51 Days to Go!

My goodness! How time is flying! I absolutely cannot believe that our wedding is 51 days away! There's still so much I want to do before July 14th! So until then, things sure do look busy ;-)

This past weekend I attended Brittany & Jantzen's household shower with my dear friend and bridesmaid, Jen. It was a gorgeous day, and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting and catching up on the drive to Danville! The shower was held at a lovely clubhouse which had views of the sparkling blue outdoor pool. As we entered the building, though, I was surprised to see so many male faces in the crowd! Brittany's uncles and male cousins were in attendance, as well as their children. It turns out that this is a new trend in the wedding world, one that is rapidly becoming popular with the younger generation. As this was my first co-ed shower, I was intrigued to see how the event would progress, and assumed that the traditional Bridal Shower games would not be played due to the composition of the crowd. I mean, can you imagine wrapping the Bride-to-be in a toilet paper dress while all the men looked on in either boredom or embarrassment? Me either. In the end, I was, in fact, correct on that matter. There were no hokey games to be played, no toilet paper gowns to construct. Instead the shower went something like this...after we spent some time chatting with the guests-of-honor, the hostesses asked that we be seated. We were briefly welcomed, then asked to help ourselves to the delicious food buffet. After loading our plates, guests were asked to introduce themselves to the remainder of the group. After introductions, Brittany and Jantzen began opening their gifts. We all admired their overflowing gift bags and boxes, then the couple cut their cute peacock-themed cakes. Before we knew it, the shower was over! Thankfully Jen & I were able to spend quite some time mingling with Brittany & Jantzen as well as some of the other guests, but all-in-all it felt a bit fast! I never thought I'd say this, but I kind of missed the shower games! While some of them can be dated or predictable, they still add an element of humor and fun that I think is essential for a shower! Now don't get me wrong, their get-together was still a lot of fun--I really enjoyed visiting with Brittany and Jantzen as well as the other shower attendees---but if I had been able to change one thing about the day, I definitely would have added a few fun games.

Later in the week, Darling Fiance' & I celebrated his 23rd Birthday, and boy did I have some big surprises planned! The previous evening I had asked the Birthday Boy what type of cake he wanted for his big day. To be honest, I was hoping he'd be happy with a yellow or white cake so that I could make a sugar-free or reduced-sugar version (we're definitely working to get in wedding-day shape, here!). Unfortunately though, he requested my family's famous red velvet cake, which is sinfully delicious, I must say! Because birthday's come but once a year, I didn't push the sugar-free idea any further and happily prepared to make the red velvet the next day. Early in the afternoon on Darling Fiance's Birthday, we picked up a couple essential items for his cake and I proceeded to craft the big boy! I'm somewhat embarrassed to report that we still don't have an electric mixer (we're holding out for the shower!), and as a result, the blending process was much slower and the final product was a bit lumpier. However, after baking and frosting, I think it turned out alright, according to my sweetheart's gleeful exclamations! That wasn't the only treat I had in store for him, though. That evening I had planned for us to do two brand-new activities together: enjoying a massage & then noshing on farm-fresh food at Jean Farris Bistro. Both went splendidly, I must say! 

We were both quite nervous for the massage--would we feel uncomfortable or self-conscious? Would it be painful? Would it be worth the cost? In short, we were a bit uncomfortable at first, but the masseuses were professional and respectful, which quickly made us feel more relaxed. It wasn't painful at all, but was instead extremely relaxing and well worth the cost! We both agreed that we'd gladly do it again! After the massage, we traveled to Jean Farris, which is a cute little vineyard and bistro located on Old Richmond Rd. The parking lot was packed, which was all the more surprising considering that it was a Tuesday evening! From the outside, one would have expected the restaurant to be quite antiquated, but on the contrary, it was ultra-modern with a touch of rustic--very interesting! The food was flavorful, albeit extra-salty, and the atmosphere was romantic and secluded. We fully enjoyed our unique outings and all in all, I think the man-of-the day was pleased with his Birthday celebrations! It was indeed fantastic to spend another special birthday together!

After our date night, I spent a little time with my sweet friend, Sabrina. We enjoyed a relaxing lunch together and chatted about everything from the wedding, to massages and the bridesmaids' luncheon. We definitely have a lot of wonderful and relaxing events ahead of us! After lunch, Sabrina offered to try on her bridesmaid's dress for me, and needless to say I was delighted with the final product! It was elegant and flowy, just as I had wanted! The jeweled cap-sleeves glistened and added a touch of shimmer without being overly shiny, while the hue was a perfect blush! No bubble-gum pink here! Seeing the gown put one more piece of the wedding puzzle in place! Each day I'm realizing more and more that before I know it I'll be married to the man that I love...and I absolutely cannot wait!

