Wedding Bash with a Bang

Pro Wedding Photos!

2009-08-02T01:47:00.001-05:00

Favors

2009-07-20T15:42:00.004-05:00

We also took advantage of my "bridesmaid sweat shop" to assemble the favors. I bought the matchbooks on theknot.com while they were on sale. They were personalized with our names and wedding date, which were a great hit, but the actual matches were very poor quality. So, if you are just interested in the personalization for a great price, I would recommend ordering from theknot.com, but if you want quality matches, maybe not.

I bought TONS of sparklers from the local fireworks warehouse and bought the yellow raffia at Michaels.

I had the sparkers in a big basket by the entrance to the tent, but very few people actually notice them there. I think it would have worked better if I had put them on each quest table, one set at each seat.

Wedding Programs

2009-07-20T15:04:00.010-05:00

The week before the wedding, my bridesmaids and I set up a little sweat shop to finish stuff for the wedding. I am so excited about how the programs turned out. I didn't have any photos to post, so I contacted my mom back in Missouri and she took these great photos. Shouldn't she get a job doing product presentation?
For the cover, I used 8.5 x 11 blazer blue cardstock, folded in half, and leftover yellow cardstock, leftover blue cardstock, and a printed graphic to create a layered "monogram." Once the inner page was put in, we wrapped the whole thing with yellow raffia.
The front of the inner paper.

The inside of the inner page, with all ceremony and bridal party info.

The back of the inner page, with family info and our address.

New Blog!

2009-07-19T04:58:00.003-05:00

I have my newlywed blog set up!

The Ever Changing Life of a Military Wife

As of now, there are no posts. But you can see a NEW picture of Jake and me, with my "newlywed" haircut! Be sure to click to become a follower so you can keep up with our adventures in Italy!

Non-Pro Wedding Pics - Details

2009-07-18T12:00:00.004-05:00

Non-Pro Wedding Pics - Ceremony

2009-07-18T11:33:00.003-05:00

Non-Pro Wedding Pics - Getting Ready

2009-07-18T11:05:00.006-05:00

Our friend Katie used my camera on the day of the wedding to get some pictures. Here are some of my favorites. from before the wedding. The groom and his groomsmen, all ready to go.
The girls getting ready.
Jake pinning the corsage on his mom.

The girls still getting ready.

More Party!

2009-07-18T10:47:00.003-05:00

The week before the wedding, we threw a baby shower for my sister. It was lots of fun and she got lots of great stuff!
Two of our nieces and the beautiful mom to be!
Opening presents
Me, Susie, Mom, Alex, & Hilary, and Rylee & Andie in front

Party!

2009-07-17T07:19:00.004-05:00

I loved my bachelorette party! It was a week before the wedding, so almost a month ago, but I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures!
opening presents
my sister and me

It's been awhile!

2009-07-17T07:02:00.002-05:00

It's been a LONG time since I updated the blog! A LOT has happened in that time! I got married and I moved to Italy! Two HUGE life changes within a week of each other. I have to say, I LOVE both changes!

Married life is the best! BEST! (I know I'm using a lot of caps, but I'm just very happy and excited to share it!) I think Jake is even happier than I am. Everytime he goes to Missouri to visit, he dreads coming back to Italy. Not only does he have to sit on a plane for 10+ hours, but he has to go home to an empty apartment. Well, this time I came back to Italy with him. He doesn't really wear his heart on his sleeve, but I can tell he is really happy to have me here with him. Wow that sounds kind of conceited, but it's true. I feel the same way though. I'm so happy to wake up next to him, and even just to get to see him everyday!!

I just realized I'm getting way to deep into the whole newlywed feelings and this is technically a "wedding blog" I do plan to make a "newlywed blog" to start sharing some of my (I mean our!) adventures. I just don't want to create it until I think of a really cute title for my newlywed blog. Any ideas? Nothing I come up with is quite creative enough!

I will still post on this blog, until I get rid of all of the wedding planning photos I still have stored in my camera. And of course, expect some actual wedding photos as well! But when I create my newlywed blog, I'll post that link on here.

I'm back!

2009-06-30T21:40:00.002-05:00

Yes, I've been MIA. My internet was turned off on the Friday before Jake got home, I guess it was the 19th. I've moved out of the apartment and am now staying with my parents, so I'll have access to the computer again. Hopefully, if I'm not overwhelmed with wedding projects, I'll finally have a chance to put some updates on here!

As for me, I don't think it has quite hit me yet that my wedding is in 4 days!

Everyone asks me if I'm nervous. Yes, I'm nervous about standing in front of a hundred people, but no, I'm not nervous about the marriage. I wish I could just jump to 2:00 on Saturday, have a great time, then move on. The wedding planning is starting to get old.

Shred Level 3

2009-06-18T18:51:00.002-05:00

I HATE Level 2 of the Shred. I was going to do each level for about 15 days, but I hate level 2 so much, that I moved on the Level 3 today. It is so much better! Still hard, but it doesn't make me sick. I did almost all of the exercises with the modifications because my leg has been aching lately. I broke my fibula in a cheerleading stunt gone wrong while I was in college, and it hurts after I do a lot of high impact moves. So I do the modified versions for less impact, but I figure at least I'm still moving!

From my experience, it seems like Level 1 really worked my thighs, Level 2 really worked my biceps, and Level 3 really worked my abs. I like the extra ab workout, but I miss how firm my legs would be at the end of doing Level 1. I'm considering doing Level 1 first thing each morning, then doing Level 3 in the afternoons. It sounds a little crazy, but Level 1 should be a breeze for me now, I just want that extra leg work so my thighs won't be so jiggly. Too much information?

'Tie' the Knot

2009-06-17T19:16:00.003-05:00

I ordered the ties for the groomsmen and ushers. The groomsmen will be wearing dark gray suits and light blue shirts with navy paisley ties:

The ushers will be wearing khaki pants and light blue shirts with yellow paisley ties:

Sweet Treat

2009-06-17T19:03:00.001-05:00

I decided on the cake a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure I never actually made a post about it. Here it is!

