Nico and Jo are saying "I do!"

How to make your bridal party HATE you

On wedding websites, magazines, discussion threads and communities, I've read over and over about the dreaded Bridezilla. You know the girl who gets sucked into the Wedding Planning world and forgets that her girlfriends still have their own lives and that yeah, you should still be interested in them!

I keep telling the MOH (Maids of Honor) that if I turn into one of those, CHECK ME PLEASE.

But while searching around for perfect gifts to give my nearest and dearest, I came across these horrendous gifts. Now, what woman in her right mind give her closest friends these to thank them for standing by her one of the, if not THE, most important days of her life??

   This is a bracelet, believe it or not. Not a weird organic snack or even a strange utility belt against scurvy. This is a bracelet.

And this, well, I suppose this is a funny gag gift. But really, gag gifts should be saved for office gift exchanges where you can laugh while you're in the company of well, the Company. And the promptly either toss it when you get home or give to a friend who needs a gift for her company gift exchange.

This wouldn't be so bad if it were a bracelet. But nooooo, it's...god, I hope my fingers won't cramp when I type the word...It's an anklet. I have to end this post. Need to wash my fingers of that word.

The icon of marriage

Well I've started to hunt for The Dress. Since I'm still weeks away from coming back to California, I thought I'd check out some of the dresses here in Paris as well. Having gone to a Bridal Faire with Nico's mom a few weeks ago, I have my doubts. A lot of the dresses I've seen are trop well... trop.

But I've recently gone to Galleries Lafayette, the behemoth shopping center in which the entire 7th floor is dedicated to all things wedding related. It's amazing and the dresses are stunning. I've also made another appointment at Pronuptia on Rue Rivoli. However, I'm holding out until I come home. I've actually been secretly hunting down a dress I saw in a magazine (Thanks Melissa!) and now have narrowed down the places, er, the one place, to buy it in California...Beverly Hills. Jen's already volunteered to do the crazy 1-day trip to SoCal and back just for me to try this dress. We'll see. Who knew it would be so hard to find a white dress!

So many looks and choices: white, ivory or champagne colored? lace, dutchess- or bridal- satin? organza? A-line, ballroom, empire or princess style? Cap sleeves, strapless, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah...

I actually didn't really think about how important this dress is. My mother kept saying that it was one of the most important parts of the wedding. So did Nico. So did Nico's mom. I honestly thought they were nuts. It's just a white dress, afterall. My mom keeps saying something about me handing down the dress to my daughter someday. (Oh really? Then why am I looking for a dress? C'mon Ma, give up YOUR dress!)

Maybe I'm a cynic. Or too practical. I honestly believe that my daughter, upon receiving an engagement ring, will want her own style, her own tastes reflected in her dress. She isn't going to want my (then) antiquated style of a dress! What really IS the most important thing (for me, at least) about this wedding is what Nico and I keep telling ourselves to focus on the most.

The *marriage*. 

There are times now that Nico and I look at each other with a renewed view. This is IT. He will be my husband. And I'll be his wife. No matter what we're wearing on our wedding day, or any other day, it is how we look at this bond that matters, not the flowers, cake, decor, his tux or my dress.

Now if I can just find a dress that speaks THAT sentiment, I know that will really be the perfect fit.

JoAnn says "I Shoe"

I am burnt out from wedding planning. But it seems like we have a pretty good start so I decided to spend time on wedding planning that's not actually just for the wedding, but probably the most exciting planning for me...choosing shoes.

Being that I don't have my nearest and dearest with me here in Paris, I decided to first enter cyberspace to look at my options.

Well my options first came in the form of these babies:

First is the word "Lucite." Really? I mean REALLY? And instead of celebrating around a Maypole at the reception, the bride just dances around a stripper pole instead? And I suppose when the groom does that antiquated "searching for the bride's garter" thing (which I've always thought of as being a little, well, nasty...I mean, under her dress in from of your folks? Ewwww) then they'll charge the guests for the free show?

Seriously, (not that I would ever, ever, EVER buy these) but I'm so happy my girlfriends would never let me wear anything this hideous.

Friends don't let friends wear ugly shoes. Even if they do look like the top of a wedding cake at the time.

We're getting hitched!!

In case you didn't get it with the title of this blog, Nico and Jo are getting married! Tune in here for hilarious stories of our wedding planning, photos and information on our Big Day!