.jackpot part 4.

When picking a bridal party, it is important to pick the people who you know have your back. While a bridesmaid doesn’t “technically” have to do anything other than show up to your wedding, there are some who fly to the moon and back for you. For my wedding, I was lucky enough to pick two Zillaz who would fly to outer space and back for me.

They are planning all pre-wedding activities with two others who each live 2,000+ miles away and are three hours ahead of us. They both have families, jobs and one is even back in school taking classes.

When it comes time to work out the details of a shower that is in disarray, they were ready willing and able to meet with me at a moment’s notice and work out the details. When I need someone to go shopping with me, they are available at any time, even if one starts the day with me and the other finishes with me. When I feel like the wedding world is against me, they both reassure me that everything will come together, everything will be fine and I will be beautiful.

When I express concerns about fitting into my dress, they offer to work out with me and if all else fails, rip off our insulin pumps and go rogue with me. Even though we won’t do it, I care that she cares. When I tweet about someone upsetting me or calling me a word that I have to look up on dictionary.com, they will immediately send an email, asking if everything is OK and offer their great advice, even if it is from a cartoon, “Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.”

They both cried when I asked them to be in my wedding and to stand up with me and watch me marry the love of my life. They both cried with me when I was shared with them what it felt like when I was diagnosed with diabetes and shared with them some very personal details of my struggle with my life and health. When I need a pick-me-up, it isn’t too far off to find a silly video posted on my facebook account or a request for a sushi date at our “first date spot.”

I know that these two Zillaz are friends for life because of what we’ve been through and what we will continue to experience together. I also know that we will be friends for ever because we have already crossed all of the bumps in the roads from brutally honest emails to just plain old not speaking to each other and look at us now…we all have matching slippers.

To K-Zilla and M-Zilla, thank you from the bottom of my Bride-Zilla heart for all that you have done for me, to me and bring to my life!

.2009 my best year yet.

When the countdown to 2009 began, it was like every other countdown 10…9…8… and then the clock struck midnight and the New Year started out normal and that lasted for about 18 seconds. Just enough time for a hug and a kiss to my boyfriend and my parents, who were there with us. And then, my boyfriend gave me a letter to read. While reading this letter, he was trying to gauge how far along I was so that he can time his proposal correctly. Yes, it was the moment I had been waiting 50 weeks for, the moment when he finally proposed. I say finally because when you know that someone is your lobster, it feels like forever until they ask you to share your life with them.

2009 was my best year, ever. It started off on a high note and is ending on a high note. The year didn’t kick off with resolutions of losing weight (at this point, I could have stood to gain back a lbs. actually); it didn’t kick off with a vow to travel or read more or to volunteer my time. It started off with me just being grateful to be alive and to be surrounded by so much love. Besides, when you have a wedding to plan, you life becomes all encompassed and you really don’t think about much else: wake up. Think about wedding colors. Eat breakfast. Think about wedding menu. Go to work. Sneak a few minute on line to browse photos. Drive home. Create your binder. You get the picture.

The year continued to go on the up and up….here, I share just a few highlights from the year:
January- started off great as you know. We then celebrated our birthdays with a weekend ski trip to Big Bear, CA. It was soooo much fun, if you missed it, then you really missed a grand old time. The weather was great, the wine was perfect, and the company was great. We had a blast and then followed up with my traditional birthday party at Caramel at Bellagio. That was the last year for the big birthday bash…. I am getting too old and am now too busy with life to focus on a big party. Although- they will probably resume in 2011. If you are wondering, Mr. Nearlywed celebrates his birthday on January 23 and me… I am the 24th. We are a few years and one day apart. It was January 22nd when I got the results back from my antibody test, confirming what we long knew: I am a Type 1 Diabetic. I was put on insulin that day and that was the last day of getting along with the scale. For the first few weeks, I was incessantly hungry. And it showed- within a month I had gained almost 10 lbs.

It was February 24th when we wrote out the first check for the wedding: we put a deposit on our venue that we later kicked to the curb. On that same February 24th, we had 14 months to go. It seemed like an eternity. We now have less than four months to go. Yes, it flies by.

