2011 Review

Of all the years of my life, each one seems to get progressively better. 2011 was an amazing year. I have so many wonderful people in my life, as shown by the tremendous support I've received for my wedding, my blog, and all of life's other activities. I cannot wait to see what 2012 will bring. Here are my top 11 memories of 2011 (in no particular order).

1. Our 2-week fall road trip through Colorado in October. Seeing the beautiful colors that covered the state instilled a sense of awe at Mother Nature and renewed (like it was ever gone) my love for the mountains and fall colors. I got to see Aspen and hike the Maroon Bells, go to Crested Butte for the first time and stay in my first hostel, and visit Palisade and the Colorado National Monument.

2. Experiencing the births of many of our friends' first children. It has been amazing to watch (from afar) the little ones grow and learn.

3. Camping trips with two great groups of people, my coworkers and our annual camping trip friends, and getting to tour Tonto Natural Bridge and enjoy all of Payson's natural beauty, namely tall trees and the Rim.

4. Getting 8 ski days in last winter, with the best snow Colorado had seen for years. I skied Winter Park, Copper, and Steamboat with family and friends.

5. Running in the City Search Challenge in Phoenix, a sort of "Amazing Race" for the locals. It was more work than I anticipated, but a memorable and fun experience. 

6. Getting to go to Chicago not once, but twice, for 2 conferences for work. Common Core left some things to be desired, but NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English) was well worth my time.

7. On that note, getting ENGAGED in Chicago on June 26/27 and feeling more loved than ever before while enjoying each minute of our engagement thus far.

8. Christmas with both families, 3 in 24 hours to be exact, and making it work out so that we could be with everyone and see their faces while they opened all the gifts. 

9. Wedding planning, when it was not too stressful, meeting our photographer and planner and getting excited about the final product (our wedding) with everyone's creative input.

10. Sedona, AZ engagement photo session, from climbing in the freezing cold Oak Creek to get that "perfect shot" to changing outside the Chapel on the Rock to get pictures in my favorite outfit before the sun set altogether.

11. Going to Tucson for Kyle's birthday in January and touring the Mission San Xavier, Colossal Cave, and horseback riding through the desert.

Of course, there were many more memorable nights with friends and family, too many to count, and I have realized how lucky we really are to have the life we have. Aside from the events mentioned, successfully reaching over 5000 views on my blog has made me feel even more blessed and has been more rewarding than I ever imagined. Continue on! See you in 2012.

Maroon Bells October 2011

Kyle lounging with Maroon Bells

Fall Color!

My first family bar outing (the youngest is finally 21) in Denver October 2011

"The Bean"- Chicago, IL

City Search Challenge Starting Line

Christmas #3 in Minnesota

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

9 Months!!

Holy cow! We've been engaged for over six months, and have only nine to go until our wedding day! We celebrate the occasion today with half of each family, flying from Minnesota to Colorado this evening. We just took a 2-hour walk in the unseasonably warm MN winter weather, and it was then that I realized the date. I am so excited!!! Cheers! [holding up my hot chocolate and Baileys mug]

At my Master's graduation from ASU (limited pictures since I'm not on my own computer!)

Wednesday Wish!

Although I truly just wish I had more vacation time to relax and hang out with the family (I shouldn't complain with 2 whole weeks for the holidays), I am also getting more and more checked off my wedding list so the wishes are narrowing to the details. The details are the fun part, anyway. Today's detail wish: cute shoes. When I got my dress last week, I was told that I had to know which shoes I thought I might be looking at wearing so that the dress doesn't wind up being too long or too short. I chose a medium heel height, but honestly I don't know what I'll wind up doing for shoes!! Here is one idea, which may hint at details from my dress... ;)

From Pinterest

Marry Christmas to All!

Pun intended.

Hope you and yours have a fabulous holiday. We are splitting this Christmas between 2 families in 2 states once again. Started Christmas Eve with the future father-in-law, moving into Christmas morning with the future mother-in-law, then onto a 4-hour plane ride for Christmas with my family in Minnesota. It may feel like a lot of work and stress right now, but it is all worth it to continue all the family traditions on both sides of the family while we still have the luxury of doing so.

Zoo Lights at the Phoenix Zoo- one of our many holiday traditions.

