Dreaming in Red, White and Blue

I love vacations. There's something so great about just getting away and absorbing what else this world has to offer. So, it should come as no surprise that the honeymoon aspect of this wedding planning is super important to me. I initially wanted to just be a bum and lie on the beach all day, drinking cocktails and basking in the glow of marital bliss. After a chat with the man friend, I realized how unfair this was to him. He likes the beach, don't get me wrong. But he definitely does not have the same relationship with it as I do. He loves to stay active and gets bored (quick). Not to mention his skin doesn't handle the sun quite like his other half. Plus, we go to the beach annually so I thought it was only fair that we think outside the box in terms of how we'd spend the week together. We both threw out suggestions and we landed on some great places. We finally made the decision to knock out international travel. While some friends highly suggested Jamaica (hi Grace and Frank!!), we both realized that we wanted to stay in the states. There are SO many great places in this wonderful country we want to see and we decided that we wanted to explore what the good ole US of A has. So we started going through our "top cities we want to visit" list. We narrowed down our lists because while Boston and Chicago are high on mine, I simply couldn't imagine being cold during our honeymoon. 

So, K started with any city in Arizona. AZ has great weather but after looking into it and consulting with other brides I realized this was not where I wanted to go. Next, I suggested Savannah, GA. I've only driven through this city so I didn't know much about it other than what I'd been told by others. We kept it as a contender and then man friend suggested Galveston in Texas. We both love us some Texas and he was kind enough to find a place with a beach. I consulted with little brother who said it was a cool place. I did some research and we kept it as another possibility. Next, I suggested Charleston, SC. Seeing a trend, yet? I'm definitely all about the Southern charm and was hoping to convince him of how fun it could be. Another contender. He then suggested Key West in FL. While cool, I went to Florida every year as a kid and our friends are actually planning their own honeymoon there and I'm no thunder stealer, so off the list it went. So now we had it narrowed down to Savannah, Galveston and Charleston. We started researching each place and I of course consulted with friends who have been to all three. I looked at pictures of the beaches in Galveston and after showing him, that was easily knocked off the list. It really didn't look like our style and we realized we could visit TX any time we want so why not go elsewhere. Which left my top contenders. I looked up restaurants, pubs, hotels, attractions, anything you could think of. (I felt like Clark Griswald). I got so excited because it clicked that he would LOVE these cities. They were exactly the kind of places that we both have grown to love, together, and what could be better than experiencing them for the first time as a married couple? Ultimately we realized that there was no reason for us to be limited to one choice. Both cities have so much to offer! So our final decision you ask? 

We will spend the first 4 nights in Savannah and then rent a car to make the two hour drive to Charleston to enjoy the last 3 nights. We have already scoped out places we will eat, the bars we will visit, the museums and other attractions we will explore, so much to do in so little time it seems!! All that's left is picking our hotel and flights and then we will officially be all set! 

We are excited about knocking out this big decision so early and can't wait to enjoy the time together! 

Adrenaline Junkie

Anyone that knows me is well aware of my various fears and the things that give me anxiety. I am not, what one would call, a typical adrenaline junkie. I loathe roller coasters and fast cars. Heights give me panic attacks. And the mere mention of skydiving makes my stomach turn. Most of my friends love these activities. My fiancé even drives a car meant for high speeds and hard, fast turns. My kind of rush doesn't involve having a clown jump out at me at a haunted trail or wondering if a bird will hit my face on Appollos Chariot. My kind of rush is a good deal. I absolutely love walking away from a purchase knowing I got the best discount possible.

