an Excited bride.

I've moved!

2008-02-21T20:30:00.002-05:00

I decided to transition to WordPress for the rest of my blogging life. Don't forget to update your Google Reader or Bookmarks!

My blog

simplicity goes a long way.

2008-02-20T12:00:00.003-05:00

I love flowers, don't get me wrong. We've all seen the crazy pictures from Preston Bailey's weddings and our eyes widen with joy. But seriously, not everyone has millions of dollars or thousands of dollars for that matter to spend on flowers. It's just not feasible for most.

There's a dark side to wedding planning sometimes - that pressure a bride feels to have the best of the best of the best (with honors!). However, $1,000 centerpieces are not always the answer, nay it may be never be the answer to spend that much on a centerpiece. Your guests can have a fabulous time without expensive flowers. It's not about the flowers, it's about the energy of the wedding, the great food, the free flowing drinks (non-alcoholic too!) and the upbeat music!

Case in point:

(Photo by Studio 306)

save-the-dates.

2008-02-19T20:28:00.004-05:00

We received the rest of our engagement photos from Jason on Monday, and I have to admit that I love them! I'll post some of my favorites very soon, and it feels so good to have accomplished something substantial. However, with accomplishment comes...DIY PROJECTS! The first one: the Save-the-Dates.

It's interesting how one project can yield hundreds of tiny research projects. For instance, before I can buy paper, I need to look at postage rates/envelope sizes, and then where to buy paper and gocco supplies. This list goes on and on.

Anyways, I was playing around with Photoshop today and I'm having trouble deciding which color is best. Could you help?

(Photo by the fabulous Jason Angelini)

happy valentine's day!

2008-02-14T14:03:00.004-05:00

Just wishing everyone a happy valentine's day!

(Photo from Martha Stewart)

engagement & family photos!

2008-02-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

We took our engagement photos on Sunday and it was a blast!! I was pretty nervous, but as soon as we started, Jason put both Matthew and I at such ease and we had so much fun! There are a few pictures up on Connor's Blog! Check them out! I've also posted a couple below!

(Photos by the fabulous Jason Angelini)

**Lucia, you were right! :)

wedding favors; non-conformity.

2008-02-08T16:47:00.000-05:00

I've learned that edible favors are the best, so I'm considering doing tea as one favor, and possibly (I say this with much reservation) a candy buffet. I ordered a small tin of raspberry tea and it's absolutely divine. I'm a tea lover (Teavana is my favorite), so it wouldn't be a surprise for this to be our favor. I have a few friends that are loyal tea drinkers as well so I know they would be happy. For the bulk though, I imagine they aren't too keen on tea, so it's still up in the air.

As for a candy buffet, I like the creativity involved and it could look uber cool. My only reservation is that it's been done too many times and it's sort of fad now. (Think: photo strip save-the-dates) I love the idea, but once it becomes a "trend," I'm very hesitant to follow suit.

(Above photos from fabulous Rebecca Thuss)

Tomorrow, I'm going to the first of many wedding activities. I have about 6 to attend this year, in addition to my own! My wonderful friend Carly, is having her bridal shower!

Sunday, we are taking our engagement photos! I'm so nervous!!!!

linens, who knew?

2008-02-06T11:36:00.000-05:00

I'm a fairly particular person (i.e., picky), so when my caterer could not find my choice of linens in the state of Florida I didn't hesitate to start calling companies located outside of the state. It wasn't that the Florida companies didn't have my choice per se, they didn't have it available in long table (8' banquet) format. Apparently, no one in Florida likes long tables, but I'm going to change all that!

After calling a couple of places and getting outrageous quotes, I was frustrated. So, I called in the big guns: my best friend, Ashley. She is the person I turn to when I confront something that seems impossible. Not only did she find a local linen company in her town (Chicago) that agreed to order the fabric and make it to fit the long tables, but also arranged to pick them up on her way down to the wedding (to avoid any screw-ups in shipping) and return them. Oh, and did I mention that they are substantially cheaper? Did I also mention that Ashley and her mom are the ones that arranged our honeymoon timeshare as a gift? Yes, I'm lucky.

Anyways, the lesson of this post? Be diligent (but not too aggressive) in achieving your vision!

Here's my vision:

(Photo from mrs.pootiekin's planning bio)

calligraphy.

2008-02-03T21:07:00.000-05:00

I cannot wait to make our stationery on my gocco. I've only used it once to make Bridesmaid cards, but I've been collecting ideas and images and I can't wait to use it again! I know it's going to be a huge process, but I love doing this kind of stuff, so it'll be worth it! Plus, I'll need some distraction from school.

A while back, I started thinking about hiring a calligrapher to give our invitations an ooomph factor. Yes, everyone throws out the envelope, but I love the extra details! (I know at this point, Lane is thinking I'm crazy.) At first, I thought it was out of our budget, but I found an awesome calligrapher through Mrs. Onion of Weddingbee. She's super affordable, and I think it will give our invitations an added touch! I've already made contact and signed up with her, and I'm so excited! She works out of New York, and she is by far the cheapest I've found. Here's the style we'll probably go with:

You can get in touch with her via e-mail: calligraphybymichele@verizon.net

anthropologie follow-up

2008-02-03T21:01:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures I promised! Please excuse the poor quality!

anthropologie is cool.

2008-01-31T13:53:00.001-05:00

I will always love J.Crew, in fact they put some more styles of our bridesmaid dress on sale, and my sister loves the new style, so she's going to get that one instead. I love that you can pick a color and allow the girls to buy styles that suit their flavas. (Yes, I just said flavas.)

Anyways, I digress. I ordered a dress from Anthropologie for our upcoming engagement photos. I'm not going to tell you which one, you'll just have to see in a couple of weeks, but I was so happy when I received my package yesterday in the mail. I've never seen a company pay so much attention to the details. First, it came in a box, and I was a little surprised by that, because J.Crew usually sends my stuff in a plastic bag. The best part though, was the receipt. It was put inside of a linen satchel of sorts. I'll take a picture for those who have yet to order from them.

It reminded me of those cute fabric envelopes from Bird & Banner. I had long forgotten them, but I thought to myself what a cute touch. The fabric cost would probably be minimal, and it would be a nice little surprise for our guests (read "the women").

But that's not even the best part, they had the dress wrapped in this cute matching tissue paper with a pretty sticker. But wait, it gets better, the dress was so pretty and it had the coolest detail on the inside hem of the dress, and IT HAD POCKETS! I love pockets in dresses! I just ordered one of the ballerina dresses from J.Crew, the ones on sale, and they had pockets, too!

Immediately, I remembered a gift from my sister this past Christmas. She bought me this candle from Anthropologie (called Capri Blue), and I distinctly took notice of the bow. It was a fabric bow that was reusable and it looked amazing. So, basically I love Anthropologie now.

*I promise to take pictures of the linen satchel and fabric reusable bow when I get home later!

stumped.

2008-01-27T16:05:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, I've been so consumed with school and our new running regimen that I've been sort of slacking on my wedding plans. I've found that I go on my trusty Google Reader each day and save pictures, but I just never make any decisions. It's much like my work, I research an issue to death, and then I take forever to write the memo. So, I'm going to try and start making some real decisions.

As many of you know, my bridesmaid dresses are chocolate with a champagne sash. For a while I was doubting the color because it's been done so many times, but some of my friends convinced me to stick with it because it was so affordable and a classic color.

You've gone through my color dilemma with me many times (thank you for that), and after the last floral meeting, I had decided I wanted greens and other colors. I still want that. Here are some photos that I will show my florist for inspiration.

(Flowers by Ariella Chezar and Photo by Jennifer Skog)

(Photo by Jose Villa)

(Photo by Travis Hoehne)

As for linens and chairs, I have already found a chair supplier, we'll be getting the mahogany chiavari chairs, and I've begun to receive quotes for the chocolate pintuck linens. This might be a challenge because we're having banquet tables, but time will tell.

(Photo from mrs.pootiekins' planning bio)

more engagement photos!

