the FUN in changing your name

I know I harked a bit on the whole traditional process of changing your name after you're married...yes I'm southern, yes I'm traditional, hence I steered in that direction--however, it is most certainly worth noting that some good can come from this new monogram...more time to personalize!
I love anything and everything with my monogram/name on it and I couldn't help but pick out all kinds of fun new gifts and treats--perfect for anyone out there looking for an out-of-the-box wedding gift for someone special, too!
Did you also know that when you are personalizing something with your combined monogram (i.e. husband and wife, that the woman's first initial comes BEFORE the man's? Yes, I know, I am etiquette guru, but it is true...ours for instance, looks like this: NSJ}

Honeycomb Stationery via Red Stamp

Chain Serving Platter via Rouge and Co.

Storage Bin via The Macbeth Collection

Monogram Tervis Tumblers

Monogram Stamp via Sweet Papery

Spring Blossom Stationery via Minted

Monogram Applique Pillow Cover via Pottery Barn

So tell me, what are your favorite types of items to get personalized?

And speaking of fun gifts, today is the last day to enter "my favorite things" giveaway...winner will be announced tomorrow, but if you've yet to enter, hop on over to the post here 

Wedding Wednesday...The Final Countdown

38 days to go. I remember when I started my beloved Wedding Wednesday posts more than a year ago seen here, the countdown was 400+ days and now we're within 5 weeks...the end of planning/the beginning of married life is so soon I can feel it.
I'm promising myself I am going to finish my big items as soon as possible so the few weeks/weekends prior to the wedding can be spent relaxing by the pool, grilling out with family and friends, and savoring every moment of the fun looming.

Here's the last few areas/items to tackle:
1. Finalize parking/direction cards to get our guests from the ceremony to the reception
2. Confirm hotel reservations for all out-of-town guests
3. Finish purchasing groomsmen and ring bearer gifts
4. Complete ceremony programs--draft is being put together now so this will be done soon!
5. Discuss songs to play/songs to avoid with our band, Scat Springs
6. Finish thank-you notes for all gifts received
7. Complete the application to get our marriage license
8. Work with Mary Alice to finalize ALL details with each vendor--florist, ceremony musicians, reception venue with rentals and setup, catering, band, photographers, videographers, cake baker, etc.
9. Send the bridal party and family a final weekend itinerary for timeline of events

Since I had so many comments about how helpful the last etiquette post was, I thought I would include a few more...my Mom will be so proud ;)

The Thank-You Note: In sending thank you cards for gifts, truth be told that the sooner you can tackle this, the better. For bridal shower gifts, handwritten notes should be written within 2 weeks upon receiving the gift. For actual wedding gifts received at the wedding, the proper deadline for sending out is within 6 to 8 weeks. The easiest way to get this done quickly--tackle a set number of notes each day and you'll have them finished in no time! Don't forget to call out the specific item you're writing the thank you for...this is not a time to say 'thanks for the gift'. Here's an example:

Dear Bob and Betsy,

Thank you so very much for the thoughtful wedding gift. We are so excited to begin using our new coffee maker and know it is sure to become a much needed necessity every morning. We were so happy you were able to join us at the wedding, and enjoyed catching up with the two of you. All our love and we hope to see you again soon.

Best,

John and Julie

Tipping Vendors: Tipping is an expression of gratitude for above and beyond service. Gratuities are usually added into the final bill, so pay attention to your invoices and note exactly what you're paying for. Choosing to tip someone is completely up to you and your discretion and should be given for superior services only. The customary amount is between 15-20%. People who fall in the potential category of receiving an additional gratuity include the following: Catering Manager, Bartenders, Wedding Planner, Limo Driver, Florist, Photographer, Baker, Musicians, and Ceremony Officiant.

Fashionable Friday...Bright White

OK, so all of you were quick to come to the rescue and ease my fears about talking about all the white-what-not-to-wear, so I thought it would be a perfect Friday post to showcase anything and everything WHITE on the horizon this season...I think we should all wear this color as much as possible for all other events because it's such a feminine and clean happy shade.

