Several contests have come up this week, as well as a great set of wedding groupons that I thought I should share with my fellow budget conscious brides! Let's start with the fun part—contests! I will start by saying, I never win anything! But since starting out on the wedding planning journey, I have won one spa treatment from a bridal show I attended. So I know it is at least possible. If anything, I think we should start with a fun one!
A Pinterest board contest! You heard me correctly, no need to get those Q-tips to clean out your pretty little ears. Ann Taylor and Style Me Pretty are partnering up for this one. All you need to do is create a new inspiration board with a titled theme of your wedding, add at least 8 Ann Taylor products, and pin away. I've already started mine.
Although there have not been any recent giveaways, there is almost always wedding giveaway on Wedding Chicks. They usually update people on Facebook. So be sure to like them!
Secondly, The Knot, is giving away a $1,000 Macy's giftcard, just for registering at Macy's! How awesome is that?! So whether you are already registered with Macy's or not, you should go ahead and sign up for the contest. Oh, I forgot to add, that they are also throwing in a 5 night stay at any of their Now Resorts & Spa.
If you are a groupon/coupon hoarder like me, you have to take advantage of these great wedding deals. There is everything from tanning and desserts to jewelry and honeymoon groupons. Here are a couple of my favorites!
Friday afternoons are often a time when we waste the rest of our work day surfing the web, procrastinating on Facebook, and watching the clock tick slowly by waiting for quitting time.
I have been meaning to post about two blogs that have featured our upcoming nuptials. First off is the lovely blog post written by my bridal party hair accessory creator Buttons n' Blossoms, featuring the lovely flower fascinators she made for my bridesmaids and our flower girl.
Earlier this month I went antique shopping for a few things we are looking for to help decorate for the wedding. And found this beautiful dresser that I am going to use as a guest book table.
Earlier today when I was Pinning Away, I saw this on the Wedding Chicks blog. And I thought, I could definitely do something similar in the small top drawer (what do you call that? lingerie drawer? underwear drawer?) of my dresser.
Not only is it Friday and I'm ready to start my weekend (and Spring Break), but it is also opening day of The Hunger Games! Last week I finished the first book. It took me forever to get up the motivation to pick up the book (actually decided not to buy it—that's hard with my book obsession—but since everyone and their mom owns it, I decided to borrow it) and see what the hype was all about. I can't lie that it did take me a moment to get into the book. I would read a chapter here and there before bed, and then easily go to sleep. But by chapter 18 I was hooked! I couldn't put it down! I stayed up way too late some nights and even took it to my sub job and read it during lunch and prep time—at least it was a good conversation starter with sixth graders! I am waiting to borrow the second book from someone, but until then I can satisfy my hunger for the movie!
Last night I even had a dream that it turned into a Broadway musical and the singing and dancing was violent, yet beautiful! Sometimes I wonder about my highly detailed film rolled dreams. I think I inherit that from my mother.
...Anyway...here are some great and absolutely dangerous things I found online.
And lastly, since we all know I spend a lot of time on wedding blogs these days, I think this one is necessary and so genius! So if Katniss and Peeta got married in a trendy shabby chic sorta way, I imagine it would look something like this:
On the afternoon of St. Patrick's Day my matron of honor and bridesmaids threw a wonderful pink Bridal Shower for me. The afternoon was filled with games, stories, dessert, and presents (I was completely spoiled, so thank you to all my loved ones!). Side note: Kenny thinks we should renew our vows every year and throw another shower or party so we can get new things every year. He's a funny guy!
Thanks to several cameras at the shower, including my sister-in-law Haley Danielle Photography, my matron of honor Meagan, and my bridesmaid Heather, I was able to compile a great collection. Here are a few of my favorites!
Last weekend when many were drinking green beer, wearing emerald hues, and listening to bagpipes; my weekend was being filled with pink cocktails, blush colored frosted cupcakes, and showers of gifts. My best friend and matron of honor, Meagan of Everything Golden, landed in Portland—hailing from Boston, Massachusetts—to throw me a little Bachelorette Party with my bridesmaids, and a very pink Bridal Shower. I am eternally grateful for all her hard work and craftiness, which helped make the weekend a success!
Friday night before the shower, we traveled Downtown to Urban Fondue, which I was completely thrilled about! What is better than a book of every cocktail imaginable, melted cheese and bread, fondued meat, and dessert fondue?! NOTHING!
After our wonderful meal, we returned to the hotel for champagne (prosecco for me) and some lingerie gifts. We filled the rest of the evening with a dirty "Would You Ever? Did You Ever?" bachelorette edition game and America's Funniest Home Video's Wedding Edition. We were even lucky enough to get a private concert with Meagan's wonderfully talented husband. I so wish I had gotten a video of his rendition of Tenacious D's "F*** Her Gently!"
This afternoon I opened the mailbox and low and behold, our engagement pictures arrived from Jennifer O'Donnell Photography! I did a little excited skip and the neighbor's dog barked at me. I quickly looked around to see if anyone saw me beside the dog, saw no one, and shrugged it off. It's not every day you receive engagement pictures in the mail!
At the end of last month, Jenny O'Donnell shared our Mt. Hood session on her blog, and now I would like to share some of our favorites. They turned out beautifully and I can't wait for our wedding day when we can take even more pictures to document our love!
