I’ve been slacking again! Not in the cooking department – I’m still cooking daily (we very rarely go out to eat, and we never ever order in)… but in the posting department! It’s just that I haven’t made anything special or worth posting about. A lot of repeats (kotleti, beef and barley soup), and a lot of meals just thrown together at the last minute (like chicken breasts sprinkled with an ad-hoc conconction of herbs and spices).
So this post is about my other passion at the moment: my wedding!!!
Date? Check!
We’re getting married in September 4, 2009. This is a perfect date for a few reasons: 1) It’s a Friday, so we save money on some of the vendors, 2) It’s Labor Day Weekend!, and last but certainly not least, 3) it’s my Mom and Dad’s 15th wedding anniversary! And the date just looks cool: 09.04.09
Location? Check!

Willowdale Estate
This was a tough decision. I was torn between the Warren Conference Center & Inn in Ashland, MA (the practical choice) and Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, MA (the venue of my dreams… but more expensive and out of theΒ way for most guests). In the end, I went with the one I absolutely loved and the one where I could envision the perfect wedding: Willowdale!
Looking back, it shouldn’t have been such a tough decision. Each time I visit Willowdale, I fall more and more in love with it!
Wedding colors? Check!
Light blush pink, a darker berry pink, and champagne. Like this:




Officiant? Check!
It took me awhile to find an officiant. We wanted someone who could offer Russian translation of the ceremony – and someone who wouldn’t charge us too much for it! The Martha Stewart Weddings website has this great tool where you can put in exactly what you’re looking for and vendors will enter bids for it. That’s how I found Linda Brown. We met with her a few weeks ago and she was wonderful – very warm and friendly, and she had a lot of good ideas for the ceremony. Plus, she has a friend who will do the Russian translation!
My dress? Check!
It was the second one I tried on and I knew right away. I tried on more after that, but nothing compared to it.
No pictures, though. I can’t risk Stas seeing it!! π
My shoes? Check!

Benjamin Adams London - Diaz
I bought these from a wedding/special occasion shoe store near my work (Dyeable Shoe Store). I think I tried on 20 pairs of shoes before finally choosing – it was SUCH a hard decision. I knew I wanted something with some embellishment, and of course they had to be comfortable. When my dress comes on, I’m going to bring the shoes back to the store with a swatch and have them dyed the same color. After the wedding, I’ll have them dyed black so I can wear them again.
Bridesmaid dresses? Check!

Dessy After Six - style 6556
I love these! And luckily the girls do, too! I thought this would be one of the harder things to find, but it was pretty quick and easy! The color is blush pink.
Jr. Bridesmaid dress? Check!

Raylia - style 4288Z
We picked this out last weekend. Unfortunately, the “Jr.” style wasn’t available to try on, and there’s no picture of it, but I think It’ll be perfect. We ordered the shorter version, in 2 light pink colors (I think ‘pale pink’ and ‘baby pink’)
Flower Girl dress? Check!

Us Angels - style 233
… with a light pink ribbon. I’m also going to buy a dark pink ribbon at a fabric store. Light vs. dark may be a last-minute decision for me.
Hair/Makeup Stylist? Check!
I absolutely love my hair stylist. I’ve been going to Renee Britt at Athena Salon in Boston for years now and she always gives me a great cut & color. Plus, she’s super-nice, so going for my haircut always feels like I’m going to visit a friend. She’ll be doing my hair and makeup on the big day. We haven’t had any dry-runs yet, but I have some ideas floating around. For my hair, I want a simple, elegant low bun. For my makeup, I want something bright – no smoky eyes. Something that makes me look radiant yet natural.
Cake? Check! (kinda)
We know who is making the cake… Torte di Venezia. Its actually part of the Willowdale package, so no big decisions there. We just need to decide on a final design and the flavor.
Favors? Check!
This is also part of the Willowdale package… a candy buffet! I wanted to have one anyway, so it’s awesome that it’s included in the price of Willowale! I just need to order bags.
I also ordered personalized match boxes from The Knot. (and I got personalized cocktail napkins to match!)
DJ? Check!
I met Greg Gates at a Willowdale bridal expo and right away, I knew he was the perfect choice. He has years of experience, an infinite number of positive reviews and recommendations, and he offers a great package at a great price. Greg will be doing the music fot the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.
Photographer? Check!
I’m very lucky to work with an extremely talented photographer: Jeff Newcum. His style is exactly what I wanted in a wedding photographer, and I absolutely love his work. I’m so excited that he’ll be shooting my wedding. I think that having a good photographer is one of the most important details of a wedding, because I’m sure I’m going to miss out on so many of the small details throughout the day/night. And I’m going to be so nervous/excited/stressed/emotional that I probably won’t be able to absorb everything going on around me.
Lighting? Check!

"Uplighting" at Willowdale Estate
I’m SO excited about the lighting!! I saw this type of lighting in magazines when I first started planning and didn’t think it would be affordable – but it totally is. Boston Uplights has done many weddings at Willowdale, so they know exactly what to do to make it look perfect.
Registry? Check!
We are registered at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Crate & Barrell.
What’s left?
A whole bunch of stuff! If you ask Stas, he’ll say that the whole thing is planned already. But that’s so not true! There’s still a big list of to-do’s:
Find tuxes
Decide on flowers
Decide on the cake design
Decide on the menu (we have a menu tasting this Sunday!)
Order bags for the candy bar
Put together baskets for the bathrooms (toiletries, etc)
Order a bunch of candles to decorate the venue and the tables
Organize the rehearsal dinner
Finalize and send the invites (which my talented sister designed!)
Do the seting chart
Take care of the programs, place cards, menues, etc.
Plan the honeymoon (New Zealand!)
etc. etc. etc.
(so much!)
Planning a wedding is a lot of work – but it’s fun!
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