Events of the week! (part 3)

(part 3 in the very detailed "wedding week events" series)

Thursday dawned with three big events on the horizon. First, Mom, Curby, and I, along with my matrons of honor and Jr. Bridesmaid were going to the Flower Mart in downtown LA to buy the flowers for the wedding, and then in the evening Curby had a bachelor party and I had a lingerie party.

Going to the Flower Mart in the morning was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. I went there a year ago with my faculty advisor, to do the flowers for her daughter's Bat Mitzvah, and was in awe of all the flowers and their great prices. Once Curby and I got engaged, I knew that I wanted to us to do our own flowers and that we would be getting them at the flower mart. :) Kathryn went with me to the market in July, to get some practice flowers and figure out how much we'd have to budget for flowers.  That trip was super fun, on its own.

On the Thursday before the wedding, we all got up early and caravanned to the flower market. It was a special time for me, since I got to have Candice, Karen and Andi there. We didn't have many other times to really visit during the weekend, and Candice got to have some car time getting to know Curby which was really nice, too.

We wandered the market, picking up flowers that mom and I had identified earlier in the week and finding the very best roses, etc, for the bouquets. All in all, we ended up with about 10 dozen or so roses, some Lisanthiams (i think?), Picasso Calla Lilies, Misty Blue Heather, and some Boxwood to use as greenery. It was a lot of fun and we were all in awe of the beauty of the market. A couple collages of pictures are below.

some flower market memories - including some of the very few pics of Candice and I together! 

My handsome (future) husband!

Can you believe what a grown up Andi has become!? I loved having her at the market with us!

While there are no pictures from Curby's Bachelor Party (that I know of, LOL), there are a few photos from the Lingerie Party the girls had later that night. We are super indebted to Mark C (one of Curby's Best Men) for crafting a really fun and special evening for Curby, and to Jessica R, Barb V-M, and Sarah M-W for crafting an entertaining and fun evening for me. The girls and I enjoyed cocktails, sweet and salty snacks, while opening lingerie presents. It was really fun to share this evening with some of my closest friends in LA and from around the country. My bachelorette party was really fun (we did Accomplice: Hollywood - blog post to come!) but this was a really fun way to spend time with the friends and family who were out of town for that event.

(had to show at least one piece of lingerie, right?)

Events of the Week! (part 2)

(part 2 in the series of posts we stole from Tiff's blog - enjoy!)

Wednesday was the first real day of "Wedding Time." We had meticulously planned the week leading up to the wedding to ensure a few very important things:
1) I wanted to be able to not be stressed out during the week - to just be able to enjoy my friends and family that had come into town. After all, many had come from far away - and the Bullards had come all the way from England. I just wanted to be able to see them all.
2) I wanted to be able to have fun events that were not centered around getting ready for the wedding - for example, I wanted Curby and I to be able to go to Disneyland on Wednesday with the Fergasons.

Early in our conversations about their trip out to LA, Curby and I had talked to the Fergasons about going to Disneyland when they were here. The kids started saving up their money for the trip, and Curby and I started planning the wedding week in a way that we could go with them. Our moms agreed to stay at the house, watch Tiny, and finish a few crafts for us. On Tuesday night, I had sewn all the wedding programs (I'll post a picture of one later), but we still had a few things that the moms were going to do for us - like putting together the centerpieces and wrapping the gifts for the wedding party. (Our moms really are champs, people, CHAMPS, I say!)

Early in planning our wedding week and trip to Disney, we had decided that if there were going to be 12 of us - and 6 who were under the age of 14 - we needed matching shirts. So we decided to have shirts made for our whole bridal party (4 of the 14 were fergasons), and for all the fergason family. For those of us who went to Disney, we put a little Mickey iron-on patch and everyone's names on the sleeve. It was really fun to be matching at Disney and its a great memento, still, of the wedding.

