joy is the best makeup

Condolences and Congratulations.

2010-09-04T20:08:00.004-06:00

Hello Hive. *sheepish wave* I have to start by apologizing to you for my hiatus. When they say that the last month before the wedding is crazy, THEY MEAN IT (though I don't know who "they" is...).

The month of July was filled with last minute projects, finalizing plans, signing contracts... and family tragedies.

Two weeks before the wedding, Mr. Hottie's grandma was life-flighted to the hospital with a massive stroke. She was in the hospital for 6 days when she suddenly passed. It came as a huge shock to the entire family. We had just seen her 2 weeks before that and she looked better than she had in years, since Mr. HD's grandpa passed.

She was the hub of the family. The glue. The driving force in so many ways.

The funeral was 5 days before the wedding. It was one of the most painful things we've experienced together. Although I am hurting on many levels, I know my hurt pales in comparison to the loss that H. Dizzle is dealing with. I know that all I can do is be there for him, as his wife(!), friend and partner.

I have to admit that I was a bad blogger the last month or so, and neglected to take photos while finishing up our projects. I'm sorry!

I'll leave you for now with a photo of my PWC. That's right, I did it! My long(ish) hair was driving me nuts, so I chopped it off. REALLY chopped it. :)

Before:

After:

I LOVE it!! It feels so great to have all that hair gone! haha Not to mention, my ends were pretty fried from not enough trims.

I hope you are all as excited as I am about these recaps! I've already got the photos from our wedding a WEEK ago! That is how amazing our photographer, Sarah Christine Photography, is!

See you soon, I promise!

The big reveal!

2010-07-18T10:29:00.001-06:00

OK, so now that the invites have gone out, I think it's safe to share them with you guys!

This is what our guests see in their mailboxes! See that sweet little doggy stamp? You want to see a close-up? Of course you do.

This stamp makes me smile :) See? We decided to go with the Animal Rescue stamps, wedding theme be-damned. We are such big animal lovers that it was totally appropriate. And how can you resist that face?! The stamps featured other dogs and cats as well, but he is the cutest ;)

This is actually one of my favorite parts of the invites... the return address! You'll notice that the heart is on pretty much every paper project for our wedding. I feel like it really ties everything together. We also used the same fonts throughout.

Here's the whole suite together. You can see the envelope liner in this pic, which was actually my favorite paper of the bunch.

OK, maybe this is my favorite part of the invites... haha I absolutely ADORE the wood-grain paper we chose! It fits perfectly with our rustic, ranch theme. And the best part? I printed on it with my home inkjet printer, no problems!! Oh the texture! Oh the pretty fonts! *swoon* And look, that little heart made an appearance!

Wanna' see another project that took an obnoxiously long time to make? Take a gander at that map. Though I love it dearly now, it was the bane of my existence for several days. It's not that it was hard, I just kept tweaking little things here and there. Overall, though, it was totally worth the work and I love it! (see the heart in this one?)

The front of our postcard RSVP. There's the heart again...

The back of our RSVP card. Obviously this is only half of the card; the other side has our address and a stamp. We decided to go for something very untraditional for our response cards. MAD LIBS! I've gotten a few cards back and they are all pretty funny! It's totally fun reading what people have written :)

Part of me wishes I'd used more visual elements, more scrapbook-y things. Like maybe it should have a little bit more dimension. But I really am happy with them. And the simplicity really hints toward the vibe we're shooting for.

Amen for having those done and out the door!!! Anyone else SUPER relieved when their invites went out? haha

6 hours of my life that I'll never get back.

2010-07-14T15:30:00.001-06:00

And just what was I doing during those 6 hours? Tracing, cutting and glueing envelope liners!!

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out and I really feel like they added a lot to the invitations (post forthcoming!). Buuut it was definitely an unnecessary project.

The up side to this project is that it didn't cost me a dime! I am a totally scrapbooking maven so I have a huge stockpile of papers. I decided that I'd like to use what I already have, and consequently, used several different types of papers for the liners. Want to see?

This is the paper stack that I pulled from, and then there were some other random paper selections.

This is just a few of the liners that I cut during my marathon. I actually really like the idea that there are several different designs and know two guests that know one another will get the same one! I feel like it adds an element of... surprise, even if I'm one of the only people who knows it. :)

UP NEXT: The invitation reveal!!

Did you DIY envelope liners or order yours? I wish I'd ordered mine... haha

We drink our beer from a mason jar...

2010-07-12T12:00:00.001-06:00

No, really, we do. Or, at least we WILL. I have spent the last year collecting these...

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These are NOT my jars. But you get the idea. The reason I don't have a photo of MINE is that they are scattered in various corners of our garage and spare bedroom. It would be quite an undertaking to gather them all together for a photo. I realize I need to gather them up soon, anyway. But why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? ;)

Anywho, we've collected about 200 of them! Each guest will get their own to drink from and to take home (part of the "favors" we came up with to replace the jam). Also, whatever is not used for the guests will be used in our centerpieces!

I think they will go very well with our theme and who doesn't love a mason jar? So what have you been collecting for your wedding??

P.S. We plan on selling whatever jars are left over. So let me know if you'd be interested!

Sorting out the ceremony.

2010-07-11T08:24:00.000-06:00

To me, the ceremony sets the tone for the whole wedding. It's the reason everyone is there. Knowing this, we wanted to make our's very personal. That's why we decided to have my brother officiate. :) I can't even begin to describe how excited I am about this! I wanted to honor him during the ceremony and this is the best possible why, IMO! It will mean so much to have him up there with us.

Another way we're personalizing it (other than writing it ourselves!) is by including an uncommon ceremony, a wine box ceremony. You may recall this "nontraditional tradition" from Mrs. Cowboy Boot's AND Mrs. Lab's posts! (Mrs. Lab is saving my bridal-booty during this process, let me just tell you!!)

A wine box, or love letter box, is a small box that you put a bottle of wine and two glasses into. Then you and your lover write each other mushy gushy love letters, describing why you love him/her and why you're marrying him/her. Then you seal them and place them inside the box. The idea is to seal up the box on your wedding day and not open it until your 5th wedding anniversary. However, if you're experience insurmountable hardships in your marriage, you open the box, drink the wine together and read the letters.

Both Lab and Cowboy Boot were totally right in saying that this is a realistic, yet very romantic ritual. It is naive to believe that your marriage is going to be all rainbows and ponies, especially in a world where something like 40% of marriages fail. (I didn't look that up, I'm just pulling it off the top of my head, so don't quote me haha). I like the idea of creating a "love time capsule" that can transport you back to your wedding day.

Source (This isn't our box, but I have to keep you in suspense somehow!)

We're also doing a few readings during the ceremony. My favorite one happens to be a very popular one - "The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss. I feel like its especially fitting for us since we travel a LOT.

We're also including a couple scriptures and "Blessing for a Marriage" by James Dillet Freeman. If you haven't read it, Google it STAT!

I'll leave you with a passage from our ceremony that brings tears to my eyes every time I read it (which is a lot because, well, I love reading our ceremony haha). I heard it while listening to Sterling on KLOVE radio. There is no title and she didn't allude to where she'd gotten it.

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving the you same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

What is/was your favorite part of your wedding ceremony?

Sneaking a peek?

2010-07-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

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So there's this really big trend in weddings where the bride and groom do a "first look" instead of waiting until she walks down the aisle. This allows more time for photos and such between the ceremony and reception.

I always thought this was a great idea. Not only for the time-saving aspect, but also because it allows for a very private, personal moment with the one you're about to marry.

I pitched the idea to H. Dizzle and got SHOT DOWN. He put a firm and fast kabosh to that. Apparently he has very strong feelings about seeing me walk down the aisle and that being the first time he sees me on our wedding day. Who knew?! And since I wasn't adamant about it, merely open to it, I seceded.

Has your fiance had any firm opinions on anything during the planning process?

THE dress decision and dressing her up.

2010-07-08T09:18:00.000-06:00

So, I left you all hanging after showing you two fabby fab gowns... I ultimately decided to go with this lovely.

I love my dress! No, really, LOVE it. But since it is so simple and sleek, I felt that it needed a little something extra. A sash! But not just any sash...

Remember this bad boy from the love Mrs. Cowboy Boot's wedding? Serious swoon-age ova' here. That sash is absolutely to die for!! I had to have it!

But guess what? I couldn't find it! It was no longer on the J.Crew site... :( But then the wonderful Mrs. Labrador came to my rescue! It turns out she had purchased the very same sash and then decided not to wear it. The poor thing was just sitting around, waiting to be worn ;)

So a couple weeks go by, and I receive this little beauty in the mail

Personal photos (as if you couldn't tell by my fashionable pink "Hoggie's Diner tee)

Isn't she fabulous?! She needs a little TLC in the form of a steamer and possibly an iron, but I am totally smitten! And the ivory will match PERFECTLY with my dress!!

What wonderful ideas have YOU stolen from other uber-chic bees?

Things are a-changing.

2010-06-30T17:34:00.002-06:00

So, there have been some changes on the wedding front in the Hot Dog household. MAJOR changes.

Remember that food post where I talked about how we were having our favorite restaurant, Texas Roadhouse, cater? Yeahhh.... That's not happening. We decided to revert to our original idea of a potluck-style dinner. Members of the family are each making different dishes . We are still providing the pies, drinks and other desserts ourselves.

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You may also recall our rad favor idea... Homemade jam in cute little jars. This idea also got nixed. The reason? My sanity! There is no way I have enough time to learn how to make jam with so little time until the wedding. Not to mention, making enough jam for 150 people is a major feat, even for a seasoned jam-maker (is that the technical term? Jammist?).

I'm still trying to figure out what to replace those darling jars with. I tossed around the idea of lotto tickets a la Miss Jellyfish. Or we could... Shoot I have no idea. It's almost laughable how unprepared I feel about this at the moment.

We toyed with idea of *gasp* not having any favors at all! I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but most people wouldn't even notice if there wasn't a little trinket to lug home at the end of the night. Or would you? I tend to think that I (or any other bride) WOULD notice, but that's just because we're so immersed in the wedding culture and this blogosphere that's it's ingrained in us. But would a normal person even pay attention?

What do you guys think, hive? Any ideas for fun, simple favors that would complement the feel and look of our wedding? And how do you feel about no favors?

Getting my hair and makeup did.

2010-06-20T19:46:00.000-06:00

OK. So I had my beauty trials a couple weeks ago. I'd say they were pretty successful, at least in showing me what I do and don't want on the day of. An old friend of mine from high school (who is also getting married!) did both and has been wonderful to work with. Although I wasn't completely happy with the first run, she assured me we could go at it again and again til we get it right haha!

Before pics... Eww. I can't believe I'm sending this out into cyberspace...

This is the final product.

Um, hello pasty face. Too much foundation in the wrong color. But, she assured me she would order the foundation in my skin tone. Also, I'm not a huge fan of the gold. And the falsies (eyelashes). I think they're just a little much for me. I definitely want a more natural look. More like this...

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In fact, I feel pretty stupid for not bringing this photo with me to the trial. Boo.

It did look better outside, in natural lighting. But I'm still thinking it's not quite right for me.

I do like the hair. I thought it was really cute, and not the traditional updo. You can't tell from the front, but it is a side-swept ponytail. I will most likely be wearing hair extensions the day of so that it sits on my shoulder.

From the back. My fabu hair flower in action. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way it looks from the back! We had to cut the flower down a smidge since it was about as big as my head.

Let me just tell you, this hairstyle had some staying power! It stayed curly for 3 days!! And it even stayed curly after taking a shower (though I had a showercap on)! Craziness.

BUUUT, looking back, I feel like it may be too curly. I want a more loose, casual look. This style doesn't scream "loose and casual" to me. It's pretty, but it may not be right for what I want.

This post makes it sound like I'm unhappy with my experience. I am definitely NOT unhappy! I had a great time with Jordan and I think she is super talented! She has been nothing but nice about all my critiques and we have another appointment scheduled to get things straightened. This time, I WILL bring photos! haha

How did your trials go?

Our first wedding present!

2010-06-17T18:54:00.001-06:00

Invites haven't even gone out yet and we already received a great gift in the mail! IMO, it is the greatest first wedding gift EVER! ;)

Hmm.... I wonder what it could be...

A glow-in-the-dark frisbee from our REI gift registry?! Yes please!!

A sweet note from my awesome uncle!

And there she is in all her glory (yes it is a SHE!).

You may be asking yourself why we registered for a frisbee (my mom sure was curious). Well, the answer is... I have no idea. To be honest, it was probably a mistakenly scanned item. Or H. Dizzle snuck it in somehow. ;) If it was a mistake, it was a very serendipitous one, considering how much we love frisbee! And who wouldn't love to be able to play IN THE DARK?!

What was your first gift? And did you register for anything a litte... off-beat?

Getting my kicks. (numero dos)

2010-06-15T19:01:00.001-06:00

If you recall (which you probably don't since it was eons ago) my first shoe post, you know that I was in the throes of some serious buyers remorse. I loved the shoes, but they just weren't right for me and our wedding.

Since then, I've been on the lookout for a great pair of shoes that would compliment our venue, our style, and most importantly, be comfortable! I scoured eBay, Zappos.com, BlueFly and the like. I kept coming back to one particular style of shoe...

Then one day I was perusing the archives of Mrs. Cherry Pie (LOVES HER!) and saw this photo...

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Game over. Decision made. I bit the bullet and invested in these babies:

Aren't the gorgey porgey!? MMM... And they were... Guess how much they were? $20! They may not be the greatest quality or as wonderfully worn in as Mrs. CP's, but I love them all the same and I think they will go great with my dress!!

What are you wearing on your tootsies?

MMMM sangria....

2010-05-25T10:52:00.004-06:00

And good food, good company and PLENTY of wedding talk!

from left to right: Violarulz, Boulderbride2010, DizzyDaffodil, me & brittanymichelle

This past Saturday was our Denver bee meetup at Le Sandia. I must say it was a smashing success!! There was tons of great food and conversation. From careers and big moves to wedding "colors" and of course showing off our bling. ;)

I just want to tell you girls what an awesome time I had and can't wait to do it again! Also, I'm super excited to see all of your ideas come to fruition. Happy almost-wedding-day, Brittany!

WARNING: This post is rated R.

2010-05-24T07:43:00.002-06:00

And by "R" I mean religious. ANND possibly not appropriate for children under the age of 17.

With less than 100 days (EEEEP!!!) to go before the wedding, I want to take a moment to talk about

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I was watching a new episode of my favorite guilty pleasure "True Life" on MTV. This particular episode was about newlyweds. One couple had been in a long-distance relationship for 4 years. The other was a very religious couple who had abstained from sex until marriage. They hadn't even kissed!

