We're Married!!!

We did it!!!

Our wedding was breathtaking!!! We didn't want it to end. For all of you who said to savor every moment and take everything in...we absolutely did!!

Here's a picture that was snapped {by one of my cousin's} of Mr. Wonderful and I right after we were pronounced husband and wife...

I cannot wait to share more pictures with you all when I return from our fabulous honeymoon!! The day was truly phenomenal and exquisite in every.single.way.

We're off to go have brunch with our out of town guests and family {but naturally, I had to do a small blog post first!}.

I'm a Mrs. now!!!

Nerves, Be Still

As evidenced here, brides usually do a lot of this before their walk down the aisle:

And not just when it comes time to being zipped {or buttoned} into their wedding dress. Hands repeatedly over the stomach is a sign that nerves are running rampid and they need to settle themselves down. I'd like to serve notice to my own little set, that they better behave on March 29th. Please and thank you.

With the wedding coming up THIS weekend, how am I holding up?

Well, since you asked...

My countdown sure is staring me in the face. Hardcore. The single digit is daring me to get everything done, and throwing in some anxiousness to see how I'll manage the two. What "nerve".

People who have seen me at work today think I'm bananas for even showing face. Many southern accents are telling me that I should have taken the week off. Maybe I should have. But Wednesday is my last official working day and then it's syanara people.

Speaking of people...

I really, really, really, want to thank all of you, my readers, for making my blog such a joy to come to every day. Your sweet comments, insightful suggestions, creative ideas, and your witty words keep my inbox very happy, and is something that I look forward to every day : )

I am so grateful to have crossed paths with such beautiful, heartfelt people who are genuinely joyful for the love that I have found in Mr. Wonderful and who, in turn, celebrate our journey to marriage.

For those of you who are enagaged, I hope that my planning process has provided you all with lots of inspiration. No doubt, it's a lot of work - but make it fun, keep it exciting, and put all your heart into it : ) Interesting...that just sounded like marriage advice too!

As I prepare to settle into a new chapter of my life, as a wife, I am so thankful to the many people who have helped cultivate me into the woman who I have become - no one more than my own father. As I have shared on this blog, the absence of his physical presence on my wedding day has, at times, been hard for me to come to terms with, but I know that I will still feel his spirit throughout the day and I'm prepared to be touched in a beautiful way by it.

Creating a blog has been a wonderful outlet for me, for many reasons, and I anticipate connecting with you all post-wedding. Since it’s the week before the big day, blogging will be {and has been} a bit sporadic but I can't wait to get back to giving this blog more attention and posting all of the detailed pictures of how things came together. Please allow the honeymoon to untangle me first!

Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart, for cheering me on every step of the way!

No matter your journey in life, I wish you all a happily ever after.

- Jess

11 Days Away

I so need to have this rug in my front entry way these days...

Seriously. Is that not the greatest slogan ever for a bride-to-be who is on warp speed trying to tie up the last of her "to do" list?

If it wasn't distributed in the UK, and didn't cost £395, I would have been all about getting this rug months ago.

Gotta love it.

They Are Ready to be Said

Over the weekend, I finished writing my vows and forwarded them to our Officiant {who we consider a mentor and friend}.

The vows are a bit lengthy, but as I sat in front of the computer, trying to edit the words that I would speak to my husband on our wedding day, I just didn't want to cut out certain lines for the purpose of shortening our ceremony. If any part of the ceremony is most important, it's the exchanging of vows. So I left the lovely words as they were. All 1 minute and 24 seconds of them. Which really isn't so bad. But I should tack on another 30 seconds for the inevitable crying and composure time that I'll need.

While I won't be memorizing my vows, I do want to make a point to familiarize myself with the lines that I will say, so I fixate my eyes on them every so often.

Soon enough, this will be us...

photo credit: Natalie Moser

Monday Ramblings

Please allow to be totally honest with you. I cannot wait for the wedding to be over. While I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the planning, I'm ready for it to be a wrap {I hear the ninth month of pregnancy brings about a similar feeling}.

The last three days I have walked around with what I think is a stress headache. I will spare you the details of what has brought it on. Actually, I will spare myself from writing them out {because if I see the reasons all spelled out, I may just head to Coldstone for a 4 scoop pick-me-up, which actually might not be such a bad idea if I didn't have a wedding dress that I need to ensure that I fit into}.

I'm ready to settle into my life as a wife, and just want this moment to be here as the first sign of it:

photo credit: christine farah

Carnival Wedding

These days, brides {and a selective number of grooms - sorry guys, gotta give you a hard time} put a lot of thought into making their wedding one of a kind. Emphasize these days is placed on unforgettable elements and unique touches, as many couples are thinking outside the box to ensure that their wedding stands a part from the rest.

