Ring Ching Ching

It took me entirely too long to come up with a title for this post that I hadn't already used. My creativity is slightly lacking lately! If you've been following my blog for some time now, you've seen several pictures of my ring and you saw a photoshopped version of what we intended for my ring to look like with my wedding bands. If you haven't, here's a refresher:

Well, long story short, it didn't end up that way. We purchased two matching bands and basically wanted them cut and souldered to the sides of my setting. The custom jeweler that we were working with made it sound like that would be no big deal, but I guess it ended up not being possible because the bands were thicker than the band on my engagement ring. He was going to have to set the wedding bands up a little higher, so he needed to space them further apart so it wouldn't be as noticeable. Basically, this is what we ended up with:

I wasn't able to go with David to pick it up, so when he sent me pictures from his phone of it I was a bit disappointed. It wasn't what I'd envisioned. I'd really wanted all of the bands to sit flush with each other.

But then I got home and tried it on. And all of my worries were gone.

I love how it looks on my finger! And more importantly, it will still mean I'm married to my best friend, whether there's space between the bands or not. I can't wait to wear it! But until June 12th, I'll be wearing this 'pretty' (that sometimes turns my finger a bit green):

Don't let the picture fool you, it's fake (like $12 fake) but it works to keep my finger from feeling naked and it will be nice to have on our honeymoon if we decide to go into Cancun to do any shopping or eating. I'm definitely looking forward to having my real ring back, though!

If you had your wedding bands custom made did they end up looking like what you'd imagined? If not, did it turn out better or worse than you expected?

PS - This weeked is a crazy one, last night I had my niece/goddaughter's kindergarten graduation

Here she is saying her name, her favorite Bible story (when Jesus was born), her favorite thing about kindergarten (reading books), and what she wants to do when she grows up ("buy things!" HA! My kind of girl!). She's getting so big!

and tomorrow and Sunday are my new niece and nephew's baptisms! 

On top of all that, David's bachelor party is this weekend. I'm hoping to get a lot done today before all of that starts so I have some projects to share with you next week, but we'll see if I get the posts written and scheduled! I can't believe how close we're getting - My best friend and MOH gets in town on Wednesday and will be here until the day after the wedding! I'm getting soo excited! Thanks for sticking with me through the lack of posting - You guys are the best! :)

Giveaway Winner and Another Guest Post

I'm excited to announce that the winner of my giveaway is...

Tova

(one of my newer followers!) who said she would use the poster print to make a large print of one of her wedding photos for her grandma! Tova, if you could get me your email address as soon as possible I'll have Online Poster Printing contact you!

Also, I wrote a guest post for Kristin at Happily After All for today, so be sure to head over and check it out!

Updates coming soon! :)

A Couple Reminders

I don't have time for a real post, but I wanted to remind all of you that my giveaway ends tonight, so don't forget to enter if you haven't already! Also, I wrote a guest post for Em over at Burning River Bride, so be sure to check it out! I'll be guest posting for Kristin at Happily After All tomorrow. :)

Life has been crazy with tying up loose ends, finishing up our premarital counseling, meeting with people, applying for jobs, and attempting to organize our house, but it's all coming together! I can't wait to share all of it with you. And I REALLY can't wait to be here in 2 and a half weeks!

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I promise I'll have a real post for you guys soon! I have so much to share!

Quick Update

I apologize for my absence! Life has been crazy, but I've been able to get quite a bit done in the last week or so. I've still got quite the to-do list to tackle, but at least it feels like some progress is being made. It's been a little difficult to blog since I've been spending the majority of my time at our new house trying to get things situated and work on my projects that are all over there and we don't have internet yet. Thankfully it's being connected on Friday, so that should make things quite a bit easier. I feel like I should update you guys on some of the stuff I've gotten done, though!

First, I finished the ribbon pomander topiary that will be the centerpiece at the kids' table: 

And I'm working on the rest of the stuff for the table which I'll reveal soon!

I also finished all of our door hangers for the OOT bags: 

My mom and I started on the arrangements for the front of the church:

I bought a (double sided) sign to put out in front of our reception venue and return address labels from Vistaprint for $7 including shipping using this deal. Aren't they cute?!

