Bachelorette Weekend

There's something about being in a beautiful place with your favorite girls.

My bachelorette weekend was really perfect. My friends went above and beyond and customized the whole weekend around the stuff I like... they even did the grocery shopping based on my likes... I mean come on.

My friend has a beach front house in Ponte Vedra, so we packed up Thursday afternoon and hit the road.

We were worried about the weather, but ol' Chantel (the tropical storm at that time) decided to let us have our fun... which we very much so appreciated.

Thursday night we ate at a popular local restaurant called Taco Lu's. Have you ever had bang bang shrimp from Bonefish? It's one of my favorite things. Well Taco Lu's put shrimp that was similar to the bang bang on a taco... and now, in my mind, they can never do any wrong. It was so good.

Friday night we ventured to a place called Caps On The Water - again, Ponte Vedra, you know how to make good food. But the best part about this place? The view. It's the place to go to see the sun set, and we were not disappointed.

Saturday was spent lounging by the pool... a beer in my hand and my girls to gossip with? I'll take a never ending order of that, please and thank you.

I don't know if you can tell in the pictures... but clearly I was in my happy place. There are few pictures of me actually smiling... I never stopped laughing.

My Maid of Honor has a job that lets her travel the world (yeah, I know... so cool), so she made the weekend a little more exciting by bringing us her favorite bottle of champagne from SPAIN! I realize Spain sends drinks over to America for us all of the time... but it tasted so much better knowing that she had bought it and brought it straight to us from there. It also didn't hurt that we chose a beautiful afternoon to walk on the beach as we drank it. Again, my happy place. My MOH also got me lingerie from Cannes, France. I mean, come on... probably one of my top gifts ever.

Our last night was where we really exerted the energy. Now, I am no bachelorette that is going to spill the secrets of the weekend, but let me assure you, we had a blast. Ponte Vedra is a short drive to Jacksonville, so we hopped on a party bus and hit the town in a big way.

It was a good for the soul weekend all the way around. More than ever, I am grateful for friendships. When you're going through such a big moment in your life, it's easy to look around and realize why these people mean so much to you. I couldn't imagine this time without any of them.

And now... I am going to check the weather for our ceremony. We're in the 10-day forecast, people! Are you sending up your requests for good weather to God and Mother Nature? We certainly appreciate your help :)

...in other news, I am obsessed with my dslr... tell me these pictures don't beat those of an iPhone. We're going to have fun with this baby in Hawaii!

Wedding Wednesday - The (WE ARE 10 DAYS AWAY) List

I wrote a post similar to this when we were on the 70 day countdown to our wedding... and then, some alien came down zapped all of our brains and now here we were, 10 days away from the wedding. 

Really, I don't know where the time went. No clue. There was a bachelor party in Vegas, a bachelorette party in Ponte Vedra, lots of time at the gym, some dress fittings, lots of chats with my mama turned wedding planner, and then here we are... responding to people with "Yeah! We're getting married NEXT week!" 

We are pumped... we are talking about it constantly and tying up the loose ends from this detail to that, but I really have no idea where the time has gone. We only had an 8-month engagement, and honestly I wouldn't have done it any other way. If I had another week to wait I would go crazy - I am so ready to be married to C and am just wanting it to get here, NOW! 

Anyways, the point of my story... girls who are engaged, girls who are dreaming to become engaged, listen to me loud and clear... they are not kidding about it all going by fast. Soak it all in. Soak in every emotion you feel during it. Because one day, you'll find yourself 10 days away from your wedding day... not sure where the time went, and wanting to keep the engaged excitement forever,  but not wanting to wait another day until you are MARRIED. 

I've got 100 other things I want to share with you guys, feelings you get during the process, my bachelorette weekend, and then of course, after next Saturday every.single.detail. I've wanted to share before now, but it just seems wrong to spill the beans before the actual day. 

So I leave you with what will be my last list update - because let me tell you about all that will need to be done next Wednesday... this list update will not be happening. 

Going through this list and updating it gave me some major pep in my step - I'm feeling accomplished... sure I wish I had a rehearsal dress, but for the most part we are here... we are at the finish line... I see my groom at the end of the aisle and every bit of this wedding planning makes it all worth it. 

Somebody grab the tissues, it's going to be an emotional week and a half... 

