I'm Not Dead!

Hey guys! Sorry for dropping off the face of the earth there for a while! I was slammed with exams and travel and the ever daunting task of moving back to the US. The good news is: I'M BACK! I got back to my hometown in Texas yesterday afternoon! YAYAY!!

My original plan was to arrive at the airport looking beautiful for my fiance whom I haven't seen in four months. HOWEVER, after missing my flight to Atlanta, being sent to New York, having all of my luggage (including carry-ons!) being held hostage in Tel Aviv, I arrived looking more like train wreck. My curly hair had become a mess, I had cried off all my make up in Tel Aviv and I had been sick and traveling for over 30 hours! Haha, yes, I don't know that I was a sight for sore eyes. Never the less, my family and fiance welcomed me into their arms. It was so wonderful to see them all again--even though I have to keep my distance so not to infect them, haha.


My study abroad experience was spectacular and eye-opening. I made a lot of really good friends (some of whom I hope will attend my wedding!) and I really improved on my Arabic! Yes, Jordan was fantastic, and honestly, I had a pretty rough go of it having to say goodbye. (That's probably why I kept crying at Tel Aviv. That security man had no idea what to do with this bawling passenger so concerned about her duty free cookies.) But, honestly, getting in on Christmas Eve, seeing David, laughing and sharing stories with my family; there really is no place like home for the holidays.

It's Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?

It's DECEMBER? Wait, what happened to November? And fall? Wow, I guess time flies when you're studying abroad! I'll be home *this month*!! That means seeing DAVID again!! =D Unfortunately, in the one week we have together before he heads back to California, we have wedding stuff to do. Don't get me wrong, you all know I *love* wedding stuff, but his time home is limited and it's always a downer when we're on a schedule. Nevertheless, we have two main objectives for our arrival home: Engagement pics and figuring out what he's gonna wear!

Engagement pics are going to be done by our friend Katy! She's super awesome with pictures and photoshop, and I'm really looking forward to what ideas she has! That bad thing about the timing of this however....studying abroad has left me about 10 pounds heavier than I usually am. I am super confident I can lose the weight when I get home, but I don't think I'll be able to get back to a normal size for the pictures. =( My plan is to wear something loose and flowy and pray my face doesn't look to round!

As far as what the guys are wearing, I'm torn between buying suits and renting tuxes and I think it'll chalk up to which is cheaper. I've always preferred suits to tuxes, and grey suits would just be the bees knees! But, I also like the idea of having the guys in tux vests with David wearing a jacket. This may also be done with suspenders....

See? There's all sorts of fun things to be had!

Also in December/January I need to:

• Finalize guest list
• Order invitations and
• Start our registries

All doable, right? =)

A THOUSAND PLUS ONES WILL DESCEND UPON YOU

AND THEIR RSVP'S WILL BLOT OUT THE SUN!!

My answer? Then we will party in the shade! That's right. Unlike most brides who (rightfully) shun the dreaded "plus one," I am fully embracing it. I mean, once I put the guest list together, the final number was...daunting, to say the least. But, in all honesty, I'm seriously doubting I get more than 10 plus one's out of the 65 or so I'm including. Why? I've invited plenty of people they know and want to hang out with! There are only a few I can guarantee they'll use their plus one. Also, I can't help it--the more the merrier in my book! Yep...in my naive, slightly deranged book...

So, what's my no-holds, pres-cutting of any kind number? Aha, ok, get ready....495. Ok, ok, I know it's a big number. But after you get over the initial shock...about 50 are younger kids (or babies). Those kids don't eat much, and also drive their parents to not attend the reception or duck out early. Also, a good portion are distant family members that are mainly getting an invitation as more of an announcement. Add in the elderly, sweet couples from our church that have to get home before dark, and we're talking a reasonable number. However, I purposely made an inflated list (I did the same thing with my budget) so that I wouldn't have any surprises. So, bring it on!

Also, if you didn't get my 300 reference, go rent it. Now. And do yourself a favor: prepare for glory.

When a Phoebe Marries a Chandler....

There's a serious lack of Monica. Truth: I have no absolute guest list. I've just recently started to try to put things together in Excel (which is both a cursed and blessed thing). I am still really confused about how to organize them. I'm really worried about people slipping through the cracks due to my scatterbrained method (or lack thereof). You see, I've just been too busy thinking about the creative things! Colors, food, decorations galore! I'm the Phoebe =). David, true to Chandler behavior, is constantly ducking out of any preparation and plans to just show up and party the day of. (Admit it David, you know it's true, hehe!)