2008-01-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

Here are some more engagement photos that just make me smile. Hopefully, posting these will inspire our photographer, Jason Angelini, and give him a feel for the style I like (I believe he likes it, too!)

I want to take this opportunity to say one thing to other brides-to-be: by posting these photos, I'm not suggesting that I want to "copy" these photos/poses. I respect photography, and I think it serves as a great creative outlet for many people. I think looking at photos is helpful to bring about one's ideas or vision, but I would rather give our photographer true creative freedom than box him into a certain pose. Okay, now I'll step down from my soapbox.

(Photo by Erlina Kim)

(Photo by Travis Hoehne)

(Photo by Anna Kuperberg)

(Photo by Agnes Lopez)

my favorite engagement photos.

2008-01-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

My apologies for the lack of posts, I've entered into my very last semester of law school and surprisingly, I've been motivated to study. On another note, Matthew and I are in week 3 of our running regimen and we feel GREAT!

So, as our engagement photos are right around the corner, I'm posting some of my favorite photos! Here's the first installment:

(Photo by Anne Ruthmann)

(Photo by Michael Norwood)

(Photo by Agnes Lopez)

(Photo by Jason Angelini)

engagement photos.

2008-01-10T18:27:00.000-05:00

We finally scheduled our engagement photos, which will take place with our kick-butt photographer, Jason Angelini on February 10th. I've started a running regimen to lose my holiday weight (cross your fingers) and I'm eating tons of veggies and drinking lots of water to get myself into photo shape.

So, now the question becomes...what to wear? I'm thinking two outfits - a dress and a jeans/cardigan ensemble. I really like this wool jacket from my favorite store, J.Crew. It might be too hot for Florida weather, but I think with jeans it could look really cute!

I'm having trouble deciding on a dress. Here are some options from Anthropologie. Any thoughts?

double duty.

2008-01-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

How cute are these vase place cards that serve double duty as a favor from Cox & Cox? They are currently sold out but man are they adorable!

honeymoon booked!

2008-01-05T23:09:00.000-05:00

(Taken by a visitor from the resort's villa)

(Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Costa Rica)

My best friend, Ashley and her mother gave us the best wedding gift - their timeshare for seven nights! Matthew and I spent lots of hours reading trip reviews and we finally decided on...Costa Rica for our honeymoon! Today we booked the timeshare portion for a week, and we're still on the hunt for one more place to stay. Possibly the Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort. We're going to be there for about two weeks.

We're really excited about Costa Rica - active volcanoes, rainforests, waterfalls, hot springs, sailing, white water rafting and tons of animals!

met with the florist today!

2008-01-02T21:30:00.001-05:00

I spent about 3.5 hours with my florist today and it was so much fun! I'm actually rejecting the idea of having "set in stone" colors and I'm going for an array of different ones. First I'll show you which pictures I showed her and then I'll show you what she put together. Keep in mind we are using branches, dahlias, peonies and cymbidium orchids. She only had roses and orchids and blush peonies in stock.

Here are the pictures that I love right now (obviously with my brain, it could change!) Basically with these pictures I wanted to show her that I'm not afraid of mixing up colors and I want bright punches because I think it will look great in the pictures!

(Photo by Jessamyn Harris & Jose Villa)

With these pictures, we're going to try and recreate the winter branch look and there will be tons of candlelight.

(Photo by Laura Novak)

As for my bouquet, I wanted something simple and classic with a punch of color in the middle.

(Photo by evoke photography)

Here's what we came up with just fooling around in her shop - we're doing a couple of super tall centerpieces for the head table with branches, green orchids and hanging votive candles.

(Flowers by Dana Dineen)

She only had roses in the shop, but the color combination is really unique. I think there's a bit too much green, but the other colors are really great. She had a few blush peonies that I went gaga for, they will definitely be in my bouquet!

(Flowers by Dana Dineen)

happy new year!

2008-01-01T17:25:00.000-05:00

(Photo via With This Ring...)

We've hit the 10-month mark until our wedding, wow! It's actually going by quite fast considering we'll have been engaged for 20 months in total! I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year! For me, it's high time I shed that holiday weight and then some! Tomorrow, I'm meeting with my florist to brainstorm! Updates to follow...

my sister found her dress!

2007-12-30T23:40:00.000-05:00

(Monique Lhuillier)

A couple of days ago we went dress shopping for my little sis and she found her dress! (No, this isn't the dress, but let's just say it has a bit of lace in it!) It was the first dress she tried on and the rest just couldn't compare! So here are some dress buying tips that I picked up on:

1. Take friends you can trust. Sarah brought mom, me and her three best friends from childhood. We were all honest with our opinions. Sarah joked that the moment she walked out of the dressing room she could read the expressions on our faces without hearing a word!

2. Pick a dress for your body. My sister has a great bod so this wasn't much of a problem, but at one point she was torn between two dresses because the other had the train she wanted but it didn't look as good on her. We drove back to the first bridal salon and she tried on the dress for a third time. She immediately knew it was the one. (**It looked amazing on her even after eating lunch!)

3. Don't rule everything out. If your heart is set on a certain style that's great, but try other things on, too. Sarah was very open-minded about her selections but still ended up with exactly what she wanted.

yay! we found a caterer!

2007-12-27T17:51:00.001-05:00

(Image from The Knot)

Matthew and I met with our caterer today and we love them! Not only did they give us fair prices but we had a really fun meeting, too! I've been thinking of what to write about my meeting that may help or be of interest to other brides-to-be.

First, be prepared for a little sticker shock because we're not only talking about food but servers, chefs, china, etc. We are also getting a bartender, portable bar and those other things you forget about (glasses, ice, lemons, limes, mixers, cocktail napkins) through them and buying our own alcohol.

Do you have a friend in the alcohol business (that's probably not their title)? My lovely sister happens to be a bartender at a nice bar and can get us alcohol at wholesale prices!

When receiving quotes, ask for a variety - don't just assume that a plated dinner will be out of your budget. I was really hoping for a plated meal and interesting hors d'oeuvres and they made it work for us!

Hope this helps!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T17:53:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We are back from visiting Matthew's family in Syracuse and had a great time! I've taken a long break from wedding planning, but this week I will be back in full-effect. We are meeting with caterers on Thursday, and dress shopping for my sister's July 2008 wedding on Friday!

See you soon!

yay for plaid!

2007-12-19T21:07:00.000-05:00

(Photo by Jessica Strickland)

Yes, I'm finished with exams, but I'm still working on a paper that is due tomorrow. Matthew and I are actually up in Syracuse, NY enjoying the winter! We went skiing on Monday, and I went down my first non-bunny hill about 4 times which was a major feat!

So, back to the plaid. I saw this picture today and I knew immediately that I didn't want the guys in one color, I think I want to mix it up. I'm not sure it will be plaid, but there will definitely be some textures involved. This picture just made me smile though, I love a wedding with style!

Hope everyone is enjoying their week!

punch of color!

2007-12-10T16:07:00.000-05:00

(Photo by Henry Chan)

No, I'm not finished with exams. I had a four hour tax exam at 8:30 am today, so I'm taking a small break. I was looking through some photography blogs, you know for fun, and I saw a picture that made me realize the importance of color.

For so long I thought I was going to be plain and do the chocolate and champagne thing, but not anymore!

Okay, back to studying, I'll be done at the end of the week, and back in full blogging action!

(**One quick shout out to Lane for learning to successfully drive a manual in Germany no less!)

a little bubbly.

2007-11-26T11:05:00.000-05:00

This will likely be my last post until I'm finished with exams. However, I can promise you that my next posts will be exciting ones because we'll be designing our save-the-dates and invites over the holiday break! I'll also be meeting with our florist to discuss colors!

I'm not a big drinker, in fact I suffer from what is known as the Asian Poison. It's where, after 1 or perhaps 2 drinks, my face becomes red and flush and rather warm. In other words, I'm done drinking. However, my friends enjoy a great party and I love the opportunity to get everyone onto the dance floor.

