Gray & Yellow Wedding Inspiration

i've been a bad blogger. With work being as crazy as it's been, i've been very bad keeping up with my favorite blogs... So i only noticed this today... but on my coordinator, Paola's blog - She just did a wedding for Jessi and Adam and I absolutely love it. Not only are our color schemes very similar - i just love everything she did with it, so i had to share. (Images from Nataly Lemus - who is an amazing photog, so go and check out more of the pics from Jessi and Adam's wedding)...

Here are just a few...

Absolutely love the details... these shots are amazing... makes me more excited for my own Gray & Yellow (with navy trim) wedding :)

MagnetStreet Weddings SAVINGS!!!

Can you believe it’s Halloween already? Time flies when you’re having fun… And great discounts are definitely fun! And we all know how much i love MagnetStreet Weddings!

MagnetStreet Weddings is having its BIGGEST SALE EVER this Halloween! It’s a one day sale on OCTOBER 31st.

All MagnetStreet Weddings Stationery at a 31% Discount!

{Save the Dates, Invitations, Reception items, Favors, Thank Yous, Labels and Seals…}

One Day Only… October 31, 2009

{Use promo code WSALE31 at checkout of your online order. Offer ends 10/31/09 and cannot be combined with any other offers, bobbing apples or special effects.}

Create your signature style by customizing the colors, fonts and text on your wedding stationery to achieve the look you want. Begin with a stylish Save the Date and carry your look through your Invitation ensemble items, Favors and Thank Yous.

Clean your Closet via Garter Girl {Julianne Smith Blog}

Last night I met up with some FABULOUS DC Locals... (More to come on that) for a happy hour on U Street.  I had an amazing time as always, and got a great tip from Julianne Smith- i had to share it with my readers... so read on and be sure to visit Julianne's site and blog... she not only makes amazing garters but she's got some great every day advice as well...

HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR EVERYDAY CLOSET:

"garter girl style is back….now that you have eliminated all the items from your closet that you are not going to wear this season, it is time to organize your closet so that you can maximize the wardrobe that you have.

wait! you haven’t cleaned out your closet yet? read here and here for how to get it done. now!

keep in mind that every closet is different. everyone has space limitations and closet particulars that provide unique challenges. if your closet can hang 30-40 items, you will have more than enough room to display all of your clothes for the season. with all of this in mind, here are a few rules that kelly goes by when organizing closets for her clients and some things that i learned from my own re-org (including pictures from my own, personal closet).

[also, we are talking about organizing your everyday closet. that is the closet where you keep all the clothes that you are going to wear each day. not the out of season closet or the linen closet or the closet of old bridesmaid dresses or whatever other closet you might have!]

step #1 matching hangers

all of your clothes should hang on the same hangers. it does not really matter what kind of hangers you choose, it only matters that they are all the same. i like these that are available at the container store.

step #2 clear it out and start over

take all the clothes out of your closet and put them back in categories that makes sense to you. with your hanging clothes, for instance, you could move from tank tops, to short sleeve tops, to long sleeve tops, jackets, skirts, pants, and finally dresses. you can move from light to dark in color within each category. this way you know where to look for items and nothing will get lost or overlooked.

step #3 make it pretty

hang all of your clothes facing the same way. button the top button of shirts, jackets and pants. fold all your sweaters the same way. in retail stores, great pains are taken to display clothes so that they are visually pleasing, this makes customers feel good and excited about buying clothes. you will feel more excited and confident about your outfit everyday if your choices look more appealing when you open your closet. organizing your clothes will also reveal some of the strengths and weaknesses of your wardrobe. you might see that you have too many of one item and not enough of another. this will help you build future shopping lists.

step #4 fold it up

fold up your jeans and sweaters. a top rack of your closet is ideal. fold your jeans and put them on a pile in your closet going from darkest on the bottom up to lightest on the top. fold your sweaters and arrange them by color. try to put no more than 3 or 4 on a pile so that the piles don’t topple over.

step #5 get some hangers with clips

hang dress pants, suit pants and jeans (if you can’t fold them) on the hangers with clips. this way they will be hanging nicely and easy to find.

side bar: kelly’s thoughts on multi-tiered hangers and plastic shoe racks….

