Breaking & Keeping Traditions

For our wedding, I'm breaking lots of "traditions". I'm trying to keep things unique and hopefully do some stuff not many people have seen or heard of. Here's a run-down of our tradition breaking:

1) We will not be having a unity candle ceremony. However, we will have a unity sand ceremony. Us bride bloggers know exactly what I'm talking about but I don't think many of our guests will. Therefore, we have something memorable and unique to symbolize us becoming one.

(Source: unknown)

2) At the reception there will be no dancing and therefore, no first dance.

(Source)

3) As I mentioned in my last post, we will not be having a ring bearer.

(Source)

4) My dad will not be walking me down the aisle.*(This will be addressed in another post.)

(Source)

5) The seating at the reception will not be dictated by me or anyone else. Guests will be able to sit wherever and with whomever they like.

(Source)

6) We will be having a bouquet and garter toss but it will not be restricted for single/unmarried folk. Most everyone at our wedding will be married so in an effort not to make our few single friends embarrassed, the tosses will be open to everyone. I'm also thinking of doing something along the lines of what Miss. Bruschetta over on WeddingBee did. She tied Lottery Tickets to the garter and bouquet and opened the tosses to everyone. The tickets were the incentive to get the guests involved. Since Charles and I are not the gambling/lottery type, I'm thinking of adding some cash. Everyone loves some cash and I think it would be fun, memorable and get the guests involved!

(Source)

7) There will be no china, silverware, glassware or any other type of fine dining plates/utensils at our reception. Instead, we'll be going for the plastic. (More on this another time.)

(Source)

8) Our guest book will be a book featuring our engagement pictures with plenty of blank space for our guests to sign and leave little notes if they'd like. Just like with the unity sand ceremony, all of us bride bloggers are very familiar with this concept. But again, I don't think many of our guests will have seen or heard of such a thing and besides....I just plain love it! After the wedding, our "guest book" will have a prominent place on our coffee table and we'll enjoy it for years and years.

(Source)

9) All of our wedding music (ceremony and reception) will be done through iTunes on my MacBook! This is yet another thing we BB (bride bloggers) are familiar with. I love this idea because it's VERY budget friendly and we get to choose everything that will be played.

(Source)

10) We're seeing each other before the ceremony. Why? I for sure will be a nervous/anxious wreck and I'm sure Charles will be too. Seeing him will greatly help ease my anxiety. Plus, because we'll be seeing each other before the wedding we'll be able to get nearly all of our pictures taken before hand. That means no pressure on the photographers, my hair and makeup and overall appearance will look better, we won't leave our guests high and dry for an hour while we scramble to get pictures, etc.

(Source)

11) We're not doing favors. I just simply don't have the budget to give anything that I would consider worth giving.

(Source)

12) As mentioned in Save-the-Dates, I'm opting to e-mail our save-the-dates. Once again it comes down to the budget. When you're artsy and decent with graphic design, there is no cost involved at all to do this.

(Source: yours truly)

After this list of tradition breaking, there are some traditions that we are keeping:

1) Cake cutting and toast.

(Source)

2) We're also choosing to go down the old fashioned route and have a receiving line. Why? We really want to make sure we see all our guests. After all, they took time out of their busy schedules to attend the wedding and lots will have traveled as well. And...I have a hidden agenda. lol I won't lie. What is it? Well as you know we're having an outdoor ceremony and reception. I'm only going to be renting one set of chairs. I really can't justify buying double the number of chairs so that there are chairs set up where the ceremony will be and then also where the reception will be. During the receiving line, I'm going to have close family members (aunts, uncles, cousins and anyone willing to help) move the chairs from the ceremony location to the tables under the tent. Why spend the money on two sets when after the ceremony that set would sit unused for the rest of the day!?

(Source)

3) I'm keeping the something old, new, borrowed, blue tradition. I have my something old and new but I'm still working on the blue and have no clue about the borrowed.

(Source)

That's all I can think of at the moment. What are your thoughts on all this? Are you breaking more traditions than you're keeping? How does your fiance feel about it?

