Stacey and Jules will be coming in town this Wednesday, as will my parents. Ryder will be making it in on Thursday. I'll have all week off work (except Monday), so I should have plenty of time to help with any loose ends and to enjoy some time with family and friends.

See you all soon!

It's funny -- when we started on seating charts a couple of weeks ago, I said, "Wow... everyone said this part was hard, but it's really easy! Everything's falling into a logical place." Of course, two weeks later the table assignments are totally different from when we started, but we worked to put everybody at a table we think they'll be comfortable at.

I've been in contact with the DJ and the music selection is coming along nicely. Hopefully everyone will enjoy a somewhat unique choice of tunes throughout the evening with a few (but not an overload!) wedding standards thrown in. Be forewarned: I have strictly forbidden "Electric Slide" from being played.

Ryan and I have finally gotten our ceremony details straight. We met with Father John and he seems so calm and confident that I feel so much more at ease. We have all the actors lined up and are ready for the performance... well, we still have a couple lines to memorize too.

We talked to Ryan's Aunt Nancy (one of our soloists) for over an hour last night about music- if you haven't heard her before, you'll be in for a treat.

I am heading up to New Jersey next week for a final dress fitting. Ryan is being kept in the dark about the dress but every so often he hears snippets of conversation. I try to purposely mislead him and sometimes he falls for it. The latest image I have given him is that the dress is purple with 3000 bows (polka dotted, of course) and we may add 3000 buttons to it. The magic number 3000 appears because at the last count, Ryan's grandmom Mrs. Rakowski had hand sewn on 3000 somethings. Ryan didnt' know what the "somethings" were and so I told them they were bows. He cringed. I laughed. I'm sure the count is higher. I think I may have to frame the dress since Ryan's grandmom sewed over 3000 somethings on it. Whew!

Yay! My mom is in town and my sister and brother are also in town. It's been fun and I can now relax a little knowing Mom's going to be here till the wedding. I'm worrying over all the little details. With other people helping out, I know they'll remind me of the things I might forget.

Our friend Mariel has done a trial cake for us and it has been successful. Looks yummy!

Two-and-a-half weeks. *deep breath*

Although there's more pressure now that we have under a month to prepare, there's doubly more excitement. I can't tell you how thrilling it is to receive those little response cards in the mail! Ryan and I have started doing the table seatings. He's so funny... he says to me last night, "Everyone says the tables are a nightmare but this is so easy! They're just falling into place."

I have the non-virtual guest book ready to go- we're just awaiting the guests ;)

Ryan and I met with our organist Dr. Cooksey and we are very happy with the music we chose. It really started to feel closer when we were sitting in the church listening to him play some of the possible songs for the processional and recessional. Have you ever sat in an empty church and had organ music blasting away? Quite a beautiful experience. I just love this church! There has always been something about the Episcopalian churches that feels so... right. I can't think of the word but when we first moved into Leesburg and stopped to visit the Episcopalian church, the first woman who showed us the church said exactly how I feel: "Everytime I walk into an Episcopalian church, I feel at home." It feels like I've come home. Maybe I'm getting too sentimental and the big day hasn't even arrived :)

Our church wedding coordinator Kay Gregg is a wonderful lady with a beautiful British accent. She has called me on several occassions to let me know that she's going to be my new best friend. We are her next wedding and then she has seven in the weeks immediately following ours. So she can focus on me now and whip my butt into shape :) She has been reminding me to turn in information for the wedding program as well as encouraging me to get my marriage papers at the courthouse. Whoa! When those papers are in our hands, that should be another reality check that this is really happening. Ok, Ryan, pinch me!

I just talked to Aunt Lillian (Ryan's) who is doing some decorations for us. Talking to her reminded me that we are not the only ones so excited about this event. I want to say thank you again for everyone's help and enthusiasm- our day would not be half as special without you all. We also really appreciate those of you who have had to alter plans and make extra efforts to travel to visit us. Although there are moments when I wish the time was upon us, the anticipation is half the fun. So even though we might stress, I would not give up a moment of this time of planning and preparing. It definitely gives me a great excuse to be in more contact with family and friends that I otherwise might not get a chance to do.