Cupcakes, Smores, and Pies ... Oh My!

To say that I have a sweet tooth would definitely be an understatement.  The truth is ... most nights, the only reason that I eat dinner is to get to dessert.  As my FI/roomie would know - I eat ice cream 7 nights a week and (beyond) thouroughly enjoy it (my favorite part is the cool whip with cinnamon on top that I put on the side!).  Furthermore - most of my friends/family would most likely say that I have a major addiction to Splenda, although I am currently attempting to switch over to Truvia, a natural sweetener, I promise.

But enough of my confessions of a dessert addict.

There will be no shortage of sweets at my June wedding.  Fellow sweets lovers, you are in luck.  Here is the assortment of desserts that will be served:

Pies - My mom's idea. She's right, nothing evokes the feeling of a backyard event quite like a pie.  Perhaps what she is most excited about, however, is the vintage, rustic stands that the pies will sit on.  They will fit in with the wedding theme perfectly.  And I am sure that they will be delicious.

Smores - Mom's idea, again.  And another good one.  Just as the sun sets (on what we hope will be a beautiful, rain-free evening), our guests will have the option of the indulging on that childhood favorite.  And again, another dessert that fits that backyard theme.  Good thinking, Mom.

Cupcakes - This one's all me.  In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, Mr. BB & I will be cutting into vanilla cupakes with brown liners & flags on top.  And although my grandmother is still a little concerned with the whole idea, this is one aspect of the wedding that I knew right from the get-go.  I have always loved cupcakes ... baking them (Betty Crocker style!), decorating them, and of course, eating them!  Is there seriously anything cuter than a cupcake?  And Momma, not to worry .... there will be a cake on top of the cupcake stand that will be reserved for our first anniversary.  Here I am at our cupcakery over the weekend, after finalizing the details:

We can only hope that after all the yummy food that my mom has been busy planning over the past few months, our guests will still be hungry enough for all of these delicious sweet treats.  However, if they are anything like me, there is always room for dessert!

All Hands on Deck ...

I don't know that either my mom or I (the two driving forces behind my upcoming wedding) realized what we were getting ourselves into when we started the journey towards our vintage/informal/DIY backyard wedding.  Doesn't a backyard wedding convey the feeling of an event that would be somewhat easy to plan?  Wouldn't you think?  Needless to say, easy is definitely not the word for it ... fun, yes (most often).  Rewarding, I definitely think so.  And time consuming, for sure.

Luckily, we have had help from many special people who have taken time out of their busy lives to complete various DIY projects, attend meetings, and to simply offer their advice.  This week, I have been thinking about just how lucky we are. 

While Mr. BB, his mother & I attended the tasting last weekend, my mother attended a bridal meeting of her own.  This one focused on a rather comprehensive plan for the food at the wedding (details of the "food plan" to come, at this point, I probably wouldn't get it right!).  My mom, a personal trainer, was joined by several of her clients who just want to help in any way that they can.  And after that meeting, she had a second to disuss many details of the decor that we plan to have at that backyard wedding.

Thank you to those who are helping make our (sometimes crazy) vision a reality - your support is appreciated more than you know, and we definitely couldn't do it without you. :)

Baby, It's Cold Outside ...

And I don't know if I have ever been this sick of it.  Although I am particulary fond of sweaters, boots, fur, skinny jeans, and have a current obsession with colored tights ... I am officially ready for the warm weather to return.  It is just me, or has the winter been colder than ever?  This morning, for example, was quite painful as I drove to school in a dark, rainy mess.  I could only attempt to run into 7-11 to get my morning coffee fix without being soaked from the rain & numb from the cold.  Greeting my students on a cold, rainy morning is especially hard - when I ask my usual "How are you?" as they walk in the door ... 99.9% of the responses are either tired or cold. 

But enough complaining ... when old man winter gets you down, the best way to cope is to look ahead.  And as I sit in my cozy bed with my personal heater blasting in my face, that is exactly what I am doing.  I have been excited ever since Mr. BB & I agreed on a possible honeymoon idea this weekend - one that may actually be in the budget.  The truth is, while we both have high hopes of tropical drinks on the beach in Antigua, that vacation may just have to wait until our first anniversary.  However, we both agree that we will honeymoon somewhere, even if it is in a tent in our backyard. 