The Party...Wedding Party That Is!

So I've been blogging about the wedding for some time now and I think it's time to share our wedding party with you! I hope you enjoy a small glimpse into why we've selected these very few but ultra special people to share our special day with us!

Let's start with the man that will be making it all legal...our Pastor:
Leonce B. Crump, Jr. is my former pastor and mentor. He is such an amazing man! He has blessed not only me, but also my mom and brother with unconditional love, encouragement, wisdom, truth, friendship, support and so much more. Rather than my Pastor, he's like the older brother I never had. I am so incredibly thankful that the Lord brought him, his beautiful wife Breanna, their precious daughter Eden and soon to be baby #2 (due in November) into our lives. I cannot imagine my life without their love and support! Leonce and Breanna now reside in Atlanta after a move last September. It was incredibly hard to see them go because they are truly more like family members. However, I know they are there to further the Lord's Kingdom! I can honestly say that there is no one else I can see marrying us.

Leonce, Breanna and Eden 9/08

Maid of Honor:
Lindsey and I have been friends for over 10 years now. We were both home schooled and attended the same Co-op classes until she went to public school for high school. Lindsey is truly the sister I never had. We have cried, laughed, and fought together. We spent a week in Cancun together...that was so amazing! I know I can count on her for love, support and encouragement whenever I need it and she can count on the same things from me. She now lives almost 400 miles away with her husband Jeremy. Even though the miles separate us, our friendship continues to grow and we try our best to talk as often as possible. I cannot imagine having anyone else be my Maid of Honor!

Lindsey & me at her wedding. 1/5/08

Bridesmaid:
Javiera (Javi to those close to her) and I have known each other for about 10 years. Growing up, we attended the same church and became fast friends. However, when her family left the church we lost touch for over 4 years. Thankfully, we got back in touch a number of years ago and were able to pick things up as if we'd never been apart. Now a days, we try and get together for dinner once a week for some quality girl time. I'm so thankful she's agreed to be my bridesmaid!

Javi & me at her wedding. 12/2/06

Flower Girls:
Eden Marie is the beautiful daughter of Leonce and Breanna. She is so gorgeous, smart and funny! I miss not seeing her (and her parents) every week. She has grown so much since they moved in September! She will turn two years old come October....hard to believe! I cannot wait to have this precious little girl in our wedding! I foresee many adorable pictures featuring Miss. Eden!

Me & Eden 9/08

Maggie Anne is the oh so adorable daughter of John and Ashley, she is also Charles Goddaughter. She is so full of life and is a joy to be around. She is so smart and is such a ham for attention! She is a 30 year old woman locked in a toddlers body! I also see tons of cute pictures of Miss. Maggie from the wedding!

Maggie Anne...driving with attitude already!

Best Man:
John would undoubtedly be my longest friend. I have known him since I first moved to Tennessee in 1998. We went to school and church together. Over time, we became more like brothers instead of just friends. I would consider John the brother I never had. Several years ago, John married Ashley and they had a beautiful little girl, Maggie. Shortly before Maggie was born, John and Ashley asked me if I would be Maggie’s Godfather and I gladly accepted. Early in 2007, John, Ashley and Maggie moved to Valdosta, Georgia. Although they are nearly 500 miles away, I try to visit them at least twice a year. (Written by Charles.)

John & his beautiful wife Ashley.

Groomsman:
Chris has been my other close friend. We met in 2001 at Camp Smoky located just outside of Gatlinburg. Chris is not only an amazing friend, but a humongous Christian influence in my life. Whenever either of us are struggling, the other quickly helps his friend out. A few years ago, Chris married his now wife Amber. They currently live in Knoxville, TN. (Written by Charles.)

Chris & his beautiful wife Amber at their wedding.

So there you have it, our wedding party! Small but oh so special to us both! Neither of us wanted tons of attendants and I'm so glad things worked out this way!

