I said I'd be talking about DIY projects soon...well, this is like a semi DIY project I'll need to be working on over the next two weeks. My co-worker/friend is big into filming and editing and asked if he could make a slideshow for us AND film the wedding. Free videographer, woo! Seriously, how nice of him to offer? It's great having wonderful, giving people around you when planning such an important day, isn't it? Sooo, the semi DIY project for ME is gathering all the photos to be in this slideshow and oh-em-gee is this going to be more work than I thought!

I've been trying to find time to post about a whole bunch of things, but can't seem to find it. So I figured I at least needed to do a quick preview post. Here's what's to come over the next week/two weeks...

One of my bridesmaids found this absolutely hilarious blog post and suggested this should be a cake at my bachelorette party:

Oolala, don't you just looove the polar bear skin rug?? lol The post is a dialog of what the guy on the cake is telling you and there are more pics. The dialog for this pic reads:

"Check it. I've got a spiky polar-bear-skin rug for us to lounge on, and some suh-weet champagne glasses the size of water coolers. I even put on my navy blue tighty-whities, 'cuz I know how much you dig those."

Hahahaha.

Check out the rest of the post here from this funny blog called Cake Wrecks. It's tagline is "When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong". Super funny.

P.S. Last numbered post!

I GOT A PROMOTION AND RAISE AT WORK!!!

OMG, so exciting :) This was my first review ever in the business world because I was only at my last job for 4 months (long story.) I've been with my company for a year and 2 weeks now and just had my annual review today.

These are just tough times for everyone and I've seen that all around me from other blogger's losing their jobs, to my fiance losing business from clients due to hiring freezes (he's a recruiter), my dad losing his bread & butter accounts, my best friend not getting a title or financial raise even though she truly deserves it, etc. So that's why I am so grateful and thankful to have this job and even be in the position to receive a raise. Especially with having to pay for the majority of this wedding, it's going to help us out financially so much.

Just had to shout this from the rooftops because I'm super excited and so glad to have had a great first review ever!

First off, some housekeeping:
Due to learning a little more about Google's way of doing things and how this blog can be found more easily related to each post's specific topics, I'm going to cease numbering my posts (even though it's fun to count!) I'll stop on #40 to make it nice and round...yes, I'm weird like that.
Also, I'm playing around with the style of this blog until I get some graphics created. So don't mind the ups and downs of my temporary decisions lol.

On to the real post:
Why am I thinking about this so much??? ...second guessing my bridesmaid dresses?! It's nervewracking and besides, it's not like I can do anything about it now anyway! I think I just wish I had had more time so the girls could've gone into the store in their city and I could've gotten more opinions about the style, the color, the fit. (Even still, Priscilla of Boston isn't in ALL their cities.)But do you ever see other bloggers post with your color scheme or something similar and then think to yourself, "omg that's gorgeous, should've I decided on something more like that??" I am just having crazy confusion right now on a lot of things...Is my wedding going to look how I really want it to? Is it really representing Mr. P and me as a couple? Is it representing our style and likes? I really really want to say YES! to all of those questions, but a little part of me is worrying that maybe I didn't spend as much time as I should've thinking about the style, color scheme etc that I truly wanted...because truthfully, I did kind of decide a few things just on the fly and then somehow it evolved without me taking some real time to think about it (besides the peacock part.) I mean, this could drive a person crazy! And I'm normally one to just say "oh, whatever" but it's so much harder to do that with your own wedding day!

Well, here is what I think the best course of action is to not have this lingering feeling of doubt and worry follow me throughout the next 4 months of planning (because that would be horrible)...

1) Forget about the bridesmaids' dresses! They're bought and paid for and there's no turning back, so why worry about it?
2) Take some time this weekend to really think about who Mr.P and I are style-wise as a couple
3) Think of ways to portray what I come up with from #2 in the wedding (on the cheap of course!)
4) Make a plan to execute #3

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Could I BE a happier blogger right now?! My 1st blog award - how exciting! I'm honored and grateful for the Blog Luv Award. Thank you to sony at Bridal Bliss for thinking of me.

I can't believe it took me this long to post about this, but the cake tasting at Cakes By Darcy where my friend won the $150 credit was AWESOME. It was at 12 PM so cake was my lunch hehe, but I'm glad it was good cake! Grade: A+

Stephanie London is an artist who attended FIT and owns the company SD London Gown Reflections. With a picture of your dress, she turns it into a work of art. These images will blow your mind; they're beautiful. She's represented by Kleinfeld Bridal, the New York bridal gown boutique we all know from "Say Yes To The Dress" on TLC. She mostly uses acrylics for these paintings, but she'll do drawings as well. They start at $540 for an 8x10. If you have the cash or know another bride who does who would be interested in this, I'd say go for it! It's an incredible keepsake and will immortalize your dress in a gorgeous way.

Do you know what today is???

I got the cuuutest things at Michael's last night for my BM's and it's kiiilling me not being able to post them because I know there are wandering eyes out there! And I cannot trust that there will be enough self control to not look past a certain point! Yes, I have no faith, I'm sorry girls, but it's true lol

Looove the birdcage and feather together

Photo's Source: Tigerlily

OK, I've been asked this question a million times and it's so hard for me to say this drawn out answer that is something like, "Well, we don't actually have a color scheme per se...we're doing peacock feathers in the centerpieces and then the girls' dresses are a color in between royal blue and navy, soooo..."

What am I supposed to say, though? I really don't have "colors" that all the wedding is done up in. Anyone else have something similar going on? What do you say to keep it short when explaining?

How I would love to be able to invest more money into our invitations to really get the feeling and style of our wedding across to our guests. Unfortunately, budget is not allowing for this because the flowers and centerpieces are MUCH more than I was expecting so invitations are taking the hit.

Jujubee Designs at Etsy have these gorgeous invitation sets (I'd change the purple, though). Isn't this the right way to use an actual feather? I think, yes.

lol - the infamous last words before the final decision of the bridesmaid dresses are made. This book on Give Simple is only $7.99 and looks like it could really provide a lot of laughs. A cute gag gift for the bridesmaids? hehehe

I came across this gorgeous shot that made me think of how Mr. P will look on our wedding day. We're going for that casual chic look with him wearing a three-button black suit with a tuxedo shirt unbuttoned, no tie. The guys will look similar in white sateen shirts, unbuttoned as well.

I went to the Georgia Bridal Show this past Sunday with a girlfriend of mine. We entered for a ton of freebies. She got a call...a FREE cake! She's not getting married. So, it's MY free cake! Woooo!

I LOVE this one for a Bridal Shower

Could this grooms cake be any more perfect? Mr. P played football at Tennessee!

Can you tell my style from all these images? lol

Sources:

Images 1, 5 & 7: Cakes by Darcy

Images 2 & 3: Unforgettable Wedding Cakes

Images 4, 12 &13: Frosted Pumpkin

Images 6, 8 & 9: Baker's Man, Inc.

Image 10: Sweet Carolines Cakes

Image 11: Buttersweet Bakery

Yay! SO exciting :)

Isn't she lovely? I think I've decided to plaster her on our simple thank you cards we got at Wal-Mart. (We're so on a budget lol.)

Check out sugarskull7's blog here, where she posts about all her really cool hand-carved stamps from her own sketches.

I went to Party City's website to look up what they had for New Year's Eve decorations since we had people over our place. And then what happens with wedding always on the mind? Of course I see the "Bachelorette Party" section prominently displayed on the homepage. If you're going for a cute/fun/funny vibe, you have to check their collection out and send along to your MOH.