Wedding Sutra

3 Weddings to Attend in 2007

2007-03-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

Not including my own. This is the year of weddings. X and I attended a wedding in Baltimore this past February. Our next weddings will be in Salt Lake City and Portland - in June 07. We just had brunch with friends at Microsoft who have set their date for Aug. 18 and they will be getting married in Edmonds, WA. X and mine's is set for Sep. 1 and I need to send a Save the Date email soon.

Is He The One?

2007-03-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

Engagement 101 will help you decide at this late-stage. I found out about the existence of this magazine from Dan Savage who has the complete quiz on the slog. I had to feature the cover though - the cover groom and bride are sporting looks from the International Male and Chadwick's of Boston catalogues. Mind you, this is the premiere issue - things can only get worse.

Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

2007-03-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten ,yeah

I think this theme song for The Hills is a perfect intro for the series. Just as with the opening music to the OC, though, the anticipation built from the theme is better than the episode that follows.

Wedding Date

2007-03-11T18:38:00.000-07:00

X and I are thinking of September 1 for the wedding date. But, my father wants to consult a Hindu priest to vet the date. The propitiousness of the date will be determined by X and mine's birthdays (i.e. astrology). Apparently, the most popular date for most couples this year though is 7/7/07:

That's because that date -- the almost numerically perfect 7/7/07 -- is being sought after by couples around the country as the ideal day for a wedding. More than 31,000 couples have already signed up with theknot.com, a wedding-planning Web site, saying they plan to marry that day, a figure that is roughly triple the number for any other Saturday that month -- and nearly 20,000 more than the number of couples who got married on the corresponding weekend a year earlier.

From "A Date with Destiny" in the 3/2 edition of the New York Times.

Love and Marriage

2007-03-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage

I remember these lyrics from the theme song to the old Fox sitcom, "Married With Children". According to a recent Washington Post article(via the Seattle Times) though, married couples with children occupy fewer than 1 in 4 households. An interesting corollary is that, "the culture is shifting, and marriage has almost become a luxury item, one that only the well educated and well paid are interested in."

For Whom the Bells Toll

2007-03-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

Though it's receiving lukewarm reviews for a David Kelley show premiering after "American Idol", I will definitely check out the premiere episode of "The Wedding Bells" and decide for myself whether it's worth space on our DVR.

Knickers in a Twist No More

2007-02-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite columns over the past couple of years has been Knickers in a Twist in The Stranger, an alternative weekly here in Seattle. It documents the relationship between Lippy and his longtime girlfriend Mizzi. Lippy did a great job of writing about the humdrum of life in a twosome. A week ago he penned his last column. I'll miss it.

Superproposal

2007-02-07T01:30:00.000-08:00

If only X had the moxy to turn his proposal into an internet marketing campaign topped off by a television ad (sigh) . . .

The Secret is Out

2007-02-05T14:04:00.000-08:00

The NYT got here first: http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/travel/10surfing.html?ex=157680000&en=22565eb42ef1809d&amp;amp;ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

I disagree that the Inn at Manzanillo Bay is worth hanging out at. The only bad meal during my week here has been the shrimp in chile oil. I felt completely defrauded - you couldn't taste the shrimp at all(certainly not the chiles) because it was drowned in a sea of brown, sweet sauce (not mole unfortunately). The worst 230 pesos I've spent so far . . .

At least, the margaritas were strong and good.

The view from Hacienda Eden

2007-02-04T09:14:00.001-08:00

The view from Hacienda Eden
Originally uploaded by tja4a.

Eva and Jim, the owners and operators of Hacienda Eden are great hosts. We just chatted with Eva over morning breakfast.

