Kristy

What color, type of pants, skirt would you pair with this top?

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/juniors/brands/hea...

Standard black pants? A skirt? What color?

Thanks!

This Yahoo News article from this morning really highlights what's important. This couple had their ceremony despite their venue burning down *while they were getting ready*. What an amazing tribute to what's really important in life! It's not about the food, the flowers, the music or the gifts, it's about starting your life together and knowing you can put up with anything life throws at you.

The story: http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/couple-says-w...

The question is, how would YOU react if this happened to you? Would you still have been able to go on with the day or would you have been a complete wreck and cancelled/postponed everything?

I am invited to a shower for a baby that's due in January 2012. Mom's registry has sheets and onesies on it and that's it - all fine and dandy but I wanted to get her something useful and appropriate and a bit more substantial. I don't have kids. What was the BEST new baby gift you got, the MOST USEFUL gift you got and the WORST shower gift you got?

Thanks!

I was recently assigned a specific set of tasks at work that the office manager usually handles. She is no longer going to be handling these tasks, they've been diverted to the HR department (which I head) and assigned to me as they are managerial tasks that cannot be delegated. This increases my workload by about 50% and as these tasks are time sensitive, will require me to dedicate an entire five-daywork week from the first of every month to them. This requires me to readjust my entire interview and hiring process schedule accordingly and decreases the number of potential employees I can see in a month. Is it appropriate to request an increase in compensation at this time? I am contracted to a 3% salary increase annually, this is not due to come around until November. Just looking for some professional advice. I have never done a request for increase outside of my contract so I am curious about others experience. Thank you!

I am throwing a baby shower for my brother's new baby. My mother (the baby's grandmother) volunteered her home as a venue. I tentatively accepted her offer (this was 2 days ago, no plans have been made yet otherwise). Since discussing the shower with my brother, he thinks it would be better to have the shower closer to his home (which is an hour from my mom's and closer to *everyone*) and I agree with him. My mother, however, does not agree and is adamant about having it in her home. She has said, "If people don't want to drive out they don't have to come then." The question is, how to I approach my mom to tell her that I (the hostess) am changing the venue? Should I ask her if she would mind if I do it at the church instead or simply tell her I am going to do it at the church instead? She's going to flip out either way, just wondering if anyone has any advice on which is the most diplomatic way to approach her. The goal is to keep the peace and do what is most convenient for our guests...

Thanks!

If you are going to be cloth diapering your baby and received some disposable diapers at your shower as gifts from people who were not aware, would it be appropriate to donate those disposable diapers to a local charity that accepts them? If not, what should be done with them? Please advise, I am curious to see the responses ( =

What do you feel made your wedding "unique" or was personalized to you or your fiance/e? It can be anything, big or small!

Just a fun question ( =

Tell me about the BEST wedding you have been to and why it was the BEST!

Then tell me about the WORST wedding you've been to and why it was so terrible!

BEST: Spring wedding at a country club. Awesome DJ, amazing food, tons of flowers, the bride and groom mingled with everyone - absolute blast!!! The family shared toasts all evening and the couple were on cloud nine.

WORST: Valentine's Day wedding in a venue with no heat (heat was too expensive). It was 12 degrees out, we were wrapping our legs up in the table clothes at dinner to keep warm. The bride was an hour and a half late. The officiant was strapped for time so he had to rush the ceremony. One of the BM's had a different dress because she didn't get hers in time. Two of the groomsmen had the wrong pants on (one too short the other too long). The other guests were very strange, when the bride was coming down the aisle they were jumping out into the aisle to take pictures and telling her to stop and smile! They also all left their seats and gathered around the front during the ceremony so no one else could see. When the father of the bride tried to say the blessing before the meal, the DJ didn't turn on the microphone so no one heard him. There was a buffet dinner and the woman carving the ham *ate* a slice she as carving the carving the next slice. All-in-all, not such a fun night.

We got married 8/1/09 and got our proofs from the photographer Saturday morning, yay! However, the majority of them SUCK! They look nothing like the awesome pics in their portfolio and they look nothing like our awesome engagment photos (done by the same photographers). They pictures are mainly out of focus, some of them the lighting makes everyone look washed out or too dark, the photographers never thought to fix my dress or anyone's flowers, the portraits are staged poorly, etc. I am glad that my family and friends took photos, most of theirs are better than the photographers, so I DO have good photos, and like I said, only about two-thirds of the photographers pictures suck. I am shocked to say the least, what we have seen from this photographer and what we have heard about them justified our decision (and the cost). We have not paid for the photos or albums yet, we have only paid for the services and proofs (the cost was split into 1/3s, 1/3 for the day-of, 1/3 when we got our proofs and the final 1/3 when we get our final pics and albums. How would you handle this? Would you simply talk to the photographer, choose the "best" of the shots (there are over 1200!) for your albums and suck it up or some other action?