While discussing our options with my cousin over the weekend, her solution was a trip to California, one in which we could possibly use her time share for our hotel accomodations.  While both my FI & I have traveled all over the country, neither of us have been to California and have always wanted to go.  And, more specifically, I have always had a strong desire to vacation in Napa Valley (most likely due to my love of wine, even though I am perfectly content with Trader Joes' version). 

After researching (on google) ... it seems like this could be the perfect start to our life together ... somewhere that is relaxing, romantic, beautiful, & that we have always wanted to go.  And considering our Virginia Beach weather lately, if it is over 70 degrees & I have a few days off work, I will be one happy newly-married Burgundy Bride.

5 Months & Counting

It's official - in exactly 5 months, Mr. BB & I will be married.  That's right ... married, meaning that we will be husband & wife.  I will no longer be a Ms., but a Mrs. ... We will file our taxes together, share the same last name, and both have a ring that represents our commitment.  And let's face it ... once I am married, I will legimately be an adult.

It's still hard to believe that I am old enough for all of this, although I definitely am.  (I just googled it, and I am actually older than the 25 year old median age for women when they are married). I am beyond excited to be a wife and all that comes with it, and just hope that the cooking thing that most wives do is instinctive after the ceremony.  (I promise I have the baking thing down ... thanks to Betty Crocker & Duncan Hines ... and I must commend myself on a talent for laundry, and most recently, for ironing).

It is days like these, when The Knot emails me to remind me of my wedding date & that I am formally 5 months away, when I almost feel giddy about the future, and more specifically, the marriage that will result from this June wedding.

So,  to my FI ... Happy Five Months to go!  I can't wait to marry you and to see what lies ahead ...

Our "Themed" Rehearsal Dinner

If this photo is any indication ...

Mr. BB; Age:  Approximately 6 or 7



My FI was destined to become a cowboy.  It's pretty clear that this career path didn't work out ... so instead, playing one at our rehearsal dinner is going to have to do.  For now, anyways.

As mentioned in a previous post, our rehearsal dinner is going to be in a barn ... complete with straw on the ground, a petting zoo, and a "cowboy" theme.  Not your traditional location for the night before a wedding, but, at this point, does it matter?  Here were the top three reasons for our desire for a hoe-down as our rehearsal dinner:  (1) we wanted something different & innovative, (2) we wanted the night to go with the vibe of the rest of the weekend, informal & fun, and (3) I wanted an excuse to wear cowboy boots, specifically, metallic ones.

Luckily, Mr. BB's parents agreed to support our wish for dinner in the barn, and this past Saturday, along with my future husband & mother-in-law, I attended a tasting for our rehearsal dinner.  We couldn't have been happier with the result, and are now even more excited for our themed event.  The food was yummy & perfect for the location.  What is on the menu?  The best crabcakes I have ever had, Mr. BB's favorite:  pasta salad & terayaki chicken skewers, and an assortment of to die for desserts ... to name a few.  Here we are sampling the menu:



Notice the extra large smile on Mr. BB's face ... sampling food has definitely been one of his favorite parts of this planning process (It is safe to say his face was not nearly as excited on DIY water bottle day). 

More details to come on our cowboy themed hoe-down ... in the meantime, get your cowboy boots ready!

The Whole Look: Part Two

As the sun begins to go down on this bitterly cold night, I, like most other Sunday evenings, begin to (A) reflect on the weekend events and (B) look to the week ahead.  It seems that lately, with exactly 153 days until the wedding, my days consist of completing a variety of tasks in preparation for June 25th.  Therefore, I have plenty to write about, and tonight is no exception.

I am happy to report that, along with many dedicated & caring family/friends,  Mr. BB & I were able to make major strides towards our garden nuptials over the past few days.  I plan to share the details throughout the week, but first wanted to expand on the attire for some members of our wedding party.  We now, officially, have footwear for all of the flower girls & ring bearers.   My mother & I (on "wedding Friday") made another one of those exhilerating fashion finds - you know, when you find exactly what you are looking for and it just happens to be on sale, and in the size that you need it!  (Shopping doesn't get any better than that ... )

Here are the green Vans that we found for our two precious ring bearers to adorn, and, as previously mentioned, they were on sale!

