Air Force Blues

Beau and I have been discussing what we'll include in our ceremony for practically a year now.  One of the things we just don't agree on is including the Air Force uniform and traditions into it.  Let's take a look at what it would look like for us:

image via The Knot.  Jason's uniform would look almost exactly like this.

image via southerncalweddings.com

It looks all manly and wonderful...but his groomsmen wouldn't all be in uniform, and I have a MAJOR issue with the last part of this tradition...usually after that kiss at the end, the wife gets a firm smack on the ass with a saber and a "Welcome to the Air Force, ma'am."  You can't tell right now, but I'm rolling my eyes.  I consider this something for the newbies...the wives who loooooove that they got a man in uniform (as they should!), not the 8 year veteran (that's counting the years I was in, plus the last few months as a spouse).  Plus, I feel like there's just no way I'd love the pictures as much as I would if Jason's dressed in something I don't get to see him in much.  Like this:

image via A Paper Proposal

See the grey suits with vests?  I heart vests!  He would look so handsome in a vest!

I would like to just ignore the AF during our wedding...they invade the rest of my life as is.  Don't get me wrong...it's done great things for both me and Jason (we wouldn't have met without the USAF!), but it is your LIFE, not just a job.  Jason likes the idea of including the uniform and a saber arch, but more for his family than anything else.  He's brought it up a couple of times, and got a resounding NO! each time.  I feel a little bad, but just can't convince myself to include any of it!  

What have you and your fiance disagreed about?  How did you resolve it and/or compromise?    

Saving the Date

We knew we had to have Save the Dates.  We will have lots of out of towners at our wedding, and we're far away.  It's a project I definitely thought I was capable of taking on myself, with a little help from a dear friend (who happens to be a graphic designer).  Jason really doesn't like STDs like this:

image via mygoodgreetings.com

He thinks they're the lazy way out.  I kinda agree, although I still would like to do an engagement photo set sometime.   I was going through Martha's (we're on a first name basis, me and Martha) wedding website, and came across two STD ideas that Beau and I both liked:

both images via Martha Stewart Weddings

We'd also been looking for a way to incorporate fortune cookies into the wedding...the moleskin journal Jason proposed with is from Etsy and looks like this:

image via Etsy shop MamaRoots

So we sent all this over via a fb message to my girl Chris in Korea.  She's so creative!  Within a few days, she'd sent back "proofs."

Seriously cute.  We sent back some corrections, to include rounding the corners, as well as changing the color and fonts.  We ordered this stamp from Etsy as well (gosh I love that website), and want to use it throughout the wedding if we can.

image via Etsy shop My Rubber Stamp

She's using that as inspiration for the fonts and is working on the (hopefully) final product this weekend...I can't wait to see it!

Did you DIY your STDs?  (so many acronyms!!!!)  Where did you get your inspiration from?

Venue Vendetta

To catch you up real fast, nothing else really happened in between June and January when I started blogging.  Well, Beau and I did move in together, but that was remarkably easy, considering we'd both lived alone for years.  So moving on...

Trying to book a venue has driven me a little batty.  From the get-go, we decided we wanted a unique space, not a banquet hall or a hotel ballroom.  We wanted the flexibility of choosing our own vendors, even if it cost a little more.  We started out really loving the Hamilton, 

Lounge space...all photos courtesy of Beau's parents

Main room

We loooooveeed that there were nooks and crannies to get away in/have different events in.  Especially the bar:

The downfall is that it's rather small.  Once we heard that they'd have to move tables out of the way after dinner, Jason (who was it's biggest fan at first) once again suggested we look at other places.  I didn't know where to start, so I had to build the spreadsheet:

It turns out we have a lot of requirements!  Among the most important:  Allows outside catering (we want pizza late-night snacks!), cost, multiple spaces available/can be created, and parking.  Who knows if we'll get all of those in one place (I doubt it)...but the spreadsheet gave me a good idea of where to start looking for other venues.  The second place we had his parents look was the RedLine, an art gallery.  They only took a few pictures.

They immediately declared it a dump, while I loved the movable walls and wooden floors.  The downfall of the RedLine is that the wedding ceremony would have to be upstairs, and I don't have any pictures of that because it's an artist workshop and also "dumpy."  They also took pictures of the Hilton and the Pfister in Milwaukee, but I didn't include them because, as previously stated, I don't want to get married at a hotel.  Jason's mom did suggest Moct, which is available and GORGEOUS!  but very small.

This was the point where we thanked his parents for their help...they really were helpful, but I needed more of an unbiased opinion.  Amanda stepped in with at least 3 places I'd never even heard of.

What challenges did you have finding a venue?

Courthouse Attire

Even though we wanted a low-key legal marriage, I still wanted to have something sorta special to tie the legal knot in.  I waited 29 years for this!  So while cruzing Zappos.com one day, I found a super cute, modest white dress that would be about perfect for this.

