sevenpinkdiamonds

Movinggg!

2011-11-03T07:11:00.000-04:00

I've decided I have too many blogs to manage! Instead of trying to run them all and risking they all end up belly up, I've decided to condense. Starting today, any and all wedding posts will be posted over on my personal/deployment blog: Love from Home. Please head on over and join there if you are interested in keeping up with my wedding plans -- which is scheduled for 18 months from today! We are FINALLY moving along! =)

Thanks for your understanding!

Another New Date!

2011-08-14T18:17:00.000-04:00

We have been so busy lately! It's been nuts! The deployment is quickly approaching, so we're scrambling to finish our to-do lists (yes - lists!) and plan a going away party. I've been so busy I completely forgot to mention we have a new wedding date! We finally set another date. I am praying that this is it... Honestly, I am just tired of picking dates and pushing it back!

We decided to go with May 3, 2013, just 4 days shy of our 10th anniversary. We wanted plenty of time after he gets from from deployment and we were also shooting to avoid a winter wedding. As an Accountant, I wasn't keen on April either so we ended up deciding on - literally - the very first date that met our criteria.

And since we now have deployment dates and wedding dates we've also been apartment shopping. Our plan is that I will move us in a few months before Josh is due home so that he actually has a home to come back to. We managed to find one on our first attempt that we completely LOVE! I cannot wait until we get to move it... I might just be picking out paint colors already. =)

So, that's about it for now. Obviously, we have LOTS of time now to plan, so the posts will probably be infrequent until it gets closer, but hey, whatcha gonna do?

Engagement Picture Photo Book!

2011-07-06T22:05:00.001-04:00

Josh and I got our Engagement Pictures back this week and just LOVE them!! The first thing I did with them (before they even made it to Facebook!) was make a Shutterfly Photo Book with them! I just love Shutterfly! Here's the book I made if you're wanting to see more pics or my book! =)

Oh -- you might notice I snuck in my ring pics too... I was so proud of myself I just had to include them. LOL

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Ring

2011-06-26T19:45:00.001-04:00

During one of my many perusals on Pinterest (best site ever, by the way) I saw a photographer's work that had taken someone's engagement ring and placed it with Scrabble tiles. I thought this was the cutest thing ever, so, of course, I had to try it with my own ring. =) Here are the results. I think they look pretty neat. I ended up gray scaling / antiquing all of the pics because I liked the contrast of the stone...

Cakeeeee!

2011-06-22T21:04:00.002-04:00

I made a wedding cake two weeks ago for a girl I graduated with and, ladies and gentlemen (ok - just ladies), I think we now have a design for my own! Check it out:

I am in love with how it turned out and honestly, it was supperrr easy to do. Mom and I agreed that this would make a killer cake for my own wedding, with a few changes, of course! I'd do white fondant, not black, with white swirls and green ribbon. And I might just get that cake topper in "G" but I'm not sure because our monogram is "A+J" so "G" really doesn't go with the theme...

At any rate, I love it and I think I might just make one for myself. =)

Engagement Pics Sneak Peek!!

2011-06-04T22:40:00.000-04:00

Josh and I had our engagement pics done this afternoon (in 90 degree heat with some serious humidity, mind you) and our photographer already has a sneak peek ready for us! Have I mentioned lately how excited I am to be working with her?! AHH!

Anyway, check them out!

Photographer!

2011-06-04T11:38:00.001-04:00

Right after we booked our wedding venue (a date we still haven't gotten around to switching yet), we booked our photographer. The photographer was one of the most important parts of the wedding planning process for me. My feelings are that after the day is done, the only tangible memories you are going to have is the leftover cake and the pictures. Knowing that we are going to spend the rest of our lives looking at the same photos over and over, I knew I wanted a fabulous photographer. I had picked out a few way back when we first got engaged, but each one had something that I didn't love.

I can't begin to tell you how ecstatic I was when Josh's cousin official created her own photography business. She is just incredible. Her business is just less than a year old, but already she's got tons of clients and some amazing work in her portfolio.

We are getting our official engagement pictures taken with her today and I cannot wait! (The ones I'm currently calling engagement pics on the blog are just shots my mom took a couple days after we got engaged, so they don't really count... lol!)

Stephanie runs Bellabu Photography out of Grand Blanc. If you're looking for an affordable and talented photographer, I would definitely check her out. And, of course, I'll post our pics here when we get them back!

Ugh.

2011-05-20T22:02:00.000-04:00

I had all these posts I wanted to write and a bunch of wedding stuff I wanted to do, but it appears that, once again, the Army has a different opinion. For the fourth time since I've started planning this wedding, Josh's deployment has changed. This time, he even gets to re-do paperwork.

Needless to say, my wedding planning mood has sort of evaporated. I have no desire to plan for a wedding that is who knows how many months away (actually, years would truthfully be more realistic at this point).

So, once again, I'm starting over. (Thankfully, our wedding site will let us switch dates and we won't lose any money in the process).

I'll be back when we have a wedding date. If, you know, that ever really happens.

DIY: Seating Arrangement Chart

2011-05-13T07:43:00.006-04:00

I knew from the get go that escort cards were not what I wanted. It always feels like too much to sort through and, of course, they're a ton of work. In lieu of that option, I wanted to make a poster with this information. I found this example and knew I wanted something similar. So I tweaked her idea to fit our theme and came up with this:

Obviously, I erased the last names for the sake of our guests. It will clearly need tweaking once RSVPs come in (in, oh, a YEAR or so! LOL). I also want to replace as many "and guests" with guest names as possible because "and guest" feels so impersonal. Erasing was actually a great idea because I found a ton of typos and missing information, so go me! LOL.

I plan on getting it printed on Shutterfly and putting it on an easel in the entryway of the reception site.

And remember, blue = black now. =) Shame on my laziness.

8 Year Anniversary

2011-05-07T07:18:00.000-04:00

Today, Josh and I are celebrating our 8th Anniversary! Since he'll be overseas next year, this is the last anniversary we will celebrate together before our big day!

Happy Anniversary, babe!

Toasting Flutes

2011-05-05T06:15:00.000-04:00

Way back when for our engagement party, my future sister- and brother-in-law to be bought us these adorable toasting flutes.

I wasn't too concerned with toasting flutes and cake serving utensils, so I was grateful when they bought they flutes -- one less thing to worry about AND they look awesome. This was something I had NO idea what I wanted or would even like, so that was another bonus to receiving them as a gift.

I am contemplating add a "mr" or "mrs" to each flute with a ribbon, but I think I'll probably leave them be since they look so nice on their own.

