Our Caterer

Erin Proud contacted various caterers prior to our site visits. Stephen Dyke at Day by Day was the first caterer to respond and the only caterer who offered to meet us during site visits. He came completely prepared to our meeting with sample menus in hand. He took Erin's suggestions based on our preferences and ran with them.

Paul and I had lunch at his restaurant with Erin. We were so impressed with his hospitality that we decided immediately to work with him.

Here's a sampling of some of our menu choices:
-6 Butlered Hors d'oeuvres including pigs in a blanket, scallops wrapped in bacon, spinach and feta in phyllo
-Slider bar with mini burgers, turkey burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and Mac 'n Cheese
-Mashed Potato Bar
-Antipasta Bar with a selection of quality cheese and meats and olives

Visit Day by Day's website

Venue Visits

Erin did some serious research and pulled together information on potential venues. She contacted about 30 different venues within a 30 minute drive from Center City. Here is an overview of the venues we visited:

Venue #1 - 10:00am
German Society



This venue is one of the more inexpensive in the city. Unfortunately the location is not ideal. It's situated on Spring Garden Street not far from Finnigans Wake. The location surrounding the venue didn't feel "safe" for our guests. Although the size of the venue is ideal, the location is not.


Venue #2 - 11:30am
American Swedish Historical Musem





Paul and I thought this venue would be ideal for our wedding - all the grandeur and uniqueness we were hoping for and plenty of free parking! The rental fee includes the entire use of the museum. We were disappointed when we visited the venue to learn that the rooms were small in size and not every room allowed beverages. We didn't feel it was fair to ask our guests to cram into a small space. Although we love the grounds and location, this venue just wasn't for us.

Venue #3 - 2:00pm
The Stotesbury Mansion





Stephen at Day by Day catering gave us a preview of the Stotesbury before our visit by simply saying...."call me after you see it..." He knew it was the perfect fit for us. It's in an ideal location (in Rittenhouse), with an affordable rental fee, and plenty of unique features (including the billiards room). Paul and I really liked this venue. At the end of the day Paul just said...whatever makes you happy, makes me happy. But I knew he liked it too!

Venue #4 - 4:00pm
The Art Alliance



After taking a look at the Stotesbury, it was really difficult to consider the Art Alliance. This venue is also located on Rittenhouse (across the street from Parc). It is lovely inside. However, since we really liked the Stotesbury, we decided to pursue that for our venue.

So, in fact Paul and I did select the Stotesbury as our venue. We are so excited to have our reception there. I hope everyone enjoys the evening - it's going to be so much fun!

Other venues we considered but didn't visit:

Citizen's Bank Park

Camden County Boathouse

Pen Ryn Mansion

The Racquet Club

Our Ceremony Details

(this info can also be found on our website, www.paulandjillmullin.com).





St. Joan of Arc Parish Website

St. Joan of Arc Parish is a mainstay of the local community and the perfect size for our wedding. Father Ken Hallahan, a close family friend and pastor of St Joan's will conduct the ceremony. Fr. Ken first met Paul's parents while serving as their "tour guide" for a trip to Rome sponsored by St. Peter Celestine Church in 1975. Since then Fr. Ken has become a member of the family sharing our joys, our sorrows, holidays, birthdays, and summer vacations. He has also baptized most family members added since 1975 (including Joseph aka "Joey" and most of Paul's nieces and nephews) and was the wedding celebrant for most of Paul's siblings and many cousins as well! We are honored and delighted to have Fr. Ken bestow the sacrament of marriage upon us!

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Our first signed vendor contract

I'm super excited to be working with Erin Proud from Proud to Plan as our wedding planner (extraodinaire). She came highly recommended from Philadelphia brides on theKnot.com. Erin is great - I will continue to post all my positive thoughts on her as I work through this wedding experience.

Visit Erin's website Proud to Plan to learn more about her services and some of the super cute ideas she has come up with!

MY DRESS!!!!!

