Gwen’s Journey: What We’ve Done So Far

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by Lamar Tyler | on January 13th, 2010 | 12 comments

Things are moving so fast and I realize I need to get you up to speed on what we’ve done so we can talk about where we’re at!

Here’s the deal – the wedding will go down on Sept 5, 2010. That’s Labor Day weekend. We now live in Michigan, but because we’re from Cleveland, and all our family/friends are there, that’s where we are having our wedding – which can make wedding planning a little tricky, as you might imagine. So, whenever we go to Cleveland, we are certain to make the most of our time. We do have the help of a wedding planner, who lives in DC, but is also a Cleveland native. She’s came highly recommended and thus far, has been pretty awesome. Check her out: http://www.thesavvysoiree.com.

We knew long ago where we’d get married: an outdoor ceremony at the beautiful Italian Cultural Garden on the east side of the city (http://bit.ly/7sIgU1). I guess you can call me a budget bride – I don’t believe in going into debt for a wedding and I refuse to pay top dollar just because the word “wedding” is attached to this event. We booked the Italian Cultural Garden for a very low $150. Too sweet!

Since we’ve been engaged, we’ve only been back to Cleveland twice. But so much was accomplished in those two trips! During our first trip back (for Thanksgiving), we found our reception location (where we got an awesome deal due to our Sunday wedding date), our engagement party location, selected our colors (jewel tones – deep purple, aqua and fuschia with hints of gold for accent and damask for character – I realize it sounds crazy, but it’s gorgeous when you view it on a palette!) and even found my wedding gown. The icing on the cake was that I fit the floor model of the gown – which translated into a full 50% off the retail price! (Oh yea! Praise God!) And get this: the dress (a gorgeous Sophia Tolli with a sweetheart neckline) had only been for sale for two days before I scooped it up. It doesn’t get any better than that!

I am exceptionally blessed to have a fiancé who wants to be involved with the wedding planning. More than a few of my married friends recount the days when all the responsibility and work fell on them, and their men only wanted to know when and what time to show up. I can’t imagine it. It’s just too much to take on once you consider work, quality time, social life, eating…

Anyway, once we arrived back home in Michigan, we spent a great deal of time researching deejays and selected our photographer (who just so happens to be our planner’s husband – peep our engagement pics he shot: http://www.mywedding.com/gwendion/galleries.html). Per my fiancé’s request, I assigned the deejay search to him. Our wedding planner suggested DJ Majette, who she hired for her own wedding. He’s is a club deejay in Cleveland and is famous for spinning at most of LeBron’s events in and outside of the city. He created a mix of music just for us to review, and we instantly knew we had our guy. We’re going with a 90s hip hop/r&b music theme for the wedding, which I am sooooo stoked about! By the way, we are seeking playlist requests, so if you wanna add your two cents, please, please, please add your suggestions to our list here: http://www.mywedding.com/gwendion/music.html.

Videography? Check! Lamar and Ronnie were nice enough to agree to videotape our wedding! YAY!

Our latest trek to Brownstown was for the Christmas holiday. Since we only had two days (excluding Christmas) to work on wedding stuff, I had my playbook in hand, meetings scheduled and had rounded up my troops (aka bridesmaids) for a full day of bridesmaid gown shopping. Oh, and don’t let me call my Maid of Honor a bridesmaid…she is quick to check anyone who refers to her as such. I can tell she’s gonna end up being Maid of Honor-zilla. Will def keep you posted on that fiasco waiting to happen.

Now back in Michigan with bridesmaids dresses selected (this is the dress http://www.bestbridalprices.com/barijay/641/641bg.jpg, but it’s in this color http://www.barijay.com/dress/popuppics/380bg.jpg), only vendors we need now are an officiant and a florist. The pastor I always wanted to marry me passed away last year, and I don’t think our pastor in Michigan is going to be available to marry us on a Sunday in Ohio. Tara, Jonesi and other Clevelanders, got any suggestions?

About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.

http://www.weddingstylebykalynjohnson.com Kalyn

Gwen – Congrats on your engagement and upcoming nuptials! I got married about 2 1/2 months ago and planned my wedding in the Mexican Riviera from New York in a short-time frame too. It was challenging to plan from such a distance, but a great wedding planner definitely helps to make the process run smoothly because she’ll do most of the heavy-lifting for you. This is such an exciting time – enjoy it and remember to relax, relate and release! All the best, Kalyn
.-= Kalyn´s last blog ..Wedding Day Jewelry =-.
http://theyoungmommylife.com Tara @ The Young Mommy Life

Aww, you asked for my advice! LOL

Sounds like you’re knocking a bunch of stuff off your list! Get it, girl!

Lamar told me he was coming to a Cleveland wedding in September and DUH if i didn’t realize it was yours!

But as far as officiants…? Hmmm. What time is the wedding? I know a few folks who might be able to… I was happy because the pastor that officiated my wedding also married my parents and also baptized me! It’s was like coming full circle!