With my parents post-ceremony...most photos personal

I had to have the top altered just a bit...the girls never have been very voluptuous.  A simple plastic snap fixed the gap and fit perfect.  My Korean tailor is awesome!  He's the same guy who made Jason's suit, just BTW.  Oh and did you see my shoes?

Ignore our pained expressions...it was one of those cloudy days that make us squinty

Swoon.  I had SUCH a hard time justifying these, but it couldn't be helped (I might also have a slight online-shopping addiction that didn't help anything!).  They're the BHLDN Elopement pumps...so lovely they deserve a close-up:

via BHLDN

And finally...something for my hair.  I don't really wear big earrings or lots of jewelry, but I LOVE putting a flower or a feather or something else crazy in my hair.  There's so many cute options in Asia.  But for this, I turned to Etsy...it's a special occasion, of course...where else would I look?

 via Etsy shop PetalMix

There were so many options, but this one matched the pumps (also?  I'm real matchy-matchy.  It's a problem) and I fell for it.  I sent it to my mom, and she brought it with her to Wisconsin.

Did you do a courthouse shindig?  What did you wear?  I have friends who got married in their PJs, so no judgement from this girl!!!

Legal Matters

So, even though we're planning our big wedding, I am married already.  Legally.  You see, in order to stay with Beau in foreign countries, I have to be legally hitched to the guy.  I could be here technically just as a tourist in Japan, but I'd have to leave every 90 days.  So with that in mind, Jason and I planned on getting married in the Fond du Lac, Wisconsin courthouse when we made our way back to the States in June 2011.  Yes, this was quick.  We'd only be engaged a few weeks, and had only been together for about eight months!  We had heartache about it, but at the time, J would only be in Misawa for six more months, and then WHO KNOWS where!  I needed the security of marriage so I wouldn't have to live in a different country than him again.  Surprisingly, the process was fairly easy.  The courthouse waived the customary waiting period since we were military, and all we had to do was bring in our birth certificates and 100 bucks the day after we got into town.  The most complicated part was explaining to the clerk that Jason was a Wisconsin resident who resided in Japan, and I was a Nevada resident living in South Korea.    A few days later, we got just a little spruced up to go get (legally) married.  

(all photos personal)

We tried to keep it as low-key as possible...
but his mom still got me flowers and his grandpa
brought a delicious cake!

Is anyone else legally married already?  Why did you decide to make it legal first?

A Break from the Crazy

Korea is a lot of fun...but it's tiring and not the best for your body/liver.  I'm going to spare you from most of the pictures, but let's just say 99% of them are THIS ridiculous (or more so):

Most of them involve this partysuit too!
(all photos are mine or Beau's)

I'd also gotten a new job post-earthquake timeframe, so my trip back to Japan was even more welcome when I finally got to go in May.  One of the things we did (besides chill out with our dogs) was to stay a night at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn with onsens (natural hot springs baths).  Onsening is by far one of my favorite things to do in Japan, so I was super stoked.

It was lovely, but the real highlight of the trip was when I got this:

Bling!

Why I Heart Skype

from Skype

Much of 2011 passed with Jason and I on Skype.  A LOT of time on Skype...luckily Japan and Korea are in the same time zone.  We chatted and watched shows like these...

http://www.amazon.com/True-Blood-Original-TV-Soundtrack/dp/B0024OW1L6

http://scifipulse.net/tag/walking-dead/

We're completely fanatic about both!  The second part of the Walking Dead starts soon, in fact...but I digress.  I have two points here:  1.  If you need to know how to do long distance, I'm pretty much a pro...and 2.  Not much happened the first 5 months in our relationship.  We couldn't be together, so we did the best we could.  On March 22nd, I was SUPPOSED to go visit...but we all know what happened on the 11th...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com

Jason is the one in khakis.  Picture via misawa.af.mil.

 The 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami ravaged my second home...it was devastating to sit and watch from Korea and not be able to do anything.  Beau, however, obviously couldn't fly...Misawa became a hub for relief aid and many of the Airmen, if not assisting with transportation, went to help the local community.  Misawa was about 4 hours from the epicenter...enough to feel the effects and get damaged but not nearly as bad as in Sendai.  One day, the base webpage displayed this photo from the Misawa port>>>

I was so proud of him!

About a week after the earthquake, my leadership informed me that they just couldn't let me go on leave to Misawa...it was too dangerous.  It was frustrating because I'd lived there before, but I knew the base had limited resources, so I returned to Skype and waited patiently for about 2 more months...

