Apartment shopping, Engagement session, and Randomness!

This semester of school is coming to a close. Thursday I turn in my last final. Crazy how fast the wedding is approaching! 83 more days.

Apartment shopping...

Joe and I have been searching for a little apartment that we both liked. A 2 Bedroom that we could both call home that isn't too far away from where he lives, and where I live now. He had to be out May 1st. In preparation for that, he took off the Thursday-Saturday that just passed. Friday rolled around and we nervously showed up to view one of two apartments we had planned to see that day. Nothing else worked out. One bedroom, not available until June 1st, or they simply never called us back. How do you not call back and when we are ready to sign on the line?! Anyway, we agreed to the one we had seen. I wasn't in love with the bathroom seeing that it was clearly made in the 1970s when peptol bismol pink bathtubs were cool. So we went to see numerous other apartments in Oak Park. They guy that showed us around was a bit serial killer creepy, but none of them were just right. The only one we loved from that bunch was in a not so great area.

So we called the lady back (the pink bathroom apartment) and gave her the rent/deposit that night. Crazy. Needless to say the weekend was spent packing, moving, furniture shopping, and cleaning. I couldn't help out too much due to work on Saturday, but I am thankful to those who helped Joe move. I don't love the bathroom or that the kitchen is a little bit old school as well, but I can call it home. It's two bedrooms and the living room is a great size. I am happy.

Now we have to decide on our furniture. We found a deal that is $2000 for 16 pieces. I'm talking couches, dining room set, bedroom set. All of it. It's nice....Then there is IKEA. A place I am so in love with. From their cake to their beds, it's all great. So what do I pick? The good and affordable or the great but the furniture we have to wait and save up for?!

Engagement session...


My engagement session was on my birthday. I was beyond nervous and so not ready for it. We went that morning (I said forget school and all that stuff haha) and searched for the perfect locations. I couldn't decide on my outfits and we just didn't know what to expect! We decided on a place in Wicker Park.

 I loved the broken down alley.

Then we headed to Lightology. Above is a screenshot. We took a photo right in the middle holding hands. If you want to take a virtual tour click here!

Then...Montrose beach. It was that or the Signature Lounge in the John Hancock. It was 6ish on a Friday night. I figured it would be too crowded and would take too long. So the beach it was. It's our beach. We go to that one every summer and love it. I remember we had a picnic date there for my birthday once. We brought Applebees and ate. It was cute, but windy. The engagement shoot was beyond windy. It was so windy I could feel the sand whipping at my legs. It was cold. It was also fantasic. It was twilight hour, the hour before it gets too dark. It's perfect for pictures. The wind was crazy. That was either great, or horrible seeing as the wind was blowing my hair in my face. We decided to go closer to this boardwalk area. The lake had intense waves. The photographer showed us a photo where we are kissing on the sidewalk and the wave is insane as it goes through us. haha.
I don't have any pictures there handy but here are some from Yelp.

It was great to work with Eric from photographyAE.com. He told us what to do, helped us find cool places to stand, and I'm sure he got some great shots. He kept changing lenses and cameras. It was really awesome. He kept telling Joe to tell me something funny or sweet. Joe had me laughing the whole entire time. It was so much fun! I can't wait to get the pictures back! 

Random!

This was the day we went shopping for engagement shoot! 

I secretly took this photo of this girl's hand. I think I want this manicure for the wedding! Glitter! 

I LOVE my engagement ring with my wedding bands. Yeah, I said bands. haha

Paintings I made for class. It's ok. I'm not meant to be a painter in life, but I'm glad I took the class.

That's all for pictures. I have to get back to working on my final. This week is my last week. I also am going to seriously try to loose weight and eat better. Finals and stress meant over eating on junk. I haven't lost anything and what I did loose I'm sure I gained it back. I need motivation and a workout buddy. Any takers/suggestions?!

-Melissa

My art on the wall

After a terribly short spring break off of school which was filled with work, homework, and celebrating Joe's birthday, I'm back in class. I feel so tired and I really don't know how I will stay awake. I started at 9am and I won't be leaving until at least 8pm.

Tonight is the opening at the ghetto gallery at UIC. It's not even the nice Gallery 400, It's the small, easily overlooked GBU on the 5th floor that nobody but art students at UIC taking a photo, or painting class sees. Still, it's an opening and my work will be seen by more then just my classmates, so some celebrating can be allowed.

