I really saw this...

So here I am in Kentucky a few summers back. I am actually at a wedding for a friend of mine from college. We are standing outside the reception when all of a sudden...What's that coming up the road?

Oh no it isn't! It's a bride and a groom in a tractor riding down main street!

And oh no it isn't...it's the wedding party! (At least they have cute polka dot dresses on!)

There they go...


At this point I think we just looked at each other in astonishment. Did that just happen? Oh yes, it did. I really saw this. Now where am I going to get a tractor for my wedding? Ha, Ha! In all fairness, this crowd gets some creativity and humor points from this bride to be, but I'm going to stick to my trolley.

Hanging Things

Happy Thursday! My posts might be a little shorter the next few days. They have hired someone to take my position at my current job and I'll be training her the rest of this week and all of next week. I'll try very hard to sneak in a few good posts. But, this would also be a great time for y'all to let me know if there is something you would like me to write about. I would love to hear from everyone!

Ok, so I love "hanging things." My wedding coordinator also loves "hanging things." So we are working on a monogrammed banner and a few other projects. She even wants to put some kind of wooden structure in our ballroom so we can hang some more things. Here are a few "hanging things" I like and I wanted to share with you.

*Most wedding pictures are either from the Knot or Wedding Channel. I've been collecting since for months, so I'm not sure where they all came from. Sorry!

Huggies

I'm about to order huggies/coozies/can coolers...or whatever you like to call them in your part of the world for our wedding. I am going to put my fabulous logo on them (created by Kristin at Idodesigns). I think I mentioned earlier that I had a quote for .89 each for 250, plus a $40.00 set up charge. My next debate is what color do I do? As my regular readers know, my colors are light pink and light green. After my last post I decided on green huggies with white writing. Know, I find out that my source only has huggies that come in forest green, kelly green, or lime green (aka neon green). My fiance already put his foot down on pink huggies (sigh). Any suggestions on which green to use or does anyone have a better online source? I found this website, Dollar Imprint, that has a Caribbean green (top right) in the foam. Has anyone ever used them? I would love some comments back on this! Thanks!

Monogrammed Details

Speaking of Monogramming...I also want to get my initials monogrammed in blue with our wedding date to put on the inside of my dress for my "something blue." I have seen a few places that do this. The bottom picture is from Linen Classics on Ebay. The seller, Mainemomof4, has hers priced for $19.95. The first two pictures are from Inital Impressions. They have theirs prices for just $13.00. Does anyone have someone that they have personally used that they could recommend? I also want to get a monogrammed ribbon for my bouquet, but I think my regular monogram lady at home is going to help me with that one, unless someone has a fabulous online connection? Let me know what you think!

Monogrammed TP

How over the top is this? I love it though! I'm thinking about buying a few rolls to put in the bathroom at my wedding, just to make people laugh. I have seen it at a few stores, but after froogling it The Wishing Fish has the cheapest price at $17.95!

Lillian Bee Contest

I too would love the chance to win $50.00 in merchandise from Lillian Bee. Go check out Caroline's new website!

Polka Dots for under $50.00!

Every preppy girl loves polka dots so I thought I would add a little fun to your Monday with 10 great polka dot finds under $50.00. If you are up to the challenge, I would love to see your 10 polka dot finds for under $50.00. Let me know if you decide to try it!


Polka Dot Luggage Tag from The Stationary Studio for $25.00 for 3 tags.

Polka Dot Beach Towel from Lands End for $26.50.

Polka Dot Dishwashing Gloves from Sur la Table for $14.95

Polka Dot Bowls from Sur la Table for $15.90.

Polka Dot Framed Wooden Letter from Rosenbury Rooms for $25.95.

Polka Dot Journal from Etsy Seller Iggysays for $25.00.

Polka Dot headband from Etsy seller NicklinDesigns for $9.00.

Polka Dot chemise from The Pajama Store for $34.00!
Island Green Burp Cloth from Swoozies for $16.95!

Polka Dot Napkins at Neimans-$49.90 for a set of 12

And for all of your stationary needs, I also love this great polka dot website that has cute invitations, stationary, and calling cards...it's called Polka Dot Design!

