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Recap: Getting Ready

Monday, November 28, 2011

So there may be such a thing as being too relaxed on your wedding day...yes, that was me. I was so busy watching all my girls get prettied up and sneaking into the ballroom to check the status of the decor that I lost track of the time! I was so unconcerned about my own hair and makeup that I ended up getting both done last! Oops! My hair and makeup artists had to rush so we could get to picture taking on time. I nearly gave our photographer a heart attack, Tina I'm so sorry! All that being said, everything worked out and I wasn't worried at all. Looking back, and knowing my own strict and somewhat anal personality, I'm shocked that the time crunch didn't bother me. I think I was just so happy and so excited that literally nothing could get me down. The day was absolutely perfect!

While I was getting my makeup done...


My lovely bridesmaid was putting the final touches on our dresses!



 Mom zipped me up...


Any my oh so attentive Maid of Honor helped me into my 5" heels!


Oh how I love those heels...


The girls posed in their cute plum pretty sugar pajama pants...


before stepping into their freshly steamed dresses.


When we were all ready, we headed out to the garden for some sweet pics!

Those pictures as well as our "first look" shots are coming soon!

Recap: Bridal Details

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Finally it was time to head to the "bridal suite" right outside the ballroom to get ready. There, waiting for me, was my dress...



My shoes...


My garter...


My bouquet...


And my beloved Flora!


All of my bridesmaids and my mom and sister were there. We ate lunch, got our hair and makeup done, and had fun gabbing away! I also found a few minutes to sneak (barefoot and in my robe) into the ballroom where the chiavari chairs and birdcage centerpieces were being set up. My visions were turning into a reality right before my eyes and I was SO happy with what I saw!

All photos were taken by our photographer, Tina Rowden.

Recap: Wedding Morning

I know, I've been away from my blog for months...and months. But finally, I am ready and able (have pictures and video) to post our wedding recaps! They'll be coming a little at a time and I'm really excited share them with you!

I went to bed at 12:00 am on my wedding day. At 11:45, just fifteen minutes before, I arrived back to my hotel room from hanging out with family and friends. I checked my to-do list, twice. Yes, everything was done. All that was left for me to do was get some sleep, relax, and marry my love. I laid in bed and smiled myself to sleep. My alarm was set to go off at 8:00 am and my eyes popped open at 7:58 am. For those two minutes, I savored the moment. Today was THE day and I felt calm, collected, and loved.

I knew I had a while to wait before getting ready so I got dressed (in my cute custom "Bride" dress that Mr. CF bought me) and hung out with my best friends! Breakfast, CVS, Marshalls...you heard me right. Everything was done so we spent our time looking for false eyelashes (for my MOH) and comfy flip-flops at the store! :) I then gave the girls a tour of The Mansion on Peachtree and had fun playing with some details, trying on my veil, and anticipating how everything would turn out!


Stay tuned to see some bridal details!

14 days...

Saturday, July 30, 2011

The early morning light hit my ring at just the right angle this morning. It filled the room with prisms of rainbow-colored light. I didn't move. I sat, smiled, and reminded myself that two weeks from today I will be marrying the love of my life. The man that makes me feel so beautiful, so important, and so irreplaceable. I can't imagine myself in any other place or with any other person. What we have is exactly what God has intended for us. I know that because everything just feels right.

As of today, I have officially ended all of my projects. What's done is done (yay!) and what's not done are the things that really weren't important in the first place. I've worked so hard over the last year planning, designing, and DIYing and I just know that everything is going to fall into place and be absolutely wonderful. I am SO looking forward to these last two weeks. Staying focused on my job, cooking dinner and laying on the couch with Mr. CF...relaxing!

Our engagement had it's share of ups and downs, but let's face it, planning a wedding is stressful!!! Looking back, what I can remember are all the fun moments like our menu and cake tasting, making decisions together, and receiving more love and support from family & friends than I could ever imagine possible. I am so excited for the beginning of our life together!

Easiest DIY Project {EVER}

Friday, June 24, 2011

In addition to our wedding cake, we are going to have a table of specialty European style cakes at our wedding. Tiramisu, Cheesecake, Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, etc. They are going to be so good! So, I've been pulling out all of my cake stands and realized that I was one short. I browsed around online and found that making your own cake stand is the easiest DIY project ever! I am not kidding.

So, off to the antique shop I went. I found a beautiful milk glass candle holder for $3 and a gorgeous old plate (with handles) for $4. I came home, and with the help of my tube of Epoxy (Gorilla brand, found in the glue aisle at Home Depot), glued them together! Let it dry for 90 minutes and viola! My new cake plate:






{Personal Photos}

What was the easiest DIY project you completed?

My Orlando Bridal Tea

Thursday, June 23, 2011

I was blessed with two of the most beautiful bridal showers I have ever seen. I am so excited to share the pictures with you all! Today, I will share my lovely Orlando shower thrown for me by my sister and my mom. It was a tea party held at an old Victorian mansion and it was a lot of fun! Thank you to Brian Hess Photography for the beautiful pictures :)

All us girls in our hats!

 Loved my bride to be banner!

 My beautiful friends!

 Gorgeous birdcage cake! I was in L O V E!

 My mom and I!

 Highland Manor (which actually closed two weeks after my shower)

 This bird knew I was incorporating birds into my wedding and decided to show up to say hi!

 Beautiful gift

 My sister and I in our fun hats!

 The sign-in table that my mom decorated!

Teapot Centerpiece

This is just the beginning!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tell me ladies, have you heard this?

"Gosh, you spend so much time planning your wedding and making sure everything is perfect and then the day goes by so fast and you don't remember any of it!"

I've heard this multiple times over the course of my engagement and here is my very public response.

