6 MONTHS!

(Tried to find a "6" countdown, but the usually trust Google Image search failed me...)

It's our official 6 month countdown today! I can't believe we've made it this far. Some days it seems like the wedding will never come, and some days I can't believe it's already been 10 months! Let me tell you... we are both so ready to get married. A long engagement sounded like a good idea at the beginning (mostly because we wanted to be married so much that we just didn't want to wait any longer to be engaged and start planning) but now I wish that it was closer. Especially because Lauren and Matt are getting married in May, and we've had several friends get engaged over the last few months.

I spent the day in SB, working on financial aid applications, hiking with my parents, and then banging out the front half of our RSVP postcard on the gocco! We had intended to do more, but somehow I managed to mis-measure the cards, so the design is too big. Those will have to wait for another weekend when I feel like getting a stiff back from stamping the same image 200 times. The cards are spread across the living room right now! I am just hoping that Cooper and Scout decide to stay in the back bedroom and not to dash across the living room, like they are known to do...

Since I haven't really been doing much the past week (trying to figure out my life...), I was so productive with wedding stuff! My mom visited last weekend and we had a great time at the bridal shop for the first time, trying on my dress! I am so happy to say that it was too big- so all that hard work is paying off. We had a great time with the seamstress! After all the drama that was the great shoe hunt, I finally decided on a standard 2.5 inch bridal shoe. It's dyeable (so I can always dye is pink), comfortable (low heel), and my toes don't feel squished.

We also decided that I'll wear a crinoline- it gives the dress such great shape, really showing off the details. The seamstress also started marking where she'll be taking in the dress, but that probably won't happen until April or May, to give enough time for things to change. I also got to try on some veils, and I still can't decide whether I want a long, cascading veil or a short elbow-length one! I am obsessed with pictures like this:

Thanks Scarlett Lillian Photography!

After the bridal shop, we stopped by Walmart and picked up some cheap tulle to make a mockup veil. It was so fun, although we definitely bought the wrong width of tulle. The veil was way too short on the sides! After it was done, my mom decided that since she didn't wear a veil for her wedding, that it was prime time to wear the mockup veil while doing the dishes. After that, we goccoed the back of the invitation envelopes, and introduced my mom to the ways and magic of the Gocco machine!

I then spent the rest of the night crossing things off our "to-do" list- placing orders that I had just put off doing. We ordered gorgeous football mums for the rehearsal dinner, courtesy of FiftyFlowers.com. They'll be delivered 2 days before the dinner.
Ordered this birdcage for our card box (without the weird flower petals):
Created our guestbook from our engagement photos:
And ordered a whole bunch of other stuff... paper for programs, fabric for the veil and for the rehearsal dinner table runners, paper table cloth roll for the rehearsal dinner, postcards and sunscreen for the out of town bags, thank you cards for our favors, and a bunch of other random stuff that I can't remember right now... but am sure will end up on our doorstep in a box over the next week.

The last big "check" on my "to-do" list is the booking of our officiant! I am so relieved that we got that done. After talking with 4 or 5 other local officiants, we've decided to go with Rich Tobin.
He gets great reviews on Santa Barbara Weddings, and I had a really nice conversation with him. I just felt that he fit our needs and wishes the best! He is Jewish, so he'll be able to help us tie some Jewish traditions in our wedding, to honor that side of Jacob's family. Once I mentioned the stomping on the glass tradition, I think Jacob was sold!

We're headed to DC on Friday for the Inauguration and I am so excited!!! Having never been to DC before, I want to see everything... but who knows what the crowds are going to be like. I am not looking forward to standing in 30 degree weather for 8 hours. Being permanently cold, I have stocked up on a warm jacket, lots of hand warmers, wool socks, a new hat, and long johns. Wish us luck!