{rehearsal dinner, turned} Welcome Party

From the moment we booked our wedding location, we knew we wanted to have a 'welcome party' as opposed to the traditional rehearsal dinner. Mainly we just wanted more time to spend with all of our guests - it isn't too often you have all the people you love in one spot! And with many people traveling to our destination for the weekend, we wanted to thank them by having a second party!

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Because we decided to have a larger party and invite everyone who is invited to the wedding, we had to keep it more low-key than we would if we were hosting just our immediate family and wedding party. In other words, we couldn't do a full-on sit-down dinner. And that is fine with my fiance and me since we will be having the sit-down dinner the next night.

Luckily we found a bigger venue that also happens to be a winery (score!) and we found our exact vision of the food we wanted - a traveling wood fire pizza oven. When we found the place that had a traveling brick oven, we knew we had to get them for our welcome party. It was just what we were looking for - casual and cost-effective, but, at the same time, quality, local ingredients, delicious, fresh food, and a fun vibe. If you are hosting an event in the Columbia Gorge, I highly recommend checking out Solstice Wood Fire Cafe!

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I love rehearsal dinners/welcome parties because it's like a mini wedding, minus all the pressure! You can make it what you want. Go all out, or keep it casual. It gives the bride and groom a chance to greet guests and catch up with everyone before the wedding. It's a great way to ease into the wedding weekend and get into the relaxing frame of mind for the big day. And, the way I see it, the more time your guests have to get to know each other before the wedding, the more fun they will have the day of, right?

If you haven't noticed, I'm almost as excited for our welcome party as I am for the actual wedding.

What are you doing the day before the big day?! If you are having a 'welcome party,' how did you cut back so that you could host a bigger group?

Here Comes the Bride {aisle inspiration}

This past Saturday I talked with two different florists. Before doing so I gathered lots of inspiration and honed in on the look I wanted. I had been holding off on this because there are so many gorgeous options, I was having trouble committing to one. Creating a board with the things I decided on so far and adding in the flowers I was thinking about really helped me be sure I was going in the right direction. I sent the Pinterest board links to the florists and it helped them see my overall style and, more specifically, the flowers I had in mind (what did we do before Pinterest!?) One thing they both asked me on our calls was what my plan was for the aisle and ceremony space. I had been doing so much thinking about the flowers in terms of the tables and bouquets, I hadn't even thought of the aisles! So I asked them what they recommended and started searching and realizing there are endless options...

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Would love the candle look if I was having a nighttime ceremony.

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Shepherd hooks are really versatile and my venue has some I can use if I opt for this. No extra rentals =  money saved! But, you will be shelling out for the extra arrangements. One good option would be if you could move them to the tables after the ceremony for double duty!

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And then there are petals. I love the look of petals along the aisle because it creates such a strong visual pathway. It's also romantic, timeless and (apparently) pretty cost-effective. One of the florists told me she could use the petals of a less expensive flower along the aisle.

When you have a gorgeous venue, I think you can get away with a more minimal aisle decoration. I'm thinking I will keep the ceremony decor pretty simple (we have Mt. Hood as the backdrop, so I think people will be looking at that), and put more towards the tables.

What are you doing to dress up your aisle and ceremony space? Did you have it figured out already when you talked to florists? Any cost-saving tips?

Six Month Countdown {check-in}

I am officially less than six months away from my wedding date! I keep counting it out on my fingers, thinking I'm wrong :-) The wedding planning is continuing to move along, but I have a feeling these next six months are going to fly by, especially once the festivities start getting under way. This week I booked my bachelorette flight and can not wait to be in Palm Springs with my favorite ladies celebrating my last days as a 'single' woman!

This week I needed to step back and look at the bigger picture before I delve into the little details like invitation design, table-scaping and bride accessories. So, I thought what better way to 'step back' than to get inspired by images from my wedding photographer, Sean Morrison Photography.

Love these kinds of shots. Is it called a fish eye lens?

Close-ups.

Nature, laughs, and love.

How cute is she?!

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And some fun shots...

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Looking at these pictures has me excited to dig into my next few tasks on my to do list. Nothing like some great images to get the inspiration going. The thing I love about my photographer is that he does wedding photography because it's his passion, not just his job. During the school year, he teaches digital photography at a high school in Washington. It's great to know my photographer really loves what he does. I think that comes through in his work.

My To Do List for the next few weeks:

- finding my hair and makeup person/people

- florist

- bridesmaid dresses - coordinating the mix-and-match look

Do you have any advice for me in the six-month countdown? Are you getting married this summer? Would love to hear how your planning is going!

Saying Yes to the Dress {again}

Okay, I'm just gonna say it - I'm guilty of buying two dresses. I've heard of women doing this and thought - that would never happen to me! Well, last week I bought dress #2. And I couldn't be happier!

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I bought my first dress a few months back and I loved it. But a couple weeks ago I was surfing wedding blogs and came across an amazing dress...a couple clicks later, I realized it was one of the dresses I tried on that was over my budget, but that I loved. So, I thought, instead of regretting not trying just because I already have a dress, I'll do a little searching for used/second hand options. I thought, if I don't find it, it's not meant to be and I'll be perfectly happy with the dress I already have.