Lots of Random Checks!

2009-06-17T17:11:00.005-05:00

I got quite a few random wedding checks done this week!

- Ordered the port-a-potties: 1 regular and 1 handicapped for $225
- Finished a mockup of the program cover and bought all of the cardstock needed: <$30
- Dropped off program monogram and cardstock at my printer to be printed and cut: should be done on Monday
- Bought sparklers for favors: <$25
- Bought fireworks for reception: $101, but I bought them at the fireworks stand where I used to work, so the owner threw in a bunch of extras, so I probably ended up with $200 worth of stuff!
- Reserved kegs for the reception: a 1/2 barrel of Bud Light, and a 1/4 keg of Coors Light for Jake!
- Bought all supplies needed for photo guest book: <$20

Memory Frame

2009-06-12T00:39:00.003-05:00

I wanted some way to honor Jake's dad at the wedding. I saw this in a magazine and thought it would be perfect to use as my inspiration to DIY.

I found a nice wooden frame at Micheal's already with a mat for two 4x6 openings. It was $29.99, a little more than I wanted to spend, but I figured we could display this in our home after the wedding, so I decided it was worth it, but when I went to the checkout, it turns out it was on sale for $16.99! I know the color is off, but I had to turn of the flash so the glass wouldn't have a glare.
A little closer.The right side says :
In Loving Memory

'his military rank'
'his full name'
Retired US Air Force

Those we LOVE are never far,
they are with us always
in our HEARTS.

I'm thinking I might display this by the guest book at the ceremony and reception.

No excuses for getting lost now!

2009-06-12T00:30:00.003-05:00

I made some big, bold signs for the reception. Now no one will have an excuse for getting lost!

I used white foam core board from Walmart, and blue cardstock cut with a cricut cutting machine. It belongs to my mom's friend, and I'm just borrowing it before the wedding, but I SO want one!

Right on the highway, I'll put the biggest sign. This one is about 2'x3' Big enough that no one should miss it!
Then, once they get off the highway, there are a couple of forks in the road, so I have these smaller signs to put at both of those spots. Each one will be about 1'x2' As you can see I have room to make one more, so I guess I'll put one at the bottom of the driveway also.

Don't rest your head on this pillow!

2009-06-11T22:55:00.008-05:00

Mom and I made the ring bearer pillow today. As she says, we make a good team. I come up with the ideas, and she makes them.

Here was my original inspiration, taken from Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine. Just a plain pillow with a handkerchief wrapped around so that all 4 corners meet in the middle of the top.
We started out with a lace hanky and some navy blue silk fabric (yes it has a weird "sea creature" print, but once the lace covers it, it looks fine)
Mama doing her thing. I'll admit, all I did was iron the hanky.And the final product. I love the contrast of the navy and white!

BLAH!

2009-06-11T22:49:00.002-05:00

The Shred Level 2 makes me sick. Literally. I just finished day 4 of Level 2, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. Maybe that's how people lose so much weight doing the DVD. Blah.

Weight Loss Day 17

2009-06-10T15:15:00.004-05:00

I just finished my third day of Level 2. It is still very hard, but not as hard as it was on Monday! The strength in Level 2 is a lot harder on my arms. There's one part in the DVD when Jillian says, "your arms should be burning" and I yell at the TV, "THEY ARE!"

I don't feel like my midsection is getting any smaller (but I guess that can be blamed on my poor diet) but my legs are so much stronger! I'm excited I'm wearing a knee length dress for the reception, so I can show off my buff calves! My arms feel strong, but I don't think they are getting any smaller. I just have to keep telling myself, I'm not even halfway through. I have 23 more workouts before the wedding day, and those can make a lot of difference!

Still no soda, and I've cut down on the iced tea also (honestly, I ran out and just haven't made anymore yet!) I've been drinking about 3 bottles of water each day and a big glass of milk with dinner. I know I still should drink more water, but I just drink when I'm thirsty. I've been having healthy snacks, like carrots and sherbet (instead of ice cream), but my meals are not the most healthy. I like pizza.

I weigh and measure again on Saturday, so maybe I'll have a few salads between now and then.

Ceremony Music

2009-06-08T16:28:00.004-05:00

I have finalized the ceremony music with my pianist! I wanted to keep everything very classic, so the guests would really get that "wedding feel" and I think the music really sets the mood.

Entrance of the bridal party: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - Bach

Entrance of the bride: Canon in D - Pachelbel

Recessional (same my parents had at their wedding): Ode to Joy - Beethoven

Prelude and Postlude: other classical music selections

My countdown says I have 26 days until the wedding, and Jake will be home 2 weeks from today!

Shred Level 2

2009-06-08T15:54:00.002-05:00

So, I can no longer say that I haven't skipped any days. But I honestly don't feel too bad about it.

I've been away from home since Friday, I stayed with my parents Friday night, and I had forgotten my Shred DVD, so that night I did Level 1 workout from memory. I did have a few breaks when I was trying to remember what came next, but since I didn't have a timer, I probably actually did a little more than I would have with the DVD.

Saturday, I spent the whole day helping Shannon (one of my bridemaids) and her fiance, Luke, paint their new house. We worked all day, and didn't get back to her apartment until after 10. I figured I had done a workout using the roller and painting trim with my arms up above my head all day, so I decided it would be ok to skip one day. My arms were definitly sore when I woke up on Sunday, so I still got an arm workout!

Sunday, I spent the day painting again, but did do Level 1 when I got home, well, after I watched the Season 3 Premier of ARMY WIVES of course!

Today, I finally tried Level 2. Oh My Goodness! I thought Level 1 was hard...Level 2 is so much more hard! I'll admit, I took a lot of breaks, but I stuck with her recommendation and never rested for more than 5 seconds. Level 1 seems like a breeze now. I had finally gotten to a point where Level 1 seemed so easy that I didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it, and I really wondered how I was going to continue to lose weight, but now I see, the level of intensity is up, so I hope to notice the weight loss again!

