Love Letters

Hello my lady-loves!

I know, I know, talk about slacking - it's been months since you've heard from me!  I promise it's all with good reason, though!  I'll blame it on this little thing called sorority recruitment...

For all you other sorority women and recruitment chairs out there, you know what I'm talking about!  Long hours, no sleep...basically bootcamp!  But, I must say that all the hard work and long hours paid off.  I wouldn't trade it for the world!  I mean, just take a look at our absolutely stunning new pledge class:

Seriously ahhh-mazing, am I right or am I right??

Well, I could just go on for hours and hours, but I have something else I've just been dyin' to share with y'all!  Now listen closely lady-loves, because what I'm about to tell you is pretty darn important. 

You know that stressful feeling we all get with birthdays and holidays approaching?  You want to find the perfect gift, but you're just not sure what it is?  Well, call off the hound dogs, because I've found it for you!  That's right, I found you the absolute perfect gift for any and every occasion.  Whether it's for Christmas, graduation, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, anniversaries, engagement gifts, big/little baskets, birthdays, or just because, this gift will work for you!

Without further adu, let me introduce you to a company called Treasured Passages.  They're the geniuses that created this fantastic gift that literally lasts a lifetime!  It's called a Letter Book and they come in 4 different kinds: Mother-Daughter, Sister, Friend, and Couple.  Before I get into explaining just what a letter book is, let me share this story with you about one of the company's founders:

Treasured Passages is a company started by three sorority women, because they saw a need for a product that would help people capture memories, while they were still there to capture.

 When Whitney, one of the company founders, was 30 years old, her life was ticking along just as she had planned….great family, great job, great husband and she was pregnant with her first child. Then she found out her mother had cancer. Her mother ended up passing away 4 months later and would never know her grandchildren. Whitney was devastated.

 Fast forward 5 years, Whitney discovered she had breast cancer. She was afraid that her children might not get to know her. That’s when she and her business partners decided that they needed to create something that would enrich relationships but also record the memories forever. Together, they came up with the idea of a letter book.

As I'm sure we've all realized at one point or another, life throws you curveballs and you never really know what can happen.  That's why I believe so strongly in this amazing product.  A Letter Book is "part journal, part letter, and part late-night conversation just waiting to be had.  Each Letter Book contains a drawer in the back of the book with cards and envelopes. Each page has an activity to be completed – sometimes answering a few questions, and sometimes sending a letter. Once the task is complete, the answers or letters are stored in specially-designed spaces within the Letter Book. The result is a tailored, personal recording of the relationship bursting at the seams with secrets, insights and laughter."


With all of todays technology (you know our favorites: facebook, twitter, email, text messages, etc.), we've lost sight of that personal connection between people.  This book allows you to record and keep your memories in one personalized, safe space, which can be passed down from generation to generation.

Here's a page from each of the 4 books to give you a little glimpse inside...

Mother-Daughter

Friends

Couples

Sisters

So, with Christmas right around the corner, consider this special gift for all those people in your life that mean so much to you!  If you're interested in purchasing a book, or several, please send an email to treasuredpassages@gmail.com!

Until next time, xoxo.

Simply Southern Soulmates

Happy August Lady-loves!  I am so excited for today because I finally get to introduce you to my fabulous sista-friend, Heather.  Heather and her fiance Chase were just recently and engaged, and the second I heard about the engagement I knew it would be the perfect love story to share with y'all!  Believe me when I say that these two are a match made in southern heaven!  Now, I may be slightly biased because Heather is a fellow Phi Mu and I just la-la-love this girlie to death, but I think their story is one that will just melt your heart and make you as giddy as a gumdrop!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story!

My fiance Chace and I actually met at the young age of five!  Labeling us as childhood sweethearts would definitely be an understatement.  Chase and I celebrated birthdays together, shared couple skates hand and hand, swapped presents on the holidays, AND were each other's first kiss!  This kiss dates back to a bus ride home from kindergarten.  Coincidently, we rode the same bus route and right before Chase's stop, he pointed out my side of the window and exclaimed, "Look!  A deer!"  As I turned to catch a glimpse of the invisible decoy, Chase laid one on me!  It is truly amazing that we can tell family, friends, and even our future children that we were each other's first kiss and will be one another's last.

