Ohhh...Ahhh...

This is being shipped out on Saturday! I plan on placing it on the escort card table. How will you decorate yours? Photo and product from http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5317160.

Great Christmas Gift Idea!

I saw this on Brooklyn Bride; these wedding cake replica ornaments are made by Etsy seller gorgeousredhead.What a cute ornament for a newlywed couple to add to their Christmas tree!

Special Moments Playlist

So far, these songs are on my play list for the wedding; it's kind of early to start thinking about music, as our wedding is not until June, but I've been trying to compile them as I go along so I don't get stressed out in the months leading up to the wedding:

Wedding Play List:
First Dance-FI is going to pick this one out; I'll be curious to see what he chooses!
Father/Daughter Dance-“You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor
Cake Cutting-“How Sweet it is to be Loved by You”-James Taylor
Last Dance- “Goodnight Sweetheart”-The Spaniels

Any other suggestions? Any moments I've missed? What songs do you love to hear at weddings?

Any help will definitely be appreciated!

On My Christmas List...

Design/Hoodie from www.inkboxdesigns.com.

Technically I Didn't Need It, But...

I ordered it anyway and I love it! What a cute photo opportunity, come rain or shine! It wall also be a wonderful keepsake from the wedding that will make me smile every time it rains!www.signaturebella.com. How are you preparing for extreme heat or rain on your wedding day?

We Searched High and Low And...

The dress my sister fell in love is so new that David's doesn't even have it online yet! I'll post pictures as soon as it makes its debut. It's strapless, tea-length and has some ruching along the waist. She will be wearing it in candy pink, which is between a baby pink and a fuchsia. I love it because it is like the other bridesmaids' dresses from J. Crew (simple, dress cotton and tea length). While the other gals will wear brown, they will also wear sashes with their dresses in candy pink. I love that the color is named candy pink, as it combines two of my greatest loves (candy and pink, of course). We did not expect to find her dress at David's Bridal, but in the end it was our favorite. What unexpected items or shops have you uncovered during your wedding planning?

My Mom Ordered Her Mother of the Bride Dress Today...

Hers will be clover green (which is basically a cross between the color of a green apple and kelly green). Her dress (and my sister's which I will post tomorrow) is from David's Bridal (www.davidsbridal.com). Check and check. Where did your mom find her dress?

If I Didn't Already Have Enough Pairs of Shoes...

I would buy these to wear as my "something blue." Sigh.
Image courtesy of Oprah Magazine.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! A and I are celebrating in Chicago with my family, so we'll see you again on Monday! Cheers!

Image from: cbdyag.wordpress.com/.../

Maid of Honor Attire

My sister, my mother and I are going shopping on Wednesday so my sister can find and order her Maid of Honor(MOH) gown. Since she is the MOH, she will be distinguished from the other bridesmaids by wearing a different syle gown in a different color (light pink). I love the affect of this in pictures, and since she is 10 years younger (literally) than the rest of us, I thought a different dress would be more appropriate. While all of the other lovely ladies are wearing dresses from the J. Crew Occassions Cotton Cady Collection in brown, she is currently favoring these little numbers(in light pink):

This one, which for some reason turned out HUGE compared to other pictures, is her favorite choice.

This is another simple option. I like the idea of her wearing a brown sash, as all of the other girls will wear pink ones. I have a cute broach I would give her to add to the sash as well.

This picure was added to show which color her dress will be. Luckily, she likes pink too:)

All pictures taken from:http://www.jimhjelmoccasions.com/teas/index.html

Meet the Parents

Andrew and I are finally introducing our parents to one another on the day after Thanksgiving. We are all getting together for lunch; A's parents are driving from Red Wing, MN to Morris, IL where A's only living grandfather resides. My parents, A and I will drive from my parents' place in Frankfort, IL (a SW suburb of Chicago near Orland Park) and meet them there. I predict they will get along well, but here are some tips from The Knot I found to read to calm myself a bit beforehand:

DON'T FORGET
*You can prepare until your eyes pop out, but whatever happens will happen. Here are some mantras and tips to keep in mind once the food starts flying:
*You Are Not Responsible For Them: Parents are adults (too) and you can't tell them what to say or how to act. They are responsible for their own actions and mistakes.
Have a Sense of Humor: The best defense against disastrous first meetings? Lighten up and keep your sense of humor cemented firmly in place.
*Cut Your Parents Some Slack:Don't sweat it if your dad tries too hard to be funny or your mom fusses over every little thing: Remember that your parents are very likely nervous about this meeting. It's not everyday they meet people soon to be permanent (albeit extended) members of the family!
*Steer the Conversation Away From Dangerous Waters:The purpose of this first meeting is simply to get acquainted. This means no wedding talk -- especially about the budget! -- no white elephants (charged issues), no political debates, no talk about exes. Remember: This is not the negotiating table.
*Don't Force Them to Click:You'll likely be stunned at how different your parents are! Don't try too hard to find things they have in common or to show how much they should like each other. The chemistry may take time, or may never happen. All you can hope for it that they get along -- many couples don't even enjoy that luxury!
*Edit Yourself:No matter how comfortable you are with your parents or with his, remember that they don't share the same easy rapport with each other (yet). Keep dirty jokes and personal stories hush hush for now.
*Suck It Up:If the evening seems interminable, remember that this may be the only time you'll have to spend with both sets of parents alone. From here on, other family members and friends are often included in the mix, easing the pressure considerably (whew).

Good luck to all of you who are meeting your FI's parents for the first time or are introducing your parents to one another! Please let me know how it goes, or feel free to share any tips you may have with us all!

Source:http://www.theknot.com/ch_article_local.html?Object=A00801171351&keyword=DC&market=&MsdVisit=1

Time Off

I'm taking today and tomorrow off from posting to celebrate my birthday! I hope everyone has a wonderful end to their week!

A Little Black Dress

For my birthday date with A coming up this Saturday. I found it at J. Crew and I love it! What do you think? What shoes would you pair it with? I am thinking some calf-length, high-heeled, suede boots...

Gifts For The Cure

As my grandmother is a breast cancer survivor, I've done all that I can to support breast cancer research and support and do at least one Race for the Cure each year (I once ran one on showshoes!). Naturally, when I saw this in the American Cancer Society's Hope Shop , I had to buy them for my bridesmaids.

I will use them as welcome bags (which will include each girl's favorite snack, a Nalgene waterbottle in her favorite color, a pair of flip flops from Old Navy in her favorite color and an enamel picture frame in the wedding colors.)

Portions of the proceeds from the sale of the bags benefit the American Cancer Society. To purchase, for $10 each visit www.cancer.org/hopeshop. Happy shopping!

Boot Camp

Tomorrow I think I may drop in at Genesis Fitness for a Boot Camp workout. I'm looking to shake up my routine and to look toned in my dress. Have you ever been to a boot camp workout? What did you think? I'll be sure to let you know how it goes if I make it instead of going for a run.

Where in the World are Erin Marie and Andrew?

Since Andrew's busy season as a wind energy project manager is summer, we'll only be taking a quick mini-moon after the wedding (from the Monday through Thursday follwing the wedding). We're toying with a few ideas; the wish list includes a locale with a relatively brief flight (3 hours or less), a combination of romance/adventure, and a place that is somewhat inexpensive. We plan to go to South America (Peru to hike the Inca Trail and possibly Ecuador to dive the Galapagos), so this will just be a quick trip for us to get away as newlyweds and to enjoy one another's company in a relaxed setting after the stress of the wedding. So far, we have these ideas....

Nappa Valley (http://www.flickr.com/)

Lake Tahoe (http://www.beautifulvista.com/)

Oregon Coast (http://www.oregoncoast.edu/)

Sedona (www.traveleze.com)

Which would you recommend? Do you have any other ideas that we have not considered?

Cocktail Hour

Since we met at the Kentucky Derby, Andrew and I are planning to serve mint juleps during the cocktail hour. I've found several recipes, and I can't wait to try some of them out (in the name of wedding planning, of course)!

Recipe #1
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2004/derby_experience/mint_julep.html

Recipe #2

Ingredients
4 cups bourbon
2 bunches fresh spearmint
1 cup distilled water
1 cup granulated sugar
Powdered sugar
Directions
To prepare mint extract, remove about 40 small mint leaves. Wash and place in a small bowl. Cover with 3 ounces bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in paper toweling. Thoroughly wring the mint over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times.
To prepare simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.
To prepare mint julep mixture, pour 3 1/2 cups of bourbon into a large glass bowl or glass pitcher. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the bourbon.
Now begin adding the mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste-generally about 3 tablespoons. When you think it's right, pour the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to "marry" the flavors.
To serve the julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver mint julep cup) 1/2 full with shaved ice. Insert a spring of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1-inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to 1-inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.
When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Serve immediately.

Are you serving a signature drink? Do you think that we can get away with only serving mint juleps at cocktail hour, or should we plan on serving another drink(s) as well (We plan to have a full open bar afterward.)?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/the-perfect-mint-julep-recipe/index.html

I Couldn't Resist...