I bought a DRESS!!!

I know I've already blogged about dress shopping, and discussed the bridal salon experiences I've gone through, but even with all my talk, I did not officially purchase a dress until now!

I am absolutely ecstatic that I waited and that this can now be marked off my long list of wedding to-dos. I am glad I waited because I got to really think about my decision, and I don't doubt my choice at all now. I am also glad it is over, because the 4-6 month delivery period puts me a little bit uncomfortably close to the wedding date!

I am sad that I did not choose the dress from my favorite bridal shop, Uptown Bridal, in Chandler. I realized, however, that their fabulous customer service could not distract me from thinking that another dress I had previously tried on was worth a second glance. Turns out, the old adage that brides choose the first dress they try on may be closer to reality than I thought. The dress I bought was among the first 5 I tried on the first day I went shopping for my dress in Denver. I should have gone with my gut and taken care of it then, but having waited I scored a $600 discount and got to give my patronage to a Chandler business as well. I wound up purchasing my Casablanca gown at Yes I Do Bridal from a very nice couple, who also had great customer service. And after trying on the dress a second and third time, I keep loving it more and more.

So the benefits go either way. Buy early and stop worrying about finding a better dress "out there" because you're probably wearing your favorite one right now anyway. However, if you do shop around, you can also solidify your choice and not wonder "what if there is another dress out there I'll love more" and you could save yourself some cash!

If there is one thing I learned, it is that it is beneficial to ask around when pricing your dresses as well, as each shop can charge what they want, and some will be cheaper than others for the same dress!

Sorry, can't show the dress online!!! You'll have to wait to see!

Christmas Wishes!

My wishes today are not primarily wedding-themed, but holiday-themed. Who can escape the spirit of the season?!

Wish 1: For my students to come back after the break grateful for all they have been given and with renewed energy and desire to learn.

Wish 2: For me to do the same, except renewed energy to teach.

Wish 3: To see some snow over the holidays.

Wish 4: Relaxation, hot Irish coffee or chocolate, and Christmas cookies!

Wish 5: Time filled with laughter, memories, for both my families!

Wish 6: That everyone likes the gifts we got them!

Wish 7: For all you wonderful blog readers to have a safe and happy holiday!

Ok, I'll admit to having a teary moment...

I've been strong, held it together, and continued to insist that weddings (my wedding to be specific) are CELEBRATIONS not tear-fests. I've not cried at many weddings myself, although a good Hollywood movie wedding filled with pathos and irony can often get me, but in real life I find it hard to cry about something so darn good!

I had a teary moment.

One of the best moments of this engagement thus far, however. In fact, one of the best moments of my relationship, I'd venture to say!

I had been asking Kyle to write up a blurb about me for our wedding website (still a work in progress) as I wrote the "About the Groom" section and thought it would be fun if we told each other's stories. He, being busy and mathematically minded, was putting it off until I begged him to help me mark off items on my to-do list.

And then he wrote the most touching, funny, and true paragraph with words I thought only Hollywood could come up with.

And once again, wishes, fairy tales, and maybe even Hollywood movie weddings CAN come true! And DO!

Tear.

The most cheesy romantic cliche photo I could find... butterflies in my stomach! :)

Confession: All I Want for Christmas

I must confess, I am having a hard time enjoying Christmas when the much more-anticipated wedding is getting nearer and nearer each day. Every year, people look forward to the spirit of the holidays and the time with family, gift giving, and of course food. Well, I'll see you one Christmas and raise you one Wedding!!

Why weddings are more fun than Christmas (not that anyone out there will argue):
1. The cake. I love Christmas cookies as much as the next person, but cake wins, hands down.
2. DANCING. Christmas dancing is really reserved for New Year's Eve, not Christmas.
3. Dresses. It is much too cold in Minnesota to dress up on Christmas and be comfortable, so until I spend Christmas in Phoenix (which can also be freezing in December,) I give one more point to Weddings.
4. More friends and family. I don't know about you, but we are lucky that my immediate family can be together for Christmas. Weddings are filled with all the people you love, not just a select few.
5. Christmas may mean happiness and joy for a month or two, but my wedding will mean a lifetime of happiness and joy. (I know, I am so cheesy now that I'm a bride to be).

