Engagement Pictures!!

We took them on Saturday and although I have not seen them yet, I am very excited!! It was cold and snowy, it even started snowing as we took them. Cheers to Rose for getting soaked for our sake... but hopefully not sick! Thanks also are in order for Gillian- for helping me pick out good make up when she should have been making pies. I think Rose took about 3000 pictures, so hopefully there will be a ton that are lovable!
I also found some wonderful dresses shopping on Friday with my mom! Another real trooper (as is anyone who is willing to mess around with dozens of dresses which weigh a ton a piece and have to go on a hanger a certain way... thanks again Gillian). I will visit them again over Christmas break to decide... anyone who is "home" is welcome to come!
Some common questions I have had when it comes to dresses include whether the dress will be "white" and whether it will be a traditional wedding dress, or something very simple and understated instead, since this is not my first wedding (gasp!). Traditionally, brides wear a white dress, which is supposed to date back to the marriage of Victoria and Albert. These days, it is acceptable for an encore bride to wear whatever she wants... so the answer to both is that I am getting whatever I want! (Emily Post be damned!) I have, however, been leaning more toward ivory, because it is more flattering on me than WHITE white...
I will probably not wear a veil. Last time I just grabbed one from a craft store the night before anyway. Perhaps that will appease all ye etiquette junkies!

What's in a Name?

I like my name. I think I have pretty much decided to keep it, or perhaps hyphenate. I have been doing some reading (OK... for the past 2 minutes) about views on this, and they all came from people who "put the K in Klassy". I have an aversion to the use of the letter "K" where it does not belong, so I will not be taking the advice of these people.

If my last name was "Turner-Nasca", then people could still call me "Turner" or "Nasca" and not be wrong. If we had children (b's), the b's would not have to have a hyphenated name, they could just be Nasca, and I would have the same name as they have, as well as my own. Although I have had some students with hyphenated last names, and it is not as cumbersome as you would think. BUT- what do they do when they get married? Add another name? Do the names continue to grow with each new generation until it is more convenient to read someone's DNA sequence than their last name? (This has already occurred in Hollywood)

It is not too important to me that the b's have the last name Turner... I just want it for me. I will be getting married in the middle of the school year, so what would I do upon returning, make all the students call me by a new name? Also, as the future Turner family historian I feel like my name should actually be "Turner". Not like its Kennedy or anything. I just like it.
Also, I have gone through the whole name change thing, and it definitely is more than just a change in name, its a change in identity.

Fifteen percent of surnames originated as occupations, so perhaps my last name should just be "Teacher". A "turner" refers to someone who works with a lathe, turning wood. I have also read that it has a Latin origin, but nothing specific. Chaz took Latin, and so did Cutes, so maybe I will ask. If you google Turner, the first thing you get it Turner Broadcasting.

Nasca apparently comes from a Sicilian word for nose, specifically a "turned-up" or a "snub" nose! If you google Nasca, the first thing that comes up is an "Association of Clubs, Events, Services and others related to the Swinger / Lifestyle Community"! On the other hand, "Nazca" is the name of an oceanic tectonic plate, which would be a very cool thing to share a name with. It is a convergent boundary/subduction zone, though, which would not be my first choice...

I have a while to make this decision, but I am leaning toward becoming Erica Marie Turner-Nasca. I will have the same last name as Kip!

Photography

Can anyone think of some cute ideas for engagement photos taken around Thanksgiving time? I have found a wonderful photographer for the shots... (see here!) but I am just trying to think of some ideas to start.

What are some things that you people have liked/disliked about your photographers, both in terms of services provided and business details? I like the idea of having a slide show from the wedding ceremony available at the reception for people to see, and a website where guests can go and order pics (although I confess I have never actually ordered any... ).

Anyway, I need help on this one.

Dresses!

Too bad I can't post any pictures, but Chaz really wants to be surprised. Oh well... suffice it to say that I tried some on today and found six that I like and 3 or 4 that I LOVE. Thanks to Gillian, for going with me and wrestling with dozens of dresses :-)

The Other Big Decision...

So, the other big decision we are trying to make right now is where to have the ceremony. Our choices are: At the catholic church that we both went to growing up, my Gramby's church which is a block away and the minister is the father of one of my best friends, or not at a church (leaning away from this).

The advantages of the catholic church are that it is OUR church that we have attended since baptism... I went to the attached catholic school (as did chaz... same kindergarten class...) and Chaz was an altar boy until leaving for college. The cons are that it really is not OUR church anymore, since we do not live locally, and we only go on Christmas and Easter. Also, last Easter, we were married to Jesus... so I am not sure I even still get the whole feel for the place.

The advantages of Gramby's church are that I also have been hanging around from a very young age, my Gramby has been going there since she was in high school, and Elisa's dad is the minister. So it is not just some guy with a license to wed, he has known Chaz and I since high school. I guess the disadvantages are that the place has more to do with me than Chaz.

Finally, we don't even go to church anymore so should any of this stuff even matter? SHould we just pick the place that will look best in the pictures / not require crazy classes? What do you have to do in the crazy classes anyway?

We set a date!

The big day will be December 31, 2009...
Yes! Its a New Year's Party!

So far we have reserved the Arrowhead Lodge at Oneida Shores Park. Here is a link to the virtual tour of the actual lodge. We went to peek in the windows over the summer and loved it! It also comes very highly recommended by an acquaintance you may know (Thanks Kristeen!).

The plan is to have an evening reception with hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and then ring in the new year! I would love to get any recommendations for DJs and caterers in the CNY area.

So far the concerns which have been voiced are that it will be winter and driving conditions may be poor. We are planning to shuttle everyone to and from the reception site from at least one hotel. The closest one is the Holiday Inn Express in Brewerton, so hopefully everyone will be able to stay there. If not, we could shuttle to a second place too, I just will have to research that. We will try to block out as many rooms as possible ahead of time. I don't think it should be a problem,... unless Brewerton is some New Year's hot spot and I never knew!

I am excited to have an interactive place to talk about everything, and to hear back from people. I am not sure how often I will be posting, I certainly do not have much time to do wedding things because of school! My first year has been very busy so far! So, please leave comments and wishes and referrals and requests and love!