Wedding Website

I decided our original wedding website did not really fit the theme of the celebration we've been planning and decided to overhaul the whole thing.  Unfortunately, the Knot did not offer the perfect shades of green, champagne, and purple with white calla lilies.  But I was able to create a sweet little website that goes with our personalities and the style of the wedding.  

In addition to updating the website theme, I included photos from our Engagement Session, updated hotel information, and new Registry information.  Now that the Save the Dates have been mailed, our invitees will be perusing the wedding info.  This notion encouraged me to get on the ball & update our site!

Save the Dates

It's official: our Save the Dates have gone out!  I cannot wait to see the finished products!  We decided to go with two versions - a close-up and a standing shot.  The Save the Dates are magnets with all the important information (I'll actually post them later) and they were sent out with this sweet little stamp:

Hopefully our families will let us know soon if they can make our exciting day!  We cut the guest list down to 109 (!!) people and we are allowed to have 100 people at the venue.  It would have been so nice to invite everyone we wanted to, but the reception costs are definitely prohibitive.  Even though we'd originally planned to only invite family, Rich and I stretched our invite list a little and have been able to include several close friends on our list.  We plan on having a reception in Denver for our local friends who couldn't make the trek to Boise.

DIY Project: Coasters!

I came across this wonderful DIY coaster project on Style Me Pretty and can't wait to start!

(Source)

Materials

• Square ceramic tiles
• Decoupage like Mod Podge
• Paper
• Foam Brushes
• Felt or rolls of thin cork board for backing coasters
• Paper cutter
• Heavy duty glue
• Ribbon or raffia for tying
• Waterproof acrylic sealer for spray or paint can

Instructions

• Clean tiles with alcohol to remove smudges/fingerprints. Be sure you are working on non-stick surface or vinyl.
• Cut paper into squares 1/4" smaller than tile. Have a stack cut to expedite the process.
• Brush the tile with decoupage glue. Use a generous coat, since you want all parts of the paper to bond permanently. You must work quickly, as it begins drying immediately. Decoupage glue is not very forgiving.
• Center the paper on tile. Press paper to the tile firmly, beginning in the middle and working your way outwards, eliminating air bubbles. Pay extra attention to the edges. These must adhere well, otherwise the paper will peel. Allow this layer to dry, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Apply a layer of decoupage glue to the top of the paper. Make sure your brushstrokes are uniform and run in only one direction, as you will be able to see them lightly when the glue dries. Allow this layer to dry 15 to 20 minutes.

(Source)

• Brush another layer of decoupage glue over the coaster. You can make your brushstrokes in the same direction or the perpendicular direction. The latter will produce a hatchmark effect.
• Continue adding layers of decoupage glue until you are satisfied with the look (ex. 3). Then repeat the process of sealing with waterproof acrylic sealer, brushing on a layer and allowing it to dry. If using spray sealant, follow directions on can. With either, make sure you are in a well ventilated area and you follow the precautions on the product. Wait at least one day before adding the sealer to make sure the coasters are thoroughly dry. Each sealer has a different curing time; check for the appropriate drying time.
• When the coasters are completely sealed and dry, cut the felt to the appropriate size to match tiles. Use the heavy duty glue to affix the felt square to the bottom of the tile. Most heavy duty glues require adequate ventilation. Again, be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions. The same process applies to the use of rolled cork board. Wait a few days before packaging to make sure the adhesive no longer has an odor.
• Stack and package coasters. Add a tag with a printed message.

Music Musings

Lately, I've been spending so much time researching the music options for our wedding. I have an extensive spreadsheet that continues to grow with all of the dj possibilities. I'm amazed at the price variabililty among djs. I've received bids anywhere from $375 to $895 for 3-4 hours. Our budget for music is about $400, so almost all of the djs are immediately excluded as possibilities.

The ipod wedding is sounding better and better the more I learn about the exorbitant costs of hiring musicians and/or djs. Who knows, maybe we could even decorate our cake with music...

(Source)

It would be so convenient to to create our own personalized playlists for the wedding. Music for the pre-ceremony, ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner would be pretty simple.

(Source)

My only question revolves around music during the dancing portion of the reception. I want our guests to rock out and have a blast at our wedding. But will the evening flow without an MC?

(Source)

How can we make sure everyone has an amazing time at our party?!

(Source)

MOH's Bachelorette Party

My Maid of Honor Corrine is days away from becoming a Matron of Honor. Since we're flying to Costa Rica for the wedding festivities this Saturday, last weekend was her last weekend of "freedom". Twenty one ladies gathered in Highlands Ranch to celebrate Corrine in fine style. We dressed in Corrine's favorite color Teal


While the bride wore white.

The party started at La Sandia for Mexican food and margaritas and then took over LoDo's Highlands Ranch for some fun dancing.