I coupon like a mad woman. Most of my grocery store visits involve me reading the price tags for the best deal possible and then adding a coupon to see just how cheap I can get an item. Half off? That's for the birds. I need things 75% off to get my thrill. I never buy clothes unless there's a red tag and even then I often wait until that tag has an .04 at the end of it so I know that baby is in its final markdown. (Bet a lot of you weren't aware of that little nugget of information.) Thrift shops weren't made famous by Mackelmore, yard sales are my reason for waking up early on Saturdays and I could have a Craigslist store with all the items I've bought. I've never paid full retail for any item in my home. Every couch has a story from some other family (don't worry I clean the stories away thoroughly when I buy them). Every knick knack to include even my candles has once been someone else's treasure. And I'm ok with that. Some call me cheap (Hi Dad!), I call it smart. The only debt I have is a house. And that's only cause I couldn't find a coupon for 200k off. My whole living room (again all thrift shop, yard sale and Craigslist finds) totals under $100 and that price tag includes 2 chairs, a couch, a sofa chair, a lamp, two rugs, a bookcase, a tv stand, curtains, coffee table, console table, picture frames and a ton of various decor. The only thing that ups the price is a tv but the man friend bought that guy (on sale of course lol).

And now I feel like my budget saviness is paying off in new ways I hadn't expected.  Planning a wedding is NOT cheap.  While fun (and a bit stressful), throwing a party for 150 of your closest friends and family takes some money smarts. Unless, of course you win a contest or your parents have generously offered to foot the entire bill.  So, it's important to find ways to save where you can.  For me, there are certain aspects where I can't be too frugal. For example my photographer. Photographers capture memories that can never be repeated and that will last a lifetime. My compromise? Finding a middle of the road price tag.  Afterall, who got better pictures? The couple that paid $1,000 for 300 crappy photos or the ones that paid $1,500 for 300 amazing shots?  

But, in order to feed my addiction to savings I'm on a mission to continue finding bargains anywhere I can. I don't plan to sacrifice beauty in this mission but I do plan to save wherever possible. A prime example is the table settings. Renting linens and glassware is money I will NEVER see again.  Sure, I could pay for convienence: they bring em in and take em out. But, what good is that convenience if I now have holes burned in my pocket? Instead I bought all my linens. Yes, I already bought them; I know I am ahead of the game. But, when I find a too good to pass it up deal, I jump on it. And that's just what happened in this case. I found all my linens for under $100 which any past (or currently searching) bride knows is a complete steal (especially when your guest tables are 72" rounds).  My venue doesn't provide anything in terms of glassware so I turned my hunt to craigslist and found a seller who recently got married and had wine glasses leftover.  I drove to Herndon on a day I was already out that way and scored 150 for under $0.40/glass.  Renting them would have cost me 10-15 cents more each! The best part about these deals is that after my wedding, I can sell these back and get some (if not all) of my money spent back!

I'm not ashamed of my love of savings. In fact, I'm proud of it. I'm not embarrassed to admit I scored my brand new dream wedding gown for over 75% off retail because I bought it from a bride who changed her mind. I'm really just bragging. And I'll never scoff at you if you give me a present and accidentally leave the clearance tag on it (which the man friend once did). I'll love it even more because I know how much work comes with being thrifty.  

By the way here is a great tip for savings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0&sns=em 

Patience IS a virtue

We have a venue!!! I'm elated right now and super pumped to announce the venue we wanted is officially ours!! Now, the wedding planning can REALLY begin. We will be getting married on October 12, 2014 at Old House Vineyards located in Culpeper, VA. I figure some of you may have some questions so I hope to address what I would question if I were in your shoes!

How many venues did you see before picking this one?

We looked at a total of 6 in person. I think I probably emailed about one hundred places, many of which do not allow outside catering which was a must for us. When we walked into OH, we knew it was the one. The setting is absolutely unique which was really important to us.  While we had never considered a vineyard, we just felt it was perfect with it's island ceremony, rustic pavillion, and outdoor stone fireplace (perfect for a Fall wedding!). But, for budgetary reasons, the other one was a top contender. Plus, OH only had the last weekend in October open and we didn't want our guests in costume for the big day lol. When we became stuck between two options, we put our faith in the old adage that "whatever is meant to be will be". I was waiting to hear back from venue B when I got an email from OH owner, Allyson, who let me know October 12th was now available. It just seemed like it was destined to happen. So after a chat with Kyrin and my family (aka best support system on the planet), we decided to go for it and dropped off our deposit and signed contract yesterday!

A Sunday wedding? What are you thinking?