This got me thinking. I grew up in a religiously divided home. My father has always been more "spiritual" than religious, but my mom was a Jehovah's Witness and she raised me with the same faith. I don't know how much everyone knows about this religion, but it is very strict and one of the predominant ideals is abstinence and sexual purity. Until I was 18 I was held to this standard. (I left the church with my mom when I was 18)

Now, just because I was no longer "required" to remain abstinent doesn't mean that I became *ahem* promiscuous or anything. But I did feel a lot more dating freedom and relief from the pressures put on courtship as a Jehovah's Witness. It was still important to me wait until I fell in love with someone before I took it to that intimate level.

So, I dated. And I had sex. There, I said it. Then I met Mr. Hottie. We fell in love. And... we did it. There I said it again. And I don't regret it.

Before Mr. Hot Dizzle proposed, we had friends who got engaged. She is Catholic, he is not. They had been together for quite a while, living together as well. When they got engaged, she decided to practice complete abstinence until the wedding. Now, I've heard of "born-again virgins" or choosing to remain abstinent in a relationship even if you'd previously had sex with someone else. But this just seemed so silly. What was the point if you'd already slept together? It almost seemed unfair to him, since he doesn't share the same faith.

When Mr. HD and I decided to get married I started to think about her decision. It also made me wonder if I'd made the right decision in not remaining "pure" until marriage.

There are so many different views on sex before marriage. After lots of thought and, yes, prayer, I feel that choosing abstinence at this point would be a little silly. We are not "religious", and we are both comfortable with the decisions we've made. But now that I've thought about it, I have a much better idea of where she was coming from and why she made that decision.

Whew, that was a pretty loaded post. So, what are your views on this? I know this is a pretty heated topic, so be gentle. ;)

You read my mind...

2010-05-20T08:15:00.000-06:00

Have you found your wedding twin? That wedding you see that is everything you're imagining for your own nuptials? I just did. Get ready to drool.

All images stolen from OnceWed

From the amazingly varied floral palette to the pie bar (uhm, hello GORGEOUS pie stands!) to the jam favors. This wedding is my dream. It is everything I am envisioning. Even down to the dog and chalkboard signs.

It is almost weird how much I love this wedding. I may or may not have bookmarked this page. And added the link to my desktop...

Has this ever happened to you?

It has arrived!

2010-05-18T19:38:00.005-06:00

The first bridesmaid dress is in and Bridesmaid Star and I went down to get it for her a couple weeks ago. Ready to see it in all it's glory??

Isn't the color just gorgey porgey?! Star may or may not kill me for posting this of her in white socks... haha After she got home she sent me a photo of herself in the boots.

I think it looks totally fab, and I cannot wait to see the dress on the rest of the girls!!

Anyone else get excited about seeing how incredible your bridesmaids are going to look on your wedding day?!

Miss Hot Dog VS the sewing machine.

2010-05-11T17:11:00.000-06:00

So if you've been following along, you know that I already made a ringbearer pillow with one of my kanzashi flower. Welp, I decided that it doesn't really "go" with our aesthetic anymore. It feels too cutesy, not very country-chic. I changed my mind, so what's new?

Before that project, I had been looking at some pillow inspiration here. Looking back, I realized there are two that really stick out in my mind, this one and this one. You may recognize the fluffy flower from Mrs. Cowboy Boots wedding!

After some thought, I realized that the knit pillow would be the perfect match. It's quaint, charming, and a clever nod to one of my favorite pass-times. It looked simple enough. Sew a pillow, knit a square, stitch it to the top. Easy peasy.

And it was. AFTER I had a little come-to-Jesus with my sewing machine.

You see that ball of thread? Ya, I did that. And it took me an HOUR to get it undone. The only thing keeping me going was this delicious, forbidden Rockstar!

After our little tangle (pun intended), it was finally time to sew the damn pillows. I needed two, so I decided on tan and pink.

After what seemed like centuries, I had the pillows made. But I wasn't done. I still had to knit the squares to be sewn onto the tops!

After about 2 days (what, I work! Busy life!), I had these finished lovelies, all ready for my guys to carry down the aisle!

Aren't these so cute!? I'm super excited to see them go down the aisle!

Have you had any, *ahem*, MISHAPS whilst creating some DIY loveliness? Did you show it who's boss?

In a jam!

2010-05-09T12:00:00.000-06:00

When it came to the favors, I wanted to make sure we were giving our guests something that wasn't just going to get tossed in the garbage. Or sit on a shelf collecting dust.

Some sort of food item seemed the perfect solution. But what? Those sugary almonds seem very common at weddings. But that's the problem. They're common. What about chocolate of some kind? Well that would be fine and dandy, except that Mr. HD and I wouldn't even get to eat any of it (we're on STRICT nutrition plans, more on that later!).

So what is a budget- and nutrition-conscious bride to use? JAM!

It's perfect! We could make our own jam! All-natural, so it's healthy. And we'd do it ourselves, so it'd be UBERcheap! I am a genius, if I do say so myself. ;)

And it looks like I'm not the only one with this brilliant idea! Feast your eyes, lovelies.

(Slacker bride-blogger alert! I had these stored on my computer and canNOT find the link to save my life! Sorry!)

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I love that they add to the country feel, with the fabric tops and adorable label!

These little babies will also have another role on our wedding day. Post forthcoming. :)

The question now is, what kind of jam to make. Apple? Grape? Peach? Any suggestions?

And, did I mention that I've NEVER made jam before? Haha... A small detail that may make this difficult to pull off! Is it difficult? How long does it take?

Thanks a bundle, hive. :)

What to do with these?

2010-04-25T16:58:00.000-06:00

A while ago I was mindlessly wandering through Hobby Lobby, as I've taken to doing quite often, and found the Valentine's Day leftovers on a clearance table. Among the red and pink doilies, I found these:

Two ceramic heart-shaped dishes and two wooden heart frames. The second photo is from the back, with the frame backing in. The peg is to make is stand upright. The last picture is without the white backing.

So, I have NO idea what to do with these! I already have ring pillows (post forthcoming), so it would be silly to make the ceramic bowls into ring dishes. I was thinking about using the frames to mark our seats at the reception. But I don't know how to execute that... Stand them up on the table, hang them from the chairs... The possibilites are endless!

So, hive, what would YOU do with these little gems?

Cute cutlery.

2010-04-22T15:04:00.001-06:00

After seeing Mrs. Poodle's post about her silverware project, I was in love. The bamboo would go SOO perfectly with our rustic theme! Then I read that she had tons left, so I went ahead and bought them from her! :)

Usually, I try to be completely creative in my DIY. But her idea was so amazing, I totally had to copy. I did add my own little twist, though. ;)

First I gathered all the supplies: silverware, recycled paper napkins, stamps and brown ink, and some raffia.

The steps are all pretty self explanatory, but here I'm gathering the pieces together...

... folding the napkins ...

... and tying them with rafia!

I decided to add a litte more detail to them and stamped our initials on the top handle of each one. If I owned a Gocco, I would TOTALLY have goccoed the napkins. But, alas, that amazing tool is missing from my arsenal. Boo.

Anyway, I'm excited about how they turned out. And it did a great job of making me feel a little more on top of my to-do list... hehehe. Also, I feel good about this project because with the bamboo biodegradable cutlery and the recycled napkins, we're doing our part to be a little more green!

How have you lessened your carbon footprint during the wedding planning?

Where the magic happens: The great indoors!

2010-04-20T07:27:00.001-06:00

In this installment, you get to see the main floor of the log house at the ranch. It is seriously one of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen. I feel so incredibly honored to be able to have our wedding in such a beautiful place.

Look at those awesome windows!

That lamp isn't going to stay there and it will be much more clutter free.

My favorite part of the house. Such a beautiful kitchen! Up to the left (where the railing is) is the loft/master bedroom. This is where we'll be getting all dolled up.

Look at the antler chandelier! Everything in the house is log, even the table and chairs!

The view of the living room from the kitchen.

I just love how EVERYTHING ties into the rustic theme... Such a gorgeous home.

Even the bathroom is beautiful!

I didn't get to take any photos of the master bedroom upstairs because they hadn't cleaned (hehe) but trust me, it is JUST as gorgeous as the rest of the house. There are also two more bedrooms on the main floor.

I can't wait to get ready in this beautiful home!! And FFIL and Step FMIL's generosity is just wonderful!

Where are you getting all dolled up the day of?

Where the magic happens: The great outdoors!

2010-04-18T08:58:00.007-06:00

This weekend, Mr. Hot Dog and I visited the ranch. I was really excited before, just picturing the landscape. But now that I've seen it again and heard all of my FFIL's plans for the place, I can barely contain my glee!!! And of course I took some pics for you all. I'm going to give you all a little "walk through" of the place so you can get a feel :) WARNING: Photo overload!

The view from the road! Picture everything greener :)

Look at that view... :) The propane tank will be surrounded by splitrail fence before the wedding. Like that cow's hiney? Real ranch!!

This is behind the garage. See where those men are standing? Just beyond them is where the reception will be. All that ugly brown fence on the right will be taken down and it will be gray gravel all the way down to the pasture buck-and-rail fence. (If that makes sense... lol)

This is the front of the house. Isn't it gorgeous?!

This is the view from the front door, walking around the side of the house. There's the beginnings of the railing that FFIL is putting up all the way around the porch.

Turning the corner to the back yard. All those chairs and table will be gone and the railing will continue along.

The back yard, where the ceremony will be! You can't see the propane tank, but, like I said, it will be covered. And they laid grass seed so the color will even out :)

This is the back corner, where we'll have the arch! Those 3 chicken wire rings are small trees that will be about head-high around the end of August. The arch will be right in between them all.

The view of the house from the altar. I seriously love the buck-and-rail fence... :)

The view walking back to the front of the house. Directly ahead is where the reception space will be!

Where the dirt is will be gray gravel and that ugly brown fence will be taken down prior to the big day. FFIL and Step FMIL offered to get us a tent, so we'll go ahead and set that up out in the field. I'm thinking (depending on weather) that one whole side of the tent will be open so that we can still have much of the reception outdoors a la my vision.

The view of the house from the reception space.

Up next, inside the fabulous log cabin! Seriously, like something straight out of a Cabela's mag. Stay tuned!

Where are you having your wedding? Inside or out?

THE dress saga continues...

2010-04-14T18:18:00.005-06:00

**Mr. Hot Dog, do NOT open this post, OR ELSE** kthanks.

After my first dress post, many of you expressed that you wanted to see me IN the dress. Well, turns out I never even took any!! SAD! So what did I do? I whipped her out of the closet and figured out how to use the self-timer on my camera!

This dress gives me such an awesome shape! And look at that train... MMM.

While I had my camera out, I decided to do a little photo shoot in my new dress! But before I show you, I'd better tell you how she came to be.

After deciding to find something new, I scoured the internet some more. I happened upon a website that sold new and previously owned/worn wedding gowns, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. Let me tell you, it is a GOLD MINE. Most of the gowns are previously worn, but there are also many that have never seen the aisle. Such is the case with mine.

And, once again, I got an awesome deal! $300 for a brand-spanking-new dress, with tag still attached!

Without further ado, I give you my Dessy Group Sandals/Beaches Resort Collection Style # 1007PA.

Ta da! See how different the two dresses are?! Wow. I love the simplicity of it, with the short train and no embellishment. The mermaid style, I think, is very flattering.

This one from the front is slightly less flattering, partly due to the fact that the top of this dress is about 3 inches too big!! When my arms aren't holding it up, it sort of just flops out and totally hides what little curves I do have!

I like this one from the back, partly because my tushy looks cute! I'm working on slimming it down even more before the wedding (post to come!). Also, it looks like there's a brown stain on my right butt cheek. When I saw this picture, I had a mini-meltdown until I examined it and found that there wasn't anything there! Thank goodness.

This is close to what she'll look like after alterations. A VAST improvement, IMO!

But, ya'll are going to kill me. Looking at myself in the first dress, my original feelings start to come back... I notice the beautiful beading and lace detail and the feeling of being a princess. But the second one is so classic. And I could add a lace bolero or a sash to it to dress it up a little more...

I don't know what to do now!!! Go with the frills and sequins that only a wedding dress can provide, or stay true to my style and my gut with the no-frills beauty?

Did you have a hard time deciding between two gowns? How did you make your decision?

THE dress saga begins.

2010-04-10T17:03:00.000-06:00

... did NOT come to be without much hemming and hawing. You see, the thing is... I'm a decidedly undecided bride. And a former two dress bride.

You see, I did not have a traditional dress-shopping experience. The only time I went into a bridal shop was Sister HD, at the beginning of our engagement. I tried on about 6 dresses, but didn't really fall in love with any of them. And I wasn't as happy or excited as I'd expected to be.

Don't get me wrong - I was VERY excited to find the dress that I'd marry my hunny in. But I've never been easily excited by the idea of actually shopping. At least not for myself. And this experience was no different.

After I got home, I was trolling eBay and typed in "wedding dresses" just for fun. Up came this long list of gowns. Some used, some new, some custom made. Then I found this little beauty.

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A beautiful Oleg Cassini ball gown. Lace and sequined bodice with a satin waistbelt. I decided to watch it.

You should know that I'm not a frilly kind of girl. I always said I wanted a no-nonsense, no-frills dress. NO beading. Maybe some lace. And almost definitely NOT a ball gown. This dress had all three! But something about it drew my attention. So I bought it. For $200!

Once it came in the mail, I put in on immediately and loved it. It fit like a glove (no alterations!) and made me feel like a princess. All seemed perfect.

BUUUT, as time passed and she hung in my closet, I began to second-guess myself. I put it on again and something had changed. I couldn't picture myself on my wedding day, walking toward my future hubby in this dress. I knew that this was not the one.

Looking back, the pricetag was probably the determining factor in my purchase. I was too busy looking for a good deal to think about what I really wanted and to trust my gut. But I don't regret buying her. If nothing else, I learned exactly what I DIDN'T want and to follow my instinct.

Now it was back on the hunt, for THE dress... Tune in next time to see what I found!

Did you have the traditional dress experience, or did you choose to go a more unorthodox method for finding the one?

Dressing the man-folk.

2010-04-09T09:07:00.002-06:00

Mr. Hot Dog is a very casual guy. I mean very. Jeans and t-shirt are what fills his closet, hiding a few hardly-worn button downs and 2 pairs of slacks. Knowing this, there was no way I would ask my hunny to wear a full-on tuxedo on our big day. Not to mention, it wouldn't really go with the feel or aesthetic. And he's a huge dude! 230 pounds huge! So even finding a tux or suit to rent would be a huge chore!