At Journey's ... On Sale from $30.99 to $19.99. 

So even though my grandpa was slightly hesitant to accept the fact that his great grandson will be wearing sneakers with his suit at my June wedding, I am certain that these are the perfect shoes for our boys .  And the best part is that they can use them after the big day!

PS - Papa, I was joking about the green Vans that I bought for you to wear with your suit.  You can wear whatever shoes that you see fit.

And on another side note, what will my mother & I do on "wedding Fridays" after June?  With our love for shopping and anything creative, I am certain that we will find something.  Although we are definitely excited about the wedding, we will live on afterwards.  The only reason I knew that there are 153 days left is because I just looked it up on theknot.com, which calculates it for you ... I promise.

The Whole Look

It was one of my favorite days in my Fashion class today - fashion police from the Golden Globes.  Award show season - second to Christmas, my birthday, and now, June 25th - is one of the highlights of my year.  Rating the looks from the red carpet (in order, from favorite look to least favorite look), can seriously never get old, even after doing it for four classes in a row.  And, as I told each of my darling, wide-eyed impressionable young minds, we always make sure to  ... "look at the whole look, from head to toe ... that includes hair, makeup, and accesories."

Even though I often wish that I didn't care so much about the whole look (it would probably save me some money), like most other fashion-obsessed, I live for shoes & accesories.  So when it comes to planning the attire that my wedding party will adorn this June, I have certainly put thought into their whole look. 

This week, we were able to check off two more items off of our wedding to-do list, and both happen to fall under the fashion/shoes/accesories category.  The first: socks for the groomsmen.  After a few weeks of searching for the perfect pair of shoes for our groomsmen to wear under their suits, we came upon them at none other than Target.  And although it took a little bit of work (driving to a few Targets in the city) ... we were able to get 9 pairs of green/white striped socks for Mr. BB and his groomsmen.  I am sure that the picture, inspired by this one:

    Will completely be worth it.

Our other fashion find of the week?  The perfect princess flats for our adorable flower girls to wear with their plaid dresses.  Guess where?  Target again.  For only $14.99.  I knew I loved that store for a reason.

What's next on the fashion agenda?  Dashing suits for our ring bearers.  Any ideas?  We already checked Target.

 

A Bridal Boot Camp

I apologize, in advance, for the fitness theme lately, but I can't help but share the news on a bridal themed workout that lies in my future.  But first - an update on my dad's quest to lose weight for my June wedding ... As I was doing my usual 30 minutes on the ellyptical this past weekend (with the ipod on, tv blaring, and gossip magazine in hand), I was joined by none other than my father.  He ran in the door to my mom's gym, with his own ipod & workout attire, and showed me up by sharing the news that he hadn't needed a car for this trip to my mom's gym.  He had ran there!  And as if that wasn't enough, he texted me later when he was back at the gym for a second workout of the day!  Dad - your boots is proud! 

Remember when ...

And on to my own workout plans - have I mentioned how lucky I am to have a personal trainer for a mom?  Yet another reason ... as as she has agreed to head up a bridal boot camp that will involve Mr. BB & I, along with our bridesmaids & groomsmen (if they are up for the challenge!).  I am super excited about the idea - mostly for the the fact that it will be a great kick-off to our wedding festivities!

So what does a bridal boot camp consist of?  An hour long workout with bouquets & garters used as fitness equipment.  With my mom's creativity (and track record of past themed workouts), I can only imagine what we have in store. 

Thank you (I think), mom, for agreeing to help us break a sweat before the big day.  Maybe this will start a new wedding trend?  You could have your own booth at next year's bridal expo.

It's a Wedding World ...

Prior to my February 2010 engagement, I thought I understood the business of weddings.  A definite "girl's girl," I have always been interested in peering through bridal magazines, made the occasional stop at http://www.theknot.com/, and have been recording Say Yes to the Dress (along with other wedding-themed reality shows) for the past few years now.  I even assign a yearly project to my fashion students in which they plan their own wedding with an unlimited budget.  In the months since Mr. BB proposed, as I have been planning my June wedding, I have obviously been enlightened on the bridal industry.  However, it wasn't until yesterday ... when my mother, day-of-wedding-coordinator, and myself attended Uniquely Yours, a bridal showcase which featured the one & only David Tutera ... that I realized how massive the bridal industry really is. 