So, now I have a list of about 300 guests. No prob, I was expecting this--more acutally. I just know a much smaller number will be coming. I'm guessing about 200 or 150 RSVP (or, come, rather since no one RSVPs). What I DID realize, is that even with 300 or so expected guests, the actual number of invitations I need to send out is sitting at 121!! In retrospect, it was very silly of me to think I'd need an invite for every guest! That's hardly any at all! So, I've hopped on over to Mercucio Bros. again to reconfigure my price of invites at this new lower number and I'll go into that a bit more on another post, but, for now, I will remain on the subject of guest lists.

First of all, thank God I'm not having arranged seating. That would be a whole other level of stress I can't deal with. I already feel like I need a ton of separate lists as it is! The "They are definitely invited" list, the "I can cut those guys if I need to" list, the "needs a hotel" list, the "I need to double check these names with my mother" list, and so on and so forth. I may end up writing everything down on notecards...then I could sort them into different piles...but what if people need to be in more than one pile?! And don't even get me started on collecting addresses! Oh dear....this part of wedding planning is too confusing.

Speaking of Phoebe and Chandler, here's a great moment:

If the A.D.D. quality of this post doesn't attest to my disorganization, I don't know what does...

Bridal Bargain Finds!!

Okay, so, as many of you know, I'm going through some Black Friday withdrawals. I love love finding good deals. Now, although I cannot participate this year, I decided to scour the internet for great finds to satisfy my thirst for money-saving....hehehe.

Many Bargain Brides know that the internet can be your best friend in looking for deals. I'm not just talkin' Etsy, either. Wholesale sites are the BOMB. In my ventures I've come across some great stuff, and I wanted to share it with any brides lookin' to save a few bucks on the essentials!

Votives and overlays were things I left next to big fat question marks on my budget list. I could not figure out how much they would cost, or if I'd rent some linens...I just had no idea. After I started adding things up, however, I saw overlays were unpleasantly high when you need 25. I tried finding other brides who wanted to share them or something of the sort, but no luck! (PS, still up for sharing if anyone out there is up for it!) BUT I found the cheapest champagne satin table runners, possibly on the face of this earth. How cheap? 25 for $63.50. Yeah, that's right. I found them here www.efavormart.com.

Votives? Why should I pay so much for mood lighting?? No problem. www.candles4less.com sells votives *with* the candles for about 50 cents a piece! They have a bunch of different colors, all for the same price--check it out!

I have one more bridal bargain to share with you, but I don't think I'll be using them personally. Before, I was pretty set on have lanterns as centerpieces and these commonly used lanterns:

Are about 2 dollars cheaper at www.superwholesaler.com than they are at most other *wholesale sites*. Honestly, I've seen these things (and similar lanterns sold at the site) go for *way* more on ebay! A bride could actually make a profit doing this!

Anyhow, that's all I got for now! These finds really trimmed down my budget and let me expand my invitation budget a bit more comfortably...I know my original idea was to spend very, very little on those, but with a little wiggle room, I think I can spring for some envelopes with the gold foil! Weee! =D

Erin and David's Greatest Hits Part *3*! SURPRISE!!

Yep, it's true. I realized after promising only two music posts, that I still have more to address on the musical front! So, hold on tight--here we go again!

Okay, I addressed the ceremony music and TOTALLY forgot the reception! So, first of all being a modern-day budget bride usually entails nixing bands and DJs. This is a budget cut I'm definitely okay with. DJ's tend to make me feel uncomfortable and bands can be kinda limited in what they play. Nowadays, thanks to the miracle invention of mp3's, couples can have what has been deemed "The iPod Wedding." You give a charismatic friend a mic and a playlist and dance the night away without paying an extra penny! Anywho, with that explanation out of the way let me reveal a few key songs.

The Big Entrance Number:

Option 1:

Good Lovin' -- The Rascals

Option 2:

Pop Goes My Heart -- Music and Lyrics Soundtrack

Ok, ok, don't hate. I wasn't a fan of this movie, to be honest, but the spunky upbeat 80's sound and silliness of it all goes hand in hand with David and me!

The Father-Daughter Dance:

First of all, let me say that I find it weird to pick out the song you dance with your father to, because I kinda feel like I'm putting words in his mouth. So, I would definitely want to get his opinion on this matter. Buuut, pending approval, I give you "daddy-daughter song to make people cry,"

If I Had My Way -- Mills Brothers

Our First Dance:

Alright, this one is a surprise to be disclosed later, but for consolation, I give you ...

