Pictures again

For just $300, we got Yancy's suit, belt and shoes. Thank you, Macy's!

Best reactions

For all the negativity you hear about marriage in our society, you get some pretty excited reaction when you tell people you are engaged (which is very reassuring). Here are a few of my favorite:

"I GET TO BE A HOTTIE.......got any cute, single uncles coming to this thing?" -- anonymous, just in case it's embarrassing

"Thanks! And please resist buying a black wedding dress. And please start a wedding blog." -- Cousin Marie

Livi: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT Omilivinggoodness

"Congratulations Leah! Wow. I am impressed with your efficiency." -- Hilary, past roommate

"Now you get to be saved from Brother Cariello's love connection." -- Jessica Allred

"Wait, so this is serious? You're getting married? (I always have to wait a bit first to see if people are playing tricks on Facebook...there are so many possibilities)" -- Suzanne Reeve, a friend from Seattle

"Congrats on being engaged!! Its so much fun" -- Jessica Hanson (did you know anyone who seemed happier to be engaged than Jess?)

"Wow, officially engaged on Facebook and everything. Congratulations, this must be for real." -- Cousin Robert

erika: I hope I will get a pic of the ring. you know how important knowing what the ring looks like is important to me.

me: Mark guess what
Mark: you're engaged?
me: yep
Mark: holy frijole craaaaaaaaaaaazyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

"'Gasp, Oh my goodness!!:)' Was the first thing out of my mouth. I love knowing what people's initial reactions are." -- Stephanie Bishop, in the RS presidency with me now. I wonder how she verbalized the smiley face

"what? oh my gosh!!!! LEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited for you! oh my gosh! i just gasped out loud and i can't type fast enough! I am so super excited for you! we definitely need to hang out so that i can hear the story. seriously! congratulations! i am so happy for you!!! Yay! :) i want details when you have a minute! yay!" -- Malia

Not another waste of his time

I feel slightly more engaged now that my fiancee status has been acknowledged.

I assume the blog title does not refer to me.

"That best portion of a good man's life"

Without exception, the most wonderful part of the process of getting married has been seeing with how little thought for self friends and family have made incredibly generous offers to help.

In my sweetheart as well as in my friends, relatives and colleagues, I have seen this thought personified:

"There are lots of limitations in all of us that we hope our sweethearts will overlook. I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can't always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command -- such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them."

-- Jeffrey R. Holland, apostle, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

These are just a very few examples of kindness that has meant so much to me. I wish I could cite them all.



"How many are you thinking of working up and how much do you want to invest toots? I can definately come up with something for you."

"If I knew it back before I got married, I may have forced Paul to learn it for the wedding. 'Brighter Than Sunshine' by Aqualung. Just in case you are in the market for love songs. ;)"



"I could lick envelopes, make fancy little groom's cakes (isn't that what they're called), oooh and aaaah over flowers or dresses, provide free backrubs, oooh and aaaah over the fiance (not too much of course), be your soda/diet coke jerk, etc..."

"I have to see about coming up that weekend. Eric will be in Atlanta, and so I have to see how things will work out with the children. I will let you know as soon as I can make plans."

Our first wedding gift

We just got our first wedding gift!







A free slotted-spoon thiny from Onieda for registering at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Birdies to Bogies: Handicapping the Bridesmaids

Even though I wouldn't even consider purchasing a dress I was able to try on just because the size was wrong, I had no problem buying three dresses based completely on an online photo -- dresses I don't have to wear, of course.

This wasn't really selfish, was it? Bridesmaids don't want to endure the pins and measuring tape of a usually too-frank professional tailor to end up looking like prom warmed over?



While we do have plans to glam them up, I like that the dresses are simple. My bridesmaids are exceptionally smart and pretty; if the apparel handicap wasn't tipped in my favor, I wouldn't be able to hang on to my center-of-attention privileges, and then I'd have to do something drastic.

(Collette -- thanks for modelling. Mom -- thanks for the video.)

On location

Our church has two types of buildings: churches and temples.

Churches are for regular Sunday worship and activities like socials, service projects and devotionals. They're usually brick, comely but built mostly for function.

Temples are for special occasions, like marriages, and are built to be as lovely as possible to honor God. (More on temples click here.)

Here are some photos of the temple in which Yancy and I will be married.


If you have any questions about our temples, please ask me.

Unsealed Sealing Envelope

Cassie Tooke, one of PRSA's newest employees, was sorting the mail when she found a letter that seemed just a little off.

"Hey, Leah," she said, "I've got a really weird piece of mail for you. Do you know what this is?"

"Woo hoo!" out loud, in the quiet office.


This photo is a re-enactment of actual events.

It is the confirmation of our appointment to be married.

Yea!

"The unveiling of the veiled ... something"

Photos of my veil tasting with my new roommate, Jen (dark hair), and my "old" roommate, Kort.

Title courtesy of Yancy.






I can't do a tiara for moral reasons, but I'm liking the headband.

$175 for a bunch of tulle and a comb. What do you think?

I tried on veils with my roommates, Kortlyn and Jen, Tuesday night.

I found a veil I really liked -- until I looked at the price tag.

$175.

Seriously? It's just a bunch of tulle hot glued to a comb.

So, I ask you: Do you think I could make one or would I just be wasting money better spent on something professionally made?

Dress shopping continued -- Will she succeed?

Dress shopping round two happened when I unexpectedly got the afternoon off. A lunch date with one of my longest New York friends, Kelly Brandeburg, turned into an afternoon of crazy fun.

This is Kelly:


Before we shopped, I found the dress below that I loved. Unfortunately, it's the perfect plus-size dress with all those diagonal lines (than you Trinny and Sus), and no one carried it in a size smaller than 14. This is me in a size 14 with a bunch of clips in the back to hold it tight:




Even if I had been willing to rish hundreds of dollars on that hope that they would order the right size and I'd love the look, RK said there was no way they could get a dress in soon enough for a November wedding.

I'd like to see them try to run their business in Provo.

This is RK Bridal ("Walmart of wedding retailers")



Agonizing over a dress (see the agony):



We bailed on RK and headed back to David's to take another look at my favorite dresses and try on new options.

This dress has amazing tiers of lace.



My favorite from last time:



And then I found the perfect dress.

If you want to see pictures, you'll have to come to my reception.

(or email me)

Victory dinner at Chucky Cheese!