Last Single Christmas, and 6 months from today

Merry Christmas!! All the best for 2014.

I've kept you long enough so here it goes. 

Today is our 6 month mark!!!!!!!!!!

In 180 days Anderson M. Bowen and Heidi R. Aboab , well. We'll be Mr. & Mrs!!! Eyaaaaaaaaaayyyy

We are so excited. Andy's doing that thing again, where he watches me and says, "you're gonna be my wife." After about a minute hahaha! 

It's the cutest, funniest thing ever man, i'm telling you. 

But here's the deal, deposits have been made, invitations are about to be drafted, corrected, addressed and posted. Flights booked, honeymoon planned. Life is moving. 

And just like that our time is coming up and NOW i'm nercited and FUSSY!!!!

But ting, let's talk about Christmas. Andy spent most of it with his family, and me with mine. What a bittersweet feeling for

both of us. 

More than likely we'll do that next year too. But together. We even went to our own churches, separately. So, here it is our lives HAVE changed. 

We missed each other, but the beauty of the moment was that Andy had most of his fam with him for Christmas (his mum usually has to work on Christmas Day). So it was special!! 

Now I started hyperventilating tonight about a very important matter💏 .

First Kiss:

Here are the options that we gathered through research:

The Peck

The Tongue Tango

Full on Passion

The Modest Tongue Kiss

Now it may seem gross/ alot. But I want the moment to be awesome, and for me and Andy to LOOK awesome when doing it oooook?

So what's your preference? Tongue, Mega Tongue, no tongue mini tongue man i'm confused already!

Please pray. And stay faithful!! God has this covered. Devil stay out!!!

Im overjoyed to tell you that I received a clean bill of health!!💏👍🙌 i'm healthy.. Nothing in the ultrasound, no abnormalities, tumours nothing.  Wooohoooo praise the Lord. So hopefully baby very soon!!! 

One more thing, thank you! For following commenting sharing. Stopping me on the street, speaking life and love into our beginning. It's true, live like no one is watching!! God is ever present. We appreciate it all.

When we started this journey, we thought it was not going to interest anyone. Wow, we were wrong!!

So we are almost there. Then the fun starts. I can't wait to see my  fam, eat drink and give THANKS to God almighty. To hold Andy's hand and heart

and really enjoy this day. We waited long enough!!

Love to all!! God bless and may 2014 be a blessed, happy, incidentfree New Year!!!

The Budding Bridezilla

Gooood Morning!

I promised to drop this one in last week. But I was sooooo busy that I forgot.

So sorry peeps!

Please note. This will happen to you at some point during your wedding prep.

As I've mentioned countless times. My fiance' is super cool under pressure. I on the other hand am a certified, card carrying gully boar. Now more recently I have developed a maturity and patience that surprises people who knew me just a few short years ago. It's amazing what prayer, patience, a good mama and a good decent man who influences me can do ;)

Now hear this, I want what I want. Andy wants what he wants. We have agreed to what WE want for our wedding. So there is no possible way for us to fail miserably. We believe that there are always alternatives. And with hard work, dedication and TRUE faith in God, we cannot be stopped, once it's His will for us.

Truth.

I had to make a quick decision about a crucial part of our plans. And note I said I, because I tend to think quickly. Not always a positive, but  I am well aware of who I'm marrying. You know that statue 'The Thinker'? That's really a sculpture of Anderson M. Bowen. He takes a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time to come to a decision once it involves risk. And believe me we need that. Little Miss Impulsive here would have us buying land and houses to renovate and forget the light bill. So someone has to be stable in the relationship.

Anderson M. Bowen (lololol)

But I also dislike INCOMPETENCE and WICKEDNESS. Here's the background without going into too much detail. One of our vendors has an associate who is greedy. He/she found out that we wanted to book a service through their company, and actually called me after the event that we both WORKED at, to try to convince me to come and make payment under his/her name. Here's the thing, I am loyal. We both are. Anderson and I were impressed with the presentation by the initial Vendor and have NO INTENTION of being poached.

This person moving in for the kill. But they don't know me yet!

Where is the integrity? Barbados is yay big. So screwing up your reputation for a commission is quite frankly a dumbass move. Furthermore, I do NOT like being crossed. Especially when it comes to an event I have been mentally planning since 1990.

So out came Heidi The Headhunter. I was on the phone so fast that Andy was in complete shock. Big man allowed me to know he had never seen that side of me in 6 years. And Poor me, I blushed. And then I got kisses so the blush went through the door :) I should be more forceful more often then huh?? (lolol) I suppose I was holding back that facet of my personality, because I want him to shine. I don't dumb down nor do I NORMALLY hold back. But I'm a softy when it comes to Andy and I let him take the reins. But this time, this witch (ahem) was messing with the wrong one.

