Choosing the PERFECT venue

One of the first things that we had to do to get this wedding shindig going was choose the venue.  My FI was only in town for 5 more days before he was shipped out to Iraq so needless to say that night we were laying in bed looking on the laptop for venues.  I really wanted him to have as much say as possible.  I mean this was the place we will say our vows looking into each others eyes.  This is the place where all of our family and friends will come to witness our marriage.  This is the place where memories will be made, laughter will happen and love will be surrounding us all day long.  This is the place that we will remember for the rest of our lives!  It. Had. To. Be. PERFECT!

Before we got started I had casually mentioned that I had maybe ...possibly... already... been scoping out venues and I had fallen completely in love with one buuuuuhhhhttttt.  It was in Austin.  I told the Mr. this and he was actually fine with it after looking at these babies.  Take a look.

All Images Via Natures Point

This place is so dreamy, and romantic; yet still outdoorsy enough for the Mr.  I was in love.  Honestly, I found this place about 2 months into us dating. Hey, ya know when ya know.  But that's another post. 

He was sold on this crazy idea of mine but after a day or so I kept questioning if Austin was right for us.  I had even gone as far to call the place and set up a tour and even got pricing.  It was certainly in our budget and Austin was only about 3 hours away.  I continued to think of all the reasons why we could make this work.  But then the guilt set in and I started to think of all the reason why Austin wouldn't work.

All of my family and most of his family live in Houston.  This would mean that travel arrangements would have to be made for pretty much everyone.  That would also mean that extra costs would have to be made and with the economy and our families struggling as it was we just felt bad having to ask so much of our guests to make it that far.  Our close family had said that if people really want to come they will- trying to make us feel better but ultimately, we decided against it.

To those Austin brides out there, did any one pick Nature's Point? I want to see your pictures and live vicariously through you.  Did anyone else want an semi- destination wedding at first but decide against it for your family's sake.

Jumping on that Healthy Bandwagon

So just like many other brides out there we all want to look our best on one of the most important days of our life, right?

Wedlock

So back in January I decided that this was this year. This was the year that I want to get fit, I want to tighten and I want to loose weight.  I have never really been one to struggle with my weight that is until about 4 years ago.  Back in high school and until I was about, oh 22, I had always been fit and pretty much on the skinny side of the spectrum. I don't know if it was just poor eating habits, lack of exercise or just that I "got comfortable" with my ex that I just didn't care anymore. 
Now when I look in the mirror I don't exactly love what I see but I can't really put blame on anything but myself either.  So I decided that this will be the year!  The year where I will consciously make an effort to watch what I eat.  Consciously make an effort to go to the gym even though I don't want. And consciously keep thinking about how hot I want to look on my wedding day.  How gorgeous I want to look on our honeymoon and how amazing I want my fiance to think that I look.  I know he doesn't care as much about me loosing weight or even just trying to tone up a bit.  Because he did propose to me and to me at the weight that I have been.  But the fact of the matter is I do, I care!  I don't want to wake up on my wedding day and say man, I should have worked out more.  Or man, I really eat way too much Pizza. 
I want to wake up, look in the mirror and say, "I'm beautiful, I did the best that I could and I am marrying my best friend!"  To me that is all that matters!
So here's to no weight regrets.  I am jumping on that healthy bandwagon.  What other brides out there are with me??

Fabulous Fabric Flowers Take 3

So last night while I was waiting for my washer and dryer to arrive I decide to try out one more DIY.  I had seen a post on Weddingbee recently about doing a fabric pomander. Well, since I already had a bunch of fabric "petals" laying around just waiting to be made into flowers I decided I would give it a shot.  I had one styrofoam ball I had picked up as well in my lovely hobbylobbytubofcrafts.  So I grabed that my glue gun and my petals and got to work.

Two hours later, my washer and dryer were installed,I had managed to devour a half a bag of Lays Jalapeno chips and watched Knight and Day on HBO all the while constructing this beauty.

Take a look.....

Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend

Yesterday, while piddling around on my lunch break and surfing the web I got the bright idea to start my search for my wedding day jewelry.  I had an inkling of an idea of what kinda of jewelry I wanted but I wasn't one hundred percent on if I would even find what I had in mind.  I wanted something modern yet timeless, if that makes any sense. I had recently seen a picture while scoping out updo's and I fell in love with a pair of dangle earrings - though they weren't the color I had in mind, they are just what I had in mind for some bling for my lovely lobes!

Image fromZimbo.com

So I scoped out Overstock and found a couple of worthy jewels.  Take a gander...tell me what ya think!



Glitzy Rocks Sterling Silver Amethyst and CZ Dangle Earrings

Then, I found these. 

Sterling Silver Amethyst/ 1/10ct TDW Diamond Teardrop Earrings

These beauties were much closer to the color I was searching for but didn't have enough bling on the top part of the earring.  You see.  I got my ears pierced as a wee little baby and my ear holes are very high.  Most hoop earrings look ridiculous on me because they fit so tightly around my ear so there isn't much dangle, if you get my drift.  So I knew I wanted something with more bling on the top so that they have the potential to hang down lower.  So the search continued and I decided to skip over the the all time bridal favorite one stop shop, Etsy. 

After typing up my search for "Amethyst Drop Earrings" I came across, these!

Please excuse the picture.  It was taken on my iPhone.  I must have got the last pair because just within an hour of purchasing the picture was taken down.  I sent my sister the picture of them to get the maid of honor approval.  She loved.  I love loved! So I ordered them immediately, but not before browsing and selecting something that will hang from my neck!

