66 days

photo via... I don't remember. :(

I finally figured out how to add a member to the blog so now when we blog or comment, it'll say "posted by Pete" instead of "Pete and Steph." See, this is why I wasn't able to navigate those wedding websites. If you just recently tuned into our blog (and don't want to read past posts), this was created after many failed attempts by me to create a wedding website through the weddingchannel.com AND theknot.com. They were both free, and techies would agree amongst themselves that a 3-year-old could have done it, but not me.

Nothing frustrates me more than technology. Even with our wedding guest list, I have everyone's names and addresses written out on paper. I need to find my hole puncher, but once I do, those bad boys are going straight into my 3-ring binder. Once your RSVP cards come in, I take out those pages, find your name and put a check next to "RSVP received" and then write in the number of guests attending at its designated spot. Old school, baby. Plain and simple. You probably don't think it's so bad because you're thinking we have 100 guests max, and you would be correct... if you were only referring to my mom's family. My mom has 10 siblings alone. Then her siblings have kids, and their kids have siblings. Then finally, many of the kids and their siblings have kids who also have siblings. Sheesh, I know.

There was yet another addition to the clan this past weekend though! Welcome to this wild and crazy world, Leila Phuong Quyen Nguyen! She was born 1 year and 4 minutes after her cousin Madelyn- what a perfect birthday gift! :)

Okay, now for wedding business! We have been having so much fun receiving your RSVP cards and reading the messages you write on them. You guys are so funny about how to fill out the cards correctly. As you guys have clearly shown, there isn't just one way to fill it out. As long as we know whether or not you're coming, and how you'd like your name to appear on your placecard, everything is good.

I don't know about Pete, but these are my favorites:

The RSVP card on the left is from my cousin (Chi Rosie) who decided she and her husband will now be known as Mr. & Mrs. ChaMama Nguyen. Now, I wouldn't recommend everyone go crazy with how they'd like their names to show on the placecards, but if you do, please make sure you put your real names too just in case we don't know what your alias is. The card on the right is from Peter's very good friend, Ryan. I liked his use of color. That, and I couldn't get over his little placecard picture. I LOVE IT, RYAN! :)

Pete and I are easy-going. We won't get mad if you don't fill your card out correctly, so have fun with it (or don't, we don't mind), but please remember to at the very least have your name and whether or not you can attend. We'd like the cards back by April 2, but don't stress too much if you don't get it back to us by then. If we don't hear from you via RSVP cards, we'll be giving you a call to make sure we account for you when we give our vendors the final guest count. Questions? Holler at us.

This past weekend, Pete and I bought my wedding band! It took me SO long to find it, but this is the one, and I'm SO in love with it. We had put a different band on hold, but Angie (the FANTASTIC saleswoman at ShaneCo) suggested we keep checking back to see the newer styles, so we did just that, and we found it! Woohoo! No more visits to the jewelry store for a long, LOOONG time. I don't know very much about jewelry, and I know even less about diamonds, but I know this ring is for me, and I am just ecstatic the search is over, and another thing is checked off the list.

Well, February is coming to an end, and March is about to spring on us, which means April is just around the corner. If you missed the last airfare sale, there is another sale through Southwest Airlines right now. It's not as good as the other sale, but it's a little better than normal prices. When you look for airfare, please try to look on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I read an article a while back about how the day you book makes a huge difference on prices. I'm not talking about the day as in the day you would depart for your trip (though that also makes a difference), but I'm talking about the actual day that you book your trip. It has something to do with Tuesdays being the day that airlines throw out their most competitive prices to get you to book on their slow days. Hope this helps.

Have a great day! If you're in Portland, I heard there's a chance of more snow on Wednesday and Thursday! Bundle up!


p.s. :):)

Yep, we put a bird on it.

photo via Woo Work

What a crazy morning here in Portland! After only a few hours of sleep, I was woken up by a frantic call from Suzanne about the heavy snowfall. OHSU is on a gigantic hill with narrow and winding roads so if it snows, you can either trek up there by foot and hope a car doesn't lose control and run you over or climb up the mountain Bear Ghrylls style. Although I'd prefer the latter, I wouldn't actually recommend either of the two. So usually, we all just stay home. Suzanne lives within walking distance to campus, though, so she's frantic because she gets to hold down the fort by herself. Muahahaha.

