2 weeks ago...

This was us.

I'm surprised that our feet are touching the ground, since it felt like we were flying.
Hope you are having a good weekend.

Salutations to Single Shennanigans: Part 1

Adam and I had 2 very different perspective and plans for our "last hoorahs". And I don't mean that he wanted strippers and I wasn't ok with it. I mean that he planned the bachelor parties of a few of the guys in charge of his, so there was retribution to be had. Add to that that my eldest brother also being in charge of planning and you've got on hell of a night that will probably end up in a TERRIBLE hangover and some serious bruising. Below is Adam at bachelor party of his best man, Jon. (There was even a ball and chain that they wrote his bride's name on!)That night ended with most of them kicking back food and hungover and oversleeping to the point that they were late for the rehearsal the next day. Oops. So he was all kinds of nervous. It was a full day of planned drinking for him, starting with a fishing trip in the morning. Unfortunately, we woke up to a horrendous storm. Notsomuch with the fishing trip! So they were spending the day lounging about and running a few errands.

I was at the other end of the spectrum.

The insta-storm that had brewed up meant flights were being delayed, canceled, and rerouted left and right. One of my bridesmaids was stuck in Atlanta after her red eye flight from LA. Another was still in Gainesville because the terrible weather was making driving on I-10 a bit perilous. Adam's parent's and brother were stuck on a tarmac trying to get TO atlanta, and a few cousins and friends were scattered around various airports trying to figure out how to get to PC. I was calling everyone trying to coordinate phone numbers and locations so that if need be, someone could hold up a sign for "D/Z Wedding", collect a crew and rent a car. Not the best of mornings.

That evening, a group of women from my home church (most of whom have known me since I was 3 or 4) decided to through me a LINGERIE shower. The hostess list included the headmistress from my elementary school, a couple of my friends' mothers, and the priest's wife. All I have to say is, when I need therapy, it really isn't my fault.

However, other than that, there were no plans for me. For whatever reason, getting my bridesmaids to talk was like pulling teeth. And everyone was calling me asking what I was planning. My planning? Are you kidding me? I planned the rehearsal dinner and the wedding and the reception and ALL the details to go with that. I AM DONE. I was a bit perturbed for quite a while at this. Anytime someone asked me, I really began to wonder if blood really could boil from anger. But by Thursday, I just didn't give a damn. I knew I wanted to get my nails done, and Bliss was great from the pedicure, so I offered that all the girls could join me. Some did and we had a good time, and then ran some errands and ran into the boys running errands.

It was a very rainy day in a small town... and for the most part, our moods were matching the dreary weather. Anyone else start out their party evening on a less than fun note?

Floral Frenzy

So my sister-in-law is a floral designer (and thus the recipient of a million emails from me of blog photos I like). But I wanted her to be able to be a part of the wedding as my sister and bridesmaid and have fun. So this meant that someone else would have to work with her and do most of the actual leg work. One problem, she lives in Hawai'i and our florist is from Tennessee (wedding coordinator recommendation). So they talked via email and between them and the wedding coordinator, I never had anything to do or worry about.

My parent's just renovated their office building and the side of it that is for rent we used for the floral ready room. We cranked the AC and set up of few tables. And the next thing we knew:

Poof! Pretty Flowers and vases!

At this point, Tom (florist) was walking my MOH and I around flower by flower and explaining the plans and asking if they were ok etc. I finally stopped him and said
"The flowers are beautiful, I can't imagine that there is anyway to make them look ugly. So, as far as I'm concerned - we're good. No need to explain - I'm not the floral pro."

And guess what - I WAS RIGHT!
Between the floral fiends - we ended up with some BEAUTIFUL centerpieces!
(Photo by the wonderful Rae Leytham)

And my sister hand made my bouquet for me, and I couldn't have been happier. It was beautiful, whimsical, tropical, and had a touch of sparkle!
(Photo by the amazing Rae Leytham)

THANK YOU FLORAL FIENDS!

Anyone else take a hands-off approach to their florals?

Feverish Perspective on Checklists

Side Note: There will be a list of things I absolutely would not change... but it wasn't supposed to post yet!

So, it was 10 days before the wedding and I was supposed to drive over to Pensacola to see some friends and I was not feeling well. I got part way there before realizing I really didn't feel well, I hadn't slept well and thus was exhausted and while I wanted to see my friends, this wasn't worth wearing myself down when there was still a long checklist of things to do. Turns out, I turned around just in time. I made it home, laid down for a short nap, and woke up rejecting my food. ick. I spent the next 24 hours with 100 degree fever, kicking back anything I ate or drank. I was not a happy bride-to-be. By Saturday, I was keeping down food, but I couldn't stay awake for more than a few hours. Needless to say, I wasn't getting much done.

