Trial Run

I spent a good portion of the day yesterday at home prepping lectures for my first two classes of the semester at the small liberal arts school where I'm a visiting faculty member.  I'm teaching a brand new class this term, and I'm excited, but I also have a lot of work to do for it.  I required coffee and comfort.¹  I did get out of the house for a couple of hours, though, to go to my salon for the trial run for my bridal hair and makeup.

I can't believe it, but I'm getting married in a week!

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I would ask if you, amazing readers, wanted to hear about my wedding and several of you said that you did.  So I'll go ahead and tell you that M. and I were planning a big wedding for June, but the more we talked about our futures as two academics in the humanities who are finishing PhDs this year and facing a grim job market, the more we felt that it just wasn't a good idea to spend so much money on one day.  We decided that we would go to the courthouse with our parents, my sister, and three of our closest friends, including the wonderful gentleman who blogs as thechemist-coture, and get married there.  We made an appointment with the judge for the afternoon of January 22nd.  Then we are having a small reception later that evening with Middle Eastern food, our wedding cake (made to 1/3 of the originally intended scale), and bubbly.  It will be simple yet intimate, and much, much cheaper.  If we don't end up with tenure-track jobs or even one year appointments for next year, we will have a safety net, and if we do end up winning the crapshoot and getting positions, we will have the makings of a down payment for a home.

I honestly feel like it was a terrific decision.  My stress level went down immediately.  I just felt as though the huge weight of the wedding albatross had been lifted off me.

Since I had already purchased my gown and since it arrived on December 23rd, I decided that I would go ahead and wear it.  It might not scream courthouse, but hey you only live once!  My plan was and is to donate it to charity afterward because I think it's a good thing to do and because I don't have the closet space.  We had actually already paid off our photographer and since he is available next Friday, we are having pictures taken at the courthouse and at another location.  So for both posterity and vanity, I will have my hair and makeup done by two ladies who are far more skilled than I could ever dream of being.  Here's a sneak peek of what my hair and makeup will look like.

I'm only showing you the front of the updo.  I want there to be some surprises.

I'm going with a smokey eye and a dark lip.  I get my hair done at an Aveda salon here, and I love my stylist.  It is so important to have a stylist whom you can trust.  I also love their hair products and lotions and creams.  This was my first experience with their makeup products, though.  I liked them a lot.  However, my makeup artist did warn me that I should bring my own mascara if I thought that I would need waterproof.  I have a feeling that might be a good idea.

1. Sweater dress - Target (remixed)

Shirt - Target

Tights - Target

Boots - ??? (DSW and remixed)

Earrings - Gift

I had been hesitant to (over)share about my personal life, but I decided after reading comments on a recent post that one of the things readers like is the glimpse into who we bloggers are as people.  So I've shared with you a bit about the decisions that went into my upcoming wedding.  I'm wondering though how you all feel about this?  Too much information?  Not enough?  Too much personal stuff and not enough academics?  Not enough style?  Let me know.

Also don't forget that there's still time to answer our CFP!