Polterabend?

Last night I randomly brainstormed a bunch of wedding ideas - favors, bridesmaid gifts, gifts for Collin, decorations, etc. - and I actually came up with a lot of ideas I really liked, but most of them have to stay secret for now. ;) I'm very excited about all of them, though! I really want our wedding to be memorable for everyone.

One idea I can share, though, is a tradition I found online for the eve of the wedding day. It's a German tradition, which is appropriate since both Collin and I are of German descent (especially Collin - his last name is Gebhard, for goodness' sake!). I definitely wanted to incorporate some traditions that would be unique yet fitting for us, so I looked up German wedding traditions and came across this one. It's called Polterabend, and it's where on the eve of our wedding, our close friends and family members come over (most likely to my parents' house) to celebrate and watch while Collin and I break a bunch of dishes... Which we then have to clean up. Haha. It's cool, though, because it signifies the last thing that will ever be broken in our household as well as us working together and resolving things. I think it's neat... We'll see if my parents think so...

For more updates...

- The work on the dress is just beginning! I talked to Caitlin today, and she is working on sketches. Yay! I can't wait to see how this all turns out. :) Haven't been to any more shops (snowed in!), but perhaps next weekend. I think I've got a pretty good idea now of what I want, though, so I may not have to do much more looking.

- We should have a decision on the photographer/videographer soon, hopefully! My mom and dad are narrowing down our options, and Collin and I will help make the final decision.

- Still researching DJs... One has come highly recommended by a bridesmaid's sister, and I'm trying to get more info on him. He is well within our budget, which is of course appealing.

- I've narrowed down my cake ideas to two, and I've narrowed down the bakers to two as well. Next step for this is tasting! :) I might try several bakers just to taste their cakes... Haha.

- I've been doing a lot of research on table decorations, and I have lots of great ideas... But I'm still open to suggestions, by all means, so if you're good with designing on a budget, please comment with ideas!!

- Invitations will probably be by David's Bridal since they are the most affordable and have some really nice options. But I really love the work of this girl: http://jesslehry.wordpress.com/. Definitely need suggestions for Save the Dates, though, and I would prefer to do magnets for those.

In other news, Collin's parents and a couple of his siblings will officially be coming down here in March! They will meet my parents for the first time. :) And maybe we'll get the rehearsal dinner squared away!

I think that's about it! I would appreciate any feedback or ideas you have, so feel free to comment. Thanks!

I'll keep you posted as we mark stuff off of our checklist! ;)

C & A