I've admired engagement shoots taken at carnivals - the playful atmosphere combined with bright colors make for gorgeous pictures, so when I crossed paths with the below wedding, I just had to share.

I would have loved to have been a guest at this ultra fun, very non-traditional soirée in which lots of thought went into every single visual detail at this carnival themed wedding. This one "takes the cake" for originality! And where there is cotton candy, there is a little girl inside of me wanting some!

photo credit: Victor Sizemore

To view more images of this whimsical wedding, go here.

Work It!

Talk about a smoldering bridal portrait session! These images are pure glam...

photo credit: Victor Sizemore

Farm Wedding

Check out these images of a beautiful family farm wedding...

photo credit: Laura Negri

Groomsmen Giftbags

While browsing through the blog of photographer Sarah K Chen, I stumbled upon these cute brown paper giftbags {that read "Thanks for being part of our day"} that were presented to the groomsmen on the morning of the special day. Common {and some inexpensive} gifts were enclosed, but they sure were given in an impressive way!

photo credit: Sarah K Chen

One of Those Mornings

Today is the second day in a row that I cried driving into work. The on slot of tears began when I popped in a CD comprised of the music that will be played throughout our ceremony. I am telling you - I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to hold it together on the day of the wedding. I was a basket case in the car just imagining myself in the moment.

I suppose what initially made the tears stream was listening to a Kenny G song that I'm going to walk down the aisle to {old school, I know. But my father loved jazz and Kenny G was one of his favorite musicians. Not having my dad with me on my wedding day, but walking down the aisle to a familiar piece that I heard as a child when in his presence, will make me feel that my father is present}.

So the tears were a compilation of mixed emotions: Anticipating the moment when I walk towards Mr. Wonderful to become his wife, seeing my mother on the front row crying {I know she will}, and trying to get through the day without my dad, as I posted about here.

Is there even a way {on the day of the wedding} to get rid myself of the anxiety that will be up to my throat? Is there a cure for the jitters? Can the nervous energy be expelled? Can I jump up and down and shake it out of me? On second thought, that may just leave me with one huge headache.

I am looking forward to every single meaningful element of the day, but I cannot wait until we are simply doing this:

photo credit: Becker

The Purchase Has Been Made

For those of you who have been holding their breath wondering when this girl is going to order her veil, you can now exhale. The purchase was made today and I seriously did not want to take the pretty veil off of my head. Parting is such sweet sorrow. But next week, when a fresh one arrives, it will be mine...all mine.

photo credit: Boutwell Studio

Pressing the Dress the Morning of?

While it's on my body? Umm. I don't think so....

photo credit: Almasy

They Need to Know

Dear Employer,

In the final weeks leading up to my wedding, I may seem “sidetracked” at work. Let it be known now that I will be. Some days you will think that I’m not even present…and some days, I actually won’t be. I just feel it’s important to put that out there so that we’re all on the same page.

Please understand that a wedding does not come together by the snap of ones two fingers. How nice that would be. Instead, a bride-to-be {especially one who is a little over three weeks out from her wedding} is really only focused on one thing right now…getting the last of her checklist accomplished. Which means…

If you pass by my office and ask me a question and I just gaze past you without giving you a response, please don’t call the psyche ward in a panic thinking that I’ve lost my marbles. The truth is that I’m not at all thinking about what it is that you need from me, but rather am processing which wedding related task I’m going to tackle next and you likely just interrupted me doing my seating chart at my desk. And you should feel really bad about that.

I’m going to say what nearly every bride-to-be feels when she is thisclose to her wedding day: I have no interest in accomplishing any work related task and consider every hour, of every day, extremely valuable at this point {but because self-conviction has a tendency to get the best of me, I’ll tend to at least three work related things a day…that don’t take up more than three minutes of my time. Fair enough? Let’s shake on it}.

I should also forewarn you that my anxiety levels have seen better days and that Aunt Flo is due to arrive around the 15th, therefore you will need to walk softly around my emotional state for the remaining month of March. It shouldn’t be too hard. Just be understanding of my needs {and my three hour lunch excursions} and no one will get hurt.

Oh – and have I told you that you’re the best boss ever? Yes, I need next week off.

Trying not to be high-strung,

Jessica

P.S. - I'm really ticked to have discovered that Disney lied to me when I was a child. Fairy godmothers do not exist. That needs to be a disclaimer somewhere.

Let There Be Cake!

It's no secret how much I love to admire beautiful, and unique, cakes! Take a look at these...

all photos: The Knot

To view more cake photos, go here {forewarning, you'll want a piece after viewing all the sugary confections!}.

A Backdrop Truly Makes the Pictures

I was in pure awe when I saw these stunning images taken of this bride and groom. Feast your eyes on these framers.

photo credit: Leigh Miller