This is mild compared to how I was.

Regardless of what happens, here's the lesson for today. If you have a dream, an idea, heck even a notion or a hunch. And it's feasible? GO FOR IT. Do not hold back. Make sure that it is in keeping with your values, no compromises. Things don't just HAPPEN. You must plan. Discuss with the older heads and go forward. Life is too short to live with regrets.  And I want little to NO regrets on Wedding Day 2014. TRUST.

enough said

Bridezilla for two days OUT!

Love you all,
Heidi xoxo

The gift of giving...

Lovebugs!!

I HAD to come at you with this one. It is big, HUGE, monumental. How good are you at ACCEPTING gifts?

I LOVE Christmas, birthdays, Easter, Independence, Crop Over, why don't we give gifts at Crop Over? Such fun :) You get me right? I love to give a gift. But I am not that great at receiving. Now a wise old owl once told me that, you should be just as comfortable receiving as giving, because there is a GREAT deal more humility involved in accepting something from someone. You may be unaware of their circumstance, financially or mentally, and whatever they give you whether they can afford it or not is a sacrifice and it takes a measure of generosity and love.

So, Andy and I have received offers from various family and extended family members to assist us with our Wedding,. A few of them in particular keep mentioning the 'harsh economic times' and their willingness to help us with paying for our home and the wedding itself. Cue the pride. Which as we ALL know goes before a fall. And we both find falling quite embarassing, soooooooooooooooo.

Anderson Bowen and Heidi Aboab, don't do receiving very well. It is not that we are arrogant, or puffed up ( although I lean to the arrogance every once in a while, I'm a work in progress). It is that we generally like to work for what we want or need, always have, and we are so used to being independent and taking care of ourselves, that accepting help from anyone but each other or our immediate families (mostly parents) is a foreign concept. And sometimes a little difficult, since we know we have to work for what we want.

We HATE using people. Have zero tolerance for begging, and we try very hard to stay within our means. Our sensitivity towards the subject is so great, that during our frequent car chats, we express how uncomfortable we are when friends pay for dinner, offer to bring things to a lime, family gives us cash or want to give us a thank you gift for something we have done.

BUT, weddings tend to make you a bit humble. At SOME point, you realise that you CANNOT do it all on your own. That people are just as excited for you as you were for them at this point in their lives. That your family and friends are ACUTELY aware that at times because you are sacrificing for your big day that you simply CANNOT out the money for a fun night out, movie, food. Because at $$$ a plate + drinks + VAT, you need to cut back somewhere.

Anderson and I declared our hand early. We are paying for our wedding and honeymoon ourselves, but we know that our friends and families will want to give us gifts. And we graciously and humbly accept. It is about give and take. If you know us, you know we are generous and at times OVERLY generous. Giving of our time, advice, money, in kind. God has blessed and favoured us by meeting all of our needs. We are secure knowing that He has already provided. And part of that means understanding when he has sent one of his angels to bless us, just like we blessed others.

I hope you understand what I mean. Of COURSE we want wedding gifts, that adds to the excitement and fun of the wedding experience, but we also want our family and friends to know that we are SO SO SO SO grateful. That you do not HAVE to do it, but we are APPRECIATIVE and thankful for everything that you do for us now, on wedding day and beyond.
We love you!

We are grateful!!

xoxo,
Anderson & Heidi.

Open the Lines

Gooood MORNING!!

Both Andy and I have been soooo busy!! I recently started a job (weddings don't pay for themselves guys :) And Andy has been working hard for the entire year. Between Moden Makeup by Heidi, my new job, home, church and our relationship, I was barely keeping up.

I am SOOOOOO sorry I didn't update you all but to everyone who asks in person, emails, Whatsapp's or keeps us in prayer THANK YOU!! We appreciate the feedback and the love.

Did the title catch you? Well I hope it did and whether you are married or single this one is for you.

So with the kind permission of my beloved fiance' we are going to discuss Premarital Counselling. Now for some people this practice is a formality, for others a necessity and a select few it is both. About three years before we got engaged, Andy actually asked me if I would be interested in preengagement counselling sessions. I was waaaay too excited boy! He could've asked me then and there and I would have said YAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSS. But we never pursued it, so when we got engaged last year we decided that we needed to go to counselling for a number of reasons.

Guess who's coming to the end of their sessions and with GREAT SUCCESS. US!! And the main reason is, WE COMMUNICATE! Without going into too much detail we wanted to share why counselling is so important to us, and why we are now even bigger advocates for any engaged couple to actively participate in a series of sessions.