Yeah! Melissa over at Perfectly Pink, Sarah over at In the Life of Five Year Olds, and KR at Views From a Treehouse were up to the Polka Dot Challenge. Stop by their websites to check out their favorite polka dot finds. Thanks for joining the fun girls!

Roll With It!

I'm thankful today for learning a lesson about this whole wedding process before it was too late. Something is going to go wrong and you've just got to put your chin up and roll with it otherwise you are going to miss out on some amazing moments that will be mixed in with the mayhem. A few things went wrong this weekend and I know that many more things will go wrong in the next three months and the only way to enjoy the things that go right is to roll with it!

My Dad got a very bad stomach bug and was unable to come to my engagement party. I was pretty sad, but very thankful that my Mom, sister, and brother were still going to be able to make it. Forty-five minutes before the party was to begin, my Mom, who had driven 4 hours to be here for me, also got the stomach bug. We were supposed to go over at my future in-laws home for a drink before the party began, so I had to call them and let them know my sweet (and mortified) Mother was actually on the toilet and was going to need to skip the pre-drink invitation. At her request, we gave Mom a few pills to try to help so that she could go to the party for a little bit. I turned around only a few minutes after arriving at the party and she had disappeared. Knowing where to look, my sister and I found her in the hostess' bathroom hugging the toilet. I felt so awful for her! We discreetly tried to quickly get her out of the party and my brother offered to take her back to the hotel. As she walked down the driveway, she managed to say through tears she was so sorry to be missing this important evening and could I please tell my fiance's family and friends (they were the ones throwing this particular party) that I was not an orphan and I had parents that loved me very much. I felt awful for her and so helpless. Standing at the top of the driveway with my fiance with tears in my eyes, I knew I had to go back inside and smile. I took a few deep breaths so I wouldn't cry and went and told my fiances parents and a few of the hosts that my Mom was not going to be able to stay. I downed a margarita and began my first task of being "the bride." In the next hour, I was introduced to about 80 of my fiances parent's closet friends (yes, thank goodness for the margarita).

I managed to have a good time despite the earlier circumstances. My Plenty dress that Mrs. P picked out was a hit and I felt great. A few of my dear friends were able to make it to the party despite the calendar overload that spring wedding season brings. It felt good to look around at all of these people that took the time out of their schedules to come celebrate my fiance and I's upcoming marriage.

At the door the cute guys above welcomed guests and they were asked to sign a photo mat with our invitation in the center. We ate quesadillas, fajitas, and great cheese dip and the flowers and decor were wonderful! Sunflowers and bright colored ribbon hung from a chandelier, while buckets of coronas and pitchers of margaritas satisfied the thirst created by the almost summer like evening. I was presented with a festive bouquet with a bright pink ribbon and they also made red huggies with my fiance and I's name on them. The thought and love that went into creating this party for us is what I will remember most about last night. The night went so quickly and I'm glad I have a few pictures to remember the better moments of the party. =) As one guest told me, "at least your parent's aren't sick on your wedding night." Knock on wood.

How's my Mom, you ask? Well, I spent today feeding her crackers and trying to get some liquids to stay in her stomach. We booked her another evening at the hotel (she refused to stay at my house in fear of getting me sick.) But, against her wishes, I went over 3 times today to make sure she was okay. I went to the store and bought her a new nightgown, a few magazines, and a large supply of "stomach bug" meds. We just finished watching The Queen and she managed to eat some chicken noodle soup tonight. I'm thankful for being able to take care of my Mom today after all the times she has taken care of me. I'm going to wash my hands now and pray that I don't get this awful bug. I have a bridal luncheon on Saturday and I really would like to be there for it! But, I can't worry about that...so I'm just going to roll with it!

Cute Candy

These are cute! Thought I would share. You could put them in your out of town bags or use them at your rehearsal dinner or wedding as a small favor. Click on the picture for a link to Favor Ideas. And, I just realized that the lifesavers looked so cute because they are on MY CHINA that I picked out....Wedgewood Crown Platinum. Funny!

Make A Difference Today

Ok, I'm jumping on my soap box again today to ask y'all for support. Unfortunately, I think it is safe to say probably each of you reading this has been affected at one point by a trucking accident. With as much as I drive, I cringe every time I pass a truck on the highway. A very old friend of mine from grade school was killed at age 22 in a trucking accident on his way back from Thanksgiving Break in 2002. His parents have started an organization called Road Safe America.

