Flower Power

Fine. I'll admit to being a girly-girl.
It is true that nothing makes me smile like fresh flowers.

On the other hand, most floral prints make my stomach turn. Luckily, with guidance from my amazing planner/decorator/wonderwoman we were able to keep it from looking like a country rose garden or some other idea that would make me nauseous.

My black thumb and I are still learning the names of flowers, but we've got some combination of the ones below. Somehow, I feel like each one represents part of my personality.

peonies - the showy flower, because I've been know to be "extra" at times



hydrangea - the all-over-the-place flower, because well, sometimes I am all over the place



and ranunculus - the orderly lady-like flower, because someday when I grow up I'll be organized and lady-like.



And this just made me smile.



My only fear is that in my new-found floral enthusiasm, I've included too many flowers. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping to smell the umm...peonies?

photos from pbase.com, saundersbrothers.com, easytogrowbulbs.com, and etsy.com

Things Are Getting Done

Theknot.com's checklist is way too long and detailed.
It's time to think like the boys.



venue? chosen. check!
caterer? chosen. check!
photographer? chosen. check!
videographer? chosen. check!
DJ? chosen. check!

cake? chosen.
linens? chosen.

bridesmaid dresses? in progress.
bridesmaids gifts? in progress.
registry? in progress.
save the dates? in progress.
chair hanger? in progress.

my dress? umm....
out of town baskets? umm...
bathroom baskets? umm...
guestbook? umm...
flower girl basket/ring "pillow"? umm...
kid's entertainment? umm...
invitations? umm...
favors? umm...

200 days left. How am I doing?

The Little Pink Card

The Christmas holiday has come and gone. I'm sure many men agonized about what to put under the tree for their honey. Not mine. Mr. Man is great at gift giving. But for the man who always wraps something out of left field, there is always this funny little thing: The Little Pink Card.



If you had to "fix your face" after you opened your gift, then this might be for you. The Little Pink Card is nifty wallet-sized card that assists
your husband, boyfriend or significant other in always buying you the perfect gift. Its customizable with your name and "favorites".

Do I really think people should get this card? No! It's crazy! If he gets you something, just smile and be thankful. But I still think it's funny.

On the wedding front though, things are getting crossed off.
We've decided on the cake, chosen the linens and picked a DJ.

Next, I'm looking forward to a shopping adventure with the best wedding coordinator out there on Tuesday. Craft and fabric stores, here we come!!!

Matchy-Smatchy!

My bridesmaids and I will be going to pick out dresses soon. Although I have pretty much decided what I want, these pictures of non-matching but coordinated dresses makes me want to reconsider.

The coordination is much more modern and fresh than matchy-matchy dresses and every girl could choose a dress she loves.

So....to match or not to match?

My girls might look something like this...

photos from instyleweddings
collage from nordstrom, revolveclothing, urbanoutfitters and edressme

How is Wedding Planning Going?

Here is an answer in song.



It starts off orderly and neat.
And then you get a million trillion ideas.
Beaker "said" it best.

(I promise I will get the engagement pictures up soon!)

Let Them Spend a Fortune on Cake!

Since Mr. Man and I had to drive down to Houston for our engagement session, we took advantage of our time there to "cake shop". We left Dallas at 4 AM and had appointments from 8 AM till forever. I won't whine because it's cake tasting for goodness sake, but we were tired and that stuff is crazy expensive!

More about the adventure later, but in the meantime, it's just more fun to look at pretty pictures.

photos from the knot

I've Got the Shutterbug

Engagement pictures are tomorrow!

He says he will die inside if I show him another outfit choice.

I guess that's what I get for living far away from most of my bridesmaids. I miss you ladies. :(

Wish us a warm cloudy day!

I'm With the Band(s)

Mr. Man and I took a little time over the Thanksgiving holiday to get my engagement ring resized. While were at the store, I suggested that we look for wedding bands. Knowing Mr. Man is not an impulse buyer, I assumed that we would only look and not buy.

I tried on some that were too blingy for my taste. I tried on some that looked great with my engagement ring, but looked boring by themselves. And then, I found the one. Of course I wanted it. But I just knew that were weren't getting it today. So I politely asked the salesperson to put it back and took a phone call.

Somewhere during the phone call, the decision was made and the ring was purchased AND I FREAKED OUT. I'm not sure why. I'm as sure as sure can be about marrying Mr. Man. but it somehow seemed like a big ceremonious step that I hadn't prepared for.

I shared my crazy thoughts, and let me know I was silly. He was right.

Even though I know we've already made "the decision", each little step is new and exciting.

I can't wait for the next one.

