Friday's Confession: When you have a bad day

Exactly what I needed to hear on a day like today. 

And exactly why weddings are so special!

Originally posted on Wedding Chicks under "Friday's Chalk Board".

6 Month Mark!

We have 6 months to go until our wedding day! We celebrated with some Dairy Queen Blizzards (not working with my diet, but after yesterday's cake post, well, I could no longer hold out!)

So where are we in the wedding planning? We are getting closer and closer to hitting what I refer to as the "downhill slope". (I think it stems from skiing and mountains for inspiration).

Here is an updated to-do list!

• Get the guys gussied up
• Pick out our wedding rings
• Make invitations (and send), programs
• Get accessories for myself!
• Get accessories and gifts for my ladies!
• Secure hotels 
• Update Wedding Website and publish!
• Get a hair and makeup person secured and do trial runs
• Continue fitness journey
• Write ceremony
• Plan our set list!

As you can see, things have become a bit more detailed in the planning sphere. And if you couldn't tell, I am extremely excited.

Cheers to 6 months! Look for all the fun to come, and thank you once again for sharing in our journey with us thus far!

Love,

Erica and Kyle

Reneeclancyphotography.com

Wednesday Wish: Let Them Eat Cake!

As I begin my quest for health and wellness (like I haven't been working my butt off the last 8 months already...), I cannot think of anything in this world except wedding cake! I like cake so much that I usually sneak bites off the neglected plates at others' seats during weddings. (I guess you better watch out next time you're at a wedding with me). Kyle, not liking cake himself, donates his pieces to me graciously. In the age of alternative wedding desserts, I cannot imagine anything in the world besides the good old-fashioned cake! I will dream about thee, cake, as I eat this scrumptious, low-fat granola and Greek yogurt dessert. I will refrain from saying how I really feel about this, though, too many choice words involved!

My Wonderful Wedding Attendant!

The best story I have from over break, when I spent time in Colorado where wedding planning is always on the agenda, is from spending time with my second family. When I was in college, I became a nanny for Megan, a Delta Gamma sister I met at a yard sale, watching her daughter Ellie. Ellie and Megan, along with their newer family additions the Brokers, have been a major part of my life ever since. For this reason, I couldn't wait to invite Ellie to be a part of my wedding. I wanted to make the invitation extra special, and wanted to ask in person to see her reaction! I bought her a special cupcake from my favorite Dillon bakery, Blue Moon, and wrote her a card asking her to be my guest book attendant. When she opened the cupcake and card, she was glowing, Megan almost teared up, and all three of us shared the special moment. Then dress shopping online at Nordstrom and JCrew immediately followed. It renewed my excitement in planning for my wedding.

In Colorado Springs, I am always welcomed by the Broker family. I love that they are a family that runs together, eats together, does homework at the kitchen table together, and the fact that they are kind to others, strangers or old friends alike. Thank you for letting me join the family on occasion, and inspiring me in my own future family.

Megan and Ellie (borrowed from Facebook, hope they don't mind!)

Confession: Groom Frustrations!

If I weren't so excited to get our wedding over with, I'd probably kill my groom some days. Ironically, one of the reasons I am marrying him is his spontaneity, and how it complements my tendency to over-plan. Yet, something just screams "get this wedding planning over with already" and I cannot even seem to schedule in time for sitting down to do some wedding planning with him. I am not talking about wedding planning that includes finding vendors and sending checks. I am talking about wedding planning that involves thinking about our relationship and how we can capture that during our special day. These details are what will make our ceremony and reception memorable, unique, and exciting! However, I feel lately like they are all my details, my ideas, and my view of our relationship, and that I don't have any input from Kyle. My biggest fear is that we'll arrive at our wedding and he'll feel a complete disappointment in how it turned out. But then again, who else will he have to blame but himself. I don't think he is avoiding planning because he is tentative about the wedding itself, but instead I think he is just being a guy here (I hope I am right, please reassure me!) and procrastinating the emotional conversations that may ensue.

