Wedding Wednesday...Saved the Best for Last!

Here it is friends...my very last Wedding Wednesday post. Let's face it, with a little more than a week to go, I know my mind will be spinning next week so posts are most likely going to be few and far between as we finalize all the small details and try to relax and soak in each and every moment!

First of all, I want to say a big thank you to each of you for being so supportive these past 16 months {yes, I know uber long engagement}. Your thoughtful comments, advice, sweet words of encouragement, and genuine care and concern have meant more to me than I could ever explain in words and I appreciate you all. It's been so fun to write about this exciting time in my life and share a piece of who I am with my blogging friends. Not to mention it will be fun to look back on this crazy wedding planning process to know just how hard we worked to make everything fit our personalities, show our guests a great time, and check off all the details I had bookmarked and saved for what seems to be my entire life. So from me to you, thanks for paying the slightest bit of attention to my little blog...you made this girl very happy!
So I know you're dying to know: what in the world could I possibly have still to do?

• Finish the rehearsal dinner escort cards and placecards for table assignments
• Wrap all of the bridal party, family, and Jeff's wedding gifts
• Pick up our wedding rings
• Assemble the OOT gift bags
• Call vendors for final headcount of guests
• Drop off all wedding-related items to our wedding planner
• Get my final haircut and color
• Pick up rehearsal dress from alterations and wedding dress from bridal salon
• Pamper Mom and I with manis and pedis
• Finish packing for the honeymoon!!

I know, that small list seems like nothing compared to what I started with, and what I've slowly been checking off recently...now the real fun begins as all these pieces start coming together and I can see our "wedding vision" come to fruition. I know I've got to make sure I get my photographers to capture all the details we worked so diligently on so I can proudly show off some of our DIY-savvyness!
So people have started asking me a bunch of questions about the wedding and I compiled them all together to share some fun stuff with you:

1. Are you wearing a veil? What kind? My "classic" wedding does indeed include wearing a veil, especially since I will be walking down this long and gorgeous aisle...I think I would be doing Scarritt Bennett an injustice if I was to forego this crucial detail

2. What is the single most unique thing about your wedding? Wow, that's a hard one..I think all of the small details that I worked with numerous vendors on. I think our invitations and programs are extremely unique in that I had so much involvement with the design of them...1) because of my fascination with paper and stationery, and 2) because I wanted them to set the tone for the entire theme of our wedding. I also can't wait to surprise our guests with some of the fun elements we'll have at our reception!

3. What inspired your wedding? What are your wedding colors? The overall inspiration of my wedding came from timeless, classic weddings. I wanted to incorporate black and ivory which will forever be glamorous and in style, and then wanted to add in a pop of color, hence where the yellow accents came from. I created tons of inspiration boards and perused sites for hours on end finding just the right mix to complement our church and reception venues and I think it suits our personalities perfectly!

4. What is your first dance song? That's a surprise, but it's a song that I stumbled across last year when looking at videographers websites believe it or not. It's not too fast, not too slow, and something I haven't ever heard at a wedding before and it's a happy-go-lucky tune perfect for our first twirl on the dance floor.

5. What's the most unique thing about your ceremony? The thing I love most about our ceremony is that we have found a way to incorporate Jeff's dad's memory into our nuptuals. He passed away when Jeff was 17 and though he can't be there in person, we wanted to find a way to include his #1 role model in our big day. One of my good friends did something similar last year and I thought it was so touching as a way to pay tribute to Jeff's dad.

6. What's the weirdest/rudest thing someone has said about your plans so far? Hmmm...to be honest, not "one" thing stands out in my mind about something rude someone has said to me. People have asked how much things cost which can be a bit odd, especially if they don't know you that well, but overall everyone has been very complimentary and happy about our wedding plans. It is funny though when people say "well I would do this" and "I would do that"...OK fine by me--everyone is totally entitled to their own opinion when it comes to their dream wedding.