Wouldn't it be fun if it snows on the wedding day? What's that you say? Why would it snow in April/May? Oh, because that's Oregon weather for you- VERY unpredictable. Now might be the time in California when the umbrellas go on sale since your "Winter" is practically over so you may want to invest in an umbrella just in case. Up here, April showers bring May showers. No, that was not a typo.

Anyway, it's been kind of a busy week for us, but the crazy weather has plagued so many with the common cold. I was scheduled for my second fitting last Monday, but Anna was sick so we had to reschedule. I'm really excited to see how the alterations turn out. My dress, in its natural form, is kind of poofy so I asked Anna to take out a couple layers to let it flow more and she's also changing the neckline from straight across to a sweetheart. I'm also bustling (is that the term?) my dress after the ceremony so Anna put in 5 bustles (again, I don't know the correct term for this... essentially, she's pinning the train of my dress up so it doesn't get dragged around everywhere). I wish I could show you all pictures of my dress but a certain SOMEONE is supposed to be surprised, so everyone else has to wait too. I have to say, the dress I chose is a lot less... bohemian than I thought I would get. I think if my mom wasn't with me, I would have ended up looking like a major hippie at the wedding- which I would have been completely happy with, but Pete and my mom, not so much. haha. I'm glad I'll be looking more refined, though, so it's all good!

Have you guys been watching the show Portlandia??? It's on IFC (Independent Film Channel) every Friday at 10:30pm. If you haven't, you must. Anyway, there's a sketch about these two people who went into a shop to spruce up the products. In doing so, they simply "put a bird on it." They said something like, "in Portland, you can put a bird on something and call it art" and it's SO true! I don't know why, but I'm very attracted to anything with a bird on it. So now when I see anything with a bird on it, I ALWAYS say "put a bird on it" out loud, and I'm sure Pete thinks I'm crazy. Even our wedding invitations... "put a bird on it!" Okay, you think I'm crazy too- you need to watch it,: click here or you can just go to youtube yourself and type in "put a bird on it." The show itself isn't for everyone. Pete isn't too fond of it and even though he sits and watches it with me, I laugh out loud by myself the entire time while he's on his iPhone probably tweeting about the ridiculousness that is Portlandia. Just watch it, you'll see what I mean. Carrie Brownstein is from Portland too- woop woop! Go Sleater-Kinney!

Okay, that's enough Portlandia. The show's brilliant though, check it out! Anyway, ready for some pretties?

BHLDN (pronounced Beholden) opened its online store on Monday and everything is just gorgeous! Super expensive- but stunning. I've been looking for either a bolero or a nice sweater to wear over my dress and this one below would be amazing. I keep looking at the things on the site and thinking, "I can't wait for it to go on sale!" but seriously... it just opened. The sale would probably happen after our wedding day.

How rad are these gloves?

You can find all these products off the BHLDN website. It's addicting. I check back all the time just to look at the dresses and accessories. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Time is really winding down! We're getting married in 72 days! That's only a little over 2 months! Eek! By now, most of you guys and gals should have already received your invitations. We've received a few RSVP cards back already- it's so fun to read your messages on the cards. :) I understand there's been some confusion about the "number of guests attending" part, and we put the 1, 2, etc. there as a __ out of 1, 2, etc. are attending the wedding. With my family being so huge, we're to blame for there not being a lot of freedom in our guests bringing guests. We had to make a few exceptions because some of our friends have been with their significant others for years or we know their significant others well enough to invite them. If you have any questions or concerns about whether you can bring a guest, please get in contact with us, and we'll talk it out. :)

So, to fill out the RSVP, if it's ___/1 and you "accept with pleasure" (so cheesy), then you just fill in the 1/1. If it says ___/ 2 but only one of you are accepting with pleasure, just put in 1/2. If you can't make it, then it's simply "declines with regret." Also at the top, the M_________________ is for you to fill out your name(s). This is how you'd like your placecard to read (thanks Flowremix). It can get confusing if you don't know the customs (Americans are so weird), but that's what we're here for! Just holler at us. We can't wait to see all of you!!

Until next time,

p.s. :):)

Happy Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHEATS!
(yesterday)



So yesterday he finally turned 18. He's a big boy now. Happy Birthday little brother

It's been a while since I last posted so I figured I should make another post. Not much to update on, but we checked the mail this morning and got our first RSVP cards! Some people have already told us what their plans are, and some have already booked their flights, however, it is still very exciting for us to receive these in the mail! By the way, Mr. Ohsh!t, i know you're coming, but you marked Yes with 0/1 coming.. n00b.