Is a secret! But I love it!!! I have decided not to share the details of my dress on my blog. One of my favorite parts of a wedding is seeing a bride in her dress for the first time. So, I'm keeping the dress under wraps until it's big reveal this fall.

One detail I will share is the designer, Jim Hjelm.

After visiting 4 bridal shops and trying on about 25 dresses, I found the dress. I fell in love with it the minute I put it on. It's just perfect for me since it has so many of the details I was seeking.

I can't wait to wear it on my wedding day!!!!

Shopping for a Wedding Gown, pt 2

I wanted to visit Bridal Garden but the consultant I wanted to work with, Diana, does not work on Mondays. So I scheduled an appointment for Tuesday evening.

Monday evening and part of Tuesday I searched for the Lazaro sash on discount. I found a bride on theKnot.com selling hers for $500 - a total bargain from $1500. However, it made me realize that none of the dresses I tried on did I love. So I set out to the 4th bridal shop hoping to find "THE" one. Below is my review of that shop....

Bridal Shop #4 - Bridal Garden Marlton, NJ - Tuesday 6:00pm
This shop is a lot like what you see on "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC. The consultants bring dresses to you based on what they think would work for you. My consultant was Diana who also came recommended from another bride. I've heard other brides say she is unpleasant. However, I thought she was great. After discussing my budget, she thought a sample dress might be best for me. I wasn't looking for a sample, so she did some searching for a dress in my price range. She brought me a lot of options. Their dresses start @ $1300. The shop is beautiful. Out of all the shops I visited, it was my favorite. And I did find "THE" gown (more about that in the next blog).

Shopping for a Wedding Gown

What a process! Most brides say shopping for a gown is their favorite part of planning a wedding. I'm not so sure. I enjoyed it, but it's tiring. Playing dress-up like a princess is awesome! Trying to find exactly what you are looking for is a bit challenging.

I decided to start looking for my gown before picking a date and a venue for various reasons.....I've heard a dress can take @ 6 months to come in (and we are still planning a fall 09 wedding)....and I am completely undecisive at times. I figured I had a better shot at finding a dress I love if I started early.

So I set out to start my gown shopping on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. I figured an all day shopping trip would be best. Also Saturdays are outrageously busy at salons, and I don't like chaos.

Big props to my girl Karen for coming along for the fun. She was a huge help! Karen is the type of friend everyone needs, honest and matter-of-fact. She is the girl who will tell you...."yes, your butt looks big in those jeans." And since I'm purchasing the most important outfit I will ever wear, I needed a frank opinion.

So with our schedule set, I picked Karen up at Suburban Station and we set out for a day of fun!

Bridal Shop #1 - Irma's Bridal Cherry Hill, NJ - 11:00am
This bridal shop does not take appointments. We were the second customers in the door when the shop opened. The ladies that work there were putting dresses away from the night before so we had to wait about 15 minutes or so for them to finish. Irma was not in yet and things were a bit chaotic. By the time we left, the store was packed! Whitney was my consultant. She has a wonderful personality and was very patient. I tried on various dresses, all of which were well under my budget. For any brides looking for a nice dress with a small budget, this is definitely a place to consider. I did find 2 lovely dresses. One dress had a beautiful top and the other a beautiful bottom. Some designers offer custom work and Whitney offered this as an option. Of course I wanted to shop more, but did keep this info in mind.

Bridal Shop #2 - Jay West Haddonfield, NJ - 1:00pm
I've heard really great things about Jay West so I definitely wanted to look for dresses at the shop. I have to say the inside didn't look how I expected. I thought it would be a bit more upscale based on what other brides say. The bathroom was in a stockroom which I thought was odd. And some of their prom and MOB dresses are pretty hideous. However, their bridal selection is lovely. The shop was busy when we arrived, but we were greeted and taken downstairs right on time. I worked with Pegi who is very sweet. I did find one dress that was really nice but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I decided to consider it as a strong option.