*I hate having to blur things!*

And David's wedding band was finally purchased! Unfortunately, I don't have the picture of it on my phone anymore because the next day I dropped it in a cup of Pepsi while I was driving. Thankfully I was able to get it replaced for free because of a defect with the model of phone I have, but I lost all of my pictures. But his ring is cobalt and I absolutely love it! I can't wait for him to wear it! :) 

I feel like there's more that I'm forgetting, but I'm sure I'll get around to blogging about it at some point. Don't forget to enter my giveaway that ends Wednesday!

Have my fellow June brides been getting lots of projects done? We're getting down to the wire!

Warm Wishes for Two Wonderful Ladies

I don't usually post on Saturdays, but I just have to wish two of my very favorite bride blog friends a happy wedding day! It's hard to believe it's finally here - When we all first started talking our weddings seemed so far away. Now they're almost married and I'm only 3 weeks away! They've both made my planning process and blogging so much more enjoyable and I am truly thrilled for them! 

Em (at Burning River Bride) is so much fun and has the BEST sense of humor. She listens to me vent and is seriously one of the most supportive people I know. Her wedding is going to be absolutely gorgeous and her guests are going to have a blast!

Kristin (at Happily After All) is my long lost twin. We figured out through planning our weddings that we have insnaely similar tastes and personalities and we even in similar situations for awhile (finishing school and in long distance relationships). All of her DIY projects are going to make her big day so personalized and memorable!

I know you both will be BEAUTIFUL brides and I cannot wait to see the pictures from your big days! I'm so glad I *met* both of you and I wish you both all the happiness in the world! Enjoy every minute of today! :) 

Make sure you wish both of these ladies a happy wedding day!

David and I are at one of my 'real life' friend's wedding today and I was even asked to help decorate for it. It's the last wedding we'll attend as an engaged couple - I have a feeling there will be some tears (from me at least) as I picture myself getting married in 3 short weeks! Hope you all have fabulous weekends!

Giveaway: Rolled Poster from Online Poster Printing

I've got another giveaway for you, my fabulous readers! This time it's for an 18x24" rolled poster print from Online Poster Printing, a subsidiary of UPrinting.

The winner will receive:

 One 18x24" Rolled Poster

Either high gloss or semi gloss 

FREE UPS Ground Shipping

This giveaway is, however, limited to US Residents only. And you must be 18 years old and up to enter.

There are so many things you could use this for!

A seating chart:

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An engagement picture:

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Artwork for your reception and later your home:

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Receive one entry for doing each of these things (please use separate comments):

1. Leave a comment telling me what you would use this poster for

2. Become a follower of my blog if you're not already

3. Become a follower on Twitter (les852)

4. Blog or tweet about the giveaway and leave a link to it in a comment

You have until next Wednesday, May 26th to enter! The winner will be announced next Thursday! 

Good luck! 

My DIY Realization

It's no secret that I'm having a largely DIY wedding. I absolutely love my projects and I love that it will make our wedding original and "us." Sometimes I feel like I take it too far though and insist on doing something myself just because I know I can and I end up spending more money and time on it than it's worth. 

I honestly JUST came to the realization last week that it's OK if some of the things in my wedding are store bought. My mom and I were at Hobby Lobby and all of their wedding stuff was 50% off. I'd seen their pomanders there before, but of course had always thought to myself, 'I could make those myself so easily.' That may be true, but I couldn't make them for less than $5 each (which is what they were on sale for) and it may cost me a bit of my sanity at this point. So we bought the pomanders for my flower girls to carry down the aisle. And they're going to be adorable. And if anyone even notices my store bought pomanders instead of the insane cuteness of my two flower girls, they're ridiculous. 

We did add some hot pink ribbon loops so that they'll coordinate a little better with the flower girl outfits, but that's it! And like I said, who's going to notice with these cuties?

If you're a fellow DIY bride, have you come to the same realization?

PS - Speaking of DIY, I was the first DIY bride featured by Kayleigh at My I-Do It Yourself Wedding! 

You can check out the post here!

These Are the Best Days of Your Life

This past weekend was fabulous! Thank you so much for all your sweet comments on my last post. Graduation was great, and seeing all of my family was so fun. I can't believe I'll be seeing all of them again in 3 and a half weeks!

