update!

I am loving that winter has finally arrived, and with my favorite season and weather I have found and purchased my wedding gown! SUCH a HUGE relief! I had a wonderful experience though, I purchased my gown at a bridal boutique in Louisville which I was very hesitant about at first. Not that specific boutique, but just bridal boutiques in general. I was scared that everyone there would be snotty and that I would not have a say in what I really liked, I did not want to be talked into a dress that I did not like. I was pleasantly surprised and loved my experience! My sales lady Joanne was amazing! I walked in and told her what I was looking for and she pulled 4 dresses, I loved them all. The first dress I tried on I loved, the second I loved even more! I tried on one or two more that were nice, but did not look as good on me. I was torn between the first two which were both Maggie Sotteros. I had looked on the internet a lot at Maggie Sottero dresses and loved her style. I decided to go home and think about it, which I am glad that I did. I came back to Louisville the next week and did not even have to think twice about which dress I wanted. As soon as I walked in they were both hanging there and I knew it was the second one! It was divine!! I would not have necessarily picked it out myself if I were just flipping through racks but Joanne got it right when she picked that beauty out! I love it! It was funny because I kept asking my mom if I should be crying or something like they do on all those wedding shows. Neither of us cried, I was just happy and relieved. I was surprised because I am a pretty emotional person, I think the day of the wedding when I have my hair and makeup done and I step into the dress - then I will cry and I don't think my mom will stop crying for the rest of the day.
I was so fortunate to have such a great experience with Joanne and the whole staff, the owner was there the day I purchased the dress and was so sweet and personable. She kept complimenting me on my choice and how great it will make my hips and waist look! She made me feel like a queen! I am so glad that I brought my spanx and push up bra along with my 4 1/2 in heels, it definitely made the difference! I hope everyone else is having a great holiday season so far! I know I am thankful for so many things!

hair, veils & more!

So, I really have no idea what will look good on me, but these are looks that I really like. I don't like curls or anything down cause my hair won't hold and I just want a clean sleek look. I was at a bridal store the other day and tried on a couple veils. I initially thought I really wanted a bird cage veil, but recently thought that I might want a fuller veil. I guess once I decide on a dress I will find a veil that goes with the dress.

I went with Kristin, one of my bridesmaids to look for bridesmaid dresses the other day. We found one that we love! It was so funny because one that we looked at online that we both loved looked not so great on. I am so glad that we got to see it on before I was set on one. Hopefully the new one we love will be a hit with everyone else!

dress shopping

EVERYONE keeps asking me what my dress looks like or where did you get it? WELLLL, I don't have it and I DON'T know what it looks like. I am stressing over this majorly! I would love to have my dress now, but that is not gonna happen. I am so over searching for dresses online and ready to shop in person, but I am just not happy with the way I look yet. I think I know what kind of dress I want. Nothing big, poofy, or princessy. My short stack body would get lost in something like that! I want something with clean lines, sweetheart neckline, fitted, slimming, a little bling - but not all over, white, glamorous & modern. is that so much to ask for??!! well I cannot seem to find it all in one dress!!! Also all these bridal shops I talk to keep saying I need to buy NOW - it takes six months blah blah blah. ugh so annoyed, well I am just not ready yet and if they want my business they will make it happen. I plan to start seriously shopping right after Thanksgiving. I have gone shopping once with my mom because she made me and I did not want to go because I knew I would cry and low and behold I DID! It was horrible, I was pasty pale, did not have the right under garments, I felt like a chunky monkey and had no heels to lift my short body off the ground. It was not fun at all!! So my advice to those of you out there - do not go dress shopping on a whim, go prepared!!! The next time I will have my push up bra, spanx, and 4 in. heels, as well as a nice glowing tan! That's the end of my rant, sorry!

wedding flowers!

inspiration

love my Mary Grace!

so for some reason I have not posted pics of my wonderful, beautiful, most precious niece! I stole some pics from my brother's friends that have better photo skills than myself! Gracie is 5 months old and the most precious gift from God!

lately

Oh my! I have been so busy working weddings every weekend that I have abandoned the love for my own wedding! Well all of our vendors are booked and that is a huge relief!!! I have not done much since booking the vendors - concentrating on graduating and finishing school with a bang! I have been neglecting some things just to avoid stress - not that picking out invitations or a dress should be stressful - but to me - it is. I have been working with my personal trainer for about a month or so now and I really have started to appreciate it and enjoy it. Don't get me wrong - I DO NOT enjoy it while I am actually working out but after I am finished with my workout and I am headed home, I feel accomplished and better about myself! I haven't been concentrating so much on weight loss but more inches and feeling healthier. My trainer told me last week that I was back in good enough shape to start doing even more difficult things! This is good and bad - I already thought I was doing REALLY REALLY hard and difficult things! I am glad he sees improvement though!
I have finally gotten some things to show for the wedding though that aren't signed contracts. I have cocktail napkins that are monogrammed, two "guest book" items, MY SHOES (which are fab u lous!), our toasting glasses, I made the unity candle myself, and bought my garter on sale! It is nice to actually have something to look at, it feels more real that way! Well I am off to study my night away - hopefully I will be back on here sooner rather than later!