This was also the only thing that he had a real opinion on. He wanted to choose his attire. But, knowing him and taking all these factors into consideration, I think I have a pretty good idea of what he'll choose.

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I showed Mr. HD this photo and he thought it was great. Minus the flip flops. He has this weird foot thing... So he'd probably swap them for for some brown boots.

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I LOVE the look of khaki suits. They're just the right blend of casual and sophistication. And I like that the groom's suit is a slightly different shade to make him stand out more. H. Dizzle wasn't quite as fond of this one. Like I said, he's UBER cas'.

Anywhatsit, we haven't fully come to a decision on this yet, but I'm guessing he'll choose a look that mirrors the first image. And I'm happy with whatever he chooses. As long as he's there waiting for me at the end of that aisle, he could be wearing a sumo suit (love this, N!).

What is your guy wearing down the aisle??

Shopping, Jr. Bridesmaid style.

2010-04-07T17:19:00.006-06:00

This past weekend I was up in the Casper/Glenrock area and decided to take the opportunity to help the Hot Dog Step(sister)s find their junior BM dresses! We decided to take the easy route and hit the mall.

Going in, I wanted to make sure that my Steps picked a dress that they both loved and would feel good in. I didn't care if it was a print or solid, strapless or halter, long or short. As long as it went well with the color(ish) palette, it was an option!

Up first, JC Penney.

Meet LitteStep.

And SassyStep.

This was one of my faves. It's actually a dark brown, not black. But the girls weren't crazy about the top. It had some weird detailing that these pics don't show. NEXT!

This one had the awesome halter that they both loved, but it had a little too much of a "beachy" feel to it. Supa' cute, but not quite rustic, country chic.

I loved the green/yellow/brown in this dress, but none of us were crazy about the neckline.

All three of us LOVED this dress. Buuut the "brown" was really too dark for what I wanted...

We stopped for sustenance in the form of Hot Dog on a Stick (bwahahah. That is SICK, I tell you!) and some Power Smoothies before moving on to the next store. When we were sufficiently stuffed, it was on to Macy's, Dillard's, and Sear's. We didn't find anything even photo-worthy. I was actually disappointed because I thought Macy's or Dillard's would be sure bets. All they ended up having was very matronly dresses OR prom dresses. FAIL.

So we wandered over to AE. I really didn't expect to find anything here, but immediately we found a couple options.

I really did NOT like this one on the hanger. As soon as they put it on, though, my opinion changed. My photog skills basically suck, so you can't see it, but these have a very dainty floral pattern in shades of pink, green and brown. Plus they loved it :)

They tried on this next. I love the brown braided belt and the cute ruffles. Alas, it was not very flattering and was 86ed.

By the time they'd tried this dress on, we were pretty shopped-out. It was time for a decision! After looking through the pics (and a vanilla chai latte each), we decided on the dainty floral AE dress!

I'm pretty excited to see how they accessorize, since I gave them the freedom to choose their own shoes and jewelry. I really want their personality to shine! :)

Overall, our shopping day was a WIN, though maybe not on the diet-side of things ;)

Are you having junior bridesmaids? Or how are you including your step siblings, if you have any?

The Food Post.

2010-04-04T19:09:00.006-06:00

MMMM.... I love food. I'm a real meat-and-potatoes kind of girl. I always love a good steak, grilled to perfection. Throw in a glass of iced tea and a loaded baked potato and I am a happy gal. Mr. Hot Dog is the same way. So we knew that we wanted this type of food at our ranch shindig. We were thinking maybe BBQ ribs or brisket and all the fixings. Yum!

Initially, because of our budget, we planned to cook all the food for the wedding ourselves. Definitely enlisting the help of our family and friends! It seemed like a great money saving option. But now that we're less than 5 months out, I'm starting to FREAK out about the logistics involved in doing it on our own. Aside from having to do the actual cooking, there's also the problem of how it's going to be served and who would be doing that? Also, we don't have chaffing dishes and warmers and all the things necessary to keep the food the correct temperature... This list of variables is endless.

That is why Mr. Hottie and I decided to hire a caterer. Although this seems like a total budget-buster for us, we had a plan. I've learned through planning so far that most vendors will deviate slightly from their norm in order to accommodate your budget.

I called a few places and was shocked at the initial prices... Holy buckets! I knew catering was a pricey deal, but I had NO idea what to expect! After calling several vendors, I was starting to get very disheartened. Maybe this wasn't going to be in the cards for us. So I put it on the back burner for a few days.

Yesterday we were having Easter dinner together and it hit me like a baked potato - why not see if we could get our favorite restaurant to cater? Did they even offer that? After a quick call and a major Happy Dance, we had our answer. AND our caterer! Wanna see who it is??

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Oh man, I love me some good ol' Texas Roadhouse! I could literally eat there every day and not get tired of it. Why hadn't I thought of this before? Everyone knows how much we like this food, so it's only fitting. :) Now we'll get the awesome grilled steaks and fixings we love, and so will our guests!

Now that I've got THAT monster off my back, it's on to something more fun... SHOPPING!

Did you have a wedding issue to which the answer was right under your nose??

To -moon or not to -moon.

2010-03-30T08:00:00.001-06:00

My answer to this question is almost always a resounding YES! ;) But when it came to planning a honeymoon, the Hottie and I were undecided.

It's not that we didn't want to go on an uber-fun vaca after all the stress of this year and a half. We just didn't know if it was worth it to drop the moolah after spending so much on the wedding. There are plenty of "more important" things we could do, like finish paying off our debt so we can buy a house!

BUUUUT, our fun-lovin' side won this time. We both realized how much this stress is taking a toll on us and decided that a honeymoon would be the perfect way to unwind and start our lives "together" (I use that term loosely, since we've been together for over 4 years and living together for 3 1/2!).

On to the fun part... picking a place! The only stipulations we had were tropical and all-inclusive. That doesn't really narrow the search down at all!

Initially my mind went to the uber-honeymoon spot, Bora Bora. I have been dreaming of vacationing here for years, before I even met Mr. HD, and thought this would be a perfect excuse!

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How dreamy is that?! The overwater bungalows are incredible!! Le sigh. But alas, after doing a little research, I quickly found that my dream destination is WAAAAY outside our budget. Like, double. So lame. Well, onward and upward!

Next up was the Dominican Republic. After looking through a bunch of different resorts, I kept coming back to the Barcelo Dominican Beach in Punta Cana. I found it for a decent price and it has great amenities. There was just something I wasn't sure about. And H.Dizzle wasn't too thrilled with the rooms or activities. We want to be able to lounge, but we'd also like the option of some outings.

Aruba and the British Virgin Islands were both looked into. I am a little wary of Aruba, not because that girl went missing. But because the government there did so little to help find her. BVI looked incredible, but everything we liked there was too expensive. Boo... HISS!

At this point I was ready to pull my hair out! And we still hadn't chosen a destination!

Did you and your FI have a hard time deciding on a honeymoon locale??

The non-color-palette color palette.

2010-03-29T10:11:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of this process, I started off with this inspiration board.

Pinks, yellows, and browns. Boots. Jars. Country chic.

So far we've stuck pretty close to this color palette. But recently, we've subconsciously been drawn to other colors as well. Blues, purples, greens... So we've been adding these in small amounts through fabrics and some signage...

Also, I was thinking about flowers recently and LOVE pictures like this

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It has such a fun, romantic feel. And the use of color is AMAZING! The blues and yellows and pinks and purples... They all go so well together! I've been finding myself looking at this photo a LOT lately...

Have you had any shifts in design since the beginning of your planning adventure?

Bedazzling myself.

2010-03-26T09:10:00.001-06:00

I'm not much of a jewelry person. The only thing I've worn consistently at any point in my life has been my e-ring. So it doesn't really make sense for me to buy new pretties that I'll probably only wear once!

Instead, I'm wearing jewelry Mr. Hot Dog has bought for me.

Wow, my pores look gimongous...!

And please don't mind my fugly nails! I'm having issues...

OMG I need to bleach my counters! Hello, red cup ring. Please forgive my heinous housekeeping skills!

The earrings are teardrop cut citrine with 3 small diamonds and the bracelets are cultured freshwater pearls. And they're both recent gifts - the earrings for Christmas and the bracelets for our Valentine-iversary (our date-iversary is Feb. 15th).

Both pieces are also my favorite color! I love hues of yellow and orange. I'm looking for more little ways to add this color to the wedding... And why not, since we've pretty much thrown out the color palette. Wait, did we even have one to begin with?? That's another post...

Are you wearing jewelry that has some sentimental value?

Photoshoot with my Lovely.

2010-03-25T13:55:00.001-06:00

Today I realized that I haven't given the hive a proper introduction to my Lovely. That's what I call her. I used to call her Precious but people were getting freaked...

Anywho, I decided to do a little photoshoot with her. Now, I only have a point-and-shoot and VERY limited photographic skills, so please don't judge ;) Here goes!

A little blurry and over-exposed... NEXT!

Ahh... My knitting needle :)

A project in the works ;)

A gorgeous sunny day, FINALLY!

And here she is, at home on my hand.

I love her!! Mr. Hot Dog did such an amazing job picking her out. He knew exactly what I did and didn't want and made an awesome decision!

Did you FI get exactly what you were picturing in an e-ring? Or did he get you something totally different, but still completely perfect?

The important songs.

2010-03-24T10:30:00.001-06:00

For me, ALL music is important. It's the fuel for my day. My mood can change in an instant just by hearing my favorite song. So obviously, this is an important part of the planning process for the mister and me.

We have a song. "This Year's Love" by David Gray. Never heard it? Have a listen.

I get goosebumps every time I hear it. Every tender emotion I have for Mr. HD comes pouring out of me. *swoon* I knew this song would have to be an important part of the wedding. We just couldn't decide whether to use it for the processional or our first dance.

After listening a few times, we both decided it'd be better as a first dance. We want to be able to share a very special moment with our very special song.

The recessional was the easiest song. I knew right away what it was going to be. And H.Dizzle agrees!

I prefer the new Aly & AJ version to Katrina & The Waves because I think the lyrics are a little more crisp. And it feels more fun. :)

WAIT. Hold up a minute. "What about the processional?" you say. Well, we decided to go with "Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones.

I just love the instrumentals at the beginning of the song! And Norah Jones' voice is incredible. We'll only use the instrumental intro and first few verses, since our aisle isn't that long. ;)

BUT, we a have snag. The problem is that I want a different song for when the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk out. That way, when "Come Away With Me" starts, everyone will know its MY turn. ;) I just can't decide on a song. I want something that's a little slow, so that the wedding party isn't galloping down the aisle. But I also don't want something too traditional.

My biggest contender is "Say" by John Mayer. The only trouble is that it's a SMIDGEN too fast... But maybe we can make it work.

So this is where I need some help... I'm open to any and all suggestions! Something contemporary, sweet, slow. Please and thanks, hive!

P.S. Sorry for the video-heavy post! I just thought you had to experience the songs :)

You've stolen my heart.

2010-03-22T08:24:00.003-06:00

OK, so maybe I gave it to him. ;) Look what I made today.

They are little pins for Mr. Hot Dog and I to wear on the wedding day. Totally silly and unnecessary. But adorable nonetheless.

And they go right along with my KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) theme... ;) All I did was cut the shapes out of fabric and hand stitch them 3/4 of the way. Then I stufed them with batting to make them poofy and sewed up the rest. Easy peasy.

What kind of little lovey dovey projects have you done?

Saving our Date.

2010-03-19T07:23:00.001-06:00

FINALLY! In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit indecisive. I just can't stick with anything - I'm always looking for something better. To be honest, I think that was part of the problem with Mr. H Dizzle and I last time around... I was just so obsessed and couldn't think about anything else.

Not so anymore! I've been making a concentrated effort to make decisions instead of being so wishy-washy. In every aspect of my life.

Anywho, I've been working on our STDs for a few weeks, off and on. Being that we're on a supa dupa tight budget and I don't have Photoshop, I created them in Paint.net. I'm too lazy to take a picture and upload it, so I'll just show you the file from my computer :)

In case you didn't notice, it's a postcard. I love this idea because (1) it saves on postage and (2) it saves on paper!

I'm very excited that we were able to use one of our engagement photos on this, as I'm not sure where else to use them and I really want to show them off! Also, I didn't use any fancy shmancy fonts. Just the regular ones available with the program. I have tried downloading fonts and can't get them to show up in the list, for some reason... Meh.

I love the old-time(ish) look they have! I feel like it really starts to set the tone for the wedding! EEEP! Can't WAIT to show you the invites, since I finished those too. But you'll just have to hold onto your horses for those.

Did you create your STDs yourself?

Gifts for my gals.

2010-03-18T08:20:00.000-06:00

***If you are a Hottie Bridesmaid, please avert your eyes*** kthanksloveyou

The past few days I've been finishing up the BM gifts. I wanted to give them something heartfelt and that I made, at least partially, myself. All of my ladies are so wonderful. They've put up with all my OCD color issues, flip-flopping about design elements, and pretty much just being there for me whenever I start to have a meltdown!

As soon as I saw this post by Mrs. Stiletto (who borrowed the idea from Mrs. Latte), I knew it would be a great idea. So my gifts are a spin-off from that.

I started off with a white canvas bag for each girl. Using fabric paint, I put each of their names on one and then added a kanzashi flower. The flowers are attached with safety pins so they can put them on anything!

Ready to see what's inside?? OK, OK!

Inside the bronze box is some batting and a charm bracelet that I made for each girl. Each one has a different charm and a small tag that says "Made with love". These bracelets are SUPER easay to make. Just head to Hobby Lobby, grab yourself a length of jewelry chain, some clasps, and charms. Then use plyers to pry the rings apart and attach each element. Super easy!

Next, in clockwise order, is a sample size bottle of Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep body lotion. I LURVE this stuff!!! In the brown tin is an Ocean scented candle and then there's a bar of lemongrass soap (both purchased at Pier One for a STEAL!). The tag on the candle says "Thanks... for lighting up my day" and on the soap "Thanks... for showering me with love".

I thought it best to wait to bake the cookies til a little closer to the wedding ;) Those tags will say "Thanks... for being so sweet".

I also made a bracelet for all the other important women in my life. Mom, FMIL, F(step)MIL, stepmom, 2 stepsisters (and Junior BMs), mine and Mr. HD's grandmas. I wanted them to feel included too. :)

Now, here's the part I need the hive's help with... Which thank you cards to use in their gifts! I bought two designs (also at Pier One!) but can't decide!

Which ones do you like best?? What did you get for your girls?

Hair-spiration.

