Michael's FAIL, sort of

On Monday, I was able to convince Hanam to go with me to Michael's so that we can get started on our wedding signs for our chairs.  I have the wood but need to buy the paint to make it have an antique crackled look.  I was proud of myself because I remembered to print a 50% coupon off the internet.  We drive over and walk in.  

As we're walking in, I instantly get excited! Hanam looked over at me curiously and made a great analogy.  Michael's is to me what Bass Pro Shop is to him! I like crafts, he likes fishing -can't argue there. 

We had to ask for help on which aisle to even find this crackle paint that I needed. Once we are in the right area, I know that I'm doomed.  I thought it would be easy to just grab a jar and go, but not so.  There were all kinds of jars and different colors too.  What kind did I need? Good question.  I didn't know! Oh, well. No crackle DIY project for me. It's a fail. Boo.

Since we had the coupons though, we walked around to see what else we could find. Guess what we found? Potential wedding invitations! They match our colors and we liked the design.  With the 50% coupon, each invite would cost us less than a dollar.  Who can beat that? Hanam kept saying, "If we spend less on invites, we can invite more people." Which is a good point.  Anyway, I'm still not 100% sure. I want to open the box and check the quality of the paper before I make up my mind.

In the end, our Michael's visit wasn't a complete failure!  

Has that ever happened to you where you walk in to a craft store to get one thing but walk out with something else? 

Our Photographer

One of the first things we picked after the venue was our photographer.  I had read that photographers get booked quickly, so I wanted to make sure we shopped around and had a chance to pick from the best.  We looked at several photographers and we really did find one of the best.

I am so excited that we get to work with April Smith as our photographer! She is an amazing artist and really loves her job.  Hanam and I both got to meet with her in her home office.  She did a great job of helping us feel comfortable by asking questions about how we met and how he proposed.  Because she wanted to create a feeling of being comfortable with her, I know that she will also do that on the wedding day.  

Aside from feeling comfortable with her, the reason we hired her was because of her work. She doesn't just take pictures she finds one-of-kind shots to show off the couple.  Sometimes, she does this editing technique that makes a picture look antique, like this picture.

Or she plays up the colors and makes them really vivid, like this pic.

Her blog and website are covered with great pics but this is one of my favorites! It just captures such a sweet moment.

Early in the planning, Hanam and I decided that good, quality pictures were a priority for us.  We wanted to hire someone that would capture us and our wedding with great pictures.  I know that April is going to do just that for us.

All pictures are from April Smith's website or blog.

Inspiration Board: A Romantic Night

I am a sucker for candles at night.  Their glow just seems to add a touch of romance.  That is the basis for the inspiration board I created.  It's not all candles, as you can see, but the lighting in all the photos create a warm romantic feel. (source)

Since we our venue is outdoor, I  will be incorporating candles into our decor.  I also want candles with the centerpieces and maybe throughout the reception area.  There is also a fireplace that will need decorating and I am leaning towards candles.  I think the candles will just create a great mood for the night.  I savvy thing to also remember is that candles can be an inexpensive way to decorate but still make it look elegant.

Colored Shoes on a Bride

I always thought that the day I get married I'd wear a white dress, white veil, white shoes, you know, the basics. Simple, right? Except now the new "in" thing is to wear colored shoes. Shoes are mostly hidden under wedding dresses but every so often they peek through and make for great pictures.  Since I am a shoe lover, you don't have to tell me twice that color is allowed! I love the idea! 

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Those red shoes look so beautiful peeking out just a little from the dress. But me, I'm a purple kinda girl! This next picture makes me smile. Seriously, I literally feel happier every time I see this picture!

(source)

Last month, Miss Cheeseburger from Weddingbee, posted about shoes and guess what color she's looking for?! Yup, purple shoes! Crazy, huh? (source)

I am not a fan of all of these shoes but the colors are amazing.  