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Well, after coming back to my search a week later, one popped up. And it was in San Francisco. And it seemed to be in my measurements. And it was listed for almost 70% off the retail price. So of course I had to go look. It was just too good to be true. But it wasn't. It fit almost exactly and was in near-perfect condition. So here I am today with two dresses. Luckily I also bought my first dress at a discount, so I'm confident I can sell it and not lose much money.

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Moral of the story for me was to plan, but then just let things happen. Control to a point, but then trust that it will work out. I would have been happy with the first option, but I sure am glad it worked out the way it did. I think this holds true for other wedding planning things...missed out on that venue you had your heart set on? Bridesmaid dresses you wanted are discontinued? Trust that the right thing will come along. And keep looking. It will all fall together just right.

Did you have second thoughts on your dress? Did you see a dress that caught your eye after you already had your dress?

Big thanks to Julie from Encore Bridal!

Showering the Bride {themes}

When I was home over the holidays my cousin offered to host a bridal shower for me! I am beyond excited that I will get to have a shower in my home state and get to see so many of the ladies who will be at my wedding a few months later. The next thing she asked me was what kind of shower I wanted to have, themes, etc. And to tell the truth, I had never thought of this before...I mean I know showers have themes and their own unique flair, but I had never thought about how mine would be. I will be happy with some great ladies around me, a fun game or two, and something to eat and sip on. But, of course, I started some searching to get inspiration. Whether you are planning a shower for someone or looking forward to your own, it is fun to look at all the creative ideas.

Being a lover of perfume, I think this Coco Chanel, French-themed shower is pretty darn cute. And before you start thinking that this is way too over the top - Yes, it is a 'shoot' (not a real shower), but adorable nonetheless.

Guests could mix their own scents.

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I don't think I was a Girl Scout long enough to be qualified for this shower, but wow, so awesome!

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How about this tiki-themed shower. So fun!

These ladies did flower arranging.

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Love the how they took the traditional pink flamingos and turned them gold!

And here we have a 60's-inspired fete.

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Are you having a 'themed' bridal shower? Did you do something related to your wedding?

Bridal Beauty {resolutions}

Happy New Year! I've never really been one for serious New Years resolutions because I try to make little resolutions all year long. I already work out on a regular basis, drink lots of water, and make healthy food choices (most of the time ;-), but in these last seven-ish months leading up to our wedding I definitely want to step it up a notch. When I'm dancing in my wedding dress, I want to know that I gave it my all. So this New Year marks a chance for me to make some little resolutions so that I'll be the best version of myself by my wedding day.

Here are my bridal beauty resolutions...

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- Set ambitious, but do-able, fitness goals. My goal is 3-4 Dailey Method classes and 2 jogs per week. The Dailey Method is a similar workout to The Bar Method or Barre3. I started DM early in 2012 and was so thankful to finally find a workout that I enjoy this much. I love that it is always challenging, but, at the same time, you don't feel like you are beating yourself up. It feels healthy. And gives us ladies that long, lean, and strong body. I like to mix in some jogs for cardio and because it's something my fiance and I like to do together.

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- More tea, water, and veggies. Less coffee, sugar, and starches. These are sort of on-going, but I will be making an extra effort to amp up the water and tea and cut down on the coffee and dessert up until my wedding. Also tipping the dinner plate in favor of veggies over starches and white breads. I know these aren't the most measurable goals, but I'm a big believer that you can have most things in moderation, so I don't like to set hard-and-fast rules when it comes to food.

- Take my vitamins daily. I have vitamins but I always forget! Keeping them at work and taking them right after lunch has proved to work pretty well for me recently. Vitamins are great for that glowing skin and hair.

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- Facials. I'm going to schedule one this month to make sure I'm using the right products and then shoot for three, about once a month leading up to the big day. WebMD recommends scheduling your last facial no later than two weeks prior to your wedding day. I might have to throw in a massage for general relaxation :-)

If all fails, I'll be surrounded by some pretty awesome family and friends, and one wonderful fiance, and I think that's what really gives us brides our 'glow.'

Some healthy, glowing bride inspiration...

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What will you be doing in the new year to make sure you are looking your best by your big day?

Officiants {asking someone you know}

You may remember my post about finding an officiant, here. Well I am so relieved and happy to say that we now have ours! And better yet, he is my uncle (well, he's my dad's cousin to be exact, but same diff). If you are interested in having a family member or friend be your officiant, below, you will find what worked for me!

1. Talk to your fiance about who you both would want.

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From the beginning of thinking about finding our officiant, my fiance and I really liked the idea of having someone we know. We wanted someone whose marriage, family, and values we admired. It was important to us that the person was outgoing, comfortable speaking in front of a group, and had a great sense of humor. It was also a good chance to start imagining the ceremony we envision having. Things like readings, music, incorporating a special ceremony, etc.