Ixtapa Getaway

2007-02-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

X and I are traveling seperately. He has a conference to attend. I attended the same event with him last year and had a great time. I would love to go back and visit Amsterdam in the summer time. However, I've been wanting to get away to somewhere warm. My girlfriend, Rebecca and I jetted down to Ixtapa yesterday. We stayed at Las Brisas last night - in a Grand Deluxe room for $215/night plus taxes. Though we got a deal by booking with the hotel directly (the big 3 online agencies would have charged us $268/night plus taxes), I found the resort to be overpriced for Mexico. I rate it a 4 star and would have preferred to pay less. We dined at Las Brisas II, an outdoor resturant set right into the cliffs and the meal was excellent, though on the expensive side for Mexico ($130 for 2 people with wine). But we've found paradise in the form of Hacienda Eden in Troncones. We arrived here this afternoon and it's spectacular - a bargain at $85/night. We had lunch at The Burro Burracho ("Drunken Burro") - ceviche, guacamole & shrimp/mushroom quesadillas with a soulfoul pico de gallo. The tomatoes and avocados were ripe and the seafood was super fresh.

That's Hot©

2007-01-15T12:07:00.000-08:00

Diamonds are out and Moissanite is "in" for 2007 according to the Washington Post (link courtesy of the Seattle Times).

Formal Engagement

2006-12-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

Here's an image of the type of ring that X purchased for me from Bella Jewelry Co. It's a Platinum Band 4.3 Carat Moissanite ring. The only difference from the one pictured is that mine has a jade colored Moissanite gem. X made Mac & Cheese with some Italiana Natura Truffles that we bought in Italy over the summer. We drank a 2004 Bergevin Lane Syrah, a present from one of my girlfriends. For dessert, we had a 2004 Castello di Canelli Moscato D'Asti. And then he got down on bended knee and proposed and I cried and said yes. All in all - one of the best experiences of my life.

The One Year Itch

2006-11-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

Loved this Onion article, "Boyfriend Ready To Take Relationship To Previous Level":

Following a romantic three-day getaway to South Carolina's Hilton Head Island, 32-year-old Matthew Sullivan said he is now "more ready than ever" to take his 10-month relationship with girlfriend Carol Moag to the previous level.

"As you get older, you recognize what's really important to you," Sullivan said. "When I made the decision to get a lot less serious with Carol, I just felt this sense of peace. I can tell by the look in her eyes—that loving, longing gaze—that I must act now before I miss my chance."

Bridezillas: The Complete First Season

2006-11-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

It's been raining steadily in Seattle for the past two weeks. What better way to while away the hours than to run through my Netflix queue. Watching Bridezillas on DVD is a much better experience than watching it on my Comcast DVR (which in itself is inferior to Tivo - perhaps because it is "enhanced by Microsoft"). Like many talk shows, half the program time of Bridezillas seems devoted to previews and reviews pre- and post- commercial break. The show originally ran on Metro TV in NYC and New York Magazine has a good summary of the various personalities from the first season here. Season One appears to have been filmed in 2002 as a couple of the brides mentioned that 9/11 caused them to consider getting engaged.

Of all the Manhattan brides featured in Season One, I related most to Cynthia - then, a struggling actress. Cynthia has done the best in capitalizing on her brief and sometimes unflattering exposure. In 2005, She wrote and starred in a critically acclaimed, one-woman play called, Bridezilla Strikes Back. The bride whose sanity I questioned the most was Julia Swinton-Williamson. Julia was 43 at the time and spent her life savings (over $100k) on her wedding. It was evident that her maniacal obsession over her wedding (she spent two years planning her wedding and her only regret was that she hadn't spent three) was wearing on the patience of both her mother (who expressed relief that she only had one daughter) and her groom, Allan. Julia later sued the producers of Bridezillas for misrepresentation.

This should be required viewing for all prospective brides.

Engagement Ring Advice for Grooms

2006-11-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

I like this advice from Jonathan at mymoney on how much money to spend on an engagement ring:

So, how much should you spend on it? My answer is very simple - Spend whatever you can afford to make your wife happy. That means both time and money.

My only modification to this would be to spend up to an amount that you can afford to make your wife happy. X was willing to pay more for a different ring. But I love the ring that we've selected together. And my ring size is a 4.5 - I found out.

Waist Management

2006-11-10T15:51:00.000-08:00

X and I have both gained 10 pounds since we started dating seriously. We've both discussed eating healthier and exercising more. But, after viewing You On A Diet, X became serious about watching what he eats. He is now managing his daily calorie intake by using The Daily Plate. I'm thinking of doing the same. As the holidays are approaching, I'll have to dress up a little. And being 10 lbs slimmer would certainly help me find some cute clothes.

