. I've never been one to do things the "normal" way and this wedding will allow Adam and I to express our crazy, non-normal side.

Second, what about 2012? Here you are, reading my blog day in and day out, listening to me plan our 2012 wedding and now we're getting married in 10 days. Well, here's where you might think I'm even more crazy. We're still going to have the wedding in 2012. But wait, won't we legally be married already? Yes. But in 2012, we still want to have that "normal" ceremony and reception in front of our family and friends as planned. So, I'm still here. I'm still a blogging bride. How many girls get to have two weddings to the same, wonderful boy? I'm guessing not many. I can't wait to stand on that haunted house and marry my Prince Charming, but I also can't wait to stand in a more typical wedding location and marry my Prince Charming all over again in front of all our friends and family. And hey, if the whole thing's already crazy, then why not throw even more crazy onto the pile?

Third, winning this contest came with a bit of stress and some sacrifices. Only 18 guests are allowed to accompany Adam and I on this wild adventure and it was impossible to choose. I hate that my first wedding (that sounds funny!) can't have everyone there, but I know in my heart that the second time around will be just as special and rewarding. While everyone is not with me, I'll be thinking of each of you during our special day. And fear not, I plan on blogging about every bit of this crazy 3-weeks-until-our-wedding process. I have tons of photos to show you and since I can't bring you to Orlando, I'll bring you along via blog. In the end, you might see us around. A ton of media will be present and you might spot photos or video of the wedding online, in the newspapers or on TV. Who knew I'd be getting married and becoming a sort-of celebrity?

I can't wait to tell you everything we've been doing this week and plan to do before we get hitched. My next many posts will recap all of these events. There's information on my Facebook page linking to the announcement about the contest. And don't forget, we'll be tying the knot again in 2012! Hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Something Wicked this Way Comes...

[THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28.]

Yesterday was an ordinary day. Adam went to work. I went to the gym. I chatted with Allison (Adam's sis) on the phone and caught up on her life. I had lunch with Adam at the pharmacy. He bitched about the renovations, I told him Allison has an old Halloween costume I can use this year. Same old, same old.

I watched copious amounts of an America's Next Top Model marathon in the afternoon. That show is addicting. Plus, it was the season where all the girls are super short, so I had to watch. I got irritated with the amount of telemarketers calling the house despite the fact that our number is on the "Do Not Call" list. Minutes, hours, passed and everything was the same.

Until 4 o'clock. When everything wasn't the same anymore.

Yesterday, at exactly 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I received an e-mail that rocked not only my world, but the worlds of several people close to Adam and I. Now, don't worry! It was a good e-mail. I know what you're thinking...if it was a good thing, then why is the post called "Something wicked this way comes"?

Here's the thing, I can't tell you yet. I can only promise to tell you as soon as I can. What I can tell you is something big is happening. Something amazing. Something once-in-a-lifetime. Something wicked.

Stay tuned. You're never going to believe it.

Great Expectations

**Little known fact about me, I can't stand Charles Dickens. I hated Great Expectations. I dislike Dickens because he seems to take about three pages to make a point he could have made in about two sentences. Way, way too wordy. But, I digress.

Wedding expectations are like the "Are we there yet?" of road trips. Every time I think, hear, say or write about an expectation related to my wedding, I just want to whine, "Are we there yet?" I hate expectations. You know how I feel about Should, which is a relative of an expectation. Sometimes I wish the only thing people expected during wedding planning is that the bride and groom will actually get married. Alas, we are all human. We have thoughts, opinions and expectations. Part of planning a wedding is fielding said expectations and not driving yourself crazy over them. I am the kind of girl who could care less about what others think. Harsh, I know. And, I'll be the first to admit this quality is both a good and bad one. In fact, I know several people who would just call me brutally insensitive. That's fine, it's something I am working on. To that effect, I am trying to find a zen-like balance in planning my wedding surrounded by expectations. While I would normally greet any expectations with a "I don't care what people are saying/thinking, I will do what is best for Adam and I" attitude, I am trying to change that to a more open, "Let me ponder that expectation and examine all angles of it. In the end, I will do what is best for Adam and I without crushing the hopes/dreams/wishes/desires of others to smithereens."

