The Ring Story

No, this isn't the real story of how Terry got the ring. For that, you'll need to check out our previous post. This story, much more recent, makes me appreciate my ring all the more.

When Terry and I started talking seriously about marriage, we ventured out to Tiffany's to check out styles. The "experts" at Tiffany's, likely disappointed to find out we already had a diamond and would therefore not purchase a ring through them, promptly and with annoyance announced that my ring size was 6. Armed with our new knowledge, Terry proudly told Jeff, our jeweler, the proper size and his desired specifications. Jeff created my dream ring, but I have been dealing with it sliding side to side for eight months, and we finally brought the ring, along with the wedding ring, in for a legitimate sizing the last weekend in March. My parents would be coming down to LA the following weekend, so they would bring it with them.

The plan seemed perfect. How could it go wrong? Well, that's where Dad steps in. A brilliant man when it comes to police work, yard work, and navigating any roadway, my father is apparantly less than brilliant in understanding the intricacies of engagement rings versus wedding rings. You see, when my father proudly presented Terry with the "fixed ring," Terry smiled and thanked him. But it took a few minutes for us to realize that the wedding ring was what my dad thought was the engagement ring. Soon we all figured it out.

He had brought the wrong ring.

Now, of course, it wasn't the end of the world. The engagement ring sat safely at home in Fremont, and obviously the wedding band was safe. But, much to my dismay, I would suffer without a ring for a full month before I could get to the Bay Area.

Of course, my dad felt awful, but I assured him it would be okay. I tried my best not to make him feel bad, but I think that made him feel worse. The next day, incident forgotten, my dad presented me with a beautiful ring. To remedy his mistake, Dad had bought me a legitimate-looking cubic zirconia to stand in for my missing ring. He and my mom had both had the same idea while shopping at Macy's, and I was rather grateful to have something on my finger again.

While I wished to have my ring, I have to admit that my dad was quite sweet to pick up the rings from the jeweler, bring one (although the wrong one) to LA, and then purchase an $18 replacement to get me through the month. Plus, it's an awesome story.

Finally, after a month of yet another too-big ring, people asking where my real ring is, and missing the one Terry gave me, I have my ring back. We are keeping the fake one as a keepsake, but it's great to have the one Terry bought and designed for me. So that's the ring story.

Oh, and it fits!

The Ladies

I feel quite blessed to have truly wonderful ladies in my life. I don't have a sister, so my friends are my sisters, and I cannot imagine a better group of ladies! Plus, they all look great in pictures, and isn't that what really matters?



Winnie Ko | Maid (soon-to-be-Matron!) of Honor
Winnie and I met the summer after my second year at UCLA, in the Orientation Program. Her now-fiance, soon-to-be-husband, Brian, and I became great friends that summer, and Winnie and I grew close as their romance bloomed the following year. Between late-night Papa John's pizza, long talks about the men we love, and common friends and interests, Winnie and I have truly grown up together over the last few years. Terry and I love spending time with Winnie and Brian as often as we can, and Brian will also be a groomsman in the wedding! (Check out Terry's post about it here!) Winnie is generous, loving, and truly kind. She currently lives in my hometown, Fremont, and works in San Francisco in Public Relations. She and Brian will be moving after their wedding this August. I am so excited to have her next to me as Terry and I say our vows!



Fay Gordon | Bridesmaid
Fay now lives in Baltimore but still lights up my day whenever I hear from her. We are the millennium version of pen pals, except when Fay makes it out to California for a quick catch up over breakfast or a walk. Fay and I met through the Orientation Program as well, but we actually knew each other through the World Arts and Cultures major at UCLA first. I have always admired Fay's beauty, positivity, kindness, and sense of humor, and she makes me smile every time we chat. Fay is in her last semester of law school at the University of Maryland, and I am so excited to have her back in California soon! Knowing Fay will be with me as I marry Terry is such a wonderful honor.



Jennifer Marcella | Bridesmaid
In Fall 2005, after getting acquainted (also through the Orientation Program at UCLA), Jenn jetted off to Spain to study abroad for a few months. Several weeks into her trip, I received an e-mail detailing her European adventures, and our friendship took off. Jenn and I, both educators (preschool and high school, respectively), have an incredible talent for balancing excruciatingly detailed conversations about fashion with equally stimulating discussions about the most recent educational research articles. Jenn is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education at UCLA and living with Terry and me in West LA. She is hilarious, sweet, and the definition of fun, so she'll be the life of the party at the wedding!