2010-03-16T11:09:00.000-06:00

I've always known that I was never going to be a veiled bride. It's really just not my style. So right off the bat I started looking at alternative hair accessories. Enter the hair flower.

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GAWgeous! But guess what's NOT gorgeous? The price tag! I started searching for the perfect one on Etsy and was overcome with sticker shock. Are ya kiddin' me!? $40 for some fabric, beads, and a hair clip? I think not. I could totally do this myself.

The first step was finding the right style and a tutorial. Easy enough. I found this one on my first search! After less than 30 minutes, I ended up with this:

I used a faux peony and some miscellaneous beads. I'm such a bad blogger... I was so excited that I forgot to take pictures! BUUUUT, I redeemed myself when I decided to make some for my Hottie 'Maids with some flowers I had leftover from other projects.

First, I took the thing apart, removing all the "structure" pieces, so that it was floppy and looked more flowy.

Next, I simply hot glued the layers back together and hot glued some beads in the center. Lastly, I attached the gator hair clip to the back.

And.... VOILA!

This was easily one of the simplest projects I've done so far! They are going to look fab in my ladies' hair. :)

What are you wearing in your hair?

Epic FAIL turned WIN.

2010-03-15T08:51:00.000-06:00

OK, so I like to think I'm pretty good at DIY. There hasn't been a project yet that I haven't at least succeeded at doing (even if I ended up not liking it!). Last night, however, this changed.

*DUN DUN DUN*

Enter the tissue paper pomander.

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All I wanted to do was create this fluffy thing of beauty like Mrs. D'orsay and Mrs. Spring Roll. Maybe it's just me, but this little devil is NOT as easy as it looks!!

I won't go into gorey details, but let's just say it wasn't pretty. I didn't even think to take any photos because I was so irked that I couldn't get it! My "flowers" looked like nothing even RESEMBLING a fluffy flower. Even Mr. Hot Dog noticed. "Is that supposed to be a flower...?" "It was SUPPOSED to." "Well why don't you just use real flowers?" Good idea, hunny!

So after a couple more hours, we ended up with these:

Well, not REAL flowers, but at least it LOOKED floral! Faux or not, I think the finished product turned out lovely! I can't WAIT to see the flower girls carrying these down the aisle!

Have you had any DIY projects turn out badly? How did you handle it?

Child aisle style.

2010-03-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

As far as the flower girls and ringbearers (3 of each!) go, I'm not particularly picky as to what they wear down the aisle. I told all the mommies and daddies to just pick something something cute and comfortable for the little ones. That's the thing about kids; they look cute no matter WHAT you put them in!

But, for some reason, I've been dwelling on what they will carry down the aisle. For the boys, it's obvious that they'll carry a pillow. And I happen to have one that I made myself. (link to weddingbee post) The girls, however, are undecided. Of course my first thought was baskets of flower petals. I mean, how adorable is this?!

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But then I saw THIS and just about died of cuteness overload.

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TRES, cute, non?? Ya, I thought so too. I can totally picture my little ladies carrying these bad boys down the aisle... I can also picture them (or the boys) having a Battle Royale after the ceremony. Hilarious photo op, if you ask me!

Now, do I want real or faux flowers, or should I go the tissue paper route? They are both lovely! Obviously the tissue paper is more budget friendly, but I love the look of the flowers....

What are you giving your littlest wedding party members to carry down the aisle??

Ringa-a-ding-ding.

2010-03-01T21:36:00.001-07:00

This must be a year for weddings and engagements. Bridesmaid Amy and my FBIL just got engaged!!

She wanted to show off the wedding band, too LOL

See Mr. HD in the background? He's thinking "Silly girls..."

(personal photos)

Showing you her ring reminded me... I still haven't shown you MY lovely! So here goes!

(personal photos)

H.Dawg did an AWESOME job picking this baby out! I love the marquise shape because I have short, albeit thin, fingers, so I feel like this shape elongates them! And he picked the wrap to add to it. The salesman said that it was supposed to be the wedding band, but Mr. HD and I are going to go a different route with the wedding bands. No idea what that is yet, though... LOL

Anyone else know a bunch of people getting married?!

P.S. I got a new digital camera and I LURVE it!!!

Ch... Ch... Changes (Self Improvement)

2010-02-21T19:41:00.004-07:00

H. Dawg and I have made a few changes in our life, and in the wedding plans.

First off, we started doing "The Love Dare". If you've never heard of this, please Google it STAT. And check out the movie "Fireproof". That movie and this book are the best thing to happen to our relationship since Netflix (hello frequent movie-snuggle night!). We've come to really appreciate one another and have learned how to better relate to eachother. Also, it is very enlightening as to how the opposite sexes communicate differently, and how to find your partner's specific communication style. It is A.MAZ.ING.

I've made some changes personally, too. First, I DYED my naturally blonde hair... CHOCOLATE BROWN! Yes, BROWN. After I did it, everyone was so floored. "Why would you dye your hair?!" "Your blonde hair was so gorgeous". Frankly, I just needed a change. And I really love it! So does Mr. HD! I think it does wonders for my facial features and complexion, if I do say so myself. ;)

Wanna see??

You likey?? (sorry for the weird angle... I was driving! I like to live on the edge... ;) )

I've also been making an effort to improve my fitness. BM S and my friend Brittany and I all got gym memberships at the YMCA (cue 80s dance craze!). We do Cardio Kickboxing on Monday and Wednesday (then I stay for Pilates right after, but can't convince them to stay :( ). On Tuesdays and Thursday I do about an hour of cardio, usually the treadmill. They've also added a yoga class on those days, so I'm for shiz gonna go this week! I also do yoga on Saturday mornings. I can't tell you what an amazing ritual this has become for me!

I'm already seeing some drastic changes in my body and am SOOOOO excited!!! I haven't lost any weight, but I just keep telling myself that muscle weighs more than fat... LOL

Up next, some wedding updates!

Have you done any self improvement lately?

I'm such a weenie...

2010-02-21T17:15:00.002-07:00

Hullo, again, Hive. How have you been? You have no IDEA how I've missed you...

I've been trying to write this post for 2 hours. I guess the best thing to do is be honest. With myself AND with you.

YouSeeWhatHappenedWas...

To put it bluntly, I was becoming too wrapped up in all the deets. I was neglecting my relationship with my future hubby. We were fighting a lot over stupid, little things. It finally came to a head (sorry for the grodey zit analogy!) right after I got the news that I'd been made a Bee. He told me that he felt like I was more interested in the wedding than in the actual marriage.

And he was right. It's not like I don't love Mr. Hot Dog with every fiber of my being. But I was becoming so wrapped up in stuff that, in the long run, really doesn't matter, and neglecting the most important thing - our relationship.

The last few months haven't been easy. But they've been important. Mr. Hot Dog and I have grown so much in our relationship. And as individuals. We decided not to call off the wedding, but instead move the date to late August.

I'm so happy to bee back in the hive! This time it will be different. Still crafty-DIY-down home-goodness. But it will be more US. Stick around. I plan on it. ;)

Hot diggity dog!

2009-11-10T10:10:00.003-07:00

HeLLLLOOOOOOOO Hive! I cannot BEELIEVE I've been chosen to blog here! I just celebrated my 23rd birthday and this is the best gift! I received the email last night and seriously thought I was dreaming! I had to check it again this morning when I woke up, at which time I gave myself a bear hug and did a little hip-wiggling celebratory dance!

So, why Miss Hot Dog? Well Mr. HD and I have two fur babies, Olie and Mia, and they happen to be of the weiner dog variety. And since a wonderful bee already beat me to the Dachsund moniker, Hot Dog seemed the next best thing! ;)

I met H.Dawg in my senior year of high school. He was helping our cheerleading squad prepare for state and I was smitten. But speechless. So nothing happened. Then, freshman year of college, guess who was at cheerleading tryouts? Yup :) The rest is history! We've been through our ups and downs and have both put eachother through a lot. But we've come out all the better for it.

Right now I'm working at a local nursing home in the Health Information Management department. It's not everyone's cup of tea - it requires methodical thinking and meticulous attention to detail. So it's pretty odd that my non-Type A self likes this type of work! Mr. HD is a personal trainer and he also works part time at a local pet store. It's very comical to see this big, buff manly-man canoodling little puppies and baby-talking kittens (he's a cat man!) But it's also SOOOO endearing! He is a walking contradiction and I love every inch of him!

The budget for our wedding is around $5,000 *gasp* It's a shockingly low number, but I am fully confident that we can pull it off! We've got a great family and friend support network and lots of drive! Stay tuned to see what kind of crazy things we do to make this dream wedding a reality (I can't wait!)

BZZZZ BZZZZ

2009-11-10T08:59:00.002-07:00

Guess who got her birthday wish?!?!?! Holy buckets!!!! I can't officially say anything official but I'm sure most of you ladies know the "buzz"!!!! I love Hot Dogs... ;)

Stay tuned today for some catch-up posts since my birthday celebrations seemed to last for about a week LOL

I'm so excited!!!!

Happy BeeDay!

2009-11-03T09:18:00.003-07:00

To me!! Yes, today I turn 23!! It hasn't been any sort of spectacularly-out-of-ordinary-type day yet, but my fingers are crossed!!

Now if I could just get my wish... bzzz bzzz... ;)

Any other November birthdays?!

Getting my kicks. (numero uno)

2009-11-02T18:20:00.008-07:00

I think the very first wedding item I looked into was shoes. Now, I'm not one of those that has 80 gajillion pairs in my closet. But I do lust after shoes as much as the next girl. Looking at pictures like this,

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this,

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and ESPECIALLY this

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inspired me to buy THESE

Aren't they cute??? With the little bow on the back... MMM. Wanna know the the cutest part? The teeny, tiny price tag! Try $15 with shipping! I know, I know.

Now, I have to admit that after a few weeks and finding more shoe inspiration, I realized that maybe I'd made a hasty purchase... (though I know I'll wear them and they WERE only $15 ;))

(to be continued)

Have you had shopper's remorse over anything you've purchased for the wedding??

No, YOU'RE fabulous!

2009-10-29T11:17:00.003-06:00

WOWZA! I just received the "Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger Award" from Morgan at The Handcrafted Hitching Post and Laura at Lucky In Love! Thanks so much ladies!

As part of this award, I have to list 10 interesting facts about myself and then pass this along to 10 other worthy bloggers! There will definitely be some repeats, but they totally deserve it!

So without further ado, I want to pass this honor on to:

San Diego Budget Bride

Running to the Wedding

With This Ring, I Thee Blog

Tying the Knot

i Do {blog!}

You Can't Take It With You

A Bride... Again

The Bride Side of Life

Cross Country Wed

U create

NOW... 10 interesting facts about myself? Hrmm.... I am SOOO interesting it's going to be VERY hard to narrow it down to 10... ;) LOL jk

1. I sucked my thumb until I was 13. Yes, 13! After age 4, it was only in my sleep, though. I couldn't stop doing it subconsciously! The only thing that finally made me stop was when I had to get braces. My orthodontist gave me a glove with all the fingers, except the thumb, cut off. It worked GREAT! So if you know anyone with this problem, try that!

2. I didn't wax or pluck my eyebrows until I was a freshman in college. I'm a blonde. :)

3. I have 45 freshwater fish. And they are ALL named.

4. I HAAAATE doing the laundry. You'd be so scared if you saw my laundry room right now...

5. The only thing I've ever successfully cooked from scratch is spaghetti. Other than that, it's all grilled cheese, quesadillas, and nachos. Are you seeing a theme?? ;)

6. I have enough music on my iPod to listen for 5 days and never hear the same song twice.

7. I stock-pile scrapbooking supplies. Even when I'm not working on one, if I see something super cute, or on sale, I buy.

8. My hands and feet are the size of a toddler's. Literally, tiny!

9. I would rather read a good book than watch any TV show.

10. I also stock-pile Bath and Body Works products. I have SOOO much that's it's over-running my bathroom and linen closet... Sweet Pea, Twilight Woods, Warm Vanilla Sugar, Moonlight Path, Japanese Cherry Blossom... MMMMMM.

Thanks again ladies! You really made my day!!

DIY bout' tutorial!

2009-10-29T10:14:00.006-06:00

Today I'm gonna reveal my DIY bouts and how I made them! I'm getting better at the picture-taking-thing, but I didn't snap a few of the steps. They're pretty easy, though!

(Disclaimer! Sorry about the poor photo quality in these pictures! I've been using the camera on my Blackberry because something is wrong with the memory card in my actual camera!)

First, I gathered all my supplies.

Since we live in a teensy apartment, I don't really have a crafting space. So I use our bar :) At Michael's (using FIVE 50%-off-one-regular-price-item coups... SCORE!) I bought:

-yellow roses with leaves,

-a few fiddle-head ferns,

-some metallic-white "berries",

-a bag of feathers,

-yellow ribbon,

-a stem of fern with white "frost",

-floral tape, and

-floral wire.

(I didn't use all of the supplies I bought. I was just trying to give myself something to work with.)

I started with the roses by pulling them off the stem and removing all greenery around it. Then I took a length of wire, doubled it up a couple times, twisted, and hot-glued it into the bottom of the rose. This was a great idea because it gave the stem a lot more flexibility and was easier to push pins through.

I forgot to take a picture of the next step, but all I did was cut off a small stem of just leaves from the roses I bought. I placed it behind the rose and wrapped them together with floral tape. The great thing about floral tape is that it gets sticky when you pull it apart. So when I wrapped the yellow ribbon around, it stuck pretty well! Then I stuck in some pearl-headed pins.

I didn't really love the way it looked with ALL yellow, so I dug around in my ribbon box (why, yes, I DO have a box filled entirely with RIBBON) and found a thin, pinkish ribbon. I removed the pins, hot-glued the yellow ribbon, and made a criss-cross design with the pink. Then I replaced the pins and this is how it looked.

Then I glued the pink ribbon to the back and used wire cutters to cut the ends off the pins. I really loved the way the stem was looking, but still felt like it needed more up top... Something to add a little more interest. So I busted out the feathers!

After deciding on a cream, a tan, and a brown feather, I hot-glued them together and then to the back of the bout'. This is probably NOT the most professional way to get'er done, but it worked great for me. And, nobody is going to see the back anyway, right? And here is the final product!

Again, oh-so-sorry about the poor images. But you get the idea, right? And don't they look great?! I'm SOOOOO happy with how they turned out! I even made a bout for each ringbearer (each stem came with 2 roses and one bud).

And there you have it! Our DIY bouts! I haven't decided whether or not to use faux flowers for the bridesmaids or not... I'm DEFINITELY using them for our flower-girl pomanders. But we're using real for my bouquet and possibly H.Dawg's bout (he said faux for his would be a good idea since he didn't want them to get squished...).

