I'm Back!

Well after being knocked off my feet for a week thanks to the Swine Flu, I'm back! Thankfully I'm no longer sick! However my strength and energy are slow to return. If you can, I hope you all get the vaccine against this strain of flu because it is horrible! I'm working on a post for tomorrow about my plans for a cake for my man...so keep an eye out for it! Thank you all for all the well wishes and prayers!!!

Piggy Flu

Yep, I have the dreaded Swine Flu. No clue how I got it but I certainly can't wait to be rid of it! I have never felt so horrible in my life! (At least not that I can remember.) I wouldn't wish the swine flu on my worst enemy...yeah, it's that bad! I was so week and had no energy that I couldn't take a shower for three days (I know, tmi). This thing hits you HARD and FAST! Monday evening I started coughing a little bit. By Tuesday, I was coughing more, had drainage and severe pressure in my ears. Tuesday night, I only got 3 1/2 hours of sleep because I was coughing so much. Charles came and picked up me and my mom on Wednesday and took us to the doctor (we were to sick to drive) and I was diagnosed with the flu. Mom wasn't tested because at the time, I was worse but they gave her Tamiflu too. For those of you that pray, prayers would be greatly appreciated as we are still both doing pretty badly. Well, that's all I can write for now. There will be a delay in posting until I can get my strength and energy back. Thanks to any for prayers and well wishes!

Cakespiration

Yes I totally made up that word so I'll let you know what I'm talking about if you haven't already figured it out....Cake Inspiration!

I don't think I've ever really talked about cakes or what my inspiration or thoughts about them have been. I figured it was about time that I let you in on what I have in mind!

As for "my" cake...aka the wedding cake. We're not having one. Not in the traditional sense anyways. Why? Because they are as expensive as heck! I never dreamed something you eat could cost so much money! Yes, I am very into all things DIY....but diy-ing a wedding cake was NOT something I wanted to take on myself or ask my mom to do. That's a heck of a lot of pressure to have on ones shoulders!

So instead I am going to be purchasing one of these handy dandy CupCakeTrees!

Mini Square Cupcaketree (Source: www.cupcaketree.com)

I heard about these babies months ago on another blog. Unfortunately, I cannot remember which blog but thankfully I saved the link! They are made out of heavy corrugated cardboard and can be decorated in any way you like. Here is an example of a simply decorated stand put to use:

(Source: www.cupcaketree.com)

For our stand, I am envisioning lots of purple and silver used in decorating our stand! Bet you never would have guessed that! ;) I think these stands and the use of cupcakes are so fun, unique and cute! Not to mention that from a distance the stand all adorned with cupcakes actually looks like a cake! I can't wait to get my stand so I can start decorating it! The price of the stand with shipping included is about $40 and the price of cupcakes (as priced at our local Sam's Club) are $12.43 for 30 cupcakes! I'm thinking we'll need about 150 cupcakes so that brings the total for our "wedding cake" to a little over $100. As shown in the picture above, we will have a small layer cake on the top of the stand for us to cut into during the cake ceremony. So I'm guessing that will be another 10-15 bucks. So grand total is approximately $120 for our "cake", can't beat that!

Stay tuned for details about the grooms cake!

Save-the-Date!

So last week I was FINALLY able to get our save-the-date e-mails out! As you may remember, I had thought about sending them out months ago before we got our engagement pictures. I'm SO glad that I waited and I'm so glad they're finally sent. It was sooo easy to do them as e-mails! I highly recommend this option....cause it's FREE! Most everyone these days has an e-mail account so you're still able to reach everyone.
Here is what I designed....

(Source: yours truly)

So I think I owe you all a few updates....
1.) I am still unemployed. The job search has been nothing short of frustrating, disappointing and hard.
2.) Two good things have come out of being unemployed...I have been able to spend more time with Charles and I have been able to work on my stained glass (yes, I'm a stained glass artist!) more. To see my work check out Kristal Kreations on Facebook and become a fan!
3.) I still do not have regular access to hi-speed internet.
4.) I miss all of your blogs terribly, you have no idea!! I try and check in when I can but my dial-up just takes AGES and won't allow me to comment or anything!
5.) Even though I have tons of wedding projects and decisions taken care of, it still seems like I have an overwhelming about of things left to do! lol
6.) I feel bad that I have not been able to blog often.
7.) I promise to get better about posting more regularly!