Amanda Schroeder | Bridesmaid
Amanda is one of the most hilarious people I know. We have a wonderfully sarcastic relationship, which began with a few jokes on Orientation Staff and developed into a true bond. We even lived together for a bit during Amanda's senior year (she did move out rather quickly, though, now that I think of it). Amanda gets me through tough days via Gchat, and she always knows how to time her humor perfectly to get me laughing. Additionally, Amanda hates being late, and she doesn't really like it when other people are late, so we know that she will get us all to the wedding on time. Amanda has been working hard for two years and is currently applying to business schools, so she will soon be an even more brilliant businesswoman. She majored in math and has an incredible career ahead!



Heidi Stohlman | Bridesmaid
Heidi and I met through the UCLA Spirit Squad in 2004, when she was a cheerleader and I was on the Dance Team. Heidi is always bursting with optimism and has the world's brightest smile. She and I lived together our senior year of college, and it has been an incredible blessing to grow closer to her and her future husband, Edward (wedding countdown: two and a half months!). One awesome memory we share is that Terry and I helped set up for and take pictures of Heidi and Ed's engagement, and they returned the favor when Terry proposed! Heidi is almost finished with her Masters in Physical Therapy through Cal State Northridge and will begin her career as a physical therapist this summer. (We are considering free massages as our wedding favors.)


UCLA certainly blessed me with some phenomenal women, and I cannot imagine my wedding without this fab five up there with me. Between the inevitable showers, parties, preparations, DIY disasters, dress bustling, and toasts, I hope to find a way to show them each how much they mean to me. I love that despite distance (well, except for Jenn), careers, school, bad cell phone service, and the traffic in LA, we've managed to stay close three years out of college, and I hope that friendship continues well into the future!

It's going to be legen - wait for it...

We are now less than 15 months away from the big day (425 days, give or take), and we have just hit another big moment in the wedding planning process. We officially have (drumroll please) our WEDDING PARTY! Now, I will not highlight the ladies, as Julie is really looking forward to giving the girls their due.

Soooo, on to the gents. The title of best man was bestowed on my best friend (aside from Julie) and brother, Kevin. On St. Patty's day, Julie and I joined my brother and his girlfriend, Jane, at Enterprise Fish Co. in Santa Monica. It'd been a while since I had seen Kevin, so I knew that I would ask him because who knows how long it would be before I saw him again (to be clear, we're not estranged or anything; he just has a really odd working schedule that only leaves him available on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. And he lives east of downtown). So I ordered up some Irish Car Bombs (a Heinrich celebration staple, despite the fact that we're not Irish), and I asked him over the quaff. Of course, my brother agreed, and I couldn't have been happier. Kevin is two years younger than me, has the smartest wit of anyone I know, and is the funniest and greatest guy I know. For those of you on Orientation Staff, you'll remember that my brother was the subject of my chair twice, so it's no real surprise that he is going to be right there beside me when I marry Julie.

And (in no particular order), the rest of my groomsman are Chris Lanier, Jesse Carrasco, Brian King, and Ed Duque.

Chris is Julie's brother, and needless to say, I was really nervous when I met the guy three years ago. Even though I'm a lot of things Chris doesn't like, like someone who says "The 5" instead of "Highway 5", or a Dodger fan, or... you know, a Southern California guy, he let me know early on that he approved of me dating his little sister. Over the years, we've built a really good relationship, and it's always a pleasure getting to talk with Chris over a beer when we're up north.

Jesse is...how do I put this...like me. We're basically the same person, right down to the wardrobe. We watch the same movies, read the same books (and graphic novels), and yeah, play the same video games. We're total geeks, but we get each other like no one else. I'm not ashamed to say that Jesse and I go on man-dates whenever there's a movie out that Julie has no interest in (I believe Kick-Ass is next on the list). He's one of my best buds, and I'm super excited that he agreed to be one of my groomsmen.

I've known Brian since my sophomore year at UCLA when I met him through Spring Sing. I got to know him further on the following summer's Orientation staff. Brian's another very funny dude and has been there to support me whenever needed. At UCLA, Brian provided me with assistance in being a Resident Assistant, Orientation Counselor, and Orientation Coordinator. Even after UCLA, whenever I catch up with Brian, it's always a discussion of what's to come and how to prepare for it.

Ed is one of the nicest guys around. I met Ed through Julie in my junior year, and he instantly made me feel like his best friend. When he asked me and Julie to assist in his proposal to his soon-to-be-wife, Heidi, I was thrilled, and doubly so when they were there to take photos of our engagement. Ed's a great guy and it's always blast to hang out with him.

So: Kevin, Chris, Jesse, Brian, and Ed. The groomsmen. The dudes. The guys. Can't wait celebrate with them!

...DARY!

