Red Pattern

Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Coach's Get Organized: The To-Do List

As we move closer and closer to the Big Day, the wedding planning is starting to get a little crazy. It's not so much that there are things that I don't want to do, but rather there are just so many things to do, and I remember them at the most random times! That last part is what really gets Mr. C. He has been the best partner and helper through this whole planning process, and the man really does have some great ideas, but it drives him a little crazy when I randomly spout off, "Oh, we need to do/plan/decide on this!" and immediately run to grab my laptop or calendar.

I get it - guys and girls are different, and he doesn't always want to pause the TV show to look at styles of napkin folds, listen to ceremony music, or do whatever else it is that I thought of. I, however, love to work on a task the minute I come up with it, but that obviously isn't the best way for our relationships sake :)

Enter, the To-Do list:

There might be a few sneak peeks in that list - I'm just sayin' ;) 
I tend to get a little crazy when it comes to creating/organizing anything like this (I have some pretty crazy budget-related Excel spreadsheets that would blow your mind!*) and the to-do list was no exception. I color coded the list with tasks for me, Mr. Coach, and both of us together. I also broke the tasks into groups based on the type (Cake, Music, etc.)


Okay, so maybe it's not too terribly excessive, but it's certainly not pen and paper. Making the list in Google docs also allows Mr. Coach and I to both access the list (and he can't make the excuse of not having the list to look at ;) )

There are about 60 items on the list at the moment, but I know that is going to increase exponentially over the next few months, and many items are very broad and will need to be broken up into simpler tasks. Overall, I think having the list has really helped us to be on the same page with planning. When I remember something we need to do, I head to the list to type it in, rather than expecting Mr. C to help me with it right away. Having all the tasks he needs to work on in writing lets him plan ahead without me nagging gently reminding him that it needs to get done. I think it's been a really great compromise, and we're enjoying the planning even more. There's something about checking a task of an actual list that makes it much more fulfilling!

Any other good ideas for organizing all of the tasks that need to be done, without driving your significant other crazy? I also loved Miss Dragon's idea of Wedding Wednesdays as a way to combine wedding tasks into one sitting, rather than spreading them out over the week.

*If anyone would like to take a look at my Budget template, or needs some help with their own, let me know!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Wedding Registry: Created!

Registering for our wedding gifts was quick, painless and actually a lot of fun for Mr. Coach and me. We set aside a few hours on one of Mr. C's days off and headed over to Dillard's and Bed, Bath, and Beyond to make our selections.

We had a great experience at both places; employees at both stores were willing to walk around with us and help us choose, but we both preferred to just go at it on our own and then ask questions if needed. Some of my favorite items at Dillard's were our everyday dinnerware, as well as the Kate Spade toasting flutes and cake servers.
 Gordon Ramsay Dinnerware in Maze Blue & Maze White / Images via Dillard's

For our dinnerware, we went with a mix of the blue and white options of Gordon Ramsay's Maze Dinnerware by Royal Doulton. We opted not to register for china because I am inheriting a beautiful set of Royal Albert Old Country Roses from my grandmother. I really like the Belle Boulevard design from the flutes and servers, and I think if we ever decide to buy our own china, I'd like to continue with that set.

At Bed, Bath, and Beyond, we found our bedding set as well as our cookware set, among many, many other things. If there was a point in the day where we got borderline exhausted/cranky, it was at BB&B - that store is just huge, and you don't really how many items they have until you're going up and down every. single. aisle. and looking at every. single. item. Not that I'm complaining :)

Poetical by Barbara Barry via Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Cuisinart Contour via Bed, Bath, and Beyond
Our wedding is semi-destination for almost 100% of our guests in that they will have to travel at least 2 hours to make it to the festivities. My family will be driving from East Texas, his will by flying in from multiple locations. For this reason, we wanted to make our wedding registry at locations that our family and friends could easily access. Dallas has (too) many stores that we both love like Crate and Barrel, Ikea, and Anthropologie, just to name a few. But as much a we like these locations, we knew that the majority of our guest list wouldn't be able to shop there unless they did it online, and many family members wouldn't even be familiar with those names to begin with. We chose Dillard's and BB&B because they would be easy for guests to use and they had great selections, but we also wanted to add the option of guests shopping at those locations if they were familiar with them. We chose to set up an account with Gift Registry 360, which allows us to add items from any store, and create another registry with additional items we like.

