Apparently I post in pairs...

Whenever I finally post something, I always think of something else that I want to let you know about! I finally decided on a photographer. We are going to go with Kevin Barre. He is great. He was the art director at Rhodes for years. He has done more weddings than he can count, so I have no worries about him missing anything. The real reason that sold me was this picture he took at the Tunica Riverpark. This is exactly what I was envisioning when I decided on a sunset river wedding. I hope that mine turn out just as beautiful!

China!

I had stopped by the Square Cupboard in Hernando once before, but I didn't have a lot of time. For those of you who haven't been there, it is a new store that sells china and gifts on the square. On my first visit a certain china pattern had caught my eye because it was lime green. The more I thought about it, the more I loved it. I thought it was the more formal version of my Gail Pittman dinnerware (which I am still upset has been discontinued-- all of Gail, not just my pattern). So I thought I would give you a glimpse of what I picked out. Of course I was going to mix a few things together. The first is the pattern that originally caught my eye. I picked out the dinner plate and bread plate in the Oasis pattern by Royal Limoges:



I thought that the same pattern on every plate was just too much color and pattern. I found another pattern that works really well with it. It is basically solid gold, but there is a little bit of a design that is similar to the first one. The second one I picked out for the salad plate and the saucer is the Centennial pattern by Pickard:



The last piece I picked out is the monogrammed teacup from Pickard. The only picture I could find was of the silver one, but you get the general idea:




They also had some really fun serving pieces from a company called Annieglass. They have gold edges on all the pieces, and they come either straight or ruffled. I think they would look good with the china and with my Gail Pittman. Here is an example of those:



I made Jake stop by and look at it. He gave it his okay (although he probably would have said okay to whatever I picked out). I think he was more interested in the Ole Miss Tervis Tumblers.

I love calligraphy!

Look at this! Two posts in one day! I told you that I would try to be better. I wanted to share with you my latest project. I am teaching myself calligraphy. At least I call it calligraphy... My mom had an old calligraphy pen lying around and have I have been working on my cursive (not my strong point). It's not as swirly and curly as some of the professionals, but I think it's coming along quite nicely. Take a look:

I'm back!!

I know... I know... I haven't posted in months (sadly, that's pretty literal). However, now I have graduated and finally have time to do some actual wedding planning. I have tons of stuff to let y'all know about. Let's first start with flowers! My mom and I decided to save some money and make the centerpieces ourselves. We are entrusting the bouquets and corsages, etc. to a real professional, but we're pretty crafty, so I think we can handle centerpieces and table arrangements. We ran all over Memphis/Southaven buying tall glass cylinders. We now have enough of the same ones for 4 of one height and 5 of another. We also have been purchasing votive candles and candle holders all over town. Here was one of my inspirations:

Each table will have fewer candles, but that is the general idea. We bought some birch branches and hydrangea (just silk flowers to play with). Here is what we came up with!



It's not perfect, but you can get the basic idea. There will be more hydrangea and more sticks (and the branches will be fuller and point in more directions). You can see the other vases in the background (along with Dixie Belle's dress). There will be 3 small vases with some hydrangea, as well as quite a few more candles (in different shapes and heights).

There are 14 tables in all. You might be wondering what is going on the other 5 tables. We found these really amazing iron trees with hanging candle holders that will be on the remaining five tables. They will tie in perfectly with the birch branches in these centerpieces. They will also add some much needed height to the room because they are close to six foot tall (the ceilings are probably 30'+). This isn't the best picture of them, but here they are:


Also, I finally decided to go with colored table cloths, instead of off-white. I think the room needs some color! I decided to go with a really pretty coral color. Here is your first look:


So there is a little bit of insight into what you can look forward to in August. I have lots more to post soon. I designed my save the dates. I am teaching myself calligraphy (so that I can address my invitations). We went to a cake tasting. We are talking to caterers. I am trying to decide about bouquet flowers. I will post lots more to keep you updated soon!

p.s. Jake is officially not wearing blue tuxes. I caved and let him pick the band so that he would stop harassing me with threats to wear powder blue with ruffles.

I know... I have been a total slacker blog poster. I have just been so busy with work and school that I haven't had a chance to do much wedding shopping. I did get to try some dresses on, but I am not going to post those. They will have to be a surprise. Here are a few random things that I have run across online and liked and thought I would share:

I loved these invitations when I saw them online. I think they might be a little too untraditional (even for me), but I think they are so fun and colorful. They were actually from a wedding in Clarksdale, but Jake didn't know them.

