I’ve been a little stressed out lately….did I say a little? Should’ve said a LOT!! I’m just realizing how many teeny details haven’t been done or even thought about yet! Who knew there were so many??!!

So today, I decided I needed a little bit of a break- a shopping break!! Actually, I got a lot done that I needed to do- returned some stuff to different stores, bought a few bridesmaid gifts, bought some patio furniture…ok, so maybe I didn’t need to do that last one, but we did need it and it was on clearance at Pier 1

This is it in the store…..mine is actually still in boxes…in the back of my car…awaiting the arrival of my fiance- or I should say the pick-up of the fiance whose car went dead for some strange reason and I had to go get at 5am to take to work!

After getting that and doing a bit of shopping/returning at the mall, I headed to Green Hills to drop off paper samples to Susanna- our lovely calligrapher! And because she lives so close to the new Hill Center, I just HAD to stop in at Swoozies! I was forced!! Haha- by myself!

I’ve raved about Swoozie’s before, as have many friends, and today wasn’t disappointing! As soon as I walked in there was a huge table full of fun bride stuff! I never saw this kind of stuff when my friends were getting married (the 10 whose weddings I’ve been in!), but I probably just wasn’t looking in the right place- although there is way more of it now!

It’s so hard to not buy all this stuff for myself!! But I’m not supposed to be the one buying stuff like this, right??!! :o)

I did however pick up this…on clearance, which perfectly matches my new home’s decor!!

Ahhhhh, it was nice to get some shopping in! :o)

I’m finding that closer and closer to the wedding, I’m having to relinquish many of the “details” I originally wanted to DIY or otherwise do myself! One of those things is the Unity Sand Ceremony kit! I was going to find the jars myself, color the sand myself….and well, who has time to do that the month of the wedding??!! Not me!! Enter The Knot…..

The other day, I ordered this set, that I may have mentioned before……..

Here’s hoping it turns out to be all I wanted! It comes with 3 colors of sand, 3 smaller vases and the larger one with hearts. It also comes “personalized” which a reviewer said was simply a ribbon with a tag with your names on it. We’ll wait til I see it, but I might not be using that!! Even if it was on the vase, who is going to see it!!

I ordered the exact colors shown, however there are lots of different color combinations! We’ll be using the darker blue for his family, the lighter blue for mine, and the white for the spiritual foundation (which our pastor will pour in.)

Too bad this isn’t something we can really do a “trial” run of! I’d like to see how it works out since I sincerely doubt the top layer will be as well mixed as the bottom, but oh well. Again, it will only be seen from afar and is more for us than anyone else!!

One more thing checked off the list!! It wasn’t cheap- a little over $60 with the discount code- SAVECASH which saved 10%- better than nothing! And worth not having the hassle tracking down all the items myself!!

It wasn’t hard to order from them when I bought my bubbles (which I still plan to blog on!!), and they came quickly! Here’s hoping this one come quickly too!!

Yesterday, my grams, aunt, and cousin threw me a shower! It was soooooo much fun, with a lot of old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time! All of the married ladies shared funny stories from their dating or marriage life and it had us rolling with laughter!! Much more fun than any shower games I’ve ever played!! :o)

This, though, was my absolute favorite gift that I received. It was one I didn’t register for, because Grams told me not to! However, I’d completely forgotten she was getting it and didn’t know what it was going to be when I was opening her gift!!

I’ve been dreaming of having one of these for years!! My mom never had one (she loves to cook, but isn’t really a “baker”), but I’ve used one often - my aunt’s and Chaundra’s. I’m soooooooo excited and can’t WAIT to use it!! If only I had the time! I might have to make some time to use this beautiful appliance!! And of course, it’s blue!! Wouldn’t have it any other color!!

Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA this week….had a lot of unexpected stuff going on, so I wasn’t prepared with posts like when I was on vacation! I had two showers this week, been decorating our new place, family in town, and had to ship my fiance of to Mexico for his grandfather’s funeral :o( That was a disaster trying for 2 days to actually get him on a plane!

It’s getting down to the wire here and so while I will *try* to post as much as possible, not sure how much time I’ll have to do it!!