Flowers

2011-04-30T06:07:00.001-04:00

I'm going to be honest, I know next to nothing about flowers. I struggle to even keep flowers Josh buys me alive. It's bad. Flowers are usually a pretty significant part of a wedding budget, but I don't think we'll be using them much since I don't love them. I'm designing centerpieces sans flowers for this reason. Why pay a fortune for something I don't really want?

With that being said, I realize that at the very least, my girls and I will need flowers. I've decided that I would like to have a mostly white bouquet with hints of green and possibly orange and the girls to have mostly green with hints of white and, again, possibly some orange. I have NO idea what kind of flowers I want to use or anything like that. I think I'll just leave that to the florist. =)

DIY: Monogram

2011-04-25T06:02:00.001-04:00

I knew from the get go that I wanted to do a monogram and use it on all our wedding paper, but I wasn't the biggest fan of traditional monograms. Plus, there's that "rule" that you're not suppose to use a monogram with your new married initials until after the wedding. And I REALLY wanted our monogram on our invites. So I knew when I saw these table numbers, that that monogram was perfect for us!

I got to work designing our version of the monogram and this is what I came up with:

Once again, please pretend that blue is black... =) Yet another thing I am working on switching to match my new color choice.

It's not quite as bold as the monogram examples, but I love it! I cannot wait to plaster it all over everything. =)

(It's possible you saw this on our contact cards already, but I wanted the monogram to have it's own post, so here it is again.)

Starting on the Invites!

2011-04-17T14:12:00.002-04:00

Working on the invitations! It's a good thing I started early... this is going to take foreverrrr. But it will so be worth it when they're done! =)

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

It's Official!!!!!!!!

2011-04-16T19:59:00.000-04:00

Well, it's done! We officially have a wedding date and venue! We signed the dotted line this afternoon! =) We decided to be different and go with a Friday as opposed to a Saturday like most people do. As of October 12, 2012 we will be husband and wife! =) I am SO excited!!

As for the venue, we are getting married at The Chapel at Hawk Hollow in Bath, Michigan. Here's a peek:

Gahhhh! I just LOVE it!!

The reception will be just across the road at Eagle Eye Golf Course. There are actually three rooms at Eagle Eye, but we went with the Lakepoint Room:

=))))))))))) It feels so official now!!

The paper is here!

2011-04-14T21:57:00.003-04:00

Lookie what came today!! Invitation paper. Yay!!

Don't mind my curious cat. He's after the box... =)

DIY: Wedding Bells

2011-04-14T06:51:00.000-04:00

One thing I both love and hate about weddings is the clinking of the glasses. While I think it's super cute that clinking can be something awful. So, when my friend offered to give me these adorable little bells she used at her wedding, I jumped on the idea. SOOO much cuter than clinking glasses (and a cute table decoration).

I realize the actual bells are a bit difficult to see behind the tag, but you can use your imagination. We all know what a bell looks like! =)

And, of course, now that I've changed my mind about colors, please pretend that blue ribbon is black. I'm going to have to redo these as some point. =( (I always thought planning ahead was GOOD... guess not this time... huh!)

I tied on this cute poem as well:

18 Months!

2011-04-12T07:08:00.000-04:00

Exactly one year and six months from now we will be getting married!! It's still unofficial until Saturday, but whatever. I'm excited! =)

Invitation work!

2011-04-09T19:56:00.001-04:00

After work today, I came home and got to work redesigning my wedding invitations. My old invites were in the blue/green theme, so obviously, they don't work anymore. I've also been having trouble finding heavy enough black cardstock. One of my absolute favorite crafting sites, PaperTrey Ink, sells incredibly heavy and super nice 8.5x11 cardstock, but unfortunately, my invites were designed for 12x12. I ended up redesigning the invites to fit that paper and ordered 174 sheets this afternoon. That should be PLENTY, but we'll see when it gets here. =) I'm hoping to knock out the pocket fold portion of the invites in May when Josh is off at drill for a couple weeks.

I also managed to redesign all the stationary on the computer. It's officially black and green now. =)

AND Mom and I picked out the wording for the actual invitation. That was wayyyy more complicated that I thought it would be. Who knew there were so many options?? We ended up going with something like this:

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel [last name]
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter

Ashley Marie

to

Joshua David [last name]

son of
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas [last name]

Friday, the twelfth of October
two thousand and twelve
at [time] in the evening

The Chapel at [name]
[name] Golf Course
[location]

Reception to Follow

Obviously, the details (time and date) arn't quite finalized just yet, but it's nice to have them ready to go.

I also changed my mind about the belly bands we were using and am now thinking of using ribbon and a monogram as opposed to the original idea.

I will never plan this far ahead again! LOL! At least the re-do is super easy since the content is already there.

We have a wedding party!! (Kind of)

2011-04-08T20:06:00.000-04:00

This week was "ask the bridesmaids" week! I was really hoping to ask our ENTIRE bridal party, but sadly, we arn't going to be able to see Josh's sister and family this weekend, so we're still lacking three members. =(

Tuesday night, I met my matron of honor for appetizers and drinks at her restaurant of choice. She had no idea I planning to ask her, so it was a total surprise and loads of fun! We're good friends (obviously), but since I started my new job (we were co-workers before), we really don't see each other much, which is a huge bummer. I decided though that my cute cards weren't really the BEST idea since it took all the girls foreverrrrrr to read them. I lack in the patience department... plus I was so excited I could hardly stand it. So, anyway, she obviously said yes. =)

(On a side note: THANK GOODNESS that hardware is coming off super soon. I look 12 with those braces on.)

Wednesday night I hosted girl's night for two of my other bridesmaids. One of them I've known since elementary school and the other for about two years now. We all go to U of M together now-a-days. We frequently have girl's night, so I thought it'd be cute to throw a "special edition" girl's night. I made spaghetti and garlic bread and bought cheesecake for dessert. During the pre-dessert course (munching on cake scraps from the cake I was making for the next day), I brought out their cards and asked them! Both were, again, surprise, though these two should have seen it coming! Kaitlin said I made her mom cry when she shower her the card -- LOL! That was so not the intention (according to my mother "it's a mom thing.")

I've also asked one of Josh's sisters, Megan, wayyyyyy back at our engagement party last June, though I'll be asking her again with a card since I wouldn't want her to feel left out. =)

(She happens to be posing here with our flower girl, Josh's Niece, Marissa, who we still have to ask, along with her mom and Josh's sister, Heather.)

