THE DRILL

Wedding Debrief

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:39:00 -0800

What a better way to jump back into my regularly scheduled ranting is by reflecting on my wedding. Now that three months have gone by, I’ve been able to reflect on lessons learned, and shed light on some lesser talked about topics.

My wedding was amazing. Truly. Aside from the most important part, marrying my best friend, the wedding planning part went off without a hitch. My vendors were on point, timing was impeccable, and it was what I had envisioned.

Now for the lesser talked about topics:

the day is not about you.

It is. I think most brides love living up the princess mentality. Hell, why not? However, frustration stems from everyone around ‘helping’ you but in reality, they are running around with their heads cut off. And this is not something I enjoyed. I fielded questions I’ve answered a dozen times. When do we leave? Where do we go? Do I look fine? There were moments when I felt alone, even though I was surrounded by people who wanted to help me.

rehearsal was my xanax.

There is no doubt I was filled with excitement, but the days leading up to the wedding anxiety really set in. I went as far as hunting down anxiety medication thinking it would help provide a layer of calm. Oddly enough, the exercise of the ceremony rehearsal helped immensely. Our officiant was super calm, relaxed and his experience really shined. More than just walking up and down the aisle, knowing our cues, we were able to practice our vows. I felt more at ease after the rehearsal, and ready to take on the big day with less weight on my shoulders.

the wedding dress you envision, is almost never what you actually purchase.

Before I browsed online or through magazines, I knew I wanted a dress with straps. Far too often I saw brides pulling up their dress, and they looked uncomfortable. Thanks to Pinterest it was easy to pull looks I was attracted to. Once I reviewed my board, to my surprise more than half of them were strapless. I visited about 5 stores and tried on 15-20 dresses. I got a little worried toward the end, but fell in love with a Maggie Sottero light gold, strapless dress. And with many rounds of alterations, I was packed in tightly!

Look I was going for:

The dress.

I missed cocktail hour.

If anyone knows me, knows I love happy hour. My favorite part about weddings is cocktail hour, catching up with old friends and dishing about ceremony highlights. But if couples don’t want to see one another before the ceremony, you’re locked into taking photos post-ceremony. If I had any regrets about the day, it was not interacting more with my guests—and finding a way to join them for a glass of vino.

Planning Tips::

Limit your DIY projects: Yes Style Me Pretty highlights the cutesy, vintage decor but really, behind the look are countless hours trying to pin down these projects. I spent months searching for green-colored bottles, second-hand napkins and making fabric chandeliers. I am happy I did it but it definitely added to stress levels.

Reception and sweetheart tables at my wedding. A lot of work went into these simplistic looks.

Pick a location that does the work for you: Read the fine-print. Do they clean up? Do they provide tables and chairs? Most brides get blind-sided because they are unaware of the heavy lifting associated with the venue contract.

Get on Pinterest. Navigating decor and fashion boards on Pinterest truly cut my planning time in half. Do it.

Let the expert be the expert. It’s not your full-time job to be baker, music mixer or florist. Ask tons of questions and be directive, but ultimately let your vendors do their job.

Let your personalities come through. Weddings can easily diminish a couple’s personality if you dive right into a particular look. Find ways to showcase your sense of humor, or some of your favorite activities as a couple.

We had a little fun with our wedding cake. I immediately hit ‘purchase’ when I saw these whale cake toppers on Etsy.

Get in the mood: Take advantage of being the bride-to-be. Watch every wedding-themed show on TLC. And once, make your fiancé watch an episode of Bridezillas with you. This will aid in displaying how normal you really are during the planning process.

Song of the Day. Smooth remix by Moonlight Matters of...

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:47:26 -0800

Song of the Day.

Smooth remix by Moonlight Matters of Owlle’s Disorder.

This oldie but goodie hits every positive chord with me. Van the...

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 23:54:00 -0700

This oldie but goodie hits every positive chord with me.

Van the Man.

Song of the Week I’m in the midst of wedding planning....

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:45:00 -0700

Song of the Week

I’m in the midst of wedding planning. Among the traditional items to plan for, the constant item I’m always on the hunt for are songs to play during the reception. People who know me, know I can break it down on the dance floor. And I will break it down on my big day.

Music at the reception is important. I want everyone, and I mean everyone on their feet.

Lately I’ve been drawn to old-school, including semi-obscure funky tracks.

This week I am loving this Shalamar remix by Honom.

Song of the Week: There It Is - Remix

Note: For the record, Journey will not be played at anytime during the reception.

From Where I Look Up Photo taken during a walk through the...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:28:00 -0800

From Where I Look Up

Photo taken during a walk through the Tilden Regional Park - Botanical Garden

Song of the Day. Wildcat! Wildcat! Mr....

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0800

Song of the Day.

Wildcat! Wildcat!

Mr. Quiche

(via etmusiquepourtous.com)

Middle Harbor Shoreline Park - Oakland, California Photo by me....

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:08:00 -0800

Middle Harbor Shoreline Park - Oakland, California

Photo by me. iPhone 4S - Instagram filter

- Top 10 Songs of 2011 - These tracks simply made me happy and...

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:47:00 -0800

- Top 10 Songs of 2011 -

These tracks simply made me happy and were played on constant repeat.

1. “Undercover” - Chain Gang of 1974

These guys opened for Washed Out when I saw them perform during the Summer. I must admit, The Chain Gang of 1974 has charisma—they outshined the main act.

