Summer is Here: AKA Wedding Planning is in Full Swing!

Now that I am off work for two months we are now in full wedding planning mode! So here goes...

Monday we met with our DJ to start discussing songs and the agenda.  Now our homework is to work on a do not play song list and come up with some of our key songs like father/daughter dance, etc.

Wednesday I went to my hair trial since my hair stylist is going to be taking 3 months off.  We played around with my hair straight, poofy, and curly.  Curly got the worst reaction from Will so poofy it is going to be!  My WONDERFUL bridesmaids Malia and Sara came with me and sat through 3 long hours of hairdos but they were troopers and kept me entertained  :) We played around with a cage veil but it is not the veil that I will be using on the wedding day.  Here are a few samples from the trial.  

 VOLUME!!!

My favorite option 

 Other side of my favorite option

 Fun...but not me

Super curly! 

Today my Mom and I went to Hitched to have my first dress fitting!!! It has been about a year since I last saw my dress and I fell in love all over again.  I didn't want to take it off!!! They are taking my dress in 3 inches so my running plan is working :) However, I can't take full credit for all 3 of those inches because we did order it a little bit too big since my order was made a year and half before our wedding date.  While we were there my Mom and I started exploring some veil options and a little sparkle accessory for my hair.  I am going to do a small cage but instead of the usual netting that the birdcage veil comes in we are having one made with the tool that most long veils are made from.  It should be in at my next dress fitting next month so pictures will come soon! We found the perfect clip for my hair that is almost an exact match to a little something special on my wedding dress. I am going to wear the veil and clip for the ceremony and just the clip for the reception.  Here is a little sneak peak of the clip.

More wedding planning to come! My Bachlorette party is TOMORROW!!! The bridal shower is only 2 weeks away! :) Only about 3 more months till the wedding...WAHOOO!

A Productive Spring Break!

Today is Will's last day off but I still have two more days of Spring Break. It was a productive break full of home things and wedding planning.  On Wednesday we went up to Maryland and did a cake tasting at a local farm bakery.  We were a little apprehensive since our first cake tasting at another bakery in Virginia was an interesting experience and we had to listen to the baker talk about how great he was for about an hour.  However, this time our cake tasting experience was much more enjoyable.  The owner is a humble guy and he had cupcakes waiting for us taste when we got there.  We ending up choosing a pumpkin cake with traditional buttercream icing.  All we had to do was find the ribbon and cake topper that we want on the cake and he will do the rest. So today we bought our ribbon and topper.  I am so glad we were able to check another item off our list.

While we were in Maryland we went to meet our officiant.  Our officiant was the same officiant that married Will's parents so it will be a special ceremony for his family as well as mine.  Warren is our officiant's name and he has been married for 60 years! While we visited with him he had us write a list of our top 10 traits that we like about each other and a list of 5 things that we "liked less" about one another.  However, Will and I could only think of 2 things we "liked less" and they were of no big surprise to one another because we have talked about it before.  Warren asked us if we have ever had any doubts about getting married or have thought it was bad timing.  Not once have either of us had second thoughts.  We explained to him that we feel our relationship has really progressed each day.  With planning for the wedding and buying a house we have learned a lot about one another and have only seen these experiences as building blocks to our future.  :)

Now we are working on finding invitations and that is the next thing on our wedding "to do" list.  Tomorrow we will only be 6 months away from the wedding! We can't wait!!! :

A Day of DIY Projects

Today is the 2nd day of spring break and already Will and I have completed many of our home DIY home projects that we put on our "To Do" list.  We started out the day painting a "As Is" chair from Ikea that was only $9.99.  It was perfect for a little corner desk that Will had refinished a few months ago.  

Before

After

Then we started working on a monogram project with inspiration from a monogram flag that my Mom had given us as a present.  We started out by buying a 4ft x 2ft board from Home Depot and then we cut it down to a 3ft. x 2ft piece.  After that we painted it a off white color that we had gotten for $2 on the mistake/returned paint rack at Home Depot.  After we painted it tan we taped the trim to frame out the monogram design.

Once it was taped we used a technique I had read on a blog to make crisp, clean lines.  We took the same paint that we had been using and repainted the area that we were about to paint black.  This extra coat helped fill in any spaces that might not have been covered perfectly by the tape.  After that was dry we painted the black trim and peeled off the tape to reveal the clean lines because of that extra coat of tan.

After the trim was done I found a google image of the flag and Will enlarged the image in Paint.  He then printed the large image on several pieces of paper.  I had to cut and tape the image back together so that it would be large enough for the area inside of the trim. 

Next, Will scratched the back of the design with a pencil.  Once the back was covered with pencil I laid it on the board and traced the black design.  When tracing it on the board it left an outline on the wood.  From that outline I painted the image and ta-da it was done!

For our last project of the day we finished up a quick project to frame our first house key.  I typed up the title, left space for the key, and then under the key I typed up our new home address (sorry you don't see that part in the picture).  I had painted the key red a few days ago.  We glued it onto the paper with super glue and in just a few minutes we created quick and cheap knick-knack to help fill our empty walls.

It was a busy day of doing little projects to make out new house feel homie once we get to move in.  Tomorrow it is back to wedding planning.  Will and I are going to try a cake up in Frederick, MD and then meet an officiant.  Later this week my Mom and I are going to pick out invitations.  This spring break is defiantly a week of getting things done! :)

Our First House!

