We've Moved.

Because of the recent marriage between myself and a man, he and I decided to begin our own blog together. It is listed as private, but if you would like an invitation, I would be happy to invite you if you send me your email.

Thanks for reading.

What it is like to be a Bride - Scam calls

One of the best planning resources for weddings is a bridal fair. Most cities have these a few times a year. A lot of vendors come; photographers, cake artists, reception centers, dress shops, caterers, etc.. It's a wonderful place to get ideas of what is available in your town, price ranges, and sometimes you can get some good deals. With a lot of options close together, you can get a better sense of what you like and don't like with side-by-side comparisons.

Aside from a plug for bridal shows, I would like to issue a warning. When you start going to bridal shows and shops that require you to register, sign-up or whatever they say to get your phone number and mailing information....beware of who else will use that information! I wouldn't discourage you from going to a bridal show just because they ask for your information. You can be eligible for some great prizes this way, and they have to be able to reach you some how.

The warning is to know when to accept offers and when not to. A few months after I had attended the bridal show I started getting some calls from a number I didn't recognize. They called a few times a day, never leaving a message. Finally I decided to call it back and find out what was going on. It was a mens tuxedo store, asking if we had found a place for my fiances rental tux. I said "yes", and that was the end of it. Then, a few weeks later I got a call from a photography studio, telling me I had won $700 worth of photography. It was only a month and a half from my wedding date, so I thought it was odd they had waited so long to tell me, since a photographer is one of the first things you book in wedding planning. They wouldn't send me a price list, just told me I needed to come into the studio. My fiance and I decided it was a waste of time, knowing there was no way they were just going to give us $700 worth of photography without some other monetary commitment. The next day a young girl called me, telling me that a "secret sister" had referred me to get a free facial. I said "what is her name?" and she replied by saying, "it's a secret sister thing. Now, can I ask you some questions to get to know you better?" My answer? "No." And just recently, another company called me, telling me they were going to give my fiance and I either a package for vacation, or wedding bands. The only requirement was to meet at a hotel in the city and stay for a 90-minute culinary presentation. No. Thanks. I could just smell a money trap.

Now, I do believe that all of these people work for legitimate businesses. In reality, my fiance could have claimed all of these prizes, just not entirely "free" as they were advertising. So just pay attention to what these people are asking you. You are more than welcome to hang up on them, or check them out. The internet is a great place to find out if they are legitimate business people, which most are. Remember that rarely is anything "free."

Gratitude Week - Day 2.

Today I am most grateful for people willing to help. The past few months have been insane with trying to juggle school, work and wedding plans. I have had a lot of offers for help which has been incredibly life-saving. There are also those who are wonderful at reassuring me that everything will work out, and work out well, in the end. Thank you, thank you, thank you to those who keep me going!

Gratitude Week - Day 1.

This may seem rather trivial and mundane, but with the recent downpour of water from the sky, umbrellas have been a tremendous blessing. There are varieties of styles, colors and patterns that can make them a fashion statement as well as a useful gadget. Keeping you dry, you don't have to worry about fixing your hair or make-up, clothes soaking, or the rain ruining materials you are carrying. They are wonderful things that help prevent sickness from being wet and cold, and time/money spent on repairing damaged materials.

Gratitude Week.

With rainy weather, impatience building for the upcoming wedding, finals, and trying to find a job so my new husband and I can support each other, life has become a little bleak and for the lack of a better word, very tense. So my goal this week is to submit to you, dear reader, something I am grateful for in hopes to brighten the mood of a rather dark sky.