So I made the tags that I will tie with ribbon to the postcards I plan to order for the OOT bags. Here they are, from zazzle.com. I got them on super sale, 100 cards for $12 including shipping. What seemingly small wedding details have you been really excited about?

The front has our monogram printed on it, and the back reads "We are so glad that you are here! We can not wait to celebrate and to have you join us on our wedding day. If you would like, please send us a postcard after the wedding describing your favorite memory from the weekend. Keep the other postcard for yourself or for a friend."

New Love....MultiColor

I love this new tool, which I found out about via Mrs. Cherry Pie on weddingbee. It is called Multicolor http://labs.ideeinc.com/multicolr/. It's fun and easy to use...the perfect distraction from work and graduate school. Simply pick up to 10 colors and Multicolor will generate a color palate with the colors you chose. Perfect for seeing your wedding colors come to life!

Ciao!

I am going on a girlfriends' getaway through Monday. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend!


Photo credit http://www.astrophoto.ca/. I hope to have some of my own to share soon!

Note to Self (Literally)...

On weddingbee today, Mrs. Pinot Noir posted about her out of town bags. In them, she placed pre-stamped post cards from the region her wedding was held, along with a note to guests to send one (that was pre-addressed) to the happy couple after the wedding describing their favorite memory from the weekend; the other was for guests themselves or for a friend. I love the idea, and found 200 post cards for $40.00 :http://shop.rockymountainreflections.com/. It's a bit too early to order them now, but I definitely plan on it as the wedding draws closer.

It's Amazing and Free!

This is the best (FREE-gasp!)wedding idea ever! Simply enter the email addresses your friends who will be attending your wedding and The Wedding Lens will email them and remind them to bring their cameras to the wedding. After the wedding, guests will receive an email requesting that they upload their pictures into an online album for sharing. What a great way to have all of your photos in one place and to get some pictures from your wedding while you are waiting for those pro pics (not to mention a variety of photos that you may bot have seen otherwise).

Visit www.theweddinglens.com for more details.

I Need This, Right?

It's only $50, matches our wedding colors/flowers and would be a cute item to have around the house as a non-creepy memento of our wedding...right? Right? Should I buy it?

By the way, this amazing clay floral arrangement is from Etsy Seller DK Designs http://www.dkdesignshawaii.com/. You have to check out her website and her gorgeous work!

Shhh...We Don't Live Together Yet!

The most controversial wedding decision that Andrew and I have yet to make is one that we are not making. Simply put, we've decided not to live together before we get married.

Here are some stats I gathered on this topic:

There are 9.7 million Americans living with an unmarried different-sex partner and 1.2 million American living with a same-sex partner. 11% of unmarried partners are same-sex couples.- U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

41% of American women ages 15-44 have cohabited (lived with an unmarried different-sex partner) at some point. This includes 9% of women ages 15-19, 38% of women ages 20-24, 49% of women ages 25-29, 51% of women ages 30-34, 50% of women ages 35-39, and 43% of women ages 40-44. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Cohabitation, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the United States." Vital Health and Statistics Series 23, Number 22, Department of Health and Human Services, 2002.

The number of unmarried couples living together increased 72% between 1990 and 2000.- U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

55% of different-sex cohabitors get married within 5 years of moving in together. 40% break up within that same time period. About 10% remain in an unmarried relationship five years or longer.- Smock, Pamela (2000). "Cohabitation in the United States." Annual Review of Sociology.
All of this information has been gathered courtesy of http://www.unmarried.org/statistics.html.

Why am I not joining the 49% of women in my age bracket who live with their partners before marriage? There are a few reasons and I am happy to share them. The first is that I relish being single. Don't get me wrong, I can not wait to marry Andrew, but in the meantime, I want to treasure nights snuggled up in my bed, face mask on and Godiva Ice Cream in tow reading trashy novels without judgement, long conversations with my girlfriends without an audience, painting my toenails while I watch "Grey's Anatomy", and all other "Secret Single" (a la Carrie Bradshaw) behavior that Andrew loathes before I make the move to move in with my boy. The next reason is because I do my best (though I do not always succeed) to follow the tenants of my religious faith. I don't mean to say that those who live with their significant others are somehow wrong, immoral or "sinners", but simply to say that this was not the right choice for me based on my personal beliefs. The final reason is pretty cut and dry. My parents are making a generous contribution to the wedding and have threatened not to if we live together; as a city school employee, suffice to say that I would have a hard time paying for the wedding of my dreams on my own...

