A Lemon Lime Wedding

Let's get this party started, shall we? I am here to get down while sharing a very special wedding with you folks. So warm up your chicken arms & electric slide because we are gonna boogie the night away....with a very lemony & limey celebration.




I was thrilled outta my face when I received an invitation that stated my long-time buddy Jack was takin the plunge and finally settling down. Jack is a good ole boy at heart (one time he made me a gift outta concrete...yeah...it was almost as awesome as the one he made with a chainsaw) but he is a true romantic too. So I knew that when we walked up to the outdoor ceremony complete with TONS of flowers - this was truly a reflection of the beautiful bride and my boy Jack.



And speaking of the bride, Callae looked absolutely radiant in her cream beaded gown and pearl necklace. Can you believe this girl doesn't have to wear makeup!?!? (enter choice words here). If it were possible to actually change my skin color outta pure jealousy - I would blend right in with her color scheme which was an amazing blend of yellows, greens, and whites. And the color of her bouquet really picked up those hues by highlighting the white & golden roses.



But Callae wasn't the only thing decked out with flowers - they were everywhere. It was like a florist shop exploded and all the perfectly arranged groups became magically fastened to each row of chairs, the lamps, the doors, the railings, and everywhere inbetween. Like the one pictured above - yeah, the one with hydrangeas, roses, and lilys - was attached to a stairway that lead us from the ceremony spot down to the adjoining reception facility.



The view from the party spot was unreal. In one direction, you are looking up the hill to see the small gazebo where Jack & Callae said "I do" with the chapel behind it. And the other way, you are overlooking farmlands to view Watts Bar Lake & the Tennessee mountains! Did I mention that this was the perfect spot to get married? Yeah...if weddings were karate - the Whitestone Country Inn would be Mister Miyagi....and he really knows how to kick it :)



Greeting us at the reception was a table loaded with vintage glassware and huge jars of lemonade and limeade. Dontcha just love the floaters? You knew it was coming...didn't you?! :)



And after we grabbed a glass of our favorite sweet & tart beverage we were ushered into the reception space. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the slew of food. And after I stopped hunching over the buffet like a vulture ready to pounce, I realized that waiters had trays with something on it that smelled like bacon. I was correct. Pineapple wrapped in bacon, shrimp cocktail served in mini shot glasses and chocolate covered strawberries were just enough to keep the hunger at bay...at least for a few minutes.



The crew of hungry men that live in my stomach didn't have to wait long because we were soon invited to the feast that I had earlier undressed with my eyes. This was my first plate. The second had chicken and the third had seven bacon appetizers. (oh and do you see the ceremony program in the back? Yeah - simple & cute - I was totally loving the green ribbon!)



I couldn't wait to share the small centerpiece (I didn't get a shot of the big ones!) that made it's home on our table. I love the lemon & lime slices like boys love their own parts. It's seriously that much. (and doesn't it kinda remind you of the baby shower I threw back in October - but with more fab goldenness?)




And love wouldn't be love without cake to celebrate, right? The wedding cake was a layered feast with pound cake with lemon filling and a white cake with strawberries mixed in to accent the strawberry cream cheese icing. It was heavenly. HEAVENLY! And even with it's angelic status, it didn't capture my heart like the groom's cake did. Ohhhh. Let me tell you a thing or two. I don't even like cake. I am more of an icecream with a brownie type of girl. But the chocolate thunder that was the groom's cake had me shakin in my heels. Literally. Two people asked if I was ok. And I heard one person whisper that I was having a seizure. It was that good.



Even though I was suffering from slight sugar shock, it didn't stop me from running around taking pictures of the creativity that I could incorporate at home. Just check out this simple vase filled with some citrus fruits and topped with some cream colored flowers. Stunning right? But imagine it now in the center of your buffet the next time you host a dinner party. Yes - your friends will think you are a decorating genius.




