WEDDING WEDNESDAY: TO-DO LIST UPDATE.

the list is back! i've actually crossed off quite a bit, but now am in a weird place where i either need unlimited monies or unlimited storage to complete most of the rest.

edit: bridesmaid/friend/blog reader extraordinaire tricia pointed out that i have ceremony programs on here twice. it's basically two extra times since it also includes assembly, but i imagine there are at LEAST two things i am forgetting, so i'm going to leave the list at a moderately crazy 94.  

1. set a date
2. book a venue
3. book photographers
4. engagement photos
5. book videographer
6. book band
7. recruit bridesmaids and groomsmen
8. create wedding website
9. book florist
10. buy wedding dress - got a dress i had been drooling over for months... and now am having second thoughts about. #weddingcrazies
11. let bridesmaids choose dresses
12. get b fitted for a suit - dear j.crew make a dark grey, mmmkkay?
13. pick out groomsmen attire
14. find veil - i don't know if a veil will go with a bunch of the other things going on, but b is pro-veil, so...
15. book cake baker
16. buy cake knife and server - we have a set picked out that we agreed on, and, no surprise, it's $$$.
17. order save the dates
18. finalize guest list
19. buy cake topper
20. order stamps - wedding stamps are so ugly, but i feel like the seeing eye dog ones don't really fit?
21. send save the dates - this is happening soon!
22. order guest book
23. register
24. reserve hotel room blocks
25. hire a calligrapher - calligraphy is the worst!
26. mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom dress shopping - my mom has her dress already!
27. find wedding shoes - i have purchased not one, not two, but FIVE pairs of shoes that i have sent back.
28. choose wedding jewelry
29. find garter
30. something old
31. something new
32. something borrowed
33. something blue - i'm not doing the something old, something new... so sue me.
34. make day-of emergency kit
35. book makeup artist
36. book hair stylist - every time i have gotten my hair professionally done i have hated it. pray for me.
37. choose wedding favors - we aren't doing favors!
38. buy getting ready outfit for bride / bridesmaids
39. complete menu tasting - we never did it, i'm sure it'll be good.
40. complete cake tasting - dulce is the best.
41. do hair and makeup trial
42. get measured for dress
43. dress fitting - it doesn't come in until april!
44. order invitations
45. send invitations
46. buy bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts -  bridesmaids gifts are picked out!
47. purchase wedding bands - doing this in april!
48. get marriage license - we don't have to do this until the week of.
49. book transportation for wedding party
50. buy welcome bag stuff - i already designed and got the stamp in, which is pictured above!
51. stuff welcome bags
52. complete music request folder for band
53. create playlist for cocktail hour
54. book wedding night hotel room - phindy talked us into staying at the hermitage, i'm watching for sales/specials.
55. order thank you notes
56. gather tips and thank you notes for vendors
57. submit engagement announcements in paper - bam.
59. book ceremony musician
60. complete pre-marital counseling
61. create sign for front of venue
62. design programs
63. print and assemble programs
64. buy glow sticks for exit - which was a very good idea from my friend sandra!
65. book caterer
66. order rentals
67. create decoration for bride and groom chairs
68. frame parent wedding photos
69. make reserved table signs
70. create "no formal seating" sign
71. hire coordinator
72. buy flip flops for dance floor
73. assist mother-in-law with rehearsal dinner - she is really doing all the work, though!
74. buy rehearsal dinner dress
75. buy bridal shower dress
76. help find bridal shower location
77. buy bachelorette party dress
78. book honeymoon
79. buy hostess gifts for shower
80. create ceremony backdrop - our wedding coordinator is going to do this!

new items to the list:
81. buy wedding dress belt - ordered, from the incomparable amanda judge.
82. find makeup artist for day-of
83. book getting ready hotel room
84. figure out a first-dance song - this is up to b!
85. choose a parental dance song
86. book flights to nashville
87. buy parent thank-you gifts
88. find a cake stand - we're just going to rent one.
89. write vows
90. design ceremony program
91. print/assemble program
92. settle on ceremony order
93. stay sane
94. GET MARRIED!

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT DENVER.

... is by far the beautiful show the sky puts on for us.

here's saturday's sunset, straight from the camera, no editing needed. 

OUR FIRST THANKSGIVING.

yesterday marked our very first thanksgiving together, and the first time we had spent the holiday away from our families. per usual, b was a pro in the kitchen and whipped up an amazing turkey, with all the sides.{yes, yes, i know how lucky i am.}

we got to skype with all our loved ones back in ohio, we said a prayer for all our blessings and then we napped for way too long.

it's back to work for me today, but i am still feeling just so grateful.