As you can see, we have no ring bearers. While it's cute to have little boys in little suits, I decided against it...for a few reasons. 1)The more children in the wedding, the more chances for problems during the ceremony. 2)Neither of us have any little men in our lives who would be the right age (around the age of the flower girls). 3)I've never really understood having a ring bearer. No one I know (including myself) would ever actually put the real rings on the pillow and give them to a young child! So that leaves the poor boy to be uncomfortable in his cute little suit and bored out of his mind. (All photos are from our personal collections.)

How many attendants are you having? Do you wish you had more attendants or fewer attendants?

I Won!

Remember last week when I posted about the Giveaway over at Mismikado's Journey? Well, Friday evening Sebrina e-mailed and let me know that I won!! Woo hoo!! So....early next year I will be ordering this beauty from April Hiler!

(Source)

Of course I won't be ordering a "B" but instead a "P" for my new last name! I love this item and already know the perfect place for it at the venue!

(Source: yours truly)

I'll attach some purple ribbon to our "P" and hang it on one of the tress pictured above that the guests will walk through to get to their seats. The bird feeders that are currently in the trees will be taken down come the wedding and the spotlights at the base of the trees will be hidden most likely by live potted ferns. The swing however will be used the day of. The seat will be covered in deep purple velvet and the ropes will be covered in tulle. I cannot wait to get pictures of me and of the flower girls swinging away! However, during the ceremony we'll have to find a way to hook it up onto the tree so the little ones don't make their way back to it. :D

Sparkles!

So over the weekend I was finally able to get pictures of a lot of the things I've been wanting to show you. Two of those said items are our toasting flutes and cake knife and server. I ordered them from ExclusivelyWeddings.com and am so happy with them! They are gorgeous and I can totally see us breaking them out for special holidays and our anniversaries. :) The toasting flutes and cake set we got are from the Glitter Galore collection.

Anyways, on to the pictures. First off, I will say these are not the greatest pictures. I had one heck of a time getting decent pics of them! I had to wear latex gloves while handling them so I wouldn't get fingerprints all over them! But never the less, here they are:

(Source: yours truly - click to enlarge)

Charles and I are not drinkers...neither of us have ever had alcohol but I still wanted us to be able to toast with punch or sparking cider or something. I also really wanted the flutes so we could use them for other special occasions throughout our marriage. :)

So what do you think? Have you already bought your toasting flutes and cake serving set or are you still on the hunt?

Will You Be My ________? DIY Cards

Today I thought I'd share a DIY project with you. Unfortunately, when I made these cards, I wasn't thinking that I'd one day be blogging about them so I don't have pictures to walk you through the steps. However, I got my idea from Jenn over at With This Ring.... For the how-to go check out her post on DIY Jewelry Cards.

I loved Jenn's concept of the DIY Jewelry Cards and I knew I wanted to make some cards of my own...just not for jewelry (at least not to start with, more on that another time though). I wanted to make my MOH and my BM cards officially asking them to be in the wedding. Now my girls already knew that they would have the affore mentioned titles come the wedding before I was even engaged. But I still wanted to officially ask them. Plus I love all things DIY and crafty so it was a perfect excuse to make some beautiful cards for my girls!

I'll show you the pictures I took of my finished cards first and then tell you how I changed Jenn's original design to meet my needs and make them unique.

(Source: yours truly - click to enlarge)

First up is the card I made for Lindsey, my MOH. Secondly, is the card for Bridesmaid Javiera. Unlike most brides out there, I made these cards in colors that each girl likes. All the gifts I have for L&J are gifts in their favorite colors. The only gift for them that's in the wedding colors is the jewelry I'm gifting them (more on it another time). I wanted to make sure that the gifts I give them will be enjoyed and well used. And since neither of them have a deep passion for purple like I do, I chose to go with colors I know they like. The gifts are for them and therefore, they should fit each girl and her personality...not mine or the weddings. lol

Anyways, on to the changes I made from Jenn's original idea.
1) I chose to make the cards square.
2) I used the Scallop blade on my Fiskars Desktop Rotary Trimmer to give the edges of the cards a really unique look. (I found the trimmer at Tuesday Morning for $19.99 and then saw it at Michael's for over $50!)
3) I also used the scallop blade to cut the slit for the ribbon to go through the card, I really like the look that created.
4) I obviously did not make the slit for a necklace or holes for earrings.
5) I added a piece of the ribbon to the right flap of the card because to me it just didn't look right without it there.
6) Instead of using alphabet stickers for the girls initals, I found $1.00 inital stamps at Michael's and stamped their inital on the top right corner on the cover for the cards.