After discovering mrs.pootiekin's bio, I loved the idea of getting some mini champagne bottles for the girls to drink while we're getting pampered. With respect to other drinks, since the ceremony will be outdoors, it might be nice to have a little soda waiting for the guests. I envision a simple table with rows of Izze soda. We are also thinking about doing a signature drink, which might save a little money if we go the "buy our own liquor" route. Even if you don't go that route, having a few signature drinks gives your wedding a more personal touch. You could play with menus to include stories of drinks you had on your first date, etc.

(Photo from mrs.pootiekin's bio and izze.com)

Raspberries in champagne. It just looks cool!

(Photos from L-R: by Paul Johnson, Jessica Claire)

See you in a couple of weeks! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

i rock the crib!

2007-11-20T20:48:00.000-05:00

My wonderful friend, Lane has given me an award! She happens to like my blog, isn't that cool?! I mean, coming from the woman who won "Wife of the Year," this is such a huge honor. You should check out her blog, especially if you enjoy laughing.

I can't tell you blog readers how much I miss this woman. I haven't seen her in...YEARS! She's living with her super star hockey hubby (yes, that's his name) and her wonderful canine sidekick (Falcor) in Deutschland.

brown and...lilac?

2007-11-20T00:25:00.000-05:00

My sister (aka bride-to-be) emailed me today asking if I had decided my colors. She had sensed that I was sitting in class browsing martha stewart weddings and found yet another viable brown palette!

(from martha stewart weddings)

(from left to right: christine farah photography, martha stewart weddings)

(from martha stewart weddings)

layouts.

2007-11-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

I can't remember how I found this, but check out the Mosaic Event Center. They have programs that will help you envision your linens and the layout of your reception! I haven't used it yet, but it seems pretty helpful!

I suppose I haven't used it yet because I'm not ready for that phase of the planning. My wedding is next November, so I have a while before I need to start thinking of that. However, I'm happy to share that this week we booked our officiant and DJ. Both of whom I found through my lovely day-of coordinator, Stacy Henderlong and my fabulous photographer, Jason Angelini.

It's been really hectic picking out vendors. I would even venture to say this may be the hardest part of the wedding planning process. I've tried to hire people based only on referrals and reviews. Fortunately, we only have a few more to book and then we're done! I can't wait to move on to the more creative aspects of the wedding (i.e., website design & stationery). Matthew and I are counting the days to our holiday break from school so that we can play with our gocco!

Speaking of the impending holiday break, exams are right around the corner so if posts become sparse, I apologize! Does everyone use Google Reader to monitor their blogs? That's how I keep up with updates!

inspiration board contest.

2007-11-18T11:54:00.000-05:00

My fabulous photographer, Jason Angelini, is hosting an inspiration board contest that ends tonight. I won't tell you which board is mine, but GO VOTE! The winner gets a $50 Target card, and $50 to their favorite charity!

everything goes with chocolate!

2007-11-15T12:11:00.000-05:00

I have given up on thinking about colors. I'm serious. I'm just going to give all the pictures to my florist and have her surprise me. Everything is so pretty.

Top to Bottom: Photo by Jose Villa, Photo by Michael Norwood

Top to Bottom: Photo by Sarah K Chen, Photo from kayrose Bio

when money is tight.

2007-11-14T12:42:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about this post for a while, and I don't want to sound like I know what I'm talking about. I truly don't know what I'm talking about, because my wedding hasn't occurred yet. However, I think the key to throwing a wedding on a budget is picking one aspect, one splurge that will really make the difference.

It could be fabulous linens, unique lighting or fancy furniture. Here's my wedding attitude: We're young, we're grad students and we don't want to put our families into debt. Now, there are a lot of tips that wedding professionals will tell you - get married on a Friday or Sunday, or get married in the morning. I just didn't want to do that, I felt like it would be an inconvenience to our out of town guests to take extra days off work, in addition to travel costs.

Others are fortunate and money isn't an issue, but for those where money matters, here are some tricks that I have learned in my wedding planning process:

1.) Venue is key. Don't go for the hotels. They will charge up the wazoo for food & alcohol. We found a municipally-owned venue that charges $26/hour to rent. That's not a typo. $260 for 10 hours. Now, these venues may not be advertised as a "wedding venue" so you'll need to be a little more persistent, but there's a big payoff in the end.

2.) BYOB? Most venues/caterers will charge per person per house for an open bar. It's crazy! If you can find a caterer with a good price it will save lots of trouble. We found a caterer that charges $11.75 per person for five hours, but this isn't the norm. Your other option is to find a venue that allows you to bring your own alcohol. The lawyer in me made sure to ask our venue whether we needed to acquire liability insurance if we were serving alcohol to our guests. Since we're having a private event and we're not charging our guests for the liquor, our venue does not require insurance.

3.) Set aside some money for splurges. Pick one element that makes the difference to you. For our wedding, we're looking into hiring a lighting designer. Dramatic lighting will completely transform our reception room, and guests won't notice that we don't have $1,000 centerpieces. If you can't afford a lighting designer, go for lots of candlelight. You can get 200 tea lights for $20. Lighting can go a long way!

(Photos from MrsAnayisnin's Knot Bio, taken by Laura Novak)

(Photo from Artfool)

choosing the photographer.

2007-11-13T19:36:00.000-05:00

My sister called me last night. As you all know, she recently got engaged and is starting to plan her May 2008 wedding. It was nice to impart some wisdom to her, because I'm going through the exact same thing. She needed some advice in choosing a photographer.

For me, the photographer is probably the most important vendor. Call me crazy, but I just love great photography and great photos that can stand the test of time. I was happy she called me, although I gave her an ear full so she may not want the advice anymore!

Luckily, we've entered the digital era where many photographers have blogs. If you're a photographer and you don't have a blog, as a bride-to-be, I would advise you to create one. See we know that your best photographs are put on your website and while we will ooooh and ahhhh over them, we want to see a normal days work. This is why blogs and knot bios are integral to choosing a good photographer. Moreover, for those that can't spend $4,000 on photography (i.e., me the poor law student), it will take a significant amount of time looking through blogs and knot bios to find a talented, affordable photographer.

I love my photographer. Not only is he talented (and has a blog!), but it's obvious that he loves his job. He's also super affordable. The perfect combination!

(All photos taken by Jason Angelini)

***Oh, and I judge my vendors based on the quality of their websites. (I know, I'm an internet snob.)

a new direction.

2007-11-12T00:12:00.000-05:00

This post signals a new direction of my blog. Instead of just posting about my colors or attire, I want to start explaining the more intricate details of planning my wedding. In my experience thus far, I've gained the most value in blogs like weddingbee where the various brides discuss other prevalent issues like careers & money. My other favorite planning resource has undoubtedly been the Knot bios. I've added links to my favorite bios on the main page. The level of detail that goes into these bios is incredibly helpful in creating my own vision.

So, the first thing I want to discuss is my crazy fiancee. Is yours crazy? I've definitely been the "primary" planner of the wedding, and thus I've entered into "wedding world." You know the place, where "chiavari" becomes part of your vocabulary and you learn how to spell ranunculus? Well, whenever I have to approach Matthew for input there is always a scuffle. It's not a major one, but there's always a moment where Matthew's eyes grow really wide and his nostrils flair at the price quote.

Our first major scuffle: the DIY DJ. After I told him how much a DJ costs, Matthew insisted on being the DJ himself. Yes, I know you're all laughing now, but I'm totally serious. This is the kind of thing I have to deal with. It's been a hard battle, but tonight Matthew agreed to hire one. I won. Yeah!

Okay, this picture has nothing to do with a DJ or crazy fiancees, but it's really awesome! I wish we were cool enough to pull off dance dance revolution at our wedding, but unfortunately we are not. However, I may recommend this to our great friends, Erica & Greg, who are getting married next August. Greg is the master of dance dance.

(Photo by Boutwell Studio)

the ringmaster tagged me.