So, what kind of expectations am I talking about here? Well, there are the easy ones. People expect a ceremony and a reception. Done. People expect food. Done. People expect an open bar for the entire wedding. Say what? People expect to be invited to the wedding despite the fact that they wouldn't know who I was if they walked by me on an empty street. Hmm. And then there are more difficult expectations. People expect only traditional "wedding reception" music to play. It'll happen, but other music will happen as well. People expect to be assigned to the same table as certain other guests during dinner. Wedding party members expect to sit with their significant others at dinner, even if their significant other is not in the wedding party. People expect to make a toast at the wedding. And finally, there are the really, really difficult expectations. People expect all members of their family to be invited if they are. People expect their young children to be invited. People expect to be part of the wedding party.

And, let's not forget, I have expectations too. Tons of them. I am at fault as well.

Lost in a sea of both others and my own expectations, it's hard to keep your eye on the prize. I've only been engaged roughly six months, but this I have learned: I cannot please everyone. I can adopt a zen-like attitude toward these expectations and curb my normal insensitivity in an effort to be a bigger person, but in the end, someone will still be unhappy. While this should not stop me from attempting my zen, it also will not be the death of me. I will not drive myself insane because of these expectations. I won't be the girl who screams, "It's my day and that's what matters." I am nicer than that. But, I do hope that every person who has an expectation will perhaps realize there is a bigger picture.

Expect this. At some point in the not too distant future, two people who love one another with every cell in their body will commit themselves to eternity in front of those they love and cherish. They will stand proudly, smiling outrageously, possibly crying, stuttering nervously and laughing dorkily in front of you as they publicly declare, "You are the only one for me." I can promise nothing but this. And this, and only this, is what matters the most.

Is anything sacred anymore?

My brain often works in funny ways. You know, how sometimes you'll think of something, which then reminds you of something else, which then reminds you of something else, and about five minutes later you're thinking about something totally unrelated to your first thought and you have no idea how you got there? Well, I always think like this. My mind is a mess. Messy, messy, messy. {That is a quote from the Disney movie Winnie the Pooh. My mind also recalls movie quotes all. the. time. But, that's just me.} So, the other day (a popular Southern phrase which can mean yesterday or 4 weeks ago), I was thinking about my blog. And then I thought about my most recent post on those awful, embarrassing photos. And then I thought about this girl I used to know who hated when I posted photos on Facebook of her because she often found them horrifying and did not want the entire Internet, a.k.a the world, to see her like that. And then I thought about how her frustration with my photo posting led me to no longer post photos on Facebook because it was too much work and too hard to please everyone. And then I thought about how I, in fact, do not like it when people tag me in Facebook photos, simply because I'm not entirely comfortable with my life appearing on computers across the universe. And then I thought about how I wish I could stop people from posting photos of me on Facebook altogether, but I can't, so at the very least I will continue un-tagging myself. And then, Say Yes to the Dress came on and I thought about my wedding. And then, my brain connected Facebook, my wedding and photographic privacy. Well, of course, a real debate began then.

After sampling the way my brain works, I'm not sure you're interested in reading this post anymore, but we'll give it a go regardless. Here are the facts. I am uncomfortable with the lack of privacy social networks such as Facebook create. Sure, I have a Facebook profile, but the information on it is extremely limited and my privacy controls rival the Pentagon. I guess I just feel exposed and somewhat violated. To me, the Internet is like a black hole. Once you drop something in it, you're not getting it back. You can post photos on Facebook and only let your "friends" view them and you can even take them down after a limited time, but the reality is, they are gone. Someone could have grabbed some of those photos from your album, sent them to so-and-so, who sent them to so-and-so, who saved them to her hard drive, which was eventually stolen by a gangsta who created a sick shrine of your photos in his apartment. Now, I know this is an exaggeration, but the point is, once those photos go up, you don't know where they go. They are no longer yours, they are essentially the property of the Internet. That being said, I am uncertain that I want my wedding, an intimate, private, cherished event, to be dropped into the black hole of the Internet.

It's not entirely a vanity issue - I don't freak out when others post ghastly photos of me, I tend to laugh it off and remind myself to never look that hideous again - but, it would be sort of annoying to plan, prep and dream of this wedding only to check my phone while boarding my plane for my honeymoon and find blurry, badly shot photos of my special day on the Internet. So, there's that. Plus, as I argued above, I just think it's a private event. I'm not the Bachelorette getting married on ABC or a Kardashian girl. The entire universe is not supposed to witness my wedding. And while people will come and snap photos galore (which is totally fine by me), for the purpose of keeping them or sharing them in real life (not the web) with others, posting them to Facebook shares them with everyone.