And, less exciting for me, but still important none-the-less is the male portion of our wedding party. I had naught to do with asking the guys as I left that up to Josh. We're going to have my brother Tyler, his brother Zach, and his good buddy from high school, Steve (who is the best man). He still has to ask his brother-in-law, Derek yet.

No pics of the males in our family yet, but I'll do a final post with the whole party once the entire group has been asked. =)

I'm so excited that we're finally moving forward!! It feels so real now!! AHHHH!!

And it's about to get really real one week from tomorrow when we book our site and set out date! I cannot wait!

The Wedding That Inspired It All

2011-04-04T06:45:00.001-04:00

As is pretty common, when I started wedding planning, I had no idea what I wanted. That is, until I found this wedding over at StyleMePretty.com. It was absolutely everything that I wanted -- and the time of year we were planning for. I don't want to copy it 100% because I would like to be somewhat original, but the key things I like and plan to make my own include the stripes/line theme and the monogram. Overall, I'd say that's really not much, but it's a great start for me to build on. =)

Originally, I planned on using those colors as well (blue and green), but since that wasn't really panning out (see here) I'm now thinking black and green with a possible pop of orange to make it seasonal... we shall see!

Our New Colors

2011-04-02T13:49:00.002-04:00

Because I felt like it was necessary, here's our new (and hopefully, FINAL) wedding colors. =)

Also, the layout now reflects out color choices in case you hadn't noticed. =)

Wedding Update!

2011-04-02T13:17:00.000-04:00

I feel like I've done a million and a half things the last few days, but in reality, I've done a whole lotta nothing. I've been trying to crack down and make some decisions on what I want, but it turns out it's way too difficult! I always thought people who said wedding planning was a lot of work didn't really mean it. I mean, how hard can it be, right?

I soooo get it now.

I've changed my mind so many times this week, I don't even know where to start. Let's go with colors. So, I LITERALLY just made that post about navy blue and green, which has been my plan for OVER A YEAR now, and then I changed my mind. Mom and I got to thinking about navy working with black and white (which is what we're planning for table linens) and I just don't like it. And then I got to thinking about the girls in navy (again, my plan for over a year) and I wasn't loving that either. I am not the kind of person who can put navy with black and be OK with it. I NEVER do this with my wardrobe, so why I thought I would do it with my wedding is beyond me. So, colors. I now have to choose. Which sucks because I already bought all that paper in navy for the invites AND designed everything on the computer (all my stationary products) in navy. Really, I'm only out the paper since I can change my designs in about twenty minutes. But still. It sucks. On the plus side, I think I've made up my mind. I'm keeping the lime green. So it will be black and white and lime green. Which sounds like a lot of colors, but really the black and white is table linens only (and the groomsmen). Lime green will go on my girls (probably), in the centerpieces, and the groomsmen's ties (maybe). I'm also thinking about doing a pop of orange in the flowers since that's very fall-y. I have a post planned where I share a wedding I LOVE, so you'll see what I mean in that post. =)

Moving past my color issues, this week is THE week for asking the wedding party! YESSSSSSSSS! I'm pretty sure none of my girls know about this blog, so I feel safe sharing this. When the week's done, we'll only have his sister, her husband, and our flower girl left to ask. We don't see them very often, so we're not too sure when we'll be able to ask them. =( Bummer. Our final wedding party will consist of 5 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen, and a flower girl. We are contemplating a 5th groomsman to make it even (I've very Type A, so I like this idea), but we don't want to ask someone just to have an even number, so we don't know for sure. And we might add ushers, again, not sure.

I know the knot girls reading this would absolutely cringe at the fact that I'm asking my wedding party a year and half out, but honestly, we have to. 1) Josh is leaving soon for a year overseas and I want him to be a part of the asking and 2) 70% of our wedding party are college students. I know I'd like the notice if I was expected to buy a dress, etc. (I, in fact, was in a wedding last summer where the notice was NOT enough and I was stressing to get the money for the dress), so I am trying to be considerate. Really, it's what's best for us, so that's all that matters, right? Yes, of course. I'll share more about our party once everyone's been asked... so, moving along now...

Geesh, what else? OH VENUE!! I'm calling Monday to schedule a time to book our ceremony and reception sites!! YAAYYYYYYY!!! We decided NOT to go with Caberfae, which you saw a few weeks back and instead picked somewhere closer to home. Overall, it's going to be MUCH better for us to be closer to home, so it was a fairly easy decision to make. As soon as we've booked, I'll share all the deets, but I'm too nervous to share before it's set in stone because I'm afraid to jinx it, so more on that later too.

Considering that I've written a book, I think that's probably it for today. =) Probably.

DIY: Contact Cards

2011-03-30T07:37:00.000-04:00

I saw these cute little cards on getmarried.com and knew I wanted to have them! I designed them using a business card template in Microsoft Word, of all programs. It was was super easy and quick. When I was done, I just print and cut. I can't remember how many I ended up making, but I think it was around 40, which is way more than I should need, but I wanted to be sure there were extras.

Most contact cards list just the Bride and Groom, but since Josh will be overseas for the entire year before our wedding, I put my mom on there. Wouldn't do them much good to call Josh! =)

Our Colors

2011-03-28T17:12:00.000-04:00

You've probably already noticed from the previous posts or the blog layout, but I thought I'd share our wedding colors anyway.

I decided to go with navy blue and a green. These colors are super common for Spring and Summer weddings, but since we're going with a Fall wedding, I think it will be kind of unique. Also, I've never see anyone in my family use these colors, so it will be a new idea for all.

My DIY List

2011-03-27T11:19:00.006-04:00

I plan to do a lot of DIY things for my wedding. I love being crafty, so it should be loads of fun for me. (Plus, it's USUALLY cheaper -- bonus!) So, I thought I'd make a list for my reference (and yours if you're here looking for something).

(If an item is marked as done with no link, pictures will be up soon!)

Paper Related:
- ~~Monogram~~ Done! See it here.
- ~~Invites~~ Done! See them here.
- Programs (maybe)
- ~~Table Numbers~~ Done!
- ~~Seating Chart/Poster~~ Done! See it here.
- Framed Invite (After Wedding)
- Tipping Envelopes
- ~~Contact Cards~~ Done! See them here.
- ~~Will you be my Bridesmaid? Cards~~ Done! See them here.
- "Guest Book" cards
- ~~Photo Share Cards~~ Designed, but to be used? Not sure yet.

Other Projects:
- Card Box
- Centerpieces
- Cake (possibly as a centerpiece)
- Cake Topper (maybe)
- ~~Wedding Bells~~ Done! See them here!