1. The Wedding is just one day. You have to live with this person for the rest of your life. That should be reason enough for you to run to anyone who is qualified and willing to listen!

Funny, but so true.

2. You value your relationship. Hopefully (we've been together 6 years, by the time we are married it would be our 7th) you would have invested, sacrificed, endured, enjoyed so much that you want to protect your investment, nurture your love and really get in the habit of dealing with the challenges of this new phase.

Channel your energies into your future.

3. You are willing to commit to discussing and solving any issues you may have as individuals and as a couple. You are two very different people with different stories, Rome wasn't built in a day, and you have to be secure in you and him/her so that your relationship develops as you BOTH intend it to.

Indeed.

4. It works either way. The counselling sessions reveal so much about your personality, your desires and your needs that the openness creates a vulnerability that is UNREAL. And the important part is recognising the value of your love, because opening up yourself to people starts with TRUST, without that, you're goners.

Love.

So those are just a few of our reasons. After the first session I was in love with Andy all over again. He was grinning from ear to ear and we both felt a sense of calm and peace. We are committed fully to one another, focused, and armed with the knowledge that we need to take our relationship forward and enjoy a happy and prosperous marriage. We don't know everything, but we know some thangs ya'll :)

Thus, the planning and merriment can continue, of course we will have issues, but we hold onto the belief that with God before us, a FULL commitment to each other, the love and support of our families, we are ready for our life together. If you are planning on getting married, we HUMBLY suggest finding a minister of religion, a certified counselor, or someone who is equipped to deal with affairs of the heart, premarital counselling. Seek professional help and OPEN THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION. Ensure you are both comfortable with that person and go for it. You won't regret it! We certainly don't :D

Love you Andy. thanks for sharing :)

Love you all!
xoxo
Heidi.

First Dance

Hiiiiii Beautiful People,

Soooo what's happening? The wedding is 9 months away. Time, what is that? We have none!

House repairs are on the way, I'm working out, Andy's planning on working out, we are joining financial forces, learning more and more about each other, and I have to say I love this man so much! I would go through the planning process over and over again because Andy is truly so cool and easy about it. He takes everything as it comes, takes 2 hours to think, then he comes up with a plan. BOOM, that's my #baby.

We have to be honest. We are baffled as to why people find the wedding planning process SOOOO hard. The difficulty in OUR HUMBLE OPINIONS comes with indecision, uncertainty, allowing GIPSY people inna ya bidness and a lack of knowledge. I have assisted in Wedding Planning many times, have planned and with the help of a great team (delegation is key) executed EXCELLENT events. Andy has assisted in organising and pulling together many functions and in his and my line of work, planning is of the utmost importance. So this isn't cakewalk, but it sure ain't rocket science either. However, organisation, delegation and simplicity are the keys people. FOCUS!

The challenge so far has been PEOPLE. Everyday I mentally cross no less than four people off my list. And believe that dem bellies gine ROLL when they realize they are NOT in my top 100. #boom

Get lost!!

I am learning how to be a successful wife and partner. One of my focuses has to be on understanding my husband's role. That is monumental for me. For us really. I have had FANTASTIC examples of the correct way to treat, care for and support a wife. And a handful of wives who possess qualities I'd like to emulate. But can I say, I am going to have THE most understanding, loving and humble husband a woman could pray for. And you better get on your knees, cause I sure did and God blessed me with a gem.

Onto wedding thangs!!

WHAT IS UP WITH THE FIRST DANCE???!?!

Check out Youtube. There are funny ones, romantic, dramatic, bloopers, falling downers, Dive into poolers, madness, lack of rhythm, a plethora of the most ridiculous, sweet, endearing dances one will ever come across.

This was sooooo good! Hella funny!

Couple having #funners

So we are at a loss. Andy used to do ballroom, I did back in the day too buuuttttt. Without practice, we are NOT risking at it. So there's the slow wine, the twerk, the bump, monsta wina...... KIDDING!!

Have any of you taken dance lessons for your weddings/ big events? What do you think about it? Any recommendations, or should we just wing it and sway? We dunno, so HELP!!

Something old, something new... :

What do you think about this adage? I am NOT superstitious. But I love the idea of using the adage to add to the whimsy of our wedding. Like I have a special surprise for Andy and Andy only that's all blue ;) And I have another article of clothing that's blue. Did any of you follow this one, and if so, please share how. I notice most of Moden's brides only remember it on the day! LOL.

ooooh! Naughty! 

Since my dad passed away, I'm going to omit the Father-Daughter Dance., That would be way too heart-wrenching and sad for me. I miss him everyday, talk about him everyday, and on Wedding Day I want to honour his memory, my grandmother's and Andy's grandad who passed away earlier this year.