Wedding planning to me is not about our wedding day, August 13th, 2011, it's about much more than that. From the day I met my love, to our amazing engagement on August 20th, 2010, I have had so many meaningful experiences that made me realize that this is not about one day of fun, it's about planning for and working towards a lifetime of love and happiness. The parties where I'm surrounded by my closest family and friends, financial discussions, pre-cana marriage prep process, trying on dresses with my mom, compromise about what's important and what's not...that is what this experience is all about. I truly believe that each and every one of those experiences have made me a better woman, friend, and future wife. I feel so close to and supported by the people around me and it is the most wonderful feeling. Major life events bring us together and I have definitely witnessed that first hand.

You all know that I've spent countless hours planning this wedding and it's because I'm designing our reception to reflect CF and I as a couple. It will be formal enough to fit the sacredness of the occasion yet romantic and fun (like we are)! We want our guests to be treated like kings and queens because that is how they've made us feel all our lives. This won't be an ordinary night, where we "make due" and "settle"...it will be the most special celebration of our lives and our guests will know it! No, the wedding day is not the end, it's the beginning. It's so close now and I can hardly wait!

Wedding Wedding Everywhere

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

I am laying on my living room floor right now surrounded by stuff. Honestly, my house has never been this messy. I am covered in coupons, ribbon, shower gifts, bridesmaids gifts, and endless unfinished craft projects. You know, the ribbon wands, picture frames for the photo wall, personalized hangers, survival kits, etc. If I look hard enough I might even be able to find a cute curly-haired dog or my wonderful fiance :-) They've got to be around here somewhere!

Yes, I am officially in the "holy crap I'm getting married in 9 weeks and I haven't finished started my DIY projects" phase! The pressure is on and I promise I'm starting to get things done (and documenting the process). I've always worked best under pressure!

What DIY project are you currently in the middle of?

My Very Talented Friend

Thursday, June 2, 2011

So I have a wonderful friend and her name is Jenny. She is very creative, crafty, and talented. In addition, she shares my love of all things girly! Ruffles, pink, glitter, hearts...if it's cute, we love it! So, as the wedding to-do list got longer and longer, I asked for her help and (thankfully) she was up to the challenge of working with me! :)

This girl is truly an event planner at heart and I've asked her to plan my bridesmaids' bruncheon. All I did was tell her the style I wanted (feminine with a little Southern charm) and she sent me back the most amazing inspiration boards full of details that I just couldn't take my eyes off of! She's that good and if you live in Florida and are planning a wedding you might just want to hire her. Check out her website and blog where she offers a lot of DIY projects, personalized stationary that you can download, wedding invitations, save the date magnets, and more! Oh, she also designs/sells the cutest cell phone covers! If only I had an iPhone.


Pretty adorable right! My girls are in for such a treat!!!

Are you doing everything yourself, or are you enlisting the help of a very crafty friend?

Fun Favors!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Ahh favors...they have come such a long way over the last few years! What used to be useless trinkets are now delicious edible treats or tiny gifts that really reflect the couple giving them! I am so excited about the favor we chose and I feel certain that our guests are going to love it too! (That's all I can say about that!)

Looking for some cute favor ideas for your wedding?

How 'bout a box full of Cuties! I love these little clementines and they would make such a great (and healthy) post-wedding snack for your guests! This would be perfect for couples living in California, which is where they are grown. I also think they'd be cute for Florida couples...oranges, cuties...close enough!


Looking for a less healthy option? How about some Krispy Kreme doughnuts? Seriously, if I were a guest at a wedding and I saw these sitting on the favor table, I would jump for joy! YUM!


Oh Macarons, must you be so cute?!?!  If you are having a French Parisian themed reception, this just might be the perfect favor for you!

Do you love s'mores as much as I love s'mores?  These little DIY bags are easy and inexpensive to make! And, of course, they are super cute!!!

 {Source}

Looking for some non-edible options?

This one's for the girls! Perfect for a beach wedding! Or, perfect if you just want your female guests to be comfy while they dance the night away!


Do you ever use party crackers on New Year's Eve? This is one of Mr. CF's family traditions and I think it would be so cute as a wedding favor. All the guests can mingle and show each other what *useless trinket* they got! Okay, I know I said that favors shouldn't be useless trinkets but when they come in a tulle covered cracker tube, they are fun! 


Ever since I was a kid, I have LOVED lottery scratch-off tickets (bad, I know)! I don't ever buy them but I LOVE when Santa leaves them in my stocking :) How cute are these "lucky in love" lottery ticket favors? 


Looking for more wedding favor ideas? Check out one of my favorite wedding-related blogs, Favor Craver!!!

Are you giving guests favors at your wedding? If so, what are you giving?

My Wedding-Day Scent

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

This may seem like such a small detail of the day, but it's definitely an important one! I've known for a long time that I wanted to wear a special perfume on August 13th, I just didn't know which one. For a while, I would try different scents each time I went in a department store or Sephora or Ulta, just searching and waiting to find "the one". Nothing stood out to me, probably because every scent I love, I own! Eventually, I forgot about this small detail and tackled much bigger things on my to-do list.

Then, one night as I was flipping through a magazine, I found it! The one! The perfume that will always trigger special memories of our special day. I knew that my search was over. Mr. CF looked perplexed as I frantically ripped the page from magazine, sat on the couch, and proceeded to rub that piece of paper all over my neck and wrists! You know they say that you have to try it on to make sure it still smells the same! Yes, that was it. I don't own this amazing scent yet (it's the only thing on my birthday list this year), but once I do it will not be worn until our wedding day. Can't wait!

Is there a certain perfume that triggers a special memory for you?