I bet at this point, you're thinking, "April does not plan on posting photos of her wedding on Facebook." And, you're right. But here's the thing, I don't think I want others to either. This is where the debate gets tricky. I read a lot of wedding blogs and this is a hot issue. Some girls believe it is totally "bridezilla" to ask guests (via word of mouth or signs on the tables) to not post photos of the event to Facebook. While other girls believe weddings are sacred and not to be viewed on Facebook. Some girls even attempted a compromise by setting up an online photo sharing account with programs such as Shutterfly (these programs have a user name and password) and inviting guests to post photos there. This enables all the guests to view and share photos, yet it is much more protected and limited than Facebook.

Obviously, my mind is very messy regarding this topic. There is a lot to think about and the last thing I want to be is a "bridezilla." But, it's 2010, and it will be 2012, and the Internet is a huge part of people's lives. Issues of Internet etiquette regarding weddings are bound to come up. My wedding day isn't just another day to me, and while I love that people will want to excitedly show others snapshots of that special day, I'm not sure Facebook is the appropriate way. Plus, uploading photos to Facebook is so easy now, that it often becomes a distraction and annoyance. For example, I attended weddings where members of the wedding party and guests were constantly uploading photos from their cell phones to Facebook as the wedding was happening. Would it kill people to put the phones down for one day and take a breath and celebrate something so incredibly special? Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe uploading photos to Facebook (while you're at the wedding or after) is people's way of celebrating something special. So, help me out. What do you think? This is a topic I could really use some opinions on, so let it fly.

CAUTION: Highly embarrassing photographs to follow.

Oh, devoted blog readers. You. Are. In. For. A. Treat. Remember my post weeks ago about how Adam and I met? And, how ridiculously embarrassing photographs of me staring up at Adam like he was some kind of Greek god were captured during this meet-cute? Well, I thought the photos were gone forever. When they were initially posted on the Delta Sig website, I did not save them to my computer because I was MORTIFIED. Seven years later, I never thought I'd see them again. Enter Bill Marsh. A great, great friend of ours, and a fellow Delta Sig, Bill was so delighted and intrigued by my telling of this story that he sought out to locate these photos. He contacted fellow frat brothers and searched high and low for them. Well, kids, he found them. I will admit, I hoped dearly that I had exaggerated my telling of the story and that the photos were, in fact, not so bad. Fat chance. Bill had a good, long laugh after seeing them and assured me they are, indeed, pretty bad.

Lucky for you, I'm not ashamed of these pictures. Sure, I look like a school girl sitting in the front row of a Justin Bieber concert, but what can you do? Some may say it was love at first sight. Therefore, I feel it is only my duty to follow through and show everyone these photographs. And truth be told, I am actually really grateful to Bill for locating this memory for me. After all, it was the first time we ever met, and I am glad we have photos of it.

Without further ado, here are the photos. It was a bit dark (after all, it was at a club) so the photos are not a great quality. The upside for you is no amount of quality loss can cover up this debacle. It shouldn't be hard for you to spot me. I'm the girl breaking her neck in an attempt to gawk at Adam. Enjoy.

That's me, on the right. Clearly enamored.

This is the worst one, I think. Not only am I staring up at Adam, but I appear to be the only one.

So, there you have it. In all its glory. Bill insists we should post these photos in large format at the wedding. What do you think? Haven't I suffered enough?

Tackling Tacky

Engagements bring many joys, one of which is the registry. I cannot wait to register. I cannot wait to hold that little gun scanner thingy in my hand and zap, zap away. With our long engagement, Adam and I are waiting until closer to the wedding to register. We don't want to register too early for fear of items on our list discontinuing. Plus, we just want to save the registry process and still have it to look forward to. That being said, not everyone is a fan of the registry. Case in point, my mother. My mother loves purchasing gifts and always puts a great deal of thought into what she buys. She is a fervent opponent of the gift card, as she thinks it lacks the personalization a gift should contain. My mom does not like registries because she believes they suck the fun out of buying gifts by simply telling people what to get the couple. While she can see its purpose for items that need to match, such as dishes or sheet sets, she doesn't see its purpose otherwise. I of course, disagree, and often remind my mother that while she loves purchasing gifts and pondering about what to buy, not everyone does. Some people find it helpful to be given a wish list, especially people who do not know Adam and I well enough to know what we already own and/or want and hate trying to think of a gift to buy. I imagine a lot of people agree with my mom and a lot of people agree with me.