Bouquets

2009-06-07T22:25:00.000-05:00

My mom and I met with the "florist" on Wednesday. She is not technically a florist, but she is one of my mom's friends, and actually was one of my mom's students in her floral design class years ago. My original thought was that my mom would do the flowers, but we decided she probably doesn't need that stress on the week of her daughters wedding, so Tamylia agreed to do them for us! More free labor!

This is the picture I gave her, for my bouquet as well as the bridesmaids' bouquets. I just don't want the red berry looking stuff. I like the color and size of the sunflowers, and I like the amount of greenery.

I also gave her a photo of a daisy wreath. I had cut it from the Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and can't find it online, but the website did have a photo of the wreath from farther, not as close up. But you get the idea. I want two daisy wreaths for the church doors. The first thing that greets the guests!

Still going strong! And getting stronger!

2009-06-04T22:42:00.003-05:00

I spent a good portion of the day at my parent's farm, helping my mom plant tomatoes and peppers (she planted 20 different types of tomatoes, but I won't be here to enjoy the fruits of that labor!) and LOTS of sunflowers that will hopefully have nice full blooms by the time we have the reception there. She started the sunflowers in her greenhouse, so hopefully that got them enough of a "head start" to be pretty in early July this year instead of August like they were last year.

On a completely non wedding related note, my parents finally broke ground on their house today! I even set up a farm blog for my mom to show the progress on the house and farm!

Because of being out in the sun all day and bending up and down, up and down, up and down to bury plants, I was SO tempted to not do the "30 Day Shred" DVD tonight. But I DID IT! My endurance was pretty good. The only thing that bothered me was a blister that I formed on my foot from wearing garden clogs all day.

So, today was day 12 for the Shred, and I STILL haven't skipped any days. I am so proud and actually surprised about my persistence with this! Tomorrow, I will be switching to Level 2. I'm pretty scared about that. But, I have to bump up the intensity if I want to continue losing weight and inches!

I'm so tired, and I think I'm going to sleep really well tonight!

New Suits

2009-06-02T10:08:00.003-05:00

The suits at Men's Warehouse ended up being WAY more expensive than we expected. We kind of rushed into picking a suit because I wanted to get it done while Jake was home in March. Luckily, Travis found a similar suit at JCPenny and was able to get a great deal while it was on sale.

So, here is the updated suit:

Stafford® Performance Gray Stripe 3 Button Coat & Pleated Pant

They each got the full suit, as well as a light blue shirt for less than $200!

FYI: 32 days until the wedding and 20 days until Jake and my sister are home!

Shred Update

2009-06-02T09:41:00.006-05:00

I'm still going strong with the 30 Day Shred! I still haven't skipped any days. When I work out today after lunch, that will be day 10!

I wasn't planning to weigh until day 30, but that just seems like overkill, so I weighed today, and I'll plan to weight again at day 20, then day 30. I'm pretty happy with the results! With the weight loss, I was really hoping for a big number, but realistically, the amount I lost is great! The inches I lost though, seem AMAZING! I was so excited when I measured my waist!

Here are the stats:
Before ---> Now
arm: 12 in ---> 11.5 in
thigh: 22 in ---> 21.5 in
bust: 35 in ---> 35 in
waist: 30 in ---> 28 in!!!!!
tummy: 37 in ---> 35 in
hips: 36 in ---> 36 in

weight: 150.5 lbs ---> 147.5 lbs

3 lbs and 5 total inches lost!

The difference in the waist is amazing! I would have thought that would have been one of the hardest spots to lose. Let's hope my tummy keeps shrinking!

I'm unsure about my arm and thigh. It's hard to know if I measured at the same spot I did the last time I measured. I tried to hit about halfway for both, but who knows if it's accurate.

I have not mixed in the extra cardio yet, so if I can just get myself to the gym, that should help speed up the weight loss too.

The Shred

2009-05-26T23:28:00.004-05:00

So, I have less than 6 weeks until the wedding, and haven't lost any of the 15 pounds I planned to lose a year ago. Woops! I should have known I would put it off until last minute!

On Sunday, I started on The 30 Day Shred DVD. It is REALLY hard! Seriously! I'm sore...but not sore enough to skip a day, I've done all three days so far. And with only 38 days left before the wedding, I'm definitely motivated to do the video every day, no skipping, and I may just do extra when the 30 days is up. Typical results are to lose 5-10 pounds, and I'm planning to do extra cardio at the gym every other day, which will hopefully put me closer to losing about 10 pounds. But, I'm realistic, I know that even if I don't drop that many pounds, at least I will be much more toned!

I also got another DVD called No More Trouble Zones for specific areas like arms and belly, but I'm not going to start on that until my initial Shred soreness goes away. Ideally, by next week I'll have a nice schedule of Shred DVD everyday, with gym cardio and Zone DVD alternating days. And I'll get back into Beginning Yoga class on Mondays, and if I start feeling buff, maybe the harder Thursday Yoga class also.

I also gave up soda. I give up soda every few months, but I always end up giving myself "exceptions" like if I'm at a restaraunt that happens to serve Pepsi products, I would order one, or if I had to stay after school with a student, I would get one from the vending machine, or if I had to drive to Union or St. Louis, I would get one to drink in the car. But, now NO EXCEPTIONS! Absolutely NO SODA! So, I'm drinking a lot of tea, but unsweetened. I need to get more water in, all the caffeine is really messing up my sleep schedule, which you can see with the time I am posting this.

Well, to keep track of my progress, I weighed and measured myself on Sunday, and I'm going to TRY to not weigh myself until 30 days into the program. I have the scale right next to my shower, so I usually check it EVERY morning before stepping in the shower, but I need to go tuck the scale away in the laundry room so I'm not tempted to check. (OK, just did it, it's now under the drying rack, so I would have to make an effort to pull it out to step on it)

Here are the "before" stats: (I also took a swimsuit before photo but am NOT sharing that online!)
arm: 12 in
thigh: 22 in
bust: 35 in
waist: 30 in
tummy (the pooch): 37
hips: 36
weight: 150.5 lbs

I've always considered my thighs un-proportionally large compared to the rest of my body, so I'm used to them by now. I assume that building muscle will only make them bigger, so my thighs are really not a priority.