My parents representing in their crimson and blue!

David and I with my beautiful grandma

In the campanile where David proposed and that I got to walk through for the first time later in the day

 With BM S! 

Rock Chalk!

Done!

My daddy - KU class of '88!

And my momma

My mom and all 5 of my siblings

It was a great day and it's been wonderful being HOME and no longer in a long distance relationship! I've still got more stuff to move when David and I are back up there this weekend for a wedding, but our house is finally starting to feel like our home!

I've been working on wedding stuff in all of my spare time, so I do have a few things to share with you! I'll try to get a couple more posts written this week. Thanks again for all of the support - I love my blog friends!

Did you have any major life events happen right around your wedding?

Graduation Day

Today...

..I officially become a college graduate! 

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...The University of Kansas becomes my alma mater.

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...I join my dad, uncles, aunt, sister, and cousin as a KU alum.

My dad on his graduation day

...I will walk through the campanile where I got engaged for the first time! (Legends surrounding the campanile say that if you walk through it before graduation day you won't graduate on time and if you kiss someone under it, he/she will be the one you marry!)

...and then I'll walk down the hill with all of my family (and soon-to-be family) and friends there to support me!

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It's a big day. And I'm pretty darn proud of myself. I completed my undergraduate degree in 3 years with a 3.8 GPA. I did something totally out of my comfort zone by coming up here without any of my friends or David and I succeeded. There were so many people (including a couple of our high school teachers) who said I'd never make it and would ask David when I was going to transfer back to Wichita State. And I'd just like to say, 'HA! I not only made it, but I did a DARN good job up here.'

KU has been really good for me. I learned a lot more independence and more about who I am as in individual by being up here. Being in a long distance relationship has helped David and I discover ourselves and has strengthened our committment the way nothing else could've. I've made lasting friendships and great memories. I worked my butt off and I feel like I accomplished something. I'll miss the gorgeous campus, the school pride up here, and my friends (particularly my roommate/BM S). I think my friend J said it perfectly:

"Thank you KU!! You have tested me, made me cry, taken away many hours of sleep, and even made me hate you at times. But, you have also given me some of my best friendships and most wonderful memories. Because of you I am a better person and I will always love you for that! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!"

Congratulations to everyone else graduating this weekend! We made it!

A Fun Find

I said at the beginning of this week that I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to blog. Well, I guess the blog serves as a great distraction from studying for finals because I ended up posting every day! I don't even remember the last week that happened. By the time this post goes live, I will be done with my last final and officially be done with college! SUCH a good feeling! :)

I've been working on the tokens for this project recently, and I was using a circle punch I got from Michaels. Well, it broke, so I had an excuse to stop by the Michaels in Olathe on my way to visit David. It is, hands down, the nicest and biggest Michaels I've ever been to! I think I'm in love. 

I wandered down the wedding aisle and found a new line they've started. I hope all of the Michaels stores plan on carrying it eventually, because I think it's SUCH a cute idea!

It's called Mix and Mingle and it's all Gartner Studios (which is actually the same company as our invites). They have all different shapes of cards and envelopes and adorable little add-ons to make all kinds of different invitations, save the dates, cards, and tags.

Their inspiration projects were all SO cute! They had baby shower invites, save the dates, all kinds of stuff. I apologize for the quality of all of the pictures - They're all from my phone. I just had to share this discovery, though!

I (of course) love the damask line, but there are tons of different colors and patterns offered! If you're wanting to go the DIY route, I think this would be a really fun way to go. I'm actually trying to think of a project I have left that I could use these products for! I haven't come up with anything yet, but if I do I'll be sure to share!

Has anyone else seen this line at Michaels? If so, have you made anything using it?

I Can Do Anything Better Than You

I have to start by saying that David and I are both really competitive. I don't know if it was the playing sports growing up or what, but we (ahem, usually I) make almost everything into a competition. It's usually all in good fun, but I finally realized that it might stem, at least on my part, from something deeper.