Today we are meeting with our coordinator for our church. Hopefully get the little details worked out. Its coming up fast and we can't wait!

77 days!

P.s. :) :)

Feelin' cheesy today...

photo via Ferntree Studio

What a beautiful day it was today- I heard it's supposed to be sunny and dry the rest of the week so soak it up everyone!

Last weekend was Tet, and oh my goodness there was so much food!! I think I'm still full from all the eating and drinking this past weekend. In addition to it being Tet weekend, Superbowl XLV was on Sunday, the 6th, and while it was a great game to watch, the Steelers couldn't come out with another championship. Instead, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers took home the well-deserved trophy. What a game, though... what a game. Sorry, there are no pictures. For some reason, it didn't even cross our minds that we should take pictures.

photo via pinterest

Isn't that mug awesome?? Pete and I have been looking into getting a new lens for our camera- wouldn't this get a couple blank stares as we sip our tea/coffee while taking photos?

Anyway, this past week, Pete and I were also able to get our invitations sent out, and it appears most have made it into your homes. Right now, we're working on getting the invites to our relatives on my mom's side, but I'm pretty sure most of our friends should be receiving their invitations by the end of this week. People keep commenting on how large I wrote the names and addresses. Really, it started out for the older people because, let's face it, their vision's not as good as it used to be. Then I just liked how it looked, so it stuck. Sorry if it's loud and in your face- I know you like it. :)

Pete and I are still working on a few things as far as attire goes. We're still looking for yellow bow ties and Pete is looking for a mostly all yellow tie. Everything I've found, he's shot down so it seems he knows what he's looking for. If you see a yellow tie while you're out shopping, take a picture and text it to him. When we find it, I want to stitch our initials on the inside of his tie and of my dress. Like this:

photo via Style Me Pretty

Just a little touch of love. Muahaha so cheesy. Another thing we did over the weekend was have our meeting with Father Lucas. We adore this man. Pete and I have both had our ups and downs with Catholicism, but Father Lucas makes it so easy to believe. Anyway, we have a meeting with Joanne, the church coordinator this Saturday to go over the details of the ceremony. We haven't even really considered the decor for the church. I can't speak for Pete, but I love the church the way it is naturally- without any decor. I almost feel like putting up ribbons and bows would take away the church's organic beauty. Wow, I'm so cheesy tonight. If you guys have any suggestions on what we can do, leave us a comment, or email/text us like you've been doing. We love hearing from you guys! :)

photo via LifeAsArt Photography

Something like the above photo would be too much, but it sure is pretty isn't it?


Until next time,

p.s. :):)

Alaska Airlines sale!!

SALE SALE SALE!!!


There is a sale for travels to and from Portland between February 14 and May 11, but you must book before February 14 with a 10-day advance purchase.

Right now, for trips from San Diego, you can get $79 one way on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, but most of the other days, it will be $99 one way. You need to book soon because this is the time people are making plans for their vacations.

I'm not sure what other cities are included in this sale, but check alaskaair.com for more information!

La dee dah

Invitations are mostly addressed and stamped. There are only 86 days until Pete and I get married. 86! Like Hines Ward (Go Steelers)! As days continue to pass, it has become so apparent to us that there is SO much to do. Luckily, we found a few things online that is really going to help us out on some of our projects and let us relax a little bit. I'm telling you, eBay is your best friend when you're planning a wedding with 200+ guests.

Anyhow, I have my second dress fitting next Tuesday, and last week, I found out that Vera Wang is coming out with a more affordable wedding dress line at David's Bridal on February 11! I secretly want to go in to try these dresses on just for fun, but it seems a little crazy to do that- even for me. There's something very magical about Vera Wang's wedding dresses- so romantic and whimsical. I just can't get enough, and I'm so happy she made a line that us mere mortals can afford. Check out these two dresses below. I love love love the veil in the second photo. My aunt is making my veil for me, and I may need to show her that image. I want to be swallowed up by tons and tons of soft flowy tulle- is that weird? Oh, so gorgeous. I am not girly, but I am a romantic, and there's nothing more romantic to me than lace and tulle.

photos via White by Vera Wang

*Sigh* I love you, Vera Wang. Speaking of love... the one good thing that comes out of Valentine's Day is that this is when all the fun "love" decor comes out. I walked through Target a few days ago, and there are aisles and aisles of love. Here's an idea I found off The Knotty Bride that was so cute! I may need to do this for Pete and my straws at the wedding.

photo via The Knotty Bride

Gosh, with time dwindling down, I'm starting to get more and more nervous. If you know me, you know that standing in front of tons of people (aka more than one person) makes me want to curl up into a ball and roll away. Even just sitting here typing out how nervous I'm going to be is making my palms sweaty, and my heart race. Sheeeesh.