And if that wasn't enough - look at these small round fishbowls filled with some leaves and either a fruit or flower. Hello to a centerpiece that is easy to talk over and will increase your reputation!



If the running around, bootie dancing and jumping up and down was enough to burn off the 4000 calories I had consumed, the newlyweds were kind enough to make sure we could take a little something home with us. Isn't that sweet? (heehee!) This candy bar was consumed with the wedding colors - but not that I noticed. I was too busy pushing kids out of the way so that I could get the scoops first! I filled my little box - and one for my boyfriend - made a mental note to say how much I love the yellow ribbon stripes - and headed out to the car for the long drive home.



But don't you worry - we were smart enough to set the camera on a timer for the obligatory couples picture. Didn't my Jeremy look so dashing in his suit? Seriously - if I hadn't been in such a rush to get back to watch the shows on our DVR, I would probably wanted to renew our vows right then and there. Yeah, I am a thunderstealer.

So now that Jack & Callae are off traveling the globe (yes - their honeymoon was a monthlong trip around the world) - let's eat bacon outta jealousy talk about our favorite part of the wedding. Was it the amazing centerpieces? the location, location, location? the spritely color scheme? or are you a girl like me who votes with her tastebuds? Aren't buffets amazing?!

This Blows

Let's just face it...weddings (as we know it) are for girls. Most guys do not care about round tables vs square or veil lengths or grandmother's corsages. They do not care about flower centerpieces or aisle runners or something blue. And they definitely could care less if the color scheme was red/white or crimson/cream or firebrick/ivory. Here is what is important to the XY's when it comes to nuptials: food and gifts.

And so naturally Jeremy was excited at my 'generousity'. I said that he could use one of our wedding gift cards to purchase whatever he wanted. It really wasn't generous on my part. Afterall, I did get my twelve place settings of lenox. And it was his wedding too.

Here he is - scooping the peanuts out (cut thumb and all)...and what is inside?!?

A shmancy new blower! Jeremy has been talking about a gas powered blower for our entire marriage. If you saw our yard - you would understand. And curtesy of my great uncle Bill and a few supplemental bucks - this baby is all oursJeremy's.

I simply like the fact that it is red. and shiny. and new. It's almost like a motorcycle. That is how my boyfriend should think of it...except safer. and more productive.

A Night Under the Stars Wedding

One year ago today, our dear friends Jade and Julia tied the knot. Since Julia and I were planning our weddings around the same time, a lot of the details were discussed over and over and are now ingrained in my memory for all of eternity. So because I can recall the smallest things with great accuracy, I thought I would share a recap of the fabulous event with you party animals. Let's celebrate the first anniversary of Jade & Julia's themed wedding "A night under the stars!"

The event took place at a venue called Villa Christina's which is right outside of Atlanta. The facility boasted of a restaurant in the lower level and a patio with a fire pit that opened up to a well-manicured garden. Since Julia asked me to be her 'wedding planner' I was lucky enough to attend a tasting with her & let me tell ya, it was fantastic! I normally don't eat fish - but I would go back there for their salmon...yum!

Upon entering the restaurant, a small table with a photo book acted as the guest book. It was a great way for them to add a personalized touch to the wedding and Jade & Julia actually still look at their guestbook (something a lot of brides tend NOT to do after their nuptials are over).

As you walk through the restaurant, ushers escorted you outside to the patio. The best looking one was this man named Jeremy something. I would take him home any day :) The large gazebo in the back was the scene of the crime - and the weather was perfect! Since they only had about 80-100 guests, each person got an up close and personal seat to view as the bride and groom become one.

Jade has two kids that are the definition of "little whipper-snappers"! And this was going to be a huge step for them as they got a new step-mom. However, the biggest difference was in Julia's lifestyle. Raised an only child, living alone and now getting for a ready-made family at the ripe old age of 24! Wow, right?!