On that note, all I really wanted for Christmas this year was a wedding, and I am getting exactly what I want.

Christmas 2010 in Minnesota!

On the 12th of December...

On the 12th of December, my true love gave to me, presents that needed wrapping.

A sign of times to come I am sure, but I am not complaining, as one of the few tasks I enjoy "taking over" as the wife is wrapping gifts for holidays. I know I will go all out and make them fancy, with bows, and add gift tags instead of writing the recipients' names in Sharpie on them. My perfectionist side likes this task.

One thing I've noticed about wedding planning in the midst of the holiday frenzy is that it is really hard to think of gifts you want that you don't want to register for in a few months.

Why don't they have "Christmas Registry"?? I mean, how much easier would our holiday shopping be if we could all just go shopping, use a pricing gun to scan a bunch of stuff we like, and then send that list out to all our friends and family? In our family at least, we kind of already do this with the hopes that the items on our wish lists will be easy to find. It might take some of the excitement out of unwrapping a present, but at least there is no need to wait in the return lines the week after Christmas.

I do wish that I did not have to try to balance my time between work (the end of the semester), Christmas (13 days and counting down), and wedding planning (only 9 months left?!?!). Unfortunately, work usually takes precedence, but this year I've slacked a bit, causing even more "end of the semester" stress. Slacking is maybe too harsh a word because I have successfully bought gifts, wrapped gifts, set up appointments over Christmas break with our wedding vendors, and even decorated the house! That is a lot to accomplish with all the other stuff going on during this time of year. I just need to quit procrastinating doing the real work I have so I can enjoy the holidays, stress-free.

So as the holidays near, I hope that I can keep up with my blog posting so I can be an avenue for all of you to procrastinate, too! :) Or you can spend your time browsing Pinterest for winter wedding themes, like me.

Via Pinterest

Wishes do come true!

Well, my biggest wish as of late was for Kyle to help out with our wedding planning by getting some addresses together for me, then deciding on his groomsmen. Love you honey, but really, procrastination does not work so well when we have to send SAVE THE DATES. The date will be passed by the time you get a hold of that long lost high school buddy to get his latest nomadic address.

Good news, that wish has come true! I think Kyle is feeling bad for me as I've been under the weather for the past week.

Even though I now have addresses and groomsmen, it will still probably be awhile before all have been sent and notified, but I am going to count my blessings today, not just my wishes!

Via Pinterest

Wish this Wednesday

Feeling in the holiday spirit of giving, so it is very hard for me to decide what to wish for today. The biggest wish I have is that West Elm and BHLDN did not sell out of the wedding decorations I previously wished for, before the holiday season allowed for me to ask for them.

I suppose a good wish for the day is that I don't have to make my centerpieces but instead budget well enough to purchase these beauties for the ceremony. That is a wish for extra time, art, and creative spirit!

Via Pinterest

It's Officiant...

Talk about capitalism, not wanting to pay for a church membership should not be punishment when planning a wedding. We have found that had we wanted a religious ceremony, we would have not only saved some money (some churches listed officiant services as "donation of choice" and others were free with membership), but we would have also not had such a hard time finding an available officiant.

Anyway, well, we have been on the search for the most cost effective yet unique and entertaining officiant for our wedding. Truth is, in Colorado you don't have to have a certified officiant at all, your wedding congregation can marry you, your DJ could marry you...  and you wouldn't have to fake it Heath, Jill, and Vance! But we want our ceremony to mean something special, to be truly "us", and to be fun at the same time. Kyle, of course, also wants to know if Jack Daniels is an appropriate substitute for wine.

So we have met with 2 officiants in Colorado who advertised "unique and original" ceremonies. Unfortunately, I learned that I need to practice what I preach and not procrastinate. We found out this past week that we waited too long to reply to one of them and we lost out on the date. Everything, however, happens for a reason, and this rejection became a blessing in disguise when I found a new officiant to meet with. This one asked if we could somehow arrange a meeting to fit his ski schedule. Now we're talking...

