Organza, Lace, or Pearls? That is the question

Today was my first dress shopping experience!

As any blushing bride would be, I was extremely excited despite the fact that just two nights ago I had a terrible dream about going gown shopping and ending up with a lime green mini skirt.

But I have to admit... dress shopping is not like it is in the movies.

At 3pm my mom and I went to House of Fashion on J st. I explained to the nice woman what I liked and didn't like and she disappeared into the sea of white tulle.

She emerged asking my bra size and handing me the appropriate undergarments.

Then the madness began...I stood there mostly naked while 3 women threw dresses over my head and clipped the 15lb dresses into place. Then I had to shuffle out of the curtains and onto the platform that would show my dress from every angle and made me realize I had a huge bruise on my back from dance class last night.

I must have tried on 15 or 20 dresses and finally was able to narrow it down to 5. Then after trying those 5 on again, I got it down to 4. After almost 2 hours of saying "oh, the embroidery on this dress is gorgeous... does this over emphasize my butt?... do I really want to blind Alan with the beads on my boobs when I walk down the isle?... Can I try that dress with a different veil?..." I had to leave!

It was certainly dress overload. There were many beautiful dresses. And the final 4 are absolutely gorgeous. But I don't think any were "the dress"

I expected to come out of the dressing room and get tears in my eyes, I thought I would get butterflies in my stomach when I stepped on the platform, I always imagined looking at myself in a gown and realizing it's the one, but I didn't.

It was a fun, whimsical, and oddly enough educational experience. But I don't feel like the bride yet. I guess I need to try on more dresses. I just hope the right one is out there.

I know Alan is "the one," why can't I know which dress is "the one?"

It's 2008!

It's going to be an amazing year!

The date is set and we're already knee deep in the planning. Well, I'm knee deep. Alan, as willing as he is to help with anything I need in the planning process, is only putting one foot in at this point. It's completely understandable that he doesn't find it necessary to relate everything in our daily life to the wedding, but I find it incredibly hard not to. I actually believe it's impossible for me to not think about the wedding (or some aspect of it) for more than five minutes.

I promise I will not turn into bridezilla. And I understand that some women have the ability to remain calm in this process; I don't think I'm one of them.

I think it's fair to say that since becoming engaged my life has been consumed by "the wedding!"

This brings me to an article I read in Modern Bride. Yes, I'm quoting from a bridal magazine: my life is consumed by this remember?

The author states 10 things that have changed since getting engaged. When I first read this I had a good laugh, but now (almost 2 months into being engaged) I've realized they are TRUE. How can I not become a wedding crazed woman when these things were inevitably going to happen to me?

Here we go...

#1. I lift up plates in restaurants to see which brand they are.

We haven't even begun our registry, but I feel the need to look at every place setting and decide whether or not it would go in our house. Note: Alan and I don't actually have a house together. As of now the house is imaginary. Sad I know, but read on.

#2. My friends are now segmented in an Excel spreadsheet.
Sorry guys, it's true. And you have a nice little number by your name indicating whether or not you have a significant other so that we can get a total head count for the reception. Soon there will be additional columns for your addresses etc. I never thought I could be so computer savvy.

#3. No one asks me about my job.
I admit, when I moved back to Sacramento people were very curious about where I would be living and what I would do to occupy my time and make a living. Since the engagement people must have forgotten that I indeed did get a new job and not just the "job" of a bride to be. I do have a working life outside of planning (despite the fact that sometimes I wish I didn't) and it includes teaching little ones how to dance.

#4. I've realized how awful a bridesmaid I was.
This one doesn't exactly apply to me considering I've never been a bridesmaid. But I've realized I should cut my bridesmaids a little slack because this is the first time being a bridesmaid for most of them.

#5. I can't attend weddings without tearing apart every detail.
And they are probably the details that the rest of the guests don't even notice or remember. The font in the programs, napkin rings, chair cover colors, the list goes on. We are attending 3 weddings before our big day: Brides, you've been warned.

#6. People look at my hand, not my face.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I look at my ring constantly so why shouldn't you? But it does get a little old when my hand is taken from its comfortable resting place only to be twisted, turned and pulled so that the person I'm talking to can see the ring from every angle. Then again, I do that to my hand every day to get another look. Just remember to smile in the general direction of my face before going for the hand.

#7. I have a team of experts helping me look good.
Given the fact that I have yet to hire them, waiting in the wings are my hairdresser, makeup artist, spray tanner, manicurist, and waxer. And all of those non experts out there ready and willing to give me every little bit of advice. I would like to believe that Alan fell in love with me just the way I am and he would marry me regardless of my shade of eyeshadow. But it'll be nice to look my absolute best on that day right?

#8. I'm obsessed with why people divorce.
This one is troubling to me. I dissect the relationships of our friends and family to find answers. Plain and simple, I don't get it and hopefully never will.

