:: wedding update wednesday ::

Oh my goodness!  So many wedding related things to share.  But before I go into EVERYTHING I have to admit that I am marrying one awesome fella.  This week has been a total stress filled with breakdowns and tears, but Kyle J has been able to find the "good" in everything and the silver lining and make me smile.  He has been cracking jokes and just really been someone I can vent to.  So I am forever grateful for him. ;)

1.  Wedding Rings.  We have them! =D  And goodness  do we have them. after all the stress that was getting them sent to Virginia {worst.decision.ever} just so we would not pay sales tax we have them {well not in our possession, but in my parent's possession}.  I absolutely LOVE my ring.  It is not what I thought I would want or would end up with, so I guess I don't love the flashy shine as much as I thought I did.  Kyle's ring is amazing too.  And for the pricetag it better be amazing. =D We did good REALLY good deals on the rings - especially Kyle's (we got $800 taken off).  And not only am I forever grateful for Kyle, but I am thankful for my parents who had to deal with the shenanigan that is our wedding rings.

2.  Marriage License.  We have that too!  =D  Kyle and I can officially get married in the state of Georgia.  That made it all seem SO real.  The woman was like "congrats, you can get married now" and I couldn't help but smile. 

3.  Enagement pictures were taken {again} and Justin with 375 Photography is amazing.  I am SO happy with our final photographer decision.  He was so organized and knew what to do - directed us and we were done in a hour. Easy.  He had a way of making both Kyle and me relax {and with Kyle that is a true accomplishment} and he was fun to talk to.  And even though it was COLD very COLD, in fact Friday morning it was snowing... we still had a fun time. 

4.  RSVP cards are still rolling in from our very on the ball wedding guests.  We are up to 26 guests thus far.  So if you have not sent your RSVP back - send it send it!! ...And the notes people are writing on them are so very very sweet.  I have really been blessed to have so many awesome people in my life. 

5. I have ANOTHER dress fitting on Friday. This one is to make sure my dress is not still 2" short and to make sure the top fits right.  Then I won't have another fitting *hopefully* until the 1st week of March to make sure that it still fits right.

6.  I got Kyle's wedding present last week and I am absolutely in LOVE with it and cannot wait to give it to him. I really wish I could blab and blab and blab about what it is, but the secret it safe with me!! Now, I just need to get my thank you gift for my Mom and also get something for my Dad.  But I have an idea for my Mom.  But I hope Kyle LOVES his gift and I have a feeling he will.  But I think it was such a bad idea to get it so far in advance since I cannot keep looking at it and just want him to open it up and we cannot do that since it is a WEDDING present.  Not a January present!!!

7.  Our minister situation may be figured out.  Since he does not need any special licenses in the state of Georgia, he does not need to do anything but show up. Now I just need a little more faith that he will show up.  Everytime I talk specifics (like: we have your hotel room. your wifey is invited. you're invited to the rehearsal dinner) he clams up. I.Do.Not.Need.This.Stress. And he wants Kyle and me to read some books {they're long. I want to find books on tape} before the wedding since we cannot do premarital counseling with him, but he is looking into some churches that will do weekend counseling. 

:: wedding update wednesday ::

1. I had my 1st dress fitting last Friday.  And the dress pretty much fits.  it was like 2" too short, so I had to get them to add length and they had to take it in a little at the chest ... but I do need to stop feeding my food baby as much because I want to be able to breathe when I sit down!  The dress is gorgeous and I cannot wait to show it off. =D ...I do have to go back next Friday just to make sure 2" was enough to add.  Oi.

2.  March 24th-27th. Showers, then fair, quite mild.  That is the weather prediction for my wedding weekend/the week after.  SHOWERS = RAIN = UNHAPPY BRIDE TO BE.  I am a fan of the mild weather, just not the potential rain.  I mean really?  I 100% chose my venue on the outside ceremony space and the potentially gorgeous outside pictures. I know that this is just a prediction, but this still makes me want to cry and makes me "hit the panic button" (as Kyle calls it) about potentially ugly wedding pictures.  Rawr.  Double Rawr.

3. Friday (as you know) Kyle and I are having a wedding filled day.  Marriage license, then wedding rings, and then engagement pictures in the city.  Which by the way - we are gonna freeze.

