Hello...

So I know, it's been a while! But I finally feel as if I have some update-worthy information!

First.... WE HAVE A CHURCH! Ok so I know that I already shared that news and pictures previously. Anyone that knows me knows that I am always second guessing my decisions and as it got closer to the day I decided maybe it was important for me to have a long center aisle to walk down.

Now one would think that this would be an easy thing to find. It's not! In my desparation I even started looking at the absurdly expensive churches downtown. By expensive I mean it starts at $1500! The most expensive one was $6500!!!! Crazy. It really just turned me off of the churches because aside from cost, I really think its disgusting to charge people that much to get married in the house of the Lord! I mean come on people!!

The perfect church existed in Wanamaker, Indiana, a few miles from my house. The problem is that they decided to no longer allow non-member weddings after they found beer cans and pot after the last non-member wedding (which is horrible!). Well my oh-so-wonderful mother who has more balls than most people I know attended church there, was introduced to the pastor, explained the situation... and well long story short we now have a wonderful church! It only hinges on us completing the necessary paperwork and pre-marital counseling. I can't tell you enough what a relief this was!

Here is a little sneak peak of the interior... but I promise this picture does not do justice to St. Johns Lutheran Church!

In addition to that, I officially paid for my dress and veil... again this makes it oh so real! I was a little apprehensive and having second thoughts when we went to the bridal shop and I saw other pretty dresses that I had not tried on. Once I had MY dress on though I knew it was the one!

This month I have some goal, and I feel like if I publish them on here then I will be held accountable:

• Order and send the Save the Dates
• Lose at least another 4lbs
• Start officially looking at invitations
• Pick out bridesmaid dresses
• Don't fail student teaching because I am so busy with wedding madness!

So we will see how it goes!

So much to post...

But so much of it must remain a secret! That has definitely been the hardest part of all this wedding stuff for me!

Got my dress! It's beautiful, different, and nothing at all like I expected I would ever get. I love it, and I feel like a bride in it. Which is important if I do say so myself. Many of the dresses I tried on I just felt like a little girl playing dress up! I can't tell you what it looks like, that's a surprise... But I will tell you it's a Maggie Sottero So feel free to go look at the site and take a guess!

Dress shopping was not without it's dramatic moments (and I'm not just talking about finding the 'one'). Once I put the veil on, I burst into tears, followed by my cousin getting goose bumps, Mother bursting into tears, Aunt welling up (I heard she had been emotional the whole time, but I didn't notice). Even my Maid of Honor had tears that day, unfortunately they were not tears of joy!


Poor things was blessed, or cursed, with most flat-chested women's dream bosoms... But it gets a little frustrating for her when trying on strapless dresses. I felt so bad for the girl. I mean she's a tough one... So to see her in tears over a dress made me cry as well. So I have decided that if it takes us the next nine months we will find her the perfect dress and undergarments. I mean what's the point of looking gorgeous (because she, as well as all of my other bridesmaids are) if you don't feel like it?


So we got the dress, and the church, and the reception site, and the rehearsal dinner..... So now I feel like it's time for the little things I have so been waiting to find!


I was thumbing through a Black Friday ad (I didn't intend on shopping since I already have most of mine done) when I saw something that with a little jazzing up screamed, "wedding centerpieces!"


I found these awesome brown tree-like votive holders. Thanks to my mom, and three different Jo-Anne Fabrics locations, I am now the proud owner of these little trees. They are hard to photograph, so reserve your judgements... But I put some of the antique chandelier crystals I had already purchased (and to think Josh laughed at my eBay find!) on the branches and I love it! Picture them on an apple green tablecloth, in low light, they look awesome!



I plan on surrounding them by smaller apple shaped candles. Once I purchase all the flowers I will show you what the other half of the tables will look like. They will have chocolate brown table linens with apple filled glass vases topped with off-white and green hydrangea.



Soooo yeah exciting stuff! Also, as my time in first grade comes to a bittersweet end, I am excited to be in third grade next semester at a school that is only a few minutes from my house! I do loooooooove my students that I have right now though, and I really hope my mentor means it when she says I can come back and visit next semester!

Until the next batch of wedding decisions.... Adios!

PS... Comment or I will quit posting because my loving mother is the only person who reads this!

An update....

Ok so I wish the weather would get consistent already! This beautiful one day gross the next has not only had an impact on my sinuses, but my mood and laziness!



MOB (mother of the bride) has been really great in helping me track down my green lanterns I love so much from yankee candle since I discovered that they were out of stock on the website. I am doing 1/2 the tables with the tall manzanita and chandelier crystal center pieces, and I love the idea of putting these little guys at the bottom! Sooo yeah I am guilty of calling each store in the area and picking up all that they have. My mother has been my main accomplice, and Kathi helped out by contributing one herself!

Oh and I am addicted to reading other people's blogs and websites! Really it's bad. I mean even if it's not an idea I would ever use, I love to see all the creative things that people come up with! If your bored, and wedding obsessed, check out my link and blogs that I follow, people are really creative and inspiring!

Also, have you ever looked at Etsy? Oh my goodness! Not only is their wedding stuff so creative and totally worthy of taking a look, but the baby stuff is unreal! I am probably going to end up buying some unisex baby items just because they are so neat!

Like these boutonnieres! I love them! Oh.. and yes those are little apples! You can go on Etsy and look up La La Laurie! Paper creations by Laurie Cinotto.

Oh...... I think I found THE dress!

At least I found the designer.... Jim Hjelm. I love this dress! I have no idea what it is going to look like on, and I won't for a while since the nearest JLM Couture retailer is hours away and I've only lost 7lbs so far (I told myself I had to lose 15), but I doooo love it!

Spring is here officially, but it's not reflected in temperature! I can't wait for summer because that means dresses, ice cream (low fat lol), drive in movies, fairs, concerts, walks, horse shows, and all the other things that make me happy. Another reason I can't wait is I fall in love with Josh all over again while we are doing these things together! I really feel like God has blessed me with not only someone to love and cherish, but a wonderful friend. Even when it's hard, it still feels right!

Ok enough sappiness....