I AM THANKFUL.

2012 has been a year of much change. last year i did an entire series on things i was thankful for. those things have all remained, plus my life was opened up to so many more experiences and people than i could have imagined 365 days ago.

happy thanksgiving to you blog friends!

WEDDING WEDNESDAY: THE CAKE.

when it comes to choosing vendors - or really most things - i trust reviews from people i know the most. my friend mary katherine has been so helpful since she was just married a few years ago in nashville. plus, she's a nash native and knows everyone in town. so, when she said i had no other choice for my wedding cake but dulce desserts, i knew that's who i had to go with.

when i called for a consultation with the owner, juanita, i knew mk had led me right. she is over-the-top enthusiastic and got exactly what i envisioned. when we were in nash, one of our most-looked-forward-to meetings was our cake tasting at dulce. it did not disappoint.

i am confident that our cake will be beautiful, but more importantly, tasty! my mouth is already watering. only 235 days to go!

QUICK PICS.

some of my fav iphone photos from our trip to nashville last week.

another view from aerial.

can you tell they're related? b and his dad, hands on hips, analyzing what to get at frugal macdoogal.

my favorite sweet face.

we may or may not have rushed to get noshville for breakfast at the nash airport before we left. it was on the short list of things we had been missing.

these past few weeks have been busy, but hoping that as the year starts winding down - only 40 days left! - that our schedules do, too.

WEDDING WEDNESDAY: OUR ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT.

our engagement announcement ran in my old hometown's newspaper! i'm sure no one was prouder than my grandma to see us in there. my fam was all together when my aunt was just reading through the daily record and saw it.

and a better look at the photo since our faces were right on the crease. this is one of my favs from our engagement session.

other exciting news: i said yes to the dress last week! obviously, no photos of that until the wedding, but i will say it was the opposite of what i thought i'd end up with. only eight more months to go!

WEDDING WEDNESDAY: NASH VISIT.

hello, hello! we are fresh off the plane from nashville after the busiest weekend of my life. it consisted of most of my favorite people, good food and trying to squeeze in time with all of our wedding vendors.

plus, we got to stay with courtney and melanie! and, of course, get some mosby time in.

i got to see my parents for the first time in forever*. we went to bob evans. #northernersforlife

my wbff, sandra! we had pizza at jet's, which i had been craving since the day i moved. it did not disappoint. i also got to meet her daughter, kylie! she is just as adorable irl as she is in photos.

so, beyond all the eating, we did meet with a ton of vendors. we kicked it off with a tour of aerial with everyone to check out the place we'll be getting married. i finally got to meet our wedding coordinator, our florist and our caterer. it was a whirlwind, but i am happy to say i loved all of them. we nailed down a ton of details and the trip was so worth it.

em snapped this shot of the very spot we will be getting married in eight short months! {the amazing where's waldo of this photo - it's not a wedding unless elvis is there.}

*not pictured: my sister/maid of honor, my future-in-laws who i was with almost the entire time and don't know how i didn't get a photo, jet's pizza {let's be real, highlight of the trip}, and VICKIE whom i did take a photo of and planned to blog about, but it was too blurry. sorry, v. dedicated blog post coming some day, promise.

WEDDING WEDNESDAY: THE BAND.

along this theme of vendors i never planned to hire... this week i'm talking about our band!

i was originally set on, at max, a dj. i actually thought having an ipod play would be more than enough. luckily, my mother-in-law showed me the light of how important a band can be to set the mood of the event. she used the example of melissa and ryan's wedding, which truly was one of the most rockin' parties i have ever been to. after talking with melissa, too, who said that a band was the best money she spent, i was on board.

researching bands is when i got the news that july 13, 2013, is going to be an incredibly popular wedding day. my first bands of choice were already booked. i should have known seeing how popular 7-7-07, 8-8-08, 9-9-09, etc. dates have been.

luckily, i came across the blue tones. they have amazing reviews, and most importantly, they were quick to get back to me and eager to work with me. dave even recommended going with less band members, a decision that will save us money {aka save my in-laws money since they are paying for the band. their generosity has seriously blown my mind.} and will better fit in our jam-packed venue.

plus, we hired two of their musicians to play at our ceremony, and they are on board to learn the taylor swift song that will be played during the processional. i am pumped.

above all, i just want our wedding to be an amazingly fun time for our friends and family that have traveled so far to be with us. i think the band will play a big part in that!