Set a date

Book ceremony venue

Book reception venue

Book photographer

Book our band for the reception

Get the wedding party on board

Create wedding website

Register

Take engagement pictures 

Decide on Save the Dates

Finalize guest list 

Send out Save the Dates

Buy my wedding dress!! 
Book ceremony musician

Choose pretty bridesmaids dresses
Decide on shoes/jewelry for bridesmaids

Choose groom/groomsmen tuxes 

Have groomsmen get measured

Get a gorgeous dress for the MOB 
Purchase veil 

Decide on hair accessories 

Decide on wedding shoes & jewelry 

Hire ceremony coordinator 

Hire reception coordinator
Book the minister

Pre-marriage counseling 

Book chair rentals for ceremony 
Book chair rentals for reception
Finalize reception menu
Finalize centerpieces for reception 

Hire a calligrapher

Book hair stylist 

Book cake baker 
Book hair stylist

Schedule hair trial-run 

1st dress fitting 

Final dress fitting 

Create ceremony programs  
Have programs printed

Create wedding invitations
Have invitations printed out 
Mail invitations

Book rehearsal dinner venue 

Finalize rehearsal dinner menu

Order rehearsal dinner  invitations 

Buy a dress for rehearsal dinner
Plan cocktails w/ friends for after rehearsal dinner 

Buy bridal party gifts

My bachelorette party 

C's bachelor party 

Bridal showers

Purchase my wedding band 
Purchase C's wedding band 
Make "must have" list for photographer and videographer

Get marriage license Will be happening literally days before the wedding... that's the tricky part with getting married in a different state where you don't live
Decide on guest book
Decide on favors 

Get favors together

Decide on welcome bag gifts 

Finalize transportation from wedding to reception 
Finalize transportation from reception to our room

Book wedding night room

Book honeymoon 

Get new clothes for the honeymoon! 
Gift for C

Gifts for our parents 

Create itinerary for the day sooo closeeee

Plan bridal brunch
Music selections to band and ceremony musician 

Order thank you notes
Remain extremely calm on the day of
Have a chat with Mother Nature to make sure we are all clear and good to go with my request for a beautiful weekend For real, please send your good vibes for a beautiful wedding day. PUHLEASE. 

GET MARRIED! 

I will be back tomorrow and Friday with other fun wedding info. Isn't it the week before your wedding you shouldn't be blogging? What is this? I barely blog for the whole 8 months then all of a sudden I can't step away. Per usual. 

Five on Friday!

Oh Friday, it is so very good to see you again. It's a rainy day in the city, as I imagine anyone on the East Coast is experiencing the same thing. So our normal plans of Friday night Landsharks and oysters on our favorite patio are shot... which means, it's a good drink, pizza and a redbox rental on the couch tonight. Just my kinda rainy night. 

I'm linking up with Natasha (and others) for Five on Friday! I mean what better day of the week to reflect on things you're loving? Let's get straight to it. 

1. This Fine Baby - I've had my eyes on one of these fancy guys for a while now. My sweet Mama (I could sing her praises forever, people) gave this to us as a wedding gift! She knocked it out of the ballpark with this one. I can't stop taking pictures... and probably have more pictures of random objects than would ever be necessary. Do I know how to use it? Not necessarily, but I'm pretty good at pretending. 

I've been looking into some opportunities to take a class to learn more - especially before we head off on our honeymoon. I'm determined to get this picture thing figured out, so I won't spend the remainder of my life spending every pay check on people taking pictures of our little babes running around. I want to be able to capture some moments too, ya know? In the meantime, I'm really excited to put this to use and capture memories with our family and friends. C & I will be going on some outdoor adventures this weekend for some practice - I'll be sure to let you in on how it goes. Any tips on learning how to use it better? Any websites that were helpful to you? 

 

2. Essie - I don't know what it is, but having color on my nails and toes does some kind of pep in my step wonders on me. I love the brightness, and that's a big deal... because looking in my closet there isn't much color, there's beige, white, grey, black... but when it comes to my nails, you can't drag me away from the brights. I especially loved the bright pink I tried recently from Essie.

3. Blurred Lines - Listen to this song (!!!!) and refrain from dancing. I dare you. This has been the theme song to many dance parties around the apartment lately. We just cannot get enough. Also, don't know that I've ever given Robin Thicke enough credit. Boy is doing so many things right. And those blue eyes... they make you weak in the knees, don't they? And anytime Pharrell puts his name on something = instant hit. 

*If you're around small children, your parents, co-workers or get easily embarrassed by little clothing... I wouldn't watch the video. But still... you should listen to the song. 

4. Target (especially their beach bags) - Do they ever do anything wrong? I walked in one night to buy paper towels.... I came out with this perfect beach bag. I said it was Honeymoon purchase... but it has already been put to good use out by the pool this summer. How could I just save it? It was practically begging me to use it. 

5. Game of Thrones - I don't love it this week... but I've been told I should. Is it true? Are you a Game of Thrones fan? Have we been completely missing out? MUST we jump on board immediately?? 

Hope you have a pretty summer weather, bright nail polish wearing, fun beach bag carrying, full of listening to Robin Thicke and taking pictures weekend! ;)

Don't forget to join in on the fun and link up!