Wedding Related Discoveries

We're still brainstorming for the wedding, though we do have a general idea of a guest list (80) and a city/season (Charlottesville, in the fall). I've contacted a ton! of vendors and tried to do as much research as I could. We're still working with a few different people to figure out the remaining details but hopefully! we are closer to booking a venue than we were a month ago. Though none of the big things are decided...at all, I've been having a great time discovering little wedding things here and there that I love!


Love the idea of getting my dress/his suit sketched and framed--a keepsake forever! especially since I think that I will probably sell my dress once worn (find this in Etsy under seller, MeganHamilton)


Did you know that you can rent jewelry now at bagborroworsteal.com? It's amazing and they have great choices for any occasion (this is one of the best tips on staying in budget I've run across)


Love! the idea of a short, flirty dress for the reception/send off/or after party (I'm looking for this sue wong dress, in white, size 4 if anyone comes across one)


White carnations are beautiful when arranged very closely, I mean if Martha says its right then I don't want to be wrong--another great budget idea


There is a company in Charlottesville that comes to your venue in a serving truck, think old school ice cream trucks, and makes fresh organic apple cider donuts for everyone--this has to be booked for our late night snack

So right now I've planned that I'll have a short dress, amazing earrings, a sketch of the outfit, a carnation bouquet, and apple cider donuts...not bad at all ;-)

Dirty Martini Friday

I've always been that girl, at the bar, who doesn't have a go to drink. I'll hem and haw for a few seconds and when nothing comes to mind, or I feel ridiculous for just ordering a lemon drop martini, I'll go with beer or wine. But that uneasy feeling and my drink choice insecurity are banished now that I've found my drink. I'm not a big liquor person by nature--except in college when let's be honest, you would drink anything someone put in front of you--I don't like tasting actual liquor. Maybe I was inspired by Mad Men or maybe I'm just maturing into adult beverage choices, because no ones getting younger here, but I love love love! dirty martinis. I've had a few out at restaurants and bars and last weekend decided to make them myself.

After a fated trip to the ABC store, securing Kettle One vodka--which is the best by the way, olives, and Frangelico (randomly) we went back to the house to make our concoction. Bry wasn't convinced you needed to use good vodka for a dirty martini so we made one with kettle one and one with pinnacle vodka (cheap and good for mixing...heavily). It was not even a contest, the pinnacle was not enjoyable to drink--lesson learned, you need to use good vodka.



Here is my recipe for the best dirty martini that you'll ever drink...if you're into that kind of thing:

2 shots kettle one vodka
1.5 shots olive brine
3 blue cheese stuffed olives

And so it begins...

Bryan's graduate school interviews began on Tuesday of this week. I decided last minute to switch my MLK holiday to Tuesday and work from home Monday so that I could make the trip down to Chapel Hill. We stayed at the beautiful! Carolina Inn, which was right on campus and close to shops, restaurants, and frat row--apparently ;-) I had to smile walking around on Tuesday listening to blaring 80s music escaping from frat town. The campus is beautiful and certainly rivals UVA grounds in Charlottesville.

We also ate at the Top of the Hill Restaurant, which is a brewery/restaurant overlooking downtown Chapel Hill--they had delicious food, and beers of course. UNC is Bryan's first choice and though the interview and day seemed to go really well, its the hardest school he is applying to--so cross your fingers! I was so excited to start envisioning us with a new life in a different city. More interviews at Wake Forest and Maryland next week, I'll keep you informed if we hear anything.

Has anyone ever lived in the UNC/Raleigh area? I'd love any information/advice if you have it!

Decorating for the New Year

I received this book for Christmas and it is amazing! So many helpful tips about buying a sofa for instance, or decorating your entryway--all in a very comfortable and inspiring way. This book is also great as it doesn't focus on having a house, simply the space that you live in now--for our fellow apartment dwellers. I have decided that before our move, hopefully!, at the end of the summer we need to edit our apartment for style and function, maybe buying a few pieces that will last for a long time and make our next place feel more like home. I'd love to find a few pieces like these:


French Console Table from Pier One


Love this lamp!, from Pier One


Bailey Baskets, from Pottery Barn


Pottery Barn Chair, perfect for a bedroom

Ethan Allen.com is also a great resource for anyone who wants style inspiration.

Guilty Pleasures

Here are a few of my guilty pleasures lately:


Love these! and I'll be sad to see them go...



I'm still totally obsessed with MadMen, we are halfway through the 2nd season and almost caught up (in dvd land that is..which is the best land of all btw)


I love love love! this popcorn and it is sooo bad for you. It's cheddar popcorn you microwave and then pour cheddar sauce all over it before serving--I am not making this up---and there's no reason to think about the ramifications of this one but try it! and you will not be disappointed...


Still rocking the Fuggs (costco brand) and they are needed more than ever as it's been in the 20s and 30s here lately....eek! so cold


This movie was soo funny, laugh out loud funny--and I'm a hard sell. Alec Baldwin is the man--I can't wait for new 30 rock!

Happy Friday!!

2010-- I can handle this

Thanks for all of the thoughtful messages!! We're excited/overwhelmed at this point in the planning process, though things seem more manageable as we continue to let it sink in that we are actually engaged. I'll be counting on all you blogsters with any wedding experience or planning prowess to help me through this process, it is daunting!

I don't have many friends who are engaged or planning weddings so I need some extra back up. My resolutions for 2010 are to stay calm, be focused on the point of this whole thing--which is to get married!, and remember that it's only Bryan and I that matter here (and by that I mean I will try not to let my feelings be hurt by friends, family, or the like who aren't meeting expectations or putting us first in this process).

This will be my mantra:

“ I want you to believe in yourself, imagine good things and moisturize, I cannot stress this enough. ”
Vida Boheme, To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar


Happy 2010!!