By the way ... Who is David Tutera? - He is from that show, My Fair Wedding) ... And yes, I saw him in person, but not that close because you had to buy his book to get anywhere near him. 

And yes, he was that pretty when we saw him.  And no, my wedding budget would never place me in a category to meet with him on any aspect of my wedding.

Needless to say, the one business that appears not to be affected by our poor economy is the wedding business.  After spending 20 minutes trying to find a parking spot, we waited for 30 minutes (amongst a multitude of anxious brides, some overwhelmed grooms, and various mothers of the bride, bridesmaids, flower girls, esc.) to enter into an array of wedding hysteria.  Upon entering, we were greeted by rows and rows of rather eager caterers, photographers, bakers, dj's, florists, limo companies, bridal gown shops and even the occasional jeweler,fitness trainer, or makeup artist. 

Here we are waiting to enter the wedding world:



Although I am unsure if even I am girly enough to handle one of these a weekend (and there are!), I am glad that we went & ultimately found the day to be a success.  As overwhelming as it was, it actually made me realize how much we have done (as we turned away florists, bakers, dress shop, dj's ... ).  And if for no other reason, those thinking of attending a bridal show can be tempted by the free food from the caterers, aisles of cupcakes, and chance of winning a door prize.  But beware, one diet coke costs $5.00.

A Gift from my FI

First things first ... a FI is a short term for fiance.  I wanted to make that clear for those who are not in tune with the wedding blogging lingo (which I was not until approximately 3 months ago, when this blogging adventure began.)  And by the way, the term fiance is one that I still have not gotten entirely used to, and may not by the time we are married in June and Mr. BB becomes my husband instead.

Back to the point ... my FI is extremely talented, even more talented than he realizes or is willing to admit.  He got his welding certification while in college at New River, and now owns a welding & fabrication company with his friend Josh.  For the past few years, Joe has been using his creative & artistic mind to create various pieces of art - roses made of metal, a welded fish for his dad,  wine holders that sit on our counter & our parents' counters, our nightstand and coffee table...  Remember the stump he made for my birthday?  This was yet another result of his hard work:

Well, over Christmas ... Mr. BB surprised me again with another handmade gift that will be displayed at our June wedding.  Our card box!  Complete with the same lovebirds & A&J from our save-the-dates:

Perhaps the thoughtful gift ever, and one that I can't wait to use in less than 5 months at our wedding!  I love it so much that it is already being put to use as a decoration in our dining room.  Our house has seriously become a musuem of his art work ... and I really do think that each piece gets even better than the last.

P.S.  Mr. BB's plan for the welded card box after the wedding?  Enclose the top and use it as our mailbox at our first home.  Love the idea, but guess we have to figure out how to buy that home first.  So if anyone knows of any engaged couples looking for a innovative version of a card box, I know of someone who can make a really good one!






A Goal for June

It's a well-known fact that many brides have a goal of losing weight before their wedding.  It is so common, in fact, that each of my bridal magazines & blogs have a multitude of articles dedicated to the subject.  The purpose of today's blog entry, however, is not to express my own bridal goals over the next 6 months of planning.  Instead, I would like to show my support for my dearest dad, who has a goal of his own.

Perhaps inspired by this man? ...

My dad has set a goal to lose 25 pounds before he walks me down the aisle at my June wedding.  Lucky him - he has a wife as a personal trainer (complete with a gym), and actually, is already taking advantage of this perk by taking part in her sweafest workout tonight.  And to do my own part in helping out ... I thought I would take a tip from that personal trainer mom of mine and provide my dad some accountability by writing his goal on my blog.   

It must be said, however, that I am beyond excited (and lucky!) to walk down the aisle with my dad ... someone who I have always looked up to and who has always been there for me no matter what.  Dad - Eat as many Chick-fil-A sandwiches/bowls of Breyer's ice cream that you want. :)

Love, Your Boots #1

PS - Sorry about the comparison to Bill Clinton, this is the first and last time I will do such a thing ... but I couldn't resist. 