2007-11-08T20:11:00.000-05:00

So, my dear friend Lane tagged me. She thinks that just because she lives all the way in Germany, she can get away with it! Well, I suppose she can...

Lane is a very talented writer, so mine are pale in comparison, but here goes:

The rules of tag:
1. Post the rules at the beginning.
2. List 6 facts/habits about yourself.
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post, and leave them comment informing them they've been tagged!

1. I'm a member of the CCJ and my status is monkeybait. Okay, let me explain. I have an incredible group of high school friends. They are the best, and in high school we developed a name for our group. Remember the Simpsons episode where Homer gets upset b/c he can't be a Stonecutter and says, "Ohh, why won't those stupid idiots let me in their crappy club for jerks?" It's a great quote, right? So, we are the CCJ (the Crappy Club for Jerks). Every year since high school (almost 9 years now, whoa) we've gotten together for 2 pinnacle events (there are other events like weddings, but we're all over the United States now) - the CCJ Halloween Horror Nights Weekend and the CCJ Christmas Cookie-Bakeoff. One year, one of the guys made us t-shirts and declared all the women "monkeybait." We've protested ever since, but the status has stuck.

2. I'm a scaredy cat. I can't watch a horror film without my hands glued to my face. Even though I'm intelligent enough to rationalize it's NOT REAL, I still can't do it. In fact, every year when I attend the annual CCJ Halloween Horror Nights Weekend (for those that don't know, it's a bunch of haunted houses at Universal Studios in Orlando & Hollywood) I buy a ticket but I never go into any haunted houses. Seriously. I pay upwards of $75 for a night of walking around waiting for my friends to go through haunted houses! I know...LAME.

3. I eat my food in proportional parts. You know how some people, they have turkey and mashed potatoes and broccoli on their plate, and they just eat it? They'll even go so far as to mix the turkey and potatoes and put that in their mouth at the same time?!! It appalls me. I have to eat one section at a time, and circle around the plate until I'm full (which happens to be when all the food is gone).

4. I can't stand yellow bulbs. You know the ones I'm talking about, the bulbs you put in your ceiling fan? That gross yellow color kills me! Whenever Matthew and I walk into our bedroom for bed time, he'll flip the switch which is immediately followed by me turning it off and running to the white bulb lamp. I know what you're thinking...why doesn't she put white bulbs into the ceiling fan? Too much light. I know.

5. I'm addicted to the Food Network and Giada's pink fingernails. I spent an entire evening on Google, trying to find her nail polish color (which happens to be OPI's Bubble Bath) and those porcelain measuring spoons (fantes.com). I also love waking up on Saturday morning to watch Ina and Giada make their wonderful food. I never attempt to recreate it, but I love to watch it!

6. My mother and I end our phone chats by making kissing noises to one another. I also never talk with my mother without her asking me, "Have you taken your vitamins today?" I'm 27 years old, but in my mother's eyes I will always be her baby.

Alright, I'm only going to tag 1 person - the lovely Kate, who is also blogging about her wedding! All 3 taggers (Lane, Lynn & Kate) are UMichigan grads - GO BLUE!

aerial view and other pictures.

2007-11-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

I found some more pictures of our venue. I love the aerial view of the ceremony space, I have no clue what the layout will be yet, but the picture is quite inspiring! (I can't remember where I got these photos, so I sincerely apologize for not giving credit (that's really not my style), so if this is your photo, please comment!)

Here's the front of our building.

The hotel where we'll be staying.

groomswear.

2007-11-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

I change my mind more than I change my clothes. I also thought this was the one thing I wasn't going to agonize over, well not agonize but you know...think about it, ponder, analyze til I'm blue in the face. Of course I was wrong, like I've been about everything. No, I won't think about the wedding all the time, no, I won't care what the flowers look like.

I swear there's a wedding disease and I've caught it! Anyways, I've thought from the get go that the guys would wear navy blazers and khaki pants, right? Well, now I'm starting to think of other colors. I hate my brain. Or is it my mind? I have no clue.

I saw these pictures today by evoke photography and I thought to myself, I love the brown ties with the charcoal suit, it's very classic yet not too formal. This picture is great because the guys aren't wearing the same exact suit and it still looks really nice. That might save a few of them some money if they already have a suit, eh?

I like this, too! It looks really sharp with the chocolate tie.

(Image via Style Me Pretty)

I love how his tie matches her bouquet.

(Photo by Christine Farah)

more inspiration via snippet & ink

2007-11-05T11:59:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if I've given a shout out to Snippet & Ink yet, but it definitely deserves some praise. Inspiration boards are extremely helpful in realizing your vision for anything - a wedding, a birthday party, a bridal shower, etc. When you first get engaged you accumulate a million photos on your laptop, but I encourage you to put them together in a collage and see what happens. It's extremely helpful and you can also print them out when you visit your coordinator or florist to help explain your vision.

Here are a couple from Snippet & Ink's blog. Yes, I'm still thinking about green...

I really like this one because it incorporates other colors I really haven't considered. I don't think I would incorporate red, but I like all the rustic colors - green, pale yellow and chocolate!

stationery palette.

2007-11-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

With a change of venue comes a change of style and palette. Luckily, our historic building is very plain so our chocolate bridesmaid dresses will go quite nicely with the surrounding environment. I've done a few inspiration boards playing with some color, but like one reader commented it's going to come down to what my florist can provide me.

I've been leaning towards chocolate, ivory & pale yellow. I was inspired by the two following pictures.

(Photo by John Michael Payton)

(Photo by Rebecca Thuss)

I really love the simple ivory with deep chocolate ribbon for programs. Matthew and I will be creating our own stationery (save-the-dates, invitations, programs, seating cards and thank you cards) on our trusty Gocco. I definitely love the idea of having a cohesive look to all of our stationery, especially since it will be "hand-made."

I like these save the dates, created by heatherjeany. The colors are obviously off, but I like the calendar idea and we'd probably attach a picture with a magnet.

I have about a month off in December after exams before my last semester of law school, so I think I'll use that month to create the majority of our stationery! I'm so excited!

happy birthday to me!

2007-11-03T23:37:00.000-04:00

Friday was my 27th birthday, and it was a great one. I spent the morning with my wedding coordinator, Stacy from Meant to Be Wed and it was so much fun dishing about the new venue! I also wanted to get her support for the long table concept, which she gave me so I'm super excited to see how it looks! She also gave me some great advice about the logistics of a wedding, which helped me tremendously put some of my ideas into focus.

When I got home, Matthew had my favorite local pizza and root beer floats waiting for me! He had also brought home flowers and the sweetest card ever! The front read "to my wife.." and he inserted in his own handwriting "future :)" it was so cute, I just melted.

My mom also bought me the coolest purse, it looks royal blue in the pictures, but it's a bit darker than that. It's so pretty and big (I'm a sucker for big purses)!

Later, Matthew, my parents and I went to see American Gangster which is fantastic and then enjoyed a nice dinner - the perfect end to a low key birthday!

a new beginning.

2007-11-01T19:40:00.000-04:00

Matthew and I spent the entire day looking at venues. I mentioned in the previous post that we had booked the Hollis Gardens & Magnolia Building over the phone, but we still needed to see the space before forking over the money. Just in case we didn't like it, we could cancel and I had two other places on our list to give us options.

The first two we looked at didn't give us that "awe" feeling. I was a bit disappointed, and scared that we wouldn't like anything. I won't mention where we went, but let's just say the second place was triple the price and although pretty, it just wasn't worth the money.

When we started to make our way over to Lakeland, I have to admit I was a bit nervous. I'm from the Tampa area, and Lakeland isn't too exciting of a place. However, once we got into the downtown area, my face lit up with excitement. We approached the gardens and the grounds keeper immediately introduced himself and started showing us around. The garden was beautiful, but I really wanted to see the building.

We walked in, took two steps...looked at each other and smiled. We found our place. The room is really basic, it's a historic building with hardwood floors, exposed beams on the ceiling and great big windows. It was perfect. No burgundy carpet to contend with, no hunter green velvet drapes hanging over the natural light, nothing. I loved it.

