:: wedding wednesday ::

Current Numbers:  45 days to go.

Current Guest Count: 82

1. as mentioned before.  we are 100% planned.  and it feels good to really not have to worry about anything (planning related).  we're still having RSVPs roll in ... and I know we're going to have to make a list of calls once the RSVP by date passes by.  But having no stress other than that feels good.  Now Kyle and I just have to sit back and relax and count down the days and read our pre-wedding required reading!

2.  {{confession alert}}  I have a REALLY bad habit of stalking my wedding registy so I pretty much know what is bought when it is bought.  But I am beginning to realize that I am going to need to have a major yardsale post wedding to try and get rid of our old things.  Like my CEO and his wife bought us our Keurig (which I am crazy excited about) so we have our old one cup coffee pot from Starbucks (that dates back to my college days.  And then our blender has been upgraded by someone and so has our hand mixer and our George Forman was upgraded at Christmas.  I think my brother and I should have a joint yard sale this spring.  ...And I really need to quit stalking my wedding registry.

3.  I have my work shower next Thursday and I am really excited about it.  I somehow have talked Kyle into coming which is a good thing since so many people want to meet him -- I know he is not thrilled, but the things you do for love.  I really work with an awesome group of people and for a company that is a true family!  Hopefully, I will get more pictures from that shower and be better about posting.

4.  I got THE VERY BEST wedding compliment ever this weekend. My friend Megan (aka Megster) who will be at the wedding (all the way from Boston!!) sent me a facebook message saying "

So I am totally that person who throws away wedding invitations immediately after viewing once/rsvping. I am so obsessed with yours that I'm keeping it until I get married because I want the exact same." .... that made my heart smile.  Because you see picking wedding invitations was such a chore and such a hard decision.  We ordered dozens of samples - we ordered customized invitations and then sent them back because I was not "in love" with them.  But when the gray and navy came back I was IN LOVE!  And I am soo glad people are liking them.  We have received soo many compliments about how pretty and classic they are and it makes me so happy!

5.  I had a really hard day today in regards to wedding planning and my bridal party.  But I will have to say I am blessed to have an amazing to be husband who can turn any awful day into something wonderful and make me smile.  A bridesmaid who is only a phone call away that can fit me into her crazy schedule right now (she is assisting Michael Oher on his book tour) to let me vent and cry and can tell me it will all be okay.  A co-worker who understands and knows exactly where I am and can (and has) given me some of the best words of wisdom.  And a company full of people who send me text messages after hours to just make sure I am ok.  ....you learn who your true friends are (and aren't) when you're wedding planning and I am so lucky to have so many awesome people in my life.

6.  I am a still at a loss over wedding hair.  I think I am going to pick my favorite one from each row and have my hair lady do all 3 and then make a game time decision.  And by game time, I mean 3 weeks in advance.

But the next 45 days cannot pass by fast enough.  Bring on the wedding.

Wedding Shower #1

Oi.  Forgive me.  This post is SO overdue.  I blame my lazy self and my inability to find the thing that connects the camera and my computer to upload all the pictures.  But, since I found the cord and now have pictures and am a blog posting/writing fool this weekend I can tell you all about my bridal shower fun!

A few weeks ago my maid & matron of honor through me my 1st and really only bridal shower. (I should have gotten a picture with them, but I didn’t.  Fail #1)  In the south having 98873 showers is totally normal and acceptable but since I  1. don’t really like being the center of attention and opening gifts in front of people and 2. don’t have that many friends … I didn’t wans 98873 showers.  I wanted one and then my work shower.

The group of girls that made it was few (again no picture. fail #2) but a lot of my wedding guest and girls are out of state.  But the friends that did make it I absolutely adore and love.  My friend from Alabama even made it over for a few hours (should have gotten a picture with her too. fail #3) so I was so excited to see her, catch up, and all that jazz.

