Christa's Dress

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Christa (MOH) has changed her mind about her dress.  Which is totally fine with me.  I told her from the beginning that I dont care what dress she wears as long as it's brown.  I think this is her favorite so far.  (Obviously not the right color)

Invite Mock-Up #3 With a New Paisley Stamp

I found a different paisley stamp a few weeks ago at Michaels, I wasnt sure if I could make it work.  I liked the other paisley, but it seems like it was a little too busy for embossing.  It worked OK, but this one looks so much nicer and more crisp.  I thought Nick would think it was too girly, but he liked it better too.  Yippee!

THE Dress...Part II

So here is the video my mom took of me walking in my dress, I love how it moves. 

It needs a couple of alterations, but not too bad. The picture below is what it will probably look like with a bustle and some my mom took when I took her to see it.  She loves it BTW!

So...It's Been a While!

I know, I know, where have I been?  Well, my grandfather got sick and then passed away, so I've been taking a little break from the blog.  That doesnt mean that I havent done anything wedding related though.  I'll do my best to get up to date.  :-)

This is the picture they displayed at my papa's funeral

Productive Weekend

I think it's been a productive weekend.  I made a flower for my hair, made another invite mock-up (see previous post) AND finished the personalized hangers for myself, my MOH and mom.  I will post the pics of my hair flower but not the hangers, because they both read my blog.  Sorry ladies! It's the ONE thing I'm trying really hard to keep as a surprise.  :-)  

The flower was really easy to make.  Just break apart a silk rose, layer the petals how you want them, add some flat back crystals and tada...done!  I attached mine to a bobby pin.

This is the finished flower...

Finished flower in my hair...

The rose before I broke it apart...

There is a cost break down in my Knot Bio.

Invite Mock-Up #2

After reading many reviews on The Knot, I decided to order samples from CardsandPockets.com.

I ordered two different color gate cards (Coffee Bean & Milk Chocolate) 

and two different color matts, (Something Blue & Hydrangea).

I also ordered a sample of the cream invitations.

After trying all combinations, we've decided on the Milk Chocolate & Hydrangea.

I picked up a couple ribbon options today too, one is just a light blue satin and the other is a light blue satin with chocolate and cream swirl.  It was also on clearance, so we'll see.  I'm not sure how I feel about it with the paisley inside.  Ugh, this takes a lot of time, but it's so much cheaper than ordering them.

I want to change the font, and the letter on the front.  So there will be more mock-ups to come.  Yea!

Favors?

Maybe I'm putting a lot of thought into the whole 'getting married at a golf course' theme, but Nick and I loved this favor idea.  Here's the thing...everyone will tell you that non-edible favors don't go over as well as edible ones, and not everyone is a golfer, so this idea could be excluding a large number of guests.  Personalized golf balls are expensive and so I thought about it for a  while and came up with the idea of chocolate golf balls.  Edible AND go along with our theme.  To buy chocolate golf balls, life size one's anyway, is extremely expensive.  Chocolate molds are fairly inexpensive and I was thinking either Easter grass or colored coconut as a bed, I'm not sure yet.  I may be spending a couple weeks before my wedding pouring chocolate into molds, but I think it will be well worth it.  I can recruit enough help right?

Here are some examples...

Ridiculous

Nick and I decided to go play some miniature golf last weekend.  On our way there, I realized we were passing the bridal shop that my friend told me about.  The same one she and her husband rented tux's from and Nick also realized that it was the same shop that he had to get his tux from when his twin brother got married.  Anyway, we stopped in.  They were super busy, and after 20 minutes or so, a sales lady came over to help us.  I told her we were interested in looking at this tux...

They had one on a mannequin with a yellow vest and tie.  Really?  Yellow?  Anyway, I pulled out Nick's pockets square and told her we were trying to match the other guys to Nick's tie.  She said OK, and walked us over to the display.  When I asked her if she had one for Nick to try on, (he's having a hard time deciding whether or not he wants to wear a vest,) she said 'No.'   I can order one in for him to try on, but it will cost you $20.  I'm sorry, what?  And so I asked her if that $20 then applies to the rental if we chose to rent from them, and again the answer was, 'No.'  Wow, if I had to pay to try on a bridal gown I would kill someone.  We'll be renting from another place.  Men's Warehouse and Al's have very similar chocolate tux's. 

THE Dress

Lets recap...I went dress shopping really early on.  Like weeks after I got engaged.  I couldn't wait, I had been looking at dresses online for....well, ever.   My mom and I stopped into a David's Bridal on a Saturday, I think I tried on about 8 dresses.  My mom cried when I put on this dress...

I liked the front OK, but I just couldn't get past the back.  I hate how it makes my ass look.  That's right folks, it made my butt look weird.  And I'm sorry, but if I have to stand up there in front of a bunch of people, I would like to love what my butt looks like. 

So, I really really liked this dress, it's simple and I'm a pretty simple girl.  The sash gave it a little something (its dark brown, not black)  I liked it...

I took my MOH back to look at it and she agreed, out of all the dresses they had and I tried on, it was clearly the best option. 

So after a couple of shopping trips I had pretty much made a decision...until last night.   I asked my MOH to go look at veils with me.  I tried on a couple a few months ago, but I was trying to get a handle on how I would look on my big day.  Short, fingertip, cathedral, etc etc.  I happened to notice that David's had some new dresses online the other day and I saw one I liked.  There's no harm in trying it on right?  Uh....its so THE dress.  I loved it from the moment I put it on,  (as did my MOH,) and once they put the veil on, I got overwhelmed and started crying.  Just like those girls I make fun of on 'Say Yes to the Dress.'   I was that blubbering bride, staring at herself in the mirror.  I know it's perfect because I love that it's feminine, soft and simple without being boring.  I can't wait for my mom to see it.  I think she's going to cry too.   Here it is in all it's glory.  I love love love it.

Mild Diamond Scare

I was at work today and I noticed that the center diamond in my engagement ring was a little loose. Not like fall out of its prongs loose, but it would turn a little.   It so didn't do that before.  So at lunch I ran to the jewelry store to have them take a peek at it.   The sales guy asked me what I needed and I told him that my center diamond was loose.  He said 'ok, I'll go put it in the cleaner.'   I'm sorry, what?  so I reiterate that my diamond is loose, and I'm not there to get it cleaned.  He says they always put in in the cleaner before they examine any loose stones.  Uh, does this make sense to anyone?  Yeah, I was confused to.  Anyway, they cleaned my ring, inspected it and then took it to the jeweler, who tightened my prong.  I was in and out in 10 minutes, and my ring is sparkly clean.

Oh, and part one of my samples came today.   I'll keep you posted when the rest get here.