Clearly I will be busy, busy, busy! But that's just fine by me because I love it!

Shoesssss!

2011-03-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

Since I'm in the beginning phases of wedding planning, I'm really just idea hunting right now. (And, just as fair warning, you'll probably see LOTS of posts on this since I like to save all my ideas in one spot.)

One of my favorite ideas I've seen so far is colored shoes! I LOVEEEE the idea of having colored shoes instead of just plain white -- much more fun. I am thinking I'll pick out navy blue shoes to match my girls' dresses -- and also to be my something blue. =)

See what I mean? How much more fun are those shoes than regular ole white?

Layout's Up!

2011-03-25T22:21:00.001-04:00

Yay! It's finally done! The sidebar needs a small bit of work, but at least I have the new layout up and running. =)

Now I can start sharing wedding stuff. Yesssss! =)

A quick update...

2011-03-10T19:22:00.002-05:00

I'm still here! And still planning (yay!) I think this time might be it -- the real thing. =) LOL!

I am in the process of designing a new layout for this blog (I really dislike this current one), so posts will resume after that's up. I have a hard time doing more than one thing what with school, work, and all that other good stuff, so new layout it is for now. =)

See you soon though, I promise!

Wedding Shower Cupcakes!

2011-03-05T20:04:00.000-05:00

I made cupcakes today for a wedding shower and thought I'd show them off. =) I ended up building the stand too (well, my dad did) because I couldn't find one I liked that didn't cost a fortune. Anyway, check them out:

It's hard to tell, but those are rings on top of the cupcakes. I might have to make these for my shower! I love them!

Success!

2011-03-01T16:31:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, we had our venue. Last spring, in all my wedding planning excitement, we started looking for venues and fell in love with one of our visits (we saw three then). We went so far as to place a hold on the venue. Then we decided that even though we loved it, we weren't really sure it was what we wanted. Plus, we had to give it up anyway thanks to the non-decision making Army. =) Love them!

But it seems the Army has at last made up it's mind about Josh's deployment, so today I contacted four more vendors: one in town and three out of town. I heard back from two, both out of town. We're really thinking a destination wedding is what we want, so when I went looking, I was after an all inclusive resort where we could have the ceremony, reception and rooms for the guests.

This afternoon we booked a tour at Caberfae Peaks. =) Yayyyyy! Caberfae is a ski/golf resort in Cadillac. Here's some pictures from their site:

This would be the ceremony site -- obviously. =)

And here's the reception area... it's actually upstairs, you can see the fireplace in the background there. I believe the dancing would be downstairs -- and I actually really like that they would be separate!

Close up of the head table

Another view...

I'm so excited!! We'll be going in two weeks! =)

And we're back!

2011-03-01T11:48:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's been forever since I've done anything wedding related, but FINALLY I think we are able to move forward!

I've revamped the entire blog for my fresh start.

I'm so excited to finally get started! I'm contacting vendors today, so hopefully, I'll have some good blog posts coming soon!

Tutorial: Make A Pocketfold

2010-08-28T17:01:00.001-04:00

Here are the instructions to making my pocketfold for yourself. Hopefully they make sense to you!

Materials:
12x12 piece of cardstock
Paper Cutter
Scissors
Pen/Pencil
Ruler
Adhesive

Step 1:

Cut your 12x12 piece of cardstock down to 12x7. Save those leftovers! You'll want them.

Step 2:

Score your 12x7 piece of cardstock at 4 1/4'' (4.25'') and 9 1/2'' (9.5'')

Step 3:

Create a template for your "V" shape on the shell of the invitation. I cut my template using a piece of cardstock the same size as the flap, then I measured in each side .5''. I used the ruler to draw a straight line from the .5'' mark to the middle of the flap. If this sounds complicated, look at the drawings I included for the pocket and reverse the "V".

I then took that template and traced it onto the flap and cut!

Now for the pocket:
Step 4:

Remember when you cut the 12x12 piece down? It's now 12x5. Take that and cut a 5 3/16'' by 3 1/2'' piece from it. This will make up your pocket.

Step 5:

Score that piece at .5'' and 4 11/16'' horizontally.

Rotate vertically and score again at 3''.

Step 6:

Cut the bottom corners

This image is rotated 90 degrees, but you can still see the lines. Where you just cut the corners out, cut again so that each side has an angle on top and bottom (so that when we assemble the pocket into the shell, the corners won't hang out).

Step 7:
Here's where the steps get hard to tell with words, so use the pictures as much as possible.
First, you'll need to make a template for the interior "V". Cut a piece of cardstock the same size as the inside of your current pocket (excluding the 3 "tabs" we scored and cut), which will be roughly 4 1/8'' by 3''.

Measure and mark the middle of the rectangle (2 1/16''). Once done, measure .5'' down on each side. Draw one line connecting the two .5'' marks and one line down the middle of the rectangle. See image:

Step 8:

Use the ruler to draw a line from the middle of each corner to the crosshairs of the two lines we just drew. Do this for both corners. Cut out the "V" shape when done.

Step 9:

Use the template to cut the "V" in your pocket.

Step 10:

Fold tabs and apply adhesive.

Step 11:

Adhere your pocket into the folder and you're done!

DIY: Invitation Mock-up

2010-08-15T15:19:00.001-04:00

Well, here they are! My babies - if you will. I'd already decided on blue and green for my colors before I saw this post, but once I laid eyes on those invites, I knew I wanted to incorporate the stripes into my theme. Thankfully, I didn't completely steal their invites, as the only thing I really liked about them was the stripes (I feel bad doing that even though I know everyone has to get their wedding ideas from somewhere). You'll see my version of that cute monogram-stripe look when I get other goodies posted.

I know that I am beyond early on creating these, but I wanted to be sure to get the mock-up done before Josh left on his deployment. Also, I figured I might as well get something done while I was in the mood to do it before I get all burnt out on wedding stuff and despise working on them. And really, it's just paper. It's not like it's going to spoil or go bad on me. I don't plan on assembling them this summer, but I might do the folding and cutting... As long as they're stored away from light (which gives another use to my cute box) they should remain unharmed until needed. =)

And so, my wedding invitations (so exciting!!):

We're having an adult only reception, so that empty white space is going to serve as our

"inside envelope" where we'll put "Jim and Jane" so they know not to bring the kiddies. =)

And the inside:

And some close-ups:

I don't think that's the wording we'll end up using, but I wanted something there so I could see what it looks like.

And there they are! I'll post instructions for cutting and folding the pocket folds for you soon. =)

Shadow Box!