Even though I kind of have the idea that I would like colored shoes, I haven't been actively searching for wedding shoes.  My wedding dress doesn't come in until May, so I figured I have a couple of months to try on and pick shoes.  Until...these shoes!!!!

(source)

I was at Nordstrom when I saw them.  I am not kidding when I tell you that I walked right over, picked them up and ohhed and ahhed out loud!  These shoes are major eye-candy and would look great with my dress.  

Although, I don't really have a reason to not buy them, I still haven't.  A small part of me, and I mean small, keeps thinking I should keep to my original vision of a white dress with white shoes.  And a small part of me is worried that I will regret not wearing white shoes? Am I crazy?

What do you girls think? Am I over analyzing? Should I just get the amazing cute purple heals or stick to the original plan of white heals? Oh, and just to add more variety, what about two pairs? White for the ceremony and purple for pics and the reception?

Save our wedding date!

We sent out our save-the-dates!  Woo hoo!!! We got our save-the-dates in the mail back in October and we finally put the final ones in the mail last week!  

After talking for awhile about what we wanted for save-the-dates, we decided it wasn't going to be a DIY project because it would be time consuming.  We had two criteria: something quick and inexpensive.  Truthfully, I didn't do any research.  I relied on the reviews I found on Weddingbee. One of the bees found several websites that can do wedding magnets, postcards, etc. We checked out three website to see what they could offer: Overnight Prints, Vista Prints and Invitesite.  Soon into our research we noticed that postcards where a cute and inexpensive way of letting people know about the wedding. So our first decision was done: our save-the-dates would be postcards!

At one point, we were on Vista Prints scrolling through their premade postcard options when a a really cute came up! Simultaneously we both said, "Oh, what about that one."  We kept scrolling through the page and found several more we liked but we kept saying "But the first one is cuter." We checked out more just to make sure but we kept going back to the one we both liked.  It was very girly and so I checked and double-checked with Hanam that a girly postcard was okay and he was fine with it.  What finally sealed the deal was a 50% off coupon that we found for Vista Prints! Who could beat that? We had found what we wanted: cute and affordable!

So without further ado......

(I took the picture)

Isn't it adorable! I really like the way they came out!   The wording is something that I saw awhile back and have always wanted to use! It just seemed so fitting to use for our save-the-dates! I also the think the picture really captures how we both felt when Hanam proposed! 

I was really impressed with Vista Prints.  The turn around time was less than a week and the quality of the paper is good.  Good service and affordable prices? Our save-the-dates mission was a success!

So fellow brides, what are you planning to do for your save-the-dates? DIY or pre-made?

Shoes! I'm addicted!

My shoe obsession - I think it started back when I was a little girl. My mom had the best heals, or so they seemed to me. It seemed like she had a closet full and in all kinds of colors. I always wanted to play house and wear them.  Of course, my mom wouldn't let me.  When a pair was really old though, she'd finally let me have them. Ha, I can still remember wearing my heals with socks, using chapstick as lipstick, and wearing all my plastic jewelry I could find. I was playing "grown up" and I always needed heels for that!

Fast forward to now, and I am a self-proclaimed shoe-aholic. I don't think anyone that knows me would deny it, though. I don't know what it is but I am just drawn to them. Flats, flip flops, sandals, boots, but especially heals! I still have this idea in my head from my childhood that heals make you a grown up. Heels help me feel grown up and lady-like.

It's hard to walk into a department store and not walk by the shoe department.  I just have to look and see what they have. Well, about a month ago I was walking through Macy's and saw these. They are Carlos by Carlos Santana.

I stopped in my tracks and my jaw dropped.  They are gorgeous! I instantly thought of my wedding because they are pretty much one of colors of my wedding.  They look so girly and feminine.  Also, the ruffles up front remind me of the headbands and fabric ruffled belts that are really in right now. The label says they are a bordo color, which remind me of wine, which reminds me of wineries, which reminds me of where we're getting married.  I just had to have them!