juli had about seven pairs of pants on one hanger. and, that was just one hanger. there were several more just like this in her closet at one time. i personally could not get dressed and deal with that. i would not know which pants are where or what i had in my closet. if you have these types of multi-tiered hangers, ask yourself, why do you need to have seven pairs of pants (or more) readily available? it is okay if you wear these pants everyday. but, if you sometimes wear dresses or skirts, then you have too many.

juli also had the shoe wheel stuffed with shoes. if you have 30+ pairs of shoes in a giant plastic contraption of any kind, it is bad for your shoes and just weird. shoes, even if you consider them inexpensive, should be cared for as long as you intend to wear them. (and if you don’t intend to wear them, you know what to do!) this means no smashing them into plastic pockets.

step #6 shoes on the floor or in boxes

for everyday use, keep about 7-10 pairs of shoes that you wear on the floor of your closet. this way you can see them and easily access them. for the rest (dress shoes and out of season shoes), store them somewhere else (maybe in another closet, under your bed or on the other side of your closet that you aren’t using for everyday items). when you buy new shoes, keep the boxes and use the boxes to store shoes. if you really want a pair that you have stashed away, you will be able to find them easily since they will be organized (hopefully). personally, i’m constantly editing all my shoes. i consign or donate two pairs every time the i buy one new pair

step #7 separate the nice things

if you have nice dresses or jackets that you only wear on special occasions, either put them away or designate another spot in your closet. they shouldn’t be hanging with your everyday items. this will cloud your vision and confuse you. for juli, we ended up clearing out a whole closet, so i hung her nice clothes in the spare closet. this way the clothes are hanging neatly, but they aren’t distracting her everyday when she goes to get dressed.

step #8 maintenance

tidy up your closet each week. really, you should be doing this as you go along, but we all know that this doesn’t always happen. so, once a week, maybe when you are putting your laundry away, take 10 minutes to go through your closet and put it back into order. straighten up the clothes on the hangers and turn them all the same way, lay shoes neatly on the floor, refold your jeans and sweaters etc. when you go to get dressed the next time, you’ll be happy to look at a fresh, clean space again.

so, there you have it: a clean, neat, hyper organized closet!

have we inspired you to clean out your closet? send before/after pictures to info{@}juliannesmith.com – we want to see your work and pat you on the back!"

Check out Julianne's post on her site for before and after pictures... i'm inspired...

Sweet Memory Creations

I've been featured on Sweet Memory Creations Blog: So cool... check it out!

And while you are over there checking out their sweet post about me and The Relentless Bride blog, be sure to check out their site.

For the budget minded bride, they highlight ways to save money on your wedding favors and offer products that are cute and reasonably priced

The Pink Starfish Bath Fizzzer

Cute Nothing is Sweeter than Love personalized Lemonade and Heart Whisk

But my favorite are the hands fan that come in different colors and designs

Be sure to check out Sweet Memory Creations for some more fun stuff!  and Thanks Ladies for the awesome review of my blog :)

Hair

I have found an amazing Make up gal, but need to find someone for hair. With only 4 months left - i'm starting to get nervous. Most people do better deals for Hair & make up, but i'm still wanting to find someone fabulous for just hair...

This is what i need:

on Site at the St. Regis Monarch Beach (Orange county CA)
1 bride
7 bridesmaids
2 moms
2 flower girls
March 6, 2010

Who are you using? Can i get her info?

Close to settling...

I think we are very close to settling on a few BIG things this week:

1. Shuttle is about to be booked. Currently booking one b/c the company will let us add another closer to the end of the year at the same rate - we need to double check room block and numbers and see if we need two all day or just one at first and then two at night - the biggest issue with shuttles - they charge a 5 hour minimum
2. Bridesmaid dresses - I hit up Dress Barn. And sadly, this year it seems the DRESS barn is lacking in dresses. Usually they have a lot of cute dresses for about $50 bucks that can be used as bridal party dresses. Sad about this... but we have a back up...
3. Invitations - About to order those today from Magnet Street Weddings so i can get the outer envelopes to our friendor Kelly (Calligraphy by Kelly Ann) so she can start working on those. We will get the details of the invites and the custom map design by Larissa at PaperCake Designs uploaded soon as well :)
4. Bridal Shower invitations will be ordered later today for the CA bridal shower. I won a gift certificate for Wedding Paper Divas - so i get to use that for the showers.
5. Rehearsal Dinner Venue - will be decided this week ... I hope. I kind of passed the baton on this one to FH b/c i'm not too thrilled with all our options (or lack thereof).
6. Working with Madeleine about Skin Care :) (Check out her awesome blog Peace Love Lipgloss)
7. Working with Jackie about Candy Buffet Bar (Check out her awesome blog and site)

