The Dubious Bride

Help! Jess has a major case of the post-wedding blues! 

By Jessica Solloway

I knew it would happen. The high from the wedding would eventually wear off, and my fairy tale weekend would become a distant memory with each passing day. My friend warned me about this ... a cruel, cold world where no one cares about cake tastings, centerpieces, or how I'm wearing my hair.

Continue reading "Post-Wedding Blues" »

Jess recaps a few of her favorite things about the wedding weekend.

By Jessica Solloway

While the whole weekend was a blur of fun, I do have some standout moments that deserve a shoutout. In no particular order...

The Rise ... and Fall
One of my least favorite Jewish wedding traditions is dancing to The Hora. It's when everyone holds hands and dances in a raucous circle, as the bride and groom are lifted on chairs in the center. Everyone else loves this part of the wedding. But when I hear that song play, I promptly beeline it for the bar. So naturally, I was a little on edge when it was my turn to be hoisted into the air on a flimsy chair, held up by the likes of Seth's drunk friends. And sure enough, within three seconds of being elevated above the crowd, the chair tipped forward and down I flew. Luckily, my dad's "protective" gears shifted into full effect. Petrified that his first born would get hurt in such an activity, he raced to the center in case of emergency. And as I went flailing out of the chair, he actually caught me! And it was one of my favorite moments because my dad said, "See, even though now you're married, I can still be there to catch you." So, even when you "grow up", you don't really have to ... right? Your parents are always going to be there for you. And luckily he was ...or there could have been some broken bones for sure...

Continue reading "The Wedding Top 10 List" »

Jess and Seth's whirlwind wedding weekend arrives!

By Jessica Solloway

I am still in a state of shock as I sit here writing this blog entry that my wedding weekend already happened. Who pushed the fast forward button on my life? It seems like I was just boarding the flight to Cleveland last Wednesday, bursting with excitement about what the weekend would bring. When the flight attendant saw our garment bags, she asked if we were going to a wedding. When we told her it was our wedding, within seconds, the pilots were announcing to the entire flight that "the couple in seats 8B and 8C" were on their way to get married.

Continue reading "The Wedding: From Bride-to-Be to Bride! " »

See how our bride-to-be is holding up with less than a week to go before the big day!

By Jessica Solloway

I seriously can't believe that my wedding day is less than a week away. Where did the time go? It feels like just yesterday that I had my first dress fitting, or was looking forward to my showers, or having a blast with my best friends at my bachelorette party. And now, I am handling all the very, very last minute details in preparation for my trip to Cleveland.

Continue reading "T Minus 1 Week! " »

Advice from a friend helps Jess enjoy the last two weeks of her engagement.

By Jessica Solloway

The other night, I was talking to one of my friends about some things I was nervous about leading up to the wedding (dreary Cleveland weather, catching the swine flu, etc...) and she had great advice. She said, "Don't stress out about the what-ifs. Just enjoy being special for two more weeks, because before you know it, you'll just be another boring married couple that no one cares about." Hmph. She had a point.

Continue reading "Just Another Boring Married Couple" »

Seating charts, RSVPs, and last minute shopping keeps Jess on her toes.

By Jessica Solloway

It is truly mind boggling the amount of things that need to get done for a wedding. It was so nice at the beginning when I thought we had it all covered once we booked the basics -- the band, the florist, the photographer and the venue. But as it gets closer (less than three weeks!) I can't believe the amount of "to-dos" we are consumed with. The overriding themes of this week were seating and shopping ... neither of which I was bursting with excitement to deal with.

Continue reading "Confessions of a Shopaholic" »

With one month to go, Jess and Seth handle the last minute details.

By Jessica Solloway

I can't believe it, but Seth and I went home for the last time before the wedding. We had tons of appointments scheduled and literally did not stop moving from one place to the next (in our very un-cool rented minivan). I need a nap! The craziest part was leaving our meetings and saying, "Ok, see you at the wedding!". So strange!

Continue reading "The Finishing Touches" »

The invitations are out, bringing the big day even closer!

By Jessica Solloway

When I first started planning my wedding, the actual date seemed so far away. It was barely winter when I got engaged, so thinking ahead to next fall felt like an eternity. But now it's like I've been propelled through some kind of wedding planning time machine, and it's hard to believe that in five short weeks, I'll be hitched! Everything seemed to speed up when the invitations went out. And that's when it all started feeling real.

Continue reading "Signed Sealed Delivered!" »

Jess tries to chill out as the wedding gets closer.

By Jessica Solloway

Don't be deceived by this title. With my wedding just six weeks away, I'm not feeling "cool as a cucumber". But I am hoping that seeing those words in writing will calm me the heck down. There are tons of things that need to be done ... things that take time, research, energy, and creativity. And the list keeps growing by the day. Not to mention, I had to go to the DMV today which makes even the sanest person teeter on the edge. (My wallet was snatched so I needed a new license. I hope the thief enjoyed the movie tickets he bought on me. Who buys movie tickets with a stolen credit card?)

Continue reading "Cool as a Cucumber" »

Jess gets the scoop on having a "picture perfect" day.

By Jessica Solloway

I figured we all could use a break from my blabber about to-do lists and shoe shopping dilemmas. So, this week I did a little digging (investigative blogging, if you will) to uncover the secrets to getting amazing wedding pictures. If you're planning a wedding, you know that finding a photographer is no easy task. They're responsible for capturing the most important and memorable moments of your big day ... everything from the first instant you and your fiance see each other ... to grandma doing the Running Man after too many cocktails.

Continue reading "The 411 on Wedding Photos" »