Planning for our big day
 
I recently ordered samples from both Daffy and Happy apples so I can see the quality, taste, and size before I ordered them next year as my wedding favors.  Here are my likes and dislikes:

Daffy (ordered them with crunch coating)
likes
:  They came well packaged and in very good shape.  The caramel is really smooth and stayed on the apple very well.  Customer service was great as well as the website being very user friendly.

dislikes: I didn't get an invoice with my package...weird.  I also didn't like the crunch coating (which isn't a big deal...I'll just order a different coating for my favors) and the apple wasn't as tart as I would have liked it.

Happy (ordered them with festive sprinkles)
likes
: Cheaper than Daffy and the apples were bigger

dislikes: The packaging sucked.  The sprinkles were all smashed and the caramel was sliding off of just about half of them.  The caramel also wasn't as smooth as Daffy.  Customer service wasn't that great (rushed me off the phone) and they never returned my email (their website sucks!).
 

I wish I ordered the "wacky apple" from Happy.  It is rolled in chocolate chips and peanuts and had some really great reviews from a few girls on the knot.  Maybe the toppings don't slide off like the sprinkles??  In the end, they tasted the same...I'm not that sold on having them as favors anymore.  I was honestly a little disappointed on the size and I wasn't "wowed" on either one...
Picture
 

Picture
 
I guess with the wedding being a year away and much more of a reality, I've been changing my mind on a few things. 

1. "Having" to have a Jim Hjelm gown...My mother is paying for my gown (very nice of her!!) and of course I wouldn't feel comfortable with her paying 3K for a dress...So I was planning on purchasing a used gown from
www.preownedweddingdresses.com or such sites.  I'm over it...I've now been looking at Maggie Sottero gowns and they are just as beautiful for 1/3 of the price!

2. Ceremony time...I thought I wanted a sunset ceremony.  Then decided after watching the weather lately that if it is a chilly or cloudy day, it would be too dark and cloudy.  So now we are getting married at 5pm instead of 6pm.

3. Honeymooning in Hawaii.  I've always dreamed of honeymooning there and we decided to "break the bank" when we first got engaged and just go for it (friends of mine have honeymooned there and the average price is around 8K).  Now with the reality of purchasing our first home, paying for the wedding ourselves...we decided to go to the caribbean.  We will have an amazing time wherever we go, so now we are looking into St. Lucia (which will be like half the price!)

 
So today we had a tristate get together.  We had girls from Conneticuit; North and Central Jersey, Staten Island and Brooklyn.  It was really great to meet all the girls in person and we had a great time gabbing about our weddings.  Anne from the Knot came and also gave us goodie bags filled with wedding books and wedding day stuff.   I was a little nervous beforehand meeting everyone, but I'm so glad we all finally met and broke the ice.  I'm already trying to plan another one for around the holidays!!!

 

Picture
From left to right...Tara (Tara2316), me (Lizzonyc), Maureen (Maureen L), Carrie (CTbride79), Aubrey (A.a.A.), Holly (Hollyberry88) and Kelly (Mrsdevilguy)

 

Picture
Stephanie (she missed the first set of pics), Maureen and Carrie

 

Picture
Aubrey, Holly and Kelly

 

Picture
Me and Tara

 

Picture
Stephanie and Maureen

 

Picture
The "must take" ring shot

 

Picture
Our rings (over a plate of nachos)...minus Stephanie :(

 

Picture
The goodie bag from Anne

 

Picture
The books she gave us...Knot magazine, floral bouquet book, wedding vow book and a softcover novel titled "The Bride"

 

Picture
Our goodies...candy, mints, nude thong, lipgloss, heel pads, nail polish

 

Picture
Little goodie bags I made for the girls.  I gave them each two "wedding day" scented votives from Yankee candle.

 

Picture
 

Picture