I bought them not knowing when I'd used them and I still don't. I'm thinking they'd look amazing with a dress for a bridal shower or the rehearsal dinner.  Either way, these were a great buy and I can't wait to find a cute dress to coordinate with them.

Does anyone else have a shoes obsession? 

p.s. This definitely not going to be last shoe post! I still have to find my shoes for the day of!

My Grandma

I didn't think I'd be able to write this post so soon, but I  feel inspired today.  My grandmother passed away about two weeks ago, on November 6th.  It has been a long two week! The emotional shock of losing someone so loved is finally going away, but leaves behind an ocean of emotions to cope with. My grandmother was more than just a grandmother, she was the center of our family.  She was my last living grandparent and the one that I was closest too! She took care of me as a child while my mother worked and I got to take care of her in her old age.  

Our relationship was special for me from a very young age.  My grandmother loved to travel, our first trip together was when I was 4! She took me to Mexico with her.  I don't remember it but they tell me that I had a great time.  Our trips continued throughout my childhood, most of which I do have memories of.  I remember our road trips to Mexico with her and my grandpa in his red truck.  I would have a small cot set up on the back camper of the truck and would chat with them from back there.  She took me to Puerto Vallarta several times and we'd get to go wading in the ocean together.  A grandmother spoils her grandchildren and she was no exception.  What I remember most of our vacations was the freedom to be a little girl.  She never said no.  If I wanted to go swimming, she'd take me.  When I was hungry, we'd order some food.   I realize now, her enjoyment was seeing my joy.  Once I was in high school and college our roles reversed.  I still got to go to Mexico with her but now I was the care taker.  I had to administer her medicine and make sure she rested.  I was mindful of what she ate and sometimes had to be the food police and say no to pork tacos or similar indulgences. We had fun though! I was still with her, we got to enjoy our family together, and we created lasting memories that would take a lifetime to describe.  Through the years our vacations to Mexico were less and less because of her health but just last week she was commenting to me how much she would love to go back.  Of course, this is just one of the many loving experiences that have wandered into my mind this week.

When I look back and reflect on her personality I see of  lot of her in me! Definitely our love of traveling but so much more.  She was a strong woman who loved her family.  She loved us unconditionally and showed us the value of family.  Her strong faith came later in life but once she encountered the Lord, her devotion never waivered.  Although there was an age gap, our conversations about God and family seemed like we were old friends.  She was a spiritual guide for me and she always encouraged me to seek out God.

Although this isn't directly wedding related, it is to me. I keep thinking about how I will have a wedding without my grandma? I won't be able to receive her blessing before walking down the aisle, like I'd planned. She won't be there to smile and see me glow on the alter.  I won't be able to run into her arms and share a small special moment with her after the ceremony.  So many potential moments that won't be.  My comfort comes in knowing that although she won't be physically present, she'll be with me in my heart.

What more can I say? I love her.  I will miss her.  And on my wedding day, when I think of her, I'll smile, maybe shed a tiny tear, my heart will swell up with love and, before I leave the church, I'll say a prayer for her.  And for the rest of the day, I will celebrate my beautiful marriage, because that's what she would have wanted.  I will celebrate the way she used to celebrate- surrounded by a ton of family, sharing our laughter and love and having a good time.

Dress shopping = Emotional Roller coaster

*Note: I am writing about wedding dress shopping but I can't post pictures because my FI is a faithful reader of my blog. *

I went wedding dress shopping this weekend and it has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. At first, I was hesitant to go. I am willing to admit that it's because of my size.  I have put on weight and this is NOT the ideal size I want to be when trying on dresses.  So I wasn't looking forward to looking "fluffy" in these pictures. Walking into the store, I felt overwhelmed.  How many dresses can one store hold?! There were so many styles and looks.  Who knew that white could come in so many shades! 