The gardens were booked for another wedding from 2-6 pm, so we either had to get married after 6 pm, or before 2 pm which didn't really work for us. So instead, we booked the promenade area bordering the reception building and have a lot of options with respect to the ceremony. It's a huge outdoor space with tons of potential!

So, we have officially booked a location! We are so happy with the space and I can't wait to dress it up a la Lynn & Matthew style!

Oh, and did I mention this place is super affordable? It's cheaper than the original spot and again...BYOB! Matthew and I are just starting out in life, together and we don't wish to do it in the "red." :)

a serious change in plans.

2007-10-29T18:12:00.000-04:00

(**Update: I just want to thank everyone for commenting on my situation, it really makes me smile! All is not lost, and I'm very hopeful that our wedding will be special wherever it occurs! Thanks again for the support, ladies!)

Today, I learned that the venue we picked will no longer be available. It's quite an awful story and I'll never look at municipally-owned buildings the same, but I spent the day calling to cancel all the appointments I had set and I actually found another venue. We are booked at the Hollis Gardens and Magnolia Building in Lakeland, Florida. It was actually the only Saturday they had left...maybe it was fate?!

Instead of camping out on Wednesday, we'll be driving down to my parents house on Thursday to spend my birthday with them and scout out the new venue.

More details to come, but for now I think I need a long nap before tackling school work.

big week.

2007-10-29T13:04:00.000-04:00

Not only did my sister get engaged last night (yeah!), but this Wednesday, Matthew and I are driving down to Sarasota to secure our venue! I've also made appointments to see a couple of florists and caterers in an attempt to kill 3 birds with 1 stone. I'm also meeting with my day-of coordinator on November 2nd (which happens to be my 27th birthday), so it's a major week in wedding planning!

With that said, Matthew and I have implemented a few new rules into the household:
1. No more television. Not that we watch a lot of TV, we don't even have a "show" but we tend to turn it on as we get into bed which causes more strain on the sleep. Instead of watching television, we've decided our down time should be spent playing Pictionary or going for a late night walk.

2. No more laptops after 5 pm. This is more for me than Matthew. I spend all of my downtime from school and work planning our wedding. However, too much laptop and wedding is never a good thing (at least in my mind).

3. Eat more fruit and veggies! (No explanation needed here.)

4. Wash all dishes to avoid dishwasher usage (i.e., environmental waste). We stopped using plastic bags for grocery shopping a long time ago. I bought these great cloth ones from our local market. So, now we're moving on to another environmental goal!

I'll post pictures of our camp out on Thursday! In the meantime, here's a picture from the fantastic Christine Farah. This picture just might change my mind about the all ivory bouquet.

i love my sissy.

2007-10-29T01:18:00.000-04:00

Tonight, I received a very important phone call...my sister and her boyfriend, Lawton are engaged! I rushed over to his place to hug her and see the goods (i.e., the bling) and all is well in the world! I'm so excited for them!

Congratulations, sissy! I love you!

Maybe we should rename the blog, "the Excited brides." Yeah?!!!?!?!

(photo taken by me - Jessica & Robert's wedding July 2007)

inspiration board #3 - chocolate and marigold!

2007-10-26T20:27:00.000-04:00

Comment away folks!

(Photos from MS Weddings, The Knot, & Rebecca Thuss)

chocolate and green is in the lead!

2007-10-25T10:22:00.000-04:00

Surprisingly, I'm no longer "stressing" over my color options. I think they'll just work out in the end, especially when my florist gets involved! In the meantime, though, this is really fun!

The great visionary over at Lucky Me! (via evoke photography) posted this picture recently. Sarah will love it, since she wants green flowers!

Doesn't this bride look...excited?!

(Lane, don't worry a chocolate and marigold board is coming soon!)

(Photo by evoke photography)

sashes!

2007-10-24T21:42:00.000-04:00

My beautiful sister and I spent the afternoon dyeing my hair and trying on her lovely bridesmaid dress with the sash that I purchased from Ann Taylor. I found an online coupon for free shipping and an extra 20% off, so I got all five sashes for $30! The girls are wearing their own shoes, but I had to take a picture of Sarah's because who doesn't appreciate a cute pair of heels?

She looks quite lovely, don't ya think?

second inspiration board - ivory & chocolate.

2007-10-23T23:47:00.000-04:00

It's actually getting much easier to make these. I'm just having fun at this point. I think this will help me narrow down my color scheme! Enjoy!

(Photos from Brides, Anna Kuperberg,
The Knot & Rebecca Thuss)

first inspiration board - chocolate & green.

2007-10-22T22:38:00.001-04:00

Trust me and the others when I say you could spend hours making one, which is why mine looks a little disorganized. I don't have hours this week, but I did have lots of great pictures. Here's my first scheme - chocolate & green.

(Top Row L-R: Brides, Good on Paper, J.Crew, Good on Paper)
(Bottom Row L-R: Michelle Rago, Kenny Pang & The Knot)

being a law student.

2007-10-22T14:38:00.000-04:00

I'm going to take this week and really try to get back on task with school, papers and work stuff. Don't worry, I'm not completely out of the wedding sphere, I'm working on a couple of inspiration boards that will blend some different colors schemes I've been thinking about.

The fabulous bride-to-be from Tying the Knot is thinking about completely revamping her color scheme, and honestly I'm playing around with that idea as well. I love the marigold and chocolate combo, but I think in practice it might be difficult to find the exact shade (of flowers) that I'm looking for.

Be on the lookout for some inspiration boards and a bridesmaid sash post this week! Otherwise, just think of me studying at Starbucks writing a paper on government subsidized health care and filling out my bar application.

Be well my friends!

something blue.

2007-10-18T20:54:00.000-04:00

Matthew and I are going to Orlando for the annual CCJ Halloween Horror Nights weekend! A group of my friends from high school, we call ourselves the CCJ (Crappy Club for Jerks from the Simpsons) get together every year for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. It's a great time had by all! We also have a great tradition called the CCJ Christmas Cookie Bake-off, I don't think an explanation is necessary!

Anyways, we're off for the weekend, which means a break from blogging. I suppose I need it though, after my super long post agonizing over the colors. I've sort of decided to drop the green color, but I may keep some subtle hues of it in the flowers!

The other day, my friend Marianna and I were looking at David Yurman rings. Have you checked them out lately? They are AMAZING. I fell in love with one and sent a picture of it to Matthew. Yes, I know I'm really bad! It could be my something blue though, no?!

This one on the left is priced a bit high, but man those cables are so cute! I love it!!!

The one on the right is more affordable and very simple, a ring that you could everyday!

possible twist?

2007-10-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

Maybe we don't have to decide between ivory and marigold...maybe we could do BOTH!?

chocolate, marigold and ivory...and green?

2007-10-17T12:56:00.002-04:00

I've posted about colors before (yes, I think about it too much), but I need some advice.

I've got chocolate bridesmaid dresses, an ivory wedding dress, and I would like the groom & groomsmen to wear navy blazers and dark khaki pants (I just love the look, I can't help it!).

So, I'm thinking my colors are chocolate, marigold and ivory. However, I'm having a hard time envisioning where marigold will pop up. Here's what I'm envisioning:

Tables: Long with ivory linens and chocolate runner, like the one pictured to the right. I like the ivory flowers too, but depending upon seasonal flowers/budget constraints we'll see what happens. I don't really feel limited to three colors (i.e., I ain't scared to change it up!)

For instance, I like the idea of having green, natural centerpieces (Image from Good on Paper). They have that earthy feeling that I really appreciate.

The marigold and chocolate is great combination as well (Image from The Knot). I think I would probably go more yellow than orange to prevent the "fall" cliché.

Looking at the green, chocolate and marigold pictures together, I could probably do a combination of both, that way the centerpieces will be distinctive. However, I'm not an expert at color palettes - does this even go well together?