So what do you think? Are you using real or faux?

So easy even a caveman could do it.

2009-10-27T13:23:00.001-06:00

You guys, I'm totes sick today. I mean make-you-wish-you'd-never-been-born sick. Ugh!

So I'm going to use this wedding planning downtime, to show you my fail-proof method for breaking a fever.I know that everyone has a way to break a fever but my way doesn't involve swimming indoors for thirty laps, taking a hot shower, and drinking two shots of bourbon, or whatever it is your grandpa told you. My method has one easy step, it can be used on the first day that you feel sick, it's free, and it works every time. And there's absolutely no bourbon involved, which is great.

First, I have to tell you that I can always be sure I have a fever when I get chills - you know, when you feel strangely cold one minute, and horribly sweaty the next? A common mistake is to cover and uncover yourself as you feel too cold or too hot. I hate this feeling because it keeps me awake at night, it's annoying, and it makes me feel helpless. But no more!

The way to break a fever is to wear a sweatshirt and shorts (leaving the legs uncovered is mandatory), and pile two or three blankets on your bed. When you're cold, this will help you feel a little warmer.

The important step is to NOT remove the coverings when you start sweating. LEAVE THE BLANKETS ON. I said that it was mandatory to leave the legs uncovered because at this point, you can stick your feet out from under the blanket and achieve some relief from the heat.

However you absolutely must leave the coverings on and sweat.

It's uncomfortable, but if you watch a couple of movies and eventually fall asleep out of pure sicky baby exhaustion, your fever will have broken by morning. Guaranteed.

The second, optional, step is to take a shower the next morning. You will feel at least 95% better than you did the night before, or your money back.Now

I'm going to go do my method and I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Maybe I'm feeling better I'll get around to posting about DIY boutennieres. Maybe. Stay healthy!

Let them eat cake? (take two)

2009-10-23T08:17:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, we remembered that we don't particularly like cake. Not such a big issue. Except that we had been planning on serving mass quantities of it at our wedding.

We needed another option. Something unique. Something sweet and deeelish. Something like...

PIES! Yes, you read right... Yummy, delicious pies!!

Apple, cherry, lemon meringue, rhubarb, huckleberry, mixed berry, chocolate cream... MMMMM! A pie bar is perfect!!

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Just look at those gorgeous mini pies! Those are so totally cute! Source

I just LUUURVE the heart shape crust on the top of that pie! So sweet... Source

I'm so giddy right now thinking about it!! Mr. Hot Dog and I love pie so much, and his dad bakes the best!

Now... I think there needs to be another dessert station... Tune in tomorrow for the last dessert-laden installment!

Do you love pie as much as moi? What's your fave?!

Let them eat cake? (take one)

2009-10-22T08:15:00.002-06:00

I am uber-hungry, so I'd thought I'd talk about dessert options at the reception...

At the beginning of the planning process, I found this adorable picture of an alternative "cake"

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Cupcakes! They are so fun and fresh and would've gone really well. IF we hadn't changed our venue, theme, colors, and just about every other aspect of the wedding!

Since we're having it on the ranch now, we wanted something a little more traditional. I started scouring for simple, rustic wedding cakes and found these beauties

I am LOVING the flowers on this one! Source

This cake stand is to die for! And I love that the cake looks homemade! Source

The grooves on each layer are totally earthy and gorgeous! Source

*swoon*

BUUT, then I remembered something. I don't even really like cake. Neither does Mr HD. Ruh roh.

Any cupcake brides out there?

So sorry!

2009-10-21T08:37:00.004-06:00

For the distinct lack of blogging this week! I guess I got a little crafted-out from this weekend!

I've been so swamped at BOTH of my jobs lately! Sheesh. Can't wait to bust out some more crafts!

Anywho, I've got a few posts in the works and can't wait to share them with you!

Anyone else find themselves on craft/work/life overload and slack just a bit? Will you let me off the hook?!

Apparently this is a crafty weekend!

2009-10-18T14:58:00.006-06:00

Because I've been bangin' out projects like they're going out of style! I finished all the bridesmaid gifts (post to come), made myself a hair flower (tut to come on that, as well), learned how to make a sewing/fabric-folding flower, AANNNNDDDD made my ringbearer pillow!

I posted about my inspiration for it already and today, it came to fruition!! Wanna know how?? OK, well I started taking pictures part of the way through, so you'll have to visualize the first few steps.

1. First, pick your fabric. I used a raw canvas material. Since it was pretty thin, I lined it with some iron-on fabric that's supposed to make it sturdier (worked great!).

2. Cut out the size and shape you want. I made mine 6 inches square. So I cut out 2 - 8 inch sections, to account for sewing the seems.

3. Place them so they're facing together (wrong sides OUT) and sew them together along 3 sides. Once you get to the 4th side, sew in towards the center, leaving about a 3 inch openening.

4. Now, turn it inside out, push out the corners. It should look like a pillow, without stuffing. So stuff it!

5. After you've filled it, use a simple whip stitch to close the hole.

Now that it's all sewn up, you can do pretty much whatever you want! I decided to put the gather in the middle of the pillow

Using the kanzashi flower tutorial, I made a larger one, using 8 petals.

Then I attached it to the pillow, over the gather, with a blue button. I tied a ribbon through the button-holes beforehand, and this is how it turned out!

Cute, right?! I may attach some elastic to the underside of the pillow to make it easier to hang onto for my little guy.

There really are limitless possibilities for this! And it was SOOOO easy! Maybe I will have all the projects done 2 months before the wedding...

What sort of projects have you gotten done lately?

Unbearably cute.

2009-10-17T22:36:00.004-06:00

This week, my lover bought me a sewing machine! I've never even TOUCHED one, but this wedding business is making me want to flex my DIY muscles. And a sewing machine is absolutely key to pulling off some great projects (IMO).

Projects like a ringbearer pillow! How darling are these? (all from Martha Stewart Weddings)

Loving the eyelets! They totally reflect the eyelet design from our Save The Dates and are very country chic. ;)

The layering on this pillowing is fab! And it's made of suede. Neat, huh?

This big ruffly number is almost a perfect match to my hair flower (tut in the works!).

Being a knitter, this one REALLY grabs my attention! There's just something about them... So quaint!

I love me some buttons! I'm trying to incorporate them in several small ways, so this would work out great!

Which one do you like best? Are you finding excuses to buy new crafting gadgets and try your hand at new DIY ventures?

Fabric flower goodness.

2009-10-17T00:27:00.010-06:00

Today I Googled "fabric flowers" just for fun and found this little gem

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It's called a "Kanzashi". It is a Japanese hair ornament that dates back over 200 years! And it is GAAAHHWWWWgeous!

Since I'm feeling uber-crafty tonight, I found this tutorial and decided to give it a go! So here's my pics that I took. I tried to snap a shot of each step, but forgive me if it's unclear...

The first thing I did was cut a 3" square out of cardstock to use as the template for my fabric squares (a.k.a. "petals"). I used 2 different colored fabrics and made 6 petals for each flower.

Once you have 6 squares, take the first one and fold it in half diagonally

Then take the 2 corners from the long side of the isosceles triangle (hello, high school geometry!) and fold them into the other corner

Still with me? Great! Now, see that gap running down the middle? You're going to fold along that gap, away from you, to create this

Now secure it with a pin and push the top down so you can see what the petal looks like!

Repeat these steps with all 6 pieces of fabric.

Next up, thread a needle and insert the needle and thread into the petal, through all of the folds, near just below the pin. Remove the pin.

Now cut the corner off just below the needle.

Thread it through all the way and repeat with the rest of the petals.

Once they're all threaded, pull tight and tie it off to the knot before the first petal.

You're almost finished! Now you can decorate the flower however you want! I chose to hot glue buttons to the front of mine and a safety pin to the back.

My suggestions for making a successful Kanzashi:

1. Don't worry about making the fabric squares perfect. The folds and sewing will hide any flaws in the shape.

2. To help the flower keep it's shape, I found that hot glueing between the petals on the back of the flower really helped.

3. Also, adding a circular piece of fabric, smaller than the diameter of the flower, to the back helps add some stability.

Now, I'm not using these to replace real flowers. I've got a couple cute projects in mind, like hair pieces for my bridesmaids maybe? And incorporating them into the gifts, perhaps? ;) These little buggers have limitless possibilities!

I hope you like my first-ever tut!

Have you undertaken any crafts that seemed super hard but ended up being pretty easy???

Whether the weather, we're better together.

2009-10-15T13:03:00.008-06:00

I just heard some GREAT news! The National Weather Service says that it's going to be a warmer and dryer winter than usual up north!

You know what this means?! A warmer and DRYER summer!

And since we changed the date to late summer, I may NOT need a tent! Although it wouldn't be horrible to have one, my original dream was for an outdoor ceremony and a reception under the stars (and some cafe lights ;) ) like these pictures

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I love the idea of dancing and mingling out in the open, in the middle of a meadow, with twinklie lights framing the dance floor and candlelight flickering on all the tables... MMM.

Are you worried about the weather on your big day? Or is your's inside, so no harm no foul?

Dress distress resolved!

2009-10-15T10:27:00.007-06:00

Remember my choice in this post and then my second-guessing and new choice in this post? Well, Amy and I went down to David's Bridal to end this tug-o-war once and for all!

It went great! I had her try on the trumpet style and the short-ruched dress, just to see how each fit. We didn't even take a picture of the first one because it was just that bad! Not that it made Amy look bad, it just wasn't a good look and TOTALLY did not go with our aesthetic...

The second dress, however, was a total knock out! She looked AND felt amazing in it! And with the boots? OOOHHHHH MAH GAWD! Gorgeous!

Wanna know what color I chose? ;) It's the color I was leanest furthest from, but it ended up looking incredible with the brown boots, and it's totally flattering on most skin tones! Can you guess?? If you said Candy Pink, you were right!

Ready for the pics? (FYI, they didn't have the ruched dress in the pink, so we found another that was the right color and same material to show you!)

The pic from the site, so you can see the detailing again! (in Candy Pink)

The dress on Amy, and the correct color on the other dress!

With the boot! (It was a little small because I have toddler-sized feet, but you get the idea)

All of it together. Doesn't the pink look great with the brown?!

The only hiccup is that it's slightly over budget, at $135. I ran it by the bridesmaids and they all said it was A-Okay, so no big! Totally worth it!

OK, so I am officially excited! Not that I wasn't already, but this dress search was really beginning to wear on me! I'm so glad we found a great dress!

AAANNNDDDDD in a totally un-wedding-related topic, here is some cuteness overload!

Amy had brought her and my FBIL's son with her so of course we had to stop and spoil him a little! I bought him a soft, fuzzy polar bear from Build-A-Bear and H.Dawg decided to deck him out! Tee, jeans, Lugz, and even some Aviators!

Now, see that little hunk in the second picture??? That's my future nephew and ringbearer WEARING the bear's Aviators... TOO CUTE!!! And he actually loves to wear them! What an awesome baby!

Anyone else go for a color that they never expected for your wedding??

MORE dress indecision!

2009-10-14T14:24:00.010-06:00

Not with mine. I'm still having trouble nailing down the bridesmaid dresses!

After that last dress post, I kept looking at the satin fabric and realized that I really didn't like the way it would look with the boots. Something about it just didn't feel right... Also, I was wary because of all the warning comments from hive members. So I found another dress at DB, in cotton sateen. It comes in several colors, three of which I LOVE (see? I can't even decide on a color!)

Here are the colors, in the cotton sateen fabric swatch

Canary

Candy Pink

Champagne

I love that it has a bit of shine but it's not overpowering. And all 3 colors would go great with our color scheme! If I chose the pink, the bouquets could be ivory/white/pale yellow and the bouts could be pink OR pale yellow. And vice versa if I chose the yellow or champagne....

Ready to see the dress?

How cute is that?! I showed you in the Candy Pink because you could see the ruching and details better. I LURVE this dress so much more than the trumpet style... And it would look totally fab with the boots! An awesome mix of country and chic!

Want to see what happened next? STICK AROUND!

Am I losing my mind? Wait, don't answer that... ;)

Table-scape inspiration.

2009-10-13T19:07:00.005-06:00

The wonderful Miss Lamb from Weddingbee and I have at least one thing in common: we both heart long tables.

There is something so classic and homey about a long, banquest style table. Despite it's size, it just feels and looks so cozy!

Pictures like these make me weak in the knees. Apparently, they also make me rhyme.

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How gorgeous is this last one?! With all the different plates and napkins? It's totally the eclectic, down home feel I'm going for!

And did you see those mason jars with rope-bows in the top picture?! That is SOOO my mental image! I'm so giddy right now!

But, uh oh, these lovelies are FAR more expensive than the traditional rounds. To this I say "What oh?!" It just so happens that my future-step-mother-in-law (mouthful, huh?) is a teacher and has access to all the tables and chairs in the school district. Now, keep in mind, this "school district" includes ONE elementary school, ONE middle school, and ONE high school. :) So there aren't millions of tables and chairs, but there is definitely enough! AAAANNNNNDDDDDD we don't have to pay a DIME!! Sweet deal, no?!

What sort of tables are you having? Anyone getting some great deals on rentals?

Dressing my maids (part dos)

2009-10-12T20:55:00.001-06:00

SOOO in the first Dress Saga installment, I told you how I'm totally OCD about color. I can't have a brown dress because the girls are wearing brown cowboy boots of their choosing. What if they don't go together?

Anyway, after finding those SUPER cute dresses at Ruche, I googled and came across Anna Elyse and this little gem:

It's called the "Short Jackie-O" and comes in all these different necklines. It comes in a rainbow of colors and a few different fabrics! It also comes with a hefty price tag that's WAY over my self-imposed budget of $100(ish). Bummer.

More beautiful dresses danced before my eyes at sites like Coren Moore, Lula Kate, Lynn Lugo, and Siri. Even the NAMES are gorgeous! But alas, they were still over my price cap... Bigger bummer.

Then it hit me like a sack of bricks! Why hadn't I thought of it before? DUH! David's Bridal! It's only the largest wedding and bridesmaid dress retailer in the COUNTRY. Sure, they're designs may be a little generic. But their color choices are great and they do have a few cute styles, including this one:

This particular color is ivory, though it looks sort of silver in the picture. Ivory is a HORRIBLY hard color to come by in bridesmaid dresses, and it just so happens to be the color of MY dress ;)

Pictures like this are my inspiration for an all-ivory wedding party! I love the clean, soft look and the punch of color in each bridesmaid! Source

The David's Bridal dress is similar to the silhouette of my dress, with the slight trumpet design. DB also has tons of sashes in TONS of colors, including brown :) And the best part is that they fall right into my budget! So the plan is to run down to Fort Collins as soon as I can wrangle up some of my BMs with their boots and try them on! My only concern is that the shiny satin will be TOO shimmery and will look funky with the western style of the boots. But there I go over-analyzing again!!

