My Mom's Favorite Moment

As you may recall, a family friend graciously agreed to put together all the flowers for my wedding. I printed off pictures of bouquets I liked, and asked her to work her magic.

When I got home from getting my hair done, the flowers had already arrived. I walked into my room and picked up my bouquet...

I held it in my hands, looked in the mirror, and started to cry.

"It's PERFECT", I told my Mom. And it was.

At that moment, I felt like a bride. I couldn't imagine holding a more beautiful bouquet.

So as I cried, my mom held me. And this moment is her favorite of the day.

Our family friend had perfectly put togther everything I had asked for, and it ended up being much more beautiful than any of the pictures I had given her. My bouquet contained hydrangeas, lisanthius, roses, and of course, gerber daisies.

Absolutely beautiful. And absolutely a moment I will never forget.

When did you have that "I feel like a bride" moment?

A Picture of Marriage

How does one create a picture of marriage? To me, this picture represents marriage:


A joining together. Two becoming one. For better or for worse. Loving the other more than yourself. Two different beings, beautifully intertwined. Forever.

Married life is wonderful. :)

Our First Dance

I don't think I ever blogged about our first dance song. We danced to "If This World Were Mine" by Luther Vandross. It's a duet, which made it so much fun to dance to, as we sang to eachother. Our dance was one of my favorite parts of the day. It is a fairly long song (which I had fretted about), but I didn't mind a bit once we were out there. It was just the two of us, lost in eachother, and the rest of the world disappeared. Wonderful.

And I love this picture, especially because you can see my parents in the background, looking on. So sweet.

What will your first dance song be?

I Did My Own Makeup!!!

Okay, for anyone who knows me, this is a big deal. I was so proud of myself! I am not a big makeup girl. I barely wear any (as you have seen in previous photos of me). But we got the stuff we needed at Bare Essentials, and the day of the wedding, everything just seemed to go my way! I am so happy with how it turned out!!

And a non-pro picture, so you can see how it "really" looked...

Me and my sister-in-law!! I really couldn't be happier with how my make up turned out. I'm so glad we didn't pay someone to do it!

So if anyone is thinking about doing their own makeup, my advice is to go for it! If I can do it, you can too!

The Yummy Stuff

I probably mentioned somewhere along the way that I wanted to have a "Dessert Table" in addition to our cake. And you probably remember my difficulty trying to figure out what the cake should look like.

Everything turned out PERFECTLY.

We had a whole room set aside for desserts. The best part? It was closed off until it was time to cut the cake! Immediately after dinner, we walked toward the room, the doors were opened, and we (and our guests!) saw THIS:



I really think I heard a collective gasp. It was breathtaking. The cake? Absolutely everything I had imagined. We had cookies, carrot cake cupcakes, candy, brownies, chocolate covered peanut brittle, etc etc!

One of the best parts? We asked people close to us to make special desserts for us - such as my Grandma's snickerdoodles. Everyone loved this. It added such a personal touch!

There will be many more pictures of this to come, but I wanted to give you all the sneak peek.

Will you be doing anything special for dessert at your wedding?

My Husband and His Posse

Good news. The TV is up and running...and BEAUTIFUL I might add! And my husband and I had a wonderful time setting it up and putting the tv stand together. I am not sure if we have ever worked so well together. Yay for newlywed bliss! :)

Speaking of my husband, here is on our wedding day. Don't you just love the hat? Totally his idea. He had a white one for himself, and black ones for his groomsmen. I found them for a great deal at H&M in Chicago. I'm sure you'll see them making appearances in later photos (they all wore them at the reception), but in the meantime, here are the guys, sans hats before the ceremony.
Don't they look great? I'm loving the tuxes. They certainly fit the elegant feel of our wedding.

What will your guys be wearing on the wedding day?

Registry Wars - The Finale

Some of you were actually around WAYYYY back when I posted about the Registry Wars my groom and I were having. (Shout out to CheapWife!)

Here's the update. I got (almost) all my china. I just need one more place setting!

And his TV? Well, because of the generosity of our friends and family, at this moment he is picking up his beloved TV. This is the one we decided to get:

I have to admit, it is a thing of beauty.