Registries are a hot button issue, and a lot of the debate surrounds the tackiness of it all. There are two tacky issues surrounding registries that concern me, so I thought I'd turn to the blogosphere to hash them out. First, many people (mostly older, I'll admit) find it tacky to register at stores other than the traditional department stores or a Target/Bed, Bath and Beyond variety. Many couples are now registering at stores such as REI for camping gear and outdoors equipment. Personally, I love this idea. If a couple enjoys camping or other outdoor activities, why shouldn't they register for those items? Plus, as a purchaser of many a wedding gift, I would have loved the option to buy the bride and groom a lantern or set of croquet clubs instead of a boring toaster. Adam and I would love to register for non-traditional items at non-traditional stores, but is it tacky? What do you think?

The second tacky issue involves notifying people of your registry. Basically, you shouldn't. (There he is, evil Should...I told you he lurks around corners and blindsides you.) It is apparently tacky to put registry information on your invitation because it implies that every guest should bring you a gift. Some people think it is not tacky to put a separate card in with the invitation that contains your registry information, but the jury of tackiness is still out on this one. Most people suggest using word of mouth and encouraging both sets of parents to spread the news to each side of guests. Or, with technology running rampant today, a lot of couples are advertising their wedding website on the invitation and then listing their registry information on their website. This is sort of a tacky loophole. So, what do you think? What is the best way to notify guests of a registry? Now, you know how I feel about Should, but in this case I certainly don't want our guests to think we are greedy, little bitches who only want them to come to the wedding so they can bring us a fabulous gift. Speak your mind below and let me know how to avoid being tacky.

Clueless Bride-to-Be Seeks Advice from Smart Blog Readers

2009 Halloween photograph shot by Cade Bowman

In a mere month and a half's time, my favorite photographer and high school classmate will fly up to Vermont and shoot our engagement photos. Adam and I are extremely excited for Cade's arrival and we have a ton of ideas for our shoot. Cade is no ordinary photographer; he has a photojournalist edge, loves to push the creative boundaries and turns out photos that are anything but run-of-the-mill. While many brides strive for the couple-sitting-on-lawn-or-bench-staring-fondly-at-each-other brand of engagement photos (and that's totally great for them) this is not what we want. I mean, c'mon, you've seen the Halloween photo we sent out (which, by the way, was shot by Cade.) We want creative, unique poses juxtaposed with anything but ordinary buildings and settings. We plan to use props and fabulous clothes. In short, these engagement photos will rock!


As I dream of my engagement photos, it occurred to me that I have no clue what couples do with these photos. I knew we'd get some blown up and scatter them throughout our house and I knew that we would give our parents some photos as gifts...but what else? We don't plan on designing a photo Save-the-Date or invitation, so that doesn't really fit. Perhaps other family members and friends will want copies? Or perhaps we'll just keep them for our pleasure and use them to make a photo book guestbook or something for the wedding? We also might use them at the wedding reception or ceremony in some fashion. My Mom didn't have much insight into this, as she quickly discovered she didn't know anyone who'd gotten engagement photos other than to use in the local newspaper. I don't think we'll be using them for that purpose, simply because Adam and I think it's a waste of money and doubt anyone in our small towns care about our upcoming nuptials. So, I turn to my wise blog readers. Surely some of you have taken and/or know others who took engagement photos. What did they do with them? What should we do with them?

Inquiring Minds

When an engaged couple decides to have a long engagement, such as we did, the novelty of being engaged tends to wear off for outsiders. I know, it sounds terrible, but it's true, and that's OK. Eventually, us being engaged becomes pretty normal. Our engagement used to be the topic of frequent conversations, we received "You're Engaged!" cards and gifts from friends and family and were subjected to a constant stream of wedding questions and suggestions that occasionally felt as if we were taking part in the wrong end of a firing squad. This stage was fun, and now we are in a different stage. Every one's still excited, but in a long-term, let-me-know-when-something-exciting-happens kind of way. There are benefits to this stage, too, because it allows Adam and I to really think and scheme and plan. At this point, only every once in while, do I get one question. People now ask, "What have y'all planned already and what are you working on now?"

What are we doing now? The truth is, we're still not doing hardly anything. As Adam put it some time ago, "We talk about it and talk some more, but we're not actually doing anything for real." Our wedding is over a year and a half away. We talk a lot about it, we gather inspiration from magazines and websites and we make many lists. Lists of projects we plan on DIYing (do it yourself) and lists of tasks we should be doing during these early planning months. I know what you're thinking. Time will start to fly soon and we'll be outta time. {10 points to the first person who can name the movie in which "OUTATIME" is featured on the license plate of a main character's car.} So, yes, I am keeping this in mind. I don't want to run out of time either. At any rate, I know people are wondering, so here is what we are actually, currently doing with the wedding...drum roll please...