They were actually on the Today Show this week. Click here to see the video:
http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=4f605846-72fd-4dd7-a3e2-fa6dc01fb4fa&f=00&fg=

According to the Road Safe America website,

When tractor-trailers and cars collide in fatal trucking accidents, 98 percent of the deaths occur in the cars. It's clear why: for a car to equal the force of a tractor-trailer, which weighs 80,000 pounds, traveling at 60 mph, it would have to be speeding at over 300 mph. Limiting trucks to reasonable speeds will make our highways significantly safer while preserving truckers' important jobs.

Their goal is to require electronic speed governors on commercial trucks to be set at not more than 68mph. Their website states,

Every year 5,000 people die and more than 130,000 people are injured in trucking accidents. Road Safe America is working to reduce semi truck accidents by limiting the top speed of tractor-trailer trucks. As virtually every driver has experienced, many trucks travel at dangerously high speeds.

If you have a minute today, please go to their website http://www.roadsafeamerica.org/
and sign their federal petition to help make our roads safer. Just click on the link (it says ALERT sign our petition in red) on the website and enter the Docket ID: 26851. Only the docket number and your comments are required to complete the petition.

Make a Difference Today!

Our First Wedding Gift!

The Arthur Court "Magnolia" Plate with cheese server from Macy's. Isn't it appropriate! =) We also got a clear party tub last night too! Guess I better jump on those thank you notes. This weekend is our engagement party and I can't wait. My brother and sister are coming in town for the weekend. My parents are supposed to be coming, but my Dad got the flu on Wednesday, so I don't know if he is going to be able to make it or not. I'm trying not to think about it because I am such a Daddy's girl and I really want him to be there with me, but obviously I care more about him getting better. Keep your fingers crossed. So, I'll be wearing the Plenty dress that Mrs. P at Chic picked out for Preppy Wedding. The invitation was a fiesta looking one (I'll post later) and it said join us for "Tacos and Tequila." Sounds like it is going to be a fun night!

Pleased as Punch

I want to have limeade and pink lemonade at my wedding reception for those people that do not want to drink (I don't think there will be many, but the idea is just too cute). We are already having a full open bar, so if this is too pricey then I might not do it. But, I hope one of you will use the idea as it is so fabulous. This would be really fun for a shower or summer party too!

I found this one at After Five. Click on the picture for the link.



I went ahead and bought 2 of these (click on picture for link) for $20.00 at Bed Bath & Beyond (plus I got my 20% off...I love their coupons and not sure if you know this, but they NEVER expire.) I figured I could give these as gifts if we weren't able to use them at the wedding. I would need to add some height to these if I end up using them and some pink and green ribbon!

Contest from Splat Designs

Thanks to a lead from Caroline, I too, am I'm hoping for a little love from Splat Designs so that I can have "pretty" blog. Their work is awesome and they are having a contest to win a free template. How cool would that be! I think I would feel like a real blogger. Ok, cross your fingers.

Centerpieces

I love this pretty green hydragena and pink and cream rose centerpiece I found on the knot. Thought I would share!

If You Don't Feel Like Cooking

My sweet roommates gave me this take-out menu box (mine is yellow) last year for my birthday. I think it will be perfect for Manhattan!

Honeymoon Planning

Ok, so we are still planning our honeymoon. Sarah at The Seven Spot blogged about her great European honeymoon the other day and it got me thinking that we only have a few months to go and ours in not finalized. My fiance wants to be in charge, which is fine and I know it will all be wonderful, but...I actually work at a travel agency! I'm not a travel agent, I'm a group meeting coordinator/event planner, but I have some fabulous resources at my fingertips. The downside of working here is that I don't get full client privileges, so no one is in a real hurry to actually sit down and plan my honeymoon when there are tons of other clients. So...I'll just have to figure some of this out on my own for now.

We are going to start in the German wine country, then go to Switzerland, then to Paris (well...maybe..read on...). I would love to hear your suggestions if you have been to these places before. We have decided to be very daring and use a Delta Buddy Pass to fly to Europe. The plane tickets were running about $1300.00 for July 1st, and we can fly stand by for about $250.00 each. I used them every other weekend this past year to get to NYC to see my fiance and they do work...if you know how to use them. The key is flexibility and for once in our lives, we both have it! My fiance won't start his job in Manhattan until August and I am done with my job on April 13th. So, if we don't get out the first day we can try again. If we can't make it into Frankfurt, we can fly to some other country and add a new portion to our honeymoon. (This idea really excites me.)