I wanted to put up three pigeon pictures. My professor liked them all, but strongly encouraged (as in she made me haha) put up just two.

the two images

installed in the space (sorry for the not-so-clear iphone photos)

installed in the space 2

A wedding planning, photo taking, cake planning post!

When it comes to the whole planning a wedding thing, I'm a bit behind. I feel like I'm at a standstill. Part of the reason is school and procrastination. Part if it may be my sadness over this whole who's gonna marry us thing. Last post, I briefly mentioned going to the paster and asking him if he could marry us. He said yes. When we went to church on Sunday he told us he didn't realize that they were going to leave on vacation that day. I was devastated. It hurt... a lot. I took it for granted, so when I found out, I was crushed. It was something that I didn't think I would have to worry about. Is it good luck when so many things go wrong during the wedding process?

Ahh pigeons.
Yeah, pigeons. I'm in an animal based photo class right now. I couldn't think of anything extraordinary to do other then street photography for my semester long project. That was sort of a bust. I started to follow pigeons and something interesting is coming out of it. I feel so stupid that I am the pigeon lady. The crazy person you always pass by that is interacting with them. I take photos and Joe feeds them. It's kind of silly, but kind of fun too. It's interesting to start to care about an animal when I haven't really been close to any before. I mean the closest was a bird that died soon after we even got him when I was like 6. I don't really count him or our fish. Pigeons are also something that Chicago natives ignore and think of as rats with wings. I am going to attempt to explore them. Giving them a comical human humor. I also am going to try and create some aesthetically pleasing picture that involve their feathery little bodies. I'll give you a sneak peak soon.

This weekend I am going to create a cake for my grandparent's 50th anniversary. Can you believe it?! 50 years. That's fantastic. This photo below is my inspiration for the cake. It will be two layers, made up of carnations instead of roses with a giant 50 on top. I don't normally like cake toppers, but this one will do. A traditional sort of cake. I'm excited to do something for them. I don't like the gold little balls, so I am thinking a traditional buttercream border. I can't decide if it should be gold or white...maybe white. It's a little more traditional.

This is my sketch. haha.

Other then that no other updates. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.... I hate doctors, they terrify me.

Who really knows?

SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL...
I JUST DON'T KNOW ANYMORE!!!

But who really cares anyway?

It doesn't help that I didn't go last class. That's why I feel lost right now. I know what I need to do just so unmotivated. I've literally been sitting here for a few hours just staring at the computer screen. What if it's not good enough? I can't get that out of my head.

Joe and I are starting to go apartment shopping. It's a little bit nerve wrecking really. I mean this is the place that I will be moving into soon as well. In 150 days we will be married. It's all so scary. And wonderful, but mostly scary right now. When we walked into our first viewing of a cute apartment together I couldn't help but grin like an idiot. My mind was racing as to where the bed would go, how to make the bathroom look prettier, what my future office would look like. What color would I want to paint each room, and wondering if it would be enough closet space? What side of the bed would I be on and where the light would flow into the room. It's overwhelming. I couldn't help but dream about the future and what will be. I mean that's the point of moving forward right? To make new dreams and develop new goals. Oh the butterflies. Would that be our first apartment? I'm growing up so fast, and I'm glad Joe still loves me even though I asked 10000000 times what he thought the next step with the apartment should be. Can we afford it? I mean can we really? Should we look for cheaper? Bigger? I'm so new to this game. It doesn't help that we are both indecisive.

In other news, I got my highboy table ties in. Joe and I ordered 11 yellow and 11 orange in satin. They are really pretty, and it was the first thing I've purchased that has the wedding colors yellow and orange.

I plan on booking the food soon. Lou Malnati's it is!
Mmmmm....I should ask for a tasting. hahaha

stress

It's funny how my mindset has changed so much in just a year. I remember being so excited to get married and plan a wedding! I am still very happy and 100% sure that I'm doing the right thing, but the excitement has changed a little bit into stress. There is just so much going on in my head about the wedding((s) with my brother's wedding also around the corner), school, work,  and the future in general. There is so much that is changing, and as normal as it is, I'm scared. I glad to have Joe by my side. I couldn't do it without him, but I can't help but feel like I need more help or encouragement. Planning a wedding is hard. Going to school is hard. Going to school and feeling completely lost, is even harder. Work is just work. Being worried about the future is hard. Put that in a blender and it is a recipe for stress/mini breakdown. I think it has been slowly hitting me, and it all just caught up to me. A little bit yesterday, and little bit more today.