Bridal Shop #3 - Bridals by Danielle Philadelphia, PA - 3:30pm
We arrived just on time. The shop is beautiful on the inside with hard wood floors and bright lighting. It's obvious from the minute you walk in the door that it's very high-end. My consultant was Carlene, who came highly recommended from another bride. It bothered me a bit that she called me the wrong name and I had to correct her. I'm in sales and I'm very sensitive to customer needs. However, by the end of the consultation, I really enjoyed working with her. I found a dress that I liked and a Lazaro sash that I loved. However, the sash was so expensive - $1500! Their dresses start @ $1800. And a lot of them are absolutely hideous! Very few were in my price range (under $2500). The other girls that work in the store were "Facebooking" when they weren't waiting on customers. They also talked openly aloud in a very unpleasant matter about another customer. All of this weighed on me and by the time I left I knew I would not buy a dress from this shop.

Karen and I planned on heading out for a cocktail after this, but we were both tired. We decided to head back to my house to have a cup of tea made by "nons" aka Paul and relax.

Wedding Gown Shopping Tomorrow!!!

I can hardly believe it! I'm starting my gown shopping. I keep typing dress and have to remind myself it's a gown!

Just a few short years ago, I didn't think I would find "the one"....guy, not gown. And here I am with the most wonderful guy ever on the eve of my first gown shopping trip.

I'm obsessed with reading wedding bios and blogs. There are so many amazing ideas out there. I can't imagine what it would be like to plan any of this without the internet.

I'm finding more and more dresses I like. I am still leaning toward the A-line style. I can't wait to see what these dresses look like on me. I'm bringing my camera and an excellent shopping partner/photography assistant, Karen, to help.

For now, here is an additional wedding gown I like.....


Jim Hjelm Style: JH8903

Wedding Dress Shopping

And so it begins.....

Features I like:
-A-line
-Elegant looking
-Not white - ivory or this new metallic I'm seeing(?)
-No lace
-Satin with simple beading




Martina Liana Style: 234


Martina Liana Style: 214


Pronovias Style: Hawai


I don't like the top of this dress, but the flow of the bottom is lovely.
Reverie by Melissa Sweet Style: Newport


Martina Liana Style: 231


Melissa Sweet Dove


Henry Roth Alva


Henry Roth Becca


Exclusive by Allure Style: 2208


Jim Hjelm Style: 8807


Jim Hjelm Style: JH8656

Paying for a Wedding

Had I known then, what I knew now! Do all brides think this? I had not a clue how expensive it would be to have a wedding. I suppose a lot of it is due to the fact that very few of my friends are married. And those that are, were married years and years ago. I guess I should have asked the recent few that did get married....just how did you afford it?

The economy is bad....bad....BAD! My heart breaks daily for people that lost everything to Bernard Madoff's schemes. The folks forced to take their own lives than face the fact they lost billions, millions, or just their retirement savings. It's sad. Unemployment is higher in PA than it's been in a really long time.

I'm starting to worry - can we do it? We are paying for our entire wedding ourselves.

My goal is to put away every dime I can to prove it to myself this can be done. I'm going to stay willed to do it. I'll be posting as time moves forward about the ups and downs of saving.

It's my challenge for 09 and it's a big undertaking!

Starting the Guest List

Wow - what a process! During the meeting with our hopefully soon-to-be wedding planner (info to be revealed after contract is signed), she suggested we focus on a list of no more than 200 guests. Her reasoning - she will have many more options for venues if we have less guests. Paul nor I really wanted more than 200 guests, but feel somewhat obligated to invite certain people.

I thought the largest obstacle would be Paul's parents and my mother. I thought they would each want over 25 people invited that weren't family. Luckily both sides only had a few "musts" on their lists.

So, we brainstormed our lists driving to the supermarket. Paul wanted to write his list on his own, but as usual, he is convinced to do things my way!

Considering he has about 50 folks that are immediate family (including 1st cousins), I thought we would be looking at @ 100 family on his side alone, but luckily he's decided to only invite the immediate 50.

