NOISE blog

Night for Sight

Last night I was able to attend the Michigan Eye Bank's Night for Sight event at the Michigan Historical Museum in downtown Lansing.

My friend Amy works for the Michigan Eye Bank, so that's how I got my invite but turns out the event was open to the public and free. The night including appetizers and drinks and tours of the museum. The point was basically to raise awareness about organ donation.

The night ended with a talk by a local eye surgeon, a man who had been given the gift of sight thanks to a cornea transplant and then a heart wrenching video of donor families talking about why they chose to donate their loved one's organs, including their eyes.

A "Grand" wedding!

Well finally, after years of dreaming about it, months of planning and days of blogging about it, our wedding came and went last Saturday.

It was the most amazing wedding I've ever been to, if I do say so myself.
Having it at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, although maybe more expensive than other places, was so worth it. I can't even express to you how beautiful it was and how great the people at the Grand are.
Our wedding planner Marty was amazing and made sure that everything went off without a hitch...well except for the getting hitched part lol.

Audrey & Adam, happily ever after!

Last weekend my best friend Audrey married the love of her life, Adam Strait during a charming ceremony in Traverse City, where they live.

I was a bridesmaid and both Matt and I had a blast.
The ceremony was short and sweet and honestly very surreal. I have never had a close friend get married before and it was strange to stand so close to her and know that this is it. This is the memory I'll tell her kids about, this is the memory I'll have in my mind of her wedding day forever.

Homecoming is near!

<---(The gang at our first '08 tailgate)
---------> (My best friends and I on graduation day in '04)

MSU's homecoming is this Saturday, Oct. 4. I usually don't make a big deal out of it, since I tailgate for a few of the games each year but for some reason this year I just feel all sentimental about it. Maybe it's because I'm getting married and I feel all old or something. But whatever the reason, I asked a few of my best friends and fellow MSU graduates to share their favorite MSU moments with me and our blog readers.

Oh Danny's!

With only 19 days left as a single lady (whoa) a few of my girlfriends and I headed to Windsor Saturday night for my bachelorette party.

Of course we went to Danny's because well, that's what I wanted to do.
It was a great time but I just have to note the complete lack of organization at Danny's. Now trust me I realize it's a strip club and they are probably more worried about ya know finding men who will get naked on stage, but I just feel like my best friend Laura did a lot of planning and made a lot of phone calls to secure our reservation and it got us no where. We were first seated at the bar and then just waited for ladies to start to leave to move our way closer to the stage. And while I was supposed to be called up for the specials "Celebrations" dance, that never happened.
And although they eventually let me in for free they weren't going to despite what Laura had read on their web site. So shame on Danny's.

WW '08 A Spinster Dinner

After our wedding garden party two weeks ago my mom's cousins and my aunt Colleen threw me a traditional  Spinster Dinner.
Spinster Dinners are kind of like a less crazy version of the bachelorette party (although there was alcohol at mine lol). And it's not like a shower because there is no painful gift opening session.
Basically we all met up at my mom's cousin Eileen's amazing house in Grosse Pointe. (The picture is of the beautiful table setting in her backyard).
We were treated to appetizers and an amazing dinner from Opus One.
Instead of gifts each woman passes on a piece of marriage advice to the bride to be (me). Here's some of what I got.

WW '08 one party down, one to go!

44 days to go!!

Last Saturday Matt and I celebrated our upcoming wedding with a garden party at my parents' house. I think about 100 people made it out to the event. The day was perfect. Lucky for us the weather cooperated and so we were all able to dance (by the way, Matt and I did a secret dance ("Rock the Reception" style that had everyone on their feet!!)) and drink and enjoy some delicious home made food and cakes.

Not that I've had a wedding any other way, but I've gotta say I think we are doing it right. Although amazing, Saturday was crazy busy. I don't think I sat down once or had a conversation with Matt that was longer than 10 seconds.

Tailgate season is near!!

I can't even express how excited I am for tailgate season to start. Thank goodness we are only about two weeks away from the first one.

Since this is my eighth season of tailgating I consider myself kind of an expert. So I'm wondering if anyone has any tailgating questions. I'm working on putting together some tailgating tips for the Aug. 27 issue of NOISE and I'd like to know what people need to know.

At this point tailgating is like second nature to me but I realize there could be some first timers out there. So send me an e-mail (emily@lansingnoise.com) or leave your question in a comment and I'll do my best to answer it.

WW '08 I might barf

So I haven't written much about wedding plans because honestly things have been coming along nicely and I haven't felt the need to vent.

We met up with our wonderful wedding planner Marty last weekend at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. We got our food, cake and flowers all picked out as well as selecting a few choice hotels and b&bs that our friends and family might want to stay at.

Then on Saturday I had my dress fitting, which went well.

Today, however, stress is setting in.

Giving blood

In an attempt to go outside my comfort zone, i.e., not doing anything but the same old, same old, I decided to give blood the other day. I was mainly motivated by the fact that the Red Cross has been making major pleas recently for blood donations as the supply for the area is dangerously low, meaning it would only last about two days. I had been wanting to do this for a while, but would always push it off for whatever reason - too busy, unsure of the process, scared.