170 Days - Hello Gorgeous!

 

Let me first state, I have my wedding shoes and I LOVE them.  But for just a moment, let me salivate over these beauties!

171 Days - Is that a cupcake?!

This evening, I sat down with my guilty pleasure- www.people.com.  (Don't judge.)  It was there that I read about Carrie Underwood's wedding cake plans, or more appropriately, CUPCAKE PLANS!  Carrie tells CMT Radio that she and her fiance are planning a wedding that is a "little bit different". . . "we're kinda doing cupcakes."  Excuse me?! There is no kinda about it, Carrie Underwood.  If you are doing cupcakes, you are doing cupcakes!

I consider Washington, DC my home, which means I am officially obsessed with all things cupcakes.  I love them!  DC boasts several cupcake shops.  The Washington Post directs readers to best bests for cupcakes in the city detailing such popular shops as Hello Cupcake, Baked & Wired, and the ever popular and super delicious, Georgetown Cupcake.  My office is just blocks away from Red Velvet Cupcakery, which is very convenient when picking up dessert for Sam and me on my way home from work.  My love of all things cupcakes is also fostered by my secret best friends that run Curbside Cupcake, the one and only cupcake truck that happens to stop by my office every Thursday around noon at which point I am compelled to announce its arrival to my entire cuberhood.

I suppose it doesn't come as a shock that Sam and I are "kinda doing cupcakes" for the wedding!  We looked into wedding cake, but my research showed me that the average cost of cake in DC is between $4-$7 per slice.  Cupcakes, on the other hand, can be purchased for around $2.75-3.50 per cupcake.  Of course, we could always go the sheet cake route via Giant or Safeway grocery stores, but neither Sam nor I care for buttercream frosting, nor are we interested in going into sugar shock on our wedding day.

Another reason we chose cupcakes is that we aren't limited in the flavors we choose for our wedding day.  With wedding cake, you might get one or two flavors in the cake.  We are planning on at least four to six different flavored cupcakes, which makes Sam happy because our guests will be able to choose what flavor they will enjoy the most.  He is a big fan of individual choice ;-)

We plan on booking Georgetown Cupcake for our special day.  They have the best deals in cupcakes and they have received the Rachel & Sam stamp of approval.  I am looking forward to this summer when TLC is showcasing the owners of Georgetown Cupcake, who also happen to be sisters, in a six-episode series aptly named "Cupcake Sisters".  There is nothing like preparing for your wedding by eating cupcakes and watching a show about the cupcakes you will have at your wedding!

*Image from Georgetown Cupcake

172 Days - I love my fiance

Tonight,  Sam made me stovetop mac n' cheese with extra sharp cheddar and heavy cream.  It was rich, delicious, and just what I wanted.  He topped me off with an Anchor Steam ale.  Nice little Sunday evening.

Have a great week everyone!

172 Days - Happy Birthday!

A very happy birthday to my dad and brother!

We wish we could be with you to celebrate!!

xo, Rach & Sam

199 Days - Copperhead Road

Today I woke up feeling tired and grumpy after another night of being cuddled and licked by our kitten, Clyde. I tried very early in the evening to put he and his sister, Bonnie, out of our bedroom. This plan never works because they always manage to get back into the bedroom to remind us that they require love and attention at 3 am. On this particular evening, putting them out was a particularly bad idea. Apparently, Clyde did a broad jump onto the kitchen counter last night and jumped into an open cupboard (our mistake) and decided the muffin cups and napkins needed to be on the floor. It was a nice surprise that was waiting for me in the kitchen this morning. For those of you that have met my little Angel of Menace, you can see that it is difficult to stay mad at him He is fluffy and has tufts in his ears, which make him one of the most adorable kittens alive. Also, the cupboard was left open by us and Clyde is a very talented vertical jumper (I am thinking of sending him to the NFL Combine. He would do quite well.), which is a bad combination and we should have known better. So after cleaning my kitchen at 7:30 am, I kissed Sam goodbye, pet the Angels of Menace, turned on my iPod, and set off for work.


Normally, this kind of morning would set the tone for the rest of the day, but thankfully, my iPod came to the rescue. . .





In an instant, I first heard the bagpipes and it was then I knew that my day would get better. It was Copperhead Road by Steve Earle.  Some songs just turn your day around and this song is a very good example of such a song. 

Copperhead Road is extremely special to me. From 7th grade until my senior year of high school, the girls’ gym class line danced for a month every winter. For those of you that know me and my girlfriends from home, you would recognize that this particular month was usually quite awesome. We loved line dancing and most often upon mastering a certain dance, we would always try to “improve” it somehow by adding leaps and twirls. In the case of Copperhead Road, we danced it “River Dance” style and it quickly became one of our favorites. This meant we required our gym teacher, Ms. G, to play it during every gym class. I had gym class every day my senior year. If you do that math, that’s A LOT of line dancing and a lot of Copperhead Road.