P.S. please tell me some of you saw Real Housewives of New York City last night. Did you notice how both Ramona and Alex wore white/ivory dresses to their friend's wedding and how Jill and her gossip gals were quick to discuss?? CLASSIC--I was rolling in laughter, and yes, that would be me and my friends if we saw that as well ;)
{And for those of you wondering all about the "you can't wear white pants/dresses/skirts before Easter and/or Memorial Day rule"...this is MY advice: if its above 75 degrees in April which constitutes as spring, put your favorite pieces on and sport them!}

Here are some of my favorites:

Source of Inspiration Dress via ModCloth

Ruffle Neck Blouse via Loft

Buttermilk Sky Taupe and Ivory Dress via Lulus

Deco Adoration Blouse via Anthropologie

Cloud 9 Top via Francesca's

Calvin Klein "Alex" Sandal via Piperlime

 Summer Dream Strapless Dress via ShopRuche

Canvas Cargo Tote via JCrew

Remember to look out for all those sales, online coupons, and free shipping codes when shopping online...I think I am getting pretty good at racking up the savings as I shop!

That's it for this week lovelies... tonight I'll be FINISHING the rest of the invitations {BIG WAHOO!}, and then getting up bright and early tomorrow so Jeff and I can head to Knoxville for the rest of the weekend...can't wait to spend it with some of my favorites, and put on a festive party dress for our shower, too. ;) Have a wonderful weekend!!

Wedding Wednesday...The Etiquette

One day, maybe I'll write a weekly newspaper column about wedding etiquette and the in's and out's of being a good guest/bride/bridesmaid/etc, but until that day, I wanted to share some lessons I've learned these past 14 months that could just help some of you out...
{and by no means am I claiming to be the "end all" of etiquette, however, after being in a number of my friends' weddings, attending countless shindigs, and now working through the final chapters of planning my own soiree, I think I may be able to offer some helpful advice/tips and tricks...hopefully}

Number 1: If you do not receive "and guest" on your wedding invitation, you shouldn't be bringing a +1. Some people-myself included-are limited to the number of people they can invite to their weddings/rehearsals/showers/parties/etc. This is a delicate issue for some people, and the way I look at it for my own guest list planning was this...if you have a longtime significant other that we have met OR know personally, you get to bring them--the more the merrier! However, if you're just wanting to bring a date so you don't have to wedding crash, leave that for the afterparty please. This goes the same for children...if they aren't included on the invitation, {inner envelope is where their names would be included} then it's time to find a good babysitter for the festivities. Sorry to say, this isn't a daycare party.

Number 2: They send you a Response Card for a reason. Contrary to popular belief, response cards and reply envelopes do matter ladies and gentlemen. To simply throw this away and show up is rude, and just plain mean. These friends/family/colleagues have invited you to their wedding for a reason, and you should extend the same kindness and send in your RSVP-by the due date. Factoring in a headcount for final food/alcohol/seating/etc is extremely important not to mention costly so please please please...send these back in a timely fashion!

Number 3: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. No offense, but wedding planning puts you in a bubble--an out-of-body experience where all you can dream about is flowers galore, feeding cake to your cute new hubby, dancing with all your friends to your favorite wedding band, and yes, the list goes on and on. If the person planning their wedding asks you for advice, by all means, don't hold back and be truthful in your answers, but if you feel as though you should offer your two cents any time you get the opportunity, please refrain. We all have different tastes and each person's wedding should reflect their personality, not your vision. Don't rain on their parade!!

Number 4: The Registry Information. This pertinent info should ONLY be included on party and shower invitations and/or wedding websites, not the actual wedding invitation. It's like you're advertising your guests to bring gifts to your nuptuals--and that just sounds greedy.

Number 5: The People Who Can't Arrive On Time. If you arrive at the church during the procession, you should wait until the bride has gone down the aisle before entering. Please don't peek through the doors to watch because you'll absolutely show up in her photos, which no doubt will make for an unhappy bride {not something anyone wants!} If you are late for the ceremony, you should walk down an outside aisle and find a seat quickly and quietly.

Number 6 {and this is the BIG one friends}: Unless you are THE bride, any shade of white OR ivory is off limits and completely inapprorpriate to wear to ANY wedding event. I have a feeling I may get some slack for this one, but it's true... your friend/family member/other important person has most likely waited a long time to be a "vision in white" so please just simply leave it alone. People will notice and it won't be pretty--trust me, I have seen it before with my own two eyes, and I couldn't help but say 'what was she thinking?'