What I am really ashamed about is that my tummy pooch is larger than my hips! Seriously! The tummy is what I want to lose the most, and hopefully should be the easiest to lose.

Alright, if you read this whole thing, you now have to keep me accountable. Ask me if I'm doing the shred everyday, keep me in check! You have my permission to get mean if I start to slip.

By the way: 38 days until the wedding and 26 days until I see Jake & my sister & brother-in-law (they all get to Missouri on the same day!)

Blue Suede Shoes

2009-05-11T19:36:00.004-05:00

Last year I bought some shoes to wear under my gown. Here is my original post about the shoes.

When the shoes arrived, I tried to wear them around my apartment, I even planned to wear them on New Year's Eve to break them in. Well, the shoes were definitely worth what I paid for them! They cost $17, and they were horrible quality! They fit right, but they slipped right off my heels. I guess I should have expected bad quality for how cheap they were.

So...I bought new shoes and they are so nice! I've been wearing them around the apartment to break them in and I haven't had any blisters or pain at all! And Jake says he loves the color!
By the way: 42 days until Jake is here & 54 days until the wedding!

Getting Hairy!

2009-05-11T19:11:00.003-05:00

As the wedding date gets closer and closer, I have been moving alot of things from my "DIY list" to my "To Buy list!"

I'm starting to realize that I just don't have the time or patience to DIY as many things as I originally hoped to! Especially the things that I can actually buy for cheaper than it would cost me to make, such as a hairpiece.

I found great ones at etsy.com, seriously my FAVORITE website!

I got sunflowers for our nieces, who will be the flowergirls/ring bearess/program hander-outer.

I also found a great one for my hair from etsy.com.

The original hairdo photo that I have keep during this whole year of planning actually has this exact hairpiece! When I saw the photo on the etsy website, I realized that this hairdo that I have been wanting all year is a photo of a manequin! Seriously, fake hair! But...I still like the hairdo!

Goodbye Invites!

2009-05-11T19:02:00.004-05:00

I took my invites to the post office on Friday. It was more complicated than I expected. We had some flash flooding that day and the first 5 routes I took had water flowing over the road. I finally made it there, by going to the neighboring town and coming from the opposite direction.

Check it out: 100 invites!

Once I finally made it to the post office, I said goodbye to the invites. I expect most people will get theirs today or tomorrow. I can't wait to start getting RSVPs back!

Invitation Design

2009-05-05T16:20:00.008-05:00

I originally designed this invite last summer. I loved the idea of having a big bright sunflower somewhere on the invite, and by just using part of the sunflower, I think it makes the invite look really modern. My design has changed a little bit. I found a prettier sunflower a few weeks ago, but the yellow was just a little too light, so I had the printer darken it just a little, too make it more of a golden yellow.

Here is my final design, if it looks a little funky (especially the map) it's because I took out all last names, city names, and highway numbers to be internet safe.

They are finally done!!!!

2009-05-05T15:41:00.006-05:00

My invites are done! I owe ALOT to my fantastic bridesmaids!

Because I live so far away from the printer and would not have been able to even pick up the invites until this weekend, my sister-in-law, Hilary, and her mom, Denise, picked up the invites and inserts from the printer last week and put them all together for me! They cut all of the yellow backing to size, then taped the invites to the yellow backing and taped that yellow backing to the pocketfold, and they also put all the inserts in the pocket! All 102 of them! They are lifesavers!

After I picked up the invites from them, another of my bridesmaids, Shannon, came over to help me with the wax seals. She did the wax dripping (and suffered many burns, what a great friend!) and I did the stamping. I'll admit, none of them looked perfect, but Shannon likes to remind me that gives them character!

Just a quick review, this link shows how I made the pocketfolds.

Here is the pocketfold filled with the invite and inserts. I will post my design of each of the parts of the invite once I make them "internet safe"

And a finished invite, including the wax seal.

And a close up of the wax seal, so you can see the J & M. I bought this wax stamper when we were in Rome last summer, at a little paper store that was literally RIGHT behind the Pantheon. I've always seen the fancy script initial, but I loved that this one had both of our initials, and wasn't in script.

Thank goodness they are done! I have them all in envelopes and all envelopes addressed with stamps. I just need to seal them and drop them off this Friday!

So exciting!

Shower Time!

2009-05-04T19:05:00.007-05:00

My bridesmaids had my bridal shower yesterday. It was very nice! We got a lot of great things off the registry and had some awesome cake!

The two things I wanted the most were a stand mixer and a hand vac, and I got two of each! When I take the duplicates back, I'll keep the store credit for Jake to buy a grill. We also got lots of money that we're saving to buy bedroom furniture after we move back to the US.

My mom also gave me a beautiful wall hanging that she made! Since it's fits so well with the wedding theme, we will probably display it somewhere at the reception.

I only got 2 pictures yesterday with my camera, but when I get the other photos from my bridesmaid I'll post them.

Here are most of my bridesmaids, my niece Alex (Junior Bridesmaid), my sister-in-law Hilary, and my best friend Shannon (bridesmaids). My sister (matron-of-honor) is overseas and couldn't make it to the shower. But she is planning a fun bachelorette party for when she comes home in June! I can't wait!

And here I am with Jake's sister and Mom, Jacie and Sandy. I'm so glad they were able to make it to the shower, and that my directions worked!

2 months...really!

2009-05-04T18:52:00.002-05:00

2 months left until the wedding! I really can't believe that! It's seems like just a couple of months ago when we got the ring and announced the engagement, but actually it was almost 14 months ago! Time has flown by. There are 12 1/2 days left of school and 7 weeks until Jake is home. And of course, 60 days until the wedding! I have a lot of work to do!

Favors

2009-04-24T05:54:00.004-05:00

The matchbooks came in yesterday! Well...at least half of them did! I ordered 100, but then after I saw that my guest list has reached (and passed) the 250 mark, I decided to order 100 more. I received the first order yesterday. I think they turned out pretty nice, for how cheap they were! Now I get to play around with sparklers and ribbon to make them look presentable as a favor.