Lets Talk Honeymoon!

I believe I mentioned before that Charles and I were planning to go to Kauai Hawaii. We've decided to change our honeymoon location though. After looking into Kauai we discovered it was wayyyy too expensive for us to go at this time. Our hope is that after we're married we can go to celebrate an anniversary.

Our new location is Hilton Head Island, South Carolina! I have been to Hilton Head twice while on vacation with my mom and I absolutely LOVE it there! Charles hasn't been before though and I can't wait to be there with him! Hilton Head is less than 8 hours away from us so that makes for an easy trip. No more having to worry about where we'll spend our first night as husband and wife and worrying about how to get to the Atlanta air port in time to catch a plane!

Charles did some research and found a rental company (Hiltonheadrentals.com) and we found a few possibilities. Last week we narrowed it down to one and fortunately it was available when we need it. So now our honeymoon plans are booked and taken care of! It's so nice not to have to worry about it anymore. And the best part....the condo was under $800 for the whole week! What a blessing that was!

The condo is a one bedroom, one bath unit located on the third floor and has an ocean view! It has a small kitchen so we'll be able to go grocery shopping and have meals (especially breakfast) in our room when we want. It will be so nice not to have to get dressed and go out for breakfast every day!

Here are a few pictures:

(Source: Hiltonheadrentals.com)

We are so excited and cannot wait!! I highly recommend Hilton Head Rentals if you'd like to look into vacationing or honeymooning in Hilton Head. It is a beautiful area!

Engagement Pictures!

So I am finally able to bring you our engagement pictures! Leave me some love and let me know what you think! I won't say anything else, the pictures will speak for themselves! All images courtesy of Hope Photography www.hope-photo.com!

Some Bling for My Man!

So a few weeks ago I stopped in at a local jeweler that I'd heard about from my brother and his wife. Back in March/April they had bought their rings from Max Richardson Jewelry and raved about them, their service and their prices. My goal in stopping in was to see if they carried a ring similar to the one Charles found on superiorweddingrings.com a few months ago. If you remember, back in June I posted about the ring he found on their site.

The problem...now that I don't have a job, it was a little pricey. However I wanted him to have exactly what he wanted. He did after all, get me what I wanted! So in I went not expecting much. Low and behold, they were able to order the EXACT same ring for me! And it was nearly $100 cheaper, Praise the Lord! I ordered it right then and there and it was in the next morning. Charles and I went to look at it and he absolutely loved it! End of story. Now I have Charles' ring taken care of!

(Source: yours truly)

Our rings together! (Source: yours truly)

So what do you think? I know you're all still waiting to see our engagement pictures and believe me, I am dying to show them to you! Hopefully I can get to some wi-fi on Tuesday or Wednesday so I can share them with you. I also have a lot more to share with you....projects I've been working on, a fabulous and simple punch recipe, and so much more so keep checking back!

I feel so guilty that I can't keep up with all of your blogs anymore. I miss knowing how your planning is going and how your weddings went and seeing all the beautiful pictures. But with my dial-up it is nearly impossible to. :( Maybe soon I'll be able to catch up somehow. Until then know I'm thinking about you all! <3

Fast Forward

(Source)

Oh how I wish I could fast forward time! Even though the months seem to be flying by, it seems like we are still as far away from the big day as ever. I can't really explain it because it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. However, to me, it seems as though we are still over a year away from the wedding. When in fact, we are only nearly 7 months away! But those 7 months just seem so out of reach. It feels like every month that goes by is yet another to be added to the countdown. I realize none of this makes the least big of sense! It just seems like our big day is never going to get here! But at the same time, I know it will be here before we know it.

Maybe I feel this way because I have so much wedding related projects completed or nearly completed already. The invitations have all already been printed, assembled and the inner envelopes have already been filled out. The centerpieces are completed. The signage for the wedding is ready to go. I already have my dress and all my accessories. And I could go on and on. It's crazy how much ahead of schedule I am! But with no job and all this time on my hands I figured why not work on these projects? I might as well get them out of the way now while I have the time instead of waiting until closer to the wedding when I might not have as much time on my hands.

Are any of you other brides out there feeling this way as well? Or am I just crazy? haha