David is one of those people who is good at almost everything. He's always had perfect grades. It drove me absolutely crazy in high school. (Let's be honest, it still kind of does.) I would work my butt off on a paper, feel great about it, EDIT his paper for him, and then he'd get a better grade than me. He was even English Student of the Year our junior year even though he spent almost every class period playing a game, messing around, or talking - *K, I know it pained you to give it to him, but he did have the highest grade somehow..* He's a talented athlete and was captain of the soccer team our senior year. He got a full ride business scholarship at Wichita State, and he's worked 30+ hours/week as an accountant while in school full time. 

Uhhh... That's kind of hard to compete with. And the stress of finishing up my last couple finals and trying to find a 'real' job on top of graduation, moving, and oh yeah, the wedding led to me having a bit of a breakdown the other night. I feel like David excels in everything he does, and as hard as I try, I don't. I feel like I'm mediocre at almost everything. I sat there bawling my eyes out - I feel like crying has become a common theme here! - and David said one of the sweetest, truest things I've ever heard: 

He said, "YOU are the reason I'm able to be successful and do what I do. But it's not even what one of us does or accomplishes on our own. We're a team and everything we do is because of each other and for each other."

 And that is exactly what I needed to hear. Have I mentioned how excited I am to marry him? Whether or not everything gets done in the next 30 days, I will become a wife to my teammate, best friend, and better half which is really all that matters.

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I love you, babe.

Has your fiance given you a similar wake-up call?

Dress Fitting Fiasco

Sooo the comments have been a bit lacking lately, and it's seriously not helping my motivation to blog. Where is everyone? :( Today is the one month mark (eeeek!) and I've got lots of loose ends to tie up for you guys! Today is also BM M's 21st birthday! Happy Birthday, love bug!

I blogged awhile back about how I wanted to lose weight and, more importantly, become healthier before our wedding. I really worked at it for the next few months and lost about 10-15 pounds. I've since put a little back on (school and life in general has been a bit stressful lately), but I hope to lose about 10 more. While this has been really good for my self confidence and my health, it caused some problems with my dress. I hadn't tried on my dress since I bought it last August, and figured it was probably about time I did that the last time I was home. I put it on and was pleasantly surprised, but also a little nervous. 

David, if you're reading for some reason, stop now. You've only got a month to go - you wouldn't want to ruin it! Love you!

Gift Giving

Recently I decided on gifts for my bridesmaids (more on that later) and some of the other individuals playing a part in our big day. We're having my 4 younger girl cousins help with the guestbook and handing out programs. They range in age from 11 to 17, so I was having a bit of a hard time finding something all of them could use. 

With my mom, aunts, and cousins at my shower

When I was the guestbook attendant at my older brother and sister-in-law's wedding about a year and a half ago my sister-in-law gave me a monogrammed toiletry bag as my gift. I've used it SO much since then with all of the trips home from school. Two of my cousins are almost college aged, so I knew they'd use a toiletry bag, and the younger two are always spending the night at friends' houses, so I figured it would come in handy for them too.

I conveniently found some toiletry bags that coordinate perfectly with our theme, and bought four of them. The bags would've been a little hard to actually embroider, and let's face it, I'm all for projects that I can get done in one night, so I found iron on letters for them. I think they turned out well!

I can't wait to package them up all cute and give them to the girls! Hopefully they get some good use out of them!

What did you give the people who played a smaller role in your big day?

**I feel like I haven't shared much about my new niece and nephew, so I think a picture is in order! I got to see both of them over the weekend, and they're both getting cuter by the day! On the left is BM R/my sister's son and on the right is MOH A/my sister's daughter:

Does It Get Any Cuter?

Because I have quite possibly the cutest ring bearer/nephew/godson ever,

It's only fitting that he has the cutest ring bearer outfit ever!

My mom and I found it at Burlington in Wichita a couple weeks ago and we tried it on yesterday - he absolutely loved it! His shirt will be tucked in and his pants will be pulled up, but I think this face says a lot:

My whole family was over at my grandparents' for mother's day, so he got attention from everyone! He was loving it! We haven't finished his pillow yet, but it's only going to add to the cuteness. My mom and I were originally going to make him a pink bow tie instead of the black, but I think it's going to be one of those things where if we get it done, great, and if we don't, oh well! The black looks fine. Now that we're almost down to the one month mark (on Wednesday!) I feel like a lot of stuff is going to end up like that. And I'm ok with it!

Where did you find your ring bearer's outfit?