A little peek at our 360 List - I am in LOVE with those Hive Vases!

I've really enjoyed this feature because I can add one or two items from a store, without having to set up a registry with them, or having to deal with them not having a registry option. Who knows if anyone will use it, but the info will be on our wedding website with the other registries, so we'll see!

Anyone else's registry process fairly painless or did you have a hard time making selections? I thought we would have a hard time choosing, but I was really surprised to find that it was easy to agree on almost everything.

50% of Wedding Band Shopping, Done!


Mr. Coach and I started our search for wedding bands just a few months after we got engaged. Our first outing was pretty spur-of-the-moment, but left us with a little more information about what we liked and didn't like, as well as how hard it was going to be to match my engagement ring.

Because I can't talk about rings without showing you all my favorite piece of jewelry...

Photos by Megan Fortner
Personal Photos 

Mr. Coach did all of the engagement ring looking/searching/shopping on his own. The only information I gave him was a short list of things I didn't want (no yellow gold & no past/present/future type three stone ring) because they didn't really fit my taste. Other than that, he was on his own (by choice) and I think he did a wonderful job of finding something that fits my personality.

What he didn't do was find a ring that was easy to match a wedding band to, but no complaints - I like a challenge! We started our search at James Avery. We were actually looking for a Christmas gift (or birthday? can't remember) and ended up browsing through the wedding bands. At this point, I really thought I wanted a simple, white gold or sterling silver band to place next to my ring. There is so much going on with the ring, I thought anything more would take away from it rather than accent it.
Athena Wedding Band via James Avery Online / I wish I had photos of the rings together, but I wasn't anticipating getting to share this process with all of you wonderful members of the hive! Forgive me!
Although it looks wide in the photo, the Athena was actually fairly dainty in person. By itself, I loved the band, but it did not sit flush next to my engagement ring, and really did nothing for me as part of a pair. It was at this point that I realized there is the sliiiightest curve in the band/setting of my ring - the center area rounds out just a tad. So, unless I found a band that mimicked that curve, anything else I tried wouldn't sit flush next to the ring.

A few weeks later, Mr. Coach and I headed to the store where he bought my ring, hoping to find a better match.  I tried a few more solid bands, hoping to find a better match - no luck. The salesperson also tried to match the smaller (pavĂ©?) diamonds on the sides of the band, but this was rather hard to do without blowing the budget. Even the bands that did match still didn't sit right next to the engagement ring. It was a little nerve-wracking - I was worried that if we couldn't find a match at the store where he bought my ring, we weren't going to find one at all! (Dramatic, I know.)

Fast forward to our recent trip back to the store - I wanted to get my ring cleaned and we figured we'd do a little more searching. After trying on a few more bands with no luck, I stumbled across this beauty:
image via Helzberg Diamonds


What a pleasant surprise this ring was! With the slightest curve, it sits perfectly next to my engagement ring. Once I realized how much I loved it - I got a little nervous. My past experience with diamond bands was that they were way more than we wanted to spend on a band. The salesperson checked the tag, and with a smile said, "It's on clearance"- My favorite words, EVER. She went to check on the price to be sure, but came back and told us it was marked down to just a little more than a third of the original price, score! After a few minutes of "Are you sure it's the right one? Do you think I'll find anything better?" with Mr. Coach, we made the purchase and it was a done deal. I'm somewhat extremely indecisive about purchases like this, but it was just too good of a bargain to pass up. 

And here is the happy couple, together at last!



Was your engagement ring easy to match or did you have a difficult time finding the perfect partner? I can only hope we will have the same "ah ha!" moment when shopping for Mr. C's ring - here's to hoping!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Take A Seat!