Unfortunately, we have to set it up ourselves. Yes, they could have delivered it - but not until after our high school football team plays on ESPN this Saturday. And we had to watch that on the big screen.

I'll keep you posted. This could be interesting. :)

Ceremony Details - A Sneak Peek!

Remember all those vases? Remember that aisle runner Super-Crafty Sister made? Remember the programs I haven't told you about yet? Here is a sneak peek!

Absolutely breathtaking, don't you think?

A few things about this photo. First of all - the rose petals. They are actually from my sister-in-law's wedding. I remember picking them up and shoving them into trash bags almost two years ago. I commented (half-joking), "Are we saving these for my wedding?' About a month or two before the wedding, I called her and said, "Remember all those rose petals...?" She shipped them to us to use at our wedding! Love it.

Oh and all those candles? Totally last minute decoration for the stage. And they looked FANTASTIC. Sigh. I always dreamed of having a candlelit ceremony (or nearly candlelit, with the help of a few overhead lights0...and there it was.

Will your wedding be candlelit?

One of My Favorites

This photo doesn't necessarily have a story, it is just one of my absolute favorite photos of all time. It makes me smile everytime I see it. :)

(And this is proof that a non-"white" wedding dress stll looks great with the groom's white vest and shirt! This seriously was a serious fear of mine at one point in all the planning.)

Those Little Black Dresses

Remember those little black dresses I found at the White House Black Market outlet for $40? Here's how they looked on my fabulous ladies. (This picture is on the swing in my parents' front yard. Love it.)

The hydrangea bouquets looked so good!

And I absolutely love this shot, for so many reasons. First, as many of you know, faith is so very important to me and my family. This moment of prayer was so incredibly special. Second, my mom looks so fantastic in her beautiful Mother of the Bride dress! And third, I love that you can see my Aunt Sue and Uncle Roger in the kitchen in the background. They are such an important part of my life, and did so much for the wedding. Overall, I just love this photo!

Oh and you can really see how great the dresses look in this photo below. Not to mention how great my Daddy and I look, dancing across the dance floor to "The Way You Look Tonight." I can't wait until he blogs about that dance. We had so much fun, and I distinctly remember him saying to me, "Why did this song feel so much shorter when we were practicing at home?" Hehe.

So there they are, the little black dresses. And look! More than one photo in a post. I'm getting better at this recapping thing. :)

Home Sweet Home

My parents were high school sweethearts, married young, and built a house together when they were 27. Our family has lived in that house ever since. My mom literally went into labor with my younger sister as she hung siding on the house, and my dad's little finger doesn't work quite right anymore due to his laying of the hardwood floors.

Most brides aren't lucky enough to get ready for the wedding in the house where they grew up. I did!

I love this shot of me at the front door of my parents' house. I remember many days of washing that front porch, and I remember when that door was installed.

And this gives you a great view of my dress! By the way, since I never revealed it on my blog, it is a Casablanca 1892. We did a little reshaping of it (to make it not so poofy), but it is pretty much the same as when I bought it. It literally was the first dress I tried on. I kept trying on other dresses, but I kept referring to this one as "my dress." And so it was.

Where will you be getting ready for your wedding day?

One At A Time

My AMAZING photographer has sent me about twenty "teaser" photos to hold me over until all of the photos are finished. I have decided to give you all a glimpse of the wedding by taking these photos one by one and describing them to you. I know it's not a typical "recap" way of doing things, and perhaps I'll get more chronological as time goes on, but this is how it's going to be for now. I know you are aching for photos, so here we go. :)

This shot actually was my mom's idea. My mom got married in 1978 as a young bride. She kept her (tiny!) wedding dress in her closet the whole time I was growing up. I remember many days of playing dress up in her wedding dress. Those days have long since gone - my 11 year old sister now fits in the dress! But I have always, always, loved her dress.

So, here it is. My mom's dress, hanging on the right of my dress, in the room where I grew up. Love it. (Oh and there is a special story about that mirror. Stay tuned.)


Did you (or will you) incorporate your mothers dress into your wedding day?

