Gown!

I bought my gown today super excited!

77 Days until the big day!
(o)_(o)

We sent out our save the date. We've settled both locations.
Our pastor and our assisting man of God have yet to meet.
I've found no dresses, not even my own.
I had been looking online but that proved to be inefficient and tiresome, for I cannot see what I am looking at.
I have candle holders for the isles of the church. Candy dishes for the tables at the reception.
Wine glasses for all the guests.
We have not had a meeting with the caterers yet. Working on that.
We made a short list of music we thought would be nice. But really have not come up with a legitimate list.
We asked my Aunt, Grandmother and close friend to see for the reception.
But we don't have an announcer, or a DJ....
We really have little to no decorations for the hall..sigh
Getting tedious.

Finds

I recently went to yard sales and estate sales in Lansing.
What I found was:
A light brown dresser set, tall men's dresser, short women's dresser with vanity mirror. For $35.00 instead of $50.00 which is what they had marked for.
A grayish cookie crock, with "Cookies" written in blue, and a metal handle. For $2.00
Several candles.
Cute frog printed paper napkins.
And a few other things of little consequence.
I'm happy with the set of dressers, though, I have to either re-finish or paint them before use.

Garage Hopping

I'm going out to the yard sales today, wish me luck!

I'm looking for:
Pretty, clear, glass water carafes.
Pedestal candy dishes.
Candle sticks.
Paint-able chandeliers.
Glass cake plates.
Peach glass earrings.
White shoes.
Elegant diamond statement necklace.

And much more!

Searching for Locations

Hello
If anyone is reading these posts, I am in search for reception halls, and churches.

My wish is to have a ball-room sort of wedding reception hall, (dream photos below)
Obviously I know I wont get to have it in Paris, but if anyone knows of a location that allows exterior caterers, even and especially unlicensed caterers, that could be made to look like a ball room, please comment below.

As to the church, I need stained glass windows, and a capacity of at least 180-200
We also will be having a non-ordained friend performing the ceremony (and a Justice of the Peace doing the paper contract following the ceremony.) So needless to say I will want a church that allows outsiders to simply rent, and not require the Bride and Groom to use their minister and/or take a glass, or go through therapy before allowing the marriage to be there.

I don't think that is too tall of an order.
Oh and I would much rather have pews than chairs of any kind, but for this I am somewhat flexible, as long as the church is lovely, above all.

Again if anyone has any info on such a location please comment below. (more dream photos)

July 4th, 2013.

I had not missed one Independence Day with Hannah since we got together.  Working from 2 to 10:30 on this one was especially discouraging.  I honestly had no idea I was going to propose, and in fact was planning on having to spend another couple weeks plotting and thinking and trying to make this be an event my future wife would love to tell her friends and family about over and over again.

But as I put my hand to the plow, so to speak, the most amazing boss ever gave me the best news I'd had in days.  I could leave an hour early.

Business was agonizingly slow, and the hours ticked by.  I had it all planned out- I would leave at 9:30, get to Mason by 10 and hopefully catch the fireworks with a girl that lights up my sky already.  

It was around 6 that I began pondering the possibility of proposing too.  I mean, showing up last second, the darkness pierced by exploding embers of liberties glorious above our heads.  It would be romantic, right?  Tim walked in the door a short while later, having come from the party and reluctant to have done so.  I instantly asked what he thought of my idea, and he said it was a good one.

Still, I had doubts if this would work or not.  Would it really be everything I had hoped?  Even as I was given the go ahead to leave at 9, I still didn't know, but after hurriedly driving to my apartment and changing, praying I didn't smell like tacos, and undoing the mess my hat had made of my hair I grabbed a bag of sparklers.  And the ring.

I pulled into the Ingham County Fairgrounds and parked among the family's vehicles.  The sun was just beginning to set, and a chorus of celebratory lanterns was rising from the field crowded with men and women still free.  With many surprised greetings I went from circle to circle, expressing my thankfulness for being able to enjoy even a portion of the day with them.  Sparklers were distributed to young and old from my private collection, entertaining them until the dusky curtain rose for the beginning of the fiery act.  

Hannah suggested we retreat to my car.  Through exclamations of wonder and surprise we talked about the day, sharing thoughts and feelings.  The ominous question repeatedly leaped to my mouth during the crescendos of the explosions- if I was to ask her tonight, it had better be beneath the finale.  I withdrew the ring box subtly, opening it out of her sight, and while I am certain I missed that one moment I was waiting for, I nevertheless asked.

It wasn't until she said "It's dark" that I realized that it was, indeed, dark inside my car, and that the ring itself was not illuminated very well within it's case.  The first thing I could think of saying was "I'm sorry", and it was then that she said "Yes".

The rest of the evening went by rather quickly.  I recall a lot of hugging, even more hand shaking and congratulations, and running after Hannah as she psychotically paced forty-four strides from the approximate location of the proposal to the nearest telephone pole.  Beyond that, you'll have to ask her.

But as I laid down to sleep in my apartment, I sent a one word text to Tim.

"Success."