That being said, I can understand the many reasons why people do live together before marriage (and am more than occasionally jealous of those who do). Bills are pretty expensive, especially in this economy, and it would be nice to have someone to split them with. Over half of these relationships end in marriage, but some do not; perhaps those who live together first avoid what could have potentially been disastrous marriages. That, and I can definitely understand the desire to have your loved one near. It makes perfect sense to me, and I judge not. We all have to make the choices that are right for us.

What bothers me, I guess, is how much I have been called upon to defend my beliefs on this matter. I usually just give people the last reason (about the parental wedding support) and it seems to nip the conversation in the bud. However, it would be best not to have to defend my position at all. As Rodney King once replied in a much more urgent situation, "Can't we all just get along?". After all, aren't weddings supposed to be about love?

What do you think? What did you decide about living together before marriage and why did you make that choice?

Letter Your Legacy Lust

I would love to spell out our married name and hang one of these pieces from Letter Your Legacy in our master bedroom. In the meantime, I will settle for ordering them for others (my parents and grandparents) for Christmas.

What creative gifts or objects of lust have you found during your wedding browsing?

Products/photo credits http://www.letteryourlagacy.com/.

Picking a Pretty Palette...The Decorating Continues.

Now that we had linens and furniture, we need to get the guest bedroom painted.We will also be painting the master to get ready for its future makeover. Here are the colors we chose:

Master (We will paint one wall the darker grey as an accent, and the other three walls a lighter grey.):
Guestroom (The light brown will be the primary color on all of the walls, the dark brown will be the trim and the cream will be for the ceiling):

The accent color for the guest room will be chartreuse, and the accent colors for the master will be chartreuse, burnt orange and robin's egg blue. I'd love to use the wedding colors (pink and brown) but A was not so into the idea-he he he!

How did you pick the colors for your nest? Did you start with the paint or with the linens/decorations?

Paint colors/swatches from http://www.myperfectcolor.com (Benjamin Moore).

Moving On To The Master...

Linens... Throw Pillows...

More Throw Pillows...

A charteuse throw...

A pretty picture...

And some lamps...

Heavy Nesting

I would like to take a break from my regularly scheduled wedding posts to blog about my latest obsession....nesting! Because, let's face it, as much as you (and I) may love wedding planning, sometimes a girl just needs a break and a time to focus on something new.

It all started this weekend when A and I started envisioning how we wanted our home to look. Since I already own a home that he will move into when we are married (more on that later). We decided to make it "ours" by furnishing it together with things we both loved. Let me tell you, finding things we both loved was a lot more easier said than done...While I love Andrew, this shopping excursion was definitely a lesson in compromise, balancing his love of contemporary style with my affection for all things classic. In the end though, it was nice to hear his opinions and to see him invest in what we are building together. Anyway, I am sure you just want to see the pictures, so here goes...

It all started with this bedroom set.... It will go in our guest bedroom(minus the tall dresser and the square mirror).


And these are the linens! I bought them right off our our registry at Crate and Barrel, because I simply could not wait!


I fell in love with these Sammy Vases...They will look perfect on the dresser and will pull all of the colors of the linens together.

Since we decided that we liked the green best of all of the colors in the linens, we chose this lamp to really draw it out.

And, this throw should also help to that end...

What do you think? Would you like to stay in our guest bedroom?

Top picture/furniture www.oakexpressions.com. All other pictures/products www.crateandbarrel.com.

More DIY Goodness

Tomorrow night I am getting together with my 3 favorite Denver gals to go to Archiver's for some scrap booking and paper crafting fun.

While I am there, I plan to work on 2 projects:

Bride's Room and Groom's Room Signs (in our pink/brown color scheme). I hope that these will make for some fun pictures on our wedding day!

A Thank You Banner (also in our pink/brown color scheme) for us to hold; we'll have a picture like this one made into a postcard to send to our guests after the wedding. I am hoping that these postcards will make the arduous task of writing thank you cards more fun!

Photo credits to: kristaselegantweddings.com and etsy seller EdenInspirations, respectively. I'll be sure to post photos of my own projects as soon as they are complete!

Details, Details, Does Anyone But Me Notice or Care?

My latest obsession is card boxes. I am really wondering how much of a feature they are at weddings and how much anyone notices them. Is this a project worth spending time and money on? In my earliest musing about this detail, here are a few I have found around the Internet. All pictures and products were found on http://www.ebay.com/.

The card boxes I found ranged from traditional like this one....

To bird cages like many bees are using...

To a wedding cake shaped one like this...

To my personal favorite (though I am not sure I would pay $155+shipping for a card box)....This last one can be custom ordered in your wedding colors from eBay seller For the Modern Bride.

What will you do for your card box? Should I stress about mine?