This weekend Darling Fiance', Pretty Puppy & I will be traveling home where we'll enjoy some time with the fam at my nephew's 4th birthday party! We can't wait to spend time with our special boy--he's growing SO fast! I sometimes feel that I'm his second Momma (we're such a close family, after all!), so this big birthday is a bit sad for me--I guess it means that he's becoming more and more independent and that much closer to leaving the nest :-( But then I remind myself that he's turning 4, not 40, so let's not get ahead of ourselves here! I'm just trying to enjoy each phase that he goes through and I can honestly say that it's getting better and better all the time! Also, on Friday, Darling Fiance', my Mom, Dad & I will be attending our tasting. We'll be trying all the dishes for our wedding meal, and I desperately hope they're what I've always wished for! If not, there will have to be a few changes to the menu before the big day! I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

As far as an invitation update is concerned--I've addressed about 75 so far, so we're about halfway there!

Til Next Time...

Hugs & Kisses,

A Southern Sweetheart

Quality Time with My Darling Fiance'!

The past several weeks have been particularly busy--between school, spending time with our families, and wedding planning, not to mention some unfortunate health concerns, Darling Fiance' and I have been running in all directions. We've had to more carefully plan our quality time, but somehow it seems that we enjoy our special moments even more than before! 

Especially since beginning our premarital counseling, Darling Fiance' & I are cherishing our love for one another so much more! Our minister here in Lexington, Pastor Zietlow, has been guiding us through a Bible Study about marriage and God's gift to us--love for one another. As part of our sessions we were required to complete a "Life Ranking," in which we ranked about 20 major life variables including having children, spending time together, our personal relationships with God, social time with our friends, and financial stability. Pastor Zietlow asked us to individually rank these variables and then compare our results with one another. Darling Fiance' & I were absolutely shocked with our results! We ranked nearly every item identically! There were only a couple variables on which we differed, both of which were very close (he ranked one a "5" while I ranked it a "7", etc.). If you know the two of us, then that may be even more shocking to hear because of our differing personalities! Darling Fiance' is very much a strong, quiet man, who speaks only when he has something significant and powerful to say. His love is strong, consistent, and steady. I, on the other hand, am very outgoing, bubbly and talkative. While my emotions may vary a bit more than his, my love for him is just as strong and steady. So now, after learning a bit more about our personalities, you can imagine how shocked we were with our ranking results! Even though Darling Fiance' & I knew that we were a great match for one another, we had no idea that we were so similar! It was refreshing and fun to learn!

After our most recent premarital session, Darling Fiance' and I were able to enjoy a special date night! We decided on dinner at Ted's Montana Grill (our favorite restaurant!)--which was delicious, by the way--followed by the premiere of "What to Expect When You're Expecting." As we soon learned, though, this was definitely not going to be a normal date! As we entered the theater we were surprised to see some familiar faces--my friend & past ChemExcel leader, Laura & her husband. Laura is about eight months pregnant and looks absolutely wonderful! Her little bump is adorable while the rest of her is amazingly slim and trim! She is very impressive and I can only hope to fair as well someday! But the excitement didn't end there! Mid-way through the movie, the film reel suddenly stopped and the screen remained black for around five minutes! The theater manager entered and informed us that while they were correcting the issue they were also printing re-admission tickets so that all of us could enjoy a free visit to the cinema sometime soon! Finally, the movie began again and after the conclusion of the funny flick we gladly picked up our re-admission tickets! It was definitely a worthwhile trip to the theater for the two of us!

But perhaps even more fun than date night was our recent trip to Boyd Orchards. Neither of us had visited the mega-farm before, but thankfully Saturday morning was a beautiful, sunny, perfect day for our first trip! We were delighted to pick our own strawberries, despite the substantial crowd! A little side-story for you: a few years ago my family decided to grow our own strawberries and, as per normal, we planted a few more than we needed (my family is known for over-planting our garden)! Unfortunately, by the end of the summer we were over-run with delicious strawberries that I happened to be allergic to! I had never suffered from strawberry allergies, but for some reason, that summer, they chose to surface! I spent three months of my summer swollen and puffy with hives before discovering the allergen! What a bummer, right?! But anyhow, since then, I have nervously tried other strawberries and haven't suffered the same reaction, so I'm convinced it could have been a specific plant variety or pesticide that we were using at that time that elicited my horrible reactions. Knowing this history, you can imagine how nervous I was to immerse myself in a giant strawberry patch, but thankfully, I'm still hive-free! And let me tell you, those berries were some of the sweetest I've ever had! I would highly recommend a trip to Boyd, especially if you're strawberry lovers like we are!