When I finally tried the first dress on, I felt a little disappointed.  It was the Jim Hjelm one that I had blogged about in an earlier post. That dress looks a lot better on that model.  It had too much lace on the shoulders.  It was eating up my shoulders.  I had been looking forward for so long to try on this dress and when I finally did...blah. It looked blah on me.  I just kept thinking, "Oh, no! This was suppose to be the one!"  But once I looked at the price tag, I instantly felt relieved. "Phew, good thing this isn't the one!"

I tried on about four or five more and they felt okay.  Some got a very quick no and some got maybe's. The maybe's weren't cutting it for me.  I didn't feel a wow factor.  And then..... I tried on the prettiest dress we had.  I felt so beautiful in it! The term blushing bride comes to mind.  I felt so happy instantly! But guess what? It was strapless!!!! I felt shocked.  What?! But I had sworn I wouldn't get a strapless. How can this be the one I like the most? But it was! I twirled around in it.  We took some pictures.  We talked about the accessories.  We discussed how great it would look in a church and later outside in a vineyard.  It wasn't too heavy or too poofy.  It was just right. (Wow, that sounded very Goldy Lock-ish).

The dress fitting ended with me having a big smile on my face! I think I'm going to try some more places just to make sure I'm not missing out on anything, but I just know I am going to compare every dress to that last one.  Of course, I also want to have my Mom help in the decision, so I have to make an appointment for us to go back?  

Is it really this easy though? I don't want to say I found my dress, but it feels like I found my dress.  Every time I think of me in it, I smile!  That's a good sign, right? How often do brides find there dress after the fifth or sixth dress? My last emotion on this roller coaster was concern.  Am I being too quick in picking "the dress"? Should it be a lot harder than this?

It feels official!

I know that we've been engaged for several months now but I finally feel like we are officially getting things done.  So far I've only been giving away my money.  Although I spend, I have nothing to show for it ... but not anyyyyymore.  A few weeks ago we ordered our Save-the-dates and we just got them in the mail today!  I am excited! They are really cute and I can't wait to send them out.  I won't be able to post a picture until they go out but they are sweet.  

Did that ever happen to you? It didn't feel official until you had something concrete to show for it?

Wine barrel decor!

We're getting married at a winery. Will there be wine barrels? You bet! Wine barrels are a simple way of adding a nice touch.  They add the rustic, shabby chic look and it doesn't take a lot because they are simple to decorate.  Just add some flowers, a frame, candles, or anything else that needs to be displayed.

Isn't this image great?! Adding some apples is a great idea. Simple yet charming. I've been trying to think of a way to incorporate raspberries or blueberries into our reception.  I'm not sure if it'd work but what if I put some in berries on fancy candy dishes or bowls and set them out on the wine barrels?

source

This last picture came out a little small, sorry.  But you'll get the idea.  Why not use a wine barrel to hold the cake? It seems easy enough and then I don't have to worry about having to buy and hunt for a nice cake stand.  The wine barrel will draw all the attention needed and a simple cake stand from the baker would suffice.

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I never really gave wine barrels much thought until our wedding, but now I realize they have so many possibilities!  How else would you use them? If you have more ideas let me know.

Aughhh! The Guest List

A guest list! It is seriously a dread for me and my fiance.  We've tried cutting people out, we really have, but then we put them back on.  We have big families.  There is no way around it.  I don't know how to cut our list.  A small wedding sounds so beautiful. I imagine it being so beautiful. I just don't know how to get it to be small.  

To begin with I have a Mexican family.  Enough said, right.  Mexicans have big families. Hanam's family is Vietnamese.  In this way, Mexicans and Vietnamese are very much alike.  We have big families.  To give you an idea. My dad has 9 siblings. Hanam's dad has 12 siblings. And they have kids, and some of those kids have kids.

So what do we do? As of right now, we're expanding our guest list.  We might end up with a guest list of 200 instead of 150.  I know, I know. It seems like a lot to me too, but what can we do.  At least the dance floor will be packed!

How to save the date?