2010-08-13T16:25:00.001-04:00

I made this for my Aunt / former co-worker who is leaving me for a spanking new job! It turned out so well that I felt the need to show it off. Check it out:

I think I might need one of these for myself! =)

DIY: Will you be my Bridesmaid? Cards

2010-08-12T17:03:00.002-04:00

I've been meaning to make these cuties for a while, but only just got around to it. I can't wait to give them out to the girls! I forgot a picture of the inside, but when you open them, they read, "I promise I won't make you wear an ugly dress!"

Here goes nothing...

2010-08-06T17:23:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know I'm a Type-A personality with severe OCD issues. I'm not a crazy person (at least - I don't think so and REALLY hope not!) but when I get it in my mind to do something - clean, bake, crafty fun stuff, anything - I jump on it. Literally. So it should come as no surprise that I've already begun my attempt at learning calligraphy for my wedding invites. I went Wednesday and bought some calligraphy pens and a mini how-to book (a cheapo, the good ones are on their way from the library) and got to it. It was a lot easier than I anticipated and I really like it! Turns out though that you really should follow the step-by-steps for learning it...

Case and point: pen just out of the box, I thought "who needs to learn, let's just write!" So I did.

Scary right? Let's put that on my wedding invites and see if anyone is impressed! I'm embarrassed to even look at it!

So with these fab results, I decided to just follow the "rules."

I started with basic doodles, learning the feel of the pen, the way the ink flowed... Turns out I HATE the pens I bought =) Good lesson learned!! I got the felt tip calligraphy pens, which are free flowing ink pens, meaning no dipping in ink. That was huge for me because I would inevitably make a mess with the kind you dip. But I hate the felt tip. It's wide and bulky and WILL NOT look good on my invites... but they work well for practice. I ordered a nicer fountain ink calligraphy pen - which should be here tomorrow, so we'll try that one out. =)

So, after shapes, I moved on to trying out lettes like the online tutorial suggested. Much better looking don't you think? Still needs work, but a great improvement!

But I got bored following the rules, and quit. I took what I learned, looked up some neat calligraphy fonts, combined it all and made my own font.

It was mostly trial and error.

This is what I came up with. I'm sure I'll change my mind 100 times, but I thought this way, I could practice writing the letters how I wanted them and if I want to make changes - I can! I've used roughly 1/2 of a spiral bound notebook practing, so I have a good feel for my pen and the way the letters are formed - still a long way to go though. And I'll probably have to start all over when I get my new pen, but we'll see.

And speaking of practice, I decided to practice my calligraphy on the certificates I had to make for our students at work. They're actually turning out pretty well! I'm quite impressed with myself. Obviously, I'm not quite an expert just yet, but I like the start I have. =)

She's at it again!

2010-08-02T18:05:00.000-04:00

I spent a decent amount of time believing that I would print my envelopes on the computer because that's what would look best - that is until I discovered calligraphy. Obviously, I'd heard of it and seen it before - heck! I've even tried my hand at it (mind you - that WAS 7th grade art class)! A mini debate on The Knot forums sparked my concern about printing my invitations, so I consulted my Mom and Aunt, who were leaning the "hand-write them" way. This inevitably led to research - and the ending point? I HAVE to learn calligraphy and I HAVE to hand address all my invitations. Thank GOODNESS I have two years to do it!

I'm so excited about this, I've already made a page about it on my wedding site (see here). First chance I get I am running out to grab a calligraphy kit. I cannot wait to get started! The hardest part, I think, will be finding a style I like to learn. I have to be careful not to choose a style too formal for my invitations (which I have designed - and GASP! am holding out on you, soon! I promise!) - which really means no swirlies. =( I LOVE the swirlies!! I'm sure I'll thank myself later when I am actually writing them out and they're much simpler than they could be - we'll see I guess! =)

If you care - you won't shop there!

2010-08-02T11:28:00.000-04:00

I feel like I say this a lot, but SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! Do not buy a cake from the grocery store expecting it to be the same as a cake you would get from bake shop - IT IS NOT THE SAME! Case and point: O's wedding cake. She'd asked me to make it, but due to the fact that I was also Maid of Honor, I didn't feel like I would have the time and effort necessary to make the cake - and I didn't want to do it halfway because that is so not fair. So, she offered to buy a cake at the grocery store if I would just add ribbon and polka dots. Easy enough right?

Not. At. All.

Grocery stores are fabulous for a sheetcake - not a problem. But for a stacked cake of any kind - not so much. Let me offer up my evidence to you:

Here's what they looked like when I stacked them together - lovely isn't it? The icing they use is not designed to be smoothed to flawless... it's stick and once it's on - it's staying. Thus, I decided the icing needed to come off and I would have to replace it with my own.

Here's the cake after I removed the icing. Look at that!! It's not even flush! Obviously, it needed to be shaped at this point as well.

The real shocker with this cake was that they WEREN'T EVEN LEVELED! How is anyone suppose to stack cakes that arn't leveled? You can't do it!

And this cute, was the top tier - as they gave it to me - gash at the bottom and all... so cute right?

So, I ended up essentially redoing the cake entirely. I had to carve it, level the tops, reice and THEN decorate. It was a ton of work and the end result didn't make me too happy, but considering the beginning cake - it turned out amazing. Here's the finished product:

And so, the moral of my story? Please know what you're getting when you buy your cake from a grocery store instead of a bakery - it is NOT the same result.

DesignHerGals Gone Crazy!

2010-08-01T16:29:00.001-04:00

DesignHerGals has featured my Wedding Shower Notebooks all over their website! I'm so excited!! Check it out at any of the links below:

DesignHerGals Blog
DesignHerGals Facebook
DesignHerGals Twitter

Tutorial: Mini Wedding Dress Cakes Part 1: The Prep Work

2010-07-31T22:57:00.010-04:00

Here's my tutorial for mini Wedding Dress Cakes. These can also be done as Bridesmaids dresses, etc. Whatever you like! I originally found the idea in this Wilton catalogue nearly three years ago. They were the very first cake I ever made (check them out here and here). They are PERFECT for showers, or if you're REALLLYYYYY ambitious, even wedding favors. I wouldn't suggest this unless you have A TON of time on your hands. The dozen I made that you are about to see took about 12 hours. I would said it's about an hours worth of work per cake, including baking, so they are definately a labor of love - but look at the end result! I think we can agree it will be worth it! I'm going to write out the tutorial for the cakes exactly as I made them, but of course you can customized them however you like.

I'll post this tutorial in three parts: prep work, baking, and decorating. This will hopefully simplify the process and make understanding all the steps easier!