#9. I can't stop drafting itineraries.
With so many details still unknown it's amazing how many times I've written out the time line for the wedding weekend. One thing I won't plan is the honeymoon; that's all up to Alan!

#10. My finace has morphed from lover to co-CEO.
He will probably be upset when he reads this, but it's true. Alan and I were out for a nice dinner and by the time the salad arrived I had my wedding notebook out on the table. We were in planning mode and we were getting things done. It's as if we're running a business together, and if we can get through this married life will be a breeze!

Also

Alan wanted me to add that I was his first crush too! Awe, how sweet!

Oh, we went to a wedding last night and if you thought I had wedding fever before, you should see me now!
Just don't let me turn into a Bridezilla! :)

THE NEWS!

ALAN & KATY
ARE
ENGAGED!

Alan popped the question Friday November 23rd (our 17 month Anniversary) at Dawson's Restaurant in the Hyatt!

Here we are before heading out for the evening:

How it Happened:

Alan had hunted around Sacramento a few days prior to find the perfect spot, and he did! It was an incredibly romantic evening. We had ordered our food and were sipping our wine when it came up in conversation that we needed another word for "love". We've used the word "love" to its fullest capacity and we didn't have a word or phrase that described what we shared.
Then Alan gave me a little grin and told me he knew what to say, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
At that moment a million thrilling thoughts went racing through my head.
He reached for his jacket pocket, then to the pocket on the other side.
I couldn't believe it was happening. It felt like eternity for both of us with so many emotions filling up inside, but within seconds he was by my side and down on one knee.

I couldn't take my eyes off of his face as he asked me to marry him. And after saying "YES" I couldn't stop kissing him. A few thousand kisses later he put the ring on my finger!
I couldn't keep the happy tears from pouring down my face.
I was a mix of smiling, crying, jumping, hugging, kissing and melting in Alan's arms!
Our waiter came to our table with Champagne and told the rest of the restaurant our happy news. I remember hearing people clapping and saying something about a ring, but I was back at kissing Alan by that point. It was perfect!
I had almost forgotten we were in a restaurant till our food came. Now a huge Rib Eye was sitting in front of me, but I was so excited inside that I could barely even cut it. After Alan had finished eating and we finished our wine and champagne we bounced out of the restaurant like happy love birds! About an hour later I realized I had left my entire dinner boxed up on the table.
We then headed to the Riverside Clubhouse where Alan an I had shared many bottles of wine over the past 17 months!
His parents joined us for champagne in celebration!
The night was perfect! I don't remember ever having such a huge smile on my face as I did that night! I was on cloud nine!

Saturday morning:

The next morning we picked up some breakfast and headed over to share the news with my parents! This of course led to more jumping, kissing, smiling and hugging!

The Ring:

Katy & Alan's History (in case you don't know):

When we say we go back, we mean really far back to kindergarten. Alan was my first crush in Elementary school (although I don't think I ever admitted that to my friends at the time). Our shining moment together was in Ms. Diepenbrock's 3rd grade class. In the Christmas play Alan was Santa Claus and I was Mrs. Claus! Just wait till you see the pictures or the video!
We went our separate ways in high school and college, but reconnected after our parents ran into each other in the grocery store 2 years ago. I sent him an email and while we we on Christmas break our senior year of college we reconnected. We stayed in touch throughout the rest of senior year and began dating as soon as I returned to Sacramento that summer, and the rest is history!

I have to admit...

I was a little suspicious of the proposal. I found it strange that Alan insisted on taking me out to dinner the day after Thanksgiving (somehow it had slipped my mind that that particular day was our anniversary). And I found it strange that his parents had organized going to brunch on Sunday with his entire family plus my parents. They told me it was because they were all apart on Thanksgiving, which makes sense, but it was still a little fishy. Nevertheless, I believed Alan when he told me that he didn't have the ring yet, and I believed my mom when I asked her if Alan had talked to her about proposing and she told me he hadn't. So despite my suspicions, I believed the two most trustworthy people in my life, and I was completely surprised when the proposal happened!

What happens next?

In case you are wondering, we haven't set a date. It will probably be between a year and two years. Right now he is studying for exams at McGeorge Law School, so I spend my time sitting in his apartment reading bridal magazines as he reads about constitutional law!

And that's the news! Pretty exciting huh?!?!

Welcome!

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my blog! Yes folks, I'm about to begin a journey of sharing my life online for all the world to see! I'm not sure how often it will be updated, so just keep checking back if you want!

For those who don't know, I'm back in Sacramento after spending a year and a half in the bay area dancing and taking care of my beautiful little niece. I just began dancing with CORE Dance Collective and will soon start teaching dance to kids in Roseville through On Your Toes.

I have some VERY EXCITING NEWS, but you'll have to wait for the next post (it's going to be a long one)!!!!

Katy