Junebug Weddings Rocks!

2006-11-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

I received an email informing me that I was a Junebug Wedding Contest Winner ($500 gift certificate to Tulip, one of my favorite Seattle boutiques). Yeah! This made up for my car getting towed last week and the $230 ticket/towing fee. Junebug has another great contest on their website this month:

Visit www.JunebugWeddings.com on or before Dec.15th and enter to win a luxurious spa package from Frenchy's Day Spa, including Frenchy's favorite manicure, pedicure, facial and one hour massage

X and I watched Hacking Democracy over the weekend - it's a compelling documentary and the NYT op-ed today calling for recounts in cases of close races couldn't have been more timely.

It's a rainy day here in Seattle but I have a lot to do today:

I finished my absentee ballot and will drop it off at the polling place tomorrow morning.

My goal for today is to make Martha Stewart's Mac & Cheese for dinner. It's the first time I've tried to prepare it and I hope everything goes ok. Since X is vegetarian, I'll have to substitute some tofu delicacy for the ham. I'm not sure how this dinner will help us live a longer life . . . Maybe if we quaff some red wine, it will make up for the calorie excess. I'll walk over to Madison Market, our local coop later to search out something suitable.

I need to figure out my ring size - I think I'm a 4.5 but I'm not too sure. And since X is ordering the ring off the internet, we want to be sure. We're leaning towards a platinum ring with 3.5 carat green moissanite gems. X and I discussed wedding/reception plans yesterday. We're thinking of having a Hindu Wedding Ceremony and Wedding Reception in New York on 9/15/07. My parents live in Long Island and X has relatives living in New Hampshire - so this should be convenient. We're also thinking of having a Seattle Reception on 9/23/07 for those of our friends who can't make it out to New York. I proposed having a champagne brunch and having all sorts of sparkling wine there - cremant, champagne, prosecco, sparkling red wine, etc

X's ring

2006-10-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here's an image of the titanium ring we purchased for X.

Gentlemen First

2006-10-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

We put the cart before the horse a bit and bought X his wedding ring last weekend. It's a simple titanium band. The advantage of titanium is that it is very durable but extremely light. And since X types a lot at work, it was really important that the ring be comfortable. Some interesting factzillas about engagement rings:

74% of all brides receive a diamond engagement ring. Of those, 60% are involved in picking out their ring while 3% actually pick it out themselves.
The average ring costs $2000

We also went shopping for my engagement ring at Green Lake Jewelry Works(which is actually in Northgate). We spent a little over an hour with a consultant and picked out a platinum band with filigree. We're not sure what the stone will be - either a brown or green sapphire, or brown or green moissanite diamond.

Slate/Treehugger Green Challenge

2006-10-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

I took the challenge and am disappointed by the results:
Your annual carbon emissions are 36,611.2 lbs.
That's equivalent to the emissions from 3.59 passenger cars.

Average carbon emissions per year, per person:
United States: 44,312
Qatar: 117,064
France: 13,668
India: 2,645
Kenya: 440

I rarely drive, use a canvas bag for nearly all purchases and compost our yard waste. Yet, I was only 25% better than the average American. I think my above-average amount of air travel contributed heavily to my carbon emission score. I'll have to look into Terrapass.

Diamond Backlash?

2006-10-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm part of a trend or at least a mini-trend. Both brides profiled in last week's Observer went for nontraditional rings. Ms. Silverman chose a Canadian diamond (purchased from Park Slope's politically correct jeweler, The Clay Pot) and Ms. Schultz chose an emerald.

I Want to Hold Your Hand

2006-10-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

X and I met last July and we've been going out for slightly less than a year. However, we still hold hands all the time. I felt validated to read in the NYT (registration required) today that holding hands is the least nauseating form of PDA, confers psychological benefits, and is a sign of a good relationship.

Marriage License

2006-10-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Luckily, King County has minimal requirements to secure a marriage license. The only condition is that both parties must be at least 18 years old. Unlike other counties in the U.S., no blood test or identification papers are required.