Ok, i can do this .... slow and steady wins the race...  Ladies, don't forget - you have less than a week to enter the Invitation Giveaway - and keep in mind, you CAN enter daily!

Wedding Day SkinCare Prep

So i want to be absolutely GLOWING on my wedding day... but i've always had bad skin - anybody have a good skin care regiment they can recommend? I'm still 4+ months out - could have started earlier, but its never too late, right?

Would love to hear any input or advice for products, regiments, and or devices that help!!! (I've heard great things about Clarisonic - but its a big investment - any input?)

Updated: Honeymoon St. Maarten/Martin

FH and I are considering using our Continental miles to fly somewhere in the Caribbean.  We were thinking of St. Maarten (Dutch side)

{Image source Trip Advisor}

Anybody been there? Or been somewhere around there and can give us advice as to whether or not its a good honeymoon destination? We're trying to use hotel points for our stay as well.

Where have you decided to go for your honeymoon?

From Becca: (she gave me permission to give y'all her email in case you had questions!)

~"The busy season is November through April so both March and May would have positives and negatives. Since March would still be the busy season, there would obviously be more people there. However, during the off season, some businesses close so there may be less to do. We went during the off season and we saw quite a few shops that closed. However, we didn't have any trouble staying busy."
~"Things actually are not that expensive. You can find restaurants in any price range."
~"The beach we liked the most, we had to pay $6 for each chair and the umbrella. My fiance did not think we would need much cash but we ended up using cash a lot more than we thought. Luckily, there are plenty of ATM's if you need more cash." (especially for tips!)
~"I would recommend buying a guide book. The island is really tiny but it is really hard to know where the nice areas are...This is the book we bought and it was very helpful: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Frommers-Portable-St-Maarten-St-Martin-Anguilla-St-Barts/Jordan-S-Simon/e/9780470049006/"
~"You may want to take a day to just drive around and get an idea of the different areas. I would recommend renting a car."

~"A couple of things we did that we really enjoyed:

1. We went on a half day snorkeling trip with Captain Allen. Here is their website: http://www.captainalan.com/... The guides were great and they took us to the most beautiful beach I have ever seen on a secluded island. I would definitely recommend this.

2. We went horseback riding with Lucky Stables. We went on a two hour sunset ride where we stopped and watched the sunset. The guide started a fire and we had Champagne and toasted marshmallows. It was the most romantic thing we did. Here is their website: http://luckystables.shoreadventures.net/2007/05/luck_stables.html

3. Sunset Cruise...

4. If you or your fiance like butterflies, St. Martin has a really cool butterfly farm. When you go and pay to get in they will give you a ticket that gets you in the rest of the week. We went on a short tour with a really awesome guide. There were butterflies EVERYWHERE and some of them would even land on you. I thought it was pretty cool. http://www.thebutterflyfarm.com/

Try to find out when the cruise ships are docking. They usually dock around 8 and everyone on the cruise has to be back by 5. Some of the things to do, like the butterfly farm, get REALLY busy when the cruise ships dock so you may want to go a earlier or later in the day to avoid the huge crowds. Shopping in Phillipsburg is a huge attraction too. There are so many shops that it is probably a place you would want to see.

My overall advice is to do some research before you go to figure out some of the places you want to see. Drive around to get your feel of the island."

My friend also sent me some pics of her vacation there - so i'll update again! :)

Booking Flights

OMG... family and friends have started booking their flights... we're currently booking our's right now for the wedding.

O
M
G

Thursday morning ramblings

Here comes Thursday and work has got me tied up. I've got a to-do list that scares me and a few issues this week that have been annoying me.