The morning of that Wednesday Curby came and picked me up and we drove over to where the Fergs were staying. We ended up caravanning down to Anaheim, and we took two of the older kids - Jared and Ryan - with us. It was fun to visit with them and they had a lot of questions about what to expect at Disney. The day ended up being a big success! We got to ride Star Tours and then a bunch of roller coasters. Later, we all had our own ice cream sundaes, and before Curby and I left them for the day (they stayed till the end of the night), we were able to watch three of the boys participate in the Jedi Training - which was really fun to see.

Overall, we had a great, great time, and would not have missed it for the world! For those of you who are engaged out there, I would totally encourage you to plan your week so that you can have fun things like this in the schedule. The events, like this one and the others that happened later in the week, are the things that really made the week special. And frankly, without some of these events I would not have gotten to see my friends or family hardly at all during the week - at least not outside of "work times." We made some really precious memories on that Wednesday!

Events of the Week! (part 1)

For those of you that read Tiff's personal blog (www.tiffslifenow.blogspot.com) these posts may be old hat for you, but instead of writing them twice, we are just going to post these particular ones in both places. They'll all be written from Tiff's perspective - but let's face it, who is the blog writer in this family anyway?!

Enjoy!

Part 1: Fun events leading up to people coming into town!

There are woefully few pictures of the events of the week before the wedding, leading up to the Thursday night before the wedding... so my memories and recollections will have to do for now. Let me start by saying that it was just an awesome week.

I got back from Wisconsin and had less than a week before Curby's and my mom came into town. Those last few days were marked by a few things:
1) my apartment slowly closing in as Curby had moved much of his stuff into the apartment while I was gone and as wedding paraphenalia took over.
2) wrapping up the final details of my two jobs, so that I could take a full two weeks off of work and voice-mail/email checking.
3) lots of errands and crafty-times.

Those days flew by quickly.

Before I knew it, Curby and I were on our way to LAX to pick up my mom. People, my mom is awesome. Seriously, she arrived at like 4:30pm and we hung out for a bit, then she stayed home to work on crafts (she folded EVERY SINGLE ONE of the program inserts) and Curby and I went out for our "last date as unmarried people."  Right? She is awesome.  So Curby and I left her at home and went out to our date wearing The same outfits we had worn just 8 months before, on our first date. We had a great time at our favorite Mexican restaurant (Paco's Tacos) and then down to the Santa Monica Pier (where we walked to on our first date). We rode the famous ferris wheel for the first time, then wandered to the bench where we sat and talked and where Curby kissed me for the first time. It was a really sweet time and so special to have that night together before everyone came into town and all the wedding happenings started happening.

Our first date picture on the left... "last date" picture on the right.

Curby's mom came into town the next Morning. Mom and I went to church and then spent the rest of the day running errands - I made her go out to the valley to the giant JoAnn Fabrics and Wal-Mart, and then to Michaels and Rite-Aid - yes, seriously, we went to all those places. It was really fun, actually, to have that day with my mom and get to be just the two of us for one last day.

We spent the next two days running errands and doing crafts. On Monday, Mom and I went down to OC to do a "wedding hair" trial and then to the David's Bridal to pick up my dress. I had tried to pick it up the week prior, with my friend Lisa, but they needed to make further adjustments to the bustle. It was pretty fun to go to the bridal store with my hair all done up - and it was really fun to go with my mom. Kimberly Jackson, our pastor's daughter, did my hair for the wedding and she was awesome at both the practice time that Monday and at the wedding. That night Curby moved the last of his things into my apartment and we had a nice dinner with him and his mom.

Tuesday Curby's mom ran a few errands, and mom and I went down to OC (again!) to get my engagement ring super cleaned and pick up a few final things for the wedding (gifts for friends and stuff). That afternoon both the Bullards and the Fergasons arrived into town. I went over to welcome the Fergasons and then John and the kids came back with me to my house to pick up some DVDs and meet Tiny. It was great to have them in town - I was overjoyed to see their faces, hug them and just be in their general chaos. It was great. Additionally, later, there was some hilarity as Tiny accidentally got left outside TWICE during a variety of chaotic moments. Poor dog. I think he must have been very glad later in the week when he got to go off to Jane's house for the week.