absent

So I have been MIA on this thing recently. I keep on thinking about posting but then I just get sidetracked by school, cleaning, laundry, work, Matt etc. Well hopefully I am back to at least post once a week! I have been working more lately and school just started back so I have been way busier than usual. I am sad to say not much wedding planning has been going on. It is actually very depressing. My mom keeps saying that we will get a lot done over Christmas time, but I feel like I need to be doing things now! and I want to be doing things now! I love working for a wedding planner, but sometimes it does not make my OWN wedding as exciting. Hopefully that will change once things are in full swing.
We have booked our venue and DJ. We are almost positive on the catering and bar service. But those things are not the fun details that I enjoy. I was really wanting to book the florist asap, but that has proven to be difficult because I want to meet in person and express my vision and ideas. I have not really been able to be in Louisville much to make decisions like that. Flowers are like one of my most important elements and I really want to find someone that understands my vision!
I have decided to not even look for my dress until December, which is later than most but I don't see myself getting married in THIS body yuck! I am hoping to lose quite a bit of weight, but once again that has proven to be difficult as well! With school and traveling to TN, my eating habits have struggled. Matt does not really help the situation either, he loves everything meat, cheese, beer, and potatoes!!!! And of course he is 6' 7" so it is not as obvious when he gains weight! I do really good for about two weeks and then I fall off the wagon! It is very frustrating!!! I need to just make it part of my everyday life, as well as working out!
I hope to be getting more details together soon! I am going to start ordering stuff in the near future! A lot of details are coming from etsy.com - my slight obsession! Matt loves it too! He is getting the groomsmen gifts from etsy as well!

wedding crazed!

At my brother Dan's wedding in 2007


Just laying around the house, my roommate (Matt's little sister Haley) is outa town and Matt is at work, and I am just posting stuff on craigslist for the business I work for. I have been really trying to find us some brides for next year, I really want to work with someone I know and really find out what they are looking for their big day! I really want someone who is just as excited as me and just as detail oriented as me!

We went to a consultation on Saturday in the backwoods of TN, really close to Alabama. As we were driving up we were not sure if it was a trailer park or what, but once we got back into the woods around the lake this cute little log cabin lake house appeared. The bride and groom are finishing their last year of school in Georgia and it was cool to meet another young bride and groom. The bride's parents own the lake house they will be getting married at and it was hilarious cause her dad just kept butting in his comments about the wedding. He basically just wants a party and just to show up, as he said a "turn key wedding". Which is awesome for us because we get to do everything!! The bride and groom were very sweet and had great ideas for their outdoor lakeside wedding! Beth Anne ( my boss ) and I are very excited!

So like I told you I am wedddings 24/7, right now I am blogging about my wedding and the weddings I am working right after posting on craigslist trying to advertise the business I work for, and watching Amazing Wedding Cakes on Women's Entertainment TV OnDemand!!! I have recently become obsessed with WE TV OnDemand. My Fair Wedding with David Tutera, Amazing Wed Cakes, and my favorite - BRIDEZILLAS!! It is hilarious and somewhat painful to watch, I just cannot imagine how these people can really be this crazy! If you get a chance you should definitely check out Bridezillas, it is hilarious! I really hope and doubt that I will be this way on my wedding day. I don't really become mean when things don't go my way, I just cry and sometimes just can't stop! I pray that I can keep it all together, which is doubtful! I am the youngest child in my family and only girl, maybe I should worry more about my parents than me!

yay for blogging!

so I have been wanting to start a blog for quite some time now and finally broke down and figured this out. I am not very computer literate so sometimes I panic when I delete something or click something wrong, so blogging is intense and exciting for me! Part of the reason why I wanted to start blogging was because I am sure my fiance' Matt is getting really tired of hearing about wedding stuff 24/7 literally. I have been non stop planning our wedding since we got engaged and have been working for a wedding planner since about April, so you can only imagine how much wedding talk consumes our life!

Also because my mom has really started getting a lot more work at her job so she does not have as much time to hear all my nonsense about wedding stuff.

So my life is non stop wedding as I said, which I love and would not have it any other way! I seriously can't turn my brain off though, when I am laying down at night to sleep I cannot stop thinking about wedding stuff, I need to put a notebook by my bed so I can start writing all my ideas down. All of my best ideas I believe have come from those late nights where I am tossing and turning trying to sleep.

I mean it is almost 1 am here now and I have just been cruising the web on theknot.com, pier one, pottery barn, wedding blogs, etc. I am obsessed and it is somewhat outa control.

So I am in the process of planning as you know. I have picked the venue and put a deposit down http://www.fraziermuseum.org/venue_fourth.as. I am meeting with florist, baker, and caterer when I am home next weekend. Very exciting! I will keep you updated on my wedding and the weddings I am working!

I put together about 100 favor boxes tonight for a wedding in two weeks, I don't know how I feel about the whole favor thing really. I mean we are paying a ton of money for food and alcohol and really want a great party, I don't want to send my guests home with some measly little box with some mints in it or something with our names on it. Why would they use something again with mine and my fiance's names on it? I have thought about giving a donation to a charity, probably Children's Miracle Network. We'll see.