Describe the proposal:

July 18th, 2011 was like any other relaxing day vacationing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina with my honey.  That particular evening, Chase was very eager to watch the sunset on the beach.  Because it was a Monday night, I really wanted to watch the Bachelorette, so of course I pitched a fit as we drove to the beach.  Eventually, I stopped whining and decided that watching the sunset with Chase by my side would be far more romantic than any television show.  As the sun started sinking behind the sand dunes, Chase and I sat on the toolbox on the back of his truck as we gazed at the breathtaking sky, and he began to tell me that I was so beautiful ("prettier than the sunset" to be exact, haha) and how much he loved me.  Fortunately for me, this lovey dovey talk was not out of the ordinary because Chase is a sweet talker; so I didn't suspect a thing!  Eventually, he stood me up to my feet and said he could not imagine watching another sunset with anyone else.  Then Chase dropped to one knee and opened a ring box.  Tears instantly flooded my eyes as I hugged him tight and tried to see the blurry, yet gorgeous diamond ring through my watery eyes.  Because I was completely surprised, I totally forgot to say "yes" until about one minute after the whole proposal!  So there we stood in the back of a truck bed, parked on the beach, with the sun dipping below the dunes, madly in love and happily engaged!

What ideas or plans have you made for the wedding so far?

Because Chase and I currently live five hours away from our home in Virginia, it has been difficult scoping out possible venues to host our wedding.  Thankfully, my momma has so graciously been driving to and from various spots and sending us pictures and her thoughts of the venues.  So far, we have taken engagement pictures which will be used on our "save the dates" (once we settle on a date!) and we have made a guest list!  Until we can visit venues ourselves in the upcoming future, we will be spending many hours on the internet researching locations for our picture perfect wedding!

If you could describe what you hope your big day will be like in three words, what would they be?

Romantic, breathtaking, and unforgettable!

What kind of style are you hoping to achieve on your big day?

Chase and I love putting on our country boots, but we also like to kick them off every once and a while to dip our toes in the sand at the beach!  With that said, we will without a doubt be incorporating southern and sandy elements to tie our interests together as one!

Have you set a date for the wedding, yet?  If not, do you have a time of the year in mind, and why?

An official date for our wedding has not been set quite yet (but we're working on that minor detail)!  Summer is our absolute favorite time of the year, and we are aiming to say "I do" in either late June or July of 2012.  I would really like to recreate the same scenic sky that radiated during Chase's proposal to me, so hopefully we will be able to say our vows as the sun sinks below the horizon (at an altar, not a truck bed of course)!

Thanks for sharing your ah-mazing story, Heather!  We can't wait to hear all about the magnificent details of your special day!  Wishing you and Chase all the best in your future together!

XOXO.

Southern Bells: Wake Up & Smell the Coffee

Check out this rockin' post by my favorite chickadee, Ms. EMo!  Talk about perfection.

Southern Bells: Wake Up & Smell the Coffee: "Top o' the mornin' to ya lassies! I've got something you're going to pour over so ch-ch-check it out! I know y'all love some DIY tricks an..."

Hope y'all loved it as much as I did!  Until next time, xoxo.

Happy 4th of July!

Hello again lovely ladies!  In honor of the fourth (I know, I know, I'm two days late!), I thought y'all might want to take a look at some perfectly perfect 4th of July weddings!  If you're working with a tight budget, this might be the perfect idea for you!  Weddings are all about family, friends, and the celebration of love - so what better time to bring all three things together than on the 4th of July?  How 'bout a casual, backyard barbeque complete with a fireworks display to dance the night away under?  You're wedding will be sure to be a hit with family and friends!  Check out some of these spectacular pictures for 4th of July inspiration! 

Like what you see?  Check out style me pretty for more!

That's all for tonight ladies!  Thanks for reading! xoxo.

A Night At The Movies!

Check out this winning performance starring one creative fiance!  One of my amazing sorority sisters showed me this stunning "romantic comedy" engagement proposal and I just had to share it with ya'll!  So, sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy!


Until next time, xoxo.

Leave a Piece of Love

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  Hopefully you're all headed off somewhere warm and sunny to relax for the weekend, but before you skip town, I wanted to make sure you got your weekly dose of bloggin' love!