I just need advice, I am fretting about the "proper course of action". I don't want to be overreacting but we have not been given the quality of merchandise we were presented with... *sigh*

Thanks everyone!

For our wedding (8/1/09) my fiance and I purchased 5"X5"X2" white cake boxes. They came flat. I spent hours stamping and embossing the boxes with different wedding-themed designs and had a blast doing it. My fiance and I then built all the boxes at his house. They are AWESOME and I love them!

The issues? His mother took one of the boxes that I embossed and gave it to a family member as the box for their wedding gift - and never even asked us if she could have one! We have plenty of plain boxes she could have had, we over-ordered by at least 25 and I would have given her as many as she wanted. However, now she has given away not just a plain box or a box she decorated, she took one of the boxes I worked on and gave it away before my wedding. I am so hurt by this and upset. These boxes are a personal touch for our wedding, something unique to us and special to me. I am hurt that his mom gave away one of the boxes without asking and especially before our wedding! We haven't even had the event yet! And now my fiance asked me if his mom could have another box for another wedding she's attending before ours. I don't know what to do. I don't want her giving out the boxes I made for my wedding as gifts for other people's!

Am I wrong to be hurt? What should I do?! I just can't believe she took something that we made for OUR wedding and gave it away before we even got to celebrate... Ugh!

Thanks for the advice!

Just want opinions! What's your favorite frizz-fighting product and why? What have you used that you do NOT like? What texture/style/length is your hair?

I have curly/wavy thick hair and am looking to change my frizz-fighter. Thanks for all the ideas!

I work in a business-casual office. That means no jeans, no tee shirts, etc. We have casual Fridays when we can wear nice jeans (no holes, etc). A new colleague of mine has started wearing jeans to work every day. I don't know if any of the management has noticed but it irritates me. Why should she be allowed to wear jeans and we are required to wear dress pants or skirts? Also, it really takes away from the professional atmosphere of the office. Should I notify management of her faux-pas or be quiet? I would also like to know if this is the new dress code because if we can wear jeans every day, I am all over it! What would you recommend?? Thanks for the advice!

I just found out that my bridesmaid (there are 4) have been fighting and bickering with each other for the past 6 months! My fiance let it slip that one of them is being "a serious b*tch" about everything. I had no idea, they have said nothing and shown no indication that they don't get along. I am paying for everything (dresses are custom made and they designed them, shoes, hair, makeup, travel, etc) for them so there shouldn't be any financial stress there and I don't expect and shower or party or anything from them. Two live out of state and two are local. The one seemingly causing the problems is my MoH, who has been my best friend for 21 years. That kills me, I love her to death, but I know she can be a perfectionist...

Should I intervene and ask what's going on?

OR

Should I pretend I don't know that there's an issue and stay our of it since I only found out on accident.

I really wish everyone could just relax, I am super-easy-going and have asked nothing of them, so why can't they just get along?! Ugh...

Thanks guys!

This was posted on Yahoo today. Just curious about your feelings, do you agree or disagree with what is being said? Thanks!

The Worst Wedding Traditions

Posted Mon, May 11, 2009, 11:47 am PDT

When it comes to weddings, who says you have to follow all the rules? Sure, if you want to stick with some classic traditions, go for it. But we believe that less is more, so it's time to reevaluate the old-school ways of saying "I do." The more you simplify, the more you'll be able to focus on the really important stuff for your big day...

Matching Bridesmaids - Chances are the friends, sisters and cousins you've selected to be in your bridal party aren't all of identical make-and-model. One's a tall lanky brunette, another is a short curvy blonde. So outfitting them all in the exact same dress means there's a good chance someone is going to look awkward (at best) and awful (at worst). Instead, try doing different dresses in one color or a colorful array of complementary shades.

Big Bridal Parties - Since there can be lots of posturing and jockeying for these prime positions with the bride and groom, keep the bridal party small to avoid potential quibbles (and even all-out wars!). Plus, with a more intimate group you'll save money on gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Long Vows - Be kind to your guests by keeping your vows on the shorter side. This is especially important if your ceremony is under the blazing sun without umbrellas or fans. Say what you want to say, but don't bore your guests!

Throwing Rice - Does a blushing bride really want to be doused by a storm of hard little pellets that end up getting stuck in her hair, veil, gown, and worse, inside her shoes? Not the most comfortable situation when she's whooping it up to "Brick House" on the dance floor.

Assigned Seating - Guests get miserable if they're stuck at a table away from the people they really want to hang with. Cocktail-style settings with open seating and lots of grazing are more inviting and lively. And you'll save money and migraines by ditching elaborate seating charts and place cards.

Expensive Wedding Favors - Weddings aren't about giving showy gifts; they're about celebrating your love with your loved ones. None of your guests expect pricey parting gifts. If you want to show your appreciation, leave a short, sincere note on each place setting thanking them for being there. Or let them know that a donation to a meaningful charity has been made in their name.