1. Researching venues online. Compiling list of venues, with a ton of information about them, for final consideration and tour. Becoming frustrated with lack of venues that contain all of our wants and desires.
2. Researching caterers (in the event we can score a super sweet venue that allows outside catering) and researching bakers. Becoming hungry from this research.
3. Contemplating our wedding party. You're not getting anything out of me on this topic.
4. Deciding on our color scheme. Yes, we have one. No, I'm not telling you.
5. Gathering inspiration for and imagining our Save-the-Date cards and invitation suite. Loving the fact that I'm a graphic designer and can do all of this myself.
6. Booking our photographer. Check! Who knew the guitarist and singer of my favorite hometown band in high school would become an amazing and talented photographer?
7. Discussing our budget. Fun. Times.
8. Engaging in heated debates about music. At least we know we'll have some.
9. Wondering how much it costs to rent tables and chairs and not feeling particularly excited to look it up.
10. Trying to convince Adam it would be insanely fun to break a glass at our ceremony, despite the fact that we are not Jewish and some may find this offensive. So far, he's not buying it.

Whew. It sounds like a lot when I type it, which obviously means we are doing a lot! What do you think? Are we doomed to run outta time or are we still looking good?

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!

Man, how I wish a fairy godmother would appear out of nowhere and design a beyond fantastic wedding dress for me. That's not such a big request, is it? Since Adam and I are not getting married for a couple of years, there is no pressing need for me to dress shop just yet. After all, styles change and my style is constantly evolving. The last thing I need is to pick a dress tomorrow and realize three months prior to the wedding that I hate it.

But...I am a girl...and a girl who loves fashion. So, I can't help but leaf through countless wedding magazines and peruse endless slide shows on the Internet, searching for a dress that speaks to me. Unfortunately, seeing dresses on the Internet or in print isn't quite the same thing as trying them on. And while I've yet to find any dress in a magazine or on the web that I immediately knew I would love, I hold out hope that trying dresses on will be a whole different ball game. There are a lot of trends out right now that I could see myself rocking. And a lot of beautiful dresses. What's a girl to do? As a preliminary step, I thought it would be interesting to post a few photos of the hottest dresses for fall of this year (they are deemed the hottest by...other people...dress critiquing experts, if you will.) Weigh in and let me know if you could see me in any of these fabulous dresses. Maybe you like the top of one dress and the bottom of another? Perhaps we can just chop them in half, exchange and sew them back together. With so many styles and trends to filter through, I thought some opinions and suggestions couldn't hurt. Discuss away.

Once Upon a Time...

Adam and I at our first Halloween together.

As we plan our wedding, and you spend valuable time reading about those plans, I am constantly reminded of where we started. Great love stories usually begin with a meet-cute, a chance encounter where a man and woman are introduced and their lives of happily ever after begin. Ours is no exception.

Zach and Kelly met in high school, Donna and David sparked while dancing the night away at a school dance, Carrie and Big literally bumped into each other on the street and Adam and April met at a date auction. Yes, a date auction. I know what your first question is, as I have gotten it for about 6 1/2 years now. "Did you buy him?" The truth is, I didn't. I know, I know...but how did our happily ever after begin if I didn't buy him? I'd like to tell you it was fate or destiny or one of those things, but the reality is, it was just smart planning by a girl who was smitten.

Adam was auctioned off as part of a charity function his fraternity was participating in. It was fall of my freshman year at UNC, and I was looking for those quintessential college experiences. My new friend, whom I met in Spanish class, was a member of Adam's frat, and asked if I could please come to the date auction and help to ensure there would be a full house. So, armed with one of my good friends, I arrived at the auction and took a look around. I spotted Adam across the room and immediately thought he was gorgeous. Later, he danced his way down the catwalk, soliciting cries of 60 dollars!, 70 dollars!, 85 dollars! Here is where the story gets slightly embarrassing. I thought no one was watching. I assumed everyone was busy with their lives. All but one person was...the frat photographer. I discovered, weeks later, as I was perusing the frat website (a.k.a. stalking Adam by finding information on him) that I had been caught. There, on the photos page, were snapshots taken at the date auction. When I got to the photos of Adam, I saw a terrible, terrible sight. Everyone in the crowd was talking, smiling and laughing while Adam stood on the stage. Except one. In the middle of the crowd was a girl who was not talking, laughing or smiling. This girl was staring. Staring up at Adam when no one else was. Staring up at him with such purpose that one wonders why her neck wasn't breaking from the strain. A whole crowd, busy with activity, one boy looking in the distance and one star-struck, smitten college freshman with an aura around her as she stared up at the boy of her dreams. This girl was me.