I can't believe that I've reached the point in my planning where it's time to plan for Save the Dates! Save the dates usually go out about 9 months before the wedding and end of October will be about 9 months for me.  So I have to start thinking about what we want now because if I'm going to DIY (do-it-yourself) then I'm going to need some time to make them.  I am trying to think of what I'd like.

Maybe something simple like a calendar.

Source

This save the date is really cute.  I like the idea of the tickets.  Does it seem personal enough though? I just keep thinking that a save the date should have our picture.  

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This save the date is a little more elaborate, but it has a picture.  Cute idea, huh, stringing the date? 

      Source

I like this one too.  Again, it has pictures.  I am not sure that we'd want to put childhood pics though.  Maybe just a picture of us together. It's a little simpler than the one above.  Picture and a string wrapped around.


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These save the dates are going to be my first wedding DIY project but I hope it won't be too hard.  I will make sure to post what I end up doing?

Chair Signage

Is it funny to put a sign on the chair where the bride and groom are going to sit? Probably. I mean, no one is going to see a table for two and think, "Oh, let's go sit there." Right?! Regardless, I still want a sign for my chair. After I saw this picture, the idea never left me.

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I think these signs will look great outside and add a small touch of elegance.  Now, all I need to decide is do I want them to say "bride" and "groom" or "Mr." and "Mrs.".  This will be one of my first DIY projects.  I will let you know it goes.  

What do you think, bride and groom or Mr. and Mrs.?

My man is stylish!

One of the first things I was attracted to about my fiance, Hanam, was his style of dressing. He has good fashion sense and likes to wear nice clothes.  So, when I mentioned that I thought it'd be cool if the groomsmen wore suits instead of tuxes, he objected adamantly.  He said that he always envisioned his guys in a tux.  He also said that a simple tie and black socks would be just fine. Now just to clarify, I don't have anything against a tux but the feel that I am trying to convey for our wedding is more of a "casual elegance" and therefore, I thought tuxes would be too much.  After a slightly heated conversation, we decided he'd be in charge of what they guys wear, and I would be in charge of the girls.

Imagine my surprise, when he sent me these pictures as ideas that he likes.

It's guys in suits!!! I asked him why he changed his mind and these are his exact words, "If it makes you happy for us to wear suits, then we'll wear suits.  No big deal."  Isn't he wonderful. 

The next two are of groomsmen showing off their argyle socks.  I am not sure if we'll get argyle socks but they do make for cool pictures.

And of course, the Converse shot.  My Sweetie does like his Converse.  He has them in black, brown, red, and I know he wants to get them in green.  Is this the style we're going for? Not really, but I'd be willing to compromise.  Maybe the guys throw them on during the reception or something.

What do you girls think? Should the guys wear a tux or a suit? 

"Berry" Beautiful

One of my favorite wedding websites is Style Me Pretty. Look at the beautiful picture they posted yesterday! Does this scream berry colors or what?! The vibrant colors feel warm and inviting. I like the romantic candle lighting too. It looks simple and effortless.
This tablescape is my new inspiriation. 


Here is the whole inspiration board.

(Click to enlarge the board.)

This one actually includes berries in the pictures.  I think it's a good idea to incorporate berries somehow.  I'm going to have to think about it for awhile.

"Berry Chic" Inspiration Board #1

So, in case you haven't found out. I chose my colors! I picked berry colors!!! 
Here is my first inspiration board that I made on Style Circle by Style Me Pretty. Hope you like it.

(I think if you click on it, you'll see a bigger version of it.)

I am always drawn to purple.  My wedding is a spin on the purple - "berry" colors.  Think blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry.  Is plum a berry? No? Well, then I'll make up my own.  Plumberry! Add plumberry to the mix.  Since our venue is a ranch/winery, I am want to create a Casual Elegance with a touch of Rustic feel.  The colors will look great in the summer and I think they'll really pop with the greens and the browns of the ranch.