7. What's the nicest/coolest/made-you-smile thing someone has said about your wedding plans? Two things: I had someone I don't know very well from Jeff's friends call me one day to say how much they loved our invitations and that they were the prettiest invites they had ever seen--that put a big smile on my face in that I went through 7 rounds of revisions to make our invitations absolutely perfect. Then, I had another someone email me to say they had been reading all of my wedding-related posts on the blog and saying they couldn't wait to see it all come together because once they got engaged they wanted to hire me as their wedding planner...hmmm new profession perhaps?? ;)

So that's all from me...trying to stay focused at work these last few days wrapping up client events, proposals, and staying on top of all the last minute wedding preparation emails and phone conversations that seem to keep pouring in--in a mere 10 days, I finally get to marry Jeff and I am beaming with anticipation! Have a FANTASTIC day, friends!

Wedding Wednesday...One Month To Go!

I woke up this morning and realized I am no longer counting in weeks, I am counting in DAYS people!! We only have a mere month longer to enjoy our engagement before the blessed event is FINALLY here... people have started asking me if I am nervous, and truth be told, I am not one single bit. I am so ready to marry the man of my dreams and ready to settle into life as a married woman and combine our lives together.

I've got almost everything done {and yes, now just working on the small details and surprises of our celebration} and I know everyone will be able to tell just how much time and effort we spent into making it fit our personalities.

I think it's fun to look back at where we started with our wedding planning and see how our my visions have transformed along the way...lots of similarities that haven't been tweaked, but some little things that were revised based on the evolvement of our colors, locations, vendors, and other little details I would happen to stumble across. Here is the 1st inspiration board I started with and then the final... 

Here is my final list of wedding to-do's:

• Finish Scat Springs' playlist for songs we want them to play!
• Finalize direction cards for our guests from the ceremony to the reception
• Approve the ceremony programs
• Final reception/wedding planning meeting on the 17th
• Work on escort and table cards for the rehearsal dinner
• Paint little odds and ends {you're dying to know!!} to use as decor for the reception
• Buy rehearsal dinner jewelry and accessories and get dress altered
• Finish purchasing out-of-town guest bag items and stuff/make contents
• Confirm all vandors/reservations/details with Mary Alice and all other wedding participants
• Wrap bridal party gifts
• Get our marriage license
• Sit back, relax, and enjoy all the fun of what's to come!!

Wedding Wednesday... Flower Power

Cheers to another week flying by... I swear this wedding planning process is making me a crazy woman, with contracts being signed and deposits going out each week, but I wouldn't have it any other way {remind me of that if I ever start to complain, OK??} =)

This weeks marks another HUGE component of both the ceremony AND the reception... AKA the flowers! My Mom and I are meeting with an incredible floral designer tomorrow afternoon and I couldn't be more thrilled than for us to talk through what we're thinking, see her portfolio, and discuss how we plan to make my dream a reality.

I feel lucky in the fact that my ceremony venue is so ornate that I don't want too many flowers overwhelming the church, a fact that will help to save some $$ too...I'm looking for simple pew flowers, altar arrangements, and fun flower wreaths for the gorgeous doors outside! But then we have an open, airy style reception venue so I can't wait to see what we can brainstorm as far as centerpieces and then the accompanying bouquets for me, my bridesmaids and flower girl, and of course the boutonnieres for the boys.

The Inside of My Church {insert my happy, smiling face here}

Our Reception Venue {and the soft draping I am going to be using, too!}

And of course, here is my flower inspiration board--tell me what you think!

Although I am a girl with a budget, I am also a bride that seems to love the expensive flowers--isn't that just lovely?? With my love of anemones, peonies, hydrangeas, and roses, this first encounter with talking flowers should be quite interesting... who knew stems of these beauties could cost a mere fortune??

Can't wait to report back and let you know how it goes!!