Me and Brooki (flower girl) at my apartment

More fun event recaps to come! Stay posted, friends!

Friday Video Fun: When Curby Met Tiffani

Our friends Ryan and Bethany Speier are amazing photographers and videographers. We were so grateful when they agreed to do our engagement and wedding pictures - and even more grateful that they said they'd create a documentary-style video for us that we could play at our wedding. The video turned out AMAZING. For those who haven't seen it (or for those who, like me, want to watch it again)... I've posted it today as our Friday Video Fun!



When Curby Met Tiffani from Effulgence Cinema on Vimeo.

(In other news, I'll be posting a few accounts of details of the week leading up to the wedding over on my individual blog: www.tiffslifenow.blogspot.com - check it out!)

Mawwiage is what bwings [this bwog] together, today.

Hey friends! We'll be updating the blog soon with pictures and stories from the wedding and surrounding events. In the meantime, check out our new header!  We're so excited to share our stories with you in the upcoming weeks and months, so please stay tuned. And if you haven't written a comment on our "tell us YOUR story" page, then please do so!  Love, Tiff and Curby

Events and Locations

In case you wondered about events and locations around our wedding:

Events!

Pre-Wedding Event
* KARAOKE!! For all friends and family who are in town, please join us for a few hours of singing, laughing, and hanging out!
      Time: Friday, November 4, 2011; 8pm - 11pm
      Location: Muse Karaoke
                     1555 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
      Cost: Approximately $10/person
      NOTE: Food and drink is available for sale, and this location is BYOB, so feel free to bring your own.
(Right now we have a reservation for space for 20...please indicate that you are coming by emailing us at tiffandcurby@gmail.com, so we can get a bigger room if necessary)


Ceremony Details
      Location: South Coast Botanic Garden,
                     26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula, California 90274.
      Time: Saturday, November 5, 2011; 3pm
      NOTE: The ceremony will take in the Upper Meadow (follow the signs); please plan to bring a sweater or jacket, as fall afternoons and evenings can be cool near the coast. To check an updated weather forecasts for the event location, please click HERE. The ceremony will take place at the Botanical Garden, rain or shine, but the location may be changed. In case of rain, look for instructions or ushers as you arrive.

More information about the venue: http://www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org/

Reception Details
       A dinner and dessert reception will occur following the ceremony in the Hall of Horticulture, at the South Coast Botanical Garden. The reception will begin at approximately five o'clock in the evening.  Please enjoy a tour of the gardens between the ceremony and the reception. There are also benches on which you may relax near the Hall of Horticulture and around the grounds.

Maps

Click the map below for more information about local airports, hotels, and wedding-related venues.

View Tiff and Curby Wedding in a larger map

Gift Registry Information

Registries

Thanks for thinking of us!
We are registered at the following locations:
Bed, Bath, & Beyond

* We have registered for similar things at a couple locations, but our preferred retailer is Bed, Bath, and Beyond, because they offer discounts later if we would like to complete items from our registry - and also, they were just really, really nice there and so we want to give them our business.


* We also just found out that they offer free gift wrap if you tell them the item is from a registry! Amazing! We love BBB! :)

JCPenney
Target
Sears (for manly-man things, like tools)


We are also registered for a "honeymoon registry" - if you'd like to contribute to our trip, thank you! - please click here:
http://www.honeyfund.com/wedding/tiffandcurby


The following is the best address to use for shipping/mailing:
Tiffani and Curby Piehl
11340 National Blvd. #8
Los Angeles, California 90064