It was really hard to get a photo of the matchbook with the flash on, so I turned the flash off, and the color doesn't look quite right in the photo. It is a navy blue with gold writing.

I'm leaving work a little early today to go to the printer this afternoon. Hopefully no other customers will come in so we can get all of my invites and inserts printed off before she closes for the week. I REALLY wish she were open on Saturdays!

71 days!

Stampin' Up

2009-04-17T17:57:00.003-05:00

I took my mock-up invitation in an envelope to the post office to check how much the postage would cost.

I few months ago I bought a book of the really pretty 42 cent sunflower stamps. I was really hoping it would still be light enough to still use those 42 cent stamps. How perfect would those be? I even planned to mail my invites right before the postage prices go up on May 11.

Sadly, the weight of the full invite was too heavy and required an extra 17 cents. The 17 cent stamps were HIDEOUS! Seriously....a big horn sheep! I did NOT want an ugly sheep next to my pretty sunflowers!

Luckily, they ordered the special 59 cent "wedding" stamps. I don't like them as much as I would have liked the sunflowers, but at least these are pretty!
77 days until the wedding and only 5 more weeks of school!

Say cheese!

2009-04-05T18:47:00.002-05:00

Our engagement photos are done! Check them out at:

http://bagtagsell.smugmug.com/clients
and scroll down to maggie holmes

I get to pick my favorites to be retouched. So let me know which you like the best!

Dress Up

2009-04-05T18:35:00.005-05:00

Here are the bridemaids dresses that have been chosen so far. I told the ladies they could choose any David's Bridal dress in knee length in the color Marine.

Shannon chose sytle F13408.Hilary chose style F13277.

Alex chose style 83312. She's 12 years old and apparently when she found out this dress has built in pockets, she didn't need to see any more!
My maid-of-honor's dress will be a little more difficult to pick out. Susie won't be back in the US until less than a month before the wedding and she will be about 7 months pregnant at the time of the wedding! We will make something work!

Suit up

2009-04-05T18:22:00.005-05:00

We picked the suits for the groomsmen at Men's Wearhouse. We picked one that is available in the buy 1 get 1 free special. I don't have any pictures of the exact suit (not shown online) so I'm posting pictures of a similar color and style. You will have to use your imagination!

The suit is a simple charcoal gray:

Now imagine that with a nice light blue shirt:
And a blue & gold tie:

I think this combo will look great with the bridesmaids navy blue dresses!

Put a ring on it

2009-04-05T18:05:00.002-05:00

While Jake was home, we went up to Shane Co. and picked out our rings. He spent less on mine than he expected, and I spent more on his than I expected, but that's alright with me, I told him to pick his favorite!

I went in knowing exactly what I wanted. I wanted it to match the band of my engagement ring. He went in knowing he wanted either Titanium or Tungsten. He picked the 6mm Titanium with a gold stripe in the middle. He calls it his "racing stripe!" What a goof!

Here they are:

Meet Ruby

2009-04-05T17:39:00.004-05:00

Our beautiful new car!

Jake really wanted to get a new Dodge Challenger, and I really like the new Chevy Malibu, so we made a compromise. We decided to get an 09 Pontiac G8 GT.

Our car is a V-8 with 361 horsepower that goes 0-60 in 5.3 seconds. That makes Jake happy. It is also a roomy sedan that will not have to be traded in when we decide to have kids. And it's a beautiful dark metallic red! Which makes ME happy! And....we knocked 10,000 off the sticker price!

Look at this beauty!

Gone again :(

2009-04-05T17:17:00.004-05:00

Jake is back in Italy. :( He was here for two weeks, but I feel like we were rushing everywhere trying to get as much done for the wedding as possible. We didn't really get time to just chill.

We did get a lot done though. Traveled to meet my extended family, had dinner with his family, gathered up childhood pictures for the clothesline gallery, engagement photo shoot (more on that later), met with the minister, had multiple dinners with friends, bought a car (more on that later also), played golf (he won), picked out the groomsmen's suits(more on that later also), bought the rings(more on that later also!), and finalized a lot of little details for the ceremony.

And now he's gone. The goodbye at the airport was tough, but not as bad as usual. This time, I was able to say, only three months! Three months seems like nothing when our goodbyes are usually for a year or more!

I think once I get to the end of the school year, the last month and a half before the wedding should fly by! This week will be a short week for Easter, then after Easter we will start MAP testing, then after MAP testing there will only be 19 days left of school! I know I will miss teaching and coaching at Bismarck, but with such an exciting summer coming up, I can't wait for school to be out!!

Well, with Jake being gone, I finally have time to post all the updates, so here goes...

Did you wear green today?

2009-03-17T19:56:00.004-05:00

I wore my green today! No pinching here!

I finished up my pocketfolds tonight! 95 pocketfolds cut, scored, folded, and taped.

Now I can concentrate on finalizing my invite design and inserts.

On a side note, Walmart is selling big beautiful sunflowers, so of course I had to pick up a couple of bunches. Don't they look just great?

3 days until Jake is home, and 108 days until the wedding!

3 months and .... days!

2009-03-07T18:00:00.009-06:00

A few days ago, we hit the 4 month mark. Which means I'm now in the "3 month territory." I can say, "three months and .... days!" Jake is coming for a visit later this month, and when he leaves, we will be in the "two month territory." It sounds so close when I say it that way!

I got the quote back from the caterer and it was AMAZING! Seriously! $300 total for enough food for 200 people and $100 for labor! It will be a buffet and doesn't include the meat, since Grandpa Jack is taking care of the fried fish, but doesn't that sound so incredibly cheap! Click here to see at all that it includes!

The warm weather today put me in a spring cleaning mood. I semi cleaned the kitchen, and DEEP cleaned the bathroom and the laundry room. I hadn't cleaned that laundry room since I moved in, a year and a half ago. It stayed surprisingly clean! I also washed my sheets and duvet cover, so now I can't wait to get in bed. I love that fresh bed smell!