Til Next Time...Remember to Spend Some Time with Your Sweetheart!

Hugs & Kisses,

A Southern Sweetheart

Quality Time with Los Padres & A Massive Invitation Undertaking!

After last weekend's wedding-event blitz, I had a definite case of the drop-sies. Now, for those of you who aren't familiar with this terrifying medical phenomenon, I'll elaborate. The drop-sies is a serious, but never fatal condition that can leave the victim feeling lethargic, tired, or just down-right lazy! Many patients experience couch-potato syndrome or extreme sleepiness when suffering from the drop-sies. I can personally attest to the body-numbing, make-you-want-to-stay-in-your-PJ's-all-day side effects of this awful syndrome! Fortunately for me, though, my to-do list forced me into a quick recovery and by Sunday morning I was ready to head home to celebrate Mother's Day with my special Momma! I hadn't mentioned that Darling Fiance' & I would be coming in to visit, so after filling Daddy in on our plans, we headed home & surprised the woman of the day! She was beyond thrilled! It was so special to see that smile on her little face! We spent the whole day playing with Pretty Puppy, catching up, and cooking together--so relaxing! Momma spent a good part of the day bragging about her Mother's Day gift from her future son-in-law (a dozen chocolate dipped strawberries from Shari's Berries!), which made Darling Fiance' feel very much a part of the family ;-) All in all, we had a blast spending time with my parents, but most importantly, I think we brought a little sunshine into Momma's heart! After all, she certainly deserved it!

Then, it was back to Lex where I caught up on some studying and prepared for the next school week. A couple days later, though, I was able to spend a bit more time with my parents when they came to town for some Doctor's appointments and meetings. We finally had enough time to run over to Jos A. Bank to get my Daddy fitted for his wedding day attire. He'll be wearing tan pants that match the boys' suits, along with a navy sport coat and blush tie. I think this will perfectly coordinate with the wedding party without looking matchy-matchy. Let's just say it was a relief to get his outfit decided! Despite being a very manly man, my Dad's unusually concerned with his attire for special events, and our wedding was no exception! We looked at probably 20 combinations of suits, sport coats, and pants before finally selecting his outfit for the big day! But who can blame him? We all want to look our best on that day!

Later in the week Darling Fiance' & I finally picked up the last part of our wedding invitation suite! Now the fun begins--addressing all those invites! For some crazy reason, I've decided to hand calligraph all the invitations! Why you ask? Well, to be honest, I've always been fascinated with gorgeous hand-writing, and calligraphy is, quite simply, my guilty pleasure. The only problem--I'm no professional calligrapher! I remember learning calligraphy my freshman year in high school, but since then, I haven't exactly been honing my writing skills! So completing about 180 invitations by hand will most assuredly prove to be the most interesting, and perhaps daunting, DIY that I take on for our big day! I'll keep you posted on how those are coming along, and maybe even post a few pictures! Stay tuned!

Til Next Time...

Hugs & Kisses,

A Southern Sweetheart

P.S. Here's a sneak peek at our wedding invitations, custom designed by the fantastic Donia at The Blu Sash! Thanks special lady for all your help! I just love you!

n

r

M

A Shoot & A Shower

The Sunset Shoot

So, as ya'll will remember, this past weekend was chock-full of wedding-related events. First, Darling Fiance' and I had the second portion of our engagement session on Friday evening. Having been creatively rejuvenated, I was beyond excited to style ourselves...and the shoot! First off, I had my make-up applied by the wonderful Nicole of Artistry HD. At first I had told her that I wanted very edgy, dark, high-fashion make-up for the shoot. After showing her my dress, though, we both agreed to go in a more bohemian, hippie-inspired direction with bronze and gold galore. After airbrushing my foundation (which I liken to getting a spray tan), she applied layer upon layer of shimmering golden eye shadow, a hint of peach blush, and "Pink Ice" lip gloss, then topped off the whole look with a gorgeous pair of falsies, which was another new experience for me. In the end, I was thrilled with the result! I looked stylish but not over-done. I was bronzed, but not orange-y. It was, in essence, perfect.