But for tonight….here’s some of our lovely engagement shots, done by our wonderful photographer, Shanell Bledsoe

My aunt’s friend has agreed to let me use her chair covers for my wedding! On one condition- in order to get them here to Nashville (from SC), my aunt has to tote them here in her van and leave them here! Therefore she wants to sell them!

I don’t have a picture, but they are typical white chair covers with white sashes. There are 144 for $15 a piece (chair cover w/ sash).

Please comment (leaving your email- which only I will see!) if you are interested! They will be here this weekend and you can have them right away, as long as I can have them for my July 26th wedding!

You will easily earn your money back from them after a few rentals!  Great opportunity for florists or event planners!

I got back from the beach and mountains yesterday…..and I’m exhausted, but happy and had lots of fun!! And got lots of stuff done!! (More on that when I recover enough to write more!! :o) )

Here’s some pics from my lovely shower last night!!

My lovely sis-in-law, Carla, who was responsible for it all!

The adorable cookie cake her mom made me!!

 So adorable!!!!!!

I made  a Mexican Pizza…..sooo yummy but I did have to chop up yucky tomatoes (my least fave food!)

I won this bridal shower at a bridal fair at Opry Mills- the consultant provided the food, a bridal board (behind us) with pictures of everything I registered for, so people could pull them off and buy them. And she did all the invites, etc. It was a lot of fun! All the time, she thought she knew me and while I thought she did look familiar, I couldn’t place her! Until her daughter showed up at the shower and recognized me as her Spanish teacher 4 years ago! What a small world! ;o)

Chopping onions with their wonderful mandolin

Wonderful co-workers who came to join in the fun!

Can’t wait to use all the fun stuff I got!!! And I’m sooooo thankful for wonderful friends and family supporting me again!!! :o)

I am super excited about my Pampered Chef shower coming up tomorrow!! My soon to be sis-in-law is hosting the shower for me, and I can’t wait! I loooooove Pampered Chef, loooooove to cook, and have wanted a shower ever since one of my friends had one long ago when she got married (one of my MANY times of being a bridesmaid!)

I can’t wait to get all the fun gadgets!

Here’s some of what I’ve registered for!

Check out my rep’s page and set up your own shower through her or one close to you!

Trend: Upscale Picnic Food
Summer is the season for barbecuing, so consider serving a grilled entree for instant seasonal style. Rather than going for heavier fare like steak or pulled pork, stick to the lighter side with chicken or fish. Bringing in fruity flavors will add even more seasonal flair — think chili-lime rubbed chicken breasts or grilled tilapia topped with mango salsa.
What’s hot now:Go for upscale picnic-style fare, which is both a low-maintenance and high-style way to go. One example menu we love: coconut-fried chicken served with dipping sauces, red bliss potato salad, and mandarin orange and mesclun salad with raspberry vinaigrette. The options are endless (and delicious!).

Trend: New Themes
Basic beach or garden themes are classic for the summer. Instead of a generic setting or theme, take the personal route.
What’s hot now: Think of your favorite summer hangouts when planning your theme. Rather than just any beach, bring in elements specific to the beach you remember as a kid. If it was a cabin in the woods, go for a mountain theme. Another idea: Honor your honeymoon destination. If you’re having a garden wedding but honeymooning in Hawaii, add orchids to your bouquets or fill the bottoms of your centerpiece vases with black lava rocks.

Trend: Unexpected Invitations
Letterpressed invites in ivory and black are still as popular and elegant as ever. But if you want to go for something a little more unexpected, ultra-creative wedding invitation designers definitely have color and printing options for you.
What’s hot now: Use colors in a new and unexpected way on your invites by reversing the typical invitation color scheme. For example, rather than using fuchsia lettering on a cream-colored invite, opt for cream print on fuchsia paper. Or mix it up — do the cream-colored invite with fuchsia writing, and then a bright pink reply card with a cream-colored font. Consider the material of your invite as well. One hot-off-the-press idea: Get fabric-printed invites, programs, and escort cards for a laid-back look perfect for summer.

