First, breakfast!
Today I had another yogurt and barley breakfast bowl (yes, I’m in love), but instead of using thawed frozen strawberries in the bowl like I did yesterday, I stirred in thawed frozen raspberries. I’m so adventurous, I know.
Raspberries + Yogurt
Raspberry Barley Breakfast Bowl
If you’ve never enjoyed barley in a sweet dish and have only had it in soups or savory meals, please give this a try. It’s chewy, slightly nutty and so delicious!
Workout
My workout today was sweat-tastic! I did 35 minutes on the treadmill, followed by 15 minutes on the elliptical with OK! magazine. I love my celebrity gossip!
My 35 minute treadmill workout looked like this:
- Min. 1 – 15: 1.0 incline, 6.5 pace
- Min. 15: 1.0 incline, 7.5 pace
- Min. 16: 1.0 incline, 6.5 pace
- Min. 17: 1.0 incline, 7.5 pace
- Min. 18: 1.0 incline, 6.5 pace
- Min. 19: 1.0 incline, 8.0 pace
- Min. 20 – 25: 1.0 incline, 6.5 pace
- Min. 25 – 35: 7.5 incline, 4.2 pace
I broke it up into three segments: steady state cardio followed by intervals, and back to steady state cardio again. It kept me entertained and made the workout go by quickly.
Wedding Planning: Weighing What’s Important
Throughout the wedding planning process, we’ve been adjusting our budget in certain areas to make room for additions in other areas.
I’ve received many different words of advice ranging from “Don’t waste money on a dress… you wear it once,” to “Definitely budget for your dress… it’s the one thing you’ll remember forever.” Clearly, different aspects of a wedding are important to different people.
Aside from food and drinks, what aspect of a wedding do you think is worthy of the most money?
To me, it is our photographer. It was so important for me to find someone we felt comfortable around and whose style was more candid than “pose-y.” I love pictures that capture moments and emotions and was determined to find a photographer whose photographs weren’t staged and someone who captured and love and emotion felt throughout the wedding day. I think (and hope!) we found a good one.
I think the area in which I’m most willing to cut costs is the flowers. I love flowers and think they’re beautiful, but they can be really expensive and other areas are much more important to me.
In fact, I’ve adjusted our flower budget to make room for something many people probably think is silly: chairs. I am obsessed with chiavari chairs!
Beloved Chairs
To me, they add an element of sophistication and such a nice, clean look to a reception room.
Reception
Pretty, huh?
My dad is so funny about the chairs… naturally he (like many) doesn’t understand why I love these chairs so much. Buuut, last night I got this sweet email from him:
Julie, I am at a black tie affair tonight in DC and the chairs, I think, are the safari (sp) you like. They are nice but I would have never noticed them if it wasn’t for you. Just fyi. Love you, Daddy
I think he’s coming around. 😀 I love how he called them safari chairs! Truth be told, that’s what I thought they were called for months, too!
Though I do love these chairs, if something else comes up of more importance, I’m more than willing to forgo my beloved chairs. However, if I can cut expenses in other areas and the chairs can fit into our budget, bring ’em in! 😀
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I was the same way with a photographer – we splurged big time on ours. I also think chairs are important. 😉
For me, it is definitely the photographer and the music that are most important. Capture the memories and have something to dance to! Also the makeup/hair person…on my wedding day I want to look natural, and you need someone who knows how to do that well =)
i’m actually terrified about finding a good hair/make-up person. i am not a huge make-up person and ryan’s terrified someone is gonna come in & make me look like a clown!!
Sounds basic, but my friend got GORGEOUS wedding makeup done at a MAC counter in a department store (after having it done “for real” and hating it). If you could swing it, that’s one option… especially because you could probably plan/try it in advance.
P.S. such a cute email from your dad!
I agree the photographer is something to budget well for! You have those photos forever!!! The biggest place, imo, to save is the flowers. People don’t remember those at all. LOL
And chairs? You’re so silly! But you have to do what you love. 🙂 It is YOUR day 🙂
haha, i know it’s so ridiculous! why do i love them so much!?
Julie…awesome workout! WOW! That was intense!
We splurged big time on our photographer! That was MOST important to me and also the food. I wanted GOOD food at our reception. But I cut corners on flowers too. My centerpeices were SO simple…a single vase with a single flower. That was it. But it was okay with me because I wanted other things more!
Yep– photographer was DEFINITELY a splurge, but totally worth it!!
My dress was also a splurge…but OH how I love it 🙂
I think the band or dj is important. That is what is going to get everyone out of their seat and socializing and having fun.
I know people who blew a ton of money on a make up artist and ended looking in, but nothing like themselves. I want to look like an amazing version of myself in wedding photos – not like a glamor shot shoot from the mall.
We splurged on a lot of things….
Chairs, my dress, photographer, premium liquor ( not my choice, but my parents!), a good band and string quartet for the ceremony…
Looking back, I probably could have found a cheaper dress, but I love it, so I’m not going to beat myself up too much over the price tag!
I was on the exact same page as you. I was not willing to cut costs on the photographer, and looking back that was the best decision I made!
I’m getting married in August and so completely understand the cut the budget here, add a bit here, etc. My dress ended up being about 300 more than budgeted. not much but when you’re sticking to a very tight budget, that can hurt. we got lucky though and saved 500 on the fiancee’s suit. for me, food and drink is most important. i want my guests to have happy tummies. that said, flowers, favors, etc are very low on the totem pole.
I haven’t had a wedding, but I’d agree photographers are SOO important! And then I’d want to spend the money on anything that would make the day more memorable–whether that be music, alchohol, food, whatever 🙂
That note from your dad is so cute! Our important thing was the photographer…you need those memories. We also cut back on flowers a bit, by making bouquets and centerpieces smaller. If chairs are your thing…go for it! It’s your day. 🙂
I love those chairs too. They are elegant and still modern. You’re right to splurge on what is important to you. I am a huge flower person so I can’t imagine having a wedding without a million of flowers everywhere but that is just me. A good make up artist and hair stylist are definitely important too. Not looking like yourself because you have clown makeup and funky hair would not be cute on the wedding day 🙂
Those are so expensive chairs. I didn’t really care about how the chairs looked just that they were comfortable. But whatever makes you happy should be your guide.
I’m with you on the photography! I’ve always thought lasting photos and even a video are more important than anything else. I love watching my parents wedding video!
You seem to be making good choice so far, I cannot wait to see your photos. What an exciting time for you guys!!
The photographer is important! I’m glad I wound up with a great one and now I have THOUSANDS of photos capturing the shortest day of my life. Plus, there’s so much going on that you don’t get to see (the whole beginning of the ceremony before you come out) until you get the photos back.