To do list
1. Figure out invitation count and place order so I can get the outer envelopes to wonderful calligrapher Kelly-Ann
2. Figure out map stuff for awesome invitation designer and custom map maker Larissa from PaperCake Designs (have you entered the amazing invitation giveaway?)
3. Work on layout stuff for invitations

Here is a sample of my invitations (taken with my iphone so picture quality is eh). They are from MagnetStreet Weddings and they are fabulous. The quality seen online doesn't do the products justice. The paper quality, ink and designs are awesome




4. Figure out honeymoon stuff. Place and timing with potential new work schedule. I got an amazing email from a reader yesterday about St. Maarten/Martin and want to update this post
5. Redo registry
6. Figure out shuttles
7. Find hair person
8. Settle on a dress for ladies
9. Get FH to pick tux after #8
10. Catch up on my blogging - have you checked out the Weddzilla Blog lately?! Full of great bloggers and awesome content - Are you interested in becoming a Featured Blogger, if so - sign up here!
11. Measure bed frame and hope to get a bigger bed. Little Kota likes to sleep in bed but our full size ain't cuttin' it

Bones to pick this week
1. Angels ... Breaking my heart, you are. The series has been a painful blowout and with FH a Yanks fan and me an Angels fan. Things have been tense
2. Juneau pup has a bladder infection - hopefully that's what it is and nothing more serious
3. Vet tech referred to Kota as "a BIG Shiba" and last night after eating dinner, Kota threw up :-(



Random News
My girl who got married in Puerto Vallarta in May - who had the whole dealio with Swine Flu, but we all went and had a blast and came back safely. Well turns out at her At-Home reception, people who were exposed and even some INFECTED WITH SWINE FLU showed up and now her sister in law has it. GO FIGURE. Talk about ironic. Luckily she's sailing in the carribean right now... hopefully safe and not swine flu-infected!

Is it Friday yet?

Need some advice

So i'm trying to book transportation for the big day. We've pretty much figured that we will end up needing two charter buses from the hotel to the venue. With over 40 rooms booked so far, its highly doubtful just one stop will be enough b/c the largest bus only holds 57 passengers.

FH and I are doing our "first look" at the St. Regis. We will then proceed to get pictures taken prior to the ceremony. The venue is about 30 minutes from the hotel. So I was thinking Shuttle A to pick up bridal party and immediate family for pictures around 2pm. This gives us probably about 30 minutes for travel time, and about 30 minutes for pictures before we go to the venue itself for more photos. Shuttle A will return to the hotel by 3:15 pm to pick up guests. Shuttle B should also be there and maybe do a staggered pick up for 3:30 PM. That way, all guests arrive no later than 4:15 pm even if they did hit traffic and processional will start at exactly 4:20 PM.

Does this sound like it will work?

The Shuttles will start to head back leaving at 9:45 PM, 10:30 PM and the last one at 11:00 PM. So perhaps I can rent Shuttle A from 2 - 10:30 and then Shuttle B from 3:30 to 11:30.

I am trying to cut down time for the rentals and even condense it to one shuttle but it doesn't seem likely  - reaching out to see if 1) i'm not seeing another alternative with these shuttles or 2) how did you possibly do guest transportation?

Peonies and Palettes

I'm so excited for my good blogging friend Jessica, formerly known as An Atlanta Bride and now the amazing author of the transitioned blog From Marriage to Motherhood for her new wedding planning business - Peonies and Palettes!

If y'all know her, she's an amazing source of inspiration and kindness and is currently expecting her very first baby! She's got so much goodness that exudes from her, that it just seems right that so many exciting things are going on in her life...

Jess, I'm so proud of you and so very excited about your new business endeavor... you planned your own AMAZING wedding, you have inspired me in my own planning and i know this is a perfect career for you as you just have an eye for everything gorgeous and elegant!

Winner of the Table Favor Bags and Mini Tags Giveaway

It's time to announce the LUCKY winner of our great and fabulous Table Favor Bags and Mini Tag Giveaway! I received a couple samples after the giveaway started and have to be honest, the pictures online just don't do these products justice. They are super duper durable, and of great quality - it definitely will add a special quality to your party favors!

So without further ado... the winner is...