That's it! Pretty darn simple if I do say so myself. Even if you aren't too crafty or arty I think you could easily master this DIY project!

I do have one recommendation for you though. The decorative paper I chose for BM J's card was a little heavier than the paper for MB L's card and because of this, once it was glued onto the stock paper and I folded the card it caused the decorative paper to crack. I ended up have to go back and put ribbon over the folded edges of BM J's card to cover this up. So when you pick out your paper, opt for thinner options if possible!

Are you going to create a DIY Jewelry Card holder like Jenn created or are you going to change the design and keep it a true card design?

Solution?

(Source)

I think I may have found a solution to the S&K Menswear saga!

There's a company called Jim's Formal Wear that carries the EXACT SAME suit that we were wanting from S&K! They don't have their own stores, instead they have authorized retailers. I did a search for retailers and was floored when my bridal salon A Joyous Occasion was listed as a retailer! Woo hoo!

Now, I still have to call and get some information and make sure they do rentals with the suits and stuff but I'm so glad I've already found the suit somewhere else! Oh and it's not just the suit, they have the shirt and the shoes we want as well! Score! So this afternoon I will be calling Joyous to get the details!

Oh and I have other good news regarding my Not Enough Time post! Much to my astonishment, yesterday while Charles and I were texting just before I left work he surprised me by saying that he's going to stop going to church on Wednesdays so we can have Wednesdays for wedding planning!! Yay!!

Now please understand that church is extremely important to me and him as well. Our church background is different, he's been going to Sunday service and the Wednesday evening service for years at his church. I however, was not brought up in a home where we attended Wednesday service. I'm not saying it's not needed or anything like that, it's just not something I attend. Anyways, I was very thankful of this news and am so glad we'll have a day set aside for wedding planning now. Oh and it means more time with my sweetie too!

Were you able to find solutions to unexpected problems quickly?

Giveaway over at Mismikado's Journey!

Ok ladies, you really need to go check out the giveaway that Sebrina over at Micmikado's Journey Down the Aisle has going on right now. It is an April Hiler Designs $25 Gift Certificate Giveaway. For all the details go check out Sebrina's blog! But before you go take a look at April's beautiful work...

(Source)

Why oh Why?

(Source)

So as you will remember from Men's Attire and The Look for the Guys, I already had a really strong idea of what I wanted the guys in. Charles and I went to our local S&K Menswear store and spoke with a very helpful guy named Rob and we were able to solidify the look for the guys. I was so excited that we found the light gray suits I had been dreaming about. And that the ties we got for the guys looked awesome with them!

I have BAD news.

On Friday I was out shopping with mom and we were at a store located in the same outlet mall as S&K. As I was pulling out, I glanced over at the S&K store and found a huge yellow and black GOING OUT OF BUSINESS sign! What!? This cannot be happening. I did a double take to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. Nope, they weren't...they're closing.

At first I wasn't too worried because I assumed there had to be another S&K in Knoxville. I mean if there's one in Sevierville, there HAS TO BE one in Knoxville! I just looked and nope, there sure isn't. The closest S&K Menswear store (after the Sevierville one closes) will be in Chattanooga! C-town is two hours away! Why???????

I have no idea what we're going to do now. I was so thankful to have the guys attire figured out and out of the way. Back when I was researching attire ideas for the guys I seriously found NOTHING else I liked (as far as suits went). I'm at a loss and have no idea what to do. I guess we're back at square one regarding the guys attire for the big day. Don't they realize that people are out here planning weddings and are/were counting on them!? Ugh.

What unexpected things have you had to deal with during your planning?