Wedding Wednesday

You are probably thinking "Samantha, you are already married! Why are you talking about wedding wednesday?" Well, that is because I have A LOT of engaged friends right now!! And I am a bridesmaid for 2 of them...so I am back in the wedding pinning/inspiration mode :) It's okay because my wedding was perfect and I wouldn't have changed a thing. I know the industry will constantly be updating trends and I will wish it was around when I got married but I can enjoy my best friends weddings and dream about it with them! And if this blog helps someone else plan their wedding, then that would make me super happy :D

Today's topic: how to make your wedding unique and stand out from the crowd.

 I know that I followed some of the trends in weddings for 2012 but that was truly because I loved them, not because I wanted my wedding to be "cool" Mason jars, burlap, and boots are popular right now, but can you still use them and have a unique wedding? OF COURSE! Don't worry about what other people think when it comes to planning your wedding. Its about what you (and your fiance: yes, his point of view matters too) want.

Next, if you have a small budget or just don't want soooo many details to worry about then how can you achieve the look you want.?Well, my first piece of advice which I may have mentioned before is PRIORITIZE! Is the decor more important or photography? Do you care more about having amazing food or a designer dress? Each of you make a list of top 3-5 things that are most important and focus on those.

Also try to write down describing words on how you want the ceremony and reception to feel. For instance, for my wedding I wanted it to be rustic, fun, relaxed, sweet and southern. So how do you take that and turn it into a complete wedding design? Pick a word and apply it to a physical thing. So if I want a fun wedding I should pick bright, fun colors (hence navy and yellow decor and attire). If I want a rustic wedding, I should incorporate what that means to me (wood, outdoors). Do this for all of your words and this should give you a big enough variety of components that will create a unified look that is also one of a kind!

I want to share some details that can help make your wedding unique! If you want something very traditional, these ideas might not be for you. There is nothing wrong with that. Do what makes YOU happy because you will remember this day forever! Let me know if you have any wedding planning questions! I would love to help :)

1. Bouquets made from something other than flowers (or uncommon flowers)!

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(these are yarn balls if you can't tell)

2. Entertaining guests without dancing (mostly ones for outdoors)

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would be cute for single bridesmaids and groomsmen to volunteer for

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3. Unique food service/display

food trucks!

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Mini food

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Fix your own ice cream/smores

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Did you have a unique feature like these at your wedding? I would love to hear about it! What do you think of incorporating these into a wedding?

XO

Samantha

Linking up here:

 

Weekend Recap

Well I had one awesome weekend! Our last few weekends have been pretty laid back with not a whole lot going on. This weekend was the opposite!

Ty and Gabby got here on Friday at about 6:30. I planned to have bruschetta (recipe from Whitney) ready to eat as an appetizer. It was a little late, but it worked because they sat and talked while I finished making dinner.

Dinner was Chicken Carbonara. I varied this recipe quite a bit and it was delicious. I used fettucini instead of spaghetti. I didn't put in eggs (seemed suspicious that you didn't actually cook them?). I heated up the cream, added butter and italian blend of cheese. I used turkey bacon instead and left out the peas and white wine. I like to just wing it in the kitchen, obviously!

Dessert was Snickerdoodle Blondies. I didn't change this recipe a bit and it turned out wonderfully. It also made the apartment smell AMAZING! We all tried to leave room for them. Instead we just ended up overstuffed.

My picture

Their pretty picture

Then we just talked and relaxed on the couch. The next morning Gabby and I went and got manicures! This was a real treat :) I got mine done in Essie Get Cozy! 

That's not my hand but it shows the color really well! (and this color is on my wish list now)

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After that we got Starbucks! I got a Caramel Apple Spice! "It's like Christmas in a cup"- Ryan Reynolds on The Proposal! But seriously you have to try it!

Showing off our nails! and Christmas cups

 We met back up with the boys and had leftover pasta for lunch. We headed to Hollywood Cemetery for a nice fall drive/walk and some history. We have been quite a few times now so we probably won't go back for a while. I do love getting up the hill where it overlooks the river. So beautiful this time of year! The sky was SO blue!

We still had some time to kill before dinner so we went to Brown's Island and Belle Isle. Me and the hubby had never been across the bridge to Belle Isle before. It was sooo cool! Also there was a wedding going on there outside! (way to cold for that) On the trail we saw this old abandoned Hydro Plant. Had to check it out a little bit closer! And there was a guy attempting to be spiderman. See that hole on the back wall at the top right? Well he climbed up there! Crazy :o 

Walking across the bridge apparently got our attention too! BAHAHA! 

We went to Station 2 for dinner again! We love that place. I got a grilled cheese...burger! YUM!

We went shopping on Sunday and I got this...

We ate at Panera for lunch! MAC AND CHEESE! I can't get anything else! I need to learn to make it :) 

They headed back to Blacksburg :( And I hung up my new gift that Gabby made me! 

YAY for pretty fall decorations!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend as well!

Ty and Gabby: Come back again soon!

XO Samantha

Happy Friday!

It's NOVEMBER!!! Once again, I can't believe it! I have been working for Courtney for 3 months!! and I love it! Also,I appreciate you readers soooo much. I was up 600 more views from last month!! YAY! Also, I want to organize my blogs so that it's easier to read/find specific posts. If you have any ideas or suggestions for this let me know! Just comment on what you like/don't like. I LOVE hearing from you and including you in my blog!

Looking forward to:
1) Ty and Gabby are visiting and its her birthday so I am making her an epic dinner!
2) Me and Gabby are getting our nails done tomorrow :) much needed treat
3) Wedding dress shopping w/ Denise is coming up next weekend

This months highs:
1) found 2 great churches! (this was on the month's goals)
2) got wedding prints!! and hung them up (also on the goals)
3) going to Highpoint Market! It was so much fun!

This months lows:
1) The Hokies are doing terribly :( It's really hard to watch)
2) Missing family and friends a lot, haven't gotten to visit much
3) Hurricane Sandy- praying for everyone affected

Goals that I checked off:
Exercise More
Take More Photos 
Find a Church
Getting Wedding Photos Printed

Fall Bucket List:
Take a Nature walk and bring camera (did this twice!! Woot Woot)

Inspiration for daily life:

Teal Leather -as always

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Twinkle Lights- can't wait for Christmas!

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Chocolate

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LEOPARD and lots of it!

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Chevron!

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WEDDINGS! for my beautiful friends!

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Self-explanatory....

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God's paintings!

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I hope you continue to be inspired by my blog! Please tell me if you want to see more posts on something specific :) Otherwise it may just be random like this haha! 

On another note, Tuesday is Election Day. I am not one to rant on with politics but I know the importance of voting so...don't forget to VOTE....and do your research first! Don't rely on commercials to tell you the truth!

Happy Friday ;)

XO Samantha