Twilight -- the bike race, not the Vampire movie

Our wedding day coincides with the Twilight Criterium, a professional bike race that brings about 30,000 people to Athens. I think the reason we were able to snag both are ceremony and reception venues is because the bike race was going on. Apparently, we were the only couple crazy enough to think we could pull off a wedding during Twilight weekend:)

Since the race is held downtown, and that is where our reception site is, I'm going to have to make maps for all our guests. Some of the roads will be closed off, etc.

Our reception will end shortly before the main bike race begins on Saturday, so I'm hoping downtown won't be too much of a zoo then.

My hope is that our guests will see the bike race as an added bonus to the wedding weekend. I remember going when I was a student at UGA, and it was a blast. This year there's going to be outdoor stages downtown with jazz musicians, too.

Check out more about the events going on during Twilight here.

I know if I was a guest at my own wedding, my plan for after the reception would be to chill out on the streets and watch the race while drinking a mojito or two and enjoying the atmosphere and then meander back to the hotel.

Cupcake goodness

I've never understood the fascination brides have with wedding cakes. I didn't have my heart set on one that I saw in Martha Stewart Weddings or anything like that, and I can't fathom spending more than $250 on a cake -- and even that seems excessive.

So, enter in cupcakes. These, I can get excited about, and they are cheap! We're going to have red velvet ones with cream cheese icing (Gentry's fave), and strawberry ones with buttercream icing (my fave).

I don't know how buttercream icing tastes. Anyone have any thoughts? That is what the caterer recommended, so let me know if it's not yummy.

Let's go away on a holiday

With all the focus on the wedding, I forget that I will be lounging on the beach in about a month. Gentry and I are going to Culebra, a little island off Puerto Rico where there's not much to do except relax. We rented this beachhouse, which I think will be awesome.

We've never been to the beach together, and neither of us have had a real vacation in forever, so I can't wait. I'm not going to put together any itineraries like I normally would do, but I really want to go horseback riding on the beach and snorkleing.

In this recession, I thee wed

It's tough having a wedding during a recession. There's lots of guilt in spending money when everything about the future is so uncertain. We've had friends and family who've lost their jobs, or are in jeopardy of losing their jobs, so it's not exactly the best time for them to be spending money on a hotel room or a wedding gift or travel expenses or a bridal shower or bachelorette party.

And I feel bad spending money on things that are not necessary for the wedding and honeymoon, but I would like to have. Like a cute sundress for our trip to Puerto Rico.

On the flip side, I read somewhere that people like to attend weddings in bad economic times, because it's a nice escape from all the doom and gloom.

Automatic Y'all

Chances are the guests at our rehearsal dinner won't leave hungry. We're having Weaver D's cater, with fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and broccoli casserole. Weaver D's is best known for it's motto, Automatic For the People, which R.E.M. used as an album title.

Gentry knew from the get-go that he wanted Weaver D's to cater the dinner. He's a picky eater, but loves him some mac and cheese. I'm psyched that it will be distinctly Athens.

Showered with love

A group of ladies at my Mom's church in LaGrange, Ga., threw me a shower on Saturday. The best part about it was that my 83-year-old grandmother was able to attend. Granny doesn't get out of the house much unless it's to go to Winn Dixie, the beauty shop, Cracker Barrel or to JCPenny. But the church was less than a mile from her house, so we were able to drag her there. I was really glad she was able to go because she's stubborn and is telling us she won't be going to the wedding because she can't travel that far.

I also was glad I successfully visited Granny without her nitpicking about my appearance. God bless her, I love her, but she is a little crazy. She likes to make comments such as, "Angie, you have some bumps on your face," or "Angie, you have a gap between your teeth." If you don't know her this sounds mean, but I promise she does it to everyone.

Anyway, the shower was great and I got oodles of small kitchen appliances, including two Crock-Pots. Chili cookoff, anyone?

Oh hair flowers, why do you torment me so?

I was torn between two choices on what to put in my hair for the wedding. My friend Suzanne's sparkly headband that she wore at her wedding, or a faux flower pin.

I really loved the flower idea, but in the end decided for option one because I thought this would be a better fit for shorter hair.

But then I saw this from Muscari, and I am in love.

But, I don't think the flower would work with the veil I'm wearing (also borrowed from Suzanne. Thanks, Suzanne!). Most brides I see who sport these flowers wear them with a bird cage veil, or they have long hair and they go without a veil and pin it to their bun.

Can you tell I'm trying to persuade myself not to buy this?

Oh, the joys of being indecisive.