After "putting my face on," I hurried back into town in an attempt to make it to the hair salon. Unfortunately, though, my big hair dreams were not to be realized--I made it back in just enough time to pick up Darling Fiance' and throw in my hot rollers, nothing more!  Thankfully I had planned ahead and pre-loaded all of our props as well as our outfits for the shoot. As we drove out to the vineyard, hot rollers in place, I rushed to put the finishing touches on my lip color. We arrived just as the sun was beginning its evening descent...how perfect! We changed into our photo-shoot attire (Darling Fiance' into dark-washed jeans and a wine-colored button-up, A Southern Sweetheart into a blush-hued flowing maxi-dress, with matching bracelets, earrings, and sandals), and began the fun! Our wonderful photographers shot us through the vines, in the fields, and on the lake dock, all under the warm summer sun. It was great, great fun. The only little set-back occurred just as we were finishing the shoot. Someone (ahem, I have no idea who that might be!) managed to lock the car keys into the trunk just as we were re-loading our props and preparing to leave. Darling Fiance' was, shall we say, a bit exasperated. He attempted to contact AAA courtesy of our photographers' cell phone, only to find out that his membership had recently expired and they would be unable to assist us until he renewed. We had locked our phones into the trunk as well, so we wouldn't be able to contact any local friends to come pick us up. In short, we were up a creek without a paddle. Finally, in a last-ditch effort, Darling Fiance' remembered that the passenger side window gears had recently broken. Wearily, he attempted to push it down, and, finally....success! The window gave way under his unbelievable strength ;-), and before long we were able to unlock the doors and retrieve the keys! Darling Fiance' to the rescue once again! Needless to say, we both slept very well after that little ordeal!

The Personal Shower

The next morning, I woke up around 5:30 a.m. from nothing but sheer excitement! At 2 p.m. that afternoon I'd be celebrating at my personal shower with about 15 of my closest female friends and family members! I was unbelievably anxious to get the day started, and so, it was off to the races for this old gal! I quickly arose, fed Pretty Puppy, and began unloading the car from the previous night's sunset shoot. In came the baskets, the stool, the candles, and last but not least, the star of the show--the cute leather seating chair. I then showered and began the hot roller process yet again! After writing some preliminary thank-you notes to my sister and best gal pals that were organizing the shower, it was time to raid the closet. I quickly narrowed down my dress options to either a cute high-necked white summer frock (a gift from my sister) or a strapless navy eyelet number (a gift from Darling Fiance'). In the end, the white-y won, simply because this was a day for the girls! (And maybe because I had the perfect red necklace & shoes to accessorize it with!) After dressing and accessorizing, I drove over to the clubhouse, where my sister and dearest friends had already decorated and organized the food bar. I was amazed! Sweet Sister had brought gorgeous peonies (my favorite!) & lush irises, among other soft blossoms from my parents' home, to adorn the lake-side room. She had even brought a framed photograph of Darling Fiance' and I to be displayed on the high-boy table! The food looked scrumptious--there was a plate-full of mini-sandwiches, a bowl-full of homemade sausage & velveeta dip, a veggie tray, and my family's famous bridal punch! But perhaps most exciting in the food department was my gorgeous bridal shower cake! Carolyn, our family's special cake maker, had created a Tiffany-blue, present-shaped confection, topped off with a perfect white bow and a fondant diamond ring! It was gorgeous! The yellow cake inside was nothing less than mouth-watering! Carolyn never ceases to amaze me with her unmatched skills!

After noshing on the delicious goodies, I asked everyone to introduce themselves and briefly tell the story of how we met one another. It was so heart-warming to hear my special cousins mention how much I meant to them, to hear my best friends laugh about our funny stories, and to hear Sweet Sister share with the group that I had been her "first child" because of the age difference between us. It was a sentimental, special time for me, and at that moment I felt enveloped in sheer love!

Next, all the guests penned their best marriage advice for Darling Fiance' and I, and then shared their recommendations with the group. Topics ranged from keeping God at the center of our marriage, to making time for date night, to sex (blush!). I vowed to arrange the advice in a nice binder, for Darling Fiance' & I to revisit in the future. After sharing their advice, guests completed an "Ashley Test," which quizzed them on my favorite food, color, restaurant, etc. My best friend, Sabrina, won the test, with Sweet Sister missing just one more. They're both very special to my heart, quiz winner or not!