Kyle and I got lots of good stuff!  My Dad probably won with the most thoughtful gift – the Bundt pan I wanted with the recipe for his famous chocolate cake and all the supplies to make it.  And my mom went with the staple towels … but she got me my Kate Spade towels that I love and adore.  Julie (my matron of honor) got me our “replacement bowls” as I call them – since they’re my most favorite bowls ever and Kyle broke one.  (His hands will not touch this full set EVER). And we got more towels (actually Kyle’s blue set and my camel set) and lots of our party serve ware (so we need to party plan!) and lots of other good stuff!  We had a carload full of awesome stuff!

The food and cake was good.  I may have snacked and snacked and snacked after everyone had left.  And when I say “may have” that is code word for I did. 

I really do have some amazing friends.  I may not have a lot of friends but the group that I do have are true friends who I love and adore and am so so so lucky to have in my life.

And onto pictures!! (what pictures I have and that are good!)

January Recap!

This post is kinda late, sorry.  But better late than never right? Our January (more like my January) was a hectic whirlwind of chaos.  But organized chaos.


:: MY DRESS FITTING(S) :: it went well. really uneventful.  of course, the dress fit - it was a little snug and 2" too short at the first fitting.  But 2 weeks later, it was a little loose and long enough.  The wonders of the alternations lady.


:: MY "FAKE" FUN 5K :: 3.1 miles. Yay. Really uneventful to be honest with you.  You can read all about it HERE ...


:: MY WORK TRIP TO FLORIDA ::  warm. beautiful. and i did not want to come home. and i feel in love with Jeeps and want one of the new Jeeps as my next car.  Kyle just laughs at me and says "ok" because he knows the car I want changes with the weather. 


:: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS MY FRIEND ::  Alabama won the National Chamionship beating out an undefeated LSU {In case you had not heard}.  I of course was on a work trip but was still oh so happy about the final outcome!


:: MARRIAGE LICENSE & WEDDING RINGS :: like other things - uneventful.  The marriage license took no time at all {and seemed to make everything all the more real} and the rings were expensive but we love them.  I actually walked around one night wearing mine I like it so much.  Oh the joys of being married!


:: ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS :: We had done these before with a photographer we thought we were going to go with.  But change of plans lead us to Justin and 375 Photography.  Preview HERE and I am happy with them.  It was bitter cold and you can really tell in some pictures -- and we both look exhausted in a lot of them.  But I am happy with our final decision.


:: WORK EVENTS - WELCOME RECEPTION, ANNUAL KICK OFF & AWARDS BANQUET :: another pretty uneventful series of events.  Thank goodness that all I have to do is show up and be friendly.  Granted, I did have to sit in the front row to assist with any and all questions regarding anything having to do with my job.  And I will not bore you and go into all that.


:: WORK TRIP TO ST. LOUIS ::  long. hard. and cold.  Cold because I am a moron and left my coat in Atlanta. I had never been so ready to get back to Atlanta.  Great people though and I got to meet a girl who I have talked to on Twitter and via email and I read her blog.  So that was exciting.


:: MY 1ST WEDDING SHOWER :: what can i say, i really do have the best girl friends a girl could ever ask for. many of my friends could not make it since they're out of town, but those who could make it and who traveled from out of town - it meant the world to me.  I still need to upload the pictures and do a post about it {maybe tomorrow}


Kyle and I did not get a lot of "us" time since I was running all over Atlanta and the United States this month.  I am hoping that February is low key.  But all in all January was busy and it made the month fly by.  It is over and it is now February and I am getting married next month. Wowzas.

foto friday :: work shower wedding invite

This shower is not till February but the invites went out a few weeks ago  =D  It is a TRC tradition to throw ladies getting married a wedding shower and mine is scheduled and on the books.  I am so excited and my buddy Afton could not have picked more fitting shower invites.  The bride is brunette (like meee!) and it is purple (a wedding color).  I am so so so excited.  And of course, I will post pictures!

And the best part -- I already have it "attached" to a page of our wedding guest book so all the guests can sign it and give us our best wishes and it looks so so so good.  =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!