We had full intentions of a Saturday ceremony and reception but as it turns out, wedding venues book up fast. Our options were limited and because we didn't want a hotel wedding, we had to compromise. I did ask around and a lot of people told me not to stress it. More importantly, they made it clear to me that the people who want to be there will be there (for the most part of course). So, when I started looking at the calendar I saw that it's Columbus Day weekend and with that being a federal holiday, many of our invited guests will have the next day off to recover. So, there you have it!

10-12-14..what a cool date! Any significance?

It definitely wasn't on purpose. We have always wanted a fall wedding and as long as it fell in October that was all that mattered (funny how that decision was made years ago but the actual engagement not so much lol). When we got engaged we looked at what worked best for us and we knew it needed to fall either on the second or third week. So when we found the Old House, and the date came up, we just liked that our guests could party it up and have the following day free. But, we agree, it's a pretty cool (and easy) date to remember. 

Why not pick something closer to home?

I'll be honest. I went back and forth about the physical address of each location. I wanted something that spoke to our journey as a couple, as well as our vision for a reception. When I contacted OH, I learned that my mom (a preschool teacher turned director) had taught Allyson's children almost twenty years ago! Aother cool fact, while Kyrin and I aren't major wine-o's by any stretch of the imagination, we also learned that there are talks of starting a brewery on the property which as you all know, craft beer samplings are a major part of our relationship. To boot, when we were leaving after our tour, Allyson recommended a great spot for dinner called "It's About Thyme" which speaks for itself (p.s. the food was amazing there-if you have never been I definitely suggest you try it out!!). So, it just seemed like everything aligned in that perfect way for us so we couldn't say no. 

Besides, it's not THAT far ;)

What made y'all pick a vineyard?

Well, when I was looking around online one night, I saw Old House and immediately loved everything they have to offer. One look at that island with its Italian love lock ceremony and I was sold. All I had to do was convince Kyrin and we were good to go. The property allows me to have our ceremony and reception on the grounds and we would be the only event that day. In order to have a true rustic themed wedding, I felt the setting had to encompass that. I saw a lot that were beautiful but without the barn or plantation aspect, I didn't feel it made sense to go the rustic route. (I think it's really important to play on the overall feel of a venue when determining what your theme will be in planning any event). The great thing about OH is that while it's a vineyard, the pavillion where the reception would be is very rustic and appropriate to our theme without being a totally delapidated barn (lol). Besides, now we have the opportunity to add another aspect to our wedding we hadn't considered: rustic + wine inspired, which I am absolutely loving and wouldn't have gone with if we didn't have that vineyard thing haha :)

What's first on the planning agenda?

The venue was definitely the most important part. Without knowing the where or when, we wouldn't be able to do anything like our Save the Dates (which being a holiday weekend I feel it's super important to get those bad boys out sooner than later) or think about hiring a photographer or other vendors. We have already contacted some folks about dj services, photography, hair and makeup but nothing is set in stone quite yet. For now, we are just breathing a sigh of relief and getting excited about this crazy great year ahead of us!

Friday Faves

Welcome to the first edition of Friday Faves. I follow a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube and I love how they always share their favorite products. It's such a great way to tell folks what you love and why. Now, I won't always gear my choices towards beauty products but this week I decided to share with you three things I absolutely cannot get enough of. 

1. Coconut oil. This stuff is amazing. I use it for just about everything. Many would think it's too greasy but the stuff is pure magic. It's a great product for your skin, hair, nails, etc. I rub some on my cuticles everyday to keep them moisturized. If my skin is feeling super dry, which in the winter it generally does, i will use this as my facial moisturizer (I have never broken out from it either). My favorite way to use it though is as a deep conditioner. Most recommend to slather the stuff on before bed and wash out n the morning. But I toss and turn so much that when I do any overnight treatments, everything ends up all over my pillows. If you prefer the overnight method just make sure you use a cap, too. Because I am lucky enough to work from home four days a week, I just put this on in the morning (on non meeting days of course) and then wash out after work. My hair feels incredibly soft and super shiny after which is a blessing on this head of hair that gets a beating during the summer (chlorine, salt water, highlights). Honestly it's my holy grail and if you only get one of these products, make it this one. 