Our Amazing Wedding Party

Bridal Party:
Parents of the Bride:
            Chris and Warren Riggers were married August 26, 1972, in East Wenatchee, Washington. Across their almost-40 year marriage, they have lived in Spokane and Renton, Washington, and Scottsdale, Arizona, where they currently reside.
             From my parents, I learned the value of hugs and kisses in a family, and how important it was to be able to laugh at life and at yourself. My parents have given me a great example for marriage, showing me how to be engaged in each other's interests and how to enjoy shared interests as well. They have also been great parents and my biggest fans from the days of elementary school orchestra and high school volleyball through my decision to pursue a PhD. I am encouraged by their faithful and unconditional support and encouragement of me over the years.
Matrons of Honor:
Karen Fergason
       Karen and I met in 2001, and little did we know how the Lord would bring us together as friends and co-laborers! Across the years, she has been a mentor, friend, ministry partner and sister to me. I am grateful for her wisdom, humility, and friendship, which has evidenced itself in her willingness to let me be a surrogate aunt to her six children, three of whom are in our wedding ceremony, her faithful prayers for my future as a wife and mother, and her unwavering committment to watching the long version of Pride and Prejudice whenever we have time to do so.
She and her husband, John, their children, and her parents, Nick and Dorothy, are like family to me, and have acted as family when I lived far from my own. For her frienship, and the love of all her family, I am eternally grateful. Karen and her family reside in San Antonio, Texas.
Candice Bullard
        Candice and I met in 2006, as we began the Student Affairs program at Baylor University. We became study buddies, and then close friends and were blessed to support each other through the difficulties of doing life while in a graduate program. Our friendship was cemented first on the day I returned from a mission trip to Kenya, to find Candice's note on my door which read, "I will pick you up at 9:30 for class." and later, our star-turn as the morning show hosts of "Wake-up With Candice and Tiffani" for a class project.
         We have laughed, cried, and prayed together, and our friendship continues to increase in value and in depth. I appreciate her frank and honest approach to communication, her sense of humor, and her adventurous but thoughtful way of approaching life. I am encouraged by her deep love for her husband, and his for her, and the way that they compliment each other. I have admired many aspects of their marriage for years, and am amazed to see how God provided me with someone who shares so many of Collin's characteristics and how Curby's servant heart and gracious nature are going to lead us to a marriage equally as strong as theirs. Candice and Collin recently welcomed their first child, Asher Henry, and currently reside in Cambridge, England.
Bridesmaids:
Barbara Voigt-Martin
           Barbara is my oldest friend. We met in 1988, at McKnight Middle School. Since those days, we have been locker partners, mischief making partners, classmates, college roommates, and most importantly, friends. Barb is one of the few people that knows my whole history, and so when she asks a question about my life, I take it seriously, as it is often asked with thoughtful knowledge of my context. She has been a faithful Christian example in my life, from even before I was a Christian, and has always managed to speak her perspectives and opinions clearly and without judgement while encouraging me to reconsider my own previously held positions. I also loved watching her relationship with her husband, Rob, grow and develop, and have great memories of times the three of us spent together! I am so grateful for her consistent friendship and faithful, confident prayers that God would provide me with a husband. Barb is married to Rob Martin, and are parents to an adorable toddler named Liam. Barbara and her family reside in Ballard, Washington.
Laura Peterson
           Laura and I became friends when her husband became one of the football coaches at Greenville College. After meeting once very briefly, Laura and her husband, Andy, came to Greenville to look for a place to live - I showed them around the house I had been living (and was moving out of) and they came to my 30th birthday party! I could tell that Laura and I would be friends instantly, a feeling that was confirmed when I learned about her good communication skills and the value that she placed on frienship. Later, we would spend a lot of time sitting together in the football stands and hanging out on Sundays with Andy and a bowl of popcorn, watching MXC marathons.
           We have laughed and cried together, and through the years, she has been my cheerleader and a consistent companion (spiritually if not physically) - she was always thinking of me and on the lookout for my future husband. I have enjoyed our phone conversations over the years and am always amazed to find that an hour has passed as we discussed spiritual and life issues, and prayed together. Laura and Andy have a toddler named, Hope, who I expect will marry Liam Martin someday. (This wedding is actually an elaborate blind date.) The Petersons live in Watertown, Wisconsin.
Sarah Martin-Werntz
          Sarah and I used to say we met on match.com -and that is sort of true. We were both looking for graduate  housing at Baylor and we had to fill out a roommate questionnaire which was then exchanged with the other person. Individually, we would both say how surprised we were at the similarities of our answers and so we decided to become roommates. The two years we lived together were so instructive for me - Sarah is a great communicator and committed to living a thoughtful and caring life that has social justice at its core. I was blessed to watch her relationship with her husband, Myles, develop and bear fruit, and have so enjoyed being a part of their life together. Sarah is a stalwart friend who can be relied upon to serve without complaining and to always help you keep in mind the plight of the "other" - for both of these characteristics and what they have taught me, I am grateful. She is also a great friend to play games and laugh with and we have shared a bunch of great times together. Sarah and her husband, Myles Werntz celebrated their 2nd anniversary in June and reside in Waco, Texas.
Jessica Roberts
           Jessica's friendship was a divine appointment. I met her at church, while asking how to volunteer in the childern's ministry. It turned out that she was Coordinator of Children's Ministry and not only that, but she had lived in Washington, loved to cook, and had a small group that was open to new members. She always comes up with fun ideas and activities, including cooking classes, outdoor movies, and awards ceremony parties, and we always have fun together. During my time at UCLA, she has been a consistent encouragment to me and a constant friend. I'm so grateful the Lord directed my steps that Sunday morning.  Jessica and her husband, Ryan, live two blocks away from me, in Los Angeles, California.
Andilin Fergason (jr. bridesmaid)
          Andi is Karen's eldest daughter. I have known her since she was just six months old and have been blessed to see her grow into a thoughtful and kind young girl. She was the first of the Fergason children that I nicknamed - after repeatedly asking for "more peaches," I named her "Peaches" and she has been thus ever since to me. We have enjoyed many fun times together, including playing dress up, jumping on the trampoline, reading stories, and learning about Jesus. I had long expected her to be my flower girl, but found that by the time I got around to be a bride, she had grown up - so I am overjoyed to have her join the party as a Junior Bridesmaid. Andi is an avid horsewoman, who hopes to become an animal trainer when she grows up.