2. Look into the legalities.

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I found this site with rules by state. Once you select the state, there is some helpful info and a list of clerk's offices in that state. We found it to be a great quick reference. We also called the office in the county where our wedding will take place and asked them some questions. For example, can our officiant be someone who was ordained online (Universal Life Church, anyone?)? And, can we waive the 3-day waiting period between getting the license and using it since we are coming from out of town? I highly recommend giving your clerks office a call.

 3. Pop the question.

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The hardest part for me was asking, because I didn't want my uncle to feel pressured into saying yes. When I approached it, I made it clear that while we would love for him to be our officiant, we completely understood if he didn't want to do it for any reason. Thankfully he said yes!

Are you thinking of asking a friend or family member to officiate your wedding?

Photography {time is of the essence}

This week we booked our photographer! Soooo excited and relieved to have that checked off our list. More on photography in a future post! This week, along with the photography, I have been thinking a lot about the wedding day timeline. I came across a great article that spoke to this and was happy to see that my day-of timeline was in line with their recommendations, phew! Here is a list of their ten common wedding day timing mistakes:

1. Not scheduling enough time for hair & make-up.

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2. Attending your final dress fitting alone. This has to do with your ladies understanding how your dress works and therefore saving some potential headaches...the hooks and buttons can be hard to navigate!

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3. Not having everyone get dressed early enough. This is about making sure people are dressed before you are so that your mother, father, bridesmaids, etc. are lookin' their best when the photo ops come up.

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4. Too much distance (between where you want to get ready and the ceremony location). For my wedding we'll be getting ready about a 30-minute drive from the wedding site. Even this somewhat short distance has proven a little tricky to plan around when we start thinking about things like hair and makeup time, pictures, and transportation.

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5. Not planning out time for family pictures. The article makes a great point that it's not often you have so much of your family in the same place with a professional photographer.

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6. Cutting it too close with the limos (or any transportation you are using). If you are having transportation like us, you know this all too well. We kept trying to figure out how to cut down the hours, but finally realized the extra money would be well worth it to have things run smoothly on the day of the wedding.

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7. Not scheduling time to mingle with your guests.

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8. Too little time between the ceremony and the reception. This doesn't apply to those of us having the ceremony and reception at the same place, but a good thing to consider for those who have two locations. This article basically says, don't worry about having time between the two. Guests will have plenty to keep themselves busy.

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9. Not doing a "first look."

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10. Failing to give yourself a "cushion."

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See the full article here.

My fiance and I decided to do a "first look" for several reasons, one of them being the day-of timing. We really want to be relaxed and have plenty of time to do the photos with each other, our wedding party, and our families and not feel like we are missing out on the party! And since our ceremony and reception are at the same place, we won't have time in between to do photos.

Do you have any wedding day timing tips? Did you do a first look?

Bridesmaid Dresses {mix & matching}

I recently started using the 'Secret Boards' on Pinterest and am loving it for so many reasons! This past week I've been using it as I narrow in on the look of the bridal party. I am 90% sure we'll be doing the mix and match look for the bridesmaids. I like that with the Secret Boards, I have the option to pin my own as I gather inspiration and then share with all my ladies once I'm ready! And then instead of sending an email with a bunch of links, I can send them actual pictures that link right through to where they can buy them (I heart Pinterest). I'm leaning towards neutral, light dresses. Maybe keeping the same length to keep them consistent.

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As you can see I'm thinking a light nude/tan/ivory color palate. When we're all together, it should look something like this...

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Mixing and matching can be a challenge, but when done right, I love the way it looks! Did you have your bridesmaids in different dresses? Any tips on making everything look polished and pulled together?

P.S. In my unrelated search this week about DIY Christmas tree skirts, I came across this link with instructions on how to make one out of your old bridesmaid dress, click here. So funny.

Holidays {registry inspiration}

Last week was Thanksgiving and, after registering a couple months ago, I could not stop looking at all the things around the kitchen on Turkey Day and making mental notes of what I needed to add to my registry. It's one thing walking around Williams-Sonoma with a scanning gun and it's quite another to actually be cooking a feast and realize all the utensils, tools, and serving dishes that go into making it! Luckily we were at my fiance's family's place and they had all the necessities.

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So, I took the holiday as a chance to take a little inventory of the things on our registry. Some items got the boot. I'm continuing to take mental notes as the holidays get into full swing...roaster for 25 lb. bird? Check.

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At the moment I have two stores going - I chose Macy's, because they have everything and I know people will be able to go in-person if they prefer that, and Williams-Sonoma, because sometimes I like less options to choose from (and also because I love everything in that store). Potato masher? Check.

MyRegistry.com is a great option for couples that don't want to commit to a few stores. The world is at your fingertips (or mouse in this case). It aggregates any item you want into a central registry. You can even scan a barcode with your MyRegistry phone app and add it that way. Genius! If you'd like to do a non-profit registry or feature one that's close to your heart, you can do that too.

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I have to admit, when you are in the throngs of saving for a wedding, registering feels like the shopping you don't get to do!

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I love knowing that the things I'm picking out will end up being the gravy boats, casserole dishes, and platters that my groom, and our family, use on holidays for years to come. It's about more than getting presents - it's about making a house a home :)

Source: my phone + Instagram (movember anyone?)

Do you have any registry favorites?