Next up? Guy style!

What do you think of the ivory dresses? Do you think the slight trumpet style will be flattering on most girls?

Please don't stop the music!

2009-10-11T11:23:00.004-06:00

Today I want to talk about music... I LOVE ME SOME GREAT TUNES! How important is your music selection to you? Are you hiring a DJ? Live band?

Personally, music is a top priority for our wedding! I want people to groove and shake-what-their-momma-gave-them "ALLLLLL night long!" This includes all my college buddies, my cowboy body guards, and every last aunt-uncle-cousin-grandma-grandpa in the house.

This photo epitomizes my idea of good time! Source

Because we want everyone to enjoy the tunes, I carefully selected a playlist that includes SOME modern pop songs, TONS of 60s-70s-80s pop/rock, a healthy dash of 90s boy bands, a hint of some classic love songs, and PLENTY of country!

Also, we're NOT hiring a DJ *gasp* I know what you're thinking! We've heard it at every turn. But really, it isn't practical for us. One, we are working on a TEEENY tiny budget. Second, I have SOOOOOO much music on my iPod. I could literally listen to it for a week straight and never hear the same song twice! No joke. So why would I pay someone $300-$600 to play all the songs I already own for only 3-4 hours? We plan on partying into the wee hours of the morning (perks of hosting on your FFIL's ranch)!

We will probably end up enlisting someone to keep an eye on the playlist and emcee when it's time for the cake cutting, toasts, dollar dance, etc.

So you may be asking yourselves "what are some of the songs on your playlist, Miss Hot Dog?" (or maybe I just REALLY want to share it with you!)? Ask, and yee shall receive! I'll go ahead and put it on shuffle and give you a play by play:

*Of course it starts with "Thriller" by M.J.! After busting out my 80s dance skills (why, yes, I DO know all the moves), we move on to "Crazy" by K-Ci and JoJo. Up next we bust a move to "Love Rollercoaster" by Ohio Players. "Shameless" by Garth Brooks is a total staple on any of my playlists. "Good Lovin'" by The Rascals is the ultimate wedding song, IMO. Once "I do (Cherish you)" by 98 Degrees comes on, I have to be in arms of my lover (who doesn't love a good boy band ballad?!?!). We'll continue our dance as "Beautiful Love" by The Afters plays! If you don't know this song, google it STAT! "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Michael Buble will draw the older crowd to the floor. If "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang doesn't get your feet grooving, I don't know what will!! The rock-love/totally-silly ballad of "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness is muy beuno!! You can't have a wedding without "Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Savage Garden. Love it. I also love "You Sexy Thing" by Wild Cherry. Another staple: "I'll Stand By You" by The Pretenders. My perfect wedding wouldn't be complete without several songs by my favorite country artist, including "I Won't Need You Anymore" by Randy Travis. I'll end this visit into my music heaven with "Surfin' USA" by The Beach Boys.*

We haven't yet finalized the songs for our first dance, father/daughter, mother/son (we're so having this), dollar dance, cake cutting, etc. I DO know what the processional and recessional are, though! Stay tuned ;)

So what do you think? Good variety? Would you be up out of your chair all night?!

Just some random thoughts...

2009-10-09T22:48:00.004-06:00

I'm just sitting here, minding my own business, listening to tunes and perusing the archives of WeddingBee. I click on Mrs. Lovebug. And I'm addicted (are you seeing a trend? I have many vices...).

Her voice is incredible and she writes with such candor and eloquence. In this post, she's writing her farewell and shares a real truth: "If it doesn't involve love, or laughter, what's the point?" What a thought, huh?

When it comes to this whole wedding thing, I find myself getting caught up in what will make this day "magazine-worthy" or what people will think. Of course, I want these 150-ish people to enjoy this party. But that's not the point. It's not just a party. This is the beginning of the rest of our lives. These people are here to witness the joining of two souls in a life-long journey. The weight of this commitment gives me goosebumps.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't get so lost in all the tiny deets that you forget why we're doing this. Not to impress. Not to prove anything. Enjoy EVERY MINUTE of this process and cherish it. It (hopefully) only comes around once in a lifetime. Keep your eye on the prize (why wouldn't you want to stare at his dreamy mug all day? ;) ).

The cure for a cold, crappy day?

2009-10-09T18:42:00.015-06:00

Hot cocoa and donuts. For dinner. Oh, and our ENGAGEMENT PICTURES!

The arrival of our CD was the only thing that kept this day from being a total waste of makeup. Don't get me wrong; I love the snow. I just don't love being out of gas in a blizzard. Ya feel me?

Enough with dwelling on the ca-ca parts... There's a "Say Yes to the Dress" marathon on and e-pics to share! The photog (Sarah Christine) took over 100 pictures, so I'll just show you some of my faves!

Tee hee hee! I'm giddy just looking at them! Isn't he dreamy... *swoon* I'm so excited to finally show you guys! (you wouldn't beLIEVE how long it took to upload these... gawd) I couldn't be any happier with how well these turned out!

Did you get this giddy over your e-pics?

*All photos credit to Sarah Christine Photography

OH EM GEE!!

2009-10-09T14:09:00.007-06:00

I was reading through my updated blog list (for the 3rd time today - I may have an addiction) and found out that Morgan at The Handcrafted Hitching Post gave me the Kreativ Blogger award!!!!!!!!
Holy buckets!!! I've been reading about this award on all my fav blogs and secretly hoping to get one, but not really thinking I'd ever would!!! I jumped straight up out of my seat and did a SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired happy dance!!!

As part of this award, I'm required to post 7 random-a$$ facts about myself. So here goes!!

1. I hate it when guys wear eyeliner (AKA guy-liner). The only man on the planet that can get away with it is Jared Leto. Not even you, lover.

2. My hands are always cold and my feet tend to sweat excessively (even in flip flops!) TMI? My bad...

3. I stalk stores like Salvation Army and GoodWill every chance I can. I buy things I KNOW I don't need. My latest excuse is "I could totally use this as (insert DIY project) for the wedding!" My fiance has tried intervention, but there is no 12-step program for this addiction...

4. I love every animal as if it were my own child. Just one year ago, Chris and I suffered the loss of our first fur baby, Gizmo. He was the most incredible animal I've ever known and, it may sound silly, but he touched the lives of everyone that he met. There wasn't a single person who didn't love him and become completely captivated by his charming and endearing nature. I won't relive the gorey deets with you, but it was a horrific and untimely death - something we are still coping with today. The most important thing I've learned from his life and death is to cherish EVERYTHING in your life. Never take it for granted. And always love with your whole heart. Animals are no different. They give their undying affectionate unconditionally. Do the same. You're all they have. (P.S. See that cute little puppy in the sidebar? That's Gizmo on the first day we got him. Wasn't he adorable!?)

5. I never want to retire. Instead of sitting back and reflecting on a life (hopefully) well spent so far when I turn 65, I want to start my career as a travel journalist. Chris and will buy us an RV and cruise the country, writing about every detail along the way. I can't wait!!

6. I love office supplies. I could spend HOURS in Office Depot. My desk at work is impeccably organized and I clean it off every day before I leave work. My home office another story... (They also happen to have some great scrapbooking supplies, if you can look outside the box!)

7. I seriously LUUUUUURRRRRVVVVEEEEE all you fellow bloggers out there. Reading your ideas, emotions, trials, and triumphs gives me a sense of fulfillment that is hard to describe. I bet you know how I feel. :)

The other requirement for this blog states that I must pass it along to 7 other worthy bloggers! This was a really hard decision!! I love you all!!

1. Cross Country Wed
2. Lucky In Love
3. A Bride... Again
4. Mismikado's Journey Down the Aisle
5. Where's My Dessert?
6. The Bride Side of Life
7. You Can't Take It With You
(I know some of these are repeats, but they SOOOO deserve the multiple awards!)

I can't say thank you enough to everyone that reads and comments on my blog! Although it really is an outlet for me, it means so much to know that there are women out there that I can relate to and that inspire me! And thanks again, Morgan!!!

What's with all the silly, snarky wedding terms?

2009-10-09T11:43:00.011-06:00

STD? BM? Escort? LOL All of those give me a serious case of the giggles... Not to mention confuse everyone I try to talk to about wedding shtuff. I just can't seem to NOT use them in every wedding-related conversation. Anyone else have that issue?

Anywho, this post is about seating arrangements and escort cards. I posted a thread on the WB boards about whether or not to even have assigned seating. I'm a little concerned about our guests that don't really know anyone else and might have a hard time finding seats or feeling excluded. BBBUUUUTTTTT I don't want the reception to feel TOO formal.

The general consensus for the size (roughly 150) and formality (semi-casual) was to have assigned tables and escort cards. This gives the guest just the right amount of direction I think. I really feel like this is going to be a huge project. I need to be very careful about who I seat together. I want the conversations a-flowing right along with the wine!

Since I (probably) came to a decision on this subject, I googled the crap out of escort cards for inspiration! Chickity check some of my faves:

I LURVE these ones! I like the way the different patterns go together... I could totally replace those with quilt-ier looking fabrics! There's even a tutorial! (I totally just typed "tortilla" just then... LOL I'm hungry...) Source

The horseshoe idea and the clothes line would both go great out on the ranch! And the windmills could be a clever nod to the incessant Wyoming wind!! Source

We already decided on the favors (you'll have to wait to find out), but we could totally do a twist on this using them... Source

J'ADORE (I think the translation is obvious) the use of these old window shutters! They are totally charming and just rustic enough to go perfectly with our theme! We may have a winner! (that's a definite maybe ;) ) Source

The only stipulation as far as the design is that they either need to be heavy enough not to blow away in the Wyoming breeze (read: gale force winds) or they need to be held down somehow. Even though it is a tented reception, I still think there will probably be a breeze near the entrance, where they'll be placed. Any of these would probably work for that...

I'm sure I'll keep looking until it gets too close to procrastinate any longer and I'm forced to make a decision lest it not get done at all. Story of my life.

Do you have to worry about crazy weather and natural elements messing up your decorations?

Confessions of an over-analyzer.

2009-10-08T20:18:00.005-06:00

OK since I just confessed in my last post that I'm worried about the "browns clashing", I realized that I'm sorta obsessed about this color issue... Like whether or not an all-white bouqet would clash with my ivory dress... What about the guy's outfits?? Do their shirts need to be ivory, too, or will anyone notice at all if they're white and the girls are ivory???

See what I mean???!!!! I can't stop obsessing over these tiny little details that I'm sure nobody will even notice... EXCEPT me.

Want more proof that I may be alone in this OCD-color-match addiction? Try googling "clashing colors+brown" or change it to "ivory". Nothing even remotely related comes up... LOL This is becoming an issue.

So, ladies, does anyone else beat themselves up over this is or is it just me?? Is it a total non-issue (probably)??? HHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPP

Dressing my 'maids (part uno).

2009-10-08T09:36:00.014-06:00

This has been one of the harder decisions for me to make so far. It's not that I can't find anything; quite the opposite! I'm finding waaaay too many gorgeous dresses for my ladies to wear!

I'm a firm believer that my bridesmaids should feel beautiful (or at least comfortable!) in their dresses like I will in mine! So my search has led me to dresses that are wearable again. Most of the dresses I've singled out are ones that I would love for myself!! LOL

This search has been going on for well over 4 months now, on many different websites and in several different stores. I knew from the get-go that I didn't want anything blatantly "bridesmaid-y". And one stipulation was that the dress had to look cute with brown cowboy boots! Sound funky?? Trust me! Look for yourself...

Source

SEE?! Told you so. Anywhatsits...

I also set a price point (for myself) while shopping. I want to be able to accommodate EVERY girl, no matter their financial situation. AAANNNNNNDDDDD I really don't like intruding by asking how much they can afford. SO the limit is $100 (+ or - a few dollars). And seriously?! Why are BM dresses so effing expensive?! Some of the ones I really liked from Jenny Yoo and Watters cost more than MY dress! Sheesh.

I looked through all the dresses at stores like Forever21, Anthropologie, and J.Crew. Since nothing there really struck my fancy, I started searching lesser known stores, mostly online. In the midst of this, I read a blog post about a store called Ruche. They have the CUTEST clothes! Seriously. And they are super affordable! Here's what I found that could work:

The top two are really my inner hippie coming out... I absolutely adore them and would wear them on any given occasion. But I'm not sure any of my friends would like them. My sister says I have "weird fashion sense". Whatev.

The last dress would be totally perfect! One or two snags. First off, it's sold out!! I could probably wait for it to come back. The second one may just be me overthinking (my favorite new pass-time), but I really don't want the brown in the dress to "clash" with the brown boots... Since everyone is picking their own, I really have no idea what shades they will be. What if it looks funky with two shades of brown???? IDK if anyone would even notice this other than me, but it would bug the CRAP out of me... ALL DAY.

So, what did I do? I kept looking...

Am I over-analyzing the brown-on-brown thing?? Was it this hard for anyone else to find the right bridesmaid dress??

Rue-LaLa and my Gilt-y pleasure.

2009-10-07T10:04:00.002-06:00

Do you like getting deals on designer labels EVERY DAY? Yah, I thought you'd say yes. Who doesn't???

In case you hadn't already heard about these 2 awesome websites, I'm here to spread the word! RueLaLa and Gilt are members-only shopping websites that off great deals and sales on specific designer brands every day. They send you an email every morning with the sales for the day. Although I have yet to buy something, I look through every day (at work, hehe).

Wanna join the club? Follow this link for a RueLaLa invite and this link for Gilt. Happy shopping!

Do you have any good websites for fellow bargainistas??

YIIIPPPPEEEE

2009-10-07T09:16:00.002-06:00

We FINALLY got to see our engagement pictures... online!!!! They are FABULOUS! BBUUUUTTTT we haven't received the CD yet. So I can't share them... Boo :(

You better believe as soon as we get that CD that those pics will be up here PRONTO!

Were you this excited to get your e-pics?!

This post is rated PG-13.

2009-10-04T19:56:00.005-06:00

So, as promised, I've got some pictures for you! This first batch is from Ashley's bachelorette party on Wednesday night! Even though I was a lame MOH and showed up late, it was a total blast. And totally, laugh-out-loud, need-a-few-shots-to-fully-enjoy kind of night! Totally wacky and inappropriate and TOTALLY Ashley! So without furth ado:

We were "wigging out" ;)

The infamous penis veil. Eeewwww.