Since high school, my girlfriends and I have remained very close. We have shared in each other’s highs and lows, weddings and graduations, buying homes, and moving across the country. We don’t see each other as often as we would like, but we make an effort to be there for each other, both in person and in spirit, during the big and small events in our lives. On particular joyous occasions when a DJ, band, or iPod is present (e.g. our weddings), we require our song to be played. It has been nine years since our senior year of high school, but we still know the steps to Copperhead Road, and we have danced it together at each of our weddings, “River Dance” style, of course. Like the father-daughter/mother-son dance, dancing to Copperhead Road is a special way that my girlfriends celebrate each other and our friendship, which now spans 23 years! I love my girlfriends and I feel blessed to have them in my life. It is memories of us that can turn a day that started off pretty lousy and turn it into one where my face hurts from smiling.

With that being said, I am not sure at what point Copperhead Road will play during Sam’s and my wedding reception, but it will most definitely be there!
P.S. For those of you that don’t know how Sam and I met, we were introduced after Sam’s friends started cheering for my sister and me while we danced to Copperhead Road. . . It’s just one of those things. :-)

209 Days - Hotel Accomodations

The room blocks are available for reservations. :-) 


*NEW UPDATED RATES AT THE HOTEL LOMBARDY!

The Hotel Lombardy  
2019 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006 http://www.hotellombardy.com/ 

This hotel has the convenience factor because it is next door to the reception venue.  The rooms are spacious and each has a small kitchenette.  

Other features:

• Located on Pennsylvania Avenue, in Washington, DC's Foggy Bottom district
• Blocks from the White House, George Washington University, the World Bank, and IMF
• Only steps from Metrorail's Orange Line and Blue Line
• Within walking distance of major museums, monuments, and memorials
• Just 15 minutes to Reagan National Airport (DCA) and 40 minutes to Dulles International Airport (IAD)
  

Pricing
King Suite - $149 per night (was $159)
Double Suite - $169 per night (was $169)
Parkview Suite - $209 per night (was $209)

Please call (202) 828-2600 or (800) 424-5486 and ask for the Munn-Batkins Wedding Block (Group #2049) to ensure the blocked rate.

***THIS ROOM BLOCK IS FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH AND FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF GUESTS THAT ARRIVE IN DC ON THURSDAY FOR THE REHEARSAL DINNER.  HOWEVER, GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO BOOK ROOMS AT HOTEL LOMBARDY FOR THEIR ENTIRE VISIT TO WASHINGTON, DC.***

THE LAST DAY THIS ROOM BLOCK IS AVAILABLE FOR RESERVATIONS IS MONDAY, AUGUST 16TH.

One Washington Circle Hotel 
One Washington Circle, NWWashington, DC 20037http://www.thecirclehotel.com/

This hotel is just two blocks away from the reception venue.  Like the Hotel Lombardy, the rooms are spacious- each room has a small kitchenette and balcony facing the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Other features:

• Positioned in the heart of the K Street business district, halfway between the White House and Georgetown, at the intersection of K Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
• Only half a block from the Foggy Bottom / George Washington University Metrorail station and 3 blocks from The Kennedy Center and Dupont Circle
• Less than a five minute walk from George Washington University, the IMF, and the World Bank
• A convenient 10-minute drive from Reagan National Airport

Pricing
Efficiency Suite - $139 per night
Corporate Suite - $159 per night
Deluxe Penthouse - $179 per night

Please call (202) 872-1680 or (800) 424-9671 and ask for and ask for the Munn-Batkins Wedding Block (Group # 551462) to ensure the blocked rate.

***THIS ROOM BLOCK IS FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OUR GUESTS THAT WISH TO SPEND THE WEEKEND IN DC.***

THE LAST DAY THIS ROOM BLOCK IS AVAILABLE FOR RESERVATIONS IS FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH.

214 Days - Fleurs and Centerpiece Planning

So now that V-Day has passed, I will be getting in touch with local florists to discuss options for bouquets, centerpieces, and other decor dealies. I was playing on The Knot today and found some images show the direction I am going in for the centerpieces. (Over there! -->)

Each table will be different with recycled green glass carafes, decanters, bottles, and vases holding a few large blooms in reds, pinks, and peachy oranges. I plan on getting a bunch of small bud vases and adding gold leaf detailing to them to add some depth to the tables.

So that's what I am thinking for centerpieces. If a florist can accomplish this under budget, then woot! I'll sign on the dotted line. If it can't be done, then I guess that is what seven attendants and lots of helpers are for, right?! Everyone has been willing to help out on our wedding day, so we can always go the DIY route and order wholesale flowers. I know we can do it; I have some pretty fabulous and artistic friends. Given all the fabulousness, I am kinda hoping it doesn't come down to the DIY route. I want to relax and have fun with my friends and family the morning of our wedding, not run around worrying about fleurs. I have big plans for a dance party, sing along in the bridal suite with my lady loves. ;-)