You're welcome

2. Kenra Blow Dry spray. If you're like me, you blow dry your hair before going out in public. People always ask me why I don't let my locks run free without the aid of heat. Well, thanks to some poor decision making in the early 90's (aka a perm) and a mystery gene that causes routine hair loss, my hair just has never been the same. What was once beautiful hair eventually grew to a kinda wavy, kinda limp disaster. Seriously, me with air dried hair ain't pretty and I only let Kyrin see this side of me now (thanks babe for still loving me). So one day I was in Ulta (which at that point was my second time in the place because I was never a hair and makeup kinda girl) and I gravitated to my favorite part in any store (CLEARANCE!). I found a bottle of this Kenra stuff and at 75% off with a promise to shorten my blow drying time, I was sold. When I walked up to pay, the cashier asked me if there were any other bottles left because she absolutely loves this stuff. She RAVED about it. I told her I'd grab her one and came back with two. I figured if this girl with gorgeous hair swears by it then I'd take the risk. Worst case I'd give it to a friend. Well, no need, cause it's amazeballs. I swear my drying time was cut in half and the best part is it doubles as a heat protectant which a heataholic should never go without. 

3. The last product of the day is St. Ive's moisturizer. If you know me, then you know I am pretty obsessed with Dr. Oz: the man is a genius. If he'd be willing to come to my house for a day and fill my life with the foods and products he talks about, I'd let him throw everything I own away. One day I was catching up on my dvr shows and I caught a segment of the doc's. He said he had THE product for women to use to prevent wrinkles and moisturize. At 31, wrinkles are a reality ladies. So, that night I went out on mission "find me some moisturizer". The stuff is under $5 for the container and a little really does go a long way. At first I thought it was a bit thin and runny. I preferred a facial moisturizer with some oomph. But, when it soaked in I could almost hear my skin saying "thankkkk youuuu!!!" I shared this little gem with one of my friends and she is now hooked, too. I won't go so far as saying this is my forever moisturizer but it's definitely a good summer option. I have a couple good winter ones that I'll share soon :)

Well, that's all for now! I'll be back next week with some more goodies. Happy Friday, kids!

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Well, it's happening and I didn't even plan for it. This blog is now becoming wedding central lol. How can you expect anything less? I mean I did promise to write about stuff I love and I love to 1) plan parties, 2) create diy projects, and 3) do things on a budget. So, I think it's natural I'd share. Besides, it's my blog and I can do what I wanna lol :)

We went venue hunting over the weekend and let me tell you, venues are no joke. They are expensive. I was getting quotes as low as $800 for 4 hours for a facility that holds 75 (super cute but too small) to $10k for a weekend. Sure the latter sounds appealing: gather everyone together for the whole weekend and boom, easy peasy. But there is so much more than just that. You need to worry about every logistic imaginable from flowers to your photographer to food and your music. In the end, your weekend getaway ends up being a cool $15k and while you may have created a great memory, you're now broke. Not exactly how I want to enter the blessed union of marriage. (And by no means am I knocking those who have had $15k and over weddings. To each his own is my opinion!!). My vision for this wedding is simple. In every sense of the word. I want rustic/country chic. Think: mason jars and lace, flowy dresses, hay bales, a barn. 

Yes, a barn. If we can get married in a beautiful barn, that is the ultimate dream. Kyrin and I have discussed this day for years and the Fall has always been a special time for us and not to mention that the season means a barn wedding is perfectly acceptable :) So, the plan (which as most of you know hasn't changed for about five years lol) is a Fall wedding. We are open to September but definitely prefer October for a few reasons: the leaves don't change til mid-October and that makes a world of difference in photos and color choices for foliage, October is the driest month and while rain is said to be good luck on your big day, I would really prefer it stays away during our I Dos, we have friends getting married at the end of September (and this is not about to be the real life version of Bride Wars), and the weather isn't humid or hot which is a must have for the Mr. ;)

Well, back to the venue hunt. We found a perfect place and immediately were stunned by the beauty and uniqueness of the location. Unfortunately, the only available date was the last weekend in October, which means we would be taking quite a risk in terms of weather. Virginia can get COLD this time of year and I certainly don't want our guests to suffer. We decided to think about it and keep it as a backup plan because when we started doing more researching, we came upon another venue that sold us with their rustic charm and all inclusive wedding package. We haven't narrowed down anything firm yet but are currently crossing our fingers that a date opens up for the location we have fallen in love with (the owner is checking with a bride that was penciled in and she'll have a week to make her decison on the date we requested). I don't want to jinx it, so I will keep it between us for now. But, as soon as I know for sure and have made the deposit to ensure it's ours, I will let you all know. 