I was mortified. What a terrible, embarrassing photo! After that, I didn't see Adam for months (thank God!) We spoke briefly at the auction, but nothing big, and life went on as if nothing happened. In late January, my friend asked me if I wanted to tag along to another frat function since it was spring rush season and they needed hot girls to entice boys to join. Nice, huh? In a young adult novel, this would be the part where the character determines it was fate that brought her and her crush back together. I'd like to be given more credit than that. My friend was Adam's frat brother, I always knew this. I mean, hell, that's one of the reasons I kept him around (just kidding!) When I was invited to the event in January, I knew Adam would be there. In fact, I asked my friend if Adam would be there. Some call it fate, I call it follow through. I made a first impression at the auction (boy, did I ever!) and now it was time to get my charm on and close the deal.

I went to the event. And I charmed him. After that there were other frat events and dating and drama and perfect moments and imperfect moments and falling in love and an appreciation ring and amazing summers...and...life. And happily ever after.

So there it is. The story of us. Is it what you expected?

Let's Talk about Themes

When planning a wedding, people often fall upon a particular theme to unify all of their decorations, colors and stationary. There are beach themed weddings complete with ceremonies on the sand, starfish on the invitations and vibrant blue colors throughout. There are seasonally themed weddings, such as Christmas, complete with snow, ornaments as favors and holly decorating the tables. Now, most people know that I'm the kind of girl who loves a themed party. Parties I've thrown in the past include an 80's party, Halloween costume parties, a retro slumber party and a movie screening party. I love the idea of picking a super fun theme and incorporating into the invitations and decorations. Plus, themes are just awesome. Anyone can throw a party, but a theme party is a little something extra.

While I'm not sure Adam and I want to carry over my love for themed parties to our wedding, I thought it'd be fun to at least humor the theme possibilities. Here is what I've come up with:

1. Halloween
• It's no secret that both Adam and I love Halloween. Remember those scary cards you received in the mail last year? We could easily incorporate ghoulish touches into our wedding. The centerpieces would consist of jack-o-lanterns with carved out hearts or the letter "A." Black, wrought-iron lanterns would line the food tables and hang throughout the room. Our archway would be decorated with twisty branches and tiny bats. Each guest would receive a trick-or-treat bag full of candy as they departed. Sounds like a wicked good time to me!
2. Movies
• While you may think this is a theme only for me, the truth is, Adam and I watch all our movies together. I make him sit through hours of 80's films featuring John Cusack and he attempts to explain time travel to me while watching every Terminator movie. This would be an easy wedding theme. We could name the tables after our favorite films. We could screen Casablanca on a large screen (without sound) throughout the reception. We could have a popcorn bar at the end of the night featuring different flavors of toppings. And, our invitations could look like a movie poster or a ticket.
3. UNC
• This is the most obvious of the themes. Adam and I met and fell in love at UNC, so it's only natural to consider a Tarheel wedding. Carolina blue would be everywhere! Guests would get cookies shaped like the UNC logo. Our alma mater song would play as we entered the reception. And maybe we'd throw in something to remind people of our basketball legacy...after all, Adam and I saw 2 National Championships while we were there.
4. Books
• Here's a little detail about Adam and I that you may not know. I have always, always loved to read. I tear through books like they're going out of style. Adam enjoys books, but hates the reading part. So, for the past 6 1/2 years, I have been reading out loud to Adam. Yes, that's right. I read the entire Harry Potter series (books 1-7) out loud to Adam. We also read books like The Hunger Games trilogy, the Twilight Saga, Bridge to Terabithia, and many, many more. This could be a fun, unexpected them. Stacks of books would serve as centerpieces. Tables would be named after our favorite characters. And guests would receive a bookmark as a favor. Readings at the ceremony would be from books. Definitely not something you see at every wedding.

With so many themes to choose from, the possibilities are endless. These are only a few. Which do you like? Can you think of more themes that would fit Adam and I? Or how about this, what about no theme other than "we're getting married"?

Have we Met? My Name is OmigodIhavetohaveeveryshoeIsee.

A few weeks after Adam and I first began spending time together, I trucked over to his dorm room to retrieve my forgotten cell phone. No, I did not leave my cell phone in his dorm on purpose. Although, I must admit it worked out quite well that I did. Anyhow, I entered his room and sat on his futon while he went to the dresser and got my phone. When he came back, he looked down at my black-and-white-DC-shoe-covered-feet and said, "You're a shoe person, aren't you?" I burst out laughing and thought, "Oh, honey, you have no idea."