These invitations were a do-it-yourself project. Can you believe it?! I hope that mine can be this fantastic. They modified a folder to hold all of the enclosures as well as the invitations. Then they tied the whole thing with raffia and used a vellum envelope with cool little labels for the addresses on the outside. I don't know if I will do all of that, but they are really fun.

I have like 4,000 ideas for favors, but I love gumballs almost as much as cupcakes and thought that they were cute.

Speaking up cupcakes! I loved this other DIY idea. They took a basic cupcakes stand and turned it into something pretty! I would not be using maps, but I like the idea of damask or some other pattern.

I believe that I finally decided to go with color. I am going to have a lot of white, but still incorporate lots of pink and orange (and maybe some yellow). I love the colors.. they vaguely remind of sunset. I think it's all going to be pretty.

I found these labels online that would work for the invitations like those I saw above. They are even in the right colors!

P.S. Jake would like me to mention that he and the groomsmen are going to be wearing powder blue tuxedos with ruffles.

Check It Out!

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Please kindly glance to your right. I have added a new feature to my blog. I keep saving pictures from all over the internet that have things that I like (I also have torn up my library of bridal magazines). I finally figured out how to make them accessible to those of you interested in my planning. So if you want to see some of what I like, stop and view the slideshow, or you can click and go check out the whole album.

Colors!

I know that I have already posted that I wanted bright, fun, summery colors for the wedding, but I am starting to rethink that!

The museum is so modern and there is so much white. I almost think that I should stick more neutral with mostly white or black and white and then maybe a few splashes of color. But what color do I add in? Maybe yellow? lime green? or do white with blush and light light yellow... sort of my original idea, but much more muted. I have no idea what I want now!

I keep playing in Brides Color Studio and finding new combinations that I want. So it's back to the drawing board on the color situation.

Any suggestions???

A Big Checkmark

Rebecca at my office just got back from her honeymoon this Monday. One of my best friends, Jenn, just got married in September. Between the two of them, I now have a full fledged library of bridal magazines. In every magazine (and in this great The Bride's Book of Lists that Rebecca gave me- Shelley it is totally the bridal book you would write), there are checklists about what you should be doing and how far in advance of the wedding date. Unfortunetly, other than look at said bridal magazines I hadn't made any check marks... UNTIL TODAY!

I would like to announce that we are getting married:

August 1, 2009

Tunica River Park Museum

Tunica, MS

Yay! I'm so excited. I really do think it is the perfect location. It met every one of mine and Jake's critieria. And now that I know WHERE we are getting married, I feel like I can move forward on everything else!

RiverPark part 2

So we visited the Tunica Riverpark today. I absolutely love it. It's so pretty. It is literally right on the river. They were able to answer all of my questions (yes. they spray for mosquitos. yes. they have a room for me to get ready). I could have an outside wedding but then the dinner and band inside. I love the fact that people can wander around outside. We get access to the museum for the first hour (which is actually kind of cool). The best part is that the pictures are absolutely GORGEOUS with the river in the background (I can see them in Mississippi Magazine now...). I also love that there is a lot to do around there, plenty of places for everyone to stay, etc. So I think that we are going to have to find a way to make it work.

The Ring!!

People have been bugging me to post a picture of the ring. I finally went home and was able to use my mom's camera and card reader. Here is the long awaited picture. I love it! I am so proud he was able to pick it out by himself. For the first two weeks I was running around with a band-aid on, but it has finally gotten sized and fits perfect (who knew I wore a 4?)

Still Locationless...

I still have no idea where we are getting married. Every time that I think I might have come to a conclusion, something happens to change my mind. I still like Tunica, but they are charging more than I want to pay for the location fee. I love Como, but I don't like the lack of hotels (just seems like a logistical nightmare). I am still looking around, and we are going to take a look at some places on Sunday. Maybe seeing them in person will change my mind. In the mean time, even though I don't know an exact location (or date), I have been thinking about my Save The Dates. I am a little addicted to invitations and stationary. I can walk around Swoozie's for hours. However, I think that I have come up with a pretty clever idea to make some myself. I want to use a design from a vintage postcard. I'm pretty good with photoshop, so I was thinking of removing the "Greeting from" and writing "Come celebrate with us in." And then under the Riverboat adding the date. The back will be the back of a vintage postcard with "Joanne & Jake are getting married, etc." Now I just need to pin down that pesky date and location and I will be all set to move forward!