Supplies (for parts 1, 2, and 3):
Wilton Mini Wonder Mold (see it here)
Mixer
Cake Mix
Frosting
Pam
Cooling Rack
#2 Piping Tip (see it here)
Decorating Bags (see them here)
Couplers (Optional - I'll talk about these later, see them here)
Fondant (see it here)
Dress Pattern (find it here - you want page 1 (bridesmaid) NOT page 2 (bride)!)
Rolling Pan
Mat
Icing Color
Cake Boards (see them here)
Board Cover (see it here)
Tape
Knife
Ruler

First things first!

The first step in making these cakes is actually to make the top half. These will need to sit two to three days in order to dry and harden.

Step 1: Cut out your patterns. The link for them is above. I only use the top half of the dress and the bow. There is also a hanger and sash, which you can use if you choose, but this tutorial won't include those.

Step 2: Color your Fondant. Grab a chuck of your fondant, whatever size (mine was about a 2 inch ball for this design). Choose your color (mine was hot pink). Using a knife, add a little bit of the color to the fondant ball at a time. Knead the ball until the color is completely blended. Add more color until you get the shade you want. See? So Simple!

Step 3: Roll out the fondant. I cut a small chunk off the block and roll that out. It's much too difficult to roll out the whole container.

Step 4: Trace and cut out your patterns. I'll show you how I did the bows, then use the same process for the dress tops.

Start by laying your template on the fondant, then trace around it with a knife.

When that's done, gently pull the bow away from the rolled fondant.

Step 5: Do the same thing, in white, for the top half of the dress. I would suggest rolling the fondant out thicker for these, 1/8'' to 1/6'' so that you can get a toothpick in the bottom. (See the next picture). The tops will need the toothpicks to insert them into the bottom half of the cake.

Step 6: Let dry for two or more days.

Step 7: Add the band to the bottom of the top half of the dress. Roll out the fondant and cut stripes roughly 2 1/2'' wide by 1/4'' tall. Wrap those around the bottom of the dress top, starting in the back. Use icing to adhere them.

And that's it! Now we can bake!

Click here for part 2!

Tutorial: Mini Wedding Dress Cakes! Part 2: Baking

2010-07-31T22:57:00.009-04:00

Here's part two:

Baking the Cakes

Step 1: Mix the cakes as the box instructs.

Step 2: Spray the inside of the Wilton Mini Wonder Mold with Pam - do so throughly or the cakes will not come out when you want them to!

Step 3: Pour mix into the pans. Be sure to fill it high enough so that IT WILL overflow - this is important so they will be level later! This is how full I fill mine:

Step 4: Bake! I bake mine at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and it's perfect, but the settings will depend on your oven.

Covering the Cake Boards

This process is super simply, but I thought I'd still include pictures in case you get hung up! I usually use wooden boards because the cardboard ones are so flimsy, but the cardboard works well for these mini cakes.

Step 1: Get your cake boards! Depending on how many cakes you are making you might need multiple cake boards. I used three different sizes, 6", 8", and 10". You can fit one cake on the 6", three on the 8", and four on the 10".

Step 2: Cut your foil to fit your board. I cut a square, then chop off the corners into a hexagon shape.

Step 3: Tape it down. I start in one spot and just work my way around. Here's what the bottom will look like when you're done:

And here's the top when you flip that over:

Getting the cakes out of the Pan!

Step 1: Let cakes cool slightly (roughly 10 minutes) once you remove them from the oven. It's better to cut them when they are still slightly warm.

Step 2: Before flipping the pan over, level the cakes. I take a serrated knife and slide it along the pan. It should look like this when you're done:

Step 3: Flip the pan over!

TA-DA!

Let the cakes cool completely now.

And that's it for Part 2!! Click here for part Part 3 with all you need to know about decorating!

Tutorial: Mini Wedding Dress Cakes! Part 3: Decorating

2010-07-31T22:57:00.008-04:00

The cakes are baked - now what do I do?

Covering the Cakes

Step 1: Roll out the fondant. I cut a small chunk off the block and roll that out. It's much too difficult to roll out the whole container. Your fondant will need to be rolled out to a size slightly larger than the cake. Don't worry if it's not perfectly round - we'll cut it later anyway!

Notice that my cake is not on the boards we covered in Part 1. I covered another cardboard cake board in wax paper to use while I decorated my cakes. It keeps the final cake board cleaner. When you're done covering the cake in fondant, you can pick up and put it on the covered board.

Step 2: Cover your cake with icing. I use a butter knife or a small spatula and just apply a thin coat.

I never use store bought icing when I makes cakes, but I had to this time due to time constraints. It really doesn't matter if you make your own or not, I just prefer to. =)

Step 3: Drape the fondant over the cake.

Step 4: Smooth the fondant. This part takes a little finangling. I start at the top, smothing out the overlaps. Just keep turning the cake, pulling out the overlaps, until you get your cake smooth. For this design, most of the fondant will be covered when we're done, so don't panic if there are any imperfections - you won't see them in the end! You'll notice I didn't worry about mine. =)

Step 5: Cut away excess fondant. I take a paring knife and run it around the base of the cake.

Step 6: You're now ready to transfer the cake to the covered board.

Here are my twelve done. You'll notice the look slightly less than attractive at this point. =)

Add the Bottom Stripes.

This part is also very easy! Roll your fondant out and cut 1/4'' stripes roughly 10'' long. Wrap them around the base of your cake. I didn't need to use any icing to adhere mine, but if you notice the ends coming up, just dab a bit of icing under the end and it'll stick back down!

Piping the lace.

If you've never piped icing before, this is the best kind of piping to do. If you've never filled an icing bag, check out Wilton's tutorial for that here. If you have, skip that a get your bags ready. =)

To pipe the lace you're going to squeeze the bag and let the icing fall on the cake however. Here's a couple close up pictures of my lace. There's no real instructions for doing this, it's basically an icing free for all - which is the best part! If you make a mistake, no one will know!

Assemble!!

The last step is to put your cakes together! Just stick the top half down into the center of the bottom of the dress. Once that's done, attach the bows to the back of the dress top with icing - AND YOU'RE DONE!! It's a lot of steps, but they're all pretty easy. =)

Tutorial: Memo Pads

2010-07-28T08:25:00.001-04:00

As promised, here's a tutorial for making your own memo pad. =) My pads are from designhergals. I used the "Memo Refill Paper" and the Print-at-home option (printing 50 sheets). This would also be great for scrap paper notepads.