Wedding Dresses

I am not ready to go buy a dress but I am ready to start looking though.  I might be going soon to a bridal salon just to have an idea of what is out there.  My first outing will probably just be my Mom and I.  Once I am ready to take this more seriously and buy something I will invite my Mom and one or two of my bridesmaids.  In the meantime, here are some pics of dresses that I am liking.

I've thought about what I'm looking for and I want something with a v neck (not to low, though), low back, and thin straps. 

This one is my absolute favorite, but the v is a little too low for me. I like the ribbon around the waist too. Although, I don't know that I would like that when I try it on.

This one is kind of a mermaid type dress.  Very elegant.

You can see the back on this one.  Can you picture this dress outside, by the trees or in the vineyard?

Although this one is strapless, I love how the lace peaks through on the top.   I am not completely against strapless, but I don't normally like how strapless dresses look on me.  The dress would really need to "wow" me in order for me to choose a strapless as my wedding dress.

Can you tell I like lace?  I think I am drawn to dresses with lace.  When I go try on dresses, I want to see if that is the case.  I want to try on some dresses with lace and some without to have an idea of what I like.

Oh yeah, by the way all these dresses are by the designer, Jim Hjelm.  This is not a coincidence.  I really like his dresses.  I have tried looking at other dresses but I am just not drawn to them. 

Centerpieces

Since the ranch/winery were we are having the reception is already beautiful, we are going to have simple centerpieces.  One, it will save money. (Ya!) Two, the place already has so much to draw the eye.  I really like the idea of just having some mason jars with flowers and some candles around the jars.  Also, each jar will only have one type of flower but with 3 jars there will still be lots of flowers on the table.  Here are some pics that I've been collecting.

I like the simpleness of mason jars.  How cute is this arrangement.

Aren't these flowers so pretty. Here's a secret.  I think I'm leaning towards the "berry" colors for my wedding.  (Hanam would ask percent wise how much do I like it. ) So, I am 75% berry colors, 25% whites with blush.

This jar has a ribbon wrapped around it.  I think I will want to do something to the jars but I am not sure what.

I really like these flowers.  Oh, wait they're purple.  I won't be using blue mason jars, though.

(All pictures from Weeping Cherries.)

So can you picture it.  Reception dinner outside, green grass, ranch setting, and mason jars with flowers on the tables. Now I have to think of ideas on how to decorate the jars? Ribbon? Yarn? 

Colors!!! I can't decide!

I can't pick wedding colors.  Yes, purple is my favorite color, but I feel I always do purple.  Anyway, here are the two color schemes I am playing with.

The first color scheme is called "Berry Colors".  Think berries, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry.  The colors would be fushia, plum, and eggplant.  (Yes, the purple family.)  The second color scheme is called "Shabby Chic".  Think light colors.  The colors would be white, cream, and blush (fancy for light pink.)  I am not a pink girl normally, but I think blush for a wedding is so romantic.

Anyway, if you've seen pictures of our reception site, you will remember that it's very green.  I picture both of these color schemes working so well. So.... I went with my Mom to the LA flower district to see if I could find my color schemes in the flowers.  

This is what we came back with.  Pretty, huh!

Note: we aren't really deciding flower arrangements right now, just colors. So the flowers aren't adorned perfectly.  

This is the first trial with the berry colors.  I took more, but for some reason they didn't save on my computer. I put them out on my front lawn to have the green grass in the background.  I like the contrast of the colors.  The colors really pop in the sun.  I do like this color palette.  Oh... decisions, decisions. 

These two pics are my shabby chic colors.  Don't they look so beautiful.  Again, I think of romance.  It doesn't pop as much though.  The colors are more subtle. 

Same arrangement, different angle. 

Are you curious to know what I picked? Well, I'm curious too.  I just can't decide.  I don't know what I want.  Hanam, of course, is being supportive.  He says he'll go with whatever I pick.  So, it's being tabled for now.  I can't decide yet.  I need more time to think.

Do you like one over the other? Please, let me know.