I also like the idea of incorporating more green elements into the colors, for instance the seating cards below would be perfect, and then I could have small brown bags for people to take fruit home! (Image from Brides)

Flowers: I am having trouble deciding on the bridesmaids bouquets. Here are two options that I'm considering.

I love the ivory against the chocolate, I think it's a really classic and simple combination that will stand the test of time. (Image from The Knot)

However, I really want an all ivory bouquet. Is that too much ivory? I don't have a "bride" complex where I feel I should be the only one with this or that, but maybe the flowers should utilize a few different colors, right?

I'm really in love with Knottie Springchic's bouquet, I mean who isn't?!? I know a few of you have suggested I have a colorful bouquet, but I just love an all ivory one, I really do!

OR, we could do marigold for the girls. I think they would really look beautiful against the chocolate, but I don't want to suffer from the "Fall" theme too much.

So, to sum up - are there too many colors at play here? And what do you think about the bridesmaid bouquets? I'd love some advice from the professionals on this one!

Here is a compilation of all the colors:

(Image from Brandi's Inspiration Board via Style Me Pretty)

(Image from J.Crew)

(Image from Brides)

Okay, this is probably my biggest post thus far, but I really wanted to get everything out on the table and see how it looks AND what everyone else thinks of it. Please help me!

my outdoor dreams are coming true!

2007-10-16T22:40:00.000-04:00

I had a productive wedding planning day, which means I had a non-productive law school day! Oh well, right? So, I made some appointments with a florist and caterer to meet on the morning we book our venue. Have I told you this story?

So, our venue is municipally-owned, and therefore regulated by local ordinances which do not allow deposits until 1 year before the wedding, exactly 1 year. Thus, we have to camp out so that we can be the first ones at our venue. It will make for a very interesting Halloween, don't worry I'll take pictures of us in our sleeping bags at our venue. We are so dedicated!

Okay, so back to the original story, I made appointments to see some possible vendors, presumably after we book our venue officially (I'm so nervous!). Today, I spoke with Anna from Mattison's in Sarasota and she was so awesome. She did a recent wedding at our venue, and everything was outside - which is my dream! Her ideas were great, and I'm totally psyched to meet with her! Here's some outside inspiration!

(Image from Beth Helmstetter Designs)

(Photo by Anna Kuperberg)

(Photo by Chenin Boutwell)

(From knottie djrs - love her bio, check it out!)

blog action day!

2007-10-15T14:09:00.000-04:00

As a future environmental lawyer, this post is dear to my heart. From DIY Bride's site, here are some environmentally friendly wedding items:

Flowers - try Organic Bouquet for your wedding flowers! Or ask your local florist about organic flowers!

Cakes - try Edith Meyer wedding cakes, who uses organic ingredients for the freshest tasting cakes!

Projects - use recycled paper for invites and ribbon that is manufactured from natural materials, try Cream City Ribbon!

centerpiece Monday.

2007-10-15T11:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Classic Bride and a slew of others who mentioned Michelle Rago's site. Wow! The pictures are so inspiring! Here are a few centerpieces that I fell in love with.

I love the simplicity of white flowers.

(Photo from Michelle Rago Ltd.)

I love hanging pomanders. We are getting married under the tree below, and I think this would be the perfect solution to dressing it up!

(Photo from Michelle Rago Ltd.)

(Edson Keith Historic Mansion, Sarasota, FL)

Since we're discussing centerpieces, another long table picture for some inspiration!

(My apologies, I can't recall where I saved this picture, please comment if it's yours!)

back from DC!

2007-10-14T23:55:00.000-04:00

Matthew and I are back from DC! It was a great time - Adam & Anat were the best hosts! Here are a couple of pictures from the amazing weekend!

Matthew and I were very excited about the Lincoln Memorial!

With Adam, Anat and baby Michael at Mount Vernon.

i love my bridesmaids.

2007-10-13T12:42:00.000-04:00

A few posts ago, I mentioned my first experience with my gocco. Now that I've heard from a few of the girls, I can safely post my first gocco project - bridesmaid cards!

I had already asked the girls to be in my bridal party, but I still wanted to show them how much I appreciated their willingness to be a part of our special day. I mean, what better excuse to practice for invitation making on the gocco, right??!!

The inking was quite a messy process, but once I got the hang of it, I was a card making machine! (Granted, I only made 8 of them. Tee hee.)

I was able to fit the front of the card, the inside of the card AND my return address for the back of the envelope on 1 print master (I used paper and tape to block out the other stuff). However, in retrospect, I learned this wasn't very easy or efficient for that matter. We definitely won't try this for our invites, but for a simple card it's definitely cost efficient.

A little on the chessy side AND I stole the idea from American Express (**update: MasterCard!), but hey it was cute!

off to DC until Sunday....

2007-10-10T12:47:00.000-04:00

Matthew and I are flying to DC today, to visit our lovely friends, Adam and Anat (bridesmaid!) and of course their 5-month bundle of joy, Michael! I won't be blogging for the next few days, so I'll leave you with some great pictures taken by our "future" photographer, Jason Angelini!

You've got to love a photographer with a sense of style and HUMOR!

I know I've posted this before, but it's OUR venue, so I must give it props again!

(All photos taken by Jason Angelini)

long tables are the best.

2007-10-09T20:18:00.000-04:00

If space and budget allows, I want to avoid a round table situation at my wedding. I find them dividing, stale...circular. The idea of intimate conversation with your friends at a long table is just so much more appealing to me. I think they also help allay stress of a seating arrangement. I have a group of friends that are always split up at weddings, half at one table and half at the other. How about just one long table?! No one feels slighted!

(Photo from Artfool)

(Photos from The Knot)

colors, yet again!

2007-10-08T15:38:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I love navy, but my practical side has entered my head. I hate it when that happens. Now that we have chocolate bridesmaid dresses, which were so affordable, I'm thinking of a nice accent color.

How about marigold?

(from MS Weddings)

Here's an inspiration board by Brandi, that was posted on Style Me Pretty. I should probably start working on my own inspiration board, eh?

(From Style Me Pretty)

eyelet...a teaser.

2007-10-07T11:32:00.000-04:00

I took a little break from the blog world this week. I think after finding my kick-butt bridesmaid dresses, I felt the need to take a "break." Or, I felt the need to NOT fail my last year of law school, who knows?!

I spent a good part of my Saturday watching tutorials on Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop at lynda.com - a great resource if you're new to the programs. I was overwhelmed at first, but the tutorials really helped me out. I'm no artist by any means, but as many of you know, I purchased a gocco (off of etsy) a couple of months back.

So, last night after watching the tutorials and playing around, I had the urge to play with my gocco. WOW! I love that machine! I'll post pictures later!

In the meantime, I saw these cakes on MS Weddings this morning, and they reminded me of my Vera Wang, which is sitting in my mother's closet waiting patiently for November 1, 2008! Here's a little teaser of the eyelet detail on the hem of the dress. (Okay, now I really have to go study!)

(Photos from MS Weddings)

(Dress by Vera Wang)

my Wedding inspiration!

2007-10-03T13:15:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in the previous post that Kate and Jamie's wedding was the inspiration for my colors. Here are the beautiful pictures taken by Stacey Kane that inspired the chocolate choice.

Did I mention the groom's cake was a UofM Wolverine helmet? It's fate!

Check out Stacey Kane's blog - she's amazing!

I love the navy and chocolate details in the groom's suit.

(Photos by Stacey Kane)

I love the green and ivory flowers with the navy ribbon, perfecto!

(Photos by Stacey Kane)

(Photo by Stacey Kane)

(Photo by Stacey Kane)

The picture that inspired it all. Casual, elegant, preppy...classic!

(Photo by Stacey Kane)

our Bridesmaid dresses!

2007-10-03T12:53:00.000-04:00

Last night, in the wee hours, I found this dress on J.Crew for a whopping $39.99! After viewing Kate & Jamie's wedding, photographed by Stacey Kane, I knew this was THE dress. It's a little on the casual side, but we'll probably add a pretty sash to dress it up. For $39.99, I will make an exception for cotton seersucker, wouldn't you?