This video broke my heart. I would be waay tooo emotional for this one boy. But it was kind of sweet, thoughtful and helped to reinforce that although her daddy is gone, he can still be represented and celebrated. My friend @charmaine posted it, I watched it, and was a mess afterward.

Father/Daughter Dance :(  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/father-daughter-dance_n_1695774.html

I have to think of another way to honour my dad. My cuz Shernelle had a large, framed photo of her Mummy at her wedding and I thought that was an EXCELLENT gesture, very loving and inspirational. My Dad was larger than life, a real #bawse. Thought he was super cool, and he was so chatty and intelligent, but just like me, he could only tolerate people for so long .So in my case, the photo wouldn't fly. But a small one attached to my bouquet wouldn't be a bad idea. Or one of his old handkerchiefs. OR! He loved pens, we could sign our Marriage Certificate with one of his fountain pens!! Wow, that Just came to mind, AWESOME!

So tell me what you all think, your feedback is WELCOME and appreciated!

xoxo,
Heidi.

Flying the Coop

Hi all!

Your response to last week's blog was OVERWHELMING! Don't forget to share with your family and friends :) We appreciate the feedback too!!

WELL guess who just realised she's gonna be living wid a man :D Big woman tings in 2014. But after 28 years of living with various animals ( dogs, fish, budgies and a pet mosquito or two) plus my Mummy and Nana and Auntie and Grandad and Uncle Brian, all my neighbours and Lil Rick pun a Saturday night bellowing from Long Bay, what's a girl to do. My life is gonna be all Andy and Heidi for a while.

It's so much more than that though. We have to take care of each other ALONE. We both come from moderately sized families (Andy 5, Me 6). And our home is going to be down to two, 2. Two plates, two forks, two glasses. Nah I'm just kidding. But the truly inspiring thing is that we are already a little family. Andy and I see each other most mornings or evenings (remember I told you he literally lives 2 minutes away). And we talk a whole lot! Our focus funny enough isn't even the wedding. We talk about that sometimes, but generally we discuss Moden, TEAM (his family's sideline) and the two akitas I want cause I am NOT living out dey so where part we living and we aint got two big dogs! Living together is going to be a totally different experience, but creating our own little system and culture is going to be interesting, challenging and fun.

Wedding Update: 

No turning back FOLKS! Lord have mercy tickets booked, timeshares on hold, people coming in from all four corners. So this man betta has stay on my good side. Otherwise PROBLEMS! Lol. Our families are getting excited and for a lot of people this marriage was a long time coming. Why I don't know. God's timing is PERFECT. However, FINALLY, I am imagining myself on Wedding Day, everybody's healthy, happy and HOME! Andy and I are comfortable and not overextended cash wise and our home is OURS! Lord let it be!

Accepting Help:

Now, I am a very stubborn person. I am also quite independent. And own way. I do not GENERALLY like anybody telling me what to do or how to do it. Sorry that's me, I'm working on it. I also have great disdain for people demanding my time and when my JOB gets in the way, they moan about it, but that's another beef for another blog. Here's my point, If and when I need the help I will ask.

People calling my mother telling her they are coming into the island to help ME out. And they're going to take the week off to HELP me with the planning the week of. But does that make sense? Wha ting, if everything isn't FINALISED by March 2014 I would want cutting and quartering. So wha week of dem mean? Dem coming wid CHEQUES??? But looka. And WHY wouldn't MY MOTHER be able to help? Dem planning to tek she out? My mother is the coolest, calmest sanest person I know. Highly efficient and very organised. She is so chill sometimes it's scary! She is alll we need and our planner of course.

When I need a lifeline, I'll ask. TRUST! 

And how PRAY tell are they HELPING ME OUT? I am NOT driving around delivering payments week of, or looking for flowers or shoes or hair things or petticoats or girdles. If dem ain't got it, it ain't got! And I am VERY serious about that. It is the week Andy and I get our massage on, say Happy Birthday to ME :D and get my hair and nails fixed up, bossman  hol' a hair cut and a shave, mani and pedi with his boys (yes Andy with your boys, don't nobody want crusty toed dudes around them!!!). Not for confusion, chile PLEASE.

Undergarments:
Onto a very serious topic of discussion. What do most brides wear under their dresses. Now I've been in and done a few weddings. And I LOVE my Spanx, but what is to happen on this mystical magical Wedding Night now, when it's playtime? Wha de man ain't wanna see no pantaloons.

This one looks the most comfortable.