Groom's Party:
Parents of the Groom: 
           Curby's parents Milton and Andie Piehl went on a blind date in December of 1974.  Three weeks later they were married, and have been married for almost 37 years.  Pretty cool, huh?  They've taught Curby grace, patience, how to love, how to pray, and how to think.  He thinks they are pretty darn amazing. Milton and Andie live in Fort Worth, Texas, where they spend their spare time doting on their grandchildren. 
Best Men:
Mark Cummings
           Curby met Mark when he was 17 and Mark 23. Mark started working at the same book store as Curby and on his first day there asked if Curby was a fan of Progressive music. Curby got confused and was thinking Mark meant Curby's beloved Alternative music, so he answered "yes" to the question. This happy accident led to finding they had much more in common than they thought, and have been best friends ever since! Mark is responsible for Curby falling in love with California and currently lives with his wife Mandy in Costa Mesa CA. If you need a fancy picture painted, Mark's you man!
Samuel Thomas
        Sam and Curby met through Mark, when Sam moved in with him. At the time, Sam had amazing curly hair and was trying to get an independent music zine off the ground. (Ah, the 90s).  Samuel has always been the best listener and best adviser of any of Curby's friends, giving the best advice Curby's ever gotten: "Don't Settle". Curby is very very glad he took that advice. Samuel lives with his wife and three kids in Texas and is building a very successful video production biz.