So if you wanna follow me on our adventure feel free. I promise to throw in sprinklings of home projects and trips to my favorite thrift stores along the way. For now, I am gonna try and be patient (and keep those fingers crossed while we wait). 

“He that can have patience can have what he will.” 

― Benjamin Franklin

Worth the Wait

So, I took a little longer than I anticipated to write post numero dos.  With re-enrolling in school, my work load picking up and spending a week vacationing with friends in the OBX, it was hard to squeeze in anything to write about.  I suspect, though, that you will all find this was worth the wait. 

I mentioned in my revival post that the overall theme of this blog was changing.  I just want to talk about things I am passionate about.  And one of the things I am most passionate about is relationships.  This includes my family, friends and, of course, Kyrin.  We met seven and a half years ago through a mutual friend and while it was not love at first sight, it was most certainly love at first conversation…for me, anyway.  I remember it didn’t take long for me, serial dater extraordinaire, to pick up the phone and tell my mom and best friend that I had found “the one”.  Never in a million years did I think I would fall in love after just one conversation, albeit a lengthy one.  I was struck by how much we had in common:  our fervor for all things sports (the Jets thing didn’t sway me), the strong bond with our parents, our religious and spiritual perspectives, our love of beer (you didn’t think I’d leave that out, did you?), (most) of our musical tastes, our sense of humor, and the list goes on and on.  And even while we had so much in common, I remember loving those things we didn’t necessarily agree on 100% (politics, being an only child vs. having a sibling, obsession with cars, reality tv) because they made us different (really, if I wanted to date myself I’d probably be institutionalized…I’m no picnic all the time).    I loved getting to know him and why he loved what he loved.  I even loved the first time I rode in his car and tried to switch the station to play country music and how he refused to allow it.  Fast forward to today and you can hear Kyrin singing the newest Jason Aldean song in the shower. Bottom line, we grew together and grew up together.  Sure, we haven’t known each other since we were in the sandbox, but we grew from dumb 23 year olds to semi intelligent 31 year olds.  We evolved together…not just as a couple but as individuals.  We moved in together, we bought a home, we have seen each other through some of the most difficult lows in our lives, we have stood by one another when others stood against us, we fight together, we love together, we learn together.  He’s my best friend and I’m incredibly blessed that I have him as my ultimate partner.

All that being said, I’m sure you want to know what the point of this post really is.  So, I guess it’s time to let the cat outta the bag….after 7 years, 4 months and 22 days (who’s counting?) Kyrin asked me the most important question of our lives. 

And let me tell you, he was well worth the wait <3

“Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”  - Robert Heinlein

The Revival

Guess who's back...back again?  Yes, Eminem is back with a new album (with some pretty sick Beastie Boys samples in one song) but this post isn't about Slim Shady's long awaited comeback.  It's about yours truly.  The original thought behind this blog, as many of you already know, was to make my last year as a twenty-something completely memorable and life changing.  I failed.  I mean, not entirely.  I had a great year as a 29 year old but that ship has sailed and I'm now 31...still trying to figure out what I want out of life and how I will get there.  At the advice (and encouragement) of some pretty stellar friends (a couple of which helped me create the name of this little blog a few years ago), I decided to bring this thing back.  No, it won't be about attempting to do 365 new things, each of which would occur on a different day.  It's about taking life by the horns and making the most of it.  Whether that be with house projects, my relationships, life lessons, or even the latest sample of bbq I've fallen in love with. It's just simply about MY today.  I won't post daily, heck I may not even post weekly.  But, I'll post and when I do, it'll be something I'm passionate about.  Maybe you won't find the passion in what I've done, but in some way or another, I hope it encourages you to really embrace the life you have and do what makes YOU happy. 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”       - Mark Twain