Materials Needed:
- Paper for Notepad
- Paper cutter
- Paintbrush (Small)
- Tacky Glue (picture of the brand I used below)
- at least 8 1/2'' by 11'' sheet of paper - solid or print - bigger works too
- buttons (2)
- small ribbon or craft thread
- 3-d adhesive (dots, squares, etc.)
- tape runner, adhesive squares, or the like

Step 1: Cut paper. Mine was cut to 6 1/4'' by 4 1/4'' and that's the size this tutorial will use.

Step 2: Carefully align and clip the loose leaf sheets into a notepad. I've seen a clamp used before, but I prefer binder clips; they're just easier to work with.

Step 3: Paint the tacky glue onto the top edge of your notepad. I poured the glue into a small container and dipped the paint brush into that.

Step 4: Let tacky glue dry, repeat process again.

Step 5: While the glue dries, we can make the outside of the notepad. Grab your paper and paper cutter.

Cut the paper down to 6 1/2'' by 11''.
Score it horizontally at 4 1/2'', 4 3/4'', 9 1/4'', and 9 1/2''.
When I was done with that, I cut the right hand side on an angle to add extra interest to the cover - this is totally optional and up to you. =)

Step 6: Fold on your scorelines and insert the notepad, which is as simple as applying adhesive from to the back sheet and sticking it in!

Step 7: Now the buttons! I apologize for the lack of photos for this description, but it's very easy. This finished picture should be enough to help you understand. =) I threaded my two buttons, but that's entirely up to you. If you choose to do so, do that first.

Step 8: On the back of each button, apply one 3-D adhesive. On the cover of your notepad, apply another 3-D adhesive to the flap, and a fourth to the cover, obviously you'll want to align them! DO NOT stick the buttons on the cover yet!

Step 9: Before you adhere your buttons to the cover, cut a length of string (any length will work, mine was about 6'') and stick it to the 3-D adhesive you placed on your cover flap. Then place one button on top of the thread and the second button on top of your other 3-D adhesive.

Step 10: And You're Done! Just wind the thread around the buttons and TA-DA!

Wedding Luncheon Favors

2010-07-27T08:34:00.000-04:00

I am beyond excited about these little guys. They have been my pride and joy of this party. =) For now, I'll just share pictures of the ones I made, but later I'll post a tutorial for making your own. The stationary came from DesignHerGals, where I have a print at home subscription. It is PERFECT for girly, fun gifts. I love them. =)

Here's the outside, I customized everyone's to match their favorite hobby, which you'll see is incorporated on the inside.

Here's a close up of mine, I added some rhinestones to see how they looked but ultimately decided I didn't like them, so they were left off the others:

Here's mine on the inside =)

Here are some close ups of the other girls' stationary:

Since we had the cute gifts, they obviously needed cute wrapping, so I made these tags:

And wrote each girl's name on one:

And tied them onto matching bags! I love how they turned out!!

Like I mentioned above, I'll post a tutorial to the notepads soon! In the mean time, head on over to deignhergals and check out all their amazing stuff. =) (side note: no, they're not paying, I just love them!)

O's Mini Wedding Dress Cakes

2010-07-26T10:43:00.000-04:00

Let me just start by saying: I adore these cakes; not because I made them or anything egotistical like that, but because these mini dresses are the cutest things I think I've ever seen. I made a dozen of these for O's wedding luncheon Sunday. I'm not going to lie: they were A LOT of work. Like 12 hours worth of work. But it was so worth it! I'm so in love with these little guys that they will be my first EVER cake tutorial, so look for that coming soon! I cannot wait to share!

And here's a close up my friend so beautifully arranged... =)

Wedding Luncheon Recap

2010-07-26T08:22:00.000-04:00

Before I post any of my many tutorials, I wanted to share pictures of my wedding luncheon that I threw Sunday. I think it all turned out really well! I was super happy with it!

Here's my placemats for the table. Our "theme" was pink, so it was super easy to work with!

This is what the table looked like before the guests arrived. I used their favors as place settings. I'll share the favors with you in another post. =)

Here's the bride's bag. My friend, Christina, had the forethought to bring the bride a crown - she just loved it!

& Here's me with Christina. She was such a huge help!

Anddd here's the party goers. It was just a teensie party, but it was super nice. =)

Looking for an invitation?

2010-07-18T21:32:00.000-04:00

I am playing the role of maid of honor in the upcoming wedding of a friend from high school and as such, I get to throw a party!! I love parties!! I thought I'd share the invitations (as well as a few other things - coming soon) in case anyone out there was looking for some inspiration! These invitations came from DownloadandPrint, which is one of the best best best resources out there for FREE printable invitations and more. =) This style came in blue on the website, but I changed the color to pink to match our party theme. I love it!

Engagement Party! - Part 4

2010-07-09T16:45:00.000-04:00

While researching wedding goodies online, I noticed it's really hard to find music ideas. With this in mind, I'm sharing with you my Engagement Party playlist full of lovey dovey, but fun songs in the hopes that someone else will be able to use it and not have to face the frustration I had trying to track down some decent music ideas. =) I will warn you in advance though - it's almost all country. =) Enjoy!!

1. Always - Bon Jovi
2. Then - Brad Paisley
3. Mud On the Tires - Brad Paisley
4. Waitin' On a Woman - Brad Paisley
5. She's Everything - Brad Paisley
6. All-American Girl - Carrie Underwood
7. Stealing Cinderella - Chuck Wicks
8. The Way Love Looks - Easton Corbin
9. Love Your Love the Most - Eric Church
10. Check Yes or No - George Strait
11. Gimmie That Girl - Joe Nichols
12. You're My Better Half - Keith Urban
13. Once in a Lifetime - Keith Urban
14. Down the Road - Kenny Chesney
15. I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe
16. Moondance - Muchael Buble
17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Michael Buble
18. Baby (You've Got What It Takes) - Michale Buble
19. Love Story - Taylor Swift
20. Mary's Song - Taylor Swift
21. My Best Friend - Tim McGraw

Engagement Party! - Part 3

2010-07-06T21:45:00.001-04:00

I know I said I was out of things to share, but I forgot the Thank You Notes. =) I made my own for this party, however for the wedding, I plan to buy them as I will need so many. It actually ends up being cheaper - which is fine by me! I love make cards, but making 200+ of the same one would not be my idea of fun. =)

Here's my Thank You's, essentially the same cards, but in two different colors. They both have the same embossed background, but for some reason you can't see it real well on the pink card.

Engagement Party! - Part 2

2010-06-28T16:32:00.002-04:00

Here's the next round of photos - Enjoy!