Easter and Extended Family

This weekend, my parents drove down to LA to celebrate Easter with us and to meet Terry's extended family. I think we all felt a bit nervous for the big meeting, but the day's relaxed atmosphere put everyone at ease.

Weekends like this one can feel busy and stressful sometimes, but the fun food and outings made it worth any stress. We enjoyed Damon & Pythias, one of our old favorites, Ichima Sushi, one of our new favorites, and even a home-cooked meal. We played a game, took a long hike in Griffith Park, and enjoyed some incredible wine and conversation. Then today, we introduced my parents to two groups of Terry's family members. My family only consists of very few people, and I barely knew my grandparents before they passed away. I love spending time with Terry's family, and I feel so lucky that my parents seemed equally excited. In turn, Terry's family generously hosted us and seemed to enjoy getting to know my parents.

We feel incredibly lucky that our parents and families get along and support us in our relationship. I look forward to officially joining the Heinrich/Andersen family next year, and I know Terry is already part of the Lanier family!

**Note: This weekend also marked accomplishing one of our goals!

Finally, some progress!

For the last few months we have been itching to get something done. A long engagement has its benefits, of course: Plenty of time, less stress, more options for vendors, time to enjoy being engaged, etc. At the same time, however, a 22-month engagement also means we have no excuse to get things done quite yet. While we're still over a year out, we have no need to feel pressured to make decisions or book vendors, which is both comforting and frustrating. But very slowly, we are crawling closer to that year mark, and we can finally make some strides toward planning our wedding!

Last weekend, we ventured up north for a marathon weekend of meetings and appointments. Planning a "long-distance" (which I define as anything that can involve a plane ride) wedding requires serious organization. We have to book appointments far in advance and make sure that we schedule as many as possible. Otherwise, we have to wait perhaps a month or two before we can come up again. So we hauled our wedding binder back and forth between Dublin, Campbell, Cupertino, Livermore, and San Jose. We met with photographers and a DJ, visited a bridal salon (well, not Terry), checked out a bridal fair, and even spent time with some of our bridal party members.

While we didn't make any final decisions, the weekend felt extremely productive. Comparing different photographers really gave us an idea of what we are looking for and what we can expect to pay. Man, photographers are expensive! But as we've said, pictures last the longest and will capture those little moments we want to remember and share with our children. We will likely make our own albums, however, which can save upward of $1,000 through most photographers. As for style, we are picky about finding a true photojournalist for our wedding. We want few, if any, posed pictures; instead, we want the photographer to capture the mood and moments of the day. We also really want two photographers on site for the whole day so that we can get various angles and have plenty of choices for our prints. We hope to book a photographer within the next two months.

One element we are really looking for is professionalism in all of our vendors. Perhaps that's obvious, but we expect a certain level of respect, friendliness, organization, and attention during these meetings, and so far we have been extremely impressed with most people we've met. We also need to feel really comfortable with these people, because we have to feel able to honestly say what we do and don't want. Terry did an awesome job of lining up an interview with a great DJ, so we're off to a great start in two of the most important parts of the wedding!

In other news, we also had to have my ring resized because it was too big. Dropping it off at the jeweler was a special treat for me because I got to see my wedding ring again! Terry did such an incredible job of telling the jeweler exactly how to make it, and I cannot wait to get to wear the whole set next year!

We are busy now trying to plan our next trip up north, during which we hope to put down deposits on a photographer and a DJ. Expect some updates soon on our choices!

March already???

It seems impossible that March is here already, but, alas, here we are. Our wedding is inching closer, and we are still finding time to love engaged life!

2010 has been a fun challenge for us. Our New Year's resolutions and commitments to Lent have been great for helping us grow individually and as a couple. Our New Year's resolutions are to avoid fast food for a whole year, along with flossing daily and cooking a new recipe every Sunday night. We've had an awesome time coming up with new things to cook, though we miss In-N-Out! For Lent, we gave up sweets, which is probably going to kill me sometime soon, or I'll kill Terry because I'm craving sugar so desperately, but we're okay right now. I'll keep you updated. Meanwhile, work keeps us busy, but my cheer season has slowed so I can be home more with my fiance! Terry won't travel again until fall, so we are grateful for our time together.

In the way of wedding planning progress, we are nearing some important dates. Long-distance planning is tough at this stage, because we need to interview potential vendors. This month, however, we'll finally have a chance to get up north (our last trip was when we finalized our contract with The Palm Event Center. You can read about it here). During our weekend up there, we will meet with a few potential photographers and hopefully a DJ or two.