I remember last summer, I helped a friend move, and I gave her such a hard time about how much junk she had accumulated. Well, in preparation for the move I will be making this summer, I've been going through my things trying to purge the things I won't want to keep. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH JUNK I HAVE! Where did all of this STUFF come from? I feel bad giving my friend such a hard time about her junk! I've already sold $160 worth of books on half.com and have three big boxes of stuff to donate. I'm going through my clothes tonight, and hoping to donate at least 25% of it!

Well, I'm off to the closet! Wish me luck!

By the way, 118 days!

Checks on the to-do list!

2009-03-01T18:03:00.003-06:00

I feel like I haven't done much for the wedding lately, so I was scared to look over my January-February to-do list today. But, to my pleasant surprise I actually did everything I needed to! I booked a photographer and a cake baker and I got a quote from the rental guy. And my mom is working on getting a quote from the caterer and locating fish fryers. And I got all of the cutting and scoring done for the pocketfolds!

My March-April to-do list is to tape the pocketfolds, print all of the inserts for the invitations and lots of things that I can't actually do until Jake is home for his little visit, like ordering rings, meeting with our minister, and the engagement photo shoot! He's only going to be home for 14 days, and of those 14 days, I will be working 10, 2 we will be on the other side of Missouri visiting my grandparents, and one of the other days we will be in Union, meeting with the minister, and doing e-pics. And I guess we will be using that one free day to go to the jeweler. Poor Jake, it won't be much of a vacation! I really tried to get him to come over Easter so I would at least have a few days off work, but boys just don't listen! Silly Jake!

124 days until the wedding, and 19 days until Jake is home!

Priceless Commercial Challenge

2009-02-06T21:58:00.003-06:00

This is completely not wedding related, but I'm so proud of it, I have to show it off!

We are doing a "Priceless" themed commercial challenge at church. The challenge is to make a 30 second commercial based on the idea of the Mastercard "Priceless" commercials. The winning video will be shown during the service next weekend.

I came up with a cute idea and stayed after school today to work on it. I think it turned out great! I actually don't even care if it wins. I had so much fun making it and can't wait to show my family! Check it out!

New camera!!!

2009-01-29T23:17:00.004-06:00

I got my Nikon D60 delivered today! I've been playing with it all evening. I can't wait to try it outside tomorrow, but here is my favorite picture I've taken so far.

Save-the-Dates are finally sent!

2009-01-24T20:44:00.002-06:00

I finished my save-the-dates way back before Christmas, but I wanted to wait until after new years so everyone would have their new calendars to put the stickers on. Well, I waited, and then put it off and put it off and put it off. Finally, I finished addressing the last few envelopes and dropped them off at the post office this morning. They are on the way!

This announcement deserves it's very own post

2009-01-04T16:18:00.001-06:00

6 months! Really...6 months! 180 days!

New Year Stress!

2009-01-03T10:37:00.007-06:00

It's a new year! And it's MY year! I have a mixture of emotions about the new year.

As a positive, we only have 6 months until the wedding. I just can't wait until we are married so I can see Jake everyday. I especially can't wait to spend the Holidays with him next year!

As a negative, I feel so behind on my planning. I took some time over the break from school to get my wedding planning organized. I made a detailed list of things that need to be taken care of, and many of those things are what I consider urgent. Now that I have every thing organized I have my priorities straight.

I've been planning to do as much DIY as possible, and I had lots of ideas and photos gathered up. I decided to compile all of those ideas into one complete list...and that list is LONG! I feel like a true DIY bride now! I added that list to the sidebar --------------------------->
and I plan to make each one a link to it's respective blog entry as the item is checked off my list.

Also, I need to get my butt in gear and lose some weight! I really only want to lose 5-10 pounds, but I really want to tone up my arms.

I'm planning to finish up my monogrammed aisle runner today. I'll post pictures as soon as it's done!

The countdown says 182 days.

Instructions for Save the Date Calendar Stickers

2008-12-27T21:02:00.018-06:00

I got the blue linen paper for the save the date backing, so I finished those up today! Here are the instructions:

I designed the sticker in PowerPoint, then printed samples of multiple sizes to find one that fit perfectly in my hole punch. Then I copied that perfectly sized design and was able to fit 30 per page.

I printed those and used the hole punch to cut them out. I would have hated to have cut out 300 circles, so I HIGHLY recommend getting a large hole punch. I found a cute Martha Stewart one with scalloped edges.I then put all 300 stickers through the sticker maker. Mine is a XYRON250 and I was able to fit two circles across.

Then I cut the stickers into strips of 3.

I also designed the save-the-date cards in powerpoint and printed 4 per page. Each card ended up being 3 3/4" x 5"

Then I glued the sticker strips to the cards. Because the strips were slick, double sided tape didn't work, it peeled right off. I ended up using spray adhesive.

Then I cut blue linen cardstock into 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" for the backing, 4 per page, and used glue dots to attach.

My camera is low quality, and believe me, they look much nicer in person!

The countdown says 188 days! If I remember correctly, when I started this blog I had 287. My word, 99 days REALLY flew by!

Almost as important as the dress: SHOES!

2008-12-21T14:16:00.003-06:00

I ordered a pair of shoes today! I found them at gojane.com and they were an AMAZING price! $16.99 including shipping! The heel is a bit taller than I would like, but as my mom pointed out, I only have to wear them for the ceremony and cake and punch reception. I plan to wear flats for the farm reception. I can't wait to get them delivered to see how they fit!

Update on the save the dates

2008-12-17T22:49:00.005-06:00

I've been addressing envelopes for the save the dates today, and the more I look at them, the more I realize they look just plain and boring!

I already have the cards printed and the sticker strips glued on, so I'm definitly not starting from scratch. The cards are a bit smaller than the envelopes, so I think I'll cut navy blue cardstock to the same size as the envelopes and use that as a backing for the white cards.

I'm SO tempted to cut up one of the papers I ordered for the pocketfolds to try it out, but I didn't buy any extra custom cut paper, so I'm not going to waste one! I'll just going to have to wait until I get the new paper delivered. Bummer!

Baby, it's STILL cold outside!