While panicking momentarily about who could marry us, I had contacted a number of officiants, and asked numerous questions about their services. We first of all found out that the original one we picked would have been way overpriced in comparison. Second, we think this new guy is going to rock our ceremony based on the first 1/2 hour conversation I had with him on the phone, where he let me vent about the woes of wedding planning and Kyle's procrastination about choosing his groomsmen. And when he asked if we could "meet slopeside for a brew" when we will both be in Breckenridge over New Year's, I knew that I would be booking this man. (At least, I hope our meeting in person will go as well as our phone call did). He also told me he Skypes, so I guess being hip with technology was kind of appealing.

Anyway, everyone always says that getting married brings some stress and disappointment, and not everything will go right, but as I see it, it DOES all go right with the right attitude. Everything happens for a reason.

Our ultimate back up- my soon to be brother-in-law got certified to officiate his sister's wedding.

Confession: I'm not as amateur as I claim to be

I must confess, I have done this before.

By "done this" I mean worked on planning weddings. But not for myself, well, ok maybe for myself, in the guise of working on other friends' weddings, attending other friends' weddings, and everyone else's blogs and stories. I feel like a seasoned researcher, having attended about 20 weddings together with Kyle over the past six years of our relationship. I have seen it all, from the behind the scenes of getting ready with my bride friends, to the gamut of ceremonies lasting anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour, and watching from afar at weddings where we only knew the bride and groom. I have tasted nearly every cake flavor available (my favorite to this day is still Will and Brittany Heerman's chocolate Grand Marnier). I have seen every style of dress (this one's favorite goes to Lisa Houston's) and I have danced it up to live bands and DJs.

So, claiming to be a true "amateur" throughout the planning process is really a misnomer. I am by no means amateur when it comes to the details, the things the guests can see and experience. I am certainly, however, still an amateur when it comes to knowing when to plan our wedding details, and how to manage the time between working and planning. If I had all the time in the world, I am not sure I'd find the time to do everything that is in my head and make it reality.

But I'll continue to call myself amateur for the sake of this blog! By the time I'm through, none of you will be amateurs officially, either. :)

Some of my recent research:

From Jared and Beverly Ross's Wedding

This Wednesday's Wish

I recently scheduled a tasting with our caterer, and I sure do hope he brings the cake, in ALL requested flavors. :) Maybe it is just the holidays, but man would I die for a big, succulent slice of spice cake! And wouldn't this be the PERFECT cake cutter for our woodsy wedding?

www.bhldn.com

 

 

 

 

 

And it would work so well with this fall-themed cake!

Via Pinterest

The Never-ending Guest List

Disclaimer: Even if you or the group you are involved with seems to be alluded to in this post, it is not you, per say, but the concept that I am discussing. Do not take this personally.

Ok brides, I need some advice.

What in the world do you do to corral your never-ending guest list?!

When we first met with vendors, we quoted "about 100" as our tally of guests. We figured we really didn't have that big of families, we are having a destination wedding, and let's face it, we're really not that popular.

But now, it is getting out of control. Problem #1- Everyone we know has children. Problem #2- We know everyone. Problem #3- We can't say no to a Friday night dinner date (or 2, or 4, on the same night). Problem #4- We've attended nearly 20 weddings together already. That is 20 couples to invite. Problem #5- Colorado is freaking beautiful.

We are party people, the more the merrier, right?

Or am I wrong. Totally, utterly, wrong. I am truthfully considering inviting ONLY family at this point.
(But let's face it, that wedding would seriously lack some Jack Daniels shots and inappropriate dance moves).

So, now we are in a conundrum. We truly love all our friends and family and want to share our day, a day we've been waiting for over 6 years now, with everyone we love. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that the list is nearing 200 if you count all the children. The main issue with this is the budget, being blown out of the water with an extra 50 or so unanticipated guests. A second problem is the size of our venue. Seating for 98 at the ceremony site might just lead to some uncomfortable and unhappy guests.

In truth, I have a feeling all will work out in the end, and I hope that this issue is resolved like the other snafus we've hit, like practically breaking up for good after I was still sans ring when the 6-year landmark hit. :) But at this point, I am open to suggestions. I am also offering this word of advice: for future brides- try to come up with a guest list before choosing a venue or getting quotes from vendors.

Whatever shall we do? In a quagmire.

Confession: Black Friday Edition

I have a Thanksgiving and Black Friday confession. I hate to admit it, but this time of year just makes this issue blatantly obvious. As I looked around the spread of the 2 Thanksgiving meals we attended, I could no longer, in good faith, deny this truth.