This is fun though. One of my favorite blogs, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings, featured a British wedding today, and the bride and groom drove away in their Mini Cooper! Diego, our Mini is currently wearing a layer of dust and dirt from all the rain, but we'll definitely get him washed and polished for the wedding. Yes, my dress will fit in the Mini. I haven't tested it out yet, but my dress isn't fussy enough to really worry about whether or not I'll fit into the car. If my aunt makes the veil I'm hoping for, it'd be a different story. I'll still fit into the car but it'll take some strategic maneuvering to get me into the car.

photo via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

I just wanted to say, on behalf of Peter and myself, that we really appreciate you reading our blog. It's so much fun (for me anyway) to talk to people in the real world and have them talk about this and that from the blog. I hope that you feel connected to us as we go through the planning process of what will be one of the happiest days of our lives. We understand that not everyone can attend our wedding, but know that with every laugh, hug, kiss, and tequila shot, we'll be thinking about you!

That means you, Guzmans! We're so bummed you guys can't make it, but I think we've all agreed the blame is (as always) on Pete. :)

Today is New Year's Eve of the Lunar New Year. We wish your family love, happiness, good health, and prosperity!


p.s. :):)

Ace Hotel

Because it's late, this post is going to be a little short, but I should have some free time tomorrow for another post. OR maybe Pete will get on tomorrow for a post- hint hint. So, I just saw Francis' question about the Ace Hotel, and I could have easily just responded to him on there, but then some people don't always look at the comments, and might miss how spectacular this hotel is.

I didn't originally have this hotel on the previous lists because, simply put, I forgot about it. It really is shame on me, though, because this has to be one of the raddest (do people still say this?) hotels in all of Portland. It's vintage, modern, bohemian, and ULTRA Eco-friendly - everything I love about Portland. The best part? They offer FREE bike rentals to get around the city!! Right next door is Clyde Common, a top ranked restaurant frequented by the hippest of hipsters. If you enjoy coffee, Stumptown is highly praised in Portland.

The Ace Hotel is not only amazing on the inside, but on the outside, it is a mere 30ish steps from the biggest independent bookstore (and my second home when I was in college) in the nation, Powell's Bookstore. Okay, I don't know for sure if it's 30 steps, but I swear it's closeby. If I could recommend any hotel to you, Friends, it would be the Ace Hotel. It is in the prime location for experiencing what's best about Portland. Also, with the right shoes on, it's definitely within walking distance of the reception venue. You'd still need to take the street car and walk to the church or you can hail a cab- up to you.

The bars are everywhere, and restaurants in this area are even better than in downtown Portland. Henry's Tavern is a block up from the hotel and has the BEST bacon Mac and Cheese EVER (and I know Mac and Cheese)! Roxy's is a diner that stays open 24 hours and is also just a few blocks from this hotel in case you get those late night munchies. If you get bored, I'm telling you, walk over to Powell's. You'll find out why it's called the City of Books. I've been in there countless times and I still get lost. If Powell's doesn't tickle your fancy, take the street car to NW 23rd and shop, eat, drink, etc.

Basically, I highly recommend this hotel. I've never walked through it, but I've seen so many pictures of weddings taking place here, and also I've read so many blogs about how fantastically different and quirky this hotel is. It's not for everyone though. I think that it's definitely geared more towards the 20-30something-year-olds. It's not the newest of buildings but the Ace Hotel itself is relatively new. Take a look at the pictures, and you'll know right off the bat if this hotel is for you.

I hope this answers your question, Francis. I'm a little incoherent right now because it's rather late and I've been addressing invitations all day. The Ace Hotel reminds me A LOT of The Good Hotel in San Francisco we all stayed at a few years back. You should definitely stay here and the Jetsetter deal just can't be beat, but unfortunately it doesn't run through April. I think rooms normally start at $150/night.

This picture is my favorite of the ones I've looked through. No two rooms are the same and the original artwork isn't always this simple either. Seriously, take a look at the site. http://acehotel.com/portland.

all photos via acehotel.com

Okay, I'm going to bed. Good night!


p.s. :):)