Wedding Wednesday: The Invitations

 

      I promise I will try and do some non-wedding related posts in the next few days.  I apologize I am just eating and sleeping wedding right now.   Whether it is attending friends weddings on the weekends or finalizing our own wedding plans, that is just about all I do.  So I don't have too many other exciting things to talk about. 

     Now that all of our invitations are out I can finally post about them and show you some pictures.  I know everyone has different priorities when planning their wedding, for me it was the music and the invitations.  There were other priorities, but these two stick out in my mind. 

   Growing up my parent's wedding invitation was proudly displayed in a frame in the foyer of our house.  It is something I always remembered looking at and I love that they still have it up after 35 years of marriage.   When designing my invitations this was something I wanted to do too.  I wanted invitations that would be timeless, that I could frame in my house and look back 50 years from now and still love.  Plus I have always wanted a simple and traditional invitation design. 

 

   Our colors for the wedding are gray, sage green, and terracotta  (which is almost a copper color).  We decided to use the sage and gray for the invitations as we did for our Save The Dates.    The terracotta color is hard to match so we decided to leave that color out of the invitations and as an element of surprise which will come in throughout the ceremony and reception.

 

 

     I am so so happy with how our invitations came out.  I love the paper, the colors, and the fonts which I went back and forth on for weeks hahahah      If you are local in the Pittsburgh area, I ordered all my Save the Dates and Invitations through Nota Bene in Aspinwall and they are beyond fabulous.  They didn't bat an eye when I may or may not have asked for 6 different font proofs.  ( Inner Zilla?)

   I always wanted to do letter press invitations, because I just think it gives the invitation such a great classic look.   I am so glad I did!  The letter press came out gorgeous.   As I previously have said I didn't want to use our married monogram on anything until after the ceremony so Doug and I decided on this design with our first initials.  

      Our calligrapher was also amazing. She did such a fantastic job I can't even imagine being able to write like that.  We received so many compliments and she was awesome to work with.   Again if you are local to Pittsburgh I can recommend a super talented calligrapher.

 

 

     DFH was great and helped me get all of the invitations out as soon as we received them back from the calligrapher.    Our assembly line worked well!

 

 

 

The countdown is on 17 days to go !

 

 

 

 



Sarah is a Mrs!

 

    This summer I was so honored to stand by my friend Sarah's side as a bridesmaid in her wedding.   Sarah and I met at college orientation the spring before we were freshman at Elon.  We ended up rushing the same sorority, and lived together in the sorority house Sophomore year and every year after that going forward in college, including a semester in London when we both studied abroad.  Sarah and I have such a fabulous friendship and she is one of my best friends, it was so special for me to be in her wedding. 

   Sarah and her now Husband Mike got married at the stunning Fox Hill Inn in Connecticut on one of the most beautiful days of the summer.

 

 

Elon girls! 

 

How gorgeous are the bridesmaid dresses.  I love the black lace.  So feminine and flattering. 

 

 

 

 

Our first look at the bride with her dress on.

 

 

 

 

Sipping Champagne with a straw is necessary to prevent messing up your lipstick.

 

 

Our Bridesmaid Bouquets. 

The pink peonies Sarah chose were beautiful, and were used throughout her ceremony and reception.  Obviously I am sucker for a pink and green bouquet.

 

 

Sarah and Mike during their first look.  I couldn't help sneak a peek from the balcony upstairs.

 

 

Here Comes the Bride.

 

 

 

Me, watching the bride walk down the aisle.

 

 

Even Sarah and Mike's dog Bailey was part of the wedding.  How much do you love the leash?!

 

 

Their ceremony was so sweet and personalized.

 

 

All of the Elon ladies.

 

Old Sigma girls. 

 The four of us are best friends from college and all lived together our Senior year in an off campus sorority house called Old Sigma. 

 

 I cannot wait for all three of these girls to stand by my side for my own wedding.

 

Sarah is like a 3rd daughter to my family and has celebrated many holidays with our family.  It was so fun to have my parent's at her wedding to celebrate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so happy for Sarah and wish her and her wonderful Husband nothing but the best!

 

 

 

I am off.....

 

 

 

....To Cape Cod!!