Your wedding sounds like it will be amazing. I remember my husband fussing over our colors (I chose a pale pink and white theme) and he (and his groomsmen) didn’t want to wear pink! LOL. Keep it up and I can’t WAIT to see pictures!
.-= Tara @ The Young Mommy Life´s last blog ..Challenge #1 – Buy some new nail polish =-.
http://www.brownandbridal.com busybodyk

Great choices and nice e-pics! I know Meg and she is so sweet. I know she will do a wonderful job planning your wedding.

BTW – Check out the website above for brown chicks planning weddings
Fontaine

Congrats I am a Cleveland native myself, I am soo happy to see young Black Love! Take care and be blessed !!
http://www.execumama.blogspot.com Execumama

Gwen, I know you are beside yourself with excitement! I feel you on the Budget Bride philosophy! I think many people get taken advantage of because they are so bent on making the event “perfect”. I totally get that, but you have to live (and hopefully thrive) after the wedding, so the top dollar thing is SO not my scene!

I’m so happy your fiancé is involved in the process. That has to be a stress minimizer. Don’t forget to relax!!

Looking forward to updates…squeeaaaal!!!
.-= Execumama´s last blog ..WEDNESDAY WISDOM: Business, Social Media, & Self-employment Tips That Don’t Suck =-.
http://www.gwenpeake.com Gwen

Thanks for the love, everybody!

@Tara – The wedding will be sometime in the early afternoon. 2 or 3pm-ish. TJ didn’t want to wear pink? Awww But at least yours was soft pink. lol Endion isn’t feeling the pink either..especially b/c it’s fuschia! He is adamant about not wearing fuschia, but that was never an option (for the guys to wear bright pink lol) so he should be okay.

You’d think the bridesmaids would be more concerned with what they wear and how they look. Only one has been giving me trouble – that’s my MOH. They other bridesmaids are cool with whatever I pick. It’s the men who are overly concerned about their attire. Endion’s dad asked me just yesterday about what I was thinking for them to wear and it was pretty clear he wasn’t feeling it. LOL He’s like ‘I don’t know if a brother is gonna look his flyest in that particular color, Daughter-in-law.” LOL Hilarious!

@Akilah – Girl, I am a budgeting fanatic! We were about to order save-the-dates, and couldn’t find any (good) ones less than around $2 a pop – and some of those didnt even include envelopes! I decided to dust off my Photoshop skills and made my own. Printed ‘em at WalMart for $0.03 each, copped 3 boxes of invitation envelopes (50 for $5 a box) and will be mailing those boys out in Feb. Hello!
.-= Gwen ´s last blog ..Email Isn’t Suitable for Flirting =-.
http://harriet-canshesaythat.blogspot.com Harriet

Penny candy prices for billion dollar quality! That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Get it, girl!
.-= Harriet´s last blog ..What’s Your Size? =-.
http://www.blackandmarriedwithkids.com Ronnie

Thanks for sharing Gwen…it takes me back to when I was planning for my wedding. It was so much fun!!!

And you are doing the right thing with your budget…why go into the marriage with a lot of debt from the wedding…doesn’t make sense to me either.
http://www.online-koozies.blogspot.com Online koozies

It’s interesting how technology is having an impact upon wedding planner. There are some great sites and software out there.
I may refer to these statistics on my website in future articles – very interesting, thanks
.-= Online koozies´s last blog ..Facts Related To Koozies =-.
http://www.twitter.com/prettygrey_eyez MissJay

Gwen!!! I’m so happy for you!!! I may have to mosy on over to your site for some music suggestions. We cut corners as well. Our DJ and one of our photographers was also one of the best men. My hubby DJed for like 45minutes and was in HEAVEN! LOL Family made most of the food (but I know you probably have that taken care of). WalMart cake (PLEASE don’t sleep on WalMart/Sam’s Club cakes! Ours was gone before the night was past 9pm. SO glad my mom wrapped our top tier up as soon as we got to her house!) I’m also happy that your soon-to-be-hubby is in on the planning with you! I always thought that the wedding should not only be about the bride, you’re not marrying yourself. The groom’s personality should be in there too.

On piece of advice when you get ready to print your programs. Get some that already have a front to it, take a copy of your final draft to somewhere like Staples where that do copies and have them print them for you. We got ours from Heaven and Earth, about $8 for a pack of 100 and we got 2 packs. Our church secretary made a draft that had the cover blank for that reason. We took it to Staples(I think, if I think about the exact name of the store I’ll let you know) and I ended up paying around $38 for them to be printed up for me and they were done in about 3 days (they had other orders ahead of mine). Wish you blessings in your planning, wedding day, and your marriage!
Anna

Gwen congrats, I checked out your site. It made my morning with the “music request’. OPP, Baby Got Back, Anything with Hammer is funny. Thanks for sharing. I feel old. People take engagment pics? I love how you did the “Bradgalina” and combined both you and your fiance’s names.
masha

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