Reflections

I usually never get stressed about things, but this wedding planning has been a very emotional experience for me. I have put in so much hard work over this past year and a half and now that it is all coming down to just one day it is making me a bit sad. I started crying today during my final wedding dress fitting because I began feeling so overwhelmed with all that is left to do.
I know that the important thing is that we will be married at the end of all this craziness, but I can't help feeling that this "fairy-tale" day I am planning doesn't leave me with all the satisfaction that I thought it would.  This just goes to show me that all those people that told me not to make such a big deal over one day were right.
It is a Very important day, but is it the flowers or the cake or the band that is going to make you a happily married couple? No, it is the mutual respect and love that two people share. I am so thankful to never have had any doubts about whether Will was the one for me. He has always been a constant in my life. His love for me is so perfect. I know that we are in for a long and happy life together.
I can't wait to be his bride, no matter the music, the church, or the fancy dinner. He is all I need.

15 Days!

I picked up our groomsmen gifts from The Village Washstand yesterday and I am so pleased! We are big fans of Jon Hart so Will and I chose these 'cool-its' koozies for his groomsmen gifts. Each one is 'hot stamped' with their monogram.

Will's Groomsmen are:
Best Man: Benjamin Armstrong
Matthew Moseley
Charles Herd
Hayes Herd
Honorary groomsman: Luke Wagnon (who is unable to attend)

18 days!

At this point the wedding seems so close and so far away at the same time. There is not much left to do besides just getting the logistics together. (It is a blessing, because most of my time now is spent on getting things together for med school in May.) Which brings me to my next exciting point...the honeymoon!
After lots of deliberation on Will's part and mine we have decided to move our honeymoon to December when I have a break in med school. I start med school right after our wedding, and we would not have much time to enjoy ourselves before I would have to rush back to LA.

Because of this we are going to be staying our wedding night at the Charlotte Ritz Carlton, and then spending a short week in New Orleans. We have decided to make this "mini-moon," as we call it, about relaxation and good food. We have booked our massages and spa treatments at the New Orleans Ritz Carlton and made reservations at amazing resturaunts such as Commanders Palace, Stella!, and Louisiana Bistro.

We are so excited to be back in our favorite city before my life is consumed with cadaver lab and late night study sessions.

For our honeymoon in December we are going to St. Kitt's! This is what I am really excited for (a break in paradise after two semesters of med school work!) I feel that it will be well deserved!

39 days- So what's left to do?

As I just posted I have got a lot done, but there are still a lot of things to do before May 5th.
1. Second fitting (3.30)

2. Finish welcome bags - we've bought most of the goodies. We are doing a Louisiana theme for our home state so we are including community coffee, zapps chips, abita beer, and aunt sally's pralines. I just have to print out the maps and itinerary and we are done!

3. Rehearsal Dinner menus- we are thinking of doing a deep south theme at Bistro 127- so this will include fried chicken, honey bourbon ham, baked mac and cheese, biscuits, salad, and of course groom's cake!

4. buy cigars for cigar bar- I'll leave this one up to William

5. make wedding programs- I've put this off for so long, but I really love the idea of these including a vintage handkerchief!

6. bury the bourbon- tradition is to bury a bottle of bourbon at your wedding location a month before the wedding to ward of bad weather...well we will be back in Louisiana on April 5th, so we will be doing this on March 31st when we are in Hickory for my linen shower.

7. bridesmaid's luncheon- I really wanted to do this at Cafe Monte in Charlotte, but since all my bridesmaids live in Hickory I guess I am going to do it there...maybe at the club? I did buy their gifts though and I am super duper excited to give them out!

8. monogram robe (3.30) Bought a cute white robe with Carolina blue stitching...now just have to get my monogram done for bridal prep time!

39 Days

So last week was probably the MOST stressful so far wedding wise. My make-up lady canceled on me last minute for the wedding and bachelorette party, and as any bride knows with less than two months before the wedding I was going to be hard pressed to find someone that wasn't already booked up. I must have called over 100 make-up artists in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee and everyone was booked on May 5th! Seriously, there cannot be THAT many couples getting married that day right? After crying and about having a few panic attacks a woman called me back from Up Do's and said that she was free for my bachelorette and the wedding. You better believe I booked her right then and there!

Also this warmer weather is worrying me. We are using peonies in all of our flower arrangements and bouquets and they ONLY bloom in May. Well this warm weather is messing with the blooms and there is a chance that they will bloom early and wont be available for our wedding. 

I also spent a good deal of time last week buying the "little details" for the reception. I got 20'' sparklers and matchbooks for our departure from the country club, made a photo guest book, and some super cute paper straws to put in the drinks. I know they aren't necessary, but I thinks it's the little things that
matter.

I also got handkerchiefs embroidered for gifts for my mom and dad. I think these will definitely come in handy during the ceremony!

 And to finish my list of little details I found these cute handwritten stamps for our thank you notes (to save my hand some unnecessary pain).

I still have a few things left to do, but for the most part the next 39 days should not be too stressful (hopefully!). The great thing is that no matter what may go wrong with the food, band, flowers, or whatever at the end of the day I will still be marrying my best friend.

57 Days and Counting!

It still has not hit me that we are going to be married in less than two months, but I am so excited for the big day to come! The month of March is going to be especially busy for us in the wedding planning area. We are traveling up to North Carolina for ONLY two days. And in that weekend we are getting our marriage license, having a second wedding dress fitting at Nitsa's, going through a make-up trial, having my bachelorette party, having a tea party themed linen shower, and packing up again to drive back home to Louisiana. It's going to be insane with no time to think! But, and I so super excited for my bachelorette party and shower. My girls and I are staying at a hotel in the Southpark area of Charlotte where we will eat at Cowfish (and sushi and burger infusion restaurant), then go for drinks and fun at Andrew Blair's. My shower is a tea party theme, check out these adorable invitations my maid of honor had made for the shower she is throwing!

Hopefully by the time the wedding gets here I will have everything done, but if not the most important (and only) thing that matters is that we will be married! I am so lucky to have William. I admire him so much in all that he does, and I thank the Lord everyday for bringing us together!

A Busy Final 3 Months

Just had my first bridal shower that my aunt and cousin hosted for me. It was amazing! I was thrilled with how many people showed up, and now I have a trailer-full of kitchen gift to take home to our new house.

I also spent about 2 hours stuffing and licking closed our invitations yesterday. I was excited to get them mailed off, but when I went to the post office to get them mailed I was told they were too large to go through regular mail and had to be sent as parcels! What a pain! They did turn out beautifully though!

This week I am meeting with my florist to go over things again, getting some bridals and our invitations matted and framed, having a make-up trial (yep still haven't found a make-up lady yet), booking our rehearsal dinner, and packing up my furniture to drive it down to Louisiana.
I finally booked my transportation, (we found a 1962 Rolls Royce to leave our reception in), and booked my ceremony music.

 I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting, but now that the three month mark has passed I'm running around like crazy trying to do everything with the little time I have.