Confession #3:
I do not own a Crock Pot.

There, it's done. I've let it be known! Go on, judge me as you will. You people and your slow-cooker recipes. Your planning and preparation in the morning hours, loading up the pot with the ingredients needed for dinner in a mere 12 hours. Your superior cooking and ability to go to work while dinner is being prepared by the robotic function of the Crock Pot. I know, I am a lone holdout. I can no longer live with shame, but must face the truth.

And how might this relate to Black Friday, you ask? Well, the deals of course. Crock Pots here, there, everywhere on sale. And do I go out to purchase said Crock Pot? No, I do not. I am holding out for the time honored tradition of registering for my wedding, and on that registry will be Crock Pots of various sizes. I could not imagine missing out on the experience of getting not 2, not even 3, but potentially 4 Crock Pots on my wedding day! Of course, some of those would be the exact same Crock Pot, but due to Target's lack of efficiency in checking off the registry items, I know I will be blessed with various duplicates, which I will then get the opportunity to return in exchange for toilet paper or cleaning supplies. How could I deny myself this experience, which has been shared by brides near and far throughout all of time?

I am holding out, and by next Thanksgiving I'll have that Crock Pot, in silver, with automatic shutoff, and digital temperature control, and I will finally be able to bring that dish over to our friends' houses with pride to join in the great circle of moms and dads who have perfected their Crock Pot expertise.

www.amazon.com

Wednesday's Wish- Thanksgiving Edition

Today's wish is not as tangible as the last few weeks' have been. I always try to concentrate on the things I am grateful for during the Thanksgiving holiday. It all started with my dad making us go around the Thanksgiving table and say what we were thankful for each year when we were younger. I try to carry on that tradition with my students by reminding them to be grateful over the weekend, and not greedy like the Black Friday deals may cause some to act.

So I want to start my wish off with a great, big thank you to those who read what I happen to write. One coworker this week, well we were team building, wrote that he/she "loved to read my writing". This meant the world to me, coming from an English teacher. Even if it is the same people who read every post, I really appreciate feeling as though I am heard, and the relief I get from sharing my worries, plus the joy I get from sharing my happiness, makes this worth it for me with or without an audience.

The second part of my wish is that I get 5000 views before the end of the year. I am getting closer and closer to that goal. I am not sure why, but 5000 just feels like I've made something of this blog, like I've become an accomplished writer of sorts. So my Wednesday wish is that you'll recommend my blog to a friend. Maybe it is just a single post that suits someone you know well. Maybe you remind a mutual friend to check the latest updates. Maybe you even subscribe to my blog via e-mail, but whatever you do, please help me to reach my goal. I in turn promise many fulfilling entries, hopefully some laughs, some crazy Friday confessions, and pictures galore!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Thank you.

Shout out to Vistaprint!

I love you Vistaprint. I love that I finally OVER budgeted for something in this wedding. I love that you let me mess with the format of the templates on your website to get exactly what I was looking for. I love that there was a Google Deal last week so I saved even more. You have saved me from endless hours of searching for the perfect Save the Date format and price. Now I won't feel bad about splurging on some other items.

Vistaprint

Now that I have gushed over this recommended website, thanks to past brides who were also budgeting wisely, I really do want to give my review of using it for our Save the Dates. I was really concerned about finding a nice Save the Date on which I could include our beautiful engagement pictures, but that also conveyed the important information necessary to help our out of town guests plan ahead for a destination wedding. As we were searching through templates, it was nice to find that "fall" actually counted as a category, as many wedding paper companies don't have seasonal selections. After browsing through various templates, I also discovered that there are "advanced editing" options. Using this feature, I realized that even though the template only showed 1 photo spot, I could add additional photos and format them in different ways, although a limited number of ways. I also found out that I could change font, text, size, and position. After messing around with the original design we liked, we then LOVED our new Save the Date. It is simple but gets the point across. I figure I'll save the details and labor for the actual invitations. 