Maybe I am just a little bit lonely. I have Joe of coarse, but sometimes you need a friend. Everyone is just so busy all the time. Who knows. I'm just scared to be a real grown up. It is going to be fantastic to be married, but with that comes hard times too. The good outweighs the bad. That is love. As long as you have that, nothing else matters as much. I wish Joe didn't have night hours. I want to be in his arms and play Mario on the Wii. haha.

Perhaps I just need to pray more and be more in tune with the big man upstairs. At church yesterday I prayed what was going on and what was running through my head and broke down a tiny bit. I just need a hug.

That was my mini rant I guess. I just can't ask for help. I think I realized that when it counts, I can't do it. I can't ask for help unless it is Joe or my mom that I am asking. In some ways I'm super dependent, and in others I am the exact opposite. I keep to myself with the big things. Even the small sometimes. Even when people ask about the wedding it is a hit or miss. I usually just say it's going ok and that is the end of the convo. I mean who actually cares? Who actually wants to hear about somebody rambling about their wedding? Just me, my mom, Joe, and those who are getting married themselves. I kind of freeze when it comes to the wedding. When I met up with the Day of Coordinators, I kind of just froze. My mind just too scatterbrained. It takes a couple of minute to load all the information. I swear I am an old lady at times. 

I know everything will work out, and when it doesn't work out it is for a reason. God won't put me through anything I can't handle. I know that.

Sorry for the rambling. I just needed to write it down. This is my blog after all. :)

Whenever I get a little bit stressed about the wedding I just think of that moment when he sees me, and I can tell he likes what he sees. haha.  I don't know how couples can just stand there at the alter without jumping on one another. I plan to give him a huge hug. Multiple actually. Ok, at least one big one in the very beginning. I don't think I will be able to hold my emotions. That, I can't wait for. :)

Oh yeah, before I forget to write about.... Joe and I (ok just Joe, I stood their terrified), asked the Pastor if he would marry us! He said yes! It was super busy though, and we couldn't talk about it. We will have to meet up with him soon. :)

CAKE!

I love making cakes! It gives me a huge satisfaction to see the end result.
An even bigger satisfaction is to see people's reactions!
It also helps too when I see them eat the cake without stopping or saying
a word until the end. Although I can't take much credit for the taste,
I can take credit, along with my mom, for the look.

I made this cake last weekend for my cousin's birthday as a request from my aunt. 

Wedding shoes and stress free news! haha

I haven't really progressed too much in the wedding planning. I am still searching for the catering. I think I have pretty much found the rental company, but catering is something I still feel really lost on. I can't go over budget on this. I am stressing out about it. Stressing like crazy. It will work out in the end...

I have purchased the shoes though! I am so excited! They came in the mail today, and I love them! I am concerned that I will be taller then Joe. I am almost sure I will be at least as tall with those 5 inch heals. We'll see. I really love them, and it would stink to have to return them. I plan on trying them on with Joe blindfolded next to me. Hahaha.

I am about to book.....(drum roll please).....
A wedding planner! More specifically, a day of coordinator. If somebody would have told me a year ago that I would hire one, I probably would have laughed in their face. As this planning comes closer to the big day, I have come to the realization that I will have to go through so many vendors. I am so worried that I, or somebody close to me will have to run around like crazy on that day. I am also worried about the room change. I don't want any family member to have to lift a finger. The rental companies that I have corresponded with have told me that they either don't do a room change, or I found out that the price was insane and it wouldn't even include putting up the decorations! That is when I saw a wedding deal online with The Smitten Bride. I quickly e-mailed them for more information. I met up with them, and my mom, Joe, and I fell in love with them. I  met up with two ladies from the team and loved their personalities. I was worried, because I recently attended a bridal expo and when asked about a room change, (in her loud and slightly obnoxious voice) she stated that the catering company would do it. I was scared they would give me the same attitude. When we asked The Smitten Bride, there response made me feel so great. They will have their team physically do the room change! They will make sure everything is put together exactly how I want it. I instantly felt relieved. We left so excited and my mom felt a lot calmer. That was super important to me. We are about to sign the contract within the next day or so. Now they do offer a lot more then just the room change, but that was my main concern. They will assist with other things such as creating a timeline (which has stressed me out since we are having a cocktail only reception), they will be in charge of the rehearsal, they will be there all day on my wedding, they will set up and break down, make sure to oversee the other vendors, they will look over all the contracts and make sure everything is perfect, and many other things. The best part? A stress free day. 


I am a little stressed, but also really excited.