2008-12-16T08:48:00.023-06:00

Another ice day = another constructive wedding planning day!

I've been working on the pocketfolds for my invitations since the paper was delivered. I do just a few at a time so I won't get sick of doing all of them at once! I've been meaning to take pictures of the process to post the instructions, so I'm finally doing that today:

Before I get started, I need to let you all know I did not come up with the pocketfold idea on my own. I'm using the measurements from this blog: Heather's Road to the Aisle.

Supplies:

- paper (I ordered mine from limitedpapers.com. The brand is Beckett Cambric Linen and the color is Blazer Blue. When I ordered, I asked for it to be custom cut to 16 1/8"x 7")

- paper cutter (with an interchangeable paper scorer)

- template for the inner and outer flap ( I made my own)

- bone folder (to get nice crisp folds)

- good scissors

- very skinny double sided tape

Instructions:

First, score a straight line at 3"

next, score a straight line at 5 1/8"

next, score a straight line at 5"

use the bone folder on each of the scored lines to create a very crisp fold

line up and trace the inner flap template

line up and trace the outer flap template

cut out each flap after traced

Here is the entire thing, scored and folded and cut, ready to be taped up
This is what I found to be the hardest and most time consuming part: getting the tape just the right length and in the correct position. This took a lot of trial and error!peel off the tape cover on both sides and fold the flap up
I flattened the tape with the bone folder. Here is the completed pocket, ready to be stuffed:
All folded up:

Of course, it looks quite plan right now, but I will be adding the actual invitation, and inserts in the pocket, as well as some kind of embellishment on the outside. I'm thinking possibly a sunflower or monogram, or a combo of the two!

Baby, it's cold outside!

2008-12-15T19:55:00.009-06:00

We had a mini ice storm last night, so school was cancelled today. I used the day off to finish up my save-the-dates. I'm planning on buying envelopes tomorrow so I can get them addressed and in the mail right after Christmas.

Here I'm punching out the stickers. The original plan was to cut out circles, but thank goodness I found this paper punch, after 300 circles I would have been sick of cutting them out!

Here are all 300 paper circles, about to go through the sticker machine.

The finished product

My countdown tells me 200 more days! Wow...time is going pretty quickly!

I'm uber amazing!

2008-11-29T10:33:00.006-06:00

I just noticed in one of my comments that I've been nominated by Ashley from Lost in the Moment for The Uber Amazing Blog Award.

How fun!
The Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who:
~ inspires you
~ makes you smile and laugh
~ or maybe gives amazing information
~ a great read
~ has an amazing design
~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!

The rules of this award are:
* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

I pass this honor on to:
Lisa from A Sweet Soiree
Maureen from A Wedding Addict
Kate from Some Dreams Come True
Annie from The Doctor Takes a Bride
and Laura from When Two Become One

To veil or not to veil?

2008-11-26T22:00:00.009-06:00

So, I was pretty well set on a birdcage veil. But Jake makes it pretty clear he thinks it looks silly! I would still like to try one on to see how I like it, but I've also been looking at some other options.

I really like the hairstyle here, and I definitly have thick enough hair to pull it off.

The hairpiece is nice too!

By the way...219 days!

Christmas Shopping

2008-11-26T21:46:00.003-06:00

It's the day before Thanksgiving and I'm ALMOST done with my Christmas shopping! I have gifts for everyone except one person. And that's only because it's for a gift exchange and I don't know who's name I will get yet!

I got Jake's gift today and I'm so excited about it I just have to share!

He has shown me some watches he likes, he wants a watch with the open face so you can see the gears inside. I was window shopping after doing my registry and went into Fossil to look at the purses and came out with this watch!

It's an automatic so he won't have to worry about batteries, and it has an 11 year warranty.

I love to watch the little gears move. It's amazing!

I can't wait to give it to him!

Finally getting some wedding plans done!

2008-11-26T21:16:00.004-06:00

I haven't done ANYTHING for the wedding in quite a while! I finally took a couple of hours and completed my registry at Macy's. I was so surprised at how helpful and personable the associates were! I guess they really treat you right when they know how much business you will be bringing to their store!

Of course, she didn't think I registered for enough items, but I only registered for things I really need or really really want! I figure after the bridal shower I can update it if I need more items, but I think this is good for now.

Check it out: www.macysweddingchannel.com
Also, I did my walmart registry a month ago, so check it out too: www.walmart.com/giftregistry

Great Mail Day!

2008-11-06T20:35:00.004-06:00

I love getting packages in the mail, and yesterday I got 3!!!

One package was the Christmas gift that I ordered for my youngest niece. I can't wait for her to open it!

The 2nd package was an Ipod!! I've been trying to make myself start running, but I just can't seem to get myself motivated. Well, Jake bought me an Ipod to help me have a little more fun while running. It's my early Christmas gift!

Last, and most exciting, I got the paper for my pocketfolds! I ordered Beckett-Cambric Linen paper in Blazer Blue. I just ordered that paper on Monday, so I was very surprised that it came so soon!

I couldn't wait to tear it open!

I also got it cut to the size I will need before folding. 120 sheets of 16 1/8 x 7. I'll be using the instructions from this blog: Heather's Road to the Aisle.

Today I went to shopping after work and bought a paper trimmer/scorer, so now I'm ready to get my pocketfolds started! Hopefully I'll have an update post soon!

Let's talk about veils...

2008-10-12T17:12:00.012-05:00

I'm really torn about what to do about a veil. With the shape/style of my dress, I really think a birdcage veil would look great! Here are some examples of what I like:

Kind of quirky, but I think it fits my personality!

For some reason, Jake doesn't really like the look of the birdcage veil. Bummer!
I sent him an email with a few different types of veils, (including the birdcage) and he chose this one...

Isn't this style so...overdone?

So, should I go with the birdcage, or stick with something a little more toned down for Jake?

By the way...265 days.

Simply yummy!