Our planner said we should create a "B" list. Funny concept since I've been reading about B lists on theKnot from time to time. Recently we were out with friends and one inquired if he was going to be invited to the wedding. Jokingly I said....you are on the B list.

STDs (the cards not diseases) to be sent out by mid February (hopefully). Luckily the planner handles all paper too. I think she's going to be a lifesaver!

Our Potential Planner

Today we had a meeting with our potential wedding planner. I'm super excited about the possibilty of working with her. She has so much energy and plenty of great ideas.

Since I travel 4 days/week for work and sometimes spend part of my weekend doing paperwork, I really don't have the time to put into planning my wedding. I'm in sales and the time I put in dictates how much I make. Since Paul and I are paying for our wedding ourselves, the more I make, the more likely we can afford to have a great event.

In any case, I need a "right hand man" that can call potential vendors, get pricing, help with dates and invites and table arrangements and flowers and gifts and everything else. The details are so overwhelming! Paul was hesitant at first to consider a wedding planner (mostly due to cost). But after a bit of convincing he agreed that keeping me less stressed is definitely the way to go.

We met with the PP (for potential planner) at her home office. She has a cute place. I knew I liked her the minute I saw the drum set for Rock Band/Guitar Hero in the corner of her living room. She has amazing energy! We clicked when she offered me wine - I'm a total wine-o! Paul just looked at me and said...."uh oh, this could be trouble."

The PP walked us through standard questions about our wedding - ideas on locations, set-up, timing, our ceremony and more. She offers invitation services as well which is a lifesaver for me as I couldn't pull off DIY anything and would probably end up spending way too much money.

Right off she had some really cool ideas on food, setup, decor and more. Paul and I both had really great vibes.

We were there for about 2 hours or more. I left a bit tipsy with happy thoughts!

So now the big step is to sign our first contract. As soon as we sign the contract, I'll start posting more info, including her name!

Meeting with the potential planner

I'm super excited about our first official meeting to discuss wedding plans!!! This first visit will probably be one of the most important as we are interviewing and brainstorming with a potential wedding planner.

The girls on theKnot have posted numerous positive thoughts on this gal and I'm really looking forward to meeting with her. She was great on the phone - she asked the right questions and gave some good feedback. I got good vibes from her!

More to come.....

An Intro

Hello to all in cyberland! Thank you for reading my blog.

Recently it was suggested that engaged gals should keep diaries. Go figure, yet another idea I would have never thought of if not for theKnot.com. Seriously, that site is a lifesaver. I'll be writing about the site and all I've learned in upcoming posts.

About me - I'm Jill, 35, a Fairmount dweller, and recently engaged!! I am marrying the man I never thought existed, the one that is of storybook fairy tales, the love of my life. And best of all, he is NOT paying me to say any of this. Paul truly is Mr. Wonderful. I can't believe I was so lucky to find him, and on EHarmony.com of all places!

Our engagement was a complete surprise to me. We talked about getting married for awhile. Ok, more like I talked and he listened. But in any case, he picked the ring on his own and teared up when he asked me to marry him. It's a day I will remember the rest of my life.

This blog is dedicated to planning my wedding to Paul. I want to look back and remember the good, the bad, the ugly and the absolutely amazing! I'll add pictures, stories, random acts of nonsense and much more.

A few disclaimers.....

• I'm a terrible writer...I have poor grammar, so don't hold it against me.


• I'm moody so sometimes I'll be madly excited and other days I'll be totally unhappy and stressed.


• I tend to jump into things full force in the beginning, fade out for awhile and then get back in the game. So there may be large lapses in time between posts.


• In a previous life (which is about 10-15 years ago), I thought I would be the next Martha Stewart. I loved DIY projects. I loved making everything homemade. What in the world was I thinking? These days I spend my free time catching up on paperwork for my job, watching tv with my dog, drinking with my friends, and relaxing after spending all week as a road warrior. So this blog will not offer a lot of DIY tips.

That said, leave a comment, hate mail, love letters, whatever. I look forward to reading them all.

Thanks! ~J