Katerina's winning entry:

Congratulations Katerina, be sure to email me at amyjean@relentlessbride.com so i can put you in touch with the company... I'm very excited to see how you end up using the great favor bags and tags! :)

New Addition and then some

Yay it's friday!! Survived yet another busy week of 10+hr work days to be able to avoid working this weekend and even fit a Brides Color event in with a newly engaged friend and two other awesome ladies (post to come)!

This weekend FH and I are headed to nj to meet the newest addition to our extended family: his neice




Also back in CA, we have a new addition a month ago to my brother's family too




More exciting news is my SIL's nephew whi was shot in the face on June 19, 2009 is out of a coma and the doctors think he may regain full vision (check out http://fundraiser4tonyboy.blogspot.com)

And just to brag a little. Check out what fH had for me as a surprise the other night.



that's right. It's COUNTRY ROCK BAND!!!!!! Yeehaw! :-)

Have a great Friday y'all!!!

Teaser Photos {C&B Wedding} Peabody Library

I just got some teaser photos from the ever-so awesome Denny Henry.  He was kind enough to send over a few shots right away and I just had to share... Not only do i love this venue and I'm so glad i got to work with the awesome Ladies at the Peabody, but Bonny with Chef Expressions and her catering staff were AMAZING. The musicians for ceremony and cocktail Hour, Antares Musicians were awesome.  The florist (Floral Contempo) was awesome, Lighting from Event Dynamics Inc was spectacular, and the DJ ... AJ from AJ Pro was really really fun (one of the best DJ's i've heard at a wedding)! The event was soooo very amazing and I'm so glad i got to not only attend the wedding but be a part of it...

So here are a few shots from Denny, The bride's cousin is also planning to send me a few shots as well - so expect lots of great photos from this amazing Event!

 

 

Practicing the Waltz

 

Groom and his boys

 

So cute and in love!

 

Doesn't the bride just look magnificent?

Make sure to check out Denny's site for some great photos!

Last Name Change

I just wanted to take a quick poll out there - who is all changing their name? Or any variation of? Or just legally but not for work?

I'm still contemplating what to do ...
i've been told hyphenating would be too funny :( 
I've been told "don't do that to your kids"
I've been told i should change it and i don't mind changing it

... but i'd like to hold on to my last name too

Contemplating just moving things up so that my first name is officially "Amy Jean" and not just "Amy", my middle name is my last name instead of "Jean" and i take his last name

What did y'all do?

Random thought

Just looked at my wedding dress pictures. * sigh *

I love it

Can't wait to wear it


- Ramblings by Amy Jean {Relentless Bride}

Super cute Cake Topper

This was the really adorable cake topper. Made me realize I need to start brainstorming what I will do for my wedding




Isn't is it so cute???

What are you doing for your cake topper?

- Ramblings by Amy Jean {Relentless Bride}

Table Favor Bags & Mini Tags Giveaway

We have a great way to start off October, and that is with a big giveaway for Original Greeting Tags Giveaway.

It is a great way to make your wedding green(er) by implementing party favors that can be planted (like the picture above)

OR

Or if you want to use the bag and tags in other ways, you can easily use them in other ways as party favor bags. And its customized b/c it can have your name and wedding date printed on them!

ALSO!!! you can use the tags as place cards - which makes this product help hit many birds with one stone! :)

The Original Greeting Tag Company has many different ways you can make your favors green, or greener and different and unique ways to help make your wedding be original! Keeping easy simple and simple easy, the Original Greeting Tag Company has made creating party favors an easy way to say a simple message!

What can you win:
THREE (3) prize of 100 Table favor Bags and Mini Tags will be given out.

Who can win:
Anybody in US and Canada

How to win:
1. Go to Original Greeting Tags and peruse the site.
2. Come back here and comment on which product you like best and how you would use them.
This gives you one Entry

Extra entries:
Fan Original Greeting Tags on Facebook AND comment here that you have Fanned them as a separate comment entry!
Repost on your blog AND comment here that you have done so as a separate comment entry with the post link!
Tweet about it AND make sure you put @relentlessbride (make sure the @ mention is in there) in the tweet AND use this link (http://ow.ly/smyw)!