Frugal Wedding

2006-10-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some suggestions from The Knot. Of all the tips, the ones I found most helpful were the following:

Scale Down (the intent is to keep the guest list capped at 150)
Loosen Up (we are thinking of a Sunday Brunch Reception)
Substitute Cheaper Flowers (I prefer Dahlias to Roses anyway)

I've been advised to book now if we're planning to wed in September 2007. I will price out a few venues this week.

Lentil Scare

2006-09-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Today's New York Times has a story on India's ban on lentil exports and the impact this has had on the Asian Indian community in Jackson Heights, NY: "Trouble in Queens as Lentil Prices Rise" (registration required). When X and I visited my parents on Long Island over Labor Day Weekend, the lentil shortage was the talk of the Indian community. My cousin told my mother that the local Shoprite still had a good selection of lentils at great prices (she had already stocked up and then felt free to alert my mother).

The Case Against Diamonds

2006-09-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

There's a nice article on this local shop from the Puget Sound Business Journal focusing on its founder Jim Tuttle: "The business model seems to appeal to Northwest sensibilities. Tuttle said his customers include people who like the idea of working with and supporting artists, and people who are looking for something unique. Tuttle also sells Canadian-branded diamonds, which appeal to customers concerned about buying 'blood diamonds' or 'conflict diamonds,' which are mined in war zones and sold secretly to bankroll insurgent armies. Tuttle said customers also appreciate Canada's labor and environmental protection laws. "

Speaking of blood diamonds, there is an upcoming movie that will be titled, "Blood Diamond" starring Leonardo Dicaprio and directed by Edward Zwick (click here to see the trailer in Flash or Windows Media). Debeers is reportedly concerned about the film's impact on diamond sales. This is an ironic development considering how Debeers relied on Hollywood and the Royal Family to convince the public that diamonds are rare and precious, when all evidence is to the contrary.

Non Diamond Engagement Ring

2006-09-27T13:37:00.001-07:00

X and I have been looking for either sapphire or emerald solitaires in a platinum setting. Surprisingly, http://www.bluenile.com/ doesn't have a great selection of non-diamond engagement rings. But, it is a good starting point for picking out the specs for your ring. And, they are having a sweepstakes to win a diamond valued at $5,000 when you visit the site.

X and his sister went jewelry shopping this past Saturday. It was to be a surprise, but he was so impressed by one of the stores that he thought we should shop together at Green Lake Jewelry Works.

Junebug Weddings

2006-09-26T17:27:00.001-07:00

We live in Seattle, WA, so I've been looking for a local wedding planner. I really liked the website for Junebug Weddings and will give them a call. They may be a bit too posh for our modest budget. But, visiting the website allows you to enter a contest for a $500 shopping spree to Tulip, one of my favorite local clothing boutiques.

Wedding Porn

2006-09-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ever since X and I started discussing getting married a couple of months ago, I've been DVRing a bunch of wedding shows including Real Weddings from The Knot, Bridezillas, Platinum Weddings, and A Wedding Story. By far, Bridezillas(new season began this week) is the most entertaining and probably the most real. It shows brides coping with nerves, limited budgets, and family. In the other shows, wedding planning is shown to be a harmonious, seamless process. We recently watched a Real Weddings episode featuring an Indian couple, who had a traditional Gujarati ceremony that incorporated a western tradition of exchanging rings. All of these shows have contributed to our determination to have a simple, no-frills wedding. According to the NYT (citing Modern Bride), the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $26,000. X and I would like to spend less.

Smartbargains.com

2006-09-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a bzzagent and joined the smartbargains campaign a few weeks ago. X and I got a head start on our registry by purchasing this great Sitram 11-piece stainless steel set. After checking the usual suspects (amazon, target, froogle, etc.), this ended up being the best deal for a 10-piece+ tri-ply steel set with aluminum bases. If anyone feels like checking smartbargains out, type in BZZ before checkout to get free shipping.

$72 Billion Spent on Weddings Worldwide

2006-09-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

This stat is from Business Week editor, Gene Marcial (View with Windows Media/Flash).