Summer Parties

You can guarantee that if our house was completely finished, I would be hosting party after party at our place this summer... there is nothing like entertaining your closes friends and family, and summer is the perfect time to host any kind of party--while searching online for some possible shower ideas for friends, I came across some adorable party ideas from my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE party planning website--The Party Dress... not only do theyr feature the fun details of every party and how to tie everything together, but they give you the resources and websites to make any party your very own... love it! 

Patio Party via The Party Dress

Backyard Burger Bash via The Party Dress

Blue and White Porch Party via The Party Dress

Farmhouse Brunch via The Party Dress

Tequila Tasting Party via The Party Dress

Home Sweet Home Housewarming Party via The Party Dress

Stargazing Picnic Party via The Party Dress

Cocktails and Croquet Party via The Party Dress

Ok, so which party would you pick to host and why?? I am totally obsessed with Home Sweet Housewarming idea because we're hoping to have one sooner or later once we actually get the rooms semi-complete and I think it's fun to show all your hard work and your brand new abode!

Wedding Wednesday... Color Scheme and Inspiration Board

Although I have loved every minute of keeping my blogging friends in suspense, the time has come to finally dish my chosen color scheme... though the writing was on my blogging wall the ENTIRE time {sneaky, right???}. I thought long and hard after we got engaged about the ideal color scheme--not only for me--but for the month of the wedding, what colors I love, and what stands out to me in terms of wedding design... I went back and forth with various details, options, and hues, but came back to my original inspiration,and this is what I came up with:

Traditional Black and White with a
Pop of Bright and Sunny Yellow!

Keep in mind, my wedding is in June, a true summer month, so I wanted a fun color to brighten the decor, flowers, etc... and I love the classic elegance of black and white, especially since our wedding will be an evening celebration! Though I have seen loads of inspiration boards with details I love, I created this with Photoshop and love how it turned out--it's exactly the ideal look I am going for and I think this matches my "southern soiree" type wedding.

Now do you know why my blog redesign incrporated certain colors? =)

In other news, no, the dress featured above is not my dress {because I don't have one yet}, but the style I am hoping for is the trumpet/mermaid silhouette. Now that I am in the process of slowly going back to blonde, my MOH/partner-in-crime and I booked bridal appointments for May 15th here in Nashville!! Yes, it is hard to contain my excitement--this is what every girl dreams of growing up and I can't wait to go shopping to see if I can find "THE ONE".  We're visiting The Bride Room, Arzelle's, and Village Bridal all in one day so keep your fingers crossed... and yes, we will be going another day because I am going to bask in this fashion/runway show fun for as long as possible--how long did it take you to find your dress??

Also, any designers I need to make sure to check out??? This piece of the wedding is becoming a little bit overwhelming--wow, so many gorgeous designers who I love!!!

Thanks for all your help friends--have a GREAT DAY! OXOX

Wedding Wednesday...All Things Inspiration

Since I have started planning a wedding--and let's be honest, even before I got engaged--I would browse wedding blogs and websites in search of inspiration boards. I'm a little obsessed and have found so many that are gorgeous, which makes it EXTREMELY difficult to narrow down my color choices.

Now don't get too excited on me just yet because none of the following boards are what I will be using for my wedding, however, hidden within these boards are the colors and pieces of inspiration--sneaky, huh?? I am still in the process of creating THE perfect board, but these are just a sample of my absolute favs I have stumbled across: 

**make sure to check out these sites as they are definitely swoon-worthy!!

50's style inspiration via Style Me Pretty

Chartreuse and Silver via the Perfect Palette

Confetti and Cake via Snippet and Ink

French Red Poppies via Snippet and Ink

Gold and Black via The Perfect Palette

Sunshine Fix via Snippet and Ink

Graphite and Tangerine via Snippet and Ink

Modern Vintage Circus via Snippet and Ink

Peach, Pink, and White via The Perfect Palette

Lemon Lime via Snippet and Ink

 Pink and Black via Snippet and Ink

What are some of your favorite websites and blogs as far as wedding inspiration??? The list is endless, which makes planning a wedding now far more simpler because we have technology on our side to help, in addition to great wedding planners of course =)