So now I will highly recommend using this site for others, and not just for weddings but any printed mailings. Great deals and great options. Just opt out of the "free magazine subscription" offer at the checkout screen. :)

Friday's Confession- Literary Inspiration

This week I have been hanging out with English peeps at the National Council for Teachers of English conference in Chicago, IL (yes, where I got engaged this past June!- this time without Kyle, unfortunately). Overheard the other day: "Oh my gosh, Nicholas Sparks is going to be here! That is AH-MAY-ZING!" An adult said this. An adult who teaches LITERATURE. An adult that should have in her repertoire much more complex and intriguing, not to mention realistic, love stories. Austen? Bronte? Hell, Shakespeare. I am more than supportive of a variety of literary texts that are out there about the nature of love, which need to exist to support any number of readers and different reading abilities and preferences. But I expected more of you, English-Teacher-who-cares-enough-about-English-to-go-to-a-national-conference-about-it. And thus, my Friday confession this week brings out the literary snob in me:
CONFESSION #2:
I love a love story, but only when it is a tried and true classic love story, and I don't like sappy romance of the modern popular fiction genre.

The thing that irks me beyond all else about this topic is when people deem Romeo and Juliet "the greatest love story of all time." It is a LUST story. It is about suicide, about death, about loss and tragedy of friendship. NOT LOVE (Taylor Swift). Nice allusion, if you would have gotten it correct.

So as I think about my wedding, I hope that I can produce a fabulous, tried and true, authentic love story to continue to share with all of you, my loyal readers, and prove to you that you don't need the shallow or sappy "happy endings" of the contemporary literary world to find out what love is really all about.

Wednesday's Wish

This wish coming to you from Chicago- IL. Although what I am really wishing for is some fun while at this conference, and some great learning opportunities to be a better teacher, I can take this moment to be indulgent for a second:

From Weddingbee

Wouldn't do the hair design, nor the pink-tinted rhinestones, but I like the shape and style. I'll keep looking for the perfect amount of bling for my hair!

The Moment You've Been Waiting For...

Engagement Pictures are HERE!!!!!!

Thank you to Renee Clancy Photography (my coworker who is also amazingly talented) for this great adventure and these beautiful results. Here is a video link to some of the best ones!  Video Preview

And the photos I love follow.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY RENEE CLANCY PHOTOGRAPHY

My last birthday as a "single lady"!

Kyle kindly reminded me last night that this would be my last birthday as "Erica" instead of "Kyle's other half". Ha ha! I responded with "Kyle's BETTER half, you mean!" It is kind of surreal. The way I see it, it can only get better from here, because I'll have an even bigger family to celebrate with. Well, I've pretty much had the extended family for years, now, but it will be official next November 12.

Every year all I ask for from Kyle is a date with him. And I always want to go someplace we've never been. This year it was Cornish Pasty. We went to the one in Mesa instead of Tempe because it is bigger, so we were hoping for a shorter wait (it was short, by the way). We had the Chicken Pot Pie and Rosemary Steak, topped off with the Caramel Apple dessert. My favorite part, besides the food being amazing, was the German beer on tap!

Cornish Pasty at Dobson and Guadalupe

Our dessert!

Highly recommended.

This blog isn't titled "confessions" for nothing!

My newest adventure begins this moment, with weekly Friday confessions from this bride-to-be! Inspired by my blog's title, my friend's recent Facebook post about keeping it real regarding motherhood, and my inner id, I am going to take each weekend to let it all out. Hopefully I'll gain some piece of mind, and cause some laughter.

Confession #1: I worship LMFAO.
I figured that I might as well get that one out of the way. I know that no one in their thirties should enjoy the "Party Rock Anthem" as much as I do (and not because of the dancing hamsters, I never even saw that commercial until well after my obsession began), but I just want to DANCE every time I hear the pounding beats and electronic riffs. "I'm Sexy and I Know It"currently pumps me up at every Zumba class. I have their last CD uploaded on my iPod so that I am motivated to run just a little faster. Truthfully, when Shots comes on, I go right back to college, imagine myself in the frat house again, and take a moment to be 21 instead of 31. Now, I'm not about to go by some animal print pants and neon tanks, but I am going to turn up the music and rock out, and plan to include them at the top of my playlist for the wedding!

From LMFAO Facebook Page

Wednesday's Wish

I keep looking for decorations for the wedding that would also work for our home. I love this candelabra I found at West Elm in their holiday gift guide. It matches our silver tree vases and silver branch candelabra from Target that are currently sitting in our living room.

www.westelm.com

Uptown Bridal!