4.  Round 3 of bridesmaid brunch invitations came this week when I was in Florida and I am getting them in the mail to all my girls tomorrow.  They look so so so good so I am excited about them!  I like them way more than the ones I ordered before with the march 24th date on them.

5.  Wedding invitations went out last week and we have started getting RSVPs back.  And I LOVE that people LOVE it.  I have gotten a lot of compliments and that makes me happy. people people people get them back to me.  my venue needs a legit final headcount by march 8th. if you have not responded by them we are revoking your invite. kidding. i kid.

6.  And we have started getting wedding presents which means I got to get a start on thank you notes! =D

January is going to be oh so busy.

January is going to be a crazy month in the Vines-Shanahan house.  Not only do I start traveling for work and head to both Florida and St. Louis - but the wedding things are intense and off the charts.

January 6th :: 1st wedding dress fitting & dinner with a bridesmaid to exchange Christmas presents oh so late and catch up.

January 8 - 11th :: work travel.  Kyle gets to fly solo with the dogs.  Bless him.

January 13th :: Kyle and I are taking the day off and getting our marriage license (eeeek) and our wedding rings (even bigger eeeeek) .... talk about 2 events in the wedding planning that scream oh my goodness we're getting married!! .... and then we're meeting our photographer at 3:00 for engagement photos in the city.  Topped off with an early dinner because we're gonna be oh so tired.

January 22nd - 24th  :: more work travel.

January 29th :: My first (and main) wedding shower.  =D  I guess that means I need to buy some amazing thank you notes so I can get those written and out quickly after.

....and mix in there work and wedding work outs and I have to have 2 more dinners with 2 other wedding party ladies to give them their christmas presents!!  I think January will FLY right by!

Wedding Update.

I just realized that I have not done a real true wedding update in FOREVER.  And since the main point of this blog (currently) is to keep friends and family updated on my wedding plans I guess I should update you all.

1.  A month or so ago my Mom and Dad came down to Georgia for my flower appointment.  I think it went well.  We hashed out a lot.  But then of course, a week or so later I started second guessing everything.  I LOVE my bouquet and all the bouquets and boutonnieres, but I ditched the idea of Shepperd hooks along the aisles.  I think the centerpieces for the tables are gorgeous.  I just get nervous because I TOLD the woman handling the flowers what I want, yet she did not put arrangements together for me to eyeball.  And being the control freak that I am I will either be super happy or not thrilled at all. In my life - there really is no in between.  And I am still wondering if I should move the ceremony site out of fear that it (a) rains or (b) is too cold.  ...I seriously need to take a chill pill.

2.  I was supposed to have my dress fitting a few weeks ago, but per the usual, the salon was unable to keep an appointment and it has been pushed to the 9th of January.  

3.  Speaking of the dress boutique.  They gave me the HEART ATTACK OF THE CENTURY when I found out they ordered the wrong dress then that they did not order the wrong dress.  If the dresses come in and they are not a douponi navy I may just fall over and die.  I hate bridesmaid dresses and the douponi is the only fabric that does not scream "bridesmaid dress".  Le sigh.

4.  Happier news:  I started putting the tags on our candy buffet and all I can say is LOVE.  Seriously, the woman I bought them from on Etsy is nothing but marvelously crafty.

5.  Wedding invites - they should be going out after the 1st of the year.  I think I will be addressing them by the tons over the holidays.  Weeeeeeee.

6.  My wedding showers are on the books.  The BIG one is January 29th and the my work one is sometime in February.  I guess it is time to start cleaning out the kitchen and closets to make room for new and improved stuff.  And it is time to start buying cutesy thank you notes.

7.  There are 97 more days till the wedding.  97.   

8.  Have I mentioned in the past that I chose a wedding cake and that I L-O-V-E it?!  Well.  I did and it is amazing.  And I would like to thank Pinterest for helping me discover it. 

9.  I am trying to get our engagement pictures on the books but with the holidays and my soon to be insane work / travel schedule this is proving to be hard.  And it appears that our photographer does engagement sessions on week days.  So I think Kyle and I will be taking a day off work in January to go ring shopping and smile for round 2 of engagement pictures.  He is oh so thrilled. 

10.  Last and most important:  I have some of the most amazing girls in my bridal party.