 

 

 

This weekend one of my nearest dearest oldest friends is getting married and I cannot wait to celebrate the Bride-to-Be and her future Hubby!!

 

 

Jocelyn and I have been friends since we were in 5th grade and I love that we are both getting married within weeks of each other!

 

 

It doesn't seem like that long ago we were vacationing on the Cape with her family when we were in high school and now she is getting married there.

 

 

I am so happy for Jocelyn and I cannot wait to watch her walk down the aisle!

 

I will be back next week with lots of pictures!

 

*Fingers crossed for beautiful weather*

 



( Less than ) One Month Until I Am Married!!

      As of today there are officially 23 days until DFH and I are married.  I need to remember to take deep breaths, I still feel like I have a lot of little stuff to do.  Luckily, this past weekend at home my mom and I were able to cross a lot off the to do list so I feel better than I did last week.    I was even offered two free Pittsburgh Penguins hockey tickets this week, but I declined because I knew I have a ton of wedding stuff to do.   DFH and I love the Penguins so this is serious, I don't even want to tell DFH about the tickets I know he will be bummed.  

Here is where I am in terms of my list accomplishments and near future "To Do's" with less than ONE month to go!

1. Pick a Date -----------------CHECK

2. Reception Venue ------------ CHECK

3. Church --------------------------CHECK
* So excited to be getting married in the church I grew up in.

4..Band ------------------------------CHECK

5..Photographer----------------CHECK

6. . Wedding Dress and Veil--CHECK
* So. Excited. This makes everything feel so real

7.Engagement Party-------------CHECK
* This was not on my check list, but my parents hosted a fabulous engagement party for DFH and I over Christmas so I had to add it to my check list

8. Announce Engagement in the paper---------CHECK

9. Ask Bridal Party To Be In Wedding ---------------CHECK

10. Take Engagement Pictures-----------------------   CHECK

11. Hire Organist for Ceremony ----------------------CHECK

12. Reserve Hotel Rooms ----------------------------CHECK

13. Choose Bridesmaid Dresses--------------------CHECK

14. Book a Florist---------------------------------------CHECK

15.Pick and Book a Rehearsal Dinner Location------CHECK


16. Register--------------------------------------CHECK

17. Choose Save The Dates--------------------------------CHECK

18. Rent Chairs---------------------------------------------CHECK

19. Order Groom and groomsmen attire--------------CHECK

20. Research / Book Videographer----------------- I still want to do this.

21. Research/ Book Transportation--------------------- CHECK

22. Book Hairstylist--------------------------------CHECK

23. Book Makeup --------------------------------1/2 check, waiting on the contract.

24. Attend Caterer Food Tasting--------------------CHECK


25. Meet with our minister-----------------------------CHECK

26. Ask KLS to sing at our ceremony -----------------CHECK
* So excited for her to sing at our wedding!

27.Complete Guest list ------------------------------------CHECK

28. Research Invitations --------------------------------CHECK

29. Order Invitations                                                CHECK

30. Set up wedding website--------------------------CHECK

31. Book day after wedding photographer             CHECK

32. Research Honeymoon -------------------------CHECK

33. Book Honeymoon                                         CHECK

34. Decide on Ceremony Music------------------- 1/2 check. We need to finalize our song list.

35. Find/Order reception décor items ------------------CHECK  ( I think at this point we have everything, I think I went to Michaels at least 3 times a week this summer)

36. Finalize Welcome Bag ideas------------------------CHECK ( just need to put the bags together

37. Decide on Table Number design                  CHECK

38. Decide on Place Card design------------------CHECK ( waiting for final head count )

39. Order Thank You Cards ---------------------CHECK

40. Pick out Bridal Shoes/ accessories-------------CHECK ( shoes, and jewelry picked out)

41. Surprise Bridal Shower!! --------------------CHECK
* This was not on my to do list, but I had to share: My mom and bridal party hosted the best bridal shower ever for me last weekend! I was shocked! I think I was shaking the whole time. I can't imagine a better shower!