I'm just so happy that they are bought and done. My beautiful bridesmaids will tell you, I was getting a little stressed about the color and price. I wanted a dress that they would wear again and not regret forking over their hard earned money. I think the dress is the perfect choice!

It was such a great deal, my sister even bought one!

pink for breast cancer awareness!

2007-10-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

Ladies, it's never too early to get checked! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

(Image from Brides)

this one's for my sissy.

2007-09-30T22:22:00.000-04:00

My sissy, who called to tell me she looks at my blog every day...what do you think about this dress for you? Maybe in a champagne color?

You better come to kickboxing on Tuesday! (Oh yeah, we live in the same city - aren't we lucky?)

(dress is Vera Wang)

rethinking the navy dresses...

2007-09-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

In light of this slide show of Kate & Jamie's wedding, taken by Stacey Kane, I'm rethinking the navy dresses.

Let me break it down: Matthew and the boys are going to be wearing navy blazers with khaki colored pants. This is a done deal, no other changes will be made to this. In light of this, I think navy dresses might be too much navy.

Check out the slide show and tell me what you think - clearly, I'm stressing over this. Please help me!

(Image taken by Stacey Kane)

anti-boring portraits!

2007-09-29T11:43:00.000-04:00

I realized last night, while Matthew watched the Discovery channel, what I like to do in my 'vedge' time. I look at photography blogs. I LOVE THEM! They are by far the best inspiration. Last night, I happened upon a new one that blew me away! Chenin and Doug Boutwell from the Boutwell Studio are an awesome wife-husband team that have amazing creativity!

Check out their blog! Oh and lastnight, I learned that I'm a blogstalker. Who knew?

I love their style, especially their anti-boring, kick butt portraits!

(Image taken by Chenin & Doug Boutwell)

Here's their "Boutwell Photobooth!" No need for explanation here!

(Image taken by Chenin & Doug Boutwell)

Rustic is the new Classic.

2007-09-27T11:18:00.000-04:00

I love the fall. It's by far my favorite season, especially after a summer in Florida. At the outset of my wedding planning, I found myself drawn to the beach, because of the simplicity of the setting.

However, after browsing through photography blogs, knot bios and other real weddings the outdoor, rustic ones looks so effortless and calm to me. I know we have a beautiful mansion to eat in, but I keep leaning towards having the entire reception outside. The first two photos are from a real wedding on Brides, where the couple bought everything from eBay. The third photo is also from Brides. Our venue forbids lights in the tree, as a fire precaution, however I think a unlit chandelier would be beautiful!

please meet my bridal party!

2007-09-24T18:29:00.000-04:00

I know some of you ladies (i.e., Ashley) are going to kill me for posting pictures, but I have a lot to brag about, okay?! This is not just my blog, IT'S OUR BLOG!!

Here's a lovely picture of the four of us (Lawton, Sarah, myself and Matthew). Sarah is my beautiful, younger sister (can you tell?) and also my Maid of Honor!

Here's my bridesmaid, Ashley and I a month ago in Chicago, IL. We were crazy enough to wake up for an 8 am "fun run" along Lake Michigan. We are glowing, right?

My lovely bridesmaid, Anat and her adorable 4 month old son, Michael. Doesn't she look great?!

Another lovely bridesmaid, Kelly who introduced me to Matthew that very weekend!

My wonderfully giddy bridesmaid, Kate with her fiance Aaron - they'll be tying the knot 3 weeks after my wedding! This is one of their engagement pics - aren't they cute? Kate and I attended the University of Michigan together (GO BLUE!).

another for the moms...

2007-09-24T14:10:00.000-04:00

These beautiful photos illustrate the importance of complementing the wedding colors...

I love the contrasting colors here. I also love that both parents are escorting the bride. Matthew and I will be escorted by both of our parents, too! A beautiful picture taken by Laura Novak.

I love the tailored look here, the mom looks so regal, doesn't she?

This picture was taken by Mel Barlow.

There aren't any moms in this picture, but I love the dark and white contrasting colors. This picture reinforces my choice for navy dresses. This amazing picture was taken by Melissa Jill.

For the moms!

2007-09-24T12:49:00.000-04:00

I'm very fortunate to have a mother and a future mother-in-law who are totally supportive of my wedding and my ideas! My mom was totally cool about not being with me when I found my Vera Wang, and my future mother-in-law has been so receptive to all my ideas for the wedding!

Since my mother is Korean and doesn't quite know what to wear and my future mother-in-law lives up in Syracuse, NY area, here's a post for my moms!

Personally, I love the look of a well-tailored jacket, but recognize that some mothers may not like that look. I found some interesting how-to tips on the Knot for mothers dresses, but above all, I want my moms to feel beautiful and look like "mothers!" I suppose that's why I like the jackets, because no one else will have that tailored look and in pictures it's important that both of your mothers stand out!

I'm thinking chocolate, green or even a dark wine color for them. The mothers should definitely not match, but they should complement one another, especially for good looking pictures!

These two dresses would be good options for non-jacket dresses! Although a shawl in November would probably look pretty. (from Brides)

I love the drop waist in the first picture, and the lace jacket in the second photo is gorgeous! (from Brides)

Well heeled...

2007-09-23T22:37:00.000-04:00

My photographer is awesome, you know why? He's a man who appreciates the art of a woman's shoes! Matthew could care less about which heels I'll be wearing that day, but not Jason!! :) Here's a recent picture taken Jason Angelini and some other cute shoes to admire!

Here's another great picture taken by Anna Kuperberg of Yumi & Mark's wedding.

So, in light of the above picture, I'm really starting to warm up to the idea of NON-WHITE/IVORY shoes for the wedding. If these J.Crew shoes were in navy instead of black - oh momma! (**I just saved this picture a few days ago, but I don't see the shoe on J.Crew anymore!)

Classic Kate Spade and unique Lulu Guinness (from InStyle Weddings)

Happy Friday!

2007-09-21T11:33:00.000-04:00

My lovely bridesmaid, Anat and I were talking on the phone the other day about flowers. We were thinking lots of white and little bit o' green for the maids, and lots of green and little bit o' white for me!

I love these two bouquets from Martha Stewart, the second one is grape hyacinths!

This is my favorite from Leigh Miller's Photography Blog - check it out!

Simple white bouquet from the Knot.

2 vendors down, a million more to go!

2007-09-20T10:29:00.000-04:00

So, I've officially booked my wedding coordinator and photographer! That's a huge weight off the shoulders because I felt these two vendors were the most important to me. I love photography, so choosing someone who was talented and also affordable was my #1 priority!

Our wedding coordinator is Stacy Henderlong from Meant To Be Wed. I'm really excited about working with her!

For photography, we will be working with Jason Angelini. I'm so geeked about working with him, and he's been great at responding to all of my questions. He even sent us pictures from a wedding he did at our same venue, which was a HUGE PLUS! He also has a blog.

Here's a picture taken by Jason of the house! (*Jason, I hope it's okay to post one of your pics!)

Oh no you didn't....

2007-09-19T21:13:00.000-04:00

I love J.Crew. Bridesmaids you're lucky this is so expensive...and that I realize you're not as preppy as me. Otherwise, this would be THE DRESS. I love it. And those yellow shoes, oooh my heart just skipped a beat!

Melissa Sweet is just...sweet.

2007-09-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

I love my Vera Wang, don't get me wrong, but Melissa Sweet was the first designer who really made my heart flutter. Wouldn't my bridesmaids look amazing in these? Here's a little inspiration for the brides as well! :)

Vera Wang at Kohl's!

2007-09-13T20:14:00.001-04:00

**An update: My best friend and bridesmaid, Miss Ashley went to Kohl's today (yes, I love her too). Unfortunately, this is more purple than navy. :( Back to the drawing board! Honestly, I think in the end J.Crew will be the one, it always is!

Has anyone checked out the Vera Wang line at Kohl's? Look at this beautiful navy dress! Bridesmaids, if you can make it to Kohl's - try this on! It's something you would wear again, right? It's not as preppy as J.Crew, but I would certainly be willing to make an exception!