Mr. Coach and I originally debated on whether or not we wanted assigned seats/tables at our reception. On one hand, we aren't doing different menu choices, so there was no need to determine who would be sitting where and getting which meal. On the other hand, we're expecting to fill of the majority of our 120 manimum occupancy limit, so every seat will neat to have someone claiming it. Ultimately, we decided that assigned tables could be a good idea. We can be assured that everyone finds a place to sit and has a spot to enjoy the festivities. More importantly, having assigned tables allows me to find cute little table numbers and make an escort card board :) I have a fun tutorial coming soon for the escort frame, but for now, let's talk table numbers!

I don't know what it is, but I looove looking for table number inspiration online. Whimsical DIY numbers, rustic number holders made from tree trunks, and super sophisticated numbers from black tie events: I love them all!


Image via Wedding Chicks,  Photo by onelove photography
So how in the world am I supposed to choose what our table numbers will look like? Do I make them myself? Print off simple numbers? Order some off of Etsy like these? The list of options goes on!

Some of my favorite inspiration is pictures like these:

Purple and red modern wedding 23

I really like the idea of using unique items for each table, rather than numbers - possibly cities, numbers with meaning (4 - Years We Have Been Dating, etc.) or maybe even the names of some of our favorite songs.

table numbers

This table number caught my eye because it really adds some glamour to the table. Since we're going with all white flowers, it could be fun to have a little sparkle with the table numbers.

Image via Shine Invitations on Etsy
Finally, I really considered just ordering these beauties online and calling it a day, but where's the fun in that!? :) Whether I end up buying them or not, they are so classic and could easily spruce up any table decor.

I would really like to try and make my own numbers, possibly replicating one of the options above. I think any of them could be done with a little work. So, this is where I stand, still swooning over inspiration and trying to decide what I like best/where to begin. Any thoughts or suggestions? Did you purchase your table numbers or buckle down and make your own?

Which of the options above do you like best?
1. DIY Table Names with Meaning/Song Titles
2. DIY Bejeweled Beauties
3. DIY Classic Calligraphy
4. Save some time & buy one of the above options pre-made (tell me which one!)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

My "Valuable" Planning Resources

During my recent move from my apartment to our new home, Mr. Coach picked up a suitcase and with a loud grunt said, "Man, this is heavy. What's in here!?" My response, with a chuckle: "That would be my wedding magazines."

It's a bit of an addiction, y'all. Even though I know they each have the same (lack of) information, and I've already chosen my dress/venue/photographer, I just can't pass by the magazine rack in the grocery store, or step inside Barnes & Noble, without buying at least one bridal magazine.


Miss Bracelet actually did a cool post a while back about how much content (versus advertisements) is actually in these magazines. Martha Stewart was the winner by a good bit, but I won't lie, I'm not biased at all when it comes to choosing. Brides, The Knot, Martha Stewart - The list goes on! I always justify the purchase by telling myself I only get to be a bride for a short amount of time, and when will I ever get to buy a wedding magazine again?, but that's really no excuse for the rather large collection I've accumulated.

What is it about these little pieces of heaven that makes me purchase them no matter how overpriced and under-informative they are? I typically love reading on my iPad and for that reason I hardly ever buy an actual hardback book any more, but with the magazines I just have. to. touch. I keep telling myself I'll think of something useful to do with them in the future, rather than just throwing them away. Maybe pass them on to a friend when they get engaged? But who knows if they would even want them if they're outdated. I could just hold on to them for a while and eventually pass them down to my daughter or granddaughter in the future like Mrs. Pain au Chocolat mentioned here. Who knows, but in the mean time I will continue to plan with these "valuable resources" close by :)

What wedding related item can you just not say no to? And what are you planning to do with the collection post-wedding?


Kate Spade Strikes Again!