42. Send Save The Dates -----------------------------Check


43.  Pick out wedding bands                                 CHECK

44. Send out invitations-------------------------------CHECK

45.  Research Send Off car ------------------------------Still debating about this

46. Research / Order Favors--------------------------CHECK

47. Hair Trial- scheduled for the next time I am home  CHECK

48.  Dress fitting----------------------------------CHECK (Just had my 2nd one)

49.  Ceremony Programs ------------------------ Working on these now.

50. Welcome Bag Programs -------------------- Working on these now.

51. Something Borrowed -------------------------Check ( My Mom's Earrings)

51. Something Blue------------------------------- Check ( Pearl on the Garter)

52. Something Old -------------------------------Check ( The Garter is made from my Mom's wedding   dress)

53. Something New--------------------------------Check ( My wedding dress)

54. Six Pence-----------------------------------------CHECK

55. Meet with Florist and see centerpieces --------------CHECK

56. Finish our sessions with the minister ----------------CHECK

57. Ask our readers to read a verse at the ceremony ---------- CHECK

58. Send out Rehearsal Dinner invitations ---------------------CHECK

59. Apply for Marriage License ---------------------------------CHECK

60.  Speak with all the vendors for the rehearsal dinner ------CHECK

61.  This wasn't on my list, but two of my Pittsburgh bridesmaids had an amazing shower for me in Pittsburgh at the cutest little bed and breakfast ( Post to come)

 

 

 

62.  Have a fabulous bachelorette weekend with my bridesmaids--------------------CHECK

 

 



63. Finish DIY candle project

64.  Order China for the rehearsal dinner

65.  Rehearsal Dinner centerpieces

66. Work on Rehearsal Dinner Slide Show

67. Get day after the wedding outfit

68.  Book Makeup/Hair for day after wedding pictures

69.  Finish getting gifts for bridal party

70.  Blow up pictures for reception.

71.   Put together seating chart

72.   Place Cards

73.  Decide on Specialty Drink

74. Finalize song list for band

75. Finalize picture list for photographer

76. Get final count to Venue/Caterer


SO SO Soon!!  DFH and I were at a wedding this past weekend, and it just made everything feel so real and we got so excited, knowing we would be in their position in only three weeks.

Where Did Summer Go?

     Let me reintroduce myself.  Hi, I am Lauren and lately I have been a very bad blogger. 

      Our wedding is now less than one month away, and our weekends have been full of wedding planning, bachelor/bachelorette parties, showers, and other friends weddings and as usual I have let myself get behind on blogging. 

   Maybe it is just me and all of our wedding planning, but the summer just seemed to fly by faster than in other years.  Don't get me wrong, I had so many great adventures this summer, but it just didn't feel like a normal summer.  I think part of it was the weather was so iffy, but I didn't get to enjoy sitting outside as much as I usually do or even get to a pool once.  I know GASP. 

  However, this past weekend on yet another trip back to New Jersey I was scanning through all of my pictures on my iphone and realized just how much I have done this summer.  I like to use this blog as a scrapbook for myself so I wanted to share some of the highlights of my summer.  I want to do full posts on some of my wedding festivities so stay tuned for those. 

 Enjoy!

 

Although it was chilly at night, we had an awesome time at the Delfest Music Festival again this year.  Cannot wait for next year.

 

At the Brad Paisley concert LES, ALV and I got upgraded from lawn seats to the pit and also got to go on a backstage tour!

 

 

Every 4th of July for the last few years LES, ALV, and I head to Long Beach Island to spend the holiday weekend with my family.  There is nothing better then spending the 4th on the beach.   Sadly, LES wasn't able to join us this year. 

 

DFH & I all dolled up for our friend's Bob and Hope's wedding in Pittsburgh

 



 

Just one of the 100 photo booth pictures we took.  Not going to lie, I am photo booth obsessed.

 

 

Loved having my good friend and bridesmaid SRW in town for my Pittsburgh shower.  It is always a must to take visitors up to Mt. Washington for a drink and the breathtaking view of the city. 

 

 

DFH and I enjoying drinks on the Delaware at home in NJ after a busy day of wedding planning.

 

I love this picture of my two boys sleeping after a busy day.  Can you spot Ollie?

 

I cannot believe how big Mr. Oliver has gotten in the past three months.  I love our little Furbaby.