The kids were great sports - beautiful Campbell was a wonderful flower girl (and she even wore a dress! gasp!) and Doss was the ideal Best Man. And boy did he look the part! Doss and his dad donned matching black suits, with matching green and ivory ties and I must say, they looked dashing! And speaking of duds...

Julia looked gorgeous in her gown! The dress' beaded bodice accentuated her tiny waist and the delicate shimmery jacket added modesty and classic elegance to her whole ensemble. Seeing it on the rack at David's Bridal, we would have never known that it would look this fantastic and flattering on. And the color selection of the flowers set off her skin tone perfectly.

This girl had not one but two dresses for her big day! After the dinner was served and the dancing began, Jules did a quick change into a beautiful White House Black Market dress complete with comfy flops. I love how she kept the veil on while she cut a rug! We wouldn't mistake her for a guest with that still screwed into her head (that's how they attach them, you know).

Carlyn, the maid of honor, wore a simple green dress from David's Bridal that fit perfectly into their 'garden' wedding color scheme. The fact that the MOH dress and the flower girl dress both came from the same store really took the guess work out of matching colors.

Flowers were from a big-box store and were super fab when they arrived. All they needed were some pearl accents and they were ready to go. I will always recommend flowers from Sam's Club or Costco after seeing what beautiful results are available. (plus they were WAY more affordable than a florist who charges an arm and a leg and a first born)

The hosting facility did her cake and it was so delicious! This was definitely my first time with 'flowering' a cake but since Jules gave me a picture of what she wanted it to look like, pluggin the stems into the icing seemed almost fun (fun when I didn't think about one wrong move ruining her confection masterpiece!)

My personal favorite touch was her 'stars' that were everywhere. She had us hang metal stars over the dance floor, the favors were star-shaped tealight candle and nametag holders, and the patio was glowing with the star punched luminaries that screamed "cute!" Even the guest book had clip art of stars next to photos of the couple in love.

Just to prove that I was there. This was the only picture I could find that I wasn't playing air guitar or making a confused face...or that didn't have my boyfriend in the background as he played air guitar. What can I say? We like air guitar :)

Julia slipped on a classy 40's inspired coat before her new hubbie whisked her away for some wedding night fun. Aren't they just a darling couple?

Congratulations you two - may you have many more happy anniversaries to come!

Well, that's it. The end. Oh - wait! I forgot something.

They lived happily ever after! The End.

Gifts in a Snap(fish)

I love gift giving. Have I mentioned that? And I believe that the hardest people in the world to buy gifts for are grandparents. My grandparents are EXTREMELY hard to shop for because of several reasons:

1. They already have everything they need
2. They already have everything they want
3. They don't care about tangibles (the stuff you can hold onto)

So when I saw this super post from Jen and this super deal from Snapfish,

I knew that I could give them something they couldn't pick up at their local five and dime.

It arrived this past week and I couldn't be happier! I ripped into the box praying that the photo books didn't look super cheap or that the pictures had poor resolution print quality. Let me tell ya, I wasn't disappointed. And for half price, there is no better $15 present under the sun!

I decided to do a memory book about our wedding. Since that was the first time since my parents wedding that our WHOLE family was together in a single place, I thought that my g-rents would enjoy reliving the reunion. The cover has one of my favorite photos from our big day. And the back has a photo of my Pappap hugging me after the ceremony. I also included the bible verse that was on our ceremony programs.

Instead of just putting MY favorites, I tried to include photos of memories that would mean a lot to them. One picture of my 'bouquet' (an old family bible) would be especially meaningful to my Mummum, who let me borrow the bible for my special day. It also acted as my "something old" even though I think I told Jeremy that he would be it :)

And the ceremony was full of music - an art that means a lot to my Pappap. I also included a photo of my baby sister singing (because I know that Pappap has always been so proud of her beautiful voice).

One of the pages was only text. It had the words that Jeremy and I memorized for our ring ceremony. It was especially sacred as it explained exactly what our gifts symbolized. And I know that my Grandmothers were in my dressing room as I rehearsed my lines over and over.