It wasn't until Monday before I left the house again. I was still recovering and still had a lot to do. I had a haircut and a make-up trial and was supposed to get a pedicure with a friend I hadn't seen in years. The haircut and the make-up trial were at the same place and both went smoothly.... not that I was surprised. This is the same place I went to for all my proms and haircuts growing up; and most recently my hair trial. I HIGHLY recommend Fotula of Hairbenders to anyone in the Panama City area. (Photo below is of Fotula at her daughter's wedding just a few years ago. Photo taken by my mom or dad.) Then it was off to Bliss Spa for their Ice Cream Pedicure. I was still pretty worn out, but at least I just had to sit and relax while Fotual cut my hair, Dana did my make up, and the great people at Bliss tickled my tootsies!

While I wouldn't recommend getting ill to anyone, it did help to keep perspective. I had a long list of things to do, and I was working at whiddling it down- but I also knew that what didn't get done, just wouldn't get done. The world would not cease to spin, and the wedding would go on. At the end of the day, regardless of what on that list went undone, Adam and I were going to be married, and thats all I cared about.

Weddingbee Photo of the Day!!

Remember how I made the "shoes" for my girls and I? Well, Rae took an amazing shot of our fancy tootsies and then just yesterday my blog reader showed me Mrs Bee posted this........

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Gallery Photo of the Day

April 13th, 2009 @ 3:25 pm by Weddingbee Gallery

We’re so excited to see all the amazing and inspiring wedding pictures that bees and readers have uploaded to the Weddingbee gallery! This month as a thank you, every day we’ll feature a photo from the gallery, and at the end of the week, we’ll choose one random featured user, and send them a prize!

Today’s featured photo is from mdarrah’s barefoot wedding. She DIYed “shoes” for herself and her bridesmaids! Check it out!

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:)

Thanks Rae!!

OOT Bags: Economy and Ecology

We had a large group of people joining us from out of town. Our guests, friends, and family, came from anywhere in between (and including) New York to Hawaii. We wanted to welcome them, thank them for coming, and provide them with a few goodies as well as some pertinent information. We wanted to do all of this, not spend a lot of money, and to be more than something else to be thrown away (since there is no recycling in Panama City - reducing our waste was key). So while these paper gift bags were affordable at Michael's (about $0.75 each), they weren't a good option since they would just be thrown away.Another very popular idea is to splurge a bit and get canvas bags and then DIY decorate them for the wedding. This is a beautiful example from Mrs. Cupcake of weddingbee.
But as we've seen before, my DIY craftiness level only goes so far... and screen printing or gocco is not included. (Stamping is probably at the far reaches of my crafty level in this regard.) Also, canvas bags aren't particularly cheap unless you are buying ten gazillion of them. So, we needed a new option. A reusable, perferably recycled and recyclable, bag of a decent size for about $1. If only such things were in stores! Oh wait, they are! Right now they are in almost EVERY store!
As much as I love Publix, and am thrilled at their green efforts, it still didn't seem quite "us". And while reusable, they are made from new materials. Somewhere along the line it finally dawned on us that we are a part of a co-op with great stewardship principals and their bags are made form recycled materials, are reusable and recyclable, AND they have are a plastic based so they work as great beach bags too!! WOOHOO for REI!
At $1 a piece - we were sold! So before leaving LA, I went to REI and snatched up a bunch of these guys and packed them with me to Florida. In Florida we filled them with treats from Hawaii and Pennsylvania, some bottles of water, touristy maps and info, and a welcome letter with detailed information and directions to the welcome party. What I didn't count on (but was thrilled to see), was running into my guests at the hotel, heading to or from the beach or pool or shopping - all carrying the REI bags! Everyone said they loved them and that they make great beach bags. Hooray for the bags being a hit!

Next up - why 100 degree fevers suck the week before the wedding!

We're MARRIED!!!

We are married!
*que happy-dance*

It was absolutely perfectly imperfect and I wouldn't change a thing. Ok, maybe one or two things, but nothing that mattered. I've LOTS of stories to tell, and lots of lessons learned. Last minute preparations, out of town bags, rehearsal dinner and welcome party fun, 100 degree fevers, some almost dress regret, last minute jewelry decisions, wedding cake craziness, and changing into my mothers wedding dress!!

And it was one hell of a party!!! I'm off on my mini-moon until Easter, but I might pop in from time to time as my AWESOME photogs send more photos!! In the mean time, they posted these teasers and I LOVE THEM!!! They look much better on their blog.

THANK YOU RAE AND WESLEY!!!!

EEEK!! I love it.


oooh - its like its glowing!!

Stay tuned!