There's us =)

More us.

Our display of "us through the years" if you will

Josh and I eating with our friends.

Playing slingball, or ladderball, or Hobo Golf, whatever you choose to call it =)

Playing "Newlyweds"... which was a total surprise, but we somehow managed to win! It was a super cute game. We played against the newlywedded couples on each side of our family - on his side, the newest wedded couple was 28 years! Wow!!

Late in the night, we swapped "Josh and Ashley" for "Josh and Steve." It's a going joke with his family as Josh and Steve spend HOURS together nearly every day fishing, so they joke that those two are actually the couple. It doesn't bother me though as I have no interest in fishing, so Go Steve! Hahah. I'm all for a fishing buddy. =)

That's it for the Engagement Party pictures. I don't really have much to share as I wasn't involved in any of the planning for it, but it was a good time and we loved it! =)

Engagement Party! - Part 1

2010-06-27T17:40:00.000-04:00

Our Engagement Party was Saturday night. We had such a fantastic time! My wonderful Aunt, Uncle, and Grandma did all of the planning and wouldn't let me see anything until the day of, but it was a happy surprise as they did a fantastic job! I'll narrate the event through the pictures rather than bore you with a monologue. =)

Let's start with the decorations:

There's Mom's patio =) Hahah.

And the Chinese lanterns - don't mind my brother setting up! =)

The PowerPoint Table...

I thought this was a neat picture

Out by the pond/fire pit with our NEW Adirondack Chairs =)

The outdoor tables, blowing in the wind... haha

Centerpiece close-up

The inside tables... sorry about the dark!

Close-up of that center piece

I'll share more pictures in the next post. =)

Engagement Pictures

2010-06-19T14:08:00.000-04:00

While we're talking engagement, I figured I'd also share our engagement pictures. We're fortunate enough to have two years before the wedding, so I plan on taking summer and fall pictures as well. Here's the ones from February when we got engaged. I love the snow in them! =)

One week from today!

2010-06-19T12:44:00.003-04:00

Exactly one week from today is our engagement party! =) I'm so excited!! My Aunt/Uncle and Grandma are throwing it for us. I think I've forgotten to explain, but we're pretty much doing all the wedding stuff this year before Josh leaves for his deployment. I wanted him to be involved in the process as much as possible, so we're doing all of our pictures, parties (well, just this one, no showers or anything like that as it's WAY too far out), and planning now! It actually works out well for me because technically I get to plan twice then!! Once with the all decision making, then again with the actual doing. =)

As for the party - we're just doing a family get-together. My dad is one of eight and his parents are one of five and one of four, so we have tons of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Nice in most instances, not so great when you're planning a wedding!! Right now the guest list is at 180 and we're hoping it doesn't grow much more. =) So, for the party, in order to keep it manageable (we're having it in my parent's backyard), we're just doing aunts and uncles, grandparents, parents (obviously), and a few friends. I've invited a couple girls from school and he invited his best man. It should be a great time and with so few people (which is still about 60 due to family sizes) we'll be able to spend time with everyone. =)

Here's what the invitations look like. We ordered them from weddingpaperdivas.com. They are so nice! I would love to get my wedding invites from them too, but I really want to make my own - so I am! They don't match the wedding theme, but they are so cute we just had to get them!

the proposal

2010-06-15T22:04:00.002-04:00

Here's to the first of many wedding posts over the next two years! =) I figured the best place to start is at the beginning:

I met my fiance, Josh, in Middle School of all places. We were both on the track team. It was during those youthful days of "asking out" whoever you thought the cutest guy was, even if you didn't really know them. Thankfully, that worked out in my favor. As is typical, we spent the first year or so of our "relationship" listening to each other breathe on the phone. =) Since he was an 8th grader and I in 7th, we spent the second year essential apart. Throughout High School, the relationship grew through the wonderful trials of adolescence, which leads us to today, where we are three and four years out of high school and finally standing on our own two feet - and still together! =)

Essentially, we had "two" proposals, if the first one even qualifies as such. At the end of January 2010, we found out that Josh will be deploying to Afghanistan in 2011 for the entire year. It was a simple decision for us at the point to decide to get married - when you've been together nearly seven years and have foreseen the imminent deployment, the plan is more or less already in place for you. Thus, we announced our engagement to our families and friends on Feburary 4, 2010.

As a true romantic a heart, Josh was unwilling to accept the business-like fashion of the "proposal." Following the engagement announcement, we [I] began ring shopping. About two months later, and without my knowledge, Josh ordered the ring I was not-so-subtly suggesting he get for me. At the end of April, Josh took an unsuspecting me out for dinner. Afterward, he commented that he wanted to go down to the park by the Curwood Castle to "check out the fishing." Grudgingly, and still unknowing, I agreed. (It's important to note that the weather this past April was COLD. I am naturally cold all the time, so even a light breeze is enough to give me goosebumps.) When we got there, he asked that I come with him "to look at the fish." Due to the aforementioned cold weather, I whined. Eventually, he got me out of the car and we proceed to walk toward the river. He talked about fish for a bit, while I continued my whining. When I finally noticed he was no longer walking beside me, I turned around to find him on one knee - and he proposed!

In hindsight, I feel bad for all my griping about the cold weather. I don't feel it ruined the moment, but it was probably irritating as heck for poor Josh. Maybe I was subconsciously preparing him for the future. =) However, I think it's fair to say I'm not usually a whiner - just on occasions.

So, did I know it was coming? As I hinted above, not at all! You would think I would have, as I was bugging for my ring and I knew that he was going to do something more "official" than us just deciding. But that day, in that way, I had no idea. =) It was wonderful and perfect and I wouldn't change a thing!

the first wedding purchase!!

2010-06-09T17:53:00.002-04:00

I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I made my first wedding purchase on Monday!! It was hardly a key item, but I'm excited none-the-less. Ta-da!!!:

Paper, I know, just paper. But still! It marks the unofficial beginning of the wedding preparations. =) I bought only about 1/3 of the navy paper I will need, but I'm heading back at the next sale. Naturally, once I bought the paper, I needed somewhere safe to store it. So I got this as well:

I love it. =) Those flowers are too cute. So, anyway, that's my start!

I've also made a decision (I think!) on the wedding blog. I keep finding I have more and more stuff wedding related to post, but I really don't think I need two blogs at one time. I've decided, I think, just to post everything wedding related here and give it a special sidebar. Seems like a good idea to me, so we'll see!! It would mean a new layout and that's depressing as I love, love, love this layout. I guess I can't have everything though! =)