Say Yes to the Dress(es)

Oy! What a roller coaster of emotions this dress shopping has been. We decided to go dress shopping the day after my Engagement Party. I clearly wasn't thinking about how much champagne + beer + wine would effect me.

We went, we shopped, I got sick, we bought. It was quick, almost rushed. I got home and immediately regretted my decision. The dress we bought was gorgeous. It was light, summery, fitted and lace. The problem? It was completely different than what I had always envisioned of my dress. While I felt beautiful, I didn't feel like a bride.  It didn't feel like it was my special dress, I really felt like I was in a Maxi dress.

I immediately called David's Bridal, the lady said the manager was busy and would need to call me back. As I waited and kept replaying everything over and over in my head. I watched the latest episode of Say Yes to the Dress. For some reason, it made me cry. It further confirmed that I needed a train and I needed a Wedding Gown. I wanted to feel like a bride. My consultant was the one who called back (about an hour later) and she simply said "Come back in this week, let's do this again and we'll exchange the dress-no problem" 

Last night, my mom and I headed back out to David's Bridal. This time with a list of ideas and more importantly no alcohol lingering in the blood stream. We tried on dozens and dozens of dresses. But, we kept coming back to the first dress I tried on. It was a mix between the dress we had bought on Sunday and the dress in my little girl dreams.

It was beautiful and more importantly: I felt like a bride!

What I'm Loving Wednesdays!

I had so much fun linking up with Jamie last week, that I couldn't help but do it again

I'm loving how quickly this week has flown by. I've been a busy busy bee.

I'm loving that next Thursday I'll be setting sail on a cruise for my company's retreat. I'm excited to bond with my co-workers, learn more about our company, and get some sun in Meh-ico

I'm loving that we booked our DJ this week. I really wanted a band, but once we booked the reception location we figured that the band might overpower the space. So by suggestion of my future-MIL, we booked a DJ. He's really scheduled and detailed, and I love it! He even threw in lighting at no cost 

I'm loving that while at the DJ appointment I started tearing up. He was giving up options on how he introduces the married couple to the reception, it made me so excited I started to cry.

And, lastly I'm loving my wonderful man, he really has been a trooper through the planning process :)

Have a great rest of the week!!

Cake Pop Till You Drop

It seems as though everyone and their mother caught on to the Cake Pop trend. Including me, thanks to lil' old Starbucks. I mean... How could you not love them? Portable, mini cake bites. Yum Yum. After seeing countless tutorials on how to do them, including my high school friend  and bakerella. I work up the nerve to try my hand at them for the Engagement Party

This couldn't possibly be that hard, right? WRONG!!! I was defeated by them. On Thursday night, my friend Tiffany came over for dinner and cake pop making. It wasn't so bad at first. Baking the cake, adding the frosting, making the cake balls, putting the lollipop sticks in them; It all went well. We were flying through this process. Then we came to the candy melts and we failed miserably. We could not figure it out. In my defeated state, I toss the cake pops. After talking to a few people and getting the tips of the trade, I started again the next night.

I made the cake and let it sit over night. 

The next morning I covered them in candy melts and sprinkles, I was too busy trying to grasp the technique to take pictures during the coating step. Here they are drying:

Then, being completely neurotic and insane: I decided to wrap them and tie them with raffata:

Sorry for the crappy iPhone pictures. 

At the end of the day, cake pops were had by all and the kids loved them. So, I guess it was some what worth it :)

What I'm Loving Wednesdays

I'm loving that this is my very first linkup, on my very first blog-maybe I'll even get my very first follower :)

I'm loving that my Red Bull is single-handly keeping me awake. I was dreading waking up today. Hooray for Humpday!

I'm loving that tonight I will be having dinner with my mam. It will be fun to just sit and talk about all of the exciting things happening in the next few weeks. She's buying a beach house, so we get to talk about decorating!

I'm loving that my dog has gotten used to my morning routine. Probably better than I have. He used to sleep through me leaving, just sticking his head out of the covers when I closed the door. Now, he realizes he gets to eat if he gets up with me. So, as soon as I come out of the bathroom after doing my makeup and hair. He leaps off the bed and goes to the door. He knows it's his time to go outside and say "Hi" to the neighborhood. Once I'm dressed, he happily comes inside and is ready to EAT (his favorite part). Then he runs back in the bedroom, jumps on the bed and goes back to sleep. He is a smart pup!

Isn't he the CUTEST?

I'm loving that this Saturday I will be surrounded by friends and family. Celebrating our engagement, having a good time and drinking lots of this:

via

Moms + Weddings

via

I love my mom like no other, but our vision of the wedding is completely different. My Grandma planned her wedding and my sister didn't really have a traditional wedding. So, this is a first experience for the both of us.  I think we've done a pretty good job comprising so far. It's taken a few tears, a lot of phone calls, and even more wine. But, things are getting done and we are both are happy. I'm sure your not surprised to find out that our biggest disagreement has been about the food. Ha, Leave it to the Italians to make a big deal out of food. 

But, nevertheless we are doing pretty good on the planning front; we have locations for the ceremony and reception, a fabulous caterer (I cannot say enough nice things about this lady), and chiavari chairs. Haha.. yes we have chairs before the dress, cake, photos etc. But to my defense, these are some pretty gorgeous chairs and we found a great deal (sort-of).

SO PRETTY!!! It's okay to be obsessed, right? Ours will be Mahogany too, but with white cushions. Although I do love that pink :)

Anyway, next week I do have a few meetings with a DJ and a couple photographers, so hopefully those will be the next two things crossed off the list. Fingers Crossed!

I'm most excited for this Saturday, it's our engagement party! I am by no means ready for it, but it will all come together somehow. I'm most looking forward to asking our bridal party to be in our wedding. To me, I wanted to make this time as special to them as it is to us. Jason and I thought a lot about who we wanted to stand up there with us, we also realized just how much these people really mean to us. So, instead of just a phone call or a dinner to ask, we got them each a little gift. I'm so excited to see their reactions and hope they realize how much we appreciate them.

I need to run off and make a todo list for the weekend- yea, I'm one of those people

Welcome

Come on in... I'm so excited to start my journey as a fiancee and a blogger. I hope to mesh these two titles really well. I love blogs and have been following a bunch of them for the past couple years. I never thought I would have anything profound to say that would warrant a blog. But, now I'm realizing just how amazing the blog community is-Let's just say I want to be apart of that fun!!

I hope to use this blog to help me document my journey of wedding planning and transition into my married life. During my first couple of months of planning, I've realized that I'm not quite receiving the feedback I had hoped for through my friends and family. I understand people are busy, but I need some opinions (and more importantly HELP). Basically just people to bounce ideas off of. 

That's us! And boy do I love us. We dated for 3 years till he FINALLY popped that important question. And, as friends can very well attest, I was not-so-patiently waiting. Jason is my very best friend, literally the guy will listen to my vent for hours then just simply ask if I want a glass of wine. Love him.  I don't have to pretend, he just gets me. He understands how much my family drives me crazy and still ensures I call them just to say hi. It's an amazing feeling to feel complete. Cheesy? yes. But, it's very true. I think I've stayed sane thus far in our wedding planning because of him. 

I hope ya'll will enjoy this journey as much as I will. Please offer as much feedback and comments as possible.