The saga continues...

Ok, I have made an executive decision and I'm sticking with it.  

Some bridesmaids love this look, some think it's "cowboy-ish".  I have decided (thanks to your comments) that I love it.  I've loved this look since the first time I saw it here and I don't want to look back and regret not making the decision that I really wanted.  (thanks Adrienne!)

Now-another question.  

I thought it would be perfect to have them all buy their own chocolate brown dress and then wear any shade of brown or tan boots.  Bridesmaid Claire is saying that she thinks we need color.  SO, do I ask three of them to buy/wear a colored dress?  I like the green in the picture.  We weren't going to use green but I am drifting further and further away from having a set color scheme.  I don't think it's necessary and I'm about ready to say eff it-and go with whatever I like.  Our shephard staffs down the aisle are going to have wild flowers of all colors from Vince's dad's garden.  There is no reason to stick with specific colors when the point of the venue is the fall leaf backdrop.  

Right?

I am aware that I am thinking out loud but I am feeling kind of frustrated.  Everyone has an opinion.  EVERYONE.  And it's getting old.  It's getting old because most opinions I'm getting are OLD fashioned.  I want a different kind of wedding.  I want it to feel different.  I don't like cookie cutter anything.

So-do I ask them to buy specific dresses?  This goes against my wedding morals of not telling my best girlfriends what to buy.  I want to let them chose what they want.

UGH I'm so confused~what do I do?!?!

My bridesmaids are going to kill me.

I know these are all over the blogs today, but I am SERIOUSLY considering telling my girls to scratch the black dresses and different colored shoes....for this....

We are getting married on a farm!  In the fall!  This is SO appropriate.  So far, the responses from the girls is not good.  How far do you think I should take the "it's my day, wear what I tell you to wear" line?

My Matron of Honor says this makes it look like a themed wedding.  Then she said yee haw.  

Am I crazy?!

A depressing obsession

The chicks who work at Cathy Jean in the state of Georgia hate me.  I mean, LITERALLY hate me.  I have been calling every store in Georgia for the past three weeks looking for these boots in brown....

They look terrible in black, so I don't expect any of you to love them like I do right now.  However, they are sold out of brown everywhere.  Online, in stores etc.  So now I'm on the hunt for some that look just like them.

I found these on Aldo for the same price, but they just don't make my heart sing like the other ones.  

I also found these on Steve Madden, but they are TWICE the price.  If the Cathy Jean shipment that comes in today at 2pm doesn't have my brown shoes, I'm going to have to buy these.  I NEED them.  Desperately. 

F F F FEATHERS!!!

I seriously have a new obsession.  FEATHERS.

I want to incorporate them in every aspect of our wedding, and I've found quite a few inspiration photos to satiate this appetite for FEATHERS!!!

I love the feathers in this bouquet, but not so much the flowers...

Luckily I have some very fashionable and fabulous bridesmaids that can totally pull of wearing a dress with feathers...like this one...

Or this one....come...to...mama...

And of course the highly coveted shoes....

The DIY bouts are definitely going to have some feathers in them...

Oh yeah.  This is totally going to become a reality.YUM.

Thoughts on feathers, ladies???

The things I want to DIY

This list keeps growing.  

I met with my mom last night to go over some wedding things.  She was practically laughing at me as I told her all of my ideas of things I want to DIY.  She thought I was over extending myself, and that I wouldn't be able to do it all.

DON'T.  UNDERESTIMATE ME.  Is what I said to her.  

And so it continues:

DIY LIST:

Kids Table.  Precious.  

Duh.  I love these.

I want to request in the invitation that everyone mail a wedding picture in with their RSVP.  I want to display them at the wedding in mason jars.  So easy. Right?  

The *NEW* candy bar...

Popcorn. yum.  From here

I love mason jars.  I have to have them hanging from chairs.  From here.

The oh-so-famous map.  My oh-so-talented uncle is going to make one for us.

this one from here.

My awesome cousin is making our cake toppers.  I hope they look like this :)

My mom is making our ring bowl.  

She's very talented with making things out of clay.  

Oh yes.  Vince says he doesn't want to wear a flower.  Ok honey, you can wear feathers, berries and dried flowers.  I love you.  From here

Yet again.  Julia has convinced me so I'm going to do them.  And they will be fabulous.  What wouldn't be fabulous with feathers involved?

Our bouquets.  This one might make me a little nervous.  I know we can do it though.  From here

These are so doable, right??

Shoes again...

We all remember these shoes.  I love them.  I have to have them.  Julia suggested DIYing these shoes.  I thought she was crazy, until my Matron of Honor had a dream.  

See, she has this weird thing where she dreams things that actually happen.  Like she will dream that an old friend she's been out of touch with calls her, and then she will get the phone call within a few days.  It's so creepy.  