For photographers, I started by using the "Recommended Vendors" list from our venue. I also found some photographers on miscellaneous websites and used recommendations from friends. I then researched photographers' websites and focused on quality of the images, pricing and packages, and style. We're looking for a candid style that will capture the most important moments of the day, and, ideally, we would prefer two photographers for the whole day. We have always said photographs are one area we assume will take up most of our budget, and we could not have been more right. Photographers run at least a few thousand dollars, plus extra for overtime, travel, or any bonuses.

Dress shopping will (finally? already?) get underway this month, also. My mom and I will hit up our first store when I'm in the Bay Area. We've both looked at pictures of dresses we like, and our tastes are surprisingly similar, so hopefully we can get a good idea of what works with my body so that subsequent trips are easy and fun. Some of my favorite high school memories are of shopping for prom dresses with my mom, and I'm so excited to continue that tradition with her again!

A few weeks ago, Terry and I attended a Crate and Barrel "Wedding Party" in Beverly Hills. We chose Crate and Barrel for its high quality, range of products, and reasonable prices. At these Wedding Parties, the store opens early for couples who RSVP, and those couples get the entire store to themselves to register. We decided to check it out, regardless of how ridiculously early it is to register, and we had a BLAST! The Crate and Barrel staff was incredibly attentive, the breakfast was delicious (not to mention the mimosas!), and the empty store felt relaxed and easy. Only five other couples attended, so we essentially had the entire floor to ourselves. Terry got the scanner gun, and I got the checklist. We took off running!

Most of our kitchen gadgets are registered through Crate and Barrel, but we are also going to register for our honeymoon. Registering for a honeymoon is becoming a popular option for registries, especially for couples who live together before they are married. The idea is that someone can contribute to your honeymoon rather than giving either cash or a physical gift. There are plenty of companies who run these types of registries, but we are going with Honeyfund. Our friends Nick and Jocelyn used this site for their wedding registry last year and had no problems, so we're giving it a shot! Researching the honeymoon "items" that we're registering for makes us so excited for our trip. 16 months can't go by fast enough!

And lastly, our first set of engagement pictures are in! Our incredible photographer (and great friend), Roxanne Neal, with the help of her husband Chris, took some awesome shots of us at Point Dume in Malibu. She is so talented, and we were so excited to see our photos. We want to share them all eventually, but we haven't decided how we will use them all quite yet, so for now, enjoy one of our highlights!

17 Months to Go!

We don't have too much to update, but I'll share a few minor details.

Terry will be designing our save the dates and invitations. He is incredibly artistically talented, and I am so lucky to be marrying a man who has so many surprising gifts! Better yet, I'm lucky that he is so excited to be involved in the wedding planning process! While we won't reveal the final designs of the save the dates or invitations until they're all finished, I will share that Terry is creating them (from scratch!) using InDesign (Terry here - I'm using Adobe Illustrator at the moment, but I will soon be using InDesign when I want to make it ready for all to see), a software program that helps you...well...design stuff. He already has our invitations almost completely done, and we're still almost a year and a half out!

One aspect of the wedding we have nailed down is the color scheme. I have seen beautiful weddings in every color, and if I could create eight different color combinations I would. Silver, gold, and ivory. Chocolate and turquoise. Blue and gold (obviously). Black and white. I love looking at wedding magazines to check out different color combinations.

But our colors, I think, are going to work out great for us. Our main color will be olive green. The other colors we're incorporating are purple (hence the bouquet you saw in my earlier post), ivory, and dark grey. With one main color and three "accent" colors, we'll have lots of options for our centerpieces, paper items, and attendants' attire.

Terry's mom will be a big help in selecting our cake. I'm not big on what the cake looks like (though I do care what it tastes like, of course), but Sharron is excited to make sure we have a beautiful cake. I think I'd like to keep it simple and tasty, perhaps an ivory cake with a green "ribbon" or an ivory cake with green and purple accents.


I love the "draping" on this cake. It's actually from CakeABakin in Pacifica, California, a bakery that serves the greater Bay Area - something I'll definitely keep in mind as the date draws nearer!

We have also tossed around the idea of a small "ceremonial" cake for cutting and pictures, accompanied by an assortment of desserts. This option would cut costs and provide our guests with a variety of desserts to nibble on after a big meal. We certainly don't want to waste a full piece of cake each stuffed guest. But we want to look at all of our options before we decide. Taste comes first!

Our next steps for wedding planning will be:

1. Booking appointments to meet with photographers and DJs.
   
2. Dress shopping (I hope to have my dress purchased within the next six months).
3. Getting our second set of engagement shots taken so we can design the save the dates!

Things will certainly stay slow for the next few months, but by summer we expect to be in full swing!