DIY Sunday

Thanks to my mother and her creative mind .... there will be no shortage of details at my June garden wedding.  And with less than six months now until the big day, it is critical that we get busy on the many DIY projects that will add to the attention to detail that we are striving to achieve.

So ... today, Mr. BB & I enlisted the help of my grandmother & cousins to create our DIY water bottles.  Since we are having a June outdoor wedding, water (in addition to other beverages) will obviously play an important factor.  However, the Aquafina label didn't seem to evoke the vintage, romantic feeling that the rest of our wedding does.  What to do?  Create your own!  Here is one of the water bottles that will be served to the guests at our wedding, followed by our hard workers:

The whole crew - & my Papa as the photographer!

If nothing else, the water bottles will be the perfect hydration for our guests (since it will be a beautiful, warm, rain-free day, right?!).  Thank you to the crew for being so quick & efficient, and of course, to my mom for the idea!  Round two next weekend - to finish them off?!

Missing my Maid of Honor ...

It is no secret that I am the emotional one in the family.  My sister, although seven years my junior, has always showed an ability to "keep it together" and it is this endearing quality (and others) that, at times, makes me question who is the older one.

However, this week proves our difference in age as Lexie has been busy preparing for her return to college, an experience that I concluded 6 years ago. (I must, although, point out that when we moved her into her dorm last year I was asked twice in which dorm I was moving into myself).  Just as I did years ago, Lexie has been shopping for warm coats & decorations for her room, my Dad has taken her on the trip to Sam's Club for extra groceries, and somehow, I am sure that my grandfather is already baking cookies to send to her.  My mom's role in the process?  Even though she is trying to hide it, I know (like me) she is already emotional and is getting ready to hide in her room tomorrow so she doesn't have to see her before she leaves ...

We will miss you, Lex, but are so proud of you and how much you have grown over the past few months.  Enjoy this well deserved semester ... and don't forget about us (and your MOH duties!) back here in Virginia Beach.  We love you.

Officially Registered

It's official - Mr. BB & I are registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, & Williams-Sonoma.  Similar to the wedding planning process, registering has been fun & overwhelming at the same time.  The adventure began last June with the two of us at Bed, Bath, & Beyond before our engagement party.  We obviously didn't know what we were getting into, as the trip culminated in a slight disagreement over what knife set to get.  Our rather cheerful registry consultant stopped in to check on "us lovebirds" just as Mr. BB (who she referred to as an overscanner) was attempting to scan the most expensive knife set and I was (kindly) expressing my desire for another brand.

Needless to say - the next registering experience my FI decided to sit out of.  This time, it was my mom and sister who joined me in the quest for new, quality items to replace the collection of hand-me-downs/Walmart deals that we currently have.  Here we are are at Target (with the official scanner!) ...

I truly am a expert at the scanner now! 

The registering process continued today with my last stop at Williams-Sonoma.  My good friend/bridesmaid/domestic diva Sara (a newlywed herself!) agreed to attend this trip ... and Sara is definitely not scared to scan!  Before this afternoon, I was not aware that so many kitchen items even exhisted.  Is one pan really worth $300.00?  I could get a really nice pair of shoes for that amount of money and be content eating a Smart Ones Mac & Cheese for dinner.  And if I do get that melon-baller or garlic press off my list, will I be able to figure out how to use it?!  (Sara ... looks like you will be coming over to help with this too!)

Another check off the list, and another reason why I have come to understand how this wedding planning process aids in becoming a real adult in the real world.

Wedding Rooms

Mr. BB & I are lucky enough to live in a house with two extra bedrooms besides our own.  One (formerly his brothers) serves as his office.  And although I believe I made a rather strong argument for the second spare bedroom to be an extension to my closet (a girl's dream, right?!) ... instead, it is used as our guest bedroom/bedroom for my brother when he stays at our house.  However, at the moment, both rooms have become wedding rooms.

What is a wedding room?  I like to define it as a room that houses the ever increasing amount of supplies that will be used for our June wedding.  And while these supplies started (approximately 12 months ago) in the corner of one of the rooms, the amount of wedding inventory has slowly expanded ever since ...