Why Europe? While I love a good island, but he likes something a little more active. I enjoy activity as well, but I would like to figure out a good balance on our honeymoon. I don't want to be running around feeling like I have to see every museum in town. He has been EVERYWHERE. I consider myself pretty well traveled, but my passport pales in comparison to his. I really want us to go to at least one country that he has not been to, so that we can both experience it for the first time together.

So here is a rough draft of our honeymoon....fly into Frankfurt, Germany (or somewhere close by that a Delta Buddy Pass will take us.) My fiance studied for a year in Germany after college and also for a summer during college. (Yes, he speaks German which will be great!) When he lived their for the summer in college, he was the 3rd generation of his family to work in the German wine country (in Rhodt) at a small family owned vineyard. The vineyard has a bed and breakfast and a restaurant (they call it a weinstube.) Since my fiance knows the area so well, we will basically do a wine tour at all of his favorite places. He told me that unlike Napa/Sonoma where you make an appointment, you just knock on the people's doors in Rhodt and ask to taste their wine and they invite you in and you taste wine with the families! How fun! We went to Napa/Sonoma awhile back and that was one of our favorite trips together, so I know this will be amazing. I'm looking forward to being in the countryside and sharing a place that I know is so important to my fiance. (Plus, I get to drink lots of good wine!)

After about 3 days, where we are planning to drink all the wine in Rhodt and the surrounding areas and visit Heidleburg Castle (pictured above--isn't it beautiful!) , we will be ready to move on to Switzerland! We are not 100% sure where in Switzerland we want to go. We have talked about doing either Lake Geneva and staying in Lausanne or maybe Lake Lucern. Both places look amazing, so we are just trying to figure it out. We want to spend about 3 days in Switzerland. I really want to go on the chocolate train one day (pictured below). What girl wouldn't? The trip leaves from Montreaux and travels up the Swizz Riveria to Gruyeres, where you get to go to a castle and cheese factory. Then, you continue on to the Cailler-Nestle chocolate factory for a tour and some tasting! Montreaux is on Lake Geneva so we would probably want to be in that area. Hmmm. So many great and fabulous choices!
After 3 days in Switzerland, we are torn. We originally discussed doing 3 days in Paris (I've never been, but my fiance has been like 5 times.) I am concerned that I need more time than that in Paris and it might overwhelm me as the last leg of our honeymoon. But, on the other hand, it is one of the most romantic places in the world and going their on our honeymoon would be very special. If we go, does anyone have any suggestions on how to make it more low key? What things should I avoid and what things can I not leave without trying?

The other option after Switzerland is to include some "beach time." We could do three days on the French Riviera or on the Italian Riviera. We have thrown out the ideas of doing Cannes or one of those fabulous places. Or, we could go the Italian route and do Cinque Terre (like Sarah at The Seven Spot). I'm lost! I love it all! Has anyone been to any of these places? I would love to hear everyone's opinions.

Introducing...drum roll please...my wedding logo!

First a big thank you to reader Britt for recommending her friend of a friend, Kristin, at I Do Originals. She is amazing and figured out my wedding logo so quickly. I highly recommend her if you need a custom monogram/logo. She also makes isle runners and banners too. One talented girl! I'm sorry I had to block the location (my fiance wants me to stay as anonymous as possible on this blog.) I love how the oak tree turned out...so Southern! The resort where our reception will be is covered with old oak trees with spanish moss so that is the reason for the tree as part of the logo.

Now, where were we...oh yes, on to ordering everything and anything I can think of to put my logo on! Ha, Ha! I'm thinking stickers (for candy bags) and stickers for out of town bags. I found this website: http://www.customizedstickers.com/indoor-labels.php. You can get 500 in 2 colors (could do pink/green logo) for $179.00 and I found this website http://www.lightninglabels.com/ I also want to do waterbottle labels or I could just do a sticker on the waterbottle. People might get sick of my stickers though. Hmm. Does anyone have any other sticker websites that are good?