If you look closely you can see her penis badge... LOL

Nasty. Just nasty. But so hilarious!

Don't worry, Mike, it's just cake.

We played a bunch of funny games like bachelorette bingo, a purse raid (I was too late to play that one, but I SOOOO would have won! I have antibiotic ointment in my purse, for crying out loud!), and we even sculpted penises out of Play-Doh. I didn't win, but I did get honorable mention... LOL

Overall it was a TOTAL blast and I can't WAIT for mine! I love you Ash and you are B-A! Love ya.

A little practice.

2009-10-04T12:49:00.005-06:00

So we just got back from Casper where my sister's wedding was. The last 5 days were mostly a blur of errands, cooking, glueing, cutting, taping, and general DIY craftiness. And the results were awesome!

Although I must admit that the colors and decorations were not particularly my taste, it did look incredible! But you'll just have to take my word for it, since my camera isn't uploading for some reason and my stepmom hasn't sent me her pictures yet. Boo.

Anyway, the night before the wedding, my sister dubbed me the Floral Guru. She put me in charge of creating the 2 bouquets, 4 boutenierres, and 5 wristlets for the wedding party and immediate family. Secretly I was terrified of screwing it up royally! But I was also excited, because I'd been tossing around the idea of doing my own bouquets and centerpieces as well. This would be great practice!

Once again, I don't have any pictures yet to prove that I actually did this, but I'll try to describe them. They actually turned out very nice! We used red roses, black daisies, one sunflower, and a few sprays of baby's breath in each of the bouquets. The boutennieres and corsages were one rose, one black daisy, and one spray of baby's breath.

For the bouquets, I wrapped the stems with rubber bands (next time I'll use floral wire...) first to hold them together and keep their shape. Then I wrapped red ribbon around the stems and secured it with Gorilla Glue (don't get this on your fingers! It does NOT come off until your skin grows... Learned this the hard way...). Then I just cut all the stems to the same length.

The boutennieres and corsages were done the same way. The corsages just had to be attached to the wristlet.

These really were as easy as they sound! The part that took the longest was taking off the leaves and thorns. This is DEFINITELY something I will be DIYing for mine! The only problem is that there are no flower markets in Cheyenne or Glenrock. So I can either order the flowers wholesale online and have them shipped to Glenrock. Or I can go to the local flower shop and buy fresh flowers there. I'm not sure which option will be the cheapest.

My flower budget is literally only $500 TOPS! So this may be tricky. But trust me, I know how to do BIG things on a TEENY budget. ;) Love ya

Have you gotten any awesome practice or experience to prepare you for YOUR big day??

More success at GarbageLand.

2009-09-28T14:39:00.008-06:00

After the engagement session yesterday, I went to a few garage sales with my buddy Brittany. Neither of us really had anything particular in mind; that's the best way to garale-sale!

We went to a couple that were busts. Then we stopped at one small, unassuming house and found the jackpot! Well, OK, a mini-jackpot. I walked away with 16 BRAND NEW white, round paper lanterns (with cord and bulbs), 2 metal (square) hanging lanterns, and a large wicker basket for... $2!! Yes, TWO DOLLARS!

From the rest of the sales I purchased an 8-piece glass tumbler set. It has cute stars on the rims. I'm not entirely sure what I'll use it for, but for $2 it was a steal. Some $0.25, different-colored, cross-stitch fabric may serve as place mats. There's also a cute jar and blue triangle jug that I may use for some flowers... Who knows. :)

These are the best deals I've gotten yet! I'm using the lanterns for the first time this weekend at Ash's wedding.

What awesome deals have you gotten lately?

Awesome experience.

2009-09-27T19:24:00.005-06:00

WOW. That's all I can say about our engagement photo session today! Sarah Christine made the whole experience totally engjoyable.

Mr. Hot Dog and I went in there, each a little nervous. We'd had studio sittings before, but never anything like this. We weren't sure we'd know what to do or how to sit... But Sarah immediately made us feel totally comfortable. We forgot all of our nervousness and had a blast! She made jokes and had fun and took INCREDIBLE photos!

And did I mention that she was rated the number one photographer in all of Colorado?! So cool!

After the shoot, we asked her how much her fees were, and told her our insecurities about our current photog. The fact that we hadn't seen any of her wedding shots seemed really fishy (to her AND us). And the lack of professionalism sorta' stunk. After she told us the price she would give us, we immediately said "Pencil us in!"

I totally can't wait for our pictures to get here! I will most certainly be blog-stalking... :) Check out her site and blog! Love ya!

http://www.sarahchristinephotography.com/

Total square.

2009-09-25T09:27:00.005-06:00

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm sort of a DIY-dork. And darn proud of it, too! ;) Part of this title comes from my love of knitting and deep desire to learn to quilt. I've wanted to learn how to do this for a while now, but really haven't had the time or excuse (but who really needs an excuse to learn a new craft??) until now.

Last weekend, before the bridal show, Brittany, her mom and I stopped at the Cracker Barrel for some sustenance and I became totally inspired. Ever since I decided on our favors (more on that later!), the wedding has a taken a very pleasant "down home" feel. I'm really excited about it! I wouldn't quite call it western, but it is definitely country... :)

Think "Spread the Love". Think hints of paisley and crochet. Think... QUILT. Guest book. That's right. A quilt guest book instead of the traditional paper-pen deal. Take squares of different fabric and several fabric pens, and add to that the well-wishings and great advice from loved ones and you have my new favorite (for now!) part of the wedding!

Source

I am so smitten! I particularly like the last one for some reason... Don't they all look so cute and... country?!

I was also thinking of tablescapes that day... I'll tell you all about the guest tables later, but for the head table, I'm thinking another quilt... As a table cloth! So cute... What do you think??

(Sorry for all the "More on this later"s, but it's hard not to mention them, since they tie in so easily!! LOL)

Bride share.

2009-09-20T17:51:00.007-06:00

Today my friend Brittany and I went to the Rocky Mountain Bridal show in Loveland. She's getting married too and we have pretty similar tastes and ideas. Guess what that means? Less money spent and total bride-sharing!

We found this really awesome arch made from aspen trees.

(personal photo)

Isn't it great?! It's actually a square gazebo-type thing with sheer fabric draped over it. So cute. And SOO expensive! Think $300-$400 for JUST the ceremony. YIKES.

Then we realized that this is something we could totally make ourselves, and decided to split the costs (which won't be much at all!). SCORE! I'm also thinking about making the table as well, to use during the sand ceremony and what not.

Won't this go great with my cake stand idea?

Source

The same booth also had some candle holders made from aspen trees as well. I think one or two scattered on the table might look really nice! Maybe it will balance out the "western" look this is beginning to take on... LOL

We're also sharing the cost of linens! She found an awesome deal at Sam's Club on 8' banquet table cloths for $5 each! Split between us that will not be bad at all! Thank god for good friends with great taste! :)

Are you planning on bride-sharing?

Success!

2009-09-19T09:12:00.004-06:00

My sister's shower was great! We laughed, we cried, we drank memosas! ;)

Remember my cupcake ideas? Well, my mom and I bought a box (yes, we're wine-o's) of wine and started brainstorming. As the cupcakes were baking and we were getting toasted, we came up with a brilliant idea. Tie-dye cupcakes! It was perfect! My sister LOVES tie-dye anything!

Great... Now how do you tie-dye frosting without it turning a weird shade? We experimented and it didn't take us long to figure it out. We simply divided the frosting into four parts and added a different food coloring to each one. Then you add a little of each color to the top of each cupcake and give it a swirl. Voila! Perfection!

Not only did they look super cute, but they were delish!!

The decorations also came out great! I was a little worried the morning of that it wouldn't all come together. But as most of us worry-warts know, things usually do. And they SO did!

Overall, everyone said it was one of the best showers they'd ever been to! Not too many cheesy games, plenty of food and drinks and more love than one room can contain! I love my sister so much and can't wait to stand next to her on the biggest day of her life! :) Love you, Ash!

Cupcakes... MMMM

2009-09-02T18:35:00.004-06:00

So, in case you haven't heard me shouting joyously from the rooftops, my little sister is ENGAGED! And she made me her maid of honor! This means I get to do all the fun bridal shower planning and helping out with her wedding in October. Good practice for mine, no? :)

In case you didn't read my previous post (uhm... why not?) about the lighted garland and invites, let me clue you in. The colors are black, white and pink. I'm (loosely) using damask, polka dots and stripes in the design elements. Please see previous post for pictures :)

Now, on to the goodies... I love me some food! Especially baked goods. And, OK, I may have an unnatural obsession with cupcakes. Not only are they dee-lish, but they are also aesthetically pleasing. Double whammy! Needless to say I will be including these little guys in the food choices. The spread is going to be pretty simple. Just some finger sandwiches, a cheese-meat-cracker tray, chips-and-dip, and the cuppy-cakes. NOM NOM.

Grandma is taking care of the cheesy-meaty delights, mom is making the chip dip, and I'm responsible for the cupcakes and sandwiches. I'll probably end up just ordering a big sub from Subway. But the cupcakes... Now those need to be something special. Something like this:

source

Or this:

source

Or maybe even this:

source

I think those are all pretty do-able... The bow design may pose a problem. I wonder where I can get sugar bows? Anywhere? I'm sure they must be somewhere, at least on the interweb...

Which design do you like best? Got a better idea? Let me hear it!

Engaging environment.

2009-09-02T09:26:00.008-06:00

A while back I started thinking about where and when to do our engagement photos... Initially, I wanted to do them during the spring or summer, when everything is green and bright. I thought we could go up the mountain near the ceremony site. But then I started thinking FALL and SNOW. I'm SO over summer. And that's pretty much not an option anymore, since the colors are already changing (I guess that's what procrastination gets me!).

But wouldn't the snow be a perfect backdrop?! We could wear bright colors and totally pop! Or we could wear muted, earthy colors and totally blend into our surroundings... The possibilites are endless! Not to mention the winter fashions are SOOO cute! I love me some bulky sweaters and knit hats!

So I did what any good little blogger does... I GOOGLED! And here is the amazing wedding porn I found...

Don't they look so cute and cozy?! source

Oh *swoon* source

I love this progression... And snow angels! source

Then I won a free e-session at a local bridal expo. The session was planned for a few weeks later, and there was no snow... But I think they turned out a-MAY-zing and will post as soon as possible!

Were you really particular about where and when to do your e-pics? Did it all work out?

Tying the Knot

2009-08-29T16:11:00.011-06:00

The first thing I did when H.Dizzle and I got engaged was sign up with TheKnot.com. My friend, and bridesmaid, Angie had just gotten married the year before and swore by it! If you are or have planned a wedding recently, I'm sure you know at least a little about it. Aside from WeddingBee.com, it is the coolest site I've come across so far!

It's got a countdown and to-do list based on your wedding date. The Checklist lets you mark items when you complete them and even add your own items! You can even delete items that you don't need or want. It breaks the list down by month. Here's a screen shot of mine. The little alarm clocks mean that I'm "past due" on those. Shame on me! Already behind?! No bueno.

The Budget Tool is also really handy, but isn't something I really use. It takes your total budget and breaks it down to how much each item is supposed to cost. Personally, there are some things that are higher on my priority list than my dress, which is given a pretty high percentage of the total budget. And since my budget is CONSIDERABLY smaller than a lot of brides', this little gadget just doesn't do the trick for me.

I LOVE the Guest List Manager! You simply type in the name of the invited party, how many guests were invited with them and VOILA! It plugs it into a list and totals the number of invites and wedding guests. Then, once you send out your invites and start getting RSVPs, you go back and mark which guests are coming and which aren't. It's a really simple concept and they make it so user friendly!

The Knot has TONS of inspiration photos. Anything you could possibly want to look at is compiled into categories. Rings, shoes, dresses, bouquets, hairstyles, decorations, etc. They even have a "Real Weddings" section! As you browse, you can choose to "add to notebook". This sends the picture your very own collection of photos! Your notebook is broken down by gowns, vendors, articles, jewelry, etc. It really makes it easy to focus your vision!

Speaking of vendors, this site can be an awesome an awesome tool to connect you with local vendors in the industry. There are even special "communities" based on location. Unfortunately for me, they only just added a section for Wyoming, so there's a really limited number of vendors and Real Weddings to view. Poo.

My absolute FAVORITE perk of this site is that they give you your very own, FREE wedding website! There are several cute layouts with different color options and you can modify the pages on the site, add photos, whatever! It is REALLY fun! My wedding website is http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/alilovelady&chrischandler. Check it out!

That is just the beginning of the wedding awesomeness this wedding provides! It's been an awesome resource for me so far and you should definitely give it a shot! What are some other awesome sites that have made your planning easier?

First the bridesmaid, then the bride.

2009-08-28T20:13:00.008-06:00

Holy buckets! My little sister is getting married! In less than 2 months! She got engaged this month to the guy she's been dating for 2 years.

I know what you're thinking: "She's really getting married BEFORE you? She's stealing your thunder!" OK, maybe YOU'RE not thinking that... Maybe it was my first thought when she told me. But after a nano-second of the green monster rearing its head, the only emotion I had left was EXCITEMENT!

So, guess what? I'm the maid of honor (and the only bridesmaid)! It's going to be an intimate, courthouse wedding with a ragin' reception afterwards!

Since the wedding is so soon, I had to get crackin' on the bridal shower! I love to plan a party, so I searched the interweb for inspiration. Honestly, after all the searching, I just went to Hobby Lobby and picked things randomly. LOL Sounds weird, but what I came up with is a black, pink and white damask theme with polka dots and stripes mixed in. Sounds busy, but it really looks cute together!

Wanna' see the invite? I knew you would. Voila!

What do you think? I designed all the wording in Microsoft Word and printed it. Then I hand-stamped the pink damask image onto each one, then glued the white area to pink cardstock. Not the most intricate, but it does the job and I'm happy with it!

I started looking for ways to decorate the space. I wanted some sort of banner or garland, and maybe something that lit up. Then I came across this little baby a' la OnceWed.com:

Cute, no? I liked the way it lit up, but wasn't crazy about the punched-out letters in each one. So I printed out the template and started fooling around, trying to find a way to incorporate polka dots. I pulled out my handy 1 1/4" hole puncher and started punching away at pink and black construction paper. I glued the punched out pieces to the white pyramid and this is how it turned out:

What do you think? I love the way it turned out! I just cut a slit in the top so that it can slip right over the bulb on a string of cafe lights. Totally cute!

Next, I have to figure out goodies to make (chic cheap!) and what fun games to play!

Have you planned any fun events in the midst of wedding planning?