Registry-ing

Creating a bridal registry is a weird idea. You, in essence, are allowed to make a ginormous wish list of things you need or want. This is a bad idea for someone like me. Although deep down inside there lives a practical person who know that "things" are not the stuff of life, I do not deny that my eyes light up when I see high thread count sheets or beautiful china.

Mr. Man's "practical person" is much bigger. He would prefer cash gifts. So, as usual, we have come up with a compromise. I will get my long-dreamt-about adventure in a department store with a scanner and we will include a link on our wedding web page where guests can contribute towards our honeymoon or wedding.

Until the fateful day arrives , I can search for things that make me smile - the totally frivolous, expensive things that I would never actually register for.

Here's what I have found so far:

Just because it looks cool.
Glass Cookbook Holder at Williams Sonoma.

Because wrinked never equals cute.
Upright Steamer from Amazon.com

Two surfaces to cook on. One thing to clean.
Electric Indoor Grill by Williams Sonoma.

I'm a sucker for simple.
Oneida Dinnerware.

Modern. (me) Comfy. (him)
Soho Bedding at AJMoss

Maybe I want it just because it's cold, but who doesn't like hot chocolate?
Bialetti Hot Chocolate Pot at Williams-Sonoma
Because a picnic for two will be fun on day five and year fifty.
Classic Gourmet Picnic Basket from Picnicfun.com


What would you register for?

A Shopping Trip

After help from my sorority sisters and hours of online searching, I'd finally decided on the engagement picture outfit. It was a pretty yellow wrap dress. I'd had it all figured out. The yellow was for fun and wrap dress was for flattering the figure.

The plan was all in motion until I ran it by Mr. Man.

He.hated.it.

Well actually, I'm being a bit dramatic. He said he didn't like it. And for a guy who rarely has an opinion on his own clothes, "i don't like it" is a pretty strong statement.

Normally, I'd find some cute shoes and keep it moving, but since this will go out to all our family and friends, I decided to rethink the outfit. Off to Northpark Mall we go!

Let me know if you see anythingonline that screams "wear me, wear me!".

photo from j.crew

Happy Feet

Wouldn't your feet be happy if they had these on?

I'll love you forever if you find some similar for me.

Something For The Little One to Carry

How awesome would it be to have the cutest little soon-to-be-godson ever carry this little number down the aisle?

Cost? According to Once Wed, about $7.70.

Another addition to the DIY list? I think so.

No one will pay any attention to it, because Mr. Man's godson is so cute, but if you're going to procrastinate, why not make good things come out of it?


photo from once wed

This Is Worth A Thousand Words

::sigh::

My New Wedding Toy and Other Joys

It's not Christmas yet, but I've gotten many presents!

First and foremost, the United States of America has an awe-inspiring new President! It didn't really hit me until I saw one of those posters with all the presidents on it that was in the front of your elementary school classroom. After number forty-four, that poster will look just a little different. I'm proud to have a Black president in office, but I'm even prouder that we have someone who is capable of moving this country to action.

Second, my new wedding toy is heat embossing tool. Its this little handheld machine you can use to emboss paper or other surfaces. I've been playing with it every chance I get. Pretty placecards and marvelous menus, here I come! You can check out a heat embossing tutorial on DIYBride.

photo from DIYbride

Somthing Old. Something New. Something Scary and Blue?

I am not really big on Halloween, but I did find something both scary and wedding related.

Malibu Betty is "color for the hair down there".

It might be fun as a bridal shower gag gift, but what do you say when his grandmother asks you about your "something blue"?

Why not make it pretty?

I know they say you won't ever touch your purse on the big day, but I've got to have somewhere to put my essentials.

Why not make it pretty?

This bag from dorchi's Esty shop is gorgeous. How cute would it look in raspberry satin with a subtle gold lining?

I Couldn't Help But Share

I've been pouring over all things wedding, and on the rare occasion it happens, it makes me smile to see a Black love on the big day. Kate Headley photographed Sonya and Janssen's gorgeous wedding and Elizabeth Ann Designs and The Bride's Cafe both posted about it. The photo on my blog is just a sneak peek. (Check out those orange shoes!)

Click here and here to see something simply gorgeous.

Guess who....

....has a wedding website!!! Whoo-hoo!

I am not sure why, but it feels all extra-official.

We shall release the address when it's all up and running.

Be on the look out.

(This post is for you, Diadem.)

The Big Send Off

So the reception comes to an end and its time to send off the bride and groom....

Sparklers? Nope. It's a daytime wedding.

Bubbles? *shrugs* They are fun for the young and young at heart, though.

Lavender? Mmm. Smells pretty.

Ribbon wands? Love, love, love the photos. Could totally DIY.

What do you think?

Gocco Goodness

I have yet to find an invitation in the color I really want, but I have discovered a new obsession- Gocco.