The contest will run from October 1 - October 14th 11:59 PM EST.

Peabody library

This is how I spent my Sunday



working/attending a beautiful wedding for a great friend.





These pictures are taken by my iPhone so don't do the Peabody Library justice but it was GORGEOUS! Stay tuned for some teaser photos and more info about the big event !!!

What did you do on your Sunday this holiday weekend?!

Oh PS: way to go Angels and Colts! Awesome weekend!!

- Ramblings by Amy Jean {Relentless Bride}

Planters

So what do I do with this?




There are five or six of these that surround the "altar" area of our venue and everytime I've been there the planters look like that!





So what do I do with the ugliness that is in these planters?! Help!!!

Friday news and updates

Don't forget to Enter the Original BAG & TAG Giveaway!!! Get your favors taken care of while staying GREEN!

Have you heard of THE SKINNY? It's kind of like a ruelala.com but for skincare. That's right - if you like high-end skin care products and spa treatments you can get them at up to 75% off. And the site will feature products from brands like Perricone MD, Lisa Hoffman Beauty, 100% Pure, International Orange, and Organic Apoteke, as well as cosmetic services like Botox from renowned dermatologists... all at affordable prices. So head on over to The Skinny and sign up and be sure to tell them i sent ya (amyjean@relentlessbride.com) :)


OMG! Wedding Stories: Did That Really Happen? book to come out in 2010. They are currently taking submissions for crazy, funny, bizarre, and outrageous wedding stories. Share your story with them in detail (300 words or more please). If they choose your story for publication, they will credit you. This is a fun opportunity to have your story in a book that thousands of brides will purchase.
Email submissions to brettan@wspublishinggroup.com, and tell your friends! Deadline for submission is November 1, 2009.

TLC is casting for a new show, The show is a really fun concept.  This is NOT like a "Bridezillas" or anything that is snarky or negative...it is the exact opposite. We're doing a show that actually wants to see their wedding day turn out as perfect as they've planned it.  In this economic climate, most couples are having to sacrifice their honeymoons and other luxuries surrounding their big day, so TLC is giving these brides the opportunity to feature their wedding on a brand new show and a chance to WIN an all expense paid, 5-star vacation!   It's also fun because they get the opportunity to exchange ideas and vent their frustrations with other brides and attend each others weddings.  It's been a blast to work on. Email them HERE 


Get your free first issue of the GET MARRIED TV magazine FREE – a single issue 

LOCAL DC-ers

Mervis is having their special Fall Wedding Fete this weekend with 25% off all Precision Set jewelry. It's going to be faaaantastic. We have wedding cake, hors d'oeuvres, wedding gowns, photographers, and so much more!  All the details and our RSVP page is here

Washington Post Express Newspaper is having their best of contest, be sure to vote for Hitched Salon until October 16. 

Don't forget to enter the Weddzilla and DC Green Consortium's BIG giveaway for a $50,000 free GREEN wedding giveaway on April 22, 2010! (Click Here for more details)

Tipping - Who ? What? How much?

Borrowed from Weddzilla Blog Via Information taken from, "The Mother-of-the-Bride Book," by, Sharon Naylor.

A lot of people can get confused when it comes to tipping and who to tip! Here are a few helpful tips on who and when to tip, and how much.

• Banquet hall manager: 10-20% of the total reception bill.
• Bartenders: 10% of the liquor bill. (Guests should also tip.)
• Beauty consultants: 15-20% of beauty salon bill.
• Coat check: $1 a person.
• DJ/band: $20-$30 each.
• Delivery people: $10-$20 each.
• Limousine driver: 15-20% of total transportation bill.
• Party bus: $20-$40.
• Wedding consultant: 10-15% of wedding expense.

Buffet of Candy; Candy Buffet

So lately i've been contemplating having a candy buffet. Although its not a necessity, i do think its an awesome splurge if you can have one. And since we are also having the chocolate fountain, we can probably do a candy buffet as an even extra extra icing on the cake... what inspired me?