Lovely ladies celebrating Corrine!

My FI and I are traveling to Costa Rica in three short days to begin the weeklong wedding extravaganza for our best friends.

Wait, this isn't just my wedding?!

Up until a couple weeks ago, I have been running with all of the wedding planning. I'd read in countless wedding magazines about the importance of including one's fiance in the wedding planning to make it a joint effort. However, my fiance is not really that type of guy. Yes, I dragged him to a few bridal shows and he was a trooper! But he is not particularly interested in the wedding event itself. I think his main objectives are A) marry me and B) get to the beach at our honeymoon destination ASAP.


So I was surprised when he offered to design our Save the Dates a couple weeks ago. He did a wonderful job and I only made a few minor adjustments before signing off on them. Rich also started researching caterers after our first attempt at hiring a caterer fizzled (more on that later). Then last night, he announced that we needed an Excel spreadsheet detailing all objectives and who is responsible for each. I was floored. Why in the world was he suddenly interested?! Now I'm wondering if this is a common occurrence. Do guys start out aloof and indifferent in the planning process only to want to become involved as the wedding date fast approaches?

DIY Project: Handmade Clutches

Recently, I was perusing Classic Bride and found the most wonderful How To post. Back in July, Classic Bride held a DIY contest & the winner, Emily, submitted a fantastic & simple project for making bridesmaid clutches. I love this idea & want to personalize it to my bridesmaids as gifts. Depending on how the actual project goes, I may make some for our Mothers of the Bride & Groom! On to the wonderful project!

(Source)

Bridesmaid Clutches
Supplies:
- purse frame
- fabric (Upholstery weight fabric gives the clutches more stiffness)
- interfacing
- thread
- sewing machine
- cardboard

Step 1
Pick out your frame and use it as a guide to make a pattern. This may take some experimenting.

Step 2

Use your pattern to cut the fabric. Do this twice-once for the outside of the clutch and once for the inside.

Step 3
Also cut the pattern out of the interfacing.

Step 4
Iron the interfacing to the back of each piece of fabric.

Step 5
Put the fabric back-to-back

Step 6
Using the frame as a guide, fold over the fabric to hem. Iron to keep in place and then sew! Be careful to sew as close to the edge as possible so the stitches will stay under the frame.

Step 7
Do the same for the other sides.

Step 8

Attach tiny pieces of cardboard to the edges with strong glue. The cardboard helps to fill the frame and is useful for gluing. Allow to dry.

Step 9
Now add more glue to the other side of the cardboard and fit into the frame. I use a flathead screwdriver to make sure that all of the fabric is pushed into the frame.

Step 10
Rub the glue off the frame! Now you have beautiful clutches to match your beautiful bridesmaids!

Emily also has her own blog.

Green, Purple, and Champagne

Nine months to go and Rich & I will be married. Snippet and Ink posts the most beautiful, creative inspiration boards, so I thought I'd include a few that are appropriate for our color scheme. The boards incorporate the champagne, gree, and purple that should make for a gorgeous June wedding...

I love the bold purple shades! The purple incorporated into our wedding will be a bit more muted, but I'm tempted to include the vibrant fuschia and eggplant shades like below.

Now, while we don't have the luxury of incorporating horses into our wedding since the family farm was not a venue option, I just love the board below. If I'm lucky, perhaps we will have a chance to take some of our wedding photos or trash the dress pics with horses or at the farm!

(Source)

Let the Countdown Begin!

The Countdown, you ask? Why would we start the Countdown when June 26, 2010, is 274 days away? (Ok, so my Wedding Countdown has been going for quite a while....) Well this is the Countdown to our Costa Rica Adventure!

My MOH & Rich's Best Man are getting married next month in Costa Rica. About twenty of us are joining them in Costa Rica for over a week of adventures culminating in their small ceremony outside an amazing villa in Guancaste.

Two weeks from today, Rich & I will be doing some last minute packing in preparation for our early morning flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. From San Jose, we'll travel up to the Arenal Volcano in the central region of Costa Rica.
Everyone will stay in the luxe Arenal Nayara hotel,
which has amazing views of the still-active volcano.While in Arenal, Rich and I will go horseback riding, ziplining, repelling down waterfalls, hiking, visiting Tabacon Hot Springs, and generally enjoy the heck out of ourselves. About mid-week, the whole clan will travel northwest to the Guancaste region, where we've rented out an entire villa.
The time at the villa will be dedicated to relaxing by the infinity pool ...and celebrating Jason and Corrine's wedding. The tropical jungle weather necessitates flexibility on the part of the bride & groom, so the exact details of the wedding are a bit up in the air. If it rains, we will move indoors or under a cover. Otherwise, the wedding will be on the beautiful area around the villa.
Corrine & Jason are planning a special Trash the Dress session in the Pacific Ocean on the beach near the villa and I can't wait to see those pics!

