Welcome Home

We finally DID it! Mr. Gardenia and I now have a place of our own to call HOME. What a relief this has been to finally found our new place. I think this has been one of the most mind boggling things we have had on our wedding checklist because we were so uncertain as to our living situation. We were beginning to really consider living with his mom for the mean time after the wedding in order to give us some time to look around for our place. Our goal was to really find a place before the wedding and move in right before the wedding to get most of our things settled in.

With the wedding being such a momentous event, for us moving out is just as momentous as well. FI and I have lived with both of our parents all our lives and I mean ALL of our lives. We both attended commuter schools while we were in college so we didn’t have the need to live in the dorms or move into an apartment. With that said, moving out was truly something that we both have been looking forward to for a while now starting this new life in our own space.

This week we just signed our lease and our move in date is in 2 weeks. How exciting! We’re looking forward to furniture shopping, painting, moving in and decorating for the holidays. FI is adamant about decorating with a real tree this year and hosting a dinner party for our parents and siblings to say Thanks for all that they’ve done for us and for the wedding.

What has been the most exciting about moving out for you?

I Finally Found Her!!

I finally found her – and the “her” being my dress. I’ve always had this idea that wedding dress shopping would be such a delightful experience but after looking for almost 1 ½ year and not finding the right one – I was starting to get frustrated and thought will I ever find “her”. It seems as if I have scoured every bridal shop in Orange County just to find the right dress for me and I finally found ‘her” down the street from my parents’ home – at a local bridal shop in our area that I have avoided going to with the fear of very un-affordable prices.

My dress is a Mori Lee original with a strapless bodice that has awesome embroidery and crystal beading for some bling. The beading detail cascades through the back of the dress and hemline. I just love it! I really do. It met all of the musts that I was looking for in my dress and just was so happy with it. I had my first official fitting last week to discuss all of the alterations and bustle that needs to get done.

I guess it’s true that when you find it, you’ll just know.

** STOP READING Mr. Gardenia***

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*** I mean it -- stop NOW!!!

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images courtesy of Mori Lee

E-Pics Sneak Peek

Last week, Mr. Gardenia and I finally had our engagement pictures with our wonderful photographer at Cal State Long Beach. We really wanted to go somewhere different so we decided to use the Japanese Gardens on site as our backdrop along with the Pyramid). The gardens is famous for hosting Our session gave us a chance to hang out with our photographer and her husband and see how they are in action. I think that it's always nice to have that opportunity to work with your vendor first prior to the wedding so that you can evaluate their work based on your experience. Here are some sneak peeks into our e-pic session with Renee Broughton. I can't wait to see the rest of our pictures.

All photos courtesy of Renee Broughton.

My Red & Aqua-Themed Girlie Gathering

I had the best experience during my bachelorette/girlie gathering day that my MOH, bridesmaids and girlfriends threw for me just last month. They really catered the day just for me and my loves in life. It was sure a foodie experience not to forget. We started the day with a scrumptious brunch that was prepared by my MOH and MOB. We had full array of French toast kabobs, sausage skillets, fresh fruit, pastries from one my favorite Cuban bakeries(Porto’s), mini red velvet cupcakes from Dots, coffee, juice and much more. It gave us time to catch up with everyone and just relax before we head out to Burke Williams for my very first spa experience. The girls all came away with treats from matching flip flops, homemade madeleines and nail-tinis for everyone. Our dinner plans was to go to Villa Sorriso which has cabanas and martini lounge, as part of their restaurant.

The girls treated me to a spa adventure that started with a bath in lavender and citrus oils that was followed by my first ever facial, body treatment that made my skin glow all through the week and a mani and pedi session with all of the girls. It was so nice to have that retreat away from all madness of wedding planning and just relax and unwind with everyone. The facial was definitely my most favorite out of the treatments and I’m looking forward to going back for more.

After we got ready, we went back on our foodie trip to Old Town Pasadena to enjoy an Italian Feast at Villa Sorriso and dessert at Melting Pot. Since everyone knows how much I love great food, I was offered a day full of fun, relaxation, great camaraderie, laughs and definitely delicious food.

Greetings from Miss Gardenia!!

I am truly so overjoyed when I heard the news about being the newest bee in the wonderful world of Weddingbee. I can't explain how elated I was upon hearing this news and just was anxious to write my introduction so that I can blog away.

What I wanted to do was tell this nice and funny story about FI and I and how we met and rode off to the sunset but I figure, I would rather share my pictures that tell the story.

Hallmark is where Mr. Gardenia and I met 9 years ago when we first started working our first and only mall job. We both love Hallmark cards and Mr. Gardenia has boxes full of Hallmark cards that I have given him over the course of our dating. He will not let go of those cards as much as I try to convince him – he is hanging on to those cards for dear life.

Coach handbags, transformers and Robo-tech toys are our toys. I have a secret love for Coach handbags and have collected quite a few over the years that we have been dating and Mr. Gardenia has boxes and boxes (more boxes than the cards) of original Transformers and Robo-Tech toys from when he was growing up. He is just so excited that they’re bringing these back to life in movies. After watching the Transformers movie, he is already making plans to watch the new Robo-Tech movie due out during the later part of 2008. I think he became an immediate fan of Shia Labeouf (the same kid from Disney Channel’s Even Stevens) from Transformers after seeing the movie.

We love food!! Coming from a Filipino and Spanish background, food is definitely a staple in our families so we both like to eat. And when I meant eat, I meant grub! Our new food favorites are bubbling tofu soup with beef bulgogi (explanation of beef bulgogi), Indian food especially garlic naan and chicken tikka and lastly, Vanilla’s Southern Style banana pudding and their French macaroons.

I am truly a spa virgin turned addict. My girls took me to Burke Williams for the first time and I feel in love with all of their treatments. Though their manis and pedis are a bit expensive, it is quite a treat! So with the spa as my new outlet for my girls and I to hang out and unwind, his outlet is his World of Warcraft nights with his friends. I think this will remain to be a favorite of his until we get the Wii and his attention has been diverted.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and can't wait to share my DIY projects with all of you.