Trend: Wine Smoothies
Your guests will definitely want something cold and frosty, but margaritas and daiquiris can be had at any summertime bar. Instead, go for a libation that’s a little out of the ordinary.
What’s hot now: Wine smoothies are cold, frosty, and pack less of an alcoholic punch than margaritas. Perfect for your cocktail hour and as a signature drink for the evening, ask your caterer about serving one of these concoctions. A wine smoothie consists of a fruity wine, like rose, blended with ice and fruits of your choice. Garnished with a couple of berries or fruit slices, it makes for a refreshing and unexpected signature sip.

Trend: Natural Centerpieces
Cut citrus fruit is a tried-and-true favorite for summertime centerpieces, but other options out there are more unexpected and just as visually appealing.
What’s hot now: Love fruit but want something new? Have your florist use hollowed-out watermelons as a centerpiece container for a casual look that’s fun and seasonal. Another option is to go natural and green with your containers. Incorporate wooden vases or pedestals with grass or moss to give centerpieces a textured, natural feel.

Trend: Beyond Wedding Cake
White wedding cakes are popular for every season, and of course, chocolate always reigns for groom’s cakes. But with cake bakers nowadays offering so many delectable flavors and fillings, why not try a seasonal selection?
What’s hot now:Get inspired by the summer flavors you loved as a child. Think fresh strawberries and whipped cream filling for a strawberry shortcake-style wedding cake, or a citrus-infused filling like Key lime, lemon, or orange vanilla buttercream that honors a summertime fruit. Beyond the cake, consider serving other desserts. A big-hit idea we love: Hire an ice cream truck to arrive at the end of the night offering summertime favorites — the perfect nostalgic, late-night snack for your guests.

Trend: Eco-Friendly Favors
Classic summer favors like flip-flops and drink koozies will always satisfy, but why not give back to the planet while you give back to your guests?
What’s hot now: Eco-friendly favors are bigger than ever, particularly if you’re taking advantage of natural beauty and marrying outdoors. One idea: Give guests locally grown herbs planted in recyclable glass jars or tin cans. Dressed up with ribbon or paper in your wedding colors, they’re gorgeous and good for the earth. Beyond plants, you might also consider donating to a local charity for a wedding favor idea that never goes out of season.

Special thanks to: Lori Stephenson, owner and senior event consultant, LOLA Event Productions, Chicago, IL; Miriam Phalen, owner and event planner, Sterling Events LLC, New York, NY

Photo: Joyelle West Photography

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Daisy’s notes- I saw this article on msn last week and the picture with the lobsters caught my eye as I’m thinking of favors!! Looks like a fantastic/cute idea! And of course, I couldn’t resist reading about summer wedding trends!

I love looking at the wedding inspiration boards over at Snippet and Ink! Also the real weddings they showcase are spectacular!

A couple weeks ago, there was a series on beach weddings, and now is a great time to share them since I am at the beach! These are a few of my fave…..

Love the pic of the couple with the surf board!

Plus here’s a few from their past archives……

I’ve already started to get some of my china dishes, which I’m very excited about!

We’re also really in need of some good everyday dishes! I sold all of mine at our recent yardsale, and Ray has some decent ones, but not enough!

I was thrilled when browsing through Dillard’s last week to find an insane bargain on my everyday set of dishes!! I’m registered for them at Kohl’s, but our local Dillard’s is closing so just about everything is on clearance! So, I scooped up 3 sets of these Fiesta dishes for myself…..

They only had the 3 left, but I spent about $30 on ALL 3!! At Kohl’s (and at Dillard’s original price!) they are $24 for one set! Yipppeeee!

Since I got such a good deal (and only need one more!) I’ll hopefully fill up my gift registry with other needed things!

Gotta love a great bargain! Wish I’d had time to go back and search for more deals, but they were closing! If you like these dishes, they have them in all different colors at all Dillard’s, but espeically check them out if you live in Nashville and can get to Hickory Hollow (yes, I know- the very name Hickory Hollow is part of the reason it’s shutting down, but how can you pass up that deal??!)