In March, I had the pleasure of taking an icy cold, freezing trip back to NYC for my BFFs (A-Zilla) bridal shower and my sister’s baby shower. It was cold on the East Coast! Whew… but we still managed to trudge through NYC trying on bridal gowns. This is where my sister earned her Jackpot status—she was seven months pregnant and walked all over NYC and helped me to try on dresses. It was this time when I truly felt like there would never be the right dress for me. All of the dresses we liked were way more expensive than my budget would allow. In March, it also felt like A-Zilla’s wedding was still so far away. She is now married almost seven months and well…six-and-a-half months pregnant.

In April, most of the month is a blur, but we did manage to celebrate our “minus one” anniversary (marking the day when we will be married in one year). That was on the 24th and on the 28th we had our engagement photos. They turned out fabulous- I lurve them.

In May… The highlight of my year was getting engaged and then becoming an aunt. I will never forget the text, “Sue’s in labor. She thinks her water broke.” That text came from my dad. I was home alone and no one would answer their phones- my fiancé, my BFF, no one. I could barely contain my excitement and my desire to book a flight to New Jersey. But I waited through the nite with zero updates. So when I awoke at 5:30 am, I frantically called my dad. They were pulling up to my sister’s house and off to the hospital they were… within 90 minutes, no this is not a joke, my beautiful little angel was born. First baby. No drugs. Ninety minutes. Let’s all take a minute to hate on Ster. Ok, done. My angel was three weeks old before I got to meet her but holding her for the first time in unforgettable.

May turned into June, where I stayed for two weeks to enjoy my family and my niece. I also walked down the aisle for the first time in A-Zilla’s wedding. As soon as Trumpets Voluntary started, I looked at my dad who was in the back of the church and fought back the tears. All I could do was picture my own wedding and the emotion that went along with it. And I also was elated for my dear friend to marry the love of her life. Mr. Nearlywed and I also spent some time enjoying a little vacay time in NYC. We love NYC. Period, new line.

My wedding dress was also picked out and purchased in June. After my weight got back down and before it went back up. UGH! I actually bought a size bigger than the sample and still have issues with it…more on that.

This is also when The Nearlywed Report made its debut in Las Vegas Bride Magazine. It was my first published piece and let tell you…. I was (still am) so proud. I gave my parents an autographed copy. In case I ever hit it big.

August- the only highlight I can remember is working with the JW Marriott on moving our wedding. We spent most of the month crossing our fingers and biting our nails. We weren’t sure if we could swing the $$ but in the end it worked out.

September rolled around and we signed our contract with the JW Marriott. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.

As the year rolled on, so many more great things happened: I found out that A-Zilla is pregnant and expecting in late March, thus taking her out of the wedding, but this is much more fabu. I continued writing and discovered things like twitter and that people do enjoy my blogs and my writing!

As the year rolled on, I also continued to grow as a person and as a wife-to-be. While I didn’t try to start cooking, I did try to be more domestic and really enjoy the moments at home with my fiancé. It worked. Our house is still comfy and cozy and the quiet moments truly helped us to build a stronger bond and cherish our relationship. It is easy to get caught up in the grind of the wedding planning and the pressure of the planning. It is easy to forget about the goal of the day and that is to become a wife, not a princess (for me at least). I could see a difference in the depth of our relationship over the past year and few months.

Moving on…. In October, I interviewed for a position with Las Vegas Bride magazine to become their editor. I was offered and accepted the position. One step closer to my goal of being a writer. I love this job and I love the company! This year probably could not have been better. When December arrived, the holiday season was already flying by. Since I wasn’t at the mall this year, I didn’t get to enjoy the season as much, but that is OK- it helped to keep us from over spending. We pulled a Four Christmases and took off for the holiday weekend to our favorite get-a-way, Lake Las Vegas. It was glorious. Our last vacation as a single couple, the last vacation before we tie the knot. It was bittersweet. The next time we stay there will be as a mini-moon.

Christmas day didn’t pass us by without the wonderful news of becoming an Aunt and Uncle again! My sister in law is pregnant with a little boy and we can’t wait until he enters the world and we get to spoil the life out of him!

Life is good.

As 2010 knocks on my door, I am not trying to set more resolutions. I am not trying to become a super woman. I resolve to continue to be a good fiancé/wife, a good friend, a good daughter, sister, aunt. I resolve to surround my life with positivity and put myself, my husband (to be) and my health first. That will mean saying no once in a while and it will mean being tired because of hitting the gym so early, but in the end, it is my life and I love it.
So there ya have it folks…. 2009 was the best year yet and I can only hope that 2010 at least matches it but I have a feeling it will surpass it.