And Can I just say those long line Bras are VERY uncomfortable. And Heidi does NOT do thongs. Maybe boy shorts? Man, what did you all wear vs what is practical? cause dis heat is something serious and I am NOT about smelling up the place whether Andy is there or not :D

Veils and Birdcages:

I am SO very sorry, but Birdcages are PLAYED OUT! If I see one more, this MUA is going to have SEVERAL seats. I LOVE a long veil, and yes I'm short and I don't care! As long as it's sheer and gossamery ( new word) and flows beautifully, I WANT IT! I think veils really add to the whole bridal look. And them birdcages got too many big holes, which one am I supposed to look through? It's all very confusing.

A guide to veils.

Sheer is pretty.

Hair Adornments: 

I want one, do you all watch Jerseylicious Tracy and Corey? She had THE most beautiful one on! And it still looked good with her veil. It was blingy and sparkly and didn't take away from her hair or dress at allllll Perfect addition and something I think I want to wear fo sho!

Hair Adornments are sooooo now and soooo pretty and blinged out.

Giveaway: 

We are STILL working on it. It's gotta be good so, we'll let you know asap :D 

Thanks, and please share share share!! 

xoxo
Heidi.

First look, family photos and trash the dress!!

Hiiii!!

200 plus days left... remember when it was 400 plus. I know, we are BOTH getting nercited (nervous and excited), anxious and entering financial comas LOLOLOL.

No on a serious note, we decided not to overspend and stick to a budget, and so far so good, but we allll know in BARBADOS, where EVERYTHING is expensive, you have to be savvy. Otherwise, things can get ugly. So we have a plan and we are determined to stick to it. But things come up so we have back up plans and back up back up plans.We're gearing up for our Engagement Photos, Andy has a final quarter of the year challenge going on with a friend of his to get fit by December or end of I believe. (he's gonna kill me for mentioning this, no wedding lolol) Can't wait to see the results, Andy is EXTREMELY competitive and he usually wins, did I mention he was Captain of the Basketball team at St. Michael's yasssss huntys, get yo lives :D  ;) I have been progressing nicely on my weight loss journey. I weighed recently and I am at 164 so I have to reaaalllly work on my eating (was naughty, ate burgers, at $9.95 and the BEST Coke in Bim?? you betta eat em! LOL)

The supplement I'm taking is WORKING! It keeps me in check and I'm drinking loads of water. So I'm starting my juicing next week to kick start my 10 lb loss again, but I will eat during the day to fuel my body properly.

I found shoes!!! 6 pairs. Decision decisions, but I need two for the day, Some ballerinas or wedges for reception and some sky high or platform heels, I AM marrying a 6 footer after all :)

I'm on the hunt for a cinematic Wedding videographer. I've been seeing tons of great work from our American and Canadian friends, but are there any local companies or film students who do it here? Help a Bridesista out!

I am also in need of decorators! WE have a few in mind but we like to weigh our options. One of our colours I can tell you :) is Ivory. No my dress is not.It's lily white :) BOOM.

Onto the meat:

First look:

HATE IT. I don't subscribe to the superstition. I do dislike most of the Groom's reactions that I've seen. The men are hardly ever blown away by their brides. At least it's not apparent. HOWEVER, I have seen no less than 20-30 grooms almost bawling at the altar when they see their brides enter the church, hall or Ceremony Location. So we will NOT be doing first look bleccch. ( just my opinion to each his own).

Photo Credit: http://abeautifuldayphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/wedding-photos-js-0261.jpg

The Compromise:

However, one thing that calms Andy and I down, especially during stressful times or if we argue or disagree about something is PRAYER. And something I have seen and know to be effective because our God is real ( can I get an amen, hallelujah, thank you JESUS), is the Couple's Prayer.

:) I love it!  Photo Credit: unknown

So the couple sits or stands on opposite sides of the doorway, hold hands and pray together before the ceremony. The beauty behind it is that you can't see each other, but touching and agreeing in prayer sets the tone for the rest of the ceremony and the day. Setting that small window of time aside to give God thanks for His blessings, ask him for His mercy and grace on your lives together, and expressing your commitment to Him and each other, thereby acknowledging His place. I imagine there must be a great sense of peace and happiness after that. It must get a little emotional too. So that's what we are going to do. Before all the fun and family, all the eating and making merry, we are going to give Almighty God thanks for bringing us to our Wedding Day and for (speaking prophetically) taking us through to a beautiful marriage.

Photo Credit: http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2013-06-14-prayingphoto.jpg
This was the photo that inspired my thinking about it.

Blindfolding Anderson would be HILARIOUS. But I'm sure he didn't see jack til the altar. Cute huh? lol Photo Credit: Unknown

This blog has a beautiful prayer for the couple 10 days before the wedding. Beautiful http://beyondblessedblog.com/2012/08/14/10/

Family photos:

Wade (www.vecpict.com) And Charles 'Chris' (Facebook: Firefly Photography OR Charles Butcher) have been trying to get some of our brides and grooms to take their family photos BEFORE the wedding.