Tunica RiverPark

I finally got my information from the Tunica Riverpark. The more I look at it, the more I like it. It's really unique and pretty. It's like the metal museum in that it's right by the water. I could still get married at sunset over the river. I could have dinner inside the lobby, so I wouldn't have to have a tent. Hopefully the band and ceremony could be outside. There is a big porch down the side with rocking chairs. There are overlooks and docks over the river (just hopefully no one ends up in the river!). And I think that wedding pictures from the third floor balcony would be GORGEOUS. I know that I'm not from Tunica, but it is halfway between Clarksdale and Southaven. Unlike Como, there are plenty of hotel rooms. The boys could play golf. Take a look at the virtual tour to check it out for yourself!

Red Bliss

I just found this website for Red Bliss online. I want my reception to be this glamorous! Check out the gallery. These invitations and receptions are beyond gorgeous. Surely I can find a way to swing individual chandeliers for each table into my budget, right?

I may not know where, but I know a few things (I think...)

So the location is still COMPLETELY undecided, but there are a few things that I have at least made (sometimes tentative) decisions about.

1. Colors!- Since we are getting married in the Summer, I wanted something bright and fun. I think we are going to go with some combination of pink, orange/coral, and yellow. There will probably be some gold thrown in as well. Something kind of like this:

2. Bridesmaid dress- I'm sure everyone is curious about this. I would like to stray away from choosing a traditional bridesmaid dress. I have been looking at some "normal" dresses online that I thought might work. I sent Meredith and Shelley about 4 Bazillion to look at. Here are some examples (in each of my colors):

3. The Cake- I want cupcakes! I am a little cupcake obsessed, so I cannot picture me having anything but cupcakes. I will have a little mini traditional tier on the very top so that we have something to cut. Kind of like this:

4. Decor- Obviously I don't really know, because I don't even know the location... but in the wedding in my head that is indoor and outdoor these are some of the things that I can see:

I love using the lanterns... inside, outside... whatever

the one monogram my mom can't make for me. No idea about feasability, but I love it.

Since it's summer, I love using fruit in the centerpeices. Oranges and lemons would match nicely.

I'm ENGAGED! (now what do I do??)

Jake popped the question last week in Oxford. After the excitement of the weekend wore off, I realized it was time to start planning. My first decision was that I think I want to get married in August. I was having trouble deciding between summer and fall.. and it's a little of both. Also, I don't have to worry about the headache of scheduling around football games. I have contacted just about every venue in Memphis/Desoto County/Tunica County/Panola County. I just haven't found one that meets every criteria I want. Here are some of the ones that I have it narrowed down to:

1. National Ornamental Metal Museum

You might be a little scared off by the name, but it's really cool (at least from pictures). It's right on the river. I could married in a gazebo on the bluff over looking the Mississippi river. I really would rather have an outside/inside wedding and reception. I know that it will be hot, but that's what I want! I would have to rent tents and chairs, etc, but it's nice that you can bring in your own caterer and bartender (instead of paying $4 a beer and $7 a cocktail-- not a full bar is out of the question). Unfortunetly, no one will get back to me with any info or pricing.

2. Memphis Zoo

I am definitely going for a bit of an untraditional setting, in case you couldn't tell. Shelley is worried it will smell like animals. I don't think that it will. There are several options. I would consider using the front courtyard area. I think it's pretty and fun.

3. Cadre Building

If you ever saw the "My Super Sweet 16" with the girls from Memphis who had the Sixteen in the City party. This is where they had it. It's gorgeous. I love it. I just don't know if I can afford it. Luckily you can bring in your own carterer and alcohol which will definitely help. I just love love it. Look at the chandeleirs! It's also huge (like 13,000 sq. ft.), so it's easy to have a wedding and reception in the same place.

4. 211 Main

This location is absolutely perfect. I love the bricks walls of the interior. There is a garden for the ceremony. It holds 300 people. You can bring outside catering, but their restaurant next door is AWESOME. There is only one little problem. It's in Como, MS (about 40 minutes from my hosue). There is one bed and breakfast that holds 7 people. I have 10 in my bridal party! The closest hotels are in Senatobia or Sardis. Only 7-10 miles away, but still. Why couldn't this place be anywhere else?

5. Tunica Riverpark Museum

This might sound a little fishy at first, but it's really cool (at least from pictures). I always said I was getting married in Vegas... so I guess Tunica isn't that big a stretch. This isn't actually at one of the casinos, but it's right on the river, which I really like. I'm just worried it might not be big enough, but we will see when they mail out my information.

There are about 10 others that I am also considering (I told you I emailed everyone!), but these are my favorites at the moment. I would love to heard what you think!