By far, the best experience I had shopping for my dress was at Uptown Bridal in my own home of Chandler, AZ. I cannot say enough positive things about this shop. Although I have no officially ordered the dress yet, I have fallen more and more in love with it, so am feeling more assured that it is "the dress" as the time passes.

Upon making my appointment, I already had high expectations because of the recommendations of former brides. When I walked in I just felt as though I was not just surrounded by beautiful dresses but by a happy and optimistic vibe. Then I met Ali, my consultant. She was the first person who not only gave me freedom to browse dresses to try on, but then made suggestions based on both my preferences and my body type.

I was hesitant to ask to try on dresses that were on display on the mannequins in the windows, but Ali insisted that I try one, which turned out to be my favorite. I appreciate the extra effort it took to take the dress off the mannequin for me, and her carefree and helpful spirit helped lead me to "the dress"!

This shop is locally owned by amazing women, and I can't wait to accessory shop and return over and over when my dress comes in an I get fitted for alterations. I fell in love all over again, and finally feel less stress about the dress because of it.

And this is my favorite detail from the shop:

Stenciled on the wall of the roomy dressing room!

Wednesday's Wish!

I don't know what it is about these adorable little forks, but I feel the need to have them for my wedding! A wedding accessory we can keep using!

www.bhldn.com

Engagement Photo Shoot

When I first told my mom that Kyle and I had scheduled engagement photos, she expressed her surprise that this is a common occurrence in modern wedding planning. Granted, like all holidays nowadays, the commercial aspects of weddings have seemed to increase, despite this I have been really excited to get some professional photos taken. I believe that having a memento of our relationship at this moment will be something we find we cherish in the future.

I am so glad that this is a trend, because I truly enjoyed every minute of our engagement photo session with Renee Clancy. First, we somehow convinced her to accompany us to Sedona so we'd have a unique and beautiful Southwest backdrop. Second, she agreed to climb down rocky embankments to get our photo in the middle of Oak Creek. Third, the 2-hour drive there and back flew by with our endless storytelling. It was a perfect day, sunny and calm, full of laughter.

We chose multiple backdrops, from the river with fall colored trees in the background, to the red rock walls of Sedona, to the setting sun. Ironically, my parents had traveled to Sedona years ago, when I was in high school, and found the Church of the Holy Cross. They came home and told me that they found the place where I should get married. Even though the 12-person capacity won't be enough for our guest list, we took our shots overlooking the red rocks from this location. It is crazy that time and fate have led to me moving to Arizona and meeting Kyle, and now getting our engagement pictures in the exact location my parents found over ten years ago.

We were a bit rushed to take pictures with the setting sun having hit traffic coming into the city. Renee was calm, creative, and positive throughout the entire experience, helping me to keep calm and enjoy the day. I simply cannot wait until I can get the pictures and share them with everyone!

from www.azjerome.com

11 Months!

Taking a moment out of a busy and wonderful day to share my excitement as time winds down to our wedding!

Our day today included taking our engagement pictures in the lovely Sedona (more info to come soon!) and a date at the restaurant where we had our first date, Pei Wei. It is really nice to be sitting on the couch with the love of my life and relaxing on a weekend night for once. I cannot believe that the time has gone by so fast since that first dinner and hike, and since our engagement! September 29 will be here in NO time!

Cheers!

Thursday's Digression

I should have mentioned this yesterday, as it was the official 4-month mark of our engagement, but this week Kyle bought my roses for no particular reason other than to make me happy. I have been having a rough few weeks trying to integrate work with the stress of wedding planning, having to make some tough decisions on our vendors, and finding time for relaxation (hasn't happened yet) in between our busy social schedule. He said to "start the day right" and it sure did with my favorite flowers and his simple sign of affection. Hopefully he remembers how happy they made me, and will think of doing little things like this more often.

And for the digression part of this post, red roses mean love (in case you didn't know) and white mean a variety of things, from purity to humility, from secrecy to youthfulness. For our wedding, (just can't distract myself today), I would love to have red roses in my bouquet, along with red-tipped yellow ones ("falling in love"), peach ones ("closing the deal"), and orange accents ("enthusiasm and desire")!