And Here she is....

Matte rodium finish Orchid Trio Flower charm and Crystal White Swarovski Pearls Bridal Necklace

Isn't she just lovely?  Not too fancy, not too plain.  Simply perfect.  I am so excited to make these purchases.  One more thing that I can mark off my to do list.  Now all I still need in my accessories department is a lovely bracelet or perhaps a ring to dawn on my right hand? 

What do you think ladies?  Do think I made my earlobe bling obsession reality with my purchase?

Fabulous Fabric Flowers Take 2

So I left off with my conundrum of not knowing how to make these magnificent fabric bouquets that I just HAD to go and fall in love with and doing some research on google before deciding that I could try to make them myself. It couldn't be that hard, now could it?   I mean, I am pretty handy with a glue gun, granted I normally always burn myself.  I can sew (kinda). And I'm not to shabby with a sharp pair of scissors (look out and don't piss me off!) So I got to work.

I went to Hobby Lobby like I do nearly every other lunch break since getting engaged and picked up couple different samples of fabrics and that evening I decided to get to work.

I followed these directions and after a few TV shows and a couple glasses bottles of Riesling I had these.

Now the Gray flowers didn't turn out quite as nice as the purple ones. The fabric wasn't as nice about curling and after a few months of sitting in my Tupperware box I think their pretty much done for.  I may save them just in case I can think of other uses for them.  Overall though I think they look great.  I even got BM Beanie in on them to help out.  I'll show you hers and how different yet amazing hers looked even following the same tutorial.

Fabulous Fabric Flowers

Early on in the wedding planning stages I had decided that real flowers just were not feasible for our budget. We could do it but that would mean sacrificing on food, music, or photography.  Yes, real flowers are beautiful and the smell, divine!  But I thought I could figure something out, thus began my search looking for the perfect alternate to real flowers.  I ordered a sample from afloral.com of a purple bouquet that could be used for the bridesmaids but it just didn’t have the look I was going for.  I wanted something a bit softer.  I bit more elegant, yet, antique and rustic at the same time, if that makes sense.  Thus my search continued until I came upon an image on Etsy.

Custom Vintage Flowers By Etsy Seller, The Artsy Butterfly

Georgous isn't it?!!  Talk about Love at first site! 

So with that image I immediatly started asking for help. I asked my sister who is studying for interior design and though maybe she would have an idea on how to replicate this?  Her response, "no clue, ask Grandma"  So I did just that.  Grandma so happened to pop into the parents house that same now I was struck w/ my love sickness for these flowers and asked her is she could help.  Her respons. "I really dont know how to do that!"  The woman who can crochette as big of a doily as your heart desires and who had sewn everyone halloweeen costumes had no clue how to help me.  Me who was so in love with these flowers that my heart now ached.  How oh how in the world can I make these?

So after weeks of looking I finally stumbled upon a few tutorials here and there online.  Such as this, and this.

After a few weeds of pondering if I could actually do this I set out to start the process of my so called fabric flowers. 

Let's Take a Walk and Fill our Pie Hole!!!

Aaron came home for two week of R and R this past week and we had a blast!!  I feel like we were on the train that would never stop.  I don't think we had one day that we actually just laid around and did nothing like we so badly wanted to.

We first took care of all things wedding related so I would stop freaking out.  We went and took a tour of our venue that is complete now.  Most of you probably don't know this but I booked our venue before it was even built!  Call me crazy but the lady in charge Linda was very convincing and after taking a tour of two of their other locations I knew in my heart that it would all work out and the venue would be perfect.  Just take a look and see for your self!!!  It just opened May 2011 and couldn't be more beautiful!

It's amazing isn't it?  I'll give you just a few more teasers...but that's it until the day of!! 

It was so nice to walk on the grounds together holding each others hands and dreaming of the beautiful day that is to come that we will finally say "I Do"

It also helped reassure me that I made a "good" choice and got Aaron's approval.  I know he would have gotten married anywhere I wanted but this is OUR day.  And I'm so glad he is as happy about where we'll become husband and wife as I am.

We also got to try some yummy treats the next day..... Cake anyone???

mmmmm....Yes Please!!!

Everything was soooooo SOOOO good!  Its gonna be a tough decision but I think we've narrowed it down!

Then there was time to try this...

And this by far was Aaron's favorite part!  What man doesn't like to have a full menu to choose from of what to try!!  I didn't take pictures of all that we tried as we were too busy shoving our pie hole full of yummy deliciousness!  Were sure what we picked all of you will be begging for more!

We're so excited to get these 3 major tasks done so I can check just a few more things off of our list. I was told of all things, I could not try cake or the food without him!!  So I had to wait but I'm glad we got to plan some parts of the wedding together rather than a million miles apart and we can talk about our decisions face to face and decide together as a couple!  Yay!

Save the Dates!!

Those darn save the dates are taking me FOREVER!!!  They truly are a labor a love and I hope every single one of you that received them LOVE them just as much as I do... Well, probably not, but still, I'd like to think that you all do!  I'm hoping to have them out of my hands by next Friday!  (that's my goal anyways and we all know how much I procrastinate)
If you have any information that you are still needing after you receive this or have any questions just give me a call and I'll be glad to help!

We Registered!!

We finally took a couple hours out of our busy schedule while Aaron was down to go and register at a few places.  We decided to upgrade a few items that we've had since first moving out on our own and get more "grown up" things and a few things just for fun.

We are Registered at the Following:
Bed Bath and Beyond

Sears