Wedding Planning Part II

I never quite realized that wedding preparations aren't just about being prepared for the big day itself, but also, all the other activities that go along with a wedding.

Hence, needing to dress up for more than one formal occasion.

It made me realize how infrequently I go shopping for formal dresses.  So here we were on the hunt.

We scored both wedding shower and wedding rehearsal dresses!

Please excuse my clothing rack =)

Wedding planning has to include some chocolate brownies, too =)

Oh boy, sitting and eating brownies while watching the David Tutera bridal show the day before Charlie proposed!!!  

Good thing brownies don't go far with 10 people in the house.  You're 

never in danger of eating too many.

 More wedding magazines!

 Signed up for a boot camp that kicked some serious butt. 

 It was crazy what you could accomplish in 3 weeks.  I miss this class and wish it wasn't so far away!

 It's almost wedding time!!!

A big "thank you" to all the dear friends who have sent really sweet and thoughtful wedding notes.

I've cherished and saved them all.

 The ladies out and enjoying some dinner and drinks before heading back to the stores in search of bridesmaid dresses.  It was quite the hunt.  Beware, if you are doing a wedding in a six month crunch, make sure to shop for bridesmaid dresses right away!  

They can take several months to come in the mail. 

 It was kinda tough trying to decide on a bridesmaid dress color.  While I have a favorite color, it also had to be seasonally appropriate.

 Wedding packages and more wedding packages!  I think I'll be tired of making so many purchases and returns once the wedding comes round. 

 Sending out bridesmaid dresses to 7 different states.

 Looking into tuxes for the guys =)

 Picking out my almost dream TV cabinet! 

 Heading downtown Chicago to spend a ladies day running wedding errands.

Our main purpose was to meet with our florist and collaborate on the floral arrangements!

This was such a blast!!!

 What a random industrial building our florist was in.  It was kinda cool and creepy all at the same time.

It's just neat to see how all these wedding plans come together.  So many things have happened by word of mouth, asking for help or advice and just talking with people.  

I found our florist through the maze of the blogging world. I had heard of and seen Holly Chapple's work on a favorite blog of mine, so even though I knew she was out on the East Coast, I contacted her. I told her that I loved her style and her gorgeous work.  Although I knew she probably couldn't ship her flower arrangements out of state, I asked if she knew of anyone in the Chicago area that had similar taste to hers.  Holly was on it!!!  She e-mailed right back and got me in touch with Alexandra from Exquisite Designs in Chicago saying that she was da BOMB!!!

Holly and Alexandra are good friends and I'm thrilled to be working with someone I can trust and someone whose style I love!

 Taking taxis around the city all day!

 Whatcha do when you don't have enough umbrellas =)

 Having fun playing with textures and colors.

 Tablescapes was this crazy place where people spend crazy amounts of money on table linens, dinner ware, flatware, glasses, tables, you name it!!!  

Our florist recommended it to us and told us to check it out seeing as we were already in the city.

It was fun to look at, but that's all.

 Our trip to the city proved to be an even more successful one when we found the shoes for all the bridesmaids!!!

 Being able to spend a full day in the city was great!  We accomplished a lot and enjoyed ourselves as we made pit stops for Sprinkles cupcakes and lunch at the Bongo room.

 This water tower has a special place in my heart.  It will always remind me of the day Charles and I got engaged and came back from our romantic horse and buggy ride!!

 Here we are booking our photographer!!!

Crazy story how we found Caroline.  After losing our first photographers, we were again on the look out for someone else we really liked. 

One day on facebook these beautiful wedding shots from a photographer in Seattle popped up through Style Me Pretty.   I contacted him and asked if he traveled and if not, if he knew of someone with similar style to his.  He texted and said that he didn't travel, but that he personally knew of someone in the local Chicago area who he highly recommended.

I looked up the work of the lady he recommended and fell in love with her style and the gorgeous wedding photographs she had taken and posted on her website and blog.

I got in touch with Caroline immediately!  She happened to be free on our wedding day and boom, we signed on with her for October 5th!!!

-----

Of all the wedding planning and details, having a great photographer is a huge thing for me!

No two photographers are exactly the same.  I feel as though some people capture pictures, while others capture moments.  Plus I didn't want just the typical standard shots, I really wanted unique pictures with an artistic twist!  

Ha, ha, ha, sorry to go on and on about this....can you tell I'm excited about our photographer!?!?

Like they say, "the cake is eaten, the food is gone, the venue is just for the evening, but your photographs last a life time for you and your loved one to look at!"

 Ahhhh sigh of relief....out for a nice, relaxed and much needed dinner date!!

I think this was the first Sunday in ages that we even sat down for a late night movie.

 Our cake tasting!

This isn't the cake we went with, that would be spoiling surprises to show that =)

 Charlie trying out our fine china.

 Here is to six more weeks until our wedding day!!!  

I know time will fly, but I'm looking forward to this season of Fall.  

Romance will be in the air =)