It's a little machine from Japan that is basically an at home screen printer.

fdjkalfsm.l

What is the awesome thing about Gocco, you ask? It can make beautiful things like the photo to the left. And I could make a coordinated wedding stationary set.

Now, how will I go about getting one?

Sadly, the already made Gocco invites are too much for the student wedding budget, but check out more amazing Gocco'ed stationary at Ugly Kitty's Etsy Shop.

Just. Gorgeous.

I absolutely love this dress.

The color is delicious.

Sweetheart vs. Traditional Table (vs. Harvest Table)?

Our venue typically has the "sweetheart" setup - where the bride and groom sit at a table all to themselves, but I've been wondering if that's the best way to go for our reception.

Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly on sweetheart tables.

THE GOOD

It might encourage people to come talk to us, since they won't have to fight with a table of our bestest friends. (And with a ton of out-of-town guests, it will allow us to spend time with more of our guests!)

Our wedding party could sit with their dates. Because there is no way 7 guys, 7 gals, and 14 dates can sit at one head table. (Plus, the dateless attendants won't feel left out.)

Maybe a few moments of "alone time" on our big day.

THE BAD

We have to be separated from the people who we wanted to witness our wedding the most: the bridal party.

THE UGLY

What The Wedding Fairy at Don't Be That Bride calls the "Nutcracker Effect". Essentially, like Clara and the Prince in the Nutcracker, your guests shy away from talking to you and don't get to share in your new found joy.

So while researching, I came across the "harvest table". Apparently, this is a Midwest thing where you put an oval shaped (made up of two rectangular tables placed side by side, with semi-circular tables on either end) table in the center of the room. That way you are still "separate" from the rest of the room, but are also accessible to all of your friends and family.

So what's the verdict? Sweetheart, head or "harvest"?

photo from Erin Hession photography

Possible DIY Projects

If anyone knows me, they know I love to create and "beautify".

What better place to beautify other than my wedding?

Here is my current potential DIY list...

• save the dates.
• invitations.
• RSVP cards.
• guestbook.
• escort cards.
• table numbers.
• and a few other surprises.

Am I being too ambitious? Any advice?

Pretty Pretty Pictures

What's been on my "wedding mind" lately? Photography.
Here is an endearing engagement shoot for your viewing pleasure.

photos from altmix photography

Lights, Camera, Action!!!

Houston, we have a photographer!
Now, what to wear in the engagement photos?

My vision (yes, I know I'm being dramatic) is "date night in the city".
Here are some options.

I like this one, but it sort of looks like she just came from the (fashionable) office.




This color is juicy!

I'd wear this one with a bright colored cardigan and fun shoes for color.

What do you think? Please feel free to send recommendations!

photos from victoria's secret

my FAVORite things

I'm not sure what I want to give as favors at out wedding.

Here are some things I love...

The DIY candy bar is great fun.

If you are going to to a CD, why not do it in style?

Chocolate covered ANYTHING makes me happy, and this box is gorgeous too!

Something silly for the guests seems like it would be a hit.

Decisions, decisions.

photos from the knot, jesse and deana's wedding blog, and rebecca thuss

Honeymoon Happiness

I send him a list of potential cake bakers.

He sends me a list of honeymoon destinations.

Guess which one made me more excited?

Good Morning I Do's

I helped one of the sweetest women I know decorate for a wedding this weekend. She has coordinated several weddings in the past few months, and with just ONE wedding to plan, I know SEVERAL have to be grueling. I wish I had pictures to share, because she is good at what she does! Everything was beautiful, but one thing made me a bit nervous.

The wedding was supposed to start at 11:00 AM, but all the vendors waited until the last minute to set up and the guests seemed to all be late. It seemed that most of the delay occured because the venue would not allow vendors inside until 9:30 AM.

As I placed the centerpieces and steamed the chair covers, I couldn't help but wonder if people overslept, had a hard time getting there so early, or one of five million things I could conjure up.

And then, the big worry: Will it be like that for our ceremony at noon?

Of course, I did some personal research to find out that our venue has a three hour set up time. Phew!!! Alright, lets hope no one at the wedding is yawning through our "i do's" like this little girl.

When to "Save The Date"?

When in the world are you supposed to send save-the-dates?



I keep hearing this huge range from 8 to 2 months. I want a photo save the date, so I'm starting to make my own timeline which is something like "whenever our engagement pictures would be cutest". I was thinking spring- the season of flowers, birds, happiness and the like.

But perhaps a July wedding (during prime vacation time) should have earlier save the dates. January-ish maybe? I guess Houston won't be that cold in January. If it is, these winter-ish save the dates from Jessica Lynn 's blog make me think that our pictures will be cute any time of the year.