Finally, I opened gifts, and was shocked with the generosity of my loved ones. I was literally showered with cute night-gowns, sweet-smelling perfumes, and gift cards galore! I can hardly wait to use the massage gift card from Sabrina and to wear the "Just Married" panties from Sweet Sister! Let's just say the honeymoon will be very special thanks to my girls!

As the last shower activity, I called Darling Fiance' over to participate in the grand finale game! We tied a scarf around his eyes and then asked all the guests to line up with their hands stretched outward. Darling Fiance' then felt each hand and attempted to identify which was mine. Thankfully, he was swift in his testing, and without hesitation correctly identified me! I was beyond thrilled & so proud! I guess he knows his lady's hands pretty well after all!

All in all, both the photo shoot and the personal shower were little gems in my weekend! I made new memories with my gals, laughed with Darling Fiance' and realized just a little bit more, that our wedding is just around the corner!

Til Next Time....

Hugs & Kisses,

A Southern Sweetheart

Ah...the creative juices are rejuvenated!

Have you ever felt creatively stifled? You know, that trapped-down, hemmed-in feeling that usually comes after you've been much too busy with, say, paperwork or studying or financial matters? That old black-and-white, square-box, 9-5 kind of stuff? Well this old gal definitely has...this week especially.

In more ways than one, the past several days have been somewhat challenging. I've been juggling being sick, studying for my last medical school class of the year, and cooking & cleaning, all the while trying to sneak in a few moments of anticipation & excitement about the lovely events that await me this weekend! (Can you say Engagement Shoot, Part II & Personal Shower?!) To be honest, this week hasn't exactly been filled with wedding plans galore! But hark! Lo and behold, last night, my right brain finally found it's moment in the spotlight! My make-up artist for Friday's Sunset Engagement Session called to chat about colors, inspiration, and all the pretty details for our photo shoot. While I HAD thought of a few themes and ideas, I had not settled on even my wardrobe for the shoot. All I knew was that I wanted dramatic eye makeup (when else will I have the chance to go for an editorial-style look, here?!), a long dress, and a gorgeous sunset. After hearing Nicole (from Artistry HD) mention that she knew a hair stylist that may be available on Friday afternoon, my creative wheels spun out & began burning rubber!

I envisioned my soft blush-colored, long dress, bohemian sandals, dramatic eye makeup and...big hair. Yes, you heard me right...big hair! I found these gorgeous photos courtesy of nicoledeanne.net and fell in love!

I mean, absolutely gorgeous, right?! I think that my soft, simple blush dress would look fantastic with dramatic eyes and big hair, perhaps similar to the image at the top left, above.

Alas, my creative steam engine was powering forward, full steam-ahead. I hurried to raid Darling Fiance's closet. What, oh what, should he wear? And then I found it, a richly-hued cranberry-colored button-up. This more intense color would certainly complement, but not overpower the soft tones in my dress. It was decided. We would be wearing blush & cranberry for our shoot!

As far as props were concerned, I thought a wooden stool with woven bottom, some vintage glasses for lemonade, and a gorgeous tan leather sitting chair would be perfect! I rushed to email our photographers and then realized that we needed to shoot in the perfect locale....a vineyard! Now if any of you know Darling Fiance' & I, then you'll know that we are not drinkers! But we both love the lush, rich tones of an active vineyard in the summer! I knew this would complement our theme & outfits even better than the orchard in which we had originally planned to shoot. Thankfully, we literally have the world's best photographers, and they agreed to change locations last minute! So, come tomorrow, Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, I'll get to see my vineyard shoot come to life!

A dazzlingly beautiful engagement session is not the only wonderful event that this weekend holds! Saturday will be my personal shower! My Sweet Sister & closest friends have worked to plan a fun and relaxing girls-only afternoon! We'll have hors d'oeuvres, lemonade, my family's famous bridal punch, and of course, a special cake from Carolyn! I can hardly wait to open my special gifts, play hilarious games, and most importantly, spend time with my dearest friends & family! Sweet Sister mentioned that we may have fresh peonies (my favorite!) for the shower decor, but aside from that, I have no idea what to expect! I'm sure we'll make so many fun memories--I can't wait to fill you in on those a.s.a.p!

Til next time...remember to set your creative side free!

Hugs & Kisses,

A Southern Sweetheart