Exhibit A:  Mr. BB's former office; which is pretty much halfway covered in             everything from chalkboards to the cowboy hats for our rehearsal dinner!

Exhibit B:  Our guest room, which is lined with the baskets that will serve as our centerpieces & the hot pink bride bag that holds some of my favorite wedding magazines.

Exhibit C:  The other corner of the guest room, which holds sparklers for our exit, some of our beverage servers, and boxes that contain matches, postcards, esc.



Although I try to make Mr. BB feel better about the wedding rooms (and wedding!) that are taking over his life, realistically, I know that the amount of space being taken up by wedding inventory is only going to increase over the next 6 months.  The positive aspect of our wedding rooms?  They serve as a constant reminder of our June wedding and therefore make it impossible to forget all that we have to do! :)

Back to Reality ...

It's always a reality check the first day back after a break.  For several reasons ... even though I seldom take advantage of sleeping in past 8:30, it is so much nicer going to sleep at night without the fear of a ringing alarm waking you up at 5.  And, as much as I love my sweet, lovely students (who, by the way, were in a state of shock upon the return from break) - a day without "Ms. Wright" being called out throughout it is always pleasant.  Lastly, with the extra time I was able to have with a week and a half off work ... I was able to check off most of the to-do list I made before my holiday break.  Here was the list (in red!):

1.  Finish DIY cones that we started at my bridesmaid dinner, and then restarted on one Sunday afternoon. - OK, so even though this happens to be the first item on the list, I must be truthful and admit that this is the one task that I did not get to.  Those cones are going to be the death of the Burgundy Bride ... they are hanging over my head and for whatever reason, the thought of continuing to work on them is intimidating and thus, I have not been able to.  Hey ... at least I am being honest.
2.  Organize & update wedding binder. (That has gotten extremely messy lately ... )  The Burgundy Bride has a new, beautifully organized green wedding binder.  With the ever increasing number of documents to be placed in the binder, I had to upgrade to a 1 1/2 inch in order to prevent the previous binder from breaking in half.  We can all only hope there is not a need for a 3 inch binder in the upcoming 6 months of planning ...
3.  Meet with day-of-wedding-planner to ................. (I am sure there is a lot that we have to talk about.)  Yes - Panera was the spot for the rather long, yet completely effective, meeting with myself, my mother, and cousin/day-of-wedding-planner in attendance.  LOTS was discussed, and I left feeling excited (for the day that is finally starting to feel real) and just a little bit overwhelmed.
4.  Schedule dates for pre-wedding events.  Dates are set, including bridal showers, bridesmaid luncheon, esc.!  Yet another check off the list that is super exciting!  I can't wait to celebrate with my nine beautiful bridesmaids before the big day! 
5.  Begin the rather daunting task of creating the invitation.  Thanks to the sudden blizzard in Virginia Beach ... my friend/bridesmaid/graphic design genius has completed the first part of the invitation!  And Mr. BB even attended the meeting to see the final result!  We LOVE it and can't wait to share it!

So, with the exception of those infamous cones, I was able to check off four out of the five items on my list.  Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.  Now only 1,247,902 items to go!

2011 Resolution

The Burgundy Bride is laying in bed with a slight headache & thoughts of what happened to her gold blazer after a night of festivities to bring in the new year.  2010 definitely turned out to be a memorable year - and as a result of one magical February evening, 2011 will surely be just the same.  So like most others, as I reflect on the past year and look forward to the one upcoming, I can't help but think of a New Year's resolution of my own.  Cheesy, I know, and quite typical ... but I normally am and don't expect that to change in 2011.

So what is my resolution?  If the last 10 - 12 months of planning have been any indication, the next 6 are going to be crazy, hectic, stressful, overwhelming, and of course, exciting.  There will be times that it doesn't seem worth it and my patience runs thin.  But my resolution for 2011 is to savor each moment & to appreciate all of the things that so many special people in my life are doing to make my day perfect.  I am beyond lucky and want to make sure that those around me know that I realize how fortunate I am.

This is one resolution I plan to keep - so starting today, 1-11-2011, thank you to those who made 2010 so unforgettable and who I look forward to making many memories with in 2011.  Happy New Year!