Kate Spade is no stranger around these parts. She's already made many appearances here in the Hive, and today is no exception. I'm jumping on the Kate Spade bandwagon and we are trucking right along! As much as I love seeing those gold letters and unwrapping that brightly colored box, I have tried my best not to go too crazy with Kate Spade goodness. Of course, there are always exceptions :)


When Mr. Coach and I registered for the wedding (more on that coming soon), we tried to pick a lot of functional items and things we could really use, rather than just gift or keepsake items. I've since gone back and added a vase here and a picture frame there, but for the most part we were looking at very useful items. Then, these beauties cause Mr. Coach's eye.




Yes, you read that right. My man spotted the beautiful Belle Boulevard toasting flutes, and I couldn't be more proud! I fell in love with them immediately and we added them to the list. Although they didn't have a matching dessert set in the store, when I got home I checked online and found the cake knife and server to complete the set.

I tried so hard to do the details justice - please excuse my lack of camera skills!

After I told Grandmother Coach we had registered for flutes and servers, she scurried down to Dillard's and purchased them for us so we would be sure to have them for the wedding. Isn't she great!? So now, all of these lovelies are patiently waiting to be used when the big day arrives.

I'm going to do my best to make this the extent of Kate Spade in the Coach Wedding, especially since we were lucky enough to have someone purchase these for us, and my wallet is very thankful for that. But, no promises!

So, tell me about your Kate Spade purchases - I know y'all couldn't resist her either ;)

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Premarital Counseling

Mr. Coach and I are not going to do premarital counseling.

I know that the topic of premarital counseling can bring up some debate - some think it's absolutely necessary, some would never consider it, and others fall somewhere in between, unsure of how they feel about it. I'd say that Mr. Coach and I fall somewhere in that last category. We never completely ruled out the idea of meeting with someone before the wedding, but we also never knew we were absolutelywithoutadoubt going to do it, either.

As someone who just finished their degree in Psychology, I am very much a supporter of receiving professional help whether it's for personal issues,  marital problems, or just having someone to be a sounding board while you "vent". I think that getting an opinion from an "expert" can be very helpful. However, I also think that many times, premarital counseling is not so much counseling as it is just fulfilling a requirement. It seems that many couples only do it because they have to in order to be married by a certain person, at a certain place, etc. and don't really benefit. That being said, I've never been married and I've never been to premarital counseling, so what do I know? Not much. But I do know that we decided not to do it.

Mr. Coach and I are religious, our ceremony will be a religious ceremony, and Mr. Coach's former church youth pastor/good friend will be officiating. He does not require that we do counseling with him or with another pastor/church. He kindly offered to fly down and meet with us a few times before the wedding, so that we could talk and ask any questions we might have. We ultimately decided against it, mainly for scheduling and inconveniences sake, but I also just wasn't completely sold on the idea.

I don't want to sound completely naive, but Mr. Coach and I talk about anything and everything, including the "tough" stuff, and I really don't know how much we would benefit from premarital counseling. Along with our wide range of communication, we're both very familiar with things like our Love Languages and personality types from Myers Briggs types tests - things that are typically "homework" in counseling settings. On top of the these things, Mr. Coach also has a great mentor in his dad, something that I think is so important for a guy. His parents have been married over 30 years, and we both have a ton of respect for their relationship. His dad is very open about the learning process that comes with being married, and I think we have so, so much to learn from them - even more than we already have.

So, while we're not going to have any formal kind of counseling, we have decided to commit to working through a pre-marital book together. I did a little research and found this book (and workbooks) by Les and Leslie Parrott. I really like that they each have professional training, one as a Marriage and Family Therapist, the other in Clinical Psychology, and they also focus on growing together spiritually. I also really like the idea of reading the main book together, and working on the personalized workbooks individually - let's be honest, men and women are different. (If anyone is curious, I got all three books on Amazon for about $30)




I know that reading this book together might not give us the same experience as true counseling, but I believe that it will bring up topics that we might not have thought of already, and give us the opportunity to discuss our feelings and learn to communicate even better. Mr. Coach and I are the ones who are embarking on this journey that is marriage, so I think it's very important than we learn by talking to one another and growing together, rather than being told what to do by someone else.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Anyone else taking a more non-traditional route to counseling?