The Planner

I told you the story of us was long!  So before I blab about us more, I want to tell you about my wedding planner.  You see, I didn't want to get a planner at first...I can do this all myself, right?  I could, but there's at least two reasons I'd have a really hard time:
1.  I live in Japan.  It's difficult to get my hands on any wedding-type items.
2.  I'm not from Wisconsin, nor do I know anyone who recently got married there.
Jason's parents are great and have already gone to check out a venue for us, but there's only so much they can (and should) do.  We are planning trips to the States, but not until late spring or early summer. So a couple of weeks ago, I turned to Beau and told him I think we should hire a planner, even though it will be a few dollars extra.  Especially because of their ability to recommend and get discounts from vendors...reading other bride's stories about last minute vendor issues gave me a mild panic attack. Surprisingly, he agreed...I think it's because he can't help out a ton (his job is usually just flat out nuts).  So I started researching in earnest.  I contacted one guy, but never got a response.  Eh.  He was probably out of my price range anyways.  The second planner I found on Wedding Wire, and she had 10 stellar reviews.  She answered my e-mails almost immediately, and about a week after I contacted her, she called us on Skype.  We got along SO WELL.  She answered, seriously, any question we were planning on asking her before we asked it.  She understood my crazy mismash of a vision.  And, she's so personable, she seems like someone I'd want to hang out with if I lived in Milwaukee!  That sealed the deal for me.  Her name's Amanda, and she's awesome.

via Tailored Engagements

Did you use a wedding planner?  How did you choose your coordinator?

Facebook Official, Pizza Feelings & I Love Yous

So, from then on, we were together...I was instantly hooked on him.  We did try to break it off, once...but it only lasted a few hours.  It was terrible to even think about it.  It was because I was moving to Korea in a few months, and neither one of us had good experiences with long-distance relationships.  But we couldn't stand not being together in the meantime, and spent Thanksgiving with our Misawa families...

Gotta love a man that's willing to deal with my small, loud rupps!  All  photos personal.  

Shortly after, he had to go to Komatsu for work for 10 days, and I pretty much lived in his house while I was moving out of mine.  We made it facebook official during that trip too...I seriously felt 13 again when it said we were "in a relationship."  It was the first time since I met him that I'd publicly admitted I was dating someone!  When he got back, we had time for one last outing with friends...

It's only hookah!  I promise. 

and then a few days later, in mid-December, I left my rupps, my friends and my Beau and moved to Korea.  I was so sad, but the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island and the exercises that followed it brought me and Jason together again just 6 days later.  He had to work a lot, and I never knew when he'd have to leave, but it was a blessing...I had just one friend in Korea (Natalie) and she went to the States for Christmas a few days before Jason showed up.
One night in bed, we had a funny conversation about our feelings for one another...I was avoiding saying "I love you," even though I knew that's what I was feeling.  When he asked, I just said that I felt stuff.  He said, "Well, that could be like the trunk of your car...when you say 'stuff', it could be something good, like 20 pizzas for your friends, or it could be bad, like a dead body."  To my weird sense of humor, this was hi-larious!  I cracked up and immediately answered with "pizza feelings," a phrase we still use.
When he did have to return to Misawa, I skipped work for the day and sat with him until it was time to get on the plane.  I had a moment back and work and had to go to the bathroom and cry...a minute or two a coworker came in and asked what was wrong.  I told her the very short version of our story, and she goes "Oh!  God keeps putting you two back together, so you know it's for a reason!"
It was just a day or two after Jason got back to Misawa that he asked me "Is it too soon to talk about what you're going to do after Osan (Korea)?"  I said no, and later that night we exchanged our first "I love you"s over Skype.

The Month of October

October is generally one of my favorite months...it's not too cold yet, and it has the best holiday ever IMHO...HALLOWEEN!  One of my favorite movies is the Nightmare Before Christmas, and I think I've dressed up for Halloween more as an adult than as a kid.  In October 2010, I got another reason to love the month:  Jason.
Once we got back from our vacations, it only took us two weeks to FINALLY give in and get together.  That first weekend, we went out with the guys in his squadron, and it was the first time he stayed over...but nothing happened!  Honest!  The boy slept in his jeans!  The next weekend is when all those feelings finally caught up to me.  On Friday evening, I was cleaning my closet, literally knee-deep in clothes, when he called and asked me to go bowling with him.  I caved and got dressed, because bowling sounded better than cleaning.  I met him and Ricky there, bowled exactly one game, then went back to his house to hang out.  Ricky ended up talking to his wife (who was deployed) for a long time and then peacing out to sleep...leaving Jason and I on the couch to watch tv.  But we didn't watch anything...instead we bonded over a particularly rough year for the both of us.  He'd had a rough year flying; I was beginning to realize my Air Force career was over.  But more than that, we were both starting to realize that things were falling apart so we could fall together.  
I had to fight SO HARD to get myself to leave that night, and after I did, he sent me a text that said "Thanks for hanging out with me tonight, and now my new favorite shirt smells like your hair."  It absolutely made me melt. On Saturday, I had a going-away dinner at a brewery and then Jason had invited me to go to a Halloween party with him.  I was so giddy!  He came and picked me up, since our dinner was all-you-can-grill/drink and I was well past the tipsy edge.  Liquid courage man... apparently I needed it that night!  Because I made a ballsy move...when he took me back to my house to change, we barely got into the front door before I pinned him to the wall and smooched him.   He was pretty shocked, to say the least, and just laughed and told me to go get dressed.  We were late to the party, but we made an entrance!

He was a video game character, I was a Japanese girl
complete with Engrish dress (personal photo)