Groomsmen:
Stephen Hammond
        Stephen is a lot like Jesus... he's always good for an adventure. Curby has never regretted saying yes to Stephen. What boldness there is in Curby he learned from this man.  Stephen lives in Arlington TX with his wife and three kids, and is still pastor of Mosaic Arlington, Curby's old church.
Mark Gifford 
         Mark is Curby's current room-mate and plays a very mild mannered Felix to Curby's Oscar. A good friend and dependable, GiFF can usually be found doing kettle bells or getting Curby addicted to some new Fox reality tv show.
Roger Balko 
         One of the best listeners Curby knows, Roger and Curby met through Mark Cummings (a common theme) and have spent many hours talking about life and girls over Korean food or a hookah pipe.  Roger brings joy and blessing wherever he goes, which is currently in Atlanta, GA.
Nathan Futrell 
          Curby met Nathan when Nathan and his wife moved to Arlington to serve as worship leader at Mosaic.  Nathan is responsible for Curby's proficiency in lolspeak... He is also a phenomenal musician, great counsellor, and wise friend.  He lives with Elaine and future baby Futrell in Arlington,  TX

Showered with Love

Our friends have graciously opened their homes and hearts over the last few weeks, showering me (Tiffani) with love and blessings. In late September, one of my bridesmaids, Jessica Roberts, hosted a shower up in Los Angeles. It was a beautiful time - we convened in a park near our neighborhood, and had just delectable treats, from cupcakes and cake balls to cheese and fruit to delicious salad and more. It was beautifully laid out and Jessica even made these adorable, frosted shortbread cookies shaped like tiered wedding cakes. I loved having some of my closest LA friends get together, share stories and laugh. What a perfect afternoon, it was a really great time.

 The next weekend a group of gals got together up in Hollywood for a Bachelorette party for me. I had been wanting to do this live murder-mystery-scavenger-hunt-type-deal called "Accomplice: Hollywood" for the last two years, and so when Emily Cox, who graciously offered to put the event together (and who is also serving as the wedding coordinator), asked what kind of things I'd like to do - this was the top of my list! We tromped around Hollywood, seeking clues to find a missing starlet, and interacting with different "characters" along the way. It was a really fun time that ended with dinner and drinks at the Hard Rock Cafe. Super fun.

The third weekend in this series, Curby and my friends Wendy Ayers and Nina Dawson, co-hosted a shower in Orange County, for those friends of ours who are a part of FWC (and/or lived in Orange County). We met at Nina's house and had a lovely mid-day tea, complete with mini-cucumber sandwiches and scones - out on the patio. We ate on Nina's china service and it was a really sweet way to spend some time with these women who I am just getting to know better. Afterwards, we had a few fun activities and then the women each gave me a piece of marital advice as I opened their presents. That part was particularly sweet.

What a terrific few weeks of pre-marriage blessing. Curby and I have been so overwhelmed with the love and support of our friends over these last few months. It is hard to believe that we are now only 2 weeks away from getting married. I can hardly believe it - and yet, these two weeks can't come fast enough.

Marriage License Day!

Today, Curby and I went to the LA County Courthouse (the "Airport Courthouse" to be specific) and picked up our Marriage License! We have been excitedly awaiting this day for a couple months. Officially, your marriage license is good for 90 days once it is issued, so we knew that we could apply for it as early as August 5th - but we didn't want any temptation to just go out and get married before our 'official big day' - so we waited...

Last week, we completed our premarital counseling and discussed the actual wedding ceremony with Adam, our pastor who will perform the wedding rites. After those two meetings, we both really felt commissioned to be married. Adam, and his wife, Wendy, performed our counseling and each week we talked about what Curby and I were feeling and experiencing during this pre-marriage process; what to expect at the wedding, reception, and as we get married; and some tips for success in marriage. They were so encouraging and helpful as we approached the wedding; it was a total amazing blessing to us.

So anyway, we felt commissioned to be married and the time was perfect to go ahead and get that license! We are now officially allowed to get legally married in California - but don't worry friends, we aren't planning to get hitched any earlier than 11-5-11 - we can't WAIT for you to join us!

Engagement Party

I've  (Tiff) been meaning to blog about our Engagement Party for some time. But since in an experiment in figuring out how to give people access to our photobooth photos turned into me posting our engagement party photos on the website.... I figure now is as good a time as any to do a quick write up!