I love shoes. Correction, I live and breath shoes. I could run a Steve Madden boutique out of my closet. Naturally, this means a very big decision is to be made. What shoes will I wear as I become Mrs. Cochran?

Of course, I already have several picked out. As many of you know, I love the tall shoes and I have a bit of a funky style. And, I am a firm believer in the use of colors. So, without further ado, here are the current contenders: 

So, which do you think I should celebrate the next phase of my life in? I confess, I already have a favorite. Can you guess which one?

Meet my Archnemesis: Should

I have some enemies, I'll admit it. People who won't accept my Facebook friend request. It's sad, really, but it's true. Of all my enemies, however, none is more irritating or haunting than Should. You see, with Should and I, it's more than just a mild dislike. I HATE Should. And I doubt Should feels great about me, given my thoughts about him. Should is the kind of guy who follows you around telling you what to do. And when you ask Should why you're supposed to do such a thing, he doesn't have a rational response. He replies with, "Well, it's just something you should do." I hate that. I despise that. I have never, ever been a Should girl. Throughout my quarter of a century, I have seen my fair share of Should girls (and boys), especially in high school. Should ran high school. He whispered evil things in every one's ear. He established the rules of high school survival. The phrase "every one's doing it" was and still is the bane of my existence. I like to think I live a life where I defy gravity every chance I get. And I know, Adam feels the same.

Lucky for me, Should doesn't come around too much anymore. I think he knows the war with me is lost. However, now that we are planning our wedding, I fear Should will haunt my life again. There are many aspects to a wedding, some cleverly renamed as "traditions" or "etiquette", that reek of Should. As Adam and I plan our nuptials, we continue to come across details often seen in cahoots with Should. Details such as: the bouquet toss, the garter toss, the cutting of the cake, the father/daughter and mother/son dance, the wedding party dance, invitation etiquette, etc. People often tell me these pieces should be included in all weddings. Well, I'm sure you know my response to those people. With years of anger toward this enemy, how do we sift through each of these and keep our goal of making our wedding about us and not about Should? In my next few posts, I'll be discussing the pros and cons of some of these traditions (i.e., Should in disguise), in an attempt to hash out whether or not we want them to be included in our big day.


Adam and April vs. Should, Part 1: Bouquet and Garter Toss
I've been to a few weddings, and at all of them, I participated in the catching of the bouquet. In fact, at the most recent wedding I attended, I caught it. The story behind this ritual is that the bride is tossing her bouquet blindly to a gaggle of single girls, each of them hoping to catch it because it signifies that they will get married next. One girl passes her good fortune in marrying a man to another. I've never been particularly thrilled to participate in this activity, and here's why. If you are not in a serious relationship, you don't want to be reminded of this. And, if you are not in a serious relationship and you actually catch the bouquet, its meaning is a bit of a stretch and not so much fun. If you are in a serious relationship, catching the bouquet can be something of a thrill. When I caught the bouquet last month at a wedding, it was exciting because it's true, I am getting married next out of all the girls there. But, it could end poorly if an in-a-serious-relationship girl catches the bouquet and everyone looks at her serious boyfriend and he appears as if he's going to vomit.

Now, I assume the story behind the garter toss is the same, but with men. The groom removes the bride's garter and then blindly tosses it to a gaggle of single men, each one of them hoping to catch it because it signifies that they will get married next. One man passes his good fortune in finding a lady to another. I don't think Adam has participated in this activity, so he's of no help. Personally, I think the garter toss is a bit ridiculous. For one, it can be quite scandalous. Some grooms take it upon themselves to remove their bride's garter in a fashion they learned from a porn film. Another thing, if you look at the "gaggle of men" awaiting the flying garter, they never look excited. No man wants marriage forced upon him by some crazy tradition. The only reason he's there is because his girlfriend shot him a death stare and gave him a you-better-catch-it pep talk. Third, these are boys. They don't want to do this. Face it, they don't care.

As if all of these moments of both tosses aren't awkward enough, tradition then orders the garter-catcher to place it on the bouquet-catcher's leg. This gets especially tricky when the two catchers are related. And yes, I have seen this happen. You don't always create a magical moment where a long-term couple you adore catches both items and they rejoice in the knowledge that they are headed for the altar. Sometimes, it turns out awkward. Or embarrassing. Or both.