2008-10-06T18:11:00.003-05:00

Mom and I met with the caterer on Saturday! She runs the cafeteria at the local community college and does catering on the side. Grandpa Jack will be frying fish, so we only need some simple side dishes. We decided on this menu:

- turkey and ham tray (for those that don't like fish)
- half ear corn on the cob
- cubed roasted potatoes
- coleslaw
- salad
- corn bread muffins
- lemonade & iced tea

I'm getting hungry! That being said, I made French Onion Soup tonight! I'm about to go try it...let's hope it turned out OK!

Who's the Birthday Girl?

2008-10-03T17:47:00.013-05:00

I'm the birthday girl! 24! I'm no longer in my early-twenties, now I'm in my mid-twenties. Thinking of it that way, it seems like a big difference!

On a side note, I'll go ahead and post my next DIY! Mom and I came up with a great idea for centerpieces at the reception, and I wanted to see how that idea would look, so I bought some fake flowers from Walmart, and threw it all together.

Mom and I bought a bunch of these galvanized french vases.

So...here's a mock-up of what I would like the centerpieces to look like! The yellow gingham squares were used as part of the centerpieces at my sister's wedding, so they are completely free! I'm not sure exactly how the flowers will look, but this gives me a general idea.

My First DIY

2008-10-02T18:17:00.006-05:00

So, I actually completed this project months ago, but I thought I should start sharing some of the DIY things I have done!

I found these baskets in my mom and dad's stack of "garage sale junk." I took them home, painted them bright white, and added some cute yellow gingham ribbon, and...

wal-lah! Two super cute FREE flowergirl baskets!

DON'T let me cut my hair!

2008-10-02T17:17:00.003-05:00

Lately, I've been wanting to cut my hair. I see all of these ladies with really cute, short, swingy hairstyles and they just look so sharp, I start to think maybe I should cut my hair! Well, don't let me!

I want my hair long for the wedding. I haven't decided for sure if I want to leave it down, but I don't want to eliminate that option yet!

So, during those times when I'm tempted to chop it off, I have to keep reminding myself....NO you're getting married!

Time is going by too quickly!

2008-09-29T20:48:00.004-05:00

After a short discussion with Shannon this weekend, I realized the wedding is just over 9 months away! 278 days to be exact. It really feels like it was just July 4th, but that 3 months flew by! On the positive side, that means the next 9 months will go by quickly, and then I'll be able to see Jake everyday! But on the SCARY side, I only have 9 months to plan the rest of the wedding!

I feel so behind! I kind of put off a lot of planning for after mom got home from vacation. She's home, and I'm still not planning anything! There are many big things that I really want to get taken care of as soon as possible, like getting a tent rented, finding a caterer, booking a photographer, and ordering paper for the invitations. Those are just the things that I think are the most urgent! I also want to get the save-the-dates printed off and the wedding registry finished, but those aren't really pressing matters.

So, my goal for this week: complete at least TWO of the major needs addressed above. Wish me luck!

The Basics of My Wedding

2008-09-21T13:05:00.003-05:00

You've met me and you've met the wedding party. Now I'll cover some of the basics I have planned for my wedding.

The Ceremony:
We are planning to get married at 2:00 in the afternoon on July 4th, 2009 in Missouri. I have booked the church that I grew up at. My family have been members there since 1989! The sanctuary was dedone a few years ago, and now instead of long pews, has separate chairs that connect together. I love this because the chairs are currently situated with 2 aisles, but I will be able to move them to form 1 center aisle. I have asked the head minister to officiate the ceremony. I have known him since I was in 5th grade, so I feel like it will be great to be married by someone that knows me personally. I'm planning to have the youth minister (who was the youth minister while I was in Junior High through High School) to say an opening prayer.

The Church Reception:
Immediately after the ceremony, we plan to have a cake and punch reception in the fellowship hall in the church. This will give our guests a chance to visit with us immediately and not have to wait for us to get done with pictures.

We will then have a break for a few hours. During this time, the bridal party and family will have all of the professional photos taken, and the guests will be able to either go home or back to the hotel to rest and change out of their formal clothes.

The Dinner Reception:
Later in the evening, possible 7:00 or 8:00 we will have an outdoor reception. This will take place in a tent on my parent's farm. Guests will be encouraged to wear casual attire. At this reception, I am most excited about having a fireworks display after sundown!

Meet the Bridal Party!

2008-09-20T23:56:00.005-05:00

Time to meet us!

The Bride:
My name is Maggie and I'm 23. I'm a Junior High Math Teacher and also coach cheerleading. I also like to play golf, bake, and plan my wedding! I'm excited about undertaking many DIY wedding projects!

The Groom:
Jake is 24 and is a Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force. He is a Diesel Mechanic and is currently stationed overseas.

The Matron of Honor:
My sister, Susie, will serve as Matron of Honor. She lives a long distance from me, so I hope she will check in on my blog often to see my plans unfolding!

Best Man:
Jake's best friend, Matt, is the Best Man. He is an electrician here in Missouri, and doesn't realize yet, but he is going to be helping me alot with the wedding planning!

Bridesmaids:
My friend, Shannon, will be a bridesmaid. She is a financial consultant in St. Louis and I expect she will also be getting engaged soon!
My sister-in-law Hilary, will also be a bridesmaid. She is going to college to get a teaching degree (it runs in the family!) She and my brother, Nic, have three daughters.
My niece, Alex, will be a Junior Bridesmaid.

Groomsmen:
Jake's friend, Travis, will be a groomsman. He owns a business here is Missouri. He and his girlfriend, Katie, have an adorable daughter!
Jake's friend, Justin, will also be a groomsman. He is also in the Air Force. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Nebraska.

The Kids:
Jake's niece, Olivia, will be a guestbook attendant.
My niece, Rylee, will be a ringbearer.
Jake's niece, Ella, will be a flowergirl.
My niece, Andie, will also be a flowergirl.

And that's that!

So, I'm officially a blogger!

2008-09-20T23:26:00.002-05:00

I did it! I caved in! I joined the world wide club of blogging! I have been engaged for quite a few months and have already made lots of wedding plans, but I feel like I still have even more to still plan! And so, I'll be posting my plans as they come along.

The wedding is planned for July 4th, 2008! The ticker on my computer says 287 days to go!