As of Friday William and I are now homeowners.  After searching for a few months we found this house just 6 miles from my work! It is right by Frying Pan Park and has a 2 car garage! William is excited because many of the other townhouses we had been looking at only had 1 car garages and he would have been parking outside.  But now he doesn't have to! :) It also has beautiful walking trails right behind the house and a nice view of a small pond ie. water retaining area.  We can't believe we found an end unit it such a great lot that doesn't back up to other townhouse. The location couldn't have been better.  The house has good bones but we have some big plans for it.  Before we move in we are going to re-sand the existing hardwood floors, add hardwood on the two sets of staircases, add crown molding, repaint every wall, and add recessed lighting throughout the house.  We can't wait for out mini renovations.  However, we aren't moving in until July because the previous owners are renting back from us until they move into their new place.  This worked out perfect for Will and I because we can continue to save while they make our first few mortgage payments :)  

More updates to come as we work on home projects :)

Finally Updated!

I know I have upset some fellow followers because I have not updated the blog since December (sorry Mrs. Evy).  So here goes a 3 month update...

First, my flower girl got her dress!! She looks beautiful :)

Then. after a 2 month shoe hunt I finally found shoes. Originally, I wanted silver glitter pumps and I looked far and wide until I found these cute ones on Amazon.

They were cute and would add a little glitz to my dress, however, there was one big problem. I couldn't walk in them once I got them.  They has +4 inch heels...which I am not use to after walking around my classroom in flats day after day.  I thought sometimes you just have to sacrifice comfort for style but then Will started to tell me that our wedding day is going to be a special day and if I fall while walking down the isle because of these nose bleed high heels I would be upset beyond belief since I only have one chance to take that very special walk. So this little comment got me thinking that I should not sacrifice comfort for style and the shoes went back.  After the shoes went back I spent about 3 hours looking on every shoe website for 1 to 2 inch glitter heels which limited my search field even further.  Then I deiced to give up on this whole glitter idea and I put ivory in my search box and landed on these.

Turned out I could go to Nordstrom to try them on to make sure they would fit.  They fit beautifully and I am pretty sure I can wear them all night without having to take them off because they are only 2 inches high.  I had to order them in ivory because Nordstrom only had them in black at the store.  Once they came I was walking around the house when my Dad told me they were classy.  Once the word "classy" came out of his mouth I knew these were it.  The word classy is defiantly the word I want to describe my wedding day and the fact that my Dad said it made it all the better :).  So finally I have my shoes and I am looking forward to my fitting this summer! 

Next, we went up to Myersville to taste possible dishes for the wedding. We went up with my parents, brother, Donna, and Daddy Jim.  We had a blast together.  I am so grateful I got to spend that day with all of them.  We decided on a boursin stuffed chicken, filet, and vegetarian dish.  All the food was great.  Then we went over a rough draft of the schedule.  It was so cute because every time Donna had a question she would raise her hand each time she had question for our wedding coordinator. While we were there Will and I finally agreed on our ceremony spot.    Will was not sold on the spot I had picked last time we went up there but this time the sun was setting and the backdrop was just perfect.  After Will saw my vision he was excited about the location.  Here is a picture from that day of us standing where we will say our "I Do's"

While we were up there that day we also found a hotel about 15 minutes away where we blocked a set of rooms for the guest to stay.  We will be having a little after party there so we are looking forward to extending the celebration at the hotel.

Finally, my last update is non-wedding related...Will and I might be home owners as of next Friday. We are going to close on a townhouse if all goes well in the next week...more to come on this big announcement.  Once it is ours I will post pictures.  We had been looking at houses in Ashburn because there was so much new construction out there but then decided we wanted to stay in Fairfax County so we turned our search back to the Reston/Herndon area and found a house about a month ago.  More to come!!!

Christmas...its the best time of the year

Santa was great to Will and I this year! 

We got a ton of things for our one day house. We got a crock-pot, glassware, Christmas china from Pottery Barn, cookware, and much much more.  I love Christmas with my family because we spend about 3 hours opening up gifts, taking our time, talking, and eating! It was odd being the first Christmas without getting clothing since we need a lot of home things but I must say the most exciting part was getting my ELF ON A SHELF!!!! :)  It was great.  The elf on the shelf tied string to my bedroom door and I had to follow the string down the stairs and into the living room to find it tied inside of the box.  Once I opened my elf on a shelf he got into a lot of mischievous trouble exploring the house :)

Joey also got me my first cookbook! I need the practice so I have decided I am cooking the remainder of my winter break!  Tonight I made Meatball Pie, it actually might have been the best meal I have ever made....which isn't saying much because I have made some pretty awful stuff before.  The cookbook might be the key to Will eating well once we are married! 

Now that Christmas has come and gone I have been busy during my time and I finally got around to cleaning my closet...I have 3 bags of clothes to donate and my closet is still stuffed full.  I am now wondering how I am going to live once Will and I share a closet.  

I know I haven't been too busy wedding planning but I sure have been busy thinking about all the things Will and I will need once we have our home...so while I was out shopping with my mom this week I purchased our first piece of furniture! It was an exciting moment! The purchase was pinterest inspired after spending countless hours looking at home decoration. When I found this beautiful bench I knew I had to have it because I had pinned something like it on my own pinterest board :) An added bonus is that Ella absolutely loves it...she was finding a comfy spot soon after I had carried it in. 

I can't wait to put it in our entry way one day :) It doubles as a bench and storage.  

New Obsession...

Pinterest! If you haven't heard of it you must go check it out! I love looking at pictures and this is just the place.  Here is a cute photo I saw and want to take a similar picture with our flower girl and ring bearer on the wedding day :) Thanks Pinterest for the idea!