Do I look like a munchkin?

2009-08-28T12:50:00.006-06:00

I wish H.Dawg was as excited about all this planning business as I am. It's not that he's apathetic, at all. He gives me his honest opinions of my ideas. And he keeps telling me how great it will be to just be married. But I can't get him to give any real input.

His one suggestion so far consisted of a yellow aisle runner and "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" as the processional. I hope to God he was kidding. But who really knows? I didn't DARE ask about the shoes... Ruby slippers wouldn't go too well with our theme...

And, to give you another example, this conversation just took place at lunch:

ME: "So, are there any flowers that you really don't like, and wouldn't want to be used in your boutonniere?"
HIM: "Well, just don't pick anything ugly." (le sigh)
ME: "How do I know what you think is ugly? We have VERY different ideas of what's pretty, so why don't you just come with me to the florist?"
HIM: "UH, no. How about when you're there, and you see something that you like, pick the exact opposite, since you know that's what I would do." (cue hysterical-hyena cackle)

See what I mean? LOL It's hilarious and infuriating at the same time. He's a total wise-crack. I love that about him! But how do I know if he's getting what he really wants? He's the type that will (most of the time) just settle for what he thinks I want when it comes to the "little" things like flowers. (LITTLE?! Psh.)

And I am a little peaved that he doesn't want to come. I know that sifting through books of bouquets and deciding whether to use peonies or ranunculus really doesn't cream his twinkie. Maybe he'll be more excited about the food...

I guess all I can hope for is that he'll really stand up for the things he cares most about. How have you gotten your man more involved?

Tee Hee Hee.

2009-08-26T09:05:00.002-06:00

I love this mobile blogging thing! Who knows how often I'll really use it, but its nice to know I can! Now I'm looking for fun wedding apps for my BlackBerry... Any ideas?

testing blog app

2009-08-25T22:55:00.001-06:00

Hello. Just testing out my mobile blogging tool! Peace out!

Letting it all out.

2009-08-25T09:44:00.013-06:00

I think I'm ready to tell all about me & Mr. HD's relationship. I have a lot of skeletons in my closet relationship-wise (who doesn't?). We were both really young when we met. We have so much history that I'll just hit the high (and really low) points. Ready? Me, too (I think).

(personal photo)

The first time we met was in high school. He was a year ahead of me. The first time I saw him I thought he was a total hunk, though he looked WAAY older than his 17 years. He later admitted that he was attracted to me, too, but looked WAAY younger than MY 16 years. So, nothing happened. But I REALLY wanted to pursue something

I didn't get my wish until my freshman year of college. It just so happens that H.Dawg had transferred to the school I was attending that same year. Coincidence, or fate? I don't quite know, but whatever it was, it started the most wonderful (and sometimes, most painful) series of events in my life!

Since we were both cheerleaders on the college squad, we spent many nights together perfecting our stunts and cheering at games. We ended being partnered together for games and as permanent stunting partners. Now, I was definitely starting to feel a major connection, and it seemed like he was feeling it too... But I had a boyfriend. Not a very good one. About 3 months into the school year I broke it off with said boyfriend.

After the split, H.Dawg and I dated for about 3 months and things were good. Then I made the first big mistake in a longer-than-I'd-like-to-admit list. My previously mentioned ex-boyfriend came back into the picture. I won't go into gorey details (mostly to spare myself the self-punishment I go through every time I think about this), but I ended up back with him.

When we broke up again, I knew what a huge effort it was going to take to earn Mr. HD's trust back. I eventually did, and our relationship flourished. We traveled, moved together, bought a dog and a car together. We became a family.

(personal photo)

Then, once again, I messed up. I thought the grass was greener on the other side. But once I got there, I realized (like most people do) that it's not. And I looked back over the fence and saw the devastation I'd left in my wake. My total selfishness had hurt the only man I'd ever been truly in love with. And I'd hurt myself. It felt like my body wasn't functioning properly. Like I needed him in my life in order to survive. I lost too much weight and couldn't sleep.

I wish I could say that I was able to completely swallow my pride and make the first steps to return. But in reality, it was him all along. Always there, reminding me what I had, and that all I had to do was come back. When I did, I made a promise to myself and Mr. HD. I swore I would work EVERY day to become the person I knew I could be; the person he already was. And I've kept that promise. I try every day to take the high road, be the better person. I'm making myself into a person worthy of his love. Somedays I do well. Others, I know I'll have to do better tomorrow. On those days, I have to remind myself that he still loves me, even though I may not deserve it.

I've made more than my fair share of mistakes in this partnership. I've lost trust and had to earn it back. I've hurt, not only myself, but the man I love most in the world. Every day I'm thankful that I was smart enough to learn from my mistakes. I'm even more thankful that he was forgiving enough to look past my shortcomings and help me become the person I am today.

This may have been a bit rambling... And an overshare. I guess what I'm trying to get at with this long-A post is that it's OK to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them and apologize when necessary. Some people will forgive and forget, some will forgive, and some will do neither. The most important thing is to make sure that you're living every day as the best person you can be. And just because you're relationship has had some major issues doesn't mean that it can't be great in the long run. Love takes work.

Anyone else have to learn the hard way what was best for you?

WOW. Tears.

2009-08-23T01:00:00.005-06:00

I always thought that having a videographer would be amazing. Once planning started, though, it seemed like it just wasn't going to fit into our little budget. I had almost come to terms with it, until I saw this video.

http://vimeo.com/2907628

Tears. Serious shower of saltiness. The song started it for me. It is one of my all time favorite songs. And the true love and happiness captured in this video just fits perfectly. So I started trolling the 'net for more tear-jerkers. I found another amazing video on StyleMePretty. Here's the link: http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/08/21/phoenix-wedding-from-serendipity-videography/.

I definitely think we're going to make some cuts in other areas to ensure we can have something truly amazing like these for our big day.

Are you having a videographer?

One man's trash...

2009-08-22T15:58:00.006-06:00

... is MY wedding goodies! I spent the better part of today trolling garage sales, in search of anything I could use at my wedding. I already have 40 mason jars, to be used in various ways at the ceremony and reception. And today, I hit the MOTHER LOAD. See for yourself...

(personal photo)

See!!! I got an awesome assortment of vases and bowls. I'll probably use the vases with the mason jars to create RAD centerpieces. And the candy-dish type things will be used on my candy buffet.

See those low fishbowl type bowls in the front left? I have 3 of those, and I'm giving them to my sister for her wedding in October (more to come on that!). And the small bowls just to the left of those? Another present for my sister. She's using them as ice cream dishes for her ice cream sundae buffet! Sweet, no?

And the best part about all of this?? I only spent less than $25!

What are some awesome wedding deals you've gotten? Anyone else addicted to garage saling??

Let's try this again.

2009-08-21T13:18:00.004-06:00

I know it's been a while since I've written anything. Life sort of got in the way. Actually, that's sort of a cop-out. To be perfectly honest, blogging scares the ba-jeeesis out of me. Why? I can't quite put my finger on it... Maybe I'm afraid of what people will think. I always tell myself that I don't care, but deep down, I really do. Doesn't everyone, to some degree? Don't we all want to be accepted and hear how great our ideas are (even if they're not?)? LOL jk

I guess what moved me to try this blogging thing again was reading the Weddingbee series A Bee's Life. Reading other bloggers describe their hesitations toward blogging, but then telling how amazing their experience has been, really gave me the push to try again.

I've been absolutely OBSESSED with Weddingbee since I first stumbled onto it whilst searching for dress inspiration... :) These are real women who are going through the very same things I am (or will be). And they are AWESOME! Every last one of them! They have so many inspiring and creative ideas. But mostly, they are supportive. They give positive feedback. And I. Want. To. Be. One. More than anything.

I'm so thrilled to be planning the wedding of my dreams to the man that I love. And I have such wonderful friends and family. But, sometimes, it would be nice to talk to someone who can totally relate. And that's what Weddingbee is all about. I wanna be in the club! :)

So please don't give up on my blogging abilities! I have so much great (and not so great) stuff to share. And I'd love some feedback. So leave me some love! Or constructive criticism, if you must! ;)

Money matters.

2009-07-09T14:00:00.008-06:00

Some days I wish me and Mr. HD could just go down to the J.O.P. with a few of our closest friends and family and do the deed there. So much less stress. But every time my mind circles back to that, I know that deep down I would really regret it. And not just me. I think my whole family would be a little disappointed. We live at least 2 hours away from ANYONE in either of our families, so even though we see a select few once a month, we each have a lot of distant family that we rarely get to visit. We really want this wedding to be like a big family reunion! Relaxed, fun, and a chance for our families to meet and blend. But lately it seems as though the money issue is going to be my undoing.

We are on a tight budget. I mean TINY. We're talking around $5,000. Hopefully less. That's not to say we won't be getting some help. My mom bought my wedding dress; $350, thanks to PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com (Thanks Mom!). My dad and step-mom offered to pay for the cake and desserts. And both parties have offered to help with other costs as we tackle them. But the brunt of the wedding costs will be on us. Paper goods, photographer, catering... the big boys. Needless to say, we're going to have to get creative.

I knew from the get-go that I wanted to hand-craft as many of the details as I could. It's starting to look like I'm going to get my wish. :)

Another big hurdle for us is going to be sticking to the budget. It's not as though we don't live well. We just have a hard time budgeting! And this is crunch time! So I've started keeping better track of our spending - where our money goes and how much of it. It seems to be helping so far. Also, we've started saving for our honeymoon. The things I've already bought (hello, $.50 rolls of ribbon?! Adorable 3x5 trifold cards in our colors?! Let's just say I'm in a love affair with Hobby Lobby - don't tell H.Dawg!) have all been on sale and things I will definitely use. I'd like to think I'm off to a good start and on the right track.

As hard as it is already, I know that it will only get more stressful. But it's all worth it. I've got an amazing support system in my family and with my incredible fiance! He's taking me out of town this weekend to unwind; nothing big, but exactly what I needed!

So how do you handle all the stress? And any tips on better budgeting and advice on money issues?

Got it on lock down.

2009-07-09T08:53:00.012-06:00

I have always been a long hair kinda' girl, except for when I was in 4th grade and my mom let me decide how I wanted my hair cut, for the first time. I whacked it. I mean SHORT. And I hated it. I looked just like my twin brother. Eeww.

So since then, my hair has been to my shoulders or longer. I was blessed with hair that will do just about anything and, when left to its own devices, does wonderful little waves with not a frizz in sight. So I've never had to worry about the humidity messin' up my 'do. In fact, my hair has really been my pride and joy; the one constant thing that I love about myself when I look in the mirror. So when I decided to "whack" it again last spring, everyone was a little shocked. This love affair with my hair was no secret.

I've had my hair short since then. Nothing TOO extreme. Right at my chin, and a little longer when I'm too busy for a trim. So as soon as I started thinking about our wedding day, I started looking into short hairstyles. (I know, I know, the wedding is over 10 months away! But I can't resist at least researching EVERY aspect... I'm way too excited to contain myself!) Anyway, I was happily trolling through wedding hairstyles, when I came up this beauty:

Source

The low chignon. I've always been about simple, timeless, and versatile style. This hairstyle is all that and more! Think, loose bun with ringlets and an ivory silk flower. Or, sleek bob with a crystal hair comb! It looks great with a traditional OR birdcage veil! The options really are endless.

So as I was sitting there imagining my gorgeous loose chignon on my wedding day, I reached up to pat my hair and came back to reality; my hair would barely go up halfway, let alone into anything even resembling a ponytail! So now I'm stuck with what to do - grow it out to accommodate my dream style, or keep searching for a suitable shorty. I briefly thought about getting extensions on the big day, but quickly decided that wasn't an option. I want to look like a prettier version of myself, not DRASTICALLY different.

I have to address this issue now since it will most likely take that long for it to be long and healthy again. And I need to commit to it! The problem is that I start to grow it out, and get so tired of it being in that "awkward" phase, so I just chop it. So what is a girl to do?

What was/ is your hair like for the big day?

A little history.

2009-07-07T20:06:00.016-06:00

The problem with having such a long engagement and such an indecisive bride is that it's lot of time to second guess my decisions! I think I'm settled on one idea, and then I see a gorgeous photo or DIY project from one of my fav blogs and I'm off again, changing things! So, let me give you a little background on this whole wedding planning process, thus far.

My theme and colors have morphed quite a bit since March. I initially thought pale pink, coral, pale yellow, and a light orange color palette. Each bridesmaid (BM, for short) was going to wear the same style dress, but in a different color. I thought it would add a little interest and flow!

The ceremony was to be held in the local botanic gardens, with people seated around us in a complete 360 degree circle. The reception was a short walking distance, at the local community house.

Source

Source
THEN, I changed my mind! We had always talked about getting married on Mr. Hot Dog's father's ranch, outside of Glenrock, WY. When the time came, though, we were worried that his mom would feel uncomfortable out there, since she and Dawg's dad weren't on the best terms. So we booked the first venues. About 2 months later, Dude's brother and sister-in-law had their baby! Baby Lukas seemed to bring the whole family together, including FFIL and FMIL! At this point, we discussed it with both 'rents and decided that we were having the wedding at the ranch! I can't even tell you how excited we were! Our dream come true!

Source

Luckily, our previous venue was SUPER flexible, and agreed to give us our money back, since the date was so far out and there was a waiting list. DOUBLE excitement!

I began to look at our colors and theme, and picture it out on the ranch... It didn't look too great to me. Mr. HD agreed. We decided to go for a more "country chic" look. The colors went from "taste the rainbow" to tasteful coral and pink hues with brown and hints of pale yellow. Enter, the inspiration board!

click here for more detail
http://picasaweb.google.com/alissalovelady/InspirationBoards#5355898232897081410

We want the overall feel to be relaxed and comfortable. I've got a ton of ideas floating around and lots of inspirational photos saved on my computer, so I have plenty more to share!

So what do you think?

Welcome to, well, ME!

2009-07-06T22:50:00.001-06:00

Hello all! My name is Ali, and this is my first ever blog! This is an exciting time in my life, because I'm engaged! My fiance proposed in March, and we've set our date for May 29, 2010. Since the moment he popped the question, I've been researching all things wedding. I've already changed my venue twice and my colors and theme are almost unrecognizable from the vision I had 4 months ago.

I'm a majoy DIYer and plan to do most of the wedding myself. Aside from the "cake", which I'll talk about later, most elements will be handmade by your's truly. With, I'm sure, plenty of help from my amazing fiance and girlfriends!

I really hope all of you will join me on my journey, as I share all my insights, projects, emotions, worries, and hopes! Thanks for reading, and STAY TUNED! This could get interesting... :)