The party was great! It took place at Mandy and Andy Struck's house, and was hosted by my (Tiff's) parents, though it was very much a group effort. My mom and I had fun planning a number of things to do with the party - in particular a life-sized cardboard cutout of Curby and I for people to pose with for pictures. It was really fun to see people posing with our cutout, and to post with it ourselves (see the photos below!).

My aunts Gloria and Donna surprised me by showing up at the party! They flew in all the way from Washington as a surprise and boy was it a good one! I was so glad they got to meet Curby even for a little bit, before the wedding, and I just love having them around. I was able to spend a few hours with them on Sunday, too, and it was really a great time!

Barb, one of my bridesmaids and oldest friends, was also able to be there for the weekend. She joined me and my parents, and Curby and his parents for dinner on Friday night - the first time our parents had met. And since she is like family, it was perfect having her there. She was awesome at the party, too, and was like my ambassador, meeting all my friends and getting to know people. AND she came up with this great recipe scrapbook idea for the party, so that Curby and I ended up with a whole lot of new recipes from our friends and family.

A bunch of friends came and enjoyed BBQ kabobs prepared by family and friends who were there early to help out, and grilled by my dad and brother. My mom had ordered cake pops from my friend Jessica (another bridesmaid, and owner of "Jesscakes" bakery) - they were delicious and beautiful! And she got this terrific carrot cake from a local grocery store that had our faces on it!

One of our other friends suggested a game where Curby and I sat back to back and had to answer questions about which of us was ___________________ (funnier, going to do the dishes, pay the bills, etc.). It was a really fun time!

We were so blessed to have this opportunity for our families to meet (My brother, his wife Isabel and my nephew Angel were also there!) and to spend time together, and we were blessed to have so many of our local friends attend the event, too. It was a great time and a great way to kick off this season of planning and preparation.

Thanks mom and dad for putting it all together. Thanks Mandy and Andy for the use of the yard/house, and thanks to all who attended and made it such an awesome party!

(the party took place 8/13 - which gives you some idea of how far behind I am on my blogging...)

Tiff and Curby's photostream

Tiff and Curby's photostream on Flickr.

Wedding Hotel Information (9/13 update!)

Hello friends!

Thanks for being patient with us as we worked to get the wedding hotel set up! They were having some system issues, so you may have tried to book and they said the block didn't exist. We apologize for your inconvenience.

Updated: 9/13 (3pm pacific): Phew! We should have this all fixed now, friends! There are a limited amount of rooms available at the Four Points by Sheraton in Culver City, as of 5pm tonight (PST). They are available to you at $99/night with discounts on parking and breakfast, and are available for check in as of Thursday, 11/3 through check-out on Sunday, 11/6. Outside of those nights you will have to pay regular rates.

To book in the block, ask for the "Riggers wedding".

If you would like to stay in an alternate location, we highly encourage you to look for hotels only in the LAX, Torrance and Long Beach area. If you just look for hotels in LA, you could end up 20 miles (read 2 hours) from the wedding venue. We want you to be at the wedding in a reasonable amount of time, so consider looking for a hotel within a few miles of LAX, or nearer the wedding location.

We are so sorry for all the mixups on this hotel thing! We can't wait to see you in less then 2 months!

UPDATED: As of 10:30pm on 9/12 - we are having problems with the block again. Right now it is set up for Friday 11/4 - Monday 11/7 (this is Tiff's mistake, as I didn't realize how many people would be coming in on Thursday) and the rate is $109. We will provide you an update as soon as we can confirm that the dates have been adjusted and the rate is $99 as we expected.

As of 5pm (pacific) on 9/12, the wedding block should be up and running at the Four Points by Sheraton in Culver City. Rooms are available at $99/night with discounts on parking and breakfast. More information (including address and phone number) are available by clicking the "Guest Info" table above.

Engagement Photo Weekend!