Now I can't wait to send them up north for them to enjoy. And I know - nae, I promise that my favorite old people will tear up (just as I did) by the time they reach the last page. Because if there is something I know full and well about gift giving, it is that nothing can beat memories of a life lived fully.

Feeling the Love

Yesterday was officially an anniversary. An annual celebration that began last year on October 6th. That is when we got married :) And of course, in true anniversary style - I thought my husband forgot. Yes, I know it sounds crazy (being the first year and all) but I seriously believed that my husband did not remember to reserve, save, or plan to celebrate our union.


This is how it went down.


Friday, we planned on going to Bone Fish. If you have never been to a Bone Fish restaurant - I would totally recommend it. We received a lovely little gift card as a wedding present and saved it for this very special occasion. So, in my head, I had a conversation with myself - "This is it. This is the anniversary dinner. This is as much romance as you can expect for the next fifty years. This is what it will be and I must be content." And believe me - I was.

In fact, I even surprised myself because I love (LOVE!!!) to receive gifts. It doesn't matter how big or small, expensive or free, long rehearsed or on a whim. I love gifts. I love to give gifts. I love to brainstorm about the perfect gifts. I love gifts. Ok - now here is the gift deal, when someone gives me a gift, a note, a drawing - it means that they love me. Maybe big love. Maybe small. But a least a little. And this love-language is good news for a marriage. The boyfriend can just buy me a little sumpin, sumpin and I feel like we are rock solid.

So it was quite a shocker to even me when I thought our free gift card was IT for our celebration o' 1 year.


Then he did the unexpected. He pulls out a package. Yes, it is double wrapped. With a ribbon. And inside is this.


I know - shut up right?!?! So I scream. Yup and cry. And generally make a scene. And he says "Well, I wanted you to have something to take great pictures when we go to Niagara Falls...tomorrow."

Shut your stickin mouth!?!!? I was in shock. So then he bought me new walking shoes - cause the others hurt my knee. And then we get a new camera bag. It was like three gifts in one night. Saturday morning - we head to the ATL airport...then on to Canada. Never been there. It was fabulous.

It was breathtaking.

It was absolutely perfect. And the best part is that my can't-keep-a-secret-to-save-his-life husband planned it in July. Yet another reason that he is my boyfriend.

We had an Ahh-mazing room overlooking the falls, with a fireplace and a hottub. The weather was divine.

The flowers were in bloom. We even won $50 in the Casino!

It was the most perfect, the most fun, and the most relaxing three day weekend ever!

Needless to say, I came home feeling the love!

Girl's Best Friend

Mrs. Five Camels tagged me...bling tagged me to be exact. And who doesn't love a good game of tag when jewels are involved.

Here goes - my delish Elizabeth Taylor inspired jewelry box of my dreams.

Crystal encrusted hoops

Flower diamond studs

Thick chain silver ring

Amethyst ring (it's my birthstone and it is sooo pretty)

Pink pearl studs

and lastly - the most important piece of frosting that I already own - my lovely engagement ring.

I would be perfectly happy knowing that the ring on my finger is the only bling I will ever own... as Bon Jovi once sang -

"Diamond ring - wear it on your hand - it's gonna tell the world - I'm your only man".

The Container Store

Just a quick note to remind you about The Container Store. What is The Container Store? It is a retail smorgasbord of boxes, storage containers, and clothing organizational products.

But wait! There is more to this storage store than just plastic boxes and closet neccessities.

What I really dig is their gift wrap, totes, tags and creative packaging. It is adorable! Perfect paper & accessories for those shower favors, birthday presents, and wedding gifts! Not only can you mix and match but they also have specialty tags - like a menswear tie tag for father's day! How cute!

Here is the eye candy :)

Flower Power

Tie the Knot!

Brighten Her Day

Baby Talk

Birthday Bash

Stylish Celebrations

Reasons to Celebrate

His Special Day