This week I thought we'd discuss DIY and uber-creative guestbook ideas!  I don't know about ya'll, but I feel like the standard "leave your name and a brief message" in some fuddy-duddy book is outta here, and brides are usin' their creative juices to really spice things up.  Here are some of my favorites that I've come across:

"Make a wish, take a wish" - give guests the opportunity to write warm wishes to the newlyweds, seal it up in an envelope, and drop it in one of the jars.  Then, they pull from the other jar, giving them a chance to receive a wish you've created for them!

 Does your wedding have a vintage flair to it?  Then this might just be the perfect guestbook idea for you!  Antique typewriters serve not only as a creative way to receive kind words from your guests, but also as an adorable part of your decor!

How adorable are these mailboxes?  Again, a perfect way to add vintage-flair to your wedding, or for a destination wedding, equipped with matching postcards from your destination!

Leave a piece of love for the bride and groom!  One of my favorite ideas - leave puzzle pieces out on a table with a pen and have your guests leave some words of wisdom for you and your groom.  Afterwards, you can put the puzzle together and have it framed.  What a precious keepsake!

Another fabulous idea!  Leave squares of linen and some fabric pens out on a table, and when it's all said and done, sew them together for a one-of-a-kind quilt.

I don't know about ya'll, but I'm havin' some serious trouble picking my favorite idea!  This ones a real kicker - ever hear the saying "airing your dirty laundry"?  Well, here's that same idea, but with a wonderful wedding twist!  Have the instructions written on a detergent bottle, and a laundry bag to put the notes into at the end of the night and cart back home with you.  Have pre-cut articles of clothing for the guests to write on, and then tell them to "air" their laundry on the clothesline with clothespins.  This is a great way for guests to write down funny memories they've had with the bride or groom, or for words of wisdom and warm wishes! 

 Leave a poloroid camera on a table for guests to take a picture of themselves with.  You can also throw in a scrapbook for them to put their pictures into and write their notes next to.  Now not only do you have your guests kind words to remember your special day with, but some beautiful photographs, as well!

 Last, but certainly not least, is this precious thumbprint tree!  Leave ink pads and baby wipes on a table with your tree, and have your guests "leaf" their thumb print to make your tree blossom!

Got any more great ideas or like what you've seen?  Leave the lovin' here!  Now, get out in the sunshine and enjoy your weekend off!

Until next time, xoxo.

Down in Mexico

Happy Sunday! 

I have a real treat for ya'll this week!  I was fortunate enough to get the inside scoop from a soon-to-be bride that I think ya'll are just gonna eat up!  So, without further adu, it is my pleasure to introduce ya'll to Jamie Blum & Joe Walker:

DIY engagement photo's - a great way to save money and they look great!

So, how did you two meet?  Tell us your story!
Joe & I actually met when we were younger working at Hollister together!  We were friends for years.  One night, Joe told me he wanted to try sushi, so I took him to my favorite sushi restaurant.  While we were there, they brought our sushi out in the shape of a heart (I guess they knew something we didn't!).  Then, Joe went off to the army for a few years and I went to college.  One summer, when Joe got back and I was home from college, we went on a date and that was the night we fell in love!  We hung out almost every night after that!  Soon after, we ended up dating, and now we're engaged!

Describe the proposal:
It all began at Pittsburgh International Airport.  We were headed to Cancun, Mexico and Joe was acting super nervous and I could not for the life of me figure out what was wrong with him!  We got to the airport, got our tickets, and turned in our baggage, and everything went without any problems, except Joe was white as a ghost and looked like he was about to pass out!  I asked him a ton of times what was wrong, but each time he told me he was fine and just wanted to be there already. So, I let it go!  Once we got to the hotel he was an entirely different person - he was so happy and excited to be in paradise!  On our second day in Mexico, we went out to dinner at our favorite restaurant (the Resort Maria Margarita - yum!).  After dinner, the theater was featuring Chicago, one of my favorite shows, and I refused to miss seeing it.  So, as we finished up dinner, Joe said that he was uncomfortable and wanted to change his shirt before the show.  I was being impacient because I wanted to make sure we got good seats for the show, but I agreed to run up to the room with him real quick.  When we got up to the room, I went into the bathroom to freshen up.  When I came out, Joe was standing out on our balcony looking out into the night sky, so I went out and joined him.  When I stepped out on the balcony, he put his arm around me and said: "I cannot imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you", and then, before I knew it, he was down on one knee.  I didn't realize what was going on - in fact, I was so clueless that I asked him if he was okay, because I thought he had fallen down!  And then I saw the ring...