Our Recessional!

Okay.....now I think I'm finished with music....for now...

Erin and David's Greatest Hits Part 2

Ok, so, I already told y'all about the instrumental portion of our ceremony (well, as much as I have planned so far) by the fantastic Will Aufrict and noooow, I'm going to introduce my secret weapon number 2: my bridesmaid and HS BFF, Meredith! (It's true, I am lucky enough to have this many musically gifted friends--I have more!)

For those who don't know, Meredith has an amaaaazing voice! I would love to give you a taste, but evidentially, there are no videos I could find of her! **cough cough** get on that, Mere **cough cough** The biggest decision I've been trying to make however, is what she will sing during the ceremony. The original song I had picked out was "Always" by Irving Berlin. Now, this one isn't totally off the table. It's sooo beautiful and sweet. But, as always, I'm feeling rather indecisive!

Here's a rendition by Old Blue Eyes...

I have a few other songs that I really liked and I thought about having Mere and Will team up and having them do a really cool cover of a good classic--maybe Queen!

I Was Born to Love You:

or You're My Best Friend:

I decided "Born to Love You" might be a good parent or grandparent processional-piano-only song. "Best Friend" is definitely still an option and it's just so cute! However, there's one particular song that is in the lead.

It started when I fell in LOVE with Kay Starr. I heard her song "If You Love Me, Really Love Me" and thought it captured a perfect image of how I felt about David.

I found out a while later that it was originally a French song from the one and only Edith Piaf. So, I hunted down the French version and given Meredith's classical background, I know she can really nail the pronunciation. This is a different artist performing the song. Not that I couldn't find Edith's version, but I think this girl's voice is much closer to Meredith's.

Now, why would I do the French version instead? I'm not 100% sure why it appeals to me more. Maybe because that's how it was originally written or because out of some musical respect for Edith Piaf, or maybe just because I know Meredith could do it well! Who knows? Either way, I think I'm leading towards the French...It is the language of love, right? =) I still have a lot of narrowing down to do...

Anyway, sorry for the sporadic posting! I'm in ISTANBUL! =D

Erin and David's Greatest Hits Part 1

Just so you guys know, I love music. I love it so much, I'm devoting two posts to it. So, here's part one!

Okay, I'm totally cool with the traditional music, but I knew I wanted something different. Specifically I wanted a different bridal processional tune. I moved around a lot on what I really wanted and finally I decided I wanted to do a piano cover of "Til There Was You" from The Music Man/The Beatles. I searched and searched for a good recording but none of them sounded like I wanted. I DID however find a beautiful version on YouTube! This, this is what I wanted above all else:

But, how to get that song at my wedding with no sheet music or real recording? Enter my friend Will, piano god.

He wrote that song. Yeah. He wrote others too (look 'em up on iTunes) but that is my favorite! Anyhow, Will agreed to play for my wedding ceremony! When I get back to the states will work out an arrangement like the one I found on YouTube! Also, I want other fun songs to make piano covers of! I'm thinking "Stuttering" by Ben's Brother....

I gave David the assignment of finding good modern songs to cover...he doesn't enjoy wedding planning much, but I figure that's a fair request, right?

A Very Merry Un-Honeymoon!

So, as many of you know (and many who don't) David is in the Air Force. He is stationed in California. This means every time he comes to Texas, he has to take leave. He'll take one week this December for Christmas where I will get to see him again (yay!) and another two weeks for the wedding: one week before the big day, one week after. Now, post-wedding, I have to move my car and all my other things up to California. The original plan was to honeymoon, and then fly back separately. David wouldn't be able to take off more leave to drive back with me.

It really made me kinda sad to think we had to start off our marriage in the same ol' long distance-esqe manner--even for just a few days. So, I ran my idea by him for a "un-honeymoon." He would use his leave to roadtrip back with me and we can have a real honeymoon when he gets out. He said yes! He thought it was a great idea. =) He also suggested we shack up a few days in his grandparents vacation house in Ruidoso along the way!

To be honest, the whole idea sounds so perfect, I don't really care if we ever do get to a beach! After 3 years long distance, anywhere he is is the perfect place to be.