I wish you all a healthy year, a successful year and one that brings you all that yuo desire- without being greedy!

My wish for you all is good health, great happiness and much success- no matter what you set out to do, do it honestly and always be positive.

Cheers!

.professional roll call.

With just about 4 months to go until the wedding, I figured that a Professional Roll Call is in order…. These are the folks who we are using for our wedding and those who we have personally selected- or- have been matched up with by our planner. They are truly, utterly, seriously the DREAM TEAM.

This also gets a JACKPOT label.... for the reason that we truly are hitting the wedding JACKPOT by using these fine wedding professionals!
In no particular order:

Venue: JW Marriott Resort & Spa

Photographer: Imagine Studios

Zillaz Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid

Hair: Hair by Andeen

Make Up: One Luv Bridal

Cake: Gimme Some Sugar

Cinematographer: Lighten Films

Floral: Enchanted Floral

DJ: DJs TO YOU

We are still working out a few other details.... and vendors...but for now, this is the solid dream team! Check them out- if you are in Vegas and getting married, these all come highly recommended by yours truly!

.jackpot part 3.

Forgive me bloggers, but it has been a long freakin' time since my last blog. And this has happened several times over the course of my planning, forgive me and accept my apologies. Just when I think that life is settling down, something else happens. This is slated to be a JACKPOT blog, so on we go with that.... my excuses for not blogging will follow another day.

JACKPOT::

I feel as tho BOTH Mr. Nearlywed and I are hitting the JACKPOT on this one.... our parents! We both have amazing parents, which, after reading several wedding forums, makes us realize how lucky we are. While my path to approval by the in-laws wasn't always a yellow brick road, the point is, now, it is great! Yay. What makes this a JACKPOT blog is not that we are combining two cool families, but the roles models they have provided for our lives- especially in marriage.

This past July...my parents celebrated 38 years of happily ever after. While I am not so naive to know that not all 38 of those years were for better, richer and in health, I never knew if there were any worse, poorer or sickness issues. Well, ok, I knew if someone was in poor health, but you get it. Anytime there was something wrong or a disagreement to be had, it was kept from the kids. As I grew and became more wise and aware, I knew that not everything was roses but appreciated that my parents never fought opening and in front of the kids. Sure, there were disagreements but in all seriousness, I can't tell you when there was an all out battle. I've heard small town rumors....which just goes to show that either someone made something up or someone they trusted didn't keep their mouth shut, but I digress.

Maybe growing up, I didn't have a brand new car or the latest fashions, but I never had to want for anything we needed. I was always covered with my basics and then some. My parents were the cool parents, even though I wanted to disagree with that. My friends would hang at our house and they knew everyone and everyone knew them. Overall, both my sister and I turned our pretty well. And with them as role models for my life and my marriage, I am sure to succeed.

Before Mr. Nearlywed and I met, back in his single/dating days, his mother wanted him to find a "Catholic girl whose parents are still together." Can you imagine how difficult that is in Las Vegas?!? VERY difficult. It is hard enough to find someone who still has both parents happily married yet alone to find someone who is also Catholic. She promised him $1,000 if he ever did find that person. By the end of this blog, you will know the answer.

Mr. Nearlywed also comes from a solid family and two parents who stayed true to their vows and were together for all the days of their lives. While I don't know how many anniversaries they shared, I do know that once Flo's father's health took a turn for the worse, his mother was there, by dad's side every day. EVERY day. Not just here and there, but day in and day out. And that became one of the unwritten qualities in a woman for which Mr. Nearlywed searched. As someone who cried when they think of the words, "In sickness and in health..." this not only makes me happy to know that Mr. Nearlywed will be by my side just as I will be by his.

When I think back to other who I've dated.... I have to take it back to high school to find a boyfriend whose parents were still together. But at the age of 16, what do you really know about dating and life? When I think about how those relationships worked & ended, I look back on the issues that we had, it became clear that without that solid relationship role model, we were on different paths. Clearly different paths.