What do y'all think of napkins? I'm a big fan of the plain embossed kind, like this. Or, should I go with the suggestion I saw on the Wedding Bee and buy an embosser and do my own, like this.

Huggies! Can't do with out my huggies. I got a quote for .89 each for 250, plus a $45.00 set up charge. Does that sound reasonable? Know any better vendors? Should I do green huggies with a white or black logo? Or, another color? Don't think my fiance is going to let me get away with pink huggies (too bad).

Matches! I really want matches for my sparklers (got to order those too), but I have so many other things. Hmmm. A friend told me I should just do pink bics and save the money on this one. But oh how I love the barrell matches like these.

Opinions please blogworld! I need your love and advice!

Hmmm. It seems I have so much to do all of a sudden. I've been reading Preppy Wedding for months and she is getting married this weekend! Good luck with everything Preppy Wedding, I know it will be beautiful. How time flies! A little more than 3 months to go for me and it seems like the task lists that you tear out of bridal magazines are telling me I better get on it! I did have my 1st wedding dress fitting today at lunch (check). Thanks to WW, I lost another 1.4 lbs last week (check)! When I put on my dress I could really tell the difference and it made me feel so good! The dress (which, I'm sorry, I can't share in case my fiance checks my blog) is so beautiful. It was the first dress I tried on, back in September, and I had not put it on since then (they are storing it so that I do not ruin it by trying it on daily.) I put my beautiful shoes on that I blogged about earlier and y'all I am ready! Ok, back to ordering things so I can complete Martha Stewart's wedding task list in a timely manner...

A Little Ice for your Monday!

Sorry for the delay in the post today. Coming back to work after a week off is always difficult. I've been trying to play catch up all day. Well...this beautiful little sparkler was given to me on September 3, 2006 and in celebration of my upcoming engagement party (it is on Saturday) I figured I should go back a little in time and share my engagement with blogworld. My fiance spent last summer in Manhattan. He is in MBA school in Atlanta and he did an investment banking internship in the Big Apple for 8 weeks (8 VERY tough weeks.) He received a job offer at their office in Manhattan on the morning of August 16th (the day after my birthday.) So, we had talked about things and I knew the engagement was coming very soon. I spent the next few weeks wondering if this was "the moment." He knew I was hot on his trail and did everything he could to keep me guessing. We went to the Alabama vs. Hawaii opener on Saturday and I swear I thought I was going to be on the new jumbo tron! Well, the game ended and no proposal. The next day we had to move all of his things back to Atlanta. It was Sunday and it was hot! Box after box we unloaded everything into his apartment, then he suggested a walk. I politely declined (I had just moved all of his stuff for the past 2 hours in 100 degree weather--I was thinking air conditioning.) Then my fiance said he had made us dinner reservations at this restaurant. Got to love a guy...my fiance had forgotten we went to that restaurant a few months back and it was NOT good. Got to love a girl...I reminded him and begged could we please go to this other restaurant I had be dying to try. Poor guy. So, my fiance makes reservations and I go and get in the shower to get ready. I'm sitting on the couch in a t-shirt and boxer shorts with dripping wet hair and he comes out of his room looking very nervous. Oh shit, I thought...right now? This is it? Right now? My hair is wet! Oh my gosh. He comes over to me and says that he can't wait another minute and he has thought of hundreds of ways to do this, but none of them are good enough. So, there...in the hot apartment...he gets down on both knees and tells me (with dripping hair, wearing an old t-shirt) all the things I dreamed about hearing. We both cry and hug and kiss. I managed to sneak a look at the beautiful ring above and kept crying at that point. I had sent him probably 100 pics of rings I liked (it was kind of like my wedding cake and monogram dilemma-I knew what I liked, but couldn't figure out how to get it into one ring) and he managed to put every element I liked in one ring...my ring! Then the cute guy whips out a bottle of fabulous champagne from a box (that I believe I actually carried in.) I laugh and remind him that he doesn't have champagne glasses and he laughs and pulls them out from ANOTHER box (that I believe I also carried in.) He goes to another box and hands me a engagement gift from his Mom and I'm in shock! It was the sweetest thing. Totally unexpected at that moment and totally perfect. Awwww!