2. “Don’t Move” - Phantogram

3. “The Bay” - Metronomy

4. “I Want Your Love” - Chad Valley

5. “Gene Ciampi” - Twin Sister

6. “Winner’s Circle - Vol. 3” - Hey Champ

7. “Mother Project” - Niki And The Dove

8. “Bright Shadow” - TOKiMONSTA

9. “Relocate” - KAUF

10. “Flirp” - White Life

#longshadows Photo taken by me.

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:56:00 -0800

#longshadows

Photo taken by me.

A foggy Berkeley night, reflection. Photo taken by me via...

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:09:00 -0800

A foggy Berkeley night, reflection.

Photo taken by me via iPhone.

Song of the Day. Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness I watched...

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:06:00 -0800

Song of the Day.

Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness

I watched Rocky tonight, and was reminded how much I like Kool & The Gang’s ‘Summer Madness.’ It’s no longer summer, but this track is easy for a Fall day.

(via rawkblog.net)

Song of the Day. Young Man - Enough. Excellent Fall...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:51:00 -0700

Song of the Day.

Young Man - Enough.

Excellent Fall tune.

(via www.musikmigblidt.dk)

Look out SF! scoutmob: Introducing: the shining faces of the...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:50:57 -0700

Look out SF!

scoutmob:

Introducing: the shining faces of the San Francisco Scout Team. These inner-circle locals are helping us support and nurture San Francisco’s vibrant community scene, online and offline, at food truck gatherings and happy hours, at street festivals and pop-ups. A tip of the hat to:

@native_sf

@nicolemyers

@kristygarza

@17thandIrving

@marisaljaffe

@chanaynaySF

@joel_corpus

@mizzamericana

Free Stylish Biz Cards :: Thanks About.me

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:42:00 -0700

Thanks to About.me’s partnership with Moo.com I claimed FREE stylish business cards. As an active job seeker, networking is essential. I needed “pop-out” business cards to distribute at networking events—to help leave a lasting impression. I was happy that with Moo.com’s service you can post any image, change fonts and colors, and include a QR code that directs people to your About.me profile. <—- Awesome!

I love receiving presents in the mail. Yay!

Sucker for cute packaging!

Slick looking cards!

Song of the Day. White House - Flirp (via everybodytaste.com)

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:04:50 -0700

Song of the Day.

White House - Flirp

(via everybodytaste.com)

#pier (Taken with Instagram at Cayucos pier)

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 19:55:37 -0700

#pier (Taken with Instagram at Cayucos pier)

Song of the Week. Twin Sister - Gene...

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:41:00 -0700

Song of the Week.

Twin Sister - Gene Ciampi

(via sideonetrackone.com)

Anxiety :: I Don't Get Out Much

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:06:55 -0700

Over the weekend, Erik and I decided to explore our new backyard, the greater Bay area. I was happy to get out, enjoy the sun and take in some fresh air. Being the planner that I am, I mapped out the day to explore Muir Woods, which is about 20 miles north of San Francisco. As we approached the freeway that leads to the park’s entrance, we were greeted with traffic. Even the lines to take the shuttle into the park were exhausted. Erik quickly said, “Let’s not waste time waiting in line, we can do something else in the area.” He suggested Point Reyes.

I was triggered; I was no longer in control (of the day). This feeling was generated in the pit of my stomach. Before completely exploding, I took a deep breath. I allowed Erik to take charge and determine next steps. We drove to Point Reyes and decided to hike a easy-level path.

Just as we began on the two hour hike, my nerves were slowly getting the best of me. The feeling in my stomach now reached my chest. Every step I took guided me to an unknown place. With the park map in front of me, my eye pinned on my location, a minor anxiety attack was brewing.

It was simple: follow the path, it will loop around and you’ll be on your merry way. It wasn’t simple for me. Apparently, I have seen one too many episodes of Dateline and I Shouldn’t Be Alive. Images of the unknown were consuming me; a dark cloud embraced spontaneity and downgraded what was supposed to be a pleasurable experience.

It took everything I had for this internal struggle not to burst. I relied on Erik’s guidance and most importantly, trusted the experience as a whole.

{Me at the start of the hike. My furry earmuffs protecting me from the sharp breeze and bugs (and there were a lot of bugs).}

The two sides of me battle; the outgoing side who likes to meet new people and try new things and the other side, the side that if I don’t plan ‘it’ - will it be okay?

As soon as we turned the corner and hit a milestone within the hike I felt instantly better. I was able to snap photos and enjoy the sights as we had planned.

Although this experience seems minor to most, the experience impacted me. I was thrust into an unfamiliar area, forced to trust and not seize control. I am afraid that the one time I do let my guard down in a situation, something will happen.

Post-hike: I was able to talk to Erik about my anxiety. He was unaware of my anxiety levels during the hike. He knew I was uncomfortable with exploring, however, he didn’t grasp how much it took a hold of me while we were there. We formulated ways for me to feel more comfortable in future situations. I giggled when he told me, “The first step to recovery, is admitting there is a problem.”

Flashback Friday. When us GenY gals really started to explore...

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:55:00 -0700

Flashback Friday.

When us GenY gals really started to explore makeup.

No Doubt - Spiderwebs

(via NoDoubtVEVO)

FourSquare check-in.

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:01:00 -0700

FourSquare check-in.