The Imaginary Kid's Corner

So, after recieving the guest list from my FMIL and seeing the number of "and 2 kids" I decided, although I'm sure many won't stay for the reception, to have a kid's corner. Unfortnately, I made this decision way way way too far away from my venue. So, truth be told, I'm not 100% sure where this kid's corner will be.... On top of that, I have put forth no budget plan for said corner, and I have no true idea how many young children will be attending.

So, Erin, you may ask, what do you have?

Bunting.

Mega-fun fabric bunting I bought from here: http://brideandgroomgaragesale.blogspot.com/

Yep. I have about 36 feet of this perfectly color coordinated fabric bunting. I plan to hang it in the kid's corner. I know, I know. It was a bit of an impulse buy. But, I stand by the fact that I can certainly: A) hang it around my dessert bar or somewhere else and B) resale it! Right? Right.

But, first and foremost, it will be for my kid's corner. I was thinking of just covering the table with butcher paper, give them plenty of crayons...yeah...something... I'm still in the planning stage, okay? =)

Regardless, I'm deeply in love with little pendant-y things. I want to hang them place, stick them in sweets, and if I had a flower girl I'd definitely give her one of these:

Anyway, at least I was able to buy the bunting resale. Second-hand wedding supplies are this girl's best friend!

Confessions of a Budget Bride

So, my budget for my wedding is $10,000. For some people it seems like bookoos of money and for others, you probably passed out just thinking of how to stretch that amount that far. It depends a lot on the region and what you expect do have in your wedding. First of all, I plan on having a lot of guests, probably 200 or so. I also want to have drinks, dancing, and plenty of food. Once you start adding things up for this number of people, even in my fairly cheaper region of West Texas, things start to get tight. So, to have all the things I want and stay within my budget, I have to focus on finding the bargain.

So, you wanna know my secret? Ok, come closer.....closer.....too close! A little too close!



(Sorry, couldn't pass it up!) Ok, the truth is...I love being a budget bride. I know I may eat my words later, but I love how much of my wedding is DIY! For those who don't know, we're doing our own flowers and catering, and I couldn't be more thrilled to try stuff out and decorate! Not to mention, bargain hunting is pretty much my favorite sport. I'm in physical pain that I'm missing Black Friday this year. (Yes, I'm one of those crazies) I've already found quite a few good deals and I know I'll find more! One of them is Sam's Club bulk flowers. The reviews are amazing and I recently found another "bee" (weddingbee.com user) that used them for her wedding. They were GORGEOUS and she gave me some tips on how many to buy and even a cheap place to buy floral supplies! The hydrangeas were great and the prices will knock you flat!


I think I may order a practice pack when I get back home so Mom and I can work on some centerpieces. Plus, did I mention that one of my girls Cortney and her mom Tonjua are pretty much experienced florists? Well, they've worked on a few weddings in their time (including Cort's!) And I'm thinkin' things are going to turn out great!

I can't wait to get back to the states and hash out some more deals, maybe haggle with some vendors. Also, I'm thinking about cafe lights and/or bunting....we'll see what happens there! =)

A Note on Originality

Hey! You remember that one time? That I thought I was being really original?

Yeah....me too....

You see, I have this super urge to make our wedding different; that our wedding should be a super-special-snowflake. I want something about it to really stick out or just be totally unique! But, it seems like every time I turn around--there are 30 other brides thinking the same thing and it just throws my snowflake of a wedding into flaming furnace!

It totally happened this way with the colored shoes. I thought "Oh, how different! Blue shoes for my something blue! I love shoes, it will be so fun and original!" And now colored shoes are practically the standard! Sigh, it can just really get a girl down.

In all honesty, I have no reason to complain. I roam around sites like weddingbee.com and theknot.com snooping for new ideas others have found. I guess I have to accept the fact that a 100% original idea is a little irrational. The best I can do is throw a slammin' party for my friends and family! (Yes, I know. I said "slammin'"....please don't judge) I know that there are probably plenty of people outside of the wedding blogoshpere attending my wedding that have never seen a color-shoed bride or a cameo cake topper! Right? Originality can be pretty relative, I guess....and hey, I did come up with the cameo thing all my own! ;)

What the Veil?

Ok, ok, I know I haven't actually shown y'all the dress. And I know it seems ridiculous since even my hubbie to be saw it, buuuut, I just don't have the right pic of it! Unfortunately, that's on my sister's camera in America. So, I'm going to skip that story for now to tell you about my veil-piphany.

