But first, quick thanks, some sleep, then back for more of an update, I promise!!

Whew, to properly recover, I think we need to sleep for at least TWO WEEKS, but before I lay my head down, quick, special special thanks to:
Toki Cavener Photographer – (www.tokisphotos.com) -This vegan hipster lady has vision, panache, talent, willingness to hop on a plane to get it done AND she’s even super NICE y’all. Thanks Toki!! Can’t wait to see the photos & the amazing photo book & thank you cards!
Phil Birdsell Wedding DJ – (www.philbirdsell.com) This man loves what he does & it SHOWS! Can’t get Chuck Woolery for your event? Hire Phil! They look like brothers, have the same charm factor, but Phil EVEN broke out into a full on Michael Jackson dance that had the crowd roaring (I joke to you not). Though we got him our OBSCURE old-school hip hop, disco & r & b classic request list that everyone but your mamma had forgotten about…he worked it out, last-minute, & made the music a HIT! Thank you Phil!!!
Nikola Ahaiwe Of Platinum Touch Events (who we drove completely nuts) & her 3 AMAZING assistants, Sagevee (sp?) (so sweet & helpful)! Jackie, (helped me so much upon upon “hello”, super nice nice & just the calming touch that every bride needs)  & Vanessa (extremely professional also & on it on it on it!!) Thank you all so much for going above & beyond!!:)
May Lindstrom of Green Blossom Beauty - (www.GreenBlossomBeauty.com) – Oh May, who held my dress while I peed, talked me off the ledge when I was worried I’d left my written vows, (which themselves, hadn’t even been completed) & lastly, re-glued my Tyra-esque gigantic eyelashes on, again & again all day through the tears. Thank you thank you thank you so much! A complete vegetarian beauty in her own right, check her out as she is the only TRULY GREEN makeup artist in the free world we know of (her kit being totally non-toxic, sans the eyelash glue which we crazed brides are intent on having). Also special thanks to her team-member “Christopher” who flawlessly did my hair! Please send me over your url as well, if you have one! Thx so much!

Vanessa of VanessaBellyDance.com- She THRILLED our guests with her unexpected sword dance & danced her way into our hearts forever! Her co-dancer was fantastic & awe-inspiring as well! The SWEETEST woman with the best dance company ever-check her out NOW!         (There are more thanks to other vendors to come, this is just round one).
FRIENDS whom the day could NOT have been “pulled off” without:
Melanie Edwards & Steven Edwards- Our own personal heroes, who stepped in & saved the day when our caterer ambushed us, we had no location for the wedding brunch, & when we needed to believe there was still some good & righteousness in the world! We love you endlessly! Thank you!!!

Bishop Everitt: My friend Evan (who gets married this weekend, hopefully not amidst all the stress & chaos we went through) left a message o my voice mail yesterday proclaiming “The highlight of the entire event was when the Bishop so humorously portrayed your story”. Wow, the Bishop MADE the highlight! No words can express how grateful we are to him.

My dear, relentless & beautiful friend Sugania Nivalapan -OHMYGOODNESS. I wore Sue’s jewelry, I carried her clutch, her vases, bowls & decorations my house is STILL adorned with. Sue was part of the crazy team who stayed up until 3 IN THE MORNING the night before, washing, counting & boxing 1,000 + dishes, glasses, cups, plates, decorations, etc. Not to mention Sue’s running ALL OVER downtown, even the MORNING OF to find a petticoat, & previously, gold chargers, square plates, tablecloths, ribbon, you name it. My heroine! ( Full posting on all the specifics from everyone coming soon!)

Vanessa Araiza- Not only did she dance w/Sue, Josh & I during our “surprise number” (video soon to come!) She ran & picked up BOWLS for chimichurri sauce the morning of! She’s the best friend every girl wishes she could have!

Josh’s family- Dad, Brent, Reagan, Melanie, even little Hayden!! Thank you so MUCH for staying up all night to help, delivering tables & chairs for the brunch, washing 1,000 dishes, & all of your love & support! Goodness Gracious did we not know what we were getting into, huh!?? Thank you so much!!

Mommy: You sent checks every week & love everyday. Thank you SO MUCH!! We love you!!

Special Last-Minute, unexpected Thanks!:
Paige of Mabrials’ Bridal- (http://www.mabrialsbridal.com) SAVED THE DAY!! Rather than me surf the net ENDLESSLY for weeks at a time, finding the dress of my dreams, more search for a seamstress who could pull it off, receiving the dress months later & months late, only to discover it looked NOTHING like the original & couldn’t be worn, left in a complete tizzy & THEN finding Paige…I only WISH I could have happened upon her bridal shop sooner, spent a 1/2 an hour looking around & then have had Paige (the kindest woman in the world) ship me the dress SHE suggested for me, which was completely beautiful & a fraction of the cost of couture dresses at typical bridal boutiques, the end. More on the dress drama & also Paige’s beautiful designer gowns at fantastic discount prices later…for now, COMPLETE THANKS!!
Bob of BartenderswithSpirit.com- WHAT impeccable service they provided!! He too helped us last minute, doubled our staff on 12 hours notice, took care of EVERYTHING service related, (we didn’t have to buy a single jar of juice, for the reception, or even a cup) & he & his staff did it all w/a smile. We paid them full price for everything (gulp) but the service was SO GOOD, they were so well-dressed, professional, attractive & on top of things, & LESS EXPENSIVE THAN MOST, WITH M-O-R-E service (i.e. they SET UP & BROKE DOWN for us…whereas some other service staff vendors only serve) so we were just in awe of how good they were! Call them on the jiffy!

Thanks so much to all of our friends & family members who hopped planes, trains & automobiles & broke the bank to be with us! There are so many cards & so much love, we haven’t even gone through them all yet! Thank you thank you THANK YOU! Ok, I promise to have the FULL SCOOP very soon…for now, I leave you with part 1) of the dress debacle. Here’s the “To Die For” Pronovias dress I originally found & commissioned:

THE Wedding Dress of My Dreams...Courtesy of www.Pronovias.com

Here is the dress that was delivered: (I call it “The dress that Couldn’t”) Once we’d reached a week before the wedding weekend & two months behind the LAST DAY of the dress mock up promise date, I gave up, but here it ’tis:

Dress 10/2/09. Me, no makeup, trying to hold in the tears/stress. It was "poofy-er" in the midsection but I gathered in the sides (that are huge in comparison to my waist/original dress) because she asked me to - it is also pinned DOWN in about 25-30 places to tame the "ruffles" because I asked her to)...There was also a bow, but it had fallen off...

A lot of stress, & this is just the beginning.

Hopefully once we post some VIDEO from the day however, the ACTUAL dress, descriptions of the FOOD & the video of our surprise dance number, there will be some smiles. Love you all, now off for some SLEEP!! C