Why all the negativity?

2007-09-13T11:21:00.000-04:00

Some of my friends at the law school found out I was blogging about my wedding, and immediately started spouting negatives. What else would you expect from a future lawyer?! I found myself on the defensive, and then I felt hurt.

Now, I'm sitting in class trying to be studious, and I find myself angry! Why can't I blog about my wedding? I'm so excited about marrying Matthew, and sharing ideas with an outstanding community! Don't criticize me for being excited! Not to mention that every element of a wedding is so pretty!

I just had to get that off my chest. There! :)

J.Crew is the best.

2007-09-13T10:38:00.000-04:00

So, I got an email this morning from J.Crew - they added new things to their fall sale! You can imagine my surprise when I find this perfect, preppy, NAVY dress on there! Unfortunately, they sold out of it immediately. Darn. Well, I think this dress is perfect. It would look great on everyone and it's just so pretty! Hopefully, they'll come out with this again!

I think the colors are down to 2 - Navy or Champagne. I really love the navy linens with the white flowers, although this might be too dramatic?

Esty is a dream come true!

2007-09-12T19:41:00.000-04:00

Aren't these the cutest cosmetics bags from sidneyann over at Etsy? They would make excellent bridesmaids gifts, although mine wouldn't be surprised at this point! I love Etsy, it makes my heart skip a beat!

Champagne maybe?

2007-09-10T13:34:00.000-04:00

How about these? Now I'm really confused! I suppose it will come down to how much linens will cost to reconstruct that navy scenario below (which I love!), and I think the blush color on the bridesmaids will look fabulous! Lots to think about... :)

Bridesmaids - sound off! :)

2007-09-10T00:52:00.001-04:00

At first I was thinking navy for the bridesmaid dresses, but I'm not sure about that because I really like the table set-up below with the navy linens. Sounds like too much navy.

In any event, I like the styles below. Ashley, I think the middle one might be your best option, but I know you have reservations against J.Crew so we'll figure something out. The material doesn't need to be exactly the same - these first and last are versions of silk, and the middle is a crisp cotton. Just make sure it's not super shiny.

OH, and I will not ask you to buy matching shoes. I don't want you buying things you would never wear again. If you want to coordinate similar colors of shoes that's fine. Obviously, patent leather red would not be a good choice. Everyone has their own style and I want you ladies to feel comfortable and beautiful!

chocolate or navy?

2007-09-07T21:32:00.002-04:00

I'm having the hardest time picking my primary color for the wedding. Initially, I wanted the colors to be green and blue. Blue is my favorite color and green is Matthew's favorite. However, I've begun to think chocolate would be great too. Many of you know my love for J.Crew and this would be so cute for a Fall wedding and it's on sale for $79.99! Bridesmaids, what do you think?!

These photos were taken by Rebecca Thuss.

I'm not sure who took this photo - but the chocolate is beautiful!
The dress below is of course, J.Crew!

o gocco!

2007-09-05T14:25:00.000-04:00

So, I've joined the ranks of crazy people who decide making their invitations will be more exciting than ordering them. Did I mention I'm a law student, too? Yeah, I can do this.

Well, this crazy machine and juicyyumburger's pictures on Flickr have inspired me to make my own. It definitely won't be cheaper, but it sure does look fun! Plus, all the other things you can make with it - hello, your own stationary!

I bought my gocco on Etsy, which I've recently become obsessed with!

Also, look at these gorgeous fabric holders from Bird and Banner! I'm thinking this is another sewing project that would be so cute!

awww, Vera Wang.

2007-09-03T22:00:00.000-04:00

Many of you dear to my heart know my Vera Wang story. It was the second dress I tried on while visiting another fabulous bride-to-be (*Allison*) in Orlando. Once I saw the tag and the designer's name, I knew I couldn't afford it. But, as fate would have it a few weeks later, on the night Matthew and I set our official wedding date, I found the exact dress on eBay. A bridal salon in Pennsylvania was selling their sample size. I'm a lucky gal.

I've told Matthew to stay away from this blog, but I'm still paranoid. Plus, my dear friend, Anat, advised me to keep the picture to myself as to not disturb the "wow" or "awe" factor. I'll post some other beautiful Vera Wangs instead.

awwww.

Happy Labor Day!

2007-09-03T18:59:00.000-04:00

I hope that everyone is thoroughly enjoying their Labor Day! We went to St. George Island, about an hour away from Tallahassee to soak up some sun and enjoy the day off from school. As we were driving by the beach houses, I was reminded of my initial thoughts of renting a beach house for the wedding. However, that ended up being far too costly although still a wonderful idea.

Instead, Matthew and I found a municipal-owned historic mansion in Sarasota, Florida that we thought was perfect for our wedding. To me, it was a blank canvas - no burgundy carpeting and swirl wallpaper to contend with here! Inside it had antique wall sconces with pale yellow paint and dark hardwood floors. The possibilities were endless AND you can bring your own liquor. We thought this was key to throwing a great wedding without breaking the bank!

my first sewing project!

2007-09-02T23:19:00.000-04:00

So, I have the greatest friend who needed some help framing an amazing quilt over the weekend. In exchange, she taught me how to sew! My first project was two throw pillows for our very neutral couch! I found this great navy scroll fabric and some white fabric entitled "Martha's Vineyard."

Speaking of navy - I love navy and green, and I'm thinking those colors are going to make for the perfect preppy, classic, FUN wedding!

I've just discovered etsy.

2007-09-02T22:14:00.000-04:00

Since I haven't studied a lick today, I'm going to continue to post ideas. While on the wonderful a $10,000 wedding blog, I started seeing the word "gocco" and immediately responding, HUH? Eventually, I found out what all the fuss was about and then I found myself at etsy which happens to be the coolest community of craft projects.

Over the summer, I bought my first sewing machine and yesterday spent the day making the cutest throw pillows for our couch. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned the things you can do with a "gocco" and all the other DIY projects!

So, while on etsy, I happened upon these customized posters. Are these not the coolest things ever? I love the artist's idea of getting them matted for everyone to sign at the reception. I think guest books are pretty useless and this is a very unique alternative!

the Sulla Tips.

2007-09-02T21:56:00.000-04:00

So, this article really should have been my first post. Very soon after getting engaged, I started to envision my wedding, and I quickly became stressed and overwhelmed. I felt like I was drowning in all things wedding. I didn't have a million dollars to spend, crap! But then...

I came upon this article written by the brilliant Jennifer Mendelsohn entitled, "The Sullatips: Straightforward Rules for Keeping Wedding Planning From Sapping Your Common Sense, Squashing Your Sense of Humor, and Sucking the Joy Out of One of Life's Most Joyous Occasions."

Her article has forever changed my perspective, and I hope that you pass this on to any brides-to-be.

Another Mendelsohn favorite - an article from washingtonpost.com discussing post-wedding blues.

my first vow: to avoid the wedding stress factor

2007-09-02T20:56:00.000-04:00

So, for a few months now I have been collecting ideas for my upcoming wedding. For a while, I was using the Knot (that's probably a dreaded place to most brides) to collect information. There were many helpful and creative brides-to-be willing to share ideas on their message boards, but the most inspiring ideas have come from blogs.

A few of my favorites - The Preppy Wedding, Classic Bride, and Weddingbee have inspired me to create my own blog, which will hopefully be yet another forum for brides-to-be.

I've found that in reading about the "wedding industrial complex" many brides feel overwhelmed and stressed. It is my goal in starting this blog to hopefully take the stress out of wedding planning for myself and (hopefully for others!). There are so many of us out there experiencing the same thing - but above all we should never forget...we're getting married! This experience should be fun, creative and NOT stressful.

Yes, there will be times that DIY projects seem tedious and we're in dire need of a back massage. Yet, in the end we feel better for having done it ourselves in the quest for our "fun" wedding!

(*This photo is from Devonshire Photography. I feel this is what a bride should look like on her wedding day...excited!)