Throwing the Bouquet - Nothing in life -- not the SAT's, not parallel parking during our drivers' test, not meeting our boyfriend's parents for the first time -- can compare to the pressure of being a single gal expected to push, pull, and pummel to catch that doggone bridal bouquet. Enough already.

Removing the Garter - Kind of cheesy, right? Kind of grope-y? Kind of I-don't-want-to-have-to-holler-like-a-frat-boy-as-he-runs-his-hands-up-her-thigh?

Drunken Toasts - Oh, the joy, the tenderness, the humiliation of an old-fashioned toast given by someone who has had a few too many sips of bubbly. Talk to your talkers ahead of time and let them know you'd like them to keep it sweet...and sober.

Leaving For the Honeymoon the Morning After - After all the planning and partying, it's nice to take a pause before heading off to paradise. There's so much to think about when leaving town. Give yourselves a day or two or even longer to get organized. You need an extra breath before jetting off and finally melting into relaxation mode.

What was the wackiest, weirdest or most off-the-wall advice you got while planning your wedding, regardnig your wedding? Crazy ideas? Crazy concepts? Insane reception ideas? Odd food suggestions? Let's hear it!

For me: my mom swears up and down I don't have to get my hair done for the wedding. She thinks I can just wash it, dry it and stick the veil in it. I think she is crazy. My hair is and always has been absolutely insane, curly and huge. Oddly, this is the only thing she has a strong opinion about. Go figure lol...

What's your favorite style of wedding gown? Is it A-line, mermaid, ballgown, ballerina, etc? And what about that gown do you love the most? If you have a picture, that's even better! I am just curious and love looking at all the different gowns ( =

Thanks!

I am trying to figure out a schedule for my workouts and am having some issues with time. I used to workout from 6a to 8a, work 9a to 5p, coach from 5:30p to 8p and workout again from 8p to 10p. Now, I am no longer coaching, I am going to school. I don't have a gym membership anymore so that is crippling to my mornings and evenings. Currently I am working 9a to 5p with a 1 hour commute and going to school M-F from 6p to 10p. I have to do my homework and studying in the evening or the morning and I cannot find time to workout and it is killing me!

I sometimes get a lunch hour at work but it is variable and not common. I could walk or run during that hour, so that is something to think about. However, I go weeks without a break so I want something I can depend on. I went from having 4 hour workouts 5 days a week to having almost no time to even think about myself and I am having a really hard time with this. I can't quit school or work, I am working on my second degree and have to pay for it somehow. Anyone have any clever ideas of how to fit a workout into my schedule? How do you do it?!

Just FYI: I was a triathlete, coach and competitive open water swimmer before I went back to school. I have a history of joint injuries, I am not allowed to run on a treadmill or use an elliptical. I cannot jump rope, do push ups or lunges. I do not have access to a pool right now either.

KILL ME NOW!!! HELP!!! I need suggestions. Thanks.

This isn't a question but it is useful! Here's an article I read today on planning a wedding for under $10k. It has actual pricing and some great ideas:

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articletkt....

Enjoy!

By "platinum" I mean you know the couple went all out and didn't spare a dime. Just curious.

I attended my first one last weekend and it was amazing beyond all measure! I work with the groom, he told me his fiance had a $60,000 FLOWER budget, it was absolutely amazingly incredibly beautiful! Since this was my first "platinum" affair, I wonder how many of you have attended extravagant, awesome affairs like this?! I cannot wait until the next one, which may be awhile considering my financial status is not exactly "platinum" hahaha!

Highlights of this wedding:

- silk huppa covered in white roses and gardenias

- amazing flower arrangements everywhere of calas, gardenias, orchids and roses with crystals

- fresh sushi station with chefs on hand

- 7 piece band

- over a dozen "stations" during cocktail hour including martini bar, smoothie bar, sushi, crepes, Mexican, pasta, artisan cheese and caviar bar, all manned with white glove service!

- custom lighting that displayed colors on the white silk draped walls

- amazing service with a 4:1 waiter to guest ratio

It was just like on TV!!! Tell me about your "platinum" experiences! Thanks, this question is just for fun, by the way, so no need to talk about how you feel about those types of budgets. I just want to hear about it for fun ( =

What things did you do yourself for your wedding? What things did you leave to the professionals? How did everything turn out?

Our DIY Projects:

- invitations

- save the dates

- gown alterations

- veil

- bridesmaid dresses

- table numbers

- place cards

- napkin rings

- menu cards

- cake boxes

- favors

- programs

Left Up to the Professionals:

- all venue details (tables, linens, etc)

- hair and makeup

- food and drink

- flowers

- DJ

- photography

- limo

- cake

Just curious to see what is the most common DIY and what is the most common pro job ( = Thanks!