ANYWAY, I have come to believe her when she feels strongly about a dream, and last night-kids-she dreamt about making these shoes!  So we are going to attempt.  The issue?  I am so weird about wedding dyeable shoes.  They gross me out.  I don't like the satin and (I think) cheesy feel of them.  SO what are my options?

In her dream we added an antique brooch to them.  What about these from shoeworthy?

The above and below are my favorites...

Julia suggested getting the feathers at Michaels.  How would we attach the feathers?  I want them to look good enough to wear (duh) on my wedding day!

Thoughts oh wise wedding divas??

Shoes...invitations...photographers...OH MY!!

I am proud to announce to anyone who will listen...

We are hiring the most INCREDIBLE photographers in the ENTIRE world!  Below is David Banks and Kendrick Brinson.  They work for Our Labor of Love, and have agreed to be our photographers!  I am beyond excited about working with them because I truly believe they are the most talented photographers I've ever seen.  YAY!

This is an invitation sample that I am really digging.  It's from minted.com and I'm just loving the simplicity of it.  I'm sure Heather will be able to help us come up with something beautiful and simple like this one...

And now for the biggest worry I have had yet.  Shoes.  You see, here's the thing...

I'm not a big shoes girl...(pause for gasps...)

I'm just not!  When walking around our venue-I knew I would not be wearing heels on my wedding day.  The venue is so casual and outdoorsy and there will be a bit of walking on cobblestones and grass etc.  I want to be COMFORTABLE!  My original thought was to wear cowboy boots because of this shot 

found here via here

However, I'm not exactly a cowboy boot kinda girl either.  

I am a THIS shoe kinda girl.

And it's sold out.  

Of course it is.  

Things going on with me...

This has been such a crazy week!  I have been (for the first time in my life) incredibly diligent with my workouts and eating super healthy.  Let me tell you something friends-it is WORTH IT!  I feel amazzzzzzzzzzzzzing.  I pop out of bed in the morning.  I skip up stairs, and I'm not hungry!  I eat when I feel hungry, but my body isn't craving crap anymore.  I feel so good, and I'm so motivated after my 3 pound loss this week.  I can't wait until next Wednesday and I hope to see some more numbers drop!

-My favorite low point meal this week?  Chicken breasts in the crockpot covered in salsa and then served with black beans, cilantro, cumin and a little fat free sour cream.  DELICIOUS!

So other than totally changing my lifestyle-I have been working on my research paper that I need to graduate with my bachelors.  It's a long story, but I have been out of college for 2 years and only had one class to finish in order to graduate.  I had almost given up on ever doing it, but with a push from my parents and Vince, I reenrolled, and I'm almost finished!  I'm doing my research on stay at home mothers and their happiness with their life.  I might be asking you readers to help me so stay tuned....

I have ALSO been working with the oh-so-wonderful Heather over at we met in a bar.  She is making our save the dates for us, and I am so excited with what she has come up with already.  If anyone is in the market for invitations-she is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G to work with.  

My mom and I finalized our guest list last night, and I feel really good about it.  We were fairly cut throat about who we wanted to be there.  I am confident that we will succeed in our desire to be surrounded by our closest family and friends.  Not strangers.

Now I leave you with some images that have made me SO happy this week:

These necklaces for my bridesmaids:

The idea of having a "tie tree" where guys can hang their ties at the reception.  The sign will read, "fellas, loosen up that tie and RELAX!"

This image from tying the knot.  She has totally sold me on the idea of matching socks for the boys.

This image again from tying the knot.  I just adore it.

And this just makes me smile.  (not sure where I found it)

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND, LOVELIES!

It's been awhile...

Oh blogging world, how I've missed you so!

I have been out of town since Thursday, and just had no time to blog.  I went to Raleigh, NC to see my best friend and her little girl for her 3rd birthday.  I have known Taylor since she was 1 hour old, and I have yet to miss a birthday.  

I flew in on Thursday night (first class, which was so great).  Steph picked me up and we went to the funniest, most red neck bar I've ever seen.  She lives in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE and there is not a whole lot of options.  We still had a great time and I'm so thankful for those few hours where we could just hang out without the craziness that is her house.  She married a guy who had 4 older kids already.  Needless to say, her house is always wild.

This is Taylor on her jumpy thing...

This is my beautiful best friend Stephanie; her step daughter, Steffany and Taylor.

I'm making her Christmas cards this year so I

 needed a picture of the three of them.

This is her cute cake and sign and goodie bags.  Steph and I always put on a pretty good party.

SO, now I'm back and I bought the CUTEST WINTER BOOTS TODAY!

This picture doesn't do them justice, but they are adorable!

Is everyone ready for Halloween?  I'm sending out my happy halloween cards today.  They are by Papyrus, and so stinkin cute.  

I love this time of year!!