The Ritz Carlton is Worth Every Penny

Before I start the wedding recaps, let me give you a little recap about the honeymoon. We got married in our hometown on Saturday, and stayed at the (almost) local Ritz Carlton. I had never stayed at a Ritz before, but had always said I would stay there on my wedding night (and every anniversary thereafter).

My husband (I love saying that) saved up points on his credit card to help us get a room there for that special night. We had an assist as well from some family friends who gave us a VERY generous gift card to the Ritz as a wedding present!

We arrived that night in our limo, with the bellhop there to greet us. I loved showing up in my wedding dress, and my groom in his tux. (We had thought about changing before we left. My advice? Don't do it! I loved feeling like a bride when I walked into that hotel!)

I knew the Ritz was beautiful. I had no idea how great their people were. We walked in, and immediately the guy at the front desk greeted us, saying "Good evening, Mr. & Mrs. ____!" I absolutely LOVED that they called us by our married names! He told us where our room was, gave us our keys, and offered us a champagne toast - which we gladly accepted! We were amazed - the whole check in process only took about five minutes. As my husband says, it felt like the whole place was waiting for us to get there.

Our room? Spectacular. But then again, the whole place was. Check out these photographs - it makes me want to go back!

My handsome husband. :)

This is the view from our room. AMAZING!

I know this post has been really picture-heavy, and you are all still waiting to hear details about the wedding, but I really wanted to share this experience with you.

Are you staying somewhere special for your wedding night?

Where Do I Begin?

Where do I begin to tell you the story of the most wonderful day of my life?

How do I accurately describe the emotions of that day?

Can I possibly explain each detail?

I admit. I have writer's block. I desperately want to start recapping the wedding, but am just overwhelmed at the thought! Not to mention how busy life is now - getting back to work, trying to change my name, etc etc.

So stay with me. Recaps will come. In the meantime, check out my dad's blog for his perspective on the wedding. And if any of our wedding guests want to do a little guest post about their view of the wedding, I would love that too!

And just to whet your appetite, here is a little teaser of our fabulous wedding photos.

Thanks for your patience! :)

We're MARRIED!!!

That's right - last night I became "august15wife"!

Everything was absolutely beautiful. The ceremony, the reception, the details...MY GROOM! All perfect. He looked amazing!! The whole night was so incredibly special. I don't have many pictures yet (but I'm checking Facebook obsessively, haha). Here is my favorite I've seen so far - I just love how happy we look!

I can't wait to show you more, and share all the details of the most wonderful day of my life.

But first, I have a honeymoon to get to. :)

(P.S. Thanks for being part of this amazing journey with me!)

The Time Has Come!

That's right. Tomorrow, I will be his wife.

And I can't wait. :)

It's Time to Rehearse!

As you can imagine, it has been a BUSY day. Sorry I don't have time to upload photos, but I have a wedding rehearsal to get to! :)

Beary Handsome

I am 26 years old, and I still sleep with a teddy bear.

My teddy bear is named Cuby, and he has been with me through thick and thin.

We have traveled together, gone into surgery together, and have just plain always been together.

Check out these Cuby moments...(trust me, there are many more!)

Of course he has to be a part of my wedding. Check out his outfit for my big day!

Doesn't he look great????

It's Going To Be A Big Wedding

Look at all those placecards!


And the close up...



Yet another creation by Mom and Super-Crafty Sister. :)

I love them! I also loved putting them all in alphabetical order...NOT! Hehe. It is exciting to see all the names of all the people we will be seeing this weekend!

Carrot Cake Cupcake Queen

Littlest Sister has been earning herself a new name - Carrot Cake Cupcake Queen. She has been busy in the kitchen all day, making dozens and dozens of carrot cake cupcakes. Tomorrow is frosting day. Isn't she the cutest little baker??

They are so yummy! (Yes, I have had a few...)

Wedding Central

Our house has become "Wedding Central". Tonight we gathered everything we needed for the different locations into different rooms of the house. Tomorrow will be a busy day - decorating the reception hall at 9am and the church at 11am!

The church items...


The reception items...

Mom will be so happy to have her house back. :)