AND HE STILL HASN'T OFFICIALLY TOLD HIS GROOMSMEN!

Ah men, can't live with them or without them, but in the case of a wedding, I have to figure out a way to bribe him to stop procrastinating (worse than I do) and get this show rolling. I really don't want to spend my summer trying to catch up!

This is my frustrated face...

Wish: Wedding Hair and Makeup

I am giving in to my inner girly-girl. I want to treat myself for my wedding with the best hair I've ever had, and the best makeup! But the real challenge is trying to find someone who will do this for me on my wedding day for a reasonable price. Having a destination wedding, it is not possible for me to just call up my local hairstylist and get the advice of all the other local brides for makeup. At the same time, if someone is a professional, can I really go wrong? There are trial runs for a reason, after all!

I spent some time researching over the past week while on break in Colorado. I hope that I have found some great options and that they will still be available in early June for me to have a trial and still switch if things don't seem to fit. Paying to have my hair done is a must, since I want to wear it up. Paying for makeup seems like an absolute indulgence. I believe I deserve to be pampered for just one day, however!

Here are my potential hair styles so far: Which is your favorite?

Wednesday's Wish Delayed

SHOES! I may or may not have gone shopping for shoes while on my Spring Break. And online shopping for WEDDING SHOES!

Why I've been away so long...

Ah, it feels so nice to be writing again! I have spent way too much time these last 2 weeks reading and grading, planning and packing, and have sorrily neglected my most cathartic pastime. Since this blog is about being candid and honest, the truth is that writing, and for that matter wedding planning, have been too far down on the "to do" list. I know I've said it before, but I'll reiterate, that life cannot be about one single thing, for instance a wedding, because there are just too many factors involved. For one, work, which is something I am equally as passionate about as my wedding, but that takes up as much of my brain power as I can spare at times, like the ends of the quarter. Luckily I have 2 week breaks to get back to a balanced life. Another distraction is people, sometimes time spent with friends is much more rewarding than time spent writing a blog for friends to read from afar. This weekend we've been skiing, last weekend we were camping, it's all about the outdoors in our house, obviously. Now I have some down time, some "me time", thanks to a week of Spring break in Colorado, driving through the state to visit with some of the most important people in my life, and given time to myself to sleep in, read The Hunger Games trilogy, and write once more. I have many stories to tell, and now that I have the time to tell them, I will hopefully be updating more often and will get back into the habit for everyone's enjoyment.

Brides-to-be out there, remember this: Don't apologize when you get tired of the wedding, because sometimes you need balance in life, and weddings tend to tip the scales in one direction for too long a time. Find that balance, take time off, and don't worry about it!

Confession: I'd rather be Pinteresting

This week's confession encompasses 2 things: 1. I've spent way too many hours lately browsing through Pinterest to not only plan and organize my wedding, but also just to shop. 2. I've decided that I am not contributing enough of my own unique ideas to Pinterest, because let's face it, I'm not as interesting as those other pinners!

I'd love to say that I am crafty, I'll go out and buy the supplies for the projects I see on Pinterest and complete them, but the reality is that as artistically creative as I may be, I do not have the given time to complete the tasks. I also would love to have enough kitchen supplies and ingredients to cook the recipes I pin, but the thought of buying a new bread pan and updating my spice rack seems overwhelming.

Other than time, I feel like I just want the people on Pinterest to start their own Etsy sites so THEY can make the crafts, cookies, and do-it-yourself laundry detergent and I'll just BUY it from them. So, to my pinners out there (and lately I've chosen to follow way more), please start selling these banners, hair flowers, greeting cards, and pies at our local farmer's market so I can get my hands on some.

And then I'll just take the credit when people ask "Did you see that on Pinterest?!"

Copyright Pinterest, I am sure... but hey, it is free advertising!