So I, like many others in my generation, was so "over" the veil. I loved the idea of a well placed organza flower or a glittery heirloom fashioned into my curls. That would all do a complete 180. I guess you never say never, right?

So, other brides, or those that have gone dress shopping (specifically at David's bridal), or anyone who's seen Say Yes to the Dress (LOVE) know the tricky little ace up the sleeve. The Veil. Oh yes, bring out this little diddy to make the bride feel like--well, a bride. Of course, the veil is meant to seal the deal with the dress, not the veil itself. But, when my consultant stuck that cathedral length veil and blusher on my head, I was about to float away! I knew, no matter what the dress, that I wanted--not a headpiece, not a flower, not even just a birdcage veil--I wanted the drag-down-the-aisle-behind-me, looky-looky-I'm-a-bride, cathedral-length veil. Never in all my 14 years of dreaming of my wedding had I pictured myself in something so incredibly traditional. But, like I said: never say never.

So, I didn't even consider it in my original budget, but I thought that surely it wouldn't be tooooo much....ah, when will I learn? It's a wedding, so of course an extra long piece of fabric will be expensive! $200! $300! And those didn't even include my blusher! But then I hopped on over to weddingbee.com (have you been there yet? Go there!!) and I found a listing in the classified section! I got both my veil and blusher for $100! It definitely fit nicely into my budget and they were both perfect.

BAM! See that guys? It's all about the drama.

Belly up to the Bar! (The Dessert Bar, that is)

So, this is my first admitted "copy/paste" from someone else's wedding. But it's not without modification--in my defense! A fellow user of weddingbee shared her signature cocktail plan on a board and I just LOVED it! She would have four sig cocktails: something old (dry martini), something new (raspberry cosmo) something borrowed (long island iced tea) and something blue (blue hawaiian)! Now, honestly, I'm not sure why the long island iced tea is borrowed, but I think the idea is gold! Now, I didn't want to steal the idea outright and I think my bar set up will be a bit different. (I'll discuss that later) But, I knew a place it would work perfectly! BUM BADA DUUUUM!

My DESSERT BAR!

A lot of elements were already there! My grandmother recently passed away, and I had wanted to use her passed-down recipe for"Monster Cookies" as a sentimental touch. Something old, right?I wanted to have my sister make her famed Southern Chocolate Praline Cake: borrowed. Now for the something new and something blue.

Truth be told, one of the first things out of my mouth when asked about reception was doughnut tower.

My mom was like "Whaaaa?" and my sis was like "Sweeeeet."

Now, this isn't a replacement cake--I know a lot of couples do this. It would be a separate entity. Smaller but very similar to what you see above. I didn't think it quiiite fit into "new" because although they're new to weddings, they are an old dessert. So, the best fit seemed blue. I plan to order these delicious assorted doughnuts and request two things: blue icing on some, blue sprinkles on others. A stretch? Yes, quite possibly. How much will people care when they are biting into a sticky, sweet doughnut? Not a lot (I hope!).

So that just leaves "new." Sigh, oh, new. What shall I do for you? Right now my thought is chile fudge...that's kinda new, right? Well, if anyone has any better thoughts, please help!!

Let's get some SHOES

If there's one decision I made years ago that still holds true today it was to wear blue shoes down the aisle. I decided this far before deciding on the groom or the even witnessing my first wedding blog. Of course, now it's far more common place, but my dream never died! I new I wanted some awesome shoes. I budgeted 100 dollars for my shoes alone knowing I wanted this pair to count!

Now, while browsing etsy.com, a dangerous and indulgent pass time for many brides--I saw them. I was head over heels, over heels! (Yes, I went there)

OxfordHeaven's Marie Antoinette Inspired Shoes!

They were frilly, flirty, and fun! I absolutely had to have a pair. After searching her store, I saw there weren't really any in my size in the colors I needed. So, it all came down toooo custom shoes!

Could a girl ask for more! Haha! The user is very very friendly and has been oh-so-accommodating. I sent her the color swatch of my girls' dresses, and she was totally upfront that the colors may not match. Of course, that's no problem! I'm just going for the basic idea here, and as long as they are a shade of blue, I'm good! My only concern would be that the shoes would be turquoise or something that airs on the side of the trendy Tiffany Blue. I don't have anything against the color--it's just not mine!