I don't know where I stand on these friends of Should. I've seen them result in fun, but I've seen them result in disaster. While I hold no stock in the story behind the tosses, they might be fun to include just as a wedding activity. I mean, we don't let the truth that there's no Santa stop us from celebrating and participating in the stories. What do you think? C'mon, give up your bouquet and garter toss horror stories now, I know you have them. And most importantly, are Adam and I bouquet and garter toss people?

My first love...

As the few of you who actually read this blog probably know, I'm sort of into movies. Ever since I was a wee girl, I've been obsessed with film. Everything about a movie is so magical to me. While I'd like to say Adam was my first love, the truth is it was Jaws. And Norman Bates. I'm a little strange, actually. Jaws changed my life; it gave me my passion for film and years later, Psycho would introduce me to the fantastic world of Alfred Hitchcock. Luckily, Adam shares my love for movies (although not quite as much). He listens and participates in my endless monologues about particular movies and is currently taking part in my greatest quest, watching all the Oscar Best Picture winning films. And trust me, not all of those films are a treat.

So, what does my love for film have to do with wedding planning? Well, as Adam and I dream of our wedding and plan our big day, I'm often reminded of the weddings I've seen in movies. Inspiration comes in many forms, and I'm willing to take it from anywhere. So, what should our wedding day be like? Should we emulate a wedding we've seen in a movie? Let's discuss...

1. Wedding Crashers
This is one of my favorite movies, ever. The wedding in this movie is a huge affair; hundreds of people, some famous. There's a ton of fabulous food, live bands, gorgeous clothes and the beautiful outdoors. There are a lot of great aspects of this wedding, but some negative as well. For one, I'm not sure I want my wedding to be so large and impersonal that crashing is a possibility. I mean, if someone's going to crash my wedding, I'm at least going to give them a challenge. Another negative, the ceremony takes place in a church, and that's just not our style.

2. 27 Dresses
I don't even know where to start. If we wanted to do any sort of theme hardcore, this movie would be my guidebook. But none of these weddings are good for us. Do we look like the Gone with the Wind type of couple? Why is getting married while you're scuba diving a good idea?

3. Where the Heart Is
Adam may work at a Wal-Mart, but I'm not getting married in one.

4. Runaway Bride
So many weddings to choose from. Let's see, I don't want a crazy hippie wedding where I jump on a trampoline to reach Adam. Awkward. Nor do I want to ride a horse to the altar; horses creep me out. There is something to be said for a wedding with only the bride and groom; I like the idea of a personal, intimate moment. However, I would miss...everyone else. None of these weddings really fit us either. Especially the whole leaving-the-groom-at-the-altar bit.

5. The Wedding Date
If you haven't seen this movie, rent it immediately. It's one of my guilty pleasures. Every time it's on TBS (and that's about every other week) I sit down and watch it. I. Love. It. The problem with this wedding is I do not want crazy drama like someone finding out their ex-boyfriend slept with their sister at my wedding. It is in England though, which is awesome. And, the bachelorette and bachelor parties are referred to as "stag and hen" parties. Also awesome.

This is hard. I'm not sure I've ever seen a wedding in a movie and thought, "That is what I want my wedding to look like." Have you? Personalizing your wedding is the biggest planning challenge, I think. People go to weddings all the time, and the last thing I want is a cliche, same-old-same-old wedding. Maybe we'll include all the good parts from the weddings in those movies. Like the crab cakes in Wedding Crashers. Or James Marsden from 27 Dresses. Or the several parties leading up to the actual wedding from The Wedding Date. Or the simplicity of the final wedding from Runaway Bride. Or the great sense of friends and family from Where the Heart Is.

It's not so easy planning your special day. It's too bad there wasn't a wedding in Jaws or Psycho to serve as a rubric.

And we're still engaged.

So, I haven't exactly been keeping up my end of the blog. Ideally, I blog, and you read. Well, I'm sure you've read the first blog about a million times by now. It's been over a month since my first post. In my defense, I was quite busy during that time. I celebrated a great friend's new career, celebrated my Mom's college graduation, barely survived a stomach plague that tore apart my parent's house, partied on a cruise for 7 days and celebrated the marriage of one of my oldest friends. Whew. I get exhausted all over again just thinking about it. But, I'm back. And I'm better than ever. So, we'll now commence the blogging process.

We're Engaged!

We're engaged! I realize the title of this post made that much clear, but I just like saying it over and over and over again. I have no idea how many people will read this blog, but I enjoy writing and I enjoy being engaged, so it's only natural I join the two. Living in Vermont, Adam and I are separated by miles and miles from most of our family and friends, so I thought it would be fun for you to follow us on our wedding journey via this blog. Join us as we celebrate our engagement and plan the wedding of the century!