Arnie's Gourmet Sucks!!!

I've finally come to the conclusion that Arnie's Gourmet (out of Friendswood, Texas) sucks! They catered for my wedding on December 6, 2008. My biggest complaint is that I specifically ordered cloth napkins so that our costumes would not get stained. Not only did they neglect to bring them, but they charged me $100 and they keep bullshitting me about giving me a refund. That night the head chef had asked me if there was anything wrong, and I let him know - he even came back to me and said I would get a check in the mail. I've called and e-mailed them like a million times and I've given up, since it's almost May and I still haven't recieved a serious apology and a refund.

Both Keith and Arnie are both totally unprofessional morons, and next time I host a ball or a party - it's going to be kept simple, with food trays from Kroger! I feel that I wasted so much money on something has has caused more trouble than it was worth.

My other complaints were:

1. My wedding cake had WHITE leaves - what, did they run out of green food coloring?

2. They never bothered to call to confirm how many people would definitely be coming, so when I finally went to call him he said it was too late and I got stuck paying for 100 people when only 50 showed up.

3. There was like twice as much green beans as there was stuffing. If 100 had come, we would've been SOL.

4. He said to plan on hors d'ouevres for only 50 people. Well, 50 people came....and there was nothing left by the time I came but hungry people. Poor planning on his part. I was told by many people that there wasn't a whole lot to begin with, and they argued with me on that one.

5. I was never served any stuffing. As the bride, you'd think they would make sure of this. I was too upset to go back, as the reception had started late.

6. Some of the servers were totally unprofessional.

Next time: heavy hors d'ouevres trays from Kroger! Cheaper, faster, and probably no need to complain for a refund!

My Wedding on YouTube

I tried editing my wedding but the saved result ended up in a file unknown to YouTube. Here it is unedited:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHFnc_47rfo&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrQwO5bI1gc&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL2P-gE6Edg&feature=channel

Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett - Halloween?

Last year (BEFORE the hurricane) I was thinking of my husband and I going as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett. We wanted to go to Boo on the Boardwalk in Kemah, as it caters to everybody (not just children!) and Halloween is more a season than just a day. Those plans obviously got ruined, so I think I'm going to plan early and make sure it works out this year!

Christian already has a gothic red double-breasted Victorian vest from the wedding. All he needs are striped trousers (Goodwill, anyone?) and the wig and razor blades. (I'm still trying to talk him out of bringing real ones....grrrr....)

I've been searching for some ideas for Mrs. Lovett. It's actually very hard to find any costume at all, as all commercial manufacturers make the non-gothic Mrs. Lovett costumes from the play, which is actually pathetic, since they are so light-colored and happy-looking. They really don't set the correct tone of the play at all. Plus, they're late 18th century, in contrast to mid-19th for the movie, which is way more cool.

So far I've found some black paisley on eBay though a quilting store, and some kind-of expensive black swiss (I really want to keep the swiss!) I've found out the hard way that swiss is hard to find these days, as it is considered "vintage" and isn't popularly used anymore. Bummer. I'm not going to buy anything just yet, as I have to create a mock-up and figure out how much I need, as this project will be based very loosely on a few patterns.

As for the wig, I'm totally at a loss. I can't find one at all. I really don't want to mess up my hair, as it is waist-length, and it would be difficult to get it back from being all tangled up. Looks like there's not one in sight, and it's been a few years since the movie.

However, I should be able to easily find red and black stockings. (Horozontal, not vertical like in the movie. Another bummer.)

I decided not to go with a real waist cincher, since I'm a petite 34G and it would just make the girls look bad. Instead, in order to keep the look, I'll have a faux cloth one with very little boning to wear over the dress; it just won't highlight the waist like a real one would.

I'm also thinking I need a body-suit for the top since it's transparent, or I need to line everything in flesh-colored fabric. More work for me.

Also needed: cheap little meat pies (50 cents at Walmart), some fake roaches, and a basket!

Photos and video!!!

I finally sifted through all the photos my dad took and a lot of them turned out blue because of the contrast between shade and the bright sun. I had to edit almost all of them, and only the actual wedding photos are ready and online. You can view them on Webshots:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/569199722mEBMeb

I also found myself on the Austin news online. Don't blink!

http://www.news8austin.com/shared/video/video_pop.asp?destlist=59435

Wedding a Success!!!