You should definitely check out these indulgent shoes! http://www.etsy.com/shop/OxfordHeaven?ref=top_trail

Color me Bride

So, as many soon to be engaged women, I had a color pallet already in mind far before David proposed. Originally, I had wanted red and dark teal. It was based on my idea to get married in the Fair Theater. I'd love to give you a beautiful picture of this location, but there are none online. It ended up the place would be far too small for my reception, so I got over it and free from the overwhelming dark colors in the Fair, I came up with my new and current color scheme!

Cobalt, cornflower, and amber!

My fiance will claim "Those aren't colors! Those are THINGS!" But I know you guys know better! ;)
As you can see, my amber became more of a gold, but it was a lot easier that way! Anyway, I thought I'd let y'all in on that since I haven't actually made my colors official!

It's in this neato "T" shape because I'm far too inept at HTML it make the cobalt one smaller...By the way, if you want to experiment with color combos, I used this nifty thing of the wedding party girls showed me called the Multicolr Search Lab! You should definitely check it out!

Left Overs (and Erin takes a chill pill)

Ok, so, I talked to my mom, slept on it, and totally got over it. I just decided there will be a lot of things that go wrong or at least are out of my control, and I can't freak out! Haha, so, it's no biggie. Life goes on, and everything will still be great! (Well, at least the parts that count)

In other news, I've been trying to figure out the little things here and there I haven't quite pegged down in the budget. The all too intimidating budget left overs.... One of them is the overlays or table runners for the reception. I can't decide whether to rent or buy or make some, or what! I threw a post up on wedding bee to see if another bride would be up for sharing and splitting the cost. I got two replies!--from vendors. (whaw whaw) But hey, it's only been one day! There's still hope! My theory is that if I do end up buying them, I can resale them!

There's a million other tiny things that I will have to cram into my budget sooner or later: votives, ribbon, floral foam, the stationary to make little food signs--all burdens of a die hard do-it-yourself'er! Not to mention I'm still not 100% sure on invites (and am no where near a solid idea on programs!). I do know that I am not DIYing the invitations though. I know this may seem odd since if anybody does anything themselves, it's usually the paper goods, buuut, I know my strengths--and my mom knows hers! Flowers? We can do that! Food? Bring it on! Cardstock? Oh, lordy no! I found a cool thing called printablepress.com! I love the designs and through the site I found MercucioBros. who do very affordable letterpress! I'm about 75% sure this is the route I wanna go. What do you think? I would change the colors to suit my own of course...

Spoiler Alert!

Well guys, last night I got bit by the wedding bug. I was up late reworking budgets and considering things like letterpress invitations and a "kid's corner" complete with coloring books and a TV set. I was ready to hit the ground running on this here blog when I opened up facebook and saw it.

Me. In my dress.

I untagged myself as fast as I could and I posted on my friends wall to take them down.

Now, he posted them late last night, but the problem is, David works nights and he has today off. I reached him on Skype ASAP, but it was too late. He had been tagged in the same album and, naturally, he found the pictures of me. Now, I don't blame my friend you posted them, he probably didn't even think about the tradition or anything and I certainly don't blame my fiancé, what he was doing was harmless! But, the truth still holds: I'm devastated! I know, it may seem silly, but honestly, I was having a hard time coming to terms with the "first look!" I'm not gonna lie. I cried. Right here in a computer lab full of Jordanian college students. (I mean, not a big cry, but one of those little sniffley, quiet "tearing up" cries)

I have to add that I'm really not traditional. It's not that I think that it will be bad luck or something, I just like the idea of him seeing me as a "bride" on that one special day. I emailed my mother, which was much like this post: not in particular request or solution, just letting it all out. I keep reminding myself that it's not that important and I can't let it get to me! Nevertheless, it definitely deflated my wedding balloon for today....

Photography! or Reasons My FMIL ROCKS!

So, my FMIL, Jeanette, had a family friend do the photography for her wedding. She has since become a HUGE scrapbooker. She now wishes she would have spent the money for a professional photographer to capture her big day noting that photographs are the only thing you can really keep from that day. She didn't want us to worry about fitting that into the budget so she is paying for a beautiful wedding package by local photographers Aric and Casey.

Let me tell you right now that I've been stalking Aric and Casey's blog for ages and time after time their work has made my heart turn somersaults in my chest! Here's a few samples!







Now, I had pretty much ruled them out before I was even engaged knowing I could never afford them, but in came Jeanette, my fairy mother-in-law to turn my pumpkin into a golden carriage! She's an absolute angel and I could never thank her enough for such a gracious gift!