...and the tears began! As I was bawling my eyes out, I said "is this for real?"  And, Joe replied, "Yes!"  Eventually, while I was still crying and had yet to actually say yes, Joe asked, "So...is that a yes?!", to which of course I replied, "YES!!!"

Tell us about finding your wedding dress:
I thought I would never find a dress after our first dress shopping experience.  I didn't even remotely feel like a bride with a single dress I tried on, until one Sunday afternoon at David's Bridal.  Lindsey, my sister, and I actually saw my dress online the night before and I wasn't even going to try it on in the store because I didn't want to spend that much money on a dress.  When I got to the store, I tried on a few dresses, but I pretty much hated every dress I tried on!  Then, the sales woman pulled out the one I had seen online.  I tried it on and knew that it was the one!  It fit absolutely perfect, and needed no alterations!  I knew it was the one, so I went ahead and called Joe and he told me what every good fiance tells his bride-to-be, "Whatever makes you happy!"  So, I ordered it right then and there.  I went back when it came in and fell in love with it all over again!

When is the big day?
July 28th, 2012

Where will you be tying the knot?
In beautiful Cancun, Mexico!

Who, or what, has been the most inspiring during the wedding planning process?
Probably how easy it is for the Joe and I to work together and make decisions, and get things planned and ready to share with our family and friends!  If anything, planning this wedding has brought us even closer together, which I didn't think was even possible!

What has been the best part of planning your wedding so far?  The worst?
Th best part so far was choosing to have a destination wedding.  And, the worst, was our first travel agent that we interviewed.  It was a really awful experience!

Is there anything you wish you had known before you started planning your wedding?
I wish I had known how hard it would be to find a bridesmaid dress for 5 bridesmaids with all different body shapes, likes, and dislikes. But, we did eventually find one!

Any advice for other brides?
Have a destination wedding!  I think it's the best decision we ever made.

Here are some more pictures from Jamie & Joe!

 the front of the couple's {Save the Date's}!

the back of the couple's {Save the Date's}!

How cutesy are these Save the Date's?  Personalized post-cards are perfect for destination weddings!

views of the couple's beautiful destination wedding resort in Cancun, Mexico!

Thanks again, Jamie & Joe, for sharing your story with us!  Wishing you all the happiness in the world!

Until next time, xoxo.



{Yours Truly}

Happy Friday my blushing brides-to-be!  I know its been awhile, but I promise I'm back and practically bursting at the seams, with ideas and insights to share with ya'll!

In this tech-saavy world of ours, is - s n a i l  m a i l - no longer the way to go when it comes to wedding invitations?  Are you better off saving time and money and sending out e-vites?  Heck no.  I don't know about ya'll, but to me, weddings are meant to be personal celebrations, and therefore deserve a little more time, effort, and attention than a simple email!  Your wedding invitations are your guests first peek at what type of celebration you'll be holding, and do you really want your first impression to be a cheap-o invite?  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about saving some moo-lah and beautiful weddings on a budget, but you can still get inexpensive invites that are super classy and chic.  But, whatever you do, stick it in an envelope, throw a stamp on it, and march your cute little bride-to-be self over to the post office!

Ideas for wedding invites are endless - you can be as creative, or as classic, as you wish to be.  It's all about finding something that [fits your style] and the style you hope to achieve on your wedding day!

If you're having a destination wedding, consider making postcard-esque invitations.

...and you wanna know what makes this one even more spectacular?  You can have it for FREE!  Don't believe me?  Go here to download this adorable invite!

Maybe you have a really unique story of how you and your soon-to-be hubby met and want to share it with all your guests.  Well, what better place than on your invites?

and what a great way to share your personality and show off your love for one another before the big day!

Do you, or someone you know, have some serious art skills?  Try making these hand-sketched invites - how cutesy!  and inexpensive!

Or, my personal favorite, monogrammed invitations!  Ooohhh, monograms just make me melt!

Personally, I'm a big fan of the more traditional wedding invitations - if they're done right!  And, after weeks of searching the wonderful online wedding world, I've found one company whose invites just have me weak in the knees!  There really is just something special about SixPencePress that makes it stand out from most invites I've seen!  They describe themselves as unique, whimsical, and elegant - and I completely agree!  But don't take my word for it, look and see for yourself!

Aren't they just precious?!

That's all I have for you today!  But, I promise, I'll be back soon with plenty more!

Until then, xoxo.