Dateline: 8/7/2011
Curby and I (Tiff) spent the last two days with my old friend, Bethany (Vieth) Speier and her husband Ryan. Bethany and Ryan have a photography and cinematography company (Effulgence Photo&Cinema - check them out by clicking here). I have been friends with Bethany since my time at Greenville College, and she is a super creative and talented woman, who also exudes joy and is a passionate follower of Jesus. Bethany moved to Tacoma after she graduated from Greenville and we stayed in touch, connecting when she came back to Illinois or when I was out Seattle.  Last year, one year ago tomorrow, actually (8/8), I was privileged to celebrate with her and Ryan as they married in beautiful ceremony in a San Francisco park, near Lombard Street. It was a fun ceremony, full of their spirit and identity, and I loved being a part of their day.

From the instant Curby proposed, I was hoping we would be able to have Ryan and Bethany take our engagement and wedding photos and videography. It seemed impossible, because they lived in Tacoma and we lived down here. But the Lord provided and we were able to work out a deal to get them down here - not just once, but twice! This weekend (8/5-8/7) was the first of the visits and boy was it so much fun!

The four of us got together on Friday night, and we had a really great time getting to know each other better. Curby had not met either Ryan or Bethany before, so this time was really valuable to all of us. After a fun dinner, we got down to brass tacks, figuring out our plans for the weekend. B & R were great, listening to my vision and Curby's (for our videography primarily) and creating a really creative and exciting combination.

Saturday we met up early, and headed to the site of most of our filming. B & R are super professional but also warm and fun. The filming was great fun and we finished that time with the picnic. Later we went down to Santa Monica to do some still photography - it was fun to be exploring LA with our friends, while also getting the chance to canoodle for our photos.

The professionals at work!

Very professorial.

Comfy library nook.

Ready for our close ups. 

Sunday after church, we met up again and took B & R down to the Botanic Gardens, where the wedding will take place. We explored the grounds and had another great day taking pictures. We even convinced Bethany and Ryan to pose for a few, in honor of their anniversary.

B & R head back to Washington tomorrow, and I sure am sad to see them go. It has been so fun to have them here. It makes me even MORE excited for the wedding, that they'll be here again in just under three months!

More updates to come. Stay tuned to tiffandcurby!

Less than 100!

Broop! Broop! Broop! That is the alarm that went off in my head as Curby and I signed up for a gift registry at Sears recently. The Sears registry webpage said, "Congratulations! Your wedding is in 97 days!"

"97 days!?!" I asked Curby, bewilderedly. He screwed up his face and said, "Yeah, that's probably right."

I knew that we were nearing 3 months. (This Friday will be three months precisely) I guess I did not really think about the fact that if we were at 3 months, then we'd be at less than 100 days.

And yikers! Less than 100 days. This sucker is getting real, y'all!

We still have lots of details to work out and projects to complete (invitations are the priority among them), but we are getting increasingly excited and in reality, we are both so glad that there are fewer than 100 days to go!

Thanks for checking in with us!

Details! Details! Details!

We here at the Riggers-Piehl Project understand that you want updates/posts/changes.

Well, so far we have none of those things for you. But we do want to thank you for checking out the website and want to let you know that its possible that we have updated some of the pages since you last visited, but these updates do not show up in your RSS feed - so please head back to the site and check it out!

Most importantly, we'd love for you to sign our guest book ("tell us your story" page) - so please do so when you have a minute!

Soon, Curby will have his parts written up, and we'll send out an update again! Hurrah!

Welcome to Our Story!

Curby and Tiff first communicated on March 17, 2011. Our first date was March 26th - and it was love at first sight for both of us! Before we knew it, we were beginning to write a shared story for our lives.

We like to say that we are an almost perfect match! To learn more about each of us and how we met, check out "About Tiff and Curby" above.

To learn more about our wedding details, including the really terrific women and men who have agreed to be a part of our wedding party, go to "Ceremony" and "Wedding Party" above.

Pictures are posted on the Flickr badge to the left - there you can see some of the fun events that have occurred during our courtship.

As you have a few minutes, tell us your story (sign our guest book) - we'd love to hear from you!

We are so glad to welcome you to the Story of Tiff and Curby!