Check out more of Aric and Casey at their blog! http://www.aricandcasey.com/blog

What the Girls are Wearing

So, the first few times I went a-searching for dresses for the girls in our WP, it was pretty much ridiculous. The reason? I had NO idea what I wanted! I had one specification: short. Yeah, good one Erin--that narrows it down. I did have a basic color in mind--a cornflower blue. But, as we poked about I started kind of liking the idea of dressing them in my other golden color...anyway, I did run into a few designs I thought looked ok, but the girls I had in them weren't the ones I was worried about in terms of silhouette.

You see, a few of my girls have two big problems. BOOBS. God endowed these girls with a little extra up top which meant the dresses needed to cover that area up or they might make the preacher work up a sweat! So, I couldn't really make any decisions until I had some of them try stuff on.

Then, one magical morning, I went with two of my girls and my mom to David's Bridal and--I kid you not--the second dress they tried on was it! Wham, bam, thank ya ma'am! Here they are sporting the short, fun, and totally rewearable numbers! (not the cornflower I ordered them in, but still)





They were perfect! Not only were they flattering, they were only $99 and on tax-free weekend! For those of you who do not live in a state with tax free weekend, it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like--tax free on all items as looong as they're under 100 dollars! So you know what that means! We saved a bundle! I talked to the girls and we decided to split the price down the middle. I'm using the left over room in our budget for the dresses for a spa day! (right before I work them like dogs...heh heh)

As for my MOH, my little sister of 16, I decided after looking at some swatches and thinking reeeally hard to put her in a completely different dress. "What?" you may ask. Yes, it's true. I'm putting her in a long dress made of hammered gold satin. Why? For one, I really wanted her to look different some way. Two, she looked absolutely stunning in the dress. I wish I had a picture of her in it--it would floor you. Here's the dress worn by some model.



We thought we might throw in a cornflower flower pin on the waist to tie her in with the other girls a bit more. I had originally ordered her the SAME dress as the other girls but in a different color. But, once DB finally got the swatch I immediately thought "Oh no, that is definitely tan." Had I named the color it would be "camel" not "golden." Anyhow, I'm very glad I switched it up. I think it will be great for the big day!

Hey Y'all!

Hey guys! Long time no post! If you were wondering where I went, I have been oh so busy planning my semster in Jordan, aaaand, I'm finally here! It's totally amazing! I've smoked some hookah, seen some camels, and even floated in the Dead Sea! But, since this isnt a travel blog, I won't go on about all that here.

I will say that weddings here are impossible to overlook! There are a few traditions I've seen in action although I haven't actually been to a wedding here (yet). Coming from the airport I encountered a tradtion that would never fly in America. We passed a long line of cars with the flashers on all honking and driving slowly. I assumed somthing was wrong, but when we got to the front of the line, our driver pointed out a white antique car with a bride and groom sitting in the front. The bride would stand up and wave at the cars behind her like a pageant queen!

Wedding tradition number two I discovered through the window of an upstairs apartment--fireworks! That's right! No Jordanian wedding is complete without a fireworks display! This all happens right in the middle of the city (I'm totally jealous) and yes, you may think that sounds dangerous, but it sure beats the original tradition. Before, celebrations included firing guns into the air! The government decided that was dangerous and introduced fireworks as an alternative. I think this one is much prettier anyhow!

Well, soon I'll be back tracking to tell you all about the wedding details I sorted out before hopping the pond over here! Next up? Dresses!

Today I met with Shana Bailey, owner of Pink Cookie Box out in Shallowater, Texas. She's going to making my wedding cake, and I know it's a bit far in advance, but I needed a budget outline at the least. So, I had to convey what kind of cake I wanted. I did some poking around her website and also other cake pics and had in my head what I wanted. So, to convey that, I drew it!

Now, I know what you're thinking "Erin! Where did you get that high quality image?" I drew it free hand and took a picture of it on my phone. ...the more I stare the more structurally unsound it looks....

Anyway, I just needed to convey some key designs and elements I wanted, and it did that just fine. However, I will later design a fourth tier! Yaaaay!! Did I mention I LOVE cakes. I've been dreaming of my wedding cake for years.

Here are my main points:

Hexagonal or octagonal

Blue =) non-fondant topping

Fun white piping

Monogram on the side

Observe my inspiration!

Shana assured me all these things were easy peasy! She even suggested some designs from her CAKE CRICUT. Yeah, you heard me right. A cake cricut. I had no idea those existed! She also had me taste her white chocolate ganache topping which she can color and use as a topping! It's to die for!

