Month: October 2007

  • Macy’s Registry Completion Promo

    If you’re like me and needed a little (ok, more like a few months’) break from wedding tasks, here’s a little incentive to get you to make those returns, exchanges, and registry completion purchases.  Macy’s, and most other more traditional registries, typically give you 10% off one big shopping spree at the end.  However, from October 25 through November 6, Macy’s will give you 15% off.  They will also have some great sales on housewares, bed, and bath going on then as well, compounding the savings.  Not so great if you’re returning stuff, but wonderful if you’ve got stuff you want to get off your registry. 

    I decided not to wait for the promotion and made an appointment last Friday for various reasons.  10% is fine for me, especially when all the linens I wanted were already on mega sale and supposedly won’t be in a few days.  Plus when I’m motivated, I need to roll with the momentum and just do it.  I highly recommend going to a Macy’s Home Store if you have one nearby.  The selection and number of staff dedicated to registrants can’t be beat.  My registry specialist, Sandra at the South Coast Plaza store, was really helpful. She knew her product, she pointed out things they had just gotten in that I might prefer over what was on my registry, and she really waited on me hand and foot.  We grabbed a gray Rubbermaid cart (the kind you use to haul computer equipment, if you’ve ever worked in IT) and used a secret elevator to run amok on the three floors of home good-ness.  She then took me back to the registry office, where she rang me up.  No waiting!  Of course running around the whole store made me want things that weren’t on my registry or want to substitute one thing for another, but it was no matter.  Unlike some other stores, Macy’s will give you the discount on anything and everything you buy in your final spree; it doesn’t have to already be on your registry or frantically scanned in before you pay.

    Since the hubs couldn’t accompany me, we did print out our entire registry and circled what we wanted, crossed off what we didn’t want, and armed me with it so I wouldn’t stray from what we have both decided were fine to buy.  Although they print a copy for you at your appointment, I found it handy and found that things went more quickly since I could focus on the items circled boldly in orange on my list.  It also kept me disciplined and on track.  Even a stingy potato like me needs some boundaries. ;)

    Make an appointment now, if you’d like to enjoy the 15% off.  Sandra said it’s going to be busy, busy, busy during the promotional period.

  • The Polaroid Guestbook

    I almost didn’t do this, but I am so glad a friend
    convinced me to do it. Click here for my previous entry with instructions.

    Supplies:
    Kolo Newport
    scrapbook
    , 11″ x 14″ size, red.
    Kolo cloth-hinge
    refill series B
    , soft white.
    Kolo Legato
    photo corners
    , soft white. They now have self-stick
    ones, which i would have used had they been available at the
    time.
    Sakura Pigma Micron pens, 05 tip, archival felt tip pens in sepia.  Purchased from my local Dick Blick.
    2 Polaroid cameras + film.  I borrowed the cameras from a friend.  The cheapest film I found was at Costco for $45 for 5 packs of 10 exposures each.  After you add in LA County sales tax, that came to about $0.97 per exposure.  Yes, eBay is an option, but many of the bulk lots they sell on there may have past due expiration dates.  For the unexpired film, after adding in shipping, it was more worth it for me to pick up spankin’ new film during a usual Costco run.

    We had 145 guests.  They filled up 14 double-sided
    pages that had spots for 4 photos each.  That comes to a total of 56 photos.
    Most guests took photos as a couple, family, or group.

    My guestbook attendants hard at work!
       
    [Photos by my friends WeezerMonkey and Winnie]

    As much as I hated putting
    guests to work, it worked a lot better to have two friends
    manning the cameras and giving people instructions. This way,
    we ensured that film was not wasted and a backup didn’t occur due to guests’ confusion. Utilizing this method also seemed to help it flow better than putting up a sign would. 

    One regret I have is not letting my guestbook attendants know who our extended family members were (almost all OOTers) ahead of time.  We didn’t get photos of all of them  due to their arrivals earlier than most and via entrances that didn’t pass by the guestbook station.  Many of the group photos of our friends are great, though!  Leaving ample space near each photo allowed those in group photos to individually write a little something around the photo as well.  In the end, we ended up with a great keepsake.  I’ve probably read through the whole thing at least a few times already.