Now... I am NOT at all saying that if your parents are divorced you can't have a happy and healthy marriage/relationship.....but what I am saying is that having grown up in solid households, it helps us to put forth more effort and say our vows of marriage very seriously and looking up to my parents and future in-laws as role models. We won't let them down.

.sunday jackpot.

Yes, I am a blog slacker. More on that later. Right now.... here is my latest blog on how I am hitting the wedding jackpot: My Fiance. Mr. Nearlywed.

Where does one gushing bride even begin? Welp, let's start with this:

We met in January 2008. When we met, it was three weeks post diabetes diagnosis. So sharing the news to him was like telling him that I like pizza, it just flowed. It was as new to me as it was to him so we basically have navigated my entire disease together. It wasn't until this year- and only by my crazy schedule- that he missed a doctor appt. He went through Diabetes education training with me, read the books, walked the walks, he did everything that one woman could hope to have in a partner.

About two weeks into our dating, I let him know that I will be a medical landmine until all of this gets figured out. And I gave him the chance to walk away from any potential relationship and we can just be friends, if that would even work out. I realized what a long load it would be to get back to healthy (another blog for another day) and didn't want to drag him down that road.

You could tell that he heard me but maybe it didn't hit him or maybe he didn't believe me. Mr. Nearlywed barely batted an eyelash and said that he will stick by me.

He now gives new meaning to, "In sickness and in health...."

Last year, at the Step Out to Fight Diabetes, he gave a speech. Here is what he said, get a tissue, I can wait....

"I stand before you here today, not as a type 1 or type 2 diabetic. But, this disease affects me just as much as it affects all of you. Years ago a co-anchor of mine said, "Tedd… you should support a cause. Fight for something!" I didn't even give it a second thought. I was too consumed with my job, my life and my success. But, All of that changed 8 months ago. I met a wonderful, beautiful young woman named Jennifer.

She's the love of my life, and 2 weeks into dating she was diagnosed as a diabetic. A diabetic at 30 years old, I thought to myself how is that possible? This young, vibrant, healthy woman was now facing a lifelong disease--I was crushed. I told myself I have 2 options. I could either NOT worry about it. Or, I could support her, be there for her, help her fight this fight-------I chose option 2. You see it doesn't matter if you're type 1, type 2 or type 3 like myself, the role of the caregiver. Every dollar counts. It's organizations like this that help bring us closer to a cure. There are medical breakthrough's everyday. I'm not asking for a thousand dollars, I'm not asking for 20 dollars or 2 dollars. All I ask is that you keep supporting organizations like the American Diabetes Association and other diabetes fundraisers.

There are 300,000 Las Vegans with the disease, and I bet there are some who don't even know it. Millions in the US are affected by the disease, we can't escape it. We can't turn our back to it, because I'm willing to bet you, or someone very close to you has the disease. I stand before you to ask for your continued support for causes and organizations and fundraisers like you see here today. Because it's your support and money that brings us closer to a cure, so that our loved ones, and my Jennifer can live a long, healthy, prosperous life right along side us.

I'm proud to be walking alongside all of you. I thank you for being here this morning, Jennifer thanks you, Channel 8 thanks you…… but most importantly thank yourselves for being here. God Bless."
~Speech at Step out: Fight Diabetes Fundraiser

.jackpot part 1.

In light of my recent negative posts, I decided to pay homage to those I love, those who love me and show you how lucky of a girl I truly am. This is a new segment called “JACKPOT”. Originally, it was thought to be a weekly segment on the same day at the same time. Well it isn’t like anyone hits the jackpot at the casino at the same time on the same day. So the JACKPOT posts will be random. Check back often.

First, I am going to start with my sister. She is my maid of honor. Aside from being in my life since the day I was born, she is responsible for my creative and unique name. If you know what my name really is you will know that is said with sarcasm.

When she was seven months pregnant with my beautiful niece (although we didn’t know it was a girl until she was born), she walked all over NYC with me to go dress shopping. Not sunny, happy NYC, but cold, 40* with wet snow and bone chilling winds NYC. She never once complained, slowed down or asked to stop. She helped dress me, watched each dress become bustled, each veil become secured, etc. She rocks. Period. New Line.

When it comes to the weddings he agreed to be MOH, a title she never wanted because of the amount of work that goes into it. And especially my wedding. However, she is planning and coordinating with grace and diligence.

And that is my fabu sister, S-Zilla