I am going to have a different flavor on every tier. Now, I don't plan on keeping the top tier to eat in a year....I know lots of people do, but 1) It's always skeeved me out, honestly, and 2) I don't have a way of getting from Lubbock to California without a ton of hastle. So, all flavors are open to all! They are...... *drumrollllllll*

Chocolate with a Hazelnut Filling

Lemon with Rasberry Filling

Strawberry with White Chocolate Ganache Filling

and...

French Vanilla with a Passionfruit Filling!

I decided to incorporate the passionfruit after trying my first spoonful of passionfruit syrup in Hawaii this summer and realizing it was nectar from the gods.

So, my mission is to find her passionfruit jam for her to make the filling from. I mean, fresh passionfruit would be nice, but rather unavalible in Texas...Nonetheless! I am hoping it will be a knockout!

Also, if you note the cake topper. I mean, in case you're crazy and can't tell from my beautiful work, the cake topper is actually two round picture frames. In them I will frame cameo sillouettes. I'm not sure whether I'll do actual ones of us, or just some other stock image, but I hope for it to be very cute, and original! Ummm, think this! But...smaller and cuter, hahaha!

Ready, Set, BOOK!

So there's this venue in Lubbock that's fairly new: the Legacy Event Center. Now, up until about a week before I was engaged I had the Watson Historical Building in mind for my future wedding.

The only problem is that with all the guests I am inviting, I would not have room to have the ceremony and reception in the same place (which I REALLY REALLY wanted).

About a week before David proposed, Mom called and told me about a girl from church getting married at "Legacy." Now, Legacy Play Village is a large wooden playground in Lubbock, so my first thought was "Ummm, you have to book that?" Then she explained.

Legacy Event Center is owned by the YWCA. It was an old church that had been closed down for several years, but the YWCA renovated it and added on and now its a beautiful all-in-one venue for my wedding!

I was terrified of losing my chance to grab it in June so I reserved my date right away! Now, I know maybe I should have shopped around more, but I don't have one iota of regret!

Here's a few pics I found of it while stalking around photographer's sites. There's some more at this link! http://www.ywcalubbock.org/atf/cf/{F40F9F4E-F56B-4947-A78E-209232F7B67B}/Legacy%20Brochure%20for%20web.pdf

Choice Number Two!

My fabulous wedding party!!

Here's our plan! We aren't having "bridesmaids" and "groomsmen" per say (although I will use those words because it's easier to know what I'm talking about) instead we are having a collective "wedding party!"

FACT: Not all my best friends are girls and not all of David's best friends are boys.

Our solution has boys and girls on both sides allowing me to have my guy friend Alex and my little brother Tucker on my side and David's old friends Ashley, Lauren, and Katy on his!

Part of my reasoning is my quasi-feminist rejection of gender roles... The other part is that it's unconventional, and David and I are a bit unconventional. ^_^

We ended up having a pretty large wedding party: 14 in all! It's going to be a blast!!

Well, here goes!

So, it may seem I am starting this blog late in the game. I've already found my venue, my dress, my bridesmaids dresses, pianist, and am meeting about my cake this week! However, I have actually only been engaged a month as of tomorrow!

The reason I'm barreling headfirst into wedding planning is because I'm getting married next June and in about three weeks I am leaving the country to study abroad a semester! I leave for Amman, Jordan on September the 12th and I won't be back until Christmas! Also, once I get back, I have to finish my last semester of college (CANNOT WAIT) in a city six hours away from where me and my fiancé are tying the knot! Whew!

So, long story short, I'm trying to get as much done while I'm here in Lubbock for the summer as I can. However, I skipped a lot of fun things to talk about in there, so for now, we are going to backtrack to my very first choice in my wedding planning: the groom.

David and I met in high school when I moved from Plainview to Lubbock. We quickly became friends which we soon realized just wasn't going to cut it anymore. We started dating right before our junior year and have stayed together ever since!

The sad thing is that "long distance bride" doesn't just apply to the wedding planning. David joined the Air Force after high school and I went to school in San Antonio. He was stationed in California and for the past 3 years we've been far apart. Last December, he went to Afghanistan for six months and upon his return....

I think he put it best when he told me "I'm tired of being apart."

So, here we are! I'm so excited to be marrying David! And I can't wait to fill y'all all in on the planning I've been doing! But, before I go, you have to see the ring, right? =)