So friends, we're coming into the home stretch here...I can't believe we only have 66 more days until we tie the knot! Last weekend, I was able to knockout a huge amount of my to-do list...ordered cocktail napkins with our custom monogram, finished and mailed all my thank-you notes for shower gifts {before the 10 day deadline!}, and ordered the groomsmen gifts. This week, I am putting the finishing touches on all the invitations--only 20 more to finish the calligraphy on, and then they will go out to our guests next week--OH SO EXCITED!!

This weekend, we're headed to Knoxville for our couple's shower, thrown by my two best friends and their husbands as well as my MOH's parents...I cannot wait!! They all know how to throw a great party and Jeff and I can't wait to see some old and new friends in our other home away from home city.

Happy Wednesday friends...I'm off to diffuse some not-so-great news I was delivered this morning. I think this may be a cupcake for lunch kinda day with the way it's starting off--deep breaths, deep breaths! Love to you all ;)

Charming...and Stylish Details

Last night, I continued the "winter cleaning" as I am calling it, because let's face it, due to inclement weather, I am stuck at home most of the evenings and I am trying to accomplish anything other than watching mindless TV... I decided to go through my stack of old magazines and organize what I want to keep, what I want to recycle, and what I want to toss.

Southern Living has some of my favorite recipes, so I simply cut them out and am going to buy a fun binder to keep all of them in for easy reference! This will make finding new favorites so much easier than having to skim through old issues...

While I was cutting out decorating ideas and all the holiday tablescapes, I stumbled upon an article that I thought was perfect to share on my blog... cleverly entitled "How to Write a Charming Thank-You Note" {via September 2010 issue}. In this day and age, so many people forget to write handwritten notes and I thought I would take a moment to mention a few specifics to make it easier, and more fun:

1. Start with the date and salutation: Send your note, written in black ink, within a week of receiving a gift. P.S. If you pass the 1 week mark, don't stress it--etiquette is actually 2 weeks so they'll forgive you once they open that beautiful note anyways =)

2. Say thanks right off the bat: Be specific about why you are writing the note. If you’re thanking someone for a monetary gift, refer to their “generosity” rather than mentioning the amount.
3. Compliment the kind gesture: Don’t be afraid to go over the top—everyone loves an effusive compliment, as long as it’s heartfelt.
4. Allude to the future: Anticipate another get-together, or if you’re writing about a gift, be sure to tell them how you plan to use it.
5. Finish with sincere regards: Reiterate your gratitude, then close the letter on an intimate note, signing your first and last name. Don’t forget to proofread before you postmark! {We all have a final touch we like to add--mine for instance is "Best" because it can be sent to a number of people in a lot of different circumstances...not too personal, not too formal, but use a salutation that works for you}

And I wanted to send a special thank you to both blogging friends Teaching in Heels as well as M at I Made My Bed for passing on the "Stylish Blogger Award" to me...I have my days where I don't believe I am stylish whatsoever, but that is so sweet of both of you--so then I have to share 7 stylish things about myself/my philosophies/etc...

1. I love to mix brown and black together--yes, I know, some people would never do this, but mixing neutrals together works well {in my opinion} and it offers some contrast--throw some gray in there, and you're golden in my book!

2. Fashion icons I adore include Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba, and Jennifer Aniston...classic and tailored, yet refined and hip...they aren't afraid to throw in color either, which I heart!

3. If I could switch places with one person in the fashion industry for one single day, I would most certainly choose Anna Wintour--yes, she is the woman from "The Devil Wears Prada", but that woman has the fashion world at her fingertips and I would die if I were able to play dress up for a day from the infamous Vogue closet.

4. My favorite thing to wear--which will come as no surprise to most of you--are dresses... they're feminine, fun, show off your figure, yet can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion...not to mention they are the most comfortable garments to me. In going through my closet recently, I had to count them and I had more than 100...yes, I know, a bit ridic...

5. If you're wanting new highlooks at a fraction of the cost, subscribe to Rue La La, HauteLook, Gilt, Ideeli, and any other fashion feature website. You can get this season's look for up to 50% off which helps our money go a little farther...

6. I am obsessed with fingernail polish... if I have nothing on my fingers, I feel naked... it always helps you look "complete" in my eyes, especially when people see your hands all the time--give me some OPI You Don't Know Jacques or Pinking of You and I am all set.

7. And most of all... have fun! Shop around your closet for fun mix and matching pieces--you don't always have to look "matchy matchy"... brighten your wardrobe with fun accessories {jewelry, scarves, purses} that don't break the bank, but still incorporate current looks with timeless pieces