I pitched the idea to Andy and my mum about taking the family and bridal party photos especially with our overseas guests on the day, and at our next function (date to be announced soon) ;) The rest of the photos. You know how Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonggggggggggg the photo sessions can run at weddings. Everybody and dem granmudda does want a picture. And ya dun know the 1980's cameras gine be coming out of the woodwork. Gotta crank the film too and then use the viewfinder, uh uh boah! We want to ENJOY so we are seriously considering NOT doing them before but definitely doing them after the Wedding while we still have our newlywed glow ;)

Safe to say this photo session probably took AGES???? : Photo Credit: Unknown

Trash the Dress:

I LOVE THIS. Although I did read of one bride who drowned, so safety is KEY! I'm def not trying this at the sea, nonsense. I mean ya can drown anywhere but uh uh boah, I'll take my chances with a pool of fairly still water thanks.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/canadian-bride-words-dragged-death-water-logged-wedding-gown-trash-dress-photo-shoot-heavy-article-1.1145343

( soo soooo sad ) the poor photographer, he tried and the groom :(  Deepest condolences, sincerely.

Anyway, I'm thinking a pool and Andy and I jump, big splash, nuff laughs, EPIC photo. Truly memorable and fun. If not, we can do dirt bikes or riding bicycles through the neighbourhood. Something fun and funny for our personal album. With the greatest caution and care!
I am willing to let Wade and Chris do whatever they want. I trust them totally! But I def have my own ideas. Andy has about 500 more than me (photographer problems).

Trash the dress with your husband :) 

With time going by so quickly I tend to forget that I'm getting married. But when I do I'm mostly stoked, slightly stifled that my room will not be mine and my beloved bathroom will change. We've started house repairs officially and Andy seems to be enjoying it. It's a great time for us. And we are grateful to have a house to renovate, building costs are ridiculous.

I'm still debating whether or not to do a giveaway for this blog. Your response has been fantastic, and I love to give things away. So stay tuned, it could be wedding related, photography, makeup. Who knows. Maybe October, but I don't know if you all are interested in that sort of thing hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... wink wink...


That's all for now, talk to you soon :D

xoxo
Heidi

Updates, questions and excitement!!!

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!

I've been counting the weeks since last blog! 5 or so right? Despicable, i'm treating you terribly. But of course that means that there is more news.

Let's talk flowergirls! I have three of the prettiest, sweetest little ones that you can imagine. I've always loved the idea of having lots of little ones in my bridal party. But as I got older I realized the potential for disaster. Children cry, get sick, get shy. But these three are precocious, intelligent and make Andy and I laugh with their crazy antics and witty banter.

No photos, they are young and I do not want them plastered all over the internet. The world has become a strange place and children are often targeted for the wrong reasons. But I can tell you their names are Kendra, Asia and Neriyah. Kendra and Neriyah are cousins, and my cousins specifically and Asia is my goddaughter. No word from the groom on whether we are doing a ringbearer yet, but if not, we'll just omit that step.

Can I tell you, Anderson Bowen is getting excited. More and more I'm hearing, Hun, for the wedding or, did we discuss... I'm super excited too and NERVOUS especially about the photos. But as long as I have Andy there and THE BEST TEAM in the world for support along with my my mum and family and Andy's family, it's all good. He picked out his suit, and he has a special, secret colour he's accenting with. Blow me down. No best man chosen yet though, it's gonna be so hard for him. Lots of people he loves and they love him back, I do NOT envy him :( But I know his peeps will understand.

This guest list is ever reducing, more and more the monkey is climbing and the tail is being exposed, I love it and so does our pocket! Boom! No budget busters up and through here homies!

No more travelling this year, but  I DO need some advice, where should we honeymoon, we kinda already decided but it's still early days, so input is welcome!

What do you all think about a post wedding photo session, would you want to see the photos? It will save time on Wedding Day since I have so much family and I know everyone is gonna want photos with my handsome groom, I mean who wouldn't? Oh yea and of course with me, the bride (teehee).

My mother,  future mother-in-law and I are in talks re: their outfits. My mother's nickname is Sweetsteps, because she walks in heels like she's barefooted. Elsa Klench boy. She's a trip. And she is the ULTIMATE dresser. My mum is known for her classy dressing and really good style . Now Mrs. Andria Bowen She loves to dress up, and she dresses well. But this is the last going down for her, Andy is her baby, and I need her to be beat and snatched. My mummy is the mother of the bride and MUST also be beat and snatched for the gawds! So I'm just making sure that they have it together. No wardrobe malfunctions or regrets over here. Any bride worth her salt knows, everybody has to be on
point. Photos are forever huntys!