I honestly think this was the biggest wedding Dickens ever had in the few years they have offered the service. The plaza between Yaga's and Fuddruckers was full to the brim!

I really enjoyed the short ceremony. Although, I gotta admit, it was very nerve-wracking since there were so many people! I received a LOT of compliments and well-wishes Saturday from many people I don't even know. I think that makes it extra-special, because if the wedding were private, it just wouldn't have been the same.

Also, who really can claim that they had Marley's Ghost and Queen Victoria and her entourage at their wedding? And a whole band of bagpipers too!

My favorite part of the ceremony: when my minster asked if there were any reasons for us not to marry, he said "keep it to yourself!" LOL I loved that part!

We took so many photos after the wedding, my cheeks hurt! My photographers that I hired lead a whole group of random "paparazzi" (both from professional news and amateurs) for a whole hour! We couldn't even go a block over from the plaza in that amount of time!

Luckily, we made it just in time for the carriage for the line-up of the parade. It was funny sitting in it since just with 2 ladies (my matron of honor and myself) we filled it up quite well! I can't imagine the size of carriages they must have needed for larger families, especially if they had a lot of girls!

We had a good time being in a carriage in the Queen's Parade for the first time. It was sure nicer than walking.

We even got to go back to Somewhere in Time antique shop to thank the owner there again for the 19th century pocket watch I had been persauded to buy for my husband 1 week before the hurricane. I was so grateful that we had gone that weekend because I didn't know what else to get Christian as a groom's present.

We also got to see Sandi from the Railroad Museum. I was more than a little sad to see that things still aren't up and running, and that the reception that evening would have been more accessible and successful had it been where it was supposed to be. Maybe we'll have to celebrate our first anniversary there next year and host another Victorian ball!

Since I didn't personally take any photos myself (I took the weekend off on that one!) I'm relying on everyone else to take photos. Here are some links so far:

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000014057 The whole wedding ceremony (audio only) and look for a pefect photo of our kiss in the slide show! You can also listen to our interview and others.

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l309/reid188/Dickens%202008/ A big thanks to my friends (and clients!) for these wonderful digital photos

http://www.statesman.com/search/mediahub/mediahub/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=136354 A wonderful photo from the Austin American-Statesman (we're #13 in the slideshow)

Sunday gown

Yes, I'm crazy, but I grew out of my regular Dickens outfit, so I really need to make a new one that fits the bust better.

I chose the 1857 Wisconsin Governor's Wife pattern because I have never really explored plaids, as plaids aren't really in style today. I found a wonderful green and black plaid taffeta on eBay at a great price. I started on the skirt panels last night and it is sooo much lighter than my wedding gown!!!

It was extremely difficult to find a feminine pattern without it screaming out "lumberjack." It was also hard to find one that wasn't too big of a plaid. I'm only 5'1" and many prints easily dwarf me.

I'll publish photos as soon as this project gets underway. I'm hoping this won't be too popular of a pattern, and at least it is very easy to change up. (My wedding gown is from the same pattern!)

less than 2 weeks till the wedding!!!

I'm just finishing up the gown today. This has taken more work than I had thought, as work has been getting in the way of everything these days. Thank God I have this whole week off for Thanksgiving!

Yesterday I finished putting all 7 alternating layers of lace and silk chiffon! All I have to do is replace the silk chiffon that goes over the shoulder because it must've slipped in the machine out of place and it needs to hang over the top of the lace on the sleeve to make things right.

I tried everything on last Sunday and I think it looks even bigger on me than on my dress mannequin! (Could be because it sits in a corner.)

I bought the tussy mussy on eBay and got one for my matron of honor too. I got them both engraved. They are a bit awkward to handle, though, because they are top-heavy, of course. Because Island Flowers is still not doing business, I made the bouquet for myself and a posy for Cathy for only $30!

When sunnier weather comes (hopefully before the wedding) I hope to go to Bay Street Park and take pictures in the gazebo for better lighting and background.

Feels good to have to change my new serger's color from white to black. I'm soooo sick of white! I'm honestly surprised I didn't get the gown stained up more than I did. (I just had to dry-clean it once without the ruffles because the center fold of the fabric came dirty from the store.) I'm just worried how much this is going to take to dry-clean.

I think this should get people's attention at Dickens on the Strand.