Check out these great photos i'm borrowing from Jackie Sorkin at Custom Candy Buffet Bars:

Candy Ice Launch Hosted by Vivica Fox

And a couple other images I stole from Jackie's Blog:

 

Aren't these buffets just gorgeous? Going through Jackie's site makes me rethink whether or not i need me a candy buffet and the way she designs them - i'm thinking, she adds the extra flair that just really makes the buffet the icing on the cake! Be sure to check out her site, her blog and her twitter! Her designs takes havin a candy buffet to a whole new level and me thinks i love her designs!

"Green" Garters

Julianne Smith has done it again with her awesome garter collection... by making them GREEN!

That's right, the ribbon on these babies are made from recycled plastic bottles. So go on over to her blog or her site to check these beauties out! :)

Make Up Trial

So you remember my most awesome Engagement session with Jordana from Hazelnut Photography? Well the make up for that session was done by the oh so fabulous Moira Taylor who just happens to be the sister of Jordana. You can't argue that fabulous skills are a gene in this family tree...

Well, although that was kind of a trial, i don't feel like it was a real trial b/c we didn't get a chance to really take our time with make up b/c of my running late on engagement photo day.

So last Tuesday, Moira came down and we caught up and chatted about my vision, my dress, my bridal party outfits, etc... and then we began our trial.

So as embarrassing as it is, here is my before photo:

So here are a few after shots:

 

A photo of my eye make up - we went for subtle smokey

and of course a wonderful picture of Moira and Me :)

I am glad i was able to have a chance to meet with Moira again, b/c it gave me more time to get a feel for her and vice versa. On top of which, we got to play around with make up - which was tons of fun. My Mom was also around, so she gave us her input as well. All in all, it was a well needed session to get me brainstorming about the "look" i want and it was good to collaborate with Moira to try to get my vision a reality!

New Wedding Hobby

Although I have found "the one" wedding dress I am going to wear and love, i can't help but admire all the other beautiful wedding dresses as eye candy. I've always loved shoes and jewelry, but i think i can definitely add wedding dresses to my list of favorite things to shop for... take a look at the following gorgeous wedding dresses!

Do you think it strange if i started wearing wedding dresses like a work suit? LOL. I wish i could because there are so many gorgeous dresses out there.

All wedding dresses pictured above are from Priscilla of Boston

Winner of the Lenox China Giveaway

I know y'all have been waiting for this - but i'm finally ready to announce the winner of the fabulous Lenox Opal Innocence Giveaway! We had so many entries and so many great comments, so i'm really glad i use Random.org to make the selection. And without further Ado...

MARIA!!! You are the winner !!!

Maria was very dilligent and entered several ways using many of the extra entry methods. This entry that one, is below:

Maria, please contact me by wednesday at amyjean {at} relentlessbride {dot} com so i can put you in contact with Lenox. Thank you for entering and for being so diligent in your comments.

For others, i've got wind that there will be another Lenox giveaway soon, so when i get that info, i'll be sure to let my readers know where and how to enter! Until then, thanks to Lenox for such an awesome giveaway - and THANKS to my readers for spreading the word and entering. Be sure to check out their classic china styles and their newer ones (my new fave is the Bellina Gold) I love getting my readers some cool things - and be sure to enter the Tag and Bag Giveaway and stay tuned for our next awesome giveaway! :)

Bangin' Bachelorette Bingo Weekend {Part 7}

Sunday came too quickly, but i'll be honest - i'm so happy I survived. I was worried i'd be so inebriated that I wouldn't be able to function sunday, and instead, i had an amazing time the whole weekend (that i wasn't resting lol) and able to enjoy every minute. It really touched me how many people came out for the weekend and how wonderful it was to see my different group of friends come together.

So the last day... a few pics from Sunday:

Awesome breakfast at the creperie

My bro and SIl

A couple of awesome friends, Trev came out from CA and Sarah from DC. 

 

Me and Sarah

Playing wheel of Fortune :) The spinny kind

So a grand finale to my wonderful weekend... dubbed "Amy's Bangin' Bachelorette Bingo Weekend". My girls showed up full force and they were awesome...  We had such an amazing time and i am one lucky girl. I've got amazing family, AWESOME friends... and to top it off, a wonderful FH who loves every single bit of me... Big shout out to my bridal party for pulling this together. My MOH/cousin who is studying for her medical board tests helped organize this and she did an amazing job... I am so happy!