Onto today's topic, KISS. Keep it Simple Silly/Stupid. I am a big thinker, I love to do things OTT (over the top). Andy gets a bit miffed, especially since I get these random notions and MUST try to at least get parts of the 'projects' done.

Case in point. I am NOT a DIY princess, I am more of a go and BUY princess, so this friend of ours says, 'Oh Heidi, for your programmes, you could make fans or, if you decide to do bookmarks, you can draft them on the computer and offer them as favours.' bahahahhahahahahaahahahahhahhahahah *tears* In the words of my FAVOURITE celeb Tamar Braxton, 'uh uhhhh She tried it.' She, me, her Heidi is NOT sitting down drafting NOTHING.

Let me tell you about WHY brides get stressed out. They take on too much and impose way too much pressure on themselves, and for WHAT? Are they happy during? HARDLY, most of our brides are usually SUPER glad the event is over when we ask if they enjoyed it. Scuse me? After all the time, energy and effort, you better at least be telling me it was all worth it.

The night that Andy proposed was soooooo happy and so much fun. He made it so that we were alone (which is rare for us), and intimate and sweet, and then after when my Auntie came and picked us up and started FLIPPPPING out cause we had just got engaged, we started talking about how he did it and what my reaction was.

Well I was GENUINELY surprised and felt like I was floating for the next two days for sure. Earlier that day I had been moaning to my mum about how I just wanted to go home and SLEEEEP. I had just had surgery, my stomach was sore (I have four scars now, photos to come), flown 9 hours to Germany, another train ride for 2 or so to Munich, dropped off luggage none of which I could lift :(  straight to meet the designer off the train, then a few days later we drove to Austria, two days later shot the video, drove back to Munich, spent a day there, took a train to Paderborn and THAT was when the relaxation started. Whirlwind trip right? So I just wanted to breathe. I CAN tell you I woulda been plenty disappointed if I hadn't taken my mum's advice and not gone to dinner with Anderson.

As soon as I realised what Andy was doing that night, I paused. We talked about it after, and we laugh about it now, cause Heidi pauses for nothing so big man was in a state of panic for a minute. I paused because I had always promised myself that if ANY man asked me to marry him, I'd take a minute or two before I said yes, let it process a bit and marinate, and then give my answer. Sounds simple right? Well it's not, if you don't get a feeling of calm assurance when you take that time to think about what you REALLY want, back the hell up honey, cause this thing right here called marriage is the long haul, the big leagues it's the real deal and SHOULD NOT be entered into for frivolous reasons.

In that moment all the joy, happiness, love, hardtimes, grief, pain, euphoria came rushing back. I remembered the first time I really looked at Andy, when he met my mum, when he helped me with my thesis, when I helped him decide what career choice to make, our first trip together, my dad's death which came soooo soon after we got together, when he called me to ask if he should buy his first car, when he took me to meet his grandmother. Our likes, dislikes, our love for God and our love for each other is what flooded my mind and I knew that I HAD to say yes. It was what I wanted and what God wanted for us.

So that is how I want our day to be. Simple, sweet and elegant, but well thought out and organized. Fun and a little bit flirty but SIMPLE. I don't want fanfare, a HUGE expense, or a show off occasion. What I want, is what we want, memories. In the end that's alll we have, time is fleeting.

Just like our proposal and engagement, we want to simply enjoy what God is doing in us. The works He is perfecting in us. Our greatest success on our Wedding Day will be us leaving our former individual selves behind and embracing our oneness. But we are going to do it, simply, not QUIETLY now. Just nice and easy.

How was your wedding day? And what would you do differently now. Or If you're not yet married, what would you include to make your day unique to you?

xoxo,
Heidi.

Kadooment done... wedding planning FULL SPEED AHEAD!

We are over the Crop Over hump!!! And that means FULL ON WEDDING MODE.

I hereby promise NOT to go POSTAL or Bridezilla for longer than half hour each time.

Sooooo, happy August everyone. Christmas will soon be here and then Andy and I have little to no time to get everything ship shape for dum da dum dum.... Andy and Heidi's Wedding Day.

Two revelations for you!!

Found two prospective florists. And my bridal bouquet design is already in the works!!!

The DJ is onboard!! Hope he keeps the date open!!

So yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!

Moden Makeup provided makeup services for a bridal party on Saturday at our reception location no less and the blooms were DELIGHTFUL! Conceptualised by the bride and executed by the designer.

Pretty flowers!! 

