Bitten by the Wedding Bug

And it bites HARD! Yesterday I went to a bridal show. I almost didn't go because I didn't want to drive all the way to Bangor by myself and be gone for several hours when Bear and I were supposed to be spending time together. However, I made him and his best friend breakfast (eggs, bacon, moose sausage, hash browns and chocolate chip pancakes), and they agreed to go after that. It helped that Friday I killed the lawnmower and so Bear needed to buy a new one. So they dropped me off and went lawnmower shopping. I paid my ten dollar admission fee, and stepped into the Nirvana of all things wedding.
By coming to the show, you are automatically entered to win a cruise. Every fifteen minutes they had a door prize, and EVERYONE was giving away free stuff! Food, gift certificates, you name it. There were vendors there for everything imaginable: limos (I sat in the hummer limo - SO nice!), caterers, florists, DJs, dressmakers and jewelers. I got my engagement ring cleaned, got tons of information from people and even talked to a wedding planner who was SO NICE! She hires out at $40 an hour, so I might meet with her a couple of times to make sure that I've thought of everything I need to. I still want a small wedding, but I also don't want to be bothered with details the day I get married. Know what I mean? I scheduled an appointment at David's Bridal in Portland for the middle of August to look at dresses. It's too early to buy one (hell-O, I still have thirty pounds to lose!), but I want to look for designers I like and get an idea about the shape/style I want.
The MOST exciting thing about the show was American Bridal Idol. Basically it's karaoke, as sung by brides. When the started it, there were five brides signed up. After hearing the first one, I thought, "Hell, I can do at LEAST that well!" so I signed up. The grand prize was $200 worth of Jewelry by Day's Jewelers, second prize was $100 worth, and third was $75 worth. I couldn't think of what to sing, so I just wrote down a Dixie Chicks song (I know every Dixie Chicks song backwards and forwards). In hindsight, I should have done Norah Jones' "Come Away with Me," but I didn't think at the time. I was next to last to go up - and I got third place! Seven or eight women went up total. I was so excited! I won these nice sterling silver earrings with rubies in the posts. Pictures to follow (I could photograph my ring, too, if you like?).
I'm still at 184.6 lbs., but after a weekend of eating out, that's not too bad! I couldn't swim, either, because the weather has been cold and rainy. *sigh*