This is soon2bmrsw's Pink Wedding!

Check out www.mysilvercity.com.

Since beginning planning your own soiree (and having sooooo much fun), have any of you considered wedding planning as means to make a little extra money?

How have you though of going about things?

Anyone considered virtual planning?

So I just ordered 11 of these totes (in chocolate) to begin collecting items for my bridesmaids and everyone else mentioned in the title. Even ordered one for myself. I plan to use iron on transfers to decorate them. I had previously decided that everyone would have their standard title in rhinestones, but that I would also add an adjective to describe each person, i.e. "Crafty", "Prissy", "Nerdy", etc.

I'm sooo excited. All of the other "predesigned" totes were ridiculously expensive. With just a little of my time, the total for 11 completed totes will not exceed $30...

What are you doing for your bridesmaids? I need ideas of what to put inside the totes now :)

What do you think? How did you ask your extra special friends to stand with you on your big day?

FH and I met randomly in Athens, GA in 2002 . We were both out and about downtown hanging with our friends. Just so happened that one of his friends is just a bit of a show-off and my bestfriend (prior to hubby) is the same. We attended rival colleges for undergrad, and are apart of a brother/sister fraternity/sorority. So this night that the loud mouths run into one another, I noticed him instantly, but was rather shy. He also says the same of me. His friend, on the other hand, was not shy at all and asked for my number. Even though I wasn't interested, I gave it to him anyway. This friend would call and ask me out, but I would never go. Of course FH, being a good friend of this guy, had to hear about it. Finally, FH gathered enough nerve to ask me out. Of course, I said yes. Because we were both rather timid people, we ended up being friends.

Fast forward five years. After a rather nice friendship - we could talk to one another about ANYTHING (inclusive of others that we dated) - we went shopping for his birthday. He was throwing a lavish bash at a popular Atlanta night club and wanted to look like the "birthday boy." He invited me along, and I was happy to go. At this point, I had completed my research, defended my dissertation and graduated; so, many of the distractions that I previously had were gone. Little did I know that a shopping trip would change my life. Because this wasn't a "date" , things just kinda flowed naturally. I went along sans my usual makeup and pumps (can you guess which sorority I belong to?), and he dressed down as well. I have NEVER had so much fun on a non-date in my life. We left around noon and didn't return until after midnite. The turning point in our relationship happened on the ride home. He touched my knee. It wasn't anything mannish, but at this point I knew. I knew that the man of my dreams had been under my nose all along. When he touched my knee then (and even now), I got butterflies in my stomach. The rest, my dears, is history...

Since this mock up was completed with things already found in our apartment, there are a number os things that need to be fixed.

1. I'd like to have 3 pieces of different glassware...check.
2. I'd like to have SEVERAL cherry blossoms (or some type of pink flower - tulip maybe) submerged in water...check.
3. I'd like to have some type of chocolate covered fabric (organza maybe) draped over the table linens...
4. I'd like to have the table centers COVERED in pink (lighter pink) rose petals and maybe some faux pearls....half check.
5. I'd like to have pink floating candles (that will actually hold a flame) in the glassware...half check.
6. I'd like to use votives instead of tea lights - to reduce the chance of fire :)

Anyone know where I could begin to search for inexpensive candles and glassware?

Here's the lot where our townhome will be built. Why is it so ridiculously expensive to live in Maryland?!?!?!?! I'm so excited...can't wait till we start seeing lumber go up. Since our home will be completed before the wedding and most of our families are in Georgia (we're in Maryland), I'm thinking of scrapbooking the experience to share at our reception. Whatcha think?

My favorite is my profile pic...whenever he kisses me that way, it can make everything alright! (sappy...I know :)

Any brides in the DMV area looking for a reasonable photographer, check out www.bradfordswanson.com. He was professional, full of ideas as well as open to some of ours....and did I mention reasonable?!!!??! Since we are currently buying a home, this is one of THE most important things for us. As soon as I can gather the photos into a shutterfly collection, I'll post the link for you to check out...

http://johnettasaidyes.shutterfly.com

PW: derek

The current promo (valid thru 8/10) is 80% off! Just enter promo code "FIRST" for the savings.

For those that may not know, you can go to the website and buy gift certificates for restaurants all over. Usually, you pay $10 for a $25 certificate, $20 for a $50 certificate, and so on... Right now, you only pay $2 for a $25 gift certificate. It's a valid site - FH and I eat out this way OFTEN. This will also be a part of one of the many gifts to our bridal party :) The good part is that if you don't want to pick the restaurant for them, just get a generic certificate. You can either print or email...Since we're doing wedding newsletters, we intend to include this along with pics and bios of everyone in the party...

I've ordered my dress (I'm an Ebay bride!), so I'll post pics of that next. I don't plan to wear ivory shoes (at least not to the reception), what do you think of these?

Who's hosting your site? Was it difficult to build? Is it expensive? ANY feedback that you can offer would be great!

So, have you? If not, are you planning on it? Any recommendations of where I should look?

UPDATE: Thanks ladies for all of your responses! I have the ring covered by our jeweler's insurance with the bring it in every six months option, and I had actually added it to our renter's insurance - so I guess I'm covered. I wasn't sure if there was some type of jewelry only policy....THANK YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH!!!!

This is my attempt at our monogram. What do you ladies think?

So, Ladies. As you can see, I have locs. Have had 'em since 2004. Should I cut them for our big day? I've pretty much run the gamut of styles (and conservative colors). But I want to be gorgeous for my honey on our day....whatcha think?

Has anyone else cut locs? If so, was it good for you or bad? Why or why not?

Thanks!

So, the wedding is 457 days away....and I just feel the need to get busy planning now! What can I do?? There are soooooo many DIY projects that I would like to try. Has anyone ever started this far out before?

What's your timeline like? Schedule? Colors? Exact dates? Planning any DIY projects? Do tell!

Hope. Check. Virtue. Check. New Beginnings. Check. Wedding in Season? Nope. My honey and I are sooooo excited about the newfound theme of our love and wedding. Since we are getting married in Macon, Georgia and now reside in the Washington, DC metro - geographically, it makes sense. Hope and virtue are some of the main principles that we strive to meet in our relationship. As we all know, marriage/love isn't easy. There will be hard times. But, with the love of God being the major foundation and belief in these principles, we will be great - even fifty years from now. As a result, we are choosing to build our dream wedding around the Cherry Blossom.

BTW, I know this is waaaayyyyy premature, but I have began my first DIY project. "I DO" letters to be used as cake table decor. If they turn out nicely (and can endure the next 476 days), then great. If not, consider them a dry run if you will. Will post pics as soon as they are complete.

In the meantime, if anyone has any CB ideas they'd like to share, please feel free!

So. I would like an adult only reception and my FH would as well. He doesn't, however, want to upset anyone in his newfound family. I, on the other hand, (to be frank) don't really care. I know this is the bridezilla attitude, but this is once in my life that it's all about us. We give and give and give until there is nothing left. This time I don't want the kids tearing down the reception venue (at our expense of course) and ruining our day. The kids in my family are capable. There are a couple well-behaved ones that we will have as part of the wedding party, but those should be the only children in attendance at the reception. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Anyone else with this dilemma?

The future father of my children :)

I absolutely LOVE my ring...and wanted to share. Please feel free to post pics of yours as well.