Floral design is HUGE. I am not a flower lady, but I am acutely aware of the importance of choosing the right ones to set the tone for the day. So I was over the moon when the gentleman walked in with the flowers and they were sooooooooo gorgeous EVERYONE remarked about them and the bride shed a few tears. It was such a beautiful touching moment that nobody expected but God certainly provided at the best possible time.

Flowers were provided by Petals Paradise 

Petals Paradise - Floral Design

Oh and one super enormous very important allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll women know about in detail. 

I found a dress!! 

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I am super shocked, I have three options, but as soon as I saw this one I called Mummy, Auntie, Nana and a bridesmaid and they all agreed with me it's Heidi right through. 

Clothes and me? WE don't always see eye to eye. But this dress is MINE. I am not naive however, Say yes to the dress people allllways see a dress they like online or in a magazine and they change their minds once they have tried on a different type of dress. That aint hot. 

Here are some of my favourite styles: 

Message me on Facebook or leave a comment down below and tell me what style you can see me in, or you chose for your Special Day.

Love,

Heidi xoxo

Name..changer

Hi Family!!

WE hit a bump in the road on 6th July. One of our dear friends passed :( He was helping us with the home renovations and had become a part of our family.  He was looking forward to the wedding with almost as much excitement and anticipation as me. He had great plans for the house, our gardens, even the children he wanted to enjoy. So we are going to miss our David A. White. (Aboab  inside joke) But God knows best. There will be a special place for him at one of the locations for Wedding Day 2014.

So what does my title mean this week? here we go folks, the roller coaster ride continues, where is the time going?? Lord slow it down just for us PLEAASE! LOL 

To change or not to change, that is the question of the day. I LOVE my name. Heidi Rene'e Aboab. it flows beautifully. My godfather, Uncle Nigel named me Heidi and then he and my dad came up with Rene'e. My father wanted our initials to be the same. So our nickname is/was HR. He was Hutson Randolph. The Aboab was alllll Mummy. The name of her father and his father and his father and we could go on.

MARCH 2010

It should be pronounced uh bow ab. But we prefer uhbobe. It is Jewish, and yes we are descendants of actual Jews. My great grandad Conrad Aboab was Jewish, down to the nose ;) His family arrived here from Portugal in the grand days of old and we've been here ever since . If you visit the synagogue in Magazine Lane, you will most definitely find one or many gravestones or tombs marked with the name Aboab. 

My name is important to me. At Lodge I was teased incessantly about it, until one day I owned it and said, yes that's my name, and get it right. There are still a few people who call me ridiculous names like Aboobee and Abode (fatherinlaw to be included, apparently it's funny). But I get very angry when people bastardise my name. It is mine and I don't walk around going, oh your name is Jacobs hahhha how white. OR Wait, wha sorta name dah is? So respect mine. Thank you very much. 

Andy understands this and we have reached a compromise. He wants me to keep my name professionally, but bills, passports whatever else will bear the Bowen Moniker. I am very proud to become Mrs. Anderson M. Bowen, but I always will be Heidi Rene'e Aboab.

What do you all think about the name change?
The Real - Name Changing

Your party or your guests party?

Well I'm glad you're all still following because life is happening FAST!

I love unique, anything that seems even remotely unusual or odd is for me. I am officially marrying Mr Conservativo. Bae (like the slang?) LOL, is pastel and I'm neon.

However as you may have surmised from our last entry, we are different with similar tastes in extracurriculars and hobbies. Board games, wii, pawn stars. Also, we are music lovers. So quality entertainment for our beloved guests is a must. Thank God my family can sing, rap, act and dance. So we are set. A few poets too! Countless wedding receptions we have attended and few stand out. They are all memorable because they were family and friends of course. But we have to be us and make sure that guests that attend ours, have that unforgettable experience in a good way.

And soòoooo fun is the aim. An old friend of mine recently suggested (and please feel free to offer suggestions as you wish via the comments section, fb or email), a kissing menu. I was clueless! He explained that instead of the old cheesy clink glass with fork at various intervals throughout the evening or after requests, the couple would kiss. For example, a guest requests the mike or signals to the mc (it's all scripted and timed so there should be no rowdiness,) and offers a word of advice like don't go to bed angry or have breakfast together once a week or the family that prays together stays together, and the couple would kiss.

Sweet right? So after the third suggestion I done wid dat, I'll kiss my new husband whenever I please on that day and any day cause no clinkingglass people are dictating our pace!

I also love the idea of a family tree , each family or friend member should write on a piece of paper provided their relationship with the bride or groom and paste it onto a tree, which will be framed at a later date. Totally cute and different  without being ott or difficult right?

So keep the Ideas coming we greatly appreciate it, great food for thought and great suggestions! Never know! One may make it into our Day Of Calendar of events ;)

Love,
Heidi xoxo.