(Source)

Following the wedding, Rich & I & the other guests will return to Denver via San Jose, Costa Rica, & Dallas, Texas. But Jason & Corrine will continue their Central American tropical adventures by traveling to Honduras and Nicaragua for two weeks of scuba diving and relaxation!

Engagement Pics Teaser

Here are a couple teasers of our Engagement Pics!

Looking like we are on the face of Mars!

Engagement Pics

Rich & I picked up our photographer Jason on a cloudy August afternoon for the drive down to Colorado Springs. After the roughly hour-long trip, we came upon the amazing scenery of Garden of the Gods. Rich and I made lovey-dovey faces in front of, in between, and on top of the gorgeous red rocks. I was convinced I'd fall on my face - given that Rich had just glued the straps of my high heeled sandals back together the night before - but somehow managed to remain upright while hiking around the giant boulders.

Rich and I ran back to the car to change into our next outfit right as the rain started. Rather than pose for pics as drowned rats, we decided to take Jason out for dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ. Mmmm bbq.

Bellies full of bbq & chocolate desert, we gave it another try up at Garden of the Gods. The rain-darkened skies provided a dramatic contrast to the deep red rock. I had been really excited to get some shots at Seven Falls, too, so we sped over to the tourist trap, practically in the dark. The falls were gorgeous & were lit with alternating colors of light. Seven Falls was ridiculously touristy and overdone (there was a random teepee on the asphalt at the base of the Falls), but it was definitely worth the drive to see the site. We were originally going to take the elevator to the top of the 180' Falls, but the stairs didn't sound like such a terrible idea after I read the map & saw there was a nice path at the top, so we could ride the elevator down.

About 60' up the wet, metal, stairs perched over the waterfalls in the dark, I began to rethink my plan. Another 30' feet or so & I came to the landing. After a brief internal panic, I followed the guys up the remaining 90' of stairs. The top of a waterfall is really not as exciting as you'd think. Especially given that you can't see the falls beneath, but merely the infinity pool drop off of water. At the top of the Falls, we learned the path to the elevator was closed. Lovely.

The hike back down the 180' was positively frightening. Wow. Did I mention I was in stilletto heels the whole time?? Needless to say, I was much happier riding the elevator up to a landing for our pictures a bit later.

With my heart still pounding, we bit adieu to the Springs & headed home after a very long day!

Engagement Party

My mom hosted our wonderful Engagement Party last Friday night. Rich and I had a fun time spending the evening with our family and friends in Boise.

(Photo by my sister)

After some tasty drinks and appetizers...

My sister Bailey (Photo by me)

...Hamming for the camera...

My sister Bailey, me, Rich, my brother Brock (Photo by Dad)

...Handshakes...

Rich, Dad, & Brock (Picture by my sister)

...and Toasts,

Julie, Mark, Mom, & Uncle Milton (Picture by my sister)

I ended the evening with a hug with mom & dad.

Dad, me, & Mom (Photo by my sister)

First Dance...

Just a quick note, but I think I know the perfect song for our first dance:

Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton

Engagement Photos

(Source)

After much debating, we've decided (not to use the 4th of July pic above, but) to do our Engagement Photoshoot outdoors along the Front Range. Our photographer and his fiance (my MOH) agreed to travel all over with us to get the perfect shots! We are shooting August 29th-30th & are looking forward to the little adventure:

• A quick stop at Pike's Peak to get some beautiful mountain shots & some with the Denver skyline in the distance

• Then on to Garden of the Gods for some pics with the stunning backgrounds (Photo Source)

• To top off a long day of driving, hiking, and photos, we will head to Seven Lakes to take some pictures in front of the incredible waterfalls

(Source)

I can't wait to see the pictures, so I can create our Save the Dates!

Thinking Music

Rich and I are both really into music, so it's going to be difficult to narrow our choices down. Here are a few I've been thinking about...

(Source)

Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
Brown Eyed Girl by Jimmy Buffet
Hey Ya by OutKast
The Blower’s Daughter by Damien Rice
How Soon Is Now by The Smiths
Love Story by Taylor Swift
Love Song by 311
Crushcrushcrush by Paramore
The Fray
Short Skirt/Long Jacket by Cake
Crazy In Love by Beyonce
Take On Me by A-Ha
Come On Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners or Save Ferris
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey

(Source)

Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You) by Rod Stewart
My Girl by the Temptations
I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness
Starry Eyed Surprise by Paul Oakenfold
Billy Jean by Michael Jackson
The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson
You Shook Me All Night Long by ACDC
Wonderful Tonight by Erik Clapton
Dancing Queen by ABBA
Can’t Help Falling In Love by UB40
Unchained Melody by Righteous Brothers
Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Uptown Girl by Billy Joel
Love Lockdown by Kanye West

(Source)